Here’s one place to stop by if you’re looking to save more than a few bucks. I am happy to bring you the Festival of Frugality #69 and I’ve decided to make it a week long event. How does your schedule look? Mine looks like this: hectic and packed full of ideas to help trim the fat out of your budget and your tightly buckled waist.
There were 35 entries in total, but due to double submission into the Carnival of Personal Finance #95, I had to reject a few. Please note that the Carnival of Personal Finance has this rule that doesn’t allow for multiple submissions across carnivals. So barring this matter and any technical difficulties I encountered, I have included all eligible submissions here. I found many new bloggers who submitted very compelling entries, so I must say, this collection is hot!
Sunday: Try The Editor’s Picks!
The Frugalist: If you’re going to get rid of your credit card, why not go all out? This is a great way to vent your long-standing emotions against your debt as well as take the first step with resolving your credit problems! Funny ideas for pulverizing your negative money right here: 27 Fun Ways To Destroy Your Old Credit Card.
Frugal For Life: What a lovely way to remind ourselves why we curb our spending, and make those financial sacrifices. Let’s keep our eyes on our goals and enjoy this list. Aaaahhhhh the Joys of Frugal Living!
Personal Finance Advice: When I had my first child, I diligently prepared for his arrival and researched, recorded, purchased and stored everything I could from an online checklist that told me what to get for the baby. It turned out that many of those items had an expectedly short “useful” life or else, we ended up not able to use them at all. This is because during the child’s infancy, you are typically stressed, unable to think straight while time flies quickly, causing your kid to outgrow most of the stuff you’ve collected. Well here’s unconventional advice I wish I had then: 10 Baby Items You Think You Need, But Really Don’t.
Money, Matter and More Musings: It is ironic that you can kill two birds with one stone by following these recommendations to save some bucks as well as be kind to Mother Earth. Who knew that a series of right turns when driving would make such a difference? Right Turns And Other Simple Tips To Save Money And Environment.
Frugal Zeitgeist blows off steam about crap. I mean, the stuff that surrounds you in your environment that you probably no longer need but hang on to for various reasons. Her lengthy exposition Low Crap Threshold will take you through the ins-and-outs of dealing with your clutter. You’ll be inspired to simplify after reading her piece!
Frugal Upstate: Reading this article woke me up. It wasn’t just the advice, it was also the author’s style of writing! I was drawn into her story to the point of feeling like I was participating in her birthday preparation. This is an incredibly detailed description about throwing a birthday party all for just $51.50! Wowza! And I love her parting reminders. She’s a winner I have to say: Throwing a Birthday Party Fit for a Princess-On a Budget! Here’s where you can find more tips on how to host an affordable kid’s birthday party.
Monday: It’s All About The Food
Fiscal Musings: If you’re one of those people who enjoy going out, then these reminders are for you. If you’re bent on saving money, there are places to go for free and restaurants to visit with discounted certificates. A serious frugalist wouldn’t be caught without a strategy: Restaurant Lifestyle…?
Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket: There are many ways to detox for health, but here’s a discussion of how to take care of your brain cheaply: Oh No…Not Another Detox!
Free Money Finance: Do you know what the markups are for meals you consume when you’re dining out? For the ambiance, the service and all that, you’re paying a bit more for the same piece of pie you could have prepared for yourself. Eating out should be a special event and not a routine, unless you’re loaded or work as a food critic: Save Money By Eating At Home.
Grad Money Matters: Now that you’re going to spend more time eating at home, allow this article to expound on the subject further. Take a step further with these really good suggestions on how to make your meals yourself: Where Take-Out and Frozen Food Meet Home-Cooked Meals.
Tuesday: Save Money In The Comfort Of Your Own Home
Saving Simply: Who knew that saving money could be as easy as this! Hint: cut down on your singing in the shower and maybe you’ll get out of your bathroom quicker: Simple Saving Idea: Making Your Shower More Efficient.
Stop The Ride! Gee, homemade detergent is something I haven’t come across yet. Vinegar as a rinse aid? When we ran out of mirror cleaner the other day, we used vinegar to wipe our mirrors. They turned out pristine, but left a scent, which is my beef about cleaning with vinegar. It must just be that my olfactory nerves are really way too sensitive, or my formula wasn’t diluted enough! To do it right, try out the Homemade Dishwasher Detergent.
My Financial Odyssey: Save huge by cutting out your monthly cable bill and going for a “Slingbox”. What’s that? Find out more about how to handle the alternatives to accessing your entertainment: Goodbye Cable, Hello Slingbox!
My Financial Journey: This article discusses step-by-step instructions for maintaining your lawn. This is especially for those of you who haven’t as yet paved your yard with asphalt to save on long term maintenance costs, who want to get some exercise and save money simultaneously, and who aren’t Californians who’ve outsourced the job: Frugal lawncare - Part II Overseeding.
Five Cent Nickel is a busy guy with four kids who figured that worrying about furniture was low in his priority list. But finally, he has gone shopping to replace the eclectic collection he has. Find out how it turned out for him and what he learned in the process with his article: Buying New Bedroom Furniture: Shop Around and Negotiate.
Wednesday: Get Ready To Travel Cheaply
Money And Such: Here’s a nice find. For you travelers out there, here’s a review of a web site that tries to predict the cost of airfare tickets: A Quick Way To Save Money On Flights.
Ask Mr Credit Card: Mr. CC went to New York, had a grand time with the fam, blew some money on toys, but I guess it wasn’t ALL that bad because he used a discount book to support his shopping spree: How We Saved 20% at Toys R Us Times Square New York.
Extreme Perspective: I just reviewed this article a few days ago as one of my weekly picks. Take it from a chemical engineer who knows all about the characteristics of the oil your car runs on: Car Cost Saving Tip.
My Wealth Builder: Relocating to a new country to work there can be quite an adjustment, but Super Saver has some wonderful thoughts to share as part of his experience as an ex-expat. You can actually build wealth as he says, even as a foreign worker: Expat Frugality.
Money Smart Life: It doesn’t hurt to ask for a corporate discount, so why not try it? More details can be found in Always Ask For A Discount.
Escape Brooklyn: When I park my car in the city where I work, I see these cars with what looks like a sticky on their hood saying “Flexcar”. I always wondered what the heck they stood for. Now I know, after getting the lowdown in Benefits of Car Sharing.
The Free Geek: Now we’re talking. When you add up all the half dollars you are able to save through these tricks, you’ll have enough to cover the rest of your car’s maintenance costs: How to Save $0.50+ on Every Gallon of Gas - 12 Tips and Tricks.
Thursday: What To Do With The Money You Save
Investments And Loans: If you’re looking around for cash to jumpstart your emergency fund, then this should be a big help. In fact, scrounging under your couch for change isn’t too far-fetched an idea to pursue: Top 10 Ways To Build Your Emergency Fund.
The Frugal Law Student asks a hypothetical question: let’s say you’re a frugal person to start with and finally became wealthy. Will you change your ways? I wonder how many will throw their practices out the window. So What Does It Mean to Be Frugal When You’re Wealthy?
Friday: Brush Up On Your Own Frugal Skills
Bryan C. Fleming: This guy tracks his own savings meticulously, so much so that he has founded a support club for savers on the net! Where do you stand in this Million Dollar Savings Club? Saving Money: $704.51 In 14 Weeks
Mighty Bargain Hunter was disappointed when his local discount grocery store closed its doors. Finally, to his delight, it has reopened once more with a new strategy: Discount Grocery, Reloaded.
Binary Dollar: There’s this huge millionaire who practices some serious frugality skills. And I mean HUGE: Yao Ming Likes to Save Money. I Guess You Could Say He’s the Biggest Penny Pincher in the World.
1031 Exchange Lowdown discusses what keeps people from moving ahead and points out the reasons for some people’s inability to make progress towards wealth or improvement in financial standing: 10 Biggest Mistakes Made by Poor People That Will Keep Them Poor.
Saturday: Financial Tips Your Grandmother Never Taught You
Living Almost Large: Now Ms. Living shares a very interesting experience that shows how using coupons can actually backfire on you! Perhaps by taking the bulk buying and coupon use too seriously, you can end up actually spending more if you’re not careful. This is an excellent warning to all shoppers out there with good intentions:
Coupon Shopping Update III.
Debt Free: So you think you know how to comparison shop? Think again. Fallacies on saving abound, and here’s an article that does an awesome job clearing some of them up for you:
How To Save Money Everyday - A Different Perspective.
QueerCents: First time I’ve heard of this guy who got some media attention by taking a good idea a bit too far, in my opinion. It’s great to save, but prepare to face the consequences of extreme behavior as well. Wise suggestions for the wickedly resourceful: When Fame Doesn’t Equal Fortune: Remember to Buy Insurance.
Credit Card Lowdown: Let’s talk about Anna Nicole Smith for a moment. It seems like her life has been all about tragedy, from her finances to family matters. Her story offers many valuable lessons to cover and take to heart: 15 Financial Lessons from the Demise of Anna Nicole Smith (Yes, I’m Serious).
Well that was quite a week. Join the festival next week at No Credit Needed, where NCN will be your host. Please use this form to submit your frugality posts.
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Nicely put together. Thanks for the hard work and time to create it.
Outstanding write-up, as usual. Thanks!
SVB, Thanks for hosting, and doing in such a nice creative way
Thanks for hosting! Nice presentation as usual
Well put together. Nice summaries.
-limeade
Thanks for hosting and for the editor’s pick.
Excellent job SVB. Thanks for hosting.
It was great fun! Thanks to all for participating and gracing us with insightful information.
Outstanding write-up, as usual. Thank you like allways!