A reply to VB's posts on Saving Money in the Kitchen and Checking in

I have been on hiatus for a few months from blogging.  The Advent and Christmas seasons were extremely busy for me (November - December).  Between taking care of my son while my husband fulfilled all of his commitments with the churches he is Pastor of, my parents and brother visiting over Christmas, and daily life, I didn't make the time to blog.  And life around here isn't going to slow down anytime soon.

2015 is going to be a busy year with quite a bit of transition from what life has been like the past 3+ years for me here in small town Fairfield, Montana.  I am excited and nervous about it.  I will share my adventures in future posts.

VB recently posted about saving money in the kitchen and budgeting.  Jason and I use budget methods very similar to Virginia and her husband, so I don't have much to add on that score.  We won't put a new budget together until April, once we know what our quarterly taxes for 2015 will be.

We have a flat budget for food every month of $350.  This amount includes groceries and eating out.  Occasionally we will go over our monthly budget (like this month) and will subtract the amount we overspent from the next month.  So for the month of January we will end up over our food budget, therefore, the amount we go over in January will be subtracted from our February food budget.  That means we will have less money to spend on groceries and going out to eat in February.  It will be tight, but we've figured it out before.

We haven't quite figured out a budget for toilettries, household, health and misc. yet.  We buy a lot of our paper products in bulk when they are on sale.  This includes, ziplock baggies in different sizes for freezing and storing foods, toilet paper, paper towels, the list goes on and on.  We reuse ziplock baggies so we haven't had to buy those for a while.  And don't get me started on diapers.  For a long time, Target had great specials on their Up&Up diapers in the bigger size boxes.  Not so much anymore.  I can't wait for my son to be potty-trained, but that is a blog post for another time.  Needless to say, our budget is a work in progress.

 In January we ate out a lot because Jason and I were away at the beginning of the month for a wedding in Kalispell, Montana, which is in Northwestern Montana.  But this is not the norm.  We hardly ever go out to eat.  We make yummy, healthy meals at home.  I'd like to second VB, in that most of our non-fresh food we buy is a generic and we save a lot of money that way.  We've found that it tastes the same for the most part as brand name items.  Although, I'd suggest paying the extra money for the actual Special-K cereal instead of the store generic.  You can tell the difference in taste on that one.

I will end this post with that thought.  Don't worry, I promise to share my upcoming adventures in future posts.  For now, I say, "Keep on keeping on!"

6 Ways We Save Money in the Kitchen & Recipe Ideas

My husband and I love to cook. We only eat out a couple times a month if that. It saves sooo much money. Our biggest challenge is I get bored with the same foods all the time (and have slowly converted my husband's tastes over the last 5 years) so we have had to purchase many exotic spices to make up for not having access to all of the ethnic markets and restaurants I grew accustomed to when I lived in Boston.

In ambitious weeks we plan 3 recipes in the beginning of the week and purchase whatever ingredients we need. We eat most of our left overs (a huge money saver) so 3 recipes is plenty for 2 people for a week. In less ambitious weeks we turn to the pantry for spices and beans/tomatoes/grains and to the freezer for protein. That's when the wide selection of spices comes in handy. Maybe we have a hankering for Thai or Indian - we have lots of cookbooks, so we'll see what we have on hand and use the necessary spices to round out the dish vs. the recipe.

How we save money in the kitchen:

1. We buy generic canned goods or whatever is on sale the cheapest every time. We are not loyal to food brands and that saves us money. 
2. We keep several types of beans, tomatoes and grains on hand at all times for last minute meals.
3. We buy meats and fish on sale and always look for the cheapest prices. Freezers are your friend because sometimes buying lots at once is your best deal. If we had room we would definitely buy a deep freezer, but our apartment is way too small so we make do with the fridge. 
4. We have lots of cookbooks that we buy second hand for a couple of dollars and use the internet to find recipes. 
5. We eat leftovers for lunch and throughout the week. 
6. We invested in some hard to come by spices (which last a long time) and supplement with bulk spices from the bulk foods store and store them in dollar store or thrifted containers. This gives us lots of versatility in the kitchen - we can prepare chicken or ground beef 100 ways without it getting boring! 

I also use the interwebs as a source for recipes. I've started saving ones I like or really want to make because I think I will like them on my pinterest page.

Here's the pinterest link if you would like to browse my recipe box. I promise you won't be disappointed.

10 Tips for Winning at Being Frugal

"Got my mind on my money and my money on my mind." - Youngbloodz

Yup, I just quoted old school rap lyrics. That's how we roll around here. Anyway...my last post was a long winded essay on why budgeting is worth your time. I thought since we've been at it for over half a year now, I'd share with you some of our best tips for being frugal and making your money work for you. The art of telling every penny where to go (in my pocket of course..."find a penny, pick it up, then all day you'll have good luck" and an extra penny!).

1. Generic brand food actually tastes the same on the majority of products. Try it, you'll be surprised and save a bunch of money on your grocery bill. I avoid generic tuna, am picky about hotdogs, prefer real maple syrup (or at least some large % mix) and have a couple of brand name cereals I really like (because I make a serious midday meal out of cereal...I need it to stick to my bones longer...and I'm picky). That said, we buy pretty much everything else generic. In fact, we are lucky to live near a store that sells SOOO many products in bulk bins, we save a ton of money shopping there and just store in our own containers.

2. Math is your friend. When you are shopping always compare price per unit of measurement. You are looking for the best ratio of most unit of measurement for lowest price. Some stores post this on the labels on the shelves. If they don't, do a rough estimate in your head. Does math hurt? Use a calculator (your phone probably has one).

3. Sell anything you can part with and you really don't need. When you start evaluating things, how often you use them, if you use them, if you are tired of them, if they are valuable, if you can easily replace them etc. you will start to realize you can live without a lot of the stuff you've been dragging around for years. My husband and I are constantly selling stuff. It is really satisfying to get a little money for something that is no longer useful to you and taking up space. Especially in a small apartment with no storage. Have a yard sale, list in the online classifieds. Post it on your facebook. Easy! We just made $150 at a yard sale this weekend and still have lots of stuff left to sell. Use this money to pay off debt! Good way to get the snowball rolling.

4. Cook! Making meals at home will save you so much money. It's also healthier and a good way to have some family time without everyone realizing that's what's going on :) . We go out to eat maybe once or twice a month. It comes out of our regular food budget and means that we get to buy that much less in groceries if we eat out. Also, bringing your own food for lunch is a huge way to save money! Leftovers reheat really well, cut down on waste, and are an easy way to have a healthy, filling lunch.

5. Look for free entertainment. We save so much on entertainment by looking for things that are going on for free. Our local art museum offers a free admission night once a week. Many museums do; check out their websites. Summer is a great time for free music and outside festivals. We have been going to as many of these as possible. We also try to get out and just enjoy the small things more too. An outing to feed the ducks? Sitting outside at the local coffee shop people watching?

6. Volunteer. You may be surprised that volunteering will actually save you money. It is entertaining, it is social, it feels good. And in some instances, if you volunteer for an event, for example a music festival, you can get free admission. My husband and I volunteered for the local folk festival. I will be doing site cleanup and he will be bartending and we will save $100 on the event!

7. Follow your budget. Don't cheat yourself. Once you have spent your valuable time, energy and brain cells on planning a budget, stick to it. This seems obvious, but it can be harder than it sounds. Don't forget to budget in some blow money for yourself. It helps. We each get $25 a month to spend on anything we want, no questions asked. My husband has a hard time limiting himself on this, but I feel like I am doing really well and sometimes have extra money left at the end of the month to roll into the next month.

8. Use envelopes with cash to manage things like food, entertainment, gas and your blow funds. We have noticed a huge difference in the months we used the envelope/cash system vs. the months we used debit. We let $1000 walk away one month using debit because we told ourselves "oh we're fine, there is plenty in the bank account." Sure there is plenty in the bank account, but on our digital budget spreadsheet, that money is actually being saved for things like the dentist, medicine and gifts. In a sense, we were stealing from our own savings. Sad.

9. Talk about money! Many people we know with money problems and debt hate money. They are angry about it, they don't want to talk about it. Once you allow yourself to get past that, and openly talk about it with your partner, your family, your friends, whomever. It is a lot easier to feel in control of your money, your expenses, your debt and your savings. Yes, we still argue about money, but I will say our conversations are much more productive and we are mostly on the same page.

10. Shop thrift shops and yard sales. This is a frugal, budget conscience person's best friend. In many instances "gently used will do". We buy as much as we can second hand right now. Of course we'd love to buy new, but on our just above poverty line income, we can't afford new on most things. I find name brand, designer clothing all the time. Watch for holes/snags/stains/general wear and tear but otherwise you can often win at thrift shops for clothes. We also buy a lot of kitchen items at thrift shops - dishes mostly. Pots and pans we buy new because the non-stick stuff does wear out. It is amazing what soap and water can do. Facebook has lots of local buy/sell groups. Search for your town name & buy/sell/yard sale/garage sale etc. Also shop online classifieds like craigslist. Plug your nose, dive in and you will be surprised and impressed at the treasures you will find. I have found Coach, Bottega Veneta and Gucci among other brands at thrift shops. Treasures people and more pennies in your pocket!   

Have some more tips not mentioned here? We would love to hear them. Please share in the comments! 

Edible Gardening

I have been filling my spring with growing things. It is very satisfying, except when the neighbor's naughty cat does her business in my garden box and destroys the entire crop of spinach...jerkface. I am ever tempted with the idea of sustainable living in which I grow as much of the produce that I can that we consume. I think I should probably own a place with a more substantial yard. Someday.

Meanwhile, the landlord has allowed us to put in a 3' x 6' planter box. I've got 4 strawberry plants, several heads of garlic, some lavender, some bergamot, some chives and the evil cat ruined the spinach patch. Also, immediately outside our door, we have a 5' x 10' green space that I have lots of pots of other stuff in. Also, put some sunflowers in around the border for fun and hopefully seeds.

I am growing only edibles, less the pansies I bought to dress up the stoop when my parents came. (My mom always has flowers on the front steps...have to keep up the expectations ;). I have several herbs and LOVE cooking with fresh herbs whenever possible. I'm also drying and preserving some as the season progresses.

Edible plants list includes:
-strawberries
-chives
-garlic
-bergamot (for tea)
-mint
-basil
-cinnamon basil
-oregano
-cilantro
-dill
-sunflower
-lavender
-chamomile (for tea)

Earlier this spring (in a month I consider summer). I experimented with dandelions. I made battered dandelion blossoms, dandelion jelly, dandelion cookies, dandelion syrup (best kind was infused with oranges!) and roasted dandelion root for tea. Here are several good sources for dandelion recipes. I was very satisfied with all of the yield and happy to have such an abundant free ingredient!
http://www.eattheweeds.com/dandelions-hear-them-roar/
http://www.splendidtable.org/recipes/dandelion-flower-cookies
http://www.almanac.com/recipe/dandelion-jelly-0
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/fried-dandelions-appalachian-style/detail.aspx

Here is a tour of my garden for the curious:

Drying oregano, mint & dill for winter (on a vintage tie rack)

Non edibles, pansies and some wild violets I found in the weeds in the back yard. Just stormed so leaves everywhere

Lavender, chamomile, bergamot, the tea herbs

Cinnamon basil, basil, mint & oregano, the sauce herbs

Mini sunflowers that came in a $1 kit at Target-boutique, next year I will plant jumbos!

I started lots of herbs in pots in the window when I thought it should be spring already, I am gradually transplanting some of them into larger pots and soil as I see fit. Leaving some here too as they are quite sweet! 

Dill bolted recently, going to bloom soon, I will harvest the seeds for pickling. 

Strawberries! I've pulled about 20 berries or more off these plants so far. Tart first year growth but should be good next year.

Free garden box planter. This is a junky particle board book shelf a neighbor was throwing away. It won't last forever of course but is good enough for now. Frugal gardeners unite! The other half has garlic, lavender, chives, bergamot and 1 surviving spinach plant.

1 of many spiders in the garden. I like them. They eat mosquitoes and other jerks. 

Some of the yield from my dandelion experiments. Dark large jar is syrup, smaller jars jelly, and brown stuff is roasted dandelion root. 

Chamomile blooms I have picked and am drying for tea. I think I may have enough for 1 cup. Le sigh.

Fresh chives I have freeze dried for later. 

RECIPE SHARING TIME: Blueberry Pudding Cake

I mentioned in my last post that I have a surplus of wild blueberries. In an effort to find new ways to use them I posted a petition on facebook (you should do the same when you are looking for new recipes) for blueberry recipe ideas. How's this for the most roundabout provenance of a recipe...my college friend Sarah, who now lives in Italy, found this recipe in the Boston Globe, submitted by a gal living in Florida, who has had this recipe for years. It's THAT good! It came to me looking like this: a cell phone photo of the newspaper article. Below you will find a typed up version of it. You can substitute Partridge Berries (aka Lingonberries) or other similar small, soft, tart shrub berries if cooking for people like Nan that HATE blueberries (they are "fast" on her stomach).


Speaking of my husband's Nan, I brought her some of this dessert one week and she loved it so much she wanted a batch made for the Senior Center gathering. Felt good to have achieved a simple accomplishment and to have purpose in enriching other people's lives; this sensation is hard to come by right now. It was a hit and her friends begged her for my recipe!

I will give you the same tip that Sarah gave me, it's a lot like a science experiment; don't let the boiling water scare you, it works! The result is a delicate crispy top, moist cakey middle and syrupy fruit filled bottom. YUMMY! I made it for a potluck at my mom's church today! (and clearly I love it as can be noted by the excessive use of exclamation points...!)

















Blueberry Pudding-Cake (or Partridge Berry)
Makes one 8 inch square

CAKE
Butter (for the pan)
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries (or Partridge berries)
2 tablespoons lemon juice (or orange juice)
2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more to taste)
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
½ cup whole milk

1. Set the oven at 375 degrees F (about 190 C). Butter a deep 8-inch round or square baking dish (or another dish with a 2-quart capacity).
2. In the baking dish, combine the blueberries (or Partridge berries), lemon juice (or orange juice), water, and cinnamon. Shake the dish until the berries are well coated.
3. In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt until blended; set aside.
4. With an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with flour.
5. Drop the batter evenly by spoonfuls over the berry mixture. With an off-set spatula or back of a spoon, spread the batter evenly over the berries.

TOPPING
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Pinch of Salt
¾ cup boiling water

1. Set the water on stove to boil. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Sprinkle this evenly over the batter.
2. Pour the boiling water over the entire surface. Do not stir.
3. Bake the pudding for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top is golden and crackly.
Serve with a big spoon in shallow bowls. Tastiest warm!