Cook At Home and Save Money
I know this is one of the biggest no brainers out there, but if you want to really save some serious money, you should cook at home. I call it a no-brainer, but the truth is a lot of people overlook this as a way to cut down expenses.
It could be as simple as cooking at home one night more per week. You could also save money by making a little bit more food than you normally do and freezing it. You can take it to work the next day and microwave it up. That way you don’t spend as much money buying food away from home. It will all save you some money and with things the way they are, this is a universal value.
Good Food
For expats all over the world, one of the top concerns about any locality is the food. For me, it is my number one concern. I like eating good food and anyone who has seen me will have to agree on this. I can’t handle too much of the local cuisine before getting intense cravings for the food I know and love. Mom’s chili and cornbread, Sister’s great tasting brownies, and Grandma’s homemade chicken noodles all bring about fond memories. The food is the thing I miss the most about the states. Oh, and the crock pot! Gotta find perfect crock pot recipes.
The biggest budget killer for expats living in other countries is eating foreign food. Not surprising, even in the states, foreign is always more expensive than the local cuisine. Sizzler beckons, but the price tag is outrageous on local earnings in Thailand. Most of the time, I stick with Thai food and yes it gets very boring. I have a rice cooker, wok, and hot water pot in my apartment. Sure I can make burgers and fries when I desire and can keep the monotony at bay, but still the food of my memories eludes me.
Well, my solution has been a crockpot. Yes, a simple 3 liter crock pot has satisfied some of my deepest cravings. Brownies, homemade noodles, chili and cornbread can all be cooked in the little old crockpot with very little recipe modifications. Throw in the chili ingredients in the morning, set it on low and eat a hearty dinner when I come home from work. I can easily have all the food that I have hungered for.
For more great crock pot recipes, visit Moms Who Know. They even have a great sugar cookie recipe. But you can’t make it in a crock pot!