8 ways I am "nickle and diming" my way to fewer expenses (part one)

Okay as some of you know, I am a student right now and I am not working much (a few sub shifts here and there) so as you can imagine money gets tight now and again.  So my husband and I decided, even before I started school, we were going to do our best to live on less.  It is almost a bit of a social experiment for us, and I have to say it has been working.  There are a few minor ways that I have cut back that are saving us some actual money. Now when I say 'actual  money' I don't mean thousands, I actually mean nickles and dimes but over the last year I have noticed a return for my efforts which is more than I can say for most of my money saving efforts over the years.

Part one of these money saving efforts revolve around food and food choices, as I find that is a very tangible place to save a few bucks if you are willing to put the effort in.

1. I don't buy pre-packaged yogurt any more.  Seems simple, but I buy tubs of yogurt and send my son with a reusable container filled with 4 oz of yogurt everyday in his lunch. I hated doing this at first.  It is so easy to buy the individual servings and I hate creating more dishes to wash, but I end up saving a buck or two each grocery bill and the landfill from a few less containers (or recycling bin). I have to say, I thought my son would loss each and everyone of those reusable containers but he has not lost one...yet.

2. I keep a well stocked pantry.  This was the hardest for me as it seemed so counter-intuitive.  When items go on sale, and I am referring to a really good sale, not just a few cents off, I purchase as many of them as I can store (spending more at once than I like to), creating a well stocked pantry.  But that limits how many times I will have to buy that item when it is not on sale.  Saving me money.  This isn't always easy, as I have limited space to store things, but I try.  I do love looking at all of the flyers, so I often will shop at more than one store to get all the sale items, but if I do it well, it doesn't cost much extra in gas (as most of our shops are within 2km).  I have also discovered that items go on a 'good' sale about once every six weeks, so I try to pick up what I would use in six weeks.  My sister always makes fun of me for my 'back up' items in my pantry but I know why I do it and I am super glad that I do!

3. I cook for left overs...and we have started using them.  We used to be so bad at using leftovers, they would go yucky in my fridge, while I'd be cooking new meals each day and eating out for lunches.  Well as you can imagine that is a HUGE waste of food and money.  So now I cook with the intention of having left overs for both lunches and suppers.  My classes are night classes, so the boys fend for themselves for three suppers a week, which is made much easier when they know that there is 'scoop and nuke' in the fridge (our nickname for left overs).  We rarely eat out anymore and that even includes popping out for coffee, which leads me to number 4

4. We bought a burr grinder for our coffee habit.  We drink a lot of coffee, a lot of whole bean, organic, fairly traded coffee, which can get pricey. (this is one of those items in #2 that I buy lots of when it hits a really good sale).  We used to go through about a pound a week when we used a blade grinder but we thought that we should up the quality of the grind and try a burr grinder and not only are we getting a bit of a better taste, we are using way less coffee! Now we are going through approximately 1/2 to 3/4 pound a week this adds up big time.  Another we have started saving with our coffee is we now order it in 2 pound bags through our church.  The company is Just Us! Coffee and they have a wonderful selection of coffees, teas, chocolates and sugar to be purchased.  Great product for a great cause.  Please check out there WEBSITE

Okay, so that is part one how I am currently saving money, as little as it is.  I will post part two with 4 more ways  (non-food related ways) that we have trimmed the expenses.  If you have ways that you have found helpful in saving a few bucks, please share them with me! With the current economy every penny...oh yeah no more pennies, every nickle counts!

Two dairy free 'Christmas' recipes I just have to share

Okay everyone, so we know that Christmas is over but I still have TON of baking left over in my house.  Much got nibbled on, some got tossed (unfortunate I know, but there is only so many shortbread cookies one can eat) and some got given away.  But there are a few I just am not ready to get rid of yet.  So I thought if I love the treats so much I can't part with them, then I should at least share the recipes!

The first is a dairy free caramels recipe, that I found here Vegan Caramels.
I have tried several recipes over the years with different dairy alternatives and this one gave me the absolute best caramel.  I followed the directions exactly, which I almost NEVER do, but I was desperate for home-made turtles so I sucked it up, read the recipe and pulled out my candy thermometer.  It is well worth it.  I know that everyone would tell me to use a coconut milk recipe, but I tried and I couldn't find one I liked.  So soy milk it is.
Once I knew that the caramel was going to solidify nicely, I quickly pressed in pecans and let it cool completely.  Once cooled I cut my sheet of pecan pressed caramel into small squared and hand dipped into melted dairy free dark chocolate and left to harden on parchment paper.  They are simply AMAZING!! I am keeping them in the freezer so that I don't all of them instantly and they are just as good frozen! What a great treat.

The other recipe is a dairy free 'Bailey's' Irish cream wanna-be that I found HERE. I was always a little sad when my friends and family could pour that sweet creamy goodness into their coffee during the holidays and I did not want to miss out any longer.  This recipe was surprising easy and so GOOD! According to my husband, it is almost as good as the real thing, but seeing I don't know what the real thing taste like, I am just happy that it is so delicious.  There are a few differences from the dairy to non-dairy versions.  First, you have to keep the non-dairy in the fridge and you don't (well we don't) have to keep the Bailey's in the fridge. And secondly, the cream in the coconut milk will float to the top, while the whiskey will sink to the bottom, so you need to give it a good shake before you pour it into your coffee.
I have to say, this will be a yearly tradition because it is so yummy in coffee or on ice.  I will make it again!

So there you have it, two great and pretty easy dairy free treats.

ENJOY!