Articles on Frugal Living

8 Nifty Tips for Getting the Most from an All-You-Can Eat Buffet

I’m no promoter of gluttony, and I would never recommend stuffing yourself for the sake of stuffing yourself. However, as a mother of 4 growing kids who only eat out once or twice

What Makes You the Expert?

Now, more than ever, financial “experts” are crawling out of the woodwork, ready to give you advice on pinching pennies in a tight economy. While all of this concern and guidance

Lentil Love: How to Sex Up a Simple Staple and Save

Let's face it. Lentils aren't usually a food that folks write love songs about, at least in this country. But for price and nutrition, they're pretty tough to beat. Bonus? They don

Life Without Television

I haven't owned a television in over 7 years. I haven't lived in a house with a set in over 5 years. I spend my days largely television-free, and I actually like it.

The 10 Things I Won’t Give Up Just To Save Money

Times are tough and they may be getting tougher as inflation and unemployment rates rise. There are 10 things that I could cut out of my expenses to save money right now but these

Calling all Artists: Be Your Own Cheerleader and Find that Room of Your Own (free)

Virginia Woolf famously said that women needed a ‘room of one’s own’ in order to create. But what if you didn’t graduate from the University of Iowa with the New Yorker wanting to

Make Your Own Self-tanning Lotion and 5 Other Fabulous DIY Tips from the Web

Surprisingly simple, and totally affordable, this roundup of quick and easy recipes, tips, and hacks are sure to inspire. Create your own self-tanning lotion, never waste rice aga

Make Your Own Deal Tracker

Deal-a-day websites like Woot! and Steep and Cheap are great places to go if you need a new piece of travel gear or gadget, these sites can be a great way to find it for cheap. Unf

16 Ways to Make Your Clothes Last Longer Without Spending Big

Use these tips to help extend the life of your clothes.

Financial Peace in Hard Times

Six months ago, I had plans. Lots of them. Career plans. Vacation plans. Financial plans. Then everything fell apart. My mother became ill. She had already been ill, having been di

Supermarket Shopping for Savers: 6 Ways to Avoid Their Tricky Traps

Going to the supermarket and sticking to a list is an exercise in discipline and requires fortitude and resilience of epic proportions. Employing tips like “don’t shop when you’re

How Baking Soda Took My Bathroom from “Yuck” to Yes!

Thinking of jumping on the “all-natural” cleaning bandwagon? Leary of the results? Addicted to your own brand-name cleaning habit? Take a look at these startling before and afte

In times like these, separate the want from the need.

I remember saying to my dad, a long, long time ago, that I really needed a whole bunch of He-Man action figures for Christmas. Oh, and Battlecat, too. My dad looked at me, a hopefu

How to Dress for Success and Still Spend Less

Ladies, are any of you out there like me? I hate buying clothes for work, because I know that work is the only place I'll wear them. They aren't particularly comfortable, and they

Rewriting the Definition of Retirement

Your life map is so clearly laid out in front of you; yet the last piece of the puzzle – retirement – is a fuzzy and often incomprehensible anomaly. With people living longer and s

6 Ways to Get your Toiletries for Cheap or Even Free!

With my budget straining at the increase in the cost of milk, I can’t always justify buying my favorite shampoo, the best razor, or that luxurious body wash I crave. I have found

4 Sort-of Small Kitchen Gadgets that Equal Big Savings!

Are your kitchen counters cluttered with unused small appliances and dusty “do-it-all” gizmos? Learn how to use these top four appliances to cut meal prep, clean-up time, and a bi

How to Throw a Kid’s Birthday Party That’s Fun, Happily Memorable, and Not So Expensive

The most fun, memorable and least expensive birthday party for your child may be, figuratively and literately, right in your own backyard. I’ve attended and hosted fabulous but sim

Could the last person to leave America please turn out the light.

I don’t know about you, but I’m more than a little worried by recent economic events. First Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae, then Lehman Brothers, and now an $85 billion loan to AIG. So

Sure Savings at the Supermarket

A SURE way to save 20-25% on many of your groceries? Oh, yes, and it couldn't be simpler!