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The Budget Smart Girl Newsletter for February 2010

In Budget Smart Girl's Newsletter on February 26, 2010 at 3:12 pm

I know February’s the shortest month of the year, but where did it go? Maybe, I’ve just been too busy to notice. One good thing, we’re moving closer to spring. I’ve been thinking about my garden and already making a list of my outdoor projects. I know most places, yes, even ones that usually get icy temperatures had snow, but let’s think about gardens and plants. So to start this newsletter, here are some gardening tips I was sent from the Epsom Salt Council. I hadn’t realized that it was a plant’s best friend.

Epsom Salt helps seeds germinate, makes plants grow bushier, produces more flowers, increases chlorophyll production and deters pests, such as slugs and voles. It provides vital micronutrients to supplement your regular fertilizer. Epsom Salt is recommended by Master Gardeners and used regularly by commercial growers around the world. Tests by the National Gardening Association confirm that roses fertilized with Epsom Salt grow bushier and produce more flowers, and it also makes pepper plants grow larger than those treated only with commercial fertilizer. www.epsomsaltcouncil.org

Tips include:
• Houseplants: 2 tablespoons per gallon of water; feed plants monthly.
• Tomatoes: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks.
• Roses: 1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks. Also scratch 1/2 cup into soil at base to encourage flowering canes and healthy new basal cane growth. Soak unplanted bushes in 1 cup of Epsom Salt per gallon of water to help roots recover. Add a tablespoon of Epsom Salt to each hole at planting time. Spray with Epsom Salt solution weekly to discourage pests.
• Shrubs (evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron): 1 tablespoon per 9 square feet. Apply over root zone every 2-4 weeks.
• Lawns: Apply 3 pounds for every 1,250 square feet with a spreader, or dilute in water and apply with a sprayer.
• Trees: Apply 2 tablespoons per 9 square feet. Apply over the root zone 3 times annually.
• Garden Startup: Sprinkle 1 cup per 100 square feet. Mix into soil before planting.

More Let’s Get Ready for Spring
Whether you’re thinking about moving this year or just want to give your home a low cost make-over, here are some of my favorite ways to do just that-

Clean Out the Clutter
Realtors say clutter is one of the reasons many homes don’t sale. If you’re selling your house, or just realize you have too much stuff sitting around the house, now’s the time to tackle it. You’ve got lots of options here. You can either donate anything you don’t want and get a tax deduction next year. You can hold a garage sale, maybe team up with some other neighbors. Or even take items like clothing to a consignment shop. Just getting rid of a few odds and ends can make your house look that much neater and bigger.

A Cheap Makeover
If I’m getting bored with a room but don’t have enough in the budget for a huge makeover one thing I always turn to is paint. Even top quality paint can be purchased for around $20 or less. You’d be surprised at just how great…and clean a room looks with just a different color added to the walls.

Move Them Around
I have to admit I get bored very easily and sometimes I sit in a room and start to think about ways I’d give it a makeover. Some of my ideas would break the bank, but an inexpensive way to make everything look new again is to rearrange stuff. Last year I decided to move the two couches around and put the side table on the other side of the room. Sometimes I move photos and bits and pieces from one table to another. And one way I’ve found that can really make a room look new is to move stuff from one room to another. Every time the clocks change in spring and fall, take a few minutes to change things around. That way you can have a warm and cold weather look to your home.

Have a Swap Party
You’ve heard of people holding clothes swap parties, how about swap parties for things like vases, paintings etc. You might just find something you’ve been admiring in a friend’s house is something she really hates and wants to get rid of.

Outside
If you are thinking about selling your home one of the first things a buyer sees is your yard. The idea is to make them think if they moved in they’d have very little work to do. So trim hedges and shrubs, cut out dead branches, and pull up the weeds. And one thing that can really be inviting to any visitor is a water feature. They used to cost a fortune but you can set one up on just about any budget these days.

Windows and Carpets
Two things that most people notice when they visit your house are the carpets and windows. It doesn’t take much to clean the windows and screens, and most supermarkets rent carpet-cleaning machines these days. And to make sure things don’t get dirty all over again, keep one pair of shoes just for wearing exclusively inside the house.

The Tax Man Cometh
If you haven’t already prepared them, yes, it’s tax time again. For some of you who once followed my column on Garden and Hearth you might remember these tax tips from Eva Rosenberg, for the new readers I thought I’d include them here-

Eva Rosenberg MBA, EA a.k.a. Tax Mama. www.taxmama.com, and author of the book Small Business Taxes Made Easy for some hints and tips.

What are some of the common deductions most of us overlook and hence shortchange ourselves?
It’s not the deductions that are overlooked, but the accounting. If people took the time to keep detailed records of all expenses that might be potentially deductible, you could cut your taxes by hundreds of dollars a year. However, when it comes to non-cash deductions, like donations of clothing and household goods given to charities, most people take the lazy way out and just use numbers like $30 per bag. If they took the time to list every single thing in the bag or box, they just might end up with several hundred dollars per bag.

What are items people worry too much about and what are items most people assume trigger an audit?
They worry that real expenses (the ones they really paid), when they are too high, will trigger an audit. If those expenses were really deductible, and you have the receipts to prove you spent the money, don’t worry. TaxMama says you should never be afraid to take a deduction to which you’re entitled.

I’ve heard there’s been an increase in the number of audits, especially for those who run a business and itemize deductions. Is this true, and is there anything we can do to decrease the likelihood of being audited?
Yes, the IRS’s computers are looking for obvious signs of un-reported income and excessive deductions. What can you do? Do your bookkeeping, keep all canceled checks and receipts and get educated on what the law requires of your business. You’ll find detailed guidance in my book. It’s so cheap, that it will cost you more in extra taxes, or audits by not reading it.

What are common mistakes people make when they prepare their own tax returns?
They don’t understand what goes where. They have too many Schedule C’s for insignificant business that should be combined. They treat their 1099 income as if it were wages and don’t pay the self-employment taxes on it. They also forget to report their unemployment income…it’s taxable.

Any tips on what we should be doing this year to make tax preparation easier next year?
Yes, …seriously read my book. It’s about 12 bucks at Amazon, if you do what I tell you to do, it will save you thousands of dollars.

Some Useful Sites
www.irs.gov/
http://finance.yahoo.com/taxes/articleindex

The Budget Smart Girl’s Tip
When it doubt about what form to use, what goes where, or any questions you have about filling or paying your taxes, it’s a smart idea to phone the IRS directly. And here’s a piece of advice that my late father gave me. When you do call an office…and not just the IRS, make a note of the day, time, department, extension number, and ask for the person’s full name. That way if there’s any question as to why you did something etc., you can refer to and prove that you actually spoke to a real person.

Variety is the Spice of Life
I had this article about spices and how to give foods some pizzazz already to post on the site but didn’t get around to it, so here it is-
The Spice Hunter’s www.spicehunter.com food scientist and product developer Daniela Massey offers winning spice combos. With more Americans experimenting with home cooking and refusing to skimp on expanding their palates into next year, she’s provided easy suggestions of spices you can combine with pantry items to kick up the flavor of everyday meals:
Chipotle, Oregano & Raspberry – The raspberry adds a sweet and tart kick when combined with smoky Chipotle and refreshing Oregano, particularly on heavier sauces like Moles, chilis and stews or in fresh salsas and fajitas.
Smoked Paprika, Coffee, Orange – This balanced trio is a satisfying rub on steaks, roasts or shrimp, and also makes a vegetarian dish of winter squash or sweet potato seamlessly savory.
Roasted Garlic, Mustard, Honey – This zesty but sweet fusion makes a tangy dressing for salad, livens up sautéed dark greens, beautifully balances the saltiness of pork, and is wonderful with goat cheese on a flatbread pizza.
Curry, Cinnamon & Green Apple – The spicy curry, warm cinnamon and tart apple complement each other perfectly in a chicken or tuna salad, is delicious in a tofu and vegetable stir fry and makes a savory applesauce to serve with pork or chicken.

And here are some more of Daniela’s tips-
•Toasting Spices – Bring out the flavor in a plethora of spices, not just Ginger and Cumin, by toasting them dry for a few minutes on the stove top.
•Spicing for Health – Turmeric provides heart-healthy antioxidants, as do Cinnamon, Cloves and other spices.
•Salt-free Seasoning – Cut down on sodium intake, not flavor, by cooking regularly with herbs and spices for seasoning instead of salt. Read the labels of blends you buy carefully for hidden sodium loads – The Spice Hunter produces the most extensive line of salt-free blends on the market.
•Fresh Year-Round – Freeze-dried herbs like The Spice Hunter’s Fresh at Hand line offer year-round convenience in your spice cabinet by providing nearly 100 percent of the original colors, aroma and flavor of fresh herbs when they aren’t available or affordable.

Budget Living Is Everywhere
I was reading the local newspaper a couple of weeks ago and saw they were putting together a special edition about ways to save money and were looking for tips so I contacted them to let them know about the Budget Smart Girl Web site. I also gave them the following tips to use-

Ten Tips for Saving Money
1.Use the library for everything from DVDs to museum passes.
2.Don’t be loyal. If your favorite supermarket/store isn’t offering the best prices, shop elsewhere.
3.Do your homework. Research prices etc. online before you buy. Get the facts so you won’t be so easily influenced by a salesman’s pitch to upgrade or buy extended warranties.
4.Buy store label brands over major manufacturer’s brands.
5.Shop the bulk bins, you can buy the amounts you need without waste and for a little bit of effort you save money.
6.Stock up while items are on sale, especially around holidays.
7.Reassess if you really need a service, like additional features on your phone, more channels on your cable subscription.
8.Swap items with neighbors or rent. For example, if you just need a tiller or sander for one job, don’t buy it, rent it or ask a neighbor if you can borrow it.
9.Get a subscription to a magazine like All You that has lots of coupons in it. And make sure you use them on double coupon days at the supermarket.
10.Use consignment stores to both buy and sell. You save money and make money on everything from clothes to household items.

Things of Interest
$1 Light Bulbs
I’ve been seeing this commercial for the energy saving light bulbs on most of the local TV stations and thought I’d check out the Web site www.responsiblebynature.com. You can type in your zip code and see which stores are participating in selling these bulbs for just $1. Seems like it’s for a limited time but the Web site has some other energy saving features too.

How Much Will It Cost?
I love magazines that offer recipes with cost printed beside them. However, not all recipes have that feature but this neat little gadget can help you figure it out. www.sensetosave.com/frugal-tools/recipecostcalc/

Contests
I love entering contests. Check out this one at Kikkoman www.kikkomanusa.com for your chance to win $10,000
And here’s one for man’s best friend at Bissell at www.bissell.com (it’s a pet photo contest).

Things That Interested Me
And finally, here are some articles and products that got my attention on the Web this month-

Does It Need To Be Tossed?
Check out this article about those expiration dates on foods www.slate.com/id/2244249

Doing the Laundry
I know buying laundry detergent won’t break the bank but this product claims it washes clothes for just 3 cents a load. I haven’t tried it but if anyone has I’d love to hear your thoughts.
www.giveagreenbag.com/clean_green.html

Coupon Lovers
Be sure not to miss this one listing all the sites for coupon lovers like us- http://finance.yahoo.com/family-home/article/108732/best-sites-for-coupon-lovers

Gadgets that Save You Money
This is a list of products that supposedly help us save us money. I have the Soda Stream machine and also a foodsaver machine, both of which I love. And we’re thinking about getting a MagicJack. www.tinyurl.com/ygutdsx

Have a good month.

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Don’t Make A Budget

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on February 24, 2010 at 8:05 pm

Last year’s annual gift guide not only brought new products to my attention but a bunch of experts who have written books on money related topics. Last week you got to hear BJ Gallagher’s tips and this week it’s Ken Robinson who is a financial adviser and author of Don’t Make a Budget.

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Why do most of us have difficulty sticking with a budget?
Ken Robinson (KR)-When we make a traditional budget, we list all our expenses, and how much we spend on each category. Since most people who make budgets are trying to save money, the question that naturally follows is, “Where can I cut back?” This is just another way of asking, “What can I give up? What can I do without?” It creates feelings of deprivation and want, and since most of us feel we could use some additional spending money to begin with, our emotions are constantly fighting our savings goal.

BSG-What are some of the pitfalls of attempting to stay on a budget?
KR-Once you’ve got spending limits set up, life takes over. You may need to spend something extra on clothing this month, or you may not have budgeted enough for car repair. So budgets involve constantly robbing Peter to pay Paul. The “limits” you’ve set for spending in each category start to feel pretty fictitious when you have to make constant adjustments month after month. And then it’s easy to say, “Well, I know I’m spending more eating out this month than we budgeted, but I’ll find some place to make it up.” And some months, that’s not possible.

BSG-I liked the acknowledgement in your book about your father teaching you that we’re not what we buy. It made me smile because my own dad told me the same thing. We’re both lucky to have these great role models, but what about people who’ve grown up with parents obsessed with ‘keeping up with the joneses’. Can you change your ways and adopt your own philosophy about finances and money?
KR-Yes, but it’s tough. Our upbringing is responsible for a lot about how we feel about money. It helps to expand your awareness and realize that there is another way to be happy with your spending, by spending less. If you see lots of other people doing what you wish you could do, they can become your new role models. Since it’s so tough to change habits, we often need some help. I once met a guy who had long wanted to change his name, but knew everyone would just keep calling him Fred. He waited until he’d had weight-loss surgery before asking people to start calling him George, and it worked. When they saw a different body, his friends were willing to call him by a different name. So our minds might find it easier to adopt different spending habits if you change how you interact with money and go about spending. If your parents kept up with the Joneses with the help of credit cards, maybe you need to use cash, checks, and on-line bill-pay, so you experience something different when you spend. Or switch to a new computer program to balance your checkbook. Anything to mark the day when the old you stopped spending and the new you took over.

BSG-I know your book tells us we shouldn’t stick to a budget but what are some easy tips you can offer readers for keeping their finances under control?
KR-First, let’s be clear about what I mean when I say you shouldn’t make a budget. I’m not saying you should spend whatever you want. I’m saying that budgets are usually a tough way for most people to successfully save money. I do want you to save money, and the best way to do that is to pay yourself first. Just make a decision about how much you’re going to save. Then plug the possible leaks in your spending—most importantly, we should set aside our credit cards, because most of us spend more with credit cards than we do with cash, even when we’re trying not to. Try spending with cash, checks, and on-line bill pay for a month or two. You’ll probably find that it’s harder to spend $30 in cash than to spend $50 on a credit card. This makes us think more consciously about our spending, so we’re less prone to impulse buys.

BSG-Do you think there’s a silver lining to the current economic downturn?
KR-Well, the national savings rate has risen at a dramatic rate. It’s still not as high as it should be, but it’s higher than it’s been for years. I think this is our generation’s wake-up call, the way the Great Depression was for our grandparents and great-grandparents. We’re still not saving as much as we should, or as much as people in many other industrialized countries do. But the financial crisis that exploded on all of us in 2008 has people realizing that some downturns are big, and may last a long time. So they’re getting better prepared for it.

BSG-As well as offering seminars and writing books, you’re also a financial advisor?
KR-Yes, I call myself a holistic financial advisor.

BSG-First of all, what are the most common problems clients are dealing with right now?
KR-Most of the distress is about limited cash flow, and lost investment value. I hear lots of people complaining that their CDs aren’t earning anything right now. But I tell them that’s OK—their CDs are meant to be safe, not to grow. The most common question I’m getting from new clients is, “How do we keep our money safe and get it to grow?” The answer is that you can’t. Any one dollar can be safe, in an FDIC-insured CD, for example. And any one dollar can be poised for growth by, say, investing it in a mutual fund that owns stocks. But no one dollar can do both at the same time. There are financial products that claim to give growth-and-safety-in-one, but they’re very expensive, and I don’t usually recommend them.

BSG-And what’s your advice about how to weather this economic storm?
KR-First, don’t panic. If things get better, the panic won’t be necessary, and if they get worse, it won’t help. Secondly, realize that most of us will still have what we truly need: food, clothing, shelter, and health care (even if it’s at a free clinic or the emergency room). Thirdly, if you still have a job—and the huge majority of us do—it’s time to make yourself indispensible at work. Be the person who’s always willing to get in a little early, and leave a little late, to learn something new so you can be more valuable to your employer. What if your boss doesn’t know what you really do? Write up a weekly summary of how you spent your time at work, and give it to your boss to demonstrate your value.

BSG- My site is all about saving money while living the good life. Some people don’t believe the two can coexist. Any tips for keeping a positive outlook, even when you have to watch your pennies?
KR-Part of the good life is about knowing you have, and will have, what you need. But the line between what we need and what we want gets pretty blurry because we’re wired up to compare ourselves to others. And who do we see that we’re comparing ourselves to? Our culture shows us the rich and famous on television, and people who are trying to win a million dollars on a quiz show or by performing some stunt like bouncing a ball off their heads 200 times in a row. Closer to home, we see others coming to work in nicer cars, with nicer clothes, and it’s natural to be envious. It depends on who we compare ourselves to. There’s an old saying, “In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king.” It explains why we were so psyched about the Palm III we got years ago, but why we can’t stand the thing when we put it next to a smart phone. So who should we be comparing ourselves to? The “fortunate” few who live their lives in the lightning flash of the paparazzi? Or the immense majority of human beings that make up, well, the rest of us? There are still millions of people on earth who’ve never used a telephone. There are more people in slavery today than ever before in human history. We can see hopeless poverty for those who don’t have enough money even for food and shelter even if we look just a few miles from our homes, let alone elsewhere around the world. We’re living with greater luxury, comfort, and convenience than the majority of kings and queens that have ever lived, and more than vast numbers of people who are living now. Maybe most importantly, we should remember that who we’ll be tomorrow doesn’t have to be defined by what someone said we were yesterday. Author and speaker Les Brown describes an influential teacher in his life who helped him understand that someone else’s opinion of you doesn’t have to become your reality. What’s the point? When we feel deprived, we’re often comparing ourselves to the wrong people. Looking at the rich is likely to make us jealous. Looking at those worse off than ourselves can help us see how lucky (some would say blessed) we really are. If we have enough food, clothing, and shelter, if we have access to health care, if we have more than just a couple changes of clothes, we’ve got enough to make most of our ancestors very jealous. For most of the 200,000 years human beings have existed, we’ve had to worry about dying from lack of food. Now we Americans often have to worry about dying from excess food. This is the right kind of problem to have. When we don’t have to worry about whether our children or our neighbors’ children are going to die of starvation today, that’s a good day. I know not everyone agrees with me. But when you think about it, how can you feel sorry for someone who complains that they don’t have any money just after they used a credit card to buy a $1,000 wide-screen TV?

BSG-Any books, besides your own, or any Web sites you can recommend we check out?
KR-A great book on the fundamentals of money is The Wealthy Barber by David Chilton. Also, see The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason. These are two of the more interesting books on finance because they’re written like stories, not like how-to books. Two good books by colleagues of mine: Jill Gianola of Columbus, Ohio wrote The Young Couple’s Guide to Growing Rich Together. And Michgan’s Bert Whitehead is the author of Why Smart People Do Stupid Things with Money. For websites, see www.AmericaSaves.org a national effort to help people save money and build wealth. People interested in investor education can check out www.Morningstar.com.And for some short video on how to save money, and on the financial crisis, see the video section of my website www.FinancialSelfConfidence.com.

BSG-Any tips or anything else you’d like to share?
KR-The most important thing you can do is to save money out of every paycheck. Start small, right now, with $5. Or even $1. Don’t be a victim of commercialism. Save just a little cash, and build up your savings slowly over time. Keeping some of what you earn is the key to so much about financial security. This will help you build up some real savings. And that’s money smart.

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The Blog-Dinner for Two for 37 cents plus tip

In The Blog on February 22, 2010 at 5:09 pm

Don’t know how many decades you’d have to travel back for two people to dine for just 37 cents. However, my husband and I did just that on Saturday night. Okay, we weren’t that clever, we hadn’t been saving coupons for years. At Christmas we’d been given a $25 gift card for a local Italian restaurant that we hadn’t used yet. And I had a coupon for a free desert at the same restaurant (by signing up for their newsletter). We had two drinks, basket of bread, two entrees and shared a desert that was enough for four people. The total 37 cents plus tip.

And lots of people have been asking me about my post on Twitter the other week. I said I’d filled the gas tank in my car for just $6.60. Everyone wants to know how I did it and to share my tips. No big secret, just shop where you can earn rewards. One of the local supermarkets gives you 10 cents off per gallon of gas for every $50 you spend with them. I’d been very loyal to this store by doing all my grocery shopping there and was rewarded with $2 off per gallon.

This week on Budget Smart Girl. Author and financial advisor, Ken Robinson will share his tips on why sticking to a budget isn’t always the best route to saving money. And it’s time for the February newsletter. Yeah, where did the month go?

Have a good week.

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Taste of Home

In Budget Smart Cook on February 19, 2010 at 2:51 pm

I can’t remember how long I’ve been a fan of the Taste of Home magazines, cookbooks and newsletters. Many of the recipes in my ‘must try this one’ folder are from one of their publications. If you’re not familiar with the Taste of Home magazines or newsletters, I highly recommend you check them out. They’re one of the best resources for recipes that are very budget friendly and not to mention always have mouth watering photos! So here to tell us more about the magazines and to share her favorite money saving tips and hints is Editor in Chief, Catherine Cassidy.

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-My mom first introduced me to the Taste of Home magazines over a decade ago and I have to say I’ve been hooked since then. But for readers who have never seen or heard about you, would you like to tell us about the Taste of Home family, how it got started and your role as editor?

Catherine Cassidy (CC)-So many of our readers learned about us, as you did, from a friend or loved one. Taste of Home magazine was actually born out of the food section of another magazine, Country Woman, back in 1993. The editors at the time realized that the recipe section was the absolute favorite among CW’s readers, so they created Taste of Home…and the rest is history. Today, with 3.2 million readers, Taste of Home is far and away the largest food magazine in the world. And here’s why: Virtually all of our recipes come from our readers-regular home cooks who use affordable, family-friendly ingredients. Then we test every one of those recipes to make sure at will work when you try it at home. And while we have changed our look over time and now even accept advertising, we are still true to that mission. I am the editor of the Taste of Home brand, which is so much more than the magazine, and we’ll talk about that. My staff includes the magazine editorial group, the book editorial division, the Taste of Home test kitchen, our on-site photo studio and our cooking schools. I also work closely with our general manager of www.tasteofhome.com, our web site.

BSG-You publish so many cooking and food magazines, can you tell us a little about each of them and their content?

CC-Well, Taste of Home, the “mother ship,” has evolved a lot, but it’s still all about great family-favorite recipes, tips and stories from home cooks of all ages and abilities. In addition, we publish what I like to call “the sisters”: Healthy Cooking and Simple & Delicious. Healthy Cooking is for those looking to live a healthier lifestyle, so it’s filled with recipes that are lower in fat and calories and rich in good nutrients. There’s also lots of nutrition and fitness tips plus advice for addressing health concerns like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Simple & Delicious was created for the busy mom (and dad, too!)–someone who wants to put good meals on the table but just doesn’t have a bunch of time to spend in the grocery store and kitchen. So there are a lot of quick & easy dishes. I find some of my favorite recipes in this magazine. (You can find a link to subscribe to all three on our home page.)

BSG-You also publish cookbooks. Any budget related ones you’d like to tell us about?
CC-Yes! Actually, most of our cookbooks are budget-friendly, but there are a few new ones you might be interested in: Dinner on a Dime; The Busy Family Cookbook; Freezer Pleasers, Casseroles, Slow Cooker & Soups; and Simple & Delicious Cookbook all contain easy recipes for very affordable meals. Our big new book for 2010 is Taste of Home’s Comfort Food Diet Cookbook. It’s a six-week plan along with 430 recipes, lots of color photos, great healthy living tips AND access to additional web-based recipes and a lively community where you can “hear” from others on the plan and talk up your own successes. You’ll find all these wherever books are sold (including Amazon.com).

BSG-As well as the magazines and cookbooks, you have a Web site and also send out newsletters. How many newsletters do you have and maybe we can put a link to each one just in case readers what to sign up?

CC-Yes, we have 12 great newsletters-”Recipe of the Week,”" Cupcake of the Week,” “Slow Cooker Recipes” and “Light Dessert of the Week” are a few of the more popular ones. Here is a link to the sign-up page for all of them: http://www.tasteofhome.com/Sign-Up-For-Free-Newsletters

BSG-You’ve always promoted budget-friendly dinners. Are you finding more people are, first of all, cooking more home-cooked meals, and two, looking for ways to stretch their budget?

CC-Absolutely. The recession has really driven people back into the kitchen, which is a good thing! People are using coupons more than ever. And I think the demise of Gourmet magazine is one consequence, perhaps, of people looking for practical and affordable meal solutions. At Taste of Home, even in these tough times, we’ve had steady, even growing, magazine and cookbook sales and traffic to our web site as a result. People just seem to recognize that that’s what we’ve always been about.

BSG-You also have a section on your Web site with a message board. Would you like to tell my readers what they’ll find there?

CC-TasteofHome.com has a very robust community of more than 715,000 registered users who interact with one another in a variety of ways. They swap recipes, chat about topics of mutual interest and serve as a kind of on-demand help desk for cooking questions–which is an incredibly valuable resource for us as editors. But our community members really go beyond the digital world to become important parts of each other’s lives, sharing life’s ups and downs together. They hold cookbook swaps where members receive a cookbook from another member; they’ve even organized in-person luncheons and events to help the needy in their areas. They’re a tight-knit group of online friends that are almost like family.

BSG-And you run lots of contests? Can you share news about current and upcoming ones?

CC-Yes, there’s a contest featured in every issue of Taste of Home, Simple & Delicious and Healthy Cooking magazines, and new one announced each issue, too. Contests are our lifeblood-our readers love them! And it stands to reason that some of the best recipes we publish are our contest winners. For a complete list of all our current contests, go to www.tasteofhome.com/Contests/Recipe-Contests

BSG-Do you have any tips for saving money on food?

CC-Slow-cookers are good investments. You can make inexpensive cuts of meat taste wonderful! For example, beef round steak is used in Slow-Cooked Pepper Steak. When combined with pantry staples like onion, garlic and green peppers, this inexpensive cut is tender and flavorful. Or large cuts of meat go a long way such as Brisket for a Bunch when served on standard hamburger buns will be very cost effective.

*Shop for sales on meat items as they generally are the most expensive part of the food dollar. Plan your menus around these sales. Produce is another seasonal item that you should build menus around. Be familiar with seasonal produce to lay down the foundation for your meal planning. Think apples and root vegetables in the fall, citrus in the winter months, etc…

*When recipes call for fresh spinach (2 -6 oz. bags) or fresh greens, buy the economy size bag of spinach or heads of lettuce. These are a better value. They may require more work to clean but are generally less expensive.

*Convenience items are costly. Rice that takes 90 seconds in a micro-wave is $.79 more per serving than rice you buy in a bag or box and fix yourself.(i.e. Uncle Ben’s 90 second rice in the microwave is $1.99/ 2 cups and Riceland Rice in the box is about 21cents per cup) However (I’ll try not to talk out of both sides of my mouth but) convenience items like canned soups can be a pretty good investment. Shop the sale, for example-10 cans of store brand tomato soup for 10.00 is a good deal. You can do a lot of things with tomato soup, from casseroles, to soup starters, slow-cookers, sauces, etc… Be aware though that you don’t need to buy 10 to still get the valuable price. Buy what you know you’ll use.

BSG-Any foods that you think are especially good buys?

CC-Inexpensive cuts of meat (cooked appropriately like with many of our recipes), any back-to-basics type item from canned tomatoes to dried beans, private label or store brand cereals, etc…in other words–you can eat like a king with just a little TLC or elbow grease in the kitchen. The more time you give to preparation from basic ingredients, it’s cheaper and probably “healthier”.

*Larger packages of meat (on sale) like ground beef or stew meat can be re-packaged for recipes. So a 3 lb. package of ground beef could be broken down into 3-1lb. packages. Buy on sale.

*Buy cheese in block form and grate your own instead of buying the pre-shredded packaged. Freshness will be better also. Store brand block of cheese are good buys or look for sales. Remember that you can freeze cheese!

Eggs are a good deal. There are so many wonderful recipes that use this “high quality” protein in meals. Recipes like: Cheese Sausage Strata.

Frozen vegetables are a great buy if you purchase plain and simple. Not sauced, in steam bags or other. Make your own sauce or put a good amount in a pot-pie with less chicken or beef. They are also harvested at their peak quality so they are good nutritionally.
A good recipe is: Chicken Potpie

Additional tips on food and money:

*Try not to shop with kids, they have strong and sometimes influencing opinions that will cost you more!

*If you shop with coupons, look for double coupon days and don’t fall victim to new product coupons. Manufacturers want you to try their new and improved product but it may cost more (even with a coupon) than the old stand buy product. Buyer beware!

*Beware of grocery store items on display. They may not be as good of a deal as you’re lead to believe. The store may have a huge quantity of that item. Make sure and check prices against similar brands.

*Check unit prices. Sometimes the larger packages are not the best buy.

*Try more meatless meals or vow to do one meatless meal a week.

*Make your own bread crumbs out of stale bread. If you can’t get to it, just throw all the ends in a bag in the freezer. I know you’re saying “bread crumbs are not that expensive” but making your own out of bread ends you would throw out is cost effective. And you don’t get all the added salt. So if you want lower sodium and better quality, make your own.

*Make your own stocks with beef, chicken or turkey bones. Again this is a huge cost savings and won’t need to add all the salt those canned varieties have. Freeze them in 1 and 2 cup portions for use in your favorite recipes.

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It’s Never Too Late To Improve Your Financial Future

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on February 18, 2010 at 3:22 pm

It’s Never Too Late To Be What You Might Have Been. Not only a saying by one of my favorite authors, George Eliot, but the title of a book that came to be attention while I was putting together last year’s BSG Holiday Gift Guide. Think about all the things you’ve ruled out doing because you think it’s impossible to achieve or you’re too old to develop new habits. Things like budgeting, saving for retirement, starting that business you’ve always dreamed about doing…one day. The title and book’s premise had me intrigued so I thought I’d interview its author, BJ Gallagher and ask her to share some tips with us. And she has some great ones! BJ is also the author of the international bestseller, A Peacock in the Land of Penguins. She’s been featured on such shows as The CBS Evening News and The Today Show and quoted in publications like O, The Oprah Magazine and The Wall Street Journal. You can find out more about BJ at www.womenneed2know.com and www.vivaeditions.com

Budget Smart Girl (BSG)-Tell me why you decided to write this book?
BJ Gallagher (BJG)-My 60th birthday was approaching and I was feeling like “it’s too late for some of the things I’d like to have in my life …. a mate, big financial success, etc.” Then I came across George Eliot’s quote, “It’s never too late to be what you might have been” and it struck me right between the eyes. Right then and there I made it my new mantra. So I decided to write the book to reinforce my own new motto for living.

BSG-Many of my readers visit the Budget Smart Girl site looking for ways to save money, whether it’s sticking to a budget or putting money aside for a rainy day. But many of us struggle with attaining our goals. Do you have any tips you can offer for getting started with something and sticking with it?
BJG-There are some great tips in the chapter on “It’s never too late to gather wealth.” Here are some of my favorites:

1. You don’t have to pay cash for everything – you can barter. For instance, during my first year in Florida, I lived with two very busy people in their lovely home. I cooked dinner for them every night and walked their dog, in exchange for free rent and board. I had no money coming in at that time, but I also had no money going out – and I was living very well.

2. I learned about all the things that have no value after a certain point in time – like hotel rooms and theater tickets. If I arrive at a hotel late in the evening, I can often get a room at half-price because they know that no one else is coming so late, and the room has no value to them if it sits empty. It’s the same with theater tickets: After the curtain goes up, any unsold tickets are worthless. So I go to the theater half an hour before curtain time and see if I can get tickets at a reduced price. Often I can. (If not, then I have a Plan B in place, and I go walk on the beach instead. So I never feel deprived or disappointed.)

3. I learned how to ASK and to NEGOTIATE. For instance, if I knew a sale was coming up soon, I might go to the store and pick out what I wanted, then ask if I could have the sale price early. Often, that answer was “yes” because the clerk knew a sale price today is better than the chance that I won’t come back later during the actual sale.

4. I developed internal flexibility. For example, I can go to my favorite restaurant and have a wonderful meal at 5pm that will cost twice as much two hours later. I can go to the movies in the afternoon and see the same movie that will cost double a few hours later. I usually get what I want if I’m not attached to when I get it.

5. I learned the difference between wants and needs. Wants are preferences (what movie to go to, where to eat, etc); needs essential for survival (like oxygen, water, and food). For instance, I might want my own house, but I didn’t really need a whole house all to myself – I just needed my own space, some privacy and quiet. When I recognized the difference between wants and needs, I teamed up with two other women and together we bought a five-bedroom home in La Jolla. We ended up sharing that home for the next fourteen years, and for $650 a month, I lived in a gorgeous place with stunning ocean views. I had one bedroom to sleep in and another bedroom for my office – my housemates went to work each day so I had the place to myself. We all had a better lifestyle together than any of us could have had alone.
“In short, I always kept my priorities in mind – I wanted freedom more than I wanted things – so I acted accordingly. “Freedom” became as concrete to me as a new car might be to someone else. I learned to be creative and resourceful, and got a kick out of saving. I never felt deprived. I was buying what mattered most to me.”

BSG-I’m sure many of my readers have lost jobs or maybe they’re not happy in their current career. What’s your advice for people wanting to take a new direction in their life?
BJG-Several tips: (1) Don’t look for security – it’s an illusion. Your only security is your ability to secure work. (2) Give up the notion of “job.” This is a jobless recovery. Jobs are scarcer than hen’s teeth. Instead of “job” look for “work” and “earning opportunities.” There is still plenty of work to be done; it just isn’t in the form of a 9 to 5 hob. (3) Figure out what skills, talents, and abilities you have to offer; then brainstorm about people and organizations who might want to buy what you have to offer; then approach them and see if you can create some opportunities for yourself.

BSG-How about starting your own business, it’s a giant step for most of us, any advice?
BJG-Self-employment is not for everyone. Make sure you have the emotional skills: the ability to focus despite distractions, the ability to create your own structure, the ability to cope with working alone much of the time, and more. It’s a good idea to go interview people who are already doing what you think you’d like to do. Ask them how they got started; ask them what they like and don’t like about what they’re doing; ask for their advice.
Also, keep your overhead low. Do not go out and rent expensive office space, or spend money on fancy logos and stationary, or feel you need to incorporate. Start small and build; work from home; keep overhead and expenses to a minimum; don’t spend unnecessary money on lawyers, accountants, marketing consultants, and incorporation fees.

BSG-What if you fail at something, is it an automatic set back and how can you get back on track?
BJG-Of course, you WILL fail at some things! It’s inevitable. If you never fail, you’re never trying new things. I like what Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb, said: “I have not failed; I’ve simply found 10,000 ways that didn’t work.” Take calculated risks and understand that some of them will fail. Some will succeed. That’s life. That’s business.

BSG-These days it seems no matter who I talk to, everyone’s cutting out some of the luxuries they once enjoyed, maybe it’s saying goodbye to cable TV, not going out to eat so often. How can we continue to enjoy life without feeling deprived?
BJG-Make three budgets for yourself: a low budget, a medium budget, and a high budget. Then figure out how you can live a nice life, even if you’re on low budget. Instead of going out to the movies, you rent a movie, pop some popcorn, and cuddle up at home. Instead of going on a cruise, you make a picnic lunch, drive to the beach or the lake, and spend the day enjoying the sun, swimming, biking, talking, laughing, and playing games. There are lots of ways to have a wonderful life without spending a lot of money.

BSG-Any sites or other books besides your own, you recommend we check out?
BJG-Yes… In terms of money issues, I highly recommend Chellie Campbell’s book, The Wealthy Spirit. It’s a daily, 365-page, one page a day book and one of my faves. Also, a terrific new book called Wealth and Well-Being by Suzanne Lorenz and Sam Beasley. If you’re starting your own business, by all means, buy Christy Strauch’s new book, Passion, Plan and Profit. All three books are terrific!

BSG-Any other tips you’d like to share with us?
BJG-You don’t want your tombstone to read: “Died with her potential intact.” Don’t waste this precious life ….. roll up your sleeves, dig deep into life, and say “Yes” when opportunities come your way. Don’t just seize the day … seize the rest of your life!

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The Blog-Thinking about Spring

In The Blog on February 15, 2010 at 7:31 pm

Seems like just the other day I first planted the Aerogarden but here’s a recent photo.

In fact, I enjoyed some basil in my sandwich at lunchtime. This weekend I’m going to make some homemade salad dressing using some of the herbs.

This whole thing has got me really motivated to grow vegetables this year. In fact, Aero garden has a new item which is a seed starter tray. Once I’ve used all the herbs, I’m thinking about getting one, buying some seeds and getting a head start on my vegetable garden. Don’t know about where you live, but last week was a snowy one. It’s going to be a long time before I see the flowerbeds again. There’s no better time to look through seed catalogs and plan, and yes, dream ahead to spring. I ordered a catalog from Burpee www.burpee.com (If you send for it you get $5 off your order of $30 or more). So many things to grow but I think I’ll try tomatoes, lettuce, zucchini, radishes and green beans. I’d like to add potatoes and carrots but I’ve never had much luck with them.

Another thing I’m tempted to try growing this year are the miniature fruit trees from companies like Star Bro’s, www.starkbros.com Easy to put on the deck or patio and then bring inside in the winter.

Well, another celebration is over and that means Valentine’s day items will be on sale this week. Don’t forget the chocolates can be used in just about anything from cookies to cakes and red wrapping paper and bags also work for Christmas. Stock up while they’re around.

This week at Budget Smart Girl, you’ll hear from Catherine Cassidy who’s editor in chief at Taste of Home. And if you’ve been struggling to save money or just having problems getting motivated to do something, you’ll find tips to meet your goals. (And the article about spices will appear in this month’s newsletter).

Have a good week.

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Chinese New Year and Some Recipes

In Budget Smart Cook on February 12, 2010 at 6:45 pm

I was going to post an article about spices and how they can add some pizzazz to budget priced foods today, but hadn’t realized that Sunday kicks off Chinese New Year. The folks at Simply Asia sent some recipes to try so I thought I’d switch articles and leave spices for next week.

I should have guessed it was close to Chinese New Year because I’ve been seeing lots of food items like noodles, rice, stir fry sauces on sale. This is a great time to stock up. Most of these items have a long pantry shelf life, so nothing gets wasted. In fact, a vegetable stir fry is one of my favorite quick and easy stand by meals.
Here’s what I use and it serves four-

For the marinade-
1/3 cup soy sauce, sodium reduced if you’re watching your salt intake.
1 tablespoon light sesame oil
2 teaspoons finely minced ginger root
2 tablespoons honey
Mix everything together.
For the vegetables-
Two tablespoons oil
2 cups broccoli
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced onions
Optional, cashews, baby corn and water chestnuts, sliced

Add all the vegetables in a bowl and mix, add the marinade, coat all the vegetables and put in the fridge for at least an hour before preparing.
Heat about two tablespoons oil in a skillet or wok. Add the vegetables and stir fry until they’re tender. Keep stirring them because the honey in the marinade has a tendency to make them stick to the skillet. If you’re using chicken or tofu, add this now.

Asian Foods are Perfect for Budget Cooking
As a budget savvy cook, one of the things I like most about Asian cooking is most of the ingredients aren’t that expensive but yet give maximum flavor to a dish.

Gingerroot
One of my must have pantry standbys is gingerroot. You can find it in just about any produce section…usually by the root vegetables. I never make a curry or stir fry without it, and I’ll even add it to soups and sometimes fruit based desserts. Lots of people won’t buy it because they think it’s difficult to prepare and then gets wasted if they don’t use the whole root for one recipe. But I have a couple of suggestions. One, don’t try peeling it with a knife or peeler. Use the back of a teaspoon to gently ease the skin from the root. Second tip, if you have any leftover simply peel it, and place it in a jar and top it with vinegar and pop it into the refrigerator. It keeps fresh for months and when you want to use it, simply rinse off the vinegar.

Sesame Seed Oil
Another popular ingredient in Asian cooking is sesame seed oil. It has a rich and very intense taste and gives any dish a very distinctive flavor. Having said that, not everyone likes it. My advice; try some before you add it to a dish, and go lightly the first couple of times you add it to a dish. Never treat it the same way you would other oils. It can quickly overwhelm other flavors…definitely less is more when it comes to sesame seed oil.

Miso
Until recently if you wanted to find miso, you’d have to go to a health food store or coop, but these days lots of supermarkets stock it. It’s found in the dairy section, and comes in different varieties. If you want to give it a try, I recommend starting out with the light or white miso and working your way to the darker varieties. It contains all good stuff like protein, iron, B12, potassium and dietary fiber. It also contains enzymes that can help your digestion.

A Good for You Cooking Method
Asian dishes not only contain many good for your ingredients, some of the cooking methods are also good too. Steaming, stir frying, both of which cook the food quickly and without destroying vitamins and minerals.

A Quick and Easy Dessert
Sometimes I rush around trying to figure out what’s for dessert and I’ve found chocolate covered fortune cookies are perfect to finish a meal. Melt some chocolate, dip half the fortune cookie into it, place them on parchment paper and let them set. This also works with other types of cookies too.

Real Asian Made Simple
Here’s some information the folks at Simply Asia recommend checking out on their site.
•New, easy-to-make products to incorporate into a Chinese New Year gathering or just add something special to weekday dinners
•New recipes perfect for Chinese New Year
•Tips for throwing a Year of the Tiger party, from décor to cuisine
•Insight into Chinese New Year traditions and their significance
•Fun freebies from Simply Asia to complete your gathering, like printable menus and place cards at www.RealAsianMadeSimple.com P.S. Simply Asia is giving away great prize packs throughout Chinese New Year on Facebook and Twitter! Check us out at facebook.com/pages/Simply-Asia/127487550959 and Twitter @SimplyAsiaFoods.

Recipes
Both of these recipes sound tempting. I often order teriyaki lettuce wraps at restaurants but now I have the recipe.
Simply Asia® Ginger Teriyaki Lettuce Wraps

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Makes 6 servings.

1 tsp. oil
1 lb. ground chicken or ground turkey
1 pouch Simply Asia® Ginger Teriyaki Stir-Fry Sauce
6 large iceberg lettuce leaves or 12 Bibb lettuce leaves
Toppings such as shredded carrots, bean sprouts, chow mein noodles, chopped peanuts, chopped fresh cilantro and chopped green onions

HEAT oil in large nonstick on medium-high heat. Add ground chicken; stir fry
5 minutes or until cooked through. Add Stir-Fry Sauce; cook and stir until heated through.

SPOON chicken mixture into center of each lettuce leaf. Sprinkle with desired toppings. Fold sides of lettuce over filling and roll up to serve.

Simply Asia® General Tsao’s Meatballs

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Makes 15 (2-meatball) appetizer servings.

1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
1 pouch Simply Asia® General Tsao Stir-Fry Sauce
1/4 cup orange juice
MIX breadcrumbs, egg, milk, garlic powder and ground ginger in large bowl until well blended. Add ground beef; mix well.

SHAPE into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange meatballs in foil-lined 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

BAKE in preheated 350°F oven 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. Drain if needed.

BRING Stir-Fry Sauce and orange juice to simmer in large skillet on medium heat. Add meatballs; toss to coat well and cook until heated through.

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Last Minute and Low Cost Valentine’s Day Gifts

In Budget Smart Girl's Guide on February 11, 2010 at 5:59 pm

Valentine’s Day is just a few days away and if you’re still thinking about what to buy this year, here are some ideas-

Brownies
Packages of brownie mixes are on sale just about every store I’ve visited this week with most costing less than $2. As well as being low cost, they’re also quick and easy to make. You could bake them and put them in a red container or box. Or one nice touch is to take a heart shaped cookie cutter and make heart brownies. You can also do the same thing with cookies. Stack them and tie them together with red ribbon.

A Good Book
Romance is in the air so how about giving a romance book or two (shameless plug, yours truly has published two romance books). Just about every store from the drug store to the supermarket sells romance books so they’re not hard to find and make the perfect last minute gift.

Tea
This week I’ve also seen flavored teas like rose and yes, chocolate on sale. Buy a romantic looking tea cup or mug, think red or flowers and give it to the recipient along with a box of tea.

Blankets
It might be cold outside but that’s not stopping retailers from discounting items like fleece throws and blankets. Perfect when you’re reading a book or watching a movie I bet you can find some pink or red ones out there.

Homemade Gift Baskets
One thing I love to give and also have a fun time putting together are gift baskets. You can pick up an inexpensive basket at places like dollar stores and fill them with chocolates, cookies, hand lotion, lip gloss etc. Great thing is you can personalize each one.

Homemade Gift Certificates
And here’s another fun thing to make; gift certificates. Some computer programs have templates for them or you can make your own. Think about what the person likes or needs a break from. Maybe you can cook dinner one night to give someone a night off from kitchen duty. Maybe offer to wash their car once winter is a thing of the past. The possibilities are endless and apart from your time, it’s free.

More Ideas
This landed in my e-mail box this week so thought I’d share it with you.

“Everyone is tightening their belts this Valentine’s Day,” explains Guy Ofir, chief executive officer of Easy Energy, the company that makes the YoGen (www.yogenstore.com) charging device. “You just need to get more creative with your gifts. Lots of options are available that won’t break the bank.”

If you are looking for some unique gift ideas, consider these:
•Personalized-There are many to choose from. Whether it’s custom fortune cookies or candy, they are sure to please.
•Home-made-Think about what you can make at home. Home-made gifts such as afghans, cards, hand-made coupons or a specially prepared dinner, touch the heart.
•Memberships-A gift of a wine-club membership can help set the mood every month for the next year.
•Heart-filled. Decorate a box and fill it with hand-written notes about some of the best memories together, and thoughts about the person.
• Coffee-Rather than having your loved one spend money each day by purchasing fancy coffee drinks, consider buying them a cappuccino machine so they can make it themselves at home for a fraction of the cost.
• Security-Electrical devices are some of our most cherished belongings, today, especially since they give us the ability to use a cell phone anytime, especially in emergencies. Something like the YoGen, an on-the-go charging device that quickly and easily charges most small electronics, ensures that your Valentine will not have any excuses for lack of phone communication.

“Many options exist out there beyond flowers, candy and jewelry,” says Ofir. “Rather than go in debt this year by purchasing the usual, make it a goal to buy something affordable, thoughtful and unique.”

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And the Winner is…

In The Blog on February 10, 2010 at 7:12 pm

Congratulations to Ruth Hoffman of Colorado who is the winner of the Walmart Valentine’s Day Gift Basket.

Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone.

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The Blog-Looking for Bargains

In The Blog on February 8, 2010 at 5:49 pm

I’ve always known that bargains are everywhere but you have to go looking for them. That was so true last week. During my trip to the supermarket I was in the produce section and was just about to head over to the bulk bins when I pushed the cart by a display of bottles. Attached to the display was a notice with 91 cents written on it. As most of the time that’s the discount price I didn’t pay much attention. But then I noticed that was the price of the item and it was something I’d bought during the holidays for $2.79, bottles of sparkling organic apple juice. 91 cents a bottle and imagine my surprise when I noticed the display was full. Were people insane for passing by such a bargain and not grabbing a few I asked myself? I thought about filling my cart with bottles but settled on just five. Lesson learned here, pay full attention in every store because you never know where a bargain will show up. I’m calling this buy, my bargain of the week.

Last week I also took a trip to one of my favorite stores, Trader Joe’s. I just like browsing to see what’s new and yes, looking for some good buys. I can always count on that store for netting me some bargain items. This time it was the green beans and edamame. The green beans cost just $1.99 and the edamame $3.38, both of which I’ve bought before and enjoyed. And if you’re ever looking for a healthy snack that doesn’t cost much and fills you up, try edamames. I didn’t think I’d like them, but they’re great with just a little salt and pepper.

Remember there is still time to enter the Walmart Valentine’s Day Gift Giveaway. A winner will be picked and announced on Wednesday (February 10th) afternoon so be sure to leave a comment by 12 noon Eastern time for your chance to win.

This week on Budget Smart Girl, some budget friendly ideas for Valentine’s Day. Plus, one of the best ways to give budget foods some pizzazz is to use herbs and spices. The Spice Hunter has some great ideas and spice suggestions for you.

Have a good week.

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