No Limits Ladies.com

As children, we would each get one set of new school clothes every year (I have five siblings). The rest was supplied by hand-me-downs and donations. We'd keep these clothes in tip top condition (or as tip top as rowdy kids could keep them) by wearing them only for school or other special occasions. When we got home, we'd change into harder worn clothes.

I've continued doing this as an adult. When I get home from work, I'll change out of my suit into comfy, relaxing clothes. This could be dress slacks with worn cuffs or shirts with a discoloration (from what, I don't know – the hubby gets mysterious grease drops on his shirts). If I'm not going anywhere or expecting anyone, it could be that faded frosh t-shirt from first year university, the one with 'Let's Merge' and other witty accounting pick up lines on it, and that 80's style pair of jeans with the knees hanging out of them (very George Michael). Oh, and the crazy holiday socks my Mom always buys me.

What does this do? It extends the life of my pricier business clothes (I can also often wear them twice without washing, saving more wear and tear). It delays the used clothes' trip to the landfill (delayed even longer if I use them for painting or gardening clothes, and after that for rags). It saves me time by limiting the clothes shopping I need to do.

As the hubby and I were traveling through Europe, I kept an eye on business fashion trends. One?

Cufflinks.

Remember when every man wore those? (Grinning) Then you are likely older than I am. As a kid, I would find them at garage sales and not know what they were. Ignorant me thought they were some sort of strange clip on earring.

Now I do know. Most of the Jermyn Street shirts the hubby picked up in London charity shops (along with some awesome suits) use them. The issue is that the hubby loses cufflinks (and cellphones and car keys and…) and I have (wincing) a tendency to put them through the wash, never to see them again.

What's a girl to do?

Tell all her yard sale haunting friends and family to look out for them. My Mom has been going out every weekend to estate sales and picking them up at bargain basement prices. That's because not many men in North America use them yet most have one or two sets in their collection.

Yeah, I know what you entrepreneur minded readers are thinking. A possible mad money opp. I agree. I think there's some money to be made.

I also have her looking for what the hubby calls bones but what others call collar stays. These permanent ones (brass or ivory or…) are a much needed replacement for the cheapie ones found in even American shirts.

Marketing for a small press book launch is usually borne by the author. Actually even if you're with a larger publisher, you likely have to do your own marketing. Publishers are busy promoting the publishing house first and their biggest authors second (you as a first time author, unless you're Bill Clinton, won't qualify).

There is a trade off in marketing. Time vs Money.

There is plenty of free promotion out there. My blog buddies, Single Ma at Fabulous Financials, Nina at QueerCents, Money On My Mind, and Blunt Money, kindly let me guest post for free. I also wrote articles for submission sites and distributed ePress releases. A great part about these free promotions is their permanent nature. The posts will be there until the end of time (or the blog). However, all this cost time (why I've only guest posted at blogs I greatly admire).

On the other side of the spectrum are the paid spots. I paid for banner and cover ads at most of the biggest romance sites. The most effective advertising per dollar (based on traffic)? Hands down, Adwords. A must for any serious site owner.

I did minimal schwag (pens 'cause I lose a lot of pens and figured I might as well lose my own). The main reason was so I had something to contribute to romance convention loot bags, giving back to the community and having an excuse to talk to the influentials organizing the bags.

Is it working? Slowly and not enough to pay back on this first book.

Are you seeing multiple countries? What we usually do is convert a minimum amount of dollars (enough for at least the first day) into the local currency upon arrival (at the airport). You'll usually get a better exchange than doing this State side. During our stay in the country, we usually will use our bank cards at large, international banks (like HSBC or Barclays). It is easy and the exchange rates usually lower. Then before moving to the next country, we'll convert any leftover currency first. Remember that usually coins can't be converted so spend your change first.

I don't use traveler checks. I do hide money on my person (I always have a U.S. $20 in my bra – if thieves find that, I have bigger problems than losing my cash). However, because we use bank cards, we don't carry a lot of cash.

Do you have to convert to local currency?

Sure, most touristy places will take the American greenback (still, despite all the scare talk). However, they will do so at a premium and expect to get local currency back. Local places like street vendors (yum) and grocery stores (an inexpensive place for souvenirs) will want local currency.

Before we return home, we always convert our currency back to U.S.

As many of you know, I'm not the world's greatest chef. Jamie Oliver (who I hear is a sweetie, unlike Nigella Lawson) is not trembling in fear. That is, unless I'm to cook for him.

But I LOVE BBQ season. It might be because my hubby is the main BBQ guy or because everything tastes better cooked that way.

Here are some of my fave BBQ tips;

Chunks Over Hunks

Instead of serving up chicken breasts, I usually cut the breasts up and put them on skewers (those bamboo ones I buy at the dollar store, soaking them in water first). My favorite marinade is a simple lemon and black pepper and when I marinade chunks over hunks, the meat is more flavorful and moist.

This also allows guests to sample a wider variety without wasting anything. If I'm using bone-in chicken breasts, this allows me to use the bone for chicken stock (tossing it in a freezer container until I can use it).

Stretch With Veggies

Even the most die hard carnivore is more likely to eat veggies off the BBQ, especially if these veggies are skewered with meat. Because I'm grilling them and using dabbing with some marinade, I can use older veggies found at the last day of sale area in the grocery store.

Microwave Baked Potatoes First

Baked potatoes take forever on the BBQ. Not a happy situation for my main BBQ'er (the hubby). What I do to speed up the process is cook them in the microwave (poked with a fork and covered with margarine) first.

I'm still reducing, slowing but surely dropping dress sizes (those numerous housewarmings or family eat-athons aren't helping). Unfortunately, during the summer, because of writing, I'm actually less active than the rest of the year. I walk around on the business gigs. I go to meetings. I work on several projects. I run during rushed deadlines. When writing, I stay put, banging out that chapter a day all day almost continuously.

Our city has passed a pesticide law. No pesticides on lawns. They didn't give any notice so there are no real natural alternatives developed yet (great planning on the city's part but that is a whole other post). We're thinking about changing our motto to The City Of Dandelions. Yes, those dreaded yellow weeds (that actually can be eaten, salad style) are taking over.

I combined both of my problems into one very frugal solution, the dandelion crunch. Every morning after my hour walk around the track, I pull dandelions for a few minutes, sucking in my stomach, and, as the hubby says, tightening the core.

It is working. Both on the lawn and on my belly.

You can probably tell from the last few posts that I'm full into Suzy Homemaker mode. Something about working at home (the writing) and saving that four hour commute brings out the nesting impulse in me. I'm all about cutting costs (at least for a couple weeks and then I'll be back to both cutting costs and increasing investing returns).

Part of saving money on food includes making good use of my pantry. When the hubby and I first looked at our house, it was the big cabinets in the kitchen that blew me away (the hubby calls it the bomb shelter as we can live for months on the canned stuff there).

However, having a pantry comes with responsibilities and that is proper food rotation. It is SO easy to simply slide the new cans of tomatoes in front of the old. Mistake. That means I'll only be using the new cans and the old cans will get very, very, very old.

It is a little more work but new product goes in the back. Because I'm lazy, that usually means I buy certain products in bulk so I only have to rotate once in a while.

I also keep an eye on best before dates and use up those items before then. Lucky for me, most cans last a long, long time (and the hubby likes to eat when we have the food). Anything in paper bags, I put in plastic.

For my last day at my contract gig, I brought in store bought (actually donut store bought) muffins for the team. Each muffin was baked in a paper muffin cup.

Every time I see those paper cups, I think of the Seinfeld muffin top episode ("Its not top of the muffin, to you!"). I suspect Elaine likes muffin tops because with those, she doesn't have to do that irritating and messy peeling off of the paper (I HATE that, if I wasn't so frugal, I'd also discard the bottom).

I know why stores use the paper muffin cups. They cook in mass quantities, don't use non-stick tins, and they make handling easier.

Do you know why YOU use paper muffin cups? I asked my own self that question years ago (I bought them because my Mom bought them). I DO have non-stick muffin tins. The muffins pop out perfectly after baking (easier if you let them cool until the tin is cool to the touch, not too long or the bottoms will be soggy). I'm also only baking a tin or two full so there's not a rush for clean up.

BTW… the trick to a perfect muffin is not to stir the batter too much (perfect for lazy me). It is supposed to be lumpy.

Companies do this all the time. They'll negotiate for very favorable payment terms from suppliers and then tighten the payment terms for customers. For example: They'll pay suppliers in 60 days and receive payment from customers in 30. The result? If they turn around product quickly, they can use the cash from customers to pay the suppliers, using none of their own money.

Can individuals do the same?

Sure. Keeping an eye on when my credit card cuts, I can buy a product and have 30 days to pay for it without incurring interest charges. During that time, I could sell the product for a profit.

I'm doing this currently with my book sales (authors only get a certain number of free books, my number is 5, after that, I have to buy ). I buy the eBook on my credit card and collect the cash from readers immediately (right now, I'm reinvesting that cash in more book purchases but I could invest it elsewhere).

What if you're not flipping the purchase? Well, if you're like me and don't buy unless you have cash to pay for it, you can still invest the cash for the month, getting your little bit in interest (little bits add up), and pay at the end of the month.

Cash flow counts. The longer you can extend the interest free period of payments and the sooner you receive the cash, the better (that is why many stores offer a cash "discount", they're working the float).

Finally, finally, finally spring is here. The snow has melted and the grass is getting green. Many of my neighbors are out puttering around the garden, happily digging in the dirt and planting things.

Not me. This is tax season and to compound things this year, I have a May book launch.

That’s okay. I’m prepared. You see years ago, when we bought this first (and likely only) house, I planted a few bulbs with the roses and a couple lilies along our white picket fence (Seriously, we have one. I know, I know, I don’t seem like a white picket fence girl).

The bulbs (daffodils, tulips, crocus) were a great idea. At first, they were sparse but they’ve now multiplied so much that I thin them out every fall and give some bulbs away (I could sell them but instead, I trade for other things).

The lilies seemed like a similar great idea… until little red bugs got at them. I tried to kill these bugs off but nothing worked (plus I am quite lazy). I’ve since replaced them with irises. The irises are even better because the leaves by themselves are quite pretty. When the spring blooms are done, I chop them off and leave the leaves. Plus the irises are fine growing in the shade of the big maple and in almost 100% sand.

Don’t have the money for bulbs? Simply ask around. Many of us have extra that we’d be happy to give you. That makes spring planting… hhhmmm… basically free.

Whether we are or aren't officially in a recession, we all know someone hurting financially. It could be an overextended homeowner or a downsized auto worker or even one of those formerly high income Wall Street mavens caught in the Bear Stearns mess. These folks have bills to pay. Many need cash and they need cash quickly.

Unfortunately there aren't many with the available cash. But those of us with some dollars set aside can help the situation while also helping ourselves.

How? By shopping.

It could be buying discounted stocks other investors are selling or resale items such as cars and art. In almost every market, the sellers out number the buyers. That means anxious sellers and good prices for buyers.

Recently the hubby and I bought a new-to-us car. We hadn't planned to buy for another year or two but when we saw the lowered prices, we decided to buy now. At first, I felt like a bit of a vulture, taking advantage of someone else's bad situation.

Until we met the car owner.

The seller was happy, no, thrilled to see us. He had multiple cars. He hadn't driven the about-to-be sold car for months. He had a mortgage payment and a kid in college. I got the impression the car sale was going towards his bills.

Maybe if things were better, he'd have held out for a higher price. Likely, however, the car would still be sitting in his driveway, not driven and not used (you know how waste of any kind drives me crazy).

We were happy. He was happy.

I own a house year round but there is something about spring that brings out the hidden home reno girl in me. I watch all the shows. I hang out in Home Depot. I'm not that handy but I do get the urge to try my hand at it.

The urge doesn't go away just because I've socked all my free cash into those bargain basement selling stocks offered right now so I have to find a way to do it on the cheap.

One solution?

Spending the money on paint. Changing a wall color is a relatively quick, easy, and inexpensive way to update a room. (Lucky for me, a decade after moving in, I still have the builder's primer on some of my walls… LOL, told ya I wasn't handy.)

I'll wait for sales and coupons (or even better coupons AND sales). Sometimes if I'm impatient, I'll phone paint manufacturers and ask if they have any coupons. Usually they will send me some (especially if I'm very nice about it).

I don't like buying the cheapo paint. I'm lazy. I find I have to use more coats with the cheap paints and if I have to use more coats, the savings tend to disappear.

I don't like to have a lot of stuff in my house (all those copies of past manuscripts drive me mad but I'm paranoid about not having a hard copy). So the stuff I do have, I make work hard.

Like fabric softener sheets.

First off, I only use half of one with each load of drying. I haven't seen a difference between using half and using a whole one. The clothes end up smelling nice and there's none of that dreaded static cling (unless I'm going into an important meeting, then you can bet I'll have all over static cling, including my hair).

Then when the clothes have been dried, I reuse the sheet.

How?

For dusting, mostly. I'm not a fan of dusting (try to keep all my knick knacks under glass) but using used fabric softener sheets makes it a bit easier. (BTW... if you are using one of those sprays with a rag aka an old tshirt, spray on the rag, not on the furniture.). I'm thinking fabric softener sheets must have been the inspiration behind the swiffer (same shape and everything).

I heard tell that fabric softener sheets are good for caked on pans too. I haven't tried that trick because, well, I have plenty of dusty furniture.

I was talking to my Mom about my about to be eight year old niece's upcoming birthday. It turns out that much to the dismay of her very artistic, anti-establishment parents (my brother is a goth-like poet and my sister-in-law is a hippy painter), she wants business cards for her birthday.

Yes, you read that right. Business cards.

She's been collecting them and would like to offer her own in exchange.

My first thought was to simply order her a bunch.

But then I recalled the boxes of unused business cards I, myself, have collected over the years. I didn't know what I'd do with them (I changed jobs every year) but I didn't want to simply recycle them.

So I've reused them instead. I designed the business card on 2"x4" white labels, using clipart, and printed them out on the laser printer (black and white was fine). I then labeled over my old contact information. The result looked half decent (good for casual cards but not if you're running a business) and it was pretty close to free.

A bonus was that I could make a variety of cards for all her different moods. Cards with dragon clipart for those dragon riding days (she's big into Eragon), white queen chess piece clipart complete with title for her chess themed birthday party (she is an unusual child), etc.

This was a great reminder that the first solution to any problem is not necessarily the most frugal or the best.

Coming from the farm, you can imagine the challenges of keeping a home clean. My Mom and her neighbors didn't have those fancy cleaning supplies filling Wal-mart shelves (Lavender scented? My aunties would say "Go pick the blossoms yourself"). They had a few rules and a few basics. Today, even being city folks, I still apply them.

When I see people wearing outdoor shoes in the house, my stomach turns. Do that on a farm and, well, yuck. Farmers spend their day knee deep in sh** (to put it bluntly). Sometimes I didn't even want to wear those shoes OUTSIDE. Wear them inside and the place would end up smelling and looking like a barn.

Plus one rock in the tread of a shoe and your hardwood is a goner. I saw that at a house party. Not a good scene.

We also didn't eat on carpeted areas, not every day (for special occasions, sure). Spills are easier to mop up on tile and even hardwood. One of the upsides to this rule is that it "forces" families to eat together, usually at the table. The hubby and I have some of our best conversations there.

As for cleaning supplies, I mostly use two basics, vinegar and bleach. Bleach with water (dilution pending on the surface) is used on floors, bathroom surfaces, tile, etc. Vinegar, again with water, cleans glass like a dream (50/50 split). Streak free and wonderful. It also is a good sub for that jetdry stuff in the dishwasher.

For antique wood and other fragile surfaces, I'll spring for the fancy cleaners but for the large surfaces, bleach and vinegar (not together), that's it.

Now, as with the investing techniques I talk about, you gotta do your own research on the basic cleaners. Makes no sense wrecking up thousands of dollars in hardwood to save a couple dollars on cleaners.

Last year, in preparation for my May 2008 book launch, I ordered 2,500 promo pens (a natural promotion idea as readers are often writers). As writer buddies organize conferences (perfectly targeted audiences), I've been sending them packages of pens for them to stuff in the giveaway bags.

My very frugal hubby, at first, had a fit. No, no, he'd protest, save these pens for "later." He only stopped making a fuss when I mentioned that a certain big conference charges authors $200 for the privilege of giving away their stuff (yet my buddies were kindly letting me give my pens away for free).

Here's the thing. Promotion, marketing, advertising, whatever you call it, when properly done is NOT an expense, it is an investment. Just as I wouldn't consider investing in the ice stock (btw… sold the cemetery and funeral home stock, I think they're going to have to cut distributions, will likely repurchase after that happens) as throwing money away, neither is investing in our own business (because that is exactly what marketing is, investing in our own company).

Does that mean I spend willy nilly on marketing? Nope. I only invest where I figure I'll get the best return. And when I invest, I track those returns (easier to do with internet promotions directed to our own website – I can see where the traffic is coming from and when the book is for sale, if that traffic is clicking through to the purchase link).

Recently I had an issue with a company (I wanted to apply a discount code to a purchase but the billing form wouldn't recognize it). Being an internet gal, I contacted their customer service via email. They responded back, telling me to talk to the billing department. They gave me a phone number. That phone number was long distance.

Heck no. This was a $10 dispute. If I got put on perma-hold (highly likely), the charges would quickly eat any savings.

I pushed back, asking for an email address. Voila, no charge.

The alternative (a buddy uses this one all the time) is to call the company collect. Very, very rarely will a company refuse to pick up the charges (I've never heard of a case where the company said no but I never say never – you never know).

Costly? Yes and no. For a smaller company, this could be less expensive than the 1-800 number. The toll free numbers cost a company a base amount whether people use it or not.

FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early – can’t argue with that philosophy) Finance is having a book giveaway .

Now I know my readers aren’t really into contests with free books as prizes (at least every time, No Limits Ladies tries to have a book giveaway, we get no entries) but this gives y’all (sometimes I feel southern, wishing the weather outside reflected this) a chance to wander over to FIRE and check the site out.

BTW… haven’t read the offer book myself (so watch out, I might enter). The cover gives me the same immediate negative reaction as Zero To One Million. This time I’m a bit wiser (and okay, a bit older too). No more judging a book by the cover.

And not by the back copy either. That same ol’ so and so has discovered the ONE thing you need to know to make millions, read this book and you will discover it too. I read that and think... "if I only need to know one simple secret, how come the book is 300 pages long?"

Cynicism aside, all I want from a book is one new idea. If it has that, I consider it worth the cover price.

Right now, Valentine's Day merchandise is on sale. You might be saying "So what? What do I need that stuff for?"

The hubby and I have an anniversary in March (15 years together, 10 of those married) so anything without Valentine's Day on it can be used for that special day (including, doing the happy dance, chocolate in those cute little heart boxes). But what if you didn't meet your SO in the spring time?

Then think about the other special occasions. Lets take wrapping paper as an example.

The plain red can be stored and then used for Christmas. Or if you've got international flare (or married to an Asian fella like hhhmmm… some bloggers you might know), red is good luck in most Asian countries. I saw one present wrapped in red with a gold bow and gold chopsticks that was simply too pretty to unwrap (tangent alert but those cute little Chinese food takeaway boxes make beautiful gift boxes).

Anything with plain pink is great for baby showers (combine with a blue bow if you're unsure of the sex).

White or any heart themed paper is wonderful for wedding showers and gifts.

Moving on to candy (bet you knew we'd get back to that). This year, in the candy aisle, we had those green M&M's for Valentine's Day (the new color of love or so they say). Some of my girlfriends are hoarding them for St. Patrick's Day. They plan to make green cupcakes (my Mom used to start our St. Patty's Day off with green milk) and use these M&M's to top them. Perfect for sending with the kiddies to school or for bringing to work.

There are so many great tips in MyGroceryDeals.com's eBook that it is difficult to choose a final segment. The section on coupons is slammin' but then I'm way too disorganized for coupons (I have a lot of paper floating around as is). Serious grocery savers keep a pricebook (great run through of that process also).

Since it is just the hubby and me at our house, our fave way to save on groceries is to stretch leftovers. Not only does it save money but it saves time.

Both of us being at a certain level and working in offices attend a lot of meetings. Many of these meetings happen over lunch (or even, sigh, dinner). To avoid the disaster of ordering too little for lunch (hungry execs are bad news), assistants often order too much. At the end of the day, this excess, if not eaten, gets tossed in the garbage (most cleaning staff can get fired for eating the extras, unfortunately).

So what we do is take it home. Now, you're saying "Ugghh, the same thing for lunch AND dinner?" Well, no, because we switch off. The hubby gets my lunch leftovers and I get his. We also do this with restaurant meals (they are SO massive) and any party leftovers (freezing the excess in single serve containers for homemade microwave meals). My in-laws don't eat leftovers so we get a good selection from there also.

A girlfriend was teasing me about my leftover cuisine, thinking I was nickel and diming UNTIL I told her that we saved thousands of dollars in food costs this way, enough for a one week cruise for two in the Caribbean. Those nickels and dimes add up (not to mention the time, coming home from work and not having to think about dinner).

For more great tips, check out MyGroceryDeals.com.

Being a meatasaurus (unfortunately, I have tried going veggie a few times but since we mostly eat leftovers from the in-laws, that is challenging), a big part of our food budget goes to buying meat.

Luckily MyGroceryDeals.com's eBook has a whole section with their readers' best tips on saving money buying meat.

One of the tips I use is to buy roasts (while on sale) and then cutting them into different sizes. Not only do I save money per pound but I also save time by doing so upfront work. I'll slice some of the roast into small strips for stirfries. Some into steaks for the BBQ (I'll put the marinade on them right away, also saving time). Some into chunks for stew. I'll then freeze them in freezer bags for future use.

Because I'm lazy and only grocery shop every so often, I freeze most of my meat buys. That means that I can happily buy last day of sale discounts. These "aged" meats are for using that day or freezing (when in doubt, freeze it). I always put them in freezer bags (saves any mess in the freezer and helps prevent freezer burn). I divide up any family sized packages (with family sized discounts).

I also debone chicken right away. I'll buy chicken breasts with bone in and debone it myself. The bone will be used for chicken stock ('cause I'm still on my soup diet) and the meat for other meals.

Once again, I haven't even put a dint in the eBook suggestions. Visit http://www.mygrocerydeals.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=site.dspShoppingTips for more.

There is nothing that I love better than a FREE eBook on how to save money. That is exactly what http://www.mygrocerydeals.com is offering. They've compiled the best tips from their very savvy readers into a comprehensive eBook (also available on their site).

There are so many tips that the next three weeks, I'll be featuring this site on Frugal Fridays. Honestly, I could feature this site for the next year of Frugal Fridays but all this talk about food shopping isn't going to be great for my weight reduction plan (still working, still hanging out in the food aisles).

Shopping alone is a guaranteed bill reducer (I also use a basket, rather than a cart). Shopping with my hubby results in at least one pie in the cart, usually apple, sometimes cherry.

Because of the package size switch-a-roo that I, myself, used to do while in product development (make the package tall and narrow and shoppers think they're getting more), I am very wary about the cost per ounce. Most of my grocery stores are great at displaying them on the shelf tag.

Also those 2 for 1 deals? You don't normally have to get 2 to get the same price. As for store card deals, many cashiers will let you get the deal without one. If they ask you for a phone number (especially with the key punch), try the local area code with 555-5555 (having traveled a lot, that normally works).

Oh, jeepers, I haven't even started in on the section on shopping strategies (so many good ones). Check out http://www.mygrocerydeals.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=site.dspShoppingTips for more.

Last week I attended the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas (and it was blasted cold… but that’s not what this post is about). Since this was an “away” conference for me and since I’m still on a contract gig (though I’m so wishing to be off writing that novella I plotted out during the holidays), that meant I felt obliged to bring my team members back something (to not have co-workers begrudge doing my work while I’m on vacation, I always bring them back a certain something).

Usually, I bring back food products (please no location labeled magnets or other knick knacks!) but with this conference, there was some good quality schwag. Things like fancy pens (that light up so just in case we have a power failure at work, we can still take notes) and boxes of mints and plasma tvs, no, just joking about the tvs.

But how do I get enough of one schwag item to hand out?

Easy. I ask. You see the folks manning the booths are being paid to give the items away. They don’t really care to whom. And, in fact, the thought of an entire department of a company using their schwag (as opposed to tossing them in the garbage as happens with most of it) usually tickles their fancy.

The worst case is that they say no. That doesn’t often happen.

Around this time of year, there are articles and articles and articles about saving money on taxes (I think this "tax season" thing is a bit silly, taxes should be considered on each transaction throughout the year).

My tax advice?

Don't spend everything you earn.

You see, I was reading Warren Buffett Speaks, Janet Lowe's compilation of his thoughts (another holiday present – my book shelves are full again). One of his quotes is "I'm paying taxes at a lower rate than my secretary… and frankly I think that's crazy." He also notes that many of the soldiers fighting in Iraq pay a higher percent of taxes than he does. That, he thinks, is unfair.

Why?

Because when you don't have to use your money for spending, you can invest it and grow wealth at a lower tax rate (note: because you will be making more money, you'll pay more tax overall but less tax as a percentage of income).

As Berkshire Hathaway doesn't pay dividends, investors' money grows relatively tax free. As turnover within the company is low, capital gains aren't paid. Investors won't pay capital gains or any other tax on that investment until they sell the Berkshire Hathaway units. They also aren't spending that money and incurring consumption tax (sales tax).

In other words, as long as investors don't need to spend the money, they're becoming wealthier and wealthier in a tax free environment.

THAT is how the rich get richer. It isn't due to fancy tax lawyers (though they can help). It is because they don't spend everything they earn.

We No Limits Ladies are a generous bunch. We give and give and give. Yep, we enjoy sharing our good luck with others.

Often this good luck is financial. Why financial? Because anyone visiting a personal finance site, as you and I are, has money top of mind. And the more you think about financial opps, the luckier you get (amazing how that happens).

So we tend to pay for lunches, dinners, nights out with friends and family (family fun days before a stressful wedding). We can afford it and it makes us feel good.

But once in a while, I suggest that you let others treat. Why? Because it makes your loved ones feel good also. Not to mention that if you treat all the time, others assume you will continue to pay the bill and then… well, then you begin to feel taken for granted. That’ll mess up a perfectly good relationship.

This goes for gifts of time also. Are you always doing favors for your friends? Make certain that every once in a while, you ask them for favors too (I’m horrible at this). The folks you love will feel less weird about accepting favors if they know they have something to offer too.

What does this have to do with Frugal Fridays? Lots. Others treating (either with favors or money) means more money or time for us.

After reading that great article on Extreme Retirement (I love that, sounds like an extreme sport), I started thinking… why is it that some people can retire early and some people work at a job they hate until they’re pushed out the door?

I think it comes down to the basic principal of keeping your eye on your ball rather than everyone else’s. People who do their own thing… well… they do their own thing. They start businesses. They invest when all their buddies are spending. They buy free falling ice stocks (ouch). They turn the tv off to write another blog post.

As one of the extreme retirement couples, the Kaderli’s, state on their site RetireEarlyLifestyle.com

“Social pressure to spend can be subtle and pervasive, and it can divert you from your commitment to retire early. Marketing specialists tell you that if you only buy this new product, car, house, or membership, your lifestyle will improve. It's reasonably easy to tune out that marketing message, but you have to handle your friends with a little more tact. Trying to match the spending of our peer group is a surefire way to derail financial goals. Decide now that you don't have to keep up with their consumption to fit into the crowd. The choice is yours -- not theirs.”

Social pressure not only diverts you from your plan to retire early but any unique-to-you plan.

If you want to make a mark, do something different with your life, you need to accept that you will be different.

(This is written also as a reminder to self going into the New Years party season. When I get asked what I do and have to think about the answer.)

In a perfect world, you would give your loved ones the ideal gift. They would love it, cherish it, and keep it forever.

This is not a perfect world.

Sweaters are too big (hopefully! Cross my fingers and close my mouth!). iPods are in wrong colors (when the only choice was white, it was a lot easier). Parts are missing (I once gave someone one of those 3D puzzles and half the pieces were missing).

So what to do?

Gift receipts are the best. I usually attach them to the gift so the loved one can privately return the present (my taste is definitely not everyone’s which is why those Christmas sweaters exist). I do this immediately upon purchase (before I lose it). I also highlight the return policy (written on the bill).

If I don’t get a gift receipt, I tend to pay with cash (as many stores will only refund to the original credit card). I photocopy the receipt, give the loved one the original and keep my copy.

I also keep the other receipts in a separate folder (actually I have one of those great accordion type files with the flap closure that I use for my receipts so it lets me divide them into sections).

Obviously the care I take with my receipts increases with the value of the present. I don’t keep receipts for cash purchases at the dollar store (unless I can deduct them).

We’re reaching the home stretch of the holiday season and I don’t know about you, but I’m full. Not full of shopping (I finished that by my December 1st deadline) but full as in my poor stomach is taxed to the max.

And that’s not good (especially as I’m reducing).

Since most of my buddies are busy business guys and gals (and I haven’t gone home yet), my overeating is due to restaurant dinners. The portions are SO BIG (like the restaurants take my Mom’s force-feeding tactics to heart).

So what have I been doing?

Making tv dinners (remember those? Those hungry man dinners in the cute little containers with all the food divided up, just the way I like it… I do not like my food to touch). I then freeze them for those hectic January days.

That means some forward thinking. I tend to order food that freezes well (staying away from potatoes as they turn out like mushy starch balls). Rice and pasta dishes normally are a breeze.

I order the regular meal and then ask the waiter right away to split it into two, packing one half up (no temptation). If I’m lucky, they’ll put them in those plastic takeaway dishes that I can simply pop right in the freezer and then reuse.

This tactic also works if friends and family are cooking. When they try to force one more piece of cheesecake (which freezes like a dream and might even be nicer half frozen) on me, I say “No thanks, I’m stuffed”, smile and then add “but if there are any left overs…” Leaving that comment hanging. Often at the end of the night, I have a goodie bag to go.

Saves money, time and best of all my waistline.

When the hubby and I travel, we pick up cute (and often free) little knick knacks wherever we go. Souvenirs like beads when we went to New Orleans, poker chips from Vegas, a clay Tiare flower from Tahiti. No, we’re not filling our house with this stuff (the dusting alone would drive me mad). Instead we use them as tree ornaments.

Sure we could buy ornaments that are all matchy-matchy (and cost a lot like those Hallmark ornaments) but these items hold more meaning, more memories (than even those packaged Hallmark memories). I touch the beads and remember that first taste of gumbo or the music on Bourbon Street. I flip the poker chip between fingers and remember strolling hand and hand down the faux streets in the Paris Hotel. I can almost feel the sun on my face when I spot that Tahitian flower.

We smile whenever we put up the tree (which is NOT every year, I’m a very lazy person unfortunately) and we smile when we take it back down again. Plus we are often asked about our interesting tree and have a story for every ornament.

What if you don’t travel?

A friend of mine saves one special item each year from her kids’ activities and makes that into an ornament. Maybe it is running a festive ribbon through an eyelet of outgrown baby bootie or attaching a hook to the wheel of a forgotten favorite matchbox car. It gives her extra pleasure knowing that when her children set up their own trees (years from now), they’ll be starting out with a piece of home.

Wrapping paper pretty much drives me nuts. It’s a hassle to store (those long rolls), there’s paper for every occasion, and it ends up in the recycle bin (or even worse, the garbage).

That’s why I prefer to use alternatives to wrapping paper. My favorite is the tea towel. I always need tea towels. Mine get stained with nasty spills (tomato sauce gets me every time, every time I use some, it ends up on the floor, a reason for easy to clean tile in the kitchen) or… okay, I’ll admit to it, burned (don’t ask). I figure that others, even those less clumsy than I, have the same issue. And tea towels can be found inexpensively at the dollar store.

Other wrapping faves are old calendars (too pretty to simply toss), pages from themed magazines, and even advertising (what else would you expect from a marketing bunny?). Some frugal folks recommend wrapping with newspaper but I don’t like the ink getting on my (and the receiver’s) hands. Too messy.

If I do break down and buy wrapping paper, it is usually at one of those after Christmas sales. I buy the solid colors, red (lucky in the Asian world so I can even use this for weddings), green (I’m half Irish) or that beautiful Hanukkah blue (no reason other than prettiness). That way I can use it all year for all occasions.

I store the wrapping paper underneath a bed (in one of those long plastic containers) along with tape, ribbons, and cards. That way all my present giving supplies are in one place. Saves me time (more valuable than money).

I was in the mall yesterday (not shopping, that is done already) and all the beautiful festive dresses were out, tempting me to buy them for upcoming holiday parties. Just tempting me though. I didn’t buy.

I know that if I do buy, for most of the year, the dress will hang in my closet, unworn. If it is in a trendy color, it could easily be out of fashion by the next year. It would be dated.

So I stick with timeless. I have one little black dress and with the right accessories one little black dress is all you need. I’ve worn mine for the past ten years and it never gets tired (thanks to my recent trimming down, I can fit into it again).

Why?

Because I just possibly might have the world’s largest scarf and shawl collection (just joking, I don’t have a dedicated closet for them which I’m sure the world’s largest collector has… sigh, a girl could dream). Over the years, I’ve collected them from all over the world in all different styles. If people press me for what to bring back from their travels, I ask for a shawl or scarf to match a black dress.

There is a reason why French women with their limited (yet gorgeous) closet do wonderful and creative things with scarves. Because it completely changes an outfit (I’m not that skilled, not at all, but even I, with a different scarf, can pull off a different look).

A little black dress is an investment piece.

Lately I’ve been eating a lot of soup. It fills me up, the broth based soups are low calorie, and it slows down my eating (having grown up with three brothers and two sisters in a low income family, I had to eat quickly or my dinner would be gobbled up for me).

And it saves me money.

How? When a bowl of soup costs more than French fries at McDonald’s (don’t even get me started…)?

I make my own… from leftovers. You see, soup’s original purpose was to use up bits and pieces. Little bits of chicken, bits of veggies, a leftover turkey carcass boiled in water for hours to make a nice broth. Leftovers. Making the little you have stretch. And that’s how I do it.

Sure, it requires more prep time and when I am desperate, I get the canned stuff, but it’s a nice meal and its fairly healthy for me (I pair it with some garlic bread or chili or chickpeas for the always hungry hubby).

BTW… the now exotic French toast originated as a means to use up stale bread. I always get a chuckle when I see these offerings at high end restaurants.

One thing that amazes me while traveling is how people get acclimatized to all different environments.

I’ve been to the Middle East during the middle of their winter. While I’m perspiring in my light weight dresses, the locals have on woolen sweaters. How can they stand it? Because their bodies have become used to the eyeball boiling heat (simply the thought of the blazing sun reflecting off the sand makes my eyeballs hurt).

The same with the cold. I’ve been to Alaska and my definition of cold is the local’s definition of a nice spring day.

What does this mean?

I enjoy the change in seasons by not keeping my house at one year round temperature. It is cooler in the winter and warmer in the summer.

There’s really not a lot of logic to having my furnace working hard in the beginning of November (as long as the pipes don’t freeze). I get out my flannel pjs (yes, I have daytime flannel pjs and nighttime flannel pjs) and fluffy sweaters and dog scaring slippers (dogs bark at my slippers, I don’t know why). Put an extra comforter on the bed.

Of course it saves money but I also read somewhere that cooler temps keep skin looking younger. At least that’s what I tell my guests (huddled around the fireplace).