Life is just one big balancing act

My son walked in a few days ago . He had been to the sample shop that was open before Christmas to benefit charity. His big purchase was three light up juggling balls.  He's really good at it.

It reminded me of my life.  My entire life since adulthood.  It's just one big juggling act, a big balancing act.  Trying to do everything that needs to be done and then some,

I run two businesses, work two days a week, take care of my granddaughter, run the house, write a blog, and belong to a service group for women.

I think that's why I am also for a balanced approach on grocery shopping on the cheap.  I coupon.  I do not spend 40 hours a week couponing.  I also don't buy 93 bottles  of hot sauce, or 120 candy bars.
I spend about two hours a month couponing-- an hour at the beginning of the month downloading the new months coupons, and about 10-15 minutes a week checking the match up web site for good matchups.

I think what I am saying is that groceries on the cheap is not my whole life.  I probably don't spend more time than the average family on grocery shopping.  I have learned to "make up any tome I spend on the front side of grocery shopping ( planning) on the cooking part.  Night before last we had a taco rice skillet from scratch.  It didn't take any longer than a hamburger meal box, but it was scratch, not out of a box.  Last night we had steak strips with veggies over rice and fruit cup.

There is a balance.  A balance in serving protein, veggies and starch in proportion, a balance in not spending your whole day grocery shopping, or planning your meals.  A balance in buying just the amount you need to get you through until the next time something is on sale.


Life is just one balancing act.

What to do with  what you got.

SAFEWAYS has good hamburger for 2.99.  Good hamburger is best for meatballs and meatloaf where you can replace the fat that isn't in the meat with veggies that will maintain some moistness.
Taco meat and crumbles can be defatted to render them with less fat than a boneless, skinless chicken breast.

Apples are on sale.  I see an apple cake in my future. Oranges are cheapest at Fred Meyers, a difference of half.  Orange quick bread or muffins are good for breakfast.  Also good side for breakfast for dinner.  Ditto berries.

Unless I am baking, olive oil is my oil of choice.  It boosts the good cholesterol.

What not to buy:  roasted chicken on the deli at SAFEWAYS os 6.49 for 30 ounces.  That is a little less than two pounds.  Forgive me for repeating myself.....

• That os a net of 3.25 a pound.  That is over three times what it cost last week for raw chicken whole.  And well over three times when it was .79 a few weeks back.  
• Less than two pounds means that you are paying too much for bone and getting little chicken.  Three pounds os the break even point and more is gravy.  
• It takes about ten minutes to put a chicken on the oven.  Do the math.  Never mind the balance of meat to bone ratio, cooked chicken is 6.49.  Two pounds of sale chicken is 2.00 ( or less) difference 4.50 rounding.  Remember,get we also rounded the weight.  Ten minutes is 1/6 of an hour .  Six times 4.50 is 27.00 an hour.  With no taxes, that means to clear that much you would have to make 33.00 an hour.  

Remember, you want to average five dollars a dinner.  London broil is 2.99 a pound.  If you have a couple of I expensive meals, you can still have steak and stay on budget.  

I am writing this blog as if you are on snap and have an average of three hundred dollars or so for two to three people.  You can always spend more, learning how to spend a lot less is harder.  

Thanks for stopping by

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Jane