Monthly Archives: June 2009

Six Tips for Saving Money

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  • Check ALL of the grocery ads every week.  Sometimes I will go to three different grocery stores in one week to buy their sale items.  I try not to make a special trip but stop at each store when I’m in that area anyway.
  • Stock up when often-used items are on sale. If something is on sale at a great price and it’s something I use often, then I’ll stock up on it while I can get it at a bargain.  For example, if I can get cereal half price then I’ll buy two or three boxes.  If chicken breasts are on sale for 99c/pound, then I’ll buy several packages and freeze most of it.  If it’s a large package, then I will separate it into two or three smaller packages.
  • Buy store brands. For the most part, store brands are just as good as name brands.  Through trial and error, though, I learned which  items need to be the name brand.
  • Cut out coupons! Remember stores other than grocery stores will take coupons. (such as Walmart and Target)  Check and see if they do.  Also, try to find stores that double and triple coupons.  Remember, it defeats the purpose to buy something just because it’s on sale.  If it’s a huge bargain and you don’t need the item, donate it to a food pantry, benevolent center, etc.
  • Plan your errands! In order to save gas, group your errands according to general areas.  For example, I try to stop by a certain grocery store because it’s on my way home.  Or I go to Sam’s Club, Target, and the bank on the same trip because they’re close to each other.
  • Re-use paper towels that are barely used.  I save paper towels that I’ve dried clean hands on or towels that are barely used.  I let them dry and then store them in a pretty dish or canister.  Whenever there is a spill, I use those paper towels.  Why get a brand new towel just to clean up a messy spill off the floor?

Four Foods On Friday 78

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#1. Mashed potatoes. Do you usually buy the boxes, the frozen or make from scratch.

Make from scratch.
#2. Cottage cheese. What kind do you like? (large curd, small curd, 2%, 4%, no salt, etc)

I buy low fat cottage cheese.
#3. Is there a food that you are brand loyal to?

For lunchmeat, I always buy Hormel Natural Choice Turkey with no nitrates or preservatives.  Get coupons!
#4. When cooking do you usually use fresh onions or the ones from the spice aisle that are chopped or powdered?

I nearly always use fresh onions.

Chuy’s Has Great Tex-Mex Food!

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chuys-from-website-june-2009We made an overnight trip to Austin this past weekend for State UIL Band Solo Contest.  This is the third (and last) year we’ve done this.  Our family tradition is to eat at Chuy’s when we’re in Austin, and so we had to eat there this time, too.  Besides, we had to celebrate our son getting a score of “1” which is the highest score one can get at UIL.

Chuy’s is big on atmosphere and great food.  They have awesome  enchiladas, guacamole, and salsa, just to name a few items.  Tortillas are made there on location at their restaurants, chicken is cooked there (not frozen or canned chicken), guacamole and salsa are freshly made…does that give you an idea about the quality of their food?

They are also known for their cool T-shirts which they sell at the check-out counter, and probably their most famous T-shirt is “Keep Austin Weird.”

Their locations have spread from Austin to other Texas cities.  I looked online, and these are the Texas cities where Chuy’s is located:

* Austin (3 locations)

* Dallas

* Houston

* Round Rock
* San Antonio

* Selma

* Arlington

If you visit one of these places, try to eat at Chuy’s while you’re there.  It’s a fun place to eat great Tex-Mex Food.  Maybe it will become a family tradition with you, too!

NOTE:   The original Chuy’s from Austin is not located in Ft. Worth.  The one in Ft. Worth is “Chuys Mexican Restaurant” and Google just happens to have a link to the original Austin Chuy’s beside each Ft. Worth listing.  However, I made a phone call to verify and found out those are two distinct restaurants.