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Meal Planning week of Jan 30th

Sun leftover chicken enchildas
Mon Meatloaf mashed potatos and green beans
Tues Pork sirlion in the crockpot
Wed leftover meatloaf and spaghetti and sauce
Thurs Crockpot Chicken Salsa w/rice
Fri Clean out the fridge night leftovers or soup and sandwiches
Sat Son's bday party Ordering pizza for his party

Crockpot Sour Cream Salsa Chicken

4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
1 package reduced-sodium taco seasoning mix
1 cup salsa
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup light sour cream

Spray the crockpot with cooking spray. Add the chicken breasts. Sprinkle with Taco Seasoning. Top with salsa. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

When ready to serve, Place about 2 T cornstach in a small amount of water. Stir well. Stir the cornstarch mixture into salsa sauce. Stir in 1/4 cup of sour cream.

Add up to 3 cups of cooked rice to crockpot right before serving.

Make that a homemade latte!

You know I am a huge fan of money coach David Bach's Start Late, Finish Rich : A No-Fail Plan for Achieving Financial Freedom at Any Age and all of this other books.

Lots of money articles refering to him late Canada's Globandmail and is number 6 on the New York Times Best Seller

Enjoy your savings~ And make that a homemade latte!

Theresa

How was your day at work?

Not nearly as good as Warren Buffet!

Come on that is way way too much money for one person in one day. Everyone was asking him what do you think of this merger between Proctor and Gamble and Gillete. What do you think his answer is going to be?

I repeat I repeat I will never see this much money in my life even if I win the lottery. LOL Maybe Warren will share the wealth! Will have to check to see if he is married!

Legendary investor Warren Buffett had nothing but praise Friday for Procter & Gamble Co.'s $57 billion deal to buy Gillette, which helped him make about $645 million -- in one day. Continue reading

Dinner Date

Woo hoo! I got a date on Saturday night. Can you tell I am excited. My single sister who I love dearly has offered to babysit the rugrats. She gave us for Christmas movie tickets and a gift certificate to a resturant. So we are going to use it. Now decisions on what to see. Meet the Frockers will probably be the choice.

Enjoy your savings!
Theresa

Homemade cornbread chicken and beans! Yummy

Well a bit of change in the menu last night! We had the Cornbread chicken and baked beans. Let me say this was good and will be a regular additon to our menu planning. Hubby gave two thumbs up and 5 yr had two large servings (can you say growth spurt)

I love it when I make something new and it comes out that we can add it to the menu.

Enjoy your savings!
Theresa

Not really a rousing success

Gross. Looks gross my 2 yr tells me on our new recipe Ham and Potato Frittata

Well his opinion doesn't really count since he is picky eater. Mac and cheese is sometimes gross. Heck it is one of his favorite words. So his review really didn't hurt my feelings.

It was actual not too appealing to me either visually. Almost called hubby to bring home a pizza instead. When hubby walked through the door, I told him that it didn't look like the picture on the Weight Watcher website. It looked wonderful there. His response ketchup fixes everything.

My 5 yr old eats everything and ham is one of his fave foods. He gobbled it down My other 2 yr old is also a picky eater and his bowl fell on the floor. The dog gobbled it up. So two positive reviews so far. Hubby liked it, said it was good. I asked it he wanted to bring the leftovers to work. He said no, it wasn't that good. I on the other hand thought it was too dry.


If this really inspired to you to try the Ham and Potato Frittata
3 medium potato(es), peeled and diced
1/2 cup extra-lean ham, approximately 11% fat, diced
1 1/2 cup fat-free egg substitute or 3 eggs
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Coat a 10-inch, nonstick, ovenproof skillet with olive oil cooking spray. Add potatoes and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Note: Add water by the tablespoon to prevent sticking, if necessary.


Add ham, egg substitute, herbs, salt and pepper, and cook until almost firm, about 10 minutes. Transfer skillet to broiler and broil until browned on top, about 3 to 5 minutes. Cut into 4 wedges and serve.




Unless I am really deseparate and have nothing but ham and potatos and eggs in the house it will not make my menu again.

2012  Note: I was looking for a breakfast recipe and realized  I don't have many. We are very simple  breakfast cereals, hard boiled eggs etc. I have made a version of this  Ham and Broccoli quiche/ frittata many times since  and it actually on our menu tonight. It is  quick and easy and much more moist than the one with potatoes.  I will usually dice up some roasted potatoes for the side now.

This posts does bring back memories... have you ever had a recipe redo.

I'll just declare bankruptcy

I was reading one of my regular money boards. Lots people post asking for advice-not being able to make end meet, too much credit card debt etc etc. One poster who who is having trouble ends meet, using their credit cards to survive. Myself and several other regular posters gave some advice. Create a budget, get a second temporary job-heck even flipping burgers is good option. The original poster response was that sounds too hard. "I'll just declare bankruptcy"

I am no where near an expert in bankrupty nor do I ever want to be. But personally when someone thinks that bankruptcy is the easy way out pisses me off. My husband and I paid off $20,000 in credit card debt and struggled through some hard times. But we made it through. Hubby's income goes up and down. Luckily, my business is being pretty consistent in income lately so I feel better.

Remember bankruptcy shouldn't be the easy way out. It should be a last resort.

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

FICO scores

What's a FICO® Score?
Your FICO® score is a number that tells lenders what kind of borrower you will likely be, based on your credit history. Your score is between 300 and 850 and lenders prefer borrowers with higher scores.

35% of the score is determined by payment histories on your credit accounts, with recent history weighted a bit more heavily than the distant past;
30% is based upon the amount of debt you have outstanding with all creditors;
15% is produced on the basis of how long you've been a credit user (a longer history is better if you've always made timely payments);
10% is comprised of very recent history, based on your efforts to obtain loans or credit lines in the past few months;
10% is calculated from the mix of credit you hold, including installment loans (like car loans), leases, mortgages, credit cards, etc. FICO Score odds of a delinquent account

How to get your FICO score:

The Web site myfico.com will sell you a comparison of your three credit reports from the three main companies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion along with your FICO score for $40. For this price you also gain access to a feature on the site that lets you create hypothetical situations, such as paying off a particular debt or paying credit card bills on time, etc., and see how such actions will affect your score.

Take a quiz to get a general rating of your FICO score


FICO score estimator

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

Meal Planning for Wk of Jan 22nd

Sunday Ham and Cheese Calzones

Monday Spaghetti and sausage (got the saugage on the discount meat counter put it in the freezer-still good)

Tuesday New recipe alert Ham and Pototo fritteria

Wednesday Leftovers

Thursday New recipe alert Chicken Cornbread and Baked Beans
Friday Tuna Tomato Skillet
Saturday Homemade Pizza

Breakfast will be English muffins-I got 6 bags of them at the bread store for 10 cents each. Lunch for the kids maybe some english muffin pizzas. I made a big batch of Spicey black bean soup again so that will be my lunch for the next few days.

Testing the new ipod photo

This looks great idea! Looking for testers to check out the new ipod photo


ProductTestersGroup: 40GB iPod Photo


Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

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Turn your next vacation or trip into a tax deduction

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

Soups to warm your insides

When it's so cold outside like it is here in New York, nothing can warm your insides better than a hearty bowl of soup. Aliza Green cooks some soup with recipes from her new cookbook dealing exclusively with beans. And it's call just that, Beans: More than 200 Delicious, Wholesome Recipes from Around the World

Check out bean soup recipes


Yummy! Soup is good food.

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

Happy Treasure Hunting!

I thought that this was pretty neat. I am going to have to find this book for my son and me. We are going to go treausre hunting!

$1 million Treasure Hunt

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

Please do not forget to report your stolen property!

"Stolen property. If you steal property, you must report its fair market value in your income in the year you steal it unless in the same year, you return it to its rightful owner."

Comes directly from the IRS site http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/ch13.html#d0e36729


Yes I stole some diamond jewlery from Mrs Smith, A Plasma tv from Mr Jones. I am LMAO on this one.

How do you forget?

to file your taxes or report a $1 million in tax returns. Maybe no IRS agents were watching Survivor and I won't report it. It kind of boogles me that Richard Hatch thinks he is above paying taxes. He must have had some bad advice some where.

I hate doing taxes and hate paying taxes but we got too.

Meal in a box vs prepared by me~

I know I am lucky that I can work at home and have time to make meals but things some prepared food like those a Banquet Homestyle meals in a box sort of just puzzle me.

There is a box called Chicken, Corn bread and baked beans for $4.99 on sale for $3.99. Says serves 5 and fills 4.5 x 6 pan. Cost per serving $1.00

I could probably make double the meal for a little more 1/2 half the price.

2 box of jiffy corn bread 66 cents
1 can 28 oz of baked beans 99
1 lb of boneless chicken breast 1.99

Of course you made need to add an egg or some milk but the cost are pennies each.

That would easily fill a 6 x 9 pan and serve about 8 people. Serving cost less than 50 cents a person.

An easy to make meal! Honestly how much longer would it take you to make vs using the box. I will have to try it and let you know if gets a "Do Over" in our house.

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

Happy Birthday Ben Franklin

Happy Birthday to you Happy Birthday Ben Franklin

Only 299 years old! Let's save some Ben Franklins today!

In 1757, Benjamin Franklin published "The Way To Wealth", a basic summary of his 25 year “Poor Richards' Almanac.” In "The Way To Wealth", Honorable Mr. Franklin states the following:


"Then since, as he says, the borrower is a slave to the lender, and the debtor to the creditor, disdain the chain, preserve your freedom; and maintain your independency: be industrious and free; be frugal and free. At present, perhaps, you may think yourself in thriving circumstances, and that you can bear a little extravagance without injury; but, For age and want, save while you may; No morning sun lasts a whole day..."


There's a chock full of great wisdom to be gleaned from this paragraph of text. I encourage you to read it carefully, and absorb as much as you can from this man. He was, after all, just a man. But a great man. In fact, Benjamin Franklin believed that you are no different than he. He also believed in hard work, and perseverance, and the value of time management. These basic precepts, if mastered, could lead you down the same path of immense wealth as Benjamin Franklin.


But for today, I'd like you to focus on the last sentence. Mr. Franklin advises that no matter how things may now seem, your own morning sun does not last forever. This means that you simply must learn to recognize the value of money, the power of money, and the wealth that comes, simply by using that power to push the future, as opposed to spending it all on the wants and desires generated by today. It is now, not then, that you must save. It is through resisting temptations and want, and through saving while you are able and younger, that you can rise beyond your morning sun, and move ever so steadily into a life of wealth and financial prosperity.

Mr. Franklin is also well known for another famous quote:

"A Penny Saved, is a Penny Earned."


Enjoy your saving!

Theresa

Cooking oil for your car?

Now this is sounds like a great concept. Less gas and hardly any cost at all. I do not see this catching on though.

Cooking oil as gas

Enjoy your savings !

Theresa

VOIP Trends

Hey Folks,
Just finished an article in Barron's(DEC 27 issue), that had very
interesting statistics:
VoIP Users: 0.5 million
Estimated by '06 2.0 million
Estimated by '07 4.0 million

Comcast Cable
Modem subscribers 6.6 million
Est subscribers '05 8.5 million
Est subscribers '06 10.0 million

Bell Lines Lost to
Cable Telephony 4.0 million (includes lines dedicated for
internet)
Est Lines Lost '05 6.0 million
Est Lines Lost '06 10.5 million
Est Lines Lost '07 15.0 million

If you are interested in learning more about voip check our voip guide at http://www.budgetdial.com/voip.htm

Enjoy your savings!

Meal planning week of Jan 15th

One thing that keeps my family frugal is planning meals:

Breakfast-Usually pancakes (I usually make a huge batch and freeze) , or oatmeal and banana If I get a good deal on state bread at the bread store it will be french toast a lot too) Sundays is big breakfast in the house eggs, bacon etc.

Lunch for the kids peanut butter & jelly sandwichs, mac and cheese, or Spaghetti O, apple or applesauce, crackers

Dinner
Sunday- Steak and potatos, green beans
Monday Hamburger goo (noodles, ground turkey, mixture)
Tuesday Pork Sirlon in the crockpot
Wednesday Hamburger goo leftovers
Thursday Mexican Lasgana
Friday Probably leftover mexican lagnsana and other leftovers
Sat Homemade pizza

I have frozen veggies and canned veggies which will be added to most meals. Plus salad as well.

Cutting Expenses to the Bare Bare Bone

In this week's issue Living on a Budget in a Non Budget World
Newsletter
Money Saving Tips
Featured Article The Bare Bare Bones
Top Conversations on the Money Saving Forums
Freebie and Contest Alerts
The Frugal Five
Frugal Recipes Refrigerator Stew
Money in the News Social Security


Read this issue at:
http://www.budgetdial.com/news-Jan1505.htm

I got paid!!

Woo hoo! Payday payday for hubby! Now I need to paid some bills and get our overdraft back in shape.

Stretching your energy dollar

There is an interesting chart showing the average monthly cost of lots of appliances on this site. It is from Seattle, so the killowatt costs may not be the same, but it gives you a good sense of the cost of drying clothes and keeping your computer on. Just go to the site, then go to "How much do your appliances cost to run".

http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/light/accounts/stretchyourdollar/

Enjoy your savings

Theresa

Scamming the scammer

I just don't know how people believe these emails that they get they are one of the lucky ones selected to win some big prize. Common sense people. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.


"....Nigeria is still ranked as one of the most corrupt countries on earth. U.S. citizens lose approximately $2 billion ($2,000 million) a year to Nigerian fraud -- be it credit card fraud, insurance fraud, or 419 scam letters, or counterfeiting," which totals about "two and one-half times the value of our total U.S. exports to Nigeria.""

Now have some fun reading the email back and forth between the scam artists and the victims. They are too funny!!! http://www.bustedupcowgirl.com/scampage.html

Theresa

Who wants to be a millionaire

Okay I doubt that I will ever be on the that show :(
I would like to have decent nestegg and say that I am a millionaire one day.... going to be a few years away.

Use the calculator to see when you will become one!

http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/millionaire/millionaire.html

Target Markdowns!!

Woo hoo shopping alert!!

On January 7th, all remaining holiday merchandise is marked down 90%. This is a great time to get some stocking stuffers, teacher gifts and all of those other little gifts for next year that you will need to buy. Happy shopping!

Enjoy your savings!

Theresa

Feeling the pinch!

Dear Hubby's work just switch his pay schedule. He has been paid weekly for years and now only gets paid every other week. I completely forgot about that and am pinching pennies until next Thursday. I do have a commission check coming in within the next day or so... hopefully that will come and I can breathe a sigh of relief. I was hopping to do a huge grocery shopping trip this week but since my pantry is pretty full we are okay with basic. I also have plenty of chicken and ham in the freezer. Several mini pork sirlion as well that I can throw in the crockpot Just maybe need to get some milk, fruit and veggies.

I am also going to have to work on a new budget. We have been getting paid on weekly basis for years now.

Enjoy your savings
Theresa

Dave Bach author of Start Late Finish Rich

Dave Bach will be on the CBS early show Wed, Thurs and Friday this week.

So over the next three days, The Early Show, with the help of financial expert David Bach, will be discussing ways to spend less, save more and make up for lost time.

On Wednesday, Bach who is the author of "Start Late, Finish Rich" shares how to Spend Less. On Thursday, he will discuss how to Save More and on Friday he will conclude this series with ideas on how to Earn More.

Check out David Bach newest book Start Late, Finish Rich : A No-Fail Plan for Achieving Financial Freedom at Any Age

Dr Phil's money makeovers

Dr Phil had Money Makeovers on his show Monday! A great show and some real kicking butt. Check out the transcripts for the makeovers.

Money Makeovers

America's consumer debt is more than the total revenue of Canada. Are you in debt? Is your spending out of control? Make money management your New Year's resolution! Dr. Phil and financial expert Elizabeth Warren author of The Two-Income Trap: Why Middle-Class Parents are Going Broke
show you how.


http://www.drphil.com/show/show.jhtml?contentId=3075_moneymakeover.xml

7 Steps to getting out of Debt

Hello and Welcome!

In this week's issue Living on a Budget in a Non Budget World
Newsletter
Money Saving Tips
Featured Article 7 steps for getting out of Debt
Top Conversations on the Money Saving Forums
Freebie and Contest Alerts
The Frugal Five
Frugal Recipes-Soup is good food!
Money in the News Retirement planning



Read this issue at:

Frugal Living Newsletter

Enjoy! Best of luck in your savings

Theresa