Archive for Archive for November, 2009
Gathering the Fragments…
of Thanksgiving Dinner, or what to make with the leftovers. This post is delayed, btw, because MY family spent most of Thanksgiving and the day after eating things like crackers, ginger ale, and chicken soup, when we were not looking upon all comestibles with a horrified and queasy eye, if you get my drift. Just [...]
A Black Friday Sale
[insert shameless family plug here] My Brother-in-law Mike Walker has just started a Black Friday sale on his 2005 Album ‘Empty Talker’. Go to http://mpwalker.bandcamp.com/ to listen to samples for free and then download it for only $1. I think you will enjoy it. Thanks for clicking over and checking it out! Perry [end shameless [...]
Thankful For The Little Things
One of my favorite quotations reminds me to be thankful for the little things: To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; [...]
A Gift of Frugali-TEA and Magazines
Pip mentions a wonderful Adagio tea deal going on right now here. You get a five dollar gift certificate to apply towards an order from adagio teas (and very good teas they are, too). You have to use it for a minimum order of five dollars, and shipping is 3.75, so you will be spending [...]
Reader hacks
Noah reminds us that that everyone, by law, is entitled to get a free copy of their credit report. This page on his site has some helpful links for doing just that. For all the talk about being responsible with credit, a copy of your own report is invaluable in understanding it. Little House offers [...]
You CAN save more on your power bill; are you willing?
A reader over at my personal blog Life in a Shoe left me a fascinating link from Generation Cedar. It seems that the author’s neighbors have gone to extremes to cut the power bill for their large house and very large family to just $65/month. Some of their changes were over-the-top for our family. Others [...]
Thanksgiving For $20 or Less?
Have you seen Walmart’s clever Thanksgiving commercial? It advertises a Thanksgiving meal for 8 that costs only $20. I had to investigate. I clicked all over Walmart.com, but only a press release spells out the $20 feast. The complete dinner includes: One 12-pound Grade A turkey* (Jennie-O, while supplies last) Three 11 to 15.5-ounce cans Green Giant [...]
Self-Discipline
One of the problems with trying to get out of debt or maintain a budget is that things just keep right on breaking, often before you’ve even paid them off. Tires go flat, plumbing needs repairing, the alternator in the car needs replacing, the computer goes blank, the belt on the washing machine breaks- and [...]
A Call To Being Not Frugal
I wondered if this was the place to write about not being frugal and decided to take the risk. If you are like me, you more than likely have found that the frugal life takes time and effort. Seeking to live below my means, searching for the best deals, cooking from scratch; need I [...]
Frugality Is Not Black & White
Writing about frugality is trickier than it looks. There’s always someone who has more/less or spends more/less. Few consumer commentaries satisfy both. Does your family income (or expenses) fluctuate? Ours, too. What makes good financial sense one year may not be the right strategy for the next. When we were newly married and nearly broke, money choices [...]
Knowledge
Knowledge is another key frugality that perhaps doesn’t spring first to mind when somebody asks you how you live within your means. You can increase your frugal power by learning how- how to do things, make things, sell things, and how to get by without. How to be charitable when you don’t have much money. [...]
Find unclaimed money
I’ve never paid much attention to the idea that I could have unclaimed money out there in the wide world, but when Jim at Bargaineering posted links to search all 50 states for free it was just too easy to take a quick look. After checking both states where hubby and I have lived as [...]
What Are You Gathering This Season?
I think of November as my gathering season. The wind blows, sports slow, and I am kept busy planning for winter. Here are a few things we’ve been gathering at my house: Pine cones, magnolia leaves and seed pods for free, natural decoration Bulk red pepper, chile, and cumin for a shaker of make-your-own-chili-seasoning Snow boots, [...]
