[Rickertsen2]

I'm assuming you are using an HD44780 compatible LCD. You don't need 8 pins that can be adressed as a group, only 4 if you use the LCD in 4-bit mode. All you have to do is setup the IO correctly and write to to the appropriate port register. Really, you don't actually need to have them written to at once since data is read in by the LCD only when you tell it to. I have controlled an HD44780 LCD using toggle switches before. Obviously, timing does not matter at all.

You will of course still need 3 more pins for E, R/W, and RS.