Re-using/Refurbishing/Remodeling things

One of the best ways that we save money on furniture items is to transform something old into something new for us.  I have been wanting to purchase a food server for our patio.  We like to entertain, and there is never enough room for the food.  We end up going in and out of the house multiple times.  Recently I saw at a yard sale an old computer desk.  It cost me $5.00.  It was the perfect height, and the perfect width for where I wanted it to go.  So, my husband and I went to work. We painted the metal to match our patio set.  We then tiled the top and shelves.  It turned out perfect for what we want to use it for!  And, it only cost about $30 total!  Can't beat that.

We painted the metal to match our existing patio set.

We then started placing the tiles.  We used the fake tiles that just stick on.  No hardi-backer, or grout!

The finished product

Like Grandma Mazie used to say, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without!"

Homemade Laundry Soap

Our stake recently had an opportunity to purchase supplies to make our own laundry soap.  I finally got around to doing it. I must admit, I am a laundry soap snob, and really like Tide products.  However, I really don't like paying for Tide products.  So, I thought I would give it a try.  I told myself that as long as my clothes are clean, I would be OK.  The thing that I was most excited about was the cost!  It ends up costing about .70 cents per BATCH, and each batch makes 2 gallons.  You only use 1/2 cup of detergent per load.  The final cost is  approximately .01-.02 cents per load.  WOW!  However, if you are unable to order the bulk quantities, it will cost more than that.  Even paying retail for products at the grocery store, the homemade stuff is only a fraction of the cost.  Our supplies (borax and soda) came from www.brenntag.com in Odgen, UT.  A 50 pound bag of borax was $24.17, and a 50 pound bag of washing soda was $11.50.  This also included shipping.  I purchased the Fels Naptha bar at Macey's grocery store for $1.59.


The recipe:
1/3 bar Fels Naptha or other type of laundry bar soap
1/2 cup washing soda (It MUST be washing soda- baking soda will NOT work!)
1/2 cup borax powder
*You will also need a small bucket, about 2 gallon size*
(I tripled the recipe and did it in a 5 gallon bucket.  Obviously if each batch makes 2 gallons, and I tripled it, that would be 6 gallons.  I omitted 1 gallon of water, making it a little stronger concentration.  Hence, I use a bit less than 1/2 cup per load).  

Directions:
Grate the soap and put it in a sauce pan.  Add 6 cups water and heat it until the soap melts.  Add the washing soda and the borax and stir until it is dissolved. Remove from heat.  Pour 4 cups hot water into the bucket.  Now add your soap mixture and stir.  Now add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water and stir.  Let the soap sit for about 24 hours and it will gel.  You use 1/2-3/4 cup per load.  You can also add some "blueing" agent for whiter whites, available at most stores on the laundry aisle.  I did not do that.  The verdict?  After trying the soap on colors and whites- I really like it!  The clothes smell nice- a good clean smell.  The fresh Wendy's Frosty stain on my sons shirt is gone.  Everything looks good!


A few things to not about the soap:

1. The finished soap will not be a solid gel.  It will be more of a watery gel that has been accurately described as an "egg noodle soup" look.
2. The soap is a low sudsing soap.  So if you don't see suds, that is ok.  Suds are not what does the cleaning, it is the ingredients in the soap.
3. If you want your soap to have some sort of scent you can add 1/2-1 oz of essential oil or fragrance oil to your batch.  
4. You can pour into empty milk jugs and store that way.
   
    

Grated Fels Naptha

Borax 

Washing Soda (It MUST be washing soda!  Baking soda will NOT work!!)

Fels Naptha Bar

The Fels Naptha and water in pot. 

The finished product before putting in gallon jugs.

Tomato Powder

I recently went to Emergency Essentials to purchase tomato powder.  I about died when I saw the price!  It was $19.99 for a can- on sale!  At Macey's it was $27.99 per can!  I decided that this year, I am going to make my own.  As soon as the garden is plentiful enough, I can use home grown tomatoes.  For now, I  used supermarket tomatoes that were on sale for a great price, so I tried it with them.  It worked great!  What can you use tomato powder for?  Mix it with a little water and you have tomato paste!  Want sauce? Add a bit more water.  It can also be used for pizza sauce (mix 2 parts water, some olive oil, herbs and a pinch of sugar), and spaghetti sauce.  It can also thicken soups, stews, chili, etc.  Throw some in your artisan bread (with rosemary, or basil and garlic... yummmmm...).  Tomato powder is a great thing for your everyday cooking, as well as an excellent food storage item.  It takes much less space to store than the canned products.  It tastes fantastic!  Beware, it can go hard quickly if improperly stored.  Keep it as airtight as possible! Just about any variety of tomato would work. Go for the ones with the most robust flavor.  I can't wait to make this with my own homegrown tomatoes!

Directions: 

1. Select ripe tomatoes.  Wash and remove stem.  No need to peel.
2. Cut in thicker slices (1/4-1/3").  If the slices are too thin, for some reason they do not blend up as well.
3. Dehydrate until very crisp.  In my dehyrator it took about 12 hours (at 130 degrees).
4. Let cool.  Check for crispness.  They must be completely dry!
5. Put in blender, and blend away!!  For a chunkier end product (to use with salsa, soups, spaghetti sauce), leave chunks in the powder. For a smoother product, blend until a fine powder is achieved. 
6. If possible, seal in mason jar with the food saver attachment. 

Note: To shorten the drying time, you can squeeze all the juice out of the tomatoes prior to drying.

Homemade Pizza Sauce

Mmmm, Mmmmm, Mmmmmm!  We love pizza!  Every Friday night at our house is homemade pizza night.  The kids generally make it themselves now, and it turns out delicious each time.  This is a recipe for pizza sauce that we really like.  Why pay $2.69 for a jar when this tastes even better at a fraction of the cost?

Pizza Sauce:
16 oz tomato paste
18 oz tomato sauce
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix together.  Will do (2 )13-16 inch pizzas.  We like to heat it up and dip breadsticks in it too!  Enjoy!

My Home Energy Audit

One great way to see if you are conserving energy (and money) is to schedule a Home Energy Audit.  Check with your power company to see if they offer them.  If you live in Utah, here is the link. Questar Gas sent an auditor out to my home and he spent nearly 2 hours looking at everything!  I was a little nervous to see what he would have to say.... Yay!  It was good news!  We are energy efficient on most things.  He gave some great suggestions (as well as supplying some pipe insulators and a water heater blanket for free!).  All in all, it was great.  Questar charges $25 for the audit, and then they refund it if you take any of their suggestions.  Not bad!  He then spent time explaining each of the different things to look for and do to make our home more efficient.  He left us with a custom printed report for our home with suggestions, and costs to implement these suggestions, and how long it would take to recoup the savings.  I highly recommend this audit!

Negotiating the Phone Bill

A couple of weeks ago in our Financial Peace University class, Dave Ramsey talked about how he negotiates many things with finances.  I decided to give it a try.  The very next day I called Vonage, our phone service provider, and asked them if I was getting the best price.  I told them I might switch to a different phone service that was cheaper.  I had been paying $24.99 per month plus taxes.  At the end of the call, I now have a BETTER plan with Vonage than I had previously, and my cost is $12.99 per month plus tax.  Fabulous!!  I guess negotiating really does work....

Why Dehydrate Food?

Lately I have got into the food dehydration craze!  As I have been reading everything I can about dehydrating food (and dehydrating everything I can get my hands on), this is what I have found:

• dehydrated food takes up much less space than canning or freezing
• dehydrating food can compliment your food storage, adding lots more flavors, textures, and ingredients
• it is really easy to do
• it is really inexpensive to do
• dehydrated food can last a long, long time (as long as it is stored properly)  

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

College of Agriculture

Cooperative Extension Service

Circular 1227

Drying is the oldest method of preserving food. The early American settlers dried foods such as corn, apple slices, currants, grapes, and meat. Compared with other methods, drying is quite simple. In fact, you may already have most of the equipment on hand. Dried foods keep well because the moisture content is so low that spoilage organisms cannot grow.

Drying will never replace canning and freezing because these methods do a better job of retaining the taste, appearance, and nutritive value of fresh food. But drying is an excellent way to preserve foods that can add variety to meals and provide delicious, nutritious snacks. One of the biggest advantages of dried foods is that they take much less storage space than canned or frozen foods.

Recommended methods for canning and freezing have been determined by research and widespread experience. Home drying, however, does not have firmly established procedures. Food can be dried several ways, for example, by the sun if the air is hot and dry enough, or in an oven or dryer if the climate is humid. With the renewed interest in gardening and natural foods and because of the high cost of commercially dried products, drying foods at home is becoming popular again. Drying is not difficult, but it does take time and a lot of attention. Although there are different drying methods, the guidelines remain the same.

Although solar drying is a popular and very inexpensive method, Illinois does not have a suitable climate for it. Dependable solar dehydration of foods requires 3 to 5 consecutive days when the temperature is 95 degrees F. and the humidity is very low. The average relative humidity in central Illinois on days with 95 degrees F. temperatures is usually 86 percent. Solar drying is thus not feasible.

Drying food in the oven of a kitchen range, on the other hand, can be very expensive. In an electric oven, drying food has been found to be nine to twelve times as costly as canning it. Food dehydrators are less expensive to operate but are only useful for a few months of the year. A convection oven can be the most economical investment if the proper model is chosen. A convection oven that has a controllable temperature starting at 120 degrees F. and a continuous operation feature rather than a timer-controlled one will function quite well as a dehydrator during the gardening months. For the rest of the year it can be used as a tabletop oven.

GUIDELINES

Speed

For a good-quality product, vegetables and fruits must be prepared for drying as soon as possible after harvesting. They should be blanched, cooled, and laid out to dry without delay. Foods should be dried rapidly, but not so fast that the outside becomes hard before the moisture inside has a chance to evaporate.
Drying must not be interrupted. Once you start drying the food, don't let it cool down in order to start drying again later. Mold and other spoilage organisms can grow on partly dried food.

Temperature

During the first part of the drying process, the air temperature can be relatively high, that is, 150 degrees to 160 degrees F. (65 degrees to 70 degrees C.), so that moisture can evaporate quickly from the food. Because food loses heat during rapid evaporation, the air temperature can be high without increasing the temperature of the food. But as soon as surface moisture is lost (the outside begins to feel dry) and the rate of evaporation slows down, the food warms up. The air temperature must then be reduced to about 140 degrees F. (60 degrees C.).

Toward the end of the drying process the food can scorch easily, so you must watch it carefully. Each fruit and vegetable has a critical temperature above which a scorched taste develops. The temperature should be high enough to evaporate moisture from the food, but not high enough to cook the food. Carefully follow directions for regulating temperatures.

Humidity and Ventilation

Rapid dehydration is desirable. The higher the temperature and the lower the humidity, the more rapid the rate of dehydration will be. Humid air slows down evaporation. Keep this in mind if you plan to dry food on hot, muggy summer days. If drying takes place too fast, however, "case hardening" will occur. This means that the cells on the outside of the pieces of food give up moisture faster than the cells on the inside. The surface becomes hard, preventing the escape of moisture from the inside.

Moisture in the food escapes by evaporating into the air. Trapped air soon takes on as much moisture as it can hold, and then drying can no longer take place. For this reason, be sure the ventilation around your oven or in your food dryer is adequate.

Uniform Drying

Drying the food evenly takes a little extra effort and attention. Stirring the pieces of food frequently and shifting the racks in the oven or dryer are essential because heat is not the same in all parts of the dryer. For the best results, spread thin layers of uniformly-sized pieces of food on the drying racks.

NUTRITIVE VALUE

Dried fruits are a good source of energy because they contain concentrated fruit sugars. Fruits also contain a rather large amount of vitamins and minerals. The drying process, however, destroys some of the vitamins, especially A and C. Exposing fruit to sulfur before drying helps retain vitamins A and C. Sulfur destroys thiamine, one of the B vitamins, but fruit is not an important source of thiamine anyway. Many dried fruits are rich in riboflavin and iron.

Vegetables are a good source of minerals and the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Both fruits and vegetables provide useful amounts of the fiber (bulk) we need. Save the water used for soaking or cooking dried foods because this nutrient-rich water can be used in recipes to make soups, sauces, and gravy.

TYPES OF FOOD TO DRY

Many kinds of fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, meat, and fish can be dried. If you have never tried drying food before, though, it's a good idea to experiment first by drying a small quantity in the oven. This way you can see if you like the taste and texture of dried food. At the same time, you can become familiar with the drying process.

Fruits are easier to dry than vegetables because moisture evaporates wore easily, and not as much moisture must be removed for the product to keep. Ripe apples, berries, cherries, peaches, apricots, and pears are practical to dry.

Vegetables that are also practical to dry include peas, corn, peppers, zucchini, okra, onions, and green beans. Produce from the supermarket is usually more expensive and not as fresh as it should be for drying. It is a waste of time and energy to dry vegetables such as carrots that can be kept for several months in a cool, dry basement or cellar.

Fresh herbs of all types are suitable for drying. The parts of the plant to dry vary, but leaves, seeds, or blossoms usually give the best results.

Lean meats such as beef, lamb, and venison can be dried for jerky. Fish also is excellent when dried. Certain foods are not suitable for drying because of their high moisture content. Lettuce, melons, and cucumbers are a few foods that do not dry well.

SUCCESSFUL DRYING

Don't be surprised to find a variety of suggestions for drying methods, temperatures, and lengths of time. The drying process is simply not as precise as canning and freezing because it involves so many different factors. You may need to use a trial-and-error approach to find what suits you best. Whatever method you use, be sure to remove enough moisture from the final product so that spoilage organisms cannot grow.
When you dry foods, remember the following:

• Cleanliness and sanitation are essential.
• The flavor of dried fruits and vegetables will be somewhat different from that of their fresh, canned, or frozen counterparts.

Instant Oatmeal Packets

Our household is super busy (like most) in the mornings.  These quick little packets are super inexpensive, really fast, and the kids love them.  They are a great way to get out of the house in a hurry, with a yummy breakfast.  They are a fraction of the cost of store bought.
Instant Oatmeal Packets
Makes 10 packets of instant Oatmeal

To make individual instant packets:
Blend 1 1/4 cups oats until powdery.

Into each of the 10 packets (we use ziplok sandwich bags), combine the following ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unpowdered oats
• 2 TB powdered oats
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar (optional)

Close the top and store in a dry place.

Microwave directions for cooking:
Empty packet into microwavable bowl.  Add 2/3 cup water or milk.  Microwave at HIGH about 1 1/2 minutes; stir.

Conventional directions for cooking:
Empty packet into pan.  Add 1/2 cup boiling water; cook and stir over heat until thickened.

Variations:  Also delicious with dried apple chunks and cinnamon; nuts and raisins; brown sugar..... Use your imagination!

My Grocery Cash Experiment

I don't use credit cards.  However, I do use my debit card all the time.  I decided that last month, January, I would try to only use cash for groceries, since this is the area we have the most control over.  I slashed my food budget by 35% (just to see if I could do it), got that amount of cash, and put it in an envelope.  Every purchase I made at the store for food, laundry, household goods, etc, I used this cash.  Here is what I found out:

1. I really had to plan out what we were going to eat for each week.
2. I tried to only go to the store once each week.
3. I tried to only buy what was on my list (that didn't work too well)
4. I "ad-matched" all of our produce, making it really inexpensive.
5. I was able to buy about $100 of food storage.
6. Not only did we eat fabulously, I had money left over!  

From now on, I am only using cash for groceries.  When it is gone, it is gone.  

50 Ways to Cut Your Grocery Bill

1. Use an envelope system for grocery money.  Only use the cash from the envelope.  When its gone its gone. This makes me really think and plan for my purchases.
2. Use both manufacturer and store coupons together.  This can often make the item free.
3. Plan your meals in advance.
4. If you use a rebate, fill it out and send it in as soon as you get home from the store.
5. Cook from scratch.
6. Use your food storage.
7. Keep a running list of items on your fridge (I use my grocery list)
8. Shop at the Farmer's Market (in season)
9. Buy multiple copies of the Sunday paper for the coupons.
10. Use what is in your freezer.
11. Use your store loyalty card.
12. Buy a deep freeze.
13. Plant a garden.
14. Learn your store's sale cycle (usually it rotates every 3 months)
15. Check the store's website for printable coupons.
16. When making a meal, make double, and freeze the rest for another meal.
17. Quickly check your fridge, freezer, cupboards and pantry before heading out the door.
18. Never shop hungry.  
19. Go alone if possible.  When my kids and/or husband come, we end up getting more than planned. 
20. Stock up when things are on sale.  If it is deeply discounted, buy a year supply.
21. Plan your trip through the store.  Do not go back to the section once you have left.
22. Shop the perimeter.
23. Buy non-grocery items at different store (Wal-mart, Target, Dollar-Tree etc)
24. Don't forget your list!!!
25. Watch for instant coupons that are on the product.
26. Watch for the coupons that the store has by the product.  Often times they are flashing/blinking.
27. Buy in bulk when you will use that amount.  However, some sale prices are much better than the bulk price at the warehouse stores.
28. Get rain checks if the store is out of the advertised product.
29. Price match if your store allows.
30. Don't waste leftovers.  Have a leftover night once a week.
31. Shop from the weekly ads.
32. Have a budget.  Stick to it.
33. Watch for pricing errors on your receipt.  One time at Wal-mart, I bought 20 cans of Mandarin oranges because they were supposed to be .33 cents per can.  They rang up at 5.00 per can!!!
34. Check unit pricing between brands.
35. Bring a calculator.
36. Eat produce that is in season.
37. Visit multiple stores if they are close, to get the best deals.
38. Watch for any "double coupon" days or promotions.
39. Use store brands.  I have found many store brand items that I prefer to the expensive name brand.
40. Drink more water, and less soda.  
41. Don't be afraid of the "reduced for quick sale" stickers.  One local grocery store puts out all fresh meat daily.  If any meat is not sold that day, it gets a sticker.  I recently got 93% lean ground beef for $1.29 per pound that way.  I bought them out, and froze it all.
42. Check for any internet coupons for the name brand items on your list.  You can find an alphabetized list of all coupons online (www.grocerysmarts.com and other coupon sites).
43. Don't dismiss stores like Walgreens and Rite-Aid for groceries.  They often have sales combined with "register rewards" etc.  My favorite cereal that is normally $4 per box was just on sale at Walgreens for $1.33 per box (plus I got register rewards used like cash), so they were almost free.
44. Be familiar with regular prices so you will know when you see a good deal.
45. Be disciplined.  As with any part of saving money, it is 20% knowledge and 80% doing.
46. Break your list down by store, and plan your outing accordingly.
47. Make fewer, larger trips. 
48. Avoid prepared entrees.
49. Watch for shrinking packaging.  Many brands keep the same price, but the package is smaller. Be aware.
50. Remember, grocery shopping is one of the few budget categories that is flexible and is often the most gone over. 
    

Free Loreal Make-up!

Right now at Fresh Market (who bought out Albertsons in my area) ALL their Revlon and Loreal makeup is 75% off!  To make the deal even sweeter, there are GREAT coupons you can use with them (for Loreal)!  The best ones are in the Loreal RedPlum insert from Jan. 3rd.  With the coupons, I got $70.00 worth of make-up for just over $2.00.  Woo-hoo!!!!  Isn't it great that you can combine clearance items with coupons? 

Using a Grocery List

How many times have you wandered into the grocery store to buy some milk and bread, and end up spending $100 that was not planned?  Using a grocery list is a great way  to minimize this!  I laminate mine, keep it on the fridge and when I need something, use a wet erase marker to circle the item.  Also, when I go through the sales and coupons, I will write a "c" by the item, alerting me that I have a coupon for that item.  Right before heading to the store, I paper clip all the coupons on the back of my list. To download the list (.pdf), click here. For the list (.doc) that you can change, click here.

Time to Clean the FREEZER!!

We all know it.  Food costs a lot of money!  I think most of us are very conscious about our food budget.  We try to save money by shopping sales, using coupons, etc.  Think for a minute- how much food has your family thrown away over the past month?  Year? I hate to say it, but I have thrown away quite a lot (leftovers that didn't get eaten, vegetables that went bad... etc).  Just this week, I sent my daughter to the freezer to get some pork chops.  She came back in with frostbitten hands (well, almost), and no pork chops. I knew we had pork chops somewhere buried in the freezer.....  Well, I found them, buried, and much to my dismay, they were old & freezer burned.  I try to be so frugal- and when I calculate how much money that I waste from discarded food, it made me think-  What can I do to make sure this doesn't continue?  I came up with a couple of ideas that I hope will help me:
1.  Clean the Freezer
2.  Inventory the Freezer
3.  Continue to use a shopping list
4.  Plan and stick to a menu
5.  Have a "leftover night" once a week

So, lets get started. 

1.  Cleaning the Freezer:
I should have taken a before picture (honestly, I was too embarrassed).  Over the past several months, our garage freezer (we have three freezers: Garage, Kitchen side by side, and downstairs side by side) has had to be locked because it was so full that it wouldn't close tight. The overwhelming task to clean the freezer was managable with the following steps.

•  Wear gloves.
• Get 7-8 bins or laundry baskets to put the food into: 1 bin for chicken, 1 bin for pork, 1 bin for beef, etc.
  
• Start at the top shelf and separate each item into the bins, continue for the rest of the shelves, and the door.  Now, all like items should be together in the bins.
  
• Using hot soapy water and a scrubbing sponge, start with the door, top to bottom.  As soon as each shelf is clean, quickly wipe it dry with a dry towel. Any moisture left will quickly turn to ice.
• Continue with each shelf, and the walls of the freezer.  
• Lastly, do the bottom.  This is a bit tricky since it is so cold.  I put my hot soapy water down, scrubbed, and quickly dried again.  If it turns to ice before the scrubbing is finished, use a spatula to remove all ice.  Once again, make sure everything is completely dry.
• Assess your food- What do you have the most of?  What space would it fit in the freezer best? I had the most chicken and beef- so those went into my two big drawers.
• Put like items together: I put the pepperoni and pizza sauce in its own bin, since the kids make pizza every Friday night. 
  
• As you put your food back, write down what you have.  This will go onto your freezer inventory that remains on the outside of the freezer.  
• I labeled each shelf.  When my kids help with things, everything goes a lot smoother when they know where to put (and to find) things.  To get a copy of the labels, click here.
  

Now, as I plan my menu shopping list, I can quickly look at my freezer inventory and use first what I have.  If you have a deep freeze as well as a side by side with your fridge, you may want to consider this.  Why not use your kitchen freezer only for the items you will be using for the next 2 weeks-1 month?  Every two weeks when you do your menu, bring in the items from the freezer you will use next.  Then, everything gets rotated, you know exactly what you have, and where, and things are a bit more organized. 

Watch for the next post: Freezer Inventory 

Storing Onions

I think one of the best ways to save money on my food budget is to not let food go bad!  Obviously when it goes bad, it must be discarded, therefore throwing money away.  This fall, I harvested about 100 onions from my garden.  Although we love onions, we can't eat that many in the very near future, nor do I have fridge space for them.  A great way to store them to last through the winter months, is to put them in old nylons!  This keeps the air circulating to the onions, as well as keeps them from touching one another.  Simply cut the old nylons in half, so the legs are separated.  Put an onion in, working it to the very toe of the nylon.  Tie a knot.  Put the next one in, etc.  I then tie the two legs back together and hang them in my garage. When you need an onion, just cut the bottom one off!  Stored this way, they will last through the winter months.  Note:  when you are putting the onions in the nylons, make sure you don't put any in that are soft, or that the stems are growing.  They won't last!  Just use them up.

This is also a great way to stock up when onions go on sale.  I saw yellow onions at the grocery store on sale for $3.99 for a 25 pound bag!  Fabulous!  much better than paying .69 cents per pound!

Free Book Downloads at Deseret Book

Who doesn't love FREE?  For a limited time, you can download some great books from http://deseretbook.com/free.   Some of the included titles are:

1.       Please Pass the Scripture (John Hilton III).

2.       What I Wish I Would Have Known When I Was Single (by John Bytheway).

3.       Women at the Well (by Richard and Jeni Holzapfel).

4.       Digging Deeper (by Robert Eaton).

5.       10 Secrets Wise Parents Know (by Brent Top and Bruce Chadwick).

6.       Growing Up: Gospel Answers About Maturation and Sex (by Brad Wilcox).

7.       Saving Kristen (by Jack Weyland). (fiction)

8.       The Hidden Path (by C.B. Andersen). (fiction)

What a great opportunity!  

Electrolyte Drink Recipe (like Pedialyte)

Last night my ward had a meeting on provident living for all adults. A wonderful dvd was shown on preparedness (very motivating- more info to come), and a "Flu Homecare Guide" was given out. The guide was quite informative. Click here to view. One thing I really liked from it was the recipe it contained for making your own Electrolyte drinks (Pedialyte; AdvoCare Rehydrate). I guess this impressed me because just 2 days ago, we had my daughter into the doctor for dehydration. Electrolyte drinks are very expensive in the store, so this seems like a great way to save some money.

Electrolyte Drinks
1 quart water
3-4 TB sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp salt substitute containing potassium chloride

Mix well and flavor with lemon juice or sugar free powdered fruit drink mix.

Butter Spread

This is a great recipe that allows you to make your butter last a bit longer! This can be kept at room temperature, if you want it super spreadable, or in the fridge. We prefer to keep ours in the fridge, since it is still spreadable, and softens (or melts) quickly on warm items. It spreads easily on pancakes, bagels, toast etc. I think it tastes pretty much like butter, and it is way better than the spreads you buy in the store (in my opinion :) It also is fantastic for grilled sandwiches (cheese, tuna, etc) because it gives the bread a bit more crispiness.

Butter Spread
2 cubes of butter (1 cup), at room temperature
1/2 cup canola oil (can use olive oil for a stronger flavor)
1/2 cup water

Using an electric mixer on "HI", whip the butter until it is really light and fluffy. While mixer is still going, slowly add oil. When all of oil is incorporated, slowly add water. Mixture will be white (not the usual yellow color of spread!) and fluffy. Put in fridge until set up. Enjoy!

Christmas Shopping.... At a Discount!!

As the time for Christmas shopping is here, I just wanted to make sure everyone knew about www.pinchingyourpennies.com. It is a fabulous website where, if you check it often, will save you a ton of money. Last year, most of my Christmas shopping was done through this website. My favorite part of the site is under "PYP Forums", then "Screaming Deals Online". It is completely free to use. When people find amazing deals online, they post there. Often times, you need to act quickly, because the deals can go fast. For example, this week I subscribed to one of my favorite magazines, "Taste of Home" for only $2.88 for a year! Needless to say, I signed up for 4 years (total $11.52). This would make a great gift for my MIL as well :)

Last year I purchased Heelie's for my kids for $15 shipped, a real pearl necklace for $3.99 (shipped), 24 scholastic hard books with cd's for $24 (shipped) and many, many more things. Check it out, and hopefully you will find some great deals. I love giving my family a fantastic Christmas without going 1 cent over my small Christmas budget!

Tip for Freezing Chicken

My friend gave me this great tip for freezing chicken this week (Thanks, Kristen!). She buys the very inexpensive fold over sandwich bags. She puts a single chicken breast in the bag, and folds it over. Then, she puts the full sandwich bags into a large Ziplok freezer bag. This way the chicken doesn't stick together, and you can pull out just what is needed for the meal. Also, a great way to save money since you don't go through nearly the amount of freezer bags. Fabulous!

Got debt? Baby Step #2

Got debt? Join the club! Today I read an article about debt that had some statistics that were quite surprising. I thought I would share them:

• Today’s consumer has an average of 13 debt obligations on their credit report.
• The total amount of debt owed by Americans is more than 2.5 trillion. $8,500 per person on average.
• 38% of the 2.5 trillion comes from credit card debt.
• The average amount of credit card debt per card holder is $12,500 according to the Federal Reserve.
• 74.9% of families had credit cards and 58% of those carry a balance.

Hopefully you do not fit into the categories listed above. But, if you are a "normal" American, you just might. So, what to do? Yesterday's post was on baby step #1, obtaining a beginner emergency fund of $1000. Once that is done, it is time to move on to baby step #2, getting out of debt.

Baby Step #2: Pay off your debts in order of smallest balance to largest. "Snowball" the payments as you go.

List all of your debts on a paper (or a spreadsheet if you prefer) arranged from smallest balance to largest balance. (Don't worry about interest rate unless you have two equal debts. In that case, list the largest interest rate first). Now, this is where the fun begins! This step is the hardest to complete, but probably the most satisfying. I can't even tell you the joy and peace I felt when each debt we had was finally paid in full! Most people can be completely debt free (except for their home) in 18-24 months. Yes, completely.

Start focusing on the first debt with the smallest balance. Every extra penny you can find goes to pay that balance down quickly. Do everything you can (even get a second or part time job) to reduce the first debt. Keep paying the minimum on all other debts. Once that first debt is paid and gone, then "snowball" its monthly payment: Add it to the normal payment you're making on the next-smallest debt, and focus your efforts on that next debt. It is amazing what happens when you are totally focused on this step. When that one is paid off, take that monthly payment amount and apply it toward your next debt. Each time a debt is paid off, the amount you were paying on that debt now is added on to the next debt. Make sense? Each debt that you eliminate makes the "snowball" get bigger and bigger, wiping out everything in its way.

"I’m convinced of the unstoppable potential of people when they get on fire for something."
— Dave Ramsey

You may wonder why the debts are not listed by interest rate, with the highest ones being paid off first. Dave explains: "The reason we list the debts from smallest balance to largest is to have some quick wins. Sometimes behavior modification is more important than math. This is one of those times." I personally have to agree. As we paid off each debt, we were so excited and couldn't wait to see how quickly we could get the next one paid off. It's amazing how fired up you become when you see success. Somewhat like dieting.

Remember: If you're working on this second Baby Step and some emergency arises which forces you to spend any part of your emergency fund, then immediately stop this step and return to Baby Step #1. Stay there until you've refunded your Emergency Fund in full.

It is important not to start your debt elimination on this step. If baby step #1 is not in place before starting baby step #2, this and all steps can be in serious jeopardy. We had to dip into our beginner emergency fund several times. Thankfully we had it! We were able to get through the "emergencies" without incurring additional debt, repay it, and get back on track with baby step #2. Just think how good you will feel, when those nagging debts are gone. BYE BYE.

You can find many debt snowball spreadsheets for free online. It is very motivating to see just how quick your debt can (and will!) be gone. Keep up the good work.