I thought I was good at coupon-ing. This lady brings it to an art form. Thanks to Stephanie Robinson Rial for pointing this out
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/
Whoah.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Homemade Bread
Here is my favorite homemade bread recipe:
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. After 10 minutes, turn oven off. Preheating then turning off the oven provides a warm dry environment for the dough to rise in.
3 1/2 cups flour
2 heaping teaspoons yeast
1/4 cup sugar, or 3 Tbs molasses or 3 Tbs honey
1 tsp salt
mix above together,
Heat 1 1/3 cup water to 115 degrees.
add 2 Tbs melted butter or 2 Tbs oil to water.
Make well in flour mixture and pour in water and oil. Mix together until dough forms. Knead for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into greased bowl and turn to coat with oil all over. Put in oven and let rise for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes punch down dough, flour a flat clean surface and knead dough until reduced to original size. Place in greased loaf pan and allow to rise until doubled in size. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees.
After dough has risen, bake for 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack. DO NOT SLICE UNTIL COMPLETELY COOLED!!!!
Store bread in large plastic bag. Do not store until cooled or bread will get soggy.
Obviously this is plain white bread. I often add ground oats, flaxseed, wheat bran, etc. when I do the second kneading. This adds fiber and flavor. Play around with it and see what works for you.
Preheat oven to 200 degrees. After 10 minutes, turn oven off. Preheating then turning off the oven provides a warm dry environment for the dough to rise in.
3 1/2 cups flour
2 heaping teaspoons yeast
1/4 cup sugar, or 3 Tbs molasses or 3 Tbs honey
1 tsp salt
mix above together,
Heat 1 1/3 cup water to 115 degrees.
add 2 Tbs melted butter or 2 Tbs oil to water.
Make well in flour mixture and pour in water and oil. Mix together until dough forms. Knead for 15 to 20 minutes. Pour into greased bowl and turn to coat with oil all over. Put in oven and let rise for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes punch down dough, flour a flat clean surface and knead dough until reduced to original size. Place in greased loaf pan and allow to rise until doubled in size. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees.
After dough has risen, bake for 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack. DO NOT SLICE UNTIL COMPLETELY COOLED!!!!
Store bread in large plastic bag. Do not store until cooled or bread will get soggy.
Obviously this is plain white bread. I often add ground oats, flaxseed, wheat bran, etc. when I do the second kneading. This adds fiber and flavor. Play around with it and see what works for you.
Make your own cleaners
When we dropped down to one income I started realizing just how expensive brand name cleaning sprays were. What gives? They are mostly water! So I started making my own. Now instead of over $2 a bottle, I spend about 20 cents a bottle. 90% savings? I'm in!!
So here's what you do. A lot of sites will go crazy telling you ratios, essential oils, etc., but here's the real deal: Your mix should be about 1:10 cleaner to water, with a drop of inexpensive dish washing liquid (NOT dishWASHER liquid). So for a bleach cleaner you would use 4 TBS bleach to 40 tbs water. Not that I measure. I just buy one of those empty spray bottles like this:
This is just an example. The ones I buy have markings on them that make the measuring a cinch.
Anyway, make one with bleach and one with ammonia. Same ratio 1:10. Strong enough to do the job but not damage any surfaces. Bleach at Big Lots (can you tell this is my favorite store?) runs about $1.50 a gallon. Ammonia is a little more expensive but not by much. You can get 1/2 gallon for about $1.75. But they last a LOOOOONG time when you dilute them and use them in this fashion. Compare to over $2 for commercial spray cleaners and you are saving tons.
There are two home made cleaners I have yet to make work to my satisfaction: laundry detergent and dishwashing detergent. I bought the Fels-Naptha, the Borax, the household baking soda. I failed. So I just buy the cheapest detergents I can find and use my coupons.
One cleaning item that is totally worth the money? Oxyclean! I have two toddlers and can remove just about any stain with that stuff.
That's todays post. If you have any hints for making household cleaners please share!!!
See you tomorrow... Cheers!
So here's what you do. A lot of sites will go crazy telling you ratios, essential oils, etc., but here's the real deal: Your mix should be about 1:10 cleaner to water, with a drop of inexpensive dish washing liquid (NOT dishWASHER liquid). So for a bleach cleaner you would use 4 TBS bleach to 40 tbs water. Not that I measure. I just buy one of those empty spray bottles like this:
Anyway, make one with bleach and one with ammonia. Same ratio 1:10. Strong enough to do the job but not damage any surfaces. Bleach at Big Lots (can you tell this is my favorite store?) runs about $1.50 a gallon. Ammonia is a little more expensive but not by much. You can get 1/2 gallon for about $1.75. But they last a LOOOOONG time when you dilute them and use them in this fashion. Compare to over $2 for commercial spray cleaners and you are saving tons.
There are two home made cleaners I have yet to make work to my satisfaction: laundry detergent and dishwashing detergent. I bought the Fels-Naptha, the Borax, the household baking soda. I failed. So I just buy the cheapest detergents I can find and use my coupons.
One cleaning item that is totally worth the money? Oxyclean! I have two toddlers and can remove just about any stain with that stuff.
That's todays post. If you have any hints for making household cleaners please share!!!
See you tomorrow... Cheers!
Monday, March 28, 2011
When it comes to toys, Goodwill is your friend
Except for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas, when you are buying toys Goodwill is the place to go. I look at it like toy rental. You buy something super cheap that will entertain your kid for a while, and then you return it when they are no longer interested in it. Saves you a bundle over department store prices and you know that some other kid is going to get the joy out of that same toy when you return it. But please, no one wants a beat up toy with pieces missing. If it is junk after your kids have played with it then please either find a specialized recycling center that accepts unusual items or just trash it. We have Bob's Recycling (yes, BOB's, funny, huh?). He takes batteries, old toys, old phones, everything. Maybe you have something like that in your area.
Also, Goodwill and thrift stores are awesome for holiday decorations. I got 3 holiday themed platters at my local Goodwill to use for Christmas cookies I give to friends. They were 25 cents a piece. The cheapest of these would have been at least $2 at the cheapest dollar store. They were clean, unscratched and very cute.
I bought a giant light up jack-o-lantern with a black cat popping out of the top from Goodwill. It was a whopping $6 (which is more than what I usually spend there) but the thing is almost four feet tall. I figured I would return it after Halloween. Turns out my kids adore it, so we had to find a place to store it until next Halloween. Sometimes bargains can bite you in the bohonkus. ;^) But similar kitchy items at BigLots were over $20. So six dollars was a pretty good investment for happy kiddo memories.
Please share your happy thrift store finds. And locations for good thrift stores in your area. I live in Miami so I am obviously interested in Miami area stores, but others in different parts of the country could benefit from your favorite bargain basement - so dish!!!
Also, Goodwill and thrift stores are awesome for holiday decorations. I got 3 holiday themed platters at my local Goodwill to use for Christmas cookies I give to friends. They were 25 cents a piece. The cheapest of these would have been at least $2 at the cheapest dollar store. They were clean, unscratched and very cute.
I bought a giant light up jack-o-lantern with a black cat popping out of the top from Goodwill. It was a whopping $6 (which is more than what I usually spend there) but the thing is almost four feet tall. I figured I would return it after Halloween. Turns out my kids adore it, so we had to find a place to store it until next Halloween. Sometimes bargains can bite you in the bohonkus. ;^) But similar kitchy items at BigLots were over $20. So six dollars was a pretty good investment for happy kiddo memories.
Please share your happy thrift store finds. And locations for good thrift stores in your area. I live in Miami so I am obviously interested in Miami area stores, but others in different parts of the country could benefit from your favorite bargain basement - so dish!!!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Homemade Pancake Syrup
Here is a recipe for home made pancake syrup that will end up costing you about $1.75 for 3 cups of syrup.I realize this is more than the cheapest syrup I can find - Roddenberry's Northwood Syrup, but this one contains no high fructose corn syrup and that is very important to me.
Pancake syrup:
2 1/2cups white sugar
2 tsp molasses
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Combine everything but vanilla. Bring to a boil and boil for three minutes. Add vanilla and pour into jar. Store in refrigerator. Tastes great on pancakes and french toast.
If you like maple syrup add 1/2 tsp maple flavoring or 1/4 cup maple syrup to cooked syrup mixture.
Coupons and Big Box Stores: to use or not to use
Clipping coupons takes time, but it is worth it most of the time. Resign yourself to the fact that you will not use all of the coupons you clip. Coupons work best when combined with store sales, obviously. Otherwise you are better off just buying the cheaper store brand. But when my Publix or Winn-Dixie places items on sale at buy one get one free, you can really rack up the savings by combining a coupon with that offer. For example, recently Publix had Progresso soup (a brand I don't normally buy because it is expensive) on sale bo/go and I had a coupon for 40 cents off, I got two cans for just a little over two dollars, instead of the $4.80 it would have been prior to the sale/coupon combo.
Once caveat, coupons for medicines are never worth it. You will never get the same price as the store brand even when you use the coupon. Don't bother. Or toothpaste, if you have a Big Lots nearby. You can always find toothpaste at Big Lots for a dollar or less per tube. The same stuff you buy at the grocery store for $2 or more. Big Lots does not take coupons but it doesn't matter. For things like toothpaste and mouthwash, Big Lots cannot be beaten. And they have medicines, too. Which brings me to:
BIG BOX STORES: I use BJ's, but you might have a Costco or Sam's Club near you. It appears to be all the same, really. At BJ's I pay $45 a year for membership. I have two toddlers who go through diapers and milk like crazy. They will easily drink up 4 gallons of milk per week. At BJ's the milk is a full $1 less than at any grocery store, even when they run a sale. So if you just consider milk alone, I save $4 a week. $208 savings a year on milk alone, less my $45 membership is $163 dollars. Divide that by my $20 co-pay for doctor visits that is 8 doctor visits for free. Every dollar counts. Plus big box stores take coupons.... and issue their own coupons. Totally worth the membership fee.
Cold medicine, aspirin, allergy medicine, vitamins? Big box stores usually have their own brand which is up to 80% less than you can find anywhere else. Hands down. Even if you buy the grocery store brand you are saving 30% if you buy at the big box store. You buy more, so your initial investment is greater but the price per pill or teaspoon is much less. Again, the membership fee pays for itself.
I bake my own bread. You should, too. Bread is up to $4 a loaf at regular supermarkets. I admit, I sometimes cave when a store has bo/go specials (as long as the bread does not include high fructose corn syrup) or when I am at Big Lots and they have bread for $1.70 a loaf (also with no hfcs). But normally, it is home baked bread for us. A jar of yeast at a regular grocery store is close to $3 for about 8 oz. Two 16 oz blocks of yeast at BJ's is less than $4. Four times as much for a couple of dimes more. Yes indeedy, that is a bargain for me.
Fresh meats at big box stores usually run about 50 cents less per pound. Eggs are about 30% less than at the supermarket.
So when it comes to big box membership stores, count me as a sold-American...with the following exceptions:
Things NOT worth buying at big box stores:
Cheers - P
Once caveat, coupons for medicines are never worth it. You will never get the same price as the store brand even when you use the coupon. Don't bother. Or toothpaste, if you have a Big Lots nearby. You can always find toothpaste at Big Lots for a dollar or less per tube. The same stuff you buy at the grocery store for $2 or more. Big Lots does not take coupons but it doesn't matter. For things like toothpaste and mouthwash, Big Lots cannot be beaten. And they have medicines, too. Which brings me to:
BIG BOX STORES: I use BJ's, but you might have a Costco or Sam's Club near you. It appears to be all the same, really. At BJ's I pay $45 a year for membership. I have two toddlers who go through diapers and milk like crazy. They will easily drink up 4 gallons of milk per week. At BJ's the milk is a full $1 less than at any grocery store, even when they run a sale. So if you just consider milk alone, I save $4 a week. $208 savings a year on milk alone, less my $45 membership is $163 dollars. Divide that by my $20 co-pay for doctor visits that is 8 doctor visits for free. Every dollar counts. Plus big box stores take coupons.... and issue their own coupons. Totally worth the membership fee.
Cold medicine, aspirin, allergy medicine, vitamins? Big box stores usually have their own brand which is up to 80% less than you can find anywhere else. Hands down. Even if you buy the grocery store brand you are saving 30% if you buy at the big box store. You buy more, so your initial investment is greater but the price per pill or teaspoon is much less. Again, the membership fee pays for itself.
I bake my own bread. You should, too. Bread is up to $4 a loaf at regular supermarkets. I admit, I sometimes cave when a store has bo/go specials (as long as the bread does not include high fructose corn syrup) or when I am at Big Lots and they have bread for $1.70 a loaf (also with no hfcs). But normally, it is home baked bread for us. A jar of yeast at a regular grocery store is close to $3 for about 8 oz. Two 16 oz blocks of yeast at BJ's is less than $4. Four times as much for a couple of dimes more. Yes indeedy, that is a bargain for me.
Fresh meats at big box stores usually run about 50 cents less per pound. Eggs are about 30% less than at the supermarket.
So when it comes to big box membership stores, count me as a sold-American...with the following exceptions:
Things NOT worth buying at big box stores:
- Fresh vegetables and fruits: these can usually be bought on sale for less at grocery stores and since you have to buy in bulk the chances of those fresh fruits or veggies going bad before you can use them is a lot greater.
- Cereal (but only if you have a Big Lots near you). Big Lots has their cereal for about 50% less than at supermarkets and about 20% less than at big box stores
- Bread: I have found it very difficult to find bread that doesn't have high fructose corn syrup. I don't buy ANYTHING that has high fructose corn syrup. So I either make my own or buy at Big Lots. For some reason the breads they carry don't have high fructose corn syrup.
- Frozen veggies: unless you have a separate freezer, the bulk sizes just take up too much room in my fridge's freezer space. If you have a separate chest or standing freezer, then it might work for you to buy veggies at the big box stores. Otherwise, you come out better buying smaller amounts of store brand frozen veggies at your supermarket.
- Spices: unless you use them a LOT they will lose their flavor long before you have a chance to use them up
Cheers - P
Saturday, March 26, 2011
This IS your job.
You must look at it this way: saving money IS your job. That... and cleaning... and taking care of the kids... the laundry... the bills...the groceries. Tough love, honey. Saving money is the primary responsibility you have during these times.
Comparing prices between stores; shopping sales; cooking from scratch: these are all things you must do. Forget brand loyalty unless you discover that in a particular case it really means something. For instance, Scott brand toilet paper. It is expensive. But it also lasts longer and works better than most other brands. During REALLY lean times resort to the store brand, but if you find a brand that is more cost effective because the performance is better then stick with it. If the cheaper brand is cheaper because it requires you to use more of it, then you really aren't saving anything. If you can't afford milk, diapers, food, etc., because you're buying Name Brand X then you buy Mr. Cheapie's brand. Otherwise, stick with what works and search for coupons for your preferred brand at every opportunity.
The iPhone can help you do this. Most stores have apps that will show you the sales fliers for each week. If you are lucky enough to have two or three stores within a mile or two apart, the gas expense won't offset your savings when you visit several stores to shop the sales (i.e., loss leaders). Never pay full price unless you have to. If you have to drive more than 2 miles between stores, then I don't believe the savings are worth it. In that case, either plan to buy the sales item later when you will be in that area or just bite the bullet and eat the cost. But remember they are called loss leaders for a reason. The price has been lowered because, in addition to an agreement with the distributor for a lower price for a bulk order, prices have been raised on other items to offset any losses incurred as a result of the sale item's reduced price. This is why it makes sense to shop several stores. Take advantage of the loss leaders without paying the higher price for the items that have been marked up.
There is another app called, and I quote parentheses included, Shopping List (Grocery List), made by the Hensoft division of Indended Design, of Hamburg, Germany. Folks this app is GOOD. I used the free one (and yes, there is a free one) but it is definitely worth the $2.99 upgrade. You can have multiple lists. You can enter the price per item, per gallon, pound, etc.. It will calculate your shopping list total. You can even enter the sales tax to have it added to your total so you know EXACTLY how much you are going to spend. Tech is cool, am I right? The only pain is you have to enter each item individually and then remember to change the item prices when they go on sale.
Your other option is time consuming, but if you are childless, retired, kids are out of the house for a few hours a day or you're a night owl this activity will work for you. Make your grocery list by hand. Grab the fliers for each of the stores you have within a 2 mile radius and either enter into a spreadsheet or list on a piece of paper the prices of the items you need in columns. Then make a list of what you will buy at which store. I am in no way exaggerating when I say I have saved up to $50 on my grocery trip by buying sales at multiple stores. Get the store discount card and read the fine print. Don't buy 3 for $5 if you have to buy all three and you only need one. But if it is 3 for $5 and you can get one for $1.66 then the savings are probably worth it.
It has been said before but also BASE YOUR MENUS ON WHAT IS IN SEASON AND WHAT IS ON SALE.
Okay - this post is getting long and I do have two toddlers to tend to so I gotta go. But tune in next time: we will discuss the pros and cons of using coupons and big box store memberships.
Interested in a particular topic? Let me know.
Comparing prices between stores; shopping sales; cooking from scratch: these are all things you must do. Forget brand loyalty unless you discover that in a particular case it really means something. For instance, Scott brand toilet paper. It is expensive. But it also lasts longer and works better than most other brands. During REALLY lean times resort to the store brand, but if you find a brand that is more cost effective because the performance is better then stick with it. If the cheaper brand is cheaper because it requires you to use more of it, then you really aren't saving anything. If you can't afford milk, diapers, food, etc., because you're buying Name Brand X then you buy Mr. Cheapie's brand. Otherwise, stick with what works and search for coupons for your preferred brand at every opportunity.
The iPhone can help you do this. Most stores have apps that will show you the sales fliers for each week. If you are lucky enough to have two or three stores within a mile or two apart, the gas expense won't offset your savings when you visit several stores to shop the sales (i.e., loss leaders). Never pay full price unless you have to. If you have to drive more than 2 miles between stores, then I don't believe the savings are worth it. In that case, either plan to buy the sales item later when you will be in that area or just bite the bullet and eat the cost. But remember they are called loss leaders for a reason. The price has been lowered because, in addition to an agreement with the distributor for a lower price for a bulk order, prices have been raised on other items to offset any losses incurred as a result of the sale item's reduced price. This is why it makes sense to shop several stores. Take advantage of the loss leaders without paying the higher price for the items that have been marked up.
There is another app called, and I quote parentheses included, Shopping List (Grocery List), made by the Hensoft division of Indended Design, of Hamburg, Germany. Folks this app is GOOD. I used the free one (and yes, there is a free one) but it is definitely worth the $2.99 upgrade. You can have multiple lists. You can enter the price per item, per gallon, pound, etc.. It will calculate your shopping list total. You can even enter the sales tax to have it added to your total so you know EXACTLY how much you are going to spend. Tech is cool, am I right? The only pain is you have to enter each item individually and then remember to change the item prices when they go on sale.
Your other option is time consuming, but if you are childless, retired, kids are out of the house for a few hours a day or you're a night owl this activity will work for you. Make your grocery list by hand. Grab the fliers for each of the stores you have within a 2 mile radius and either enter into a spreadsheet or list on a piece of paper the prices of the items you need in columns. Then make a list of what you will buy at which store. I am in no way exaggerating when I say I have saved up to $50 on my grocery trip by buying sales at multiple stores. Get the store discount card and read the fine print. Don't buy 3 for $5 if you have to buy all three and you only need one. But if it is 3 for $5 and you can get one for $1.66 then the savings are probably worth it.
It has been said before but also BASE YOUR MENUS ON WHAT IS IN SEASON AND WHAT IS ON SALE.
Okay - this post is getting long and I do have two toddlers to tend to so I gotta go. But tune in next time: we will discuss the pros and cons of using coupons and big box store memberships.
Interested in a particular topic? Let me know.
Friday, March 25, 2011
Cheap Wine
If you are like me, after a day chasing toddlers you like to relax with a glass of wine... or five ;^). Well Gregory Del Plaz has an article on food-friendly wines under $10 a bottle. I have had the 07 Castle Rock Petite Sirah and I can say it is mighty delicious and goes great with cheese burgers or steak.
Catch the entire article here: http://www.snooth.com/articles/wine-reviews/the-return-of-the-cheap-drunk/
Enjoy!
Catch the entire article here: http://www.snooth.com/articles/wine-reviews/the-return-of-the-cheap-drunk/
Enjoy!
Welcome to SAHM Spot, ths Spot for Stay at Home Moms
I finished graduate school two years ago just as the bottom was dropping out of both the economy and the job market. I had an 18th month old and was pregnant with my second. The wages I could get for the jobs available would just about cover parking and day care
I had always blanched at the thought of handing my infants over to another person to raise, and wanted to stay home with my kids until they reached kindergarten age. I feel strongly that the things that shape a child's initial personality and values are learned before a child even learns to talk and I wanted to make sure my little ducklings imprinted on a parent. So since my husband is employed full time we agreed I would be that parent and would stay at home with the kids.
We have had to tighten our belts. Living on one salary with two babies is rough going. But with adjustments and sacrifice we are surviving. I am writing this for people like us. My husband is a teacher. He doesn't pull in 6 figures. We live in a suburb of Miami and the cost of living is high. Milk is over $4 a gallon and bread is not much less than that a loaf.
I want to share what I have learned. And provide a spot where others can share what they have learned as well. Together we can circulate frugal recipes, shopping tips, and a place to commiserate while prices continue to rise while our income remains the same.
If we all pull together we can make it through this rough ride and make fun, happy memories for our children at the same time.
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