Man cannot Live on Mustard Alone

Free mustard is great, but at some point you have to eat real food!  As I was packing up my leftover steak dinner, I realized that nearly everything in the container had been bought on super sale, so I wanted to show you a picture of what we couponers are "going for."  I'll admit, I felt pretty snazzy serving hubby (BOGO) steak (top sirloin?...can't remember the actual cut), but when I realized how little I paid for the dinner, I was even prouder.  =)  Since I didn't think of sharing until after dinner, you're only getting a glimpse at my leftovers. 

Here's how I got steak and potatoes for a mere $2 per serving:

18 oz. steak  (this is 4 servings in our house--maybe less at yours)
SALE:  BOGO @ Weis 2 weeks ago => $5.75

1 packet Lipton onion soup mix (onion roasted potatoes are just plain yummy)
SALE: $0.67 per box at Food Lion last week with a $1/2 coupon => $0.09

Potatoes (the box said 2 pounds made four servings, but we've got a LOT of leftovers)
SALE:  $1.50 for a 5 lb. bag @Wal-Mart a month ago => $0.60

Carrots: 1/4 lb.
I BELIEVE this was $1 for 1 pound at Weis at least a month ago => $0.25

Steak Seasoning, oil, butter: about =>$0.25

Green Beans
SALE: $10/10 at Weis with a $1/2 coupon => $0.50

Steak Sauce (I didn't buy this on super sale.  I am ashamed.)
Generic $2.54 at Food Lion =>$0.70

Grand Total: $8.34/4 servings=$2.09 per serving

So, there you go.  Having bought most of my components on sale, I could feed a family of eight for less than a single entree in a restaurant.  I rock (and you can too!).

My Lunch: Stove Top Mac-N-Cheese

If you feel like you're betraying your inner food snob when you eat Velveeta, try this recipe from my all-time favorite TV chef: AB's stove top mac-n-cheese.  The egg makes it sticky--definitely more like Velveeta than your blue-box mac.  Your inner child will be happy and you can still show your face at the country club.  =D

My Lunch--Chicken Noodle Soup

Summer is almost over and it's starting to get cold.  I had a hard time finding anything warm enough for us this morning!  Thankfully, there was one outfit's worth of clothes for Timothy to wear. 

I got the bug to cook something wonderful this afternoon.  Chicken noodle soup sounded puuurfect.  ...and it was.  I used a sweet potato ice cube to cool my bowl down and it turned the broth a beautiful shade of yellow.

Now, before you go thinking I'm superwoman, I did take some shortcuts that really turned out well:  I used canned chicken (which is surprisingly good in soup) and a frozen "chicken noodle soup mix."  I had to use my own spices and chicken base ("Better Than Bullion"--most awesome ingredient since hot sauce) because the seasoning packet had MSG in it.  Even though I couldn't use the seasoing, I really liked the product and would buy it again (on sale, of course).  This was as good as any real homemade soup that I've had!

Now I'm off to have leftover birthday cake for dessert.  What?  It was Jesse's birthday on wednesday and we can't let perfectly good cake go bad.  Doesn't everyone eat "lunch dessert"?

It's a Lifestyle.

Sometimes, "hidden savings" mean more than the ones printed on your receipt. For instance, you may pay $20 ("full price") when buying a haircutting system, but you'll save $15 every other month when hubby doesn't have to visit the barber.

Or you may pay a premium when buying "organic" produce, but when you use it to make your own baby food, you've saved tons of money!

Of course, the best deals are the ones that "stack" hidden savings with the more visible type, e.g., you may get a great deal on all-natural applesauce and feed it to your baby (if it only consists of apples and maybe Vitamin C) instead of buying "baby" applesauce in jars. 

I made my own baby food last week and I'm pretty proud of myself. Yes, I paid full price for organic apples (one of the "dirty dozen"), but I saved a bunch by avoiding those cute little jars (and it tasted purdy awesome!).

I took a short cut with the carrots and used the "baby-style" ones (not "organic"), so all I had to do was dump them into a pan with some water and let 'em go!

Honestly, peeling 3 pounds of apples wasn't really worth my time. Next time, I'm just going to go "label shopping" and get the adult applesauce with just apples in it.

A friend mentioned that frozen vegetables whirred in the blender makes great baby food. I definitely plan on trying that!

By the way, yesterday, I cut hubby's hair for the first time.  I think I did a pretty good job! What's your best "hidden savings" tip? I'd love to hear it!

Labor Day

Sorry, guys, no cartoon today.  I had a cool idea and everything, but instead of drawing, I cleaned my house!  Well, one tiny part of it anyway... 

For the longest time our nice wide hall upstairs has been a catch-all for stuff we're just not sure where to put.  My domestic mantra is, "a place for everything and everything in it's place," which can be difficult in a 1200 square foot house without even a linen closet to its name. 

One of the biggest obstacles was my wonderful "craft box," where I stored everything about which I once said, "OoOh, I can makes something with that."  Let me just say, that I had already "pared down" my multiple huge boxes to one large bin of "materials" when we moved into our new place.

But, my bin, like everything else needed a "place" and that place wasn't in the hall.  Since I needed a place that was both accessible and out-of-the-way, I decided to use one of those under-the-bed storage bins that we had (also in my hall) and keep my craft stuff under the bed. 

I got rid of lots of stuff, like all my candle making and gallery glass supplies and even found a canvas-board (for paintings) buried amongst the clutter of the bin! 

I got rid of two-thirds of my supplies and now everything is tucked neatly under my bed, where I can reach it if I have a creative moment.  I'm very proud of myself!

Timothy got a taste of a real peach today.  He's pretty proud of himself, too!