Articles on Frugal Living

How Many Will Lose Money on Those "Frugal" Gardens This Year?

As the economy falters, gardening looks better than ever this spring. But as the daughter of a veteran gardener, I've seen too much heartache to believe seed companies' promises of

Debit Or Credit? Which One Should You Choose At The Checkout?

Debit or credit? Although the outcome seems the same, it’s a different process with different consequences.

The Economics of Marriage and Health - Til Death Do Us Part

Studies have shown that a healthy marriage could translate into a healthy heart, not to mention saving money on health care or an expensive divorce.

Book review: The Self-Sufficient Life and How to Live It

In the days when self-sufficiency was simply the normal way of things, you'd learn the necessary knowledge and skills from your parents. (And from your grandparents, aunts and

Gifts For Grads

Around springtime last year, as my niece’s university graduation date loomed, I picked out (but waited to buy) what I thought would be an ideal gift: a watch with her alma mater’s

Stay Healthy, Live Longer, Spend Wisely: Making Intelligent Choices in America's Healthcare System

How can you be sure that your next doctor's office visit goes really well? Author and leading medical expert Dr. Davis Liu joins Wise Bread on Blog Talk Radio tonight to give advi

Buying Shiny New Things Without The Guilt

Saving beforehand without dipping into savings or paycheck takes the guilt out of buying process.

Beware, The Nasty Secret Of The Craigslist Free Section

If you love Craigslist, and use the free section to either post products or get great deals, you really need to read this. Because there’s a dirty secret to Craigslist that most pe

Restaurant Menus: Translating Cost and Taste

A well-designed menu is considered an easy way to separate diners from their dollars at a restaurant. Even mom-and-pop restaurants put a lot of time and effort into how they put to

Tactics of the rich

There are things the rich do that working class and middle class folks don't. Some of them--living off the return on capital rather than wages or salary--are only available to the

Walgreens Clinics Provide Free Health Care for the (Very) Recently Unemployed

If you’ve found yourself avoiding the doctor because you’re recently laid off and not sure what to do, we’ve got news for you! Walgreens Take Care clinics are opening their doors

iStopOver: Earn Extra Income or Travel on the Cheap, and a Special Promotion for Wise Bread Readers

Many people have put their vacation on hold with the current economic downturn, or are searching for alternative ways to travel on the cheap. Other people yet are looking to earn s

Money making hobby: panning for gold

Lately many Californians have been heading to the rivers and streams to prospect for gold. The increase in people taking up this activity has some newspapers writing about "the new

Suze Orman Tells Us To Pay ONLY The Minimum On Credit Cards. Wait, What?!

You’re not seeing things. This is not an April Fool’s gag (although if I’d written this last year it would have been). No, this is Suze Orman’s latest advice and it is a complete 1

Medical Tourism 101: Listen Live for Big Savings

Have you ever wondered what the phrase “medical tourism” really meant? Are you looking for ways to cut back on healthcare costs (both at home and abroad)? We chat candidly with A

Confessions of a Minimalist: 9 Reasons I Miss My Stuff

I believe in having less stuff, but I'm beginning to miss all the old stuff that I had. I've spent some time trying to figure out why.

What Does “YMMV” Mean? The Official Guide to Decoding the Language of Frugality

You don’t have to browse the forums at hot savings sites very long to notice that super-shoppers have their own lingo. Before you let terms like “FAR” and “peelies” scare you away

Swoopo - great auction deals or great scam?

Today I stumbled upon a site called Swoopo. It is touted as a new auction site that combines shopping with entertainment. I took a quick look and it seemed like many items were s

How To Turn a 2-liter Bottle Of Water Into a 50-Watt Lightbulb

It's not often I'm taken aback by the simplicity and power of an invention, but this one does it for me. It's cheap, anyone can make one and it literally changes lives. Welcome to

Look, But Don’t Touch: Avoid Marketing Manipulation

When it comes to shopping, touching an item may in fact encourage consumers to purchase things they hadn’t intended on buying in the first place.