Frugal Tips

Personal budget programs such as Quicken can be magnificent tools, but they aren't free. Worse than that, the manufacturers cut off support for older versions while the programs are still usable, forcing an upgrade to the new version at still more expense.

There is an alternative - open source software. These programs are created by volunteers, and can be remarkably powerful.

Many people start a budget process with the best of intentions, only to fail to keep accurate track of their spending.

Software can help with that. Using a program such as Quicken allows you to categorize and track every check according to your budget categories. You can also efficiently process your credit card expenditures in the same program. (You can avoid any expenditure by using one of the free alternatives to Quicken).

When it comes to credit cards and frugality, less is more. The more credit cards you have, the more likely you are to end up in trouble.

One aspect is obvious - the more cards you have, the higher your overall limit may be, giving you more opportunity to run up debt. Cutting it to one card can give you the operating flexibility you need without excess temptation.

Books and frugality somehow go together like rioja and serrano ham - a natural pair. We like to think that it's because thinking people tend toward both.

Books can be a huge expense, however. New hardbacks cost upwards of $20 a volume, and across a family that adds up fast.

So how to save money on books? Start with your local library. Most books you want to read are not really ones you need in your home bookshelves, and the local library meets that need.

Frugal is the new black - safely in fashion.

Oprah is doing it. Kate Hudson is doing it. Ordinary
families are doing it too.

Saving money is always a good idea, but with the economy in tatters and many families facing hardship, waste and excess seem outright antisocial.

Next time you are in a garden and see a plant you admire, ask if you can take a cutting. It's an economical way to add to the beauty and diversity of your garden.

Gardening can be a rewarding and frugal hobby, but a trip to the garden store can sometimes be dispiriting. The cost of new plants can add up quickly.

Putting a 24 hour waiting period on any optional purchase will help you avoid wasting money.

Baby formula can create ugly, hard to remove stains. Here's a tip that sometimes works.

Using cold water, make a paste of unflavored meat tenderizer and rub it into the stain. Let it sit, and then wash as usual. The same enzyme that breaks down and tenderizes meat also attacks the protein in baby formula that causes the stain.

Save money by using both sides of the paper in your laser or inkjet printer.

Most of the material you print on your home printer does not need to be presentation quality. You may be printing web pages for easy offline reading and reference, drafts of school papers for revisions or even shopping lists.

Here´s a cheap and effective homemade tile cleaner. Mix 3 parts borax and 1 part hydrogen peroxide. Stir into a paste. Apply with a brush, then scrub. This is atomic powered stuff - once or twice a year should do it.