Thrifty Thursday (on Frugal Friday)

Mornings have been crazy and I haven't had blogging time much this week. Hence a post I started and didn't finish yesterday for Thrifty Thursday. I love my virtual friend Cheap Chick's tag line for her blog: "On a quest to live a simple cheap life...with occasional sips of champagne." Harnessing my inner Cheap Chick this past week had me looking for ways I was thrifty, but still enjoyed the finer things in life. Finer things in life are subjective, and when your life is more PBS than Bravo channel, it takes less to feel luxurious. Amen to that! I have to share an appreciation of a very simple luxury-clean running and drinkable tap water. One of our lines in town had an e-coli contamination. Our neighborhood, DH's work, and DD2's school was not impacted, but a sizeable area of town was. Many family and friends impacted. including where DD1 will be living. She forwarded the directions for flushing the water systems to the rental company, so she will follow-up to make sure things are right when she moves in. 

• Even though I had money still on a coffee card, instead of heading to Caribou when I had a decadent hot chocolate craving when taking a break from housework, I used  a cup of my $1.48 a gallon milk and a packet of Swiss Miss to make a cup at home. I got out my Milk frother and gave it a little whip. Milk was under 10 cent, and the packet was from an old stash, so probably about 10 cents as well. $0.20, compared to over $4 at Caribou? Yes please and the money is still on my card. My hot chocolate was still rich and yummy tasting. 
• Used a $10 off coupon for our dinner out. No water because of the water scare, but were there in time for two for one beers. We love this place to meet friends because they give you a variety of side choices like tot's or French fries, garden salad, or pasta salad without any up charges. The tot's are to die for! 
• I decorated my mantle using last years pumpkin display. I'll add some candles plus some leaves that have already fallen. I think it's cozy.
• Panini sounds much more continental than a gilled cheese. I don't have a panini pan but I do have a small little grill pan, and a big spatula for pressing a sandwich down into the grill. Mine was on 12 grain with deli turkey, mozzarella sprinkled with garlic and Italian seasoning, tomato slices from a coworkers garden, sprinkled with more garlic, seasoning, salt and pepper, and a light sprinkle of some more mozzarella. No picture  because I devoured every morsel as soon as it was off the grill.  The seasoning with the juices from the tomato- magnifico. I checked out the price of a similar sandwich when we went out to eat. Mine did not have tot's or a pickle but compared to $11.99, my sandwich was perhaps $1; I can buy a whole lot of tot's and pickles with $10.99. 
• I had a relaxing Sunday night with wine from our own stash, popcorn that was under $0.25 per bag, and the soft light from my stash of tea lights, bought in a huge pack for very little. I'm getting too into cozy already but it was chilly last weekend and is supposed to be downright cold this weekend. 
• I made a batch of muffins on Sunday and this morning, fresh baked and wholesome. Not quite bakery quality, but pennies not dollars for the muffin. Even the gas station charges $1.50 for a muffin. 

Cheap Chick has it right. Saving pennies and enjoying a simple frugal life has it's merits in being able to enjoy champagne tastes sometimes. I love when the champagne tastes come at the simple price tag all the more.