Thrifty Thursday: Cheapest Photo Frame on the Planet

Dorm rooms and first apartments are notorious for their tight quarters, spartan atmosphere and picture-hanging taboos. While photos of families and friends add instant warmth and personality - and those familiar smiles are comforting when you're far from home - the big question is how and where to display them when space is at a premium and cash is sparse too. So when I stumbled upon these PhotoFrog photo frames for 20 cents apiece (10 for $1.99 at the Container Store), I snapped them up. They're acid-free, peel-and-stick photo easels. Your college-bound child can print a 4x6 photo (I used iPhoto to add a tinted mat), and peel off the front of the photo easel to stick the pic so it has some support and the edges won't curl. Use tape to hang the lightweight result on the dorm wall, or fold out the attached easel back for a free-standing, framed image. It's a perfect little surprise tucked into a care package too.

Looking for more Thrifty Thursday tips? Here's more money-saving advice from About's Parenting Guides this week:

• Fitness for free
• Favorite Brown Bag Lunches
• Baby Showers on a Budget
• Save Pounds and Pennies
• Go Through the Grocery Flyer with Your Kids
• Buying and Selling Twin Stuff
• Saving on Birthday Gifts
• Swap Coupons and Money-Saving Tips
• Cheap Dates Are Good
• Stretching the Food Budget - Potato Tacos
• Do-It-Yourself Day Camp