Home gardening offers ways to trim grocery costs [Survival Today, an on going thread]

Powdered Milk

Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder, or simply powdered milk, is one of the miracles of modern civilization. It has zero cholesterol, is fat free, comes in large boxes, costs about half the price of fresh skim milk, and works in every recipe I have ever used it in. It is high in calcium, vitamin D, and protein. Powdered milk really comes into it’s own when used for cooking. I have never had it fail me in a recipe where I subsituted it for fresh milk. Even if you only use it sparingly as a beverage, you should use it for cooking. It can be used to make dry mixes, like muffin mix, or beverage mixes, which sit on the pantry shelf, requiring only the addition of water. It can be reconstituted quickly, and then cultured into your own milk products like yogurt and buttermilk. Combined with an equal amount of ice water, it can even be whipped into a fluffy dessert topping. It is just about the most versatile item in my cupboard.

Powdered Milk is available in two common forms: Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder and also, Regular Non-Fat Dry Milk Powder. Regular dry milk is sometimes referred to as “Non-Instant”. Dry whole milk powder is available too. It doesn’t last as long as non-fat dry milk because the fat in it can go rancid over time. When it is fresh however, it has a very pleasing flavor. Dry whole milk can be difficult to find. I buy it in small tins in the Mexican section of a large grocery store. It costs a little more than instant non-fat dry milk, but it’s good to have on hand, for young children especially.

I prefer instant non-fat dry milk. When you see dry milk powder called for in this website, it means dry, non-fat, instant milk powder. This variety is readily available in most grocery and warehouse stores. Usually the large box will hold 20 quarts or about 4 pounds. One box this size will lasts about ten days for a family of 4 if you are drinking reconstituted milk exclusively. This would be the same as 3 boxes a month or 36 boxes a year.

Unopened dry milk will easily keep for a year in the pantry. After opening, it will be it’s freshest within about 6 months. It will still be good for up to a year, after opening. After this it is still good to use, but it’s taste and quality suffer noticeably. Besides, if you are using powdered milk on a regular basis, it will never have a chance to get this old.

Remember, reconstituted milk tastes best if you chill it overnight, or for at least 4 hours before serving. This gives it a flavor which is closer to fresh skim milk. It also tastes best when served with other foods, specifically as a chaser to chocolate cookies.

To Reconstitute: Take out a 2 quart pitcher, & fill it 2/3 of the way full with cold tap water. Then add 2-2/3 cups instant powdered milk. Using a spoon or a spatula, or what ever is handy, stir it until the milk is mostly dissolved. Fill the pitcher the rest of the way to the top. Place the lid on it, and put it into the refrigerator to chill overnight, or for at least 4 hours. Chilling dissolves the milk completely and gives it a fresher flavor. I make up three 2-quart size pitchers at a time, and place them all next to each other on the shelf in the fridge. I used to use glass juice jars to mix up the milk, but I have found that the pitchers are easier for me to keep clean.

To make 1 gallon at a time: Use 3-quarts and 3-1/2 cups water (15-1/2 cups), and 5-1/3 cups dry milk powder. Stir all together and chill. I make this in large gallon-sized pitchers because I find them easiest to clean.

To make a very rich gallon of milk: Measure 3-1/2 quarts (14 cups) of water into a gallon size pitcher. Add 5-cups of dry milk powder and a 12-ounce can of undiluted evaporated whole milk. Mix all together. Chill and serve. This makes about a gallon. It is richer than plain reconstituted milk. If you must use powdered milk, but prefer a richer product, this is the recipe for you. Children will sometimes tolerate it better than straight reconstituted milk, especially if they are already used to fresh 1% or 2%.

To Mix with Whole Milk: Powdered milk is easily mixed half-and-half with whole milk. When combined and well chilled, it’s nearly impossible to tell the difference between fresh milk and mixed milk. To do this, use an extra, clean milk jug and two 2-quart size juice pitchers. First reconstitute 2 quarts of milk in each of the pitchers, the same way it’s explained above. Then, using a funnel, pour half of the whole milk, into the clean empty milk jug. Using the same funnel, pour the reconstituted milk from one pitcher into each jug, making a gallon of mixed milk in each jug. Both empty pitchers then have to be washed, but they are pretty easy to keep clean. I used to try to reconstitute the powdered milk in the milk jug, with the whole milk, but it never worked as well as I’d hoped. Now I find it much easier to reconstitute the powdered milk in the pitcher first, and then pour it into the jug with the whole milk. Like regular powdered milk, mixed milk tastes best if well chilled.

Easy Whipped Milk Topping: Place 1/2-cup of water into a large bowl to chill in the freezer. When it has ice crystals around the edges, it is ready. Add 1/2-cup powdered milk to the bowl of ice water. Use electric beaters to whip the milk until stiff peaks form. It will take about 5 full minutes. Gradually add about 2 or 3 tablespoons sugar, and if desired, 1-teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/2-teaspoon vanilla. It is now done. Serve right away for best results. This is good on pie, crisps and cobblers, as well as many other places. For a more stable product, see my recipe for Whipped Topping.

Cultured Buttermilk: You can make your own buttermilk at home, from reconstituted powdered milk. You will need commercial buttermilk as a starter. Mix up a quart of reconstituted milk by combining 3-3/4 cup water with 1-1/3 cups dry milk powder. Add 1/2-cup of fresh buttermilk, purchased from the store. Allow it to sit on the counter overnight. In the morning it will be buttermilk. Really, it’s that easy.

Molasses Milk: This hot beverage is high in iron, and tastes like a caramel, toffee milk. Heat 3/4-cup of reconstituted milk in a cup in the microwave. Stir in a spoonful of molasses. Serve hot. Kids love this stuff.

Chocolate Milk: Prepare Chocolate Syrup as directed in the recipe. Fill a cup with reconstituted milk. Squeeze in a couple spoonfuls of chocolate syrup. Stir to combine. Serve to thirsty children who object to plain reconstituted powdered milk. Cold chocolate milk can be heated in the microwave for hot chocolate. This is also great in lunch boxes. If you want to be really nice to the kids then make up a whole gallon of reconstituted chocolate milk at a time. They will brag to their friends and your reputation will become legendary.

More Bread Making Tips

Personal and Family Preparedness
Vision: Each family uses principles of provident living in their daily lives.

Mission: “Increase awareness and practice of home production and storage.

More Bread making Tips

Did you try the last handout’s
bread recipe with the lemon
juice? Maybe you filed it away
to try some other day. You
could even try it with your
favorite bread recipe replacing
about 1/16 of your water with
lemon juice. I hear many people
say it’s better than any bread
they have ever made and this
includes those who are old
hands at bread making.

The following bread hints are
taken from “Simply Ready” by
Terri Johnson, who reports that
she has made most of her
family’s bread for the past 20
years. It is the same book that I
got the wonderful bread recipe
from.

Whole Wheat Yeast Dough
Tips

1. Whole-wheat flour refers to
finely ground hard winter wheat.
Coarsely ground flour will give a
heavy result.

2. Wheat dough must be softer
than white dough. Keep it just
so it is not too sticky to handle.

3. Wheat bread browns faster
than white. Keep the oven
temperature no higher than
350.

4. Wheat dough requires more
yeast than white, approximately
1 1/2 times more.

5. When mixing whole-wheat
yeast dough, beat all the
ingredients with only 1/2 the
amount of flour in the recipe, by
hand or machine, for 7-10
minutes to develop the gluten
content. Gradually mix in the
remaining flour until a soft
dough is formed.

6. Remember the lemon juice
or vinegar trick.

7. If bread browns too quickly,
cover with loose foil the last 15
minutes of cooking.

8. Bread is done when tapped
and it sounds hollow.

9. Turn out of pans immediately
and cool on wire racks.

Poor Bread Prevention Hints

Crumbly Bread: Using too
much flour and the dough is not
soft or the dough has risen too
long.

Cracks: Dough may be too stiff
or you may not have let the
dough rise sufficiently. Oven
may be too hot and may have
caused the bread to form a
crust before it had finished
rising. Cracks on one side
indicate the oven temperature
is uneven or that the pans are
too close together so heat
could not circulate.

Flat Loaf: Dough not stiff
enough or the oven not hot
enough.

Airy Crust: If a hole is found
right under the crust, this is
caused by leaving a large gas
bubble near the top of the
dough when molding it. Loaf
could be too dry before baking
or letting the dough over-rise.

Thick Bread: if you have a thick
crust or thick side walls, the
dough was not kneaded
enough or risen long enough.

Over-rising: Letting the bread
get too light by rising too long
or placing the bread in an oven
not fully pre-heated.

Zucchini, Rhubarb and Apple Pie

Personal and Family Preparedness
Vision: Each family uses principles of provident living in their daily lives.

Mission: “Increase awareness and practice of home production and storage.

Do you have the Internet at
home? Go to
http://www.foodsafety.org for a
wealth of information including
this zucchini and rhubarb
recipe.

Zucchini-Pineapple

4 qts cubed or shredded
zucchini
46 oz canned unsweetened
pineapple juice
1-1/2 cups bottled lemon juice
3 cups sugar
Yield: About 8 to 9 pints
Procedure: Peel zucchini and
either cut into 1/2-inch cubes or
shred. Mix zucchini with other
ingredients in a large saucepan
and bring to a boil. Simmer 20
minutes. Fill jars with hot
mixture and cooking Liquid
leaving 1/2-inch head space.
Adjust lids and process. See
below for recommended
process time for using a
boiling-water canner.
Style of Pack: Hot

Jar Size: Half-pints or pints
Process time: at altitudes of 0-
1000’ 15 minutes. Process time
at altitudes of 1001·6000’, 20
minutes. Process time at
altitudes above 6000’, 25
minutes.

Rhubarb- Stewed

Quantity: An average of 10-
1/2 pounds is needed per
canner load of 7 quarts, an
average of 7 pounds is needed
per canner load of 9 pints. A
lug weighs 28 pounds and
yields 14 to 28 quarts-an
average of 1-1/2 pounds per
quart.

Quality: Select young, tender,
well colored stalks.

Procedure: Trim off leaves.
Wash stalks and cut into 1/2-
inch to 1-inch pieces. In a large
saucepan add 1/2 cup sugar
for each quart of fruit. Let stand
until juice appears. Heat gently
to boiling. Fill jars without
delay, leaving 1/2-inch head
space. Adjust lids and process.

Process directions for
canning rhubarb in boilingwater
are the same as the
zucchini-pineapple except the
jars are pints or quarts.

Apple Pie

Apples for Pie Filling

submitted by Lavon Hill
4 1/2 - 6 C sugar (depending on
tartness of apples)
1 C. Cornstarch
1 1/2 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
1 t. salt
2 T. lemon juice
9 C. water

Directions: Add sugar to 7 C.
of the water and bring to a boil.

In separate bowl, add spices
and cornstarch to 1 1/2 C.
water, add to sugar/water
mixture. Use the last 1/2 C. of
your water to rinse the bowl with
the spices and cornstarch and
add to sugar/water mixture. Add
the lemon juice and bring
mixture to a boil.

Peel your
apples and slice as for apple
pie.

Pack tightly into quart jars.

Pour mixture over raw apples,
seal jars.

Boil in a hot water
bath canner for 30 minutes. You
can use this recipe with any
fruit.

Lavon made cherry pie
filling this year using the same
recipe omitting the nutmeg,
adding a little red food coloring,
and 1/2 t. almond flavoring per
quart.

http://waltonfeed.com/peoples/navajo/index.html

http://waltonfeed.com/peoples/navajo/herbs.html

Navajo Home Page

Herbs Used by the Navajo People
The Navajo people have many fine herbs that grow between the Four Sacred Mountains.1

Herbs sorted by common name:

* Scientific Name: Leucelene Ericoides
* Common Name: Aster
* Navajo Name: Níí’ii’nilts’óóz
* Locality: Mountain Region
* Navajo Uses: Snuff, treatment of diseases of the mouth, swelling, sores in mouth, headache, toothache, sore eyes.

* Scientific Name: Cleome Serrulata
* Common Name: Bee Plant
* Navajo Name: Waa’
* Locality: Valley Region
* Navajo Uses: Foods, seasoning, deodrant.

* Scientific Name: Monardella Odoratissima
* Common Name: Bergamot, Wild or Labiateae
* Navajo Name: Azee ndoot ezhi
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of stomach aches, nausea and fever

* Scientific Name: Lycium Pallidum
* Common Name: Box Thorn
* Navajo Name: Haashch’tt’da’
* Locality: Valley Region
* Navajo Uses: Toothache

* Scientific Name: Pteridium Aquilinum
* Common Name: Bracken Fern
* Navajo Name: Deeddaa’
* Locality: Mountain Region
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of human and animal wounds.

* Scientific Name: Eriogonum Rocenosum
* Common Name: Buckwheat, Wild
* Navajo Name: Le’etsoh Yiljaa’i
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of internal injuries, poisoning, back ache, veneral disease.

* Scientific Name: Juniperus Scopularum
* Common Name: Cedar, Rocky Mountain
* Navajo Name: Gad Ni’eetii
* Locality: Mountain region
* Navajo Uses: Remove dandruff, tea for pain, stomach problems, treats spider bites.

* Scientific Name: Prunus Birginiana
* Common Name: Cherry
* Navajo Name: Shashaa’
* Locality: Mountain region
* Navajo Uses: Emetic, can be eaten, used to make brown dye.

* Scientific Name: Cowania Mexicana
* Common Name: Cliff Rose
* Navajo Name: Awèèts’áál
* Locality: Hillsides, steep slopes
* Navajo Uses: Emetic, Used for stomach aches, nausea, skin problems and bites, cough syrup.

* Scientific Name: Populus Fremontii
* Common Name: Cottonwood
* Navajo Name: T’iis Bit’aa’niteeligii
* Locality: Along washes, streams and lakes
* Navajo Uses: Source of many household and game items, cradle board, shoe shoes, shovels, hoes and dice from two Navajo games.

* Scientific Name: Mirabilis Multiflora
* Common Name: Four O’Clock
* Navajo Name: Tsédédééh
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of sores in mouth, rhumatism, swelling, broken bones.

* Scientific Name:
* Common Name: Gamot, Large Specie
* Navajo Name: Haza’ aleetsoh
* Locality: Mountain Base Region
* Navajo Uses: Sheep vomiting

* Scientific Name: Bouteloua Gracilis
* Common Name: Grama
* Navajo Name: Tl’ ohnástasí
* Locality: Lower elevations
* Navajo Uses: Used to treat cuts, post partum pain.

* Scientific Name: Atriplex Canescens
* Common Name: Grey Grease Winter Chamiso
* Navajo Name: Diwozhiilbeii
* Locality: Valley Region
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of skin irritation, tooth aches, stomach aches, cough, and nazal problems.

* Scientific Name: Scnecio Douglasii
* Common Name: Groundell
* Navajo Name: Azee’Háátdzid
* Locality: Valley Region
* Navajo Uses: Emetic herb, medicine for rhumatism, arthritis, and boils.

* Scientific Name: Amiclanchiar Alnifolia
* Common Name: Juneberry Bush (ribs)
* Navajo Name: Didzédit’ódii
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of nausea, stomach problems, animal bites and skin irritation.

* Scientific Name: Juniperus Osteosperma
* Common Name: Juniper, Desert
* Navajo Name: Gad Dika’ígíí
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of headaches, influenza, stomach aches, nausea, spider bites, post mortum pain.

* Scientific Name: Juniperinum
* Common Name: Juniper Mistletoe
* Navajo Name: Dahts’aa’
* Locality: Tsaile area
* Navajo Uses: Oshafrinsic bites, cures warts.

* Scientific Name: Delphinium Melsoni
* Common Name: Larkes Spur
* Navajo Name: Tadidiin Dootl’izh
* Locality: Forest
* Navajo Uses: Kills body lice.

* Scientific Name: Astragalus Lentiginosus
* Common Name: Loco Weed
* Navajo Name: Didéhaich’ iidii
* Locality: Woodland and desert
* Navajo Uses: Veneral Uses, Stomach disorders, soothes bad backs.

* Scientific Name: Cercocarpus Montanus
* Common Name: Mahogany, Mountain
* Navajo Name: Tsé’ésdoazaa
* Locality: Rocky hillsides
* Navajo Uses: Emetic for stomach problems, and birthing recovery.

* Scientific Name: Acer Megundomegundo
* Common Name: Maple or Boxelder
* Navajo Name: Sóól
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Silversmithing, shoeing, good fire wood

* Scientific Name: Caloschortus Aureus
* Common Name: Mariposa Lilly
* Navajo Name: Alchinidaa’
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: A favorite children’s food.

* Scientific Name: Asclepias Subverticillata
* Common Name: Milk Weed
* Navajo Name: Ch’il’abe’éts’óóz
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of stomach problems, skin diseases, nose congestion, acme.

* Scientific Name: Achillea Millefolium
* Common Name: Millefolium, Common, or Yarrow
* Navajo Name:
* Locality: Mountain Region
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of feaver, headache, eye irritations and sores.

* Scientific Name: Dphedratorreyama
* Common Name: Mormon Tea or Joint Fir
* Navajo Name: Tl’ohaziahiilibánígíí
* Locality: Valley Region
* Navajo Uses: Distinctive pleasent tea, used as a common beverage.

* Scientific Name: Thelesperma Traciaila Gracila
* Common Name: Navajo Tea, wild
* Navajo Name: Ch il ahwehe
* Locality: Mountain Region
* Navajo Uses: Treats mild fever, convalescence, stomach aches, stimulant.

* Scientific Name: Quercus Gambellii
* Common Name: Oak, Scrub
* Navajo Name: Tsé’ch’il
* Locality: Mountain Region
* Navajo Uses: Hunting Arrows, Ax handles, digging sticks, weaving tools, snow shoes, helps lessen afterbirth pains, a cathartic

* Scientific Name: Pinus Ponderosa
* Common Name: Ponderosa Pine needles
* Navajo Name: Nídíshchíí
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Cold and Fever Medicine, used to build hogans, corrals, sweat houses and fences.

* Scientific Name: Crysothamnus Nauseosus
* Common Name: Rabbit Brush
* Navajo Name: K’iiltsoi Nitsaaigii
* Locality: Mountain and Gullies Region
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of coughs, colds, fever, rhumatism, internal injuries, headachs and menstrul pain.

* Scientific Name: Rubusstrigosus
* Common Name: Rasberry, Red
* Navajo Name: Da Woozh
* Locality: Mountain Region
* Navajo Uses: A mild uterine astrigant for menstral bleading during pregnancy, diarea, disentary, and a tea for sore eyes.

* Scientific Name: Rosh Fendleri
* Common Name: Wild Rose Bush
* Navajo Name: Chooh
* Locality: Mountain Region
* Navajo Uses: Good wood to make hoops with. Treatment of diarea and eye problems

* Scientific Name: Equisetom Heimale
* Common Name: Scouringbrush, Common, or Horsetail
* Navajo Name: Altjj’jik’aashi
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Stomach problems, nausea, skin problems, bites, venomous animals.

* Scientific Name: Corydalis Aurea
* Common Name: Scrambled Eggs or Golden Smoke
* Navajo Name: Tazhiiyilchiimalts’iisigii
* Locality: Mountain Region
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of diarea, rhumatism, arthritis, snake bites, injuries, sore throat, stomach ache, and back ache.

* Scientific Name: Amelanchier Utahensis
* Common Name: Service Berry/June Berry
* Navajo Name: Didzé‚dit’ódii
* Locality: Hillsides
* Navajo Uses: Treatment of nausea, stomach problems, animal bites, skin irritation

* Scientific Name: Rhus Trilobata
* Common Name: Skunk Brush or Sumac
* Navajo Name: K’ii’
* Locality:
* Navajo Uses: Used as food, wool and basketry dyes, treatment for stomach problems. Used during child birth and as a contraceptive.

* Scientific Name: Gutierrezia Sarothrae
* Common Name: Snake Weed
* Navajo Name: Ch’ildiilyé‚siitsoh
* Locality: Grows everywhere in Navajo Country
* Navajo Uses. Heals cuts and bites, given during child birth, treats headaches, nervousness, fever, stomach aches, internal problems.

* Scientific Name: Agropyron Smithii
* Common Name: Wheatgrass
* Navajo Name: Tl’oh Nitl’izi
* Locality: Valley Region
* Navajo Uses: Incense

* Scientific Name: Solanum Elaeagnifolium
* Common Name: Yellow Seed Plant or Night Shade
* Navajo Name: Naaltsoi
* Locality: Tsaile Area
* Navajo Uses: Treatment for sore eyes, nose and throat trouble

References:
All information comes from the Navajo Community College Museum.

Home Page: http://waltonfeed.com/peoples/navajo/

These pages a public service of Walton Feed, Montpelier, Idaho.

Updated: 7 Apr 97

http://waltonfeed.com/peoples/navajo/hogan.html

Building a Hogan A Modern Hogan
A modern Hogan
Jump within page to:

* Introduction
* Construction
* Building details

Introduction: In the land of the Navajo, comparatively few people still live in hogans, however they are still in use today all over the reservation. There are two types of hogans, the male and the female hogan. Many of the ceremonies take place in the male hogan. The male hogan is more aggressive; the place where one meets their enemy. This is where we confront illness and sickness. We don’t want to contaminate our homes with these things. Later the male hogan can be purified. Inside the male hogan the ceremonial fire is very dangerous.

The female hogan’s fire is in contrast warm and inviting. It warms the family and cooks our food. The female hogan is where the family lives. It is where the family finds love and compassion. It is where the family sleeps and eats. It is a healthy, safe place for the family. These attributes belong to the female. The female has the home, the children, the farm animals, and things relating to the livelihood of the home.

The instructions on this page relate to the female hogan. It is much larger than a male hogan. The inside of a female hogan is very large, much bigger than the first log cabins the early white men built on the American continent. A female hogan can have a diameter on the inside of 19 to 23 feet, and is free standing. This makes a large room, giving the family plenty of space for their needs. The design, especially of the roof, is so unique and peculiar that it is easy to accept that the Holy Ones gave the Navajo the plans to build one. Because of it’s construction, this hogan is warm on the inside in the winter time, and cool during the summer.

The door of the hogan must face to the east to meet the rising sun. In this way, not only the hogan, but the family that lives within greets Father sun the first thing in the morning. Behind the front door is a fire stick. It is about three feet long and has been burned on one end. The fire stick protects the family from evil spirits and wicked men. The door itself is made of wood with metal hinges. Before metal hinges, rawhide hinges were used. And before the day of the wooden door, a blanket hung, sealing the opening.

Roof modifications have been made on the more modern ones in comparison with the more traditional hogan construction below. But they are still relatively the same size, and look about the same as the hogans which Navajo families have lived in for thousands of years. Inside the hogan of today you will likely find a bed, refrigerator, sink, bathroom, TV and couch.

Construction:

continues and has good photos.

http://www.pennypinching-grandma.com/cooking.html

PENNY PINCHING COOKING TIPS

What I am trying to do is show you how to save money and give different cooking tips. Looking on the web, everybody and their brother has recipes. I have put in a few recipes, but mostly tips to pinch those pennies and stretch those dollars.

Some substitutions and varying ways to save money, still serving your family tasty and healthy food. How to use what is on hand in your kitchen if you don’t have the exact item.

ROAST BEEF cooking tip

Easy, use your crock pot. Place your potatoes carrots and onions in the bottom and put your roast on top. Pour a pkg of onion soup mix over and add a cup of water. Turn on low and by the time you get home from work you will have a deliciously cooked meal to serve.

• Don’t have onion soup mix, substitute!!

Crush a couple beef bouillon cubes and add some dried onion flakes, you will never know the difference.

Want a little different flavor? Instead of water, pour in a cup of bourbon or a cup of wine (any kind). The alcohol cooks out, so don’t let that be a worry.

STROGANOFF

Now that you have leftover roast beef, you can make stroganoff. Cut your beef into small cubes, heat through with a can of mushroom soup, stir in a cup of sour cream and if you want add a little bit of red wine; serve over hot buttered noodles.

• Don’t have any sour cream? Substitute!!

Do you have a cup of cottage cheese? Place I cup of cottage cheese, 5 Tbs of milk and 1 Tbs of lemon juice in the blender and blend until smooth and creamy.

CHICKEN AND GRAVY

ChickenUse your crock pot. Place your chicken pieces (any pieces will do, drumsticks, thighs or whole cut up) in the crock pot. Add a can of cream of mushroom, cream of chicken, cream of celery, or creamy tomato. You could even use bar-b-que sauce. Cook on low and when you are ready to eat, serve over rice or noodles. Your family will love you.

• Don’t have creamy tomato, but have a can of regular tomato soup? Make your own, simply add a half can of milk and blend together. You could even make it spicy by adding some salsa or Tabasco.

POTATO PANCAKES

Don’t know what to do with that little bit of mashed potatoes? Make potato pancakes. Stir the potatoes with some milk, flour and baking powder. The consistency of regular pancakes. Fry in a little bit of butter or margarine, making them about the size of dollar pancakes.

If you wish add some onion or grated cheese or both. Serve with sour cream or spread cheese. Delicious!!

GREAT GREEN BEANS

Want a change from ordinary plain green beans? Take a can of green beans and drain. Cook until heated through in a pan or in the microwave, add a little butter to coat and add garlic salt or garlic powder and sour cream or mayonnaise. Tasty!! Even my children who didn’t like vegetables loved them this way.

BEANS (any kind, pinto, butter, navy, etc.)

Don’t boil your beans for hours and have to watch the pot to make sure it doesn’t boil dry. Use your crock pot.

• The night before, rinse your beans and put them in the crock pot, cover with water an inch or so above the beans. The beans tend to swell a bit while soaking.

• The next morning, add salt, an onion and if you want some meat, a ham hock, bacon pieces or salt pork. Turn on low and walk away. This will cook all day and be ready to eat when you are. Serve with your favorite bread, enjoy.

Grandma has written a great new cook book, you can go here to check out.

CHOPPED ONION

Use chopped onions all the time, but tired of chopping every time Onionsyou need them?

Prepare ahead. Buy that bag of onions and chop all of them to the size you like. Spread them out on a cookie sheet and place in the freezer. After they are frozen, put into a zip lock bag and put back in the freezer. Ready to use anytime you need them.

For more about cooking with onions, go here.

http://www.pennypinching-grandma.com/garden.html

PINCHING IN THE GARDEN

Are you an avid gardener? I love to garden and plant a vegetable garden every year. Mine is not as big now as when we had a lot of family at home. I used to do a lot of canning and believe me, having a garden was a money saver when you are trying to feed a big family. Especially children that thought their job wasn’t finished until every last morsel was gone from the table. Now I just plant enough for the two of us to eat and freeze for later meals.

Here are some tips to make your garden successful. I’m not claming to be a gardening expert but I do know how to save money, these tips are both penny pinching and time saving. Some of the tips will have more than one listed idea. You will have to choose which ones work for you.

One thing to remember; gardening should be fun. Getting out in the fresh air is definitely good for you as well.

Vegetable GardenTo lay out your garden, use ordinary white string and some stakes. If you can get up high, maybe the second story, you will be able to tell if the garden plot is big enough for what you want to plant. Then proceed to till your soil.

If you do not have enough room to create an actual bed for you plants, try using old tires. Plant inside the tires and it will help protect the plants from harsh winds and absorb heat from the sun and warm the surrounding soil.

Garden in a bucket if you don’t have the room to till the soil, or if you live in an apartment or condo. Works great on a balcony. You will want to acquire some 5 gallon buckets, check you local restaurants or paint contractors. They will usually give them to you for free.

To check your soil for alkalinity, place a handful of earth in a container and pour in ½ c. white vinegar. If the soil fizzes or bubble it is definitely alkaline.

To see if the soil has a high acidity, mix the earth with ½ c. water and ½ c. baking soda. If it fizzes it indicates acid in the soil

To find the exact PH in your soil, either have it tested or pick up a simple DIY kit from your local gardening center.

STARTING SEEDS

Build a seed incubator giving plants grown from seeds a healthy start. Line a box with aluminum foil, shiny side up. Poke several holes in the bottom and then fill a little more than halfway up with potting soil and plant your seeds. The foil will absorb heat and keep the seeds warm. It will also reflect light to help your seeds grow.

Don’t go to the garden store and buy the little biodegradable pots to start you seedlings. Save the paper towel rolls or toilet paper rolls and cut them to size. Toilet paper rolls in half and paper towel rolls in fourths. Place them in a tray, touching so they do not fall over. Fill with soil and sow your seeds. By the time you are ready to plant the cardboard should be soft enough to just bury in the ground. Be sure to completely cover the cardboard.

For making seed starters, milk cartons are perfect. Simply cut off the top half of carton, punch holes in the bottom, fill with potting mix and sow the seeds according to instructions on the packet.

____________________________________

Grandma is all about saving money and natural or organic things, so when I found this site I just had to share. Check it out you can learn all about organic pest control, pest management and how to do it right, it’s Organic Garden Info.com

PLANTING

If there is a bare spot that could use some plants, go in the kitchen and get the ice cream scoop. It will make perfect holes for your seeds or seedlings.

Increase your carrot harvest by mixing your seeds with coffee grounds before you sow. Makes it easier to sow, adds nutrients and repels root maggots and other pests.

Garden RowsSpacing seeds can be easy if you use an empty soda bottle. Check your seed packet to see what spacing is recommended. Cut off a bottle of that dimension and press it down into the soil. Pace a seed in the middle of the circle, move and press your bottle down again aligning the edge of the circle. Perfectly spaced rows.

To plant straight rows, here are 2 different ideas using ordinary white string:

1. For planting heavy seeds such as beans, place a stick in the ground at each end of the row and run a piece of string between as a guide for planting.

2. To plant dozens of lightweight seeds in a snap, cut string the length of the row and wet thoroughly. Then sprinkle the seed directly onto the string. The moisture will make the seeds stick to the string long enough to place the string in the furrow. Cover with soil and you are done.

Create a seed strip to make straight rows in your garden. Sprinkle some seeds on a piece of wax paper. Use you fingers to arrange and align them. Take a strip of transparent tape and place it over the seeds. Bury the tape in the garden and you will have perfect rows.

Cover seeds when sowing; use a paint brush to gently cover them with soil. Prevents you from sowing too deep and over packing the soil.

Protect newly planted seeds with a sheet of screen material. When seedlings emerge, you can bend it to make cages.

Secure your garden netting by filling empty milk or bleach jugs with water and place them on the corners.

To protect your seedlings from an unexpected frost, take an old umbrella and cut off the handle. Place over your seedlings.

FEEDING YOUR GARDEN

BananasBanana peels, like the fruit itself, is rich in potassium. This is an important nutrient for you and your garden. Dry the peels, by laying them on a screen in the yard to dry out. In early spring, when you are ready to plant, grind them in a food processor and use in your mulch to give new plants and seedlings a healthy start.

Bone meal is an excellent source of nutrients for all the plants in your garden. You can make your own by drying your leftover chicken bones in the microwave. Depending on the quantity, cook for 1-4 minutes on high. Place in a sturdy paper bag and grind them up with a mallet, hammer or rolling pin. Distribute the powder around your plants. They will love it.

Don’t throw out the coffee grounds or tea leaves. They are full of nutrients and good for your garden. Simply sprinkle them over your plants and the soil.

Do you cook a lot of eggs? Save the shells and crumble into your garden. The calcium is very good for your vegetables.

Fertilize your plants with Epsom salts. Mix it into your soil around the plant, not too close to burn the plant roots. For tomatoes, use 1 Tbs for every foot of height, water in well.

OTHER GARDEN TIPS

Popsicle sticks make great labels for your plants. Write the name of the plant on them with indelible makers.

An old ladder can be the perfect trellis on which to grow climbing plants such as beans or peas. Just plant it in the ground.

Make a trellis using some twist ties and the plastic 6-pack rings. It makes a great trellis for climbing vines such as peas or beans. Use the twist ties to join together as many of the 6-pack rings as you want or need. Attach the trellis between two stakes also using twist ties. You can add sections to the trellis as the plant grows. At the end of the season, just roll it up and use it again next year.

Keep small melons such as cantaloupe and musk melons off the ground, free of pests and disease. Make protective sleeves for them from old pantyhose. Cut the legs off panty hose, slide each young melon into the foot section and tie to a stake to suspend the melon off he ground. The nylon holders will stretch as the melon develops and keeps them off the damp ground so they won’t rot or be eaten by garden pests.

TomatoesSlow ripen tomatoes in late fall. If there is an early frost predicted and you still have tomatoes on the vine? Relax. Pick the tomatoes and wrap each one in newspaper. Store them in an airtight container in a dark closet at room temperature. Check every 3-4 days; they will ripen to perfection.

Empty milk jugs make a great watering can. Clean your jug, then drill or poke it with an ice pick about a dozen holes just below the spout of the jug on the side opposite the handle. Fill with water, replace the cap and start sprinkling.

If you need to stake a small plant, use a pencil and tie it with a small strip of cloth or pantyhose.

To protect your knees while you are gardening you could go out and buy the expensive pads. Instead use some scrap carpet remnants.

Another use for computer mouse pads, use them to pad your knees while gardening.

Clean up after gardening, use the foot section of old panty hose and put soap inside and hang from your outdoor faucet. You can clean your hands and not take the mess into your kitchen or bathroom.

Gardeningwith.com is a great place to find; Gardening Tips and Information on Landscape Design, Flowers & Plants. You can also learn the easiest way to build your Dream Garden.

http://www.pennypinching-grandma.com/pests.html

GET RID OF GARDEN PESTS
THE PENNY PINCHERS GUIDE TO GARDEN PEST CONTROL

Pests are a problem in many gardens and can ruin your flower bed or a good crop of vegetables. When dealing with them, especially in vegetable gardens, you want to Garden Pestsuse methods that are safe for both plants and humans. Since avoiding the use of harsh chemicals is a good idea all around, here are some tips on some gentler methods of getting rid of garden pests.

You can mix up some of these solutions that are safe and you probably have the ingredients right in your kitchen!

Eliminate insects around the garden. Take an empty 2 liter soda bottle with 1 cup apple cider vinegar and 1 cup sugar. Next, slice up a banana peel into small pieces, put into the bottle, add 1 cup cold water, shake. Tie a piece of string on a low tree branch or place it on the ground to kill the 6 legged freeloaders. This is a non-toxic way to kill them.

Get rid of mealy bugs, one of the most insidious and common pests, by soaking q-tips in white vinegar. Nip them in the bud by dabbing insects with full strength white vinegar.

Corn EaterPut some bite in your mulch keeping hungry insects away from your vegetables. Shred aluminum foil into strips and mix in with your garden mulch. As a bonus the foil will reflect light back up onto your plants. You can also save the tinsel from your Christmas tree. Don’t throw it away; mix it into your top soil. It will serve the same purpose as shredding aluminum foil.

Make it too “hot” for the rodents or other animals eating your plants. Everyone knows that hot peppers make your mouth burn, so why would bugs and rodents like it? Chop up the hottest peppers you can find and combine it with 1Tbs cayenne pepper and ½ gallon of water. Boil the mix for about 15 minutes and let cool. Strain through cheesecloth and add 1 Tbs dishwashing liquid. Put into a spray bottle and spray the plants every 5 days or so.

Planting companion plants in your garden will deter insect pests. Aromatic plants such as basil, tansy, marigolds and sage will send a signal to bugs to go elsewhere. Try planting some near your prized vegetables. Mint, dill, thyme and sage are great near cabbage family plants. Best of all the savory herbs are edible.

No one likes the smell of ammonia, so after moping your floor soak some old sponges and place around the garden, this will deter pests.

Spray away garden pests. Keep some old spray bottles on hand to use around the garden. Here are 2 suggestions:

1. Fill one with undiluted white vinegar to kill weeds and grass poking out of the cracks in your concrete also kills ants. DO NOT spray on the plants, the high acidity could kill them.

2. For an effective insecticide that works on soft bodied pests, but won’t harm your plants: Mix several cloves of crushed garlic, ¼ cup canola oil and 3 Tbs hot pepper sauce and ½ teaspoon liquid soap in 1 gallon of water, mix well. Put into spray bottle, shake well before using.

To foil those cutworms that destroy your seedlings. Cutworms kill seedlings by encircling the stem and severing it. To protect your seedlings stick a toothpick in the soil about ¼ inch from each stem. This prevents a cutworm from encircling it.

Make collars for the vegetables, use empty milk cartons to discourage grubs and cutworms from attacking your young tomato and pepper plants. Cut off top and bottom of container and when ground is soft, push them into the ground around the plants.

SnailGet slugs and snails out of your garden. Take a container of salt and douse the offenders. They won’t last long. Since they are mostly water, salt acts like a drying agent.

Make a trap for slugs and snails using a clean empty container; an empty milk jug works well; cut length-wise in half. Bury it in the area where you have seen these pesky creatures and pour in about a half can of warm leftover beer. You will more than likely find it full of drunk and drowned critters.

Trap for slugs that eat your new plants. Dig a hole and put in a plastic margarine tub, fill with beer or salted water. Place cut potatoes around the rim to attract the bugs. They can crawl in, but not crawl out.

Plagued by earwigs? Roll up a wet newspaper and put a rubber band around it to keep it from unraveling. Place it in the area where you have seen the insects and leave it overnight. In the morning it will be full of bugs. Carefully place the newspaper in a plastic grocery bag, tie in a knot and put in the trash. Repeat until they are all gone.

Make a natural pesticide by using your blender. Puree 4 onions, 2 cloves garlic, 2 Tbs cayenne pepper and one quart of water. Set aside and dilute 2 Tbs soap flakes in 2 gallons of water. Add contents from your blender; shake or stir well. You now have an environmentally safe solution to spray on your plants and rid them of pests.

Get bugs off your plants. Just when the plants are coming up, there they are eating away. Mix black pepper with flour and sprinkle it around the plants. Bugs will be gone!!

Do you have moles or gophers popping up in or near your garden? Try putting dirty used cat litter down the hole. They will leave to find a home somewhere else.

DeerIf you live in an area where deer are a problem, stake chicken wire flat on the ground around your garden. Deer do not like to walk on it.

Deter deer from your garden, spray your bushes with cayenne pepper and water mix.

Repelling deer by circling the garden with a cord about 3 feet off the ground. Tie strips of white fabric to it about every 2 feet; a tail height flash of white is spelling danger for the deer.

If there are neighborhood cats that think you garden is their private cat box. Foil them by putting orange peels and coffee grounds around your plants. Also acts as a great fertilizer.

Keep dogs and cats away from your garden. Don’t throw out old mothballs. Scatter them around the garden. Helps keep rodents away as well.

RabbitKeep out 4-legged pests; deer, rabbits, raccoons, cats, etc. they can’t stand the scent of vinegar; even after it has dried. Soak several rags in white vinegar and place on stakes around your vegetables. Re-soak the rags every 7-10 days.

The shiny metallic balloons that we all receive on birthdays, anniversaries, etc. can be put to good use in your garden. Simply cut them into vertical strips and hang them from poles around your vegetables and on fruit trees to repel birds, rabbits and squirrels.

Pests of the Garden and Small Farm: A Grower’s Guide to Using Less Pesticide

Pests of the Garden and Small Farm: A Grower’s Guide to Using Less PesticideAuthoritative text enables readers to identify pests quickly and to prevent, correct, or live with most common pest problems. 250 color photos, 100 drawings.

http://www.pennypinching-grandma.com/compost.html

COMPOST IT!

Compost is one of nature’s best mulches and replenishes the soil, and you can use it instead of commercial fertilizers. Best of all, it is cheap, i.e. penny pinching, what this site is all about. You can make it without spending a cent. All composting is, is the natural decomposition of organic matter. Walk through a dense forest and take a deep handful of soil from under your feet. Notice how black and rich it is. It didn’t get that way from fertilizers or manure. It got that way from all the decomposing organic matter. A forest takes care of itself by recycling.

Using compost improves soil structure, texture, and aeration and increases the soil’s water-holding capacity. It loosens clay soils and helps sandy soils retain water. Adding compost improves soil fertility and stimulates healthy root development in plants.
Composting

Don’t throw away materials when you can use them to improve your lawn and garden! Start composting instead.

Making compost from garden and household waste is one of the best things any gardener can do. It’s easy and costs very little in time or effort.

Making compost will help you reduce pollution - cut down that landfill! Your plants will grow healthier and look happier for it. It will save you money on fertilizers too.

If it can rot it will compost, but some items are best avoided. Some things, like grass clippings and soft young weeds, rot quickly. They work as ‘activators’ or ‘hotter rotters’, getting the composting started, but on their own will decay to a smelly mess.

Older and tougher plant material is slower to rot but gives body to the finished compost - and usually makes up the bulk of a compost heap. Woody items decay very slowly; they are best chopped or shredded first, where appropriate.

You can make compost simply by adding compostable (anything that will rot) items to a compost heap when you feel like it. It will all rot eventually.

You can even;

Shred your old newspapers and mix in with your mulch or compost. It is excellent for retaining moisture and suffocates weed growth. Avoid using glossy stock or colored newsprint, black ink only.

Compost ToonAnother additive for your compost pile is brown paper bags. So the next time the grocery store says “Paper or plastic?” You say paper and then shred it, wet it and add it to your pile. It will also attract earth worms and they are very beneficial in the compost.

Cardboard also makes good compost since it is biodegradable. Tear it into fairly small pieces, wet it and add it to your pile.

Enhance your compost pile. To speed up decomposition process and enrich your compost pour a few cups of strongly brewed tea into the heap. The liquid tea will hasten decomposition and draw acid producing bacteria. Creates desirable acid rich compost.

Want to know what else tea is good for find out here.

Do you want a composter? Here is one of the best for price and quality that I have found. Its the Envirocycle Composter & Compost Tea Maker this Envirocycle Composterunit makes it easier and faster to generate nutrient rich compost. Say goodbye to those messy hours spent in the compost pile, simply give the drum a few turns and your compost remains well mixed. Even better, the base of the composter collects liquid, producing up to five gallons of compost tea with no additional effort! Compost tea is full of nutrients, and is a great way to fertilize vegetables, flowers and even houseplants. You can simply roll the tumbler to the area where you want the compost, open the door, and remove the compost from the bin. To remove compost tea, pick up the base and open the drain to pour your compost tea into a bucket, or directly onto your garden or houseplants. If you want a composter you really need to check this one out.

http://www.pennypinching-grandma.com/frugal.html

FRUGAL or
PENNY PINCHING

Frugal, I think is just the politically correct way of saying penny pinching or cheap. Myself I’m a penny pincher and darn proud of it. Anyway, here are some ___________ (you fill in the blank, your choices are: frugal, penny pinching, cheap, good) tips to help you to save money.

Health and Beauty Tips

• To dry nail polish in a hurry, spray nails with PAM Oil Spray.

• Remove Planter’s Warts with banana peels. Before bedtime tape a banana peel inside to the skin, over the wart, and cover with a bandage. Within a couple of days the wart will be gone.

• Olive oil can be added to bath water for a skin softener.

• Save money on services you need by receiving them from students in training. Examples: Hairdresser, Dental, Massage. Check your local yellow pages for the nearest school; call and make sure they do appointments. All work done is carefully watched over by the instructors.

• Ask your doctor for free samples. Pharmaceutical companies flood doctors with samples of all kinds of expensive prescriptions. If your doctor doesn’t offer, ask.

Here are some words every good penny pincher knows:

F – free, now that’s a good price
R – reuse, before you re-cycle
U – unit, as in unit pricing for price comparison
G – garden, as in grow your own and save money
A – ad’s, as in sales advertisements in the paper
L – look, for bargains and ways to save money

Hummm, maybe there is something to that word frugal after all.

• Always consider generic. Ask your doctor to prescribe the cheapest form ofPrescriptionmedicine. Sometimes the Pharmacist will ask if you will accept generic, make sure your insurance company is okay with this. Some will be and some won’t, ask in advance or you may be stuck with the bill.

• Toner/Astringent — Use witch hazel instead. No need to dilute — use full strength. You can also rinse with a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar after cleansing — it balances out the ph of your skin.

• To keep Cold Cream from spoiling and to maintain its freshness, keep it in the refrigerator. Plus it is so cool!

• Keep your pantyhose in the freezer, and they will last longer.

• For great lotion, mix one-part lotion with one-part Vaseline. It works better than plain lotion, and, depending on the cost of your lotion, you can stretch its value.

As I said, I think frugal is just politically correct, after all who would have watched the cheap gourmet.

• Remove gum from hair with nail polish remover, then shampoo. People have thought that doing this with peanut butter was correct, and I am not saying it isn’t. But with the new information out about people being allergic to peanuts, why take the chance?

• To prevent hair pins from falling out, bend one prong in a “V” about halfway up and insert in hair. It will stay.

Toothpaste & Brush• Cut back on the amount of shampoo you use. Do the same with toothpaste. The manufacturers want us to use more, so we buy more.

• Old lipstick tubes, thoroughly cleaned, are great for purse-sized pill boxes or for pins.

• Use a lazy susan at bedside to enable sick to reach more items.

• Emergency Sinus Relief - swap white vinegar high up in the nostrils.

The well-to-do and those with money are the ones that really understand what frugal living is. They understand that we control our money, it does not control us.

Free Jewelry!!! No Gimmicks, No Catch, Real Deal

• To cure a cigarette habit - Take before breakfast 1/2 teaspoon each of Rochelle Salts and Cream of Tartar, also chew Ginseng root and swallow the juice.

• Use hydrogen peroxide as inexpensive nail bleach.

• Instead of purchasing a tube of Chap Stick for $1.49, pay the same price for a container of petroleum jelly, and divide it into small containers to carry with you to use for chapped lips.

• Mix dry oatmeal and water into a paste and spread on face. Lie down and let it dry. Wash off with warm water. Excellent facial.

• Visit your hairdresser during the week, as sometimes they offer haircuts cheaper than on busier Saturdays.

• Know what your health insurance pays for.

Maybe frugal is no longer politically correct either. Think about it, McFrugals is now BIG LOTS!

Coupon Lady• Coupons for health and beauty products that say good on “One Any Size” can be used on trial sizes. If you have a $1.00 coupon off of your favorite shampoo, and the trial size is only .99 cents, you will get it free!

• For the truly frugal - when you can no longer squeeze any more toothpaste out of the tube, cut the tube open, and scrape the remainder into a bowl. Add baking soda and some water, and you can double the amount of the toothpaste.

• To stretch your shampoo pour half of bottle into empty bottle, and add water to fill both. You have twice as much now, and it will work just the same.

• Here is a frugal and penny pinching tip for you, visit Recycling for Fun and Profit for a practical guide to recycling almost anything.

• Free fingernail brush - When washing your hair, before you rinse off the shampoo run your fingernails through your hair a few times. Then rinse.

• Bee Stings - Remove stinger if there is any and dampen area and put Meat Tenderizer on area. Just leave awhile.

• Facial Moisturizer - Petroleum jelly makes a great moisturizer. Wash your face and while it is still wet apply a tiny amount of jelly. Continue rubbing in a circular motion adding very warm water until jelly is spread evenly. Your skin will be soft and non-greasy even in the winter.

One of the biggest problems that most people face is shopping. To be frugal you have to decide to not shop anymore – at least for things you don’t really need.

• Removing makeup - Use a damp washcloth rather than cotton balls to remove makeup. It works great and also saves natural resources.

Lipstick• Melted Lipstick - Don’t throw away that expensive lipstick after leaving it in the car. Just place it in the freezer and it will be like new. Transfer to another container, if necessary.

• Extend the Usage of Your Stick Deodorant - When you can no longer use the sticks because the deodorant is below the plastic line, set the container aside. When you have several near-empty containers, microwave them for about 10 seconds until the remaining deodorant liquefies. Pour the liquid deodorant into a plastic container and let harden.

• Two-minute tummy tuck: Seated or standing anywhere, inhale allowing the abdominal muscles to relax gently outward. Think of your tummy as a balloon. Exhale, contracting the abdominal muscles tightly inward, as if you were trying to get every single bit or air out of the balloon. Hold a minute and inhale to repeat.

Frugal living is basically living below your means. It is saving and not spending every cent you make. It’s a challenge, but one that can make you a better person. It teaches us, and our children, self control.

Grandma

http://www.pennypinching-grandma.com/recycling.html

FRUGAL RECYCLING TIPS

Whether you are an old pro at recycling, or you are just trying to learn about ways that you can use it in your own life, there is a lot of information available out there for people like you, who care enough about the environment to do things that will make a difference for the better.

• Kleenex boxes - Store plastic grocery store bags in them. You can then grab the bag just like you grab a tissue out of the box.

• Envelopes - Carefully open the envelope and turn it inside out, so the address is on the inside. Re-glue or tape the flaps down. Or make your own envelopes out of scraps of paper, wrapping paper, newspaper, old phone book pages, or wallpaper scraps.

• Happy Meal boxes - Save the boxes, and when your child needs to be cheered up, make them their own happy meal! Add your own nutritious foods and a favorite toy. Or pick up inexpensive items from the dollar store: stickers, special pencils, etc. as the toy.

Recycled signRecycling facts report that fifteen years ago, the U.S. recycled roughly fifteen percent of our waste materials, which today has doubled to more than thirty percent!

• Tennis ball - Split it and hide your valuables inside.

• This is a tip to help keep the children happy. Coffee cans (big ones) - Make toy “stilts”! Poke holes (with a can opener) on either side of the can and thread a jump rope through and they can walk on the cans while holding the jump ropes. Cool!

• Old clothes - Use to make quilts, pillows, and blankets. Always save the buttons.

20 years ago there was one curbside recycle program in the U.S. There are now over 10,000 with 12,000 drop off recycling sites.

• Nylon mesh bags from veggies - Cut the mesh into several pieces and use for plastic scouring pads to clean your dishes.

• For impossible to clean pots and pans - fill with water and a used dryer sheet, let sit for awhile, and stains will be easier to clean. Also great for removing soap scum from shower doors!

• Empty paper-towel roll - Store extension cords inside. For small cords save the toilet paper roll.

Recyclable CansDid you know there are now over 450 recycling material recovery facilities that buy recyclable material, sort it, clean it, and sell it again to companies who then use it in production?

• Frisbees - Use as paper plate holders at a picnic.

• Mouse Pads - Use as a paint pallet. Use acrylic, oils, or most any paints. Wash when done, and reuse!

• Newspaper - Use to clean windows, line trash cans, wrap presents. Use in place of peanuts when mailing packages, as fire starter, or as garden mulch.

Recycling facts state that one of the most important parts in the recycling process is you - the consumer. As you buy recycled products and then recycle them again, you continue the cycle.

• Shoulder Pads - Use them to make padded hangers. Just sew a pad on each end of the hanger.

• Wallpaper books/samples - Use to make book covers, decorative envelopes, or wrapping paper. Or make your own beautiful envelopes: take apart any envelope you have, and trace the pattern onto the back side of the wallpaper, then fold and glue or tape.

• Film canisters – For those of you that haven’t gone digital yet. Store small items such as buttons, sequins, and small nails, tacks, etc.

Recycling glass can be done if it is clear and unbroken. Broken glass or ceramic pieces cannot be recycled because they are too hard to sort and process.

• Pantyhose - Use for ponytail holders, to secure plants, or buffing your shoes.

• Coffee filters - Use to clean and polish silver, or as a replacement for cheesecloth or paper towels.

• Glass jars & bottles - Use as a vase, for canning, or melt and pour wax in for candles.

Red Recycle BinsMetal cans, lids, bottle tops, etc. are all candidates for recycling. Just make sure you clean them first. You cannot recycle magnetic metals, full cans, or cans that have paint or other hazardous materials in them.

• Plastic grocery bags - Donate to local Salvation Army. They deliver meals on Wheels to elderly and are a non profit organization and need bags to put food in to deliver.

• Baby food jars - Fill with salt or cornmeal and use for paperweight, use for crafts, and for storing small items. Wonderful for use in the garage or in a sewing room. Even in the office for little things, paper clips, etc.
Also use the baby food jars for individual Jar Mix Gifts: 1 cup of coffee mix, 1 cup of hot chocolate mix, or 1 cup of tea. Decorate jar, glue on ribbon, and attach gift tag with instructions.

Plastic is another great recycling product. Find plastics that are marked number 1 or 2 and the recycling symbol. Lids are not always made of the same plastic, so check them for a number. If it is not marked, then it is not appropriate for recycling.

• Socks can be used in crafts, to hold soaps, or to wash the car. They can also be used to dust the furniture or the chandelier with all the crystals.

• Soap Wrapper - Place it inside your shoe cabinet or shoe box. It’s a cheap way of filling the air with a nice smell.

Pill Bottles• Pill Bottles - Use to carry pins, vitamins, or fill it with Vaseline to use as lip gloss.

Newspaper is a one of the primary recyclable materials. It can be recycled if it is clean, dry, and not moldy. To recycle newspaper, tie it together with natural twine or pack it tightly in a brown paper grocery bag.

• Junk Mail - Put it through paper shredder and use as packing material when shipping gifts.

http://www.simpledebtfreeliving.com/frugal-recipes.html#potatodoughrecipe

Yeast Breads

Edna Ruth Byler’s
Potato Dough Baked Goods

Another one of the wonderful frugal recipes from the More-with-Less Cookbook.

You can bake goods all at once (saving time and energy)and freeze baked goods to warm up for future meals or treats.
OR........
Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Immediately after kneading, oil top of dough lightly, cover with a towel or plastic wrap. Refrigerate, punch down occasionally as needed. When you’re ready to bake, simply take what you need for desired recipe, shape accordingly, let rise until doubled and bake.Usually about 2-21/2 hours for cold dough.

Dissolve:
3 pkg. dry yeast in
1 cup lukewarm water

Mix in large bowl
1 quart scalded milk
2 cups mashed potatoes (no milk added)
1 cup fat (half butter, half margarine)
1 cup sugar

Let Cool to luke warm, then add:
Yeast mixture
6 cups Flour

Let stand until mixture foams up (about 20 minutes)
Add:
2 Eggs, beaten
1 Tbsp. Salt
11-12 Cups additional flour

A little more flour may be needed, but dough should be soft. Turn out on floured board and knead until satiny. Let raise in warm place until doubled in bulk or refrigerator for later use as stated above.

Potato Dough Recipes

These potato dough recipes are intended for use with Edna Ruth Byler’s Potato Dough Recipe.

To freeze baked goods for later use: let baked goods cool, wrap or place in large plastic bags and freeze the same day.

Doughnuts

# Roll out dough, cut doughnuts, place on trays, and let raise until not quite double.
# Fry in hot shortening (375 degrees).
# When drained and while still hot, dip in glaze mixture. Insert a stick through holes and let a number of doughnuts drain over glaze bowl until next ones are ready to do.

Glaze:
Combine:
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 Tbsp. margarine
1 tsp. vanilla
dash of mace
enough rich milk to make thin icing

Cinnamon Buns

Prepare a mixture of butter and margarine and a mixture of sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Roll a piece of dough to about 18x9 in. Spread dough with butter mixture and sprinkle over some of the sugar mixture.
Roll up the dough as for jelly roll.
Cut 1 1/2 in. chunks and place in greased pans, pressing down lightly on each chunk. Cover and let raise in warm place until nearly double.
Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until browned. These may be iced with doughnut glaze as soon as they are taken from the oven.

Sticky Buns

Handle dough same as for cinnamon buns, except make a mixture of brown and white sugar, cinnamon, and a little white corn syrup and water.

Spread in bottom of heavily greased pans with nuts. if desired, before putting in rolls. Immediately after baking, invert pans over trays and let syrup run down before removing pans.

Dinner Rolls

Shape dough as desired. Place on greased pans, and bake at 400 degrees starting on a lower rack and changing to upper rack about halfway through for 15 minutes of baking time. Brush tops lightly with butter to remove any floury appearance.

Coffee Cake

A good way to use all the leftover bits of dough. Put dough in greased pan, dab or punch holes in it, and spread leftover sugar, syrup, or butter mixtures over. Let raise and bake as for cinnamon buns.

Note: Can also be used for bread loafs. Just shape dough, place in loaf pan, let rise. Bake in 350 degree oven for approx. 30-40 minutes, or until top is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.

http://beingfrugal.net/2008/04/03/frugal-tips-to-survive-a-recession/

A few weeks ago I was lamenting about the high prices on everything lately. Recession or not, it’s getting harder to afford the increased cost of living. I asked Being Frugal readers for help, and the readers came through in a big way!

This post is a compilation of comments and emails I received when I asked my readers how they deal with high prices and what things they do to make their money stretch further.

I’ve separated the tips into categories to make it easier to find what you’re looking for. I’ve credited each reader once throughout the article, though many submitted ideas in multiple categories.

Please consider visiting the websites of those who contributed to this project! They gave great advice here, and I’m sure they each have a lot more to offer on their individual blogs!

Now…what you’ve been waiting for. How to save money on just about everything.
Save Money Grocery Shopping

Including tips from Diana, Emily, FrugalWannabe, LJ, Allison, JenMarie, and several more.

* Shop for produce at a local farm stand.
* Never buy coffee, soda, or other drinks or snacks out.
* Always grocery shop with a list.
* Take advantage of sales on items that you would normally buy.
* Only shop once a month.
* Keep a price book and track prices by unit cost.
* Stockpile staples when prices are low.
* Buy generic items.
* Use the Grocery Game.
* Plan meals according to what is on sale that week.
* Take advantage of rainchecks if the store doesn’t have a sale item that you need.
* Take advantage of rebates at Walgreens, CVS, and Rite Aid…but only if you’ll use the item and will follow through on the rebate.
* Buy enough of a sale item to last 12 weeks. That’s about how long sales take to cycle.
* Shop at discount marts: Grocery outlet, The Dollar Store, etc.
* Bring your own bags to the grocery store. Many stores offer a small discount per bag.
* Take advantage of stores that double coupons.
* Watch out for deals on things that your friends need, and have them do the same for you.

Save Money on Cooking and Eating

Including tips from Bellen, Lisa, David, Paidtwice, Boomeyers, Jackie Star, Georgia Hawkins, Lisa K, fathersez, MoneyBlogga, Sarah, and several more.

* Eat less meat.
* Become a vegetarian.
* Eat leftovers.
* Cook large amounts and freeze extra for busy nights.
* Scrape out food jars to use the last little bit.
* Cook from scratch.
* Never eat out.
* Eat from your stocked pantry.
* Bring lunch from home (it’s worth it to invest in proper containers).
* Eat less. The average American eats too much.
* Don’t use the vending machines at work.
* Always have a meal plan. Always.
* Use the Once a Month Cooking system.
* Keep soup starter jars in the freezer. A little leftover this, a little leftover that. Nothing is wasted.
* Get creative with leftovers. Concoct new recipes, so nothing is wasted.
* Base most of your meals on rice or beans to cut down on meat consumption.
* Look for events that entertain and feed you at the same time. Church socials, shopping at Sam’s (think about those free samples)…
* Don’t drink soda. Drink water!
* Make your own jello cups (or applesauce cups, or pudding cups) for lunches and snacks.
* If your kids complain about generic cereal, put the generic in a name-brand box. They’ll never know the difference!
* Use Angel Food Ministries if you have one in your area.
* Rear your own chickens.
* Join a freezer club. Get together with like-minded people to exchange meals for your freezers. It’s cheaper to prepare a lot of one meal and split it up, than to prepare a bunch of different meals.
* Make your own baby food.
* Always take a snack and bottle of water wherever you go. You won’t be tempted to stop for expensive fast food or drinks.
* Grow your own produce. No room? Try a square foot garden! Or use pots on the patio.
* Freeze, can, or dehydrate your produce.
* Cook with the crockpot to avoid using the oven, which warms up the house.
* Use a convection oven to accomplish the same purpose.

Save Money on Cars and Gas

Including tips from Alicia, Heather, Bibi, Working Rachel, Christian PF, Rob Madrid, Mark @ TheLocoMono, and several more.

* Run errands once a week and use the most efficient route.
* Walk as much as you can.
* Stay home as often as possible.
* Keep tires filled to their proper pressure.
* Don’t suddenly stop or accelerate.
* Carpool.
* Bum a ride with friends and chip in for gas.
* Ride your bike.
* Use a diesel car if you have one.
* Coast when you see a red light ahead, instead of hitting the brakes.
* Use public transportation.
* Try to get by with one car if you have two.
* If you have one car that you only drive a couple of times a week, consider getting rid of it and using cabs.
* Drive your car until it’s old. This works really well when you buy a car that will run for 200,000 miles.
* Keep up on your car’s maintenance.
* Turn your car off at lights.
* Coast when you can.
* Limit city driving.
* Turn off the engine and coast to a stop. (Only do this if you know your car and know what you’re doing. It could be unsafe, depending on the car)
* On a long trip, keep a steady foot.
* Make it a challenge to see how far you can go on a tank of gas.
* Use a discount card to buy gas. (Many grocery stores offer them, as well as Costco).
* Fill up early in the morning when the air is cool, and the gas is dense. You’ll get more gas and less air.
* Fill up when your tank is half empty.
* Shop around for insurance. The rates can vary a lot!
* Use gasbuddy.com to find the lowest price on gas.

Save Money on Utilities

Including tips by No More Spending, Damsel, Susan, Paula, southernseven, Looby, Fresch, My Dollar Plan, and several more.

* Turn off every electrical item at the plug every night. Putting everything on power strips makes this easier.
* Keep the lights off during the day.
* Line dry clothes outside when it’s warm and sunny.
* Line dry clothes by setting dryer racks over heater vents. Use your shower rod if you need even more room.
* Let dishes air dry after running them through the dishwasher.
* Cancel the cable.
* Don’t use hot water in the summer.
* Consider a family plan for cell phones.
* Use CFL bulbs.
* Turn down the thermostat (or turn it off). Use candles in the room to raise the temperature. A set of little tea candles goes a long way.
* Don’t run the heater at night.
* Open windows on summer nights to cool down the house.
* Use a fan.
* Get rid of your land line and use your cell phone.
* Take short showers.
* Insulate your water pipes.
* Install low flow showerheads and aerators on all faucets.
* If you’re going to be in and out all day, park on the street, rather than using the electric garage door opener multiple times.
* If you live in an apartment, see if you can split the cost of a wireless connection with your neighbors. But make sure it’s legal first.
* Turn off the PC if you won’t be using it for an hour or more.
* Use nightlights that only come on when it’s dark.
* Use nightlights in the bathroom, so if you have to use the bathroom at night, you don’t have to turn on the light.
* Keep the freezer full. If you have to, put milk jugs filled with water in the freezer. It’s less expensive to keep a full freezer cold than an empty one.
* Never leave the water running when rinsing dishes, brushing teeth, etc. Only use the water you need.
* Have your young children shower with you, instead of giving them separate baths.

Save Money on Medical Needs

Including tips from my mom and more.

* Use a flexible spending account or cafeteria plan, so you can pay out-of-pocket medical expenses with pre-tax dollars.
* Ask your doctor to prescribe generic medication.
* Buy generic medication at Walmart or Target. They have a lot of different medications available for $4.

Saving Money on Clothing

Including tips by Shanti @ Antishay, Jen D., and more.

* Limit clothes shopping.
* Shop at thrift stores.
* Shop garage sales.
* Sew, using discount fabric (easy to find at garage sales).
* Change into play clothes after school to keep good clothes looking nice.
* Re-use jewelry. If you lose a beautiful earring, put the one you have on a chain and wear it as a necklace.

Save Money Around the House

Including tips by Marci, Joanna, Jisun Moir, Debt Reduction Formula, and several more.

* Use only half of a dishwasher tablet at a time.
* Use rechargeable batteries for electronics and toys.
* Store batteries in the refrigerator. They last longer.
* Do repairs (paint touch ups, sewing, etc) one day a week. If you keep things in good working order, they last longer.
* Accept hand-me-downs. You can donate them if you can’t use them.
* Do home repairs yourself.
* Reuse things. An example: Plastic grocery bags can be reused as lunch bags, shoe bags, or laundry bags on vacation.
* Email for free samples. You can get some good stuff!
* Wash and re-use Ziplock bags.
* Make your own Christmas cards by making a collage from the fronts of Christmas cards you received the previous year.
* See if your local dump or transfer station offers free firewood or garden mulch. Take advantage of it.
* Use water from boiling eggs or pasta to water your plants.
* If you’ve bought stuff that you haven’t used, see if you can return it.
* If you rent, rent from a person, not a company. You’re more likely to have some of your utilities paid, especially if your place is a room inside a house or a basement apartment.
* Move in with roommates.
* If you and your family or friends have a lot of websites, consolidate them all into one hosting package and split the cost.
* Flush the toilet only after you use it 2-3 times.
* Use a kitchen rag instead of paper towels.

Save Money on Entertainment

Including tips from Frugal Dad, Ron @ The Wisdom Journal, and several more.

* Cancel magazine subscriptions.
* Use the library for books, magazines, and movies. See if you can reserve them online and then just pick them up.
* Read newspapers online.
* Celebrate “no spend” weekends, where you don’t spend anything.
* Prepare special dinners at home, rather than going out to celebrate.
* Eat out only once a month.
* Use hotel points and airline miles for vacation.
* Split an entree with someone else when you go out for dinner.
* Do free things for entertainment: Hiking, free city concerts, board games.
* Only order from the dollar menu when eating out.
* Go to the park and have a picnic.
* Take advantage of “get in free” days at the museum, etc.
* To find special festivals, get a free state tourism guide.
* If you find that you go somewhere a lot (a zoo, amusement park), buy a season pass.
* Entertain at home. Have friends over for dinner, or have a game night and just serve snacks.
* Make your own “take out” style meals. Pizza is a good way to start. And if you do a recipe search for your favorite restaurant foods, there are some good knock offs out there!
* Trade babysitting with friends who also need a sitter.

Save Money on Miscellaneous Things

Including tips from Chris, Becky @ Family and Finances, Jeanne, Libby, Kathy @ brazoscowgirl, Rebecca, and several more.

* Only get haircuts every 8-10 weeks, instead of every 6 weeks.
* Cut your own hair.
* Do your own manicures.
* Shop for Christmas gifts year round to catch the good sales.
* Compost…it’s good for the garden.
* Dumpster dive, if you’re brave and it’s legal where you are.
* Sell something every week.
* Never spend change. Collect it and put it in a savings account.
* Get rid of excess stuff. It costs less to store and maintain.
* Sell it on eBay or Craigslist.
* Or have a garage sale.
* Or give it away on Freecycle.
* Sell homemade items on Etsy.
* Don’t watch TV. It cuts down on wants.
* Get rid of the TV all together.
* Enter blog giveaways. You never know what you might win. (I won $100 last month!)
* If you get a raise, don’t increase your lifestyle. Save the extra or pay off debts!
* If you’re a two income family, make sure the second income is more than the expenses associated with working.
* Use a fee free credit card with rewards. Charge everything to get the rewards. But ONLY do this if you are diligent about paying it off every single month. If you pay interest, it isn’t worth it.
* Pay off debt as quickly as possible. Saves on interest.
* Make sure you get get the best interest rate on your savings, CD’s, etc.
* Invest your money. Make it grow.
* Use a budget.
* Use a spreadsheet to keep track of variable expenses.
* Use cash.
* Change your mindset. Instead of thinking “what do I need to buy?”, think, “what do I have that I can use?” That’s how people got through the Great Depression.
* Give stuff you don’t use to others. It gets your mind off of your situation and onto others. And it promotes a sense of contentment and gratitude.

As you take steps to live a more frugal lifestyle, think about these last two reader comments. If you remember these two things, you will be well on your way to saving more money on day to day expenses.

Marci said, “When buying, ask yourself - this item is costing me so many hours/minutes of my work time…is the cost worth the time I had to use earning the money?”

Bellen summed it up nicely with “Remember to reuse, recycle, re-purpose, rethink, repair!”

A huge thank you to all who contributed to this list! I hope it’s a good resource for anyone who reads it! And remember to check out the great websites of those who submitted ideas!

http://beingfrugal.net/2008/01/31/frugal-hacks-for-your-home/

The following post is part of a group writing project on Home Finance: Mortgages and the Real Cost of Home Ownership. For a complete wrap-up of the project, head to Rocket Finance on Friday, February 1.

Lately it seems that every time I turn on the news, there’s a story about the mortgage crisis or an impending recession. The cost of living is going up, and oftentimes salaries aren’t going up to meet those costs. In response to the money crunch, ordinary people like you and me need to cut costs to make ends meet.

I have a lot of experience living on a shoestring, and I’ve put together a list of tips I’ve either heard of or used myself to maintain and decorate my home on a budget. Hopefully these tips are as useful to you as they’ve been to me.
Saving Money on Electricity

1. Set the thermostat at 68 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees in the summer. Use a programmable thermostat to set the temperatures at less comfortable levels when you’re not home or sleeping.

2. Use heavy drapes over your windows. In the winter, it will keep the warm air in, and in the summer it will keep the hot air out.

3. Caulk and weatherstrip the cracks in your house. Our landlord added some weatherstripping around our back door, and it’s made a world of difference!

4. Use ceiling fans. If you get the reversible kind, you can use them to push the warm air down to people level in the winter.

5. Line dry your laundry.

6. Unplug appliances you’re not using. Even if an appliance is turned off, it still uses a small amount of energy, if it’s plugged in. This is especially effective if you’re going out of town.

7. Close the heater vents in rooms you aren’t using.

8. Insulate, insulate, insulate! Our landlord says he went overboard on the insulation in our house, but with heating bills under $80 during the winter, I’m not complaining. You can even make sure your garage door is insulated to save more money.

9. Don’t use the air conditioner in the summer. It’s not real comfortable, but people survived for years without a/c, before it became standard in homes.

10. Switch to CFL bulbs. If you look hard enough, you can find good sales on them. I picked up most of our CFL bulbs on sale for 99 cents a bulb.

11. Wash your clothes less often. I’m not talking about being disgusting here, but many people throw clothing in the laundry after each use, whether it’s dirty or not. If you wear a dress for a couple of hours on a Sunday morning, you can probably forgo washing until after the next time you wear it.

12. Along the same lines, reuse your bath towels before washing them.

13. Have an energy audit performed on your home. Many electric companies offer energy audits free. You can call and have someone come out to your house and tell you about changes you could make to make your home more energy efficient.

14. Install energy saving appliances. I’m not advising that you run out and buy new appliances, but if your refrigerator stops working, look for an energy efficient model to replace it.

15. If you have older windows, make sure you put up the storm windows in the winter.

16. Weather proof your windows with that plastic stuff. Not pretty, but it saves energy.

17. Use small appliances like your crockpot and toaster oven for cooking, rather than heating the entire oven.

18. Keep your freezer full. It uses less electricity that way. If you have extra space, fill it with plastic water bottles.

19. If you do use the oven, cook multiple things at once. Make use of every inch of space in there.
Saving Money on Water

20. Shorten your showers.

21. Put a half gallon water jug in your toilet tank.

22. Let your lawn brown out during the summer. Don’t worry. It will come back during the winter.

23. If you can’t stand the thought of letting your lawn brown out, get a timer for your sprinkler to make sure you never forget to turn it off.

24. Reuse rinse water from hand washing dishes to water plants.

25. Turn off the water while you brush your teeth.
Saving Money on Cleaning and Maintenance

26. Make your own cleaning products. It’s a lot cheaper, and better for the environment, too.

27. Reuse dryer sheets to dust electronics like the TV and computer screen. The anti-static in the dryer sheets will repel dust from your appliances.

28. Do your own house repairs. If you have a good reference book, you’d be surprised at what you can fix yourself.

29. If you can’t learn from a book, consider taking a class at your local community college. It’s still cheaper than hiring a professional, and the knowledge you gain will be useful for the rest of your life.

30. To unclog a drain, pour a cup of baking soda in the drain and follow with a cup of vinegar. Wait an hour and follow with boiling water. I even unclogged a garbage disposal with this method once. Or you could do what my friend’s plumber husband says. Pour bleach down your drains every week. That will keep them unclogged, too.

31. Let your faucets drip just a little bit if you expect the weather to be cold enough to freeze the pipes. Paying for the minute amount of extra water is cheaper than paying for a burst water pipe.

32. Check your local Habitat for Humanity ReStore for home improvement/repair materials.

33. To clean mini-blinds, put an old sock on your hand, dip it in rubbing alcohol, and run your sock-covered hand over the blinds. Works like a charm!

34. To remove lime deposits from a showerhead, pour vinegar into a plastic bag and tie the bag to the showerhead, so it is submerged. Wait an hour, and you should be good to go.

35. Before attacking a remodeling project, talk to people who are knowledgeable about remodeling. Never attempt a project without the knowledge you need to do it right.

36. If your locks are sticking, consider trying cooking oil to fix them. Rubbing pencil lead across your key and inserting it works well too.

37. Turn an unused coat closet into a pantry by adding cheap shelves. I’ve done this twice, and I’m not real handy. If I can do it, anyone can!
Saving Money on the Telephone, Internet, and Cable

38. Drop your land line and use your cell phone.

39. Cut out unnecessary services like call waiting and caller ID.

40. Use email or instant messaging instead of calling long distance.

41. Try a digital phone service like Vonage.

42. Use a dial around number for long distance. I used to use One Suite, and I never had any problems. And at 2.5 cents a minute, the rate is hard to beat.

43. Use a free 411 service instead of paying. One to try is 1-800-GOOG-411.

44. See if you can get bundled savings for your phone, internet, cell phone, and satellite services. Our phone company offers a few different bundles, and it’s a lot cheaper than paying for each service separately.

45. Threaten to drop your cable service. It’s amazing what companies will do to keep you as a customer. Of course you should only try doing this if you are actually willing to drop your service. This works well with cell phone companies and XM radio, too.

46. Actually drop your cable service, and any other services that aren’t absolutely necessary.

47. If you don’t have cable or satellite, and you have an older TV, request a coupon for the converter box you will need to keep receiving a signal after February 17, 2009. The $40 coupon will bring the cost of the converter box down to $10.
Saving Money on Decorating

48. Buy cheap furniture from eBay, Craigslist, thrift stores, or other places that sell inexpensive items.

49. Use sheets to make window coverings. Emily even made a valance out of a $2 tablecloth from the thrift store!

50. You can also use sheets or cloth napkins to make throw pillows.

51. Sheets also make nice cloth napkins.

52. Use family photos for decorating. It’s cheap, and it adds a homey feel to your house. I enlarged a bunch of our wedding photos for our bedroom. It adds a romantic touch.

53. Use your children’s artwork for decorating. One family I know frames a piece of each child’s art, and rotates the art throughout the year. It’s good for your child’s self-esteem as well as your budget.

54. To change the look of a room, paint. There are lots of different paint effects that you can use. Check out a how-to book from the library.

55. For painting small areas, check paint stores for returned custom color paints. They’ll often sell them at a steep discount.

56. If your sofa is in good structural condition, but the look just needs updating, use slipcovers to add a new look.

57. To update the look of a wood dresser, paint and add new hardware. Add a little decorative stamping, if you’re brave.

58. Check carpet stores for remnants if you need an area rug. My mom did this when I was little, and you never would have guessed that our area rug was just a remnant.

59. Use bedsheets in the next size up to make a pretty duvet, if you want to change the look in your bedroom.

60. Use decorative boxes, baskets, or pots to organize things.

61. Only use white sheets, towels, and washcloths. They look better longer, because you can bleach them when they get dingy.

62. Use fresh cut flowers from your garden to add a touch of spring or summer to your house.

63. For cheap, but attractive office organization, cover boxes and bulletin boards with fabric you buy on clearance.

64. Embrace minimalism. Less stuff = Less maintenance = Less money.
Saving Money on Landscaping

65. If your county offers free or low cost mulch, use it! The county where we used to live offered free mulch from the landfill, and we could get as many truckloads as we needed without paying a penny! You can’t beat that!

66. Decorate old containers and use them for planters. You can pick up all kinds of cool containers at garage sales!

67. Use a weedpopper for weeding. It’s cheaper and more environmentally friendly than chemicals.

68. Check freecycle for free plants. I find them all the time. I have a whole row of strawberry plants that I picked up free last year.

69. Ask good friends for cuttings from their plants. Most good friends won’t mind.

70. Grow plants from seed, rather than spending the extra money for starts.
Saving Money in Other Areas

71. Recycle. Most cities have free recycling programs. And throwing less stuff in the trash will cut down on your garbage bill. If you’re really interested in going green, there are a lot of other frugal things you can do, too.

72. Compost. It saves money on both your garbage bill and fertilizing your plants. It’s good for the environment, too.

73. Don’t upgrade your appliances and furniture unless they wear out. The cost per use is negligible if you use something until it dies.

74. If your water heater is old, consider replacing it before it completely dies and something bursts and causes damage to your house. Of course, if you are going to replace your hot water heater, replace it with an energy efficient model.

75. If you feel that your property value was assessed at higher than the actual value of your home, have it reassessed, so your property taxes are lowered.

Do you have any additional frugal home tips? Please share in the comments!

Here is the complete list of participants in the series Home Finance: Mortgages and the Real Cost of Home

continued.

http://www.cheapcooking.com/blog/2006/03/recipe-help-please-pork-roast.html

Recipe Help Please: Pork Roast

Being as this blog is a part of the CheapCooking.com site, my frugal mind influences a lot of what I buy to cook. Sometimes at the grocery store, I see something where the price is so good that I have to experiment a bit. So it was yesterday when I “swung by” for some tortillas and a few other minor things and saw a pork shoulder blade roast for 99 cents a pound. I know in other parts of the country that might not raise any interest, but here in the San Francisco Bay Area, or at least in the suburbs where I live, finding anything but chicken for less than $1 per pound makes me pause. Hmmm.... how many servings can I get out of that? So the pork roast caught my eye. It doesn’t look extremely fatty and it’s boneless, so that seems like a lot of meat. In fact, my online cost per serving calculator I had a friend build for me says it’s about 3 servings per pound, so 33 cents per serving.

But I’m feeling adventurous and want to try something new. I looked through a few cookbooks and have a few backup plans but thought I’d try something new and solicit ideas from the blogosphere. I’m thinking 40 cloves of garlic, or something Cuban, or pulled pork (which I’ve got a fantastic recipe for already so is less intriguing). There’s only 3 of us to feed here so I’m looking for something that makes fantastic leftovers. I’ll probably end up freezing part of it because I hate to eat the same thing all week.

So PLEASE send me your favorite pork roast recipes! Just add a comment below and link to your recipe or enter it right in the comment!

posted by Ellen @ Wednesday, March 08, 2006 9 Comments Links to this post
9 Comments:

At March 09, 2006 9:24 AM , Anonymous Hope said...

You can’t go wrong with pork Tamales or Posole, both wonderful pork roast-based dished. Posole is my clear favorite, especially, when I leave it cooking in the Crock Pot all day and it’s ready after a long day at work.

At March 10, 2006 10:14 AM , Anonymous Colleen said...

We often do the pork roast in the slow cooker. We stuff it with garlic cloves in little slits. Then we add quartered potatoes, carrot chunks, quartered onions, usually a packet of onion soup mix and then cover it with water to slow cook all day—at least 8 hours. It is yummy. You can add any other seasonings that suit you.

At March 10, 2006 10:46 AM , Blogger Megan said...

Hi, I just found your blog and I’m enjoying it! I have been making a ton of pork stews lately as it is also a cheaper option in France where I’m living right now. Here’s my recipe:
http://chezmegane.blogspot.com/2006/01/je-mijotepart-deux.html
Hope you enjoy it. The prunes are sort of old fashioned, but really good!

At March 10, 2006 2:10 PM , Blogger irisheyes4jon said...

Great blog. Here is my pork roast idea. I always cook the roast in the crock pot with onion soup mix, broth, and sometimes a sliced onion. This gives me great left overs for warm sandwiches or the following recipe that my kids love.
CRANBERRY PORK
1 pound sliced or shredded cooked pork roast
4 tablespoons onion soup mix
1 cup French-style salad dressing
1 can cranberry sauce
*Reheat pork in skillet. Combine soup mix, dressing, and cranberry sauce until mixed well. Pour over pork and simmer for 10 minutes.
This may sound very strange and at first I was hesitant to try this recipe and made it and loved it. It as a sweet tangy flavor that goes great with rice or noodles.
Denise Allison,

At March 11, 2006 5:55 AM , Blogger Jensgalore said...

North Carolina barbecue. A good basic recipe can be found at:

http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1826,152174-239193,00.htmltasgy

At March 24, 2006 8:06 AM , Blogger Renz said...

Hi, I just found your site and am thoroughly enjoying it.

I love Nigella Lawson’s recipe for porchetta. She uses fresh herbs, but since I am also a frugal cook, I use finely chopped (even ground) dried. It keeps very well for sandwiches or general leftovers. We froze some once, too, and it was perfectly fine.

4 lbs boneless shoulder, butterflied (approximate)
3 tbs. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. fennel seed
2 tbs. rosemary, finely chopped (2 sprigs fresh)
4 bay leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp. ground cloves
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground pepper

Cover the meat with plastic wrap and pound with a mallet until it’s about 1 in. thick.

Heat 2 tbs. oil in frying pan, cook onion til soft. Add half garlic, half fennel, all rosemary and bay, half cloves, salt and pepper, cook one minute; remove to a plate to cool.

Spread the mix over the pork, rubbing it in, then roll it up tightly and secure with string (I’ve used skewers). Mix remaining garlic, fennel, cloves, oil, and rub over surface. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Remove 40 minutes before cooking to allow to come back to room temp.

Preheat oven to 350F, put pork in pan, and cook 4 hours. You may need to loosely cover with foil towards the end. Remove and let rest 30-60 minutes before carving.

This is from Forever Summer.

Also, keep an eye out for large cubes of pork shoulder sold as “carnitas meat.” It’s usually very cheap as well, and comes in a slightly smaller size. I did a coriander pork and turnip stew and posted the recipe here , but there are a million delicious ways to prepare in every pork-eating cuisine.

At March 27, 2006 10:20 PM , Blogger familychowhall said...

I love a good pork roast. I’m from the German-settled northeast USA and we always make pork roast and sauerkraut for New Year’s Day. Basically, put the roast in the crockpot, cook all day, and add a jar of good quality sauerkraut about an hour before servien. Find my recipe for it on www.familychowhall.com.

At March 28, 2006 9:03 AM , Anonymous kit said...

Do it like pulled pork but use salsa instead of bbq. 1 large jar of good salsa poured over it in the slow cooker for the day. the first night have it with spanish rice and say a corn and pepper medley.

Reheats a few days later can be burrito fillings with rice and beans and cheese.

There should be enough left over to do one more mexi inspired meal or more depending on how much you stretch with the beans and rice.

At March 28, 2006 9:52 AM , Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just found your sight while looking for receipts for leftover chicken. Anyway,found a receipt for pork in slow cooker with sweet potatoes and pineapple.
It’s called “Hong Kong Pork Stew” here’s the link:http://recipes.chef2chef.net/recipe-archive/17/098914.shtml
Unfortunately didn’t have any leftovers. This is a great site!! Barbara

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