Best painless "stretching things" budget tips?

[kathy320]

I have started buying an oven stuffer roaster at the beginning of the week. I usse the legs, thigh and what little bit of wing meat there is for the recipe I have for white chicken chili. There is so much going on in this recipe that u dont notice that it isn't white meat. (I did this meal this week and there is enuff for leftovers.) the plan I have for the 2 chicken breast are........yesterday I sliced into one for sandwich wraps for me and my DD (and barely used half of it....I can prob get 4 more wraps out of the one breast.....I also out lettuce tomato and cheese in thesse wraps) The other breast I am going to use for a BBQ cicken ranch pizza I am going t make. We are a family of 4.....so lets see.....for the cost of the 8 lb roaster (11.00) I am getting 12 dinners (8 from wh. chic chilli and 4 from pizza) and 6 lunches for a total of 18 meals. If am thinking correctly, i should divide 11.00 by the 18 meals to get the cost per serving.....whick is......... .61 per serving!!!!!!!! Could that really be right????? lol

 

[ilovecraigandcooper]

this might be my very favorite thread ever...

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Just remembered another one while cleaning my car...

When your windshield wipers start to not work so well, instead of replacing them, just pour a little straight ammonia on a paper towel and wipe both sides of your wiper blades until no more black stuff comes off on the paper towel.

Of course, if your wiper blades are actually cracked, they need replacing. Oils from the road build up on the blades making them not wipe so well. (Picture all the spray from other cars on your ws while highway driving in the rain.)

You extend the life of wiper blades a lot longer this way. You will see the difference, it's amazing! Not only saves $ but less trash for environment too.

eta: Windex works ok in a pinch but ammonia works best and is cheaper.

 

[Dismom55]

I grew up in a house with a clothesline upstairs and downstairs, but our new house doesn't have one and I worry about the Home Owner's Association rules.

We have a clothes rod over the dryer that we use for hanging shirts and other things, and we use a wire shelf with some clothespins for smaller items.

I miss the sunlight and fresh air smell, though.

We have a laundry line in the garage, can open the back door for circulation rain or shine. Then we use plastic hangers and hang lots of things to dry, in the winter I have two places, one is the shower curtain rod in the big bathroom and the other is a dowel rod on chains my hubby hung over the washer and dryer for me.

I also save the hangers that some items come on that have clips, I use them for drying soccer shorts, leotards, tights etc. They clip easily and can hang any place a regular hanger can fit.

Even in the winter, I pull out the old box fan to help the process along from time to time, also can help to keep the air circulating if using the garage for clothesline.

 

[Colleen27]

Another along the same lines...don't use fabric softener, use vinegar instead (it really does work, I promise!!).

How much do you use? I've just started drying things on the line since the new house has one, and I've been looking for a good alternative to fabric softener for the wash.

 

[SunnieRN]

I have a fun recipe for those wanting a fun quick bread for supper. They are called hoecakes. They are the best: Make cornbread mix and cook them like pancakes on a griddle. I add a little extra milk to help them thin out on the griddle top. Somehow they get a buttery flavor to them. Serve with red beans and rice with molasses and butter for dessert. Sooooo good.

Oh my gosh, my Mom used to make an italian version of these with some cubed salami and parmesan cheese in them. She would make them fairly thick!! I'm so glad you posted this as it brought back a lot of good memories!

I drink Kool-Aid almost exclusively (I have a very bad gag reflex and can't seem to swallow water). I started cutting the sugar back each time I have made it. (I now use Splenda as I have diabetes) - I'm down to 1/3 of a cup per pitcher. That's a HUGE savings. Anything less than 1/3 of a cup is too bitter.

I hate plain water at times and at times that is all I want, but I've found if I add about a 1/4 of a packet of off brand sugar free drink mix to a large (24 oz) glass it is enough for me to drink down the whole glass. So instead of 1 drink, I get 4 out of each packet.

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.

I lived in CA all my life until 2 years ago. When people ask me what I miss I always mention Trader Joes and Del Taco. I miss TJ's every time I go shopping!! Great prices and great quality!

I've used this recipe for homemade pancake syrup. Our family likes it. Right after cooking it's the thinnest, but it does seem thicker after it has been refrigerated, though it's not as thick as I remember Mrs. Butterworth's. DS6 said it's the best he's ever had.

Homemade Pancake Syrup
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon maple flavoring
1/4 teaspoon butter flavoring
Combine the first three ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla, maple, and butter flavorings. Covering the saucepan is while the syrup cools will result in less crystallizing of the syrup.

Thank you for posting this, my Mom always made us syrup like this, but only used maple flavoring. This sounds good!

I went to the fabric store and bought a yard of the microfiber fabric, cut it into squares and made my own for a lot less than storebought.

This is brilliant!!

I only got 1/2 way through this entire thread tonight, so I'm sorry if this has been listed already.
If I make a boxed mix (i.e. hamb. helper, rice mixes, frozen pasta bag meals), I always add extra of the base (pasta or rice) and some extra water. There is always a lot more sauce or flavoring than is needed so it helps stretch it.

I love the ideas here and I will admit I need to get better at eating at home!

My favorite budget recipe, and it makes a HUGE amount of food:

Cook small pasta (elbows, small shells, or whatever you have on hand)
set aside.
While they are cooking cut up a 1/2 or whole hillshire farms sausage in small cubes(I often use turkey sausage instead.
In a skillet brown the sausage,
1 small onion diced
1 bell pepper diced
in some EVOO. I add salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic powder or fresh garlic. I will also add cubed diced zuchini at times.
Cook until the vegies are tender and the sausage is browned.
Add to the drained noodles, mix and serve. Believe it or not this is always a huge hit!

Can't wait to read the 2nd half! Oh and I thought it was funny when I went to one of the sites someone posted about roundies (sorry I don't remember who it was), but you can buy reusable feminine products there. I about died when I saw the name of the site!

 

[aliceindisneyland]

If you're trying to go a week or 2 without grocery shopping (using up your fridge/freezer/pantry items), purchase your fruits & veggies from a fruit stand instead of the grocery store: you won't *accidentally* buy extra groceries, plus you'll get fresh, local, in season produce!

Challenge yourself to learn to make 1 "from scratch" recipe each week or month--I learned to bake bread, make tortillas, salsa, baked beans (from dry), cake, brownies, cookies, pizza, chili, cinnamon rolls, salad dressing, Starbucks-style coffee drinks, cream of mushroom soup (for casseroles)...always cheaper and healthier than prepared/boxed versions!

My next project is growing fresh herbs--we love basil, parsley, chives, cilantro--the cost of seeds, a few pots, and potting soil will be about the same of 1 bunch of each from the grocery store! Here's hoping my black thumb turns green

 

[Dismom55]

When I was a kid I had very long very thick hair, when we would run out of conditioner for my hair my mom always had me use apple cider vinegar, it sure smelled funny until it dried, but it worked. I had brown hair, she also told me white vinegar would be for blonde or light colored hair and the apple cider vinegar was for dark, brown and dark red hair.

Another tip, if you burn something in the bottom of your saucepan, instead of scrubbing your fingers to the bone, sprinkle some (a bit on the heavy side)baking soda on the bottom, add just a bit of water, let soak overnight. This usually works for me and it does not damage your pans also very cheap.

Since we are a family of four, we rarely have leftovers, but when we do I make a plate up of the leftovers, seal tightly and freeze. Then when I do not feel like cooking or are in what we call stretch week, I pull out the left overs and everyone picks what they want, heat and eat. (I make sure to freeze in microwavable containers). Things will keep several weeks this way.

Oh yes, stretch week is the one week a month were we get no paycheck, so we are trying to stretch everything and do no grocery shopping that week. It is a pain, but it sure helps get things used up.

I also do a lot of batch cooking, cook enough for us to get two meals or more from one thing, all the work of one meal, but getting two meals. Save money and time.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

There are some great ideas here! Can someone please post (again ) the recipe for homemade laundry soap. Thanks, I really don't want to try and find it in all the past posts.

Not a frugality tip, but a thread tip.

Tips I like, especially recipes...

I am copying and pasting into a word document.


I am almost halfway through the thread and got some great tips.

The funniest--I watered down the dish detergent (we use it to wash hands as well.) I didn't tell hubby---suffice it to say, he overpoured and would appreciate being warned of this cost saving measure the next time.

 

[snjmorrison]

aliceindisneyland....Would you mind sharing your recipe for Starbuck's coffee drinks? Thanks

 

[semo233]

How much do you use? I've just started drying things on the line since the new house has one, and I've been looking for a good alternative to fabric softener for the wash.

I use an amount equal to how much liquid fabric softener I would use. I also find that if the towels or clothes are crunchy, I put them in the dryer with half a dryer sheet for 10 min and they are pretty soft, but I still save most of the drying time.

 

[minnie1928]

I use an amount equal to how much liquid fabric softener I would use. I also find that if the towels or clothes are crunchy, I put them in the dryer with half a dryer sheet for 10 min and they are pretty soft, but I still save most of the drying time.

I do this with jeans and towels, but I just run them for 10 minutes on the fluff cycle (without heat). It helps to keep my normally high (in the winter) gas bill down and helps keep the house from warming up in the summer.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I looooove this idea because when I make batches of cookies they usually don't get eaten but people would LOVE fresh baked every now and then. Do you cook them from frozen....and for how long...is it the same as you would from fresh?

This might work for me as well.

Not that we have an issue with folks not eating all the baked goods in time.

Just a certain someone--not naming names (IT'S ME!!!!!!!!!!!) tends to not exercise proper self control or good sharing skills.

 

[boakl]

I haven't read through the entire thread, but I didn't see one of my favorites on the pages I read...

To stretch kid's clothes through three seasons, I buy long sleeved t-shirts at Target in white and heather gray each fall and layer them under my boys' summer t's and polos. Luckily, that look is very in right now and I can save $$ on winter clothing.

I do buy good quality short sleeved t-shirts and polos as I have three boys and pass them down. I find that lesser quality shirts don't hold up as well and I have to buy new ones for each boy. I do a lot of end of the season shopping and load up.

 

[mom2grace]

How much do you use? I've just started drying things on the line since the new house has one, and I've been looking for a good alternative to fabric softener for the wash.

My washer has a cup, I just fill it. I would guess a cup, maybe less. I buy the huge container of vinegar at Costco, the big baking soda bag too.

I also use baking soda instead of clorox 2, etc.

So, I use Tide Free (have to due to allergies) & baking soda in the wash, and then vinegar in the rinse cycle.

 

[TiffanyK]

If you're trying to go a week or 2 without grocery shopping (using up your fridge/freezer/pantry items),

I did a Freezer/Pantry challenge on my blog. Part 1 is Join the Challenge, Part 2 is Make a Menu.

I also have a list of links to recipes of Low Cost Meals Most of the meals ring in at $1/serving or even less.

 

[PinballFamily]

This one may be kind of cheating - but it IS saving us money!

How do you save money on a dozen donuts? Only buy two donuts!

See, we have a donut store within walking distance of our house. Two mornings a month, our two younger kids beg for donuts (they know we won't go more often than that). A dozen costs $7.00 but a half dozen is $5.50 - so we'd been *saving* money, right? - by buying a dozen each time! The kids would each eat a few and then DH and I were stuck eating the rest - despite trying to lose weight...

Now, we've just been walking over 2x a month and buying each kid a single donut (.80 each) OR five munchkins/donut holes (5 for $1.00) AND THAT'S IT! They are still happy with their sweet treats - and we're saving $10 each month and oodles of calories!

 

[kimnscott]

i love this thread!!!
here is my tip i cook hamburger meat with onions and garlic 10 # at a time and store in the freezer in serving size portions so when i need to make anything that takes ground beef It is already cooked saves time on busy weeks.

 

[Minniekins]

Well, it's taken me almost two weeks to finish reading this 72 page thead, but I'm finally done! There's some great stuff in here and it was fun to read, too!

This was a tip that my mom got from Chef Ramsey on BBC. It's the way he makes broccoli soup and it was delicious and simple!

We made it and I have been craving it ever since!

Basically boil some broccoli in water (we just used frozen broccoli -- the kind you can get for like $1, but for a few bowls you might need a couple bags) When it is cooked strain out the broccoli and put it in a blender (what we used) or I suppose a food processor. Add some of the water you boiled the broccoli in and pulse until chunky and soup-like (however you like it I suppose).

That's it!

I added some cheddar cheese and salt, right in the bowl. DH like pepper and Parmesan. You didn't have to add the cheese but it was soooo good. Seriously better than any broccoli cheese soup I've had at restaurants and relatively good for you as you know exactly what's in it.

Also, super cheap with a salad and some bread for dinner, or half a sandwich!

This is very similiar to a soup I used to make. Your's sounds yummy, especially adding cheese or parmesan cheese! Anyway, I'd forgotten about it so I haven't made it in a long while but it's really delicious and very filling! Here's my variation on this broccoli soup. I used chicken broth or boullion to cook the broccoli in. I just used frozen broccoli. I also added 1tsp of curry powder, a bit of pepper, some onion, and then put in a blender/food processor after cooking. To serve, I added a dollop or two of sour cream and it was awesome! I really don't like curry powder generally, but I somehow don't notice it's curry powder in this or something. It's not super hot, but you could always reduce to a 1/2tsp if you wanted and still keep a little bit of hot. The sour cream helped to keep the hot sort of mellow if that makes sense, lol. Anyway, I'd make up a pot and keep in the fridge about a week or so, or you could freeze for later use.

How much do you use? I've just started drying things on the line since the new house has one, and I've been looking for a good alternative to fabric softener for the wash.

One tip I was impressed with that I learned earlier in this thread was the this one. Take a bottle of fabric softener and pour in a bowl, soaking a washcloth. Once it's saturated, ring out the excess fabric softener and you can pour it back in the bottle. Lay the wet towel out in the sun to dry. I think I got that right, lol! Then, just throw it in the dryer when drying a load of clothes. It can be used for hundreds of washes, then when needed just soak the towel again, dry, and so forth. The bottle of softener will last a really long time this way! Others suggested using vinegar instead of fabric softener in the wash, vinegar is a lot cheaper, the clothes are soft and they don't smell like vinegar!

 

[princessbride6205]

Can someone comment how they have room and time to air dry everything? I really do want to use our dryer less, but it takes me forever to do laundry as it is! Also we're not allowed to hang anything outside at our condo, so I have two of those stand-up drying racks. Time and space saving tips to make air drying truly "painless"?