Mehan suggested a new thread for this. Here it is.
So that this makes sense: Mehan posted under Money Saving Idea? regarding checking prices of food in different areas.
"I certainly am. Do we want to start a new thread? I am thinking, chicken whole, chicken breasts, ground beef, lets pick one common lesser expensive beef (London broil?) and perhaps pork loin (not tenderloin).
"Then gal milk, doz large eggs, lettuce, broccoli, tomatoes."
I would suggest any of the following as well as milk, eggs, veggies (though prices might vary widely due to season such as broccoli which is in a lot of home gardens now around me):
Chicken thighs
Chicken legs
Chicken thigh and leg quarters
Chicken breast boneless, skinless
Chicken breast with bone and skin
Whole chicken
Ground beef (cheapest version, not with added stretchers)
Beef roast (pot roast, 7 steak, sirloin) (identify)
Beef steak (sirloin, ribeye, etc.) (identify)
Pork chops (cheapest version)
Pork steak
Pork tenderloin or whole loin (identify)
Mac and Cheese in a box with powdered cheese (cheapest house brand)
Bread (cheapest loaf of sandwich type, 24 oz)
Onions white
Onions yellow
Potatoes (white, non-bakers)
Fresh mushrooms, 8 oz non-sliced
5# flour
5# sugar
1# pinto beans
1# salt pork
Bacon (1# or 12 oz)
Note that any beef or pork cuts would need to be identified so that we are comparing same items. Moving from Chicago to Texas, I found different cuts of beef and different names for same cuts (London broil, for example, might be a type of cut or a prepared spiral on skewer; never heard of 7 blade in Chicago, and nothing here is labeled pot roast; you cannot get skirt steak here – but you can get fajitas, etc.)
I am off to the market. Just for fun yesterday I pulled up a texas and a michigan (Merlin - Kroger wouldn't pull up Oklahoma) and just looked at the ads. Where my local store had either split breasts, leg quarters or thighs for .99/lb, michigan and tx had only the leg quarters or thighs for .99/lb. (I am wondering if it is a typo in mine)
Tx assorted pork chops were 1.99/lb, but mich and home were 1.69.
Hmmm.....
Chicken thighs - .99/lb sale (1.99)
Chicken legs .99/lb sale (1.49)
Chicken thigh and leg quarters - none this week
Chicken breast boneless, skinless 1.99 sale (2.99)
Chicken breast with bone and skin .99 sale (2.99)
Whole chicken - .69
Ground beef (cheapest version, not with added stretchers) 2.49
Beef roast (pot roast, 7 steak, sirloin) (identify) London broil (top sirlon) 3.49
Beef steak (sirloin, ribeye, etc.) (identify) Rib eye 8.99
Pork chops (cheapest version) 3.49
Pork steak ?
Pork tenderloin or whole loin (identify) loin 3.49 (on sale tomorrow for 2.49)
Mac and Cheese in a box with powdered cheese (cheapest house brand) .50
Bread (cheapest loaf of sandwich type, 24 oz) .88 (but 1.09 for house real whole wheat)
Onions white - 1.29
Onions yellow .10 (major doorbuster sale - normally .49)
Potatoes (white, non-bakers) 4.99 10# bag, not available bulk
Fresh mushrooms, 8 oz non-sliced 1.69
5# flour 2.46
5# sugar I couldn't find 5# all the bags were 4# - new marketing ploy? 2.46
1# pinto beans .99
1# salt pork - couldn't find any
Bacon (1# or 12 oz) 2.50/12 oz - no generic available
This was an eye-opening experience. Since at my age I have to eat more carefully, a lot of the things I did to stretch my dollars before (lotsa pasta, ground beef, etc) I can't do anymore so I haven't paid any attention to the prices. Mac and cheese was often .10 a box. Chicken noodle soup .25 - now four times that.
Mehan, what is your general location?
(Of course, your street address would actually get us there for wine, coffee, and ribs someday ;D.)
Quote from: PollyPoPo on January 07, 2012, 08:28:42 AM
Mehan, what is your general location?
(Of course, your street address would actually get us there for wine, coffee, and ribs someday ;D.)
Someday?.. Hell, if she posts her address, I'm heading there
NOW! Alcohol, caffeine, and meat are three of the four major food groups. Add chocolate, and you'll have them all. Got any chocolate chip cookies, Mehan?
Mehan, I've noticed that a few times recently about the smaller sugar bags too. Just another example of downsizing products without downsizing price, or in some cases, the prices increasing. This has been going on for years with many different products. Ticks me off!
Hey she has 3 of the 4 ive got home made fudge its all good.
Yeah, gotta love my garage - but the chocolate stockpile is in my closet - gotta keep that close at hand...
I am South, mid sized town (200K?) - I "krogerd" some of the south's larger towns and still saw a difference in prices. Where I thought they would be lower (more competition, more demand), we were actually lower. Now I am intrigued as to why that would be. The meat manager at our local store is kinda a friend. I am gonna buy him a beer and pick his brains.
Dont forget to factor in sales tax. That is a kicker, where I am the sales tax is the biggest expense on a grocery run.
Even here location plays a big role in price. Reasors our closest store had a 20lb brisket for $75.00 Another 30 miles to Vinita and a 25 lb brisket was $43.00 difference Reasors is located close to the lake and shopped at by weekenders and summer people. Vinita is a good sized town but not a tourist mecca so to say. Sadly enough the local economy is over 55% SSI, SSI disability, VA benefits, and Welfare.
Quote from: Adriana Rose on January 07, 2012, 09:55:24 AM
Dont forget to factor in sales tax. That is a kicker, where I am the sales tax is the biggest expense on a grocery run.
Another reason I'm in Texas - no sales tax on food at groceries. No state income tax, either, but there are various "fees" on items like sewer/water/electric bills, car registration, etc. On the whole, though, the state takes less out of my pocket than did Illinois, Indiana, or other places.
I'm in TX, west of Fort Worth. No sales tax on *most* grocery food/beverage items. There IS sales tax on things like soda, and I think on the cakes and prepared foods in the deli/bakery.
Chicken thighs $1.47/lb
Chicken legs $1.22/lb
Chicken thigh and leg quarters $.88/lb
Chicken breast boneless, skinless $1.97/lb
Chicken breast with bone and skin $1.78/lb
Whole chicken $1.24/lb
Ground beef (cheapest version, not with added stretchers) $2.40/lb
Beef roast (pot roast, 7 steak, sirloin) (identify) chuck roast $3.98/lb
Beef steak (sirloin, ribeye, etc.) (identify) sirloin $4.98/lb
Pork chops (cheapest version) $3.28/lb
Pork steak $2.78/lb
Pork tenderloin or whole loin (identify) boneless loin roast $3.68
Mac and Cheese in a box with powdered cheese (cheapest house brand) $.46
Bread (cheapest loaf of sandwich type, 24 oz) $1.25
Onions white $1.38/lb
Onions yellow $.98/lb
Potatoes (white, non-bakers) $1.69/lb
Fresh mushrooms, 8 oz non-sliced $1.08
5# flour $1.82
4# sugar $2.16
1# pinto beans $1.32
1# salt pork $2.32
Bacon (1#) $3.78
Head lettuce $1.18
gallon milk $2.38
eggs large $1.58
tomatoes $1.68/lb
I shopped Walmart last night on my way home. The sugar being in 4# instead of 5# bags is probably the biggest thing that manufacturer's are doing to "avoid raising prices". Cereals, lunch meats, lots of things that we used to buy prepackaged by the pound are now sold in smaller packages, but at the same price, thinking that consumers will be so impressed that prices haven't risen, that they will never notice that the package size has shrunk (and therefore the cost HAS risen). Also, I've been buying generic milk for so long that I don't even look at the brand name pricing anymore, but the fact that Borden is SOOOO proud of their name that a gallon of their milk is more than TWICE the price of the store brand, and still almost $2 more than the 'mid-range' brand just astounds me!
I admit that I never buy the cheapest ground meat, if I'm cooking just for me, I go with the leanest cut of the store brand, and I tend to buy the frozen boneless/skinless chicken breasts, instead of the fresh ones.
Quote from: Adriana Rose on January 07, 2012, 09:55:24 AM
Dont forget to factor in sales tax. That is a kicker, where I am the sales tax is the biggest expense on a grocery run.
They've been working on reducing and/or removing the sales tax on groceries. Anymore, there is sales tax from the state, county, and city. Here in Arkansas, depending on where you are, sales tax varies from 6% (state only) to 9%. State food tax is down to 1.5%, then you add 1% for my county sales tax, and 1% for my city. Still, tax is less than half for groceries.
Polly, as I recall, sales tax in Texas on other things was pretty high. I've not paid attention to it in recent years, but I do recall in the 80s buying something in Houston, and the tax (if memory serves) was like 9%, while here in Arkansas, sales tax was around 3%.
All-in-all, if you leave groceries and medicines out of it, sales tax is the most fair tax of all.
Coupons - I seldom bother with manufacturer coupons for food items unless they are more than $1 and usually then there is often a store coupon that is more than the one I have to cut out.
Figure in gas prices and I usually go to nearest store or stop while I'm on my way someplace else.
Merlin, you're right about sales tax being higher on some things in Texas.
Once a year there is usually a tax holiday on clothing, about the time for shopping for school clothes, and I think the supplies are non-taxed, too.
About downsizing packages, but not cost - a couple years back most ice cream providers started selling something less than half gallons, but the package still looked almost like a half gallon.
A competitor put out commericals about their half gallon still being a half gallon.
Just another example of how they are trying to keep sales up while raising prices at the same time, at least until someone calls them out on it.
Anybody remember New Coke?
Wow those taxes sound freaking great!
The town that is closest for groceries and stuff just tacked buck and change on to the sales tax to help the local tourism.. I dont know why they did that there was no problem that I could see. But now my sister and I are starting to go to another town that is 60 miles away so we dont have to pay the extra, it works out better because there is lower sales tax and more stores to choose from.
Chicken thighs 3.85/.77 per pound (frozen in 3# blocks)
Chicken legs 8.70/.87 per pound (frozen in 10# blocks)
Chicken legs .87 ***
Chicken thigh and leg quarters 5.90/.59 per pound (frozen in blocks of 10#)
Chicken breast boneless, skinless 1.97 per pound
Chicken breast with bone and skin 1.00 per pound (Split***)
Whole chicken .87
Ground beef 19.98/about $2 per pound in 10# chubs
Beef roast 7 blade (I used to see it in Chicago called pot roast or chuck, but this is a thinner cut) 3.48 per pound
Beef steak Blade cut chuck*** 2.49 per pound
Beef roast Boneless chuck 3.94 per pound
Beef roast Chuck (bone-in)*** 2.49 per pound
Beef steak T-bone 3.97 per pound
Beef steak T-bone*** 2.99 per pound
Beef steak Cube*** 2.99 per pound
Beef Skirt steak (fajita) 2.97 per pound or 3.97 if it is butterflied
Pork chops (cheapest version) Assorted (mixed in same package) 1.97 per pound
Pork chops Sirloin*** 1.47 per pound
Pork tenderloin 2.98 per pound
Mac and Cheese in a box with powdered cheese (cheapest house brand) .34
Ramen noodles .17 each (same per item price in big packs)
Bread (cheapest loaf of sandwich type, 24 oz) .87
Bread
Onions white .50 per pound
Onions yellow .50 per pound
Potatoes (white, non-bakers) 1.77 for 5# .35/lb
3.54 for 10# .35/lb
Fresh mushrooms, 8 oz non-sliced 2.48
5# flour 1.84
4# sugar Yep, in 4# not 5# 2.36
1# dry pinto beans .72
1# Rice .50 per pound
1# salt pork 3.58 per pound
Bacon 12 oz 2.98
Bacon 12 oz*** 1.99
Gallon whole milk 2.98
Tomatoes 1.78 per pound
Broccoli 1.98 bunch (not a weight)
Eggs per dozen 1.64 small
1.74 large
1.84 jumbo
Head lettuce iceberg 1.14
***In Polly's area represents a local chain store – has some loss leaders to get people in store – most items cost more and the meat is not the same quality as HEB or Wal-Mart.
I put some of the prices side by side and most appear pretty close other than some really cheaper options like big frozen blocks of chicken legs or thighs. I have found these have to be thawed as a mass and then you've got 5# to 10# of chicken to cook up at one time. Prices here seem to be a bit lower in general than Mehan (South) and Raveyn (who's about 300 miles north of us). I have noticed a lot of the cheaper, starch foods (rice, beans, potatoes) are cheaper in different parts of town, same chain store. Some things like mushrooms are much cheaper in one area – perhaps there are growers there?
I'm guessing some costs are due to transportation (we are reasonably close to the Valley for fresh veggies year round). Food preferences also seem to play a factor with beans, rice, and fidello cheaper here than 50 miles north.
Would like to see some figures from further North, East and West.
Thanks.
Quote from: Adriana Rose on January 07, 2012, 01:00:20 PM
Wow those taxes sound freaking great!
The town that is closest for groceries and stuff just tacked buck and change on to the sales tax to help the local tourism.. I dont know why they did that there was no problem that I could see. But now my sister and I are starting to go to another town that is 60 miles away so we dont have to pay the extra, it works out better because there is lower sales tax and more stores to choose from.
Adriana, am I correct in thinking you are in the Colorado area?
I have 2 WalMarts within 5 miles of my work, in 2 different towns. At one a large can of cat food of the brand I use is $.70, at the other it is $.89. I've not really compared a lot of the other stuff though.
As to the TX Sales Tax, the STATE sales tax rate is 6.25%. What varies is the county and city rates, which may add up to a maximum of 2% to that 6.25% in most cases. in large metropolitan areas, like Dallas, Fort Worth & Houston, where many cities butt up against each other, things can be taxed at 8.25% at this store, and across the street it's as little as 7.25%, although most of the areas that I'm ever in, it's somewhere between 7.75 & 8.25 these days.
Yup
Adriana,
My son went to school in Colorado Springs for three semesters and we found that prices were higher for everything back then, some due to taxes. Doing research on some other stuff, I found things like building codes and stuff were more restrictive (and therefore costly), too.
It is beautiful up there, so I guess that kind of makes up for it and there are activities galore for outdoor-loving people. Some day I hope to make it to the big RenFaire up there.
The prices get higher as you go higher it seems but I do love where I live. You just learn to adapt and get used to a road trip for a grocery run ;D
I did some selective shopping this morning, stocking up on some items that we go through on a regular basis. With electronic coupons that Kroger uses, plus shopping circular specials, we spent $188, saving $55 off of regular prices. A lot of that saving was from a package of NY Strip steaks that regularly run close to $14/lb and they were only $5.99/lb.
PollyPoPo was reporting 0.50/lb onions, and we spent $1.19/lb. Quite a difference.
Raevyncait, it looks like taxes have moderated a little...
Quote from: PollyPoPo on January 07, 2012, 01:32:30 PM
Chicken thighs 3.85/.77 per pound (frozen in 3# blocks)
Chicken legs 8.70/.87 per pound (frozen in 10# blocks)
Chicken legs .87 ***
Chicken thigh and leg quarters 5.90/.59 per pound (frozen in blocks of 10#)
Chicken breast boneless, skinless 1.97 per pound
Chicken breast with bone and skin 1.00 per pound (Split***)
Whole chicken .87
Ground beef 19.98/about $2 per pound in 10# chubs
Beef roast 7 blade (I used to see it in Chicago called pot roast or chuck, but this is a thinner cut) 3.48 per pound
Beef steak Blade cut chuck*** 2.49 per pound
Beef roast Boneless chuck 3.94 per pound
Beef roast Chuck (bone-in)*** 2.49 per pound
Beef steak T-bone 3.97 per pound
Beef steak T-bone*** 2.99 per pound
Beef steak Cube*** 2.99 per pound
Beef Skirt steak (fajita) 2.97 per pound or 3.97 if it is butterflied
Pork chops (cheapest version) Assorted (mixed in same package) 1.97 per pound
Pork chops Sirloin*** 1.47 per pound
Pork tenderloin 2.98 per pound
Mac and Cheese in a box with powdered cheese (cheapest house brand) .34
Ramen noodles .17 each (same per item price in big packs)
Bread (cheapest loaf of sandwich type, 24 oz) .87
Bread
Onions white .50 per pound
Onions yellow .50 per pound
Potatoes (white, non-bakers) 1.77 for 5# .35/lb
3.54 for 10# .35/lb
Fresh mushrooms, 8 oz non-sliced 2.48
5# flour 1.84
4# sugar Yep, in 4# not 5# 2.36
1# dry pinto beans .72
1# Rice .50 per pound
1# salt pork 3.58 per pound
Bacon 12 oz 2.98
Bacon 12 oz*** 1.99
Gallon whole milk 2.98
Tomatoes 1.78 per pound
Broccoli 1.98 bunch (not a weight)
Eggs per dozen 1.64 small
1.74 large
1.84 jumbo
Head lettuce iceberg 1.14
***In Polly's area represents a local chain store – has some loss leaders to get people in store – most items cost more and the meat is not the same quality as HEB or Wal-Mart.
Used to be the meat was cheaper at the Commissary out at the AF Base, but not really anymore.
I never buy meat at Walmart since they got busted for relabeling old meat as fresh. I have gotten spoiled meat there twice (returned it the same day).
I do love me a full service Meat department, and Fareway is my favorite! Not only does Fareway have MUCH better quality meat; they beat Walmart's prices all the time.
I don't which thread I should put this in so I'll put it in both. I just learned of an opportunity to buy a big meat bundle pack from a local butcher. They're offering 69 pounds of meat for appr. 2.45 per pound. $169.00 In it you get a variety of- 4lb boneless beef sirloin steaks,17 lb pork loin roasts and chops,4 lb country sausage, 3lb bacon, two 4lb beef roasts, (not sure what cut), 12lb ground beef,5lb chicken legs,3 lb bone in chicken breasts, two 3.5 lbfrying chickens, 6lb hot dogs(not real thrilled by the hot dogs...). We're gonna split it with my parents, but this will still cover our meat needs for a while. The meat comes already separated and freezer wrapped, which is a big plus for me. I hate re-wrapping meat.
Sound like a good deal, or no?
Quote from: Lady Neysa on January 08, 2012, 07:20:31 PM
I don't which thread I should put this in so I'll put it in both. I just learned of an opportunity to buy a big meat bundle pack from a local butcher. They're offering 69 pounds of meat for appr. 2.45 per pound. $169.00 In it you get a variety of- 4lb boneless beef sirloin steaks,17 lb pork loin roasts and chops,4 lb country sausage, 3lb bacon, two 4lb beef roasts, (not sure what cut), 12lb ground beef,5lb chicken legs,3 lb bone in chicken breasts, two 3.5 lbfrying chickens, 6lb hot dogs(not real thrilled by the hot dogs...). We're gonna split it with my parents, but this will still cover our meat needs for a while. The meat comes already separated and freezer wrapped, which is a big plus for me. I hate re-wrapping meat.
Sound like a good deal, or no?
I would say that if you'll eat all of it, it probably averages out to a reasonable deal, especially when you figure in not having to go to get meat for awhile, or do the repackaging. For me, personally, It's probably not a great deal, because I really dislike bone in meat, I'm picky about my ground beef, and even more picky about my hot dogs, and I don't eat country sausage.
I'll have to ask what the fat percentage is on the ground beef, I am pretty picky about ground beef, so if it's the gross fatty stuff, I might have to pass. The rest of everything else sounds ok. It's a little heavier on the pork than I'd like, I'd rather have more chicken, but I doubt if they do substitutions. I actually prefer bone in meat on most things, I think it makes the meat more flavorful, as long as I'm not paying for too much bone. I don't eat a lot of hot dogs but I believe they're Kunzler brand, which I like, I think its a regional brand. We eat all of these types of meat, so hopefully it'll be ok. If not, we'll know not to do it again!
I just wanted to do an update
I finally made it to Aldi last Friday.
Here is a quick run down of what I found
As far as volume- they were all equivalent
A box of saltines
Publix brand National Brand Aldi brand
$2.09 almost $3 $0.79
Oyster Crackers
Publix brand National Brand Aldi brand
$2.25 about $3.50 $0.99
Milk
Publix Target Aldi
$3.89 $3.49 $2.89
No Aldi around here. Wish we did.
Shop at Aldi's all the time for canned and packaged food, also have very prices on frozen food their breaded chicken cutlets are very good. Only problem is their fresh producte selection is very limited and not very fresh. Which is OK because I normally get fresh producte from the Farmers market.
My mum does a yearly buy trip to aldies and buy cases of items that she uses all the time. (Ie Soups, pasata sauses, canned veggies) Honestly with the PP and I we found that by buying the canned goods, and such that we use all the time in bulk every 3 months at the local sams works out well for us. We keep to a $100 for everything, and that has served us well.
Dishwasher tabs 25 for $5 vs 200 for $9
Cream mushroom soup 8@ $.80ea= 6.40 vs 12 for $8.50
Trash bags roll of 100 for $8 vs 500 for $20
Laundry detergent 100 load jug $12 vs 300 load jug $25
Our big one is formula- Emphamil 44oz $38 vs Generic 3 pounds $22 - considering our daughter before she started solid food would down 32oz of formula a DAY, you can guess which we went with?
Then Diapers Pampers 200 count size 2 $55 vs 200 count pampers $45 (Generic you can get 200 for $35)
Beef prices are creeping up again.
Drought and wildfires decimated the Texas herds and nor fires in Colorado and Dakota are causing more havoc.
The best meat prices I have seen were at Fareway. I used to buy meat exclusively at the Commissary on base, but Fareway is much closer and the prices are within a penny or two per pound:
90% lean Fareways Own ground beef (made from the scraps from the full service meat counter on site, so no 'pink slime' added) is $3.49 lb. You can get the cheaper ground beef but it comes pre-packaged from the packing plant and almost certainly has the slime in it.
Whole fresh chicken-$1.49 lb.
T-bone steaks-$6.99 on sale, $7.99 lb regular price.
If you are entertaining- whole beef tenderloin (AVG 8-10 LBS) $11.99 lb-cut and wrapped free, if you want filet mignon (precut filets are $14.99 lb)
Cinnamon/apple brats made on site from scraps-$3.49 lb (incredibly tasty)
Iowa chops (1"+ thick)-$2.69 LB
spare ribs-$2.69 lb
Baby back ribs-$3.29 lb.
weekly ad-
http://issuu.com/farewaystores/docs/6-27omahagroup?mode=embed&viewMode=presentation&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true
The meat I buy will generally be what is on sale that week. I'll buy whole chicken when it's .69/lb and make soup, or do BBQ. Legs & thighs go on sale for .89, breasts for 1.89, and I'll stock up in the freezer. Steaks I'll buy in the family packs when they are 5.99 or 6.99, depending on steak. I have found that I save a ton of money buying the meat this way, and I can have a variety in the freezer.
I shop for meat once per month and freeze it. Buying in bulk saves money too. I only buy tenderloin maybe 1x per year but I save $4-$5 per lb buying the whole piece and having it cut free. That's 3-4 filet mignon dinners for 4.
Nobody in my family besides myself likes rare beef (gah) so I gave up on prime rib for Christmas. I refuse to cook it to death.
Well, my buying in bulk came back and bit me in the butt. 6 pounds of nice shrimp (21/26) for 6.99 lb; 10 pounds of nice chicken breast at .99/lb, 10 pounds Italian sausage .65/pound, 20 pounds of beef ribs at .99/lb and various and sundry homemade lasagne's, eggplant casseroles, and beef barley soup - headed for the garbage pail. 95+ heat and no power for 4 days with approximately 4-6 more days coming.
On the plus side, all that wine and coffee is certainly being put to good use.
I will say, one of our local Kroger's, on the first day without power, just started giving away their perishables - which I thought was pretty nice. The other Kroger's brought in refrigerated trucks and fresh market (Shame on them!) just threw everything away after 2 days.
When you hear about tens of thousands of people without power for days (now going in to weeks) you don't think about the lack of perishable food. I'm very sorry for all of you up there.
I found out frozen food lost thru power outage is one thing that is covered 100% on your home owners or renters insurance. Better check this out.
Dona - I am humbled by the eloquence of your response. Compared to what my neighbors and friends both here and in the west amid the firestorms - a few pounds of shrimp is truly not something to worry over. The death toll, just in my little burg has risen to 26. A volunteer fireman who stopped to help a family whose car had been struck by a tree was himself killed by another falling tree - our neighbors home is totaled and their dog died in the destruction. Without power and no smart phone to keep me connected, I lost track of what was really happening. We, thankfully got power last night, three days earlier than promised. There are still more than 20% of the city's population without - while crews from as far away as Arkansas working in record heat on a holiday to get us all back on line.
Makes me pretty proud of my city - so today, when they come to make special collections of spoiled food (city workers volunteering for extra shifts so spoiled food doesn't sit on the streets and compound problems), I will happily add mine to the collection and counts my blessings instead of my savings.
My thoughts are with you and the huge number of our neighbors across the country who have been affected by this power outage and heat.