budget
CLAM-UP
June 2nd, 2011 | Comments
Tags: budget, Food & Spirits, Health & Fitness, recipes
Guess what we did over the weekend?
Then we made:
Clams on the half-shell.
Rhode Island Clam Chowder.
Pasta with clam sauce.
Grilled clams with herbs.
Cheap and yummy.
If you’re minding your budget and live to eat there is nothing smarter than being a back to nature DIYer. Whether you’re growing your own fruits and veggies, raising your own chickens or catching fish, the end result is far tastier than anything money can buy.
…
Be Green. Be Healthy. Save Money. Ride a Bike
May 19th, 2011 | Comments
Tags: bicycles, budget, cars, Health & Fitness
|
Exactly one year ago today as oil spilled into the Gulf we wrote this piece and thought it timely to share again. Do good for your body. Do good for the environment. Do good for your budget. Ride a bike.
Now that the weather is warmer we are back to cruising around town on our bike. This morning, as we took our life in our hands on a busy urban street dodging buses, car doors and other cyclists, we pedaled past a local service station and noticed for the first time the BP sign. Like most people we usually pay closer attention to the price per gallon on top of the pump than to the name of the gas supplier.
The contrast between the eco-sunny sentiment of the green and yellow BP logo, and the sludgy reality of what is happening in the Gulf made us feel positively hostile. Well, our uncomfortable bike pants, getting cut off by a taxi and the looming mountains ahead of us – okay, more like a series of hills – didn’t help. Anyway, it’s amazing how fury can fuel you, and we swished up and down the hills with ease; by the end of the ride our exercising endorphins had kicked in and calm reason briefly prevailed.
In those few moments of clarity, we decided it’s all too easy to vilify BP and their suppliers. Yes, those responsible for this mess must be held accountable, but is this not just another wake-up call in a long series of wake-up calls? The geo-political-eco-drill-baby-drill-pain caused by our gas guzzling ways is just being driven closer to home. We can’t live forever having our needs met in someone else’s back yard and we can’t continue consuming more than our share of fossil fuels. (more…)
|
A Lush Lawn: Low Cost and Eco Friendly
May 14th, 2011 | 1 Comment
Tags: budget, Shopping
We can’t believe we’re writing about lawns. In our own gender-biased way, we’ve consigned the notion of a perfect green to big men chasing little balls or anal men whacking weeds in a quest for control over something. But our ears perked up when we heard a story on our local public radio station (Go PBS!) about Pearl’s Premium, a new grass seed mix invented by someone in our own backyard.
Who wouldn’t want a lawn you mow once a month? Water once a month–if at all? Grass that grows without chemicals? How about a lawn free of gmo seeds? Turf less likely to get grubs and should outcompete the weeds? Since we’re all about saving money and being eco-friendly we got really excited. Actually, we got so excited we forgot for a moment we were thinking about the grass and not shoes with red soles.
The story is that Jackson Madnick, Pearl’s inventor, spent years testing seeds and came up with a naturalized mix that root 12” into the soil. We aren’t ‘lawn-experts’ and can’t say that this is the only seed mix of it’s kind, or that it’s the perfect solution for every climate zone or usage need, but we’re going to give it a try.
Actually to be honest, we’re sending you-know-who out to give it a try!
Grind It Yourself
April 5th, 2011 | 20 Comments
Tags: budget, Food & Spirits, Health & Fitness
Grind your own meats. It’s cheap. It’s better for you. It’s better tasting. When you buy your own cuts, you get to select the best quality pieces and have control over the freshness of the product.
While we’re not big meat eaters, on occasion we make homemade meatballs, turkeyballs (that just sounds wrong, doesn’t it?), turkey/meatloaf, and ravioli stuffings. We always buy a fresh cut from the butcher, bring it home and grind it ourselves. The end-product more flavorful and lighter than store bought pre-ground.
Too much work you say? Not really. It’s remarkably easy. We use our grandmother’s old hand grinder. Simple to set-up. Easy to clean.
Look, the bottom line is when you grind it yourself you have CONTROL over the quality of what you eat and quality control over the sanitary conditions that go into the grind. Think about this, most ground meat and pre-made patties sold in stores are made from the trimmings and ends of cuts from multiple animals. Yuck. Grind it yourself and avoid having to worry every time there is a recall of pre-made patties or bulk ground meat. (For example, the one this week that recalled 55,000 pounds of Salmonella tainted ground turkey.)
Give it a crank.
A Voyeur on a Budget’s Fancy
March 18th, 2011 | Comments
Tags: budget, Shopping, Travel & Entertainment
When you’re on a budget, it’s way better to be a hip-voyeur than a broke-player.
So, we’re kind of obsessed with Fancy.
What is it? According to their site:
“Fancy is part store, blog, magazine and wishlist. It’s a place to discover great stuff, to curate a collection of things you love, to get updates on your favorite brands and stores and to share your discoveries.
Use it to build a collection of things you love. When you discover wonderful stuff on the web, Fancy it — save it to your collection to show people following you and share with the Fancy community.”
Trust us. We’re expert in obsessing–it keeps us from pulling the trigger. Click around. Keep your fingers busy and out of your pants…pockets.
Big Hearted? Be Smart. Give Wisely!
March 15th, 2011 | Comments
Tags: B's Give Back, budget, Shopping
In the wake of the catastrophe in Japan we’ve received dozens of questions about charitable giving and are reprinting a piece we wrote a few months ago about being smart girls when it comes to giving. To preface the piece we’re including this quick 5 rule tip from the folks at The Charity Navigator:
1. Avoid giving to newly formed charities.
2. Send help in the form of cash (credit card/check, really) not supplies
3. Beware of solicitations. (see below phone calls/email entreaties/man on the street)
4. Give through a verified website (many are false fronts)
5. Keep tabs on your money: give to organizations that track how their money is spent and accounts for it
Give Wisely
It’s that time of year when in addition to giving to friends and family we make contributions to those in need, so several recent news stories caught our attention:
-Outside of Boston a tractor trailer loaded with toys destined for needy kids was burglarized and $15,000 worth of gifts were stolen.
-The Massachusetts Attorney General reported that 43 percent of all funds raised by charities in the state go to the solicitors and not the organizations that hire them.
-In Oregon, the Attorney General released a list of the twenty ‘worst’ charities in America; among those listed were organizations to help Firefighters, Vietnam Vets, Missing Children.
Since our mission is editing what is worth your spending time and money on, and since we believe in giving back no matter what the state of your pocketbook, all of this has raised an alarm. We want to remind you to be careful and thoughtful in choosing the charities that are the recipient(s) of your hard earned dollars. (more…)
February Contests: Grammy. Oscar. Westminster.
February 13th, 2011 | Comments
Tags: budget, Fashion, Shopping, Travel & Entertainment
February is the month of “Best in Show”.
Grammy. Oscar. Westminster. Everyone is out there preening, primping and strutting to win the prize.
With each passing year the pageantry and politics around these spectacles seem to escalate. While we have no issue with the entertainment value (does anyone else think that Kanye interrupting Taylor Swift rivals any scene in Shakespeare?) or small talk value (would you rather talk about a snowstorm or Colin Firth and Christian Bale?) or breed value (Hunting or Terrier?), we want to remind you to take it all with a grain of salt.
We read an article today about the re-introduction to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show of the Mexican Xolo and while the bald pooch is pretty darned cute, we got to thinking about fashion, beauty contests and following the pack. At one time the Xoloitzcuintli (we dare you to pronounce it) was on the stud books at Westminster, but fell out of fashion and was dropped from the competition roster. This year, they’re back as a registered breed. Unlike most dogs that are bred for their attributes, Xolos hairless coat and personality traits evolved in the wild. Soon, we’re sure they’ll be the new ‘in’ dog, not because they are hypo-allergenic, but because they’re a natural rarity.
Not that long ago a manic surge in Chihuahua buying, which some have attributed to Taco Bell ads and others to Paris Hilton schlepping her shivering pet around in a zillion dollar bag, led to an airlift rescue out of California of abandoned Chihuahuas. We kid you not. In either instance, think about it–why would anyone buy a pet because of a meatless taco or a meatless starlet?
Fashions come and go and a bitch on a budget needs to stay in control of herself and her purse. Just because Natalie Portman is preggo or Lady Gaga wears meat and hops out of an egg (did we just write that? ) or the hairless Mexican Xolo is back in –well, you get the point. Watch. Enjoy. Laugh. Gossip. Get a load of the new trends.
Just don’t bite.
Our Sauce on Shrimp Cocktail
February 9th, 2011 | Comments
Tags: bargains, budget, Food & Spirits, Health & Fitness, recipes
Last night we had a craving for shrimp cocktail. Could there be a better marriage of flavor and texture? Cold firm shrimp and spicy red sauce.
We ran out to the store to pick up some cooked shrimp in order to make a simple quick shrimp cocktail. Unfortunately, the only shrimp cooked and ready to dip was farmed raised in Mexico. We were jones’ing for our sauce, but found ourselves in a pickle.
For the new Mama B book, we’d just finished research on farm raised fish and we weren’t biting. We’re not disparaging all farm raised fish, (it’s probably the future of sustainable fishing and there are some great purveyors), it’s just that we’re now more mindful of the provenance of our seafood choices*.
Our only choice: fresh from the Gulf jumbo shrimp. Not really a hardship, except way more work than we bargained for, but our craving was fierce.
Lucky for us those big babies were on sale, so we bought a pound.
The Shrimp
Peel and devein the shrimp and set them aside. Throw the shells in a pot and add 2 1/2 cups of water and one tablespoon of kosher salt and boil it down for 15 minutes. Pour the stock through a sieve, pressing on the shells to extract all the flavor. To this stock add 1 cup of dry white wine, 1 sprig of mint, 1 sprig of cilantro, 1 sprig of parsley, 6 coriander seeds, 1 California bay leaf, three cloves, six peppercorns, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of salt and set it back to boil for two more minutes.
Turn off the heat, add the shrimp and put the cover back on the pot for 6 or 7 minutes, just until the shrimp turned pink. Throw them into an ice bath to stop the cooking and hasten the cooling. Drain and refrigerate.
Our Spicy Sauce
Into a small bowl put 1 cup of ketchup, 1-2 teaspoons of horseradish, a generous squirt or two of sriracha, 1 tblsp lemon juice, salt and pepper.
…
*Check out this site: Monterey Aquarium Seafood Watch and download their rocking iPhone/iPad app for more straight dope on the fish you eat.
Mustard Greens with Honey Orange Vinaigrette
February 7th, 2011 | 1 Comment
Tags: bargains, budget, Food & Spirits, Health & Fitness, recipes, Shopping
Easy on the budget, a snap to prepare, try this yummy mustard greens salad.
You’ll love the sweet and citrusy contrast of the honey orange
vinaigrette with the peppery flavor of the greens.
Ingredients
1 small bunch sparkling fresh mustard greens
1 orange peeled and segmented
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
2 teaspoons raw honey
salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
Wash and thoroughly dry greens. Tear off leafy parts into bite sized pieces. Add orange segments. Make vinaigrette. Toss. Serve.
Simple.
.
Be a Micro-Community Organizer Connect the Dots and do Big Things.
February 6th, 2011 | 1 Comment
Tags: B's Give Back, budget, Shopping
All of us are looking for ways to make the world a better place. But how? You hear a lot about social good. Doing good. Social media doing good. And, it’s an abstract idea. Or you went on Jumo (the social network for doing good founded by the co-founder of Facebook) and you can’t figure out how it really impacts your life. 
We have an idea.
Have you ever thought of yourself as a community organizing type? Yeah. We know you’re not really interested in putting up placards, riling up passions, or running for President.
A fan wrote in today to tell us how in her neighborhood they have an online community board that connects neighbors in need. It got us to thinking. Everyone we know is on Facebook. (It’s true, even our 88 year old aunt is a stalker.) What if you were to get together a few neighbors and set up a neighborhood group or page and called it, ”The 800 Block on Orange Street in Jackson Township”. Let your neighbors know that it exists (just tell the biggest busy body on the street — we’re sure the word will spread).
Then when the next big snowstorm hits, or power fails, or heat wave strikes, those in need can post and those who are available can help.
Charity begins at home.
|
