Cheap and Easy

My new lifestyle make-over is going great. It takes my type-A tendencies, love of lists, planning, and organization and smooshes it all together with saving money (a new concept, no?), quality family time, and stress reduction. I am still on board.

It took a pretty good chunk of time Saturday, but I planned my menu for the week, and then reviewed all the sale flyers, to see where I should shop for the best deals. I ended up with three grocery stops, but after spending $175.55 total, I saved $66.31!

Here's the scoop...I shopped Wal-Mart for probably 75% of my items. Paper towels, snack foods, and basic canned goods and other staple items will be cheaper there most of the time. But my local W-M store's produce and meat are horrible. I won't buy either there. I only saved a little $$ at Wal-Mart with coupons (try coupons.com) so my biggest savings was $1.50 off swim diapers. (Tell me about it...Fat Baby should totally not even need them any more...but you try to tell him not to poop in the YMCA pool & see how that works out for you!)

Then, I hit Winn-Dixie for my meat and produce needs. I bought two chuck roasts at $23 and change...buy one get one free. They were GINORMOUS--so, I made the investment, cut them in half, and have one for this week (recipe below) and now have THREE MORE servings in the freezer. I also bought country style ribs on buy one-get one, (more freezer stocking) which Pop will barbecue to sheer perfection!

Finally, Food World has 12-pack cans of coke products, 4 for $11. They also had a coupon in their flyer for $2 off milk (huge score!) when you buy two boxes of poptarts (2 for $5). Now, I'm stocked up with "emergency" breakfast-on-the-go food, and cheap milk.

I told My Baby's Daddy that it seemed kooky to go to three different grocery stores like some crazy coupon freak. He reminded me of the Dave Ramsey motto, "Live like no one else, so you can live like no one else." True that. Besides, all the stores are close to home and each other. I didn't really go out of my way. And by shopping on a Saturday---no kids to schlep in and out, it was pretty quick. I also had a really good list.

Here's the menu for the week, with a great easy recipe.

Sunday: grilled pork chops, rice pilaf, green beans
Monday: spaghetti with meat sauce, salad
Tuesday: country style ribs, cole slaw, corn
Wednesday: crock pot barbecue sandwiches, chips
Thursday: BLTs or gumbo (in freezer from great restaurant at the beach)
Friday: beef brisket (barbecued by Pop...yum-already in freezer) or dinner out




Crock Pot Barbecue
· 3 c. chopped celery
· 1 c. chopped onion
· 1 c. ketchup
· 1 c. barbecue sauce
· 1 c. water
· 2 Tbsp. vinegar
· 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
· 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
· 1 tsp. chili powder
· 1 tsp. salt
· ½ tsp. pepper
· ½ tsp. garlic powder
· 3-4 lb. boneless chuck roast

Combine all ingredients except roast in slow cooker. Mix well and add roast to mixture. Cover. Cook on high 6-7 hours. Remove roast, cool and shred meat. Return to sauce and heat well. Serve on hamburger buns.

This is so very easy and yummy. It's great for a group, and always gets rave reviews.

Edited to add: This is a great website with unlimited resources for organizing your world!

Ch-ch-ch-changes...

The Southern Fried House of Fun is always a work in progress, and now even more so. My Baby's Daddy has officially decided to open a new chapter, and to leave the world of Management (after seventeen years with the same company!). I think that this new opportunity in the world of sales will be a perfect fit for him, and that he will be oh, so much happier. After much negotiation, prayer, and consideration (on my part--he was ready to sign on the dotted line before immediately) we have decided to take a leap of faith.

My main goal right now is for us to be in a bigger house within a year. When we bought this house (8 years ago), it was perfect for us--with a little room to grow. Well, we've grown. Two kids and a live-in Dad later, it's time to move it on up to the east side! Even with four bedrooms, we are on top of each other right now...we need some extra space, big time. And a big ol' kitchen, and a nice outdoor area (with pool, please) to entertain... Oh, yeah, Mama's got some big ideas. And believe you me, if he has to take a moonlighting job delivering pizzas while he chases his happiness, Mama will be in that big ol' house within 12 months!

Meanwhile, I've been working on getting our current house "market ready." We've moved out of every house we have lived in since we got married just as soon as I got it "the way I wanted it..." So, organizing, donating, cleaning out, painting, decorating, and throwing crap away are my main priorities. I've been setting big and little goals all along the way. Right now, I'm looking for a new print to go over the mantle, and paint, artwork and accesories for the office. Hopefully I'll get the boys' bathroom painted within a week. (Thanks,Pop!)

Good times.

Oh, and we're having the Sex Talk, phase one with The President tonight. More on that later!