"Living Better...For Less"
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In this issue:
Introduction
"Once A Month Cooking" by Mimi Wilson & Mary Beth Lagerborg
Reviewed by: Teri Fladstol
Home Buyer's How-To
Saving Thousands on Your Next Real Estate Purchase
by Bob Hendrickson
Advice from Mom
Fun for the Kids: Finger Paints, Water Colors, and Putty
by Rae Osenbaugh
Ask Bob: The Automotive Answer Guy?
Power Steering Problems
by Bob DeP
Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions
NEW ON THE WEB THIS WEEK:
2nd Hand Clothes for Boys
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971113a.htm
Eat Better, Spend Less
ABC Soup
by Julie Davis
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971113d.htm
An Honest Auto Mechanic
by Gary Foreman
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971113e.htm
Kids and Clutter
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971113b.htm
Thanksgiving Memories
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971113c.htm
UPCOMING CHATS
http://www.talkcity.com
in the Finance Center at 8:30 to 9:30 U.S. Eastern Time
11/19 - A Happier Thanksgiving
11/26 - Save on Christmas Shopping
Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hello to all my Frugal Friends!
We heading into that busy time of year. Thanks for finding time to read The Dollar Stretcher. This week we have a review of "Once a Month Cooking" and articles about kid's inside activities and buying a home. Bob answers an auto question and our readers provide tips on boys clothes, keeping up with clutter and some other ideas that you'll find interesting. On the web site you'll find Julie Davis' latest recipe and an article on finding an honest auto mechanic.
Hope you enjoy it! Oh, and don't forget to pass a copy on to a frugal friend.
All the Best!
Gary
I came across this book 3 years ago and after several months of "talking" myself into it, began to cook using this method. The concept is to cook all dinner entrees for one month and freeze them. The night before you pull out the entree and let it thaw in the refrigerator. When making dinner you heat the entree, fix your vegetables, fruit, bread or whatever you will be having with the entree (suggestions are with the individual recipes). Voila...dinner is ready.
The book has a 2 week sample menu complete with grocery list, step by step instructions and a wide variety of entrees. I suggest you try this sample menu first to see if it works for your family. Even if you think your family won't like certain ingredients in the recipe, try it without any changes (unless someone is allergic to an ingredient) because they may surprise you and really like it. My husband is a picky eater and I didn't think he would like half of the recipes in the book - but after trying them without any changes, we found there were only 4 that he really didn't like. He does have some food allergies so I have made modifications, but they have been minor.
The sound of cooking that many meals in one day may sound overwhelming, and I will admit that the first 2-3 times of trying it I wasn't too sure but I have been doing it for 2 1/2 years now and the money savings have been tremendous. We spent $32.81 per person each week for groceries in 1995; $26.79 per person per week in 1996; and to date 1997 we have spent $24.50; These amounts include all groceries with the average for the evening entree being $.86 per person per day. The money savings have been great, but we have found that the time has been even better ... we cook together, if I'm not home my husband can pull out the entree, follow the directions and cook dinner. Our eating out has all but disappeared other than for special occasions and it is more of a treat then.
When we have company, we don't spend a fortune on entertaining, we just add a few complimentary dishes and a dessert and they feel like you've fussed over them.
I could go on and on with tips on how to shop, prepare the day before, seasonal items to look for, planning ahead, how to integrate your own recipes into this format, must have equipment to make the job easier, ways to save additional time and money by canning the items you use most such as tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, etc. But, this article would be way too long! If you are interested in saving $$$ on meals, time in the kitchen and introducing new foods to your family, I encourage you to check to see if your library has the book - try the sample menu and see how it works for your family.
The copyright date is 1986, 1992. Second edition 1992 published by Focus on The Family Publishing; Originally published in 1982 under the title "Freeze and Save" and in 1984 as "Dinner's Ready". 160 pages - most are actual recipes with a menu calendar, grocery shopping list, staples list, freezer containers and cooking day instructions before each section. The last chapter has equivalent measures, freezer storage tips, and an offer for a video on the process. ISBN # 1-56179-041-9
My husband, Steve, and I (Teri) both worked until 1995 at which time I quit my job to start our family ... we now have a 7 month old daughter and I am staying home with her. We have found with the Once A Month Cooking, the tips I have picked up from The Dollar Stretcher and other tightwad steps we have taken, that we are able to live on one income. We are still trying to get out from under some credit card debt that we had racked up before I quit work, but with all of that we are still able to afford for me to stay home and actually feel that our standard of living is better than it was with both of us working.
I would be happy to answer questions and give suggestions to people who are interested in cooking this way. They can direct questions to Teri Fladstol at vineww2@bmi.net.
Home Buyer's How-To
Saving Thousands on Your Next Real Estate Purchase
by Bob Hendrickson
hendrbob@erols.com
Until relatively recently, the process by which buyers used real estate brokers and agents remained the same for quite a few generations. Real estate companies are paid to provide the service of matching up a buyer with a seller of property. Historically, those folks acted as representatives of the owners of property for sale and owed those owners certain duties and obligations by what is called the law of agency. Not to go into too much detail, let's just say that brokers and agents, which I will just call agents from here on, worked to promote the best interests of their clients, the sellers. This includes getting the buyer to pay the maximum price for the property.
Now, speaking from experience, I can tell you that after an agent has spent quite a few hours learning about the needs, desires, dreams and finances of the buyers, the buyers start to feel friendly and trusting towards the agent. After all, it's just human nature to respond that way. This may create hidden problems for the buyer. For example, most folks don't realize that unless the agent has made special arrangements with the buyer to act in THEIR best interest, and not the sellers', anything that was told to the agent, whether in confidence or not, needs to be divulged to the seller. Consequently, the steps involved with finding a suitable home, negotiating a sales contract, acquiring financing, and closing on the property, historically has been very one sided in favor of the sellers, and at the expense of the buyer.
In the past 10 years, a comparatively short period of time in the overall history of real estate sales in our country, an alternative has emerged which changes all of that. It is now possible in most areas, to have the agent represent the buyer's best interests, instead of the sellers' needs. This approach is called "buyer brokerage".
In using the buyer brokerage concept, the agent is working to get the best (read lowest) price for the buyer, instead of the highest price (for the seller). Everything else in the transaction, such as financing terms, extras included in the sale, favorable possession date, etc., is also usually negotiated by the buyer's agent as part of their duty to the buyer. In this scenario, the seller still pays for the services of the real estate companies involved, but the agent working with the buyer is now free to be more helpful and much more valuable to the buyer.
But beware! Not every real estate agent is willing to be a buyer's agent. And some cannot. Just as a divorce lawyer could not fairly represent both a husband and wife simultaneously, no single real estate salesperson can simultaneously protect the interests of both the owner and the purchaser, since they have opposite desires and goals. This means that every transaction involving buyer representation needs two agents: one to represent the seller, the other to represent the buyer. Any less is lop-sided and inherently unfair to someone.
Of the agents that say they are willing to represent a buyer, not all are very qualified or experienced. You need to find someone who has helped other buyer-clients before and who understands fully that protecting and promoting a buyer's interests is not necessarily synonymous with creating win-lose situations. In order for the sale to take place, everyone must feel they are getting what they need, or it won't work. Win- lose scenarios rarely go to completion.
My experience tells me that the biggest savings for home buyers come about through one or both of the following two techniques. The first involves having an agent (who represents you) aggressively search for available properties frequently and continuously to let the buyer know FAST when an incredible bargain first comes on the market. The buyer needs to know this before the sign goes in the yard and the ad is placed in the paper. The second, and more common money saving strategy, is to have the buyer's agent competently and skillfully negotiate an offer to purchase with the seller and/or the sellers' agents. The most spectacular purchases I have seen were not transactions where the seller offered a fantastic buying opportunity, but instead were the result of hard bargaining on the part of the buyer's representative. So it is important to find an agent who knows how to do this, is willing to do it, and do it well.
A home is usually the most expensive purchase that people make in their lifetimes. It is important to find a skilled practitioner who can negotiate on the buyer's behalf to save the maximum amount of money, and also to take care that the buyer isn't purchasing a property which will be extremely difficult to sell later on.
Finding someone to help you, the buyer, should be given the same care as you would choose a skilled surgeon. This is much easier said than done. Yellow page and magazine ads are not going to give you any real idea as to whether your prospective choice is the right agent for you or not. A better solution is to find a buyer's agent the way you would find a talented surgeon. Ask someone in the business to help you locate a skilled buyer's agent. After all, isn't this what you would do if you had serious medical needs, or would you just "pick someone" from an ad?
If you would like more information on this important subject, email me and ask for a copy of the free report entitled "How Not to Get Eaten Alive in Your Next Real Estate Purchase". Bob Hendrickson is a licensed real estate agent with RE/MAX Tradition in the Annapolis area. He has been in the real estate business since 1981 and is a real estate buyers' consumer advocate who helps people find and purchase homes all over the United States and Canada.
Here's some ideas to keep the kids busy on those cold snowy days that are coming soon! These are inexpensive and can keep them occupied for a long time!
Stir together the first two ingredients. This will foam some
(great lesson on chemical reaction). Add food coloring. Mix in
the last two ingredients.
Put in small containers and allow to harden. Use like normal
water colors.
Make one recipe for each color.
If you know someone who uses Crystal Light Drink those
containers work great.
plastic egg or screw top jar (baby food jars are great) Put starch in a bowl. Add glue and let sit 5 minutes. If desired add food coloring. Mix until starch is absorbed and color is spread smoothly. HINT: The longer you mix the better it gets.
B. 1 cup warm water
Stay warm everyone!
-Rae
Dear Bob,
I have a sorta 2-part question on power steering. I have a 1985
Buick Skyhawk with 122,000 miles. I have developed a leak in the
power steering. Sometimes it leaks worse than others, and it
seems to have stopped now that: 1. it is cooler outside (
Atlanta, below 90 degrees :) 2. I put some of that Stop-leak in
it, a few cans of it. is it worth it to continue putting that
stuff in it, will it fail while I am driving ?
Also, now that it is cold, 40 degree mornings, my power steering
gets stuck in the morning. When I first start out, it won't
turn. I let it warm up some, 2-5 minutes, then as I am backing
out, I try to turn. It STICKS, finally turns (slowly at first),
then works OK the rest of the trip. Is this related to question
#1, and what is the answer?
Thanks,
Paul C
Paul,
The problem with dumping in pint after pint of stop leak is that
you can eventually clog the rack or the steering box. I don't
think that your car has a steering rack. But in any case, if
you cant stop the problem with just two applications, then you
should consider an alternative solution. You can probably get a
used pump.... wait... how do we know it is the pump that is
bad... maybe it is a hose or a clamp that is loose... You need
to find out exactly where the leak is.... now assuming that it
is the pump... you can get a used one from a junk yard. They
are not that difficult to change. On a scale of 1 to 10, I
would rate this one a 4 based solely on messiness.... Now as to
the problem of the power steering sticking... I think you now
know the answer to that....
Good Luck!
Drive Safely!
Bob
The Auto Answer Guy?
Bob answers your auto questions. If you have a question for Bob just sent it to him at: AskBob@stretcher.com.
My husband and I are considering buying a home that has electric
baseboard heat. The electric bill for this home averages $260-
$300 per month, for a 2200 sq ft home. It has no AC or existing
duct work. We really love this house but do not want to go
broke heating it. I work at home and have a small child so
can't let it get too cold. Can anyone give me some guidance as
to what would be the best course of action? What type of system
do you suggest we put in if we buy it? We live in Westminster
MD. Gets pretty cold in the winter. Any help would be
appreciated.
Thanks!
Sandy
With the holiday baking season approaching, I'm wondering
if any of your readers have a "recipe" for a substitution for
sweetened condensed milk. I can't quite see paying up to $2.00
per 14 oz. can when its only ingredients (as listed on the can)
are milk and sugar.
Thanks.
--CR
I would like to know exactly what my legal rights are concerning creditors contacting me at work. I have sent two written requests informing them that I cannot receive calls at my new job. I haven't made my "90 day" yet, and I am afraid that calls of this personal nature will threaten my job. I have told creditors this, and they don't seem to care (If I lose my job, how do they expect me to earn money to pay them?) I have an answering machine available and have asked them to leave a message for me. They lie and claim they do, but their messages are the only ones "not being recorded."
I am struggling to get out of debt from two credit cards, totaling under $2,000. Creditors demand I give them access to my checking account to make payments, but I've refused because I am afraid of what rights this would actually give them to withdrawal an amount more than I've specified (or can send at any one particular date). I've requested the dates the payments are due to be changed to match my pay dates, and the companies have refused. This creates a situation in which they have been charging at least $20 each time I miss a payment, even by one day.
I feel like I am completely without rights. The overwhelming majority of the debt is from the companies charging late fees. I have contacted different "credit counselors and debt managers" via the web, but most of these places charge at least $20 per month or more for use of their services, and won't guarantee a reduction or waiving of late fees from the companies.
I feel like I am a hostage, with no end in sight. Can anyone
offer helpful suggestions?
--NB
I too have an 8 year old boy and an 11 year old girl. I try to
buy most of their clothing at yard sales, church rummage sales
and thrift shops. I have found great deals at two places that
are throughout most of the US and have similar counterparts that
are as well. America's Thrift Stores and Goodwill Stores are
HUGE multi-department stores that are usually warehouse feeling
inside, but sell donated clothes, shoes, books, toys, furniture,
appliances, etc. They have every size. I got my son a church
jacket for $4.88, a winter jacket (nearly new) for $6.48, a
dress for myself for $2.88, some great hardcover books, a bed
frame/headboard and footboard for a queen size bed for $15,
jumpers, shirts, dresses and jeans for my girls from $1.48-
$4.88. The prices are great! Now the selection is typical.
With four children and I can always find something for someone,
but not always just what I need. I go there about once a month.
--Loren in GA
Boys will be boys! Whoever coined that phrase knew what they
were talking about. Boys usually wear out their clothes before
they outgrow them. I have found that the only way to find
"good" used clothes for boys is to shop often. Even in regular
stores. Stop in often and look for their clearance sales or buy
one get one free. Oct. and Nov. seem to be a good time for
this, as "start of school" sales are over. Then again in Jan.
when Christmas sales end and inventories are well on their way.
Making it known at thrift stores that you have several children
is often a door to hand-me-downs. Some thrift stores are
overloaded with clothes and weekly weed out clothes for the
garbage man. Ask if you could dispose of them for them, then
pick out what you can use and either pass them on or send them
to a Salvation army or another thrift store. Happy shopping.
--DB
Teach your children to change their clothes! The concept of "If
it's good enough for school it's good enough for play" results
in a lot of ruined clothing, and unnecessary laundry. Use
'experienced' clothing for play.
--George C.
(there's more at http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971113a.htm. Thanks to everyone for helping!)
I have two girls who seem to enjoy living in a cluttered
environment. Here are a few ideas which have been helpful.
*Put away half of their toys. Switch them around every few
months.
*Use boxes with labels on them, milk crates and storage bins to
sort out toys and put them away.
*You can never have too many bookshelves. Use bricks/milk
crates and boards or find them at garage sales.
*Use a timer and make it a game to see how much can be cleaned
up in 5 minutes. Have a treat afterwards of reading a book to
them or having a snack.
*Make a rule that there are no toys allowed in the kitchen
and/or dining room. When you are feeling overwhelmed, you can
retreat to that room and relax!!
*When someone is coming over, shovel the stuff on the counters
off into a box. Throw the box into a cupboard. Sort it out at
a later date while watching TV.
*Give the kids a clean-up roster and make it worthwhile!
*Have a garage sale and let the kids sell some of their toys,
have a koolaid stand, sell cupcakes etc.
*Let your standards drop a bit. Kids will not remember how tidy
the house was, they will remember how much love they received!!
You will someday be on your own again and can have the sort of
house you dream about!!!
cheers from Ruth in Victoria BC Canada
To M.L., the single parent trying to get necessary work done and yet find "quality time" to spend with 5 kids.
I was a single parent/foster parent for 12 years. The last couple of years of that, I discovered that the chores themselves can be converted to quality time.
DINNER: I assigned each kid one day a week to help me with dinner (and help determine the menu), another kid to help with cleanup after dinner. Not 2 or 3 kids, just one at a time. Though they complained when I first introduced this policy, they found we could spend that time teaching/learning new techniques in the kitchen, or visiting about what happened at school today (or work today for me), etc. It was in this setting that I was fortunate enough to have my 14-year-old ask me what's-really- wrong-with-smoking-anyway, and my 9-year-old share her feelings about being adopted. The important thing is, that 20 minutes or so is devoted especially to that one kid. I found that my kids were actually looking forward to their turn to help me, and didn't complain when the other children got to go out and play. In fact, the real challenge became keeping the other kids out when it wasn't their turn!
CLEANING: To a lesser extent, this quality time can also be used in house cleaning chores--that need not be a dreaded burden. Do it as a family project, and challenge the kids to see how fast we can get it all done together this time. First we'll tackle the living room together, then the bathroom. No one leaves the room till we're all done. Little ones do the picking up, bigger ones do the wiping down, take turns watching the baby.
HOMEWORK: To my surprise, my son and I seem to really value the time we spend working on his homework. Though it's often arduous and grueling work to get math through his head, we both kind of enjoy that individual time together.
LIFE: Finally, cut yourself some slack. Your home might not be
a showplace like the folks next door. You may not serve gourmet
meals. But spending time teaching your kids how to get along in
life is at least as valuable as the so-called "quality time"
spent taking them to amusement parks and restaurants.
--Norma L
(more suggestions can be found at http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971113b.htm Thanks for helping!)
Our family has a tablecloth that we use every Thanksgiving. It
was a plain white cloth, but every year whoever eats
Thanksgiving dinner signs their name and (if they want to) draws
a picture using fabric paint. We have a very colorful cloth
now. It's fun to see what everyone drew in the past years.
I've done my son's handprints and last year drew an oven with a
bun in it (I was pregnant).
--Barbara
Lackland AFB in San Antonio, TX for many years had a program
called Project Home Cooked Meal, which offered to arrange local
families to adopt Basic Trainees for Thanksgiving Day. We had
the opportunity to host several young men and women. We would
pick them up in the morning and take them back in the evening.
They could enjoy the day watching football, playing with the
kids and enjoy a good home cooked meal for what was probably
their first thanksgiving away from home. It offered our kids to
opportunity to have a big "family" dinner which would have
otherwise couldn't because our family was in California.
Everyone enjoyed the day and I got help with the dishes!!
--PP
Being from Canada, our Thanksgiving is celebrated in October.
None-the-less, it is a celebration of thanks to God for the
"bounty of the harvest". Year after year the celebration was
exactly the same as a kid, so when I reached the ripe old age
of 24 I determined to make Thanksgiving different - better than
"tradition" ever had been or could be. This particular year I
was living with some girls in the big city of Halifax. We had
a broad circle of friends and companions - none of us had
anyone special that year, but no one wanted to "go home for the
holidays". Most of us were working, some were in University,
and some were trying - rather successfully, to do both.
However, most of our friends were "international students", or
lived too far from home to go home. Thus, being the brain child
that I was, I decided that "we" should have an "International
Thanksgiving" celebration. The idea was wonderful, and was
received by all with much enthusiasm. Each participant was to
bring a "traditional" feast food of their homeland, and I would
provide the turkey and dressing. When the grand day arrived, I
cooked my first turkey with great success (and nausea over the
handling of a dead bloody animal). Friends started arriving
with grand and exotic dishes - I can't remember now what they
were aside from candied carrots, steamed rice, and curried
something. The food was wonderful, but the spirit of the
participants was what made the day. Many of them had never
celebrated Thanksgiving, and the contribution they made was by
far the best and most memorable. It was this one Thanksgiving
celebration that I remember every year at Thanksgiving. I
developed a whole new appreciation for what being truly thankful
was all about. If anyone considers Thanksgiving to be a ho-hum
holiday, good for stuffing your face and watching football, I
would suggest they go to a local university and talk with some
of the International Students. Share the day and feast with
someone who comes from a third world country, and learn what it
is to be truly thankful for all God has so graciously given us.
It changed my out look and my life for the better.
--DG
Last year, before our family and guests arrived, I cut paper into fortune cookie-size strips. When everyone arrived, I explained that we were going to something this year. (There was definitely some resistance to the thought of a new idea, but I was prepared for that.)
Each person was asked to take two strips and a pen from a basket. On one slip, they were to write one thing or person they were thankful for, and a wish for another person on the other slip.
I took the slips, went into the kitchen, and rolled them into
crescent rolls. At dinner, everyone took the rolls, opened them
carefully, and read the wish or thankful thought. They were
able to read it aloud if they wanted (which everyone did). It
was a great idea...and one that made everyone aware of all the
wonderful things they have in life...and also to receive a
"blessing" from another person.
--Ann R.
(this is only a few of the great memories that came in. Some may not save you time or money, but they will help remind us that it takes more than time and money to make an meaningful holiday. You can see more at: http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971113c.htm)
The cheapest form of meat is usually hamburger mince, and that's because it's got lots of very unhealthy saturated fat in it. However, you can remove that fat very easily and have a high quality meat which can be used in lots of ways.
Just mix with some water (about 1 part water, 3 parts mince) and boil. Actually it is best to bring the water to boiling first and then add the meat. Stir well while bringing the mix to the boil, and then reduce heat to keep it at a steaming simmer for say 30 minutes. Remove from heat and press down the mince to the bottom (with, say a potato-masher). As it cools, all the fat will congeal at the top. Once it is reasonably cool, put it in the fridge and let it chill overnight. The fat will form a hard white plate that can be lifted off and thrown away. What you have left is excellent cheap meat, that you can keep in the fridge and use a little at a time -- it's even great cold!
I pay only about a dollar a pound (I buy 4 pounds at a
time). It should all be cooked as soon as you bring it home --
I use two medium saucepans. I think it's better without salt.
--Ian M.
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