Make things go further, last longer tip

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frugalmom
Posts: 1710
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 10:52 pm

Re: Make things go further, last longer tip

Post by frugalmom »

chella52 wrote:Hi All,
Im a senior lady, live alone and on fixed income. Have a home and 3 dogs to take care of and it is a challenge.
Its hard to try to eat healthy on a budget and just one person so avoiding ready made cheap tv dinners is a big hurdle.
I actually have a canner and a seal a mealer machine. So when I can I can buy n bulk and store it in reasonable portions.
One thing I love is Juice! and I usually buy lite juice but I noticed the made from concentrate ones and the main differences was the water added.

So I tried buying full Juice and diluting it half with water, makes 2 out of 1...I keep it refrigerated and I have a large glass every evening before bed when I take my medications. It keeps fine, taste like the light versions and I save.
Just to add, I have double filtered water ...water filter on my home and then one on the faucet too so the water I use is very filtered. I have been doing this for 3 years now and it works out very well for me.
WELCOME to the forum, Chella52 and thanks for the tips! In my big family, if I let it they will drink one bottle/carton in one day! So I try to stretch it-the never ending bottle-lol! I even sometimes take the bottle and make my own so they think it is store bought(like Preston likes the sweet iced tea better than mine for some reason but it is too sweet to me so I dilute that).

This will be a good thread as everyone can contribute how they make things go further and last longer! Usually I like the powdered dishwashing detergent and laundry detergent so I can use only like a little bit (like a tablespoon and adjust according to size of laundry load). I think they must be phasing those dishwashing detergent out though bc hard to find now only one brand I found on the very bottom and Costco did not even have it-they are going towards the wrapped cakes of detergent which I don;t like bc it is a set amount.

I dilute shampoos and conditioner too(I usually use apple vinegar which is best to make your hair soft but that is diluted as well). Whatever I can stretch I do-foods to last especially-cut vegetabes at a diagonal paper thin gives you more and also meat slightly frozen at a diagonal paper thin produces much more-use that in a stirfry. Mainly meats I try to do more as a condiment. Like I made fajitas with onions and multi-colored bell peppers,tomatoes so lots of veggies and just a bit of meat. Fajitas at night and wraps for the kids for lunch the next day-stretched to give lunch to hubby(he took it as fajitas) as well.
rinty
Posts: 1919
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 3:54 am

Re: Make things go further, last longer tip

Post by rinty »

Ellen Marie I like your comment about veg cut on the diagonal and cut very thinly. So true !!!

We made a stir fry with our students recently and made a large pan , enough for all to have some lunch from what looked like very little to begin with. As you say we had carrots cut into ribbons, shaved ginger.......it also LOOKS very appetising when nicely cut.
blondeinbuffalo
Posts: 939
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:37 am

Re: Make things go further, last longer tip

Post by blondeinbuffalo »

on occasion we both like cranberry juice (ocean spray) and I will dilute it with club soda. fill short glass with ice, pour in club soda, a nice big splash of cranberry juice and I add a chunk of lime. tastes good and a pretty drink!

i have been spreading out my haircuts. going every 6 weeks vs 5 weeks. I have been growing it out so it is not as noticable as when I had very short hair.

I have been more aware of rotating my shoes and boots to air them out and get longer use out of them. same with sandals and I can not wait for sandal season to come back!

I also wash my clothes inside out and they seem to get less pills on them, and wear better.

thats about it for now! welcome to the forum! cj
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MackerelCat
Posts: 7262
Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:44 pm

Re: Make things go further, last longer tip

Post by MackerelCat »

When I make a baked good, I wrap up half of the finished product and put it in the freezer. My guys love homemade goodies so much that they'll plow through a whole pan of brownies in three days. "Hiding" some in the freezer means they'll last a week.
Mackie
rinty
Posts: 1919
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 3:54 am

Re: Make things go further, last longer tip

Post by rinty »

chella52 wrote:Hi All,
Im a senior lady, live alone and on fixed income. Have a home and 3 dogs to take care of and it is a challenge.
Its hard to try to eat healthy on a budget and just one person so avoiding ready made cheap tv dinners is a big hurdle.
I actually have a canner and a seal a mealer machine. So when I can I can buy n bulk and store it in reasonable portions.
One thing I love is Juice! and I usually buy lite juice but I noticed the made from concentrate ones and the main differences was the water added.

So I tried buying full Juice and diluting it half with water, makes 2 out of 1...I keep it refrigerated and I have a large glass every evening before bed when I take my medications. It keeps fine, taste like the light versions and I save.
Just to add, I have double filtered water ...water filter on my home and then one on the faucet too so the water I use is very filtered. I have been doing this for 3 years now and it works out very well for me.
Great tip !
blondeinbuffalo
Posts: 939
Joined: Fri Aug 28, 2015 5:37 am

Re: Make things go further, last longer tip

Post by blondeinbuffalo »

I am making burritos tonight for dinner, one pound of gr turkey seemed spare (as I want to builld in some leftovers) so I added some black beans. this stretchs out the meat and tastes good too. I also get my hair cut less often and get it done cheaper at Supercuts when they have a coupon. I am also back to diy dying my hair and that saves a lot! always do my own mani, pedi and once or twice a year I get the threading for my eyebrows when they look sloppy. cj
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