From the Daily Cheapskate Inbox

I haven't done a "From the Inbox" feature in over a year. I love getting email from readers as you frequently ask some pretty fun questions (where do you guys come up with some of this stuff!?!).   Here are some goodies from my February inbox.  I've edited them down a bit:

	Dear Daily Cheapskate, I have thrown out so many pairs of poultry shears. They either never work right to begin with, or they get dull right away, and they aren't cheap.  Any recommendations? Rebecca, Far Rockaway, NY
	Dear Rebecca, Like you, I've gone through many pricey pairs of kitchen shears, and it's frustrating, because a good sharp pair of poultry shears cuts the job (pun intended) of cleaning chickens down to a few minutes, but dull ones are useless.  I also use shears on fish (we buy whole trout at Costco) and to trim fat from roasts.  After tossing yet another dull pair that wasn't doing the trick, I discovered (tada!) shellfish shears. We keep kosher, so we don't eat shellfish, but the curved shears that are designed to cut through shrimp and hard lobster shells, etc. are fantastic on everything else and are even less expensive than poultry shears.  I'm still on my first pair, (which I got over at World Market Plus) and they are as sharp and easy to use as ever.  Since  I don't see them on the World Market website, I found this pair for only $5.75 on Amazon. Buy them and then tell me how much you love them. I'll never go back to regular poultry shears.
Dear Daily Cheapskate, You know when you're baking challahs on Shabbos, and you finish basting the dough with egg?  What do you do with the leftover egg?  I've been throwing it out, but it feels like I'm wasting food. Dave, Colorado Springs, CO Dear Dave, I hate to waste good protein.  I actually dollop the extra basting egg into my Shabbos chicken soup, which is usually on the stove at the same time that I'm making challah.  Makes it into a little bit of egg drop soup.  Nobody even notices it.
	Dear Daily Cheapskate, You've mentioned on your blog that you have an iPad.  How can you justify writing for a blog that's about saving money and spending $500 on a toy? Janie, Houston, TX
	Dear Janie, Excellent question!  First of all, you should know a few things about me.  First of all, I love techie toys.  I'd rather have a new gadget than a new pair of boots.  Second, I firmly believe that if an item will make your life easier in some significant and meaningful way, you should figure out a way to buy it.  Third, with very few exceptions, I never, ever buy the first version of a techie gadget.  I have a strong tendency to be an early adopter of most technology, and I fight it, because historically, version 2+ of pretty much anything has always been better than the initial version, with fewer bugs and more features. That said, when the iPad first came out, I wanted one so badly I could taste it.  But I waited.  There was no way I was going to buy the first version of any Apple gadget.  That paid off, because the latest (I believe it's the fourth) version of the iPad with its retina display is pretty awesome.  But besides the fact that I wanted to wait for a later version, I simply didn't have the money in our budget to spend right away. So I set my goal and started working toward it. I basically decided that I was going to buy the iPad at Target with gift cards that I had set aside from the dozens of Target gift card deals that I've taken advantage of over the last few years.  I also accumulated a ton of Target cards from ShopKick as well.  I patiently waited until I had over $450 in gift cards, then waited for a great deal on Black Friday this year, and then I pounced like a lion. I ended up paying zero out of pocket, and getting a new Target gift card (part of the Black Friday deal) to start me off on my next saving episode.  Getting the iPad was all the more sweeter because I felt that I worked for it, saved for it, and earned it.  It took me nearly three years to get to $450 in gift cards.  And, I don't just use my iPad for fun and games.  I can deposit checks on it, take awesome, high quality pictures on it, read eBooks, watch downloaded videos on a plane, etc. So it does enrich my practical life.  It was a good purchase. Does that restore my credibility as a frugal blogger with you?
	Dear Daily Cheapskate, What's your favorite thing to make for Pesach that you don't have the rest of the year? Chaya, Chicago, IL
	Dear Chaya, Chocolate covered matzoh.  It's a great dessert, so easy, so frugal.  Melt chocolate, spread on matzoh, freeze.  I make some with almonds on it, some with sprinkles.
	Dear Daily Cheapskate, Do you ever publish deals for things that you wouldn't buy yourself? Barb, Bellevue, WA
	Dear Barb, Of course.  Look, living a frugal life is all about making choices that are right for you, your income and where you are in life.  I might post about a very good find on, for example, kosher for Passover cereal, when truthfully, I'd never buy it.  (Too expensive, tastes awful, why do you need it?  Make matzoh brei instead.)  But if you've made the decision that you want to buy KLP cereal, I'll help you find a good deal on it. This applies to numerous other things, where I feel like the item is just not something that fits into my life right now. What I try NOT to post is stuff that will clutter up your house, things you really don't need (do you need more than one iPhone cover?), things you will probably end up throwing out (banana slicers), etc.  I don't expect or think that you should buy every item and deal that I post, just because they are all good buys.  Good grief, I hope you don't.  Then this goes from being a frugal blog to a shopping blog.  That's not what Daily Cheapskate is about.

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