Money Tips Network

Is it really wise to pinch pennies in every area? Is it smart to hoard your money without ever putting it to work for you? I'm not talking about investments or risky stock-market schemes. I'm simply addressing the realistic question of whether or not there are situations where you should loosen the grip on your wallet. After all, fiat currency (our money) isn't really worth anything in and of itself. We want it — money, that is — because of what we can obtain with it: Property, health, insurance, or whatever else you can think of.

So when is it right and sensible to give in and pay for something instead of being "frugal"?

I write for a living, mostly for websites. It’s not surprising that I have a great deal of use for a number of electronic items. I have a smartphone, a reasonably modern computer, a laptop, and an iPad Mini.

Almost since the day I graduated from college, using computers and other electronic devices has been an essential part of my professional life and a useful part of my personal life. I’ve been buying and upgrading electronic items of all kinds for more than a decade.

Of course, in the middle of that period, my financial life took a painful turn, forcing me to start making real changes to how I spent my money and my time. This led not only to serious changes in our family’s spending, but also to a career change for myself. We had three kids and bought a house on top of that.

This article is by staff writer Holly Johnson.

In late 2004, Kim Parr and her family upgraded their lifestyle with a brand new home in a rural area. As an optometrist with a higher-than-average salary, it seemed like the natural thing to do. After all, Kim’s husband had a secure (albeit lower-paying) job in education and their combined household income was finally in the six-figure range. They had earned it.

Unfortunately, the Parrs soon found that their new home needed much more than a roof and four walls. In fact, it desperately needed landscaping — things like sod, trees, a sprinkler system, and fencing. Of course, their new yard required a certain amount of upkeep so they had to buy all kinds of lawn-care equipment, including a John Deere riding mower.

Here's an enmail I recently received from a reader:

I'm 28 making ~$115,000 total compensation ($85k in salary). Working at a tech company and missed the last cycle of promotions (1.5 years into the role) the next role would be to manager. I would try to negotiate ~50% total comp increase.

I got a high score and at continued pace would be promoted in the fall (never guaranteed but will perform). What is your recommendation on staying versus leaving? I am still learning, but at a slower pace than I would like and management is giving me more responsibility. I like the team. I know I could, with some time and work, get a job at ~$150-200k total comp. at various other companies.

Most career situations are circumstantially based but wanted a discussion on:

Even if you’re not a news junkie like me, I’d be willing to bet that you’ve seen or heard one news item ad infinitum over the past several years. That nugget is the story about Americans’ retirement readiness, or lack thereof. We are endlessly informed by the media that we’re not ready to retire — and that we won’t be ready unless we start banking lots more dough.

Years ago, there wouldn’t have been a need for newspapers and magazines and broadcasters to hammer this mantra into our heads. That’s because the rules were different then. You were hired by an employer, you worked there your whole work life, you earned your pension and retired. You then lived off your pension and Social Security. A few years later, you drifted off to the Happy Hunting Grounds, leaving whatever was left of your nest egg to your children and grandkids.

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some wonderful articles on money-making schemes to score you quick cash, maintaining professional bridges, and family summer vacation ideas on a budget.

Top 5 Articles

11 Money-Making Schemes to Score You Quick Cash — Babysitting and selling your stuff are just a couple ways to make some quick cash. [POPSUGAR Smart Living]

Maintaining Professional Bridges — To maintain your professional network, ask your network how you can help them. [The Simple Dollar]

Community-supported agriculture (CSA) is a great way to buy local, seasonal produce (and more!) straight from the farm. A CSA membership allows you get a regular supply of fresh fruit, veggies, eggs, or other groceries through the season. However, this kind of service isn't available everywhere, and the subscription cost may not be worth it for some.

Are you part of a CSA? What do you like and dislike about it? If you have not joined a CSA, would you like to?

Tell us whether you're part of a CSA and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — here's how you can win!

As the days get brighter and the nights warm up, we're spending more and more time outdoors. Summer is the prime season for enjoyment and activity, but it's also the height of painful sunburns. I'm trying to become more conscious and careful about the lotions and salves I slather onto my body. Sometimes, even the most natural sunblocks contain more harmful ingredients than I'd like to see. (See also: Cheap and Simple Sunburn Remedies That Really Work)

The following "recipes" are all natural and non-toxic. After the initial investment in a few key ingredients, they are sure to give your store bought 'block a run for its money.

If the number of advertisements, books, TV shows, and websites devoted to weight loss are any indicator, losing weight is generally viewed as a monumental task, one that requires many pages of instruction and encouragement, as well as starving and sweating and self denial.

Or… maybe not.

After all, many studies suggest that gaining and losing weight aren't so much tied to one big effort so much as a lot of smaller ones. If you've been trying to lose a few pounds, here are 14 dumb little things that might be holding you back. (See also: 7 Killer Ways to Really, Actually Lose Weight)