The FREE lunch lives

MSNBC published an article on its website yesterday listing places to get free grub, samples, handouts etc. Many of them do not apply in Minnesota but overall it offers very good ideas and resources. Why not check it out?

Homemade Salad Dressing recipes

Some crops of lettuce are nearly ready and when it is ready to harvest, you will be eating salad every day. You could watch for salad dressings on sale and stock up in anticipation of this. However, commercial salad dressings are expensive and filled with corn syrup and salt. Consider stocking up on ingredients to make your own dressings instead. Homemade dressings taste better, make more for the money, and are much easier to make than you think.

Ranch Dressing

1/3 c plain nonfat yogurt
1/3 c mayonnaise
1/2 c buttermilk
2 Tbs finely chopped green onions, tops only
1/4 tsp onion powder
2 tsp minced parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix well. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

(Add fresh ground pepper to taste for Peppercorn Ranch or 1/4 c grated cucumber for Cucumber Ranch)

Catalina - Style Dressing

1 c ketchup
1/4 c sugar or to taste
1/4 c red wine vinegar
1 - 2 tsp garlic powder
1 - 2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp celery seed
1/4 tsp paprika

Place in blender and process until smooth. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 90 days.

Thousand Island Salad Dressing

1 c mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sweet pickle relish
¼ c chili sauce or ketchup
3 Tbsp finely chopped green bell pepper
3 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp sugar
¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 hard boiled egg finely chopped

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Italian Dressing

1 c red wine vinegar
1 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
2 Tbsp of water
1/2 Tbsp garlic salt
1/2 Tbsp onion powder
1/2 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 Tbsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp celery salt
1 Tbsp salt

Store covered in the refirgerator for up to 90 days.

Thrifty Traveling

I just returned from a conference in Chicago. It was an amazing experience and I got to talk with people in my field from all over the world - everywhere from East Sussex, UK to Amsterdam, Netherlands to Durbin, South Africa and Essen, Belgium. I got to hear Captain Jim Lovell (of the famed Apollo 13), Jeffrey Taylor (founder of Monster.com) and Laurence Gonzales (journalist, author and National Geographic editor). However, I am on a budget and none of the meals (save one) was covered by the conference fee. The old “buy stuff at the grocery store and cook in your hotel room” trick didn’t work as I wasn’t familiar with the area, had no idea where a grocery store was, and didn’t have sufficient time to locate one and travel there via public transportation. Neither did I have a courtesy microwave or even coffee pot to use.

I got up early every morning and walked a half mile to the nearest college campus where I ate in the cafeteria for about $3.50 every morning. Lunch, I generally skipped as even a house salad in the conference restaurant ran $14.95 and a glass of water was $3.50. For dinner, I walked back over to the college campus area where I could pick up a fairly decent dinner for $7 - $8. Being a complete cheapskate, my family and I don’t normally do this type of traveling but it made me think – what do people do when you have to travel for business? I realize most people get reimbursed for these types of expenses by their company but really! There must be traveling tricks I don’t know. What do you do? How do you save yourself and your company money?

Save on Health Care Part II

When we are ill, we wonder whether or not we should be treated by a doctor. Many times, insurance plans have a nurse line that you can call and a professional will help you decide whether to go in or not. But... what do you do if this isn't offered by your insurance or if you don't have insurance?

Try the Symptom Checker on the Mayo Clinic website. It asks you to select a symptom, identify specific factors related to your symptom(s), indicates when seeking medical care from your regular physician would be advisable, which symptoms would require immediate emergency care, and provides you with a list of possible causes. For each cause, the Symptom Checker lists associated factors and symptoms, potential causes, risk factors, how to prepare for your appointment, tests and procedures that may be used to make a diagnosis, complications that may arise if you have this condition, treatments and drugs that may be prescribed, information about how to prevent the condition and, if not dangerous, lifestyle changes and home remedies. While it is a website run by professionals in the medical field, they acknowledge some homeopathic remedies that may help. In the three conditions that I investigated, one indicated immediate medical attention was required and offered no alternative solutions. One suggested an entire alternative treatment program consisting of yoga, massage, meditation, acupuncture, dietary supplements and a TENS unit. The third condition I reviewed offered simple common sense advice like experiment with fiber, drink lots of water, exercise, reduce stress by listening to music reading, or soaking in a warm bath, and get support from your family and friends.

To really save on medical expenses, stay healthy in the first place. This means:

**Eating right (the United States Department of Agriculture offers a customized pyramid plan that tells you the exact amounts of each food groups you need)

**Excerising (Inexpensive home workouts and playground routines are fine. Expensive club memberships are not needed.)

**Washing your hands frequently

Save on Health Care

The cost of health care is becoming more and more of a concern as more companies are offering reduced health insurance premiums with an HSA (Health Savings Account) and as more people are unemployed/underemployed without health insurance at all. Several people have sent emails requesting information about how to reduce their medical costs and a few people had suggestions. For example:

Earthclinic.com offers users folk remedies for a variety of ailments. It is a comprehensive resource with remedies for everything from acid reflux and Alzheimer's to wrinkles and yeast infections. Yes, many of these remedies were probably used by your great grandparents and many of them may help. However, please be cautious and use common sense when trying them as not many of these types of cures have been methodically tested. (Albeit they haven't been tested because testing is generally funded by pharmaceutical companies and what pharmaceutical company would want to pay for tests that may ultimately cause them to lose money.) When deciding which remedies to try, please consider the consequences if things go wrong and research to try to understand the scientific basis of the claim.

For example, it is commonly acknowledged that the slime found under the bark of the Willow Tree can be ingested to treat a variety of aches and pains. This makes sense as the slime found under the bark of the Willow Tree contains acetylsalicyclic acid ~ the main ingredient in aspirin. So... if you want to suck on the bark of the Willow Tree to treat your premature arthritis, you probably won't do any harm. If you have your child slurp it down to treat a headache, you could kill them if their headache is a symptom of Reye's syndrome.

Another common folk remedy is to ingest colloidal silver, a natural antibiotic, to avoid having to get a prescription for antibiotics. In fact, proponents of colloidal silver use claim that it is an effective treatment against ear infections, infectious diseases, parasites, chronic fatigue, acne, warts, hemorrhoids, etc. It is true that silver is antibiotic and studies have shown colloidal silver to be effective. In fact, colloidal silver is the main ingredient of the burn cream used in hospital burn units. Making it yourself or using more than your natural health practitioner recommends, however, can lead to serious and permanent side effects. Go ahead and experiment. Just be aware that you may spend the rest of your life as a smurf if you aren't careful about process and dosage.

Folk remedies can be a good thing. But... be sure you know what you are doing.

More medical savings ideas will come later! :-)

Comments?

Mother's Day

On Mother's Day, flowers and lunch would be lovely, but in reality, I really just want more space and more time. It seems that the more stuff I collect, the more time and energy I have to spend maintaining it. As such, I would love some coupons from the husband and kids for helping clean up the clutter. If you feel the same way and decide to get a jump start on your work, the City of Minnetrista is holding their semi-annual recycle/clean-up day tomorrow Saturday May 9, 2009 from 8am - 3pm at Minnetrista City Hall. Unlike clean-up days in some cities, you do not have to be a resident of Minnetrista to participate.

But what if the woman you are honoring has no clutter and you haven't ordered the flowers or made reservations yet? When you are done bemoaning the fact that she did not pass on the organization genes, you can quickly do something else to let her know you love her. For example:

• The Minnesota fishing opener is this weekend. If you have an outdoorsy mother,declare her queen of the boat/dock. Bait all her hooks and remove all her fish. And, when you get home, clean them and fry them while she hits the shower.


• If poetry is her thing, peruse the work of Nicholas Gordon who offers his series of Mother poems on-line for free.


• Get sentimental. Visit your local thrift store and purchase an old picture with an amazing frame. Remove the picture and replace it with one of you and your mom. Accompany it with a handwritten letter (remember these?) telling her your favorite memories with her and/or why you love her.


• Make weeknights easier for her. Throw together a pan of lasagna or other one-dish dinner for your mom to put in her freezer. Or, if she is alone most of the week, bake it ahead of time and divide it into single serving microwaveable containers.


• Acknowledge her needs. Visit your local thrift store or look around your house for an interesting container. Fill it with dirt, add a Thyme plant from the local nursery and add a coupon for an afternoon of work.


• Help her be a kid again. Whip up a batch of chocolate chip cookie dough, place it in a container, and tie a spoon into the bow.


• While not the cheapest idea, if you have a mom who is always on the go, show up early, 'steal' her car, fill it with gas, give it a good vacuum and take it through the car wash.


• The musical mom may appreciate a custom Mother's Day song which you can download to make a customized CD.


• For the woman who has survived breast cancer, help her make a sassy in-your-face statement by whipping together a "fight-like-a-girl" bra purse.


• If her heart is set on flowers, give her seed packets and an afternoon to plant them or hit Costco where they have huge hanging baskets of flowers for around $12.

But however you spend it... Have a Happy Mother's Day!

Affordable and Fashionable Clothes

My son is a skateboarder who skateboards three to six hours a day depending on whether he has school or not. His waist is bigger than his backside and his calves are so developed he can't pull fitted jeans over them. To make matters worse, he keeps ripping holes in odd places - like the upper thigh, the crotch, and the back pocket. My daughter weighs less than I did - ever, is about 5'10", and is still growing. Keeping the kids clothed can be very expensive not to mention keeping them clothed in items that won't make them mashed potato targets in the lunch room. However.... I have some solutions that have worked for our family. Maybe they will work for yours. :-)

1. Get clothes from friends and family.

Okay... I know the selection isn't that great and that your kids won't be too interested in gramma's old sweatshirt with the cardinals on the front. But... the price is right! And, your kids are far more willing to wear things when you hand them a scissors and tell them to go ahead, be creative and re-style it. Yup. Cut it up. Tear it. Rip it. Paint it. Add a ribbon. Cut it shorter. Add fabric and make it longer. This slash and wear approach admittedly does not work well for my son who thinks this is insane but my daughter has had great fun taking people's old jeans and turning them into long denim skirts and purses. She has had a blast ripping lace off of someone else's old nightgown and adding to a too-small tank to make a feminine cami. She has transformed a black geek-squad t-shirt into a fun halter shirt that ties in the back, a couple of old concert tees into an a-line skirt and a children's Cars shirt into a bandeau top. This type of thing takes only a little bit of imagination, a pair of scissors, some safety pins and a library card. The public library is full of fashion / alteration books. My daughter's favorite is entitled Generation T: 108 ways to transform a T-shirt by Megan Nicolay (albeit there are several designs she is not permitted to attempt as they are suitable only for Hennepin Avenue after dark.)

2. Purchase clothes at garage sales.

Yes, I know. In some communities, shopping at garage sales is not exactly considered classy. But ... your neighbors aren't paying your bills and if you are going to pay for clothing, the cheapest clothes can be found here. If you live in an area where garage sale shopping comes attached with a stigma, do not think of items as 'garage sale clothes.' Rather recognize them for what they really are - 'certified pre-owned clothing which was washed ten times to guarantee no pilling or shrinking.' Look for big neighborhood sales and for sales in upscale neighborhoods. Make sure you examine things carefully before purchasing them. Missing buttons and fraying seams are easily fixable. Broken zippers, however, can be much more problematic.

3. Purchase clothes at thrift stores.

Thrift stores offer a better selection of items than at garage sales and you don't have to spend an entire morning looking for signs posted on corners. Prices and quality of items vary widely and you will need to shop just as carefully as if you were shopping at a garage sale. Like garage sales, thrift stores offer a variety of merchandise. You can pick up new jeans, a new book, and new Tupperware with one stop. Additionally, many thrift stores are associated with charities and your purchase supports their programs. For example, Bethesda Thrift Shop in Hopkins supports the programs of Bethesda Lutheran Homes and Services and The PROP Shop in Eden Prairie funds the local emergency services / food shelf organization People Reaching Out to Other People.

High-end thrift stores are more expensive but are excellent places to find specialty items. If you have teenagers (or like designer clothing yourself) make sure you stop by Plato's Closet. The prices are in line with Target or Walmart but you get Abercrombie, Aeropostale, Baby Phat, Billabong, Ecko, Express, Hollister, J. Crew, Seven, Sketchers, Quiksilver and more. And.. it is 'cool' to shop here. If you are looking for business clothing, the Clothes Mentor may have something for you.

4. Purchase clothes at consignment shops.

Consignment shops tend to have the most expensive "certified pre-owned clothing" you can buy; however, the quality and selection is excellent. Consignment shops are also one of the best places to get discounted business clothing. If you are looking for a specific item, a consignment shop owner may be able to watch for it for you saving you money and time.

5. Purchase new clothes on sale or clearance.

Be aware that when stores offer items on sale claiming a certain percentage off, the percentage has been calculated using the highest price charged for that item. To determine if the sale item is a bargain, do not compare the clearance price to the price you would have paid for the item full price. Compare it to the price you would have been willing to pay at a thrift store or garage sale. For example, if a shirt was originally $50 and is on clearance for 50% off, you will be paying $25 for it. If a similar shirt could be purchased at consignment shop for $15, a thrift store for $8 or a garage sale for $4, the purchase of the sale item is not saving you money. It is costing you an extra $10, $17, or $21 respectively. However, if that same shirt is on sale for 70% off and you would pay $15 for it, the sale price is equal to a consignment store purchase. If the shirt is 90% off and you would pay only $5 for it, the store is offering almost as good as a deal as the garage sale.

6. Purchase clothes at full price.

Ummm.... nobody does this.

So... how do you know if something will fit you when you shop at garage sales? You can't exactly pull up to the house a week later and knock on their door asking for a refund or store credit. Zafu can help you find the best brands for your body type and will alert you to the worst brands for your shape. Log into the website and set up a profile by providing your height, weight, measurements and style preferences. They compare it to their database of brands and user comments to make recommendations for the jeans, bras, pants, and accessories that will fit you best. Record the names, measurements, sizes, color preferences and favorite brands of all of your family members in a small notebook. Keep the notebook in your purse or car along with a tape measure to measure clothes without tags.

Happy hunting!

Home Remedies

This weekend was Confirmation Sunday at our church and one of the kids accidentally spilled some of the communion down the front of their white robe. Yup - huge purple stains. People were lamenting leaving their Tide pens at home and some debated running to a store between services to purchase one. Oddly, no one knew about the "hydrogen peroxide as stain remover" trick. They were amazed the purple lifted right out using an inexpensive first aid kit standard. (Simply dab on the peroxide and the bubbles lift the stain right out. Blot with water once the stain is gone to prevent continued bleaching of the fabric. This works best on whites as the peroxide may remove die from colored items.)

Yesterday was gorgeous so I hit the gardening store after church. People were filling their carts with rabbit/deer repellent at $16 per spray bottle. Apparently they did not know about the much cheaper homemade version that is just as effective as commercial chemical repellents. (Mix 1/4 c eggbeaters with 1 c water. Mix well, place in a clean spray bottle, spray on plants and let dry. Repeat every 30 - 60 days.)

When my gardening was done, I washed dog nose prints off my sliding glass door with homemade glass cleaner (fill a spray bottle with equal parts vinegar and water.) As I was putting the mixture together, the neighbor kids watched in fascination. They didn't know you could "cook" window cleaner.

These recipes and formulas take less time and money to whip together than selecting a specialty commercial item from the store. Why have they become a novelty?

Do you have other tried and true homemade fixes that you are willing to share?

A Time for Everything

Every time we turn on the television or open a newspaper, we are hit with a barrage of advertisements claiming that the advertiser has the "Lowest Prices of the Year! Today Only!" We make a purchase only to find the same product advertised two months later for a third less than what we paid for it. So, how do we shop ahead for needs and gifts when we are never sure if it is really the best deal? While there are always exceptions, the following is a calendar of sorts listing the types of sales to expect in department and specialty stores throughout the year.

January ~ Continuation of after-Christmas sales; lingerie, accessories, luggage, stationery, white sales, winter clearance of shoes, boots, clothing, furs, ski clothing and gear, knitting, needlework and craft supplies, linens, electronics, computers, small appliances, athletic shoes, exercise equipment, Christmas clearance chocolate, toiletries, fragrances, cosmetics, beauty treatments, semiannual furniture sales, soda, diet foods, frozen finger foods. This is an excellent month to get good prices on houses, motorcycles and boats as there is less of a market for them in the middle of winter.

February ~ Storewide Presidents' Day sales, housewares, fabric, hosiery, electronics, preseason sales of new model barbecue grills (this means they will also be clearing out last season's models at bargain prices), outdoor furniture, lawn mowers, post-Valentine's Day chocolate, steak and seafood. This is also an excellent month to buy houses, motorcycles and boats.

March ~ Storewide spring sales, china, glassware, crystal accessories, silver and stainless flatware, floor coverings, do-it-yourself home improvement equipment, pre-Easter fashions, frozen food and boats.

April ~ (Starting Easter Sunday) outdoor furniture, garden supplies, summer table accessories, rugs, eggs, ham, cheese, mustard, ready-made dough, dinner rolls, frozen pies, cake mixes, frosting, pie crusts. After-Easter chocolate and other clearance (in March if Easter occurs then,) sleepwear, lounge-wear, yard goods, trimming, patterns for summer fashions, vacuum cleaners, diamond and gold jewelry, watches, tires, car-care supplies. Watch for fresh hams on clearance after Easter as they can not be frozen and sold by the store. They can be purchased and frozen by you. :-)

May ~ White sales, baby needs, gifts for brides and graduates, summer housewares including picnic gear, hot dogs, ground beef, hamburger and hot dog buns, condiments, salad dressing, chips, ice cream, popsicles, soda, bottled water, party supplies, home furnishings, luggage, Mother's Day sales of jewelry, small accessories, scarves, Memorial Day sales, summer fashions, sporting equipment, outdoor furniture and gear, grilling supplies (charcoal, lighter fluid), vacuum cleaners, cookware.

June ~ Summer appliances, golf, tennis, fishing and camping equipment, sport shoes and clothing, swimsuits, luggage, floor coverings, Father Day sales, men's furnishings, accessories, games, tools, small leather goods, ice cream, popsicles, soda, bottled water, ice tea.

July ~ Storewide Fourth of July sales in nearly every category of merchandise especially swimwear and fashions, semi-annual furniture sales, hot dogs, ground beef, hamburger and hot dog buns, condiments, salad dressing, chips, ice cream, popsicles, water, soda, grill supplies, party supplies. This is the best month to buy a new computer as stores clear out their showrooms to make space for new models released in August and September.

August ~ Final summer clearance sales, early fall accessories, stationery and school supplies, toys, continuation of fur and semiannual furniture sales, pool supplies, outdoor toy clearance, outdoor furniture, pre-Labor Day sales of back-to-school wear, cereal, breakfast bars, peanut butter, jelly, lunch meat, cheese, yogurt, chips, snack cakes, cookies, soda, bottled water, drink boxes. This is also the best month to buy a new computer as stores clear out their showrooms to make space for new models.

September ~ Storewide Labor Day sales on fall and some winter fashions, school equipment sales, computers, calculators, briefcases, major housewares sales of the year, cutlery, gadgets, tools, gifts, casual china and glass, small and large appliances (new models come out in September and October so you can get great deals as stores try to clear their showrooms), do-it-yourself home equipment and tools, grills, lawn mower clearance, grill supplies, party supplies, hardware, paint and wallpaper, home entertainment equipment, cereal, breakfast bars, peanut butter, jelly, lunch meat, cheese, yogurt, chips, snack cakes, cookies, hot dogs, ground beef, hamburger and hot dog buns, condiments, salad dressing, canned fruit and vegetables, soups, soda, drink boxes. This is also a good time to purchase a new car as companies start getting new products and need to clear their showrooms.

October ~ Columbus Day sales of outerwear, fall fashions, home furnishings, large appliances, lawn mowers and grills on clearance, floor covering, tires and other car-care supplies, infant needs, pre-season ski sales, canned fruit and vegetables, dried fruit (raisins, apricots, cranberries), soups. This is a great time to purchase an air conditioner as demand is down.

November ~ Halloween clearance candy and costumes (stock up to fill Christmas stockings, decorate gingerbread houses or create a "dress-up box" Christmas gift). Election Day and Veterans Day are associated with the two major pre-winter sales of outerwear for the whole family, fall and winter fashions and accessories, curtain and drapery sales, lamps. Pre-Thanksgiving Day sales of china, glass, tablecloths, silverware, pots, pans, serving pieces, small appliances, turkey, butter, cheese, baking supplies, pie crusts, ready-made dough, dinner rolls, frozen pies, cake mix, frosting, pie filling, spices, nuts, dried fruit, oatmeal, marshmellows, soup, aluminum foil, plastic wrap, disposable baking pans, cookware. Post-Thanksgiving Day sales (in reality the start of the Christmas shopping season) furs, skates, skis, sleds, bicycles, electronics, tools, carpeting and flooring. Watch for the fresh turkeys to go on clearance the day after Thanksgiving as the store can not sell it frozen; however, you can buy it cheap, take it home and freeze it. This is a great month to purchase a new air conditioner as the demand is down.

December ~ Holiday fashions, infant and toddler clothing and gifts, gourmet foods, ham, butter, cheese, baking supplies, pie crusts, dinner rolls, frozen pies, cake mix, frosting, pie filling, cookie dough, spices, nuts, dried fruit, oatmeal, soda, disposable baking pans, aluminum foil, plastic wrap. After-Christmas sales like half-price or more Christmas cards, tree trimmings, gift wrap, toys, holiday candy, cakes and cookies, giftware, small home furnishings, electronics, computers, tools, winter clothing. This is also a great month to buy an air conditioner, lawn mower or grill as the demand is down.