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ACM's guide to not wasting dough
started by arcticcatmatt
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April 22nd 2009 at 1:08 AM
[ Modified April 22nd 2009 at 1:14 AM
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RMK-KING
The Fabricator Moderator
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9123 Posts 
Group: Moderators
Member Since: October 3rd 2002
Location: Center and Roseglen, ND, USA
Current Sled: 09 RMK 700 & 06 IQr 600
2008-2009 Miles: 550
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I think living a good distance from town makes a difference for me,its not as convinent to just go buy something compulsive. A few trips to town a month is all I need to survive.
Small town rent and a roomate to share all expenses is nice as well,gives you room to save up for big expenses that come later in life.
Current Line Up
-09 RMK Assault
-06 IQ R 600HO
-01 ProX 600
-95 XCR 600
Days get shorter,snow gets deeper,life gets better.
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Site Supporter
Group: Site Supporters
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April 22nd 2009 at 7:23 AM
[ Modified April 22nd 2009 at 7:24 AM
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arcticcatmatt
Spleen Splitter
arcticcatmatt leaving after work for 3 days of shotgun season back home!
Updated Yesterday at 12:16 PM
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14006 Posts
Group: Moderators
Member Since: November 25th 2001
Location: Berkshire, NY, USA
Current Sled: 96/97 ZRT 600
2008-2009 Miles: 450
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If any of you live by a home depot they are giving out FREE CFL lights today as part of earth day.. I think like 100000 per store or something. I will be going after work.
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April 22nd 2009 at 12:34 PM
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pigboy
banned
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3107 Posts 
Group: Members
Member Since: December 23rd 2002
Location: hermantown, mn, USA
Current Sled: 1997 XLTsp
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It just seems contradictary to me to be so cheap and frugal and yet throw money at a sport that consumes a lot of resources to participate in.
I reject your reality and substitute my own. 
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April 22nd 2009 at 1:15 PM
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arcticcatmatt
Spleen Splitter
arcticcatmatt leaving after work for 3 days of shotgun season back home!
Updated Yesterday at 12:16 PM
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14006 Posts
Group: Moderators
Member Since: November 25th 2001
Location: Berkshire, NY, USA
Current Sled: 96/97 ZRT 600
2008-2009 Miles: 450
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^ I can afford snowmobiling because I am cheap and frugal in other areas. I wouldnt' word it as cheap.. I would word it as using your money wisely that you have to spend anyways. Like electric - we have to buy it, might as well try to change some things to buy less of it but still be happy.
I got CFLs - I got light
I got a clothesline - I got dry clothes
I got an antenna - I got some channels
I got a prepaid phone - I still have a cell phone
I use coupons - I still eat what I want
I go out when it is specials night - I still go out
I car pool - I still get to work
You get the point..
I have some friends that are house poor. They cannot do anything. They have no TV, cell phone, nor heat (keep the house at 50-55 and wear jackets). They refuse to do any of the things you see on my list. They use a dryer, no CFL's, don't car pool, don't do any of their own work, don't even know who their home loan is thru, etc.. Perhaps if they did the easy things I do, they would have the money to get the things they want (like the motorcycle he keeps dreaming about), or keep their house over 55.
If I didn't do things the way I do, there is no way I would make what I make and have all that I have.
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April 22nd 2009 at 1:33 PM
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zxkid
not really a kid anymore :(
zxkid doesn't know what irritates him more..Home Depot, or their website!
Updated Yesterday at 10:23 AM
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491 Posts 
Group: Members
Member Since: February 29th 2008
Location: N.Adams, MA, USA
Current Sled: 2004 F7 SnoPro EFI
2008-2009 Miles: 1312
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^^^Here's an example that may help ACM's theory.... I made the switch to those energy saving bulbs (local hardware store had a 99cent sale) started unplugging things not in use, and blah blah blah later my monthly electric bill dropped $16 a month, That 16 bucks fills the tank in the sled for an extra ride every month. If I had no powersports hobbies, and didn't care about what I drove(like having a Kia instead of 2 Mustangs) I probably wouldn't give a rats @ss about cutting corners. But I enjoy my toys(maybe too much) there for saving a few bucks here and there allows me to put a little extra into my toys
"To be old and wise, you must first be young and stupid"
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April 26th 2009 at 12:41 PM
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ripperd
kick@$$
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7425 Posts
Group: Members
Member Since: November 7th 2001
Location: Brooklyn Center, MN, USA
Current Sled: 07 Rev 600 mod
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Good thread Matt! I was brought up this way with my parents so I am thrifty in most areas.
Quote originally posted by pigboy
It just seems contradictory to me to be so cheap and frugal and yet throw money at a sport that consumes a lot of resources to participate in.
Would you rather:
A. Sit in front of your $1,000 big screen on a March weekend.
B. Ride your snowmobile on that March weekend, leaving your $200 TV at home lonely.
It is about spending money where it makes YOU happy. It is different for everyone. I know people that would never be interested in option B. Personally, I would not give up option B just to get option A.
(In reality I have a modestly large TV and a snowmobile LOL!)
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April 26th 2009 at 6:55 PM
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sledneck1978
HAIL CHASER
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2143 Posts
Group: Members
Member Since: August 9th 2007
Location: Andover, MN
2008-2009 Miles: 875
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Why even bother pinching pennies? Just go to the messiah whenever you need a buck (AKA, Obama).
Seriously though, good topic but as many others have said,"who has the time?"
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take" (Wayne Gretzky)
"Not everyone gets off to a great start, but you have to start to be great" (Zig Zigler)
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April 26th 2009 at 9:05 PM
[ Modified April 26th 2009 at 9:13 PM
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arcticcatmatt
Spleen Splitter
arcticcatmatt leaving after work for 3 days of shotgun season back home!
Updated Yesterday at 12:16 PM
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14006 Posts
Group: Moderators
Member Since: November 25th 2001
Location: Berkshire, NY, USA
Current Sled: 96/97 ZRT 600
2008-2009 Miles: 450
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^ I don't understand the who has the time quote.
Many of the things I have posted take no time at all. I am the one who has spent the time putting numbers to savings and figuring out what is the best bang for the buck.. or the online research comparing alternatives vs ideas. Some of the things do take time.. like coupons. I consider my time worth money (as you all should as you are all intelligent people). So if something does take time, say 1 hour to implement, but the savings start ASAP, well that pays for itself. I prefer to pay myself vs someone else.
Savings of today - Hung 5 loads of laundry outside. Been saving it all week to hit up this warm weather. Every load takes about 45 mins to dry in my dryer. The dryer is about 6000 watts and I pay .10 Pkwh. Savings was about 2.5 dollars. I will do that 4 times this month (girlfriends and my clothes). So savings of at least 10 dollars off the electric bill per month. Bought the generic fabic softner (24 loads for 3 bucks vs the stuff I used to buy that is 24 loads for 8 dollars). Town cleanup was this weekend. I used and abused that with 3 full truck loads, thousands of pounds worth (left over from the previous owner of my house). Taking that to the landfill would be about 50 bucks per load since I was at 600ish per load. So 150 saved there. Many in town did not take advantage of that. Working on my motorcycle in the barn, doing what the dealer told me would be 400-500 bucks. It is new to me so I got some guys online from another town to come give me a quick hand. Few beers and pieces of pizza is that cost.
In these daily savings that I post when I reply to something else.. I am not including my electric savings of CFL's and such. Those paid for themselfs months ago and keep saving me coin daily. Oh, got gas .10 cents cheaper per gallon in a neighboring town.. but that is a no brainer haha.
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April 26th 2009 at 11:25 PM
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BV_Boondocker
Holy s***! Thats a tree...
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196 Posts
Group: Members
Member Since: March 8th 2009
Location: Bear Valley, CA, USA
Current Sled: '99 Polaris RMK 700
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The hardest hit is on the electrical bill for me, im a welder by trade and that can eat up a good amount of electricity every month. The worst was last week when i left my machine to cool down and forgot about it until later the next afternoon, that made me feel like a numb-nuts....
"As I walk through the valley of death I fear no one, for I am the meanest motherf**ker in the valley!"
-General George Patton
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April 27th 2009 at 12:06 AM
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XLT96rider
Other sports play once a week, but this sport is with us every day.
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942 Posts 
Group: Members
Member Since: January 7th 2009
Location: Wausau, Wisconsin, USA
Current Sled: 1996 Polaris XLT Special
2008-2009 Miles: 1000+
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I live alone in my own house, so it's not hard to keep things turned off and heat turned down a little(completely diff. when the g.f. was here) Yeah, the shop can eat up a lot....sometimes I'll keep the heat off when working on stuff, if it's only for a couple hours. I do a lot of welding and fabbing too, but it's a hobby, so I don't mind too much.
I switched to the better light bulbs, which I really like, white light instead of the usual yellow, and can up the wattage some and still use less kwh.
Try to get things when on sale, but doesn't always work.
It's always good to know people, you can get great deals on just about everything...I almost never pay full price on sled parts or car parts, etc...
Boondocker, I know how you feel, I've forgot to turn things off at times, and come back a few days later and found them running, I must of had my head up my a$$ those times!!
I also installed a high efficiency furnace and water heater and my gas bill dropped almost in half!! Couldn't believe that one!!
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April 27th 2009 at 9:18 AM
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duece
Junior Member
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227 Posts
Group: Members
Member Since: February 26th 2007
Location: brookfeild, ma, USA
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keeping democrats out of the white house is another handy savings tip.
gerald j sullivan
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April 27th 2009 at 10:17 AM
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Matt do you plant a garden? we're gonna try that this spring and see if we can save some on the grocery bill.....
General in the Anti-Catsdouche06 army, saving the world from stupidity and inbreeding!
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April 27th 2009 at 11:44 AM
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arcticcatmatt
Spleen Splitter
arcticcatmatt leaving after work for 3 days of shotgun season back home!
Updated Yesterday at 12:16 PM
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14006 Posts
Group: Moderators
Member Since: November 25th 2001
Location: Berkshire, NY, USA
Current Sled: 96/97 ZRT 600
2008-2009 Miles: 450
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^ Yes we do. Just worked on it yesterday. For us it is more of a hobby I guess. The amount of veggys we get out of our small garden would cost us maybe 60 bucks? to buy at the store. Planting them cost us around 15 dollars? I don't remember. We save some but not as much as one would expect. However, it is very nice to make dinner with everything from the garden vs store. We do tomatoes, all kinds of peppers, onions, herbs, asparagus, and I think this year we are trying lettuce (I dont think it will work haha). We did watermelons last year, they sucked. Oh we are doing green beans this year also.
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April 27th 2009 at 12:25 PM
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picman
Junior Member
picman is off to bag his buck. I hope. Skunked so far.
Updated Wednesday at 1:17 PM
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308 Posts
Group: Members
Member Since: January 15th 2009
Location: Marinette, WI, USA
Current Sled: 1998 Polaris Ultra
2008-2009 Miles: 1145
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Have you tried broccoli? We plant lots each year to get us through the winter. It freezes well. In fact I just had some for lunch. Not quite as good as completely fresh but you would have to eat it side by side to really taste the difference.
Find the line between respect and fear....then flirt with it
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April 27th 2009 at 1:10 PM
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arcticcatmatt
Spleen Splitter
arcticcatmatt leaving after work for 3 days of shotgun season back home!
Updated Yesterday at 12:16 PM
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14006 Posts
Group: Moderators
Member Since: November 25th 2001
Location: Berkshire, NY, USA
Current Sled: 96/97 ZRT 600
2008-2009 Miles: 450
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^ What climate does that require? Willing to give it a shot! Plant seeds or pre-planted?
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April 27th 2009 at 1:22 PM
[ Modified April 27th 2009 at 1:24 PM
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bobp53916
Looking for Sno Pro motor mounts
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890 Posts
Group: Members
Member Since: December 14th 2008
Location: Gwinner ND/Waupun WI
Current Sled: 99 ZR600/2000 Sno Pro
2008-2009 Miles: 500+
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Quote originally posted by ultrastud
Matt do you plant a garden? we're gonna try that this spring and see if we can save some on the grocery bill.....
Good plan, we plant a garden every year, mostly just veggies. Beans, carrots, potatoes, corn, etc. We dont have that big of a garden, probably 10x40 and we end up filling our deep freeze with veggies every year. We tried using Miraclegro on our garden last year and I know for a fact that the plants grew twice as fast and produced twice as much, especially the beans, we were picking beans atleast every other day. We planted our corn about the same time my parents did and we were picking ours before they were showing cobs.
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April 27th 2009 at 1:29 PM
[ Modified April 27th 2009 at 1:31 PM
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MNSLEDNECK56308
Senior Member
MNSLEDNECK56308 done working on trailer for the night!
Updated Thursday at 10:44 PM
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2710 Posts
Group: Moderators
Member Since: January 12th 2004
Location: ALEXANDRIA, MN, USA
2008-2009 Miles: 1043
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Not busting your chops matt but life gets more complicated once you throw these things called kids! Now i know it was my choice to have kids and things, that isn't the point. The point is that is much easier single (know you got a girl but not offically married) with what seems like endless free...throw a 8 year old and 4 year old in the mix and the 1 hour cutting coupons or hanging laundry is much better spent reading or doing homework with my sons, or doing whatever with my family. But that is just me, I guess at the present time my wife and I financially stable (thank god) so that factors into it at as well! Don't get me wrong we are not out being wastefull and careless but at the same time. I have never even cared to track how much enegery it costs to run my dryer or the wii when the kids are playing. But you give have good tips and ideas. Thanks Matt
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April 27th 2009 at 1:43 PM
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Polaris-Man
Mike Otis
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11899 Posts 
Group: Administrators
Member Since: April 10th 2001
Location: Letellier, Manitoba, Canada
Current Sled: '08 Dragon '07 Switchback
2008-2009 Miles: 1200
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Quote originally posted by ripperd
Would you rather:
A. Sit in front of your $1,000 big screen on a March weekend.
B. Ride your snowmobile on that March weekend, leaving your $200 TV at home lonely.
I actually like to ride my 2008 or 2007 model year snowmobile on that weekend, then come home and watch my $2000 TV with my house set to 70 degrees listening to clothes tumbling in the dryer.
I realize you can save some money by pinching pennies but I don't see the point. Saving $10/month by hanging clothes on a clothesline isn't worth the hassle in my books. It's a heck of a lot easier to just toss them in the dryer, instead of lug them outside, throw them up, then take them all down and lug them back inside.
Be that as it may, more power to those who do everything to save their money. I prefer convienience over hassle though.
Every single day of my life has been worse than the day before it. That means every day you see me, that's the worst day of my life.
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April 27th 2009 at 1:51 PM
[ Modified April 27th 2009 at 1:51 PM
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MNSLEDNECK56308
Senior Member
MNSLEDNECK56308 done working on trailer for the night!
Updated Thursday at 10:44 PM
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2710 Posts
Group: Moderators
Member Since: January 12th 2004
Location: ALEXANDRIA, MN, USA
2008-2009 Miles: 1043
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^^^^^^LOL^^ I don't own a sled (right now) but I do the same on my big screen and my dryer seems to be running non stop!
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April 27th 2009 at 6:03 PM
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EMTP579
Trail Medic
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365 Posts
Group: Members
Member Since: February 10th 2008
Location: Vestal, NY, USA
Current Sled: 2009 Yamaha Apex
2008-2009 Miles: 1600
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A new one that I just remembered - instead of buying microwave popcorn, but regular popcorn and paper lunchbags. Put a scoop in the bag and cook on high until the popping slows. Then, season exactly as you like - excellent for dieters.
I actually do this because I want to control the calories and additives on my popcorn, but it is also much much cheaper than pre-baged microwave popcorn.
Ride safe and sober! Make every ride a round trip.
Upstate NY guys - join a fun local board - Twin Teir Sleddin': www.twintiersleddin.proboards76.com
NY GIANTS - 2008 Super Bowl Champions!
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April 28th 2009 at 12:20 PM
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picman
Junior Member
picman is off to bag his buck. I hope. Skunked so far.
Updated Wednesday at 1:17 PM
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308 Posts
Group: Members
Member Since: January 15th 2009
Location: Marinette, WI, USA
Current Sled: 1998 Polaris Ultra
2008-2009 Miles: 1145
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Quote originally posted by arcticcatmatt
^ What climate does that require? Willing to give it a shot! Plant seeds or pre-planted?
You will have no problems growing broccoli. I live at 45 degree latitude in Wisconsin and 45 degrees runs through about the middle of Maine if I remember right. Most of NY shuld be south of that. So, your planting season is about right now? I would then go with preplanted. Seeds take 4-6 weeks to get to transplant height. Save the plastic containers for next year to start your seeds.
Let the center head get to the size you want without the flowerettes getting too loose. Cut those off, blanch them and then freeze on cookie sheets. Put them into gallon sized freezer bags. This way you can easily take out what you need for a meal. After the center head is cut out, you can still harvest the smaller shoots and heads for your fresh from the garden meal. Broccoli will continue to develop these small heads well into Sept. In fact, brocolli is the last plant to be killed off by the frost in my garden. They are still green in mid Oct.
Be careful late the season, the stems tend to get tougher. If you see white in the stem, it is going to be tough. Just cut the flowerette off and throw away the stem.
Find the line between respect and fear....then flirt with it
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April 28th 2009 at 12:29 PM
[ Modified April 28th 2009 at 12:30 PM
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arcticcatmatt
Spleen Splitter
arcticcatmatt leaving after work for 3 days of shotgun season back home!
Updated Yesterday at 12:16 PM
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14006 Posts
Group: Moderators
Member Since: November 25th 2001
Location: Berkshire, NY, USA
Current Sled: 96/97 ZRT 600
2008-2009 Miles: 450
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^ Awesome thanks. Going to look for it tonight. Our flower season is here but not veggy garden. 1 more month.
Good tip on the popcorn Emtp579 I did not know you could do that but now that I think about it, why not!
Savings of the day (and the day isn't over) - Cut my own hair ($15), car pooled (~6), Got 1 gig USB jump drives on clearance at Target for $2.74 (saved $8 on each, bought many as gifts for when I need a gift. Saved $40), Packed lunch from home with bulk food from sams club (ham sandwhich and apple sauce in my own containers) and drink mix (~7), got bulk cereal and cat food at lunch break ($15).
Total savings - $80 if I did the math right. And I didn't include how I shop on my lunch break so no special trips to the store.
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