Google to the rescue. Sort of.
Of course I consulted the Google gods and typed in exactly this: "how to spend only 50 a week on groceries". I got some info out of it but also a lot of common sense, no brainer advice, too. The dilemma we have is that we live in a very small town with two small grocery stores that carry their brands mostly and don't have coupons for said brands. Also, because they are small stores in small towns they charge outrageously expensive prices for stuff anyway, so shopping with a coupon actually makes it a "normal" price at a bigger town grocery store. They are fairly comparable on milk, regular bread and most meats. Other than that...not so much. Our solution is to meal plan and drive about 25 miles to the nearest store that has a customer card and double coupons. But I still end up spending over $100.
So, here is what I am going to do this week when I shop:
Get my list of items I have on hand
Scan the ad they have online and base our menu off of the items I have on hand and the sale items
ONLY BUY those items I have listed
STOP putting items into the cart when I have said listed items in the cart!
Go to Dollar General and buy the stuff I know I can get there cheaper like toilet paper, paper towels and toothpaste, probably some pasta too. They also have canned chicken for (usually) cheaper than the regular stores.
Is it realistic to think that I can actually feed my family of 4 (keep in mind I have 2 boys, a tween and a teen)? And now for the summer we are home most of the day so they will now be eating breakfast and lunch at home. I guess we'll find out. Of course, Ry is on his Big Adventure so we will be minus 1. That will help. I'm gonna give it a try.
Am I giving up on my extreme couponing/stockpiling dreams? Heck no! But I'm also a bit more realistic now in thinking I just might not have the smarts/time/patience/attitude/patience/patience or patience to be that "extreme". So wish us luck and if you have any advice on spending only $50-$75 a week on groceries, please let me hear it. I will let you know this weekend if I met my goal!
Ok, that's it...
Hahahaha, geez, I love that kid!
And the winner is......
My sincere gratitude to Kim from Daydreaming Designs for donating the credit and going in on this giveaway with me. Thanks Kim!
So the rules are:
Thank the award giver in your post (check)
Tell us 7 things about you (see below)
Award 15 newly discoverd bloggers this award (see below)
7 things about moi:
1. I have a love/hate relationship with facebook
2. I love, love, love blogging
3. I have a children's story published in an anthology that I would love to publish on its own
4. Sometimes I wash my hair only every other day
5. I want to get into product reviews on my blog
6. My hair is naturally red, I only started getting blond highlights when I turned 35
7. I would blog and surf the net all day every day if I could
And the 15 newly discovered bloggers in random order are:
http://weidknecht.blogspot.com/
http://www.obstaclesandglories.com/
http://yesihaveacoupon.blogspot.com/
http://allrubycakes.blogspot.com/
http://cajunlicious.com/
http://amomseyeview-lulu.blogspot.com/
http://www.weeshare.net/
http://www.naptimeismytime.com/
http://www.thriftymomspot.com/
http://lilgerhardts.blogspot.com/
http://ofmiceandramen.blogspot.com/
http://www.fourthgradenothing.com/
http://www.bassgiraffe.com/
http://grandmasguidetolife.blogspot.com/
http://www.newlycrunchymamaof3.com/index.html
So, all you Versatile winners, go forth, spead joy! :)
Menu Sunday
Meal 1: Grilling out steaks with baked potatoes and salad and all the fixins
Meal 2: Garlic spaghetti and I promised the boys I wouldn't use whole wheat noodles this time
Meal 3: Ham steaks with mashed potatoes
Meal 4: Taco salad
Meal 5: Why yes, I've been craving Jimmy John's thank you very much
Meal 6: Hamburgers on the grill with cole slaw and maybe some fries
Meal 7: Whatever is left over at this point....it could get interesting.
Our oldest is leaving on a trip of a lifetime before the butt-crack of dawn on Tuesday morning so there will only be 3 of us. It's only one less person but it does seem to change the dynamic of things quite a bit. Anyway, there you have it...one more week of our menu planning. Do you menu plan? If so, what kind of meals do you come up with, do you have favorites that you go back to all the time or do you try new things?
Is it just me?
Low Entry GIVEAWAY Ends Tuesday
Yes, young grasshopper....
Don't Forget!
Do it. Now. Please. :0) CLICK HERE to enter.
Every Little Thing...
Do you? Love the life you live and live the life you love, I mean.
The Boys Are Geniuses I Tell Ya!
Ryan was sitting on the couch and Zach was sitting on the chair opposite of him across the living room. They are throwing a small, foam type basketball at each other. Not hard or anything, just kind of tossing it up in the air and arcing it so it will go over far enough to the other one.
But my
On the one hand I thought, "jeez, what idiots!" On the other hand, I was a proud mama that thought, "wow, they CAN get along and cooperate and come up with something that appeals to both of them!"
I just wonder if I'm ever going to have grandchildren.
Hop on Over 40!
The whole "retarded" "gay" thing...
However....if everyone jumped off a bridge, would you? (thanks, previous generations for brining us that cliche).
A while back I started on a mission to break my kids of that particularly nasty habit. Both are offensive and just flat out mean. First of all, "retarded" means to be delayed. But "to be delayed" is not the same thing as being dumb or stupid, which, when used in the context of, "that's retarded" is what it's being used as. That debate could go on and on forever about dumb and stupid, et al. But IT IS NOT THE SAME THING!
Now let's move on to "that's so gay". Gay means merry, jovial, happy, etc, and homosexual. I'm not sure why that word means both of those things, they just do. Anyway, I don't think being gay is a choice. I think you are born gay or you are born straight. I also know my opinion is not shared by everyone. And that's ok. Just remember that if you decide to comment your opinion on my post, you must be respectful. I honestly believe it is a gut feeling, a reaction, an attraction, etc. For instance, I am not attracted to women. I'm also not attracted to Asians, African Americans or Hispanics. It's not being a bigot, prejudiced or anything of the sort. It's what I am attacted to. Maybe you are definitely not attracted to redheads. Maybe you only like blonds. It's an attraction. I don't see that the preference is any different. Don't misunderstand. I think there are some very interesting and lovely looking Asians, Hispanics, etc. I appreciate beauty and good looks just like everyone else. And I'm not saying I would never date someone that wasn't white (well, yes I am, but it's because I'm married, not because I'm a racist!) I'm probably making my point in a very jumbled way. But the point actually is this: I'm trying to give my kids a wider vocabulary. Those words are hurtful and only "trendy" because we've gotten lazy at teaching proper use of language and we've given up on morals.
Over the last 2 days Ryan has seen two tv commercials talking about using "gay" to describe something as "dumb or stupid". He looked at me and said, "Ok, mom, wow, it's what you've been telling me!" And I said, "Yes, son, do you see now how cool and trendy and ahead of the times I am?" No, really, I just smirked, shook my head and said, "yeah, see!!!" So he's come up with another word he's using besides "gay" or "retard/retarded" to describe something he doesn't like. I'm proud of him for actually being aware now that this is real, it's bullying and it's just plain sad. I know he was never saying it to be a bully or to be mean, it was just a habit and is considered the "norm" nowadays. He's realizing that just because it's the "norm" it doesn't make it right.
Anyway, those are my opinions and you may now respectfully comment! lol
Don't Judge
Guest Post!
Giveaway!
Here's how you can enter to win: *Just leave a separate comment on this blog for each entry*
1) Be a public follower of Just Dorothy and leave a comment telling me you are.
2) Like my Facebook page and leave a comment telling me you did.
3) Check out Daydreaming Designs etsy shop and tell me what's catching your eye.
4) Blog, Tweet or share this giveaway on Facebook and come back here and tell me you did.
The more you enter the more chances you have to win!
The giveaway will end at noon on May 31st and the winner will be drawn by Random.org. Please respond within 48 hours or a new winner will be selected.
Kim has also graciously offered a 20% discount to my followers towards a purchase at her etsy shop. Just use code DOROTHYBLOG.
Good luck!
Oh, Blogger, it's good to have you back to normal!
So, here's what's been going on lately: My baby boy is now a driver. We're both nervous. Watch out world ~ here comes Ryan. No, really. Watch out! He will leave for his CWF trip in a few weeks. We're nervous and excited about that, too!
Work has ended for me for the summer and I'm super excited about that ~ beyond words actually. But money will suck. That's part of what Leafy Greenz will cover.
Zach is not playing any sports this summer and for that I am eternally grateful.
I'm going to contact Mama's Monologues right now and work on that giveaway I've been talking/thinking about.
I've got a guest post in the works for another blog, more info coming soon!
And, I've got some affiliations that might help make the summer a bit profitable for me. You can check that out here. That's my week in a nutshell. Now I have to go rattle some cages to wake up the "beast". And make the Bean something to eat. He's withering away to practically nothing!
Have a blessed weekend!
Is this what we've become?
In all reality I have not watched most of these shows. One of the pawn ones and the dorky picker guys a few times is all. I'll skip the rest, I'm just not interested in, ummm, cougars, huge repo people or huge pawn shop workers or human baby factories or former entertainers that have nothing going on except for this. I'm seriously thinking of not renewing my dish subscription. I don't like dish anyway. Moving on in June! It's sad to think this is what our children have to look forward to.
The name game...
Anticipation....Anticipay-ay-tion
Anyway, I'm anticipating having all this time on my hands and considering starting 2 different blogs. Ambitious? Crazy? Yes to both. For now I gotta get this tooshie moving and get my face on. The magic doesn't just happen ya know!! lol
Decide to be happy today!
I swear it's just my family that does this weird crap...
Him: so do you think they know when you are kissing them?
Me: Uhhh...what? (insert one raised eyebrow here)
Him: the dog. you know, when they lick you it's like they are giving you kisses. So should I kiss him or lick him?
Me:............................................................well, ......................I wouldn't do either but.....you know. whatever.
Him: Ok, then I'll just kiss him.
And just to clarify, he kisses him on his snout so it's not like some kind of weirdo fetish thing. Well...you know. Whatever.
Yeehaw, Woohoo and Hells Yeah!
For example, right now we have 2 computers going and 2 tv's going. There are 4 of us in the house. What is up with that? I call it multi-tasking for me since I'm one with a computer AND a tv on. Hey, in my defense I'm blogging and watching the Lakers get smacked by the Mav's (hopefully) to take the semis. I hate the Lakers, but that's an entirely different blog.
Steve suggested we live in the basement so we don't have to keep the upstairs as cool. It's all cozy and cave-like down there so why not? Take the laptop, maybe a microwave and a small fridge....seriously, we could make it happen! :)
We definitely need to change some of our lifestyle and "live like no one else so we can live like no one else", right Dave Ramsey?
I can also take time during the summer to plant a garden and educate myself in couponing so I can be one of those crazy coupon chicks. I'll have time to create my plan of attack. I feel good about this! See why I'm excited to just be done, especially with the kids ~ of course I'll miss some of them over the summer ~ but without them being in class we can just hit the cleaning hard and be done. There's some stuff we can't move until the kids are gone so....bye-bye kids, have a great summer! I will! lol (I sound mean, but really....)
I'm back and I'm in the club!!
I joined a club when I was in AZ a week ago. And it's a club with very good company. I have one brother that is in this club. Several cousins are in too. Many of my high school classmates have joined the club already. My husband is in this club. He's been a member for 2 1/2 years already. Sucka! (Just kidding honey! Not really). We're in the 40's club!! Wooohoooo!
I guess when I was younger I never really pictured me being here. I mean, when I was 20 I didn't picture myself being 40, married almost 17 years, 2 kids, 3 dogs, a house in the midwest with lush trees and green, green grass in the front AND the back yards. Didn't really picture anything, really. Just didn't think that far ahead.
I panicked when I turned 30. It actually depressed me. I seriously cried and felt sad that my "life" wasn't where I wanted it to be. And most of you will know what I mean by that. It has nothing to do with your husband and kids. It's all about YOU. It just felt like once I reached 30 I should have had the dream career thing going on and should have had all of life's answers. But once I reached 30 I didn't have any answers to life just more questions. By then I had 2 small children and things had changed. Not that anything was bad in that regard, it was just....I don't even know how to explain it, it just was a personal feeling that I had some unknown, imaginary goal that I never reached.
So....I actually formed goals. Just small personal ones that fit well within that 10 year span between 30 and 40. So far, I've reached a few. I wanted to go to school and get my associates degree. I started college right after high school but never finished. I promised myself that if I was able to get grants and not loans I would take online courses and get that damn AA. I started at 35 and finished while working a full time job and a part time job, raising kids and even moving half way across the country. I also wanted to raise really great kids. Did that too! Ryan is an amazing, kind, compassionate, articulate, funny teenager who isn't a "jerk" as my sister in law would say. Zach is just as funny and random, but also fiercely determined (stubborn!) and has a bit of a serious side when necessary. Of course I couldn't have done it without Steve. He really picked up the slack while I was doing school work. He'd do laundry and dishes, clean the kitchen. It just made it easier on all of us and it seemed to work out that way. And as a bonus, I got spoiled and he still does most of that stuff most of the time still. Way to go Steve! :)
Anyway, I guess my point is this: At 30, I didn't know what I wanted but was upset because I didn't have it. At 40, I know who I am, I know who we are and I know what our priorities are and should be. This has nothing to do with fame or fortune (neither of which I have) it just has to do with how well we've done with what we have. Simply put, "What I want is what I've not got. But what I need is all around me." (Dave Matthews)
Ok, it's a long winded post about me turning 40 but my mind is all jumbled from work and travel and aging and stuff, thanks for sticking with me! lol
Did you miss it?
This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of ogilvy for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.
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