Recent comments

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Tips for Healthy Eating?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Keep bags of frozen veggies like chopped spinach and peas/carrots on hand to add to sauces and meals for a cheap and easy boost in nutrition.

  • netSpend: The Story of the Visa Debit Card We Did Not Apply For   10 years 13 weeks ago

    I just received a net spend card in the mail in my deceased mother's name ( who has been dead for the past eleven years ). I couldn't even reach a live person to ask questions, all I was able to do was cancel the card and remove her from the mailing list. What leaches!!!

  • Is Buying a Foreclosed Home Ever a Good Idea?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Thanks for letting us know about this and for the link!

    :-D

  • Important Habits of Very Frugal People   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Not owning a car can save a good 3000. a year just in car insurance, maintenance fees alone. Walk, take public transit.

    Find alternate ways to heat your home to lower costs. Turn lights off when not in use. Lower heating temps in your home, put on more layers of clothing.

    Don't let the electric company lock you in to "estimated" usage from past years' usage, or what a former tenant used. Get billed as to what you are actually using.

    Get a ledger notebook. Designate a page for each expense--rent, credit cards, etc, so you can see what's what. When you can, make an additional payment every month on your credit card or mortgage payment in which will then go directly to principal and not interest. You can pay it down faster.

    Grow a garden. Shop at 2nd hand stores. Give things away.

  • Is Buying a Foreclosed Home Ever a Good Idea?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Our house was a bank-owned former foreclosure. We got it at a phenomenal price, but we did have to replace the a/c and eventually we re-did the horrendous kitchen (the original 1980 cabinets and counters were ready for a refresh.) It worked out well for us, but we did our homework and we kissed a LOT of frogs on the way! Buying a bank-owned house takes some time to find one with the right things wrong with it.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Tips for Healthy Eating?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    I always start my lunch and dinner with either a vegetable soup or big salad.

  • My 2016 Budget Challenge: Job Creation   10 years 13 weeks ago

    As always, Max, you are an inspiration! Now I've just got to move from inspired to active!
    Patty

  • My 2016 Budget Challenge: Job Creation   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Bob loves being written about, especially is it's positive! We're glad he could help!

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Tips for Healthy Eating?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    I keep fruits and vegetables on the counter or highly visible in the fridge. Our meals are almost all made at home. We are cutting back on meat, using it primarily as an extra. I use coconut oil and/or real butter for cooking, in small amounts and use spices instead of salt.

  • The Surprising Way Birth Order Decides Your Money Habits   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Birth order theories start over after 3. So the 4th child acts like a 1st born would.

  • All the Modern Ways You Can Order Pizza   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Here's one that's so modern it wasn't announced until after this list was published. Coming soon to front porches across New Zealand, robots that deliver pizza -- Domino's Pizza, of course. (http://www.theverge.com/2016/3/18/11259978/dominos-robot-pizza-delivery-...)

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Tips for Healthy Eating?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    I keep lots of healthy snacks in the house, like fruits, veggies, nuts and cheese to snack on.

  • Is Buying a Foreclosed Home Ever a Good Idea?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    You left out a really good (AND HUGE) resource for buying foreclosed homes: HUD.

    There's a stereotype that all HUD homes are run-down and need repairs, but when I worked for HUD, there was always a large selection including very new and nice homes that are move-in ready in great neighborhoods, all sold for less than they're worth. I saw a $1million+ house being sold for a fraction of its worth.

    You can check out the homes on https://www.hudhomestore.com/Home/Index.aspx and see for yourself. You'll have to find a HUD-registered real estate broker to place a bid, but you can at least see the house before bidding, and cancel the contract penalty-free if an inspection reveals problems.

  • 6 Ways to Avoid Surprise Medical Bills   10 years 13 weeks ago

    How do you join?

  • 25 Things to Throw Out Today   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Please consider donating old paint to your local high school Art or Drama program.

  • 5 Money Rules That'll Save You Big in Baby's First Year   10 years 13 weeks ago

    There are 3 different local large scale consignment sales in my area and each happen twice a year. This is my go to for clothes (particularly holiday themed items) and stuff for the grandparents' houses so we don't have to travel with so much on each visit.

  • 2 Juices That Are Surprisingly Bad for You (and 5 to Drink Instead)   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Is drinking tomato juice made from concentrate good for you in terms of the lycopene and vitamin content (ignoring the sodium for now, which depends on the quantity drunk)?
    Most tomato juice bought in stores is from concentrate.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Tips for Healthy Eating?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    I try not to buy junk food. If I don't have it in the house then that means I can't eat it!

  • 8 Vile Craigslist Scams to Watch Out For   10 years 13 weeks ago

    i recently purchased a 11 week old German shepherd puppy and stupid enough i sent 500 $for the pup.. the carrier agency then began to tell me the crate wasnt good enough for her so i had to buy a new one and i denied and said well i dont know if your even real so im not sending anymore money to you untill i know you have my dog.. so i contacted the owner " Alex Maxwell" and he told me that he cant afford the new crate because of his finances .. and he said he wouldnt recieve any money untill i signed the papers from the "air pet carrier agency ".. he began to say how he didnt want me to leave his sweet puppy at the agency.. if he was a real guy he wouldnt let my dog be sitting ther over night.. well now i cant get ahold of either of them and im beyond livid! i understand now im the dum dum that only went to the websites they told me to go to and it seemed legit! well now im out of 500 and dont have the dog ive been wanting for a long while now! what do i do??????!!

  • Dealing with Nasty Debt Collectors   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Hi Amy. Yesterday I received a call from a debt collector saying that my license plate has been flagged. I called the police and they said I was clear. When I called the debt collector this morning he stated that i might be clear but someone IS looking for me but didnt say who the person was. He called in regards to a payday loan and threatened me with wage garnish and jail and repossession of my car. I never received a letter from the collection agency as to how much i owe..he just mentioned the amount on the phone. He also claimed to work with the state of South Dakota where i live in but the number i called came from a small town in New York called Alden. When i told him i would go to court he got angry and thats when the threats came. Is there something i can do? Thank you..Marion

  • Save More Money With 5 Sneaky Tricks   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Saving money can be hard task for many, since cutting expenditure from day to day life can be tough ask for many. That is why, it is often recommended that making mindset right to not to spend much & at the same taking advantages of available discount or freebies can be smart choice in this regard.

  • Ask the Readers: What Are Your Tips for Healthy Eating?   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Pack your lunch for work everyday that way you control what you are eating.

  • 50 Amazing, Easy DIY Bath and Body Products   10 years 13 weeks ago

    This is so informative. Since a lot of people are afraid of buying expensive products which contain chemicals that might be harmful to the skin. Great that you shared your expertise in doing bath and body products. They can choose whatever ingredients that they want to make sure that what they're using is all natural and organic.

  • The Only 9 Things You'd Really Need If You Lost Everything   10 years 13 weeks ago

    A couple of things to help you feel human: toothbrush and toothpaste, comb, other toiletries. It helps you centre when you have the ability to stick as much as possible to your daily routine. I always pack a notebook, pens, loose paper, phone numbers, and a small Bible. I also have a couple cool Japanese kits that are in a very tiny light box: metal chopsticks which screw together and a tiny fork and spoon. These are easy to disinfect in hot water or just soap or sand and vigorous rubbing. (The friction removes germs, interestingly enough.). Also, a tiny penknife and flashlight, toolkit, that fit on my keychain. Probably the best form of barter would be cigarettes! Even people who don't smoke take it up when severely stressed, but regardless, they are great for bartering. Oh, a flint and a magnifying glass.

  • 25 Things to Throw Out Today   10 years 13 weeks ago

    Super useful information.