Just a couple real short items today. No post tomorrow, I've got a 16+ hour day. This is the problematic weekend I mentioned a few days ago. Once I get through next Thursday, things will be back to normal. Thanks for you patience.
Barter Larder
I added something to the Barter Larder today. It's benefits open enrollment month at work, and our vision insurance provider has set out a few baskets full of little eye glasses repair kits. They have a tiny magnifying glass and a tiny screw driver with a couple of extra screws (you got it, tiny ones) in the hollow handle. I grabbed a few and will keep one in each of our BOBs and toss the rest in the Barter Larder. In a breakdown situation, people may not be able to replace glasses, and repair kits might be worth a chicken or a side of home cured bacon. At the end of the month, if there are any left, I'll pick up some more.
Coupons
Recently, the Savvy Shopper, a columnist in the local paper where I work, offered a free class in extreme couponing. I tried to register, but it was completely filled in just a couple of days. I'm on a waiting list to get into her next one. I don't have any thought that we'll be getting $500 of groceries for $27 or anything, that can be a full time job in itself. I think it would be very wise for us to be learn how to be more efficient and effective with coupons.
Food Waste
It's awful how much food we waste in our house. I just got rid of about 7 or 8 pounds of bad produce. At least we now have a compost bin so it isn't completely wasted. I have an Excalibur food dehydrator, but I just can't seem to get it down to the point where, when produce is ready to go bad, I throw it on the Excalibur to keep it. Any advice or suggestions on how to make that more of an idiot-proof process?
Re: Food Waster - I generally just put stuff on to dehydrate after the first 2 meals of using any produce, because the likelihood is that it will be wasted if there is any left after a second use. You can prepare it as part of the meal preparation if you have the time.
ReplyDeleteThe eye glass kits are as pretty good snag. They will be pretty important if the SHTF. If you cant get new ones the old ones will just have to be fixed. I am starting to use coupons for the first time in my life and it can be a little daunting at first. If it will save me money on food it is worth the effort. I do the same thing as you when it comes to produce in the fridge. I always miss it before it goes bad.
ReplyDeleteAP-I think I'm going to have to try more to work the dehydrator in to our meal prep time.
ReplyDeleteBVDD - Those little repair kits are irreplacable if a person needs one, and their free, so you can't beat the price ;)