Frugal Times

1 Timothy 6:8 (King James Version)
And having food and raiment let us be therewith content



Isn't that good! I saw that on a great little blog called Hillbilly Housewife. I was looking for a homemade recipe for cool whip and that's where I found it along with several other nice ideas. So, the reason for the cool whip. We had several yogurts that were out of date and the kids didn't really want to eat them - even though they still tasted fine. And truth be told, they dont really love yogurt anyways. So I found a recipe for a pie using graham cracker crust, yogurt and cool whip and then you freeze it. Well, I used up all the cool whip I had on the first one and the kids loved it. They ate it right up and didn't even know it contained yogurt at all. So I made two more, using the home made cool whip and it was even better - smoother.


Well, desperate times call for desperate measures we are trying to get totally out of debt and we are intense around here. Of course, Pam lovinglingly mocked me because almost in the same breath I told her we are planning a trip to Walt Disney World at Christmas.... But, that doesn't mean you can't work like mad on everything else huh? AND it has been in the plans forever. We have finally saved up enough points to fly everyone there and pay for our hotel for 7 days. We are staying three more days, but over near where Frank's cousin lives in Tampa. I have been saving money since the first of the year on ebay and amazon and Frank has reviewed a couple of books and we now have 1200 in that fund to pay for the car, meals and tix. Everyone is excited and looking at books from the library about where they would like to go.





So here are a couple things we've been up to.... Heather's first attempt at fried chicken! We brined the chicken for two days and it was really good....maybe just a little salty and it could have been a bit crispier too. But, all in all a good first attempt and the gravy was wonderful.


Beth, here is what I did with the extra mums that you sent us home with.

So, here is one of my money savings this week and I am very proud of myself. Every year we have planted a couple of flats - at least - of prim roses and I love them. I have wanted very much to have two or three flats to plant NOW. But I just can't bear to spend upwards of $22.00 a flat for them. So..... this is how they look after a year or two... all clumpy and ugly and they don't flower. I read up on the interent that you can dig them up and separate them and replant them. When they look like this, they don't flower because they grow in really tight together and it forces the flowers back.
Here are the happy results.... I separated enough in the first hour that I worked outside to equal two flats. I am going out as soon as I finish this post and finish them up. The total will be well over 3 flats.. Yea me - $66.00 saved.
Here is a happy returner from last year. I have found several offshoot bulbs from the cyclamen in the beds and am nurturing them into pots, as they come back so nicely each year in our shady spots. The four inch pots run about $4.99 and one this size could set me back a lot more than that so there is so more savings!