meal planning and my kitchen staples

our November WAHM of the month mentioned how important it is for her to plan meals and go grocery shopping with a list in hand. i couldn't agree more, having been, for most of my adult life, one of those people who has to go to the store every time i want to cook dinner (sometimes even more than once). now that we are busier with work and parenting, and cost and nutrition have both moved up on our priority list, we try to sit down every weekend and make a menu-grocery list combination. when i am feeling adventurous, i look for inspiration from food & wine, real simple, and parents magazine. when i am more focused on cost-cutting, i sit down with the grocery store circulars and plan around what is on sale. i have also found that, in order to get help with the actual cooking part, i have to get hubby to sit down and work on the menu with me. otherwise, we either end up with a menu of all "my" recipes that he, of course, couldn't even try to duplicate or my selection of "his" recipes that he doesn't "feel like" making.

of course, the organized menu planning and grocery shopping don't always happen. so i also try to keep a few staples on hand that can be put together into a quick, easy and (moderately) healthy meal.

• chicken, any cut, can be taken straight from the freezer and boiled and shredded. then you can saute it with taco seasoning, wrap it up and bake with enchilada sauce, or mix it in to a salad (some of my faves include cold peanut, chicken, cucumber and soba noodles and chinese chicken salad).
• fish is also one of our staples because it thaws very quickly (10-15 minutes in cold water). we use salmon for pan-searing (try it with creamy dill sauce, honey and soy glaze, or a raspberry reduction). mahi mahi is great for fish tacos with mango salsa, and cod is good for curry (or use prepared sauce in a jar for a really quick meal).
• boca burgers are frozen and can be prepared just as well in the microwave.
• frozen skillet meals (try bertolli or bird's eye) are inexpensive (around $6-$10 for family size) and super fast and easy but often high in calories, fat and sodium, although i think they are still better than fast food. adding in frozen veggies or some greens (spinach, chard, etc.) is an easy way to make them healthier and more balanced.

we'd love to hear your favorite quick and easy dinners, especially those that can come out of the freezer or pantry when you're in a pinch.

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keeping it all in perspective

my mom once told me, while i was complaining about the various little difficulties in my life, that if my problems could be solved with money, then i should consider myself very lucky. i've always been fortunate to be comfortable, financially, and i certainly don't want to minimize the challenges faced by those who struggle to meet their basic needs. but what my mom said really made me re-think how i spend money and why i try to save money.

because i am an economist by training, let me explain in economic terms: the opportunity cost of buying/doing something is what i give up in order to buy/do that thing. everything has an opportunity cost and, in most cases, it is not just a monetary cost. for example, you might think of the opportunity cost of getting take-out for dinner as just the $25 that could be spent on something else. but, in fact, the full opportunity cost would be less, because i "save" the time i would've spent cooking and cleaning and the marital strife caused by arguing with hubby about who makes dinner more and who should've made dinner today.

so, now, if something is really bothering me, and i can use money to resolve the issue, instead of assuming that i can't afford it, i think about what purchases i would have to forgo and whether i want those things more than i want this particular problem to go away. next time you have to make a decision about what to buy or what to do with your precious time, try taking a moment to reflect on what you are really giving up and what you are really gaining, and see if that gives you a little different perspective.

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My 18 uses for Dr. Bronner's Soap

Many people wonder what the 18 uses are that are mentioned on the Dr. Bronner's liquid soap label. I don't know all of the uses that the doctor had in mind, but here are mine.

1. Hand Soap. Dilute with water and fill a foaming hand soap dispenser (thanks, joyce).
2. Counter Top Spray. Dilute in spray bottle, clean the kitchen as you go!
3. Floor Spot cleaner. I don't clean the whole floor with it, but it works great for little messes in between cleanings.
4. Face wash. I like the Tea Tree for my face. Beware: if you don't have oily skin, you may find it too drying.
5. Body Wash. I like the foaming dispenser in the shower too, but a wash cloth works well.
6. Body Scrub. I love this so much, you can read why here.
7. Baby Wipe Solution. I use a jar that holds about 25 ounces. Put in 1 Tbsp. aloe vera gel and 1 Tbsp. olive oil, fill with hot water and shake until gel is dissolved. Top off with water and 1Tbsp. Dr. Bronner's and swirl around to mix. Pour it over your cloth baby wipes. I use the baby mild soap for this. Don't shake to mix the soap because it will get too foamy.
8. Baby Wash. Don't get it in your baby's eyes. I got it in my eyes once and it doesn't feel good.
9. Hand-wash Wool Soakers. Wool soakers are covers for cloth diapers, for those of you who are wondering.
10. Laundry Stain Remover. Works great, but I did have to treat twice on marinara sauce.

The following are uses I haven't tried yet but am planning to:

1. Dog Wash.
2. Car Wash.
3. Face Scrub.
4. Make-up Brush Cleaner.

A few uses that are a good idea but don't work for me:

1. Shampoo.
2. Laundry Soap.
3. Toothpaste.
4. Dish Soap.

How many more can you come up with?

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Seven Ways to Cut Everyday Costs

Considering the state of the economy and the impending holiday season, I thought this might be a good time to share some of the ways my family cuts costs year round. Some of these started as ways to be a little more eco-friendly and ended up being big money savers, some were adopted strictly to save money.

1. Don't buy convenience food. This takes practice, I haven't perfected it yet. You have to plan your meals ahead and make sure some of them are quick and easy to prepare. My 4 year old helps me make a big batch of granola bars from scratch each week for snacks. We don't buy anything that is packaged in individual serving sizes.
2. Buy in bulk. We have a grocery store with a huge bulk section and the prices are amazing. Some of the things I buy in bulk: Three types of flour, Three types of sugar, All spices, Pasta, Rice, Nuts, Oats, Dried fruit, Chocolate chips, Yeast, Baking soda, Waffle/pancake mix(could make my own, but it's so cheap in bulk!), Parmesan cheese. That's just what I can think of off the top of my head. Most of our time in the grocery store is spent here.
3. Don't go to or rent movies. We do go to the $2 movie theater in our city once in a while, they usually have movies right before they go to DVD. Other than that we know our tastes pretty well and just buy the movies we want to see.
4. Be a one car family. The obvious savings here are the basic ownership costs of a second vehicle. The bonus savings are that when the kids and I get bored we can't just jump in the car and go buy our way out of boredom. We never feel stranded at home because if we want to make plans my husband can always take the bus to work, leaving us with the car.
5. Reward kids with playtime instead of treats. If our kids can be semi-agreeable when we are out running errands we let them play on the climbing toy at Target (our Target is at the mall). Bribing them with a chance to play on the train is just as effective as bribing them with a toy and is totally free. We do all of our errands in one day and it is a lot to ask of the kids so some kind of bribe is usually necessary.
6. Use cloth whenever possible. We use cloth diapers and napkins. Paper towels are only used for doggy accidents; dishrags or rags are used for all other messes. We save the cost of the products and we make fewer trips to the store so fewer impulse purchases.
7. Use less laundry detergent. I had read this tip many times but I was a little scared to do it. What if my clothes weren't clean? How would I know? In hopes of not letting detergent build up in our diapers I finally tried it. I was not looking forward to taking a big whiff of what had been a poopy diaper only an hour ago. I had used a little less than half the recommended amount and my diapers smelled fresh! I use that amount on every load of laundry now.

These are some of the changes we've made that have had the biggest impact on our monthly budget. I'd love to hear some of your cost-cutting ideas in the comments, I'm always looking for ways to save!

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minty body scrub and homemade alternative

I recently splurged on the most wonderful body scrub! Bigelow Mentha Smoothing Body Buffer feels cool and smells refreshingly minty. It's a great wake up after a late night with my little teether. I also love that I can smell it on my husband from across the room for a little while after showering. With two people using it daily it will definitely go fast. The thing is, I am now addicted but don't want to buy a new tube every couple of weeks. The cost and all the plastic tubes going in the trash are both turn-offs. Today I mixed a little sugar and some Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap to try making my own version. It worked great! I don't want to make too much at a time because I don't know how it will last, but I think I'll start with a week's worth and see how it goes. Will the soap dissolve the sugar if I make a big batch and let it sit? For my test batch I just used as much sugar as I thought it would take for one shower and stirred in a little soap at a time until I got the consistency I was looking for. The bonus is that the store-bought one says to follow with body wash and the homemade version has the soap right in it, so one less step in the morning. I highly recommend the body lotion from Bigelow to keep the peppermint tingle going a little longer!

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