Frugal & Frozen–Refreshing Homemade Popsicle Recipes for Summer

Homemade popsicles are tasty, inexpensive, and healthy. Here are some new versions to try this summer.

Now that I have a new food processor, I’m interested in making my own popsicles.

Though I’d love to buy a Zoku popsicle maker, I’ll wait until I see one on sale. For now, I’ll use the good old-fashioned cup and stick method, or maybe get some basic molds.

It turns out homemade popsicles are all the rage. I would love to get a Zoku Quick Pop Maker (it makes popsicles in seven minutes!), but I think I will wait until I find one on sale. But you can make these recipes in anything from a Zoku to a paper cup/craft stick! I bought two molds at Bed, Bath & Beyond with a coupon. (The store also carries an Xpress Popsicle Maker for $29.99., but even with a coupon, I’m not willing to spend the money!)

Here are three basic ideas for DIY popsicles:

Juicy Blend:

We bought a bottled organic lemonade (cherry-lemon blend) that tasted just awful, but we salvaged the juice by pouring it into popsicle molds. The lemonade was delicious frozen! So if you have drips and drabs of leftover juice or you bought a somewhat vile-tasting product, try freezing it.

Berry and Yogurt Blends:

Of course it’s a no-brainer–mix low-fat yogurt with berries in a food processor and pour into molds. Whatever doesn’t fit into the molds is a smoothie, anyhow, so drink up. My kids love this kind of blend as a popsicle. If the blend needs some liquid, just drop in a bit of fruit juice or lemon juice to thin it out a bit.

Sugar-free strawberry-lemon popsicle:

(great for diabetics and those on low-glycemic food plans):

(The fruity taste of this popsicle is unbelievable! It costs about .46 cents to make 7-8 pops but I did not get the jello on sale, and I didn’t get the best price for the Crystal Light, either. It still came out nice and frugal.)

• mix 1/2 packet of Crystal-Light lemonade powder with 1 cup cold water.
• whisk till dissolved.
• in another bowl, dissolve one 3-oz package of sugar-free strawberry jello in 1 cup boiling water.
• stir until fully dissolved.
• blend lemonade and jello mixtures.
• pour blended mixture into popsicle molds to freeze.

For more sugar-free pop ideas, visit Sixuntilme.com. Also visit All Recipes for this dessert.

Strawberry jello plus lemonade make the most delicious popsicle mix!

I’ll spare you the experiment I made by whipping together part-skim ricotta cheese and strawberries. Ricotta is great whipped with fruit and a bit of sugar (tiny bit), but frozen, you have to develop somewhat of a taste for it. The ricotta-strawberry pop idea is good for a low-low-low-fat and low-low-low-sugar treat, but don’t count on your kids asking for seconds.

Stick to the lemonade/jello recipes for happy kids!

Related articles

• Refreshing Tropical Pineapple & Coconut Popsicles (veggieeuphoria.com)
• Berry Coconut Popsicles (lostgardenblog.wordpress.com)
• Plum Strawberry Popsicles for a Virtual Vegan Potluck! (theheartyherbivore.wordpress.com)
• Homemade popsicle recipes for the new Zoku Single Pop Maker (coolmompicks.com)
• 12 Pops and Popsicles Perfect for Summer – Food (brit.co)

A Worthwhile Reality Show: CT Financial Reality Fairs for Teens

I watch my middle-schoolers budget their tiny bits of money–one is saving up for an iPad, the other just bought a used bike with his money. My daughter, who is saving up for an iPad, had to be enlightened about a few things like the tax on the item, the 1-year replacement program (must have for teens), and of course there’s the cover for the iPad. All in all, it went well over the $399 she thought she’d have to shell out. I am hoping that the CT Financial Reality Fair for Teens reaches the area’s middle schools one day!

This week, The Credit Union League of Connecticut’s Financial Reality Fair took place at the Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport where hundreds of area high school juniors visited to get a feel for what real life budgeting means. Co-sponsored by Unilever, the unique fair is filled with volunteers acting as high-pressure salespeople trying to sell expensive gadgets and cars to the teens who have allocated funds for living. It’s eye-opening.

For more info on the fairs, please visit the website here.

Thanks again, Credit Union League, for one of the most valuable services in Connecticut!

~Marilyn, TFF

But Mom, Everyone Has an iTouch! When Your Kid Is The Only One Without the Newest, Greatest Gadget

Our iTouch fund. We’re trying to teach our kids that they need to save up for technology. But…it’s tough in our affluent community.

TFF takes a brutal look at the consequences of giving young children the luxury of owning expensive technology. 

The other day, my son came home and announced that his fifth grade class voted to have a “Bring in Your Electronics Day” at school. My son doesn’t have fancy ”electronics.” And if he did, do you think we’d let him bring in an expensive toy to school?

Evidently, other parents don’t have this problem. A couple of kids routinely bring in iPads to their fifth grade classrooms. Most of my son’s classmates came back from Christmas vacation with an iTouch in hand to show off during morning meeting. (Evidently, getting a new, shiny bike doesn’t cut it anymore for a Christmas gift.) One of my son’s best friends even insulted him for not having an iTouch (“You’re like the only one in our class, dude, who doesn’t have one.”) Ouch.

My question is why do little kids need an iTouch, iPad, or iPhone? My son even told me one of his classmates broke her iTouch the same day she got it. Of course! But the parents ran right out and replaced it. This is not how I grew up. We saved, we waited, and we lived without like most families. Today, parents and children alike expect and demand the best right away, and they usually get it no matter what the consequences.

I can’t wait to see the adult versions of all these kids who get the latest, greatest gadgets now.  They’ll only be frustrated and angry adults who can’t imagine not having what they want when they want it. I will spare you the links to the enormous body of research over the years that proves this point. But that’s what giving your kid an expensive item like an  iTouch at an early age will do to them. Yes, I know everyone’s “reason” for giving their kid an i-anything. ”My kid has to keep up with technology.” Maybe what you really mean is that your kid has to keep up with the Joneses.

We are trying really hard to teach our kids to save up for expensive purchases like this. As you can see, we have a family iTouch fund that is just about complete. One of my son’s friends did just this–he sold off his old technology to make the money to buy his iTouch. Maybe it’s old-fashioned to have a fund where you actually don’t have to put a toy like this on a credit card, but it’s the type of value we want to teach our kids. By time we get this iTouch, much less figure out how to use it, a newer, better version will no doubt be out on the market. And, our son will feel left behind. When will this insanity end?

As you might have guessed, we talked to my son’s teacher and the principal about this proposed “Bring in Your Electronics Day” at school. They agreed with us and the idea was nixed. We told them we failed to see how it could be a teaching moment when kids with technology would be bullying kids without.

We don’t deny our kids technology–when it’s appropriate. My daughter has a basic cell phone out of necessity now that she’s in middle school, and my son has the luxury of a gaming console and use of the computer. They each had a Nintendo DS till one broke and the other is gathering dust. No one is suffering in our house. But…I know this for sure–my kids won’t be the ones suffering when they are adults and surrounded by entitled, whining friends who have learned to value expensive things on-demand over the warmth and joy of people and experiences.

One year later: The iTouch is used by all, no one argues over it (well, there were a couple of times…), we share apps, in general, it’s truly the “family iTouch” and no one has suffered. Plus, it’s still in great shape because we never, ever, ever let the kids take it to school. Now, my daughter is saving up her own babysitting money to get her own iPad. That’s another post…

Discovering The New (and Ultra-Expensive) World of Laundry Detergents

One of the uber-expensive laundry detergents, a pump dispenser, from Method. Photo: sciondriver, flickr.com

We’ve clearly had our head in the sand. About laundry detergents, that is. There’s a whole new world of products for the laundry that have astoundingly high price tags. If you are frugal, you most likely do not use these products. If you do, you may want to reconsider after reading the retail and unit pricing. The last thing we remember is some sort of laundry detergent that came out specifically for black garments! Oh, but how things have quickly changed in the world of laundry detergents (and dryer sheets).

But…have you seen the prices of these new products? Whoa!

We went to Wal-Mart and Target today and stumbled across some of the new products with eye-popping prices from least expensive to most expensive:

Arm & Hammer gels — two kinds include: A&H gel With Oxiclean–31 loads for $7.00 and $2.09 unit price and A&H gel without Oxiclean–62 loads for $7.00 and $2.04 unit price.

New Method Pump Detergent–this is an innovative pump laundry detergent. Squirt 2 pumps for small load, etc. The sleek package takes up little room, and the fragrances look delicious (peony blossom, for one). The package says “astoundingly concentrated.” The cost–astoundingly high. A small bottle/25 loads is $7.99, unit price $25.57 and a large bottle/50 loads is $14.99 with unit pricing at $23.98.

Purex Complete 3 in 1 Laundry Sheet — $5.94 for a 20 pack (i.e. 20 loads) at…$29.70 unit price–ouch! (As a reminder, the unit price is the price you should go by–it tells you how much you are paying per ounce/load.) Evidently, there is detergent, softener, and anti-static cling product placed on one sheet.

We have also heard about Oransi’s Robby Wash HE detergent wash ball which evidently lasts for 12 months and is supposed to be reasonably priced.  But, no sight of it at Wal-Mart or Target so we could not comparison shop.

But…it doesn’t stop there. You could go into debt just creating a laundry environment inside your washer and dryer! Here are some other new products:

Tide’s Washing Machine Cleaner! Really–is this a gimmick? This is supposed to be for those of you with high-efficiency washers who put in too much detergent which created too many unrinsed suds which then created odors–it’ll cost you dearly! Here’s a new product to remove the damage. It costs $6.99 with a unit price of….drum roll, please…$233.00! Excuse us, but isn’t a HE machine supposed to, um…save money? If you do have a HE machine, why not try to alleviate the problem by turning on “extra rinse” or using the little hose included on many machines that is meant to clean the interior?

Tide’s Duo Pack Stain Release in Wash. A package of “packs” cost $3.99 for a unit price of $39.90 (a bargain, right?) is a companion product for detergent. (Isn’t the outrageously priced detergent supposed to get out stains on its own?)

Bounce Dryer Bar. A product that you place in your dryer (for those of you who forget to put in cheaper dryer sheets) costs $6.49 for a unit pricing of…sit down for this one…$649! You read this correctly. We don’t even know how to calculate that one! You pay $649 for exactly…what? In other words, if you buy this product, and presuming it lasts 4 months, and presuming you do a load of drying per day, you have spent $5.40 to dry your load every day. Perhaps we did not do this calculation right, but we think we did! If you want a more frugal way of drying your clothing, while getting that lovely fragrance, then get a clothesline, or, use dryer sheets at a much more sane price of $6.49 for a box of 180 Bounce sheets (the unit price: $3.61, which will last you more than four months if you do a load a day, and, will only cost you….3 cents a day to use. You choose!

We’re fairly sure these products are wonderful and work well…but maybe just as well as lower-priced alternatives–or the old-fashioned way of washing clothes with regular ol’ liquid detergent. We may, out of curiosity, and because we are a huge fan of peonies…splurge for the Method detergent.

In case you are wondering–one Frugal Fairfielder uses an environmentally safe HE laundry product called Sun & Earth (may not be widely available in stores), 50 loads for $7.00 a container (unit price unknown). The other Frugal Fairfielder goes for sale items, such as Arm & Hammer, and does not have a HE machine.

Tidbit: ABC News Calls Living Frugally “The New Normal”

Most of the time, most of us are proud to live frugally. There are times, though, when it gets…tiring…like we just want to forget the coupons, forget the bargains, and spend without a care in the world. If you are feeling frugal-weary, here’s an article to make you feel…well…less alone! Although the feature focuses on people who are now forcing themselves to live frugally, it should make us all feel better knowing we’re all in the same boat!

We stumbled over this ABC News feature where ABC News coined the term, ”The New Normal,” about how Americans are adapting to the economy. It began back in June 2009, but it’s been updated with related content (right now, there’s a new video segment posted on raising money savvy kids).

Enjoy!

Starbucks’ Grande Prices for 2010–Year of the Coffeemaker

Starbucks quietly raised their prices today. Photo from Starbucks

 

Okay, I have to admit that the only coffee that gets me really going in the morning is a cup of regular ol’ Starbucks. Not the fancy kind, the kind that just went down ten cents a cup. And, I only get it once in a blue moon. I rely on my low-caffeine-laced store-bought coffee to get me up most mornings. But…what about all of you who do get Starbucks every day? Isn’t it time you realized it’s…what’s the word….expensive?  

According to today’s New York Post, an extra shot of espresso was 55 cents, now 70 cents–a steaming hot 27 percent higher! That’s not the only hike in price. Adding syrup to a drink went up 33 percent to 40 cents a shot, soy milk is a dime more, and a tall latte is now $3.25 (was $3.20).  

The most interesting thing I learned, however, is that the person taking my order is called a…barista? I had nooooooo idea….  

Now…isn’t it time to go buy your own coffeemaker?