Poverty Party

Post a Comment

Comment by Anita on February 23, 2010 at 11:15am

Jack in the Box is offering free grilled sandwiches -- a turkey, bacon cheddar or deli trio -- today with the purchase of a large soft drink. It's not exactly a free lunch, but it could suit a starving student's budget.

Comment by Anita on February 15, 2010 at 4:48pm

Food you throw away is no bargain, but neither is something that's no longer tasty, or, even worse, a health risk. Stilltasty.com is a great resource if you are ever uncertain about whether that package in the back of the fridge, freezer or pantry is still good.

Comment by Anita on February 14, 2010 at 5:08pm

Bi-Mart, just before Thanksgiving, had three cans for a dollar. It wasn't free-range or organic, or even a name brand, but it was cheap. And convenient. We stocked up the pantry.

An even better inexpensive option would be the turkey stock made after Thanksgiving. I still have a little left in the freezer.

I recently made risotto with some of my Thanksgiving turkey stock, roasted Hubbard squash (a gift from a generous green-thumbed neighbor) that was also in the freezer, sage (bought fresh for the turkey back in November, then dried what we didn't use) and bleu cheese crumbles (on sale at Safeway around the Super Bowl). It was a very inexpensive way to enjoy flavors that, too me, always taste like they could stand up in a good restaurant.

Comment by Mary McLean on February 14, 2010 at 9:02am

at 15 cents a cup, that would be about 30 cents for a can of broth. I don't really see these prices. I know this was written in the fall, around Thanksgiving, but I haven't seen broth that low.

Comment by Anita on November 18, 2009 at 3:16pm

I was talking up turnip greens in several of my other groups and wanted to spread the word here, too. (Turnips need advocates, too, and greens are the part that sometimes gets thrown away)

Last night I made a very tasty dinner, with enough left over for lunch today, of braised greens and pasta for about $2.

Chop and saute two slices of bacon (estimated cost 40 cents). Remove the bacon bits and saute half an onion (10 cents maybe) and two cloves of garlic (pennies, literally). Add the washed and chopped greens ( I estimate 60 cents, about a third of the value of the whole $2 bunch) Stir fry until the greens wilt, then add about 1 cup chicken stock (Canned stock is on sale right now, so 15 cents). Add cayenne and black pepper (pennies, again). Let the greens simmer while you cook about 8 ounces of pasta (half a box of mostaccioli on sale at Safeway for a dollar, 50 cents). When the pasta is done, toss with the greens, sprinkle with bacon and slivers of parmesan cheese (10 cents, tops) and more pepper.

Comment by Anita on June 20, 2009 at 4:27pm

Mrs. Clean Northwest also recommends 1 cup of white vinegar in 1 gallon of water for hardwood floors. Or try a strong brew of tea (5-20 tea bags in 2 quarts of water) to bring out the grain and add shine.

Comment by Anita on June 20, 2009 at 4:12pm

Here's a quick cleaning tip from Mrs. Clean Northwest, a Seattle-area cleaning service that has a Web site with advice.

Clean tile floors with a solution of 1 cup of rubbing alcohol in 2 gallons of water.

It seems like a good way to avoid harsh chemicals.

Comment by Anita on May 11, 2009 at 12:08pm

You are so right, Claire. Volunteering is a wonderfull, wallet-friendly way to get out and get involved. It's great to share your interests -- caring for pets, reading with kids, listening to music -- and can benefit you and the whole community.

Comment by Claire Krulikowski on May 9, 2009 at 5:51pm

Not only do I do this when I'm just feeling regular or great, I make a point of doing it when I'm feeling down -- I head over to the animal shelter to walk the dogs. They're the ones needing to keep their spirits up more than me, so it feels good to be there and all those dogs are great! (note: first you have to apply and go through volunteer training - about an hour, so call the Jackson County Animal Shelter and ask for information on being a FOTAS volunteer)

Comment by Anita on May 6, 2009 at 3:49pm

Today's Ala Carte section had more money saving tips. Brewing and food preservation are both fun ways to save money and get the good stuff.

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• Next ›
• Page