May is almost over, and in June we'd like to do so something new, something a little more interactive.
Each Friday in June, we'll post a list of what each of the three of us has done to save money or live more frugally during the week (increasing 401(k) contributions, using coupons, refraining from buying an item, etc). Some items may have a dollar amount attached, while some may not.
This will help keep us accountable and see what we're doing in our daily lives to save money (and also how it can add up over the course of a month)
And we'd love you to participate too. Each Friday, you can leave a comment informing us of the things you've done to save money or live frugally during the week. At the end, we'll give away a prize to one of the people who participates all four weeks. It will be fun!
Get ready! See you next Friday . . .
May 28, 2010
May 27, 2010
Cheaper Cleaning Products: Part 2 (Merrick)
In my last post about cleaning products, I mentioned the plethora of cleaning products I have in my house. Each product has a different cleaning purpose, so in order to clean each area of my house I need LOTS of products.
A cheap cleaning product that cleans MANY areas around your home and can replace nearly all of those bottles? Baking Soda.
I've never personally used baking soda for cleaning, but after finding this list of ways to clean with it, I am converted. (Also, it's completely non-toxic).
Cleaning the Kitchen with Baking Soda
1. Use in the refrigerator, freezer, or cupboard to keep odors away.
2. To clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water.
3. To clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
4. To remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors!
5. For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.
Cleaning the Bathroom with Baking Soda:
1.To remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.
2. Hairbrushes and combs can be cleaned in a baking soda solution.
3. To avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly. Rinse through with hot water.
Cleaning the House with Baking Soda:
1. To remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda. Let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum. Repeat as needed.
2. To quickly clean pets and remove "wet dog" odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.
3. Clean children's toys using 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Submerge in this mixture (or wipe with a cloth dampened in it), then rinse with clear water.
Doing Laundry with Baking Soda:
1. Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.
2. To remove grease stains, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste.
3. Baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach. Add 1 / 2 cup to your laundry, along with the usual amount of bleach.
Cleaning Outside the House with Baking Soda:
1. Baking soda can be used to help clean up grease spills.
2. To remove burnt food from the grill, sprinkle with baking soda, then soak. After several hours, the charred pieces will come loose easily.
3. Lawn furniture can be easily cleaned with a rinse of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
With Baking Soda available in large quantities at Sam's Club or Costco for only a few dollars, you can replace nearly all the cleaning products in your house for next to nothing.
Who's willing to try it with me?
A cheap cleaning product that cleans MANY areas around your home and can replace nearly all of those bottles? Baking Soda.
I've never personally used baking soda for cleaning, but after finding this list of ways to clean with it, I am converted. (Also, it's completely non-toxic).
Cleaning the Kitchen with Baking Soda
1. Use in the refrigerator, freezer, or cupboard to keep odors away.
2. To clean surfaces, sprinkle baking soda on a damp cloth. Wipe, then rinse with clean water.
3. To clean silver, use a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water. Rub the paste onto each item, then rinse with warm water and dry with a soft cloth.
4. To remove scuff marks or grease spills from the floor, sprinkle with baking soda and then wipe with a warm, damp cloth. This is even safe for no-wax floors!
5. For burnt-on food in the bottom of pots, sprinkle with baking soda, then add hot water. Let soak overnight; the dried on food will come loose much more easily.
Cleaning the Bathroom with Baking Soda:
1.To remove stubborn stains from most surfaces, use a baking soda paste (3 parts baking soda, one part water). Apply, let stand, then scrub or wipe clean.
2. Hairbrushes and combs can be cleaned in a baking soda solution.
3. To avoid clogged drains, pour 1/4 cup baking soda down weekly. Rinse through with hot water.
Cleaning the House with Baking Soda:
1. To remove scents from a carpet, sprinkle with baking soda. Let stand for at least fifteen minutes, then vacuum. Repeat as needed.
2. To quickly clean pets and remove "wet dog" odor, sprinkle with baking soda and brush out their fur.
3. Clean children's toys using 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water. Submerge in this mixture (or wipe with a cloth dampened in it), then rinse with clear water.
Doing Laundry with Baking Soda:
1. Replace half of each measure of laundry detergent with baking soda to keep clothing fresh.
2. To remove grease stains, either add baking soda to the wash load or pretreat the stains with a baking soda paste.
3. Baking soda increases the effectiveness of chlorine bleach. Add 1 / 2 cup to your laundry, along with the usual amount of bleach.
Cleaning Outside the House with Baking Soda:
1. Baking soda can be used to help clean up grease spills.
2. To remove burnt food from the grill, sprinkle with baking soda, then soak. After several hours, the charred pieces will come loose easily.
3. Lawn furniture can be easily cleaned with a rinse of 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 quart warm water.
With Baking Soda available in large quantities at Sam's Club or Costco for only a few dollars, you can replace nearly all the cleaning products in your house for next to nothing.
Who's willing to try it with me?
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May 26, 2010
How Much Does Your Lunch Cost? (Janssen)
The other night at dinner, I was telling Bart about the teacher lunches that are provided at the two elementary schools I work at. This is a new program this year, so many of the teachers were really excited because you could buy a non-chicken nugget lunch for only $3. I commented to Bart that $15 a week for lunches still seemed quite expensive to me, since if we both spent that, it would be 60% of our weekly budget.
Last year, in an effort to be healthy, Bart and I gave up fast food. The on-campus Wendy's had been an easy option if we were too tired or too rushed or simply didn't feel like making lunches on a school day. With the dollar menu, it felt like a pretty cheap way to go ($3 or $4 for a full lunch). When Wendy's was no longer an option for us, we were extremely committed to making sure we had a lunch every single day.
As we discussed this, we wondered how much we actually were spending every day on lunch now. Our main priorities when it comes to lunch are as follows: easy (no way are we assembling 7 part sandwiches in the morning when we're rushing to catch the T and beat traffic), cheap, and nutritious.
Here's what lunch looks like for us at the moment:
We have experimented with a ton of different lunch options - string cheese, granola bars (both store bought and homemade), cookies, muffins, vegetables, pretzels, etc - over the last 18 months since we devoted ourselves wholeheartedly to homemade lunches. Some are too expensive, some are too unhealthy, some are too much effort to make in advance.
Our current combination though appears to be just the right amount of food for us - we eat it all, rather than leaving the apples uneaten while devouring the chocolate chip granola bars moments after arriving in the office.
What do you eat for lunch? Any idea how much it costs?
Last year, in an effort to be healthy, Bart and I gave up fast food. The on-campus Wendy's had been an easy option if we were too tired or too rushed or simply didn't feel like making lunches on a school day. With the dollar menu, it felt like a pretty cheap way to go ($3 or $4 for a full lunch). When Wendy's was no longer an option for us, we were extremely committed to making sure we had a lunch every single day.
As we discussed this, we wondered how much we actually were spending every day on lunch now. Our main priorities when it comes to lunch are as follows: easy (no way are we assembling 7 part sandwiches in the morning when we're rushing to catch the T and beat traffic), cheap, and nutritious.
Here's what lunch looks like for us at the moment:
- Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches on homemade wheat bread ($0.30 - ten cents for two slices of bread, ten cents of peanut butter and ten cents of jelly)
- One yogurt ($0.25 cents each since I have become a rabid yogurt coupon collector and I wait for them to go on sale and buy many at once because in my experience it takes yogurt AGES to go bad).
- One apple ($0.38)
- One banana ($0.27)
We have experimented with a ton of different lunch options - string cheese, granola bars (both store bought and homemade), cookies, muffins, vegetables, pretzels, etc - over the last 18 months since we devoted ourselves wholeheartedly to homemade lunches. Some are too expensive, some are too unhealthy, some are too much effort to make in advance.
Our current combination though appears to be just the right amount of food for us - we eat it all, rather than leaving the apples uneaten while devouring the chocolate chip granola bars moments after arriving in the office.
What do you eat for lunch? Any idea how much it costs?
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May 25, 2010
DIY (Carole)
I grew up in a home where it seemed like my dad could make or fix anything. Now that I'm an adult, I'm pretty sure that was not really true, but it seemed that way to me when I was a kid. For instance, my mother wanted a 2nd linen closet in the upstairs hallway. Dad sketched some plans, cut a large hole in the wall and within a couple of weeks there it was -- looking just as permanent and finished as the original one on the other side of the bathroom door. He also painted every room in the house, refinished our kitchen cupboards, upholstered several pieces of furniture (with the help of my mother), painted the outside of the house and dozens of routine plumbing and electrical jobs during my 18 years at home. I remember many interesting trips to the hardware store to pick up some part or other to repair an appliance that had gone AWOL. I often had the fun job, as a little girl, of handing him tools while he tore something apart before putting it all back together again.
Naturally, when David and I got married I assumed he would be right on the same page with this whole DIY lifestyle. Don't all men have these skills? Aren't they hardwired into the male DNA?? Uh, no. And even though I'd made a hundred trips to Ace Hardware with my dad, I didn't have a clue either. Watching was not the same as learning, it turned out.
But David (mostly) and me are living proof that these skills can be learned. We started small with a couple of low-risk painting projects. Painting has much to recommend itself as a beginning place. Not only is it pretty inexpensive, but it is easily painted again if things go bad. My children can attest to the dozens of rooms we have painted over the years. We've saved ourselves thousands of dollars in labor costs and it gave me a much-needed creative decorating outlet when our budget was tight, tight, tight. David used to joke that I was losing square footage on the house by repainting some of the kids' bedrooms so often!
While in dental school, we lived with an elderly woman in a beautiful home by Lake Michigan. Amazingly she had NEVER owned a dryer. I know, it's hard to even imagine that. But there you are. We were unwilling to live without a dryer, being the young, modern twenty-somethings we were. Happily, we had friends with real jobs who were looking to get rid of their old dryer. They just gave it to us because it was very, very noisy. They'd had this dryer for a few years while in college (having purchased it used from other college students) and the cause of this loud racket had never been discovered by the several repairmen they'd brought out to their house. David hauled our "new" dryer into the basement and hooked it up. Sure enough, a very very loud and annoying scraping sound emanated from deep inside the drum. I was willing to live with this, but David was sure that the cure couldn't really be that tough to find. His fix-it rule is that you keep removing screws and taking off parts until you find something broken -- then you replace that. I'm here to tell you this simple method works the majority of the time. You just have to keep close track of all those screws you took off! He used this technique on the dryer, eventually found the broken piece, took that broken piece down to the Sears Parts store and we ended up with a super-quiet dryer that we used for the next 10 years. I think his total cost was under $10. When we finally bought a nice matched washer and dryer, we sold this dryer for $120!
In our first house we had beautiful wood floors in the upstairs. Unfortunately that half held all the bedrooms. This made for some very chilly feet in the frigid mornings in Wisconsin. The living spaces downstairs, however, had ugly linoleum and wall to wall carpet. So, one crisp fall morning, I bought a specialized crowbar and began ripping out the wood floor in our bedroom. By the time David got home from work the deed was done. There was no turning back. He spent the next 2 months laying that wood down in the kitchen (I took the girls on an extended vacation . . .). And we had the bedroom carpeted. We both thought it made more sense. Had he ever laid wood before? Absolutely not. Had he seen it done? Nope. But we talked to a few knowledgeable friends who worked in construction and gave it a shot. That beautiful wood floor was a big plus when we sold the house a year later.
Over the years we've laid a lot of tile, replaced light fixtures, sink faucets, toilets, installed a sprinkler system, laid sod, made curtains, and generally made our houses into the homes we want to live in. I'll do a future post on the amazing custom woodwork David built in our dining room and entry way. (Am I proud of my husband? Yes, I am.)
Maybe my children think their dad can make or fix anything -- and he just about can -- but his many impressive skills were learned one at a time over many years of necessity and a willingness to give it a shot. Not only have we saved ourselves thousands of dollars, but we've had a lot of adventures and fun along the way!
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May 24, 2010
Cheaper Cleaning Products: Part 1 (Merrick)
If your bathroom cabinet and under your kitchen sink look anything like mine, you have upwards of twenty different cleaning products in there. One to clean your mirrors, another for your toilets; several to clean your sinks and showers, and a few more for wood, carpet, fabric, etc. Every single one of these cleaners in my cupboards cost several dollars, and many of them are not even being used. What a waste of my money!
I was recently reading an article on cleaning, and it brought up “Organic Cleaning.” Now, I’m not really a “green” kind of person, but when I read this I about died:
The main reason we should be keeping our homes clean is to keep our families healthy, and if we’re forking over big bucks for toxic products that are actually making them unhealthy, then we should be finding healthier and better cleaning products that are also CHEAPER.
These next few posts will cover some cleaning solutions that are much cheaper, much healthier, and still will keep your house as clean as ever.
Cleaning Solution #1: Make Use of Old T-shirts and Towels
When I do kitchen and bathroom cleaning, I use paper towels and/or anti-bacterial wipes. Even though we buy both at Sam’s club in bulk, they are fairly expensive and we go through them pretty quickly. In our house growing up, we always used sponges, which may seem like a better solution because they’re cheap and last a long time. But after a little research, I discovered the disgusting amount of bacteria that builds up on them. So really you’re just spreading germs around rather than getting your house clean. Also, that bacteria can spread to you through a cut.
But enough about that…let’s talk about a cheaper, cleaner, and healthier solution.
Tear up your old t-shirts and towels! They are free (or you can buy really cheap rags at the store), and after cleaning with them, bleach them out in the washer to kill all the bacteria. In your laundry room, have a bucket where you can store the dirty ones so you only have to wash them every few weeks (we don’t want you using up all your saved money just to run the washer and dryer!)
By eliminating, or decreasing your use of paper towels, cleaning wipes, and/or sponges, and using towels or t-shirts instead, you are not only saving money, you’re also getting huge health benefits and helping the environment! What more could a girl ask for??
I was recently reading an article on cleaning, and it brought up “Organic Cleaning.” Now, I’m not really a “green” kind of person, but when I read this I about died:
The main reason we should be keeping our homes clean is to keep our families healthy, and if we’re forking over big bucks for toxic products that are actually making them unhealthy, then we should be finding healthier and better cleaning products that are also CHEAPER.
These next few posts will cover some cleaning solutions that are much cheaper, much healthier, and still will keep your house as clean as ever.
Cleaning Solution #1: Make Use of Old T-shirts and Towels
When I do kitchen and bathroom cleaning, I use paper towels and/or anti-bacterial wipes. Even though we buy both at Sam’s club in bulk, they are fairly expensive and we go through them pretty quickly. In our house growing up, we always used sponges, which may seem like a better solution because they’re cheap and last a long time. But after a little research, I discovered the disgusting amount of bacteria that builds up on them. So really you’re just spreading germs around rather than getting your house clean. Also, that bacteria can spread to you through a cut.
But enough about that…let’s talk about a cheaper, cleaner, and healthier solution.
Tear up your old t-shirts and towels! They are free (or you can buy really cheap rags at the store), and after cleaning with them, bleach them out in the washer to kill all the bacteria. In your laundry room, have a bucket where you can store the dirty ones so you only have to wash them every few weeks (we don’t want you using up all your saved money just to run the washer and dryer!)
By eliminating, or decreasing your use of paper towels, cleaning wipes, and/or sponges, and using towels or t-shirts instead, you are not only saving money, you’re also getting huge health benefits and helping the environment! What more could a girl ask for??
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May 21, 2010
Using the Internet to Save (Janssen)
I love the Internet. That's probably not a big surprise to anyone, seeing as I have a graduate degree in information studies, not to mention two blogs.
I particularly love that the Internet means I can take advantage of great deals without spending my whole life researching them.
For instance, when I'm placing an order at an online store, I can easily Google "Lands End free shipping code" and see if I can get free shipping. Or to see if Old Navy has any 10% off codes. It takes me an extra 30 seconds and it saves me money. Nothing to complain about there.
As I've started getting more into coupons, I've also started using the power of Google to help me use them more efficiently.
For instance, this week, coupons.com had $3 Huggies coupons. I could have just taken them to the grocery store and used them there, but I had a sneaking suspicion that there was a better deal out there and a smarter way to use up those coupons. I Googled "Huggies Diaper Deal" and discovered that Rite Aid was running a sale.
Every package of Huggies was marked down to $8.99, which was already a better than average price for a drugstore. Then, if you joined RiteAid's mailing list, you got two "$5 off of $20" coupons, plus, you could use your Huggies coupons. And then, if you bought five packages, you could enter your receipt online at Rite Aid and get a voucher for a free package of Huggies diapers.
Not to mention, wipes were on sale for $2.50 a pack and there was a $2 off of 2 pack coupon as well.
If I'd used the coupons at my local grocery store, my diapers would have been $7.95 a package. Instead, they were $3.33 a package (or about nine cents a diaper).
All for two minutes of Googling. Oh, do I love the Internet or what?
I particularly love that the Internet means I can take advantage of great deals without spending my whole life researching them.
For instance, when I'm placing an order at an online store, I can easily Google "Lands End free shipping code" and see if I can get free shipping. Or to see if Old Navy has any 10% off codes. It takes me an extra 30 seconds and it saves me money. Nothing to complain about there.
As I've started getting more into coupons, I've also started using the power of Google to help me use them more efficiently.
For instance, this week, coupons.com had $3 Huggies coupons. I could have just taken them to the grocery store and used them there, but I had a sneaking suspicion that there was a better deal out there and a smarter way to use up those coupons. I Googled "Huggies Diaper Deal" and discovered that Rite Aid was running a sale.
Every package of Huggies was marked down to $8.99, which was already a better than average price for a drugstore. Then, if you joined RiteAid's mailing list, you got two "$5 off of $20" coupons, plus, you could use your Huggies coupons. And then, if you bought five packages, you could enter your receipt online at Rite Aid and get a voucher for a free package of Huggies diapers.
Not to mention, wipes were on sale for $2.50 a pack and there was a $2 off of 2 pack coupon as well.
If I'd used the coupons at my local grocery store, my diapers would have been $7.95 a package. Instead, they were $3.33 a package (or about nine cents a diaper).
All for two minutes of Googling. Oh, do I love the Internet or what?
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May 20, 2010
Your New Part-Time Job (Carole)
Are you getting bogged down with trying to save money on EVERYTHING?? Does it sometimes feel like a THANKLESS job?
If your answer was "yes" to either of those questions, here's an idea for you. Try thinking of your frugal ways as a very small, part-time job. Keep a tally sheet on the fridge, or in your smart phone of your savings. I don't think it's worth your time to track every single penny you earn, but the general numbers of your penny pinching is nice to know.
There are a couple of methods for tracking your savings.
1. You can go back into your own financial records a few months (or years) and see how much you USED to spend on certain items like food, eating out, gasoline, car payments, rent, and clothing. List these numbers on your chart and see how far below them you are keeping your current spending during the month.
2. Or you can look up on-line to see how much the average American family that is the same size as yours spends in these same categories (i.e. average monthly food budget for a family of 4 in the the US is $600). Track your spending compared to these averages and see how much you can save.
Any money you've saved is your "earnings" on this new part-time job you've started. Being able to see total dollars saved in a month is a big boost to your confidence that you are making a difference for you family and your commitment to keep it up!
When you think of yourself saving a couple of hundred dollars (or more) on all your combined purchases in a month, suddenly taking the time to clip coupons or drive to Sam's Club or wash your own car begins to look like a good use of our time. Most of the ways we save money don't really take that much time, but they do take some and that time is definitely worth the money!
Turns out Ben Franklin was right, "A penny saved is a penny earned."
I'd love to hear any numbers you'd like to share! We're all in this together. . .
May I mention also, what TERRIFIC ideas our readers share in the comments! If you don't read that part of the blog, you should! We've got the smartest group of readers out there. You inspire me every day!
If your answer was "yes" to either of those questions, here's an idea for you. Try thinking of your frugal ways as a very small, part-time job. Keep a tally sheet on the fridge, or in your smart phone of your savings. I don't think it's worth your time to track every single penny you earn, but the general numbers of your penny pinching is nice to know.
There are a couple of methods for tracking your savings.
1. You can go back into your own financial records a few months (or years) and see how much you USED to spend on certain items like food, eating out, gasoline, car payments, rent, and clothing. List these numbers on your chart and see how far below them you are keeping your current spending during the month.
2. Or you can look up on-line to see how much the average American family that is the same size as yours spends in these same categories (i.e. average monthly food budget for a family of 4 in the the US is $600). Track your spending compared to these averages and see how much you can save.
Any money you've saved is your "earnings" on this new part-time job you've started. Being able to see total dollars saved in a month is a big boost to your confidence that you are making a difference for you family and your commitment to keep it up!
When you think of yourself saving a couple of hundred dollars (or more) on all your combined purchases in a month, suddenly taking the time to clip coupons or drive to Sam's Club or wash your own car begins to look like a good use of our time. Most of the ways we save money don't really take that much time, but they do take some and that time is definitely worth the money!
Turns out Ben Franklin was right, "A penny saved is a penny earned."
I'd love to hear any numbers you'd like to share! We're all in this together. . .
May I mention also, what TERRIFIC ideas our readers share in the comments! If you don't read that part of the blog, you should! We've got the smartest group of readers out there. You inspire me every day!
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May 19, 2010
Recipe Wednesday: Lettuce Wraps (Merrick)
One of my family's favorite restaurants is P.F. Changs. Whenever we go, at least one of us gets the lettuce wraps because they're just too good not to get. I never considered trying to make them at home until Real Simple sent me a recipe for lettuce wraps in their daily recipe email. Their recipe looked pretty good, so I decided to give it a whirl.
After dinner, Philip and I both declared that they were far better than P.F. Changs. Then I passed the recipe onto my little sister, and she reported the same thing. Try it out and judge for yourself which ones are better..
Chicken and Cashews in Lettuce Cups
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce ($.20)
3 tablespoons honey ($.10)
2 tablespoons canola oil ($.10)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces ($3.00)
pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped ($.10)
1 tablespoon ginger ($.05)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced ($.60)
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I left these out, so I don't know how much they cost)
1/4 cup roasted unsalted cashews ($1.00)
1 small head Boston or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated ($1.00)
1. Combine the soy sauce and honey in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes.
3. Lower heat to medium and stir in the garlic and ginger. Add the scallions and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the water chestnuts and half the soy sauce mixture and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with the cashews.
4. Divide the lettuce leaves among individual plates and spoon the chicken over the top. Serve with the remaining soy sauce mixture for drizzling.
(Serves 4)
Total Cost: $6.15
If you determine that these are better than P.F. Chang's, make these when you're in need of a Chinese food fix. You'll save money since P.F. Changs are $7.50 (plus tip!), and you'll save yourself the trouble of driving over there!
After dinner, Philip and I both declared that they were far better than P.F. Changs. Then I passed the recipe onto my little sister, and she reported the same thing. Try it out and judge for yourself which ones are better..
Chicken and Cashews in Lettuce Cups
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce ($.20)
3 tablespoons honey ($.10)
2 tablespoons canola oil ($.10)
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch pieces ($3.00)
pepper
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped ($.10)
1 tablespoon ginger ($.05)
1 bunch scallions, trimmed and sliced ($.60)
1 8-ounce can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I left these out, so I don't know how much they cost)
1/4 cup roasted unsalted cashews ($1.00)
1 small head Boston or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated ($1.00)
1. Combine the soy sauce and honey in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes.
3. Lower heat to medium and stir in the garlic and ginger. Add the scallions and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the water chestnuts and half the soy sauce mixture and continue to cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and sprinkle with the cashews.
4. Divide the lettuce leaves among individual plates and spoon the chicken over the top. Serve with the remaining soy sauce mixture for drizzling.
(Serves 4)
Total Cost: $6.15
If you determine that these are better than P.F. Chang's, make these when you're in need of a Chinese food fix. You'll save money since P.F. Changs are $7.50 (plus tip!), and you'll save yourself the trouble of driving over there!
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May 18, 2010
Debt Free (Janssen)
On Friday, I called up our student loan provider (the third company we've worked with in the eight and a half months since graduation, since they keep selling our loans) and paid off the last $1,793 of our debt.
We are now, officially, debt free!
At graduation, our student loans totaled $33,000, some in my name, some in Bart's, all happily subsidized (meaning they didn't start accruing interest until six months after graduation, rather than accruing interest from the moment the loans were issued at the beginning of the semester) .
The loans were all for a period of ten years, with a 6.8% interest rate, which was a much higher interest rate than either of us thought we'd have to pay for student loans.
If we had paid them off over the 10-year term of the loans, we would have paid not only our $33,000 in actual loans, but an additional $12,570 in interest. Instead, we paid less than $250 in interest in all because we paid off a large portion of the loans just before the grace period ended, and the rest within another three months.
We committed to paying off the loans as fast as we could the moment we started our full-time jobs 9 months ago, and that allowed us to make huge headway on them before the interest caught up with us.
Today, student loans are extremely common, and are viewed probably second only to mortgages on the "good-debt" spectrum. And I'm sure there are financial advisers who would have recommended we invest our $33K instead of paying our loans off right away.
"You could see a return of 10% or more on your money over those same ten years. That would cover the student loan interest and net you a return of 3%! How do you like THEM apples?"
And yet, somehow, we just weren't interested in doing that. I don't know if it's "the great recession," our parents' examples, the peace that comes from being debt free, the certainty of the interest we'd have to pay, the looming responsibility of new parenthood, or a combination of all of those things, but we just wanted to be done with our student loans and move on.
I'd take the financial surety of being debt-free over a possibility of a 3% return any day.
We are now, officially, debt free!
At graduation, our student loans totaled $33,000, some in my name, some in Bart's, all happily subsidized (meaning they didn't start accruing interest until six months after graduation, rather than accruing interest from the moment the loans were issued at the beginning of the semester) .
The loans were all for a period of ten years, with a 6.8% interest rate, which was a much higher interest rate than either of us thought we'd have to pay for student loans.
If we had paid them off over the 10-year term of the loans, we would have paid not only our $33,000 in actual loans, but an additional $12,570 in interest. Instead, we paid less than $250 in interest in all because we paid off a large portion of the loans just before the grace period ended, and the rest within another three months.
We committed to paying off the loans as fast as we could the moment we started our full-time jobs 9 months ago, and that allowed us to make huge headway on them before the interest caught up with us.
Today, student loans are extremely common, and are viewed probably second only to mortgages on the "good-debt" spectrum. And I'm sure there are financial advisers who would have recommended we invest our $33K instead of paying our loans off right away.
"You could see a return of 10% or more on your money over those same ten years. That would cover the student loan interest and net you a return of 3%! How do you like THEM apples?"
And yet, somehow, we just weren't interested in doing that. I don't know if it's "the great recession," our parents' examples, the peace that comes from being debt free, the certainty of the interest we'd have to pay, the looming responsibility of new parenthood, or a combination of all of those things, but we just wanted to be done with our student loans and move on.
I'd take the financial surety of being debt-free over a possibility of a 3% return any day.
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May 16, 2010
A One-Car Family (Carole)
I'm not saying this course is for everyone. We currently own three cars (hubby's, mine and one with our daughter at college). But in our former life, with very young children, we were one of those one-car families - for 12 years. It wasn't that bad. Really. My husband and I were both flexible, and I tried to consolidate my errands and only take the car when I really needed it. I think a good attitude helps too. My girls will remember many, many nights going to pick up Dad at his office while they read in the back seats already dressed in their PJs. We'd often crank up That Thing You Do on the CD player and cruise down to his office on Flamingo Road and occasionally stop for ice cream cones at McDonalds before picking him up. If he was running late, we'd dash to the local book store that was open until 11:00 PM and wander around until he was ready to go. It was actually kind of a cozy time.
Besides special, fun times in the car, however, there is one very compelling reason to own just one car: Money. Of course. Your car, as you know, is the single largest guaranteed negative investment of cash you will ever make -- unless something really bad happens to you. Almost no car appreciates -- you spend tens of thousands of your hard earned dollars on a beautiful, shiny car and within 5 years any car is nearly worthless. You can hardly give it away. Ouch.
In addition:
1. Think of the tax you paid when you signed those papers. 7.35% is a lot on $20,000 - $60,000.
2. Interest too, if you have a monthly payment.
3. Then there's auto insurance every month.
4. Gasoline.
5. Maintenance (oil, tires, tune ups, repairs. . .)
6. State licensing (several hundred dollars in most states).
7. And remember you actually had to earn at least 25% more than the cost of the car just to pay the federal taxes on your income that paid for that car. Happily Nevada has no state tax, but if your state does, then add in another 7% or so.
Even a $20,000 car, if kept for 5 years, will cost you approximately $50 per day to own and operate. That's nearly $20,000 per year. And that's if you paid cash. It goes up if you have monthly payments. Or bought a more expensive car. Or both. My goodness, you could have vacationed quite nicely for a couple of months in europe on that! Or fully funded you 401k for the year. And an IRA. And then retire a multi-millionaire at age 50 -- if you started early enough.
Just like when buying a house, cars are big ticket items, so there is a lot of money to be saved by making wise choices. I don't know about you, but I OFTEN wish I lived in a big city (preferably London :), right downtown so I could easily walk most places. I'd happily give up my car. I could rent a pretty nifty auto for the occasional trip out of town for a whole lot less than $20,000 per year. Also, think how trim my calves would be from all that walking or biking!! I'd also buy a lot fewer items knowing I had to carry them back to my home. The benefits and savings just keep on comin'!! Mostly, I'm writing this post because now that I only have one child at home, and my husband stays in one location all day while at work -- I'm thinking about it again. What I could do with all that extra cash! I'm really very tempted. How about you??
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May 14, 2010
Saving Money on Diapers (Merrick)
With a newborn that goes through roughly ten diapers per day, I'm now constantly on the lookout for diaper deals. Before our baby was born, I did some research on diaper saving, and as you might guess, cloth diapers were usually the cheapest option. For this very reason, Janssen is considering using cloth diapers. I, however, cannot bring myself to do that, so I'm looking for the next cheapest option with disposable diapers.
In my mom's post about Sam's Club and Costo, she went through the vast number of items that are cheaper to buy at these wholesale stores. And what do you know, diapers are no different.
I did a little comparison of Huggies Snug & Dry diapers between a wholesale store, a drugstore, an online store, and a grocery store -- check out the difference in cost:
Sam's Club: 264 diapers/box @ $37.98 ($0.14/diaper)
Walgreens: 50 diapers/box @ $12.49 ($0.25/diaper)
Diapers.com: 192 diapers/box @ $31.99 ($5 off for new customers) ($0.16/diaper, not including shipping)
Target Superstore: 156 diapers/box @ $36.99 ($0.24/diaper)
As you can see, the wholesale stores are the way to go. Not only do you get a bigger box with more diapers so you make less trips to the store, but you also get the very cheapest diapers. This also doesn't include coupons. If you sign up on facebook or huggies.com, you'll receive coupons in your email and the mail, which will save you even more money!
So before you pick up your diapers at the grocery store just because it's convenient, do a little research and see how much you can save by buying in bulk at the wholesale stores.
Anyone else know of great diaper deals??
In my mom's post about Sam's Club and Costo, she went through the vast number of items that are cheaper to buy at these wholesale stores. And what do you know, diapers are no different.
I did a little comparison of Huggies Snug & Dry diapers between a wholesale store, a drugstore, an online store, and a grocery store -- check out the difference in cost:
Sam's Club: 264 diapers/box @ $37.98 ($0.14/diaper)
Walgreens: 50 diapers/box @ $12.49 ($0.25/diaper)
Diapers.com: 192 diapers/box @ $31.99 ($5 off for new customers) ($0.16/diaper, not including shipping)
Target Superstore: 156 diapers/box @ $36.99 ($0.24/diaper)
As you can see, the wholesale stores are the way to go. Not only do you get a bigger box with more diapers so you make less trips to the store, but you also get the very cheapest diapers. This also doesn't include coupons. If you sign up on facebook or huggies.com, you'll receive coupons in your email and the mail, which will save you even more money!
So before you pick up your diapers at the grocery store just because it's convenient, do a little research and see how much you can save by buying in bulk at the wholesale stores.
Anyone else know of great diaper deals??
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May 13, 2010
Making the Call (Janssen)
When I wrote about making a phone call to request a refund, Chelsea asked exactly how that worked.
Here's what I do:
Scenario 1) The mistake is the fault of the company. A few months ago, Bart and I noticed (thanks to Mint.com) that our cell phone bill was about $10 higher than normal. A quick look back showed us that we'd paid about $32 extra over the course of three months in internet fees on our phones because any time our new phones were dropped or bounced around in a pocket or purse, they connected to the internet. I looked up all our old bills online and added up the additional fees so I knew exactly how much we'd be charged.
I called up the phone company and politely explained that our phones were connecting on their own to the internet and we were being charged connection fees that had, since December, totaled $31.17.
I asked that first our next bill be credited the exact amount extra we'd paid and that second, they change the settings on our plan so that our phones would no longer connect to the internet.
The woman looked at my account and made the necessary changes and I was off the phone in less than ten minutes. Of course, I thanked her effusively.
Scenario 2) This is the less-pleasant one where the fault is your own. The first month we were married, in the hubub of a wedding, a move, two receptions, and the beginning of a new semester, we didn't pay our credit card bill on time, which meant we got dinged with a $30 late charge. If you think I'm a penny pincher now, you should have seen me when we only made $8.50 an hour.
Bart called up the credit card company, gave them his account number, and explained that he'd had this card for X number of years and never once been late with his payment until now. He apologized profusely and asked if, this once, they would waive the late fee. And what do you know? They did.
Five minutes, thirty bucks saved. All you have to do is ask. Preferably very politely.
Here's what I do:
Scenario 1) The mistake is the fault of the company. A few months ago, Bart and I noticed (thanks to Mint.com) that our cell phone bill was about $10 higher than normal. A quick look back showed us that we'd paid about $32 extra over the course of three months in internet fees on our phones because any time our new phones were dropped or bounced around in a pocket or purse, they connected to the internet. I looked up all our old bills online and added up the additional fees so I knew exactly how much we'd be charged.
I called up the phone company and politely explained that our phones were connecting on their own to the internet and we were being charged connection fees that had, since December, totaled $31.17.
I asked that first our next bill be credited the exact amount extra we'd paid and that second, they change the settings on our plan so that our phones would no longer connect to the internet.
The woman looked at my account and made the necessary changes and I was off the phone in less than ten minutes. Of course, I thanked her effusively.
Scenario 2) This is the less-pleasant one where the fault is your own. The first month we were married, in the hubub of a wedding, a move, two receptions, and the beginning of a new semester, we didn't pay our credit card bill on time, which meant we got dinged with a $30 late charge. If you think I'm a penny pincher now, you should have seen me when we only made $8.50 an hour.
Bart called up the credit card company, gave them his account number, and explained that he'd had this card for X number of years and never once been late with his payment until now. He apologized profusely and asked if, this once, they would waive the late fee. And what do you know? They did.
Five minutes, thirty bucks saved. All you have to do is ask. Preferably very politely.
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May 12, 2010
Careful on Any Income (Carole)
When I was 5 years old my grandfather gave me 3 silver dollars. I carefully put them in a little pink coin purse for safe-keeping. I was SO proud of these and had absolutely no intention of ever spending them. I kept them perfectly safe for about 2 weeks (you can see this coming, can't you). . . then lost them (and the pink purse) somewhere deep in the bowels of the Sears' Bargain Basement. I must have set the purse down while trying on some shoes and, of course, forgot all about it and walked away. When I realized that I no longer had the purse in my hand, it was too late. Someone else had decided that they really wanted my pink purse and silver dollars too, and they were lost forever.
It's been more than 40 years since that dark day, but I still remember and regret being so forgetful and foolish! Maybe you have a similar story from your youth. Or possibly you squandered a decent sum of money on something foolish that brings you sorrow even today. Yes?
Well, never fear. There are those out in the world that make just about any money mistake you've ever made seem paltry by comparison. As you can guess, most of these famous/infamous folks, in the following list, lost all of their money and had to file bankruptcy, due to mis-management of their huge fortunes. The most common themes in these bankruptcies are: drugs, iffy investments, and uncontrolled spending.
Donald Trump
Dorothy Hamill
MC Hammer
Gary Coleman
Toni Braxton
Burt Reynolds
Mickey Rooney
Sheryl Swoopes
Kim Basinger
LaToya Jackson
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Mick Fleetwood
Walt Disney
Leif Garrett
Willie Nelson
Ted Nugent
Larry King
Mike Tyson
Isaac Hayes
Tammy Wynette
Wayne Newton
Don Johnson
Margot Kidder
Meatloaf
Many, many big lottery winners
The take-home message here seems to be that you have to be careful with your money, no matter how many millions you've got. Seems pretty obvious, but maybe not.
It's been more than 40 years since that dark day, but I still remember and regret being so forgetful and foolish! Maybe you have a similar story from your youth. Or possibly you squandered a decent sum of money on something foolish that brings you sorrow even today. Yes?
Well, never fear. There are those out in the world that make just about any money mistake you've ever made seem paltry by comparison. As you can guess, most of these famous/infamous folks, in the following list, lost all of their money and had to file bankruptcy, due to mis-management of their huge fortunes. The most common themes in these bankruptcies are: drugs, iffy investments, and uncontrolled spending.
Donald Trump
Dorothy Hamill
MC Hammer
Gary Coleman
Toni Braxton
Burt Reynolds
Mickey Rooney
Sheryl Swoopes
Kim Basinger
LaToya Jackson
Zsa Zsa Gabor
Mick Fleetwood
Walt Disney
Leif Garrett
Willie Nelson
Ted Nugent
Larry King
Mike Tyson
Isaac Hayes
Tammy Wynette
Wayne Newton
Don Johnson
Margot Kidder
Meatloaf
Many, many big lottery winners
The take-home message here seems to be that you have to be careful with your money, no matter how many millions you've got. Seems pretty obvious, but maybe not.
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May 10, 2010
Categories to Cut (Janssen)
This year has been a year of focus for us - we've been working like crazy to pay off our student loans (both my husband and I completed masters degrees last summer) before our baby is born in July.
The interest rate was not particularly good on these loans and we really didn't want to have another required monthly expense when our overall expenses would likely be rising with the addition of a new family member.
Putting so much money toward paying off these loans means, of course, less spending in other categories, and we spent a little time looking over our budget to see where we could cut back.
We mapped out how long it would take us to pay off our loans and decided that we would be willing to entirely eliminate a few categories from our budget for the months that we were paying off our loans. That meant no spending, on either of our parts, until our loans were gone in the following categories:
Of course, the categories you'd be willing to give up for the short-term might be different than mine. You may hate to cook or need a weekly dinner out for mental health and the idea of not going out to dinner for six months is beyond intolerable. But you might be willing to give up your cell phone for a year. Or you might be willing to get rid of cable for six months.
What categories would you be willing to freeze spending on for a few months in order to put that money toward something greater?
The interest rate was not particularly good on these loans and we really didn't want to have another required monthly expense when our overall expenses would likely be rising with the addition of a new family member.
Putting so much money toward paying off these loans means, of course, less spending in other categories, and we spent a little time looking over our budget to see where we could cut back.
We mapped out how long it would take us to pay off our loans and decided that we would be willing to entirely eliminate a few categories from our budget for the months that we were paying off our loans. That meant no spending, on either of our parts, until our loans were gone in the following categories:
- Entertainment. We would not go to any movies or concerts or rent movies during this time period. We would use redbox codes or the library to see any movies or watch things online (like Lost, which is available for free from abc.com). We aren't huge movie watchers anyway, so this wasn't a major sacrifice.
- Eating out. I like to cook and it costs nearly half our weekly budget to go out to dinner at an even low-end restaurant. Bart has a number of dinners that he goes to for his job anyway and I don't usually get enough satisfaction from a restaurant meal to justify the cost, so this was pretty low-impact for us.
- Our allowances. I mentioned in an early post that Bart and I both have an allowance of $50 a month. This money is ours to spend as we will, although realistically, since we don't have a clothing budget, this money generally goes to that. We decided to freeze this category until the loans were gone, so no money would be accruing in these accounts during this time period.
Of course, the categories you'd be willing to give up for the short-term might be different than mine. You may hate to cook or need a weekly dinner out for mental health and the idea of not going out to dinner for six months is beyond intolerable. But you might be willing to give up your cell phone for a year. Or you might be willing to get rid of cable for six months.
What categories would you be willing to freeze spending on for a few months in order to put that money toward something greater?
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May 7, 2010
I Have Enough (Carole)
Is is possible to feel like you have ENOUGH?? One of David's cousins used to be the CFO for an uber-wealthy Saudi prince. I believe he saw and heard things the rest of us mere-mortals can't even imagine. A few years ago, we had dinner at this cousin's house and he mentioned that even on this mega level of income, people do not feel like they have enough. The prince who has $50 billion is always on the look-out for things to buy that SHOW that he has $10 billion more than the prince who has "only" $40 billion. What exactly would you buy that would clearly make that point?? I have no idea.
On the other extreme, I know a gracious woman from Georgia who has chosen to be content. She is in her early 70's and always looks very put-together. I commented on one of her outfits one day while walking through an airport with her and she said that she had decided that even though she had always loved buying clothes, she had come to the realization that she had ENOUGH clothes. She determined she was not going to buy any new clothes for the next few years. Instead, she was going to enjoy what she already owned and re-discover items she'd completely forgotten about. Here she was a couple of years into this plan, and looking very, very lovely indeed.
I've thought of my friend often over the past couple of years and wondered if I have areas of my life where I have ENOUGH. Can I cross those kinds of purchases off my list for a few years?? Maybe forever? What about you? Do you finally have enough shoes, sweaters, blouses, scarves, earrings, skirts, jeans, dishes, cars, houses, boats, tools, TVs, CDs, purses, sunglasses, pillows, fabric, whatever??
On the other extreme, I know a gracious woman from Georgia who has chosen to be content. She is in her early 70's and always looks very put-together. I commented on one of her outfits one day while walking through an airport with her and she said that she had decided that even though she had always loved buying clothes, she had come to the realization that she had ENOUGH clothes. She determined she was not going to buy any new clothes for the next few years. Instead, she was going to enjoy what she already owned and re-discover items she'd completely forgotten about. Here she was a couple of years into this plan, and looking very, very lovely indeed.
I've thought of my friend often over the past couple of years and wondered if I have areas of my life where I have ENOUGH. Can I cross those kinds of purchases off my list for a few years?? Maybe forever? What about you? Do you finally have enough shoes, sweaters, blouses, scarves, earrings, skirts, jeans, dishes, cars, houses, boats, tools, TVs, CDs, purses, sunglasses, pillows, fabric, whatever??
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May 6, 2010
Saving on Big Ticket Baby Items (Merrick)
As we accumulated items needed for our upcoming baby, I found that most things we needed were little things -- five dollars here, fifteen dollars there. There were only several large items that we needed, one of which was the crib.
For us, my parents told us several years ago that their big gift to us with our first baby would be a crib. So that was one big expense we didn't have to worry about. However, probably many of you will not be so fortunate, and will find yourself forking over the big bucks to buy one when that first baby comes along.
My mom said in her post about laundry, "Cheap is getting the best price, no matter what. Frugal is getting a good product for the best price." I believe this applies here as well. You may think it's the best thing ever that you got a $30 crib, but if it falls apart in six months and you have to buy a new one, then you have been cheap -- not frugal. Especially with a crib, you want something that will last years, and hopefully multiple children. This means you want to find the best crib for the best possible price.
Here are a few tips on how to do just that:
First: Do your research. Shop around until you find something you love that is within your price range, then Google the item and see what comes up. I do this with random items and often Amazon or some random website will have your item for a little bit cheaper, or free shipping, or some other deal. Don't be fooled into thinking that only one store carries your crib.
Second: Wait for deals. Don't buy your item the moment you find it. Especially with the economy, big stores like Babies R Us or RC Willey are always having sales.
Third: Sign up for Rewards Programs, if they're free. They'll send you coupons and discounts in the mail. Also get on their mailing list so you are notified when there are big sales going on.
Fourth: Buy second hand, if buying a new crib isn't in your budget. Craigslist, garage sales, and Kid to Kid are all great options for buying second hand, as long as you get a quality product.
So, who else has great frugal ideas for buying cribs?
For us, my parents told us several years ago that their big gift to us with our first baby would be a crib. So that was one big expense we didn't have to worry about. However, probably many of you will not be so fortunate, and will find yourself forking over the big bucks to buy one when that first baby comes along.
My mom said in her post about laundry, "Cheap is getting the best price, no matter what. Frugal is getting a good product for the best price." I believe this applies here as well. You may think it's the best thing ever that you got a $30 crib, but if it falls apart in six months and you have to buy a new one, then you have been cheap -- not frugal. Especially with a crib, you want something that will last years, and hopefully multiple children. This means you want to find the best crib for the best possible price.
Here are a few tips on how to do just that:
First: Do your research. Shop around until you find something you love that is within your price range, then Google the item and see what comes up. I do this with random items and often Amazon or some random website will have your item for a little bit cheaper, or free shipping, or some other deal. Don't be fooled into thinking that only one store carries your crib.
Second: Wait for deals. Don't buy your item the moment you find it. Especially with the economy, big stores like Babies R Us or RC Willey are always having sales.
Third: Sign up for Rewards Programs, if they're free. They'll send you coupons and discounts in the mail. Also get on their mailing list so you are notified when there are big sales going on.
Fourth: Buy second hand, if buying a new crib isn't in your budget. Craigslist, garage sales, and Kid to Kid are all great options for buying second hand, as long as you get a quality product.
So, who else has great frugal ideas for buying cribs?
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May 5, 2010
Recipe Wednesday (Janssen)
In Texas, where I lived for the last three years, there was a little Indian grocery store that my husband and I absolutely loved, not because we bought a lot of Indian food, but because there was a tiny little restaurant counter in the back that had some of the best (and cheapest) curry and naan we'd ever had. The low-cost of living, the great weather, and our good friends aside, that place might be the thing we miss most about Texas.
We could purchase a serving of chicken tikka masala with rice (enough to feed us both a full meal) for the whopping price of $8.99. Not bad.
I've been leary of making Indian food at home because it's never anywhere as good as that from a restaurant, but I've made this recipe now TWICE and when I made it this weekend, my husband told me it was the best Indian food he'd ever had outside a restaurant. We both had the leftovers for lunch the next day and enjoyed them even more.
It's still probably not QUITE as good as what you'd get if you went out, but it's definitely fairly close, and it's far cheaper. Also, it's unbelievably easy.
Coconut Chicken Curry
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
(serves 6)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks ($3.50)
1 teaspoon salt ($0.01)
1/2 teaspoon pepper ($0.01)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil ($0.05)
2 tablespoons curry powder ($0.75)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (substitute cayenne pepper if you like it more spicy) ($0.02)
1/2 onion, diced ($0.20)
2 cloves garlic, crushed ($0.05)
4 potatoes, cut into chunks (if I use red potatoes, I leave the skins on, if not, I peel them) ($1.00)
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk ($0.99)
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes ($1.00)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce ($0.50)
3 tablespoons sugar ($0.04)
Basmati rice (cooked) ($1.50)
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil, curry powder, and paprika in a large skillet over medium-low heat for two minutes, until fragrant, stirring to keep from burning. Turn the heat up to medium and stir in onions and garlic and cook ten minutes more or until onions are very clear. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked on the outside (it will cook all the way through later). Add potatoes, coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.
Total cost - $9.62 for six servings (even at our dirt-cheap Indian place in Texas, this would have cost us $26.97).
We could purchase a serving of chicken tikka masala with rice (enough to feed us both a full meal) for the whopping price of $8.99. Not bad.
I've been leary of making Indian food at home because it's never anywhere as good as that from a restaurant, but I've made this recipe now TWICE and when I made it this weekend, my husband told me it was the best Indian food he'd ever had outside a restaurant. We both had the leftovers for lunch the next day and enjoyed them even more.
It's still probably not QUITE as good as what you'd get if you went out, but it's definitely fairly close, and it's far cheaper. Also, it's unbelievably easy.
Coconut Chicken Curry
Adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe
(serves 6)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch chunks ($3.50)
1 teaspoon salt ($0.01)
1/2 teaspoon pepper ($0.01)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil ($0.05)
2 tablespoons curry powder ($0.75)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika (substitute cayenne pepper if you like it more spicy) ($0.02)
1/2 onion, diced ($0.20)
2 cloves garlic, crushed ($0.05)
4 potatoes, cut into chunks (if I use red potatoes, I leave the skins on, if not, I peel them) ($1.00)
1 (14 ounce) can coconut milk ($0.99)
1 (14.5 ounce) can stewed tomatoes ($1.00)
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce ($0.50)
3 tablespoons sugar ($0.04)
Basmati rice (cooked) ($1.50)
Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil, curry powder, and paprika in a large skillet over medium-low heat for two minutes, until fragrant, stirring to keep from burning. Turn the heat up to medium and stir in onions and garlic and cook ten minutes more or until onions are very clear. Add chicken, tossing lightly to coat with curry oil and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, until chicken is cooked on the outside (it will cook all the way through later). Add potatoes, coconut milk, tomatoes, tomato sauce, and sugar into the pan, and stir to combine. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 30-40 minutes or until sauce thickens. Serve over rice.
Total cost - $9.62 for six servings (even at our dirt-cheap Indian place in Texas, this would have cost us $26.97).
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May 3, 2010
Calculating Baby Costs (Merrick)
In the weeks and months prior to the arrival of our little boy, I came to the realization (as all first time mothers do) that babies can cost a lot of money! However, like groceries and gas bills and other necessities of life that we've blogged about on FW=WL, there are great ways to save money for baby things. So I'm jumping on the Money Saving Mommy Bandwagon and learning as I go...and I'd love for all of you to learn with me!
For today, let's look at some of the major baby costs. Check out this cool Baby Cost Calculator.
If you scroll down through the entire page, you will see the list of "Ongoing Costs," and the list of "One-Time Costs," each listing an estimated cost per item. It's hard to believe such a little person could need this much stuff!
Over the next several posts I want to talk about some of these costs and how I saved on them, how I plan to save on them, and how you can save on them.
For now, have fun entering in as many zeros as you can on the Baby Cost Calculator and see how low of a number you can get under "Your baby's first year will cost: _______." Hopefully you can get it below the default $10,158!"
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