I live in a neighborhood that has become Halloween Central. We get over 800 children coming to our door, which, as you can imagine is pretty expensive.
Every year, we invite our friends from rural neighborhoods to join us for soup and salad and dessert. The price of admission? A big bag of candy.
It's a unique way to socialize. It helps us keep up with the rush. And no one feels we're being cheap. They're excited to join us for a unique occasion.
I would have to advise against cooking anything in tin cans. They are lined with plastic that contains BPA, which can leach into food, ESPECIALLY when heated.
Earn Bonuses for Setting Aside Money in Savings Accounts - I find that if you're willing to commit to putting money aside, many banks will regard you for doing that. I currently receive a market beating interest rate for the commitment of £250 per month.
I, too, had a partial scholarship. I was married and had a child before age 20. I finished college with no financial support from my parents and am now 34, still married and have two kids. We have no debt other than our mortgage, which has only $95K left for a 5-bedroom house. We have $65k in retirement, $250k in life insurance.
What I never understand is how people get so much debt from college loans and don't have a career to show for it. What were you thinking?
Chris, I live in Indiana and I've only ever had one produce mishap where all of the onions were bad. I shop at Aldi often and I love their produce. It's so much cheaper than Walmart or anywhere else, especially the avocados. Those things can be up to $1.50 everywhere else, but at Aldi, I can get them for 39 cents. I think that ultimately, it depends on the Aldi employees and whether they rotate the produce on schedule.
I have read this article, as well as many others, along with the comments provided. I have been a prisoner by my cold sores since I was 8 years old (I am now 20 years old). There are some previously mentioned remedies I have yet to try and also several antibiotics/ointments to take. However, I stand by the fact that drying out the cold-sore is the best way to go. Sometimes I try to put an icepack on it to keep it from swelling. Sometimes it works for me, other times it doesn't. I just had one pop up this morning and am having to treat it now. The thing that works best for me, thanks to my Aunt Lisa, is to put a cotton ball soaked in Vinegar and leave on the cold sore. It kills the bacteria while also drying it out and decreasing the appearance of the cold sore. Unfortunately, I have no vinegar at the moment to treat mine, but you best believe I will try using nail polish remover as an alternative for now until I go to the store. Hope this helps someone, it was life-changing for me!
My entire circle of friends consists of new parents on VERY strict budgets. We have kid-friendly pot luck dinners at least once a month, trading off houses--each couple brings one dish that feeds 6-8, one bottle of either wine or hard alcohol that's under $10, and one game or movie. The whole crew gets to eat like kings and queens, drink a variety of different cocktails and whoop it up without worrying about babysitters, splitting pricey dinner bills, tips, etc. for about $20-$25.
Finding what you enjoy is vital. Not everyone loves running, not everyone loves Zumba and not everyone loves the elliptical. The key to sticking to a fitness routine is to figure out which kind of exercise you like best and actually feel good and happy while doing. Of course you won't stick to something that you dread doing everyday. Music also really helps! Get yourself an iPod and make some great playlists and that could mean all of the difference.
Even doing one of these more frugal ideas just once will probably be enough to change your friends mind about whats fun. Having friends over for cocktails and board games can be even more fun-filled then going out to a bar. And if they're true friends, they will understand that you're strapped for cash and will be more than willing to bite the bullet on an expensive outing to just hang.
Hi, I am new to this. For the first recipe of this article, can I just use the everyday olive oil for cooking or is it another kind of *olive oil* you are talking about?
There are always "indoor but away from home" options, like museums, libraries, galleries, and so on.
For example, get in touch with the local arts community and get hooked up to find out about opening receptions at galleries. Champaign-Urbana is pretty small, but there's a steady stream of such events, which are not only indoors and free, but often include free wine and snacks. Probably not very interesting unless you're interested in art and the people who make it, but if you are it's a great way to get to know other like-minded people in your community. If you have a group of friends who are also interested, it can be a very pleasant way to pass an evening in convivial companionship.
Similarly, you could go to author readings. Hang out with your friends in the bookstore for a bit, then listen to the author read. If the particular book grabs your interest, you can buy a copy and stand in line to get it signed, but there's no obligation. You're totally free to just slip out with your friends once the line forms.
We do a lot of BBQ's and outdoor things when the weather is nice, but we also do potlucks with slow cookers, soups, ethnic foods, etc. Whatever the theme we always have fun! Outdoor games are also fun, like Can Jam and such. Get together's for NASCAR races or football games is also a crowd favorite, (not mine), but no matter what we do we always end up having some laughs.
I think that it's important to socialize and get out, and that's perfectly obtainable even with a frugal lifestyle. I also don't wait to be invited somewhere and do some of the "we should" or "do you want to's" myself. I have purchased movie packages with rewards points, and there are always deals on wine tours in my area. Sometimes I will get a car load of friends together, throw a cooler in my trunk, and head out to a local state park with a beach. Museums are another good option, especially on free days.
We used to do this all of the time when I had a bunch of single friends and we used to do this all of the time. We used to have each other over for movies, pizza, cheap movie theaters. If we went to someones house the rules were singles, soda, and socks...singles for pizza money, bring your own soda, and socks so we wouldn't get each others floors dirty. This worked out for guys and girls. Sometimes we would play board games, watch movies, play cards, make each other dinner or dessert. We would usually go out once in a while. We would do this all of the time on the weekends. Some one would start it, then we would just pass it around. We had a nice night out at 'the turn of the century' for an enjoyable evening out at a very nice high end restaurant as a 'once in a while splurge'. I mean how can you not at the end of the century. We are all fairly frugal people still.
I've been struggling with this... I work from home. We eat nearly all of our meals at home, and I occasionally invite people over (and I do occasionally go over to other people's houses who also think making meals together is fun). I feel like I'm stuck in my house all the time! During the summer I try to meet up with friends in parks just so I can get out of here, but in the winter (and spring and fall...it's always raining here) it's a real challenge. Any ideas?
Right! BBQs, cookouts, picnics, etc. are excellent options that people can choose purely because they like them—with the fact that they can be pretty frugal being entirely secondary.
I gave up on soda in April last year, so it's nearly a year. I've never missed it. I used to LOVE it, soda in my lunch everyday, and i realised how bad that was.. so i stopped. It didn't take that much will power honestly, it's kind of weird. Anyway, you will sometimes feel like a sip wouldn't hurt while eating popcorn at the cinemas, but it will. My sister tells me to live my life, and stop being so healthy.. i won't be able to live it comfortably. SO.. if you're looking for a sign to stop drinking soda, THIS IS IT.
The best advice I ever heard was from a supermodel, who said she puts on her workout clothes right when she gets out of bed. Anyone can make an excuse not to go to the gym, but when you are already dressed for it, it is a lot more difficult to find a plausible reason to skip it.
I find that frugal activities-- barbecues, outside games and sports, etc.-- are usually the most fun anyhow. I love to get together with our neighbors and friends, cook some inexpensive pulled pork, and sit outside and watch the kids run themselves ragged. That's frugal, but it is also living!
For just over a month I started excercising, counting calories, and eating more fruits/vegetables. I've lost 15 lbs already. I use fitday.com I still allow myself 0-2 mountain dew cans a week and I just had take out pizza over the weekend.
It's important when you start your path to being healthier that you allow yourself, in moderation, some treats. If you deprave yourself then later on you'll get a big craving and risk losing all your progress.
Excercise in the morning is a no go. When I get home from my 10 hour a day job I take a few minutes to set my stuff down and breath. Then I put in a dvd or tv show, get on my indoor bike, and ride for 45-60 minutes. I do this 5-7 days a week. It's important for me to get started within 30 minutes of getting home or else I won't have the motivation to do it at all.
Using fitday.com lets me keep track of the calories I consume, see how many I have burned, what nutrition for the day, week, month I've had, etc. I created a weight goal, and the site tells me how many more calories a day I need to burn over what I consume in order to reach that goal.
If I want to lose 1 lb a week, then I need to burn 500 more calories than I eat a day every day of the week. 1lb = 3500 calories. It's recommended not to lose more than 2 lbs a week. Keeping this in mind is important because so many people (including me) want the weight loss to happen overnight, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. If you want to lose 50 lbs it will take months, not weeks. (realistically)
It's possible to lose weight while still watching tv and enjoying treats. All in moderation. :)
Haha..I loved this article too. They're always axing the people who don't want to get laid off, but keep the people who do. Guess I gotta step things up a notch!
We received the Capresso grinder from our wedding registry. It did a nice job grinding the coffee, as advertised. But as soon as we removed the plastic grinding chamber from the unit to take out the coffee, static electricity sent the grinds flying everywhere: all over the counter, all over our hands, and all over the unit. I tried a dozen troubleshooting fixes - everything I could think of and more that I found researching online - to no avail. We ended up returning the grinder and getting a Cuisinart. The Cuisinart doesn't grind as consistently, but at least we don't have a huge mess after every grind. It is a shame, but it was just too messy every single time.
I live in a neighborhood that has become Halloween Central. We get over 800 children coming to our door, which, as you can imagine is pretty expensive.
Every year, we invite our friends from rural neighborhoods to join us for soup and salad and dessert. The price of admission? A big bag of candy.
It's a unique way to socialize. It helps us keep up with the rush. And no one feels we're being cheap. They're excited to join us for a unique occasion.
I would have to advise against cooking anything in tin cans. They are lined with plastic that contains BPA, which can leach into food, ESPECIALLY when heated.
Earn Bonuses for Setting Aside Money in Savings Accounts - I find that if you're willing to commit to putting money aside, many banks will regard you for doing that. I currently receive a market beating interest rate for the commitment of £250 per month.
I, too, had a partial scholarship. I was married and had a child before age 20. I finished college with no financial support from my parents and am now 34, still married and have two kids. We have no debt other than our mortgage, which has only $95K left for a 5-bedroom house. We have $65k in retirement, $250k in life insurance.
What I never understand is how people get so much debt from college loans and don't have a career to show for it. What were you thinking?
Good idea... actually there are a lot of monthly art opening nights that I used to frequent. I should get back on that train. Thanks!
Chris, I live in Indiana and I've only ever had one produce mishap where all of the onions were bad. I shop at Aldi often and I love their produce. It's so much cheaper than Walmart or anywhere else, especially the avocados. Those things can be up to $1.50 everywhere else, but at Aldi, I can get them for 39 cents. I think that ultimately, it depends on the Aldi employees and whether they rotate the produce on schedule.
Hello Cold-Sore Sufferers!
I have read this article, as well as many others, along with the comments provided. I have been a prisoner by my cold sores since I was 8 years old (I am now 20 years old). There are some previously mentioned remedies I have yet to try and also several antibiotics/ointments to take. However, I stand by the fact that drying out the cold-sore is the best way to go. Sometimes I try to put an icepack on it to keep it from swelling. Sometimes it works for me, other times it doesn't. I just had one pop up this morning and am having to treat it now. The thing that works best for me, thanks to my Aunt Lisa, is to put a cotton ball soaked in Vinegar and leave on the cold sore. It kills the bacteria while also drying it out and decreasing the appearance of the cold sore. Unfortunately, I have no vinegar at the moment to treat mine, but you best believe I will try using nail polish remover as an alternative for now until I go to the store. Hope this helps someone, it was life-changing for me!
And once you convince them that the cheaper alternatives can be more fun, the fact that they're cheaper won't matter to anyone.
My entire circle of friends consists of new parents on VERY strict budgets. We have kid-friendly pot luck dinners at least once a month, trading off houses--each couple brings one dish that feeds 6-8, one bottle of either wine or hard alcohol that's under $10, and one game or movie. The whole crew gets to eat like kings and queens, drink a variety of different cocktails and whoop it up without worrying about babysitters, splitting pricey dinner bills, tips, etc. for about $20-$25.
Finding what you enjoy is vital. Not everyone loves running, not everyone loves Zumba and not everyone loves the elliptical. The key to sticking to a fitness routine is to figure out which kind of exercise you like best and actually feel good and happy while doing. Of course you won't stick to something that you dread doing everyday. Music also really helps! Get yourself an iPod and make some great playlists and that could mean all of the difference.
Even doing one of these more frugal ideas just once will probably be enough to change your friends mind about whats fun. Having friends over for cocktails and board games can be even more fun-filled then going out to a bar. And if they're true friends, they will understand that you're strapped for cash and will be more than willing to bite the bullet on an expensive outing to just hang.
Hi, I am new to this. For the first recipe of this article, can I just use the everyday olive oil for cooking or is it another kind of *olive oil* you are talking about?
There are always "indoor but away from home" options, like museums, libraries, galleries, and so on.
For example, get in touch with the local arts community and get hooked up to find out about opening receptions at galleries. Champaign-Urbana is pretty small, but there's a steady stream of such events, which are not only indoors and free, but often include free wine and snacks. Probably not very interesting unless you're interested in art and the people who make it, but if you are it's a great way to get to know other like-minded people in your community. If you have a group of friends who are also interested, it can be a very pleasant way to pass an evening in convivial companionship.
Similarly, you could go to author readings. Hang out with your friends in the bookstore for a bit, then listen to the author read. If the particular book grabs your interest, you can buy a copy and stand in line to get it signed, but there's no obligation. You're totally free to just slip out with your friends once the line forms.
Thanks for the link on my post :). I love living like a traveler at home!
We do a lot of BBQ's and outdoor things when the weather is nice, but we also do potlucks with slow cookers, soups, ethnic foods, etc. Whatever the theme we always have fun! Outdoor games are also fun, like Can Jam and such. Get together's for NASCAR races or football games is also a crowd favorite, (not mine), but no matter what we do we always end up having some laughs.
I think that it's important to socialize and get out, and that's perfectly obtainable even with a frugal lifestyle. I also don't wait to be invited somewhere and do some of the "we should" or "do you want to's" myself. I have purchased movie packages with rewards points, and there are always deals on wine tours in my area. Sometimes I will get a car load of friends together, throw a cooler in my trunk, and head out to a local state park with a beach. Museums are another good option, especially on free days.
We used to do this all of the time when I had a bunch of single friends and we used to do this all of the time. We used to have each other over for movies, pizza, cheap movie theaters. If we went to someones house the rules were singles, soda, and socks...singles for pizza money, bring your own soda, and socks so we wouldn't get each others floors dirty. This worked out for guys and girls. Sometimes we would play board games, watch movies, play cards, make each other dinner or dessert. We would usually go out once in a while. We would do this all of the time on the weekends. Some one would start it, then we would just pass it around. We had a nice night out at 'the turn of the century' for an enjoyable evening out at a very nice high end restaurant as a 'once in a while splurge'. I mean how can you not at the end of the century. We are all fairly frugal people still.
I've been struggling with this... I work from home. We eat nearly all of our meals at home, and I occasionally invite people over (and I do occasionally go over to other people's houses who also think making meals together is fun). I feel like I'm stuck in my house all the time! During the summer I try to meet up with friends in parks just so I can get out of here, but in the winter (and spring and fall...it's always raining here) it's a real challenge. Any ideas?
Right! BBQs, cookouts, picnics, etc. are excellent options that people can choose purely because they like them—with the fact that they can be pretty frugal being entirely secondary.
I gave up on soda in April last year, so it's nearly a year. I've never missed it. I used to LOVE it, soda in my lunch everyday, and i realised how bad that was.. so i stopped. It didn't take that much will power honestly, it's kind of weird. Anyway, you will sometimes feel like a sip wouldn't hurt while eating popcorn at the cinemas, but it will. My sister tells me to live my life, and stop being so healthy.. i won't be able to live it comfortably. SO.. if you're looking for a sign to stop drinking soda, THIS IS IT.
The best advice I ever heard was from a supermodel, who said she puts on her workout clothes right when she gets out of bed. Anyone can make an excuse not to go to the gym, but when you are already dressed for it, it is a lot more difficult to find a plausible reason to skip it.
I find that frugal activities-- barbecues, outside games and sports, etc.-- are usually the most fun anyhow. I love to get together with our neighbors and friends, cook some inexpensive pulled pork, and sit outside and watch the kids run themselves ragged. That's frugal, but it is also living!
For just over a month I started excercising, counting calories, and eating more fruits/vegetables. I've lost 15 lbs already. I use fitday.com I still allow myself 0-2 mountain dew cans a week and I just had take out pizza over the weekend.
It's important when you start your path to being healthier that you allow yourself, in moderation, some treats. If you deprave yourself then later on you'll get a big craving and risk losing all your progress.
Excercise in the morning is a no go. When I get home from my 10 hour a day job I take a few minutes to set my stuff down and breath. Then I put in a dvd or tv show, get on my indoor bike, and ride for 45-60 minutes. I do this 5-7 days a week. It's important for me to get started within 30 minutes of getting home or else I won't have the motivation to do it at all.
Using fitday.com lets me keep track of the calories I consume, see how many I have burned, what nutrition for the day, week, month I've had, etc. I created a weight goal, and the site tells me how many more calories a day I need to burn over what I consume in order to reach that goal.
If I want to lose 1 lb a week, then I need to burn 500 more calories than I eat a day every day of the week. 1lb = 3500 calories. It's recommended not to lose more than 2 lbs a week. Keeping this in mind is important because so many people (including me) want the weight loss to happen overnight, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. If you want to lose 50 lbs it will take months, not weeks. (realistically)
It's possible to lose weight while still watching tv and enjoying treats. All in moderation. :)
I used to shop at thirft stores a lot more. That was before I learned about bed buggs. Buyer beware!
Haha..I loved this article too. They're always axing the people who don't want to get laid off, but keep the people who do. Guess I gotta step things up a notch!
We received the Capresso grinder from our wedding registry. It did a nice job grinding the coffee, as advertised. But as soon as we removed the plastic grinding chamber from the unit to take out the coffee, static electricity sent the grinds flying everywhere: all over the counter, all over our hands, and all over the unit. I tried a dozen troubleshooting fixes - everything I could think of and more that I found researching online - to no avail. We ended up returning the grinder and getting a Cuisinart. The Cuisinart doesn't grind as consistently, but at least we don't have a huge mess after every grind. It is a shame, but it was just too messy every single time.