Inexpensive (and Easy) Summer Meals

For my family, summer is not all about cooking, unlike during the winter holidays. Instead, it is about spending time outdoors, going on summer adventures, visiting with friends and family, days at the park or pool, and nights on the grass watching a movie or music concert under the stars.  It is about inviting the neighbors over for a campfire and smores, catching lighting bugs, trying to get all of the ice cream drips before they run down your arm, and re-experiencing the feel of a light breeze coming off of the ocean. Still, we all have to eat, so … Continue reading

Seven Ways to Save $1,000 for Your Emergency Fund

Dave Ramsey, financial guru who has helped so many families get out of debt, recommends that most of us start on the path to financial solvency by first saving up $1,000 toward an emergency fund. By having a solid emergency fund, we are less likely to go into debt, should the unexpected happen, such as the home furnace needing to be replaced, the car needing to be repaired, or the experience of a medical crisis. Saving that $1,000 is the first step of Ramsey’s overall get-out-of-debt plan. How can you save that much when there doesn’t seem to be any … Continue reading

Money Saving Meals for Busy Families

Busy families shouldn’t miss out on the savings just because they have little time to cook. Home cooked meals are one of the best ways to save on the food bill. With a little knowledge, you can spend very little to cook at home, no matter how hectic your life is. Here is how. Crockpot Recipes I’m convinced that the crockpot must have been invented by a busy mom. If you don’t have this little appliance, run out right now and get one. Don’t worry about the expense. You can pick your first one up for a few dollars at … Continue reading

The Great Freezer Shut Down

Shutting down our freezer has led to some pretty interesting meals and decisions this week. My husband brought up a tub of his favorite rocky road ice cream from the basement freezer and was getting ready to enjoy a late night treat. I opened up the tub (maybe if I put it in a bowl and added some whipped cream he might not notice if I took a scoop for myself as well). The ice cream, although still frozen was pretty soft. Uh oh. Over the next few days, we kept checking on the freezer. While everything stayed frozen, some … Continue reading

What is Freezer Blocking?

I’ve practiced doing freezer blocking for years, although I never did know that there was an actual term for the practice. What is freezer blocking and what can it do for you? Let’s answer that second question first. Freezer blocking can save you money. Freezers work most efficiently when they are packed solid. The more stuff in a freezer, the better insulation it has, which means that it doesn’t have to work as hard to keep your food frozen. This means that you save money on electricity. Freezers work by keeping the air cold. The less air there is, the … Continue reading

Stock up on Freezer Food This Month

The month of March is an excellent time to get your freezer stocked. This is because it is National Frozen Foods month, which means more savings for you. Frozen food manufacturers are issuing more coupons, and the stores are having more sales. Stock your freezer as cheaply as possible now, and reap the benefits in your family meals for the months to come. In order to have a successfully stocked freezer, you’ll first need the freezer space. You can often gain more space by taking items out of their original packaging and freezing them flat. If you have a larger … Continue reading

Warehouse Store Stock Up Tips

Do you find that using a warehouse store means that your grocery bill is going up not down? It could be the way you are handling your bulk purchase buys, how you are stocking up on them and how you are using them. Here are some tips to help you get everything under control and use warehouse shopping to your advantage to save money. Freeze, Freeze, Freeze If you find yourself with a lot of waste in your food, you’ll need to take action to make sure that items don’t good bad before you can get to them. One way … Continue reading

How to Get a Freezer for Free

Having a separate freezer can be a lifesaver in your home. It gives you the ability to be able to stock up on inexpensive ingredients when they are on sale, the ability to buy meat in bulk and save money that way, and the ability to cook ahead and fill that freezer with freezer meals. Having a stockpile of freezer meals means that you are less tempted to eat out and can get through tough or busy times without having to increase the money that you spend on food. I personally think that a good freezer is worth its price, … Continue reading

More Ham Freezer Cooking

Today I woke up knowing that I had to do some freezer cooking. Remember all of that inexpensive ham I have been telling you about? Well, it was time turn the last ham deals into some freezer meals. I’m still in the process of finishing up actually. In the oven now, excuse me when the timer beeps, are the second batch of ham and cheese hot pockets. These will be great for quick out-the-door lunches or take-to-work lunches. I tried a new dough recipe this time. The previous one, using bread flour and a pizza dough recipe seemed to make … Continue reading

Frugal Freezer Breakfast Meals 2

It is a lot of fun to have a morning, or an afternoon or even a day to create a wealth of freezer breakfast meals that you can have on hand. Buying breakfast outside can get really expensive. Just think about it. Even if you only spend $5 a day, 5 days a week, that is $25 a week that you could spend on something else (or save of course). Prepare a bunch of easy items for breakfast ahead of time. A few hours will net you enough breakfast for a month. In my last blog post, I offered some … Continue reading