Posted on 07/24/2009 3:37:21 AM PDT by nw_arizona_granny
Weekly Roundup - Living On Nothing Edition Category: Roundups | Comments(15)
Did you hear about the guy that lives on nothing? No seriously, he lives on zero dollars a day. Meet Daniel Suelo, who lives in a cave outside Moab, Utah. Suelo has no mortgage, no car payment, no debt of any kind. He also has no home, no car, no television, and absolutely no “creature comforts.” But he does have a lot of creatures, as in the mice and bugs that scurry about the cave floor he’s called home for the last three years.
To us, Suelo probably sounds a little extreme. Actually, he probably sounds very extreme. After all, I suspect most of you reading this are doing so under the protection of some sort of man-made shelter, and with some amount of money on your person, and probably a few needs for money, too. And who doesn’t need money unless they have completely unplugged from the grid? Still, it’s an amusing story about a guy who rejects all forms of consumerism as we know it.
The Frugal Roundup
How to Brew Your Own Beer and Maybe Save Some Money. A fantastic introduction to home brewing, something I’ve never done myself, but always been interested in trying. (@Generation X Finance)
Contentment: A Great Financial Principle. If I had to name one required emotion for living a frugal lifestyle it would be contentment. Once you are content with your belongings and your lot in life you can ignore forces attempting to separate you from your money. (@Personal Finance by the Book)
Use Energy Star Appliances to Save On Utility Costs. I enjoyed this post because it included actual numbers, and actual total savings, from someone who upgraded to new, energy star appliances. (@The Digerati Life)
Over-Saving for Retirement? Is it possible to “over-save” for retirement? Yes, I think so. At some point I like the idea of putting some money aside in taxable investments outside of retirement funds, to be accessed prior to traditional retirement age. (@The Simple Dollar)
40 Things to Teach My Kids Before They Leave Home. A great list of both practical and philosophical lessons to teach your kids before they reach the age where they know everything. I think that now happens around 13 years-old. (@My Supercharged Life)
Index Fund Investing Overview. If you are looking for a place to invest with high diversification and relatively low fees (for broader index funds with low turnover), index funds are a great place to start. (@Money Smart Life)
5 Reasons To Line Dry Your Laundry. My wife and I may soon be installing a clothesline in our backyard. In many neighborhoods they are frowned upon - one of the reasons I don’t like living in a neighborhood. I digress. One of our neighbors recently put up a clothesline, and we might just follow his lead. (@Simple Mom)
A Few Others I Enjoyed
* 4 Quick Tips for Getting Out of a Rut * Young and Cash Rich * Embracing Simple Style * First Trading Experience With OptionsHouse * The Exponential Power of Delayed Consumption * How Much Emergency Fund is Enough? * 50 Questions that Will Free Your Mind * Save Money On Car Insurance
I agree with Celente, we are in for one helluva ride. In fact, I'm betting on it, hence the major prep I've been pursuing for the past year. All of these articles seem a bit short on the length of the crisis.
I can't see us gaining headway for at least a few years economically... more than five years from what the tea leaves show... It will take that long to throw off the shackles of this obamunism and get free market capitalism on it's feet again.
The ways and means in which we accomplish this will determine that timing. The positive thing is, I do believe we will overcome all this socialism b.s. at some point! That journey is filled with peril and hardship, and, unfortunately, blood may yet be spilled. Some say that is the only way we will lose the chains now being wrapped upon us...
I thank the good Lord above that with his help, I have been able to locate far from the cities, and suburbia at large! Again, Celente's predictions ring true to me... The majority of America is not prepared for what comes. The attitudes of the average American are far different from the can do peoples of the last depression. Hunger (and outright starvation) twists the minds of those it infects. Our government is unprepared for what is to come as well. There won't be a rescue caravan heading to every population center (such as was done in Katrina). The unprepared will go to the farthest reaches of desperation to feed themselves and families... it will get ugly, medieval is a word that comes to mind.
That is why this thread is so important, those that are keeping abreast of this situation should begin to double down on their preparations... the sound of fecal matter hitting the fan is closer than any of us knows!
thanks for the link, Tas. Pretty scary. That’s even worse than the CA quakes because of the aftermath of flooding. (Well, or could be worse...they all have the potential to be pretty bad)
on a totally different topic, I ran into this:
http://www.inhabitat.com/2009/08/19/big-box-agriculture/
Inhabitat
Results are in for the ReBurbia competition to re-envision the suburbs, and we’re thrilled to count Forrest Fulton among the top three winners for his Big Box Agriculture proposal! This creative and adaptive design takes advantage of empty big-box retail stores and turns them into suburban organic farms, complete with in-house chefs, restaurants, and renewable energy generation.
The very fabric of suburbia is changing as new areas develop and older areas are vacated, leaving behind empty buildings and cracking asphalt parking lots. This needn’t be the case - according to Fulton, big-box retail stores and strip malls can provide the opportunity for new growth in the form of suburban gardens and farms. Instead of just tearing everything down he proposes transforming these sites into organic farms and cutting out the middle-man retailer. Consumers can walk among the rows of produce and pick their fruit and vegetables right from the vine.
The asphalt parking lot would become an outdoor farm by layering soil and compost inside of containers placed directly on the lot, while solar trees spread throughout the fields generate power and pump it back into the grid. The roof of the big box store would partially be replaced with glass to create a greenhouse. After picking your produce, you could take it directly to an in-house chef who would prepare you a meal, or take it home with you. Imagine the gains the local food movement would face if Wal-Mart took a look at this idea and retrofitted their stores!
Big Box Agriculture’s innovative approach towards local food production netted it third place in the ReBurbia competition - be sure to check out the other winning designs selected by our judges in addition to the top 20 finalists and our favorite notable mentions.
+ Big Box Agriculture
+ ReBurbia
More Having Their Gas, Electricity Shut Off For Unpaid Bills
Nearly 30,000 Cut Off In First 5 Months Of 2009
POSTED: 8:57 am MDT August 19, 2009
DENVER — Xcel Energy cut off gas or electricity to nearly 30,000 delinquent customers in Colorado in the first five months of the year, 15 percent more than during the same period a year ago.
Pat Boland, the utility’s credit policy manager, said this week Xcel doesn’t like to cut off service but has to keep unpaid bills from getting out of hand during the recession.
The company said some customers were cut off for only a few days until they paid their bills.
continues..........
Other Denver news, the car break story is a video, it caught my eye, for I had noted that they are breaking into cars in Las Vegas at a rate I had not heard before...
Do the criminals use tweet to decide which crime is the crime of the day? week?
granny
headlines...
Denver Car Break-Ins Up 32 Percent
CNN Dealers Want End To Cash For Clunkers
CNN Voters May Help Decide Taliban’s Fate, Experts Say
DIY Cigarettes? Some Growing Own Tobacco
(PEOPLE WITH THEIR HEADS IN THE SAND, INVITE THEIR BUTTS TO BE KICKED) <<<
I could feel my foot lifting....
LOL
Thanks for the information on distilling , “ I didn’t have a clue”,
as to where to start.
Wow - that’s awful. thanks for sharing what you hear with us. I know I otta get one myself soon....<<<
I do not own a scanner, I listen over the internet as I do all the other stuff, use their web scanner, it takes less bandwidth than using Itunes, etc and rarely causes troubles....even on dial up.
From this link, you can go to you town or any town, they recently merged a bunch of the scanners on line, into this group.
Las Vegas:
http://www.radioreference.com/apps/audio/?ctid=1745
I always felt safe in Las Vegas, I do not today, they have a constant team working to arrest some big criminals from other states, some of the crimes and alerts are down right scary ...........
And keep in mind that for them to reach vegas from the east, they drove down a highway that is about a half mile from my place..........Highways 93 and 68.
They are not related at all. Both are rescues..Different as night and day in temprament.<<<
If only they could talk, they would both say “Thank you for the wonderful home, so full of love”!!!
I can dream, can’t I? ;)<<<
When one no longer has a dream, there is no reason to live.
3 and a half years, is only a hop and a jump in time.
The plans for the stores is a good one, not practical or profitable, I suspect, but if the gov is going to throw money at every thing that moves, why not a food project.
When you run for office, make it your platform, “Food in every corner of the country”.
It would have a great value for training/educational purposes.
This country was built not on a mantra of shop until you drop. It was called Yankee frugality: use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without. Those are the kinds of things that need to be considered again. <<<
It made me want to use google, LOL, interesting and I wound up with food riots, which is an eye opener, for I had forgotten most of the incidents, LOL, no I don’t have a personal memory of the Civil War events......
Has Egypt food riots showing up, as well as Mexico and our Civil War:
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THE BREAD RIOT IN MEXICO.; `POOR PEOPLE DRIVEN TO DESPERATION BY ...
The two regiments of Federal cavalry and one of Infantry stationed at Morelia were called out to quell the riot, but Their appearance added to the ...
query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res... - Similar
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BREAD RIOT IN MEXICO.; Populace in Famine District Try to Loot ...
News reached this city to-day of a terrible bread riot in the town of Puruandias, Michoacan, Mexico, Oct. ilS, in which twenty people were wounded, ...
query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res... - Similar
Show more results from query.nytimes.com
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Social Text » The Return of the Bread Riot
Feb 28, 2008 ... Last January, 70000 people marched through the streets of Mexico City in .... One can only hope that it will not take bloody bread riots and ...
www.socialtextonline.org/?p=123 - Cached - Similar
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The Civil War Day by Day: An Almanac, 1861-1865 - Google Books Result
by Barbara Long, Bruce Catton - 1985 - History - 1160 pages
... riots Aprtends toward Union Apr Meadow Bluff W VaFed exped DecFed sc from Mechanicsburg Misssk MayFed expeds to MayJune Mexico ... bread ...
books.google.com/books?isbn=0306802554...
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Moroccan Bread Riots | libcom.org
13 posts - 9 authors - Last post: Oct 4, 2007
The weekend protests raised the specter of bread riots in 1981 that left ... If I remember rightly there have been large protests in Mexico ...
libcom.org/forums/news/moroccan-bread-riots-27092007 - Cached - Similar
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BBC NEWS | Americas | Mexicans stage tortilla protest
Feb 1, 2007 ... For many of Mexico’s poorest people the tortilla is a staple of their diet, with as much as a third of their wages being spent on the bread. ...
news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/6319093.stm - Cached - Similar
This search starts out very liberal and then gets into the truth of the matter:
The original idea for a search and it should prove useful:
Results 1 - 10 of about 4,820,000 for food riot 2009. (0.18 seconds)
Search Results
1.
WARSKYL: A Page For Christian Martialists: The Food Riots of 2009 ...
Jul 26, 2008 ... If the “food riots of 2009” should, by some chance, take place (and I will be the first to rejoice if they do not), will you be among the ...
warskyl.blogspot.com/2008/07/food-riots-of-2009.html - Cached - Similar
2.
Food Riots Looming Again in 2009 - FAO - Food Industry News
7 Nov, 2008 - The financial crisis gripping global markets could trigger a new wave of food riots across the developing world, the FAO has warned.
www.flex-news-food.com/.../Food/.../food-riots-looming-again-2009-—fao.html - Cached - Similar
3.
Celente Predicts Revolution, Food Riots, Tax Rebellions By 2012
Margaret Sawers August 9, 2009. My God, what a sick society we live in. No wonder they predict a rebellion, food riots etc. etc. Just bring it on! ...
investment-blog.net/celente-predicts-revolution-food-riots-tax-rebellions-by-2012/ - Cached - Similar
4.
Global Food Riots in 2009
Dec 16, 2008 ... Rice (Oryza sativa) COGwriter Various experts are expecting a probable increase in food riots in 2009: Financial crisis pushing hungry to ...
www.cogwriter.com/news/.../global-food-riots-in-2009/ - Cached - Similar
5.
WILL FOOD RIOTS IN CALIFORNIA THIS SUMMER KICK OFF CIVIL WAR TWO?
Jan 4, 2009 ... Will Food Riots in Southern California This Summer Start Civil War Two? (C)opyright 2009 by Thomas W. Chittum. Three may be food riots in ...
www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/forum.cgi?noframes;read... - Cached - Similar
6.
Celente Predicts Revolution, Food Riots, Tax Rebellions By 2012
I will agree that if riots and shortages of food take place, it will be because of the elightened ones of Satan. imnotlost Reply: March 11th, 2009 at 8:35 ...
www.infowars.com/celente-predicts-revolution-food-riots-tax-rebellions-by-2012/ - Cached - Similar
7.
Food Riots in Haiti Threaten Progress | Center for Strategic and ...
Jun 29, 2009 ... Aug 10, 2009. Home / Publications. / Food Riots in Haiti Threaten ... This week’s food riots in the Haitian capital, Port au Prince, ...
csis.org/publication/food-riots-haiti-threaten-progress - Cached - Similar
8.
Raj Patel: What Food Riots Really Are « Brooklyn Food Conference
Raj Patel: What Food Riots Really Are. posted by brooklynfoodconference, on May 22, 2009. FOOD REBELLIONS WORKSHOP ...
brooklynfoodconference.org/2009/.../raj-patel-what-food-riots-really-are/ - Cached - Similar
9.
YouTube - Max Keiser on the worldwide food Riots April 2009 part 1 ...
Apr 22, 2009 ... Video created by: http://www.youtube.com/user/Dollarisdead09 ...tks...STOP MonsantoMax Keiser on Aljazeera’s Inside Story, ...
www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p...playnext=1... - Cached - Similar
10.
Raw Food Riot!
Jun 13, 2009 ... Danielson, M. (2009, June 13). Raw Food Riot!. Retrieved August 14, 2009, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Raw-Food-Riot!&id=2473402 ...
ezinearticles.com/?Raw-Food-Riot!&id=2473402 - Cached - Similar
Searches related to: food riot 2009food crisis riots haiti food riots food riots egypt
Excellent collection of articles on the more recent food riots of the world:
Take a look...........granny
https://lists.resist.ca/pipermail/onthebarricades/2008-April/000431.html
[Someone is planning for our food riots.....granny, see end note:]
This is the html version of the file http://mdisdf.org/g3/Food_riots_of_2009.doc.
Google automatically generates html versions of documents as we crawl the web.
The Food Riots
In an effort to stabilize falling oil prices, Middle Eastern oil production has been cut by 50%. This exacerbates global oil market instability and everything related to the energy industry. Cascading effects are seen in a variety of other critical infrastructures – particularly the basics – food, water and electricity. Regular unleaded fuel now costs $10.00 a gallon, price gouging is rampant. Hyperinflation explodes across the spectrum of consumer goods and service costs. Within the last 3 months, grocery prices have doubled.
The Summer of Discontent
Large metropolitan cities on or near the coasts – New York City, Los Angeles, Seattle, Baltimore and Miami are experiencing street demonstrations with large crowds angry at the government for what they perceive as a lack of action. Food shortages are occurring in these large cities driving the prices up even higher. A summer heat wave and drought conditions occur in a number of American cities and towns; controlled power brownouts are used in an attempt to prevent power grid break downs. Heat related injuries and fatalities are reported, primarily affecting the young and elderly. The increase in case loads affects bed space availability in hospitals and taxes the staff.
2 weeks later – July 27, 2009
Demonstrations spread to the nation’s heartland as the prices for food and fuel continue to rise. Demonstrations become street riots in different cities across the country. The heat wave and drought conditions persist with no end in sight, leading to power blackouts and water and food rationing in larger metropolitan areas of Ohio, Indiana, Michgan and the northeast.
In late July, people in _________________ snap. The grocery chain stores - Marsh and Kroger are ransacked first. Drug stores, liquor stores and gas stations are also looted and then torched in protest. There are dead or wounded in the downtown areas as local law enforcement struggle to restore order. At nightfall, anarchy descends on the city as more buildings are set on fire by arsonists. The mayor of _______ asks the Governor for help and additional resources, however similar situations in other cities limit the support the state can commit at this time.
August 3, 2009 – 2130 hrs
Violence continues to ebb and flow for a week but the heat wave does not. Electric power is sporadic, rolling blackouts occur more frequently without notice. This has a cascading effect on other critical infrastructures such as banks, grocery stores, water and wastewater utilities and hospitals. The district level IMT is notified by the IDHS District Planning Coordinator that they will be mobilized to augment the district Incident Management Team and assist other local governmental agencies to restore public safety and security. On Monday August 4, at 0700 an incident briefing is conducted in the mayor’s officer.
August 4, 2009 – 0830 hrs
Key points from the Incident briefing.
Your unit/team is to assume Incident Command and General staff functions no later than 1500 hours on 8/4/09. These include the following:
* ___________ County Memorial Hospital(s) are being overwhelmed by heat casualties, wounded people and first responders caught in the exchange of gunfire. Diesel generators are breaking down because of continuous operation and lack of maintenance. Resupply of diesel and regular gasoline is a high priority to hospitals and selected service stations in your area of operations; diesel fuel supplies in local hospitals will be critical by 2400 hrs 8/4/09.
* Be prepared to assist your DPW to establish perimeter and facility security at the water and wastewater treatment plant by 2100 hrs 8/4/09.
* Be prepared to establish perimeter and facility security at the County Memorial Hospital by 2400 hrs 8/4/09.
* Be prepared to establish security and access to the Kroger, Marsh and Wal-Mart grocery stores along __________ (the main highways in your community) develop a plan of action to distribute food, water and medical supplies from these locations no later than 2000 hrs 8/4/09.
* Identify one member of you organization to act as liaison with IDHS District Planning Council Coordinator, reporting to that individual by 1500 hours on 8/4/09.
Weather conditions continue to be hot (>85°), humid and dry in the area of operations.
Work group tasks:
* Employ the steps and procedures for transferring command. Using the ICS 201 form, fill out the positions with your team members; identify who will be the incident commander, who will fill the command and general staff functions and what the responsibilities of the positions entail.
* Develop an Incident Command Organizational Chart based on the scenario.
* Develop Incident Objectives (using the SMART template) have your team consider and determine what command guidance you will convey to those within your span of control.
* Describe what you would need for an Incident Command facility and what your support requirements would entail.
* Establish resource priorities within the command and develop an incident command meeting agenda.
* Develop an Incident Action Plan. Make use of the appropriate ICS forms.
* Make use of other ICS forms we have previously used to develop or update the Incident Action Plan in preparing for and making your transfer of command presentation.
* Working with your team, make use of and develop the Operational Planning Worksheet (ICS Form 215) and the Safety Analysis.
* Identify the top challenges and strategies for managing medical, fuel and food resources during this incident.
[This does make one nervous]
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Indiana Guard Reserve
Acts to replace the Indiana National Guard when it is called into federal service. Includes mission statement, history, calendar, information about each ...
www.mdisdf.org/ - Cached - Similar
# [PDF]
IGR MEMS Newsletter 20090102
File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML
http://www.mdisdf.org. Substitute Classes for G300 and 400. Note: These are for MEMS Certification ONLY! If you cannot attend a G300 or G400 Course, ...
mdisdf.org/IGRMEMSNewsletter20090102.pdf - Similar
Index:
http://www.frugalyankee.com/node/205/
Here is a dessert recipe that says New England fall, Thanksgiving and lots of unwanted calories.
MAPLE SYRUP PIE
For the crust:
1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
5 tablespoons butter, cubed
3 tablespoons ice water
For the filling:
2 eggs
1 tablespoon flour
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup maple syrup, preferably medium dark
Whipped cream, for serving.
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Make the crust by combining the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the flour with a fork or pastry blender until the mixture is the texture of coarse meal. Sprinkle a tablespoon of ice water at a time over the dough, lifting and tossing it with the fork. When it begins to come together, gather the dough, press it into a ball and then pull it apart. If it crumbles in your hands, it needs more water. Add a teaspoon or two more water, as needed.
2. Flatten the ball of dough and roll between two sheets of plastic wrap into a circle 10 inches in diameter. Remove the plastic and lay the dough into a 9-inch tart pan, press into place and remove excess dough. Place in the freezer.
3. Meanwhile, make the filling by beating the eggs in a bowl. Gradually whisk in the flour. Add the cream and maple syrup and whisk until combined. Pour into the crust-lined pan. Cook until the middle still jiggles but is solid, 25 to 30 minutes.
Serve with whipped cream.
Serves 12.
(Loosely adapted from Chantal Séguin.)
Frugal Snacks
Submitted by Garen Daly on Wed, 2008-01-23 17:45.
There are a lot of ways you can save money with snacks and have something tasty. Here are a few ideas.
You can make you own trail mix. Buy some nuts, raisins, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, whatever. Mix them up in a big bowl. Grab some sandwich sized baggies and fill them up. What we do at the Frugal Yankee household is take the bags and put them in a bowl on the counter. Then when we’re heading out, simply grab one or two and toss into your lunch box or briefcase. These things are good and good for you, but be a little careful. Nuts have a fair amount of fat in them, albeit the good kind.
Here is another idea. Make some “Roasted Sweet Potato with Rosemary” These make great lunch box additions or a side dish. They’re chock full of vitamins, nutrients, anti-oxidants and more, but they sure are tasty. Kids love ‘em. I wouldn’t tell them it’s healthy. I put them in my briefcase for a great, healthy snack.
1 pound sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped fine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Heat oven to 425F.
Cut the sweet potatoes into thick sticks. You can also cut them in medallions.
Toss with the rosemary, oil, salt and pepper.
Spread in one layer on a large baking sheet.
Roast for about 15 minutes (longer if you want them well done), shaking the pan and stirring occasionally. Eat them hot or cold.
A couple of other pretty good snack ideas are fruits. I prefer apples and oranges. Either is easy to transport and fun to eat.
http://www.frugalyankee.com/node/578/
Frugal tips:
BATHROOM: You’ve probably tried running hot water over your clogged hair spray nozzle, but many times it just doesn’t do the trick. Get that bottle of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol out and dip the nozzle into a little bit of it and let sit for a few minutes. Wipe off and you’re ready to spray. You’ll keep your “do” from becoming a “don’t” and you won’t waste any hair spray, and therefore, won’t be wasting any money!
BATHROOM: Keep your shaving razor sharper and longer with a little post shave care. Simply, dry the blade, that’ll prevent rust from dulling and nicking up the blade. Then take an old toothbrush and brush off as much of the stubble stuck between the blades and the casing. With some of those brand name blades costing $15.00 or so a package, the savings will mount up.
BATHROOM:Speaking of razor shaving, saving your old soap bars. When they get too small for using normally, toss them into your shaving mug for lathering soap.
BATHROOM: Bacterial sopas are better than regular soaps. Not true, All soaps clean and anti-bacterial soaps could possibly increase resistant bacteria. The trick for hand washig is to do it at least fro 30 seconds.
BATHROOM:Store your toothbrushes to air dry. Placing them in containers will increase the amount of bacterial growth.
CARS: Be careful where you drive. 50% of traffic deaths between 1998 and 2003 were on rural, non-interstate highways, yet these roads only account for 28% of all traffic. Narrow lanes, sharp curves, teenagers.
CARS: If you fear one of your car’s fluids is leaking, throw a clean piece of cardboard underneath it near where you think it may be. Then take the cardboard out and bring it to your mechanic. Tell him where it came out. He’ll do the rest.
CARS: You heard it before, but now is one of those times to check your tire pressure. With cold nights hitting, the air in your tire loses volume. The rule of thumb is that for every 10 degrees lower, the pressure in your tire loses 1 to 2 psi. Also the best time to check is in the morning.
EASTER:
As always we have ideas on enjoying life while spending less. Easter is no exception. You can read, listen or watch any of these for great ideas.
AN AFFORDABLE EASTER: Video of Louise on NE Cable News with Karen Swenson.
THE FRUGAL EASTER: Download Garen & Louise onto your MP3 player.
THE FRUGAL EASTER: A written companion to our audio version (above)
FUN EASTER BASKETS: What to put into Easter baskets that is different AND fun.
EMERGENCIES: Keep a regular old plug phone around. One that doesn’t need electricity to work. It uses electricity within the phone lines. So if things get dicey and there is no power and the cell is dead, you can probably use that old phone to keep in contact with the world.
FAMILY: Looking for a fun cheap way to wrap kids gifts? Try using the Sunday funnies.
FAMILY:Use lifesavers candy to hold candles in place on your next birthday cake! Kids love ‘em!
HEALTH: Celery has negative calories! It takes more calories to eat a piece of celery than the celery has in it to begin with.
HEALTH: Got heartburn? Solution: lose weight. It isn’t necessarily the foods you eat but your weight which adds increasing gastrointestinal pressure, contributing to heartburn.
HEALTH: When cold weather is approaching or is on the scene, here is a tip from Germany - drink cocoa. New research from Germany suggests high flavanol cocoa helps blood vessels function better. The study was done in conjunction with exercise and medication, but the statistical improvement was highly significant. The amount consumed was 3 cups a day for 30 days. What this means is simple, improving the blood vessels will enhance cardio-vascular health, a major concern for many people including diabetics. (Source: The Week)
HEALTH: Here’s a nifty tidbit! There is a very strong correlation between dry winter air and the flu. The drier it is, the more flu viruses like it. Keeping your home humidified lowers flu susceptibility. Either get a humidifier or do what we do, boil some water on the stove every day.
HEALTH: Having trouble falling asleep, try this cozy little tip. Put on a pair of socks. It seems socks will stabilize your core body temperature and aid the falling asleep process. Use a cotton blend pair, regular cotton socks wick away moisture and don’t work as well.
HEALTH: How long should you brush your teeth? 2 minutes, 2 times per day, but not over 3 minutes. This could lead to gum damage, but good dental health is good for your overall health. Same is true for your pets.
HEALTH: Allergies making you miserable, here is a quickie for you. Take a shower before you hit the sack. Any allergens will wash off and make your night time sleep a little more bearable.
HOUSE: Have you every smelled an old microwave? Yuck! To freshen your nuker, combine 1 cup water, the juice of 1/2 lemon and the rind, and 5-6 cloves. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. Dump the cup’s contents into your compost pile.
HOUSE: You grab some masking tape. You pull on and it comes off in weird little pieces. Toss that baby into the trash, right? Nope, nuke it. Yes, zap the roll of masking tape for between 10 and 20 seconds and it will start working like it is supposed to
HOUSE: Soap Saving Here’s another soap saver. Take your old soap bars, place them in a sachet cloth, tie them up and toss them into your seasonal clothing bin or even in a dresser drawer. Your clothes will smell clean and fresh, like a freshly showered body.
HOUSE: Have you heard how shower some curtains give off deadly carcinogens? The hot showers breakdown the plastic. Then we inhale it and make ourselves sick. Reports say this is true so check yours out. If you decide to change your shower curtain, here are two things you can do with it besides adding to the landfill.
1) Use it as a paint tarp or 2) Cover your cord wood with it
HOUSE: Storing Cothes Use empty luggage to store blankets, seasonal clothes, or gift items purchased in advance during sales.
HOUSE: Trash Cans Use a bungee cord to keep your trash cans lids on. The wind won’t blow them off and even better, racoons can’t unclasp them.
HOUSE: Good Site With spring cleaning coming up, there is going to be a ton of stuff in need of a home that’s not yours. Instead of filling up a landfill, check out Earth911.org. They have a ton of info about recycling, a search database for local sites and info on hard to get rid of stuff.
KITCHEN: Saving Water When you boil potatoes or pasta, save the water. Use it in soups and stews, or cool it and use it to fertilize your house plants.
KITCHEN: Kneadful Thing Nothing like the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven, but making bread can sure be messy. To take some of the mess away, try this. Knead the dough in a ziploc bag. You can even freeze it in that! No mess, no fuss.
KITCHEN: Fresh Asparagus Keep asparagus longer by cutting off the ends and the storing upright in col water. Ditto for broccoli.
KITCHEN: Thermos Bottles Cleaning a thermos can be a pain. To do it right you need a small brush which can fit inside. Not many of us have one of those handy. Try this instead. Drop in four Alka-Seltzer tablets and let soak for an hour or more. Then rinse. You’ll be amazed, and its easy as pie.
KITCHEN: Sponges (non-relative) We’ve talked about this before, but the best way to clean a sponge is by nuking it or running it through the dishwasher. Both methods will kill 99% of the bacteria, yeast and mold. If you nuke it, be sure there is sufficient water in the sponge or on the dish you use to hold the sponge. there have been times when dry sponges will ignite in a microwave.
MEDICAL: Nukes Microwaves can be used to emergency disinfect clothes, such as a child’s cap that another kid has put on, as long as they have absolutely NO metal in the zippers, buttons, rivets etc. ALWAYS place a cup of cold water next to the article to absorb the heat and microwave on high until the water is steaming.
MEDICAL: Suck Got a fever? Suck on a popsicle. It fells good, adds fluids. Great for kids.
MEDICAL: Scars When you are slathering sunscreen on your body, be sure to put a little extra around any scars exposed to the sun. Seems like scar tissue is particularly vulnerable to getting cancerous.
MEDICAL: Burnt Mouth Ever burn your mouth with a pizza? Take a 50-50 solution of water and hydrogen peroxide. Swish it in your mouth, spit it out. The solution will clean dead skin off the burn and accelerate the healing.
MEDICAL MYTH: 98.6 Your temperature is 98.6º. In fact temps range from person to person and from time of day to time of day.
MEDICAL: Kit Here’s something you would not think of as a good medicine kit item - an Exacto knife. It’s good for digging out splinters, cutting bandages and making incisions. Obviously sterlize it before your use it.
MONEY: Saving Some folks think winning Megamillions will be the answer for these tough times. It sure would be nice, but it don’t count on it. Count on a frugal lifestyle. One step in that direction is annualizing costs. For example, if you buy a latte every day, you’re spending just south of $1500 a year. Ouch! Read THE ABCs of FRUGALITY for more tips. Then winning Megamillions is a simple dream. Oh, if you do win, send me some of that green stuff.
MONEY: Credit Card Look at your credit card bills carefully. American paid $30 billion to credit card companies in fess last year. That is over and above interest, so they are zapping you with late fees, over limit fees and more.
MONEY: Goft Cards Don’t buy gift cards on line. Lots of them are used to money launder and they are bogus.
MONEY: Diamonds Thinking about buying a diamond for the squeeze? Or maybe looking to invest some money in a commodity? The prediction is diamond demand will double in the next 8 years while supply will only increase 50%. Blame petrodollars, and good marketing.
MONEY: Credit Cards Have some extra cash and thinking about investing in stocks or land or whatever. The best investment you can make these days to pay off high interest credit cards. With rates as high as 30% this is a no-brainer.
MOTHER’S DAY May is a good time to consider buying an appliance Why? Because prices are cut for Mother’s Day & Memorial Day. Check out web sites first for the best deals. Then use that info to get a good deal. Consider a slightly damaged or floor model. A ding is a ding especially if you’re frugal. Remember, in this economy, drive a hard bargain!
Check out some Mother’s Day gift ideas.
NUTRITION: Fat Coffee Be leery of those ‘frappucino’ coffee fdrinks you find in coffee shops. The Starbucks Venti Mocha Coconut has 710 calories and 26 grams of fat. That’s the equivalent of eating two Quarter Pounders!
NUTRITION: Bio-Availability Cooked carrots have more antioxidants in them than raw carrots. The theory is cooking breaks down the cellular structure and releases all those goodies
NUTRITION: Weight Loss Some basic tips on how to lose weight: 1) stop drinking soda; 2) write everything you eat down; 3) pay attention to portions; 4) erase mistakes with additional exercise.
OFFICE: Junk Mail If you do a fair amount of shipping and you have a paper shredder, consider using your junk mail, shredded, as filler for your shipping.
OFFICE: Wi-Fi If you’re thinking one of those highly advertised wi-fi get internet connection anywhere cards are for you, think again. They are only a smart buy if you spend a lot of time on the road AND do a lot of web work. Otherwise, pay as you go on access sites makes more sense.
OUTDOORS: Blue In bug season, don’t wear blue, wear white. Insects are attracted to the dark colors, especially blue.
OUTDOORS: Warm Feet
Cold feet and winter go hand in hand, but did you know that one good pair of wool socks will keep your feet warmer than two pairs of cotton or synthetic fiber socks? It’ true
SAVVY SHOPPER: Car Rentals Are you a car renter? If you are you know it is best to fill the gas tank up before you return it to the agency. These days, some car rental places are charging $8.00 a gallon to fill it up.
SAVVY SHOPPER: Buying Shoes Spring fashions are here and if you’re mulling over a new pair of shoes or sneakers, buy them in the middle of the day. Your feet actually enlarge somewhat from morning until evening. You’ll get a better fit.
SAVVY SHOPPER: Music Downloads
The music industry is finally lowering the price on downloads. Look for deals at Amazon.com’s MP3 “Daily Deal” and even iTunes has a bargain bin. You can expect more deals in the future.
SUPERMARKETS: Use Cash Did you know the average American family will spend $32.96 at the grocery store if they use cash. If they opt for credit, the same family will end up spending $43.49. Turns out with credit or debit cards we tend to be freer with the bucks. When it is cash out of pocket, we more frugal. Guess which way we prefer to pay for our groceries?
SUPERMARKETS: Cycles Supermarkets work on a 12 week cycle when it comes to sales. Figure that fact in when you are doing our bulk shopping. Of course, this doesn’t work for seasonal items.
SUPERMARKETS: Cash 2 Looking to save money at the grocery store. Here’s one place you can start. Pay cash. The July 08 issue of Money reported If you spend cash at the grocery store, you’ll spend $32.96 average. Use credit: $43.49. You’re more frugal when you see the cash versus some bank transfer. Oh, one other bit of advice, don’t buy groceries witha credit card unless you will be paying it off in the first billing cycle. The interest you pay on the credit will offset any savings you may have gotten.
TECH: Laptop Illumination The ubiquitous laptop is a tech marvel. Who would have thought that many of us would be carrying around portable computers?
Did you know that these marvels use 43% of its energy on keeping their screens bright? So if you’re looking to conserve your battery, lower brightness. That’s simple.
TECH: Cell Phone Cameras
Are you a wine aficionado? If forgetting tasty wines is a problem, use your cell phone & photo the label.
Other uses for your cell camera: take photos of a car accident, where you parked your car, a window treatment you liked. It’s handy and offers all sorts of uses. Get creative.
PESTS: Mice Mice can be a problem as cold weather starts. If you don’t have a mouser, try and close up as many holes in your foundation as possible. For those big holes, try using steel wool to black them from getting in. After they are in, traps, poison and a good mouser are your choices.
WEDDINGS: Save Money Gisele Bundchen and Tom Brady wedding is all over the news. I doubt they had to worry about being frugal, but if your not a supermodel and star quarterback pulling down big bucks, saving at a wedding is essential. One way of stretching the wedding budget is don’t use exotic, out of season flowers. Instead use locally gown, in-season flowers. Heck, if they are in bloom, go pick your own. Listen to our podcast on WEDDING NO-NOs for more ideas on saving money.
WEIRD: Chicken? If you think you’ve found a dinosaur bone, lick it. If it tastes like chicken...., nah. If your tongue sticks to it, it’s a fossil.
WEIRD: Being Chased Crocodiles and alligators are surprisingly fast on land. Although they are rapid, they are not agile; so if you ever find yourself chased by one, run in a zigzag line. You’ll lose him or her every time.
WORK: Job Hunting Looking for a job? If so, plan on searching one month for each $10,000 you want to make a year. Using this formula, my ne’er-do-well brother expects to make $1.3 million, and counting, when he finally gets a job.
WORKSHOP: Power Tools Unplug your battery powered tools. The batteries only lose about 10% of their energy a month and re-charge fairly quickly.
WORKSHOP: Paint Turn your paint can upside down. The solvents will head to the top and when your ready to use, it’ll be easier to stir.
http://www.squidoo.com/the-frugal-yankee
He has links for all things cheap and frugal.
I thought it might be a fake site, then saw his comments on Clark Howard.com, which is a site that I have intended to post since the beginning.
Clark is on the radio here and he does give good advice, I have gone to his site in the past for obscure frugal information.
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