The Professional Domestic

Week 5 – What we are Eating and How Much We Spent on Groceries 2022

Yesterday’s shopping trip was pretty small, thank goodness! Total spent was $86.63. I didn’t buy from Misfits this week.

The most expensive things I bought were bacon at $7.99 and believe it or not strawberries at a whopping $5.99. I guess I won’t buy strawberries again until they are on sale or growing in my garden!

I bought a few things that aren’t usually on my list, like a 32 oz container of Greek vanilla yogurt and lemons which I am going to use to make this fabulous Lemon Zucchini Bread from A Latte Food https://www.alattefood.com/lemon-zucchini-bread/ It is the best I have ever had and I still have a ton of frozen shredded zucchini from my garden I need to use.

I also bought ingredients to make 2 quiche. One for us and one for Scott to take to a friend’s house. Quiche is incredibly easy to make. Beat 6 eggs with 1-1/2 cups of either milk, cream or half and half (I use Lactaid so I can eat it without taking a pill) and salt and pepper to taste. That’s it! Then add whatever sounds good. I made one with just shredded cheese and frozen chopped spinach and one with ham, spinach and cheese. But the possibilities are endless especially when the garden is in full swing. I do add a tsp of garlic powder and parsley for more color and flavor too. Pour into an unbaked pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 45 mins or so or until the center is not runny. You can totally used a store bought pie shell for this too!

I plan on making chicken and biscuits, beef and veggie soup and goulash this week. Otherwise I will get creative. Not sure what else will be on the menu.

For breakfasts the Quiche and Lemon Zucchini Bread will be the stars and lunches I bought cottage cheese and home-canned peaches and salads and leftovers for Scott. Big salads and pasta for lunches for Doug and I.

What do you plan on eating this week? -MM

Buying from Misfits Market and Traditional Grocery Store Comparison

In my last post I talked about using Misfits Market, an online grocery source. I have run some numbers to show you a comparison between Misfits and my local grocery store prices.

Please keep in mind what Misfits offers is organic produce. What I compared at my local grocery store was NOT organic. If the items compared were both organic the price comparison would have been very different. The local grocery stores cannot compete with Misfits on organic produce prices. Hands down Misfits wins.

But let’s see which shopping experience is cheaper in general if cost is purely the attraction.

	Misfits	Grocery Store
Green Beans	$3.99/lb	$2.49/lb
Cauliflower	$3.99	$4.49
Broccoli	$3.99/lb	$1.99/lb
Grape Tomatoes	$3.19 pt	$3.49 pt
Romaine Hearts 3ct	$3.99	$4.49
White Mushrooms	$2.29 8oz	$2.99 8oz
Brussels Sprouts	$3.99/lb	$2.99/lb
Baby Bella Mushrooms	$2.49 8oz	$3.49 8oz
Total cost if purchased all	$27.92	$26.42

After the price comparison as you can see the traditional store is technically cheaper by about $1.50 but is that incentive enough to not shop online? I guess you would have to weigh the pros and cons. There are traditional stores that might be cheaper like an Aldi or Save-A-Lot. A larger traditional store like a Wegmans or Tops would definitely be higher priced but then there is Walmart which usually is even cheaper.

I guess it all comes down to what works for you. Remember there is a delivery fee with Misfits that is not factored into this cost comparison which was $5.50 for me last week. AND don’t forget Misfits wants you to order a minimum of $30 per delivery. (plus delivery charge).

I am not ordering from Misfits this week. The beans and Brussels sprouts look better at my local store and I want to support my son and family and friends that work there. That means more to me than having the convenience of having a box dropped at my door.

My goal in the spring, summer and fall is to grow all of my own produce and eat with the seasons. Except for maybe corn. Corn takes up a lot of space, which I don’t have.

What do you think of buying groceries online?

Next update – the grocery shopping habits of my friend Rebecca! – MM

January- What We Ate this Month and How Much We Spent on Groceries 2022

Grocery costs were interesting this month. I started getting a new online delivery service called Misfits Market just for something different. Misfits sells produce at a reduced rate. So if something is scarred or misshapen, (which would not be sellable at a normal grocery store), it is sold through this online website to help reduce food waste. Everything is organic, which honestly isn’t that important to me, but is a bonus none-the-less. Each week I can pick from a list of what is available and it is shipped to me every Tuesday. Of course if you are over-run with produce you can skip a week or cancel at anytime. But a word of caution, they will automatically fill your cart for you once a week with items they recommend and if you do not edit that cart, those items will be shipped to you.

Now that Misfits has gotten more popular they have added all kinds of items besides produce such as meats, dairy and grocery items.

I have gotten 2 shipments of produce so far and I have been happy with them. One of the items was starting to rot so I messaged them and they credited me immediately. Honestly none of the items except the avocados were misshapen really. They looked good to me!

My first shipment with all of the sign-up discounts and credits was just $12.92, this included shipping. Here is what we got:

And here is a shot of my second shipment from this past Tuesday:

Hands down my favorite item are the golden potatoes!

I do have some concerns about using a service like this though. With all of these online services it is most definitely taking business away from my local grocery store and local jobs. My son is following his father’s path and going into the grocery business which is a small local independently owned store. His dad has always been in the grocery business from the time he was born so it is important to our family (even though his dad and I are divorced now) to support local.

Grocery bill for Week 2 totals: $84.72 store, $12.92 Misfits

Grocery bill for Week 3 totals: $88.33 store, 34.64 Misfits

Grocery bill for Week 4 totals: $161.14 store, $38.09 Misfits

Here are some meals we had this month:

Pork Tenderloin with Fingerling Potatoes and Swiss Chard

Lots of soups this month!

I will need to think about whether I will get another Misfits load. Stay tuned for a cost comparison coming soon. -MM

Not Impressed with our Debt – How Much Did Christmas set us Back?

As a child Christmas was my favorite holiday but as an adult it’s a stressor. I don’t know how my parents did it or how much debt it put them in each year but they were amazing. Reflecting back on Christmas 2021 thankfully the debt numbers aren’t so bad for this year’s holiday.

Going into November we were at $31,231.03 for debt and I am happy to say with all of the presents and eating out for Christmas we only went up in debt to $31,727.02 that’s just shy of $500. I can live with that.

Considering our 2021 was not the best year for us financially I hope to plan ahead for 2022 a little more. Although I could never have predicted Scott’s heart attack and the subsequent medical bills we incurred, I can plan for paying property taxes and hopefully get some money stashed away for needed repairs to the house without getting into more debt. And I am happy to say our biggest monthly loan payment will be done by June. Yay!

January will be an interesting month because we have the dreaded Town/County taxes due at the end of the month so I don’t see us paying off a substantial amount of debt. With the payments we automatically pay each month I expect the debt will go down about $800 so let’s make that our goal and with a few bakery orders I have this month let’s plan on putting $100 in the savings.

There you have it, 2021 is a wrap! Here’s to better health, both physically and financially in 2022.

Next update January 31st – MM

Week 1 – What We are Eating this Week and How Much We Spent on Groceries

I spent a lot on groceries this week, $199.25 to be exact. Ouch right? But we had two special occasions. One, my son’s 20th birthday and two, New Year’s Eve so I didn’t mind spending a little more.

The most expensive thing I purchased was a 70 ct bag of frozen pre-cooked shrimp on sale for $16.99. I also bought a pork tenderloin for $11.53 and a ham for $16.76 plus ground beef, a whole chicken, split breasts and a package of cocktail weenies and a pack of bacon.

Yesterday I asked the hubs to go into the store for me while I waited in the car. We just needed cocktail sauce. Ladies I know what your thinking. Big mistake on my part right? Sure enough a whole bag came out with him. Cheetos, Chips, Pop, and other assorted junk food came home with us and yes he did get the cocktail sauce. I rolled my eyes and did a mental head slap. It’s all good though lol.

Meals planned for the week are:

Dinners

Tacos
Grilled pork tenderloin, veggies and rolls
Ham, mashed potatoes and glazed carrots
Homemade chicken pot pie
Ham and Corn Chowder
Breakfast for dinner
Leftovers

Lunches

Leftovers everyday
Salads
Potato Salad
Grilled Cheese

Breakfasts

PBJ toasted
Oatmeal with Fruit
Eggo waffles
Cereal
Breakfast Sammies
Cereal Bars

Snacks

Pie
Cake
Popcorn
Jell-O with fruit
Olives and cheese
Junk food in a bag
I need to work on healthier options

I need to say this. Last week I didn’t feel like cooking so we went out. The restaurant we wanted to go to was packed and I didn’t feel like waiting nor did I want to be around that many people. We settled on another local restaurant because we wanted to support them but once again regretted our decision. Our meal was lack luster and very expensive for what we got. I get that food prices are skyrocketing but we truly had buyers remorse after this night out. The food was just not good. I had the same feeling after we tried Hello Fresh. Yes, it is all there for you but you still have to cook it and for the amount of food you get, just like the restaurant it just isn’t worth it to me. Until prices go down on food (if they ever do) I will continue to make as many amazing meals at home as I can and support the restaurants I trust and know well.

I want to try a new recipe this week for lunches. I still need a few ingredients that are not common in my pantry so I might put out a post on Instagram asking if I can mooch a little from my friends. The recipe is from a book I have checked out numerous times from the library and I finally decided to purchase the book. I’ll share that with you in another post.

Also, something a bit exciting for me…I have had a few people message me on Instagram privately and share their thoughts on the food shortages and price increases in their areas as well. I have already reached out to one of my friends and I will be sharing her grocery shopping experience where she lives in a separate post. If you would like to share with me your experience I would love to interview you! Please contact me on Instagram at Theprofessionaldomestic or you can email me at marymargaretripley@yahoo.com.

Sharing our experiences helps so much. I am already working on what to grow this upcoming season to specifically save money on food bills. Should be interesting. -MM

What We are Eating this Week and How Much We Spent on Groceries Dec 12 -Dec 18

A little less was spent on groceries this week. So far our total is $123.05 down about $20 from last week and honestly I feel like we got more for our money.

The most expensive of the items purchased by far was the 3 lbs of ground beef at about $15. The store I shop at still has the 5 for $20 deal on certain meats which is pretty amazing considering the price of meat currently. Just a note of caution. Always check your receipt! I was overcharged for the Clementines by $3.00 which isn’t a ton but I would not have bought them unless they were on sale. No worries though, stuff happens and I will get my money back.

Meals planned for the week are:

Dinners

Tacos
Asian meatballs with rice
Flatbread pizzas
Stuffed split chicken breasts with potatoes and veggies
Grilled pork tenderloin with stuffing and grilled veggies
Grilled thick cut pork chops with mushroom gravy
Grilled sandwiches

Lunches

Leftovers everyday
Salads
Mac Salad and Fruit
Grilled Cheese

Breakfasts

PBJ toasted
Oatmeal with Fruit
Eggo waffles
Cereal
Breakfast Sammies
Cereal Bars

Snacks

Brownies
Popcorn
Guacamole with Chips
Vanilla Biscuit Cookies with Hot Cocoa
Jell-O with Pineapple
Ice Cream

There isn’t a lot of meal prep to do this week so yay!!

What are you all cooking this week? -MM

What We are Eating this Week and How Much We Spent on Groceries

Wow have groceries gone up in price, right? Definitely makes me wish I had preserved more of our harvest this year. Sunday is my shopping day and after I prep so I can get a head start on the week.

Total this week I spent for groceries barring anything unforeseen is $143.21. The most expensive of the items purchased included 3 lbs of ground beef, a pound of thick cut deli ham, a pound of bacon and a bag of frozen precooked chicken strips.

Meals planned for the week are:

Dinners

Lasagna Rolls with meat sauce and Italian bread
Meat Loaf with baked potato and broccoli
Tuna Noodle but instead of peas mixed in I use a frozen Asian medley.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Big Salads
Cheesy Cauliflower Soup with bacon
Black Bean Nachos

Lunches

Leftovers everyday
Salads
Mac Salad and Fruit

Breakfasts

Broccoli Quiche
Oatmeal with Fruit
English Muffin PBJ
Avocado Toasts with eggs on Black Bread
Pumpkin Pie

Snacks

PB Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cream Cheese Brownies
Popcorn
Guacamole with Chips
Vanilla Biscuit Cookies with Hot Cocoa
Jell-O with Pineapple
Fresh Pineapple and Blueberries
Butterbean Salad
Ice Cream

My meal prep list was long but in two days I have gotten the meatloaf and lasagna rolls made and had enough to freeze, made the quiche which I will share but will also eat all week long, made chocolate chip cream cheese brownies, made the Jell-O, cut up the fresh pineapple, and made brown sugar for the pantry. (Yes , I make my own brown sugar)

Still to make/prep this week is Cauliflower soup, PB Cookies, Black bread, Mac Salad, pumpkin pie (I have the filling already made), scalloped potatoes and the tuna noodle which will be tonight’s dinner.

The tuna noodle I make is a bit different than most. Here is the recipe:

One can, Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup
Two cans, Campbell’s Cream of Celery Soup
Two cans, white tuna
Three cans milk
One bag of egg noodles
One bag Asian Medley frozen veggies
One sleeve of Ritz crackers crushed
A sprinkle of garlic powder, salt, pepper and some dried or fresh parsley for color and taste.

After boiling the noodles mix everything together, add the frozen veggies right in there. Pour into a baking dish and top with the crushed Ritz crackers. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees till brown and bubbly, about 40 minutes.

I have been stuck in a rut for a long time with cooking for us. I lost my routine and hope to get it back in full. With the cost of food rising there is no time like the present to cook and bake at home. Going out to eat has been astoundingly expensive for just the two of us much less an entire family.

What are you all cooking this week? Have groceries gone up where you live? I’d love to hear from you! -MM

Not Impressed with our Debt – Week 17

October was a really tough month that’s why I didn’t post. Do you ever just have months where you have the same income as always but it doesn’t seem to be enough?

A few things came up to set us back this month but they were very necessary. One of those things was fixing our drain issue for the washing machine in the basement. Our washer has always dumped it’s rinse cycle into the wash basin instead of directly into the sewer system like most do. Dumping into the wash basin has caused the drain in that sink to clog numerous times which requires a plumber and truly…it’s just gross because calcium and lime and crud build up in that sink over time. Yuck! So I spent the savings and got it fixed. A little expensive but totally worth it. Glamourous? Absolutely not. I would rather have spent that savings money on something else but when you own a home the unglamorous stuff is what keeps your household running smoothly.

We also put some purchases on the credit card. We are starting to get shopping done for Christmas and birthdays.

At the end of Week 17 we are pretty much at the same point we were at the end of September $31,231.03 for debt which is an INCREASE in about $200 and we are back down to zero in the savings.

This is life. November will be better.

My goal for November is to payoff $800 in debt and add $100 to the savings. Modest but hopefully attainable.

Next update November 15th – MM

Not Impressed with our Debt – Week 12

Looking back on September it has been a big month. My husband gets paid weekly and I get paid bi-weekly. In September there were 5 paychecks for him and 3 paychecks for me. That means it should have been easy for us to meet our $1200 goal of paying down our debt in September, right?

To be honest is was a bit tight this month. Seems ridiculous considering the extra paychecks we earned this month doesn’t it? I’ll have to go back and really see where our money went but I do know we booked a little weekend getaway and paid half down on it and the hubs bought a new dresser which he really needed and the dreaded school taxes were due this month. Those three things took more than a third of our income for September.

Looking back the important thing for us to remember is we had the money to pay those things without charging it to our credit cards and we still had enough money to meet our goals. That’s a big win for us!

At the end of Week 12 we are at $31,034.89 for debt amount and $700.00 in savings. That’s a decrease of $289.26 in debt and $50 increase in savings!

Here’s the breakdown for the month of September:

Week 8 – $32,343.54
Weeks 9 and 10 – $31,897.69
Week 11 – $31,324.15
Week 12 – $31,034.89

Total debt paid off in September $1308.65 with a goal of $1,200 and total saved was $200 with a goal of $100

Since we restarted 12 weeks ago we have paid down our debt a whopping $4,065.11 and put $700 away for savings. Not too shabby!

Next update and new goal October 4th – MM

Not Impressed with our Debt – Week 11

It was a good week last week!

At the end of Week 11 we are at $31,324.15 for debt amount and $650.00 in savings. That’s a decrease of $573.54 in debt and $120 increase in savings!

Here’s the breakdown for the month of September so far:

Week 8 – $32,343.54
Weeks 9 and 10 – $31,897.69
Week 11 – $31,324.15

Just $180.61 left to meet September’s debt goal and we have exceeded September’s savings goal!

Let’s have a conversation about savings. At the point we save $1,000 I want to do something with it. I want to get more bang for our bucks so to speak. The best rate for a CD I found was about .55% for 9 months. The reality of a CD is that unless you have hundreds of thousands of dollars to put into a CD it just isn’t worth it. After calculating we would get a whopping $3.75 after 9 months. Why bother right?

I have had other advice about investing our money which I love to learn about and hear from people but none of those ways of earning are my style.

After seeing the return we would get from a CD I thought to myself why wouldn’t I invest in myself and in my own business? I could take even $500 of the $1000 savings and turn it around in a month and make 10,000 more percent than a CD. In other words I would invest in myself and in my Etsy shop. I can even track that $500 I spend on inventory for my shop by having a series of SKUs that correspond to that original $500 I invest which can then be analyzed weekly.

I’ll talk more about this in the future but for now that is how we intend to increase our savings even more.

Hope you have a great week!

Next update September 27th – MM