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Let's Play a Game and Have Some Fun This Week
Okay...for this week I'd like to have some fun. Let's play a game called "Ask and Answer". Here's how it goes:
I will ask the first question. Someone will answer my question and ask one of his/her own. Kind of similiar to 20 questions one at a time. Strictly small talk...one-liners. Let's keep it fun and not get off track. We all don't want to jump in on the same post.
Here goes: Are you a morning or night person?
I will ask the first question. Someone will answer my question and ask one of his/her own. Kind of similiar to 20 questions one at a time. Strictly small talk...one-liners. Let's keep it fun and not get off track. We all don't want to jump in on the same post.
Here goes: Are you a morning or night person?
Streusel-Pecan Sweet Potatoes
Streusel-Pecan Sweet Potatoes
Makes:6 servings (1/2 cup each)
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 cups cooked sweet potato, mashed
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup pecan, chopped
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 1 1/2-quart casserole, mix half-and-half, boiling water and 1/4 cup melted butter, sweet potatoes, orange peel, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mix very well.
2. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and flour. With fork, cut in 2 tablespoons butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans; sprinkle over top of sweet potato mixture.
3. Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until topping is golden.
Makes:6 servings (1/2 cup each)
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 1/3 cups boiling water
1/4 cup butter, melted
4 cups cooked sweet potato, mashed
1/2 teaspoon grated orange peel
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup pecan, chopped
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In 1 1/2-quart casserole, mix half-and-half, boiling water and 1/4 cup melted butter, sweet potatoes, orange peel, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg, mix very well.
2. In small bowl, mix brown sugar and flour. With fork, cut in 2 tablespoons butter until crumbly. Stir in pecans; sprinkle over top of sweet potato mixture.
3. Bake uncovered 30 minutes or until topping is golden.
Is Warehouse Shopping Wearing Out Your Wallet?
So it is Sunday and I have nothing to do and I surfed the net, found this interesting article and I am passing this on to the group. I used to be like this but things have changed now and I have since canceled my membership at Costco.
It's Saturday morning. With grocery list in hand, you drag a very unwilling family out to the car where you proceed to take them on a mega shopping spree at Sam's or Costco. Marching down each aisle you tell your family members "We need 3 cases of corn, 4 cases of green beans and -- Oh! That's a good deal on peanut butter so let's get 3 gallons. Of course Susie, your can get a bag of cookies. They are so cheap! .and Billy you can have a few bags of your favorite chips! Yum! Oh look -- samples! These taste great. Let's get some! What a great buy on chicken - we need 20." At the dog food aisle the excitement mounts as each member of the family grabs a corner of the 50 lb. bag of dog food to stack on top of the basket. (We won't mention you only have 1 toy poodle at home.)
After waiting in line and waiting in line and waiting in line you push your agonizingly heavy and overloaded baskets out to the car. Getting everything into the trunk of the car makes putting together a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle a breeze, but finally home you go. After you lug everything into the house, it's time to spend the next few hours repackaging things for the freezer. You double wrap your 20 chickens (they could be in that freezer for quite awhile) and frantically try to find places for everything else in your cupboards and pantry. By the time you are done, you are so exhausted that you couldn't begin to lift a finger to cook, so you all go out to eat.
A few weeks later you gingerly sniff the gallon of half used peanut butter as you try to decide if that strange taste is because it has gone rancid or simply because you are sick of peanut butter. You threw out that partially used gallon of maple syrup yesterday because it had sugared and was looking really strange. You still have ten of your chickens left but if you bathe them in some spicy sauce you are pretty sure your family won't notice the freezer burned taste. In spite of having to throw out most of the 50 lbs. of dog food (after a growing family of mice had invaded it), you're sure you saved money because "they" said you would.
Time and time again, people ask "can you really save money at Sam's or Costco?" I usually answer "not any more so then any place else". I have checked prices several different times and factoring everything in, I have found no exceptional savings.
Here are some tips to help you decide if a warehouse store is for you:
Do your homework and compare prices.
Buying in bulk is not always cheaper. You really save by checking and comparing prices. I was at Costco one day where there was a display of two Clorox one gallon bottles for $1.98 AFTER rebate. I stood there amazed as people grabbed up this "great deal." I knew I could get that same Clorox for $.98 a gallon at my regular discount store and I didn't have to mess with a rebate, pay postage or lug 2 gallons of Clorox shrink wrapped together to my car.
Skip impulse buys just because they sound good.
Say you can get 12 bottles of sunscreen for a great price. Think it through before you buy. If your family only uses one bottle sunscreen a year, that means you will be storing sunscreen for 12 years, not to mention that most of the sunscreen will expire long before then.
Often, 25% of the food people buy gets thrown out.
Even though my story was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, there is a certain amount of truth to it. If your family of four eats pancakes once a week, that gallon of syrup is going to last you a VERY long time. You might also consider that unless dry goods and freezer items are very carefully stored, they will go bad or get bugs in them. Remember to buy the size appropriate for your family.
You need to be very well organized to buy in bulk.
All the shows and magazine articles about organizing suggest that most of us are organizationally challenged. Finding places to store everything and then carefully keeping track of what you have is critical if you want to use it all before it spoils.
Stick to your list.
Most people spend more then they originally planned on things they don't need. This never saves money. We taste samples and so often end up buying. If this is you, be careful. Maybe sampling is a bad idea (unless you're making lunch of it)!
Do you have to buy in bulk?
If you have ten kids, run a day care or are buying for an organization then you almost have to buy in bulk. If you have a small or average sized family, you will probably save as much shopping for sales at your regular grocery store or discount store. The key is to do the math and evaluate your practical needs. You have to decide for yourself if buying at warehouse stores actually saves you money or just creates more work.
About the Author
Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is the inspiration behind her daughter Tawra's frugal cookbook Not Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites. To read more of Jill's articles and for free tips and recipes visit Living on a Dime
It's Saturday morning. With grocery list in hand, you drag a very unwilling family out to the car where you proceed to take them on a mega shopping spree at Sam's or Costco. Marching down each aisle you tell your family members "We need 3 cases of corn, 4 cases of green beans and -- Oh! That's a good deal on peanut butter so let's get 3 gallons. Of course Susie, your can get a bag of cookies. They are so cheap! .and Billy you can have a few bags of your favorite chips! Yum! Oh look -- samples! These taste great. Let's get some! What a great buy on chicken - we need 20." At the dog food aisle the excitement mounts as each member of the family grabs a corner of the 50 lb. bag of dog food to stack on top of the basket. (We won't mention you only have 1 toy poodle at home.)
After waiting in line and waiting in line and waiting in line you push your agonizingly heavy and overloaded baskets out to the car. Getting everything into the trunk of the car makes putting together a 1,000 piece jigsaw puzzle a breeze, but finally home you go. After you lug everything into the house, it's time to spend the next few hours repackaging things for the freezer. You double wrap your 20 chickens (they could be in that freezer for quite awhile) and frantically try to find places for everything else in your cupboards and pantry. By the time you are done, you are so exhausted that you couldn't begin to lift a finger to cook, so you all go out to eat.
A few weeks later you gingerly sniff the gallon of half used peanut butter as you try to decide if that strange taste is because it has gone rancid or simply because you are sick of peanut butter. You threw out that partially used gallon of maple syrup yesterday because it had sugared and was looking really strange. You still have ten of your chickens left but if you bathe them in some spicy sauce you are pretty sure your family won't notice the freezer burned taste. In spite of having to throw out most of the 50 lbs. of dog food (after a growing family of mice had invaded it), you're sure you saved money because "they" said you would.
Time and time again, people ask "can you really save money at Sam's or Costco?" I usually answer "not any more so then any place else". I have checked prices several different times and factoring everything in, I have found no exceptional savings.
Here are some tips to help you decide if a warehouse store is for you:
Do your homework and compare prices.
Buying in bulk is not always cheaper. You really save by checking and comparing prices. I was at Costco one day where there was a display of two Clorox one gallon bottles for $1.98 AFTER rebate. I stood there amazed as people grabbed up this "great deal." I knew I could get that same Clorox for $.98 a gallon at my regular discount store and I didn't have to mess with a rebate, pay postage or lug 2 gallons of Clorox shrink wrapped together to my car.
Skip impulse buys just because they sound good.
Say you can get 12 bottles of sunscreen for a great price. Think it through before you buy. If your family only uses one bottle sunscreen a year, that means you will be storing sunscreen for 12 years, not to mention that most of the sunscreen will expire long before then.
Often, 25% of the food people buy gets thrown out.
Even though my story was somewhat tongue-in-cheek, there is a certain amount of truth to it. If your family of four eats pancakes once a week, that gallon of syrup is going to last you a VERY long time. You might also consider that unless dry goods and freezer items are very carefully stored, they will go bad or get bugs in them. Remember to buy the size appropriate for your family.
You need to be very well organized to buy in bulk.
All the shows and magazine articles about organizing suggest that most of us are organizationally challenged. Finding places to store everything and then carefully keeping track of what you have is critical if you want to use it all before it spoils.
Stick to your list.
Most people spend more then they originally planned on things they don't need. This never saves money. We taste samples and so often end up buying. If this is you, be careful. Maybe sampling is a bad idea (unless you're making lunch of it)!
Do you have to buy in bulk?
If you have ten kids, run a day care or are buying for an organization then you almost have to buy in bulk. If you have a small or average sized family, you will probably save as much shopping for sales at your regular grocery store or discount store. The key is to do the math and evaluate your practical needs. You have to decide for yourself if buying at warehouse stores actually saves you money or just creates more work.
About the Author
Jill Cooper raised two teenagers alone on $500 a month income after becoming disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She is the inspiration behind her daughter Tawra's frugal cookbook Not Just Beans: 50 Years of Frugal Family Favorites. To read more of Jill's articles and for free tips and recipes visit Living on a Dime
Here I am again!!!!
What a wonderful summer - read some pretty amazing books. Currently finishing "The Story of Edgar Sawtelle" which is causing severe eye strain ("just one more chapter...") and I am listening to "Loving Frank".
Favorite summer reads:
"Mama Day" by Gloria Naylor (loved this - magical)
"Heartsick" by Chelsea Cain (fast paced thriller - great)
"Child 44" by Tom Rob Smith (disturbing but kept me riveted)
"Lace Reader" by Brunonia Barry (okay - not great)
"Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer (daughter talked me into this one - wanted to see what all the hype was)
"Whiteout" by Ken Follett (loved it)
"Chesil Beach" by Ian McEwan (love this writer to pieces)
"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (my favorite - loved this book)
Missed all you guys - in the mood for a good action, mystery, thriller - recommendations????
Favorite summer reads:
"Mama Day" by Gloria Naylor (loved this - magical)
"Heartsick" by Chelsea Cain (fast paced thriller - great)
"Child 44" by Tom Rob Smith (disturbing but kept me riveted)
"Lace Reader" by Brunonia Barry (okay - not great)
"Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer (daughter talked me into this one - wanted to see what all the hype was)
"Whiteout" by Ken Follett (loved it)
"Chesil Beach" by Ian McEwan (love this writer to pieces)
"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"
by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows (my favorite - loved this book)
Missed all you guys - in the mood for a good action, mystery, thriller - recommendations????
Afternoon Ev1
Hoping you are all having a great day, we've had quite the weirdest weather today, some rain, the threat of snow, and most importantly, very high winds, 20-40 mph, with some higher gusts. Glam, I do believe this is heading your way. Power has been inconsistant today, so haven't powered up the comp til now, and just to let you know I'm thinking about you all and checking emails! Hopefully this will "blow" over soon, but looks like not til Friday, so if I am not here for a couple of days, you'll know why. LMAO, talk about the leaves "falling", someone should give them a speeding ticket! Poor Matt, gonna have to take out the riding mower again and hook up the leaf vaccuum. Such is life. Stay warm fellow Chatters, sending breezy hugs! Smoothie
Halloween game
Hi all...we did this game last year and had some fun. Let's list all the "halloween" things we can find in ABC order.
Put your thinking caps on! I'll start in first reply.
Put your thinking caps on! I'll start in first reply.
Warehouse Store Shopping Tips
I don't know if it is cost effective to shop in a warehouse store like Costco or Sam's but I think it is probably "not an all or none" situation. These tips may help us out...
Proximity is Important
The first decision to make is if the warehouse store is convenient and a store you will frequent on a normal basis. If it isn't, the annual fee may not be worth the savings you will get from shopping there. To justify the annual fee you will need to spend at least $250 before you can benefit from there versus shopping in regular stores.
Come Prepared
Do your product researches before you go to the store. This is a good idea regardless of where you shop but in warehouse stores the sales personnel generally are not going to be product experts. This is not to say they cannot accommodate you in other areas but do not depend on them for product feedback.
(see first reply for the rest)
Proximity is Important
The first decision to make is if the warehouse store is convenient and a store you will frequent on a normal basis. If it isn't, the annual fee may not be worth the savings you will get from shopping there. To justify the annual fee you will need to spend at least $250 before you can benefit from there versus shopping in regular stores.
Come Prepared
Do your product researches before you go to the store. This is a good idea regardless of where you shop but in warehouse stores the sales personnel generally are not going to be product experts. This is not to say they cannot accommodate you in other areas but do not depend on them for product feedback.
(see first reply for the rest)
