Frugal Living Today

Today we’re going to talk about rice.  Not a generally exciting topic admittedly but it is a staple food that should be a regular part of your diet.  It is loaded with beneficial carbohydrates and protein and is a good source of several vitamins and minerals as well.

Typically rice is an inexpensive foodstuff, but our lazy society has created various convenient ways to buy rice that end up costing a fortune if calculated against doing it yourself.  While most people value the convenience because cooking rice can be a pain in the rear, the use of a rice cooker can make the process a lot easier and even though you have to spend a little money at the beginning, it can save you a lot over time.

Rice Cookers
Most people who ever purchase and use a rice cooker swear by them.  They can range in price from quite inexpensive to eye-poppingly pricey.  The thing to know here is that the cheap ones will work just as well as the more expensive models.  You don’t need bells and whistles, it is just rice after all.

Most rice cookers come with a small measuring beaker and you should use it until you get the feel for the right combinations of rice and water.  Another thing to keep in mind is that the amount of water you use is dependent upon the type of rice you are cooking - brown and wild rice take more water than white rice.

There are even recipe books devoted solely to what you can prepare in a rice cooker!

Because I am about to cook dinner, here are a few random ideas for ways to save a little money in the kitchen:

1. Always make your own stock.  It tastes better, it is better for you and you’re already cooking the beef, chicken, ham or turkey anyway so it is nearly free.  Think about that the next time you buy cans of stock for fifty cents or more.
2. Save leftover fresh herbs by putting them in empty ice trays and filling with water.  Freeze them, pop them out of the trays and store in freezer bags until the next time you make a soup or stew.
3. Don’t waste your money buying convenience foods.  There are tons of recipes available for making these high dollar items yourself for pennies.  My upcoming ebook will have an entire section devoted to convenience foods.

With the current financial fears amidst this uncertain economy, more people are looking for specific ways that they can save a few dollars here and there.  One of the areas that you can save money on right now is in the laundry room and the best part about it is that you won’t feel as though you are going without anything.

Detergent
Whatever amount of detergent the packaging recommends, try reducing it by half.  I’ve done this for twenty years and haven’t ever had a single complaint.

Fabric Softener

• For liquid fabric softeners, try cutting the amount back a bit.

• Alternatively you can cut a regular sponge into smaller pieces and soak them in fabric softener.  Remove them from the liquid, squeeze and allow to dry then add them to your laundry in the dryer.
• Still another option, this one for those who use dryer sheets - cut them in half.  Trust me, it still works.

A recent post I made has brought a few nay-sayers out of the woodwork.  In fact, more than one of them have been bordering on rude.  To those people I say WELCOME.  I enjoy and encourage people sharing their beliefs and ideas with me even when those beliefs and ideas do not parallel with my own.

This web site started as a place for me to share frugal tips, money saving recipes and other ideas for people who are interested in saving money by living a frugal lifestyle.  It was not created to preach, nor was it intended as a way to create converts.  

This is a resource and nothing more. 

Because I am the originator and the sole author of the posts contained here, I alone am responsible for the content and I do not make a single apology for a single word that has been shared herein.  It is your option to read Frugal Living Today and share it, or to look on it, decided it isn’t for you and move on.I live my frugality not because I have to - thankfully I am blessed with no longer being forced into frugality - but because it feels right to me.  

I was a child of the Eighties when everything was “Me! Me! Me!” and have worked hard throughout my life to break myself of that role.  In other words, I don’t live this way because I have to, I live it because it is what I believe.

Frugal living is not for everyone and hopefully this economic situation will not force the hands of people who don’t want to live their lives this way.  Unfortunately with unemployment on the rise and the economy in a tailspin I believe that my readership will continue to grow (as it has in recent weeks) because more folks are forced into finding ways to pinch pennies and save as much money as possible. 

I’ve been preaching the gospel of frugal living for a long time and people have had their laughs at my expense - mainly in the real world, but to a lesser extent on the Internet as well.

Who is laughing now?

The non-recession we’re in is about to be the Greater Depression and a lot of people are about to not only lose their homes but their jobs and their savings as well.  People who have worked hard all of their lives are going to be starting from zero again and all because of a few corrupt people in positions of authority.

Guess what?  We put these people in office.  You and me - the voting public.  That’s right folks, it is our fault.

I’m above such juvenile behaviors as “I told you so”, but suffice it to say that I hope you will learn to listen to people in the future when they tell you that you need to spend wisely and save voraciously.

It appears that this site will be getting a lot more hits in the near future but not because people want to learn frugal living, because they have no other choice.

I realize that I have been remiss in my duties to you frugal folk herein and for that I apologize.  The reasons have been good ones but I daresay they would only be seen as excuses so I will keep them to a minimum.

One of the more promising things that has been happening recently is that I have been feverishly working on my new e-book called “Michael’s Frugal Kitchen (a cookbook for everyone)”.  I call it new but in reality this e-book was started in 2003 and I have only recently taken the time to pick it back up.

This cookbook will combine frugal shopping and kitchen tips with my love for good, healthy and homemade food and it has been something people have been trying to get me to do for years so now I am doing exactly that.

When complete, this e-book will be offered for sale with proceeds going toward an organization called Magic City Harvest.  This organization is local to me here in Alabama and I can attest to their work.  They take leftover food from restaurants and supermarkets and redistribute it to organizations that feed people in need.  I can’t imagine a more appropriate place for my charitable donation than that and I do hope that you will help me support Magic City Harvest when “Michael’s Frugal Kitchen” is finished.

The more I think about it the madder I get.

The government is bailing out private sector business at a rate that is unfathomable and making the average American taxpayer foot the bill without giving us a bit of say in a single part of it.  The truth is that we are being bent over and treated like a whore without any lubrication or even a kiss and all it is going to mean is that we will have to pay more in taxes without seeing a thing in return.

In the past I have advocated putting your money into money market accounts and other ways of earning a better interest rate but right now I am strongly encouraging everyone who asks my opinion to put their money only into interest-bearing savings accounts that are FDIC insured.  Anything else is far too risking with this volatile marketplace and short of stuffing your mattress with cash or burying it in a coffee can there aren’t too many safe havens for your cash anymore.

For the record, we do have a say in situations like this but we have to think ahead.  We need to start thinking about the people we are putting into office all the way from local city councils and mayors to the White House.  Before you vote next time ask yourself if you would trust that person with handling your money.  Would you hand over your finances to them and allow them to make decisions on how to manage that money without first asking you?

That’s exactly what they - the politicians - do.  They make decisions that affect how your taxes are being used every single day and you are only consulted when you go to the voting booth.  If you aren’t registered to vote you have no room to complain, nor do you have a voice.  If you are registered and don’t vote, the same rule applies.

THINK.