Wednesday, June 28, 2023

I am Frugal - I Can't do Cheap!!!

 Good day to all.  It is a smokey, smokey day here.  It stinks and the air makes my eyes burn.  Yesterday was suppose to be the worst day - nah!!!!  They fibbed!  I was going to cut grass - but I doubt it.  We have a no action warning - so I will wait.  It is the weeds that are growing anyway not so much the grass.

In the past week I managed to click on a couple of episodes of Extreme Cheapskates.  I have seen them before, but my goodness, they still amaze me!!!!!!  I like to be a good steward of my money, but some of these people are just plain NUTS!!!!!  The disgusting things people do to not spend money.  I have to ask myself WHY?  Is it really about saving money - and if so - to what end?  Is it a mental health issue?  What would cause people to do some of the nasty things they do?

I mean some of the most ICK to me were:
Using the same 'cooking' water over and over again.  From pasta to veggies
Using the same toothbrush and floss with other family members
Only allowing people 2 minutes to shower - then turning off the water
Many people taking a bath in the same water (I know in the old days that happened - but now?)
Urinating in a bottle to throw outside instead of flushing!
I could go on an on!!!!!
Many - it isn't even the ick factor.  It is just WHY?  Why would you do laundry in your swimming pool and take a bath in it - then play in it?

Anyway - I do go on!!!  Today just a couple tips on saving a little that isn't ICK!!!  I have probably mentioned them before, but we always have new people checking in - so here goes.

This isn't so much frugal as just a good thing to know.  I have grated and zested and shredded before - but never thought about slicing!!!!!  DUH!  I have always used a mandolin or a knife for slicing.  As with anything that cuts - watch those fingers!

For those that like nacho cheese dip, here is another option.  Many make their own to control ingredients - but there are options out there.  This stuff tastes fantastic!!!!!  It is considered soup - but I have used it with just a 1/4 or 1/3 cup of milk and have made great nacho cheese.  Great with chips or over or in any Mexican dish.  Much cheaper than those jars of cheese dip (even at Aldi).

Remember you can freeze eggs for future use.  I have done this many times.  Great for baking or for frying up.  If you have chicks and they are laying good - save some back.  If you can get a great deal - go for it.  The price is coming way down again in my area - but you never know what the future holds.  We have had those increases in the past and we will have them in the future.

Learn substitutes for your baking needs!

Celery was mentioned the other day.  I always tightly wrap my celery in foil to make it last an extra long time.  It really does work.  I love the suggestion the other day about using the leaves for pesto!  I usually dry those and grind them up for seasoning.

Fresh leaf lettuce (or head) I always keep a paper towel in the container with the lettuce.  I absorbs the water/moisture and keeps the lettuce fresh for weeks!  I have kept leaf lettuce for several weeks doing this.  You could also use a cotton/linen dish towel as well.

I hardly ever dry clothes in the dryer anymore.  I have been hanging things in the basement to dry (instead of outside) .  Not trying to be lazy about line drying, but as I get older it is a lot more work.  I have to carry a basket of heavy wet clothes upstairs - then down steps and around the back to hang.  Then follow suit after dry!  I have decided to be safe instead.  So I hang in the basement.  When wrinkled (I am not an ironer much) after dry or nearly dry - I will throw in the dryer with 4 or 5 ice cubes or a very wet kitchen towel and fluff for a few minutes.  The moisture removes any wrinkles - I use no fabric softener - and I use the dryer for a much shorter time!

Here is a thing I came across the other day.  NOTICE - I have not tried it - but I plan too very soon.  Mix 1 egg and one smashed banana together (can use blender) - throw in a small bit of oatmeal (optional) and a dash of vanilla.  Fry as you would pancakes!!!!!  A super healthy version!!!!!  I think this would be great!  

                                             AND THEN THERE IS THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Grow anything you can.  Fresh is best!  It is calming and good for your mind and body.  And it is just smart!!!

So there you go.  A few FRUGAL ideas - not cheap!!!!!!!!  
Be a frugal queen - not a cheapskate/skinflint!!!!!  LOL

Share your ideas!!!!  Have a great day!




62 comments:

  1. agreed. Those are disgusting ideas. Frugal is me too.

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  2. Um, there is a lot of ICK factor with the extreme saving folks. Come on, people, use some common sense. ha! Actually you should be called the Smart Queen, as you have many ideas on being good stewards with what the Father gives us.

    Wet clothes weigh a ton. You are smart to opt for safety and hang your things in the basement. Safety first! I found out yesterday that 6th and 7th ribs are minimally fractured. Just have to wait for the bones to heal. My laundry for a few weeks will either go in the dryer or hung on the drying rack or on padded hangers on the shower curtain rod. The Farmer has hurt his hip again so he won't be out doing anything strenuous.

    I will try your tip on wrapping celery in foil. Also the tip on keeping lettuce. The Farmer did pull and clean a lot of green onions yesterday. We have beets to roast. Yum!

    The smoke is really heavy and hazardous to your health. I looked down the street yesterday evening and it was just hanging close to the ground. When you think about how far we are from the wildfires, that's amazing. Remember that we were affected by Mt. Saint Helen's volcano eruption. Bad stuff for folks with breathing problems.

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    1. Donna, I pray you and your husband are both feeling better soon.
      --Frances in the Trailer Park

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    2. Donna, I second Frances in hopes/prayers you're healed up and feeing better soon! --Elise

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    3. Thank you for your kind words.
      My goodness - you guys better rest up and do nothing strenuous at all. I am sorry you had fractures and your poor hubs. You guys are so busy bees - it will be hard to REST!!!! But do it.
      Green onions are so good. I have always put them in a glass with water in the frig to keep fresh.
      Take care

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    4. Sorry your ribs are cracked. I wonder about mine, but hope that in a couple of weeks the pain will be gone. Thank heaven it is summer and not winter - can you imagine with a cold, coughing and sneezing? Ouch!
      MaryB

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    5. Thanks for all the good wishes, ladies.

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  3. Debby in Kansas USAJune 28, 2023 at 9:46 AM

    Good to know about the nacho cheese soup. We like them for a couple of football games. I can now watch for a sale. Thanks!

    Speaking of special food, I'm gonna try a new recipe I saw on Pinterest for Monday. Hubs can't stand the firecracker racket so grilling is out of the question. I get the pretty color stuff, but what's with the popping noises just for noise?! I'm making cheeseburger wraps! I hope they're good. We have an indoor painting project - just a little one- so that'll make a nice lunch.

    About those freako cheapos....lol...I only saw that show once or twice and I was thinking how they made Amy D look like a big spender! Stealing sugar and stuff from restaurants and stuff? Not for me. I saw one where a women brought her own rice to a restaurant and expected the server to go microwave for her. And she got ice water and made her own lemonade with it. But she chowed on whatever was on the table. Bread? Chips? So she literally paid for nothing and left no tip. Tacky to the extreme. Another one was a mom who made casseroles at 2 am (cheap electricity) and fed them to her family for dinner...ice cold. Oy vey!!!! I had a real life friend that was extremely cheap. A bunch of us did water aerobics together and went out for $1 taco Tuesday. She would gorge on chips, buy one taco, drink ice water made into lemonade using their lemon and sugar, and leave a quarter for a tip. Drove us CRAZY. The rest of us tipped on the original cost. Then she'd turn around and bring premade jello cups to work!!! Those things are about $1 each for half a cup of rubbery jello!! Again, not my style.

    I'm still reading my Nancy Drews. Just finished The Clue in the Jewel Box last night.

    We ended up with an inch of rain yesterday morning!

    Frances, I left you a comment yesterday.

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    1. Saw the note and commented.
      Yaaay!! on the rain. I saw that it is supposed to be 105F in Wichita today. I know I grew up with those kind of temps and no A/C, but I don't think I could take it any more. Stay cool and safe.
      --Frances

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    2. Yay on the rain, Debby!! --Elise

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    3. I saw the one with the rice just yesterday again! Chea ars!!!!! Yeah some people go beyond tacky. I saw one where the lady cooed her casserole in the top rack of the dishwasher!!!!! Can we say soggy????
      I love being frugal and a good steward, but dang, I just cannot be sooooo cheap that is embarrassing or insulting. I am a big tipper - always have been.
      Peoples priorities always amaze me.
      YAY ON THE RAIN!!!!!

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  4. I have seen those episodes of Extreme Cheapskates. Has always made me kind of wonder. We make those egg pancakes all the time. They can also be made with 1/2 cup pureed pumpkin, butternut or acorn squash using 2 eggs. Delicious.
    The smoke has come here today in south central Pa. and will remain an impact day until Friday when the air quality will be moderate impact. I will be inside, probably making meals for the freezer as yesterday was a shopping stock up day. Cauliflower was $2.99 each and the heads were huge, cukes were 75 cents apiece, but that's all the bargains I saw in the produce section. Fruit has gone up tremendously in the last 3 weeks siince we'd been to the store. At the farm lamb and turkey were very reasonable and I got some of each. I cooked a turkey breast last night and got 5 meals for the two of us out of it and the bone went into the bone bag for broth. We got local veggies that we don't grow so it was a successful trip. Cookie

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    1. Produce is coming down in price here, Cookie. It always amazes me how much prices can vary from one part of the country to the next. We'll be stocking up on a few things later today. Still working through the freezer "pantry". If you don't mind my asking, how often do you rotate your frozen foods?
      --Elise

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    2. I am about done with the smoke - but I can't imagine how bad it must be closer to the source. It sure is amazing.
      Good to know on the pancakes. Thanks for the recommendation and new ideas!!!
      Good deal on cauliflower! Kroger has had cukes on a permanent markdown at .60 each for a while. I love them - can't wait till mine are ready.
      You do really good stretching that protein.

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    3. Hi Elise,
      When I'm cooking and freezing everything is vacuum sealed.and used within a year, year and a half of freeze date. If the frozen food is bought at the store, even though the package says best if used by a certain date which is two years from my purchase, I still have it rotated out before 8 or 9 months are up as it's not vacuum sealed.
      Being on a gluten free, low histamine diet does present its challenges because if there is an emergency and I have to be hospitalized like I was 5 years ago, there is nothing there that is safe for me to eat. That is yet another reason why I keep the freezer stocked with ready made meals besides the convenience of it. Cookie

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    4. Thank you, Cookie. I'm using up some sale meats bought, vacuum sealed and frozen last August. Ours is a deep chest freezer, so it's a bit of a chore to do the rotation; I did one a few months ago, moving older stuff to the top and the newer bought at the bottom. I do miss an upright freezer, but no space here. And yes, my sis is GF, BIL has issues with cow's milk, cheese, etc., I have to watch fiber and sugar... it gets complicated! --Elise

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    5. I don't know if this would be helpful to you but even though my freezers are upright I will stack vacuum sealed things in a 2 gallon freezer bag that are of similar or close dates. and stack those bags. That way the meat etc. is organized and easier to move about in the freezer. So I don't forget where things are I have a list that says what is on what shelf and whether it's on the right, left or center. It makes it a whole lot easier to locate things. Cookie

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    6. COOKIE - good tips. I keep 'like' meats together in the freezer too. Chicken here, pork there, ect. Sure helps in finding things.
      You are helping to educate us all in allergies and such. Thanks.

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  5. Yes, during the last recession (2007 on) I tried hard not to judge as I heard about, saw or read what some others were doing to save money. Such as forgoing TP and using old rags or washcloths next to the toilet for clean up. We used cloth diapers for son #2, had a diaper pail, and even with a daily washing machine load of diapers per day, there was... noticeable odor. Besides, those laundry costs add up fast. Are you really saving? At one point, someone mentioned (as part of foraging for food) using fresh road kill as meat!! I dropped out of that frugal group after that. It seems sometimes, in some groups, it becomes a sort of competition.

    I'm all about practical and pragmatic. So... if your water rates are high, I can see reusing *unsalted* cooled cooking water in the garden, for example. And produce scraps, properly composted, make a rich top dressing for your planting beds before winter. I have a very basic washer and dryer; both have low temp settings. I have very basic everything... no expensive bells or whistles needed. It was a big deal for me to purchase an Instapot on sale + coupon discount. Still not sure it was worth it, but we'll see. I've been cooking "old school" for decades.

    Thank you for the tip about lettuce and the reminder about eggs! My biggest frugal habit is NO WASTE. That includes only running full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. It means being creative with what I have on hand, be it food, cleaning (white vinegar is a wonderful thing, as is Totally Awesome cleaner from Dollar stores), and so on. Even gifts! Living well doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg when you make the most of what you have.

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    1. Part 2, Frugal Gardening: from 2007-2010 we had a kitchen garden. A large one. It was in a milder climate with sandy soil that cost us quite a bit to make fertile for produce growing. Our water bill ran $100+ per month during the dry season (aka half the year) and therefore cost us more than buying produce from the Farmer's Market. In hindsight, a potted garden would have been cheaper/easier. Might have produced more, too. Only 2 things grew well--green beans and corn. Tomatoes limped along with small fruits until the plants would shrivel up in August.

      My #1 frugal tip--whether inside our outside of your home--is to find what works best and is most cost effective for you! Speaking of which, for AZ shoppers, Basha's has far better deals again this week in their flier. We're talking $1 per pound less than Safeway on cherries, ice cream and meats, 19 cent per pound watermelon, etc.

      My apologies for writing a novel here, but it's a subject near and dear to my heart. As I'm sure it is for everyone else. Have a wonderful Wednesday! --Elise

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    2. During the C crisis when TP was in demand - a lot of people washed instead or wet wipes. I can see that. Many opted for bidets as well.
      Yep me and roadkill is a no - they have mentioned that on those shows too. Now I have known a person that hit a deer in the country and they call police - they get it for butchering immediately to help feed the hungry. That IS VERY different.
      If I didn't want to waste money on flushing - I would be sure to catch shower/bath water in a bucket - use that.
      Sure I have used unsalted cooking water on plants - that is smart. But this lady used icky looking water in a pan day after day to cook with. Makes me gag!
      Great tips and ideas. I do many of those too. Just being smart and wise saves a ton of money and time. We all need to be aware of our environment and our funds and food. I hate waste!

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    3. Yes, Cheryl, some of the things are just plain dangerous. Because I've had an autoimmune disease most of my life, I get food poisoning far easier than most. You learn to be very, very careful. A trip to the ER (I've had to make a few) isn't cheap at all, and for what? reused cooking water? That's just crazy. --Elise

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    4. Elise, I like your #1 frugal tip - "find what works best and is most cost effective for you."

      Cheryl, our air quality is also in the unhealthy level today. I'll be glad when we don't have to deal with it. I can't imagine what it's like for people who live near the fires! Wanita

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    5. Hi Elise - I don't use my instant pot nearly as much as I should but, that being said, I use it to cook all of my dried beans, cook "baked" potatoes (so much better than heating up the house in summer!), and sweet potatoes, to name a few things. For me, I finally figured out that I prefer it for cooking parts of a meal rather than trying to figure out the conversion to put a full meal into it. I hope this helps! 😊
      -Staci

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    6. Wanita stay in and stay safe. I am with you - this far away and it is yucky!
      Yep if we do find what works for us - then stick to it - it is good!

      STACI - good tips. I don't have one of those, but I am finally using the air fryer I got more and for more things. It sure beats heating up the kitchen with the stove or oven.

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    7. Thank you, Staci. I'll certainly keep that in mind and (in doing so) likely use it more! --Elise

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  6. The smoke here in Southern Illinois has been bad since yesterday evening. Just walking from Jeep to work this morning left my eyes stinging and a taste in my mouth. Stay safe and stay inside.

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    1. Isn't it something? This morning looked like heavy fog all over. Went out to feed the critters and kitty and my eyes were burning. Temps are decent today - nice breeze - just smokey!

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  7. Seems to me that those 'extreme' shows are just for clicks and ratings. Unfortunately they give some people the impression that that is what frugality is about. You have to do what works for you and makes sense. As the saying goes, "The cheap comes out expensive."
    The fire smoke and humidity are high here in SW PA for the next couple of days, so the laundry is going in the dryer. It is too humid in the house to get things dry. My grass (weeds) also need to be mowed, but that will have to wait. I can hear the commercial mowers working at the townhouses across the road, and I feel sorry for the guys who have to work in this smog.
    --Frances in the Trailer Park

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    1. Frances, I though the same until some frugal groups started posting the most outrageous ideas several years' back. And yes, sometimes cheap winds up costing more in the long run. I've made a few boneheaded "frugal" choices over the years.

      For all dealing with smoky skies, please stay indoors as much as possible. If you have to be out and about, we learned in CA that the N-94 masks protect somewhat; they're available at hardware stores. --Elise

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    2. Yes, remember the masks. They're good for many things! I use masks when cleaning out the woodstove (no more ash dust up my nose), when raking leaves in autumn, when working the garden in pollen season. My homemade cloth ones help me a lot! We made them, now we can find good use for them - since the Powers that Be now say they were no good against Covid. Too sad, we did try. :)
      MaryB

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    3. It probably is a click thing for TV. But people do that stuff which is amazing. I agree with Elise, I have seen many groups push this stuff - and some is just unsanitary and unhealthy!!!!
      I hate that everyone is dealing with all the smoke. Can't imagine what it is like in Canada. Stay in and stay safe. the grass can grow until next week as far as I am concerned. We have rain chances the next 3 days (storms too) - which might help clear the air a bit.
      Take care of you both!!!!!

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    4. Mary I was thinking that this morning. IF I had gone out to mow - I sure would have used a mask. It would have kept out particulates for sure. Good idea. Thanks.

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  8. Debby in Kansas USAJune 28, 2023 at 11:16 AM

    I second what Elise said about the smoke. It's very serious. We dealt with it yearly when we lived in the LA area. I clearly remember suffering 3 illnesses from the smoke and/or ashes. Both me and our doggy got an upper respiratory infection that required 2 rounds of antibiotics. The two of us both got eye infections from the ashes.
    Doggy eye drops are no fun. Our inside kitty got one, too. My worst was blisters on my eyelids. Yes, you read that right. I woke up to horribly swollen eyes. I thought it was pinkeye again, but after yelping when I cleaned my eyes, I saw the blisters. Went straight to the doctor. He suspected an allergic reaction to something burning. My ears were also swelled up and I had vertigo. Hubs drove btw. He gave me steroids and something for the allergy, but my eyes took a week to clear up completely. I felt much better after the meds, but the stinging pain was awful. I thought it might be eucalyptus since I knew I was allergic to that, but it could've been some obscure little bush in the brush lol. Those of you in the smoke, be careful and watch your pets, even the ones that never go out.

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    1. Yes, Debby, it IS very serious. I got eye infections each and every summer for the last few summers when smoke was always in the air. Our youngest son has had asthma all his life and it was super scary with him. Even with nebulizer treatments he struggled to breathe *indoors*. We had to keep the house shut up 24/7, but still it seeped in. I think that's why I said yesterday I fear fire more than flooding. Huge wildfires can carry ash and smoke all the way across the country! They burn so hot they melt metal. Kind of like hell on earth, if you know what I mean. --Elise

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    2. WOW Debby that sounds awful. Thanks for the heads up, That is some scary stuff.
      Thanks Elise

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  9. Yes, that ICK factor is too much for me! What some people do not realize is that the utility companies often have a "base rate" that is charged, regardless of how little you use. I know this because of being a single-person household and am charged a minimum each month, whether I use that much or not -- albeit natural gas, electricity, or water. So I just try to conserve as much as possible, so I'm not going over that minimum. That is, I'll get a water bill whether I use it or am away from home for the month and don't use a drop. Same with electricity and gas. So why pay for something I'm not using by choice? Instead, I'll use what I'm required to pay for.

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    1. Practical and smart, Lori. And for those who are on septic, NOT using enough water regularly leads to very expensive septic costs as the system gets clogged. If it gets too clogged for a roto rooter cleanout, they have to tear up your yard. It can cost thousands. --Elise

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    2. Very smart Lori. Yes, there will be a utility bill regardless of usage. No way are they not sending one! So use at least the minimum. Sounds pretty practical to me.

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  10. So much to consider with today's topics... First the smoke. We are having a respite from it today and are taking the opportunity to air the house and hang laundry outdoors. It is truly a beautiful day here with blue skies and lake and green, green everywhere else. Please remember, that the fires are related to global warming and we need to continue to reduce our carbon footprint before we burn all the forests and choke on it.
    Those tightwad shows are initially entertaining in a freakish way and then they are just stupid. It is not frugal to stiff someone else; it is greedy. As far as recycling cooking water and scavenging road kill, those are old methods that were common . Remember the "pot simmering on the stove all day with scraps continually added"? People were more concerned with filling bellies and unaware that they'd boiled all the nutrients out of the food. Who knew about nutrients, then?
    Gardening is a mixed blessing. There are so many critters that want your stuff as it's easy to access and all lined up. We were expecting a bumper crop of raspberries but a beaver has come in at night and broken and eaten most of the canes. We set up barriers lakeside and have a light on all night near the patch. Birds, chipmunks and squirrels on the strawberries. Moths on the brassicas. I love gardening!
    Sorry for the Canadian smoke, my friends. A reminder though..we used to get your acid rain. These problems can be fixed with co-operating nations working together. May your skies clear soon.

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    1. Glad you are having a clear day!
      Yes, I think you are right - the shows were entertaining to a point - then it got nots. Sure back in the day folks did a lot of things that would never be considered healthy or sanitary today. They survived, I guess. There are just some things I think are disgusting and would never do.
      Critters - yeah they want the fresh produce too! Sorry about the raspberries. My neighbor across the road is on a mission to get rid of a lot of the critters and relocating to the river. It's always something!
      We had smoke and ash way back when Mount St. Helen erupted. There is always something in the atmosphere from somewhere to be aware of for sure.

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  11. OT and Lighthearted... my oldest son sent me a link to a You Tube video where high school boys in the U.K. were trying (U.S.) Southern biscuits & gravy for the 1st time. It was hysterical! They were puzzled by our buttermilk biscuits, which they thought were "a strange kind of scones", and horrified at the thick, white, lumpy sausage gravy. When they tried them, though, they liked them. They were then given fried chicken and Southern Sweet (iced) tea. Big hit all around. During the video, beans over bead (traditionally British) was mentioned a few times.

    So... Hubs agrees... tonight's dinner will be Beanies Wienies (baked bean style) over Southern biscuits! :-D

    Back to your regularly scheduled topic. Forgive me. --Elise

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    1. Elise I have seen that. They sure loved their iced tea!!!!!! I just loved their comments and faces.
      It was fun to watch!

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  12. Lots of good reminders today Cheryl, thank you. I often do pancakes like that, the addition of a few blueberries is great.

    Some lengths that people on those shows go to are crazy, but then other people probably think I am crazy too. I guess one persons frugal is another persons batshit crazy. Louise

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    1. Louise I am laughing loud now!!!! You are so correct - it is all perspective and I am sure some of us have been called crazy before!
      I am just to the show on these pancakes. That amazes me I never had heard of them until recently. Want to make some this weekend.

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    2. But it’s true isn’t it?
      I have a very good friend who would NEVER eat food past it’s best before/ use by/ sell by date....I do it frequently.
      I have other friends who would never wear second hand clothes...I have not bought any new clothes ( not including underwear) for three years. If we were all the same the world would be a very boring place. Louise

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  13. Those ideas are ick! I have used vegetable water on plants before but never to re-cook and re-heat anything. The others are even worse and thought of someone tossing their urine outside is downright disgusting. I've seen signs that read, "if it's yellow, let it mellow, if it's brown, flush it down". But even that can get rather disgusting too.
    I've never owned a box grater, but I had no idea they were useful for all of those things. I might have to get home.
    I do hope the smoke clears for your soon. We're fortunate here as the winds aren't blowing it in our direction.

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    1. I have used the veggie water on plants too - but no to recooking in it. It can't smell nice outside their house!
      No grater???? I have had one all my life - and use it often. They are pretty darn handy.
      It has been nasty out today. I will show a pic tomorrow. It sure does smell. Glad you aren't experiencing it. It is supposed to clear after tomorrows front moves through.

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  14. I know they are disgusting. The family cloth to wipe with. I know handkerchiefs save money and they are fine for personal use, but kleenex has saved more lives than we will ever be able to count. Pulling out a kerchief and snapping it open in a crowd to blow your nose in spread many a plague.

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    1. I use hankies here at home - but never in public.
      I guess everyone does what they feel comfortable with - just most of us aren't comfortable with a lot the cheapskate stuff!

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  15. I just bought a terrific drying rack to use indoors .... From walmart.com
    Like you, outdoor drying is impractical for me

    And water is so precious, and gardening so uncertain, that we have given up, except for a few tomato plants. Over the last few years, our raspberries all died. the roots got eaten. Moles? And they were expensive and labor intensive. Same with the strawberries. Dead, despite being babied.

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    1. Sorry you have had so many problems with garden plants. In my opinion tomatoes are what really counts!!!!!!
      I have some racks in the basement I hang stuff on - it sure saves lugging in up the stairs!

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    2. I also use flowerpots so I can be sure the water goes to the correct plant. Otherwise the trees and weeds get the water.
      As for who ate the roots of your plants, probably *not* moles as they are carnivores and eat bugs and worms. But voles are another story, and they'll eat the roots of anything, far as I can tell, nasty little critters. They decimated my yard one year, I couldn't imagine why my plants (even big plants, shrubs) had no roots any longer. And there were all these little tunnels right under the mulch... yep, voles.
      MaryB

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  16. Being frugal is so different from being cheap. I really don't think that I could ever do the things you mentioned. Once, many years ago, when I first started my frugal journey I tried to separate toilet paper.... My husband came home to me sitting in mounds of dissected toilet paper crying. That was the last time I tried that. Just not worth it.

    God bless.

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    1. YES - huge difference!!!!! I never did the TP thing, but have read many a story about it! That is funny!
      We learn what our limits are in a hurry!

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  17. Oh dear me...Those suggestions on cheapness are stomach turning. My depression era grandma would have thought so too! Re-using dental floss? I can understand using veggie water to save for broth but... You are right, there is a huge difference between frugal and cheap. Some of the most tight, cheap people I know are loaded with money and some of the most frugal people are the most generous.

    Thank you for the egg sub chart, very interesting on some I've never heard of! Love even baking eggs like that in muffin cups too, so fun to eat.

    Have a great evening!

    Hugs and a smile- ~Amelia

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    1. Yep, pretty gross.
      I agree it often seems those with the least are the most generous, and the rich can be real tightwads.
      You are welcome!

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  18. If a person did all the boiling on one day, it would be okay. But, saving water to cook tomorrow is gross.
    I wondered about carrying all those wet clothes to the basement, thinking it was dangerous. But, I thought the washer was in the upstairs...lol.
    I know someone who wanted to save on using so much tp. used only two squares and then had poop all over his fingers.

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    1. They were saving water over a week or more!
      Yes, my washer and dryer are in the basement. I throw the clothes down, which makes it easy. Bringing up a wet basket of clothes just got to be a bit much.
      Gross!!

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  19. Great post Cheryl. I used to watch a YouTube channel and the family had been on that Extreme Cheapskates show and she said the TV producers come up with a lot those weird ideas and want them to act like they live that way. There may be truth to some of the stuff but a lot of it has been created for the "entertainment value" and ratings!

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    1. You know Elaine, that is probably the way it is with most reality TV!!!! I am sure there is a bit of truth, but a lot of fabrication as well. They sure know how to raise the ick factor!!!!!
      Thanks

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