Comments on: When Should a Little Notion Get Big?

By: Melody Bakeeff

Melody Bakeeff — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:13:59 +0000

Trent, I agree with several others that doing a separate food blog dedicated to frugal cooking would be a great addition. You can certainly learn more about food, just as you’ve no doubt read and explored areas of personal finance while writing The Simple Dollar. That will enhance your posts as you go, but is not necessary to say ‘hey, wanna make a cheap chicken meal?” You will have a built-in reader-base to advertise your blog from crossover, and you’ll attract possibly even new readers to this site who are pulled-in by the cooking aspect. I think especially since you are moving toward speaking about more philosophical angles of frugality now (as someone else said, it’s inevitable) you almost need a ‘new’ way to expose folks to your core ideas. I’m not saying a newbie reader to this blog won’t get anything. But the more simpler concepts become a bit tedious for your core readers. You could even consider, after starting the food blog, re-starting some sort of posting here about the basics, again.
Yes, I know you have the link about ’31 days to fix your finances’. From personal experience, though, some people take longer, and need more reminders. They need to be metaphorically beaten over the head with information until it sinks in. (I looked at it about 1 week into subscribing but I was already seeking and ready for the information) I also wonder if newer folks simply can’t ‘find’ it. I understand the idea, but quite frankly I rarely look for stuff on the side. It’s a long, boring list of links that bleed together, visually, and I will admit I also don’t want to spend more time than I should on “mindless” surfing. Values and all. ;-)

By: AmandaLP

AmandaLP — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:35:26 +0000

I started a cooking blog. It is still in its infancy stages, and I am attempting (pun intended, see blog title :) to do videos rather than photographs. I agree with Andy (29) above, in that I really wish I could record my thoughts as I was cooking for writing in the blog. So many of my meals are off the top of my head. The recipes that I follow are usually the disasters.

But, what I have figured out is that cooking is one of the few activities I have that have an element of “flow.” I can get engrossed in the activity of planning, finding ingredients, cooking and serving. This is what makes cooking fun and valuable for me. The blog is just a small attempt at trying to convey that in words.

By: KK

KK — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 06:42:17 +0000

I agree with #30 reader, Holly, food blogs rely heavily on photographs. Here is an example of a food blog that I really enjoy: http://www.notquitenigella.com

The photographs that go along with the daily food blogs are a work of art in and of themselves.

That being said, you have a different style all together than that blog & I enjoy both for different reasons. The recipes you’ve covered are the practical everyday type. The recipes covered on Not Quite Nigella are something to aspire to. I’ve actually used the recipes you’ve covered & my family has devoured the food eagerly. We’ve done nothing but droll over the recipes on Not Quite Nigella because they are so lovely but much too difficult to attempt for the average household with young children. You’ve done a great job with this series & the spin with making the original recipe even more economical is terrific. Please keep up the great work.

By: kristine

kristine — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:22:49 +0000

One of the most appealing aspects of your site is the 2x a day blog. And I would hate to see the recipes go away from here, but you can’t compete with yourself successfully, so recipes would have to become more rare on TSD.

I agree with the suggestion of getting help with TSD to keep up the pace. I’ll bet a university student would be glad to intern for little money and the experience. You could have them do the less personal pieces, such as interesting historical info such as how people made ends meet in the victorian era, global attitudes toward debt, or even let them do the past links and weekly updates.

What would you call it? The Simple Meal?

By: Mayo

Mayo — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 16:19:15 +0000

Trent:

Thank you for the recipes you have shared so far, and best wishes as you gradually expand your columns to include more!

Your “living mindfully” philosophy is the reason I am one of your faithful readers, and your recipes have been an added bonus.

Your special culinary gift to me has been your adaptation of time-consuming and complex recipes into quicker, simpler and often-healthier meals. I believe your straightforward explanation of each original recipe, your revised version and accompanying photos are just right for a large audience.

Even if you venture into more sophisticated fare, please continue to share your creative, simple alternatives!

By: Mary

Mary — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 13:03:43 +0000

I don’t think you need a separate food blog, doing a once a week recipe works great, and I think your blog is evolving from personal finance to life lessons, how you interact with your family, what’s important to you etc. Keep up the good work.

By: Caroline

Caroline — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 05:00:57 +0000

Fantastic!

By: Claudia

Claudia — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 22:29:41 +0000

I found this to be really insightful and well-written. I’m going to print it out and keep it for the next time I get a “little notion.” I get those myself from time to time. It’s nice to see a way to think those types of things through.

By: Kim

Kim — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:05:12 +0000

I am very interested in reading your (potential) food blog but please don’t delve into nutrition. Whenever you mention nutrition, you make mistakes, due to your lack of academic training in food science/nutrition. Please leave the nutrition to the professionals, or at least consult them.
Have you ever watched “Hell’s Kitchen”? I’d never want to become a chef!

By: SoCalGal

SoCalGal — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 18:17:54 +0000

Hey Trent,
Your “How Low Can You Go” blogs are by far my favorite every week. As I read them, I can sense the enthusiasm that you felt as you prepared the meal. They are the best of the week.

By: Karen

Karen — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:27:27 +0000

“Tide is not a personal value in my life.” Thanks for the great morning laugh!

By: Strider

Strider — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:40:15 +0000

Trent, I can see the appeal of your “notion” in my own life. Aerospace/systems engineering is my career field and, for the most part, I’m passionate about the work that I do.

But, a few months back I also spent 3 hours making spinach raviolis from scratch. My wife and I absolutely loved it and my wife said it was one of the best meals she’s ever eaten.

I’d spend more time on my cooking passion but working on the MS takes up most of my free time. Pursuing this degree will enable my wife to stay home with the kids which is something I’m very passionate about. Some point down the line I hope to go to a cooking school.

By: guinness416

guinness416 — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 15:28:17 +0000

deRuiter, I agree with all of your points and for anyone else considering kitchen work would add the hell that is split shifts, the general boozing and other debauchery that goes on with every kitchen staff I’ve worked in/with, and dealing with exec chefs who range from permanently grumpy to sociopathic! (Okay, I’m exaggerating a bit, but it sure ain’t all Julia Child at the Cordon Bleu!)

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:56:32 +0000

I really enjoy your posts on the dinners for under ten dollars and you had mentioned that they were supposed to be healthy, but the one you had tried wasn’t. A source that I would recommend is Clean Eating Magazine. They produce every two months and have recipes with those parameters-healthy and under ten dollars. The subscription is really affordable and the way of eating that they champion incorporates lots of fresh vegetables, whole grains, and unprocessed foods.

By: Detta

Detta — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:17:44 +0000

Trent, take a look at my friend’s new cooking blog, http://www.stresscake.com, a blast. I also have enjoyed “How low can you go” and tried the dal recipe, enjoyed it and the leftovers! I like your “down home” writing. So what if you hadn’t heard of tahini! There are many other people in the same boat and it’s refreshing to hear someone say so.

By: Bill OBrien

Bill OBrien — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:50:19 +0000

“The Simple Diner”??

By: Treva

Treva — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:48:03 +0000

Just wanted to let you know that this article really struck home with me. I’m in a new place in my life — just moved from an area of 1.3M people to a town of 975 for a quieter & simpler life for my daughter, husband, and myself. It’s also first time I’ve not been working full-time since I was 16 and I’ve been trying to figure out my next step. I think I’ve not been doing as much as I could because it was the first real break I’ve had in 15 years and the first time I’ve been home all day with my daughter since maternity leave. I’m job searching now that school is in session and my daughter will be there all day, but I’ve got still got time in my day. The one big thing I did for myself was making time to go to an association meeting for the field I worked in previously. I made a little time for something I’m passionate about and got 3 job leads with some amazing companies. Having the school year start and then reading this article… it’s a like a message saying “Time to start anew.” Just wanted to say thanks for the reminder that it’s important to take time for the things most important to me, but also to go after those things at my own pace.

By: Julie

Julie — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:19:14 +0000

You could leverage off the base of people you already have by combining food and frugality. I highly enjoyed your “how low can you go” recipes, printed out several, and cooked the dal and the burritos (great!). I would subscribe to a separate weekly email along those lines. I might even buy a hard-copy book. I always wished Amy Dacyzyn had compiled her cooking ideas separately from the other information in the Tightwad Gazette.

By: Sunshine

Sunshine — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:43:01 +0000

I have to comment again. I totally agree with Suzanne. Perhaps you could find a way to have a luxurious but budget-friendly cooking. I know that you’ve suggested you’d like to cook more involved and less budget meals, but it might be a good niche for you. It would help some of your readers get a step into the cooking world.

Again, I am sooo looking forward to where you go with this. Good luck!

By: Suzanne

Suzanne — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 10:32:59 +0000

Would really support a blog on how to cook on a budget utilizing fresh items – bulk items – with the economy in such turmoil it could be a big help for those of us on a fixed income that providing less every day!
I think you could add a lot to frugality!