A Nice and Frugal New Year's Resolution

Do you remember the movie Roadhouse with Patrick Swaze? We can discuss its cinematic genius another day, but if you saw the movie, you know that Patrick told his new bar staff to "just be nice" when escorting out the riffraff. He was so cool in his niceness - suave even. He was never unkind when drunks were hitting on the ladies or the bartender was hitting the till. He was always nice.

The Cooler...oh yeah.

As the new year approaches, many of us will begin thinking of resolutions we can make.  Maybe you want to lose 25 pounds. Perhaps you will resolve to stop smoking or exercise more. This could be the year you decide to leave the job you hate or go into business for yourself. All good resolutions, to be sure, but what if you resolved to be nicer?

I'm not talking Pollyanna stuff here. I mean honest to goodness kindness to your fellow man. How awesome would our world be if everyone just decided, "hey, I'm, not going to be a dick anymore!" Sounds oh so simple, doesn't it, but what if we did it? All people wake up on January 1st and are nice. I can hear the smirks of disbelief all the way to western Kentucky, but hear me out!

Do you know how much kindness costs? This is a frugality site, after all, so let's break it down. A wave of the hand costs how much? Nothing. A smile instead of judgment is free. A helping hand is a lot more fiscally sound than a kick in the nuts. Visiting a sick or elderly person isn't expensive, and reading to a small child will pay you dividends in years to come. So obviously, being nice is a good economic decision!

Do you know the best payment you'll receive? Being nice will make you happier. I swear. I write a blog on the InnerWebs, so I can't be wrong. If you don't believe me, science agrees with me.

How can you be nicer and become happier?

 Check out these ideas!

• Turn off negative news and stop believing everything you read. Nothing is more depressing than reading negativity all the time. It will suck the joy right out of you. Hit the comics!
• Put yourself in the shoes of someone else - just for a minute. Feel how they do and maybe, deep within you, you will find compassion you didn't know you  had.
• Volunteer! There are so many organizations that could use your special skills and smiles. Work in a food bank for a few days or with poor, hungry, tired children. See how humble you become, really fast.
• Check on your neighbors. Do you even know your neighbors? When I moved to this new city and state back in July, I was scared and alone. I knew no one in my whole town. Within a few days, I had received flowers and fresh veggies and knew the names of each person around me. I can't put a price tag on how happy that made me feel. Try it. 
• Spend more time with your family, especially your parents and the elder folks. One day they will be gone, and you will miss them madly. Let me repeat this: Spend time with your parents. Bury old grievances. When they are gone, it simply will not matter anymore, and all you will be left with is how much you miss them.

I'm sure you can add to this list, and I would love to hear your ideas! Share your nice ideas in the comment section below.

Happy New Year!

Amanda Z

Domesticology

P.S. Don't pay for someone's coffee in the Starbucks line when you're trying to be nice. Trust me, if they are in that line, they don't need your money. Donate it to a women's shelter or at-risk youth center instead.

Are you a brand ho?

When I was in sixth grade, I wanted nothing more than to wear Izod shirts. You know the ones. They were little golf-type shirts with a tiny alligator on the breast. Anyone who was anyone wore Izod, and me being a normal 11 year old girl, wanted to fit in. Unfortunately for me, there was no way in HELL my mom and dad would pay that much for a kid's shirt.

It looked a lot like this!

 One day, Providence favored me and I found an Izod shirt in a bag of hand me down clothes my mom had gotten out of the Salvation Army box. Sadly, it fit a man of about 6'3" and 240 pounds. Not to be swayed from my goal, I found a plain navy blue polo style shirt that fit me and attempted to affix the alligator to it (I pulled it off of the big man's shirt. Clever, yes?). The next day I went to school and proudly sported my real Izod shirt. I'm 44 and still suck at sewing. Imagine my skills as an 11 year old. By lunch, the alligator's mouth was pulling away from the shirt and by end of the day, it was in my book bag. It took weeks to live that one down.                                                                                    

Now that I'm older and have lived a bit, I'm no longer a brand ho. I admit there were times I felt like only a brand name would do, but living frugally has taught me one thing - store brands are almost always as good as the name brands. Not everything qualifies, but here are a few items which do:

• Sodas: Store brand sodas taste pretty darn close to the originals for a fraction of the price. If you have to buy pop, and you shouldn't because they are bad for you, at least save money on store brands while giving yourself diabetes.

• Clothing: Most department stores carry their own in-house brand of clothing. You can get their store brand undergarments, jeans, shirts, professional wear, etc. all for a fraction of designer prices. Don't be like me and try to trick your friends...unless you sew better than I do. 

• Baby diapers:  Yes you can buy organic, gluten free, GMO free diapers (sunshine included) and wrap your baby's butt in unicorn skin, but why? It's a diaper. It's designed to catch poop. I use cloth most of the time (don't faint), but I need disposables occasionally. Target brand is awesome. I have also used Kroger and Lowes Food brand. Guess what? The poop was caught by all of them. 

• Baby Formula: This one I cannot reiterate enough. If you cannot nurse and must bottle feed as I have had to do, please consider spending your money on less expensive formula. If you are not on a special formula prescribed by your doc, you are spending too much! Infant formula is protected under the Infant Formula Act. Baby food is one of the most regulated things on the planet. Save your money and get store brand. I am using Target brand, and my little man is fat and sassy!

• Pretty much any item in the grocery store: Milk, eggs, canned veggies, creamy soups (which you should have for cooking at all times!), paper towels, toilet paper, etc.

You get the idea! There are so many things you can purchase that stretches your money. Ask yourself why am I buying the name brand shite? Is it because it's better quality or do I just assume it is? Do I want to make a corporation richer or me?

The money I have saved just this year alone is mind boggling. I've saved around $600 just on baby formula!   Don't be a slave to the Brand. If you start adding store brands to your shopping list, you'll see your savings grow too.


Note:  I'm willing to use a lot of off brand items, but my Kate Spade purse, however, is not up for discussion. Sometimes, you just have to go for the goods! :)


Amanda Z
Domesticology

Don't throw your food...away, that is!

I'm know we all remember when we were young, our mothers convinced us to eat every morsel on our plate with the tried and true assertion that, "there are starving children in Africa!" I'm sure there were, Mom, but I'm fairly certain they couldn't eat what was on my plate - whether I threw it away or not.

We Are the World

But mom was on to something. Throwing away food, specifically leftovers, is almost criminal.  In a world where so many have so little, it is just wrong.  Okay, if I'm really honest, I don't throw food away because I'm a cheap bitch. We all know it.  The day I'm rich enough to throw away food means I'm too damn rich! (Can you be too rich? Thoughts for another day...)

If you read yesterday's blog, you will have seen that we made a tasty brisket for supper over the holidays. After eating it with root vegetables for a day or so, I added a bag of frozen veggies (remember you always have veggies in your freezer!) and let it simmer into a stew and put it over rice. That was also yummy, but you can only eat that for a day or so. I left it in my fridge for a total of ten days...yes ten - don't judge...and pulled it out again yesterday.We cooked it down even more, reducing the liquid and hopefully killing any bacteria. It smelled and tasted fine. Then we put it into a casserole dish and topped it with rosemary, cumin and fluffy homemade mashed potatoes. We popped it into the oven, and voila! We had a beautiful Sheppard's pie!

No waste! Brisket is now Sheppard's Pie!

Before you throw that food away, think to yourself, does it still have some life in it? Can I make it into something yummy? Is it blue (if so, trash immediately!)?

Have a great day and go forth and be frugal!

Amanda Z
Domesticology

It's almost a new year!

Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah! Joyous Kwanzaa! A very happy season's greetings to you all! Hope this holiday season was all you hoped it would be and more. Not only was my season plentiful, now too is my rump. I swear I gained 10 pounds this year! Mama gotta exercise more and eat less once all the yummy treats are out of the fridge.

Yes, I could throw the treats out and start my exercise routine early, but no. Just  no. That is the bad thing about being a good cook. Your butt shows it. In the words of my husband, "Never trust a skinny chef!" Besides, if I start my healthy lifestyle now, how can I make any cool resolutions to break in a few days? I'll just stick to tradition and wait until January 1st like the rest of the world!

*Beef brisket cooked slowly in a red wine tomato broth with root vegetables. 

Most yummy meal of the holiday!

Like many of you, I enjoy decorating this time of year. There is nothing more lovely than the house decked and the smell of good cooking in the air. But now that Santa has come and gone, it is time to de-Christmas.  I have a strict holiday schedule to which we adhere.  October 1st, and all my Halloween/Fall items come out. The spooky items come down the day after Halloween, although I leave the Autumn decorations up until Thanksgiving day. Thanksgiving decorations come out the day after Halloween.  Christmas tree and decorations come out on Thanksgiving night. While I love my house decorated, it must come down the day after Christmas. Not that I'm a super neat freak or anything, but I must have a clean house for the new year.

Here are some fun tips to make your new year bright and your house less boring:

• After we take down the Christmas decorations, we change the location of where we put our normal decorating items (candles, wreaths, vases, what-nots, plants, etc). 
• Rearrange your living room. If you rearrange and change your decorating, it feels like you're in a new house.
• Do you have a spare bedding set? If so, switch them out so you don't get tired of the same bedding. Plus it will extend the life of it.
• Update your dining room table. I keep mine decorated with plates, napkins, tablecloth, etc all year long. I change it out at least four times a year. I find that it changes the look of my house and keeps me less bored. Since I'm home all day, we don't want me to get bored.

The possibilities are endless!

*My Spring table setting. I know, I need to iron the tablecloth!  I found that old vase in my garage and made a new flower arrangement with the silk flowers I had and some moss I was holding onto. I bought the linens at Kohls last year when they clearanced their home goods. Great savings!

• Put a decoration on your door that promotes the season. I have one for Autumn, Halloween, Thanksgiving and Spring. I need to make a new wreath that is wintery, but not Christmasy. Right now, my Spring wreath must suffice.

You may wonder why we spend so much time on decorating the house. Well, your house is where you spend a great deal of your time. I think it's worth it to make the effort to transform it into a happy, warm, aesthetically pleasing place. No one wants to sit in a house that doesn't make them happy!

Whatever you do to mark the passage of one year to the next, I hope you make this next year your very best one yet. Much love from my family to yours!

Fondly,

Amanda Z

Domesticology

When you're about to go nuts, make peanut butter!

Anyone who has ever parented realizes that some days feel longer than others. Some days, you look at your little one and think, if I hear Beep Beep Beep Beep, Riding in my Automobileeeeeeeee one more time, I might snap. That super cute toy that plays the catchy little tune suddenly feels a bit like Chinese water torture, and one good hurl could find it in the middle of the street. You all know of what I speak.

Even if you haven't parented, you've probably had a sucktastic day and need some down time. Perhaps a coworker is driving you nuts or your husband is on his man-period. Whatever the issue, you need to do something to relieve the tension!

So what do you do?

My solution is wine...just kidding. Kind of. Actually, when life gets tough, few things invigorate the spirit quite like exercise. I know, I know. That requires you changing into clean yoga pants, and let's be clear, the ones you have on are dirty because of spilled baby food -  not yoga. In fact, it's safe to say, my yoga pants have NEVER seen an actual yoga class. I'm pretty proud of this record, and I'm not keen on breaking it.

So here is my list of exercises I feel aren't excruciatingly boring:

Zumba

I'm going to plug it for the simple reason, most anyone can do it, and it's FUN. Remember those days in the club when you were young and shook your bad booty with reckless abandon? Yep, Zumba is a lot like that.  Once you figure out how to do the steps, you will be dancing like a pro!

*Image from imacookiefiend.com

There are classes in almost every community and every skill level. In my community, the library even offers a class for seniors. So what if I go!?  The point is, find a class you like and shake it! If you can't find a class or just don't feel like moving your butt like J-Lo in front of others, go to www.youtube.com and find classes folks have uploaded and do it in your living room. Just a hint from someone who has taught and taken about 5 million classes, DO NOT WEAR NEW SNEAKERS (on carpet especially)! The best shoes for Zmba have a slick bottom so you can turn with ease. 

Running, not walking. 

I know what you're thinking...running is hard. Yes, it is. But walking is boring as hell to me. The only exception is if I'm walking in a beautiful area. I also like strolling the baby and walking with friends, but as for just heading out the front door and going for a walk, I find it boring. Perhaps that's just me, and if you love it and it brings you peace, please continue!  I'm thrilled that my body can walk, but it's mostly a snooze fest. Remember if you're walking for health and weight loss, you probably need to pick up the pace. If you're walking like you're checking out the dollar section at Target, you're probably going too slow. I will say that when I was running regularly, I was at the lowest weight of my life and felt the best. Nothing, and I mean nothing, beats a runner's high!

*Courtesy of Pinterest

Outdoor Stuff

One of my favorite ways to exercise is to work on my yard. I love to mow, rake, weed, etc. Not only do I get a pretty yard, I feel amazing.  There is something about breathing fresh air and working up a sweat that makes me at peace with the world.  If you don't have a yard to maintain, go for a hike. How is a hike different than a walk?

Hike
noun

1. A really fun walk in a neat area that is not boring nor lame

Walk
noun

1. A boring excursion on foot that is sometimes lame

(definitions may not be accurate)


If you've ever taken a true hike in rugged country, there is nothing like it. You don't even care that your calves are burning. The scenery is gorgeous and you are happy to be alive. Look at me! After a nice long hike, we did the steps at Chimney Rock, NC. 

Don't I look happy?

So to sum all this up, exercise is not quite as good as drinking for curing what ails you...

...but it's damn close! Get moving and feel better!

Amanda Z

Domesticology 

Beautiful Soup!

"Beautiful soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful Soup!
Beau--ootiful Soo--oop! Beau--ootiful Soo--oop!
Soo--oop of the e--e--evening, Beautiful, beautiful Soup"

- Lewis Carroll

Unless you're one of those fortunate folks that lives in warmer climates, there is a good chance it's cold where you are! Nothing warms the bones quite like soup. Soup is delicious and one of the most frugal meals you can make. Normally, you can make it with whatever you have on hand. There are four basic components to soup...five if you count spicing! The best part about soup is that it is super easy to make, and anyone can become a master by following the guidelines below.

Step one: The base

Is it a chicken, vegetable or beef stock base? Are you adding cream to it? I always have bouillon cubes on hand to make the base. Sure you can buy the organic shite in the box, but it doesn't taste a whole lot different and lightens your wallet without adding value to your meal. Instead of buying bouillon cubes near the boxes and cans of stock, I normally visit the Latin section of my grocery store and buy the Knorr brand en Espanol! In my local Kroger, I can get a box of Knorr bouillon cubes for .77. That's a huge savings over the $1.50/can of broth.  NOTE: The cow means it's beef. The chicken means it's...well, chicken.

Step two: Meat (or skip this if you're vegetarian)

In another blog, I'll teach you about saving money on meat. For now, know that my freezer is always stocked with various meats, and I almost never run out. Since I buy it all on sale and repackage it for convenience, it's easy to pick one from the freezer and throw it in the microwave to defrost. 

Step three: The guts (The BEST part of the soup if you ask me!)

Once you've decided on a base and meat (if applicable), then you need the "guts." This can be any of the following and probably somethings I've forgotten!!!

• White rice
• Brown rice
• Wild rice
• Gnocchi
• Egg noodles
• Pasta
• Potato
• Lentils
• Black Beans
• Kidney Beans

The list is endless! Be brave and creative!

Step four: Veggies

I simply cannot make a soup without adding vegetables. It makes the soup richer and tasty. Using fresh vegetables is fine, but don't shy away from using frozen. Besides being convenient, they are very inexpensive. By keeping a mixture of vegetables on hand at all times, you're a lot more likely to eat them. I buy these bags from Kroger for a dollar and use them as needed. Sometimes I need the whole bag - other times, I just sprinkle a bit out and put the rest back in the freezer. 

Step five: Spices

My husband would argue this is the most important part of the soup. The wrong spicing (or lack of it) can ruin your supper! Don't be afraid to spice!!!! Use spices you've never used before. Break out of the box and go hot with some red pepper flakes. Good spicing also means you'll use less salt, which is always a good thing. I would also recommend having a good spice blend on hand. I keep the "No Salt" blend found at Big Lots. It's a dollar a container and has amazing flavor. 

Make that Soup!

Now that you know what goes into a good soup, it's time to make some decisions. Look in your cupboards, freezer, refrigerator and cabinets and decide what you're in the mood for and what you have on hand. 

You cannot screw this up. You really can't.

Tips:

• 
  
• It tastes better if some veggies are sauteed first - onions, carrots, celery, potatoes. Add spices to the mix while you do so
• If you're using meat, you may want to brown it a bit at first also. This allows you to deglaze the pan and keep all those yummy flavors in your soup
• Next, add your broth and allow to simmer.
• Don't cook your soup on high! You don't want your veggies mush and your meat tough
• Now it's time for the guts. Depending on what you chose as your "gut" means that you may add it sooner rather than later (ex. Wild rice takes longer to cook than gnocchi) 
• Make sure you taste your broth for spiciness. If it tastes bland, add more!
• Allow your soup to simmer until everything is done and the flavor is perfect!

Happy soup making!

Amanda Z
Domesticology 

I'm Frugal - Not Cheap! Okay, Maybe A Little Cheap

“Why are you such a cheap bitch, Amanda?” I’m often asked. Well, everything I know about being frugal, I owe to my dear old dad. My God was he cheap. Daddy was a cheap one, no question. Looking back on his cheapitude, it’s epic. It’s monumental. Nay, it is awe inspiring. Momma was almost as cheap, but Daddy won the prize.

My parents never made much money, but they could squeeze a penny until it cried. We used fans instead of air conditioning for most of my childhood. When we finally got a window unit, we would crank it up until you could hang meat safely in our living room, then covered up with blankets. I’m sure this is why I now freeze most of the time. I’m damaged. We used a wood stove for heat, and it was never lit over night. You might burn the house down and that was a waste of resources. Just use more blankets!  There is nothing quite like waking up at 4:45 am (because, that’s when my parents made me get up) and stepping out of bed into a toasty 34 degree room.  Once your feet hit the floor, you ran to the front of the house which is where the heater was and snuggled as close as you could to get warm.

You may have images of a nice wood fireplace crackling with the burning of dried oak, but that wouldn’t be accurate. Daddy worked for a building supply company, and they allowed him to take home all the little scraps and leftover pieces of wood. That was our wood supply. Nice treated lumber. No, it didn’t hurt me one bit. Cough. Cough.

We had cable, but Daddy hated paying the cable company. So he canceled it and purchased our lovely, white, monstrosity of a satellite dish that sat like a soviet era monument in the back yard. It was massive, and it never worked.  I can remember running outside and cranking that thing in an attempt to reach some network – any network. All we ever picked up was old movies and skin flicks. I saw more boobs that year than any ten year old should see. That was a welcome change from the fleeting glimpses of T&A you could see on the scrambled Playboy channel on real cable. No, I didn’t sit there and try to make out a couple having sex. Never. Ever.

But that was just one of Daddy’s schemes to save money. All of our light fixtures had miniature fluorescents in them like our kitchen did. We used solar panels to heat our water. I was strongly discouraged from flushing the TP because it might stop up the pipe, and it wasted water. Yeah, that was not a great plan. I guess I should be happy we even had indoor plumbing. My sister is twenty years older than me, and when she was a teen, the county condemned my parent’s house until Daddy installed indoor plumbing. This was not colonial times. It was the late 60’s. Indoor water closets had taken off by them. I won’t even discuss the year we bought a ton of Sir Anthony James (like Amway, but not as popular) household products to get a free microwave.

I reiterate…he was a cheap one.

Amanda Z

Domesticology 

Welcome to Domesticology 101!!!

Almost seven years ago, I met the man of my dreams. He was starting his post-doc in North Carolina when we fell in love. He warned me that his time in Raleigh was temporary, and if we were to have a future together, we would someday move. Being in love (lust...whatever), I said yes with glistening stars in my eyes. He was hot and smart. Can you blame me?

Holy poop balls, he was serious! 

Earlier this year, he told me he had been offered a job in Western Kentucky. There are people there? I asked. Apparently so, and one FINE university. So feeling a little bit like Granny Clampett, we loaded up the truck(s) and moved to Ken-Tuck-EEE. The best part was I was just a week postpartum when he told me this (good timing, Dr. Z), and getting used to being a mommy again at the age of 44. Last time I had a baby, Clinton was president. Go ahead and do the math. It's been a long damn time!

Now I find myself leaving the wacky world of Real Estate and becoming a full time SAHM (that's stay at home mom in baby message board lingo), and I'm loving it! Is it without challenges? Nope, but that is why this blog was created. I needed an outlet to share my ideas and to have a project. I always need a project - I'm weird like that. Maybe something I blog about here will help someone else. 

One of the main opportunities - sounds better than challenges, right? - was to find creative ways to save money. Frugality is going to be a main focus of this site, and you can be sure I'll post every method I've found to save a penny and be the cheap bitch I am. If you like being frugal, this site may be for you!

Not only that, I'm channeling my inner Martha Stewart - praise her domestic goddess name. The Holy One, Martha, is a domestic genius. I can only hope that I can live up to her brilliance. Cooking and baking, decorating and entertaining have always been hobbies of mine. Now for the first time in my life, I actually have time to grow those skills. 

Hopefully you'll find this blog useful! 

Fondly,

Amanda Z 

Domesticology