Two Tips for Dealing with Food Allergies on a Budget

By Katy DeDeyne

When you’re trying to make better financial decisions, one of the first areas to look at trimming back is food. From cutting down on dining out, to making a meal plan, to trying store brands, there are lots of ways to reduce the amount of money you spend feeding yourself and your family.

But when you add a food allergy into the mix, it gets a little bit more complicated. Specialty foods, like gluten-free products, are often priced at a premium — one study in Australia found that gluten-free options were up to 500% more expensive than those containing wheat.

In our family of six, two people are gluten intolerant. While they don’t have an allergy, realizing that they can’t eat certain foods meant figuring out a whole new way to eat food for all of us. Two things helped us adjust.

1. Keep it positive.

The best piece of advice I ever got was to focus on what you CAN have, not on what you CAN’T. So we started there. Meats, fruits, vegetables. Dairy, spices, other grains. Once we shifted our focus, there was quite a bit that we could still eat, and many opportunities to try new things that we hadn’t had before.

We could still shop the specials for meats and produce that were on sale. We could still keep a running list of pantry staples. They were just a little bit different than before.

2. Keep it simple.

Once we were comfortable with our new way of eating, I started to look at more than just the basic meals. What about brownies? Birthday cake? Muffins? But gluten-free baking can get pretty complicated. I’d click on a recipe that sounded yummy, and be immediately intimidated by the list of four flours and two thickeners in the ingredients list, and extra steps in the directions.

I knew there had to be an easier way.

I happened upon a recipe that mentioned substituting oat flour for some of the wheat flour to increase fiber. That benefit didn’t matter so much to me, but using oats intrigued me. So I ground up some of the oats that I had, and reworked a muffin recipe I found online. After a few adjustments, I knew I was onto something. I kept experimenting, and pretty soon I had a whole list of gluten-free muffin recipes using oats — like the one below.

Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes

Perfectly Peach Muffins
Makes 15-17 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats, ground into oat flour (see notes below for how to grind your own)
• ½ cup additional old-fashioned oats
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
• ½ tsp. almond extract
• ½ cup milk (or peach juice if using canned peaches)
• 2 eggs
• 2-3 peaches, chopped*

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In large bowl, mix all ingredients except peaches until combined. Fold in peaches.
3. Scoop muffin batter into greased muffin pans, filling almost to the top of the pan. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely before removing muffins from pans.

*You can also use a can of peaches in 100% juice for this recipe, and replace some of the milk with the juice from the can.

Notes: To grind your own oat flour, simply measure the amount listed in the recipe into a blender or food processor. You may need to do this in batches – my cheap blender takes about a cup at a time. If you prefer to use pre-ground oat flour from the store, or want to make sure you have the right amount, one cup of oat flour weighs 3.75 oz. Half a cup weighs 1.85 oz.

Peaches & Cream Muffins: Prepare the recipe as stated above. In small bowl, mix 2 oz. room temperature cream cheese, ½ cup powdered sugar, and 2 Tbsp. milk. Before baking, add a small spoonful of cream cheese mixture to each muffin and stir slightly. Bake as directed above.

Raspberry Peach Muffins: Prepare recipe as stated above. Before baking, add 1 tsp. of raspberry jam to each muffin and stir slightly. Bake as directed above.

Making your own gluten free muffins doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t need to involve multiple ingredients or expensive equipment. Oats are one of the top 10 frugal foods, after all.

Even with food allergies, it is possible to rein in your food costs and stay within your budget. By focusing on the positives, and keeping it simple, you can find a way to still enjoy delicious food.

Katy DeDeyne is the wife of a pastor, whose ministry recently moved the family from northern Iowa to northern Oregon. She writes about food, homeschooling, parenting, and home management at http://ift.tt/25PmisJ. Her cookbook, Oat Flour Muffins: Gluten-Free Baking The Simple Way, is available on Amazon. 

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Avoiding Fashion Trends Might Be the Hottest Look of 2016

Earlier this year, I spent $400 on dresses from a womenswear company called Soma. The magnitude of this purchase hit my husband hard.

“You spent how much? And on what?”

He could hardly believe it when I told him that, yes, I spent $400 on six dresses.

We share our finances for sure, but each of us has a “slush fund” that we’re free to spend on whatever we want. And this year, I chose to spend part of that on cotton and polyester dresses with pockets. Dresses that feel like pajamas when you’re wearing them. Dresses that, according to a friend of mine who owns several, last many, many years without ever becoming drab or losing their form. Dresses that, in my eyes, were a solid bargain. And yes, I did have a 20%-off coupon.

My husband’s surprise was mostly due to the fact that I’ve never even spent $400 on clothing in an entire year during our 11-year marriage, much less all at once. Actually, I would guess that $400 has easily lasted me several years in terms of clothes shopping – partly because I hate shopping, but also because I mostly shop second-hand.

Still, I’m happy with my purchase. And yes, my new dresses are currently in my standard rotation of daily wear. If I’m not wearing pajamas or workout clothes, you can probably find me in a new Soma dress. I may not be stylish, but hey, at least I’m comfortable. And I’m certainly not going broke trying to keep up with the newest fashion trends, either.

The Hilarity of High Fashion

Of course, it wasn’t always this way. I was a young, 20-something once, after all, and I cared a great deal about fashion-forward trends at the time. Even when I had no money, I still bought expensive makeup and hair care products, clothes with designer labels, and fancy purses that cost so much I was almost too scared to carry them around.

And if I didn’t have the cash on-hand, I just charged it. Because, as we all know, it’s far too easy to buy now and worry about the bill somewhere down the line. Sadly, this strategy cost me dearly in my early 20s, leading not just to credit card debt, but a huge loan on a Mitsubishi that was also beyond my pay grade.

It’s so easy to see how this happens to today’s young people. Everywhere you look, you see ads for expensive clothing and accessories. Ads telling you, plain as day, that the awesome lavender sweater you bought last year is so out of season, and that a different hue of purple is now on point.

Everywhere you look, the story is the same. And while high fashion may be fun distraction from reality, it exists only to extract dollars from our wallets. Ever wonder why fashions and colors go in and out of style in a constant merry-go-round of excess? In my opinion, it’s because the people who want to sell us more clothing make it so.

And when you really think about it – when you really look – the fashion ideas they try to rope us into are downright crazy.

Take a look at this guide on 2016 winter fashion from Elle Magazine to see for yourself. According to Elle, this year’s hottest winter trends are underwear that look like pants, stark black lipstick, and giant raincoats that cost thousands of dollars.

Balenciaga outerwear starts at just a few grand per piece, yet you can totally style your coat with heels or slacks at the office, notes Elle.

Back to those underwear that look like pants, though. According to Elle, that outfit is actually more about the extra-long sleeves that hide your hands by a foot or two. You didn’t need to type or answer the phone today, did you? “Rihanna-approved extra-long sleeves are the perfect alternative to gloves,” says Elle. “No more fumbling when you receive an incoming call – all you have to do is wiggle out your hand!”

Five minutes ago, those crazy-looking pirate pants were also the “it” fashion. How do I know? I saw it in one of those awful magazines at the grocery checkout. But now, they’re out of style (I think?) and high-waist mom jeans are back in again. Also, you can buy a baggy sweater with holes in it from Kanye West’s fashion line, Yeezy, for $1,633.

You know there’s a problem when a sweater full of holes costs more than a thousand bucks and nobody bats an eye. “Distressed holes scatter this oversized piece, while shoulder and elbow patches add a contrasting, authoritative vibe,” says the marketing pitch. “Throw yours over a white T-Shirt to emphasize the disheveled patches.”

Obviously, I’m choosing some really dumb and overly expensive fashion to poke fun at here, but the basic idea is the same – even for the stuff you see at your local mall.

While splurging for better and sturdier clothing brands can be financially savvy, you’ll reach a point of diminishing returns. A $50 off-brand purse will likely last just as long as that $900 Louis Vuitton bag stays in style. And you don’t need to spend $695 on a pair of jeans from Dolce & Gabbana when you can get a high-quality pair from any number of brands for under a hundred bucks.

Yet, advertisers and the media are out in droves to convince you otherwise. But, have you ever stopped to think about who really benefits from the newest and best fashion trends changing every season and every year? From the gazillion-dollar coats that are only “in” for one season? From the hole-ridden sweaters that cost as much as a semester at community college?

Let me give you a hint: It’s not you.

Money in the Bank Is Always in Fashion

Perhaps I’m just getting old, but I would much rather have money than be broke and fashionable. In my eyes, the real fashion trend – the one we should all strive for – is to get our financial houses in order first. 

I mean, you can’t retire in a $1,600 sweater, can you? And will anyone care what you were wearing back in 2016 when you’re 70 years old and living in your daughter’s basement because you’re broke?

Plus, most high-end clothing depreciates the second you buy it. And if you buy expensive, designer clothing often and insist on having each new season’s “hottest styles,” you might as well be dicing up dollars in a paper shredder every year.

Those pirate pants that were “hot” a few years ago? The Juicy Couture sweatsuits? Dresses with cut-outs?

Yep, all of those have gone the way of Hypercolor, acid-washed denim, and Members Only jackets. In other words, they will be worth almost nothing – that is, until they become vintage antiques.

So, here’s what I say. To heck with it – all of it. To heck with spending our money on overpriced clothes that will go out of style next year or next season. To heck with forking over two weeks’ pay to buy a sweater that looks like it was eaten by moths. To heck with buying stuff we’re not even sure we like, just because someone else says it’s in, cool, or the latest style.

Let’s wear comfortable, durable clothes. Heck, let’s wear pajamas. Let’s choose our clothing based on what is comfortable and what makes us feel good. Let’s buy the colors, the styles, and the fashions we like regardless of what the media and the fashion magazines tell us. Let’s quit spending our money in the pursuit of the unattainable goal of being fashionable by everyone’s standards, 100% of the time.

Let’s spend our money where it counts, and save it for ourselves and our families. And instead of shopping just to look like everyone else, let’s all dare to be different – to be ourselves. We might not end up on a runway because of it, but at the very least, we’ll have money in the bank instead of a closet full of next year’s out-of-style clothes.

Holly Johnson is an award-winning personal finance writer who is obsessed with frugality, budgeting, and travel. She blogs at ClubThrifty.com and teaches others how to write online at EarnMoreWriting.com.

Related Articles:

• The Life-Changing Magic of Buying Used Stuff
• The Deceptively Tiny Wardrobe: A Clever Method for Saving Money and Time With Clothing
• ‘I Make Myself Rich by Making My Wants Few’

Do you buy into high fashion? Why or why not? How much do you spend on clothing each year?

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Here’s Exactly How This Woman Saved Over $18K on Her Student Loans

Ashley Williams is a 28-year-old financial analyst with a degree in accounting — a background that keeps her acutely aware of her own financial situation… and debt.

“I crunch my own debt numbers quite often, and the lack of progress on student loans is disheartening,” Williams says.

She graduated six years ago from Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, with $46,000 in student loan debt. But, “thanks to capitalized interest and a year in forbearance,” she says, last year she still owed $51,500.

When a small raise in her salary threatened to increase her monthly payment by $100, she’d had enough.

“I already felt like I was paying too much per month because I had private loans that ranged from 8.5-9.5% that I felt like I was getting nowhere with,” she explains.

Like many students, Williams took out loans when she was 18 years old. Without a co-signer, she was bound by her underdeveloped credit score. She says it was decent for her age, but it still wasn’t good enough to secure a great interest rate.

In addition to the private loans, she was paying 6% interest on a consolidated federal loan.

With a few years of paying down debts and building credit under her belt, she was sure she could do better.

Taking Action

Williams finally decided to look into refinancing.

She was discouraged at first. Despite a credit score she says is over 800, one refinancing company denied her.

“It made me think that getting a refinanced loan was just a mirage that the banks claimed they were offering … I am happy to say I was proven wrong, and that is thanks to Credible,” Williams explains.

Credible is an independent student loan refinancing marketplace. Unlike a bank, which will give you just one offer — or none — the site shows you a range of personalized offers from a variety of lenders.

Depending on your situation, those offers could mean a lower monthly payment, a reduced interest rate and saving a ton of money over the life of your loan.

Through Credible, Williams was able to qualify for a refinanced loan that’s going to save her about $18,000 in interest.

“Refinancing knocked off at least five years in payments,” she reports.

Plus, “Credible helped me secure a 5.02% interest rate through [lender] Citizens Bank,” Williams adds — “drastically lower” than the 6%-9.5% she was previously paying on her loans!

And her monthly payment also has gone down, so it’s easier for her to make progress paying down her debt.

Williams’ case isn’t too unusual.

The average 2016 graduate with student loans will leave school with more than $37,000 in student loan debt, the Wall Street Journal reports.

As time goes by — and life happens — interest can turn that debt into a virtually unmanageable burden none of us prepared for.

Is Refinancing Student Loans Right for You?

Like Williams, you might be chained to an unwieldy interest rate you secured at a young age. But with time and responsible financial management, you could now qualify for a much better deal.

How do you know whether it’s the right move?

Refinancing will replace some — or all — of your existing debt with a new private loan. That means a new interest rate and repayment plan, so you have to decide whether it will be better than what you’re working with now.

Keep in mind that refinancing government loans with a private lender means giving up some borrower benefits, including access to income-driven repayment plans and the potential for loan forgiveness after 10, 20 or 25 years of payments.

But many borrowers decide that the savings they can realize through refinancing outweigh the value of those benefits.

The biggest questions to consider are:

1. Can you get a better interest rate?

Maybe your credit is stronger than it was when you were 18 years old. Maybe interest rates on student loans have gone down since you started school. Or maybe a new lender is simply able to offer you a better plan.

Whatever the reason, a reduced interest rate can mean saving thousands of dollars over the life of your loan.

2. Will it reduce your monthly payment?

Many of us are paralyzed by outrageous monthly loan payments that compete with rent, groceries and other basic living expenses.

When you can’t afford everything, student loan payments often fall by the wayside, racking up interest as they go unpaid. Reducing what you owe each month can help you get out from under your debt by making steady payments.

Refinancing into a loan with a longer term could reduce your monthly payment, though you may increase your overall repayment total.

3. Will you save money over time?

Your unpaid loan balance racks up interest, so the longer you take to pay it off, the more you’ll pay in the end.

Refinancing could help you repay your loans faster by increasing your monthly payment and potentially reducing your interest rate. Every month shaved off the life of your loan is money saved!

In fact, Credible reports that the average user save $13,928 over the life of their loans.

And it’s more than just numbers. It’s about what you can do with the money you’ll save over the next 10 or 20 years.

With such steep savings, Williams says she’ll be able to throw more money into retirement and “take a few more vacations” over the years.

Plus, she says she’ll, “enjoy the feeling of not being tied to an anchor [of debt].”

Click here to take Credible’s two-minute quiz and find a new rate to decide whether refinancing is right for you.

Your Turn: Would you consider refinancing your student loans?

Sponsorship Disclosure: A huge thanks to Credible for working with us to bring you this content. It’s rare that we have the opportunity to share something so awesome and get paid for it!

Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s written for Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, Writer’s Digest and more, attempting humor wherever it’s allowed (and sometimes where it’s not).

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