I hear alot about how great aldis prices are, and they are a bit environmentaly concious since you have to bring your bags (or buy them) so we finally found one around us. In two weeks (next grocery visit) we will be trying it out. If the milk is cheaper than BJs we might be able to drop the BJs membership, course we just renewed it .

The swing is here . But I wont be doing laundry today (DH is home). Friday .

Hardees was a planned splurge, a treat for suffering thru the GD test.

BJs was a bit expensive but we stuck to our list, and the midwife is going to be billed at the end, shouldn't run to much loot cause the visits are covered. The test will cost, but I couldn't squirl out of it. I tried, I got out of other tests so I will let them have this one I guess.

Its Wednesday, what else would I be complaining about?

We have a short list as usual, veggies (frzn) cereal (cheapo brand) straws (have to have for the take out of the house straw cups, save on packing drinks, but need the straws for kid in the car) Strawberries (on sale .) that is it, os hopefully cheap. (or affordable anyway)

so close and yet so far, but on a plus note we got ground beef, the good stuff, for 139 a lb, should keep us quite some time, and dishwasher stuff, so I can use it again, will keep us awhile and DH is of the opinion we would eventually have to get it so why not this week, hmm cause the Car insurance is due and so is the CC bill? oh well it will get paid, just not as high on the CC as I wanted.

k so my hopes were dashed we went over budget again , but only by a couple bucks. and we have food

BJS tonight is the kicker, we need milk, of course, cheese, of course, and hmm now it seems that is it, but I doubt DH will make it out of there with just that!

Today is the day, DH has a list and loot, and hopefully will be under budget, not to hard with the grocery store, one little splurge is still only a couple bucks, it is BJS that causes us troubles

and no it wasn't fun, DH spent a fortune at BJs, mostly nuts and stuff for trail mix, we eat a lot of it, a healthy snack and all that, but man oh man, that plus the membership renewal (we make the renewal back on milk alone) is painful!

Dh made it in under 30, with everything on the list, and then some, very cool, but the trail mix supplies we are getting tonight from BJs will more than cover the other 45 in the budget . (well that and milk and cheese! I have to ask him to get cheese, this family can't go another week without cheese!)

We can fit the car in the garage!!!!!!!!!

Now all I have to do is convince DH to put it there, I think for Christmas I will mention to his parents that we are looking into a garage door opener, between what they normally spend on him and the cash he gets it should be enough and then he will be more likely to use the garage, I also think I will try to know when he pulls in the driveway and run out and open the garage door for him.

We also went to the pool again, DS and DD are awesome in the pool now, fear is mostly gone from DS and he loves challenging what he can do, which leaves us a little worried, since he isn't strong enough to tread water all that well or long, but I don't want to turn his love of meeting challenges back into panic, so we stay as close as possible and pray nothing bad happens.

Dinner was 'giant chicken nuggets' which is breaded chicken patties, we microwaved them at home wrapped them in foiil and a towel and ate them at the pool, worked out pretty well and is expanding my list of what to eat at the pool.

My children are generally richer than I am, and now is no exception, GMA sent down 20 for each when BIL came home from his July 4th visit. They have everything they need, and honestly most of what they want, niether one of them is asking for anything.

So they treated to frenchfrys last night when we went iceskating, adn are prolly going to put the remaining 18 each in their ING accounts.

Not so under budget there, and we still forgot stuff, DH offered to stop on the way home from work this week, but I told him it is cheaper if we do without, we have stuff to eat in the house, we just have to be mroe inventive when we forget stuff.

I gave DH cash for groceries yesterday and he made it in under budget YIPEEE! He got some cheap cereal. I hate cheap regular cheereos, and cheap honey nut is too sweet, so he got one of each and I can mix them, so far tastes ok.

Well the two teeth are gone and I have a gaping bleeding hole in my mouth, that cost me 72$ for the nitrous that I didn't breath (silly pegnant women don't like taking drugs, even when everyone says they are safe)

And DH went to BJs bough ice cream making stuff to be nice, which means he went over budget, . But he sure is sweet.

well grocery was a bit overbudget, but BJs was way UNDER! awesome and the first in a looooong time, all we got was english muffins and milk, and the milk was 1.50 less than at the grocery store way cool IMO .

Well DS and DH went to BJS and came back with 75$s of stuff. Part of it was due to company, we normally don't buy grahms and goldfish and animal crakers all at once. Nor do we get quite that much cheese normally. But the variety of snacks should last a bit longer than one box, though not as long as them bought individually. (more stuff is always eaten faster than one thing)

we are off for a bazillion errands and getting DS a shot, we have been practicing not touching when mommy 'pokes' him and reminding him what to say instead of yelling, I hope he remembers, but at the same time I can't blame him for saying 'NO' it does hurt .

The groceries were 50something

Today is Thursday, we always have errends or something to do on Thursday. BUt not today, no idea how we managed it, but since we went to BJs on Sunday we don't even have to go there!

Groceries were a little over 30, not to bad, much better than it has been.

Kittens actually stayed out all night, so we have hope they will revert to outdoor cats, like they are supposed to be. Fire is the one who decided they should stay out so she can't get mad at us.

Ok so DH will be going to the grocery store today, but it is really wierd that he will not be going to BJs tommorrow. I told DS yesterday we were out of Cashews and we would get some on Thursday, the I had to correct myself, not for over a week! Which is actually a good thing seeing as Cashews are a bit expensive, but packing trail mix for DH is cheaper than buying it or packing debbie cakes, and healthier.

Last night we got some rain, really helped cool the house off. Hope it stays cooler today, Already one week into June and no air .

For DHs birthday BIL got DH some grill tools, so DH was in the mood to grill, so even though we were just there(and had I known they had propane I would have tried to remember to put it on the usual Thursday list .)

Anyway we got milk and a few other things on our list so we could hopefully avoid going next Thursday, unfortunatly we have to find ceiling fans for the kids rooms, no one can stand to be in them for very long, kindof puts a damper on sleep .

Last night we had some friends over to play carwars, I also gave DH a carwars book he had been wanting, had to get my mom to find it on ebay, and for 30 it was a bit over my origional budget, but I just took the money his parents gave him.

I also made some ice cream this week and got hima bowl of it with a candle in it for 'cake' He doesn't like cake so that was my best attempt (no not even icecream cake) Today I have some fudge that he doesn't exactly know about (though he knows there is a foil wrapped thing in the fridge) and I am going to poke a hole in it for a candle tonight . Hope it turned out ok, I didn't have the ingredients for my regular chocolate fudge so I found a new recipe online for Peanut butter fudge, was pretty easy, so hopefully it tastes good, though of course I had to tinker with the recipe. Less sugar and more peanutbutter.

We checked in a lull in the rain last night, they are actually starting to thicken up into carrots! So cool. I think if they survive next year I am going to plant one more thing I like, maybe berries of some sort, I like strawberries but DS doesn't so we might go with blue or black, or rasberries, have to see which is easier to keep alive.

Finally we made it under budget, but I did have to drag DH away fromt he bug stuff, he wanted to get a bag of dry bug stuff because it would be easier to spread. Course I had to drag myself away from sprinklers, though God is doing a great job of watering everything this week, next month isn't likely to be so hot. err I mean cold!

Well we stuck to the list except for chips and gingerale, so not to much loot.

Lets see if we can do it again tonight at BJs

DS finished the k-5 program, so we lit a candle at dinner, let him pick it, and then made a badge with contact paper and a picture of him. It looks cool, and IDs him as being in the 'first Grade division' we made one for DD (no sense listening to her want his) and it said 'Exploring division, since she isn't even in Kindergarten yet. Thye both liked them . (and rather frugal .)

Today DH will head to the grocery store for a few essentials, and tomorrow we will head to BJs for more. Since we only have 300 in the bank (till the next pay check), I really really hope we can stick to the cheap stuff!.

about a bazzillion dollers

We had to get printer ink, ugh. We buy it at BJs to save money but that means a 3 pack, so it was almost 50$ (whichi is better than 60, 20 *3)

We also got some meat that we have a rebate for so hopefully we will be getting a 20$ check back for that.

Unfortunatly I discovered I need a new car seat, apparently the cross bar in DDs old one is about as dangerous as the sterring wheel for a driver, only her head is more likly to come in contact than her chest, not so cool. plus it is old and plastic apparently degrades, not cool either.

I can't wait, 2 more hours and I will get to see BBY3!

Unfortunatly there will also be a huge amount of spending today, BJs and grocery store. but we gotta eat right?

Actually that is backwards, first was the Drs for DD 18 months so we got lots of shots, but now we are all done till she is 4! I am happy about that. Unfortunatly I had to argue wiht the billing lady to even get her to check about the mistakes in the copays and then she would only check the one I had the insurance statement on me for. I really hate that I have to hunt up all the insurance statements since January to make sure they arn't billing us all wrong, by our guestimates we have enough credit from overpaying each visit for today to be free but she would only look at one visit so we only got 6$ off. Not cool at all.

Then we went to the Library, quick stop still owe 9$ from before I knew about online renewal, and got 15 more books, then the mall for packed pb sandwiches, and fries (the fries are the reward for finishing the hated pb, well hated by me)

Then it was off to starwars, really a spur of the moment decision, we never go see new movies, but we really wanted to see the Starwars while on the big screen and since DD was asleep we figured it would work, we were only slightly wrong. And we used our aniversary money so no actual out of pocket. Sortof.

THen DS reminded us we stil had to go to BJs, but the good news we were a little over 50, which included cat liter and cat food (stray had kittens and wants us to kitten sit, ugh, but cute)

All told and expensive day, but mostly neccessary or worth it. (though dude is too short to be Vader)

You know these groceries come up EVERY week! I know you got to eat, but I am so hoping to reign in the spending. WE need potatoes and ramen noodles, so the spending should be low, then tomorrow we are going to BJs and that well dunno how bad that will be, but all we need (all we ever need) is milk eggs bread and this time beef bullion. So hoping that is all we get, oh and another thing of laundry detergent. I hate storing a billion extras, one is cool, even two since we are almost out and will be replacing the one on the dryer (I know lousy spot for it, but it fits)

Also found a book old old book with recopies for homemade cosmetics, I am adding bath oil to the list of stuff to make for Christmas and birthdays and I might try the recipe for some of the stuff that looks like it acts as hair gel (book is so old written before hair gel) Also says adding an egg and gelatin to cheap shampoo makes a better shampoo than the most expensive out there, but it was written long before Pantine came out.

So there was nothing in the closet, had to go shopping, found the gift (DS picked it out) for 9$ perfectly in our range, but then you have to add the 3$ bag (forgot one from home) 1$ for tissue paper, (again forgot) and 4$ for the card (forgot to get kids to make one) Hate last minute shopping.

We also got suckered into two starwars cereals, not like we don't eat them, but they are more expensive than toast, or english muffins or bagels (our usual fare)

plus salsa that we needed (I aam no good at making it) and some new kind of pringles (that we didn't need) and some old kind for me since there is no way I was making it much onger without food (and forgot to pack) oh and a christmas preasent for DS or DD, good price and on sale. And water shoes, not on sale, not a great price, but very important around here (DS's shoes have already been waterlogfged twice from washing the car.)

Then on the way home (late of course) we had to stop for food (which we should have packed knowing we would be late), cranky parents, and sleeping kids, drove around in a circle to let them sleep (DS needed it to make up for the hockey game) so we were even later for dinner, got burgers for 17$

all told my oh so frugal gift of 9$ cost us 70$! (BTW she liked it)

Well DH went with DS and they wern't anywhere near less than 50! he bought stuff we use and prolly need. 10$ in Vanilla though, really ups the bill fast when you get little things, but is way cheaper to go with the giant thing than a bunch of little ones (and we like never buy store bought sweet junk, so we do use the vanilla a lot)

He also got another thing of laundry detergent, cause of the coupon and wants to use ANOTHER one next week (we go every week for milk) I know he is right it is cheaper, but I have to put it somewhere!