Five Super Simple Ways To Stash Some Extra Cash

Below are five simple ways that my husband and I have learned to save and stash cash that actually results in hundreds of hidden dollars being saved every year. Then, we are able to strategically (and painlessly) use those extra dollars for specific purposes at specific times throughout the year. This has resulted in HUGE savings along the way!

1. Learn to Budget Using a Cash-Only Envelope System - 

By using Dave Ramsey's envelope system we're learning (have been learning for a very long time) to curb spending and save money. When I first started working (part-time three-and-a-half-years ago) I asked for help in setting up a budget. While definitely far from perfect, we have made great strides in learning to adjust and overcome. We leave enough money in the checking account to pay bills and the rest is divided up into envelopes to be used for gas, groceries, and other day-to-day living expenses.

2. Save and Roll All Loose Change - 

This is something that we've done since our children were small (and using the cash-only system produces a LOT of loose change...which is GREAT!!!) But, when the children were small, we'd save our loose change all year long, roll it, and turn it in at Christmastime. Between that and our 'override' checking account system (more about that in a minute) Christmas money was being stashed throughout the year and when it came time to buy all we had to do was take it to the bank and turn it into bills. We still do the same thing now, but, instead of Christmas we use our rolled change to pay for weekend getaways and mini vacations. 

3. Use the 'Override' System in Your Checking Account - 

This is one that drives some people absolutely crazy when I tell them about it, but it's something that we've done since the early days of having a checking account as a couple and it has worked for and benefited us in multiple ways over the years. I don't know why I call it the 'override' system, but that's what I've always called it and I'm not changing it now. LOL! 

What I do is simple. When making a deposit, I write down the actual amount of the deposit in the DEPOSIT, CREDIT (+) column (for example - $353.76), but in the running total column on the far right, I round it DOWN to the nearest whole dollar (using the example above, I would write down $353.00) and that is the total that I go by. In reality, there is a difference of 76 cents in the account that is not showing up in the total that I'm seeing on a day-to-day basis. 

Likewise, when I  write a check or pay a bill or make a payment for something using automatic withdrawal, I write the actual amount spent in the PAYMENT, FEE, WITHDRAWAL (-) column. For example, say whatever I purchased or paid for using my checking account or debit card totaled $24.01...that's what I would write in the (-) column. But, then, in the running total column I round the that amount UP to $25.00. In doing so, I just hid 99 cents from myself in that checking account. 

It all sounds crazy I know, but it's a simple method of hiding money from ourselves and at the end of the year we are usually sitting on an extra $300.00 to $500.00 that we didn't know we had.

I mean, we do know we have it...obviously...because every month when I balance the checkbook I know exactly how much is in the 'override' at that point, but, you know what I'm saying...we know it's there, but we don't acknowledge it being there until we decide to use it for something specific. This method has come in handy over the years to be used for Christmas, in an emergency, to pay towards credit card debt, or to be given away to someone in need. It's a great way to build a hidden savings account a few cents at a time.

4. Take Advantage of Store-Instituted Savings Programs - 
For example, Walmart's Savings Catcher -

I can't say that Walmart, in reality, makes our lives better, but I do save a lot of money at Walmart every year by taking advantage of their Savings Catcher program.

In a nutshell, what the Savings Catcher does (after making your account and going to the trouble of adding your receipt information in each time you shop) is check your receipt against all the other store ads within a so-many-square-mile radius of the store you purchased from, and, if there are any items on your receipt that you could have been purchased cheaper somewhere else, they give you the difference. I guess you could call it electronic ad-matching at its finest (or not). 

Anyway, I save up all my Saving Catcher dollars until I have a fair amount, then I have it transferred to my Bluebird card (this is the ONLY thing that I use my Bluebird card for) and then decide how to spend it. Last year we saved up $100.00 and gave it away as a gift and, just yesterday, I used my savings to purchase my entire $72.51 Walmart grocery shopping trip for FREE.

So...it really does pay (for us, anyway) to participate in this. 

5.  Take Advantage of Store-Instituted Point Programs - For example, Pete's gas station's Kickback card -

I really enjoy my Kickback card! Even though we, occasionally, have to settle for something else, we really don't like running any gas other than Conoco or Phillip's 66 through our vehicles. Those are the ones that our vehicles perform best on and that we get the best gas mileage with. So, we were super excited when our local Pete's chain of gas stations started the Kickback program! 

What happens with it is, after enrolling in the program and by sliding your Kickback card each time you spend money at Pete's (gas, drinks, food, whatever), you receive points. Each point equals 1 cent. You can't redeem the points FOR cash, but you can spend the points LIKE cash. For us, this results in one to two full tanks of gas for FREE each year!

Also, Kickback keeps track of fountain drinks purchased. Buy 9 and the 10th one is always free. 

Well, folks, these are a few of the ways that we've learned to stash some extra cash over the years in our home. When you add them altogether, these have added up to some substantial savings! 

Are there ways that you and your family have learned to stash some extra cash? If so, I'd love to hear your ideas in return!

Until next time...
~Rebecca

Some recent posts that you might enjoy...

Happy Homemaking Monday - August 28, 2017

My Thrifty Week - Post #7

HEARTH AND HOME Newsletter - August 2017

Tightening Up The Belt On Finances And Stepping Out In Faith

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith 

to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need I can do all things through Christ which strengetheneth me." (Philippians 4:11-13)

While we've never had huge amounts of money to spend, there have been times when, financially, things were easier than they have been at other times. And we've definitely had our times of 'learning' to be content in whatsoever state we've found ourselves...whether they've been found on the side of being abased, or abounding. But, no matter what, with the Lord's help, we've always managed to stay afloat, our bills have always been paid on time, and our needs have always been met...sometimes in the most unusual and unexpected ways...and, for that, we give Him all the glory and praise!

For the past several months we've found ourselves in one of those down times again, and we've been having to make some hard choices. For example, a few months ago we paid off and eliminated another credit card (that one made, I believe, the tenth one to be paid off in full and completely done away with...PRAISE GOD!!!). But, due to a myriad of unexpected things that have come up the early months of this new year, the small emergency fund that we had built up dwindled down to practically nothing in just a few weeks, and we found ourselves putting things on credit again on the few remaining credit cards that we had left (and I'm not talking frivolous things...I'm talking gas, groceries, household items, etc.) and, in no time, we knew we were headed for trouble if we didn't put the brakes on. (And, believe me, we know better than this. We were both raised by parents who didn't believe in credit at all and wouldn't have a credit card in the house. We didn't have any credit cards either until just the past 16 years or so...and, believe me, it's been a nightmare!)

Anyway, we knew we were headed for trouble, so, at the beginning of May we made the decision to cut up our remaining credit cards and throw them away...including our gas card, which was paid off at the time, but kept in case of emergency...and, believe me, it seems that there is always an emergency (and I'm not just saying that...there really have been a lot of emergency situations come up, and, this past few months, with my dad's health and other family illnesses, it has resulted in multiple trips to hospital emergency rooms and doctors' offices...all of which are a minimum of, at least, 20 miles away...and I'm not saying all this to sound whiny...that is NOT my intent at all, and I pray that it's not coming across like that).

So...we cut up the cards at the beginning of the month and, while it hasn't been easy, we've almost made it through our first full month without them. Granted, we are down to the last few dollars left in our emergency fund, but God hasn't left us hanging. He has met our every need and each new morning brings an air of expectancy as we launch further out into the deep, building our faith with every step.

Some of the other things that we've done this month to tighten the ol' financial belt include...

- We've had to tighten up the belt on some things and put the brakes on, completely, concerning others. This includes saying "no" to many of the things (and people) that we, previously, were saying "yes" to before.

- We've really been thinking things out before we go and do. This has included making lists, car-pooling with others, splitting gas, splitting meals, shopping the dollar stores first, making do with what we've got on hand, and deciding to do without in a lot of areas.

- My husband has planted a good-sized vegetable garden this year and we are already eating some of the produce (spinach, radishes, and onions). Most of the other things planted are up, and the tomatoes and peppers have babies hanging on them.

- My daughter discovered a shoe sale at the Pittsburg, Kansas Walmart...some sort of inventory mistake or something...I'm not really sure, but they had TONS of shoes (men's, women's, and children's) for $3.00 a pair. I bought four pair of shoes...two for me (moccasins) and two for my husband (a pair of everyday shoes and a nice pair of dress shoes, which he has desperately needed for several years now). Before being marked down the shoes valued anywhere from $18.87 to $29.97 a pair. I bought over $85.00 worth of brand new shoes for just $12.00.

As, little by little, we gain our footing again, we are praying God's wisdom and direction in getting back on track with getting our emergency fund built back up and paying extra on those last three credit cards, snowballing them, and getting them paid off, making us debt free once and for all. If you have any wisdom, advice, or experiences to share, I'd love to hear from you. Feel free to post a comment here, or e-mail me at: proverbs31heart@yahoo.com.

Until next time...

All My Love,
~Rebecca  

One Thousand Gifts - #59 my blue "BELIEVE" bracelet from Teresa at Bible study, #62 the teaching of God's Word, #63 fellowship with other Jesus lovers

Book Review : Mother's Book of Home Economics by Mrs. Sharon White

Mother's Book of Home Economics by Mrs. Sharon White

I just finished reading Mother's Book of Home Economics - Remembrances, Letters and Essays From A New England Housewife  by Mrs. Sharon White and, oh! What a blessing!

Mother's Book of Home Economics is not the usual, run-of-the-mill home economics book full of 'how to' facts and tips. Rather, it is a beautiful, 121 short chapters, 312-page collection of Mrs. White's own, personal experiences in the making of a home on her family's lovely 'estate' in Vermont.

Mrs. White is a devout Christian wife, who has been married for more than 25 years. She is a mother of five, grandmother of two, and a homemaker without apology. I was filled with emotion and wonder as she shared her struggles, her hopes, her dreams, and her ability to see the work that she does in the home, not as mundane drudgery, but as a purposeful, joyful act of service to her family, and as a humble act of reverence and worship before God.

I love Mrs. White's determination to be sweet and cheerful no matter how hard times might be, and am delighted by her ability to see beauty in simplicity.

Throughout the book, Mrs. White shares godly wisdom in the areas of child care, cleaning, etiquette, finances, homemaking, hospitality, cooking, holiness, and more, and she greatly encouraged me, personally, in the areas of contentment, thrift, and living life purposefully and productively, no matter what the circumstance.

What I appreciated most, was Mrs. White's honesty concerning finances. She has, as did the Apostle Paul, learned to be abased and to abound, and to be content in whatsoever state she has found herself in. I gleaned a wealth of thought-provoking ideas from Mrs. White throughout the book, and am truly challenged to re-think and evaluate our current financial circumstances, and the stewardship of the blessings that God has bestowed upon us...AND I am challenged to use them more wisely in future.

Here are a few of my favorite lines from Mrs. White's book, Mother's Book of Home Economics ...

"If we truly realized the greatness of an eternal perspective, and cared for the home out of a sense of devotion for The Master, our will would be so strong that nothing could distract us from so great a task as tending the home." (page 152)

"The Homemaker...will find happiness in her daily tasks - make the home pleasant, because she has found a way to make the most of her circumstances. She will not get caught up in the crankiness of family members. She will not get caught up in the neighbor's gossip. She can be a bright light and a joy to those around her because she is dedicated to the ART of creating a comfortable, pretty home - with what she has. This becomes her hobby, her vocation, her calling." (page 165)

"...I will spend on that which is eternal. I will find a way to serve despite my health issues. I will not care what others say or think of me, but only care of the view from God's eyes." (page 205)

"Wherever we go, wherever we live, regardless of our circumstances, we can manage beautifully in a tent, a cabin, shack or house. We can do this with our talents and skills...It is certainly not the ideal, but we can cope and cope beautifully in most situations." (page 253)

"Now, if you came to my house and looked at the grounds, you would see something far different than I do. You would see a 3 story house that is in serious need of painting. You would see old porches and tired steps. You would see little attempts at gardening throughout the land. but the world, as I see it, is a great Estate for us to explore..." (page 270)

In a time when the Titus 2 woman is mysteriously missing, or is, at best, difficult to come by, I find that Mrs. White helps to comfortably fill that gap. I highly recommend her book to anyone who is seeking Biblical womanhood as a keeper of the home, or to anyone who just wishes to learn how to slow down and live a simpler lifestyle in our out-of-control, modern age.

To find out more visit Mrs. White @ The Legacy of Home.

Until next time...

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March (FINAL) - Day 20 - 3/20/14

Greetings, Dear Friends!

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING! It's about time...eh? Now if the weather would just get nice and stay that way we'd have it made! :)

Actually, today wasn't bad at all. The sun was shining and temps were in the upper 60's; tomorrow promises to be even warmer. But after that it's supposed to cool down again, so I guess winter and spring will continue to battle it out until winter finally gives up and retreats once and for all (or at least until late fall!). ;)

Day 20 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March is over and, to be honest, I think I've about accomplished what I set out to do. While there are a few stragglers here and there, I have managed to use up most of the little odd and end things that have been sitting around needing used and it has been so freeing.

The only food in the fridge now is fresh items that were purchased last week to refill it after spending two full weeks working on cleaning out the refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer one meal at a time. I think the only items left in the refrigerator-freezer now is a half bag of Minnesota wild rice, the pecans my granddaughter helped me pick out of the shells, and enough farina (cream of wheat) for a meal or two. Even the deep freeze has been cleared of older foods and only newer, fresher, recently purchased items remain.

I did go through the pantry and kitchen cupboards today and cleared them of, and tossed, all outdated canned goods (which there were more of than I realized!).  The only items that remained were things that there were so many multiples of that we'd never get them eaten, so I divided them up and passed a few items on to others. Now even the cabinets are down to manageable and mostly fresh items.

Here is what we ate today...

* For breakfast we had scrambled egg whites, sauteed mushrooms, onion, green pepper, and homemade turkey Italian sausage served up in a Joseph's brand pita again. (Yesterday's was so good that we had to repeat it!)

* For lunch it was tuna and Miracle Whip (light) wrapped up in a Joseph's brand flat bread (Love that Joseph's bread! It's so good!) and applesauce.

* For supper we had meatloaf (made with lean ground turkey), mashed potatoes, and steamed broccoli and cauliflower.

* For dessert I had a few leftover wonton wrappers in the freezer and a jar of cherry pie filling, so I put the wonton wrappers in the holes of a muffin tin and filled them with the cherry pie filling to create little cherry tarts. Upon serving I topped them each with a swirl of fat-free Redi Whip. 

So...that's it for today. And since the main food clean-up is over and done with (I never dreamed it would only take three weeks!!!), I'm guessing that this will be the last of my daily posts concerning it. BUT...I do have other things going on, so you will be hearing from me again very soon. Please pray for me as I move into the next phase of what I'm doing (does anyone have a clue as to what it might be? I've left a few!) and I will share more when I can.  

God bless all here!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Days 18 and 19 - 3/18/14-3/19/14

Good Evening, Sweet Friends!

As you can see, I'm running behind again. Yesterday was NOT a good day! It's a long story, but, in a nutshell, my dad had another doctor's appointment (he's been sick for a couple of months with pneumonia and other complications) and, even though we knew he wasn't 100%, we thought he'd get a fairly good report. He didn't. He still has pneumonia and we're not quite back to square one (which was bad enough to be hospitalized for a week), but close enough. The doctor is going to try everything she can to keep him out this time, so, if you think about it, would you mind whispering a little prayer over daddy tonight for health and healing? I'd surely appreciate it!

Okay...on with Day's 18 and 19 of my My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March!

Day 18 - Tuesday, March 18, 2014...

* For breakfast it was egg and cheese omelets. I'm almost out of 2% slices and will not be buying anymore. I am making the changeover to Laughing Cow cheese wedges. Have already tried the White Cheddar and Swiss and love them both. 

* On the way home from the doctor's office, Dad and I had to meet the Lincare man in Lamar to grab a six-pack of emergency oxygen tanks. The Lincare man was having lunch at Subway, so that's where we met him and that's what we ate, too. Dad couldn't go in, so I just went inside and ordered, then we ate in van. We split a foot-long roasted chicken with shredded cheese and a LOT of fresh veggies. It was Dad's first experience with Subway and he loved it! (So do I!) :)

* John fixed supper last night. We had chicken tenders (one each) that he had pounded thin and grilled with Italian seasonings. It was very good. We had a spinach salad and steamed broccoli and cauliflower on the side.

* Snacks included a fruit and yogurt parfait and Mini Chocolate Cakes. 


Day 19 - Wednesday, March 19, 2014-

* For breakfast it was scrambled egg whites, sauteed mushrooms, onion, green pepper, and homemade turkey Italian sausage served up in a Joseph's brand pita. DE-LI-CIOUS!!! 

* For lunch we had...um...we had...uh-oh! I don't think we had any lunch!!! John doesn't think so, either. Hmmmm.....okay....

* So...for supper we had broiled salmon, sauteed mushrooms, sauteed zucchini 'noodles', and a spinach and avocado salad.

* Snacks today were leftover Mini Chocolate Cakes and Light Baked Custard. 

And that's it! 

Okay...I've got several things going on at once here, so I'm gonna run! You all take care and, hopefully, I'll be with you again tomorrow! Love to all!

~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 17 - 3/17/14

Greetings, Dear Friends!

As Day 17 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March winds down and comes to a close, I come to offer another glimpse into my month-long food clean-up.

* For breakfast this morning it was omelets and tea.

* As soon as breakfast was over...which was later than I wanted it to be...my daughter and granddaughter and I got together to put up sauerkraut. (You can read about that here if you'd like.)

* For lunch we used part of yesterday's leftover chili and made chili cheese dogs on toasted buns and fried cabbage. I used the last of the bananas to make a banana cake for dessert. I took what chili that was left and the last three hot dogs and froze them for another time. I figure if another somewhat chilly day comes along before spring breaks forth in all it's glory we will finish it off then.

* For supper it was part of last week's corned beef and cabbage. That's all. What else does one need on St. Patrick's Day? There is one more meal's worth in the freezer to be served at another time.

* Snacks today included banana cake and thin bagels with WW cream cheese.

That's it for today, my friends! Will see you again tomorrow!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 16 - 3/16/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

Yesterday was so beautiful...warm, sunny, very springlike; today was the exact opposite...cold, snowy, very wintry. For now the battle rages on, but, eventually, spring will win and everything will spring forth anew. I can't wait! <3

As Day 16 of  My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March comes to a close I am here to share another report.

* For breakfast this morning John and I both had farina (cream of wheat) hot cereal.

* With the cold and snow today I thought it would be a perfect day for chili, so I made a big ol' pot of it for lunch. It was a great to use up a few cans of chili beans and I THINK I used the last jar of home-canned tomatoes...unless there's one hiding under the cabinet that I didn't see. :)

* For supper I had a small bit of steak that was left in the freezer, baked fresh mushrooms, and Baked Eggplant Rounds (another recipe to share in a future post); John had a dish of "the usual" (pasta).

* For a snack this afternoon I had half a can of tuna and little light mayo wrapped up a piece of Joseph's brand flat bread and it was delicious! Joseph's has just earned themselves a regular customer! Yum! This evening it was graham crackers and peanut butter. :)

Well, that's it for today! You all have a great evening and, Lord willing, I'll be with you all again tomorrow evening as the clean-up continues. 

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 15 - 3/15/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

Today has been absolutely gorgeous and very spring-like! We had a few sprinkles late this afternoon, but most of the day was sunny and warm. In fact, I washed our bedding this morning and hung it out to dry. The grass is greening up nicely, I've watched several robins hopping around in the front yard, the whole south side of our lawn is purple with lovely, little crocuses, my daffodils are blooming, the tulips are up about five inches tall, and the buds on the flowering quince are just about to burst. I am SO glad that spring is upon us! This has been one of the worst and hardest winter that our family has ever experienced...especially with all the illness. Not everyone is completely well yet, but, those that aren't are making progress and will be soon. Praise God!

Okay...on with today's report!

It's Day 15 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March and progress continues!

* For breakfast it was omelets again. We have an abundance of eggs and use them whole or just the whites saving the yolks for noodles. However we have them, omelets are a favorite way to start the day.

* For lunch it was leftover Pizza Casserole and Greek yogurt.

* Supper consisted of broiled salmon, steamed broccoli and cauliflower, and a big spinach salad topped with avocado and red wine vinegar.

* Snacks today were graham crackers and peanut butter and "Mini Chocolate Cakes For Purists" (another new recipe to share in a later post).

And that's it for today so I'll say good night for now and be with you again tomorrow! Good night and God bless!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 14 - 3/14/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

Day 14 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March has been a little bit different, but I'm still moving forward!

* This morning started off with an egg and cheese omelet.

* My oldest daughter, Amber, and I (along with her three children) went on a quest today to purchase cabbages to turn into sauerkraut and do a little product investigation and label-reading of several new-to-us-foods that we are currently reading about, as well as do a little grocery shopping. We're mid-way through the month and it was time for me to refill the fridge with fresh foods again (yogurt, milk, cheese, vegetables, etc.) and I picked up a few item for the refrigerator freezer, as well (frozen broccoli and cauliflower, turkey burger, and bread items). While we were out we had lunch at Subway and a fruit and yogurt parfait at McDonald's.

* For supper I tried a new recipe called Pizza Casserole. It was very delicious and I WILL be sharing that recipe, but not tonight. Soon, though! Very soon! :)

That's all for now. Lord willing I will be with you again tomorrow evening. God bless all here!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Days 11, 12, and 13 - 3/11/14 Through 3/13/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

I've been MIA for a couple of days around here...or so it seems! (Not really.) :)

Our family uses St. Patrick's Day as an excuse to get the whole clan together every year and have fun! We plan it for the Wednesday before St. Patty's Day, when our youngest daughter and her husband from North K.C. can join us, and look forward to it each year with great anticipation. This year was no exception and we had a blast!!! I will share more about that in another post, but, for now, I want to catch you up on My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March. In this post I will be posting about DAYS 11 through 13. Here we go...

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March -
DAY 11 - Tuesday, March 11, 2014...

* For breakfast on Tuesday, we finished off the last of the fat-free turkey by making turkey, egg, and cheese sandwiches.

* For lunch it was the last of Monday's chicken and noodles.

* During the afternoon I made a quadruple batch of Emerald Isle Cake in preparation for Wednesday's St. Patrick's Day extravaganza.

* For supper it was turkey burgers and oven fries.

* Before going to bed late Tuesday night I put corned beef on to cook overnight in the crockpot, also in preparation for Wednesday's festivities.


My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March -
DAY 12 - Wednesday, March 12, 2014...

* After staying up late visiting with our daughter and son-in-law the night before, by the time I got up Wednesday morning, it was time to set to work on the rest of the holiday fare. There was no time for breakfast, nor even tea (gasp!)...I know! Right? (For anyone who knows me...huh-uh...this NEVER happens!) :)

* NOTE: All of the foods prepared and consumed for St. Patty's Day, short of the ingredients for the Emerald Isle Cake, were purchased specifically for the holiday, so on this date there was very little food 'clean-up' going on, but, oh my! What an enjoyable day we had!

* Now, since some of the clan can make it for lunch and others can't, we, traditionally, serve two identical, St. Patrick's Day meals...one at noon; the other at 5:00. Those that can make the early shift come for lunch; the ones that can't come for lunch come for supper. Some are lucky enough to get in on both meals and get to double dip on the corned beef and cabbage! Twenty-five of the thirty-three people that showed up ate with us.

* This year's St. Patrick's Day feast consisted of a total of 4 corned beef briskets, 8 heads of cabbage, 2 10-pound bags of potatoes (oven baked), 3 tubs of light sour cream, 1 1/2 pounds of butter, and 2 double (the equivalent of 4)  Emerald Isle Cakes.


My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March -
DAY 13 - Thursday, March 13, 2014...

* With company here (and after not serving them any breakfast at all the morning before), I decided to make Amanda and Phillip a special breakfast this morning. I made homemade, turkey, breakfast, sausages, eggs, and toast, and had flat bagels and cream cheese for those who wanted them.

* Since Amanda and Phillip were planning on leaving this afternoon (and since we were all exhausted from Wednesday's activity and another late night), we decided to take it easy and let someone else do the cooking. We went to Amanda's favorite restaurant when she's visiting back home...El Charro's in Lamar. (Again...this did nothing for food 'clean-up', but, John and I split an order of fajitas. and, boy, were they good! Mmmmmmm!)

* For supper John's making himself a dish of "the regular" (pasta and sauce) and I'm having a can of tuna and a leftover baked potato.

* If any snacking takes place this evening it will be cold cereal or graham crackers and peanut butter. :)

Well, I think that catches us up for now, so I'm going to go ahead and post this, so I can work on my St. Patty's Day post. Talk to you soon!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 10 - 3/10/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

Well, Day 10 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March is over and the progress continues.

* It was another one of those hit-the-floor-with-your-feet-running kind of mornings. By the time we thought of breakfast, it was time for lunch. For John it was left over vegetable soup; for me it was the last of yesterday's pizza.

* For supper I turned a package of chicken leg quarters and an abundance of leftover egg yolks into chicken and noodles. We were expecting company this afternoon, so I made a double batch, but, as it turned out, our company was unable to come after all. There were enough chicken and noodles that I was able to share half of them with another family. Our youngest son joined us for supper and I gave some to my dad, too. There are still enough chicken and noodles leftover for John and I for lunch tomorrow.

* Snacks today included the last of the crustless pumpkin pie and graham crackers with peanut butter.

That's all for today. I know these post sound extremely boring, but I am determined to finish what I have begun. As of today I am a third of the way there!

Have a blessed evening, dear friends, and I will be with you again tomorrow.

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 9 - 3/9/14

Greetings, Dear Friends!

It's been a wonderfully busy day that has been full of family and friends, and the week ahead promises more of the same! But more about that later in the week! :)

Day 9 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March has been a tad bit different that all the other days.

* For breakfast it was a slice of crustless pumpkin pie and tea. That's it.

* After church this morning we headed to Pittsburg (Kansas) to meet our daughter and son-in-law and grands for lunch and to shop for our annual St. Patrick's Day celebration.

* Later in the afternoon our youngest son and his wife came over, and our daughter-in-law made, and shared, a special dessert with us. I plan on posting about that later in the week. :)

* And for supper I made a homemade pizza.

And that's it! There wasn't a whole lot of cabinet-clearing or food clean-up going on here today, but it will resume tomorrow. Until then, have a blessed evening and I'll see you again on the morrow!

All My Love,
~Rebecca 

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 8 - 3/8/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

So...here we are on Day 8 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March and so far, so good! Today's clean-up went like this...

* For breakfast it was omelets with fat-free turkey and 2% cheese.

* For lunch I made Beenie Weenies out of a can of pork and beans and those two leftover hot dogs from earlier in the week, potato pancakes (made with leftover mashed potatoes and corn), and leftover beets.

* For supper it was the last of the roasted vegetables and lentils served with French bread.

* Snacks today included a half of a peanut butter sandwich, crustless pumpkin pie, and Progresso Chicken Pot Pie soup.

That's it for today. Will see you again tomorrow!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 7 - March 7, 2013

Good Evening, Dear Friends,

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March continues and Day 7 is over. I am excited to report that, after a full week, we are finally starting to expand our food choices beyond the refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer and gain some variety to our meals. :)

Here is today's report...

DAY 7 - Friday, March 7, 2014 -

* Unfortunately, today started out busier than usual, and, by the time we were ready to settle down to breakfast it was already nearing lunchtime, so, for lunch, I had a turkey cheeseburger and oven fries (a potato cut, drizzled with olive oil, and baked in a 450 degree oven), and John made himself some pasta topped with leftover roasted vegetables and leftover spaghetti sauce...oops! Make that leftover enchilada sauce! Yuck!!! (LOL! Who could tell the difference? They both look the same in those cute, little, clear, plastic containers with the blue lids!) He ate it, but John said that he really didn't recommend it. ;)

* In the afternoon our son and daughter-in-love dropped by with a pizza. I shouldn't have, but I had a slice or two of it. (Can you blame me? It didn't do a thing toward cleaning up leftovers, but it sure was tasty!) ;)

* For supper I made chicken breasts seasoned with salt, pepper, dried red pepper flakes, parsley, basil, and garlic, mashed potatoes, corn, home-canned beets, and frozen dinner rolls. (Way too much starch, I know, but I have a plan. There's a bigger plan going on overall. This food clean-up is just the first phase.)

* Snacks today included banana, cheese, and yogurt.

That's it for today, friends! You all get a good night's sleep and I'll see you tomorrow! G'night! <3

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 6 - 3/6/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

Day 6 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March is over and as it continues I'm beginning to think that some progress, at least, is being made. 

Here's today's report...

DAY 6 - Thursday, March 6, 2014 -

* The morning started with omelets made with eggs, fat-free turkey, and 2% cheese slices. (John had an all egg white omelet as usual. I think I've got enough yolks right now to make a batch of homemade noodles!) :)

* For lunch it was last of the barbecued turkey, leftover mashed potatoes, and a lovely spinach salad served with red wine vinegar. For dessert we had butterscotch pudding with served with Redi Whip on top. (It was so yummy!)

* In the afternoon one of our daughters-in-law and four of the grands were here and grandson, Jed, brought Grandma's attention to the fact there were still, indeed, more of last year's pecans. They were in a big bowl...cracked, but not yet picked out of their shells...so, while we visited, granddaughter, Lizzie, helped me and we got them picked out, jarred, and put in the freezer. We got almost a full pint AND there is still a bag of whole, uncracked pecans left for me to work on. I am so THANKFUL! Between those, and the fresh, vacuum-sealed pecans that a friend gave us recently, I've got enough nuts to run us til fall.  

* For supper I made Roasted Vegetables With Lentils, sausage, and French bread. I didn't follow the recipe for the roasted vegetables exactly. I just used what vegetables I had on hand...yellow onion, sweet potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. It turned out really nice and so good. This has actually become one our favorite cold weather foods.

* Snacks today included string cheese and rice...but not together. ;)

Well, that's it for today! We've got company coming next week, so tomorrow I'm hoping to be able to put next week's menus together and solidify our holiday plans. (Holiday as in our annual St. Patrick's Day get-together with family and friends. Technically, St. Patty's Day is a week from Monday on the 17th, but we always get together when our daughter from Kansas City has her days off and can make it down. This year our get-together will be on Wednesday the 12th.) 

So...anyway...well...I guess I say good night for now and I'll see you all tomorrow! Good night! Take care and God bless!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - Day 5 - 3/5/14

Good Evening, Friends!

As Day 5 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March continues I am surprised by the number of meals that were hidden in the refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer alone. They're not quite empty yet, but, they're getting there! 

Here is today's progress report...

Day 5 - Wednesday, March 5, 2014 -

* Today was such a busy day and all the busyness started as soon as I rolled out of bed. I'm working on several things at once and will share more about those things in the days ahead, but I got so busy with housework first thing this morning that I forgot to eat breakfast. For some reason John didn't eat breakfast, either, so at mid-morning we both took a break and had a brunch of sorts. We each grabbed our choice of the dwindling leftovers...little bits of this, that, and the other that we found lurking in the fridge...and called it good. I finished up the last of the cheesy spaghetti, but I don't remember for sure what John chose. Whatever it was it was one more thing finished off and gone! :)

* By mid-afternoon John was out and about running errands around town and I had worked up quite an appetite. I decided to go for the last frozen container of any kind in the refrigerator-freezer. I wasn't quite sure what it was, but, fortunately, it turned out to be something quite yummy...leftover barbecued turkey! I heated it up and made a sandwich out of it and had a few tablespoons of Greek vanilla yogurt for dessert.

* For supper this evening I had a real treat! Half of a roast beef sandwich, mashed potatoes, and brown gravy; John had the rest of the barbecued turkey and a deviled egg. 

* For snacks we had cold cereal with bananas, I had the last boiled egg, and a slice of block Colby cheese.

Well, that's it for today. I can't help but think that I must surely be boring everyone to death, but I'm doing this as a challenge to myself more than anything else, but am hoping that I might inspire someone else along the way, so...I will continue with Day 6 tomorrow. Good night everyone! Have a wonderful evening!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - DAY 4 - 3/4/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

Day 4 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March is over and, boring as it may be, we're still working on cleaning up those leftovers.

To be honest, even though the last of our six children married and moved out almost a year ago, I'm having a hard time cooking for just two. I still cook like we've still got a houseful of children in the home and am often glad I did because, oftentimes, one of the children and their families will drop by and it's always nice to have something to serve up in a hurry. But, at other times...it's like...the leftovers go on and on without end, but...I promise...end they will and we'll be on to newer, more exciting progress reports as the month goes on. For now, here's today's report on the clearing out and cleaning up progress of Day 4...

DAY 4 - Tuesday, March 4, 2014 -

* For breakfast John and I had farina (cream of wheat) hot cereal again with raw sugar and milk. (It's so good! When I was growing up that was one of my favorite breakfasts!)

* We had to go to Nevada today (the Missouri city of...not the state of) and pick up a few things for my dad. Instead of eating out like we normally do, we decided to save the money and pack a lunch. We took our little, insulated, cooler bag along and I packed it with two egg salad sandwiches, a few green olives, a few Greek olives, a couple of handfuls of Chester's, a can of Diet Cherry Pepsi (for me...John doesn't drink soda pop), insulated travel glasses with water, and two cloth napkins. We had done most of our errands before stopping in Walmart's parking lot to eat lunch, so I added two packages of Welch's Fruit Snacks that I picked up at the bread store for a quarter each. They were yummy! Berries and Cherries. :)

* For supper tonight I finished up the last of the stuffed pepper casserole and unstuffed cabbage soup; John had a dish of what he lovingly refers to as 'the regular'. (That is nothing more than pasta with marinara sauce. Being half-Sicilian on his mother's side, it's John's lifeblood. Seriously, he can...and usually does...eat 'the regular' two to three times a day!) :) 

* For snacks we had leftover crustless pumpkin pie with Redi Whip on top and cinnamon graham crackers with peanut butter.

That's it for today, folks! Will see you again tomorrow! God bless all here!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - DAY 3 - 3/3/14

Good Evening, Dear Friends!

Day 3 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March is nearly over and the refrigerator-freezer is practically bare!

My plan, as soon as I get it to the point that I want it, is to start moving a week's worth of food items at a time over from the deep freeze to the refrigerator-freezer and keep everything in constant rotation...using up what's on hand in the little freezer, moving over another week's worth of food, then refill the deep freeze with fresh food, meat bought on mark-down, bulk purchases from the local Mennonite and Amish stores, etc. I purchase all my grains (white wheat flour, whole wheat flour, whole oats, oat bran, popcorn, etc.) and spices from there and usually buy in fairly large quantities. I keep most of them in the deep freeze to preserve freshness.

Okay...on to Day 3's progress...

DAY 3 - Monday, March 3, 2014 -

* For breakfast this morning John and I both had farina (cream of wheat) hot cereal with raw sugar and milk.

* We had company at lunchtime and I just laid out a smorgasbord of leftovers for everyone to choose from...leftover Un-stuffed Cabbage Roll Soup, Stuffed Pepper Casserole, and Turkey ala King. While we didn't completely clean those things up, there's only about a half to a whole serving of each left. They will be gone by tomorrow. I made my daughter-in-love a grilled hot turkey and cheese sandwich along with a handful of Chester's Cheesy Puff Corn.

* For supper I used  up a package of white spaghetti (as a rule we do not buy white pasta, but it was a package that someone must have given us along the way at some point) and a half a package of 2% Velveeta-type cheese to make Cheesy Spaghetti and I served it with a nice fresh spinach salad and red wine vinegar. I made a crust-less pumpkin pie for dessert and served it with a swirl of Redi-Whip on top. Yum!

* I also went through my tea stock today. I discarded any loose-leaf tea that was in plastic baggies. These were given to me by friends over the years and many of them have accumulated in minute quantities. I didn't think that it would be wise to use these teas now because of the possibility of the plastic leaching into the tea oils and, besides, there was only enough in each baggie for a pot or two of tea, so I didn't feel too about about discarding them. I threw those away, kept all the teas that were in sealed bags, paper bags, and boxes, and developed a plan to use up all tea on-hand before buying more. I've got a LOT of tea on-hand and it will be MONTHS before I have to buy more! :)

Well...that's it for today. Nothing too exciting, I guess, but what I did nonetheless. You all have a great evening and I'll see you again tomorrow!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - DAY 2 - 3/2/14

Greetings, Dear Friends! 

So far...so good! I'm on day two of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March and I can see great progress taking place already! Especially in the area of our refrigerator and refrigerator-freezer, which are the areas that I wanted to focus on first because of so many fresh foods that can go bad quickly and things that are frozen that don't have as long of a freezer life as those in the deep freeze. 

Here's a report of today's progress...

DAY 2 - Sunday, March 2, 2014

*  For breakfast this morning I had the second Breakfast Burrito as mentioned in yesterday's post and John had an egg white omelet.

* We had a couple of things in the fridge and freezer that I wasn't quite sure what to do with...a bowl of egg yolks leftover from John's use of egg whites and six jars of frozen turkey broth. I surely could have used both somewhere along the way to make turkey and noodles, but I wasn't sure how old some of the egg yolks were and the broth has been in the freezer for over a very long time. I was trying to decide on what to do with them when John came up with a great idea! He said that with the cold weather he was sure that the outdoor cats could always use a little extra, so why not scramble the egg yolks for them and, as an added treat, he'd use the broth to pour over their dry food morning and evening over the next few days. So...that's what we decided to do. I scrambled the egg yolks with a little milk in them this morning for the outdoor cats and, starting tomorrow, John will pour a little of the thawed and warmed turkey broth over the dry cat food before serving it up to the kitty cats that live in the shed. At least someone will get some use out of all of it and I will try my best to be more conscientious and use things up faster in the future. I hate it when things get away from me like that, but, unfortunately, it seems to happen more and more in days of late. :/

* For lunch today I had leftover Stuffed Pepper Casserole and John had vegetable soup. We both had a piece of yesterday's Banana Cake for dessert. 

* Tony and Crissy joined us for supper this evening. I used the last package of frozen, leftover, Thanksgiving turkey and served turkey ala king over rice and heated up a package of frozen whole wheat dinner rolls.

* For snacks we had slices of 2% Colby cheese and, later, peanut butter and graham crackers.

That's all for today, so I will see you again tomorrow! Have a blessed week ahead!

All My Love,
~Rebecca

My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March - DAY 1 - 3/1/14

As food prices and utility bills continue to soar I have a renewed determination to cut expenses and get out of debt. In February we were able to finally pay off another credit card...one that has held us in bondage for over 12 long years! It felt so good to finally be rid of that beast and lesson learned! NEVER use a credit card to get a cash advance if you can't afford to pay it back immediately!

Over the past few days I've been making an inventory of all food on-hand...in the refrigerator, in the refrigerator-freezer, in the deep-freeze, the cabinets, and pantry and I am making March's menus based on said items. My goal in March is to spend as little as possible on groceries and put the money that would have been spent on them towards more immediate needs. It is ridiculous the amount of food that is in this house. I'm used to shopping for a big family and now that it's just John and I...well...like I said...it's ridiculous! Anyway...I implemented my plan yesterday and I hope to give you a day-by-day account of my progress. 

So...here goes with Day 1 of My Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project For March...

DAY 1 - Saturday, March 1, 2014

* Since we have our own chickens we usually have plenty of beautiful brown and blue eggs on-hand, plus a friend of ours, who also had an abundance of eggs, gave us a dozen of her white ones. Another friend had given us a small package of home-grown and processed bacon back quite some time ago, and at the time I cooked it, I took the leftovers, crumbled them, and froze them as bacon bits for salads and whatnot. I still had a small package of them in the freezer. I also had two tortillas left over from the last time I made chicken enchiladas, so, since my husband is careful to keep his egg intake to a minimum and, generally doesn't eat meat...especially red meat (he does eat it, but very rarely and very sparingly)...I decided to take those last two tortillas and use them in breakfast burritos for myself. I had one for breakfast on the 1st and had the second one for breakfast this morning. My breakfast burritos consisted of one tortilla, a scrambled egg, half of the leftover bacon bits, and a slice of Borden's 2% sliced cheese on each. 

* I boiled six of the white eggs to be used as egg salad and/or deviled eggs later in the week.

* I had 6 turkey hot dogs in the refrigerator freezer, a pint of leftover frozen chili, and four frozen hot dog buns, so, for lunch, I made two chili dogs each for John and I and served them with an on-hand, partial bag of Chester's Cheese Puff Corn. The other two hot dogs I will use in something later in the week. 

* For supper I used fresh green peppers and brown rice and made a Stuffed Pepper Casserole. As always it was DE-LICIOUS! :)

* For a sweet treat I used the last three over-ripe bananas and the last of last year's pecans to make a simple Banana-Nut Cake topped with powdered sugar. It was yummy, too, and it will last for several days...unless we have company and then it will be offered up then with tea. :) 

* I also used the last three frozen containers of bits of saved, leftover vegetables (green beans, spaghetti squash, tomatoes, peas, celery, etc...I do this...I use little freezer containers and just add bits of leftover vegetables to them until they're full, then I start a new one...when there are enough, I make soup with them), an open quart of home-canned tomatoes, and odds and ends of fresh vegetables from the refrigerator (fresh zucchini, a quarter head of cabbage, a carrot, etc.), and 3/4 of an already cut-into onion to make a small pot of vegetable soup. Part of it will be eaten throughout the week (my husband could LIVE on vegetable soup...he loves it!) and part of it will be refrozen for quick lunches for him later in the month. 

That's day one of my Dollar-Stretching, Cabinet-Clearing, Clean-The-Food-Up Project for March. My plan is to report today's progress to you tomorrow.

Have a blessed week ahead and, for those in the areas impacted by these terrible winter storms, stay warm and stay safe! God bless all here!

All My Love,

~Rebecca