I didn’t realize gasoline had gone down… I’ve been using my bicycle (and little trailer) to run all of my errands (including grocery shopping).
I don’t know why, but I always feel happy riding my bicycle. I guess it takes me back to being a kid.
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Some fun tips here. I’m sure @Desert-Dan is already expert in a lot of them!
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Yes… you are correct; the items on that list were quite familiar to me.
In addition to doing a budget, I keep a “Budget Variance”. For those items that are variable (utilities, repair supplies, etc.), I keep specific track of those items and compare them against my budget to see how I did for the year. And yes I was under budget for 2024. Every penny spent goes into my spreadsheets.
I also changed Auto & Home insurance providers for 2025. I saved quite a bit by adding an “All Peril Deductible” to my homeowners policy. Not all companies offer this, so I did have to “shop around” a bit. I also deleted “Personal Property” from my homeowners. My 20 year old IKEA furniture didn’t cost much to begin with, so no need to insure it. I also made some minor tweaks to the Auto Insurance.
At the end of the day, I saved about $1,000 (yearly premiums) compared to last year.
If anyone needs specifics, please feel free to message me.
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Used to buy “chopped chuck” ground beef for 25 cents a lb…early 1970’s.
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Well, this was before the 1970’s. Maybe our grocery was expensive 
. But a group of us would cook a communal dinner for all of us, rotating weekly. If we had to pitch in more than $1.00 per person per meal, it was unusual. And we cooked actual dinners - protein, starch, veg. We all had The Joy of Cooking. I also recall milk being really cheap. So my dinner budget was about $7 for the week. Lunch was cheap - either at a school food purveying spot or IIRC a neighborhood church had a coffee set up in the basement where you could get a PBJ for 25 cents.
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Not much on sale this week… One store has boneless, skinless chicken thighs on sale (starting tomorrow). I’ll get up early (tomorrow) and see if I can get a pack. Otherwise, I’ll be digging the freezer.
Can you mix chicken with pinto beans?? I could make re-fried beans and chicken enchiladas??
Maybe make an Onion & Chicken Pizza with a white sauce??
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I think so! We had homemade refried bean and pulled chicken tostadas about a month ago.
I have many, many recipes for b/s thighs if you need suggestions. Pizza wouldn’t be my first impulse but maybe with bbq sauce, onions, and cheddar.
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This is a much better idea for a chicken pizza over white sauce.
Thank you so much!!
Tandoori chicken flat crust pizza with a raita drizzle used to be popular at one chain restaurant in Alberta.
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Chicken Alfredo pizza is good, as is white chicken pizza with a bit of bacon.
You can definitely make refried bean and chicken enchiladas, or another idea is arroz con pollo with a side of refried beans, or beans and rice as an accompaniment for baked chicken.
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Burritos with refries, cheddar, and seasoned chicken (cooked, then shredded or diced). Assembled burritos can be pan toasted in oil until melty, or wrapped in foil and baked.
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Thank you @ChristinaM @Phoenikia @Saregama @MunchkinRedux
Great Ideas!! Yes, it seems we eat a lot of chicken as its affordable, so variety is very important.
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When i was in high school cigarettes and gasoline were both 55 cents.
I used a lot of the latter.
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I eat BLSL chicken thighs every week as my standard lunch. (I’d prefer the skin on, but my butcher doesn’t sell them that way.)
I toss them in some oil, then heavily season with either lemon pepper seasoning or Old Bay. Then I grill them, eating the first thigh hot off the grill and the rest cold. Grilling them takes under 15 min.
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I miss Old Bay seasoning… haven’t had it since I left Maryland.
Your recipe sounds GREAT!!
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It’s really good. I dislike reheated poultry though, so this is why I eat the leftovers cold.
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You might want to check out / get in on the chicken thigh threads:
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When they’re on sale, I buy as much of those as I can, portion them out, render the excess fat, wrap them up really snug and freeze. They’re usually 'qued or oven fried when we consume then. It’s nice to be able to pull them out in the morning to defrost before dinner prep time.
I treat fresh crab the same way.
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I think cigs were 40 cents in the machines in our dorm. And our rooms all had ashtrays as part of the furnishings. Desk, chair, bed, lamp, ashtray.
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A pack of cigarettes costs $20-$22 CAD/ pack in Ontario these days.
