Air travelers: Feel a little parched? No wonder. You've spent hours breathing air whose humidity is as low as 10%. Maybe you limited your liquid intake, too, to avoid the lavatory.

"Dehydration" simply means that you lose more fluid than you take in. That sounds like a long plane ride to me.

Dry skin, itchy eyes, headache, sticky or dry mouth, fatigue -- any of these symptoms sound familiar? Travelers with asthma or other respiratory ailments may develop breathing problems, according to this Everyday Health article.

 

Dehydration has a financial impact, too:

 

The "locavore" movement suggests we eat only foods grown within 100 miles of our homes. Not everyone lives near a farm, though, and while farmers markets operate in many cities, the produce can be pretty pricey.

To people concerned about how much of their paycheck is eaten up (so to speak) by grocery costs, I suggest a different challenge: Become a "frugalvore."

 

Thinking of sending flowers for Mother's Day? A new survey says your mom may prefer massage to posies.

The survey, commissioned by the Ebates cash-back shopping site, shows that 48% of U.S. moms crave a spa day more than a bouquet.

Fortunately, there are frugal ways to get either one. Or both.  

Three things you should know about wedding attire:

• The bridal gown doesn't have to cost a fortune.
• Bridesmaids' gowns need not be one-time-use.
• The men don't have to wear monkey suits -- but if that's the plan, did you know you can get a coupon for tux rentals?
  

Outfitting the bridal party can be pretty fraught, from the choice of wedding colors to the length of the veil.

 

It's possible to get the look you want -- even a designer look -- without emptying your wallet. Wedding planners and former brides told me so.

 

Some years back I visited some college students whose front door wouldn't always open. "The knob is loose," one of them said as she shimmied through an open window.

After she let me in, I pulled out my Swiss Army knife, flipped up the Phillips-head screwdriver and went at the door. In two minutes it worked beautifully.

The 20-somethings were all agog. It had never occurred to them to tighten the screws.  

Next week I'll fly to Alaska to house-sit, paying about $120 round-trip. Normally that ticket would cost almost $800.

How'd I get such a cheap fare? Friends in high places.

 

A national survey by Visa indicates that families will spend $696 to $1,944 on their kids' prom costs. That's a 33.6% increase over the 2011 average expenditure.

Startling, huh? But it gets worse: Parents who make less than $20,000 a year plan to spend more than the national average. They'll fork over $1,200 for this evening to remember.  

If you don't have health insurance, the price of prescription drugs can be a real budget-buster.

But it doesn't have to be.