The Festival of Frugality is up at Value For Your Life. I love this edition – it’s all about gratitude and focusing on the positives in life. I loved the article from Sound Money Matters making a case for frugality. I couldn’t agree more. A frugal life is sustainable, and it’s focused on what really matters (people, relationships) rather than what doesn’t (stuff, consumption). And in an economic downturn, the frugal among us are best equipped to weather the storm. Great article all around.
Paid Twice has an article about school fundraisers. This concept drives me nuts. I hate the idea that schools are relying on students to be little door-to-door salespeople, making friends and neighbors feel obligated to buy candy bars, popcorn, cookie dough, etc. I wonder how many people buy because they just can’t say no to a little kid? And enough is enough already! These fundraisers start in August as soon as school starts, and around here they keep coming, all through the school year. I am so hoping that our schools will figure out something else before our son starts kindergarten…
Cheap Healthy Good has an article about tofu. I made a stir fry last night with tofu in it, and I put a little tofu in our green smoothie this morning. I’m a huge fan of tofu. It’s cheap, easy to cook with, takes on pretty much any flavor you want it to, and has a lot of nutritional goodness.
Saving Advice has a wonderful article about invitations, registries, and money grubbers. Thank you for writing this!! I gotta say – I’d be tempted to give up on humanity all together if I had gotten some of the invitations Saving Advice has had. I’ve been lucky to just get the standard wedding/bridal shower/baby shower invites. But they almost never come without registry info these days. Blegh!! My husband and I eloped, partly because we wanted to avoid the hullabaloo that is a wedding. When my MIL wanted to throw us a party later that summer, we agreed, but on the condition that the invitations say “no gifts” We were 25 and 27 at the time, had been living together for more than two years, and didn’t need anything. When our son was born earlier this year, we skipped the registry and shower all together. Several friends offered to throw us a shower, and we politely declined. (the ladies I work with at the library did have a book shower for me, so we have lots of board books for our little guy – each person just brought her favorite baby book, no registries involved). Don’t get me wrong, I love giving gifts. And I would never show up to a wedding/shower/birthday party without something in hand. But these days I’m more likely to make a donation to charity or a home-cooked meal.
And for a little inspiration about living outside of the box (or house, in this case), check out The Life Less Traveled for a story about a European family who moved into a camper and are living on the open road. Never give up on your goals!
Family Smudge says
Hi there, saw your comment on lifelesstraveled and just wanted to say thanks for featuring our story in your blog!
I will have a look around; looks like my kind of place! We don’t have alot of money; but we are rich in life :-)
Alice
April says
I get the “no gifts” thing as someone who can’t stand clutter or storing STUFF we don’t use, but I can’t help but to agree with Miss Manners that sometimes this sentiment is interpreted as “cash is expected rather than goods.”
She recommends these options:
1) Come to agreements with relatives and with the parents of other children about limits on exchanges.
2) Refrain from naming minor present-giving events on their invitations, and only announcing adult birthdays, engagements and anniversaries when the guests are assembled.
3) Accept whatever they get graciously, and then quietly give what they can to charity.
Also, some guests might bring gifts anyway, then those who didn’t might feel bad, even though the invite did say “no gifts.”
Like Saving Advice, I have received some appalling invitations. When I was in elementary school, one girl (or her mother, I suppose)requested “gifts of clothes only.”
When I was getting married, I read countless message boards where brides wanted to know how to tell guests they just wanted cash. Directing gift-giving is so disgustingly greedy. The best gift I received was a glass jar that once belonged to my great grandmother. But then, I wasn’t looking to capitalize on my guests.
anonymous says
Regarding tofu/soy and health, take it for what it’s worth:
http://www.soyonlineservice.co.nz/
FrugalBabe says
anon – We don’t eat tofu or soy that often, specifically because of the debates on the health issues. We switched from soy milk to rice milk a few years ago, and only buy tofu about once a month. But we bought some on Friday, so we’re eating it now :)
Shamelle - TheEhanceLife says
Thanks for the links. I enjoyed “Money Matters making a case for frugality” the most.
GC says
tofu is not cheap around here
I don’t know why.
it’s cheaper in the short run to eat meat.
The Life Less Traveled says
I’m so glad you liked my interview. Thanks for including The Life Less Traveled in the carnival!