Dustybug: Okay, ty. If we thought women would be in sin if they wore pants, this household would be different! but I can respect that you have got some sort of conviction, anyway. (I see that you yourself don't really agree with your strict friends that pants are actually sinful.) I wonder what else they believe in terms of dos and don'ts for attire, but really it's none of my business. It's the heart of faith that matters in my view, not the superficial and arbitrary dos and don'ts. So I'm not certainly not going to argue the point. Thanks again.

Heather in NC; Although there would be some pain, if a numbing agent were not used, it would be nothing like for a back tattoo, and even this is quite tolerable, right?

Fly the yellow and red state flag!! 1912 - 2012. Just think: Woodrow Wilson led to war in 1917 because the Germans, through the Zimmerman Telegram, offered New Mexico and other territories 'back' to Mexico. The rest is history.

Years ago, my mother used to advocate throwing a hammer through the screen. (Maybe there was something in that ... )

Another suggestion: No new tattoos for 2012 (!)

swellmomma: I fully agree with much of what you say. Especially not to 'bite the hand that feeds you'. I see this exactly, yes. Re. 'Go ahead and wear all the jewelry you want'; in her case, he isn't letting her. And she's 28. Maybe some ppl would make a difference about the type of jewelry. E.g., 'she can wear a nice pair of earrings but not a tongue stud'. Or: 'she can wear 2 nice pairs of earrings but not a tongue stud.' Or: 'she can wear 3 nice pairs of earrings but not a tongue stud.' Personally I would find this rather arbitrary. Not to say intrusive and controlling. But, yes, at the moment she is dependent financially; you're right.

MorganClassicPrep: There's certainly a measure of truth in it. But there is also a number of variables: how deep the needle goes, the quality of the ink, the design. An experienced tattooist would be able to advise against some of the more usual pitfalls.

Dana in OR: We, too, can last quite a while on provisions we have stocked up on. So, good idea.

swellmomma: What you say about her being dependent financially is pretty accurate, it would seem. But amo mea filliis says she is aged 28. I wonder how old a person has to be before she can wear the jewelry of her choice? 30? 40? 50? (I think it should be 18, if not before.)

sewingmama: Oh, we are into cans of mushroom soup ...

More money saving suggestions: Ink is surprisingly expensive, so think twice - three times? - before you print off emails, documents, etc. Even with vouchers, don't print them off until you actually are going to use them. Revise subscriptions and cancel direct debits; pay as you go is better than direct debit, I think, because it helpfully concentrates the mind about whether the subscription is really necessary. Revise bank fees and shop around and be prepared to change banks if the fees are too high; it may need research, but as far as we are concerned we actually figured independently which bank would be the best for our circumstances. For your next tattoo, hold off going to the parlor but make it known that a tattoo voucher would be welcomed as a gift for b-day/Christmas etc; some parlors operate gift certificates. Some of the car deals these days are excellent, but make sure the brand has a good service record and reputation: no point in a $5000 cashback if within 18 months you have to spend $6000 on Mickey Mouse stuff at the garage.

Tigger: Sounds good. Fact is, everyone is different.

A few suggestions for saving money: If you're not going on a long journey, no need to fill up with gas completely. Watch out for chunky soup on special: like this it's both a filling meal, and with rice can make a great and inexpensive casserole (we do it a lot). Fill your holes with what's already in your earring box; skip buying new ones! See if there is a local company scheme where the electricity is cheaper if you use the dishwasher after 9PM (we do this). (...and so it goes.)

Susan in TN: Well, sounds like you're giving up smoking: always 'tomorrow'! :) Seriously, exercises in practical frugality (how about this for a phrase?) are very useful; it's not so much about days and dates as it is about a long-term frame of mind.

Tigger: I don't know about anyone else, but I'm not sure I want to attain to some arbitrary United Nations-driven average.

Anna-on-Cape-Cod: Sounds real and genuine ... Cost cutting exercises like this are excellent, I think. Great thread.

Seems like we do this anyway almost the year round, sometimes... Not that we face a crisis but we have used the term living frugally; and it does save money.

Sahamamama: Sorry to read this. I see from another recent post that you guys are Christians; and it's at times like this that your prayer resources and strength from the copies of the Bible that you guys will have, can be so helpful. Anyway, these days cancer treatments are often successful.

regentrude: Maybe I've seen the ridiculously expensive sort that you mention ... . I guess I meant only generally comparable, too; you're right.

I guess somewhere midway between Kate Moss and an Olympic weightlifter. Seriously, in North America there is so much emphasis on image; but to me it's more a matter of what's healthy.

LarlaB: Sounds like you may have some Russian heritage/background, with you contemplating Borscht. I think the existence of all the ethnic/heritage groups has certainly provided rich choices and possibilities for food.

ThreeBlessings: From what you said the other day, you're right about boney placements possibly being more uncomfortable, but these days ppl who may have concerns about discomfort often use a numbing agents, which in some ways has almost revolutionized the tattoo industry. Because ppl are now going under the needle who because of such issues would in the past never have considered having it done. If you still have an interest, and like the idea, you need to talk without commitment to a tattooist at a local, good parlor. It's unprofessional to do a 'hard sell' in a tattoo parlor, so don't worry: they will give you their advice without pressurizing you, I'm sure.

WendyK Actually I like pumpernickel. It's seems to be especially popular in Germany, where it comes from. It's not something I've bought lately because it seems a teeny bit expensive when compared to other comparable things.

Ester Maria: You're right about the prevalence of pasta in Europe. Kind of built into the culture, I guess. I guess the thin variety of pizza can contain less fat, so it's good to bear this in mind, I reckon. (Delicious, mind ... )

WendyK: I got a joke. Why did the banana split? Because it saw the apple turnover. (Okay, I know ppl might have heard it before.)