Keep the Change - Kitchen Substitutes

What do you do when you’re cooking and run out of that one thing you need? Running to the store is costly in both gas and money. Here are some tips from my kitchen. Keep these staple substitutes in your pantry so you’ll be ready when necessity strikes.

-          Eggs – Mix 1 Tbsp cornstarch with 3 Tbsp water (multiply quantities as necessary for multiple eggs) as a quick egg substitute in nearly any baking recipe. This is also a great alternative if you’re cooking for someone with egg allergies.

-          Buttermilk – Pour 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon juice into your measuring cup and add enough milk to make 1 cup (to sub for 1 cup buttermilk). Stir and let stand 5 minutes.

-          Panko or dry bread crumbs – Crush crackers or potato chips instead.

-          Brown and White sugars are rather interchangeable, when needed (though it's best to stick to what's called for, if possible). Honey is also a great, healthier, substitute for sugar in many recipes.

-          Butter – For many recipes, cooking oil (such as canola or vegetable) can be subbed in. For a healthier alternative, use applesauce to replace the fat called for in a baking recipe.

-          Sour cream and Plain Yogurt is another interchangeable combo. Yogurt is the healthier option and either one will do the trick in your baking or casserole recipes.

-          Tomato Sauce – for chilis, soups and some casseroles, using Condensed Tomato Soup is a quick and easy substitute.

As you can see, recipes are not hard and fast rules. There are many options for making your recipes work with what you have. Next time you run out of something at the last minute, before running to the store, run to your computer and do a quick Google search including the name of the item you lack and the word “substitute” – more often than not, you will find you have just what you need!

Keep the Change: Bringing Up Baby - Affordably

We’re expecting a new little one in this house and, as anyone will tell you, babies can be expensive. What are some ways to save on those baby costs while still giving your little one the best care possible?

-          Cloth diapers. While it’s not everyone’s preference, this is a big money-saver in our house. We’re not talking diaper pins and bulky covers, either. There are some modern options that are convenient and adorable. While this option poses a larger up-front cost (for the investment in a diaper supply), the long-run savings is considerable. There are many resources on-line to help you learn the ropes of this diapering choice. I've written a blog here with a lot of my resources and suggestions.

-          Homemade Baby Food. Yet another personal preference. This does not have to be as difficult as some perceive, though. Just steam your fruits and vegetables (even in the microwave) and use a handy Stick Blender (you don’t even need an expensive Baby-Food specific blender!) to puree. Pour your blend into ice cube trays and freeze for later – they thaw quickly and make for easy, safe meals for baby. Check wholesomebabyfood.com for guidelines and recipes.

-          Garage Sales and Craiglist. These are great options for finding some of those big ticket items at affordable prices. Some things, like car seats, should never be purchased second-hand for safety reasons, but for things that are easy to wash/sterilize (such as clothing, swings, etc.), this can be a good choice – just be sure you trust the brand you’re buying, no matter where you purchase.

-          On-Line Co-Ops. Facebook has a number of Group options for parents looking to use group-buying power for those baby needs (or wants) – you can even find those aforementioned cloth diapers at a much cheaper price when buying in bulk! My favorite co-ops are Tushie Traders, which offers primarily cloth diapers but also many other fun things for baby, and Crunchy Mama, offering many unique finds for baby and mama.

Keep the Change - Bugs Be Gone

Summer seems to bring a lot of unwanted pests in our home. Clearly some infestations require professional help or, at the very least heavy-duty store-bought assistance. But did you know some of those pests can be done away with using simple household ingredients?

If ants are your problem, round up some honey, Borax (found in the laundry detergent aisle and also great for a number of cleaning uses!), and an old plastic lid (such as from a margarine tub). Mix together 1 Tbsp hot water with 1 Tbsp honey . Add ½ tsp Borax to the mixture and stir well. Place mixture in your old lid and put the trap in the center of your problem area (but out of reach of children or pets). The ants will be attracted to the mixture and will carry it back to their colony, poisoning the whole lot of them and ridding you of your problem!

For fruit flies, gather apple cider vinegar, dishwashing detergent, a fruit peel, a jar and a piece of typing paper (junk mail works great!). Mix ¼ c. vinegar, ¼ c. water and 2-3 drops of detergent in the bottom of the jar. Drop in your fruit peel. Make a cone shape out of the paper and stick it in the opening of the jar, making sure there are no gaps between the paper and the opening of the jar. The flies will be attracted to the scent of the fruit and enter the cone. They will then get trapped in the jar and the detergent will weigh them down, causing them to drown and your pests to be gone.

If you need more tips for your household pests, check out ehow.com (where these traps were found) or do a quick internet search to find simple homemade solutions!

Keep the Change: Couponing Basics

(Photo Source: Office.Microsoft.com)

While most people know of coupons, pop-culture has turned super-couponing into a nightmare for many. While spending hours clipping and planning can give you a high pay-off, it’s not necessary if you’re new to couponing and just want to save a little green. Here’s how I do it.

1.       Find coupons. The newspaper is the most obvious place to look, but you can also check the internet at places like coupons.com or smartsource.com. You can also head to the websites of your favorite brands and search for coupons there (or if you’re brave, contact them directly to request coupons).

2.       Store coupons. You may have heard of the Binder – I have one, but I don’t use it as much these days. Instead, I keep 12 folders – one for every month. When I get my paper, I label each coupon insert boldly with the date and put it in its appropriate folder.

3.       Match coupons to sales. Let someone else do your work for you by checking out money-saving blogs for match-up posts. They will tell you what’s on sale and where to find coupons to match. To find these blogs, do an internet search for the name of the store you shop and the term “match-up.” Many of these sites also have great tips for using store reward programs. My favorite site for Homeland match-ups is SimpleSavingSavvy.net.  For CVS or Walgreens, I head to Hip2Save.com.  For tips on how to interpret the strange language of coupon match-ups, check out an old post of mine here.

4.       Cut/Print only the coupons you need. When I look at the match-ups for the week, I make a list of sale items I need/want and the coupons that go with them. I then print those or pull out the appropriate coupon folder with the right insert, clip the coupon I need and put the rest back.

Keep the Change: App-Tastic Savings

A copy of my latest column for the Shawnee Outlook (with a few extras added in, like links!):

If you have a smart-phone in your pocket and you haven’t been using it to help you save money, it’s time to put that data plan to work! Here’s how:

Keep Track of your Grocery List: As I’ve mentioned before, using a list keeps your shopping (and your budget) on track. Using your phone to maintain your list ensures you won’t be caught in the store trying to remember what you wrote on that paper you forgot at home. There are various apps for this purpose, but my personal favorite is Cozi because it can be shared with multiple users, so my husband and I can both access/update the list at any time!  You can also use Cozi straight from your computer (which is how I build my list!), where you have access to great meal-planning tools, too!

Compare Prices: Next time you’re in the store debating on whether that great deal is such a great deal, pull out your phone and scan the barcode of the item in question with RedLaser (click here for Google Play) to check instantly on the lowest prices near you and on-line! And if you’re looking for the lowest price on fuel (and who isn’t?) check out GasBuddy (click here for Google Play) for up-to-date prices based on your location.

Grab Coupons: Various stores, such as Staples, offer free apps that include great in-store coupons. Old Navy’s Snap Appy frequently includes coupons for $5 or $10 off ANY purchase just for snapping photos of their logo (find them in-store or pull one up on-line) - I have earned a fair amount of FREE clothing for my whole family thanks to this app (and great clearance sales)! Also, download SavingStar to access “coupons” that give you cash back for your purchases at Homeland, CVS and others.  Ibotta is new to me, but it's similar to SavingStar, allowing you to earn cash-back for items you purchase in-store (currently CVS and Wal-Mart are on the list!).  

Get Rewarded: A variety of apps offer ways to be rewarded  for things you regularly do. Try Shopkick and Checkpoints (you can use bonus code arow97 to give me credit for referring you, but it's no big deal!) to earn points for shopping in-store or Viggle if you’re an avid television fan.

               

These are just a few of the ways you can put your smart-phone to use for more than just staying in touch! 

Keep the Change: Navigating Black Friday

Welcome to the Enhanced Version of this month's "Keep the Change" written for the Shawnee Outlook:

As we near the holidays, we simultaneously approach the biggest spending time of year and the biggest savings. Of course, it’s well known there are great deals to be had on what is known as Black Friday. However, this can be a tricky day, especially for new savers. For those who’ve wanted to take part in the sales, but have been too scared to dive in, here are a few tips to getting some deals and keeping your sanity.

First, know what you’re getting. Browse ads on-line at sites like blackfriday.com or bfads.net. Be aware – just because something is in the ad does NOT guarantee it’s a great deal. If your savings will be less than 30%, you may be better off simply waiting for a coupon.

Next, grab a partner (you can split up to hit the store hot spots) and get there early, but not too early. True, if you want the hottest electronics, you may need to stand in line for days. Otherwise, 20-30 minutes is probably early enough to snag most deals.  Also, if you're shopping Wal-Mart, you can find a map of your local store on their website so you know where to head to get the things you want - often the Black-Friday-specific sales items are NOT located where you might expect (DVD's in the Dairy Section?!), so go in prepared!

If you’re not an early bird, keep in mind some stores which offer price-matching still honor this policy on Black Friday. This means you can take one store’s ad somewhere else, where everyone isn’t competing for the same thing, and still get your awesome price – and you don’t have to be there at 3am. Likewise, many stores also offer their sales on-line – so you stay can stay home and do your shopping in your pj’s (though be prepared for these to sell out quickly) – or even wait for Cyber Monday the following week.  If you're shopping on-line, be sure to use a site like Ebates or Shop at Home to get further cash-back on your purchases!

Finally, be sure to head out to your favorite local business the following day in honor of Small Business Saturday – keeping our spending local helps everyone!

Keep the Change: Costumes on a Coin

A copy of my latest column for the Shawnee Outlook (with a few extras added in):

Halloween is just around the corner and whether you Trick-or-Treat, head out to a Fall Festival or simply need a quick costume for a school celebration, everyone wants to know how to get a costume in a pinch. Let’s be honest, we don’t all want to be parading ourselves or our children around in the same plastic get-ups from the local store, but we’re not necessarily wanting to shell out the cash for a big-ticket ensemble either. The easiest answer? Make your own!

These are the classics I’ve pulled out in years past:

Clown – The best part of this costume is there are no set guidelines - grab some cheap facepaint and mis-matched clothes and you’re good to go.

Hippie – Seek out flared pants from your closet or the local thrift store, find a tie-dyed shirt (or make your own!), slap on some colored sunglasses and a scarf tied around your forehead and you’re groovy!

(Works for Baby, too!  From: http://lifeasathrifter.blogspot.com/2011/09/hippy-baby-costume-tutorial.html)

Or, think outside the (cardboard) box! One of these, with arm and neck holes cut out, can create any number of things – a robot, a Lego(use foam cups for the round parts), a pair of dice (grab a friend!) – use your imagination.  Look on-line for other great ideas!

Hot right now for girls is the use of tutus for just about any costume. Grab some inexpensive tulle and elastic, search out a tutorial on-line and you’ll have yourself half of just about anything, from a mermaid, to a fairy, to a superhero!

(From http://www.etsy.com/shop/goodygoodytutus)

And, finally, animals of any kind are so simple to re-create with a sweat-suit, construction paper and (if you’re feeling fancy) face paint.

So get creative, see what you have and, remember, more important than what you’re wearing, have FUN!

Looking for more great ideas?  Check out this blog for tons of cheap, creative costume tips!