Monday, September 10, 2007

25 new messages in 7 topics - digest

misc.consumers.frugal-living
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living?hl=en

misc.consumers.frugal-living@googlegroups.com

Today's topics:

* Do you like paying for air? (food packages) - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/af114586924248d4?hl=en
* Drive your car to death, save $31,000 - 12 messages, 8 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/23a659a15b17cab8?hl=en
* Tomato paste - 7 messages, 7 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/bf6768d86eb5418f?hl=en
* When news media whine about 'labor shortages' it simply means employers don'
t want to pay existing workers as much - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/c75d3f8f8d3003a2?hl=en
* "vintage" Revereware - 2 messages, 2 authors
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/7ca72a41c401c219?hl=en
* Read each email for $10, $75 and $300....real money - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/ac9a4cf182f71d8b?hl=en
* Make money from your easy chair! - 1 messages, 1 author
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/dfae9bc4afb4350e?hl=en

==============================================================================
TOPIC: Do you like paying for air? (food packages)
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/af114586924248d4?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 9:28 am
From: Too_Many_Tools


On Sep 10, 6:01 am, TwoAllBeefPatties <kwo...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Sep 9, 8:36 pm, Anthony Matonak
>
> <anthony...@nothing.like.socal.rr.com> wrote:
> > OhioGuy wrote:
>
> ".........the answers are usually money or sex......"
>
> Or religion.

Or for Republicans it involves all three...at the same time...in a
bathroom stall at the airport.

TMT


==============================================================================
TOPIC: Drive your car to death, save $31,000
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/23a659a15b17cab8?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 9:38 am
From: Too_Many_Tools


On Sep 9, 5:59 pm, SQ <onestatus...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> I once had 4 beaters in various stages of deterioration.
>
> A full size GM vehicle, 13 years old, had 180K miles, an engine with
> 100K miles and a few major dents caused by deer which made
> it look questionable but did not inhibit the driving
> abilities.
>
> Second one was a compact Subaru, had 200K+ miles on body,
> 100K on engine and 50K on tranny, 12 years old.
>
> Third was a compact Ford product, 120K on it and was 17 years old.
>
> Fourth was full size Ford truck with 100K on body and 60K on engine
> but
> was 20 years old.
>
> Well - I couldn't keep more than 2 on the road at any one time
> on the average due to various issues. Fuel pumps, EFI problems,
> exhaust, wheel bearings, tune up, alternator, starter,
> power windows... power steering gear box, timing belts,
> neutral safety switch and much more.
>
> Once I had mice or some critters chew through the fuel pump
> wiring and the vehicle would work randomly. Took me a while
> to troubleshoot this one.
>
> It took me weeks to fix something - by shopping around for
> the absolute cheapest part, usually used, online, or often
> at junk yards. Then finding the time and the place to fix it.
> Sure I could have taken them to an auto repair and paid
> $400 (as least) for work like fuel pump replacement, but it's so
> satisfactory doing it yourself for a fraction of the cost.
>
> I even tried trading all 4 beaters for a normal car
> without success.

One's time is not free...never has been...never will be.

Many times it is more economical to get a minimum wage job and pay
someone else to do the car repair.

TMT

== 2 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 10:15 am
From: Vic Smith


On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 09:38:55 -0700, Too_Many_Tools
<too_many_tools@yahoo.com> wrote:


>
>One's time is not free...never has been...never will be.
>
>Many times it is more economical to get a minimum wage job and pay
>someone else to do the car repair.
>
If you value time, it might be better spent learning to do the repair
than working 40 hours at min wage to pay a mechanic for a couple
hours work.
Better yet, learn to select cars that require few repairs.
Another suggestion for those who aren't confident about diagnostics
is to pay a pro for diagnostics, then do the repair yourself.
Sometimes an amateur takes more time to diagnose the actual problem
than doing the repair itself, and often throws unneeded parts at the
problem, causing more expense than necessary.

--Vic

== 3 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 11:40 am
From: "Rod Speed"


Too_Many_Tools <too_many_tools@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Sep 9, 5:59 pm, SQ <onestatus...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> I once had 4 beaters in various stages of deterioration.
>>
>> A full size GM vehicle, 13 years old, had 180K miles, an engine with
>> 100K miles and a few major dents caused by deer which made
>> it look questionable but did not inhibit the driving
>> abilities.
>>
>> Second one was a compact Subaru, had 200K+ miles on body,
>> 100K on engine and 50K on tranny, 12 years old.
>>
>> Third was a compact Ford product, 120K on it and was 17 years old.
>>
>> Fourth was full size Ford truck with 100K on body and 60K on engine
>> but
>> was 20 years old.
>>
>> Well - I couldn't keep more than 2 on the road at any one time
>> on the average due to various issues. Fuel pumps, EFI problems,
>> exhaust, wheel bearings, tune up, alternator, starter,
>> power windows... power steering gear box, timing belts,
>> neutral safety switch and much more.
>>
>> Once I had mice or some critters chew through the fuel pump
>> wiring and the vehicle would work randomly. Took me a while
>> to troubleshoot this one.
>>
>> It took me weeks to fix something - by shopping around for
>> the absolute cheapest part, usually used, online, or often
>> at junk yards. Then finding the time and the place to fix it.
>> Sure I could have taken them to an auto repair and paid
>> $400 (as least) for work like fuel pump replacement, but it's so
>> satisfactory doing it yourself for a fraction of the cost.

>> I even tried trading all 4 beaters for a normal car without success.

> One's time is not free...never has been...never will be.

Wrong. Plenty of time your time is free, when you would
otherwise veg out in front of the TV instead etc.

> Many times it is more economical to get a minimum
> wage job and pay someone else to do the car repair.

Or do the work on your car outside work time. Not a shred of rocket science required whatever.


== 4 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 11:37 am
From: "Rod Speed"


bungalow_steve@yahoo.com wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote
>> SQ <onestatus...@yahoo.com> wrote

>>> IMO and my experience, making a vehicle last for decades takes either
>>> a very large bank account or an outstanding shade tree mechanic skill set.

>> You need to choose the cars you buy more carefully.

>> My last one lasted 30+ years with only a couple of very minor
>> maintenance costs, one for the alternator regulator and the
>> other for a fuel hose. Total cost of less than $100.

> Something doesn't sound right,

Fraid so.

> how many miles a year do you put on the car?

Dunno, the odo broke at about year 15 and I didnt bother to replace it.

> No front end work in 30 years?

None.

> No belts?

Changed the fan belt a few times, but thats a consumable like tires and batterys etc.

> No coolant/oil/brake fluid changes/refills/top offs? No plugs?

Corse there were, but again, those are consumables, not repairs.

> No rotors?

Yeah, forgot that one, add another $5.

> No muffllers? No shocks?

Nope.

> I know guys who lease cars who don't do anything
> (and I mean anything) for 3 years but not 30 years.

You need to get out more and separate consumables from repairs too.


== 5 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 11:48 am
From: Seerialmom


On Sep 8, 8:17 pm, Gordon <go...@alltomyself.com> wrote:
> SQ <onestatus...@yahoo.com> wrote innews:1189225873.713971.231390@d55g2000hsg.googlegroups.com:
>
>
>
> > Comments?
> > It seems to me that driving a car to 225,000 miles or buying a new one
> > every
> > year are two extremes? Maybe there is an optimum mileage/age for
> > upgrade?
>
> > If you are DIY type, I can see how taking a car to 200K miles and
> > beyond
> > is not an issue...
>
> It can be done. I took a '89 Mazda 626 to 195,000 before my
> wife burned out the clutch. It could have gone much further.
> I think I saved even more money because I bought it 3 years old.
>
> And that's one idea for saving money on cars. A new car looses
> 30-50% of it's value in the first 3 years. After that it looses
> less than 10% of it's value per year. So by buying a three year
> old car you are letting someone else take the sucker punch of the
> highest loss of value.
>
> Now, there are those who say you should buy a three year old car
> and replace it every year. BUt how much wear and tear can you put
> on a car in one year?
>
> So I guess the best idea is to buy a 3 to 5 year old car. Take care
> of it to the best of your abilities. When it starts becoming unrelyable,
> replace it.

I've had no major problems buying older cars for about $1000 to $1200,
mostly just changing oil/tires and driving until I get bored with it 4
years later...and then sell for about the same price. My next to last
car was bought with 36K miles on it, 3 years old....and I drove it
until it had 150K (10 years later) at which point I traded for my
first brand new car. Personally I wish I still had that last car, I
suspect it would have lasted another 100K.

The writer of the article apparently doesn't understand the consumer
mentality though, my own daughter was bought a 92 Camry for
$500....ran just fine...but her BF insisted they had to have a NEW
Dodge Charger...with it's $500 a month payments (not counting
insurance).

== 6 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 11:48 am
From: "Rod Speed"


SQ <onestatusquo@yahoo.com> wrote
> George <geo...@nospam.invalid> wrote

>> Plus obviously the time to do this. If you depend on the car you
>> can't take two days off from work to repair something yourself and
>> if you do any traveling what do you do when something fails two
>> hundred miles from home.-

> Well, you can if you have a backup vehicle.

Those arent the only two alternatives.

> But then that's twice the maintainance,

Nope, the spare wont see that much use.

> insurance, etc.

Not necessarily either.

> With old beaters, you should have two of them,
> when one is down, drive the other and vice-versa.

Thats just one way.

> There is no way I could have done all the DIY work if I had just one vehicle.

Corse you can. I have occasionally had to partially disassemble something,
put it together to go and get what is necessary, then complete the job etc, and
other times its been trivial to walk to where the part is available or ride a bike.

> As I said, I had several either old or high mileage cars
> and it was a constant exercise in auto repair skills. There
> was always something broken down and needing wrenching.

Then you picked the wrong cars to keep that long.

> Some projects I just couldn't figure out, like electrical issues with an airbag.

Never had any of those myself.

> But it might be wiser to get a newer normal vehicle with lower miles and
> a lower chance of breaking down and having an unplanned downtime.

Or just pick a car that is properly designed and isnt a steaming turd on wheels.

> Then plan the repairs, i.e. start changing the timing belt on Friday
> night so it's ready by Saturday (hopefully). And in general, fix things
> before they break and leave you stranded.

Yep, thats generally what I do. If say a wheel bearing
fails, replace them both at the same time etc.

And replace the stuff like radiator hoses before they blow etc.

> I am beginning to wonder if I should replace things like the starter and
> battery and more preemptively before they go bad on me and leave
> me stranded so I have to have it towed to a shop for $399 special.

Yes with the battery but not with the starter.

Tho it doesnt necessarily cost any more to replace a battery when its
on its last legs, you do get some warning that it needs replacement.


== 7 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 1:11 pm
From: Dennis


On Sun, 09 Sep 2007 14:36:03 -0400, Rick <rickajho@rcn.com> wrote:

>Specifically, what about the Toyota Corolla? Are the tales about
>longevity with low repair problems a myth or is it true?

Mine just turned over 100K -- nothing but normal maintenance (oil
changes, tune ups, tires, batteries and the like) so far. Still going
on the original clutch and brakes. I'll let you know in six or seven
years how it's doing at 200K. :-)

Dennis (evil)
--
The honest man is the one who realizes that he cannot
consume more, in his lifetime, than he produces.

== 8 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 1:14 pm
From: James


On Sep 10, 2:48 pm, "Rod Speed" <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote:
> SQ <onestatus...@yahoo.com> wrote
>
> > George <geo...@nospam.invalid> wrote
> >> Plus obviously the time to do this. If you depend on the car you
> >> can't take two days off from work to repair something yourself and
> >> if you do any traveling what do you do when something fails two
> >> hundred miles from home.-
> > Well, you can if you have a backup vehicle.
>
> Those arent the only two alternatives.
>
> > But then that's twice the maintainance,
>
> Nope, the spare wont see that much use.
>
> > insurance, etc.
>
> Not necessarily either.
>
> > With old beaters, you should have two of them,
> > when one is down, drive the other and vice-versa.
>
> Thats just one way.
>
> > There is no way I could have done all the DIY work if I had just one vehicle.
>
> Corse you can. I have occasionally had to partially disassemble something,
> put it together to go and get what is necessary, then complete the job etc, and
> other times its been trivial to walk to where the part is available or ride a bike.
>
> > As I said, I had several either old or high mileage cars
> > and it was a constant exercise in auto repair skills. There
> > was always something broken down and needing wrenching.
>
> Then you picked the wrong cars to keep that long.
>
> > Some projects I just couldn't figure out, like electrical issues with an airbag.
>
> Never had any of those myself.
>
> > But it might be wiser to get a newer normal vehicle with lower miles and
> > a lower chance of breaking down and having an unplanned downtime.
>
> Or just pick a car that is properly designed and isnt a steaming turd on wheels.
>
> > Then plan the repairs, i.e. start changing the timing belt on Friday
> > night so it's ready by Saturday (hopefully). And in general, fix things
> > before they break and leave you stranded.
>
> Yep, thats generally what I do. If say a wheel bearing
> fails, replace them both at the same time etc.
>
> And replace the stuff like radiator hoses before they blow etc.
>
> > I am beginning to wonder if I should replace things like the starter and
> > battery and more preemptively before they go bad on me and leave
> > me stranded so I have to have it towed to a shop for $399 special.
>
> Yes with the battery but not with the starter.
>
> Tho it doesnt necessarily cost any more to replace a battery when its
> on its last legs, you do get some warning that it needs replacement.

Its a crap shoot.

You can get a car that will last. One of my staff has a Honda Accord
with close to 900,000 kms (second engine, lots of body work).

On the other hand I had a lemon - a Chrysler Intrepid which I bought
as a 3 year old off lease, and cost me close to 8,000 in repairs over
a 5 year period. Yes I'm an idiot, but when you owe more than the car
is worth its a tough decision. You always think that after you replace
something it should be good for the life of the car. I finally bit the
bullet when the amount required for the next repairs was $1400. And
just to prove a point I was much more careful than my staff memeber
when buying the car - I bought at a reputable place, got an extended
warranty (expired just before the tranny), check the service history
with a fine tooth comb (well maintained).

My current car, on the other hand, did not come with a service
history, but had been bought and gone over by a dealer I trust. I did
run it through Carfax and it was clean. Its now 5 years old, and the
only major issue has been a wheel bearing, othe than consumables like
brakes.

Some models can have more lemons than others, but its still a crap
shoot - even the best manufacturers make some bad ones, and the worst
ones well, they have their fans too.

James


== 9 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 1:32 pm
From: Dennis


On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 12:15:29 -0500, Vic Smith
<thismailautodeleted@comcast.net> wrote:

>If you value time, it might be better spent learning to do the repair
>than working 40 hours at min wage to pay a mechanic for a couple
>hours work.
>Better yet, learn to select cars that require few repairs.
>Another suggestion for those who aren't confident about diagnostics
>is to pay a pro for diagnostics, then do the repair yourself.
>Sometimes an amateur takes more time to diagnose the actual problem
>than doing the repair itself, and often throws unneeded parts at the
>problem, causing more expense than necessary.

Yep, the shotgun approach can get expensive. A while back, my wife's
car (a Mazda) suddenly began running rough and then the dreaded "Check
Engine" light came on. I made a few cursory checks, didn't find
anything obvious, and took it in to a local independent mechanic.
Their diagnostic read "Misfire" from the car's computer and he found a
defective plug wire. Fifty bucks for the diagnosis, another thirty
bucks at the local parts house for a set of plug wires, twenty minutes
of my time to install them and her car runs like a champ again. Wife
is happy. I am happy. All is well.

Dennis (evil)
--
I'm behind the eight ball, ahead of the curve, riding the wave,
dodging the bullet and pushing the envelope. -George Carlin

== 10 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 1:54 pm
From: clams casino


Dennis wrote:

>On Sun, 09 Sep 2007 14:36:03 -0400, Rick <rickajho@rcn.com> wrote:
>
>
>
>>Specifically, what about the Toyota Corolla? Are the tales about
>>longevity with low repair problems a myth or is it true?
>>
>>
>
>Mine just turned over 100K -- nothing but normal maintenance (oil
>changes, tune ups, tires, batteries and the like) so far. Still going
>on the original clutch and brakes. I'll let you know in six or seven
>years how it's doing at 200K. :-)
>
>Dennis (evil)
>
>

I just replaced the original battery this past spring on my 2000 Accord
which is currently at 176k miles. I'll likely need a third set of
tires in December (could likely stretch longer, but I want a good tread
for the winter). I do my own oil changes each 5k, but have the Honda
dealer run their major maintenance at each 35k interval. The water
pump & timing gear were replaced at 105k per the standard maintenance.
Brakes were replaced at about 125k. One headlight was replaced at
about 120k. Alternator was replaced at 135k. Front end was aligned at
90k. The tires have been rotated only at major maintenance intervals &
have not required balancing. I'll likely have the front end aligned
again when the tires are changed. The radio / cassette player had to be
replaced at 150k. The interior / exterior are holding up extremely
well, but I did replace the floor mats at 150k to make it look nice.
The front carpet mats started to look dirty, but I had to buy a full set.

I'm figuring it's at perhaps about half its life.

I recently rented a 2007 Chevrolet Impala. I hope the Accord never
drives as poorly as that Impala did at 10k.

== 11 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 1:59 pm
From: "Rod Speed"


James <jlinn@idirect.com> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed....@gmail.com> wrote
>> SQ <onestatus...@yahoo.com> wrote
>>> George <geo...@nospam.invalid> wrote

>>>> Plus obviously the time to do this. If you depend on the car you
>>>> can't take two days off from work to repair something yourself and
>>>> if you do any traveling what do you do when something fails two
>>>> hundred miles from home.-

>>> Well, you can if you have a backup vehicle.

>> Those arent the only two alternatives.

>>> But then that's twice the maintainance,

>> Nope, the spare wont see that much use.

>>> insurance, etc.

>> Not necessarily either.

>>> With old beaters, you should have two of them,
>>> when one is down, drive the other and vice-versa.

>> Thats just one way.

>>> There is no way I could have done all the DIY work if I had just one vehicle.

>> Corse you can. I have occasionally had to partially disassemble something,
>> put it together to go and get what is necessary, then complete the
>> job etc, and other times its been trivial to walk to where the part
>> is available or ride a bike.

>>> As I said, I had several either old or high mileage cars
>>> and it was a constant exercise in auto repair skills. There
>>> was always something broken down and needing wrenching.

>> Then you picked the wrong cars to keep that long.

>>> Some projects I just couldn't figure out, like electrical issues with an airbag.

>> Never had any of those myself.

>>> But it might be wiser to get a newer normal vehicle with lower miles and
>>> a lower chance of breaking down and having an unplanned downtime.

>> Or just pick a car that is properly designed and isnt a steaming turd on wheels.

>>> Then plan the repairs, i.e. start changing the timing belt on Friday
>>> night so it's ready by Saturday (hopefully). And in general, fix
>>> things before they break and leave you stranded.

>> Yep, thats generally what I do. If say a wheel bearing
>> fails, replace them both at the same time etc.

>> And replace the stuff like radiator hoses before they blow etc.

>>> I am beginning to wonder if I should replace things like the starter and
>>> battery and more preemptively before they go bad on me and leave
>>> me stranded so I have to have it towed to a shop for $399 special.

>> Yes with the battery but not with the starter.

>> Tho it doesnt necessarily cost any more to replace a battery when its
>> on its last legs, you do get some warning that it needs replacement.

> Its a crap shoot.

Nope, there are indeed some notorious steaming turds on wheels
that should be avoided if you want to keep a car that long.

I didnt initially intend to keep it for 30+ years expected only say 20
or so and it turned out to need so little repairs wise that it made sense
to keep it for that long. And it only stopped being viable at that time
because I had been stupid enough to not attend to the known windscreen
leak until I eventually got floor corrosion. It wouldnt have cost much to
replace the rubber seal to eliminate that problem completely.

> You can get a car that will last. One of my staff has a Honda Accord
> with close to 900,000 kms (second engine, lots of body work).

> On the other hand I had a lemon - a Chrysler Intrepid which
> I bought as a 3 year old off lease, and cost me close to 8,000
> in repairs over a 5 year period. Yes I'm an idiot, but when you
> owe more than the car is worth its a tough decision.

And that problem could have been avoided with
more careful choice of the car in the first place.

> You always think that after you replace something
> it should be good for the life of the car.

Not when its got an obvious design deficiency.

> I finally bit the bullet when the amount required for the next repairs
> was $1400. And just to prove a point I was much more careful than
> my staff memeber when buying the car - I bought at a reputable place,
> got an extended warranty (expired just before the tranny), check the
> service history with a fine tooth comb (well maintained).

But didnt choose the brand and model carefully.

And extended warrantys are almost never good value.

> My current car, on the other hand, did not come with a service history,

Thats one reason to buy new, and doesnt affect the total
cost that much with the longer retention times like 30+ years.

> but had been bought and gone over by a dealer I trust. I did run it
> through Carfax and it was clean. Its now 5 years old, and the only major
> issue has been a wheel bearing, othe than consumables like brakes.

Yeah, thats all I had with the car before the 30+ year one.

I only swapped it for the 30+ year one because it was a VW Beetle
which only had opening front side windows and I had a huge Alsatian
dog that was obsessed with having its head out the window all the
time and would slobber down the back of my neck in summer.

> Some models can have more lemons than others,

Yep.

> but its still a crap shoot

Nope.

> - even the best manufacturers make some bad ones,

That get covered by the warranty.

> and the worst ones well, they have their fans too.

Sure, but those arent deliberately buying that car for its low maintenance costs over 30+ years.


== 12 of 12 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 2:13 pm
From: me@privacy.net


Dennis <dgw80@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Yep, the shotgun approach can get expensive. A while back, my wife's
>car (a Mazda) suddenly began running rough and then the dreaded "Check
>Engine" light came on

what model and year Mazda was it?

just curious


==============================================================================
TOPIC: Tomato paste
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/bf6768d86eb5418f?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 7 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 9:45 am
From: Ken Knecht


Beeblebrox <beeblebrox.ag.NOSPAM@gmail.com> wrote in news:m8_Ei.81222
$lZ7.68931@newsfe20.lga:

> jes wrote:
>> It was recommended to add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to
>> homemade soup. The cooked tomatoes bring a lot to the party. The
>> little 4 oz cans are nearly $1.00 each.
>>
>> So at Costco I got a gallon for $2.00. Then I put a piece of plastic
>> wrap on a cookie sheet, and scooped out dollops of the paste -- about
>> hamburger size patties. And froze.
>>
>> One frozen they were peeled off. I put them in a plastic bags, but
>> kept them separated just to make sure none of them stuck. Then stored
>> in the freezer.
>>
>> I had to keep repeating the batches, but it's very convenient and
>> cheap!
>>
>> Joan
>>
>
> i'm thinking ice trays might be easier to do large batches next time. I
> know the food shows suggest them for lots of things. Freeze in the
> trays, they pop into a ziplock. No idea if it leaves a taste in the ice
> tray.

I do this for spaghetti sauce, sour cream & other stuff. Works well for
me. I noticed no extra tastes.


--
Every silver lining has a cloud.

== 2 of 7 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 10:33 am
From: Anthony Matonak


Michael Black wrote:
...
> Just last week, I saw a discount box at one local grocery store (I'd never
> seen them do that before) and there were about three large cans of jalapeno
> peppers.
...

Most supermarkets have a discount box, bin, shelf or the like. They
usually hide it in the back or in a corner somewhere. It's where you
find items that are about to expire and seasonal items just after the
season.

Anthony

== 3 of 7 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 11:02 am
From: "Jebediah Kornworthy"

"jes" <jesmith100@msn.com> wrote in message
news:1189374855.943770.265440@22g2000hsm.googlegroups.com...
> It was recommended to add a couple of tablespoons of tomato paste to
> homemade soup. The cooked tomatoes bring a lot to the party. The
> little 4 oz cans are nearly $1.00 each.
>
> So at Costco I got a gallon for $2.00. Then I put a piece of plastic
> wrap on a cookie sheet, and scooped out dollops of the paste -- about
> hamburger size patties. And froze.
>
> One frozen they were peeled off. I put them in a plastic bags, but
> kept them separated just to make sure none of them stuck. Then stored
> in the freezer.
>
> I had to keep repeating the batches, but it's very convenient and
> cheap!
>
> Joan
>
______________________________________________________________

That's a great idea, especially if you use a lot of tomato paste. Another
good idea is to take chicken stock and place them in ice-cube tray's.
Sometimes I don't need a full can of even the small can of chicken stock but
freezing them is great when you only need small amount for stews, chili or
whatever.

Jeb

== 4 of 7 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 11:27 am
From: Goomba38


Jebediah Kornworthy wrote:

>> So at Costco I got a gallon for $2.00. Then I put a piece of plastic
>> wrap on a cookie sheet, and scooped out dollops of the paste -- about
>> hamburger size patties. And froze.
>>
>> One frozen they were peeled off. I put them in a plastic bags, but
>> kept them separated just to make sure none of them stuck. Then stored
>> in the freezer.
>>
>> I had to keep repeating the batches, but it's very convenient and
>> cheap!
>>
>> Joan
>>

> That's a great idea, especially if you use a lot of tomato paste. Another
> good idea is to take chicken stock and place them in ice-cube tray's.
> Sometimes I don't need a full can of even the small can of chicken stock but
> freezing them is great when you only need small amount for stews, chili or
> whatever.

It was only a great idea up to the point where she wrapped them in
individual plastic bags which defeats any cost savings? They can be
plopped into one decent freezer bag after the blobs are frozen on a
cookie sheet. They won't stick together, or if they do how hard is it to
pry 'em apart??? I also question how smart it is to buy a gallon of
paste if one doesn't use it but in tablespoon at a time quantities?

== 5 of 7 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 11:50 am
From: et472@FreeNet.Carleton.CA (Michael Black)


Anthony Matonak (anthonym40@nothing.like.socal.rr.com) writes:
> Michael Black wrote:
> ...
>> Just last week, I saw a discount box at one local grocery store (I'd never
>> seen them do that before) and there were about three large cans of jalapeno
>> peppers.
> ...
>
> Most supermarkets have a discount box, bin, shelf or the like. They
> usually hide it in the back or in a corner somewhere. It's where you
> find items that are about to expire and seasonal items just after the
> season.
>
I realize that. But it was the first time I'd seen such a thing
at this store, and it was mostly "useless" things like massive sized
cans of jalapeno peppers.

Michael

== 6 of 7 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 12:51 pm
From: val189


Another
> good idea is to take chicken stock and place them in ice-cube tray's.
> Sometimes I don't need a full can of even the small can of chicken stock but
> freezing them is great when you only need small amount for stews, chili or
> whatever.

When I want, say, a half cup of chicken stock, I use the jar of
"Better than Bouillon" which, though a bit pricey, stores nicely on
your fridge door. Just dip in a small wire whisk and mix it in some
very hot water. I used to make stock, freeze it in small containers
etc - turned out to be a pain - I never could locate it in the freezer
or forgot I even had it.

== 7 of 7 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 1:14 pm
From: jes


>
> It was only a great idea up to the point where she wrapped them in individual plastic bags which defeats any cost savings?

No, I don't buy plastic bags. I recycle ziplock bags from, say,
tortillas.

Nor do I put one tomato patty in one bag. I put in 6. Lay 3 across,
with a space between each, fold top over, and lay another 3 on the
next layer. Whether they'd stick or not by tossing them in together,
I don't know nor care. When I want a frozen patty, I want it NOW and
no fooling around chipping.

-- also question how smart it is to buy a gallon of paste if one
doesn't use it but in tablespoon at a time quantities?

No, I don't use a tablespoon at a time. More like a 1/4 of a cup
and usually 1 - 2 times a week. But I use them a lot more now that
they're conveniently on hand.

Obviously, not for everyone. ;-)

Joan


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TOPIC: When news media whine about 'labor shortages' it simply means employers
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==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 11:57 am
From: "Rod Speed"


Phred <ppnerkDELETETHIS@yahoo.com> wrote
> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>> Phred <ppnerkDELETETHIS@yahoo.com> wrote
>>> Rod Speed <rod.speed.aaa@gmail.com> wrote
>>>> John A. Weeks III <john@johnweeks.com> wrote

>>>>> Or even better, given that over 60% of office space is vacant in downtown
>>>>> St. Paul, why not move some of your operations to the twin cities.

>>>> Because these are usually operations that cant move.

>>>>> You can get cheap class A and class B office space, workers
>>>>> standing in line waiting for jobs, and the government will toss in
>>>>> incentives in both cash and tax avoidance to help you move.

>>>> Useless if you're a mining operation that needs apes to drive haulpaks etc.

>>> They say you get monkeys if you pay peanuts. As these guys are
>>> earning >$80,000 p.a. I guess that's why you get those big apes. ;-)

>> True. In spades with those proof of Darwin's theory, footballers.

> Interesting you should point that out. There's a pic in the back page
> bottom LH corner of today's edition of the tabloid from the tourist
> ghetto of Cairns [_The Cairns Post_ 10 Sep 2007, p.72] that would
> convince even the most skeptical of man's close relationship with the
> great apes. And the guy's only a *coach* of an AFL team! Quite
> possibly his players *are* apes. ;-)

Its even worse with League rather than AFL and soccer |-)

>>> Incidentally, mate of mine was looking for a carpenter recently for
>>> a job in PNG. No one around here was interested unless it was at
>>> least $10,000/month cash in hand after tax. As he said, that was a
>>> bit rich; they were hoping to get one for about $8,000/month after tax. :)
>>> [For the record: at the present time AUD10,000 is about USD8,300.]

>> And then there's getting them to work in Iraq.

> Yeah. At least in PNG it's only a short hop for retreat. (Actually,
> parts of the place probably aren't too bad. I know a couple of
> blokes who've spent fairly long stints in mines in the highlands
> for example [one's still there]. Just keep out of Moresby!)

Some of the highlands have got so bad that even the cops have given up on
them as being too dangerous with the apes now with AKs etc. Things have
got a lot more gung ho now, nothing like Joe Lahey's Neighbours anymore.

The mines arent so bad, it isnt that hard to keep the locals down, until
the shit hits the fan very spectacularly indeed like with Panguna etc.

It isnt hard to see why many prefer the Pilbara etc where the worst
that can happen is a decent cyclone or two and living in a tent etc.



==============================================================================
TOPIC: "vintage" Revereware
http://groups.google.com/group/misc.consumers.frugal-living/browse_thread/thread/7ca72a41c401c219?hl=en
==============================================================================

== 1 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 12:35 pm
From: Wooly


My mother-in-law just gave me all of her "old" pots and pans - mostly
1801-series Revereware, with a smattering of Revereware manufactured
before Revere started hallmarking their products with the production city.

I'm thrilled, to say the least.

Unfortunately one of the skillets has substantial staining on the
stainless (hah) interior. I've scrubbed it with steel wool and
degreaser, steel wool and castille soap, and green scrubby and Ajax
cleanser. Nothing moves the stain. Is the skillet safe to use in this
condition or should I count my blessings and toss the thing in the
recycle bin as a lost cause?

Also, does anyone know offhand the oven temp rating for the black
handles on the 1980s/1990s Revereware?

== 2 of 2 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 2:55 pm
From: "Melissa"

"Wooly" <nobody@nunya> wrote in message
news:46e59c44$0$18999$4c368faf@roadrunner.com...
> My mother-in-law just gave me all of her "old" pots and pans - mostly
> 1801-series Revereware, with a smattering of Revereware manufactured
> before Revere started hallmarking their products with the production city.
>
> I'm thrilled, to say the least.
>
> Unfortunately one of the skillets has substantial staining on the
> stainless (hah) interior. I've scrubbed it with steel wool and
> degreaser, steel wool and castille soap, and green scrubby and Ajax
> cleanser. Nothing moves the stain. Is the skillet safe to use in this
> condition or should I count my blessings and toss the thing in the
> recycle bin as a lost cause?
>
> Also, does anyone know offhand the oven temp rating for the black
> handles on the 1980s/1990s Revereware?

It runs in my mind that cream of tartar, made into a paste, and left to
stand, can clean off stains from stainless steel. I also have some older
Reverware with the copper bottoms. They are from the 1960's I think, and
they still are fine. The handles can probably handle up to 350 degrees, but
I don't know that for sure.

Melissa



==============================================================================
TOPIC: Read each email for $10, $75 and $300....real money
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==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 12:58 pm
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TOPIC: Make money from your easy chair!
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==============================================================================

== 1 of 1 ==
Date: Mon, Sep 10 2007 1:47 pm
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