Trying everything at the same time...

Cleaning the house and trying to buy only $25.00 of groceries a week. This means dedication and planning. I want to change. I want a different routine. I want to become obsessed with a clean house and saving money. I not only want to live with in my means, I want to save money as well.This a result of a conversation with Best Friend, where she pointed out that if I could move my Asperger focus over to these things, I would do it. So I'm trying. First step, timeline/deadline, and budget/ menu.

I have washed some dishes. I have put them up. I took my clothes out of the dryer and put them up. This was the first time in at least five years! I took out eight bags of trash. I have cut down those dirty cat clawed, pissed on lace panels that my brother's love interest hung like fifteen years ago.  I'm working on cleaning the house! I feel good about this.

I discovered that I have little beetles living under my computer desk on my food debris...

I discovered that the ants have found my abandoned food stuff in the master bedroom and won't leave.Also the kitchen. The ant spray only works when it is wet! This not the same kind of ant that has invaded the house before.I have put out some ant bait. Man, I hope it works.

I looked up some web sites and discussions online for cutting food cost, and they all said the same thing. Make your own food. Buy basic foods. Buy dried bean.Do not eat out.

So, as an Asperger, I enjoy eating the same thing over and over. This is the thing that frustrated me about food plans that I have had to follow in the past. All that DIFFERENT food. All THAT MONEY SPENT ON THE DIFFERENT FOOD! What I wanted to do was take one day of the diet sheet and use that for the WHOLE week.So, I have picked a meal and I'm going to live on THAT, for as long as I can, and I'm going to try to stay under $25.00 a week for food stuff. This does not count, cat stuff, or cleaning supplies. Also, I'm going to start using my own dishes and silverware, (and washing them), instead of buying plastic spoons and paper bowls.

I'm not to concerned with caloric counts right now. What I'm trying for is portion control.

Okay, Week One

The meal, some kind of pork stew with black beans, corn, tomatoes with corn chips. Snacks, apples. Drinks, hot tea, iced tea, and water.

My bill:

1 pound of black beans dried. 1.35
1 onion, 1.25
1 pack of green onions .88
1 bell pepper, .50
1 bunch of cilantro, .44
1 tomato.28
oatmeal, 2.42
Spenda, 4.98
1 box of chicken broth, 1.86
1 can of corn, .68
1 can of diced tomatoes, .68
corn chips, 2.98
jazz apples, 4.47
3 pounds of pork chops, 10.37

So splitting up the beans, oat meal and chops, I spent for this week, $26.26! Not too shabby for a first try.Now, let see if I can restrain myself from eating lots and lot of portions...


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UPDATE

Well, I stupidly did not bookmark the recipe, and I couldn't find it again. Dud! I looked at a lot of other pork and bean stews and winged it. Did not get the portions right. The main ingredient is the pork! Also, all of the recipes said it was for four portions...So I'm adding the rest of the beans in order to extend it and give it more taste.

I am finding it hard to only eat one bowl (this after only one day!) I was so hungry at work that I ate four slices of wrong made pizza. Must remember to bring an apple (or two) to work.

I love Wallpaper

Yes, it appears to be one of my "interests". I look at wallpaper on line, read and own books on the history of wallpaper, and fantasize about creating my own wallpaper!This last week I got The Wallpaper Book by Genevieve Brunet from the library. I haven't actually read it yet, but have flipped through it. On pages 172-175, there are wallpapers that really interest me. They combine with some of my other interests as well.Unfortunately some of them are only mentioned, rather then being shown.

First off, on pages 172 to 175, the author talks about wallpaper that is being designed by scientists in both America and Japan, (separately, jointly?) that are incorporating solar cells into the paper it's self in order to generate electricity, and have already gotten it up to the point where it can power a small appliance! There are no samples shown.

Imagine that, microwaves powered by the wallpaper in a hotel room, razors, maybe even charge up your cell phone overnight (as long as there is some battery incorporated into the paper as well. Cities could paper walls so the homeless could charge up their phones, etc. Maybe it could cut down on graffiti. It's being green as well! Airports could do the same for commuters.And of course this would be very useful in areas after a natural disaster has cut off the electricity.

The other wallpapers, by designers Jonas Samson and Myrine Creations have actual light built into them! This could lend a far better ambiance then overhead lights, and could be good in theaters as well. Certainly those bedrooms that don't have an overhead fixture could benefit from this.

The third kind is glow in the dark wallpaper. The book shows an example by Cocoboheme. This would also be good as a safety feature for hotel corridors, homes in case of loss of electricity.  I don't know how good it would be if the place was filling up with smoke... but it does sound like a good safety bet.

Yes, I have developed an interest in prepping...I think public places should have more safety features then they have now. Passive safety features can't hurt...