Cheap, Quick Cookies

I made these cookies the other night when I needed a treat to take somewhere but was pressed for time. I always try to keep a couple bags of these for just such emergencies. The Betty Crocker Oatmeal Chocolate Chip are my favorite. They really do taste (almost) homemade. When I remember, I add extra Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Chips (Can get a big bag of Ghirardelli chips at Sam's Club). They have coupons for these cookies all the time. I rarely pay over a dollar for the bag of cookie mix. Yummy and fast! (Overcooked these cookies a bit!)

TV Dinners

I need my life to be easier ... and I need to lose some weight! Here's an easy solution. I made up a bunch of healthy and cheap TV Dinners. I put cooked beans and brown rice in half (my favorite) and cooked chicken and rice in the other half. You need to lay them somewhat flat while freezing. I put them in baggies and then use kitchen scissors to cut them open. Then I put the ice clump of food covered in the microwave for a couple minutes. Great when you are hungry and tempted to eat something you shouldn't and need food fast! Obviously you can do this with all sorts of food. When I was single and poor I used to do this for my lunches to take to work. I'd take frozen taco meat and a tortilla, potato soup, etc.

Dumpster Diving!

I'm always amazed at what great things you can get if you're not proud about it. I found this leather couch and a chair sitting outside on the curb in our neighborhood for trash pickup. A serious shame if the owners were really intending them to go to the dump. I assume they expected someone to pick them up. Anyway, I asked the neighbor next door if the people getting rid of the couch and chair were fairly clean, she said yes, so I loaded them into the truck. I know some college students who needed something to sit on and after cleaning and sanitizing the furniture, (a plus you can do with leather) they now have free furniture to get them through school.

Love these Glad Bags

I love these Glad bags! My mother-in-law told me about them. They are much cheaper per bag than a gallon-sized ziplock bag. They are good for bagging a smaller loaf of bread, a bunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for a picnic, etc. I got mine at Walmart.

The Abundant Life!

Yummy tomatoes, fresh basil ... it just feels so abundant to watch your little fruits and veggies grow in your own garden. Over the past couple years I've started dabbling in gardening. I don't really know what I'm doing, but am slowly learning a thing here or there. At first the whole project wasn't a huge savings on food because I bought pots (I'm doing container gardening), soil and seeds. It was still rewarding and just so fun. Now it's getting cheaper. I just need fertilizer (which I plan to eventually get from composting) and seeds or small plants you can buy at the nursery. I would like to encourage everyone to at least get a tomato plant in a pot this summer. It just feels good to watch something grow!

A Cheaper Swiffer

I have one of those old "Swiffer" mops that I use too often. What can I say ... I'm weak! They are just so quick to rid up your floors. The only problem is the wipes you buy are expensive (even the generics), they aren't exactly environmentally friendly and I personally don't like the smell.

I had heard about doing something like this and finally tried it. Love it! I bought a bunch of really bright washcloths for (I think) $4.00. I bought them bright because I don't want to use the same washcloth on my face as on my floor. To use, you just put some water on them, I put a little splash of Pine Sol and attach them to the Swiffer mop the way you would the Swiffer sheet. They don't stay in quite as well as the Swiffer sheets, so you could use an office or some other type of clip at the top to keep the fabric together if it was really bothering you. To do my kitchen I go through about four washcloths and then just toss them in the laundry.

So happy I found this way of mopping. Much cheaper! Also, I like to actually use some water on my floor.

Dollar Store / Fresh & Easy

Went shopping today at the dollar store and a small grocery store called Fresh & Easy.

First the dollar store. Even though I'm a bargain shopper, until the past year I've pretty much stayed away from dollar stores. I had the impression everything in them is of poor quality. I recently changed my mind ... a little. While I still think most of the "stuff" is pretty cheap, I've found one by us that actually has some decent things to purchase from time-to-time.

Today I bought music CD 's for my "gift-stash." They are those "relaxation" type CD's. I had bought one for myself and liked it so much I went back to buy more for gifts. I've also bought gift bags there at a really good price. Our store has a school supplies section for teachers I love ... work books, flash cards, ABC & math posters. I've bought some fun books for myself. I buy cheap toys as a reward for finishing homework on time.

Next store was Fresh & Easy. If you have a chance to visit one, you should. They are small grocery stores I thought would be expensive, but are reasonable. They are in the southwest and great for a fast stop. You can get in and out very quickly. All of their house-brand products I've tried have been decent to really good. If you're in a hurry for lunch, you can pick up a good salad for $3.99. I can also find specialty-type products I can't find at my local grocery store, such as light cheeses, etc. ... for a reasonable price. Here's some of the things I like to buy there (all house-brand):

Milk $1.99
Honey Pretzels $1.59
Canned Beans (various prices, cheaper than my large grocery store)
Pizza Dough $1.29 (I like to make my own, but in a pinch it works.)
Pizza Sauce (Can't remember price, I think a little over $1.00)
Tofu $.99 (I think?)
Pita's (6) $1.58