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

Why I Still (Sometimes) Love PriceRite

I’ve had sort of a love/hate relationship with PriceRite. Loved it when it opened, hate it now that prices are going up. But there are still a few things I go there to get that I can’t get a better deal on elsewhere. Or, should I say, the same products cost more at its sister store ShopRite…

These exact same groceries cost me $7.39 at PriceRite, and would have cost me $10.67 at ShopRite (assuming none of the items were on sale). It's worth the savings to go to PriceRite for items my family uses and loves when I'm in the area so I don't waste my savings on gas.

For example, I went there today to get my PriceRite staples: seltzer, Portuguese bread and honey pretzels. We drink a lot of seltzer in our house (in place of soda)–we add juice to seltzer, we drink it plain, we just love it. But the same bottles that go for .39 cents at PriceRite go for .50 cents at ShopRite (but they’ve been on sale for .33 cents a bottle at ShopRite, too). I’ve even found the seltzer for .25 cents a bottle at PriceRite when I hit it just right. My kids love the Chaves Portuguese bread, but it’s a full dollar more for the same exact package at ShopRite. The honey pretzels are $1.29 at PriceRite and normally $1.69 at ShopRite (but I’ve found them for sale for a buck a bag at ShopRite, too). So, though I don’t make it to PriceRite nearly as often as I used to, the store still has some expected, and some unexpected deals, enough to keep me going.~Marilyn, TFF

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

Innovative and Budget-Minded — Oransi’s Robby Wash Ball Laundry Detergent

Here's a Robby Wash Ball in a traditional washing machine ready to go. Note the detergent pellets in the ball.

 

As promised, we tested the Robby Wash Ball, a new, innovative, space-saving, and possibly money-saving product from France (which we love). The manufacturer says that one ball should last for 12 months, or, for 120 loads. But, that is assuming you wash one load every three or so days. Many families need to wash one load a day. It’s also good for all types of washers, including HE. 

We’ve used it for a month. Here’s the review. 

How it’s going: Not bad! We’ve been using it in cold water for a month. It’s so easy to use, we haven’t even had to add more detergent granules to the ball. The ball is so easy to use! Just pop it in the wash (see photo) and forget about it. You have to take it out of the washer when done so it can dry, but it is no muss, no fuss. 

How it cleans: It cleans well. We don’t notice if it’s better than other detergents, but it is just as good as other detergents. 

How it smells: It is a fragrance-free product. Some people will love that, some won’t. 

Pre-treatment of stains: We love the pre-treat stain stick! It works, it works! It works on tough stains (on jeans, on shirts, etc.) 

One con: We had some clothing with some odors on it. We smelled a faint whiff of the odors even after washing. But, we washed it in cold water, so we will try again in hot water. Since this is a fragrance-free product, there is no fragrance to mask the smell of odors that may not wash out right away. 

Cost: $32.95 for one ball which is supposed to last one year assuming you do 120 loads a year. That means about 10 loads a month, which means about two loads a week.  

The reality of the cost: (also see above and below) Based on what the manufacturer says, our ball won’t last a year. We do a load or two a day, which means our ball will last only a couple of months, three at the most. But, we have to say, the granules are slow dissolving, which we guess is good news. We haven’t had to use other detergent yet, so we are satisfied for now. 

Is it economical?: Yes…and no. For families who use low-cost detergent ($2.99 or less a bottle which lasts about three weeks), this option may not be economical. We pay about $40 a year for laundry detergent (we don’t buy fancy or expensive products and our washer is not HE) so the Robby Ball would not necessarily save us money. For families who opt for more expensive detergents ($3.99 and up), this could be a very economical option, and we’d highly recommend it. 

How to order: Online only, but click here for ordering details.

Shaw’s Clearance Sale Starts March 20th

Two Frugal Fairfielders report that the managers at Shaw’s on Black Rock Turnpike promise a 50% or more sale on all items left on store shelves starting on Saturday, March 20th. Though there is not much left there at all, it may be worth a look that week before they close.

Caution: As of today, there are no good sales there.

Bargain Alert of the Day for Fairfield, CT — Part Two, How to Shop Price Rite

As promised in Part One, there is a 5-step process to shopping at Price Rite that you will want to follow to make your trip easier. There will be a Part Three –there is more information from Price Rite that needs to be investigated another day (loyalty cards, etc.).

Address: Price Rite is at 4425 Main Street in Bridgeport. The easiest way from Fairfield is to drive towards Stop & Shop on Madison Avenue, take a turn on Vincelette Boulevard, and follow it to Main Street. Price Rite is on your left.

Note: Price Rite is not a luxury grocery store. You will be going outside of your comfort zone, but in many ways, it is worth it. We know many people have never been to a Price Rite, or avoided the one on Boston Post Road in Bridgeport, but the new one on Main Street is more convenient, cleaner, brighter, and seemingly safer.

Though this is odd to say, when shopping at Price Rite, you don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb there while fumbling around and looking lost. Really–trust the Two Frugal Fairfielders on this one–we’ve shopped Price Rite for years, but took a break–now it’s back to Price Rite…

How To Shop Price Rite in Bridgeport:

1. Go as early in the day as you can. Mornings are best.

2. Go on a weekday — weekends are jammed and not fun to shop.

3. Bring your own bags but when you shop, but do not pack them as you shop. You need to put all your groceries on the belt for check out. You can bag groceries AFTER you check out at the front of the store. Just glance up to see what everyone else is doing. Or, you can buy Price Rite bags (they are roomy and durable) for .10 cents each. Many people buy 10 and keep them in the car for reuse.

4. Do not bring coupons, Price Rite does not accept them.

5. They accept all forms of payment.

6. Most important–do not to there and expect to get out quickly. Do not rush through the aisles. People who shop Price Rite are surveying for bargains, so don’t bang into anyone, rush around them or act rude. This Frugal Fairfielder has experienced incredibly rude behavior by Fairfield shoppers towards other shoppers in Trader Joe’s and in the Stop & Shop by the circle near the beach. You must act like a human being in Price Rite because you are also shopping with people who are the salt of the earth and who are on strict budgets.

7. Be courteous to the check out person. REALLY! Again, there is absolutely awful behavior going on in Fairfield in various stores (personally witnessed), but if you are nice to the check-out person, especially at Price Rite, you will have a better experience.

4. Go for the store and generic brands (some of the store brands come directly from sister chain, ShopRite–that’s the store that is taking over Shaw’s on Black Rock Turnpike). Most of the generic products that you will find at Price Rite are just like the generic store brand products you will find at any other are store, and they are just fine, taste great, and are well worth it.

5. The meat department seems quite limited–lots of chicken, but no great bargains, so don’t go expecting to find the best bargains there. For example, you can buy boneless chicken breasts for $1.99 at Price Rite, but you can find them for that price mostly anywhere during a sale.

Have a fun and frugal time at Price Rite!