Carrie Kirby's blog
Posted 20 hours 28 min ago by Carrie Kirby
Deals
Saturday is the Letter Carriers' annual food drive, when you put bags of food out and your mailman or mail woman will pick them up to share with needy families. But with rising food prices, who can afford to buy an extra bag of groceries for someone else?You can. Here are a couple of food deals going on this week that, if combined with coupons, yield about 2 bags of non-perishable groceries for as little as $3. Even without coupons, you'll spend no more than $10 on food that will really come in handy for those less fortunate.
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Posted 1 week 2 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Personal Finance
Play financial adviser and tell me how you would handle a deferred preschool tuition payment. Put it all on the credit card for a large cashback reward, or enjoy the opportunity to pay it slowly? Which do you value more, good karma or being able to get that bathroom remodeled before your ceiling caves in? And -- do you get mad if someone forgets to bill your credit card on a monthly basis? Or is that a lucky break?
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Posted 1 week 3 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Freebies
April 29 is that day we've all been waiting for, the day when Ben & Jerry rain their delicious ice cream cones down upon the public for free. Or at least their teen-age employees dish it out to those of us without day jobs who have time to wait and wait and wait in line for the chance to save a buck or two.
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Posted 6 weeks 21 hours ago by Carrie Kirby
Shopping
There is plenty not to like about the practices of both the nation's leading big-box retailers. But a few subtle differences -- and one h-u-g-e one -- make one of them the obvious mark of boycotters everywhere. Here's a look at how the two companies stack up on labor, human rights, the environment and other issues -- and an alternative to shopping at either place.
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Posted 8 weeks 3 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
Frugal living can be a very responsible thing -- it prevents piling waste into landfills and it promotes the financial well being of your family. But sometimes, can frugality be irresponsible? Here are five ethical dilemmas brought up by cost cutting.
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Posted 9 weeks 6 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
If you lose or drown your cellular phone before you're eligible for an upgrade, don't buy a new one. Ask around and you're sure to find someone with an unused handset that's been sitting around since their last upgrade. AT&T will replace a SIM card for free. Not only is it frugal, it's earth-friendlier than buying a new phone.
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Posted 12 weeks 2 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Personal Finance
It's a much older secret than "The Secret," and much truer: Most lucky people are good planners and good decision makers. To a non-planner, a broken-down car is lousy luck; to a planner, it's "depreciation."
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Posted 13 weeks 4 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
I've heard about the frugal shoppers storming CVS for free merchandise from KY Jelly to glucose monitors. Was this a penny-enny game for grandmothers with too much time on their hands? Or could it work for a busy Wise Bread mom who just happens to live across the street from CVS? Today I set out to find out.
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Posted 14 weeks 3 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Consumer Affairs
Recalls aren't just for toys. If something breaks, especially earlyish in the product's life, check it out and you may just get a free replacement.
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Posted 15 weeks 16 hours ago by Carrie Kirby
Extra Commentary
We've removed this article from our archives. We have great respect for photographers and their work. We do not endorse reprinting copyrighted photographs even for personal use.
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Posted 17 weeks 6 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
It doesn't take a frugal bloodhound to seek out half-price wrapping paper and holiday cards in early January. But don't stop your discount shopping there. Recent years have seen an explosion of holiday-themed products. In catalogs, I was amazed and slightly disgusted to see holiday bedsheets and area rugs in addition to the more traditional decorations such as tableclothes and towels. In the grocery store, you'll see Christmas tree-shaped crackers and Santa-printed everyday napkins. All this is decidedly unfrugal at full price. Do we really need a whole alternate set of housewares stashed away for use during only one month of the year?But after Christmas, this wasteful trend becomes a boon to the frugal. The following are some of the things I've picked up at deep discount this year, mostly from the clearance cart at my local grocery, but also at drugstores and Target.
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Posted 20 weeks 2 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
Would a good mother feed her children out of the Dumpster? My first encounter with a real live freegan leaves me wondering. Is helping save the earth and some money worth even the shadow of a chance that a rat walked across my bread bag?
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Posted 20 weeks 4 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Shopping
The tale of the Christmas belly flop is a sad one. The shopper finds something that looks so appealing, often on sale, and wraps it up beautifully. The givee is truly excited -- until the thing is a pain to maintain, works poorly or stops running altogether. Here are five handy sources for quick product research to keep Santa from belly flopping this Christmas.
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Posted 22 weeks 23 hours ago by Carrie Kirby
Consumer Affairs
Sometimes you have to ask 20 different people 20 different ways. It's usually worth it.
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Posted 23 weeks 4 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Shopping
RetailMeNot gadgets can smoothe your online bargain-hunting experience on Cyber Monday. Which will come in handy if you're trying to get your holiday shopping done before the boss gets out of her morning meeting.
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Posted 24 weeks 2 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
Why are you reading this blog post when you could be reading acclaimed journalism or award-winning authors for free? Well, blogs like this one are good for money-saving tips. But if you stick with me for just a minute, you'll soon be reading something that saves your intellect, your sense of humanity and your money.
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Posted 25 weeks 2 hours ago by Carrie Kirby
Budgeting
You're trying to delight everyone on your Christmas list, and then the guilt sets in. What about those in more need than your family? Here are 10 ways to find money for a donation in a tight budget.
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Posted 25 weeks 4 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
Omega-3-fortified foods are pricey -- but there are other, cheaper ways to get those very important fatty acids.
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Posted 26 weeks 6 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
One frugal mom recycles that Halloween loot for the Christmas stockings. Even if you don't go that far, now is the time to start thinking about stocking-stuffer sweets.
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Posted 27 weeks 2 days ago by Carrie Kirby
Frugal Living
You can come out of the shadows, my fellow cheapos, skinflints and non-pathological hoarders. Thanks to the rise of eco-hip, frugal is becoming cool. Sorta.
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