text:
C-Tran riders who prefer to let someone else do the driving should consider the Xpress bus, which currently operates three routes in Clayton: #440 (Tara Blvd. to Atlanta), #441 (Jonesboro to Midtown Atlanta) and #442 (Riverdale to Downtown Atlanta).
Pending FTA approval, three new Xpress routes will be added at: the new Jonesboro Park & Ride Station on Tara Boulevard; the Riverdale Park & Ride Station; and at a new stop to be determined in Morrow. Weekday morning and evening peak service from Riverdale and Jonesboro will be provided at 15-minute intervals, and from Morrow at 30 minute intervals, so the new routes will run more often than Clayton's existing routes.
Worried what would happen if you had to leave early in an emergency? If you ride a regular Xpress route, the Guaranteed Ride Home program provides up to five FREE rides to your vehicle yearly. I've used this service, was taken to my car via cab in less than an hour and it cost me nothing but time to fill out some paperwork afterwards explaining why I needed the service.
Riding Xpress will also qualify you for the Clean Air Campaign's Commuter Rewards Program, where several $25 gift cards are won monthly just for using clean commuting options regularly.
Yes, Xpress will cost more than C-Tran, and nobody wants to pay more for anything. But the reality is we all are paying more, regardless of how one chooses to commute.
Fares for the new routes are: $3 one-way and $5 round-trip; 20 rides for $45, 40 rides for $85, and 31-day unlimited ride passes are $80. Riders can conveniently buy bus passes online, as well as at MARTA station Breeze machines or the GRTA offices in Peachtree Center. Xpress also provides a free transfer to MARTA and can accommodate up to two wheelchair passengers on its coaches.
Unfortunately this alternative does nothing to assist the needs of paratransit and elderly riders, so hopefully a solution will be worked out on their behalf soon.
This deal is a temporary fix to keep bus service running for those who need it. "The federal Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) funds that we will be using in part to operate these new routes will expire three years after each route begins service," says GRTA's Director of Communications William Mecke. "We will have to find a different source of operating funding when those funds expire." At the last meeting, our BOC approved Resolution 2010-61 requesting that legislators introduce legislation at this year's Georgia General Assembly to find ways to fully fund C-Tran in the future.
February 22nd, 2010
10:38 am
If we want to improve transportation in our county we've got to ensure that more emphasis is put on rail service. The state will have to take the lead on this because we've been fooled once before and won't be fooled twice. Transportation services should be regionally based. When a few counties foot the bill and the rest enjoy the benefits without the burden it's not fair. I hope the general assembly doesn't find the money to fund C-Tran and instead funds metro-wide rail service. This might at least create pockets of growth and minimize the impact of sprawl.
February 22nd, 2010
3:43 pm
Congrats Clayton County! You finally got rid of all of us undesirables who shop, work and live in your county. Must be nice that everyone in your county has enough income to have to have a car. And people all around the country think the south is backwards, go figure.
February 22nd, 2010
3:58 pm
Oh and before I get flamed, I am white with red hair and freckles. So no race comments, thank you.
February 22nd, 2010
4:25 pm
C-TRAN was never properly funded and should have never been put in service. The MAJORITY of the riders are not homeowners who pay property taxes. I look forward to the mass exodus of bus riders and increasing property values. Light rail and Xpress buses are the way to go in the future.
February 22nd, 2010
5:33 pm
I don't like the buses either when I see them they are empty or they have about three people on them and it's a waste of money.
February 22nd, 2010
7:28 pm
One thing that has been mentioned only briefly are the alternatives to C-Tran. My own unscientific research indicates that Clayton County residents are the least active of all the metro counties. A review of the Atlanta Track Club results for area foot races includes very few residents from Clayton County. So, the alternative to bus service is to walk, run, ride a bike, have a family member or friend drive you, carpool or take a cab. All of these alternatives will be better for the environment, your health and the county's bottom line.
February 22nd, 2010
10:42 pm
I see nothing wrong with this option. There is still mass transit that provides a service to Atlanta if that is where you happen to work. For those that do not work in Atlanta where you can get there via a Marta connection if required, then they must find an alternative method.
I agree with the Board in this case, either come up with the funds to pay for C-tran, cut the service all together or come up with a temporary fix that will still help some of Clayton County residents. They compromised and picked to use the Xpress bus which will not cost the county as much as C-tran did.
February 23rd, 2010
2:34 am
How about, everybody that has a car, move
February 23rd, 2010
7:59 am
I for one am glad that C-Tran is going away…I just don't see why anyone would think it was beneficial for our county. I expect to see an almost instant improvement in the Quality of Life in Clayton County as a result. I also think the X-Press service is a much better idea, especially in the way that it is funded. Light rail would be nice as well. The bottom line is that there was so many more positive means of spending Clayton's dollars (we need so much!) than sinking it into the C-Tran money pit…
February 23rd, 2010
10:27 am
I have mixed feelings about this issue…I just recently moved to Fayetteville after virtually living all my life in Jonesboro & Morrow. To be sure, I really only did it for my children as Fayette has much better schools. Honestly I think Clayton County has so much potential if they can just get it together. I am sorry to see C-Tran go as buses can be a great tool for success in a community if done right. Clayton County just has to figure it out, like a lot of other stuff they are falling short on…Right now, Fayette does not have buses, and I miss that service, because sometimes I just don't like to put all the wear and tear on my car for short trips. On the other hand, you can just tell the climate difference between Clayton & Fayette…I thought I would really miss where I grew up at, but I don't. Not sure if that is because of the lack of public transportation here in Fayette, I just think it's an overall more positive feel. I don't know how to explain what it is, but I know I feel better here about my community and my kids overall well-being. I think it is a shame that we have two counties sitting right next to each other that have such different outcomes. Something needs to be done. I really wish I knew what I could do to help.
February 23rd, 2010
4:02 pm
if the poll is any indicattion looks like xpress will be a bust in Clayco.
February 23rd, 2010
4:27 pm
C tran was a failure because its routes were not convenient. If people have to drive a mile or more they will just keep on driving. DC, San Diego, Denver, Chicago San Francisco and just about any Large city with vision knows that for public transportation to be a success it must make it easier for the riders to ride it. That means routes that connect multiple places. stops no further than half a mile apart (and that is stretching it) frequency of buses along the route. Marta and Ctran were not smarter they cut routes, stops were non-existent or too far for people to get to. And if there was a large ridership they would cut the route. Poor management practices.
February 23rd, 2010
7:39 pm
At least bus riders got the express bus, my old aunt who lives in Clayton has no way to get around now nothing. She can afford a car but not a DRIVER to drive it! If I lived there I wouldn't give the express bus a penny . Changing around the buses won't change anything there.
February 23rd, 2010
8:20 pm
Hmm, where is all that transportation $$$$……?
February 23rd, 2010
9:26 pm
Kim Is it a racial comment – just cause a blogger is criticizing someone who happens to be black? Even tho the comments are on their actions not their race. Why are comments criticizing local political figures routinely removed?
February 23rd, 2010
10:25 pm
Dontrelle, I know exactly how you feel. I too have moved to a new county and I cannot tell you what a difference it has made. It's like a whole new vibe – a positive vibe.
Clayton County had a vibe of "downtrodden" & "hopelnessness" – now I feel a sense of hope, energy & vibrancy.
Clayton County was once a great place to be, I pray and hope that one day it will be again.
February 23rd, 2010
10:32 pm
It's a shame what some people have done to the reputation of public transportation.
I took MARTA in the early 80's – at that time, most people riding public transportation were working people — people who had a goal in life. The buses & trains were clean and orderly.
Now, some bus routes have become an absolute mess. Loud talking on cell phones, hearing conversations you would rather not, people arguing with other, etc. — it really is sad.
I had always been an advocate for public transportation, however with "some" of the behavior on the buses & trains today, I can understand why some people do not want it in their communities.
February 24th, 2010
10:04 am
C-Tran is a prime example of what happens when we depend on government to provide subsidized options for some at the expense of others. There are some who are now dependent on those options for an existence. I know it may sound cruel; but there is no excuse to keep something that can not pay for itself. Some have talked of their older relatives or being elderly and needing that option. Whatever happened to family taking care of family.
I have a mother who is in her late sixties and she has aunts and uncles who are in their early and late eighties and none of them have depended upon C-Tran to get around. They depend on family. They can pick up the phone and call a family member to take them anywhere they want to go. We do it out of love and respect for each other. It was long thought in this country that it was not the place of government to be benevolent with the peoples money. We need to get back to that and maybe we could get back some of the family values that made this country what it was then.
February 24th, 2010
10:42 am
As a current resident of ClayCo I have to agree with Cheryl and Dontrelle. There is a feeling of being downtrodden and hopelessness. It really shouldn't take so much effort for residents to live in a nice community. I hope that recent changes will allow us to return to some form of normalcy. Maybe this is the bottom. That's about as positive as I can get! By the way, I don't care that your elderly aunt can't get around.
February 24th, 2010
11:05 am
The main problem people have with C-Tran leaving is the self entitlement they have these days. More and more people everyday think our government should support just about every aspect of their lives. How about taking care of yourself and quit depending on taxpayers to do it. If you are worried about getting to work, be responsible and save for a car and get that stupid $200 mth cell phone bill cut off. The answer here is less government control, not more.
February 24th, 2010
11:33 am
Agreeing with Waterboy on entitlement and I really hate that word but it applied in this case. At the commission meeting last week and other times some said having Ctran was a right, no form of public transportation is a right no matter where its at. Losing Ctran is messed up for those riders but if it will help make this county better finanacially and in the type of people that live here then I support it going. The express bus is much nicer anyway!
February 24th, 2010
11:36 am
and Ctran riders didn't even want the fare to go up but wanted the bus to keep rolling? come on now unrealistic.
February 24th, 2010
11:46 am
Citizens of Morrow can vote for a new council member to fill a vacated seat on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. There are three candidates in the race. There has not been a council contested race in 5 years. The election is open to all the citizens of the City of Morrow.
February 24th, 2010
2:24 pm
A lot of people on this blog has made some valid arguments on why C-tran was stopped. Not enough funding from the county, riders not willing to pay the increased cost to maintain the service, not relying on a form of subsidy to get you to and from any given location, etc. I understand that this will affect many people and may cause a hardship for some. However, I am in agreement with our new Superintendent when you told the CCSB that because of the shortfall in the budget, they will have to make TOUGH decisions that will be unpopular and not wanted.
When times were good, maybe we could afford to provide this service. Maybe if the medium property values for the county wasn't so low then we would have a higher tax base. Maybe if the homeowners didn't flee this county for other counties and then decided to rent out there home here to the first person that was able to write them a check, we wouldn't have this unbalance in Clayton County. Maybe if we had more "homeowners" than renters then we would see more people caring about their community.
This is just a few questions of many of what I believe is how we got into this situation. I've lived in the county for 16 years and I have no plans on moving anytime soon and yes I can afford to move if I want to without a problem. For those of us who is willing to tough it out, let's take back this county one neighborhood at a time.
February 24th, 2010
2:42 pm
As a 25-year Clayton resident, I will also be here forever. There are problems everywhere, and we must work together to solve them.
If Clayton homeowners band together and demand the state and county procede with light rail, we will be booming again. It's a shame that our state government is sitting on hundreds of millions of dollars earmarked for this purpose and little is happening. Florida and North Carolina are going to become the financial leaders in the South if Georgia doesn't get on the train (pun intended).
February 24th, 2010
3:09 pm
Thanks, Kimberly, for explaining the guidelines for this blog. We can all agree to be civil even in disagreement. There is one Clayton blog, run by a regular contributor here. He prevents you from posting if you don't say what he wants to hear, which makes that whole blog a joke. I'm glad Clayton has Clayton.Talk.
February 24th, 2010
3:47 pm
Cheryl and Dontrelle are correct. We made the decision to leave this county a few months ago. By far the best decision we could have made after waiting several years for it to turn around doing as much as we could do to help. I don't see it happening but hope it does. It was a great place to live and raise a family at one time and has provided some great memories. Good luck to ya'll. You'll need it.
February 24th, 2010
4:39 pm
I just wanted to add to my previous comment.
I want all who are choosing to remain in Clayton County to know that I am prayerful that it will one day be a great place to live — because it's "people" that make any community – and I know that Clayton has some wonderful people.
I lived in Clayton for 25 years. I had a home off of Bethasaida Road. It was a beautiful 3 bedroom brick ranch – I enjoyed living in my home and I had wonderful neighbors. However, that all came to end about 5 years ago when neighbors on each side of me moved.
Both homes were purchased by investors and they in turn rented the homes out. I went from having some really great neighbors to some really bad ones. Loud music all hours of the day, unkept grass and dogs running loose. My final decision to move came when I came home from work and could not go into my own home because a pit bull was on my porch. He belonged to the neighbor next door – when I asked him to get his dog (the neighbor was standing on his porch) he gave me the finger. I had to call the police in order to get into my own home. I had other incidents but this particular one had happened one time too many.
I just wanted to explain that my decision to move did not come overnight — it takes a lot to walk away from 25 years of your life.
As I said before, I wish all those in Clayton County the best.
February 24th, 2010
6:22 pm
Phase I – Remove C-Tran
Phase II – Make Section 8 rentals a rarity in Clayton County
Phase III – Clean up our communities and neighborhoods
Phase IV – Raise property values (Yes that means higher taxes)
Phase V – Attract industry & middle class families to set-up roots.
February 24th, 2010
11:13 pm
Cheryl is on point. That's the problem in my neighborhood – too many renters, not enough homeowners.
Clayton County will never prosper when we have over 65% of residents being renters. These people don't take care of their residences, don't vote, don't watch their kids, don't clean-up after themselves, and don't care.
Basically trash in, trash out.
February 25th, 2010
2:54 am
Clayton County will have to come up with more incentives, to lure residents and businesses to our county, to assure that they will benefit from their initial and long term investment.
It's a sad fact this county needs a major overall, with plenty of opportunities for repairs, maintenance, and improvements on existing structures, but the area is a prime location for Reconstruction.
In time, we can see more revenue from businesses with more residents, without the need for raising taxes; but it will take a lot of hard work on our part by raising our own standards in this county.
February 25th, 2010
9:59 am
Clayton County will continue to regress for another ten years before any recovery can begin. The tax digest simply cant support any recovery sooner. The national housing market, job market, progressive lawmakers will all have to align perfectly for this to happen. So it will get worse before it gets better.
February 25th, 2010
10:59 am
C-tran loses 8 mill a year, C-tran riders did not want a fare hike, and Home Owners who pay property taxes said ENOUGH! That being the case C-tran was doomed. I am truly sorry for those who are disabled and handicap who depend on C-tran, but the truth is it should have never been in the county in the first place. With C-tran gone the county is making a step in the right direction. The next thing we need to do is tear down some of the apartment complexes, limit section 8 housing.
If we the county can go back to being a county and community of HOME OWNERS, not just a county of renters and people in transit then things will turn around. The next thing we do have to do is really,really limit the number of section 8 housing.
February 25th, 2010
11:18 am
whats going on…..maybe its time time for auntie to go into a home.
February 25th, 2010
11:56 am
The leadership of Clayton County has to change before any real "change" can happen.
Just like Haiti, until corrupt leadership is removed, it doesn't matter how much money a community receives, it comes down to who the leaders are — and if the leadership and "mindset" of the people do not change, then history will surely repeat itself.
Just like in Clayton County, the cycle of this recent political corruption must stop in order for the county to move ahead.
February 25th, 2010
12:14 pm
@ John the Revelator — you are on point in regards to limiting Section 8. I know of a community that began this type of initative about a year ago, and I cannot tell you what a difference it has made.
The community is slowly coming back to life.
February 25th, 2010
12:53 pm
What options are available to limit Section 8 housing in ClayCo? Especially since Equal Housing Opportunity must to be afforded to all and Clayton Co. has the least expensive housing in the metro area.
1) Raise property taxes on properties that are not occupied by the owner. The county already has a mechanism for this, Homestead Exemption. You can bet that the investors that have recently purchased properties are going to try to reduce there property taxes to reflect the new lower values they have helped create.
2) Much like a condo association may have, is it possible that the BOC can put a limit on the number of Section 8 tenants that live in a community?
3) What about some sort of verification process? Isn't the theory that many of these Section 8 residents are claiming to live in Fulton Co. or Dekalb Co. for the higher subsidies when they actually live in ClayCo where the subsidies go further? Aren't these folks lying on their forms and isn't that fraud.
February 25th, 2010
1:51 pm
bigdogears, the community I was referring to is a condo community. They updated their by-laws, wrote a letter to the HUD-Section division, notifying them that they will no longer be accepting Section 8 tenants.
In the meantime, they notified all homeowners who had Section 8 tenants, that these leases cannot be renewed – and to reinforce the message, they implemented a stiff fine.
February 25th, 2010
2:13 pm
Arlene, good for the association homeowners! However, I can foresee a situation where 1) too few residents are willing to volunteer to serve on an association's board and 2) investors out-number residents and are able to vote down any rules that would protect the community and property values. County-wide ordinances are the best option however, than enforcement becomes an issue.
February 25th, 2010
2:39 pm
A few weeks ago, I was listening to WSB's Perspective Radio Show, and the guest on the show was a man from "Resources for Residents & Communities (RRC). The discussion was about how RRC has helped to transform communities in the Reynoldstown/Cabbage area.
I am going to contact them for some guidance and advice about the subdivision/community I live in. My home/community is located off Highway 138 near Church Street and we have some real issues going on. The biggest being rentals, Section 8 and abandoned homes.
If anyone else is interested in contacting them the info is:
Resources for Residents & Communities
(404) 525-4130
I am happy for Dontrelle and Cheryl but I cannot afford to move. Maybe C-Tran leaving might be the stepping stone we need to get our community back on track.
February 25th, 2010
7:30 pm
We have people on this blog bragging about leaving the county, we have folks who can't afford to leave crying. Then, there's some who talk in racial terms, in code word as in the majority of "Section 8″ recipents in this county. Now, let's flash back to reality! As long as Atlanta is the so-called "Black Mecca" and Hip- hop capital of the world for many blacks and minorities places like Clayton county, with its close proximity the downtown ATL there will alway be this problem. Some folks on the blog talk about living here since the 1960's. Even without section 8 and rentals times have changed. All the metro counties are experiencing the same things. However, counties have many more exclusive communities like "Lake Spivey" or better! The bottom line is crying about a bus line will do you cryer no good. You will be dead and gone before this resolve itself. Anyways, good luck in your pointless endeaver!
February 25th, 2010
7:46 pm
Even Delta and it's employees was long ago that Clayton county was going to be overrun by low income people; way back when Clayton county was known as a trash dumping ground. That's why they located in Fayette. Clayton's residents since the 60's obviously didn't have any forsight.
February 25th, 2010
11:01 pm
CTran should have eliminated service to hardly used routes, added service to full routes and raised fares… that this never happened indicates the leaders aren't leading. Not convinced? School system lost accreditation, Riverdale mayor office in termoil (previous mayor), sheriff office mess,etc. … Y'all need to vote in competent leaders! You don't see this type of nonsense in Cobb or other affluent counties!
Yes, the more homeowners and fewer rentals the better, but until that happens all homeowners and decent renters need to band together to route out the trouble makers sending them to jail or letting them know they had better change their behavior. All good people need to rise to the occasion.
February 26th, 2010
2:35 am
I drove by several churches today. The have minivans and buses that aren't being used 6 days out of the week.. Why not combine forces(ALL CC chirches)…and start van pools to downtown, the airport etc.
1. you will make money for your church
2. create jobs for the drivers
3. provide a needed service for those without cars.
Individuals can pool resources to purchase vans and adequate insurance to start a van pool service. In a "bad economy" sometimes u have to create your own job.
February 26th, 2010
1:39 pm
Double Action- Just curious about the location of all these "shanty shacks" that you are referring to. And we happen to have many "decent" homeowners left in this county. We just need more of them.
February 26th, 2010
1:45 pm
I think the BOC should ride out with C-Tran. Bell does not want the bus system to go, as he is thinking about those votes.
We need to get rid of all those beauty stores, package stores, car wash etc from Clayton. It's just ridiculous. I am tired of Riverdale and Tara Blvd. looking like a dump. I am willing to sign up and do whatever it is to make this county a better place as long as those yahoos on the BOC are not re-elected. If Bell and Edmunson are re-elected, I am out of here.
February 26th, 2010
6:09 pm
Next generation, since you are posting that you think we are crybabies because we recognize the state of our county is just slightly better than Chernobyl, what pray, tell is your solution…? We offer possible solution…You simply state we are crybabies…Who is just wasting keystrokes????
February 27th, 2010
4:25 pm
City of Morrow: Do your research about the election. There is one person who is running that needs to go and two people who will try and do their best. One lady is really sharp and wouldbring new ideas!!
February 27th, 2010
9:02 pm
We did not know there was an election in Morrow. When is it and what is it for?
February 28th, 2010
2:37 pm
The March 16 Morrow special election is to fill the unexpired term of former City Councilman Charles Sorrow. Sorrow resigned from office in January due to health concerns. His term is set to expire in November, 2011. Morrow Downtown Development Authority Executive Director John Lampl, former city Property Manager Jeanell Bridges, and retiree James "Jim" Duckworth qualified for the special election
February 28th, 2010
11:01 pm
Thank you Morrow Dude. That is more information than we citizens have. The question becomes,why would John Lampl quit a six figure job to run for City Council Seat? Isn't he the newly appointed Economic Development Director? Seems strange. Will there be any forums or debates? Is it true that its been over 30 years since a woman served on the board? Has there ever been a minority on that council? Inquiring minds want to know.
March 1st, 2010
2:58 pm
I'm not sure about the history of council members. I was also wondering how a current Morrow city employee could run for council.
March 5th, 2010
12:14 pm
Jimmy(Conservative):"…I know it may sound cruel; but there is no excuse to keep something that can not pay for itself…."
Waterboy: "… The answer here is less government control, not more…"
The "public" roads are subsidized. Roads do not pay for themselves. Yall need to stay off the roads. I reckon you can just fly wherever you wanta go.
Clayton resident: "…Losing Ctran is messed up…but if it will help make this county better finanacially and in the type of people that live here…"
How does mass transit (rail, light rail, buses) affect the type person living here? Some cities such as Chicago, Seattle, Portland have good mass transit systems. Therefore, I guess they have lower quality citizens.
Opinion: I have to agree that C-tran didn't appear to be run professionally; too many empty seats on some routes. Yet they said the buses were full. At mid-day I saw lots of empty buses. Perhaps the only time they had good rider-ship was during rush hour.
Transportation problems (traffic gridlock, polution) should be dealt with on a regional basis. Our legislators have hog-tied MARTA, offering no state support; therefore keeping it limited in service and funding. The GRTA, ATL Regional Commission, et al should be empowered to make transportation decisions for the entire Metro region. And the State should be just as supportive of mass transit as it is of roads. Yes, subsidies are a quandary; MARTA, C-tran, X-press probably don't charge enough. $5 round-trip is downright cheap, compared to driving (gas, wear and tear, time in gridlock). Of course, this all goes hand-in-hand with counties allowing unbridled development. It's slowed right now but remember: when the county approves (just as an example) a 200 house subdivision, that's probably at least 200 more cars on the road…every day.
One more thing; to say bus riders don't pay taxes is ignorant. Everybody pays sales taxes. Renters pay property taxes in the form of rent money to landlords. NOTE: Actually, rental houses pay higher property taxes because they don't get the homestead exemption.
We need transportation solutions. That will take forward-thinking politicians and citizens.
March 9th, 2010
11:30 am
Even if you take C-Trans figures, counting all buses and all routes. They averaged 2 riders per bus, per route, per day. A money pit, sorry, it has to go. Clayton county may be laughed at but Fayette, Cowetta, Cherokee etc, successful counties , don't either and have lower crime and higher house values!
March 10th, 2010
5:36 pm
I don't know about all of you but there are young people going to school who cannot afford to buy a car or move! $3.00 round trip for young people would be a hardship. Did anyone think about them?
March 10th, 2010
7:30 pm
Derek your Math is off. There were 2,000,000 rides last year on Five Routes. If you were to do basic math and divide that by 365 since Ctran runs 7 days a week that would come to about 5478 trips a day. Since Most people make return trips home divide that into 2. You come up with 2739 people riding the bus. That 2739 kept off the road every day just in Clayton county.
March 11th, 2010
3:41 pm
Even if you take C-Trans figures, counting all buses and all routes. They averaged 2 riders per bus, per route, per day.
Methinks someone has pulled numbers from an unmentionable location.
Some routes had few riders at certain times in the day, but were packed full on other times in the day. The fact that C-Tran is being removed is actually a regression, and should be viewed as a dark day in the history of the county.
The fact is, many people are now going to have to find a new way to get to and from work. Some people, myself included, will have to go back to driving. I really can't afford a car, insurance, and the continual rise in the cost of fuel, but it's a reality I'll need to come to terms with. Others? If they can't find a way, they'll just lose their jobs.
People here cite the fact that the county isn't in good financial shape. Tell me, how did all those stop light cameras work out? They caused more problems than they were worth, which cost the county money. What was the point of the raised intersections along Jonesboro Rd, for example? Why are there so many costly traffic signals in places where none are needed to begin with? It's ludicrous to pin the blame on the bus system when there are several other problems out there draining the county.
Hate on the bus system if you want, but don't make up things to sell your opinion.
March 13th, 2010
12:49 pm
clayton county used to be a decent place to live 15 years ago , everyone knows why this county went downhill ,but no one can say why because they will be labeled racist!!! everyone can skirt round and round about different things that are wrong with clayton county , but we all know what the truth is. and if you think this county will ever comeback your crazy.
March 13th, 2010
4:44 pm
You can talk about race I think the author is talking about making gratuitous racial comments.
Clayton County is notable in that it went through such a demographic shift in a short order of time. There are plenty of reasons for this, namely it is a cheap place to buy a house. Also, Atlanta shut down it's housing projects and a fair number of those residents moved to Clayton.
What I understand is that once the county went majority black, the voters started electing other black people to represent them. The problem is that most of these "leaders" were totally unqualified. Jewell Scott and Victor Hill are jokes. Victor Hill is now slingin' Lexus' at some metro area dealership.
If it had better leadership, Clayton would not be in this shape, majority black or not. It just goes to show you that you shouldn't vote along racial lines. Outside of repercussions from the mortgage crises, I really have little sympathy for Clayton residents, you got what you voted for and can now deal with it.
If you have to rely on public transportation you really should be living in Fulton or DeKalb anyway, preferably close to a rail station so you don't have to worry about MARTA cutting your bus route.
March 13th, 2010
4:45 pm
March 13th, 2010
4:52 pm
Well, I typed out a longer comment but it disappeared.
My understanding about Clayton County is that when it went majority black, the residents voted for unqualified leaders (sheriff, DA, school board) because they were black. This certainly illustrated the folly of voting along racial lines.
The fact is that Clayton did not go to pot because it went majority black, it was mostly due to the consequence of voting for clowns like Jewell Scott and Victor Hill. If it had better leadership, Clayton would be in much better shape right now.
With exception to repercussions of the mortgage crises, I really have no sympathy for Clayton residents. Elections have consequences and now you must clean up after yourselves. Move to DeKalb or Fulton if you need public transportation.
March 13th, 2010
4:53 pm
Well, I typed out a longer comment but it disappeared, let me try this:
My understanding about Clayton County is that when it went majority purple, the residents voted for unqualified leaders (sheriff, DA, school board) because they were purple. This certainly illustrated the folly of voting along racial lines.
The fact is that Clayton did not go to pot because it went majority purple, it was mostly due to the consequence of voting for clowns like Jewell Scott and Victor Hill. If it had better leadership, Clayton would be in much better shape right now.
With exception to repercussions of the mortgage crises, I really have no sympathy for Clayton residents. Elections have consequences and now you must clean up after yourselves. Move to DeKalb or Fulton if you need public transportation.
March 13th, 2010
4:57 pm
Well, I typed out a longer comment but it disappeared, let me try this:
My understanding about Clayton County is that when it went majority purple, the residents voted for unqualified leaders (sheriff, DA, school board) because they were purple. This certainly illustrated the folly of voting along racial lines.
The fact is that Clayton did not go to pot because it went majority purple, it was mostly due to the consequence of voting for clowns like Jewell Scott and Victor Hill. If it had better leadership, Clayton would be in much better shape right now.
With exception to repercussions of the mortgage crises, I really have no sympathy for Clayton residents. Elections have consequences and now you must clean up after yourselves. Move to DeKalb or Fulton if you need public transportation.
March 13th, 2010
4:59 pm
Elect qualified leaders and Clayton will do much better. Voting for somebody just because they look like you is a sure-fire way of getting hustled. Blame Victor Hill, Jewell Scott and the school board for the Clayton you see today, not simply because it went majority black. This is a gratuitously racial comment, it is a the truth.
March 15th, 2010
9:58 am
drive to East Point as I do and catch the train from there.
March 17th, 2010
12:55 am
I'm fortunate to have a safe vehicle and to be able to afford to use and maintain it. I'm concerned that this is going to drive the working poor, who can't currently afford a car but have job skills and a chance to improve their financial situations, out of the county completely… and then who is going to move into all that rental housing? The truly desperate and perennially jobless settle somewhere, and it seems like this is just laying down the welcome mat for Clayton County to be that place. Doesn't exactly seem like an unforeseeable consequence. What do the commissioners think will happen – that the upper middle class will move back in droves once the buses are gone? Wishful thinking, not reality.
March 17th, 2010
12:03 pm
tick-tock tick-tock 14 days and counting bye-bye C-tran
March 17th, 2010
3:19 pm
William T. Sherman had an interesting approach to urban blight 145 years ago. Perhaps we could ressurrect his method, torch the entire county, and let the Good Lord above start over…
From where I sit in the neighboring county, to which I evacuated many years ago, I have to say it cannot hurt your existing property values…it might actually improve them.
March 17th, 2010
7:32 pm
Before I read this blog, I was really appalled at C-Tran being cut — I thought about the fate of those that depend on C-Tran to get to work. But now, I'm wondering what C-Tran-dependent residents of Clayton did before C-Tran came along. Somehow, they managed, eh? I very much agree with an above poster who suggested that those depending on public transport move to Fulton or Dekalb, preferably close to a rail line. Sage advice, I'd say. No, maybe you won't have the optimal choice in terms of housing, but sometimes in life you have to make compromises. If I were one of the working poor, I'd do my best to live near a train station or well-traveled bus line, so that getting to my job would be a priority. (I'd also take an active interest in my kids' education, have a good man as husband and father to my kids right there in the house, and he'd be the birth father of all my kids… But I guess that's a topic for a different post.)
March 25th, 2010
8:30 pm
So goes C-Tran, so goes Roberta's base………..
March 29th, 2010
9:10 pm
I know the perfect spot for a new Xpress line. On the corner of Southlake Pkwy. & Mt. Zion Rd. right across the street from the Shell Gas Station and the Lay-Z-Boy. That lot has been empty for years.


text:
Marten Pieters, chief executive officer of Vodafone Essar said that the company plans to spend $400 million to $500 million on its third-generation services. This facility will be launched in the first quarter of 2011.
The company plans to do this by supporting it through bank loans and issuing a few new shares to its existing shareholders. In May this year, Vodafone paid a huge amount to gain spectrum (radio frequency) in nine service areas. The company plans to launch its services in a phased way. 3G services will be introduced in cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh (East) and West Bengal, Sanjoy Mukherji informed.
3G services to all
Vodafone is also in talks with quality and long term operators, like Bharti Airtel and Idea Cellular, to offer 3G services in areas where 3G airwaves are not available. The company aims to offer 3G services at competitive prices. In fact, an array of services would be offered at different prices keeping in mind its use and location.
Vodafone Group's chief executive Vittorio Colao had said: "I don't think 3G services here will imply all you can use plans — these are being withdrawn from European and US markets. In India, the amount of frequencies are less and it is not compatible with such plans. Data will be segmented and the plans will be tailor-made for different segments of the population."
In India, 3G usage is likely to go up. The company aims to extend its customer base and is willing to increase its spending to attain the desired outcome.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Fry's is offering free ASUS earbuds after MIR. Purchase has to be made between 3/2 to 3/8. Limit 1 per household. Click here for the MIR form. Disclosure Policy
Category Archive: Rebates
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Thanks to my reader Nancy for the heads up on this awesome deal! Target this week has the Crayola Glow Books on sale for $9.99 (see page 14-15 ad). At Target there are tons of the "Target Holiday Toy Catalog" laying around in the toy section. In it, there is a $5 coupon that will …
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$10 P&G Pink Rebate 9/1 to 10/31/11
Here's a hot rebate to combine with store deals! Link to actual rebate form Buy: $50 worth of any Venus, Olay, Secret, CoverGirl, Clairol, Pantene, Safeguard, Ivory, Aussie, and/or Herbal Essences products from 9/1/11 to 10/31/11. In a stamped envelope to: Be beautiful. Help save lives. PO Box 49583 Strongsville, OH 44149-0583 Please allow 6-8 …
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This week covergirl is B1G1 half off and spend $30 get a $10UP reward. Combine this deal with today's hot Covergirl coupon from the PG insert your transaction will look a little like this… Purchased 8 Cover girl Blush items (approx values below since it may vary by region) 4 x $5.69 4 x $2.79 …


text:
Butterfield Landing - Local Area Photos and Information
Local Area Photos | Local Business Directory | Local Real Estate | Local Employment Center
Butterfield Landing is a populated place located in Aroostook County at latitude 45.711 and longitude -67.859.
The elevation is 440 feet. Butterfield Landing appears on the Danforth U.S. Geological Survey Map. Aroostook County is in the Eastern Time Zone (UTC -5 hours).
Aroostook County: Cities & Towns | ZIP Codes | Schools | Features (airports, churches, hospitals, etc.)
BOUNDARY MAPS: | Town of Weston | Aroostook County
Butterfield Landing - Searchable Map, Aerial Photos & Driving Directions
|BIG Map |
Driving Directions |
Data Source - USGS GNIS FID: 579169
BOUNDARY MAPS: | Town of Weston | Aroostook County
Nearby Cities, Towns & Census Designated Places
Cropley Turn, ME
(1.9 miles SW)
Weston, ME (1.9 miles NNW)
Danforth, ME (3.6 miles S)
Irish Settlement, ME (4.5 miles SW)
Selden, ME (4.9 miles NNW)
North Bancroft, ME
(5.1 miles NW)
South Bancroft, ME (6.1 miles W)
Forest City, ME (7.2 miles ESE)
Orient, ME (7.4 miles N)
Eaton, ME (7.7 miles SSE)
Nearby Neighborhoods, Subdivisions & Other Small Populated Places
Butterfield Landing, ME
(< 0.1 mile)
Forest City Landing, ME (8.3 miles ESE)
Upper Drew, ME (11.7 miles WSW)
South Amity, ME (12.2 miles N)


text:
Cooking on a budget. Recipes please!
- t
- trudie Jun 15, 2004 06:00 PM
Help! I'm spending beyond my means. I love to cook healthy and delicious meals but between fresh produce, fish, meat, and other gourmet ingredients, we may as well eat out (almost). I currently spend about $500 in groceries and would love to cut that down by $100. I already make enough dinner to have leftovers for lunch and use fresh herbs from the garden.
I would LOVE tips and recipes for saving money.
re: Pat Goldberg
oops. over a month. 2 adults, 1 infant. I make most of his baby food.
Fresh produce does tend to be a killer in the food budget. I try to stick to stuff that's on sale or in season--and therefore on sale. The more expensive things are bought occasionally or not at all. So, a lot of things like apples, pears, oranges, bananas, root vegetables, etc. Any exotics are a treat. I also use frozen vegetables regularly. It's often less money, and nutritionally they are as good or better than what I can buy fresh (excepting farmer's markets). The "fresh" stuff has often been sitting around a while.
Also, pare down your "gourmet ingredients" to a few that you use often. I've been that route and it can run to a significant expense.
From the sounds of it, you have the right idea, but if you need to conform to a tighter budget, you'll have to scale back your meal ideas a little to conform to less expensive ingredients.
Do you buy organic stuff? Of course if that is important to you then you have to keep it up. All I can suggest is perhaps buy bulk sometimes, from Costco. I cook for two at my house, and make most of the lunches and dinners M-F, and dinner on Sun. The other weekend meals we mostly eat out. Our gocery bill is around $200 I think (not couting Costco bills, which is about another $150 a month).
So here is what I do. Buy big bulk salad from Costco, spinach or romain hearts. But bulk chicken breast or flank steak from Costco. Grill those and top your salad and use that for your weekday lunches. The grilled meats can also be for sandwiches or wraps. I ususally make enough food on Sunday afternoon to last our lunchs M-W. At nights I would either do a pasta dish, a stir fry.
If you don't mind me saying so, I think you don't need recipes, you need a budget and food buying make-over.
Typical "poverty" meals can be terrific if done right. Cook's Illustrated Macaroni and Cheese (America's Test Kitchen) is just plain wonderful (Google it), and can be balanced by steamed green beans or broccoli, both usually cheap. Think rice and beans. Buy beans dried in a bag, do the overnight soak, go from there. Red beans and rice, black beans and rice, pinto beans and rice, add some baked chicken and a vegetable. Inexpensive, delicious and filling. Iced tea, sub that in for juice, bottled water, soda. Cruise the meat section. Buy what is on sale, watch the expiry dates. Buy marked down meat and freeze, thaw and use. Learn your cuts of meat. If you are in the mood for a steak, bypass the filet and pick up the sirloin. Be flexible as to where you buy your food, consider Costco, Super Target, even Walmart sometimes has whole chickens on sale at a loss leader price. Figure on at least two DINNERS out of one cut of meat and buy a bigger amount. Cuban pork roast in the crockpot can become BBQ sauced pork sandwiches the next night. A whole roasted chicken becomes chicken quesadillas the next night, plus chicken sandwiches for lunch. Plan meals of soups and stews. Use potatoes, inexpensive and filling again. Find a good produce stand. They can not only be cheaper than the grocery store, but cheaper than many Farmer's Markets. Buy seasonal produce. Tomato sauce and pasta, plus mushrooms, plus artichokes, plus sausage, plus fresh veggies. Add more Asian meals, rice or rice noodle based with veggies and smaller amounts of meat. Use those grocery fliers at the store entrance, and if your store has discount cards, use them. Use grocery coupons in newspaper. Good luck!
re: Coyote
I'm a graduate student, so I rely on budget grocery shopping. I can't provide much insight on baby food, but I do second the meat advice above, and add that the more "whole" the cut of meat, the more you can make out of your money.
Whole chickens are dirt cheap on sale (usually 39-49c/# here) and are easy to roast whole, or cut up, and leaving back/neck for stock and parts (livers, gizzards, hearts) for frying, sauteeing, or gravies. Chicken livers are my favorite -- fried, sauteed, chicken liver pate. Same goes for turkey -- it's not just for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whole pork loins (~$2-3/# on sale, depending on where you are) make for at least one decent roast, a tenderloin, chops, and ribs. A couple weeks ago, I picked up a whole beef tenderloin for $8/#, which has turned into 3 filets, a good sized tenderloin, and a roast out of the larger end.
Good prices are harder to find for organic items. I wish I could afford the hormone- and antibiotic-free meat at the local coop, but I trust their marked down, sell-now meat a good bit more. I second and third the farmers' market/coop/produce stand suggestions. Such local places tend to be less expensive and in season by default, plus you get to support local small businesses.
Most of my day-to-day eating are just home cooking kind of things and pretty basic -- it doesn't take much to make fresh vegetables or a good cut of meat to shine. As far as recipes go, I favor Mediterranean, southern, or New Orleans homestyle. If any of these tempt you, I'll post some recipes of my faves.
Blue skies,
re: Catherine
Yes, I would love your favorite recipes!
re: trudie cardella
Here are a couple. I'll post some more when I get home.
Cheese grits
1 c grits
4 c water
1 1/2 t salt
Cook grits till they begin to thicken and add
1 c milk (or half and half)
1/2 stick butter
3 beaten eggs
6-8 oz grated cheddar
Bake in a greased 2qt casserole at 350 for 45 min-1hr. Serves 6-8.
Red Beans and Rice
1 ham bone (or 2-3 ham hocks depending on size)
6 c. water
2 t garlic salt
1/4 t Tabasco
1 t Worchestershire
1 pound red kidney beans
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. chopped onions
1 1/2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T oil (or bacon grease)
1/2 pound ham, cubed
1 pound hot sausage, sliced
2 bay leaves
salt, pepper to taste
1/4 c. chopped parsley
3 c. rice, cooked
The day before, rinse the red beans in a colander and put in a pot, covering with water (about an inch over the beans). Soak overnight. Next day, drain the beans, saving the water to be part of the water added.
In a large pot or Dutch oven, saute onions, celery, and garlic in the oil until wilted. Add ham and cook briefly. Add ham bone, water, garlic salt, Tabasco, W-sauce, bay leaves, and beans. Cook uncovered over a low flame until soft and creamy, stirring often (at least every 10 minutes).
Meanwhile, slice and cook the sausage (I usually microwave with a little water in a covered bowl for around 5 minutes), and drain on paper towels. Add to the beans after about 1 1/2 hours.
After about 2 hours, the beans should be getting creamy. If after about 2 1/2 hours, they aren't creamy enough, mash a few beans against the side of the pot and add back in. The beans vary -- sometimes you may have to add a little water; other times the beans take longer to cook down).
Remove bay leaves and add parsley before serving over white rice. Good with French bread and salad, and it also freezes really well. Should serve 8-10, depending on how hungry your crowd is.
My black eyed peas are a variant on the above recipe, adding a cup of chopped bell pepper, a little more garlic, minus Tabasco, plus a pinch cayenne and white pepper when adding peas.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
1 1/4 c. macaroni
1/2 # shredded sharp cheddar
1/3 stick butter
1 c. milk
1 egg
Cook the macaroni for 5 minutes in salted water. Place about half the cooked macaroni in a greased 2 qt pyrex, and cover with pats of about half the butter and about half the cheese. Sprinkle with salt and cayenne to taste. Cover with remaining half and repeat butter, cheese, salt, and cayenne. Lightly beat the milk and egg together and pour over. Cook for 45 minutes at 350.
Google a copycat recipe for Paul Prudhomme's Poultry Magic. Season a cut-up chicken liberally with the mix in a 9x13 pyrex, dot with pats of butter (or add a little chicken stock), and cook around 45 minutes at 350, basting occasionally. The ultimate comfort meal with white rice and butter beans.
Homemade pestos and tapenades are easy and delicious. Also, play with the ingredient lists. I made a great arugula pesto last month, substituting pecans for pine nuts, arugula for basil, and tweaking a standard pesto recipe. Be creative -- roasted red pepper pesto, sun dried tomato (or oven-dry your own) pesto, etc. I go loosy-goosy with Med flavors, not sticking to any real recipe. Tomatoes and spinach wilted in a little olive oil, either tossed into some pasta with a little feta and some olives, or serving as a bed for a chicken breast, topped with some lightly sauteed artichoke hearts (canned or frozen work fine). The one dish I use a recipe for is Greek-style braised lamb shanks, which may push the budget unless you find them on sale. I'll find that recipe to post.
I'll post loose versions of some favorites from cookbooks this evening.
Blue skies,
re: Catherine
Thank you!
re: Catherine
Catherine, it looks like you cook grits specifically to make cheese grits. My mom had fond memories of my grandmother's cheese grits, which were always made with leftover grits. Despite being a GRITS myself, I have just now, in my late 40's, begun cooking and eating them...any idea how to fix up the leftovers for cheese grits?
re: Zorra
I've always fried my leftover grits, but I don't see any reason why leftovers couldn't be used in the cheese grits recipe. You may need to add a couple tablespoons of water, but likely not.
Another grits recipe:
Grits and grillades, adapted from The Plantation Cookbook
4 # beef rounds, 1/2" thick
1/2 c. bacon grease
1/2 c. flour
1 c. chopped onions
2 c. chopped green onions
3/4 c. chopped celery
1 1/2 c. chopped bell peppers
2 gloves garlic, minced
2 c. chopped tomatoes
1/2 t tarragon (optional)
2/3 t thyme
1 c. water
1 c. red wine
3 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
2 bay leaves
1/2 t Tabasco
2 T Worcestershire
Defat the meat, cut into halves or thirds, and pound to 1/4" thick. Brown in half the bacon grease in a good sized Dutch oven, and set aside on a plate. Add the rest of the grease and all of the flour, and make a nice dark roux. Add the onions, green onions, celery, peppers, and garlic and saute till limp. Add the tomatoes and spices and cook for a bit, then add water, wine and stir for a couple minutes. Then add the meat and the rest of the ingredients, lower heat, and stir. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Take out the bay leaves and add the parsley, and set sit off heat for at least an hour (up to overnight in the fridge). Serve over grits. Serves 8.
Alternately, you can use veal rounds, but cut simmer time to one hour.
Blue skies,
Using your own garden fresh herbs, as you mentioned, is already a big advantage, both in savings and fresheness.
I don't know where you are located and what grocery markets are there. But a change in the places you shop might result in considerable savings. In Los Angeles I have realized substantial savings from increased buying at Costco, Smart & Final, Trader Joes, various ethnic markets and even the 99¢ Only Stores and thereby limited my buying at the more expensive major supermarket chains and upscale markets. I go to a couple of ethnic neighborhood produce markets where the produce is generally less than half the price of the supers. Sometimes the appearance may not be as pleasing but it is still fresh and wholesome. And if I'm going to chop up onions or bell peppers anyway, there is no reason why they need to be picture perfect.
You can also watch for weekly ad specials on meat and seafood at your local supermarkets and plan meals around what's on special. Also, I usually stock up on frequently used non-perishable staples when they are on sale.
Cooking from scratch also saves money. Making your own sauces and salad dressings is far less expensive than buying ready made. And it doesn't need to be very time consuming. A batch of salad dressing takes about 5 minutes. A gallon of pasta sauce is about 20 minutes working time and can be stored in freezer bags and frozen for later use. A breadmaker can also be a savings maker.
These are some of the ways that I use to stretch the food budget.
I think all of these posts are so helpful...shop the loss leaders at the grocery stores (but only if you'll actually USE those items)...buy produce in season...at the produce stand near me in Naples FL (and we're losing our produce stands like crazy due to development! arrgghhh!!!!) they have a "marked down" table in the back where you can get tomatoes and peppers that are not rotten but have a few blemishes...there's a "tuna" thread right below this thread with some canned tuna recipes...beans (canned or dry) are a very good source of protein and they are cheap...cabbage is cheap and also nutritious (I know, not everyone likes it as in my family)...chickpeas are awesome blended with a little garlic and lemon juice for hummus...you could look up some recipes with beans/chickpeas...there's a website called miserlymoms.com that offers ALL kinds of cheap recipes, though not all are well, ahem, "gourmet" but it's a start. Cooking at home IS healthier and more economical, so you're on the right track there!!!!
Along the lines of the whole chicken response - I always save the leftover bits of veggies (Onion skins, woody asparagus stalks, tiny garlic cloves) and make a stock by roasting the veggies until browned adding water in a stockpot and cooking it all down seasoning if/when necessay - so much cheaper than purchasing store bought stocks.
I "reformed" myself from too much shopping at the gourmet store this winter and saved lots of $$$ by doing the following:
1. Buying the bulk of my produce at the farmers market, which we have mostly year-round in Miami.
2. Growing my own herbs.
3. Eating 1 egg-based (like a fritatta),one soy-based, and one vegetarian meal each week.
I'm saving well over $100 a month.
re: missem
I agree with this...eating 1 or 2 meatless dinners each week does save money...a cheese, bean or otherwise meatless entree would be used. How 'bout stuffed shells for starters? Epicurious has a great spinach and cheese stuffed shell recipe.
Keep your eyes open for real deals at the store. Here are some which pop up often enough in my neighborhood.
10# bag of potatoes for, say, $1.00
--besides the obvious, think potato pancakes, hash browns, chowder, baked stuffed potatoes.
5# bag of onions
--onion soup, goulash, Spanish frittata (with the above potatoes.)
A & W canned beans (garbanzos, pintos, kidney, etc.) $.50
--hummus, refried beans (just ladle pintos into an oiled pan and mash), salads.
8 oz cans of tomato sauce go on sale frequently
--Spanish rice, pasta sauce, sloppy Joes, cream of tomato soup
Buying larger cuts of meat and breaking them down has been mentioned. The old standby of buying cheap cuts went out the window when the general population discovered they were good cuts when cooked properly. So Pork shoulder and chicken gizzards and livers seem to be the only cheap cuts left. Plan on getting several meals out of a whole chicken or pork shoulder.
You can make large quantities of stuffed pastas ahead of time (Italian or Chinese) and freeze them. I find too many farmer's markets to be price gouge the yuppie markets, which I don't have a problem with, but I still have to find fresh produce markets that are reasonable.
The local co-op can have great prices on many items - they do sell more then just organics.
I recently joined a CSA (community supported agriculture) - I receive a half bushel of (mostly) local organic produce every week, which costs $20 per delivery. It's more produce than my husband and I can eat in a week, and cheaper than buying a week's worth of organic produce at the store (if I set my mind to cooking dinner every night).
Dried beans, rice, lentils, tuna... all cheap and filling.
good luck!
I've been trying to bring down my food bills. Along with the very good suggestions below, I can add:
1) Only shop once a week. Really. Make yourself. If I do this, by the end of the week, I am forced to be creative with what I've got, and can usually eke out meals where before I would have gone to the store. This works best if you pick a specific "cuisine" for the week. That way, you can pick up ingredients that are likely to work together. I usually make one extravagant meal on Saturday, and buy other stuff that will go with that for the rest of the week. If you're making a Mexican dish on the weekend - say a chicken mole, with refried beans on the side and rice - pick up tortillas, and salsa makings, avocadoes and such for pulling together burritos and wraps and things during the week. You're more likely to use leftovers if you've planned for them.
2) Really try to figure out where your grocery money goes. Save your receipts and add it up. Do you buy a lot of meat? I buy meat and fish only for weekend meals, and eat vegetarian otherwise (except for weekend leftovers). Indulge in a lot of excellent cheese as pre-dinner nibbles? Consider making a bean dip as a replacement some nights.
3) Do you throw away a lot of food? Learning a few highly-adaptable dishes can help you use up the ends of things that would otherwise get tossed. I like savory bread puddings, because living alone makes it hard to use up a loaf of bread. I throw in the ends of cheese and odd bits of appropriate vegetables. Omelettes are good for this, too. Soup, of course, is a fabulous use for odds and ends (and if you stick with the cuisine theory, you will find it easy to make soups that are really good.)
4) Buying on sale and freezing generally doesn't work for me because my freezer is small, and without a car hunting for sales is a pain. But I do get lemons and limes at the Haymarket in Boston 10 for a dollar, then freeze the juice. (I also freeze leftovers all the time.)
The More with Less Cookbook, though flawed in many ways (butter is worth the price, for example) has very good ideas for using up leftovers, planning meals, etc.
re: curiousbaker
I really like suggestion number one. I've been surprised at just how creative one can get when there's only a few ingredients laying around. If there are staples like pasta and rice in the pantry, a couple of meals can be easily eked out at the end of a shopping week.
re: curiousbaker
"butter is worth the price, for example"
Amen to that.
More with less is a great book, too!
I've found that doing a GIGANTIC shop for pantry items to last around 3-6 months helps keep me out of the supermarkets and avoids impulse buys. I do this over the internet; some supermarkets will give you free delivery if you get it delivered during the day, and special net-only discounts. The first time it's a pain in the ass, but all my regulars the system saves so when I need a restock it's only a couple clicks. It's also a big chunk of money so I only do it when I truly am running out of lots of things. When I do my weekly shop, I go to the vegetable stand, the butcher, and a little version of a big supermarket in which I know I am ONLY going to the dairy section. I find making my own bread really helps, maybe comes out to about 20 cents a loaf, and I use the expensive organic flour. Perhaps making your own ice cream would have the same effect? Eggs and pasta always save me towards the end of the week when I've run out of the fresh stuff.
If you are yoghurt eaters, I've found that buying a big tub of the plain stuff and then mixing in what you like not only is substantially cheaper than buying the little pots but tastes better. I think it's possible to make your own granola; English flapjacks (which are basically oatmeal bars) are a good cheap breakfast and or snack food.
Somebody told me they know someone who grows various types of lettuce out of a windowbox. Not only is it cheaper, but you don't have the problem of having to eat it straight away.
I don't know if you can do this where you are, but my butcher sells bacon scraps for next to nothing. These are wonderful in recipes, I don't buy whole bacon anymore.
Don't ever get spices in a supermarket; at 'ethnic' stores (huh, as if supermarket owners don't have an ethnicity... rant) you can get alot more for alot less. They're usually better, too.
re: drdawn
I agree that online shopping can save money... in part because you search for individual items and are less likely to make impulse purchases.
Going to the store with a list and sticking to it helps me save $. I read the flier before I go and make a list of all my staples that are on sale and the other items I need. By stocking up on the loss leaders I save 25-35% each week (It is printed on the bottom of my grocery receipt). If you have the flexibility you could choose the store you shop at that week based on their sales. But driving to multiple stores may cost you more in gas and time.
Other tips I use:
I never buy snack bars, cookies, chips or crackers – I'll bake or make popcorn.
Before an onion, celery or pepper (or anything) goes bad, I dice it and put in the freezer for sautéing in future dishes. With extra bananas or other fruit, before they get too ripe, I'll slice them up and freeze for smoothies. I freeze extra bread for bread pudding or crumbs, etc. etc.
I freeze individual links of Italian sausage of a few slices of bacon in bags and use meat as a flavoring, rather than the main course. Examples: Bacon or ham – with cabbage or greens or beans, sausage in risotto, pasta sauce or with beans.
Here are my rules for saving money on food:
- Vegan meals several times a week (dairy can get expensive) - lots of good Asian recipes out there
- Cheap cuts of meat (beef shank, pork shoulder, etc) that turn beautifully tender and tasty after several hours of gentle cooking...but done in only 1/2 hour with a pressure cooker
- Shop in Chinatown - awesome prices for fruits & veg, as well as meat & fish
- Shop in bulk for rice, beans, spices, grains
- Don't even think about buying produce out of season (e.g., red peppers or blueberries in the middle of winter, coming from some far-flung corner of the world)
- Borrow good cookbooks from the library and learn, learn, learn
- Don't buy junk food
My girlfriend and I cut our monthly grocery budget from $500 to $400 by changing where we shop and what we buy. We've always planned our meals on a weekly basis and done all of our grocery shopping on Sunday (highly recommended), but Whole Foods was killing us (as was buying expensive cuts of meat).
So, now instead of Whole Foods, we buy:
* produce at a farm stand (Russo's in Watertown, MA)
* packaged goods, dairy and poultry at the grocery store (Stop and Shop, where they have weekly 2 for 1 deals on anything from whole chickens to boneless skinless breast to bacon to salad dressing),
* meats at a steakhouse butcher shop (Hilltop in Saugus)
We also tend to buy inexpensive cuts of meat (skirt steak, sirloin shell steak, etc.), and buy whole cuts or large portions to divide up and store in the freezer.
These have all been great suggestions, I'm just going to add a few more of my own --
I am fond of buying split breasts. I find a whole chicken a little intimidating, but split breasts are easier, and I can get them for a $1 a pound.
I also buy chicken thighs. Also can be purchased very inexpensively.
I am not big on red meat, but we do eat alot of shrimp. We can get a 4 pound bag for about $20, which may seem like alot, but it lasts us about a month.
Last but not least, if you try to make at least 2 vegetarian meals a week with beans as the centerpiece, you can cut back there.
Lots of great suggestions.
I cook a lot with beans, and have been buying bags of dried beans and rehydrating them in water overnight. I much prefer the taste and texture of them, and it is a lot cheaper than the canned variety.
My mom is a major saver. She plans her meals off the sales circular. The things on sale are often below cost to bring in customers where they will end up buying other items. My mom doesn't buy other items. She only buys what's cheapest at each store, making a list, and she uses coupons. Unlesss it's a great sale, don't buy any convenience foods. Buy whole chickens and cut them yourself. Making your own when you can is cheaper than buying it (like yogurt). It's time consuming, though! And, it gives me a headache to shop with her.
One word: SOUP! Soup is a cheap way to use up all kinds of leftovers. If you get sick of vegetable soup, try whizzing it up in the blender and adding a little milk/cream/soymilk/etc. Now you've got cream-of-whatever soup. Or add some pasta. Or some rice. When things get tight around my house it's all-soup-all-the-time. And with a little homemade bread this is a delicious meal. Add a veggie on the side and you've got a feast.
Another advantage of soup, if you're buying whole carcasses or big cuts of meat, is that you can make really tasty stocks with stuff that'd otherwise end up in the trash.
Another spare-times-fallback for us is risotto. It's like rice with soup inside. Delicious. And again, endlessly flexible.
Sometimes we also go on a "spending fast" and see how long we can go just eating out of the pantry and freezer. I'm always shocked by how much stuff we've got.
Another idea: breakfast for dinner. Breakfast foods are often cheap (pancakes, sausage patties, eggs) and because you're calling it breakfast-for-dinner it sounds festive. This was my mom's trick when we were growing up. Incidentally, makes twice as many pancakes as you need. They freeze beautifully (with wax paper between each) and perk right back up in the toaster. It's like pop-tarts, but better.
Do you have a crock-pot? Can you borrow one? You can make very tasty, economical meals with one because you can buy cheaper cuts of meat and cook them slowly. See if your library has "Gourmet Slow-Cooker" by Lynn Alley. Wonderful recipes.....
These are all great ideas. I, too, am trying to be more frugal, but after reading The Omnivore's Dilemma, and Real Food, I still want to try really hard to eat organic if possible, & locally produced as much as possible. And grass fed beef, organic meats almost exclusively. Farmers' market usually 2x a week, at least once. Whole Foods kills us, too, so we go maybe 1-2x per month. Trader Joe's to save on things like dairy, and lots of their stuff is organic.
Do you like burritos? Here are some healthy ones.
I usually make pinto, kidney, or black beans every week using organic dry beans. I keep the bacon in the freezer & just cut off a few inches & chop if I haven't defrosted for other purposes.
Cook the beans:
2 strips organic, no nitrate, etc. bacon such as Pederson, or frozen, chopped into bits
1 lb. pkg dry beans (it is not necessary to soak, and salt can be added from the get go)
1/2 chopped onion
chopped garlic to taste
salt, pepper, chipotle chile pwd & dried cumin pwd to taste.
Cook up the bacon & remove from pot (I use a big Le Creuset pot), sautee onion in the remaining bacon grease. Pick over beans & rinse. Add garlic, seasonings, beans, cooked bacon, & plenty of water. Bring to a boil, then turn it down & let it go till tender. Just keep an eye out to make sure the liquid doesn't cook off. You don't want it to burn.
Heat whole wheat tortillas (you can just toss them very briefly in the oven or wrap a stack in foil a bit longer), grate some sharp cheddar, add sour cream if you like; these are all available at Trader Joe's. I like to add chopped avocadoes, tomatoes, lettuce, & salsa.
Usually there are extra beans, they can be frozen or saved for a repeat or another use.
If I use black beans, often I will get TJ's corn tortillas, crisp them in the oven & make tostadas with all the above ingredients.
You can vary these any way you like. My husband & teenage son never seem to get tired of this.
Enjoying this thread. I want to add that the key to Whole Foods and Wild Oats and the like is to make a list and stick to it almost exclusively.
Also, I don't think anyone has mentioned this, but a trick I learned in Weight Watchers is portion control. It works whether your motivation is weight loss or economy with the finances. I'd never really thought about it, having grown up in an upper middle class family. We all just ate as much as we wanted, and there were rarely leftovers. When I was in WW, I either cooked just enough or portioned out my meals and had leftovers for lunch the next day. Some things can be transformed into other dinners, too. It's a very economical way of thinking through meal planning. PC applies to snack food, too, and this comes in handy with Costco. When you get the humongous bag of whatever, take it home and portion it into serving size snack baggies, then store them in the humongous box. Costco buys go much further this way.
Trudie, a few similar requests for budget dinner ideas have come up recently so I'm linking them:
First, you aren't doing too bad, comparatively. A lot of people spend more than that. To trim your budget further will require time that you may find difficult to spend especially if you are working full time.
You need to plan your menu around the supermarket sales ad on Wednesday. If you are buying organic, you are paying a huge premium. That's a choice you have to make but when I see a sign saying organic, I walk the other way.
Clip coupons.
In general, pork and chicken is a lot cheaper than beef. Sausage is a great deal. Make dishes that are less meat intensive like rice pilafs. Risottos are good but they use more expensive rice and are more labor intensive.
Always try to make enough for 2 meals to save some time and usually money. When you go to the grocery store, keep an eye out for unadvertised specials. I just bought 9 pounds of jimmy Dean sausage for $1 per pound. It wasn't advertised. I plan to use this for more than breakfast. I can add ground fennel seeds and have something close to Italian sausage. I can add smoked paprika and chili powder and have chorizo. I post some recipes later. I have to go.
re: Hank Hanover
Hank, OP is from 2004. I'm betting the financials have changed since their profile isn't even active at this point.
However, I'm sure other folks may enjoy the recipes. Thanks for adding!
re: Hank Hanover
What's odd is that I only went back 3 or 4 pages of older posts in Home Cooking to find this thread. You'd think that a thread last updated in 2006 would be buried.
I guess the subject matter is a bit more relevant these days anyway :(
re: Hank Hanover
Thanks I'm glad to see this thread revived too. Beans and rice are great, too bad my small family is not as adaptable to "frugal" meals as I'd like. We're working on it
I know this thread is old but I had a great cheap dinner last night.
I made Marcella Hazan's Potatoes, Onion, Tomato and Sweet peppers and I served a cheese omelet on the side. Scrambled eggs would work well also.
3/4 lb potatoes cubed
1/2 sweet pepper
onion, thinly slice
3/4 cup canned tomatoes
Saute onion in oil until soft, add pepper and tomato. Cook until peppers are soft, add potatoes cover and cook 30 minutes.
With the eggs and lettuce for a small bit of salad this meal was CHEAP!


text:
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text:
Would you be shocked if the Cowboys took two offensive linemen in the first two rounds? Maybe a center, guard or right tackle.
Bryan: I would be surprised if they did but their grades for that position might be higher than what they have for other positions then if that was the case, then yes. If you asked if they would take back to back picks on defensive linemen, then I wouldn't be shocked. I think that both the offensive and defensive lines in this draft stretch pretty good, so I could see going one than the other and going that route.
Rowan: Not shocked. I think it's more likely they grab an offensive lineman and defensive lineman in the first two rounds, but if they see two talented players they think could help them immediately, it wouldn't shock me if they went that route. It might also make the most sense in terms of maximizing
Can we salvage
Bryan: I have said this before, I don't see Free playing guard because you want a player inside that can play with power. What is the biggest problem for Romo? When the front on the pocket ends up in his lap. Free just doesn't have the strength to hold up against rushers that would bull rush him. On the edge he can use his athletic ability, inside you need strength. I could see these coaches moving Bernadeau to center than drafting a guard to play his spot. The goal is to try and get the front of the pocket as strong as possible.
Rowan: I don't see that happening. Free already moved from left tackle to right tackle. He doesn't seem to have the right body type to move into the interior. I don't see him maximizing his potential by going against the bigger, tougher defensive tackles in the league. I'd probably be more surprised to see Free in the starting lineup than Bernadeau next season, but it wouldn't shock me if both were replaced.


text:
Share your comments
Your adopted dog : everything you need to know about rescuing and caring for a b
Frost, Shelley
Adult Nonfiction SF427 .F785 2007
Frost, Shelley
Adult Nonfiction SF427 .F785 2007
Summary: A comprehensive, current and lively guide to the entire process of rescuing dogs, adopting or placing them, and to their special needs. Anyone and everyone will benefit from this complete and total resource supporting the rescuing, caregiving, and adoption of our homeless and stray companion animals. If you're interested in adopting or know someone who is, I predict this to be the future encyclopedia on companion care. With this book you will never be without an answer or a support system.
Be the first to add a comment! Share your thoughts about this title. Would you recommend it? Why or why not?
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text:
im so scared
literally me all day
(Source: luxhysteria, via gayverie)
- AP student: I'm in so many AP classes
- AP student: they're advanced placement
- AP student: that's what "AP" means
- AP student: so that means I'm really smart
- AP student: AP courses are college-level courses
- AP student: I was in my AP classroom with my AP classmates today
- AP student: because AP
(Source: kristenwiiggle, via kvbrick)
(Source: prom-night-dumpster-baby, via mcsingle)
When you go to a friend's house to stay the night and get stuck with the scratchy blanket.
You know the one.
It's made of wool.
It has satiny trim that tries to deceive you into thinking this will be a nice blanket experience.
But it's not.
Every house has one.
It's buried deep in the bowels of the linen closet, under some afghans and a comforter with the down coming out of it, but make no mistake.
The scratchy blanket is there.
And it waits.
(Source: deliciousmeatloaf, via ultimategrandsupremex)
raising my eyebrows at these haters
(via gayverie)
(via japanese-barbie)
(Source: nickcagecats, via rlymax-deactivated20140421)
(Source: kmacquilliam, via wwiao)
(via onlinehannah)
(Source: pastelfluff, via rlymax-deactivated20140421)


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Sneaker Con descended on host city Miami last Saturday to a packed house. Over 1,500 attendees made their way into Fieldhouse at the Bank United Center, with an ever-present queue of sneaker enthusiasts patiently waiting to get in the building throughout the day. Inside, folks had the … READ MORE
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In preparation for the second Sneaker Con to take place in Miami, Florida, retail giant Mr. R Sports will be hosting the official pre-event party tonight at its location on Lincoln Road. Featuring live music by DJ Induce and festivities sponsored by adidas Originals, the event is … READ MORE
Sneaker Con Miami – March 17th, 2012
Sneaker Con is continuing its world domination tour, preparing to land in Miami for the second time this March. As the premier convention for sneakerheads, the show provides a great space for collectors and casuals alike to come together to buy, sell, and trade whatever pieces of … READ MORE
Sneaker Con Los Angeles 12-17-2011 | Recap Video
As the "Official Sneaker Cleaner of Sneaker Con Los Angeles", cleanser mixologist Jason Markk had the privilege to capture some behind-the-scene look at the first ever Sneaker Con Los Angeles. Unfortunately, he got to the Los Angeles Convention Center late last Saturday. Luckily, he was still able … READ MORE
Sneaker Con Los Angeles – December 17th | Event Reminder
The West Coast can finally breathe a sigh of relief, as the greatest sneaker event in the world is heading that way this weekend. The wait is almost over, with the massive show hitting the LA Convention center tomorrow, December 17th. As you no doubt are already … READ MORE
Sneaker Con NYC 12-10-2011 | Event Recap
It was a curious coincidence with a Lamborghini Gallardo parked right in front of the venue but Sneaker Con NYC went without a hitch yesterday afternoon at 151 Sullivan Street. Thanks mostly to an unexpected mild winter day and last minute holiday shoppers, the event drew another … READ MORE
Sneaker Con NYC December 10th, 2011 | Event Reminder
So you waited and waited, all the while thinking you will have enough time to look around. Now, its two weeks before Christmas and you're in full panic mode. But there is no need to commit "credit card seppuku" and purchase the $5000 Nike MAG on eBay … READ MORE
Sneaker Con Los Angeles – December 17th
Just one week after Sneaker Con's homecoming engagement in the Big Apple, the premier event for sneaker collectors and aficionados goes coast to coast for a long overdue appointment with the City of Angels. That's right, Sneaker Con is coming for the first time to Los Angeles, … READ MORE
Sneaker Con NYC – December 10th, 2011
After trailblazing around cities in the East Coast, New York City will once again play host for the latest round of Sneaker Con. Mark Saturday, December 10th on your calender as this might be the perfect timing to snatch up some gifts for your family, friends or … READ MORE
Sneaker Con Washington D.C. 08-06-2011 + 08-07-2011 | Event Recap
The showing of support at Sneaker Con's very first Washington D.C. venue was such that organizers decided to host another first at the nation's capital – a two-day Sneaker Con event. Took place over the weekend within the confine of Atlas Performing Arts Theater, thousands of sneaker … READ MORE
Sneaker Con DC August 6 & 7 | Event Reminder
Whether you call yourself a sneaker enthusiast, aficionado, connoisseur or head, your presence is requested on the occasion of Sneaker Con D.C. And by all means, those who just have a passing interest in sneakers are invited as well. It's a testament to the success of the … READ MORE


text: Slipped butter dishes and lids, handles on two cups and a couple of shallow bowls thrown this afternoon. Plus spending a blissful time opening up the pottery on my own as my tutor is on holiday. Lovely, interested people came in this afternoon and bought a load of her stuff, so 3 hours well spent!


text:
A New CEO for This Growing Company
Mark is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network -- entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (NASDAQ: ULTA) is a one-stop beauty superstore. Each location has a full-service salon and sells cosmetics, fragrances, haircare, skincare, bath and body products, and salon styling tools. The company operates 576 retail stores in 46 states and online.
Ulta just hired Mary Dillon from U.S. Cellular to be its new CEO. Prior to U.S. Cellular, Dillon held key positions at McDonald's and Pepsico.
A compelling growth story
What's most interesting to me about the Ulta story is that there is no large-scale competitor. The company competes with Sally Beauty Supply (NYSE: SBH) in beauty supplies and Regis (NYSE: RGS) in the hair salon business. However, neither one has adopted the Ulta business model and combined the two businesses. In many ways the concept is a no-brainer. Go to the salon and get your hair done and then buy your cosmetics at the same salon.
In the first quarter of this year, revenues grew 22.9% and comparable store sales increased 6.7%. E-commerce sales grew 70%. Earnings per share increased 20.4% to $0.65 per share. Ulta repurchased $37 million in stock.
In terms of store openings, the company opened 26 new stores during the quarter.. Each store averages $2.8 million in revenues for the first year and ramps up to $4 million by year five. Total new store investment is about $1 million and payback is roughly two years. The company has already approved 50 new locations. For the rest of the year, the company expects to have opened a total of 125 new stores. Ulta will also remodel seven stores. The company is also active is putting new products onto the shelves for its customers to choose from.
Ulta has seen strong growth in online sales. That is likely to continue as the company redesigns its website and streamlines the checkout process. The company is also expanding its distribution center to handle orders more efficiently.
For the rest of the year, the company is forecasting comparable store sales growth of 4% to 6%. The company expects earnings growth of 25% to 30%. Ulta is going to spend $125 million on new store openings and an additional $100 million will be re-invested in the business.
The competition
Sally Beauty operates over 2,700 beauty supply stores worldwide. The company does have a larger retail presence than Ulta, but it's primary customer is the professional salon. Sally Beauty is also growing considerably less than Ulta. Consolidated same-store sales actually decreased by 0.8% in the second quarter. Overall sales grew 1% to $898 million.
Sally Beauty is much more of a value play than Ulta. Sally Beauty's gross profit margin in the second quarter was 49.5%. The company repurchased $191 million in stock. This repurchase completed its $300 million program and the company authorized a new $700 million repurchase program. On the balance sheet there's $293 million in cash and no debt.
Regis is best known for its Supercuts franchise and the salons in Wal-Mart. The company thou is a work in progress as service traffic at its location has been trending lower. The company has extended salon hours to help bring in traffic, but that has resulted in lower margins as expenses increased.
Going forward, Regis is a turnaround play. The problem is that the turnaround requires the work of lots of people. The company has over 10,000 locations. It takes the work of a great stylist to keep customers coming in. Let's face it, not everyone can cut hair well. That's the challenge that Regis is dealt. The company is making an effort to tackle this problem by beefing up its field organization to better execute in its salons. Management is working to make Regis into an efficient operation, but it will take time.
Foolish assessment
Ulta Salon has a compelling business model and is primed for further growth. New CEO Mary Dillon has a lot of experience in marketing and I see her continuing to grow the business. The stock remains volatile, but the long-term future for Ulta remains bright.
Mark Yagalla has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance. The Motley Fool owns shares of Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Is this post wrong? Click here. Think you can do better? Join us and write your own!


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PHOENIX (AP) - Authorities say a fatal car crash closed a portion of Interstate 40 about 10 miles west of the Arizona-New Mexico border for more than three hours.
The Arizona Department of Transportation says the westbound lanes of I-40 were closed after the 1 p.m. Thursday accident. They were reopened around 4:30 p.m.
Details on the crash weren't immediately released.
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text:
Is the big day (at least, it's exciting for me).
I'm…so tired I could fall over. Seriously. Next time I have a book release, remind me not to have it in December or January. Or BOTH.
Just a quick reminder that you have a few hours left to enter both my Goodreads contest and my blog contest to win a free copy!
I was also over at Dear Author today for the First Sale letter, and Mandi at Smexy Books reviewed Gentlemen Prefer Succubi.
There's a little something cool launching tomorrow, brought to you by a group of the most supportive people ever…so stay tuned.
ETA – AAAAH! My counter says 2 hours until my book releases.
No writing tonight. My eyes are crossing. Hopefully tomorrow.


text:
#fishngrits #dinner So If you know me then you know I've been trying to put a seafood grits recipe for a while now. Wanted a good combo. After making curry crusted #salmon I decided to x the rice and go with #grits. I found this cool herb parmesan grits recipe I decided to add #turmeric for the yellow color. It's also good for #inflammation. Used the sauteed garlic from greens in grits for added taste .
Fresh Spinach
Parmesean Cheese (grated)
Parsley (dry)
Cillantro (dry)
Tumeric (dry)
Curry (dry)


text:
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Purvi is one of those few kids left in the world who love their parents (in this case, especially her mother) and can sacrifice anything for them. Now -a-days you usually see children shouting and talking rudely with their mothers let alone even the thought of helping them and here is Purvi, she went on to the extent of letting go the love of her life. I really respect the love she has for her mother and her effort to change her mother's life for better.
Moreover, she was somewhere right, how could she settle down happily after being one of the many reasons for her mother's broken family life?!
We see the world as we are. What would you do? Whom would you choose ' Your love or Your mother?
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Hi, I do agree that punishments should be given for grave mistakes but sending someone to jail isn't a good and reforming punishment. Prisoners are mistreated and are in the constant company of murders etc. A person sent there would obviously harden and not soften.
And the reason why Purvi wants to save Soham dada is awesomely described in a post, to which you can get by clicking on the link provided below '
Link :- http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3292185
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Purvi's intentions have always been good, though her way was not the best way out but she's a human...her decision wasn't perfect. But if you look it this way, she stroke the better bargain, 7(Manav, Archana, Teju, Sachu, Savita, Sula, Ovi, Sulo) to 2(ArVi). That is, she chose to destroy 2 people to make the live of 7 people happier.
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|Topic Starter
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