Took a trip to the library yesterday and hit a bonanza for newer magazines! Woo Woo!

I refuse to subscribe to a multitude of magazines for two reasons -- cost is one, but also, after reading them, what to do with them? I recycle them, but it seems such a waste. We get one magazine and it comes once a week -- a news magazine. After hubby reads it, I read it and then it goes into the recycling bin. Hubby said that although it is an interesting read, he doesn't want to renew the subscription. Fine with me!

However, what I really want to write about is the article in the "Saturday Evening Post" about clutter. The author said that we, as Americans, have more stuff than ever before. It was thought that perhaps we, in our minds, equate success with stuff and happiness with goods.

Good point, don't you think?

I think many people who lived during the Depression don't equate happiness with stuff, but survival with items. So many had so little and it is a fear they don't want to have again.

My parents would always say to me, "Don't get rid of that...what if we have another depression? You'd be happy to have it." It certainly taught me fear. Fear of being without.

I guess the key is to have a happy medium -- enough stuff to enjoy, but not too much.

I am working on decluttering at this house. We certainly have more things than we need. In fact, I'm kind of ashamed of all the stuff we have. I took some items to the auction last week. Not one item could I live without...raised $55.57 for my stove fund!

The article suggested as a decluttering idea was for every item you bring into your house, you get rid of two. I've heard the one for one equation...you buy something, you get rid of something. Maybe this twofer is a better idea.

As with all things...moderation!

I just read the article about advertising: http://www.savingadvice.com/articles/2010/07/19/106329_becoming-ad-averse.html

I have to agree with Jennifer on many of the points. Advertising does bring up prices and make people think they need things they probably don’t really need.

I’d like to add to her story. I’ve been quite the skeptic for so long. My husband and I have “bets” (not with money) on how much the latest gadget will cost that is being offered by mail order…ever notice it always ends with a 9.95? Most are $19.95 and then there’s that “surprise” of “But wait…” OK, double the order … hmmm, wouldn’t that be a sign that the stuff is junk and if they can double it for the same price (plus extra shipping and handling) that is it a rip off?

My other thing is to look at the background of the ads for stuff. Most fast food/junk food stuff they are peddling is positioned in a high end gourmet kitchen. Granite countertops, high end appliances, everything is neat and tidy…and use that microwave to zap that convenience food! I realize that many gourmets probably do succumb to junk food once in awhile, but why would someone who has the wherewithal to have such a fancy kitchen zap fat and grease? No one has a typical middle class kitchen in these ads.

The car insurance commercial with the perky gal talking to two other insurance agents is interesting as well. Both of their suit coats, ties, and shirts are identical and bland. In other words, this insurance is more fun and exciting than theirs besides being cheaper.

Another insurance company features a stocky guy with a wonderful voice. Besides his reassurance of this company being one who cares, his demeanor and voice tell someone he’s a protector. Good choice of characters, wouldn’t you say?

One huge merchandiser has their ad campaign honed so well that at the end of it “Save money. Live better.” has been ingrained in everyone’s mind. I did a lesson on author’s purpose in the classroom last year and we talked about advertising as a persuasive piece. When I said the first phrase, “Save money.” The whole class in unison said the rest and added the name of the story. Cripes…what brainwashing! I’d say that company spent good money on that piece because everyone recognizes it.

Jennifer looked at ads a different way than I do. I enjoy picking them apart to see what kind of hidden message they are trying to tell us. Sometimes I even count how many are in between the program. I hate it when there is more advertising than program it seems. It’s become a game in our house to see what we can point out in the ad that is not being said, but implied.

And I’m going to save money because I’m not going to live better in that huge store!

Do you have a freezer? A few years ago I saved up and bought a small one. I try to find things on sale to keep it stocked. I also put flour in it when I get it on sale so it doesn’t get buggy. I often freeze extra stuff I make in it as well.

Last night I was reading “Frugal Living for Dummies” – we had made a trip to the library yesterday, one of my favorite places. Most of the entries were items that have been written about on blogs and forums and articles here at Saving Advice.

I noticed the author had the biggest section about cooking and food. Seems she has authored quite a bit on making things ahead and freezing them before including them in this book.

She wrote about making the same dish but three times the amount and eating one and freezing the other two. Or cooking ahead for the week or month and freezing it until you need it. Over and over it was repeated how she saves money by having food available for dinner time so the temptation to go out isn’t really there.

It’s not anything new to most of us. I do the weekly thing on Sundays. I often make casseroles or put stuff together for the Crockpot so when meal time comes about after work, I can either pop it in the oven or put it in the cooker that morning for a warm meal.

I went out to the freezer the other day to get a pound of hamburger. My husband looked at me and when I came in from the garage and I joked, “I went shopping.”

He laughed with me, but I did go shopping. I went to the convenience of my freezer and got what I needed. I had bought the meat on the sale and it patiently waited in the cold box until I secured it. I didn’t have to make an extra trip to the store nor did I have to eat out.

So, I would say it truly is a frugal freezer.

I hate to shop. I prefer to get in and get out. However, when it comes to big ticket items, I try to read Consumer Reports and also list what I want and don’t want in an appliance.

We went to the library today and I decided to pick up the Consumer Reports Buying Guide. I was reading about stoves. I want a stainless steel smooth cook top electric stove. I’m amazed that two by the same company have almost equal ratings but one is $2000 more. Maybe I don’t know what to do with one that has all these buttons on it, but for $2000 more, I think I can live without it. I want a stove that heats accurately and looks nice. I don’t need or want 20 other odd buttons. Maybe there's something wrong with me.

It’s just downright depressing when you look at all those models and it’s difficult to find what you want. Plus, very few places actually have a big inventory so it’s either looking on-line or through a catalog.

So, after figuring out what I think I want, I started looking on-line. I figure it gives me a true goal to save for. I have looked at the various on-line sites and I think I have found what I want and a store near us.

Now, the hard part…the actually saving. But, it’s also the fun part because every time I add a little to my total, I feel like I’m making progress.
According to the local price, I’m almost half way there so that’s a good thing!

Do you remember items from your childhood? Or your teenage years? Ever wonder why things we took for granted then look so good when we see them now?

We went through some antique malls yesterday. Granted, a lot of the stuff wasn’t truly an antique, but hubby and I pointed out things we remembered from our childhood. I had a very special neighbor when I was little and she was like a second mother to me. I was a big fan of the 3 Chipmunks and somehow her nickname became Simon, her husband’s name was Alvin, and the lady who lived in the apartment above them was Theodore. Anyway, I learned a lot from Simon. Yesterday I saw a cookie jar that was just like the one she used to have on her kitchen counter. It gave me a warm feeling for a few minutes just thinking about that and the loving person connected to it.

My husband saw some glasses that were like the ones he and his brother drank from as kids. He told about how good the aluminum glasses felt with a cold drink on a hot day.

I saw a set of dishes that were like the ones my grandmother had...I remembered some of the good things she fixed for me. I think a lot of us remember something that tasted good from our past and we associate that food with a great feeling...a comfort food!

Then, because there wasn’t a whole lot on T.V. we wanted to see, we watched “My Three Sons” on DVD. We borrowed the first season from our library. Do you remember seeing this show growing up?

Perhaps that’s why many Baby Boomers like looking through flea markets, antique shops, garage sales, or swap meets. We like to see something that reminds of us a good thing in our past whether it is an item, food, or loved one.

Our hometown put out a challenge. The challenge was for people to spend so much a month in locally owned businesses. I don’t remember the amount, but it was not a huge amount …I’m thinking maybe $50.

I think it is important to try and support the businesses that are owned and run by locals. Although chains seem to offer lower prices on many things, it is the locals who truly support local economy because they live and work in the community.

We try to buy locally when we can. I like to see the little guy (or gal) become a success in business if they truly want to run one the right way. And, it seems most of these folks truly appreciate our business.

As we start the July 4th weekend, perhaps we can rejoice in the freedoms we have, and one of those is the freedom to patronize the businesses of our choosing. Although not in the Declaration of Independence or Constitution, it is one of our rights…we don’t have to, like the song says, “owe our soul to the company store.”

Things v. experiences. I read somewhere over the weekend that people feel that folks who talk about the things they buy come across as self centered whereas people who talk about experiences do not.
I wonder if that is true.

I would say by reading the SA blogs, it is. The folks who blog about experiences often talk about doing for others whether it is family or donating to the food bank – they look beyond themselves.

Very few blog about things, and if they do, it is matter of fact, not a brag fest.

I do know a friend who is totally tied up in the acquisition of things. He is not happy unless he is pursuing the purchase of something or purchasing something. And then the bragging begins. He makes decent money, but because of his spending habits, has had to refinance the house so he could vacation. While he was waiting for the refinancing, he was very irritable to be around because he felt he didn’t have any money to spend. It has become more and more difficult to talk to him because unless he has something to brag about, he doesn’t have much to talk about. I would say he’s pretty self-centered. I think he’s trying to fill a void in his life by filling it up with things. His idea of a vacation is going shopping. My idea of a vacation is relaxing and seeing things.

Most of the people I do enjoy time with talk about experiences and things they saw and we either learn or laugh. It’s a give and take relationship. We enjoy each other’s company and seem to never run out of things to talk about.

So, what is your take on this? Would you concur that folks who talk about things all the time come across as self-centered?

Oven fried chicken is on the menu tonight. My husband really likes it.

When chicken breasts go on sale, I buy some and freeze them. The night before I wish to fix them, I soak them in milk with some Paprika and Turmeric. When it’s time to fix them, I dip them in egg and then bread crumbs and then bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees on a greased baking sheet. Part way through I turn them over. They are moist and delicious. Not to mention very easy to prepare.

I know there’s nothing like honest to goodness fried chicken, but this comes close.

Happy Eating!

Some folks get a thrill from shopping. They say the adrenalin really pumps when they look and find something to buy.

I have a similar thrill, but it happens at the public library. I love books. And I love saving money. So, the public library is simply euphoric for me because there are so many books and so little time and I'm not spending a lot of money.

The public library also holds a special place in my heart. Over 25 years ago I met this fellow on the public library bookmobile. We became friends and then eventually started dating. We will be married 20 years this June. I can certainly say I “checked” him out. But I have news for the library…I’m not returning him. I’ll return my books and magazines, but not my husband. Sorry!

Anyway, I digress. We stopped at the library tonight and I wandered around the stacks and looked at mysteries. If you read my previous blog I talked about mysteries that are also food related and how much I enjoy them. I might have found some new authors. There’s one author who has mysteries that revolve around a tea room. How cool is that?

I then perused the cookbooks and found a couple of cookbooks to browse through. Then I hit the magazines. I love glossy, current magazines. I’m too cheap to buy them so it’s a pleasure to enjoy them and return them. Plus, I feel it’s good for the environment because I’m not buying them and throwing them away. Yes, I know we can recycle them, and I do recycle the one magazine we have a subscription to, but overall, I think it’s nice that someone else can enjoy the same magazine.

So, I had quite a hunting expedition in less than 30 minutes and came home with quite a bounty. I feel I saved money because I didn’t purchase books and magazines and made use of the tax dollars the library receives to purchase materials. Wow, two proverbial birds with one stone! So I’m either a great hunter or quite the successful gatherer. It’s up to you to decide.

One thing I enjoy about Sunday is the Sunday newspaper. As much as I enjoy the computer, there's something about having newsprint in hand. An added bonus is most Sundays there are coupons included.
I have always enjoyed reading about folks who use coupons and can get a lot of groceries and products for a great deal. I’ve never gotten close, but it’s fun to dream.

But with most dreams there comes a reality. And I’ve discovered that in the Midwestern city that I inhabit, I’m limited by a few things that keep me from realizing the dream of getting so much for next to nothing. First of all, most of our stores do not accept Internet coupons. Their policies state that because people have cheated them, they won’t credit them. Bummer. Yet again a few have made it bad for the rest of us.

My husband splurges and buys the Chicago Tribune every Sunday. They also have coupons. A big discovery is that often times the Chicago paper has more coupons than our local paper and sometimes the cents off is even more. I guess that means I’m limited by my locality on how much I can save.

I have also found that most of the coupons available to me are for things I don’t buy. Double bummer. I’m not going to buy something just to save a few pennies. I do some crazy things, but even I’m not that crazy.

As frustrating as it is, I guess I should look at the bright side and take advantage of the coupons I can use. Guess it’s time for me to get out the scissors and start clipping for another week!

It's oh so shiny and has chrome handles. The design is sleek and pretty powerful. And, it's almost empty!

Yikes...it's the end of the week and I need to restock the fridge. By Sunday afternoon the fridge is pretty full of dishes that I have made and use during the week. But by Friday night, the dishes have been consumed and it makes me think it's empty and lonely.

My romance with kitchen appliances is probably very similar to my husband's preoccupation with cars. When he was shopping for a new vehicle he checked out Consumer Reports. So did I. He went to look at different vehicles. I did that too. He test drove and then came home and thought about it. I sort of did that...can't actually drive a fridge, but did open stuff and measure. So when we bought our new sleek and shiny ice chest, it was a thing to behold.

Our old one was dying. I was finding food was not staying cool and it was pretty old, so we decided to buy an Energy Star appliance to replace it hoping to save money in the long run.

So last summer when the new one arrived, we bid adeiu to the old one and I gratefully used the new one. And it has been good.

But, as said, it's nearly empty. So, I guess I better quit blogging and get cooking!