Frugal Village

photo by seriously photographic

Tips are sent to me from all over the world. I love the first tip because I’ve never considered getting my hair cut by a barber. I like the whole wash, cut and style I get at the salon. If my hairstyle required clippers, I’d give it a try on a day I was feeling courageous. Maybe there will be more “barberettes” in the future. I’ve sat while my son was getting his hair cut at the barbershop. I love the consistency of his perfect “Princeton” every time. He’s never gotten a bad cut. I’ve noticed the conversations have more breadth than at salons, too. At salons, the stylists talk more to one another. I’ll stay open-minded on this. I can’t say that I feel welcome to hop up on the chair at the local barbershop. Is it just me? Do you think barbershops are boys’ club only? continue reading » »

photo by zacklur

When I was growing up, generic products seemed inferior to brand-name products. We grew a garden, so our house wasn’t filled with generic canned vegetables, but I do remember the black-and-white or yellow-and-black labels. There were no fancy descriptions. Look at a can or box on a supermarket shelf now, and you could spend a few minutes simply reading the label.

It’s interesting how brand-loyal we can sometimes be. Sure, some products might be better quality. But how much does perceived superiority come into play? I polled readers. I wanted to know which products they would buy name brand only. Here’s the word on the most popular products that they “have” to buy name brand: cereal, laundry detergent, dish soap, pet food, yogurt, toilet paper, ketchup, mayonnaise, peanut butter, coffee, cheese, soda pop, soup, paper towels, toothpaste, baby formula and snacks (such as cookies and crackers). continue reading » »

photo by Arlette

Cooking existed long before boxed and canned convenience goods. While some prepackaged products provide tasty shortcuts, it’s good to know how to make things yourself. You want your family to enjoy more than just add-water, heat-and-eat meals. Many from-scratch recipes are simple and don’t take a long time to make. In a recent study based on 64 weeknight dinner routines of 32 families, Margaret Beck, a researcher at UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives of Families (CELF), concluded that families that relied heavily on convenience foods saved an average of 10 to 12 minutes over families that used them less frequently.

If you’ve got 10 minutes to spare, try the following recipes. Let me know what you think.
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DEAR SARA: I asked my mother-in-law what my sister-in-law might like for her upcoming birthday. She told me she wanted a Mary Ann pan. I was too embarrassed to ask what it is. What is it? — Becky Cody, Kansas continue reading » »

photo by talekinker

Homemade gravy is far superior to what you can buy in the store. It’s cheaper, too. It’s oil, liquid, such as stock, and a thickener. Seems simple enough. Yet how often have you bought a can, jar or packet? The trick to making gravy without lumps is to make a slurry by using the first reader’s tip. continue reading » »