BellaOnline Forums Money Frugal Living New Frugal Living Editor

Hello everyone, I've just started as Frugal Living Editor for the site and want to introduce myself. Check out my first two articles:
A Working Wardrobe for Pennies

Homemade Gift Ideas

My husband and I survive on $1100 amonth and $100 Snap food credit: Here's a recipe i fall back on around this time when our funds run out: Survival stew
Dig up enough Dandilion greens to fill a large bowl, wash well, boil until tender, puree, throw in crockpot. Add 1 bag split peas, 1 can of mixed veggies and 2 pkgs of Instant Oatmeal-plain, or brown sugar is better, if on handL Cook 4 hours on high, mix in some scraps of Ham, or any non seafood protein.
serves 2 people for 3 days.

Hi Jane, Welcome as the new editor
Your articles are interesting
Cindy, welcome to the forum, We hope that you both enjoy your stay

Here's another handy recipe: Homemade Shrub
Drain the juice of canned beets, place in large glass jar, KEEP IN FRIDGE- over the next two weeks, add any fruit juice syrup from canned fruit, any fruit juice you have leftover except orange or grapefruit: After two weeks, taste- if not fermented, wait one more week, then add 1 tsp. of cider vinegar per cup:
Poured over ice with a splash of store brand gingerale, this drink will be suitable for serving guests.

Those are great recipes Cindy!

We make dandelion wine in the spring, it is actually really tasty! There is definitely a lot of "free food" out there if you have a back yard and pay attention!

Hi Jane! I can't wait to read your new articles each week! :-)

Cindy, those recipes sound fabulous!!! I can't wait to try them.

I have also made dandelion wine - it has a wonderful delicate flavor and I would make some again anytime.

I've also made raisin wine, but that tasted a little odd. :-)

Right now in Flagstaff (7k feet in the mts) there is an incredible abundance of free fruit growing everywhere on trees - plums, apples, crabapples. It's wonderful to walk around and pick lovely fresh apples and munch them.

Potluck dinners at local churches are generally free, and if you want to feel younger, the best way to do that is surround yourself with folks who are older! :}

Hi Cindy, Lisa, and Gilly

Thanks for posting in the forum! And Cindy, thanks so much for the interesting recipes! It sounds like you have living frugally down to an art and I could learn a few things from you! Please keep posting your recipes and other tips to enhance our Frugal Community at Bella.

oops I forgot skyhaven...thanks for the nice comment!

Hi Jane

Welcome as the new editor!