Thanks for the great reminder that staying within budget and calories really starts with planning! I'm looking forward to a lot of ideas from the forum for how they save money and still make yummy meals.
I usually buy a rotisserie chicken from my local grocery store on Sundays because they are $4.99 on sale. I add the chicken to a salad and will make a sandwich from the leftovers. What I also do is cut up the remaining chicken add it to stir fry veggies in a pot. Throw in some brown rice, two eggs, soy sauce, and Viola! Chicken fried rice.
On the spending-to-save idea - my husband and I are thinking about this one a lot - we need a new boiler and the cost is very steep. We're looking into big-time insulation of our home. It will be costly, but then we'd be able to have a much smaller heating system which would cost a lot less to run. Energy conservation is certainly better for the environment too. And there are a lot of rebates and tax incentives available to do this kind of work (not yet familiar with the ramifications though).
I think you are right in the sense that it's not going to make you sick, but it might not produce the best results.
When frozen items reach the end of their recommended frozen life span, it's not because they are suddenly going to become harmful and make you sick, it's because the taste, flavor and condition of the food is deteriorating. So you won't get sick, but it won't taste good either.
So, taking food that is already marginal in quality, cooking it, freezing it for some more time and then eating it is going to produce a meal that you probably won't enjoy after all that effort.
If you can't eat that much meat in a reasonable amount of time, buy less. Buying more than you can deal with just because it's a "good deal" usually isn't a good deal in the long run. You'd be better off buying less at a slightly higher price and using it up in a shorter period of time.
I agree with Little House, you need to have an emergency savings account for when things like vehicles break down or for medical emergencies.
I really like the suggestions about sharing and cooking your own food. We were spending hundreds of dollars eating out every month, but since we started cooking at home more, we've really cut down on the amount of money spent on food.
The question about the economy in the US (or in any country for that matter), should be what is it based upon? In the US, the case is CREDIT. Here the average person owes about 9 000 $, that is nine thousand!!!! How are people supposed to improve, when they are DEBT SLAVES? Recession for the US means: We cannot pay you anything anymore, you have to WAIT untill we can come up with a better financial plan for the whole society and pay you back. Meanwhile, we are taking a recess from shopping, payments, witholding lifes, whatever it takes to get back on the road... And in this case, the whole society is collapsing withing itself... The goverment is BUYING more time, but because of those actions they are taking, prices of everything will eventually go up, because the currency is worth less and less for everyone in the global environment where the sensation is the US won´t pay on time... Just look at the numbers of the foreign debt... If they are not close to CERO, then , you will always have recession and economic problems...
This could be completely untrue, and I would hate to endanger anyone's health if it's wrong, but my take has always been that if you thaw a raw cut of meat, cook it thoroughly and then freeze the dish, you can start "counting" again. So if your family eats less meat and you find yourself with frozen raw meat that is reaching the end of its freezer life, you could do a big batch of cooking and refreeze.
But again, I need someone to confirm that this is a safe option.
Thanks to everyone who left a comment! It sounds like there are other experienced composters who visit Wisebread. The freezing of the veggies sounds like a great idea, I'll have to try this tip.
I think that #3, having some money in a savings account for emergencies, is the very important. If you can get the spending under control, then you're on your way to financial freedom. But, life always seems full of surprises when you least expect it. Having some money in savings can help reduce anxiety and the need to borrow, like you mentioned in #4.
Thanks for the link, Linsey. Enjoyed reading through all the articles in this edition! Particularly enjoyed the one at Dumb Little Man. I missed it the first time around, so thanks for highlighting it here.
Stock photography keeps popping up on these kinds of blogs where the people writing them don't actually know what stock photography entails...
First of all, expensive equippment is needed...cameras, lights and lenses. A point-and-shoot or even a basic SLR is not going to cut it. Secondly, stock photography agencies only pay pennies per image to the photographers.
As long as the richest 1% have 95% of the wealth in America, it's not going to be over. Anyone that thinks things are getting better for the average American is living in a dream world. I don't care what the technical definitions might be, reality continues to suck.
Rich folks are doing great. Look at all that government money they got.
Poor folks are doing sh--. They didn't get anything, and are getting poorer.
This "recovery" is just another bubble - a bubble that Wall Street's now re-inflating for their own benefit. It'll pop again, because the poor people will drag down the economy with their unending unemployment, lack of healthcare, defaulting on debts, etc.
BTW - did you all know that 75% of new defaults are people walking away from the mortgage? They have great, above average credit, high incomes, and simply make a strategic fiscal decision to get foreclosed.
I agree with what @sd wrote.
We can only hope we'll bite the bullet and change our economy. More likely, we'll take the easy way out, and make more bubbles.
We also need to re-tax the rich and create some baseline social welfare to prevent homelessness.
I had the swine flu a few months ago, and I am lucky in that it wasn't any worse than a standard flu (which is never fun to begin with).
I am noticing that a more commonly promoted practice when sneezing and coughing is not to cover your mouth with your hands any more....since your hands are one of the best ways to spread contagens. Instead, consider coughing/sneezing into the crook of your arm.
@Tara - Good for you for taking the creative approach to saving money (out of necessity) and getting freebies. A little ingenuity can go a long way to save more than a few bucks...
gET A GRIP. cREDIT cARD COMPANIES HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. iF YOU DON'T WANT THE CREDIT CARD THEN DON'T ACTIVATE IT! sIMPLE!N aS FAR AS NETSPEND GOES, FROM MY EXPERIENCE IT IS A PRE-PAID DEBIT CARD THE THE CONSUMER HAS TO PURCHASE FOR TEN BUCKS. YOU LOAD MONEY ON IT AS YOU USE IT. NO FEES OR INTREST CHARGES ETC. GET YOUR FACTS STRIGHT.
That's a good point, Jake. I certainly hope that people who are in need of the vaccine choose to get it - however, I have heard so many people questioning the safety of the H1N1 vaccine, and many people saying that they didn't plan on getting it for whatever reason, so I didn't want to start a massive anti- versus pro-vaccine debate.
The pneumococcal vaccine has a long history of effective and safe use, so I figured I ought to concentrate on that instead for now.
Great post! This is very helpful. I'm sure I'd visit your site more often. Anyway, you can drop by my favorite online hang out too, at UK Student Community. Thanks!
The author is right about the pneumonia vaccine, though it is probably only cost-effective for older individuals, and those with risk factors (a quick Google will fill you in on those).
However, by some measures, pregnant women may actually be more at risk from swine flu than others. They are actually a priority in the coming optional vaccination campaign.
As more people come down with swine flu and regular flu, there may be some shortages of your normal OTC meds, like Nyquil, Tylenol, Mucinex, etc. If you don't have some on hand, you may want to stock a 'normal' amount for what appears to be the inevitable. At the very least, it will save an emergency trip to the store when you don't feel so well already.
Definitely go with the chest freezer, not the frostfree upright model and keep in mind they're not designed to freeze large quantities so don't overload with non-frozen foods... Even the large 20-30 cu ft models only have a 1/3HP compressor that moves 1100-1300 btu/hr which isn't alot... Defrost the inside freezer walls of ice buildup regularly by emptying and blowing a fan or hairdryer inside; no sharp instruments... Another tip to realize is most models expel their heat thru the outside walls of the freezer so butting a unit against a wall, or wall heater, next to other appliances, or in a hot laundry room can hamper the heat transfer and cause longer compressor run-time... Just a good tip or two from "kooler", a freezer guy... cheers
Thanks for the great reminder that staying within budget and calories really starts with planning! I'm looking forward to a lot of ideas from the forum for how they save money and still make yummy meals.
I usually buy a rotisserie chicken from my local grocery store on Sundays because they are $4.99 on sale. I add the chicken to a salad and will make a sandwich from the leftovers. What I also do is cut up the remaining chicken add it to stir fry veggies in a pot. Throw in some brown rice, two eggs, soy sauce, and Viola! Chicken fried rice.
Enjoy!
This is an excellent post - thought-provoking!
On the spending-to-save idea - my husband and I are thinking about this one a lot - we need a new boiler and the cost is very steep. We're looking into big-time insulation of our home. It will be costly, but then we'd be able to have a much smaller heating system which would cost a lot less to run. Energy conservation is certainly better for the environment too. And there are a lot of rebates and tax incentives available to do this kind of work (not yet familiar with the ramifications though).
Thanks, I hope to use some of these tips. I need to get more organized (ugh) and I know this will help us eat better and save money.
I use plastic bins to hold my worms. Go to instructables.com to find out how to make a low cost worm bin and let the composting begin!
I sure hope so. Of course if the world ends in 2012 then I guess it doesn't matter much anyway :)
I think you are right in the sense that it's not going to make you sick, but it might not produce the best results.
When frozen items reach the end of their recommended frozen life span, it's not because they are suddenly going to become harmful and make you sick, it's because the taste, flavor and condition of the food is deteriorating. So you won't get sick, but it won't taste good either.
So, taking food that is already marginal in quality, cooking it, freezing it for some more time and then eating it is going to produce a meal that you probably won't enjoy after all that effort.
If you can't eat that much meat in a reasonable amount of time, buy less. Buying more than you can deal with just because it's a "good deal" usually isn't a good deal in the long run. You'd be better off buying less at a slightly higher price and using it up in a shorter period of time.
I agree with Little House, you need to have an emergency savings account for when things like vehicles break down or for medical emergencies.
I really like the suggestions about sharing and cooking your own food. We were spending hundreds of dollars eating out every month, but since we started cooking at home more, we've really cut down on the amount of money spent on food.
Great tips! Thanks!
The question about the economy in the US (or in any country for that matter), should be what is it based upon? In the US, the case is CREDIT. Here the average person owes about 9 000 $, that is nine thousand!!!! How are people supposed to improve, when they are DEBT SLAVES? Recession for the US means: We cannot pay you anything anymore, you have to WAIT untill we can come up with a better financial plan for the whole society and pay you back. Meanwhile, we are taking a recess from shopping, payments, witholding lifes, whatever it takes to get back on the road... And in this case, the whole society is collapsing withing itself... The goverment is BUYING more time, but because of those actions they are taking, prices of everything will eventually go up, because the currency is worth less and less for everyone in the global environment where the sensation is the US won´t pay on time... Just look at the numbers of the foreign debt... If they are not close to CERO, then , you will always have recession and economic problems...
This could be completely untrue, and I would hate to endanger anyone's health if it's wrong, but my take has always been that if you thaw a raw cut of meat, cook it thoroughly and then freeze the dish, you can start "counting" again. So if your family eats less meat and you find yourself with frozen raw meat that is reaching the end of its freezer life, you could do a big batch of cooking and refreeze.
But again, I need someone to confirm that this is a safe option.
Thanks to everyone who left a comment! It sounds like there are other experienced composters who visit Wisebread. The freezing of the veggies sounds like a great idea, I'll have to try this tip.
thanks again-
Little House
I think that #3, having some money in a savings account for emergencies, is the very important. If you can get the spending under control, then you're on your way to financial freedom. But, life always seems full of surprises when you least expect it. Having some money in savings can help reduce anxiety and the need to borrow, like you mentioned in #4.
thanks for the post-
Little House
Thanks for the link, Linsey. Enjoyed reading through all the articles in this edition! Particularly enjoyed the one at Dumb Little Man. I missed it the first time around, so thanks for highlighting it here.
Stock photography keeps popping up on these kinds of blogs where the people writing them don't actually know what stock photography entails...
First of all, expensive equippment is needed...cameras, lights and lenses. A point-and-shoot or even a basic SLR is not going to cut it. Secondly, stock photography agencies only pay pennies per image to the photographers.
Great tip on the pneumonia vaccine. I had no idea, but it's a great medical hack. Thanks for posting about it.
You can also follow me on Twitter and Trek Hound.
As long as the richest 1% have 95% of the wealth in America, it's not going to be over. Anyone that thinks things are getting better for the average American is living in a dream world. I don't care what the technical definitions might be, reality continues to suck.
Rich folks are doing great. Look at all that government money they got.
Poor folks are doing sh--. They didn't get anything, and are getting poorer.
This "recovery" is just another bubble - a bubble that Wall Street's now re-inflating for their own benefit. It'll pop again, because the poor people will drag down the economy with their unending unemployment, lack of healthcare, defaulting on debts, etc.
BTW - did you all know that 75% of new defaults are people walking away from the mortgage? They have great, above average credit, high incomes, and simply make a strategic fiscal decision to get foreclosed.
I agree with what @sd wrote.
We can only hope we'll bite the bullet and change our economy. More likely, we'll take the easy way out, and make more bubbles.
We also need to re-tax the rich and create some baseline social welfare to prevent homelessness.
I had the swine flu a few months ago, and I am lucky in that it wasn't any worse than a standard flu (which is never fun to begin with).
I am noticing that a more commonly promoted practice when sneezing and coughing is not to cover your mouth with your hands any more....since your hands are one of the best ways to spread contagens. Instead, consider coughing/sneezing into the crook of your arm.
@Tara - Good for you for taking the creative approach to saving money (out of necessity) and getting freebies. A little ingenuity can go a long way to save more than a few bucks...
gET A GRIP. cREDIT cARD COMPANIES HAVE BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. iF YOU DON'T WANT THE CREDIT CARD THEN DON'T ACTIVATE IT! sIMPLE!N aS FAR AS NETSPEND GOES, FROM MY EXPERIENCE IT IS A PRE-PAID DEBIT CARD THE THE CONSUMER HAS TO PURCHASE FOR TEN BUCKS. YOU LOAD MONEY ON IT AS YOU USE IT. NO FEES OR INTREST CHARGES ETC. GET YOUR FACTS STRIGHT.
That's a good point, Jake. I certainly hope that people who are in need of the vaccine choose to get it - however, I have heard so many people questioning the safety of the H1N1 vaccine, and many people saying that they didn't plan on getting it for whatever reason, so I didn't want to start a massive anti- versus pro-vaccine debate.
The pneumococcal vaccine has a long history of effective and safe use, so I figured I ought to concentrate on that instead for now.
Thanks a lot for the link!
Great post! This is very helpful. I'm sure I'd visit your site more often. Anyway, you can drop by my favorite online hang out too, at UK Student Community. Thanks!
The author is right about the pneumonia vaccine, though it is probably only cost-effective for older individuals, and those with risk factors (a quick Google will fill you in on those).
However, by some measures, pregnant women may actually be more at risk from swine flu than others. They are actually a priority in the coming optional vaccination campaign.
As more people come down with swine flu and regular flu, there may be some shortages of your normal OTC meds, like Nyquil, Tylenol, Mucinex, etc. If you don't have some on hand, you may want to stock a 'normal' amount for what appears to be the inevitable. At the very least, it will save an emergency trip to the store when you don't feel so well already.
Definitely go with the chest freezer, not the frostfree upright model and keep in mind they're not designed to freeze large quantities so don't overload with non-frozen foods... Even the large 20-30 cu ft models only have a 1/3HP compressor that moves 1100-1300 btu/hr which isn't alot... Defrost the inside freezer walls of ice buildup regularly by emptying and blowing a fan or hairdryer inside; no sharp instruments... Another tip to realize is most models expel their heat thru the outside walls of the freezer so butting a unit against a wall, or wall heater, next to other appliances, or in a hot laundry room can hamper the heat transfer and cause longer compressor run-time... Just a good tip or two from "kooler", a freezer guy... cheers