Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Errands on Tuesday and June Grocery Shopping Week 1

I had another relaxed morning, today; I am really enjoying this aspect of being retired!  No more rushing around in the mornings to get out the door in order to get to the office on time!

In the afternoon, however, I ran my errands.  First, I went to the library to return the books and magazines I had borrowed and to check out some new books and magazines:

Library Books
I borrowed two magazines, a book about organizing, and a historical novel.

Then, I went to the post office to mail the two bill payments I had.  I don't like paying bills online, although my daughter pays my phone bills online, for me.

Next, I went to the bank.

Finally, I went to the Armenian grocery store, that is next to the bank.

6/3 Groceries (from the Dollar Store)
I took a photo of the items I bought from the dollar store, yesterday - the three cans of mackerel and the four cans of coconut milk.

6/3 Receipt
I purchased three tubes of toothpaste, as well, yesterday, but that is not part of my grocery budget.  The cans of fish and coconut milk came to $7.00, as I mentioned in yesterday's post.

6/4 Groceries
At the Armenian store, I bought mostly this week's and today's specials (chicken drumsticks) and more bananas:

Chicken drumsticks @ $.59/lb. = $1.99
Yogurt = $1.99
Roma Tomatoes @ 3 lbs/$1.00 = $.96
Bananas @$.49/lb = $.63
Total = $5.57

6/4 Receipt

My June grocery budget is $75 - $23.82 overspent in May = $51.18

Spent to date = $.69 + $7.00 + $5.57 = $13.26

$51.18 - $13.26 = $37.92

I know that some of you look at what I buy (or, should I say, don't buy?) and wonder, where's the rest of the groceries?  Before I went grocery shopping, I took a look in the fridge to see what I had in terms of produce - I still have half of a cabbage, one and a half lettuces, most of a bag of carrots, a zucchini, a cucumber, onions, and tomatoes for vegetables; a whole pineapple (that must be cut, tomorrow, before it gets overripe!), cherries, apples, apricots, and the last three oranges from my tree for fruits.  I didn't even need the tomatoes I bought, today, but, I bought them because they were on sale at a good price - I plan to cut them up and freeze them, for later.  I figured I really should eat what I had in the fridge and finish them before I bought more fresh produce.

I plan to make a curry with half the chicken drumsticks I bought today (and I'll make more sauteed curried cabbage to go with it) and broil the rest with a plum sauce glaze (and make a stir-fry with carrots and zucchini to go with it).  There will be salads, too, in addition.  That is the extent of my meal planning!  LOL.  Next week's specials (which go into effect, starting tomorrow), include boneless sirloin end pork chops at $.99/lb., so, if I get tired of chicken, I might buy some pork chops, or make something with the ground beef I have in the freezer. 

Today, I had leftover boiled mung beans with spicy onion relish for brunch followed by a banana.  For dinner, I finished the rice and sausage stir-fry I had made earlier, with tomato chutney and cucumber salad.

Today's book decluttering:

Day 4 Book Decluttering
This book was a gift from one of my aunts.  I used to make and decorate fancy cakes for my daughter's birthdays and for family members, but, I no longer bake that much.  Besides, I have another cake decorating book that had been a gift from my mother.  I had put this book aside for donating during an earlier decluttering, but, it found its way back to my bookshelf!  I am determined to declutter it, this time.

My joyful activity today was going to the library.

Today, I am grateful for:
- A sunny afternoon (high of 77F!)
- Being able to pay my bills
- Being able to borrow new books from the library
- Bargains at the grocery store
- What I was able to accomplish today

Wednesday's To Do List:
- Dust (I didn't do it, today)
- Vacuum
- Clean my bathroom

How was your Tuesday?  Have you gone grocery shopping in June, yet?  What are your plans for Wednesday?

14 comments:

  1. Your post reminded me that I also have several cake decorating books. I used to decorate cakes for friends, but haven’t done it for a long time. I think I too should donate the books and declutter the book shelf.

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    1. If you are no longer using those books, Nil, then, maybe it's time to declutter them. I looked through the book my mother gave me, but, I am not sure if I am ready to part with it, yet.

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  2. I'm trying to last for the rest of June without doing any grocery shopping except for bread. I have lots of meals and the makings of meals in the freezer so I won't starve but will focus this month on using up the things that have been in the freezer for ages.

    I think I'm finding the book decluttering much easier than you are ... make sure that book doesn't find its way back to the bookcase!

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    1. Sounds like you are well prepared to go without grocery shopping for the rest of June, Eileen. It's a good idea to finish up what's been in the freezer for awhile.

      The book decluttering is very hard for me. This is not the first time I've decluttered my books, so what is remaining on my shelves are books that escaped being decluttered on previous occasions. Now, I am getting to the hard to declutter items! There are, actually, several more books that were "decluttered", earlier, which made their way back to the shelves because I couldn't bear to part with them!

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  3. I love historical novels so much ☺

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    1. This book is supposed to be a love story between George Washington and Mary Eliza Philipse. I thought it would be an interesting read. :)

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  4. I'm still trying to work through freezer food - it's helping that I don't have a car to go to the store lol. I need to get it sorted before my trip to Mum's as I'll be gone 6 weeks and husband and son never look in freezer for meals. Sigh.

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    Replies
    1. Sharon, what if you prepare some meals with what you have in the freezer and freeze them in easy to microwave "frozen dinners" for them and put a list of what's in the freezer on the fridge door? Would they be more likely to reheat them for dinner then?

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  5. I went grocery shopping and stopped at the library today, too. I am always amazed at how little produce you buy. Thanks for explaining what you had leftover in the fridge. I tend to buy more fruit than I need, but I always eat every bit of it. I find it's a healthy replacement for desserts.

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    1. I hope you found some good deals at the grocery store and found some good books at the library. It is a well-known fact that I don't eat enough vegetables, so I don't buy a lot. I also need to watch how much I eat of fruit because of the sugar content. I usually end up buying more than what I need and, sometimes, it spoils before I can finish it all!

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  6. banana is my favorite fruit...
    Have a wonderful day

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    1. Yes, bananas are a favorite, here, too. Thank you; I hope you have a wonderful day, too.

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  7. I really should take a leaf out of your book, Bless, and buy tomatoes on special and freeze them. I only ever buy what I need and I forget that they freeze well. Thanks for the reminder!

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    Replies
    1. You are welcome, Bushlady. Having them in the freezer (I cut them in wedges or slice them, first), makes it easy to add them to various dishes.

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