Feeding Kids Over the Summer

Tomorrow is my kids' last day of school. I was a little worried about the added cost of feeding them because I have gotten so used to lunch being provided for them. This morning as I was reading the paper I saw an article that caught my eye. Our school district is providing 2 meals a day for all children up to age 18, regardless of income. It just so happens that I am completely out of breakfast food. No milk, eggs, bread, or even syrup for pancakes. My kids are in a charter school that goes a week longer than the school district so the meal program started this week.

I loaded the kids up 20 minutes early and we went to one of the many sites listed in the article. The one closest to my house is just around the corner at the Junior High. Perfect! What an amazing program! The kids were given a balanced meal to eat to start their day. There was no sign in or paperwork to fill out. Just walk in and get food. The lunch lady was so nice and genuinely happy to see the kids. I was even given the option to purchase a meal for myself for $2.50. The adult price for breakfast. I chose not to because I feed myself for less at home. I do plan on buying lunch when we go back though because you just can't beat the price of $3.50 for lunch. Especially if I consider 4 meals for that price.

The kids were impressed with the food choices. It's a big difference from a toasted bagel, toast, or oatmeal...their usual breakfast offerings.

soft pretzels, chocolate chip muffins, bacon and egg burritos (not pictured, coco puffs and yogurt)

I am not impressed with the sugared milk.  I had the kids take white milk (it was buried under the chocolate).

He ate everything on his tray!

Why do they offer chocolate for breakfast?  My niece was such a mess after eating her muffin.

The girls ate most of their food.  They each tossed about half of their milk.

I think this is an amazing program and will help with my thin budget over the summer. So many things have come up lately and I'm stretched very thin. Savings has been put on hold until I can get things under control. It has been such a huge adjustment to go back to paying a big portion of rent and not getting food stamps anymore. It's the end of the month and I have about $100 left. Not good at all. Months ago I would end the month with a huge positive balance. Those days are gone and I'm having a hard time adjusting.

Is Takeout Cheaper Than Eating at Home?

I watched the movie Food Inc. in class yesterday. I was shocked that there was a family trying to prove that they couldn't afford to eat healthy. I don't buy it. I can't afford not to eat healthy. When I was on food stamps, we were eating like royalty. Seriously. At the highest level I was getting close to $700 a month. Are you kidding me?!! I don't even spend half of that now that I'm paying cash for food.

I love crap food just as much as anyone else. I just try not to keep much of it in the house. I don't buy soda, pop tarts, white bread, juice drinks, sugared up cereal, and most processed food. I tend to shop around the perimeter of the store of buy mostly whole foods.

We eat crap. Lots of it. Just not at home. Home is where I cook good healthy meals and we leave the crap eating for restaurants and take out.

1 organic peach .32 cents
2 organic strawberries .25 cents
1/2 cup 9 grain cereal .25 cents
1 tsp organic sugar .05 cents

total cost for 1 huge bowl of cereal: .87 cents

How is my breakfast more expensive than takeout? I've never eaten a full meal out of the house for less than $1.

Farmers Market

I haven't been to the farmers market in ages. I go every week in the summertime but I've been so busy with school and running the kids around that I haven't been in months. I finally made it down there this evening because Teenager was part of a flash mob in the middle of the market.

I've been buying all organic produce at Trader Joes and Costco but nothing compares to the taste of locally grown food purchased the same day it was picked from the plant. I didn't need a whole lot of food right now because the kids will be leaving tomorrow with their Dad for the weekend so I just got a few little things.

Lettuce $1
Beets $1
Peaches $1.90
Strawberries $2.50

total $6.40










Do you buy food at the farmers market? Do you eat organic food? Have you seen the movie Food Inc?

Expensive Kids Activities

Teenager tried out for a cheer competition team today. Her dance season is almost over and she wants to switch gears. Do you have any idea how much cheer leading costs? Holy crap it's expensive. The total cost for 1 year is $1800-$2700 depending on if her team gets selected to go to Nationals at Walt Disney World. I think she's going to want to take an added tumbling class and a flyers class. That will add $60 a month. I'm going to put aside $275 per month to pay for things as they come up. This is a huge giant expense that normally I wouldn't even consider paying for. I'd tell her to stick to dance and be happy but cheer is so good for her and is 3-4 times a week so it will get her some great exercise and keep her out of trouble.

I don't think I've talked much about Teenager on the blog. Life is hard for her. She struggles so much in school and life in general. Whatever I can do to increase her happiness I will.

Teenager the "flyer"

My Gravy Train is Over

How does this stupid new layout work? I've compiled paragraphs but it's all running together. WT??? I knew it was only a matter of time. My landlord hired a lawyer to get him out of the foreclosure and for now it is postponed. The house is still in danger but he wants me to start paying rent again. The good news is that he's cutting me a break! He's taking $250 off of the rent every month until he's either out of foreclosure or he loses the house. SWEET! I'm taking a good hard look at my budget and trying to figure out how to make things work. I'm going to be fine I think but things will have to tighten up a bit. My savings has really slacked off the last few months. Once I hit $10,000 saved I allowed myself to get frivolous. That stops today. I'm getting back on track. No excuses or stories. I think the fact that I haven't been blogging regularly hasn't help matters. This blog help keeps me honest. Update time: The Boy will get his passport in the mail in about 2 weeks. His grandparents are coming for a month long visit at some point before the summer is over and he will fly back to Mexico with them to live for a year. He is beyond excited! I'm so sad that he'll be gone for an entire year and will miss him like crazy. This is something he really wants to do and I think it is a wonderful opportunity for him. Plus he is in a very long line of cousins that have this as a family tradition. His grandparents have had almost every one of their grand kids live with them for a year or more. They are such a loving family and want to be close to the kids. Even Teenager who isn't theirs by by blood has spent a summer with them. They fell in love with her when she was 2 years old and The Ex and I took her there for a month to visit. I sure love them :) They stay in Mexico because they have a very ill adult daughter who they care for and she can't travel. My road trip. Sigh. It is going to cost so much money. I've reserved a rental car and I got the monthly unlimited mileage out of state rate for $750. I've decided to only go halfway across the country because i do need to set a budget! I'm still unsure of how much that will be. I'm going to have to pay for hotels because I don't know anyone who can put us up. I do have a friend in Texas that I'll stay with and my SIL in Colorado but that is it. I haven't talked to my SIL yet so that part isn't confirmed. Planning this trip is proving to be more than I thought it would be. I'll get there but it's a lot to do. I gave my mom $450 to buy the plane ticket for Teenager. I'm going to give her some spending cash too. Probably about $200 ($20 for each day she's there). My Mom and Step dad will cover her food and everything else but I want her to be able to buy little things she wants. I've been on a trip with no spending cash and it sucks. I'm going to set her up right :) I'll have my mom give her the cash each day so she doesn't spend it all in one place.

A Month Later....

I'm so sorry I went MIA. I was getting quite a little following and I disappeared on you all. I apologize. I hope you are all still around because I've got some exciting things to share in the months coming.

Whats new?

I am getting an A in one of my classes and a B in my math class. I practically live at the tutoring center on campus. I've told the guys (calculus whiz's who are getting paid to help dweebs like me) that they are more than welcome to come home with me until finals are over. So far I've struck out with that offer.

The Boy is going on an international adventure! His father and I are taking him out of school today to go down to the passport office. He's going to spend the summer (and possibly an entire school year) in Mexico with his Abuelos (grandparents). He is beyond thrilled! I'm so excited for him. I couldn't imagine having this kind of opportunity when I was 11 years old.

Teenager is going to New York with my Mom and Step-Dad for 2 weeks. My Step-Dads mom lives in Jersey so they are taking Teenager to see The Jersey Shore house and she'll hopefully get to see where her favorite role models live. Oh Joy!

Littlest and I are going on a cross country adventure. She's afraid to fly so she wont go with her brother to her Abuelos. I figured if the other two are getting the amazing trip of their lives that she should have one too. I'm going to rent a car and drive us across the country! We are going to visit lots of amazing landmarks and see some friends. If any of my blogging buddies would like a visit from us let me know! We will come visit you in exchange for a home cooked meal and a hot shower!

I'm starting in California and looping all the way around. I have a good list of places to visit but I'm trying to figure out lodging on a budget. I figured we can camp allot. I am considering renting a mini van with fold away seats so we can sleep in the car some nights. It's still in the early planning stages so I have a lot to figure out.

I need some help from my dear readers! I've never really left California. I've been to Texas on a plane, Hawaii as a kid, and Mexico with The Ex when the kids were babies. What should I see in this big country of ours? Here's my list of possibilities so far:

Southern Ca (visit a friend)
Reno
Vegas
Carlsbad Caverns (New Mexico)
Grand Canyon
Dallas Texas (visit a friend)
New Orleans
Disney World
Washington DC
New York City
Niagra Falls
Great Lakes
Mount Rushmore
Colorado (visit my SIL and nephew)
Kansas (National Museum for Wizard of Oz)
Salt Lake City

I marked every place on a map and the Mid East is empty! Help! What is there to see on the mid East?

MIA and Savings Update

I didn't fall off the face of the planet. I'm so busy with school and kids activities that time on the computer is limited. I am passing both classes and aced the test that I was so freaked about 2 weeks ago.

I'm not going to be blogging as much until I get a break from school. I just don't have the energy to put into it like I thought I would.

So how much did I save in February? I have to say that I am majorly impressed with myself!!!! I saved a grand total of $6474.58 for the month. WOW! I saved all of my income from work and my entire tax return. I spent child support only and not a penny of other income. I'm so proud of myself!!!!

I did spend some extra money on clothes and shoes for myself but that came out of my regular budget. I'm still working on using my stockpile from last years couponing crusade so I'm good on all toiletries, soaps, etc.

I'm almost in shock over how much I was able to save. Here I have built up quite the nest egg while other people I know blew away their tax refund on clothes, video games, shopping sprees, new giant flat screen TV's , etc. I'm still driving a clunker car and have over $10000 in the bank!!!

ps. I discontinued the $70 a month in foodstamps. It felt wrong to be getting it now. My worker tried to convince me that I'm entitled to it but it just felt wrong so I let it go. It feels so good to not have that anymore and be able to do it all on my own. I may be singing a different tune when I start paying rent again but for now I feel great!