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.)