Cookware!

Remembering that this week's theme is "when to spend", I decided to talk about my beloved cast-iron skillets and baking stones! These things defy the laws of consumerism. In case you aren't familiar, the law that I am referring to states that once a product is paid for, it will immediately start to decompose thereby convincing you that you must go out and buy another similar product usually of a greater value. Well, I'm sure that it's not written exactly this way, but the idea is the same. That is why my mother's microwave is as old as I am, yet I can't keep one for longer than 5 years. It's that stinking law! And boy does it work!

But my rebellious cookware, oh how I love it! It grows better with age. With each use, the quality of the finish gets better. The food that I cook in it gets better as well. The iron actually leaches into the food, helping to maintain healthy blood iron levels. The skillets are practically indestructible! A friend recently had a kitchen fire. The only salvageable item? The cast iron skillet. It goes on the stove, in the oven, over a camp fire. This thing is the Superman of cookware. Its kryptonite is the microwave. It can do everything else, but no nuking. The stones, on the other hand, can go into the microwave. I have my eye and a little gem that can cook a meatloaf in the microwave in a total of 20 minutes! The stones develop that beautiful smooth surface as well. It’s ugly, but works beautifully! (I know some folks like that, too.) They go into the oven and the microwave, but don’t dare put them on the stove! So together they are like the team of Superman and the Green Lantern. Both are awesome, but with different weaknesses. But between the two of them, the job WILL get done.

Since the consumerism police know that these mighty rebels don’t follow all of the rules, they must make sure that they get as much money as possible on the front side. Cast iron and stoneware are more expensive in the initial investment, but well worth it. Just try to remember every Teflon pan that you’ve thrown away since you got your own kitchen!

Shoes!

This is an area where I have fallen into the trap!  I have 4 boys to outfit in proper foot gear.  And while that doesn't seem like such a difficult task to some, others will remember going through shoes as quickly as underwear!
Generally, we wait for shoes and sandals to get marked down.  End of season clearance is our favorite time of the year!  We would buy a pair, sometimes two, for each of the 5 children.  Even on clearance, this can add up quickly.  We can't just do this twice a year.  They need additional shoes!  The youngest boy, especially, can tear up a pair of shoes so quickly that all of this shoes are "play shoes".  He has no town shoes!  So let's just look at the quick math.  Boy #4 goes through at least 4 pair of sneekers every year, plus a pair for church that we have forbade him from wearing in the yard.  That's 5 pair at roughly $15 per pair.  He goes through $75 worth of shoes each year without being able to pass down any of them.
Then a friend showed me something that has changed the way I look at little boys' feet forever!  Good quality cowboy boots.  By the way, my kids are going through a cowboy phase.  They all want big belt buckles and goats to ride.  These beautiful, sturdy, wonderful, real leather boots cost a shocking $65!  Oh my goodness!  That is just too much to spend on children's shoes.  I don't spend that much on my shoes.  But then, I don't drag my toes across the dirt while swinging from a tree.  I don't wallow on the ground or climb trees.  So I can't really compare what they need to my dainty little ballet flats.  (if you can call a size 10 little)  But when we compare these boots to the $75 alternative, they are quite affordable.  And, hopefully, they will be able to be passed down.  The boys love them.  There are fewer shoes to keep up with.  They are weather proof, and are perfectly suitable for going into the muddy yard or gross chicken yard. 
Yes, I have learned that sometimes we must step back and look at the whole picture.  In being cheep, I was actually spending more money on lesser product.
Liz Price 13% off of a better product!