I’m getting ready for a small family get-together, and today will be spent pre-cooking many of the meals. 

Make a batch flavored vinegars. Dig out some of those interesting glass bottles you’ve been collecting, and bottle up your completed vinegars. If you follow directions carefully, herb vinegars only get better with time, and by the holiday season, you should have some excellent gourmet vinegars to give as gifts. As always, you can find directions and recipes in your local library or on the internet.

If you are hosting a party or celebration tomorrow, spend the day getting everything ready.  If you are going somewhere to watch fireworks, pack a suitable picnic meal for your family so you won’t need to stop for food or drinks.  Include popcorn, peanuts, and other snacks to eat later in the evening so you won’t be spending ‘vending’ prices on inexpensive snacks.  If you have a family of four, this will save you at least $10.  Put the savings in your tin.

Make up a batch of popsicles and ice cream treats, or purchase the inexpensive treats from the grocery store and designate a special spot in the freezer for them.  When the kids come running in from outdoors begging for a few dollars (not dimes anymore) to buy ice cream from the ice cream truck, pull out a frozen treat from your freezer, and drop the savings into the tin.

Do you buy shredded cheese?  Instead, buy the “block” cheese and shred yourself.  Put it in a plastic bag.  You can also watch for the shredded cheese blends on sale, then stock up. Most cheeses freeze quite well.  I usually purchase my shredded cheeses at the club store in bulk, repackage into smaller freezer bags, and take them out when I need them.  When the grocery stores put the smaller packages of blended cheeses on sale for $1 I buy several packages of each of my favorite blends and pop them into the freezer as well.  I also buy the large blocks of cheese and freeze half so I don’t end up throwing moldy cheese away.  Just look at the price per pound for the cheese you buy.  Unless the shredded cheese is on sale, the convenience is very expensive.  You can also save by avoiding the pre-sliced cheese.