Rushan Sadekov
Cassandra and Stacy swap furniture.; From The Oprah Winfrey Show; From The Oprah Winfrey Show "The Thriftiest Family in America"
Even in difficult times there are things everyday people can do to save money, and Oprah Show viewers have been leading the pack. Best friends Cassandra and Stacy each wanted to redecorate their living room, but neither of them wanted to spend the money on new furniture. Instead, they traded couches and saved $2,000!
Stacy, who owns a dance studio, says she is also bartering to save cash. "There's a family that dances at my studio, and they have a restaurant that my family enjoys," she says. "So they come and take lessons … and we get to go to their restaurant and eat."
This year, Cassandra is using the plums from her plum tree to make jelly and jam for all her friends instead of spending $350 on Christmas gifts. "Thirty dollars for buying the cans, the sugar and wrapping paper, and I ended up with 32 jars of jelly and jam that is just fabulous," she says.
