How to be a frugal photographer:

1. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need (even if it’s cool or new)
2. Don’t give lose money to scams (stay away from Broadway photo, check resellerratings.com, be careful on Craigslist and ebay)
3. Buy stuff you do need cheaper (on Craigslist and ebay)
4. Substitute the things you need for things you already have or can modify for the same use (use a super clamp rather than buy another lightstand, use an ankle weight rather than a sandbag to steady your lightstand, etc.)
5. Build things yourself (more articles on this coming soon, also check out diyphotography.net)
6. Buy things you will need later if they are going to be more expensive then (sales, closeouts, clearance section of your local camera store, Black Friday)
7. Don’t buy things when they are expensive if they will become (significantly) cheaper (the newest SLR Body/lens)

In the skills area:

1. Learn things for free (blogs, Youtube videos, free online classes, PDF Books)
2. Join groups (there are many networks of Photogs of various levels you can hook up with to share knowledge with, I have networked with a local strobist group)
3. Ask other photographers questions (if you are somewhere and you meet a photographer, pretend to be a total noob -so he’s not concerned about you as competition, tell him you are learning something related to photography, and ask your question. [I just stared learning to use photoshop, and I was wondering, how do photographers……..?] Your results will depend on whether he is a nice guy or not, and how convincing you are that you are not a threat to him. If you sense animosity, leave him alone. )