Friday Fiscal Wellness Check July 4, 2025
I copy the previous week, delete the old and updated as I go along the week as a way even when busy and not in a blogging mindset I'm accountable to myself. Here's my recap of Friday, June 27 to Thursday, July 3. I'm going to admit that I was a walking oxymoron of a frugal person. I'll stretch a bag of $1.25 navy beans into a huge vat of soup but spend $3.50 a pound for pick your own strawberries when Aldi is carrying them for $1.79 a pound. (There was no comparison to the quality of the fresh picked berries and if I'm going to go to work of making jam and pie, I want great produce.)
Avoiding Spending/ Saving on Needs
- After Friday's anniversary dinner out, no other eating out or take out. July has to be different than June on that line. I have a coffee meeting and lunch with an old friend next Thursday but that must be it for the rest of July.
- Started July spending on June 30 as I was at my daughter's and used the digital deals plus the sale on Diet Coke ( my treat for drinking at least three bottles of water, no more than 1 per day) spending $26.49. This is an insanely expensive store, even much higher than my local grocery store, but their digital coupon items are very good. ( For curiosity I inputted in a Walmart cart and it came to $36.99, so $9.50 savings overall. I can't use the grocery store regular prices to really estimate savings because normal prices are so high.)
- I used 1500 of the expiring 1899 points on the McDonald's app for a free chicken sandwich. The McDonalds is next to her town grocery store. I spent nothing else.
Spent Intentionally
- I sent a few weeks ago, but SIL finally cashed check for the shared cost of having the cabin windows professionally cleaned. (Though cost was $26 more per person than originally quoted back in December). This was part of past Christmas gift for MIL.
Opportunities to add Funds/Windfalls
- Entered Fetch receipts and played MS Rewards.
- I had a short consultation call and will be paid a prorated hourly contract rate.
- I finally was able to figure out the access to the continued Medical Dental Account and submitted reimbursement for my hearing aids. I think I'll only get what was paid in so far, but getting that back will help my cash flow.
Miscellaneous things that don't quite fit in other categories
- Buying ahead: My buying for the weekend was very high, but I hit a lot of stock up items that will help the rest of the month. I know it's just the 4th, but I do think I can hit being under my household and budget plan.
- I went mattress shopping with my youngest daughter. She decided on one and ordered for delivery on July 16. I'm still in a realm of sticker shock. After testing many, I realized I need to tweak my budget as ones I preferred are no way close to what I estimated ( think double to triple!). But, knowing is step one in the battle. Kudos to my daughter by shopping around and getting hers at 5% less than next priced store for all costs combined. She has mild scoliosis and as she's gotten older, investing in herself after years of dorm room or cheap apartment beds hasn't helped. We put on my card as I get higher rewards, but she'll pay me back (-the rewards) before bill is due.
Then, there are often other things that impacted my check book that came up without much planning or notice, or an all-out splurge.
- I spent $14.85 on fresh pick your own strawberries on Saturday. I wanted enough for two batches of jam ( but only had enough for one batch Saturday) and two strawberry rhubarb pies. If there's still picking next week, I'll go again.
- Since June's grocery budget was already blown, I bought fresh picked snap peas and new potatoes, artisan pepperoni bread, sour dough bread, and a salted caramel cookie, and gourmet local Chicago mix popcorn at the farmer's market. It all together was still a lot cheaper (and when you read Saturdays meal, resulted in a far better meal) than my expensive meal out on Friday. I need to set aside a bit of my budget to hit the farmers market each week as more and more will be coming and I both love the quality but also supporting local farmers and businesses.
Daily Dinner Diary (Friday 6/27 to Thursday, 7/3).
- Fri - Son ate leftovers and I had the anniversary Dinner out, just O.K. chicken Kiev with all the supper club extras like a salad, rolls ( that were a bit stale), and relish tray.
- Sat- You know that feeling when a home cooked dinner exceeds all expectations? This was that meal. First salad using my own lettuce, with cucumber and farmers market snap peas. Poached chicken thighs, pepperoni bread toasted with homemade bruschetta, and new potatoes. This was such a good meal. Any splurge was worth it.
- Sun- Leftover stuff on more lettuce, picky stuff through the day (my regular Sunday meals it seems)
- Mon- BBQ pork sandwiches, lemon-spinach-ricotta orso
- Tues- Cobbled together stuff for tacos or burritos/ bowls with odds and ends found in fridge, freezer, or pantry with chips and salsa
- Wednesday- Chicken, salads, leftover cheese potatoes
- Thurs- onion and pepper red sauce over penne with ground turkey meatballs
Today being the 4th of July and not midweek, my sister and husband are having their annual party today right on the holiday. They provide too much including hotdogs, brats, ingredients for walking tacos with all the fixings, and ask for sides and desserts. I'm bringing a cherry crisp, made this morning, carrot and apple slaw, broccoli salad and watermelon. I have a cute watermelon platter I think was 50¢ two years ago. I have a patriotic stars and stripes platter, plate, and bowl that were each 50¢ too, I might pull out the bowl for the slaw. I know more clutter but at least being used once a year year. How was your week?
There is definitely NO comparison to locally bought strawberries verses store bought ones. I bought 5 peaches this week and paid $6 at the local peach orchard, which are totally worth it. Like you, I love supporting local farmers and the quality is very good.
ReplyDeleteThat was a neat trick to put what you bought into a Walmart cart to check the price!
I hope you have fun at your sister and hubby’s party today. The watermelon platter is cute!
I think it's disengenuius when people claimed they saved $$$$ shopping at really expensive places then getting just loss leaders. I knew these were good prices at average stores. I only ate a few fresh strawberries but my sister made a rhubarb-strawberry crisp that was inctedibke. My cherry crisp turned out delicious too. .
DeleteI am with you on freshly picked produce. I spend more at Benny's stand than I would at the grocery store, but they either pick it from their farm or sell produce picked from neighboring farms. Strawberry season is over now but peaches are in their prime.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy eating out, but I like the meal quality to reflect the price and hate paying a premium price for substandard foods.
Once we really get the produce coming, I'll stop at the stands or farmers market regularly. My error at the restaurant was not choosing one of their specialties. I'm sure there will be a next time and I'll go back to ribs and broasted chicken.
DeleteI'm all for buying super local produce, even when it's a lot more. We're lucky that we're so close to "the salad bowl of America" (Salinas, CA) that we can get a ton of very local produce for not very much.
ReplyDeleteSam & I talked about doing takeout this week, as I was busy with work, and M & Nick were in Boulder. But, I reminded myself that takeout is often not as good as something at home, and it's always better for you + cheaper to eat on your own. We ended up having breakfast sandwiches for dinner one night, which were delicious, particularly thanks to the garden tomatoes. - Hawaii Planner
A breakfast sandwich with a tomato would probably be a $15 sandwich! Yum. I just need to remember eating out is entertainment so enjoy it, but not use it instead of cooking. Fresh fruit and vegetables are truly the best and we have short windows here to enjoy.
DeleteMoney well spent on fresh food! Better nutrition and much more joy in eating it :-) Overall, a great week IMO. I hope you have a good celebration today!
ReplyDeleteIt was so hot and steamy but a good day.
DeleteYour meals sure sound good. And a family get together mid-year sounds like a grand idea!
ReplyDeleteThey've had this party for over a decade now. It's a fun day with delicious food.
DeleteI spend more for local homegrown tomatoes, okra, squash, watermelon, sourdough biscuits from the Mennonites, etc. at the Farmer’s Market also. I do the same thing with beans but because we stretch our meals
ReplyDeletewith dried beans, we can buy the delicious Farmer’s Market produce! Cindy in the South
It's a balance to get the good stuff in season, and be thrifty with things that won't be different- like dry beans.
DeleteI'm trying to find a close, really good source of locally grown fruit and veg. They definitely taste better.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing really well with keeping track of things. I think this is going to be my goal for next year. It's a little scary, but I think I really need to track where money is going.
I have to know. Things are tighter than I was wanting with the amount I chose to withdraw. Added to that are extra costs like mattresses that are pricier than what my mind estimated. Not knowing where the money is just can't work for me.
DeleteI am so happy my garden seems to be almost ready to produce. The local farmers market prices have risen and I need a break. But fresh is best.
ReplyDeleteMattress shopping was a bit of a shock here. Until the last one I always paid cash, but needed it badly so it went on a CC for 4 months until I rebounded and was able to pay the difference. Right now I am having the same problem with couches. I want the best quality but was not prepared for the current cost.
We looked at couches too, both for her and I'd like a sectional for my living room rather than separate pieces- more consolidated but eek. Yes, going to not think in that anyway due to all the pets.
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