Ever since we got back from the Feast (late October), we have been really diligent about not eating out. I may have mentioned this concept in earlier blog posts, but it has really been on my heart to have us eat in. And it has saved us money! Imagine that?!
I know this isn't rocket science, but if we don't eat out, we save like $15-$30/meal. Now, our "eating out," is grabbing fast food. We love Wendy's and Taco Bell and Zaxby's. It's gross, I know, but it's been an addiction. By month's end, we were going like $120 over, having to draw from our savings to make it through the month, to bridge the gap until the next pay check. Drawing from savings is so NOT Dave Ramsey!
While were at the Feast (where we get an awesome rental house, and this year we stayed with three other families), we ate in every day. I learned how to make ordinary tacos extraordinary. Food, good food: it changed my mind. I'll post that recipe later! (Fried tortillas and avacado! Nom.) Not only did eating in work, so that we could spend time with friends with babies, but you could feel the love.
Yes, I do believe there is something special about food, breaking bread. I believe homemade anything makes love! Think of the way you feel when you eat Momma's or Auntie's or Grannie's fried chicken (or whatever their specialty is). Wendy's has got nothin' on that.
It really is a dream of mine to own a small farm; two cows, a big garden, a 20-40 tree apple and pear orchard, blueberry, raspberry & blackberry bushes. Because I believe that if I build a farm, love will come, relationships will be forged, strengthened.
It comes out in my stationery now. If I can make a card or some invitations or birth announcements for someone, I give them a piece of me, a part of my creativity. Whenever you give something that is sincerely you, it is just the way it goes -- they will love you, even if only a wee bit more. ...Awesome!
...Back on topic. I have tried to think very succinctly about our meal plans and budget month to month. Ours is $100/week for a 4-week month, $75/week for a 5-week month. That is really really easy to blow. But planning and sticking to the plan (i.e. not eating out, stocking up on easy things like black beans and corn, tuna (which I make tuna salad with), being sure to make my own bread and having it on hand, etc.) has saved us HUNDREDS since late October.
This week I am doing something a little funky:
Sunday: tuna salad (lunch), super salad (dinner) -- spinach, shredded carrots, garbanzos, raisins, parm, sunflower seeds.
Monday: cranberry, chicken slower cooker
Tuesday: squash, mushroom, sweet potato stoup
Thursday: ricotta, spinach pasta
Friday: turkey loin (turkey is $.74/lb.!!!)
Saturday: turkey sandwiches
Sunday: leftovers
I am 1) trying the new stoup. We'll see if it's worth the money (I generally will spend about $5 on all the ingredients of any given meal, this cost about $10). And 2) I bought a 20 lb. turkey. I am hoping to debone it and use the parts for 7+ meals. I am finding that protein really should cost about $1/lb. This turkey comes in under, so we are good! Plus, I am hoping to do two small turkeys next Thanksgiving, debone and marinade the white meat, deep fry the dark meat of one, and roast the other.
We'll see if this whole turkey experiment really does turn out. I don't see why it won't, but it's all part of saving money!
It is amazing how easy it is to blow gobs of cash by going out. We've learned that the hard way, too. Don't give in to fast food! Watch Food Inc, read Omnivore's Dilemma, Fast Food Nation. They'll turn you away from that stuff forever.
ReplyDeletePS - Meal planning is amazing!