They have the best selection of chocolates, at the best prices. I love that you can buy brand-name products (although not the most common brands) at very low prices: Grandessa pasta sauces for less than $2 a jar, for example. The produce has been surprisingly good too. When my husband was unemployed, we seriously cut our grocery bill by 30% by shopping there.
I love a lot about Aldi - the philosophy in particular - but unfortunately there is very little in the store I can feed my family because it is all loaded with HFCS, BHT and other preservatives and additives. The produce is terrible and there is very little of any health value. Even Wal-Mart offers more healthful options. I love the frugality of Aldi and appreciate your article, but do a little label reading, it's not a good place for your overall health.
I love milk, cheese, yogurt, probiotics, anything dairy so I don't worry about getting enough calcium. However, living on the east coast means that Vitamin D production is a problem, especially in the Winter when I'm bundle up and those walks don't expose enough skin to sunlight. I take a daily Vitamin D supplement to make sure my calcium absorption is optimal.
No, I don't pay for convenience because I'm a cheapskate and figure this is someething I can do myself. I mow my acre and a half myself (not a rider mower), I clean my home and chop my own vegetables.
However, I do sometimes buy frozen entrees for a quick lunch, and when i'm making soups, it's easier to buy baby carrots than chop up full size carrots.
Hi
Sorry I am joining in the conversation on the late end.
But in reference to the Irish diet by Guest a couple of comments ago.
My family is Irish and I spent my childhood in Ireland.
First up all this fresh fish or seafood, occasionally not regular.
Berries?? Seasonal for impoverished peasants NOT landowners, about 98% of the population in the mid 1800's to early 1900's.
Eggs? For those who could afford a few chickens and feed them.
Nuts?? There were Chestnuts but again seasonal.
These things were the treats not add on's. These people were very poor and then came the potato famine. Thus the Irish moved overseas (some of them).
And some peopel carrying on about rights etc. There is very few countries on Earth not effected by Colonialism/Empirialistic influence.
In reality to get an idea of what people ate in the great depression, some 80 years after the potato famine watch Clara's Depression Cooking video's on you tube.
Do not over romanticise the poverty in the 19th century most people didn't even own a donkey it was a 40 mile round-trip walk to market or maybe a lake.
If you don't believe me find the 19th century book on The Frugal American Housewife on american libraries, copyright free. We eat like kings and I do think this story is relevant.
A good cup of tea is most definitely a winner over here. The only thing about Brits and our tea drinking is that most don't sample the wider range of flavours available to us.
Much like the rosé wine disease that seems to be sweeping through the country at the minute, I can guarantee that everyone I know will drink either Tetley or Yorkshire tea, simply because that's all they see others drinking.
Personally I like Chai, the Japanese Green Sencha (which unfortunately I've only managed to sample once, but it was delicious), Earl Grey (of course...) and the good old common British standard of Tetley, two sugars and a dash of milk.
What a totally creative article! Who would have ever thought of benefits of having a Fed Day? And I can relate to Check It or Chuck It Day. Well done Linsey!!
Great options, but once you start renting movies and tv shows online the costs can definitely add up. Though I will say that with cable comes on demand services. Yes they are very convenient, but almost too convenient. The cost to rent movies is high, but it's easy. Netflix and rental kiosks are much more financially prudent options.
i was just going to say roku. i love mine so much i buy them as gifts for friends and family. netflix and hulu plus, amazon streaming and of course all the free channels. i pay less than $20 a month and unlike directv, there's always something i want to watch available.
Yes! I just cut my cable. And I feel so free. The first week was a bit lonely.....but now, without the huge bill...I am much, much happier! Thanks for posting this article. I was doing some of this anyway....but might explore other options..with the money I save now from my cable tv bill, maybe I can afford a new t.v. or the apple t.v.
I know there are other options though. What about Google T.V.? or the Sony T.V.? any news or reviews on that?
Best dumpster dive rewarded me with 12 brand new current DVDs and some nice furniture and mirrors. Also, check out the apartment complex dumpsters. Folks move all the time.
Thank you for letting people know about making pet food at home. However we need to be careful as to what is put in food, such as egg shells, as they throw the calcium levels off causing bone and joint issues (I am an animal nutritionist).
I see owners feeding their pets recipes that fall short of requirements in the food. I see pets with weight issues or severe skin allergies and most of all liver and kidney problems. Barley is not a normal food staple for dogs or cats. Also over cooked food is void of the many naturally occurring minerals and vitamins. I could go on but this would take up many pages to provide you with all the information. The best information is in books that you can find at Veterinary universities. Good luck with your pets.
I cut my own grass, clean my own house, once in a while I'll take my car to the car wash to wash off the winter salt but pretty much do everything myself with the exception of oil changes. Can't afford to do otherwise.
Marjac
My one convenience: pizza night. My husband and I work 4 jobs between us (and I'm a full-time student), so one night per week of fast food ensures that we could steal a little time for ourselves and a little energy for later. One small pizza for $8 is worth the peace of mind we get.
Totally agree , my recently passed away grand mother (1912-2010), who by the way raised me, did exactly the same, perhaps it has somthing to do with the war culture. I´m missing her a lot.
I love socio-economic-political arguments/debates. Everyone gets so fired up :) I agree the market is controlled by speculators, but I also think the markets are so connected now days, that just saying hey, we are going to increase supply by any means won't cure the problem. As the other posters mentioned, there is still a weak dollar, booming demand in India and China, gold sky high, and an unstable world economy.
I believe speculators lead to these wild market swings and well as these more frequent boom and bust bubbles we get in the past 10-20 years, but its not going to be solved by just addressing one market. My 2 cents.
Ha! TPS reports. Peter, what's happening....Im going to need you to come in on Saturday...Yeah we lost some people...
Sorry, brought back some fond memories :)
I would add that Google's campus is also pretty sweet. It seems they make it so their employees aren't stressed about "normal life stuff" Need stuff dry cleaned, no problem...Baby sitter canceled? Got one lined up. Dont want to drive to work? No Worries, we have our own buses.
I had an xbox game that someone said I could have because it was covered in scratches. I used rubbing alcohol on it then put it in front of my Lasko heater (I'm not sure if combining them did anything) for about 2 or 3 minutes then put it in and installed it on my xbox and it worked perfectly. before i did that it wouldn't get past 47%
who buys precut veggies? i always see them in the stores, but it seems ridiculous. the whole carrots and celery are cheaper, and it takes all of 10 minutes to wash and cut them.
if i had a car, i would pay someone to change my oil, simply because i don't know how to do it myself AND i have no legal, eco-friendly way to dispose of the oil (which oil change places do).
during times of my life where i had more money than time (it seemed) i paid for a lot more convenience: the atm downstairs with the fee instead of walking 3 blocks to my bank; cabs instead of the bus, etc. but now i have no money, and so convenience just doesn't get paid for.
If you live in Chicago, in the summer they have free films at the Cultural Center downton on Wednesdays at 6:30 (and sometimes repeated on Saturdays). This works best for people who work downtown (or retirees or the unemployed). They are all foreign films, so you'd better like subtitles! Some are in English (if they are from English-speaking countries).
They have the best selection of chocolates, at the best prices. I love that you can buy brand-name products (although not the most common brands) at very low prices: Grandessa pasta sauces for less than $2 a jar, for example. The produce has been surprisingly good too. When my husband was unemployed, we seriously cut our grocery bill by 30% by shopping there.
I love a lot about Aldi - the philosophy in particular - but unfortunately there is very little in the store I can feed my family because it is all loaded with HFCS, BHT and other preservatives and additives. The produce is terrible and there is very little of any health value. Even Wal-Mart offers more healthful options. I love the frugality of Aldi and appreciate your article, but do a little label reading, it's not a good place for your overall health.
I love milk, cheese, yogurt, probiotics, anything dairy so I don't worry about getting enough calcium. However, living on the east coast means that Vitamin D production is a problem, especially in the Winter when I'm bundle up and those walks don't expose enough skin to sunlight. I take a daily Vitamin D supplement to make sure my calcium absorption is optimal.
No, I don't pay for convenience because I'm a cheapskate and figure this is someething I can do myself. I mow my acre and a half myself (not a rider mower), I clean my home and chop my own vegetables.
However, I do sometimes buy frozen entrees for a quick lunch, and when i'm making soups, it's easier to buy baby carrots than chop up full size carrots.
Thanks for the link love!
Hi
Sorry I am joining in the conversation on the late end.
But in reference to the Irish diet by Guest a couple of comments ago.
My family is Irish and I spent my childhood in Ireland.
First up all this fresh fish or seafood, occasionally not regular.
Berries?? Seasonal for impoverished peasants NOT landowners, about 98% of the population in the mid 1800's to early 1900's.
Eggs? For those who could afford a few chickens and feed them.
Nuts?? There were Chestnuts but again seasonal.
These things were the treats not add on's. These people were very poor and then came the potato famine. Thus the Irish moved overseas (some of them).
And some peopel carrying on about rights etc. There is very few countries on Earth not effected by Colonialism/Empirialistic influence.
In reality to get an idea of what people ate in the great depression, some 80 years after the potato famine watch Clara's Depression Cooking video's on you tube.
Do not over romanticise the poverty in the 19th century most people didn't even own a donkey it was a 40 mile round-trip walk to market or maybe a lake.
If you don't believe me find the 19th century book on The Frugal American Housewife on american libraries, copyright free. We eat like kings and I do think this story is relevant.
A good cup of tea is most definitely a winner over here. The only thing about Brits and our tea drinking is that most don't sample the wider range of flavours available to us.
Much like the rosé wine disease that seems to be sweeping through the country at the minute, I can guarantee that everyone I know will drink either Tetley or Yorkshire tea, simply because that's all they see others drinking.
Personally I like Chai, the Japanese Green Sencha (which unfortunately I've only managed to sample once, but it was delicious), Earl Grey (of course...) and the good old common British standard of Tetley, two sugars and a dash of milk.
What a totally creative article! Who would have ever thought of benefits of having a Fed Day? And I can relate to Check It or Chuck It Day. Well done Linsey!!
Great options, but once you start renting movies and tv shows online the costs can definitely add up. Though I will say that with cable comes on demand services. Yes they are very convenient, but almost too convenient. The cost to rent movies is high, but it's easy. Netflix and rental kiosks are much more financially prudent options.
i was just going to say roku. i love mine so much i buy them as gifts for friends and family. netflix and hulu plus, amazon streaming and of course all the free channels. i pay less than $20 a month and unlike directv, there's always something i want to watch available.
How about shredding the broccoli stems with a bit of shredded carrot and making a coleslaw?
What is Crackle? is that only through the Roku box? Can you explain further?
excellent point!! Thanks!
Yes! I just cut my cable. And I feel so free. The first week was a bit lonely.....but now, without the huge bill...I am much, much happier! Thanks for posting this article. I was doing some of this anyway....but might explore other options..with the money I save now from my cable tv bill, maybe I can afford a new t.v. or the apple t.v.
I know there are other options though. What about Google T.V.? or the Sony T.V.? any news or reviews on that?
Best dumpster dive rewarded me with 12 brand new current DVDs and some nice furniture and mirrors. Also, check out the apartment complex dumpsters. Folks move all the time.
Thank you for letting people know about making pet food at home. However we need to be careful as to what is put in food, such as egg shells, as they throw the calcium levels off causing bone and joint issues (I am an animal nutritionist).
I see owners feeding their pets recipes that fall short of requirements in the food. I see pets with weight issues or severe skin allergies and most of all liver and kidney problems. Barley is not a normal food staple for dogs or cats. Also over cooked food is void of the many naturally occurring minerals and vitamins. I could go on but this would take up many pages to provide you with all the information. The best information is in books that you can find at Veterinary universities. Good luck with your pets.
I cut my own grass, clean my own house, once in a while I'll take my car to the car wash to wash off the winter salt but pretty much do everything myself with the exception of oil changes. Can't afford to do otherwise.
Marjac
My one convenience: pizza night. My husband and I work 4 jobs between us (and I'm a full-time student), so one night per week of fast food ensures that we could steal a little time for ourselves and a little energy for later. One small pizza for $8 is worth the peace of mind we get.
Totally agree , my recently passed away grand mother (1912-2010), who by the way raised me, did exactly the same, perhaps it has somthing to do with the war culture. I´m missing her a lot.
I love socio-economic-political arguments/debates. Everyone gets so fired up :) I agree the market is controlled by speculators, but I also think the markets are so connected now days, that just saying hey, we are going to increase supply by any means won't cure the problem. As the other posters mentioned, there is still a weak dollar, booming demand in India and China, gold sky high, and an unstable world economy.
I believe speculators lead to these wild market swings and well as these more frequent boom and bust bubbles we get in the past 10-20 years, but its not going to be solved by just addressing one market. My 2 cents.
Ha! TPS reports. Peter, what's happening....Im going to need you to come in on Saturday...Yeah we lost some people...
Sorry, brought back some fond memories :)
I would add that Google's campus is also pretty sweet. It seems they make it so their employees aren't stressed about "normal life stuff" Need stuff dry cleaned, no problem...Baby sitter canceled? Got one lined up. Dont want to drive to work? No Worries, we have our own buses.
I had an xbox game that someone said I could have because it was covered in scratches. I used rubbing alcohol on it then put it in front of my Lasko heater (I'm not sure if combining them did anything) for about 2 or 3 minutes then put it in and installed it on my xbox and it worked perfectly. before i did that it wouldn't get past 47%
who buys precut veggies? i always see them in the stores, but it seems ridiculous. the whole carrots and celery are cheaper, and it takes all of 10 minutes to wash and cut them.
if i had a car, i would pay someone to change my oil, simply because i don't know how to do it myself AND i have no legal, eco-friendly way to dispose of the oil (which oil change places do).
during times of my life where i had more money than time (it seemed) i paid for a lot more convenience: the atm downstairs with the fee instead of walking 3 blocks to my bank; cabs instead of the bus, etc. but now i have no money, and so convenience just doesn't get paid for.
how many square feet does the 36 oz tonic recipe covers?
If you live in Chicago, in the summer they have free films at the Cultural Center downton on Wednesdays at 6:30 (and sometimes repeated on Saturdays). This works best for people who work downtown (or retirees or the unemployed). They are all foreign films, so you'd better like subtitles! Some are in English (if they are from English-speaking countries).