Save! Save! Save!

Yesterday, when the sun was hot, there was a bit of a breeze and no rain forecast, I washed a heavy wool blanket in cold water and put it on the deck to sun-dry, thereby saving at least $15.00 of dry cleaning fees.  After the blanket was dry (quicker than you could imagine), I air-fluffed it in the dryer and stuck it into the cedar closet for the summer. 

With house guests here for a month, we have been trying to keep grocery bills under control while catering to their needs:  one vegetarian, one picky eater.   My Significant Other and me are voracious and eat basically anything that's food.  So we have been buying cage-free eggs, organic whole milk, and a host of other pricey groceries.  You would think not buying much meat would be cheap, but you would be wrong.  Today, we're having farfalle with mascarpone, hazelnuts, and asparagus.  It's a delicious vegetarian dish, but the ingredients are expensive.  I'm hoping to get two meals or one meal and a lunch out of it.  

The day after, we're having re fried rice with some cheaper ingredients.  For the carnivores, I will grill a small cheap sirloin and chop it up for us to put over the rice.  Tasty and cheap.  Last night we had bratwurst, sauerkraut  and fried potatoes.   I "doctor" my sauerkraut with onion,  brown sugar, bacon, caraway seed, bay leaf and paprika.  Lots of white wine.  I buy a huge jar at Ocean State Job lot for $2.00.  Of course potatoes are cheap and I got some baby ones on sale.  The vegetarian ate Morningstar Farms Buffalo Nuggets ($4.99 for a box).  We had a HUGE fruit salad with 7 different fruits for dessert.  So tasty and nutritious.  Spell check hates this post.  WTF? 

We are also finding that shopping every three days, with some visits to the supermarket, Whole Foods and Walmart is helping.  We also do not bring the guests along to toss stuff into the shopping cart.   Ya do what ya can.   Just about anything is cheaper than taking four to dinner. 

It is amazing how much terminology a 10 year old doesn't know.  Greasy spoon?  Not playing with a full deck?  All sorts of expressions. 

I have to go up and iron the stuff I used to send to the cleaners.  Being cheap has become a way of life.

Cheers

Cheap Vacations

The Cheeseparer has been paring cheese, vacation-wise. First in Washington, DC and then in Europe? Europe, you say? How can you pare cheese in Europe?

You can use frequent flyer miles if you have them, which is what we did. We flew off-season, and enjoyed some nice spring days in Germany. Who knew?

You can visit relatives if you have them, which is what we did. You can limit purchases to stuff that is cheaper in Europe, which won't be much, but we can home with a few treasurers: jam, mustard, plastic notebook sheets. Well, that's about all.

You can find hotels out of town where you can stay for 79 Euros including breakfast. No hair dryer and "Tricky Ricky" soap and shampoo (I am not making this up) but a big room and a good breakfast with the chickens crowing and the sheep bleating. How cool is that?

We found good buys on meals, too. A bratwrust in Thuringer on the street fills one up for the rest of the day and is cheap. If you need a bouquet to take your hostess, that is even more reasonable.

Of course if you have no miles or relatives, it would be best to stay home or whatever. We're having chicken and vegetable soup tonight. There are numerous good quick breads that can be made from Bisquick. We will also eat a fruit salad which is moderate and healthy. Don't ever discount your health.

I do hope you're going to plant a garden this summer, even if it's only a few patio tomatoes and some pots of herbs. We'll discuss this in more detail in a few weeks.

By the way, I actually stood in the kitchen where the photo for this blog was taken.

The Cheeseparer

Turkey Croquettes

Turkey tamales? Turkey Tettrazini? Turkey Chili? Does the word "yuck" pop into your head? Does your family rebel at your most creative after-holiday culinary efforts? Mine did, too, until I found Turkey Croquettes.

I've had this recipe for so long. It maybe came from the Sunday Chicago Tribune mag, or maybe the Boston Globe. Best guess is the Tribune from days of yore.

Important note: get going in mid-afternoon on this, as you need two hours of refrigeration between various steps.

Turkey Croquettes

3 slices whole-wheat bread, crusts remove (save for the birds)
1/4 cup milk
2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped turkey, white and dark meat
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
2 eggs
1 t. dried thyme (my garden still yields fresh thyme through Thanksgiving)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

2 cups seasoned bread crumbs (far cheaper to buy "stuffing bread" and make your own)
3 T. chopped Italian parsley (my garden may still have a few springs of parsley)
2 T. papripa (sweet not hot)
3 T. unsalted butter, melted (no margarine, please, but if you use salted butter, cut down the rest of the salt)
1 cup corn oil (you may get by with less)
2 T. unsalted butter

Giblet or Turkey gravy--leftover is best

1. Soak whole-wheat bread in milk for 10 minutes. Remove bread, squeeze dry and shred. Reserve.

2. In a separate bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups turkey, reserved bread, onions, eggs, thyme, salt and pepper. Toss well. Place mixure in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Using pulse action, process until mixture is well-blended but not completely pureed. Fold in remaining 1 cup chopped turkey. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

3. Combine bread crumbs, parsley,paprika and melted butter in a 9-inch pie plate. Stir together with a fork.

4. Shape chilled turkey mixture into 6 large patties. Coat in bread-crumbe mixture and return, covered, to refrigerator for 1 more hour.

5. Place 1/2 cup corn oil (I actually use canola)  and 1 T. butter in a skillet. Over med. heat, cook croquettes 3 at a time, 7 minutes on one side, 5 minutes of the other side. They should be golden. (Keep warm in 300 degree over). Proceed with remaining croquettes, adding more oil and butter if necessary.

6. Serve hot croquettes immediately with heated gravy on top.

Serves 6

Note: Turkey gravy can be purchased. Be sure to check seasoning. Some dried or fresh herbs and pepper may be required.

The Cheese Parer

Traveling on the Cheap

Now that gas is affordable again, you may be planning a car trip. We like the Microtel chain for cheap lodging, although I've noticed that depending on the season and the part of the country, what's cheap in one locale may not be in another.

Take your lunch! Take your breakfast! Take your snacks! A little pre-planning can save big bucks on the road and offer better taste, nutrition and even unexpected sightseeing.

We have two coolers--one with wheels and a small edition. We make blocks of ice. Every motel/hotel has an ice machine, so there's no problem keeping food cool. Juice, milk, other beverages (we like smoothies and water) are a no-brainer. Muffins, cereal, granola bars and fresh fruit (or juices) make a great breakfast. Lunch can be salads or sandwiches you bring from home. Potato chips? Sure? Fried chicken? Yowsa! Picnic Pork Chops? Holy freakin' crap! This could be an entirely cool experience. Cheap, too.

We use the AAA guides and maps (also roadside signs)to find rivers, parks and scenic places where a roadside picnic becomes a delightful, relaxing experience. Not available? We park in the various interstate oases and discover that others have the same idea. Eat in the car? Or on a picnic bench. Some states (North Carolina) have beautiful rest areas. If you belong to the Audubon society, you can take a list of preserves and wildlife areas.

Kids get to run about a bit. Local color, too. If you must eat out, we really like Panera Bread. Great sandwiches and tasty breakfasts at prices that do not break the bank. Cheap gas, cheap lodging, cheap food. Treat yourself to a nice dinner at a local restaurant. Avoid chains if possible. Get out into the world. Explore.

The Cheeseparer

Don't Spend $400.00!

Todays New York Times had a hilarious article about people who never look at the price of anything suddenly trying to cut back on expenditures. They were clueless. One guy bought a $400.00 electric fireplace to save on his fuel bills. It barely heats anything. Someone else bought a gazillion heads of cauliflower trying to save money. Another person "frugally" eliminated her $12.00 soup purchase and bought $500.00 dog bed. Go figure.

I didn't even know there were $12.00 soups. Not where I shop. Cripes, I could live for a week on $12.00 worth of soup: goulash, onion and chili, and maybe some bean or pea thrown in. Soup is the cheapest thing you can serve.

To save, what you do is not spend money on anything that you don't have to. Nothing. If you discover that the cauliflower is $5.00 per head and you have carried 6 to the checkout counter, tell the clerk you only want one. Or none. Just because it is in your cart, you don't have to buy it. The man who bought the stove should have done a cost/benefit analysis. The woman with the cauliflower is supposed to be good at math.

I don't know.

Today I checked at the resale shops I take used clothing to, and the one wanted nothing until after Thanksgiving, and the other wanted nothing until after December. Wha? The economy must be so bad that everyone is taking old clothes to the resale shops instead of donating them.

Think I'll try EBAY or Craig's List. Really.

I bought all the sale items for ingredients I need to take my Thanksgiving side dish and dessert to our hostess' house. Amazing how much is on sale. I'm taking a Brussels Sprouts/Cauliflower side side and a pumpkin cheese cake with a marshmellow-sour cream topping. Both dishes are rich as Croesus and have some nutritive value, i.e. vitamin a, beta carotene, protein, calcium, well, you get the idea, as well as loads of fat.

It's cold out and we need an extra layer to keep us warm. That's what I keep telling myself. Have you ever noticed how skinny people are always cold? They must dread winter.

The Cauliflower woman has started a blog. EconoWhiner.com. Maybe we should all give her the wisdom of our experience.

Stock Market Terminology Reconsidered

A friend emailed this, and I'm sorry that I can't give credit where credit is due for these humorous (we laugh that we may not cry) redefinitions. Hats off to a clever investor.

CEO --Chief Embezzlement Officer.

CFO-- Corporate Fraud Officer.

BULL MARKET -- A random market movement causing an investor to mistake himself for a financial genius.

BEAR MARKET -- A 6 to 18 month period when the kids get no allowance, the wife gets no jewelry, and the husband gets no sex.

VALUE INVESTING -- The art of buying low and selling lower.

P/E RATIO -- The percentage of investors wetting their pants as the market keeps crashing.

BROKER -- What my broker has made me.

STANDARD & POOR -- Your life in a nutshell.

STOCK ANALYST -- Idiot who just downgraded your stock.

STOCK SPLIT -- When your ex-wife and her lawyer split your assets equally between themselves.

FINANCIAL PLANNER -- A guy whose phone has been disconnected.

MARKET CORRECTION -- The day after you buy stocks.

CASH FLOW-- The movement your money makes as it disappears down the toilet.

YAHOO-- What you yell after selling it to some poor sucker for $240 per share.

WINDOWS -- What you jump out of when you're the sucker who bought Yahoo @ $240 per share.

INSTITUTIONAL INVESTOR -- Past year investor who's now locked up in a nuthouse.

PROFIT -- An archaic word no longer in use.

No Knead Bread

Eating on the cheap --this paper has good advice and they also have the no-knead bread recipe. I've made it several times and it really works. Not much trouble at all, and with the price of bread you will save! Just don't eat the whole loaf at once. Mais non!

Scroll down for the cheap eats advice.

http://blog.seattletimes.nwsource.com/allyoucaneat/

The Cheeseparer

Tips for Organic Groceries and Everything Else

Organic foods tend to be a lot more pricey than "regular" foods, but sometimes the payoff is better. We have been eating organic carrots, and they taste so much better that we will pay the extra money.

The mom below can guide you through finding coupons for organic foods:
http://greenandcleanmom.blogspot.com/

Yum!

This blogger has, like the cheeseparer, collected tips from everyone. You should have enough saved to finance a cool weekend somewhere.
http://beingfrugal.net/2008/04/03/frugal-tips-to-survive-a-recession/