Recession Busters #60: Food, Fun & Frugality

I watched one of Clara's videos and then searched the web for depression recipes and found one for pasta.

Savory Spaghetti

• 1/2 pound spaghetti
• 1 can #2 size tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1/2 green peppers
• 2 onions
• 3 slice bacon, cubed
• 1/2 teaspoon rumford baking powder
• 4 stalks celery, diced
• 1/4 pound cheese

Make sauce of the juice of the tomatoes, strained and seasoned. Chop onions and cook in the fat obtained from frying the bacon. Add bacon cubes, 2 teaspoons flour and blend. Add tomato juice and baking powder. combine with green peppers, celery, and cheese. Add spaghetti, previously cooked. Combine thoroughly and cook in casserole one and half hours.

I found several summer recession busters for families on the local level. Sonic Drive In is offering customers a free Root Beer Float on June 3rd from 8PM to midnight. No purchase necessary. Rave Motion Pictures is hosting a Free Family Film Festival every Tuesday & Wednesday at 10AM beginning June 9. The Houston Symphony brings its Sounds Like Fun! performances this summer. The no charge program offers children a first encounter with classical music. Each program last 1 hour and features pre-concert activities such as the instrument petting zoo. Redbox DVD Rental has changed to a free one movie rental on the first Monday of each month starting today.

Here are tips that I have discovered to save money: Take advantage of the early bird specials offered at local restaurants; go to an afternoon movie or look for $1 movie special; check Sunday's newspaper for lunch and 2 for 1 dinner coupons; clip store coupons and use them at grocery stores that double and triple the coupons; shop around for the lowest gasoline prices; cut the cost of doing laundry by washing your clothes in cold water; replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact florescent bulbs.