Thriftism

This is a picture or the tomatoes and cucumbers we picked in one day. Since we get so many cucumbers every day, we had to find a new ways of using them. We made pickles, we ate raw cucumbers, we used them in recipes, but at some point you just don't want to eat them anymore. And at some point, you're actually getting too much fiber. For this reason, we decided to try juicing. Juicing allows you to get all the vitamins and minerals from the vegetables without the fiber and without having to actually eat them. For many people, getting enough vegetables can be challenging. How do you get 5 servings a day? Well unless you eat a lot, juicing could be your answer. Vegetable juice can be a good replacement for fruit juice for kids, as they are lower in sugar and can be just as tasty. Cucumbers make a great juice as they are 95% water and are somewhat sweet. The juice will not only taste great, it is also high in vitamin K, B vitamins, potassium, vitamin C, man...

Our last post taught you how to can green beans, but not everyone has the time or necessary equipment to can vegetables. Today we wanted to show you another great way to store vegetables that can be done with little equipment and in a relatively short amount of time. Freezing vegetables allows you to eat vegetables well into winter without having to buy any from the store. For most vegetables, however, you will need to blanche them before freezing. Blanching will stop enzymes which can cause loss of flavor and texture. It also helps clean vegetables of organisms and dirt that might be leftover after rinsing. What You Will Need Large Pot Large Bowl Ice Tongs Colander Tupperware or Ziploc Bags Prep Work Rinse beans in cold water Cut/Snap off imperfections (Bug holes, strings, etc.) Cut/Snap to desired length Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Fill large bowl with cold water. Add ice to create ice bath. Blanching Place clean beans in water. Allow to...

We did it! One of our goals this year was to take a trip to London and we are leaving today! Vacations are one of the many reasons we work so hard to save money. Vacation may not be your motivation, but we wanted to show you what you can achieve if you put your mind to being thrifty. If you have dreams of being able to afford a new car, TV, house, taking a vacation, sending the kids to college, or being able to retire with dignity, Thriftism can help. Continue to follow us for money saving and money making ideas. While on our vacation, we will be handing out travel tips, ways to save money, cheap attractions, and maybe even a few ways to splurge with your well earned money. Be sure to follow us on YouTube for our latest video posts or on Instagram and Twitter for photos of the trip!

As we're nearing the end of gardening season, you might be wondering what to do with all your vegetables. One sure fire way to keep your produce good through the winter is to can vegetables. There are two methods of canning - pressure canning and water bath canning. Water bath canning is used to pickling or acidic foods, but pressure canning can be used for everything. Since we are talking about green beans today, we will need to use pressure canning ( Botulism is a risk for non-acidic foods). What You Will Need: Quart or Pint Jars Jar Lids Canning Salt Pressure Cooker Large Pot 14 Pounds Beans (7 Quarts) 9 Pounds Beans (9 Pints) Prep Work Wash beans in cold water and clean of all impurities (bug holes, dirt, etc.)  Snap or cut beans to desired size. We left ours full size, but 2" pieces work great as well. Wash jars/lids with warm soapy water. Rinse. Leave in hot water bath until packing.   Canning Cold Pack This may also be known as...

It's that time of the month... time to check in on goals you know? :) Have you been sticking with it or have your goals fallen by the wayside? Here's where we at Thriftism stand: Take 6 Courses Online (3 of 6) Teach English: Foundational Principals (Completed FEB 2016) Teach English: Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Completed MARCH 2016) Teach English: Lesson Design & Assessment (Completed MARCH 2016) I need to get back on track with my classes, but have had trouble between working, starting to tutor and preparing for travel I haven't found time. I will definitely put this in focus when we return from our trip. Check out  Coursera  for a wide variety of free courses or  Duolingo  for language learning. Install Kitchen Backsplash and Cabinet Pulls INSTALLED!!! We finally put our backsplash up in May. We have to grout one more section, but it looks pretty sweet. See the how-to videos below if you're looking to put up backsplash in your hom...

So you have to travel for work? Maybe you're a truck driver or construction worker, or maybe you just have to drive a lot for work. Fast food or gas station food can get spends and while $5 or $10 a meal might not seem like much when you're buying food, it can add up fast. If you eat out every day just for lunch you could be saving close to $2000 a year by bringing your own lunch. That could be a nice getaway or part of a kitchen remodel. Now add in that if you're on the road a lot you are probably buying more than just lunch and the amount you can save keeps climbing. Let's now also assume you get paid per diem. You know, that extra money they give you to buy food. Why not spend a lot less and take the rest of that money to the bank?? Now you are saving hot original $2000 plus an extra $20-$50 a day depending on where you're working and what per diem is. With that kind of money, you could afford a total kitchen remodel or a week at sandals. What are your dreams w...

It's that time of the month... time to check in on goals you know? :) Have you been sticking with it or have your goals fallen by the wayside? Here's where we at Thriftism stand: Take 6 Courses Online (3 of 6) Teach English: Foundational Principals (Completed FEB 2016) Teach English: Theories of Second Language Acquisition (Completed MARCH 2016) Teach English: Lesson Design & Assessment (Completed MARCH 2016) I started an algebra and Happiness course, but didn't keep up with the coursework. I will try again this month. Check out Coursera for a wide variety of free courses or Duolingo for language learning. Install Kitchen Backsplash and Cabinet Pulls INSTALLED!!! We finally put our backsplash up in May. We have to grout one more section, but it looks pretty sweet. See the how-to videos below if you're looking to put up backsplash in your home.  We also put in all the cabinet pulls. It sure is nice to have a handle on the drawers. :)   ...