Monday grind.....

On my adventure to being a better planner, cook and steward of our money I worked like crazy in the kitchen last night. At least I was in the air...the poor fellas were at ball practice in the hot, hot sun.

So friday DH and I did a little meat shopping, this was a good thing. Everytime I buy steak (which I always buy the best priced meat for the budget and try to make a miricle out of it), he almost always comments that it's cheap meat!!! I reply "yes" it fits the budget! But I don't say it sarcastically, those days are not in me anymore thank you Lord for changes :0). While at Country Mart I had him personally pick out the meat and tell the butcher how he wanted it cut. Pretty brilliant of me I think, (winking). So I had run out of freezer bags and did not get them until yesterday and had to package the 60.00 worth of meat, mark it and store in the freezers. Now the real challenge will be to use it, I have always had good intentions but somehow some of the meat get freezer burnt because I fail to make a plan to use it.

While prepping the meat and feeling very smart and Martha Stewart like I also cleaned the fridge out. Hmmm, here is another place I fail at. I threw out 1 green pepper, one tub of baby tomatoes, and some freezer burnt brats. Why did all that go to waste, my lack of planning and keeping up with our food. I might as well threw 5.00 in the trash which I would never do. So my new goal is to stay on top of the fridge, freezer and our meal plan. I did take a picture and will post it for the friday food waste post. I am new to this but very inspired to do the post, wish me luck that I may not have anything wasted next week.

Green Peppers

The other day at work we had a catering that left us with a large amount of left overs. Well that my friend is what we at work love!!! That means no cooking dinner tonight, yah (see me waving pom poms). This day blessed us with fat fries, cole slaw and chicken strips. We ate the chicken strips all weekend, I did not have to cook until sunday night. That was nice. But all the fries, what to do??? So I chopped them up and put them in my pampered chef dish sprinkled some cheese and add left over cooked bacon. The new breakfast dish was a hit with the guys. Score one for mom, (big smile) I still have some left so I need another idea, please share. Oh yes, if forgot to say I cooked them in my new convection oven that I got for half price. Double yahoo!!!!
In part of my effort to cook yummy home cooked meals and save money I cut up 6 green peppers yesterday and stored them for later use. I love peppers especially since I got them 4/1.00!!! (big smiles) I am going to get more hopefully if they go on sale again. In the winter they are like .99 a pepper. We eat them alot with mexican food so bring on the sales :0)!!! I also tried my hand at making stuffed bell peppers, I could not find a recipe I liked so I made my own. They were not bad but I didn't hear the guys asking me to make more, they liked the inside mix and want more of that but not the peppers...lol.. So I have a new recipe to make minus the peppers.. I also found another use for my laptop, no more hand writting recipes, I can just search it and read it from the lap top. I have just now figured that out and I have owned it since Feb. hmmmm, a little slow I am.

I also scored a New George Forman Grill for 10.00, organizer trays for .25 a piece, some like new Star Jeans for 3.00, 2 purses under a 1.00 each and a whole box of red votices and candle holders for 5.00 ( they are for the upcoming weddings in our family) We did pick blueberries to stockpile as well and almost blundder that. Our friend told us they were 3.00 per bucket and when we went to check out they were 3.00 per pound, 82.00 please the cashier said. .....Uggg, she made us a deal half price because that's what the other farm charges!!! Lesson learned???? Always asks the prices for yourself.

What bargains did you find?

Dreaming of a debt-free life

I read an article of how a man would tweet his weight daily in hopes of keeping himself accountable to loose weight. So in the article it asked the ?, what if people did that to keep themselves accountable to living a debt-free life? I thought to myself "wow" what a bold move!!! But, I have a dream of living a debt-free life and I know I can make it a reality! So here I am, I have pondered blogging this and decided to make this it's own blogging adventure. Here is where I will share the stories of the journey, my inspirations, wants desire and whatever else pops into my head. So this is the beginning, I just put it out on the world wide web for everyone to see!!! My debt, my burden I carry around knowing I still owe for. I hear people all of the time saying well you gotta have payments, you can't avoid it, It's gonna happen, it's ineviable...hmmmm what do you think? I feel with my whole heart that God does not want us to live in bondage and be a slave to the lender. Yes, the bank I pay every month for my house,car and credit card are my masters I am a slave to making payments to those nice people that gave me money when I did not have it.

So on to my frugal thoughts, I am determined to add on to my house and not remorgage it and still take the vacations I am dreaming of! Is it all possible I ask myself, then I answer myself and the answer is YES, anything is possible. So I have been on my debt free binge and getting my family on board with me. They are doing pretty good so far. I paid off our last Dr. bill (for my nose surgery 2 years ago) this week!! So we are down to the house, (almost under the 42,000.00, can you see the huge smile on my face!!!) The jeep 8000.00???, the Visa, not sure what all was on that or where in the world it came from!!! Yikes, 1600.00 and my new laptop compliments of Dell 1700.00 I had to have it to do photography, my home pc would just lock up!!!! I am not on it like I thought I would be, but I am still glad I have it. So why am I bareing my financial soul to the world??? I want to be accountable and document the journey and maybe inspire others to do the same.

Please feel free to leave your opinions, ideas, inspirations or great blogs and websites.

Have a blessed day,
Dreaming of debt freedom