Articles on Life Hacks

How Tapping Into Home Equity Is Like Pawning A Gold Necklace

It has occurred to me that tapping into one’s home equity can be like pawning a gold necklace, television set, or other personal item with resale value. Both involve using collater

The Guaranteed Easiest Way to Make Your Own Pickles

I’m a dill pickle addict. Once that seal has been popped on my jar of Claussen dills, I usually take care of that jar within 24 hours. Pickles aren’t cheap, however, so I went fo

Are your new tires really 6-year old ticking time-bombs?

Check the tires on your car. How do they look? Plenty of tread, no bald spots, no wear and tear? If that’s the case, you’ve probably got a great set of tires with years of life lef

Concession stand treats – a license to print money.

I was at a local fair recently. The kids were hungry, I was thirsty and we all wanted a snack break. But my wife and I knew we’d have to pay the price. At events like these, you’re

You Can’t Save if You Don’t Try

There has been much discussion about whether certain money-saving strategies are worth your time. In a recent article in Parade Magazine, Tim Harford alerts us to “Bargains That A

The Questionable Aspects of The Housing Bailout Bill - H.R. 3221

In my last article I wrote about the one aspect of the $300 billion dollar housing bailout that I thought made sense, but the full text of the bill known as H.R. 3221 is over 700

Seller Funded Down Payment Assistance Charities - Scammers or Saints?

The United States House of Representatives just passed a massive mortgage bailout bill that includes many changes to the Federal Housing Administration and the Government Sponsored

Build a Bed for Cheap (and Look Good Doing It)

Without a doubt, there are some components to today's beds that are just unnecessary, but I think that most can agree on the core parts of a functioning bed.

7 Beauty Secrets that Cost Almost Nothing

Forget Cosmo. Put away your Oprah Magazine. Turn off the microdermabrasion informercial and toss the $75 ultra-rich moisturizer. There are the cheap ways to look and feel beauti

The Federal Minimum Wage Increases This Week - Are You Getting a Pay Raise?

On July 24th, 2008, the Federal minimum wage in The United States will increase from $5.85 per hour to $6.55 per hour in accordance to the 2007 amendment to the Fair Labor Standar

Are you sane?

Back in the days before science and modern medicine made their contributions to the field of mental health, sanity was a pretty arbitrary thing. Even in those dark days, though, i

Books on Uncle Sam's Shelf

I get free books in the mail every year. I don't have to review them, pay postage or do anything else with them. Uncle Sam sends them to me because I ask for them. These publicatio

Are some lives so empty that an iPhone 3G will fill the void?

In certain parts of the world (Russia comes to mind), people have stood in line for hours just to get some food. It’s messed up, but I get it. If standing in line for hours will re

How Wealthy Are You Beyond Your Bank Account?

On my previous article about working to death I found a pretty long comment by a woman named "Jen" who has a husband that works seven days a week to provide for his family. This l

Capital One: What’s In Your Envelope?

Just when I thought credit card companies couldn’t get any more wasteful, I received the mother of all credit card offers in the mail. Excited by what I thought was something wort

Chill Out With These 6 Simple DIY Freezer Treats

Cool off this summer by making these easy, affordable, and — most importantly — tasty frozen treats!

Emergency food supplies for the lazy skinflint

Anyone who's read Linsey’s great article on freezer emergencies will already have a great head start on saving your food, should the worst happen. But what about another solution a

Recalled Dog Food Companies May Pay for Damages

It has only been a year or so since the dog food scare that left pet owners frustrated, scared, and in some cases, heartbroken. The contaminated wheat gluten and rice protein foun

The financial wisdom of Fight Club

“The first rule of Fight Club – We Do Not Talk About Fight Club.” Everyone who’s seen the movie remembers that. But what about something Tyler Durden, the anarchist extraordinaire,

50 Ways To Squeeze Value From Your Healthcare Dollar Without Killing Yourself

Healthcare will most likely be my family's largest expense in a couple of years, when we've finished paying our home mortgage. We're not heavy users of the healthcare system, so wh