Eating the Apple Core

I don’t mean to suggest that the apple core is the tastiest part of the apple. However, a lot of work goes into apple picking. Apples are heavy and picking them is back breaking work. So, even if you don’t care about saving money, save someone’s back. Maybe, if you save an apple picker’s back, one day your back will be saved. The same is true for all the people that work in the supply chain to make sure that apple gets from the tree to your belly.

Apple cores are perfectly edible. Nothing special needs to be done with them. I usually eat the bottom off the apple, and then work my way up to the stem. I don’t eat the stem.

If you eat the apple core, then you will be adding fiber to your diet, which is a good thing. If you have the money to throw out apple cores, why be wasteful? Just think; you’ll save yourself the extra effort of lugging it to the dump. And, you say, “It’s not a problem to bring a few apple cores to the dump,” well as my dad says, “Pennies make dollars.” Maybe in a lifetime eating apple cores will only save you one trip to the dump. However, I try to avoid trips to the dump. I was raised with a pennies make dollars mentality. I try to get the most bang for my buck. So, I not only eat the meat of the apple. I also eat the apple core.

Turn that old pair of torn PJs into Boxer Briefs and rags

1. I don’t like to throw anything out. Usually, I wear my clothes until they are well worn. This blog is about what to do with pair of pajamas that has a tear on one or two of the legs.

If your pajamas have pockets and the ripping is on the seam, then the ripping will probably stop at one of the pockets. Stitching a rip also help stop it. Thus, blog is not about how to save pajamas with a ripped crotch. Pajamas with a ripped crotch probably have that ripped crotch because you were wearing clothing that is too tight.

Boxers versus Briefs:

Some people wear tighty whiteys, while some like to wear boxer shorts. Wearing boxer shorts is usually better for the male genitals because you testicles are not held too close to your body. Testicles have an optimum temperature, and it is slightly less than the rest of the body. What I am getting at is that we weren’t built to wear tighty whiteys and boxers are usually a better choice. The problem with tighty whiteys is that they kill more sperm than boxers do, or at least make them less healthy.

Converting your PJ bottoms:

My guess is that you aren’t too concerned about what your underwear looks like. Some people are, and if you are, then this blog is probably not for you. This is about comfort. Usually, old clothing feels more comfortable than new clothing, and that is just one more reason why you should do this other than it will save you money. It will save you money because you will not need to buy as much underwear. And, instead of buying rags, the leftover legs of the pajamas can be cut open, folded, and put somewhere. One use of such a rag is to clean up an oil spill.

The process is very simple, just cut the legs off of your pajamas slightly below the crotch. That is, you want to keep some of the leg of the pajamas when making them. All this requires is an old pair of pajamas and some scissors.

Putting Those Charcoal Grill Ashes to Work in Order to Save Money

When I was a wee little boy, my dad would often grill burgers, steaks, chicken, and other things outside on a charcoal grill. My dad is often old fashioned. He is the type of guy that won’t usually buy charcoal that lights instantly. He buys the charcoal and the lighter fluid separately. Because it is not a gas grill, the ashes collect below the grill. My parents were also lucky enough to have a property were they could have a garden. However, the soil on Cape Cod is not that great. So, instead of buying loam, fertilizer, or something else, my dad did it the inexpensive way. And, it is not only the most inexpensive way; it is also the best way. Dad saved the ashes and would spread them over the garden. This helped us to grow fresh vegetables. That is we used natural charcoal ashes as a fertilizer.
There are several ways that this saves money.
1. Having a garden saves money over buying produce at a local grocery store.
2. You don’t have to buy fertilizer.
3. You don’t have to buy gardening soil.
4. If you don’t throw out ashes at the dump, you don’t have to pay to throw out ashes as the dump (In our town, we pay to get rid of trash. A thirty gallon bag costs $1.25.)
5. You are being ecologically friendly, by making top soil that future generations can use.
6. Charcoal grills are usually much less expensive to buy than gas grills.
7. Lugging around charcoal and ashes is good exercise, which should result in fewer visits to the doctor, but watch your back.

Super Frugality: Get Energy Packed and Save Money on Coffee

I like a lot of coffee. Specifically, I think it is that I am addicted to caffeine. As far as I am concerned, this habit is quite expensive. I have already discussed the joys of shopping for coffee at the Christmas Tree Shop to save money. Ocean State Job Lot is another great place to find coffee for a low price. This blog/note is not people who buy their coffee at Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, or some other coffee shop by the cup. However, if you buy coffee grounds or coffee beans, this is for you. Making coffee at home is less expensive than buying it by the cup at a coffee shop. What’s more, you won’t have the beans to cook with to get that extra added punch of caffeine. Save on you craving! Get the most caffeine for your bean by first making coffee with it, and then eating the leftover coffee grounds.

By themselves, coffee grounds are not very tasty. If my guess is correct, then you will agree with me on that one! However, coffee grounds should not be thought of as a food by itself, but as a spice. If you cook your coffee grounds into your food, chances are that you will find that don’t need to drink as much coffee to get the same high. Drinking less coffee means not having to make as many cups of coffee for breakfast, which saves on the amount of coffee grounds you use. Saving a little here and a little there adds up! And, why waste some perfectly good used coffee grounds!

Are you sold? Here is where to begin. Begin with breakfast. To save time, most coffee makers can be preprogrammed to turn on before you wake up. I recommend doing that. That way you can have your coffee and your breakfast at the same time. When you wake up, my guess is that breakfast starts with a cup of coffee. A good thing to mix the grounds with is grits. Try putting a table spoon or two of coffee grounds in your grits before you cook them.

Here is a sample recipe (grits will vary in how much water is required):

1. Pour yourself a cup of already made coffee.

2. ¼ cup grits

3. Combine with 1 table spoon of USED COFFEE GROUNDS from the already made coffee.

4. Combine with a pinch of allspice, or cloves, or nutmeg.

5. Combine with a pinch of cinnamon.

6. Combine with a pinch of salt.

7. I like to make my grits with soy milk. So what I do is when measuring out the necessary liquid to make grits in a measuring cup. I use 50% water, and 50% soy milk. If you aren’t allergic to milk, then it’s okay to substitute regular milk for soy milk. That is, a package of grits will probably prescribe the amount of water to use. Here I substitute water for liquid, using the prescribed amount of liquid in a 50/50 ratio of the kind of liquid. Make sure you use the prescribed amount of liquid because grits expand. You don’t want to literally blow up your insides and wind up at the hospital!

8. Cook for the time prescribed amount of time on the grits package.

9. Add a tablespoon of soy butter. If you aren’t allergic to milk, then you may consider using regular milk.

10. Sweeten to taste with brown sugar, or white sugar, or Stevia*.

*Stevia is a sugar substitute.