We still pay most of our bills manually, by which I mean we don’t have automatic payments set up. While I recognize the advantages of automatic bill pay (no postage, time saved in writing out checks, etc.), I actually enjoy the task of paying bills the old-fashioned way. I like writing out checks and recording [...]
How many subscriptions do you pay for? Be sure to count not just magazines and newspapers but also services (warranties, computer virus protection, cell phone contract, ISP, etc.), memberships (gyms, fan clubs, business associations), and entertainment packages (Netflix, cable or satellite, online game sites, etc.) Count anything for which you are billed on a regular [...]
“Is it getting dark outside? Are you having trouble seeing? Turn the lights on!” is the gist of one “Wiggles Tips” segment on The Wiggles television show. These segments introduce the show’s preschool audience to a bit of humor – even they are old enough to know to turn on the lights when it’s dark [...]
Buried in the bottom of a box lot I recently bought at an auction was an advertising booklet from the 1950s, 1003 Household Hints and Work Savers to Help You Beat the High Cost of Living. The title caught my attention because it mentioned a “high cost of living” in an era many of us [...]
“When I get a little money I buy books, and if any is left I buy food and clothes,” Desiderius Erasmus has been quoted as saying. If he read like I do (more for fun than for education), he was budgeting for entertainment before necessities. He certainly would not be alone. Today, many people continue [...]
On a recent visit to the Yahoo! Answers website, I found a lot of questions that boiled down to the same thing: How can I make money (usually about $100) fast (usually by the end of the week)? Apparently this question is on many people’s minds. So here are a few answers: My best answer [...]
“Here, let me show you these great glasses — I want to make sure you get the full value of your insurance coverage,” enthused the salesman trying to get me to upgrade my purchase. I had already carefully chosen my favorite pair from the rack of frames my insurance would cover completely, using up enough [...]
Eyeglasses are an oddball purchase. Most people who need them will buy them, but the amount they pay can vary greatly without much difference in quality. There are a few ways, however, to find glasses you like for a price that’s low on the scale. First, consider whether you truly need prescription glasses. If you [...]
We are faced daily with an overwhelming number of choices, particularly when it comes to spending. A simple choice like buying shampoo can turn into a ten-minute decision if we consider overall price, bottle size, brand reputation, specific variety (for oily hair, for straight hair, for red hair, for thin hair), per-unit price, coupons, and [...]
Last year I read an article in Redbook declaring that mothers should hire people to do some of their household work and errands for them. The article made the popular argument that if you can hire someone to do your housework for less than what you make doing something else, you shouldn’t waste your time [...]
