Carrie Underwood: Idol's Thrifty Champion
By Vicki McClure Davidson
 |
Way back in 2005, Season 4 of American Idol put me into a serious quandary... for whom should I vote? I enjoyed the rockin' energy of long-haired Bo Bice, but then there was that sweet, clear, powerful voice of Carrie Underwood's. To resolve my problem, I voted for both of them, and as we all know now, Carrie was ultimately crowned Season 4's Idol winner.
Life would never again be the same for the frugal farm girl from Checotah, Oklahoma.
Click here for the rest of the article >>
Troop Support Opportunity for Children in War Zones: Beanies for Baghdad
By Vicki McClure Davidson
You know you've got them lurking about the house or garage in boxes... adorable, plush, bean-filled orphans with bright red cardboard hearts attached to their ears or arms. At one time, Beanie Babies were the Number 1 toy sold in America to rabid collectors and kids with a bit of allowance money, but now, the toy is just another item of clutter barely worth its original retail price of $5.99. Does anyone remember when a purple Princess Bear Beanie, made by the Ty company to honor Princess Diana following her death, was selling hot and heavy in the secondary market for up to $300? It wasn't unusual for adults (even those without kids) to have hundreds of them displayed in their homes. Some were even kept in pricey display containers to keep them dust-free. Price catalogs listed the earlier Beanies at insane prices, many exceeding the $500 it cost for me to buy my first car—a used, slightly dinged, blue 1967 Chevy Impala.
But, after 1999, the craze ran its course (actually, as I recall, the demand primarily crashed because of a misfired, misguided campaign about possibly discontinuing them in the new millennium). Almost overnight, Beanies were no longer the "It Toy." Your kids outgrew them, and you may have, too. But there are still a bunch of cuddly-soft Beanies hanging around the house, because you aren't sure what to do with them.
Beanie Babies still have the capacity to give a lot of comfort to the world's children. They may be out of vogue in the United States, but they are still greatly loved and cherished by thousands of children in the war zones.
One million toys have been distributed by Beanies for Baghdad since the May 2003 inception of the charity. The contact people stationed in the war zone see to it that the children of Baghdad and surrounding areas receive the donated Beanie Babies through the coordinated efforts of the organization. Beanies for Baghdad is a registered non-profit organization and all donations are tax deductible to the full extent of the 501 (c) (3) laws.
Click here to continue reading >>
Peasant Fare at Its Best: Irish Roasted Root Vegetables Recipe
By Vicki McClure Davidson
 |
The Irish have always been a frugal people — they've had to be. Economic crises, potato blights... Ireland has suffered and survived for centuries. Creative Irish homemakers learned how to stretch and use every speck and morsel of food to feed their families, and in so doing, have created many easy, cheap-to-make and nutritious family recipes. Nothing was wasted in an Irish kitchen... nothing.
Some while back, I came across an old Irish recipe for roasted root vegetables. This is peasant fare at its very best. My daughter (now a vegetarian) and I now make it often because we love it so much. We sometimes modify the ingredients and herbs based on what is on hand in the pantry and our mood. The recipe provided below, however, is how we make it the most often.
Sometimes we'll add whole garlic cloves towards the end of the baking session. Sometimes chunks of bell pepper, shredded radicchio, cauliflower, tomatoes, celery, or mushrooms (also toward the end of the baking session) are added to the root vegetable batch. If you're adding more fragile ingredients that don't have the density of the root vegetables, add them to the root vegetable batch as they roast during the last 10 to 15 minutes of baking. Other vegetables, such as beets, yams, Brussels sprouts, squash, celery root, broccoli, or jicama, can also be added, if you want. You can choose to cut the vegetables, or if they are fairly similar in size, not cut them.
The flavors of roasted root vegetables, commingling together, are amazing. High temperatures cause the natural sugars in the veggies to caramelize, intensifying and sweetening the flavors. Fabulous flavor that costs so little.
The vegetables we've listed here are all root vegetables, but you can be creative. This is a thrift-minded way to use up vegetables in the fridge that are past their prime.
Two things we've learned must always be constant with this dish, however: high heat and lots of onions. The high temperature is an imperative for the vegetables to roast and caramelize properly. Lower temperatures will indeed cook the vegetables, but not roast them quite as well.
Continue reading >>
Best of Summer: Delicious and Frugal Watermelon Recipes
By Vicki McClure Davidson
You plant a few watermelon seeds, and before you know it, you have enough watermelons to feed a small nation. Or, your supermarket has an incredible sale on watermelons in July, and you buy THREE.
 |
We've all been there... seduced by juicy, sweet watermelons, but just can't eat it all in time. After a few weeks, your poor, glorious watermelons have disintegrated into watery mush, and throwing them out without having been enjoyed is disheartening and money-wasteful, no longer that frugal summer bargain.
Slicing watermelons into beautiful, stand-alone crimson wedges the first time or two at the beginning of their summer season excites the senses — ho-hum by the third or fourth time. I've known people who go overboard on buying watermelons because of their "fun" reputation, so they have no qualms about tossing overripe melons out as waste when they're past their prime (it's mostly water and sugar, right?).
And yet, surprisingly, despite its juicy yumminess and association with summer pool parties and barbecues, watermelon is a serious food... amazingly healthful.
Nutrition and medical experts have discovered that watermelon is packed with some of the most important antioxidants in nature. It's an excellent source of vitamin C and a very good source of vitamin A — notably through its concentration of beta-carotene. These powerful antioxidants travel through the body neutralizing free radicals. On top of that, watermelon is also a concentrated source of the carotenoid lycopene. Recent nutrition research shows that watermelon contains more lycopene than any other fresh fruit or vegetable, even tomatoes. Lycopene has been cited to lower the risk of many different kinds of cancer, especially cancers of the prostate, lungs, and stomach.
What many people don't realize is that the inner rind of the watermelon, which is usually a light green or white color, is edible. This inner rind contains many hidden nutrients that most people avoid eating due to its unique flavor. Data are also suggestive of another watermelon benefit for helping to prevent cancers of the pancreas, colon and rectum, esophagus, oral cavity, breast, and cervix. Watermelon is also chockful of vitamin B6, vitamin B1, potassium, and magnesium. Watermelon contains about 6% sugar and 92% water by weight.
So, wasting watermelon is simply not an option in my book.
Read more on watermelon and watermelon recipes >>
Looking Great and Saving Money: Picking the Best, Most Attractive Eyeglass Frames for You
By Vicki McClure Davidson
 |
Investing in a pair or two of eyeglasses can be wincingly pricey. No longer are eyeglasses expected to merely improve vision. They are now considered a fashion accessory, often with high-priced designer price tags. Picking the frames that are most attractive for you has nothing to do with the price or whose name is etched on the earpieces.
Knowing what style and shape frames work best for you—based on your face shape, your eye color, your skin tone, and your hair color—will help you make an informed decision that you'll be happy with for years to come. Eyeglasses are not only a blessing for those who need corrective vision, but an accessory that makes a statement as a part of your face every day.
Picking the perfect frames can make a huge difference in your self-esteem. A pair of glasses that complements your face shape and coloring helps you feel sophisticated, polished, youthful, and even sexy about how your face looks. Most people appear "smarter" when wearing glasses. However, wearing an ill-suited pair of frames can have the opposite effect, making you feel and look dowdy, cloddish, and/or older.
Frugality is always important, but not to the point that you feel compelled to suffer "Eyeglass Frame Hell" with ugly glasses. It's a delicate balance.
Here are some valuable tips to help you pick the right glasses and avoid making costly mistakes.
Recipes for Awesome Arepas... Venezuelan Corn Cakes
By Vicki McClure Davidson
If you've not eaten arepas (pronounced ah-RAY-poss) before, you don't know what you're missing. Easy-easy-easy to make, economical, and absolutely delicious.
 |
Pre-made arepa flour is usually made from white corn, but there are yellow corn varieties available. The resulting cake can range from 3 to 8 inches in diameter, depending on the cook's preference.
There are a number of ways to make these lovely corn cakes. In Venezuela, there are many variations and fillings, depending on personal taste and the occasion for which the arepas are being made. Some fillings include cheese, coconut, chicken, crisped pork skin, black beans, quail eggs, and shark. Arepas are perfect as party appetizers, since they don't require a fork to be eaten.
More info and arepas recipes >>
Pesto, Salsa di Pomodoro Crudo, and Other Easy No-Cook Sauces for Hot Pasta: 12 Tantalizing, Thrifty Recipes & Preparation Tips
By Vicki McClure Davidson
 |
Tossing piping-hot pasta with a room-temperature, uncooked sauce of some chopped raw ingredients, some olive oil, and other seasonings, and then serving immediately, is still a fairly new concept to many Americans. For those on a limited food budget, these no-cook sauces not only save you money, but save you time to prepare. Some can be prepared the night before or in the morning before leaving for work. Then, making dinner only necessitates cooking up the pasta. Dinner's ready in under 15 minutes!
Uncooked tomato sauces, called salsa di pomodoro crudo, are delicious and are popular summer fare in Italy. Most salsa di pomodoro crudo recipes call for using fresh tomatoes, but canned diced tomatoes can be used in a pinch or when tomatoes are not in season (although, the sauce is much better tasting and has a better texture with fresh tomatoes).
Pesto, a thick, flavorful, olive oil-based sauce, uses puréed greens — such as fresh basil, spinach, cilantro, or arugula — quality olive oil, garlic, grated cheese, and nuts, such as pine nuts, walnuts, peanuts, or almonds, all blended together to make a nice paste.
However, not all pestos today use greens; some rely on black olives or sun-dried tomatoes to create the pesto sauce.
For more no-cook pasta sauce info and a dozen thrifty, easy recipes, click here to continue reading >>
DIY Bike Info – Save Money with Proper Bicycle Selection, Care, Repair, & Security
By Vicki McClure Davidson
 |
My son Chase is a biking enthusiast. He loves to bike everywhere. When you're 15 and too young for a driver's license, you're limited on self-transportation options. But he truly loves it, because it gives him freedom, speed, and powerful calf muscles at little expense. Little expense, that is, until he needs to repair the bike chain that fell off on his way home from the mall. Then, a bicycle is an albatross that needs to be dragged for several miles. With our financial situation not permitting us to haul the afflicted bike to the repair shop every other week (he rides rough and is always attempting bike tricks), Chase has taken matters into his own hands to repair his bike and save money doing it.
He's learning how to fix the bike himself and how to take better care of it on a day-to-day basis. And I must say, from a responsibility and a frugal standpoint, I'm very proud of him. He has done it so often, he knows how to pretty much take the whole thing apart and reassemble it—correctly—with few problems. And then, whoosh—he's pedaling off again.
For those adults who remember their first Schwinn fondly, bicycles have changed quite a bit, but they still aren't all that difficult to repair. For easy access to the store a half mile away or for an effective cardiovascular exercise regime, bicycle popularity has risen. The surge in gasoline prices has influenced the increase bicycle sales. With gasoline prices spiking to as high as $4.99 a gallon in 2008 (always subject to change these days) in many U.S. cities, the cost to fuel a bike is still zero. A sweet price for those who want to save money. And the numbers who do are growing.
Studies show that there are 1.4 billion bicycles in use in the world, compared to only 400 million cars, making bike riding the most popular mode of transportation in the world. Bicycling communities and clubs are growing and the health benefits of bike riding are wide-reaching. Not only does it give a good workout to the individual rider, but air pollution is reduced. This benefits the community by not expelling pollutants, thus lowering lung afflictions, such as asthma.
Click here for easy, frugal bike repair, care, and security tips, plus how to select the right bike for you >>
Cauliflower, The Underrated Vegetable — Thrifty, Delicious Cauliflower Recipes
By Vicki McClure Davidson
Cauliflower... frugal, delicious recipes for this underrated vegetable | Photo credit: Annieta, Flickr.com |
Actor and comedian Jim Carrey once said, "Green Eggs and Ham was the story of my life. I wouldn't eat a thing when I was a kid, but Dr. Seuss inspired me to try cauliflower." Cauliflower, despite its nutritional content, low cost, mild flavor, and ease in cooking, is probably one of the most misunderstood vegetables in the United States. It's a head-scratcher as to why it isn't more popular.
You rarely see cauliflower served in American restaurants (unless it's battered and fried as an appetizer), which is a shame. It's a versatile vegetable that is super-easy to prepare, and it can be served raw, braised, baked, steamed, deep-fried, broiled, boiled, stir-fried, or roasted. Thick cauliflower soups are very popular in France and much of Eastern Europe. In India, cauliflower is cooked with potatoes, tomatoes, and herbs and spices to make popular vegetable curry dishes. Sardinian cooks often combine garlic, olive oil, and capers with it to make flavorful salads and hot dishes...
Additionally, consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as the cauliflower, is known to reduce the risk of a number of cancers, especially lung, colon, breast, ovarian, and bladder cancer. Recent scientific research reveals that crucifers provide significant cardiovascular benefits as well. To get the maximum health benefits from cauliflower, it is recommended that after cutting the cauliflower florets, let them sit for 5-10 minutes; this allows time for the production of phenethyl isothiocyanates, which form when cruciferous vegetables are cut, but stops when they are heated. Phenethyl isothiocyanate is a key cancer-reducing agent. It is abundant in cruciferous vegetables including cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli, turnips, Brussels sprouts, kale, and kohlrabi.
So, when time permits, cut the cauliflower florets (and all other cruciferous veggies) and let them sit for a while for maximum health benefits.
More on nutrition, saving money, and preparing cauliflower... techniques and frugal cauliflower recipes >>
Tobey Maguire: Spider-Man, Frugal Man
By Vicki McClure Davidson
Even after becoming a household name for his iconic super-hero role in Spider-Man, Tobey Maguire has continued to be careful with his money.
Because of his rocky and modest upbringing, the young actor remained frugal, reluctant to spend his cash even when his earnings per film sky-rocketed.
 |
Maguire’s parents were unmarried and just 18 and 20 when he was born. They did get married, but divorced when he was about three. As a result, Maguire spent a "difficult" childhood living at times with various relatives in several different states as a boy. In a 2007 People magazine interview, he said, "If you stripped away everything I've got—the money, the fame, the possessions, everything—I know that I'd find a way to get along, because, basically, that's what I've had to do all my life."
On growing up poor, Maguire shared his feelings and memories during a 2002 CNN interview. "When I was a little kid, I don't think it affected me. I did feel it as I got older, because you start to compare yourself to other kids. I look back and feel it must have been tough on my parents because of the times I would be embarrassed by rolling up in the $400 beat-up orange truck, or getting groceries with food stamps. But there were also time when things were fine and there was enough money to get nice Christmas gifts, let alone have a roof over my head and eat."
Click here to continue reading >>
Fill Their Stomachs for Pennies: Potatoes for All!
By Vicki McClure Davidson
 |
Times are really tough now for home food budgets. When you're stretching that puny dollar to buy the ingredients to make a filling and frugal meal that will feed a spouse, retired parent, significant other, or a handful of hungry kids (teenage boys are hopeless, bottomless pits), few foods do it as well as potatoes. Cheap, nutritious, and extremely filling... the triad of excellence when being frugal on a tight food budget.
More cool info on potatoes and a bunch of quick, filling, and thrifty recipes and video demos >>
The A-Z of Making Vegetable Stock from Scratch
By Vicki McClure Davidson
For me, few things are more satisfying and calming than smelling fresh, homemade vegetable stock when its gently cooking in my kitchen. The earthy aromas that fill your home are comforting and the resulting stock (or broth) is warming and fabulously low-fat.
No one should ever buy pre-made vegetable stock (although, I admit, I've done it a time or two). Usually loaded with sodium and horrifically priced (shameful, since, after all, the predominant ingredient in any stock is water), these canned, supposed "shortcuts" often pale noticeably in flavor when compared to the delicious, cheap veggie stock you can make in a short amount of time. If they are name-brand or gourmet products with a famous chef's face on the label, they can cost you more than a dollar or two for a few puny liquid ounces.
If you're thinking, "But the pre-made canned ones save me time when I'm super busy, which is almost all the time," yes, I agree... they can save some time and I truly commiserate with you about lack of time. But the amount of time you've saved can be a trifling and the money you've spent unnecessary. If you're trying to save money on your food budget, making your own stock is the best way.
You CAN do this. If you plan ahead just a bit and make an ample amount of vegetable stock on a free weekend morning and then freeze it in manageable portions, you'll have it ready for use for many meals. This is a dream come true on those harried nights when working late and being the "Parent Taxi" is running you ragged and cooking dinner is high on your list of "don't-wanna-do's." Been there, done that, I understand completely.
But making vegetable stock is incredibly easy to make, is super cheap, and is usually more flavorful than the canned varieties. You can also control the salt level.
More on how to make homemade vegetable stock >>
Frugal & Unique Gifts & Decor for the Shoestring Budget... Mother's Day, Valentine's Day, Graduation, and More
By Vicki McClure Davidson
 |
 |
Valentine's Day is a fun, special day for so many people. It's a day to celebrate love, romance, togetherness, and family.
While Valentine's Day's origins are believed to date back to 270 A.D. in Rome, it wasn't until 1537 that St. Valentine's Day was declared an official holiday. It was England's King Henry VIII who declared February 14 a holiday.
If you're on a limited budget, finding an inexpensive, but thoughtful and romantic Valentine's Day gift can be stressful. Many choices out there are silly or frivolous (to you women: most men do NOT want a stuffed teddy bear holding a stuffed heart as a gift). Others just don't adequately express your feelings, what you have in your heart.
Here are some frugal, practical ideas to keep your cash outlay down this Valentine's Day, without sacrificing romance. These ideas can be easily adapted for Mothers Day gifts (don't forget Mom!), as well as anniversaries, birthdays, high school graduation gifts, Christmas, or other special occasions with loved ones.
Remember, though... the best gifts are those that are given from the heart.
 |
Personalize it: If you prefer buying gifts and don't have the time, talent, or desire to make a romantic Valentine's Day craft gift for your special girl or guy, one unique way to keep it practical—but still give the gift your own creative, romantic touch—is to have Valentine gifts personalized with a significant, loving inscription or with that person's name put on it. The sky's the limit on gift items that can be personalized, such as a picture frame, sexy lingerie, T-shirts, jewelry, a travel coffee mug, bookmarks, tote bags, or even bath robes.
Romantic gifts for Valentine's Day don't have to be expensive, whimsical, or impractical (every dollar counts during this economic recession, after all), and they also needn't be cold or impersonal. If you don't have time to drive to the mall, shopping online for a unique, personalized gift is a wise time saver. Be sure to allow enough time for shipping; read the vendor's guidelines.
Valentine's Day trivia: In England, the Romans, who had taken over the country, had introduced a pagan fertility festival held every February 14. Nearly a century later, after the Romans left England, the pagan ritual was abolished by Pope Gelsius, who established St. Valentine's Day as a celebration of love in 496 A.D.
 |
 |
Say it with flowers... SILK flowers: Roses are still the Number 1 flower choice at Valentine's Day and are given by women as well as men. However, the cash to be forked out can be stroke-inducing, with a dozen, fresh red roses costing $50 or more, delivery extra. Instead of buying expensive flowers that will die in a few days, consider buying those made from silk. Silk roses (or any other flower) are a beautiful, frugal alternative. Many look like the real thing and are perfect for loved ones who have allergies.
The dollar stores often have a good variety of choices. You can opt for a vase arrangement (Goodwill, other thrift stores, yard sales, and discount outlets like Ross often have beautiful vases at a fraction of their original price) with a dozen or more flowers, or you can go with the "less is more" gift.
Select a few silk flowers, arrange them in a narrow-necked vase, and pour in sand, pebbles, or marbles (clear ones if the vase is transparent) to anchor them. Or, if the vase's neck is wide enough, plunge the stem ends into a small piece of cut craft foam.
You can make any silk flower arrangement permanent by pouring in a few inches of a quick-dry craft plaster. Wicker baskets can also be used for a beautiful flower arrangement that will never die. With some inexpensive plastic wrap, recycled ribbon and lace, and some red or pink tissue paper, any group of silk flowers can be made into a "chic but cheap" bouquet. Check out floral store websites for ideas on the flower arrangement or bouquet you want to create, or save time and spend a bit more money ordering a silk flower arrangement from an online store.
 |
Not interested in giving silk flowers and still have your heart set on giving your special someone one of the ultimate romantic gifts, that of a dozen red roses — a dozen beautiful, sweet-smelling, live red roses for Valentine's Day... but are on a tight budget and need to save some money on your romantic purchase?
Well, believe it or not, there are cost-saving specials out there... you can get a free delivery on those red roses for Valentine's Day from some online florists. Some are offering discounts, some are also offering same-day delivery. But you need to act quickly, since some specials end prior to Valentine's Day.
Valentine's Day rose trivia: California produces about 60 percent of American roses, but the greatest amount sold for Valentine's Day in the United States are imported, mostly from South America. Approximately 110 million roses, the majority red-colored (red roses are designated for romance and mean "I love you," the color yellow symbolizes friendship, deep pink conveys thanks, medium pink represents happiness, orange symbolizes desire, and white roses combined with red represent unity) will be sold and delivered within a 3-day time period.
Click here for more gift-giving ideas >>
Toothpaste and Shampoo and Soap... Oh, My! — The Truth Behind Those Wasteful Grooming Product Ads
By Vicki McClure Davidson
If you're at least as old as Jennifer Aniston or Sarah Palin, chances are you may remember those vintage ads for a men's hair grooming product whose slogan was, "A little dab'll do ya!"
 |
It was a stroke-of-genius slogan for Brylcreem, and wow, talk about truth in advertising. Rather than featuring clean-cut Ivy Leaguers slathering the stuff all over their heads, the company actually encouraged its customers to go easy on using their hair styling cream. Refreshing and memorable. And honest.
However, in many commercials, there was (and still is) over-the-top excess in the amount of hygiene and grooming products the ad models use on their hair, teeth, and everywhere else. Often, much more than is needed.
Toothpaste commercials and print ads have been particularly notorious, often showing a thick ribbon of paste stretching across the length of a toothbrush's bristles and then sweeping back over the first layer, much like old-fashioned Christmas ribbon candy. Shampoo ads and soap ads were equally excessive, with the "gotta be clean" actors covered in whipped cream-like caps and formidable body armor of froth.
Why would advertisements show this exaggerated overuse of their products?
Simple. People would use it up faster. And then they'd buy more.
Continue reading >>
How to Draw... with Jan Brett
By Vicki McClure Davidson
|
Here's a gem of a website for free, fanciful art instruction using video. Because of its advanced nature, it is really recommended for older homeschoolers and public school students. Acclaimed children's author and illustrator Jan Brett presents many easy-to-follow, upbeat videos that students can watch on the computer for free, enhancing and supplementing their at-home art lessons.
Ms. Brett goes at a moderate pace, explaining her drawing techniques and giving valuable artist tips as she sketches and paints, like how to create dimension, how to easily remove drip lines from watercolors, and how to paint realistic shadows. The art instructions are likely too advanced for younger students, but a homeschooling parent could watch them and then adapt them for elementary students.
Where to Go for Free Camp Site Info in the United States
By Vicki McClure Davidson
 |
Even during these rough economic times, there are many places in the United States that offer free (or nearly free) camping amenities or provisions for those who are looking for free places to camp in their recreational vehicles (RVs). The memories of family camping will last a lifetime.
Getting away from the grind of the city need not be expensive in order to be therapeutic. It is good for the soul, and a recommended tonic for stress. John Muir once noted, "How hard to realize that every camp of men or beast has this glorious starry firmament for a roof! In such places standing alone on the mountain-top it is easy to realize that whatever special nests we make - leaves and moss like the marmots and birds, or tents or piled stone - we all dwell in a house of one room - the world with the firmament for its roof - and are sailing the celestial spaces without leaving any track."
Humorist Dave Barry once wrote, "Camping: nature's way of promoting the motel industry."
DIY Fashion: ThreadBanger... Video Demo: How to Beat Road-trip Boredom by Making Macramé Jewelry
 |
ThreadBanger's Rob and Corinne show how making your own macramé jewelry can make long car trips less boring. For older children, this is a terrific, cheap form of entertainment, with the bonus pay-off being macramé jewelry that they can wear themselves or give as unique gifts. Corinne at ThreadBanger demonstrates how easy it is to make a bracelet from hemp twine. By adapting the video instruction, you can make variations of the macramé design and then create unique homemade necklaces, plant pot slings, head bands, belts, and guitar straps. It's 1960s retro!
|