It’s All About the Lincolns

This post started with me wanting to take a glass-blowing class. I thought I’d make a pretty vase, or maybe a shimmery bowl. Ok, really I thought I’d be the next to create a venetian-glass-meets-Metro-Detroit masterpiece. At six hundred dollars a session I’m not even allowed to be in the viewing room. Really, I’m not allowed even a mere chance of the possible drive-by whilst a class is in session. I can’t even afford the protective goggles. Sheesh!! All those phrases about living life to the fullest and hakuna matata never saw the ins and outs of my checkbook. Or shall I say the infrequent ins and the roadrunner outs of said checkbook. Yes, I want to have good memories with friends and sweet dates with Mr. Wonderful but destitute dreamers we remain.

Going out is expensive! Mr. W may disagree with me because, well, he is Mr. Wonderful and doesn’t often let me pay for nights out, but still, I don’t like watching Hamiltons or Jacksons getting dropped for a fun time.

There are plenty of ways to find a variety of very affordable ways to avoid yet another night of prime-time tv.

1) Check your local city website, or those in the surrounding area. Downtowns are always advertising events for the public and often times they are FREE! The disclaimer being that it could turn out to be lame, but if you go with a “have-fun-at-it” attitude, then no harm done!

2) Another place to check out for a variety of options is your local library. You may need to vamp up the search to find a larger book repository, but libraries are constantly trying to get patrons in their doors and often their biggest promotional activities are on lots of different subjects one is sure to perk your ears up.

3) A great place for concerts, speakers, and family fun events is your church or a church nearby your house. The things happening there often times FREE or very inexpensive. There is usually childcare on site and refreshments or a full meal scheduled as well so the whole night could be taken care of for mere Lincolns (who bytheway, is our favorite Prez because of the denominations he represents). These are also great opportunities to go incognito to check out a new place of worship because the community events are open to one and all, therefore the people pour in and you can go virtually unnoticed if you so choose!!

4) Look into places that you like to frequent and see what deals they offer for regulars. Are you an avid cinema go-er? Consider making date night Wednesdays or another week night, usually they offer discounted tickets and they may toss in some free popcorn! Are you a sports fan? Many arenas advertise cheap seats in certain sections or various days a month. Get added to the email list of your number one hangout choice and you’ll be sure to catch the best deals for your fun-time budget.

5) Instead of going out to dinner and an activity, consider doing the activity and appetizers, grab a coffee, or split dessert.

6) If you love the arts but can’t afford tickets to the Chicago Symphony fret not. Consider attending concerts, plays or art exhibits done at your local college or even high school. Yes, perhaps the music isn’t quite Bruckner’s Ninth Symphony, but not only are you supporting your local institutions but you can sharpen your listening ears and play critic (as long as it’s all in good fun!!).

Hopefully the tips and tricks above will help alleviate the stressors of nights on the town. Enjoy the freedom to still partake in your hobbies and passions without the destruction on your wallet.

Not Your Typical Bourgeoisie Shopping

Perhaps it will always be this way, possibly I will always relish the grocery store trips. The realist in me (which has been on hiatus since the year of the scrunchie) says I will probably abhor this task in the future, however this happy-go-lucky idealist begs to differ. There is something about trotting out to the mailbox to get those ads on Saturday that makes my whole morning routing. Coffee, quiet time with Jesus, grocery list(s) YES! I go over those pages as if there was a secret clue about a precious lost relic. I have a food budget of $60-$75 dollars a month. This covers me and the boyfriend because I like to feed him when he’s around. My usual haunts include Kroger, Sam’s Club, Meijer and the occasional jaunt to Whole Foods.

The easiest and funnest (yes I said it) way to stay on budget and on task at the grocery store is to make a meal plan for your budget timeline (every week, two weeks and so on) and then make the list. When making said list, consider what you have in your food den already and consider recipe options that would include some of those items. Take a looksy at the ads in question and… BEGIN! This process is going to turn out a lot different for everyone due to a humongous list of factors but below, you will find what I plan on purchasing this week for me and Mr. Wonderful.

At my casa I currently have:
Pizza Sauce
Refried Beans
Mushrooms
Taco Seasoning
Frozen Tilapia (bought in bulk from Sam’s!!)
Green Beans (Frozen fruits and veggies offer the same nutritional value as fresh)
Corn (Frozen)
1 Chicken breast (will need to replenish on the next round of shopping)
Bacon
Rice (Bought in Bulk from Sam’s)
Mozzarella Cheese
Cheddar Cheese
Salsa
Too many potatoes to count (On Sale at Meijer for 1.99!!)
and, a new all-time favorite snack item:
Guacamole

I have a lot more random items, but these will be used for lunches and dinners for the next week at least. We’ll see what other combinations I can cook up.

Today
Fish quesadillas with pan-grilled corn, black beans and peppers
Wednesday Lunch
Mexican salad (salsa, lettuce, cheese, corn blackbean pepper mixture) with side of chips and salsa
Wednesday Dinner
Chicken cakes (the po-folk’s crab cakes) with side of green beans and rice
Thursday Lunch
Turkey Club with bacon and green beans, side of green beans with mushrooms
Thursday Dinner
Potato Gnocchi with butter and cheese, side of Asparagus, Nutella Crepes for dessert for fun Office viewing
Friday lunch
Nutella Crepe need I say more? (Ok and maybe a salad with cheese asparagus and craisins. But I did say maybe)
Friday Dinner
Pizza Night!

With that menu, I have a minor list of things that need to be bought. Mainly fresh veggies that need replenishing fairly often. The hardest part about being a party of one is the fact that things spoil way faster than I can eat them! I learned from Thrifty-tip roomy that almost anything can be frozen! I started asking about all sorts of wonderful goodies that I get on kicks about. Trust me, anything but cottage cheese can be frozen for a more extended period of time. If you want to attempt the impossible by freezing the above cheese be my guest, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Grocery List:
Nutella
Asparagus
Peppers (2)
Black Beans
Turkey
Lettuce (Whole head- much cheaper than “ready-made” salad)
Soft-Shelled Tacos

This list will also get me food for the menu for next week! Unless there is a blowout sale or a reason to stock the icebox until 2012 I won’t be headed back to the store until the second week of October. Then we’ll talk Halloween party on a budget!

That REAL clean feeling

I don’t know about you but breathing in that lovely ammonia or sweetly fresh bleach smell makes me convulse like a smoker with emphysema. (I am NOT a smoker… just to clear that up) I abhor those chemical smells, and dislike even more what they do to the enviornment, my health and of course dear frugal friends, my wallet. Have you seen how much Mr. Clean is these days?! And those scrubbing bubbles better come out of the can in their cute, matching scrubbing suits if I’m expected to pay that much for them. No thank you. Why on this still-mostly-green-earth should we fork over hard-earned money when we’ll be paying more for our health in the future? The chemicals present in so many cleaning products have been proven to lead to throat and lung issues if inhaled too often, not to mention the dangers of little tykes and playful kitties getting into them and possibly consuming the contents. Very scary. The best solution is to make our own toxic-free, wallet friendly and just as scrubbingly great as the rest, cleaning products. The recipes are simple and by having just FOUR ingredients on hand you can tackle any feasible household problem. Crazy problems I make no statement for, however, the normal to not-so-normal, you should be covered.

Great Must-Haves for House-Hold Cleaning:
White Distilled Vinegar- It is a true combatant against all things moldy, germy and bacteria…y due to it’s level of acidity. Overall helpful in every room of your house!

Lemon Juice is another nifty acid. It works similarly to white distilled vinegar with a much more pleasing aroma. I’ve found that the two combined are an unstoppable duo.

Baking Soda- This is a sodium bicarbonate, a natural substance that maintains the pH balance. Really this means it neutralizes both acids and bases so it in fact eliminates odors rather than covering them up. It can act as a mild abrasive that is helpful on the toughest stains and bathroom mildew.

Olive Oil- The oil leaves a sweet shine and none of the greasiness behind, it’s a perfect wood polish!

Now for the areas and recipes that the fabulous lung-friendly finds can be used in.

Vinegar- it doesn’t smell bad after you’re done cleaning I promise-

1 part White Vinegar, 1 part Water

– In spray bottle form, this can be used on any surface area, is able to clean water deposits and food messes. It’s also a great cleaner for appliances, bathtubs and showers and wood or tile floors. The dirt and grime will dissolve from the acidity, but if you have a troubling toddler or a sloppy man in the picture no worries, harder food deposits or shower scumb will be taken care of in the next recipe!

Baking Soda- in all it’s powdery goodness-

– Sprinkle baking soda onto a damp washcloth to tackle any of those harder to get out messes. For even tougher grime, make a paste of baking soda and water, apply to the problem area and allow to stand for 10 to 20 minutes. Dirt, soap scum and deposits are magically easier to remove.

And last for the furniture, the Olive Oil

1 cup Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Lemon Juice

– In a spray bottle the combination is perfect for spritzing a shiny finish on any wooden piece of furniture. Use a cloth to spread over the surface and wipe off with a dry rag. VOILA! A surface for reflection.

These recipes are simple and the ingredients cost 1/3 of what’s in the “cleaning” aisle. They won’t leave you dizzy from the fumes and the only thing that may happen if some young tots get a swig of lemon juice are some funny face pictures. Although for fear of retribution, it’s definitely not recommended.

Coupon-ing doesn’t have quite the same ring to it

“I’m off Coupon-ing”
“Alright, well I’m coupon-ing this afternoon, so I’ll see you around dinner”
“I can’t take you coupon-ing with me, I’m sorry dear I’ll see you later”

These certainly don’t get me excited about clipping those dreaded stacks of paper. Not really stacks even, sheafs, I have a jumbled sheaf of coupons. I wish there was a cute, sassy little phrase to explain the use of coupons. People get to say they’re going thrifting when garage sale-ing, and antique-ing when traipsing through flea markets. Really what do you call browsing Craigslist? What about virtual arm-wrestling your way to the top bidding position on ebay? Why isn’t there a name that pervades all thought of it being a schleping type of grunt work and making it sound much more like lunch out with the ladies. All of the above reveal the same outcome, that great refreshing sale thrill and satisfaction of making the deal. So why not a fantastic phrase that sums up the tech-savvy way of getting the best deal eh? Here my friends are some ideas and please if you have any comment below and we’ll get a trend started!

Deal Surfing (not nearly creative enough)
Per-E-zing (sounds more like a prescription drug)
Barhunting (definitely too cougar-esque)

Well, it’s a short list and I’ll be the first to say not a great one, but coupon-ing just won’t do. Given, even without the trendy name, I still plan on sifting through the grocery list to get the best bargains I can swindle. So clip away fellow schleppers and share below your best coupon clipping websites!