Dear All, On Friday, I had $198 in Food Stamps -- $162 in Feb Stamps, + $36 left over from Jan.  I spent $61.13 at Cala/Ralphs/Kroger for my main monthly shopping.  However, I still need to buy Silk Soymilk & Eggland's Best eggs, plus grapefruit & apple juice (shelf-stable half-gallons).  I expect to receive coupons soon for the Silk & the eggs.

My FS balance is now $136.87.  I bought 2# of frozen corn, 2# of frozen peas, 2# of frozen Brussels sprouts, both a 1# loose & 2-10 oz  frozen spinach blocks, & 2# of frozen turnip greens.  (I have sufficient tofu & flours in teh house, so I didn't need any of these.)  I bought a gallon of white vinegar, a bottle of Soy Vay sauce, pickles (coupon), 1 jar each of Newman's salsa & pasta sauce (coupons), Smucker's pineapple preserves for my favorite chocolate cake (coupon), 2 6-oz cans of tuna, bagels (6 for $3.49, a real luxury, but they will last for several months in the fridge's freezer), lasagna noodles, Morningstar sausage patties (coupon), Dole jarred fruit (coupon -- it tastes like fresh in the jars [as contrasted with the cans]).  I also bought 4 carrots & 4 limes, 2 small onions (still have lots chopped in the freezer, but can use more sliced), 2 avocados on sale for a total of 79cents -- doing the happy dance!, cabbage, jarred garlic (because until I get used to chopping with a knife, the mincing of garlic doesn't seem too safe to me), & 29 oz of Muir Glen tomato puree (coupon).

I am planning to go to Whole Foods later today to pick up a few things for which I have coupons (from the Thrfit Tour that I took last week).

Yours in Him & thanks to Him, Deb 

When I went into Walmart today for other things, I picked up another bag of tropical fruit mix (dried) for $4.98, a package of Hebrew National 97% fat free hot dogs for $3.58, and as a treat for myself a 97c package of Twix fun size candy bars. Now down to $6.~~ until the 13th. (I will get leftovers from tonight so it will cut back on what I need to cook.) 

Dear Luvd_Lioness, I wish you all the best in managing for 10 days on $6 alone.  And CONGRATS for picking Kosher frankfurters!

Dear All, I went to Whole Foods today, &, as Luvd_Lioness says, got some treats for myself.  I got 4-for-the-price-of-3 6-oz nonfat yoghurts, a $1 off a 12-oz package of 4 frozen sole fillets (which I'll be using for 8 servings, baked in home-made tomato sauce, 7 of which servings I'll freeze for eating far between), a cereal like Chex with a 75cents off manufacturer's coupon (even without the coupon, this would be much less expensive thna the equivalent at Cala/Ralphs/Kroger), a jar of ground ginger (costing 4/10 of the price for the same amount at Cala's), a 12oz jar of pickled herring (BIG-TIME TREAT & a $ FIVE EXPENSE), & a 6-pack of diet decaf soda for $2.59 with CRV (again, much cheaper than Cala's). 

This was a very instructive trip for me.  I learned that canned tuna of infinitely better quality than teh supermarket's Chicken of the Sea or BumbleBee costs only ten cents more at Whole Foods than at Cala's (99cents versus 89cents).  As I expected, it is hard there to find Kosher certified foods, but they are there if one searches.  I would NEVER be able to afford fish at Cala's, plus one knows that at Whole Foods, the quality is much better. 

They were out of tangelos today.  Later this week, I'll try again for the tangelos, & I've realized that the citrus green tea that was off the shelves at Cala's will probably be very easy to find at Whole Foods.

I spent exactly $22.22, & have $114.65 left in Food Stamps for this very short month.

Deborahmichelle:

And CONGRATS for picking Kosher frankfurters!

I took an Intro to BioChem class 2 yrs ago and we analyzed what was in hot dogs...

Kosher is the only way I'll buy my 'dogs' now. You pay more but I know it's all good for me!! (I equate the old saying "Garbage in = Garbage out") 

A local grocery store was running $ days... so I bought things for a great price...

Got cut up fryers (organic chickens; 2 packages at $1/lb); one was $3.47 and the other was $4.01. (In store savings of $1.76). A jar (1lb 10oz) of Ragu Mushroom sauce for $1 (saving 49c), and an 18oz Skippy Creamy pb for $1 (save 39c). The "splurge" items were a bag of Dole Romaine bagged salad for $1 (save 49c) and tomatoes for $1.97 (not on sale; $3.79/lb). Total was $12.40. I had $6.84 left on food stamps so did spend $5.56 in cash on food. I get stamps filled next week so I'll be good. I'm making my list out already on stockups.

Dear Luvd_Lioness, I hope that you did not have to go further into your cash savings to buy more food -- I hope that you can make it till you get your Food Stamps this week.

Dear All, I went to Whole Foods again, having learned my lesson last time that unless I can do a triple play (double coupon PLUS loss-leader), I actually will pay less at WF than at Cala/Ralphs/Kroger.  I had two store coupons, one for $1 off a 12-oz package of frozen sole fillets, & the other for buy-3-get1 organic yoghurt.  I also bought 3# of organic onions for $4 (Cala's regular price is 99cents/lb, & there are generally bad spots -- I hate their produce in general.).  I bought Barbara's shredded oats cold cereal, l lb for $3.29.  I bought 16 oz of organic lemon juice -- I have always gone to WF for this instead of buying Real-Lemon -- well, always since I tried Real Lemon.  The organic is enormously much better.  And I bought Celestial SeASonings Lemon Zinger green tea for $3.49.  The sole was originally $6 and each yoghurt that I paid for is 89cents for 6 oz.

I spent $21.62, & have left in Food Stamps $93.03.

Yours in Him, Deb

Thankfully Deb, I was able to not dip into my savings because my dad gave me money for my birthday, so the food bought was covered by that. I might be shopping tomorrow, but it will probably be more like Thursday. The only thing I'm out on as far as "food" is juice. I can handle it right now. Waiting for a phone call to see if I risk losing my benefits if I make a change to my life right now. 

Dear Luvd_Lioness, I hope that you do not lose your benefits.  As you probably know, I have a change in my life in that I am workign as a writer again, & will report all income, so will be transitioning off benefits.  It is different -- very different -- to want to go off benefits rather than to "risk losing [your] benefits if [you] make a change to [your] life right now. 

Yours in Him, Deb

Found out yesterday that my present health condition and me dropping school ensures me to have food stamps (I wasn't sure). So I went shopping.

Card started out at $162.

2 frozen Old Orchard Cran-Rasp juice @ $2.18; 2 Old Orchard Apple/Cherry for $1.70; 2 Langer's Autumn Blend @$1.90 and 2 Summer also $1.90; 2 containers of Lactose-Free Breyer's Ice Cream $6.58 (I think it went up 20c each); 2 Langer's Apple juice $1.90; Asian veggie eggrolls 5 boxes for $10 (my Chinese fix; matches a Walmart sale price so saves me a trip), Gingersnap cookies $1.69 (1lb), Sugar in the Raw 2# box $2.99, 16oz Gnocci $3.19, family size meat lasagna $2.69, curly fries $1.79, 40oz melon balls frozen $4.39, 5# of OreIda french fries $4.99, Angus chuck roast (over 2#; no antibiotics, natural) $8.41, mock tenderloins $4.59, Gold'n Plump chicken breasts (no bones) $8.99, 2 boxes of Near East Spanish pilaf $2.58, 3# Pilgrim's pride boneless chicken breasts (huge size!) $5.99, 2 boxes of the cheddar flavored almond crackers $3.78, 24ct ice cream cones $1.39, 32oz plain yogurt $2.09 (had to buy name brand, they were out of the store brand), Del Monte spaghetti mushroom sauce in a can 79c, grape tomatoes $1.49 (oops misread sign), bagged Italian salad mix $1.99, Flat Earth apple-cinnamon chips $2.69 (had 55c coupon; will wait to use my free coupon since I got mine by mail, it doesn't expire until '09), Hellmans real mayo 15oz $2.19, apples for $1.10, green grapes $2.17 (these are HUGE!), bag of bananas (almost 3#) $1.15, and 24pk of Sprite for $5.99.

Now down to $57.28 until 3/13. I should be ok in that amount since its small things that I would have to buy.  I have all things needed for major meals and even snacks.

Dear Luvd_Lioness, I'm so glad that you have no danger of having your Food Stamps curtailed.  And, that sounds like a good shopping trip.

Dear All, I bought eggs, soymilk, & a half-gallon each of shelf-stable apple & grapefruit juice, at Cala/Ralphs/Kroger.  I spent $10.26, & have $82.87 left over. 

Yours in Him, Deb