Memorial Day

 

Wishing You A Blessed Memorial Day

Thrifty Emergency Meals!

 

In my pantry and freezer I keep a stash of items to make quick meals in an emergency.  An emergency can be anything from a power outage to an overwhelmingly busy day.  Having these things on hand allows me to feed myself without the temptation of running through the fast food drive-thru or ordering delivery.  It saves my health, saves me a lot of money and surprisingly it saves me a fair bit of time.

 

Loads of possibilities

Rice & Pasta Pouches 

Rice-a-Roni, Knorr or the store brand equivalents often go on sale for about a dollar each.  I keep half a dozen of them on hand to make fast and easy meals.  I follow the package directions and add in frozen vegetables and cooked meat to make it a complete meal.  To stretch it further you can also add a half cup of cooked rice at the end and mix it in well.  I do this often to tone down the saltiness.

 

Pre Cooked & Canned Meats

In the freezer I store sandwich bags with pre-cooked ground beef or turkey, plain or seasoned, in half pound increments.  They are perfect to add to a rice or pasta packet.  Canned tuna and canned chicken are also staples I keep in the pantry.  Hotdogs or polish sausages make for a super quick protein for a meal as well and they freeze well.

 

Pre Cooked Pasta & Rice 

I will often cook a cup or two of rice and then freeze it in half cup increments to serve as a side dish or to use in a casserole or a quick stir fry or fried rice.  I do the same with a package of pasta.  They are great to have on hand to extend a recipe or any cooked meat.

 

Macaroni & Cheese 

I keep a half dozen boxes of mac & cheese on the shelf.  To make it more substantial I add a couple of sliced hotdogs to the boiling pasta that last minute of cooking.  Drain and continue making the mac & cheese as usual.  I will also stir in a can of drained tuna into a pan of mac & cheese as well.  Round it out with steamed vegetables or a can of green beans heated in the microwave served on the side.

 

Soup 

Nothing beats a bowl of tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich.  I make my own soups from scratch and can them, but they can also be frozen in meal size containers.  A sandwich or simple cheese quesadilla along with the soup makes for a delicious and filling meal.

 

Eggs & Toast 

For me, nothing screams comfort food quite like two poached eggs on a slice of buttered toast.  You can also scramble the eggs or make a sandwich with a fried egg and a slice of cheese.  Quick, easy and super thrifty.

 

Frozen Pizza 

There is no shame in a frozen pizza.  Pick up a couple when they are on sale and store in the freezer for whenever you need a quick meal.  Add a bag of salad mix and some salad dressing to complete the meal.  A fraction of the cost of ordering a pizza and most likely you can have dinner on the table faster than the pizza deliver guy can get to your house.

 

Frozen Lasagna & Casseroles 

Whenever I make lasagna or a casserole I also make one or two for the freezer.  Tater Tot casserole and pizza pasta freezes nicely.  I will place one in the oven and then turn it on to preheat while I get my evening chores done, make a salad or heat up a vegetable and before I know it dinner is ready.  These are perfect options for unplanned company or sharing with a family member or friend in need of a meal too.

 

Salisbury Steak

Homemade Salisbury Steak is one of those meals that is perfect for Sunday dinner, company or as an option for meal prepping.  I’ve made it a variety of ways over the years, but my most favorite is like this.

 

I finely chop up some onions and button mushrooms to mix into a pound of lean ground beef along with some garlic, salt & pepper, Worcestershire sauce and dried parsley.  

Once I’ve combined all of these things into the meat until it is well incorporated I evenly divide the mixture into four portions to pat out into patties.  

I let them sit until the meat is room temperature and then pan fry them until each side begins to brown.  

I remove them from the pan to rest and then in the remaining drippings I sauté some sliced mushrooms.  Once the mushrooms are done I sprinkle a heaping teaspoon of flour over the top and then stir and cook the flour for about a minute before pouring in two cups of beef broth.  

I love to stir in a tablespoon of dry au jus from a packet into the broth to boost the flavor. 

I will stir it until it begins to bubble and thicken.  

The patties go back into the gravy and simmer for about ten minutes.  Be sure to add in all the yummy juices too.

 

I love to serve Salisbury steak with my favorite mashed potatoes.  

I boil three or four peeled and cubed russet potatoes along with a peeled and sliced up carrot.  

Once they are fork tender I drain and mash the vegetables adding in a few tablespoons of butter and some whole milk to the perfect consistency.  

Perfect for meal prepping!

Then I serve them alongside the steak with gravy over the top.  Scrumptious!

 

I Defied The Odds!

 

Single parents tend to get a bad rap and to be honest, a lot of single parents do use their “single status” as an excuse as to why they go into debt, can’t make ends meet, have no savings or fail at whatever “married couples” succeed at so that isn’t helpful.  Dual income families are deemed to be more successful than single income families.  In fact, it is often thought that it is impossible to succeed without two incomes.  Fortunately for me, that hasn’t been true at all.

 

I became a single mom, a very determined single mom, in 1987.  I wanted the best possible life for both of us so when my son was six months old I put him in daycare, enrolled at a technical college and went back to school while working a part time job as a CNA at a nursing home to make rent and pay the bills.  I took out the minimal amounts in student loans I could and practiced super frugality.

 

Once I was out of school and had a job in my chosen field my focus was to pay off my student loans as quickly as possible while continuing to live frugally.  I also participated in my employer’s 401(k) plan as soon as I was eligible.  They matched 3% so I made sure to contribute what I needed to in order to get those matching dollars so I didn’t leave anything on the table.  I didn’t make a whole lot, but I made that and company health insurance benefits a priority.

 

The first thing I did after I got that job and filed my income taxes was to use that money to fund a $200 emergency fund and stock my pantry.  The next year I added to my savings and restocked my pantry and again the following year.  Consistently doing this fueled me to keep going.  After eight years of scrimping and saving I had saved enough for a down payment and I bought my first home.  I continued to save money, upgrade and improve my home and raise my son.

 

In 2000 I submitted my application to adopt my older daughter and three years later I did it again to adopt my youngest child.  I raised three wonderful children, kept them healthy, well fed, provided them with opportunities and extracurricular activities, like tee ball, taekwondo and karate, band, orchestra, dance, etc. and never made excuses.  We had pets, family vacations, camp trips and fun.  All of my children have been to Disneyland.  We didn’t just survive, we thrived.  Bonus points – all of my kiddos have gone to college and have degrees.

 

My parents did not pay for their children to attend college and neither did I, but we all went.  We figured it out on our own.  My parents instilled in all of us kids a strong work ethic and taught us how to be capable, resourceful and responsible adults and I carried that forward when I raised my own kids.  I also taught my children about money and how to save and responsibly spend it.  The biggest thing I did was to set a good example for them follow.

 

In the process I was able to live a thrifty, debt free lifestyle, launch my kids out of the nest with the tools they needed to live out in the world on their own and save for my retirement.  Then I retired early at age 57 after forty eight years in the workforce.  Yes, I had my first job at age 9 and my first savings account at that age too.  Prior to that age I had a piggy bank where I saved my change and squirreled away whatever I could “for a rainy day”.

 

I did a lot of side hustles along the way - babysitting, bookkeeping and tax preparation, graphic design, sewing and alterations, you name it, I did it.  Likewise, from an early age my children did too – babysitting, house and pet sitting, working fast food and at the neighborhood grocery store.  Like me, they all spent a little and saved most of their earnings so by the time they graduated high school they had quite a nest egg to start off with.  They also had a car, bought and paid for along with the basic knowledge to take care of that vehicle.

 

I made no excuses, tried hard, worked harder and always lived well below my means while I saved and invested money for my future.  Now that I am retired I do have a part time job which covers my groceries, gas and monthly expenses so I can continue to grow my wealth and be better prepared for my future when working is no longer an option for me.  As I sit now, if I were unable to work due to a change in my health or a job loss I’d be okay.  Knowing that I am financially set for the remainder of my life because of all the hard work I’ve put in so far is an amazing place to be.  If a single woman can accomplish this on her own while raising a family, then anyone can.  No excuses.

 

You Have TOO MUCH Stuff!

 

Do you park in the garage or in the driveway?  Do you have stuff sitting on the floor in any room of your home?  Do you have things stored in other people’s homes (Mom & Dad’s house)?  Do you have a storage shed in your yard?  Do you rent an offsite storage unit?  Are you out of space to put things away into drawers, cabinets and closets?  Do you store things in your vehicles or have things sitting outside?  Under a tarp or an awning?  If you answered yes to any of these questions YOU HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF!

 

The thing about having too much stuff is that you are sitting on a pile of cash that can be reallocated toward debt repayment and building your savings account.  For starters look at anything that happens to have an engine and start there.  Vehicles, ATVS, jet skis, motorhomes, travel trailers (okay, no engine, but still), motorcycles and dirt bikes, etc.  Give them a bath, take a picture and list them for sale.  AS-IS!  Don’t waste your time or your money that you don’t have “fixing them up”.  Just get them sold.  Use every dime to pay off your debt.

 

Go to your storage unit and empty it out making three piles – SELL, DONATE & TRASH.  I am always amazed at how much money is spent to store trash and you will be too.  Empty that unit and get rid of that stuff.  Cancel your unit rental and vow never to do that again.  Go out to that storage shed in your yard and do the same thing, then do it in the garage.

 

Do it in every drawer, cupboard, cabinet and closet.  Sell shoes, bags, purses and clothing on eBay, Facebook and to consignment shops.  Get rid of extra camping equipment, workout equipment, toys your kids don’t play with, toys you don’t play with.  List as much as you can, but also be reasonable with your pricing and your expectations.  Have lots of yard sales.  Do this until you are only left with the things you actually LIKE, USE and truly WANT.  Use every dime from eBay, Facebook Marketplace and yard sales to pay off your debt!

 

At the end of the day you will not only have a lot less stuff to manage, but you will feel a lot lighter too, especially emotionally.  Our stuff has a tendency to weigh us down.  The bonus is that you won’t need to move and manage so much crap and you will save yourself a ton of money because you are able to get rid of that storage unit and pay off some of your debt.

 

Are You House Poor?!

 

The first and most costly monthly expense for most of us is our housing.  How much are you paying for your rent or mortgage?  Is it ever difficult to meet that obligation?  Are you facing foreclosure?  If so, it is time to start looking at alternatives before you are forced to and are at risk of losing your home.  No one ever wants to find themselves at risk of being homeless, but sadly it happens.  More than you might think.  Do you have a backup plan?

 

In a previous post I talked about living within your means as if you are a fast food worker.  This is a really good way to gauge your overall expenses and your spending habits.  It is an eye opener to the importance of getting out of debt, having savings and a stockpile of some sort to help you become financially successful.  Think about it.  At this time could you weather a job loss?  How would you get buy until you found a new job?

 

If you are a homeowner, overwhelmed with debt and need to lower your expenses it might be time to sell your house and move into something far less expensive.  Would the current equity in your home pay off the mortgage and the 2^nd mortgage you may have?  And possibly some other debt?  If so, selling your house and downsizing into a smaller much more affordable home is the best solution to start your debt elimination journey and cut expenses.  Before you consider purchasing another smaller house however, you may want to consider renting for a brief period of time.  This may be a better option as it will allow you the time you need to pay off all debt, build an emergency fund, establish savings and retirement accounts and make better financial decisions.  No need to jump from the frying pan into the fire.

 

Rent the smallest size apartment you need.  If you have children they can always share a bedroom.  Two in a room with twin beds, three in a room with a twin and twin bunk beds and four in a room with two sets of bunk beds is doable.  If four in one bedroom seems a bit much then consider having the children sharing two bedrooms and the parents sleeping in the living room.  There are ways to make it happen.  And families really can share a single bathroom.  It’s been done for decades in the past.  Remember this situation is temporary.

 

While your home is up for sale, or even before while you are considering and researching your options, now is the time to start clearing out the excess.  We’ll be discussing that more as we continue along in this journey to debt freedom and financial success but right now, what can you sell?  Get it listed and use the proceeds to pay off debt.

 

If you are renting perhaps you need to move into a smaller apartment or even a studio.  Or take on a roommate to share the rent and utility bills.  Use the half you save toward paying off debt.  Don’t want a roommate?  Perhaps moving to a less expensive location or the town next door, however don’t move if that area would compromise your safety.  Safety is important.  But if you struggle to make rent and don’t feel a roommate is a good idea you might need to compromise and seek out a studio apartment.  Or, simply rent a room from someone else and tough it out in the meantime remembering this is simply a means to an end.

 

Some people will move temporarily move into their RVs or their automobiles when times get tough and there is no shame in that.  Some find tiny home living is the key to their financial success.  Long term house sitting works too!  Look at all the options and choose whatever is right for you.  Remember this is only temporary until you are out of debt and have made your savings goals.  It’s a means to an end.  An end to stressful days and sleepless nights!  And an end to worrying about your finances.  Change is good.  You can do this!

That Not So Impossible Taco Pie!

 

Many moons ago (back in the 1970s) there was a new recipe on the back of the Bisquick box that was all the rage.  My mom made it many times for a quick and economical supper and I’ve made it quite a few times myself.  Over the years I’ve tweaked it and made it my own.  Here is my version.

 

Quick & Easy Delicious Taco Pie

 

1 pound lean ground beef

3 cups cooked kidney, pinto or black beans, or a combination

1 small onion diced

1 small can diced green chiles

1 pkg. taco seasoning

3 eggs

1 cup milk*

½ cup complete (just add water) pancake mix, Jiffy mix or Bisquick

1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

 

Preaheat oven to 400°F.  In a large skillet brown ground beef with onion over medium heat until no longer pink, drain fat and add beans and taco season packet.  Combine well and simmer fifteen minutes.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk eggs and milk with pancake mix until smooth.

 

Grease two deep dish 9 inch pie pans (or use one 9”X13” baking pan).  Divide meat mixture between both pie pans and sprinkle each one with half cup of cheese.  Carefully pour milk and egg mixture over both pies and bake approximately 25 minutes until top is set.  Allow to cool 15 minutes prior to serving.  Makes 16 servings.

 

*Don’t forget to use your special milk as it works perfectly in this recipe.

 

This pie is wonderful topped with shredded lettuce, sliced black olives, dollop of sour cream and some spicy salsa.  Leftovers reheat nicely and the best thing about this recipe is you that you can freeze one pie to thaw and bake later or do a large baking pan if you want leftovers through the week.  This is one of those recipes that takes a few ingredients and really gets a lot of mileage out of them.  The beans not only extend the ground beef, but they also add flavor and fiber, which we all need.  It is full of healthy proteins, fairly low in carbs and is absolutely delicious.  I hope you try this one.