Your Cheapness Threshold

[pbrane]

Hi:

I'd bet that I'm one of the more "frugal" ones on this forum (but then I'm a bit new). Regarding parking meters, I'll make a pretty good attempt to find one with time on it..especially if its in a parking lot. I also save a lot of loot by doing all my own home maintenance and car repairs/oil changes etc. My monthly expenses are quite low (around $700/mo?) but my house is paid for. But then, I'm in a high property tax state. But then again..since I usually keep my taxable income low, I get some of that rebated.

Interestingly (maybe), even though I like to shop around for sales on stuff in the food stores (including meat that's marked down cuz it's about to expire)..I'll spend more for certain organic veggies etc because of the "whole" picture (i.e. I don't have health insurance).

-m

 

[Zipper]

You need to watch the "old meat" Crusty.

Especially the poultry. Google how expired chickens can be bleached and reracked!

A bad case of the scoots can ruin your carpets.

 

[Mr._johngalt]

You need to watch the "old meat" Crusty.

Especially the poultry. Google how expired chickens can be bleached and reracked!

A bad case of the scoots can ruin your carpets.

My wife buys "expired" steaks all the time, but no poultry.
When I was in high school I worked in a butcher shop.
Lots of stories, but I will demur as most of you have not had breakfast
as yet

JG

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I buy expired meat that has a bone in it for my dogs. They like expired beef ribs and lamb shanks a lot. I wouldnt eat it myself. I can get fresh high quality meat for $2-5 a lb. Not something I need to save a dollar on...

 

[pbrane]

Your dog may eat better than I do (ha). As for the expired meat, I've been doing it for years and have never had any problems. And I also use it up quickly -so I never have to waste anything. If you get it into a marinade w/ plenty of salt, it'll last quite awhile. And if its a cheep, tough hunk of horsemeat (ha) or whatever, I'll sprinkle some bromelaid powder into the marinade (the enzyme from pineapple) ...and overnight it's tender.
I believe in days gone by that many people actually left meat or poultry out to "age" before eating it. I guess there's enzymes that naturally break it down. Many animals do this too..

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Theres a few facets to 'aging' beef. There is both 'dry' and 'wet' aging.

For starters, its usually whole sides or at least very large segments that are aged. There is usually a fat wrap on the meat, its hung at rather cold, dry temperatures. Usually only the better cuts and better graded pieces are aged...theres a point where you get divergence. You cant compare a slab of poorly graded fresh beef with a piece of highly graded aged beef and say its all in the aging.

When the aging is done, a portion of the fat, replete with mold and other happy single-celled critters is trimmed off before the meat is sectioned.

The result is dryer, firmer, more concentrated flavor. When the aging is done properly.

This is a HUGE difference from a piece of meat thats been cut and packaged and has sat in the grocery store display case for a week. Exposed to air and handling, that old piece of beef is teeming with those aforementioned happy single celled critters. Except instead of hanging around on a piece of fat that gets trimmed away, they're on the surface of your steak.

They do not at all improve the flavor, in fact they can make the meat taste sour, gamey or rancid. Even well cooked the results are simply not going to be as pleasant as a freshly cut piece of the same beef.

Just as an advisory...when you buy the store cooked ribs, chicken, and all the stuff in the meat counter that is pre-marinated and pre-sauced? Guess what expired the day before...

Alton Brown did an interesting segment on the tv show "good eats". He showed how you can put a whole rib eye roast inside of a home-made 'ager' consisting of a 'ventilated' large piece of tupperware that you flip upside down, put the meat inside, and keep in your refrigerator for something in the range of 3-5 days. This dries the beef further and concentrates the flavor. So he says...a lot of his stuff looks like a lot of work for a little result. But its fun to watch...

 

[Mr._johngalt]

I worked for a couple of years in the "meat dept" of a large
grocery store chain, when I was in high school. We NEVER
threw out anything, no matter how long it remained unsold.
You can draw your own conclusions.

JG

 

[VoyT]

Speaking of found money my mom walks early every morning. As she is walking she picks up money, check the phones for change, and collects pop cans to return for a nickle.

   Read a story about a guy (who was retired -- go figure) who made a hobby out of searching for change. He had a route: Fast food drive-thrus, the vacuums at the car wash, etc.  Reporter went along one day and gave him a challenge -- see if he could find $10 in 2 hours.  He found something like $12.

 

[Cut-Throat]

   Read a story about a guy (who was retired -- go figure) who made a hobby out of searching for change. He had a route: Fast food drive-thrus, the vacuums at the car wash, etc.  Reporter went along one day and gave him a challenge -- see if he could find $10 in 2 hours.  He found something like $12.

If I had to make a choice between going out to scrounge for money for 2 hours or paying $12 to not have to go out scrounging for money.

I would give $12 to not have to go around scrounging for change for 2 hours.  But, to each his own

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Let me give you an address to send that $12 to.

Anyone else want to not have to go looking for change? I'll happily not make you do it.

 

[Nords]

I would give $12 to not have to go around scrounging for change for 2 hours.  But, to each his own

We do it when we're walking the neighborhood & admiring the sunset. Lately we've started carrying a plastic bag to haul home the loot. Makes the place cleaner, too.

But I don't know about working a regular route!

 

[laurence]

ESRBob said
Costco must buy TP by the ship load.

By the what load? reminds me of an elementary school joke, hold your tongue between your thumb and forfinger and say, "My dad works in the shipyard and cleans up all the ashes!"

I salute those who are willing to scrounge for change, but I thought that's what I was trying to avoid by saving for retirement!

 

[VoyT]

I salute those who are willing to scrounge for change, but I thought that's what I was trying to avoid by saving for retirement!   

    Yeah, Laurence, but there's always that Plan B .. or C... or D

Actually, as I remember the story, the guy's family thinks he's nuts; but as long as he's not getting arrested, WTH (says me, who was picking up coins at the airport food court last weekend..)