Festival of Frugality #339 – Frugal Living Summer Edition

Welcome to the Festival of Frugality #339 – Frugal Living Summer  Edition

Editor Picks

watermelonDebt Guru presents Should you Finance Vacations? posted at Debt Free Blog. Everyone enjoys a nice vacation. If you are working a stressful job that makes you feel entitled, you may want to get away for a week or two. It's not always easy to save up for vacations and it's definitely takes work to find cheap vacation ideas these days with the cost of gas and airfare going up, so the two choices that people are often left with are 1.

Penny Thots presents Secrets of the Frugal Cook: Use Substitutions in Prepackaged Meals posted at Penny Thots. Eating frugally does not have to be about sacrifice. Frugal cooks everywhere are getting the most for their money and saving a lot of money on their day to day eating. While using fewer ingredients and the secret powerhouse of rice might be on the table, there are even more ways to save cash on eating in.

Jason presents Delayed Gratification: Take II posted at Live Real, Now. Here’s my frugal tip for today: Delay your purchases. While it may not actually save you any money, you will feel like you got a much better deal if you wait a few days for something you really want.

Matt presents Monthly Grocery Sale Cycle & When to Stockpile posted at Living in Financial Excellence. A savvy shopper waits until a product is on sale and then buys lots of it to get it at its lowest price! The idea is to create a stockpile that will last you 3-9 months or until the product goes back on sale and can be bought at its lowest price.

Daniel presents IKEA's As-Is Department: How We Saved 40 Percent on a China Cabinet posted at Sweating the Big Stuff. This article is about how we saved 40 percent on a China Cabinent by buying it thru IKEA's AS-IS Department! Read about our great deal!

The best of the rest…

Dr Dean presents Are You An Investing Scaredy Cat? posted at The Millionaire Nurse Blog. Risks and rewards in investing…Do you understand them? What makes people sell when they should buy?

Miss T. presents How Pinterest Can Save You Money posted at Prairie Eco Thrifter. If you’re anything like me, you’ve most likely found yourself sucked into the wonderful world of Pinterest at least once. With a few clicks of your mouse, it’s easy to build boards of inspiration for countless numbers of items, interests and passions. But did you know that Pinterest is also a fantastic resource for saving money?

101 Centavos presents Why Green is the Way Forward for Your Business posted at 101 Centavos. Improving your environmental credentials is unlikely to be at the top of your to do list, but going green can be a super smart move for any business….

Jeremy presents Putting Your Health Before Your Finances posted at Modest Money One area that I was particularly naive was how I viewed health. I thought that while I was young with no obvious problems that I just didn’t need to worry about it. As a result I was irresponsible and abused my body. This may not seem like a financial mistake, but I’m really learning it all comes full circle.

YFS presents We Have Officially Purchased Rental Property #3 posted at Your Finances Simplified. As Ice Cube said ‘Today was a good Day' I thought we were going to get this deal done before our Europe vacation, but the sellers lawyer was moving at a snails pace. So, I said sorry guys we are closing when I get back. Then the deal almost didn't happen, here's why…!

Jen presents Warning: Drinking Alcohol Can Make You Spend More Money posted at Master the Art of Saving. Can drinking alcohol make you spend more money? In my experience it can, but that doesn't mean that it's that way for everybody. Is it? Drinking alcohol……..

Little House presents Revelations about Spending posted at Little House in the Valley. This month has presented itself as monetarily challenging; our car needed a major and unexpected repair, a tax bill showed up, and my sister’s wedding is just around the corner. Needless to say, I’m not going to make my savings goal this month. Thinking about all of this on my bike on my way home from work the other day, I started thinking about “treating” myself to an extra coffee.

grilled veggiesJP presents Family Debt Management: Should You Take Out a Student Loan for College or Save Up and Pay With Cash? posted at My Family Finances. When managed correctly, debt is very useful, it can help you save money and get you ahead in your finances. Student loans are a perfect example.

Amanda L Grossman presents Are Family Memberships Worth It? posted at Frugal Confessions. Summer is upon usa potentially busy time for Moms and Dads.

Sustainable PF presents HELOC For Consumption vs Investment posted at Sustainable Personal Finance. The Smith Manoeuvre might not be for everyone, but basic math shows that it isnt insane. In fact, for many people, it makes a lot of sense.

Wayne presents Cheap Hobbies to Save You Money posted at Young Family Finance. Find ways to save money with these cheap hobbies. You will save money and find enjoyment at the same time.

Daisy presents Are Bloggers Really Writers? posted at Add Vodka. I was in Kindergarten when I picked up my first novel Babysitters Little Sister holla! that a family friend had given me to save for when I was actually old enough to read it, and I never looked back.

Invest It Wisely presents Negotiate Using the Lifetime Loyalty Card posted at Invest It Wisely. Repeat after me: Everything is negotiable.

John presents PMI: The Shadow Debt posted at Married with Debt. PMI is annoying, but is it a debt? Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, is a cost of ownership, but it behaves like a shadow debt.

A Blinkin presents What To Do With Your Old 401k posted at Funancials. There are a lot of topics within personal finance that can spark debate among experts and economists; however today, I will highlight a less-controversial topic. Though important, I foresee no wadded panties towards the end of the post.

Aloysa presents Why I Took Out a 401K Loan posted at My Broken Coin. Two years ago I took out a 401K loan to pay off my personal loan. Don't gasp. Don't shake your head. Don't judge, or be judged, remember? Most financial bloggers recommend to never borrow from your 401K. They are right: the risks of taking out a 401K loan outweigh the benefits by far.

SFB presents The Rise of Electronic Money posted at Simple Finance Blog. What is electronic money or e-money? What are its advantages and disadvantages.

hand cranked ice creamPITR presents Ways to Retire Early posted at Passive Income To Retire. Find out what it takes to retire early. Do you have what it takes to quit your day job before everyone else?

Ashley presents We Paid off $37,000 in 58 weeks! posted at Money Talks Coaching. My friends Vicki and Alan became debt free this week!! I asked if they would do a little interview for this site and they graciously agreed.

Eddie presents 5 Full Proof Ways To Beat Rising Gas Prices posted at Finance Fox. Prices of gas at the pump are just going up, and its our due diligence to keep fighting back by saving money every time we fill our car.

Jon the Saver presents Do You Plan to Work in Retirement? posted at Free Money Wisdom. You probably don't want to work during retirement, so start making steps today to ensure that you don;t get stuck in the working trap!

Suba presents You Better Not Die Without These Three Documents! posted at Broke Professionals. You Better Not Die Without These Three Documents! is a post from: Broke Professionals if you enjoy it, please visit us and subscribe to the Feed. Death is something that no one wants to think about, but is inevitable. Like the saying goes, no one comes out of this life alive.

Crystal presents Saving Our Health and Money posted at Budgeting in the Fun Stuff. Thanks to health issues and debt, our family has made big changes to our food budget and choices. Our health is getting better and we are saving a lot!

Kyle presents How to Get Paid for Making Fun of Movies Online posted at The Penny Hoarder. If you are good at making fun of movies, here's an opportunity for you to make some money from it…

Jefferson presents Worrying About Paying For College posted at See Debt Run. With kids, saving money for college is very important. We discuss the true cost of a college education, 529 plans, scholarships, and student loans.

KT presents How to Make Money While Traveling Around the World posted at Personal Finance Journey. I've read hundreds of stories about people who have made money while seeing all that the world has to offer while still making enough money to pay their bills.

Jeffrey presents Who Does Professional Indemnity Insurance Cover? posted at Money Spruce. Professional Indemnity Insurance is available to protect you from the costs of defending and perhaps settling or being ordered to compensate cases brought by clients dissatisfied you're your professional work. Depending on the type of business you own, the sort of cases that might be brought against you will vary.

MR presents Are Robert Kiyosaki's Books a Stepping Stone To Wealth? posted at Money Reasons. After re-reading the rich dad poor dad author Robert Kiyosaki's books, I now think that they serve a great purpose on the road to wealth… Believing!

TRL presents Why Purchase Price is VERY Important posted at The Retired Landlord. Find out what properly assessing a rental property is important for any real estate investor. The last thing you want to do is over pay.

Kevin presents Do Young People Need Life Insurance? posted at Thousandaire. Do young people need life insurance? Unfortunately that's the wrong question.

Don presents Half of American's Save Nothing for Retirement posted at MoneySmartGuides. A recent survey by LIMRA, which is an association related to the financial services industry, found that 49 percent of American's are saving nothing for retirement. The percent is even higher for 18-34 year olds, of which 56 percent save nothing.

sandy toesCorey presents How to Turn Artistic Creativity Into Supplemental Income posted at Steadfast Finances. Find out how you can turn your creativity into a side income and perhaps even replace your day job income.

Maria presents About the importance of spotting opportunities and acting on them posted at The Money Principle. Looking at my plan and what I have really achieved it struck me that my main achievements didn't have much to do with my plan and a lot to do with serendipity. Also, although my talents, skills and knowledge were absolutely necessary for some of these to come off, they are by far not sufficient. These achievements needed opportunities, my ability to recognise these and the courage to ride with them.

Odysseas presents Get Screwed During Foreclosure? Time is Running Out to Get Even  posted at Wallet Blog.You bought your house. You lost your house. But, was the forclosure valid? The Fed is requiring reviews, but time is running out if you're seeking recourse!

Jeff Rose presents The Importance of Comparing Life Insurance Policies posted at Life Insurance By Jeff. If you decide that you know you need life insurance, whether that be term life, whole life, equity index, variable life, all the different types of life insurance policies that exist; it’s important to compare so you understand the benefits, pros and cons of which policy is going to be best for you.

Carrie Smith presents Easy Wallet Hacks to Help Optimize Your Budget posted at ReadyForZero Blog. It's difficult to track debt and stick to a budget if your wallet is overstuffed and disorganized. That's why we're giving you some wallet hacks to help you stay organized and on budget.

Sean presents The Effects of Student Loans on your Credit Score posted at One Smart Dollar. Have you ever stopped to think about how your student loans might affect your credit score?

Young presents Investors Group Update: Lower MERs posted at Young And Thrifty. Slowly but surely, those who are preaching the low MER fees Gospel (and I will proudly number myself among the faithful) are winning the battle for the hearts and minds of Canadian investors.

Teacher Man presents Is the Extended Warranty Worth It? posted at My University Money. What you are being sold using catchy terms like “layers of protection” is an extended warranty. These products differ widely in what they cover, but the basic idea is that for a yearly fee, the place where you are buying the product will fix your purchase if it breaks or malfunctions. As with most financial products, the devil in the details, but the vast majority of the time, you should politely decline the offer.

Emily presents How Might Your Spouse’s Love Language Affect Your Finances? posted at Evolving Personal Finance. The most effective way to fill your spouse's emotional love tank is to speak his primary “love language.” Have you ever considered how your and your spouse’s love languages might affect your spending habits and career?

Steven Zussino presents The Ultimate Guide to Father’s Day Gifts on Any Budget posted at Grocery Alerts. Whether you plan to spend a lot or a little, below is a list of great Father’s Day gift ideas for any budget.

Earth and Money presents Planning a Green Frugal Wedding – Dishware posted at Earth and Money. To be frugal in planning a wedding, you have to do all the little things yourself – including buying or renting dishware.

Bobbie Bushman presents How to Eat like Your Poor Even if You're not posted at Budgeting with the Bushmans. Tips for saving money on groceries that our family has found successful.

Christine Toner presents Keep your little athletes fit without breaking the bank posted at TotallyMoney. Frugal ideas to keep your children active and healthy.

Echo presents Home Equity Line Of Credit: Friend Or Foe? posted at Boomer & Echo. A home equity line of credit has its advantages, but be cautious. Easy access to credit and loose repayment terms can make HELOC’s very dangerous.

strawberriesMelissa presents Our Adventures Picking Organic Strawberries and Making Homemade Jam posted at Mom's Plans. We saved $46.38 by making our own jam, and we have the added benefit of knowing exactly where our food came from and how it was prepared.

Fanny presents My Cash Only Experiment for Groceries posted at Living Richly on a Budget. We've all heard that paying with cash saves you money. I decided to try a credit card fast on groceries and use cash instead.

Philip presents 8 Tips to Help You Make the Most Selling Your Junk on Craigslist posted at PT Money Personal Finance. Sure, anyone can create an account on Craigslist and try to sell something, but to really do well, there is an art to it.

FMF presents Making More Versus Spending Less posted at Free Money Finance. Probably everyone reading this post knows about the importance of spending less than you earn in growing your net worth. Once you get to the point where you are spending less than you make, your next step is to focus on growing your gap on several occasions — the spread between what you make and what you spend. The larger the gap, the more cash flow you have to fund your savings and investing plans, and the faster your net worth will grow.

Kurt Fischer presents 3 Money Ideals to Live By posted at Money Counselor. Live with these 3 key money ideals always in your mind, and you almost can't help but be successful and reach your goals.

Ray presents Congestion Pricing: Paying Extra for the Fast Lane? posted at Squirrelers. Many of us are frugal and proud of it, but also believe that our time is worth something too. This post explores the topic of our willingness to spend more in order to save time commuting.

Glen Craig presents Five Ways to Use Credit Cards Without Getting Buried in Debt posted at Free From Broke . Oh we love using our credit cards, don't we? But we need to use them wisely or we end up in debt. Here are five ways to keep from getting buried in debt with your credit cards.

SB presents 25 Free iPhone/iPad/Android Apps to Save Money Everyday posted at One Cent at a Time. This article inspire you to use your smart phones to save money for you, at least I try to get my monthly data plan cost recovered through these money saving apps I use on smart phone.

Jason presents How I Avoid Airline Baggage Fees posted at One Money Design. I travel occasionally on business and have learned a few tips and tricks to avoid airline baggage fees. This is an expense we don't need to pay!

Squeezer presents Steps to shrink your grocery bill posted at Personal Finance Success. After paying rent/mortgage, and a car note, grocery costs are likely the third largest expense for a family. Since this is a large portion of a family's budget, I discuss ways to make cuts or find savings.

Katie presents Save money on your summer wardrobe: It’s de-cluttering magic! posted at The Discount Coder Blog. Enjoying the sunshine at last? Dying to hit the shops for your new summer wardrobe… but horribly broke? There’s a surprisingly simple solution to help you cut the cost of summer fashion. And it’s all about creative de-cluttering.

Roshawn Watson presents How To See A Bright Financial Future posted at Watson Inc. Perhaps one of the biggest ways to effect change financially speaking is to alter your belief system. Here are four ways to reshape your views regarding money.

Congratulations to those that were selected for this weeks Festival of Frugality, there were a lot of great submissions! Your help in promoting the festival is appreciated, and besides all you need to do is click one of the icons below to share! If you are interested in hosting be sure to visit the Festival of Frugality homepage for details.

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