Cost of Food: According to the Government

Did you know the government has figured out just how much money it should cost to eat healthy?

"The Food Plans represent a nutritious diet at four different cost levels."  They are based on Dietary Guidelines and MyPyramid recommendations and updated to current dollars by using the Consumer Price Index.

I figured that for my family of six I should be spending $765 a month on food.  That's on the Thrifty plan.  The cheapest option.

Maybe we aren't eating enough, because we spend a lot less than that.  I know, I know most people do not shop and store the way I do, but it does make you think.

Cost of Food

Check it out and see how your family compares.

The past few weeks

April was insanely busy for us.

A spring break camping trip to Moab.  Including pulling the trailer out from storage and getting it cleaned and ready for all the summer trips.

Our Relief Society made food bags for 72 hour kits and I organized and bought all the stuff.  That was a fun Costco shopping trip.  I think that might be the first time I have ever wished they had larger carts.

Easter came and I foolishly chose to make dresses for the girls.  Then finished them a week after the holiday.

Two of my kids had birthdays.  Yes, they're born on the same day six years apart.  No, it was not planned. I had enough cake/cupcakes at my house for two army's.  Thankfully my neighbors love treats.

The fishographer has been busy transitioning into a new management position at work, busy taking the dog to obedience training, and busy helping to reorganize wards in his church calling.  So, we haven't seen him a lot during the week.

I went way over my grocery budget and way over my dining out budget.  Why do those always go together?  Especially when we get busy?

There is a monster pile of coupon inserts and ads sitting on my kitchen table waiting to be clipped and sorted.  And, I haven't used a single coupon in several weeks.

It's time to slow down, get back into our routines and start being more deliberate with how we spend our time and money.  No more running around like chickens...

Random Thoughts and News

Today I am blogging from my mom's house. You see, my dryer decided to quit working on me and I have mounds and mounds of laundry to deal with. She is graciously allowing me to hang out here and tackle the kid's dirty socks and underwear.

I find it interesting that the month we have cash available in the "Home Maintenance" category of the budget is the month my dryer decides to croak. Let's just hope there is enough to cover repairs.

In other news, I think I'm finally ready to place my seed order. This year is my first official year planting a garden. Hopefully it won't be a complete disaster. I'm planning on keeping track of how much we spend and how much we harvest to see if we break even. Or not. I'll let you know.

Savvy Shopper Blogger

Looky, Looky I'm a featured blogger:

Savvy Shopper Deals

Hooray!

The Fisherman

My husband was reading through a few of my previous posts and noticed I was calling him "The Fisherman."

He said he'd rather be known as the Fishographer since he likes fishing and photography.

I said "really?"

Whatever you want honey.

Back to our regularly scheduled posts....

Photo Credit:  the Fishographer.

Welcome to the new site!

Step on in. Click around and let me know if everything is working.

Thank you to Sumo Paint the free online image editor I used for all the graphics, and all the internet bloggers who posted code and tutorials. I couldn't have done it without them! My html experience is limited to a couple of college courses in the late 90's (really dating myself there...). So, I needed all the help I could get. It's still a little rough and I'll be adding a few more touches over the next couple of weeks, but I was too excited to wait any longer.

When I first started this blog I promised myself I wouldn't spend a penny of our money on it, but try and do everything myself. I've had a blast! Now I remember why I was a computer science minor back in college. (I've really got to finish that degree.)

So enjoy and let me know what you think.

Pardon the Dust

I've been working on a new Template. Pardon the Dust as I try to make it work!

Another way to cut it...

I posted awhile back about some ways to cut coupons. There isn't one right or wrong way and everyone does it a little differently. My good friend Alyson commented about her way of cutting coupons with the "Pampered Chef" I-slice. Since she also sells "Pampered Chef" products she has come up with a great offer for all ya'll.

I was sitting here cutting coupons and realized I had a great offer for your readers. I have been using my i-slice to cut coupons. This is such a GREAT little tool! I just sit on the floor with my little cutting board and slice away! Here is the deal for Franny Frugal readers:

With EVERY order you will receive a FREE i-slice. If you spend $25+ you will receive a FREE Season's Best cookbook, plus the i-slice. If you spend $60+ you will receive TWO Pampered Pantry Rubs and a Season's Best Cookbook, and the i-slice FREE!!! Go to my website to order. You need type in, Franny Frugal, as the host. You can have your order shipped directly to you, or if you live in the Lehi area, you can have it "shipped to host" to save on shipping, and you can pick it up from Franny herself.

There are some GREAT money saving recipes in the cookbook. SERIOUSLY, they are $2/ serving! And they taste good too! The i-slice is a REAL time saver. And the rubs, well they are just yummy! You can contact me with any questions!

This offer is good until June 30th. And, as if that wasn't good enough, she is also giving away an I-slice on her blog. Head on over here and find out all the details. There are a couple of ways to enter and the whole thing ends at Midnight on Saturday, June 27th.

Welcome Back!

I really enjoyed my time off from blogging.  I played with the kids, cooked, cleaned and organized the girl's room.  I also missed getting online everyday to find deals and to think about and to research things to post about.  Welcome Back!  I hope your vacation was as great as mine.  Let's get back to finding great deals and learning to live more frugally.

Conference Activity Packets

Here are some printable packets for the kiddos this weekend.

Conference Booklet

From Deseret Book

Activity Pages

From Last Year

Thanks to the ladies at Savvy Shopper for these links!