photo by kroziewski If you’ve been focused on frugality for a while, at some point you’ll probably feel discouraged, frustrated or even think about giving up. It can be tough to stay focused on your goals when it seems everyone around you is spending like there’s no tomorrow. Article continues below ↓ advertisement | your [...]
photo by fantomdesigns “A promise made is a debt unpaid.” — Robert Service Article continues below ↓ advertisement | your ad here Time passes quickly. The days become weeks, and the weeks become years. Have you ever thought back to the dreams you once had? If you set aside your dreams for your list of [...]
photo by norriswong “What’s for dinner?” is a common daily question. My readers tell me they sometimes have sandwich night, breakfast for dinner or COTF (“clean out the fridge”) meals. How about trying a “build your own salad” night? It’s a great frugal option for parties, to use up leftovers and introduce a variety of [...]
photo by kwankwan DEAR SARA: I want to lighten my purse load. I got a backache from my purse this week. So I am trying to think of ways to streamline what I am carrying. What do you carry that is light? — Mumzy, via forums
photo by yugoq I’m lost without my daily coffee, or at least tea or hot cocoa. Sometimes they perk me up and other times they completely relax me. We’ve become old friends through the years. They were my hand warmers during my long nights of studying in college. They are my go-to drinks when I’m [...]
photo by antaresjhw The reality of the cost of a wedding hits hard fairly early in the planning. Something’s got to give, and it can be difficult to decide where to trim costs without looking cheap. With the majority of the budget typically allocated to the reception, one area where you can cut costs is [...]
photo by ninjapoodles After advocating frugality for years and sharing success stories, it’s only fair that I mention that frugal strategies don’t work equally well for everyone. Whether it’s a spouse who’s not on board, time restraints, good intentions gone bad or an unwillingness to pinch a penny until it screams, you’re bound to take [...]
Small appliances and kitchen gadgets have a way of entering our hearts and emptying our wallets. Plus, they clutter up our counters and kitchen cabinets. How often do you use them? Where do you store them all?
photo by jams_123 DEAR SARA: How do you handle the mess of winter boots? Ugh, already the entryway is a mess from winter boots dragging in the snow, dirt and mud. I have a small carpet at the door, but it’s not helping much. — Cindy, e-mail
photo by how can i recycle this DEAR SARA: Do you have any ideas on how to make space-saving items from everyday things that most of us have on hand? My oldest children have jobs now and are buying more for themselves, which equals more clutter and nowhere to put it. I don’t have a [...]
photo by jerine DEAR SARA: I’m looking for the best heavy-cream substitute for a tomato cream sauce. (It is for Chicken Tikka Masala.) I am really just not a fan of the price and fat content of heavy cream. Plus, I don’t think I would ever end up using a whole pint before it would [...]
photo by wharman Vinegar is a frugalista’s BFF. It’s not just for cooking, dyeing Easter eggs, salads or to clean out your coffeepot. It’s cheap and can replace many products in your home. Some people complain about the smell. Once you’ve used vinegar in your home for a while, you get used to the smell [...]
DEAR SARA: I’m thinking about buying new floor mats for my car, but I do not want to throw out the old ones. Do you have any ideas? — Melissa, e-mail DEAR MELISSA: I’d use them in the garage, either for under your car to catch any leaking fluids or as door mats to store [...]
Christmas chocolate rarely lingers past February. But leftover candy canes tend to get thrown away or sit untouched well into spring. You can make peppermint bark, add them to brownies, Rice Krispies treats or ice cream, or stir them into hot chocolate. The first reader tip has another idea. USE LEFTOVER CANDY CANES: I broke [...]
