It started with a bag of microwavable Old El Paso seasoned black beans being on sale for 1/2 price at Reese Market. Deals had 2lbs spaghetti noodles for sale @ $1.00. I never buy steak - too pricey. Reese sells roasts which I rebutcher into steaks and stew beef. The result was economical and delicious.
Saute about 1/3 of a white onion, 1 roma tomato and 1 jalapeno pepper in a small amount of vegetable oil. You will want to put your salted water on for spaghetti at this time as well . When the veggies are softened, set them aside in a bowl . Brown about 1/2 lb stew beef in pan,and if the water is boiling in the other pot , add your spaghetti(2 servings not the package) . Heat the black beans following package directions, in microwave for 1 minute.
When meat is how you like it , remove from heat and add the reserved vegetables back into pan m stirring. When spaghetti is cooked, drain and add that to pan, turning the heat on once again to med.
Add heated beans and stir. Make sure that everything is heated , and mixed together . Serves 2.
Sprinkle grated cheddar cheese ( on sale at Kroger's last week) over top.
Estimated cost:$1.05 per serving.
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Yahoo news reported that the Middle class is still being squeezed
Right out of existence , if their economist is to be believed. http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/america-middle-class-crisis-sobering-facts-141947274.html
The life that is being envisioned for me is not the life that I planned for myself. I am sure that is true for many other people. I don't see myself on the shores of the Cumberland River , living in a mud hut , hammering together sandals for an overseas company. Its just not in me. I won't do it. But I am alarmed that they are now predicting that the economy won't be fixed till 2018. That is seven months and 2 National elections away,which is unacceptable. I would be about 68 years old . I did the right things , went to college, have a good work record, and moved into an area where ,until recently, I could manage without credit cards and many loans.
So I have become an advocate for life modification not deprivation. Deprevation only leads to depression and exhaustion. Have I made cuts in my life? Yes, I cut cable off and took Clearwire as my internet provider. I watch everything on the computer , a day or so later from the networks or choose just those I enjoy and pay Amazon for the episode. It is still less expensive than cable or satellite. The cuts hurt me less than it has those who escalated prices beyond a reasonable cost. Do the math, I might spend $10 per month at Amazon , $24 for Netflix and $52.00 for Clearwire. $86.vs $140 for cable. I am seeing everything that I saw before the cuts. I am actually seeing more than previously seen. I am happy with that. For those with families , there are boxes that will transfer the programming to your tv.
Now let me show you a little trick. I pay Clearwire $52.00 for service per month . Now , what would you think if I told you that I actually pay them $26.00 per month? Here is how. Because I do the paid blog, and spend much time researching and writing, I allocated 50% of my internet bill as a business expense(based on time ) . I am not charging back apartment space , though I could ,based on home office, but IRS is hard on home offices and it is better to underreport. Still this is a savings of an additional $320 per year just for internet. Everything helps. I have to put out the money first but at the end of the year, my Netflix is offset , therefore free. I have $2 left and can have 6 bags of dollar store popcorn (Microwave popcorn) , or chocolate ice cream and (thawed ) frozen strawberries (see article that follows) per month.
I just submitted my second article for the internet publication , Examiner. Enclosed is the link for the column.: http://www.examiner.com/budget-grocery-in-madison/sue-wylie
I had answered an ad on publishing.com for part time independant contractor work. They say that they pay standard rate - so I figure about a penny a word as that is what I have seen elsewhere. They are very clear that this will not support you . Still , I figured that anything helps ( they pay through paypal and I am happy about that) and it gives me experiance with working with editors That was another thing that I considered to be valuable.
Balance needs and wants. This is your one and only life, and quality counts.
The life that is being envisioned for me is not the life that I planned for myself. I am sure that is true for many other people. I don't see myself on the shores of the Cumberland River , living in a mud hut , hammering together sandals for an overseas company. Its just not in me. I won't do it. But I am alarmed that they are now predicting that the economy won't be fixed till 2018. That is seven months and 2 National elections away,which is unacceptable. I would be about 68 years old . I did the right things , went to college, have a good work record, and moved into an area where ,until recently, I could manage without credit cards and many loans.
So I have become an advocate for life modification not deprivation. Deprevation only leads to depression and exhaustion. Have I made cuts in my life? Yes, I cut cable off and took Clearwire as my internet provider. I watch everything on the computer , a day or so later from the networks or choose just those I enjoy and pay Amazon for the episode. It is still less expensive than cable or satellite. The cuts hurt me less than it has those who escalated prices beyond a reasonable cost. Do the math, I might spend $10 per month at Amazon , $24 for Netflix and $52.00 for Clearwire. $86.vs $140 for cable. I am seeing everything that I saw before the cuts. I am actually seeing more than previously seen. I am happy with that. For those with families , there are boxes that will transfer the programming to your tv.
Now let me show you a little trick. I pay Clearwire $52.00 for service per month . Now , what would you think if I told you that I actually pay them $26.00 per month? Here is how. Because I do the paid blog, and spend much time researching and writing, I allocated 50% of my internet bill as a business expense(based on time ) . I am not charging back apartment space , though I could ,based on home office, but IRS is hard on home offices and it is better to underreport. Still this is a savings of an additional $320 per year just for internet. Everything helps. I have to put out the money first but at the end of the year, my Netflix is offset , therefore free. I have $2 left and can have 6 bags of dollar store popcorn (Microwave popcorn) , or chocolate ice cream and (thawed ) frozen strawberries (see article that follows) per month.
I just submitted my second article for the internet publication , Examiner. Enclosed is the link for the column.: http://www.examiner.com/budget-grocery-in-madison/sue-wylie
I had answered an ad on publishing.com for part time independant contractor work. They say that they pay standard rate - so I figure about a penny a word as that is what I have seen elsewhere. They are very clear that this will not support you . Still , I figured that anything helps ( they pay through paypal and I am happy about that) and it gives me experiance with working with editors That was another thing that I considered to be valuable.
Balance needs and wants. This is your one and only life, and quality counts.
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Indulgence of Budget Grocery Shopping
Budget grocery shopping need not be a punishment, No, wait, it should not be a punishment. Everything in life is a form of Challenge . You are capable of meeting that Challenge. The solution is not a sentence of 22 days of unadulterated ramen noodles for $4.80 so that you can put gas into your vehicle. The slow economy ( made slower, I believe by the media touting the slow economy ) need not sentence you to a life of peanut butter sandwiches on white bread. Before you reach for your credit card and spend $20 that you could put to better use, make a list. What do you like to eat? Now , beside that , make a second list. What have you been buying because its on sale, marked down , or you have a coupon? Are the lists the same ? Because they should be pretty close to identical. If they aren't , then there is something wrong.
Think back to when you were a child and Mother put something that , maybe you did not like so much on your plate. (If this never happened to you , rent Mommy Dearest, and pay special attention to the steak scene.) There was a feeling of frustration because you could not do or get to something that you liked better without consuming the thing on the plate. Guess what , you are doing the same thing to yourself everytime you deny yourself what you like for what is okay and on sale.
This week I had baked chicken , Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwiches(modified) , strawberry shortcake , sausage biscuits, steak with baked potato and green salad, grilled cheese sandwiches,bacon cheese burgers and hamburger bean and green bean casserole. And I only spent $25 for 2 weeks. I shopped specials at local markets.
The bread for my sandwiches all came from Pepperidge Farm. I had their Ancient Grains and their Soft Oatmeal , both marked down to 99 sents each. The cheese was real not product and I had Swiss and Mild Cheddar. I paid $4.99 for 6 lbs of chicken. If you don't have fistsful of money to throw into the grocery store, you are going to have to invest time.
Flyers tell part of the story but if you are a good food detective, there are sometimes unadvertised specials in the store. Poke around. I found a head of butter lettuce for a dime at my local market. It wasn't advertised and was in good shape. If you don't tell and are selective in your purchases, neither will the food.
I do recommend a list but be flexible with it. Its a road map to keep you on track . Ask yourself what elements you want to eat.I am not talking high school chemistry but flavor elements. I mentioned the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich. What foods does the original recipe have ? Chicken ,ham, cheese-usually Swiss, Dijon mustard with a breaded coating. My sandwich is 2 pieces whole grained bread, toasted, on one piece , spread some commercial ham salad( was 99 cents at Reese Market in Madison),
top this with some leftover baked chicken strips from the breast, top with Swiss cheese and the other piece of toasted bread. ( I pretoasted my bread because I packed it for lunch where I nuked it for 30 seconds in the microwave- it was very nice. If you are eating this at home, you could fry it like a grilled cheese.) . What other things can be made by combining the same flavors if not the cost of your favorite foods. Remember if it rots in the refrigerator , its not a bargain.
Luxury is in mouth feel. If its creamy and delicious , it is. Your brain doesn't care that it wasn't five dollars but $1.50. The strawberries for my shortcake were an unadvertised special . My shortcake cost me $1.50 per serving and was many fresh strawberries, biscuits( from a can ), and whipped cream (from a can.) It was big, it was beautiful and it felt so good in my mouth. Learn to trick your pallet. Its not what you can't have but how you can have your favorites at lower cost. It doesn't feel like depravation if it looks and tastes indulgent.
Think back to when you were a child and Mother put something that , maybe you did not like so much on your plate. (If this never happened to you , rent Mommy Dearest, and pay special attention to the steak scene.) There was a feeling of frustration because you could not do or get to something that you liked better without consuming the thing on the plate. Guess what , you are doing the same thing to yourself everytime you deny yourself what you like for what is okay and on sale.
This week I had baked chicken , Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwiches(modified) , strawberry shortcake , sausage biscuits, steak with baked potato and green salad, grilled cheese sandwiches,bacon cheese burgers and hamburger bean and green bean casserole. And I only spent $25 for 2 weeks. I shopped specials at local markets.
The bread for my sandwiches all came from Pepperidge Farm. I had their Ancient Grains and their Soft Oatmeal , both marked down to 99 sents each. The cheese was real not product and I had Swiss and Mild Cheddar. I paid $4.99 for 6 lbs of chicken. If you don't have fistsful of money to throw into the grocery store, you are going to have to invest time.
Flyers tell part of the story but if you are a good food detective, there are sometimes unadvertised specials in the store. Poke around. I found a head of butter lettuce for a dime at my local market. It wasn't advertised and was in good shape. If you don't tell and are selective in your purchases, neither will the food.
I do recommend a list but be flexible with it. Its a road map to keep you on track . Ask yourself what elements you want to eat.I am not talking high school chemistry but flavor elements. I mentioned the Chicken Cordon Bleu sandwich. What foods does the original recipe have ? Chicken ,ham, cheese-usually Swiss, Dijon mustard with a breaded coating. My sandwich is 2 pieces whole grained bread, toasted, on one piece , spread some commercial ham salad( was 99 cents at Reese Market in Madison),
top this with some leftover baked chicken strips from the breast, top with Swiss cheese and the other piece of toasted bread. ( I pretoasted my bread because I packed it for lunch where I nuked it for 30 seconds in the microwave- it was very nice. If you are eating this at home, you could fry it like a grilled cheese.) . What other things can be made by combining the same flavors if not the cost of your favorite foods. Remember if it rots in the refrigerator , its not a bargain.
Luxury is in mouth feel. If its creamy and delicious , it is. Your brain doesn't care that it wasn't five dollars but $1.50. The strawberries for my shortcake were an unadvertised special . My shortcake cost me $1.50 per serving and was many fresh strawberries, biscuits( from a can ), and whipped cream (from a can.) It was big, it was beautiful and it felt so good in my mouth. Learn to trick your pallet. Its not what you can't have but how you can have your favorites at lower cost. It doesn't feel like depravation if it looks and tastes indulgent.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Consumer Beware- The Good Advice May Not Work For You
http://www.rd.com/slideshows/15-foods-you-should-never-buy-again/ is a recent article on 15 foods never to buy again. The author did not identify his target audience but my best guess is that is is family oriented. ( This is a very annoying site, I have a good popup blocker and had to refuse to allow on every section of the article.)
There were four suggestions with which I disagree. #9 Salad kits, if I were feeding a family maybe this would not be a good idea but as I only buy them when they are on sale , some times as low as 75 cents to a dollar, for me a single , these can be a good idea. Alternative, buy the salad makings IF you intend to use it up - and if you can get individual portions of dressings, ( Urban Market sells them for 25 cents each pt) - it stops the "I am single and doomed to eat this forever feeling." Usually I buy the green salad mix when on sale as opposed to the kit, add what I want to it and choose up to $2.00 of dressings from their individual rack. ( Average bottle dressing is 2.50-4.00 ) . I also have used salsa mixed with a little mayo as a dressing over hamburger which has taco seasoning in it.
#10 Individualized servings of anything. As a single person , you are well familiar with the 4-6 servings mindset of the food industry. As some one who is both American ( and our concept of portion sized is seriously skewed) and has fought with her weight, I would amend this to Temptation foods. I am seriously addicted to potato chips . I am better with the small bags of chips at 3 for a dollar at the dollar store than the bag marked down to $2.00 which maynot see the dawn if I am stressed enough. Going along with this, because ice cream is another temptation/trigger/comfort food for me, the article suggests don't buy gourmet ice cream(#13) . My amendment here is think of portion control and do invest in the individual cups of ice cream made by Blue Bunny, Haagen Daz, Ben and Jerry's, Walmart Neighborhood markets have a house brand that is a faux sundae all for about a dollar each.
I tell people that I buy slices of cake when I go out for coffee with friends as opposed to baking a cake. Why? its a slice of cake not a whole cake. While candybars can sit in my house for months without being molested, chips and ice cream do not. Stay mindful of what you are eating. Its not a bargain if you binge frequently on temptation foods. We live in stressful times- and we all feel betrayed and beaten up. McDonald's used to say " You deserve a break today." Yes , yes I do, I deserve the government that represents me and my interest above all foreign ones, not to gorge on a 1/2 gallon of Brownie batter ice cream and the largest bag of Salt and Vinegar kettle chips because they were on sale. There is always a morning after the gorge. Plan for it the day before it happens . You may still eat more than you planned, but openng 5 individual bags is more conscious than opening 1 large bag.
#15 Tomato based pasta sauce: As a single , I like the jarred sauce and sometimes add things that I like to them. Sometimes it comes down to time , sometimes its the budget. I cannot buy everything that is in their sauce for less than I can buy their sauce though mine is better. Besides , as I buy jarred sauces, I have only to use what I need. I do make sauces on Sundays when I am off but even then not more than I would use in 2-3 days. Why? because my freezer is the size of 4 shoe boxes . I don't own, don't have room , can't see the need of a freezer. The investment is greater than the savings. So all of those well meaning family friends don't get it when they urge larger sizes on you and say that you can freeze it. Again, look truthfully at your own situation.
Having debunked those alleged savings, let me offer some more practical ideas. If you are Kosher or Islamic , it will be harder as the first one has a heavy pork base.
H.G. Hills, Urban Market, Reese, Save-A-lot, Food Lion all offer the 5 meats for 19.99. I like the pizzas that Reese includes in their selection. There is alot of pork based products in these selections, but it does stretch . Their selections are varied - when going this route, try rotating where you go.
Dollar Tree @ Madison Square : I spoke earlier about individual temptation foods. In the back , they have a frozen food section . The individual slices of pie that are $2.35 and up at the other markets are a dollar here. French Fries and onion rings( they have the good kind with whole onion rings under the batter) are a sollar each for a standard sized bag(usually 2.50-4.00 elsewhere.) They also sell small bags of cooked shrimp, turkey bacon, salmon, cod , talapia and pkgs of 3 legs and thighs (chicken) .Best value, in my opinion are the standard large size of vegetable mixes (frozen unsauced) and the bags of frozen fruit. This is a place to practice portion control watch as sometimes , its the size as well as the price which is smaller. Both they and their sister store, Deals in Rivergate, sell bread/breadproducts for $1.00. Deals sells canned goods but not frozen foods.
Shop watchfully.
There were four suggestions with which I disagree. #9 Salad kits, if I were feeding a family maybe this would not be a good idea but as I only buy them when they are on sale , some times as low as 75 cents to a dollar, for me a single , these can be a good idea. Alternative, buy the salad makings IF you intend to use it up - and if you can get individual portions of dressings, ( Urban Market sells them for 25 cents each pt) - it stops the "I am single and doomed to eat this forever feeling." Usually I buy the green salad mix when on sale as opposed to the kit, add what I want to it and choose up to $2.00 of dressings from their individual rack. ( Average bottle dressing is 2.50-4.00 ) . I also have used salsa mixed with a little mayo as a dressing over hamburger which has taco seasoning in it.
#10 Individualized servings of anything. As a single person , you are well familiar with the 4-6 servings mindset of the food industry. As some one who is both American ( and our concept of portion sized is seriously skewed) and has fought with her weight, I would amend this to Temptation foods. I am seriously addicted to potato chips . I am better with the small bags of chips at 3 for a dollar at the dollar store than the bag marked down to $2.00 which maynot see the dawn if I am stressed enough. Going along with this, because ice cream is another temptation/trigger/comfort food for me, the article suggests don't buy gourmet ice cream(#13) . My amendment here is think of portion control and do invest in the individual cups of ice cream made by Blue Bunny, Haagen Daz, Ben and Jerry's, Walmart Neighborhood markets have a house brand that is a faux sundae all for about a dollar each.
I tell people that I buy slices of cake when I go out for coffee with friends as opposed to baking a cake. Why? its a slice of cake not a whole cake. While candybars can sit in my house for months without being molested, chips and ice cream do not. Stay mindful of what you are eating. Its not a bargain if you binge frequently on temptation foods. We live in stressful times- and we all feel betrayed and beaten up. McDonald's used to say " You deserve a break today." Yes , yes I do, I deserve the government that represents me and my interest above all foreign ones, not to gorge on a 1/2 gallon of Brownie batter ice cream and the largest bag of Salt and Vinegar kettle chips because they were on sale. There is always a morning after the gorge. Plan for it the day before it happens . You may still eat more than you planned, but openng 5 individual bags is more conscious than opening 1 large bag.
#15 Tomato based pasta sauce: As a single , I like the jarred sauce and sometimes add things that I like to them. Sometimes it comes down to time , sometimes its the budget. I cannot buy everything that is in their sauce for less than I can buy their sauce though mine is better. Besides , as I buy jarred sauces, I have only to use what I need. I do make sauces on Sundays when I am off but even then not more than I would use in 2-3 days. Why? because my freezer is the size of 4 shoe boxes . I don't own, don't have room , can't see the need of a freezer. The investment is greater than the savings. So all of those well meaning family friends don't get it when they urge larger sizes on you and say that you can freeze it. Again, look truthfully at your own situation.
Having debunked those alleged savings, let me offer some more practical ideas. If you are Kosher or Islamic , it will be harder as the first one has a heavy pork base.
H.G. Hills, Urban Market, Reese, Save-A-lot, Food Lion all offer the 5 meats for 19.99. I like the pizzas that Reese includes in their selection. There is alot of pork based products in these selections, but it does stretch . Their selections are varied - when going this route, try rotating where you go.
Dollar Tree @ Madison Square : I spoke earlier about individual temptation foods. In the back , they have a frozen food section . The individual slices of pie that are $2.35 and up at the other markets are a dollar here. French Fries and onion rings( they have the good kind with whole onion rings under the batter) are a sollar each for a standard sized bag(usually 2.50-4.00 elsewhere.) They also sell small bags of cooked shrimp, turkey bacon, salmon, cod , talapia and pkgs of 3 legs and thighs (chicken) .Best value, in my opinion are the standard large size of vegetable mixes (frozen unsauced) and the bags of frozen fruit. This is a place to practice portion control watch as sometimes , its the size as well as the price which is smaller. Both they and their sister store, Deals in Rivergate, sell bread/breadproducts for $1.00. Deals sells canned goods but not frozen foods.
Shop watchfully.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Let's Talk Portion Control
There are many ways that we ,as consumers , are being duped. Raising the price is one- one company recently raised the cost of its potato chips by thirty cents. Another lowered the weight of the contents but kept the price the same . What looks like a bargain , maynot be a bargain .
Example: I recently bought coffee on special from CVS. It was a national brand and was 2 for $5.00. So mentally , you think , great 2 lbs for $5.00 pt. Look again , each can only contained 11 oz so instead of 32 oz or 2 lbs, I actually recieved 22 oz which is 1 lb 6 oz. Was it still worth it to me? Yes, because it came in dark roast and most of the coffees on sale are a medium or light roast. Its hard to find bags of coffee that are really a lb. You can go to Peets, Starbucks and Books-A -Million but you are going to pay a higher cost per oz than the prepackaged stuff. Instead of paying 2.2 cents aprox per oz., 5.6cents per oz.
(This information is supposed to be on the white tags with the bar codes on the front of the shelves in supermarkets. It is not always updated.) Becareful , though, as they are not always updated as regularly as we would wish.
Example: I recently bought coffee on special from CVS. It was a national brand and was 2 for $5.00. So mentally , you think , great 2 lbs for $5.00 pt. Look again , each can only contained 11 oz so instead of 32 oz or 2 lbs, I actually recieved 22 oz which is 1 lb 6 oz. Was it still worth it to me? Yes, because it came in dark roast and most of the coffees on sale are a medium or light roast. Its hard to find bags of coffee that are really a lb. You can go to Peets, Starbucks and Books-A -Million but you are going to pay a higher cost per oz than the prepackaged stuff. Instead of paying 2.2 cents aprox per oz., 5.6cents per oz.
(This information is supposed to be on the white tags with the bar codes on the front of the shelves in supermarkets. It is not always updated.) Becareful , though, as they are not always updated as regularly as we would wish.
Friday, April 15, 2011
The Day That Nothing Goes Right Part 2-Worth and my Dream Job
Last time , I asked you what you would do if? It can happen to anyone.
Here is what I am doing that is proactive while I still have a job.
I am looking actively for another and I am asking what I made what I did before the nimrods in DC decided that I but not they earned too much.
Am I out of my mind? Maybe but if I am not for me, then who is? Something more expensive is always more desireable. I am not a charity though this last eight plus years , I have been nonprofit. That ended yesterday.
What are you worth? Not what they want to pay you, but what are you and your experiance worth?
Remember you are selling your presence , your experiance, your knowledge, and your time. Time is pieces of your life that you won't get back. Like any challenge on RuPaul's Drag race, I echo his last instructions for any challenge presented. "Don't %#@!! it up!"
I do have a dream job. As far as I can tell, it doesn't exist but you can see it in Three Days of the Condor. Its the one that Robert Redford had, analyzing novels for terrorist threats . Technically he worked for CIA ( which isn't of interest to me) but the idea of sitting all day and reading , not interacting with the general public is very appealing. I read everything and always have. I recommend this to start : http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105
Here is what I am doing that is proactive while I still have a job.
I am looking actively for another and I am asking what I made what I did before the nimrods in DC decided that I but not they earned too much.
Am I out of my mind? Maybe but if I am not for me, then who is? Something more expensive is always more desireable. I am not a charity though this last eight plus years , I have been nonprofit. That ended yesterday.
What are you worth? Not what they want to pay you, but what are you and your experiance worth?
Remember you are selling your presence , your experiance, your knowledge, and your time. Time is pieces of your life that you won't get back. Like any challenge on RuPaul's Drag race, I echo his last instructions for any challenge presented. "Don't %#@!! it up!"
I do have a dream job. As far as I can tell, it doesn't exist but you can see it in Three Days of the Condor. Its the one that Robert Redford had, analyzing novels for terrorist threats . Technically he worked for CIA ( which isn't of interest to me) but the idea of sitting all day and reading , not interacting with the general public is very appealing. I read everything and always have. I recommend this to start : http://www.vanityfair.com/society/features/2011/05/top-one-percent-201105
Monday, April 11, 2011
Urban Market 4th and Church
I found some good values here this week . I got 2 (13 1/2 oz) low fat cream cheese for 25 cents each, chuck was marked down from $4.49 to about 1 1/2 lb to $2.49 and I got 2 large chicken legs and thighs for 1.99.
I had paid full price for a bag of 6 bagels last week, got some salmon($1.00 in pouch( but not lox), a red onion and tomato But for the price of $1.08 a day , I have (faux) lox and bagels for lunch .
Urban Market is owned by H. G. Hills.
I had paid full price for a bag of 6 bagels last week, got some salmon($1.00 in pouch( but not lox), a red onion and tomato But for the price of $1.08 a day , I have (faux) lox and bagels for lunch .
Urban Market is owned by H. G. Hills.
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