Frugal New Year

We got back from a trip to Florida a few days ago. After a 14 hour drive, we needed tranquility. Here is our low-key a frugal day, the last day of 2008.

Frugal Scholar: Even though I still count as a Yankee after 20 years here, I made the classic meal of black-eyed peas for the last day of 2008 and, for good luck, the first day of 2009. This is a totally flexible dish. I cooked up a pound of dried peas, sautéed some sausage and green onions from the garden and added to the peas. With a dash of hot sauce, it’s a favorite. How can anything so easy and cheap be so good? We had this with some of the greens that are proliferating in the garden. Also served with mashed potatoes (my favorite!) and some cranberry sauce bought very cheap at Big Lots.

Mr Frugal Scholar: He spent the day gardening and doing various chores around the house.

Frugal Son: Unlike his mother, he likes tedious cooking tasks. So he made up a bunch of tiny meatballs. Really tiny! These will be frozen and thrown into soup later.

Frugal Daughter: She sewed on a button for me (yes, I am the proverbial “can’t sew on a button” person). Now I can wear the great jacket I got at Banana Republic that was reduced to $17.00. She also offered to wax my eyebrows! What a great kid! This would have cost me $10 at the local beauty school and at least $20 in a salon.

Frugal Children went away for New Year’s Eve: Frugal Daughter to Lafayette and Frugal Son to New Orleans. Frugal Parents watched “Burn After Reading,” which was lent by friend of Frugal Son.

What a frugal day! Happy New Year!