Check out the following kitchen tips, you may already be aware of some or all of them. This is reinforcement to help you pinch those pennies in the kitchen.
DISHWASHER
Do not run it unless it is full, it wastes water and electricity. Just rinse your dishes and put them in, takes only a few minutes. Now you are saving money not only on electricity and water, but the dishwasher detergent as well.
SELF-CLEANING OVEN
You need to use aluminum foil in the bottom if you have an electric range. With a gas range, do not put the foil on the bottom. Place it on the lower rack to catch the spills. Other wise you restrict the flow. Replacing the foil is much easier and much cheaper than running the cleaning cycle. Run the cleaning cycle only when necessary, think of the money you are saving.
COPPER AND BRASS CLEANER
Use baking soda, white vinegar and a little flour to thicken. This money saving tip came from my Mother, she had Paul Revere cookware, the ones with copper bottoms. She loved to have them hung up in her kitchen for display, but brass cleaner was expensive. She made up her own recipe for the cleaner and it works!! I know because I had to clean the pots.
Tomato ketchup can make your copper gleam better than an expensive polish, also. Simply mix ketchup and water in equal parts. Apply it to your copper with a soft cloth and wipe off.
UNCLOG DRAINS
Instead of buying Drano or other products, pour two cups of baking powder in a large pot of water. When it boils; pour down the clogged drain. It unclogs immediately.
BOWL COVERS
Shower caps from hotels, make great bowl covers. You can buy the quick covers as they are called, but why? When you travel, most hotels and motels provide you with the disposable shower caps. Tuck them in your suitcase and take them home to your kitchen. After you have used one, do not throw it away. A little dish detergent and water washes them well. Set them up to dry and reuse over and over.
ZIP LOCK BAGS
Zip lock bags; wash, rinse and reuse them. Another thrifty tip. With a little dish detergent, a good rinse, the bags are ready to be used over and over. Sometimes you have to turn them inside out to dry; you want them to stand up to drain well. The only time I do not reuse the bags is when I have stored meat in them. Too much chance for salmonella poisoning.
BANANAS
Old bananas freeze for making banana bread at a later date, leave the skins on and put them into a zip lock bag. When it is time to make banana bread, you want the bananas dark and mushy anyway. This is perfect, take the amount you need out of the freezer and let thaw for a few minutes, just enough to release the peel.
NUTS
Keep your nuts fresh by freezing them. Buying nuts is expensive, so don’t let them sit on the shelf and get rancid. If there is a re-sealable bag, then use it, otherwise place the nuts, package and all in a zip lock bag and put in the freezer, they will last indefinitely.
You can go here to check out Grandma’s new cook book.
Did you know you have some good flu fighters right in your kitchen?
Penny Pinching at the Grocery Save money grocery shopping; yeah right, in this day and age? Actually you can if you follow a few simple ideas. Let me show you how . . .
101 Ways to Stretch Your Food Dollars Food prices are going up. But here are lots of ways — 101 of them — to shave off pennies, dimes and dollars from your food costs.
FOOD TIPS to keep them fresher longer and help save those pennies. More tips and ideas from Grandma to stretch your food dollars, by keeping food fresher longer and refreshing those that have gone a little hard or stale.
EAT WELL, This is very interesting health information… Coincidental??? You be the judge; similarities between nature and man, or woman.
ALL NATURAL FLU FIGHTERS, for the flu season Unfortunately it is that time of year again, the dreaded FLU SEASON!! In my doctors’ office is a sign to GET YOUR FLU SHOT NOW. Here are some other ways to help fight off the flu.
KITCHEN APPLIANCES EVERY PENNY PINCHING COOK NEEDS Every Penny Pincher knows that in order to save time and money you have to cook. Want the secret to getting your family’s meals on the table faster? Great kitchen appliances.
FIX THAT APPLIANCE AND SAVE MONEY, you can do it yourself Here you will find some quick and easy possible solutions when one of your appliances acts up. Avoid the repairman’s high fees for fixing it or the cost of buying a new appliance.
A PENNY PINCHING KITCHEN-FIXUP; you can do it! Do this inexpensive kitchen-fixup and marvel at the new look of your kitchen. Better yet, no more laminate counter tops. You really can do this!
TEA HAS HEALING POWERS, INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF YOUR BODY Doctors say TEA is good for you. Penny Pinching Grandma says tea’s not just for drinking anymore; it even helps hide the gray hair and removes old furniture polish.
HERBS, SOME GOOD, SOME BAD FOR YOU, do you know which? Check here before using any herbs if you don’t know which ones are good for you or not. I’ve listed both healing herbs and dangerous herbs you need to know about.
VINEGAR, golden elixir or a penny pinchers delight It’s inexpensive, it’s versatile and in almost every kitchen. Vinegar, it can be used for everything from a cleaning agent to a weed killer. Here you will find more uses for it then just cooking.
SALT, every penny pincher knows it’s not just for food So what is in every kitchen, is inexpensive and has more uses then you can shake a, salt shaker at? Oops, gave it away. Anyway you wouldn’t believe how many things salt can be used for.
GARLIC 4000 YEARS OLD AND STILL GOOD FOR YOU Garlic not just for keeping the vampires away anymore. Around the world, for over 4,000 years, garlic has held many important roles in daily human life.
EPSOM SALT, what it is, why it is, what is it good for They call it Epsom Salt but there is no salt in it. It’s cheap, it’s versatile and it’s good for you in many ways besides just soaking your poor tired body. Want to know more come check it out.