Guess luxury is in the eye of the USER. I absolutely LOVE my dishwasher and microwave. They get lots of use. PS . . . I also do NOT want to give up my trash compactor! In my kitchen, these appliances are all necessary and worth it.
I haven't gotten to travel in a long time, but the last few times I did, my boyfriend at the time paid for everything, which was a great way to save ME money, haha. In the past, I used to spend the night in the airport instead of paying for a hotel.
With regards to how much my friends and I earn, I don't care. However, I do think people should be more open about what they can and can't afford, and so I try to be open about this to encourage the behaviour in others. There would be a lot less debt in the world if everyone sat back and acknowledged what they can spend their money on.
I'm a lot more open about my specific outgoings in the Internet (on my blog) than in real life, but again that's because I want to encourage people to be open and to think about these things. I would never ask a friend any questions about this though, in case they thought I was being rude! Hopefully my openness will encourage them!
The only person I know who prefers an electric can-opener to a manual one is my grandma, and that's because of her arthritis. Electric can-openers are dirty; I can't stand them.
What if you added oil instead of water? I came across a recipe for "cloud dough" (can't remember where) that was just oil and flour and it said it felt kind of like moon dough. It would be less likely to dry out than when it is made with water, but I'm not sure it would have the same properties...
I also agree with having good cookware. When we first bought our house, we bought a cheap set of pots and pans. The handles would always get loose and the non-stick coating was already failing. The lower upfront expense is not worth the constant replacement cost.
I recently purchased All Clad copper core cookware. It was very expensive, but I believe with the right care, it will last us the rest of our lives.
I'm glad you brought up the skillet. I will have to invest in a good one to keep around.
A great way to save money that wasn't really mentioned is to receive second hand items. I have a lot of family and friends who have had children in the past few years and are not planning on having any more. They were more than happy to give me their gently used items. Most of which are in great condition. We've managed to save hundreds and hundreds of dollars on items like cribs, swings, and clothing.
The items that were not usable were turned into Babies 'R' Us last week during their trade in sale. Since we needed to get rid of the items anyway, we got 25% off new items in the store (which was on par with online pricing for the same item). We took the opportunity to buy a new infant car seat.
I applied and used the card. I thought it was a good idea at the time. I just cancelled it. My name changed (got married) I applied for a card with my new name on it. Before I received it my old card had been cancelled. I had direct deposit and money on the card. Didn't find out it was cancelled until I was out of town trying to purchase gas. I was LIVID!! Then I call and ask them to reinstate the old card until I could get the new one and they told me they couldn't do that!!!! WTF??? THIS IS MY MONEY AND I CAN'T USE IT! That is just AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE on steroids! I immediately changed my direct deposit, moved my funds to my bank via bill payment and shut this crap doen!
Very well said. So many people seem to believe that more equals better, that more money equals happiness, and never evaluate their core values. When you don't understand what your core values are, you'll never be satisfied.
Sonja, I've made this bread three different times this week with the flax seed, and it just won't rise. It did better with the eggs, but I was still not totally satisfied with how fluffy it was the first time. I too, like many before me, have made the flour mix to your exact specs, I made sure the yeast was room temp and bubbling nicely before adding, and even added in two to three minutes extra mixing time to activate the xanthum gum. I have an Oster breadmaker that has the 80 minute time, and I suspect it doesn't allow for enough rise time... I will do this manually next time and just bake in the oven, and see how long it takes to rise high enough to the top. That said, it still seems to shrink down when baking and fall afterward, making a very moist, dense loaf...
I'm not sure whether it's the allowed rise time, or possibly the flax mix vs. eggs?? I'd really like to use the flax mix! Any thoughts?
Hi, Not liking liquid smoke myself, I have found smoked paprika to be a great smoky enhancer. We also buy the cheapest wines on sale to cook with. A little of both of these items go a long way for flavoring and last a long time. Dried spices and seasonings can be expensive, we always buy spices at the bulk natural store bins, and buy what we need. Also grow and dry what we can from our garden. Another cheaper option is to make your own spice mixes such as pumpkin pie spice. There are many recipes on line for mixes, some are great like Emeril's Bayou Blast. We gave up salting most things we make, so spices, herbs, and other flavorings have really become important to our meals. The biggest waste for vegetarian, vegan, or any cooking is letting your perishables perish in your refrigerator or pantry. We had a terrible problem with that previously. I have worked on it by not buying so much at once, paying closer attention to what we have, storing certain things away from one another, and finding recipes online to deal with not so great condition items.
I save because I never know what the future will hold. I want to be able to pay my medical bills and affording housing. I do not want my kids to take care of me.
These are great tips! As a career consultant, I've found that JibberJobber.com is a great job search organizational website and being "creative" on Linkedin searches helps me come up with company and networking ideas. Thanks for pulling it all together in one article. - - Terry Walton www.MyCareerCatapult.com
It's ridiculous the amount of kitchen gadgets available these days. I agree, my garlic press, my knives and my pots & pans are the most important.
I refuse to get a stand mixer though. I don't want to give up the precious counter space - and I think it's nice to get a good work-out beating and mixing things by hand!
As someone who loves to cook, and lives alone, I can see both sides of this idea. There are certainly some specialty items that I can't live without - my breadmaker, since I bake a whole-grain loaf a week (requires a double rise that I don't have time to stay home to monitor); my slow cooker, since I use that about every two weeks and with my schedule I can't be home to do baked beans/chili/sauerbraten/whatever on the stove; my microwave, since I cook in large batches and reheat portions every day; my coffeemaker, since I'm picky about my coffee.
That said, I do have a lot of "stuff" in my kitchen that I could probably live without but comes in extremely handy when I want it - specific sized bakeware/springform pan, baking stone, lime squeezer (mojitos, anyone?), standing mixer (every time I use it I think "thank you!" to the person who gave it to me). I wouldn't cook nearly the variety of lovely dishes that I do if I didn't have the right tools. Fortunately, almost all the specialty stuff was given to me over the years, so I just take care of it so I don't have to replace it. I did get rid of the waffle maker, though, when I realized I'd used it once in 15 years!
Great Post!! I choose to be frugal in some areas to spend in others. We recently went on a 2-week all inclusive 5 star resort vacation to PR for our honeymoon that we saved for 4 years for and paid cash. Because we choose to not buy "stuff" or keep up with our neighbors we both get to work part time (I work mornings, hubby afternoons) and spend lots of time together and with our 3 kids. People assume we are pretty broke so needless to say they were shocked that we were going on vacation.
A good stock pot or slow cooker. I love slow cookers because I don't have to worry about watching the clock or worrying about timing. I can do without gadgets...pizza cutters, vegetable slicers, hand choppers, etc. They look convenient and easy to use, but really they just clutter up my drawers and are a pain to clean.
We use our secondhand crock pot almost every week. It saves us a time and money. We also use our secondhand bread maker almost every week and it is saves us time and money and is super easy to clean. You may want to try to get rid of 1/3 or of you dishes and fill the extra space with a crock pot or bread maker. I agree with you on the can opener though.
Guess luxury is in the eye of the USER. I absolutely LOVE my dishwasher and microwave. They get lots of use. PS . . . I also do NOT want to give up my trash compactor! In my kitchen, these appliances are all necessary and worth it.
I'd say that was covered in #15, but good point!
I haven't gotten to travel in a long time, but the last few times I did, my boyfriend at the time paid for everything, which was a great way to save ME money, haha. In the past, I used to spend the night in the airport instead of paying for a hotel.
I like WiseBread on Facebook.
With regards to how much my friends and I earn, I don't care. However, I do think people should be more open about what they can and can't afford, and so I try to be open about this to encourage the behaviour in others. There would be a lot less debt in the world if everyone sat back and acknowledged what they can spend their money on.
I'm a lot more open about my specific outgoings in the Internet (on my blog) than in real life, but again that's because I want to encourage people to be open and to think about these things. I would never ask a friend any questions about this though, in case they thought I was being rude! Hopefully my openness will encourage them!
The only person I know who prefers an electric can-opener to a manual one is my grandma, and that's because of her arthritis. Electric can-openers are dirty; I can't stand them.
What if you added oil instead of water? I came across a recipe for "cloud dough" (can't remember where) that was just oil and flour and it said it felt kind of like moon dough. It would be less likely to dry out than when it is made with water, but I'm not sure it would have the same properties...
I also agree with having good cookware. When we first bought our house, we bought a cheap set of pots and pans. The handles would always get loose and the non-stick coating was already failing. The lower upfront expense is not worth the constant replacement cost.
I recently purchased All Clad copper core cookware. It was very expensive, but I believe with the right care, it will last us the rest of our lives.
I'm glad you brought up the skillet. I will have to invest in a good one to keep around.
A great way to save money that wasn't really mentioned is to receive second hand items. I have a lot of family and friends who have had children in the past few years and are not planning on having any more. They were more than happy to give me their gently used items. Most of which are in great condition. We've managed to save hundreds and hundreds of dollars on items like cribs, swings, and clothing.
The items that were not usable were turned into Babies 'R' Us last week during their trade in sale. Since we needed to get rid of the items anyway, we got 25% off new items in the store (which was on par with online pricing for the same item). We took the opportunity to buy a new infant car seat.
I applied and used the card. I thought it was a good idea at the time. I just cancelled it. My name changed (got married) I applied for a card with my new name on it. Before I received it my old card had been cancelled. I had direct deposit and money on the card. Didn't find out it was cancelled until I was out of town trying to purchase gas. I was LIVID!! Then I call and ask them to reinstate the old card until I could get the new one and they told me they couldn't do that!!!! WTF??? THIS IS MY MONEY AND I CAN'T USE IT! That is just AWFUL CUSTOMER SERVICE on steroids! I immediately changed my direct deposit, moved my funds to my bank via bill payment and shut this crap doen!
I definitely agree with good cookware. It directly affects your quality of living - who doesn't need food, and well prepared food, at that?
Very well said. So many people seem to believe that more equals better, that more money equals happiness, and never evaluate their core values. When you don't understand what your core values are, you'll never be satisfied.
Sonja, I've made this bread three different times this week with the flax seed, and it just won't rise. It did better with the eggs, but I was still not totally satisfied with how fluffy it was the first time. I too, like many before me, have made the flour mix to your exact specs, I made sure the yeast was room temp and bubbling nicely before adding, and even added in two to three minutes extra mixing time to activate the xanthum gum. I have an Oster breadmaker that has the 80 minute time, and I suspect it doesn't allow for enough rise time... I will do this manually next time and just bake in the oven, and see how long it takes to rise high enough to the top. That said, it still seems to shrink down when baking and fall afterward, making a very moist, dense loaf...
I'm not sure whether it's the allowed rise time, or possibly the flax mix vs. eggs?? I'd really like to use the flax mix! Any thoughts?
Thanks for the article! With everyone being connected constantly it's hard to ever shut off from work, sometimes we just need to remember how.
Hi, Not liking liquid smoke myself, I have found smoked paprika to be a great smoky enhancer. We also buy the cheapest wines on sale to cook with. A little of both of these items go a long way for flavoring and last a long time. Dried spices and seasonings can be expensive, we always buy spices at the bulk natural store bins, and buy what we need. Also grow and dry what we can from our garden. Another cheaper option is to make your own spice mixes such as pumpkin pie spice. There are many recipes on line for mixes, some are great like Emeril's Bayou Blast. We gave up salting most things we make, so spices, herbs, and other flavorings have really become important to our meals. The biggest waste for vegetarian, vegan, or any cooking is letting your perishables perish in your refrigerator or pantry. We had a terrible problem with that previously. I have worked on it by not buying so much at once, paying closer attention to what we have, storing certain things away from one another, and finding recipes online to deal with not so great condition items.
I save because I never know what the future will hold. I want to be able to pay my medical bills and affording housing. I do not want my kids to take care of me.
These are great tips! As a career consultant, I've found that JibberJobber.com is a great job search organizational website and being "creative" on Linkedin searches helps me come up with company and networking ideas. Thanks for pulling it all together in one article. - - Terry Walton www.MyCareerCatapult.com
For real, where is this property?
It's ridiculous the amount of kitchen gadgets available these days. I agree, my garlic press, my knives and my pots & pans are the most important.
I refuse to get a stand mixer though. I don't want to give up the precious counter space - and I think it's nice to get a good work-out beating and mixing things by hand!
As someone who loves to cook, and lives alone, I can see both sides of this idea. There are certainly some specialty items that I can't live without - my breadmaker, since I bake a whole-grain loaf a week (requires a double rise that I don't have time to stay home to monitor); my slow cooker, since I use that about every two weeks and with my schedule I can't be home to do baked beans/chili/sauerbraten/whatever on the stove; my microwave, since I cook in large batches and reheat portions every day; my coffeemaker, since I'm picky about my coffee.
That said, I do have a lot of "stuff" in my kitchen that I could probably live without but comes in extremely handy when I want it - specific sized bakeware/springform pan, baking stone, lime squeezer (mojitos, anyone?), standing mixer (every time I use it I think "thank you!" to the person who gave it to me). I wouldn't cook nearly the variety of lovely dishes that I do if I didn't have the right tools. Fortunately, almost all the specialty stuff was given to me over the years, so I just take care of it so I don't have to replace it. I did get rid of the waffle maker, though, when I realized I'd used it once in 15 years!
Great Post!! I choose to be frugal in some areas to spend in others. We recently went on a 2-week all inclusive 5 star resort vacation to PR for our honeymoon that we saved for 4 years for and paid cash. Because we choose to not buy "stuff" or keep up with our neighbors we both get to work part time (I work mornings, hubby afternoons) and spend lots of time together and with our 3 kids. People assume we are pretty broke so needless to say they were shocked that we were going on vacation.
WOW....Thats sooooo not a honest move!!!
For the paper mache you can put the strips on a balloon then when it dries paint it, fill it with candy and you have your own pinata
A good stock pot or slow cooker. I love slow cookers because I don't have to worry about watching the clock or worrying about timing. I can do without gadgets...pizza cutters, vegetable slicers, hand choppers, etc. They look convenient and easy to use, but really they just clutter up my drawers and are a pain to clean.
We use our secondhand crock pot almost every week. It saves us a time and money. We also use our secondhand bread maker almost every week and it is saves us time and money and is super easy to clean. You may want to try to get rid of 1/3 or of you dishes and fill the extra space with a crock pot or bread maker. I agree with you on the can opener though.