Tip of the Day – Penny Pinching Newlyweds

As a recently married couple we are, of course, finding our way financially.  We have pretty aggressive savings goals for the next couple of years, and since we are both working for non-profit organizations, money isn’t, shall we say—“growing on trees.”

Here are a few things we are doing to pinch a penny or two around the Minion cottage:

1. Meatless meals: We have meals sans meat at least a couple of times a week.  We both like pasta, so it’s no hardship for us, plus it’s pretty easy to boil water for spaghetti and throw a salad together! (By throw a salad together, I mean that we're putting one together, not throwing lettuce leaves around the kitchen simultaneously.  Although we have been known to throw food at each other.... Anyway....)

2. One car family: We only have one car, but this works for us because Andrew works 5 minutes from where we live.  It sure does save us money on insurance, gasoline, and general auto maintenance.

3. Using the library: We get all of our books and magazines at the library.  It’s free (if you remember to take them back on time!) and since I pass the library every day coming home from work, it doesn’t take any extra gas to get there. On the rare occasion I do find a book I can’t live without (such as I did with The Dinner Doctor), I find a used copy on amazon.com and use Swagbucks to buy it. 

4. The Envelope System: We use a combination of a few budget ideas, but one of them is the envelope system for things like groceries, household items, and date night money.

5. Speaking of Date Night: Because we love birds like to keep the romance going around here, we have continued our tradition from dating days of Friday night dates.  Honestly our favorite date nights have consisted of taking a long walk outside, coming home to watch a movie (either from our collection or from Redbox—can’t beat $1 per night), and making homemade ice cream.  Life does not get any better than this!

These are just a few of our money-saving ideas.  What are your favorite ways to save some moolah??

Tip of the Day – Making an Orange Julius

Around the Minion cottage (cottage sounds better than “mobile home” ok?), we love ways to cool off in the toasty summer weather.  One of our favorite ways is making these yummy treats.  (Does anyone else thing the name “Orange Julius” is really odd?  Yep, me too.) 

Ingredients:

1 can of orange juice concentrate – any kind will do: Minute Maid, off-brand, whatever. Just pop it out of the freezer and into the recipe:

1 cup of milk – 2%, whole, skim, whatever floats your boat….or your smoothies:

1 cup of water – this is pretty self-explanatory, but in case you need a picture…

  

Sugar.  No measurements here, just as much as you think it needs (I use a little over 1/4 cup), but please, Please, PLEASE! don’t use Splenda!! Thank you.

Vanilla – No measuring here either, but I do, as Rachael Ray might say, “once around the ‘pan’":

   

And 6 or seven ice cubes:

 

Now, combine all those yummy-ful things into the nearest blender and, well, blend.  I spin it around until that horrible ice-crunching sound is done. Then I taste it and make sure I have enough sugar.  It is disgustingly nasty without enough sugar, so this is important.  Ok, maybe not that bad, but definitely not as sweet and in my humble opinion that’s the best part.  I’m just sayin’.

The finished product:

This serves 4 people*, and still tastes great the next day.  We made a batch up Saturday night, each drank a glass, and had enough for both of us the next morning.

*Disclaimer: It serves 4 people if you feel like sharing with anyone.

What is your favorite summer drink to blend up?