Readers' Tips
Recipe Shareware?
I have a Macintosh, which limits you to very few shareware programs. Most of the large shareware programs are not available for the Mac. I have tried out all of the shareware program for recipes that are available for the Mac, and I wouldn't recommend any of them, unless you have File Maker Pro and just want a simple program to organize and print recipes that you type in yourself. (If you don't have File Maker Pro, this isn't very practical, since it costs several hundred dollars.)
If you have File Maker Pro already, there are a few recipe templates that will help you organize your recipes. I tried Computer Cuisine, The Computer Cookbook and Recipe Finder, and found them all very limited, you can type in your recipes and print them, but that's about all. However, they might give you a good place to start to create your own recipe program or template. Two hypercard programs are Amy's Recipes and Datachef, which both have the same limitations (no importing, no exporting, very little flexibility).
I use Mastercook, which is a commercial program. However, there is a new version coming out in the fall, and I have already seen the old version of Mastercook in bargain bins and at discount stores like Costco and B.J.'s for $10 or less. The Mac version and the PC version are on the same disk, so you don't have to worry about compatibility, and all of the various versions (Cooking Light, Deluxe, etc) have the same basic program, they just come with different recipes.
Karen W
Use the Web for Recipes
In response to your inquiry about the shareware recipe programs, why spend the money? There are some really great sites on the internet that can be accessed for free! One of my personal favorites is The Internet Chef Online Magazine. There are literally hundreds of delicious recipes to be found at this site alone. Bon Appetit!
ichef.com/
D. P.
Free Tickets
I work for a state arts council, and every year arts organizations in the entire state who apply for government support come before a panel of arts-savvy citizens to request funding for another year of operating support. Generally what many states need are evaluators--volunteers who are willing to attend arts events (as ordinary citizens) and fill out a form rating the performance or exhibit (or organizations) on a set of pre-determined criteria stated on the form. Many states need evaluators--a state arts council's staff can't be everywhere seeing everything! My suggestion to the reader would be to call his/her state arts council (The reader didn't say which state they resided in)--they are usually (with some exceptions) in the capitol of the state--and volunteer your services. Evaluators are given two free tickets to attend the event in exchange for their valued opinion. Try it, you might be pleasantly surprised at the response!
SDR
Career Change to Reduce Stress?
I too moved from the fast paced private sector to working for a large public university. The salary decrease was a shock. But I do love working with students so it all works out in the end (or so I keep reminding myself whenever I need to make a large purchase and must creatively budget for it.)
Working for a university does offer many fringe benefits that you don't get in the private sector. For example, my husband (who also works for the university) and I have full health coverage, eye care and dental. I rarely had such comprehensive coverage while I was in the private sector (or the premiums were priced out of sight.) We have a medical center at our university and as long as use university doctors are costs are minimal. I recently had surgery and since my doctor has privileges at the university hospital my cost was $0! The insurance picked up everything.
We have access to all the university concerts, plays, etc. usually at a discount because we work here. We can use the student rec center for free so we save in health club fees (and ultimately doctor's visits). We can take up to 10 credit hours of classes for free per quarter. My husband is working on a second degree and this time it's costing him nothing!
While the bottom line paycheck is significantly lower, factor in the free "extras" in a university position and you will see that your "pay" is much higher than you think.
Lisa N-W
Lifestyle Change
I have changed my lifestyle two or three times. One of the main things I've discovered is that if we don't take care of the inner stress, it doesn't matter what physical changes we make. When I would move to a more rural or slower environment, within weeks I would be as busy as ever. My wonderfully perceptive daughter would say "Mom, it doesn't matter if you move to the slow lane, you always create your own fast lane".
I have taught in colleges and currently am a Director of a Business Development Center. I think your husband will like the academic atmosphere--however I have one challenge for you--not to discourage you, but to help prepare you. Colleges, all colleges, are notorious for gossip, backbiting, inner political warfare and territorialism. If anyone in your husband's department feels the least threatened by him, he will have to bear that. HOWEVER--if you stick with it, try to stay clear of the campus politics (some you have to be involved in), you will do fine. Often the amenities that come with the job make it all worth it. For you, try to find organizations, volunteer activities, etc. that are geared toward your interests. Usually there are lots of wonderful activities in a college town.
Carole.
editor's note: you'll find more readers sharing their experiences of finding a slower paced lifestyle at From Corporation to the University: A Less Stressful Life?.
Beauty Tips for Teens
Currently, butterfly accessories are very popular. I've seen many girls wearing pretty little hair clips in stores that look like colorful fabric butterflys attached to a clip. These can go for as much as $8/pair. To make your own, buy a cheap package of bobby-pins, and visit a craft store. You'll find a huge selection of silk butterflys in a variety of colors for an amazing price. Then simply glue the butterfly on to the pin, or attach it with some wire wound around the clip, and voila! Try using two or three tiny butterflys on one clip, or on larger one on it's own. Part your hair on the side, pop your clip in, and you'll soon be making these cool hair clips for all your friends.
The Gap is a favourite store among many teens. They feature trendy jeans, khakis, sweaters, t-shirts, and are always in sync with the latest fashions. Unfortunately, they can be a little pricy. This includes their selection of perfumes. Although great scents, a 15ml bottle can go for 10 bucks a pop. In the same area as these fragrences, The Gap has candles in the same scents. While nice as candles, they too are not cheap for something that will burn away in not too long. However, I noticed that these candles are quite soft, unlike most hard wax candles. They are smooth and creamy, and not unlike a solid perfume stick. You see where I'm going with this? These candles can sell for about $14. A little high, but much less than the largest size bottle of perfume. Just use your finger to rub a little on your wrist, neck, wherever, and it'll last forever!
LZ
Khaki Stain Removal
I work at an espresso bar and have to wear khaki pants/shorts and boy do I ever get stains on them!!! I have found a stain remover that is really great.. It is called Zout Stain Remover. It is concentrated and it gets old stains out too. I heard about it from a friend and tried it out and it works!!
Gigi K. in Seattle, WA
Soap Sliver Stain Removal
In a quart canning jar, or old mayonnaise jar; I save all my old soap chips, then put them into the jar, and fill the jar up the rest of the way with ammonia. I let this sit with the lid on for about two weeks. This turns the soap chips into a gooey mixture. This mixture gets out grease stains, grass stains and other tough stains. My family swears by this goop!
Loretta C
editor's note: more suggestions at Removing Stains from Khaki Clothes..
You Qualify for Food Savings
My biggest on-going savings plan is to participate in the food co-op named SHARE. The letters stand for Self Help And Resource Exchange. The program is 10-15 years old. My daughter and I have four years to our credit. And I mean credit. We save money big time. This is what I received in my SHARE unit for $14 and two hours of volunteer work (read 1/2 hour a week, visiting shut-ins) Turkey drum sticks, chicken breast filets, ground beef, sloppy joe mix, frozen potato wedges, seasoned pepper, polish sausage, turkey salami, corn, peppers, cukes, onions, carrots, apples, a dozen oranges. The savings come from pooling $$$ with other co-opers. Buyers go for the best bargains, and cut out the middle man. ANYONE can participate. If you eat, you qualify. Call 1-800-548-2124 for a place near you. SHARE is available the country over.
Theresa
Saving Brakes or Lives?
Last week's issue of the Dollar Stretcher ezine had a question from a person who asked whether it was wiser to slow a car with a manual transmission by using the brake or the clutch. I would like to give another reason for people to use their brakes to slow their cars; it is very difficult sometimes to tell when a car is slowing when the driver is using his clutch; the brake lights aren't connected to the clutch! I drive in heavy traffic on the interstates around Nashville daily, and it can be annoying at the least, and dangerous when drivers ahead slow down by using the clutch.
Su F. in Nashville, TN
Photo Preservation
While your published article on scrapbooking is indeed a fun idea for a young person, it contained information that would be dangerous to the photos involved if photos were to be taken and placed in the scrapbook. Photos should never be placed in anything that is not photo-safe, like the book implied in the article. Regular paper contains acid that will attack the photos and eventually destroy them. Regular paper also contains lignin, a substance that will cause the paper itself to yellow, crumble and eventually deteriorate. Memorabilia should also never touch your photos, as it is usually made of regular paper products that are acidic and will attack the photos. Finally, the instructions list glue, glue stick and clear tape - all big no-no's for adhering photos to a page. Photo corners are acceptable, but again, only if they are the photo-safe kind. Same goes for the other photo adhesive options, and there are several kinds available that are safe to use.
If your readers want something that is not only fun to do, but will last for years to come so that all the hard work will not be lost, they would be much better advised to get a quality photo-safe scrapbook to store their memories in and perhaps to even take a class that teaches how to scrapbook in a safe way, not just the fun way. Even the best albums on the market are not that expensive, especially if you get a kid-sized book, and wouldn't you rather spend a *little* extra money and not have all the hard work you or your child did go down the drain in just a few years?
Melanie E. of Montgomery, AL
Frugal Book Source
I have found that college bookstores can be a great place to get really nice books. The bookstore orders textbooks for all the classes, and then conveniently organizes them by subject for you. If used textbooks are available, they sell those, usually almost half off. Some of the "used" books were clearly never even read by their previous owners! These books are usually hard back, high-quality, and on every possible subject. Not all of the books are the boring, dense things you remember from college. Lots of the English books will be "The Classics" and make good gifts for kids. This is an excellent place to find reference books and beautiful art books. There are even children's books and popular novels, since there are classes taught on those subjects at any major university. Even better, if you don't want to keep the books, you can read them and sell them back to the same store for anything from a few dollars to 80 per cent of what you paid.
They have very good sales at the end of semesters. Backpacks, t-shirts, and sweatshirts are often marked way down (maybe 75 per cent) because a new style will come out next season and the store needs to move the merchandise. These make good gifts for high school students, since college stuff is very "cool." And the end of the semester sales fall just in time for Christmas or graduation gift shopping!
Emilie J. - "poor" graduate student at Indian University
More Mac-n-Cheese
The boxes at the store, which my children seem to prefer to my 'stand-in-front-of-the-hot-stove' variety, never have enough for my hungry kids. But, I have discovered that adding up to nearly a cup of extra pasta does not change the flavor nor thin-out the cheese too much. This goes for all pasta-in-a-box things and saves $ over using two boxes. Happy eating!
Merry
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