photo by Lin Pernille

DEAR SARA: What books on frugality do you recommend? — Danielle, New Jersey

DEAR DANIELLE: I’ve enjoyed “More with Less Cookbook” by Doris Janzen Longacre (Herald Press, 2003) because it contains practical recipes with ingredients the average person has on hand. The recipes are tried-and-true and aren’t complicated. I’m certain you’ll find family favorites. Some budget cookbooks are lacking in nutrition and offer a lot of hamburger-type casseroles. You’ll discover a nice balance of recipes even if you’re a vegetarian.

I also love “Material World: A Global Family Portrait” by Peter Menzel, Charles Mann and Paul Kennedy (Sierra Club Books, 1995). It contains beautiful pictures from around the world. Each family profiled shares their most valuable possessions and their hopes and dreams. It will humble you. You’ll laugh and you’ll cry. It helped ground me and put things into perspective when I first started living frugally.

DEAR SARA: I have tried creating a menu for a week at a time. I have no problems coming up with meals and sticking to it. The problem is that when I don’t create a menu, I spend less on food than when following a menu plan. It doesn’t make any sense to me. Why could this be happening? — Eileen, Minnesota

DEAR EILEEN: Often, when we create a menu plan, we are creating meals that we want and don’t have ingredients for instead of creating meals based on ingredients we have on hand. Make a list of what you have available, check store ads and then make your menu from that list.

DEAR SARA: My husband always goes to a drive-through if we’re out somewhere and the kids are hungry. This can cost $20 sometimes! I’m thinking of stocking a small cooler. The problem is that my husband thinks I’m being petty. The kids and I don’t have a problem stopping at a rest stop and having a picnic or having a ready-made snack in the car. Is packing a cooler going too far for frugality? — Mary C., e-mail

DEAR MARY C.: Many families pack coolers when taking trips. It’s not just being frugal. It’s healthier, cuts time and is a good safety measure, too. For short trips, our family often packs fruit, crackers, water and granola bars. If I need to keep food cold during longer trips, I sometimes use thermal bags for each family member. It takes less space than a full size cooler and is easier with young children.

DEAR SARA: I really want to save money by packing my own lunch to take to school with me, but I need some more variety than a peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, an apple and carrots. The catch: My lunch has to make it through three hours of class and can’t require reheating. I don’t eat meat, so no meat sandwiches. — A.C., e-mail

DEAR A.C.: I’d invest in a thermos, food jar and thermal lunch bag. This will greatly increase your options. You’ll get years of use from them. If you’re tight on cash, freeze yogurt. It’ll thaw in time. You can try salsa and chips, pasta salad made with veggies and Italian dressing, dried fruit, granola bars, celery and peanut butter, popcorn, rice cakes, Velveeta and crackers, and muffins. You can also try using different types of bread for sandwiches, such as tortillas, pita bread, English muffins, bagels and croissants. Frozen bottled water will keep things cold until lunchtime.

DEAR SARA: Do you plan to stock up on the Forever stamps? — Michelle S., Massachusetts

DEAR MICHELLE: No. Although I see the benefit of convenience when there’s a price increase, I do almost everything online because it’s less expensive than paying postage. I pay some bills online and have others automatically deducted. I primarily use e-mail and instant-messaging programs to keep in touch with others. I occasionally mail a letter, but not enough to justify buying the Forever stamp in bulk. If you do a lot of postal mailing, then I can understand having a small stash of them.

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