Festival of Frugality #106 - Happy New Year Edition

Happy New Year! and welcome to the New Year Edition of the Festival of Frugality: “A blog carnival focused on the frugal life and getting that little extra edge out of the products you buy and the services you use.” Considering the holidays, there were quite a bit of submissions over the past two weeks. Without further delay, here is the Festival of Frugality #106.

Image by xymonau, conveniently stolen from Cash Money Life

Top 7 Editor’s Pick

Below are some of my favorite articles. At the top of each sub-section, I also highlighted my favorite post in that group.

1. Spend less than you earn - the wrong way to think @ brip blap — Shares his great philosophy and awesome ideas on how to earn more money. I’ll definitely have to give some of his ideas a try.
2. Are You an Overbuyer or an Underbuyer? What Do You Plan to Do About It? @ I’ve Paid For This Twice Already… — This was a guest post written by Mrs. Micah. So are you an overbuyer or an underbuyer? I think I am a “just-about-right-buyer”.
3. 12 Frugal Things You Can Do This Week @ Being Frugal — Shares 12 money saving ideas that can save nearly $4,000 a year. The best part about these ideas is that they are not that hard, and I am sure everyone can find at least one useful idea.
4. Save a Bundle of Money, Get in Shape, and Help the Environment in One Step @ Free Money Finance — Riding bicycle to work once a week to save money, get in shape, and reduce your carbon footprint. I wish I could do it. I just can’t imagine myself riding my bike in suit and tie.
5. Money Saving Monday Tip#20 - Keep the change @ Gather Little By Little — Shares how his family values every penny, and how small change gathered little by little can turn into a big chunk of money.
6. Wear a wide brimmed hat and retire extremely early @ Early Retirement Extreme — Presents the ultimate guide to frugality. Interesting read.
7. Frugal Vacation Tips @ Ask Mr Credit Card — Shares 5 great tips on how to spend less on any vacation — not just Disney.

Reduce Your Bills

“We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs.” — Gloria Steinem

New Year in Athens, photo via Reuters

• Cancel Sprint Contract without paying the Early Termination Fee @ Hustler $$$ Blog — Sprint changed to their contract, so the Hustler strikes back.
• Lower Your Phone Bill @ Saving Freak — Shares information about a new VoIP service provided called magicJack, and how this technology can save you a bunch of money on telephone bill.

Food

“Be studious in your profession, and you will be learned. Be industrious and frugal, and you will be rich. Be sober and temperate, and you will be healthy. Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy. At least you will, by such conduct, stand the be“ – Benjamin Franklin

New Year in Beijing, photo via Reuters

• Basics in My Refrigerator TT #18 @ Stop the Ride! — Shares her best practice on keeping favorite food on hand to avoid eating out.
• Revised: Cheap Eating with Cost-Per-Serving @ Wisdom From Wenchypoo’s Mental Wastebasket — “The basic premise: to lower cost per serving of the foods you eat. Start by reducing your initial food costs — make and use a price book if you don’t already.”
• Ding Dong - Did Someone Order Groceries? @ MomAdvice — Shows how grocery delivery websites are becoming a viable alternative for busy people, and shares 12 tips on making the most out of your shopping experience. The end of the article also includes a nice list of all the grocery delivery websites.
• How Shopping Carts are Stealing Money From Your Wallet @ American Consumer News — “Not having a shopping cart subconsciously forces us to only buy the most important things that we need at the current moment.”
• The Little Dough Girl: Liberate yourself, Starbucks slave! @ The Little Dough Girl — Tells us how she spent $400 on a coffee maker to save money.
• Cheap Eats: Poor Girl’s Chili posted at Me vs. Debt — Shares a chili recipe from her portfolio of “classic meals that are cheap, tasty, and if not healthy definitely not unhealthy.”
• Organic Can Be Affordable @ Natural Family Living Blog — Shares several tips on how to shift to organic food without spending a bundle of money.

Home

“Happiness is making the most of what you have.” — Rosamunde Pilcher

New Year in Kuala Lumpur, photo via Reuters

• It’s time to abolish the draft (Creating a draft dodger) @ Juggling Frogs — A clever and creative way to save money by using scraps to create draft dodger.
• How I Survived A Subprime Loan @ The Wastrel Show — Recounts how she and her two daughters made the best out of previous housing market meltdown, and how frugal living over the years led her to financial independence.
• Keeping the heat off & other ways to save money by competing against yourself @ Money and Values — Are you tough enough to keep you heat off to save money? Penny Nickel is…
• Briquette Maker @ Bean-Sprouts — Don’t recycle your paper. Make your own briquette and heat your home with it!

Life and Philosophy

“I have three precious things which I hold fast and prize. The first is gentleness; the second is frugality; the third is humility, which keeps me from putting myself before others. Be gentle and you can be bold; be frugal and you can be liberal; avoid putting yourself before others and you can become a leader among men.“ — Lao Tzu

New Year in Moscow, photo via Reuters

• Can You Break This Debit Card for a Dollar Please? @ Millionaire Money Habits — Shares how he uses debit card to avoid buying little things that cost less than a dollar (breaking dollars), and how this saved him money.
• The “Deserve It Factor” @ The Financial Blogger — How to justify your spending and be anti-frugal? Tell yourself you deserve it!
• What do you think about money? @ YooperSmith.com — Shares a story about his relationship with his wife and the different ways they think about money. He concludes that it’s good to have some extra money lying around and shares several frugal things he did to save some.
• Three reasons why using cash will make you wealthier @ Financially stAble — Argues that using cash allows you to be more emotionally involved with your financial decisions and this will help you be financially better.

Shopping

“It is thrifty to prepare today for the wants of tomorrow.” — Aesop

Before New Year in New York, photo via Reuters

• Never Pay Retail: Ten Things You Should Never Buy at Regular Price @ Two Pennies Earned — Nice list, I especially like some of the useful web sites and ideas included.
• Stock Up on Christmas Decorations and Save @ Cash Money Life — Take advantage of post-Christmas sales to stock up on things you will need next year and save 25-75%.
• Finish Your Christmas Shopping Under Budget @ My Dollar Plan — Shares some fun and frugal ideas to save money during the holidays season.
• 15 Products that Save Time, Money, and Space @ Lazy Man and Money — Shares his top 15 picks of products that save time, money, and space. The best thing is that you can get them all online from the comfort of your home.
• Which is Worse? Junkie or Addict? @ Mommin’ It Up! — Shares how she bought a table full of goodies for just $6.03. It’s official. She is HOOKED on couponing and bargain shopping!
• How To Spot A Fake Lacoste Polo Shirt and Other Pirated Clothing @ Money Blue Book — Shares interesting information on how to distinguish real and fake Lacoste Polo shirt

Online Shopping

“The best way for a person to have happy thoughts is to count his blessings and not his cash.” — Author Unknown

New Year in Singapore, photo via Reuters

• Singing the Praises of PriceProtectr @ fivecentnickel.com — Expresses his love for PriceProtectr. Yet another blogger to sound his support for this nifty little tool.
• BigCrumbs CashBack @ Knighty Night’s Talk — Shares another online rebate site (similar to Ebates) called BigCrumbs.

Credit and Debt

“Money in the bank is like toothpaste in the tube. Easy to take out, hard to put back.” — Earl Wilson

New Year in Sydney, photo via Reuters

• If You Are in Debt, You Are Buying Everything on Credit @ Debt Free — Offers an alternative look at money philosophy about spending. If you are not paying down you debt and buy things with cash, you are basically buying things with credit.
• Taking advantage of a credit card cancellation @ ProBargainHunter.com — Shares how to get the most out of your credit cards based on his experience.
• 8 Important Credit Tips For College Students @ Credit Cards That Pay — Shares great tips about credit card usage and how to get the most out of it.

Other Frugal Ideas

“In the old days a man who saved money was a miser; nowadays he’s a wonder.” — Author Unknown

New Year in Taipei, photo via Reuters

• Free Online College Courses From American Universities @ MONEY CLIPPED — Reveals how we can take college courses for free.
• How to Save Car Fuel @ Home Life Weekly — Shares the first 10 out of 21 ideas to save gas and money.
• Our $30 Crib @ Frugal Babe — Shows how a little bit of understanding can go a long way in helping save some money. Darn, I spent almost $300 for a crib…