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Squawkfox

Written by Kerry K. Taylor, author of 397 Ways to Save Money - Spend Smarter & Live Well on Less, Squawkfox makes frugal living sexy, delicious, and fun.

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Latest Posts from Squawkfox (page 8)

The Definitive Guide: 22 Ways to get a discount on anything (part three)

Published Thursday, March 22, 2012 - 11:52 by Squawkfox

This article is Part Thee of The Definitive Guide: 22 Ways to get a discount on anything. To start from the beginning, read Part One, or skip to Part Two. 16. Find the flaw. Does the table have a visible scratch? Is the shirt missing a button? Was the item on display? If you don’t mind a fixable flaw or two, then choose to buy the less-than-perfect item to save money. […]

The Definitive Guide: 22 Ways to get a discount on anything (part two)

Published Tuesday, March 20, 2012 - 12:42 by Squawkfox

This article is Part Two of The Definitive Guide: 22 Ways to get a discount on anything. To start from the beginning, read Part One. 9. Watch the price scanner, get free food? Mistakes on electronic price scans are common at the grocery store. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has found that errors occur in one out of every 32 regularly priced items. […]

The Definitive Guide: 22 Ways to get a discount on anything

Published Sunday, March 18, 2012 - 15:54 by Squawkfox

I used to take a store’s sticker price at face value. If the product I wanted was priced at $24.99 (or whatever), I’d pay it. No qualms, no questions asked, no problem — I’d make the purchase. Sticky price tags stuck on marked up merchandise led me to believe all retail prices were firm, fixed, and immovable. Guess what? […]

Cut your energy bill by 10% with an old sock

Published Wednesday, February 29, 2012 - 11:36 by Squawkfox

Sticking a sock in it could save you some serious cash. Don’t believe me? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, teeny tiny air leaks around your windows and doors can account for 10% to 25% of your heating bill. In western Canuckland, BC Hydro says that 20% of all heat loss is through leaks and poor ventilation. That’s a lot of moolah getting booted from your wallet for little benefit. […]

Rebalance your Couch Potato Portfolio with these free tools

Published Tuesday, February 7, 2012 - 15:06 by Squawkfox

Use the Couch Potato strategy to build a low-cost and well diversified portfolio, and then download these free tools to rebalance your stock and bond holdings back to the perfect mix. At the beginning of every month I contribute some saved cash to my Couch Potato and rebalance my mix of stocks, bonds, cash, and other assets. It’s a habit I’ve stuck to over the years to build my savings. […]

Squawkfox on Reality TV: Million Dollar Neighbourhood

Published Wednesday, January 25, 2012 - 14:59 by Squawkfox

It was a hot summer’s day when I was invited to be a ‘Money Saving Expert’ on the new reality TV series, Million Dollar Neighbourhood. Set in Aldergrove B.C., Million Dollar Neighbourhood challenges 100 families and encourages the community to come together to raise their collective net worth by a stunning one million dollars. […]

Millionaire Teacher by Andrew Hallam

Published Monday, January 23, 2012 - 19:29 by Squawkfox

This is a review of Millionaire Teacher: The Nine Rules of Wealth You Should Have Learned in School by Andrew Hallam. I met Andrew Hallam by accident in my email’s spam folder. It’s a bad day when a notable financial writer (and a super nice guy) gets banned from my inbox along with thousands of cheap Viagra offerings. I have nothing against Viagra ads. […]

Beware of shrinking products with increasing price tags

Published Thursday, January 12, 2012 - 12:50 by Squawkfox

Back in the 80s I had a strange fascination with Shrinky Dinks — the toy, not ‘the deflating disappointment’. Sigh. […]

Best of 2011: Top 10 Squawks of the Year

Published Wednesday, December 28, 2011 - 10:36 by Squawkfox

It’s nearly time to close the books on another year of saving, spending, and money mumbling. […]

11 Last minute holiday survival tips for the stressed

Published Thursday, December 22, 2011 - 12:18 by Squawkfox

The malls are a mess and I find myself in the precarious position of needing a few more presents for under the tree. Translation: I’m a little freaked out. Now, I normally have all my holiday gift shopping planned and done by early fall thanks to my handy Holiday Expense Tracking Spreadsheet and a little thoughtful pre-planning. […]