Fwd: Simple Times - 09/25/09 - Make-ahead apple pie filling; simplify your budget

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Earn more, or spend less......that sums it all up in a nutshell, doesn't it?

 

cyndi

 

 

 

 

Simple Times - 09/25/09 - Make-ahead apple pie filling; simplify your budget

 

 

 

 

 

Simple Times

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Vol. 11, No. 12 -- September 25th, 2009

http://www.SimpleMom.com

DSimple

Copyright 2009 Deborah Taylor-Hough

ISSN: 1527-1269

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Subscribe: join-simple-times

Un: leave-simple-times

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Celebrating more than a decade of saving your time, money and sanity!

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IN THIS ISSUE:

-- "Dear Readers":

-- Simple Living Quote

-- Simplify Your Budget

-- Make-Ahead Apple Pie Filling

-- Letters to the Editor / Reader Tips

-- Debi's New Books!

-- Assorted Information (archives, etc.)

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< < < O.U.R S.P.O.N.S.O.R > > >

 

Tupperware Online Catalog

http://snurl.com/DebiTupperware

 

Same great products ... shop online convenience!

 

________________________________

 

Dear Readers,

 

I was reading a magazine article this morning about tips for organizing

your freezer. The author had an interesting side note -- he said that

according to a recent study, more than half of all women are freezing

food item to save money. I thought that was fascinating. I'm so glad

to see people are finally realizing that freezing things ahead of time is

such a great money-saving strategy.

 

I personally was able to cut $400 each month off my family's food budget

simply by cooking our main dinner items ahead of time ... that's $24,000

over five years that I didn't spend on groceries! Cooking for the freezer

actually became my part-time "job" that allowed me to stay home full-time

with my three kids when they were young.

 

In today's economy, we need all the money-saving ideas we can get, don't

we? Especially those of us facing a time of unemployment.

 

I'm gearing up for a big cooking day next week ... I need to make my

severance package last as long as possible and since I know from previous

experience about the cost-saving benefits of cooking ahead, I'm going to

take full advantage of my extra freezer in the storage shed that I've pretty

much been using for storing extra bread and frozen meat for the past two

years.

 

For more information about the benefits of cooking ahead for the freezer,

be sure to stop by and visit my Frozen Assets blog at:

 

http://frozenassets.wordpress.com

 

 

I had a major BFO ("blinding flash of the obvious") today when I read my

friend, Diana's blog post about roasting acorn squash seeds. Why had

I never thought of doing that?! I roast pumpkin seeds every year ... but

acorn squash are usually available a lot more often throughout the year,

so I don't have to wait until October for roasted seeds. This is a very

cool idea. :-)

 

You can find Diana's recipe online at:

 

http://snurl.com/s3lpe [dianasaurdishes_com]

 

 

And here's another new book alert!

 

I'd been so busy with my position as the Outreach Director at my

church that I'd pretty much let my writing and online activities slide

right off my "to do" list. Well, one nice thing about being without a

job at the moment (gotta look for a bright side somehow) is that I've

had more time for finishing projects I'd started working on but had set

aside.

 

My newest book, The Simple Mom's Idea Book, is finished and ready

for purchase! The book is currently only available from the publisher's

website (either as a book or as a download), but eventually I plan to

increase distribution through bookstores and online retail sellers.

 

You can find it now at http://Lulu.com/dsimple

 

If you enter "TAKE15" at checkout, you'll save 15% off your order.

 

Simply Yours,

 

Debi

(Deborah Taylor-Hough)

Editor, Simple Times Email Newsletter

--Author of the popular Frozen Assets series; A Simple Choice: A

practical guide for saving your time, money & sanity; and Frugal

Living for Dummies®

--Editor, Simple Times and Bright-Kids email newsletters

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Visit my simple living blog!

http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com/

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SIMPLE LIVING QUOTE

 

"All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in

a single word: Freedom; justice; honor; duty; mercy; hope."

 

--Winston Churchill

 

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SIMPLIFY YOUR BUDGET

Copyright Jill Cooper

Used with permission. All rights reserved.

http://www.LivingOnADime.com

 

 

I was just watching a show on budgeting. I had to chuckle when

watching it because the woman on the show was going into great

detail about making charts, tracking your spending and savings

and lots more. Even I, who have a good grip on my spending, was

getting overwhelmed with all the things said a person needed to do

to get out of debt.

 

She then used one of my favorites, which is to keep track of every

penny you spend. You know, the "Carry a small notebook in your

car and write down every penny you spend" method. I know this

works for some people and please keep using it if it's working for

you, but I often wonder if these people live real lives or have actually

ever really tried their own suggestions.

 

Let me give you my own personal experience with the little notebook.

I have a notebook in the car all nice and handy. I load five of my six

grandkids into the car and we are heading to their house. On the way,

I run into the store. I have things I need to return and then things I

need to buy. Two of the grandkids want to buy something with their

own money but one is $.75 short and another $.35 short, so they

ask to borrow it from me and promise to pay me back when we get

home.

 

On the way out of the store, we walk past the bubble gum machines

and so, of course, being a proper "Nana", I start passing out the

quarters for gum. Two of the quarters disappear into a machine that

fails to spit out the gum, so I have to find two more quarters and

calm the two distraught children.

 

Finally, we make it out the door and head for the car. I quickly make

sure each child is holding someone's hand so they won't get flattened

crossing the parking lot. It's a frantic journey to the car as kids drop

their new gum, leftover change and a package or two along the way.

 

Then we all climb in the car and wrestle with car seats, seat belts

and, most importantly, who gets to sit where and by whom.

 

Yes, the car is hot and everybody's tired, but despite that I say,

"Just a minute -- I have to write down what I just spent." Suddenly,

we are looking for the little notebook; on the floor, in the seat, on the

dashboard. At last, we find it, stuck in between the seats under the

youngest child's car seat.

 

After tugging and pulling, pushing and shoving, buckling and unbuckling,

we have the notebook. Now where is that pencil? Ah, easy find. It's

under the trash can on the floor.

 

"Let's see, now what did I buy again? Where's the receipt? Do I add

the money I got back on my returned item or deduct it from my credit

card bill? Do I call the $.75 and $.35 a loan and write it down until it

is returned or just write it down?"

 

"Yes. I know you're hot, I know you're hungry, I know you're tired ..."

 

These methods might work well for some people, but my life is

complicated enough without adding more. At times, my whole day

is like the above story, so I have so many more important ways to

spend my time than constantly searching for a notebook or writing

on a chart.

 

What does a person do?

 

I once worked for a man who had a major problem controlling his

spending. Here's what finally helped him: Every Monday morning

he put a $20 bill in his wallet. That twenty was all the money he

allowed himself to spend for the whole week. It was his lunch

money, pop money and, if he saw something at a store he really

wanted, he had to buy it with his twenty or do without it.

 

This made him go home and think about the thing he wanted. Did

really need it? Was it really worth it? Half the time, just having to

drive back to the store was enough to deter him from buying it.

 

He even found himself making a game of it challenging himself to

see how much of the twenty he could still have left at the end of

the week. He started saving the extra money to use for something

bigger and more special that he wanted. Often, after he had a nice

chunk added up, he decided to just apply it to a bill. Watching that

bill slowly go down told him he was winning the game.

 

If you have tried other ways unsuccessfully, you might try the twenty

dollar bill idea. Oh, and it doesn't have to be a twenty. Depending

on your circumstances and where you live, it could be more or less,

but pick an amount and stick to it. It may take a week or two to

figure out how much you want to allow yourself but, after that, use

a set amount and that amount only for your miscellaneous spending

money.

 

With this system, if you spend it all by Wednesday, too bad! You

will have to eke by the rest of the week and, if you aren't already

bringing your lunch to work or finding other ways to save, you will

find yourself starting to do it just so you can save more of your

"twenty."

 

What I like even better about this idea is, at the end of the week

or month, instead of having a huge column of little piddly things to

add to your ledger, you only have to make one entry for the twenty

for each week.

 

I did find it interesting that at the end of the show, after presenting

all of these complex suggestions, the woman was asked, "What do

you do if your house payment is more than you can afford and you

are deep in debt?"

 

She paused with a strange blank look on her face and said, "There

are only two things you really can do -- earn more or spend less."

 

That's it in a nutshell. We can make charts and write lists, but the

bottom line is we simply need to either stop spending or start earning

more.

 

Too often, we focus on learning how to get out of debt with the

misconception that, simply by learning, we are doing something

about our problem rather than focusing on getting out of debt by

actually stopping our spending.

 

Often, we want to know how to save on the large amount of groceries

we buy, never thinking that we could save a lot simply by not buying

so much. Or, here's one that I love: "My husband lost his job, so how

do I save on our vacation?"

 

I don't know how to say this gently but, if you don't have a job or you

had a pay cut and don't have enough money, you don't take a vacation,

play golf, buy new things to fix the house, put your kids in sports, throw

expensive birthday parties, keep buying junk food, or convince yourself

that you really need to keep your cable and Internet to help you find a

job.

 

There is one way and one way only to get out of debt and that is to

spend less than you make. The more desperate your situation, the more

drastically you have to reduce your spending. Some of you may have to

go from having your hair, nails and toes done once a month to only

having your hair done. If things are really tight, maybe you can't pay

to have anything done most of the time. You may have to learn to share

only one car. You might have to start walking or taking the bus.

 

Whatever you need to do to pay it off, get serious and do it. Remember

the key words for today's lesson: "Either stop spending or start earning

more."

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

--Jill Cooper and her daughter, Tawra Kellam, are frugal living experts

and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime

will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt, by cooking

quick and simple homemade meals. For more free tips and recipes visit

http://www.LivingOnADime.com

 

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SIMPLE TIMES RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Book list for frugality and simple living

Go to: http://snurl.com/simplebooks

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MAKE-AHEAD APPLE PIE FILLING

Copyright Deborah Taylor-Hough

Used with permission. All rights reserved.

http://www.SimpleMom.com

 

 

A friend of mine shared this recipe for make-ahead apple pie filling

several years ago. It's so good! And once again, I plan on using

this recipe when the apples ripen later this year. You might want to

keep it in your recipe files until apple season's in full swing, too!

 

 

Make-Ahead Apple Pie Filling

 

18 cups peeled apple slices

3 tablespoons lemon juice

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup cornstarch

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

10 cups water

 

 

In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice; set aside. In a Dutch

oven over medium heat, combine sugar, cornstarch. cinnamon, salt

and nutmeg. Add water; bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring

constantly. Add apples; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and

simmer until the apples are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Cool for 30

minutes. Ladle into freezer containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Cool at room temperature no longer than 1-1/2 hours. Seal and freeze;

store up to 12 months.

 

Yield: 5 1/2 qts. (enough for about five 9-inch pies).

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

--Deborah Taylor-Hough (freelance writer and mother of three) is the

author of a number of popular books including, Frugal Living for Dummies

and Frozen Assets: Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month." Visit Debi online

for more recipes, tips and ideas at: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com

 

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Feel free to forward this newsletter to your family and friends. :-)

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR / READER TIPS

We'd love to hear YOUR tips and ideas for simplifying daily life.

Send your simple living comments/tips to: DSimple

 

 

Re: Hugs

I love getting your newsletter. God bless you and your family and keep

bringing nice people into your life. Life is difficult, but God is Good.

{ { {hugs} } }

--Janet in Florida

 

 

Re: Good Samaritan story

I can relate to your analogy of the Good Samaritan. Some of the religious

people I know are what I refer to as "professionals"... I try hard to be real.

It is hard work. I have prayed for you. I am also glad that God is giving

you a "mission field" outside of your normal "church" lady groups. He is

a bountiful Master. I wish you love and peace.

--Sandi in Missouri

 

 

Re: Crisis = dangerous opportunity

I do so enjoy your newsletter. Thanks for continuing to offer it. I will also

pray that you will be taken care of by God and His faithful children as you

go through this tough financial time. I am sure his "dangerous opportunity"

will look like an extreme blessing when viewed through the rear view mirror!

Blessings.

--Lucy

 

 

Re: Hang in there!

I truly agree with the "danger-opportunity" thing. My husband has been

unemployed for 10 months now, and things were starting to get desperate.

So we sat down and brainstormed, and decided to start selling at a local

swap meet/flea market. And we absolutely love it! It is very lucrative (we

made over $100 our first day!), and it is such fun. So my advice is to be

REALLY open-minded and willing to try just about anything (legal).

--No name given

 

 

Re: Life piling up

My heart just goes out to you, and I wanted to send some kind words and

encouragement. I cannot imagine how difficult these times must be for you,

and I am saddened by all the "piling up" you must be experiencing. I want

to beseech God on your behalf, "Enough, already!!!" Yet, you always seem

to keep such a positive spirit and outlook. You are an inspiration to me,

even in the midst of your own troubles. God bless you!

--Robin M., Centennial CO

 

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DEBI'S NEW BOOKS!

Available at www.Lulu.com/dsimple

Type "TAKE15" at checkout ... save 15%!

 

 

The Simple Mom's Idea Book

Print: $11.99 / Download: $4.99

While starting life as a new wife and mom, the author always wished

for a personal mentor. Someone who could take her under their wing

and show her the ropes of how to be a stay-at-home mom, live on one

income, survive in a tough economy, educate her three lively kids, and

successfully raise children to adulthood. If you've been looking for simple

ideas for life and homemaking from someone's who been around the

block more than once, look no further. Have no fear ... the Simple Mom

is here!

 

 

Basics of Inductive Bible Study

Print: $7.99 / Download: $3.99

Think the Bible's confusing? You don't understand the language? Don't

let the Bible intimidate you anymore! Here's a simple, step-by-step guide

to studying the Bible for anyone, both newbie and experienced alike. Learn

to see for yourself what the Bible is really saying, what it all means, and

then discover how to easily and practically apply its teachings to your own

life.

 

 

Habits: The Mother's Secret to Success

Print: $9.99 / Download: $4.99

Charlotte Mason was a British educator from the last century whose ideas

are currently experiencing a revival, especially among American private and

home schools. Her ideas on the formation of habit are a key to understanding

how to make lasting change in your child, or even yourself. This book is an

excerpt from Charlotte Mason's writings specifically on the topic of habits.

Edited and introduction by Deborah Taylor-Hough.

 

________________________________

 

"FRUGAL LIVING FOR EVERYONE!"

A Community Outreach Workshop

 

This popular workshop presented by Puget Sound area author

Deborah Taylor-Hough, is the perfect Outreach Event to offer

your community during this time of economic uncertainty.

 

Be part of the solution for your neighborhood by offering this

workshop at your church, MOPS program, or through your

local civic group.

 

Community Outreach Workshops available include:

 

... Cooking for the freezer

... Saving money on food expenses

... Writing workshops

... Easy educational ideas for kids

... Living within your means

... Simplifying the holidays

... Parenting (preschool thru teens)

... Successful New Year's resolutions

... General homemaking

... Voluntary simplicity

... Christian growth & discipleship

... Inductive Bible study

... and more!

 

 

Deborah can provide themed workshops tailor-made for your group

or community's needs. Debi is also available for consultations for

individuals, churches, and other groups on outreach strategy,

missional living, publishing, writing, media relations, and low-cost

publicity planning.

 

Contact Debi at: DSimple for more information.

________________________________

 

As always, a special "Thank you!" goes out to Gary Foreman

and the friendly folks at The Dollar Stretcher for making this

mailing list possible!

 

== http://www.stretcher.com/ ==

________________________________

 

EDITOR'S BOOKS AND RESOURCES:

Books and resources by Deborah Taylor-Hough

Editor, Simple Times Email Newsletter

http://snurl.com/debisbooks

________________________________

 

DEBI'S ON-LINE RESOURCES:

Website: http://www.simplemom.com

Personal Blog: http://dsimple.wordpress.com/

Frugality/Simplicity: http://thesimplemom.wordpress.com

Cooking Ahead: http://frozenassets.wordpress.com/

Bright-Kids: http://brightkids.wordpress.com

Tupperware®: http://snurl.com/DebiTupperware

Kids' Books: http://snurl.com/books4kids

________________________________

 

NEWSLETTER INFORMATION

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Please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone you think

might be interested. This is a private mailing list which isn't sold

or shared with anyone else. Tips and articles are printed for

entertainment purposes only.

 

This free service is brought to you by www.SimpleMom.com

 

Copyright 2009 Deborah Taylor-Hough. .

3840 A Street SE, Ste 105-119, Auburn WA 98002

Contact us at: DSimple

 

 

 

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