Teach a man to fish

I went to the food bank one day in Fort Collins, (my husband is unemployed) and they were offering beautiful Roma tomatoes. The sign above the crate of tomatoes said, "take all your family can use". So I happily said to the woman standing next to me, "yummy, I can't wait to get these in the freezer" as I filled a bag full of tomatoes. She looked at me and asked, "how do you do that, do you have to cook them first?"

There is an old saying it goes something like this, "You can give a man a fish, or you can teach him how to fish, which is better? If you give a man a fish, you must then always give him a fish, but if you teach a man to fish, then he can catch his own".

So I realized that there are probably quite a few people that get food from the food bank that could be benefited even more if they knew what to do with the food once they got it. Then when they no longer need to go to the food bank, if they learn what to do with food, they could save money by knowing how to store food.

If you are among those of us who have found ourselves at the food bank please read on.

Getting food at the food bank can be like solving a mystery. You see, sometimes there may be produce in abundance. Then other times there may be mostly bread and some yogurt etc. Solving the mystery is getting the creative juices flowing and figuring out what to do with the food once you get it. You may have to save the tomatoes until next week when they get in some pasta, or the week after when you get beans with your commodities, then you can make chili beans.

If you qualify and can go to the food bank find out how often you are permitted to go. Then if it is twice a week, go twice a week, because every time you go they have something different. You get your commodities once a month so the food bank can keep you going in between your commodities and even your food stamps.

If they offer all the tomatoes your family can use then think about how many are in your family and about how many you will be able to eat fresh. But, if you have a freezer, you can take more and blanch the tomatoes in boiling water (for about a minute) then put them into a sink full of ice cold water and split and remove the skins. Your tomatoes are now ready for the freezer. You can use freezer bags or just empty bread bags that are clean and double them to prevent freezer burn. Oh and try to press out all of the air from the bag before freezing them. You can make your own chile, salsa, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, etc. etc. with those tomatoes. This will save you alot of money at the store when you are able to buy food if you have tomatoes that can be used for all of your recipes that call for them.

Likewise, when they offer you fruit, you have many choices of what to do with it. For example last week they offered grapefruit in abundance. I happily took a large quantity and went home and made a gallon of grapefruit juice with them. The apples were also being offered so I baked some pies. I will also make some apple juice, you can also do fruit roll-ups, fruit leather, apple sauce, dried apples, or just simply eat them fresh. They store well in a basement or garage as long as it doesn't freeze and you keep the mice away. Obviously I have a citrus juicer and a regular juicer. I have seen both at the Goodwill. I love my juicers and have used them often. This is great to do with many of the different types of produce offered there. I have made carrot juice also. I have made carrot cake too.

When there is too much bread, I make bread crumbs or croutons for stuffing by baking it in the oven till dry and store it after it has completely cooled in a large jar in the pantry. You can also make bread pudding.

By the way, the woman I mentioned at the outset, was given instructions on how to preserve her tomatoes while another woman standing nearby also listened in. As I walked away both of them were filling a bag full of tomatoes to share with their families

By doing these things with the food you get you can make your groceries last so much longer and your family will be healthier because you are making real food and not junk. So utilize the food bank wisely and especially don't take any food that will not get eaten. Someone else can use it. And If you can cook, or have great recipes, or know how to can or dehydrate food, share this knowledge with others and..........."Teach a man to fish".

It's Almost Spring

Wouldn't you agree that the coming of spring feels like hope. Too many of us get the winter time blues and when the buds start to open, when a tiny silver green emerges like a fine dust on the leaves of the trees, and the hyacinths peak their heads out to say hello, you can't help but feel a tiny fire inside. This tiny spark that gives you a reason to hang on a little longer so you can live again. That is what spring time means to me.

It gives me a time to sort out the cobwebs and get rid of the gray that winter time stuck in my head. Time to think about the rest of the sunshine that will no doubt come my way and the beautiful days to come. It has nothing at all to do with anything, not the economy, not the unemployment, not the kids, not the grandchildren, not even the burn on my hand from baking an apple pie last week, just a sort of funk if you will, that needs to go away until next year or maybe forever.

So for all of you out there that feel the same way, It is supposed to be nice weather next week or so I heard on the weather report. Keep your eyes open and don't let a day pass without looking for more signs of spring. When you can finally plant the seeds in the garden that you are contemplating.

For more info: Look at nature.

Food Bank for Larimer County

If you live in Larimer County, you have access to either one of the Food Banks, Loveland or Fort Collins. Below is the Food Bank for Larimer County Fact Sheet 2007.

The mission of the Food Bank for Larimer County is to reduce hunger through programs that collect, process, store
and distribute food to individuals and in cooperation with agencies that serve those in need.
Staffed by 20 employees and supported by hundreds of volunteers, the Food Bank distributed 5 million pounds of food
in 2006 to at-risk residents throughout Larimer County. Established in 1984, the Food Bank is the only America’s
Second Harvest (A2H) clearinghouse for donated food in Larimer County, Colorado. A2H is the nation’s largest food
bank and food rescue network.

SERVICES PROVIDED

Food Link:
• A source of food for nearly 70 Larimer County nonprofit member agencies that serve the hungry, the Food Bank
saved these agencies more than $1.6 million on food expenses in 2006.
• Our member agencies include food pantries, kitchens, shelters and snack programs that serve low-income
populations such as single-parent families, the working poor, older adults, youth, individuals in crises, childcare
and residential programs, centers for the disabled, and homeless shelters.

Kids Cafe:
• Through the Kids Cafe, children ages 3-18 receive free meals after school and during the summer months at
feeding sites throughout Larimer County – including the Boys and Girls Clubs and local community centers.
• In 2006, more than 37,000 meals were served to children from low-income families in Larimer County at Kids
Cafe.

Food Share:
• Food Share – the direct service pantry program – is an important source of food for more than 7,200 low-income
people each month, nearly one half are children and elderly. In 2006, more than 19,000 individuals were served
through the two Food Share locations in Fort Collins and Loveland.
• As a part of the Food Share program, the Food Bank:
?? Distributes United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) commodities, bread, produce, and dairy products
through The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) to low-income participants.
?? Cooperates with Weld Food Bank to distribute USDA commodities to 575 seniors, five-year-olds and
postpartum mothers each month through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).
?? Provides supplemental “brown bag” food boxes to older adults monthly who are living on limited incomes.

RESOURCES NEEDED
Food Sources:
• The Food Bank collects donated food from community food drives, local and national manufacturers, distributors,
grocers, growers, restaurants and the government.
Funding:
• At 38%, our largest source of income comes from individual donors. Additional funding comes from foundations
(16%); member agencies through shared maintenance (i.e., transportation and handling) fees; (8%); the United
Way (5%); special fund raising events (10%); the government (8%); faith communities (4%); corporations (4%);
and other activities (7%).
• For every dollar donated, the Food Bank can provide an individual enough food make 4 meals for themselves and
their family!
Volunteers:
• In 2006, more than 1,000 volunteers contributed more than 22,000 hours to assist with food bank operations!

For more info: www.foodbanklarimer.org/home

To make a donation: http://payments.auctionpay.com/ver3/

More on Child Health Plan Plus

Here is the actual information on CHP+ so you can see if you qualify.

CHP+ April 1, 2008-March 31, 2009
Maximum Income Levels
Family Size	Monthly Income	Weekly Income	Hourly Wage
1	$1,777	$411	$11
2	$2,392	$553	$14
3	$3,007	$695	$18
4	$3,622	$837	$21

What is CHP+? CHP+ is affordable and quality health insurance for Colorado children and pregnant women.

• What are the benefits?
• Well-child check-ups and doctor visits
• Immunizations
• Dental care (for children only)
• Hospital services
• Prescriptions
• Mental/Behavioral health care
• Prenatal care

• Who is eligible?
• Children ages 18 and under.
• Children who do NOT have Medicaid or any other health insurance or have access to State employee health insurance, for example , a parent is a Colorado state employee.
• Children who live in Colorado and are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents for a t least 5 years.
• Pregnant women 19 and older who live in Colorado, do not have Medicaid, other heath insurance or access to State employee health insurance and are U.S. citizens or legal permanent residents for at least 5 years.
• There are financial qualifications. Families can visti www.CHPplus.org or call 1-800-359-1991 toll-free for more information.

• What does CHP+cost?
• Families may pay nothing or $25 to enroll one child or $35 to enroll two or more children each year.
• Co-payments of $2 and $5 for health and dental services may also be required.

• How does a family apply?
• An application must be completed. The application is available in English and Spanish and a family can call 1-800-359-1991 to request one or download an application at www.CHPplus.org

Contacts: Media: Joanne Lindsay-303-866-3144

Legislative: Ginny Brown- 303-866-3972

For more info: www.CHPplus.org

Plan for your garden now

In a previous article I suggested planting a garden. So if you are taking that suggestion seriously did you know it is now time to plan for your garden? Yes now. You need to think about what you want to plant. Plan your area. Do you have a yard? Is your space unlimited? Or perhaps do you need to find out about joining a community garden? Do you have a friend with a yard that you can share? If you do then you need to commit to weed pulling and sharing in the care of the garden.

What will you plant? Make a list of what kind of vegetables you and your family like and try something new. The early season plants are always planted first and the things that can't be planted in early spring can be started in the house. You can start your tomatoes and peppers in small grow pots or even in yogurt containers or just about anything that will hold some soil and seed.

When should you plant? In Buena Vista the saying up there is when the snow is off Buffalo Peaks then it is time to plant your garden. In Leadville, they say that summer is on the fourth of July. But on the front range most people plant in April or May. Things that will be growing under the ground like your root vegetables are fine if the weather should turn after you have planted. But things like tomatoes and peppers should only be put out after the danger of frost has passed.

Do you need to prepare the soil? If you are a first time gardener then you might want to get someone to rototill the area for you. Unless you don't mind using a shovel. You can get some good manure for free from people with horses. It can be real good manure to turn in to your soil if it is not hot (in other words not new). If it is too fresh it can burn your plants.

Make sure you only plant as deep as the instructions on the back on the vegetable packet say. I had a dear friend who wanted to plant a garden at my house since she knew I always grew one every year. I was happy to share my area with her but I didn't pay attention to how she planted her seed. When my carrots popped out of the ground and hers didn't I asked her how deep she planted her seed. She said, "I just stuck my finger in like this and dropped the seeds in". I realized that her finger made a hole about and inch and half deep. Carrots only need to be planted about a quarter of an inch to a half an inch deep or so or they won't be able to reach to top of the soil and will then not germinate. So pay attention and read the directions, the back of the package will also tell you when to plant the specific vegetable.

One summer my daughter had a little garden planted out back of her house in a place next to the alley. The soil was gravely and you wouldn't think anything would grown there. But she took us out back to see her garden, and wow, she had beautiful plants and was harvesting some produce that you wouldn't think would grow in that spot. It is truly amazing how much you can reap with a little effort.

A huge variety is available to you so plan ahead now and you will reap a bountiful harvest.

For more info: www.communitygarden.org/

Hobbies and pawn shops

Do you need a way to relieve stress? Get a hobby. Hobbies that focus on the creative side of the brain are supposed to give the analytical side a day off, or maybe only an hour. But sometimes we just think too much and need to have a break.

Playing a musical instrument is an awesome way to relieve stress. Learn to play the guitar. But guitars are expensive you say. Well, they can be, if you buy them new. But have you ever visited a pawn shop? If not then you are in for a treat. You literally can find a beautiful guitar for half the cost or less of a new one. Especially now. Many people, unfortunately, have had to pawn to their possessions and guitars are some of the things you can find in abundance.

But if the guitar doesn't interest you perhaps a wind instrument or a set of drums. Whatever it is you more than likely can find exactly what you want at a pawn shop.

Don't just sit there! Go! Find your new hobby at the pawn shop. And when you are done there go to the used book store for instructions and lesson books for your new instrument! You may not only learn to play a musical instrument but may soon be entertaining your family and friends (depending on how fast you learn).

Frugal Gift Giving

For some frugal is called cheap. There is a difference you know. A cheap person asks you out and some how you end up paying for the meal. A cheap person doesn't think about the gift they get you, they just want to get anything whether you need it, want it, or not. Here is an idea for you to try and see if it won't help you.

I had four weddings coming up and almost no money. I went garage sailing with the "Garage Sale Queen" and found some beautiful crystal stemware an entire case mind you in a box. Each piece in perfect condition with the little "crystal" sticker stuck to the bottom. I paid $6.00 for the case of twenty four and gave each couple a beautifully wrapped box of six wine glasses. What a find!

My granddaughter was given a Leap Frog in perfect condition, bought at a garage sale. You can be frugal without being cheap. I hope this gives you some ideas.

Save money by making your own granola

Does your family love granola? Do you find it to be on the pricey side? Would you serve it more often if you could make your own? Well now you can! Here is a great recipe my sister Theresa gave me. You will love it.

• 1 box of oatmeal
• 1 C. nuts, use your favorite, pecans, almonds, or walnuts
• 1/2 C. sunflower seeds(raw)
• 1/2 C. piñon seeds(raw)
• 1/2 C. pumpkin seeds (raw)
• 1 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 2 Tsp. salt
• 1 C. good oil (olive, canola, or sunflower)
• 1 1/2-2 C. good raw honey

Mix together all dry ingredients, add oil and honey, mix together again. Oil a large cake pan or jelly roll pan. Put a shallow layer of granola into a well oiled pan. Bake at 350° for about 20 minutes or only until it turns golden in color. Let it cool and put it into a large bowl. Put some more into the pan and bake it again for about 20 minutes, keep doing this until it is all baked and cooled. Let it cool for at least an hour. Put it back into the oatmeal box, you will also need another container, and store in refrigerator. Make sure it has cooled to room temperature so it doesn't get sweaty in the container. To change the flavor, add your favorite dried fruit after it has cooled and before you store it (adding the dried fruit to the baking process does nothing for the fruit except dry it out more). Or simply add the fruit when served.

Colorado Indigent Care Program-Who is Eligible?

I mentioned applying for CICP in one of my previous articles. Here is the low down. I received this article in my mailbox from a beautiful lady that cares and actually works for this program. I could not upload the actual article so I will type in the guidelines for you.

Colorado Indigent Care Program

CICP Maximum Income Guidelines

Family Size	Annual Income	Monthly Income
1	$26,000	$2,167
2	$35,000	$2,917
3	$44,000	$3,667
4	$53,000	$4,417

What is the Colorado Indigent Care Program (CICP)?

The CICP provides discounted health care services to low income individuals at participating providers. CICP is not a health insurance program. The CICP is funded with Federal and state dollars to partially compensate participating providers who provide health care to the uninsured and under insured at or below 250 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.. The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (the Department ) administers the CICP. Health care services are provided by hospitals and clinics throughout the State that participate in the CICP. Not all hospitals and clinics participate in the program.

Who is eligible?

• A U.S. citizen or legal immigrant
• A Colorado resident or migrant farm worker
• Applicants must meet income and resource guidelines
• Applicants can be of any age
• Applicants can have Medicare and other health insurance
• Applicants cannot be eligible for Medicaid or Child Health Plan Plus (CHP+)
• Applicants who are paroled

How does someone apply?

• An applicant must visit a hospital or clinic that participates in the CICP to complete the application process
• An applicant will need to meet with an eligibility technician to determine if they are eligible a
• To find a participating hospital or clinic near you, please visit www.colorado.govHCPF/HCPF

What does it cost?

• Applicants will be given a "CICP rating" based on their total income and resources
• The results of the rating process will determine the clients's co-payments for available service for one year
• CICP ratings cover services that were received at a participating provider up to 90 days before the application
• If a client moves or changes providers it is the client's responsibility to tell the eligibility technician at the new provider of their CICP rating

What type of medical services will someone receive?

• The CICP is not insurance so covered medical services are different at each participating hospital or clinic
• The responsible health care provider decides what services are medically necessary
• All participating hospital providers must provide emergency care. Many participating providers also provide urgent care and other medical services such as inpatient hospital care.

For more info: www.colorado.govHCPF/HCPF

Consignment shopping on a beer income

I have a dear friend who used to own a consignment shop in California. She has the nicest used clothes I have ever seen. She has all the name brand stuff, you known, Donna Karan,Chanel, Dolce & Gabana, Chico's, Coldwater Creek, Anne Klein, Liz Claiborne.

So if you have lived a champagne life and now have a beer income you can still dress as you have been accustomed. Many of the consignment stores in Denver are fun to shop at if you can afford it. The prices are defiinitely higher than your average thrift shop, but the designer and brand names are all there. You will find not only the clothing but the accessories as well. The shoes, the handbags, it's all there. You just have to make the rounds. Look for one in your neck of the woods. You won't be disappointed I can assure you.

For more info: ziphip.com/Denver--2C+CO/Consignment+Stores.zq.html

What to make with Rice

When you are raising a family, you try to make food that will go far. Many mouths to feed mean using foods that will make a meal, like rice, beans, pasta, etc. I have a few ideas on what you can do with rice.

My mother raised us on Spanish rice and sweet rice. I have already given you the recipe for Spanish rice.

Here is a recipe for sweet rice. Sweet rice is so easy to make. You just steam your rice.

• 2 Cups of rice to 4/12 C. water. Put the rice and water into a large pot. Bring it to a boil, as soon as it boils you turn the heat down to medium low and put a lid on it. Do not open the lid or check the rice for twenty minutes. It will be done then. When done add:

• 1 quart of milk and
• 1/2-1 C. sugar, or honey, or agave nectar
• 1/2 C. raisins
• sprinkle with cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla

My kids also grew up on sweet rice. They loved it. I still make it for myself once in awhile. It is also great to make if you have rice for dinner and have left overs. You can just add all of the above ingredients to taste. Make it the way you want to. I like to add walnuts to mine.

Rice can make any dish go farther. Just make plain rice and put butter on top and serve with fish, chicken, beef, oriental dishes, etc.

Chicken Adobo is a favorite of mine. It is made with Chicken, garlic, ginger, vinegar, and soy sauce, served with rice. Check back later for the recipe.

How to make refried beans

Clean and cook dry pinto beans according to directions on package. That means, put the beans on the kitchen table and sort the good ones into a large bowl, pot, or colander. The ones that look rotten and the thorns will all be separated, and thrown into the trash. Rinse the good ones in a colander and put to soak for at least one hour, preferably overnight, in warm to hot water. Dump the water out and rinse. Put them on the stove to cook for about 3-4 hours. Make sure they have plenty of water. Do not salt them until they are completely cooked. Which means soft to the teeth. To refry them you simply put 1/2 stick of butter in a frying pan and add some beans which have been removed from the pot with a large slotted spoon. (in other words less the liquid). Mash them with a potato masher. That's it. Easy huh? Serve with the green chile and rice, or make smothered burritos. You will need some flour tortillas. I get mine from "Tortilleria La Autentica" in Loveland, Colorado. Or I make my own. More about that later. Look for a "Tortilleria" in your neighborhood. It is a place tortillas are made, they are fresh and yummy!

How to make salsa

This is absolutely, hands down, one of the easiest and most tasty salsa recipes you'll ever make. It is made with:

• 2 cans Ro-Tel Original tomatoes
• 1 small onion
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro (rinsed, roots cut off)
• 1 fresh jalapeño pepper
• salt (to taste)
• garlic powder
• cumin

Put 1 can Ro-Tel in food processor with the onion, cut into quarters, and the jalapeño pepper, seeds removed. Pulse only until desired consistency is achieved. Empty into bowl. Put other can of Ro-Tel into food processor with bunch of cilantro, pulse only until desired consistency is achieved. Pour into bowl with previous mixture and stir them together. Season lightly with garlic powder, and cumin, and salt to taste. Get some yummy tortilla chips, or better yet fry up your own, made with corn tortillas cut into quarter sections, and fried with vegetable oil. That's it. Easy huh? This is considered hot! For a more mild version, try omitting the jalapeño pepper.

How to make Spanish rice

promised more recipes. So today you get Spanish rice. Here is your list of ingredients:

• 2 C. rice (I use Basmati for its nutritious value)
• 1/2 C. olive oil
• 1 small onion diced
• 4 C. water or broth
• 1 can tomato sauce
• salt to taste

Put olive oil in large pot turn on medium high heat. As soon as it has warmed add uncooked rice and diced onion. Stir the rice till it turns golden in color. Not brown just golden. Add water or broth and tomato sauce. Put the lid on and turn the heat down to low. Let cook for approximately 25 minutes or until rice is cooked and liquid has been absorbed. Season to taste. That is it. Goes great with the green chile recipe. This makes enough for a family, about eight servings or four and have left overs. Spanish rice warms very nicely in the microwave. If it is too much, cut the recipe in half.

How to make green chile

Do you love Mexican food? Have you ever wanted an easy recipe for green chile? Well now you have it. Tried and true over and over again, eaten by many, an easy recipe you can make! I will add Spanish rice, refried beans, and salsa over the next few days. So you will have a complete meal. First, ingredients:

• 1 pound pork.,diced
• 1 medium onion sliced fine
• 2 cans Ro-Tel tomatoes (Original Flavor, has green chilies already in it)
• 1 can of chicken broth (I use organic, or make my own)
• 1/3 C. flour
• 1 small can jalapeño peppers (only if you like it hot)
• garlic powder, cumin, sea salt (to taste)
• 2 or3 fresh roasted green chilies skinned and sliced when in season (usually in August) otherwise just omit.

Fry the pork in oil till done(about 1/4 C.oil). Add the sliced onions cook till translucent in color. Push the meat and onion to the side of the pan and add the flour and stir till golden in color. Add the broth, continue stirring with a spatula until it is gravy like in consistency. Add the Ro-Tel tomatoes continue stirring. If you like it hot then add the jalapeño peppers. Add the garlic powder and cumin and salt to taste, about a 1/2 tsp. of each, maybe a little more salt. Turn the temperature down and simmer for about 10 minutes. You can use this for smothered burritos, juevos rancheros, or on the side with rice and beans and tortillas.

Try it tonight! Let me know what you think. (This works well in a crock pot too, just fry the pork first and then dump all the ingredients in after.)

The basics of cooking

When we were first married I tried to make tortillas like my mom did when I was young. They came out with George Washington's profile and could be used for Frisbees. I have come a long way since then. "When at first you don't succeed, try, try again". A famous quotation, made by? Doesn't matter. All I know is I kept trying, not just with tortillas but with everything I made. Now I can cook. I know I am not the best cook out there, but I can make some delicious Mexican food and other stuff too. My lasagna is not to shabby. But to get there you have to know and have the basics. So that is where we start.

What kind of cookware do you own? I highly recommend stainless steel and cast iron. You need at least one good large stainless steel pot and a couple of smaller ones as well as at least one stainless steel sauce pan. Two cast iron frying pans are also very helpful as well as a tortilla griddle(cast iron), it is the same as a pancake griddle. You can often get used stuff at the Goodwill or garage sales. The nice thing about buying them used is that they already have been seasoned. I love my cast iron. It is a non-stick pan if seasoned properly. Do not use dish soap on your cast iron pans, it will ruin the finish. Walmart has these scrubby pads similar to stainless steel pads but they are made from plastic. They work awesome on your cast iron. Just scrub under water with the pad, rinse, and let dry on the stove at medium heat only until the water from rinsing has evaporated. Put about a teaspoon of olive oil or vegetable oil in the pan while it is still warm and wipe the inside thoroughly with a paper towel or coffee filter until it is coated lightly and looks shiny. (Do not burn yourself!) Then put it away for its next use, this is called seasoning your pan.

A few large bowls for mixing and some casserole dishes for baking would be great, some utensils, and a decent set of knives too are neccesary.

Where do you keep your food? Do you have a pantry? Can you reorganize your kitchen? You need a place to store your beans, grains, flours, canned food and so forth. If you keep it organized it makes cooking easier because you can find whatever you want. If you don't want to have to run to the store everytime you have a recipe to try then try to keep your pantry stocked with the basics of food. I have, almost always, potatoes, onions, flour, sugar, olive oil, canned tomatoes, a variety of canned foods, rice, beans, grains, and pasta in my pantry.

In the refrigerator you keep your perishables and leftovers. I try always to have milk, eggs, and butter, as well as some type of cheese, and vegetables such as celery, bell peppers, and carrots on hand. Then other stuff ends up in there too, like all of your condiments.

The freezer is great appliance to have so you can buy stuff on sale and store it till needed. You can freeze almost anything. Found a great deal on boxed cereal? Store it in the freezer. It will stay fresh for a long time. You can buy in bulk and repackage your meats and store in the freezer. Great price on frozen juice? Buy more and store it in the freezer. Buy a good used one or better yet check craigslist for a free one under the "free" section.

The basics for spices, for me, are definitely garlic powder, sea salt, onion powder, basil, cumin, red chile, my own home made seasoning mix and a few miscellaneous others. I also buy Rumfords aluminum free baking powder, and keep baking soda and vanilla in my spice cabinet.

Now you are ready to start cooking. You probably had most if not all of this stuff already and that is good. If not, start collecting it and we will do some recipes.

Topics: Cooking basics

Save money by learning to cook

I have a great book. It's called "Back to Basics-How to Learn and Enjoy Traditional American Skills". It teaches so many things, like how to buy land and build on it, energy and how to use it, raising your own vegetables, fruit, and livestock, skills and crafts, living with nature etc. I mentioned this book because it reminded me how far we have come from the basics.

One big thing in particular is just learning how to cook. We have done such a disservice to our children. So many of them don't know anything about anything. They think food comes from McDonalds, or Taco Bell (or any fast food joint). Now that things are getting tough, how do they survive? Can your children boil an egg? I am not trying to insult anyone, just muster up the urgency to teach our children how to live. What I mean by that is work. Can they hold down a job? If they are old enough of course. Can they cooperate and do household chores?

If you answered no to any of these questions parents, then you know what to work on. What happens when you are gone and these kids are left to fend for themselves? Food is always necessary. Teach them how to do things. Besides it will bring your family closer together if done right.

Recipes are everywhere. Ask your friends, your family, buy a cookbook, go to the library, get online. I mentioned before that the supermarkets all have recipes on their websites. If you don't know how to cook, then how can you teach your children? Learn together. You will save so much money not going out to eat all of the time. Have you ever figured what your family spends on going out to eat? With a little forthought you can cut that cost way down. Have some fun with it. You will be glad you did.

By the way, the book Back to Basics has been revised and is still available. Amazon had seven new ones left as of this submission and 14 used ones. I love the book and have had mine almost thirty years. It was published by Readers Digest.

For more info: www.amazon.com/
www.rd.com/

Reinvent Yourself

The economy has affected so many people but with building down the tradesmen are definitely feeling it. My husband is a carpenter, a framer by trade, has been unemployed for one year come April. Think of all of the carpenters, the drywallers, the plumbers, electricians, masons, concrete workers etc. These guys are having a hard time.

I noticed a trend though toward reinvention. The "handyman" is coming on strong out there. Quite a few have realized that service work is still available for many as homeowners decide to make repairs and do some remodeling. But is that enough? I would have to say no. There are too many tradesmen and not enough work to go around so more suggestions on reinvention are needed.

A bit of humility, swallowing the pride, may have to occur for some to make some money. But think long and hard guys, what can you do besides your trade? Is there some service you can offer to make money? Do you own a snowblower, or snow shovel? Can you get yourself out the door and offer to clean sidewalks in your neighborhood? So you have a fairly decent MVR? I hear that drivers are still needed for many companies. Can you do janitorial work? Have you applied with any of the "handyman" companies that are starting up? Is there another line of work you have wanted to learn but didn't have the time? Now is the time. Learn something new.

Is your wife working and now you are home with the kids? Do you do any of the housework? Maybe it's time for you to cook dinner and do the laundry. Are you willing to do that? I was doing some research for this article and found a little tid bit on stay at home mothers, but it could easily apply to stay at home dads. Here is a quote from a "Watching the World" article taken from the 2/06 Awake! magazine. If you have taken on the role of mom, then feel valuable as you now do all of the domestic work.

“Appreciate Your Mother”
Labor analysts estimate that if a Canadian stay-at-home mom with two school-aged children were paid for all the work she does, her annual salary, including overtime pay, would be $163,852 (Canadian). The figure is based on current market wages and a “100-hour workweek, consisting of six 15-hour days and one 10-hour day,” says the Vancouver Sun newspaper. Among the responsibilities of a stay-at-home mom are those of day-care worker, teacher, driver, housekeeper, cook, nurse, and general maintenance worker. The newspaper offers the following advice: “Appreciate your mother: She’s probably underpaid.”

Make the most of your time off. Do your honey do list (no money? See my article: Sprucing up the house). Go to the gym. Take on a hobby that won't break the bank. (More on hobbies later.) And no matter what don't let your self esteem go into the trash. It is not you, it is the economy.

How money (lack of it) affects your health and what to do about it

When loss of employment affects you it affects all members of the family especially in the area of health care. Health insurance is something many people do not know how to live without. Is that how you feel? Are you frustrated because you depended on your insurance and now you don't have it anymore?

Fortunately there are a few things you could do to help yourself out. Do you have children? Could you apply for C.H.P Plus? This is an acronym for Child Health Plan Plus. Children in Colorado can get assistance for health care. Are you pregnant? You can get help too. They also have dental providers as well.

You can go to their web page and click on eligibility to see if you qualify.

If you need dental work but do not qualify for CHP Plus you could try the Dental School located in Aurora. I have included a link at the bottom of the page. Click on Patients, then I want to be a patient, and you should be given the information you need to become a patient there.

Need eyeglasses? LensCrafters gives away service and free glasses every year to a limited amount of people, but, you have to be qualified through your local charity. They will give you a letter, if you qualify, based on your income that approves you for help from LensCrafters. If you get this help, please, send them a thank you card. Sure it is probably tax deductible for them, but send it anyway to show your gratitude.

Then there is a program in Colorado called C.I.C.P. This acronym stands for Colorado Indigent Care Program. It is for low income families and will reduce your costs at the neighborhood clinic and also hospital bills. Go to your neighborhood clinic and ask to apply. They will make an appointment for you and you will have to bring in proof of income etc. to qualify. But once you do, you can get the health care you need. Please, if you need health care NOW, go to the hospital or clinic and ask if they take walk- ins. If this is an emergency go to the hospital emergency room. They will see you anyway and have you apply for financial aid or C.I.C.P later. If you don't qualify, you will end up with a large bill but can make payment arrangements with the financial dept. Many people don't get the help they need because they are afraid of the bill. But wouldn't you rather get help then be dead?

Quit smoking! You don't have to do it alone. There are so many programs out there. Think of your health, your children's health. There are so many reasons to quit. You will feel better, you will look better. Smoking causes wrinkles! You age faster when you smoke. You will save money! You will save money! You will save money! Do it now! I typed quit smoking free in my web browser just to see what popped up, and wow, there are many options available to help you quit. Try it you will see and be able to choose for yourself what you want to try. Don't give up. They say to be successful you have to keep trying because you may not be able to the first time around.

Did you run to the doctor for everything in the past? Are there some things you could do at home without feeling like you have to run to the doctor? For example, a cold, there is really nothing a doctor can do for the common cold. But many people insist on antibiotics. Why not try making some chicken noodle soup? I like mine plain. I boil chicken, debone it, put it back in the pot, add extra wide egg noodles, salt and a little pepper and that's it. When the noodles are done you have a yummy pot of soup. What about strengthening your immune system by eating healthier? Cut out the soda pop. It puts on weight and the sugar, artificial color, and caffeine cannot possibly be doing anything good for you or your family. Use that money to make iced green tea. It is better for you and high in antioxidants.

Learn about home remedies, go to the library, take charge of your health, but be sensible if you need health care, seek it, some things you can't fix and need help for.

Exercise. Most of us can use more exercise. Find ways to include it in your life. Walk the dog, stroll the baby, dance, go swimming, whatever you can do, do it.

For more info: www.CHPplus.org

www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/HCPF/HCPF/1214299805914

www.uchsc.edu/sod/index.htm

Pregnancy & childbirth options

Somewhere along the way we seemed to have forgotten that women have been having babies for thousands of years without any assistance except maybe for a midwife present. There are options available today that some may have not thought of. You mean there are options?

Home birth may be one of them. Have you ever given consideration to birthing at home? Yeah, yeah, I know, it is controversial. But, if you are a healthy woman, why not think about it? There are doulas and midwives out there who can help you have your baby at home. D.O.N.A (Doulas of North America) is an organization of doulas (a Greek word meaning women helping women) who you can contact to find a birth doula in your area. M.A.N.A is Midwives Alliance of North America and can also be contacted to find a midwife in your locale.

With the cost of a hospital births skyrocketing home birth just might work for you. You have to get educated and read, read, read, all you can find on the subject. There are quite a few books available now and knowledge is power. If you fully understand the process it is not so scary. It actually can be done and it can be a very satisfying experience. I know because I did it. My last three children were all born at home. I don't regret it one bit and saved money at the same time.

Prenatal care is a must! Especially if you are going to birth at home. If you are going natural then it stands to reason that you would also breast feed your baby. This is a huge savings. Formula is extremely expensive and isn't as good for baby as breast milk. So please, please, breastfeed your baby!

Midwives today are educated and trained in prenatal care, birthing, and postnatal care. Basically they can do it all. Rest assured they have a backup doctor available just in case. So if you want to explore the idea I have added the links at the bottom for you.

http://mana.org/history.html

www.dona.org/

Tips for saving money on your household expenses

I was reading an old Awake! magazine dated April 22,1985 and found some great suggestions. Today the figures of course have changed but the principles remain the same. Great advice is still great advice no matter how old it is. So read on and see if there are any suggestions you might apply in your life today.

• Recreation and Entertainment: In the United States over 6 percent of income is spent on recreation and entertainment. This may just be too high for you. Reading, outings to the park, and so forth, are far less expensive than movies, restaurants, and sporting events.
  
• Expensive Bad Habits: Some spend $1.25 out of every $100 (U.S.) on tobacco. Gambling is another expensive vice. Would eliminating such habits strengthen your budget?
  
• Food and Drink: Alcoholic beverages are pleasurable but unnecessary. Plain foods, such as baked potatoes, are often not only cheaper but more nutritious than their fancier counterparts (such as French fries). In-season foods are also less costly. Rather than throwing out leftovers, find ways of using them, such as in stews and casseroles.
  
• Credit: Use conservatively, if at all. Money borrowed or items bought on credit may cost more because of interest.
  
• Telephone calls: If long-distance calls are creating a financial burden, consider cutting down on them. At times discounts are given for making such calls at certain hours of the day. Remember, too, people still enjoy receiving letters.(Today cell phone use should be given serious consideration.)
  
• Clothing: Do not rush to follow the latest styles. Conservatively styled clothes are often better purchases. A housewife may want to consider making clothing for herself and the children.

Entertain the family without breaking the bank

Entertainment now a days can be pricey especially for a family. But here is something you will definitely enjoy if you are a concert lover. For a small fee ($60.00) you can join the Swallow Hill Music Association. This price covers a family of four with extra tickets discounted. We used to frequent many of the concerts there when we lived in the area. It was worth it tenfold. They have many things to offer including classes and workshops. Check out their website listed below.

We also enjoy the free jazz concert in Estes Park every summer. Not only is the drive up there beautiful, but the concerts are great.

The other idea is to check your local paper for free community events. There are quite a few that have no charge. You can also check the chamber of commerce for any given location. The Colorado Country Life magazine also has events listed for those of us who are Rural Electric Association members. If you are not a customer of an REA, you can still get the information at: www.coloradocountrylife.coop, and click on the calendar for events all over the state.

Another idea is to join the community recreation center in your neighborhood. It is definitely less costly than a private gym but offers the same services for the entire family. You can often purchase membership for the entire year or just a few months or a punch card.

For more info:
www.coloradocountrylife.coop
www.swallowhillmusic.org

Save money on hair cuts

Do you have a large family and every month or so have to take them all for haircuts? Save money two ways. Do it yourself or call your local hair shop and ask to speak to the manager. Tell her that you would be very interested in being a hair model and find out when and where to go for this service. I did that with one of the chain discount hair salons. Even the upscale salons need live models. I was able to take my children as well and there was no charge, but be sure to offer a tip.

The other option is to go the beauty school in your area. The cost is pretty affordable for most people. In Longmont the cost is $6.50 for a haircut (shampoo and cut). But they also offer many other services such as hair color, manicures, pedicures, eyebrow waxing, foot reflexology, and paraffin wax. These services are all minimally priced and if the girl that does your hair does a good job, you can request her next time.

Just a quick story about do it yourself haircuts. I knew a couple years ago that were volunteer ministers and sought ways to save money. One of them was on haircuts. When his wife first started learning how to cut his hair she went a little to close with the clippers and took out a chunk of hair leaving his scalp showing in the back of his head about the size of a half dollar. Her remedy for that was some brown shoe polish and a very forgiving husband! (Lesson learned? If you are going to do it yourself don't expect perfection at first.)

For more info: Longs Peak Academy
500 Ken Pratt Boulevard Suite 510
Longmont, Colorado 80501
(303)776-8110
www.longspeakacademy.com

Fish Tacos

I have several recipes that are extremely easy to prepare, are nutritious and taste delicious. For example, tonight, we had fish tacos. I quick fried some salmon fillet strips in olive oil while heating corn tortillas in the microwave between two plates. I had fresh diced tomatoes in the fridge and some Feta cheese crumbles along with finely diced cabbage. Add a little hot sauce and that's it. Maybe ten to fifteen minutes from start to finish. You can change the fish to your favorite white fish and bake or grill it instead of frying in olive oil, and use a different cheese, perhaps monterey jack. You can also use salsa instead of hot sauce.

I can eat two or three of them and my husband can down four to six, so figure how many your family will eat and then heat the corn tortillas accordingly (I put them in the microwave for two minutes).

For more info: subscribe to my column for more recipes later. I will try to add one or two per week.

Online coupons

Most of the major chain stores offer online coupons that you can either upload to your card or print. This is a great way to get the coupons for the products you actually use. If you register with your favorite supermarket you can receive offers right to your email. This can save time and money. I shop at several different stores and can go to any of their websites to look for sales. For example Kingsoopers and Safeway both offer really great deals. You can view the weekly ads and or print out coupons. You can also be directed to other sources for coupons. But please search your favorite store online and see what they have to offer.

I love the fact that the stores I shop at all offer recipes. So if you need to you can even download and print the grocery list as in the case of Vitamin Cottage. How easy is that? If you are into health food both Vitamin Cottage and Wholefoods have great recipes you can access online. Below are a few of the webpages you can check out.

http://www.kingsoopers.com/Pages/default.aspx
http://www.safeway.com/IFL/Grocery/Print-Coupons#iframetop

http://www.coolsavings.com/foodgrocery.aspx?SessionID=f869e8cf-f6b9-49c5-83d5-d1241ef74be4-3

Landscaping ideas for less

Are you planning on fixing up your yard and home instead of moving? If so then I have some ideas for the yard.

If you have an area that needs to have a lawn then what about calling your nearest sod farm and getting the scrap sod for rock bottom prices? That is what we did and we were able to sod an area approximately about 1200 square feet for only $100.00. I put my name on their list and whenever they had enough to make a pallet they would call. You have to be flexible enough to respond rather quickly and then have a pickup truck to go get it. You also need to prepare the area to be sodded and then be able to lay the sod right away. But with some TLC we have two areas that can be used when company comes or when the grandchildren visit. Scrap sod is really not scrap at all. It is the end pieces of the rows at the sod farm that are uneven or too narrow to sell as sod. It is often just as green and beautiful as the pricey stuff. You just have to work harder to piece it together.

Flowers are another thing that you can find just about anywhere. Why pay top prices for bulbs, roots, and seeds? My husband drove by a pile of iris' on the side of the road that had apparently fallen out of someones truck. We went back and got them and planted them. We now have a flower bed full of the most beautiful dark burgundy iris' you have ever seen. They have yellow centers and we have planted yellow daffodils in between them for accent. Iris' spread rather quickly and have to be thinned fairly often. So if you see any in your neighborhood why not ask your neighbors to do a flower swap? This can be done with any of the root or bulb flowers, preferably in the fall or early spring. As far as edible flowers are concerned, going along with the plant a garden idea, chives are great to have in the flower bed. They are pretty when they bloom and taste great on baked potatoes. You can also ask anyone who has flowers that you love if you may take a couple when they are in full bloom. You let them dry and carefully extract the seeds out of the center. Now you can start you very own seed collection. I have a gallon full of assorted flower seeds I have saved from various flowers that are ready to be planted. Seeds last a long time and can be useful year after year if you harvest seeds this way.

The other thing my husband does and I find myself doing this too is finding seedlings of trees. He once found a bunch growing under an ash tree. He dug them up and planted them and for several years was very faithful to caring for his babies. We gave many of them away but planted twenty two of them on our property. He has also found some black walnut trees, blue spruce, and pine. We love trees and enjoy watching them grow. You can get baby lilac bushes this way and plant them in your yard too! Lilac bushes grow fairly fast and in no time you can have a beautiful yard that you planted almost for free.

Recycling and organizing

I put these two, recycling and organizing together for a reason, you see, much of what gets sent to be recycled could actually be recycled at home.

Let me give you an example or two. I like to buy the organic lettuce and spinach from Sam's Club in the plastic containers. After we have eaten the salad mix I wash out the containers and use them for shoe boxes. They are the perfect size for a pair of shoes. In this way my closet stays organized and they are clear so I can see what pair is in the box. I don't have to go out to buy those plastic shoe boxes. I would highly recommend that you punch holes in the lid with a paper punch to allow air circulation. I learned this the hard way. I had a really cute pair of sandals made with natural fibers, hemp, that apparently got a little damp and turned moldy in the plastic box.

As for the spinach containers, being a tad smaller, are very useful for organizing under the bathroom sink. I have first aid supplies in one, mostly band-aids and gauze pads and tape. Another contains cotton balls, another contains personal items, you get the idea. They are stackable and work very well for that kind of thing. I find all kinds of uses for all different size containers. Before I throw away, I ask myself if I can recycle it in the house somewhere.

Jars are another favorite of mine. When all the kids were at home most of my containers in the pantry were gallon size glass jars that used to have pickles or mayonnaise or some such in them. You can often get these at restaurants if you ask, unless of course you already buy stuff by the gallon for a large family. They are easy to sanitize, are mouse proof, and being clear you can easily see what is in them. I put all of our different beans, peas, lentils, rice, flours, oatmeal etc. in them. Quart size jars are also great even juice jars. You can pour pop corn out of a juice jar right into the pan very easily. (It is cheaper to make it yourself as opposed to microwave popcorn and it tastes better.) Just make sure that your jars are completely dry before storing any dry foods in them so they don't mold. So there you have it. Don't buy anymore containers, unless of course you just can't find one that fits the purpose you need it for. What do you reuse in your home? Any ideas out there?

Garage Sales

Garage Sales will be starting up soon. Typically Springtime is the season for everyone to clean out the garage. It is an awesome way to make a little extra money, sometimes a lot of extra money. But keep in mind that the economy has people in such a state right now that the market is saturated with used stuff. Right now they are practically giving away their items just to make a sale. If you happen to be among those with money then you are in an ideal position to buy whatever you want if you are looking to save money on used stuff.

The paper is a great place to start, also online, to look for garage sales in your area. I have a friend, April, known as the Queen of garage sales. She goes usually every Friday when they start up so as to get the best choice available. She checks the local paper and online and maps out her day according to neighborhoods. You would not believe the stuff this gal has purchased! Just about all of her children's clothing and all of their toys come from garage sales, not to mention some of her clothing and household items etc. Children outgrow their clothes so fast it makes no sense to buy everything new. I used to shop garage sales often, but to tell the truth, my children are now grown and gone, so I don't go as often as I used to. My home is already full of stuff. When you are a young family it makes perfect sense, but as you get older, it isn't as important anymore. At least not for me. If I am looking for something specific that is a different story. I did find some used bicycles for my grandchildren last summer that were in perfect condition, a Schwinn for $20. and a Mongoose for $35.00 and some clothing for my granddaughter that was near new. I walked away with about four bags of clothes for twenty bucks. I felt really good about those purchases. If you can get the clothes down to say .25 cents per piece for play clothes that is great. (If they are in great condition and there is an abundance, I make an offer to buy the whole lot. But when people are asking $3-$5 for children's clothing, most of the time I walk away. If it is a specialty item like a suit or a beautiful dress, I will rethink it.

I love it when a neighborhood is having a garage sale or yard sale. That makes it worthwhile when you don't have to drive around all over the place. So if your HOA allows a neighborhood garage sale that is a great time to have one. The advertising is usually shared and the attraction is so great your chances of success are increased tremendously.

If you don't care for the hassle of doing a garage sale then by all means donate your stuff to a charity / thrift store. It is tax deductible and you will probably be allowed more for the donation than you would have made doing all of that work trying to sell it, unless of course you need the cash now.

Ebay is an awesome way to buy stuff online and you can get incredible deals. Most things are marked at least 30-50% off the original price. I bought my grandson a Thomas the Tank Engine set for under $300. brand new. Then I found the table at a garage sale for $50. I was thrilled with my purchases. The set I bought including the table was close to $1000.00 retail. So I was a happy grandma.

Food warehouse shopping

I sent out a private survey to family and friends to get their take on shopping and savings at food warehouses more specifically what they buy at Sam's Club and Costco and the savings involved. I have only received a few replies thus far and so here they are, and I quote.

April replied first so her response is: "Shredded motz and cheddar cheese in the five pound bags are a huge savings. Divide it into 1 pound bags and freeze the rest, since it is already shredded, it really doesn't change the consistency to freeze it. Milk, 1/2 and 1/2, whipping cream, eggo waffles, toaster struedels, peanut butter, prego spaghetti sauce, pasta, fruits, veggies, and salsa are all good deals from what I normally buy on a weekly basis.

Margie's reply: I mostly concentrate on dairy (milk, and cheese that I divide into smaller packages), produce and seasonings or spices. I find I save from 30- 75% or more on these items. I do have some other items I buy occasionally if having to feed a large crowd or for ease. I also highly recommend their flowers for special occasions. I got gorgeous flowers at a really awesome price for my parent's 50th anniversary. They were as good or even better than some I see in expensive florist shops. When the kids were little I also saved a bundle on diapers by buying in bulk at Sam's. I almost forgot too, I purchase flour and sugar in bulk there when I have to do a lot of baking. Pecans and walnuts are priced fantastic most of the time as are chocolate chips. Coffee is also an item I purchase occasionally at substantial savings. Dave gets good prices on some of the tools he needs and we also save on ink cartridges for the printers. Their household items are pretty decent for the price. Towels, furniture, mattresses and also some of the outdoor items, tents, chairs , tables, coolers etc. I don't purchase cereals and most meats there as I find I get better deals shopping sales at other stores. We also found that you can usually find a better quality grill at a better price by shopping sales and clearance items in other stores.

Casey writes: Frozen bags of wild fish, individually wrapped. It seems like it's cheaper plus it never spoils and you can make it whenever. I also like splitting produce with a friend, because their produce is often better and a lot less expensive in bulk! Their cheese is AMAZING. Not only is it really good quality, but it is cheap, for example, we buy a package of mozzarella (the nice stuff) at Safeway for $6.00 that is about the size of your fist. At Costco, you buy a package that has 2 loaves, each the size of two fists, and it is only $9.00. It's great for massively sized boxes/bottles of pills you use a lot (like ibuprofen or lactaids). I also get my toothbrushes there because you get a package of 6-8 for about $12.00 and these are the really nice brand name toothbrushes that cost usually $3-$4.00 each. There are others like pots and pans, dishes, serving ware, socks, chips, dog treats/toys, but I'm going to stop.

Cathy's response was:
Sam's Club
1) Bottled water. Cheapest price.
2) Low fat whipped topping (to serve on top of Costco's frozen Three Berries. Reasonable price (compared to ice cream.)
3) Jennie O's ground turkey. Very reasonable.
4) Masterpiece Bar-b-q sauce. Very reasonable and my fave sauce.
5) Clothes that are on clearance. Can get a decent top for $6.00 sometimes.

Costco:
1) Tortilla Crusted Talapia by Sea Cuisine. Delicious and not too badly priced. (for now).
2) Fresh frozen Three Berries by who? (can't remember). I serve it with Sam's Club low fat whipped topping. Pour into bowls ahead of time so the berries can thaw. Then douse with the whipped cream. Delicious and beats eating expensive and fattening ice cream. Berries are good for you!
3) Almond butter for me and Organic peanut butter for my husband.
4) Sometimes unusual items. One time I found some fantastic handmade scrapbook paper for a ridiculous price. Of course I beat myself up for not getting back there soon enough to buy some more. (a-a-a-u-u-u-g-g-g-h-h-h) And some beautiful scrapbooks.

Kirsten says: "we mostly buy our laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent from Costco because it's the cheapest there.
We buy cheese and coffee from Sam's.
and basically everything else from Walmart or Sunflower market."

Melissa'a reply was: "we buy cat litter, fruit and berries, dried cranberries, butter, lemon juice, honey and bulk spices like cinnamon, cumin, chili powder and italian seasoning. These are all cheaper at Sams. We used to also get cheese sticks and eggs cheaper there but now get those on wic. We also used to get powdered chai mix and chocolate and lunchmeat occasionally. Also they have good prices on tires(better than costcos) and a warranty for them. occasionally we would splurge on a cheesecake or ice cream or a book.

I avoid the frozen, prepacked stuff and cereal, even the canned stuff is not any cheaper, just bigger.
sometimes I can get a good price on jeans for Gabe but pretty much everything else is better priced elsewhere. I did get a good deal on wool socks this year. I only make a trip to Sams when I really need something and its best to go without Gabe so as to keep unneeded spending down.

Here is my personal list of products I buy at Sam's Club:

Milk, eggs, unsalted butter, organic coffee, pet food, jeans (sometimes), toilet paper, ziplock bags, organic bananas, organic salad mix, half and half, cottage cheese, smart balance, Ro-Tel tomatoes, Maple syrup, frozen chicken thighs, dehydrated bacon bits, and sometimes meat (depending on the prices). If I find something that I need on sale, I will buy it there too if the price is right.

I prefer Costco but I live too far away to go there on a regular basis. They have a much nicer selection of organic food there.

As I receive more responses I will publish them so you can see what other people are saving money on buying at their local food warehouse.

Laundry and housework

Time savings tips seem to be just as important as money saving tips these days. Especially if you have a family. I was privileged to stay home for the most part. I say for the most part because truthfully I did work off and on to help out. It was never for very long though just long enough to get us out of a crunch. So I can empathize with working women. The house work, the kids, the laundry, the back to school nights, the bills, the food, the grocery shopping, it never ends, the dishes, etc. etc. So time is extremely important. I will continue to share with you all some tips that I used that helped tremendously.

Laundry- Every age can help. Teach the growing ones how to use the washer and dryer. I would say nine or ten year olds can begin learning. After that have the children do their own laundry. But make a rule. No one can start laundry without being able to finish it. That means if you can't get it out of the washer and put it in the dryer then fold and put away do not begin at all. Sour clothes left in the wash machine are not only a waste of time, but energy, detergent, and water. Teach them how to sort the laundry, if they are too young to use the machine, they can certainly help sort. Jeans in one pile, whites, in another, wash and wear in another, and towels in another, you know the routine. Teach them to zip zippers, snap snaps and hook bras, and most importantly to always check the pockets! A crayon or ink pen in the dryer can ruin the entire load. Supervision is necessary when they begin to learn or you might get a broken timer like I did. My daughter, sweet thing, forced the knob the wrong direction and I had to replace it. Which I did myself. More about that later.

Cooking- Older ones, teens, can learn to cook. I home-schooled my children for awhile and one of their lessons was learning about money and food. I had them find a recipe they wanted to try and they had to make a grocery list for it. When we went shopping I taught them how to look at the shelf for the price per pound or ounces and buy the least expensive product available. Then they had to prepare the meal themselves and also clean it up afterward. At first this is time consuming but if you teach them it will save you time later and teach them a life lesson. Please don't make them do all the cooking though. They are not the parent but can be your precious helper.

Cleaning- Again every age can help even little ones can learn to pick up their toys after playing with them. Try to get them to play with one toy at a time. As they grow you can assign them more chores to do. Mine had to do dishes for a week at a time. If everyone clears their plate and puts their own dishes in the dishwasher the person who is assigned will have an easier task. What is left but to put any food away, wipe the table, wash the pans, if not put into the dishwasher, and turn it on. Vacuuming, bathrooms, sweeping, mopping, dusting, it can all be assigned as well. Husbands, please do your share. Mom is not in charge of everything!

Timers- I played a game called Beat The Clock with my kids. I used this quite effectively with my children. We could not leave the house unless it was picked up. I set a timer that had a big buzz sound or bell when it went off. Each room was designated five minutes. So the timer was set and we all rushed into one room and did a room blitz. Everything that did not belong there got scooped up and put away within the five minutes. This was a fun game and if we got it accomplished then we beat the clock and gave each other a high five. Sometimes the clock won. In a bedroom, the bed can be made, toys picked up, shoes stowed away, and laundry put into the laundry room. If I remember correctly, I got the idea from the book "Side tracked home executives." The kitchen requires a little more time maybe fifteen minutes as opposed to the five. But if you make it fun then your children can learn to pick up the house and feel a sense of accomplishment. You literally can get the entire house picked up in an hour. When the children are then napping or playing outside, or doing something quiet you can then do the floors. Floors are not part of beat the clock because they take too long.

Daytimers- Moms do you ever feel like you worked all day and have nothing to show for it? Get a day-timer or a calendar. Being a mom has been called a thankless job by many. You may feel frustrated that you can't remember what you did all day but were busy the entire day. Write it down! Appointments with teachers, back to school night, a trip to the gym with a friend, O.B.G.Y.N appts, etc. etc. can all be written in and that way you won't forget. Then if your husband asks you what did all day you can whip out your day-timer and read off all of the things you did. He may not see the refrigerator is clean or the laundry room is devoid of dirty laundry because it is all hidden away where it belongs, namely in the drawers. So the unseen things are accounted for.

Supernanny- Supernanny is a great source of information for parents and has some excellent tips. I wish I had supernanny when my children were growing up.

Recreation

Life just doesn't seem like very much fun anymore. But it still can be. You don't need a lot of money to enjoy your family. There are plenty of things to do in Colorado on a budget. I have a few suggestions that may help. The first one is our beautiful Rocky Mountains. Not going to the mountains would be like living on the coast and never going to the beach. For only $35.00 until April you can get an annual park pass to Rocky Mountain National Park. After that it is going up to $40.00 according to the website. The cost for a seven day pass is $20.00 so for just double that you can get one for the entire year. Get yours before April and you will save five bucks. I have included a few of my own shots I took last summer. My sister came to visit and paid half the fee to purchase an annual pass. She went back to Michigan and I still have the park pass. It just doesn't seem fair somehow. But I'm not complaining! I will use that pass to take any visitors we get this year and also for our own enjoyment.

Don't like to pitch a tent? Then don't, rent a cabin. If you get one big enough you can take another family and split the cost. There are quite a few available yet but don't wait to make your reservations as they fill up fast. I will write more articles about things to do on a budget later.

Sprucing up the house

Springtime is near and you may want to spruce up your house. What better way than to paint? It is the least expensive way to make a place look better or different. Or you may be listing your house for sale. Paint will definitely help. Can't afford it? Keep reading...you may be surprised at how easy it is to get paint for free or at a minimal cost.

Have you ever thought of the idea of going to your county landfill for free paint? I did it before. They would prefer it to be used and not end up in the landfill. I found several cans of green and mixed them up in a five gallon bucket and came up with a beautiful green color. You can do the same! They have interior, exterior, stains, and finishes. Even other products are available, but there are too many to list.

Another great idea is to go to your local paint store and ask if they would sell you their returns or wrong color cans that are typically stuck in in the back somewhere. I went to our local paint store and got some very expensive paint for only $3.00 per gallon. The price may vary according to location but it would do no harm to ask. All they can say is no or we don't have any right now. So go somewhere else.

I have been perusing craigslist for awhile searching for a used garage door. I have looked in the for sale section and the free section but so far I haven't found one. But what I have found you would never believe! People, generous people, are giving away stuff! Nice stuff sometimes, junk sometimes. You can literally furnish an apartment, even a house, for free. Just for the taking you can get a sofa, beds, televisions, dishes, etc. etc. I found a bathroom cabinet with two sinks and the faucets for free. I almost went to get it because, besides a garage door, we needed a new bathroom sink. I was busy that day and couldn't get there but when I checked later it was gone. So if you have remodeling or need furnishings look on craigslist!

Clothing ideas

Here are a few ideas that you could incorporate into your life to save money on clothing.

Have a clothing exchange party! Invite all of your friends to bring the clothes they are willing to part with. Not just clothes mind you but shoes and accessories as well. You plan a location that has plenty of rooms available for dressing rooms. One friend of mine used her garage (during summer) and had her husband rope off dressing rooms with sheets. It worked very nicely. A large wall mirror was leaned up against the wall. She rented clothes racks at a rental yard for $1.50 per rack and on them we organized the clothing into small, medium, large, and X-large. We had tables set up for folded clothing, sweaters, jeans, bras, handbags, and shoes. Then we all brought a dish to share and had a wonderful evening together as we all shopped for free. This can also be applied to childrens clothing. But set rules. All the clothing must be clean an completely useable, no junk, and hung on hangers except for the folded stuff. Everyone must be agreeable that anything left over will be donated to a charity of mutual choosing.

Thrift stores are becoming a viable choice for many today. Here are a few tips. Most of them have senior day. Ask them the age and what day it applies then shop on that day. Know your style and brand that fits well so you don't waste your time on stuff you don't really want anyway. They have dressing rooms so wear clothes that you can easily change in and out of when you go. I prefer cotton, linen, and rayon, and I know what I like for color and texture so I simply go to my size rack and pick out only the fabrics that appeal to me. This saves time. But you may prefer to choose by brand name. In my experience, if you shop at stores located in more affluent communites you will have a more choices. Most of them have a certain refund policy and it can vary so make sure you ask before you make your purchase. Also the larger ones like Habitat and Goodwill sell not only clothing but household items, appliances, furniture and even cars as well so if any of these are needed be sure to check them out first. Donations to these places are tax deductible so remember to get a receipt.

One more idea. Look on craigslist in the free section. I have found offerings of specific sizes made to first come first served. So be prepared to email them or call if listed and get there quick because they will be gone if you wait.

Money saving tips-food part 2

In my last article I said we would discuss more food ideas, free food, and time saving tips as well. So let's start off with more food ideas.

I watched a program on PBS one day and it mentioned a place where everyone had a vegetable garden and no lawn. It was amazing. So one thing I absolutely encourage is gardening. Even if you can only grow tomatoes in a pot on your patio. Do it. Fresh food is so delicious and healthy. One day last winter I had a tomato in my kitchen that had a brown spot on it. I really was disappointed because I wanted to eat it and it was the last one. So I cut it open to see if the brown spot went all the way through, and wouldn't you know, it was full of tiny sprouts. All of the seeds started to grow inside the tomato. I was so thrilled. I gently scooped out all of those tiny sprouted seeds and rinsed them carefully and put them into my Gerber daisy flower pot on the kitchen table. She didn't mind sharing her soil for in a week or so I had forty tomato plants all about two inches tall. I had to get some potting soil and put them all into their own little pots. By spring time I had forty plants each two to three feet tall. All of my family and friends got tomato plants as a gift whenever they came to visit. One small tomato yielded quite an abundance to say the least. With a little effort you may be very surprised at what nature provides. So plant a garden this year if you can even a small one.

With all the lay offs and many people now on unemployment some are now having to apply for food stamps. This may take a measure of humility for a few. The food bank is also a resource you can tap into. Don't feel bad about it at all. Just think of all of the fund raisers you helped your children with. The food drives you donated to, including the one you stuck near the mail box for the mailman to pick up. It may now be your turn to utilize that service. I am grateful that there are food banks. Just type into your web browser for example "food banks in Colorado" or "food banks in Denver". An entire list of choices pops up and this will enable you to find one near you. Some food banks allow you to shop for free twice a week which will keep your family fed in between food stamps which are not stamps at all but you now get a card that gets credited for a certain amount depending on how much you qualify for.

There are quite a few discount grocers now available that sell food that is about to expire. Sometimes boxes of cereal that are crushed or sliced or may be nearing the expiration date or cans of food that the label is falling off of or are dented. Here is my take on discount grocers. They can be a godsend. But the dented cans you should avoid. Sometimes the dented cans can actually cause the food to spoil. I would be leery about feeding it to my family. If you do buy dented, make sure that the top of the can is immovable. In other words you cannot push the top down at all. If it seems bloated or the top is movable do not buy it. That means the pressure is broken that sealed it and the food is now spoiling or spoiled. Our local discount grocery store sells organic milk, eggs, yogurt, even chocolate. I enjoy visiting it because I always find something new. The boxes of cereal are like $1.00 each and they sell canned food in jars sometimes. One tip about the cereal, if it is too close to the expiration date sometimes it may taste rancid. Grains get a rancid taste when they are old, so try to pick out the ones with the freshest date. But yogurt I have eaten even over two weeks past the expiration date and it was just fine. Besides if your kids eat it as fast as it comes into the house then it really doesn't matter too much if it is close to the date on the container because it will probably be gone by then anyway.

When my children were all at home I read an article about free food. It was in an old "Mother Earth New" magazine Nov./Dec. 1970. I applied the practical suggestions and actually got so much free food I was giving it away. The article suggested eating what was unsaleable at the store. By talking to store produce managers for instance and asking them what they do with the food they cannot sell I was able to purchase for $1.00 a bushel of produce from a health food store. I bought several at a time and my friend Marlene and I would divvy it up in the yard. You know the old, one for me one for you, idea. She had six kids and I had five. So between the two of us we would can, bake, dehydrate, whatever we brought home that day. It worked wonderfully well. But now a days, it is harder to do that. Many stores won't just because they are afraid to get sued. Or they are already donating it to a food bank. But it is worth the try. You have nothing to lose. You have to speak to the produce manager. Some require that you be a charity and some don't. I also did the same with the dairy manager and bought the yogurt and milk and cheese that was just on the verge of expiring. There used to be a yogurt plant in Denver that literally gave me cases of yogurt at a time. I would take off the lid, stir up the fruit at the bottom, put the lid back on with a Popsicle stick into it, and put them into the freezer. I did this with a bagel shop too. I went there once a week and sometimes had 300 bagels in a large plastic bag. I froze as many as I thought we could eat and gave the rest to family, friends, and the middle school my daughter went to. The cook was happy to get them and gave the students free breakfast. A toasted bagel with butter. The students were very happy with the arrangement and could choose any flavor they wanted. I did this with pizza restaurants as well. At the end of the evening when they were about to close on a Friday or Saturday night I would pick up the pizzas that were not deliverable. They gave them to me. I took them home and wrapped them up in plastic wrap and stuck them in the freezer. Then when the kids wanted pizza I just warmed them back up in the oven. You have to call first and talk to the manager. Don't just show up and ask for them. It won't happen. I also read an article in another magazine, I don't recall which one, but it was about a great banquet in Washington D.C. The banquet was all made with the food they had collected from local restaurants and stores that was to be thrown away that week. It was done to prove a point. The point was how much food gets tossed everyday in America. If you find such a deal anywhere, share the food. Give it to all of the people in your life who are struggling. Give it to the food bank, put it out there on craigslist. But share it.

By the way keep a pretty table it makes mealtime happier. (Photo is my best friend Jane's kitchen table in Southern Cal.)

Money saving tips-food part 1

Hello readers! Let me introduce myself. My name is Marilyn Magee. I am the proud mother of five beautiful children and grandmother of four. My husband and I have been married for thirty five years, together, we raised our children for the most part with one income. As a child both of my parents worked so we decided that when we had children I would be there for them, a homemaker, if you will. When I kept getting pregnant, the decision was already made. We would live on one income. So I learned. I learned how to stretch a dollar, how to cook, sew, garden, can, shop wisely, etc. I truly believe in view of the times we now find ourselves the information that I have can be beneficial to many who now have to live on less.

If you are reading my column, you probably are trying to cut corners in any way you can. Do not despair. There are many people out there who have been in the same boat or are currently in the same boat as you now find yourself. Accumulative knowledge is a beautiful thing and with it you can be empowered to succeed no matter what your income. If you are among those of us who have become unemployed through no fault of our own and are now looking for ways to stretch the dollar you have come to the right place. I will for all practical purposes endeavor to fill your head with tried and true ways to cut corners. I will try my best to get at least three practical articles written every week that you can add to you collection of information. In fact you may want to print a copy and put it in a three ring binder or notebook for reference later. We will cover information on money saving tips for all aspects of running a household. I invite you the reader to share your little tid-bits as well. You can email me at maremagee@gmail.com if you want to contribute information that works for you. I don't know when or if it will get printed, but I will do my best to include as many of those tips as possible. The first section I will write about is food. Kids have to eat so let's get going!

Many people clip coupons. I don't. Well, I try not to. I think coupon clipping can be a waste of time and time is money. I think that most people don't save that much money and you don't get paid for the time it takes to read through them all and clip them all. Time is a precious commodity these days. People are so busy, who has time to clip coupons? Not me. Besides most stores have a card you use and get the coupon price without actually cutting the coupon. Also in case you didn't know, you can call the 1-800 number on the back of the product or go on line for many companies and request coupons, which they will send to you for the products you actually use and want. Another great idea is the Gold-C book (also known as the Entertainment Book). It is often sold as a fund raiser item for schools. It has coupons for restaurants, attractions, shopping etc. and it has the coupons already organized for you and you can just pull them out as necessary. In fact, Safeway has coupons in it that can be used along with any other coupon you have as long as your total is at least $50. Talk about savings. But leave your Gold-C book in your car so it will be handy when you need it. For those die hard coupon cutters, I wish you well. Don't get me wrong, there are times when coupon clipping comes in handy, but I think you can buy in bulk and save way more than any coupon can. April, an awesome friend of mine, swears by her Entertainment Book! She has treated me to lunch with her buy one get one coupon from McDonalds that came out of her book.

If you have access to a food warehouse then by all means use it. There are two big chains out there that come to mind. If you don't have a membership and don't have a business, don't despair. Ask around. You may know someone who has a membership that will let you be secondary card holder (which by the way is usually free). Or you may be able to go with someone who has a card and pay cash for your purchases. Keep in mind though that buying certain items in bulk will just end up costing you more than you need to spend. So before you go decide what you will buy, make a list, then do not stray. A good example is condiments. If you will not use three large bottles of ketchup in say six months then don't buy it at the food warehouse. On the other hand if you have a large family then by all means take advantage of all they have to offer. I found that buying mozzarella cheese in a five pound brick then taking it home and cutting in to five one pound chunks is cost effective. The same cheese sold at a chain grocery store ran about $4.00 per pound and it was almost 1/2 that by buying it in a brick. You can freeze it, but it changes in consistency a little bit if you do. I put mine in quart size freezer bags and use it for cooking. It will grate easily if allowed to semi-thaw. I use it for lasagna, enchiladas, casseroles, etc.

If you have a family I highly recommend a freezer. If you cannot afford one look on craigslist in the "free" section. I have seen them given away free. Maybe someone is moving or their children are gone and they no longer need it. Or you can post an ad for a free one under "wanted". All I know is that I could not have fed my children as well as I did without one. When my children were young I found one for fifty dollars at a garage sale. It was as big as a casket. We used to kid about being able to put a body in it. Kidding aside, with a freezer you can buy large roasts and cut them into stew meat, or into smaller roasts. You can buy turkeys when they go on sale and put three or four of them in the freezer. When you run across a great sale you can stock up and put it in the freezer. I used to buy ground turkey chubs by the tens whenever they went on sale. It can be used in almost any ground beef recipe and it is better for you. You can almost freeze anything. The other things I recommend for your kitchen are a pressure cooker (contact your local county extension office for the proper use of a pressure cooker if you buy a used one) and a food processor. If you can't afford to buy new, go to the goodwill or thrift store and see if you can find one you can afford. They will usually let you plug it in to make sure it works and have a thirty day return policy. But don't quote me, ask.

"But I work full time" you may say, "I don't have time to do all of this stuff". With a little planning you can cook your family great meals in a short period of time. For example, have you ever thought of dumping a five pound bag of potatoes into a pot of water and just boiling them skins and all till just done and then storing them in the refrigerator for recipes to be used during the week? Saves time. Also, cooking a large pot of rice with your dinner then making rice pudding out of the left overs for breakfast? Saves time. How about your turkey dinner? Leave the carcass in the roaster and put it on the stove top as soon as the last spoon of mashed potatoes are gobbled up. Add salt, celery, and onions, boil till the remainder of the meat falls off, let cool for a little while then carefully scoop out the bones and there you have turkey broth for any recipe you choose. Put it in plastic ware and store in the freezer for your next enchilada sauce recipe, or gravy for hot turkey sandwiches, in case there was extra meat you could cut and save. Or you could add some extra wide egg noodles for a yummy turkey soup. I season mine with my home made vegetable seasoning. I took the bottle of one of my favorite seasoning mix and wrote down all the ingredients. Then I went to my local health food store and bought all of the herbs in bulk. (Sold in small bags by the ounce). I then put them into my food processor in order listed using 2 Tbsp. for the first half then reducing the herbs to 1 Tbsp. then 1 tsp. when I got to the strong, pungent herbs. When I finished I had a quart of great tasting spice mix that could be used on almost any recipe. Even as a rub. The same herb mix costs over $3.00 for a small bottle. Granted my first endeavor cost more than that but I ended up with a quart size jar. I still have some left over to make more which I store in the pantry in a big jar.

Another tip you may find handy is to buy what is in season. They cost less and taste better. For example, we can grow strawberries here in Colorado in the spring and summer and they freeze really well. So if you can grow them terrific! But if not, you may be able to find them in season at the food warehouse and then freeze them yourself to be used later in the year. But make sure to freeze them individually on cookie sheets and then put them into freezer bags otherwise they may stick together and you won't be able to take out only what you can use.

Please check back in a few days. I have more information on food ideas, even free food, we will also cover more on time saving tips in the kitchen.