Saving $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ !

[GhostHawk]

When I smell fish frying, country style potatoes cooking with onion. Or have a taste of Bourbon whiskey in coke pepsi I am transported back by the magic of memory.

I am five and a half, it is summer, Grandpa and I were just out fishing. He taught me how to move the boat with oars and hand signs for what he wanted. He then stood in the front with a casting rod and cast for bass. If I messed up and slurped water with the oars his head would swivel and his blue eyes would spear me clean down to my soul. Never a word, just that look.

He caught 2 large bass that night, at least 3 lbs plus both of them. Then he took us to a small cove and anchored up. Taught me the essentials of how to run a 9' fly rod, cane, with an automatic reel with the button right there under your little finger.

Then he sternly reminded me. If you go try to get wild and crazy, casting and making a mess. Either you will fall in, or knock me in, or you will hook one of us. And this here, will never happen again.

You sit there, keep your seat planted in the middle where I can watch you. Lift the rod like this, bobber swings in towards you, drop the rod tip, bobber swings out, set it on the water nice and quiet. When the bobber is gone, hit the button and hang on boy.

Wow, 30 seconds later I had my hands full of fly rod, and the biggest bull bluegill I had ever seen.
Made those ones we catch on the dock look like babys. We must have caught 10 to 15 each, cleaned them, then grandma cooked them.

Mighty fine eating and still one of my all time favorites. Nice fresh clean bluegills rolled in cornmeal and cooked up golden brown.

In the last 2 years I have almost drunk a whole half gallon of bourbon just reliving that memory.
I don't reckon that's too much. Happens maybe once a month.

IMO the only thing better than those bluegill are black crappie caught in winter through the ice, out of 35 degree water into 31 degree snow and kept there until cleaned.

[Boaz]

Bluegill ! These small fish are a blessing ! Dang good eating and easy to catch , Not unusual to catch a one pounder . I have been thinking of fishing for them heavy this week although in my country most are gearing up for crappie., Lot of fun to catch , not hard and good eating

[C. Latch]

If you want to save money stay out of swapping and selling

Shhh! My wife is reading this thread.

[EMC45]

Red ear, bluegill, yellow belly, sunnies, sunfish, crappie etc... ALL GOOD! Cornmeal and flour and hot oil. Dash of Texas Pete on the fish. Side of okra or handcut french fries and you are set.

I cut up 30lbs of chicken last night. Was getting worn towards the end, but I kept thinking "39 cents a lb".......

[Boaz]

Yep ! Chicken is a good deal in bulk ! We buy double packed pork shoulder and cut it into pork steak and soup/stirfry/stew/curry meat . Save quite a bit for some work .

[toallmy]

Yes ham goes a long way with just me and the misses , we pick up a few when on sale just get the fellow behind the glass to cut them in half for us . It turns into 2-4 meals rather easily . + a doggy treat . My doggies get cut short when the wife picks up pork loins no bone . That's another place to save money dog treats .

[trooperdan]

All kidding aside though, gas is about the only thing we can't cut back costs on. .

I've been wondering if going to diesel and making your own bio-diesel would be an option. If you had a source of used fryer oil the chemistry to convert into diesel isn't difficult. I suspect that most restaurants have a contract in place with someone already to take their excess oil.

[jeffkopf]

We make our own laundry soap. We save about $200 a year.

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We do this too! Shaved Laundry bar, borax, washing soda and a little bit of oxy clean!


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[dragon813gt]

We use credit cards quite a bit, but only to the extent we can pay them off as they come due. About 19 or 20 years ago I forgot to pay the card and the following month I got a bill with $3.46 interest added. Still aggravates me to think about it! LOL I only keep the card(s) that do not have a yearly charge for the privilege of using them, and one I have has a small percentage "refund"/"reward" when we use it. That card will get used for sure whenever we have to put out a big outlay, i.e. tires, new appliance, etc. Credit cards are great things to have as long as you are disciplined enough to not get carried away.

You have to do the cost benefit analysis in regard to annual fees. I average $150 cash back per month on the card I use for work. This card carries a $450 annual fee. But it has a $300 travel credit. So as soon as I buy an airline ticket or hotel room I get $300 back. That brings the annual cost down to $150. One month of spending pays for the fee. The cards yields an average of $1,650 cash back per year.

If I'm traveling internationally all month I bring in closer to $300 cash back. And in my case this is literally free money. All my expenses are reimbursed and I'm paid a per diem. The fee that I pay for this card is well worth it. It yields triple points on travel and dining which are my two biggest expenses. Everything else is 1%. The card I had prior was 2%/1%, no travel credit w/ an annual fee of $150. It was a no brainer to switch.

I know many here are against credit cards. But paying w/ cash doesn't yield any benefits/points. Before my current job I was using a different card to pay as many of my monthly bills and expenses as possible. Getting a few hundred dollars cash back per year is a good thing. I never carried a balance and paid no interest. Getting paid to pay your expenses doesn't happen w/ cash. And getting paid is always a good thing.

[Love Life]

I pay for dang near everything with my Cabela's card. Gets me mucho free stuff at the end of the year.

[blackthorn]

You have to do the cost benefit analysis in regard to annual fees. I average $150 cash back per month on the card I use for work. This card carries a $450 annual fee. But it has a $300 travel credit. So as soon as I buy an airline ticket or hotel room I get $300 back. That brings the annual cost down to $150. One month of spending pays for the fee. The cards yields an average of $1,650 cash back per year.

If I'm traveling internationally all month I bring in closer to $300 cash back. And in my case this is literally free money. All my expenses are reimbursed and I'm paid a per diem. The fee that I pay for this card is well worth it. It yields triple points on travel and dining which are my two biggest expenses. Everything else is 1%. The card I had prior was 2%/1%, no travel credit w/ an annual fee of $150. It was a no brainer to switch.

I know many here are against credit cards. But paying w/ cash doesn't yield any benefits/points. Before my current job I was using a different card to pay as many of my monthly bills and expenses as possible. Getting a few hundred dollars cash back per year is a good thing. I never carried a balance and paid no interest. Getting paid to pay your expenses doesn't happen w/ cash. And getting paid is always a good thing.

To each his/her own. Depends on your life style/wants/needs. What works for you would not be good for me. Your way sounds great for someone in your circumstances.

[dragon813gt]

Which is exactly why I said you need to do the cost benefit analysis. If an annual fee is going to cost you money and you gain no benefits it's worthless.

[runfiverun]

Dan it's pretty easy to make.
unfortunately you end up with glycerin as a by product and that stuff is about impossible to get rid of.

[DerekP Houston]

If you have them in your area look for "Aldi" or "99 cent only" stores. 99c is one of the few dollar store discount type places that stocks fresh fruit and vegetables. I do almost all our grocery shopping via Zaycon Fresh (bulk order meat supplier) and Aldi. Occasionally I go to the nicer stores if I can't find what I need or really want a particular thing (good quality sausage for example).

2 Adults + 1 kid, our food budget is roughly 50 a week