I think this is the best post I've ever read over at Wise Bread. Closely examining how we view money in our society is the first step to having a healthy relationship with it.
I agree with you about television and the direction it has taken. We don't have one. I can't stand the thought of my children accepting these attitudes as being somehow "normal". Although maybe they now are. Ugh.
Such exciting TV shows I'm missing out on over here. Why would she go on such a show? Surely she knew from the show's format that secrets would come out?
...not every single post on this blog is about that specific topic. As writers, we have to be allowed a little latitude to keep everything fresh for our readers. But I think asking the question "how far would you go for money?" defines the difference between being frugal, and being cheap. Sacrificing your marriage and ethics for a quick buck crosses that line, I think.
I wonder how a post like this has anything to do with living large in a small budget. I think the author is just fishing for something new to post about.
I was just commenting on libraries on another blog. People are so quick to go on line get an answer. I remember the days of treking down to the library and researching for writing papers and finding information. I hope they do not close libraries I see them also becoming a place to access internet referance materials also.
Also when you make these list keep in mind you have to have the insurance to cover it to have it reimbursed. Most insurances like we think do not cover contents. Seperate policies for jewlery and electronics but furniture is not covered. A lesson learned by many after hurricane season.
It's fine to drink it without distilling it--basically, you've just made wine (or maybe beer). It probably won't taste very good, though, unless you get a book on making beer or making wine and follow the directions. (Another big advantage of distilling, aside from making it stronger, is that you can mix it with something that tastes better.) One advantage of making beer or wine is that it's legal.
For the fermenting stage, you definitely don't want to use an air-tight container: The yeasts produce carbon dioxide as well as ethanol, and an airtight container will explode. You can get fancy gas locks that let the carbon dioxide escape while keeping things from getting in. That's important for making fine wines (to keep out wild yeasts and such), but not so important for moonshine--just cover the container loosely to keep out dust.
We used BJ's brand exclusively for our oldest child (now 2 1/2) and are currently using it for our youngest (4 1/2 months).
No problems here. My take was it's regulated, it can't be bad.
The price was just unbeatable. The price was exactly half price of the Similac and Enfamil (which is already cheaper at BJ's) when you matched it up at equal weight. Plus, BJ's has been frequently throwing out $4 off coupons.
Their formula is in 51.4 ounce containers (double the size of the normal sized Similac and Enfamil) and costs $19.99.
On a side note, we just found out that formula is covered by our medical plan to the tune of $87.50 for a 3 month supply (basically any brand including Similac/Enfamil). So, although BJ's brand is great buy, we can't pass up this price. Our calculations put us at about $50 to $60 per month using BJ's brand, so less than $30 a month is a no brainer.
So, check your medical plan first! And if not, if you are a BJ's member, checking out their formula (and diapers and wipes for that matter) is a must.
I've thought about doing this for awhile but I've always wondered about what to do for large/expensive pieces of stuff that I didn't keep the receipts for. I don't mean to sound lazy, but how beneficial is it to go to all the trouble of inventorying everything with no proof of when you bought it or it's current value? Can a picture really convey the true value to an insurance agent?
For my wedding, I received my great-grandmothers kitchenaid mixer, and it still works great. Hildegarde worked as a cook a school cafeteria while raising 3 kids of her own and used it everyday. I don't know how old it is, but it still runs perfectly. I hope I can pass it on to my children as well. The only thing that bothers me is that the plug is not grounded, only two prongs.
At my library you can borrow fiction DVDs for a week, and non-fiction DVDs for 3 weeks. My library has TONS of exercise DVDs for all ages and abilities. When I made a resolution to lose weight these DVDs were great, because I wasn't buying a bunch of tapes only to hate the person in them, or find that the tapes were too difficult for my abilities, or discover that I just didn't like them. With the library's resources I was able to find the perfect series of tapes, I exchanged them when I got bored or the tapes became too easy for me, and I always had something "new" to use when I worked out.
I also borrow children's books on CD for long car trips, not to mention the camping and travel guides for the places that we are going.
http://www.rameniac.com/ is what I check. You know your reviewer is hardcore when he lists the 22 styles of ramen...I didn't even know they had that many. I've been reading in anticipation for the jpn trip.
Before you go too far down the road of creating your own home inventory, I would suggest that you check out the free home inventory program provided by the Insurance Information Institute. The software is called "Know Your Stuff" and here is the opening for the program in a Google search that provides a pretty good description:
"Once you have completed your inventory, it is easy to keep your information up to date. New: Know Your Stuff, Home Inventory 3.0 with Vault 24 secure file..."
Creating your own inventory is intuitive - you name/create a room and then load items with descriptions and images. There are entries for date of purchase, cost of purchase, scanned image of sales receipts, valuation for replacement, and an image of the item. After the inventory is compiled you can print off a copy for your personal records. We burned CDs with the inventory software and the household inventory and have one at our insurance agent's office and copies with our children for safekeeping. Our insurance agent was not aware of this free program until we gave him our copy. He now recommends it to others.
For work one can not beat a pair of Timberland Pro Work Boots. Mine have steel toes for safety but look for those with double soles. My pair has lasted 4 years with rougn use in a foundry.
Also Oneida Limitied Flatware is great. Growing up outside of Sherill NY we would frequently visit the "Morgue" (because that is where they sold the obsolete, dead patterns) for silverwear.
For kitchen appliances nnobody mentioned the Kitchen Aid mixers. My mother still uses hers and it is 50 years old. I swear they designed it for cement.
My filler strategy is to use the lowest price sort on jangle.net. Then just pick my category.
It's easy to tell which items qualify for Amazon's free super saver shipping too. Just look for the little shipping truck graphic.
Jangle's best buys are the real deal for me. Their best buys are a blend of the highest rated, discounted/low priced, and most popular products on sale at Amazon.
As permananet residents of Florida my husband and I rely on the library for access to free books, tapes, movies, newspapers, magazines, etc.
When our county had money problems this library hours were cut, fines increased from $.10 to $.25, charge for internet use by non-library card holders increased from $1 per hour to $5 and the charge for non-resident library cards increased from $20 to $35. We were very sorry to see this happen but have been encouraged by the increased library use. After all, snowbirds are usually here 4-6 months of the year, financially for them it makes sense (internet use especially).
I use the on-line library service of WorldCat to find books our library system doesn't have and they will request them for me. Since these are non-fiction books, and frankly are rather specialized, I see no need for our library system to purchase them.
We are so well known at our local branch, the librarians will often tell us of new arrivals that 'fit' our interests.
It is important to support publically funded resources to keep them active - we tell all our snowbird neighbors of the joys of the library - you'd be surprised how many no so little about a wonderful place.
In comment #10 I describe "jacking," where the product is concentrated through partial freezing. (Only the water freezes, so the alcohol remains behind.) This is how apple jack is made, but you could do it with any alcoholic beverage. One big advantage is that it's legal.
Jacking and stills are the only techniques I know of for producing beverage-grade concentrated alcohol. There are other techniques, used for producing laboratory-grade pure alcohol, but I don't think any are suitable for producing beverages.
As I've said above, I've heard the same thing you have about aluminum, but I don't know if it's true or what the mechanism of the danger would be if it is.
Cheers to libraries! In addition to all of the above, don't forget that libraries provide you with a FREE and safe and pleasant space to get away from everything, to just read or relax. Also, some libraries offer homework help, and mine even has subscriptions to language learning programs like Rosetta Stone!
I live in a very small town, population 1,600. The public library is about five miles from my home. I don't have a car and public transportation is nonexistent, but I can use my library card to access various databases from my home computer...books, newspapers, reference material and genealogical records, such as actual images of federal census schedules.
If I lived within walking distance I would probably be at the library every day to take advantage of so many other things that they offer.
I think this is the best post I've ever read over at Wise Bread. Closely examining how we view money in our society is the first step to having a healthy relationship with it.
I agree with you about television and the direction it has taken. We don't have one. I can't stand the thought of my children accepting these attitudes as being somehow "normal". Although maybe they now are. Ugh.
Such exciting TV shows I'm missing out on over here. Why would she go on such a show? Surely she knew from the show's format that secrets would come out?
...not every single post on this blog is about that specific topic. As writers, we have to be allowed a little latitude to keep everything fresh for our readers. But I think asking the question "how far would you go for money?" defines the difference between being frugal, and being cheap. Sacrificing your marriage and ethics for a quick buck crosses that line, I think.
I wonder how a post like this has anything to do with living large in a small budget. I think the author is just fishing for something new to post about.
jpm got bear stearns. watch out...it's happening
ouch!
I was just commenting on libraries on another blog. People are so quick to go on line get an answer. I remember the days of treking down to the library and researching for writing papers and finding information. I hope they do not close libraries I see them also becoming a place to access internet referance materials also.
Also when you make these list keep in mind you have to have the insurance to cover it to have it reimbursed. Most insurances like we think do not cover contents. Seperate policies for jewlery and electronics but furniture is not covered. A lesson learned by many after hurricane season.
It's fine to drink it without distilling it--basically, you've just made wine (or maybe beer). It probably won't taste very good, though, unless you get a book on making beer or making wine and follow the directions. (Another big advantage of distilling, aside from making it stronger, is that you can mix it with something that tastes better.) One advantage of making beer or wine is that it's legal.
For the fermenting stage, you definitely don't want to use an air-tight container: The yeasts produce carbon dioxide as well as ethanol, and an airtight container will explode. You can get fancy gas locks that let the carbon dioxide escape while keeping things from getting in. That's important for making fine wines (to keep out wild yeasts and such), but not so important for moonshine--just cover the container loosely to keep out dust.
does it matter if air can get in the container or no?
thankyou
We used BJ's brand exclusively for our oldest child (now 2 1/2) and are currently using it for our youngest (4 1/2 months).
No problems here. My take was it's regulated, it can't be bad.
The price was just unbeatable. The price was exactly half price of the Similac and Enfamil (which is already cheaper at BJ's) when you matched it up at equal weight. Plus, BJ's has been frequently throwing out $4 off coupons.
Their formula is in 51.4 ounce containers (double the size of the normal sized Similac and Enfamil) and costs $19.99.
On a side note, we just found out that formula is covered by our medical plan to the tune of $87.50 for a 3 month supply (basically any brand including Similac/Enfamil). So, although BJ's brand is great buy, we can't pass up this price. Our calculations put us at about $50 to $60 per month using BJ's brand, so less than $30 a month is a no brainer.
So, check your medical plan first! And if not, if you are a BJ's member, checking out their formula (and diapers and wipes for that matter) is a must.
does it matter what it is fermented in could u us glass
would it be ok to drink it without distilling it?
I've thought about doing this for awhile but I've always wondered about what to do for large/expensive pieces of stuff that I didn't keep the receipts for. I don't mean to sound lazy, but how beneficial is it to go to all the trouble of inventorying everything with no proof of when you bought it or it's current value? Can a picture really convey the true value to an insurance agent?
sweet site, thanks Roy!
For my wedding, I received my great-grandmothers kitchenaid mixer, and it still works great. Hildegarde worked as a cook a school cafeteria while raising 3 kids of her own and used it everyday. I don't know how old it is, but it still runs perfectly. I hope I can pass it on to my children as well. The only thing that bothers me is that the plug is not grounded, only two prongs.
At my library you can borrow fiction DVDs for a week, and non-fiction DVDs for 3 weeks. My library has TONS of exercise DVDs for all ages and abilities. When I made a resolution to lose weight these DVDs were great, because I wasn't buying a bunch of tapes only to hate the person in them, or find that the tapes were too difficult for my abilities, or discover that I just didn't like them. With the library's resources I was able to find the perfect series of tapes, I exchanged them when I got bored or the tapes became too easy for me, and I always had something "new" to use when I worked out.
I also borrow children's books on CD for long car trips, not to mention the camping and travel guides for the places that we are going.
http://www.rameniac.com/ is what I check. You know your reviewer is hardcore when he lists the 22 styles of ramen...I didn't even know they had that many. I've been reading in anticipation for the jpn trip.
Before you go too far down the road of creating your own home inventory, I would suggest that you check out the free home inventory program provided by the Insurance Information Institute. The software is called "Know Your Stuff" and here is the opening for the program in a Google search that provides a pretty good description:
"Once you have completed your inventory, it is easy to keep your information up to date. New: Know Your Stuff, Home Inventory 3.0 with Vault 24 secure file..."
You can find this download at http://www.knowyourstuff.org/download.html
Creating your own inventory is intuitive - you name/create a room and then load items with descriptions and images. There are entries for date of purchase, cost of purchase, scanned image of sales receipts, valuation for replacement, and an image of the item. After the inventory is compiled you can print off a copy for your personal records. We burned CDs with the inventory software and the household inventory and have one at our insurance agent's office and copies with our children for safekeeping. Our insurance agent was not aware of this free program until we gave him our copy. He now recommends it to others.
Nice post.
For work one can not beat a pair of Timberland Pro Work Boots. Mine have steel toes for safety but look for those with double soles. My pair has lasted 4 years with rougn use in a foundry.
Also Oneida Limitied Flatware is great. Growing up outside of Sherill NY we would frequently visit the "Morgue" (because that is where they sold the obsolete, dead patterns) for silverwear.
For kitchen appliances nnobody mentioned the Kitchen Aid mixers. My mother still uses hers and it is 50 years old. I swear they designed it for cement.
My filler strategy is to use the lowest price sort on jangle.net. Then just pick my category.
It's easy to tell which items qualify for Amazon's free super saver shipping too. Just look for the little shipping truck graphic.
Jangle's best buys are the real deal for me. Their best buys are a blend of the highest rated, discounted/low priced, and most popular products on sale at Amazon.
http://www.jangle.net
As permananet residents of Florida my husband and I rely on the library for access to free books, tapes, movies, newspapers, magazines, etc.
When our county had money problems this library hours were cut, fines increased from $.10 to $.25, charge for internet use by non-library card holders increased from $1 per hour to $5 and the charge for non-resident library cards increased from $20 to $35. We were very sorry to see this happen but have been encouraged by the increased library use. After all, snowbirds are usually here 4-6 months of the year, financially for them it makes sense (internet use especially).
I use the on-line library service of WorldCat to find books our library system doesn't have and they will request them for me. Since these are non-fiction books, and frankly are rather specialized, I see no need for our library system to purchase them.
We are so well known at our local branch, the librarians will often tell us of new arrivals that 'fit' our interests.
It is important to support publically funded resources to keep them active - we tell all our snowbird neighbors of the joys of the library - you'd be surprised how many no so little about a wonderful place.
In comment #10 I describe "jacking," where the product is concentrated through partial freezing. (Only the water freezes, so the alcohol remains behind.) This is how apple jack is made, but you could do it with any alcoholic beverage. One big advantage is that it's legal.
Jacking and stills are the only techniques I know of for producing beverage-grade concentrated alcohol. There are other techniques, used for producing laboratory-grade pure alcohol, but I don't think any are suitable for producing beverages.
As I've said above, I've heard the same thing you have about aluminum, but I don't know if it's true or what the mechanism of the danger would be if it is.
Cheers to libraries! In addition to all of the above, don't forget that libraries provide you with a FREE and safe and pleasant space to get away from everything, to just read or relax. Also, some libraries offer homework help, and mine even has subscriptions to language learning programs like Rosetta Stone!
I live in a very small town, population 1,600. The public library is about five miles from my home. I don't have a car and public transportation is nonexistent, but I can use my library card to access various databases from my home computer...books, newspapers, reference material and genealogical records, such as actual images of federal census schedules.
If I lived within walking distance I would probably be at the library every day to take advantage of so many other things that they offer.