Gifts Well Below the Poverty Line

Here is a batch of hand-dipped dark chocolate orange truffles that I made today. What does this have to do with poverty? Well, I used the money from the "gifts" budget category to pay for the ingredients. Which proves, you can live well while living well below the poverty line.

I received my chocolate training from a friend/pastry chef from Oregon. She spent the weekend teaching me the secret to tempering chocolate and creating creamy risotto. In turn, I showed her my not-so-glam granola bars, which she graciously raved about.

My pastry chef friend also enjoys living a thrifty lifestyle, so we like to trade tips, recipes and financial advice. Everyone needs a thrifty friend--a friend who will meet you in the park for a simple picnic, brag about thrift store finds, and help you create a wicked good batch of dark chocolate truffles.

Purchases: Week One

Groceries:
*Applesauce $1.68
*Applesauce $1.68
*1 lb. Butter $2.00
*Dannon Plain Yogurt (32 oz) $2.00
*Large Eggs $1.29
*Large Eggs $1.29
*Gallon Milk $2.00
*Gallon Milk $2.00
*Gala Apples $5.11 (overcharged item)
*Navel Oranges $1.68 (overcharged item)
*Frozen Broccoli $1.00
Frozen Spinach $ FREE (overcharged item)
Frozen Spinach $ FREE (overcharged item)
*Chicken Leg Quarters $3.20
Whole Carrots (2lbs.) $1.29
*Green Cabbage $.94
*Cauliflower $1.91
*Celery $.99
*Butter $1.50
*Butter $1.50
Feta $4.19
Romaine Lettuce $1.49

Gifts (ingredients to make handmade chocolate truffles)
*Heavy Whipping Cream $2.69
*Hershey's Chocolate Chips $4

Auto: Gasoline:
$11.26 (8.534 gal/$1.319)

*Asterisk indicates sale item.