Welcome to The Festival of Frugality #203. Tomorrow is Veterans Day here in the United States. So in honor of our veterans, this is the American flag edition.

photo by tibchris

First I’d like to highlight the Five Star posts. These are the Editor’s Picks:

J.D. Roth from Get Rich Slowly shares The Curse Of A Big-Win Mentality. He writes, “We are a culture that loves to celebrate shaving $200 off our monthly mortgage with a new $300/month car payment.” So true.

Oops! Did you screw up dinner? No need to throw it out and order pizza. You can find 5 Quick Fixes To Salvaging A Good Meal at Wise Bread.

There’s a tough one at Gather Little By Little – How Much Does Your Vice Cost? We all hold onto something that isn’t really helpful or doesn’t make like easier – we just like it. What is it costing you?

photo by audreyjm529

Here are the rest of the fantastic submissions. Enjoy!

FrugalMaman from Fortuitously Frugal has some great ideas for Homemade Gifts including some delicious-looking gift baskets.

Paula Wethington from Monroe On A Budget shares Ideas For Christmas Gifts Under $20. This is a thorough list with some great ideas.

Head over to Make It From Scratch to see how to make a Little Girl’s Headband. She shows us how ‘doting mom,’ ‘environmentalist,’ and ‘crafter’ can be a winning mix!

Thinking of buying a digital camera for someone for Christmas? The Dough Roller shares The Best Digital Camera Bargains of 2009.

photo by ice.bluess

David Carlson of Dual Income No Kids talks about Being Frugal With Splurges. You can treat yourself without going overboard.

Siobhan Hanlin of Facets Of The Fabulous was able to survive University without a single credit card or overdraft. Go check out How To Survive University Without An Overdraft.

Is your wife a little more conservative than you are when it comes to investing? MoneyNing will tell you How To Get Your Wife To Invest.

Paul Williams from Provident Planning wrote Why We’re Not Buying Life Insurance (Yet). I admit, I was skeptical when I read the title. However, his reasoning is pretty sound – check it out.

photo by wolfsavard

Madison from My Dollar Plan encourages us to Make The Most Of Open Enrollment, the one chance per year when most employees can make changes to their benefits.

Patrick from Cash Money Life shares How To Lower Your Auto Insurance Bill. It’s a necessary expense but you have the power to shop around. You could potentially pay 30% less than you pay now!

Mrs. Accountability from Out Of Debt Again asks How Much Do You Care About Expiration Dates? Do you throw things out immediately or are you willing to drink milk the day after “the date.”

Ben from Money Smart Life shares about Open Enrollment Deadlines. This is a popular topic for a reason. With the exception of major life changes, this is your opportunity to review and change your benefits at work.

photo by clickfarmer

Have you ever tried to go a week without spending money? PT Money shares his Results Of A Week Without Spending. I’ll give you a little spoiler: he ended up making money!

Tyler from Frugally Green asks What’s Your Environmental Net Worth? If you were to calculate “the sum of your environmental contributions minus your grievances,” how would you add up?

Jeff from Good Financial Cents posted Should You Buy Life Insurance At An Early Age? He says this is the most important question: Are you supporting individuals whose livelihood depends on your income? If the answer is yes, it’s time to look at life insurance.

Kris from Cheap Healthy Good shares Sandra’s Money Saving Meals: A Review. Does the show grate your nerves or have you found it helpful?

Cheapskate Sandy from Yes I Am Cheap shares Finance 101: Understanding Your Flexible Savings Account (FSA). Is this a benefit they offer in your workplace but you have no idea what it is? Check it out.

photo by pcfishhk

Looking for a place to stow your tons of cash (or your tirelessly saved pennies)? The Smarter Wallet compares some of The Top Online Savings Accounts in a clear and easy-to-read manner.

FMF from Free Money Finance busts some Car Care Maintenance Myths. Does the oil really need to be changed every 3,000 miles? Probably not.

Craig Ford from Money Help For Christians has seen first hand that you can Cut Costs By Being Resourceful. His wife share a few ways she has seen people save money where they live in Papau New Guinea.

SVB of The Digerati Life shares how to Create A Home Budget, Using The Envelope Budgeting System. She explains the system and lays out the pros and cons for you.

photo by PhotoDu.de

Tom at The Canadian Finance Blog discusses what it would take for the Costco Wholesale Executive Membership to be a good purchase for you.

Bucksome from Bucksome Boomer’s Journey To Retirement is Calling All Shoppers! Are you planning on getting some great deals on Black Friday? Plan ahead for success!

Find some Simple & Cheap Ways To Spice Up Your Everyday Food at Fabuluosly Broke … In The City. Quickly spice up any meal with these great, fresh ingredients.

RC from Think Your Way To Wealth shares a foundational frugal truth: Save Money By Practicing Moderation In Your Life.

photo by Beverlykahuna

Cecil Dellison of Clear Choice Credit Cards asks Do Credit Unions Offer The Best Credit Card Options For You?

Ray at Financial Highway thinks credit cards have been given a bad name in the personal finance world and wants to show you how to choose the Best Credit Card

Wojciech Kulicki of Fiscal Fizzle shared about Writing An Awesome Personal Executive Summary and how that relates to personal finance.

David of Credit Card Offers IQ shares about the Quicken Rewards Visa Credit Card.

Credit Shout suggests Using 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards To Reduce Debt.

Thanks so much to everyone that participated!

Why I do what I do ~ Chloe: “Mommy, how do babies hatch?” Looks like I still have a few years before the birds and the bees chat

Related posts:

1. Good Reads: I Won Something!
2. Frugality Is Not A Contest
3. Home-made Greeting Cards
4. Good Reads: An Autumn Snowman
5. Frugality Builds Character

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