Substitute Dough Blades And Different January 2023 Bills

My $5 yard sale bread machine received upgraded to a $40.91 yard sale bread machine with the alternative of its dough blades. Who doesn’t love beginning the brand new yr with new dough blades?! These small, blade-like objects snap into the bottom of the bread machine’s basket to carry out the essential kneading step within the bread making course of. I’m thrilled to outsource kneading to those blades and so they tirelessly execute their process with out a lot as a squeak of grievance (can not say the identical concerning the kids of the home to whom I additionally try to outsource… blended outcomes; will report again in 10 years).

I picked up our Zojirushi bread machine at a yard sale about 3.5 years in the past and we’ve made what I estimate to be ~200 loaves of entire wheat sandwich bread since its arrival. After mixing and kneading lo these many loaves, the unique dough blades wore down and misplaced their non-stick coating, inflicting giant clumps of bread to stick to the blades and never the loaf. A brand new Zojirushi bread machine–of comparable make and mannequin to ours–runs $319.99 (affiliate hyperlink). YIKES. What a delight for Mr. FW to find that one can buy simply the blades for a mere $35.91 (affiliate hyperlink)! The brand new blades are put in and to this point, rotating with ease.

Why Bake Your Personal Bread?

Baking one’s personal bread is a implausible and easy component of placing your life on frugal autopilot. When you begin, you in all probability gained’t cease and also you’ll lower your expenses on bread ceaselessly and ever. Additionally, it’s extra yum.

It takes ~3 minutes to dump the components into the basket and activate the bread machine. It’s so easy that my four-year-old can *virtually* do it. Plus, the components are less expensive than a retailer purchased loaf. Bonus: heat, aromatic bread aromas permeate your private home.

Advantages of baking one’s personal bread:

1. Cheaper
2. More healthy
3. Tastes higher
4. Home smells nice

Downsides of baking one’s personal bread:

1. You not have a motive to go down the bread aisle on the grocery retailer
2. In case you don’t have time to do it by hand, you will want to acquire a bread machine (I’m crew #breadmachine4lyfe)

Methods to supply a bread machine:

1. Thrift retailer
2. Yard sale
3. Purchase Nothing Group
4. Basement of somebody you recognize
5. Basement of somebody you form of know
6. Buy new

Our present bread machine is our third second-hand bread machine and we paid not more than $5 for each. Bread machines appear to be a type of issues that folk obtain as a present after which by no means use… seems like a conspiracy…. Therefore, I see them at yard gross sales, thrift shops and amassing mud on counters on a regular basis. In case you too wish to enterprise into self-made carb cubes, ask round and see what bread machines provide themselves as much as you.

Our Sandwich Bread Recipe

Since I do know you’re going to ask, our recipe is predicated off of this King Arthur Baking recipe. I’ve modified it over time as I’ve found completely different bread machines work otherwise. In our present bread machine, right here’s what we do:

611 grams white entire wheat flour
355 grams water
37 grams olive oil
90 grams maple syrup
2 tsp yeast
2 tsp salt

I discover that utilizing our meals scale to weigh by grams is each sooner and extra exact (affiliate hyperlink). The white entire wheat flour is essential for us–after I use entire wheat flour, it comes out like a dense brick (even when I exploit important wheat gluten). Fortunately, we’re capable of purchase white entire wheat flour in bulk from our co-op.

Different Bread Concerns

To get skinny sandwich-sized slices–and never mediaeval hunks–I minimize a cooled, contemporary loaf in half after which minimize slices ranging from the middle. Use a correct bread knife and maintain it sharp!

For storage pre-kids, I froze half of each loaf since my husband and I don’t devour bread on the price of a hyena pack. It freezes completely high quality!

For storage post-kids, I put every half into its personal gallon-sized ziplock bag. This retains it contemporary for a couple of week (in all probability?). Not sure as no loaf has ever laster that lengthy in our pantry. See above word re. present hyena pack’s bread consumption skills.

I’ve tried storing bread loaves in tea towels, a field, and foil, however nothing works in addition to plastic zipper luggage. I simply re-use the identical luggage again and again.

Glad baking!!

Can I Speak To You?

Sure! You possibly can rent me to write down a full monetary plan for you OR you possibly can choose my mind for an hour over the cellphone. Have an excellent fast query? Speak to me for half-hour.

1. Rent me for a personal monetary session right here.
2. Schedule an hourlong name with me right here.
3. E book half-hour with me right here.

To study extra about one-on-one consultations with me, examine this out.

I Love the Free Cash Monitoring Instruments from Private Capital!

I exploit a free on-line service known as Private Capital to prepare our cash. It tracks our spending, internet value, investments, retirement, every part.

Figuring out the place your cash’s at is likely one of the best methods to get a deal with in your funds. You can not make knowledgeable choices about your cash should you don’t understand how you’re spending it or how a lot you could have. In case you’d prefer to know extra about how Private Capital works, try my full write-up.

And not using a holistic image of your funds, there’s no technique to set financial savings, debt reimbursement or funding targets. It’s a should, of us. Private Capital (which is free) is an effective way for me to systematize our monetary overviews because it hyperlinks all of our accounts collectively and supplies a complete image of our internet value.

In case you don’t have a strong thought of the place your cash’s at–or the way you’re spending it–think about making an attempt Private Capital (word: the Private Capital hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks). 

Credit Playing cards: How We Purchase All the pieces

We purchase every part we are able to with bank cards as a result of:

1. It’s simpler to trace bills. No guesswork over the place a random $20 invoice went; all of it exhibits up in our month-to-month expense report from Private Capital. I additionally spend much less cash as a result of I KNOW I’m going to see each expense listed on the finish of the month.

2. We get rewards. Bank card rewards are a easy technique to get one thing for nothing. By the playing cards we use, we get money again in addition to resort and airline factors for getting stuff we have been going to purchase anyway.
3. We construct our credit score. Since we don’t have any debt, having a number of bank cards open for a few years helps our credit score scores. It’s a unclean fable that carrying a steadiness in your bank card helps your credit score rating–IT DOES NOT. Paying your playing cards off IN FULL each month and protecting them open for a few years does assist your rating.

For extra on my bank card technique, try:

Money Again Playing cards to Contemplate

In case you’re now cash-back curious, there are a selection of playing cards available on the market providing fairly good money again percentages. Listed below are just a few I believe are a very good deal:

1) Blue Money Most popular® Card from American Categorical:

• 6% money again at U.S. supermarkets on as much as $6,000 per yr in purchases (then 1%).
• 6% money again on choose U.S. streaming subscriptions.
• 3% money again at U.S. fuel stations and on transit (together with taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and extra).
• 1% money again on different purchases.
• Earn a $250 assertion credit score after you spend $3,000 in purchases in your new Card throughout the first 6 months
• $0 intro annual charge for the primary yr, then $95. Charges and charges particulars right here.
• Phrases apply

2) Blue Money On a regular basis® Card from American Categorical:

• 3% money again at U.S. supermarkets (on as much as $6,000 per yr in purchases, then 1%).
• 3% Money Again at U.S. fuel stations, on as much as $6,000 per yr, then 1%.
• 1% money again on different purchases.
• Earn as much as $250 – Right here’s How: Earn as much as $150 again if you store with PayPal. Earn 20% again as an announcement credit score on purchases if you use your new Card to take a look at with PayPal at retailers within the first 6 months of Card Membership, as much as $150 again. Plus, earn $100 again as an announcement credit score after you spend $2,000 in purchases in your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• No annual charge. Charges and charges particulars right here.
• Phrases apply.

3) Capital One Quicksilver Money Rewards Credit score Card:

• 1.5% money again on each buy, each day.
• $200 money bonus after you spend $500 on purchases inside 3 months from account opening.
• No annual charge.

4) Capital One SavorOne Money Rewards Credit score Card:

• Limitless 3% money again on eating, leisure, in style streaming providers and at grocery shops (excluding superstores like Walmart and Goal).
• 1% again on all different purchases.
• 8% money again on tickets at Vivid Seats by way of January 2023.
• $200 money bonus after you spend $500 on purchases throughout the first 3 months from account opening.
• No annual charge.

5) Chase Freedom Limitless®:

• Earn an additional 1.5% on every part you purchase (on as much as $20,000 spent within the first yr), which is value as much as $300 money again:
  • 6.5% on journey bought by way of Chase Final Rewards
  • 4.5% on eating and drugstores
  • 3% on all different purchases.
• After your first yr (or $20,000 spent), you earn:
  • 5% money again on Chase journey bought by way of Chase Final Rewards
  • 3% money again on drugstore purchases and eating at eating places, together with takeout and eligible supply service
  • Limitless 1.5% money again on all different purchases.
• No annual charge.

6) Chase Freedom Flex℠:

• 5% money again on as much as $1,500 in mixed purchases in bonus classes every quarter you activate.
• New 5% classes every quarter.
• 5% money again on journey bought by way of Chase Final Rewards
• 3% money again on drugstore purchases and eating at eating places, together with takeout and eligible supply service
• Limitless 1% money again on all different purchases.
• $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
• No annual charge.

In case you’re excited by journey rewards, folks love the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card®. You possibly can earn 60,000 bonus factors after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, which is $750 if you redeem by way of Chase Final Rewards.

Big caveat to bank card utilization: you MUST pay your bank card payments in full each single month, with no exceptions. In case you’re involved about your skill to do that, or suppose utilizing bank cards would possibly immediate you to spend extra, follow a debit card or money. However when you’ve got no drawback paying that invoice in full each month? I like to recommend you bank card away, my buddy! (word: the bank card hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks).

Money Again Earned This Month: $60.45

The silver lining to our spending is our money again bank card. We earn 2% money again on each buy made with our Constancy Rewards Visa and, this month, we spent $3,022.43 on that card, which netted us $60.45.

Not some huge cash, however it’s cash we earned for getting stuff we have been going to purchase anyway! That is why I really like money again bank card rewards–they’re the only technique to earn one thing for nothing.

To see how this provides up over the course of a yr, try How I Made $712.59 With My Money Again Credit score Card.

The place’s Your Cash?

One other straightforward technique to optimize your cash is with a high-interest financial savings account. With these accounts, curiosity works in your favor versus the rates of interest on debt, which work towards you.

Having cash in a no or low curiosity financial savings account is a waste of assets–your cash is sitting there doing nothing. Don’t let your cash be lazy! Make it be just right for you! And now, get pleasure from some explanatory math:

Let’s say you could have $5,000 in a financial savings account that earns 0% curiosity. In a yr’s time, your $5,000 will nonetheless be… $5,000.

Let’s say you as an alternative put that $5,000 into an American Categorical Private Financial savings account, which–as of this writing–earns 3.4% in curiosity (affiliate hyperlink). In a single yr, your $5,000 may have elevated to $5,170. Which means you earned $170 simply by having your cash in a high-interest account.

And also you didn’t must do something! I’m a giant fan of incomes cash whereas doing nothing. Is anyone not a fan of that? Apparently so, as a result of anybody who makes use of a low or no curiosity financial savings account is NOT earning profits whereas doing nothing. Don’t be that individual. Be the one who earns cash whereas sleeping.

Sure, We Solely Paid $28.41 for Cell Telephone Service (for 2 telephones)

Our cellphone service line merchandise shouldn’t be a typ0 (though that definitely is). We actually and actually solely paid $28.41 for each of our telephones (that’s $14.21 per individual for these of you into division). How is such trickery doable?!? We use an MVNO!

What’s an MVNO?

Glad you requested as a result of I used to be going to let you know anyway: It’s a cellphone service re-seller.

MVNOs are the TJ Maxx of the cellphone service world–the identical service, A LOT cheaper. In case you’re not utilizing an MVNO, switching to 1 is a straightforward, slam-dunk, do-it-right-away means to economize each single month of each single yr ceaselessly and ever amen.

Listed below are just a few MVNOs to contemplate:

For extra, I’ve a full chart of suppliers and their costs right here: The best way to Save Cash on Your Cell Telephone Invoice with an MVNO: I Pay $12 a Month*

*the quantity we pay fluctuates each month as a result of it’s calibrated on what we use. Think about that! We solely pay for what we use! Will wonders ever stop. These MVNO hyperlinks are affiliate hyperlinks.

Expense Report FAQs

• Wish to understand how we handle the remainder of our cash? Try How We Handle Our Cash: Behind The Scenes of The Frugalwoods Household Accounts
• 

  Winter wooden

  Don’t you could have a rental property? Sure! We personal a rental property (also referred to as our first dwelling) in Cambridge, MA, which I talk about right here and extra just lately, right here too

• Why do I share our bills? To present you a way of how we spend our cash in a values-based method. Your spending will differ from ours and there’s no “one proper means” to spend and no “good” price range.
• Are we probably the most frugal frugal folks on earth? Completely not! My hope is that by being clear about our spending, you would possibly acquire insights into your personal spending and be impressed to take proactive management of your cash.
• Questioning the place to begin with managing your cash? Take my free, 31-day Uber Frugal Month Problem.
• In case you’re excited by different issues I really like, try Frugalwoods Recommends.
• Why don’t you purchase every part domestically? We do our greatest to assist our area people and purchase as a lot of our meals as doable instantly from our farmer neighbors. Our city doesn’t have any shops, so we depend on on-line ordering and large field shops for requirements. The closest shops are 45 minutes away and we go just a few instances a month to replenish on what we are able to’t get from our neighbors or on-line.

However Mrs. Frugalwoods, Don’t You Pay For X, Y, Or Even Z???

Questioning about widespread bills you don’t see listed under?

In case you’re questioning about the rest, be happy to ask within the feedback part!

Alright you frugal cash voyeurs, feast your eyes on each greenback we spent in January:

Merchandise	Quantity	Notes
Groceries	$842.82
Annual Residence Insurance coverage	$782.00	Paid yearly
Dentist appointments for each children	$586.00	Cleanings, exams and x-rays for each children
Automotive insurance coverage	$378.90	Six months of automobile insurance coverage by way of Geico for our 2022 Subaru Outback and 2010 Toyota Tundra. That is pretty low cost as a result of we shopped round, we’re each accident and ticket-free, we dwell in a rural space and we don’t commute to work. However the actual motive it’s low cost is that we don’t carry complete insurance coverage as a result of we might substitute each of our vehicles (in full with money) if we would have liked to. We do carry the utmost in legal responsibility protection as a result of the danger of a big legal responsibility declare is one we don’t wish to self-insure towards. Extra right here.
Preschool	$260.00	For Littlewoods
Gasoline for vehicles	$220.28
Physician appointments	$204.57	Labs, assessments, visits, and so on
Veterinary	$186.60	Vet go to and medicines
Family provides and toiletries	$171.99	The thrilling objects of life, akin to: dental floss, laundry detergent, nutritional vitamins, rest room bowl cleaner, cleaning soap, toothpaste, dishwasher cleaning soap, and so on.
Mr. FW dentist go to	$171.00	Dental examination, cleansing, and so on
Haircut	$82.80	For me!
Well being Insurance coverage Premium	$78.10
Web	$72.00
Canine and hen meals	$61.76
Beer and wine	$50.71
Eating places	$44.98	Lunch date with Kidwoods after a morning of snowboarding!
New ski bibs for Mr. FW	$39.99	Mr. FW’s previous ski bibs bit the mud. Thus far, he’s thrilled with this new pair (affiliate hyperlink).
6 workbooks for the youngsters	$39.51	The ladies proceed their love of workbooks and have been prepared for a brand new batch. I actually like the Mind Quest workbooks we received as a result of they’ve A LOT of pages, the fabric progresses slowly, and it’s completely on grade degree (affiliate hyperlink).
Electrical energy	$36.44	We have now photo voltaic (which I element right here); that is our month-to-month base worth for remaining grid tied.
Substitute dough blades	$35.91	Substitute dough blades for our bread machine (affiliate hyperlink).
Toe & hand heaters	$34.70	Toe & hand heaters: a should for lengthy ski days (affiliate hyperlink).
Maple syrup	$29.12	1/2 gallon from our neighbors. Used primarily in our bread recipe!
Cell service for 2 telephones	$28.41	Thanks, low cost MVNO!
Prescription remedy	$15.00	Co-pay
Boot laces	$13.99	Mr. FW’s winter climbing boots wanted alternative laces (affiliate hyperlink).
Spotify	$13.77	Music
Washer luggage	$13.77	Keep in mind how small articles of clothes saved getting lodged in our washer’s filter? Enter these washer luggage (affiliate hyperlink). All the pieces smaller than a t-shirt now goes into one among these luggage.
TOTAL:	$4,495.12

How was the primary month of 2023 for you?