CHG Favorites of the Week: The Norma Rae Edition

Usually I post an article on Wednesday, but I’m running a tad behind this week. This is for two reasons:

A) The article is a massive, research-heavy behemoth, guaranteed to shake the Earth to its very core and,

B) We got our year-end Christmas gift from my company yesterday! Turns out, they’re severely reducing or completely eliminating all our benefits. It’s making me and several thousand other workers Ho Ho Homicidal.

While I ponder the highs (pretty picket signs) and lows (live burial in Giants Stadium end zone) of becoming a labor leader, please accept this humble edition of CHG’s Favorites of the Week, which would normally appear on Thursday.

(But come back tomorrow for CHEAP, HEALTHY, ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY FISH!)

Blog of the Week
A Penny Closer
Well-written and fun, A Penny Closer waxes philosophical on all kinds of financial matters, including food. Best of all is the Reducipes series, which reads like a dollar-saving mini-cookbook.

Organization of the Week
Any Solider
A friend of mine wanted to send a care package overseas for Christmas, but didn’t have a specific name. Enter Any Soldier, where members of the military write in and request supplies, food, and ways to pass the time. Go! Now! (Read the instructions carefully, though.)

Quote of the Week
“They take great pride in making their dinner cost much; I take my pride in making my dinner cost so little.” - Henry David Thoreau

Standup Routine of the Week
Jim Gaffigan on Hot Pockets
Indiana comedian Gaffigan dissects those compartments of evil in a most hilarious manner. I don’t know if the best part is his repeated chiming of the slogan or “I’m gonna die!”

Tip of the Week
Freeze chicken broth/stock in the following amounts: two cups, one cup, half-cup, and ice cube-size. It’ll make it way, way easier to use the measurement a recipe calls for, and you won’t have as much left over. (Don’t forget to label!)

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Chicken Marsala with Crimini Mushrooms, Pancetta, and Sage by Well Fed
Oh, frabjous day! Will you look at this thing? Good god, I want it RIGHT NOW, and it’s not quite 11am.

Video of the Week (Food Division)
“She Don’t Use Jelly” by The Flaming Lips
This is the first radio hit from Oklahoma City’s favorite sons, which tells the epic story of … I have no idea. And neither did anybody else at the time. It’s almost hard to believe these are the same guys.

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Tuesday Megalinks

Apartment Therapy Kitchen: How to Cook Moist and Tender Chicken Breasts
That title almost sounds lewd.

Chow: Dinner with a Tightwad
Everyone knows a bad tipper. But what do you do when you eat out with them? (I’ve secretly gone back and left extra on the table.)

Consumerist: School Foods Report Card 2007 AND Congress Set to Ban Soda, Junk Food from Schools
Only two states are given an A on their lunch programs, but changes are in the works. (Thanks to Consumerist for the link.)

Diethack: 11 Widespread Food Statements Demystified
Hm. These statements are a bit obscure, but it’s a fun post nonetheless. (Thanks to Lifehacker for the link.)

Former Fat Guy Blog: The Ultimate Guide to Freezing Food
Thorough. Very thorough. (Thanks to CFO for the link.)

A Good American Wife: Everything But the Beer
New mom Anne chimes in on Rachael Ray.

Lazy Man and Money: Festival of Frugality #103

And there shalt be frugality! Can I get a witness?

Lifehacker: Top 10 Food and Drink Hacks
That bagel idea is awesome. Amy Dacyc … Dacyzcy … Dazyc… The Frugal Zealot would be proud.

Men’s Health: You Call That Health Food?
Debunk! Debunk! Men’s Health embarks on the debunk! (Thanks to Consumerist for the link.)

Serious Eats: Unbelievable! This is Not Butter! AND Emeril, Thumbs Up or Thumbs Down?
Article 1: Neither cheap, nor healthy, but maybe good - I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter has inspired an army of similiarly-monikered knockoffs. Awesome.
Article 2: Requiem for a giant (or at least, his tv show)

(Photo courtesy of Flickr.com.)

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Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Teriyaki and Cilantro: An Exercise in Duh

When I write recipe posts, I usually allot myself about a week to research a dish, see what I have on hand, and give it a shot. This way, if something goes horribly awry, I have a little time to make something else. This was one of those weeks.

Initially, this post was going to be all about the awesome, world-redefining Gnocchi with Mushroom and Thyme Sauce I made last Monday. Sadly, the meal was far from awesome, and not even in the same zip code as world-redefining. The sauce (which wasn’t terrible) had its earthy appeal beaten down by the world’s worst frozen potato dumplings. (Silver Star brand, 16oz bags on sale for $1. DON’T DO IT.) Their gummy grossness was like the recent movies of John Travolta: bland, insulting, and with not enough Samuel L. Jackson. It's back to handmade gnocchi for me.

Instead of dwelling on that UTTER FAILURE OF GOOD SENSE, I moved on, settling on a backup recipe: Spicy Eggplant Puree from the Enchanted Broccoli Forest Cookbook. Thinking it would be another fabulous veggie dip, I whipped up a batch and served it to beloved guests, who were kind of "meh" about it. The puree was uninspiring at best, watery and relatively flavorless at worst. If you’re looking for an eggplant dip, CHG’s baba ghanouj is way better, if I do say so myself (and I do).

Out of options and running out of time, I settled on an old favorite o’ mine: Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Teriyaki and Cilantro. Sweet and salty, it’s another choice Weight Watchers recipe, and further proof they’ve moved way beyond the Cabbage Casseroles Czarinas and Chilled Celery Logs of the old school. (Speaking of which, if you’ve never seen Weight Watchers Recipes from 1974, GO NOW. You won’t be disappointed.)

Unfortunately, the potatoes were inadvertently incinerated.

I left them in the oven a few minutes too long, and each would-be delectable piece was burned just enough to make the dish totally inedible. Instead of robust, rich orange wedges, my yams looked like tanned, wrinkled old man fingers. Tragedy. BUT, I'm going to go ahead and post the recipe anyway (with no picture - too traumatic) because I’ve made this four or five times without any problems.

Please believe me - these turn out nicely. And Friday? I will post a recipe so tongue-pleasing, even the tongueless will cry with joy.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Teriyaki and Cilantro
Makes 4 servings
Adapted from Weight Watchers.

6 T (about 1/3 cup) teriyaki sauce
3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-in. chunks
6 T (about 1/3 cup) fresh cilantro
Cooking spray

1) Heat oven to 400°F. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil and spray with cooking spray.

2) In a medium bowl, combine teriyaki sauce and cilantro. Pour in sweet potatoes and stir to coat.

3) Place sweet potatoes on the prepped cookie sheet and roast 35 or 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. For the love of Pete, do not overcook.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
152 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.82

Calculations
6 T teriyaki sauce: 120 calories, 0 g fat, $0.45
2 large sweet potatoes: 486 calories, 0.7 g fat, $1.65
6 T (about 1/3 cup) fresh cilantro: 2 calorie, 0 g fat, $0.68
Cooking spray: negligible fat and calories, $0.05
TOTAL: 608 calories, 0.7 g fat, $3.28
PER SERVING (TOTAL/4): 152 calories, 0.2 g fat, $0.82

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An E-Mail Miracle: Curried Sweet Potato Stew

About four or five years ago, I seriously embarked on a weight loss plan and signed up for eDiets. I did it mostly for the free body profile and never used the service, opting for Weight Watchers and self-tracking instead. (Which worked! Whee!)

Since then, I’ve received an e-mail from the company every. Single. Week. Normally, this would annoy my face off, as I generally trash any corporate ads without “FREE METS SEASON TICKETS FOR YOU, KRIS” plastered across the top. In this case, it would have been an awful mistake, like the AOL/Time Warner merger or hot pants.

Stunningly, eDiets' weekly missives are varied, educational, and even kinda fun. The best feature is undoubtedly the Food Hall of Shame, where readers submit their crazy-gross guilty pleasures (scrambled eggs and syrup, pickle and yogurt milkshake, etc.), but the healthy recipes always looked nice, too. I just never got around to trying one until this week. And you know what? Me like.

The first thing that struck me about Curried Sweet Potato Stew was the scent, since I began by sauteing a mirepoix with ginger and a bay leaf. After about twenty minutes, it assumes a fiery orange color, which definitely makes it one of the prettier meals on Earth. Finally, the taste enters the picture. It’s warming and exotic, with a touch of Thai in there (from the ginger and curry, I guess). For next time, I would double the lentils and add another cup of sweet potatoes for hardiness. The Boyfriend suggested reducing the liquid more and pouring over rice, and I could see that working well, too.

Yet, even without the alterations, this was a satisfying, thrifty late-Autumn meal, especially with a few Ritz thrown in for effect. All in all, a pleasant surprise, a lot like the eDiet e-mails themselves. Ahhh.

(NOTE: I don’t work for the company. Really. I swear.)

Curried Sweet Potato Stew
Makes 3 large, dinner-sized servings
Adapted from eDiets.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 bay leaf
pinch of red pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups peeled and cubed sweet potato
1 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup brown lentils
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
juice of 1/2 lemon
salt to taste
plain yogurt of sour cream (used light sour cream)

1) In a large pot or dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, celery, ginger, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes. Saute until veggies are soft, about 8 or 10 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and curry powder and saute 1 minute. Pour in wine and cook until nearly evaporated, stirring occasionally. Add broth, tomatoes, and lentils. Drop heat to medium and simmer about 30 minutes uncovered, until both lentils and sweet potatoes are cooked.

2) Remove pot from heat. Add lemon juice, salt, and half the cilantro. Serve, topped with sour cream and the rest of the cilantro.

Approximate Calories, Fat, and Price per Serving
408.3 calories, 14.8 g fat, $1.15

Calculations
1/2 cup onion: 24 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1/4 cup carrot: 13 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.12
1/4 cup celery: 4 calories, 0 g fat, $0.15
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger: 5 calories, 0 g fat, $0.10
1 bay leaf: negligible fat and calories, $0.03
pinch of red pepper flakes: negligible fat and calories, $0.01
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil: 243 calories, 27.5 g fat, $0.04
1-1/2 cups sweet potato: 172 calories, 0.1 g fat, $0.55
1 tsp. curry powder: negligible fat and calories, $0.02
1/4 cup dry white wine: 48 calories, 0 g fat, $0.27
4 cups chicken broth: 346 calories, 11.5 g fat, $0.92
1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes: 25 calories, 0 g fat, $0.20
1/4 cup brown lentils: 271 calories, 0.8 g fat, $0.06
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro: 1 calorie, 0 g fat, $0.48
juice of 1/2 lemon: 6 calories, 0 g fat, $0.25
salt to taste: negligible fat and calories, $0.01
3 Dollops light sour cream: 67 calories, 4.5 g fat, $0.15
TOTAL: 1225 calories, 44.5 g fat, $3.46
PER SERVING (TOTAL/3): 408.3 calories, 14.8 g fat, $1.15

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CHG Favorites of the Week

Blog of the Week
Use Real Butter
Suggested by my friend Michele, Use Real Butter is a food blog in the Smitten Kitchen vein, meaning the writing is nifty and the pictures … oh, the pictures. Look at the photos in this post. And this one. And why not this one, while you’re at it? If you don’t start salivating immediately, you might not be human.

Organization of the Week
Your local house of worship
Whether you’re happily secular or a card-carrying member of the God Squad, churches, temples, and mosques must be acknowledged and lauded as prime combatants of hunger and poverty. Peruse the activities at your local shrine to see how you can pitch in.

Quote of the Week
“Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.” -Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Sketch of the Week
Coffee Talk with Linda Richman
Mike Meyers! Madonna! Roseanne! BARBRA! Classic early-‘90s SNL piece with myriad references to both coffee and butter (thus qualifying it for this site). No one knew Ms. Streisand was coming, so the reactions at the end are genuine.

Tip of the Week
If you’re prepping a big holiday meal, create a menu and grocery list at least two weeks ahead of time. I did this for Thanksgiving, managed to buy almost everything on sale, and cut $50 off our bill from last year.

Untried Cheap, Healthy Recipe of the Week
Red Lentil Soup with Garam Masala by Sassy Radish
Colorful, comforting, filling, healthy and cheap. This could be the perfect food.

Video of the Week (Food Division)
“Feed Me” by Audrey II and Seymour Krelborn (Levi Stubbs and Rick Moranis)
A terrible lesson about the cannibalistic consequences of gluttony, brought to you by the sick, sick minds behind Little Shop of Horrors.

(Photos courtesy of Flickr.)

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Touch of Class: 10 Thrifty, Healthy Ingredients to Improve the Quality of Your Meals

(Sorry for the delay today. Between Thanksgiving and yesterday’s massive Festival of Frugality, I’m a bit blog dizzy.)

For the first 25 years of my existence, my food stood alone. Meat went unseasoned, starches sought no accompaniment, and vegetables … hermits, all of them. Only recently have I discovered the wonders of spices, sauces, and assorted flavorings. I had heard they made edibles better, but discounted it as a blasphemous rumor. Y’know, like gravity.

In honor of these fine, zestful components, today’s article will expound on joy and wonder of my favorite ten. The following foods generally aren’t the main focus of a dish. Instead, they’re simple, easily attainable additives that will boost the quality of your spread immensely. Some cost a few cents more than generic or mass-produced items, but in most cases, a tiny little pinch goes a super-long way.

1. Freshly ground black pepper
Along with its sister, salt, black pepper is one of the most widely-employed spices globally. Alas, according to sources, it starts losing its flavor immediately after grinding, meaning the five-year-old jar on your shelf is little more than grey dust. Investing in a solid mill and Costco-sized package of peppercorns will juice up almost every meal you make, at minimal cost over time.

2. Fresh herbs
Parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme aren’t just tremendously soothing Simon and Garfunkel lyrics – they’re also a grade-A way to turn a dish from crappy to credible. Though price is contingent on time of year, every spent cent is rewarded. Casual Kitchen makes every other good point there is to make about this, but I’ll add that some herbs last much longer than you might think. I’ve had thyme survive my fridge for more than three weeks.

3. Stock/Better than Bouillon
When heated in stock rather than water, many foods (pasta, rice, veggies, etc.) assume extra flavor. While homemade stock is always preferred, Better than Bouillon is a good alternative to cans and cubes. A dense paste, it makes 38 cups of broth per 8-oz jar. Priced at $5.95 on Amazon (and a rumored $2.99 at Trader Joe’s), it comes out to $0.16 per cup, or about half the cost of on-sale Swanson broth. I used it in Thanksgiving prep at house, and the eaters were pleased. (Three cheers to Rachel, the Cheap Healthy Gourmet for the tip.)

4. Wine
Thanks to Trader Joe’s, the internet, and an expanding world of wine appreciation, a passable vino is becoming easier and easier to find. Five bucks will nab you a bottle suitable for braising and/or deglazing, which ups the flavor in meats, sauces, and vegetables.

5. Decent cheese
Whether you’re dusting penne with parmesan or grating sharp cheddar over potato soup, a smattering of frommage can invigorate a dish with mad flava. BUT, the quality of cheese matters, tons. Case in point: last night, I went to a generally reliable Irish bar for dinner and ordered a vegetable melt. Sure, the choice of produce was bizarre (broccoli, carrots, and zucchini) but the dish was totally sunk by the over-processed, barely-warm slices of Grade Z American cheese. Buying less expensive dairy is understandable, especially if it’s used in bulk (a la enchiladas), but if you can swing it, slightly better brands in small doses do wonders. (As god as my witness, this will never touch my pasta again.)

6. Real lemon juice
Frequently a main component of dessert or dinner, the lovely lemon (not to be confused with Liz Lemon) can also brighten the flavor of a sauce, salad, or slab of meat. BUT, there is no substitute for having the actual, physical citrus fruit on hand. My Ma’s been a staunch ReaLemon supporter for most of her time on Earth, and I’ve always found it tastes like dishwater. At $0.25 to $0.50 a pop, go with the real thing.

7. Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
I am not a supporter of breadcrumbs on macaroni and cheese. I think they take away from the main event. That said, I ate the beloved dish topped once with panko, and completely flipped my wig. Crunchier, lighter, and only slightly pricier than American-style breadcrumbs, panko ups the ante on everything. Try it with pork chops, chicken, and fish.

8. Anchovies
Discovering a whole dead fish on pizza might be enough to make you swear off anchovies for the rest of your life (and the next one, if you’re into that kind of thing). Yet, the tiny, economical add-on will give dips and dressings a much-needed kick in the pants. This simple, healthy dip by Kathleen Daeleamans is a great example.

9. Garlic straight from the bulb
This one’s a tad personal. Ma and Pa, who are righteous in every other way, cook with pre-minced garlic stored in huge jars of olive oil. Pa believes it saves some time and maybe a dollar, but he always has to use twice the amount called for since the pungency is severely compromised. Fresh garlic is delicious, un-diluted, and according to a new New York Times article, good for you as all get out. Plus, there’s the vampire-repellant factor, and that can’t be overlooked. (BONUS: Special mincing instructions here. )

10. Condiments
Soy sauce, tabasco sauce, teriyaki sauce, mustard, honey, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce – every one of these guys can stand on their own, or be incorporated into a grander concoction. And when employed in moderation, they enhance rather than overwhelm the taste of a meal. You can purchase according to your own taste and/or buy in bulk for savings, but coughing up an extra buck will make a difference in the end product.

Also worth mentioning: capers, bulk nuts, olives, fresh seasonal veggies (as opposed to canned), flavored vinegars, various pastes, fresh hot peppers, chutneys, salsas.

Any other suggestions? I’d love to hear ‘em.

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Festival of Frugality #102: The Mix Tape Edition

One of my favorite aspects of the Festival of Frugality is the variety of articles from such different, awesome sources. It reminds me muchly of the mix tapes I made in high school and college.

Subsequently, this edition of the FoF is modeled after those cassettes of yore. Each post is paired with a tune that pertains to its subject matter, and when they're taken all together, the songs create a frugality-themed block of music you can listen to and enjoy for (about four) hours. (Warning: There is an inordinate amount of Weird Al on this list. If you fear goofy, light-hearted parody, this would be a good time to go to the bathroom.)

So, without further ado, behold the 102nd FESTIVAL OF FRUGALITY (featuring a super-strong travel section)!

EDITOR'S PICKS

My Personal Finance Odyssey channels former GE head honcho Jack Welch for Make Your Finances Six Sigma. Super creative twist on an oft-mined subject.
Mix Song: “Taking Care of Business” by Bachman-Turner Overdrive

Innside Montana expounds on the beauty of simple, homemade cleaning products in At Home Naturally. Invaluable tips and (dear god) a recipe for sweet potato cornbread included herein.
Mix Song: “Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin

U.K. native Monevator discusses relationships and cold, hard cashola in How Talking About Money is Like French Kissing. Featuring the greatest first line in all of blogdom. (Rated PG-13)
Mix Song: “Money Changes Everything” by Cyndi Lauper


FRUGAL FOOD

Straight from down under, Lightening’s Thoughts, Musings, and Happenings presents valuable purchasing advice in Reducing the Grocery Budget Part I.
Mix Song: “Lost in the Supermarket” by The Clash

Money and Values taps directly into my stomach with A Fancy, Frugal Favorite: Eggplant Parmesan Made Easy. Eggplant’s about $0.79/lb on sale by me, but Trader Joe’s is always a pretty safe bet, nonetheless.
Mix Song: “Eat it” by Weird Al Yankovic

If it’s a cooking gameplan you need, A Mother in Israel has the answer in What’s There to Eat? Saving Time in the Kitchen.
Mix Song: “Soul Kitchen” by The Doors

The Wastrel Show scores a deal on Thanksgiving dinner in Reduced Food Prices Give Me Thanks.
Mix Song: “Thnks fr th mmrs” by Fall Out Boy

Eden from Our Family Village theorizes that A Healthy Diet Doesn’t Have to be Expensive. Sing it, sister!
Mix Song: “I Feel Good” by James Brown

Paid Twice demolishes what’s left of her bird in Using That Turkey for all it’s Worth. (Well done!)
Mix Song: “Thanksgiving Song” by Adam Sandler


FRUGAL HOME

Eat your heart out, HGTV. LifeEdit.net tells us how it’s done in 10 Budget Home Decoration Tips.
Mix Song: “Our House” by Madness

Learn from Frugal Journey, my friends. Thinking ahead helps, and Be Organized and Be Frugal is right on the mark about its benefits.
Mix Song: “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green

My Two Dollars takes a step toward saving the planet (and a few bucks) with Rechargeable Batteries Can Save You Money and Help the Environment.
Mix Song: “The Power” by Snap

A quick tip from Clever Dude about Cleaning a Flower Vase. Good for those of us who’ve come perilously close to getting stuck in there. (Not mentioning any names.)
Mix Song: “Listen (to the Flower People)" by Spinal Tap

With oil prices skyrocketing, Cash Money Life is particularly noteworthy with Slash Your Winter Heating Bills – 7 Free Ways to Save Money This Winter.
Mix Song: “Mushaboom” by Feist

Plonkee lists four nifty advantages to single-person homes in How to Live on Your Own Frugally. #3 is mah favorite.
Mix Song: “Me, Myself and I” by De la Soul

Frugal Babe taps her inner Bob Vila for A Super-Frugal Scrapbook Nook. Nice work!
Mix Song: “Let’s Build a Home” by The White Stripes

A Penny Saved sits back and enjoys some booty (not that kind) in Embracing the Simple Joy of Freebies.
Mix Song: “Freedom” by George Michael

Brip Blap suggests revisiting your old collection of tomes in Saving Money on Books.
Mix Song: “Everyday I Write the Book” by Elvis Costello


FRUGAL COMPUTERS, BLOGGING, & INTERNET

An aging machine is repurposed in My Old New Laptop, brought to us by Free From Broke.
Mix Song: “It’s All About the Pentiums” by Weird Al Yankovic

There are oodles of free computer apps over at Debt Solution, and all you have to do is click on Free Software to Do Just About Anything - It’s Really Free (Mostly!).
Mix Song: “Keep on Rockin’ in the Free World” by Neil Young and Pearl Jam

One of my favorite bloggers is Lynnae at Being Frugal. This week, she delves into a Christmas spending theme with How Blogging Changed Me.
Mix Song: “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke

Everybody and their mother wants a Gymboree discount, and My Dollar Plan capitalized on the demand. Check out Selling Coupons on eBay for the bottom line.
Mix Song: “Hey Baby” by No Doubt

Just in time for Christmas, Home Life Weekly presents How to Bid to Win on eBay and Save a Fortune. If only I had known when Pa wanted that digital camera…
Mix Song: “eBay” by Weird Al Yankovic


FRUGAL TRAVEL

It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s Rather Be Shopping’s father! He has quite a few faboo tricks for vacationers in Frugal Traveling Tips From My Dad.
Mix song: “On the Road Again” by Willie Nelson

After taking RBS’ Dad’s advice, head on over to Rocket Finance, where there are seven strategies for Saving Money on the Road.
Mix Song: “In a Big Country” by Big Country

Less Than a Shoestring constructively critiques the Grey Lady’s travel expert in NYT Frugal Traveler, Part Deux. The gauntlet, she is thrown.
Mix Song: “Into the Great Wide Open” by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Me, My Kid and Life discusses a super-timely subject with The Dollar Drops Again: How the Exchange Rate Affects European Travel. Excellent post.
Mix Song: “Radio Free Europe” by R.E.M.

Our journey continues in the Caribbean with Save Money in Aruba, brought to us by the wicked smaht, most-likely-tan Lazy Man and Money.
Mix Song: “Kokomo” by the Muppets

Why haul your tuchus halfway around the globe when there are cultural and natural wonders to behold close to home? Mrs Micah counts down the benefits of sticking around in Hometown Tourism Saves Money and Sanity.
Mix Song: “Homeward Bound” by Simon and Garfunkel


FRUGAL FINANCE

Interesting advice from The Financial Blogger about how to leverage owed money in Become Frugal Now! Ask for a Loan.
Mix Song: “Money for Nothing” by Dire Straits

As part of an ongoing series called Get Out of Debt in Nine Steps, blogger Finance and Fat proudly presents #5: Live Below Your Means.
Mix Song: “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi

When Should YOU Reconsider Refinancing Your Mortgage? I have no idea, but Financial & Legal Matters does, thank goodness.
Mix Song: “Home” by Zero 7

As the Baby Boomer generation is hitting their sixties, retirement grows ever nearer. Slow Down Fast explores the changing face of life after 65 in Entrepreneurs, Does Retirement Fit Into Your Plans?
Mix Song: “End of the Line” by Traveling Wilburys

It’s All About Choices, says the fine blogger over at Frugal Fabulous.
Mix Song: “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” by The Rolling Stones

CompGifts - The Frugal Way of Giving wants the world to know about 5 Cheap Date Ideas to Keep Your Date and Your Money Happy.
Mix Song: “First Date” by Blink 182


FRUGAL WORKING

KCLau’s Money Tips dives headfirst into the great What’s Your Time Worth conundrum.
Mix Song: “Money” by Pink Floyd

Living Almost Large puzzles over the eternal Income vs. Frugality debate.
Mix Song: “My Music at Work” by The Tragically Hip (great video)

Collecting My Cash saves extra moolah at his j-o-b in Frugality Continues in the Workplace.
Mix Song: “Finest Worksong” by R.E.M.

Combating the latte factor, d.i.y.-style, Watch Me Become a Millionaire Makes Coffee at Home and Saves Money.
Mix Song: “The Coffee Song” by Frank Sinatra


FRUGAL SHOPPING

Free Money Finance found a great holiday post called 18 Homemade Gifts Under $10, then takes it one step further with a great Costco calendar idea.
Mix Song: “Calendar Girl” by Neil Sedaka

Queercents goes a-purchasin' and eschews a lightly-used bargain for an in-box special in WWYD: Buy the Floor Model and Save a Few Bucks.
Mix Song: “The Bargain Store” by Dolly Parton

Need some brown loafers? You might wanna check out Ask Mr. Credit Card Blog, who tells the tale of massive footwear bargains in Crazy Shoe Shopping: Taking Advantage of MJM Closing Sale.
Mix Song: “Goody Two Shoes” by Adam and the Ants

Buy the Car that Keeps its Value Best is a stellar piece of advice, and American Consumer News delves into makes and models. (Hint: Volvo, good! Acura, good! Suzuki, not so much.)
Mix Song: “Keep the Car Running” by Arcade Fire (with extra Foo Fighters cover bonus!)

Applicable any time of year (but very much over the next month) The Digerati Life presents Black Friday Inspired Shopping Strategies.
Mix Song: “Friday, I’m in Love” by The Cure

MoneyNing polls readers in How Much Did we Spend on Thanksgiving’s Black Friday Sale? Someone blew more than $5000. Wow.
Mix Song: “Bills, Bills, Bills” by Destiny’s Child

Information is power! A Penny Closer has all she needs in Big Purchases Need Big Research.
Mix Song: “She Works Hard for the Money” by Donna Summer

Just a friendly reminder from Money Blue Book: Remember to Keep Your Holiday Shopping Spree Under Control.
Mix Song: “Control” by Janet Jackson

The Good Life scores big-time with early morning deals in Budget Black Friday Shopping Karma.
Mix Song: “Karma” by Alicia Keys

Watch Me Become a Millionaire suggests two coupon sites in A Dollar Saved is a Dollar Earned.
Mix Song: “If I Had $1,000,000” by Barenaked Ladies

Bean Sprouts saves the world a little bit at a time by practicing Ethical Frugality.
Mix Song: “Fight the Power” by Public Enemy


FRUGAL GIVING

The Happy Rock writes that you can Play a Game and Help End Global Hunger. I couldn’t pry myself away until I hit 1000. Addictive, especially for word geeks.
Mix Song: “We Are the World” by USA for Africa

Three cheers for Savvy Frugality, who lists several frugally-minded giving strategies within How to Donate to Charity Without Getting Ripped Off.
Mix Song: “Do They Know it’s Christmas” by Band Aid

Thanks to everyone who submitted to the festival. Next week, it moves to Lazy Man and Money, so get your entries in!

(Photos provided by Flickr.)

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