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• Sticker shock: That piece of coffeecake has 400 calories

  Posted Sep 03 2008, 11:59 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Saving, Dining, Karen Datko, Health care

  Because of a new law in New York City, "Frugal Zeitgeist" learned that the coffeecake she likes has a whopping 400 calories per slice, which makes her think twice about ordering it. Also, the bread basket option at her favorite brunch place has 1,100 calories. "For bread! Gaaah," she writes. (Or, as they say in northern Montana, "Uff da.")

  The NYC law requiring chain restaurants to clearly display calorie contents on menus and menu boards was adopted to combat rampant obesity. (Similar rules are in the wings in San Francisco and Seattle.) But FZ's observations made us wonder: Is it possible that knowing the calorie content of the food we eat could have a positive effect on our bottom -- as well as waist -- lines?   Read More...

  Discuss ( 10 comments) 1,781 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Tasty ramen? A cheap but not necessarily boring meal

  Posted Aug 28 2008, 03:52 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Saving, Dining, Karen Datko, Groceries

  Here's a Web site that is probably many college students' friend but may be under the radar of other folks: Ramenlicious. It asks "How will you eat your ramen noodles today?" and then lists more possibilities than you've ever considered (or possibly want to know about).

  Ramen noodles with chocolate cake? Hopefully you're leaving out the flavor packet. (More on that later.) And here's a reader-submitted recipe for the ages -- ramen Spam doodles, ready in 15 minutes or less. Thank you, Pam Howle of Summerville (no state given) for this splendid combination.

  But, actually, Ramenlicious has lots of interesting information, and many of the recipes sound good.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 5 comments) 1,031 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Recycled toilets and other strange ways to save money

  Posted Aug 26 2008, 12:58 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Extreme savings, Saving, Dining, Karen Datko
  Rating:

  "Captain Frugal" may be a crazy Brit, but he's familiar with that quaint U.S. custom of recycling old toilets as outdoor planters. That, and using old bathtubs as lawn art -- "You can put it next to the toilet!" he observes -- are among his "10 of the strangest things people do to save money" at the Money Saving Blog.

  As he says, "Some people do some pretty weird things to save the green."   Read More...

  Discuss ( 4 comments) 1,056 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Oreos and Twinkies right out of your own oven

  Posted Aug 15 2008, 10:24 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Saving, Dining, Karen Datko, Groceries
  Rating:

  Here's a fad in cooking that can save you money: You can find lots of recipes to make cookies and other foods in your home that taste like store-bought or restaurant items.

  We can understand the desire to duplicate your favorite restaurant meals at home, because eating out can be a big budget drain. And it seems to be catching on. Our partner blog Wise Bread recently featured Todd Wilbur, who has made a career for himself telling people how to do that.

  But we're not so interested in cloning store-bought cookies. (Take a look at this recipe for homemade Oreos.) We know we risk offending the multitudes by saying that if we're going to bake cookies at home, we want them to taste a whole lot better than Oreos.   Read More...

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• Starbucks offers a discount afternoon java jolt

  Posted Aug 05 2008, 03:23 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Spending, Saving, Dining, Karen Datko
  Rating:

  Just how much caffeine does a person need in one day? Plenty, or so suggests Starbucks, which today rolled out a new nationwide promotion to entice morning customers back for a same-day afternoon fix.

  It's just the latest in a series of short-term discounts and freebies designed to get repeat traffic into Starbucks' shrinking number of stores. This one was available for a test drive in several locations around the country before its unveiling today at every store.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 102 comments) 32,584 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• You can save food dollars without using coupons

  Posted Jul 29 2008, 10:00 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Saving, Dining, Karen Datko, Groceries
  Rating:

  Not everyone loves grocery coupons. Some people don't have time or patience to clip them, and others don't get the Sunday paper. Many stores won't accept Web-based coupons, and many others don't offer double-coupon deals.

  Crystal at Money Saving Mom does love her coupons, but she has food-shopping strategies for those who don't. Her advice can help you meet the $100-a-week challenge for a family of four.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 19 comments) 5,918 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• Dining dilemma: How do you split the check?

  Posted Jul 18 2008, 01:09 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Spending, Saving, Dining, Karen Datko

  Mike at Clever Dude recently faced one of those "does this make me look cheap?" moments. He and Stacie were part of a group of 11 honoring a departing colleague with dinner. Mike and Stacie split a veggie main course after everyone shared appetizers, and they drank water. Others had meat dishes and drinks.

  When it was time to pay, the others decided the bill should be split evenly, which would cost Mike and Stacie a lot more than the price of their actual meals. What do you do when you're faced with that situation?   Read More...

  Discuss ( 65 comments) 10,924 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• What are you spending too much on?

  Posted Jul 14 2008, 07:14 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Spending, Saving, Dining, Karen Datko

  We love questions like this one asked by Nickel at FiveCentNickel: "What is your biggest financial vice?" You just never know what people are going to say. Readers name pretty common splurges, like lunches out, and then someone comes out with a zinger.

  For instance, after Nickel and others estimated they spend $1,000 to $2,000 more a year than they'd like on eating out, they heard from reader "TSModie." "Is a couple of thousand dollars a year really affecting your finances? If so, you need to start making more money," said TSModie, who lost $20,000 on gambling last year.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 9 comments) 2,414 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• DIY: This home-brew is for you

  Posted Jul 14 2008, 02:05 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Extreme savings, Saving, Dining, Karen Datko
  Rating:

  With American icon Budweiser becoming a foreign-owned brew, and the cost of hops and other ingredients driving beer prices up, maybe it's time to get downright domestic about beer.

  Honestly, folks, it's not that difficult to make beer at home, as Lise notes in a two-part post at Frugal in the Fruitlands. We used to do it -- and were amazed at the quality of our results. Some upfront investment is required for carboys, fermentation locks, bottles and some other equipment -- but you may be able to find them on Freecycle. You can also have your friends save their beer bottles, Lise says.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 1 comments) 1,092 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this

• 20 healthy foods that cost less than a buck

  Posted Jul 12 2008, 05:27 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Saving, Dining, Karen Datko, Groceries
  Rating:

  OK, tofu and broccoli are on Brie Cadman's list of "The 20 healthiest foods for under $1" at Divine Caroline. But so are eggs, whole grain pasta, bananas, potatoes and coffee. Are you on board now?

  This excellent post puts a big dent in the contention that stretching your food dollars means you'll be eating more unhealthy or fattening food. She describes the nutritional value of each food and offers serving suggestions. Plus she provides links to wonderful recipes like easy breakfast potatoes and huevos rancheros.   Read More...

  Discuss ( 19 comments) 8,580 Views Digg this | Email this | Link to this