Monday, March 30, 2009

FREE Recipes, Spices, Salad Dressings

A great way to save a lot of money is to make those expensive salad dressings and spice mixes right in your own kitchen. You'll find it to be way cheaper and a lot of fun!! Below are a few ideas to get you started but don't be afraid to branch out and experiment with other ingredients. Have fun SAVING MONEY!!

All Purpose Spice
1/3 cup Grated parmesean cheese
1/4 cup Sesame seeds
2 Tablespoon Paprika
1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 teaspoon Dried parsley
1 teaspoon Onion flakes
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Celery seed
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
Crush bouillon cube into fine powder, put in screw-top jar. Add remaining ingredients and shake until well mixed. Store in refrigerator for up to 4 months. May be used on fish, meat, stews, casseroles, salads, vegetables.

Onion Soup Mix
2 cups powdered milk
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 cup beef bouillon crystals
2 Tablespoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves, crushed
Mix and store in an airtight container in refrigerator.
To prepare: Mix 1/3 cup dry Onion Soup Mix with 1 1/2 cups water. Cook and stir until thickened.

Italian Dressing Mix
2 teaspoons oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
6 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Mix and store in an airtight container.
To make dressing: Use 3 Tablespoon mix with 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil and 1/2 cup wine vinegar.

Ranch Dressing Mix
15 saltine crackers
1 cup dry parsley
1/2 cup dry onions
2 Tablespoons thyme
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Mix in blender until crumbs are small. Store in closed container. It will will be good for 1 year.
To use: Whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup buttermilk and 1 Tablespoon Ranch Dressing Mix.

Remember you can't go wrong...just be creative...and think of all the money you will save!!

For a FREE Report On Other Methods Used In SAVING TONS OF MONEY
CLICK HERE!!!

Don't Pay For Name Brand Products

I have done extensive research on the web concerning the topic of "Saving Money" or "Frugal Lifestyles." I was surprised to find a lot of helpful information but noticed that after about 50 articles or so, it all becomes a little generic. Yeah, SAVING MONEY IS WHAT WE ALL NEED TO DO but the question is "HOW." Turning off lights, adjusting thermostats, coupon cutting, these certainly have their place. The fact is, you could do all these things and fail to cut spending on monthly, weekly, even daily purchases and never really notice an abundance of money left in your pocket.

What if I told you there is a way to buy what you want or need and SAVE 80%.....getting TOP NAME BRANDS for rock-bottom wholesale prices....earning SERIOUS INCOME reselling these quality products or keeping them for yourself....and SAVING MONEY!!

For your free report on SAVING BIG BUCKS click here!!

As Featured On EzineArticles

Friday, March 27, 2009

What is Frugal Living?

There many streams of information out there out there on how to live a frugal life. There will be articles on anything from hanging your clothes to dry to growing your own tomatoes . There are chat rooms that are live, right now, with people discussing the amount of rainwater they collected to water their precious lawn and roses. These have their place.
Being frugal is not about converting all of your china to tupperware. It is not about growing your own corn or watering your roses with rainwater. It's not even about sacrifice. It's all about thinking ahead when it comes to your spending. It is about being a good steward with what you have, taking control of your finances, and saving money.
Each individual house should determine what areas it needs to be more frugal. You don't have to do without to enjoy frugal living. It doesn't mean you don't have what you need. As a matter of fact, it means just the opposite
Shoppers that are frugal are cautious. They watch over their money and use it wisely. MOst shoppers who shop smart with their money actually have what they want and the satisfaction of knowing that it did not hurt them financially. They in vest the time to make good decisions. They learn how to make their money every week work for them and not against them. They always end up with more for less..
Frugal living is about cutting your spending,living within your means, and taking care of whats yours, which includes your money. It is about setting realistic goals and working hard to achieve them. Who would you rather be? The guy that that has what he wants and can spend his money how he chooses, or the guy whose check is already spent?

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Saving Money While Eating Better

Pack a lunch daily....No Mickey D's!
Packing luches everyday can save an average family about $45 dollars per week or around $2,340 a year. This study was also based on a nutritious balance of fruit, whole grains, and yogurt. So, you won't only be saving money, you'll be saving on calories and fat.
All of your home cooked meals should be planned ahead, weekly.
Home cooking is great, and doing it shouldn't be a dreaded thought. One way is taking a couple hours on a weekend, prepare 3 main courses and 3 side items (vegetables, potatoes, rice, etc.) Place appropriate portions of food in microwavable containers to create separate meals. This in turn will last about 3 days. In the evenings instead of spending precious money on pizza delivery or chinese takeout, pop one of those containers in the microwave. This will leave you cooking only 2 or 3 times per week.
For road trips, plan ahead for your snacks and drinks.
Whenever you leave your house for an extended amount of time, pack a cooler of snacks and drinks. It saves an average of twenty to thirty dollars a week or $1,300 a year. This will save money and will save those you visit while on the road the burden of providing your food and drink. Preparing food with your own hands ensures that the food and beverage will be both fresh and clean.
Eating out needs to fit in your budget, not the other way around.
When you do go out to eat, plan ahead and budget for that expense. This will cause you to worry less and enjoy the meal more.Try to limit these occasions to once a month. A dinner for four could cost as much as it would to feed that same family for a week...

Frugal Is as Frugal Does

Everyday there are things we can do to be more frugal in these hard economic times. We need to be intentional about it asking ourselves where do we buy our groceries or should we make it a Blockbuster night? Here are a few things that we can do to to carve our budgets.
Buy items you use in bulk at Sam's or Costcos. Buy the largest package you can find, which gives you the most for your money.
Stop buying so many frozen foods. Some frozen foods make sense, like buying frozen bread dough. It is less expensive to buy three or four unbaked loaves of bread together, than to buy one pre-sliced loaf of bread. You can add variety with frozen bread dough by rolling it out, brushing with butter and sprinkling it with cinnamon-sugar.Roll it back up and bake. Presto, you have cinnamon bread. Throw in raisins or pecans to your taste.
Buy foods that are less convenient , and more "old faithful" items like dry beans, rice, fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, milk and butter (store brand.) Buy in bulk when possible. Just forget about the nicely packaged pre-made honey butter, mashed potatoes, or other prepared foods!
Eat out less frequent. If you just have to have Chili's rack of baby backs, get the meal as a take-out. That saves you from buying overpriced drinks, paying tips, and buying that dessert you didn't need.
rent it Instead of going to the movies, buying popcorn and expensive tickets, make it a Blockbuster night. The movie wont be brand new when you see it, but you will save a load of dough.
During these tough economic times, stay away from clothing that needs special care. Spend your money wisely on clothes that can be thrown in the washer and dryer.
Drive the automobiles less. This is hard but well worth a try. Combine trips, so you don't wasting valuable fuel. If your vehicle doesn't call for high-octane gas, it doesn't NEED it!. 87 Octane works great!. Also, if your community has it available, use public transportation.
Take the next 6 months and really focus on the things that YOU can do to cut back on needless spending. Have fun with all that extra money you"ll be saving!