Will You Stay Frugal Post-Pandemic? I Was the NYT’s Frugal Traveler, So I Have Some Idea

The one big thing that guarantees whether your new habits—from bread-baking to windowsill scallions—will survive the apocalypse.

Yes, I’m growing chilies, lettuce, basil, and more on my windowsill.

In July of 2006, I wound up in Tirana, the capital of Albania. This was a few weeks into my tenure as the Frugal Traveler columnist for the New York Times, which kicked off with a…