WOMEN AGES 50+ FOR APRIL 2019

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  • pipcd34
    pipcd34 Posts: 16,648 Member
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    KJLaMore wrote: »
    Only have a quick minute. Chiming in on groceries. I am well aware of how good we have it here in the states as compared to other areas in the world when it comes to variety/cost of our groceries. I spend (on average) $125-$150/week on groceries. I would say 10-15% of that is meat, about 25% is produce, 10-15% is dairy/cheeses, about 25% is cleaning supplies and toiletries. The rest tends to be miscellaneous items (baking aisle, condiments, special ingredients). I have tried to go lower than that, but with three adults and seven little ones and 21 meals in a week (plus snacks), I think I do pretty well. We eat out once or twice a month and it is usually someplace that we have a gift card or coupon for (or someplace inexpensive). You will also never hear me complain about the cost of gasoline/petrol. Right now the cost of gas in Michigan is about $2.50/gallon. Locals always complain when it rises; but I remember a few years back, taking my girl scouts to Savannah and gas was over $4/gallon! I also know that other countries pay even more than that for their petrol. I don't travel much, so it really doesn't bother me.
    Heather- So happy your visit with your friend went well; and it speaks very well of her trust in you to open up and talk about her funeral arrangements. Not an easy thing to talk about. Sending hugs! <3
    Pip- Going toe to toe with Kirby? Or just playing footsie? ;)
    Ginger and Lisa- Good to see you again!

    ttfn xoxoxo KJ (Kelly)

    Hahaha both
  • LisaInAR
    LisaInAR Posts: 2,020 Member
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    Re: groceries and budgets - We are on a budget gives us a certain amount we can spend each month, whether its groceries, wants or needs, with the specific goal of putting a one-year survival amount into savings by end of this year and then paying off the house in the two years following.

    We followed a similar budget when we were first married--between the two of us, we started off marriage with more than $100,000 in debt (mostly his from his ex-wife's habit of opening new credit cards without telling him, maxing them out, and never paying them). We got a small loan from his dad, which we snowballed into paying $75,000 off (including paying back his dad, with interest) in less than three years. That just left my $25,000 student loan, which we paid off two years later.

    For the next five years (we'll be married ten years in June), we mostly relaxed, and it's not easy to be back on a budget again, I'll tell you that. We don't fight about it, but it's constant vigilance and conversations--luckily, with our son off to college, our grocery bill has literally dropped by half, which has been helpful. The boy could eat!

    Back to my doings,
    Love y'all,
    Lisa
  • janetr7476
    janetr7476 Posts: 4,001 Member
    edited April 2019
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    My dear Lisa, its so good to hear from you, we love you and your posts. Oh to be 59 lol I will hit the big 70 in November and truly cannot wrap my mind around that number. But I'm going to keep right on with my life as I did at 69 lol

    We went to our grandsons Senior Recital last night, it was moving. He will graduate college this year with a bachelors in Music Education, his plan is to go on and obtain his Masters and perhaps a doctorate eventually. He's a very talented kid. So proud of him.

    I also had a terrific NSV last night, my step-daughter (not always the most pleasant to me) told me I looked "super skinny" lat night. I was blown away, but I'll take it with grace (my word for the year).

    We don't really watch our food budget either. We went to Sam's Tuesday and spent $600, but that will last us for 4-5 weeks except fresh veges, etc. With just the two of us we really don't follow much of any kind of budget to speak of.

    Love you my dear friends,
    Janetr OKC
  • Katla49
    Katla49 Posts: 10,385 Member
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    Ginnytez: Welcome! :flowerforyou:

    Kim: I am glad you got to savor a favorite meal. :bigsmile:

    Barbara: I hope your leash arm feels better soon. :star:

    Ginger: it is good to hear that you’re happy about your progress.:smiley:

    Machka: Congrats on getting the root canal done. I am impressed with your grit. :star:

    Lisa: I’m glad to see your post. You’re a part of my lifeline and I value your comments. :flowerforyou:

    M in OZ: We buy a few veggies such as potatoes, celery & carrots. DH’s digestive issues have made our food choices quite limited. I am lucky that I still have frozen green beans from last year’s garden. I’m gearing up to plant beans again this year. It is time to get started but we need to get our drip watering system put back together. We had an unwanted hedge removed next to our garage last fall and the worker destroyed our drip water system. :grumble:

    Janet: We don’t have a tightly controlled food budget, either. We shop meat sales and have two freezers in the garage that can feed us for weeks if needed. DH LOVES to shop for meat, so we tend to buy when prices are low and stick things in the freezer. He put himself through college as a journeyman meat cutter.:star:

    Yoga today! YAY!!!

    Katla in Beautiful NW Oregon
  • Snowflake1968
    Snowflake1968 Posts: 6,792 Member
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    Cschmitz110515 - that must be a relief to have the tests come back showing all clear.

    Cory17 - I hear you on the chips, they are probably the thing I crave more than anything else. I just don’t buy them now except for a small bag when I just can’t resist, but that is becoming more and more rare.

    Toaljasa - I thought about leaving the dress out too, but I’m scared something will happen to it. We live in a trailer so there isn’t a lot of space. Maybe I should print the picture of me off and put it on the fridge.

    AJB1014 - have a wonder trip, relax and enjoy!

    Bex953172 - you did awesome with your Will Not’s. You must have a lot of patience, I would not be happy if Rodger tried to get into my kitchen to work at supper time. Hope you feel better fast!

    Zizzybumble - sometimes I think emotional health is more important than the number of calories. It was probably a very nice meal with your neighbours.

    Johicks - you are just doing amazing!
    I need to start emulating you. “My control issues get in our way”. I could have written that. It’s something I’ve worked on for the last year and I think I’m getting better 75% of the time. I need to work on it more though. He just goes along and let’s me control so that makes it very easy for me to do.

    Mytime6630 - I’m so happy to see all of your positives and your smile faces. You are such an inspiration.

    Hegoddard0928 - look at you go!!!! No dishes even, that must make you feel wonderful. When do you start your job? Didn’t you say you were offered one?

    Elbee1 - you’re doing great!

    Awhit4842 - I have fallen off the wagon with you. I’m hoping to get back on it today.

    Aubyshortcake - I hope you have a stress free day.

    Clicketykeys - even if you don’t feel you have accomplished much, weight down is a good thing. Do you at least feel less stressed?

    Littleblackskirt- I don’t know how I’ll pick my favourites. My first tasks will be choosing 3, 1 of each couple to go into a frame that I have. Those three need to be portrait. Then I have to choose 2 landscape and I’m thinking they will be all 8 of us. Then I have to figure out what else I want to display. Money is very tight so that will help me choose too.
    I hope your records get moved over. I don’t blame you for not pretending to be new. How would they know your history?

    Bookmeister86 - I hope you just bruised your shoulder, it sounds like you have a good plan for dealing with it today. I’m with you on red lip stick, I just can’t do it.

    Layfettenana - good job! 30 minutes would be a lot with a painful knee I imagine!


    I am on my way out the door to go to a friends to work on our resumes together. Hopefully we can do it and get kick a** resumes that no one can look away from.

    Tracey In Edmonton
  • meljoemom
    meljoemom Posts: 118 Member
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    March is when I got serious! I pulled the trigger on a serious vacation and that means staying committed to my goals so I can feel and look good on that trip and for the rest of my life. I wanted to do this last year so on my 50th birthday I would look fabulous, but again, just stopped and went the other direction. Here's to staying the course.. first to lose, then to maintain... and EXERCISE as a way of life.. a way to stay happy!

    I'm already down 9.2 lbs since March 30th so April is working out well. The goal is to keep up the workouts 6 days a week, with at least 3 of them being HIIT where I am pushing myself to sweat and breath hard (not just a walk with the dogs, but those are great as well)!

    My word for 2019 is "discipline."
  • OregonMother
    OregonMother Posts: 1,574 Member
    edited April 2019
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    Groceries . . . my husband thinks shopping for groceries is a date and gets really upset with me if I go without him. For me, it's just business, but I do ask him every time now if he wants to go since it means so much to him. It's not like we're even hanging around together because he goes off on his own to get what he wants, but whatever. It doesn't hurt me to have him come along, even if I do end up spending more when he comes.

    We have three boys at home -- 13, 18, and 23 -- and they are all big snackers. So I have a pantry, a snack cabinet, and then a refrigerator/freezer (not a stand alone deep freeze). Anyway, I say all that to provide context. I probably spend between 150-200/week. I rarely have leftovers (big surprise), and even when I manage to save something from the meal thinking I will take it for lunch the next day, some young man will wake up in the middle of the night and eat it. We rarely eat out as a group of 5, perhaps for obvious reasons, but my husband and I have date night every Friday night, and we usually pick up something for the boys or bring our leftovers for them, if we have a lot left over, which we often do. When my husband is gone, I will sometimes order a pizza for the boys and me. My husband also buys a few of his own things at Wal-mart (because I hate that place and avoid going) -- maybe he spends $50/week??

    Oh, and I now subscribe to imperfect produce, so every Thursday I get about $20 of produce delivered to the house. Lately, I've also added gf snacks and pasta to that order because I can get it cheaper from them than at our store.

    We don't eat super fancy, but if I get a cheaper cut of meat to try to save money, my boys will vocally let me know of their disapproval.

    Felicia, in wet, rainy, dreary
    Willamette Valley, Oregon
  • cityjaneLondon
    cityjaneLondon Posts: 12,312 Member
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    My new cleaner was driving me nuts before she arrived with changing the time of arrival at least three times! :#
    Eventually she got here and her helper/friend arrived soon after. (I didn't know there would be two of them!) They did 3 hours between them. I must say they did a fabulous job! :o:o Really professional.
    She recommended I buy a different limescale cleaner and was not at all impressed by my very, very old and taped together vacuum cleaner. :embarassed:
    I got on my tablet and have ordered the one she recommended and it will be delivered this evening. Just got a message to say it is on its way! Luckily the one she recommended is very inexpensive. :D
    They will come back in two weeks for two hours, but she couldn't give me a definite time.

    I've washed my hair and sorted out some clothes for the weekend. Very minimal packing, no posh frock! Just pants and different wrap style t shirts. Bright silver jewellery. Trainers and velvet slippers. Running gear. :D Toiletries and makeup. Tablet and Kindle. Headphones. I think that's it. I HATE packing!

    Edie is still under the weather and we are all imagining that we are sick. Paranoid. It is unusual for me not to be hungry. Aaaarrrrggghhh!

    Love Heather UK xxxxxxx
  • Vickil57
    Vickil57 Posts: 1,812 Member
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    Heather--Sounds like your visit with your friend went well. She is lucky to have you to talk about those things with. What great memories you are making.

    Lisa--Glad you are feeling better. That dark place is scary, I have been around the edges lately and doing a lot of praying and deep breathing.

    Beautiful weather here today, almost 70. This evening DGD Paytn is coming to spend the night so she can go with me to the baby shower tomorrow. Think we will take the puppies for a walk this evening. Get some steps in.

    Blessings, Vicki GI NE <3
  • exermom
    exermom Posts: 6,373 Member
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    I realized that there’s no way I’ll have time to exercise and still be at the soup kitchen by 8. So that might not get done today. The PLAN for tomorrow is to do a Total Body Toning DVD.

    Tomorrow I’m supposed to help Vince at a train show and then I lector at the church. But I think I’ll have time to exercise before we have to leave for the train show. Vince said something about us going later today so that he can set up for the show tomorrow. Got change and he bought one of those pens that you mark on a bill to be sure it’s not counterfeit.

    M – I usually do go grocery shopping on a weekly basis! I try to decide what we’ll eat the next week earlier in the week, then I know what ingredients I’ll need (like chicken or pork chops) and will buy them. Oh, I buy on sale, too. And I be sure to use my coupon. Vince likes this one brand of cookies. Even tho they were on sale BOGO, I didn’t buy them since I didn’t have a coupon and he really doesn’t need those cookies. I just say “thank goodness for the freezer.” I freeze A LOT and have a make-shift pantry downstairs. Well…duh…of COURSE you have a spreadsheet

    NYKaren – good for you learning something new!

    Heather – even tho you are spending what you feel is a lot for food, wouldn’t it be more expensive if you bought ready to eat food?

    Went to the soup kitchen and they said they had people to do the cooking but I could come back at 11 and help serve, which is fine by me. As a matter of fact, it works better because then I have time to exercise. So I came home, exercised, now have a sausage, spinach, cheese, mushroom, egg casserole in the oven to take to the people who just moved in next door. Eggs were on sale and Vince won’t eat them. I can only eat so much. Can’t wait for them to get older so I can make hard boiled eggs. I’ll also make the neighbor butterscotch spice cookies mainly because I have spice cake mix and Vince won’t eat it. Update: have them made, now making stuffed clams for me then will probably take the stuff over to the neighbor.

    Janetr – what a wonderful compliment from you DIL! I very seldom buy things at Sam’s unless I need a large quantity of something. Like when I was making Denise’s shower bags, I needed lots of bags of Goldfish

    Karen in VA – the Green Room is our local community theater

    Karen in BC – glad you’re feeling better

    Barbie – we have a lady on our senior bowling league who is 94, drives herself to bowling at least twice a week that I know of. There’s a lady in my water aerobics class who is 91, you’d never in a million years guess that by looking at her. Some of these people really put us to shame but they also inspire us

    Well, volunteered at the soup kitchen. My job was to serve the lunches. When it was over a couple people offered me something to eat like they served. I feel so bad for these people. What did they get? Pickles, potato chips, and a fried chicken patty on a roll. Brownies or chocolate cake for dessert. Not something I’m even vaguely interested in.

    Felicia in Williamette Valley – There have been times when Vince has eaten something that I had earmarked to use, so now what I do is put a note on the item “do not eat”

    We need to update the servers so need to post this now.

    Michele in NC
  • klanders30
    klanders30 Posts: 2,569 Member
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    Sleeting right now!! Yuck!!

    Groceries: I try to stay on budget and keep junk food out of the house. We’re doing better than we ever have and have cut way way back on food waste—I do the grocery shopping and DH buys things at Walmart occasionally cause I hate going in there too!!

    NYKAREN
  • pipcd34
    pipcd34 Posts: 16,648 Member
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    ..
  • coastalgosgal
    coastalgosgal Posts: 2,900 Member
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    Woohoo, I bought smoked pepper encrusted salmon today. A treat! It was only two servings worth, but I have an everything bagel, and some salmon cream cheese! My husband looked at me in the store, "salmon on salmon cream cheese"? My look was duh! Yum city!
    h6opjr46xgpr.jpg

    Today we spent $127 at the commissary. I did buy 4 big steaks, thin and round for a bunch of meals. Steak and eggs, steak fajitas. Also 8 ham slices, for ham Mac and cheese, ham and eggs, and ham fried rice. Then bought pork thinly sliced for breaded pork chops. I am buying for son and husband. My meals are just breakfast and lunches. I have been slim fast drinking for either lunch or dinner. Our son takes us out once or twice a mobth, so it evens out.

    Hugs ladies!
    💖 Rebecca
  • skuehn48
    skuehn48 Posts: 2,868 Member
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    <3
  • KetoneKaren
    KetoneKaren Posts: 6,411 Member
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    Woohoo! I got my taxes done, although I still have to wait for confirmation from the IRS that they have accepted my return. One year they didn't accept my electronic return because they said there was a discrepancy between my records and theirs about the prior year's income (there wasn't). I had to mail my returns and then I was anxious wondering what would happen next. Nothing happened. They processed my return without another peep. Another year there was a mystery $25 discrepancy in taxable income. I wrote them a letter with a copy of my return and instructed them to include the $25 in my income. It made a very small difference in the bottom line but it was a big delay in processing my form. I am not fond of the IRS. This year, I have to pay the Commonwealth of Virginia several hundred dollars, but I am getting an unexpected Federal refund, so it's all good. I actually ended up with a net refund. I'm relieved, as cash flow is going to be a concern from now until August. Plus it just feels good to get it behind me. It is always a source of anxiety for me.

    Michele Thanks for telling me what The Green Room is. I was trying to imagine what it was.

    NYKAREN We are cold, rainy, and dreary here today...but no sleet. It was a good day to do taxes. I spent the afternoon on it.

    Heather I hope you stay well. I'm glad for your satisfying visit with your sick friend.

    _____________

    I have to work Saturday & Sunday, but I'll check in periodically.


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