Posts filed under 'Philosophy'
Now I will add my 2 cents to the vast sea of information about saving money that’s going around….
Some of my friends call me their “Practical Friend,” — so I will stick with that and try to offer some practical tips:
First of all, make things from scratch! It is not that hard — yes, it takes a few extra minutes, but there is a cost difference and I believe, a nutritional/health difference when you make things yourself instead of buying all that packaged, preservative-laden crap.
I noticed recently when I was looking for pudding mix that the pudding aisle at the grocery has changed. I can no longer buy store-brand instant pudding mix. I can buy store-brand ready-made pudding packs in every flavor imaginable, but no boxed mixes. (I consider even a boxed mix to be convenient. People used to make pudding my stirring ingredients together on the stove.) Anyway, the boxed-mix portion of the shelves is shrinking and the pudding-pack portion is expanding…. This makes me wonder…. When did people get so lazy/stupid that they can’t whisk pudding mix into milk??!!
So, my first hint is to buy real ingredients instead of pre-packaged food. You are paying for someone else to prepare your food for you. Buy tomato paste and herbs instead of spaghetti sauce.
Second, adjust your diet to fit your budget. In the last couple of years, we’ve begun eating less meat and more beans. At least 2 or 3 days a week, we don’t eat meat at all. Pasta, eggs, and beans are all good main-dish alternatives to meat.
Third, try to cook things that make good leftovers — you’ll stretch your dollars by “recycling” that leftover pork loin into stir-fry or bean soup.
Buy store-brand when you can. Most of the time, there is very little difference in the taste or quality. I understand that with some things, you prefer spending the extra pennies (My husband absolutely has to have Vlasic pickles). As a rule, however, you will save more when you buy store-brand items, than if you clip your coupon and buy the name-brand stuff.
Buy cheap snacks. (Or how ’bout this — no snacks) We eat lots of popcorn. The real stuff that you have to pop all by yourself, not the microwave junk - I’m scared of what they put in that. I buy 50 lb. of popcorn at the wholesale club and pop it with coconut oil (ok, that’s kinda expensive, but better for you than veg. shortening) and then drizzle butter on top. Even with the coconut oil and butter, this is less costly than buying potato chips and cheesy snack crackers. We are off potato chips entirely and I only buy snack crackers occasionally. Heck, you can always make a PBJ if you get hungry in the middle of the day.
Sometimes, buying bulk gets you a real deal, other times - not so much. Check out places you can buy bulk. I go to a warehouse club, but hit the regular grocery pretty hard, too. Things I buy at the warehouse? — Olive oil, butter, lunchmeat, cheese, lettuce and other vegetables, nuts, toilet paper and paper towels, chocolate chips, most meats (I think the quality is better, but the price is about the same).
Things I don’t do to save money at the grocery:
Go around to different groceries and gather the sale items. This is actually a good money-saving technique, but it is a huge consumption of time and gasoline.
Clip coupons. Most coupons are for convenience foods that I don’t buy or for overpriced name-brand items. Shampoo and other hygiene items are the only coupons I ever clip.
Buy cheap meat. Yuck. I was raised on a farm and am a bit particular about meat quality.
Eat out more often. Yes, this will save your grocery bill, but it’s a pretty expensive way to go about it!!
March 4th, 2009
Jumping on the bandwagon here with ways to save money around the house. Usually this is a cooking blog, but I’m expanding for the next several posts to include all the small ways I pinch pennies at home and while shopping.
Right now, we are all recession-minded and many of us are even bracing for a depression. Even if you never lose your income, a recession or depression can halt pay raises, make you hesitant to change jobs, and can just make you more conservative in your spending. Remember, also, that during hard times, charity is even more necessary than during good times and if you are fortunate enough to have a good income, you should consider being extra-charitable during hard economic times.
So, folks, starting today, I will challenge you to reduce your spending, consumption, and usage in small ways. Every little bit counts! A penny saved is a penny earned, and all that jazz…
We’ll start in the laundry room…
First off, reduce the amount of laundry soap you use. A dermatologist told me a long time ago that we don’t need to use the recommended amount of soap, you know… the amount that All or Tide suggests you use. When measuring laundry soap, cut it with a little water, even up to 50/50 water and soap. Keep your eyes on the sales and try your darndest to only buy laundry soap when it is on sale. Soon I am planning to try making my own laundry soap, check out the Duggar’s website for the recipe.
This just in from my sister Sue: “if you have a Sears hardware around, buy their laundry soap in the eight million ton bucket. If you get it on sale it is $20, and it lasts forever…I bet the Duggar’s isn’t even cheaper to make.”
Secondly, if you use dryer sheets, try tearing them in half or even into thirds. You might be surprised that they are just as effective this way. In the summertime, when the air is more humid, you can skip the dryer sheet altogether. Towels never need dryer sheets - in fact I have read that fabric softeners make towels less absorbent.
Thirdly, and you may have some trouble with this one…. wash your clothes less often. Seriously, jeans do not need to be washed after every single wearing. Nor do your shirts, much of the time. Try wearing them a couple of days before tossing clothes into the laundry, and train your family to do the same thing.
In addition, don’t forget that clothes can be dried in the sunshine and fresh air. Hang a clothesline if space and conditions allow. You’ll save on your electric bill and save wear and tear on your dryer. Besides, nothing smells so good as sheets that have been dried in the sun!
Now for a couple of don’ts:
Don’t use the dry cleaner for every day washable items. Dry cleaners are just for things you actually cannot clean at home, like leather and suede. A few extra minutes of pressing may save only pennies, but a penny is still a penny.
Don’t go buy a front-loading washing machine because it saves water. I’ve done the research - If there is a front-loader on the market that will last long enough to save enough on your water bill to pay for itself, I am not aware of it. Stick with the top-loaders, they are effective and ever-so-much less expensive.
In my next post, I will try to help you spot ways in which you can save money at the grocery.
January 12th, 2009
In response to a news item I read this morning, I am re-posting an article from nearly two years ago.
Here’s the article: Low Potassium linked to High Blood Pressure
And below you can read my thoughts on high blood pressure and its link to potassium:
I DON’T have high blood pressure. Really. I’ve never gotten a high reading, every single time it’s been checked (even during pregnancies) it’s been fine and dandy. So, I have no reason whatsoever to be concerned about my blood pressure. Right?
Wrong! Almost every one in my family seems to be pre-disposed to high blood pressure. Grandparents, parents, etc. So, should I wait until some doctor says, “Oh, by the way, your blood pressure is high and we’re going to have to put you on some medication for it.” No thanks. Instead of waiting for that unhappy day, I’m going to do a little research and see if I can’t delay my fate with high blood pressure and the meds required to control it.
This is the very beginning of a new brainwave of healthcare coming to be known as nutrigenomics. Find out what diseases and illnesses, genetically, you are predisposed towards and how to battle them with diet and exercise. Prevention is the key here. And individualism. Everyone’s wired differently. My husband may have IBS, and can’t handle too much fiber in his diet, but I need more of it.
In my research this week, I discovered the DASH diet. This diet is specifically designed (and it’s been researched) to lower blood pressure. To read more about the Dash Diet, click here.Or here. Or here.
Apparently, some people are born with a salt-sensitivity that eventually leads to high blood pressure. Because of my family history, I have to assume I am in that category, even though my blood pressure remains in a good zone. Now, besides eating a generally healthier diet, I am going to cut back on the salt and add potassium-rich foods, plus more calcium and magnesium.
The first foods to come to my mind when I think of potassium are bananas and sweet potatoes.
I actually prefer sweet potatoes boiled until soft and eaten with butter, salt, and pepper. For variety, I’ve been searching for other ways to prepare sweet potatoes. Following are four sites I found with a large selection:
Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission
North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission
All Recipes
Recipe Zaar
Sorry no recipe today. I’m going to try out one of these sweet potato recipes.
Eat Well to Live Better
November 10th, 2008
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