I thanked God for ground beef

I know this is going to seem pretty silly to some of you but I am going to write it anyway. It's your choice to read or not.

Most of you probably know that Tim and I live by a budget. It is a pretty tight budget and sometimes it isn't very fun. However, this was a decision we made about 3 years ago and have stuck to it. We are much better off because of it. In fact, in January we get to up the budget and I really am excited about that!

Every month I use every penny of our grocery budget. Sometimes I go over and take from some place else. The grocery prices have risen with the gas prices but my money has stayed the same. Therefore, my grocery money doesn't stretch as far as it used to. I menu plan so I only buy food for what is on the menu (now I do keep some staples around but nothing like I used to).

I went for the first half of the month shopping on Monday. Kroger was having a decent sell so I marked which items I was buying from there on my list. (Groundbeef was on that list.) As I am walking into the meat department the butcher is moving down the "sell for less" packages. I look at my list and I have 5 packages on my list. Guess how many he has? 5! I thanked God right then and there.

The story gets better, I promise.

That evening I go to Wal-Mart and finish my shopping. Should I have had to buy the meat at regular price - I would have been over my budget!

I know this seems like such a small thing but December is a very tight month with all the entertaining we do and parties we attend. Our budget is the same in December as it is the rest of the month.

We are traveling to South Dakota this Christmas. The gas prices are going to be murder. (BTW, gas and utilities are the things we have no control over on our budget - we just roll with the punches). We are spending 2 nights on the Indian Reservation. We will be staying in the motel. We really don't want to sleep in the bunkhouse in late December - not a good idea. We will then be spending 2 more nights at a hotel in Sioux Falls.

December is an expensive month, especially on the years we go to SD. Thankfully I always have my shopping done so I normally use the "gift" money from December to help cover some of those other expenses.

Okay, so not one of my best blogs but I just thought it was interesting that when I am in the meat department at Kroger had had the desire to thank God for cheap meat!