budget talk
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Saving Money During the Holiday Season
Thank you to the folks at www.cloudfreebies.co.uk for letting me print and share this article with you. It features tips from Natalie Cooper and Kez Richards. They offer tips for those based in the UK, but I think the advice is universal. Two money-saving super mums have joined forces to share their money-saving knowledge and find ways to cut the cost of Christmas Groceries. Frugal money saver Natalie Cooper and coupon and deals expert Kez Richards save on just about every aspect of their lives. They believe it is possible to save on everything from groceries to holidays and would never dream of spending a penny without first price…
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Perfect Marinades
The folks at Holland House sent me some samples of their products and some recipes to try. Here’s the first one along with some tips about marinades. During August Meatless Monday will feature guest recipes, beginning this Monday with Tofu and Vegetable Stir Fry. On August 11th, it will be Vegetable Pastry Purses, on the 18th, Tex-Mex Burgers, and on the 25th, Tofu Nuggets. I can’t wait to test drive all four of these and if you want to make the following recipe veggie just leave out the bacon and add something like cubed zucchini to the skewers. Happy saving and have a fun weekend. For more information and recipes check out-http://hollandhouseflavors.com/ …
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Peach and Ginger Jam
When fruit is plentiful I love to make batches of homemade jam. In fact, I haven’t purchased any store bought brands for four years. Like all things cooking, I often look for ways I can cut down on time. Although you still need to use canning skills to preserve this jam, it’s prepared in the microwave which speeds up the process and also lessens the heat in the kitchen. Most of the time I’ve used peaches in this recipe, but I think nectarines would work just as well. My next tweak for this one is using mangoes so feel free to give them a try too. 4 large peaches, peeled, and cut into1/2…
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Organizing for the Budget Smart Girl
I hope you enjoyed the expert tips on getting organized. The biggest hurdle for me is finding organizing items that fit into my budget so here are some tips and everyday items I’ve found and I hope they give you some ideas too- The One Stop Organizing Site This site www.onlineorganizing.com is a great place to start. It has lots of links, articles, templates, etc. So take an hour or so doing some browsing and making notes. It’s Free Someone told me about this site a few years ago http://www.cozi.com/ It’s free to register and use and you can create a shopping list and coordinate everyone’s schedule. They Used to Have…
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An Expert’s Advice on Organizing on a Budget
If you’ve been following Budget Smart Girl posts for a year or more you might remember Regina Leeds ‘The Zen Organizer’ who gave us some great tips about organizing our finances. She’s back to answer my questions about ways we can get organized on a budget. Check out her book on organizing and also her new one called One Year to An Organized Life with Baby…looks like this would make a great baby shower gift! Visit Regina’s Web site and blog at http://www.reginaleeds.com/, www.oneyeartoanorganizedlife.blogspot.com Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-What mistakes do most of us make (especially when we’re on a budget), when we start organizing? Regina Leeds (RL)-People are busy, stressed…
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Buy It or Make Your Own
During every trip to the supermarket I ask myself is it cheaper for me to buy that item already prepared or should I make my own. It’s not only money that I base my decision on, time plays a factor too. Here are some guidelines I’ve come up with and items I will and won’t buy already prepared. Time/Convenience If you’re short on time then opting for readymade makes perfect sense. One great example is potatoes, whether they’re mashed, oven roasted etc. I keep at least one package of each in the freezer or pantry. And the great thing is instant potatoes taste a lot better than they used to…
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More Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollar (and some recipes)
Entering the Grocery Challenge contest? Here are some more ways to help stretch your food dollar along with some recipes. Shop at the Drug Stores Don’t just think of the supermarket when you’re buying groceries. Sometimes you can get better deals at places like Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy. Friends with Memberships You might not want to pay $50 for a membership to a warehouse club but for this challenge ask if friends, family or co-workers if they do and stock up some pantry essentials. When I had a membership to Costco I found things olives, sun dried tomatoes and most cheeses were great deals. And if you want to make…
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Tips on Winning The Grocery Challenge
For those of you who missed my blog the other week, All You magazine is holding its second annual Grocery Challenge contest. There will be ten finalists and the winner will get a $1,000 grocery card and will also be featured in the magazine. The challenge is to spend $25 or less per family member per week on groceries during a four week period. The contest runs from June 20 to July 17th. Go to www.allyou.com/grocerychallenge to sign up. Beginning June 18th the magazine will send you a newsletter featuring tips for saving money and also recipes. I’d love to see a Budget Smart Girl reader win this so to…
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Cooking Shortcuts
I ask myself the same question every week, how can it be Friday already? If you’re on a budget and/or hate relying on convenience foods, you have to think of cooking shortcuts, ways to prepare meals and sneaky little tricks that can get you in and out of the kitchen when time’s not your friend. Here are some tips I’ve found to help me make it through the week- Prepare Ahead of Time I’ve recently gotten into the habit of preparing vegetables and salads on the weekends. Most of the recipes I use call for onions, carrots and celery. Now I chop and slice extra, put them in zip lock…
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Eating Well on a Budget While You’re Traveling
Maybe you have big travel plans this summer or just planning a few days out and about seeing local sites. Either way traveling away from home and eating out can put a dent in your budget. However, with a little preplanning, you can save money and still eat well. A Room with a Kitchen More hotels have rooms with kitchens and they’re a smart choice. Eat half your meals in the room instead of eating out and you’ll save a ton of money. If you can’t find a hotel room with a kitchen, ask if any of the rooms have at least a fridge or microwave. If the price of…
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