Starting a “Frugal Club”

This is it! I am taking the plunge and inviting readers and people on the Cecil County Discussion Forum to join me in starting a “frugal club”. Here is an article from Wisebread about what a frugal club is:

http://www.wisebread.com/entertainment-value-start-a-frugal-club

The author gives some great ideas on what a frugal club could do. I envision it as a place to talk about how to save money in particular areas, or talking about what stores have what good deals and maybe doing bulk purchasing of food/goods. I like her ideas for “field trips” and swaps. We could have monthly swaps of things. Maybe one month it is kitchen and dish ware. The next month we could swap toys and kids stuff. These are just my ideas. I am excited to hear other people’s ideas and get this off the ground!

If you would like to join send me an email from the web site or post a comment. In it let me know a good evening of the week for you to meet and what library branches you are willing to travel to. I will take care of getting the room reservations. Bring your ideas on what our frugal club should include in its activities. Tell your friends and see if they want to join. I will also post something on the CCF Discussion List.

Applesauce – The Frugal and Healthy Food

I think applesauce is a great invention. I love to eat it alone or on pork chops. Babies usually are given applesauce as one of their first solid fruits. Applesauce is, also, great in baking as a substitute for oil.

To make applesauce you will need to purchase a large quantity of apples from a local orchard. You can purchase “seconds” from Millburn Orchards. They give you a large paper bag (about 20+ lbs.) for $9.95. Colora Orchards sells apples for $8 a half bushel and $16 a bushel. What is a second? A second is an apple that is, usually bruised, or strange shaped or just not perfect. They are usually fine for eating and excellent for baking.

Once you have your seconds, you will need to store them in a cool, dry place. I put mine out in our unheated, inside porch area (along with the potatoes).Wash, peel, core and cut up as many apples that fit in your crock pot with a few inches at the top to spare. Put a bit of water in (maybe half cup?) and turn the crock pot on to low. You can do this before bed. In the morning, when you wake up, you will have applesauce. All you need to do is mash the apples. In the crock pot you will have extra moisture from the apples so they will not burn over night. You may want to pour off some of the moisture before you start mashing.

For baby food, I also puree the cooked apples in the blender. You can put the rest in jars and refrigerate or freeze some in plastic containers. I also can jars of applesauce.

In winter, we go through a lot because I substitute applesauce in recipes that call for oil. I have used it in brownie mix, pancakes, quick breads and muffins. This is a healthy alternative to oil and no one knows the difference. Whoever discovered this is brilliant!!! I do not know if it is cheaper but it probably is if you make the applesauce yourself from seconds. (Really, the math boggles my mind sometimes!)

Applesauce is, also, a cheap, delicious snack for young children. Instead of buying individual serving containers of the stuff for your child's lunch box, buy a reusable, plastic container and fill it daily. Just make sure your child doesn't throw it away.

Now you know why I love apple sauce!

Agricultural Extension Offices

I love going to different agricultural extension offices’ web sites. They are wonderful gems of information on how to shop, prepare foods, create budgets, and live frugally. This is a link to the USDA website with links to all 50 states’ agricultural extension offices.

http://www.csrees.usda.gov/Extension/

One of my favorite extension web sites is for the state of Michigan. Their Furthering Families web site has basic information on weathering financial storms (as well as what to do if you have a Bovine TB positive animal!) http://www.fcs.msue.msu.edu/ff/financialmanagement.html . They also have a Financial Matters web site that gives good budgeting information as well as other good financial information. http://www.fm.fcs.msue.msu.edu/

The Maryland extension web site is not as large as Michigan’s. Here is a link to the publications that you can get from them on family and financial issues:

http://extension.umd.edu/publications/Category.cfm?ID=A

The Cecil web site does advertise a few classes that are being given and also gives you a name of who to contact. You can probably contact the agent to be put on a notify list. But, all in all, I don’t think Maryland has much going for their web site.

Delaware has a great web site and produces a newsletter called “Two Cent Tips for Delaware”. Notice the left hand side of the page has different personal financial issues that you can click on and get great information. They also have links to some federal government resources.

Delaware’s Ag extension gives classes on money management topics. I see the flyers in the main branch of the Cecil Public Library. Here is a link to the New Castle County monthly calendar:

http://ag.udel.edu/WebCalendar/month.php?user=_NUC_NCC_Extension

Pennsylvania has a nice web site too. Here is a link to their family financial planning and consumer affairs publications web site: http://pubs.cas.psu.edu/PubSubject.asp?varSubject=Family%20Financial%20Planning%20and%20Consumer%20Affairs

They have a multi-part series on what to do if your income drops. With 10.2% unemployment, this could come in handy. Each county in Pennsylvania has its own web site I urge you to explore different counties’ web sites under the Families and Children area (on the left side of the screen click on this topic). A wealth of information is available!

In addition to financial planning issues, the web sites contain a huge amount of information on canning and preserving, which is a great frugal activity. If you are planting a garden you can get gardening advice here too. I planted my first garden this year and these web sites will be invaluable for planning next year’s garden!

Winter Illnesses - the Frugal Way

It has been almost 2 weeks since my 17 year old daughter brought home the H1N1 illness to the house. It swept through our three teen agers, one boy friend and myself. My husband was the only one that didn't get it but he may have been vaccinated back in the 70's. I am still not recovered but everyone else is doing fine. I am on day 3 of acute laryngitis. Hopefully, I will be back to normal by Monday since I am giving a presentation at the North East Library on Tuesday at 6 pm!

Being ill with colds, flu, stomach bugs, etc. can be frugal! I have found that we do nothing that costs money like shop for things or go out for entertainment purposes. We have saved some serious money by being sick. However, our running out to purchase quick food options and sick room supplies eats up any cost savings from not going out to shop. I decided that with a bit of planning, being sick need not take its toll on your budget as well as your body. Here is a list of things that you can do in advance to be ready for the inevitable winter illnesses.

1. Keep over the counter medications on hand. Always have the family's favorite cold remedies, anti-diarrheal medications, and fever relievers on hand all winter long. Don't wait to run out before buying more. I use generic medications and purchase them at Wal-Mart. Next week I will make sure they are in my shopping cart so I can replenish the supply.

2. Keep a store of tissues on hand. Same as above. Always have 3-6 boxes as back up in the cabinets.

3. Keep a supply of frozen meals for those nights when adults are too sick to cook. You can defrost a home-made, previously frozen dinner in the morning. This will keep the calls out for pizza to a minimum.

4. Canned soup or frozen, small portions of home-made soup, should be kept on hand. We go through a surprising number of Ramen noodle packages as well as a pot of chicken noodle soup (also referred to as "Jewish penicillin" in our family!) when we get sick.

5. Hide away a few bottles of ginger ale or 7up when they go on sale. Inevitably, someone will come down with a stomach ailment and not be able to drink anything but clear sodas.

6. If there is an adult that is able to, hit the library for DVD's and books. Especially for kids, this can make lying on the couch, feeling terrible, much more bearable.

Hope this helps you to get through your winter illnesses in a frugal fashion.

“You Buy Cheap, You Get Cheap!”

This is one of the famous sayings of my college boyfriend’s grandpa. (The other famous saying we don’t mention in polite company!) Over the years I have found that Grandpa B. was correct. It is often better to spend money on a good product than to buy a cheap product.

I found this to be true when I landed a great deal on a pot and pan set from a major retailer. This huge set with 7 pots and pans and 5 utensils to go with them, ended up being about $49 after I bought it with coupons, etc. I returned them in 10 weeks and got my money back (always keep that receipt!). They ended up being terrible. For no stick cookware, they had a huge amount of blackened crud on them. The clerk told me that they get many sets returned.

When the clerk gave me my cash, I bought a set of well known cookware, on sale, and about twice what I paid for the original set. However, the difference is that several years later we are still using these pots and pans (except for the one that my husband burned to a crisp when I was out of town).

I bought cheap, I got cheap. It pays to buy a good brand but at a reduced price. Buying garbage is annoying and, often, you must replace the junk more often. Buying quality goods for a cheaper price is better than buying cheap goods for a cheap price.

I did find out that the cook ware set that I bought to replace the garbage set was also available at Big Lots for about $50, which is about $50 less than I paid for it. After I found that out and kicked myself, I decided that I needed to remember that for the future. So, buy good cook ware at a great price at Big Lots in the future. And buy quality goods, take care of them and you will end up paying less than if you bought cheap.

When is a Deal not a Deal?

I have been peaking into some of the blogs and frugal web sites that I visit. I notice that many of the web sites are devoted to giving out information on "good deals" on all sorts of consumer goods. Some are devoted to giving out discount shopping codes for internet shopping web sites.

The thought struck me that there are plenty of people who go onto Ebay or other shopping web sites and purchase things for fun. It is great if they can get a discount code but often they are spending money they don't have on things they don't need. That is exactly when a deal is not a deal.

Many of the frugal forums I visit have people talking about "no spend days". This means different things to different people. Some include, as a no spend day, a day that a person buys a tank of gas or other necessities. Others mean NO money spent only. What they all agree on is that spending money on things that are not essential is not the way to be frugal.

Challenge yourself to define, for you, what a no spend day is and then set a goal of a particular number of days in a week (or a month) that you do not spend money. Set a reasonable goal (say 2/7 days) and then increase it as time goes on. You will be surprised how much money you actually save!

Frugal Dates (Pt. 3) - Cecil County Frugal Dates

This part of the Frugal Dates series is a list of ideas for frugal dates in our area. These ideas won’t include references to where to walk and get coffee which is in this article.

One of the followers on here, Committed Recycler, suggested making a list of fun, frugal things to do. That way, if there are no events in the community, couples can choose from the list of ideas for a date. I thought that was a wonderful idea and will work on that this weekend. Check the Cecil Whig calendar section for frugal events. This is a great resource for knowing what there is to do in the local area. The online calendar is different than the print version. I find the print version has many more things listed on it.

Here is a list of ideas of where to go and what to do for frugal dates in the Cecil County area.

University of Delaware has great entertainment and a few museums. Here is a calendar that is updated daily. Some things are expensive and some even free.

Cecil College also has some budget performances in the Millburn Stone Theatre. There are other things, such as sports events, on campus.

Washington College also has some lectures, films and other events. Many are not for the general public so make sure before you go that you can attend.

Sports events are very cheap if you go to local high school or college events. My husband usually goes to a UD football game every year with one of my daughters. He also has taken her to UD women’s basketball games. They were cheap “dates” and they even gave the kids posters of the team.

Restaurant.com is a way to purchase restaurant gift certificates for less money. A $25 certificate usually sells for $10. There are several restaurants in and around the county that offer certificates. Sometimes they have an 80% or 90% sale on certificates. I bought some for my daughters last year for Christmas and they enjoyed some nice lunches out without having to pay anything.

On the first Sunday of the month the Philadelphia Museum of Art has pay what you wish all day. I usually drop in a $5 bill and spend a few hours there. The Rodin Museum has a suggested contribution of $5 per person. Becoming a member of any of the Philadelphia museums is usually more cost effective than paying on a per visit basis.

The Delaware Art Museum also offers free admission on Sundays.

I think the one thing to take away from here is if you would like to see a museum or an historical sight, always check the web first to see if there is a day when admission is free.

Since we are heading into the cold weather, I am thinking of indoor things to do. Summer, when the weather is nice, one can swim cheaply at Elk Neck State Park or hike for $3 at Fair Hill Natural Resources Area. A one year park pass that is good at all the State Parks is only $75. You can usually buy and use it several months before the new year starts.

It is $10 a night for spectators at the Cecil County Dragway. On Sunday, it is $12 a day. Check the website for more information.

One of my favorite things to do is to wander around the streets of all our little tourist towns. I window shop, look in the stores, maybe buy a little something, and then have an ice cream or a cup of coffee. This is fun and also helps to support some of our local businesses. This can back fire if you find some expensive item that cries out to you “Buy me! Even if you don’t need me, you WANT me!” Just ignore that little voice and all will be frugal.

Frugal Dates (Pt. 2) – Where to Go for a Walk and a Coffee

What do you do for frugal dates? Our frugal date is usually a walk somewhere and than a cup of coffee. Coffee in our house is a big deal. It must be good coffee and not diner coffee. Each of the walks below is paired with a nice coffee shop.

Some of our favorite spots for walks are:

Elk Neck State Park – Turkey Point Light House is a nice, easy walk. For coffee and window shopping we go to North East. Beans, Leaves, etc., at 33 S. Main St., offers great coffee and outdoor tables in appropriate weather.

Fair Hill Natural Resources area – We have several trails that we go on but mostly stick to the area with the covered bridge. I have yet to find a coffee shop with great coffee close enough to Fair Hill to pair for the walk. We usually go home for an excellent and ultra-cheap brew.

Newark Main Street – I do like to walk on Main Street and window shop but if I buy anything, than it isn’t a frugal date. There are several coffee shops on Main St. and I guess you can pick your own.

Glasgow Park – This has a 2.6 mile walking trail but DH calls it “a forced march”. After the “forced march” we go to the Whereabouts Café in the People’s Plaza. They have excellent coffee, great food and a friendly staff that kiss us when we come in (only because one of them is our daughter!).

Walks around our neighborhood – We used to live in a development but now we live next to a 150 acre corn field with a tractor road. We take the dog for a walk here with us. Again, after a run after a dog who runs everywhere but to us, we catch our breath at home with the best brew there is.

Frugal Dates (Pt. 1)

I have been reading several articles that give details for frugal dates. I decided to collect them and put in my two cents too. However, I am going to do it using the local area and give some specific places. It would be great if others would chime in here with ideas too!

On Saturday, my husband and I spent time out of the house running errands. We took our time and I showed him the wonders of Gifford’s Farm Market and Feed Store . We bought chicken feed (cheaper than Tractor Supply by several dollars) and some pretty, Fall gourds. We browsed the pumpkins for sale ($.35/lb.) and the mums (3/$12.00 which seems to be standard). Then we went to Wal-Mart in North East to pick up medication and salt for the water treatment system (Morton Rust Repellant and cheaper than Home Depot. I also had coupons for $1.50 off 2 bags. Score!) Next was Good’s Structures and Farm market. I bought a 50 lb. bag of potatoes for $8.99 to split with my neighbor, and a half price pumpkin to cook up. Then we walked around looking at the structures and dreaming of what we would buy if we had the money (a guest house for guests, a garage, a play house for our grandchildren, etc.)

After we arrived home at 2:30, we decided to go out for a late lunch. It was a spur of the moment decision and not a frugal one. We went to the Pier One restaurant in North East. It had okay food and a great dessert menu. What we should have done was eat at home and go out for dessert and coffee. That would have been frugal and a treat.

Part of going out on a date is to spend time together. People who are married, or are long term partners, do not necessarily need an expensive date or a date in the typical sense of the word. A date can be doing errands and enjoying each other’s company while you are out and about. I think this is especially true of people with children. Privacy is hard to find in a home with children of any age. If being alone and spending time with your partner are the objects of the date, than this can be accomplished with a day running errands and including a stop for a treat like coffee/tea, ice cream or dessert.

Time Off and Writer's Block

Last week I took a business trip to Boston for a few days. Additionally, I have had to spend more time at my primary job due to a 20% enrollment increase. There has been less time to write about life in the frugal lane.

However, I also had a bit of writer's block. I didn't know what to write about that others would find interesting. I still have a bit of a block but started a new article too. I hope to be back on track this week. Thanks for sticking around!

Christmas is Coming! Are you Prepared?

Have you already started your Christmas shopping? If not, you can start doing several things to help you avoid the financial toll that this holiday can take on your budget. There are several ways to avoid this but they all have one thing in common – early preparation. Early preparation helps to avoid using a credit card. Christmas is a planned event and not an emergency. Don’t take money from your emergency fund.

Saving for Christmas

If you are not a member of a Christmas club through a bank, you can start your own “club” by opening a special savings account. Deposit money every time you get paid. Even if it is $5, it will accumulate and be useful at Christmas shopping time. If you start in January, figure out a reasonable budget, divide by the number of paychecks that you get in a year and then sock that money away. If you are starting now, do the same thing only dividing the number by how many paychecks are left between now and December 21st or so. If that is too much money to drain from your budget every paycheck, then adjust the amount down.

Think of ways to find extra money. Return something you recently bought but decided not to keep. Take that money and buy something for Christmas for someone on your gift list. Put in a medical claim reimbursement form and take that money and buy a gift. Make sure you claim that rebate and use that money for gifts.

How to Shop Cheaply for Christmas

There are still garage sales so take advantage of them. When my kids were younger, I bought almost all of their presents at garage sales. Sometimes I bought new toys but often they were used toys that were in excellent shape. Did my kids notice the difference on Christmas day? No. Did they notice when they got older? Yes. I told them that it was all we could afford and for the and they accepted that. The point is that they liked the gifts and didn’t care if they were used. A used gift is better than no gift. Garage sales are also good to find new items suitable for gifts for adults.

Comb thrift stores and consignment stores for good deals. I often find new items there too.

Start crafting something for the adults on your list. I have one daughter that crocheted us all beautiful scarves or hats one Christmas. They were very nice gifts.

Here are links to other articles about how to save money on Christmas:

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/christmas/Christmas.htm

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2008/10/17/ask-the-readers-favorite-frugal-christmas-ideas/

http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf933280.tip.html

Review of New 4th edition of Miserly Moms

I read the first edition of Jonni McCoy’s Miserly Moms: Living on One Income in a Two Income Economy, back in 1994 or so. I reread the new 4th edition, which is subtitled Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy. When I read the first edition I thought it was useful and employed several of the practices she recommends to help save money. On reading the 4th edition I decided I had several problems with what she writes and how she recommends saving money.

First, the first 150 pages of the book are ways to save money at the grocery store. Many of the ideas are worthwhile, such as being wary of shopping at warehouse clubs, keeping track of food prices and eliminating convenience foods. The focus of the book seems to be on food. Although the rest of the book (another 140 or so pages) focus on other things, I found that these chapters did not have the depth in them that the chapters concerning grocery shopping had. There were tips but they were not as complete as previous chapters.

What I really don’t like about this book is her tone. Frugality is something that she practiced as a necessity in order to achieve her goal of staying home to raise her children. Her Guideline 1: Don’t Confuse Frugality with Depriving Yourself, is about how if you feel cheap trying to save money you will abandon your frugal ways. She then goes on to say that she was “determined to maintain a sense of class and still be frugal.” (p. 33) And that is my problem with this book. Throughout the book McCoy comes off as a snob.

McCoy advocates having a goal in mind when embarking upon the lifestyle change that frugal living demands of us. I also advocate this in my presentations about frugal living. But the one goal that she doesn’t recognize is the necessity of having to live a very drastic, frugal life due to circumstances such as job loss. The subtitle of the book, Living Well on Less in a Tough Economy, tells us that one can still remain classy even when one is faced with job loss, etc. I don’t think this is true. Concern for how you look and what things look like to the neighbors got many people in financial trouble to begin with. That is one of the things that has to go by the wayside when one is faced with economic hardship. Maintaining the fiction that all is well if we cut a few corners here and there won’t be enough for many people.

Should you read the book? Yes, if you want some tips on saving money. No, if you need to employ drastic frugal measures due to job loss, medical issues, divorce, etc. The tips she offers and many more tips are found in the Complete Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn.

Frugal Weekend Entertainment

I noticed that there are a few things going on around Cecil County that are frugal and fun (at least I think they are fun!).

On Saturday, I am going on a date with my husband to the North Elk Coffee house over at St. Mary Anne's in North East to hear Pat Wictor play and sing. I love going to most of their coffee houses because it is a cheap out and all proceeds go to benefit Meeting Ground, our local organization that helps the homeless.

On Saturday, the Elkton Fall Fest is also underway. I didn't go last year but my teen aged daughters went with some girl friends. Let's just say the Firefighter Combat Challenge was the highlight of the festival for them! The festival includes an old-fashioned sock hop on Friday night.

Have a fun weekend!

Food Pantries and Homeless Shelters

I have just had the privilege of putting together a document listing all the information I can find on Cecil County's homeless shelters and food pantries. I am putting it here in the hope that it can be used by others. This is as complete as I can make it but I did not verify all information. Please call ahead to make sure that the service you would like to use is open at the times specified.

Cecil County Department of Social Services

Referrals to shelters, Homelessness Prevention Program, food stamps, medical assistance.170 East Main Street, Elkton 21921 410-996-0100


Cecil County Food Pantries

Name: Cecil County Help Center
Phone: (410) 996-0260
Address: 135 E. High Street Elkton, MD 21921
Requirements: Referral from DSS
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 8am – 4 pm (Closed 12 noon – 1 pm for lunch)
Service Provided: Food Pantry

Name: Chesapeake City Ecumenical Association
Phone:
Address: Trinity United Methodist Church, South Chesapeake City
Requirements: Unknown but may be that you need to be a resident of Chesapeake City area.
Hours of Operations: Tuesdays and Wednesdays, 9 am - noon
Service Provided: Food Pantry

Name: Immaculate Conception Outreach
Phone: (410) 398-2110
Address: 455 Bow Street
Elkton, MD 21921
Requirements: None
Hours of Operation: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:30 am – 12 noon
Service Provided: Food Pantry

Name: Jewish Relief Center at Beit Ha Torah Messianic Synagogue
Phone: (410)392-5554
Address: 528 West Pulaski Hgwy., Elkton, MD 21921
Requirements: None
Hours of Operation: Mondays, 9:30-11:30 am
Services Provided: Food, OTC medical supplies, personal hygiene supplies, furniture and appliances. Fuel assistance, rental assistance and motel nights for homeless.

Name: North East United Methodist Church
Phone: (410) 287-2220
Address: 308 S. Main Street
North East, MD 21901
Requirements: NE residents only
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 9 am – 12 noon
Service Provided: Food pantry

Name: Ray of Hope Mission Center
Phone: (410) 378-9800
Address:960 Craigtown Rd., Port Deposit, MD 21904
Requirements: Must qualify through an intake process
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday 9 am – 4 pm and Sat. 1 -4 pm
Service Provided: Thrift shop for community and vouchers issued to the needy to receive items free of charge. Food Pantry on Fridays. Must apply to be eligible.

Name: Rock Presbyterian Church – Deacons’ Food pantry
Phone: (410) 398-3470
Address: 3301 Singerly Road
Elkton, MD 21921
Hours of Operation: Monday – Saturday 8 am – 8 pm
Service Provided: Food Pantry

Name: St. Vincent de Paul Society, Church of the Good Shepard
Phone: (410) 642-3588
Address: 810 Aiken Ave., Perryville, MD 21903
Requirements: Must be Cecil County resident.
Hours of Operation: Mon.- Fri. 10 am – 12 pm(?) Call ahead
Services Provided: Food Pantry, and financial assistance towards eviction prevention, water bills, prescriptions, and heating bills.

Shelters

Name: Cecil County Domestic Violence/Rape Crisis Center
Phone: (410) 996-0333
Address: Confidential
Requirements: Victims of domestic violence or rape.
Hours of Operation: 24 hour Hotline
Service Provided: Shelter for victims of domestic violence and their children.

Name: Wayfarer’s House
Phone: (410) 398-4381
Address: 107 Delaware Ave,
Elkton, MD
Requirements: Women and children only
Hours of Operation: Call for hours
Service Provided: Homeless shelter for women and children.

Name: Clairveaux Farm
Phone: (410) 275-8990
Hours of Operation: Call for hours
Service Provided: Homeless shelter for families.

Name: Settlement House
Phone: (410) 392-8066
Requirements: Men only
Hours of Operation: Call for hours
Service Provided: Homeless shelter for men

Service Provided: Rotating Church Based Homeless Shelter
Phone: (410) 620-4701
Requirements: Men, Women and families.
Hours of Operation: Intake for women and families is at Wayfarer’s House and men at Settlement House from 3-5 daily during winter months.

Free Pumpkins

About 15 years ago, we were driving in the Pocono Mountains on our way to a harvest fair at a living history farm. On a back road, I saw a giant pumpkin, lying on its side, alongside the road. I asked my husband to stop the car so I could pick it up but he refused since we had already driven down the road a bit. I told him I was getting it on the way home. I remembered where it was and we stopped on the way home. I picked up this huge pumpkin that had a crack on one side of it and put it in the trunk. I could tell it had fallen off a truck just that morning or the night before. It was still fresh!

What did I do with the pumpkin since it had a crack? I cooked it in the oven and we ate it! I cut chunks out and we ate a colonial dish of pumpkin, ham and corn in broth. We ate pumpkin bread and other things. Pumpkins are great to eat and we actually cook with it year round. The best way to get the pumpkin cooked is to cut it in half, scoop out the seeds, and place on a greased cookie sheet, flat side down. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees. Now just scoop out the insides. Fresh pumpkin can be watery but throw it in a sieve and have it drain over a bowl and it will be firmer. My issue of Country Living magazine has several great recipes for pumpkin dishes, including pumpkin ginger waffles. Try searching for recipes online and make something with pumpkin today.

If you are not as fortunate as I was that year, and can’t find a roadside pumpkin, try going to a small produce stand. Look for a pumpkin with a crack in it, an odd shape or strange markings. If it isn’t good for Halloween carving, the owner may let you have it at a reduced rate. I asked one produce stand if they would let me have one with a crack in it for a reduced rate and the owner said, “Aw, just take it.” (Another free pumpkin!!!) Don’t be shy. If the answer is no, then say thank you before leaving to try another produce stand.

Does anyone have a good recipe that uses pumpkins? Post it or a link and we can all enjoy some great, Fall fare.

Four Types of Frugal People

I have been thinking about why people are frugal or why they become frugal. I find it an interesting topic because many people equate being frugal with being miserly. But, from my own experience and the other frugal people’s experience that I know, that is not the case.

Why are we frugal? I think that, in most cases, it is because we need to be in order to make our paychecks pay for the necessities, and some wants, in our lives. That certainly fits me and most others that I know.

The second type of person is frugal because they have a goal they are working towards. The goal can be to have a stay-at-home parent in the house, save for children’s college or retirement or whatever their personal goals are. Many people are in this category and the good frugal habits they cultivate often stay with them throughout their lives.

The third type of person that is frugal are people that are born frugal. They are the kids who have so much cash in their piggy bank that their parents borrow from them when they are short on cash. Sometimes these people grow up with frugal parents or sometimes they just seem to come out of the womb being frugal. Who knows where they got it? I have a brother-in-law and his wife who were both frugal from when they were young. (Family legend has it that when he was little, you could ask Tommy to do anything for a quarter and he would.) He and his wife have worked hard, saved money for their children’s education, their retirement and carry no credit card debt.

The fourth type of frugalite is the one that everyone knows. They are the stereotypically frugal person. They are the one that gives other frugalites a very bad name. They are the miser. They often were born frugal but carried it too far. Or perhaps, they had a heart wrenching life experience (such as homelessness when they were a child) and it created a miserly mindset. They are the ones that are cheap, always trying to get the most for their buck but at someone else’s expense.

Why are you frugal? Has the new economy driven you to frugality? What changes did you make?

Mollie’s Bargain Barrel

Just over a week ago I went to Mollie’s Bargain Barrel in North East on Peninsula Drive (which is the road next to the Holiday Inn on Rt. 272). I found a small, but great, grocery salvage store. Mollie’s carries some canned goods, boxed meals, coffees, household cleaners, baby supplies, snacks, drinks and pet foods. I found a great assortment of foods and household items.

There were quite a few good deals, like Quaker Oatmeal Squares (smaller box) for $2.00. I also found Starbucks coffee, 12 oz size, for $5.00!!! I hope they have some more when I go back to get some this week. They also had several other brands of canned coffee if you don’t like the dark roast.

Most of the items were damaged goods rather than goods that are past their expiration date. They had a few cans of Vintage Seltzer that were dented free. I grabbed a few and left them in my van. I looked at one two days ago and the top of it was pushed up and expanded. It looked like it would explode if ever opened. I sure hope not because I forgot to take it out of the van!!! (So much for free being good when it comes to seltzer cans!).

Mollie’s has a small table and chairs with toys and coloring books for young children. The store is small enough so a mother can see her child playing as she shops. Very handy for busy moms! I also noticed that the staff was friendly and helpful.

Mollie’s is only open on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10-4 pm. They may change the hours to be open Wednesday too but close, during the week, at 2 p.m.

Come out and investigate Mollie’s while supporting a local business.

Great Guest Post on The Simple Dollar

I saw this guest post from Vicki Robin, co-author of Your Money or Your Life. One of the things l liked about it was that it stressed multiple streams of income, which I wrote about last week.


http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/08/27/having-enough-for-life/

Field Trip to Rising Sun

I decided to make Saturday a “field trip” day and check out some stores I have read or heard advertised on the radio. My first stop was Molly’s Bargain Bin on Peninsula Dr. in North East (The road at the Holiday Inn on Rt. 272). Unfortunately, they were closed. They are normally open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. I hope to get to them this weekend.

I continued up the road to Gifford’s Farm Market and Feed Store . I discovered this store in July and found that chicken feed is a good deal (about 20%) cheaper than Tractor Supply Company, where I bought it before. If you need feed, check them out and support a local business. On Saturday, I bought more feed and some of the great fresh vegetables, including potatoes. I was able to finagle a discount on the potatoes, since I bought 24 lbs. of them!

I continued on into Rising Sun to Second Hand Rose, which I was just dying to see. I liked this consignment shop. It was very tastefully decorated and the clothes and home décor items are very nicely presented. There are 3 rooms of home décor items and one room with clothes, books, shoes, purses and DVD’s. The selection is limited but the quality is excellent. The clothes are arranged as to gender and size, which makes it easier to shop. I almost bought something for our home but thought it was just too expensive. If I found it at a garage sale, it would have been $10 less.

Onward I went to the new Make Up Mania, next to the Martin’s. I first heard about the store on WXCY and decided I would pop in next time I was in Rising Sun. It is an amazing little store! They sell make up, personal care items, cleaning supplies and some baby things. I was very impressed with their stock and their prices. I am not a big make up person but if you are, you need to check them out. They sell L’Oreal moisturizers for about 2/3 what they cost elsewhere. Packages of 5 Gerber “onesies” sell for $5 (great for baby showers). They had very lovely perfumes and Bath and Body Works lotions and shower gels. I thoroughly enjoyed walking around in the store and was able to buy the one item I came for. I highly recommend that you check them out for your make up and personal care needs.

On the way into town, I saw a new thrift store on the corner of Queen and Main Streets. It is called Sun Consignments. I walked in there and looked around. This consignment shop is packed with all kinds of clothing. It is arranged only by gender and with children’s clothing in its own section. Sizes are jumbled together. They do have a dressing room. They also carry some kitchen wares and plenty of toys/baby items. The prices were more like thrift store prices and the quality of the goods, like a thrift store, varied. The owner was very nice and helpful. I ended up buying some garden clogs for $2 (hot pink!). Take a ride down there and check them out. I think you may be pleasantly surprised.

Rising Sun offers some great discount option for the frugalite and it is well worth the trip.

Multiple Income Streams

In today’s economy, even if you have a full time job, it is a good idea to create multiple income streams. What this means is having money coming in from a second job and/or other income generating ventures, such as selling handmade items.

I have three streams of income and my husband has two, with an occasional third. Of course, neither of us has a full time job so this is a necessity. I work 30 hours a week at the College library and this is my main job. I have a part time research librarian job that I work sporadically and I, also, get paid a small fee when I present Frugal Living to Accomplish Your Goals. My husband is an adjunct instructor for two local colleges. He also takes on the occasional editing job.
Having more than one stream of income can be a blessing when hard times come knocking at your door. Even if your handcrafted articles pull in $100 a month, it is $100 more than you had. If you get laid off from your job, you can work longer hours at your side business and maybe double that income.

What kind of side businesses can you engage in? Where are your talents and knowledge? Can you make jewelry? Sew? Arrange flowers? Build sheds? Sell your eggs? Sell books on Amazon? Babysit? Paint faces at parties? The list goes on.

Here are some links to articles on starting your own side business:

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/04/11/50-side-businesses-you-can-start-on-your-own/ I love the Simple Dollar and Trent outlines some ideas for having your own side business.

http://divorceddadfrugaldad.com/2009/02/17/side-business-ideas-recap.aspx
I do not follow this blogger but he has a large following and these ideas can be helpful too.

Be wary of multi-level marketing businesses such as Mary Kay, Amway, Discovery Toys, etc. If you have something to sell, you will start with your friends and relatives. Selling to friends and family can change your relationship with them. I am not saying that becoming a representative is a bad thing but I am saying it can change your relationships.

There are plenty of articles and books on starting a side business. Read a few to get ideas on what the problems and opportunities are for the business you want to start and then start that business!

Welcome to the Rising Sun Library Program Participants!

Welcome to my blog! I greatly enjoyed giving last night’s presentation. Comments and questions were wonderful and helped to make the presentation go well. I love talking to people about being frugal, saving money and getting out of debt.

I encourage you to read the older posts on here. You can become a follower of the blog and receive email when I put a new article on. I do it quite sporadically so this is a good way to keep in touch without checking in every day.

Bread – The Frugal Way!

I got the Whig this morning and saw the article in it. I like the article and it was almost completely accurate. The pictures were fine (not good but I will never be 22 again!). One of them was of me sweeping up breadcrumbs and putting them in a bag. I save the bread crumbs when I cut homemade bread and freeze them. (I also save bread ends and grate them for bread crumbs) I use breadcrumbs in recipes.

Bread has become very expensive, especially if you eat whole wheat breads. I pay $2 for a loaf of good, whole wheat bread when I shop. Cheap whole wheat is just that and more likely to include caramel coloring rather than whole wheat flour. Cheap white bread is not as good as other, more expensive white breads and I won’t buy them. If you buy cheap white breads, you may want to make a loaf of homemade bread and compare the cost and taste.

To combat the high cost of bread, I sometimes make my own. When times are tough, I make it all the time. Making bread can be expensive if you don’t get cheap ingredients. Below is where to go to get things cheaply.

Bread maker – If you want to make your own bread by hand and have the time, go for it. If you don’t have the time, then purchase a bread maker at the Goodwill store (or other thrift store). They usually have them for about $5. Plug it in and let it go through the first mixing steps for about 5 minutes to be sure it has a good chance of working. Usually they do work because people buy them and use them a few times, then dump them.

Bread Flour – I don’t use bread flour anymore since it isn’t necessary. After you make a few loaves and get the hang of it, you can switch to regular flour. I think I saw bread flour on sale for $2.75 for 5 lbs. recently. Wal-Mart has the cheapest prices for flour if you just want 5 lbs. and can’t find any on sale.

White Flour – a good price for regular flour seems to be about $1.99 - $2.25 for a 5 lb. bag. You can get it cheaply at Wal-Mart of get 20 lbs. at BJ’s for about $7-8. (I forget the exact price).

Yeast – Don’t get the little packets of yeast!!! They are each 1 TBS of yeast and overpriced. I buy yeast at Newark Natural Foods for $3.50 for a half pound. You can use it for bread baking or for making pizza dough.

Those are your basic ingredients for white bread. The first few times you use the bread maker, watch over it. I usually help it to mix the bread by scraping down the sides of the bread machine with a rubber scraper if it needs it. Many people use the bread maker to mix the dough and to go through the first rising. Then they take it out, shape it, let it rise and bake it in the oven. This gives it more of the homemade flavor.

Homemade bread is great for snacks or for breakfast. When I make a loaf of white bread my teens eat it up within a day or two. It is also good to have with soups. How much does it cost? I estimate Fifty cents a loaf, not including the cost of the bread maker. For me, saving $1.50 a loaf is worth the 5-10 minutes it takes to throw the ingredients into the breadmaker. Good luck!

Another Salvage Store?

On Saturday I was shopping in Community Hope Market and minding my own business. The aisle is narrow and as I pushed my cart one way, an older woman pushed her cart the other way. When our carts met in the aisle she said to me, “This place is not that cheap!” I did agree with her because many of their prices seem to be close to regular grocery store prices. The price increases seem to have happened since I wrote my article on salvage stores.

In a conspiratorial whisper, this woman tells me to go to a salvage store, she didn’t know the name of it, in New Castle by the Farmer’s Market where 13 and 40 meet. You go in back of the old restaurant called Captain’s Quarters. There are some buildings back there and it is on the left (or was that the right?). I tell her I will definitely check it out.

That is, if I can find it! I have searched many web sites and can’t find anything about it. If I locate it, I will let you know. Does anyone else know about this store?

In my searches, I came across a great article and a blog that I didn’t know about! The article is on salvage stores and the author lists stores by state. He lists a salvage store right here in North East that I read about in the newspaper but have yet to go see.

Molly's Bargain Barrel, 101 Peninsula Drive, Ph 443.309.4548

Looks like a field trip is in order!

Summer with No Air Conditioners

When we bought our house in June, we installed our daughter’s old air conditioning unit on the third floor. That was the only unit in the house. I wanted to buy 5 more – three for the downstairs and two for the upstairs bedrooms. That didn’t happen.

First, we found a wall buckled from leaking water in the upstairs shower. We decided to rip it out then and there. The whole bathroom was ripped out down to the rafters. $4000 later, we had a completely new bathroom. This was a completely unplanned expense at that time (although I wanted it out of there by December and planned to save the money to have it done by then). We had some of the money but realized that we could pay off the rest of it by the end of July. (Which we did!)

After this major, unplanned expense, we decided we could live without the air conditioners. This was not a need for us at the time. It was definitely a want. We have fans and overhead fans that work well. Our house is an old house. It was built when there was no air conditioning so it is surrounded by trees and relatively cool. Luckily, this has been the coolest summer in a very long time. Last week we broke down and bought 2 a.c. units for the bedrooms. This is a health need for me since I have asthma and the humidity is very hard on asthmatics. However, we paid cash for the units.

I have also had various offers from friends for their old a.c. units and I think I can outfit the rest of the house in time for next summer’s heat. If these offers of units come through and they work, we will have paid a grand total of $230 in cash for the air conditioners. Definitely it is better to wait than to rush out and buy things on a credit card that are not needs. This is just another example of how waiting saved us money.

Saving Money on School Supplies

Today I was reading the No More Debt Forum and found a great post by one of the moderators on how to save money on school supplies. This is a well thought out post with links to other information. Now that my kids are not young anymore, I don't give much thought to school supplies. I buy notebooks, index cards and pens. That is about it.

One of the points she discusses is buying expensive back packs. Two years ago I bought expensive backpacks at the 5 and 10 in Newark on Main Street. These back packs are still going strong and will start their 3rd school year. It is well worth the money rather than buying flimsey back packs.

Here is the link to the post:

http://forums.delphiforums.com/nomoredebt/messages/?msg=16697.1

The Credit Union– Another Banking Choice

I am a member of the APGFCU credit union. We joined almost 2 years ago by opening a CD and a savings account. I have been very pleased with their services, especially for our two teen agers. Each of our daughters has a basic savings account and there are few fees, if any, that they pay.
One thing I noticed is that they offer budgeting advice. I have a monthly budget that I rework every month. I rework it to reflect the expenses that will be coming up and not because I love to work at math figures. I think I am going to bring in my basic bills and have the credit union work up a budget for me. I wanted to do this to see what they do work up and also to see if it is a better budget than I have. When I do this, I will write about it to let others know what I think of the service.

Yesterday I was in the Elkton branch and picked up a paper that says “Pay off your credit card bills with 10 helpful tips!” I read the tips and thought they were simplistic. The most simplistic one is:

“8. Practice controlled and healthy spending habits.”

Well, duh! If most people knew how to do that in the first place, they wouldn’t have crazy credit card bills. How do I practice controlled and healthy spending habits? On a flyer with 10 sentences about paying off your credit card bills, it would be hard to say how to do this. But, to offer real hope to someone who is over extended on their cards, they should say something like “talk to a bank employee and we will help you with this.” (or something like that).

“6. Pay off the credit card with the highest interest and balance first.”

This is one that I have a difficult time with too. If I first pay off the credit card with the smallest balance, I can take the cash that usually goes to that card and add it into the amount I pay for my next smallest debt. This way, things get paid off quicker. That is the debt snowball method of Dave Ramsey. Having done that with several debts, I can assure you that it works. Additionally, when you pay off your debts each one is a psychological boost to spur you on to continue paying off the debts.

I didn’t like the flyer but I still like the credit union. If you have the option of joining a credit union, I urge you to do it. Credit unions are created for the benefit of the members.

Why I Shop at Pathmark

When I gave my presentation last January at the Elkton branch of the Cecil County Public Library, someone mentioned that it wasn’t worth going to Newark, Delaware to shop at the Pathmark there. The participant cited the amount of money it took in gas to go there and back. I quickly did the math for them and showed that it took approximately $1.50 to get there and back. I assured them that I saved more than $1.50 by shopping at Pathmark.

I often shopped at Pathmark at Library Ave and Main St. and then went over to the Superfresh up on 896 behind campus. By doing this, I hit 2 stores and increased the amount of savings. Now, however, a new Pathmark opened up in the old Superfresh on 896 between I95 and Route 40. I have dropped Superfresh from my list of places that I regularly shop.

Here are the reasons why I shop at Pathmark:
1. Many low prices.
2. Fresh produce.
3. Hardly have to take rain checks on sale items.
4. They accept competitors’ coupons. I usually bring in the Safeway and the Superfresh coupons when I shop.
5. Doubles my coupons up to 99 cents. By that I mean, if I have a 75 cents off coupon, they double it to $1.50. I can frequently buy something for a $3.00 sale price and still get $1.50 off because I have a 75 cent coupon.
6. Credits me 2 cents per shopping bag that I bring with me.
7. Have many marked down meats, even on the weekend.
8. Large store with many choices.

In addition to Pathmark, I regularly go to the new Aldi and BJ’s. I still peruse all the grocery flyers on Friday or Saturday to see what other stores are having sale.

Where do you shop and why? Do you go to more than one store?

75 Ways to Save Money!

One more quick link to an article about saving money. I liked this article very much. Mother Earth News is $10 a year, or available at most libraries. It is filled with articles on saving money or on ways to do things that can save you money. Here is a good one:

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/2007-10-01/Live-on-Less.aspx

Great Article on How to Save Money on Food

I just came across this great article entitled "45 Ways to Save Money on Food". I am posting the link. Maybe we can have a discussion about it!

http://www.homestead.org/NeilShelton/Groceries/45WaystoSaveMoneyonGroceries.htm

Number 36 caught my eye and I thought I would discuss it.

" 36. Watch the cash register It is estimated that up to $2.5 billion per year is made in scanning errors. That's a lot of money left on the check-out counter. Supermarkets often put items on sale at prices that don't always get to the register. Also, checkers can easily make mistakes when making entries. Check your receipt carefully."

I get many items free of charge because I carefully check over my receipt. I usually pull up past the registers and to the side and go over my receipt. Two weeks ago I found an error on my part. I grabbed the smaller box of cereal and it rang up as $4.99. I took it up to customer service and got a big box, plus $2.99 back. The week before I purchased a tub of hummus for $3.99 instead of the advertised price of $1.99. I received it free of charge when I brought it to customer service. Most stores have a policy that when an item has rung up at an incorrect price, the consumer gets the first item FREE and the second item half off or just the sale price.

Checking over my receipt those 2 weeks saved me $6.99. Well worth the total of 10 minutes that it took to fix the errors at customer service. Be sure to check over your receipts and start getting items free!

It's Squash Season!

A few weeks ago our lovely, new neighbors gave me some zucchini and summer squash. I love squash and decided to experiment with it. I made a casserole that can be eaten as a main dish or as a side dish. I posted it on the about.com Frugal Living Forum. Someone made it and her family loved it. (Such a compliment!) Here is the recipe:

3 c. cooked rice
3-4 med./lg. squash
1/2 tsp. thyme
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
2 c. shredded cheese of your choice

Cut squash into chunks or thicker slices and saute with the thyme in oil or butter until tender. In a separate bowl, beat egg, milk, pepper and salt. Combine cheese, egg mixture, rice and squash. Can top with cheese and/or breadcrumbs. Back for 25 min. at 350 degrees. Can add a chopped onion in with the squash and saute.

I hope you all like it too.

Vacationing and A New Dog

I have been out of town on vacation and on a business trip. I didn’t have much time to contribute to the blog. Now I am back and working on getting more articles written.

On Saturday evening, we were befriended by a puppy. Long story short, my husband, who has been adamantly opposed to getting a dog, fell in love with our new addition, Bella. Bella is 7 months old, or so, and is part mastiff (yikes!). She is an unruly and spunky 45 lbs. She will put on 10 lbs in the next month, the vet told us.

I went to one of the local pet stores on Sunday morning and bought food, a collar and some toys. I checked out the prices of dog crates and beds. Since she is part mastiff, she will grow to be a bigger sized dog. When I looked at the crates I saw the biggest were $100. The beds were around $50 for big dogs. $150 on top of the vet fees, and the $45 I already spent on food, collar and toys. I decided to hunt for cheaper options.

I put out a question on the frugal living forum at about.com asking for ideas for a cheaper dog crate and bed. The wonderful frugalities didn’t disappoint me.

Crate: I got information that often rescue places have some that can be borrowed. People also bought used crates from Craig’s list and other classified ad websites. Thirdly, I was told that we do not need to crate the puppy unless she shows tendencies toward chewing and/or is not housebroken. (she is pretty much housebroken!). If I can find a small room for her to be put in with toys, food, and water while we are gone, than that will be enough. Luckily, we have a mud room that will serve the purpose. Savings: $100!

Dog Bed: One woman told me to go to garage sales and buy a comforter or two and fold them up for Bella. These will be soft, washable and comfortable. Another woman told me to get some egg crate style foam and cover it with fleece throws by pinning it. I can cut to whatever size I want. I am going garage saling tomorrow to get some old comforters (king size hopefully!). Projected costs: $5-10, Savings: $40-45.

What really disturbed me is that in my excitement at having a new puppy, I was ready to spend $150 rather than look for cheaper solutions. I slowed down and thought there must be another option. By asking for help from other like-minded people, I saved so much money. The next time you have a situation where you are ready to plunk down large amounts of cash for something that you “need” to buy, step back and think about other solutions. Or join the discussion on the frugal living forum and ask for other ideas. The forums are a great place to learn how to be frugal and how other people do things in a frugal manner.

ALDI Opening in Elkton

This morning, in the Cecil Whig, there was an advertisement for the new ALDI store on Rt. 40. The grand opening day will be July 13th. If you have never shopped at an ALDI before, than you should definitely go and have a look. ALDI specializes in generic food items of good quality that are usually priced under other generic brands. The web site FAQ says that 95% of items are their own brand and only 5% are name brand items.

When shopping at ALDI be sure to bring a quarter to be able to use a shopping cart. You get the quarter back after replacing the shopping cart in the rack. You must also buy the plastic bags that they have to bag your groceries. I believe they are 10 cents now so be sure to bring your own plastic or reusable bags to save even more money.

The new store is located on the Pulaski Highway next to APGFCU.

My $6 Ice-Cream Cone

On Saturday, I went to pick my son up from the Woodside Farm Creamery, in Hockessin, DE. When I got there the meeting he was attending was over but I wanted to get one of their famous ice cream cones. We got in line because my son wanted to buy a pint of ice cream with his own money. They only take cash and I had $14 in the envelope that I carried. When it came our turn, I realized only had $4. Our two cones were $5 and change. My son gave me his $5 and we paid for our cones. I went to the ATM that they have there and took out $20 so I could reimburse him and he could pay for his pint.

There it is! It cost me $2.65 or so for the cone and $2 in the fee that the ATM charges. Plus my bank charges me $1.50 for using other ATM machines. My ice cream cone cost $6! I felt like kicking myself. I hardly ever use ATM machines and when I do, I try to make sure that I use my bank’s machines where I am not charged a fee.

Bank fees add up. If you use the ATM at various places instead of your bank, chances are that you are paying far too much for this privilege. Some ways to avoid the ATM fees are:

Use the envelope system to store and use your cash. Remember to bring the envelopes you need with you.

Carry emergency cash in your wallet or purse for just such emergencies.

If you can, use your bank card as a debit card.

Next time I go to Woodside Farm Creamery, you can be sure that I will make sure I have lots of cash.

Great Post at The Simple Dollar

A few days ago, Trent Lott of the Simple dollar wrote about grocery store flyers and sales. I liked the article a lot. I never knew that manufacturers pay for placement of their products in the flyers. I have often wondered why they decided to print something as a sale when the every day price was the same as the "sale" price. Now I know.

Today, a friend of mine at work, stopped by my desk at work as I was perusing the Pathmark grocery store flyer. They no longer have Pathmark in the Baltimore area and she was excited to see that it still was a surviving grocery store chain. She told me that she liked to shop there because they had such great deals. I have to agree with her. I usually shop at 2-3 stores each week to pick up their loss leaders and cheap items (I won't say sale priced items since I learned not everything is a sale!). Lately, I have just been shopping at one of the two Pathmarks in Newark, DE. I also shop at a warehouse club every 2 weeks and, in summer, I buy fresh fruits and vegetables at a farm stand. I highly recommend the Pathmark. In general, they have very good prices on their sale items.

This has given me the idea of doing several posts on how I grocery shop. Whenever I give my Frugal Living presentation, many people are shocked at how little I spend on groceries every month. I have 2 teen aged girls and 1 teen aged boy plus my husband and myself to shop for. I spend an average of $575-600 a month on food for all of us. The USDA has a wonderful chart on how much people spend on food. Click on the latest month available and add up how much your family eats per week. Then find your plan - thrifty, low-cost, moderate cost or liberal. According to the chart, if we ate on the thrifty plan, we should be spending $733.20. Our food costs come in at least $133.20 under the USDA least expensive plan. How do I do this? Stay tuned and find out how!

Welcome New Castle Countians

Last night I spoke to a small group of people at the Newark branch of the New Castle County Library System. I enjoyed my evening with the group. Welcome to my blog and I hope you become a follower and sign up to get notices when the blog is updated.

If anyone has any questions or would like more information on something that I spoke about last night, just email me. At the bottom of this entry is a way to comment and a way to send me email.

Repurposing Furniture

When my husband and I thought about how we would set up the house we just moved into, we found that we had very little storage. There is an “attic” that can be used as a bedroom and one of our teen agers is using that huge space as a bedroom. The lack of storage was a big problem since we had an empty basement that we put many boxes in at our last house.

The first thing I did was impress everyone with the lack of storage. Then I forced my husband to go through his books and papers in the basement and get rid of as much as he can (He is a pack rat!). My daughters and I got rid of most of the toys. Then I thought about where to store things.
One of our problems is that my husband and I were going from our own closets to one that we had to share. Luckily it is a good size. We always left all of our clothes hanging in the closet no matter what the season. With just one closet we couldn’t do that. Where to store the overflow?

Here is what I did:

We have a white cabinet that has 4 shelves and I used it to store the good china in. In the new house I have huge amounts of cabinet space in the pantry. I put the good china in the cabinets in the pantry. Then, I took the cabinet and placed it in our bedroom and filled it with all of our sweaters. This made space in the large tubs that we have for winter storage. We placed the hanging, winter clothes into the tubs. Problem solved. A dish cabinet is moved to another part of the house and repurposed to be a cabinet to house sweaters.

I also repurposed a toy box. This box held my teen agers’ toys when they were small. In our last home, it held board games that we still play. Now, it sits at the foot of our bed holding winter blankets. It even looks like it matches the white, china/sweater cabinet!

Think about other ways to use furniture and extend the usefulness. In the long run, this will save you money. I didn’t run out and buy plastic blanket storage bins or a beautiful, cedar chest. I used what I had and got creative.

Goodwill had a $5 a bag sale!

Yesterday, I went to the “sidewalk sale” that the Elkton Goodwill was having. It was actually a parking lot sale! They had huge bins of clothes and we got to plow through them in a quest for items of interest. There must have been 20 bins! When we got there, we bought a re-usable bag for $5. Then we got to fill the bag with whatever we wanted. I took my daughter and her boyfriend and, together, we filled 2 bags. I think Goodwill had too many items to display in the store and this helped out customers and the store. I saw one lady open the trunk of her SUV and she had 6 or 7 bags in there!

I haven’t been writing much due to our move. I have been very busy. If I hadn’t been moving, I would have put out a short article telling readers about the sale. However, my daughter told me I should add Twitter to my FLTAYG information sites. I could have easily Twittered the information. Sometime this summer, expect a Twitter site!

Two Fun Festivals This Weekend

Saturday, June 6th, is Newark Night! This is when the town of Newark celebrates the students leaving for the summer. Food, crafters, vendors, politicians and 20,000+ people are out on Main St. from 5 pm - 9:30 pm. Join the fun!

Rising Sun's Sun Fest is also June 6th, from 9 am - 5:00 pm. Vendors, crafters, music and food.

It is supposed to be beautiful tomorrow and I intend to go to Newark Night with my sister who is visiting. During the day, I will be helping my husband and teenagers move to our new house.

Welcome CCBC Employees

Today I gave my frugal living presentation to my fellow employees of CCBC. They were a fine group of people and got a lot from the presentation. I hope they will become blog followers. I just wanted to say welcome and thank you for attending.

One thing that I learned from a participant was that if you are shopping online, you can get a coupon code for any store by going to google and typing in the name of the store and coupon code after it. (Ex: toys r us coupon code). I tried it out and it works. Some of the codes may not work when you check out but this participant said many of them did. Sounds worthwhile to try!

Purchasing Propane

We will be moving into our new house on June 13th and, in preparation for this, I have been switching utilities into our name, etc. We need to get a propane tank installed too since we need the gas for cooking and baking. I have learned a lot about propane sales in the last week because I have called around to price the sale and installation of a tank with propane. The only thing the companies agree on is how much we will need (about 50 gallons a year).

Company A told me that there is no installation fee for a 50 gallon tank with propane in it. But there is a $50 a year tank rental fee and the propane, itself, is $3.89 a gallon. There is a $4 delivery fee. I asked how much it is to purchase a tank and was told it is around $400. I wanted to purchase a tank instead of renting one because the price of propane is less than half of what it is if you rent a tank. Plus you pay a rental fee for the tank. At this price, the tank would pay for itself in 4 years. Since we intend to stay in the house for many years, purchasing a tank is a good idea.

Company B told me that it is $4.44 9/10 a gallon with their tank. If I had my own tank the price is $1.71 (see what I mean?). To purchase a 50 gallon tank, with installation, runs about $450.
Company C said that a 100 gallon tank is $63 to rent, with propane being $4.34 a gallon and there is a $59.95 installation fee. I didn’t ask how much it is to buy a tank. They seemed way too high.

I also found out that most people, who only use it for cooking, don’t buy their own tanks. We decided it is better to buy our own tank. An initial outlay of money will save us much more over time. A true, frugal mind set. We are going to go with Company A.

News Flash! Free Ice Cream at the Elkton Walmart

On Saturday, May 30th, from 11 am to 4 pm (or while supplies last!), they will be handing out free, full servings of frozen treats! Here is the link to get the information on what is being handed out: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/Food-Center-Ice-Cream.aspx

Two Low Cost Camps

I was reading the newspaper this morning and saw 2, great, low cost camps that are for children who are interested in nature and conservation.

The first camp is for ages 8-14 years old. It is given by the Md. Dept of Natural Resources at the Fair Hill Nature Center. There are 6 different sessions offered on Saturdays starting June 13th. Cost for all sessions is $10. This is part of the Maryland Junior Ranger Program. For more information or to register your child call (410) 398-1246.

The second camp is a residential program for middle school students that runs from August 3 – 7. Application deadline is June 12th. The cost is $125 with partial scholarships available. It is called “Land and Water Connection” and is given in Dorchester County. More information is found here:
http://www.cecilscd.com/2009landandwater.htm

Some Free Events this Weekend!

I found two events that are free and look like fun for families. The first is the Conowingo Pool is having free admission this weekend. Pool hours are 11 am – 7 pm. They are trying to drum up memberships. Enjoy the pool free this weekend. 4948 Conowingo Rd., Darlington, MD. (410) 457-5554.

The second free thing for families is put on by the Lifesong Christian Church. Sounds like they are going all out with kids crafts, Ninja slide, puppet show, sack races, face painting, prizes, etc. It takes place on Sat., May 30, from 10 am – 6 pm. The address is 424 Old Field Point Rd in Elkton. (410) 392-8083. http://www.cecilwhig.com/calendar/?showdate=2009-05-30

Community Calendars Make Finding Activities Easier

I read a wonderful article on The Simple Dollar a few days ago about 10 great web sites to find free/low cost entertainment for the summer. I looked at the web sites and decided that some were worthy of exploring.

“Community Calendars http://www.google.com/search?q=community+calendar
Just add your city and state to the above Google query to find the community calendar for your own town. Community calendars are loaded with interesting and enjoyable free events, from community dinners to farmer’s markets in your local area. It’s also worth searching for the community calendars of cities and towns adjacent to where you life.”

I used my librarian skills to refine the search and came up with several searches that brought me wonderful information on Cecil area calendars as well as PA, DE and Harford County. So you don’t have to search all those areas, here are my results:

http://www.elktonmd.net/ This is a web site where you can post things on the calendar and has free classifieds.

http://www.cecilwhig.com/calendar Cecil Whig’s online calendar, which differs from the newspaper calendar.

http://cecilobserver.wordpress.com/community-calendar/ A blog by someone in Chesapeake City that includes a calendar.

http://www.americantowns.com/de/middletown/events This is an events calendar for Middletown, DE. Not much on it but it does have things.

http://www.thekentcountynews.com/calendar/ Kent County News community calendar.

http://www.hdgtourism.com/calendar.php#8 Havre de Grace’s tourism board calendar.

http://www.ourquarryville.com/index.php?pageId=calendar For Quarryville, PA.

http://newark.de.us/downtown/Events.htm Newark, DE (Newark night is June 6th!)

If you want to search other areas just use the google link above and add in the town. If you need to add in the state too (like for Newark) put it in quotes like this: “Newark, de” than you will get a more exact search.

Laundry Stain Removal Web Site

Here is a great web site on how to remove laundry stains:

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/stain/

This page has a search box where you can enter the type of stain and get step-by-step instructions on what to use on the stain and why it works. At the top of the page are other things to click on such as Stains A-Z. I had fun with the stain finder.

This page is part of the University of Illinois Extension Center web site. The link to the general page on Money management is packed with information on debt, frugality tips and credit card "smarts". Some things apply to Illinois but many things don't.

http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/jdc/moneymanagement.html

I give it an A+.

Minor League Baseball – Great Fun, Big Savings

My husband likes to take one of our daughters to a Wilmington Blue Rocks game. In Middle School, when she made the honor roll, she got a free ticket. He would just have to buy one for himself. Parking is cheap and, if you don’t load up on too much food,the night can be pretty cheap. An alternative to the Blue Rocks is the Aberdeen Ironbirds. Both of the web sites offer different dates and times for game specials so look over the web sites carefully.

In addition to the teams’ specials, Minor League baseball has teamed up with Kraft to offer a buy one get one free special (BOGO to those of us who live for these things!). If you bring a Kraft Singles package wrapper to the ballpark, you can buy one ticket and get one free! Only on Tuesday nights from May 12th to Sept. 1. Details are here: http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/events/kraft_landing.jsp

So enjoy a fun night out!

Another Grocery Salvage Store

A few weeks ago, someone asked the Cecil County Freecycle Discussion List, what are everyone’s favorite places to shop for bargains. I sent in a link to this blog and to my articles on thrift and consignment shops and salvage groceries. One of the other people on the list responded that there is another grocery outlet in Lancaster called Amelia’s Grocery Outlet. I looked at the web site and it looks like worthwhile to investigate if you up that way.

My “New” Purses

Yesterday morning, as I was getting ready for work, I lost a shoe in my closet. This sent me on a searching expedition through out all the junk in the closet. I took out almost everything from the left side of the closet and left it out while I went off to work. Since we are moving, I thought I would go through all the “goodies” when I returned home.

Last night I went through my collection of purses and my “long-lost” shoes from the back of the closet. I threw some out (the wonderful straw bag with the broken handle that I won’t fix) and designated some for the Goodwill. Then I looked at the purses. As I had taken them out I thought, “I love this one! (or that one).” But many needed to be cleaned.

I took a scrubbing pad to one and cleaned up the outside and set it to dry. Another one, that I have saved for about 6 years, I threw in the washer. I don’t think it was supposed to be washed but I figured it was the washer or the Goodwill or trash bag. It washed up well but I need to rewash it with some stain remover. Then it will be usable again.

Now I have 3 “new” summer purses! They are like new to me since some of them have been in the closet for years! So, go through your old purses and rejuvenate them rather than running out to buy a new one

A Few Good Blogs

I haven’t been posting much this week. We are busy getting ready to move in June. I was also sick one day (not swine flu!). Anyway, I thought I would post some links to some of my favorite web sites.

The Simple Dollar is one of the most popular blogs on personal finance. For good reason! The author, Trent, writes wonderful articles on frugal living, how to save money, how to get out from under debt, etc. Today’s article is a fine example of a great frugal living article. He also has in depth reviews of personal finance books that are very useful. I highly recommend Trent’s web site.

One of the other great personal finance blogs I read is Get Rich Slowly. This is written by a guy who also was thousands and thousands of dollars in debt. Now he is out of debt and writes a great blog.

Free Comic Book Day!

The first Saturday in May participating comic book stores give away free comic books. At our local Captain Blue Hen Comics, the day has been devoted to face painting, food, and free drawing workshops. The food is being sold as a fund raiser by the Newark Arts Alliance. They are featuring hot dogs, fresh fruit cups, chips, drinks, snacks and Gelato from Café Gelato. The festivities start at 12:15 in Newark, De. Click this link and find a schedule and other information.

Washington Street Books in Havre de Grace is also celebrating Free Comic Book Day with guest artists and give-aways.

Putting Away Winter Clothes

This past weekend I put away my winter clothes and took out my summer things. As I was diligently working, I made sure to toss out things that I no longer like, are stained or that I just haven’t worn for a year. I got quite a good sized bag to give to Goodwill.

As I loaded the summer things into my drawers I noticed that I didn’t have too many short sleeved shirts. Right now we are trying to move into a new house and we are saving money for the move. All expenses have been reduced to a minimum to accomplish our savings goal. I thought about going out and buying more shirts. But then, because of the impending move, I changed my mind. I could make-do with what I have until later in the summer.

Then I decided to count how many shirts I had just to see how many I actually owned. I counted them and found 22 shirts. In my closet were hanging 14 short sleeved and sleeveless blouses. That is a total of 36 tops! Upon reflection, I don’t know how it seemed that I had so few tops when I put things away. Counting them put it into perspective.

This illustrates the difference between want and need. I do not need any more tops. I did want more before I did the count. After counting, I was able to stop and think about whether it was a want or a need. Common sense, and thrift, prevailed! Next time you think you need something, think hard about whether it is a want and not a need.

Ag Day at UD Campus

One of the best free events from UD is the annual AG Day celebration. It is tomorrow, Sat., from 10 am - 4 pm. Two years ago my sister-in-law and I took my nephews. We all had a great time. There is ice cream made from the UD cows, plant sales, information booths, hay ride and plenty to see and do. Even if you don't have kids it is loads of fun.

Free Car Show for a Cure at Fair Hill

This event intrigued me because it is free but donations are being taken for parking. All proceeds go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It is tomorrow (Sat.) from 8 am – 2 pm. There will be free music and food will be for sale. After you view the car show you can hike or bike through the park. Here is the link to a flyer about the event:

http://www.asphaltangelsofmd.org/images/Car_Show_For_A_Cure_Apr09.pdf

Rural Development Home Loans

Last December, or early January, I read an article in the Cecil Whig about the Rural Development Home Loans. It was a great article and because of this very timely piece, we will be closing on a new home in the next 6 weeks. This home loan program is an excellent option for new home owners and I wanted to write about it to clue everyone into it.

The United States Department of Agriculture runs the program that gives “low income” rural families the opportunity to purchase homes. They run 2 loan programs. The Direct Loan Program is directed at truly low income families. Here are the income guidelines for our area (see the Philadelphia – Camden- Wilmington area) . The second loan, the Loan Guarantee Program, has much higher income limits. (again, look under the Philadelphia– Camden – Wilmington area.) The best part about the Loan Guarantee Program is that you do not have to have any down payment, are not charged any mortgage insurance (PMI) and the closing costs can be included in the loan for up to 6% of the loan. The trade off is that the USDA charges you $5000 as a guarantee of repayment. If you buy a house for $250,000, they add on the $5000 so your mortgage is for $255,000.

Here is the general information link to the Loan Guarantee Program: http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/sfh/brief_rhguar.htm

The link for the Direct Loan Program is here:
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/sfh/indiv_sfh.htm#Direct%20Loan%20Program%20(Section

Most of Cecil County is eligible for the loan with the exception of the tiniest bit in the North East Corner (Fair Hill Area). The USDA has a searchable map of eligible property.

One of the things that the newspaper article talked about was the difficulty of finding a lender. Although my realtor gave me a contact or two, she hadn’t done one of these home sales in a long time, so the contacts were not good. I ended up calling around until I finally found someone who did the loans. In the interest of saving readers time and effort, here is her contact information:

LAURA L'ITALIEN
Home Mortgage Consultant
Wells Fargo Home Mortgage
206 South St
Elkton, MD 21921
Laura.LItalien@wellsfargo.com
410-620-2227

Now is a great time to take advantage of buying a house because there is an $8,000 credit to your taxes when you buy a home this calendar year. With this loan and the tax credit, we saved thousands of dollars. Now, maybe, you can too.

Annual Clothing Swap!

The Elkton Presbyterian Church, at 209 E. Main St. in Elkton, is having their annual clothing swap!!! I found out about it today in the Whig. The Whig blurb did not have the hours printed in a clear manner so I called the church. Drop off is today from 8 am – 3 pm and between 6-8 pm today. Tuesday the drop off is from 8 am – 3 pm. Then pick up hours are from 6-8 on Tuesday, and on Wednesday from 8 am – 12 pm and from 5 – 7 pm. The clothes must be gently worn, clothing, shoes or accessories. Go to the Fellowship Hall for both drop off and pick up.

Here is a link to an article from the L.A. Times about clothing swaps, in general:

http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-swap15-2009feb15,0,2516914.story

If you like the idea try arranging for a clothing swap at your church, place of work, children's school, mom's club, etc. It may be a great thing for everyone!

Work was terribly busy today so I couldn’t get this posted until almost 3 pm.

Buying a House in Cecil County

Back from Vacation!

I probably should have mentioned that I was on “vacation” last week. The college where I work was closed for Spring Break. I spent the days catching up on all the stuff one does at home. We also spent some time house hunting. We put in an offer but it was too low. We went out today and found a different house! We are hoping our offer will be accepted.

So, this is what we found out when we house hunted: The stagnant market has suddenly changed. Houses are selling rapidly and they seem to be selling for closer to the asking price than they had been selling for last Fall and Winter. We looked at 12 houses altogether. Many of the houses that we first looked at are already sold. The house we first offered on was put on the market about 3 weeks and they took someone else’s offer. The same day we saw that one, we looked at one that had been listed for a week. That one sold too!

Why is this happening? Could it be BRAC? I don’t think BRAC is playing a large part in this because we were looking in the $200,000-$300,000 range. If I sold my home in New Jersey for $500,000+ than I certainly wouldn’t look in that range! I think it is the $8,000 tax credit as well as people getting their taxes back. Plus, Spring is the time houses move. (I am not a realtor or an economist. This is just based on personal observation)

If you are looking to buy a house than buy this year! The $8,000 tax credit means $8,000 off of your taxes! We were going to buy a house anyway but the tax credit will be great.

Walgreens Announces Free Visits at Take Care Clinics

Walgreens has announce that through the end of 2009, they will provide free health care in their in-store Take Care clinics for those who are recently employed and lost their insurance. These treatments ordinarily cost $59+ for those with no insurance. There are a number of limitations, including:

1. For patients who lose their job and health insurance after March 31, 2009 (includes their spouses and kiddos who are not otherwise insured, too).
2. Care is limited to certain conditions, including respiratory problems, allergies, infections and skin conditions, among other ailments.
3. Free services will be offered only from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
4.They have partnered with Quest Diagnostics to offer free tests for strep and urinary tract infections.
5. They will not be offering general free checkups, vaccinations (or any other injections) because they are focusing only on services which patients might otherwise have to go to an urgent-care center or even an emergency room to have treated.
6. "Patients have to show proof of unemployment, including a federal or state unemployment determination letter and an unemployment check stub. They will have to sign a form at the clinic saying they have lost their jobs and health benefits. If they find a new job or get new health insurance, they will no longer be eligible for the free care at Walgreens Take Care clinics."
7. Prescriptions and other OTC medications are not free.

The closest location to Cecil is: 216 Suburban DrNewark, DE

General Information on the Take Care Clinics:
http://www.takecarehealth.com/welcome-to-take-care.aspx
Information on free visits for those who have lost their jobs:
http://www.takecarehealth.com/recoveryplan/

Using Your Bread Machine to Make Pizza

One of the people who came to my last Frugal Living to Accomplish Your Goals presentation sent me an email about what recipe I use to make pizza dough. I use the bread machine recipe that came with my machine and tinker with it to get it to my taste.

When I first started making bread with the bread machine, I would dump in the ingredients and walk away. I learned that the bread machine usually needs a bit of help mixing the ingredients. I put them in, start it and come back in 5 minutes and scrape down the sides. I do it a second time after a few more minutes. I also adjust the moisture in the recipe or the flour, if I need to. Part of the reason I do this is because bread machine flour is much more expensive than regular flour. But regular flour seems to take more water in the recipe. I haven’t figured out the amount so I frequently add some water or some flour. If you are just starting to use the bread machine don’t use regular flour. Get some experience behind you with the machine. Then “doctor it up”.

The cheapest source of yeast is the Newark Natural Foods store. You can also try another health food store. I get 8 oz. for about $3.00 and that lasts a long time in my freezer. If you go there, check out the bulk spices which are very cheap and fresh. I get most of my spices in bulk from there.

Additionally, if you don’t have a bread machine, check out the dozen or so in the Goodwill. Before you buy one, make sure to test it in the store.

Here is the recipe:

Bread Machine Pizza Dough

1 1/2 c. very warm water and an additional 2 TBS of warm water
1tbs. sugar
1 tbs. oil (I use olive for pizza)
1 1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 c. bread flour
2 1/2 tsp yeast

Put it in the machine in this order. Before putting yeast in smooth the flour so it lays pretty flat. Then sprinkle yeast on top. Set the machine to the dough setting. When it is done, divide into 2 thick crusts or 3 thin crust pizzas. Spray your cookie sheets with oil. Roll out the dough to fit the cookie sheet. Place on top. Add sauce to taste. Add toppings to taste (I always fry up the meat toppings before hand and drain fat off). Cover with cheese (about 1 cup or to taste). Bake at 450 degrees for 12-18 minutes. (depends if it is thin crust and if it is in the center rack of the oven)
Total time is about 2 hours.

If you only want one pizza, freeze half in a bag but leave room for expansion. It will keep rising for a bit in the freezer. Defrost it starting in the morning in a covered bowl in a warm place.

Enjoy!

The Fifth Season of the Year!!! Garage Sale Season!

I am completely excited! Garage sale season is beginning! I am starting to see ads in the paper and signs about town! The thrill of the hunt is on. In the old days men would hunt and women would gather their food. Now, the women have become the hunters, the hunters of the best bargain! Garage sales are where I hone my hunting and negotiation skills.

The best sales to go to are the neighborhood sales. These are great because you can get to 5 -20 individual sales at a time. I usually get a lot of walking in when I go to a neighborhood sale. Last year I went to the Washington Woods and Patriot’s Glen community yard sales. I did a lot of walking and bought some nice things. I also saw a van load of Amish with a non-Amish driver. The van had a huge trailer attached to it to haul their booty. Everyone participates in the hunt!

To prepare for sales, I first make sure to budget money in my monthly budget. I try to get money on Fridays in ones and fives. When I run out of cash, it is the end of my garage sale morning. Many times I have left over cash. I carry it over to the next week or stick it in my savings account. Since it is budgeted but not spent, it makes sense to save it. When my daughters were young, I would take them with me and give each of them $2 to spend. My only guideline was "NO stuffed animals!" They loved to go with me.

Usually I peruse the Friday Cecil Whig ads with my Saturday morning tea and stake out a route so I can hit several sales (5-8) that are near each other. I try to leave the house by 8 am so I can get the best bargains. I make sure to bring a bottle of water and a snack or two. I don’t want to spend money on food out if I get hungry or thirsty.

People are usually happy to bargain with you if you don’t like a price. I do not bargain often but if I see something I want but find it priced too high for me, I will ask for a price reduction. If they say no, I usually just leave the item there.

There is a great article in The Tightwad Gazette, by Amy Dacyczyn about her garage sale strategies. Most every other book on frugality also has secrets to having good hunting at your local garage sales.

Let the season begin!

More Good Thrift Store Sales!

I love church rummage sales! I love to go and shop and then sit and eat their hot dogs, or sip a cup of Maxwell House coffee (and believe me, that is the ONLY place I enjoy a cup of canned coffee!). I feel like my money is going for a good cause and you can get nice things there too.

Today, Friday and Saturday the Nearly New Shop in the Elkton Towne Center on Main St. in Elkton is having $3 bag day. Go down there and load up a bag for cheap.

On Saturday, 3/28, from 9am - 2am, Hopewll United Methodist Church is having a Rummage sale!!! They are at 1811 Hopewell Rd. in Port Deposit.