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

Stop Stereotyping Couponers: The Majority Frugally Shop the Outer Perimeters of the Grocery Store

There was yet another article about couponing, this time in “The New York Times Magazine,” (May 3, 2012) featuring the folks at Fabulously Frugal, and yet again, I’m astounded at how a topic like couponing can get people so riled up (read the comments, they are more entertaining than the actual article). Many of the misinformed comments that come after the article prejudge people who use coupons as unhealthy hoarders who are a burden to those who don’t use coupons.

NOT what I buy! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’m not sure people were so fired up about couponing before that dang TLC show about extreme couponing came along. But every naysayer thinks that people who use coupons buy loads of junk food one step up from the fast food chains. (Oh, how I wish I could find out how many people who write negative comments about coupons frequent McDonald’s or other fast food establishments I wouldn’t be caught dead in… I’m sure more than a few…). Here’s the reality of most couponers (not those on television): we save money on non-grocery and grocery items using coupons, and so we can buy good meat and fresh produce. If I can get razors and toothpaste for free-ish using coupons, that money goes towards fruits and veggies. Most of us are not like the woman in Erie, Pennsylvania, featured on “Extreme Coouponing” who has a locked door to a special room in her basement filled with cookies and snacks, called “Mom’s Cookie Room.”

One Canadian blogger tried to explain her healthy couponing in this informative, helpful article–and then she was lambasted by a reader in the comments section–you may want to read her gracious reply to this reader. Another healthy couponing article by Shape Magazine listed Lean Pockets as a healthy food to buy with coupons. I would never be caught dead with a package of highly processed Lean Pockets in my house. The article also lists Yoplait yogurt, which I know is high in sugar. My take away from these articles: we all have different definitions of what eating healthy means for us–some of us prescribe to healthy-enough while others are more strict. We don’t have to agree with each other, but let’s have a healthy level of respect for one another.

Most of us have heard health advocates, such as the Mayo Clinic, say to avoid any inner aisles of grocery stores food. So, besides buying cereals, pasta, crackers and decent cookies (when I don’t make from scratch) inside the store perimeter, ingredients for tomato sauces, and always flour, sugars, oils and other baking and condiment needs, my own cart is filled with perimeter groceries. It is most definitely not filled with fruit roll-ups (tons of coupons for those) and the like!

Speaking of perimeter groceries, there ARE coupons and sales for those! You have to find the store in your area that holds the best perimeter sales. Thankfully, ShopRite has produce Super Coupons, and besides that, I’ve been able to use manufacturer’s coupons to buy almonds, raisins, protein bars, orange juice, cheeses, yogurts (favorite is Activa), organic eggs, organic milks…with coupons matched with sales! Maybe there are not coupons  and sales for all the items all the time, but most of the time, I’m able to frugally shop the perimeter of the grocery store.

Here’s a small sampling of recent purchases using coupons/sales at ShopRite for fresh/healthy foods:

• Sale: $1.29 a pound for organic apples
• Super Coupon ShopRite: whole pineapple $1.49
• Super Coupon ShopRite: broccoli or cauliflower .99 cents a lb.
• Coupon + Sale: Blue Diamond Almonds (not in perimeter but healthy) for $1.50 a can.
• There’s always BOGO sales on potatoes, carrots, and onions–which reminds me of the bags of baby organic carrots for $1.66 each on sale, no coupons needed.

Here is a short list of alternative coupons I used to get healthy items:

• Groupon to Whole Foods ($10 for $20 worth of items and I bought meat and poultry)
• Fairfield Coupon to Fountain of Youth ($9 for $20 worth of items in this organic store in Westport, and I plan to buy produce and/or meats)
• I use the coupon booklets from Whole Foods, as well. Sometimes you get amazing deals, as you can read about in one of our posts.
  

  I bought nine packages of antibiotic-free chicken drumsticks at Whole Foods because they were affordable at .99 cents a pound thanks to a 70% off sale. Good to know that even Whole Foods has super sales! Photo: TFF

It’s always possible to buy frugally around the perimeter using coupons and sales, or just sales. To all of the coupon critics: Buy frugally around the perimeter by simply reading the store’s sales flyers!

~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

How to Save Money on Milk

Anderson Cooper’s recent show features money-saving families that live comfortably in tiny houses, stopped shopping for a month, and more.

I’ve always loved Anderson Cooper, but now I just adore him! He aired a recent show on saving money, and many clips can be seen at this link.

But this one clip — I just love. It’s about how one family saves money on milk using a quick, simple trick–add water. (I do this with juice, and you know, I never even thought of doing this practical trick with whole milk! Not only that, there are endless posts from other blogs and sites about this trick, yet I never tried it.) The way the dad describes why and how he learned this is quite endearing.

Update: Just bought a gallon of whole milk at Trader Joe’s. I poured a half gallon into a pitcher. I filled the milk jug and the pitcher up with cold water and had my husband taste the milk with added water. He loved it. Couldn’t tell the difference. He’s sold. Tomorrow morning….we’ll see what the kids say, and I don’t think they’ll notice.

Another update: My kids didn’t know the difference this morning when they had their cereal. Success! (Or, maybe they were just half asleep…)

Yet another update: A month later, and we are still successfully stretching our milk with excellent results!

Not enough milk for breakfast? Here’s a simple trick. It works even with reduced fat milk.

(disclaimer — one day TFF will figure out how to embed videos into our posts, but for now, click on the links above to do directly to the videos.)

~Marilyn, TFF

Inspiration for a Simple Lifestyle — The Zero Waste Challenge in Fairfield, CT

The Zero Waste Challenge – Fairfield, Reduce Your Waste and Health and Wealth Will Follow

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.

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.

Image via Wikipedia

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. Freecycling decreased our need to purchase items.  I’ve gotten great toys and games, arts and crafts, 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 buying club and buy food items such as the “dirty dozen” organic produce, grains, flour, sugar, and dried herbs, and non-food items, such as detergent in bulk at much lower prices than stores such as Mrs. Green’s, Whole Foods, and even Trader Joe’s.

Today, with composting, single-stream recycling (as of last summer – #1 – 7 plastics and paperboard boxes (cereal and tissue boxes) can now be recycled), and just buying less, we go to the town dump once every three 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 being 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.

Click here for 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.

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

Lots of Homemade Cleaning Solution Recipes

Because I love Dave Ramsey so much, I keep Googling him to find more and more personal financial planning success stories, and discovered this Forum with loads of homemade cleaning solution recipes.

Image via Wikipedia

You don’t have to be a member to see the threads, and this particular topic under Frugal Living features dozens of fantastic natural, inexpensive homemade cleaner recipes!! I have bookmarked it for my own use. Enjoy!!

Marilyn from TFF