Category: Holidays and Special Occasions

Frugalwoods Philosophy / Holidays and Special Occasions

14 Nov, 2016

Starting The Thanksgiving Season With Gratitude

As Thanksgiving looms on the horizon–scratch that, “looms” sounds entirely too negative… as Thanksgiving blossoms (?) on the horizon, I’m reflecting on how tremendously grateful I am for the wonderful things in my life. I am fortunate beyond measure and thankful in a profound, deep way. Beyond my gratitude, I’m cognizant of the privilege that catapulted me to this point and mindful that not everyone in our country is so fortunate, nor so immune from hardship. I...

Holidays and Special Occasions / Marriage & Money

12 Feb, 2016

A Frugal Valentine’s Day: Do Instead Of Buy

I do not hate Valentine’s Day. I’ll be honest with you right now, I’m rather a sucker for adorable little holidays like Halloween and V-Day. Ok, being totally honest, I like big holidays too. Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays… I’m smitten! What I do hate is the rampant commercialization of these holidays. But for my part, I choose to tune out the endless prompts to buy more stuff. Instead, I focus on the love that springs forth when we don’t get...

Holidays and Special Occasions / Kids

16 Dec, 2015

The Immense Benefits of Giving Children a Frugal Christmas

Although my husband and I aren’t frugal weirdos per say, we do try to keep things as frugal as possible in our household, especially around the holidays. Part of our interest in frugality stems from the period of time when we lived in Grenada so my husband could attend medical school there. During that time we learned to be wise with our money, and we even paid off all of our credit card debt because...

Holidays and Special Occasions / Smart Buys

25 Nov, 2015

How I Send Hilarious And Cheap Christmas Cards

I am one of those rare people who delights in sending paper greetings through the postal service every Christmas. It’s an antiquated practice to be sure, but it’s something I greatly enjoy. Of course, it’s far less frugal to mail paper cards than it would be to transmit the modern e-card equivalent, but I find this analogue approach a soothing counter-balance to our otherwise entirely electronic lives. Plus, don’t you think I’m doing the world a favor...

125

Featured / Food / Holidays and Special Occasions

23 Nov, 2015

Thanksgiving Is The Gateway Drug To A Leftover Loving Life

I typically don’t take a militant stance on anything because we all have different goals, circumstances, backgrounds, and financial situations. However, there is one thing about which I am a vehement, diehard evangelist and I’ll rage on if given half the chance. This lightening rod issue that’ll cause me to shed my otherwise accepting, egalitarian self? Leftovers. There is only one appropriate way to deal with leftovers: by eating them. You can freeze them, store them, save them, or...

112

Holidays and Special Occasions / Smart Buys

18 Nov, 2015

Holiday Gifts For Frugal Weirdos To Give And Receive

As the holidays near and I spring around with glee because I love–LOVE–Christmas, the question of gift giving and receiving is in the air. Presents are often a divisive topic amongst the frugal cadre as we, by our inherent frugal weirdo nature, can’t abide seeing money wasted on worthless stuff. However, as people who are equal parts frugal and Christmas adorers, Mr. Frugalwoods and I have staked out a middle ground with holiday gifts. We don’t...

Entertainment / Holidays and Special Occasions

21 Sep, 2015

Frolicking Through Fall With The Frugalwoods

The first hesitant tendrils of fall are filtering through the air. Frugal Hound is sniffing the cool breeze expectantly and thus far, one leaf hath crunched underfoot–it was either premature in its falling or just a dead leaf, but I’ll take it! Autumn is, without contest, the most favored of seasons for the Frugalwoods. It’s a time rife with frugal opportunity and its natural beauty is unparalleled. Fall, though an unassuming calendar event at first blush–nestled as...

Holidays and Special Occasions

3 Jul, 2015

Have A Happy, Frugal July 4th Weekend!

Happy 4th of July to our US readers! What do frugal people do to celebrate independence day? Why, they run through the streets waving the flag of the frugal weirdo of course. Although, come to think of it, that would be no flag at all since we’re all too frugal to buy an actual frugal weirdo flag… But I digress, frugal weirdos just do free stuff like fear for their lives while watching their neighbors and...

145

Holidays and Special Occasions / Marriage & Money

28 Jan, 2015

A Frugal Weirdo’s Anti-Valentine’s Day Manifesto

We don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day, which I’m sure surprises no one given our status as chief frugal weirdos. I could rant about how dumb of a holiday Valentine’s Day is (very dumb) and how terrible of a deal it is to eat out on February 14th (rather terrible indeed). But what I really want to talk about is why my relationship with Mr. Frugalwoods doesn’t need Valentine’s Day. Here’s the thing: every convention of Valentine’s Day has...

Frugalwoods Philosophy / Holidays and Special Occasions

29 Dec, 2014

Here’s To A Frugal & Woodsy 2015

Frugalwoods is my manifesto. I’ve never felt so passionately about a project nor poured so much energy into any single venture. As 2014 comes to a close, I want to share how grateful I am to all of you for reading along as Mr. FW and I navigate our journey to financial independence. Thank you for being here with us! What Frugalwoods Means to Me I published my first post here on April 9th and felt...