Frugal living by a Single Mom

New Year New You

beatriz — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 03:24:36 +0000

I Think we can safely say that now that January has come and gone, it’s time to evaluate how much of a real effort we’ve made on keeping our New Year’s resolutions. How does this apply to frugal living you might ask? Well if we really want to be truthful with ourselves we will not want to just shed some extra pounds or try to have a healthier lifestyle and do some self improvements, but we will also take a look at our thought processes that cause us to desire purchasing more than what we need or can use.

Do we walk around our home and take inventory of all that we have? Do we put ourselves on a spending diet? To do this it will require transformational thinking, a change in the things that we place value on and rearrange those values. A Frugal lifestyle is that a lifestyle that reflects daily decisions we make on how we spend, what we purchase and a reinterpretation of consumerism.

So let’s take some time to reflect with gratitude on the amount of things we have, let go of that which we do not need and make some changes and decisions to live more modestly, prudently, financially and environmentally more responsible. So this New Year can be about a truly new you.

Enjoying Life with Less

beatriz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:27:18 +0000

I come from a long line of penny pinchers. The generation my parent’s grew up in gave them no choice, but to learn to use things until their purpose was used up and needed to be repurposed. For example, once a towel could no longer be used at bath time it became a rag used for washing or drying the car. An old sock that could longer be mended would be reused to dust, well I think you get the picture, they recycled before it was trendy and they didn’t do it to save the environment, but to save their pocketbook.

As a Single mother living a frugal lifestyle does not mean I have to sacrifice quality of life, but rather redefine it from what the rest of society or our current popular culture dictates that to be. I do have to make compromises with labels, but sometimes if you’re a savvy shopper that doesn’t necessarily imply compromising quality. A tube of toothpaste at the 99 cent store can still be a name brand, Ranch Dressing, Bread and pasta don’t vary that much.

When I do treat my daughter to a fast food meal, I don’t feel obligated to get the Child’s meal, I order the Chicken Tenders or a burger she likes and we come home and eat it accompanied with juice from the refrigerator and a healthier side than we would have gotten. My daughter is use to this and doesn’t fuss, that doesn’t mean she never eats a complete child’s meal, It’s just that sometimes you’re going for the convenience of not preparing something at home and in those cases I normally have juice and a side dish that can quickly be warmed up.

This back to School, I was determined to not play into the concept that I had to buy my daughter a whole new fall wardrobe, or even a complete outfit from head to toe, or even a long list of School supplies and new backback. We went to the thrift store where she found a beautiful Dress for I believe it was $5.00 that was new to her, I cleaned up her perfectly good backcback and splurged on a new pair of shoes at my local discount store for $12.00, since all she had were summer sandals and flip flops. So to her she was starting the school year with a new outfit and she was perfectly happy.

I hope to share many more day to day frugal lifestyle stories, some you may adapt, some you may already be doing and some you may think are too much trouble to bother with, but either way I hope you will stop by and visit occasionally and let me know you dropped by.

Less is more

beatriz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:58:47 +0000

In this case less cleaning products equals more money in my pocket. there was a time when I would buy Tile Cleaner, Toilet bowl cleaner, window cleaner, dusting spray, disinfectant spray and the list goes on. It’s amazing how once you put your mind to it, you can do without most of the assorted cleaners. So here’s a small list of items you probably already have around the house that can substitute for cleaners.

White Vinegar – good for removing stains from carpets, window cleaner, combined with Baking Soda good on slow drains
Newspaper – dries and cleans wet windows without streaking
Toothpaste – Mild Abrasiveness cleans and removes hard water stains from chrome faucets and fixtures
Cinnamon Sticks – Simmered in water. freshen the air from musty odors
Lemon – Wipe a sliced lemon on your cutting board to remove odors from onions and garlic
Baking Soda – Deodorizes, mild abrasiveness good subtitute for powdered cleanser.

This is just a hint of items that can be used to save you from purchasing products that add up at the check out stand. I will continue to list others in future posts. If you have a homemade cleaner recipe please feel free to share it.

I am not suggesting that you not use cleaning products at all, but sometimes they can take a big chunk out of our grocery bill and in these times when we are also looking to be more earth conscious, these substitutes can put cents in our pocket and be environmentally safe. I hope that makes cents.

Mexican Food Staple

beatriz — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 00:42:48 +0000

Tortillas are the equivalent of bread in the Mexican culture, with the exception being that we use tortillas to make a multitude of Recipes. I am first generation Mexican born in Baja California, Mexicali to be exact. It still amazes me how many people think that Baja California is part of California, yet they know that when they’re vacationing in Cabo San Lucas they are in a state of Mexico. Anyways I thought I would put that out there.

When I was a little girl my mom actually made fresh hand made tortillas at home, which are very different from the store bought ones. We live in different times, but in Mexico you can still find women in Restaraunts making them by hand and in many homes as well. I personally would love to attempt it from time to time just so that I can pass it down to my kids and while we’re at it learn to make Tamalies too, for Christmas.

So back to my point. While you don’t have to learn how to make them from hand, learning recipes that include both Flour and Corn tortillas can really stretch your budget. Quisadillas for instance is our version of the Grilled Cheese Sandwich, but quesadillas can be used for breakfast, Lunch or Dinner depending on the side dishes you prepare. They have also become a popular appetizer offering. There is actually a special cheese that can be purchased in the aisle that caries imported cheeses. Any cheese can be used though as long as it easily melts. I remember once ordering a Quesadilla in a cafeteria and being shocked at the fact that it was filled with meat and vegetables as well as the cheese and served in a Flour tortilla as opposed to a corn one. You see my mom was a very basic cook and I had grown up eating quesadillas with Jack melted cheese in a fried corn tortilla. I was surprised to learn that there were other ways to prepare my favorite snack and that in other countries like El Salvador the fillings make it an Entree.

So think outside the box and use tortillas to stretch your menu offerings. My grandkids love it when I make hard Shell Tacos and my grown kids loved when I served Taco Salad. Try making an Enchilada Casserole by using either shredded chicken or ground beef, cheese, corn tortillas and enchilada sauce. If you choose omit the meat. If you add a Salad you have an inexpensive meal.

I would love to share some recipes in future posts.

A Penny Saved

beatriz — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:49:09 +0000

The current times we are in has caused many of us to evaluate our expenses and get more creative with how we spend or not spend our money. As a Single mother though this may not be anything new, but maybe a challenge to further our need to employ our creative ideas and a more frugal lifestyle.

I like to make pennies stretch. It has almost become a game. I don’t go out to shop unless I have a specific list of items i need to buy, I avoid altogether any aisle that does not have items on my list, because if I find items that are on Sale, it’s inevitable that I will want to buy it. Hording Sale items is not saving money if they are sitting on your shelves for months without being used. Coupons are good on items that you would normally have bought, but if the store brand or generic brand is just as good and less in price, then that’s the better choice. To me a paper towel serves it’s purpose no matter what the brand, for instance, so the store brand will do if it is on Sale for 89 cents and the coupon for a name brand that is let’s say 25 cents brings the price down to $1.25.

I was never good at math in school, but I have become very strategic when I go grocery shopping. If I can save $10.00 to $15.00 then I figure I can treat the kids without the guilt. If you have a perticular strategy you would like to share, I welcome your comments.

Think Beyond the Burger

beatriz — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:27:40 +0000

The idea here is that ground beef is not just for Hamburgers, we sometimes forget all the other things that can be done with this economical meat. I’m not suggesting that we have ground beef all week long, but rather that it can really stretch your budget if we think of creative ways to use it and that maybe the things to stock up on would be sauces and spices to add some variety.

Purchasing ground beef in 1 lb. packages directly from the butcher’s section for a week’s worth of meals can be cost effective, the question is how to make a variety of meals with it. The following are suggestions of different ways ground beef can be prepared for 5 days worth of meals. You can also substitute ground turkey or sirloin or even ground pork in some recipes. If you would like some recipes please feel free to contact me or take a look online and fit the recipe to your tastes:

Empanadas – this would be the Argentine version which are savory. These meat turnovers are filled with seasoned ground beef, hard boiled eggs (optional) and olives. Corn nibblets could also be added.
Lettuce Wraps – iceberg lettuce or a leafy lettuce wrapped around Asian marinated ground beef with some rice noodles and dipping sauce.
Lasagna – Layered pasta, ground beef mixed with mild italian sausage and the usual sauce, ricotta cheese, well you have the idea.
Italian Meatballs – I use my meatloaf recipe, but the variations are endless add your favorite sauce and add a Salad and garlic bread.
Albondigas Soup – This is Mexican Meatball soup served in a broth with carrots, potatoes and cabbage.
Ravioli – Meat filled pasta with a red sauce or Alfredo sauce.
Spaghetti – You can actually combine with any sauce and variation of pasta, melt cheese and bake if you wish.
Egg Rolls – Asian inspired dish that can be served with dipping sauce, noodles and fried rice.
Omelet – Yes we can have eggs for dinner.
Beef Stroganoff
Salisbury Steak – I actually grew up eating this when we went out to cafeterias. The key is in the brown gravy.
Taco Salad
Burritos or Chimichangas – Fried burritos
Taquitos or Flautas – rolled fried tortillas with filling
Sloppy Joe’s
Meatloaf – There are so many variations that it is worth looking on the internet for recipes
Nachos – This could be a hearty entree if topped with cheese, beans and salsa.
Quesadillas
Stuffed Peppers
Frittata – almost like a quiche without the crust
Cheesy Olive Loaf
Tamale pie
Stuffed Cabbage
Shepards Pie
Chili Beans – This can be a hearty dish, topped with cheese and onions, etc.
Fried Won Tons – Filled with ground beef could be added to an asian salad
Egg Rolls – Stuffed with asian vegetables and served with asian noodles or fried rice.
Swedish Meatballs served in a mushroom sauce
Baked Ziti casserole
Polenta in a Bolognese Sauce (a brothy tomato sauce with ground beef)
Four Bean Bake
Beef and Eggplant Parmesan
Beef and Summer Squash Bake
African Zucchini stuffed with spiced beef
7 Layer Casserole
Cheeseburger Pie
Pizza
Moussaka – A greek dish with eggplant, typically with ground lamb, this is a little labor intensive, but if you enjoy eggplant as I do, maybe set a side a Saturday for preparation.
Beef Fried Rice
Calzones
Stuffed Manicotti
Beef and Onion Knishes

Stretching our money sometimes just means getting more creative, maybe learining new tricks and just sharing with one another recipes we would not have otherwise thought of. I lived in South America for a couple of years and experienced a variety of recipes not only regional, but also from the friends I was making that were from other latin countries. These countries greatly use potatoes and rice and beans to stretch their meals. I hope I have offered some ideas and If you have any creative recipes or ideas you would like to share please do.

Making Cents

beatriz — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 03:25:23 +0000

The desired outcome of this journal is to provide information that can be userful in adding cents to our pockets, financial discipline to our lives and encouragement to stay on course. I hope to have an exchange of ideas, dialog for conversation and inspiration and positive feedback that can propel me forward. Being a single parent causes me to face financial challenges, but I know that I am not alone in my journey.

Though making cents will be the theme, making our money grow will be the goal. So I hope you join me on this journey.