Posted 34 min 34 sec ago by Nora Dunn
Lifestyle, Budgeting, Art and Leisure
Here is a fun tool to help you figure out how you can save money, and then where that money can take you. It gives us a chance to dream big, and (even better) find ways to make those dreams come true. Come play!
full story
Posted 12 hours 57 min ago by Torley Wong
Shopping, Consumer Affairs
We've no shortage of "How to do good customer service" articles designed to be applied from the company's side. But what about customers?
full story
Posted 1 day 11 hours ago by Xin Lu
Personal Finance, Real Estate and Housing, Consumer Affairs
When the Obama administration first announced the details of the Making Home Affordable program in March, the guidelines for the refinance portion stated that the loan refinanced cannot be more than 105% of the value of the home. Now a new expansion of the program allows the loan to value ratio to be up to 125%. Will this help consumers or just worsen the situation?
full story
Posted 1 day 13 hours ago by Paul Michael
Frugal Living, DIY, Consumer Affairs
I do a lot of research on the Internet for information about home-made solutions to everyday problems. In fact, I'll be posting one soon that covers recipes for home-made car wax, air freshener and even glue. But on my travels, I discovered a horrifying fact - in these tough economic times, people out there are taking medical matters into their own hands. DIY plastic surgery is on the rise.
full story
Posted 1 day 14 hours ago by Carrie Kirby
Art and Leisure
The best thing about public school is that it keeps kids occupied and not spending money for six hours a day or more. Now that it's summer, here re seven ideas for free or very cheap activities to keep the kids from driving you crazy (or to the poorhouse).
full story
Posted 1 day 19 hours ago by WC Porter
Frugal Living, Food and Drink
There is lots of advice out there on how to save money on drinking by buying this or that wine. But forget that—everyone's tastes are different and one person's "good wine" might be another's dud. The only way to find good wines you know you'll like is to taste as many as you can. For free.
full story
Posted 1 day 23 hours ago by Andrea Dickson
Personal Finance
Finding online coupons, learning to live in this depressing economy, selling your house in this depressing economy, going to the gym (no, really), ignoring Canada, looking beyond erasing debt, and learning to calm your #!$%)&@ nerves.
full story
Posted 2 days 10 hours ago by Linsey Knerl
Frugal Living, Green Living, DIY
I’m a sucker for brand-name cleaning supplies, and while it’s no crime to be brand-loyal and use what works best for you and your family, often times there are shortcuts that can cut back on cleaning time – and out-of-pocket expenses. The July issue of All You Magazine had some of the most inspiring ways to get your cleaning jobs done for less. Here are my top picks, along with some additional ways to stretch that dollar!
full story
Posted 2 days 10 hours ago by Paul Michael
Career and Income, Life Hacks, General Tips, Career Building
Self-promotion is not easy. Whether you're a high six-figure consultant, or earning $10 an hour in retail, you still have to talk about yourself in the right way. And one of the key ingredients of self-promotion is the resume. Nail it, and you nail the job. Blow it, and you blow your chances at a better job, better career or even a better life.
full story
Posted 2 days 17 hours ago by Myscha Theriault
Green Living
I recently saw a rather interesting documentary. The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil, takes a detailed look at how this tiny nation has dealt with a decades-long shut off from supplies the rest of us deem necessary, and in the process provides a blueprint for how larger countries might actually begin making some of the same transitions themselves, including a nation-wide organically grown food system. Ready for a peek at how they did it?
full story
Posted 3 days 9 hours ago by Xin Lu
Personal Finance, Real Estate and Housing, Consumer Affairs
On May 1st a new set of home appraisal rules called the Home Valuation Code of Conduct was put into effect by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac in order to distance realtors and mortgage brokers from appraisers. This was put in place because during the housing bubble appraisal fraud was rampant and some appraisers felt pressured by realtors and brokers to hit the desired numbers. How is this affecting consumers?
full story
Posted 3 days 11 hours ago by Carrie Kirby
Food and Drink
In my supermarket angst series, I've been researching questions that have puzzled me at the store. This time, I'm tackling poultry. Is organic poultry worth the price premium? What about "natural"? Or is it enough just to look for a label that says free-range or perhaps hormone free? Are meat chickens and turkeys treated as badly as laying hens on conventional factory farms?
Now that I know the answers to these questions, alas, this is an area where I'll most likely be spending more.
full story
Posted 3 days 12 hours ago by Sarah Winfrey
Shopping
Shopping for clothes doesn't have to be painful: not to your wallet, not to you schedule, and (most importantly) not to your poor, aching brain. Taking the simple step of deciding beforehand which sorts of items are worth the splurge and which ones you won't pay anything above rock-bottom for can take the aches and pains out of the most dreaded shopping trips. Click through for some basic guidelines and you'll be ready to attack that list.
full story
Posted 3 days 13 hours ago by Linsey Knerl
Giveaways
Do you consider yourself to be a wizard at bartering? Are you considering opting out of the money economy for even more of your day-to-day business? If you have a tip, opinion, or question regarding bartering, we want to hear it! (And your comment could earn you a quick $10!)
full story
Posted 3 days 14 hours ago by Paul Michael
Personal Finance, Frugal Living, Life Hacks, General Tips, Real Estate and Housing, Consumer Affairs, Cars and Transportation
Home alarm systems can be expensive. A basic alarm system can be hundreds of dollars. Move up to the home-monitoring systems of ADT and Brink's, and you're talking big money. Installation can cost over $1000, and the monthly monitoring fee can be upwards of $40 a month. But, chances are, you already own a pretty good alternative.
full story
Posted 3 days 17 hours ago by Philip Brewer
Personal Finance, Frugal Living
The economy is way short of full employment, so naturally, consumer spending is down. Sooner or later employment, I think, will return to normal levels. Consumer spending will return to normal too--but don't look to the first half of this decade as "normal." Normal is something very different.
full story
All comments