modern life

Easy(ish) food preservation.

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Recently a neighbor offered me a Lowe’s-sized bucket of apples and a gallon of pie cherries. The former became eight pints of applesauce and the latter a 10-inch pie. At some point that day I got a Facebook message from an old friend; while e-chatting, I learned she, too, was elbow-deep in food preservation that day: tomatoes, corn and green beans.

The coincidence made me grin, especially since her early life goal was to become a big-city journalist and live the single-gal life. (She did become a journalist, but spent most of her career in a small town.)

I asked her if she’d ever pictured herself using a pressure canner, or was that something our moms did. Her response: “We are lucky we grew up the way we did, so we can survive. I rarely shop but when I do it’s only for what I can’t grow myself.”

Those are thoughts I’ve voiced myself. Growing up fairly broke got me through single parenthood and a protracted midlife divorce. Now I’m no longer jobless or broke, but the soaring cost of food (and other stuff) is making me really nervous.

Not everyone is able to (or wants to) freeze, can or dehydrate. But hear me out.

For starters, think about broadening your definition of “preserving” food. In my opinion, bulk buying, stocking up during sales, and combining sales with rewards programs are all ways to “preserve” food. As in, you’re making sure you have the groceries you need at the best prices you can find.

You’re preserving your budget along with the food. The money you don’t spend on grub is money that can go toward other essentials. It’s unlikely that many of us will starve in this country, but a whole lot of people will be mightily inconvenienced, in a couple of ways: 

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2 illnesses (one COVID, one not).

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Let me say upfront that I did not have COVID. My poor niece has it, though, and she’s been suffering. Ever the momma, though, Alison opted to quarantine in a tent in the yard (more on that in a moment) rather than expose her two children to the virus.

My own illness was far more plebeian, though fairly uncomfortable in its own special way. It laid me low for most of last week and has left me fatigued and cranky. Which is one reason that it’s been, good grief, 11 days since I last posted here.

Still trying to form coherent thoughts, as well as to catch up on assignments whose deadlines I missed. I’ve also been dropping off things I think my niece could use: ice for the cooler, washed grapes, chicken noodle soup, Ritz crackers and, for fun, a sleeve of Otter Pops. (We’d been reminiscing about freezer pops recently, so when I saw a box of 80 OPs for just $3.29 in the “manager’s special” bin, I snatched it up.)

I don’t go into her home or her tent, or even near them. Instead, I set the stuff near the front door and text her kids to come get them. They come out with masks on, chat briefly (from a distance) about how it’s going and go back into the plague house.

About that tent: A friend of Alison’s referred to the quarantine tent as “the ’Rona Cabana,” and that earworm* would not leave my head.

The only way to get it out was, of course, to write about it. 

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How to get free stuff.

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Once upon a time, it was easy to get free stuff. In the early days of Internet marketing, companies vied with one another to give away everything from candy bars to condoms.

Of course, this free stuff came at a cost: The manufacturers would spam you, and your info would likely be sold so that other people could spam you, too.

But for a little while our mailboxes turned into piñatas, spilling out stuff like protein bars, breakfast cereal, T-shirts, pet food, feminine hygiene products, fabric softener, cosmetics, snack foods, energy drinks and all sorts of over-the-counter medications. Those were the days.

Marketing has changed, and most of the folks who used to run freebie sites either sold their URLs or dropped outta the blogging business. But when asked to find out what’s still there, I found enough to write about for Money Talks News. “6 of the best websites for finding free stuff” notes that times have definitely changed:

“(Some) so-called ‘freebie’ sites are more about items that are free if you:

  • Use coupons and rebates.
  • Pay upfront and then get a loyalty program credit or an online rebate.
  • Jump through multiple hoops, such as creating an account, installing an app and linking your social media account.
  • Enter a drawing for a chance at getting the free item.
  • Take surveys and then use the points you earn to get “free” stuff.

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with taking surveys; it’s one way of earning extra cash. Nothing wrong with rebates, either. But sometimes you just want to click it and claim it.”

I did come up with more than half a dozen legitimate ways to score gratis goods. (A couple of extras are tucked in as also-rans.) The article also includes pro tips and caveats. Have a look, and score some free stuff of your own.

A few other pieces I’ve done for Money Talks News lately:

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Being an adult: What they don’t tell you.

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I keep seeing a meme along the lines of, “No one ever told me that being an adult means having to decide what to fix for dinner every single night for the rest of your life.”

You know what else they didn’t tell you? That you’d also have to shop for that food, and to pay for it.

And for extra credit, that if you’re the main cook in the household you’ll have to listen to other people’s complaints/criticisms regarding the food.  

However, once you pass the age of 18 (or in some cases, never) you’re supposed to start acting like an adult. And being an adult isn’t always fun.

It can be fun, and it can even be great. But no one tells you that it’s also by turns terrifying, irritating, annoying, depressing, occasionally gross and often overwhelming.

They say that the trouble with life is that it’s so damn daily. Ditto adulthood. No one warns you that being an adult means a daily parade of stuff that sometimes you are not equipped to face, from the hazmat quality of an overloaded diaper to the daily drumbeat of, “How am I going to keep the lights on, the kids out of jail and my retirement secured?”

Am I complaining? Not really. Being an adult is what adults do. But sometimes you just want to be seen, as the kids say. You want someone to notice when you’re on the ragged edge, and you want that someone to say, “You know what? Siddown and eat this cupcake. I’ll handle things from here.”

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A retirement trial run.

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I almost didn’t write this post. Not because I was too busy, but rather because I was too busy not being busy. This is my seventh day in Phoenix, and I’ve accomplished relatively little since arriving.

Last week’s overnight flight (Friday night/Saturday morning) provided little sleep due to twin meltdowns: An adult a few rows ahead of me and a toddler a few rows behind me. The adult sobbed aloud (“I can’t do this, I just can’t doooooo this….”) every time we hit turbulence. And there was a lot of turbulence.

The toddler screamed for a big chunk of the six-hour flight. They’d get her calmed down and she’d start up again. The mom in me wondered if an ear infection was involved, since she stopped crying once the plane landed.

Either way, I got relatively little sleep. That first day (Saturday) is kind of a blur and did, in fact, involve a nice long nap. But every day since, I’ve found ways to skirt most work in favor of reading, sleeping, eating and watching a ton of TV* with my daughter.

A couple days ago I realized, “This is a trial run at retirement.” 

You know, doing whatever you want. Getting up when it damn well suits you. Moving at the pace that seems relevant to the day. Eating when you feel hungry, vs. during a “lunch break.” Reading until your eyes blur. Hanging out with loved ones and talking about everything, or talking about nothing at all if you’d rather be absorbed in an excellent drama. Going to bed when it damn well suits you.

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Goodbye, medical collections debt.

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Got medical debt? So do a lot of people: About one in five U.S. households have medical-related debt, according to a new study from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. And medical collections debt can do a number on your credit score (as in, a lower number).

But change is coming, in three ways:

As of July 1, 2022, paid-off medical collections debt will no longer appear on your credit report.

The time frame for unpaid medical collections debt’s appearance on your credit report will double. Consumers will have one year, rather than six months, to deal with insurance companies and/or negotiate with healthcare agencies before the debt is officially reported.

Finally, in the first half of 2023, the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) will not list medical collection debt that’s $500 or less.

This is huge for those who’ve fallen victim to what the CFPB calls “opaque pricing” and “complicated insurance or charity care coverage and pricing rules.” (Rohit Chopra, director of the CFPB, refers to it as “a doom loop.”) Those who are experiencing medical emergencies, as well as those who have chronic illnesses, may feel they have no choice to shoulder the costs associated with getting care. 

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Vernal equinox: The (cold) shoulder season.

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Happy first day of spring, also known as the vernal equinox! Doesn’t our yard look…equinoctical?

At left is a view of our snow-covered garden, shot through the living-room window. The cage at the back surrounds our two apple trees, which look spindly now but will produce a startling amount of fruit once summer arrives.

Summer will arrive again, right? At this time of year it’s easy to second-guess the seasons. Yesterday it sure felt like spring, hitting 47 degrees – and on a day when the sun didn’t set until 8:14 p.m., it was easy to imagine that the best season had somehow sneaked up on us. That is, until I had to tippy-toe down our partially glaciated driveway to check the mailbox.

We mostly refer to spring as “breakup,” as in ice breaking up on a river or lake. Indeed there are huge puddles during the day as winter’s accumulation starts to disappear. But there’s still a lot of snow left, and we are ready for it to be gone.

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Monday miscellany: Bob wants to take your stuff.

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The Dollar Stretcher recently posted a piece that should help you take a closer look at your home security, or lack thereof. “A burglar reveals 15 trade secrets” is written from the point of view of Bob, your friendly neighborhood burglar. Some of it might surprise you.

For example, Bob says he sometimes dresses up as the cable, electric or phone guy. This reminds me of the Kinsey Millhone mystery series. Kinsey wears a coverall-ish getup when she’s breaking into a suspect’s home to look for clues. No one notices the cable guy or the meter reader, right?

At other times, Bob might be carrying a rake and posting fliers between the hours of 8 and 11 a.m. “I want to avoid any kind of confrontation,” he says. While posting the flier, he’ll take a peek inside your home. And if anyone answers his knock at the door? He’ll make up some excuse.

(A couple years back I was home by myself and there weren’t any cars in the driveway. Someone knocked, and when I answered the guy looked startled. He mumbled something about offering driveway paving; however, he didn’t have a flier, a business card or even a truck. Although I don’t know for sure that he was casing the joint, I certainly couldn’t rule it out.)

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Need something? Buy Nothing.

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(Happy Throwback Thursday! Now that the no- or low-spend February is underway, I thought this post could help some of you avoid spending and/or declutter. It was originally published on Aug. 5, 2018. Ever since then I have been using the heck out of Buy Nothing, both to give and to receive. With luck, your local group will be a great year-round resource to you as well.)

I got a free mini-fridge yesterday. Not for me, for a friend. (Seriously!)

While clearly secondhand, with a couple of scratches and dings, it smells freshly washed on the inside and will help someone out.

Helping people out is the stated purpose of the fridge’s source: a Buy Nothing Facebook group.

Sort of an intensely local Freecycle, this page is a great way not just to keep things out of the landfill, but also to connect with your community.

I’ve gotten so much good stuff from this site, including but not limited to:

  • A waffle iron that had been used just once (and it has a beeping timer – no more scorched waffles!)
  • A never-before-played “Game of Thrones” board game, which became a Christmas gift
  • A pair of slippers for DF’s grandchild to wear when she visits (this is Alaska, and shoes go off at the door)
  • A wraparound-style fleece poncho (very soft and cozy)
  • A bright-red colander (which I use to drain my homemade yogurt)
  • Plastic storage totes
  • Lots of food: apples, powdered milk, flour, dried beans, yeast, lentils, baking powder, pasta, split peas, and canned vegetables, fruits, fish and Spam (some of which we donated to a food bank)
  • Dig-your-own horseradish roots (always looking for new garden challenges)
  • A huge roll of parchment paper (a crucial ingredient in making that ridiculously simple, ridiculously delicious rustic bread)

It also helped me find an elementary school teacher who was delighted to take some empty Altoid tins off my hands. She’s also stoked about receiving fidget spinners, slap bracelets and any other fun items I bring back from . (Teachers are always looking for things for their classrooms.) DF and I have given away a bunch of other things, too, such as books, clothing and fresh rhubarb.

My niece has been able to find new homes for some decorative items (she’s changing décor), some outgrown toys and kids’ clothing, and a big bag of shredded bedding for pet cages (her snake died). Recently she picked up a big bag of clothing for her younger son, and also a major holiday gift (again, can’t say exactly what in case the kiddo is reading). She and I both check the page regularly, to see if anyone’s giving away something useful.

Or looking for something useful – the Buy Nothing group runs both ways. If you don’t see what you need, you can ask.

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Credit card requirements easing.

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The good news: Banks have lately made it a bit easier to get a credit card.

The bad news: Banks have lately made it a bit easier to get a credit card.

According to the Federal Reserve’s new quarterly survey of bank senior loan officers, nearly 15 percent of large banks and 25 percent of other banks have eased the required minimum credit score in the fourth quarter of 2021. This trend is likely to continue in 2022.

Notice that not all banks are doing this. Notice, too, that I said it’s both good and bad news.

The relaxing of standards could help people who don’t currently qualify for credit, or who qualify only for cards with lousy interest rates and lots of fees. Getting a legitimate card and using it carefully can help them build their credit history. Without a solid credit history, you’ll pay more than you must for things like car loans, vehicles and insurance.

The idea is to get the best possible card and, more important, to have a plan to build credit, not create debt. That’s the “bad news” part: Being able finally to get a card could harm someone who doesn’t have a plan in place. A credit card is not the ticket to the good life, with zero consequences attached. It’s a tool, and like any tool it can be used for good or for ill.

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