How to save money on college textbooks

By Valerie | August 2, 2010

The Pain. The Agony. The Price. Plan Ahead to Save Money on Textbooks. Textbooks are a necessary “evil” when it comes to your college expenses. While essential, there are many ways to reduce the burden to your budget. The fall semester is almost here, but a little work now can…

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Have you ever wondered what the dates on your food mean?

By Valerie | July 21, 2010

“Sell by July 31” or “Use by October 19, 2010”? I’ve seen articles on this before, and appreciated the info, so I’m going to pass some of this along… Dating on non-perishable food According to the USDA, most of the dates on food sold at stores in the USA are…

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Saving money in the garden

By Valerie | June 26, 2010

If you’re like me, your tomato plants are getting big and gangly. To save money, instead of twine or specialty items from the garden store

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25 Tips for Saving Money at the Grocery Store

By Valerie | January 17, 2010

Make a list. My preference is to make a list, shopping for 1 or 2 weeks worth of meals at a time. I order the list loosely by the departments in the store (produce, meat, dairy, baking, etc.). Unless I happen upon an incredible deal on an item we need,…

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White House Chef

By Valerie | January 4, 2010

On seeing the news about the upcoming iron chef challenge with White House Chef Cristeta Comerford, I had to wonder: Does she use any of the recipes left behind from previous chefs? I was fortunate to pick up a copy of The Original White House Cookbook 1887 Edition (reprint) at…

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Fabulous, Easy Corn Bread

By Valerie | December 8, 2009

This is one of the recipes that just works. It’s simple and tasty. Corn Bread 1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix 1 box Jiffy Golden Yellow Cake Mix (these can sometimes be hard to find, but Walmart usually has them) + ingredients to make both mixes Prepare each box according…

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Simple Eggnog Recipe,

By Valerie | December 4, 2009

Jump to recipe Simple Eggnog Category Cooking Persons 4 Ingredients 4 Eggs 1/4 cups Granulated Sugar 3 cups Milk 1 tsp Vanilla Extract dash Salt Instructions Blend on high until smooth, about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with a dab of nutmeg for a garnish. Share on social December 4, 2009 by Valerie…

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How to Save Money and Time on Shipping this Holiday Season (and throughout the year!)

By Valerie | November 29, 2009

With the holidays rapidly approaching you should already be giving thought to which gifts will need to be shipped. If done carelessly, shipping costs can end up higher than the cost of the item being shipped. For budget-conscious gift givers, there are really only two carrier choices: the US Postal…

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10 tips for a frugal thanksgiving dinner

By Valerie | November 26, 2009

Make turkey broth with your leftover turkey carcass Save the celery tops and celery leaves from your stuffing to use in your turkey broth Save the skins you peeled from your onions to use in your turkey broth (they add the color) Take all other vegetable scraps and add to…

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Poultry Seasoning

By Valerie | November 26, 2009

This morning when I got out my old American Home All Purpose Cookbook (©1966. I learned to cook with this book when I was 13), I saw my favorite “old fashioned stuffing” recipe called for poultry seasoning. Ack! I’d checked the cupboard for sage, but not for poultry seasoning. After…

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