My Frugal List: Week of March 25, 2018

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. I sure did. I got to spend the day with Hubby, my son, my youngest daughter, my parents, 3 sisters and 2 nephews.  We will be seeing my oldest daughter this coming weekend so we will celebrate with her and her boyfriend then. My oldest sister hosted Easter so we did have to drive out of state. We made it in great time which doesn't happen often. It takes about 2 hours each way. In my family everyone brings something to contribute. I am the only one left in my family that still lives in New York full time, so I always am in charge of bringing Italian bread. We were also celebrating my 2 nephew's and son's birthdays as they are March/April birthdays. I brought a carrot cake as my son's birthday cake. YD decorated it. I did pack a cooler for the car so that we wouldn't have to buy snacks or drinks.

We have closed out our Budget for March and planned out our budget for April. I went over the kids budgets with them as I am their accountability partner. For March, we were able to put a nice amount into the college account for our son. It was a 3 paycheck month for the Hubby and I love when that happens. We budget based on 2 checks a month so twice a year we get an extra check. I also did well this month. 3 weeks I got an extra shift and one week I took off a shift because we went away for our anniversary. So I came out ahead overall. For all Dave Ramsey fans, we are currently working on Baby Steps 4 (retirement) & 5 (college).


We also sold Hubby's old truck to by BIL for my nephew. It was a good smaller truck but Hubby wanted a bigger one so we had gotten one a few months ago (Dodge Ram 2004). It had some things that needed fixing before he could put it on the road. Now it is all good and he is loving it. I will be really loving it when we go get compost from the town because we wont have to make so many trips. 

Now onto the real reason you are stopping by today, my Frugal List:

-We ate at home or took all of our meals with us except I ate out with 2 friends for dinner one night. Hubby had a work meeting where dinner would be provided and son was at school so I just made a veggie burger for YD. I did take my leftovers to lunch the next day.

Breakfasts this week included ham and veggie omelettes, steel cut oats, egg sandwiches, leftover waffles, bagels, and pancakes with cinnamon apples. 

Lunches were leftovers, hard boiled eggs, tuna, egg salad, bagels and green salads. Hubby ate lots of spaghetti pie

                                               
Dinners were tacos, chicken orzo soup, brown sugar flank steak, BBQ chicken and spaghetti with clam sauce.

I used up lots of leftovers by making them into new meals so no one gets sick of leftovers that way.

-We paid our bills online saving us stamps. We also get most of our bills electronically saving on garbage.

-We watched Netflix. We are paying for it so we should use it.

-Washed only full loads of laundry using half of the detergent suggested by manufacturer. They always come out clean. Hung most of our laundry up.

-Used up a free sample of shampoo and conditioner. Also currently using a hotel soap in the bathroom.

-Sold 3 items on eBay and used old packaging to send it out.

-Found $1.03 in loose change (most of it while out walking).
   
-Brought my reusable water bottle with me everywhere.

-YD took the bus 6 times this week saving me gas.

-Got Free seeds, a Tide pod, bagels, drinks and chocolate

-Went on lots of walks. Lost .4 pounds this week. 

-Got lots of great sales this week. Target had eggs 18 count for 99 cents so I got 5 of those. Got marked down meat and produce. Used coupons on things I would have bought anyway. 

-My husband brought home a piece of sandwich and a muffin from work. My son brought home 3 leftover souffles from work.

Youngest daughter is on break this week from school so I will be careful on what I spend money on. I do have GCs that we could use and we can always see a movie at work. She is going to have a sleepover at my sisters which will be fun. 

How was your week? What ways did you save money? Any new tricks to help stretch your dollars?