OT, but what is your most awesome way to save $$?

[Alicia64]

Hi Everyone,

 

So, we had to put a new heating system in in Dec. and new plumbing pipes in early March. Sigh.

 

So, the only place I can see to save is on the grocery bill. I found the most killer recipe for pizza crust -- it's easy and cheap. Bam, the frozen pizza aisle is now walked by.

 

I'd also love a similar recipe for bread -- awesome tasting and easy. Haven't found it yet. Dh lives in peanut butter sandwiches for lunch and reducing our bread costs might equal about $8 a week of savings.

 

Does anyone else have any smart ideas? I certainly don't want to do with Sheryl Crow suggested and use five pieces of toilet paper (ick), but I'm open to almost anything.

 

I'm driving less and have seriously gotten over my urge to buy a little something here, a little something there.

 

Anything you planted that really paid off in the long run?

 

Thank you in advance!!!

 

Alicia

[MeanestMomInMidwest]

I find that if I take my kids with me to do any personal shopping, I spend a fraction of what I would spend shopping alone. This doesn't work for groceries, just for things like makeup, clothes or any other non-grocery store item.

[Peek a Boo]

Hanging clothes to dry and washing in cold water has been the most recent savings for us. Even if you hang clothes indoors if it's cold.

 

otherwise, just STAYING out of debt is the biggest thing. Is there anything you can downsize? We will be parking our truck and taking it off being insured starting in a couple weeks. I found Nature's Own WW bread at the Dollar Tree and that has saved us a bundle.

[lmrich]

Don't go to the stores! Seriously, I have given up going to Target for Lent. :001_smile: I have also stopped buying drinks for the kids - orange juice and milk and water, don't ask me to give up my coffee!

 

I, too, would love to see a recipe for $$ saving bread! My kids love French Toast.

[Tracy in Ky]

Garden, garden, garden. Grow a big garden and preserve and store your food. We put in a huge garden last year, and for many, many weeks since our harvest I have spent only around $50 a week on groceries--for a family of 4, one of which is a 14 yo boy who eats like a man.

 

Having our milk cow for milk, butter, cheese, and yogurt helps, as does our home-butchered chickens, but with a big garden you can really slash your food bill--and have much healthier food to boot.

 

Baking bread and cooking everything, or almost everything, from scratch is another way I cut our food bill.

[Avila]

Shopping at Aldi's. I can't always find what I need there, but when I shop there, I spend way less time and money. No choices between products for me means an easier time and spending less.

 

I also love the library, used curriculum sales, and consignment and thrift stores.

[Tree House Academy]

We grow and freeze corn and broccoli over the summer. We also can tomatoes which keeps us from ever having to buy tomato juice, tomato sauce, or diced tomatoes and they taste 10K times better!

 

As far as budget cuts...like "where do we cut when we need to?"...usually from the miscellaneous fund, the medical/car repair fund (since these tend to accumulate when we have a period where we don't use them at all). Last to cut from is groceries. We try not to do that. We also buy in bulk from Sam's club once a month. It has made a BIG difference in our grocery bill and our pantry stores. :)

[Terri NS]

Menu Planning. If your going to have to cut the budget, plan your menus for the month first. I used to laugh at my GF when she'd tell me to menu plan but it really does save a lot of $.

[Prairie~Phlox]

I love Aldi! And it is the closest store to me! YAY!

 

 

I used to like going to Aldi's, until I discovered http://www.couponmom.com Now I've become a snob when it comes to shopping. If I have to go to Aldi for the church's daycare, I think, I can get that (peanut butter) for less than .25 with coupons and I can get frozen veggies free. Yes, couponing takes more work, but these are my savings for the last two months. My goal is $350.00 a month for groceris and $50.00/month eating out. We do garden and buy our beef from my parents (they are beef farmers)

2009 Jan & Feb. Totals

OOP Groceries: $637.12

Overall Savings: $1549.46

64.64%

[Jennifer in MI]

This is going to sound WAY too simple - but - don't spend it!! Really - throw away catalogues when they come in the mail right away. Don't go search for the latest homeschool curriculum you see mentioned here. Don't go in to Target/WalMart/whatever store you have unless you have a list - and stick to it!

 

Groceries - make a meal plan and a list based on what's on sale. Stock up on meats, cheeses, milk, etc. when they're on sale and ONLY when they're on sale. (They all freeze well.)

 

Toiletries - Try doing couponing through CVS, Rite Aid, or Walgreens. I never pay for toiletries any more. For example this month at Rite Aid I've spent $34 and I'll be receiving a check for $48 and a Rite Aid Gift Card for $10. I've gotten a few hundred dollars worth of things at CVS and only paid $5. I'm able to donate a bunch of stuff in addition to not having to pay for things.

 

Hang laundry.

 

Turn off all your lights except in the room you are in.

 

Keep your heat down as low as you can stand it.

 

Limit shower time.

 

Keep all your spare change in a bucket and count them at the end of they year.

 

Good luck!!

[RebeccaS]

I've begun to shop in bulk, which helps us a lot. I shop once a month and then make one trip at the middle of the month to restock milk, produce and fruit (if needed). We have a tiny fridge. I menu plan a month at a time, all three meals. I use cloth napkins and feminine products. When we had babies, I cloth diapered. I make my own laundry soap. I keep the heat at 60* daytime and 64* evening (dh just can't do the 60*). We rarely use the AC. I will begin line drying this year. My dad made me the clothes poles, but I have to get them up once the temps warm up and we can cement them in. We supplement our heating with our fireplace. I am planning my garden for this year. I hope to do raised beds. We don't eat out often and when we do, we try to find a "kids eat free" place on a weekday. I made most of my food from scratch and we don't have many snack items. All of these are things I've changed gradually to try and save us some money.

[Carrie12345]

I swear by The Grocery Game. It's chopped my spending and my house is overflowing with merchandise. My bill has gone from $150-200/wk. to hovering around $100.

[Zoraida]

Do you have a CVS in your town. If so read the following article. http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/cvs-101.html'>http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/cvs-101.html'>http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/cvs-101.html'>http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2008/03/cvs-101.html

This really works. I can get all of my house cleaning supplies, bath and beauty products, and sometimes groceries for almost free. Also visit the lady's regular site at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

 

Blessings

 

Zoraida

[Guest Katia]

I make all our bread now. It is much cheaper, tastes better, and has no HFCS!!

 

I'm also not a Suzy Homemaker type, so I use our bread machine. This recipe lasts about half a week, so I make one Saturday or Sunday and one on Wednesday. I got this off the internet, but I don't really remember where, sorry, so I can't give credit.

 

Put into your bread machine in this order:

 

3 TB honey

2 TB light olive oil

1 1/2 cups warm water (I stick it in the micro for 2 mins.)

1 1/2 tsp. real salt

3 1/2 cups Whole Wheat flour (I use Prairie Gold)

3 TB vital wheat gluten

Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add:

1 1/2 tsp. active yeast (I use bread yeast)

 

I set my bread machine on #5, for whole wheat bread (for whatever that's worth) . It takes 4 1/2 hours. I take it out when it's done, let it cool and then slice it very, very thinly with an electric knife (easy and less mess) and store in plastic bags.

 

My whole family loves this bread. We'll never get store-bought again!

[Erica in PA]

Menu Planning. If your going to have to cut the budget, plan your menus for the month first. I used to laugh at my GF when she'd tell me to menu plan but it really does save a lot of $.

 

Or, try the opposite... don't plan meals at all until after you've stocked up on essentials and good deals at the stores for the week. Then figure out what meals you can make out of the ingredients that you have. I started doing it that way during a really tight period when I had no choice, but I've stuck with it because I find it the cheapest way to shop. When I used to sit down with cookbooks and plan all the meals out based on what sounded good rather than what was on sale at the stores, I spent way more money than I do now.

[Ali in OR]

Two of our more recent changes:

 

1. When gas prices got really high last summer, we made changes that would help us drive less. I used to pick up my oldest daughter (disabled) from school everyday. I now let her ride the bus 3 days a week. This gives us several days of the week when we don't need to leave the house. I make sure to do errands on Tuesdays and Thursdays when we are already out of the house. I'm definitely filling up the car less often.

 

2. Dh has commented a couple of times that we're using less electricity this year. I think this is due to switching our recessed can lights in the ceiling to compact fluorescents as the old ones burn out. And discovering that I can purchase these with an automatic rebate at Costco also saved us money. I get a package of 6 for what 1 costs at the grocery store.

[unsinkable]

Don't go to the stores! Seriously, I have given up going to Target for Lent. :001_smile: I have also stopped buying drinks for the kids - orange juice and milk and water, don't ask me to give up my coffee!

 

I, too, would love to see a recipe for $$ saving bread! My kids love French Toast.

 

I'll pray for you. That'd be a tough one for me, not b/c I shop a lot but b/c I only shop at Target.

[FriedClams]

This is an AWESOME wheat bread. Her Amish White is also AMAZING. You make the dough in a bread machine (if you don't have one - check your thrift store - you should find one for less than $5) and then bake it in the oven. The texture on both is awesome - like the store but with taste and nutrients, LOL!!

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Substituting homemade items for convenience items. Hillbilly housewife has a lot of recipes for homemade convenience items that are cheaper than store bought. Our big one was a substitution for Nestle Quick. I also no longer buy boullion cubes or canned broth. I now just use salt and herbs in homemade chicken stock, or a little soy sauce in brown gravy and stew.

[Colleen]

My #1 suggestion is to make a rule for yourself that you won't buy things made in China ~ if for no other reason than the fact that you'll drastically reduce your purchases. I very rarely buy anything made in China, and I seldom buy things made in many other countries. (I make exceptions at times; this isn't a life or death rule, kwim?) With that standard, I reject the purchase probably 90% of the time.

 

Other suggestions that may or may not be applicable to you:

 

1) Wash clothes in cold water more often than not.

 

2) Hang clothes to dry ~ inside or outside.

 

3) Don't have cable television.

 

4) Reduce other tech "stuff", e.g. cell phone(s) that aren't absolutely necessary.

 

5) Use the library to borrow movies and books, rather than purchasing or using Netflix.

 

Hope something here is useful to you!:)

[Desert Rat]

I round up every entry in my checking account to the nearest $5. For instance, if the bill is $16.75 I enter it as $20. I started rounding to the nearest dollar and since we have breathing room now I've upped it. I have saved $350 in a little over 3 months. It's easy. I don't miss the money and it's the only way we can save right now. I just transfer the money saved over to savings every 3 months or so.

[Ria]

 

5) Use the library to borrow movies and books, rather than purchasing or using Netflix.

 

Hope something here is useful to you!:)

 

LOL. Would you believe that it is actually cheaper for us to have Netflix? Our library charges $3 per video. Netflix is $9 per month. We watch a video a week, sometimes 5 per month. Can I just say that I have real issues with our library?

 

Ria

[Jean in Wisc]

but when I make a menu for the week, I just list the meals I want to make, not when I am going to eat them. Before I make any meal, I first go to the frig to see what is there. If I have anything leftover or unmarked for one of my meals on my menu, that gets used up first.

 

Sometimes I have 1/2 broccoli and 1/2 cauliflower--not enough of either for a whole meal. If I'm not careful, that can end up not being used, but if I cook them together, I have a fresh vegy that is a good change. A small amount of leftover turkey or chicken will get shredded and added to gravy (or some stock made into a sauce), and served over microwaved baked potatoes (my sister gave me a microwave potato bag--LOVE IT) for a light lunch. Leftover chicken broth might end up being egg drop soup. If we've not used up our eggs for the week, I will hard boil them and serve them deviled, in egg salad sandwiches, or make what my mom use to make--toast, sliced eggs, topped with a homemade white sauce (which may be flavored with all sorts of yummy things!).

 

Leftovers that would make up a nice soup get tossed into a freezer container. When the container has enough in it for soup, we bring it out, add a bit of water, and simmer--bits of meat, vegies, gravies, broth, pasta...

 

I'm always surprised at what has gotten buried in the back of the frig, and if I don't check there 1st, something gets tossed that should have been eaten.

 

I starting to make more bread again--I use to make it weekly. A good recipe can be made into buns, loaves, cinnamon bread...many shapes.

 

This is the recipe I've created, but I use a Bosch mixer:

 

 

Jean's Everyday Bread

For my Bosch mixer

 

Warm to 115 to 125 degrees (I microwave for 6 min.)

6 cups water

1/2-cup rolled oats

1/3-cup oil

1/3-cup honey

 

In mixer bowl put:

6 cups home-ground whole-wheat flour

3 tablespoons instant yeast (I use SAF Yeast—you may need 4 T if not SAF)

1/4-cup wheat gluten

Warmed water mixture above

 

Run mixer with dough hook until well mixed and smooth.

Cover bowl and let rise 15 minutes.

(This is called a proof and is the 1st rise.)

 

Add 2 tablespoons salt (DON'T FORGET THIS)

and enough flour to clean the sides of the bowl while kneading.

 

I like to add flour a small scoop at a time. When the sides just start to be cleaned off, I stop the mixer and let it sit a few seconds--maybe a minute-- so that the ww flour has time to absorb the water. It takes whole wheat longer to do this than white, and I find that if I don't wait this minute, I get too much flour in my dough.

 

Start up the mixer again, adding just enough to get the sides to clean, then kneed for a short while. I have never timed this, but it isn't long (3 minutes maybe?). I like to wet my hands and rip a piece of dough off and try to smooth it out into a thin sheet. If you can get a section to smooth out so that it is thin enough to become almost transparent, the kneading is done--make sure your hands are wet enough not to stick to the dough. It should not be exceptionally sticky either. If it tears, it needs more kneading. This stage is short--if you over knead it you will not be able to get the proper rise out of your bread.

 

When ready, pull dough out of bowl onto a floured surface and divide into 5 or 6 pieces (depending on how big you want your loaves). Form into balls making them smooth and taunt. Cover with a towel and let rest for a few minutes (4 or 5)--this allows the bread to relax and let you form it into loaves without fighting with it. Shape into loaves and place into greased loaf pans. I use 8.5X4.5 pans—if your pans are too large, whole wheat bread might deflate part way through the baking cycle.

 

Let rise. It is ready to preheat the oven when you poke the bread slightly and the indention fills back in slowly. If it doesn't fill back in or if it "sighs" you have waited too long. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place in oven leaving a small amount of space between pans--as much as you can with 6 loaves. I place them all on the center shelf. I use glass pans, and I check my loaves after 20 minutes. (Aluminum takes a little longer.) If the bottoms are about the same color as the tops, they are done. Let cool on a rack--do not wrap in plastic until they are completely cool. If you are going to slice them before placing in the freezer, it helps to let them sit in their bags overnight before slicing. This allows the bread to firm up a bit.

 

If you want to roll out one loaf into a large rectangle, smooth melted butter over it and sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar, you can roll it up and have a loaf of cinnamon bread as well. Caution: this never sticks around in the kitchen for very long....

 

When I place the pans in the oven, I use a mister bottle to mist the loaves *very lightly* with water so that the surface is just damp enough to get that last rise from the heat as it starts to bake. They should easily rise an inch or more above the bread pan.

 

Enjoy!

 

We have a garden and can and freeze. We raise beef, chicken, turkeys, and usually have laying hens. I have a soymilk maker and I use the soybeans from our farm. I buy in bulk and when things are on sale, and I have shelving in the basement with room for my food--and I store some things in broken freezers so that the pests can't get into them.

 

We make all of our jams and jellies...I dunno. It's just a way of life here :)

HTH,

Jean

[Mommyof4ks]

We unplug things we don't use and unplug everything over night. It sounds funny, but every electric thing uses small amounts of electricity when it is off and over 30 days (a billing cycle) that adds up. It saves us about $30-$40 a month when we remember to unplug things at least over night (obviously not the fridge lol).

 

Coupons, meal planning, and stocking up on sale items saved us $89 in Feb. alone. I am not near a store that doubles, but if you are look into it.

 

Stay out of stores, this is my downfall lol!

 

It depends on the month as to how much I focus on saving which is silly I know, but I only put energy into it when necessary. We do have savings automatically sent to our savings account each month so we don't 'see' it.

[WTMCassandra]

I've read some of the replies, but I don't have time to read them all. So, apologies if I repeat something already stated. Some more ideas:

 

1. I cut the family's hair. Clippers for DH and DS, and basic cut for DD. I can cut my own bangs, and DH can trim the back of my hair (it's all one length). We started doing this as starving PhD students six years ago, and it has stuck.

 

2. We built our own swingset. We saved at least a couple of thousand. The materials were cheap and it only took us a couple of weeks. (However, my DH has acquired woodworking skills over the years and also most of the tools. This may not be quite as helpful to someone without the skills.)

 

3. We build our own bookcases, most of the time. Decent bookcases are expensive!!! We can make a 36-in. by 84-in. tall bookcase with adjustable shelving for about $100. Otherwise I would have cost our family an arm and a leg in bookcases.

 

4. We buy almost all clothes at Goodwill, even though our starving student days are over. No way would I go back to buying retail. Exceptions: bathing suits, underwear, PJs, and socks.

[Melissa in Australia]

grow all own veggies, never eat out. make all meals from scratch, eat only what is in season, give up wearing make up, don't buy new clothes. and dito to all other posts

[BikeBookBread]

Convince the working spouse to ride their bike to work. When he's doing the bike thing, my hubby's car gets driven about 2x a month max. Oh, don't buy a new car, either. Keep that paid-for car until it drops dead. (We love our paid-for Corolla! :auto:)

[Colleen]

When I used to sit down with cookbooks and plan all the meals out based on what sounded good rather than what was on sale at the stores, I spent way more money than I do now.

 

:iagree: I've gone that route a few times ~ planning meals beforehand, making the list, heading out and buying ingredients. It's far, FAR more expensive than just shopping and piecing together meals with what I have on hand. (Although there are of course times when I purchase ingredients for a specific meal. Like the lamb meatballs with eggplant sauce I'm making tomorrow for my birthday.:))

[Mamasteff]

I sat down with our phone bills and figured out what I was spending and what I didn't need. Then I called the phone company. (Make sure you have 4-5 hours to devote to this...)

 

I got bounced from person to person and number to number, but am saving over $700 this year - and will continue to save next year, and the year after, by doing this.

 

My goal was to do the same for our insurance in February. I ran out of time, but that is next on my list. All recurring expenses are being looked over with a magnifying glass and compared.

 

Small savings: I always make sure that when I print anything, it is fast draft (or fast normal if it is for work). The work I have turned in has never been dinged for not being the highest level of ink. I also make sure to take the empty cartridges to an office supply store for a refund (or gift card - often $5 per cartridge, I go through a lot for work) - but even with that savings, Costco has cheaper ink, so I use the refunds for other office supplies. That sounds small, but I figure, every little bit helps. (oh - and I buy printer paper from Big Lots, or call the clerks on it when there is a sign that says, "If I don't ask you if you want paper, you get a free ream!")

[farmgirlinwv]

We unplug things we don't use and unplug everything over night. It sounds funny, but every electric thing uses small amounts of electricity when it is off and over 30 days (a billing cycle) that adds up. It saves us about $30-$40 a month when we remember to unplug things at least over night (obviously not the fridge lol)

 

This really does save a lot of $$ on your electric bill!

[Laura Corin]

I hang out clothes and wash in cold water, but I've also discovered that I actually need to use much less washing powder than the box says.

 

Laura

[Trivium Academy]

1. making a grocery list before leaving the house and not deviating from it once at the store- shopping sales papers too before going to the store(s). We have Publix, Food Lion, CVS and Kroger within 10 min of our house so I can hit Kroger up for their 10 for $10 sale, Publix and Food Lion for their Buy One, Get One Free sales and CVS for couponed sales. I get the Sunday paper for coupons.

 

This is helped if there is a planned menu-if I know what to cook, I'll know better what to buy instead of stocking my house with food we 'might' cook/eat.

 

2. Cold water clothes washing, I only use cold water and the energy efficient setting on our dryer. A way to really cut down on the wash is to use hand towels instead of bath towels. I came across it by accident when we ran out of bath towels and used a hand towel to dry off instead. Of course you can't wrap yourself in a hand towel but if you have a robe, you don't need to right?

 

3. Are there any extra bills you have right now? Maybe renting movies on the weekends-if you do, you can find cheaper solutions like using Netflix online instead of renting at Blockbuster. Use the envelope approach for extras, decide how much to budget for the month and stick the "play" money in an envelope, once it's gone then there are no more extras. I take $20/wk out of my paycheck, if I need to eat at work, I pay with that- if there's something extra I want then I bring my lunch from home and save my money to get the 'extra'.

 

4. A list of wants. I write down items that I want and their cost with the date that I began to desire them. I wait 6 months and see if I still want them, if so - I purchase the item if I can or I start saving for it at that time. Instead of instant gratification, I make sure that I truly want the item. For example, I would love a conversation patio set, averaging about $500 for a 5-6 piece set. It's on my list. At the end of the summer they should go on sale, if I still want it and I'm in a position to buy it- I will. Otherwise I'll wait. I could go out right now and buy one but it isn't the priority right now no matter how much I'd like to have it. :) Who knows between now and then I could find one at a garage sale or on CraigsList for much cheaper than brand new.

 

5. Cutting pants into shorts. With my ds4, he grows taller faster than he grows wider so I cut his pants that are too short into shorts for the spring/summer since they still fit his waist. I only buy waist-adjustable pants for him. Now if there were just something to do about shoes... ;)

 

6. Cleaning supplies- keep it to a minimum, you could have a different product (ranging from $3-$6) for each type of cleaning but why? I buy a large container of PineSol, white vinegar, baking soda and Comet with bleach. I haven't made the switch for laundry detergent or dishwashing detergent yet but that is another area to cut with alternative, more natural cleaning. Instead of using a Swiffer, use a regular mop and broom- without the cost of replacing the pads. I bought a shop vac wet/dry for the house and love it instead of buying a regular vaccuum.

 

Okay that's all I can think of now, I'm sure there's more... good luck!

[BikeBookBread]

 

 

Jean's Everyday Bread

 

For my Bosch mixer

 

 

 

Warm to 115 to 125 degrees (I microwave for 6 min.)

 

6 cups water

 

1/2-cup rolled oats

 

1/3-cup oil

 

1/3-cup honey

 

 

 

In mixer bowl put:

 

6 cups home-ground whole-wheat flour

 

3 tablespoons instant yeast (I use SAF Yeast—you may need 4 T if not SAF)

 

1/4-cup wheat gluten

 

Warmed water mixture above

 

 

 

Jean, have you ever successfully cut down the size of this recipe, for example, to fit in a standard 5-6 cup KitchenAid mixer without burning out the motor!? (Ooooh, I would love a Bosch someday! :D It would make sense considering I make 3 - 4 loaves of bread a week for my family! You're right bread making is a HUGE money saver.)

[BikeBookBread]

Just thought of another one, and it may seem obvious to a military family, but go to the Commissary, BX, and shop online with AAFES (or at least check).

 

You would be surprised how many military friends I talk to who won't shop on Base :confused:, especially the Commissary, because it is "too busy, inconvenient, irritating, frustrating," etc... We shop for the majority of our basics there. Base-by-base, the quality of the meat and produce can be iffy, so we usually get fresh stuff at local markets.

 

Speaking of military perks, we always ask if a restaurant, store, museum offers a military discount. Often it is not posted and it is offered. One of the local Safeway grocery stores here in Almost Mexico offers a flat 10% discount.

 

Buy bulk yeast at Costco -- Red Star at the local Kroger (Fry's) was almost $8 a jar at one time, and a huge vacuum packed brick of yeast at Costco was about $3.

 

I'm not to the point where I do bulk cooking (for the month, etc.) but when I do have leftovers, instead of putting them in the fridge for the next day (which NEVER happens) I stick them in the freezer using our vacuum sealer to pull out on a night when I'm too tired to cook, or when darling husband is working late. So far, they haven't been wasted...

[Ferdie]

Buying children's clothes second hand at a consignment store. We also get hand-me-downs from relatives and friends, too.

 

Wish list for major purchases. Over the years we have prayed for and received (for free) beautiful patio furniture, basketball hoop, furniture, bread maker, tea set, toys, bikes, and clothes.

[Jean in Wisc]

 

 

 

Jean, have you ever successfully cut down the size of this recipe, for example, to fit in a standard 5-6 cup KitchenAid mixer without burning out the motor!? (Ooooh, I would love a Bosch someday! :D It would make sense considering I make 3 - 4 loaves of bread a week for my family! You're right bread making is a HUGE money saver.)

 

 

I have a KitchenAid, too. I love it for most things--I like it better than my Bosch, and wouldn't own a Bosch if I could get it to make more loaves of bread at one time!

 

If you cut down the recipe above, in each loaf you get approximately:

Sponge:

1 cup water

1-1/2 tablespoons rolled oats

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup home-ground whole-wheat flour

1-1/2 teaspoons SAF yeast (2 teaspoons if other instant yeast)

2 teaspoons wheat gluten

 

Then add:

1 teaspoon salt

Enough flour to clean sides of bowl

 

To be truthful with you, I usually start with the above recipe and change it as I go--a little more oil for a softer texture, more honey for a sweeter loaf, no rolled oats...the flour, the type of yeast--this all makes a difference in how the loaf turns out. I like to write down my recipe as I go, and then I troubleshoot the loaf after it is made. Eventually, I get a recipe that is "just right" for me. Your flour and yeast and sweetener may need to be used in different quantities than mine, but the above recipe is something to start with.

 

Also, if you like big loaves of bread, you might want to increase this recipe so that you can put more dough in each pan.

 

HTH,

Jean

[JFSinIL]

Looking for free or used and cheap (Craigslist) furniture to replace the BROKEN sofas in our living room.

 

Having only one used van (10-yrs-old now) for a family of six - hubby can walk to the commuter train for work. Not getting teen's drivers license until they absolutely HAVE to get one.

 

Not eating out. hubby was raised to brown bag his lunch and does NOT buy lunch. And if kids (mostly teens now) want snacks - they know how to bake!

[BikeBookBread]

I have a KitchenAid, too. I love it for most things--I like it better than my Bosch, and wouldn't own a Bosch if I could get it to make more loaves of bread at one time!

 

If you cut down the recipe above, in each loaf you get approximately:

Sponge:

1 cup water

1-1/2 tablespoons rolled oats

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 cup home-ground whole-wheat flour

1-1/2 teaspoons SAF yeast (2 teaspoons if other instant yeast)

2 teaspoons wheat gluten

 

Then add:

1 teaspoon salt

Enough flour to clean sides of bowl

 

 

Thanks for the info Jean! I'm off to the kitchen to make a batch...

[mommylawyer]

Here are some things I do:

 

1. Costco once a month to stock up on most of our groceries. Then the grocery store once a week or every other week to replenish milk, bread, eggs, etc. We've gone from $650 per month for groceries to around $300-350.

 

2. I keep a running list on the wipe-erase board to jot down grocery items to be replenished for those Costco trips - that way, I'm not at the store guessing what needs to be purchased.

 

3. Use as much natural lighting during the day as possible.

 

4. Cold water for laundry - except towels, otherwise mine smell mildewy. And reuse bath towels - each person gets 2 towels per week... you're clean when you use them!

 

5. Use the shorter cycle on the dishwasher and select air-dry (or no electric dry) cycle, too.

 

6. Keeping my husband out of the office supply stores! It's made me AND my husband's secretary very happy (he started going a little bonkers buying office supplies for the office after I told him no more for home).

 

And... I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this idea:

I round up every entry in my checking account to the nearest $5. For instance, if the bill is $16.75 I enter it as $20. I started rounding to the nearest dollar and since we have breathing room now I've upped it. I have saved $350 in a little over 3 months. It's easy. I don't miss the money and it's the only way we can save right now. I just transfer the money saved over to savings every 3 months or so.

[KidsHappen]

Number one thing in our family is DON'T got out to eat. That is the single largest discretionary expense.

 

Another big one with a family of seven is clothing: Goodwill. Luckily my kids are not clothes clobs and actually enjoy the challenging aspect of putting together interresting outfits.

[Zoraida]

A 91 year old grandma shares Depression Era recipes on youtube http://www.youtube.com/results?search_type=&search_query=deprssion+cooking+grandma&aq=f

 

Blessing

 

Zoraida

[Alicia64]

Thank you, Everyone!! I love the yeast at Costco and the rounding up $5 in the checkbook.

 

Wonderful ideas!!

 

Thank you, thank you!

 

Alicia

[hillfarm]

I know which stores in my area I generally shop. I make my list for each store and then go to the least expensive store first. Often times I can pick up a few things from the more expensive stores lists there at the least expensive one. If I went to the more expensive stores first and bought the items before going to the cheaper store, I doubt I would have the time or energy to buy the lesser expensive option and return the other. Just too much running around.

 

Others have talked about phone service. We use a prepaid phone card for long distance. I programmed the 1-800 number and the user ID number onto my phone's speed dial list, so I don't have to enter both strings of numbers every time I make a call. In general, check all your bills to be sure there are no unnecessary services or fees being charged.

 

And don't forget to keep your eyes open for various grants. Our house needed some repairs. When I was calling around to check on some low interest repair loans, I discovered an historic home preservation grant and was able to qualify for $26,000 worth of work on our house (which is only about 80-90 years old and not at all historic, but it met their criteria;)). We also qualified for a music grant that got my dd a new mandolin and some money toward lessons.

 

Barter is also often a good option. You can save a lot of money by trading goods or skills with others. I once bartered for a fancy sewing machine by providing multiple store samples in exchange for it. I have traded professional writing projects for animal feed and public relations consulting for various classes. Just be sure it is clearly written down what both sides will provide and what will happen if one is not happy or changes their mind.

[Kari C in SC]

I found Nature's Own WW bread at the Dollar Tree and that has saved us a bundle.

 

Wow! I will have to look for this.

[angela in ohio]

Don't buy things. Really. We don't buy new clothes unless something is falling apart or outgrown. We don't buy decorations for our home. We don't buy anything new unless the old one is out of service.

 

Also, we don't feel entitled to vacations. That saves us a ton each year.

 

We pay for one haircut a year total. That is for five people. My daughters have long hair that I trim, and dh and the boy get the clippers at home. The one yearly haircut is for me.

[skimerinkydo]

Layer Vegies and Rice, add in some beans or bits of meat. Sprinkle your favorite herb on top and a tiny bit of grated cheese. Makes a great meal out of very little.

 

Leftover Soup... when I make this, it almost always works and my children think I make the best soup in the world. It really works. Look through the fridge and throw every little leftover and vegie into the crockpot. (You can save little bits of food with the purpose of throwing into the soup) Add a little broth and water and let it cook all day. At the end of the day add whatever herbs or seasonings, salt and pepper sound good. If it doesn't quite taste how you like, adding something like sour cream has a way of softening and blending all the flavors together.

[Nestof3]

I'm always surprised at what has gotten buried in the back of the frig, and if I don't check there 1st, something gets tossed that should have been eaten.

 

I have been better about this as well. When I make a meal, I think ahead as to how I will use the leftovers. For example, I knew I was making a Mexican casserole (disco-shaped corn tortilla shells, thin sliced chicken, picante sauce, diced tomatoes, black beans and corn with a little sour cream and cheddar cheese. This was served over rice.

 

For dinner tonight, I chopped up the casserole (the chicken in it, really) and dumped it into a pot with a carton of organic, gluten-free chicken broth. I added the leftover diced tomatoes and black beans that I didn't use in the casserole and the extra rice. This made our dinner. I also served a few of the corn shells with a little cheese, diced fresh tomatoes and romaine lettuce which I toasted and served with salsa.

 

I almost always make a soup after I have a meal with meat. I add any bits of veggies and grains along with diced onion, garlic, salt and pepper. I serve with a salad and sometimes bread (if there isn't much soup to go around). I've even chopped up penne pasta to add to soup. You can do the same thing with those few lasagna noodles left in the carton.

 

Leftover sloppy joe, chili, or chicken become toppings for baked potatoes as well.

 

Little bits of this fruit and that fruit become a fruit salad with sliced bananas. Over-ripe bananas are frozen for future smoothies. Or, little bits of fruit are added to plain yogurt or low-fat cottage cheese. Fruit that has become a little mushy or peaches that are unfortunately lacking in taste when you get them can be added to yogurt or in smoothies. I think very hard before throwing any food out -- I try to use it up or freeze it. When I do have to throw it out, it's composted.

 

Bits of bread can be frozen and processed for bread crumbs. Dry or over-baked muffins can be torn up and eaten in milk. I did this with date bran muffins that I accidentally over-baked. They were absolutely delicious in the milk!

 

Leftover rice can be heated with diced apples, cinnamon, nuts, flaxseed and milk. Leftover egg can be added to rice.

 

I always try to use up any vegetables that I have bits of in soup. I especially do this before a big shopping day. It's a "cleaned-out-the-refrigerator" soup.

 

Often, when a meal is done, I will chop up the leftover meat, and if we had them, potatoes. I put these in a storage container along with the leftover veggies. That way, I'm not storing all of this food in separate containers, only to take it out of the refrigerator the next day to make soup.

 

The leftover bits of cereal in the bag (my son's cinnamon harvest by Kashi is always full of this stuff) are put in a ziploc bag and used in my next batch of muffins.

[Nestof3]

We pay for one haircut a year total. That is for five people. My daughters have long hair that I trim, and dh and the boy get the clippers at home. The one yearly haircut is for me.

 

Yes, I trim Nathan and Ben's hair myself, which saves us $30 a month.

 

There is no way I could go a year without getting a trim. My curly hair becomes a rat's nest without regular trims.

[The Governess]

I tend to spend *more* at the grocery store unless I have planned our menu in advance. If I don't know exactly what I'm shopping for, too many things will catch my eye and end up in my cart.

 

If you like planning your menus in advance, you may want to look for a cookbook that is based on seasonal produce. I have one that is organized by season and I know that if it's early spring and I am picking recipes from the "early spring" chapter, the produce called for will probably be in stock and will likely be on sale.

 

Another thing I'm doing is switching to microfiber cloths for cleaning and getting rid of the paper towels. I just bought a pack of 36 of them on Amazon for $16. They will be used for wiping down counters, cleaning up spills, dusting, etc. We go through a lot of paper towels right now and I'm tired of the waste. It's not a huge money saver....but it's something. :001_smile:

[ruby t.]

I've heard of this but how do you do it? We don't have CVS or Rite Aid in AR that I know of, but there is Walgreens. So how can I get free toiletries from Walgreens?

 

Thanks!

 

>>Toiletries - Try doing couponing through CVS, Rite Aid, or Walgreens. I never pay for toiletries any more. For example this month at Rite Aid I've spent $34 and I'll be receiving a check for $48 and a Rite Aid Gift Card for $10. I've gotten a few hundred dollars worth of things at CVS and only paid $5. I'm able to donate a bunch of stuff in addition to not having to pay for things.<<