"Mama said there'd be days like this"

"Mama said there'd be days like this,

There'd be days like this, my mama said"

UGH. Cold.  I've have an aroma of Vicks & Bengay.  Sexy I know.

But you gotta do what you gotta do, mom's don't get sick days.

So the inevitable question today is: "What's for dinner?"

Praise the Lord I worked my tookis off this summer canning everything I could get my hands on!

Tonight's dinner "Chicken Enchilada Soup"

Cost $2.00

1 piece chicken breast

1 can black beans & corn

1/2 lg onion

2-3 cloves garlic

2-3 tomatoes

1/2 qt of salsa or taco sauce

2 C water

Grill chicken in pan.  Then throw chicken & everything else in the crockpot.  Cook on low 4 hours or until tender.  (I grilled the chicken right out of the freezer.)  If you don't have enough salsa or taco sauce go here to learn how to make your own http://www.thethriftyhomemaker.blogspot.com/2011/09/i-can-make-taco-seasoning.html

Doesn't this look wonderful & filling.  This homemade soup is easy peasy. I have enough to last for at least a couple of dinners for more than 1/2 the cost of what I could get at a restaurant.

My Target Transaction

I made a trip to town thinking it's after Christmas, a Wednesday & pouring rain so there shouldn't be a lot of people & I was right.  This is a quick trip into Target.  I spent $2.05, before coupons $15.10 total discount 86%! 



P.S. If anyone has any extra $1/1 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser's please let me know.  I just found my youngest coloring on our cabinets with crayons :(

Homemade Carpet Cleaner

When I started this blog it was just a quick way to get my thrifty ideas to my friends who were interested in saving money.  I wanted this blog to be a sounding board, where people share their ideas & give their comments on my posts.  Here is one thrifty recipe from my high school friend, Wendy.  With Christmas just around the corner & family coming up my carpets are looking a bit dingy so I'm going to try this:

This recipe sounds a little weird, but we swear by it. My husbands aunt gave us the recipe and we tried it on the carpets of our old van which were horrible from toting toddlers and their food around. The carpet looked almost new afterwards. I use it as a pre-treater too. I just put it in a spray bottle and spray on the bigger stains and let it sit for awhile.

1 cup Ammonia
1/2 cup Wisk liquid detergent (I use Purex HE and it works good too)
1 capful liquid fabric softener

Mix it all together until it is a uniform consistency and then use it in your cleaner.
My carpet cleaner is a Hoover that the soap goes in a holder on the side, I assume if you put it in one that the soap goes in with the water you would just pour the same amount as you would the regular soap.

I'm sick, what's for dinner?

So it seems that I'm getting sick.  It's times like this that I'm thankful for my stockpile, coupons & my canned foods.  This is what's on the menu tonight:

• Bake potatoes (sorry boys I'm too tired to mash them)
• Pear sauce
• Broccoli
• Cube steak (it was round steak, but the meat dept. ran it under the tenderizer a couple of times & turn it into cube steak)

This wonderful meal cost approx. $2.54.  How? Meat deals @ Safeway 30% off, potato deal @ Fred Meyers, & free pears & broccoli.  How free pears & broccoli?  Gleaning my friends, gleaning. 

Gleaning is basically going to a farm whose produce will go bad & picking it for free.  I had never heard of such a thing until we came to Oregon.  Farmers give away their crops due to a number of different reasons; their main reason is that the processing plant is full & won't accept any more deliveries.  Why have it rot in the fields when it could be on someones dinner plate? So I always ask if I can get more so I can donate to the food bank.  Their answer is always "Yes, take as much as you can." 

Find out if your area has a gleaning association, this is a good way to get good fruits & vegetables for free.

I think there were over 30 acres of broccoli.  We had 4-5 garbage bags full to give away!

A husband friendly coupon transaction

So my wonderful husband said he'd go to the store for me since he's working in town now.  So he headed over to "The Mart Who Must Not Be Named" and did this transaction.  We're growing our stockpile of pasta, it's a staple in our house.  Use $3/1 Panko from their website & "The Mart Who Must Not Be Named" price for the Panko was $2 & they will use any overage to be applied to any items in the transaction, so he bought pasta.  The total for this transaction was .16!  He's a wonderful guy!

Here's an easy coupon transaction

Here's an easy coupon transaction, if your Safeway store doubles, you can get all 3 FREE!  If you don't eat this, this is something that you can give to your local food bank.  Right now Nissin Big Cup Noodles are .50 each. Use 11/6 SS (Smart Source) $1 off /3.

That's how you coupon, baby!

Drum roll . . .  $27 + change.  Given that each diaper box was $19.79 before coupons, I think I did wonderful.  Each box was $9 + change & the coffee creamer was free.

Super Cheap Household Cleaner Part Deux - The Orange Scented Edition

In Part one of my post about cheap household cleaner the ingredients were simple:

Put in 1 bottle:
1/2 white vinegar
1/2 water


That's it. Nothing else.  Although I would suggest to boil your water first & let it cool.  Then again if you don't the vinegar should kill anything in the water.

PS Be sure to label your bottle so you know what it is.

In Part Deux, I was commented to my husband that everytime I clean with my homemade cleaner my house smells like vinegar.  The smell was ok, but not great.  Guess what I found out!  You can add used orange or lemon peels to your jar and the oils from the rinds infuses with the vinegar & smells WONDERFUL!  This is what I do:

Add orange peels & vinegar solution into a jar.  I'm reusing an old speghetti sauce jar.  Place it in a dark place like a pantry & wait a few weeks.  Honestly mine started to smell like oranges in a couple of days, just keep it out of direct sunlight.

Where have I been?

Yes I know I haven't posted anything in the last few months.  Sue me, I was busy.  Busy with what? Life. Life plain & simple.  I canned everything I could get my hands on.  I mean EVERYTHING!  Our pantry is full & I'm one happy lady.  I promise I will get back to posting things I find "THRIFTY". 

But in the meantime, take a minute and be thankful for what you have.  I know I am truely thankful this year!

Part 2 - My thrifty flour tortillas

Making things from scratch is a new idea for me, being a Cali-girl, my family went to the store to get food.  So when I started looking at ways to save money on things we use often, I went straight to my family's obsession with flour tortillas.  We eat tacos at least once a week.  My family loves to make wraps with them so we can easily go through a package of 10 in one sitting. 

I am in a group called Titus II, which is a women's church group where women share their ideas & knowledge.  I LOVE IT!  It has opened my eyes to a whole new world.  One family actually is self sufficient!  It blew my mind.  They might go to the grocery store once every month or two!  Here is her recipe for flour tortillas.  I have a secret, I sneak one & eat it right off the grill.

4 C of flour

2 tsp of salt

1/3 C of shortening or lard

1 1/2 C of warm water

Combine the flour or salt.  Cut in shortening/lard.  Add water & mix until soft dough forms.  Knead the dough for 1 minute & let sit for 30 min covered.  Divide the dough into 16-18 balls & flatten into disks.  Leave for 1 hour.  Roll out into 10" rounds on floured surface & cook in un-oiled medium hot skillet, turning once.  Let cool & then I place them into a clean empty plastic bread bag.

Titus 2:4-5 "Older women- train the younger women to love their husbands & children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind & to be subject to their husbands so that no one will malign the "Word of God"

I CAN make taco seasoning ?!?!?

Homemade Taco Seasoning

This is by far the EASIEST recipe yet.  Mix everything in one bowl.  Use 2 T to season 1 lb of meat.

4 T Chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp oregano
2 tsp paprika
2 T cumin
4 tsp sea salt
4 tsp pepper

I made this at my MoPS group last year.  Once I ran out, I substituted "Lazy J" chili mix seasoning since it had most of the listed ingredients already & I added cilantro.  It was a bit spicy, but still really good.

I've got myself in a pickle.

Quick children of the 80's!  This line comes from what movie?  "He would get me out of biggest pickle I'd ever been in."  This one will help "You're killing me Smalls!"  The Sandlot, I just love that movie!

Well I didn't get myself into a pickle, for today at least, but I did can 18 quarts of them.

Aren't they gorgeous?

As you can see from the picture that's all you need (plus water).  I picked up the cucumbers from the farmer's market (who were willing to barter later in the day!)  I got 16 HUGE cucumbers for $8.  I got this many because my garden only have produced 2 pickling cucumbers because the weather here in Oregon is crazy!  And it is cheaper then to go to the store & get a jar of them yourself, but if there is a good coupon deal I'll pick some up.

Time: abt 2 hours from start to finish
Difficulty: Easy if you know how to properly "can" your food.

Ingredients:
9-11 lbs of pickling cucs (I used regular ones)
3 1/3C white vinegar
7 1/3C water
1 pouch of dill pickle mix

Prepare is instructed on back of mix package.  Process in hot water bath canner for 15 minutes for quarts.

I've got fruit snacks coming out my ears!

Before you freak out at the "garbage" I have pictured here, just remember I will using them in school lunches & trying to get my youngest potty trained.  I'm a busy mom & yes I will bribe my child to use the toliet!

I was able to get all of this for $6.79.  It is worth $26.75.  That's a discount 75%!  All the eraseable markers will go to school for my oldest supply list.  I was able to get 8 markers for free.  Not bad.

What was your best deal?

Super Cheap Household Antibacterial Cleaner

Wait for it, wait for it . . .

Put in 1 bottle:
1/2 white vinegar
1/2 water


That's it. Nothing else.  Although I would suggest to boil your water first & let it cool.  Then again if you don't the vinegar should kill anything in the water.

PS Be sure to label your bottle so you know what it is.

Household Cleaner Just Like Grandma Used to Make

Homemade 409


2T Distilled Vinegar
1T Borax
1/8C Dawn (or whatever soap you have on hand)
1C HOT water
1 trigger spray bottle


Pour vinegar, borax, hot water into bottle.  Fill with cold water.  Add Dawn (or whatever soap you have on hand).

PS Be sure to label your bottle so you know what it is.

Super cheap tub cleanser

Here's another simple recipe, this time for your tub.

Plastic spray bottle
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 T dish soap

Put everything into the spray bottle.

Go to your bathroom and spread about 1/4 cup of baking soda over the floor of the tub. Spray the contents of your spray bottle into the tub until the baking soda is saturated.

Using a soft scrub brush or sponge, scrub your bathtub until it is clean. Rinse the contents down the drain when you are finished.

"My Children's Closet" is Now OPEN!

My family is excited to announce that we have opened our children's consignment space inside Claire's Mercantile!  We have lots of good quality children's clothes at affordable prices.  More & more items are coming in everyday.  Please stop on by & visit my space in Claire's 240 SW Washington St, Dallas Wed-Sat 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.  Tell your friends!

Homemade Handscrub - (If the little ones accidently eat it, that's ok it's all natural.)

I made this last year as a Christmas gift because money was TIGHT & a number of you wanted me to share my recipe so here it is!

REMEMBER this makes A LOT so adjust accordingly if you want to make a small batch!  I have also found other recipes like with cinnamon or brown sugar which I might try later.

1 1/2C Sugar
1/3 Kosher Salt (I used Epsom salt)
Zest of Lemon, Orange or Lime
1C Olive Oil (Found @ the $1 store)
1/4 tsp pure lemon extract (Found @ the $1 store)

Mix all together & share with friends.
Enjoy!

I'm on a couponing cloud!

I've been so busy getting the store ready, I haven't looked at the weekly coupon inserts for the last few weeks, (more like 6 weeks).  We were running low on somethings like cheese & cereal, and realized that I need to start getting some school supplies.  So I packed up the entire family and my wonderful husband trucked us all over town.  That man is so sweet, I just love him.  When you see the 1st picture remember I went to several different stores & I DID NOT wipe out the shelves!  That is #3 on my 10 Commandments of Couponing.

Total spent $48.96 worth $155.70!  69% savings!

Broken down by store:

                                                                  Safeway $0.20                                                                  

                        

                                 Franz Bakery Outlet $5.29                               

                                                  (no coupons used but it was 3/$5.29!)

Target $8.57 

                                                    

                                          

Fred Meyer  (2 transactions)  

$20.74

                                                               

Albertson's $11.19 

(3 transactions)    

               

           

                                                                    Rite Aid $2.97  

                                                          

I'd love to hear about your deals or comments.  Please let me know!

PS Sorry that the pictures are all over the place on my side they are fine, but once it is published it takes on a mind of its own.

You control the sales, the sales don't control you

When I teach my couponing classes, I always, always stress "YOU CONTROL THE SALES, THE SALES DON'T CONTROL YOU".  Why?  The point of couponing is to save money on things you usually buy and not on things that you don't.  Don't waste your money.  Honestly I think I haven't see anything noteworthy at Safeway in the last few weeks, the prices are AWFUL!  Prices here have jumped, probably by double digits in the neighborhood of 25-50%.  Since I live in a small town that's where you shop unless you wanna drive into Salem.

So needless to say we've been eating out of my stockpile.  But there were some good deals for items I will donate to the food bank.  No the ice cream is for my husbands sweet tooth & it was hot here yesterday (a whopping 80 degrees).  Take a look, total spent $9.

Say hello to my little friends. . .

So Safeway has a chicken deal going on right now, 77 cents a pound.  A pretty good price given that gas is still $3.79 here, (my stock up price was 60 cents a pound).  So I grabbed 2 whole chickens, each one being around $3.50. 

While I was away my wonderful husband made "Beer Can" chicken, but instead he used white wine in the can, rosemary, oregano, & garlic tucked underneath the skin.  I love making chicken this way, it is so tender & juicy.  One chicken can last us at least 3-4 dinners.  Making each dinner about $1.25.  Not bad.  Tonight will be chicken sandwiches, sometime this week will be chicken & rice, & the other dinner will be chicken enchiladas.  His partner in crime, will be cut up and froze for those night where I don't want to cook or it's too hot. 

Doesn't those look like the ones from the store?

I have a sickness, I like to take pictures of my grocery deals.

Yes, I have a sickness.  Why do I like to take pictures of my grocery deals?  I'll never know.  Maybe to inspire or boast?  Who knows, but I'll keep doing it, if you guys like to see what I get super cheap.

All of this for $3.53.



This is what $6 will buy you at Safeway.

All of this for $6.08.  Not bad.

Hey I can make my own dishwasher soap!

I was asked in one of my couponing classes if I knew how to make dish washer soap.  I didn't, but I'd look into it.  Guess what!  I have all the ingredients in my pantry, thanks to my laundry soap recipe.  It is free of harsh chemicals.

Difficulty: Easy                 Costs: $0.75 for 40 loads/1T .02 per load or 20  loads/2T .04 per load

Ingredients:

1 C Washing soda

1 C Borax

Vinegar (as a rinsing agent)

Mix Borax and Washing soda in a jar. Washing soda is similar to baking soda but better suited for cutting through grease and grime.

Break apart any clumps in the mixture as you mix it. Screw the lid tightly on the jar during storage.

Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of the homemade dish soap in the soap cup of your dishwasher. Run the dishwasher as usual.

If desired, place vinegar in the rinse agent dispenser. Vinegar cuts through water spots and is particularly useful when washing glass ware.

 

Knock you socks off sourdough bread

Holy Moly!  Have you checked out the prices for Sourdough bread lately?  Here in my little town it's a whopping $4.69! for 1 loaf.  I could drive to Trader Joe's (at least 30 miles one way) & get it somewhere in the range of $2.99.  But, gas is now going down to $3.81 a gallon YIPPEE!  So I, yet again, am trying to find a cheaper version that I'll like.  I THINK I FOUND IT.

Rustic Sourdough Bread

Difficulty: Med/Med High                                             Costs:$2.50 for 2 loaves

Time: 2 1/2 hours ( 2 Hours to let the dough rest)

Ingredients:
1 C "fed" sourdough starter
1 1/2 C Luke warm water
2 1/2 tsp salt
1 T Sugar (I used 2, it was really sour)
2 tsp Instant yeast
5 C Flour

Combine all ingredients until a smooth soft dough.  I add a few cups of flour at a time.

Place in a greased bowl, cover, & let rise until doubled 90 minutes.

Divide dough in half & shape into 2 oval loaves.  This is the 2nd time I've made this & I used 2 bread pans so the dough is taller.  Place in a lightly greased pan.  Cover & let rise till puffy 60 minutes.

Slash the tops & bake in preheated over @ 425 degrees for 30 minutes, keep an eye out about 25 minutes, so the tops don't brown too much.  Cool on rack.

Enjoy!  Remember to put the remainder of the bread in the refrigerator, it doesn't have preservatives.

Don't throw out that bread!

I think this is the easiest tip I have for you guys.  KEEP THOSE BREAD CRUSTS!  I can remember my mom saying that to me.  So I've incorporated that saying into my life.  I take hard day old bread or the ends of the sourdough & "repurpose" them into tasty breading for my chicken, fish, or crumbs I add to my meatloaf.

Difficulty: If can use a knife, I can make this                             Cost: Nothing

Time: 5 minutes

Cut up stale bread.  If still a bit soft, toss it in the toaster or oven to dry it out.  Place it in the food processor and obliterate it.   That's it.  Add spices when you are making the meal.  The above picture was 1 large loaf from the store & a bunch of end pieces from the sliced bread that I've had in my freezer.  I'll keep it in the refrigerator or in my pantry.

Homemade Granola Bars! Martha Stewart eat you heart out!

Remember back in January, when all those killer deals on Oatmeal were happening?  Well, I stocked up.  I think I got at least 5 tubs of oatmeal & probably paid at most $0.75 a box; most I got for free.  I stocked up with the good intention of making my children warm, stomach filling, quality breakfast before they start they're day.  Yes, I was able to get them to eat it for a while then the excitement wore off, so now with the mornings getting warmer, oatmeal is not part of our daily breakfast.  I needed to find a way to use the oatmeal.  I came across this recipe . . . .

GRANOLA BARS!

I made both blueberry & chocolate.  I think I'll pick up some of those chocolate Easter bunnies (now at 75% off) & chopped them up and use them in this recipe instead of using chocolate chips.  THRIFTY TIP!

Difficulty: Can't cook ~ No problem         Cost: $1.50 for 12
Time: 30 Minutes

Chewy granola bars

4 C rolled oats
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C honey (I used 1/2 C)
1 C melted marg/butter (I used 1/2 C)
1/2 t salt
1/2 t vanilla

Mix oats & sugar.  Add melted marg & other ingredients.  Press into ungreased pan, about 1/2 inc deep.  Bake @ 300 for 20 (I did 30 min) or until golden brown.  Cool for a few minutes & cut into bars.

BTW, I've already eaten 2 bars & they have been done for only 2 hours, so watch out they're addictive!

Wish me luck.

Wish me luck.  I am doing a couponing class today.  I haven't spoke to a group in YEARS, like when I was in college.  I know they're there to save money & I know how to save money, but all those eyes on me. UGH.  Just pray I don't pass out!

Cheap cereal at Safeway

For those people who don't know, I'm an avid couponer.  While the most I'll pay for a box of cereal is about .50, I made it over to Safeway to get some cereal at a whopping .94 each one trip & .79 another trip.  BUT, the caveat was FREE milk.  Taking in account the free milk, I paid .29 a box & .14 a box.  At Safeway, they're running a promo buy 3 GM cereals get a catalina for free milk, but in order to get Safeway's price you have to buy 4.  It was well worth the extra box of cereal.  Now, if I can only get a deal on cheese I'd be set.

You too can make fabric softener at home!

I have been couponing for a while now & I have a few bottle of fabric softener that I got SUPER  SUPER CHEAP or FREE, but I do want to try this out.  If you can get the conditioner for free or cheap, it's worth a try.

Difficulty: I could do it in my sleep                                  Cost: Free to $1.00
Time: 2 Minutes

Ingredients:
6 C Hot water
3 C White Vinegar
2 C Sauve Conditioner or whatever you have laying around

Mix conditioner & water well until dissolved.  Mix in vinegar.  Put in a used, clean dispenser (like the old fabric softener bottle)

WHAT?!? You make your own laundry soap? Why yes, I do!

I got this recipe from my wonderful MoPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group.  When I heard about it, I thought they were CRAZY!  Why would anyone make laundry soap when you can go to the store & buy it?  Fast forward a few years, I've become one of those crazy ladies.  This is so cheap & easy.  Yes, you do see my laundry soap in a Cool Whip container, remember people the name of the blog is The Thrifty Housewife!  Not pretty, but who cares!  The liquid version I can fill up an entire laundry bucket from Costco, for next to nothing!

 

Difficulty: Easy peasy                                    Cost: about $1.50

Time: Less than 10 minutes

Ingredients for Dry Laundry Soap:

1 Bar Fels Natha Soap or Ivory

3/4 C WASHING Soda (not Baking soda)

3/4 C Borax

5-10 drops of essential oil for fragrance (if desired, I don't but you might)

Cut soap bar into 3 pieces & grate up in blender or food processor.  Add washing soda & blend again.  Add Borax & blend again.  Use 1 T for normal laundry or more for you dirtier laundry.  Makes 40T.

Ingredients for Liquid Laundry Soap:

4 C Hot water

1 Bar Fels Natha Soap or Ivory

1 C WASHING Soda (not Baking soda)

1/2 C Borax

10-15 drops of essential oil for fragrance per 2 gallons (if desired, I don't but you might)

Grate bar of soap & add to saucepan with water.  Stir continually over med-low heat until melted.

Fill 5 gallon bucket 1/2 full with hot tap water.  Add melted soap, washing soda, & Borax.  Stir well until dissolved.  Fill to top with hot tap water.  Let cool overnight.  Makes 10 gallons.

Fill a used, clean laundry dispenser with 1/2 soap & 1/2 water.  Shake before each use.  Use 5/8 C, I just reuse the scooper from the Costco container.

Homemade Bagels! OH MY!

This is my first bagel recipe I've ever tried.  I always thought bagels came from the store.  I think I will never buy store made bagels again .  These are so delicious & I know what my kids are eating!

Difficulty: Easy                                    Cost: About $1.50 for 8 large bagels
Time: 1 hour 30 min (Really only 30 minutes of labor)

Ingredients:

1 tsp. yeast

1 1/4 cups warm milk (I use powdered milk to save $)

1/4 cup softened butter

2 Tbl. sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 egg yolk.

appox 3 3/4 cups flour (I use 3 1/2)

Dissolve 1 tsp in 1 1/4 cups WARM milk.  Add 1/4 cup softened butter, 2 Tbl sugar, 1 tsp salt and 1 egg yolk.  Mix well.

Stir in enough flour to make a soft yet firm dough (approx. 3 3/4 cups).  Knead 10 min.  For those, who like me are learning, use the dough attachment on your mixer & add flour slowly (like a cup at a time & mix)

Add desired flavors.  If you prefer any cheese on top, set some aside & place some on top after the water bath.

Place in a greased bowl, (I just use the same bowl I mixed in).  Cover and let rise for 1 hour.  

Punch dough down and shape into a large ball.  I cut my dough into 8 sections.  This recipe says it makes 12 if you'd like smaller bagels.

Take each section and form a ball, poke a hole in the center and stretch.  Make sure your whole is LARGE to start with!

Let the bagels sit for 10 minutes. 

Before you boil them, flatten them.

Drop in boiling water and remove when they float to the top (or about 15 seconds).

Place on a greased cookie sheet  and bake at 400' for 13-18 minutes.  Remove when they are brown on the bottom and slightly golden on top.