I'm pretty proud of how frugal I've become over the past couple years. I think it all started in college when my parents cut the funding line and tossed me out to sea so I could keep afloat myself. (my dad was bishop at the time and was getting frustrated when he had to deal with grown adults- his age- still being financially dependent on their parents). I must say, I was spoiled rotten the first couple years of college- all expenses paid for college in Hawaii my first semester, outdoor adventure college classes when I was off track, room/board, books, food($50/week!!!- yeah just for one person!) and a study abroad tour to Central America!
The semesters following- I sold my car, took out a student loan, and *gasp* actually had to find a job!!!! (jk- I actually have really good work ethic and was notorious for juggling 3-4 jobs during the summer months- but I never had to work and go to school.) I was completely completely on my own!
it was awesome!
yeah it would have been nice to be coddled all through college, but I really learned a lot from it! what a great asset to bring to a marriage and family!
I still have a $50 weekly food budget- but now it's for 3 people. I have found a lot of local resources that have helped me save money, and I've learn quite a few tricks I would like to pass on to you now:
Freecycle!- it's a yahoo group you can join for free where you get email notifications of what people are giving away for free in your area! or if you need something specific you can post a "wanted" note, or you can get rid of items that you don't want any more. ( I recommend getting a separate yahoo email account just for this because of it's popularity)
Robin Miller!(foodnetwork.com)- I love her dinner ideas! she'll take leftovers from one delicious meal and turn it into another the next night! an example I love using- taking the leftover beef from a yummy roast(see recipe below) -shred it, add it to wilted coleslaw bag mix (shredded cabbage and carrots!) in a skillet and pour hoisin sauce on top! serve with rice and lettuce for Chinese lettuce wraps!
DI!- Deseret industries is a great place to find barley used shoes for little kids- esp church shoes! ones you would pay $35+ for are $3 bucks tops! I must agree that you do take a chance when it comes to second hand stores, but I've scored really big finding name brand clothes in premo condition for $2-$3!
CDC!- a local favorite. the Community Development Corporation. (if you don't live in SLC UT, there are other places like this- like Habitat for humanity restore, or other home improvement warehouses where donated items from contractors are sold) we got our paint for $1 a gallon, and chair-rail trim $5 for 8 feet! they have tons of doors (indoor and outdoor), toilets, door pulls, blinds, and counter tops. we even got a gorgeous bathroom vanity for $150- that's half the store price! this too can be a hit or miss- because they don't have a regular inventory.
Ice cream!- !?!?!? wha? yeah I know- it sounds weird but AJ and I love our ice cream- we value it so much we treat it like money. when we're trying to decide whether or no to buy something- we give it it's ice cream value. for example- if movie tickets were up on the block (approx $16 total)it's equivalency in ice cream would be 5 cartons plus a buck left over. Take that same buck and wait a couple weeks and see the movie at home with Redbox! we would rather have 5 whole cartons and a redbox movie than to watch it in the theaters.
shop the grocery circular!: I make my grocery list and weekly menu from what's on sale that week, and with my list in hand, it makes it easier for me to avoid impulse buying. I learned not to buy canned food at Costco cuz you can get way better deals from the local grocery store when they have sales!(plus they have more variety than Costco!) I also love the freezer- if I buy a super value pack of meat, I'll potion them out and freeze the ones I don't use that week. nuts do very well in the freezer, as well as extra sauces. I hate only using half a thing of marinara sauce, forgetting about it, and finding it later all fuzzy in the back of the fridge.
and last but not least
paying off debt! it's interesting how we all go into a loan and not really look at the interest paid each month. we'd rather pay the little extra plus the principal blindly than to actually sit down and figure the figures out. we've had our new car for a little less than a year now- and have almost paid 1,000 bucks in interest! yeah- we still have 11,000 more of our principal to go. It would be nice to apply our tax refund and extra money to updating our house and renovating the kitchen, but believe it or not our outdated house isn't charging us interest for not getting new quartz counter tops or painting the house. The absence of toys and luxury doesn't charge us! Paying the principal faster than scheduled out will actually save us quite a bit in the future- that plus the added amount you payed monthly for the loan! yes our house color is ugly and so are our counter tops, but they are just cosmetic and still do their job. I'll have to grin and bare for a while longer. :)
If you have frugalista ideas- please share!
updates and insights
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Sunday, November 1, 2009
slow-cooker pot roast
we just finished a wonderful pot roast- it was juicy, succulent, and savory!
I've done this recipe before but using the oven instead of the slow-cooker and let me tell you- what a difference!!!!
ok now down to the good stuff:
1T cornstarch
8 med carrots cut into thirds
2 med onions cut into wedges
salt and pepper
1 beef chuck roast 3 lbs (we actually used a cross rib roast tonight)
2T Worcestershire sauce
in a little bowl add cornstarch and 2 T of cold water. mix until "dissolved." toss the veggies with the cornstarch mixture in the slow-cooker. Salt and pepper and sear both sides of the roast. place the roast on top of the veggies and sprinkle W. sauce on top. cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
once done, turn off the heat and let rest for about 15 minutes. serve with juices!
yeah way easy, but still delicious! I hope you all enjoy!
I've done this recipe before but using the oven instead of the slow-cooker and let me tell you- what a difference!!!!
ok now down to the good stuff:
1T cornstarch
8 med carrots cut into thirds
2 med onions cut into wedges
salt and pepper
1 beef chuck roast 3 lbs (we actually used a cross rib roast tonight)
2T Worcestershire sauce
in a little bowl add cornstarch and 2 T of cold water. mix until "dissolved." toss the veggies with the cornstarch mixture in the slow-cooker. Salt and pepper and sear both sides of the roast. place the roast on top of the veggies and sprinkle W. sauce on top. cover and cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours.
once done, turn off the heat and let rest for about 15 minutes. serve with juices!
yeah way easy, but still delicious! I hope you all enjoy!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
most requested recipes and a hair cut
Here's a little collection of recipes- copies of which have been repetitively requested. Even though I would love to take the credit of formulating such flavorful awesomeness, these are not original "Mandy Cliffords".
I hope you enjoy!
Meatball Soup from KSL.com studio5 recipes
Ingredients:
* 1 pound ground beef
* ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
* 2 tablespoons chopped onion
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 teaspoons dried basil
* ½ teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon pepper
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* Soup Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 small-medium onion, chopped
* 1 celery rib, finely chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 5 cups chicken stock
* 1 can ( 14.5 - 15 ounces) pureed tomatoes (
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup pasta
Method:
Combine meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls (about 4 dozen). In a skillet over medium-low heat, pour a small amount of vegetable oil. Cook the meatballs for 8-10 minutes turning often to brown all sides until the middles are only slightly pink. Remove from heat and set aside.
Soup Directions: Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat, add onion, celery and garlic. Cook 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add chicken stock, tomatoes and spices. Bring soup to a simmer over medium-low heat, then add pasta. When pasta is almost cooked, add meatballs and cook for 3 minutes. Serve with bread sticks. Serves 6.
mandy's 2 cents: just the meatballs themselves are out of this world!!!
Creamy Potato Soup from KSL.com stuido5 recipes
Ingredients:
* 3 14 oz cans beef broth
* 1 cup minced onion
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 5 potatoes, peeled and diced
* 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
* 4 cups cream or milk (cream works best)
* ½ cup butter
* ½ cup all-purpose flour
* ¼ cup white cooking wine
* 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
* ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
* Created Parmesan or cheddar cheese, for garnish
Method:
In a large soup pot, bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, potatoes, and carrots. Boil, covered, for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cream. In a separate bowl, melt butter in the microwave on high power. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Once roux is mixed well, add slowly to hot soup, stirring vigorously with a wire whisk until roux is gone. Bring to a slow rolling boil over medium heat. Soup will thicken to a nice creamy texture. Add cooking wine, seasoned salt, and parsley. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Garnish with grated cheese.
Serves 8 to 10
mandy's two cents: I just made this soup with chicken broth instead of beef- and it was amazing!!! I think i like that variation a whole lot better!
Chicken Puffs from Kaulene Kunz (former roommate)
8 oz cream cheese
4 Tb butter (divided)
2 T milk
chives or green onions chopped- to taste
3 chicken breasts (cooked!)
crushed croutons
2 cylinders of croissants
chicken gravy
pre heat: 350
mix cream cheese, milk, 2 Tb butter, chicken, and chives together, unroll each triangle and spoon out chicken mixture into the center- fold up into a relative square* just so the guts aren't coming out. melt the rest of the butter. roll each in the butter and then crushed croutons, bake for 20 minutes pour gravy over top. I like to serve it with rice pilaf or regular rice is good as well.
mandy's 2 cents: I just eyeball the cream cheese-butter-milk-chicken- combo just until it looks like a perfect ratio of each. I also like to poach the chicken (chicken+ water+ a pot- bring to a boil- reduce and simmer with it covered for 5 mins and remove and let sit for 12. remove and let cool)
and to be super technical: * the best way to fold a square from a triangle is to place the dollop of chicken near the base of the right triangle- fold the short side up on it's self toward the 90 degree angle- then fold the long side on it's self toward the 90 degree angle- then pinch the now center slit (the hypotenuse folded on it's self) closed- ta da! nice little package.
and last but defiantly not least:
Bread maker rolls: From Terra Skousen
1 cup and 2 Tbs of hot water
1/4 cup sugar
5-6 tbs of butter
1 egg beaten
1 tsp of salt
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tbs of powdered milk
2 tsp of yeast
add the ingredients respectively in the bread maker. run the machine on the dough cycle. roll out on to a floured surface and use a wide mouth glass or cup to cut out rounds- if you have biscuit cutters- by all means use them! Fold the rounds around bits of the remaining dough. place on a buttered rimed baking sheet- cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 20-30 minutes. bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. perfection is in the oven! I seriously make these rolls so much- I actually have the ingredients and their proper measurements memorized by heart!
well that's all for today folks- don't forget to watch the video of Tre trying to eat grapes with no hands and him crying during his first haircut (well technically it's not his first- but the other one didn't count cuz it was a failed attempt.
I hope you enjoy!
Meatball Soup from KSL.com studio5 recipes
Ingredients:
* 1 pound ground beef
* ½ cup Parmesan Cheese
* 2 tablespoons chopped onion
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 2 teaspoons dried basil
* ½ teaspoon salt
* ½ teaspoon pepper
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* Soup Ingredients:
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 small-medium onion, chopped
* 1 celery rib, finely chopped
* 1 garlic clove, minced
* 5 cups chicken stock
* 1 can ( 14.5 - 15 ounces) pureed tomatoes (
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* ½ teaspoon salt
* 1/3 cup pasta
Method:
Combine meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well. Shape the mixture into 1 inch balls (about 4 dozen). In a skillet over medium-low heat, pour a small amount of vegetable oil. Cook the meatballs for 8-10 minutes turning often to brown all sides until the middles are only slightly pink. Remove from heat and set aside.
Soup Directions: Heat the oil in a soup pot over medium heat, add onion, celery and garlic. Cook 8-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add chicken stock, tomatoes and spices. Bring soup to a simmer over medium-low heat, then add pasta. When pasta is almost cooked, add meatballs and cook for 3 minutes. Serve with bread sticks. Serves 6.
mandy's 2 cents: just the meatballs themselves are out of this world!!!
Creamy Potato Soup from KSL.com stuido5 recipes
Ingredients:
* 3 14 oz cans beef broth
* 1 cup minced onion
* 1 cup chopped celery
* 5 potatoes, peeled and diced
* 2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
* 4 cups cream or milk (cream works best)
* ½ cup butter
* ½ cup all-purpose flour
* ¼ cup white cooking wine
* 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
* ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley
* Created Parmesan or cheddar cheese, for garnish
Method:
In a large soup pot, bring broth to a boil over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, potatoes, and carrots. Boil, covered, for about 10 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Stir in the cream. In a separate bowl, melt butter in the microwave on high power. Add flour and stir to make a roux. Once roux is mixed well, add slowly to hot soup, stirring vigorously with a wire whisk until roux is gone. Bring to a slow rolling boil over medium heat. Soup will thicken to a nice creamy texture. Add cooking wine, seasoned salt, and parsley. Let simmer for about 20 minutes. Garnish with grated cheese.
Serves 8 to 10
mandy's two cents: I just made this soup with chicken broth instead of beef- and it was amazing!!! I think i like that variation a whole lot better!
Chicken Puffs from Kaulene Kunz (former roommate)
8 oz cream cheese
4 Tb butter (divided)
2 T milk
chives or green onions chopped- to taste
3 chicken breasts (cooked!)
crushed croutons
2 cylinders of croissants
chicken gravy
pre heat: 350
mix cream cheese, milk, 2 Tb butter, chicken, and chives together, unroll each triangle and spoon out chicken mixture into the center- fold up into a relative square* just so the guts aren't coming out. melt the rest of the butter. roll each in the butter and then crushed croutons, bake for 20 minutes pour gravy over top. I like to serve it with rice pilaf or regular rice is good as well.
mandy's 2 cents: I just eyeball the cream cheese-butter-milk-chicken- combo just until it looks like a perfect ratio of each. I also like to poach the chicken (chicken+ water+ a pot- bring to a boil- reduce and simmer with it covered for 5 mins and remove and let sit for 12. remove and let cool)
and to be super technical: * the best way to fold a square from a triangle is to place the dollop of chicken near the base of the right triangle- fold the short side up on it's self toward the 90 degree angle- then fold the long side on it's self toward the 90 degree angle- then pinch the now center slit (the hypotenuse folded on it's self) closed- ta da! nice little package.
and last but defiantly not least:
Bread maker rolls: From Terra Skousen
1 cup and 2 Tbs of hot water
1/4 cup sugar
5-6 tbs of butter
1 egg beaten
1 tsp of salt
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tbs of powdered milk
2 tsp of yeast
add the ingredients respectively in the bread maker. run the machine on the dough cycle. roll out on to a floured surface and use a wide mouth glass or cup to cut out rounds- if you have biscuit cutters- by all means use them! Fold the rounds around bits of the remaining dough. place on a buttered rimed baking sheet- cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 20-30 minutes. bake in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. perfection is in the oven! I seriously make these rolls so much- I actually have the ingredients and their proper measurements memorized by heart!
well that's all for today folks- don't forget to watch the video of Tre trying to eat grapes with no hands and him crying during his first haircut (well technically it's not his first- but the other one didn't count cuz it was a failed attempt.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Treson baby!!!
here are some recent pictures for you all!
getting ready for a fun filled afternoon at Lagoon!
Tre's favorite ride- the dadda! ;)
getting ready for the merry-go-round except it was more like the scary-go-round to Treson. he would have loved to run around and play on it with out it turned on
he LOVED the boat!!!!
now for the plane!
Tre's first roller coaster- to say the least- he didn't like it very much
"out of the way!!!"
vrummm vrumm!!!
exhausted after riding the rides
Tre is wearing his cousin's bikini like a hat while he's doing a hula dance
our little fam in front of Multnomh falls in OR
wearing mommy's heels
in a drawer... sigh.....it's hard to keep him out of things
first time feeding himself!
getting ready for a fun filled afternoon at Lagoon!
Tre's favorite ride- the dadda! ;)
getting ready for the merry-go-round except it was more like the scary-go-round to Treson. he would have loved to run around and play on it with out it turned on
he LOVED the boat!!!!
now for the plane!
Tre's first roller coaster- to say the least- he didn't like it very much
"out of the way!!!"
vrummm vrumm!!!
exhausted after riding the rides
Tre is wearing his cousin's bikini like a hat while he's doing a hula dance
our little fam in front of Multnomh falls in OR
wearing mommy's heels
in a drawer... sigh.....it's hard to keep him out of things
first time feeding himself!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Please check out my web site
Please check out my web site, I am trying to build a portfolio to apply for a new job. This is the first in a couple of web site that I will be making.
It is only a mock up and not a real business site.
Comments on color, layout, content, etc would be helpful.
Thanks,
http://ajclifford.tri-citytitle.com/dance/dancesite/index.html
It is only a mock up and not a real business site.
Comments on color, layout, content, etc would be helpful.
Thanks,
http://ajclifford.tri-citytitle.com/dance/dancesite/index.html
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Oregon Trip
mikes icecream and wind surfing! it doesn't look like we're going that fast at all but then again you need to take in consideration the camera point of view and the zoom in factor- and figure in the low wind and the place were were surfing. we were in a "baby pool" teaching area and not out in the treacherous Columbia gorge. we probably would have died if we were out on the river!
My Grandpa's old orchard.
the owner now had a lot of good things to say about him. He said my Grandpa was burly man with the biggest biceps he's ever seen.
Monday, April 13, 2009
yay for more home videos!
Treson's birthday party bits at lats!!!! I hope you all enjoy!
musical tubs!
Tub races!- Treson got scared and started crying- sad but still kinda funny
birthday cake time!!!
musical tubs!
Tub races!- Treson got scared and started crying- sad but still kinda funny
birthday cake time!!!
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