Cheaper than cheap

I just read "Places That Are Your Friend in a Recession" by Jeffrey Strain, and I had to say "DUH!" I was already doing everything he suggested. Here are the "places" where he said to go to save money.

Have a Garden: I've never done one before, but after reading about the current severe drought in California, it will be really wise to grow our own salad ingredients this year. I bought vermiculite and cow manure mulch Tuesday, and will be making a Square Foot Garden soon. Stay tuned for my progress on this.

Stay in your kitchen instead of going out to eat: I heard that someone on the Oprah show challenged the audience to only eat out once a month, and the whole audience groaned. I really never eat out, so this is not a change for me.

I am starting to try all different meals made exclusively from my food storage. Tuesday I made northern beans with TVP ham in it. I cooked it in the crockpot, Wayne didn't like the taste of the ham TVP but I liked it ok. I also made cornbread using powdered eggs and powdered milk, and it was great.

Local Library: I have read thousands of books over the years from the library. It is one of my favorite places. Why pay for books when you can get them for free?

I used to check out huge piles of books for my kids every week. In 2001 when the Cary library card system was changed, I asked them if there was a record of all the books I had checked out. From 1995-2001 I had checked out 4428 books. After that, they changed the system and didn't have it on record anymore.

Used-goods sellers: I love yard sales, I love Goodwill, I love to shop second-hand stores and thrift stores. It is like a treasure hunt.

The Internet: I am one of the reasons newspapers and magazines are going broke. I get all my news from the Internet.

Hobbies: Just let me sew all day and I won't have to pay for any other entertainment.

If I have been this cheap for years, and now I'm supposed to live cheaper, I don't even know where to start! I guess everyone else can save money switching to these things, but I'm already there.