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Savvy Read: In Cheap We Trust
You can never have too many books on your reading list, and this suggestion might bring some variety to those you've already cracked open. Former reporter for Reuters and Newsday Lauren Weber just published her book In Cheap We Trust: The Story of a Misunderstood American Virtue, which focuses on the evolution of thrift, from the Puritans to the freegans. She keeps the text fresh by including personal anecdotes — she describes her economist father as "compulsively cheap" and admits that once he tried to ration toilet paper.
99 Cents Only Store Weddings Cost $0.99 On 9/09/09
Novelty dates are always popular for people getting hitched. The date 7/07/07 was especially hot because it was a Saturday, but yesterday got its fair share of nuptial attention thanks in part to the 99 Cents Only Store. In honor of 9/09/09, The 99 Cents Only Store chain hosted weddings for nine couples at its Sunset Boulevard branch.
Has Your City Cut Back on Credit Card Spending?
Spending less is the quickest way to boost your savings account, and some places in the US have shown a true change in habits since last year. In fact, the U.S. personal income savings rate increased to 6.9 percent from 0 percent the year before.
Brilliant or Baffling: Frugal-Living Parties
Entertaining can be pricey, so Chicago's Daily Herald encourages you to throw a frugal-living party the next time you want to open your home. It suggests using tissue paper you've saved from previous holidays and shaping it into "giant flowers that can be suspended from the ceiling" instead of buying balloons, and advises to make clean up part of the party by mixing homemade cleaners.
Other ideas to consider: share money saving tips, exchange budget recipes, and eat from reusable dishes instead of disposable ones.
Woman Tries to Eat Healthy on $1 a Day
A common excuse for hitting up the drive through is that it's cheaper than healthier fare. Rebecca Currie of North Carolina set out to disprove that eating poorly is less expensive than eating healthy and has been living on food that costs just $1 a day. She explained, "It's been a source of frustration for me for a long time that people say eating poorly is cheaper than eating well," and took on this extreme-budget challenge to help her friends learn how to cook nutritiously on less money.
Cheapest Family in America Tells Its Secrets
"Economides" may sound like a fictional last name in a book teaching kids about money, but it's in fact the fortuitous surname of the so-called "cheapest family in America." The Economides family, composed of parents Steve and Annette and their five kids, live in Arizona debt-free and on an annual income of about $44,000. Five of the seven family members were featured on a Today show segment yesterday that covered how the family handles Christmas spending, and spending in general.
Brilliant or Baffling: Baking Cookies in Car to Save Dough
US News informs us there's a cookie baking technique out there that may save the baker some dough. As long as the temperature is at least 95 degrees outside the car, cookies will bake on your car's dashboard in two and half hours.
They say this is one time your car can actually save you money: You save on utilities by avoiding the oven and the counteractive air-conditioning.
Guess Who? Always Been Frugal
“I’m frugal. I’ve always been this way. When I was young, my mom would give me my allowance, and I’d peel off a little each week and have some to spare.”
Make Gourmet-Tasting Meals From the 99 Cent Store
With the economy in a bit of a downturn, eating like a gourmet foodie can seem a bit extravagant. Cooking a three-course meal for your entire family while on a budget can seem downright difficult. Yet Christiane Jory, author of The 99 Cent Only Stores Cookbook, believes you can do it easily by shopping at dollar stores.
Your Two Cents: How Do You Feel About "Frugal"?
There are certain words that completely get under my skin. Sometimes I'm annoyed by the way a word sounds, and sometimes it's the meaning that causes me to turn against the word. Frugal is a two-time offender for me; I feel the same way about frugal that many of you feel about moist.
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