Staying cool this summer

Summer is here and so are those hot days that make me wish I could move to the Arctic. Since that isn't feasible and we don't want to run our air conditioner too much we have created a plan.

Every night, once it cools down, we will open all the windows and let the breeze cool the house. Early in the morning all the windows are shut, and the curtains stay drawn to prevent the sun from heating the house. We are also minimizing cooking that involves the oven and stove top where possible, or moving it to nighttime when the windows are open.

Hopefully this means we wont need to turn on the AC too often and can save on our electricity bill.

Cloth Diaper Essentials

In our on going attempt to decrease our costs we are using cloth diapers with our little guy.  First, realize we're talking about these not the large squares of cloth most people envision, but often look like colourfull disposable diapers.

Costs:
Cloth diapers can cost anywhere from $200-$700 to have a reasonable stash of diapers till the baby is a toddler, plus detergent and washing. Disposables can run upward of $2000 in the same time period (if you buy noname brand). Increase the savings if you have more than one child.

Basics:
Cloth diapers come in a variety of types depending on your preference and budget:
All-in-ones (almost exactly like disposables)
All-in-twos (Two parts, goes on like a disposable, but after washing there is some very quick assembly)
Pockets (Two parts, goes on like a disposable, but after washing there is some quick assembly)
Prefolds (a square of sewn fabric with a 8 layers in the center and 4 on each side, requires a cover)
Flats (old-school diapers your mom used, requires folding and a cover)
Wetbag (a waterproof, air tight, bag used to store dirty diapers)


Washing:
The clear difference from disposables is that you wash the cloth diapers. In the breastfed stage that is as simple as tossing the diaper in the wetbag (there is NO water in the wetbag, it just holds wet diapers), then tossing all the dirties and the bag into the laundry every 2-3 days. Once the baby eats solids any chunky poop gets dumped in the toilet. Some people use flushable liners or a diaper sprayer (think handheld shower head with higher pressure) to spray of anything nasty, but it's not necessary. You use a no residue detergent (like Arm & Hammer Essentials) and do an extra rinse compared to regular laundry.

Example laundry routine:
Rinse in cold water (no detergent)
Heavy wash in hot water (detergent)
Hang to dry or toss in the dryer
Assemble diapers if needed

If you're running to the store to get new disposables, that involves packing the baby into the car seat, then the car, then getting the baby out of the car, into the store and reversing the process. I'd far rather spend 5 minutes turning on the washer.

Material:
Cloth diapers come in hemp, bamboo, cotton, and microfibre on the inside and PUL (Polyurethane Laminate), fleece, or wool for the outside. You can have them organic and unbleached if you prefer, although this costs slightly more.

So far this is turning out to be easy, and we have many fewer poop explosions than we had with disposables.

What's in the fridge: Chili

This week's "What's in the fridge" meal is chili. Makes about 8 very generous meals for one. Estimated cost to buy all ingredients (March 2011): $7

1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 c each of dried black beans, black eyed beans, adzuki beans, chickpeas (or about 6 cups of your favourite dried beans mix)
1/2 red pepper chopped finely
2 medium onions chopped
2 carrots chopped finely
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato paste
2-3 tbsp beef bullion
1-2 tbsp garlic powder
2-4 tbsp italian seasoning
2-4 tbsp chili powder
1-2 tbsp paprika
1/2-1 tbsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper to taste

1. Place beans into containers/ziplock bags and cover with water. Place in fridge for 8hrs-7 days.
2. Drain beans and place in a large pot. Cover with 1-2 inches of water and add beef bullion and garlic powder. Simmer for 1-2 hours until the beans are mostly tender. Drain.
3. Brown beef in a large pan, drain fat and add to beans.
4. Fry onions, carrots, and red pepper until soft and beginning to brown. Add to pot.
5. Add remaining ingredients to pot. Fill the empty can from the diced tomatoes with water and add to the pot.
6. Bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer on low for 2-3 hours or until you are ready to eat.

 Add more paprika and less chili powder for a milder chili.

Planning simple menus others can follow

One of my biggest challenges is planning a menu that someone else can follow. This requires that the meals all be very easy (2-3 steps at most) and still nutritious and budget friendly. Most meals are planned to leave leftovers for the next day's lunches.

Below is my plan for the coming week, items without a cost are pantry items we have left over from previous weeks. For example, all the ingredients for bread are sitting in our cupboard, so no cost is listed.

Breakfasts: Oatmeal with sugar and cinnamon


Snacks: Seasonal fruit & homemade muffins       $5

Honey Dijon Chicken with Rice
8 Chicken Thighs     $5.00
2 tbsp honey    
2 tbsp Dijon mustard    
1 tbsp fresh thyme (chopped)    
1 tbsp cider vinegar     $2.00
1/2 tsp salt    
1/2 tsp pepper    
rice    

Mix all ingredients together(except rice). Place chicken on a hot grill and brushwith sauce. Cook 10 min per side, brush with sauce a couple times. Make rice according to package directions.

Veggie Stirfry with Rice
1 bag stirfry veggies     $3.00
1/4 cup rice vinager    
1/4 cup soy sauce    
1/4 cup sweet chili sauce    
1/4 cup fish sauce    
1/4 oil    
1 tbsp sesame oil    
2 tbsp cornstarch    
2 tbsp water    
rice    

Mix all ingredients together (except rice). Stirfry till heated through. Make rice according to package directions.

Pesto Asparagus Melts
1 loaf bread, sliced    
1 bunch/bag asparagus     $1.50
Mozzarella cheese     $1.00
Pesto Sauce              

Toast bread lightly. Steam asparagus for a few minutes until crisp tender. Spread pesto on bread, top with mozzarella, then asparagus. Toast melts under the broiler until the cheese melts.

Pasta with Tomato or Pesto Sauce
Spaghetti    
Canned pasta sauce    

Boil pasta and top with sauce.

Grilled Cheese
1 loaf bread, sliced    
Cheddar Cheese, sliced    

Make into sandwich and grill till melted.

Pizza Soup
1 jar pasta sauce (+ 2 jars water)    
1 green pepper chopped     $1.00
1/2 red onion, sliced     $0.50
1 cup slice mushrooms/1 can drained     $0.49
1 can diced tomatoes     $0.88
1 cup pepperoni, sliced     $2.50
2 sausages, casings removed     $2.00
shake of dried basil    
1 tbsp oregano    
mozzarella cheese to taste     $1.00

Put all ingredients into crockpot (except cheese). Turn on and set for 7-9 hrs on low. When done serve with cheese.

Turkey Sandwiches
1 loaf bread, sliced    
cold turkey     $2.00
mustard + mayo    

Make sandwiches

Estimated cost(allowing for items in pantry): $28

Quick Meat Pie

This is a quick recipe to use up what you have in the fridge. Because I had phyllo pastry left from earlier in the week I modified this recipe to use what I had.

1 partial box phyllo pastry
2 1lb lb(454 g) (454 g) lean ground beef
1tbsp tbsp(15 mL) (15 mL) vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped (I used the rest of my bunch from last week)
1 cup (250 mL) chopped peeled potatoes
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) dried thyme
1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp (2 mL) salt
1/4 tsp (1 mL) pepper
1 can  tomato paste
2 cups (500 mL) water + 2 heaping tsp bullion

1. Brown and drain ground beef, set aside
2. Fry onions until lightly brown
3. Add all other veggies and spices and fry for 5 more min
4. Add water, bullion, and tomato paste
5. Simmer covered for about 35 min or until potatoes begin to break up
6. Working quickly, spread out a single sheet of phyllo, lightly brush with oil or melted butter and lay a second sheet on top. Repeat till you have 3 sheets.
7. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the meat mixture near one edge of the phyllo and fold up the phyllo sheets to create a package.
8. Place on a baking sheet and repeat.
9. Heat over to 425 F and bake until phyllo is lightly browned.

My Method of Frugality

For me, living frugally is about allowing me to do things the way I want when I want, not necessarily frugality for the sake of frugality or being cheap. Here are my 4 general principles:

Does it save money?
This might seem obvious, but some people really miss the mark. Getting the cheapest bed/furniture/etc. will actually cost you in the long term in replacement costs, whereas researching and purchasing the best quality for cost will save you from having to buy those items again.  This also applies to making food, not everything is cheaper homemade (most things are), sometimes there is no way that you can equal the cost saving power of mass producing something. My best example is gardening, gardening can save you a lot of money in fresh food costs; however, for most people gardening involves buying seeds, soil, fertilizers, pesticides, etc. By the time the food is ready to eat it costs more than buying it at the store. If you avoid the get-all-the-gadgets trap though it can be a rewarding, stress relieving, and money saving hobby.

Does it save time?
Surprisingly, because of our family's dietary restrictions, cooking our own meals and preparing homemade frozen dinners saves me time compared to spending hours reading labels in the grocery store. 1 day of cooking leads to several weeks or even months of food that's ready to go. Plus if I don't have time or don't want to go shopping one week, there are plenty of healthy meals available without heading to a restaurant.

On a different note I will happily pay for the convenience of an automatic shower  sprayer over having to scrub the tub weekly. This saves me time and despite the cost difference between doing it myself, I feel it is a better choice to invest my time elsewhere.

Is it healthier?
Sometimes cost and time aren't the only considerations. Being able to make healthier choices often coincides with more frugal options in my mind. Healthier options mean a healthier family, which probably evens out in the end. This means paying slightly more for healthier food alternatives is a frugal choice in my book over just getting the cheapest things, it could also mean a gym membership is right for someone else, despite the recurring costs.

Do we actually need it?
Probably the best money saving strategy is to seriously consider whether we actually need something. This often means waiting to buy, and thinking about whether we need the item/service or if it is something we feel we should need because everyone else seems to need it. This includes things like a stand mixer, which would be helpful given the amount of cooking and baking I do, but in reality I can make bread and other things just as quickly without the mixer and then it isn't taking up room in our kitchen.


Does it improve our quality of life?
This is a catch all category and includes things like making the shelving units for our home (because I enjoy the challenge and can do it for cheaper and a better quality) through choosing to use a car instead of the bus, but sticking to a single car. It also means that living on less so that working less is a possibility is a very important part of our family strategy.

Fudge Mug Brownie

Ever had guests arrive and need something quick and delicious to serve? These take 60 seconds to cook, use ingredients on hand, and can easily be modified for carob or gluten-free options.


Fudge Mug Brownie:
4 Tbsp flour (all purpose)
4 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
2 Tbsp oil
2 Tbsp water
(if you like a more cake-like texture add a dash of baking powder)

Mix all ingredients in a mug and microwave for 1 min (slightly less if you want a 'melting chocolate cake' type effect).

Carob Variation:
Decrease sugar to 3 Tbsp and add extra 1Tbsp each of water and oil.

Gluten-Free option:
Simply substitute Gluten-free all-purpose flour instead of regular flour.

Learning about your finances

Here is a quick and dirty list of some good introductions to managing your money accompanied by some accessible blogs that are updated on a regular basis.

The Total Money Makeover - Dave Ramsey
This book takes a straight forward look at finances, getting on track, and controlling your money without it controlling you. The plan is simple, and has been proven by thousands of people over many years to work, but it will require some dedication (well rewarded) on the part of the saver. This is a great introduction to getting out of debt, setting goals, and enjoying life without worrying about money. [Warning: this is a book from the US so some of the information around government investment vehicles does not apply directly to Canadians, but the principles are good].

The Wealthy Barber - David Chilton
A best seller for decades this is a Canadian based, easy to read, and straight forward book about money written as advice from a barber. The plan is simple, and for many people will meet the need to make saving a habit without unduly effecting their current life styles. It's a great first step toward taking control of your finances.[Canadian based]


The Simple Dollar - Trent Hamm
This blog is updated regularly (often multiple times a day) with answers to reader questions, financial tips and advice, and general tips to save money in everyday life. This is a great place to slowly gain information in a broad spectrum of areas to help you save money. Posts are typically short and reference places for further reading for those seeking more in depth information.[US based]

Get Rich Slowly - J. D. Roth
Another blog that touches on a variety of information relating to finances. Frequent guest posts from famous financial gurus grace this blog including from TLCs "Till Debt Do Us Part" Gail Vaz-Oxlade. Posts are normally focused on a single topic and relevant to daily living. [US based]

Making Money Make Sense - Gail Vaz-Oxlade
Updated less frequently than the previous 2 blogs, this offers Canadian specific advice for getting finances on track with periodic guest posts that focus on areas where people can trim money. For example how to create a stylish but inexpensive wardrobe that will last. The blog is focused on making money easy to understand for everyone.  [Canadian based]

Cookbook Review

One of the keys to cooking tasty meals for less is a selection of useful and inspiring cookbooks. Here the 4 cookbooks that (along with the Internet) provide 99% of my information and recipes:

More Make-A-Mix Cookery
This book teaches you how to make pantry and refrigerator mixes (similar to the store bought cookie dough, muffin, cake, bread, shake 'n bake, etc mixes).
Reason I love it: this is a great guide for what kinds of things are shelf stable, but can create the tastes you want. This is my go to book for non-freezer, make-ahead foods.
Cost: I picked mine up for 50 cents at a garage sale


The Joy of Cooking
This book provides explanations about ingredients and recipes that will allow you to tweak recipes to get the taste you want. It also provides almost every basic recipe you could want.
Reason I love it: although it lacks pictures, this is the backbone of my cooking. Want to make a more delicate muffin, richer soup, learn about an unusual ingredient to accommodate someone's dietary needs? this is the first place I go.
Cost: about $25 (or check out garage sales)


Hello, Cupcake
This book is a great introduction to how to decorate baking of all sorts. Once you have the concepts down, the book provides beautiful pictures for inspiration.
Reason I love it: The materials needed (ziplock bags and candies) and the concepts are simple and
accessible to everyone. I use this book for inspiration in creating my own themes snacks and treats.
Cautions: I have not had great success with the cupcake recipes at the back (dry and an odd taste). I far prefer the lightening cake recipe from the Joy of Cooking.
Cost: about $20

Great Fast Food

This book's recipes just seem foolproof. I get something unusual and delicious every time, it's a great way to add some variety to your family's staple meals. Best of all, the recipes are quick and fairly simple to make and every recipe has it's own picture.
Reason I love it: Even recipes I think will be strange end up tasting wonderful. The recipes immediately become family favourites and teach a few time saving tricks along the way.
Cost:about $20

Meal planning for beginners

Meals planning can be pretty intimidating, here are some tricks to get started.

Remember to start small and recognize that over time this becomes a lot easier. Plan a basic breakfast for each day, and keep this simple. Finally, search the web and use other people's ideas to get started.

Flexible plan
Goal: choose 5-6 meals that will form dinners, and leftovers for lunch. This leaves 1-2 meals per week to eat out, go over to someone's house, etc.

Tips: Use local flyers to choose 1 meat, and potentially a few veggies that will make up the back bone of your meals. Try to prepare the meat differently several times throughout the week. If you can cook once and re-purpose the leftovers even better. Check out these Turkey and Roast Beef  examples for ideas.

Example:
Breakfast: Bagels & Cream Cheese/Cereal & Milk

Snacks: Yogurt, Granola bars

Meal 1: Vegetarian Stir-fry & Rice
Meal 2: Sloppy Joes (ground turkey)
Meal 3: Soft Tacos (ground turkey)
Meal 4: Hamburger Surprises (ground turkey)
Meal 5: Taco Salad


Structured Plan:
Goal: Created a detailed plan for each meal and day of the week.

Tips: Start out coming up with 6-7 dinners that can double as lunch leftovers. Slot these into your meal plan, then fill in the breakfasts. Then add the snacks.

Example:

	Breakfast	Snack	Lunch	Snack	Dinner
Su	Granola + Yogurt	Clementine	Oven Roasted Chicken Legs + Sm. Salad (1/2 Romaine, Tomato, 1/2 Pepper, 1 carrot)	Yogurt  + Apple	Chicken Soup
Mo	Oatmeal	Carrots & Celery+ 1/2 c. raisins	Left over Oven Roasted Chicken Legs + Sm. Salad (1/2 Romaine, Tomato, 1/2 Pepper, carrot)	Yogurt + Apple	Herb Butter Salmon + Brown rice + Beans
Tu	Granola + Yogurt	Carrots & Celery+ 1/2 c. raisins	Left over rice w/ soy sauce + Sm. Salad (1/2 Romaine, Tomato, 1/2 Pepper, 1 carrot)	Yogurt + Apple	Slowcooker Beef Stew + Potatoes
We	Granola + Yogurt	Carrots & Celery+ 1/2 c. raisins	Potato Salad + Sm. Salad (1/2 Romaine, Tomato, 1/2 Pepper, 1 carrot)	Yogurt + Apple	Chicken soup + Bagel w/ cream cheese
Th	Oatmeal	Carrots & Celery+ 1/2 c. raisins	Greek Salad (1/2 Cucumber, tomato, mushrooms,  feta, red onion, pepper) + Bagel w/ cream cheese	Yogurt + Apple	Chicken Ceasar Salad (1 Romaine, parmasan, 1 Chicken breast)
Fr	Granola + Yogurt	Carrots & Celery+ 1/2 c. raisins	Left over Slowcooker Beef Stew + Ceasar Salad (1/2 Romaine, parmasan)	Yogurt + Apple	Salad (1 Romaine, Tomato, 1 Pepper, carrot)
Sa	Oatmeal	Clementine	Chicken soup + bagel w/ cream cheese	Yogurt + Apple	Greek Salad (1/2 Cucumber, tomato, mushrooms,  feta, red onion, pepper)