Black belt grocery savings part 2

Good morning!  So money is tight for you?  It is here.  This morning we had a surprise in that all of the sudden we're informed that it's time to buy cap and gown for my oldest son's graduation.  I was expecting that little surprise in the beginning of the year not now.  $60 deposit and the part remaining will be another $200.  YIKES!  It is bitter sweet though.  I am happy that my son is able to graduate.  He is my child on the autism spectrum.  For a while there we weren't sure he would be able to make it.  While my youngest is being home schooled because he fell thru the cracks of the public school system, my oldest son had the benefit of an I.E.P and as such had co-taught classes, timely intervention, tutors, etc because the school system wanted to make sure his scores were high.  I hold his teachers in high regard.  The system not so much.  So I am proud that he will be able to graduate, but the timing of said payment is not good.  But if you think about no time is good to make a $250 ish payment.  In addition to that surprise, I finally got my groceries Monday and I am sad to say I went about $80 over.  Had I not restocked my pantry I would have been right on target, but I am concerned that if I don't keep it restocked, then when  I do restock it will be so much more expensive.  What I added to my list were flour, sugar, tea, coffee, oil, canned fruit, and canned peas.  I was totally out of peas and the canned fruit is hopefully temporary until my fruit trees start to produce. While my grocery list did go over in order to keep my pantry stocked, the items I stocked were staple items.  In fact the vast majority of my grocery shopping is primarily staples.  Speaking of fruit trees, that brings me to my next black belt grocery tip:
Grow Your Own - Grass seems like such a waste of space.  LOL.  I am sure my dh would have no problem with me using the entire yard for my garden so he wouldn't need to cut grass.(smile) In my back yard I have blackberries(thorn less yay), blueberries, peach and apple trees.  I also have my garden in my backyard.  In my garden I grow tomatoes, corn, green beans, Lima beans, navy beans, squash, pumpkin, spinach, lettuce, peppers, potatoes, beets, and cucumbers.  I will not lie to you.  Forget the picture of the cute, clean, lady with her pretty gloves on, her floppy hat, long sleeved shirt, and unsoiled jeans.  Gardening is a hot sweaty dirty business, but satisfying ohhh so satisfying.  I live in Ga and we have the red clay in our dirt.  I have good dirt, and properly prepared isn't too hard to work with.  However I don't use hand gardening tools.  I use full size hoes, cultivators, shovels, tiller, etc.  I will go out to the garden wearing my sunscreen and a sleeveless top and shorts(I know don't try to think of it too hard).  I take my radio to listen too, and am out there for a few hours.  When I come in I am a hot sweaty mess. You haven't felt a better shower than when you have just come in from a garden.  Oh yea, there are bugs.  Yea I know ewwwww, but there are bugs.  Just remember you are bigger than they are.(smile).  SO I think I have portrayed the garden sufficiently.  Now for the good part.  There is nothing better than veggies or fruit fresh from the garden or tree.  The savings is awesome as well.  My blueberry bushes put out over 35 lbs. of blueberries just this year alone.  I have six bushes that cost me about $10 each years ago.  Each year the bushes put out blueberries, lots of blueberries.  Those bushes have paid for themselves over and over.   The same with my garden.  It makes the produce pennies on the dollar compared to store bought and might I remind you, the taste and nutrition is so much better.  Work hard in the garden for a few hours and skip the gym membership.  For those who may not have a yard to plant, look into container gardening, or raise bed gardening.  It is so satisfying to be able to walk past the canned veggie  produce because I don't need anything.  So all things considered gardening is hard work, but well worth the effort.  Trrry it you'll like it! 
Okay so since you went thru all the hulabaloo of listening to me wax on interminably, I will reward you with another recipe:

QUICK BREAD MIX

12 CUPS FLOUR, ALL PURPOSE
3 CUPS SUGAR
3 CUPS BROWN SUGAR
2 TBS BAKING POWDER
2 TBS BAKING SODA
1 TBS CINNAMEN
1 TBS NUTMEG
1 TBS SALT
1 TBS GROUND CLOVES

MIX IT ALL TOGETHER AND STORE UNTIL USED

TO USE:
3 1/2 CUPS MIX
1/3 CUP OIL
2 EGGS BEATEN
1 CUP FRUIT OR VEGGIE PUREE(THIS IS WHERE YOU USE ALL THE ZUCCHINNI YOU'LL GROW)
1 TBS MILK OR LEMON JUICE IF MAKING BANANNA BREAD

MIX ALL TOGETHER THEN BACK IN A 325 OVEN TIL DONE.