Dual Drugstore Deals: $303 for a $5 profit!

Sorry for the delay in posting!  We had a family get-together all afternoon & evening so it's been a hectic day. 

We did our drugstore shopping in the morning and didn't even have time to unpack the car - we had to head straight to the party.  I actually had to cut the Walgreens trip short because we were starting to run late.

Also, reminder!  The Pillsbury giveaway will end on Tuesday, 3/1, so if you haven't entered please leave a comment on that post to get your entry in!  I have another giveaway coming right after the Pillsbury one, so keep an eye on the blog.

Not pictured: 5 bottles Baby Magic baby wash, 6 more packs of BodiHeat heat patches, 1 more cherry cordial candy, 1 box Sambucol 30ct tablets

Walgreens - shelf price $73.85
1 Baby Magic wash, $3
2 20ct Motrin PM - $3ea, $6
Subtotal $9, used $6 off two Motrin
Total $3, received back two $3 RRs ($3 for Baby Magic, $3 for Motrin PM)

$3 profit!!

I did the above transaction 5 times for a total of 5 Baby Magic, 10 Motrins, and an overall profit of $15!
Now this was a little odd for Walgreens.  I had a stack of coupons for Motrin - five for $6 off two items, and a bunch more for $1 off.  The 20ct Motrin PM is on sale for $3 and you get a $3 reward back; since you only get one reward per transaction, at first it seems like I missed out on $3 per transaction.  However, with the $6 off coupon, both Motrins were free and I still received a $3 reward - $1.50 profit per bottle.  If I'd used the $1 coupons it would have been a $1 profit each, so overall this was the most profit for us.
I had planned to do the above transactions, then after using my $6 coupons I was going to switch back & forth between the Baby Magic and a single Motrin, using the $3 reward from the prior transaction to pay for the next.  Unfortunately we were out of time and had to leave right away to make the party, so I called it a day and gave some of the $1 coupons to our fantastic cashier so she could get herself some Motrin.

I handed off the 5 bottles of Baby Magic to my sister (along with all of last week's Johnson & Johnson) at the party.  At this point my nephew should be stocked up in wash & shampoo 'til he's 10.

We also had a massive haul at Rite Aid - shelf price $228.52:

Are your grocery bills getting bigger?

I've been wanting to write this post for a couple weeks now; I've started several times but have always stopped and scrapped my drafts because I'm just not sure how to approach the whole thing.  This is not a happy subject.  It is, however, an important subject - vital, even - and I want to get my thoughts out of my head and into the blog.

So, have you been to the grocery store lately?
Have you noticed anything different over the past couple-few months?


It's not just you.

Maybe you've noticed your food packaging getting smaller, such as the former 64oz jugs of orange juice suddenly morphing into 59oz jugs.  One of my favorite sites, Consumerist, terms this phenomenon the Grocery Shrink Ray.  When that jug of OJ decreased in size it didn't decrease proportionately in price; in fact, it's crept up in price even though the size reduction has stayed the same.  What about coffee?  A year ago I was buying 36oz canisters of coffee for $8.99; today those canisters are 33oz and are running $11.69.
Let's do a little math on that.  36oz of coffee at $8.99 works out to $.249/oz while  33oz of coffee at $11.69 works out to $.354/oz.  That's an increase in price per ounce of 42%!

What about cereal?  Andy's a huge fan of cereal so it's something we buy frequently.  Thanks to couponing we've been able to get those $4 boxes of cereal for $.49-.75 each - that's been my stock up price.  Lately, though, the great sales combined with great coupons for cereal have dried up like the Gobi and I've had to adjust my stock-up price.  Now?  At $.99 per box we'll grab a few (er, well, we will once Andy eats some of the 35 boxes we have on the shelf).  That's a 32% increase in price.

It doesn't seem to matter which aisle you're in or what you're buying; the prices at the grocery store are going up left & right.  From canned goods to meat to fresh produce, everything is getting more expensive and the coupons are not getting any better.

What's going on?

There are a lot of places to point fingers, but what it comes down to is one simple phrase: food inflation.  Our food is getting more expensive and there's no single source to blame (well, there is, but this is a blog about frugality in general, not my soapbox for current affairs).

Start with the obvious - the price of raw materials is going up.  The raw materials, or commodities, I'm talking about include corn, wheat, coffee beans, sugar, beef, and so on - the basic components of what we eat and what our food eats.  How much have they gone up?  Well, hold on to your britches.  Over the past six months:
sugar prices are up 82.6%
corn is up 59%
coffee and rice are both up about 41%

And, while we're at it, on 2/22 oil increased to its highest price in over two years.  How do you think our food gets from field to factory to supermarket? 


Many large food companies have already issued warnings that prices will continue to rise, including Kraft, Kellogg (*ahem* cereal prices),  Hormel and General Mills (more cereal!), Smucker, Sara Lee and ConAgra, and the list goes on and on - and it isn't just here in the US, either.  Worldwide, food prices have increased 29% from a year ago according to the World Bank.

In a nutshell, the prices of raw materials are skyrocketing due to various factors and those price increases are passed on to us, the shopper.
Price increases are a part of life.  Have you ever said to yourself, "Jeez, I remember when gas was under a buck a gallon!" or "I used to be able to eat pretty well for $20 a week!" when looking at your latest trip to the gas station or grocery store?  I certainly remember those days, but also consider what sort of income you were bringing in when things were so much cheaper.  I think it's pretty safe to say that one's average income increased significantly between 1995 and 2005, so those price increases didn't sting too badly.

But now....now....has your income increased 29% from a year ago to match the general increase in food prices? 

*crickets*

In case you haven't noticed, our economy is kind of messed up.  Don't buy into the hype that we're in a "recovery," or that the stock market increasing makes everything better.
It's bullshit.  Really, it is.
Ask the 14% of Americans currently relying on food stamps if everything is all better.
See, therein lies the biggest problem.  Food inflation at its current rate is tough on the average person, but it can mean skipped meals and poor nutrition for someone on a very fixed budget.

What can you do?

Coupons & sales.  Considering you're reading this post, hopefully you've taken at least some of my advice to heart and have clipped a few coupons, maybe stocked up on a few extra items to keep on hand.  Remember, if you can get something for free or pennies now, you don't have to pay dollars for it later.

Cook more.  It's cheaper to make a big pot of spaghetti that will feed 8 people than it is to go out to eat for 8 plates of spaghetti at $10 each.

Quit wasting so much good stuff!  My Grandpa grew up during the Depression (the first one, not our current cluster).  When I was growing up, in much more prosperous times, I never could figure out why Gramps always insisted on saving the gross bones and yucky bits left over from a turkey dinner.  Well, see, back in his younger years, you didn't waste food.  In fact, it's only been in recent years that we've forgotten how to utilize all parts of our food and that includes meat bones and other "nasty bits."  Gramps used that turkey carcass to make stock, to which he added vegetables and leftover turkey meat to create gallons of turkey soup to freeze and eat later.  His Grandma did it; in fact, there's a bit of a running joke in my family about Chicken Foot Soup.  During those Depression years, his Grandma would make a soup for Sunday dinner from bones, necks, and chicken feet.  Back then it was frugal; nowadays world-famous chefs know that bones, necks and feet make the richest, tastiest chicken stock.  Don't waste anything.

Back to the basics.  Learn to make bread, can or pickle vegetables, or to cut a large piece of meat down into manageable sized portions.  Think about the way people ate 80 years ago and make a point to learn at least one trick or method used commonly then but rarely now that will save you some money.  Grow a small garden, even if it's a single tomato plant in a bucket on your front porch.

Consider less expensive substitutes.  Don't throw up your hands and buy a few cases of ramen noodles to feed yourself for the next month.  Beans and eggs are two overlooked sources of protein that are cheap, filling, tasty, and easy to prepare - not to mention nutritious.  Buy produce that's in season locally rather than out of season, imported stuff (i.e. tomatoes in February does not equal in season locally here in Ohio).

Make a plan and stick to it.  Know how much you can comfortably afford to spend before you set out for the grocery store and don't go over that amount.  Have a list prepared and only deviate from it if you find a less expensive substitute.  Don't go shopping hungry.

Share if you're able.  I've mentioned several times about donating any excess items you may get from this whole "couponing as a sport" thing to shelters and food pantries in your area.  Now is a really great time to do this if you find yourself with a shit-ton of pasta or even a few extra cans of vegetables.  If you're noticing the increase in food prices, imagine how obvious it is to someone who has to feed themselves and their family with $150 per month in food stamps.  

Hope for the best.  Really, that's about all you can do.  Stock up on cheap food as much as you're comfortable stocking, but even with a bomb shelter full of MREs all you can do is hope that things reach a balance.  With any luck we'll somehow get out of this without too much pain...I hope.

GIVEAWAY: Win a Pillsbury Bake-Off prize pack

This year marks the 45th showing of the world-famous Pillsbury Bake-Off.  Home cooks like you submit original recipes using Pillsbury products for a chance to compete for the grand prize of one million dollars.

Pillsbury is accepting recipes through 4/18/11 in four categories including "Breakfast & Brunches," "Entertaining Appetizers," "Dinner Made Easy," and, my favorite, "Sweet Treats."  Official rules and all the legal details can be found at bakeoff.com, including the list of Pillsbury products that must be included in your final recipe.

The Bake-Off is open to US residents age 18 or older who are truly amateur cooks.  Those who get paid to make food aren't eligible (which, unfortunately, disqualifies me this year) so everyone is competing on a level playing field.  I've entered the Bake-Off in past years and, though I've never made it to the finals, I do enjoy the wide variety of qualifying products.  Entrants must use at least two Pillsbury products in their recipe - one each from two lists - and those lists include items ranging from basic butter, herbs and flour to convenience foods such as brownie mixes and prepared biscuits. 

In 1949, Pillsbury held their first Bake-Off.  The second prize that first year went to a Miss Laura Rott from Illinois.  I mention the second-place winner rather than the grand prize winner because Miss Rott's recipe for Mint Surprise Cookies has been a family tradition of ours every Christmas since the 1950s.  Every year for Christmas the ladies of the family gather to make cookies, and every year we make Miss Rott's Starlight Mint Surprises.  The Pillsbury Bake-Off holds a special place in my heart thanks to this recipe; it's not Christmas without those cookies! 

Mom making the Starlight cookies in 2010

So, maybe you've decided to give this Bake-Off a shot.  If you're thinking about entering, you'll need some inspiration, right?
Thanks to Pillsbury, I'm giving away one prize pack to a randomly selected reader.  The winner will receive one apron with Pillsbury's famous Dough-Boy decorating the front, a cookbook with 100 winning Bake-Off recipes, and a notepad and pen to jot down recipe ideas.

To enter, just leave a comment on this entry with your first name, last initial, and tell me about your favorite cookie!  I'll use a random number generator to select the winning post on Tuesday, March 1st, 2011. 



note: I was provided a Bake-Off prize pack as shown above by Pillsbury in order to facilitate this review.  My opinions are my own.  A randomly-chosen winner will receive an identical prize pack.  No purchase necessary.

Dual Drugstore Deals: $169 for $11, plus updated loot stack

I've finally got things in order 'round here.

We hit 2 Rite Aids and a Walgreens today before carrying on with our other errands.  In hindsight, this is one bizarre mix of items we semi-purchased.

Walgreens - shelf price $30.94
4 RePHresh tampons $5.99ea, $23.96
2 packages hair clips $.75ea, $1.50 (clearance, filler)
2 Skittles $.22ea, $.44 (clearance, filler)
Subtotal $25.90, less four $1 off RePHresh
Total $21.90, received back $20 ($5 for each RePHresh)
Out of pocket $1.90

Did the above in 4 transactions with one box of RePHresh and one of the clearance items per transaction.


Rite Aid - shelf price $137.93
12 Lays Stax $1, $12 (raincheck)
5 Rite Aid coffee $1.99ea, $9.95
3 Care Bears baby wipes $.90ea, $2.70
4 Oreo Double Stuf $3ea, $12
4 Right Guard 5 in 1 bodywash/shampoo $3.99ea, $15.96 (LIMIT TWO per card)
10 Johnson & Johnson baby wash & shampoo $2.99ea, $29.90
1 Snickers $.50
Subtotal $83.01, less five $2 off RA coffee, less four $1 off Right Guard, less ten $1 off J&J
Total $59.01, received back $50 in +UPs ($1 for each Lays, $1 for each Oreo, $1 bonus for each 2 Oreo, $3 for each Right Guard, $2 for each J&J)
Out of pocket $9.01

I also got rainchecks for more RA coffee ($1.99ea), Desitin diaper cream ($2.99ea with $2 +UP), and Johnson cotton swabs ($2.99ea with $2 +UP).  We went to two stores looking for Desitin & cotton swabs and they were cleared out.  There's been a sudden upswing in coupon shoppers in my area it seems and that's translating to a lot more rainchecks & empty shelves.  That's not a problem most of the time; I'll just hang on to my coupons and pick up the items as they come in stock.

In case you're wondering, all the baby stuff isn't for me.  That's for my little nephew.  Since the J&J and Desitin are free after coupon and +UP, I got as much as I could.  The baby wipes may or may not be a great deal; I'm not sure, but for $.90 per pack of 80 wipes I figured it didn't hurt to grab a few.

The Oreos are a decent "hidden" deal this week - they're 2 for $6, and you get a $1 +UP back per pair.  You also get a monthly $1 +UP per package, which makes these $1.50ea with no coupon needed.  No, they're not free, but I'm a sucker for Oreos.


After we got all our drugstore shopping taken care of, we made one final stop at K-Mart to look for a shelving unit.  As I mentioned in my last post, it got a bit out of control when I attempted to reorganize all our stuff.  We officially needed more storage space, so with a K-Mart gift card just sitting around, we went to look for shelves and found just what we needed.  They had a nice 6' tall, very sturdy shelving unit for just $39.  It now holds most of our nonperishable food.

Rite Aid Run - $92 for $4

We're gonna have to do without a photo of the loot this week - I'm trying to reorganize the living room, which is where I take my photos, and things got a bit out of control.  There's stuff everywhere.  It's not fit for photos right now. 

So here's a picture of some cupcakes I made; pretend there's a bunch of free stuff instead, okay?

Rite Aid - shelf price $91.60
4 bottles Maalox $4.99ea, $19.96
2 Chex Mix $1.50ea, $3
2 Colgate Sensitive $3.50ea, $7 (LIMIT TWO)
4 GE CFL light bulbs $2.99ea, $11.96 (LIMIT FOUR)
3 Finesse conditioner $.50ea, $1.50 (raincheck)
5 lbs whole wheat pasta $.50ea, $2.50
2 Snickers peanut butter bars $.79ea, $1.58
4 Diet Pepsi $1.25ea, $5
Subtotal $52.50, less four $5 off Maalox, less $.50 off Chex Mix, less two $1 off Colgate, less four $1 off GE, less BOGO Snickers
Total $25.21, received back $21 in +UPs ($1 for each Maalox, $1 for each Chex Mix, $3.50 for each Colgate, less $2 for each light bulb)
Out of pocket $4.21

This was a pretty tame week overall.  There wasn't much we needed except the light bulbs, but I'll get some Maalox and Colgate if they pay me a buck each to take 'em!
We were getting a little low on pasta, so it was a welcome surprise to see some whole wheat noodles marked down to $.50 per pound.  I have no idea why they were marked down; their expiration date isn't until September 2011 so they're not about to go bad or anything.  That's a good price for the whole wheat pasta so I grabbed 'em.

I have a lot of catching up to do on this here blog once I get the living room back in livable shape.  I've got a post I want to make about prices going up at the grocery store, plus I've got some cool stuff to give away.  Keep an eye out in the next few days!

Cheap Meals: Using leftovers - pulled pork flatbread pizza

So a reader commented to me (hi Binney!) that it would be helpful if I were to post some more recipes here, especially recipes using inexpensive cuts of meat.  If you've been to the grocery store recently, I'm sure you've noticed that meat, along with everything else, is doing nothing but increasing in price.  The cheaper cuts of meat are looking more and more affordable; the only problem is that many people don't know how to cook a cheap roast and have it come out palatable.

The less-expensive types of meat - including chuck roasts (beef) and shoulder roasts (pork, also called picnic roast or Boston butt) - are less expensive because they have more tough connective tissue, aren't boneless, have a less bold flavor, and/or have less fat marbling.  These particular types of meat generally need to be cooked for a long time, often with confounding methods like braising.  It's easier to just slap a pork tenderloin in the oven for 40 minutes and be done with it rather than fuss with a pork shoulder that has to cook for hours. 

Well, buckle in and haul out your Crockpot.  Let's talk pork.

The other day Andy and I stopped at Giant Eagle to grab some strawberries.  While we were there I discovered a display of pork shoulder roasts for $.99/lb; that's a fantastic price and, with a little too much excitement, I loaded them all in the cart.  Pork shoulder is one of my favorite cuts of meat because, with a little care, it makes a rich and delicious pork roast that you can prepare a million different ways.

Sunday night I tossed a 4lb roast into the Crockpot with some water, a couple shakes of vinegar, a couple shakes of liquid smoke, a couple shakes of Worcestershire, salt, pepper, and a few dashes of red pepper flake.  I left it cook on low overnight while we slept, and in the afternoon I added a squirt of ketchup to the liquid.  Once the ketchup mixed in with the liquid, I basted the meat a few times - the sugar in the ketchup helps form a flavorful coating on the meat.  About an hour before we wanted to eat, I half-uncovered the Crockpot and turned the heat to high, which allowed for a crust to form on the meat and for some excess liquid to evaporate.  I also added some sliced onions on top of the meat for some extra flavor.
And that was that.  Once the meat was done I removed the bone with a pair of tongs, broke the meat into chunks, and served it with some veggies and flatbread.

Dinner 1 - devoured.  And there was still more than half the roast left. 
Rather than just reheat the roast and repeat Monday's dinner, tonight I turned it into something completely different.

Using a fork, I shredded the remaining pork and heated it in a saucepan with a bit of hot sauce and just enough barbecue sauce to moisten.  I french-cut half an onion, preheated the oven to 375*, and got out two pieces of flatbread.  You can buy flatbread at the store or you can very easily make it at home.
On a foil-lined baking sheet I put down the flatbread, evenly spread some of the shredded pork on it, sprinkled on some onion slices all pretty, and topped it with some shredded cheddar cheese.  If you want more barbecue sauce just drizzle it right on, but don't go overboard or the flatbread will be soggy.
Then just pop it in the oven for about 10 minutes or so until the cheese is melted and the flatbread is crisp and cracker-like at the edges.  Cut it into manageable pieces with a pizza cutter and enjoy!

We got four full meals out of the 4lb roast and there's still a bit of pork left over.  We'll call it 5 servings in total.

Pork $4
Spices, liquids, seasonings to cook it $.50
Flatbread $.50
1 onion $1 (half used in the roast, half on the pizzas)
Cheese $.50
BBQ sauce $.25
Total for 5 servings $6.75, or $1.35 per serving.

You seriously can't mess up either of these quasi-recipes.  The Crockpot does all the hard work for you while you sleep, work, or are in class; all you have to do is chuck the food in there and spend 5 minutes finishing the roast at the end.  I put the flatbread pizzas together in about 10 minutes, with another 10-15 minutes baking time - nothing to it!

Dual Drugstore Deals: $179 for $17

We had a busy day today.  After rushing off to Walgreens & Rite Aid, we came home so I could finish making my mom's birthday cake and then headed off to a combo Super Bowl party/birthday party.  I always love family get-togethers!

Walgreens - shelf price $83.88
3 Garner Herbashine hair color $5 ea, $15
1 Right Guard body wash $3.99
Subtotal $18.99, less $1 Right Guard (peelie on bottles), three $3 Herbashine
Total $8.99, received back $8 RR ($5 for spending $15 on Garnier, $3 for Right Guard)
Out of pocket $.99

I did the above transaction three times for a total cost of $2.97 for NINE boxes of hair dye (!!!) and three body washes!

Rite Aid - shelf price $95.27
4 Finesse conditioners $3ea, $12
9 boxes cereal $1.99ea, $17.91
5 Mentos $.50ea, $2.50
2 Ritz crackers $1.99ea, $3.98
3 Scotch paper/coupon cutters $.79ea, $2.37 (clearance)
Subtotal $38.67, less five $.50 Mentos, less $1 off 2 Ritz
Total $35.26, received $21 in +UPs ($5 for each pair of Finesse, $1 for each cereal, $1 for each Ritz)
Out of pocket $14.26

Today was raincheck city at my Rite Aid.  The Excedrin PM 20ct ($1.99ea, I have a bunch of $2.50 coupons) were wiped out, the Betty Crocker items ($2ea, get $2 WYB 2 plus an additional $1 monthly +UP for each, plus various coupons available) were wiped out, and there were only 4 Finesse conditioners on the shelf.  I don't need any shampoo right now, but we go through conditioner so quickly that I'd wanted to get several more bottles. Rainchecks all around!

The cereal deals have been really slim lately.  I mean, really slim.  With various Kellogg's cereals $1.99ea with a $1 +UP back, I figured we should grab a few boxes.  Andy grabbed 9.  The prices at the stores aren't getting any lower and I've started to rethink my stock-up prices.  Cereal used to be $.49-.75 per box for my stock-up price; now it's looking like $.99 is the point where I need to grab a bunch.  Kellogg's recently announced that their cereal prices would go up even more in the coming year, so may as well get it now.  *sigh*

Today's totals

Shelf price $179.15
Total $62.23
Rewards earned $43
Out of pocket $17.23

We had a great time at the party this evening.  As is the norm with my family gatherings, there was tons of great food and lots of laughter.  I brought three of the Herbashine hair color and traded those to my mom for 5 jars of Jif and some Lays Stax from last week's sales and some Betty Crocker from this week's.  She's had good luck finding abundant stock of the various freebie/super cheap food deals at her stores, so she picks us up extras.

Now it's time to go sleep off all the pizza & cake from tonight's festivities....!

Thinking outside the coupon binder

My friend Mike recently posted a note on his Facebook page that made me very happy.  He gave me permission to repost it here; it brings up some coupon issues that I hadn't thought of before, and he's come up with a creative solution for several nagging issues in one neat package.  I love it.

It all started with my internet friend who runs this blog thing (she's a very cool individual, regardless of the coupon thing):

The Angry Cheapskate

It didn't really resonate with me at first since, as a single guy, I don't buy that much coupon related stuff. (food items and paper goods, and toothpaste, etc.) Stuff I buy at the grocery store tends to last me a while because I'm the only one using it. Saving fifty cents on trash bags every three months isn't that massive an incentive to me in the long run. I did, however, pass the URL on to a coworker that has a six person family (husband and four kids plus her). She had been talking about that coupon based reality show (barf) on TV, and I said something along the lines of "Here, check out the blog and maybe you'll get some ideas." Like everybody about now, she was looking at ways to economize a bit and with four kids heavily into the tween/teen years, she needs it. (one just got accepted to NC State, so college tuition looms heavily as well)

At first she kind of dismissed the idea as something old ladies do in the checkout line in front of you and bottleneck the line, but it wasn't long until she had a big binder full of coupons to organize her weekly clippings. Suddenly she (like my bloggy friend) was reporting savings weekly in the one to two hundred dollar range depending on what she bought and what the deals were that week. Sure, she has indeed ended up with thirty pounds of pasta during one shopping adventure, but with the kids, it won't last as long as you might think and it was nearly free when she was done. It is a bit of work to make sure you go to the right store for the right deal, scour the papers and fliers and keep everything organized, but you can't dismiss the results. I encourage anybody, especially with a big family, to check out Chellie's blog and try it out for yourself.

This all led to a discussion at lunch one day about just how much we spend on going "out" to lunch. When you add it up, it's astounding, especially when you consider the relative quality of the food. Not a great situation at all looking at cost/benefit ratio. Now that we are getting older and, let's face it, ain't nobody getting any smaller/healthier, the quality of food issue really sticks out. Over the next few lunches we hatched a mash-up of the coupon and lunch issues and have decided to maximize food dollars with the coupons, and then use the fresh food and cooking it ourselves to maximize the food quality as well. We figure that with careful shopping, coupons and buying healthy fruits, veggies and chicken with some other carefully selected meats tossed into the menu, we can do this for about sixty bucks a week for 5-6 people. If you consider that we spend on average ten dollars a day (and I bet you do too if you eat at places with anything above a dollar menu, and if you're eating dollar menu you know what quality you're getting there) eating out during the week. For me that's fifty a week, minimum. That works out to $200 a month I'm blowing on lunch. That could be going to something useful, like lottery tickets. Or, you know, gas or retirement or something silly.

We have equipped the office break area with items like a crock pot (that I had just sitting around in my house), flatware (from the dollar store), plates, baskets to hang veggies and produce, toaster oven, and other such cookware for little to no real investment. We have worked out a menu that calls for salads a couple days of the week with fresh produce, crock-pot (slow cooker to some of you) dishes that we can set-and-forget in the morning, things that freeze well to keep in the freezer before preparation. It's a work in progress, but it's promising. We eat well with freshly prepared foods, better nutrition, more portion and calorie control and we still set aside one day a week to do shopping and eat "out" just to give us a break from the office. All that and our personal budgets will be much happier for it. Especially after garden season cranks up here. Fruits and veggies out the ying-yang from family gardens and farmers markets will really max out the budget nicely all summer.

Add this to the walking course we've mapped out through the neighborhoods around the office, and hopefully we'll all be healthier and slimmer in a few months to come. Again, it's a work in progress, so things will get massaged and tweaked as we go, but overall it's a workable plan with good short and long term benefits. It's not like we come up with good, workable, beneficial plans here very often, so it's kind of a new area for us.

Now, my thoughts: