Don't Let Restaurants Deprive You

Sometimes we go to restaurants, fast food joints, and Starbucks because we don't want to feel like we are being deprived of the "restaurant experience."  However, we have been looking at this deprivation thing all wrong.  In our area, most "regular people" restaurants suck.  

On about 30% of our restaurant visits, something is prepared wrong.  If you can under-cook something, burn something, make something too spicy, or make something too bland, restaurants in our area will do that to your food.  When they don't do that, they'll often let you sit at your table for far too long before being served or they will be surly when taking an order.  While the food quality won't send you out to wretch your guts out in the parking lot, the food quality and service are just poor enough to make you wonder if visiting the restaurant was worth your time and your money.

When we realize that low quality restaurants are not worth our time and money, we realize that we are not being deprived when we don't go out.  Instead, we realize that we are being deprived when we go out and don't get our money's worth in food and service quality.

Then, when we go to the grocery store, buy decent ingredients, and make a great meal at home, we realize that we've been crazy to go out and waste our money dining out all along!

Let's look at an example of a great home cooked meal.  My wife recently made enchiladas at home.  The can of beans was around a dollar.  The rice and tomato mixture is actually low carb cauliflower rice and canned tomatoes.  The tortilla is also a low carb variety and the ground beef inside was the lowest fat variety we could buy.  This entire meal for two people probably cost about $11.  At a local Mexican restaurant, it would have been about $45 when you include a tip.

Home-made enchiladas

By cooking at home, we controlled the ingredient quality, the nutrition, and the price of our meal.  We also saved about $30.  By eating out, we would have been deprived.

Eight Things to Do When You're Broke

Stuff to Do when You Have No Money 

If you are living on a tight budget, you aren't alone. Not everyone is included in todays economy.  Fortunately, you can still slow down, take a deep breath, and have a good day. Here are some things to do when you don't have any money.

The good news is that the bills for this pay period are covered. But, the bad news is that there is barely enough left over for food and gas to get to work. It looks like another flat broke weekend. We're a little stretched for funds so we'll have to find a few things to do on a really tight budget. If you don't have any pocket money, here are a few basic activities that we do when we are broke:

1. Savor an Old Rerun. We still have cable. It's good for a few things. In the morning, my wife enjoys an old episode of 90210. In the afternoon, we'll check out a couple of episodes of Miami Vice during a marathon. The critics will say what they will, but television remains one of the best deals going. Even if you are watching free TV, old re-runs are great.

2. Cuss. If you are broke and frustrated, go ahead and cuss. As comedian Lewis Black has noted, you aren't going to say something like, "Oh fiddlesticks!" There are lots of things to cuss about in today's economic climate. If you don't have kids underfoot, a little creative cussing will go a long way towards relieving the tension. Let loose. You'll feel better.

3. Make a Good Lunch. If you are going to be home, you might as well make eating a good experience. I bust open a can of chicken breast and slice up half an onion, a tomato, and a stalk of celery. A couple of spoons full of good mayonnaise, a few shakes of cayenne pepper, some hot sauce, and the last four pieces of bread are all I need to make a good chicken salad. I kick it up a notch with some Doritos Flamas from the local Dollar Tree Store. I went a little heavy on the cayenne so I'm glad we have an ice tea machine. If you don't have any money to go out, it's important to savor the food you have in the house and make the most of your dining experience. Even if you are having super cheap food for a recession, presentation is everything!

4. Blog. My wife settles in for some online gaming and I update my blogs. I've got nine blogs now. From The Watch Dude to the Daily Diecast Car, I have a lot of fun blogging. Plus, if people keep on clicking through on the advertisements, I'll get a handy hundred dollars about seven months from now. In retrospect, I guess it's a good thing I didn't throw out the leftover heels on that lunchtime loaf of bread.

5. Write. It's time to write a few articles for online media outlets. May be you'll be able to write your way out of financial problems. I'm trying. I've even started a book. Of course, starting books is easy. Finishing them is kind of tough. But, I find that it's pretty easy to write on a tablet like the Kindle Fire.

6. Walk the Dog. Even if you are broke, it's good to get out of the house. You can't beat the companionship of a faithful dog and dog walking is good exercise. If you even say, "park" our dog is ready to go. Having a dog is one of the great joys of life and, no matter what your station or circumstance may be, a dog will have a great attitude about it.

7. Take Digital Pictures. As much as I love my old film cameras, when money is tight, it's great to have a nice digital camera. I throw my Kodak Z950 Digital Camera into my pocket for the walk. I can take a ton of pictures and it won't cost a dime to put them on our computers.

8. Go Scrapping. There is lots of free stuff on Craigslist and around apartment complex trash compactors on move out weekends. If you look around, you can probably find lots of cool stuff for absolutely free. A few weeks ago, I found a free television that works great! It's easy to find old tables, cabinets, dressers, and book cases that will look great with a coat of paint.

If you are broke, there are still plenty of ways to pass the time. While your day might not be as fun or fulfilling when you are broke, you can at least take a deep breath, relax, and have a decent day.

(This article was reprinted from Yahoo Contributors Network.)

Just Say No to Things You Can't Afford

One of the most powerful tools in your arsenal is your ability to say no to things you can't afford.  If you don't, you may be paying for those things for years and years.

Why should you pay for short term experiences and products over the long term?  When you do, you just build up a wave of debt that follows you through life.    Then, if something slows your boat, that following wave of debt may catch up with you and swamp your boat.

It all sounds easy.  But, in real life, it's tough to say, "No."  Nobody wants to live some monastic life.  It's more of a matter of reigning it in.  Substituting something cheap for something expensive.  Finding a free pastime instead of an expensive one.  The hope is that when you do spend money you spend it on something good:  an investment in yourself or your family or a truly unforgettable life experience.

Is Shopping at a Dollar Store worth it?

If you are on a tight budget, it's tempting to shop at a dollar stores.  With prices fixed at just a dollar an item, it's easy to stay within a budget.  However, we've begun to question the values we get at our local dollar stores.

Dollar Store at Landmark Mall - photo by Ser Amantio di Nicolao [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)]

Are we getting the most for our money at dollar stores?  Often the answer seems to be no.  Cheap toilet paper may do in a pinch, but when you are working with what appear to be half-sized rolls of toilet paper, you run out a lot.  If you use super cheap batteries, they run out of power faster.  If you buy cheap dollar store shampoo and it makes your scalp red and itchy that isn't much of a bargain.  You have to consider the quality and the cost per unit of things you buy at a dollar store.

Generally, you get more of a product for the money when you buy a product at a grocery store or big box retailer than at a dollar store.  However, in some cases, when you don't need as much of a product or its just an occasional purchase, a dollar store makes more sense.  The key thing to think about is whether you are getting a good value for your dollar no matter where it is spent.

We find dollar stores a great place to purchase gift bags, greeting cards, seasonal decorations, some office supplies, tooth brushes, and toothpaste. 

How to Save Money Using Radical Tactics

Choosing a Slightly Different Lifestyle Can Yield Real Savings

To compete globally, Americans may have to live differently and use radical tactics to get off of the treadmill and save money. Sometimes the American dream can be a treadmill. You have to spend money on a reliable car, suitable clothes and shoes for work, and for a safe place to live. All to often, there is little money left at the end of the day. But, to compete globally, Americans may have to use different tactics to get off of the treadmill and save money. Here are twelve radical tactics for saving money:

1. Drive your car forever. With routine maintenance cars can last for hunreds of thousands of miles. If you can make your car last, you can avoid the high monthly payment, high taxes, and high insurance rates that come with a new car. Even payments on a modest new car can run over $400 a month and that doesn't count the cost of insurance or gasoline. It's radical thinking to think that your car might last for twenty years instead of five, but it is a mindset that saves money.


2. Live close to work. If you want to keep miles off of your car, avoid the high price of gas, and save time and money each and every week, simply move closer to work. If you have the guts to be an urban pioneer, you really can keep your car forever and cut your time in traffic.

3. Walk, bike, moped, motor scooter, motorcycle, or take mass transit to work. If you can avoid driving to work entirely, you will avoid wear and tear on your car and in some urban areas you may be able to avoid car ownership entirely. Just be careful, it's not a very friendly world for bicyclists, pedestrians, and motorcyclists.

4. Cut your cable. With internet entertainment, digital TV, and extra broadcast channels, you may be able to ditch cable and satellite. That's another significant monthly bill reduced to zero. It might take a radical change of mindset, but a smart person might not have a smart phone.

5. Get a pre-paid cell phone and pay as you go. With Smartphones, Apps, and all the ways your phone can prompt you to spend more money, it might be time to step back and take a close look at your bill. How much to you really want to spend on telecommunications? If you want to save money, you can buy a basic pre-paid cell phone and reserve your minutes for bona fide emergencies.

6. Cook at home. The cost of dining out really adds up over time. Even $8 fast food meals can get costly when consumed nearly every day. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner eaten at home is money back in your pocket. You just need to learn how to save money at the grocery store.  If money is really tight, you can temporarily sacrifice good nutrition and eat super cheap foods.

7. Adopt a retro lifestyle. If a product was cool in 1987, it's probably still pretty cool today. By adopting a retro lifestyle, you can save lots of money at thrift stores, garage sales, and flea markets.

8. Re-use and recycle. While dumpster-diving is a radical way to save money, it is an extension of the movement to recycle, re-purpose, and re-use goods. For example, there a lots of resealable plastic containers on the market. But, few of them work as well as a pickle or peanut butter jar. Why pay $30 for a system, when you can soak a glass jar, scrape off the label, wash it, dry it, and put stuff in it. In more affluent areas where people often redecorate, you can even furnish your home for free with curbside finds.

9. Get roommates or rent out the basement. Remember how your rent was about $100 a month back in college. The low rent was a byproduct of having roommates. If you want to lower you mortgage or rent today, take in roommates again or rent out your basement or garage apartment.

10. Grow a garden. If you grow your own garden, you'll be able to eat no matter what happens to your paycheck. Growing your own food, saves money, provides better nutrition, and is an important step towards self-reliance. A garden can radically reduce your grocery bills.

11. Become a Lord of Darkness. If you want to cut your power bills, turn off the lights, minimize your use of utilities, conserve water and take shorter showers!

12. Live in a Smaller Space. If you can minimize the size of your space, you can minimize your utilities, lower your rent or mortgage and really start to save money. Many people are considering microhomes like tiny efficiency apartments, micro cabins, or mini cottages.

Dirt Cheap Hobbies: Reading

Nothing can take you away better than the written word.  A good book can capture your imagination and transport you to a different time, a different place, or a different universe.  As you read more, you'll also become more literate, more articulate, and more able of learn by reading.  Reading is both a powerful escape from the real world and a powerful tool in the real world.  Plus, reading is a very cheap hobby.

If you are on a tight budget, you can find plenty to read for free or almost free.  You can go to the library and check out books at no cost.  Used book stores and thrift shops have thousands of titles at just a dollar or two apiece.  Finally, if you can read this online, you can find lots of books available online for free or very low prices.If you have a little money to spend, Amazon's Kindle Unlimited Program will allow you to read an unlimited number of books each month for free.

Many people are publishing their own books now using tools from Amazon, Smashwords, and other electronic bookstores.  If you look at just one group of independent authors, take Twitter's #WolfPack Authors group for example, you'll find everything from animal tales in a forest to detective fiction to erotica to romance to zombies.  They cover all the genres.  You can find almost anything you care to read at bargain basement prices.

There's a whole universe of great writing out there.  All you have to do is open the pages of a book.

How To Make Money From Your Hobbies

If you are like millions of people, you work hard to support your hobbies. Here are a few ways to make your hobbies work for you. There are thousands of ways to earn extra money from hobbies.

1) Write About Your Hobby - Most hobbies are subjects for books, magazines, websites, and blogs. In addition, hobbies are fair game for articles on websites like Associated Content. Long, long, ago in a galaxy not so far away, I was a Dungeons & Dragons devotee. O.K., I was a geek. I sold my first magazine article to Dragon Magazine. I was happy to get a little extra money and to be published. When I took up amateur astronomy, I was able to subsidize the cost of much of my equipment by writing equipment reviews and other articles. One computer gaming afficianado that I know was able to earn money by writing for a massive multi-player online roleplaying game.

2) Provide a Service Related To Your Hobby - Several artist friends who shared the fantasy roleplaying game hobby made money by developing character sketches and painting the miniature figurines that many players used in the games. Some model railroading enthusiasts provide similar services like making parts of model railroad dioramas like trees, houses, or even electrical components. The extra money earned from these activities provided fun money for more hobby purchases.


3) Sell Equipment Related To Your Hobby - If your hobby requires specialized equipment, you may be a business license away from a lucrative side business. When I played paintball, I knew a few players who made the leap into selling paintball gear. Many a baseball card or comic book collector has made the leap into running an ebay business or a brick-n-mortar store dedicated to their hobby. If you have a compelling vision, you can move from making extra money into an extraordinary opportunity.

4) Get A Full or Part-Time Job Related To Your Hobby - If business ownership is not for you, you could always seek out a job-related to your hobby. Your expertise could come in handy in a sportings goods section, a bait shop, a hobby shop, or at a paintball field. Paintball enthusiasts often make extra money by working at field concession stands, maintaining rental equipment, or running games as a referee. Boaters can earn extra money by working at boating supply stores or marinas. Scuba divers can become divemasters and work on a dive boat.

5) Organize Events Related To Your Hobby - If you can bring people together for events-related to your hobby, you might be able to launch a money-making venture putting together conventions, tournaments, expositions, group outings, tours, or classes related. In cubicles all across the land, thousands of people are dreaming of a new life as a hunting or fishing guide. The dream starts with the single step of earning extra money from organizing an event.

The list of money-making activities related to hobbies is endless. The only boundaries are set by your imagination, capital, and business acumen. Of course, one danger in hobby-related business ventures is that your hobby passion can override your business sense. But, if you can generate revenue from a hobby, you will have a extra money and a way to become more involved in your pastime. Your family will also see your hobby as an extra income source rather than a financial drain. You may even find yourself encouraged to spend extra time on your money-making hobbies.

(This article is a republication of an article that I originally published on the Yahoo Creators Network / Associated Content).

Savings - Set up a Rainy Day Fund

If you think things are bad now, they could get worse.  That is why it's important to have some money tucked away for a rainy day.  The obvious question:  how is someone who is flat broke going to stash some cash?

Photo By Jericho [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

How To Free Up Credit

It's a fair question.  The answer is too start small. If you have credit card debt, set aside some of your credit cards for emergency use only.  It's important to have a card that will only be used if the car breaks down or for a medical emergency or for unforeseen vet bills.  Just set the card aside in a drawer and refuse to use it.  As you pay down your balance, you're emergency credit will build up.

How to Save Your Change

Of course, available credit isn't the same as cash.  It's better to have some cash stashed.  You can start by tossing all your coin change into a change pot or piggy bank.  Pretty soon, you'll have $20 or $30 saved up for little emergencies.  You can also put a few dollars in an envelope every pay period. Pretty soon, you'll have a little stash.

How to Save Money

But, you really need money in a savings account.  Open a savings account with your local credit union.  Take your cash envelope down and deposit it from time to time.   Get in the habit of transferring some money to savings each pay period.

Don't think you can save any money?  Look at the stupid things you spend money on.  For example, you could stop smoking and stash the money you save. Here is a calculator on how much you would save by giving up cigarettes:  Smokefree.gov.  You can also give up some small luxuries like Starbucks.  If you want to save, you have to make some sacrifices.  There are tons of ideas for saving money at FeedthePig.org.

Totino's Pizza Mini Review

If you are flat broke, you need to have Totino's pizza in the house.  If you are merely broke, you could splurge for Totino's pizza rolls.  These two items are really cheap ways to stretch a paycheck.  Plus, they taste pretty good.

If you buy some of these foods early in pay period, you'll at least have something to eat later in a pay period.  Obviously, man cannot live on Totino's pizza rolls.  If you eat them all the time, you'll get sick of them.  Plus, if you are what you eat, you might turn into a pizza roll.  However, it is always good to build up a food stash.  You'll need an emergency supply.

Totino's Pizzas only take 11 or 12 minutes to bake in the oven at 450 degrees and they usually hit the spot. I usually eat about 10 pizza rolls for a small meal.  These are great for lunch.

Dollar Tree Dental Hygiene

Dollar Tree is the best place to buy tooth brushes, tooth paste, and dental floss.  They have well-respected brand name products like Reach tooth brushes and Colgate tooth paste.  They also have Pluckers floss tooth picks and dental floss.  I've also gotten good deals on mouth wash.  We picked up this Colgate toothpaste as part of our last Dollar Tree Haul!

Colgate Toothpaste from Dollar Tree

If you are on a tight budget, you need to take care of your teeth and avoid cavities.  If you brush, floss, and get your teeth cleaned at a dentist on a regular basis, you may avoid more expensive dental work.

Big Savings From Our Dollar Tree Haul

We're kicking off the new year by talking about our most recent Dollar Tree haul.  There are three ways to save money when buying merchandise.  First, you can save money at conventional stores by shopping sales and using coupons.  Second, you can save money by buying in bulk and paying a lower unit price per item.  Third, you can buy minimal quantities that you'll actually use at predictable prices that fit into a tight budget.  Dollar Tree fulfills this third path to saving money splendidly.

A $55 Dollar Tree Haul

On our most recent Dollar Tree run, we spent an astonishing $55.  But, we bought necessities and snacks that will save us even more money over the course of a pay period.  For example. on the way home, we munched on a $1 batch of European cookies.  Consequently, we were able to breeze right by Starbucks, McDonalds, and gas station convenience stores where we might have bought a snack.  Having that $1 roll of cookies allowed us to avoid $4 to $12 in fast food snacks.

McDonalds vs. Starbucks

Starbucks addiction is one thing that helps keep people broke.  When a cup of coffee can reach $5, your money can be frittered away in a hurry.  It's called the latte factor by financial planners.  Starbucks convenience food items can also add up.  Fortunately, there are ways to break away from Starbucks before it breaks your budget. 

When it comes to coffee, size matters.  Here is a McDonalds Small and a Starbucks Grande

If you like Starbucks. you owe it to yourself to try McDonalds.  The iced hazelnut coffee at McDonalds is awesome.  Their Mocha and Iced Mocha are very good.  But, their Mocha Frappe is out of this world.  Plus, with all day breakfast available it's easy to get something tasty with your coffee.   Plus, McDonalds prices are affordable.  You can get McDonalds for half the price of Starbucks.  That keeps money in your pocket.  Plus, you don't have to keep track of tall, grande, venti, and trente.  McDonalds speaks English with Small, Medium, and Large.

Of course, if you want to save even more money, you can simply make your coffee at home for pennies on the dollar!

Wilkinson Sword Speed3 Disposable Razor Review: A Good Disposable Razor

I think I've found a good, cheap, disposable razor.  The Wilkinson Sword Triple Blade Speed3 Disposable Razor is inexpensive and works well.  As a nice bonus, the blades themselves are also "Made in USA."

Wilkinson Sword Speed3 Disposable Razors

At Walmart, you can get a 8-pack of these razors for only $5.97.  That is less than a dollar per razor.  I was a big fan of the conventional triple blade Wilkinson sword razor and I was quite bummed when it was discontinued.  However, the disposable version is definitely the next best thing.

The blades are the same as the non-disposable version, but the handle is considerable lighter.  On the plus side, the plastic handle is well designed and works well in the shower.

If you are considering a shave club, you may find that Wilkinson Sword disposable Speed3 razors are an even more affordable alternative.

Domino's Pizza for a Week

On Monday through Friday, our local Domino's Pizza has carry-out three topping pizza for $7.99.  We got two.   We ate for dinner and I ate two slices of pizza for lunch every day.  It's a cheap lunch.

Dollar Tree Dude Lit: Mail Call by R: Lee Ermey

We enjoy lots and lots of books from our local Dollar Tree stores.  My most recent addition is Mail Call by R. Lee Ermey.  It brings the attitude and energy of the popular Mail Call television series to the world of literature.  The famed former Marine Corps Drill Instructor answers questions about current and historical military equipment and weapons.  In a very readable format.  It's fun reading for dudes!

If you can't find it in Dollar Tree, you may be able to get it used off of Amazon for as little as 1 cent plus shipping.

Appetizers at Target

If you are looking for good appetizers to eat while watching football, check out the appetizers at Target.  They have an excellent selection of name brand and house brand appetizers.

We've tried name brand appetizers like P.F. Changs Mini Egg Rolls and Cream Cheese dumplings and Auntie Anne's Pretzel Nuggets.  They were all excellent.

We were also pleased with Archer Farms Chicken Poblano Firecrackers. 

However, we were disappointed by Market Pantry cheddar jalapeno poppers.  We thought they were a tad too bready and didn't bring enough heat.  Of course, we ate them.

When you realize how good these home heat and eat versions can be, you can save quite a bit by staying away from the sports bars.

Christmas Deals at Rite Aid

Merry Christmas!  If you are on a tight budget, don't despair!  Chances are you can still squeeze in a little Christmas cheer. This year Rite-Aid has been the low cost spot for Christmas decor.  They have had artificial Christmas trees for 50% off for most of the season.   We got this 4 1/2 foot artificial tree for about $12.

Rite Aid Christmas Tree and Nutcrackers

Many other seasonal decor items are also 50% off.  That's a great deal.  We bought the tree and ornaments for about $22.  The ornaments are plastic, but you really can't tell.  They look very, very, good.  Plus, they are far less fragile than traditional glass ornaments.  

On another Rite Aid run, we opted to add the large Nutcrackers for about $12.50 a piece.  For less than $50, we got a nice little setup going that really adds to our Christmas Spirit.

A Rite Aid Nutcracker

 When you add in discounts from the RiteAid rewards program, the savings really do add up.  If you want to improve your mood and add a little Christmas spirit to your home, just pop down to your local RiteAid and get some decorations!  You'll be glad that you did.

Our Other Rite Aid Nutcracker

Poor? It's Not Always You. You need to vote!

In America, we have a long tradition of blaming poor people for being poor.  Some of it is justified.  If you don't have a strong work ethic or you messed up in school, a lot of that is on you.  It's something that you can change and improve.

However, you didn't make the choice to outsource manufacturing, technical, and call center jobs to India.  You didn't make the choice to lower tariffs on imported goods and allow them to undercut American-made products.  You didn't make the choice for our nation to have insecure borders and allow hordes of desperately poor people from less developed countries to flood our labor markets.  You also didn't make the choice to allow companies to import massive numbers of H1B workers so that they could take good middle class jobs and do them for less in a manner that erodes the pillars of the American middle class.

But, you do have a choice to change all of that.  Both political parties have fueled the problem.  But, if you are flat broke now, you need to make sure you contact your political leaders and you need to make sure that you vote in every election!

Saving Money at McDonalds

Even though value menu items are creeping up in price, it is still very easy to save money at McDonalds.  It's not everyday fare for us.  However, on a recent stop at a McDonalds in the Atlanta suburbs, my wife and I bought -

2 McDoubles
2 Cheese Burgers
1 Hamburger
2 Large Iced Teas
1 Cup of Ice Water

Our entire total was just less than $9.  Our dog ate the meat from the hamburger.  That little meal held all of us pretty well for over 4 hours.  If you want to save money, don't mindlessly order a Big Mac combo.  Change it up some and explore the world of the Dollar Menu-aire!

A McDonald's Restaurant - by Bidgee (Own work) [GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

ELF Cosmetics at Target

This tip is for the ladies.  My wife is very excited about a new line of cosmetics.  E.L.F. stands for Eyes, Lips, Face.  As a brand it brings high quality make up brushes and cosmetics to women at affordable prices.

On a recent Target shopping trip, my wife was able to find very nice E.L.F. cosmetics brushes for only a dollar each.  Slightly better premium brushes may cost about $3 apiece.  Despite the low prices, the entire E.L.F. line is displayed in a very uplifting and upscale way.  The brand is a definite win or women of the struggling middle class.

ELF Cosmetics at Target

 

If you are on a tight budget, but want to look like a million bucks, you should definitely check them out.  To get more familiar with the line, Amazon also has a complete selection of e.l.f. cosmetics