Frugal Ideas

[Theresa L]

I know many of us are doing what we can to stretch a dollar and I thought we could share some of our favorite methods. For me, it is leftover vegetables.

When you have vegetables left over from dinner, that little bit that's not even enough for a serving or the last of your Chinese takeout, dump them, juices and all, into a freezer safe container. I use and old ice cream bucket with a lid. Store it in the freezer. When the container is full, add the meat of your choice - beef stew meat or chicken - and some water and let it cook. I did this in the crock pot yesterday with chicken breasts and some homemade chicken broth & it was delicious!

[Barbara G.]

Hello,

I like to buy hamburger when it is on sale - usually 20-40 pounds at a time. Then I will take it home and season it to cook up. I will then place two pounds in containers to freeze for later use.

With having kids, it is very quick to pull out a container and make hamburger helper, ect. It makes for a very quick meal and saves time when we have so many things going on. I can also make spaghetti really quickly - just boil spaghetti, use hamburger, add sauce.

One of the ways we save time and money! Look forward to hearing other's ideas!

[Maryjane]

Teresa- I do that too! but the main problem is that we usually love the soup, but know we will never have that combination of ingredients again!! With just two of us (we have 3 kids that are grown), we have a lot of leftovers. I try to make them into something else the next night!

[Lili]

Teresa: That is a great idea. Like maryjane there was just two of us now (both kids grown) so I try to use up leftovers the next day or so. Barbara: I do the same thing with hamburger (as I always put a little treat on the dog's dinner!!). I have started cooking a couple of whole chickens in the stew pot and then putting containers of cooked chicken in freezer to have quick fajitas, enchiladas, chicken divan etc. Another thing I have done lately is add a can of refried beans to hamburger and some salsa (whatever you have really) and roll up in tortillas and freeze for later. So quick a meal when you are in a hurry. Just add cheese and bake. Yesterday had some bananas and made 6 small loaves of banana bread.

[Theresa L]

Lili: Don't forget to make chicken broth when you stew those chickens. You can use it as soup stock, even use it to cook rice in and you have chicken flavored rice. When my bananas get a little over ripe, I slice them, about 1/4" thick and dehydrate them. The kids snack on them or I add them to cereal or homemade tail mixes.

[Theresa L]

Maryjane, There are 5of us here right now but my daughter and granddaughter are getting ready to move out. That will leave my husband, son and I. We try to use all our leftovers all the time. I also take left over hamburger - like the end of the meatloaf or uneaten hamburger patties and through them in a container in the freezer. Then when I make tacos or spaghetti, I break up the chunks and add the meat to whatever I'm making.

[Lili]

Theresa: I usually do that but haven't the last couple of times. Keep telling my hubby I need a little freezer for things like that!!!!! If I can't do banana bread right then, I just mash them and freeze them and use them when I am ready!!!! I used to have a dryer when the kids were little and we dried every fruit we could get: pears are the best!!!!!

[armybrat]

A good way to save $ is to use coupons and to join some freebies boards. I'm amazed at how many free full-size products and high value coupons are out there. You just need to know where to look. The United States has so much more in free stuff available to consumers than here in Canada. I belong to several US boards and sign up for free stuff to be sent to my family in Florida.
I recommend these boards for US members:
http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/free-stuff/
Slickdeals.net
Deals, Coupons and Freebies
Twisted Branches Forums - View forum - Newest Freebies
You do not need to join the above boards to read the posts.

[Diane T]

What a neat idea. Thanks. Will share it with my family and see what happens

[Theresa L]

Coupon Mom is another good site to use. It's free. You can sign up and they tell you what coupons are out that week and which stores are having sales that you can match your coupon up with to make the most of your savings. You can go through a list of stores and choose the ones in your area and then get a weekly email telling you what each store has on sale and what coupons to use. You can customize it to your preferences. Then you can print shopping lists for each store so you know just what you need when you go to shop at that store.