Cheap Eats: Recipes for Around $1 Per Serving

This post was featured at Stop The Ride, Being Frugal, Lightening, Pancake Recipes, Girls Just Wanna Have Funds, Harvest of Daily Life, and Alabama Frugal Mom.

Baked French Toast

The perfect dish for breakfast or brunch, this decadent french toast is made the night before. It easily feeds the masses and will have them asking for more.

Prep time: 15 Min
Cook time: 40 Min
Ready in: 10 Hrs

Servings: 9
Price per serving: $0.55

Ingredients:

1 (1 pound) loaf French bread(day old is best), cut diagonally in 1 inch slices
6 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup half-and-half cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Directions:

Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Dip bread into mixture and arrange the slices of bread in the bottom of the dish. Pour the remainder of the mixture over bread slices, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar and corn syrup; heat until bubbling. Pour over bread and egg mixture. Bake in preheated oven, uncovered, for 40 minutes.

Check back each Friday for more inexpensive recipes for around $1 per serving!

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Long Distance Running and Personal Finance

This post was featured at The Skilled Investor.

We've all seen them: those early morning, up before the dawn, running in freezing cold or scorching hot conditions, dressed in funny clothing, die-hard runners. Incredulously, they seem to be enjoying it. Many people feel this same unbelief towards their money; they can't believe that they could enjoy running their finances the way those joggers enjoy running their daily route.

As a runner, and one who runs the family finances, I can tell you that it is possible! The more you know about your finances, the more fun it is to manage them. There is much to be learned about personal finance from long distance running:

It has to be done one step at a time. It's not possible to run any other way. The same is true of running your finances. If you think about all there is to do, it's easy to be overwhelmed. Instead, start with one small step--perhaps saving money in one new way, or learning a bit about investing--and build from there. Before you know it, you'll have covered miles.

It helps to find a mantra. A mantra is a commonly repeated word or phrase, literally an "instrument of thought," and is thought in Hinduism to contain "mystical potentialities." Mantras are very important during long runs; they are repeated over and over to get you through difficult stretches and help you find inner strength. Why not have a mantra for getting through difficult financial stretches? Our mantra is 'happiness is living beneath your means.' Choose your financial mantra and unlock the "mystical potentialities" of your money. Here are a few other ideas:

• I will not be a slave to debt.
• Make it automatic!
• I want it, I don't need it.
• I am responsible for how my money is used.
• I control my money, it doesn't control me.

It takes time...sometimes a long time. I have run long distance races of varying lengths, but they all took time to complete. No matter how fast you run, you can't finish a race at the drop of a hat, and you can't fix your finances in a day. Deep in debt? It will take time to get out. Saving for retirement? That takes time, too. It once took me almost 4 hours to finish a race, but I did...and that's what matters.

Small investments up front make a big difference later. When you are new to running, the first advice you usually get is 'Get good shoes.' The small investment of new running shoes will result in big rewards: incentive to get out there and run, less and more minor injuries, faster recovery from lesser injuries, sticking to your routine longer, and finally fitness, weight-loss, etc. Likewise, investing now will allow your money to grow more than if you invested it later, with amazing results.

The more you do it, the easier it is. As much as I love to run, when I haven't done it in awhile, it hurts like mad! The same is true for learning about your finances. If you just read about it now and then, it can be confusing and overwhelming. If you find a way to learn regularly, you'll find that things make sense, stick with you, and become applicable to your financial life.

These running principles will lead you to financial fitness. And when you see how fun it can be to manage your money, perhaps you'll think about donning spandex for regular 5am runs in the middle of January. Then again...maybe not.

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An Overview of Tax Software

This post was featured at Don't Mess With Taxes.

"In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes," said Benjamin Franklin. However, filing your taxes doesn't have to feel like death, or make you wish for it. Instead, the frugal and motivated filer can use tax software to do the hard work for them.

Tax software is specially designed to take the confusion and guess work out of filing your taxes. You still need to collect all those pesky forms and records, but the software helps you with the rest. They have a user friendly system of asking you a question, and then prompting you where to find the answer. You put in the information, and the software does the figuring and decision making about what to do next. Before you know it, your taxes are done! You then have the very doable task of either printing up the tax forms or even submitting them online for a faster return.

Many tax preparation programs have great features such as remembering your past tax returns, error checks, and more. Some even offer tax assistance on investments, retirement planning, and small businesses. There are several versions of tax software out there, and many of them are also available online. Here are some of the best:

• Intuit TurboTax: This is one of the original and most popular programs. There are several versions available, depending on your tax needs. Cost is $20-$75. TurboTax can also be used online, with extra cost to e-file.


• H&R Block TaxCut: A comprehensive program offered by the tax specialists. Cost is $20-$80. TaxCut can also be used online, with extra cost to e-file.


• Free File through the IRS: While not technically a software program, Free File is a government program allowing individual taxpayers making less than $52,000 to file their federal taxes online for free. This is done through participating companies' online software programs. See their site for more information.

Want more information about different tax software? Check out the Online Tax Software Review at Top Ten Reviews, or Tax Preparation Software Reviews at ConsumerSearch.

Tax software is an easy method for filing your taxes, saving you time and money. For those with complicated taxes, a tax professional should always be consulted. However, the average filer will be greatly rewarded by using tax software.

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Cheap Eats: Recipes for Around $1 Per Serving

Simple Beef Stroganoff

Another hearty meal, this dish comes together in a snap for those hectic nights. If you get any of the ingredients on sale, this meals is even more inexpensive.

Prep time: 20 Min
Cook time: 10 Min
Ready in: 30 Min

Servings: 4
Price per servings: $1.16

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package egg noodles
1 pound ground beef
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup (fat free works, too!)
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Prepare the egg noodles according to package directions and set aside.

In a separate large skillet over medium heat, saute the ground beef over medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, or until browned. Drain the fat and add the soup and garlic powder. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove from heat and combine the meat mixture with the egg noodles. Add the sour cream, stirring well, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Check back each Friday for more inexpensive recipes for around $1 per serving!


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What Does it Mean to be Financially Secure?

This post was featured as a guest post at Polliwog's Pond, and was featured at I've Paid for This Twice Already, Millionaire Mommy Next Door, Girl's Just Wanna Have Funds, The Dividend Guy, FIRE Finance, and Change Therapy.

Financial security has as many definitions as there are candidates for the upcoming presidential election. For some, it's vaguely 'being a millionaire.' For others, it's having an income that's greater than what they have now. And for seemingly millions of people, it's winning the lottery.

Rather than a specific quantity of money, I believe that financial security is living by certain principles. Imagine financial security as a great tent. It keeps you warm, dry, and protected as long as the ropes and stakes holding it up stay in place. If a rope comes free, the tent can't do it's job as well. Financial security is knowing that if a rope or stake comes loose, you'll be able to repair it, and restore stability to your tent.

For me, and I dare say for many, these ropes and stakes are as follows:

1. Financial security is knowing that you can earn money if you need to. Can you get and keep a job? Are you able to create a stream of income that comes when you aren't working? Do you have the skills or training to work if the need arises? Whatever your method, being able to generate your own income is an important part of being financially secure. Many people depend on a spouse as the main income earner, which is great when you both work together. But should you encounter one of the three Ds--death, divorce, disability--are you in a position to make money on your own?

If you answered 'no,' take some time to think about how you can learn to earn an income; through formal education, certification, self-taught investing, starting a small business...there are a myriad of ways; which one works for you? It's easier to learn to do these things while you can plan for them and share the financial load, rather than if you are suddenly on your own.

2. Financial security is knowing that you are debt-free. This one seems like a no brainer. If you don't owe money to anyone, you are unrestrained and secure...and free to use your money the way you want to. Paying off debt can be a long, hard process, but have you ever met anyone who is out of debt that says, "I wish I still owed that money!"? Of course not! Make a promise to yourself today that you are going to fix that part of your tent--quit racking up debt, and instead, start paying it off.

3. Financial security is knowing that you can control your spending. This is a vital skill in life. Controlling your spending doesn't mean that you have to live a draconian life and not spend a dime. On the contrary, it means spending when it counts, and not spending when it doesn't. Even people with millions of dollars have ended up broke, because they didn't know how to spend less than they earn. Happiness is living beneath your means.

4. Financial security is knowing how to save for things you want. Because you don't take on needless debt, and you control your spending to be within your means, does that mean you can't have any fun? No! Saving your money to get something you enjoy is an enjoyable process in itself. There is a great feeling of accomplishment when you are able to purchase something special, free and clear. Delayed gratification also has it's own reward; would Christmas or a birthday be half as fun without all that anticipation?

If there is something you want, but can't afford right now, make a plan to save for it. Putting money aside for it in a methodical manner will get you to your goal before you know it, and give you financial self-confidence as well.

5. Financial security is knowing the people you love and things that are important to you are protected against big uncertainties. We can't predict what will happen in the future, we can only be prepared for it. Insurance is the name of the game here. Insurance is a necessity for protecting your loved ones, and for protecting your money. A major catastrophe can leave you in financial ruins. Learn about your insurance needs, or talk to someone you trust, and take care of them. That's how you take care of your loved ones, and your money.

6. Financial security is knowing that when you retire, you'll have money to live on. Retirement is far away for many(or it seems far away), so it's easy to put off thinking about it. This is a mistake! Time is your greatest ally when it comes to getting ready for retirement: more time means more money socked away, and more compounding on interest you are earning. There are endless resources out there for preparing for retirement. Choose one and get going so your golden years can be truly golden.

When you consider these six principles, you see that financial security is not having loads of money. It's living in a way that gives you control over your money and allows you to use it to make your life enjoyable.

Read this great poem, Nobody writes poetry about financial security, for another perspective. What does financial security mean to you?

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Today's Two Cents:

More than seven-in-ten Americans say they worry about money.

--Pew Research Center

Ways to Save Money: Entertainment

This post was featured at The Loco Mono Website and A Child Chosen.

We all like to have fun, but some of our favorite forms of entertainment are also the most costly. You can have fun and save money. Here are a few ideas:

• Borrow movies rather than renting them. Watching movies at home is a great way to spend time with your loved ones. If you rent one movie a week, it can really start to add up, not to mention late fees. A cheaper alternative is to borrow movies from friends, or the local library. If you absolutely can't give up the latest releases, find a RedBox in your area. You can rent the newest DVDs for just $1 per evening. Potential savings: $125-$175 per year.
  
• Give up your satellite or cable TV. The average price for expanded cable is $42.76 per month, and even more for digital cable. Satellite television can run from $20-$90 per month, and that's not including installation fees, or the cost of the equipment. If you aren't locked into a contract with your provider, consider giving up the cable or satellite TV. If you are locked into a contract, weigh the difference between cancelling, and just letting your contact expire. Let's be honest, with all those channels, is there every really anything worth watching on? Try the basic channels, and you'll find that you get used to it very quickly and are satisfied. Potential savings: $240-$1080 per year.
  
• Go out to eat one less time each month. Eating out is an American pastime these days, and our shrinking savings and growing waistlines can attest to that. When you eat in, you eat an average of 50% less than at a restaurant, and you save dollars per serving. If you eat out just one less time each month, you'll save money and calories. If you absolutely can't give up eating out, think about going out to lunch, rather than dinner. Many restaurants serve lunch until 4pm, with savings of around $2-$3 per dish. Potential savings: $48-$360 per year.
  
• Go to the movies one less time each month. It's no secret that movies are a money-making business, but with ticket prices topping $10 in some parts of the country, the industry is taking a lot of your money. By cutting out just one theater visit per month, you'll be able to keep your wallet a little fatter. If you absolutely can't give up your movie theater experience, consider going to the matinees for about 2/3 the price. Potential savings: $80-$240 per year.
  
• Borrow magazines from the library. Did you know that your local library has a subscription to dozens of popular magazines. You can read the latest issue right there at the library, or check out past issues to take home with you. Depending on how many magazines you buy, and which ones, your library could help you realize big savings. Potential savings: $20-$200 per year.

Entertainment doesn't have to cost you a bundle. You can save a lot of money and still have a great time. How do you save money on entertainment?

Cheap Eats: Recipes for Around $1 Per Serving

This post was featured at GreenStyleMom.

Butternut Squash Soup

This hearty soup is really quite delicious, perfect for cold days. Besides being low calorie, squash is a great source of vitamins and fiber. This is a great option for a 'meatless' main dish...satisfying, but saves you money and calories.
Prep time: 15 min.
Cook time: 25 min.
Ready in: 40 min.


Servings: 4
Price per serving: $0.83


Ingredients:


1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced carrots
4 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash (about 1 squash)
3 cups chicken broth
salt and ground black pepper to taste
ground nutmeg to taste


Directions:


In large pot, cook and stir the onion in oil until tender. Mix the carrots and squash into the pot. Pour in vegetable stock, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until vegetables are tender. In a blender or food processor, puree the soup mixture until smooth (I use a hand blender in the pot). Serve warm with a dash of nutmeg.



Check back each Friday for more inexpensive recipes for around $1 per serving!

Work Hard + Work Smart = Wealth and Success

This post was featured at The Dividend Guy, Savvy Frugality, The Gonzo Papers, and The Skilled Investor.

While attending a university commencement, I received some sage advice that I will always remember. Ira A. Fulton, a self-made millionaire and active philanthropist, gave the commencement address. In it, he advised the graduates to 'work hard, and to work smart.' I have often reflected on these words, realizing that in today's world, just working hard won't always get you to where you want to be.

As I've considered this advice, I have come up with some tenets that will always hold true to the spirit of 'working hard, and working smart.'

Work Hard

Avoid get-rich-quick schemes. This seems obvious to me, but would these scams be so prevalent if people always avoided them? If something seems to good to be true, it probably is. I have yet to meet a successful or wealthy person who didn't work hard to get where they are. Things that require no work on your part should cause you to wonder, 'Is there any value in the result?'

When at work, give your employer your full attention. Working hard also means working honestly. If you are getting paid for working 40 hours a week, you need to be wholly 'present' for those 40 hours. While on the job, do you spend an unreasonable amount of time away from where people can reach you, on the internet, taking coffee breaks, etc? If so, can you really expect to become truly successful at your job? Working honestly also creates good karma, which I'll touch on again.

If you aren't employed, work hard at keeping what comes into the house. I stay at home, and don't earn a paycheck, but that doesn't mean that I don't work hard. I do work hard, and my work has value. Besides raising children to be contibuting members of society, I save money aggressively by constantly learning to be economical, invest that saved money in diverse ways, and am steadily increasing our family's net worth. Despite not being the family breadwinner, I work hard at being successful, and at gaining wealth.

Work Smart

Increase your efficiency and productivity. Entire books have been written about this subject, so I'll just add this: do whatever works for you to increase your productivity--prioritize, once-a-week planning, use a timer, take breaks, create routines--but don't get so caught up in figuring out what to do that you waste a lot of time.

Get educated. Constantly learning is one of the best and most literal ways to 'work smart.' A high school degree won't get you much these days, with average earnings at $28,645. Those with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $51,554, and those with advanced degrees earned an average of $78,093. Taking the time to get a degree can prove very beneficial. In addition to formal education, self-led education can be invaluable. Learning about running the small business you've always wanted to start, or figuring out the best investment strategy for yourself are great ways to start 'working smart.'

Keep your eyes open for new opportunities. On the job and in life, opportunities will come and go, and you've got to keep an eye out in order to catch them. Working hard and honestly at your job is one way to align yourself with these opportunities; you'll stand out above others around you. Having a long-term plan with goals is also a smart way to achieve success and wealth.

Get your money working for you. One of the best ways to 'work smart' is to get more work done during the 24 hours we are all alotted each day. There is a limit to human capacity, but money can work on your behalf 24/7 without fatigue, and it doesn't even charge you anything. Find ways to invest your money so it can grow while you work, and accelerate your path to wealth. On the flip side, avoid debt, because that money is working tirelessly against you.

The path to success and wealth is being traveled by hard working people...but it's also traveled by smart working people. Are you one of them?

How To Build a Financial Safety Net

This post was featured at Dollar Frugal.

Nothing will bring you greater peace of mind in an emergency than knowing you are financially secure. A financial safety net is often the difference between going into debt-sometimes life-changing debt-and keeping your head above water. Not only is this safety net vitally necessary, but it's within anyone's means; it only takes a little planning, a little discipline, and a little time. But where to begin? Financial planning can be quite intimidating, but far from impossible. Here is a step-by-step plan for your own financial safety net:

Step 1: Investigate insurance. Insurance is of the utmost importance because it can off-set or even prevent a financial emergency. If you have others who depend on you financially, it is important to have both life insurance and disability insurance. Life insurance provides income in the event of your death, and disability, should you become injured and unable to work. Check with your employer to learn what insurance programs are available. If you are self-employed, speak with an insurance expert at a company you trust to see what options you have.

Perhaps the most important insurance to have is health insurance. In the United States, health care costs are astronomical and can ruin you financially. Protect yourself, and protect your money.

Step 2: Lose the debt. What good is a safety net if you're already at rock bottom? Decide now that you've had enough of debt, and make a plan to eliminate it from your life. Begin by identifying areas where you can cut costs and save money. This could mean anything from cutting up credit cards, getting better rates on your insurance, downgrading to a more affordable car or home, etc.

Once you find ways to save, apply that money to your highest interest debt first. Once you pay that off, apply all that payment money to your next highest interest debt, and so on. Once you are debt free...

Step 3: Build an emergency fund. An emergency fund is money used for just that: emergencies. It is not for splurges and other expensive luxuries. This fund is an important aspect of your financial safety net, providing you with a chunk of money to be used when life throws unexpected and unpleasant surprises your way. Try to save 3-6 months worth of living expenses, or more if possible. This fund will keep debt at bay, and help to protect your assets and your credit score.

This money is best kept in a money market, where it can be accessed easily and quickly, and where it can earn a little money for you while it sits unused. Online money markets, such as through INGDirect or HSBC, offer you interest rates as high as 5% for keeping your money with them, helping to build your fund even faster.

Step 4: Invest for the future. The final step is building a safety net for your financial future: retirement, children's education, whatever that may be. Once your debt is controlled and your emergency fund in reserve, you can begin socking away cash for the future. Great ways to do this include contributing to your 401(k), a Roth IRA, 529 savings plans, and others. Research on your own, or talk with a financial adviser to map out a course for your future finances.

Completing these four steps will provide you with a financial safety net so you can feel secure...no matter what life throws at you.

Cheap Eats: Recipes for Around $1 Per Serving

This post was featured at A Pot of Gold.

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches



A quickly prepped, easy, and tasty recipe. It's also great for a crowd. If you get any of the ingredients on sale or make them yourself, the recipe is even more inexpensive.


Prep time: 5 min.
Cook time: 6-8 hours
Ready in: 6-8 hours


Servings: 6
Price per serving: $1.16


Ingredients:


1 (2 pound) pork roast
1 onion, sliced or chopped
1 18 oz. bottle of barbecue sauce
8 hamburger buns


Directions:


Place pork roast (frozen or thawed) and onion in crockpot. Pour bottle of barbecue sauce over roast. Cover and cook on low setting for 6-8 hours. Shred roast and mix well. Arrange hamburger buns inside up under broiler and broil until toasted. Spoon pork onto toasted hamburger buns and serve warm.

Check back for more inexpensive recipes for around $1 per serving!

What is APR?

This post was featured at DebtFree-Revolution.

APR...that ubiquitous number you see all over your junk mail and credit card statements. Although it's often in the fine print, it has big meaning for your money.

APR, or Annual Percentage Rate, is the amount of interest, plus fees, that you are charged for borrowing money. The APR is a way to compare what it would cost you to borrow money from different lenders. It is often different than just the interest rate, and represents the true cost of borrowing that money.

This is where the APR gets really important. The APR is a reminder that spending money you don't have doesn't come cheap. For example, if you charge $1000 on your credit card this month, and don't repay that money within the grace period, you will be charged interest and fees. Let's suppose those interest and fees total an APR of 20%.


If you choose to only pay the minimum monthly payment, usually 4% of your bill, you are going to continue getting charged interest and fees on that borrowed money. If you continue to pay only the minimum payment each month, it will take you over 7 years to repay that $1000! In addition to taking so long to be free of that debt, you will have paid over $500 dollars in interest...more than half of what you borrowed in the first place!

Your APR suddenly seems very imporant, doesn't it?

Cheer up...there is one way to be able to ignore your APR altogether: pay your credit card balance in full each month. If you haven't borrowed any money at the end of the grace period, you can't be charged any interest. Brilliant! Your APR could be 237%, but you wouldn't be charged a dime as long as you paid your credit card off every month.

And a few more important points about APR:

• Many credit cards offer low 'introductory' APRs. Be wary and read the fine print; the low rate will often jump to a high rate after a certain amount of time...sometimes as little as one month.


• There may be different APRs for late payments, cash advances, or for charging lower or higher amounts on your card (tiered APRs). Check the fine print for information on these as well.


• A good credit score will allow you to get a better APR, and a low credit score may stick you with sky-high rates.


• Sometimes your APR can change. If your APR is fixed, you will receive notice before this happens, but a variable rate can change without warning.

If you owe money on your credit card, use this calculator to figure out how much it's costing you and how long you'll owe that debt. Knowledge is power, and knowing about APR will save you time and money.