My Frugal Week

For two days only our local Fresh and Low sold five pound blocks of sliced American deli style cheese for $10. This normally sells for $15, so this was a good deal and I picked one up yesterday along with two bags of cole slaw mix, which they were selling for 50¢ each. 
I'll be incorporating grilled cheese sandwiches, rice and cheese, and macaroni and cheese into our July menus with this cheese. 
Today I finished an inventory of my pantry and freezer. It's a good way for me to know what's on hand, so that I can plan meals around those food items. For example, I found that I have an oversupply of kidney beans (18 cans), so I will be looking for a way to use those up. 
Also, I can search for recipes/ideas online using the ingredients I have on hand. This is one way to save money on food by using up the food I have on hand rather than looking up recipes for dishes I want to make and then going to the store to buy those ingredients. 
I made more chocolate syrup this week as it's good and inexpensive to have on hand to stir into a glass of chocolate milk or over a banana for chocolate cravings. 

Homemade Chocolate Syrup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup cocoa 

1 cup sugar

1 cup water

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, mix together the sugar and cocoa powder until most of the lumps are gone. Add water and salt and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes, until thickened, continuing to stir frequently. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes, then add vanilla extract. Store in air tight container in the fridge.

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We went to the flea market and set up on Wednesday. Many of the regulars we see on Saturday were at the Wednesday show, which is held in a different location. We did well even though it was threatening to rain most of the day. Of course, we took sandwiches and drinks with us and other than the $2.00 I spent on cucumbers, did not spend any money today. 

I picked up six cucumbers for this week. They were priced at 3 for $1.00 and the lady that grew them bought several things from me as well. She and her husband are retired, but grow produce to sell as a side income. She sold most of her produce for $1.00 a pound and said it made a good side income for them. 

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We continue to make do without a microwave. I have been using a loaf pan to heat up leftovers in the toaster oven, which works remarkably well. I wanted to make cornbread muffins the other day, but do not have a six-cup muffin pan to fit in the toaster oven, and I did not want to heat up the house with the big oven, so I made corn bread patties instead on my griddle. _________________________ We continue to eat the food we have in our pantry and do as little grocery shopping as possible. I have spent very little on groceries this month ($14.10 so far) and will continue to do so at least through the month of August. I do have a growing grocery list though.  _______________________
How is your week going?
Belinda ~ Living within our Means ~