BACH  Glissando - Day 1

Today was shopping and gas day.

I went to my primary supermarket and found a water melon for what I would pay for it.  It is not the best but better than the last one I had.  I decided to get the cooking soups and will work with them this weekend.

Total for store 1 was $22.83 with $13.05 savings. I then went to the gas station and saved $3.62 from my gas card. I only got .1 more gallons than normal.  Getting rid of the extra stuff in the trunk helped me use less gas and even though I did extra driving, it took the whole weeek to gas up.

I went to my secondary supermarket and found meat for my neighbor.  I also bought stuff to make a sauce and a box of pasta.    I went home and cooked for the both of us and was able to give him dinner for the next six day.  I am have for a week with cooked protein  for the week.  I treated myself to a beautiful yellow pepper for my salads. Total for Store 2 $14.77 with $6.43 savings.

Total for the food for the week- $37.60 with savings of $23.10.  I still have money for the papers and any great manager specials for my neighbor.

Tomorrow, I make my lenten lottery deposit.  I think I will use that money for a few new pieces of clothing for my trip.  I lost a bunch of weight and I do not have a lot of summer stuff.  I have some time before my vacation so I hope I can find a few things.

BACH Intermezzo - Day 7

I bought my ticket for Hawaii this morning after I got off from work. I shopped around for an hour before pressing the "I Agree" button but was able to save about $175 from what I was willing to pay and am traveling at the times I wanted.

When I did my taxi run this morning, I had the woman I drive home everyday buy me a six-pack of soap.  It was on sale and she gets a discount.  Again it was cheaper than putting gas in my car and I am set for soap for six months.

If I still have to taxi her around in a few weeks, I think she will buy me some paper goods.

I spent no money today and I did some recon for my weekly shop tomorrow.  I can buy some stuff to get me the $.40 / gallon off but I do not really have room for it.  I couldn't find any coupons for the items either.  I have till tomorrow morning to figure out if Iwill get them or not.

I can buy two pack of proteins if I get a good deal on them and I still have money for dinners for my downstairs neighbor.

Food total for the week $66.48.  I need to be creative to lower the number next week.  Then I can see what I saved for the first month of the BACH period in my life.

I called an old friend and decided to go to the Philadelphia Flower Show this year.  I just need to see where I can stay on Friday night.  It will be hard not coming back with a car filled with plants. I have two weeks to figure out what I can safely spend.

BACH Intermezzo - Day 6


My work schedule was changed today soI did  not doa taxi run but did not spend a dime today.  I didn't
do a coffe run before work because I was dogged tired.  I packed enough food so I wouldn't feel hungry and I treated myself to #3 / #8 choclates in my desk.

I made my lottery deposit today for Tuesday/ Wednesday.

Since I only went to work and back, I should be able to make it to Thursday before getting gas.

Food bill for the week  still holding at $66.48.

BACH Intermezzo - Day 5

I spent no money on food today.  I lounged around and caught up on my DVR viewing.


I was looking on line and I found an Edamame Fried Rice recipe that I do not have to buy anything for to make.  Will try it on Wednesday or Thursday.

Tomorrow I probably need to get gas.  The price went up the last week but I think I have enough points on my shopping card to get 10 cents off a gallon.  Luckily I do not have to go to Master Gardener Class this week so I will be able to stretch the tank another day.


Food total  holding at $66.48

BACH Intermezzo -Day 4

I was dogged tired and I bought a soda to get through the day - church, greenhouse work, cantata practice and concert.

I went back to Supermarket #2 and spent $9.01. It put me over for the week but I was able to give my neighbor two more things so I feel he is set for the week and I did not have to do any actual cooking.  I will have to be creative next week so save the overage.  I feel up to the challenge.


Food total is $66.48.

BACH Intermezzo - Day 3

I got off work and went to the other supermarket I frequent. I was able to get a few things for my neighbor and the paper.  Total was $6.78. Hopefrully, there will be manager specials to be had tomorrow. I treated myself to some fancy dancy potato chips and were very disappointed.  I should(and could) come up with my own flavors.


I decided to go to the Asian market for a fruit and veggie run before I did taxi service.  The Lord was good to me and red seedless grapes were on sale for $1.69 / lb. I was stoked.  I also got a huge cantaloupe for $1.69.  My total was $10.74

Total for the week is $56.47.

I went and got stuff for my guys for Easter. I spent the usual amount and was able to find Sea Salt in the dollar store.  I will make myself a salt scrub in the next week.

BACH Intermezzo - Day 2

I had a rough start to my day. I got up exhausted and was out the door late for gardening class. The usual 35 minute drive was 55 minutes today.  GRRRRRRR.  Luckily, I had .5 mug of coffe in the car so I didn't feel the need to stop for a caffine fix.  The Lord also provided small chocolate cupcakes for snack - is he not a good and loving God.

I went to Starbucks and loaded my card ( had .88 balance) so I am good for another two week. I aslo know that I should be getting a free drink in the next wo weeks so that will stretch out my coffee monies.

I actually put a dent in the food in my refigerator this week because I made sure I packed lunch everyday.  I have enough protein for most of next week already.  I will try to get another two day's worth from the freezer.

Over the weekend, I need to do a fruit a vegetable (mostly salad stuff) run.

I did taxi service this morning and spent $1 for the paper because a lot of time, they do not have one on Fridays at Starbucks buy the time I get there.

Food total is $38.95

BACH Intermezzo - Day 1


I had a wonderful saving kind of day.

I went shopping at saved $19.08 without using a single coupon - trust me,next week I will have them at the ready.  I then went to the gas station and using my supermarket card, saved another $4.97.  Very cool beans.  I was able to get two things for my downstairs neighbor and I still have $5 budgeted for him.

I was very sad that the chocoalte bars prices had just been raised to $1.00. I was not a happy camper but I neede one for later in the day and it was the biggest one I found for a buck.  I only ate half of it so I saved some for work so I won't go to the vending machine when I am exhausted.


Food total for the week - $37.95.

BACH Fugue Day 7-

Today was a good saving kind of day.  I did taxi service with a side trip to Walmart and did not manage to purchase anything.

I realized that my gas could go one more day and like last week, I would need about .5 gallons more than usual. 

I get to use my credits tomorrow from my store card to save on the gas I will get.

Found out that I will have to purchase parmesan cheese.  The last time I used it was almost nine months ago and what I did have did not survive the  nine-day Sandy power outage.

Printed some coupons out for things I wanted.  Found a site that has coupons for a lot of househols cleaners as well as food.  More data mining will help me see if this is really worth the effort.

In my recipe search, I found a recipe for butter chicken that did not use 3 cups of heavy cream and crushed whole tomoatoes.  I could make a bigger batch to use up a whole can of tomato paste but I need to check with my friends to see if this freezes well. The only thing I need to get is ginger paste and I will see in the morning if it exists at my primary store.

I saved $5.04 for the first two weeks - not bad considering I went over my projected budget the first week.  In the next two days, I will plan what I need for the whole week and try to get it in four shopping trips- the days I do taxi service.

Let's see if I can save at least that next week for my Hawaii trip nest egg.

BACH Fugue - Day 6

When I went to to taxi duty today, I found no manager specials but I did find the most beautiful asparagus I had seen in a long while and as a bonus I saw blood oranges.  My total for today was $6.12.

I can make it one more day before I have to fill the gas tank.

There is a work event this wekend but it will cost me at least $15 for parking.  I think I will pass and catch up on my reading and shredding.

I was doing some research and found some potato chip recipes (one is for the microwave and only 2 points) and I get to use my mandoline.  I can feel a batch coming on this weekend. 

Food and snacks are good until the weekend. 

I saw a mint pesto and pasta dish on TV this week.  Pesto is really easy to make.  I hope that all I have to purchase for it is the mint.  More on that tomorrow.

Food total for the week is $51.30 - on track for what I wanted to spend.

On the horizon is new shoes for work.  I will have about two months before I really need them so I have some time to shop around. 

The next thing I need to begin to focus on is my closet.  I would love to have a porch / garage sale and get money for all of my excess stuff but at best they are a crap shoot.  I will percolate on how to turn closet excess into cash.

BACH Fugue - Day 5

I had to watch a very interesting 10 year old today.  It has been awhile since I have fed a small person and I forget house simple their tastebuds are.  I thought I had stuff in the house to give him lunch but I ended up buying hot dogs (not the $5 ones he wanted) and white bread.  He was the proverbial clam though he wanted me to take him to "On The Border" for lunch.  I explained that I would not think about treating him to lunch without his siblings. 

I did taxi service today and bought juice, milk, cookies and a bag of Sour Patch kids candy for my little charge.  If he misbehaved the candy would go back to the store.  Total $9.97.  There were bakery samples out so we both got some free crumbcake for the way home.  I was very pleased to open the bag for him at 4:15PM because he had behaved himself all day.

We later went to the Asian store to get fruit.  $5.47 - I actually got a pint of blueberries for $1.99.  I also got some potatoes for homemade chips later this week.

We zipped over to Shop Rite for hot dogs and white bread (the uneaten stuff went home with him).  I also got a bag of Nestle Crunch hearts (1/2 price valentine stuff).

Total today was $25.29.  My charges mother gave me $30.00 to watch him so I basically came out even.

I found maragrine so I didn't have to buy any today.

Cleaned out the refirgerator and I have to pay myself $8 for some of the food I let get to science project status.  I have enough cooked protein to last me the rest of the week. I made a box of pasta to use the sauce I have sitting in the fridge.  With the fruit I purchased today, it should hold me till the weekend- unless I see red seedless grapes on manager special somewhere.

I have not found any manager specials for my neighbor yet.
Food total for the week - $45.18 

Tomorrow's job will be setting up my snack area.  This means making sure I have packaged snacks for the rest of the week so no money goes to the vending machines.  I also start a recipe search for cookie recipes that are not that bad for you.  I have stuff to make at least one batch this week - I will share them with the guys who work for me.

BACH Fugue - Day 4

It was a busy day today.  I did not do any shopping because I have yet to figure out what I can spend and I still have food in the fridge. I need some fruit but since I have to do taxi service as well as babysit all day tomorrow for an 11 year old, I didn't have to have to buy anything.

At church, the pastor spoke of using your money wisely. Being a fellow Scot, he is cheap. I chatted with him of my BACH project and on a whim, told him I would let him know how much I saved at the end of the year.  It gives me a definite time frame to shoot for so we will see.

In the car I was thinking of things I could spend less on.  My soda comsumption came to mind.  I usually buy them on the weekend to drive with.  I have to look at employee sales to see if they are cheap enough so I can get a few cases so I just need to keep a cold one in the fridge.

I had about an hour free between things I had to do so I decided not to go home and sit in my house for 20 minutes and then leave. I wen to Starbucks and found I had a free drink on my card - yeah.  I went to Stop and Shop and walked arounf for 30 minutes and only bought the paper.


Today's total - $2.

Week's Total - $19.89

BACH Fugue Day 3-

I ran all day today. 

Got gas and as I suspected, I needed just under a half a gallon more than I usually get.

Went to Shop Rite and found the Valentine items on sale. I bought a bag of snack sized candy that will last me a month, some chocolate peeps (how cool is that) and a package of cookie cutters for $1.84.  I also bought a bunch of energy bars that I use at work for when I don't have time to pack a meal.  Total shop was $14.69.

Went to a book swap and got four new books for $0.00.  I found a present for my 8 year old that was half of what I had originally planned to spend and spent $1.60 for a soda to help me on the drive to her house.

When I was in the first supermarket, I saw that I could get 40 cents a gallon off if I bought 7 items of a particlar category.  It is something I use and I actually need to buy it.  I will have to do a small shop this week and I will try to limit my manager special money to $8.50.


Total for the week for food is $17.89.

BACH Fugue - Day 2

Today, I took care of the business at hand that I was wondering about yesterday.  I was able to come up with the .5 Benjamin I needed to spend.  Truly.....I am a BACH today.

The only food outlay was $1.60 for a soda after I got my hair done - I was dogged tired and I was trying to keep away from the chocolate. 

Food total is $1.60 for the week. I took some snacks in that my neighbor left me and I was really grateful for not having to put money in the vending machines.

I need to get gas when I leave in the morning.  I will probably by .5 gallon more than usual but I did not want to hop on and off the road during evening rush hour. It evens out with me getting it a little earlier last week.

I have to buy a present for an 8 year old tomorrow but it was already planned for and will not break the bank. I can't wait to go to her party and hang out with the family.

During the next week, I have to start looking at how I am going to garden this year with no money.  I wonder if my creativity can extend to my back yard.

BACH Fugue - Day 1

I went to get some business taken care of this monring and found out I have to come up with another $200.00 that I did not budget on.  So it seems that once again, I have more month than money hence my fugual state.  I was sore distressed and on the way home went over scenarios in my brain to see where I could pull the two Benjamins out of my raggedy hat.  I found one Benny and I am looking hard for the second.

I came home and looked at my fridge and decided I have enough protein to get me through till next week.  I am now glad I made cupcake bites instead of cupcakes so I have enough red velevet to last me almost a week.  I came downstaris to see that both of the food containers I have my downstairs neighbor were waiting for me - glad he enjoyed it.  He gave me a bag of lunchbox size snacks so I do not have to go near the vending machine for the next week.  The only thing I need are a few things for my salty tooth and I have a oven potato chip recipe I want to try.

I put in a call to my brother to see if and whn he is going to pay me back and it is ten days later than we originally agreed on. I promise not to faint when I see it in my hand.


I went to class which is the most gas I use during the week.  I got a little bit of a late start but traffic was slow but steady going there and it was smooth sailing coming back.  Depending on what I do tomorrow, I might be able to holf off on gas until Sat before I run for my life this weekend.


My food outlay for the last week was $63.66 - it was a little more than I had wanted to spend ($60) but I felt I had to help my downstairs neighbor. I will see if I can save the overage next week.

BACH Movement - Day 7

Made a small trip to the grocery store and found out that I did not have to do taxi duty.  I wanted to see if there were any manager specials today and they were not but I got a great price on the only package of boneless skinless chicken thighs they had so I can have another batch of butter chicken.

I actually used all my eggs in this batch of baking.  It is a great thing I can buy a half -dozen eggs at the of the stores I frequent.

Spend $11.30 for a total of  $63.66 for the week.  Gas is still good but I have to go to class tomorrow and we will see how the tank gauge is after I get home.

BACH Movement Day 6


I actually did not spend any money today - got out of work very late and I was close to whoo-whoo.

Still holding t $52.36 for food.  I still have enough gas for  a couple of days. I will try to go the weekend with spending less than $10.

An automatic deduction hit my accoutnt today- have to put it into the budget.

BACH Movement day 5-

Today I did some more shopping for my downstairs neighbor.  Got a bunch of manager's specials and he is set up for a while

Spent $11.40  Total of 52.36

Start to work on the rest of the month budget.
Lent is a few days away and I am still figuring out what I want to give up.

BACH Movement Day 4

I actually had to spend money today (first set of monthly bills) - it felt weird after not doing so for days.

Still tweaking the money buckets I have for the month and realizing I still need a slush fund for unexpected things - like my windshield wipers that died during the snow storm on Friday night into Saturday.

I also saw the cat food was needing to be replenished.  Fatbutt  my name of for the cat) and his mother were both eating and the past few days did not go far afield to forage.  I went to Walmart and bought a large bag of food, 4 cans and a bag of treats. They will be good for 2 weeks.

I also replaced my tights for $4.56 - Total at Walmart $18.50

I chatted with my downstairs neighbor who has been unemployed for 18 months. He is low on food so I decidede I would give him some meat and he could use whatever monies he had to supplement it.  He also dug the driveway out to my car  and salted under my tires so I could roll back out to park on the street so he could finish the driveway and also dug out a space for me to park in.

I bought a pack of chicken legs and made a sauce to go over them and made him a pot of rice. He'll be good for a few days.


Total on food $40.96.

BACH Movement - Day3


It snowed all of Friday night and I had to stay a full shift at work but I was glad that I did because the roads had been plowed and driving was slow going but okay.

I stopped down the street and found the lady I usually drive home had just gotten into work and was not going to be ready to go until noon so no taxi service for me.

I bought the paper and headed home.


Total for the week - $33.38.

BACH Movement - Day 2


Today - it was prep for the big snow storm that was coming through the area - we're talking anywhere from 1 -18" depending on the winds.  It took me 15 minutes in line to get gas -I was just under half a tank so it will cost me less than when I normally spend.

I went to the grocers and spent $10.90 on snow prep including a paper (Starbucks might not be open late).  I'll be good for a couple of days with the exception of the weekend Sudoku.

Worked on the budget and came up with a number I want to spend on food every week so I can sock money away for my vacation nest egg.  I will make the first depsoit next week.

I tried to buy a bag of M&Ms today but the machine gave me a Twix bar but more imprortantly charged me a whole dollar for it. I will be making sure I carry snacks from home for the rest of this movement.

Wanted to pamper myself so I going to try and make a sugar scrub.  I need to buy essentail oil. Have to do a little research to see where the nearest place to get them is -Hope to find mimosa - love the scent. I would also love lavendar vanilla but I can mix the two single scents.

Found out that my concert for tomorrow is postponed until 11 May.

My next project on the horizon is my gardening.  I will try to do a Bach inspired garden and hope it can be as soon as the ones I usually do.  Gotta love a challenge. 

Food toal is $32.38 for the week.

BACH Movement -

Today, I am only slightly less BACH than yesterday. Working on the budget for the next three months, I figured out that I need to spend less at the gorcery store - no worries, it is not the food part of the trip, it is "oooh, I think I'll try this and that and this" and never use the stuff.
Bought a bag of M&Ms because I was exhausted after two days with no sleep, just got a text that my follwing supervisor was coming in an hour late and I still had at least 10.5 hours to go before sleeping and soda was cramping my stomach.
Went to the Asian store for some fruit and veggies and spent more than I had wanted to. Found pizza flavored snack crisps - they were okay but I probably won't desperately need to get them again. My treat for the week is mini red bean mooncakes.
I came home and had breakfast because on Thursdays I do not have taxi service.

$21.48 for this week.

BACH Interlude - Day 7

Today, I made cookies for the guys who work for me. I also made a batch of spaghetti sauce that was really good.  Everything came out of my pantry so I did not have to spend a cent - very cool beans.

I also also spoke to my cable provider and was able to shave off $30 / month from my bill.  Now I have to decide what I really want to look at and to get a cheaper monthly package.

My total for the week spent is still $13.51. I am proud of myself.  The fridge is a little less full and I found things in the pantry I want to use so I will continue to be creative in the food department. I did miss the lottery tickets but I need to pay to Hawaii so I will be alright. I found an old piggy bank that I can use for my vaca nest egg.

Phase 2 begins tomorrow.

BACH Interlude - Day 6

Today was a fun day.  The person I have been doing taxi service for the last three months paid me with laundry detergent - old fashioned bartering.

I also had almost 5 gallons of gas in a jug that I gotten for Hurricane Sandy and did not use and I put in in the tank so I do not need to buy gas for a few more days.

I found a bag of chocoalates on a shelf in the kitchen so I am able to take care my sweet tooth until the weekend.

Did not spend any money today so my total is holding at $13.51.

Have a few things in the works for phase 2 of the trip nest egg - filled out a health questionaire at work that will get me some money and if I complete a doable plan, I get a bonus. Hm....getting healthy and getting paid - sounds good to me.

BACH Interlude -Day 5

Today I had to consciously decide not to do laundry after planning on it for the last three days - the reason..... I had no laundry deteregent anf gettin some would blow my budget.  I decided to go old school and wash some stuff in the tub to carry me through till the weekend when I can afford soap and the money to do my wash.

I made a pot of rice for meals this week and realized I can make a pot of spaghetti sauce with sausage I have instead of buying a pack of ground turkey.  The sauce fixings are all in the pantry.

I was jonesing for snacks today and found I had a pint of Hagen-Daz in the freezer.  I couple of spoonfuls and I was good to go.


Found coupons that I will sift through tomorrow for the next phase of my trip nest egg.


I spent nothing today. My total for thei week is still $.13.51.

BACH Interlude Day 4-

Today was a little hard for me.  I got up late and ran to church without my morning stop at the lottery place and soda to keep awake in church.

After church, I went to McDonalds with two of my friends and their kids.  Spent $2.45 for lunch so I had to forgo buying the Sunday paper.

Sunday is usually my weekly grocery shop but I had to skip it today as week as my weekly treats at the Asian store.



Total for the week is $13.51.

BACH Interlude / Movement / Canon / Fugue

Title is a work in progress. The BACH acronym came to me less than half an hour after my last post. The muscial movement part of the name should gel in the next few days.

Today is unusal for most folks but those in the manufacturing realm refer to it as a short swing.  I left the plant at 7:25AM and was back at 1:45PM (A lot less than eight hours).  I came back earlier than I wanted to because I was sleepy and knew if I didn't get up at that particular moment, I would be very late.  So in the first stages of delirium, I rushed through my grooming and headed out the door. I made sure I got my Starbucks stop in - my card had been loaded before the experiment so I am good until funds are replenished.

I found a paper that had already been read in the bin and I did not have to buy one today- Yeah. 

I did buy lottery tickets this morning ($4 with no ROI) so my weekly total is $11.06.

I got treated to lunch by a coworker and had a wonderful duck dinner - I definitely will go to Noodle Go Go again but after this experiment is over.

I was thinking about the next phase of my experiment and how I can add to my trip spending money fund.  I looked up recipes for the some of the snacks I enjoy and the next time I go shopping, I will do some experimenting.  Tomorrow, I get to do menu planning based on what's in my pantry.

Broke Child Experiment - Day 2

It seems I forget two other things that I regulary spend money on -  one is an outside cat that I feed (who has no concept that I am cash strapped at the moment) and lottery tickets (never seen a good ROI on them but... it is "A Dollar And A Dream.")

I bought a bag of cat food for $3.21 and $5 in lottery tickets ( got $2 for net layout of $3)

My total this week is $7.06. 

As I looked at my finances gain, I realized I really need to be a broke child until April when I go on a family vacation.  As part of my ongoing broke childness, I canceled my NetFlix account today.  I also found out that they do no prorate their service, so I will not get a refund for the 14 days I do not use their service. I know for next time.

I chatted with folks at work about my my experiment and ideas for free and nearly free things to do for the next few months.  Museums are not on the list unless they are extremely unusual  because I had culture overload as a child thanks to my daddy who insisted we do the culture thing.   Got a few good ideas.

I need to come up with some kind of catchy name for this period in my life - hope it will come to me soon.

A "Broke" Experiment-

For the first time in a long time, I have more month than money.  The last two months have been filled with unexpected money pits and I find myself essentially fundless until my next check. I'm talking it's time to break open the piggy bank and scrounge for change under the sofa cushions.  I do not regret being generous, I have have to go into starving student mode for a bit.  I wondered to myself if I could still pull off not being broke.  I had to asses my pantry, medicine cabinet, gas tank and leisure plans before I figured out what I could spend until I got paid again.


I have a fridge full of food so I won't starve and I just have to get out of the Asian habit of going to the grocery store every day. The only thing I might run out of is snacks but that can be overcome by being creative.  I need to try to lower my salty / sugary junk intake anyways.

I usually restock my medicine cabinets at the end of January, but oddly enough, thanks to Superstorm Sandy, I am in good shape for a few more months.

I have a concert ticket and it is two weeks out so I will be good.  I need to work on my writing, so I can amuse myself for hours working on my next rash of dialouge and if I need other distractions, I have books to read and puzzles to solve. I wonder what other hobbies there are that are basically cashless - some research is in order.

With all of that in place, I am setting out to only spend gas money plus $30 in the next six days.

This morning, I filled up my tank.  I did not have to do daily shuttle service, so I got home early and had a leisurely dinner for breakfast.

I didn't pack a full lunch bag so I treated myself to a bag of chips at work - 85 cents. 

Looking forward to the rest of the week.