Sweet Poverty Flats

I was ready to post -- Another NO SPEND day when I came across this great article.

When I have used the word FRUGAL with my in-laws and other family members they make a face and say " like a cheapskate"

UGh !...
This article says it SO WELL.

Frugal Living: When Less Is More
By Josette Coppola

Frugal living sounds like a charitable way to describe the lifestyle of someone who is cheap, but it’s actually a term that can imply much more than simple economizing. Traditionally, the concept of thrifty living emphasized the financial streamlining that characterized efforts to save money solely for the sake of stockpiling or investing it. The ultimate aim was to gain the peace of mind offered by financial security or to accumulate a ready supply of cash for future uses or emergencies. Nowadays the idea expanded to include not only saving money but also conserving resources. The principles of frugal living today usually focus on establishing a way of life that does not glorify the pursuit of excess but instead encourages a respect for minimalism. Living thriftily is not a financial practice but a spiritual philosophy, one that gently but firmly insists that less is more.

Is Enough Ever Enough?
Some of us have a difficult time accepting the frugal attitude, and if we look around our world, we can understand why it violates our customary way of thinking about life. Everywhere we go, various forms of media from newspapers to television to the Internet bombard us with images and words, and the common message is one of conspicuous consumption. We are told in both subtle and overt ways that we should channel all our time, effort, and talent into acquiring as much money as we can and amassing as many possessions as our houses and garages can hold. Frugal living may seem like a bizarre concept in the face of all this rampant commercialism......

For more go to : www.lifescript.com

I was reading over some of the sidebar links over at LUCKY ROBINS blog and clicked on "all things frugal"

This article caught my attention.
Maybe it will give others something to think about,too.

.....
Alive and Present

by Steve Goodier

Architect Frank Lloyd Wright once told of a childhood incident that may have seemed insignificant at the time, but had a profound influence on the rest of his life. It happened when he was nine years old. It was winter. Young Frank was walking across a snow-covered field with his uncle. As the two of them reached the far end of the field, his uncle stopped him. He pointed out his own tracks in the snow, straight and true as an arrow's flight, and then young Frank's tracks meandering all over the field.

"Notice how your tracks wander aimlessly from the fence to the cattle to the woods and back again," his uncle said. "And see how my tracks aim directly to my goal. There is an important lesson in that."

Years later the world-famous architect liked to tell how this experience had greatly contributed to his life's philosophy. "I determined right then," he'd say with a twinkle in his eye, "not to miss most things in life, as my uncle had."

He determined to be alive and present. To be fully aware and squeeze as much life out of each moment as possible.

We will miss most things in life if we live in the past. Let us learn from the past, but not live there.

We will miss most things in life if we live in the future. Let us plan for the future, but not live there.

We will miss little if we live in the present. And we'll have more fun along the way!

Wednesday was a SUPER GOOD DAY for me.

I did not spend any money and did not use any gasoline, ( a NO DRIVING DAY, too)

Our afternoon temps are going above 100 degrees, so I guess I will SPEND money when the utility bill arrives.

I wanted to ask about food cost for families that have all the kids at home.

Do you have a garden or do you use lots of frugal recipes for the summer.

My DH seems to eat less because of the heat, but, seems to enjoy fresh fruit more in the summer months.

Going to PULL OUT my quart mason jar and count my dimes.

We have continued adding but little ole dimes don't stack up too fast.

We left North Florida in March for a short term work assignment. Should have been 60 days -- now we are into August, and we see ourselves GOING HOME.

I have had limited internet connections so I am most interested in getting back to my SWEET POVERTY FLATS page.

I get a newsletter from CLARK HOWARD and this is something I read today.

HSBC offers 6% on savings
For a limited time, HSBC – Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation – is offering 6 percent on savings accounts. The offer is good through the end of April at the online-only bank, and Clark says you should jump on the chance. To find more, visit hsbcdirect.com. If you have an existing account, you will not earn this rate. You will get 5.05 percent, which is still pretty good. But any money you add to that account will earn the higher rate. So, get cracking!

O.K.

Here's my plan.

Save a DIME at a TIME..!

I have started a DIME jar. A Quart Size canning jar with a screw on lid will be my container of choice.

I used a butcher knife and cut a SMALL slit through the lid, just big enough for a DIME to drop through.

After gathering the dimes from the coin holder in the car, dimes in the bottom of my purse, loose coins my DH just tosses into a bowl.

January total - $0.00
February (as of 02-05-07) $9.60

$20.00 challenge -$9.60

Wish it was more, But You have to have a beginning and I guess with 2007 and February being here, this is MY BEGINNING.

Wish me luck, and give me advice.

I plan to deposit it at $50.00, So I can get a few more DIMES for interest.

MarthaAnn

I am in the mood for this bread -- maybe
because I just had pizza.

MarthaAnn


Gougere Bread:

From Linda Larsen,Your Guide to Busy Cooks.
This fabulous recipe is simply a cream puff dough with cubed and grated cheese added. It makes a wonderful accompaniment to salads for lunch.
Prep Time : 20min
Cook Time : 40min
Type of Prep : Bake
Cuisine : French
Occasion : Party, Spring

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup butter
1 tsp. salt
pinch of pepper
2 cups flour
8 eggs
1/2 lb. Gruyere or Swiss cheese, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION:

In large saucepan, combine milk, butter, salt, and pepper and bring to a rolling boil. All at once, add the flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture forms a ball and leaves the sides of the pan clean.
Remove pan from heat and beat in the eggs, one at a time, making sure each egg is thoroughly beaten into the batter before adding the next. You can use a hand-held electric mixture or a wooden spoon for this step. Mix in the cubed cheese.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease two cookie sheets or line with Silpat or parchment paper. Scoop out dough, in pieces about the size of an egg, and place them on prepared cookie sheets in the shape of a ring, leaving a space in the middle 3" in diameter. Using a smaller spoon, place smaller pieces of dough on top of the first layer. Repeat on second cookie sheet to make a second ring. Brush gougeres with a little more milk and sprinkle each one with 2 Tbsp. of the grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375 degrees F for about 40-50 minutes, until the breads are well puffed, firm, and golden brown. Serve immediately! 8-10 servings

How is going for your team?

I prepared a Bar-B-Que Pizza for the 2 of us.

used a quick mix for the dough (crust)

then used 2 or 3 tablespoons of store brand Bar-B-Q sauce as my pizza sauce.

Chopped leftover pork roast and tosses it with a small amount of sauce. Scattered it on top of crust.

Then I added freshly grated mozzarele cheese. Put into the over for 25 minutes

Crust was ALMOST Too dark, but we ate it anyway.


MarthaAnn

I have to say I am having some MIXED thoughts on working out the challenge in my head.
Let me explain HOW I live very Frugal and only buy purchases when I know the price has dropped.

I do learn prices and I do comparison shop.

My issue is: Did I really SAVE.

EXAMPLE : NEW CAR - 29,000.00 Negotated price - 20,000.00

I don't see it as I SAVED anything because I would NOT have made the purchase at 29,000.

I guess this is just twisted in my mind.
I do feel I save when I use grocery store coupons ONLY on the items I was ALREADY going to buy.

Please give me Some ideas on the best way to identify a savings.

I made my FRUGAL shopping trip to the grocery store on Friday.

Spent $24.50 then at the Bread store I spent $1.93, ( and caught a cashier mistake when I looked over my receipt at home) It should have been $1.50 plus tax

24.50
$1.93
Total for 7 days for 2 people - $26.43

Whole chickens were on sale for .69 per pound, So I bought 2 for 4.80, which was an UNexpected purchase-- But, I get a lot of miles from Chicken.

YES, I still chose to post this under the 20.00 Challenge, because I am reading HOW each of you are being so thrifty.

I know beef is a meat that men love, So, my WONDERMENT (QUESTION) is What dish do you plan to prepare on Feb. 14.

I am really searching around but right now, I am thinking of OF PASTA WITH CREAM SAUCE.

What DO YOU THINK?
( I don't make this very often, maybe 3 times a year.)

MarthaAnn
..x..x..x
" Vodka Cream Pasta"
Recipe courtesy of Rachael Ray


It's Rachael Ray's most romantic dish!

INGREDIENTS
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Serve with:
Crusty bread, for passing

Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic and shallots. Gently sauté shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan (3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup). Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.

Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.

What can we do that is FRUGAL ?

Any ideas out there?

Does Valentine’s Day have to be expensive? Not at all. Are you and your loved one going through a tough time
financially? Even if you’re not, is the thought of saving
money more attractive to you than spending a small fortune
on Valentine’s Day gifts? If so, I encourage you to try
something different this year. Take the Valentine’s Day
Challenge. Set a small spending limit -- $5, $10 or
whatever fits your budget -- and agree with your spouse to
give gifts that are low in cost but high in creativity.

Let's see what ideas we can COME-UP with and share them here.

Thanks

MarthaAnn

O.K. today I am going to the grocery store. Will post later my BARGAINS and Savings.

Gotta get some cornmeal, for sure. It is amazing how doing without a staple puts a CRAMP in your menu planning and your cooking.

............
Ooops,
Did not get to the grocery store. My Mom called and told me she needed to go to the doctor,So. the daily plans were changed.

AS THE WORLD TURNS, continues.

I lost this site. No computer for a while and then one thing after another prevented me from posting.

My plan on Jan 01,2007 was to spend only $100.00 at the grocery store.My freezer and pantry was in need of Sorting and purging so I decided DO NOT BUY MORE FOOD.... ONLY "MUST HAVES"

As of 01/31/07 my total is $104.00.


Let's see HOW well I can get by for February, the short month.
....X...X...X

Feb 02,2007

I wanted to share this piece of info:

The Vanguard survey of 2,474 individuals age 40 to 69 indicates that “The conventional view of retirement -- working full-time until a set date then shifting to full-time leisure – does not match the experience of many older Americans.” Ergo, the so-called “New Retirement” of baby boomers that blends work with leisure is not so new.


Some other nuggets of interest:


According to the Social Security Administration, 45% of people 65 to 69 are earning income from work, as are 25% of people 70-74.

Downshifting, as in a changing relationships to work, is more typical.

6 in 10 define the word “retirement” as some combination of work and leisure.

Self-employment is the second more popular option among the “Never Retire” group.

Implications for financial advisers: more complex and customized help needed.

Implications for employers: phased retirement in demand.

Our personal preference and recommendation is for a balanced portfolio of work, service and leisure. For more on this, contact a 2young2retire Certified Facilitator in your area.

ALL OF THIS INFO is from a newsletter I subscribe to and thought others would enjoy reading some of these stats.

MarthaAnn