Archive for Archive for June, 2010
Joyful Frugality
I scanned through my daughter’s pictures for a few minutes last night looking for photographs of frugal good times, and then I started brain-storming a bit to flesh out the list. Some of these things are ‘dates’ and some of the are family activities, and many of them work just as well in either category. [...]
A Frugal Hero
Sitting with Dear Friend, enjoying the view of Pennsylvania hills massed with lush and large green leafed trees, our conversation was filled with memories. Family and I were on a trip to the East Coast, and had some precious moments to visit with this woman. Alzheimer’s, seeking to steal this incredible, fascinating mind, had left [...]
Do you know what an Opaque Hotel is?
According to Travelocity, between 20 and 30 percent of online hotel bookings are for “opaque” hotels, the industry term used to describe a hotel whose name is not revealed until AFTER the hotel room has been purchased. We rarely use hotels ourselves since we usually stay with family or friends when we go out of [...]
Good reads
My favorite frugal article in recent time: Anyone Can Spend Less for Food – It’s a bold claim, but I dare you to argue with the logic. More good reads: How do you define a necessity? The number of people who think life isn’t worth living without air conditioning, cable, a big screen TV is [...]
Are You Frugal Or Resourceful?
I enjoy listening to the NPR show Splendid Table, but I rarely put its gourmet suggestions to work in my own kitchen. This week’s episode sticks with me, though. Host Lynn Rossetto Kasper opens the episode with the statement: “Aren’t you sick of being frugal?” She bemoans frugal’s negative baggage, contrasting it with the chipper term ”resourceful.” To [...]
New members on the Frugal Blogroll
If you’re wondering why new members haven’t been added to the Frugal Blogroll lately, here’s my excuse: click the image to read Parker’s birth story. To everyone who added the Frugal Hacker badge and waited so patiently for me to get around to adding your blog, thank you! To those who gave up on me [...]
Ten Frugal Practices I Wish We’d Done from the Beginning
This list is off the top of my head. If you ask me again tomorrow, it will probably look slightly different, and the week after that I might remember something else I think is even more important. There is probably something more important that we do that I learned at my mother’s knee so I [...]
Pocket Frugality
Walking into the restaurant, my heart sank. The music would not be to our taste and the animated atmosphere not conducive to heartfelt communication. Driving Friend to the airport, a nice coupon in my purse, the original plan had been to eat at a quiet place. Morning errands had taken longer than planned and another spot [...]
Extreme Frugality
Freegan Lifestyle The Freegan Kitchen- gourmet cooking with your dumpster dive discoveries. Much less extreme: Freecycle- these groups are all over the country, even in my tiny town. People pass on items they have to give away or requests. Nothing can be sold. Say somebody sends a message saying they have baby clothes, a dining [...]
Creativity Or An Act Of Desperation?
Standing outside gazing at windows with Home Inspector, I mentally questioned his comments. Many of the windows of the home we hoped to purchase had a staining in color of what I might call “coffee with cream and sugar.” Home Inspector assured me this was paint that must have mistakenly hit the windows while being [...]
Paying Too Much for the Whistle
My son was very glum last night. I made him even more glum when I gave him a letter Benjamin Franklin once wrote and asked him to read it. Here’s an excerpt- I hope you’ve seen it before: “…When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket [...]
No Bills To Be Paid
Crossing the Texas border, images of the wedding week flooded my mind. Firstborn Son at the altar, eyes filled with joyous tears as his Bride walked down the aisle to meet him and take vows till death do them part. Husband by my side, inundated with the emotions of a proud father. Daughter and Youngest [...]
