Recession Busters #60: Food, Fun and Frugality

Remember all those casserole dish recipes using the requisite can of Campbell's Cream of Mushroom soup? Mom passed her recipe of Tuna Noodle Casserole on to me and I'll admit, although I've moved on to more sophisticated cooking, eating this says "comfort food" to me. I'm sure she began making it during lean times but it's still a staple in my dinner repertoire -- although I try to make it a little healthier. When I organized a school cookbook one year, probably 40% of the recipes contained a can of the wonder soup, no doubt passed from generation to generation. Humble food, but for the most part, nutritious and satisfying. Watching Clara's videos was a hoot! This wonderful 93 year old woman is still cooking and passing on her budget friendly tips -- amazing! I'm not sure I'm going to be cooking anything using canned peas or oleo anytime soon but you have to remember the time in which she came up with these meals. My own mother tells me of putting spoonfuls of Eagle condensed milk over rice as a dessert during the depression. A treat to a family of eight kids! During our recent recession, I find myself cutting back and stretching meals more. While my son has yet to grasp the concept of "leftovers," I enjoy taking them to work for lunch. A hot, homemade meal is tons better than expensive greasy fast food any day! The module provided some great tips for inexpensive outings in the Houston area as well. Since my only child is well over the age of zoo visits, most don't apply to me. I will say that a display I set up in the library promoting cheap activities did not get much attention so maybe even families with kids are choosing the popular "Staycation" over any sort of traveling, inexpensive or not. One good idea I heard on television was recycling old prom dresses for kids who can't afford them. I think that's terrific. I wish there had been a way to help BOYS, though, who really get shafted when they spend up to $300 on a tux RENTAL! Now that's ridiculous! I posted a couple of grocery tips I employ in the last module but here's the tip on buying fresh bread so you're not constantly having to buy more. Most grocery stores have bread delivered 5 days per week. If you want the freshest loaf, remember this twistie color code:

Monday - Blue

Tuesday - Green

Thursday - Red

Friday - White

Saturday - Yellow

So if you're shopping on Thursday and blue twisties (Monday) are still on the shelf, pass on it! A good way to remember is that the colors are in alpha order. Maybe next time I'll tell you about the organic veggies scam and why, unless you're Martha, there's no reason to pay more for brown eggs! Cheap food doesn't have to be unhealthy. You just have to tweak the recipe: fresh over canned, or frozen if you must. Still, there's something comforting about old recipes made just the way FDR intended them. Bring on the green bean casserole with fried onions!

Money & Finance #59: Credit, Money Management and Saving

Feel like you're being watched? Everybody is so interested in who's spending what and what others should or shouldn't be spending money on. Ack! Quite frankly, the whole subject is just not "my thing." On the plus side, (get it? "Plus side"...accounting humor!) the article, How Credit Scores Work was very informative and helpful. I honestly did not know all the percentages that went into obtaining that score and what the history behind the number was. I also learned what FICO (Fair Isaac Corporation) stands for and why that scoring method is most employed in credit situations. Have I ever used a spending or budget plan? Are you kidding me? I am a single mom with a teenager in college. That, in and of itself, is it's own budget plan. As for how to begin creating one, it's simple. Here's how much we have....here's where it's going. Most people who don't need to worry about budgeting (and I don't know any of these people) are probably not reading these articles or visiting these websites. As for the TCDRS site, it's very helpful to know that there is a place to answer questions. As a fairly new employee, the issue is for future thought but it's a good idea to stay on top of things. The system is very similar to the Teacher Retirement System I participated in when I worked for the school district. Are you yawning yet?

Money & Finance #58: Banking, Budgeting and Spending

Ugghhh!! Why, oh why, are we talking about this? It's bad enough that the news is saturated with nothing but budget this, finance that. I understand that it's important, especially now, but I am just tired of it. I also despise talking about money. For me, it's a private issue, nobody else's business. Neither do I want to hear about anybody else's. Haven't you noticed that the people who talk about it the most - what they've just bought, how much they spent, etc., usually have/had issues with it? Yes, I do bank online. I've written in past posts about how I don't understand people who fear technology. I know there are risks and have even had money withdrawn from my bank account without my permission. I feel fortunate that my bank handled the problem efficiently and professionally. I spoke to their fraud department and was able to verify documents from my home by faxing in affadavits. I never had to go to the bank to solve the problem. Even as of last week, my son had $350 subtracted from his personal account, seemingly from his cell phone provider. Again, our bank acted swiftly and the money is back where it belongs. I come from a long line of mattress stuffers so this is no small advance for me. Convenience makes a strong argument. Still, I am cautious. I'd be stupid not to be. I don't buy a lot online or I use PayPal when available. While I did look at the budgeting tools suggested, I probably wouldn't use them. As a single mom, pretty much every penny has a home. I do read a lot - and share with other Mom friends (yes, we do network) - about ways to circumvent overpricing traps at places I frequent, like the grocery store. I know that the "good stuff" is located in the center of the store and there's a reason certain items are located at eye-level shelves. I know which items are worth buying generic and which NOT to skimp on brand names. I also know which color bread twisties represent which day of the week so I can find the most recently baked loaves. I use coupons! As a shopper, I've been a Mom for 20 years...C'mon, this is AMATEUR stuff! I have recently started washing/rinsing everything in cold water. If you don't skimp on the detergent, there's no difference. If you insist on paying $3 for "40 loads" worth of detergent, get used to dingy undies. For some things, you just can't be cheap.

Pajama Blogging

The Borowitz Report informs us that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel employs the use of a high-tech "war room" to deal with their most aggressive critics: pajama-clad bloggers who post anonymous comments on liberal blogs.

"It's no secret that the President is very worried about what these anonymous blog-commenters might be typing over the next few days," said the source. "They are very angry, and they have a lot of time on their hands." The source said that the pajama-wearing chorus could grow louder this week "because most of them have already seen Star Trek and they're back in front of their keyboards."

he he

Jesus or...Cheesus?

Stop the presses! Jesus has been found in a snack food. A couple in Dallas, Texas (of course it's Texas) found this 2" cheeserific representation of the Son of God in a 99¢ bag of Cheetos bought at a gas station. The couple said the savory Saviour was "clearly in a holy attitude of prayer." Also, He was delicious.

Mahalo

Honolulu is a fascinating look at a seldom explored facet of the American immigration experience at the turn of the 20th century. Like the main character, my own grandmother was a picture bride in Hawaii around the same time - albeit from Japan and not Korea, as in this story. Sadly, I'll never know how she coped, her fears, hopes and dreams, what her thoughts were upon arriving alone in Hawaii with nothing but a grainy picture in her pocket. She's been gone for over 25 years and I was only able to see her in Hawaii twice, but this book provided a brief glimpse into the mind of a similarly destined young woman, whose desperation to find a better life led her to marry a man she'd never met. This woman, whose diminished value as a human being was so accepted that her given name was "Regret," learns to rise above even her own expectations and succeed in ways she couldn't possibly have imagined. My own grandmother's story, the details of which I've never really known, are a mystery to me. What disappointments did she have? What triumphs? At least now I can imagine what might have been though this compelling novel. This is a fine second novel about Hawaii - the first was an equally wonderful Molok'ai - from author Alan Brennert, whose colorful portrayal of life in territorial Hawaii brings to light so much more of what the natives and immigrants alike went through to shape their home into what we now think of as Hawaii. Before it became a tourist mecca, Hawaii was a raw, unforgiving land of few opportunities and, since transportation to and from the mainland was costly, usually not much chance of "giving up and going home." The racial mix of native Hawaiians, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese and Filipino is reflected today in its Asian traditions seen where ever you look in Hawaii. What I didn't realize was how racially divisive attitudes were, from many different ethnicities - but mostly all Asian. My roots are there, and until I read this book, I never knew how much of my life drew sustenance from these women's stories. I wish I had more information on my own family's experience; a hard lesson learned that you should take the time to learn your own story before it's too late. Now, go find your grandmother and ask LOTS of questions! I wish I had.

Barack: On Spock

Newsweek's Jon Meacham: What was the last movie you saw?

President Obama: "So Star Trek, we saw this weekend, which I thought was good. Everybody was saying I was Spock, so I figured I should check it out and—[the president makes the Vulcan salute with his hand]. Very good. Yes, absolutely."

Did you watch that when you were growing up?

"I used to love Star Trek. You know, Star Trek was ahead of its time. There was a whole—the special effects weren't real good, but the storylines were always evocative, you know, there was a little commentary and a little pop philosophy for a 10-year-old to absorb."

A lot of U.N. stuff.

"Yes, exactly, right." Newsweek, May 16, 2009

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ST on SNL

Happy Mother's Day!

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I Have Been, And Always Shall Be...A Fan

Just got back from seeing ST.

Run, don't walk.

Burger King Klingons..ah, KINGons

Seen at the ST premiere in Hollywood.

"Would you like GAGH with that??"

Learn how to defend yourself - and your BK collectible glass -

at the Kingon Defense Academy.