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REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 29, 2008
SECTION
D
Faith Pages Matter of Laugh or Death
New Milford author returns from Why is it that Catholics can’t eat
her conference in Rome. 4D meat on Fridays during Lent? 2D
PRIME TIME BUZZ
SWF
seeks
BFF
PARIS NEEDS NEW
PAL. ANY TAKERS?
thrifty
CARRIE
THE ART OF
MACMILLAN
ity poor Paris Hilton.
P Her former BFF
Nicole Richie is a
new mommy. Her
occasional party-pal Britney is
preoccupied with getting her
head on straight. Even Lindsay
Lohan is busy staying dry and
posing nude.
So Paris needs a new Best
Friend Forever. Logically, she’s
making a reality TV show out of
her quest. The show is expect-
ed to air on MTV. Paris is look-
Is saving money costing you in the end?
ing for a buddy she can trust.
Hey, if reality TV helped her
hold down multiple fake jobs
(see “The Simple Life” with
Richie from 2003-2007), why
not search for kindred spirits in
front of a national audience? Af-
worries about the economy hit the
ter all, making friends in your BY HILLARY RHODES
mid-20s isn’t as easy as it was headlines each day, glomming on to
ASSOCIATED PRESS
in college or high school.
Y
tempting deals or cheaper prices isn’t
ou buy a used mattress ...
See HILTON, Page 2D always the smartest route.
and it has bedbugs.
Financial planner Timothy Maurer
You “save 15 percent on
says enlightened frugality begins with a
your purchase” ... and your
look at “economic bias.” Before you get
credit score goes down.
suckered into a deal that looks too good
Not all cost-cutting techniques are
to be true (which it often is), ask your-
what they seem to be, and sometimes
self the question, “What are they get-
they actually wind up costing you more.
ting out of it?” Companies don’t save
What’s the point in being frugal if you
you money out of the goodness of their
suffer for it later, monetarily or other-
hearts — there’s something in it for
wise?
them.
Experts say you have to know
“It’s not this idea that you need to go
yourself and see the bigger
around, as a consumer, thinking that
picture before you can tru-
everybody’s out to get you,” says Maur-
ly achieve money-sav-
er, based in Lutherville, Md.
ing bliss. Even as
consumers pull
See SAVVY, Page 2D
back and
Consumers are beginning to fight
higher retail food costs by growing their own
of D. Landreth Seed Co., in New months of vegetables for his fami- profit group promoting home gar-
BY DEAN FOSDICK
Awww. Poor Freedom, Pa. ly of five. dening and healthier food, Doiron
ASSOCIATED PRESS
lonely Paris “I just came back from the “We’re closing in on mid-Febru- pays close attention to pocketbook
needs a friend. Americans finding soaring food Southeastern Flower Show in At- ary and we still have several issues. Food prices, gasoline
REPUBLICAN-
prices hard to stomach are bat- lanta and we sold three to four quarts of tomato sauce, bags of prices and oil prices are all up
AMERICAN ARCHIVES
tling back by growing their own times the amount of seed packets mixed vegetables and ice cube sharply compared to a year ago,
food. we did the previous year,” Melera trays of pesto in the freezer; 20 making it more challenging to put
Home vegetable gardens ap- said. “This is the first time I’ve heads of garlic, a five-gallon crock a meal on the table, Doiron said.
pear to be booming as a result of ever heard people say `I can grow of sauerkraut, more homegrown “I see home gardens as a way of
the twin movements to eat local this more cheaply than I can buy it hot pepper sauce than one family broadening and democratizing the
and pinch pennies. Although the in the supermarket.’ That’s a 180- could comfortably eat in a year local foods revolution which until
2008 planting season is still large- degree turn from the norm.” and three sorts of squash, which now has been more of an upper-
ly in the planning stages, it ap- Roger Doiron, a gardener and we make into soups, stews and class phenomenon,” he said by e-
pears vegetable seed sales will be fresh food advocate from Scarbor- bread,” he said. mail.
up significantly from year-ago fig- ough, Maine, said he turned $85 As founding director of Kitchen
ures, said Barb Melera, president worth of seeds into more than six Gardeners International, a non- See GARDENING, Page 2D
INSIDE: TIPS FOR BEING BOTH FRUGAL AND FABULOUS. PAGE 2D