Money Tips Network

Now that school is back in session, you might find that evening lunch-prep has become quite laborious. Maybe that means you're packing the wrong lunches.

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to five word summaries. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question.
1. Hospital bills and 529 plans
2. Planning with constant challenges
3. Using old baseball cards
4. Frugal yoga tip
5. Baking bread at home
6. Frugality and “ripping off” businesses
7. Buy it for life: underwear
8. Old stamps
9. Reliable car brands

This article is by staff writer Lisa Aberle.

I’ve been cooking for years. Although, if you ask my husband, I’ve been screwing up fried eggs for just as long. (His secret: Fry them on low to avoid cooking the egg too quickly.) So I am no genius in the kitchen, but I am getting better.

Flexible cooking

I used to follow recipes exactly, afraid to deviate at all. (Didn’t have all the ingredients? Find another recipe!) But then I discovered a recipe in a cookbook that had the same basic ingredients (meat, pasta, diced tomatoes), but the recipe authors gave suggestions on how to use different spices (chili powder or Italian seasoning) and cheeses (mozzarella vs. sharp cheddar) to totally change the taste of the dish.

Do you want to make today better in an instant? How about making the rest of your life better?

Just start saying "Thanks." In fact, say it right now.

Naomi Mannino

I’ve paid all three of my kids for good grades many different ways and times throughout their school years. But, I can’t say it ever resulted in better grades. My son, now a senior in high school, would never push a 78 to an 80 just to get some extra cash. My oldest daughter, now [...]

Should you pay your child for good grades? from personal finance blog Bargaineering.com.

This blog was posted by Naomi Mannino

Have you seen this already? The video of the dachshund pups frollicking? It's short and so cute you'll scream. Go ahead and watch. We'll wait.

Puppies (and kittens!) are cute and adorable, but they also need proper care.

2014 is one hot year for new and innovative beauty products. But lest you hog all the beauty in the world, we've narrowed down the list to these top 10 beauty must-haves. (See also: 24 Places to Buy Inexpensive Natural Beauty Products)
1.

It's a sad but true fact: Only one in three Americans say they are very happy.

With a tough job market, a hard time getting raises, and a high level of debt, many of us are getting hit with a triple whammy. This means that you need to take action and start working on improving your own happiness.

Have you ever explained something or told a story, only to later think, wow, I must have sounded like an idiot? Even the smartest of us fall into some unexpected speech traps, using crutch words that can only harm one's image.