Quick and Cheap Way to Clean the Grill

Use a little elbow grease when cleaning with aluminum foil, but it works. Just don’t forget to rinse the grills after this cleaning process so you don’t get bits of foil in your food (which seems less scary than getting a brush bristle in your gut).

I have a fear of grill brushes. It sounds odd–but this phobia came from seeing an older “Medical Mystery: You be the Doctor” television show on ABC where a bristle fell off a grill brush, stuck to the grill, then became cooked into a hamburger patty, and after the burger was eaten, it finally caused chaos in one person’s gut. So, I banned the tool from our house. Instead, I tried a number of items, a grill cleaning cream and a stone-type tool (neither worked), the Magic Eraser (my favorite product, but nope, didn’t work), and finally somewhere I saw a tip to use crumpled up foil to get the gunk off. It works! But, here’s the thing: you have to wipe down (with a damp cloth) or hose off the grills after using the foil technique or else you, too, will be featured on a “Medical Mystery” show.

For more grill cleaning tips, see this article on cleaning a gas grill.

~Marilyn, TFF

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

5 Top Things I Learned About Frugality from Amy Dacyczyn’s Tightwad Gazette

The only things more dog-eared than my coupon envelopes are my Tightwad Gazettes I and II. There are so many pearls of wisdom on every page that each reading experience offers new insights and ideas. Amy Dacyczyn’s (pronounced ‘decision’) ideology has absolutely shaped our family’s life. Long ago when my husband read the Tightwad Gazette’s first book and wanted me to read it, I scoffed at the book–I worked in New York City at the time and my mind was a bit warped as I was exposed to great wealth…I was just not interested in frugality. Somewhere between leaving the working world of New York City and becoming a mom, I learned to love the Tightwad Gazettes.

A few of my favorite books on my bedside table--including both Tightwad Gazettes tagged with stickies! So much for reading fiction!

Lesson 1: How to Avoid Feeling Deprived (page 230-232 Tightwad Gazette 1)

In this passage, Amy discusses how to avoid feeling bad about living frugally. If you view giving up extras as transferring funds from one area of your life to another (brilliant!!!), frugality becomes an important financial strategy rather than a prison term. This goes along with a favorite quote of mine by Amy: “The dieter fails as long as he hates low-calorie food. The would-be athlete will fail as long as he hates exertion. The tightwad wannabe will fail as long as he views frugality as a lifestyle he has to endure, or, was forced into by circumstance.”

Lesson 2: Three Steps to a Frito-Free Child (page 234 Tightwad Gazette II)

I learned that when kids ask why we don’t have “good food” like their friends, they really mean “why don’t we have packaged foods.” This goes hand-in-hand with one of my favorite quotes by Amy: “Frugality without creativity is deprivation.” This simply means that your kids will feel deprived if you don’t at least find an inexpensive, good, interesting, and delicious alternative to the overpriced, bland, and unhealthy food their friends may be eating.

Lesson 3: Create a Dinner Casserole (page 625, Tightwad Gazette Compedium)

Anyone who throws out leftovers is nuts. I learned that from Amy’s post on casseroles. From Amy’s simple instructions, I’ve learned how to cook any tiny amounts of leftovers into quite the tasty casserole that even my kids like most of the time. From this, I also learned how to make white sauce from scratch and use it to make just about anything taste great!

Lesson 4: Wealth, Poverty, and Frugality (page 272, Tightwad Gazette II)

I learned never, ever assume frugal people are poor. Amy discusses why we still think that frugality has to do with being “poor” and that wealth and frugality are mutually exclusive terms in most people’s minds. But as her passage says, income level has nothing to do with whether a person is frugal or not. “Many poor people aren’t frugal and a surprising number of wealthy people are.” This passage goes along with my other favorite books: The Millionaire Next Door and Stop Acting Rich, both by Thomas J. Stanley.

Lesson 5: The Used Clothing Filing System (page 270-271, Tightwad Gazette I)

Thanks to this discussion, I had the best system of hand-me-downs going in my attic for my two kids. This lasted for years until the HMD stream slowed down. I literally built a system of bank boxes in my attic marked with types of clothing, what sizes, what gender, etc. It worked beautifully. I don’t think I would have loved HMDs so much if I hadn’t been this organized thanks to Amy’s tutorial.

There’s just so much more I’ve learned and continue to learn from these books. Let us know your favorite lesson from reading The Tightwad Gazette!

~Marilyn, TFF

Earth Day is Every Day When You Strive for Zero Waste

In light of today’s Fairfield, CT Earth Day Celebration, I have updated this post I wrote.

Hey, Fairfield, Reduce Your Waste for Sustainable, Simple Prosperity 

We are a family of five, including three growing children.  Our ranch style house is 1,100 square feet, with a 600 sq. ft. finished basement that has a full bathroom (thank goodness!).  We have been a one-modest-income family for nearly nine years.  We live debt-free in one of the most expensive counties in the United States.  Little did I realize that it all began with cutting down on waste – literally, garbage.

In 2003, our Smith and Hawken compost bin was a Consumer Reports Best Buy. Today, there are many affordable recycled plastic compost bins from which to choose. Better yet, DIY, do-it-yourself!

The first expense we cut was our garbage service.  (If you are reading this from out of town, you read that correctly.  Garbage service is not covered by city tax.)  At that time, we had two in diapers and a town dump run four times a month.  So for the first couple of years, it was only a savings of about $100 per year.  However, a couple of years later, after our third child was born, we did two things that affected our garbage disposal: established a compost bin and discovered Freecycle.

With a compost bin and worms from the backyard, our vegetable scraps turned to soil.  Composting eventually led to the start of a modest 4’ x 8’ ft. raised bed garden, which in two years lowered our food bill and raised our health quotient.

Cherry tomatoes, bush beans, butternut squash, rosemary, basil, sage, nasturtium, marigold and pumpkin grew in our side garden. Cucumber grew next to our roses in our front garden.

Freecycling decreased our need to purchase items.  I’ve gotten great toys and games, arts and crafts, bread machines, glass bakeware, winter boots and clothing -in great condition- for our family.  Conversely, by offering items Freecycle, I began the long, on-going process of de-cluttering our house.  With composting and Freecycling, our trips to the dump and our spending began to decrease even more.  Bonus: the environment benefited, too.

Other ways we began to cut down on waste and spending:  for the last five years, since my daughter started 1^st grade, we have been using cloth napkins, and much to my husband’s dismay, stopped using paper towels.  Instead, we reuse rags, wash with cold water and hang clothes on outdoor- and/or indoor- laundry lines.  Also, for the last eight years, we have belonged to an organic and natural food co-op. We save a lot by buying “dirty dozen” organic produce and buying at lower, bulk prices: organic grains, flour, sugar, dried herbs, and non-food items, such as detergent.  Buying in bulk not only saves money, but produces less garbage.  Over the years, cooking has become less mysterious and more of a joy.  Cooking from scratch is always cheaper.  See my Frugal Foodie Recipes !

Today, with composting, single-stream recycling (as of last summer – #1 – 7 plastics and paperboard boxes, such as toilet paper rolls and cereal boxes, can now be recycled), cooking from scratch, and just buying less, we go to the town dump once every four to five weeks!

Several months ago, an online news video story about the “Zero Waste Home” caught my eye.  Bea and Scott Johnson and their two growing boys downsized from a 3,000 square foot home to a 1,400 square foot home.  They went from filling two large rolling garbage cans per week to holding four months worth of garbage in two hands.

Their grocery bills have been cut by 25% by shopping locally and carefully planning meals.  Their utility bills have gone down even more.  ”Zero Waste is good for your wallet,” Bea says.  But most of all, they have achieved a well-being of health and happiness they did not enjoy with having more stuff.  This family is a living example of “LESS IS MORE” and “HEALTH IS WEALTH.”

Living in Fairfield, CT, in Fairfield County, one of the most expensive and affluent counties in the United States, is to be surrounded by a majority who believe that success is defined by having the most square footage, the most luxurious cars, and the latest “stuff”.  I challenge you, dear reader, especially Fairfielders, to help turn this definition around:  Let’s teach our children that success is defined by the ability to put people before things, and to refuse, reduce, reuse, and recycle.  Less IS more.  Health IS wealth.  Consider joining us on our journey toward simple prosperity.

Our town library is an extremely valuable resource!!!  Utilize and support it in every way you can. (Register for upcoming library workshops led by TFF’s Marilyn Syarto on Budgeting and Couponing.)

The Zero Waste Home video news story I stumbled upon.

Here’s The Zero Waste Home Blog that inspires me.

The “Dirty Dozen” Organic Produce list helps make eating organic fruits and veggies affordable.  Download the app or print the wallet-sized shopping guide here.

Learn to Cook for Good.

One of many resources on cooking and eating on a budget here AND here for budget food ideas.

Our organic and natural food buying club is open to new members.  Send me your email address to learn more.

~Aimee, TFF

Is The Inside of Your Refrigerator Frugal Like Amy Dacyczyn’s (of The Tightwad Gazette)?

We love Amy Dacyczyn’s Tightwad Refrigerator, on page 262 of her first book, The Tightwad Gazette. TFF has decided to share a sampling of the rotating contents of our Frugal Refrigerators. Another time, we will share what’s in our Frugal Freezers!

Please share with us what’s in your frugal fridge!!

~Marilyn & Aimee, TFF

(Click on images to magnify.) Here’s the original and much appreciated Tightwad Refrigerator:

Marilyn’s Frugal “Every Drop & Crumb Counts” Fridge (click on image to magnify):

Aimee’s Frugal Foodie Fridge (click on image to magnify):

Read a Favorite Post: “19 Things Your Suburban Millionaire Neighbor Won’t Tell You” by Len Penzo

I’m re-reading one of my favorite books, The Millionaire Next Door (1996) to grab a few favorite passages for the radio show Aimee and I are doing sometime in May. In doing some extra research into the book, I came across a new favorite personal finance blog, Len Penzo Dot Com. The post Len wrote, “19 Things Your Suburban Millionaire Neighbor Won’t Tell You” is right on the money (no pun intended) and so worth the read.

Here’s an excerpt where Len describes how the millionaire neighbor next door lives — I’m hoping Len meant this to be non-gender specific :–)

(Read his entire post here):

1. He always spends less than he earns.  In fact his mantra is, over the long run, you’re better off if you strive to be anonymously rich rather than deceptively poor.

2. He knows that patience is a virtue. The odds are you won’t become a millionaire overnight.  If you’re like him, your wealth will be accumulated gradually by diligently saving your money over multiple decades.

3.  When you go to his modest three-bed two-bath house, you’re going to be drinking Folgers instead of Starbucks.  And if you need a lift, well, you’re going to get a ride in his ten-year-old economy sedan.  And if you think that makes him cheap, ask him if he cares.  (He doesn’t.)

4. He pays off his credit cards in full every month.  He’s smart enough to understand that if he can’t afford to pay cash for something, then he can’t afford it.

5. He realized early on that money does not buy happiness.  If you’re looking for nirvana, you need to focus on attaining financial freedom.

6. He never forgets that financial freedom is a state of mind that comes from being debt free.  Best of all, it can be attained regardless of your income level.

7. He knows that getting a second job not only increases the size of your bank account quicker but it also keeps you busy – and being busy makes it difficult to spend what you already have.

8. He understands that money is like a toddler; it is incapable of managing itself.  After all, you can’t expect your money to grow and mature as it should without some form of credible money management.

9. He’s a big believer in paying yourself first. Paying yourself first is an essential tenet of personal finance and a great way to build your savings and instill financial discipline.

10. Although it’s possible to get rich if you spend your life making a living doing something you don’t enjoy, he wonders why you do.  Life is too short.

11.  He knows that failing to plan is the same as planning to fail.  He also knows that the few millionaires that reached that milestone without a plan got there only because of dumb luck.   It’s not enough to simply declare that you want to be financially free.

12. When it came time to set his savings goals, he wasn’t afraid to think big.  Financial success demands that you have a vision that is significantly larger than you can currently deliver upon.

13. Over time, he found out that hard work can often help make up for a lot of financial mistakes – and you will make financial mistakes.

14. He realizes that stuff happens, that’s why you’re a fool if you don’t insure yourself against risk. Remember that the potential for bankruptcy is always just around the corner and can be triggered from multiple sources: the death of the family’s key bread winner, divorce, or disability that leads to a loss of work.

15. He understands that time is an ally of the young.  He was fortunate enough to begin saving in his twenties so he could take maximum advantage of the power of compounding interest on his nest egg.

16. He knows that you can’t spend what you don’t see.  You should use automatic paycheck deductions to build up your retirement and other savings accounts.  As your salary increases you can painlessly increase the size of those deductions.

17. Even though he has a job that he loves, he doesn’t have to work anymore because everything he owns is paid for – and has been for years.

18. He’s not impressed that you drive an over-priced luxury car and live in a McMansion that’s two sizes too big for your family of four.

19. After six months of asking, he finally quit waiting for you to return his pruning shears.  He broke down and bought himself a new pair last month.  There’s no hard feelings though; he can afford it.

So that’s it.  Now you know what your millionaire neighbor won’t tell you. That’s the end of Len’s post…

As a Frugal Fairfielder, I believe that The Millionaire Next Door should be required reading for Middle Schoolers! Thanks for your insights, Len!

~Marilyn, TFF