blogs

Turn smugness into a positive virtue

Various times here in my posts I've admitted to an unfortunate tendency toward smugness. It's really a negative character trait, and one that I struggle against. There are ways,

Best Money Tips: The Cost of Things

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips roundup. This week, we look at the cost of stuff, even stuff you don't really think about.

Need cheap or free construction materials? Go to a demolished housing development.

Amidst the financial crisis, many home builders around the country have run out of financing. Last week a bank decided to completely level 16 completed and partially built homes i

Five quick and simple scams that could happen to you today

A US version of the UK show The Real Hustle has been trying out some very simple but effective cons on the American public, and they’re getting away with some serious money. Watch,

How to Be Happy and Married: 24 Tips from a 24-Year-Old Marriage

My husband and I celebrated our 24th anniversary last week. Here are a few things I've learned about having a happy, long-lasting marriage.

How to Recycle your Clothes, Shoes, Electronics, and More

We have so much STUFF. Cell phones that don’t work any more. Batteries that won’t charge any more. Shoes that have holes in them. The list goes on. We don’t want to throw this old

Frugal Mother’s Day Gift Ideas from Bargain Babe

Julia Scott, aka Bargain Babe, is a classic example of someone who can balance the low-cost of frugal living with the time and effort needed to make life meaningful. Tonight’s int

Do Americans really want to "Go Dutch"?

I just read a very interesting article by an American expat named Russell Shorto in the Netherlands titled "Going Dutch - How I Learned to Love the European Welfare State". The

Postal Dis-Service?

The cost of sending packages and letters by Priority and Express Mail will set you back more than regular mail, but are you really getting the service you’re paying for?

7 Free and Low Cost Ways To Protect Your Credit

Many people have fallen victim to identity theft and credit fraud such that it's become essential for us to keep an eye on our credit. Most of the time, a fraud victim finds out a

Using Money to Track Swine Flu

It turns out that the flow of money may hold some insight into the spread of swine flu.

Survivor Island Meal Plans: Use it or Lose It in 5 Easy Steps

Whether you’re a bit strapped for cash, or you’re facing the dreaded task of defrosting your freezer, it’s always good to do a complete “use it up” routine with your food supply.

Another path to recovery: higher incomes

Preventing a collapse of the financial system is part of preventing a depression. However, the shorthand term for this--getting the banks able and willing to lend--is misleading.

Budgeting Hack: Gift Calendars

There is no quicker way to derail a decent budget than having to buy unexpected gifts. Learn how to make your own Gift Calendar so you can steer clear of the cash crunch, organize

Help Make Wise Bread Better (and Win a Free Wise Bread Book)

I’m sure many of you remember Andrea’s recent Facebook ad debacle (the one where she was continually fed irrelevant, and sometimes insulting, ads while browsing.) Here at Wise Bre

Beautify Your Yard: What's Your Best Advice?

The yard and garden is on everyone’s mind this time of year, and the recent Earth Day celebration may have you thinking about some fuel-free options for keeping things beautiful.

Foraging for Food: The Hunt For The Wild Mushroom

It’s early May, and the river bottom is full of new life. Not just rabbits, snakes, and chicks, but also brand new morel mushrooms. This tasty treat is as much fun to find as it

10 Tips for Landing an Gig Online

Getting hired online is easier now than it ever was. If times are tight for you, you may find yourself looking for ways to make extra cash. The bad news is that everyone else is do

Reverse engineer the best time of your life

Everybody has a "best time" of their life. Maybe it was the summer you spent hiking the Appalachian trail, or a semester abroad during college, or the second half of the first yea

Best Money Tips: Swine Flu Free Zone

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips roundup! This week's articles look at defining assets, assessing China, having children, the recession, more recession, but guess what? N