photo by sa_ku_ra
Frugality should be peaceful. But there are times when frugal living might cause you to be unhappy or stressed. It’s usually when you take on too much or when you try strategies that work well for some families but are a bad match for yours. You have to sort out what works best for you. Often, frugal tips simply need your personal touch to be successful. But sometimes …

photo by boboroshi
Frugality isn’t cheap living or voluntary poverty. Whether you’re frugal by choice or necessity, you make the most of your hard-earned money and waste less, too. When you strip away the excess in your life, you discover a sense of truth and authenticity. Your identity is less involved. It can be an eye-opener to realize how much emotion is wrapped up in the items you buy and own. …

photo by D’arcy Norman
Not everyone is frugal. Often, you might think frugality is nothing more than good old common sense. Sadly, what appears to be obvious for some people isn’t even a consideration for others. Maybe you’ve heard frugal suggestions yet have never applied them. Frugality is in the news on a regular basis. But is it sinking in? One reader, Lisa in Texas, shares: “I saw something the other …

photo by Liane
In previous columns, I’ve mentioned organizing recipes and coupons, creating a price book to track product prices, a garden journal and menu planning. A frugal notebook is a place to organize all these useful tools. It’s easy to put together and cheap, too. All you need is a binder, page protectors, dividers, index cards and a few printable forms, such as a calendar and checklists to get started. …