Recent comments

  • How to Use Up Remaining Balances on Prepaid Gift Cards   13 years 4 weeks ago

    In San Francisco and many cities now, these are perfect for parking meters. I keep them on hand in my car once they hit a level that doesn't warrant anything but feeding meters.

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    I like to drink a glass of home-made lemonade (from lemon concentrate and sugar).

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    We use our ceiling fans to cool off plus spend more time in our basement since it is cooler than the rest of the house.

  • The mystery shopping scam that could cost you a fortune.   13 years 4 weeks ago

    Does being a reliable company involve paying your shoppers? I have not been paid for jobs I have done for GapBuster, since October 2012, despite many emails providing my account details over and over (although I had been paid for the previous year I did jobs without a problem), and asking for explanations and payment.

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    We live in FLORIDA and have NOT turned on the a/c for 3 years doing this;
    Dress light. (light colors & light weight material)
    Drink plenty of fluilds.
    Ponytails or short haircuts.
    We planted shade trees around our house. (A major help)
    Draw the binds & curtians close 1st thing in the am.
    When it starts to get hot out, we go to places that have a/c. We hit our liberary, volunter at a food bank and a nursing home etc,,,
    We hit the water. Go tubeing down the river, swim in pools (friends & public) beach.
    Our family had a meeting and discussed turning the a/c off and with the money saved, we would take a camping trip to the mountians. They know if a severe heat wave hit, the a/c would go on!
    We stay very active and the a/c is on in our car going from place to place and so far we have takening 3 great trips because of our frugal tips!

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    We try to celebrate the warm temperatures of summer by doing special things - daytime movie matinees, marathon window shopping sessions at the mall, happy hour instead of heating up the kitchen making dinner.

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    I open up the windows and put on a fan. And I drink plenty of water. If it gets really hot, I can always go to the library or take a stroll to the grocery store.

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    We use a ceiling fan at night if it's cooler but we mainly use central a/c unit to keep cool and lots of ice cream

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    Schedule relax time in places that have air conditioning! :)

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

    Would you mind giving us the amounts to use? I have tons of very old oaks and elms in my yard. They all have 'knots' which collect rain water, making them the perfect egg laying enviroment. I know that there are pucks to put in them, but the trees are to tall to safely get to them! I am not allergic to many things, but I am VERY allergic to Mosquito bites! (figures!) Our yard is so bad that it attracts bats and even they don't cut down on the problem. The city fogs, our exterminator sprays, we use Tiki Torches, along with 'Off Candles' and Yard Guard AND spray or rub down with DEET. The combination does help, but that's a lot of toxins! And, no kidding, just in the 15 -30 minutes that it takes to get all of that done, I will suffer 30+ bites. (if I take over 2 -3, i'll be sick. I have Lupus, so that may have something with it!) I have also noticed that Mosquito's apparently 'love my blood' over others! I will have HUGE whelps from the bites and just about everyone else in the yard will be bite free. (I think that ---I--- am their repellent! ;( ) I would really love to try your approach, but want to make sure that I'm doing it correctly. Thank you in advance. :) ~Sara

  • Control Your Debt With an Annual Clean Sweep   13 years 4 weeks ago

    We love this idea! If we all could just stick to a plan of completely paying off our entire debt in a given month, we'd certainly be in better shape on the whole of the country. Thanks for sharing this post and be sure to check us out at https://www.facebook.com/pages/USA-Debt-Settlement/458998770858263

  • 17 More Places to Buy, Sell, and Trade Books   13 years 4 weeks ago

    Another great option would be to try http://bookquoter.com you can compare book prices and get the best value for all of your book needs.

  • 10 Self-Improvement Apps to Make You Smarter, Stronger, and Happier   13 years 4 weeks ago

    I love the pic that goes with this post. I laughed out loud. Cute. I can't wait to try these apps. I've been writing down my goals on my blog. I need to incorporate one of these.

    I really like the free pedometer app. You can measure your steps, calories burned, the time you spent and more. I'm curious to see what Office Yoga is like. It sound manageable.

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    We go to the beach, and bought a state park pass to cover parking fees for the year.

  • Why I Love Lists   13 years 4 weeks ago

    :) Full disclosure: I've done that too!

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    Early in the day we keep all of our blinds and curtains closed. We set our AC at a higher temp to keep it from running all of the time so we have found that we still use fans because moving air helps with making us feel cooler. If the day is cooler we will open the windows on both sides of the house in the evening to get a cross breeze blowing through the house.

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    I use window fans in our bedrooms to cool off and stay on a budget.

  • Why I Love Lists   13 years 4 weeks ago

    I won't lie - I have been known to put tasks on my to-do list that are already done, just so I have some sort of accomplishment and can cross them off!

  • 6 Great Reasons for Paying off the Mortgage on Your Home   13 years 4 weeks ago

    Right on..A paid off mortgage is like living in security heaven...

  • Should You Become Your Parents' Caregiver?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    My parents have recently begun taking care of my grandparents full-time (in my parents' house). We were not aware that they may be able to get paid to do this. It would help tremendously if some of the costs could be deflected, as my mother has quit her job in order to stay home and care for her parents.

    Can you provide any tips on where to get information about this? My grandparents are not on Medicaid, but have Medicare and supplemental insurance.

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    I visit one of Maine's beautiful beaches for the day! :)

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    Strategically closing curtains.

    Strategically opening windows for a cross breeze in the mornings.

    Letting our bodies get used to the actual seasons. If you don't pamper yourself too much by rushing to the thermostat every time you are the tiniest bit uncomfortable, after a while 80 degrees in shorts can feel just as comfortable as 67 degrees in a sweater.

  • Why I Love Lists   13 years 4 weeks ago

    I like lists because it gets things out of my head, which lowers my mental overhead!

  • Ask the Readers: How Do You Cool Off on a Budget?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    Now? AC. :) I used to live in the high mountain semi-desert, and I used a swamp cooler there. WAY cheaper, and in dry areas, it works fabulously at 95 degrees or below.

  • Should You Become Your Parents' Caregiver?   13 years 4 weeks ago

    There's another option. In-home care is cheaper, by far, than a nursing home. My grandparents sold their house and moved next door to my parents When they needed help, they hired a full-time caregiver who did light housework, meal prep, etc. When they needed more people nearby, for safety, they sold their house and built a suite with living area onto my parents' house. Eventually, they had one full time person while my parents were at work and then an additional person come in at bed time to change my grandfather's adult diaper (he suffered from profound dementia) and put him to bed. That was still cheaper than assisted living, and the fact that my grandparents were no longer able to do what they once did largely counterbalanced the costs, too. Their quality of life was way better than in a nursing home, and they were able to be around family and saved a ton of money.