Don’t go looking for a ticker symbol, that’s not the name of a company. On my About page, I mention three simple steps for sound investing:
- Save all the money you can
- Buy the stocks of great businesses that pay dividends
- Reinvest those dividends
I have been writing a lot about investing in the Dividend Kings, but I think a little variety is nice. I will periodically share my thoughts on saving money. After all, everything hinges on that.
Not a day goes by where my email and regular mail isn’t blessed with an advertisement from HelloFresh, Daily Harvest, Hungryroot, Blue Apron, etc. The number of these services has exploded in the last couple of years. I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t tried a couple. They’re impressive and convenient. Hungryroot is my favorite. But there is no getting around it, they cost quite a bit of money per serving – it is near impossible to get the average cost below $10 per meal after shipping.
These services do save on time – time spent grocery shopping, time spent on meal prep. But so much so that it is worth the dough? We can do better.
Beans, Beans, and more Beans!
Go to your local grocery store and hit the bulk section or whatever aisle has the pre-packaged bags of dried beans. Goya, Bob’s Red Mill, you know what I’m talking about. I love Hurst’s HamBeens Brand. I can get them cheaper ($2.99/bag) at the local store than online. Many of their packages come with a flavoring packet and the all-important recipe on the back of the bag. The recipe is critical because (a) not everyone is creative and (b) who knows better than the manufacturer, how best to prepare their product? Think I’m joking? Have you ever tried Hershey’s own chocolate cake recipe, or the chocolate chip cookie recipe on the back of a Nestle Toll House chocolate chips bag? What of the mock apple pie recipe that graced the back of the Ritz Cracker box (when there was only one kind) for years? Nabisco wasn’t playing around.
These bean bags call for an onion, maybe some carrot or celery, and perhaps smoked sausage or ham. The oil and spices and anything else, is usually right in the pantry. Folks, you can use a crockpot, or the stove and they typically provide a recipe for each (though it is not all that necessary). I prefer the crockpot method, so I don’t have to stir periodically. When the beans are done, you have about 8 – 12 servings. And I kid you not, they’re excellent. I mean restaurant quality. One night, you serve them with some bread, the next night, maybe a baked potato. Got any left? This time try re-heating with some ditalini or rice.
Money Saved
I have prepared more than a few of these dried bean recipes. I always opt for the optional smoked sausage, ham or ground beef and supplement with pasta or bread. Even without the meat, beans are a great source of protein and carbohydrates and thus, can be quite filling. The preparation takes just a few minutes and requires only reheating the next couple of days. How about the time spent grocery shopping? You can buy meat and freeze it. And you can buy large bags of onions and potatoes. Carrots and celery keep in the fridge for quite a while. With a little planning, a person can prepare multiple recipes in between trips to the store.
Oh yea, the cost per serving? About $2.00. Sometimes less. Obviously, it isn’t difficult to see how this can save one money.