So I decided to follow-up yesterday's food post with another one. I'm not sure if anyone here has heard of this program. My Mums found out about it and we just tried it for the first time this month.

Basically, you get a choice of different "boxes" of foods. You choose what you want, pay AngelFood ministries, and then pick up the food at a local pickup site. Each month they offer different packages/boxes of food. Each package/box has a variety of foods in it, and the prices are great!

This month we got the Regular box and Special #4. Between the two, here's what we got for food:

REGULAR BOX:
1.5 lbs Ribeye steak
2 large chicken breasts
4 lbs chicken legs
1.5 lbs pork chops
1 lb 80/20 ground beef
1.5 lbs turkey burgers
12 oz deli ham
1 lb frozen sweet potatoes
1 lb frozen green beans
can of pears
can of OJ concentrate
3 lb bag Idaho potatoes
3 lb bag onions
2% shelf stable milk
dozen eggs
Toll house cookie dough mix

SPECIAL #4:
1 large head of cabbage
3 lb bag Idaho potatoes
3 lb bag onions
1 lb carrots
1 extra large summer squash
1 avocado
1 mango
4 Bartlett pears
1 cantaloupe
3 lb bag macintosh apples
3 lb bag golden apples
6 sm boxes raisin
package of apple spice pie mix

Total for it all: $52 (no tax)


They have a special Thanksgiving box we are thinking of ordering. And for next month we have already picked out our boxes.

If you want to see if they offer this near you (it is nation wide) check out the website at angelfoodministries.com They also post each month's "menu" there, which is a description of the boxes and what is in them.

*Courtesy of Everyday Cheapskate Daily Email

When it comes to food, there is a commonly held belief that if it's cheap, it can't possibly be healthy and if it's healthy, it's not going to be cheap. That may be true if we're talking about fresh wild salmon or fresh blueberries purchased in the middle of winter, but there are untold healthy options that are affordable on any budget. Here's a quick grocery list to help you cut food prices while you boost nutrition, and a few recipes, too.

1. Oats. Oats are high in fiber and good for lowering cholesterol. One dollar will buy you breakfast for a week, or give you a good start on oatmeal cookies for a tasty treat. Spend that buck at a store like Whole Foods or Sprouts that offers oats in bulk and your buck will buy even more.

2. Eggs. A buck will get you about six eggs. Bring on the protein-rich egg salad sandwiches!

3. Sweet potatoes. Keep the Swine Flu at bay by eating foods that are rich in beta carotene, which strengthens the immune system and promotes bone and eye health.

5. Apples. Apple season is here, so this fruit is plentiful and cheap. A dollar will buy enough to enjoy fresh slices as a lovely snack or tasty dessert, and a great way to dress up a meal.

6. Nuts. Peanuts, walnuts and almonds are cheap "power foods" and perfect snacks to keep you energized throughout the day. Buy them in their shells to get the best price.

7. Garbanzo Beans. Also called "chickpeas," these help balance blood sugar levels, and are high in fiber and protein.

8. Whole Grain Pasta. This cheap staple is made up of complex carbohydrates, meaning that it packs more nutritional punch than does its white-pasta counterpart.

9. Sardines. These little fish don't come with a mercury warning, just plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids for heart and brain health. Chop them up and add them to salads and pizza or mix them with lemon juice and olive oil for a tasty spread.

10. Spinach. Your mom always told you to eat your spinach, and she was right. This leafy green can be prepared in oh-so-many ways, and it is packed with calcium, iron, folic acid and vitamin A. Skip the washed and bagged spinach and wash it yourself to save.

**To see suggested recipes and the original article, visit debtproofliving.com

Nothing really new. On day 4 of WW and still doing OK. Still within my points. Go me!

Hit the gym only once this week, but I am planning on going tomorrow, too.

In finance, not much. Threw and extra $10 on my CC bill, not that $10 will really do much right now. Managed to be good and not spend the $$ I earned at work today on eating out.

Wait, what is this??

Am I.....

Am I getting WILLPOWER???

LOL

I spent today. I knew I would. But I actually did better than I thought.

My car needed a ton of stuff fixed. $550 worth of stuff. I did save $10 with a coupon I had, so that was cool.

Other than that, I spent $17 on 2 new rugs and a new curtain for the bathroom. Love that outlet store! And I also picked up a cool new cookbook for $5. It uses all types of odd food for the meals. Like potato chip crusted chicken, or peanut butter thai burgers. When I try the recipes, if they come out OK, I'll share them.

Did pretty good yesterday in terms of spending.

IHOP was so yummy. I had 2 eggs, 2 slices bacon, 2 sausage links, and 2 crepes. The crepes had nutella, bananas, strawberries, and whipped cream. So not healthy on my diet, but at least I had fruit! BF got eggs, pancakes, hash browns, and bacon. Total for the 2 of us was $20.66, but after my BOGO coupon, the total was $13.51 Makes me happy!

We also stopped and picked up cigars for BF and a few things at the Dollar Store. Oh, and put gas in the car. Total spent for the day was $45.08

Hoping to make today a NSD as well. We are going to Mums to do laundry later this afternoon, and I think I may hang out with a friend, but I don't see us needing to spend $ on anything.

When we were in the cigar shop yesterday I found a dime and a penny. Jingly jingly! New Pennies on the Sidewalk total: $.37

Yesterday I signed up for the 2009 MS Walk. I think most everyone who walked on my team last year is going to walk again, so that is cool. And I got my first donation: $50 from an old friend of mine. Wait, the friend is not old, I've just known her for 19 years. Plus my Mums' cousin emailed me and said he is mailing a donation so that rocks, too.

Oh, and my payments to my LBCC posted, as well as the $29 credit for late fee waiver. New LBCC balance is $889.21 I may just get that one paid off this year!

Waiting in that massive snow storm to hit today. Yay! Snowed in for the weekend!

Headed next door to Walgreens to pick up some things: lunch meat, cheese, Advil, allergy meds. Came to $26 (!!) AND I used 2 coupons and got $4 off. Yes, the $26 was after the coupons.

BF has been craving bagels, so I stopped at DnD and picked up half a dozen. $5 and I know I could have gotten them much cheaper somewhere else, but with the storm coming I just wanted to get home ASAP and I really didn't want to deal with panicked New Englanders buying bread and milk. Yup, for some reason, when a storm hits, we buy bread and milk. I have no idea why. And no, I didn't buy any bread or milk (well, I got bagels) because we already have plenty in the house.

I found a nickel and 2 pennies while I was out, too. New Pennies on the Sidewalk Total: $2.17

What I have learned from this site and the friends I have made has inspired me to start a weight-loss/health blog. Don't know if it will be of my weigh-loss success or failures, but I'm blogging about it anyways.

It's called Healthy By 35 and can be found at:

http://healthyby35.blogspot.com/

Not much to report these last few days. I went to an OA meeting and am now following the program. No sugar and no flour. Ugh, the sugar cravings I am having!! But today is Day 2 on program. When I went to the meeting, I donated $2. There is no fee, and they run on donations, and it is asked that everyone donate a dollar or two. $8 a month? Even I can handle that!

Last night I worked and earned $13. Very slooooow day.

Today we went to Mums and Dads. Now just hanging around. Not much going on at all.

$25 on dinner. I know, I know, shame on me.

And I didn't make it to the fax place.

I had a lazy day.

Today Mums and Dads are coming up and we're going to lunch...very fun!

Yesterday was a pretty good day. Spent way too much money on eating out. $12 at DnD for lunch for me and BF and then $20 on dinner for the both of us. Not a huge amount, but we shouldn't have spent any at all. I do need to go to the grocery store today, though, so there will be no more eating out for a bit.

Ended up getting called into work last night for a few hours. I like working Tuesdays, since that is a day BF works there so we get to work together. Made $50. Yay! $20 will go to savings, $20 to Mom for the laptop, and $10 for me for the week. Also working tonight, so hopefully I can make another $50 or so!

Picked up 3 meds yesterday; $60. I'm still waiting to hear about MassHealth. Will be a couple of weeks I think.

Wow, just reread what I wrote...kinda boring! LOL Maybe I'll have more exciting news later. *smile*

Got dressed, went out in the rain, showed up at work, and found out I wasn't scheduled to work tonight. Bleh!!

So instead I came home, changed back into the comfy PJs, and made some necklaces. I love them both, but am thinking of selling them on etsy. Maybe not these two, but I think I will make some more. I have tons of supplies and only need to pick up one or two things. Should be less than $10, and hopefully I can make some money.

Watching Iron Chef America right now and the secret ingredient is chocolate. Yummmmm...Think I will bake tonight or tomorrow. We have choc-chip cookie and brownie mix. Both from the Dollar Store. I heart the Dollar Store. *smile*

Ate way too much food today. Spent way too much money today.

Can't wait til tomorrow to start over again.

Walking to the car today, I noticed a pebble in the same shape and size and perfect roundness of a dime. Of course, I stopped to check it out, and was a dime! Pretty much in a pile of dirt, but hey, a dime is a dime. *smile*

Cash flow is OK right now. Gave BF $5 of my last $10 cash for him to get something at work tonight. I'll just have a few leftovers for dinner. Big imporovement, since normally when BF is at work I use it as an excuse to order out or get take-out. Not tonight, though. We have $70.11 in the checking account, and all bills are paid. I'm refusing to spend it on extra food, since I picked up about $60 worth of groceries yesterday morning and we have plenty to eat in the house. Plus, I am really enjoying the fact that so far for me, it has been a NSD and I am determined to keep it one!

Just waiting on that stupid freelance check now!

Happy Veterans Day and thanks to everyone who has severved!!!!

I have realized that I am OK at not spending money on impulse buys. I think it is a lot of the learning and conditioning from being here and talking to you all for so long. BUT, I have noticed I do have a weakness when it comes to unecessary spending.

I am addicted to food.

I can say no to anything else. Talk myself out of anything else. Reason myself out of anything else. But once I get the idea in my head that there is some food I want, or snack I want, or I want to eat out at a special place or just plain eat out, I CANNOT talk myself out of it. And on those rare occassions when I do, I obsess over the food I didn't get all night until I can get it the next day.

I know this is more a food/eating problem, and it is something I am working on in therapy, but I have recently realized it is a money issue as well. Days when I say no to the donuts, ice cream, ordering in, eating out, stops for coffee, I don't spend extra money. I tend to stay on budget. I guess food is my latte factor, but damn, that's a big f***ing latte!!!

It's hard to admit this, but I would say about $2,500 of my $5,000 CC debt is from eating out. The rest is books and splurges, some necessities, but about half from my food addiction.

Wow. I never thought I would admit that to anyone, ever.

Even now, as I write this all I can think of is walking next door to DnD and getting 2 donuts. Only $1.68! And I have about $12 of my own spending cash. BUT I am trying not to do it. First, because I have to start to break the cycle somewhere, and second, because I am very unhealthy and overweight and NEED to lose weight.

Ive commented here before that when my health/weight is getting better and I am more in control, my spending goes out of wack. And vice versa. But now I am realizing it is not an either/or issue. They are linked together. I can't focus on clenaing up just one, because then I ignore the other. I really need to battle them as one lump issue, as opposed to two separate issues.

I guess therapy is a good place to start. Thanks Goddess I decided to go back this summer. I am also starting the process for weight-loss surgery, approval from my health insurance, etc. My therapist suggested I check out Overeaters Anonymous, and I am starting to think this is a good idea. And it seems like this will be my therapy for the financial aspect of this battle.

Wow. That was a lot of heavy blogging there. Thanks again for everything these past few weeks from you all and for listening. Just being about to put it out there makes it more real and makes me face it better.