Economy Got You Down?

This is by far the worst economic atmosphere of my 40 years.  All though the Democrats are trying to lay the blame solely at the doorstep at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. the reality is both parties are getting stinking rich off the oil price gouging.  But for those of us who cannot not make taking a bribe legal by calling it a lobbyist gift there is a little relief out there.

Kiplinger.com recently ran an article penned by Amy Bickers and Thomas M. Anderson that will help you cut your grocery bill by as much as 25%.  Their secret?  Coupons.  They cite sites like Thecouponclippers.com, Retailmenot.com, Coupons.com, CouponWinner.com, groceryguide.com, couponmom.com, and CoolSavings.com that can help you reduce your check-out burden.

Here’s an excerpt:

Despite the big run-up over the past year, there is some good news on prices. Food and gas should moderate by next year, with an increase in worldwide grain output and oil supplies, plus slower economic growth in developed countries. Kiplinger’s sees the price of gas falling to $3.45 a gallon nationwide by December.

In the meantime, take a page (and a coupon) from Kristina Huddleston and Kurt Koppensteiner, both 39. They figure that clipping coupons and sticking with smart shopping habits save them $100 a month on groceries. A household of four that uses coupons strategically can save up to 25% a year on its grocery bill without actually purchasing any less, reports a survey by the Toronto marketing firm ICOM. For Kristina and Kurt, strategically means not using coupons to switch to more-expensive brands offering one-time deals.

Now go check out the whole article.

Got UHT?

Originally Posted by Cook Smarter (cooksmarter.net) on June 5, 2007.

Just what is UHT milk? UHT milk is a long life, ultra-pasteurized, aseptically packaged, liquid grade A milk. UHT is an abbreviation for Ultra High Temperature and refers to the pasteurization method employed in the process. Unlike standard milk which is heated to roughly 145 degrees for half an hour, UHT is heated to over 280 degrees (which kills all possible pathogenic and spoilage bacteria) for just a few seconds (which prevents it from tasting “cooked”) and then cooled all in a continually pressurized environment.

UHT milk is not new, just new to Americans. If you have ever had an ice cream dessert or shake from McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Burger King, or Dairy Queen, then you have already tried UHT milk. Previous attempts to convert American’s to UHT failed back in the 80’s, thanks to poor education and our ridiculous belief that room temperature cannot be healthy. Two myths that hurt that first attempt were that UHT contained powdered milk and that it was irradiated. Both of which are false.

To most of us, that plastic jug symbolizes all that milk represents – fresh wholesome goodness. Americans love the jug. Ultraviolet light and bacteria are milk’s worst enemies and plastic provides little if any defense against either. Aseptic, hermetically sealed cartons called tetra paks are how most milk is packaged in Europe. In fact, America is just about the only place where you will find milk in an inefficient plastic jug.

Standard vs. UHT. Standard pasteurized jug milk has a shelf life of about two weeks and tastes bland and washed out. UHT has a shelf life of six months at room temperature and tastes like milk. Once UHT is opened, it must then be refrigerated and will last about seven days. The one positive about standard milk is that the empty container is useful for jug fishing. Nutritionally, the milk is the same.

More often than not, you can find UHT milk in the natal section of your local grocer.