Financial

Frugal Recipes

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Below are two very special recipes that will save you both time and money. The first is a basic coating mix that can be used not only with chicken, but also with pork and fish. The second is a stuffing mix-just waiting to be put in that Thanksgiving turkey or Christmas goose.

Chicken Coating Mix

1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons onion powder or dried minced onion
2 teaspoons dried minced celery
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

INSTRUCTIONS:  Mix all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
To use: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Gently beat 1/2 cup milk and 1 egg together in a bowl. Wash and pat dry chicken. Fill a bag with 1 cup of the coating mix. Dip each piece of chicken into the milk-egg mixture and then drop a piece of chicken into the bag and shake. Let pieces dry thoroughly before baking. Place chicken on a shallow, lightly greased baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until tender.

Stuffing Mix

6 cups large bread cubes
1/4 cup dried minced onion
1 Tablespoon parsley flakes
1 teaspoon leaf thyme, crumbled
1/2 cup dried minced celery
1/2 teaspoon leaf sage, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
3 cubes chicken bouillon, crumbled, or 3 Tablespoons chicken bouillon powder

INSTRUCTIONS:  Bake bread cubes on a cookie sheet at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes, turning a few times to brown evenly. Toss bread cubes with remaining ingredients until the cubes are evenly coated. Store in a tightly closed container on the shelf for 1 to 4 months, or freeze for 1 year. To use: Melt 3 tablespoons butter; stir into 2 cups Stuffing Mix in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup chicken broth or water, stirring gently. Warm in a pan on top of the stove, in the oven, or in a microwave.

Low-Cost Frugal Vacations

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What makes a perfect family vacation?

That depends on your family; what they like to do, where they like to go, the ages of your children, even your parenting style. But most families will agree that a perfect vacation needs to be relaxing and fun with something for everyone. There is a seemingly endless list of resorts in the United States that fit that description. But for many parents, there is one more essential aspect of the perfect family vacation. It needs to be affordable.


One of the most fun and inexpensive vacations is camping.

Yes, you could spend a fortune on supplies, but why not plan a survival camping trip? You can find nearly free campsites at most National parks. Fish for your meals or collect berries and other plants.

If you want to really make this an experience, do some research and have everyone pitch in to create your own shelter, make fishing poles and other cooking items. Study books on what plants are edible and go on treks to find them.

Another idea is to study pioneers or Native Americans and make this an experience of trying to spend a few days as they did.

Vacations can be both fun and educational. You could also take day trips to tour historical landmarks. You can peruse brochures and set up your own family tour, rather than joining an organized one. Pack a lunch and picnic on the field where the Battle of Gettysburg was fought or on the banks of the Delaware River.

Once you start looking, you will start to get ideas from every direction.

Packed lunches and the cost of gas and you can have a day that will live in your memory and the memories of your kids for years to come. Where will you spend your next vacation?

Looking Like a Million Without Spending a Million

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You can actually look gorgeous without breaking your wallet. You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars just to get the latest trends then find them out of style after a few months. The commitment may take a little time, but it is surely worth it.

Seasons come and go. So goes with the trends. But, there are certain outfits that never go out of style. Buy classic pieces. Such staples include blue jeans, black pants, white shirt, and a sultry black dress. Pair bargain finds with the basics. With a couple of designs and colors in your wardrobe, the main rule to follow is very simple: mix and match! Use your imagination!

Go thrift shopping for your clothes and accessories. For fall clothes, they typically hit the racks in July and they start getting marked down by around September. If you buy a sweater by October or November you can save up to 75%!

Everyone likes a bargain. Buy at the end of every season as the price is marked down. Add pieces as the season progresses and the prices fall. Go to clearance sales, if it’s possible, target the mall’s opening and start shopping as early as possible – when there are less people and the best buys aren’t sold yet.

Accessorize accordingly. Learn to sew and put on decorations to your wardrobe. If you have time, overhaul your unused clothes to make them more fashionable. Like scrap booking, it can actually be therapeutic!

Vow to stick to your budget. Have that as a challenge for yourself. Remember, fashion is what suits you, not what fits the model from the magazine.

Remember, you can look fabulous for less. Know what styles can be in par with your body type. This is definitely more than merely following what is going on in the forefront of the fashion world. The woman who always manages to look like a million bucks on the skimpiest budget is a true achievement.

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