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Archive for January, 2009|Monthly archive page

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Throwing a Super Bowl Bash on a Budget

In Budget Smart Cook on January 29, 2009 at 2:36 pm

Whether you’re just going to watch the game with a few friends or having a Super Bowl bash, here are some of my favorite recipes that won’t break the bank.

The Chili Bowl
Chili’s a great bargain meal any time and also a dish that’s idea to serve to a crowd. And another great thing about chili is leftovers can be frozen or served as a topping for baked potatoes. Here’s one chili recipe I came up with one day when I was in a hurry to get something on the dinner table.

Chicken Chili with Cheese Cilantro Bread
Serves 6
You have a couple of options when you make this dish. One is to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, in that case you probably can use just three instead of four. Two, you can leave out the chicken for a vegetarian version. And if you don’t want to serve bread with it, rice and/or tortilla chips are great accompaniments too.

For the Chili•Two tablespoons oil
•Four chicken breasts; remove the chicken from the bone and cut it into half inches pieces.
•One 15 oz. can of Kuners of Colorado Southwestern Black Beans with cumin and chili spices. If you can’t find this brand or anything similar just use a regular can of black beans, but add one tablespoon of chili powder and one teaspoon of cumin to the recipe.
•One 15 oz. can fire roasted chopped or whole tomatoes. Try Hunts or Muir Glen brands. And if you’re using whole tomatoes, chop them into bite size pieces.
•One cup of chopped onions
•One cup of frozen or canned corn: drained or defrosted.
•One cup peeled and chopped sweet potatoes.
•One tablespoon Frontera Chipotle hot sauce, if you can’t find this brand.any other hot sauce will do and add the amount that suits your own ‘comfort’ level.

For the Cheese Cilantro Bread •One loaf French or Italian Bread
•About one tablespoon oil
•One cup shredded cheese mixed with about two tablespoons of chopped cilantro, more if you’re a fan of this herb.

•Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a large pan or Dutch oven, add the chopped chicken and cook until it’s not longer pink.
•Add the onions and stir together with the chicken.
•Cook the onions until they’re translucent, about five minutes.
•Add the sweet potatoes and stir everything together.
•If you’re using regular beans, add the chili powder and cumin and the rinsed beans. If you’re using the flavored beans, don’t rinse them. And add about half a can of water to the pan.
•Add the can of tomatoes and stir everything together.
•Add the hot sauce. If the mixture looks thick, add another half can of water to the pot.
•Bring to a boil, turn down the heat, and let the mixture simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.

For the bread-
•Meanwhile slice the bread and toast it under the broiler on both sides.
•Brush each piece (one side only) with oil and top with the cheese/cilantro mixture and broil until the cheese starts to bubble.
•I like to serve the chili with bowls of sour cream, shredded cheese, and some more chopped cilantro.

This next ‘recipe’ is really simple to put together. I often serve seven layer dip and chips and if you’ve got more than a few people digging into the dip, the table usually ends up a mess, here’s what I came up with-

Layered Dip Pizza Style
Serves 10-15

You’ll need-
•One large bag of tortilla chips
•Two cans of refried beans, the spicy varieties work really well for this one.
•One 16 oz. container of sour cream
•Two avocados, diced, toss them in lime juice to prevent them from browning
•2 cups of shredded cheese
•One cup of salsa
Take a large platter and place the chips on it, make sure to cover the whole platter, chips overlapping the edges are perfect. Place the refried beans on top, then top with the sour cream and then the diced avocados, and finally the cheese. Usually I place the salsa in the center of everything.

I find it’s best to have a large spatula by the platter so guests can transfer everything to their plate just like they would with a pizza.
And this recipe is perfect if you’re not going the party route and just looking for something tasty to snack while you watch the game.

Pizza Party
Just about everyone loves pizza. Either make your own pizza dough or the day before the game, visit your local pizza store and buy some pizza dough. Cut it into individual size portions and set out various sauces and toppings, like cheese, olives, pepperoni, green peppers slices and have everyone make their own pizza.

Desserts
One dessert…if you can call it that, that always comes to the rescue and once again a crowd favorite is ice cream. And it’s also always on sale. Set out two tubs, one chocolate, one vanilla and put bowls of toppings alongside them, chopped nuts, toasted coconut, chopped candy bars and even some M&M’s in the team colors and have everyone create their own ‘Super Bowl Sundae’.

Last Minute Snacks
If you’re looking for a last minute snack or something to put on the buffet table, there are two products that you can find at just about any store and they pair perfectly together. Tostitos 100% white corn with a hint of lime tortilla chips, and Pace Pico de Gallo. Every time I serve them, they’re gone in minutes

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Valentine’s Day for the Budget Savvy

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on January 29, 2009 at 2:30 pm

Seems like celebrations creep up on us faster than we expect. And yes, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. I’m guessing some budgets might be recovering from the recent holiday season, but don’t panic, you can still find something to give to your loved ones. Here’s what I found-

Chocolates
If you or someone you know is a chocoholic, I don’t have to tell you the number one spot for great chocolate is Godiva. I can’t walk by one of their stores without going inside and at least doing some ‘window shopping’. Most of their chocolates used to be out of my price range, but here’s one good thing about our gloomy economy, even Godiva has slashed their prices. Go to
www.godiva.com and check out their Chocolate Covered Sale. They have some gifts starting at as low as $6. There’s a Godiva Chocolate Party Tower for just $13.50. And don’t miss the Winter Treasure Gift Basket, are you ready for this, it was $100 and now it’s just $35. I’m guessing there’s enough chocolate in there for you to divide up into two or three smaller gift bags or baskets.

Bears
No, not cuddly teddy bears but bears in chairs. And who can resist a bear in any shape or form. Check out www.bearsinchairs.com. You can personalize your own bear in a chair or pick from an assortment of bears from couples to families. Base price for the I Love You Bear is $13.99 and you can add on as your budget allows. They also offer free personalization.

Virtual Gifts
You might remember a company called Animoto made it onto my Holiday Gift Guide. Send a Valentine’s Video greeting for just $3…a card is probably going to cost you at least that much and this is so much nicer. www.animoto.com

And if you can’t afford red roses this year, check out this site. Yes, you can buy real flowers there, but you can also send your love a virtual bouquet. www.virtualflorist.com

Designer Gifts at Budget Friendly Prices
When I’m searching the Web looking for great sites to tell you about, I often stumble upon ones that have great prices but products that look like, well, just junk, and that’s not what being a Budget Smart Girl is all about. We want to be known for the wonderful gifts we give, they look expensive, but they’re not and that’s our little secret. So it’s always great when I stumble upon a site like this one www.designergifts.com. You can shop by price…always my favorite thing to do, and shop by recipient etc. While I haven’t seen these products in person, they look great for the price.

One of My Favs
One catalog I love to receive is from a company called Current. www.currentcatalog.com Lots of goodies and at great prices. Check out their Valentine’s merchandise for just about everyone on your list.

Relaxation on Budget Savvy Prices
A couple of weeks ago I was sent some information about Lush USA. Sometimes people send me news about items that they feel have a budget friendly price, but really aren’t, but I’m happy to say the products made by Lush fit the bill. Here are some you might like to check out-

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www.lushusa.com
Strawberry Feels Forever Massage Bar ($8.95)
Shave the Planet Shaving Cream ($14.95)

And I was working on an article about getting a good night’s sleep and was contacted by Rachel Timmerman the co-founder of Athenas Olive Tree. www.athenasolivetree.com When I checked out the Web site, well, the prices made this Budget Smart Girl smile. Rachel has recommended three romance related products that you might like to check out-

romance20liquid20soap20-20large

romance20parfait20-20large

Romance Soap Bar: www.athenasolivetree.com/soaps_romance.htm $4.95
Romance Liquid Soap: www.athenasolivetree.com/soaps_romance_liquid.htm$ 9.95
Romance Soap Parfait www.athenasolivetree.com/soaps_romance_parfait.htm $10.95

And I’d also check out the Chocolate Bath Cookies for just $3.25 and The Romance Bath Sea Salts for $3.75/$7.50

And here’s a special offer, Rachel is offering you a 10% discount on your purchase. When you check out you’ll need to use the coupon code budgetsmartgirl to qualify. This offer is only valid from January 29th through February 10th.

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The Blog-Sometimes I Can’t Resist Buying One

In The Blog on January 26, 2009 at 2:34 pm

Don’t know about you, but sometimes I can’t resist buying one of the handy gadgets you see advertised on TV. The words ‘save you time and money’ gets this Budget Smart Girl every single time. I’m more cautious about handing over my money for these types of products now, but once in awhile I’m still willing to give something a try.

So what got my interest this time? The new Point and Paint system. Anyone else seen the ads? Some of you might remember that I’ll be giving my kitchen a makeover this spring and I have walls to paint. Not just regular walls, but ones that are way, way up there, I’m short, I hate climbing ladders. Yes, you get the picture. So when I heard the guy on the commercial saying with Point and Paint you can reach high spots with no dripping paint on your head, less trips up and down ladders to reload rollers, I was hooked. And then I found out you don’t even have to tape all the trim in the room. Hey, this really could save me time and money.

Well, I finally weakened, and on Friday I ordered a kit, which also comes with free lifetime replacement of the pads, you just pay shipping and handling each time. I’ll be giving the system a test drive when I finally get around to painting the entryway next month. Yes, for those of you who have followed the Budget Smart Girl from the beginning, you know the paint for the entryway has been sitting in my basement for a long time. I’ll let you know what I thought about the product and if it’s worth buying. If anyone’s already used it, I’d love to hear some feedback. And if you’re scratching your head wondering what I’m talking about, here’s their Web site with a video about how the product works www.pointnpaint.com

What’s lined up for Budget Smart Girl this week? A Valentine’s Day Gift Guide with a special offer just for you. And some tips for putting together a great Super Bowl bash.

And congratulations to Bernedette M who won the $50 SmartyPig gift card. She tells me she’s saving money for when her children get married.

And I had some subscribers from Canada ask me about the Upromise program that was mentioned in the newsletter and if you can use it there. Sorry to say you can’t but another subscriber told about the Futura Rewards program, here’s the link, www.futurarewards.ca

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Getting Organized on a Budget Smart Price

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on January 22, 2009 at 3:49 pm

Getting organized is always on both my do and New Year’s resolution lists. One thing about being organized is it’s saves you money. I can’t remember how many times I’ve lost something under a pile of papers on my desk, rushed out to buy another one, and then found the original one the next day. Disorganized yes, budget smart, no. I try my best, but sometimes it’s the price of all those fancy organizers that hinder my progress. So I turned to expert help. Laura Leist CPO, CRTS, is a Seattle based professional organizer and also founder and president of Eliminate Chaos www.eliminatechaos.com. Her book Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home & Life has been one of the top five organizing books on Amazon.com for the last three years in a row.

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Where’s the best place to buy bargain organizing supplies?

Laura Leist – Eliminate Chaos- The best place to look first is in your home to see what you already have on hand from previous purchases. In our 10-step process, as documented in Eliminate Chaos: The 10-Step Process to Organize Your Home and Life, shopping is step 8, not step one. One of the biggest mistakes people make when organizing is that they want to shop first, which usually results in wasted time and money. If you follow our process, you will have a concrete idea of what you ‘need’ to shop for because you will know exactly how much space you have and what you will be trying to contain in that space or product.

BSG-What’s the biggest waste of money when you’re buying organizing supplies?

Laura Leist – Eliminate Chaos-See above.

BSG-And what’s a must have buy?

Laura Leist – Eliminate Chaos-The answer to this question depends on what room of your home you are organizing. Product is specific to projects you’re working.

BSG-What are your tips for organizing a pantry?

Laura Leist – Eliminate Chaos - Use plastic bins or baskets to contain open bags of chips and crackers. This will keep crumbs from getting all over the shelves and will allow every family member to quickly find the snacks. Use ‘can risers’ to store canned goods on so you can easily see the label of each can. Use turntables for excess items, such as salad dressings, oils, vinegars, etc…so you can easily find the item. This keeps your back up items easy to find without getting shoved to the back of the shelf.
Take a close look at what’s in the pantry and how long it’s been in there. Do you have expired food? If so, let it go. If you have food you know you’re never going to eat, donate it to a food bank. This is a great first step in getting your pantry organized.
Use the middle shelves for those items that you use most often – they are easier to see because they are at eye level.

BSG-Most people’s biggest headache is organizing their closet, sweaters that tumble on your head when you pull one out, shoes shattered on the floor. Any easy solutions, any inexpensive products you can recommend using in the closet?
Laura Leist – Eliminate Chaos If your closet has a wire shelf in it, you can purchase a shelf divider that attaches to your shelf and holds stacks of sweaters, jeans or workout clothes in place. You could also use a hanging sweater bag and store several sweaters in each component. To maximize the space in the sweater bag, store 2 or 3 sweaters per section and place a sweater divider between each so it’s easy to remove a sweater without the other two landing on the floor.

BSG-Are there any items that readers might have sitting around their house that might work as organizing equipment?
Laura Leist – Eliminate Chaos Ice cube trays can be used for organizing earrings, beads or nails. Boxes from checks can be used for organizing supplies in a desk drawer. Strips of wood the width of canned goods can be used to create your own ‘can risers.’ Ziploc bags work great to store lots of different items in.

BSG-What mistakes do most people make when they attempt DIY organizing?
Laura Leist – Eliminate Chaos The three most common mistakes made are: 1. Shopping first. 2. Losing Focus. 3. Trying to accomplish too much in not enough time.

BSG-I’m sure lots of readers are just like me, I get everything organized and then within the month, I’m back to my bad habits. Any tips for breaking the cycle, or is organizing just on ongoing task?

Laura Leist – Eliminate Chaos-Organizing is a ‘lifestyle’ you choose. If you want to live an organized life, it must be a priority. You will make time in your life for those things that are a priority. Organizing is a ‘process’ NOT and event. Organization is about creating and ‘maintaining’ systems that work for you that you will make the time to maintain on a regular basis. Getting organized is like getting in shape. You don’t go to the gym with the idea that you’re going to lose weight and get in shape and then once you lose the weight, not keep up the exercise. If you don’t keep it up, the pounds will come back. Think of clutter as excess pounds for your home.

If you’re interested in purchasing Laura’s book, visit the Eliminate Chaos Web site and you’ll be able to order an autographed copy.

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Maximizing Taste in Budget Recipes

In Budget Smart Cook on January 22, 2009 at 3:38 pm

I’m continually searching for low cost recipes to make and share with other Budget Smart Girls. Inexpensive ingredients might be my main criteria, but taste is also a deciding factor. So is there any way you can turn a budget recipe into a meal with some pizzazz? I’ve found five things that work for me-

Replace Some Ingredients
Not with anything that costs more money, but with something with more flavor. Last year I purchased a jar of smoked paprika. Yes, it was nearly $5 but it’s so packed with flavor, a little goes a long way. I’ve used it in everything from tacos to chili and even sprinkled some on scrambled eggs.

Not Just Chili Powder
And speaking of chili, I often make a meatless version using vegetables and beans. One key ingredient… and this was a great find for me at World Market was a chipotle chili powder just 99 cents for 1.2 ounces. It adds a lot more flavor and you don’t miss the meat.

Say Cheese
I only buy strong or extra strong cheese. It not only goes further but adds more punch to budget meals like macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese sandwiches. And even smoked and feta cheeses cost more but are so packed with flavor, you end up using less.

Roasting
Replacing meat with more vegetables in recipes can really stretch your budget, but sometimes they taste bland. A way around that is to roast them before you add them to the recipe. And sometimes you’ll find they taste so good, they make quick and easy sandwiches. All you need to do is add a cream cheese base.

Worcestershire Sauce
And my key ingredient for adding a gourmet taste to everything from burgers to stews is a few drops of Worcestershire Sauce. Whoever developed the recipe was a genius and a friend of the budget smart cook.

Celebrate Chinese New Year
It’s almost Chinese New Year and the folks at Simply Asia sent me two recipes to pass along to you. And be sure to visit www.realasianmadesimple.com to enter their Year of the Ox contest where you and three friends could win a trip to San Francisco in 2010. And just for fun, check out the ‘send a virtual fortune cookie’.

Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad
Servings: 2
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Simply Asia® Mandarin Orange Heat & Serve Noodle Bowl
2 Tbsp water
1/4 cup oil
1 can (11 oz) mandarin oranges
1 tsp lemon juice
1 pkg (6 oz) salad greens
1 cup cooked chicken, sliced

Directions:

Place noodles and water in bowl; cover loosely with lid.
Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes. Rinse noodles under cold water; drain.
Mix oil, 2 Tbsp liquid from can of mandarin oranges, lemon juice and contents of
sauce and vegetable packets in large bowl until well blended.
Add salad greens, cooked chicken and noodles; toss gently to coat evenly.
Top with drained mandarin oranges and contents of topping packet.

Sesame Teriyaki Noodles & Sauce with Chicken
Servings: 4
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Simply Asia® Sesame Teriyaki Noodles & Sauce
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
1/2 small onion, cut into thin strips
1/2 small red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
1/4 cup bean sprouts
1/4 cup snow peas

Directions:

Bring 2 quarts water to boil in medium saucepan.
Add noodles; cook 5 minutes or until tender. Rinse under cold water; drain.
Heat oil in medium saucepan on medium-high heat.
Add chicken; cook and stir 3 minutes. Add onion and bell pepper; cook and stir 3 minutes.
Add remaining ingredients, noodles and contents of sauce packet.
Bring to boil. Cook 2 to 3 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

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The Budget Smart Girl Newsletter

In Uncategorized on January 21, 2009 at 3:15 pm

Issue 1, Number 1, January 2009

Welcome to the debut issue of the Budget Smart Girl Newsletter. Thank you to everyone who subscribed. The response has been overwhelming and I didn’t think we’d grow this fast this soon. In fact, I’m now looking at a different newsletter delivery service to handle sending the newsletter to you each month, so stay tuned. And as requested by many, the first few newsletters will go up on the Budget Smart Girl Web site on the same day the newsletter is mailed out. Each month I hope to give away a prize/gift which will be for subscribers only. You probably already know that this month’s prize is a $50 gift card from SmartyPig. The winner will be selected later today so watch your e-mailbox to see if you’re the lucky winner.
If you have a money saving tip to share, any questions you’d like answered by me or one of the experts I interview on the site, or want to see a topic covered, just let me know. I hope this newsletter will grow into a valuable resource for everyone.
Well, here we go-

You Might As Well Make Some Money
Yes, we all have to buy stuff, but don’t you just love getting something for your purchases? This month I’m featuring two programs that are perfect if you have children and want to save money for college or other necessities.

http://www.upromise.com
Lots of folks are worried about how they’re going to pay for their children’s college education and Upromise is a free service designed to help families save for just that. You simply sign up for a membership on www.upromise.com and begin saving when making purchases from any of the thousands of companies participating in the Upromise program. Upromise also helps members learn how to invest and grow the money they’ve saved by transferring it directly into a 529 college savings plan. Upromise members can earn cash rewards of up to 25% of purchases by shopping at retailers in their local community or by visiting any of the 550 companies in the Upromise online mall such as: FootLocker, Bed Bath and Beyond; Eddie Bauer, Staples, Dell, Best Buy, Apple, Wal-Mart.com, Target.com, Sears.com, Kohls, L.L. Bean, and many others. And best of all, even current college students can benefit from Upromise rewards because the cash rewards can be applied directly to college loans.

And also check out-

mmm

http://tinyurl.com/9v46h5
With each Mead® or Five Star® school supply purchase, students earn Mead Money Madness points, which can be banked in an online account by registering at http://www.meadmoneymadness.com. Students can then spend points in weekly online auctions to win items from gift cards from popular retailers to game systems, iPods and much, much more. In addition to points from purchased products, students also can earn points by interacting with the website – taking part in surveys, trivia contests and other activities.

Fashion
And what Budget Smart Girl doesn’t love to look her best? Here’s a site that gives you a head start on finding fashion bargains-
www.stylenotes.com

Home and Hearth
You might be lucky enough to be somewhere warm right now, but where I live, brrrr has been the catchphrase for the last couple of weeks. It’s tempting to turn up the thermostat, but when you’re being budget smart, you have to find other ways to keep warm. Yes, I’ve been wearing another sweater and putting a blanket over my lap when I’m sitting at my desk, but I did find this site that can give you even more ideas-
http://tinyurl.com/9frylv

Leisure and Entertainment
More people are staying home these days, but it doesn’t mean we all have to sit around the house with long faces waiting for the good times to roll around again. Check your local library for DVDs and CDs. Ask your local tourist office about museum and art galleries that might offer free admission.

Don’t know about you, but our cable company keeps raising their prices and cutting out a channel or two. We’ve been thinking about switching to satellite TV or dropping cable and just renting more DVDs. However, I did find this interesting article on line about ways you can watch great programs for less or even for free. And if you saw one of my posts on Twitter, I also recommended you check out- www.fancast.com
http://tinyurl.com/8z6lml

I was sent the following information and thought I’d pass it along to you because it’s surprising just how fun and inexpensive a family night at home can actually be…

While families across the country might be feeling the credit crunch, there’s no reason to cut spending where it matters the most – in the form of time with your family. Starting this week – National Board Game Week – Hasbro encourages Americans to share a weekly night of laughter, bonding and fun – and still stay on budget – with a Family Game Night.

Board games can certainly be played and enjoyed at any time, but a designated family game night provides an opportunity for families to share an affordable night of staying in and creating new memories together. In fact, according to a survey conducted by Hasbro in May 2008, nearly half (48%) of Americans believe that a family game night is the most enjoyable form of family bonding. Board games top other traditional family activities such as watching movies (22%), cooking (19%) and playing sports together (9%).

“Having a family game night is a cost-effective way for families to connect and laugh out loud,” says Laura Rowley, author of Money & Happiness: A Guide to Living the Good Life and a columnist for Yahoo! Finance. “I was raised in a large family where game night was a given – and continue the tradition with my three children. For families on a budget, buying a new game costs significantly less than many other entertainment options, such as dining out or attending a sporting event, which makes adding a new game to your game night repertoire a smart and economical choice.”

Planning a family game night is simple: choose a date and time, pick up a game that is appropriate for the family (taking into consideration the ages of those playing and the number of people) and then, play! Plan to laugh and have a great time. To add another element to the evening that will help establish a family tradition, bring home a pizza, serve a family-favorite dessert or grant a 30-minute extension on bedtime.

“Family game night invites families everywhere to turn off the outside world for a short time and reconnect with each other,” says Matt Collins, Vice President of U.S. Marketing for Hasbro Games. “This year we are pleased to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Hasbro’s Family Game Night initiative, which continues to encourage families to play games together for fun, learning and laughter.”

When planning your Family Game Night, consider some of America’s favorite Hasbro games, most of which are available for less than $20: MONOPOLY, CLUE, SCRABBLE, SORRY!, THE GAME OF LIFE, CONNECT 4, CRANIUM or OPERATION. Or, if you’re looking for a new game, try PICTUREKA!, a fast finding picture game that provides fun for the whole family.

Some of the classic favorites have been updated, adding a new dimension of play to the game. For example, MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition invites players to buy and sell cities from around the world instead of the streets of Atlantic City. SORRY! Sliders is the newest game of sweet revenge and invites players to send pawns embedded with ball bearings whizzing up a ramp towards the center target of the game board, knocking out other pawns and sending them back to home base. And CLUE has received a modern-day make-over with a celebrity-style mansion providing the background for the crime instead of a Tudor mansion.

For additional information about games and other tips for Family Game Night, visit www.familygamenight.com.

In The Kitchen
Cutting down on your food budget seems to be on everyone’s mind right now. Here are some tips from the Meal Makeover Moms, Liz Weiss M.S., R.D. and Janice Bissex M.S., R.D. who will be chatting with me on the Budget Smart Girl site next month to share more of their money saving tips. And if you’re thinking about shopping for organics, Mom’s Best Naturals cereal is priced 20-50 percent less than other natural/organic brands.

Check labels for the healthiest ingredients – Stay in the fructose free zone! Look for foods that do not contain artificial colors, flavors and high fructose corn syrup. Mom’s Best Naturals breakfast cereals and instant oatmeal are a great option because they are all natural and priced 20-50 percent less than other natural and organic brands.
Buy food in season – Purchase fruits and vegetables that are in season, if not, buying frozen is always a great option and a convenient way to make sure families enjoy healthy foods even when they aren’t available.

Comparison shop using unit pricing – Look at the unit pricing versus the total price of the foods you purchase. This will allow you to find extra savings. For example Mom’s Best Naturals Sweetened Wheatfuls™ have a unit price of 10 cents per ounce as compared to Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats® with a unit price of 17 cents per ounce. That adds up to a saving of almost a dollar for each box.

Purchase foods that come in bulk or larger sized packaging – Not only will you save money but you will also reduce the amount of waste your family generates. Mom’s Best Naturals breakfast cereals are packaged in larger, family sized boxes and are priced 20-50 percent less than other natural and organic brands. On average, Mom’s Best Naturals are about 10 ounces bigger per box when compared to mainstream brands.

Add “extenders” to recipes that help you get more out of your food – Adding black beans to burgers and oatmeal to meatloaf may sound old fashioned, but not only does it allow you to save money, it adds extra nutrients to food. Try Mom’s Best Naturals all natural Quick Oats in your favorite meatloaf recipe. Check out the Meal Makeover Moms Cheesy Black Bean Burger recipe below.

Cheesy Black Bean Burgers
Makes 8 Servings

Ingredients:
One 15 1/2-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound lean ground beef (90% or higher)
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup pre-shredded reduced fat Cheddar cheese
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
8 hamburger buns

Preparation:
Preheat the grill to medium. Place the black beans in a large bowl and mash with the back of a large spoon until smooth but still a bit chunky. Add the beef, egg, cheese, bread crumbs and garlic powder and mix until well combined. Divide the beef mixture and shape into 8 patties. Place the patties on the grill and cook until no longer pink inside and an instant-read thermometer registers at least 160°F, about 4 minutes per side.

Serve on hamburger buns with your favorite toppings and condiments.

Nutritional Information per Serving: 310 calories, 8g fat (3g saturated),
510mg sodium, 32g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 28g protein

A Note from BSG-Whenever I think of black beans, I think southwestern spices, like chili powder and cumin. I looked for seasoned breadcrumbs but couldn’t find any, so try adding about half a teaspoon of each spice to the breadcrumbs for a variation of this recipe.

In the Garden
Okay, most of us can’t head out to garden just yet, but like me, you might be thinking about planting a vegetable garden this year. A ton of catalogs have landed in my mailbox since the holidays and some of the prices seem too good to be true. In the past, I’ve had some bad luck with low cost plants that died within a few months of planting them. So check out this site to see what others have to say about seed and plant companies before you hand over your money-
www.gardenwatchdog.com…don’t panic if the URL Dave’s Garden pops up, it seems to be another name for it!

Health
Have you lost your job, or maybe your employer is cutting out or cutting down on prescription benefits? Something to check out is the Walgreen’s Prescription Savings Club. They offer 5,000 brand name and generic medications. You can earn rewards when you purchase Walgreen’s brand products and their photofinishing services. And you also get a coupon book with $50 in savings. It’s $20 per year for individuals and $35 per year for a family. And here’s an added bonus, if like me, a four legged friend is part of your family, you can add their name to your family membership and their medications are also covered. You can either sign up online or at your nearest Walgreen’s store. Check out all the rules, etc, and to see if it’s the right for you. They have a great FAQ section on their Web site. www.walgreens.com, click on Prescription Savings Club.

Book Review
The Everything Meals on a Budget Cookbook By Linda Larsen
$14.95…Amazon.com is selling it for $11.21, Can $16.50
ISBN 10-159869-508-8
Adams Media 2008

I already own another one of Larsen’s cookbooks which I love, so when I saw she’d written one with a budget theme, I had to check it out. The book contains 300 penny saving recipes. Besides them all sounding delicious, they list the cost per serving at the top of the recipe. The prices might be higher now, but still within most people’s budget and it’s an easy way to search for a meal that’s really low cost. The average cook should be able to put the recipes together. Another nice feature, all the recipes use ingredients that you can buy at just about any supermarket, no trekking cross town to find one or two special items. In fact, I’m guessing most of the ingredients are already sitting on your pantry shelf.
Some chapters include Breakfast on a Dime, The indispensible Leftover, Pasta for Pennies, What a Deal Desserts.
As my normal routine, I borrowed this one from the library. I only checked it out last week so I haven’t tried many recipes from it yet, but I did make the Curried Chicken Pot Pie for dinner last week. It was great and made a meal in itself. All I added was a simple dessert, see recipe below, to accompany it.
Other recipes in this book include Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts $1.89 per serving and Salmon Linguine for $1.06 per serving.
One chapter I especially like is the Make a Meal from Almost Nothing and includes Cheese Soufflé, Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles and Double Cheese Quesadillas.
I give this book a five star rating and will be adding to my Budget Smart Girl bookshelf.

Recipe for Chocolate Ginger Shortbread
I really hate calling this even a recipe because there’s no cooking involved and they’re simple to make. All the ingredients were sitting on the pantry shelf and were leftovers from my Christmas stash of goodies.

1 box of shortbread cookies, try the Keebler Sandies Simply Shortbread Cookies
1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips. I used Ghirardelli brand
Just under ¼ cup of finely chopped crystallized ginger

Put the chocolate chips into a measuring jug and melt in the microwave, stir in the ginger until the two ingredients are well blended. Dip half of the shortbread cookie into the chocolate and then set on waxed paper to set. These make a simple dessert with something hot and spicy or even a treat when the mid afternoon slump sets in.

See you next month.

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The Blog-Closeout Sales-Patience is the Key

In The Blog on January 19, 2009 at 2:28 pm

If you follow the Budget Smart Girl on Twitter, you know I went shopping at World Market and Circuit City on Saturday. Circuit City is closing across the nation, while World Market is closing only select stores.

I’ve been a fan of the food at World Market for many years, not only because it tastes good but you can pick up some nice deals there too. Right now the discounts aren’t that exciting, just 10% off food items and 20-30% off some select items and furniture. Some of the shelves in the food department were already empty so I decided to grab some things while I could. Dark chocolate spread, spices, teas. Yes, the discount wasn’t that great, but every penny helps and these are all items I can store in the pantry.

The crowds were out at Circuit City, but once again the discounts aren’t that deep right now. Just 10% off most items and 20% off CDs and DVDs. It seemed most folks were buying Guitar Hero, Wii exercise mats and smaller items like printer cartridges.

So what’s the key to shopping the going out of business sales? First of all, find out if they take all types of payment. Both World Market and Circuit City are taking credit cards right now, but some stores as they edge nearer to closing, will only take cash. Remember to check the product before you leave the store because you can’t get a refund or even an exchange, all sales are final and they mean it.
And be patient. Unless something is really hot and flying off the shelves, keep checking back, ask when their next round of discounts kick in and when their last day of business is. Play your cards right, time it right and you could pick up a great bargain for 70-80% off.

And what’s ahead for Budget Smart Girl this week? I have some tips for getting organized on a budget from professional organizer, Laura Leist. Some tips on maximizing flavor in budget recipes. And the launch of the Budget Smart Girl newsletter. I’ve decided to post it on the site for the first couple of months, after that it will be for subscribers only. And on Wednesday the winner of the SmartyPig gift card will be picked.

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Keeping Your Financial Goals

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on January 15, 2009 at 3:13 pm

Maybe the article about SmartyPig has got you thinking about opening a savings account this year. Maybe you already have one, but it’s not growing as well as you’d planned. Or maybe you just hope you can stick with a budget. Whatever your financial goal for 2009, I’ve found some Web sites that can help you keep you on track. And some hints to help you reach your goals.

Take One Step at a Time
Jyl Steinback, a.k.a America’s healthiest mom, says you can increase your chances of keeping 100% of your resolutions if you turn them into self motivating goals…the key is to take it one step at a time.
It’s a bit like having 100 things to do and only a day to do them. Giving yourself too many goals and resolutions can overwhelm you. And when you’re overwhelmed you’re more likely to give up. Instead of setting huge goals, like I want to save $2,000 this year for a vacation, break it down into manageable and achievable goals. Tell yourself you’re going to save $20 or whatever from each pay check.

Write Them Down
I’ve discovered when I actually write down my goals in a book, I’m more likely to keep them. They’re a constant reminder of what I want to achieve and I can continue to see if I’m any closer to reaching them. Plus, I can monitor what is and what isn’t working. I know some people who create a ‘goal board’ where they write down what they want to achieve and even add photos that represent the goal. Maybe it’s the copy of a credit card that you want to pay off. Maybe it’s the car you’re saving to buy.

Go Public
Make sticking with your budget a team effort. If you have friends who share similar resolutions try getting a goal buddy, or maybe joining a group like the ones you can find through www.moneyclubs.com and www.wife.org. You don’t want to be all talk so if you share your goal with someone else, sometimes the embarrassment of not achieving it is enough motivation in itself.

Don’t Go with the Norm
I’ve always started my New Year resolutions on January 1st, but Dr. Lynn Cutts, life coach and founder of Change One Habit; Change Your Life, says that’s not a smart idea. Instead during the whole month of January think about what you want to achieve and set your goal on January 31st or February 1st.

Useful Web sites
I did a search of Web sites that claim to offer free budget planners etc. While some seem to be trying to sell you something and want too much personal information, I thought these might be worth checking out and using. Even if you don’t use any of them, be sure to visit them because most have articles and links for further advice on various money topics.

www.mint.com
www.geezeo.com
www.budgettracker.com
www.mymoney.gov

And I also found this site which offers free lessons on financial topics-
www.iriseducation.org/afs/

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Saving Money the SmartyPig Way

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide, Products and Companies Worth Checking Out on January 15, 2009 at 3:03 pm

new-image-smartypig21

Late last year I was sent some information about SmartyPig, www.smartypig.com The name got my attention and when I checked out their Web site, I knew it was something I had to share with other Budget Smart Girls.

SmartyPig is a new way of saving and thinks of itself as saving the 21st Century way. A few days ago I spoke with Jon Gaskell, co-founder of SmartyPig. He shared with me the unique features of the site, how it works and how it can help you save money for everything from your dream vacation to just adding to your rainy day fund. And here’s some great news for subscribers of the Budget Smart Girl newsletter, thanks to the generosity of the folks at SmartyPig, one lucky person is going to be selected to win a $50 SmartyPig gift card to help get their savings off to a great start.

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-When and how did the whole idea of SmartyPig get started?
Gaskell-SmartyPig was launched in April 2008. We wanted to create a site where people could save for short term goals and tangible items like a new computer, a vacation, even a honeymoon because most other sites were more focused on long term goals such as retirement funds.

BSG-Are you seeing more people using your site now? Are you getting more inquiries about your site?
Gaskell-Yes, right now people are making resolutions about saving money. Making and reaching financial goals seem to be the top of everyone’s list. I think we’ve been in a credit card mindset and now because of the current economy, we’re shifting into the savings mindset.

BSG-Say I’m a new user to SmartyPig, how do I use it? What are the similarities and differences to other online banks? Any truly unique features?
Gaskell-You go to the site, create an account, decide what you want to save for, how much you want to save and if you want to make it private or public, which is one of the unique features of SmartyPig. You can share you goals with your family and friends on social networking sites like MySpace and Facebook. They can help you reach your goal and even add money to your savings account. We’ve found that this feature really helps people reach their goals faster.

BSG-I know online banking is gaining popularity, but there are still some people who are nervous about putting their money into an ‘establishment’ that’s not brick and mortar. Is there anyway you can put their minds at ease?
Gaskell-If you look at the bottom of our site, you’ll see we are FDIC insured and we take all the same security measures and precautions as brick and mortar banks.

BSG-Okay, I’ve saved my money with SmartyPig, now it’s time to spend it. How can I do that?
Gaskell-You have three options. One you can have the money transferred to your checking account. Two you can have the money put on a SmartyPig MasterCard, which acts as a debit card. There’s no charge for withdrawing money from it at an ATM or you can use it anywhere that MasterCard is accepted. Your third option; and this is perfect if you want to buy something from one of the SmartyPig’s partners. For example, let’s say you were saving to buy a ring. One of our partners is Zales. You could use it there and also get an additional discount, so it’s another way to make your money go further.

BSG- Many of us are finding it harder to put money into savings accounts right now, any tips?
Gaskell-You obviously can only save what you can afford, but getting into a savings mindset is important. For example, last year I had two goals. One to save money for the holiday gifts and one for a vacation. When we were flying home I thought I own this vacation, not the credit card company. It was very gratifying knowing I’d already paid for it when I got home. And it’s never too late to start saving, even if you’ve never saved before.

BSG-And what about helping your children save and teaching them about saving rather than putting purchases on credit cards?
Gaskell-We have lots of parents who e-mail us and say it’s amazing how much attention their children have been giving to the money they’re saving and even sharing their goals with their siblings.

BSG-As of speaking today, SmartyPig’s interest rate is 3.25% which is higher than brick and mortar banks.
Gaskell-Yes, we try to be very competitive, we’ve had to lower it recently because of the Fed lowering their rate, but we can pass along a better interest rate because we’re online and have lower overheads than brick and mortar banks.

BSG-And if I save with SmartyPig and need my money for an emergency, is it easily accessible and are there any penalties for withdrawing money before a set time?
Gaskell-None and it usually takes about a day to have the money transferred into your checking account.

BSG-I’m sure Budget Smart Girl readers would like to see the social aspect of SmartyPig in action. Can they view your profile?
Gaskell-Yes, go to Facebook, type in Jon Gaskell and you’ll see my savings goal which right now is to take a train trip across Canada with my two younger brothers.

A note from BSG-you will need to register with Facebook if you’re not already a member to access Jon’s profile.

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The Blog-It’s Free and It’s in Your Neighborhood

In The Blog on January 12, 2009 at 2:51 pm

What’s the saying about there’s no such thing as a free lunch? That might be true, but when it comes to finding free resources in this tough economy, just check your own community.

Last week I stopped by the library to pick up some books. I also grabbed a copy of their Events and Classes catalog that lets you know what’s happening in libraries around town in the next three months.

First of all, all these classes are free. Secondly, I was amazed at the variety of topics offered these days. For example, if you need to brush up on your job hunting skills they have a class for that. Need to brush up on your computer skills to land a job, they’ve got that too. Not just World, but Excel and Access too. They can show you how to search the Internet to find a job. And when it comes to tax time, and yes, you know it’s coming…they can even offer assistance which is free if you’re on a limited or low income. And here’s a class that I’ve never seen offered before…not even in community education, how to shop using coupons.

After the library, I stopped by the county service office to renew my driver’s license. The office is housed in the same building as the extension offices, so I took a detour to find out what they were offering. Seems they rent DVDs on topics like gardening, cooking, how to improve your credit score. And they have a whole bunch of brochures on cooking and food storage topics.

My tip for this week, check your library and extension offices to see what’s going on in your neighborhood. I think you’ll be surprised what you can find.

And what’s ahead on Budget Smart Girl site this week? I’ve got a great expert lined up for one of this week’s articles. I’ll be chatting with him later today and he’s going to share some secrets about ways to save more money. And I’ll be giving you some tips and Web site links to help you reach your financial goals.

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