Leftovers, we all have them sometimes. The question is what to do with them and how to use them to our advantage to save money?
There is always Freezer Soup, which is a container stored in the freezer, which is used to hold leftovers until the container is full and then made into soup later at a later date.
My Grandmother, who grew up in the Great Depression, did this and my Dad wasn't a fan. She used to say that he had "champagne tastes on a beer budget". LOL
However, there are multiple ways to use up leftovers and make them taste good, but sometimes it takes a little bit of creativity.
First off, leftovers can be saved for another meal. I can't tell you how many times I have come home, tired from work, and was grateful to have leftovers in the refrigerator. Only having to heat up dinner in the microwave on a hard day is very welcome here.
One of the tricks I used to do with leftover meatloaf is to chop it up and use it in spaghetti the next day. And you can make all sorts of casseroles with leftover taco meat.
If you have leftover chili, you can made chili tacos or chili pie. Chili pie consists of chili, placed in a casserole dish, with cornbread batter baked on top of it. My Mother served this a lot back when she was raising our family.
Potato Pancakes are another good way to use up leftover mashed potatoes. All is takes is two cups of potatoes, an egg, 1/4 cup flour, some grated onion or onion powder, salt & pepper. Then cook like you would pancakes in a skillet.
Hash is another good and frugal way to use up leftovers. Onions, peppers, potatoes, and or any leftover meat can be used to make a really good meal. You'll be saving money by using up your leftovers and avoiding food waste.
Any food thrown out is money already spent and then wasted. Do your best to use up everything you buy and that will save you the most money.
By stretching the food you already have and making a meal out of leftovers you will be adding one more meal to your monthly menu that you didn't have to spend any money towards and that's a good thing.
Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~
2019
Happy New Year
Happy New Year to all my friends/readers. I'm grateful to all of you for the camaraderie we shared in 2018 and I'm looking forward to even more of it in 2019.
My wish for you is to have the best year ever with new goals and achievements, loaded with happiness and filled with success. Bailey and I have big plans for this year and our hope for you is that the plans you have come true too.
Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~
Green Smoothies are a great way to get more nutrients into your diet. These nutrients help to activate our immune system's repair mechanisms using the phytochemicals in the food, which helps our body repair the damage from toxins and aging.
According to Dr. Fuhrman, blending the greens help to pulverize the cell walls of the plant food. This makes the phytochemicals more beneficial, which maximizes nutrient absorption.
A basic smoothie recipe might include the following ingredients:
2 cups greens
1 cup frozen fruit
1 ripe banana
1 & 1/4 cups liquid
2 TBSP seeds (if using)
Any other additions
You can save money with green smoothies by using up fruit that is on the verge of spoiling. It's a great way to use up bananas.
In my smoothie today I'm using greens that were bought on markdown, and includes kale, swiss chard, and spinach.
Other things I include in my smoothies are Beet Boost, Matcha, and Wheat Grass powder because my research leads me to believe that these items will only increase the nutrients I put into my body.
Somedays I use other fruit as it depends on what I have on hand. Seeds are also good to add to your smoothies. Chia, flax, and hemp seeds are good examples.
The liquid I used today was pineapple juice and water. Some days I like to use cooled green tea, which also boosts the nutrients.
Starting my day with a green smoothie helps to keep my energy levels high and fuels my body with the nutrients it needs.
Do you include green smoothies as part of your diet? If so, I would love to hear about it in the comment section.
Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~
Financially speaking, we're probably in different places. If we're on the same pace that's great, but even if we're not we can learn so much from each other.
You may or may not need the frugal living tips that I share, but like we used to say on the old AOL Tightwad board, take what you can and leave the rest. Learning from each other is how we will grow the most financially.
If you're looking to make changes financially in 2019, make this the year that you invest your time learning new ways to save money and really learn about frugal living. A new year can be your fresh start and all you have to do is take the first step.
Read blogs, websites, and books about frugal living. Join one or more of the hundreds of frugal living groups on Facebook. Check out movies and books from your library on the topic.
Although we may already know many of the frugal tips that are shared, rereading them will help you to stay motivated in the new year. I know many of my friends reread the Tightwad Gazette every year for inspiration.
Some of my goals for the new year are repeated from years past and for the new year include:
- Buying only what I truly need
- Living within my means
- Increasing my income and savings
- Avoiding consumerism
- Living debt free
One of my goal's for many years was to avoid consumerism. When I did go into a store this year for Christmas even I was surprised at how many things I saw that I hadn't seen before. That's what staying out of the stores will do for you. :)
What are some of your goals for 2019?
Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~
Here are the kitties lined up one morning this week patiently waiting on breakfast. From left to right is Miss Kitty, Salem, Sherloc, Simba, and Polk Dot.
Frugal things we've done this week:
- I returned several items of clothing that I'd ordered online instead of just letting them sit in my closet. I'll be looking for a refund in the future.
- One of my teacher friends gave me a jar of homemade apple butter.
- This year we skipped the gift giving at three of the holiday parties we attended. We didn't need another ornament, and we didn't need any knick knacks. We did buy for each other knowing what we truly needed and wanted.
- My daughter's extended family invited both of us to their family get together on Saturday. They were serving finger foods and we brought Tuna Pate, which the hostess always enjoyed when I made it.
Dinners this Week:
Friday: Hamburgers & Potato Chips
Saturday: Deconstructed Egg Rolls
Sunday:
Monday: Christmas Eve
Tuesday: Christmas
Wednesday: Leftovers
Thursday: Leftovers
Friday: Ham & Cheese Sliders, Carrot Sticks & Cukes with Ranch
Freebies This Week:
- Free Bagel from Panera
- 2 dozen eggs from Walmart & Coupons.com app
- Poinsettia
I was putting groceries in my car yesterday and this lady stopped and got out of her van and said she wanted me to have this poinsettia. It was such a sweet gesture on her part.
While I was at Kroger yesterday I picked up a two pound bag of cranberries for $2.00. Several yogurts marked down to 39¢, 49¢, and 59¢. I also picked up a box of greens marked down to $1.99 along with some marked down bananas for $1.10.
We also went to Walmart to look at the Christmas clearance. We had already eaten lunch, so none of the candy or baking items were appealing to either of us although we did pick up some of the mixed nuts.
We also bought bows and wrapping paper, which was all 50% off and my daughter picked up two Christmas decorations she has been wanting.
That's all there is to report from here this week. How was your week?
Belinda
~ Living within our Means ~
