This week I redeemed $85 worth of grocery store points in an attempt to stop my grocery budget from bursting but no such luck. I spent $73 on actual groceries, things like eggs, cheese and toilet paper and then $12 on chocolate for Christmas for my family (good chocolate, not the cheap kind, to be divided among 6 people). I am still over for the month and it is only the 23rd. I have had a look back and determined that on average we spend over $100 a month on over the counter medications to help with our various ailments and this month it was more like $150. These costs will only keep increasing with age unfortunately but I am determined not to increase our $550 budget per month. Everyone needs a goal, even if it is getting harder to reach it. We self insure for medical and each have diseases that won't kill us but without help make daily living difficult sometimes so OTCs are the answer for us so that we can take them on an as needed basis.
In other news last week I missed doing 10,000 steps one day due to illness. I felt like crapola and just went to bed after hitting 7500. That is the first time since June I haven't done 10,000 steps. Then I realized I might have been a little hard on myself, now the goal is 72000 steps per week as on average I do 72,000 - 85,000 steps per week minimum anyway. If I am under one day due to illness as long as I hit 72,000 for the week I am good. And yes, I hit 73,000 last week. I am definitely healthier since doing 10,000 steps this week as bounced back and didn't get the full on head cold like I thought was coming. I still have managed to keep the 10 pounds I lost off and am going to try and ensure I don't gain any weight over the Christmas season.
Most of my shopping is done for the big C, I hate shopping in December so other than groceries I try and get all of it done before the end of November. All that is left is decorating which will all occur before next weekend when I have a few people over for a small party. I would leave it as generally don't like to do it before Dec 1 but the party is Dec 2 and want to concentrate on cooking, not decorating that day. All the money was saved months ago, it feels nice not to have to take anything from our regular paychecks for Christmas.
This weekend's plans include playing cards with our friends on Friday night, vintage Christmas hunting with Mom Saturday morning and then inviting her over for dinner and a movie on Saturday night. If the rain stops we will put up our outside Christmas lights too. We have had so much rain the last few weeks, roads are washing out and there has been a lot of flooding. I was in Walmart yesterday and the rain was pounding so hard on the roof it was drowning out the Christmas music!
We had a couple of hours on Tuesday where it didn't rain so hubby cut out from work and we took Buddy for a long walk - he was so happy as hates rain and wind and loves his walks.
Happy Thanksgiving to all my American readers and to everyone else, have a great weekend!
I wish I could burn calories so easily ha ha.
ReplyDeleteyes, if only, instead of the bloody treadmill
DeleteIt was always a tradition (an unintended one), on Thanksgiving that my mother would burn the marshmallows on the sweet potato pie. She'd put it in the oven just before the big dinner and get distracted with the gravy or some other last minute detail. They never caught on fire though. That's a scary thing. Glad your burning toast didn't get out of hand. Our little family discussed the big C. Nobody wants anything, so that's that. I'm sending my dad a painted rock and giving chocolate gifts to my co-workers. Everyone else will get one of our special greeting cards designed by Megan. Which reminds me...I have to get her working on that soon!
ReplyDeleteIt's hard when you have so many dishes to cook, I could easily see doing that. So nice that you can talk to your family and make a mutual decision. We are a family of six, we have never ever spoiled the kids but do it up a little bigger at Christmas
DeleteCooking is dangerous. That's why I never attempt it.
ReplyDeleteSo that's the reason....
DeleteI am notorious for burning garlic bread! :-(
ReplyDeleteSounds like you have Christmas totally under control, good for you. We just don't do Christmas anymore. We spend money on our grandchildren that is for memory sake not an actual toy and they would hardly ever play with. I think this year we will get them a family movie pass to see a movie and then a annual pass to the newly re-opened Science and Tech museum in Ottawa. That's it our Christmas shopping is done! :-)
www.travelwithkevinandruth.com
Experiences are best, kids get so many toys, nice to get them something that they can actually do
DeleteI think if anyone tells you they have never burned the crap out of something they cook they either use the microwave exclusively or they are just lying!
ReplyDeleteTrue very true. I can't imagine using the microwave to cook, we only use it to reheat
DeleteI like the joke with the calories.
ReplyDeleteAfter what happened to me last month, I became very careful when cooking.
I forgot I had an egg boiling on the stove. When I approached it,no water, and the egg exploded in my eye. I was in shock and with great pain. I kept squeezing relief eyedrops, and thank God, the next day things returned to normal. "Cooking is dangerous" as the above commenter wrote.
That's terrible! I am so glad your eye wasn't permanently damaged. I've never heard of an egg exploding
DeleteWe had a nice US Thanksgiving with our friend in Bellingham. She prepared the meal but used our over for a roast (she doesn't like turkey). I'm always burning the bread if I use the broiler. Now I usually brown it in a frying pan with a bit of butter. Makes a nice golden crust. - Margy
ReplyDeleteI haven't tried that! We load ours up with crushed garlic so not sure if that would work
DeleteI hate when I burn stuff! It's one thing in the toaster, but in the oven, I see it as a fail!
ReplyDeleteI am doing most of my "C" shopping on-line, looking for clearance deals and free-shipping. I've been in a few stores but the lines to cash out are ridiculous. I am mostly done too. Now all I have to do is wrap, which I might start this weekend. Then again... I might not!
Wrapping while drinking a nice liquer works, I use amaretto but am waiting a week or to for that
DeleteOh dear! That's why I leave most of the cooking to Jon, I'm bad enough for remembering to add the boiling water to the teabags first thing in the morning.
ReplyDeletexxx
If I left the cooking to hubby he'd use every pot in the kitchen every day (I clean as I go, he doesn't) but he is a good cook, maybe I should just let him go for it
DeleteYour weekend sounds lovely! We have a pretty mellow weekend planned (no sports, due to the holidays). I'm taking my 10 year old out this morning to to go Rite Aid for Black Friday (he loves it, and it's hilarious) & then there's a fun soccer party/game between the kids & the coaches. Other than that, I'll be getting things done around the house & reading my book. Yay!
ReplyDeleteAnd, awesome job keeping the 10 pounds off!
He loves Rite Aid black Friday lol, its always good to have a partner in crime. Thanks!
DeleteThis is why my top oven rack is permanently down a notch. I've never had flaming in the oven, only on the top of the stove. I am glad everything was okay.
ReplyDeleteIt could have been worse but luckily hubby noticed
DeleteWell done on the walking! I am dead impressed that you have kept this up since June! When I got in the swing of it earlier in the year it didn't take long to feel good, but sadly it doesn't take long to undo all the good work either does it. And I am in awe of your Christmas preparations. That's just my style as I HATE crowds. Anna
ReplyDeleteI am good with the walking, owning a treadmill is a huge help which I wasn't really in favor of buying 3 years ago but now hardly a day goes by when I am not on it. I've been watching Netflix and that helps too but I much prefer natural outside walking to the treadmill - too much rain lately for that
DeleteI think that counting your steps that way is logical, some days just don't work out for any number of reasons.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing your decorations.
I have decided to look for a larger tree to accomodate all the cool ornaments we have. I decorated it yesterday and then we did 2 hours of yard work then put the outside lights up (most of them). Somehow I managed 14,000 steps yesterday, the first time I have done all my steps without going on the treadmill in a while. Who knew decorating could burn so many calories off
DeleteLike someone else said, anyone who hasn't had a disaster in their kitchen, is either fooling themselves, or lying. I've had an oven fire when I was much younger...sure taught me about keeping the oven clean.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you on the Christmas shopping - I hate the crowds and get as much done as possible by the end of December I have one more item to get my son, and some gift cards for various people. Everything is purchased and tucked away for wrapping later. Ugh, that's another job I don't particularly enjoy.
Have a great week!
I have wrapping tucked away with a mickey of Amaretto :) It helps but I am not wrapping until early December. Too much else to do
DeleteI agree with you about having goals. I would definitely overspend in several categories if I didn't set limits and check them every day. I think it is good to challenge ourselves to become more creative with regard to spending. I only went over my food budget by $4 for November and still have enough food on hand to take me through to next week. I came up with ways to stretch out meal planning which really saved the day. Three dinners out of a pot of chili etc.
ReplyDeleteDarn broiler indeed! I put parchment paper on a cookie sheet not that long ago thinking if I could bake with it I could broil with it - WRONG!! It caught fire and thankfully I was looking in the oven window when it ignited and it was easy to pop the pan into the sink. Scary though! And I've learned my lesson!
We're having a beautiful sunny +12c day today and have been thinking of you and all of your rain. Hope you see clear skies soon!
Ummmm, there was parchment paper under my burned garlic toast...won't be doing that again, thanks for the heads up! I think I am going to lower the shelf by one peg and see if that is better the next time I broil plus don't walk away from it. Good for you! If it was me I would only ever eat what is in the house but hubby hates not being able to decide what we want on a daily basis. That plus his stomach has been acting up and causing mucho OTC dollars (all stems from a burst appendix and stomach infection 35 years ago).
DeleteI love your steps counting, I NEED to do the same! >:D Love the joke, too. Hope you've made a full recovery from illness. Love reading your saving and fitness posts, always inspires me to try to get it to together. Typing this within my pile of mess in my store, haha ;)
ReplyDeleteMy cell phone has an app on step counting. I try to get 6000per day. It is not that hard.
ReplyDeleteShopping for Christmas gifts in November is a good idea. But most stores have more things on sale in December.