A little bit of this, a little bit of that
First, a quick reader question:
Do you still make homemade bread?
-Katy
Yes, but not nearly as much as I used to! Largely that's because I am only feeding Zoe and me now.
But I do still sometimes make things like honey-glazed rolls or cinnamon bread. And just this past weekend, I made some overnight cinnamon rolls for us.
Interestingly, I make homemade yogurt and homemade granola way more regularly. Those things are easy to store on a longer-term basis, so they feel more practical with just two people.
Homemade bread can work for two people, but you have to be really careful to divvy it up and freeze it so it doesn't go stale or moldy, and so I guess it just feels like a little more of a headache than yogurt and granola.
An Amy Dacyzyn connection
After I published the first post about the Tightwad Gazette, I got this comment from Debra:
The stolen soapbox speech was a sermon my Dad gave at the Leeds Community Church oh so many years ago. Amy was our neighbor, my Mom babysat ALL her kids. I remember the night she came by after dinner to sit and talk with my Dad about an idea she had. She started out with, “this is a crazy idea what do you think?” and the Tightwad Gazette was born! I spent many hours with other neighbors and members of our church opening mail. We went from a couple of trays to DOZENS following her appearances on The Home Show and of course Donahue! With every new subscription, we put a pin on map, we had to get a bigger map when she started with some international subscriptions. I also spent many hours stapling and addressing said newsletters. It’s so wonderful to see the ideas presented back then being relevant today. The soapbox speech was just a tiny bit of my Dad’s wisdom that he imparted upon us and our community. I’m touched that his words continue to touch others today <3
Oddly, she just randomly googled to try to find her dad's sermon, and she happened to do it just a few days after I posted. What were the odds?
Read the Tightwad Gazette for free
If you want to follow along with us (we're doing the "winter" section from the first book next Wednesday), try these sources that readers shared:
Volume I: https://archive.org/details/tightwadgazettep00dacy
Volume II: https://archive.org/details/tightwadgazettei00dacy
Volume III: https://archive.org/details/tightwadgazettei0000dacy
Here's another option: https://openlibrary.org/works/OL1961788W/The_Tightwad_gazette
Also, eBay usually has copies for pretty cheap. And you could try your library as well!
Save money for what's important to YOU
I was listening to a podcast about time this last week, and the host was saying it's important to save time for what is important to you in particular. Priorities vary from person to person, so to make time management work for you, this needs to be a personalized effort.
Save time in some areas so that you have it to spend in others.
And of course, the same is true when it comes to money. The point of saving money is so that you can spend it on what matters to you.
So, you need to figure out what that is. Otherwise, your money-saving efforts will feel a little bit aimless and unrewarding.
(It is necessary to point out that in some cases, we are so time-poor or money-poor that our efforts will, at best, just keep us afloat. Only when we get past that survival state will we have the freedom to think in terms of prioritization and goals.)
And now I'm off to do more online training for my new job. 😉
Debra,
What fun recollections of Amy Dacyczyn. Thank you for sharing.
I consider all the time that my current stage of making allll the things in the kitchen is really only going to be for about seven more years, at which point all my boys will be most probably out of the house and onto the next stage of their lives. And it will no longer make sense for me to keep sourdough going. This is why I try to enjoy my bread now, even though it's not the best thing for me to eat large amounts of. 🙂
Good luck with your new job! Always exciting and stressful to start a new thing, but I hope the excitement outweighs the stress.
@kristin @ going country,
I hope, over those next 7 years, you will teach your children (boys as well as girls) how to cook what you make and allow them to cook for the family.
In my generation, the boys were not taught to cook. It was only some who actually asked to learn how, who learned. As a young adult in my 20s, when dating, I was always impressed by any guy who could cook. I don't mean gourmet but just food we'd eat normally. And I rarely, if ever, dated any guy long term who didn't cook. Why? Because guys who didn't cook back then didn't do laundry, know how to clean an apartment or shop or, basically take care of themselves and were looking to find young women (dates or fiances or wives) to do it for them. Nope. Not here to be a substitute mom or caretaker. Had my own demanding career. (And at those ages, none of us made enough to hire people to do the chores for us.)
I wish schools today taught basic "home" making skills (financial, food shopping, cooking, house keeping) because it seems so many today don't know the basics. I guess most think they'll make enough out of the gate from college to pay others to do it.
Wouldn't it be great to have courses in middle school and college based on Amy's books and POV? So many people of all ages have no idea how to save, how to treat money, how to relate spending and saving to their lives and goals. We have no real training in financial literacy even in 2024. Yes, there's tons out there online but people have to find it and then read, study and educate themselves. Many are too busy or don't think it's worth their time to do so. So much more to learn today about how to save, invest, buy a house, create a budget, etc.
@Irena, At least in my area, home ec is required of both boys and girls. That doesn't mean any of the lesson sticks, but they are required to do basic cooking, sewing, finances etc.
@Irena, Bring back Home Ec! Everybody needs to learn how to cook. And sew. And balance a checkbook. Basic survival skills.
@Irena, Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace outfit has a financial literacy curriculum for high schools. I saw it when I substitute taught in a high school It is mostly about budgeting, financial planning, saving money, etc. No cooking or sewing or childcare or basic car maintenance/repair included, but at least it's a step in the right direction. Sadly, the class I was in was considered an elective; IMO they need to make such things mandatory.
@Irena, Yes! I've been a teacher for many years and have always thought that we do students a huge disservice by not teaching the basics of money and home management in schools. There are some districts now who are beginning to include high school courses in personal finance, and I hope that trend continues. Basic life skills are definitely something we all need! I remember in college I went down to the basement laundry to throw in a load of wash and there was a boy standing there holding his basket of dirty clothes, staring blankly at the machines. I showed him what to do because he had absolutely no idea. His poor future partner...
@Myndie in California, shrug. I'd never done laundry before I went to college either. It's not rocket science.
@Myndie in California, this brought memories of my own time in college. I lived in a coed dorm and Joe down the hall asked me why the washing machine wasn't working. I found that he had stuffed it so full that the drum couldn't turn. My mom did all our laundry growing up but even I knew not to overfill the washer.
@Irena, Without wishing to sound overly prideful, I have no expectation that my children will all cook like I do, but only because almost no one does. 🙂 However, they do all already know how to make themselves food, even if it's only eggs or quesadillas. I did promise them I would make a cookbook for them all with recipes for our family foods, which is hard for me because I am not a recipe and measuring kind of cook. I started it, though, and I have four years to get it done before my first child is 18 . . .
@Irena, in addition to those financial and homemaking skills needed by all grownups, the ability to change a tire, put on chains for snow, and check oil and other fluid levels are basic skills needed by all. Add in the ability to take one's temperature, wrap a sprained ankle, and know how to mix up a salt-water gargle for a sore throat.
Dave Ramsey has a financial curriculum for high schools that is growing in use and popularity.
All this reminds me that I set a standard before I was married: I will NOT be my husband's first roommate! I didn't want to marry a guy who had only lived with his mommy taking care of everything for him until he got married.
@Rose, where is this out of curiosity? In the US? My kids went to 3 different high schools due to their different needs and not one offered a home ec class. I’m so impressed your area requires such a class.
@Lisa, Long Island.
@Rose, this is wonderful news!!! Hopefully this will spread to other schools.
@Rose, at least it's offered! Life skills/Home Ec is not even offered in any of our schools, even in middle school, Nor is wood shop.
I had ALL my kids (& grandkids) helping in kitchen, even if just mixing or helping with cookies. Everyone knew how to make some kind of (cooked basic) breakfast, lunch & dinner & cookies (nothing fancy).
@kristin @ going country, I made favorite family recipes cookbook for kids which also included photos of them (& sibling) doing the cooking. I put a handwritten message on back inside cover for each child.
Youngest hasn't had siblings around in 5 years so not many photos of them, but still have of teen (only) doing cooking need to add & put new recipes cards in.
I bought binder cookbooks from Hallmark & additional pages with additional recipe cards. All kids got same recipes in same book with various pictures with them in it.
@Regina, wow -- those books are both useful and also family treasures. What great gifts to your children.
@Irena,
Our l9cal high school offers an "adulting" class, where the kids learn dome of these basic skills, including how to assemble a piece of IKEA furniture. My son will definitely be taking this class! (Hubby and I do our best, but he's a reluctant student at best).
@Liz B.,
*local*....
@Rose, I don't agree with shoving home "ick" (as I call it) upon students. I avoided all of it in junior/senior high school. Consumer Ed yes however.
@Myndie in California, life skills are parental duties. As are finances truth be told. One does not need sewing skills to be productive member of society. Basic cooking is not hard to learn - even on your own. I want my tax dollars teaching reading/math/science/history. And how to avoid going into mega debt for a college degree that pays you squat.
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, if Ramsey leaves out his religious bent, it can be an option for an elective class.
@Irena, In my state, personal finance is now a required course to graduate HS. It teaches about things like loans, basic investing, budgeting, etc. Home Ec is called Independent Living and is an elective.
I have a funny frugality story. I needed new cooking foil/baking parchment recently and could only find one packet in the shop. It seemed a little expensive but I bought it anyway...and then discovered it was a reusable sheet! I just washed it for reuse so will see how well this works out lol. I wonder if Amy Dacyzyn would approve!
On a non-frugality note, I've just started going running after a long (years-long!) break and am curious as to when it will stop sucking.
@Sophie in Denmark, your comment about running made me laugh with agreement. Some people love to run, some do not. I do not. I competed in track & field during both HS and college, but have only ever appreciated it for the social / staying in shape / success aspects. Didn't appreciate the running at all, lol. Competitive volleyball is my primary sport of choice- completely fun and gives me what I can only imagine is similar to a runner's high. 🙂
Over the years, I've occasionally tried reincorporating running into my routine and have never enjoyed it. That said, I've been doing short daily jogs for a couple months lately, and your comment mirrors my thoughts exactly- haha!! I understand that some people don't like volleyball and prefer to run, though! It's wonderful how diverse our world is...
@PD, When I used to go running I remember enjoying it after getting through the first mile, but right now I'm just stuck at the suck stage (say that five times fast!) But I know that if I keep at it I'll get there, and hopefully it will become enjoyable again 🙂
I can be placed in the group of people who dislike volleyball. I have terrible spatial awareness and don't enjoy any kind of competitive sport (or the majority of group activity!) I find that yoga (and running in the past) clears my mind and I enjoy not having to think about what other people are doing or 'winning'!
@Sophie in Denmark, I moved out of the actively sucking stage within a couple of months, but it never stops being pretty boring. That's why I only run 30 minutes every other day.
@Sophie in Denmark, I never got over the suck part of running even though I ran cross country in college. It just always sucked. I never found that zone. But I love walking and can walk all day in the zone.
I never read the Tightwad Gazette but around the same time it was published (was it early 1990s?) the minimalist movement started taking hold, and that was the approach that most appealed to me. Wholesale streamlining/rejection of big expensive stuff versus penny pinching on laundry detergent. Why am I buying/doing this at all versus how can I buy it/do it cheaply? Why am I cleaning/storing/organizing things I don't even need? Or really want? Why is it if I have 5 of something I can never find even one, but if I only have one I always know where it is?
@JDinNM, the idea that having five of something and never being able to find one versus owning one item and keeping track has stuck with me. However, I have a bowl of reading glasses in the living room, one by my main chair, one in my pocket, one in my purse, one in the car, one in the studio. . .
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I wore contact lenses for years, with one eye corrected for distance vision and the other "under-corrected" so I could read without reading glasses. So when I had cataract surgery, I had lenses implanted that did the same thing. So no glasses needed for anything, which simplifies life considerably. And I keep all my sunglasses in one drawer in the front foyer closet so I can grab a pair on my way out the door. ;-}
@Central Calif. Artist Jana, I also was going to answer I had cataract surgery first one long distance. Three years later up close for reading. In fact during that 3 year period I was reading with reading glasses and was having trouble seeing. I took off my reading glasses and could see just fine. But over time I was putting the book closer and closer.
So when I went to have my 2nd eye worked on I asked the doctor if I could have a lens put in for reading up close. He said he would do that since that was already the way my eyes were functioning. But he would never take the risk on someone whose eyes were not functioning like that. Once that lens is put in you are pretty much stuck with what you have.
All this to say I think my improved vision is a miracle. No reading glasses all over the house, purse and car. And when you want to read where is the glasses.
Also I would lay down to read and and my glasses would get bent or cut into the bridge of my nose.
Everytime I go to the eye doctor I thank him.
@JDinNM, Also very frugal because insurance paid for the cataract surgery and implanted lenses and I no longer have to buy contact lenses. So even Tightwads would approve!
If Wednesday is "Random Stuff" day, then I want to thank you for your hint about cutting grapes into single-serving bunches before putting them in the fridge. I think of you every time I grab a few grapes!
@Jean, I do this too!
Former teacher, administrator and current state level education consultant here: please check your state and local high school graduation requirements. Most do require a personal finance or economics course as part of their graduation requirements. Home is now called family consumer science and is often offered as an elective, so if you want your students to take it, you need to be involved in that registration process. if your local school doesn’t offer those courses, get involved as an interested parent and encourage them to provide those courses for your students. I work with a lot of schools that struggle to keep offering those courses because not enough students are choosing to take them.
@J, yes!
@J, that’s what I was thinking- not enough interest. I think
The parent should be doing the teaching too- even my clients in group homes have the opportunity to cook. Both my son-in-law’s are great cooks- they learned by trial and error. I learned from cookbooks- junior high home ec was making boxed pudding and cupcakes from a box and we made aprons in sewing. I took sewing at a shop after I married so I could use a sewing machine.
@J, parents are not part of high school class schedules--only teen. Parents need to be communicating with teen to give teen direction. Our high school schedules teens (starting as freshman) in only mandatory graduation classes first (excapt band) until junior year where teen can start taking elective classes. Finance class is a graduation requirement, but is only offered senior year & is only one semester. Not sure what they learn (teen has class in fall) but I do know that they do not spend much time in any category--kind of an overview of everything.
@J,
When I was in school, I was on a rigorous academic track. I did not have electives, but I had great parents. 30 years later, my children were also in similar programs. One day I realized my son who was taking Advanced Calculus did not know how interest was calculated.
@Regina, My son graduated magna cum laude from one of the best schools in the country with a double major in finance and economics and he still barely understands personal finance. Sigh.
I have been reading Frugal Girl for years and really look forward to your posts Kirsten! This is my first tiome commenting though. I have been a fan of Amy Dacyzyn for years. The comment by Debra was so interesting. Where can the Stolen Soapbox Speech be accessed? I tried goggling it but couldn't find it. Thanks for the information!
Bonnie
@Bonnie, I looked for the speech too without success.
https://www.pillowfort.social/VDOVault/tagged/gifts
Thank you, Rose!
The amount of hurdles to work for $20/hour as a student nurse or nurse intern (what is your new job??) is astonishing. Your willingness to put in that much time and effort and expense and aggravation speaks to your enormous desire to become an RN! Clearly, it isn't about the money—you truly do have a calling to work in the medical field.
It's a Student Nurse PCT job (PCT stands for Patient Care Technician). So, I am basically a nurse's helper, doing lower-level tasks than a registered nurse can do.
It will still be good experience for me; I have heard multiple times that new grads who have worked as techs have an easier time transitioning into the nursing world!
@Kristen, I'm not sure but I think that is what they used to call a Nurses' Aid, or a CNA.
Yes, the license I have with my state is called a CNA license. But my official job title is Student Nurse Patient Care Technician. lol
But colloquially, I'm just called a tech at the hospital!
@Kristen, And you'll know how to treat the PCTs you work with when you're an RN! Because you '"been there, done that"! Empathy is a wonderful thing.
Kristen, I join with everyone else in wishing you success at the new job. You've certainly worked hard to get it.
And I wish to announce that as of 12:07 pm EDT, I'm officially registered for this year's JASNA Annual General Meeting in Cleveland in October. It's been 8 long, long years since my last AGM (in DC in 2016), and AGM spots sell out very quickly, so I feel lucky to have gotten in so fast. (And, yes, I will be visiting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame--with a discounted ticket available at registration, so it's frugal!)
@A. Marie, Jane Austen AND the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? I'm having an attack of cognitive dissonance....
@JDinNM, well, I don't think Jane Austen would have minded. She wasn't nearly the unsophisticated country mouse a lot of folks think she was.
And one of the members of our local region has been considering coordinating a costume with one of this year's Rock Hall inductees. (For those who don't know, a JASNA AGM has been described as a combination of a literary conference and a cosplay convention.) Since there's a scene in Emma involving gypsies, I suggested Cher and "Gypsies, Tramps, and Thieves." If she gets into the AGM, I'll be interested to see (a) if she takes the suggestion and (b) what she comes up with if she does.
@A. Marie, How fun! Now you get a few months of enjoying the anticipation of the event, too. Bonus!
@A. Marie,
I've been to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame twice (RRHoF to us Ohioans, ha ha), and it is AMAZING. Cleveland is such a great city, too! You might know it was once called "the Mistake on the Lake", but this is in no way true now!
I've learned that making for 2 (smaller sizes) is sometimes more work than making for group of people.
I started making homemade apple crisp (with homemade granola on top) in smaller square foil containers to put in freezer. Same with homemade cinnamon rolls in smaller round foil container to put in freezer. I usually do the large group batch but then have to portion off into smaller sized containers for freezer. Plus this is a good time for teens to help & learn how to do.
I try to do it like canning food in season. A few years ago this really save me time & money because I had some apple crisp in freezer & only needed to make few more for neighbors holiday gift from us. I usually do fresh (whatever) but decided to go with frozen to be used at later time because some people get so many fresh treats at holidays they don't all get eaten.
Oh I love that your reader had all the Amy Dacyczyn memories to share!
Also . . . I don't remember asking about you continuing to make bread. 😉
Haha well, as has been your experience all thru life probably: there’s more than one Katy here!
@Kristen, Probably a lot more now with all the Caitlins, Katelynns, etc, born in the 90s.
@Rose,
Lol, where I work, we hired three Katies all within a 3 month period, so they became Katie C, Katie P (KP), and Katie B. Also a Caroline, and we already had a Karolin.
I got the complete set of Tightwad Gazette free from Hubby's work. They have a free shelf that people put stuff on. He saw it and grabbed it. I had borrowed it from the library many times. He wrapped it in newspaper. Still one of my favorite gifts.
@Marybeth from NY, What a find! Good job to your husband for grabbing it for you.
When I make bread, I make 6 loaves at a time because we are in the "go through at least 2 loaves a week" stage with our 3 young children. It takes all day to do it (old family recipe without measurements), so I do freeze some. Lately it does seem like I'm baking it quite often, though.
what a blessing to hear from someone connected to amy. i remember lopokiing forward to the newsletter as much as i look forward to our blog. i gave my tightwad book copy to our nanny. but i look forward to you latest info from a classic.
I got my copy of TWG two days ago and haven't opened it yet. It was just under ten bucks on eBay. Looking forward to reading it for the first time.
I used to cook a lot more than I do. At this point in life, I look for quick but tasty recipes because my tastes range from a bit of the gourmet to comfort food. Plus, I have to be conscientious of eating to not flare up esophageal reflux which has gone so far as to injure my hearing.
My sister put together our family's recipes, that mostly our Dad made. It is called Hopsing's Cookbook, because he could do a good imitation of Hopsing's walk (from Bonanza) and had the spirited attitude that Hopsing had. Dad was a farmer and wore overalls and a white t-shirt most of the time, 5'8" with no hair on the top of his head and wore slippers with the the heels smashed down, shuffling on the tile floor. He was somewhat overweight, but worked hard. He was popular in the country neighborhood for his blackberry cobbler and cookies. He could also make a mean carrot cake and some casseroles were his specialty. One time when I was there to mess with my horse, he served a BIG pan of "shoepeg corn casserole." I took a big serving even though I'd never eaten it before and was smitten with the first bite. I took a second serving and commented "I'll help you eat this big casserole." He looked at me and said "Your Mom and I don't have any trouble eating THIS casserole." I asked Mom for the recipe and it is the last recipe she wrote out for me. It's always nice to see her beautiful cursive hand writing when I pull it out.
Re. the Tightwad Gazette, ThriftBooks has used copies of the single editions and the compilation of the three… real easy to sign up weary payment and reliable shipping. If out of stock you can request to be notified when available.
The Tightwad Gazette made a huge difference in my life. I made it into all three volumes of the book with ideas I sent in.
So grateful to learn, and know we were no alone in the desire to live within our means.
Still an Amy D fan girl.