Best painless "stretching things" budget tips?

[bookgirl]

I buy lean ground round or sirloin and still boil it. Besides getting the extra fat out, it's also crumbles easier.

Did you crumble it first? I did, not really small but into like medium chunks and it seemed to just desinigrate.

Maybe I should cook it in bigger chunks. Still going to use the other two parts in some other recipies (made a version of the bubbleup enchilada caserole only tweaked it a bit and it did fine but really fine crumbles and I thought it should be bigger) so I'll see how it does in those, maybe spagetti and tacos.

 

[Minnie Lor]

Did you crumble it first? I did, not really small but into like medium chunks and it seemed to just desinigrate.

Maybe I should cook it in bigger chunks. Still going to use the other two parts in some other recipies (made a version of the bubbleup enchilada caserole only tweaked it a bit and it did fine but really fine crumbles and I thought it should be bigger) so I'll see how it does in those, maybe spagetti and tacos.

Ok, this is what I do:
I put my ground round in a large pot on the stove. I turn the heat up and break up the beef a bit. Then I partially cover it with water and bring it up to a simmer. I let it 'perk' away while breaking it up a bit more. When it's done, I strain it well and put it back in pot. Then I crumble it more with fork or back of spoon. I like the finer crumbles because I feel that it goes farther. So I'm not boiling per se but am simmering the beef.

 

[Kycha]

I have an Egg Drop Noodle Soup recipe from DH's Polish great-grandmother that is super easy, cheap, and yummy.

Ingredients:
1 egg
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
Any kind of broth

Mix 1 egg & 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour (make as many batches as you like--we make 2).
Drop by tablespoonfuls (or whatever size you like) in any type of boiling broth.

It makes a pasta-like, large doughy noodle/dumpling and cooks almost instantly.
It is meant to be cooked in Borscht (beet broth), which we love, but you can also use vegetable or any other broths.

A variation that costs a few cents extra:
Mix into the egg & flour minced mushrooms and bread crumbs (this is amazing!) before dropping into the broth.

Thanks for the recipe! I was thinking of making an egg drop soup with the stock I made the other day. This will work perfectly!

 

[bookgirl]

Ok, this is what I do:
I put my ground round in a large pot on the stove. I turn the heat up and break up the beef a bit. Then I partially cover it with water and bring it up to a simmer. I let it 'perk' away while breaking it up a bit more. When it's done, I strain it well and put it back in pot. Then I crumble it more with fork or back of spoon. I like the finer crumbles because I feel that it goes farther. So I'm not boiling per se but am simmering the beef.

Okay that's sounds like it might work better...I'll try that. Thanks!

 

[bookgirl]

Double Post......

 

[moburg]

Make sure your water heater is wrapped! It costs a little bit but is so worth it in the winter. I have a timer in the bathroom. Five minutes tops for your shower!!! If you haven't, clean your air conditioner filter. A dirty filter = an ineffiecient filter. Not really a budget tip but our a/c bill did go down 5 bucks just from cleaning the filter.

Next time you have to replace your water heater, go tankless! I love my low gas bills, and never have to worry about running out of hot water!

 

[moburg]

Great thread. I have a lot of work to do.

I didn't see this tip on the other 43 pages, so here is one of the few tips I use for stretching. From Wal-Mart, I picked up a Rubbermaid 5-quart drink container. Its the one about the size of a 12-pack of soda cans, and is stackable if you want multiple flavors/juices.

Anyway, a small tub of Crystal Light, or the cheaper store equivalent, is supposed to be mixed in with 2 quarts of water. I use 1 tub in the 5 quart container and fill it to the rim with water, which is a little over 5 quarts. Its not near as strong, which is just the way I like it. I don't enjoy straight water, so this gives me lemonade flavored water, and I get more than my 8 glasses a day.

 

[Grendalynn]

I tried the Vinegar in the Dishwasher thing last wee and things eem to be sparkly clean! About the 1/2 dryer sheet thing... Not so sure! I have to cut back to 1 or 2, from 3 or 4, then maybe I can transition to 1/2 a sheet....

 

[minnie1928]

About the 1/2 dryer sheet thing... Not so sure! I have to cut back to 1 or 2, from 3 or 4, then maybe I can transition to 1/2 a sheet....

I did a variation on this. I would use a new dryer sheet, then save it. Next load use a new dryer sheet, then save it. Third load I would use both of the previously used dryer sheets and I usually saved them again. I found that I could usually use dryer sheets about 3 or 4 times before they really had to be thrown away.

And, you don't have to spend time cutting them!

 

[Kycha]

I tried the Vinegar in the Dishwasher thing last wee and things eem to be sparkly clean! About the 1/2 dryer sheet thing... Not so sure! I have to cut back to 1 or 2, from 3 or 4, then maybe I can transition to 1/2 a sheet....

There was a tip earlier in this thread about making your own dryer sheet that might be a good fit for you. Put a rag in a ziploc bag...pour in regular, liquid fabric softener...enough to soak the rag. Then hang the rag outside to dry in the sun. Tada! Homemade dryer sheet. You will get dozens, if not hundreds of uses out of it.

 

[semo233]

bumpity, bump, bump

 

[StillPinballFamily]

OP here (again!) Thought of another pretty painless tip - regarding daily newspaper delivery.

We've been paying $15.50 a month for daily and Sunday papers for the past few years. This is a 50% off rate that lasts 12 weeks. For years, I've noted on my calendar when to call the paper (a week or so before expiration) and ask for the rate to be renewed. Usually it is without problem, but occasionally, the worker says it can't be. That's when I reply "Ok, then - drop me back to only receiving three papers a week: Wednesday (food), Thursday (weekend calendar), and Sunday (coupons!) papers. Thanks so much." Magically, the 50% off discounted rate has ALWAYS then been instantly re-offered!!! I'm sure they don't want the hassle of trying to remember which days, etc. (Only once, they didn't offer a discount right away, so we did the three newspaper deal for less than a week and the paper called me back and offered the whole seven days for the 50% off price!) Maybe this tip will work for others...? I love my newspaper, but it does add up!

Sadly, though, we've been busy lately, and I missed the reminder note on my calendar a few weeks back. I just got my new newspaper bill - for $31 - ugh! I phoned this a.m. and was told that I can't get my "old rate" back. So, I did my "drop the days" thing and was then instantly offered 25% off. I gently declined, as I'll try the three day schedule and see what happens. Even if they don't offer a new rate (unlikely, I think), maybe it wouldn't be so bad to get a paper only a few days a week...

To be honest, I don't always get to read the daily paper in the summer anyway, so they tend to pile up. Combined with vacation time, slower summer news cycles, tv/Internet/radio listening, and so on, this is probably a good time to see if we can "make do" with fewer papers a week, regardless of whether or not we get offered our old 50% off rate. Maybe other DISers could use some of these tips to cut the cost of local papers...? Hope so!

Got the "we want you back" phone call on Saturday! Got my old $15.50 per month rate back. We instantly accepted!

 

[TiggerTails57]

Got the "we want you back" phone call on Saturday! Got my old $15.50 per month rate back. We instantly accepted!

Great!! I wonder if it works with the cable company! I get HBO, I'm waiting for Big Love to come back.

 

[BusyMom2Three]

Got the "we want you back" phone call on Saturday! Got my old $15.50 per month rate back. We instantly accepted!

Awesome! We did this with our high speed internet once the 3 months of lower payments expired. We ended up paying a little more than the intro rate but way less than the normal rate.

 

[moburg]

I tried the Vinegar in the Dishwasher thing last wee and things eem to be sparkly clean! About the 1/2 dryer sheet thing... Not so sure! I have to cut back to 1 or 2, from 3 or 4, then maybe I can transition to 1/2 a sheet....

From www.VinegarTips.com, I tried their solution to musty or moldy smelling towels, Wash once in hot water with a couple cups of vinegar, then wash in normal cycle with detergent.

In the past, musty and moldy smelling towels smelled fine out of the dryer, but as soon as they got wet after a shower, the smell returned. So far, the vinegar solution seems to have worked great! No return of the odor even after using the towels after a shower.

 

[semo233]

I tried the Vinegar in the Dishwasher thing last wee and things eem to be sparkly clean! About the 1/2 dryer sheet thing... Not so sure! I have to cut back to 1 or 2, from 3 or 4, then maybe I can transition to 1/2 a sheet....

Please make sure you scrub your lint screen! These sheets tend to cause a buildup on the screens that makes the holes less efficient! It could be a fire hazard!

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Great!! I wonder if it works with the cable company! I get HBO, I'm waiting for Big Love to come back.

Big Love is the only reason I still have HBO

 

[Chicklogic]

Tried the boiling of the meat this weekend...seems like it would be a pretty good deal if you bought fatty meat but I buy the 97% fat free and I'm not sure this is a great method for that lean of meat.

That is sort of the beauty of the method.....you can buy the cheap ground beef and boil out all the stuff you don't want!

 

[Chicklogic]

It wasn't exactly "painless" per se......but going through T.S. Fey and having no power for 2 days probably lowered my electric bill

 

[roses~red]

oh man now I have to read 43 pages to see what I am doing wrong


I am looking into a tankless water heater myself but first the kitchen remodel