June frugals

[flowerseverywhere]

I've gone back to really examining if my life energy is worth the price of things.

For instance we eat a lot of beans. Obviously opening a can vs. Buying dried is easier, but how hard is it to simmer beans? 5 cans of beans are five times more expensive than reconstituting, even with organic ones. The small amount of time is worth it plus it eliminates a lot of sodium .

Looking for stuff used or making do you might find as opposed to going to the store to buy new is most certainly worth it to me.

[herbgeek]

I specifically got an instapot to 1) make beans and 2) make yogurt. That alone was worth the price, as we were spending a fortune of yogurt. I'm just so amazed that I can put dry beans in, and maybe 45 minutes later I have cooked beans with no work. That includes heating up time, and waiting for the pressure to release. The yogurt is just taking whole ultra pasteurized milk and adding a couple of tablespoons of a prior batch and hitting the button. 8 hours later its done. I strain mine because I like it thick like greek yogurt but that is optional.

When I buy a bunch of parsley or dill, I chop it up and freeze it. So 2 minutes of cutting and its ready to go for multiple uses.

[iris lilies]

I think dried beans that you cook yourself are tastier, at least that’s for sure true with chickpeas.

I don’t have an Insta pot and probably won’t get one, but I do enjoy the ease of a crockpot for bean cooking. That’s where it is most brilliant.

As for June Frugals, UGG this is not a good month. I could write about it here or in the rant thread, but I’ll just put it here since I’m thinking about it.

I ordered a large piece of furniture for $700. I ordered it last October. It finally arrived this week and DH put it together. It is far far too big for the room, so, I’m going to live with it for a few months, but I will have to get rid of it. Truly, it is too big for the room and I’m not gonna put it any place else in the house since I have plans for each room. Now I will have to find a way to get rid of it and to recoup a little bit of money.

I ordered a pair of shoes that were $60 and they do not fit. I think they sent me the wrong ones. It is such drama to return them, I can get a “free “ return but I have to find a UPS store. Well, there’s not a UPS store within 30 miles of where I live in Hermann and when I went to the city the other day, traffic was too awful to delay getting home to drop them off. So I still have a few more days to drop them off at a UPS store in ?st. Louis.

[pinkytoe]

One more non frugal month with a trip to Tx to see grand-twins. Hotels, gas, gifts, eating out. Easily $1000 every time we go.

[flowerseverywhere]

One more non frugal month with a trip to Tx to see grand-twins. Hotels, gas, gifts, eating out. Easily $1000 every time we go.

Is the money worth it? You will never have this time back so spending money on this chance to see your grandkids is worth every penny if it is what you want to do. Life it only about things up to a certain point. I'll go without a lot for experiences with my family.

[Yppej]

Trying to ward off future tax increases by lobbying for fiscal responsibility. Sent my councilors a list of over $4,600,000 in cuts they should propose to the mayor's budget and with another woman spent five and a half hours going over the budget in detail with the council president.

[JaneV2.0]

I specifically got an instapot to 1) make beans and 2) make yogurt. That alone was worth the price, as we were spending a fortune of yogurt. I'm just so amazed that I can put dry beans in, and maybe 45 minutes later I have cooked beans with no work. That includes heating up time, and waiting for the pressure to release. The yogurt is just taking whole ultra pasteurized milk and adding a couple of tablespoons of a prior batch and hitting the button. 8 hours later its done. I strain mine because I like it thick like greek yogurt but that is optional.

When I buy a bunch of parsley or dill, I chop it up and freeze it. So 2 minutes of cutting and its ready to go for multiple uses.

"
My Instant Pot is by far my favorite appliance--not the least for its "walk away and come back whenever" feature, but also because it can make anything from brisket to cheesecake handily.

[happystuff]

You all are really starting to sell me on an Instant Pot! Still not sure I'll get one, but you do have me thinking about it at this point.

How our town wide yard sale yesterday. Didn't make a killing, but did get rid of two or three bigger items. Just looked at the empty spots where they used to be and it felt good. Rest is finally going into donation box. I'm tired of holding on to so many things from one yard sale to the other.

[iris lilies]

You all are really starting to sell me on an Instant Pot! Still not sure I'll get one, but you do have me thinking about it at this point.

How our town wide yard sale yesterday. Didn't make a killing, but did get rid of two or three bigger items. Just looked at the empty spots where they used to be and it felt good. Rest is finally going into donation box. I'm tired of holding on to so many things from one yard sale to the other.

I had an Insta pot that I got from the thrift store. I know now why it was in the first store because it was stupidly difficult to close and open. That was probably specific to that particular model, but it turned me right off Insta pots for a while.

[littlebittybobby]

Trying to ward off future tax increases by lobbying for fiscal responsibility. Sent my councilors a list of over $4,600,000 in cuts they should propose to the mayor's budget and with another woman spent five and a half hours going over the budget in detail with the council president.

Okay----that is awesome & amayzeen. Especially that the president gave you so much time to make your case. Again, wow. Around here, you gotta make your case in 5 minutes or so, so ya gotta pack the room with concerned members of the voting public, or they won't pay much attention.