52 Week Money Challege - Week 20 - Restaurant Meals at Home

So far we have started bringing our lunch to work, used the Latte Factor, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, negotiating your bills, found way to make money (or other things you need) by bartering, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, and found 25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back.

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This week learn how to make restaurant dishes at home to save money on going out to eat with Wise Bread.

1. Home Steakhouse Steak

As my friend Nancy put it, "When I go out to dinner, I want a steak, a baked potato with all the goodies, and a tossed green salad."

But, you may wonder — how do you save money, if your tastes run to steak? Fortunately, Linsey Knerl of Wise Bread found a fantastic how-to, using cheaper cuts of steak, over at Steamy Kitchen.

Accompaniments: Baked potatoes with sour cream, bacon bits, and green onion; and tossed green salad.

Keep it cheap: Resist the impulse to buy a bag of salad and cut up your own salad greens.

2. Su Casa Mexicana

According to my very scientific poll, another favorite for dining out is Mexican food. Now, as much as I love the food at a particular Mexican chain restaurant, I could go without hearing their overly peppy "Happy Birthday" song for the rest of my life. My husband, though, misses the fajitas. The good news is that fajitas are really easy to make and you don’t have to wear a huge sombrero at home.

Accompaniments: Tortillas, beans, and rice.

Keep it cheap: Try it with a homemade margarita!

3. At-Home Pad Thai

Tonight for dinner we are having Pad Thai, one of my restaurant favorites. Fish sauce, an important ingredient, sounds strange — but don’t leave it out! If you do not have rice noodles, you can substitute vermicelli. I am making ours with shrimp. Pork and tofu work equally well.

Accompaniments: Cucumber salad is a must.

Keep it cheap: Frozen shrimp can be a bargain. If you cook and clean it yourself, you will get further savings.

4. Chinese Stay-In

Another crowd favorite is Chinese food. Although Chinese food will rarely break the bank, you will still save money it you make it at home. I love Beef with Broccoli, which goes together quickly. My friend MZ loves General Tso's Chicken. It is pretty spicy, so be careful with those peppers!

Accompaniments: Rice, orange sections, and of course, fortune cookies!

Keep it cheap: If beef is not on sale, try thinly-sliced pork or chicken breast. Both are delicious in this recipe.

5. Your Italian Kitchen

My husband loves Italian food, but that’s not exactly a hot commodity here in the tropics. I can handle basic spaghetti and lasagna, but when I learned how to make Chicken Marsala, he was pretty happy.

Accompaniments: Buttered egg noodles and steamed zucchini go well with this.

Keep it cheap: Watch for Marsala wine to go on sale. I over-paid the other day ($13).

6. Sushi Rolls

Many of my coworkers love sushi, but they thought it would be too much trouble to make at home. It really isn't.

Accompaniments: Edamame (boiled soybeans) go nicely, and they are very easy to make, if you can boil water. Look for them in the freezer section of your grocery store.

Keep it cheap: Try a tuna (canned, with spicy mayo) or vegetarian roll.

7. Comforting Katsu

A favorite "fusion" (Japanese /Hawaiian) food we like to order when we're out is Chicken Katsu.

Accompaniments: This is a very popular item where I live and usually served with rice, macaroni-potato salad, and a tossed green salad. Talk about a stick-to-your-ribs meal!

Keep it cheap: I buy frozen chicken thighs, which are less expensive. There is no noticeable difference between fresh and frozen here, as far as I can tell.

8. Summer-at-Home Rolls

If you have not tried Vietnamese food, I predict you will love its crispness and use of fresh herbs. I never feel bad after I eat it — it is more like I have done something good for my health.

I will admit it takes practice to roll a summer roll. M mine are never pretty, but they taste great.

Accompaniments: Peanut sauce (recipe included in the link above). Of course, I could eat an old shoe if you put peanut sauce on it.

Keep it cheap: I like shrimp in my summer rolls, but again, I use frozen shrimp, which I clean and cook.

9. Faux Pho Ga

Another favorite Vietnamese recipe of my friends is Pho Ga, which is a Southeast Asian take on chicken soup.

Pho is not only delicious, but it has an added benefit — it makes you feel much better if you have a cold! I thought I was original in this discovery until I went to our local Vietnamese restaurant and ordered a bowl. The person at the counter said, "Are you getting a cold?" As it turns out, people flock there at the first sign of a sore throat. I try to keep the ingredients on hand so that I can whip up a batch.

Accompaniments: Fresh mint, basil, and green onions; Sriracha sauce. Don’t be afraid of the Sriracha sauce. You only need a few drops.

Keep it cheap: Learn how to make your own chicken broth at home and freeze it in quart bags.

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20 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life.

Challenge Total Week 20 = $210.00 

Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed.  This year why not make it easy on yourself?

I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become Capital One 360. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.

If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.

If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.

This week 20 should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to $210.00 this year. Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?

Even if you missed weeks 1 through 19, you can still get started today. Deposit $190 into a savings account and you will be caught up.

Keep Up the Good Work!

52 Week Money Challenge - Week 19 - Back At It...

So far we have started bringing our lunch to work, used the Latte Factor, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, negotiating your bills, found way to make money (or other things you need) by bartering, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, and found 25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back.

It's our second week back and we are getting back into our savings routine. This week we are focusing on getting back to packing our lunches, taking the bus to work, and being frugal about our spending. Back to the discipline. Back to the goals...

 

  

19 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life.

Challenge Total Week 19 = $190.00 

Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed.  This year why not make it easy on yourself?

I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become Capital One 360. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.

If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.

If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.

This week 19 should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to $190.00 this year. Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?

Even if you missed weeks 1 through 18, you can still get started today. Deposit $171 into a savings account and you will be caught up.

Keep Up the Good Work!

The Keys to Success in Life from Will Smith

The key to success in life...from Will Smith....

Running and Reading

Running because you learn to "not quit when things get hard in your life"...

Reading because there "are no new problem you can have...that someone hasn't already solved and wrote about it in a book"...

52 Week Money Challenge - Week 13 - Week 18 Catching Up

This week is a catch up week for me. Sometimes things come up...but we can always catch to our challenge.  Sometimes these are the events that discourage us and throw us off our goals. Getting back in the habit of doing something regularly is hard...there's no other way to describe it. Once you start building that habit you forget about all the reasons why you couldn't do it anyway. You start remembering the excuses that helped you not start in the first place. But, the good news is...you can start again.

Start again. That simple. So...

This week I am transferring $93 into my travel savings account to catch up to the $171 total for week 18. Now, I am caught up with the rest of you. Next, I need to keep rebuilding the habit of depositing my challenge money each week.

Challenge Total Week 18 = $171.00 

Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed.  This year why not make it easy on yourself?

I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become Capital One 360. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.

If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.

If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.

This week 18 should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to $171.00 this year. Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?

Keep Up the Good Work!

Will Smith Dropping Knowledge

Will Smith, the Fresh Prince, may have found the answers to a lot of questions we all have about life and becoming the best us we can be. Everytime I hear him speak about success, motivation, hard work, and making smart choices I get inspired. I get inspired because someone figured it out. Someone figured out how to get the best from the world they live in. This means, if Will Smith can figure it out and become an enlightened, successful person...SO CAN I.

What stops so many of us from going after our goals is fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of not being good enough. Fear of failure. When we become confident and enlightened on what it takes to be the best person possible and live the best possible life...that's when life will change.

This is an interview of Will Smith with Tavis Smiley...

52 Week Money Challenge - Week 12 More Frugal Fun

So far we have started bringing our lunch to work, used the Latte Factor, cut back on travel expenses, taken a long hard look at our finances, negotiating your bills, found way to make money (or other things you need) by bartering, implemented a 30 day rule for purchases over a certain amount, and found 25 ways to have frugal fun this Spring. Hopefully, after looking at your finances you found some more places to cut back.

Many people think because they are trying to save money or pay off debt that they can't enjoy themselves. Not true. There are many ways to have fun, on a budget. Here are some more tips to have fun on a budget from Free Money Wisdom...

Invite friends over for a night of indoor games.
Game nights are already very popular these days. You can hold friendly competitions with board games or video games. You can play rock band and compete for the highest score. You can play trivia games or charades. There really is no limit to what kind of games you can come up with. Game nights are cheap and incredibly fun.

Go for a walk or a hike.
Enjoy the outdoors by going for a walk or a hike. Go around the city or walk around a local park. Research hiking trails and ask about what you need to do and bring when going hiking.

Check out free community events.
You can check out the local papers or ask around about free concerts, cultural shows, or festivals in your area. Check if your local community center or the library has free film showings scheduled.

Check out free visits to the zoo or the museum.
Sometimes, zoos and museums hold free admission days. Check out the zoo or museum event schedule and enjoy a free day.

Go to the park.
There are so many things you can do at a park. You can have a picnic and just hang out with friends or family. You can play ball and other games on the grass. You can check out water activities like kayaking or boating. Some may even have community swimming pools. Simply do some quick research online and find the parks in your area. You’ll be surprised at the number of fun activities available at your local parks.

Join a club or community organization.
Look for local clubs or organizations. Join a theatre club or a book club.  You’ll meet people who share the same interests as you and you won’t have to spend a lot in the process.

Do some volunteer work.
Volunteering can be fun, too. Check out community projects and charities. Try your hand at volunteering at a soup kitchen, animal shelter or local clinic. Many people find volunteering rewarding and enjoyable.

Schedule movie nights at home.
You don’t need to go out to the cinemas to enjoy a great movie night. Gather friends or family for a movie night at home. It’s less costly than going out and you don’t have to worry about bothering strangers with your reactions or discussions about the movie. Movie nights can be a fun time to hang out and just enjoy the company of loved ones.

Schedule potluck dinners with friends or family.
Instead of going out to a restaurant, you can hold potluck dinners with some friends or relatives. You can pick themes to make it interesting. You’ll be able to enjoy any type of food, be it Chinese, Italian or Mexican food, in the comfort of your own home and with great company, too.

Have a karaoke night.
You can be creative and hold your own karaoke nights at home. You can download free karaoke apps or use YouTube. With a little creativity and initiative, you can find many ways to have fun without spending a lot.

  

12 weeks in, these simple changes should start to become a habit. These are life changes not just to complete the 52 Week Money Challenge. The goal is to change the way you handle your finances and your life.

Challenge Total Week 12 = $78.00 

Saving money is hard. It takes discipline and self-control to stick with the plan you developed.  This year why not make it easy on yourself?

I am a huge fan of ING (ING has been bought by Capital One and will become Capital One 360. Doesn't look like much will change...). ING lets you automate your savings so you don't have to think about it. The greatest feature is that it takes a couple days to get money transferred back to your checking account. There are a couple ways around this, but not being able to touch the money in your ING accounts is great for medium/long term savings goals.

If you have an ING, or other savings account, simply automate your savings transfers each month according to the chart below and watch the money stack up.

If you don't have a savings account, GET ONE! Not just for this challenge but everyone needs at least one savings account - with an Emergency Fund.

This week 12 should be transferred to your savings account. We are up to $78.00 this year. Things from this point on will start to grow pretty quickly. How are you doing? Any savings light bulbs going off? Have you planned what you are going to do with the money at the end of the year?

Even if you missed weeks 1 through 11, you can still get started today. Deposit $66 into a savings account and you will be caught up.

Keep Up the Good Work!

TGIM - ATTRACTED TO GREATNESS

Monday's are Thank God It's Monday with ET The Hip Hop Preacher. This man is the living definition of what Personal Finance 4 The People stands for. He was homeless, now he travels and speaks to hundreds of people. He is so encouraging...perfect to start off this Monday morning...Make The Rest of your Life The Best of your Life!

Check out ET the Hip Hop Preacher:

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