House Update

So, as some of you may know, my family and I have been in the process of building a new home. We have done some of it, but mostly it has been done by a contractor. They said that they are hoping that it will be done within 2 weeks, but I'll believe that when I see it.

We will need about $2000 at closing to cover the closing costs of switching from a building loan to a mortgage plus the extra stuff we had done on the house that we will owe the contractor. We have $2500 right now and while that is enough, I really don't want to wipe out our savings. My husband was hoping we would get enough back from taxes to help us put more in savings, but we are only getting about $300 back, mostly due to the fact that he was on unemployment at the beginning of the year.

So, we need money saved and we need it fast. When I was looking at my budget for February, we have very little that will be left over to go in savings. We have some things that we are going to put on Ebay and Craig's list to help us get some extra money (bowflex, calipers for machining, a bin of McD and BK toys from late 90s - so if anyone is interested let me know lol).

We are also on a strict budget. I just keep telling myself we're broke. There is no extra money to spend. I was going to go to a Zumba event in Elmira this weekend, but decided we need that $15 in savings, plus it would have cost us for the gas. All in all, I am better off going to Zumba at my gym because it is already paid for.

My husband's biggest issue is eating out and spending money on coffee and other crap. I know it's hard because he is going back and forth to the new house several times a week, but we have both decided to take control of this issue. So far we have eaten at home every day since last Thursday. Tonight's dinner is Chicken Paprikash (recipe from South Beach diet cookbook). Next we will work on the coffee issue. It really does all add up.

What ways do you save money or make extra money when time is running out? Let me know by leaving a comment. And for all those in the Northeast - stay warm. It's going to be cold later!! brrr. I am sooooo ready for spring already.

Eating Healthy for Less

Eating frugally does not equal not eating healthy. People have this notion that in order to save money on food, that they will not be able to buy healthy foods. This is just not so. There are several ways to help stretch your grocery dollar without stretching your waistline.

Produce
Buy fruits and vegetables when they are in season. Around here $1 per pound for fruits such as apples, grapes and pears is a very good price. Check local farmer's markets and roadside stands for fresh and local produce. In the winter when produce is not in season, we end up eating a lot of bananas and apples, and sometimes grapes if they are on sale. We also buy a lot of frozen vegetables. Frozen right after they are picked, frozen fruits and vegetables taste delicious and still have the important vitamins in them as fresh produce does. Budget out a certain amount a week to buy produce. We budget $6 a week usually.

You may also want to think about growing your own produce. For the cost of seeds and a little seat equity, you can have wonderful fruits and veggies all summer long! Produce from your own garden tastes so much better than the ones bought at the store. If you end up having too much (we might end up with too much lettuce and beans.. lol), you can give it away to friends and family, or even to your local food pantry.

Meat
Buy lean meat such as ground turkey or boneless skinless chicken breast. Buy meat when you find it for less than $2 a pound. When you get a good sale, you may even want to buy extra and freeze some of it. A trick I use to make my meat last longer is to only use 3/4 of a pound instead of a pound. You won't even know the difference, but your wallet will. Check out weekly store fliers for the best meat sales that week and plan your meals around them. You may even want to consider having one or two days a week where you have a meatless meal. You could have beans and rice or chili without meat, or many other tasty meals.

High Fructose Corn Syrup
Many people are concerned nowadays about this sweetener. I know my family has cut down their consumption of the sweetener dramatically in the last year or so. Read the ingredient list carefully. I will buy something that is sweetened with sugar before I will buy something with HFCS, especially if it something my kids eat a lot of, like jelly. HFCS is so many things: pancake syrup, cereals, some canned fruits (the ones that say heavy syrup), some instant oatmeals, bread, and more.

Convenience Foods
There are some healthy convenience foods out there, you just need to read the ingredients to find them. A lot of the convenience foods I buy are pretty good for you (although I will admit to the occassional chocolate bar or bag of Doritos .. lol). You can find coupons for these things that will reduce how much you pay for them. In our house I have to admit that we keep a stockpile of mac n cheese. Although it isn't the healthiest thing for them, it sure is a lot better than fast food, plus it is something my husband can make. LOL.

Sometimes you need a certain food, but the healthier version is too expensive. This was the case with bread in my family. I started using my breadmaker (that I got for free from freecycle) to make homemade bread with no HFCS and no additives and preservatives. I recently started making sandwich bread, and this recipes makes 3 loaves of amazing bread, ready for peanut butter and jelly or a slices of turkey or ham.

Meal Planning
Meal Planning is crucial when you want to save money and eat healthy too. Look at the sales ads of your nearby grocery stores and plan your meals around the sale items and what you have in the house already. When I meal plan, I try not to have too much pasta each week, since both my husband and I are trying to lose weight. I make sure there is a vegetable or fruit with just about every meal also. Frozen vegetables are usually the mainstay in this house because I can get them for about $1 a bag (16 oz). Every Monday I post my meals for the week on here. This helps me to plan, but also I hope inspires my readers to plan for their week.

Stay Out of the Store!
It's a fact. The more you go to store, the more likely it is that you will spend more money and go over your budget. Try to only go to the store once a week, or even every two weeks. I always get as much milk as I can fit in my fridge (6 gallons - and they will get drank in my house! lol) so that I do not have to run back out to the store anytime soon. Have a list on your fridge where you can write down everything you run out of, or are getting low on, so you can get everything in one trip.

See. You can eat frugally and still eat healthy. You may also want to check out 5 Dollar Dinners for more meal ideas that cost less than $5 for a family of 4. She has an awesome blog and is currently writing a cookbook, so I will be looking for that when it comes out. Did I forget anything? Anything you would like comment on or add to my frugal shopping tips? Please leave it in my comments. Have a frugal and healthy day!