Recent comments

  • 6 Totally Free Babysitting Alternatives   13 years 1 day ago

    I never heard of a babysitting co-op before, genius idea! I've also heard of some daycare centers offering after hours babysitting.

  • Ask the Readers: What Do You Buy in Bulk?   13 years 1 day ago

    I buy paper towels and cleaning products in bulk. As far as food, I buy flour, sugar, and pancake mix in bulk (along with a few random things like pork rinds). I do not buy things like milk or eggs in bulk (I don't consume them enough).

  • Ask the Readers: What Do You Buy in Bulk?   13 years 1 day ago

    I don't buy anything in bulk. I live alone and don't go through a lot of anything, so it doesn't make sense for me at this stage of my life.

  • 7 Ways to Have a Better Day at Work   13 years 1 day ago

    Greeting others cheerfully with welcome smile does more than making you happy, but it also makes you and your colleques feel approved and this can build a healthy work relation throughout the day. This is a nice article.

  • What It Costs to Raise a Child   13 years 1 day ago

    Alexa:

    I agree. Saving money as soon as you know you want to have kids is a great idea. It can not only help to save up for the initial expenses of having a newborn, but saving enough money so each parent doesn't have to work for a few months (if not longer) can be a smart way to be ahead financially when the baby arrives.

  • What It Costs to Raise a Child   13 years 1 day ago

    I agree with Ree! Money shouldn't hold you back from having a child if you are ready to have one! Sacrificing your desires for financial reasons really diminishes quality of life. I recommend saving early! People who plan to have kids should begin saving money as soon as they're married, especially since at that point it could happen at any time. There are helpful tools online for saving money automatically, and at your own discretion. I recommend SavedPlus.

  • Armor Etch can be a cheap fix for your scratched eyeglasses   13 years 1 day ago

    This TOTALLY worked for me!
    I thought my eyes were going wonky with age, but it ended up that one lens had more scratches on this awful coating, and caused that eye to have a confused centre of focus. My glasses had so many scratches that I would have sworn they were deep on the actual lenses!!
    This was a real risk for me to do because I am sooo blind without glasses!!
    Found Armour Etch bottle in an old glass etching kit -- victory!! (since this stuff seems hard to find in Canada!)
    My hubby wore gloves, had the exhaust fan going, and removed the lenses from the frames first. He also first cleaned the lens and rinsed them well and dried them before beginning. Five minutes per lens side, thickly applied, did the job.
    I felt like one feels when one sees the world so clearly after a brand new prescription! This saved me money and squinting and headaches!
    I will never order a non-reflective coating again!!!

  • DIY Mortgage Acceleration   13 years 2 days ago

    Your plan is a great one! I have heard from a few folks that there are prepayment penalties or other glitches involved in paying extra principal each month but I never encountered problems (though I did have to specify that extra amounts should be applied to the principal). The lesson is that if you can't get the exact loan term you want, pay an amount that fully amortizes the loan in your time frame (aka ends up paying off the loan when you want to pay it off).

  • How We Brainwash Ourselves Into Brand Loyalty   13 years 2 days ago

    Great post. Being a victim of brand loyalty is a reality for all of us and worthy of regular self-examination. I know I can improve in this area of my life and I love the subject of money, saving, and debt reduction!

  • Couponing: Hobby or Lifestyle?   13 years 2 days ago

    I only clip coupons that I use, and I haven't done the drugstores in a year because I built up a stockpile that was enough for my family for a long time. I think for most people, it's money- and time-efficient when it's done strategically. The full-on Krazy Coupon Lady way is NOT for me.

  • How We Brainwash Ourselves Into Brand Loyalty   13 years 2 days ago

    I learned this weekend that the reason my grandfather, almost 80, drives a Ford minivan with 180,000 miles is not because he can't afford a new van but that Ford no longer makes minivans. He will not consider anything from another brand, nor even a different car class! Brand loyalty is indeed a strange thing.

  • 6 Totally Free Babysitting Alternatives   13 years 2 days ago

    We swap with the next door neighbors. It works really well for us!

  • How We Brainwash Ourselves Into Brand Loyalty   13 years 2 days ago

    As a fellow M. Night Shyamalan sufferer, for me it has nothing to do with brand loyalty but with the fact that the first 45 minutes of every movies is always GREAT, and I'm hoping he doesn't fall down in the reveal/twist. :) Sure, he usually does, but the awesomeness of the first 45 minutes make it worth the risk, along with the possibility that, for once, he'll pull another Sixth Sense and not another The Village.

    As far as brand loyalty, I'm loyal just as long as the brand delivers to my expectations and no other brand clearly delivers better. Once it does, I'm out of there. Dell doesn't know it yet, but they've lost me, a 10-year customer, to Lenovo this year.

  • Best Money Tips: How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise   13 years 2 days ago

    Enjoyed the articles. Especially on how to ask for a raise. It is fairly pertinent for me right now. Thanks!

  • 22 Reasons to Stop Drinking Soda   13 years 2 days ago

    I used to love drinking soda. But a few months back, I decided to quit the pop, so I went cold-turkey. It was hard at first, but with the help of my lovely teas and sparkling water, I didn't feel the need to drink soda anymore. Ever since I quit, I've felt more...clean, you could say. When I drank soda I always felt sluggish and lazy after, and lately I've been feeling great. Not to mention I've lost some weight too.

  • 53 Fun Nights Out for $10 or Less   13 years 2 days ago

    I love these. I would love to do something with friends or my family but don't have to spend much. Thanks.

  • Ask the Readers: What Do You Buy in Bulk?   13 years 2 days ago

    As much as I can! Meat, nuts, and cereal (we go through a lot)

  • Ask the Readers: What Do You Buy in Bulk?   13 years 2 days ago

    We are a family of three living on a single budget in a 304 square foot home. We don't have much space to store bulk foods. We do have a few things we use often that we keep in 5 gallon buckets or gallon containers. Oatmeal, whole wheat flour, brown rice, quinoa, brown sugar, pasta noodles, honey and peanuts are our main stock. We buy fresh produce, meat and dairy once a week or every other week. It is also very important to us to keep processed foods out of our home. Laundry detergent, soaps and cleaners are just a few of the things I make. Vinegar, washing soda, borax and baking soda we buy in medium quantity for cleaning products. Castile soap, olive oil, essential oils, shea butter, coconut oil and beeswax we keep for healthcare products.

  • Curing Warts, Removing Splinters, and 19 Other Bizarre Uses for Banana Peels   13 years 2 days ago

    I was wondering the same thing!!

  • The vicious Home Rental Scam – don’t get conned.   13 years 2 days ago

    Thank you so much for this article !! You truly save my 4kids and I from being scammed! We are moving across states and found a house on criglist all our emails to this person sounded just like you in this article. We thankfully pulled out when I found this and before sending any money!

  • 9 LinkedIn Changes Every Job Hunter Should Make   13 years 2 days ago

    Seems very useful. The one that I will always need a reminder about, since I'm currently employed, is to keep it updated. So much of finding the next job happens during the current job.

    An aside: The button below says, "Post as Guest." How do I post as someone other than a guest?

  • Almost 2000 uses for a can of WD-40   13 years 3 days ago

    Hiya, just read your comment, re using oil in locks, this should, unless despirate, be avoided. Oil and WD40 are not reccomended by locksmiths, one should always use graphite powder. Just thought i would mention this.

  • netSpend: The Story of the Visa Debit Card We Did Not Apply For   13 years 3 days ago

    For me it was an option to receive my tax refund, it was one of three options offered by Turbo Tax. I got my refund deposited on the card in 16 days, and have used it since as a debit card. I have never had a problem with it and was never charged for checking the balance (on line).
    I suppose there will be fees, then again, what financial institution does not impose fees?
    Having said that, since the money was deposited on the card, and me using it, I have not been subjected to any fees.

  • Ask the Readers: What Do You Buy in Bulk?   13 years 3 days ago

    Grains and coffee

  • 16 Best Baby Gifts on a Budget   13 years 3 days ago

    Choosing baby gifts is not so easy and you have to think several times before choosing a perfect gift. Budget is also another point while buying a baby gift. I think items like pacifiers, diaper bags and baby blankets are the best items that can be gifted to a bay because they can be best utilized by the baby.