The Digerati Life has some solid saving suggestions in How to Lower Your Credit Card Interest Rates.

How to Roast a Butternut Squash, Kristia from Family Balance Sheet.

Get Rich Slowly presents some innovative stain removal ideas in Creative Cleaning with Everyday Products.

My Dollar Plan breaks down insurance strategies with How to Save Money with High Deductible Health Plans.

Six Questions You Must Ask Before Getting Engaged at Sound Money Matters.

Thanks for hosting! Next week the festival travels to The Financial Blogger – enter today, don’t delay!

Divide the total price by the number of ounces to compare different dry goods and brands of the same cereal. Easily add up the number of sheets of different paper towels or toilet paper (don’t forget the ply!). The list goes on and on.

So slip a calculator inside your reusable shopping bag today, and never be without it at the grocery store. One of my bags even has a little zipper pouch to keep it in.

• 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?

Thanks for hosting!!  Next week the Festival travels to Cheap Healthy Good – so make sure you’re a part of it by entering today!

• Cheap Healthy Good puts on a mythbuster hat to bust modern food myths!
• Family Balance Sheet reminds us that the clearance rack is not just seasonal wrapping paper!
• Sarah at The One! gives 99 excellent tips on saving money at your wedding.

Visit the Festival to see even more great entries, and pick some favorites of your own!  Thanks for hosting the BIG list!  Now make sure to submit today to be included in next week’s edition, hosted at Domestic Cents!

If you have an FSA, make sure you know what’s going on with it.  What dates is it valid for?  Most are Jan 1st to Dec 31st, but plans vary.  How much is left in it?  Do you have a plan for using it up?  These are use it or lose it plans, so if you let the money sit, you’ll lose it – defeating the purpose of the plan.

So make sure you stay aware, stay on top of things, and stay in control – use that FSA the right way!

• Craig Ford presents How to Avoid the Restaurant to Save Money posted at Money Help For Christians.
• Mr Credit Card presents Why I Collect Milesposted at Ask Mr Credit Card.
• Peter presents How To Get The Best Deal When Signing Up For Cable Or Satellite TVposted at Bible Money Matters.
• J.D. Roth presents Pay Yourself First posted at Get Rich Slowly.
• MoneyNing presents Help Your Children Visualize Money Mangement with the Four Jars Approach posted at Money Ning.

But there is plenty for all to enjoy!  Take a spin over to the festival and find something you like.  And while you;re doing that, make sure to enter next week’s festival, which will be at Frugal Homemaker Plus!

The point is – most of us need to exercise.  So instead of signing up for the nearest gym then guilting yourself into going, find a form of exercise you enjoy.  Spending your money wisely is one of the tenets of frugality.  Maybe you’re interested in the martial arts.  Maybe running is your thing.  Maybe you enjoy kicking the ball around.  Whatever it is, look for opportunities that capture that, instead of signing up for something you hate.

Exercise comes in many forms, after all.  There’s something for everyone!

Tyler presents Quit Worrying About 80% of Your Life posted at Frugally Green.

Paul Williams presents Neuroeconomics: Helping Explain Why We Make Stupid Money Mistakes posted at Provident Planning.

Wojciech Kulicki presents Navigating The 4 Stages of New Car Ownership posted at Fiscal Fizzle.

Thanks for hosting!  Next week the Festival travels to Gather Little By Little so get your entries in!

One of the things that my spouse and I do, if we get fast food, is split a value meal and order one extra separate sandwich.  We each get our own sandwich, but we eat half the fries and drink half the drink we normally would.  It is still plenty of food and less evil calories.

But if you try this – calculate out which value meal gives you the better bang for the buck before you order.  Sometimes, there is more of a markup on one sandwich’s value meal than another.  I don’t know why, but the math doesn’t always work out evenly.  Why the fries and soda of one is more expensive than another, I don’t know.  But who wants to pay extra for the same thing!

Fast food may not be the answer – but for most of us, be it when we are traveling, or just overworked and running late, we may find ourselves there once in a while.  If you do, be smart.

• Bucksome presents How the Recession has Hit Our Family posted at Buck$ome Boomer’s Journey to Retirement.
• Kalani presents How to Welcome Overnight Guests Without Spending Moneyposted at Not Spending Money.
• Kristia presents Cold weather is coming…Seven Tips to Save Money on your Heating Bills. posted at Family Balance Sheet.
• Miss M presents A Frugal Idea Backfires posted at M is for Money.
• Baker presents Bend Over… I’ll Show You Where You Can Stick Your ‘Rewards’.posted at Man Vs. Debt.

Thanks for hosting!  Next week the festival travels to Miss Thrifty for edition #200! so get your entries in!