Archive for December, 2009

Michael’s Basic Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing

by: Frugal Michael December 31, 2009

A lot of people are intimidated by the idea of making their own salad dressing. This recipe illustrates clearly why so many restaurants use balsamic vinaigrette as their house dressing. It’s simple to make with almost no prep time whatsoever and it stores well if you have leftovers. Don’t forget it’s also delicious and really [...]

Michael’s Super Simple Pasta Fagioli

by: Frugal Michael December 30, 2009

If you have never had the Italian-style Pasta Fagioli soup, you are missing out.  On the rare occasions that I go out to eat at the Olive Garden, I can usually rely on both the general flavor and ingredients of their pasta fagioli soup as well as getting a reasonable portion that was meant to [...]

What’s Coming in 2010

by: Frugal Michael December 30, 2009

As 2009 draws to a close I thought it only fair that I give you a little preview of what is in store for 2010: 31 Days of Freebies After months of responding to emails from lots of folks who wanted me to have another Month O’ Freebies, I have designated January 2010 to be [...]

Frugal Movie Nights with Redbox & Blockbuster Express

by: Frugal Michael December 29, 2009

One sure way to save a lot of money without sacrificing your desire for fun and entertainment is to start a movie night tradition with family and friends.  Movie night is a great way to spend quality time with those you care about without spending much money and thanks to companies like Redbox and Blockbuster [...]

Michael’s Peanut Butter Cookies

by: Frugal Michael December 29, 2009

This is the first peanut butter cookie recipe I ever made and even though I’ve tried dozens of others, this is the one I always go back to. It is definitely no-frills but when they taste this good, who needs frills?

Merry Christmas

by: Frugal Michael December 25, 2009

From my family to yours, here’s wishing you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Homemade Furniture Polish and other helpful tips

by: Frugal Michael December 12, 2009

A quick and easy homemade wood furniture polish can be made with one part lemon juice and two parts vegetable oil.  Combine, shake and use on a clean, soft cloth. Need a homemade furniture polish remover?  Try equal parts of vinegar and water rubbed on with a clean, soft cloth. A super secret way to [...]

Oatmeal: the Frugal Health Food

by: Frugal Michael December 11, 2009

For years I thought I was the only kid in town who was subjected to the seemingly enormous bowl of thick, sticky goo for breakfast all winter long. It seems though that I have to make an apology to my mother. She wasn’t, as I then was convinced, trying to kill me. In fact, she [...]

Learn a Language for Free!

by: Frugal Michael December 4, 2009

We’ve all seen the commercials that promise to be the fastest way to learn a language and though this may be true, what they don’t tell is that it will cost you hundreds of dollars to learn a new language with their program.  The good news is that thanks to the far-reaching power of the [...]

This Holiday Season, Thank a Soldier

by: Frugal Michael December 3, 2009

During the holidays it seems that we are more likely to think about giving back to our community and the people around us.  We volunteer in soup kitchens, visit nursing homes and donate money to charities.  Often we forget that there are thousands of men and women representing the United States and putting their lives [...]