Help

[wwe11]

I know I have been here for awhile, but I am a frugal newbie. How and where do I start. We are paying our bills off slowly, but besides that I don't know where to begin on the frugal path. I don't know how to cook homemade meals cause my mom died when I was little and no one ever thaught me. But I would love to be frugal but just don't know where to begin. HELP please!

[thefrug]

Well, first off I would say that you read Sara's main page on here ( all the way at the top of the page where it says Home). Next, cooking isn't that hard. I couldn't cook either, so when I got married, my hubby bought me a Betty Crocker cookbook.And I taught myself. Heres a link to some easy meals to get you started with products I'm sure you know:

http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/Pages/home.aspx


There all kinds of ideas here on this board. You can use the search function and find a thread on practically anything. Give it a try. Hope this helps at least to get you started

[peanut]

wwe11: you sound like my mom was. Her mom died when she was 13 yr. old. She learned everything she knew about cooking from her Dad, and army sargent, and her mother-in-law when she married. Thankfully, nowadays there are a lot more resources available to people in that situation.

I suggest you start by finding some basic recipes your family likes that can be tooled a number of ways. Find a basic baking mix to mix up and learn to make muffins, biscuits, pancakes, etc. In other words, start by learning to make your own convenience foods.

Google the Internet for frugal recipes. If you need basic cooking instructions, check YouTube for videos, or do a search for on-line cooking classes/shows (free ones of course!).

I'm picking the area of groceries because that's often an area where you can make a huge impact in little time. It's not unusual for newbie frugalites to cut their grocery bill 50% in a couple of months.

I would also suggest you track your expenses for a month (every single penny) so you have an idea of what you're spending money on.

I think those two areas would be a good start for you. Best of luck! And remember, we're here to help.

[Grainlady]

Lots of great ideas and suggestions have already been given. Here's a few more.

I taught a series of classes to elderly men who were newly widowed or were having to help in the kitchen with food purchasing and/or food preparation because of health conditions of their wives. Most could fry an egg or make a hamburger, but not much else. We had a ball and the classes were able to take some of the mystery out of using coupons, knowing which cut of beef to purchase, and any number of other things related to the kitchen and food preparation.

I used the book, Clueless in the Kitchen - by Evelyn Raab, as the guideline for the classes. Check your local library for a copy, or have them get it through Inter-Library Loan.

The book is designed for teens, but worked great for the classes. It takes you all the way through the kitchen including "stuff" you need for cooking/baking, pantry foods, how to store foods, sanitation, care/feeding of your refrigerator. Shopping, including how to pick fruit/veg., how to buy meat. Convenience Foods - the good, the bad and the silly. Cheap Eats - How to buy food and eat cheaply.

You'll find recipes for the most basic things, which is where we all started cooking... how to boil/scramble/poach an egg, French Toast, pancakes from scratch. All kinds of user-friendly recipes.

I'd also say a trip to the library might be in order. Lots of cookbooks and how-to books, videos, and DVD's are waiting for you to check out.

K-State (Kansas State University) Research and Extension has a great web site for kids, but it's also great for learning basics. You might pick up some recipes and other general cooking information there... http://www.kidsacookin.ksu.edu/

Good luck.

[ladykemma2]

i taught myself as a kid from the betty crocker (looks like the 1950s) cookbook. then i watched cooking shows on tv as an adult. I learned the most from "great chefs"

[wwe11]

Thanks for all the advice. I will be going to the library this weekend will check to see it they have that book and get it.
What basic pantry items would you all say I would need to start out?

[Denvergirlie]

What basic pantry items would you all say I would need to start out?

It will kinda depend on what kinds of foods you like to eat and what you are willing to learn to cook.

Spaghetti -- buy pasta, can buy sauce or basic tomato sauce and add your own spices. Don't worry right now about trying to tackle learning how to make your own pasta or can your own tomato sauce. Just start with the basics. To this basic spaghetti you can add all sorts of things... hamburger, italian sausage, or soy crumbles.
Add veggies - mushrooms, bell peppers, onions. I add artichoke hearts sometimes of black olives. Each time I make it it's a bit different.

What kind of foods do you like? If you like Chinese food, a stir fry is easy to do at home. Rice, bagged frozen veggies, left over meat like shredded chicken or beef and stir fry with an egg or two and some soy sauce.

What do you eat now? Just at the out of the house, fast food or take out? What do you order when you are out and about?

Start with easy stuff... even if it's open can of this and add can of that and this spice mixture. Don't try to tackle everything at once.

When I left my parents house all I could really make was boxed type dinners like hamburger helper and the like. I learned thru trial and error.

I also really like online recipe sites, like allreciepes.com. Other members will leave feedback on the dish and if steps ended up not being needed after all or if things should be omitted. However, so much of this depends on personal tastes and any dietary restrictions.


As for other frugal living... first start a budget! Sit down and take pen to paper and figure out what you are already obligated to pay monthly/ yearly. See if there are things you can cut out completely or cut back. Things people often target are cell phone packages, getting rid of landlines, cutting down cable package, switching car insurance, etc.
Then figure out how much you can afford of groceries. Do you have any debts that need to be addressed? What about any savings goals?

Don't become overwhlemed, take on one thing at a time. It's not a race, but a journey.

Best of luck!

[peanut]

I second "Clueless in the Kitchen". My teen girls used it to learn to cook.

What basic pantry items would you all say I would need to start out?

Depends on what you like to eat. Are you a curry lover? An Italian food lover? I would be picking up spices involved in that sort of cuisine. I would also be looking at baking supplies if you plan to bake muffins, cookies, etc. Think...

~ flour
~ baking powder
~ baking soda
~ salt
~ cocoa (if you like chocolate)...this is baking cocoa...not hot chocolate
~ spices
~ icing sugar if you like icing cakes and cookies
~ sugar, brown and white granulated (or substitutes)
~ butter (it freezes well, so only buy it on sale)
~ pasta (look for it on sale too)
~ dried fruit (on sale. Check to see if it's cheaper to buy in bulk or bags...depends...it varies). I'm thinking raisins, and thing you might like in cereal to beef it up a bit...or in oatmeal, etc.
~ oatmeal (the instant rolled oats kind...not the little packages with sugar and gunk added)
~ rice, brown basmati and white (brown is healthier, but takes longer to cook...I cook in batches and store in the fridge or freezer till needed)

That's what I'd start with.

You know, a couple other cookbooks to look for at the library would be Tawra Jean Kellam's [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Dining-Dime-Cook-Book-Recipes/dp/0974255211/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1237485895&sr=1-1"]"Dining on a Dime"[/ame] and Doris Janzen Longacre's [ame="http://www.amazon.com/More-Less-Cookbook-Janzen-Longacre/dp/083619103X"]"More With Less Cookbook"[/ame] from the Mennonites.

[nancycg56]

Don't let cooking intimidate you!

Get a basic cookbook from the library ~ Betty Crocker, Better Homes and Gardens ~ read through it and pick a few things to make.

The hardest thing is timing. If I have a more complicated main dish, I keep the sides simple and vice versa. For dessert, pick something you can make early in the day, like cookies, when you have more time.

I never did any cooking when I was a kid and when I got married, I had no clue. The first time I made manicotti, I forgot the cheese ~ and it was cheese manicotti. It will get easier the more you do it.

There are also some great recipes here in the FV Community Cookbook

[wwe11]

We like all kinds of food. I do know how to make spagetti, hot dogs, box mac-n-cheese, hamburgers, bagged french fries, hamburger helper,etc. But I am just tried of box stuff and the same thing over and over(you know what I mean).
We do eat out like burger king, wendys, subway. I would like to stop eating out so much.
We have alot of stupid debt which is the main issue. It is in my siggy. I also write down what bills are do that pay period and what things we need to get and what grocerys we need.
And again thanks for all the info. You guys rock!

[2ndGenGranola]

We like all kinds of food. I do know how to make spagetti, hot dogs, box mac-n-cheese, hamburgers, bagged french fries, hamburger helper,etc. But I am just tried of box stuff and the same thing over and over(you know what I mean).

Well, what do you want to learn to cook?? What boxed stuff do you use that you would rather make?

I see you like french fries. I take potatoes and cut them in ff sizes, add a little olive oil and seasoning (salt, rosemary, garlic and Parmesan are our favs) and bake (350) them until they pinch soft like ff.

Mac and cheese - start your pasta to cooking. Start a white sauce (a couple T butter and a couple T flour), lightly cook add about a cup or 2 of milk. When pasta is nearly done start putting it in a casserole dish. Alternate pasta with cheese (how much is up to you - I'd layer about a cup). Add white sauce and some cheese on top. Some like onions, breadcrumbs - its yours put in what you like. Bake (350) until bubbly and brown.

I'd say to go to a thrift store or garage sale and get and old, old cookbook - one where they use white sauce instead of canned mushroom soup (its cheaper and healthier for you plus you have more control over how you want it) and before it says a box of this and a can of that.

[mommyoffive]

If you are reading recipes and not understanding certain techniques mentioned, I bet you could find tutorials on youtube. I'm not a big youtube user, but from what my son says, you can find just about anything there.

There are some really easy things you can start with, like tacos, baked chicken, spaghetti... If you own a crockpot, there are so many recipes out there where you just throw everything in and turn it on.

Kudos to you on taking it upon yourself to make some changes that will benefit you so much in the long run.

[wwe11]

I want to learn to make everything from scratch, cause I know it tastes so much better and healthier. Thanks again for everyone's great advice.

[QM]

A good book to read is "Frugal Living for Dummies". I'm not exactly sure what specific recipes they give, but it's a very informative, eye-opening book for someone who is just starting the frugal journey. Borrow it from your local library and save money!

[Debbie-cat]

I didn't even know such a book existed! Thanks Quiltin' Mamma!