I'm a GENIUS!

**DJ1972** · 03-31-2009, 02:14 PM

I was making my lunch, and I noticed we only had about 1/2 cup of milk left in the jug. My immediate thought was, crap, guess I will have to run to the store this afternoon. I was really trying not to go the grocery store until Thursday.

I was sitting here eating, and it HIT ME! I HAVE POWDER MILK!! I now have a gallon of milk in the fridge! I'm not telling the kids either, gonna see if they notice.

So, anyway, that's my genius action of the day.
In the past, I would have just gone to the store for milk and ended up spending $20 on other junk I didn't need.

Have you had any genius ideas lately due to your quest for frugality?

**Momof3girls** · 03-31-2009, 02:23 PM

Most excellent! Those frugal victories add up

**Momto2Boyz** · 03-31-2009, 02:25 PM

Here's my dumb little frugal moment for the day. I'm making pulled pork for dinner tonight in the crock pot. I put it in the crock pot with a little bit of BBQ sauce and water. I had about a quarter cup of BBQ sauce left in a bottle and was frustrated that I couldn't get any of it out. Then I realized...DUH! I will be adding water to it anyways, why not just put water in the bottle and shake to get all the BBQ sauce out! Worked like a charm and I used the ENTIRE bottle!

Didn't have to throw away what stuck in the bottle!

**Michelle** · 03-31-2009, 02:26 PM

Sweet! I wonder if they'll notice. Keep me posted. I've wanted to do the switch on my family too. I know Dave would notice though.

**DJ1972** · 03-31-2009, 02:31 PM

Originally Posted by Momto2Boyz

Worked like a charm and I used the ENTIRE bottle!

Didn't have to throw away what stuck in the bottle!

It makes you feel good just knowing you used that last drop!

Originally Posted by Michelle

Sweet! I wonder if they'll notice. Keep me posted. I've wanted to do the switch on my family too. I know Dave would notice though.

DH never drinks milk, just uses it in cereal on occasion, so he won't notice. DS12 eats so fast I don't think he really even tastes his food. DD14 is the one that might notice....we'll see, lol.

**LastDragonfly** · 03-31-2009, 02:33 PM

if you put just a smidge of vanilla in the powdered milk...NO ONE will notice...

**Spirit Deer** · 03-31-2009, 02:36 PM

They'll notice. Powdered milk has a distinctly different taste. It's not a bad taste, just takes some adjusting to.

My genius moment lately is what I wrote about in another thread, converting two big antique washtubs on a stand into an herb garden, and then figuring out eight sawed-off cat litter pails will fit into the tubs to sub-divide the them and make the whole system easy to handle when it needs to be moved. I'll be setting up a florescent light for winter use, too. I had been thinking about one of those expensive little Aerogardens but I'll give this system a try for free.

**mauimagic** · 03-31-2009, 02:55 PM

growing up that''s all we had - the color (or lack of) gives it away. Think if the milk doesn't look watery and is colod, cold, cold - it will work!! Vanilla is good too!!

When I read the title of your thread, my first reaction to "I'm a GENIUS!" was - well of course you are!!

**Bournecrazy** · 03-31-2009, 03:01 PM

i did that but with a bottle of Oasis - i dont know if you have that but its basically a still fruit drink, it comes in 500ml bottles and is quite strong, my DBF had drank half of it and then decided to fill the bottle up with water to dilute the juice and it turns out it tastes just the same so from now on when i get some more i will mix half with water and get twice as many bottles from it.

good job on the milk tho

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-31-2009, 06:45 PM

well 'of course' you are a GENUIS...!

you are a resident of the 'greatest village on earth'....

**MisaLady** · 03-31-2009, 06:56 PM

My mom used to buy whole milk and either have us drink half or, more often, divide it amongst two containers. Then she'd add water. I was the only one who noticed (and that's because I would gag whenever I drank whole milk). She never told any of the other kids.

I think we had reconstituted powdered milk at my dad's house, but I can't be 100% certain.

**dcompton** · 03-31-2009, 07:02 PM

I did the barbeque sauce trick today too, but with a bottle of ketchup with a tablespoon or two left. Add water, pour in big pot of vegetable beef soup.

I also have a wonderful little gadget I bought a couple of years ago. It screws on two bottles, letting them stand top to top - the top one will drain completely into the bottom. It fits most size bottles. I've used it with ketchup, barbeque sauce, and salad dressings. Love it.

**Must-Stash** · 03-31-2009, 07:47 PM

I had exactly the same idea you did. The kids noticed. So did DH.

I made hm yogurt with it. I was happy.

**Cricketlegs** · 03-31-2009, 08:26 PM

Tonight I made spaghetti with sauce and ranch beans--no meat.

The family can just "deal" cause I am a...

Mama on a Mission!

**Judi Dial** · 03-31-2009, 09:02 PM

My big ah hah today was taht I was going to make duxelles AND mushroom risotto from the same 1.5 lbs of mushrooms. I compromised. I didn't chop the mushrooms I sliced them and made up the mushroom mix like duxelles and then used some of THAT to put on top of the risotto, instead of making up the duxelles and then sauteing mushrooms for the risotto. Of course, this means I only have 1C of duxelles to go into the freezer, but I also didn't use 3 pans and make up 3 different dishes at lunchtime...

Judi