Well, I have found a way to reaaaalllllyyy stretch a buck.

I literally live on fish and chicken and veggies. We don't go out to eat ANYWHERE except on a birthday, and then it's around the corner where there is a lovely Japanese restaurant and you can get a lunch box for about $7.00. I get the grilled salmon, with some shrimp, some brown rice and it comes with a salad. Not bad for 7 bucks.

But going to the movies, going out to dinner, going on vacation??? Hasn't happened for YEARS.

I do go out to breakfast. There is a lovely cafe not too far from me where you can get breakfast for $1.75. Nice big cup of coffee (which you fix yourself), and a couple of egg whites on a roll (or two eggs if you prefer).

You pay $1.75 and they throw in the coffee. But I go for the socialization. We all get together and discuss what's in the paper. Best 2 hours every morning I ever spent. I know all the people. We laugh and sit around and it costs me a total of 2 bucks (with the tax).

So that is my indulgence. Sometimes Alan comes with me, but most often he gets up MUCH later than me, so when I get home, (around 11:30 a.m. or noon), he is just getting up and I fix him his breakfast.

I have learned to buy chicken on sale. Fish on sale, veggies on sale (everything I buy is on sale). I'll walk 7 blocks and compare prices. You have NO IDEA HOW MUCH YOU CAN SAVE.

I once bought a pint of grape tomatoes for 99 cents a pint. Exactly one block away, the same tomatoes (same box, same company, same packaging) was selling for $2.99. Give me a break.

So I've learned where to shop and HOW TO BUY.

Today I bought 4 packages of boneless and skinless chicken. And a bottle of Heinz Ketchup (Alan puts it on everything).

Believe me, this is a LOT of chicken. I paid $22 for the whole kit and kaboodle.

But the cheapest thing I buy is spaghetti when it's on sale. You can get two packages (1 lb each) for a buck.

I make 1/2 a package. MAKES A LOT OF SPAGHETTI. I also make tuna croquettes.

So when it breaks down, it comes to less than 30 cents for a meal.

Two bad I don't eat spaghetti. The Dreamfields spaghetti (the low carb kind) costs $3.49 a package. Can you believe this?

I pay $.50 cents for plain package of regular spaghetti and they charge $3.49 for a package of Dreamfields?? Forget it, I didn't buy it.

I do without. Everything is too much money. And thank god I don' buy Polly-O cheese. My god, the other day I went near the milk and cheese aisle and 16 oz of Polly-O was $7.99.

oh my god.

melody