TheFrugalNoodle is my blog about saving money, doing-it-yourself, living simply, and being productive.
fru·gal adjective
sparing or economical with regard to money or food.
noo·dle noun
slang for head or brain.
“to use (one’s) noodle”: To use one’s own intelligence and intellectual ability; to think logically and rationally
How to Plan a Formal Wedding in Less Than Three Months
I got engaged on New Year's Eve. We wanted to get married as soon as possible with a formal wedding, and we were able to do so in less than three months on March 18th of that year! When we told folks we were planning to get married so soon, many were...
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How to Hide Embarrassing Bathroom Noises in Your Home
It's a common problem: you have a bathroom with thin walls and/or a flimsy door adjacent to a living room or other common area. Whenever someone uses the toilet, everyone can hear the person doing their thing. My condo has that problem. It's...
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Six Reasons Your House Plants are Dying
If your house plants are in various states of near-death, this article is for you. I got the information for this article from my Mom, who used to own a plant store and loves gardening. Drawing from her years of experience dealing with plant customers and plant-owning...
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How to Re-Stain Your Front Door
After years of sun and water damage (see above), my front door was in need of a re-stain and re-varnish. I decided to save some money and do it myself. Here’s my story and some lessons that I learned. Tools and Materials Here is a list of things...
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How to Choose and Install a Programmable Wall Switch Timer
I have a porch light controlled by a wall switch in my entryway. Rather than having to manually turn this light on at night and off in the morning (or worse, forgetting and wasting energy having it on all day), I wanted to install a timer where the existing light...
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How to Catch a Mouse
I had never even seen a mouse until I moved to an older building on the East Coast. Workmen were doing some repairs on the outside, which I think disturbed a couple of critters and caused them to come into my apartment. Here’s how I got rid of them. ...
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How I Lost $40,000 Due to Sheer Laziness
I took a look back at the last ten years of my life and documented my biggest money mistakes. Many of these were due to simple laziness or ignorance on my part. I share them with you today. Do any apply to you? 1. Paying too much for my home mortgage...
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Fax for Free Using Your Computer
I get annoyed in this day and age when I have to deal with a company that still demands information to be sent by fax. I have long since ditched my fax machine, and it’s a pain to go all the way to Kinkos just to send a fax. But, if you have a computer connected to...
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Top Ten Tips to Save on Your Cell Phone Bill
I’m going to tell you how to make dramatic cuts to your phone bill, without sacrificing services. You can save even more money if you go with a low-end or older phone. If you want the latest Samsung Galaxy or iPhone, you're limited to one of the big four: Verizon,...
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Get Your Document Notarized for Free
I recently had to get a document notarized. I went online and the first thing that came up was the UPS store. So, I went to the downtown store, but they said the guy who notarized was out. He was the owner and came and went as he pleased. The clerk told me that banks...
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How to Save Money on Internet Access
Internet access is a practical necessity these days, but in many areas there are only a few choices of providers, all of which are expensive. Here are some ways you might be able to cut your Internet bill. 1. Threaten to Leave Call your Internet...
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How to Get TV Without Paying for Cable
How much do you spend on cable TV every month? The average is $75, or $900 per year! Over the course of your life, that’s as much as a BMW 3-Series sedan! Many people spend over a hundred dollars a month on cable! You do the math. Wouldn’t you like to save this money...
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The Best Way to Carry a U-Lock on Your Bike
This is the best solution I've found for carrying a U-lock on a bike. I discovered the hard way that a steel cord bike lock is NOT secure and can be cut in seconds, so I switched to a U-lock for my bike. I'll never rely on a cable to lock my bike up again! But, a...
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Learn to Count Cards in Blackjack in Fifteen Minutes
Counting cards in Blackjack is one of the few ways that professional gamblers can actually gain a slight advantage over the house in casino gaming. It’s commonly believed that you have to be a math whiz to be able to count cards, but I hope to show you that anyone...
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Top Twenty-One Date Ideas in Providence, RI
Providence, RI is a small but very charming New England city with a lot to offer, including culture, great restaurants, lots of outdoor activities, and a riverfront modeled after Venice, Italy! After living here for some years now, I’ve compiled a list of my top date...
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8 Tips to Meet Single People When You Are New in Town
A few years ago, I packed up everything and moved cross country from Los Angeles to Providence, RI for work. Having lived in Los Angeles all of my life, all of my friends and family were there, and I was starting from scratch. I wondered how an introvert like me would...
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Ten of the Coolest Bars in Los Angeles
Here are ten spectacular L.A. bars that anyone can get into. These have great ambiance and/or great views. Some have mild dress codes or require reservations, but if you do that little bit of homework, you'll be rewarded with these really unique bar experiences. Are...
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Review: Top Ten Things I Love About My 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid SE
After my BMW 325i got totaled in an accident, I did a bunch of research to find a new car. I knew I wanted something with good gas mileage which was moderately sporty-looking. Oh, and it had to have folding rear seats to carry big things. After reading...
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The Ten Worst Things About the 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid
From the title of this article, you might think that I hate my 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid. But actually the opposite is true. I love my Fusion and I highly recommend it! Read my article, Top Ten Things I Love About My 2017 Ford Fusion Hybrid. But, no car...
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Does the Apple Watch Series 3 Work with Strava?
Like many runners, I used the Strava iPhone app to track my runs. But, I was tired of having to carry my iPhone with me; I had it in an arm band and it was difficult to remove, making checking my pace almost impossible without stopping. So, when the iPhone Series 3...
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How I Lived Without a Car in Los Angeles
In 2016, I was hit by a drunk driver and my car was totaled. After I recovered, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to do an experiment: to go without owning a car for at least three months (from November through January) in the car capital of the world, Los...
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How I Sold a Car in Less Than 24 Hours
In the past few years, I've become a huge fan of using Craigslist and eBay to sell items that I no longer need to folks who do, while earning some extra cash on the side. But, when it came to selling cars, I had been afraid to do it myself. After all,...
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11 Killer Tips to Sell Your Stuff on Craigslist Fast
I recently had to sell a bunch of stuff quickly to prepare for a move. I didn’t have time for eBay, so I put it all on Craigslist, and through some trial and error, was able to sell most of my items in a day, with a few taking two days. Here are some things I...
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What Happens After You Die
When crime investigators want to determine what happened at a particular event witnessed by many people, they use two techniques: Interview everyone who witnessed the event and see if their stories match up with each other. Ask the witnesses the same questions in...
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My Top Tips for Freelancers Just Starting Out
Many people dream of quitting their jobs and going freelance. Are you one of them? Maybe you want to control your own schedule, escape a bad boss, or get out of the cubicle and work from home. In 2012, I did just that, becoming a freelance web...
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Ten Ways to Increase Your Productivity on a Computer
Do you work on a computer all day? How would you like to get more done in the same amount of time? Here are my top ten tips on how to be more productive on a computer, without getting a new computer. Some involve hardware changes; some involve behavioral changes. Some...
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Why I Love My Standing Desk
Concerned about the long hours I spend sitting in front of a computer working at home, I had been wanting to jump onto the standing desk bandwagon for a while. Finally, when Apple CEO Tim Cook said that “sitting is the new cancer” (which actually doesn’t really make...
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The Pros and Cons of Being a Freelancer
After working for all of my career as a full-time employee, I took the plunge, quit my job, and became a freelance web developer some years ago. Sure, I had to tighten my belt and there were some uncertain times. But in the end, it is one of the best things I've done...
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