Recent comments

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I read the good bad and ugly reviews, and I still form my own opinion. I still want to see the pos. and neg. comments -- it helps me with a more informed decision.

  • How to Make Your Own Curtains   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I can barely sew a straight line, but I made valences for my entire house. It really is this easy!

  • 4 Cheap and Easy Homemade Mosquito Repellents   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I would like to add Ceylon Cinnamon Leaf oil to these recipes. Just mix 1% Cinnammon Leaf Oil with 99% Water and you are good to go. You can spray it on your arms and legs or any exposed area except around the eyes or on the eyes of course. And since you only need 1%, a little 2oz bottle will last a long time and works out the cheapest. This thing works miracles to keep away black ants. And the best part is it smells great and has a variety of other benefits.

  • How to Pay Down $100 Worth of Debt This Week   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Great tips! Completely forgot about the Gigs section on Craiglist! Some of those listings are short-termed but if you do of a week dog sitting, for instance, and you get along well with the owners, they might even ask to have you on their list of dog sitters for the future. Build relationships with them so that you can potentially stretch that short-termed gig (especially if it's locally) into something longer.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I usually use Amazon reviews for most of my purchases. If its more of a tech gadget I look around the web or use Cnet also. If its a big appliance or car I go ask my parents and usually they have a consumer report issue around.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Yes! I like to read a lot of product reviews for a variety of brands and versions of a product i might by. I think research is really important so I know I am spending my money well.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I always do, mainly on dx.com or amazon.com, to feel more confident.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Ever since buying my first place, Consumer Reports and reviews online have changed the way I shop completely. Websites like Yelp give real opinions of businesses and restaurants so you don't always have to risk a bad experience blind. I can't remember the last semi-major purchase we made without researching it first.

  • How Your Credit Card Statement Is Keeping You in Debt   13 years 27 weeks ago

    EXCELLENT article! Thank you so much for writing this.

    Convenience checks ARE the devil.

  • 8 Fancy Ways to Use Leftover Food   13 years 27 weeks ago

    These are all great ideas!

    Shoot, we often plan the menu with leftovers in mind. Like fresh grilled salmon for dinner provides the fish tacos for lunch. Soups and casseroles made out of leftovers that freeze well take care of the days nobody feels like cooking. I once made a five layer cake using up leftover fruit as additional filling that was so surprisingly good we've duplicated the happy accident.

  • What to Put On (and Leave Off) Your Wedding Registry   13 years 27 weeks ago

    We signed up for Wedding Republic (our registry is at www.weddingrepublic.com/oyeager). It works just like cash, but it feels more special to your guests because they can see your "bucket list" so to speak, and how you envision using the money. Best of all, you're not locked into using your gifts for anything specific. You can use it for a new TV, a far flung vacation, liposuction, paying down your credit cards - whatever! The sky's the limit, and your guests will never know the difference.

    I'm not associated with Wedding Republic at all. I just think it's a great idea. Now that so many couples live together before getting married, the "pots and pans and blenders" traditional wedding registry often doesn't apply. It's time to bring this tradition into the 21st century.

  • Be on the Lookout for Credit Card Checkout Fees   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Who is forcing the business owners to accept credit cards? I understand that accepting credit cards gives consumers incentive to pick you over another business that does not accept credit cards, but in no way is it the consumer's fault that the business decided to accept credit cards. This is a cost of doing business!

    Yes, I understand your point. However, I disagree with your conclusion. You choose to accept cards, you pay the price.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Always! I like to let other people find the hang-ups on something before I spend money on it. If you can't sidestep a 'con' of a buy, at least you can get an idea of what to expect.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I always read review before purchase any item. special when give 2 star and 3 star, then read very cautiously.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I read reviews for almost everything,and they do influence my purchases,and am sure that saved me money. I have been shopping around for a tub surround and still not satisfied with reviews on most of them ,may do ceramic

  • How to Pay Down $100 Worth of Debt This Week   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Your ideas are great in this article. As a student, I think I spend too much time worrying about the debt instead of spending the time thinking about how I can pay it off. eBay is a great idea because I can not stand clutter. If something does not have a nice place in my home to be tucked away, I don't want it. I feel like anymore, people are so quick to tell you to post things on Craigslist, and eBay has fallen to the wayside. But it is still a great tool and it was a great reminder to me to use it. The Quick Gigs section on Craigslist was also a great reminder. I have looked at that section before and been surprised at how easy it would be to pick up some extra cash, but I have since forgotten about that section. I will definitely check it out. I am the type of person who rather swipe my card than stand at the register and count cash so I don't technically make any money, but I save money by hiding my cash in a drawer away from my wallet so I don't touch it. Also, my boyfriend is addicted to Starbucks and spends probably on average $40 a week there if not more. I've been trying to get him to break this habit so we can enjoy more activities like concerts and weekend trips. On the days I can talk him out of Starbucks, I ask him to put the money he would have spent aside in a jar to save up for something special. The little bit of money he would have spent on his Grande Ice Coffee is really starting to add up but it is going to be a long road.

  • 6 Reasons You're Not as Happy as You'd Like to Be   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Great post! I'll be sharing a link to this post in a future edition of our church bulletin in our 'further reading' section. It seems that many times our mistakes and poor choices seem to snowball and then 'roll us down.' Lack of organization, leads to overwhelmed, to.... Great post with useful advice!

  • How to Make Your Own Curtains   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Thank you very much for this detailed tutorial about making curtains. A man at church had told me that he made the curtains for his home and described the process, but I was still oblivious. I think my wife and I can work through your tutorial together to finally get some curtains in our office area to soften that room up a bit. Thank you very much!!!

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I take them with a grain of salt. If reviews are mostly all good or mostly all bad, I think that might be the case. But different people have different expectations, so it's hard to know sometimes. Just the other day, I was looking at the reviews for a toaster. One person gave this model only 1 star because it DIDN'T FIT in his appliance garage....

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Yes--I read reviews so often that sometimes it cripples me! I'm getting married and i'm trying to make sure our registry includes quality products. When we register in-store, I pop online afterward and check out what other people have to say. A two-star rating can send me spiraling into an hour of comparing coffee pots.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I ALWAYS read reviews. You can't always trust the reviews with folks out there getting paid to post comments, but I think that they help with the decision making process.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    yes if they're available. I'm pretty nervous to buy a product with no reviews

  • Best Money Tips: Lower the Cost of Raising a Child   13 years 27 weeks ago

    Great links this morning Ashley. Thanks for sharing the goodness. :)

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I always read reviews, usually on Amazon. I think it's important to see real consumers' experiences with the product--often when I need to buy something, I'll type it into Amazon, filter by highest ratings, pick the top-rated options and read their features and reviews, and then narrow it down to a few products that have both a large percentage of positive reviews and all the features I want. I then choose one of those products to buy.

  • Ask the Readers: Do You Read Product Reviews Before Buying?   13 years 27 weeks ago

    I always read reviews before I buy anything, big or small. I'd do a google search for reviews and specifically check amazon reviews.