IT MAKES "CENTS" TO ME FRIDAY

Hi everyone,

Wow, my goal was to only go shopping ONCE this entire week...and I went to the store SIX times this week.  Until I learn to drive, which will be in the next few months, I have to rely on the kindness of neighbors and church family for rides to appointments etc.  So when I'm near the store, I'll stop and buy something, because I might not get a ride for awhile. That's just something I've noticed.

I'll give you the break-down of what I purchased this week. I did stock up on lots of organic beef.  The freezer is "full", meaning we've got more beef in the freezer than previously thought. We're also doing really well with vegetables, too. 

I don't have any "food" photos to show you. However, I did take a photo of this Izze glass soda bottle. My father likes to drink Izze. The thought occured to me that this would make a really cute, whimsical flower vase:

March 4th, 2012 - Sunday at Whole Foods: $21.40:
- 2 croissants $4.58 - a "want, not a need"...oh yeah, these croissants are super spendy, but they're super GOOD. They come from a local French bakery here in town.
- 20 oz. drip coffee with cream/sugar $1.90 - a "want, not a need"
- 1 Izze soda $1.49 - a "want, not a need". There was a $0.05 bottle deposit on this bottle.
- Applewood smoked bacon.  We do eat a lot of bacon in our house. It's good bacon, with no bad things in it.
- Whole Foods brand conditioner.  This isn't a food. However, I needed some more, because my other conditioner had run out.
-TAX: $0.40
- Out of this total, I'd say $8.99 was spent on real food and $3.99 on miscellaneous (anything that is non-food right now)

  March 5th, 2012 - Monday at Trader Joe's: $33.95:
- 4 lbs. of organic ground beef 85/15 (This runs about $6.50 a pound and is the BEST price on organic beef that I've found in the stores so far)
- Trader Joe's organic dark chocolate truffle bar $1.99 - a "want, not a need"..but wow, it's some really tasty good chocolate
- 1 bottle of sparking mineral water, lemon-flavored.  My father really likes these.  It comes in a plastic bottle. It's about $1 less expensive than the Whole Food's version in the glass bottle AND it comes with a $0.10 bottle deposit.
- 7 jumbo, sweet onions (these taste FANTASIC when sauteed/carmelized in a pan) These are great with eggs in the morning, or anytime.
- TAX: $0.08 cents.  Out of the money spent today, $31.88 spent on food.

I have decided that I won't include the "wants" in my food totals.  I'm trying to discourage myself from thinking of these things as necessary.  They're not bad...chocolate bars, coffee etc.However, I need to redirect my spending, and it's still a challenge for me.  By laying it all out here for you (which isn't easy to do), it helps me to realize just where my money is going.

This next photo is the bottlecap to the Izze soda that my father drank. I love cute bottlecaps.  I'm collecting them, so be used for a future craft project sometime in the future. Isn't this cute? It has such a lovely retro vintage appeal to it:

March 7th, 2012- Wednesday at Trader Joe's: $9.97:
Now this was interesting because I"m staring at the receipt and it's not listing the items that I purchased. However, I do know that I purchased some healthy trail mix for dad and some organic dark chocolate. So I'd classify both of those items as "wants and not needs"
- TAX: $0.22

March 7th, 2012- Wednesday at Whole Foods: $39.18:
- 1 croissant $2.29 - a "want, not a need"
- 1 classic roast rotisserie chicken
- 1 croissant $2.29 - a "want, not a need"
- Applewood smoked bacon
- 20 oz. drip coffee with cream/sugar $1.90 - a "want, not a need"

MISCELLANEOUS SPENDING TODAY:
$45 - Haircut/style.  My hair was in really BAD, BAD shape. It was so overprocessed from coloring my hair at home, that the ends of my hair were literally falling out/snapping off.  The lady who cut my hair...wow, that was providence. She was at this meeting that I went to after church last Sunday. I went to hear a former missionary from Russia give a talk.  The rest is history. Needless to say, this woman did a fabulous job with my hair. Maybe I'll post a pic sometime this week.

PEET'S COFFEE: ca $2.60 for a large cafe au lait...a definite  "want, not a need"...wow, coffee was OUT OF CONTROL today. 

I was remarking to my father, that his empty Izze soda pop bottle would make a really cute, simple flower vase. Here's a close-up of the bottle. What do you think? What would you use this bottle for?:

March 8th, 2012 - Thursday at Whole Foods: $76.62:
- 20 oz. drip coffee with cream and sugar $1.90 - a "want, not a need" This is the LAST coffee that I'll be having for awhile.
- 4.45 lbs of organic, yellow onions
- 3.86 pounds of sweet onions
- 3 lbs of organic ground beef
- organic, broccoli crowns. I'm not sure what the weight was...but  bought 7 of them. They're perfect for steaming.
- 2 cartons of organic, grape cherry tomatoes
- Applewood smoked bacon
- Izze - sparkling black raspberry soda $1.49 - a "want, not a need" It's one of my dad's favorites.  It also comes with a $0.10 cent bottle deposit.
- 2 breakfast sandwiches $10.30 - a "definite want, and not a need" Neither of us were interested in cooking anything yesterday morning.
TAX - $0.86
Out of the total I spent at this store, $58.02 was spent on real food.

March 9th, 2012 - Friday at Trader Joe's: $29.44:
- 3 lbs of organic ground beef
- Trader Joe's organic dark chocolate truffle bar $1.99 - a "want, not a need" 
- Applewood smoked bacon
Out of this purchase today, I'd say that $27.45 was spent on real food. 

I actually had an appointment with my naturopathic physician and my chiropractor today. So since I was going right by Trader Joe's, I used the opportunity to pick up some more meat. Our freezer is nicely stocked now.

I'm not sure what else I'll be doing today. I'll be looking for a job. The weather is FABULOUSLY BEAUTIFUL today, too...so a walk outside is definitely in order. I've also been working really hard to finish knitting some socks for my aunt, too. What are you up to today? 

What are you doing this weekend?  I'll be getting together with some ladies in my Tuesday morning Bible study. We'll be enjoying tea, coffee, and muffins together and listening to one of my friend's share her story. I'm so looking forward to this. It will be fun :) :)

That's the news from the ocean shores of California today. Love and hugs, Heather.