Let's Brainstorm Tips for Saving Money to Share at Shows

[PCMelissa]

At Colleen's meeting a couple of weeks ago, we did a simple exercise to illustrate how expensive eating out is. We each told how many of us there were at home, how often we eat out per week, and how much we typically spend each time we go out. Multiply the amount by the number of times per week, then multiply that by 4 to get a monthly total. Sometimes people don't realize how much they actually spend to eat out.

And once you have a monthly number, you can show how fast they'll pay off a large ticket item (like a 12" skillet) which will make it easier to eat at home and skip eating out.

I am going to use this idea at my show tomorrow! Thanks!

 

[mjs2052]

The Suds Pump makes soap last 10x longer

It is easy to make your own household cleaners...much cheaper and healthier than the potion aisle at the store. My all-purpose cleaner (safe on ANYTHING):
1c. water
1c. distilled white vinegar

I am going to start making my own laundry and dishwasher detergent....I will let you know how that goes. The laundry (including detergent, bleach alternative and softener) will cost 1 cent per load!

I'd love to know how you make your laundry and dishwasher detergent.

 

[gailz2]

A day or two after cooking a big turkey, I take it all off the bones and freeze it in zip loc baggies (quart sized), which turns out great to have on hand for many different chicken or turkey dishes.

 

[etteluap70PC]

here is a site with some good formulas
Non-toxic Home Care

 

[Crystal Patton]

I know it sounds gross, but run with me on this.

Every night I scrape all our dinner plates clean (with PC scrapers - shocking I know), I put everything into an old cookie dough container and put it in the freezer. Every night I add to it and when it gets full I defrost it and either:
A - Put the whole mess into the DCB, stir it all up and add a ton of cheese, then bake it for 30 min in the oven at 350 degrees - Ta-Da Cookie Dough Casserole.
B - Put the whole mess into my crock pot, stir it all up with water and cook it all day on low - Ta-Da Cookie Dough Soup

I have yet to get a bad meal and it's always different. Some of them I wish I could make again.

Disclaimer: If you are a person who can't stand your food to touch, then I am sorry if I have made you ill. I told this great tip to my Best Friend and she was almost sick because she is a "No food shall touch" kind of gal.

Oh and I call it Cookie Dough Casserole/Soup because that is the container I put it all in.

 

[Get_Pampered]

I know it sounds gross, but run with me on this.Every night I scrape all our dinner plates clean (with PC scrapers - shocking I know), I put everything into an old cookie dough container and put it in the freezer. Every night I add to it and when it gets full I defrost it and either:
A - Put the whole mess into the DCB, stir it all up and add a ton of cheese, then bake it for 30 min in the oven at 350 degrees - Ta-Da Cookie Dough Casserole.
B - Put the whole mess into my crock pot, stir it all up with water and cook it all day on low - Ta-Da Cookie Dough SoupI have yet to get a bad meal and it's always different. Some of them I wish I could make again.Disclaimer: If you are a person who can't stand your food to touch, then I am sorry if I have made you ill. I told this great tip to my Best Friend and she was almost sick because she is a "No food shall touch" kind of gal.Oh and I call it Cookie Dough Casserole/Soup because that is the container I put it all in.

OMG that is soooooo disgusting! I am laughing sooo hard! I could hardly speak when reading this aloud to husband - I have tears in my eyes! I am a no-food-shall-touch kind of gal because God put tastebuds in our MOUTHS and not our STOMACHS for a REASON!!!!! My husband says: Dude, people slobber all over the place and she is serving it as leftovers! hahaha I just love you Crystal! (but I won't be coming over for dinner)

 

[Crystal Patton]

OMG that is soooooo disgusting! I am laughing sooo hard! I could hardly speak when reading this aloud to husband - I have tears in my eyes! I am a no-food-shall-touch kind of gal because God put tastebuds in our MOUTHS and not our STOMACHS for a REASON!!!!! My husband says: Dude, people slobber all over the place and she is serving it as leftovers! hahaha I just love you Crystal! (but I won't be coming over for dinner)

Ahh, I feelin' all warm and fuzzy inside. What do you mean, not coming for dinner? LOL

Hey I put in the disclaimer for people just like you. I wasn't kidding when I said my Best Friend was almost sick, she was acctually clamping her jaw shut so hard it hurt. Maybe I should have put the disclaimer at the top? Hmm

By the way, tell you DH that I will toss in the left-over cat food and a little extra cheese just for him.

 

[jcsmilez]

By the way, tell you DH that I will toss in the left-over cat food and a little extra cheese just for him.

UGH! Okay! That one made me gag! :yuck: Arggh, ech ech Uh blah. :yuck: Thoughts like that and being pregnant simply DO NOT go hand in hand! :yuck: LOL

 

[Get_Pampered]

The extra cheese just might get him - he is from Wisconsin ya' know and they just love their cheese!!

 

[Crystal Patton]

UGH! Okay! That one made me gag! :yuck: Arggh, ech ech Uh blah. :yuck: Thoughts like that and being pregnant simply DO NOT go hand in hand! :yuck: LOL

Sooo sorry hon! I didn't know you were 'in the family way'. I've had three and remember the days my stomach ruled with an iron 'fist'.

 

[jcsmilez]

Sooo sorry hon! I didn't know you were 'in the family way'. I've had three and remember the days my stomach ruled with an iron 'fist'.

LOL, Crystal, that's okay.

 

[ChefPaulaB]

I know it sounds gross, but run with me on this.

Every night I scrape all our dinner plates clean (with PC scrapers - shocking I know), I put everything into an old cookie dough container and put it in the freezer. Every night I add to it and when it gets full I defrost it and either:
A - Put the whole mess into the DCB, stir it all up and add a ton of cheese, then bake it for 30 min in the oven at 350 degrees - Ta-Da Cookie Dough Casserole.
B - Put the whole mess into my crock pot, stir it all up with water and cook it all day on low - Ta-Da Cookie Dough Soup

I have yet to get a bad meal and it's always different. Some of them I wish I could make again.

Disclaimer: If you are a person who can't stand your food to touch, then I am sorry if I have made you ill. I told this great tip to my Best Friend and she was almost sick because she is a "No food shall touch" kind of gal.

Oh and I call it Cookie Dough Casserole/Soup because that is the container I put it all in.

I'm sorry, I am not a "no-food-shall-touch"person and this still doesn't work for me... I love caseroles and I use leftovers, but not from people's plates... sorry, just not for us...

 

[ChefBeckyD]

I'm sorry, I am not a "no-food-shall-touch"person and this still doesn't work for me... I love caseroles and I use leftovers, but not from people's plates... sorry, just not for us...

Umm, yeah - I don't think this is a tip I'd be sharing at shows.

DH and DS are pretty good about eating what I make, but I can't see trying to make them eat table scraps. Usually what we have left over on plates is stuff we didn't want to eat the first time around....really can't see us eating it with the addition of cheese!

 

[Crystal Patton]

Sorry guys.:blushing:
This was a tip I got from a friend when my DH and I were really poor. It was a way to avoid ketupe soup the night before pay day. I still do it because I'm thrifty.

OK OK, I'm cheap.

 

[etteluap70PC]

A better version of this that first MY DH takes lots of leftovers for lunches at work. He is not a sandwich guy so I try to make enough for an extra serving. It goes in plastic containers and into the freezer.

Then if there are still leftovers I put the veggies and potatoes in seperate zipper bags or containers. Then when I am making a soup stew or casserole I just add my leftovers. It has worked really well!

Also I am working with my family (myself and DH especially) to serve ourself less to start with. You can always go back for more. My DH is notorious for heaping his plate. If he is serving the kids he tends to give them 3 times what they need. My DS is notorious for not eating his dinner because he is picky, so I serve him verry little to start.

 

[Get_Pampered]

Sorry guys.:blushing:
This was a tip I got from a friend when my DH and I were really poor. It was a way to avoid ketupe soup the night before pay day. I still do it because I'm thrifty.

OK OK, I'm cheap.

Don't apologize! I am really thrifty, too (I get a big thrill out of saving pennies). So, if this works for you, it will probably work for someone else too and that is GREAT. Besides, I had a really stressful day yesterday and you made me laugh so hard I cried! I love you for that!

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Sorry guys.:blushing:
This was a tip I got from a friend when my DH and I were really poor. It was a way to avoid ketupe soup the night before pay day. I still do it because I'm thrifty.

OK OK, I'm cheap.

Hey - if it works for you, it works for you!

It would take me about 6 months to come up with enough from our plates to do that anyway. My DS and I both use the Dots salad plate as our dinner plates, and DS uses the regular dinner plate, but I try to only put on DS's plate what he will eat. (and none of his food can touch - I made the Stirfry recipe from the SB a couple nights ago, and had to separate it into individual little piles on his plate.) DH and I don't usually leave anything on our plates - because we only take what we can eat, and DS may have a bite or two left on his plate, but not enough to warrant sticking it in the freezer.....

I do freeze leftovers though, if I think they won't be eaten in a couple days. I'll often make quesadillas out of leftover veggies, meat and rice, or beans. I pull it out of the freezer, and add some cheese and more veggies.

 

[ThePampered1]

I scrape our plates and freeze it too... To mix with dog or cat food at the end of the month. It helps their food last longer and we waste nothing except chicken bones!

 

[jj16]

When a recipe calls for chicken I use turkey breasts instead because I was so discouraged by how much fat I was having to cut off the chicken. When you consider how much fat you cut off chicken you get more bang for your buck buying turkey breasts because there is virtually no fat on turkey breasts (at least that has been my experience).

I used to be a construction worker and adding Coke (not Pepsi) to laundry cuts the grease. Also, I add borax to my laundry and to my dishwasher. I've used borax in my laundry before but about 6 months ago I decided to try it in my dishwasher too and I couldn't believe the results and the sparkle on the glasses.

Also, my mother will put a couple of spoons of fresh ground coffee on top of the old that was in there from the day before and run it through again (I do realize some people can't handle this) but it does save money.

 

[cellochef]

I love all the great ideas. On thoughts on how to organize them to share with guests

 

[legacypc46]

Click Here <http://autos.msn.com/everyday/gasstations.aspx?zip=&src=Netx>

Thank you so much for sharing this site! I was stunned at the price spread for gas in my area (from $1.88 a gallon to $1.99).

 

[KellyTheChef]

Here are some ideas that I printed up on paper to keep at my table during demos...then I can throw out ideas throughout my show!

I am also uploading two flyers that I printed out for my table (put into a plexiglass frame) when I did my speech the other day about saving time and money!

 

[abaker1]

Those are awesome Kelly!! Thank you for sharing!!!

 

[SUZIEQCONSULTANT]

One of the best suggestions, I have used at my shows, is to cook a 30 minute chicken in Deep Covered Baker and serve it for dinner. Take remainng chicken and remove from carcus then the following evening use it for the Mexican Chicken Lasagna. There's no way either of those recipes resemble one another and you won't hear we just had that the night before.

ALso, the Mexican CHicken lasagna is fantastic if you have left over Pork Roast or Beef roast and just substitute for the chicken. I have sold on average 1 of the bakers at my past shows for the last 2 months, besides to my host taking one at half off.

 

[esavvymom]

*bumping*. Been reading folks having alot of cancellations or trouble getting bookings because of the tough times- thought maybe those of us who missed this the first time around might benefit (I know I didnt' read it the 1st go, but have marked it this time).

 

[esavvymom]

Does anyone have any tips they share with their guests about Meal PLANNING? That's a huge money and time saver in my opinion...at least for me...so much so that sometimes I refuse to go shopping until I have one put together because I know I'll (A) blow the budget, and (B) waste food/time/money because I'll buy things for meals that I don't have written down andt hen forget WHY I bought the food in the first place or I don't get all the ingredients I needed for a recipe becuz I didn't have it written down.....so this is an area I'd love to work on and figure out quick way so I can share with guests.

 

[CarrieB]

With the lemon peel you can also put it on the stove or a crockpot with water to make the house smell good. Sometime I do this with rosemarry or oranges with cloves or cinnamon.

 

[baychef]

With the lemon peel you can also put it on the stove or a crockpot with water to make the house smell good. Sometime I do this with rosemarry or oranges with cloves or cinnamon.

I like to share this tip with the peel from an apple once I am done demo-ing the Apple Peeler Corer Slicer. Throw it in a pan of water with some of our Cinnamon Plus and simmer it on the stove to add some comfort smells to the house!

And about the Cookie Dough Casserole...being a food service director and being a teacher on sanitation, it too would not be my cup of tea, however, it is better than the idea of "dumpster diving". People do not realize that even though a food item looks unspoiled...it may have been mishandled an not fit for serving.

I too worked in the back of a restaurant where the saved the mini bread loaves offered as an appetizer. If the customers did not finish the loaf it was put in a bin. Then it was ground up and used as breading or stuffing. This too is not a sanitary practice. Whether it is heated to temp or not.

I sound like a sanitation nazi, but with all of the food borne illnesses out there...better to be safe than sorry. My employees have it drilled in their heads...when in doubt, throw it out!

 

[rotinaj]

What I do for meal planning... I make a list of all the things that I typically make, one column for main dishes and another for sides. I even highlight the ones that I'll only make on a weekend because of time. The day before I go shopping I hand it out to the family and they circle what they want to eat. I get them back and go through my pantry and freezer and decide what I need. This plan has saved me a ZILLION hours of frustration trying to plan and shop for every meal.

 

[byrd1956]

I've been using vinegar in place of fabric softener. It works great!:thumbup:

Do you put it in when the fabric softener goes in or along w/the detergent?