FSC: November - Week 4

Emergeny Auto Kit: Make one, purchase one, or update one.

With all the holiday travel, it's wise to make sure you're prepared for any on-road situation you might find yourself in.

Some ideas include jumper cables, tow rope, lug nut wrench, car jack, life hammer (window breaker), spotlight or flashlight, chemical lightstick, mylar blanket, emergency poncho with hood, first aid kit, granola bars, water bottles, pocket knife, leather gloves, whistle with lanyard, duct tape, reflective triangle, and tire sealant and inflator.

All we have right now is a homemade first aid kit, jumper cables, and a fleece blanket that we always keep in the back of our minivan. We don't even have the spare tire installed under the car because the last tire shop couldn't re-install it for some reason. I figure that I always have AAA, but what if something happens in an area where I don't get reception on my cell phone?

FSC: November - Week 3

SHOP THE SALES!

Today I finally went grocery shopping. We've had a nearly-empty refrigerator for the past few days as I tried to get it as empty as possible before giving it a good cleaning. Even if it means seeing my children act as though they're going to starve for a few days, it's all worth it to see their excitement when they come home to a clean fridge full of food! (It's a little twisted, I know, but I don't get out much...and that's just my idea of fun these days.)

Anyway, Smith's had a really great sale that ended today. You buy 10 or more items that they have grouped together on their ad, and then you get them at pretty inexpensive prices. Like $2.00 for Pam cooking spray, Palmolive dish soap, and Nestle Tollhouse chocolate chips; $1.50 for Lehi Roller Mills brownie mixes; and $1.00 for apple pie filling and Duncan Hines frosting. I also had three coupons for $1.00 off every 2 packages of the chocolate chips, so those only cost me $1.50 each. I had 75-cent coupons for Pam spray, so they were only $1.25. And 50 cents off Palmolive dish soap, which ended up being $1.50. That's only a sampling of what I got today.

I stocked up on a lot of baking items this time, partly because that's what was on sale but also because I typically don't buy a lot of pre-packaged foods. I bought 6 bags of chocolate chips (assorted flavors) and put them in the freezer. The rest of the items went into food storage. Every single item I bought today, even down to the milk and eggs, was either on sale or bought with a coupon. That doesn't happen every time, but it sure felt good today! I watched the total come to $267.54, but after coupons, sale prices, and cardholder discounts, my final total was $159.68. I completely filled up my minivan with groceries. It felt so good!

Every item I bought today was an item I would have purchased at some point. What I mean by that is I didn't buy anything just because it was on sale or just because I had a coupon. Even though my weekly grocery budget is $50 (including nonfood items), I felt completely justified spending the extra $120 today because I know that it will help me stay under my budget on future trips to the grocery store.

I do have to admit that I visit the Bishop's Storehouse about four times a year, so I don't buy much meat (other than salmon and other seafood). I'm also able to stock up on a lot of items there like sugar, flour, rice, pasta, spaghetti sauce...and even nonfood items like toilet paper, toothpaste, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap. Still, I enjoy cooking and baking, and if I'm careful, I'm able to buy fun and different foods and try out at least one new recipe each week.

My husband was always a very good provider, and I have to say that I never used to be one for budgets, especially at the grocery store. If it looked good, I bought it! But hopefully even after Syd comes home and money is not so tight, I'll remember all the things I've learned and make our money stretch as far as possible.

FSC: November - Week 2

Vinegars: White and apple cider (at least one gallon of each), and any other flavors you might use!

FSC: November - Week 1

You can call this "Sweet Week." This is a fun one!

When you visit the grocery store this week, buy at least one extra package of the following: sugars (white, brown, powdered), corn syrup, honey, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, and nuts.

*Hint: To increase the freshness and prolong the life of nuts of any kind, store them in the freezer.

FOOD STORAGE CORNER

Food Storage Corner is a weekly storage plan that will help gradually build your supply of food and other storage items. I've decided not to list how much food storage is needed for one year, three years, etc., as it seems a little overwhelming. The last thing I want is for anyone to feel overwhelmed! That usually leads to giving up early and not giving it a chance. However, if you'd like more information on longer-term food storage, visit lds.org and click on Home and Family, then Provident Living. You'll find loads of valuable information there!