Frugal Versus Cheap

Frugality has become very popular over the last several years due to the economy, job market, and rising cost of things like groceries and utilities.  A change in a person's living situation, or simply a desire to be debt free or spend less can set off a chain of events that lead to an examination of lifestyles and ways that money is being spent.  Frugality is a mindset.  It is a way to look at the money you have available to you, what you desire in your life, and using your resources wisely.  Unfortunately, sometimes, people can become overzealous with their frugality and go over to cheap.  What's the difference?  For some people, it's semantics.  One person's cheap is the other person's frugal.  My personal definition of cheap is when your actions take away from others or from your or someone else's quality of life.  While it's great to save, moderation in all things is best.  

So how do you know the difference?  Here are some examples below: 

Frugal:  Buying paper towels on sale with a coupon.

Cheap:  Hanging up paper towels to dry that have been used for “wet only” items.

Frugal:  Using a 2-for-1 coupon to purchase meals at a restaurant or splitting a meal.

Cheap:  Failing to tip the server or only tipping for the 1-meal price.

Frugal:  Using wrapping paper from the dollar store or buying it on sale after Christmas and storing it.

Cheap:  Using birthday, wedding, or happy anniversary wrapping paper for Christmas because you’re too cheap to buy more. 

Frugal:  Having a pot luck meal, making the main entrée, and asking others to bring sides. 

Cheap:  Having a pot luck meal and assigning things to bring so that you don’t have to do anything except set the table…. And then keeping the leftovers. 

Frugal:  Agreeing to dinner and then splitting the tab.

Cheap:  Agreeing to split a dinner tab but ordering an expensive meal, drinks, appetizer, and dessert while the other person bought an inexpensive entrée and drank water.  

Frugal:  Purchasing an outfit on sale, at a thrift store, or by using a discount coupon.

Cheap:  Buying an expensive outfit, wearing it, and then returning it to the store.

Frugal:  Agreeing to carpool to an event and splitting the cost of gas.   

Cheap:  Agreeing to a carpool and then not chipping in for gas when everyone else does.

Frugal:  Buying vegetables on sale or that are marked down and close to their expiration date to be used immediately.

Cheap:  Going home and exchanging your fresh vegetables you just bought for ones that are starting to go bad and then taking them back to the store and demanding a refund, claiming your fresh veggies went bad too quickly.

Frugal:  Buying an item on sale, and enjoying it to its fullest extent, being sad if that item tears up or becomes defective after receiving a lot of use from the item.

Cheap:  Buying an item, using it well, then having it tear up.  Going into a store, buying the same item but repacking the well-used and broken item in the box, claim it’s defective, and then demanding your money back.

Frugal:  Saving leftover condiment packages such as ketchup, mustard, hot sauce, etc., from carryout or drive through meals for later use (i.e., items that were voluntarily given to you along with your meal).

Cheap:  Entering a restaurant and stuffing your pockets with sugar, salt, pepper, plastic utensils, napkins, ketchup packets, hot sauce packets, etc. (i.e., not given to you but offered to go along with meals in a restaurant and putting the restaurant at a disadvantage by taking them). 

Frugal:  Using coupons to get discounts at a restaurant.

Cheap:  Going to a restaurant and asking the cashier to use coupons other people have turned in.   

Frugal:  Learning to cut your family's hair. 

Cheap:  Taking your kids to free haircut days at JCPenney, having the kids' heads shaved so they can go 3 months without having a haircut, and then failing to tip the hair stylist. 

These are but a few very real examples of things that people have done in the name of saving money.  You have to decide for yourself how far you are willing to go to save money, but keeping the above examples in mind can help decide if you're being truly frugal or cheap. 

Broke Food - Quesadillas

It's down to the wire, payday's tomorrow, and you surf the fridge looking for something to eat.  The pickings might be slim.  Except.... you have a tortilla, some cheese, and a tiny package of leftover salsa from a fast food drive-through.  That's all you need!  You have all the ingredients for a quesadilla! 

I like the fold-over quesadilla method, but some like to make their quesadillas with two tortillas.  Since this is broke food (i.e., cheap, yummy, filling, and made from what you have on hand), we'll go with whatever you have in your fridge and cupboard.  Here is what I had, but see the recipe below to make a basic quesadilla: 

Basic Cheese Quesadilla

Ingredients:

Tortillas (flour or corn; both work fine, but I prefer flour)

Shredded cheese or cheese slices, any kind

Butter, oil, Pam, or nonstick surface frying pan 

Whatever condiments you have in your fridge

Place butter or oil in a frying pan and allow to heat.  Make sure the surface of the frying pan is covered with the fat of choice. (If you're using a nonstick pan, skip this step, but I do prefer some type of fat to help the quesadilla brown on the outside.)  Place tortilla in the pan and allow it to heat well for about a minute.  Place cheese on 1/2 of the tortilla and allow to heat for a minute or two more.  Fold the tortilla over the cheese and press down gently with a spatula so that the tortilla touches the cheese and the cheese smooshes.  Allow to heat through for another second or two, and then remove the quesadilla to a plate. 

Slice into triangles and serve with any extra condiments you have in your fridge. I hoard salsa and sauce packets from fast food restaurants.  The salsa served with this was from my son's order from Taco Bueno 2 days ago, but I also have a love affair with Taco Bell's Fire Sauce. (Restaurants around here have a taco fixation, apparently, because we also have a Taco Mayo!)

If you have any extra proteins or veggies, you can add those to the quesadilla.  Ideas include: 

• Leftover shredded chicken or beef
• Cut up green onions or diced onions
• Diced/sliced green peppers
• Jalapenos
• Diced bits of deli meat, such as chicken, turkey, or ham
• Olives 
• Guacamole (for a dip, or add it with the cheese if you don't mind it heated up)
• Refried beans 

These are easy to whip out, and they're filling.  This was always what my grandmother made for me if I went to her house after school because it was easy for her to fix, and they were yummy!

Using what you have on hand can also make for some interesting combinations and use up small bits of leftovers that may be languishing in the fridge.  Put them with a little cheese, tortilla, and heat, then enjoy!  

Broke Food - Lentil Chili

Lentil chili may be listed as a "broke food," but realistically it is very tasty, an excellent source of protein, and it's very filling and satisfying, especially on a cold and blustery day. 

I make this at least once a month, if not more, and each time I'm reminded how great it tastes.  Since lentils cook quickly, this is an easy chili to make when you're needing a large, hearty meal.  It's excellent with crusty bread, cornbread, toast, and is equally satisfying served over rice or with noodles.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

Lentil Chili

1-1/4 Cups dry lentils (approximately 1/2 pound)

4 cups water

2 tablespoons oil or bacon grease

1-2 Tablespoons dried minced onions

3 beef bouillon cubes (use vegetable bouillon for a truly vegetarian meal)

15 oz. can diced tomatoes with green chiles like Ro-Tel

1 small can tomato paste

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons chili powder

Dash of hot pepper flakes or Tabasco sauce

1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Another 2 cups of water (possibly)

In a large pot, heat lentils and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover with lid slightly tipped to vent steam, and simmer.  Cook for 30 minutes.  Do not drain. If the lentils look dry as they cook, add water in 1/4 cup increments.  Lentils should still have some liquid after cooking time.  After lentils have cooked, add remaining ingredients. Assess thickness of chili and add water as needed.  Simmer for 15-20 minutes or more.  Serve with rice, cornbread, toast, or noodles. 

Broke Food - Pasta with Garlic, Olive Oil, and Red Pepper Flakes

Simple dishes can often be some of the tastiest and most filling.  Spaghetti Aglio, Olio, e Peperoncino fits that bill.  Translated, that means spaghetti with garlic, oil, and red pepper flakes. Its rich flavors combined with pasta make this a decadent yet inexpensive dish to prepare.  

It can be eaten alone as a filling but light main dish.  It can also be be topped with grilled chicken, cooked Italian sausage, or other meat.  It also makes an excellent side dish to serve alongside other vegetables or meats.  

Sunday, when I was doing blog posts, this was my lunch!  It was tasty and filling but light enough that I did not feel like I had eaten a heavy meal.   

The recipe located HERE is similar to the method I was taught and as listed below. 

Spaghetti With Garlic, Oil, and Red Pepper Flakes

7 ounces of spaghetti
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, minced (substitute garlic powder in a pinch)
1 1/2 teaspoons of chili pepper flakes
1/4 to 1/3 cup of extra-virgin olive oil (may use canola or other oil in a pinch)
3/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

Directions

The measurements in this recipe can be shifted depending on your taste preferences.

1. Cook spaghetti according to the directions on the package, until it is al dente.
2. Strain spaghetti and place in a large serving dish.
3. Add minced garlic, chili pepper flakes, olive oil, salt, and pepper, and mix together well.
4. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Broke Food - Pad Thai Ramen

Ramen has to be the ultimate broke food, and there are millions of ways to make it.  Pad Thai Ramen is one of my favorites because the base mixture is easy to make, and good all by itself, but even better with some creative additions.  

This is by no means haute cuisine, but it is hot, yummy food!  

PAD THAI RAMEN BASIC RECIPE

1 package Ramen noodles

1 tablespoon soy sauce (prefer low sodium, but use what you have; packets from carryout food work great for this!)

1 tablespoon chunky peanut butter (creamy works, too) 

2-3 dashes of Tabasco sauce 

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes 

Prepare Ramen noodles as on package.  Drain 2/3 of liquid off noodles then stir in seasoning packet.  Add remaining ingredients and stir until peanut butter is dissolved.  Eat as is, or mix in additions. 

ADDITIONS  (Use as many or as few as you like, in any combination that pleases you)

Veggies:  Cooked carrots, Lima beans, corn, edamame, snow peas, cooked bits of spinach, shredded cabbage, diced onions, sliced green onions, diced green pepper, diced celery, broccoli, or whatever you have that's available.

Meat:  This is great for leftovers.  Chicken, bits of rotisserie chicken, sliced leftover steak, cubed bits of ham, cooked pork, Spam (yes, really!), leftover shrimp (I know that's an oxymoron), and even browned hamburger meat.  I have even taken several pieces of shaved deli meat, such as chicken or turkey, chopped it fine, and added to this. One or two well-scrambled eggs also work well as protein additions.  

The creative possiblities are endless, and this is a great dish to use up little bits of veggies or meat left over from other meals.  You can make larger portions by doubling or tripling the ingredients for enough to feed a family.  

Add Egg Drop Soup (boiling chicken broth, whisk in 1 well-scrambled egg until cooked and separated in soup,  2 tablespoons soy sauce, dash of red pepper flakes, and sliced green onions), and you've got a full meal!

Grocery Savings Strategies

This is this my most recent shopping trip.  I paid $61.24 (plus tax) for this batch of food.  Normally, I am an avid couponer, but most coupons are for nonperishable food items.  It is very hard to find deals on meat or find coupons for meat items.  Some meat packaging websites will offer coupons for their brand of meat (such as Hormel) and the brand that is store owned, Red River Ranch Angus, but those are few and far between or are only for specific items.

My strategy for saving on meat is twofold:  First, I know the days the meat is marked down at the store where I shop, which is Homeland.  Second, I have a coupon that is issued by the store for $5.00 off a $50.00 purchase.  These $5/$50 coupons are usually available in fundraising booklets.  One place to find such a coupon is on the back of the Homeland Cares coupon books (see photo below).  The second is from a fundraising book called Enjoy the City.*  which can be purchased online.

I check the marked down meat first.  I then stack up $50 worth of meat, and use my $5/50 coupon.  By using that coupon, it automatically takes my purchase down by 10%.  Add in the markdown on the meat, and you've got significant savings.  Even if the meant is not marked down, by using the $5 off $50 coupon, you've automatically reduced the cost by 10%. 

Today's purchases included extra items, making the total a bit more than $50, but everything will be used to prepare the meat I purchased.

Here is a list along with prices: 

Bell Peppers x4  @ $0.79 each = $3.16

Green onions x1 @ 0.69 each = $0.69 (not a great deal but I needed them)

Yellow Onions x2 @ $0.79/lbs. = $1.01 

Jar sliced jalapenos x1 $1.89 =  $1.89

Campbell's Chicken gravy x1 =  $1.49

Best Choice chopped green chiles x4 $0.99 each = $3.96

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts $2.99/lbs. @ 2.65 lbs. = $7.95  (the one item not on sale)

Beef Top Blade Patio Steaks = $3.31

Ground beef 1.5 lbs. @ $3.84 each = $11.52 

Stew Meat (sirloin chunks) 1 lbs.. x1 = $3.94

Stew Meat 2.5 lbs.  = $7.86

Stew Meat 3.5 lbs.. = 10.07

Boneless Pork Tenderloins = $4.26

Subtotal $61.11

Minus $5.00 coupon

Final total with tax**  = $61.24

*Enjoy the City books are available for many metropolitan areas and may be directly purchased from the website linked above.  They are not just for Oklahoma.  Most major grocery store chains have coupons for a certain dollar amount purchased in these books, so it is worth your time to check into them.They also contain numerous coupons for other activities, restaurants, and stores in your area.

** A note about sales tax.  Even if you use coupons and bring your total down, tax is charged on the original dollar amount, not the amount minus coupon, so keep this in mind when figuring totals.  Particularly if you are on a tight budget.

Hope Kids Outreach, for whom I am a board member, is selling the Homeland Cares Coupon books for $5.00 each.  You make your money back using the $5/50 coupon on the back, and it contains $40.00 of manufacturer coupons that often double at Homeland and are not available elsewhere.  If you are interested in purchasing one, please let me know in the comments and leave an email, and I'll be happy to contact you.