When I was in college and, later, working my first jobs, I never had a regular schedule. The jobs I had back then were either temporary or service oriented. Sometimes I’d work nights, sometimes days, and sometimes both. I worked holidays, weekends, and other times when no one else could or would work. It wasn’t [...]
While I’m all for being frugal, there are some things that you just don’t want to skimp on. Some things are so important to your health or safety that it simply isn’t wise or cost-effective to look for the cheapest options, or to skip the item altogether in the name of “saving money.” While everyone [...]
One of the common ways to save money which people often suggest is to buy generic. In many cases, this is good advice. Many generic products these days can hold their own against their name brand counterparts, but this isn’t always the case. There are some generic products that end up costing you more money [...]
Nothing is quite as exciting to a child as a birthday party. We may lose the desire to celebrate as we get older, but to a child, a birthday is a magical thing. As parents, we want to make those occasions special and sometimes that wish can lead to a big dent in our finances. [...]
While you should always schedule regular checkups and screenings with a real doctor, there are many ways you can keep an eye on your health in between checkups. This is important because many conditions are fully treatable if caught early. Early detection means easier treatment and less money spent. If you find yourself without insurance [...]
Dollar stores have become quite popular and there are definitely deals that can be found at your local dollar store. While you may want to visit your local dollar store to see if you can score some of these deals, there are also products at the dollar store that are anything but a deal. It’s [...]
Whenever talk turns to eating healthy, one of the common arguments against it is that it’s too expensive. Well, it can be. If you buy nothing but organic foods or “convenience” produce like pre-cut apples or carrots, and bagged salads, you’re going to pay a lot of money. You’ll also pay more for “fat free,” [...]
By David Cummings It’s funny how it’s the little things that seem to make clear what you have known all along, but refused to acknowledge. On March 20, 2011 I bent down to tie a shoe lace that had come loose — and couldn’t. I literally stood there stunned. No matter how hard I tried, [...]
Food is one of the biggest line items in a budget, usually behind only rent or a mortgage and maybe the utilities. It’s also a necessity so you can’t just give it up. Many people want to know how to cut their food budget yet still eat something other than Ramen noodles and Hamburger Helper [...]
I’ve been helping a neighbor attack her New Year’s resolution to get her finances in order. She’s been writing down all of her spending for a couple of weeks and I’m helping her identify things that can be cut back. Like a lot of people, she spends a lot on things like coffee from Starbucks, [...]
