Healthy Recipe - Tilapia

Tonight, I made some awesome (if I do say so myself...) Tilapia. It was cheap, easy, fast, and healthy! Here's the recipe, which serves two:

1 Tilapia fillet, halved lengthwise (on sale, $2.50)
1 large pat of butter (10 cents, maybe?)
1 tbs. Olive Oil
Garlic Powder
Old Bay Seasoning
Salt
Pepper


1. Heat a pan over Medium heat.
2. Rinse and pat dry Tilapia fillets. (Be sure to dry it well so it will brown nicely)
3. Sprinkle Tilapia fillets on either side with garlic, Old Bay seasoning, salt, and pepper to your liking.
4. Heat butter and Olive Oil in pan.
5. Add Tilapia fillets, and cook for about 6-7 minutes on either side or until flaky and browned. Feel free to add more butter or drizzle oil over the fillets to ensure they don't dry out. They're quite forgiving, so I usually just leave them on low heat if my other meal components aren't quite done.


This recipe is sooo easy. You can take a fish fillet from frozen to thawed to cooked in less than 30 minutes. My fillets were thawed in the fridge overnight, so the whole meal, including sides, took 15 minutes. It's one of my favorites for weeknights where I'm pressed for time.


Our sides were crescent rolls (on sale, with coupon, 75 cents), new potatoes (on sale, about $1), and green beans (on sale, with coupon, 75 cents).

Total Meal Cost: $5.10

"Buy" for Books Online for FREE

Okay, so perhaps the title of this post is a little misleading, but I really do have a great and FREE way to shop for books online and get them without paying a cent.

First of all, I love to read. Absolutely LOVE it. Now, my hobby would have cost us a ton of money if it wasn't for one, amazing place where I can read all the books I want and never have to pay a cent: the library. I remember when I was young, I was completely baffled by the idea that I could go into this building, pick out as many books as my little heart desired, and the people that owned them trusted me enough to bring them back. Even in my youth, I recognized a good deal!

Here's one problem with the library, though - new releases are rarely available, and many excellent books are already checked out. So what do you do? Give up, and make a trip down to the bookstore to buy a book you might not even like? No way!

Instead, spend some time shopping for the books you want online. Maybe check out one of your favorite bookstore's websites (I love Barnes and Noble.com), where everything is presented nicely and it's easy to find books you might like. Add all of the ones you like or might like to your cart.

Next, don't check out! (I know it's tempting.) Instead, in a separate browser, bring up your library's website. Almost all libraries I know of have a request system, where you can place a hold on a book that has already been checked out, or has not been acquired by the library yet. Using the list of books in your cart, go through and request all of them from your library. (Some might even be on the shelf waiting for you!) Sure, you don't get the instant gratification you would if you went to the bookstore, but your books would probably be ready for you at the library by the time they would have been delivered by the bookstore's online site. Plus, it will be completely free!

I love "shopping" for books this way! Often, I'll bring up the bestseller list, and request many of them from the library. In a couple of weeks, when the previous reader is done with them, I'll have my turn! Plus, it really feels like shopping. I just got an e-mail saying a book I had requested, Jamie's Food Revolution, was ready to be picked up. It just came out recently, and its retail price is $35 - but it'll be free for me! This is also a great way to try out books you might think you'll like. Why buy a $30 cookbook if you haven't even tried any of the recipes? I'm not against buying books in general, and have a pretty good sized collection, but this is a great way to try new finds and read some excellent, popular books without spending a dime!

Tip of the Day: Make the Most of Your Commute

Good morning! Well, it's quite a dreary day here, and my plan for staying dry (wearing flip flops instead of sneakers) was a total failure. Ah well...

So, I'm an avid bus rider, and am very lucky to live on the campus bus route. It picks me up at the end of my apartment complex and brings me right to my office. We live about 2 1/2 miles from campus, and our car gets about 30 mpg. By taking the bus, we save at least 25 miles per week, or almost a gallon of gas once you add in searching for parking (which often takes as long as the commute) or being stuck in traffic. This might not sound like a lot, but a gallon a week adds up. We only really drive on the weekends and rarely have to fill up our car.

Aside from the gas (and headache) savings, commuting to work using public transportation is a great way to make the most out of life - and that's what this blog is about. That 2 1/2 mile commute takes about 25 minutes (believe it or not. Traffic is a nightmare around here.) What could you do with an extra half hour? Read a book! Listen to music! Plan your day! Learn a new language - there are lots of free language-learning podcasts. You have so many options. One great tip I read was to use your commute to work to get ready for your day. Get motivated, get inspired, get ready to face the day. Then, use you commute back home to transition from work to your home life. Plan your meal for that evening, listen to some relaxing music, etc. Use your commute, regardless of whether you take the bus, to transition your mind to where you're heading.

Now of course, there are some downsides to being a bus rider. Often, the bus is late, and sometimes it's early and I miss it. Other times, I have to stay a little later than I want to catch the correct bus. However, I see all of these as much less stressful than worrying about traffic, fretting over parking, and spending a half hour in traffic when someone else could be driving for me.

Don't live or work as close as I do to a bus stop? Why not walk a bit further, and get your workout in! (I actually catch a longer bus sometimes for just this reason!) Does your work have a carpool program? If not, why not start one? Surely, there's someone you work with that lives fairly close to you. Perhaps you could trade off driving duties.

Whether you do it to save money, save yourself from stress, or save the environment, commuting to work using public transportation, carpools, or even your own man/woman power is a great way to go!

Recipe - Spaghetti with Turkey and Spinach Meatballs

Hello, all! So, tonight for dinner, I'm making a jazzed-up version of spaghetti and meatballs (always a classic), except I added ground turkey and spinach.

This meal was made for two, but will last us three nights (which means no more cooking for a while - it'll be nice to have a bit of a break!)

Ingredients

Meatballs:

1 lb. Ground Turkey ($2.85)
1/2 lb. Ground Sirloin ($1.50)
1/3 Package Frozen Spinach (.30)
1/3 cup Italian Breadcrumbs (.25)
2 cloves garlic, minced (.10)
3-4 shakes of Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Salt, Pepper, and Crushed Red Pepper (as much or as little as you'd like)
1 Egg (Free with coupon)

Sauce:

2 Jars of Spaghetti Sauce (On sale, with coupon - $1.59 for 2)
1 Small can of Tomato Paste (.59)
1 Can of Diced Tomatoes (On sale, with coupon - $1)
1 Can of Crushed Tomatoes with Basil (On sale, with coupon - $1)
1 Tbs. Garlic Powder
1 Tbs. (or more if desired) Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to Taste


1 Medium-Sized Package of Spaghetti ($1.00)


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. To make meatballs, combine all ingredients listed thoroughly. Shape into approximately 1" meatballs, and place on lightly greased pan (preferably on a cooking rack so the grease drips through, but I don't have one so I had to make do.) Cook for approximately 10 to 12 minutes or until almost done, turning halfway through.

2. While the meatballs are cooking, combine all ingredients for the sauce in a large pot. Simmer over medium-low heat.

3. Once meatballs are almost done, remove from oven and set on paper towels to drain grease. Add to sauce.

4. Simmer sauce on low for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. The longer the better!

5. Cook spaghetti noodles according to package directions once sauce is almost ready.

We're serving it with homemade garlic bread (used multi-grain baguette - on sale for $1.29) and salad (on sale - $2.50)

Total Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Total Cook Time: At least 40 Minutes.

Cost: $13.97 for 3 Meals, $4.66 per Meal for 2 - not too bad!
(I'll generally not include the cost of spices in my calculations, since you don't tend to use very much and you often have quite a bit on hand.)

It's simmering away right now - can't wait!

Super Saver - Publix

This is my first "Super Saver" post, and I have to say, I'm quite proud of it.

Yesterday, I made my usual Publix run. Here's what I bought:

4 Large cans of Hunt's Tomatoes
2 Jars of Classico Sauce
4 Cans of Green Giant Vegetables
2 Boxes of Premium Muffin Mix
3 Cans (do you call them "cans"?) of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
1 Box of Multi-grain Cheerios
1 Publix Frozen Yogurt (my husband's favorite)
8 Yoplait Yogurts
1 Bag of Publix Chocolate Chips (for my adventures in baking)
1 Publix Orange Juice
3 Bananas
1 Yellow Squash
1 Zucchini
1 lb. Plum Tomatoes
1 lb. Red Bell Peppers
1 Bag of Apples
1 Bag of Potatoes
2 Bags of Salad Mix
1/2 Italian Loaf
1 Multi-grain Baguette
2 Packages of Perdue Chicken Breast
1 London Broil
1 lb. Ground Sirloin
1 lb. Tilapia Fillets
3/4 lb. Deli Turkey Breast
1 Package Eggland's Best Cage-Free Eggs
2 Doughnuts (those were just for me. A reward for getting up so early!)

Regular-Priced Total: $116.46
Price I Paid: $65.58!

How did I do it? Well, almost all of the items I bought (aside from the doughnuts of course) were already on sale, so I saved $33.87 up front.

I also used $8.00 in store coupons from Publix, along with $8.84 in manufacturer coupons.

Total Saved: $50.88

My husband couldn't believe I only paid $65 for the enormous pile of groceries on our dining table. If I can impress him, (a known coupon snubber, though he's starting to like them more and more as the savings piles up), I can impress anyone.


*Tip of the Day*
The key to amazing savings is STACKING - adding coupons to items that are already on sale. For instance, Classico Tomato sauce was B1G1 (buy one get one free) this week, making them $2.59 for two jars - an excellent deal! However, simply by doing a search for "Classico coupons," I found a $1 off two jars coupon on the Classico website. My final price for two jars of Classico was thus $1.59, or 80 cents each - not too shabby!

Another example - Multi-Grain Cheerios were on sale for $1.99 this week (and whenever cereal is on sale, take a good look and see if you need it. Cereal is often quite expensive!) That's a good bargain on its own, but add a $1 off coupon I had specifically for Multi-Grain Cheerios, and the price of the box dropped to 99 cents!


Tonight, I'm making Spaghetti with Spinach and Turkey Meatballs. It's oh-so delicious! I'll include the recipe and pictures later!

Have a wonderful Sunday!

My First Post!

Hello, all!

Well, this is the first post of "Money Saving Grad," a blog about saving money and having fun, while navigating the maze of doctoral education. I'm a third-year PhD student in Geography and along with being a student, an instructor, and a wife, I also manage our finances and cook most of our meals. We have the usual student loans (which we used to pay for our wedding and car) and like most college students, don't have a large amount of disposable income. So, back when we were undergraduates, I decided that I would be as thrifty as possible with our money, which would allow us extra money to travel, go out to eat, or spend on entertainment. I used to be proud of myself when I saved 10% at the grocery store off the retail price. Now, many years later, 40 to 50% is generally my goal.

This blog will detail my spending and techniques for saving more of your hard-earned money. I'll also discuss some of my trials and triumphs as I progress through graduate school. I went directly from my undergraduate program to a doctoral program, and let me tell you, I am ready to graduate. Will I make it in four years? Who knows... If you'd like to follow the academic-side of my graduate education more closely, feel free to check out my other blog at http://geographyreligion.blogspot.com/.

In addition, like most women, I'm trying to eat healthier and exercise more. I didn't gain the "Freshmen 15".... but I did get hit with the "Over-Stressed Grad Student 10." Maybe it's just because I'm getting older, maybe it's because I so love chips and dip, or perhaps it's because I'm a constant worrier... whatever the reason, I'm trying to shed some pounds and get fit! I'll include exercise tips as well as recipes - both thrifty and/or healthy (but hopefully both!)

I like to make New Year's resolutions every year, but this year was a bit different. This year, my husband and I made two, over-arching resolutions, rather than a list of specific ones. This is the year of "Happiness and Adventure." I'm reading through Gretchen Rubin's The Happiness Project, which details her journey through a yearlong resolution to be happier. I'm not an unhappy person per se, but I would like to worry less and be more content with life. Hopefully, this Blog will help!

In order to have more adventure, we have to go out and do more - travel, try new restaurants, be spontaneous - but all of that takes money. Since we can't get a raise or get another job, our only real option is saving as much as we can on the necessities! I'm hoping that this Blog will keep me more accountable. If I decide to blow some money on a trip to WalMart on junk food or clothes I don't need - you'll know about it. I'm hoping the fact I have to write it down will prevent me from backsliding in the first place!

So, in summary, here are my goals for this Blog:

• Detail my saving triumphs (and pitfalls) in order to share helpful advice on saving money, and help me to be super-thrifty!

• Discuss my graduate school journey. Graduate school is just crazy sometimes, so this should make for some amusing stories.

• Include great, thrifty and healthy recipes that are easy to make and tasty, along with my workout and overall fitness progress.

• Talk about my "Happiness Project" progress. Feel free to comment if you're reading along, too!

• Since this is also the "Year of Adventure," discuss my thrifty travels, and offer ideas for frugal fun.

Hope you enjoy reading!