If you’re Aware
of penny-saving ideas around your kitchen you can accumulate many small savings
that will Amount to big bucks.
Bread does not have to go stale or be thrown out.
Put sliced bread right into your freezer and take it out in the morning for
toast and sandwiches (It will be fine by noon). If you have a loaf of stale
baked bread, run it under cold water and shake; then put it in the oven at 300
degrees for twenty minutes. It will come out like fresh-baked.
Cleaning
supplies are cheaper, and often more effective as well as safer, if you use what
you have in your cupboard. For example, white vinegar cuts grease, cornstarch
cleans windows and furniture, and isopropyl alcohol disinfects.
Dry your
clothes on the line for outdoor freshness and savings on running your gas or
electric clothes dryer. In the winter use an indoor drying rack. You can find
them at second-hand stores for under $10.
Energy is
expensive in your kitchen. Buy newer Energy Star appliances and save big. But,
there are other short cuts. One is turn off your dishwasher at the drying cycle
and let the dishes air dry. Another is unplug appliances over night and save on
phantom energy waste.
A Freezer can
save you lots of money. Freeze things before they go bad. Buy in quantity any
foods you use regularly that you find on sale and store in the freezer.
Grocery
stores are set up to tempt you to buy. Make a menu of week’s meals and then
create a list of what you need. People who shop with grocery lists save.
Hosting
people in your home can be expensive if you serve wine. Why not buy cartons of
wine or large bottles of wine for savings. Or, you can serve the more expensive
wine first and the cheaper wine later as the evening wears on and the taste buds
become numb.
Some Ingredients
required in recipes can be expensive. No problem. Substitution saves money,
and you’ll never know the difference. Powdered milk works as well as real milk
in recipes. For cream use 2% milk. For real garlic or lemon use minced garlic in
the jar - and use lemon juice.
Jams are a
luxury and expensive. So, make your own. Freezer jam is an easy recipe and can
be made from any berry, even the blackberries in your back yard or from the
blueberries along the roadside. Instead of buying berries for your jams, or
pies, pick your own to save money.
Kale is
cheaper and healthier than lettuce. Kale is also a winter plant. Yes, it will
survive even very cold climates. Buy seedlings, plant in moveable pots, put
them in a protected spot along your house foundation and watch it grow.
Laundry
detergents always give you directions for using a bigger amount than necessary,
use a third to one-half less than recommended on the box, and your clothes will
be just as clean while you count your pennies.
Make your
food go further to stretch your meals. Don’t throw out leftovers but reuse them
in casseroles or stir fries. Don’t throw out stale bread but use it for bread
crumbs and croutons. Use flavored side dishes with vegetables to stretch an
expensive piece of meat. You can even use old food in your compost.
Night lights
in your kitchen are good to have so you don’t bang your toe when raiding the
fridge or getting a midnight snack, but they are using energy. Try night lights
that have a motion detector sensor, and you’ll light up when you enter the
kitchen even before you open the fridge door.
Onions often
go bad, and you always need onions. So store them to save them, and you’ll save
on replacement costs. They need to be in a dry place like a cabinet or a
pantry. Do not store in plastic bags; use paper bags instead. And, do not
store near potatoes, as potatoes give off moisture. Use any onion that sprouts
right away.
PennyPinchingHints.com is a
great site to use for kitchen-saving ideas. This site has a little bit of
everything with big savings ideas. The site also has freebies, deals of the
week, and tackles many topics from homebuilding to college savings and from
buying shoes to making investments.
Quick meals
may mean ordering out or going to MacDonald’s, but those kinds of meal can add
up. Instead bake larger meals on the weekend like lasagna, meatloaf, or soups.
Then divide into individual servings and freeze for quick warm ups and money
savings.
Roasts and
steak are great tasting, but you can buy lesser known and less-expensive meat
cuts and still make a tasty meal. Try flank steak, pork shoulders (You’ll get a
couple meals out of this cut for $10 or less.), and shank cuts--which you can
braise to make more tender.
Snacks are
cheaper made than bought—and just as good. Make trail mixes out of dried fruit
and sunflower seeds or make bagel pizzas. You can even have a family cook
in—each person makes several of his/her favorite snack foods and freezes for
later.
Throwing away
something without thinking about saving some parts for later can be a mistake.
If you cut the buttons off old shirts, you won’t have to buy them latter. Or,
if you save the laces from old shoes, you can use them for lots of repairs and
for organizing without going out and buying.
Utilities may
seem expensive. But, you should know that washing dishes by hand is more
expensive than washing them in a dishwasher. Why? Because you use much more
water and the electricity to pump that water. Just make sure when you buy
utilities for the kitchen they are Energy Star products.
Vacuums are
another expensive but necessary kitchen need. Just make sure to change filters
when dirty, bags when full, and keep the vacuum brushes and wands clean. Then
you will extend the life of your machine. You can also try sweeping. It burns
calories, saves on your vacuum, and saves energy. That’s why kitchen floors
should not be carpeted.
Water is used
a lot in your kitchen. Turn down the heat on your water heater by five degrees
and save. Also, if you wash pots and pans fill one large contain or your second
sink with rinsing water to save running your water unnecessarily.
Xtra staples,
spices, and other food supplies that keep well should be bought in great volume
when they are on sale. Use coupons with sales and double your savings.
Your budget
is important. Budget your food costs and your other kitchen needs. You’ll be
amazed how planning ahead and having reasonable limitations for spending can
save. And, when you buy, round up every purchase you make with your debit card
or from you checking account. For example, if your grocery bill comes to $115.
67, treat it as $120.00 in your accounting. Before you know it, you will have
accumulated a nest egg.
ZZZZZ….Now
you can sleep soundly knowing the little things you do to save in the kitchen
can save you big $$$$$$$s.
Post Submitted by Jan Rideout, co-founder of
PennyPinchingHints.com