Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli & Noodle Casserole

This is a delicious and filling dinner. The original recipe called for a rotisserie chicken, 3 oz. of bacon bits, and frozen broccoli but I prefer making it with my own ingredients.

Organization Part 3 — Everything Under The Kitchen Sink

In 2000 I had a spinal cord injury that left me with central nervous system damage. It’s very difficult for me to bend and getting up and down from bed and chairs is difficult and sometimes impossible without help. Since getting up from a chair is hard you can imagine how hard it is to get down and back up from the floor. I avoid putting my bottom end and floors together as often as I can!

Organization Part 2 — Organizing your refrigerator & freezer

In times past I felt I had a pretty organized refrigerator. After all, I could find what I needed…usually. And things tipped over and drooled down the side of the refrigerator and pooled at the bottom under the crisper drawers only occasionally. But one day, as I was lying on the floor halfway in the refrigerator, trying to scrape up a large, thick pool of what once had been barbeque sauce, I’d had enough! I was tired of finding fuzzy fried chicken. I was done with opening a container only to find a moldy, semi-liquefied glob of who knows what. I was sick of wasting money buying things that I already had three or four of because they were lost in the back of the refrigerator or freezer. I didn’t want to waste one more minute cleaning congealed blood from the back wall. There was a better way!

Organization Part 1 — Getting Started

When our kids were little I was super-organized. Our boys were only 18 months apart so I didn’t have time to waste. Two babies in diapers is a tremendous motivator to save time and steps. Some people thought I may have taken it too far; even my spices were alphabetized. But getting little ones ready for everything from bath and bed to a vacation out of town takes organization. As the kids got older and I was working outside the home some things slipped a bit.

A Sample Pantry List

If you are following along on my Simple Steps To Saving Money Series, this is a sample of a pantry list I use. I don’t have every item on this list and I don’t have every item I’ve ever used but it’s pretty complete. Of course you will adapt your list to the things that you have in your pantry. I have a separate list of staple refrigerator items like milk, butter, and eggs.

Simple Steps To Saving Money — Part 1: Groceries

Retirement is supposed to be that golden time of life during which your spoil your grandkids, travel, and do all the renovations on the house you’ve been putting off. Unfortunately, for many of us retirement means a serious cut in income. Add the sometimes minor, sometimes serious health issues of growing older and your disposable income can quickly disappear.

I’ve done some cost-cutting and I wish I had done so years ago. I’d have more of that elusive disposable income now if I’d spent less and saved more. But saving anything now helps and for those of you who aren’t yet “golden” these are some good ways to help you cut your expenses. Not all will work for you but at least a few should help.