Goodbye and thank you
Posted 25 weeks 4 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Thanks for the memories!
Andrea Dickson's blog
About Andrea Dickson
Can you talk to your friends about debt?
Posted 26 weeks 4 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Do you find it as difficult to talk to friends about money as I do? If you had friends that you believed were about to go into bankruptcy, would you do anything to try and stop them? Is it worth risking a friendship to discuss delicate matters like money?
The case for caloric labeling
Posted 28 weeks 2 days ago by Andrea Dickson
As a conscientious consumer, you have a right to know what you're buying, eating, or wearing. New York City is enforcing a law that requires chain restaurants to provide nutritional information on their menus, to help diners make healthier choices. Will this make any difference in America's battle against obesity? When you go out for a cheap, fast food meal, do you even deserve to know the nutrional value?
These Choos were made for walkin': an interview with a modern urban nomad
Posted 28 weeks 3 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Ever feel stuck? In a rut? Running in place, but not getting much exercise? There's another way to live, you know; a way that bypasses, or at least delays, the mortgage, the commute, and the keeping up with the Joneses. It's called Modern Nomadism, and it's increasingly popular with people young and old. Read on to learn about one blogger who leads such a life.
Does a plastic cork make for a lousy wine?
Posted 29 weeks 1 day ago by Andrea Dickson
I remember the first time my mother opened a bottle of wine that featured a plastic cork. She gasped audibly; the family gathered in the kitchen, where we took turns poking at this odd, pliable plastic cylinder on the kitchen counter. We all knew, instinctively, that this was an INFERIOR bottle of wine, because it was corked with plastic and not... you know, cork. How unromantic! How untraditional! How... eh, pour me another glass, will ya?
Getting Rich Slowly: Interview with JD Roth
Posted 29 weeks 2 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Get Rich Slowly is one of the most popular personal finance web sites on the internet. JD Roth, the man behind the site, agreed to share some of his fiscal background and financial philosophies with Wise Bread.
Urban Composting - It CAN be done!
Posted 30 weeks 5 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Think that living in an urban center means that you can't recycle your food scraps, paper towels, and pizza boxes? Think again. There are so many ways to compost these days, that there's almost no excuse not to do it. In fact, urban composting can even be kind of fun.
What's your frugal obsession?
Posted 31 weeks 5 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Even the biggest spendthrifts have a frugal obsession or two. Wise Bread readers must have their own obsessions or habits that save money, and more importantly, offer a sense of satisfaction? Share you stories with us for the chance to win a $25 gift certificate from Amazon.com.
A year without toilet paper - The Interview
Posted 39 weeks 1 day ago by Andrea Dickson
You wouldn't necessarily know it from watching him on his appearance on The Colbert Report. He comes across as a soft-spoken, good-natured guy, for sure. But he must have a very impenetrable hide to still be blogging after being on the receiving end of the recent Gawker snarkfest about his family's infamous experiment, a year of extremely low-impact living in Manhattan.
Your cell phone number is no longer unlisted
Posted 39 weeks 4 days ago by Andrea Dickson
My cell phone is my only phone, which saves me quite a bit of money every month. Telemarketers don't have the number. Which is good, because I hate wasting airtime telling telemarketers what they can do to themselves. Looks like I had better brush up on my insults. According to the Seattle Times, a locally-owned company named Intelius is putting together a cell phone directory. It costs $15 to search for an individual's cell phone number. That's right - for $15, your cell number can be given out to anyone.
How to be charming
Posted 39 weeks 5 days ago by Andrea Dickson
What makes someone charming? Is it their bearing, their countenance? Is it their sparkling conversation? Their dazzling personality and razor-sharp wit? You might be surprised to know that it's really none of the above. As Brian Tracy says, "Charm is the ability to create extraordinary rapport that makes others feel exceptional." What's remarkable about this ability is that it's easily obtained, not genetic. There's no special trick to it; it just takes a little practice.
Google pays you $10 per business referral
Posted 40 weeks 1 day ago by Andrea Dickson
Google is launching a business referral program, which means that you can earn $10 for every verified business listing that you send Google. You basically go to local businesses, tell them a bit about Google, take down some info, take some digital photos, and submit the information to Google. Kind of like Yelp, only you don't get to give much of an opinion, and you actually get cash in return.
Saving money while hosting guests
Posted 40 weeks 1 day ago by Andrea Dickson
Having just spent the last 48 hours desperately scrubbing my home from top-to-bottom in anticipation of the arrival of some house guests, I appreciated The Simple Dollar's post this morning about how to prepare (and save money) when you are expecting overnight visitors. Hosting is fun, but it can be pricey. Here are some ideas for making guests feel welcome without breaking the bank.
Jettison the junk: why clutter clouds your mind and saps your energy
Posted 40 weeks 3 days ago by Andrea Dickson
There's a man who lives down the street from me who's a big fan of dumpster diving. And by "fan" I mean, that's all he does. His back yard is a sea of garbage. He has 30 broken refrigerators on his giant back porch. His truck, which is parked in front of my house, is overflowing with discarded junk like broken baby strollers, cardboard boxes, paving stones, and dried out cans of paint. He's impoverished. Yet he has all this crap lying around.
What to pack for a road trip with Rover
Posted 41 weeks 4 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Our friends at Itchmo.com recently posted some helpful hints about what to pack when you go road tripping with your four-legged friends. It might seem like a bit much, but planning ahead and having everything you need on hand is the best money saver for road trips. That, and never stopping at a gas station even when all your children really need to pee and haven't eaten since the day before (you know who you are, Dad).
My car payments are too much! What should I do?
Posted 41 weeks 5 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Last August, I decided to purchase my first new car ever. I had only ever owned used (and entirely paid-for) vehicles prior to this. I researched the type of car that I wanted and settled on a 2007 Mazda3. It's a sexy little hatchback. It's sporty, zippy, and has all the trimmings. Problem is, it's busting my budget. I decided to ask three of my favotire personal finance bloggers for advice on whether or not to sell.
eBay Account Hackers - don't be fooled
Posted 42 weeks 6 days ago by Andrea Dickson
I'm not the type to fall for scams, generally. Thus far, I've never been really screwed over on eBay or anything. But I can totally see how people COULD fall for an eBay scammer. Here are some tips for avoiding getting scammed by an eBay hacker. Below that is my story about a recent brush with an eBay hacker.
How to travel to and from Canada
Posted 45 weeks 2 days ago by Andrea Dickson
Getting to and from Canada is getting to be a real pain in the ass. I should know, since I cross the border several times a year to visit family and friends all over the Great White North. The border has always given me the jitters. I've never tried to illegally take anything over the border, but I'm still always a bit freaked out by the process, especially since the guards are getting touchier and touchier as travel restrictions and passport rules get stricter.
Some 4th of July Numbers
Posted 45 weeks 3 days ago by Andrea Dickson
July 4th is such a good time. There's something for everyone--getting tanked with your friends, hanging out with your family, the smell of the barbeque, the spectacular fireworks. I always love the collective sounds that crowds make when watching fireworks. And because I love statistics almost as much as I love fireworks, here are some stats on America's Independence Day celebrations:
Which store-bought stain remover works best?
Posted 46 weeks 20 hours ago by Andrea Dickson
This is the first in what will be an ongoing series of blogs, subtitled "Andrea shamelessly promotes cute guys who make videos about vaguely interesting topics." Now, I know that our Jessica O. did a fabulous blog post about stain removal here. Her post examined common household products that can be used to get stains out. This video, on the other hand, shows an adorably disheveled, slacker-ish guy testing out numerous commercial stain-removers.
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