Fighting the feeling of deprivation

“The chief cause of failure and unhappiness is trading what you want most for what you want right now"― Zig Ziglar

One of the biggest reasons people embark on a "budget" cutting process and then abort the attempt is because they give into feelings of deprivation.  They see their friends buying that $5 cup of specialty coffee and suddenly their home brewed cup doesn't seem good enough.  Eating a $2 dinner at home is more difficult and labor intensive than just running by the local deli and getting carry out to the tune of $15, which requires no cooking or clean up.  You like steak better than ground beef, and eating ground beef makes you "feel" poor.  

My biggest struggle with the above is avoiding eating out.  My days are long, and I am exhausted at the end of them.  I have a demanding (though enjoyable) career, am finishing my master's degree, am active in my church, and belong to a local women's group.... and as a single person, I maintain my own home.  

When I first started this challenge, I felt mighty sorry for myself that I couldn't just run to Panera and pick up dinner for $12 every night of the week. And eat breakfast and lunch at my work cafeteria.  As the weeks have progressed, it has gotten easier.  I have been reminding myself frequently, that I am actually giving myself a gift by NOT eating out.  While I may "feel" like I should be able to, I am in control of my actions, and I want my actions to bring about what I REALLY want, not just what I want in the moment.  So, I come home and I eat my leftover pork loin with mashed potatoes while I would rather be eating a Fuji Apple Chicken salad with a bowl of black bean soup and a whole grain baguette on the side.  And then I think back to my week in Haiti, where someone would not have dreamed of fussing about leftover pork loin because it may have been the only thing they had to eat that day.  

I've worked to achieve a balance...feeling terribly deprived is the way to find yourself quitting.   I do eat at Panera typically one night a week now. I usually leave directly from work to go to my Financial Peace University class... and currently I am still working my way through some Panera gift cards that I hinted wildly at Santa that I wanted at Christmas time.. so that is my Panera night. And I typically have one meal out on the weekend with friends.  I also will occasionally pick up a favorite at my work cafeteria. This comes out of my $25 a week "blow" money, so my friends are aware that dinner is NOT going to typically be at the Melting Pot, and we are going to be searching for reasonably priced restaurants.  

I also remind myself that disciplining myself in my budget is not supposed to be pleasant, but the reward will be.  

"No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it's painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way". Hebrews 12:11 NLT

How do you keep yourself from feeling deprived?  Share in the comments!

Cutting down on meat...

Meat is one of the most expensive items on the grocery bill. One way to cut this expense without cutting it out is to eat reasonable portions of meat.  However, the American diet tends to be very heavy on meat, and very low in fruits and vegetables.  This is expensive and not very healthy.

One of the biggest issues that comes up is that "my husband is such a meat eater, there is no way he would eat less!".  I am certainly  not going to tell you that you should insist that your husband eat only 2 ounce portions of meat at any time.  I consider myself fortunate in this area, because I have no one to argue with about how we are going to cut the budget.  However, there are some techniques that can be used to help feed the desire for meat in the diet and not break the bank.

For this to work, one  of the first things people sharing a roof have to agree on is the grocery budget.  What I would NOT do is launch into a verbal campaign about the health benefits about less meat in one's diet, or how cutting grocery expenses will make a remarkable difference in the family finances.  The first thing I would do is have a casual conversation about your future financial goals and the dreams you share together.  For most people, this includes a house, children, a decent retirement...and not eating also so you can pay for your prescriptions at the age of 76.  Once you've painted the picture of your dream together, and are going in the same direct THEN you have laid the groundwork to talk about HOW you are going to get there.  I am not going to reinvent the wheel, as there is a lot of information out there. But together, decide where the budget (the entire budget, not just the grocery budget) will get cut so that you can achieve your dreams.  When most people examine their budgets, they will see that food expenditures are one of the quickest, easiest ways to make a large impact on your finances.  When you get to this point, THEN it is time to discuss HOW you will do this, and how far your spouse is willing to go. When they are involved in the decision making, they are going to be more willing to trade in their 16 oz t-bone for a 4 oz ground beef patty.  Look for ways to stretch the meat as well... my 8 oz of chuck went further on steak sandwiches because it was generously mixed with onions and mushrooms.  Chilis and soups make a little meat go a long way. So can stews if you up the veggies and cut the meat down.

Another thing to try is establishing a "Meatless Monday" in your house.  I've tried this, and often use the fall back of egg salad for lunch, and pizza or spaghetti (without meat in the sauce), but there are other things to eat.  Perhaps Meatless Monday is something I should pursue in the blog?

I personally like meat, and don't feel satisfied if I don't have a decent portion at a meal.  Part of the way I do this is buying marked down meat, yet I have friends who turn their nose up at this in disgust... yet I have been doing it for years, and have yet to contract a food borne illness from it, and I have never consumed rotten meat.  But for me, this is the way I can typically eat 6-8 oz of meat a day and still achieve my financial goals.

Come to terms with what you and your spouse are willing to do... and then make it happen.  And if your spouse loves steak above all other things, figure out where else you can cut things down so that he/she won't feel deprived and make getting that steak on the table a priority once a week or every other week.

The picture is my skillet full of some stems of rainbow chard, right before cooking it... I always start the stems a few minutes before the leaves.  It's beautiful! It's also vitamin packed, delicious... and meat free!

Baked Stuffed Chicken Breast

To serve 4:

4 bone-in skin-on split chicken breasts
6 slices of bread, torn or cut into cubes
2 eggs
1 small onion, chopped
2 T chopped celery
1 t stuffing seasoning or poultry seasoning.

Preheat the oven to 350 degree.

Mix all ingredients except chicken breasts together. If stuffing mixture seems overly dry, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk or water.  Divide stuffing mixture into 4 balls.

Place one ball of stuffing under the bone side of the breast,and press it in.  Place in baking pan.  Repeat with the other 3 breasts.

Season top of breasts with salt and pepper.

Bake at 350 degree for about 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Awesome Target Deals with week with mobile coupons!

How about:

 a 6 pack of bagels for 34¢
a tub of lunch meat for $1.55
a pack of poise liners for $1.84
a bunch of bananas, a pineapple, and a lemon for a total of $3.27?

Simply text "offers" to 827438 to get a mobile coupon for:

$1 off market pantry bagels
$1 off market pantry lunchmeat
$1 off poise
$2 off of a $5 fruit or vegetable purcase.

Also go to www.poise.com and register and print a $2 off poise coupon (you can use BOTH the Target AND manufacturers coupon.

Target Cartwheel also gives and extra 5% off of the lunchmeat.  

Cheese-Steak Sandwiches on the cheap

This is probably one of my favorites... and I don't eat it often.  And, honestly, I've never made one at home until now.
When I was shopping several weeks ago, I found a pack of thin sliced boneless chuck that weighed 12 oz marked down to $1.68.  I froze it in 4 oz portions.  The first thing that ran through my mind was "cheese-steaks"!
I added a 69¢ cent package of mushrooms from Aldi's and a 17¢ onion (also from a bag of onions from Aldi's), some whole wheat hot dog rolls from Aldi's, and cheese sauce...I used cheese sauce to stretch one of the most expensive ingredients in this dish... cheese... to get creamy goodness and use less cheese. I was really pleased with the result. While I will admit, they were NOT as tasty as the cheese-steaks from my local sub shop, they cost me substantially less.  I made six of these for around $4.... and one cheese steak would easily cost me $8 around the corner.  

Here is how you can make 6 small cheese-steak subs at  67¢ each (round up to 70¢ to account for price of flour).

8 oz of boneless chuck, sliced really thin in slivers (Giant, marked down, $1.12)
1 package mushrooms, sliced (Aldi's, 69¢)
1 onion, sliced (Aldi's, 17¢)
1 cup milk (Target, organic milk with coupon 31¢)
2 T flour ?
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese.  (Target, sale, 75¢)
6 whole wheat hot dog rolls (Aldi's, 98¢)

In a pan, sautee onion and mushrooms until onions are translucent, and all liquid has cooked off of mushrooms.
Add boneless chuck to pan
Season with salt and pepper, or your favorite seasoning.
Cook until meat is cooked through.

Meanwhile, mix 2 tablespoons of flour into 1 cup of milk.  Pour into saucepan, stirring frequently, heat until milk thickens.  Stir in cheese, and stir until cheese is melted.  Remove from heat.

Spoon meat/onion/mushroom mixture evenly between six rolls, spoon cheese sauce evenly over meat. If you wish, sprinkle a small amount of shredded cheese on top as a garnish.  Serve while hot.

Another week of working on clearing out the stash of food....

I've spent more than $25 a week (even though menus have been $25 or less per week) the last several weeks building a stockpile, so I wanted to take a break and focus on what is in the house already.  Because of that, the menus aren't going to be earth shattering.  On the other hand, some really scrumptious things like cheese steaks show up!

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast	Breakfast
oatmeal with milk, 35¢	bagel with peanut butter 45¢	yogurt w/ pineapple tidbits, 40¢¢	egg and toast, 20¢	oatmeal with milk, 35¢	banana smoothie, 35¢	Homemade Latte70¢
Mid-Morning	Mid-Morning	Mid-Morning	Mid-Morning	Mid-Morning	Mid-Morning	Mid-Morning
Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
Taco Soup (from the freezer) 87¢	Tuna Salad Sandwich, 70¢	egg salad sandwich, 50 ¢	Tuna Salad Sandwich, 70¢	Taco Soup (from the freezer) 87¢	Grilled cheese, $1.10	Baked Stuffed Chicken breast, $2
baby carrots, 10¢	baby carrots, 10¢	baby carrots, 10¢	baby carrots, 10¢	baby carrots, 10¢	tomato soup, 50¢	Mashed potatoes, 25¢
banana, 15¢	1/2 c pineapple tidbits, 14¢	banana, 15¢	1/2 c pineapple tidbits, 14¢	banana, 15¢	banana, 15¢	winter blend veggies, 25¢
Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner	Dinner
Cranberry Chicken (from freezer,  $1.67)	Steak Sandwiches, 70¢	baked chicken thighs, 76¢	Chicken Noodle Soup (from the freezer) 80¢	Salmon Cakes, $1.10	Scour for leftovers	order pizza
Rice, 20¢	broccoli, 25¢	mixed veggies, 25¢	salad w/ dressing 70¢	green peas, 25¢
green peas, 25¢	Oven Fries, 25¢	boiled, buttered potatoes, 25¢		rice, 25¢
Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack	Snack
baby carrots, 10¢	popcorn, 25¢	baby carrots, 10¢	yogurt with fruit, 50¢	baby carrots, 10¢	NA	NA
Cost	Cost	Cost	Cost	Cost	Cost	Cost
3.79	$2.84	$2.51	3.14	3.17	$2.10	$3.20
Total cost per week:					$20.75

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When a good deal... just isn't
This is one area that I find people who are trying to be thrifty often get mixed up about.  A lot of people feel that if it is a good buy, you should buy it.  I can tell you from experience, that kind of thinking will keep you financially strapped.

I am a pro at stock piling large amounts of stuff at incredibly low prices, but the bottom line if it is excess of what I can use in a reasonable amount of time, I shouldn't have been spending money on it. I am amazed by the storehouses that coupon queens can have of 2 years of supplies for their families.  They have rooms dedicated to the stuff.  I believe moderate stockpiling is more money (and space) efficient for most people. For me, I want to be insulated for 6 months against bad times, so for me, a six month stockpile of just about anything is enough. Recently, I "flagged" myself from further toilet paper and paper towel purchases.  But I do try to keep a six month stockpile of non-perishables that I would "need" to survive for six months. (ok, lets face it, we could live without toilet paper and paper towels if we were desperate, but part of my plan is not only to isolate myself from undue financial stress for 6 months, but also be able to function at a normal level).

Should a worst case scenario happen, like losing my job, quite frankly, I want to have to purchase very little during that time, even if I have six months of expenses saved.  Part of the reason behind that is my expenses could possibly go up during that time.  I would need to pay for health insurance out of pocket, and may have travel expenses for job interviews that may be out of the area and could require air travel.  I could potentially be spending more on gasoline to drive to local interviews. I also have been known to deliver "house starter" boxes to those who have moved, lost their house to fires, or need a helping hand.

The flip side of the coin is I have to have space to manage and hold all my stuff.  I also have to rotate it.  Right now I have about 6 cans of organic pumpkin that I need to use.  I have to search for recipes.  If I am buying so much that I have waste or am having to trip over it or having to have an additional room in my house that I pay for square footage wise and have to climate control, in my opinion, I have gone overboard.

Yes, I could donate all the extra stuff I get at great prices, however, I think this is an area that needs budgeted too. I am finding I generally pull my expenses in around $20 a week for food.... and I am thinking about using that "extra" $5 a week to purchase great deals for donations to local food banks.  I can afford that $5 a week. If I go over, I am not going to meet my financial goals.

And, to borrow Dave Ramsey's though process... right now, I am living like no one else, so later I can live AND give like no one else.  So right now, my giving also has to be in reasonable relationship to my budget. (and I do believe giving is an essential part of a healthy cash flow plan).

Do you stockpile?  How much?  Do you know when to limit yourself?

The photo?  Well, if your pantry area looks like this, you are not doing the stockpiling thing right.  I admit, this WAS my house, quite a few years ago.  I have since gotten this under control, but I learned how to buy lots of stuff cheap before I learned you have to be able to manage what you have.