by California Casualty | Finances, News |
If your bill at the grocery store is higher than you’d like, you’re not alone. The average cost of groceries is 13% higher than this time last year. A family of four can spend as much as $932 on their monthly food bill…
Fortunately, there’s something you can do about it. From how you pay for groceries to where and when you shop, here are our top tips for saving money on groceries and feeding your family on a budget.
1. Redefine dinner.
Who says that dinner has to be a three-course affair with meat, veggies, a starch, and a dessert? Take the pressure off and serve breakfast for dinner a few times a week. Omelets are a relatively inexpensive meal and very filling. You also can have soup and sandwich night or a big salad. Be creative. Try going meatless to save money or adding beans to ground beef to increase the amount of food. Put shredded chicken over a soup, salad, or pasta and you’ll use a lot less than when serving pieces of chicken.
Pro Tip: Plan to cook so that you definitely will have leftovers. It’s easier and often cheaper to make a large portion than to plan a whole new meal with new ingredients.
2. Make a list and actually stick to it.
Make a meal plan for the week so you know exactly what to put on your shopping list. Pre-planning cuts down on impulse purchases, which can put you over budget. Then shop only for those items on your list. To help stick to your list, always make sure to eat before shopping,
3. Raid your pantry.
When meal planning, remember that you likely have plenty of food at home that you can incorporate. Look through your pantry and see if you can create a recipe around the food that is there. Check your freezer too. That way, you may just need a few items on your list to create some delicious meals.
Pro Tip: Check out websites that can help you build a recipe with ingredients that you already have like MyFridgeFood or SuperCook.
4. Sign up for the store’s loyalty program.
Most grocery stores offer loyalty programs that are free to join. You can get discounts automatically deducted at checkout. If you’re not on your store’s program, sign up the next time you’re there.
5. Clip coupons and look for sales.
Look at the weekly circular in print or digitally for sales, and clip/save coupons for the items you use. Digital coupons can even be loaded directly onto your loyalty card. Remember to do the math, however. Not all sales are the same good deal. Look at the unit price per ounce to compare the costs of different brands. Plus, if you’re not sure that you’ll use it, don’t buy it. Spoiled fruit in the garbage is the same as throwing away money.
6. Buy store brands.
The cost of store brands is usually 20-25% less. Try them out next time and see if you notice enough of a difference to justify buying the name brand. If you can’t buy all generic brands, at least try store brands for staples like salt and sugar.
7. Avoid pre-made items.
Convenience comes at a price. That means if something is prepared for you, you’re likely paying more for it. When you’re shopping, try to find food closest to its natural state. Buy block cheese instead of shredded cheese, and a box of pasta rather than a heat-and-eat variety. Snacks are some of the priciest items to buy. You can really save a lot here if you prepare them yourself.
8. Tally as you go.
Use the calculator on your phone to add up your order as you shop. You’ll be less likely to add items this way, and there will be no surprises when you get to the checkout. It might cause you to think, “do I really need this?”
9. When you shop matters.
Shop midweek when many grocery stores restock their shelves. That’s also when they change the discounts. If you’re lucky, you’ll get the price cut from last week’s sale. If you’re looking for clearance specials, shop first thing in the morning – or right after a holiday. If you’re looking for specials in the bakery, deli, or prepared foods section, shop right before closing. Many supermarkets mark down their rotisserie chickens, for example.
10. Pay with a rewards credit card or cash.
You might as well get some cash back when you shop. Pay with a grocery rewards card and you can automatically see some savings. Or if you can, pay with cash. Bring only the amount you want to spend, and when the cash runs out, you can’t buy anything else.
11. Compare prices at different stores.
Compare prices at different nearby grocery stores. Switch to a store that’s known for more affordable food prices like Walmart, Aldi, or Trader Joe’s. Even Dollar Tree has grocery items. Or you can join a wholesale club like Costco or Sam’s Club. These stores stock items in bulk at often lower prices. You’ll have to spend more upfront but you’ll save in the long run. That might not be for everyone but it’s a good value for large families.
12. Use a rebate app.
Sign up for apps like Ibotta and Rakuten. They give you cash back for buying groceries, among other items. Stores pay these apps a commission for sending them your way. Find out which apps link to your grocery store to make sure that they are an affiliate partner.
Happy shopping!
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info |
We love being outside in the summertime for a backyard barbecue or an evening gathering around the fire pit. Unfortunately, the bugs love it too. If you’re tired of itchy mosquitos, armies of ants, and other pesky pests, read on. We’ve got the answer for what bugs you!
Here are some of our favorite tips and tricks to keep backyard bugs away.
1. Start with scents.
Bugs hate strong smells of mint and citrus. They’re also not fond of some other scents. Here are some ways to use these smells against them.
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- Put mint-flavored mouthwash in a spray bottle and spray your tables, chairs, and patio perimeter.
- Place a few drops of essential oils on cotton balls and place them around your entertaining area. Choose scents of peppermint, citrus, lavender, or eucalyptus.
- Make fly-repelling sachets of potpourri using cloves and bay leaves.
- Burn a citronella torch or candle. Citronella is made from bug repellant grasses and helps to mask the smell of carbon dioxide and human lactic acid, both of which attract some bugs.
2. Place your plants.
Some herbs and flowers are natural pest deterrents. Bringing them into your garden and around your entertaining areas can help keep bugs at bay. These plants are often bug-specific.
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- To protect against mosquitoes, try basil, catnip, lavender, citronella, lemon-scented geraniums, lemon thyme, marigold, and rosemary plants.
- To ward off flies, try basil, catnip, and lavender plants.
- For moths and fleas, use lavender.
- Chrysanthemums help protect against roaches, ants, ticks, and fleas.
- Garlic and rosemary plants can repel biting insects.
- A chive and lemongrass garden can ward off other pests.
3. Mind your mulch.
Too much mulch gives cockroaches and ants the perfect home for nesting. You don’t want that too near your entertainment area or your home.
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- Keep mulch at least 12 inches from the foundation.
- Consider replacing mulch with inorganic rock or gravel.
- Do make sure to have some mulch, grass, or ground covering. Yellow jackets make their nests by tunneling into bare dirt.
4. Turn on the fan.
Fans work in two ways to keep mosquitos away. Mosquitos aren’t strong fliers and so the breeze can prevent them from getting close. Fans also help disperse carbon dioxide and other chemical cues that mosquitos use to locate their hosts.
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- Turn on the patio fan or bring a portable fan outside. Both will work. Set them on medium or high settings.
- Oscillating fans may be even more effective, as they help to move the air in different directions.
- Consider several fans blowing in different directions to cover your entertaining area.
5. Redo your outdoor lighting.
Bright white or bluish lights attract insects because they emit shorter wavelengths. Bulbs that burn hotter also attract their share of bugs. Switch your outdoor lighting to reduce the number of your nightly “visitors.”
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- Replace white light bulbs with longer wavelength colors like yellow ones. The orange or yellowish glow is less visible to some insects.
- Replace your incandescent and halogen bulbs, which give off a lot of heat, for ones that don’t. LED and fluorescent bulbs emit much less heat than others with the same wattage.
- Reduce the wattage. Rather than 100 watts, try 60. Dimmer bulbs are harder for insects to see.
Pro Tip: If you are using older LED bulbs, you will need to replace them. Early versions had a coating that gave off more heat than current models.
6. Address standing water.
Standing water is the perfect nursery for mosquitos, gnats, and other bugs. Make sure you don’t have any standing water on your property, or if you do, take steps to eliminate or reduce the risk.
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- Remove standing water from gutters and downspouts.
- Keep kiddie pools, buckets, and watering cans empty when they are not in use.
- Get a birdbath with running water to reduce the chance of mosquitoes breeding.
- Treat standing water with mosquito dunk pellets. This will allow them to fly but they will be sterile and cannot reproduce.
7. Build a bat house.
Attracting the predators that eat bugs can help you naturally reduce the insect population. One small bat can eat up to 1,000 mosquitoes an hour, which is a great reason to buy or build a bat house.
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- Buy or build one that is at least 24 inches high by 16 inches wide.
- Bats prefer to roost on buildings or concrete structures rather than trees. It helps protect them against their predators.
- Mount the house at least 10 feet off the ground and 20-30 feet from the nearest tree if possible.
- The location should have a nearby water source and at least 6 hours of daily sun.
8. Build a bug trap.
Commercial bug traps are available, but it’s easy to make your own from materials that you probably already have around the house. Put your bug trap outside a few hours before you entertain or anytime you want a bug-free area.
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- Start with a 2-liter soda bottle. Take off its cap and throw that away.
- Measure about 4 inches from the top of the spout and mark that. Use that line to cut around the bottle so that it is now in 2 pieces.
- Insert the spout inside the open top so it points back down to the bottom.
- Tape the pieces together to seal them.
- Fill with soda or a sweet liquid to attract bugs, bees, wasps, etc.
Pro Tip: Fill a small bowl of apple cider vinegar and mix in a few drops of dish detergent. The scent will attract fruit flies and the soap will create a barrier that prevents their escape.
9. Keep it clean.
Keeping your patio or deck clean will help deter bugs. That’s because any morsel of food or sticky substance can attract them.
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- Sweep any crumbs. Wipe away spilled liquid.
- Make sure all your garbage cans and recycling bins have covers to prevent breeding flies. Move them away from your entertaining spots.
- Fill a spray bottle with a mixture of one part hydrogen peroxide to two parts water. Spray your patio or deck surface and perimeter. Be careful not to mix this with food or drinks.
- Ticks like to hide in tall grass so keep your grass mowed and maintain your lawn. Trim back bushes or tree branches that touch your home, and which help pests get inside.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | News |
If you’ve ever traveled to Thanksgiving dinner holding a steaming hot casserole on your lap, you know how tricky it can be to transport food. In fact, bringing a holiday or game day dish in your vehicle – without spilling or ruining it – is somewhat of an art form.
We’ve put together the following tips to help you safely and easily transport your holiday or game day feast. Share this with anyone you know who is bringing a dish to a gathering this season!
Hack #1: Choose the right container.
You don’t have to buy a special container for transport, but you do have to ensure your container is the right one for your food. Choose containers that are food-safe and easy to clean, and that fit the amount of food you are transporting.
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- If placing containers in boxes or laundry hampers for transport, surround them with rolled-up towels. Not only will the towels help insulate the dish, but they will also soak up any unexpected spills.
- Use a thermos or vacuum food flask to transport hot soups, sauces, or gravies. After filling, turn them upside down in the sink to ensure there are no leaks.
- Use a slow cooker or crockpot with a locking lid for easy transport. Cover the top with foil before placing the lid for extra security.
- For transporting a pie, take an extra metal pie tin, flip it upside down and use it to “tent” the pie. Secure with aluminum foil. For two pies, put them on a baking sheet and wrap tinfoil around the pies and sheet.
- Use an egg carton to transport deviled eggs or similarly sized hors d’oeuvres.
- Consider purchasing a travel casserole dish. This consists of a Pyrex dish and a secure rubber lid. Some models come with a microwaveable gel pouch and an insulated carrying case to keep the dish hot.
Fun Tip: Package your dish in Mason jars for festive but easy transport and let the hostess keep the jars as a gift.
Hack #2: Secure your dish.
Your dish was perfect when it left the house. Make sure it arrives in that condition by preparing it for the journey.
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- It’s never a good idea to hold food on your lap or put it on the car’s floor without securing it. A sudden stop or unseen pothole could launch it everywhere.
- Store the food where it fits snugly. This may be between two heavier items in your trunk to keep it from sliding. It may be wedged behind the driver’s seat on the floor.
- Secure the box, laundry hampers, or tote with bungee cords as an added precaution.
- Borrow the grippy liner from your silverware drawer. Put it underneath your food container and/or box to keep everything from sliding.
- If transporting bite-sized hors d’oeuvres, put them on a clean dishtowel on top of a plate, and then cover. The towel will help them not slip, slide and flip.
Fun Fact: If not secured, a 20-lb. turkey can hit a person with 600 lbs. of force in a car crash when the vehicle is moving at just 35 mph, according to Car Pro USA.
Hack #3: Keep it hot or cold.
Keeping your dishes at the right temperature not only make celebrating fun but help with food safety. According to the USDA, hot foods should be above 140 degrees Fahrenheit and cold foods should be below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Anywhere between those temperatures is the danger zone where foodborne bacteria could grow.
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- Glass containers hold heat better than plastic. Aluminum foil also holds heat. Disposable foil food containers work well for hot foods.
- Place your cold or hot foods in an insulated container. These include bags like the pizza delivery drivers use, or coolers that you fill with ice.
- Pre-chill the cooler. Put an ice pack into it overnight. Then, it will already be cool when you place the food and the new ice packs.
- Newspaper is a great insulator for keeping food cold. You can pack cold food in a box surrounded by crumpled newspapers.
- You can transport your food in a slow cooker which also will hold its heat.
- Consider purchasing a portable 12-volt heater or cooler that plugs into the outlet in your car. This will limit where the dish may be secured but will maintain its temperature.
Fun Tip: Use a couple of hot baked potatoes as a heater to keep a hot dish warm while traveling.
Hack #4: Choose the right recipe.
Consider the distance when choosing your recipe and also how easy the dish is to transport. This decision alone may take some of the stress out of transporting your food to a holiday or game day gathering.
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- A dish that doesn’t require an oven or a refrigerator is less stressful for the host.
- If you choose a hot dish, find one that also will taste good when served lukewarm.
- If possible, select an item that can be served at room temperature.
- Consider a recipe that you can assemble at your destination so that you can transport its components without worrying about the appearance of the full dish.
- See these Food Network recipes for dishes that travel well for game day or these ideas for last-minute Thanksgiving dishes.
- Take precautions to avoid holiday cooking fires.
Fun Tip: Choose a recipe that you can freeze ahead of time, and let it defrost on the way to the celebration.
Hack #5: Prepare for leftovers.
Leftovers are a wonderful part of holiday gatherings. Not only are they delicious but they help you extend that feeling of celebration.
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- Arrive with your own reusable containers and food storage bags.
- Carry those items in a reusable bag so you have something to transport the containers when they are full.
- Keep food safety in mind. Store perishable items in coolers with ice for the ride home.
- Pack the food in your car in the same way that you transported food to the gathering. Make sure to secure it so it doesn’t move around.
Fun Tip: Mark your serving dish with your name and number, taped to the bottom, so that it gets back to you after the celebration.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Homeowners Insurance Info |
As the weather warms up, seasonal allergies can collide with everyday household allergens to create the perfect storm of misery for allergy sufferers. If you or your family members are allergy-prone, there are steps you can take to minimize allergens throughout your home and throughout pollen season.
These 11 tips can help vastly improve your home’s indoor air quality, helping prevent asthma flare-ups, new cases of mold allergies, and the need for bulk purchases of tissues and antihistamines!
- Clean well, clean often. A clean house is a healthier house. Regular, thorough cleaning of all surfaces and furnishings will keep allergen counts down, prevent mold and decrease pet dander. Besides the regular surfaces, keep in mind too that clearing out clutter is a big factor in controlling dust. One more reason to get rid of extra stuff!
- Vacuum regularly. Consistent vacuuming is a powerful weapon in removing allergens, toxins, mold spores, mites, and other offenders. Depending on your household’s activity levels and allergy sensitivity, you may need to vacuum as often as every other day or so. Use a HEPA filter in your vacuum and change it often.
- Control dust mites. These critters thrive in bedding and linens that aren’t cleaned often enough. Keep them in check by washing bedding, uncovered pillows, and kids’ stuffed toys in hot water each week, and dry with high heat. Zippered allergen-resistant covers for mattresses, pillows, and box springs are especially effective against allergy attacks. Avoiding heavy drapes, wall-to-wall carpet and overstuffed fabric furniture also control mites, as does humidity-regulating air-conditioning.
- Limit indoor greenery. House plants add beauty, but many times they can harbor mold. Try to cull out all but your favorites, and for the plants you do keep, lay down aquarium gravel on top of the soil to discourage mold growth.
- Get an air filter or purifier. Air cleaning devices can significantly improve indoor air quality (if you’re on the west coast, these are a lifesaver during wildfire season). Go for high-quality air filters such as HEPA or certified asthma/allergy ones. Choose from stand-alone filters or those designed to be installed in your central air system – or better yet, both!
- Stay ahead of pet dander. Keeping up with a vacuuming and cleaning schedule will help limit dander. You can also cover vents with material such as cheesecloth to catch circulating dander. Regularly wash and dry pet beds and toys. Bathe pets weekly and wear a mask when grooming them. And finally, if you’re able to resist the puppy-dog eyes, try not to let pets sleep in bedrooms.
- Keep pollen out. Keep doors and windows closed and use the air conditioning to keep pollen, dust, and other toxins outside. Change air filters frequently, especially during pollen season.
- Prevent mold. Damp areas breed mold spores, which then travel throughout your home. Reduce moisture in the bathroom by running a fan during and after showers, minimizing shower time, and making sure wet clothes, towels, and bathing suits are hung or dried. To further limit the spread of mold, use dehumidifiers and/or air conditioning, use humidity monitors if needed, limit the number of houseplants and fix all leaks.
- Control pests. Prevent cockroaches and mice with traps or hire a professional exterminator. Repel them in the first place by always putting garbage, food waste, and recycling into containers with an insect-proof lid and emptying bins daily. Keep the kitchen free of crumbs and food scraps. Store pet food in sealed containers. Seal cracks and other possible pest entryways.
- Dehumidify. Use a dehumidifier in especially damp areas such as the basement.
- Adopt a no-smoking policy. Do not allow smoking inside your home. Besides a range of serious health effects, tobacco smoke can also cause asthma – not just for the smoker but for anyone exposed to secondhand smoke.
The bad news about allergies? They will always be around us. The good news? We can do something about them! A thorough spring cleaning can get you on the right track (not sure where to start? – check out our tips here!). After that, consistently following the 11 steps above will help reduce allergens and improve your indoor air quality all year round – which will in turn keep you and your family healthier and safer for years to come.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
by California Casualty | Educators |
Spring is on the horizon, and that means it’s time to brighten up your classroom!
What better way to ring in the new season than with some bright bulletin boards? Here are some examples to try in your classroom!
1. All The Colors of Me
2. Look Who’s Blooming
3. Soaring Into Spring
4. Raining Rainbows
5. Young Minds Bloom Inside This Room
6. You Are Worth More Than Gold
7. Be the Rainbow
8. Helping People Grow
9. Chillin with my Peeps
10. I’m So Lucky to Have You
11. Reading Helps Your Mind Bloom
12. BEE Amazing
13. Spring is in the Air
14. We’re Buggin’ for Spring
15. A Painted Rainbow
16. We Are Each Unique & Beautiful
17. Be a Rainbow
For more Spring Bulletin Boards and ideas to Brighten Up Your Classroom visit our “Teachers: Brighten Up Your Classroom for Spring!” board on Pinterest!
Don’t forget to give us a follow at California Casualty to stay up to date on every new kindness idea we discover! Scan our Pincode with your Pinterest camera to follow:
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. California Casualty does not own any of the photos in this post, all are sources by to their original owners. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
