Shepherd's Pie - Yummy and Affordable

I made this for tonight's dinner and put it in the fridge so tonight when it gets close to dinner time, all I have to do is put it in the oven and... ta da! We like to have this with corn bread. Yummy!

1 can green beans
1 can tomato soup
4 cups potatoes
1 lb ground beef
1-2 cups shredded cheese

Brown hamburger and put in casserole dish, then put green beans, and tomato soup in casserole dish and mix together. Add potatoes and top with cheese. Bake @ 350 for 30 minutes or until cooked through.

* I use Idahoan potato packages for the potatoes, Great Value green beans, tomato soup, shredded cheese, and ground beef from Walmart.

The approximate cost to make shepherd's pie, based on the brands I buy, is $8.66. Plus the Jiffy corn muffin mix is 50 cents. We get approximately 5-6 servings out of this recipe, therefore this meal is $1.44 a serving besides the cost of the corn bread. This also reheats well and makes good leftovers.

Food Budget

How much do you spend on groceries per week? Our budget is $100 per week for three of us. My goal when I grocery shop is around $75. By groceries, I'm not only talking about food. I also include hygiene products, cleaner, paper towels, toilet paper, etc. Things that you need that you regularly have to buy. This last grocery trip was $93.26. 75% of it was hygiene items, pull-ups, dishwasher soap, clorox wipes, etc. I only needed a few things that were actually food.

I plan out our meals for the week, and buy groceries accordingly. I recently was trying to figure out how to work occasional dining out or take-out to our budget without changing what we're allowed to spend in the given month. I decided that if I don't spend the allotted $100 on groceries for the week and only spend....$75? That gives me $25 to spend on dining out or take-out. That way we have it included in our budget already and don't have to "work it in." But.... no cheating! Don't spend less on groceries in order to allow more eating out.. no, no, no! The point is to make your budget work and buy responsibly when it comes to food.


How do you budget when it comes to groceries and/or eating out?

Wedding Invititation

Do you want to preserve your wedding  invitation or maybe a wedding invite of a friend or family member? Scrapbook it!

Greeting Cards

Buy cards from the dollar store instead of the store you tend to buy greeting cards from. I save at least $3 on every card I buy from the dollar store. I also buy many at once, saves time, money, gas (driving back again later) and of course, stress. I have a drawer that is full of cards, all kinds of cards. Birthday, anniversary, thank you, christmas, blank, get well, wedding, baby, and thinking of you cards. I am prepared! can I just say that?  Prepared and saving money! Woo woo!