by Hope
I’ve removed social media from my phone. I found myself just spending way to much time scrolling. And I have plenty of other things to do around here. But I’m still on it 3-4 times a week for work. And it was during this time, I saw an announcement that someone opened a butcher shop downtown. (Really any new business around here is exciting, especially if we don’t already have one!)
But I had a brainstorm. Now that I’m back to making my dogs’ food, perhaps I could get a deal on meat at this new butcher. Currently, I go to our local Quality Food and buy all the weird cheap meat – turkey necks, pigs feet, chicken leg quarters, etc. And buy their soup bones to make bone broth. Then I add in veggies (some frozen, some from my garden), brown rice, and/or kidney beans. Etc. It is truly much more healthy and so economical. But the meat cost does add up.
Image from their Facebook page
This week, I wandered into this new butcher shop and inquired about meat for dog food. Holy cow, I got about 100 lbs of meet for $40. And it’s good stuff…lamb, steak, etc. And he’s agreed to sell me his “scraps” every week going forward. We exchanged numbers and I walked out of there with two large, heavy bags of meat scraps.
My dogs eat a mixture of raw and cooked foods. While most of this haul went in the freezer, I cooked up a bunch of lamb with kidney beans, sweet potatoes, and water plus turmeric and parsley in the crockpot. That will last the rest of this week. (It doesn’t look for smell good to me, but the dogs LOVE it!) And I’ll be packing up individual meals in freezer bags with meals to send with Princess when Jake goes to live with her. Sophie will most likely return to kibble when she moves to Virginia in July.
With no more big family to cook for and time on my hands, I am enjoying returning to preparing my dog’s food from scratch. (I do still wish I could make it a side hustle, but after looking at the regulations, it’s just too much.)
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
I urge you to proofread your posts. You got 100 lbs of “meet”. It is a bit unprofessional for someone who gets paid to blog, especially when you advertise yourself as someone who makes websites.
I read another blog and the writer is a professional within the education field and they often have grammatical errors. I think it’s unfortunately the way of the world now, but I hear you.
It’s frustrating to have bloggers who never respond to comments.
I have never really had dogs, cats mostly. Once this is cost effective then it is great for all involved.