$5 Dollar Meals - Turkey Biscuits

think this suggestion for a turkey biscuit dinner fits our criteria, as well as being a neat variation so our family will not get bored. We also love really simple recipes that do not cut into our busy schedules!

Turkey Biscuits

You need:

• 2 1/2 cups of biscuit mix (We use the low fat kind) – .50
• 1 cup of milk or plain soy milk (Actually vanilla soy milk is ok too because the biscuits can be slightly sweet. You can use skim milk too.) – .50
• 1 package of sausage (We usually buy turkey sausage) $2.50
• 1 can of beans – The store brand should be about .70
• 1 can of fruit or sliced up piece of in-season fruit – .70

According to our estimates, this meal should check in at about $4.90!

Simply use the biscuit mix and milk to prepare the biscuits according to the package directions.

Slice the turkey sausage into inch think slices. Dip them in the batter so the turkey slices are well coated and place them on a baking sheet. You may need to spray that baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray first. Bake these according to the biscuit package directions. As you bake them, the sausage will also cook, and these are great.

In the meantime, you can just prepare your can of beans and fruit.

The turkey biscuits make a great finger food! The beans and fruit keep this meal hearty and balanced.

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$5 Dinners - Pasta

Ok, you heard about ten dollar dinners, but we are going to top that with our five dollar meals! We challenged ourself to come up with a dirt cheap dinner that would be good enough to serve your mother in law or boss. Since this had to be something you could actually serve company, we knew that PB&J or just about any sandwich was out.

We are also just going in armed with our common sense, so we are not using coupons or any tricks like that. We are going with a half-homemade view. In other words, we will cook what it makes sense to cook, but used some canned or prepared foods where that makes sense. (or cents, haha!)

Pasta A La Cheapskate!

• 1/2 lb. ground meat (i.e. hamburger, turkey, etc.) $2.99/lb. for regular, so that’s $1,50 – you can save the rest for another meal. Yes, I know that everybody only gets 1/8 of a pound, but according the the experts, that’s what we should eat anyway for a meal.  
• 1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce – The store brand should be about .70
• 1/4 onion and 1/2 green pepper (chopped) – $1, though sometimes when green peppers are in season they get expensive.
• A few shakes of garlic powder – Pennies if you have it on hand.
• A tablespoon of margarine or butter – Maybe about .25
• 4 slices of bread .50
• Pasta – The store brand is usually about a dollar.

Ah ha! You are free to check our math, but we think we came in at $4.95!

Brown the ground beef and drain off the extra fat. Then add the onion, green pepper, and half the garlic. Turn the heat down and let that cook on medium to low heat (depends upon your stove).

While the sauce is stewing, go ahead and spread the butter or margarine on your bread. Sprinkle each slice with the other half of the garlic and set that in a low oven for 5 – 10 minutes to toast. Ovens vary so make sure you don’t let the toast burn.

Start the pasta according to package directions. Usually you just have to boil it.

After the sauce is fully cooked, uncover and simmer for a few more minutes. Then turn off the stove and let it get thick.

Now you’ve got pasta, sauce, and garlic bread. If you have another couple of bucks in your budget, a nice salad would really complement this meal. But by our calculations, we have served protein, carbohydrates, and veggies to 4 people for less than $5!

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Who Is Middle Class In America?

The funny thing is that most of us probably consider ourselves middle class. It is an American concept that is not that easy to define.  But a lot of people want to know what is really considered middle class in American, so we thought we would try to define it somehow.

How Much Money Do Middle Class People Make?

The type of people who study such things, like sociologists and economists, have different financial standards. Even recently, it has been defined as anything from an income of $25,000 to $100,000 a year. And yet, I would imagine that most families who have to subsist on $25K a year probably feel poor most of the time. In fact, I know families who make more than $100K a year who feel budget strain.

Is There A Middle Class Living Standard?

If we take some mid-range salary, like $60,000, we would have to look at family size, location, and other factors. For example, a single person in a small town may have a fairly high standard of living on that sixty thousand dollars a year. If that same amount had to support a family in an urban environment, it may not go very far towards luxuries.

It is not always easy to decide who is midde class by their living standards. We have all heard of the millionaire next door by now. Many people with higher incomes do not choose to spend it. On the other hand, many Americans live well beyond their means.

Is There A Middle Class Education Level?

The bare minimum standard seems to be a high school education plus, perhaps, some training. A college education seems to place an individual more firmly in the middle class. Of course, we can all think of exceptions to this too. Some individuals drop out of high school and start a business, and there are lots of stories about self-made millionaires who dropped out of college. On the other hand, we have known college educated people who just never made it economically, and it would be hard to define these people as middle class.

The Lower, Middle, and Upper Middle Class

To make more sense, many categorize the midle class into 3 distinct groups. Professionals and highly educated people may tend towards the upper ranges, while skilled workers may tend towards the lower ranges.

What Do You Consider Middle Class?

We’d love to know what you think! Register for free and comment!

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Need Cheaper Phone Service?

For awhile, it seemed like I was paying as much for phone service as I was to keep my car loan current. I had family cell phone plans and a traditional land line. When I added up all the bills, plus the taxes and extra fees, I was pretty disgusted. Was the convenience of these phones worth all of this money?

Well, my solution was to get Internet cell phone service for my home phone for $10 a month, and then to lose the traditional land line service. These days, most important calls were not coming to the house, but were all coming to my cell phone anyway. The Internet based phone service is not quite as reliable as I would like though, so if you still rely on your home phone number a lot, you may want to check reviews in your area.

Cheaper Phone Service Alternatives For Your House

• Skype is a VOIP (voice over Internet protocol) which is actually free for the basic service. It runs entirely on your PC through your Internet connection. You can even make picture phone calls with this service if you like.
• A lot of online messengers, like Yahoo Messenger, allow voice calls too.
• Your Internet company or cell phone company may provide Internet phone service. You pay a monthly fee, but otherwise, it is basically free.
• Lots of families are just skipping the land lines and relying on family cell phone plans. I think this trend will grow in the future.

Are you paying $60 or more for monthly phone charges? And are you paying that for your house phone alone, plus have additional cell phone and Internet charges? It may be time to evaluate your service.

You can also look for cheap cell phone services too! The page says Houston, but the link will allow you to look up national mobile phone providers.

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Finding Cheap Term Life with Value!

If you watch TV at all, you must have seen several advertisements for low cost term life insurance policies. They usually show a happy an attractive family. The husband and wife talk about how they want to provide for their family’s security with life insurance. Then they go on to talk about the fabulous deal they got on a term life policy.

Those rates always sound really great, but are they the real term life insurance rates you would get? And if you did get them, would those policies be the best ones?

Note - Get competitive term life insurance rates here.

Are you super select?When I worked as a life agent, I would try to give realistic quotes based upon what I knew about my potential clients. Many times, they would tell me they had an internet quote for some sort of super-preferred rate class that was a bit lower The thing is, I knew these people would never qualify for that rate class, and I tried to give them a realistic quote so they would not be disappointed later.

Term life is an affordable way to get a lot of coverage for most people. Your own rate will be what insurers offer you, and not what they offer some fictional couple on TV!

Some Things To Consider About Cheap Term Life!

Look, we frugal people like to save money. But we also want value for our money. So beyond making sure that the premium quotes are realistic, here are some other things to consider about any policy you may consider.

Return of Premium (ROP) Term Life – It costs a bit more, but refunds all the premiums if you survive to the end of the policy. For some people, this is a great way to get a nice check back at the end of the term. Read more about return of premium (ROP) life insurance here.

Option To Convert To Whole Life – A term policy may seem like the best option today, when you are younger and need a larger face value to cover your mortgage and kid’s education. But nobody knows what will happen in 20 or 30 years. A policy with an option to convert with no medical underwriting can be handy later. Does the term policy you are considering include this?

Financial Stability – Most insurance is well protected by state regulatory bodies. Still, a policy from one of the top life insurance companies can provide additional security.

Length of The Policy – Make sure you are comparing the same term lengths when you compare. An insurer will, all other things being equal, charge more for 30 year policies than they will for 10 year policies. They are taking a bigger risk, and that costs more.

Insurers Are Different! .

Note that you will find premium differences between top insurers for the same policy. While you should ask questions before you buy, I encourage you to shop around. You can compare multiple polies in your local area, and find contact information for qualified local agents who are eager to work for your business here - Fast Term Life Insurance Quotes!

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We have noticed, and applaud, the fact that the frugal movement, also tends to be a green movement as well. We tend to place a large emphasis on recycling, making do, and finding sources of clean, cheap, and renewable power. That is why, we think, our articles on making electricity at home always generate a lot of interest and feedback.

Solar and Wind DIY (Do It Yourself)

In the past, we mentioned Do It YourSelf Power, which concentrates on wind and solar power that can supplement (or replace) your on-grid energy supplies from the power company.  The systems were fairly easy and cheap to build, and some of our readers had a great time experimenting with it.

MagiWork Electromagnetic Energy

Magnetic Electricity Systems

Now we are seeing a new idea pop up, and that is for home electromagnetic energy systems. The systems are designed to be built by people who are not professional engineers, or even overly technical. They generate absolutely free energy, and they can work on their own or as a supplement to other power sources.

We invite you to take a moment to learn more about Magiwork Magnetic Electricity Systems here. The page is not selling the systems, but explaining a course to learn to build one yourself. The intro pages assure us that the system can be built for less than $100, that they work, and that ordinary people can complete this project.

Have You Ever Built An Energy System Yourself?

We invite reader feedback. New members will have comments moderated to keep up the quality of our website, but we love to post your comments.

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How To Afford Health Care

Bear with me. This article is a little complex. I do have a lot of experience with this topic, but since my audience is diverse, I have to answer the question for different types of people. I will assume that most people who are reading this are from the millions of Americans who lack group medical benefits. Some of you may have a group health plan at work, and that is usually your best option. However, I do understand that these days, that some employers expect the employees to kick in a large share of that too.

Millions more of you may work at a company that does not offer group major medical, be self employed, or laid off. Some of you may already suffer from a pre-existing health condition that makes it hard to get private insurance, or that even makes it hard to find another job!

Individual Health Insurance

You should not assume, right off the bat, that you cannot afford a private medical plan. These days, there are so many options that you may find one that covers you in case of a serious accident or illness at a budget friendly price.  If you just lack group health, and want to cover yourself or your family, start with individual health insurance quotes. The online system is simple and quick, and it will give you a variety of alternatives in your area.

Be Wary of Health Discount Plans

There are discount health plans being marketed that are not health insurance at all, but discount cards. They may be very inexpensive, but since they are not actually health insurance, they are also not that useful.  If you are approached with an offer like this, be sure to ask and get an asnwer to your questions about what the plan actually is! If you are still not sure, you an always check with your state insurance department.

High Risk Health Plans for Declines

Every state in the US has a high risk health plan, sometimes called a high risk health pool. These are for people with pre-existing conditions who do not have group health, and who have been declined (or would be declined)  for coverage in the past.  The new federal high risk health pools are part of health reform. You can find out about how this is being integrated into your state by checking your state high risk health plan as well. A simple internet search for “YOUR STATE” high risk health plan – should give you the answers you need. You can also ask a good health insurance agent because they should know how things work in your local area.

Unemployment or Low Income Alternatives For Health Insurance

COBRA – If you are unemployed, you may have a COBRA health insurance extension. This law extends your benefits for several months. But you will have to pay the whole premium without an employer contribution. Also, not everybody qualifies. Look here for COBRA Alternatives. and Unemployment Health Insurance.

Medicaid – This is the federal/state health insurance for low income people with very few assets. Again, search for information in your state.

CHIPS - The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIPS) covers moderate to low income children. It also covers pregnant women! Search for information on the plan in your state.

Local Resouces – The PPARX.org website is a wonderful resource for peope who are having trouble paying for prescriptions and medical care. There is a handy zip code search where you an find low cost clinics and other types of medical care in your area. You can also find foundations that award grants to people with specific diseases.

Your county hospital system may also have a health plan with a sliding scale.

Seniors Or Disabled People On Medicare

Medicare is the federal health insurance plan for seniors and disabled people. It does not cover everything, though, and many covered people supplement it with other plans. This whole area is as complex as any other, but look at this simple way to Compare Medicare Health Plans.  Some of these plans have premiums because they are from private companies. Other have low, or no, additional cost beyond the Part B premium.

If You Do Not Have Health Insurance….

If you lack health insurance, it is much better to explore your options now, while you are healthy! There are private plans, and there is some help from county, state, and federal programs. Health reform will bring more options but we are still waiting for it to be fully implemented. I believe I have given you plenty of resources so you can figure out some alternatives.

We welcome and comments or suggestions in the comments.

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Saving Money Quotes

The next time you need some inspiration to pack away your credit cards, or just a good line to use on your kids, you can consult these famous quotes on being frugal!

Ben Franklin was pretty well known for his thouughts on the subject.

• A penny saved is a penny earned
• If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting -

I like the last one, and my own dad always said, “It’s not how much you make. It’s how much you save.” This is similar advice, and as a teen, of course, it always annoyed me. Now I just wish I had paid more attention earlier. :)

Sir Henry Taylor also had some words on  the subect.

• The art of living easily as to money is to pitch your scale of living one degree below your means.

That should strike a chord with many people, especially these days.

Samuel Johnson, the English poet and critic had some very sage advice too.

• Without frugality none can be rich. With it, few would be poor.

So you have a favorite Frugal Living Quotes?

Feel free to register for free and put it in the comments. We do moderate comments to keep out SP#M, but we love to publish your thoughts!

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Thrift Stores Are In

I have frequented thrift stores for years. I have bought all sorts of stuff, and even clothes for myself and my kids. I also loved the treasure hunt of sorting through somebody else’s discards.

But I never really liked to talk about it too much. If anybody ever complemented my kid’s rain coat or my new blouse, I certainly changed the subject before the conversation got around to where I had purchased the item! In my circles, it was awesome to donate to second hand stores, like The Salvation Army, but not so hot to talk about buying things there.

Boy, has that changed in the last few years. Plato’s Closet, the name brand used clothing store for teens and young adults, has made it cool to wear used! My own brand conscious teen daughter has no problem picking up a gently used name brand top or pair of jeans for $16 instead of buying it new in the mall for $60. I would like to credit this to my good example, but I’m pretty sure it has more to do with the fact that her friends think it is ok.

Even Time Magazine reported on this trend, and noted that some “upscale” thrift stores are very picky about what they will buy these days.

How Do Upscale Thrift Stores Work?

They retail the clothes for about a third of what they sold for new. So you may find a gently used pair of fashion jeans for less than $20 instead of $60. And hey, those jeans are more comfortable for having been broken in anyway. They purchase the clothes for 30 – 50% of what they plan to sell for. So a seller can bring in the used jeans, and maybe hope to get $8 to $10 for them.

The sellers get some cash, and the buyers can refresh their wardrobes for a fraction of the price they could if they bought new. Beyond that, the movement is actuall a green one. Clothes get recycled instead of being tossed out.

They certainly make it easier for people with modest budgets to fake it until they make it too!

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House and Car Insurance

One of the best tips ever for finding cheaper car insurance and cheaper homeowners insurance is very simple! Many insurers know they save money on marketing and administration by getting you to give them all of their business. They are ready and willing to pass along substantial discounts with auto home insurance discounts!

I really did not know this, so I used a so-called discount auto insurance company for my cars and drivers. I used another insurer for my home. One day I decided I was just paying to much for insurance. My total bill dropped by almost $200 a month (yes, month!) when I found a larger company who would offer me a great price break for getting all of my business.

In my opinion, saving over two grand a year made a little bit of inconvenience very attractive!

See if you can save some money too: Compare Car Insurance

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