Haven’t been to the grocery store in 3 weeks

And I don’t miss it! We usually shop every Sunday, but between Mister Redhead’s folks being here one weekend and the constant rain last Sunday, we just haven’t made it there. Instead, we’re surviving off of what’s already in the cupboards, refrigerator, and freezer. It’s made for some odd combos (lemon chicken with cauliflower and green beans) and a few surprises (“when did we buy Pillsbury biscuits?”). And I have to ‘fess up: We have been buying skim milk and other essentials like Double Stuf Chocolate Creme Oreos (to eat while watching The Biggest Loser, natch). But overall, it’s been a good experiment and forced me out of that “why don’t we have anything to eat” mindset.

How long can you make it without going grocery shopping? I imagine you non-New Yorkers can load up your cars with weeks worth of groceries (jealous!!).

What to do with icky apples

Last week I bought pre-bagged apples instead of selecting loose ones out of the bin. It was a better deal, and the apples in the bag looked like they were in better condition than the loose ones. Well, when I got home and opened the bag, I discovered that almost every apple had a big bruised spot or (ew) a worm hole. How had I missed those? Oops. I didn’t want to throw those in my purse to take to work for a snack, but I didn’t just want to throw them out either.

So I made applesauce yesterday (after cutting out those icky spots, of course!). I used this recipe, which is practically foolproof, considering that even a non-cook like myself could handle it. I feel good about not wasting the apples. However, I was disappointed that four apples only yielded a bowl of applesauce. If I want a jar of applesauce, it’s more cost-effective to just buy one at the store (even the natural brand that I like, which you’d think would be more expensive).

Do you have any healthy treats that are more affordable when they’re homemade?

Looking ahead

Day 2 of 2009 is upon us, and I’ve been thinking about what I can do better in terms of finances. I have a million ideas, but I’ll just jot down the biggies that come to mind:

• Get a handle on the restaurant/bar outings. As I said in the last post, I’ve gotten better with this, but there’s still room for improvement. Maybe I need to come up with a set budget for entertainment per month. Or maybe I should set some parameters, like having one date night per month that’s completely planned ahead of time (so we can research restaurant prices beforehand). Enough of just spontaneously dropping in someplace because we’re hungry and home feels so far away! At the very least, I should start packing snacks when I know we’re going to be away from the apartment a lot on the weekends.
• Look into a Roth IRA for Mister Redhead. He’s technically a freelancer, so he’s doesn’t have 401(k) options at his job. I know financial experts stress getting retirement funds going as soon as possible, but I can’t help but wonder: With the markets being so dismal, is it even worth setting something up right now? Or would that be like throwing money to the wind? Maybe that cash would be better put toward paying down student loans. I have the feeling we should get something started no matter what, but this definitely needs more research.
• Be savvier at the grocery store. It’s not like we buy expensive brand names or pricey organic veggies (I don’t think our Spanish Harlem grocery store even carries organic veggies). We buy generics, we take advantage of sales, we make large batches that last us a few days. But there must be more we can do. Clipping coupons, or trying a different store to compare prices (although I really think our icky grocery store has the lowest prices I’ve seen in Manhattan). Yet another point that needs more research.

How about you—any fiscal plans for ’09?