Recession Busters: Food, Fun & Frugality

While there are lots of things to do in Houston, the surrounding areas can be more of a challenge. For the most part, I'm not interested in driving into town to do stuff. I also stick close to home for eating out and don't go to expensive restaurants in the first place. Many of the suggestions may be good for families looking for things to do this summer, but not really my thing. The Houston Meetup Groups did find a couple of possibles in my area, but they don't seem to meet very often.

Looking at some of Clara's videos, I'm reminded of some of the stories by grandmother told about the depression. I kind of like the bread recipe, but would want to cut it down, I don't need 7 loaves of bread.

Looking for recipes, I found a vegetarian blog, vegetarian on the cheap, where the blogger has put up some of her recipes. Some are more complicated than I want to deal with, but there were a couple that looked good. One is TVP Sheperd's Pie and the other is Granola Bars. The basic info for the Granola Bars follows, she has more info in her blog.

So, pick one or several favorites from each group and get mixing. The recipe I used is geared towards my son’s taste - notice the absence of dried fruit. Go ahead make your own and share your favorite combinations.
Granola Bars: makes about 20
3 cups rolled oats = $1.38
½ cup shredded coconut = $0.30
½ cup pumpkin seeds = $0.48
1 cup walnuts = $1.89
½ cup almonds = $0.79
¼ cup flaxseeds = $0.12
1 teaspoon sea salt = $0.05
1 teaspoon cinnamon = $0.09
¼ cup agave nectar = $0.64
¼ cup peanut butter = $0.68
¼ cup dark brown sugar = $0.03

Total for 20 granola bars: $6.45 or $0.32 per granola bar
1. Heat oven to 325º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange oats, nuts, seeds and coconut shreds and toast for 15 minutes.
2. Combine the wet ingredients - agave nectar and peanut butter - with the flavorings salt, cinnamon - leave out stuff that would melt such as chocolate chips - and combine with the sugar - stir over a low heat until the sugar melts.
3. Combine the dry toasty ingredients with the guey ones and mix well. Spread out in a baking pan - so the mixture comes up about ¾ of an inch on the sides. If you like your granola bars thinner use a bigger pan or a smaller one of you like them chunkier. Press down well so there are no air pockets. Bake for 30 minutes.
4. After the baking sheet has cooled down completely - cut with a very sharp knife - pressing down with your weight to produce clean cuts. Enjoy!

She also has a cracker recipe using flaxseeds and Super Easy Bean Chili that would be good in winter.
She even has a recipe to make your own Automatic Dishwahing Detergent.


As far as what I've seen, the car dealers seem to be having some good deals. Store keep saying stuff is interest free for a long time. I'm not sure how this is any different that what it used to be and people are probably still buying more than they can afford. Memorial weekend is a tax free weekend for some air conditioners and other appliances. This may help some people out.

My main money savers are washing clothes in cold water, air drying clothes, don't run the A/C more than I have to and use fans to circulate the air. I try to shop for stuff on sale and try to make sure I really need it before I buy stuff. That said, I still eat out about once a week and go to the movies once or twice a month.

Money & Finance: Credit, Money Management, and Saving

Read the article How Credit Scores Work and took the Credit Score quiz. Scored 100. Also read How Identity Theft Works. It was very informative.
I have in the past checked my credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com, but I'm past due to check them again.
Looking at some of the pages off of the Mymoney.gov website, I found one on savings, and it lead to a page by the SEC on Tools and Calculators for Investors. Some of them should be helpful.
Some of the budgeting plans seem very labor intensive. I have done plans years ago when I was first learning how to handle money. I guess they would be helpful for people that have problems with their spending habits or want to save for something specific. I want to look at some of them to get an idea if I can do better, but for the most part, I don't have problems.
Using the TCDRS website would be great, except I have no idea where my 2002 annual statement is to find my pin number. Some of the general info is good and I like the page of links. And why use Social Security numbers, why not our id numbers. I finally called to get a pin mailed to me. This seems complicated for a part of a training session. Finally got to log into my account. Finally found a place to see Statements of Depost and other info. It does tell you how much you'll earn depending on when you retire and how to set up your beneficiaries. As I'm not planning on retiring soon, not so much interested right now.

Money & Finance: Banking, Budgeting, and Spending

I use a credit union and they do have free online banking, but I don't use it. They have security and everything. I had started paying directly from the business sites before the credit union started the online banking and I have just never changed over.
I'm looking at the budgeting websites. Foonance doesn't really appeal to me. It looks very simplistic, but you have to sign up to get much information. I will at least try expensr and Wesabe, but they seem to be time intensive. No matter what you choose, you have to spend time inputting data.
As for cutting cost, I already comparison shop and buy some things at Sam's Club cheaper that you can get at the store. I don't buy bottled water, I try to use rechargable batteries. On my mileage, I get at least as much as the highway standard and it takes regular gas.
I already wash in cold water and usually air dry. I usually use a microwave, or I have a small toaster oven instead of the big oven. I've been changing over to the florescent bulbs as the others burn out. I just need to be better about turning out lights.
I don't have cable and my cell phone is prepaid.
I have a credit union for most of my banking and there are no charges for that.
Everything else, I try to be as frugal as I can.

Pot Luck: TXT U L8R - Texting

I've done a little texting. Mostly during Ike, but some since.
My father has gotten very good at texting and keeps his phone close by. When I did some travelling, it was easier to text him along the way where I was than to call. Not while I was driving! When I stopped for coffee.
I don't regularly text. There must be a lot of people texting to make the average they are showing.
I use some of the basic shortcuts.
Anyone who texts and drives or does anything else hazardous is not being safe. Talking on a phone is bad enough, but texting, which makes you look away from the road while you are trying to write a message, is idiotic.

Potluck: To Tweet or Not to Tweet...Twitter - Part 2

I have been back a couple of times. I did find the search at the bottom of the page and it works. I found websites and blogs that people mention which are interesting. Searched ihcpl and found a couple of tweets. Not sure that I would 'follow' any of the people since I don't think I care that much for using Twitter. It's just too much to keep track of with everything else that I'm doing.