I ate a lot of Asian food as a kid. Too young to know better, I ate fried minnows, and we often had sesame candies instead of treats like gum or candy bars. Having a friend sleep over became an hour long explanation of what we were having for dinner. They’d ask questions like “What’s that purple stuff?” And I’d reply, “Don’t eat it, or you’ll be sorry.” Fortunately, my mom would use utensils when my friends visited. Of course, I’d have to ask her to do it. Read: Beg her to do it. While I appreciate my family’s culture now, as a teen, I simply wanted to fit in.

photo by jek in the box
Being frugal doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice good food. Serving common foods in new ways helps to combat the frugal-dinner doldrums. Creativity can stem from having fewer ingredients to work with, too. Out of an ingredient or short on time? Some substitutions will give similar results for less time and money. For example, adding cottage cheese and sprinkling on shredded mozzarella to spaghetti sauce …

photo by almostbunnies
DEAR SARA: I’m always looking for new gift-wrapping ideas. Everyone loves the way I wrap their gifts. I’d like to use the first letter of a friend’s name on a wrapped gift box, but I’m out of ideas on what material to use to form the letter. I don’t want to use cording, satin ribbon or glitter because the wrapping is natural-looking. Any ideas? — Paula, e-mail
DEAR PAULA: …

The first tip is great for pet lovers. It’s simple and easy, which makes it a good solution for craft shows, fundraisers and homemade gifts, too.
KITTEN MITTEN: I started making catnip cat toys to sell. I use baby mittens, booties and baby socks that I find at thrift stores and garage sales. I add catnip to them and sew the opening closed. You can add yarn to drag or …