Sam Squared

           Despite my garden bust, I'm enjoying the fruits of others labor.  I made two farmers market visits last week and have been devouring beans, peppers, tomatoes, and cucumbers, gave much to my kids, and brought along to a cookout. I even managed to get a couple jars of refrigerator pickles made, and plan to do more before the local cukes are gone. I don't seal these, but they're still good for several weeks since they're packed in vinegar. I can't share the recipe as it took decades before my MIL shared with me, probably after she no longer wanted to make herself. I found several similar on line, but they won't have the little side notes my MIL made as adjustments to family taste. Reused pasta and jam jar with lid.      My daughter brought me the gorgeous local sunflowers. Even those didn't come back this year. I'll try again next year. These are my favorite pickles on sandwiches and are particularly good on the Aldi red bag chic...

        As shared previously,  I'm incentivised to watch my spending not just because of the huge increases in every area of life but also due to timing of high cost expenses between now and end of the year. I'm tracking my variable, discretionary spending to get a better grip. While boring blog content, it'll give me a good view of where my money is going not including the regular bills required to maintain my life and home like utilities, insurance, and taxes. Clearly you'll see it's not no or low spend, but personal awareness to improve areas I might spend but arent really adding to the quality of my life. Here's What I Spent, WIS, in the last week. Saturday: $22 I bought my sister an additional birthday gift as I saw a unique Minnesota Twins shirt on Etsy. She's the ultimate fan and is going to an upcoming game. Sunday: $0 Family day at lake for my MIL'S 86th birthday. I brought food made from items already on hand.  I learned a new card game calle...

                                                                              For my Friday posts, I copy a previous week, delete the old and update as I go along the week. This helps me add as the week goes on. Here's my recap of Friday, August 14 to Thursday, August 20. I just sort of list things as they come up. I know my WIS is somewhat redundant but my Fridays are a more overall check into how I'm doing in terms of financial wellness instead of daily tracking each expense.  Use it Up/Avoid Waste I shared leftover pasta salad as it was huge with mil, niece, and a sister in law. I took home a serving of a different salad. The brats I brought weren't eaten because there were leftover hamburgers from Saturday. Because these had thawed, I cooked them in beer Sunday night, then fro...

       As shared last week, I have big ticket bills and then holiday shopping before the end of the year. I'm tracking my variable, discretionary spending to get a better grip. While boring blog content, it'll give me a good view of where my money is going not including the regular bills required to maintain my life and home like utilities, insurance, and taxes. Its not intended to be no or low spend, but personal awareness to tweak my priorities in terms of where my money is going. Saturday: $16 BIL found cheesy cruise shirts and I bought one too.Not a need or even a high want, but three BIL's love planning cruises and all the kitsch that goes with them. My husband would have been right with them for the cheese.   Sunday: $4  Fo r research (curiosity) I ordered a $3.99 Too Good to Go surprise bag. Curiosity quenched...will pass on future though someone else might have thought this was a good buy. I ate the sandwich and grapes for my lunch and froze th...

                                                                            For my Friday posts, I copy a previous week, delete the old and update as I go along the week. This helps me add as the week goes on. Here's my recap of Friday, August 7 to Thursday, August 13. I just sort of list things as they come up. Use it Up/Avoid Waste Putting this here as it saved food from garbage likely. I tried a $3.99 Too Good to Go meal.- pure curiosity. This is very new in my area, and limited but Ive seen YouTube unbaggings and it seemed fun to try for not a huge amount. It was from a convenience store so hopes we're not high. But, I received a small, but ample turkey, ham, and cheese sandwich, grapes, three giant cookies, and a container of 12 donut holes. The cookies and donuts went in the freezer f...

     Between August and mid-October, I have so, so many big ticket bills coming due and then it's rolling into the holidays. While cash is there, I'll still release a silent gasp when paying. I'm tracking my variable, discretionary spending to get a better grip. This will be boring navel gazing blog content, but you're welcome to gaze along. This will not include the regular bills required to maintain my life and home like utilities, insurance, and taxes.      After my Sam's Club run, I've minimally shopped since July 21st, and plan to keep this up; short of loss leaders or exceptionally low deals, I'll buy just what's needed each week. I'm putting this plan to other discretionary spending too. If not already planned, I'm going to clutch my purse closed ( as best I can in the moment.)      I got off to a frugal bang for this accountability starting on the first. Sunday, I did a meal planning possibility list and a calendar/ activity review fo...