By Mary in Family, EC Daily Email, Kids on June 30 2009
In my Everyday Cheapskate email for July 1, I share a tip I learned from a babysitter who could get my boys to eat just about anything when they were young. All she had to do was chop the food up into bite-sized pieces and let them eat with toothpicks. She called this “Bits and Pieces,” and the snack quickly became a family favorite.
I have a feeling there are a lot of moms, dads and babysitters out there who have learned that re-naming something ordinary can win kids over in a hurry–a trick that proves especially useful when children need to be coerced into participating in an activity which they are not inclined to enjoy.
What works for you? Share here!
By Mary in Bankruptcy, Debt on June 29 2009
I cannot imagine how many times I have recommended that readers who are unable to keep up with their credit card payment consider credit counseling. But not just any credit counseling—a counseling organization recognized and certified by National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC.org). Why? Because these days there are so many sleazy Read More…
By Mary in Food on June 25 2009
I was shocked out of my mind when I learned the origin of two of my all-time favorite comfort foods (rice pudding and bread pudding). Can you bleieve it, both were born out of, well—let’s just be straight up about it—poverty. No kidding. It was during the Great Depression that clever cooks who preferred to feed their families than let them starve, came up with the idea of making a special treat from the lowliest of ingredients—leftover rice and dry, stale bread. How clever.
But even more amazing to me, both have become respectable—even gourmet—food items. I mean, have you ever ordered Bread Puddingg with Whiskey Sauce at Ruth’s Chris Steak House? Oh my, it is really to die for. And not cheap, may I add. Certainly not a dish that comes from anything close to poverty!
So, what’s your favorite comfort food? Do you know anything about its origins? Or, what is your memory of it and why does it bring you to a place of security? If I listed all of my own comfort foods, this post would go on for miles. So, enough about me.
Your turn … (and please if you have any recipes you’d care to share, we’d be grateful to receive!)
By Mary in Vacation, EC Daily Email on June 22 2009
Nothing can put a damper on a vacation and a budget like hauling too much luggage. Just think of all the fees you pay thanks to your oversized, overstuffed bags. You likely pay to check the bags at the airline on top of the small fortune that you pay to Read More…
By Mary in Frugality, Kids on June 15 2009
Is it possible to bring a baby into the world these days and still maintain a sense of frugality? Sure is! And in today’s Everyday Cheapskate we got a good start on all the ways to do that.
What worked well for you? What would you do differently if you could do it over (spent a few bucks Read More…
By Mary in Vacation on June 14 2009
I’ve been doing a lot of vacationing recently, as you read in my newspaper column today. Yep, that’s because I’ve totally fallen for Michigan thanks to a compelling ad campaign known as “Pure Michigan.” It’s really true that for the 30 to 60 seconds an ad runs, I clear my mind and just drink in Read More…
By Mary in Education, EC Daily Email on June 14 2009
In my Everyday Cheapskate column today, I gave my commencement speech to the graduating class of 2009. Every year about this time I get prepared just in case. Maybe someday I’ll actually get asked to deliver it in front of real, live people. Read More…
By Mary in Food on June 11 2009
If I could have only one piece of cookware it would be a cast-iron skillet—one of the most versatile and indispensable kitchen tools you can find. Apparently I am not alone, as evidenced by the excellent recipes and information in “The Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pan in Your Kitchen.” If you want to learn more about cast-iron cooking, I recommend it as one of the best resources out there.
If you don’t have an iron skillet, you could pay full price to buy new. Better idea: Ask your parents or other [older] relatives if they have one Read More…
By Mary in Credit Scores, Education on June 7 2009
As promised in today’s edition of Everyday Cheapskate, yes, there are other changes in the updated scoring model known as FICO 08 we’ll get to in a minute. But first let’s talk about this whole thing called a scoring model. FICO 08, a scoring model, is computer software that interprets a person’s credit history as a 3-digit number known as a FICO score.
Here’s the puzzler: For the most part, the folks at FICO don’t share with us what criteria the Read More…
By Mary in DIY, Home, EC Daily Email on June 3 2009
I get e-mails every day from readers asking if I have recipes for cleaning products, beauty products, insect extermination solutions, and all sorts of other household products so they can make these at home rather than spend a fortune on them in stores. I get asked so often that it has become a running theme in my Everyday Cheapskate daily column (which you can receive in your e-mail inbox by subscribing at www.EverydayCheapskate.com). In fact, in today’s column, I suggest a homemade solution in response to a reader question about eliminating ants from her dishwasher. I have recipes for hundreds of homemade products, which I have compiled into a handy booklet that you can pick up for only $6 HERE.
But I want to turn the tables. This time, I get to ask you: What products do you make at home instead of buying in the store? I’d love it if you would share your recipes for homemade beauty supplies, household cleaning products, health and hygiene products, garden and craft solutions, and any other product that you can make at home.
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