El Cheap-o to the Penny Pinching

I'm cheap, thrifty, careful, stingy...whatever.  Pretty much always have been.  I don't mind spending on others, but for myself -- the knock-off brand, on sale, with a .50 manufacturer's coupon is good enough for me.

Since I quit my job my new goal was to save $ where I could, especially groceries.  The first few months were tough settling into a new home because even though we had everything we needed, it was amazing how many NEW things the new house did need.  So when we had to buy a new $100 toilet right off the bat since this one was broke, I like to try and justify the spending by the savings.  

Some months I do very well and others...not.  Some months the grocery stores have everything I use. Other months they don't have anything I use and I end up paying full price.

Sundays: I used to buy the newspaper to clip the coupons and read the paper, but w/ littles around I don't take the time to read the paper, and sometimes the coupons aren't enough to justify a $2 paper. Instead I go to free coupon websites and print out my own.  I then checkout the grocer ads of Marketplace, Lueken's, Walgreen's, & Walmart online.  They may have an item on sale for .50 off then I have a manufacturer's coupon for another .50 off.  Walgreen's has a lot of items B1G1 free or 50% off and they have a lot of groceries too.  I use my Walgreen's customer (not credit) card and save up points -- I got $50 off my bill in September by saving up my earned points.  Marketplace uses stamps that can be traded in for $1 off per filled card, and Tuesdays are double-stamp day.

Even with our special diets, we can get a lot of items on sale when looking close enough.

Many of my meal ideas come from sale items.  If ground beef is on sale, that's what we're having.  However watching prices helps too.  Some places had B1G1 free turkeys in Nov, but they were >$2/lb.  December they were under $1/lb.  Sounds too good to be true, and it was once you realize it wasn't a good buy.  I found an awesome butcher shop today and went crazy on home-smoked bacon, wieners, and beef.  It was slightly more expensive, but better quality meat.  I also bought Chex cereal on sale so we'll be eating that for breakfast as well as experimenting with making puppy chow, per my husband's request.  

My kids clothes come from my gf's garage sale or I buy out of season.  Today I saved $4 on snow pants for E for this year/next year because they have their winter items marked down. 

Gas: I buy Walmart gift cards and use them @ the gas pumps and save .03/gal. Plus Murphy Gas is usually .03+ cheaper than other places in town anyway -- so that's a .06/gal savings.
I started a spread sheet to keep track of my savings to see if it was worth my time Sunday nights. Nov I forgot to document until mid month.  Turns out it is worth my time when I save between $127 to $197/mo.   I also like to look @ the % I'm saving on my total bill.  Love it when I can save 40% on my grocery bill!!

October	MarketPlace	$40.00
4	MurphyUSAgas	$0.20
12	MurphyUSAgas	$0.52
10	Office Max	$7.28
9	MurphyUSAgas	$0.57
7	MarketPlace	$40.00	26.00%
12	Walgreens	$33.00	34
16	MarketPlace	$45.61	27.00%
15	Menards	$20.00	freezer
17	murphyUSAgas	$0.60
23	MarketPlace	$9.00
26	murphyUSAgas	$0.45	$197.23
November	MarketPlace	$64.00	35.00%
23	Walgreens	$21.05	22.00%
23	MarketPlace	$18.10	29.00%
23	Wal-mart	$3.00
23	Lueken's	$21.75	34.00%
			$127.90
December
2	Walmart	$1.00
2	MarketPlace	$43.23	38.00%
2	Luekens	$19.73	40.00%
11	Lueken's	$12.81	11.00%
14	MurphyUSAgas	$3.55
15	MarketPlace	$30.62	38.00%
18	Walmart	$7.50
23	MurphyUSAgas	$1.54
26	MurphyUSAgas	$1.56
26	Wal-mart	$12.11	groc
26	Wal-mart	$31.44	household
			$165.09

Easy Homemade Pizza Sauce

GF Bread, Pizza, or Buns (dough)

I LOVE this recipe, esp for homemade pizza. One thing I added when making pizza was sprinkling the pan w/ cornmeal before adding the raw dough. 

SOFT GLUTEN FREE SANDWICH BREAD RECIPE

 

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PREP TIME

35 mins

COOK TIME

35 mins

TOTAL TIME

1 hour 10 mins

 

Soft Gluten Free Sandwich Bread Recipe - Makes 1 9x5 Loaf of Bread

Author: Erika

Recipe type: Baked Goods

Cuisine: Gluten Free

Serves: 1 9x5 Loaf

INGREDIENTS

YEAST MIX:

• 1½ Cup Water or Milk (or Milk Alternative)
• 4 Tablespoons Honey
• 2½ teaspoons Dry Active Yeast (I use an organic round yeast instead of the rod type. I buy it in bulk at my local natural food store - just be sure your yeast is fresh and alive.)

DRY MIX:

• 3 Cups of Erika's All Purpose Gluten Free Flour Mix
• 1½ teaspoons Xanthan Gum (in addition to whats already in the GF Flour Mix)
• 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• (you can add sweet or savory seasonings to taste)

WET MIX:

• 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar or Lemon Juice
• ¼ Cup Olive Oil
• 2 Large Eggs (see options for egg free below)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In measuring cup, measure & warm milk to just above body temperature - should be warm to the touch (not hot or cold). Stir in Honey and add Yeast last. Set-aside & let proof for approx. 10 minutes.
2. Combine Dry Mix ingredients in small bowl.
3. Combine Wet Mix ingredients in bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix just for a few seconds.
4. Add in the proofed Yeast Mix and mix again for just a few seconds.
5. Add the Dry Mix and beat on medium-high for approx. 3 minutes. Dough will be wet, but thick and sticky!
6. If necessary, oil and flour your 9x5 Loaf Pan or spray with non-stick coating. I use USA pans and do not need to coat them.
7. Using a spatula, scrape the bread mixture into your prepared loaf pan and set on top of your stove to proof while the oven is preheating. Be sure to smooth out the loaf with spatula or wet fingers before proofing as the loaf will not smooth out itself.
8. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
9. It is important not to over-proof the bread - just let it rise until the mixture is approximately double in size (20-30 minutes depending on your room temperature.) Don't let it rise above your loaf pan… or just until it crests the top. Gluten free breads do not maintain their structure and will flow over the pan or collapse if left to over-rise or over-filled.
10. Bake for approx. 30-45 minutes. If the crust is darkening too quickly, you can cover it with foil (tent open ended) and return to baking until done. (If it helps, I usually cook mine until I get an internal temperature of 210 - 220 degrees on my digital thermometer).
11. Remove loaf pan from oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes before turning out onto your cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before attempting to cut into slices. I use my meat slicer to achieve even slices.

FOR PIZZA:

1. I use a 9x13 Cake Pan, let rise as directed, & bake a thick flat loaf - once it cools cut it in half sideways and split it open to prepare with my toppings. Or, you can shape into rounds, let rise for approx. 15 min. and then bake on a Pizza Stoneas directed. Once cooked, top with your favorite ingredients & return to oven and bake at 450 until done.

FOR HAMBURGER BUNS:

1. Prepare as you would for Pizza in a 9x13 Cake Pan and then cut into 12 square 'buns', which can be split in half. Or, you can use a Hamburger Bun Pan (like the
2. USA 6" Mini Round Pan I have by USA Pans) and fill each well ½ full and let rise until double in size. Bake as directed until done.

EGG SUBSTITUTION:

1. Although some of you have had success with this - Due to the responses in the comments, I DO NOT suggest using Flax or Chia Seeds as a substitute for eggs. However, I have had some success using Chia & Ener-G egg replacers when making pizza dough and buns. I also have a tortilla and pita/flat bread recipes that are egg free! =)

ADDITIONAL ADD-INS:

1. Feel free to add in seeds, nuts, raisins, cinnamon, etc…. Just be sure to stir them in by hand at the end before scraping the mixture into your pan.

LEFTOVERS:

1. Store any leftovers in a airtight bag on your counter for up to 2 days. Refrigerate or Freeze as needed, but be aware that the bread will dry out quickly. Use extra bread to make Gluten Free Bread Crumbs, by drying them in the Dehydrator or oven and then blending them in your VitaMix.

Homemade Thieves Lozenges

Ingredients;

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup water (I used lemon tea instead)

1T lemon juice

1 T honey

1/4 t ginger

8-12 drops therapeutic grade Thieves EO

5-10 drops lemon essential oil 

1/3 cup confectioners sugar

Add granulated sugar, ginger, water (or tea), honey, & lemon juice together in saucepan and put on high. Constantly stir until mix reaches 250*. Reduce heat to low or med-low with lots of stirring for 15 min or until it thickens. 

You can put a drop on parchment paper & see if it solidifies to test if it's ready.  

Once it has slightly thickened, remove from heat and let it slightly cool. Once ready to make drops, then add your essential oils. Don't add while still very hot because they will evaporate. 

Cover with confectioners sugar to prevent them sticking to each other. 

Trial & error:

This is what I found from experimenting with other people's YouTube videos;

•I tried making drops with a spoon or by filling a turkey baster up with the concoction and making drops, but the best way I found was pouring into a measuring cup & using a silicone mold. 

•Don't heat to 300*, it's too hot and it scorches the sugar as some suggest. 

•Don't use the turkey baster bc it's too hot to handle and it cools too quickly thereby getting stuck in the tube. 

•Make a couple of trial drops before making them all. I dropped about 20 then realized they weren't firming up. I scraped them back into the pan and heated to 250* and kept cooking until it looked like (real) maple syrup. 

2 is FUN @ the bgca

The boys and girls club has a free open gym two days a week.  Felicity and I had some fun 1:1, but we may bring big sister this week. It's not a huge deal, but the kids get to burn off some cabin fever on bikes, trampolines, playing ball, building forts with different size blocks, tunnels, & with hula hoops in a huge gym. 

It's nice having other options besides the Gym Bin & the 2 McDs play places. 

Bathroom Changes in 2 Days

Removed the horrible wallpaper boarder. 

Pretty easy once the top layer was off, spray with water, & scrape with putty knife. 

Removed the 2-handled faucets and replaced w/ a 1 handle--easier for everyone. 

Painted walls lt. brown-same as hallway. 

I like warmer colors vs the white walls. 

My little helper. 

3-Day Boot Camp Complete!

We started the 3-day potty training boot camp last Sunday since it was 3 days we would not be going anywhere. Felicity did great. 6 accidents each the first 2 days. 1 accident each the next 2 days. Now she's doing well, accident free for the last 4 days!  She even did well on our trip to Goodland for our Maki Christmas. 

Makes momma a little sad, but I don't miss the added laundry & added trash. 

Plus her first 2-yr molar, top left, started poking through the same time. 2 1/2 has been big changes for this sweetie. No more nukies either. At least she still lets me "rock-a-bye" her at night. (Sniff)

Elizabeth's New Projects

Grandma got her a candy making kit. She's having a lot of fun with it. 

Perfect Popcorn

In an effort to save $ and have fun making our own popcorn, I have been making it on the stove.  After a few trials & errors I have it down pat. 

I heat a few Tbls of veg oil @ med/high heat with 3 popcorn kernels. Once all 3 pop I know the oil is hot enough. So I remove the 3 kernels, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of kernels and occasionally shake the pot while keeping the lid tilted to let the steam, but not the popcorn, escape. 

It happens so fast and the kids have fun with it. Then we add a little popcorn "butter" and salt. 

I was using coconut oil, but didn't like the sweet coconut after taste.  EVOO or veg or canola oil work best! Yum!!!  A fun treat for family movie night. 

Elizabeth's Pre-K Christmas Concert