photo by paul swansen When you’re living lean, it seems like you can’t cut any more corners. Often, there are things you simply don’t want to give up. You get used to modern conveniences and want to enjoy life. But if you think about, there’s quite a bit you could cut back on if you [...]
photo by Mike Licht During your quest for frugality, you can overdo it. Extreme frugal living that negatively impacts someone else is one way. But another way is when you get so consumed by saving that you actually waste money in the process. Have you ever had a frugal flop or had good intentions to [...]
photo by erin.kkr Pasta is a frugal staple. It’s economical and easy to prepare, and its versatility makes it a budget-friendly favorite. You can serve it hot or cold, make a meal for one or a big crowd, and dress it up for an elegant meal or toss together as a casual dish. Plus, there [...]
photo by Fort Greene Clinton Hill DEAR SARA: I have three or four rose hips. How many rose hips would it take to make a pot of tea? — Juju, Virginia DEAR JUJU: You could get a decent cup with four rose hips. Cut the rose hips in half, and remove the seeds or strain [...]
photo by visual dichotomy If you have an iPhone, you’ve looked over the iTunes.com app store. There are a lot of free and low-cost apps available — for the iPhone and other smart phones — to help you to save time and money. What are your favorite apps that help you stay frugal? Here are [...]
photo by jenigma Pancakes are a frugal breakfast. They can be made ahead and frozen for the upcoming week. Instead of making them on a griddle, you can use baking pans. Previously, I shared a recipe for making them in a muffin tin. Check out www.frugalvillage.com/2008/05/08/muffin-pans-save-the-day. The first reader tip shares how to make a [...]
photo by wheany We all have bad days. Murphy comes to visit and stays for a while. One bad financial setback happens and you might handle it fine, but then, by the second or third problem, you get upset and stressed by the amount of money that needs to be spent. You start to feel [...]
photo by crabchick Beans are a frugal pantry staple. Dried beans are usually cheaper than canned, and you can season them yourself. For greater savings when using dried beans, cook them using a slow cooker or thermos. Because most people buy canned beans for convenience, I’m sharing four tasty recipes that include canned beans. But [...]
photo by somegeekintn DEAR SARA: No salt for five days. Help me! I am kicking the salt habit. I love salt more than anything else on earth. I carry salt packets with me, can’t eat without salt, think of salt all the time, and could use a salt lick a day! — Sinopa, Virginia DEAR [...]
photo by andrea pacelli You’re probably used to seasonal clearance sales in mass retail stores. Golf pro shops are no exception. You’ll want to compare prices to off-course discount stores, but you’re sure to find a few great bargains because of their limited space for merchandise. Ask when they usually have clearance sales or sales [...]
photo by Briebeest We all have budget busters. Maybe your budget is nickeled-and-dimed away by daily coffee, lunches with co-workers or movie rentals, to name a few. But sometimes you relax with your finances, and it’s bigger things that you haven’t kept track of in your budget. So if you haven’t taken a good look [...]
photo by Justin Day to day, frugality is simply a way of life. Maybe you splurge occasionally, but then you dust yourself off, regroup and return to your thrifty ways. It can be particularly challenging to stay frugal when you have houseguests. They might not understand your frugality, or it could be a shock to [...]
photo by tuppus As a child, I bought used books at thrift stores. I didn’t shop at thrift stores again until my mid-20s, and even then I preferred estate sales and auctions. The extent of my thrift-store shopping was scouring them for collectible glassware. By the time I had my first baby, however, I had [...]
photo by LizMarie One of the best appliances I’ve ever purchased is a Crock-Pot. I use it throughout the year, but I especially like to use it in the summer so I don’t heat up the kitchen by using the oven. I enjoy the freedom of prepping a meal early in the day and not [...]
photo by aussiegall We live in a throwaway society. We’re so wasteful that people known as freegans (www.freegan.info), an anticonsumer environmentalist group, can salvage and survive, by choice, on what mainstream consumers discard. While they’re often criticized as being extreme or downright nasty, I couldn’t disagree more. I think it certainly reflects the amount of [...]
photo by miss rogue DEAR SARA: How hard is it to color your own hair? Is it messy? I want to use a more low-impact/natural hair color. However, all the hair salons in this town that use these products are so expensive. I don’t want to pay $130 for a haircut and color. I’d like [...]
photo by decor8 Some tips aren’t a good match for my home, but they often inspire me to expand on the idea. The first tip wouldn’t work for me in the kitchen, but it could be great conversation piece on my seasonal porch for hanging plants. If you see tips in my column that are [...]
