I hope you all enjoyed Valentine's Day. With the Greetings Card Association estimating 21 million Valentine’s Day cards sent in 2015 in the UK, I wonder how 2016 will compare? This blog is about the fascinating history of Valentine's Day and its associated gift and card giving.

My long shots in the investment stakes may not always be profitable or even sensible, but they aren't offered as financial advice, they are simply a reflection on the types of mental calculations that go on here at HQ. You have to speculate to accumulate, as they say!

Time to find out what everyone's doing to make extra savings and investments, other than by being frugal with the household shopping, being economical with energy use and quitting spending on non-essentials. Are you debt free? Is your financial future secure? Have you protected your 'cyberdosh'?

As the quest continues to transfer many years' worth of old posts over onto the newer platform, this is one that first appeared in 1999 as part of our 'Saltire Satire' and 'Woman Zone' categories. It is for entertainment value only, so those of a delicate disposition or who are really easily offended had best avoid this one!

The world, according to Frugaldom, is a complete package. We have all we need to create all that we want and if we break it, we have the wherewithal to fix it. Nothing is fake, everything is real - just take the time to look into this amazing frugal bubble that is our world. It's like the life of pie!

15 Years down the road and round the bend but not quite over the hill... Our satirical 'Woman Zone' columns first appeared in print in 1999. Those responsible for the rants, raves and ramblings included Shona Prophett, the Bishop, Rosemary, Eddie Elwood, Jordan, Millie May, Agnes and Senga... names that many of you may recognise and characters some of you met.

Environmental art, fuel and food foraging, preserving and preparing for the winter - that's what autumn is all about - being prepared. How to make crabapple and rosehip jelly is a handy skill to have, especially as the recipe can be adapted into foraged or hedgerow jelly.

How to become frugal and follow an extremely frugal lifestyle is something I am often asked - how it all started, why I do it and what keeps me pursuing such a lifestyle when I no longer seem to need to do so? Keep pecking away at those debts or adding to the savings, as the freedom to be frugal is well worth it. (Part 1 can be found here.)

Autumn sunshine, showers, wind and windfalls! Yes, frugal friends, it's that time of year again in our corner of Scotland - the time of apples, brambles, berries, chilli peppers and tomatoes! We don't have a heated greenhouse or polytunnel and winters can be long with summers short, but it shouldn't stop us eating seasonal produce.

Frugalisation is the process of becoming truly frugal on a permanent basis. It is about learning a new art form, possibly even a new way of life, and taking that forward so you can become a habitual frugal living aficionado. No frills, text only reading for the seriously minded, wannabe frugal living expert.