Best painless "stretching things" budget tips?

[mrsklamc]

We steam our ground beef so the grease all falls through the bottom of the steamer...I don't save it though.

 

[MELSMICE]

We steam our ground beef so the grease all falls through the bottom of the steamer...I don't save it though.

Wow, I never thought of this. That is great for getting rid of the grease.

Do you use a veggie steamer? How long do you actually steam it for?

 

[Ann Giles]

I would use the white vinegar as the rinse agent.

We have a high effeciency washing machine - but I have discovered that you can use regular liquid detergent. You only need a fraction of what they recommend. I use less than a 1/4 cup for a full load...Haven't had to buy detergent in weeks (and yes our clothes are nice and fresh - remember your eldest DD wrapped up in that white fake fur throw with her face buried in it saying "this smells so fresh"... )

This is SOOOOO true! When we bought our HE front loading machine, I was really worried about the expense of the special HE detergent. The guy that delivered the machine told us that we could use the regular detergent - just a lot less of it. If we accidently use too much, it'll just leave suds in the front of the machine, so we rinse and spin again to get it all out.

We buy the HUGE bottles of detergent. A 96 load bottle will last us at least 6 months (unless I go on a cleaning spree and wash all the curtains and bedspreads).

We don't have smelly clothes, or clothes that don't come clean. They all look just as though I washed them with a "regular" amount of detergent. We also use white vinegar in the "prewash". This helps get out smells - like when your DS leaves a wet towel in his room and it gets mildewed, or when DH has his work clothes all sweaty and stinky in a pile.

The vinegar doesn't leave a vinegar smell at all. We also use less fabric softener (water it down a little to help it move through the washing machine).

 

[thomasclan85]

What a wealth of information you all have here. I haven't read all the budget busters so if I'm repeating something, sorry. We reuse papertowels like when we wash and dry our hands then I use them over to wipe up spills or clean counters with them. I shop at Sam's, buy hamburger meat, chicken, cheese, etc. and freeze small portions. I even freeze gallons of milk. I like buying a big rotisserie chicken from Sam's and use it for several meals. Another thing I do is on payday I put money into envelopes. I have the following envelopes: grocery, medical, auto, allowance, entertainment, and spending. This method really helps me to control spending, once the envelope is empty thats it.

You can really freeze milk?? Does it change the taste? How long do you freeze it for?? We just got our every 3rd month trip at Sam's done and milk was $3.32 for 1% milk. It's $4.29 at Food Lion here at home. Thanks!

 

[happycampers]

You can really freeze milk?? Does it change the taste? How long do you freeze it for?? We just got our every 3rd month trip at Sam's done and milk was $3.32 for 1% milk. It's $4.29 at Food Lion here at home. Thanks!

I don't know how long you are supposed to be able to freeze milk, but we've done it for a few months at a time. The only taste difference we've noticed is if you are trying to hurry and don't let it all defrost all the way. (Pouring off what has defrosted and using it while waiting for more to defrost.) It seems to defrost "separated" if that makes sense. Some of it seems watery if not defrosted and mixed with the rest of it. KWIM? It does take a few days to fully defrost a gallon. We simply pour a little bit out of the milk jugs (and keep it in a pitcher) to allow for expansion in the freezer. When I let it defrost in the fridge, I set the jug in a pie pan to collect any potential milk spills just in case the jug got any cracks in it during freezing. That doesn't happen often since we remove some milk for head space.

 

[Ann Giles]

Yeah, we use cloth almost exclusively. Paper products are for short road trips only. I feel guilty even then. Also, we hang dry lots of things rather than use the electricity to dry them.

OP, I'd be worried about the high fructose corn syrup in that fake syrup. Why not find a Trader Joes and get your syrup cheaper to begin with? Their prices are marvelous!

For those of you that like/love Trader Joe's...you can now like/love Aldi's.

BOTH stores are owned by the SAME FAMILY. A German family opened both stores, a set of brothers to be exact.

That's why you'll find a lot of German type food in each store - especially around the holidays with the German cookies and things.

 

[kellig]

I don't know how long you are supposed to be able to freeze milk, but we've done it for a few months at a time. The only taste difference we've noticed is if you are trying to hurry and don't let it all defrost all the way. (Pouring off what has defrosted and using it while waiting for more to defrost.) It seems to defrost "separated" if that makes sense. Some of it seems watery if not defrosted and mixed with the rest of it. KWIM? It does take a few days to fully defrost a gallon. We simply pour a little bit out of the milk jugs (and keep it in a pitcher) to allow for expansion in the freezer. When I let it defrost in the fridge, I set the jug in a pie pan to collect any potential milk spills just in case the jug got any cracks in it during freezing. That doesn't happen often since we remove some milk for head space.

How long will the milk last in the fridge once you defrost it? For example, you purchase on 07/15 with an expiration of 07/25. If you defrost on 08/15, how long is it good?

 

[thomasclan85]

*post deleted*

 

[mrsklamc]

Wow, I never thought of this. That is great for getting rid of the grease.

Do you use a veggie steamer? How long do you actually steam it for?

Well, this isn't a great answer but we steam it until it looks like it's cooked through. We usually put it in casseroles after we cook it, that cook at 350 for an hour so we don't worry about it not getting hot enough for food safety.

I use something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-Cl...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1216654786&sr=8-1

 

[runwad]

How long will the milk last in the fridge once you defrost it? For example, you purchase on 07/15 with an expiration of 07/25. If you defrost on 08/15, how long is it good?

I don't know what about others but if I buy milk on 7/15 and it expires 7/25 that is a 10 day window so I figure if I put in the freezer on the 15th once I take it out I have 10 days to use it

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Thanks for the reply. I was wondering about overflow as it thaws out. I guess I could just pour a little out before freezing.... I think I'll give it a try!

This is what I do. I pour a bit off the top (into my milk jug in the fridge) since it does expand a bit.

 

[MELSMICE]

Well, this isn't a great answer but we steam it until it looks like it's cooked through. We usually put it in casseroles after we cook it, that cook at 350 for an hour so we don't worry about it not getting hot enough for food safety.

I use something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Farberware-Cl...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1216654786&sr=8-1

Thanks!!!

 

[happycampers]

I don't know what about others but if I buy milk on 7/15 and it expires 7/25 that is a 10 day window so I figure if I put in the freezer on the 15th once I take it out I have 10 days to use it

I was going to say the same thing.

 

[Todd&Copper]

For those of you that like/love Trader Joe's...you can now like/love Aldi's.

BOTH stores are owned by the SAME FAMILY. A German family opened both stores, a set of brothers to be exact.

That's why you'll find a lot of German type food in each store - especially around the holidays with the German cookies and things.

OK, except:
(1) I do not have an Aldi's nearby, but I do have a TJ's;
and
(2) the Aldi's I did go into did not have the same products as TJ's.

Sorry, they may be owned by the same family, but Aldi's is really a discount store while TJ's is more like "gourmet on a budget".

 

[kellig]

I don't know what about others but if I buy milk on 7/15 and it expires 7/25 that is a 10 day window so I figure if I put in the freezer on the 15th once I take it out I have 10 days to use it

Wow...thanks for the info! Learn something new everyday!

 

[Kycha]

OK, except:
(1) I do not have an Aldi's nearby, but I do have a TJ's;
and
(2) the Aldi's I did go into did not have the same products as TJ's.

Sorry, they may be owned by the same family, but Aldi's is really a discount store while TJ's is more like "gourmet on a budget".

Man! We will probably be the last people in the free world to get a Trader Joe's. I am so jealous. I keep reading about how great their products are.

 

[cseca]

Man! We will probably be the last people in the free world to get a Trader Joe's. I am so jealous. I keep reading about how great their products are.

Nope, we don't have it either. I don't even know what they are until I read it on this board.

Anyways, I just tried a little something that should help me save $ on soap. It's very similar with one of the previous poster on foaming hand soap.
From this site: http://frugalliving.about.com/od/householdsavings/ht/Foaming_Soap.htm

Here's How:
Pour one tablespoon of liquid hand soap into an empty foaming soap dispenser.

Fill the rest of the dispenser with water (leaving a little space at the top of the container).

Screw on the lid and shake.

Tips:
Warm water works best.
Pump the dispenser a few times to get the foaming started.

I actually bought a bazillion handsoap from B&BW last time they were on sale plus a coupon. So I got them for about $2/bottle.
I only bought a couple of the foaming soaps from previous sale and I am still using them.
One of them JUST ran out, so I took a TB of regular liquid hand soap from a new bottle and followed the above instruction.
Worked beautifully!

So now I literally will have soap for 10 years, maybe more.
If I had known this trick before I would've not bought so much soaps...

 

[happycampers]

Nope, we don't have it either. I don't even know what they are until I read it on this board.

Anyways, I just tried a little something that should help me save $ on soap. It's very similar with one of the previous poster on foaming hand soap.
From this site: http://frugalliving.about.com/od/householdsavings/ht/Foaming_Soap.htm

Here's How:
Pour one tablespoon of liquid hand soap into an empty foaming soap dispenser.

Fill the rest of the dispenser with water (leaving a little space at the top of the container).

Screw on the lid and shake.

Tips:
Warm water works best.
Pump the dispenser a few times to get the foaming started.

I actually bought a bazillion handsoap from B&BW last time they were on sale plus a coupon. So I got them for about $2/bottle.
I only bought a couple of the foaming soaps from previous sale and I am still using them.
One of them JUST ran out, so I took a TB of regular liquid hand soap from a new bottle and followed the above instruction.
Worked beautifully!

So now I literally will have soap for 10 years, maybe more.
If I had known this trick before I would've not bought so much soaps...

Years ago, I bought a special foaming soap bottle from Pampered Chef. That thing wasn't worth my money because it didn't last long at all. (I had a friend who did get longer use out of hers.) I've seen bottles of foaming soap at the store, but they didn't look like they could be refilled because there wasn't a way to get the cap off and back on again. (Love that design so they can get you to keep on buying overpriced water with a dash of soap.) So, as a result I haven't looked at foaming soaps for a long time. What brand of foaming soap did you get with an easily refillable bottle?

 

[cseca]

Years ago, I bought a special foaming soap bottle from Pampered Chef. That thing wasn't worth my money because it didn't last long at all. (I had a friend who did get longer use out of hers.) I've seen bottles of foaming soap at the store, but they didn't look like they could be refilled because there wasn't a way to get the cap off and back on again. (Love that design so they can get you to keep on buying overpriced water with a dash of soap.) So, as a result I haven't looked at foaming soaps for a long time. What brand of foaming soap did you get with an easily refillable bottle?

I bought Bath and Body Works foaming hand soap. It's regularly something like $4.50~$5 per bottle. But I wait until their semi annual sale, then I use $10 coupon code to buy crazy amt (that should last me a couple years). With the sale price and coupon it usually costs me a little over $2/bottle. Which is close to the price of hand soap at my local grocery store but smells better. So I like to splurge on this.

I generally like the regular liquid soap better than their foaming version. But after reading that site I decided to like the foaming one better...
Plus I'm reusing the bottle that otherwise I would throw away... not a bad deal.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I made some pizza dough & rolled it into a square, picked up some cold-cut ends which I diced and then rolled the whole thing up and baked it for 20 min. Here in the NE we call these stromboli's but they go by many different names. The cost is less than $5 yet the treat can cost up to $8 a pound if called anti-pasto bread, $8 a loaf if called prosciutto bread. The nice thing about this is that it can be made to work with any filling you can dream of, I just filled it with what was in the $1.81 cold cut end package and some mozzarella but American would be equally good.

One loaf with a cup of tomato sauce filled everyone for dinner and we had some leftover for cold lunch sandwiches the following day. This will be the next thing I serve at a get together.