stretching your dollar

Dilutions of Grandeur: Stretch Your Food at Every Meal

Kentin Waits — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:48:14 +0000

When I was kid, the chocolate milk mom served always looked suspiciously pale in my glass. It was as if somewhere between the carton and the table, the ratio of chocolate (good) to milk (not-so-good) had been tampered with in a very unholy way. Of course, now I understand that mom was exercising one the fundamental methods of frugality — dilution.

Today, so many of our foods and beverages are rich — so overly sweet, overly sour, or overly salty that diluting them seems more a matter of taste than a matter of money. Let’s take a look meal-by-meal at how a little creative diluting can stretch your food budget without sacrificing taste or nutrition. (See also: Organic Groceries on a Budget)

Breakfast

Fruit juices and flavored waters can be taken down a few notches on the sweetness scale by adding one part water to every two parts of the original drink. Dilute a 6 oz. glass of chocolate milk with 2-4 oz. of skim for a lighter, cheaper, and ultimately healthier drink. Super-sweet (and super-expensive) brand-name cereals or granola can become “deluxe topping” for less-expensive bran flakes, oatmeal, or even yogurt.

Lunch

Adding extra beans to chili or a cup of rice to tomato soup or stews can stretch a meal while stretching your budget. Even everyone’s old college friend, ramen noodles, can be added to a variety of dishes to make meals more substantial and far less expensive. Dilute two parts iced tea or lemonade with one part water for better-tasting drinks without the sour-face.

Dinner

A dear friend of mine was raised by his Polish grandparents during the 1980s and 1990s. He remembers his grandmother’s approach to serving meat during meals: Back in the lean years of her youth and early marriage, meat was used as flavoring in other dishes rather than as the main course itself. Cuts of beef, pork, and chicken were essential parts of generations-old recipes that used more expensive ingredients to flavor less-expensive but nutrient-dense foods.

Dilution is simply about using less and wisely stretching what you have so it lasts longer. Sharing is another way of exercising the same basic principle — diluting contents or reducing portions so smaller amounts can be enjoyed by more people. When I travel with friends, I often suggest splitting the price of a 12 oz. coffee and asking if the barista will put 6 oz. in two separate cups. You might be surprised that this usually works without any trouble at all. We each get a more reasonably sized cup of coffee, pay less, and waste less.

What are some ways you exercise a little friendly dilution without your kids catching on? What are the best recipes you’ve come up with that use these same principles to stretch your food budget without sacrificing culinary kudos? How does the art of dilution apply to other areas of your household?

This article is from Kentin Waits of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Save Money on Shaving With These Razor Tricks

Nora Dunn — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:00:01 +0000

Unless we choose to go hairy, most of us — men especially — can't escape shaving as a necessary evil. And the razor industry knows all about it, so they always give us something new to "need" with constant one-upmanship. I mean, really, who truly needs a razor with five blades, various strips of rubber and moisturizers, and batteries that make it vibrate, no less? (See also: 5 Beauty Products I've Learned to Live Without)

Do you also find it curious that nowhere on your package of razors or razor blades does it state how long a razor blade should last? Although the shaving company might argue that a razor's longevity is predicated on how it is used, I might argue that they do it because people don't tend to keep razor blades as long as they could.

Here are some ways you can save money on shaving with these razor tricks.

1. Dry the Razor

One of the most popular theories about the life of a razor blade is that dullness is a result of oxidation, not use. When water sits on the razor blade between shaves, corrosion will make the metal flake off, and the blade itself can become either blunt or jagged.

Exactly how people choose to dry their razors varies, and there are even products on the market to help you (but if you have to buy something to dry your razor and make it last longer, you are probably not being frugal).

Here are the most popular and effective methods of drying a razor:

Blow Dryer

Although it is a pig on power, using a blow dryer will help you to ensure that even the spaces between and behind the blades get dry.

Towel

You can also blot the razor dry on a towel. Be careful of cutting or otherwise wrecking the towel — or your hands — in the process though. Be sure not to rub the razor; just blot dry.

When using either of the above methods, first give the razor a rigorous shake to eliminate all the excess water.

2. Coat the Razor

Not only water, but oxygen in the air plus the salt from your skin will contribute to a razor's quick demise. So not only drying but also coating your razor can protect it from the water, oxygen, and corrosion that dull the blade.

Soak vs Dip: Some people advocate soaking the razor in a cup or vial filled with the substances below and storing it this way between shaves, while others indicate that a quick dip will do everything necessary to coat the blades and preserve the razor's shelf life.

Alcohol (e.g., Rubbing Alcohol)

This dissipates the water, encourages drying, and sanitizes the razor for an extra benefit (especially if you are prone to acne problems).

Oil

There are a number of oils you can use depending on preference, availability, and cost:

Mineral Oil — This seems to be one of the most effective oils to use, as it is also good for your skin.

Grape seed/Almond Oil — The cost-conscious might want to use a mixture of these oils instead of mineral oil, which can fetch a specialized price.

Baby Oil — I read about a fellow who actually used baby oil after running out of mineral oil (in an attempt to save money), and apparently even baby oil works well.

Barbicide

This is a purpose-driven anti-rust formula used by hairdressers and barbers for their scissors, combs, and razors. A little bit can go a long way.

Vinegar

Yes, vinegar is even good for your razor. It's also great at eliminating any mineral build-up on the razor over time. Gotta love the stuff!

Hybrid Approach — Alcohol and Oil

Some people like to dip the blade in alcohol to get the water off, then dip it in oil to protect the razor against the elements between shaves.

3. Get an Old Pair of Jeans

This razor trick works likely as a function of being an effective way to dry the blade. But from my research, users are very happy using this technique, and have made a disposable razor last up to a year, so there may be some additional benefits to this strategy. Simply run the razor along the entire leg of an old pair of jeans 20 times in each direction. Apparently the cross-fibers of the jeans do a bang-up job of either drying and/or sharpening the blades to keep them pristine.

4. Shave Products and Techniques

You may be able to extend the life of your razor by using different shave products or changing your style. For example, some argue that the acid content in shaving cream can do more harm than good for your blade. Here are some razor-saving shaving techniques:

Shaving Soap

In lieu of using shaving cream, some people find that using a shaving soap and nice brush is more luxurious and helps get a better shave. A block of shaving soap can go a very (very) long way too.

Hair Conditioner

Hair conditioner is a great lubricant, and is has the added benefit of softening your hair. The razor then won't have to work as hard to cut your hair, making it last longer (the razor, that is).

Soften the Hair

To take the above theory to the next level, you can apply a moisturizer or conditioner a few minutes prior to shaving. Also, after you apply your shaving soap/gel/cream, leave it on for a few minutes before shaving to allow further softening time.

5. Store the Razor

The last step in this money-saving razor-longevity equation is in how to effectively store your razor. Since water is the antithesis of all things sharp in the razor world, your bathroom — being the most humid room in the house — is not a good place to store your razor.

If you must, keep it in a resealable bag inside a closed drawer or cabinet. Or, simply keep the razor in a drier room of the house.

Added Benefits of these Razor Tricks

If you want to start soaking or coating your razor, you'll quickly find that the gimmicky razors with "moisturizing strips" and other such add-ons won't be necessary, and in fact will hinder your razor-life-extending experience. So go on — buy a cheap razor, and see how long it lasts. I'm gunning for a year myself between razor blade changes.

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This article is from Nora Dunn of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

The $40 Hidden Inside a 12V Battery

Paul Michael — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 00:24:00 +0000

Hands up who hates buying batteries. (I had both hands up in the air by the way, briefly, but had to put them down to continue writing this article.) Anyway, batteries are the bane of my life. It seems almost every toy we have for our children or gadget for ourselves require batteries. And they need them in all shapes and sizes. The worst offenders are those button-cell batteries. Small and costly...until I saw the coolest video. (See also: 5 Quick Remote Control Hacks to Save You Time and Money)

Kipkay over at Metacafe has done it again, with a life hack and battery hack that will save you roughly $40 on those 1.5V button cell batteries. All you need is a 2-pack of 12V A23 batteries, which retail at less than $2 a pack. I found my set on Amazon for $1.66.

$40 From a 12V Battery

How To Hack A 12 Volt Battery

As the video shows, you simply split them open to reveal EIGHT 1.5V button-cell batteries, each one worth around $5. And as these 12V batteries come in pairs that gives you a grand total of 16 new batteries worth around $80. Not bad for an initial investment of $1.66. Kipkay also goes on to split a 9V battery for use in a battery emergency. You could say these hacks are literally "power to the people." (Sorry, couldn't resist).

9V Emergency Battery Hack

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This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: