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Today I went to Best Buy with an idea of buying another computer, after one, on my network, has failed. I spent a few hours looking around the store. All this amusement and toys...for what? More stuff for me to buy...more stuff to maintain...more stuff to keep up to date with the newer stuff...Do I really need a new computer, an ereader...it was making me ill, thinking why am I here--I do not need more stuff. So, I left without buying anything.
Today, I can go to a store with money, credit cards, desires and I can leave without buying. That to me is the new freedom from want, that I have achieved in my life.
Ah, but I went to King Soopers (Krogers) today and on the reduce shelf they all these dried garbanzo beans. It appears that they were discontinuing dried garbanzo beans on the store shelf. Well, I bought 30 pounds knowing, I had about 10 pounds of dried at home with a few canned garbanzos. Did I also mention, I have about 25 lbs. of dried pintos, 15 lbs. of dried lentils, 8 lbs. of dried black, a few lbs. of navy, some dried peas and an assortment of some canned Kidney beans, both red and white (Cannellini) and black beans.
Now, I am cooking a few pounds of Garbanzos and I will make those luscious falafel balls, some hummus, a few garbanzo burgers. Perhaps I will make a chick pea pizza--I mean the crust made just out of pureed chi-chi beans--yea, you can do that.
Legumes are my staple food. They allow me to live a sonorous, melodious, cacophonous simple and frugal sustenance of existence.
Oh, I forget to tell you that the cost was 79 cents a lb. for garbanzos. So, a 1 lb will make about 3 lb. of edible protein. So, we then have a cost of 27 cents a lb. If I eat 4 oz portion, the cost for the protein will be 9 cents. Of course, there will be other ingredients, spices, oil etc. But I can easily have a portion of protein for a meal for less than 16 cents.
Beans are much better frugal option than meat. Meat has about 20-25 of water and fat that is cooked out when you cook, so that is added to the cost. Beans have no waste and when you buy a dried product, it expands and gives you more cost savings.
I handed in my resignation today. . . .retirement date will be Aug 31. . . .applied for medicare, applied for S.S. lined up 3 "private" but regular jobs in my neighborhood, and figure that with any luck at all my income will be sufficient although not magnanamous. . . .less than what the day job pays, but not so much less that lifestyle will be forced into dramatic change. . . .and I am counting my blessings. . . .using my new "solar" clothes dryer in the backyard, planning on shopping smart rather than fast, as I had been doing. . ..and looking forward to the challenge of seeing how little I can live well on. . . .will need to renew my library card, of course, read this entire thread, when time permits. . . . .WOO HOO!
Yea! http://bestsmileys.com/clapping/1.gif (broken link) Now you can really start living!
Though I'm jealous, because, I love beans, but can eat them so infrequently, that its pointless for me to stock up on them. Sigh Almost makes me think someone was trying to rub it in my face. LOL.
I always have cooked beans preparation available because I freeze little tubs of pureed beans. A little seasoned pureed beans on a warm tortilla--much better and healthier than luncheon meats. This certainly is better than those disgusting pork and beans that I were served to me when I was a kid. Traditional Boston Baked beans are just fine but they are not the only way to cook beans and the faked canned ones are just water and sugar. Most people in the world prepare legumes in so many frugal delicious, and healthy ways. It is shame that most Americans do not know the variety of preparations that are available. Yet, we grow so many different types in this country and we lack the culture of inventive preparation.
I think now I eat more legumes than meat. It is because I have been exposed to the great southwest Hispanic culture with Pinto Beans. Certainly, the influence of my Italian Heritage of Pasta Fagioli has led me to the bean. Now, with my knowledge of middle east foods with the use of the garbanzo and Indian foods with the use of lentils, I am thoroughly and totally been gassed by beans. South American and Central American cuisine has so many other legumes in their diet that I am continually exploring my need for the flatus of my infatuation.
As Dr. Oz said on one show, he keeps Beano on hand when he's going to eat beans.
livecontent, I didn't realize the savings of buying dried beans - thanks.
I do not use beano. Really, the gas from eating beans is minimize greatly in the preparation. The cause of the gas is that there is a complex sugar that passes to the large intestines and there it is consumed; gas is given off. That complex sugar is on the surface of the bean and is water soluble. Rinse and sort-dispose of water. Soak--dispose of water. Cook with new water--dispose of water and most of that sugar is removed.
Actually a little flatus is sort of exciting and stimulating. The Catholic hierarchy , a time ago in history, forbade the nuns from eating beans because it stimulated the genitals. The guilty party was St. Jerome who said “in partibus genitalibus tittilationes produ*unt”, tickle the genitals.
This stupid program will not let me put the "c" in "produ.... which only means that it "produce", but even the wrong prurient interpretative fits in the context of the quote.
Livecontent
Last edited by livecontent; 06-19-2010 at 10:41 AM..
I started using dried beans for the various chilis I make, which is about the only time I use them. The instructions say to do exactly as Live said rinse, soak, then cook. I've never had this gas issue from beans. Canned beans are crazy expensive and dried are cheaper but not a lot, unless you buy in bulk. Last night I made White Chicken Chili - so good and I can reheat for many meals. Very happy I can eat leftovers - anyone that can't would probably starve at me house
Wait a minute - this is such a friendly thread that i want to jump to wisteria's defense - i honestly had to reread the whole post to see what the "amazon" issue was - i won't say it must have gone over my head the first time...
ok, i did say it.
in seriousness, knowing wisteria from this forum and the women retiring alone forum, she is a sensitive sweet sweet person. and i don't remember why, but she got raked over the coals some time back for something that was totally benign and certainly without any ill intent. i know it hurt her feelings so i am going to post this publicly instead of privately mailing you.
and come to think of it, you just fragged the OP here for the title of this thread because of the use of the word "literal" - so just out of curiosity, do you troll threads looking for a fight???
mentioning height, stature was to emphasize the additional challenge of the task - a lot of physical things are just flatout more challenging if you are small, so yes, stature/body build/bone mass whatever does weigh into the challenge.. geez, seriously, i've spent my entire life hearing midget, dwarf, shorty etc. if you posted that you weren't one of the leperchan people, i would throw back my head and laugh, not get upset and publicly berate someone.
so i'm sorry i am being "short" in my tone/i guess i just don't want wisteria to have a crappy day thinking "oh no --i've hurt someone's feelings". 'nuff said. and i surely hope no one apologizes to you - you weren't really offended - you just have a 'tude...and you're looking for trouble. watch it - we dwarfs are a fierce bunch, outdone only by the elves, the gnomes and the hobbits.....back to the shire............
Nah, not usually (in response to the bolded.) And Wisteria gave a good answer to my "literally" B****in'! "A very small amount of money" is indeed a definition for "shoestring" on dictionary.com.
Just haven't been back here to acknowledge that.
Don't have a 'tude, not looking for trouble, m'dear. It just caught me in a bad moment and I just reacted too quickly after a lifetime of hearing that a word used as an acceptable way to put down those of us who committed the sin of being too tall.
Since you are all standing up for Wisteria and saying she's not that kind of person, I believe you, I believe you.
I always am happy to get stuff off the high shelves at the supermarket for the rest of you.
Thanks, Tricijeanne! As another hobbit, you got it exactly correct! I hadn't been on for a couple of days and was just as surprised as you to read that. Living as a "technical MIDGET" (4'10" and under -- I'm a tall midget because I'm 4'10" -- midgets are proportional, dwarfs are not -- both are short), I, too, have lived my entire life with "shorty," "Midge," "Peanut," "Dwarf," "Hobbit," people patting my head as if I were a dog, or resting their elbows on top of my head as if I were an armrest!
Not to mention you can't reach anything in a store, including the stupid debit machine!! Gees, I've had to have them take them off the stand so many times, that I'm sure they must have broken one by now doing that! And frequently I have to use a plastic wrap tube to whack things off a shelf onto the floor so I can get it! Unless a kind taller person comes by, I'm stuck!
And, quite frankly, it wasn't perjorative in my mind. I'd love to be a lot taller! I wasn't making fun of anyone at all, in fact, I WAS, indeed, using the definition that Newenglandgirl gave -- as in physical strength. There really are physical limitations when you are a tiny woman under 5'. It's just a reality. Wow, I am surprised by the response!
And, MightyQueen, YES, I DO FREQUENTLY get called all those names that people think are "CUTE." Do I argue? No, because I realize they think it's "cute" to be tiny. However, unless you are this short, taller people don't understand the extent to which one must adapt when not of their height. I am sure the other short women on this board know what I'm talking about -- there is a HUGE list of things one just cannot do by virtue of height or physical strength because you don't have the physical capacity. I am surprised that someone who is on the opposite end of the height spectrum would be so insulting -- or perhaps they did not realize I was on the very tiny end of the spectrum. How many times have I been made fun of for how I could be one of those little "munchkins" in the Wizard of Oz? I just laugh it off. It's not until someone actually witnesses just how the world is built for larger and taller people and see me trying to adapt, that they realize just what an impediment it is to be this short.
But this thread is not about height, it's about Living on a Shoestring LITERALLY!
I suggest if people are offended by this thread, even the title, that they just don't participate. If I find a thread I find offensive or not conducive to my own values, I just drop out or don't go on. This is about living on a small budget and not just small people!
Oh, yeah, and one Christmas I actually received the record: "Short People!" Come on, give me a break. That comment was unnecessary and uncalled for. It was certainly NOT directed at any specific individual, and I'll bet that short people's "nicknames" are used much more frequently -- and directly toward them -- than big/tall people. (Hey, quit patting my head!!!)
Thanks to you, too! I just saw your post after I posted mine! Thanks, everyone!!
It's not until someone actually witnesses just how the world is built for larger and taller people and see me trying to adapt, that they realize just what an impediment it is to be this short.
This is funny, because from up here, it seems as though the world is built for short people! Furniture, doorknobs, airline and train seats, low ceilings..I get a backache just washing dishes sometimes because I have to sort of stoop to get my hands down in the sink...I can go on and on. It can be a very physically uncomfortable world when you are taller than average, especially for a female. The worst is clothing--you petites can always get clothing in your size, or at least hem up stuff that's too long -- you can't make extra fabric appear on the end of sleeves and hems, and there are no brick-and-mortar stores that carry tall women's clothes. Used to be ONE in New York City, and it closed. I can only shop via catalogs.
And on the opposite of your lack of physical strength, I am EXPECTED to lift and carry things that may be beyond my capacity, simply because I am not little. A prime example is those darn five-gallon water bottles in the office. If a woman your size needs water, ten men will rush up to lift the bottle for her, while I am just expected to be able to do it myself. Obviously those ten men were not in the vicinity when you were trying to haul in your driftwood. I woulda helped ya!
Ah, well, I guess for those of us who are not average on either end, there are issues.
But we can all be as tight as possible with our money, right?
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Almost makes me think someone was trying to rub it in my face. 
LOL.
and i surely hope no one apologizes to you - you weren't really offended - you just have a 'tude...and you're looking for trouble. watch it - we dwarfs are a fierce bunch, outdone only by the elves, the gnomes and the hobbits.....back to the shire............
Come on, give me a break. That comment was unnecessary and uncalled for. It was certainly NOT directed at any specific individual, and I'll bet that short people's "nicknames" are used much more frequently -- and directly toward them -- than big/tall people. (Hey, quit patting my head!!!) 
