I've been "lucky" enough that my son is outgrowing clothes that are my size, and I love the style/color/feel to them. New clothes for me without an additional price tag! Of course, it usually means he needs some larger clothes, too. Between consignment shops, thrift shops, clothing giveaways, and the occasional mall purchase, we're doing pretty good. :)
Great ideas! I especially like the sleepover idea. Fun with friends is always a good time. We've started having informal parties around the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes for this reason. Everyone brings a snack. We print off "ballot" sheets and go to town. Fun.
Reusing old yeast will work for a while. Every cycle changes the taste/smell a bit. If your first batch had a great taste and smell, the 10th may not be drinkable. It changes as it evolves.
High alcohol level yeast will tend to lend an off flavour to your drink. If you stay at the lower levels, up to about 12%, you have a better chance of not getting that 'taste'.
If you use a fancy yeast, the 2nd cycle is not as potent, try a nutrient. The easiest to get would be infant dry cereal mix. They come in names like Rice Cereal, Barley Cereal. It looks like instant potatoes. 1/4-1 cup per 5 gallons is more then enough.
In order to reuse old yeast, start with a sterile jar and lid. Pour some of the left over liquid, not sludge, in the jar, top off with 2 tablespoon sugar and warm water. Let it sit on the counter to be sure it is still alive. If you used a very high % yeast, you could have gone to the point that the yeast is not alive. If the yeast shows signs of live, cap it loosely and place in the fridge. You will need to feed it about once a week. 1 or 2 tablespoon of sugar will work. If you are familiar with sour dough, you will know how to keep it going. This is sometimes referred to as a starter.
I usually shop at goodwill or consignment shops. If I do have to buy something new I usually know way ahead of time, i.e. when I packup my winter clothes in the spring. I then just shop around in the spring when things will be cheaper, and when people will be getting rid of those clothes and donating them.
Hello. My visitors have been asking about this, do you mind if I re-print this on my site? I will of course give full credit to this site, and I will link to you if you would like me to. Thanks.
Since we live in Phoenix and see the snow only if we travel to Flagstaff in the winter months we usually shop at the local thrift shops. Our children grow out of clothes quickly and it doesn't make sense to buy new clothing for one trip to snow country per year. We do purchase new snow boots for them, buying the next larger size to get a couple years use.
I like to create a menu for the week and develop a shopping list from it. I then take my shopping list and make one weekly trip to the grocery store. If it isn't on the list I don't buy it. This cuts down on impulse purchases which can really add up.
I have a coat that is a few years old, but still in good shape and not completely outdated. For my kids, I try to buy on sale after the season for next year or periodically check a local consignment shop for snowbibs, pants, etc. Heavy coats are used for only a couple of months down here, so it seems silly to pay full price for them.
although i am a very feminine female...i buy a very large sweatshirt jacket in the men's department at wally world for under $15 ...these wash well and hold up just fine...after several years of getting 1 per year, i now have a colorful collection to coordinate with my outfits. Why men's?...better construction, longer and cheaper than those flimsy ones in the women's dept.
I do most of the suggestions of prior posters, including mainly buying used winter wear, making it last, repairing zippers, patching kids snow pants and so on. But some of these strategies don't work well in all cases. Outdoor clothing for older boys and men is difficult, if not near near impossible, to find used. Sometimes older kids who play winter sports need specialized winter wear. For these cases we use a different strategy.
We have a Cabela's Visa credit card, which has no annual fee. We always pay off the card every month. Through normal credit-card use we accumulate a couple hundred dollars worth of points each year that can be redeemed for the Cabela's goods, including high-quality outdoor wear. For example, a daughter who works outdoors wanted a set of thermal underwear that usually cost about $60 for the set. If we buy enough stuff with these points, the shipping is also free. Every year we usually satisfy some of our Christmas gifts using Cabela points.
I think it's hilarious that you talk about being frugal and then suggest buying *paper towels* in bulk. You want to be frugal? Get some kitchen towels, cut old bath towels into rags for cleaning, and stop buying stuff you just end up throwing away.
i go shopping the day after xmas- EARLY and print out coupons for each store . you save a ton of money! and i go with a list, a friend, and make sure i eat a good breakfast that day. i try not to stray from the list and just get the necessities for the winter. i try and get out before the mall gets too crowded!
The recipe in the post is for using ordinary bakers yeast, like you can get at the store.
It'll top out at about 10% alcohol, but that doesn't matter much once you distill the product.
There are brewers yeast that will produce much higher alcohol concentrations. You can buy them at stores that sell beer- and wine- making supplies.
If you use ordinary bakers yeast, you can reuse old yeast (much as people do with sourdough starter).
With the fancy brewers yeast, that doesn't work so well. Part of the mix is nutrients that help the yeast grow, and those get used up on the first batch.
I agree! I too like to think of myself as frugal. But when it gets to making one self unhappy, I have to pull the plug sometimes. I recently took an old friend out to dinner and he just wanted to drink water and eat a cheap item off the menu. He is more frugal than me yet his frugality actually made taking him out to eat less enjoyable. I'm all for saving money on those things that don't really make us happy, cheaper garbage bags, bargain brand salt, and things that are relatively benign, but when it comes to enjoying simple pleasures once in a while, c'mon, just order beer when your buddy is paying! Thanks for the post, I really enjoyed it!
My coats have a life span of 3-5 years. I wash them separate and dry on hanger. a few coats i have added new buttons or arm patches to up date a look get my scarfs at yard sales during the summer for a quarter i initially buy a good quality boot with thick soles-usually ugly looking but dry and warm and i don't skimp on socks-cause if my feet are warm so am i!!
I've been "lucky" enough that my son is outgrowing clothes that are my size, and I love the style/color/feel to them. New clothes for me without an additional price tag! Of course, it usually means he needs some larger clothes, too. Between consignment shops, thrift shops, clothing giveaways, and the occasional mall purchase, we're doing pretty good. :)
Great ideas! I especially like the sleepover idea. Fun with friends is always a good time. We've started having informal parties around the Academy Awards and the Golden Globes for this reason. Everyone brings a snack. We print off "ballot" sheets and go to town. Fun.
Moody,
Reusing old yeast will work for a while. Every cycle changes the taste/smell a bit. If your first batch had a great taste and smell, the 10th may not be drinkable. It changes as it evolves.
High alcohol level yeast will tend to lend an off flavour to your drink. If you stay at the lower levels, up to about 12%, you have a better chance of not getting that 'taste'.
If you use a fancy yeast, the 2nd cycle is not as potent, try a nutrient. The easiest to get would be infant dry cereal mix. They come in names like Rice Cereal, Barley Cereal. It looks like instant potatoes. 1/4-1 cup per 5 gallons is more then enough.
In order to reuse old yeast, start with a sterile jar and lid. Pour some of the left over liquid, not sludge, in the jar, top off with 2 tablespoon sugar and warm water. Let it sit on the counter to be sure it is still alive. If you used a very high % yeast, you could have gone to the point that the yeast is not alive. If the yeast shows signs of live, cap it loosely and place in the fridge. You will need to feed it about once a week. 1 or 2 tablespoon of sugar will work. If you are familiar with sour dough, you will know how to keep it going. This is sometimes referred to as a starter.
I follow on Twitter as @didyouyarnthat and tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/didyouyarnthat/status/142200372939857920
I Liked you on FB (Terri Winsome).
My sister has older kids and always passes on their outgrown winter clothes. I also hit up the local thrift stores and yard sales in the summer.
Just liked you on facebook
I usually shop at goodwill or consignment shops. If I do have to buy something new I usually know way ahead of time, i.e. when I packup my winter clothes in the spring. I then just shop around in the spring when things will be cheaper, and when people will be getting rid of those clothes and donating them.
Hello. My visitors have been asking about this, do you mind if I re-print this on my site? I will of course give full credit to this site, and I will link to you if you would like me to. Thanks.
My biggest financial goal in 2012 is to increase my income by at least 10%
Since we live in Phoenix and see the snow only if we travel to Flagstaff in the winter months we usually shop at the local thrift shops. Our children grow out of clothes quickly and it doesn't make sense to buy new clothing for one trip to snow country per year. We do purchase new snow boots for them, buying the next larger size to get a couple years use.
I like to create a menu for the week and develop a shopping list from it. I then take my shopping list and make one weekly trip to the grocery store. If it isn't on the list I don't buy it. This cuts down on impulse purchases which can really add up.
We drive up to Flagstaff from Phoenix and play in the snow with out daughter. Lots of fun and inexpensive!
I look through thrift shops and sales in stores. I also shop for winter clothes at the end of the season to save for the next year.
I have a coat that is a few years old, but still in good shape and not completely outdated. For my kids, I try to buy on sale after the season for next year or periodically check a local consignment shop for snowbibs, pants, etc. Heavy coats are used for only a couple of months down here, so it seems silly to pay full price for them.
although i am a very feminine female...i buy a very large sweatshirt jacket in the men's department at wally world for under $15 ...these wash well and hold up just fine...after several years of getting 1 per year, i now have a colorful collection to coordinate with my outfits. Why men's?...better construction, longer and cheaper than those flimsy ones in the women's dept.
I buy off-season and get this on clearance during the year before winter starts for winter clothing.
I shop at thrift stores and most of my Christmas wish list is clothes.
I do most of the suggestions of prior posters, including mainly buying used winter wear, making it last, repairing zippers, patching kids snow pants and so on. But some of these strategies don't work well in all cases. Outdoor clothing for older boys and men is difficult, if not near near impossible, to find used. Sometimes older kids who play winter sports need specialized winter wear. For these cases we use a different strategy.
We have a Cabela's Visa credit card, which has no annual fee. We always pay off the card every month. Through normal credit-card use we accumulate a couple hundred dollars worth of points each year that can be redeemed for the Cabela's goods, including high-quality outdoor wear. For example, a daughter who works outdoors wanted a set of thermal underwear that usually cost about $60 for the set. If we buy enough stuff with these points, the shipping is also free. Every year we usually satisfy some of our Christmas gifts using Cabela points.
I think it's hilarious that you talk about being frugal and then suggest buying *paper towels* in bulk. You want to be frugal? Get some kitchen towels, cut old bath towels into rags for cleaning, and stop buying stuff you just end up throwing away.
i go shopping the day after xmas- EARLY and print out coupons for each store . you save a ton of money! and i go with a list, a friend, and make sure i eat a good breakfast that day. i try not to stray from the list and just get the necessities for the winter. i try and get out before the mall gets too crowded!
Clearance racks and sales. Thrift stores sometimes, but the pickings seem to have gotten slim and the prices have gone way up.
The recipe in the post is for using ordinary bakers yeast, like you can get at the store.
It'll top out at about 10% alcohol, but that doesn't matter much once you distill the product.
There are brewers yeast that will produce much higher alcohol concentrations. You can buy them at stores that sell beer- and wine- making supplies.
If you use ordinary bakers yeast, you can reuse old yeast (much as people do with sourdough starter).
With the fancy brewers yeast, that doesn't work so well. Part of the mix is nutrients that help the yeast grow, and those get used up on the first batch.
I agree! I too like to think of myself as frugal. But when it gets to making one self unhappy, I have to pull the plug sometimes. I recently took an old friend out to dinner and he just wanted to drink water and eat a cheap item off the menu. He is more frugal than me yet his frugality actually made taking him out to eat less enjoyable. I'm all for saving money on those things that don't really make us happy, cheaper garbage bags, bargain brand salt, and things that are relatively benign, but when it comes to enjoying simple pleasures once in a while, c'mon, just order beer when your buddy is paying! Thanks for the post, I really enjoyed it!
My coats have a life span of 3-5 years. I wash them separate and dry on hanger. a few coats i have added new buttons or arm patches to up date a look get my scarfs at yard sales during the summer for a quarter i initially buy a good quality boot with thick soles-usually ugly looking but dry and warm and i don't skimp on socks-cause if my feet are warm so am i!!