Inspiring Fiction for Frugal Living

It isn’t too late for a good Christmas story, is it? I hope not. You see, now that the holidays are done, the tree is put away, the bills are reconciled, and I seem to be spending hours each week waiting for my kids in one room or another as they take part in their extracurricular activities, I am ready to get some reading done. One of the books that I have neglected is a collection of inspiring Christmas stories. One story in particular struck me in a way that I am not likely to forget. It centers around a … Continue reading →

The Money Saving Mom’s Budget

When it comes to frugal living, fresh inspiration is often hard to find. Oh sure, we do what we can, from attempting a budget to washing out baggies in order to save money. Often, the problem, though, is that we aren’t armed with a solid start to finish plan. Crystal Paine’s book, The Money Saving Mom’s Budget gives you that plan, and explains the importance behind each step. I haven’t seen anything this good since Amy Dacyczyn’s The Tightwad Gazette, a book on frugal living that has now pretty much obtained cult status. Paine’s book, however, is updated with more … Continue reading →

Books for Frugal Living

While I hope that you can get all of the frugal living advice that you need right here, it is sometimes nice to be able to curl up with a good book. I often reread frugal living books, as well as my own blogs when I need a little boost or reminder to hunker down and save some money. Rather than give you specific titles of books for frugal living, I thought that it might be more helpful to talk about which categories of books you should be looking at to help you live frugally, while many books that have … Continue reading →

5 Great Books for Saving Money on Groceries and in the Kitchen

As I’ve mentioned before, not only am I a Frugal Living guru, I’m also an avid reader. So do not think that because I’m frugal, I don’t buy anything, including books. I have a library so large in my home, I could open my own real library. The greatest part is that my personal library includes dozens of great books and ways to save money on everything from groceries to clothing and appliances to books. Here are five must have books, to help you save on groceries, cooking and food. Dining on a Dime: 1000 Money Saving Recipes and Tips … Continue reading →

5 Must Have Books on Frugal Living

Being a Frugal Living guru, did not come easy. It’s taken years of practice, dedication and most of all, research. Sometimes, the research is in the form of trial and error – as in, let’s see what works and doesn’t. But sometimes it’s in the form of reading a book from the library or the bookstore. In fact, if I believe something works, I will often research to see if others have had success as well. The following books, are extremely helpful, if you plan to truly live a Frugal lifestyle. They are filled with tips, advice and all types … Continue reading →

Egg and Muffin Toaster

Just in case you thought mornings couldn’t be any more awesome, now comes the Back to Basics Egg and Muffin Toaster! Apparently, everyone’s talking about it. At least, as far as the company Back to Basics is concerned. If the buzz is actually real, then Back to Basics has been able to create quite a stir with an unnecessary and silly gadget that nobody needs. I get a real kick out of looking through ads to see some of the new-fangled kitchen appliances that companies are coming out with these days. Companies obviously feel that they need to try hard … Continue reading →

Free Fun Thing to Do: The Strictly Window Shopping Trip

Last week, my husband and I realized that it had been ages since we had been to the mall. Going to the mall to hang out and to throw away my earnings at Taco Bell and on cheap plastic bracelets and gag gifts was my favorite pastime as a teenager. Perhaps the trauma of throwing away so much cash in malls subconsciously drove me away from them during my adult life (unless a trip was absolutely necessary). Nonetheless, we decided to go to the mall for fun, provided that we left all of our credit cards at home, and made … Continue reading →

Buying in Bulk: Cheaper by the Dozens!

Yesterday, I made a real non-frugal faux pas. I had the sudden impulse to buy my son some ice cream (there’s nothing wrong with that!). But my husband and I, kids at heart, also felt we had earned our stick of ice cream that day. So, I went out to buy 3 sticks of ice cream, only to realize, after I had paid, that I could have bought a half a quart of our favorite flavor for the amount I spent on three gaudily colored, prepackaged lumps of ice cream with sticks at the bottom. So where does the money … Continue reading →

Spending a Fortune on Take-Away? Don’t Cook Twice!

It happens to everyone. After a nerve-wracking day at the office (or at home!) those very organized dinner plans you made at the beginning of the week are magically forgotten, and you end up dialing up that friendly pizza place once again. At one time, I was throwing so much money away ordering pizza, that the guy actually knew what I was going to order before I did! That’s when I decided that my occasional “splurge” had really gotten out of hand. If you are getting a take-out because you are really craving that chicken Chow Mein or that cheese … Continue reading →

Free Spa Treatments, Facials and Makeovers

Did you know you and your friends could get free spa treatments, facials and makeovers just by hosting a Mary Kay party? Throwing a Mary Kay party is a great way to get together with “the girls” and really do a girly thing. What could be more girly than makeup? Throwing a Mary Kay party isn’t nearly as complicated as you might think. Since Mary Kay representatives are independent businesswomen, they appreciate the opportunity to showcase their products in a party atmosphere rather than schlepping their wares door to door. Wouldn’t you? These parties, whether they generate immediate income for … Continue reading →