Debt Dumpers 2025

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Some days, we will just run through a drive through or even just make lunch here, eat real quick and then go back to work. Some days we will go eat together as a group and are there maybe 90 minutes. That's mostly on Mondays because it happens right after an office sales meeting. Or it happens on Fridays because it's Fridays. We can't adjust our hours based on lunch. We have to be here at 8 every day. Now some days we might leave at 3 or 4 or even earlier (if the day before a holiday like we typically leave around 1 p.m. on Good Friday, stuff like that).

So it’s not required. It’s an office norm that you participate in. An employer can not force you to eat at restaurants on your own dime like that in the US.

 

[barkley]

I only take 30 min for lunch because I'd rather work 730 to 4 when most everyone else is 7 to 4. If we go to lunch I only account for my normal 30 min, I wouldn't be out for lunch if it wasn't a work lunch.

I don't think anyone opted for more than a 30 minute lunch break at my former job though they had the choice of 30 or 60. by the time I retired we had our choice on working hours of-

within the hours of 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday / choice of 30 or 60 minute unpaid lunch break-

traditional scheduale (8 hrs/m-f)
4/10 (m-th or t-f 10 hrs per day)
9/80 (80 hours in a two week period with either every other Monday or every other Friday off). this was the most popular b/c if you picked the Friday that fell before the legal Monday holidays you got allot of 4 day weekends OR if you picked the Mondays that fell on the legal holidays you still got those days off BUT you earned 8 hours of paid time off that did not fall under use it or lose it.

 

[Tygerlilly]

Nice. But it's only me that eats it. So I'd wind up throwing away most of them. I only eat 1 a day, and I'm sure they'd go bad by the end of the week (5 days after being cooked). But that's great that you have a family big enough to do that and save some money.

We don't eat them in a week, they go in the freezer and I pull one or two out the night before so I can microwave it in the morning. That's the whole idea behind batch cooking is to make the same things you would normally buy out in bulk and then you can just pull it out of the freezer and go.

 

[barkley]

We don't eat them in a week, they go in the freezer and I pull one or two out the night before so I can microwave it in the morning. That's the whole idea behind batch cooking is to make the same things you would normally buy out in bulk and then you can just pull it out of the freezer and go.

yup. we just had some ribs we did up extras of when dh bbq'd some back awhile ago. it's crazy hot here (for our norms) and I don't want to heat the house up cooking/dh does'nt want to heat himself up standing with the bbq. set them in the fridge last night-defrosted for dinner tonight (got them on sale back then for $1.49 per pound).

 

[Bellex917]

We don't eat them in a week, they go in the freezer and I pull one or two out the night before so I can microwave it in the morning. That's the whole idea behind batch cooking is to make the same things you would normally buy out in bulk and then you can just pull it out of the freezer and go.

If I remember correctly he won't eat frozen food after it's packaged expiration date, ignoring the facts that the freezer preserves it for months to years (per all scientific officials and entities).

 

[FreeTime]

We don't eat them in a week, they go in the freezer and I pull one or two out the night before so I can microwave it in the morning. That's the whole idea behind batch cooking is to make the same things you would normally buy out in bulk and then you can just pull it out of the freezer and go.

Same here. We have done egg bites at well. @WDW_fan_in_TX I know it is sometimes less cost effective when cooking for one. Not sure you are looking for suggestions. But if you are willing to cook here are some other items that I have found are cheaper (and healthier) and they save time over stopping at the drive thru. Freeze away.

Lasagna - single serving disposable pans from the $ store

Ribs - one rack and divide into four or more if you are a light eater

Breakfast burritos

Waffles - cheaper than buying frozen

Burgers - I don’t freeze buns. We usually have on hand

Homemade lunchables - don’t freeze either. Buy at the deli and just get enough to cover what you will eat for a few days in the week.

 

[afan]

Waffles - cheaper than buying frozen

I do these. I have the mickey waffle maker that does the small heads like you get at the park. I'll buy the same mix on Amazon and then when I make waffles I do a whole batch and freeze most of it since I only need 2 or three. I pop them in the oven for a quick meal. I should do that, I haven't in a long time. I didn't want to splurge on the mix last time and the one I picked from the store wasn't very good for waffles even though it said it could be used.

 

[LadybugsMum]

I wish I had found this thread earlier! I'll do a quick rundown - 4 loans and 2 credit cards. I sold some of the RSUs that my company gave me and paid off 2 of the loans, put some money into savings to beef up the emergency fund, and a small chunk on a third. I'll concentrate on that one until it's paid off - hopefully by October so that I can throw all of that money onto the 4th loan.

 

[barkley]

single serving disposable pans from the $ store

I LOVE THESE (even more since they upgraded the material they are made of so they are a bit sturdier). I make/cook small meatloafs (traditional recipie makes 2 in these pans-one to eat/one to freeze), if we have leftover grilled chicken, shredded beef or pork (unsauced) I throw it into tortillas with some taco seasoning, top with canned enchilada sauce and cheese for future enchiladas, split a single batch of mac and cheese, a half dozen meatballs, a couple of servings of chicken drumsticks (if you are already using the bbq a dozen drumsticks take no more time than 4). so handy and easy to stack in a fridge freezer.

I wish I had found this thread earlier! I'll do a quick rundown - 4 loans and 2 credit cards. I sold some of the RSUs that my company gave me and paid off 2 of the loans, put some money into savings to beef up the emergency fund, and a small chunk on a third. I'll concentrate on that one until it's paid off - hopefully by October so that I can throw all of that money onto the 4th loan.

welcome, welcome!

you have found the kindest, nicest, most supportive and encouraging thread on this or any of the disboards.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

Gotcha. I'd just put them together, place in a fridge and whatever is left on Friday goes into the trash. Not big on refreezing after cooking. We put some spaghetti in the freezer that we had cooked on Memorial Day weekend, and it's still up there. We will probably toss it in a few days. But we did bulk buy hamburger meat and chicken at Sams to freeze for a couple of months.

We don't eat them in a week, they go in the freezer and I pull one or two out the night before so I can microwave it in the morning. That's the whole idea behind batch cooking is to make the same things you would normally buy out in bulk and then you can just pull it out of the freezer and go.

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

I eat a homemade car cootchi board about 3 times a week. I love it. Usually cut up some honey ham, some cheese, put with mustard and crackers and have yogurt or fruit with it. I love doing that for supper after bible study/choir or when I've been working in the yard and it's like 8:30 or 9 p.m. Great, light supper idea.

Homemade lunchables - don’t freeze either. Buy at the deli and just get enough to cover what you will eat for a few days in the week.

 

[comicguy]

We don't eat them in a week, they go in the freezer and I pull one or two out the night before so I can microwave it in the morning. That's the whole idea behind batch cooking is to make the same things you would normally buy out in bulk and then you can just pull it out of the freezer and go.

I love batch cooking.

Some of the things I regularly batch cook and then put into 2 person container meals
Turkey / Chicken Soup
Hamburgh Mac soup (just boil mac)
Split Pea Soup
Lasagna
Bar B Q Pork / chicken / beef
Chicken Enchillada filling (just add enchillada/tortilla and cheese)
Spaghetti Sauce (just boil whatever pasta we feel like that evening)

Meal prep comes down to taking the dish out the night before and adding whatever side dish you want to accompany it the day of (salad, fruit, bread, etc...)

The time saving is big and the money savings is even better!
Making one of these meals on a Sunday for dinner and then 5-6 extra meals is literally no extra time or effort other than cleaning a bigger pan and prepping into smaller dishes (probably adds 10 mins time on the extreme outside!)

 

[WDW_fan_in_TX]

My wife said she was never making lasagna again, lol. But we do buy boxed lasagna sometimes. And we can usually make 2 meals (dinner then leftover for lunch the next day). But we do other stuff and have leftovers. Not much on freezing cooked stuff. As I said, we did that with spagheti over Memorial Day weekend. And we never used it, lol.

I love batch cooking.

Some of the things I regularly batch cook and then put into 2 person container meals
Turkey / Chicken Soup
Hamburgh Mac soup (just boil mac)
Split Pea Soup
Lasagna
Bar B Q Pork / chicken / beef
Chicken Enchillada filling (just add enchillada/tortilla and cheese)
Spaghetti Sauce (just boil whatever pasta we feel like that evening)

Meal prep comes down to taking the dish out the night before and adding whatever side dish you want to accompany it the day of (salad, fruit, bread, etc...)

The time saving is big and the money savings is even better!
Making one of these meals on a Sunday for dinner and then 5-6 extra meals is literally no extra time or effort other than cleaning a bigger pan and prepping into smaller dishes (probably adds 10 mins time on the extreme outside!)

 

[DisneynBison]

I eat a homemade car cootchi board about 3 times a week. I love it. Usually cut up some honey ham, some cheese, put with mustard and crackers and have yogurt or fruit with it. I love doing that for supper after bible study/choir or when I've been working in the yard and it's like 8:30 or 9 p.m. Great, light supper idea.

I shall I shall I shall refrain from making a off color autocorrect joke I shall

 

[LoveDaisy]

I love batch cooking. It saves time and money. It also makes it easy to not get take out or go out to eat when we have easy options.

Thanks everyone who posted what you batch cooking I’m always looking for ideas.

I make large batches and freeze the following (I’m sure I’m missing some)
Lasagna
Soups
Macaroni and cheese
Eggplant (I take all the eggplant from the garden and fry or oven fry it with breadcrumbs) then flash freeze before I package for freezing. I use it for eggplant parm and love it on homemade pizza
Meatballs
Pulled chicken (I use this in Mexican, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, or nachos)
Homemade chicken fingers

In addition I can:
tomato sauce and stewed tomatoes, which can be used like canned tomatoes (I have a tomato problem I have 38 tomato plants in the garden this year)
Pie filing (apple, blueberry, and peach)
Jams (any local fruit I can find at its peak)

 

[barkley]

Pulled chicken (I use this in Mexican, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, or nachos)

there's a funky old crockpot recipie for shredded bbq beef sandwiches where you put in the cheapest beef roast (these days ) and top it with a can of doctor pepper. the meat comes out very easy to shred. WHEN I can find crazy good deals I snag whatever size roasts I can find and use this process (I found that any kind of dark soda works-for me it's diet coke). when i've drained it and shredded the meat I put it up plain in containers to freeze so I can choose to use it down the line seasoned/sauced for a variety of things-enchiladas, pot roast, bbq beef... for pulled chicken it seems these days the cheapest per pound I can get is a Costco rotissery so anytime we go there I grab one to shred/put the bones in a ziplock for stock.


p.s. I am jealous of your eggplant-i used to grow lots of Japanese eggplant but the climate I live in now does not allow for it (I love eggplant).

 

[LoveDaisy]

there's a funky old crockpot recipie for shredded bbq beef sandwiches where you put in the cheapest beef roast (these days ) and top it with a can of doctor pepper. the meat comes out very easy to shred. WHEN I can find crazy good deals I snag whatever size roasts I can find and use this process (I found that any kind of dark soda works-for me it's diet coke). when i've drained it and shredded the meat I put it up plain in containers to freeze so I can choose to use it down the line seasoned/sauced for a variety of things-enchiladas, pot roast, bbq beef... for pulled chicken it seems these days the cheapest per pound I can get is a Costco rotissery so anytime we go there I grab one to shred/put the bones in a ziplock for stock.


p.s. I am jealous of your eggplant-i used to grow lots of Japanese eggplant but the climate I live in now does not allow for it (I love eggplant).

Do you use anything besides the soda with the beef? Do you cook on low for like 8 hours? I don’t eat much meat but I love this idea because I could do single serve packages for DH. DH could have the shredded beef and I could have chicken or beans. Thank you!

 

[barkley]

Do you use anything besides the soda with the beef? Do you cook on low for like 8 hours? I don’t eat much meat but I love this idea because I could do single serve packages for DH. DH could have the shredded beef and I could have chicken or beans. Thank you!

you can use the recipie with either beef or pork (this is a good time of year to get shoulders on sale). you have to play it by ear but depending on the size of a roast (beef or pork) maybe 5'ish plus hours on high. I put a liner in the crockpot, add the meat, pour a can of soda in. just let it cook, turn it over once or twice. your fork will feel it has cooked to the point where it can be shredded. remove meat from the crockpot and shred away. super easy (I was doubtful till I tried this method).