Monies.

4 posts in one day. Epic.

Being cheap is the new cool. If you keep up with the economic news, you would know that the states are in some deep trouble. You can tell people are scared when newspapers start producing tonnes of articles talking about how to be frugal.

For instance, from the globeandmail.com:

"If you ask people, 'Can you afford that?' what people tend to think of is, 'Can I afford the payments on that?'"

- Ronald Wilcox, author of Whatever Happened to Thrift

It's frugal time, folks

"The number of news pieces devoted to frugality has almost quadrupled in the last three months," Melissa Tosetti, editor and publisher of the online magazine Budget Savvy, told PRWeek U.S. recently. David Johnson, CEO of the Atlanta-based PR firm Strategic Vision, says that while there are few mainstream outlets that have a dedicated frugality reporter, he is now fielding calls from food editors and consumer reporters looking for experts on stretching a budget, shopping online and saving on gas costs. The publication advises flacks that many clients "don't want to be attached to doom-and-gloom stories, so PR pros need to make sure that their pitches on frugality and cutting costs are upbeat in tone and pro-active on advice."

Veggie gardens?

"Growing your own vegetables sounds like a worthy endeavour," Terry Wolfley writes in the Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press, "but several factors should be taken into account."

Ask yourself if you have the physical energy and planting space to grow some or most of your seasonal vegetables.

Don't be like a child at the holiday dinner table, with eyes bigger than your stomach. Plant and grow only what you can realistically handle and consume.

Unless you are growing vegetables solely for the enjoyment of gardening, leave crops such as potatoes and corn to the farmers.

It is best to grow only enough of certain vegetables to provide fresh harvest in season, for your family's and friends' needs.

Some garden produce, such as lettuce and other salad greens, may be planted every two weeks to ensure a steady supply during the growing season.

Use up all of your jeans

"Ruby Edwards presents her gardener's apron with the flair of an accomplished model on a runway," Paul Fattig writes in the Medford, Ore., Mail Tribune. The 81-year-old fashioned her apron from a pair of worn jeans. "The back of the pants are always good to use; they last longer than the fronts," she said. "I carry my garden tools in my apron. I never go into the garden without it." Mr. Fattig adds: "The economic woes may also be increasing the number of TWITS. That would be Totally and Wholly Informed Tightwads, a [local] frugality group created two years ago ... The group, which has no membership fees, now has nearly 40 members on its e-mail list who share information on local bargains, sales, free items and related issues."

Oh, really, Mom

"Frugality is no doubt a positive trait but can it be carried too far?" Sumiko Tan writes in The (Singapore) Straits Times. "My mother is the sort who won't let a tube of toothpaste die in peace. She has a small plastic device that has a slit where you slide the base of the tube through. It ensures you squeeze the paste from the bottom and work your way up, leaving nothing to waste. When we're down to the last blob of paste, she will insist that there is just that bit more to be used. So she'll cut the tube into two and scrape what little is left inside the two halves. There's usually enough toothpaste for another two or three brushings. It's a habit that drives me up the wall."

Ever thought of this?

A gleaning of frugality tips from across the United States:

"I've refilled a ketchup bottle with packets after a fast-food trip." - Lori, Oregon

"I've saved plastic trays from TV dinners. I use those to heat food in or put cat food in." - Tammy, Alabama

"I make the kids save their plastic utensils, and I run the plasticware through the dishwasher for them to take with their lunches." - Kim, Colorado

"I dump the bathroom trash into the kitchen trash so I don't have to throw away the bathroom trash bag." -Stephanie, California