Money saving tips and tricks

[i_forget]

I just bought some too. I heard you need quite a few though. We use 6 at a time. It was a fantastic deal...paid $30, shipping included.



What cuts of meat are you going to use?

I have been buying the whole sirloins from Costco.
I have not noticed anything better on sale yet for less.
They are $6.39/kg, which is $2.90 a pound.

The taste difference and the lack of fat when I cook it up compared to the packages of lean ground beef that I was buying is very noticeable.
So far I am VERY satisfied, and so are my kids, they really prefer the flavour of this.
It also takes no time at all to grind the meat up. It took me 20 minutes to do 8 kilos of meat the other day.

[Zonny]

Hmm, what kind of meat grinder did you get? I buy the sirloin steaks at Costco, they're far above what you get in the local grocery stores for steak. I've also bought sirloin tip roasts (which I cut into smaller pieces), but never a whole sirloin. Interesting idea!

[Anna Michele]

there were no instruction or photo of a full regrown pineaple but it'd be worth a shot

[Anna Michele]

http://connectthedotsons.blogspot.ca...to-fitted.html

turn a shirt thats too big into a shirt that fits perfect for you

[i_forget]

Hmm, what kind of meat grinder did you get? I buy the sirloin steaks at Costco, they're far above what you get in the local grocery stores for steak. I've also bought sirloin tip roasts (which I cut into smaller pieces), but never a whole sirloin. Interesting idea!

Cuisinart meat grinder.
i bought it at canadian tire. It also stuffs sausage.

if anyone gets one, make sure you do a VERY good job washing the pieces before it is used because they coat the blades to protect them (after I wash them, I dry them and rub them with a bit of cooking oil).
i read the reviews before I bought it and people were complaining about there being a residue on the meat, well this was from improper washing before initial use.

My machine runs well, has a lot of power and works fast!

[Insane]

Cuisinart meat grinder.
i bought it at canadian tire. It also stuffs sausage.

if anyone gets one, make sure you do a VERY good job washing the pieces before it is used because they coat the blades to protect them (after I wash them, I dry them and rub them with a bit of cooking oil).
i read the reviews before I bought it and people were complaining about there being a residue on the meat, well this was from improper washing before initial use.

My machine runs well, has a lot of power and works fast!

They make one for the kitchenaid mixer. I wonder how well it works.

Plus if you vaccum seal the meat, it'd last a long time in the freezer.

[Anna Michele]

http://www..ca/2013/03/how-to-clean-...out-chemicals/

All-Purpose Cleaner – Most surfaces can be cleaned simply with a bucket of warm water and a squirt of vinegar or non-toxic dish soap. This solution will work perfectly for walls, cabinets, inside the refrigerator or anywhere that needs a simple wipe down.
Homemade Scrub – This is the recipe I like to use to clean soap scum, sinks, and the stove top:

• 3/4 cup baking soda (a bit heaped)
• 1/4 cup castile soap
• 1 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp vinegar

Mix the baking soda, castile soap and water in a bowl or container. Stir. Add the vinegar last, once the other ingredients are mixed. The mixture will fizz a little. Stir to make a nice soft, paste-like, consistency. (It’s important to add the vinegar last if you want a creamy paste and not sludge.) Make this in small batches as it can dry out when stored. The recipes makes enough for 2-4 uses.
Floors – I fill a bucket with enough vinegar to cover the bottom of the bucket, then top it up with warm water and a few drops of essential oil. Usually I wash the floors with a rag on my hands and knees, but occasionally I’ll use a mop.
Windows and mirrors – I have a spray bottle with one part vinegar and one part water.
Toilets- I like to fill a spray bottle with this homemade all-purpose cleaner for the toilets:

• 2 tsp Borax natural detergent – Find this at your local grocery store in the laundry aisle
• 3 Tbsp Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap – I’m using the lavender scented one I picked up from Well.ca.
• 4 Tbsp White Vinegar – a natural disinfectant! I always buy the club size because I like to have it on hand for its many uses.
• Distilled Water (or boiled water)

Mix the borax, white vinegar and a little bit of hot water. (Must be hot water to incorporate the borax.) Add the castile soap, then swirl the bottle to incorporate. Once it’s all mixed, add the rest of the water to fill up to 16oz. It will be slightly white and opaque.
Mattresses and upholstered furniture – To freshen up your matresses and upholstered furniture, put some baking soda with a few drops of essential oil into a shaker (spice jar, a mason jar with holes poked in the lid) Sprinkle the mixture all over your mattress or furniture and leave it for an hour before vacuuming it up.
Drains – Pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down the drain, then pour 1 cup of vinegar over top. Once the bubbling has settled down, pour a kettle of boiling water down the drain.
Oven – Sprinkle baking soda all over the oven and inside the oven door. Splash some vinegar all over to create the bubbles. Finally, scrub with a bit of elbow grease and a scrubby sponge to remove the gunk.
Microwave – Put 1 cup of vinegar in a glass microwaveable bowl and microwave it on high until it’s boiling and has covered the walls of the microwave in condensation (about 5 minutes). Let it sit for a few minutes. Carefully remove the bowl of vinegar, then with a cloth, wipe the microwave clean.
Laundry – I haven’t tried my hand at making my own laundry detergent yet, so I’m currently using Nellie’s laundry soda which I’ve found available online at Costco.
Fabric Softener – I pour plain old vinegar into the fabric softener dispenser in my washing machine.
Jet-Dry – Again, I pour straight vinegar into the Jet-Dry dispenser.
Disinfectant: Tea tree oil has antibacterial qualities. So if I feel the need to disinfect something, I place a small amount into a spray bottle filled with water. Keep in mind that tea tree oil is toxic when swallowed. While I consider it reasonably safe to use around the house, you do want to keep it away from curious little hands!

[Anna Michele]

Using 3/4 cup of oil & 1/4 cup vinegar to restore wood on old furniture without having to strip the pieces!

[Anna Michele]

All natural room fragrances!!http://www.theyummylife.com/Natural_Room_Scents

[Anna Michele]

Disposable Products That We Can Reuse -
Ziploc Bags

It bugs me at how wasteful we are as a society. Ziploc bags are a prime example. They are sturdy enough to be used many times — often a quick rinse with some hot water and a little soap is enough to make them as good as new, but we throw them out. Well, here are some ideas for Ziploc bags after their first use as a humble sandwich bag or food container:
Store pantyhose in them, with a corner of the packaging. It will help you keep them separate in the drawer and identify colors.

Use them as a piping bag. Just snip the corner.

Make your own inflatable packaging — just insert a straw into the corner, blow, and seal, and you’ve got cheap packing material.

Fill with crushed ice for a quick cold compress.

Break up graham crackers inside a Ziploc bag. No mess.

by Paul Michael

[MrsSunshine]

I do this ^^ religiously.. until they fall apart.

[Andrew Langevin]

Great Post Thanks

[Anna Michele]

Disposable Products That We Can Reuse -
Laundry Detergent Caps

When your bottle of detergent is empty (and I mean really empty), don’t just throw it in the recycle bin. The cap is a great scoop for pet food, ice melt, cat litter, or even as a play toy in the kids’ sandbox.

by Paul Michael

[YOU AND ME]

Disposable Products That We Can Reuse -
Ziploc Bags

It bugs me at how wasteful we are as a society. Ziploc bags are a prime example. They are sturdy enough to be used many times — often a quick rinse with some hot water and a little soap is enough to make them as good as new, but we throw them out. Well, here are some ideas for Ziploc bags after their first use as a humble sandwich bag or food container:
Store pantyhose in them, with a corner of the packaging. It will help you keep them separate in the drawer and identify colors.

Use them as a piping bag. Just snip the corner.

Make your own inflatable packaging — just insert a straw into the corner, blow, and seal, and you’ve got cheap packing material.

Fill with crushed ice for a quick cold compress.

Break up graham crackers inside a Ziploc bag. No mess.

by Paul Michael

I always reuse mine

[Anna Michele]

While there are big changes you can make to your lifestyle to bring about big savings, sometimes we overlook the little ways we can add to our net worth. Every penny saved truly does translate to a larger pocket book in the long term, and there is no amount too small. Here is a list of little ways to save:
· Audit every single bill. If you don’t already do this, you may be surprised what fees or dubious errors are tacked on your bills without your knowledge or consent. If you find something’s amiss, call up the company and stand your ground. Most times you will have the amount credited to your account.

· Make money off your credit card. Credit cards can be great for furnishing you with a free loan – provided you pay it off in full on time every month. But if you switch to a credit card with dividend rewards, at year’s end you’ll receive 1% cash back on your annual purchases. Now that’s free money!

· Ask for a deal. In this day and age, the art of haggling and negotiation are underutilized practices. By simply asking nicely and politely, you can in many cases sweeten the deal with fee add-ons or discounts.

· Ditch cable TV. Cable and satellite TV are so 20^th century, and very expensive. I use Netflix, and at $7.99 a month, it offers a decent amount of television shows and movies to watch. For an extra $5 per month, you could invest in a virtual private network (VPN) service to gain access to the expansive American Netflix catalogue right here in Canada.

· Shop for used before shopping for new. Although purchasing a used item is not quite as exciting as a shiny brand new item, there’s always joy to be had from getting a killer deal. Check out Craigslist, eBay, and Kijiji for used electronics, furniture, appliances, and so on. If you must buy new, don’t forget to search the flyers right here on .ca.

· Stand your squeeze bottles on their heads. When ketchup and shampoo bottles are getting down to the dregs, place them upside down. By allowing the liquid inside to pool at the end, you’ll get several more servings that would ordinarily be wasted.

· Go the library for your bookish needs. Or better yet, save gas and time by accessing the library’s e-book supply from the comfort of your home.

http://toronto..ca/community.php?id=147&p&search