March 2015 Frugals

[lessisbest]

I really don't like microwave popcorn and hadn't had it in several years but received a free sample bag and popped (nuked) it the other night. Yuck, nasty salty and no popcorn flavor.
Threw it out and even the birds and squirrels wouldn't touch it.
I'm "old school" all the way. A little coconut oil, mixed kernels, a little sea salt, garlic.

We are "old school" too, although we use an air popper or a stove-top whirly popper, instead of the now common microwave. It's amazing how we get accustomed to one thing or another based on "convenience".

I just read a list of "7 Foods You Should Never Eat. EVER.", and the list included microwave popcorn. Why? - PFOA (a chemical coating used in microwave popcorn bags breaks down when heated into a substance called perfluorooctanoic) which can affect fertility, are a cancer risk and affect kidney functioning, along with too much salt and trans fats.

Another thing to avoid is using a homemade version of microwave popcorn by using brown paper bags. The bags are made from recycled paper and can have metal in it, which can arc in the microwave and cause a fire. The recycled paper also has inks and dyes that aren't considered "food safe". Paper bags are not always stored the same as food products, especially that trip from the recycling bin, so they can be exposed to pesticides, rats/mice, and any number of things. Don't consider them a good substitute for commercial microwave popcorn.

[Tussiemussies]

Thanks Float on for the information. I knew about the microwave popcorn you buy in the store, but wasn't aware of the paper bags...my DH keep using a plastic bowl and lid which I consider just as bad. Using a glass bowl would be best, one that has a glass top. Have to pick one of those up...

[rosarugosa]

DH makes popcorn (1/2 c) on the stove in a pan with some olive oil (1 tbsp) and then we grind some black pepper on it after it's popped. He's low sodium, so we stopped adding salt and I was surprised to find that I don't miss the salt. I love the flavor of olive oil, so that's probably why.

[Float On]

Thanks Float on for the information. .

Lessisbest had that great info. I didn't know that about paper bags either, course I never tried it. Actually I didn't have a microwave until about 10 years ago and I'll probably get rid of it this fall. The kids use it some. I never do.

[cdttmm]

Yep, we're old school popcorn people, too. I love making a huge bowl of popcorn and just eating it for dinner some night. Definitely not the most well-rounded of meals, but it's oh so good!!!

Not many frugals to report over here. Our friends/neighbors were going out of town and offered us their CSA share this week. All we had to do was pick it up. Lots of greens: arugula, kale, chard, bok choy, spring greens. We'll use the last of it up today. Hooray for free food!!! I'm roasted some potatoes this morning before I go to work because they really need to be eaten and I am afraid they'll get forgotten otherwise. And if I have time I'm going to make a quick frittata with the remaining spinach, the last of the eggs, and some shredded cheese. And my dearly beloved claims there's nothing in the house to eat because we're out of bagels... But he's been sick all week so I'm going to pretend that he's simply delirious and didn't know what he was saying...

Was in NYC last Sunday to teach abeekeeping class and my friend once again offered to dog-sit. Saved myself $100 over sending the dogs to doggy day care for the day. Hooray for dog-loving friends!!!

[rosarugosa]

DH finally decided to make his own pizza dough today, and for the price of a bag of flour (we had all the other ingredients in the house), we got enough dough to freeze for our next 5 pizzas, and he made a loaf of bread tonight to go with our dinner of poached cod, spinach, risotto and some nice chardonnay. I'm so lucky he's such a good cook and enjoys cooking. Fine cooking is a great skill set to have - or to marry!
Cdttmm: nice score with the TSA! I love arugula. All my salads this week had arugula and mint in them, and it elevated them into something spectacular.

[lessisbest]

Tuesday Morning is closing and I found some really nice cloth napkins for $3 per package. I purchased two packages of 12 napkins (one set was white and the other set red). With a niece getting married the end of May, I dug through my stash of crochet thread and found all the things I needed to crochet 12 white lacy napkin rings and matching coasters to place under glasses. I also went through my sizeable collection of doilies I've crocheted over the years and found 3 that would be added to the gift. Hubby and I went to Hobby Lobby and found a beautiful box (50% off) to store the napkins, napkin rings, coasters, and doilies in. I also purchased kitchen towels at a much discounted price and added 7 knitted dish rags. I'm mostly out my time, and not too much money, but it's nice to give heirlooms that will last generations.

[Tradd]

Lessisbest, what a nice gift!

[cdttmm]

10 cents off per gallon of gas with my loyalty card when I filled up yesterday. And the tank had less than 1/2 gallon remaining when I went to the gas station so I feel like I really maximized that frugal moment!

Homemade pizza for dinner and plenty of leftovers for the next few days.

[fidgiegirl]

Hi friends!

First of all, congrats Steve!!

2nd, bke!! You're going to work yourself to death girl! I hope you can get some help with the pizza deliveries - or does that negate the profits? I worry that at that rate retirement won't matter because you'll be fizzled out before it gets here. But I do admire your deals and resourcefulness, as always.

Hoping to join up with all you again here in April. I am on spring break and have had a day to myself to do some thinking, and one of the best things for keeping me on the straight and narrow is this thread, which I've missed. I am planning to go half time next year. While I will still make good money, actually the same amount I made when I first started teaching and working full time (wow!) it's still half of what I'm making now and I need to flex my frugal muscles again. Mainly I need to retrain myself away from "I deserve it" kind of thinking. I have been blowing a lot of money on lunches out, coffees and muffins, etc. Being able to work half time will be such a bigger treat than any of that, especially if I can get a bonus day of daycare.

I will start with a small win. I was going to go out for a coffee this morning, but made one at home.

I will have some non-wins later, especially in the area of food waste, boo hoo, but no use dwelling too much on that except to try better next time. Actually, I do have a question about that. Those of you who have the cavernous fridges they are making now - how in the world do you keep stuff organized and so you can see it and remember you have it? We lose things in the back and waste them.

I have a few things to do to my car (headlight, wiper blade, refill washer fluid). It's nice out now, I think I'll go out and do them. That'll be a savings.

Also selling/giving away a few things on our neighborhood FB group. Won't be a lot of $$, I'm more interested in seeing it leave the house.

This week I also plan to take some time to look at recent spending and see if I can get back in the tracking habit. I was awesome at it for a long time, then stopped and have had maaaaaany attempts to restart, none of which have stuck. I wonder why that is.

Talk soon!