From the USA Today article: kids will always grow out of clothes and get bored with toys. Given the ridiculous amount it costs to bring them up (according to the regular surveys), anyone not looking at swapping or selling is really missing a trick. The kids don’t really care, until they get to the age where the media starts to indoctrinate them.

I love old photographs, so the idea of remodelling stores and emphasizing roots really appeals. The photos usually go back to a time when you didn’t have to pay extra for good service. If the retailer still has the same ideals it works for me.

As for luxury goods, I wonder how those waiting lists for designer handbags are faring? Is it really that difficult to persuade yourself you don’t need yet another new handbag? When I find one that does the business, I hang on to it until it falls apart.

“We have too much stuff,” she says. “Plus, we don’t have any money, probably because we have too much stuff.”

Yup.

I did my taxes last night and discovered that my AGI is $164 too high to take the saver’s credit!

ARGGH! WHY DID I HAVE TO GET A RAISE IN NOVEMBER???? (just kidding, but seriously, ARGH)

Anyways, no biggie, I’m getting a refund anyway from paying tuition so I guess it’s all good, but man, I contributed $1700 to my 401k last year, that would have been a nice credit to get.

As far as “frugality” hitting the mainstream… I feel it is a trend borne out of necessity that may or may not turn into a practice. I hit on it (mainly due to this site and because something needed to change) well over a year ago and since then have seen some friends join the bandwagon. The common theme seems to be the need for change, the realization of goals that become more reachable with even just a little frugality. While this group, including myself, are not “all frugal, all the time” and have seen our share of backsteps… it seems the trend has become a practice for most of us or something we continually shoot for on a day by day basis. This seems to parallel many of the experiences written about on this site.

As for the suddenly thrifty of late– again, it seems to be borne out of necessity and it is almost like they drank some frugal kool-aid! I am not sure if it will turn into practice for that group. Hopefully though, the “frugal” articles and advice sent out/published for their benefit will keep coming– a little more of that never hurt anyone.

I always say that once you have $10 million to invest, you can start looking beyond index funds.

Since you can’t get around to writing on it, I think I might.

However, I have begun reporting on some of the great and positive results of the recession, and I do believe that a stronger awareness of “money” and the energy people apply to it and how they leverage it is shifting. And that I hope is here to stay.

To your prosperity!
Mara Rogers