Best painless "stretching things" budget tips?

[Chicklogic]

I've been mixing half a gallon of 2% milk with half a gallon of powdered milk (Aldi's sells a big box for very, very cheap) for about a month now. The kids can't seem to tell the difference, and my husband says it tastes fine. It makes the milk go so much further. Once the milk is cold, I think it's hard to tell the difference.

Many thanks to those of you who suggested this!!!

My 18 year old son saw me mixing the milk the other day, and said he didn't like it. I just smiled and told him he'd been drinking it for about a month now

DON'T LET 'EM CATCH YA!! My family has not noticed...... my son is also 18 and 6'6 (LOTSA MILK)

 

[Kycha]

I'm glad you guys like the recipe.

I just cooked the stromboli loaf at the same temp the pizza recipe called for, I think it was 425 for 20 min in a preheated oven but keep an eye on it and try not to pack the meat too tightly. Lay the meat cubes out over the rectangle like pizza toppings then gently roll it up.

I love to keep a list of meals for the week this way I can switch inexpensive meals in with more expensive stuff so no-one notices I've being careful with money besides this way I don't forget what I have and we eat out less when I can tempt the family with at home yummys.

This week:
Turkey Dinner with Purdue boneless breast (Turkey salad with leftovers)
Pizza -DD having a sleepover
Chopped meat and rice with Marsala (MIL's recipe)/ PB& J as backup
Spaghetti with 4 meatballs made from the meat used for the Marsala dish
London Broil
Burgers
Vodka Penne
Stromboli
Chicken cutlet parmasean with a side of pasta or fried breaded Cutlet sandwiches (yummy with mayo & lettuce)

Thanks again LuvOrlando! The stromboli was a big hit in my house. I can't believe how easy that was to make. Next time I'll make some pizza sauce and spread it on there. I ended up using spaghetti sauce to save time. But it was delicious!

 

[happycampers]

I've been mixing half a gallon of 2% milk with half a gallon of powdered milk (Aldi's sells a big box for very, very cheap) for about a month now. The kids can't seem to tell the difference, and my husband says it tastes fine. It makes the milk go so much further. Once the milk is cold, I think it's hard to tell the difference.

Many thanks to those of you who suggested this!!!

My 18 year old son saw me mixing the milk the other day, and said he didn't like it. I just smiled and told him he'd been drinking it for about a month now

It's funny. I don't hear any complaints either unless they see me adding a little pitcher of the powdered milk to the regular. I can open up a brand new gallon of milk and they'll claim it doesn't taste right. Then I show them both cartons, and they quiet down. After that, I can pour from either carton and not hear a peep. Go figure.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Thanks again LuvOrlando! The stromboli was a big hit in my house. I can't believe how easy that was to make. Next time I'll make some pizza sauce and spread it on there. I ended up using spaghetti sauce to save time. But it was delicious!

I'm glad you liked it. We like to use the tomato sauce to dip in but putting it in the roll sounds like a good idea if it didn't soften the dough too much. Maybe I'll try it but first let me ask, was the dough mushy at all? How was it the next day?

Tonight I fed my family plus 2 of DD's friends + DS's friend for $12 with the $5.55 pizza deal from Domino's. DH went with the Marsala & rice recipe my MIL helped me make last night... very cheap and good, it tastes a whole lot like the insides of Tyler Florence's Stuffed Cabbage recipe I made last week.

 

[Tinka_Belle]

I make dog treats instead of buying them...cost's a whole lot less. Here's the recipe I use, just not natural peanut butter. I use whatever pb brand is on sale. And, to save time I don't use cookie cutters...DD6 helps me roll them into 1/2 inch meatball size and flatten to 1/4 inch thick.

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/dogtreats_chunkypeanuttreats.htm

Thank you for this recipe. I have two dogs and they love peanut butter treats. Right now I am paying $10 a package for their treats. A package only lasts about a month around here. This will save $120 a year. Thank you again.

I've been mixing half a gallon of 2% milk with half a gallon of powdered milk (Aldi's sells a big box for very, very cheap) for about a month now. The kids can't seem to tell the difference, and my husband says it tastes fine. It makes the milk go so much further. Once the milk is cold, I think it's hard to tell the difference.

Many thanks to those of you who suggested this!!!

My 18 year old son saw me mixing the milk the other day, and said he didn't like it. I just smiled and told him he'd been drinking it for about a month now

I told my DH that I could do this and he said no don't do it. I then bet him that I could do it and he would never know the difference. He wouldn't take the bet. When I buy milk again this is what I am going to do.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I have a question. I just love Febreeze fabric refresher but it is SO expensive. I have bought a few store brands but they are usually not that much cheaper. Does anyone have a fabric refresher recipe?

 

[Kycha]

I'm glad you liked it. We like to use the tomato sauce to dip in but putting it in the roll sounds like a good idea if it didn't soften the dough too much. Maybe I'll try it but first let me ask, was the dough mushy at all? How was it the next day?

I go very, very light on the sauce...even when I make pizza. So, I used maybe 3-4 tablespoons of sauce over the entire rectangle of dough. Then I slapped on the meat, cheese and onions. Rolled it up and threw it in the oven. I also cut a few slits in the top to let any steam escape. It looked and tasted just like the stromboli I get at the neighborhood pizza shop. The crust was not mushy at all. I only made it tonight. So, I'll have to let you know how it holds up tomorrow.

I have a question. I just love Febreeze fabric refresher but it is SO expensive. I have bought a few store brands but they are usually not that much cheaper. Does anyone have a fabric refresher recipe?

All the fabric refresher recipes I have found online use fabric softener. I have heard that using fabric softener on upholstery leaves a residue that actually attracts dirt. So, someone suggested filling a spray bottle with water, add a couple drops of essential oil and some rubbing alcohol or vodka.

 

[LadyEMT]

I wanted to add a quick comment to this thread...I found that when I really like a product and send an email to the manufacturer, they often will send me coupons for the stuff, and alot of times the coupons are for FREE items!! Cant beat that.

 

[lilybeth11602]

re: the tuna cakes-

I've always made them just with tuna, some sort of bread product, egg, and seasonings.

But you can use lots of different stuff for the bread product. My grandma always used saltine crackers crushed up. I made them once with some stale Cheez-Its and they were fantastic. Who woulda thought? I have also made them with the little crumbies in the potato chip bag. It's a really good way to use up that odd leftover stuff, and stale doesn't matter.

i always make these with with bread crumbs, egg, mayo, dijon, lemon juice and instead of tuna i use the canned or packaged salmon. they are delicious and very budget friendly.

 

[lilybeth11602]

I use the dryer sheets to clean my bathtub and shower.Save them as you take out the clothes from the dryer.I was amazed at how clean my shower got.I also clean with baking soda ..it is only 30 cents at wally world.

i love this idea and i use baking soda all the time to clean the tub. it is the best cleaner i have found. its cheap and has multi use as my DD pointed out on the box that i could make cookies too.

 

[LuvOrlando]

One big way to let food stretch, give soup a chance before the meal.
Cacciatore, which is a chicken & potato chunk stew, sits in a thick tomato sauce stew and is great over rice. My kids love rice with plain broth so that before lunch works. I will make pea soup if I have leftover bacon, lentil soup if I have leftover beef or ham, I fix the pot and it'll accompany meals for almost a week.

 

[lilybeth11602]

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 buy the organic milk. it lasts weeks longer than regular milk without freezing it (like 4-6 weeks) and tastes better too. i have been doing one shopping trip a month and the milk will last the whole time.

 

[Tinka_Belle]

One big way to let food stretch, give soup a chance before the meal.
Cacciatore, which is a chicken & potato chunk stew, sits in a thick tomato sauce stew and is great over rice. My kids love rice with plain broth so that before lunch works. I will make pea soup if I have leftover bacon, lentil soup if I have leftover beef or ham, I fix the pot and it'll accompany meals for almost a week.

I never thought of that. I will have to start doing this. DH is never full after dinner and ends up snacking all night long, which causes the snack budget to go up.

 

[Mickeyorbust]

Thank you for this recipe. I have two dogs and they love peanut butter treats. Right now I am paying $10 a package for their treats. A package only lasts about a month around here. This will save $120 a year. Thank you again.

Happy to help...if you have medium to large dogs, like me...I would suggest setting them to cool somewhere high. My dog can't seem to resist the smell and goes "counter surfing."

Thanks LuvOrlando for the stromboli idea. I'm gonna try that this week as I have left over bell peppers and onions, from fajitas, that would be great.

 

[abandcsmom]

We have used vinegar for years. My 6yo has very bad eczema and we have never used fabric softener since her birth. We also vinegar and baking soda for most all of our cleaning around the house and I assure you the house doesn't smell of vinegar. You can't even believe how much you will save on cleaning supplies by switching to a big jug of white vinegar and a big box of baking soda to replace eerything.

 

[gdulaney]

We can spot a Target clearance sticker at 50 feet.... we try to combine the clearance priced item with a coupon.

Also -- somebody ask about saving a chicken breast. I used to sell Tupperware. One of the things that my manager really stressed was being able to provide suggestions for the products. The have a nifty divided microwave dish. Her suggestion was to make "planned over tv dinners". For example, you have a scoop of corn leftover. Put it in the dish and then into the freezer. The next night, you have a leftover chicken breast. Pull the dish from the freezer, pop in the chicken and then back in the freezer. Once you've filled the three compartments, you have a great "take to work" lunch or dinner. It's like having a brand new meal. *NOTE: depending on what you have in there...it could be a brand new strange combo meal.

Ginny

 

[timmac]

Kind of on a related note to the "save the leftovers for lunch the next day" type of idea... at my desk at work I keep ketchup, mustard, and hot sauce. That way, even the most boring or bland of leftover whatever can be made tasty and enjoyable

 

[MELSMICE]

We can spot a Target clearance sticker at 50 feet.... we try to combine the clearance priced item with a coupon.

No kidding. For me, staying out of Target saves me money - even if I'm buying clearance items!!! Every time I go in there I seem to spend more money than I had planned on & it's usually because of those darn cleance stickers!!!

 

[D&DDisney]

Also -- somebody ask about saving a chicken breast. I used to sell Tupperware. One of the things that my manager really stressed was being able to provide suggestions for the products. The have a nifty divided microwave dish. Her suggestion was to make "planned over tv dinners". For example, you have a scoop of corn leftover. Put it in the dish and then into the freezer. The next night, you have a leftover chicken breast. Pull the dish from the freezer, pop in the chicken and then back in the freezer. Once you've filled the three compartments, you have a great "take to work" lunch or dinner. It's like having a brand new meal. *NOTE: depending on what you have in there...it could be a brand new strange combo meal.

Ginny

Love this idea!!! I have compartment dishes and I will have to use them more often.

I've also started making my own Mircowave pancakes. Instead of spending $2-$3 on a box of pancakes I make a big batch and then freeze them.
I put them on a greesed cookie sheet to cool and freeze individually first. Then once frozen, I transfer them to freezer bags. I pull out what I need for the kids for breakfast each morning.

 

[goofyboyzmom]

Love this idea!!! I have compartment dishes and I will have to use them more often.

I've also started making my own Mircowave pancakes. Instead of spending $2-$3 on a box of pancakes I make a big batch and then freeze them.
I put them on a greesed cookie sheet to cool and freeze individually first. Then once frozen, I transfer them to freezer bags. I pull out what I need for the kids for breakfast each morning.

When you say you freeze them individually first, do you wrap them up to keep them from getting "frostbite"?