Just a quick reminder that you can get a $15 bonus when you sign up with TopCashback and earn your first $10 in cash back. Only through tomorrow, and only through this link. (affiliate link)
Don’t forget! 🙂
(You have plenty of time to earn your $10 cashback…but just make sure you sign up for your new account now.)
What I Spent
Well, I wanted to be at $100 this week, but I actually spent $144.
Which would normally be fine, but I was trying to be a little extra frugal this week to balance out some high spending earlier in the month.
March Spending
Week 1: $245
Week 2: $156
Week 3: $96
Week 4: $144
My yearly average is doing just fine, though, so I’m not going to stress about March!
For all of 2018, my spending is averaging $136/week.
2018 Monthly Averages
(goal is $150/week)
January: $544 ($136/week)
February: $588 ($147/week)
March: $641 ($160/week)
I am really going to try to not start April with a $245 week, though!
What We Ate
Monday
It was Lisey’s 17th birthday! She chose chicken and waffles for her meal, so I made buttermilk waffles and picked up fried chicken from a local place.
I really do not like frying chicken. 😉 And luckily Lisey is just fine with that.
Tuesday
I made sausage and asparagus with orzo.
We also had cucumber slices and grapes.
Uhhh, not together, mind you. Separately. Cucumbers and grapes seem like a slightly odd combo.
Although, hmm, what about a green salad with some fruit and feta cheese and a vinaigrette? Grapes and cucumbers could be buddies like that.
I digress.
Wednesday
I rummaged around in my chest freezer for inspiration and ended up grilling some kielbasa and chicken breasts. I also grilled the last of the asparagus and we ate cantaloupe and pineapple.
And this is rather random, but I made some guacamole because my avocados suddenly all ripened at once.
I stuck them in the fridge to buy myself some time, but still, I figured I’d better get going on the avocado-eating.
Thursday
We ate a fairly filling meal mid-afternoon at a birthday party, so no one was particularly hungry at dinner time. It was a fend for yourself kind of night, which was easy for me!
Friday
Normally I’d make pizza, but I know Mr. FG is going out to lunch with a co-worker, and I feel like the odds are high that he’ll end up at a pizza joint.
Although Mr. FG does really love pizza, I think even he might feel like it’s a lot to have it at two consecutive meals.
So I thawed some short ribs, and I think I’ll try a Cook’s Illustrated recipe for barbecuing them.
Ashley Whitt
Sunday 1st of April 2018
Blog post request! Today I am buying a kitchen aid mixer, which I am sure I will use all the time (since I currently use my hand mixer weekly).
And I got to thinking about purchased items I regret. (A fancy stroller, a pancake griddle). Like Kristin, I try to put a lot of thought into my purchasing decisions but still manage to misstep sometimes.
Kristen
Sunday 1st of April 2018
Ah, so are you wondering what my thoughts are on my Kitchen Aid? Or are you wanting a post about purchases I regret?
Jenny
Sunday 1st of April 2018
Ashley, my KitchenAid mixer is so wonderful- I use it all the time! I would like to get some of the attachments but haven't yet. What a great timesaver it is.
MyEarlyRetirementJourney
Sunday 1st of April 2018
nice food fotos! my spending was a bit over for march as well... did some travel and was sick. new to your blog but saw it on Frugal Asian Finance and thought i'd check it out!
Helen
Saturday 31st of March 2018
We were out of town and, like you, have saved so we could splurge on our trip. We ate cheap breakfasts in our Canadian Airbnb and a big early dinner out each evening. Lunch was fruit and nuts. Fun and I am ready to cook again at home. BTW I think Lisey looks like her dad.
lisa
Saturday 31st of March 2018
Happy 17th Birthday Lisey!
March was a total fail for frugalness....... But it wasn't due to groceries! What set me over the spendy limit was a trip we took to California. I was told the weather would be 75 and sunny. Nope. It was raining, windy and cold. I ended up buying hundreds of dollars worth of clothing. Yup. Hundreds. And I prided myself on not buying clothing in years........I am mad. Granted, it's all Disney related and cute, but still........
We ate this past week - chicken soup, beef and noodles, sushi, fish, pizza, enchiladas and ribs.
Deidre
Saturday 31st of March 2018
I started out this year with the goal to create a grocery budget & didn't know what I was spending except that I knew I wanted to cut down on takeaway especially at work, I write up everything I spend in my diary & add it up each week as well as adding the ongoing running total underneath that I divide by the number of weeks since I started. Really pleased I'm averaging $2.30 less than my budget for the last 13 wks, I do wonder though if winter here will mean heartier/more expensive food for me or not; we'll see.
Btw that orzo dish looks really good & I thought that the last time you posted it I really should give that a go; I love orzo & I love sausages.