ECON Frugal Tips for October 2010

[Usually Curious]

COOL!!!

And if one had the time / space, make up a couple of batches of the individual meatloaves, to freeze, for quick meals later on

My better half always made the best meatloaf!!! Even better the next day IMO, cold with catsup and mayonaise for the ultimate sandwich .....

Mmmm. Meatloaf sandwiches.

 

[Mary]

KellyAnn, I made on of those decorations Okay, it's a bit lop-sided, but it still looks good to me !!!

M~~

 

[mzkitty]

Mmmm. Meatloaf sandwiches.

Oh yeah. I have to have mine with real candied pickles on the side. My store has them, using real sugar, but they are like $4.00 a jar!!!

 

[Be Well]

Here's a link to the no-knead bread method that really, really works! The only difference is that I make it double the recipe, and use part white and part whole wheat, and don't mess with using the Dutch oven etc, I just cook in a couple of glass pans - one a round medium casserole pan, one a glass loaf pan. I've cooked in other pans but I like how it comes out in the glass ones. I also cook it around 375, I can't imagine cooking bread starting at 500 and then going "down" to 450! I guess that makes it have a very hard crust, which DH doesn't like anyway.

http://www.breadtopia.com/basic-no-knead-method/

I add just a bit more water than the recipe above; it really depends on the moisture content of the flour and even the humidity. The dough should be shaggy and wetter than you think bread dough should be.

Here's a link to a thead on the PFI forum (Pandemic stuff including lots of preparedness info) called "All Things Wheat and Bread" with my flat bread recipes and many other peoples' recipes. I'll also post here my wheat tortilla recipe since I didn't have it then. Checking through the thread below, I don't see my chapatti recipe. So I'll post it and one or two more soon.

http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewtopic.php?t=1851

 

[Deena in GA]

I'm trying to extend the thought of "make do with as little as possible, but still do the job" to everything. Usually I cover my contact lenses with cleaner to clean them, but have started using just one drop per lens.
It does the job and will make the cleaner last much longer, thus saving money.

Btw, gas perm contacts (which I wear) are a great value. Admittedly, they are more difficult to get used to, but they last a long time. I wear the same pair of lenses for 8 to 10 years.

 

[celticblueiwolf]

Who throws away a purse with a broken strap, a backpack with a strap that pulled out or seam came open, a tent or leather jacket with a seam coming apart, a velcro strap on a sandal or shoe that needs fixing, a sheath that is coming apart, or other stuff THAT JUST NEEDS SEWN but is not really appropriate for a sewing machine and a regular needle and thread is not up to the heavy duty sewing job??

STOP throwing away money to rebuy stuff that just needs a few stitches to make it "good as new".


GO BUY A "sewing awl" and watch the video on Youtube as to how EASY it is to fix those things. AT 65 I just went out and bought one, and learned how to fix stuff I USED TO THROW AWAY.

Here is a copy of my post on the prep forum, for those who missed it:

IF YOU KNOW YOU NEED & HAVE "DUCT TAPE" YOU SHOULD ALSO HAVE THIS:

Just watched a youtube video on how to use the "Speedy stitcher" manual sewing awl by STEWART CO.( http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=SPEEDY+STITCHER+STEWART&aq=f ) to easily and quickly fix those broken purse straps, shoe straps, backpack broken straps and repair/resew canvas and leather tents, jackets, belts, duffel bags, just about anything I USED to throw away when the seam broke, it tore or otherwise needed repaired. You can even "sew" WITH WIRE. You can MAKE STUFF with it too - shoes, cases, sheaths for knife, ax or hatchet, bags etc.

THIS IS A SURVIVAL MUST TOOL AND SKILL!!

It is EXTREMELY EASY to do and the whole "KIT" is tops $20-$25 at the highest price, and the tool alone with a couple of needles can be had for as little as $5.

Go out and get one, or check e-bay,(ACE hardware advertises the kit for $17.99 online:http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=20430

Great idea, ainitfunny. You have sold me.

My frugal tip is http://www.moneysavingmom.com

 

[marieb]

That's a great idea about making pizzas in advance and freezing them! On soccer practice nights I have a hard time coming up with supper ideas that don't take too long

When my kids were younger, any time I was using the oven for a roast, etc., I would also throw about 8 to 10 large potatoes in the oven to bake. Later, I would cool the potatoes and make just a basic twice-cooked potato stuffing for the skins, wrap them in foil, and freeze them.

When the kids came home from school, before I got home from work, they could throw a frozen stuffed potato in the microwave and dress it up with chili or broccoli cheese soup or pieces of roasted chicken and jack cheese, etc. It make a quick, wholesome snack or late night supper with little fuss or mess.

marieb

 

[Deena in GA]

Found another frugal site today: www.tipking.co.uk Lots of ideas there.

Yesterday my hubby had a bread salesman give him some bread and buns that he had picked up that were almost out of date. Tip - make friends with a bread salesman.

I took the hamburger buns, buttered the tops and broiled them. Made gravy and added the leftover chicken I had cooked for Sunday dinner and poured over the toasted buns. Yummy! Had homegrown corn on the cob and a salad and it's a very cheap supper.

 

[blueberry]

Wow, Deena, there is a lot of good stuff at that site. Thanks!

 

[Deena in GA]

While it's not your "normal" frugal type of site, here is a site that will be invaluable: http://www.energyconservationinfo.org/compendium.htm

Also, a couple of years ago Publix had Martha White muffin mixes on sale bogo and we had really good coupons on them that made them $.25 apiece. We bought a very large amount of them and are still using them. I'm not a big fan of pre-made mixes at all, but couldn't resist the price and convenience. What I do, however, to make them a little healthier and stretch them even more is add two or three heaping tablespoons of my fresh-ground whole wheat flour. It gives them the extra fiber and nutrition and cuts down on the sweetness of them (I don't like them really sweet).

 

[Nuthatch]

A wealth of candied pickle recipes:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,candied_pickles,FF.html

Who knew?

 

[Deena in GA]

A cheaper way to keep your septic tank healthy is to put yeast into it.

If you use coupons, check your local library, church or community center for coupon baskets or swaps. Many places are now putting out a basket for coupons to be swapped or setting up something similar.

 

[herbgarden]

I cut out any or all coupons I find. The ones I don't use I put next to the item at the grocery store for someone else to use.I want to try to help others be frugal,too.

JoAnne Fabrics will be having a sale Oct24-30 on drapery linings 50% off this includes black-out and thermal.I do not know the width of the lining.For anyone needing to make drapes.

For a lot of us even that is too much money and window quilts work well,too.I found that the plastic painting tarps for $1 at the DollarTree works well but, you can't put them in the washer if you wash the window quilt.So, I hang the tarps separately behind the curtain.
I wonder if shower curtains would work better since they aren't attached or sewn into the window quilt.

 

[Deena in GA]

This may not be news to anyone else, but I just learned that putting yeast down the drain/toilet is a great, cheap way to keep your septic system healthy.

I am embarrassed to admit this, but this past month I didn't pay enough attention to what date it was and let two or three bills get past the due date, resulting in having to pay late fees. Sigh...so my frugal tip for the day is to pay those bills on time. I'm going to try to get in the habit of paying them the day after they come in.

 

[Dinghy]

Dollar General has the new fall scent Glade candles on sale. 2/ $5.00, plus they had a pad of "$3 off on 3" coupons on the shelf!!! They make nice little gifts if you don't want to use them yourself! We have even used them for prizes at showers.

 

[Deena in GA]

For my 11,000th post, I wanted to add another good, frugal website to our list here. www.notjustbeans.com Lots of great recipes that won't cost a lot and more tips on saving money as well.

 

[Dafodil]

Dollar General has the new fall scent Glade candles on sale. 2/ $5.00, plus they had a pad of "$3 off on 3" coupons on the shelf!!! They make nice little gifts if you don't want to use them yourself! We have even used them for prizes at showers.

Thanks! I LOVE the apple cinnamon scent!

 

[Catbird]

Wow Deena, congrats on 11,000! How many keyboards have you worn out?

My tip for the day is something we do on a regular basis now.

With the cooler weather coming, it's time to start having a fire in the evening. Once a week or so, we wrap a half dozen or so good sized baking potatoes in foil and toss them in the coals. When they're done, I let them cool overnight and then refrigerate. Then I have potatoes all ready to make a quick dish - stuffed and twice baked, sliced and fried, scooped out and mashed, or just rewarmed to have with butter and sour cream.

It's just the two of us so those potatoes last us all week without the cost of using the oven.

 

[Deena in GA]

I love all the tips! Keep them coming! And since we heat with wood, I'm really happy to see this one. We love baked sweet potatoes too, so will try that also.

My tip for the day is something we do on a regular basis now.

With the cooler weather coming, it's time to start having a fire in the evening. Once a week or so, we wrap a half dozen or so good sized baking potatoes in foil and toss them in the coals. When they're done, I let them cool overnight and then refrigerate. Then I have potatoes all ready to make a quick dish - stuffed and twice baked, sliced and fried, scooped out and mashed, or just rewarmed to have with butter and sour cream.

It's just the two of us so those potatoes last us all week without the cost of using the oven.

 

[coloradohermit]

We're forecast to have a spell of wintery weather, so today I was pulling up the last of the garden plants. The stems on the brocolli plants were nice and thick so I brought them in, peeled and grated them and have a nice batch of brocolli slaw for dinner. Got to get every last little bit from the garden.

 

[Deena in GA]

Nice way to use it all up, coloradohermit! That's my goal with everything.

I'm crocheting scarves for my daughters and daughter-in-law for Christmas. They're not taking quite as much yarn as I expected, so I'm going to use what's left to make another scarf or two that are multi-colored.

In the not-so-distant past (like last year), we could fill up our grocery cart and only spend $50 or so. Last night we went grocery shopping. We spent $42 and change and saved $45 and change by using coupons and buying sale items, which is pretty good. BUT it only filled half our cart. Boy, did that hurt! We're good shoppers, so I can only imagine how hard it is for people who don't shop only sales and such.

Btw, make friends with your librarian, especially if you're homeschooling. Ours have given me two full boxes and then two bags full of old educational VHS tapes (National Geographics, for example). We still have a VCR, so can use these. The latest donation from them was a Great Courses set on the Presidents. These are great and cost quite a bit of money usually.

 

[KMR58]

Deena - is it hard to learn to crochet? Can you learn on your own? I would like to learn and teach my 9 year old as well but I don't know anyone who does it. Thanks.

 

[Old Gray Mare]

Holloween

As soon as Halloween is over I plan on the following:
1) Hitting the candy sales and stocking up on comfort foods! Mama needs her chocolate!
2) Hitting the farm stands and scarffing up all the winter squash that are in good condition that I can afford.
3) Checking the craft shops for cheap Holloween candels
4) If the grocery stores have those solar, stick in the ground Hollween lights on sale I plan to get a few and see if I can hook the solar chips in them up to run a logic fan to use in a solar dehydrator come next year. I don't know if it will work but I want to try it.

 

[closet squirrel]

After a holiday (Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) stores like Wal Mart and Target put all the Glade (and other such brands) of candles with the scents that belong to the holiday on clearance. If you have coupons, you can usually stock up on nice jar candles for very cheap

 

[Deena in GA]

KMR58, it's easy to crochet. If you don't know someone who does it, I've heard that there are videos on the net that teach it too. Try searching youtube. There are also books, I'm sure you can find one at the library. It's definitely easier to learn for most people, if they can see it though.

We're already seeing stores marking their Halloween stuff down 25 and 50%. As OGM points out, after Halloween is the time to buy chocolate. That's when we buy the candy for Christmas stockings.

 

[summerthyme]

Nice way to use it all up, coloradohermit! That's my goal with everything.

I'm crocheting scarves for my daughters and daughter-in-law for Christmas. They're not taking quite as much yarn as I expected, so I'm going to use what's left to make another scarf or two that are multi-colored.

In the not-so-distant past (like last year), we could fill up our grocery cart and only spend $50 or so. Last night we went grocery shopping. We spent $42 and change and saved $45 and change by using coupons and buying sale items, which is pretty good. BUT it only filled half our cart. Boy, did that hurt! We're good shoppers, so I can only imagine how hard it is for people who don't shop only sales and such.

Btw, make friends with your librarian, especially if you're homeschooling. Ours have given me two full boxes and then two bags full of old educational VHS tapes (National Geographics, for example). We still have a VCR, so can use these. The latest donation from them was a Great Courses set on the Presidents. These are great and cost quite a bit of money usually.

Deena... consider keeping an eye out at thrift shops, or maybe even put an ad on Craigslist for a "VCR to DVD recorder". People buy these to convert their VCR tapes but don't need them after they've finished the process. I think they can play DVD's as well (but haven't researched them myself- we've never been much on playing VCR's, etc)... but so many people "upgrade" their electronics so often, there's bound to be some out there cheap.

Then you can make DVD's of the tapes, which will preserve the info in case the tapes break/get ruined. Or in case your VCR dies... you can always play the DVD's on most computers...

Summerthyme

 

[William]

We had a great thread for September thanks to all the info you are all sharing! I learned a lot! Here's the link: http://www.timebomb2000.com/vb/showthread.php?t=369887

To kick off October, here's a tip courtesy of www.hillbillyhousewife.com : To reuse inner cereal bags for freezing, cut off the tops and down the middle to make a plastic sheet. Then drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto the plastic and freeze. No matter how sticky the dough is, it doesn't stick stick to the plastic. After the dough is frozen hard, you can put it into a ziplock type bag. (I thought this might be useful with the holidays coming up. You can make up cookie dough in advance and freeze until needed.)

Your turn...

Sorry but cookie dough just don't last that long around here. :-)

 

[Be Well]

This would actually be good for the cheap Christmas presents thread but it's frugal and all-purpose (eating).

I usually make these once a year to give as presents for neighbors, the guys at the Post Office and bank, etc. They are really cheap compared to most things and everyone loves them. (DH ate almost three whole pans before I could give them away...)

Cinnamon Rolls! I make a rather rich bread dough (lots of it) with a couple of stick of butter, half milk and half water and maybe some powdered milk, extra sugar. And of course some salt and yeast - I buy it in bulk as it is much cheaper that way. For home use I use mostly whole wheat flour but for these I use mostly or all white (unbleached) since not everyone is used to whole wheat flour.

Then when kneaded and risen once, I get my disposable aluminum pans (I buy them as cheap as I can, these were in packs of 3 for around $1), or you can use your own square or round pans and take them out when done. I butter them well.

I divide the dough into parts, roll each ball out into a large rectangle, dot with butter, liberally sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar, roll it up tight, cut into even segments, and put in each pan.

Let rise until almost double and bake. When done and cooled down, make a simple frosting with powdered sugar and hot water, and dribble all over the tops, looks very pretty.

When cold, wrap up in plastic wrap (colored if you want to look festive) and tie at the top with some ribbon. A nice card (I make my own, I find a nice picture of the holy family) and you will make friends!

Sometimes I use walnuts because we buy them from someone with a few trees but we didn't get any this year, and store bought are too expensive for us and usually taste rancid. Raisins are okay but the exposed ones turn black.

The cost is maybe a pound of butter, flour, some milk, maybe a pound of brown sugar (?), a few T of cinnamon, and two or three cups of powdered sugar. That's if you're making pans of them for gifts. For home use, just one or two pans (or in my house maybe four!) is even cheaper.

If you have kids, they can help and it's fun for them.