Extreme Frugality

W. Hodding Carter and his family are attempting to live in rural Maine on $550 a month. In the most recent of his Extreme Frugality blog posts at Gourmet.com, Carter scavenges a roadkilled duck.

Since it was not only dark but also misty, I was driving slowly down Route 52 when suddenly my frugal eye spotted a vibrant green-and-orange something lying alongside the road. Given the conditions, it was just a blur, but my sharply honed penny-pincher’s sixth sense knew it was food. I jerked the car to a stop, ran out in front of a truck, and snatched dinner from a certain squashing.

It was … sniff, sniff … fresh roadkill. A mallard, in fact. Judging by the scent and a smattering of feathers across the pavement, it must’ve happened in the past hour or so—or else, surely, some other scavenger would have made off with it. [Link]