Five Kitchen Items That Saved Me Money This Year

 1.  Crock Pot or Slow Cooker

 Cheaper cuts of meat are either fatty, tough, or both.  My crock pot has allowed me to buy the tougher cuts of pork or beef and still come up with delicious and tender meat entrees. 

The crock pot has also made it easier to cook pork or beef roasts without heating up the oven, and the entire house in the process.  Contrary to common belief, the crock pot does not need water to cook.  I dry-rub seasoning on the pork or beef roast, put in in the crock pot, and turn it on low.  It is just like oven-baked when done.

If you do not have a crock pot/slow cooker yet, choose one that is oval instead of round.  Roasts fit in it better.  And get one with durable handles.  One of the handles broke off as I was transferring my crock pot to the table, spilling the delicious clam chowder all over the floor.

You can get your own crock pot or slow cooker here.

 2.  Rice Cooker

 Rice is the most versatile and cheap food that I serve.  I can pair it with fish or any kind of meat, then add a side of veggies.  I can serve it steamed then fry the leftovers.  Hubby can eat it by itself with just a dash of vinegar and salt.  The kids love it with mayonnaise.  I love it mixed with chicken noodle soup.  I do not have to serve as much fish or meat because the rice stretches the meal into something more filling.

The easiest and fool-proof way to cook rice is to use a rice cooker.  Just follow the instructions and you can relax — no hovering and stirring involved here.  The general rule of thumb is to rinse the rice until the water drains clear, then add 2 cups of water for every cup of rice.  Once you turn on the rice cooker, do not lift the lid until the rice is cooked.  I do not add oil or salt to the rice when I cook it.

If you do not have a rice cooker and would like to get one, choose one that has a non-stick interior.  Cooked rice, by nature, is sticky.  The non-stick interior makes it so much easier to clean. 

You can get your own rice cooker here.

 3.  Coffeemaker with Timer

 I like the convenience of having coffee ready for me.  For the longest time I would stop at a gas station close to the highway and grab a cup to go.  We have all heard of “the latte factor”, and when I added up what it was costing me per month to have that convenience, I decided that a coffeemaker with a timer is the cheap way to go.  I set it up the night before, and my coffee is ready for me in the morning.  Additional savings come from not getting tempted to pick up a pastry or doughnut!

For those that like to grind their beans right before brewing, there are coffeemakers with timer with built-in grinder.  You can get your own coffee maker with timer here.

 4.  Faucet-Mount Water Filter

 I do not mean to sound snotty, but we do not like tap water.  It tastes like the chemically-treated water that it is.  However the cost of those bottled waters really add up.  We used to buy gallons of Ice Mountain water, then switched to store brand as a cheaper alternative.  We also tried the fill-your-own-container filtered water kiosks at the grocery store for a long time before I realized the folly of my ways.  Why am I lugging 5-gallon containers of filtered tap water?  Why not get a filter at home?

Since we could not afford those elaborate water filtration system, we settled on a faucet-mount system.  Granted, it is not the same level of filtration as the store water kiosks but the chemical taste and smell are gone.  This has saved my wallet and my back.  All I need to lug around every few weeks is a pack of replacement filters.  These faucet-mount filters have indicators when it is time to change the filter.  If you ignore the indicator in an effort to stretch your filter use a little bit, you will really notice the difference in taste.

You can get your own faucet-mount water filter here. 

 5.  Single-Portion Containers

 These little containers have saved me from the drive-through.  I like to cook for more than one meal, especially on weekends, but the kids do not really like leftovers.  A trick I have learned is that leftovers look better in single-portion containers.  The kids can just grab one to heat and eat when they get hungry.  I now rarely get the request to get fastfood on the way home.   Pasta dishes are the best ones to cook double and save for later. 

If you are planning to get single-portion containers, make sure they are microwave-safe.  Do not forget to provide kids with reheating instructions.  Also choose containers which have lids that are easy to open or close. 

You can get your own single-portion containers here.