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One Ingredient for the Budget Savvy Cook
Some of my best money-saving habits began by pure accident. Take for example, the time I was making mashed potatoes. I’d drained and mashed them, then walked to the refrigerator, opened the door, and yes, had forgotten I was out of margarine or any other type of low fat spread. I began to think, if only I’d checked before I boiled the potatoes. I thought about what I could make with a saucepan of smashed potatoes and would just adding milk really work? But then I noticed a box of cream cheese sitting in the dairy compartment. I’d seen a few of the TV chefs add it to potatoes, I’d…
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How Long Is it Good For?
Yes, our goal as budget savvy cooks is to save money on the food we serve our families, but eating food that might be questionable won’t help your budget if you get sick and end up with a doctor’s bill. I’ve always wondered about those ‘expiration and best by’ dates you see on packages? Can they be trusted and should you toss away anything with an expired ‘best by date’? Are you risking getting salmonella poisoning if you eat something that’s a couple of days past that date? I was surprised to learn that all the dates are simply guidelines. In fact, the worst case scenario is that the food…
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What Can You Do With Canned Soup?
Last week I told you how great tasting and budget friendly homemade soups were during fall. Well, that got me thinking about canned soups too. Companies like Campbell’s have been heavily promoting the fact that soups make a tasty budget meal. I’ve been seeing varieties such as tomato, chicken noodle, lentil, all on sale. So I when Walgreen’s was selling Campell’s tomato soup for just 69 cents a can, I set myself a goal. I’d take the soup and excuse the pun, soup it up. I’d think about what specific ingredients could be added to either boost the flavor or turn the canned soup into a meal. And I’d used…
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Fall Soups
One thing that recharges my energy after an afternoon of raking and bagging leaves is a bowl of soup. Fall’s the perfect time to make soup, not only for eating now, but enjoying in the dead of winter. And best of all, soup’s an economical meal. And if you pair it with a side salad and bread, you’ve got yourself a complete lunch or supper. Here are my tips for making the most out of fall soups. Buy In Season One way to make your food dollar stretch even further is to use ingredients that are in abundance now. Things like squash, parsnips, potatoes, and yes, even apples. They make…
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The Budget Smart Girl’s Guide to Making the Most of Your Clothing Budget
I hope you enjoyed Kathryn Finney’s tips on how to recession proof your wardrobe. And here are some tips that have always worked for me- Basics Kathryn mentioned buying basic items like white blouses and black pants. I’ve found some of the best deals at the following places- Chadwick’s www.chadwicks.com. I love perusing their catalog. It gives me plenty of ideas about what’s in style and best of all, none of their items are expensive. If you’re looking for blouses, check out this link www.chadwicks.com/1/5/index253.html Another place to check out is Target, visit your local store or shop online www.target.com. One thing I like about Target is they have designer…
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The Budget Smart Girl’s Guide to Halloween
The shaky economy might be the scariest thing out there right now, but that doesn’t mean the Budget Smart Girl can’t have some fun on Halloween. In fact, this year I’m seeing more prices being cut before Halloween. Everything from candy to decorations. So you might not have to wait until the last minute to pick up a bargain…but of course, it never hurts to do that anyway. What’s in Your Closet? If you’re in a bind about what to wear this year and don’t the budget for something fancy, check your closet. Is there anything in there you can use? And yes, if you have some clothes from say…
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The Budget Smart Girl Gets a Financial Education
I can’t remember when I first heard about the MoneyClub, www.moneyclubs.com but I do know that I bookmarked the site and signed up for their newsletter. MoneyClubs is all about sharing your goals with new friends, achieving your money dreams, meeting your saving goals, and reducing your debt. Some topics we all need help with these days. MoneyClubs also has a sister site, www.wife.org, which is a non-profit organization and stands for the Women’s Institute of Financial Education and helps us ladies take control of our own finances. Candace Bahr is one of the founders of both sites and is also an investment manager. She very kindly took time to…
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More Ideas for Leftovers
I love it when I opened up e-mail and someone’s sent me great money saving tips or recipes. This is an e-mail I received from The Spice Hunter. It got my attention and as this week’s topic is leftovers, I thought I’d share it with you. If there’s a collective groan every time you reach for the Tupperware stockpile in your fridge, it’s probably time to spice up what you reserve. While eating leftovers saves money, time, and resources, there’s no reason eating virtuously has to be boring. Below are tips from the flavor experts at The Spice Hunter to help you transform your leftovers into a delicious meal, incognito:…
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No Cooking Skills Required
I think one reason that many people rely on eating out and store bought foods isn’t due to their lack of time, it’s their lack of confidence in the kitchen. Friends tell me that I’m lucky because I like to cook, that I know how to cook and that must save me a ton of money. That’s true but you don’t have to be a gourmet chef to make meals that has everyone coming back for more. Cooking Doesn’t Mean PerfectionIf you’re scared that everyone’s going to hate what you cook, take the plunge anyway. Even top chefs were once beginners and just about everyone has a disaster or two…
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The Budget Smart Girl’s Guide to Changing Your Shopping Style
I’m a writer and therefore I eavesdrop while I’m out and about. One thing I hear all the time is a conversation that goes something like this- Cashier ‘Did you find everything you were looking for today?’ Shopper ‘I did and more. In fact, I only came into the store for one thing and I’m leaving with an armful/cart load’. Does it sound familiar? It’s easily done, but it can create a budget crisis. Shopping for groceries without a list, and impulse buying at the department store are probably the top two reasons most of us spend more than we actually earn. Are there ways around this dilemma? Psychology 101…