Yesterday was a good day.  I really started tracking how much everything I ate, cost.  And, at the end of the day, I was pleased to see that an entire day's meals, snacks and cocktails added up to just $6.36!  And no, I didn't starve myself...I'm a size 14W, a girl's gotta eat!


In reality, if I was part of a family of four, the entire family could have eaten for only $18.56 for the day!  ( I backed out the cost of the cocktails and the one coke I had and multiplied by 4)  That's 3 meals and 3 snacks PER PERSON!


You will soon see that I don't eat a lot of meat.  In fact, I'd rather not eat meat at all, but I already had it in my freezer when I started this adventure and you know the old saying....Waste not, want not.  Now, I'm not a dietitian, so these daily menus won't be perfect, but they're probably better than most single people's diets.  ( When you live alone, you can pretty much eat anything, anytime you want - no one to say " Are you going to eat THAT?")




So here's what yesterday looked like:


BREAKFAST

 Breakfast was a serving of the Easy Berry Cobbler I made over the weekend.  At $1.27, it was the most expensive thing I had all day.  I added a piece of smoked sausage ($.27) and a 8 oz. Coke ($.44)

I had a mid-morning snack of Veggie Cornbread ( need to post the recipe)  @ $.10

LUNCH

Lunch was easy.  I took two baking potatoes that were purchased in a five pound bag , cut them up tossed them in a LITTLE olive oil and salt and baked them in a 400 degree oven until they were brown.  I made a dipping sauce from ketchup, mayo and sriracha.  

potatoes $.50 + dipping sauce $.10 = total cost of lunch $.60

Afternoon snack was 1/4 cup Great Value Trail Mix @ $.20

                                                           Now, that IS a Great Value!

Mixed nuts, raisins and M&M's!

SUPPER

So it was Monday - and in the South, that mean RED BEANS AND RICE!


I use dried beans because they just taste better.  I added one link of sausage ( about an inch long, just for flavor, mostly).  And I used Black Rice.  This stuff is amazing.  It is smaller than regular rice and it costs a little more ( about $3 a pound), but it has more antioxidants than blueberries!  I think it cooks up easier and has a better taste and texture.  And , of course, I had to have a piece of garlic bread.  


Rice $.42
Beans $.19
Sausage $. 27
Bread $. 24
Total $ 1.12




HAPPY HOUR


Here's a great way to enjoy a light cocktail without breaking the bank.


I bought this box of Franzia at Walmart for $13.97.  It has 5 liters in it.  Roughly calculated, that's 28 glasses of wine (give or take...I usually get 5 glasses of wine out of a bottle and this is approximately 5 and 1/2 bottles)


I pour one glass of wine and divide that and then pour half the wine into an ice-filled glass.  Then I top it off with 4 ounces of the Lemon Lime soda ( Twist up soda was $.25 a can).  Instant wine cooler!  So I get TWO cocktails for a total cost of only $1.08...try that at your local Watering Hole!


One more snack of trail mix topped off the day.






Life is short!  Pray hard!


The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.   Psalm 34:18, ESV