$20

Let's play the 'How Many Meals Can We Get From $20' game. I went to the grocery store on Saturday afternoon to pick up a few staples after getting home from Iowa. I walked out with $20 less in my bank account. Because I have the intention of staying within my budget for groceries, I'm going to see how long we can eat off this.

Here's what my bags held:

18 Eggs
1/2 Gallon Almond Milk
Iceberg Lettuce
4 Roma Tomatoes
8# Bag of Potatoes
16 oz. Light Sour Cream
1 Ranch Seasoning Packet
1 Bag of Bananas (more to come on these in another post)
Croutons
Loaf of Double Fiber Bread
3 oz. Grilled Chicken (from the salad bar)

We bought a quarter cow this past year, so beef is not going to be on my grocery list. I realize that does make this not as replicable, but it gives you the general idea.

#1-Saturday night's dinner was 'Chicken Cobb Salad'. It was pretty fantastic. I used the lettuce, tomato, croutons, eggs & chicken from the store. I had cheese in my freezer that I pulled out, and used leftover bacon from breakfast cut into small pieces. For the dressing, I put the ranch seasoning into the sour cream.

My oldest won't eat any other ranch. Kind of strange.

#2-Sunday dinner was Roast! Yum. My whole house smelled like my grandma's, and that was fantastic.

I stuck it in the crockpot frozen at 9:30am. 7 hours later it was falling apart AH-MAZ-ING. I baked 4 potatoes, made gravy from the broth and pulled out the leftover salad. Night #2 in the books.

#3-Monday's dinner was Open Faced Roast Beef Sandwiches. Again, YUM! I shredded the leftover roast and warmed it and the gravy in my cast iron skillet. I boiled 3 potatoes cut into cubes, drained them and added the leftover baked potato creating 'smashed potatoes'.

I love adding rosemary and garlic to those babies.

Toasted 4 pieces of bread, topped it with the potatoes, then beef and gravy. Added broccoli from my freezer and night 3 is done.

I don't know how much longer I can stretch this, though. Iceberg lettuce only satisfies me so long.

Tonight I may make Upscale Scalloped Potatoes and Ham. My Grampsy cans ham and sends it to me in a care package. I add a secret ingredient to make the dish totally delish!

Or tacos. Or taco salad. I'm in the mood for Mexican.

If I can use my $20 for a family of 5 for 3 nights and counting, maybe you can too! Or maybe you can do even better!

What's your money saving grocery tricks? How do you stretch your groceries? Do tell, because I love to get new ideas!

A New Year

Something about coming home from a trip and unpacking gets me into cleaning mode. I had to wash the towels that I got for Christmas, and that was fabulous. Something about new towels just made my whole morning. Something about saying something about makes me feel whimsical and nostalgic. I'm strange, I know.

I began putting away decorations this morning. That was fabulous. I think it's the coming new year. New beginnings, newly cleaned house, new goals. I don't really do resolutions, because I never keep them. I do, however, have ideas of what I want to do, but don't say them too loudly just in case I don't follow through. Good intentions and all that. But this year feels different. I don't know why, it just does. This year I'm going to do what I intend to do.

My first good intention? Start tomato plants from seed. I have always wanted to. This year I will! That begins around Valentine's Day, so be looking for me to say I did begin that project.

Second good intention- dry at least 1 load a week. Not only does it save money, it saves clothes!

Third good intention- run a half marathon. I decided before Thanksgiving that I was going to do this before I turned 30. SO far, I have kept up my running schedule!!!

Fourth good intention- give away an IPAD!!! How cool would that be? Once I hit 200 followers, I will give one away!

Fifth good intention- NOT GO OVER BUDGET ON GROCERIES!!!!! Huge, epic, and my biggest challenge. Yes, even I go over budget. I hate doing it but I always seem to justify it. This year, I won't. I'm going to keep track of my spending too.

Do you have any good intentions for the new year?