Welcome readers to the 143rd Festival of Frugality!  I’m LAL, host of LivingAlmostLarge and a new blog called LAL musings! LAL Musings is where I write about life, love, and everything else not financial so please check it out.  This is my first time hosting, and I hope you learn as many frugal tips as I do.

I’m a 29 year old DINK, and have participated in this Festival sporadically for almost 3 years now.  Please check out the Festival of Frugality website if you are interested in hosting a future carnival.  Also I’m soo excited with so many awesome entries, thank you all so much for participating!  This is my largest carnival yet!

Please feel free to look around, sign up for feeds from the blog, and come back again! Recently I hosted the 29th Money Hacks Carnival,  73rd Carnival of Money Stories, 12th Finance Fiesta, and the 8-28 Edition of Twenty-Something Finances, so check those out as well.  Also I’ll be hosting the Finance Fiesta again soon so get ready.

My contribution this week is I’m giving away a book to one lucky winner!  Check out my book review of “4 Pillars of Investing” and leave a comment for a chance to win!  Check back tomorrow for the winner, drawn 8 am.

Fellow Participants great job on posts but please do one of the following:

• Subscribe to my blog via RSS or E-mail
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…..I would be very grateful and it will help the carnival! But onto the 143rd Festival of Frugality. I hope you think it’s fun because I had a blast posting it. Please come back again for a visit!

I picked frugal celebrities because who knew celebrities could be frugal.  But apparently they are out there. So I chose some frugal celebrities who have frugal habits or indulgences like the rest of us.  Enjoy.

Editor’s Picks

How could the world’s richest man not be the most frugal guy?  Sure he’s got some luxuries but Warren Buffet is the epitome of frugal living.  Still lives in the same house he originally bought, he drives a Caddy, and prefers simple home cooked meals to fancy meals out.  These picks will help you become the next Warren Buffet maybe.

• Donna Freedman talks about frugality being a process in Make your own hot-flash spray, and other frugal hacks posted at Smart Spending Blog: Money saving tips from around the web – MSN Money. I agree that the process of being frugal can be relaxing, like making your own ice cream. It’s not that much of a savings, but it’s fun activity/hobby to do!
• Mary@SimplyForties examines if frugality is more important than charity in Frugality vs Charity posted at SimplyForties. I have read the Alex Smith books and thought it interesting that she had to help others while getting ahead. Maybe it’s just good karma coming around, if you help someone it pays you back tenfold.
• FruGal gives us a hilarious look at unique ways to save in The Top 5 (Evil) Tips for Frugal Living - FruGal posted at FruGal. I had to laugh at the first, because I wonder who would really buy kids? Usually you can’t give them away for free.
• Lise breaks down whether a coupon saved or costs her more money in Coupons vs. Generics, Round One: Contact Solution posted at Frugal in the Fruitlands. I think that’s why I always worry if I’m getting the absolute best deal using coupons.
• Steve Faber tells why the smart car is dumb in Mercedes Smart Car – Smart Car, Dumb Idea?? | Super Gas Saver posted at super gas saver. I have to agree for his last reason it’s too expensive. For the same price you can get a compact car with better gas mileage, ability to carry 4 people instead of 2, and less fuel charges.

Savings/Coupons

Who’d have thunk Jay Leno was frugal?  He says he has yet to live on his Tonight show salary, instead he lives on his earnings as a comedian.  He’s used to working multiple jobs and saving at least one paycheck. It’s due to being raised by Depression Era parents.  I figure he’s the type to clip coupons for sure.

• John makes a frugal gift suggestion in Frugal Choice On Gifts - Giving Stock Certificates posted at One Family’s Blog. Personally I’ve taken to giving people food or a Gift Card to a grocery store they shop at, or a gift certificate for a luxury item like a manicure/pedicure, movie ticket, etc to something they would not normally go to. This way they can go to something I know they love but won’t actually shell out the money. But stocks are nifty idea, though it might not mesh with their portfolio asset allocation!
• Savvy Frugality gives us a super frugal tip for textbook hunting in Cheap Textbook Tip posted at Savvy Frugality. I hate the fact that publishers sell the same textbooks overseas for so much less. The nerve!
• Paidtwice talks about her coupon savings in Couponing Is For More Than Food posted at I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…. Like me I find using coupons for food doesn’t save me much. Where I save is stockpiling non-perishable home goods and health and beauty.
• NtJS talks about using friends and family to score killer deals in Extravagantly Frugal: Friends In High Places posted at not the jet set. I bought my DH a jacket for almost 50% off at the Gap when a friend worked there with the employee discount.
• Andy gives us a money saving tip in Save Money by Buying Gift Cards Online posted at Tight Fisted Miser. I love buying gift cards online as well for a discount! I do it for clothes, home repairs, etc, but never for movies. I’ve gotta try it.
• SingleGuyMoney tells us why he loves garage sales in Garage Sales: Make Extra Money and Clear Clutter posted at Single Guy Money. We had a garage sale with our neighbors, two years ago and made $40. Yep we just didn’t have much stuff. Maybe that’s a good thing?
• Jen discusses if annual passes are frugal or not in Are annual passes worth it? posted at SugarPopRibbons. I have to say I agree that they can be worth it. We were members of the San Diego Zoo when we lived there because every visitor we had wanted to go to the Zoo and Sea World.
• Kim A. talks about her frugal family in Frugal Friends… posted at ODAT. I have to agree that frugality shared is more fun!
• The Smarter Wallet suggests saving money by using generic medications in How To Save Money On Generic Drugs posted at The Smarter Wallet. Personally I’ve always used generics, but having Zyrtec come off prescription is more expensive than before.
• Ben gives us suggestions to saving money on a wedding reception in How to Save Money On Your Wedding Reception posted at Money Smart Life. I guess our big money savers was having a lunch instead of dinner, only 55 guests, and no alcohol.
• Kevin says don’t waste money on credit card fees in Dumb Money: Annual Fees on Credit Cards posted at No Debt Plan. I gotta wonder who actually uses cards with fees?

Food

Tyra Banks grew up poor but is quickly building an empire similar to Oprah Winfrey’s.  However, from her early days of allowances she got into the habit of saving.  Her one indulgence?  Good food.  Guess you can’t always be frugal.

• Kris gives us healthy recipes using eggplant and zucchini Cheap, Healthy Zucchini and Eggplant: 134 Recipes posted at Cheap Healthy Good. Seriously two of my favorite veggies! I personally love grilling both and making baba ghanoush from the eggplant and just sprinkling salt on the zucchini fresh off the grill! Great side dishes. But check out the recipes.
• The Writer talks about frugal eats in Last Week’s Grocery Budget Rocked posted at The Writer’s Coin. He gives us 3 simple yet tasty recipe ideas, I like the ease of lasanga myself. Some of my cheap dishes are curries of any sort, mapo tofu, and teriyaki chicken and rice.
• Aryn gives us a list of cheap dinners in What’s for Dinner: 10 Frugal Fall Foods posted at Sound Money Matters. I’ll keep these in mind when making my weekly menu, they sound yummy.
• Stephanie gives us a huge food savings tip in Amazon Grocery Clearance Code posted at Stop the Ride!. I have to go and check out these deals.
• HowToMe gives us a frugal tip to eating peaches in How to Peel a Peach without a Knife (guest submission) posted at HowToMe. I have never peeled a peach before, but good tip to get the most out of a fruit when you peel the skin. Also it can be used on tomatoes.
• Amy gives us ideas for frugal meal planning in To Buy In Bulk: Long-Term Meal Planning posted at My Daily Dollars. I like to have a set of 15-20 meals I know I can make easily, cheaply, and quickly. Then I rotate through these every week or two weeks, knowing they are delicious and I can prepare them well.
• Tanesha Morgan gives us tips for eating out more frugally in Golden Corral Coupons & Deals posted at Personal Finance Analyst. I like the way she negotiates with her daughter for eating out in exchange for a clean room, what a cool mom!
• The Sexy Secretary gives us ideas on how to save money while still eating protein in Your Budget Protein Diet posted at Saving Money Tips. With so many people eating the South Beach or Atkins protein diets, perhaps this new vegetarian protein trend will catch on.
• Grey gives parents awesome frugal lunch/snack tips in Stop Food Waste to Save Money on School Lunches posted at Frugal Fu. I agree that the waste of the food makes up any savings you might have had using coupons if you end up throwing it away!
• Frugal Babe gives us ideas for frugal cooking in Substitutions In The Kitchen posted at Frugal Babe. I think her ideas are great, and I too find I spend more going to the store than making do.

Home

How could Sheryl Crow not be on the list after stating we should only use 2 pieces of toilet paper?  Granted her frugalness stems from being environmentally conscious.  But still anyone who preaches conservation, well it goes with the theme of conserving around the house.

• FMF gives us tips to make our homes energy efficient in How to Save Over $2,000 on Home Energy Costs posted at Free Money Finance. Like many people, the cost of upgrading isn’t necessarily worth it depending on what you are currently living with. But if your appliances are old and close to giving up the ghost it might be worthwhile investing in new energy efficient models sooner rather than later.
• Jim gives us a cheap tip to get rid of ants in How to Get Rid of Ants Safely posted at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity. Nifty, maybe I’ll try it this weekend.
• Elyse Andrews talks about downsizing to save money in The tiniest house on the street posted at The Iconoclast Investor. Yeah, I recall how uncomfortable it was sharing a 300 sq ft. Maybe my layout was bad though.
• Dave gives us suggestions on reducing our carbon footprint in How to Save Money on Electricity: 8 Small Steps to Slash Your Electric Bill posted at Money Under 30. I’m happy to say I do all the things he suggested, but honestly the low flow shower took some getting used to.
• FWP asks if we use the outdoors to dry out clothes in sun-drying clothes to save a bit of energy » the financial wellness project » because money doesn’t own you — YOU own money! posted at the financial wellness project. Growing up we didn’t have a dryer till age 10, but we lived in Hawaii. I think my DH’s family in Canada couldn’t have survived without it, considering most months it was freezing!
• The 3 Moms asks us if covering our water heater would save us money in Does Your Water Heater Need To Cover-Up? posted at Happy to be at Home. I keep trying to get my DH to do it, but he refuses!
• Shadox gives us a tip to save money while reducing your carbon footprint in A Simple Way to Save Money & Reduce CO2 Emissions posted at Money and Such. Neato! I am going to try it out later when I have time to install it.

Mind

Not a total celebrity, but a rich billionaire.  Dr. David Cheriton a computer science professor at Stanford an early investor in Google, could easily retire. Instead he continues to work and more importantly reuses teabags and cuts his own hair.  Guess some habits are hard to outgrow.

• Miss Thrifty discusses a much asked question of frugal versus cheap in There’s frugal, there’s cheap and there’s cheap and rotten… posted at Miss Thrifty. I gotta agree, there is a fine line between dishonest cheapness and frugality.
• Nickel decides to discuss when cheaper is good in Sometimes Cheaper is Better posted at fivecentnickel.com. Most frugal people understand that spending more on a better quality item is normally better, but sometimes cheaper is better.
• Danielle talks about her obsession with bargain hunting in Hampered by Bargain Shopping Perfectionism posted at Kids Meal Crowd. I agree sometimes when I’m out without my coupon book, I too feel a little ill knowing I could be saving a few bucks. But it’s a compromise with my DH’s embarrassment.
• Kate tells us how frugality has made her life less stressful in Using Frugality To Reduce Stress posted at A Simple Walk. I agree that living frugally helps make life less stressful and decreases the need to keep up with the Joneses.
• RC suggests slowly incorporating frugal habits into your life in Finding Your Frugal Comfort Zone posted at Think Your Way to Wealth. Like a diet, small changes work best and stick longer than drastic changes that can be hard to stick to.
• Fitz Villafuerte helps us relax frugally in 20 Cheap Ways To Relax and Manage Stress posted at Ready To Be Rich. I love his suggestions, especially sleep! When we were very broke, we sadly slept the whole weekend away and rarely left the bed let alone the house! Actually we still do.
• Ryan Suenaga tells us how society has changed from fix to replace in Has it Gotten Too Expensive to Fix Things? posted at Uncommon Cents. I agree that it seems more often cheaper for us to replace things than to try and repair them. Sometimes the replacement parts or necessary repair items aren’t even available to try if the item is too old.

Spending

Strange that Sarah Jessica Parker would be known as a frugal fanny.   Especially when her character on Sex and the CIty is a known spendthrift.  Yet growing up on welfare, taught her to save and not spend money on unnecessary items.  She dressed her son in hand-me downs, who’d have thunk the fashionata would do such a thing?

• KCLau tells us how he controls his spending in How not to Spend that Money? posted at KCLau’s Money Tips. Perhaps you should weigh in with your own tips. My tip is just say NO!
• Todd talks about spending money wisely in Needless Spending Pains Me posted at HarvestingDollars. I think he’s found a great way of discerning important versus unimportant purchases.
• Roshawn Watson reviews an article about the rich rejecting material goods in Meet the Boring Young Millionaires posted at Watson Inc. I know a few of these young millionaires and most are very normal. I too hope to join their ranks though! Watch my blog for a review of the book Middle Class millionaires coming soon and a chance to win the book.
• Kacper Wrzesniewski talks about curbing your spending by tracking it in 5 More Reasons Why To Track Expenses posted at KacperWrzesniewski.com. How else can you figure out how much you are really spending except by tracking it?
• MoneyNing experiments on how little he can live on in Living on $34.01 a Week posted at Personal Finance Blog by Money Ning. I think his experiment mirrors the lifestyle my DH would live if I wasn’t around. Although my DH would make ice cream instead of buying it!

Kids

New mom Halle Berry grew up poor and still worries her career will end.  I wonder if she’ll teach her daughter her frugal habits?

• Kelly from Almost Frugal gives us a step by step photo guide to haircutting in How to Cut a Little Boy’s Hair posted at Almost Frugal. In grad school I cut my DH’s hair a few times, but stopped the one time I messed up and he ended up going bald. Turns out he was immortalized in his work photo bald because they took pictures the next day, and till today he still reminds me of my “frugalness gone bad!”
• Trent Hamm gives us some frugal ways to keep your kids entertained in Fifteen Ways to Have Cheap Fun With Your Kids Using a $1 End Roll of Paper posted at The Simple Dollar. His list of things to do with paper is great.
• Sun tells us tips he would any college student in Financial Tips for College Students posted at The Sun’s Financial Diary. I like his advice on saving in an IRA, but personally I used all extra money to pay for school tuition/living expenses so I would have less loans. So I think any extra money should be used to prevent taking out of more loans.
• Silicon Valley Blogger talks about how saving for college is falling by the wayside in Upromise Survey: Saving For College, Getting Tougher? posted at The Digerati Life. I think that people aren’t curbing their spending and saving in general. However college should comes after retirement anyway.

Freebies

Another surprise is Mick Jagger.  With all his money, who knew the rock idol would love free things so much and be a total hoarder of stuff?  Another celebrity raised by depression era parents.

• Freebie Diva gives daily updates of freebies at her blog in September 11th posted at The Freebie Diva. What a nice roundup of free deals, be sure to check it out.
• FFB tells us how to appreciate museums for free in Free Museum Days From Bank Of America posted at Free From Broke. I love have been for free to one museum because of the program.
• Redd Horrocks-Maier tells us how freebies can save you in a tight spot in Free Samples to Save You Money posted at Distilled Rose. I try to stockpile non-perishables so I never run out. Not a lot but at least 1-2 extras of anything I use, I find it’s cheaper to shop while on sale. But this is a good idea if you are extra tight on space.

Travel

Teri Hatcher is so frugal she’d rather have a trip of a lifetime than a fancy new car or million dollar home.  She also drives her cars into the ground.  I think she doesn’t have to worry any more about money with her new series Desperate Housewives.

• J. Money asks if travel insurance is necessary or not in Wedding #8 this year: The Bahamas! (minus travel insurance) posted at Budgets are Sexy.. I think it depends. Having an avid traveller for a roomie, I think it is. His suggestions to get it from a private insurance online for $50-75, which is cheap if you are buying a trip of a lifetime for $2-3k. I agree and will post about it later.
• Average Jane gives us tips for getting the best airfare in Buying Airfare: Get the Best Bang for Your Buck posted at Average Jane’s Guide to Budget Travel. My roomie loves flyertalk a forum where people post about travel bidding wars and when you should specifically leap on cheap airline ticket deals!
• GrrlScientist gives a frugal travelling tip in London Update: Where I Stayed posted at Living the Scientific Life. Looks like a cheap hostel option, and better than many others I’ve seen or stayed in. Although I’m getting to old to stay in hostels.

Retirement

Sir Paul McCartney, probably one the richest and most famous rock stars could have entered early retirement years ago.  Yet he still watches his money and tours as a solo artist.  He’s so thrifty his kids complain.  He flys economy and wears non-designer duds most of the time.  Very cool.

• Nigel talks about frugal ways to retire in 10 Alternatives to Retiring Abroad posted at Retire To India. My brother’s in-laws RV caravan across the US most of the year, and thus save on the cost of a house. They love the adventure, sounds good to me.
• Madison discusses taking advantage of the 2010 loophole for taxes in Roth IRA Conversion Strategy to Avoid Taxes posted at My Dollar Plan. Sounds good, but it might not be worth it depending on your income above $100k, be sure to consult a tax advisor.
• R asks how to belong in Can I still Fit in If I’m Frugal? posted at Retired At 47. I think a lot has to do not just with mindset, but when you are still working you dream of getting away. But as a retiree, you have nothing to escape from. Find other retirees of any age and I bet he’d have more in common.

Cars

Spiderman’s alter ego is a pretty thrifty guy and so is Tobey Maguire.  Growing up poor, makes him worried about whether he could return.  He still drives a toyota prius and hasn’t traded up to something fancier.  Imagine we could be driving something nicer than spiderman.

• FIRE Finance gives us gas saving tips in Save Gas - Tips To Save Money On Gas posted at FIRE Finance. Personally, I find biking is the best way to save on driving, but sometimes laziness wins.
• Sam gives us tips when car insurance shopping in How to Get Discounts When Buying Car Insurance | Fix My Personal Finance - Personal Finance Advice - Money Management Advice posted at Fix My Personal Finance - Personal Finance Advice - Money Management Advice. He puts together a simple list you can copy and call your current company about to confirm you are getting all possible discounts, though he missed on, the professional discount. Ask if you get a discount for belonging to a certain group like dentist, lawyers, electricians, etc.
• The Happy Rock talks about saving money in car maintenance in Tire Lessons From A Nissan Murano And A TireRack.com Review posted at The Happy Rock. I still love costco, because of the warranty and ease of replacing the tires in case something goes wrong. And yep proper alignment is essential, but if it’s that out of whack I can normally feel it.

I hope you had a great festival. I had a blast hosting it. I am thankful to all bloggers who submitted excellent articles about Frugality. Thank you so much and come back again or sign up for all new posts through RSS Feed or Email.