Crabby Housewife

Saving Money with Tiny Packets of Parmesan Cheese

February 6, 2018 December 7, 2015 By Crabby Housewife Leave a Comment

On Friday nights, we often have pizza for dinner. Sometimes I make it from scratch, sometimes it is frozen and sometimes we go ahead and order Pizza Hut. Tonight was a Pizza Hut night as oldest was home from school and we wanted to treat ourselves and her a bit. The guy at the counter asked if we wanted any Parmesan cheese packets and my husband said sure. This young man loaded us down with enough packets to last a month. Or, maybe we just don’t use as much as other people. Whatever the case I wasn’t about to waste all that cheese. Continue reading Saving Money with Tiny Packets of Parmesan Cheese

The Park with a Cinderella Carriage

March 25, 2016 December 1, 2015 By Crabby Housewife Leave a Comment

My childhood growing up on the east side of Indianapolis consisted of long summer days playing outside, driving past Big Al Green’s, and trips to Ellenberger Park to play in the carriage. There are times when I look back on those days and my heart aches for what children are missing out on today. We ran with the other kids until the street lights came on and we spent barely a minute indoors. We got multiple bee stings, ate gluten and didn’t worry about it, and didn’t worry so much about simply everything.

Anyone who grew up on the east side of Indianapolis knows the exact carriage I’m talking about when I mention I played there. It was a giant orange pumpkin you could crawl inside of on a playground called Ellenberger.

The carriage had giant yellow wheels. Inside the carriage was a bench you could sit on, or you could pretend to drive the carriage if you wanted to climb onto the bench on front.

Ellenberger Park was a hub of activity back then, in an area that was surrounded by nice homes and nicer people. In the winter, the kids took to the hill with their sleds or visited the indoor ice skating rink, pretending to be Dorothy Hamill. Some girls even had her signature haircut.

Surrounding the carriage was a patch of dirt, likely worn down by the hundreds of children who dashed to that carriage, pretending to be Cinderella or pretending to drive the carriage.

In front of the carriage were three little spring type things you rode on. These were at most parks in the 70s and were shaped like animals. The best way I can think to describe them is as a rocking horse on a giant spring. They had handles and you rocked back and forth until you felt as though you’d tilt right off the thing.

Childhood seemed so simple back then. The world was a different place. We need more carriages and playground equipment on giant springs. Or maybe we just need to once again discover that innocence that made the world simply a better place for children to live.

Christmas Shopping Rebates

February 6, 2018 November 24, 2015 By Crabby Housewife Leave a Comment

Throughout my married life, I’ve done a lot of little things to save money. After all, if you save a dollar here and there, that can results in hundreds of dollars of savings every year. In fact, one year, my dad, who is also a frugal shopper/coupon clipper, tracked his savings and found he’d saved thousands of dollars by using coupons and getting rebates. Continue reading Christmas Shopping Rebates

When You Try to Help a Homeless Man and Get Called a Harlot

March 25, 2016 November 20, 2015 By Crabby Housewife 2 Comments

All week, I’ve been battling back pain as I mentioned in my last post. That’s given me a lot of time to sit and think and I was remembering about this time two or three years ago when I tried to help a homeless man and he called me a harlot.

I had been in PetSmart shopping. I had taken out $20 for spending money for the week, which is typically more than enough for me to get a couple of diet colas and things here and there (okay, the kids always got most of it). I had just gotten back into my car when I noticed a man in ragged clothes, unkempt, and obviously homeless.

My heart ached for him as I watched him go from trash can to trash can searching for food. He found a little drink left in one and sipped on it. A few fries in the bottom of a fast food bag followed. I immediately knew I need to give him that money so he could get a warm meal. It was one of those moments when God speaks to you and tells you to do something and even though you consider just giving the man $10, you know you need to go ahead and be obedient.

I have to admit that I was feeling pretty good about myself. I mean there are few things that will make you feel quit as warm and fuzzy as sacrificing your diet cola money for someone, especially when you feel God is leading you to do so. Jewel in the crown? Give me one, please. Yes, I was feeling pretty self-righteous and God usually puts me in my place when I feel that way and boy was he about to this time.

I approached the homeless man with the money outstretched and said, “Sir?”

He looked up and his eyes locked with mine. I anticipated his reaction. He’d smile a crooked smile and be grateful for my help. I smiled, waiting for the relief on his face. He slowly lifted his arm, a bony finger pointing at me and screamed the words.

“Get away from me, you harlot. HARLOT! HARLOT!”

So much for my moment of philanthropy. At this point people were staring at me and I hate nothing more than being in the spotlight like that. I had no idea what they were thinking. Did they think maybe I’d propositioned him? I was mortified, honestly. I fled to my car and locked the door as he continued to scream that I was a harlot. I also didn’t know if he’d get violent, because he seemed capable of it.

After a minute or so, he moved on down the row of trash cans. I sat for a moment shaken, before the absurdity of the situation hit me and I started to laugh, and laugh, and laugh. Only in my world would I try to help someone and have it turn out like that. I had also never been called a harlot before, so that amused me as I’m about the farthest thing from that in my conservative little world. I had felt pretty good about my “sacrifice”, which honestly wasn’t much of one at all, and God had shown me what happens when you are seeking glory like that.

Still, the plight of the man stayed with me. In addition to the difficulties he would face with the impending winter and being homeless, he obviously had some mental issues he was dealing with. My heart still ached for him. I am at that shopping strip once a week and I started to notice that he would come through every day at a certain time, searching the trash cans for morsels of food. Needless to say, I didn’t try to approach him, but his plight stayed with me and I started to think about how he could be helped in some small way.

How simple it was to purchase a warm meal and deposit it into one of those trash cans about 30 minutes before his routine. The lesson behind all of this, dear friends, isn’t that we need to help others so we can feel better or have their appreciation, but simply because we need to help. He will never know that the “harlot” left that food for him, and he may have refused it had he known, yet I am certain it sated his hunger on that day.

I’ve not seen him around for a while and I still sometimes wonder if he ever got the help he really needed. Look around your world this holiday season. Is there a neighbor whose sidewalks need shoveled? Go shovel them and don’t mention that you did it for her. Is there a homeless shelter that is short on help? Go help. Sometimes the things that are done that are not seen or recognized are the ones that actually make us feel the best and that are the most helpful to others. Remember who should truly get the glory for things and you’ll be able to figure out how to help.

10 Tips for College Students Who Hate Cafeteria Food

March 25, 2016 November 10, 2015 By Caitlin Soard Leave a Comment

Some college campuses have amazing food service, from huge cafeterias offering any kind of fare students could wish for to fast food services located directly in dorm buildings. However, especially at smaller colleges, you may be limited to just one or two cafeteria options. This can get old very quickly, especially over the course of four years. Here are 10 tips to make the most of your college dining experience, both on and off campus.

1. Don’t underestimate the power of your microwave.

It’s easy to dismiss a microwave as just a way to make popcorn or tea. However, this little appliance can help recreate just about any dish college-style. A quick Google search will pull up hundreds of “mug recipes,” which are recipes that you can typically make with only a few ingredients and a coffee mug. Ramen noodles can also be made with a fancy twist by steaming fresh veggies in the microwave and adding them post boil.

2. Use mobile apps.

If you find yourself ordering pizza often, check to see if your favorite chain offers a mobile app. The Papa John’s and Domino’s mobile apps both offer a function that allows you to earn points toward a free pizza with every purchase. Taco Bell’s mobile app often offers app-exclusive coupons, such as $2 off of a $10 order.

3. Get creative with the daily options in your dining hall.

Most campus dining halls offer certain items daily and also have a rotating menu of other offerings. Don’t be afraid to mix and match things from different lines to create your own dishes!

4. Ask for student discounts

College towns know their main customer base is usually students, and they also know college students are broke. Many places will offer a discount to students—you’ll probably need to make sure you have your ID on you, though.

5. Take advantage of campus kitchens.

Most dorms offer an in-house kitchen with a stove and oven for residents to use. As long as you have the cookware, you can make pretty much anything you’d make at home, as long as your cooking skills are up to par with your mom’s.

6. Cold cereal saves lives.

When all else fails, cereal will always be there for you. Especially if you’re up late and nothing is open, cereal makes a fail-safe meal plan. Just be careful to not let milk spoil in your mini fridge (you can buy soy or almond milk to avoid this!)

7. Go to campus events

The fool-proof way to get college students to come to something is to offer them free food—usually in the form of pizza. Go check out some clubs, often the first meeting will include snacks, and events offering food will always be posted around campus or sent via email.

8. Gift cards

With Christmas coming up, you may have relatives who are a little stuck on what to get you. If someone asks, say gift cards! They come in handy when money is especially tight and you can’t afford that Taco Bell run on your own.

9. Campus coffee shops

Often the on-campus coffee shop will offer small things like salad or sandwiches that you can purchase on the go for cheap or discounted rates.

10 Consider a move off-campus

If you really cannot stand eating the food provided with your meal plan, it may be cheaper to look for a place off campus where you could cook for yourself—if your college allows you to live off campus. The main downside to this is paying rent monthly, though if you get together a few roommates, it’s usually doable.

Frugal Recipes & Tips

Category: Lifestyle