Uncategorized Archives - According To Frankie

Never Forget Your Shopping List Again

Posted on April 8, 2015 by frankiesaucier

Never forget your shopping list again. image by Ex-Smith. www.accordingtofrankie.com

Sometimes I don’t know how I don’t think of these things sooner. If you’re like me, you’ve spent many hours taking inventory of your house before you run out for a shopping trip. Say it’s the grocery store. You look in the pantry, you grab the pen and paper, and start making that list. Because, you know… you don’t want to buy things you don’t need, and you don’t want to forget why you’re there. But then the dog is barking to be let out, the phone rings, the kids can’t find something, and you’re like “if we don’t leave now, we’ll never get to the store!” So you hurry to the store and guess what’s not there? The grocery list. Then, you close your eyes really tightly and start mumbling to yourself in your best attempt to summon a memory of the items on the list. When you get home, the item you needed most, the whole reason you were going to the store, escaped your memory, and is now there, mocking you from the grocery list on the counter. Sigh.

A couple weeks ago I was walking to the office to look for the grocery list and it hit me. You know what I never forget to take to the store with me (well, hardly ever forget)? My cell phone! You know what my cell phone comes with? A “notes” feature! And my cell phone is also connected to my tablet, and to the same notes feature! I could type my grocery list out on my notes app from my phone or my tablet and just take that to the store! Brilliant. Late, but brilliant.

I haven’t written a paper list since, and I haven’t forgotten an item at the store either. I’ll also be saving a little bit of money on those cute “to do list” pads. If you’ve already thought of this, kudos! If not, feel free to take this idea and run with it. Happy shopping!

Recipe: Saucier Macaroni Tomato Cassarole

Posted on April 20, 2014 by frankiesaucier

Saucier Macaroni Tomato Cassarole. www.accordingtofrankie.com. Photo by Frankie Saucier

This is honestly one of my favorites. My mother-in-law, Granny Quack Quack, found this one. But like every recipe in the Saucier family, it goes through many iterations. This one is Randy’s from Easter

Saucier Macaroni Tomato Cassarole

1/2 lb elbow macaroni, cooked

2 shallots, sliced finely

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cans diced tomatoes, drained

1 bunch fresh basil leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon butter, thinly sliced

2 cups sharp cheddar

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 package Panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Saute shallots in butter. Add garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add tomatoes and basil. Simmer 10 minutes. In a separate dish, mix the cheddar and Parmesan cheeses. In 1.5 quart baking dish, spoon a thin layer of sauce. Add a layer of macaroni, then top with a generous layer of the cheese mixture. Repeat until the dish is full. Top with a layer of Panko bread crumbs. Slice the tablespoon of butter into 4-6 thin slices and place on top of the bread crumbs. Bake uncovered 20 minutes or until bread crumbs are golden brown.

Cocktail Recipe: Blueberry Pomegranate Mimosas

Posted on April 20, 2014 by frankiesaucier

Blueberry Pomegranate Mimosas. www.accordingtofrankie.com. Photo by Frankie Saucier.

Blueberry Pomegranate Mimosas. www.accordingtofrankie.com. Photo by Frankie Saucier[/caption]Simple drink recipes are the best. Honestly, I usually don’t have to make my own drinks, but the simpler they are, the faster they are delivered. Here’s a good one.

Blueberry Pomegranate Mimosas

4 ounces of your favorite Champagne, chilled

2 ounces of V8 V-Fusion Pomegranate Blueberry Juice, chilled

In a fluted glass, pour the champagne. Add the V8 V-Fusion Pomegranate Blueberry juice. Then enjoy. This is a great drink because you can tell yourself it’s healthy, as it contains vegetable juice. Neat, right!

How Do I Keep My Contractor Honest?

Posted on April 4, 2014 by frankiesaucier

keep your contractor honest. accordingtofrankie.com. photo by Lisa Bunchofpants.

Do you have a contractor making repairs or improvements on your home? Ever watch HGTV’s Holmes on Holmes and worry about the job your contractor is doing? I do. and I think this: How do I keep my contractor honest? Well, here’s some information to help you out.

Dictionary.com defines a general contractor as a person who contracts for and assumes responsibility for completing a construction project and hires, supervises and pays all subcontractors. Once the contractor has taken a look at the job to be done, you should be provided an estimate or bid for the job. You can expect this bid to be either an overall fixed price to complete the job, or an arrangement where you will pay the cost of materials plus some agreed amount, commonly called a “cost-plus” bid. Either way, the estimate should include an itemized list of all the tasks that will be completed and the materials needed to complete those tasks.

Having a contractor is nice because you don’t have to worry about selecting all the trades and scheduling them to come in at the right time. If delays happen, contractors handle all the coordination. Having said that, there are some things to watch out for with contractors. We’ve recently had work done to our house, and here are some tips that can help make sure you get what you are paying for.
How Do I Keep My Contractor Honest?

Communicate Clearly – From the beginning, state your desires and expectations. Have them reflected on the estimate.
Read The Estimate – Make sure you are very familiar with the estimate and agree with all the items listed.
Ask For a Schedule – Request a rough timeline of events. As dates slip, request revised versions. This minimizes surprises on cost overruns, etc.
Refer To The Estimate – Watch for discrepancies between the work you see being done and the work described in the estimate. Mention it early.
Meet Regularly – Hold either informal phone calls or formal meetings regularly to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

These steps can help ensure that you know what to expect and that you get what you pay for.

Wait! Don’t Close all those Credit Card Accounts at One Time!

Posted on April 4, 2014 by frankiesaucier

Wait before you close those credit card accounts. www.accordingtofrankie.com. Photo by ben popken

Trying to get out of debt? Did you vow to cut up all those credit cards? Wait! Don’t close all those credit card accounts at one time! Here’s why: part of what makes up your credit score is your percentage of available credit. The more available credit you have, the better for your score. So, say you have credit limits between all your cards that total $10,000. And you have two cards maxed out at $6,000. That indicates you are using 60% of your available credit. If you close all the cards with no balance in an effort to raise your credit score, and only leave open the accounts with the $6,000 balance, you are now using 100% of your available credit. This lowers your credit score. Another part of your credit score is your length of credit history. Closing out your oldest cards shortens your length of credit history.

So what should you do? Leave all the credit card accounts open. If you think you’ll be tempted to use them, cut them up. But leave the accounts open. Once you’ve paid down your debt or paid it off, then you can close out the newest accounts if you want to. According to Dani Arthur at Bankrate.com, you want to keep revolving debt around 50% of your available credit. See 5 steps to do-it-yourself credit repair for more information.

8 Steps to Efficiently Updating Your Wardrobe

Posted on March 18, 2014 by frankiesaucier

: Closetcloset factory / Foter / CC BY-ND

Looked in your closet lately? Want to wear that striped skirt but have nothing to wear it with? And why do you have 5 pair of brown shoes but mostly black clothes? That happens to me. It seems that with every season change some goblin has come and stolen half of the pieces I thought I remembered having. Since seasons are changing now, I thought I’d share these 7 steps to efficiently updating your wardrobe.

8 Steps to Efficiently Updating Your Wardrobe

Look Through Magazines – Before you even open your closet door, grab a copy of your favorite fashion magazine and see what people are wearing right now. It’s easy to get distracted by the over-the-top makeup, hair and clothing combinations, so I recommend you focus on the fabrics and the cuts of the clothing.
Decide on Occasion – Wardrobes can sometimes become unbalanced, either heavy on weekend wear or chock full of work clothes.
Inventory the Closet – Ok, take a deep breath. Open the closet door. What do you see? Try on everything. Every. Single. Thing. If it’s worn out, faded, ill-fitting or hasn’t been worn in over a year, toss it out. Seriously.
See What’s Missing – Now survey the quality pieces left hanging. What do you lack to create the types of looks you enjoyed from the magazines?
Take Pictures – Grab your cell phone and take a picture of the contents of your closet. Include shoes if you like.
Make a List – Make a quick list of the items you’re lacking. Black skirt, tan shoes, etc.
Understand Your Body Type – Buy pieces that fit your body. I recommend watching Stacy & Clinton’s Rule #8 video on TLC’s What Not To Wear
G0 Shopping! – Now hit the stores. Remember that stores like TJ Maxx and Ross are great for buying name brand pieces for less, although I recommend you remain focused. I also find that when Macy’s has a sale, you can save a lot of money. For staple items like camisoles for ladies or undershirts for men, you might save by going with store brands rather than name brands. It’s easy to get distracted by deep discounts on items you’ll never wear and don’t need. I would advise that you only buy items online if you are familiar with the brand and their sizing, or if you have special sizing that isn’t available in stores. Also, prior to shopping online, remember to search the store name with “coupon code.” I usually have success with RetailMeNot.

Following these steps can help ensure you don’t waste money buying duplicate items or items that don’t complete the look you’re going for. Also, it helps you use pieces currently in your closet to create new looks. Happy Shopping!