50th Post!
I'm impressed that I have made it this far. I've tried blogging in the past and always failed to get to five posts! I'd like to thank everyone who has visited my site. Especially everyone from www.smartcanucks.ca and www.flyerscoupons.ca. I probably wouldn't have been motivated to continue without you all finding me.
To celebrate this milestone, I've submitted my site to Technorati. It was a bit intimidating for me. But, I'm glad I had the courage to do it! Hopefully I'll be added to Technorati by my 100th post.
Again, thank you everyone.
Showing posts with label Homemaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Homemaking. Show all posts
Sunday, 4 September 2011
Thursday, 1 September 2011
Article: Debt Free by Thirty: Ways to Get Excited About Paying Off Debt
Even though DH and I pay off our consumer debt each month, I'm always on the lookout for budgeting tips. Here's an article with tips on getting excited about paying off your debt, which I think would be useful for sticking to your budget or living within your means as well.
http://www.debtfreebythirty.net/2011/08/ways-to-get-excited-about-paying-off_26.html
http://www.debtfreebythirty.net/2011/08/ways-to-get-excited-about-paying-off_26.html
What I'm Doing to Take Advantage of the Summer Left
Where has the summer gone? It's back to school time already! Even though I'm not in school now and don't plan on being back in school, September back to school season has stayed with me. The leaves have already started changing here and DH says he saw a dew on his morning walk this week. This hit me today so I decided to seize the day! A little bit.
I just sat out front to continue my internet addiction but was getting a poor signal. So I decided to go lay in the hammock and surf from the back yard. When I got there I noticed more ragweed for me to pull. We're having guests for a BBQ on Saturday and DH has allergies, so I want him to be able to join in the party. I took a quick relax in the hammock after realizing there would be too much glare to use my laptop in the sun. So now I'm back on the couch.
But, I went outside today and it feels great.
I just sat out front to continue my internet addiction but was getting a poor signal. So I decided to go lay in the hammock and surf from the back yard. When I got there I noticed more ragweed for me to pull. We're having guests for a BBQ on Saturday and DH has allergies, so I want him to be able to join in the party. I took a quick relax in the hammock after realizing there would be too much glare to use my laptop in the sun. So now I'm back on the couch.
But, I went outside today and it feels great.
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
Easy Ways to Store More Water
So with Hurricane Irene come and gone, I've been focusing on preparedness more. No, I have not seen the new special "Livin' for the Apocalypse" on TLC, but I'll let you know when I have ;)
The number one thing that I stockpile that gets the most comments is surprisingly water. For me it makes perfect sense. We've done a few plumbing repairs this year and having the water to flush toilets is priceless. Just a reminder, the Canadian government suggests that all households should have 3 days of food and water on hand in case of emergencies.
Each household member needs to have about 2L of drinking water and 2L for cleaning each day. So, you should budget about 4L (one gallon for Americans) per person. When doing your calculations, you should include all pets and regular visitors too.
We have anywhere from 2 to 5 adults regularly in our home plus one cat. I figure we need about 66L (5.5 people * 4L per person * 3 days). This should really be the minimum. Storing that amount of water can be challenge. Here's how we've stored ours:
Disposable Water Bottles (15 L)
Pros -
- Easy to find in the stores.
- They are easy tto carry and can be stored in your 72 hour bags.
- Wait for a sale, they're usually heavily discounted. We went through quite a few this summer and will be stocking up now that the sales are on.
- The bottles are well sealed, so the water should be safe if stored away from other chemicals and opened before the expiry.
Cons -
There is quite a bit of waste with this option, so choose a bottle with less plastic in the design, recycle your used bottles, and try to implement other reusable options in addition to these disposable bottles.
Camping Water Jug (20 L)
Pros
- This size is still easy for me to move around but still holds quite a bit of water
- Often come with a spigot for easy pouring
Cons
- Not available in all stores
- Reusable, so less waste
- Water will need to be rotated
Refilled Pop Bottles (31 L)
Pros
- Cheap. These would have been going to the recycling, so instead I refilled them.
- This type of plastic is sturdy and leaches low enough levels of chemicals to be safe for storing food and water.
- Easy to port around
Cons
- May take a while to accumulate enough
- Water will need to be rotated
Even though the refilled bottles were filled with treated city water, I also keep bleech on hand for purification if there's any question about the safety of the water. The bottles get checked and refilled regularly. If you knew an emergency was coming, you could also fill up containers while you still had water: water bottles, pots, jugs, etc.
We have a large hot water tank in our home, but this would only be used in a worst case scenario. Water stored in sinks and the bathtub would need to be purified before use and would also be a worst case scenario option.
The number one thing that I stockpile that gets the most comments is surprisingly water. For me it makes perfect sense. We've done a few plumbing repairs this year and having the water to flush toilets is priceless. Just a reminder, the Canadian government suggests that all households should have 3 days of food and water on hand in case of emergencies.
Each household member needs to have about 2L of drinking water and 2L for cleaning each day. So, you should budget about 4L (one gallon for Americans) per person. When doing your calculations, you should include all pets and regular visitors too.
We have anywhere from 2 to 5 adults regularly in our home plus one cat. I figure we need about 66L (5.5 people * 4L per person * 3 days). This should really be the minimum. Storing that amount of water can be challenge. Here's how we've stored ours:
Disposable Water Bottles (15 L)
Pros -
- Easy to find in the stores.
- They are easy tto carry and can be stored in your 72 hour bags.
- Wait for a sale, they're usually heavily discounted. We went through quite a few this summer and will be stocking up now that the sales are on.
- The bottles are well sealed, so the water should be safe if stored away from other chemicals and opened before the expiry.
Cons -
There is quite a bit of waste with this option, so choose a bottle with less plastic in the design, recycle your used bottles, and try to implement other reusable options in addition to these disposable bottles.
Camping Water Jug (20 L)
Pros
- This size is still easy for me to move around but still holds quite a bit of water
- Often come with a spigot for easy pouring
Cons
- Not available in all stores
- Reusable, so less waste
- Water will need to be rotated
Refilled Pop Bottles (31 L)
Pros
- Cheap. These would have been going to the recycling, so instead I refilled them.
- This type of plastic is sturdy and leaches low enough levels of chemicals to be safe for storing food and water.
- Easy to port around
Cons
- May take a while to accumulate enough
- Water will need to be rotated
Even though the refilled bottles were filled with treated city water, I also keep bleech on hand for purification if there's any question about the safety of the water. The bottles get checked and refilled regularly. If you knew an emergency was coming, you could also fill up containers while you still had water: water bottles, pots, jugs, etc.
We have a large hot water tank in our home, but this would only be used in a worst case scenario. Water stored in sinks and the bathtub would need to be purified before use and would also be a worst case scenario option.
Monday, 29 August 2011
How not to Save Money
DH rides his bike to and from work on nice days. It gives him a good workout (30km round trip), he gets to cut emissions on his commute (he takes public transit on other days), and he really enjoys it.
Buying a bike was a big decision for us. He wanted to get a good bike, so it was a fairly big purchase for us that we put quite a bit of consideration into before making our decision.
Today DH has his bike stolen from outside his work right next to the security station. We're both upset by this. It's very frustrating to plan and save up for a purchase to have someone take it on a whim. DH would take off his seat each morning, so at least we know the thief won't enjoy the ride.
We've considered making a claim on our home insurance to purchase a replacement. But, in order to keep our premiums low we have a high deductible and we would like to avoid having a claim on our file. Especially for such a small purchase in the big scheme of things.
So, with only a couple months of biking weather left, we start the decision making process again to find the next perfect bike.
Buying a bike was a big decision for us. He wanted to get a good bike, so it was a fairly big purchase for us that we put quite a bit of consideration into before making our decision.
Today DH has his bike stolen from outside his work right next to the security station. We're both upset by this. It's very frustrating to plan and save up for a purchase to have someone take it on a whim. DH would take off his seat each morning, so at least we know the thief won't enjoy the ride.
We've considered making a claim on our home insurance to purchase a replacement. But, in order to keep our premiums low we have a high deductible and we would like to avoid having a claim on our file. Especially for such a small purchase in the big scheme of things.
So, with only a couple months of biking weather left, we start the decision making process again to find the next perfect bike.
Article: Easy Ways to Prepare for a Storm
As Hurricane Irene stays in the news, I thought I would post a like for a blog post I read recently on how one woman prepares for storms. http://onefrugalgirl.blogspot.com/2011/08/easy-ways-to-prepare-for-storm.html. I think it's great when people are prepared and I loved her tip about brownies!
Friday, 26 August 2011
Why Should a Home have a Stockpile?
I love looking at pictures of other people's stockpiles. As soon as I see those big chunky shelves I know I'll be impressed. My own stockpile is stored throughout the house in the areas where the products will be used. The basement is avaialble for overflow, but it's not as satisfying as seeing everything all in one place.
Some people will look at the stockpiles of others and write it off as hoarding. For some that might be part of it. For most though I think it's a sensible thing to do for your family.
Stockpiling for Short-Term Emerency Preparedness
You can't always get to the store. During winter storms if the road crews are bogged down it could be days before it is safe to get out and drive around. The Government of Canada recommends on its Get Prepared website (http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/knw/kt/bas-eng.aspx) that all households keep at least 3 days of emergency provisions on hand and also have a grab-and-go emergency kit.
In cases of viral outbreaks or more extreme weather scenarios, you may be required to stay in your home for even longer.
Even if you can get to the store, if there is a supply issue there may not be the items you need left because most others will likely be searching for them too.
Stock Piling for Prolonged Emergencies
If someone in your home loses their job, it could take months to replace that income. In the mean time, you will be relying on your emergency funds to replace that income. If you have your consumables stocked on hand, that's one less expense for you to worry about. Minimizing the cash outlay you have will mean that your emergency fund will last longer.
Stock Piling to Maximize Store Discounts
Most items do go on sale at some point in the year. Usually, items will be deeply discounted every few months. If you purchase enough when on sale to make it to the next sale, it's like you're getting the sale all year long.
I started stockpiling to take advantage of deals once we started tightening our food budget. Since then I've also become concerned about ensuring my family is prepared in case of storms or loss of income. But, when asked why I stockpile by someone I know isn't actually interested, I just reply "zombie apocalypse".
Some people will look at the stockpiles of others and write it off as hoarding. For some that might be part of it. For most though I think it's a sensible thing to do for your family.
Stockpiling for Short-Term Emerency Preparedness
You can't always get to the store. During winter storms if the road crews are bogged down it could be days before it is safe to get out and drive around. The Government of Canada recommends on its Get Prepared website (http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/knw/kt/bas-eng.aspx) that all households keep at least 3 days of emergency provisions on hand and also have a grab-and-go emergency kit.
In cases of viral outbreaks or more extreme weather scenarios, you may be required to stay in your home for even longer.
Even if you can get to the store, if there is a supply issue there may not be the items you need left because most others will likely be searching for them too.
Stock Piling for Prolonged Emergencies
If someone in your home loses their job, it could take months to replace that income. In the mean time, you will be relying on your emergency funds to replace that income. If you have your consumables stocked on hand, that's one less expense for you to worry about. Minimizing the cash outlay you have will mean that your emergency fund will last longer.
Stock Piling to Maximize Store Discounts
Most items do go on sale at some point in the year. Usually, items will be deeply discounted every few months. If you purchase enough when on sale to make it to the next sale, it's like you're getting the sale all year long.
I started stockpiling to take advantage of deals once we started tightening our food budget. Since then I've also become concerned about ensuring my family is prepared in case of storms or loss of income. But, when asked why I stockpile by someone I know isn't actually interested, I just reply "zombie apocalypse".
House Hunting Update August 26
Saw the house. It had everything we were after and then some. The kitchen was a bit small, but we could work with that. Yes, the house was out of our target area, but the distance wasn't as bad as we'd thought. The deal breaker was the street. The houses were jammed together like sardines. So, the house was great, but we're going to give this one a pass.
House Hunting: Viewing a Home Outside our Target Neighbourhood
DH and I like the house and neighbourhoon where we live now. But, we bought the house knowing that it needed work and that we would cash out and move when we were done.
I'd say we're 50-75% done the upgrades. So far we've upgraded the electrical service and box, replaced our old furnace and air conditioner with new high efficiency models, updated the bathrooms and painted the main space and replaced the broken stove and dish washer.
If we stay here, I could find projects each year for us to do for a while. But, there comes a time when the renos start to be your own taste and might not translate to a higher sale price. I think we're at a good spot now that with some "minor" upgrades (more electrical work, kitchen paint and counters, refinish the floor in one room, new front door, staging) we could sell and make a great return.
So, we've started to look for houses. There have been a few houses that have come up for sale near our favourite neighbourhood in our price range, but these have sold quick and for well over asking price.
Last week we decided to look outside our desired neighbourhood but still within city limits to see what we could get for the same price elsewhere. We found a house that looks great on paper and in the pictures posted with the ad, so we're going to take a look tonight. It's got a lot more features than we have now which would be awesome, but the old adage location, location, location is holding us back.
We've pulled the recent sales report for the street and found out that even though the asking price of the home seems reasonable in today's market, it's well above the other sales in the neighbourhood. I would find it rude to ask for the price drop necessary to get the house to market value. If we love the house, we'll deal with the awkwardness as it comes. If we're not 100%, I think we'll let someone else step up to haggle or pay the big bucks.
I'd say we're 50-75% done the upgrades. So far we've upgraded the electrical service and box, replaced our old furnace and air conditioner with new high efficiency models, updated the bathrooms and painted the main space and replaced the broken stove and dish washer.
If we stay here, I could find projects each year for us to do for a while. But, there comes a time when the renos start to be your own taste and might not translate to a higher sale price. I think we're at a good spot now that with some "minor" upgrades (more electrical work, kitchen paint and counters, refinish the floor in one room, new front door, staging) we could sell and make a great return.
So, we've started to look for houses. There have been a few houses that have come up for sale near our favourite neighbourhood in our price range, but these have sold quick and for well over asking price.
Last week we decided to look outside our desired neighbourhood but still within city limits to see what we could get for the same price elsewhere. We found a house that looks great on paper and in the pictures posted with the ad, so we're going to take a look tonight. It's got a lot more features than we have now which would be awesome, but the old adage location, location, location is holding us back.
We've pulled the recent sales report for the street and found out that even though the asking price of the home seems reasonable in today's market, it's well above the other sales in the neighbourhood. I would find it rude to ask for the price drop necessary to get the house to market value. If we love the house, we'll deal with the awkwardness as it comes. If we're not 100%, I think we'll let someone else step up to haggle or pay the big bucks.
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
What I Look For When Buying Sheets - an update
So, how did I do in the store? I first went to Zellers because they had a sale on bedding. The selection was pretty picked through, so I decided to leave and just go to Walmart where I knew I wouldn't be overcharged to get the basics. Besides, the Dairy Queen was close by and I needed to pick up a birthday cake.
Did I stick to my guns?
Nope. Well to some extent. I ended up with white cotton sheets. But, they're the fancy, should be ironed type. I decided that since we have the only queen bed in the house, we wouldn't mind wrinkles. I found some 600 thread count ones on clearance and they feel pretty nice.
I also picked up a new mattress cover and bed skirt. The only skirts I saw were the universal bed skirts. I had no idea what that meant. Usually I have the kind that rests on the box spring and hangs over. Turns out the universal ones are just enough fabric to tuck in between the box spring in mattress with the skirt that hangs out. It kinda gets in the way when I tuck in the sheets. There's probably a trick to it.....
The sheet set, mattress cover, and bed skirt came to about $90. I'm very happy with the quality of the sheets and mattress pad, but I'm always surprised at the price of bedding!
Did I stick to my guns?
Nope. Well to some extent. I ended up with white cotton sheets. But, they're the fancy, should be ironed type. I decided that since we have the only queen bed in the house, we wouldn't mind wrinkles. I found some 600 thread count ones on clearance and they feel pretty nice.
I also picked up a new mattress cover and bed skirt. The only skirts I saw were the universal bed skirts. I had no idea what that meant. Usually I have the kind that rests on the box spring and hangs over. Turns out the universal ones are just enough fabric to tuck in between the box spring in mattress with the skirt that hangs out. It kinda gets in the way when I tuck in the sheets. There's probably a trick to it.....
The sheet set, mattress cover, and bed skirt came to about $90. I'm very happy with the quality of the sheets and mattress pad, but I'm always surprised at the price of bedding!
What I Look For When Buying Sheets
With the new queen size bed comes the need for new queen sized sheets. I've been playing house for a while, so I have a better idea of what I'm looking for in the under the covers department.
White:
Boring I know. When I'm in the store, my eye always flashes to the exciting patterned sheets. But, I'd like something simple so if one component gets ripped/stained/otherwise rendered unacceptable I can replace it with little stress. If I repaint the room or change the bedspread I'd like the sheets to not stick out like a sore thumb.
Cotton:
I'd like a natural fiber material for the breath-ability. Linen would be nice too, but too pricey for this frugal lady. In the winter, we have enjoyed some cheap fleece sheets, but I think a warmer duvet will help out here for snuggles.
Low Maintenance:
I can iron. I have ironed. At this point, I don't iron. Maybe if guests are coming and I'm channeling the perfect housewife I might iron the sheets. For everyday use? I've got better things to waste my time. This eliminates most of the simply crisp hotel type sheets and places me more in the jersey category. I've tried "easy care" sheets in the past and they worked fine when put straight from the dryer onto the bed. I like to rotate sheets though: take off and put in wash and put other set on bed. In this case, they're usually wrinklier and look on the hot mess side. We've lived with it and they can be ironed if I actually want them to look nice, so I won't write them off completely.
White:
Boring I know. When I'm in the store, my eye always flashes to the exciting patterned sheets. But, I'd like something simple so if one component gets ripped/stained/otherwise rendered unacceptable I can replace it with little stress. If I repaint the room or change the bedspread I'd like the sheets to not stick out like a sore thumb.
Cotton:
I'd like a natural fiber material for the breath-ability. Linen would be nice too, but too pricey for this frugal lady. In the winter, we have enjoyed some cheap fleece sheets, but I think a warmer duvet will help out here for snuggles.
Low Maintenance:
I can iron. I have ironed. At this point, I don't iron. Maybe if guests are coming and I'm channeling the perfect housewife I might iron the sheets. For everyday use? I've got better things to waste my time. This eliminates most of the simply crisp hotel type sheets and places me more in the jersey category. I've tried "easy care" sheets in the past and they worked fine when put straight from the dryer onto the bed. I like to rotate sheets though: take off and put in wash and put other set on bed. In this case, they're usually wrinklier and look on the hot mess side. We've lived with it and they can be ironed if I actually want them to look nice, so I won't write them off completely.
The "Quick! A Client is Coming!" Clean
This afternoon I had a client appointment at 1pm. I generally meet clients in my living room at the front of the house. Generally, my house is not tidy.
My quick clean for today consisted of:
1. moving everything that doesn't belong into a corner of the kitchen you can't see from the living room
2. Quick spot sweep of the living room
3. Filling and running the dishwasher and stacking the extra dirty dishes in the sink
4. Wiping down the counters and hiding everything extra from view.
This is my bare minimum for the house to be presentable for a client. I had a bit of spare time today, so I made the bed and closed the bedroom door then wiped down the bathroom surfaces.
If we're having guests over, the list gets a bit longer and more personal items stay in view.
My quick clean for today consisted of:
1. moving everything that doesn't belong into a corner of the kitchen you can't see from the living room
2. Quick spot sweep of the living room
3. Filling and running the dishwasher and stacking the extra dirty dishes in the sink
4. Wiping down the counters and hiding everything extra from view.
This is my bare minimum for the house to be presentable for a client. I had a bit of spare time today, so I made the bed and closed the bedroom door then wiped down the bathroom surfaces.
If we're having guests over, the list gets a bit longer and more personal items stay in view.
Saturday, 20 August 2011
Rented a Truck to Pickup our Freebies and Deals
Today we rented a truck to finish the big moves for the family (I think there were 7 or 8 stops for the truck to make). We'll pick up all our auction items and the other large items we'd tagged before. We're still house sitting for one more night though, so we won't be able to enjoy our spoils of shopping/generosity until tomorrow.
One thing that surprises many people is that DH and I have a double bed. We always said if you love each other, you snuggle, hehe. Well, today we'll be picking up our new (to us) queen bed. I have a feeling we'll sleep pretty good for a while (even if we feel a little lonely).
The other item we're excited about is our new patio set. We have one now but have never really set it up before. I think tomorrow we'll have a nice BBQ and eat outside if the weather holds.
It's funny because we can look at a room and point out the couple of items that we've bought new as a couple. In every room in our house we've got "gifts" and "dumps" from family and friends. We usually don't have things exactly as we would have planned things, but that makes it more fun and a challenge to build a home around bits and pieces from other people. Plus, it gives the house a more relaxed atmosphere than if we'd bought everything new and matchy matchy.
One thing that surprises many people is that DH and I have a double bed. We always said if you love each other, you snuggle, hehe. Well, today we'll be picking up our new (to us) queen bed. I have a feeling we'll sleep pretty good for a while (even if we feel a little lonely).
The other item we're excited about is our new patio set. We have one now but have never really set it up before. I think tomorrow we'll have a nice BBQ and eat outside if the weather holds.
It's funny because we can look at a room and point out the couple of items that we've bought new as a couple. In every room in our house we've got "gifts" and "dumps" from family and friends. We usually don't have things exactly as we would have planned things, but that makes it more fun and a challenge to build a home around bits and pieces from other people. Plus, it gives the house a more relaxed atmosphere than if we'd bought everything new and matchy matchy.
Friday, 19 August 2011
I got Carried away wtih Auction Fever
I pride myself on frugality. Today was not a day I'm proud of.
A family member is downsizing and had their extra wares on an online auction site. We had wanted their patio set, so we were determined to pick it up. I had set a limit of $100 for everything we would buy from the auction.
Well, I had messed up my registration and so re-registered as was suggested by the site's tech people (robots?). This was not a good start, now I was trying to outbid myself on all of the items I'd already bid on. Next I started trying to get people up to their max bid because I thought things were selling too low. In the end I ended up with some items I'm pretty excited about getting, but I had to spend $215 to get them!
I feel good that the family will be getting our money for the items and that the sale went well. But, I'm a little ashamed that I let the bidding suck me in. I'll try to be more prepared next time.......
A family member is downsizing and had their extra wares on an online auction site. We had wanted their patio set, so we were determined to pick it up. I had set a limit of $100 for everything we would buy from the auction.
Well, I had messed up my registration and so re-registered as was suggested by the site's tech people (robots?). This was not a good start, now I was trying to outbid myself on all of the items I'd already bid on. Next I started trying to get people up to their max bid because I thought things were selling too low. In the end I ended up with some items I'm pretty excited about getting, but I had to spend $215 to get them!
I feel good that the family will be getting our money for the items and that the sale went well. But, I'm a little ashamed that I let the bidding suck me in. I'll try to be more prepared next time.......
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
We have a New Fridge for the Basement!
We were able to score a used fridge for the basement this week. I'm so excited!
Our current fridge/freezer gets pretty full with regular weekly eats, so this new freezer will really let us stock up on meat sales and bulk buys! I'm a big fan of stocking up when things you regularly use go on sale. It's like you're always getting the sale price!
I can also see frozen Christmas treats like in my grandma's freezer, party platters, jello moulds,
and other quintessential house wife staples down there.
Currently the fridge has: 5 colas and the meat from the regular freezer. Dreams may not be lining up with expectations here...
Our current fridge/freezer gets pretty full with regular weekly eats, so this new freezer will really let us stock up on meat sales and bulk buys! I'm a big fan of stocking up when things you regularly use go on sale. It's like you're always getting the sale price!
I can also see frozen Christmas treats like in my grandma's freezer, party platters, jello moulds,
and other quintessential house wife staples down there.
Currently the fridge has: 5 colas and the meat from the regular freezer. Dreams may not be lining up with expectations here...
Cheapest Meals Ideas
I like when my mouth is in agreement with my brain. Here are my favourite cheap meals:
Breakfast: oatmeal with a splash of flavour (cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup, raisins, etc.)
Lunch: Pasta and sauce
Dinner: Rice and Beans with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary on the beans.
Pattern? Quick, filling, and all ingredients are in the pantry.
Breakfast: oatmeal with a splash of flavour (cinnamon, brown sugar, maple syrup, raisins, etc.)
Lunch: Pasta and sauce
Dinner: Rice and Beans with olive oil, salt, pepper and rosemary on the beans.
Pattern? Quick, filling, and all ingredients are in the pantry.
Weekly Food Budget
In our household, our weekly food budget covers a range of consumables that makes staying in budget challenging and fun. We include our groceries, restaurants (unless it's a social occasion we must attend like a birthday, then it's entertainment), health and beauty products, paper and cleaning products, pet products and alcohol. For myself and my husband we have a weekly "food" budget of $100. If I track expenses as they happen, use flyers and coupons, this amount is very doable and often leaves extra room to carry forward. If we get lazy... It gets blown through the roof with restaurants.
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