Chili for 4 for $2

My Cheap, Healthy, Good Chili Recipe
1 can Hormel Turkey Chili with beans ($1)
1 can diced tomatoes (.50)
1 can kidney beans (.50)
couple of dashes of hot sauce (free)

Heat and serve with crackers, cheese, onions and if feeling fancy cornbread. This makes 4 generous servings and is super fast!

Frugal Christmas- Part One: Food Gift Containers

Frugal Food Gift Containers in 10 Easy Steps
Why spend $1-$2 each for tins or plastic Christmas buckets to give your homemade holiday treats? These are very inexpensive to make and are not labor intensive. I spent about 1 hour while watching TV last night and made 12.

1. Collect canisters- I saved formula canisters. Other ideas: Pringles cans, Crystal Light Canisters, coffee cans, shoe boxes, cardboard boxes.
2. Wash if needed, I gave mine a good rinse and let air dry.
3. Wrap with Christmas wrapping paper you got on the cheap last Christmas and the free tape you got from Walgreens.
4. Add a bow or some ribbon for festiveness.
5. Use a glue stick and a little patience to glue paper over the Enfamil logo on the lid.
6. Make yourself feel fancy and cut out white card stock circles to put inside the lid to cover the edges of your wrapping job (also a great place to put your Holiday Greetings)
7. Put a piece of wax paper inside and fill with goodies or wrap goodies up in plastic wrap and put tissue paper inside.
8. Sing Fa La La La La as you pat yourself on the back for doing something both green and frugal. (Optional)
9. Deliver goodies to all of your loved ones.
10. Feel Merry Christmissy ( yes not a word and yes it was only added because 9 easy steps seemed just silly :) )

ING

I started a high interest savings plan to today through ING, now whenever I save money, I can quickly transfer it to my savings plan. So if my grocery budget is $100 a week and I only spend $47 (like I did this week) then I will transfer the balance to the new account. I do have debt that could be paid down with this money but with the economy I am afraid to pay of my credit cards and have the balance lowered or interests rates raised. After I go back to work, all the money in the savings fund will be paid to my credit card.

A "Naked Line"

We moved in June and where we moved to ONLY had DSL or dial for internet, no cable. I called to sign up and was told I had to have a phone... even though I was never going to use it. I got the most basic plan, which they say is $18 a month but after fees, it was more like $30. So that with the basic DSL was around $50 a month. Fast forward a couple of months and I heard a rumor from a friend that you could get "a naked line" with no phone on it if you knew to ask. No way... So I called and I got it and I am saving $25 a month. (would be $30 a month but I have Direct TV and if you are not connected to a phone line for pay per view they charge you $5 a month). I am just bummed that I am out $150 from those 6 months. I am transferring that $25 a month to a high interest savings plan with ING.