Whenever I’m running out of money-saving, money-stretching ideas (and yes, that does happen …), I go to the Festival of Frugality roundup of frugal blog articles for inspiration.

The Aug. 11 edition was hosted by It’s Frugal Being Green. Here are some of the posts you will find:

• Sound Money Matters presents Affordable Wedding Photography: “Ask your friends to take the photos? Unless your friends are professional photographers who are offering your services as a gift, you will probably regret this. First, there is an art to wedding photography and capturing the right moments. Our friends sent us their digital snaps, which were lovely, but our professional images were better and higher-quality.” I see this situation in newspaper photography too. Although my main job is a newspaper reporter, I also used to shoot pictures and a lot of my photos made it into print or won local awards in Ohio during the 1990s. The problem is, one needs the right equipment to make professional-quality pictures happen. My 35mm camera is not repairable, I can’t afford to upgrade to professional digital equipment, and pocket digitals aren’t going to do the job.
• The Homemaking Helper presents Bridal Shower on a Budget: “The theme for the shower was “A Year of Firsts”. Basically, each person had a gift assignment to go along with the theme. For example, one of the bride’s friends was assigned “first house cleaning”.” The traditional gifts of a bridal shower are not old fashioned or demeaning to women, they are practical. Regardless of a couple’s social status, careers or income level, there are still homemaker duties that need to be done by one or both people.
• Simply Saving presents Saving Money on Clothing and Personal Care:  “Buy only because you need clothing and buy only those items that will fit into your present wardrobe. If you are choosing between two outfits, buy the one that goes best with what you already have.” One of my tricks is to buy solid color shirts that will dress up to a variety of seasons and occasions with a hat, scarf, necklace or pin. A solid blue shirt, for example, can be worn on a patriotic holiday and to celebrate your favorite sports team.