As chaotic as most parents’ lives are, it’s no wonder products such as bagged salad, pre-cut cantaloupe and rotisserie chicken are in high demand.
Unfortunately, convenience often comes with a hefty price tag. Think about how much you spend on items that make your life easier. Even if you purchase four cheap bags of salad each week for an entire year, you’re looking at paying at least a few hundreds dollars. You could save money by purchasing a head of lettuce, whole carrots and some celery, and then chopping them up yourself, but how do you put a price tag on the time and energy you save by simply ripping open a bag of pre-mixed salad?
I’m as guilty as any busy mom. In fact, I ought to buy stock in Dole, as I can’t remember the last time I made a garden salad from scratch. Still, there are some convenience items that I cannot justify spending money on. For example, earlier this week I was at the store looking for edible decorations for our Christmas cookies. Jars of sprinkles are not cheap, but their price is not what made my jaw drop. Rather, it was the tiny container of crushed candy canes selling for $3 that made brain bleed. The small plastic tub contained a few ounces of what the store labeled: “Peppermint Dust.”
Listen, I am all for convenience, but I could purchase four boxes of candy canes for less than three bucks and have my 8-year-old smash them in a Ziploc bag with a rolling pin.
That said, I was inspired by my encounter with the “Peppermint Dust” and went home and made some myself.
I’ll sell you a pound for $10.
Kidding aside, you don’t have to be a fiercely frugal parent to preserve your family’s bank account. Instead, simply look for ways you can reproduce items you see at the store for a lot less money.
Leftover candy canes from Christmas can be crushed and used as a topping for ice cream well into the New Year. You can also add the smashed candy to pancake batter, cookie dough or sprinkle it over white chocolate covered popcorn.
Cheap popcorn kernels you heat up on a stove, not the more expensive microwave variety.
What are some ways you resist the temptation to spend more for convenience?