Search results matching tag 'budget'

Re: Hosting a Holiday Party on a Budget

lenalala — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:11:41 GMT

Another way to host a holiday party or meal, although untraditional is to have a Thanksgiving Potluck. There are two ways. Either assign a menu and have everyone sign up for an item, or allow anyone to bring anything. I prefer to have a menu prepared and use the free invitations and signup forms on

www.signupgenius.com/potluck

to request the items.

My family and friends have been doing it this way for years, and it really cuts costs.

Basic Whole Wheat Bread: Think ouside the bread box

Millers Grain House — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:55:00 GMT

You can stretch your budget and your menu with the one basic bread recipe that we send out with every newsletter.

"How?" – you may ask. Simply look at the lump of dough differently. This is a mindset - just start thinking outside the bread box.

Freshly Milled Whole Wheat Hot Dog Buns

The Basic "Fool Proof" Bread Recipe we send out second in our newsletter series can be shaped into:

~ Burger Buns
~ Hot Dog Buns
~ Hoagie Buns
~ Bread Sticks (filled and twisted or just plain, warm and toasty)
~ Bread Bowls for Chilli and Soups
~ and SO many more potentials….

Even once made they can become other things if you don't used all of them up. Just a few left over could become:
~ Croutons (any of the above, even if it's one loan bun)
~ Garlic Bread (best for the hot dog/hoagie buns with lasagna and salad - YUM)
~ Toasted Crackers (slice thin on an angle [if not split for burger or hot dog] and butter/toast) - good with slices of cheese and a salad!
~ Open Faced Cheese Bread (top with mixed cheeses and broil) to go with soups

So even as simple as the ONE recipe may be. Don't get stuck with it ALWAYS just being a loaf of bread! Shape and use it in multiple ways!

Best Blessings!~
Donna Miller

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

Time spent repairing vs. buying new and a third option.

Millers Grain House — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 23:01:00 GMT

Of all things! My bread machine (of 15 years) finally completely gave out! Pretty sure it's past its warranty. Oh wait! I think got it at a garage sale so there likely IS no warranty.

I've done my due diligence with it over the years; soldering 'this' that broke, unscrewing and cleaning 'that' that leaked, reconnecting wires when there was a short, so what was different this time when it made that unfamiliar sound of ...... nothingness.....?

Well the time this week has been limited. Frankly, I have it apart already; inside out and everything, but I still can't figure out the problem. Could it be that using something daily (often twice to three times a day) really DOES ware it out eventually? Nah....couldn't be that.

But alas, the disassembled machine is sitting in my pantry without a chance for revival. I mourn the fact that I cannot repair it. I got it when my baby (now 19) was 4. But bread must go on....with our without a machine.

So if I spend even more time trying to figure out just what might be wrong, I don't bake bread at all! Now that's a problem here in the Miller household. So, do I buy a new one? The current answer to that is 'no'.

There always is a third option when the time spent repairing something is not worth, well the time, and buying the replacement (either new or used) is out of the question for the time being. That option is to do without it. Gasp! Yes. It is an option...although not a very popular one.

I have two hands. These are my 'new' bread machines. The bread is actually the same and I get some much 'kneaded' therapy (sorry, couldn't resist the pun).

Go ahead and spend time repairing before trashing and buying a new anything! But remember, just because something breaks beyond repair - it doesn't mean we HAVE to replace it....there is always a third option.

Best Blessings and Budget Stretching!

Donna Miller

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Christmas on a very tight budget...what would you do

timzagain — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:42:55 GMT

After weathering the financial storm for the last year, DH's business has taken a sharp downward turn since about July. Actually "plummeting" would be a much better description. DH and I have been discussing it and we realized that we will have no choice but to scale back this year.

Thankfully, I've been shopping year round so the gifts for the cousins, nieces, nephews have all been taken care of. Our children are 11, 17, 17 and 19 - we usually get them on "big gift" and a few small ones. "Big gifts" as defined by our children don't look very feasible. I have a few items for the adults on the list - DH's uncles, my parents, DH's parents and brother, my sister and her husband. And then theire's DD's swim coach

However, I refuse to allow a "little thing" like an empty wallet ruin Christmas! LOL! I've been telling the kids for years that Christmas is not about loot collection - I guess the lesson is going to reinforced this year.

Here's my plan:-

Decorations - I am NOT buying any new ones. Thanks to my Christmas decoration addiction, we have LOTS and if we "need" more, we'll be making them from items we have on hand (e.g. fake Christmas crackers made from the cardboard tubes from the toilet paper etc)

"Big Gifts" - for the kids and DH. DH promised youngest DD the old clunker laptop if she gets good grades this term. I might get her an inexpensive webcam. No tech toys for the older girls - I'll probably buy them clothes on clearance. I've been seeing lots of good sales with deep discounts on clothes, so I can buy them what will look like lots of clothes for next to nothing! I have no ideas big-gifts-on-a-budget for DH and DSS, but I'm sure I'll come up with something.

Gifts for the other adults

I've started buying items for a spa basket for my sister. I'll make what I have do - maybe make her something else to go with it.

DH's uncles will still get the food hamper we planned - they eat lots of canned foods so it'll be easy to buy pick up a can with my weekly grocery shopping. I will spend less than I budgeted originally.

MIL - I'll buy her an inexpensive blouse ($10 or under) - she says that I'm the only person that can buy her clothes that fit her properly.

FIL - he'll be happy with a box of chocolates, that he will probably finish completely on Christmas Day ($6)

BIL - absolutely no clue

Mom - too many allergies for me to put together a dollar store spa basket for her. She's also hard to fit - so I have stopped buying her clothes. She also hates gifts that are for the house. I have no ideas for her yet

Dad - no clue, maybe an inexpensive pair of "dressy" shorts which seems to be his unofficial uniform lately ($15 or less)

Swim Coach - an inexpensive trophy with an engraving that says "World's Greatest Coach" or something similar

Gift wrapping - fabric gift bags and recycled materials on hand will be used for gift wrapping. I can also make some boxes with card I have already.I might buy a sheet or two of colourful kiddie gift wrap for the 2 little ones on the list (ages 2 and 3).

Christmas Eve Dinner - we have our nearest and dearest over for Christmas Eve dinner - thought of nixing it, but the family would be disappointed. I'd have to see if I can come up with a Christmassy menu with our usual "everyday" foods

Charitable Donations - I will cut back, but won't eliminate our charitable gifts! I believe I have enough items in my gift stash to put together a shoebox - no additional purchases necessary.

What would you do when faced with a tight-budget Christmas?

Versatility - one of my keys to budgeting.

Millers Grain House — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:58:00 GMT

Versatility is one of my most important keys to budgeting.

Versatility in many areas helps to stretch a budget farther than it may normally go.

Here are just a few ideas in a couple of different areas:

Wardrobe Versatility: Admittedly, I don't have a very versatile wardrobe. I am a jean/shorts and t-shirt kind of girl, but I do own some nicer things for whenever the need arises. But versatility is not about how large my wardrobe is, but how well I use the fewer pieces I DO have. What I try to do is have some basics that mix and match. A pair of black pants and a black skirt that also go with a black jacket that can all mix and match with multiple tops, a basic pair shoes or two. Then the same type thing in an ivory color all that can mix with the black. Now I'm done. I don't have multiple dresses and multiple 'outfits' that only fit each other. That is the type of versatility that stretches a budget; two suit sets that can become about 30 different things to wear.

Home Decor Versatility: We've not bought too many things 'new' other than our bed and maybe one couch in 25 years of marriage. Since most things are second hand, we look for quality and multi-purpose use. Old chests, covered baskets and crates make good storage as well as decor. Baskets that we hand or display are also often grabbed for garden work or carrying firewood/kindling in the house. A wicker waste paper basket this month may become a planter basket next month. Sheets make good drapes and table clothes and napkins. Old towels are ripped for the rag box. I've never bought a rag in my life time!

Automobile Versatility: When buying a new-to-me vehicle, I've looked for things that have ample trunk space and or a van with removable seats. There have been times that my car/van was our ONLY option for moving larger items. It saved us having to rent a truck or u-haul. Also, we've looked at cars that can be passed on to our kids to buy. Keeping them in good shape is vital, but the Jeep has been earmarked for one of the kids to purchase before too long.

Food Versatility: This one is my biggest key to managing our home expenses. I buy mostly organic (which sounds more expensive, but is better in the long run) and only basic foods. Making one meal that the left-overs turn into two more is always a great dollar stretcher. By far my favorites are using whole grains in multiple ways. Currently I am doing a series on the multi-uses of Popping Corn.... http://www.youtube.com/user/thewheatguy ... from corn meal, corn bread, multi-flavor options, polenta, tortillas and so on.....This list is growing from only ONE grain! We do the same with Organic rolled Oats....

If there is one thing that I'd love to encourage anyone struggling with making ends meet, it is to look at how versatile are (ore aren't) the items you are spending money on. You may be surprised at how trimming back to basic items actually gives you a wider variety!

Creative Stretching in the Kitchen: Beverages

Millers Grain House — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 15:00:00 GMT

Water is one of the most reasonable beverages for a tight budget. We drink a LOT of it. We have a faucet filter and use glass or stainless steel bottles for carrying the water around with us. Bottled water is too expensive and not good for either our own health or the environment, so none of that plastic, bottled water for us. Filtered tap water, as good and cheap and pure as it can be, can still get.....BORING.....and sometimes you just need another flavor. With a little creativity and stretching you can add variety without breaking the budget.

The following are some of the things that we use to keep the cost of beverages low and the variety selection high:

Tea: Herbal, Green or Black types, tea is one of the other most reasonable beverages to use.

A tip to stretching it is to let the tea bags steep in the boiled water while still on the burner and then until it has completely cooled. This makes a stronger base to add water to, using less tea bags. Also for variety, you can buy some of the sugar free flavored tea mix or a flavored tea bag and add a little (not the whole amount) to your plain tea concentrate after the steeping process. We do this with peach teabags, raspberry teabags etc. Just use one instead of only that flavor. The rest is regular tea.

Coffee: I am a coffee addict. Yes it's true; I need my coffee in the morning. It really is the warmth more than the caffeine, so decaf works the same for me. Either way, it can get expensive to delve into the 'specialty' coffees and flavors and creamers and lattes and so on and so on. There is NO WAY I will regularly pay for a $5 coffee at the local (okay, hour away) Starbucks, but my tastes are still that high...so I've learned to improvise.

For regular morning coffee, I add half the amount of grounds the second day to the previous day's grounds and make as usual. So if I used 4 TBS on Monday, then Tuesday morning I use 2 TBS and make the same 4 cups. This stretches the 'el-cheapo' grounds even further.

For that special flavor I've been known to sprinkle cinnamon, nutmeg or cocoa on top of the grounds before setting the coffee pot to 'on'. A little vanilla, maple or almond extract to the water makes a nice switch as well.

At times, when the small samples of flavors I cannot make go on sale (for $.50 a pop) I use a TBS of that to my regular grounds. The flavor is actually just as strong.

Flavored or regular, left-over cooled coffee (yeah, like that happens often) works great for home made frozen coffees and lattes!

Concentrated Frozen Juices: These are often a less expensive and healthier beverage choice than the bottled or powered mixes. Look at the ingredients and compare if there is high-fructose corn syrup and additives.

We also tend to dilute the frozen OJ or other fruit juices to stretch them longer and the taste is just the same.

Home-made Lemon-aid: This is a fast, cheap and healthy beverage that stretches any kitchen budget.

Lemon juice is high in vitamin C. We make our own lemon-aid with two slivers of lemon (for looks and freshness) 1/3 C lemon juice, 1/4 C Organic Sugar and 20 drops of liquid stevia. Put all previous ingredients in a 2 quart pitcher and fill the rest to the top with filtered tap water. This is a great treat over those powdered mixes! It's lower in calories than most lemon-aides and still a great beverage for anyone!

I hope you’ll give these creative budget stretching ideas a try and broaden your beverage variety without broadening your kitchen budget!

Best Blessings! ~ Donna Miller

Donna Miller is an author, teacher and entrepreneur. Her favorite roles are that of wife and mother to three home-school graduates. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

Want recipes for budget friendly, healthy 'Eat-Out-Treats' ?

Millers Grain House — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:39:00 GMT

While cutting the grocery budget and still trying to feed the family a healthy diet, it seemed that most of our 'temptations' were for the treats we would get when we had been used to eating out. So I started a massive test kitchen effort to recreate them with a healthy and budget friendly twist.

I've been doing a series of healthy & cheaper 'eat-out-treats' made at home and sending it out through my monthly newsletter. Each recipe costs about 1/2 the price of eating out (not to mention gas money) and is a much healthier alternative to the traditional recipe!

It started with a whole grain remake of Macaroni Grill's Rosemary Bread, then I remade a healthy version of Red Lobster's Cheddar Biscuits and now I've finally I have decided which recipe is next:.

Hardees Cinnamon Raisin Biscuits, complete with frosting!! (Plus some other variations)

. .

When I come to an end of this series, I'm going to move on to some 'convenience foods' made healthy!

If you would like the recipe - (it's going out July 1 afternoon Eastern Time) - go here to get the newsletter: http://www.eatgrains.com There will be more to come....I promise! (o:

Best Blessings!

Donna

Frugal Decor ideas for the home.

Millers Grain House — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 18:22:00 GMT

It truly is a homesteading mindset to look at things a little 'off' the set normal center. That's what I love about the pioneering spirit of homesteading. The truth is that mindset can be used everywhere!!

Let's look at home decor and some ideas we use around the house here (on our homestead) and have used when in urban apartments as well:

Dumpster or curb salvage: We got a great old wooden high-chair 20 years ago that was out by a dumpster in West Palm Beach (hardly a homestead area) - refinished it, fixed hardware and made a (washable) cushion and it made it through two more kids! (o: Cost...FREE

Sheets, they're not just for beds: We found some cheap 200 thread (too itchy to sleep on for me) sheets that we have turned into drapes, table clothes and more! The fabric to make these was triple the price Plus there is no hemming in many instances! Saving time is saving money too!

Flower arrangements from weeds and wildflowers: Hey, don't knock it! Some of the 'weeds' around our house are really pretty, so I go cut them every few days and arrange a new set in the vases around the house. As I cut the flowering or delicate foliage, I also uproot the little sucker to keep our other things more weed-free. Why buy flowers for $8 that will be dead as fast as these weeds?

Paint is our friend: A new color or fresh coat can do wonders for faded shutters, a kitchen that seems too tiny (no money for remodeling) or a creepy out-dated bathroom. The cost of a gallon and supplies (which are there for the next project, so not wasted) is minimal to the perk-up it can have for your whole home.

Basement finds: One home we moved into 21 years ago had a lot of misc. furniture left in the basement. We refinished a beautiful oak table (we still have it), a mirror and some bookshelves. The owner didn't want to move them so they became ours. We still to this day have a table from our first home that all the kids grew up eating around and it had been left by the previous owner.

Duve' Covers: If you read that and said - huh? Let me explain. You can make a pillow case like cover for your comforter to change colors or cover a ratty one for the time being. Just look into those sheets that I mentioned above and ‘tah-dah’, a new bedroom decor for much less than a new comforter set. An oversized sheet can also make a great dust-ruffle. Just put it on your box spring and tuck or pin some corners.

Bring the outside in: Plants help cozy up almost every room, but why stop there? We had lawn furniture for den furniture at one time. Why? Because it was cheaper, light and we needed something to sit on! We also had a picnic table IN the house as our kitchen/dining table for several years until we were left the one that the kids grew up with (mentioned above). It worked great and was easy to fit into our simple country decor at the time!

Think outside the Better Homes and Gardens magazines and have fun decorating your home with a homesteader's mindset!

Best Blessings!

Donna

A tip to 'thinking like a homesteader.'

Millers Grain House — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:55:00 GMT

Well, weather you care to learn these tips because you dream of 'Little House on the Prairie Days' or you just want to stretch the dollars you have, a homesteader's mind works a little differently than most.

One main thing is to look at any one object and see how many different ways you can use it (avoiding extra purchases).

Let me give you some examples:

Peanuts: Snacks, dessert toppings, in granola/trail mix, tossed with garlic broccoli and of course home-made sugar free peanut butter (How to video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPnDIK7QAHs )
Plastic Ziplock Freezer Baggies: Of course freezer storage, pillows for camping, no leak lunch bag that fits in back packs, storing scarf/hat and glove sets for summer, meat marinade (easy flip & clean up), make up bag (you know they get messy inside anyways) and best of all these are really NOT disposable...make them LAST by washing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1UzVYfOkvU&feature=channel_page
Empty Milk Jugs: Cut to make oranizers or planter - , keep the handle part to make a basket for berries or produce from the garden, or use that as an all purpose scoop (maybe for dog/cat food/animal feed), also plant covers for that spring chill and cutting the 'flatter' part up as burger patty separators or to carve for paint sencils. Many more on this one....many....
Rolled Oats: Use in place of bread crumbs for meatloaf, use as toppings as all or part of the 'fattening' struddle on cobblers, send through the food processor for a while to make Quick Oats or longer to make oat flour (good for thickening and binding). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CR6En56LNUU&feature=channel_page
Egg Cartons: Styrophome ones can be used for quick ice cubes. The cardboard ones work great for organizing small items like paper clips, tacks, screws and buttons. Use to fill space while shipping or start some garden seeds in them (the cardboard composts when planted).

There are so many items that are easily over looked as one-use items. These are just a very few.

No matter where on earth you live, you can develop a homesteader's mindset!

Best Blessings and enJOY the journey!

Donna MIller

Donna Miller is a work-from-home wife and mother. She delighted to share her trials and triumphs of learning to homestead anywhere. The Millers own and operate Millers Grain House which offers Organic and Chemical-free Whole Grains, Bosch Mixers, the NutriMill, instructional tutorials, recipes and more.

Nation wide peanut butter recall - homesteading mindset solution

Millers Grain House — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 00:41:00 GMT

In case you haven't read/heard there is a huge peanut butter recall (yes, again) across the nation. It is affecting everything from the stuff itself to ice cream and candy bars that peanut butter is in - I mean EVERYTHING is getting the FDA warning for recall if it contains ANY peanut butter. There is even an investigation as to how this occurred on such a massive scale.

Today, we finished our last store-bought peanut butter. Now, we had purchased this giant canister (think huge coffee can size) a month before the recall started, so I knew it was fine. Also I checked the place it was distributed by when the recall fist started, but now, I trust no new jars of the stuff. So what's a person to do?

Flip that homesteading mindset into gear and off we go to a tasty solution...

We are MAKING our own peanut butter. I made butter today from the neighbor ladies cow's milk (THAT was cool!) so why not peanut butter.

Here's the recipe I'm using:

Prep time: about 10 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. unsalted roasted peanuts
1 tbsp. peanut oil
2 TBS raw honey

Utensils:

food processor
bowl
mixing spoon
storage container
measuring cups and spoons

Directions:

For smooth peanut butter:

Mix the peanuts with the peanut oil, and pour the mixture into the food processor.
Process the mixture until it's very smooth.
Scrape sides of the processor often between blending to create smooth texture.
Add honey and process a bit more
Store your smooth peanut butter in a sealed container in the fridge. It will be good for 2 weeks.

For chunky peanut butter:

Take about 1/4 cup out of your 1 1/2 cups of peanuts and set them aside.
Mix the rest of the peanuts with the oil, and pour the mixture into the food processor.
Process the mixture until it's very smooth, then stir in the peanuts that you had set aside.
Scrape sides of the processor often between blending to create smooth texture.
Add honey and process a bit more
Process a few seconds more to create the chunks in your chunky peanut butter.
Store your chunky peanut butter in a sealed container in the fridge. It will be good for 2 weeks.

Serves: 12

Serving size: 2 tablespoons

Don't let the 'buyer beware' make you afraid - just do what the homesteaders had to do when things were in short suply, change your mindset and make do!