Budget, Groceries, Recycled Crafts, Thrifting

So sorry to have been absent for several days...I plan on making it my regimen to blog at least 4 times a week...I always worry that I won't have anything to say, but I am only responsible to show up to my keyboard and the words will come...if only I could believe that...

I have been sick for a couple of weeks now and it is starting to get really annoying...I got on meds last week and was feeling a lot better, but as soon as I finished my meds, I went downhill again...the fact that I am blogging today, though, makes me think that I am finally on the mend, as being sick caused me to be depressed and I was so down on myself and discouraged that I couldn't accomplish much.

I did accomplish one very important thing though. I came up with a grocery budget and went shopping and spent $190 on groceries for this coming week...which includes all food, vitamins, cleaning supplies and toiletries for 6 adult sized people...I was pleased....following is my budget/grocery list:

GROCERIES

DINNERS WITH LEFTOVERS FOR 6 OR 7 ADULTS = $96 PER WEEK (4 MEALS)

MEAT/EGG PER MEAL: $12

DAIRY/OIL PER MEAL: $4

VEGGIES/FRUIT PER MEAL: $6

CARB PER MEAL: $2 

EAT 1) LEFTOVERS AND ROASTED ONIONS 2) EGGS AND CHOPPED/ROASTED POTATOES OR 3) SANDWICHES AND JUICE FOR OTHER DINNERS

LUNCHES - SANDWICH MATERIALS OR SMOOTHIE MATERIALS = $30 PER WEEK

BREAD, MEAT, CHEESE, LETTUCE, CONDIMENTS

BANANAS, MILK, TANG

BREAKFASTS = $20 PER WEEK

CEREAL AND MILK OR TOAST/NUT BUTTER AND MILK

BEVERAGES = $19/WEEK

64 oz JUICE

TANG
COFFEE
TEA

VIT/CLEAN/TOILETRIES = $35/WEEK

VITAMINS

GERITOL COMPLETE

C

B COMPLEX

D3

CALCIUM/MAGNESIUM/ZINC

OMEGA 3

FLAXSEED

PAPAYA (Commodore)

B6 (Bonnie)

TYLENOL

ASPIRIN

ALEVE

CHLOR TABS (Allergy)

CLEANING/TOILETRIES

CLEANING:

LYSOL

WINDEX

SCRUBBING BUBBLES

SWIFFER WET MOP CLOTHS

SWIFFER DUSTERS

BLEACH TOILET TABS

DISHES:

DISH SOAP

FINISH WITH POWERBALL

BAR KEEPERS POWDER

DISH SCRUBBIES

LAUNDRY:

ARM & HAMMER LAUNDRY SOAP

TIDE WITH BLEACH

OXICLEAN

COLOR SHEETS

DRYER SHEETS

SHOUT SET IN STAIN REMOVER

BODY:

HANDSOAP

IVORY BARS

SUAVE SHAMPOO & CONDITTIONER

SEA BREEZE

COTTON ROUNDS

Q-TIPS

TOOTHPASTE

FLOSS

MOUTHWASH

RAZORS

SHAVING CREAM (Chris)

MINIS:

TOOTHPASTE

FACE SOAP

PAPER:

TOILET PAPER

WIPES

PAPER TOWELS

KLEENEX

PAPER PLATES

ZIPLOCK BAGS (SANDWICH, QUART, GALLON, 2 GALLON)

ALUMINUM FOIL

I figure if I can save the family money, that is really making money...and since I want to be a nanny in my home primarily as a ministry and not as a big money maker, then my goal as a stay at home wife, mommy, nanny and artist is to be as thrifty as possible in our spending...another thing I accomplished this week is coming up with  ways for the kids I nanny to craft with recyclables. Following are the items to recycle and the craft items to have on hand...I have learned in my child development training and its application that open-ended art projects are best for the children's imagination and cognitive abilities, simply stated: give children the raw materials to create with and let their little minds and hearts do the creating...providing ideas in the forms of pictures (of artwork and crafts) will help spur on their thinking and creativity...

ART

RECYCLE:

COFFEE CANS

OATMEAL CONTAINERS

BOXES

PLASTIC CONTAINERS

TIN CANS

EGG CARTONS

KLEENEX BOXES (FEET SIZED)

CARDS - find at thrift stores

PICTURE BOOKS - find at thrift stores

MAGAZINES- find at thrift stores

NEWSPAPER

COMICS FROM NEWSPAPERS

TUBES (paper towel and t.p.)

JARS

HAVE ON HAND:

STENCILS

CONTRUCTION PAPER

DRAW PADS

PAINT & BRUSHES

SCISSORS

GLUE

GLUE STICKS

HOLE PUNCHER

SHREDDER

HOT GLUE AND GUN

CARDSTOCK

MARKERS

COTTON BALLS

EXACTO KNIFE

CRAFT STICKS

MOD PODGE

CRAYONS

GLITTER 

SEQUINS

BUTTONS

Another commitment I made is to not spend more than $10/week on supplies or stuff for me...i.e. I pretty much primarily shop for books, clothes, toys at the thrift store (Old Navy during their 30%-50% additional off clearance is pretty much the only other place I will shop for clothes)...I can get books from 50 cents to $2 at the thrift store and it is so fun to find the treasures that exist at these places...my aunt and I now have shops we frequent all over the area and we pick one or two each week to go to...but for me I have to put a limit and $10/week is what I have allotted....a couple of weeks ago I found a big container of Duplo blocks for $5, a children's golf set for $1.95 and wooden automobiles for 75 cents each...and the books I have found since I started thrifting, not just amazing children's books with melt-me illustrations but even books for myself
 (amazing memoirs - which are my favorite genre)...when I give myself a goal and its boundaries, I feel like God honors it and directs me to just what I need. I am going to use the children's books I find not only for books to read and reread and swoon over (yes, I love children's books), but also as means for the children I nanny to  make art using picture books...kind of like the framed children's book art that I do with prints and lyrics to accompany...I think offering children with the gift of imaginative and talented artists will help them appreciate art and want to make their own through the  inspiration and teaching tools right at their fingertips...