Welcome to the Festival of Frugality!
Thank you all for visiting and participating in the Festival of Frugality this week. I was overwhelmed with all of the great submissions and tried to include every post. I apologize if anyone was overlooked, as there were so many to read this week.
I also would like to wish all of our participants a wonderful holiday season filled with all of the good things that money can’t buy- a kiss from your child, a peek at the Christmas lights, leaving cookies for Santa, watching your favorite old Christmas movie, singing a Christmas carol, sharing your favorite holiday memories…whatever invokes a sense of wonder about this holiday season within you. We are all so blessed and reading these posts reminds me how creative we all can be, without spending ridiculous amounts of money. May the New Year be bountiful for you, in all the right ways!
Please visit The Finance Journey for next week’s edition. You can also visit the official site for more information on future hosts and how you can become the hostess with the mostess yourself!
Let’s begin with all of the wonderful posts!
The Frugal Law Student shares why shopping at Walmart isn’t always the cheapest option. His experience has been that shopping there does not benefit your wallet and the lines aren’t worth it. Visit this entry for more information on this hot topic.
Frugal Money Management shares the dilemma of whether or not it is smart to shop with credit cards. As a frugal person, and one who wants to avoid debt, is risking it all to get cash back on your purchases really worth it? Sound off and share your opinions!
Wenchypoo shares that shredding your documents just isn’t enough to protect your valuable identity. She suggests even more ways that you should be protecting yourself from identity theft.
Fire Finance has found a resource for making international calls for free…no, seriously! Unfortunately, Timbuktu did not make the cut for countries, but many others did.
Just in time, Savvy Steward shares some tips for saving money on holiday gifts this season.
Money Walks has some signs for discovering whether you are a freebie junkie or not. I wonder if those junkies have found our Freebie Friday yet on this blog? You could definitely get your fix there.
Debt Free questions whether you should put your credit report on ice. Putting your credit report on hold has some great benefits, but is it worth the fee? Find out in this entry.
Free Money Finance shares why you should drown out the noise and not listen to the financial media. Well-meaning advice from the media, might not be the best advice.
Hustler $$$ Blog has a great tip on how you can get paid to watch Showtime…and it’s not a scam! Read all about the excellent rebates here.
Scott on Money reminds us to break out the coupons while doing your holiday shopping.
Stop the Ride! reminds you to take a tally of your wrapping materials so that you can take advantage of those after holiday sales.
Coins on the Pavement shares why you should always go to the second-run movies. If for some reason you can’t, find out why you should hang onto your old student identification card.
Bryan Fleming reminds you of the progress you should have made by taking part in his Million Dollar Savings Club.
The Simple Dollar shares why we have an obsessive need to keep up with the Joneses. He suggests that maybe it isn’t the Joneses that are feeding our addiction to want more. It might be the media and the people we surround ourselves with, which creates a bigger influence.
My Simple Trading System shares the importance of reading the fine print on 0% interest deals on cars.
My Wealth Builder shares resources for assistance when going through the process of an adoption.
My 1st Million at 33 shares a way to get a 1GB USB Flash Drive for a mere $3.88, using rebates and a discount with Google Checkout.
2 Pennies Earned shares a creative recipe for saving money on Frappucinios, using ingredients you already have on hand. Enjoy your frappes for a fraction of the cost.
Makingourway shares the cheapest place they have found for holiday photo cards.
Stingy Students shares a site where you can get books for free…no, really!
The Frugal Momma shares her recipe for Gingerbread Lattes– they sound absolutely heavenly!
The Space Between My Peers reminds you to pool your resources when attending all of your holiday affairs and find creative ways to dress yourself up, without spending too much cash.
The BEST posts of the week:
Blueprint for Financial Prosperity shares a reminder on Amazon’s unwritten policy on refunding money for price drops. This is a must read for frequent Amazon shoppers!
Wealth Talker shares ways to get the most bang out of your buck when it comes to your automobiles. The tips are great and a reminder on how to extend the life of your car and maximize the amount you get for your dollars.
Queercents has a wonderful entry on how we react to those unnecessary expenses in our lives. They beg us to remove the negativity and be grateful for the times when we can pay for the unnecessary items in our life. A totally new approach, that I totally love!
The Digerati Life has a great post reminding us of all the ways we can save on the holidays. Most astounding to me was the fact that Americans are, on average, spending $1,200 this year on Christmas. Look to this post for creative ways to stay under budget.
Paul’s Tips offers an insightful piece on really discovering your hourly wage and how training and hard work can increase your bottom line.
Wise Bread offers creative wrapping solutions for the budget-minded family.
Money Smart Life has a cute solution for creating that perfect holiday photo of your little one. Who would not want to get this card?
Daily Dose of Optimism has a great post on how to save on toner when doing all of your computer printing. Sounds a little messy, but definitely would be worth it if you are going through a lot of toner.
ProBargainHunter shares a list of all the services you can use to make free telephone calls. It is a great list for anyone who makes frequent long-distance calls and doesn’t have a zillion cell phone minutes to spare!
Dewey’s Treehouse has a wonderful reminder post on enjoying Christmas without the need to spend extravagant amounts of money to enjoy the holidays. The quotes from Laura Ingalls Wilder reminded me of my youth and the simple messages within the books. Thank you!