Killing Head Lice Cheaply & Safely

(Contributed by: Suzan, Majenica, Rachel)
Everyone is back to school so it's just a matter of time before lice join in at circle time. This article is on how to get rid of the critters without resorting to expensive treatments.......that the lice are becoming resistant to anyway.

A less expensive treatment than the store bought kits, but effective treatment it to apply Cetaphil skin cleanser into dry hair, comb through, blow dry, and shampoo in the morning. Then repeat weekly for 3 weeks. Evidently 96% of the lice were dead. Cetaphil is pretty mild too, even for individuals who are allergic to many chemicals. RiteAid makes a generic version. It costs a little over $3.

Lice combing (tedious, and it takes a lot of time, but it works) is an ancient and time-tested method.

One of our contributors who lives in Australia has worked in public health and has seen how bad infestations can be in a subtropical climate. She recommends a metal comb. The "condition and comb" method is also referred to as the "wet method". She assures us that this method works because the conditioner blocks their breathing pores and immobilizes them until they get it out and can breathe again. You condition and comb on dry hair. This uses a lot of conditioner. You comb them out and drop them in vinegar. Comb with the metal comb, dip in a glass of vinegar, comb, dip, comb, dip, it can take over an hour but it works. It is suggested that you wipe the comb with a tissue and then deposit them in a bag. Sea it, and throw away after you are finished. It is slow and doesn't kill the eggs, so it MUST be repeated. There was some research that suggested the eggs are laid just below the skin and that is one reason why they appear after you could swear you‘ve removed every last one.

The advantages are that you use the cheapest of white conditioners, the conditioner helps with combing, long hair gets a good "treatment", the critters don't become resistant to more chemicals and it isn't toxic. The comb will soon look horrid but the vinegar does kill them and rinses the old, lice-filled conditioner off the comb.

There is a company called ACU-Life that makes a metal lice comb for about 6 dollars. This organization has info about head lice and sells a lice comb for $10.
http://headlice.org/

Some people use tea tree oil. Cover scalp only in tea tree oil, let sit 10-20 min. covered if possible. Disposable hotel shower caps work great. Then shampoo and rinse well. Evidently it takes only 1 treatment and it works. Add 10-15 drops in your regular shampoo as a preventative as well. Many claim this is very effective.

Another contributor said that if tea tree oil is too harsh for your child's scalp - that she uses lavender oil - just add a dozen or so drops to the shampoo bottle (for boys as they don't want to smell like a girl), and dab around the hairline for girls, or add to their detangler.

As far as some schools "requiring" that kids not return to school until they have been treated with an "approved" OTC chemical treatment? This contributor says that the OTC chemical treatments for treating lice all say not to use on broken skin, that it may cause serious injury and even death - so pretty much anyone can claim eczema as the reason not to chemically treat.

The fact is, you have to remember, even children from scrupulously clean homes can get them. In fact, lice can glue their eggs much more effectively to extremely clean hair. Greasy, nasty hair is not a louse mommy's best friend. So keep in mind that lice happens, and it's no reflection on a person’s parenting skills or your cleanliness.

Reducing Utility Costs

(By Various Contributors)

Water Heater Blankets
A water heater blanket is made of insulation contained within plastic so that it can be attached to the water heater. Blankets are rated based upon their 'R' value, just like other insulation.

The blankets require scissors or a box-cutter and some tape (often included) to install

Some tanks recommend that you don't use a blanket, if you still have the manual or contact the company. If the tank is in a VERY warm area of the house, such as near a furnace, then there is probably no need for one. However, if it's in a cold room, just put your hand on the outside of the heater. If it's warm, a blanket will save you some money.

How to Insulate Your Windows with Bubble Wrap
You need: spray bottle, x-acto knife and bubble wrap. Mist the water onto the window sill. Push the bubble side of the wrap against the sill. The water will hold the bubble wrap to the window all winter without tape or glue. Use the x-acto knife to cut away any excess. The bubble wrap will not stain your windows.

A single pane window has an R value of less than one. (.8) By placing bubble wrap in the window, its R value will be around two. Keep it Solar has a detailed article on how much money bubble wrap will save you.


From Keep it Solar:
For a 7000 deg-day climate (northern US), and single glazed windows, the bubble wrap increases the R value from about R1 to about R2. This cuts the heat loss from the window in half.
Heat losses with and without bubble wrap for 1 sq-ft of window are:
**Heat loss w/o wrap = (7000 deg-day)(1 ft^2) (24 hr/day) / (1 ft^2-F/BTU) = 168K BTU per season
**Heat loss with wrap = (7000 deg-day)(1 ft^2) (24 hr/day) / (2 ft^2-F/BTU) = 88K BTU per season

You can buy your own bubble wrap. It's inexpensive, but you'll save money if you salvage it. Furniture stores will have extra bubble wrap. Any large department stores will probably have it too. Call around. Bubble wrap insulation can last up to seven years.

Weather-strip doors and window casings
Black foam strip is the type we use. We hang heavy insulated curtains over the picture windows to save on AC in the summer. It will save you money in the winter too. They aren't going to win us any style awards, but they look acceptable and they were pretty cheap at Sears.

Other ideas for reducing heating bills
**Set your overhead fan blades to the other direction (if you can) to push that heated air that you've already paid for back down into the room.

**We use space heaters and heating fans (use caution with young children, and don't leave them unattended even if you don't have kids) if you are all in the same room and you can close off that room.

**After you bake or roast something and you've turned the oven off, leave the door cracked open (unless you have young children). Why waste the heat? Let it warm up the room. Cooking up a big pot of soup warms up both you - when you eat it, and the kitchen - when you cook it.

**Go outside; play with the kids or exercise. When you come back in, it'll seem warm in comparison. Or go to bed early to snuggle with your loved one.

**Don't be afraid to post a sign above the thermostat that states "We have rent to pay and food to buy-sweaters are in the hall closet, thank you."

**Limit the time of hot showers and be frank with older children about the cost of hot water. With younger children, there is always the option of bathing them together, especially if they are the same gender, VERY young, or if you don't mind unexpected questions about bodily differences between boys and girls.

Making Bird Bells

So many of us are able to enjoy our bird friends throughout the year, and as we all know these year long friends can be quite expensive to feed. Well, here is another option for you, Homemade Bird Bells. This is a great craft idea for kids to participate in and at the same time a wonderful way to use what you already have at home.


*Homemade Bird Bells


Terracotta flower pots (small)
1 cup birdseed
1 egg white

Mix thoroughly and pour into a foil lined flower pot, mini loaf pan, etc. If you don't have a hangar, insert one now before baking. Bake for 1 hour at 200. Let cool and remove from the pot.


Super easy and guaranteed to please your fine feathered friends during the cold winter months!

Thanks Kristen for sharing your recipe with us!

Cream of "Whatever Soup"

(Contributed by Laurie)

Tired of spending money on the cans of cream soups from the grocery store that are filled with way too many foreign ingredients? Well here is a great recipe to replace those cans with. Give it a try, you'll be delightfully surprised at how tasty and economical it is to make your own 'Cream of Whatever' Soup!

Melt 2 Tbspn of margarine in a saucepan.
Sauté 2 Tbspn of chopped celery (or whatever).
Blend in 2 Tbspn of flour.
Add 1/3 cup dry milk powder.
Add 2/3 cup vegetable broth.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook until smooth.

Ideas for Decluttering

(Contributed by:Ruthie, Leah, Rachel)


Do you really need a larger house? Or maybe just one that is better organized? Who lives in your house - you, or all of your stuff? And do you even use all those items anyway........but how do you know what to keep, and what to toss?

For many people who have spent years accumulating stuff - decluttering can be extremely overwhelming. Decluttering and home organization is a skill, and it's a learned skill. The good news is, once you learn it and put it into practice, you can find that you can reclaim square footage of your home that is currently being wasted and unused...held hostage, you might say - by stuff.

There can be a benefit to decluttering besides reclaiming space; you may find things that you can sell on eBay or Craiglist or at a garage sale; you may also be able to engage in charitable giving even though you don't have cash to give to those in need; additionally you may be able to barter/swap with friends. So there can be a real financial advantage to decluttering.

One of our writers, Ruthie, is in the midst of a major decluttering project. Here are her many helpful suggestions!

General Principles, Goal Setting, and Time Management:
1. Set a small goal. (Editors note: large goals can quickly become overwhelming)
2. Have a permanent save box that is small.
3. A place to keep things that are going out.
4. A black trash bag ready to fill up. It must be opaque so that the no one see what's inside and pull things back out.

I'm starting out by commencing my daily chores and getting them out of the way - the laundry gets started, then I quickly go thorough the house tidying up by picking things up and putting it away where it belongs.
On Monday and Tuesdays of each week, I'm handling weekly cleaning, such as dusting, vacuuming, bathrooms, sweeping and mopping the kitchen floor. Each week I try to add something I didn't do in that room last week.
On Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of each week I do the daily morning chores since the house is still pretty clean, and then I work on one room.

Consumables declutter:
Right now my biggest thing is to clear stuff OUT. Buying Rubbermaid plastic boxes may contribute more to your clutter. Just get rid of it versus trying to tame it.
Using up the cleaning products that you have on hand instead of purchasing more of the 'new and better' also helps to keep the clutter at bay.

Paper declutter:
Unless you have a home-based business with an office space used solely for that business there is no reason to keep monthly bills. Excel spreadsheets can be generated to keep track of utility usage (electricity, gas and water) and dollar amounts spent for each month.

I am keeping:
*all tax returns
*All bank statements
*All year-end retirement statements
*All year-end investment statements
*I keep all major purchase receipts and user's manuals for appliances, tools, electronics, etc. Only keep paperwork, user's manuals, etc. for what you still own!
*After year-end, I throw away all EOBs for medical services. (Explanation of Benefits.)

Everything Needs A Home:
I've had good luck with decluttering for the long term by using two tactics:
1) Have a plan to move a lot of what comes into the house/room....OUT of the house/room. This tactic can apply to the mail that you receive down to the food your children bring home in their lunch bags. The 2-bin recycling station, our easy-to-get-to garbage bin, along with the compost bucket for vegetable, fruit, and bread scraps? Keeps our kitchen amazingly clutter free.
2) Designate a place for everything. This includes the backpacks for school, the boots, the dishes, the everything.

A Final Note:
Another of our writers, Leah, states that staying off the computer is vital during decluttering. Well said, Leah!

Not A Christmas Crafter?

(Contributed by Nicole, Majenica, and Rachel)

If for whatever reason a homemade crafty Christmas isn't for you or perhaps you lack the time, your family would rebel, or you're like me and can't craft your way out of a paper bag. That's OK. There's still a lot of ways to have a sensible Christmas.


While the plate of baked goods is popular, some people might feel they are drowning in sugar. If you want to give a food gift consider a loaf of bread, a homemade drink mix, or even a small fruit basket made from a dollar store basket and fruit that's on sale.
You can also take a look at your gift list and see if anyone can be cut without hurt feelings.

Last Christmas our closest friends decided that gifts were for children only. We all still got together, had a nice potluck dinner, and had a great time celebrating but the adults went without gifts.

Think practical. While gift cards may seem impersonal, they can be a big help to people. College students love this kind of practical gift. It allows them to get what they need, without having to spend out of pocket. Expectant parents, those without jobs, or people in a tight living situation also love these types of gifts.
Another idea is to do either family or childrens photos at a relatively cheap photo shop, such as Wal-Mart. You can get a package for under $10, then buy $1 frames at a dollar store. These make long lasting gifts.

One contributor stated, "I makes "non-gift" arrangements. I agree that I won't buy them a gift and they don't have to buy me one. Sometimes I'll ask for something that I know is dirt cheap or that they also want to get rid of. Outgrown kids clothes and toys, paperback novels that they are done with or just unconventional stuff. My MIL gave me a flat of canned lima beans last Christmas. I had a can at her house and loved them, and couldn't find them in my state. Voila - when she drove down, she brought me a dozen cans."

Another thing to consider is gently used items. Clothes, books, toys, and sometimes other items are often much less expensive, but still in great condition at thrift or consignment stores, garage sales, or on Craigslist. I've seen new toys and kitchen appliances still in the box, clothes with tags still on them, and books that look as if they've never been opened.

Just remember that Christmas is about much more than the gifts you give or get, so let yourself re think your gift buying habits if it's what you want or need.

Halving the Milk Bill

Contributed by: Cari, Nachelna, Rachel

Going broke keeping milk in the house? Dry milk is cheap at some stores (like Aldis).
I used to keep it around just to use in cooking and baking, but for awhile I used it to make drinking milk for my oldest until I eventually switched her to organic, local dairy milk.

I mixed it up according to the directions on the box, but instead I:
1) run the liter container half full of HOT tap water first
2) add the 1 and a third cups of dry milk
3) shake well
4) add the heavy cream (couple tablespoons) which breaks down the foam.
5) add more water to the de-foamed milk until it reaches the liter mark.

It was great for my morning coffee (until I switched to homemade soymilk) and I cooked with it too back then. The taste of it in cooked dishes is not something that any normal human being could discern from "real" milk. I put strawberry syrup in it for my child when I was making it for her, or some banana licuado (latino milkshake) powder in it. A cheap thrill.

It's cheaper than buying "real" milk at the store, but also it just freed up more fridge space for us. Plus it was convenient - we don't run out as long as we have heavy cream in the fridge and dry milk in the pantry.

I bought the dry milk at Aldis. 10 bucks for a 20 qt package (5 gallons) a year ago - it's probably slightly higher now. If you live in dairy country you could probably cut an even better deal with a local producer if you bought a large enough volume, but if you live in dairy country it might be worth cutting a deal with the farmer for "raw" milk (of course you would pasteurize it yourself if you so desired). In some states the sale of raw milk is illegal unless you are using it to make soap or feeding it to your pets or your compost pile - but enforcement is extremely lax to say the least.

How do you pasteurize milk?According to eHow....
Step 1 - Boil empty milk bottles submerged in water for 10 minutes to disinfect them. Alternatively, you can place the milk bottles in an oven preheated to 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) for 20 minutes to disinfect.
Step 2 - Pour raw milk into the top of a double boiler and fill the bottom section with water.
Step 3 - Place a metal-stem thermometer into the milk to monitor its temperature. Keep the thermometer from touching the sides or bottom of the double boiler so you get an accurate temperature reading of the milk, not the container.
Step 4 - Heat raw milk to 145 degrees F and keep it at that temperature for at least 30 minutes. Stir constantly to avoid burning and to maintain an even temperature. For a faster method, heat the milk to 165 degrees F for at least 15 seconds, stirring constantly.
Step 5 - Put the top section of the double boiler that holds the heated milk into a pan of cold or ice water to cool the milk. Continue to stir.
Step 6 - Cool the milk until it reaches 40 degrees F or below.

There you go. So if you can find someone who keeps cows (or goats) for a hobby, you can "cut a deal" and do the safety measures yourself.



Alternatively, you can order a slightly altered milk substitute (made from dairy ingredients, pretty much identical nutritionally to standard low fat milk - it's called Morning Moo.
One of our readers said that with the Morning Moo, they paid 116 dollars (including shipping) for 50 pounds that makes 70 gallons. That works out pretty cheap.
http://www.moosmilk.com/

Homemade Soy milkAlternatively you can make soy milk yourself at home. This is what I now do for myself. I drink a lot of it, my youngest prefers commercial Soy milk (no grit, and a more even vanilla texture) but if you can get over the slight textural issues (the grit settles to the bottom) and you can commit to soaking the soybeans, and adding the salt, sweetener, and vanilla yourself? The milk costs next to nothing. It's dirt cheap. I mean really, really cheap.

I paid 60 dollars for a soy milk maker used off eBay. Original sticker from a Deseret Industries thrift store was 7 bucks, so if you are are hardcore thrifter you could really make out like a bandit. It's definitely paid for itself by now, I've had it for a couple of months. You can use them to make other kinds of milk too.

Homemade Almond Milk
Soak the nuts for 8 hours instead of the briefer 5 hours for soybeans, and massage the nuts to slip the skins and discard the skins before loading the hopper. You'll only need about 2 ounces (60 grams) of nuts per 1 liter of water. I'm guessing other kinds of nuts would be similar.

Don't have a soy milk maker? Use this recipe instead.
Raw Vanilla Almond Milk
1 cup raw almonds soaked over night and rinsed
3 cups water
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Sweetener to taste-any sweetener will do, honey, stevia, sugar, succanat, maple syrup, soaked dates

To make raw almond milk blend the soaked almonds with the water until smooth. Then strain the mixture through a strainer. Save the almond pulp in a container and put in the refrigerator for later use.
Put the almond milk back into the blender carafe and blend in the vanilla and sweetener until smooth. This milk will last in the refrigerator just under a week. Shake well before using. Variation: Blend in a banana and use a pinch of nutmeg to make a festive drink.
The almond pulp can be used in cookies, crackers, or breads and a partial replacement for flour.

Trying to limit soy? How about Rice milk?

Homemade Rice MilkYou can make milk from cooked, white or brown rice. Brown rice has more nutrients and produces milk with a slightly 'nuttier' taste. Try both kinds and see which you like.
Wash the rice first and discard the washing water. This prevents it from gumming up your soy milk maker.
2/3 cup of cooked rice, rinsed again after cooking in cool water so that it's easy to load in the hopper.
If your rice is very fluffy, the maker may beep signaling too much is in the hopper. Take a little out and next time load in less rice.
You'll need to experiment with salt and sugar and flavoring to get it to where it's "right" for you.
Refrigerate immediately after the milk cools. Rice milk will separate when cooled and must be shaken well before you use it. It does not freeze well. It's best if used within a couple of days so don't make a weeks worth at one go. It *is* harder to clean out of the soy milk maker.

Don't have a soy milk maker? Try this recipe.Rice Milk4 cups hot/warm water (must be very warm or hot)
1 cup cooked rice (must be freshly made or at least reheated)
1 tsp vanilla
Sweetener and salt to taste
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Let the milk set for about 30 minutes, then without shaking pour the milk into a pitcher, leaving most of the sediment in the first container. This makes about 4 - 4 1/2 cups.

Our First Edition...October 2009

Welcome to our first edition!
We’re a collaboration of folks seeking to be more frugal, creative and aware of the world we live in.

In the following posts you'll find our first edition. Please contact us at our email below to obtain a subscription, and check back with us, as you'll find freebies here that won't be in future editions!

In this edition, you’ll find:
· Welcome to Fall
· Apple season
· Halloween on the cheap
· Turkey deal hunting
· Better than candy ideas
· Soup's On
· Cheap School Fun!
· Pumpkins are Good for More Than Jack'o'Lanterns
· What are you going to wear?

© Simply Living Better
simplylivingbetter.blogspot.com
simplylivingbetter@gmail.com

Contributors of October 2009:
Cari
Katieanne
Laurie
Leah
Majenica
Molly
Peggy
Rachel

Welcome to Fall

(By Various Contributors)

When turning the heat down at night, I put hats on my baby and toddler, and slipped on their wool longies and their fleece pullovers, with a long sleeved onesie under all that. Yes, technically, it's not pajamas, but unlike me, they didn't know how to pull the covers back over themselves. Longies were my friend during the day too. They are incredibly warm. Even if they get wet they are warm. Longies are sold on eBay, Etsy, or you can make your own. There are patterns online (free to knit or serge/sew) and thrift stores always have plenty of sweaters. You could even buy a super cheap one in an ugly color or pattern - it's just for home and/or nighttime.
I plugged in a hot pad and put it at the bottom of my bed. Not touching my feet, just keeping that whole area warm. Plus I wore my wool hiking socks to bed.
We also shut vents off in rooms we weren't using, put the magnetic sealers over the vents, and kept the doors closed. They make draft stoppers from fabric tubes that are filled with sand, but a rolled up towel works pretty well too.
One of our writers notes that old fashioned water bottles or rice packs heated in the microwave warm up the bed well. Using materials that wick moisture away from the body also keep you warmer, these include polypropylene, micro fleece, and wool.
This same writer makes "window quilts". Measure the interior portion of your window, cut up old blankets, quits, or sew together pieces and attach them to cheap wood trim cut the size of your windows. Push them into the interior of the window as a cheap thing to do instead of replacing your windows or buying expensive heat/cold blocking drapes.
If you really want to go hard core, and are willing to maintain the system for safety (lint fires can be dangerous) then you can vent your dryer indoors during the winter. We don't use our dryer much - I hang stuff on a drying rack and put it in front of a vent to humidify the air and also dry the clothes quickly. But if you DO us the dryer a lot, you can get equipment to vent it indoors for under 20 bucks. Just search for "Indoor Dryer Vent Kit" on the internet. Several companies sell them. One of our writers reminds us that when venting a dryer for a supplemental heat source, keep in mind that one should not do this with a gas dryer. It releases carbon monoxide into your home.
Keeping throw blankets, lap quilts, etc around the house is always a good idea, and I once saw someone post a small sign above their thermostat that said "We need to make rent and buy food this month too. Sweaters are in the hall closet. Thanks!"
I believe there is a company that makes a micro fleece all in one slip on blanket too, that leaves your hands free. It's sold on TV, but you likely could buy them online too. You probably won't get any hot dates while wearing one, but if you've already got someone lined up who loves you for your mind - it's definitely an option.

Apples Apples All Around

(By Cari)
Around here, in the fall, there are apples everywhere. Trees are often left unpruned, unsprayed and uncared for. The tree doesn't seem to mind, and still produces a bounty, ripe for the picking. On a recent trip into our small town, I saw a sign "Free Apples". I pulled into the field and the owner came out to visit with me. Apologetically, he let me know that the trees hadn't been sprayed with any chemicals. All the better I said, and he warned me that there might be worms. A thrifty gal can't be too concerned about insects. That day I came home with 50 pounds of apples (free!), and in that week my preteen daughter and I processed 11 quarts of apple sauce, 6 quarts of apple pie filling, and a wealth for my compost.
After that day I started realizing that there really are apples growing everywhere; along a popular road, in my neighbors backyard, on the land where I attended a recent women's retreat. Quite often people will be thrilled for you to take them, it means they don't have to pick up mower-clogging apples. Most people don't like to see food go to waste, either.
Today, after another picking at a neighbors house, a friend and I put up 6 quarts of apple sauce and 4 pints of apple butter. By using an old fashioned food mill, I get the most bang for my buck. Simply quarter the apples, cut out any bad spots and the seedy area, and simmer in a large pot, adding water as necessary. Also, I add 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per cup of fruit to keep the sauce as golden as possible and prevent spoilage. Lemon juice at 1 tablespoon per quart jar also serves the same purpose.
Food Mills may be purchased off of eBay, Craigslist, some grocery stores, or Amazon. You can find one for as cheap as 20 dollars new, or even cheaper used. Ask around if anyone has one you can borrow - you'll probably end up having it gifted to you. If you have a potato ricer, these work too. They are slower, but just as effective. Food Mills and Ricers do not require electricity, and are pretty safe for even kids to use.
Canning the apple sauce is easy. Fill to within 1/4 inch of the top, wipe any spilled applesauce off the top to get it VERY clean, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of water and bring to a rolling boil.
Processing Time (this is assuming the sauce is packed while still VERY hot - almost boiling)
Pints or Quarts 15 min (OR 25 min for above 6,000 feet)

Apple Recipes

(By Katieanne & Molly)

Recipe #1 - Apple Butter (Molly's)

6 quarts unsweetened applesauce
2T ground cinnamon
3c sugar

Pour applesauce, cinnamon and sugar into a crock pot, mixing well. Place crock pot on high until applesauce starts to simmer, then place on low and let simmer slowly over night. After letting it simmer in the crock pot over night, the apple butter deepens in color and intensifies the taste.

Ladle it into the pint or quart jars (while very hot) and process it in the water bath for 15 minutes. (OR 25 min for above 6,000 feet).

Recipe #2 Apple Butter (Katieanne's)

Use fresh apples, peeled and sliced (about 12 apples) Place in crock pot with 1 cup of sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp cloves. Cook on high for about 4 hours, the stir and cook for another 3-4 hours. Let cool and blend in a blender. Water bath process as in recipe #1.


Apple Cider
(by Rachel)

For those with access to cider apples (the ugly, imperfect ones) and a cider press, or knows someone who is making apple cider for very cheap as a way of getting rid of their unsalable apples......here is how to preserve the raw juice/cider (although it freezes well too).

First bring juice or cider to a boil. Strain through cheesecloth draped in a colander if you wish. Fill the jars to within ¼-inch of the top, wipe any spilled apple juice off the top to get them VERY clean, seat the lid and tighten the ring around them. Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 or 2 inches of water and boiling. Processing times are below - this is assuming the juice or cider is VERY hot when poured into the jars - almost boiling.

Processing Time

Pints or Quarts 10 min (OR 15 min for above 6,000 feet)
Half-Gallons 15 min (OR 20 min for above 6,000 feet)

Remove and cool the jars - lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft-free place (usually takes overnight) You can then remove the rings if you like. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed verifying that the lid has been sucked down. Just press in the center, gently, with your finger. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away and use it within a few days, it's still ok to drink. The juice/cider will separate upon storage. Shake before opening jar.

Alternative to Traditional Trick or Treating

(by Laurie)
It’s Halloween night, you look out the window in dismay as a torrential downpour has overtaken your plans to take your children out and about in the neighborhood for their annual trick or treating fun. Or perhaps, you’re just wearied by the idea that you need to trudge your children from house to house so others (who don’t even know your children) can “ooh” and “ahh” over their costumes. Maybe your children are at the age which enlightens them to the idea that they are old enough to wander the streets alone sans parent on Halloween, and you don’t happen to agree with them. Whatever your reasons may be for avoiding the traditional trick or treating tradition, you may consider looking into alternative avenues for your children.
There are usually any number of activities organized by local community groups that avoid the door to door fiasco of collecting candy. Besides, most children will either scarf too much candy or the majority of their candy gets thrown in the trash once it becomes stale and inedible.
Many churches have recently offered a Fall Harvest Festival on Halloween night that coincides with avoiding the idea of evil spirits/demon worship that some feel has taken over Halloween. You can either check with the local church office, ask a member of the church, or even check out their marquee in front of the church to see if they offer this alternative.
Several Halloween parties take place at town or community halls. Often one can find contests that occur for costumes with such categories as Best Costume, Scariest Costume, or Funniest Costume. Our article on Cheap and Homemade Costumes may be an inspiration for you and your child to create a costume for judging. If you're interested in this type of activities, they are usually advertised through your local penny saver or newspaper.
Another location to check into community alternatives for your Halloween evening could be the library. You and your children could have a fun evening of listening to spooky and scary stories read by the local librarian.
Our local volunteer firemen open the fire house up on Halloween night and have hundreds of children that show up to play Halloween games, such as Bobbing for Apples, and Pin the Tail on the Ghost. They also extend the ladder on the massive ladder truck to allow the kids to climb up to the sky until their rather nervous parents are pointedly yelling up to them, “You get down from there right now!”
Throughout your community you can most likely find any number of alternatives to the typical trick or treating Halloween by doing your research or making a phone call or two.
Happy Halloween!

A Year’s Worth of Turkey

(By Rachel)
Ever see those promotional deals of 29-49 cents a pound turkey and wish you could get those kinds of deals year round? A 16 lb turkey for around five bucks - who can beat that?
Well, you can't get those kinds of deals year round. In this country, the marketing of whole frozen turkeys for next to nothing is definitely a seasonal thing. Stores offer incredibly cheap turkey deals, knowing that while you are in the store you will likely pick up the other items on your list. It's called a "loss leader" - the stores actually make no profit on that item, even losing money on it - but they are willing to do it to get customers in the door, knowing they will make back the money on other items.
In order to get the TRULY cheap turkeys (29 cents a pound) you will be limited to usually one brand, and it will be frozen. And you will be required to buy anywhere from 25 to 50 dollars of other groceries. However, if - starting in October - you begin living off your pantry and out of your freezer, or even better, eating everything that is currently in your deep freezer instead of buying any other meat.....you'll have extra grocery money and extra freezer space. You can use that 25 to 50 dollar required shopping (that you didn't spend while you were living off your pantry) to restock the pantry items you used, or to do some wintertime preparedness. Pantry staples that won't go bad, and that you KNOW you will eventually eat.
If you have cooperative family members, you may be able to slip them a couple of five dollar bills a week, each week that a promotion runs, and they can pick up turkeys for you too. After all, they grocery shop too. They may also have freezer space to store those big birds too.
Some with large families plan ahead, beginning to empty their freezers in late summer, socking away 25 dollars a week, 3 months before Thanksgiving day. Then, by shopping daily for a couple of weeks pre-Thanksgiving, they amass a dozen turkeys. That's a year's worth of turkey dinners - one a month. For a family of six, like my parents raised, that was enough meat for one dinner, plus two dinners of leftovers - one casserole dinner, on soup dinner. They had an indoor fridge, an garage fridge, and an enormous upright freezer, so they could do that. If you do it once a month only, and you have a large enough family that you go through the bird within 3 dinners, you don't get tired of turkey.
Even if you don't have that kind of freezer space, there is still hope. Some people, whose families don't mind the smell of roasting turkey for a week straight - thaw them, cut them apart, roast them (most ovens can accommodate 2 birds if they are cut up) then debone the meat and store it in freezer-weight zip bags. This saves on a lot of space.
If you haven't socked away enough money in advance to do the 600 dollars worth of grocery shopping necessary to score a dozen turkeys (or even the 300 necessary for a half dozen) and don't have accommodating family... there is still hope. Go to the store the day after Thanksgiving and make them an offer. Depending on how many leftover turkeys they have, you may get them for the promotional price without the required purchase. It never hurts to ask, and can help you practice your negotiation skills. The worst thing that might happen is that they say no. It's not like you have anything to lose.
Happy Turkey Hunting!

Homemade Energy Bars

One is a no-bake variety, the other two need to be baked, but are simple and straightforward, without a lot of complicated steps. The unbaked recipe is vegan, the recipes for the baked ones can be made vegan simply by substituting Earth Balance for the butter, or by using an oil of your choice instead of butter (and reducing the honey slightly and using more demarara sugar instead to address the consistency of the mixture.)


No Bake Energy Bar #11 cups crispy rice cereal
3/4 cup uncooked quick-cooking oat
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/4 cup finely chopped dates or raisins (may sub out any dried fruit)
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted mixed nuts
1/4 cup honey or molasses (or other similar liquid sweetener)
1/4 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)

Mix the crispy rice cereal, oats, ground flax, raisins, and nuts in a large bowl. Set aside.

Warm honey in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter and almond extract and mix well until completely combined with no lumps.

Pour warm honey and peanut butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix with a spoon or well-buttered hands until completely combined. Dump into an 8 or 9 inch buttered square pan and cover using wax paper or parchment paper. Chill in fridge.

Cut into 10 or 12 bars. Wrap well in plastic wrap or sandwich baggies (the non zip kind doubled over are economical and ideal for this) and store in fridge or freeze for longer keeping. If you freeze, place individually wrapped bars into a gallon size zip plastic bag to avoid freezer burn.

Baked Energy Bar #11 cup of any nut butter
1/2 cup demarara (sugar in the raw)
1/2 cup honey or molasses or rice syrup
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter or NON-hydrogenated margarine
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup golden raisins (or any dried fruit)
1/2 cup chocolate or carob chips

Oven temp - 350 degrees F.
Cream together the nut butter, butter, demarara sugar, honey, and vanilla until very well combined.

Add the rest of the ingredients and thoroughly mix. Using well buttered hands, press the mixture into 13 x 9 inch buttered pan.

Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool and cut into about 20 bars. Pack as in recipe above.

If subbing dried cherries or apricots for the raisins, almond extract goes well instead of vanilla extract. If subbing dried apples, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice goes well instead of vanilla extract.

Baked Energy Bars (Brownie Style) #21 cup of any nut butter
1/2 cup demarara sugar (sugar in the raw) or regular sugar
1/2 cup honey or molasses or rice syrup
2 eggs
1/3 cup butter or NON-hydrogenated margerine
2 tsp vanilla (or 1 tsp of peppermint if you want choco-mint bars)
3 cups rolled oats
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup chocolate chips

Oven temp - 350 degrees F.
Cream together the nut butter, butter, demarara sugar, honey, and vanilla until very well combined.

Add the rest of the ingredients and thoroughly mix. Using well buttered hands, press the mixture into 13 x 9 inch buttered pan.

Remember Grandma’s Kitchen?

(By Cari)
After a long hard day of working or playing on the farm in the winter, there was always a filling soup or stew and some hot-from-the-oven bread on the table. Or, maybe I just dreamt it, but there should have been some soup at that table!
Gourmet soup doesn’t have to cost a bundle, and it can be very nutritious. The base of a good soup is always a yummy broth or stock. Want to be thrifty and nutritious? Make some bone broth.
Many recipes call for starting with 4 pounds of raw bones-some marrow bone, some knuckle bone, and some meaty neck or rib bones. In a perfect world we’d have all the ingredients, but in my world, thriftiness is the mother of invention. Leftover bone from a beef or pork roast? What about a ham bone (my personal favorite)? Or a chicken, game hen, or turkey carcass? Even a fish carcass will make for some yummy soup. Any of those will work, or if you are in a hurry combine them together, it’ll still taste good!
If you’d like to follow the recipe, become good friends with your butcher. Can you believe that most butchers throw away their bones? Make arraignments to pick them up once or twice a week, and you may end up with more bones than you know what to do with! Be prepared to educate your friends and your neighbors about bone stock.
The secret to additional nutrition is the addition of ½ cup of vinegar for every gallon of water. Vinegar pulls the nutrients from the bone and into your stock. It makes an interesting science project for the kids, too. Once the broth is all cooked you can see the matrix of the bone which is great for anatomy lessons. At the end, the vinegar has cooked off and all you taste is lovely meaty goodness.
To begin your soup base, put all of your bones in a large stockpot or crock-pot. Be sure that any raw meaty bones have been roasted ahead of time in a 350 degree oven until brown. Cover the bones with water and add ½ cup of vinegar, soak for one hour. At the end of the hour, throw in a couple of chopped onions, a couple of sliced ribs of celery, and some carrots. The amount doesn’t matter, and neither does it matter if they are limp. This is a good time to use of those veggies that have been neglected at the back of the drawer. Leeks, garlic, and greens also taste lovely and add nutrition. Then simmer for 12-24 hours, or if fish just 2 hours is enough. Many recipes will ask you to simmer longer, but I’ve found that more than 24 hours and the broth begins to take on an “off” taste. There’s nothing worse than all that work going to waste. During the simmering process, scrape off any scum that rises to the surface. Once finished, strain your broth through a fine mesh or cheesecloth and discard the solids. Any marrow left in the bones can be fed as a yummy treat to any furry carnivores you have sniffing about. Refrigerate the stock until the fat rises to the surface, then either discard or render the fat for soap making. Your broth will have a gelatin appearance when cold because it’s chock full of nutrition. Never fear, it will become a lovely liquid again as soon as it is warmed.
Stock will keep in the refrigerator for several days or can be frozen in either plastic or glass without shoulders (being sure to leave room for expansion).

It’s time to make soup! This is the time to use up any leftovers. Quite often, I make up my own recipe as I go, but maybe you want to use Grandma’s recipe? Using ingredients found in your kitchen garden, your soup will soon be gourmet. Even in the dead of winter, thyme and rosemary poke their little heads up through the snow. Basil and sage, saved from a summer garden, also makes a yummy addition. You now have the foundation to a delicious, nutritious, illness fighting wonder food. It tastes good, too.

Frugal Classroom Ideas

(by Majenica)

**Cookies**
Supplies: Prepackaged cookies, prepackaged icing, cookie decorations. Let the children ice the cookies, then decorate with various decorations. Candies such as candy corn and other fall themed candies, can be purchased relatively cheap this time of year.

**Candy Teeth**
Supplies:Bag of apples, candy corn, peanut butter (optional). Have the adult in the room cut the apples into eight sections. Each child gets two sections, which they can spread peanut butter on and push candy corn down into, making “teeth.”

**Masks**
Supplies: Paper plates or colored paper (found in the art room), string (possibly in the art room also), crayons and markers (have the children use their own). Cut the paper or plate into the shape of a pumpkin and make their own faces. Tie string at the sides and viola!

**Pumpkin Decorating**
This is only frugal if you can find someone to donate the pumpkins. I wouldn’t suggest buying them, as that would be very expensive. Ask your local grocer or farmer to donate enough mini pumpkins for each child to have one. Then let them decorate with stickers, crayons and markers

**Carry the Corn**
Supplies: corn, empty bowls or cups, spoons. Divide the class into two or three teams. Have each team take turns trying to “carry” the corn on a spoon to the other container. The first team to get all of their corn from the first container to the other wins.

**Fall Harvest Bingo**
Supplies: Bingo cards, which can be printed here: www.dltk-kids.com, and candy corn, real corn, or pumpkin seeds for marking numbers.

**Rewards**
A great idea for rewards is to ask the teacher if you can hand out “tickets” or “coupons” for prizes, instead of actual store bought prizes. The tickets or coupons, can be used to allow the “winner” to go first in line to lunch, or recess, or some other privilege that the teacher agrees upon.

Ripening Green Tomatoes When the Cold Begins to Strengthen

(By Rachel)

Now that the boiling hot days of summer are over for most of us, the issue of what to do with all the unripened green tomatoes is here. It seems wasteful to just toss them, although if you have no time, composting is an option.

You can make chutney with them, or chow-chow - good recipes can be found online or in older recipes. Or you can slice them, coat them in batter and/or breadcrumbs, and fry them. A tasty side dish few object to....but can be heavy on the fat. They can also be made into pie, as those who read the Little House series recall. Check the recipe section for the pie recipe.

Another option is to extend the harvest by slowly ripening them indoors, under controlled conditions. This is not a "set it and forget it" venture - they should be checked daily to make sure nothing is rotting or attracting flies or mice/rats.

Here are various methods for ripening green tomatoes indoors.

**You can just put them in a paper bag in a dark closet. Close them tightly at the top - the idea is to trap the gas they produce, to enhance the ripening, so close them tightly - I find folding it over and clothespinning it shut works well, but is not a hassle to open and check for "salad-ready" tomatoes.

**One of our writers states: "my grandmother used to put her green tomatoes on a piece of newspaper or brown paper bag and then put that on a tray or cookie sheet, slide it under the bed, and in just a few days they would be ripe."

**Another of our writers added: "if they are really hard green and not the least bit ripe you can throw an apple in the paper bag. Apples emit some kind of gas that will make fruits ripen faster. I did not have an apple handy at the time, and used a banana - it worked well. I found I had to switch the banana after about 7 days. I just ate the banana, but it might go very well in or beside pancakes for a frugal pancake dinner (see recipe section for recipes for homemade pancake mix and homemade syrup).

**Make sure the tomatoes are intact, with no insect holes or breaks in the tomato skin. Non-intact tomatoes should go either into a green tomato recipe, or the compost heap. A hole is a great entrance spot for a bug, or for mold, or for any kind of tomato disease that may be present on the skin. I washed my green tomatoes in a mild soap and water solution in the sink, then drained them until totally dry in the dish drainer. A wet paper bag is a pain. I also put no more than 12 large tomatoes in a standard brown paper grocery sack - this seemed to work well. Mine ripened one at a time, roughly one daily. Very convenient. As I pulled out the ripe one, I checked the others for mold, mushiness, etc. The daily time involved was less than 5 minutes total, and saves you from buying tomatoes at the supermarket!

The green tomatoe pie recipe
(from eyeofthestorm)

Pastry for two crust pie
2 C green tomatoes, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon of flour
1 C sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon
11/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Lie pie pan with one half pastry. Roll ou remaininer for top and cut four 1 inch slits in the center. Combine remaining ingredients in pie shell. Top with rolled out pastry and crimp edges to seal. Bake 45 minutes in 350 oven.

What to do with those pumpkins after Halloween

(By Various Contributors)

Pumpkins are currently running about 19 cents a pound in my town. Where else can you find enough of a nutrient stocked yummy veggie for several days at less than $5.00? I've found that I can sneak pumpkin puree into many things and my family doesn't notice: breads; pasta sauce; pastries; and meatloaf just to name a few things. Making your own pumpkin puree can seem intimitdating, but it doesn't have to be. Just simply clean out the "guts" of the pumpkin as you would to carve, slice into pieces, bake at 350 degrees until tender, then scrape out meat and freeze. Below you can find a few more ideas to use for your pumpkins! Happy eating!

Pumpkin Gratin using pumpkin slices
1⁄2 cup olive oil
1 chopped onion
1 pressed clove garlic
3⁄4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon sugar
2 pounds tomatoes, chopped (4 cups fresh or a 32oz can chopped)
1 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon. pepper
pumpkin peeled and sliced (can use the rehydrated ones or fresh)
8 oz. sliced Gruyere cheese
1 Tablespoons fresh parsley (optional)

Heat half the oil in a skillet; add onion and garlic and cook 2 minutes. Add the wine, sugar and tomatoes. Cook slowly, until the sauce is thick. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat the remaining oil and saute the pumpkin slices on both sides, until tender (rehydrated ones will cook faster than fresh slices). Drain on towels and season with salt and pepper. Cover the bottom of baking dish with the tomato sauce. Lay the pumpkin on top in overlapping layers, alternating with cheese slices. Bake in a preheated 375degree oven until the cheese is melted and the gratin is hot - about 20 minutes Garnish with chopped parsley.

Easy Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Have no real measurements for this one as I measure very little for soup. You can adjust the amount of puree you use.

1 onion chopped fine
1 celery stalk chopped fine
1/4 water
about 2 cups pumpkin puree
1 can coconut milk
Thai curry paste (or any curry paste you choose)
salt and pepper

in heavy duty saucepan place onion, celery and water. simmer until just tender, adding more water to prevent sticking. Add the puree and the can of coconut milk and a blob of curry paste to taste - if you like food spicy add a bigger blob; if you like food mild add just a little bit. stir. If soup is too thick, thin with a bit of water. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To make pumpkin flour:
1. Select one or more fresh, ripe pumpkins. Sugar pie variety makes a good, slightly sweet flour.
2. Cut open the pumpkin, remove and discard seeds and strings.
3. Remove the skin from the pumpkin. Use a sharp knife for hard skins. A potato peeler may work on soft shelled varieties.
4. Slice pumpkin into thin slices and set out to dry. A food dehydrator is helpful.
5. Allow pumpkin to completely dry.
6. Place slices into a food processor and grind into a flour-like texture.
7. Place pumpkin flour into an airtight container, and store in a cool, dry place.

Using Pumpkin Flour: Pumpkin Flour can be used in any recipe that calls for flour. Most recipes suggest substituting pumpkin flour for up to 1/4 of the amount of regular flour.

Fun and Thrifty Halloween Costumes by Laurie

With Halloween fast approaching, many parents are pressed for cheap and/or homemade costume ideas. In today’s economy, parents are often looking for alternatives that can save on their pocketbooks. If you’re looking for a quick, put-together idea, look around your house, more specifically, in your child’s closet, and you might be surprised.

For several years, we used everyday items that my son already had in his collection of play things. For example, my son owned a pair of overall jeans, a conductor’s hat, and regular, cutesy gloves. He also had an assortment of Thomas the Tank Engine trains in his toy box. I bought a cheap bandanna for under a $1.00 and he was good to go. Your child may choose to be a hobo on Halloween night. What child doesn’t own a pair of jeans that has seen better days? A little smudged blacking on the face (to simulate the scruffy, dirty face of a hobo), a pair of old, tattered gloves with a few fingers cut out, and a bag (think bag lady) for collecting their Halloween candy would be perfect for someone on a tight budget.

Your daughter may be a youth cheerleader for a youth football league. Or your child may play football in that youth league. Check with the league officials to be sure that they are allowed to wear the uniform outside the actual participating activities by asking if your child can wear their uniform for Halloween festivities. Most youth groups are very pleased to have the free advertising that their organization derives from your child wearing the uniform for such activities, but a few do have rules that the uniform is to be utilized exclusively for league activities. Many children already have princess, superhero, or ballet costumes in their drawers or toyboxes - they may love the idea of showing off one of their favorite outfits.

If time is not as much an element, and you have a creative side to you that you want to nurture, you might consider one of many homemade costumes. Want to be Lady Liberty for an evening? Find an old, light teal-colored sheet (think weathered-copper color) and wrap it around your child’s body. You may also choose to dye the sheet, if one is not available in the correct shade. Paint the child’s face and arms with the same color, and make a cardboard torch using an old paper towel tube. Better yet, let your child make their own torch by coloring the tube, then stuffing a yellow bandanna up through the tubing to simulate the fire.

I’ve also seen some wonderful costumes put together simply by using a white sheet and black, permanent markers. Want to be a cow? Color large, black areas onto an old sheet with black, permanent marker. Face paint the child’s face white. If your child would rather be a Dalmatian from the movie 101 Dalmatians, then smaller, circular spots would be appropriate for this type of costume. Do note that if it’s a rainy, stormy night, you may desire to dress your child in an old tee-shirt underneath the colored sheet, to prevent bleed-through from the marker onto clothing that is not ready for the rag bin.

When my son was chosen to be a turtle in his class play one year, I took an old, brown pillow case, cut out a hole for his head. Then I took masking tape to section off the front of the pillow case to represent the underbelly lines of a turtle. I took a piece of green construction paper and cut a huge circle out of it. I taped the circle into a conical hat that was the same color as the pillow case. The teacher was looking for parents to help their child come up with ideas for a no-cost costume, and she was thrilled with the outcome.

Have a rather, large packing box that’s hanging around the house looking for a purpose? Paint the box white, use that black, permanent marker again by coloring circles on each side of the box to represent a die. Cut a large hole in the top, sides and bottom for the child’s head, arms and feet. In fact, if you have two children and two boxes, you can have a set of dice for Halloween. Face paint the child’s face white, and have them wear a white, long-sleeved shirt. Other packing box ideas have been painted wilderness scenes on the boxes, and face paint and a colored shirt to complement the scene on their box. Thomas the Tank engine boxes are also possible. Draw and paint an engine face similar to Thomas’ face on the front of the box, use blue paint to paint the remainder of the box, face paint the child’s face blue, and have them wear a blue, long-sleeved shirt.

Only your own creativity limits what you can do with a packing box for costuming. Of course, face painting is only appropriate for the child that is old enough to keep their hands from dabbling into the paint and spreading it all over themselves and everyone else in the trick or treating party.

These are just a few ideas to help a parent who might be looking for an inexpensive alternative to a store-bought costume for Halloween. Let your creative juices flow to come up with your own wonderful ideas!