Recent comments

  • 30 Signs That You Were Raised by Frugal Parents   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I cut the "empty" tube of hand lotion in half, and then just use a finger to get the lotion from the side of it. The cut part then fits over the other side. Over the course of the next weeks it gets shorter as it gets real empty.

  • Frugal Changes You Don't Want to Make — But Can   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I'd add one more if I may: plan your car trips.

    Years ago, we bought a gas guzzler because it was dirt cheap and close to new. We figured the extra gas money would balance the savings of the purchase price. And then we figured we can really save money by just being a little more careful with our driving. It involved saying no to invitations involving mucho miles, picking spots to eat out that were closer to home, being intentional about when we do those quick trips to the grocery store, and being careful about when driving to the same place in two cars, for whatever reason.

    We cut our gas bill by close to $50 a month (this was in Southern California where everyone drives before they even breathe). And here's the thing: we weren't even that anal about it. Just considering the miles makes a difference...

  • 5 Things to Spend More on Now   13 years 38 weeks ago

    While it is true that hiring a financial planner can help point you in the right financial direction, you should also complement this move by educating yourself on money matters by reading books on the subject. This way, you do not have to rely on the planner wholesale. Listen to them, yes, but you must also know something about finances because the harsh reality is that not all of them are experts in the real sense of the word.

    Furthermore, as books are relatively cheap, it ties in nicely with our goal of living large on a small budget.

  • 12 Natural Remedies for Stomach Pain   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Since childhood i used to do this, it really works...
    1.take a glass full of warm water
    2.take 10 grms of Raw ginger ( the outer layer should be peeled of )
    3.crush it and mix both and stir for a while
    and the drink is ready and you can also try baking the ginger while it is raw and have it. thank u for reading and have a speedy recovery bye.

  • Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Eat Fast Food?   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Occasionally. I'm vegan so eating fast food, while do-able, is not very tasty.

  • Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Eat Fast Food?   13 years 38 weeks ago

    We seldom eat fast food. Whenever we have a long distance travel (not very often), we stop at a McD and get a fries. Nothing more than that. I'm limiting fast food content in my family's meals.

  • Trader Joes vs. Costco: What's a Better Place to Shop?   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I'm with you on this one! I love TJ's and go there every week to buy many of the products I can't get a the Farmer's Market.

  • Back to School: Saving on College Textbooks   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I'd like to recommend asking the professor if the book is even going to be used often. I once had a class where I purchased a book for $150 and it was used a mere 3 times. Most people in the class didn't purchase one and I was left feeling like an idiot.

  • Have a Great Day, Every Day: 5 Things to Do in the Morning   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I'll vouch for morning exercise. I've started waking up at 5 am to exercise at my local gym for no more than 30 minutes and it's been doing wonders. I suggest everyone try exercising in the morning: it feels great, your mood improves for the rest of the day, you feel less tired (although it would seem the opposite) - it's awsome!

  • Back to School: Saving on College Textbooks   13 years 38 weeks ago

    This is one thing I made sure I did when I was doing my undergrad and honestly a lot of people are still unaware of. A couple other sites I used was Textbooksrus.com, Textbooks.com and some of the sites you listed above.

    Its important to determine if the book is a book you may want to keep. Books that I felt could be beneficial later on, I chose to buy and keep; however most books I would either buy used or rent (buy backs normally arnt that great).

    Have an iPad? CourseSmart.com and Kno are two great apps that let you rent textbooks. This is great because they have cool features and you always have your books with you without carrying around a ton (literally ha) of books.

  • 15 Awesome Storage Solutions for Under $10   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Also plastic diaper wipe containers are great to keep little stuff in. Most have a pop-up lid for quick access.

  • Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Eat Fast Food?   13 years 38 weeks ago

    very rarely

  • Financial Math Basics You Need to Know   13 years 38 weeks ago

    What do you expect, kids learn from a young age that it's all right to hate math. A lot of kids get lost around division/fractions, and sadly if they don't comprehend those well the intuitiveness of basic math goes out the window. Sure they may make it through linear algebra, and even a good chunk of pre-calc by memorizing formulas, but they can never put math to practical use because they don't realize how it all really "works."

    Then there is the battle of the mind. Some people are logical and some people are emotional. It feels good to eat nice food, and put $200 in the bank - instant gratification - and after a couple of months they can buy a new TV/Computer/whatever.

    Logical people know the math and realize that the long-term reward that you mentioned is worth it.

    Emotion and naivety are two hard things to battle my friend, and that's why all of nature falls back on the bell curve. Some people are just destined to be a certain way.

  • 8 Other Green Cleaners Already in Your House   13 years 38 weeks ago

    How much castule soap,vineger and water do you mix for dishwasher soap?

  • How to Beat Grocery Price Increases   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I also find that using a hand basket instead of a shopping cart really helps me to save on my grocery bill. You are less likely to load up on a lot of junk when you are in 'decision fatigue mode'. Also if you shop with a list, you are less likely to overspend. If you end up throwing a lot of food out, sometimes the smaller sizes are cheaper because of less waste.

  • Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Eat Fast Food?   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I'd say I eat fast food once every week, but trying to cut down!

  • Your Money Problems: Why They're All Your Fault   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Great post! This is an ongoing "battle" in my house. I am a natural saver, and my wife is a natural spender. Like a lot of people, We have had to make some financial cut backs in recent years. I have made it a habit to be frugal, and work with my wife to change our overall financial mindset. if you don't do that first - you'll be doomed to failure in your plans to save, turn things around, etc....

    I write about finance, specifically as it relates to mortgages. Would you mind if I referred back to this post on my blog?

    Thanks!

  • DIY Shampoo: The Baking Soda Experiment   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Instead of olive oil, try the purest and most healthy oil out there, Grapeseed Oil, which is commonly used in OTC products for the face. It is wonderful; never sticky, healthy to use on your skin and much much healthier than any of the most extra virgin olive oil out there for cooking/eating.

    Also, use sparkling (plain seltzer)water on your hair - awesome and if you have a pool, this clarifies your hair, rids you of chlorine, bromide, etc, and softens the water and your hair and leaves a shine no chemical product I have ever found can beat. I also color my hair and seltzer water does NO damage to it at all.

  • The Best and Worst Nuts, by Nutrition and Price   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I love nuts and use to have an easier time finding them without salt, especially in bulk, but the local Hannafords discontinued them and they've been hard to find. Luckily I took time to explore a local Indian store and they have multiple varieties, all without salt and for the cheapest prices I've seen in years. If you've got an Indian store in your area, check them out. Also, I've just learned how to make my own granola and it's 90% nuts and seeds. Goes great on granola in the a.m. and for snacks. It can even be made as bars.

  • Best Money Tips: Retirement Questions People Forget to Ask   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Thanks for including our article about conveniences that you can do without!

    ~Khaleef

  • “Avoid These Fast Food Items,” Say Fast Food Employees   13 years 38 weeks ago

    I used to work in a large university cafeteria. We also filtered oil but only from a first frier to a second before it was dumped into a giant bin as used up. The second frier was always used for onion rings, the first one was never used for onion rings because we were told they affected the flavor. Probably smart to cook the blooming onion last.

  • Best Money Tips: Saving on Clothes   13 years 38 weeks ago

    My friend swears by the Goodwill stores. At first I thought it wasn’t a good idea, but when I saw here piecing together some very nice outfits along with the shoes and jewelry I was convinced.

  • “Avoid These Fast Food Items,” Say Fast Food Employees   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Be careful of slush machines at convenience stores. They don't always get cleaned properly, and you can get protein in the form of bugs in your slush.
    I used to clean the floors, and stock shelves at one in the country. I wasn't allowed to clean the machine. I think it wasn't cleaned but around once a year.

  • Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Eat Fast Food?   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Rarely.

  • Best Money Tips: Frugal DIY Cleaning Projects   13 years 38 weeks ago

    Thank you for your detailed analysis of the two calculators. I think a big part of the problem is that Romney's plan lacks a lot of specifics, so people building calculators have to make a lot of assumptions. I'll add an editor's note to the original post to make this point clear (as well as link to your detailed analysis so people can decide for themselves).