Money Tips Network

Ocean-front resorts, ski-out rooms, four and five star hotels, suites, and included breakfasts may sound like hotel perks reserved for those shelling out big bucks on vacation, but the truth is that my family often stays in those hotels and with those perks without breaking the bank. We have stayed in four and five star hotels for less than the cost of a roadside motel. In fact, sometimes we don't pay any money at all for luxury accommodations.

Over the years, I’ve talked about several different methods Sarah and I have used to manage coupons at the grocery store.

At first, I wasn’t really convinced that coupons were worth the time investment. We clipped them leisurely, mostly as a Sunday morning breakfast activity.

This article is by staff writer Holly Johnson.

Almost exactly a year ago today, I quit my full-time job to pursue my passion — writing. It was one of the proudest moments of my life, but it was also terrifying. I had spent the last six years working alongside my husband, a mortician, in the funeral industry. My job certainly wasn’t perfect; but it was stable, well-paying, and sometimes fun. I also loved the people that I worked with and was extremely attached to a few. On the other hand, I knew it was time. I had been working full time and writing on the side for so long that I no longer knew what a “real life” was like. In fact, my “real life” was a mess.

Your doctor may soon be handing you tiny computers to swallow when telling you "take two and call me in the morning."

That's because Proteus Digital Health, a British medical technology company, has recently begun large scale trials of its so-called "smart pills," equipped with tiny sensors to monitor your health from the inside out.

Each pill contains a sensor the size of a pinhead, which, when paired with a bandage-sized patch slapped to your skin, will monitor health indicators like sleep, heart rate, respiration, and physical activity.

As an avid home cook and baker, I've certainly had my fair share of mishaps in the kitchen. I've also learned some tricks along the way to make my hobby more rewarding and less expensive. As a vegetarian who favors vegan dishes, I've also become accustomed to substituting and swapping out certain foods. Eventually, I learned some pricey ingredients can be taken out of the picture entirely without compromising the finished product.

Here are eight ingredients you can do without (along with some substitution notes).

This article was first posted at U.S. News and World Report Money.

It’s a common story. One partner in a marriage realizes the value of financial responsibility and starts working in earnest to improve the couple’s financial situation. Meanwhile, the other partner hasn’t had that epiphany and prefers to continue old financial habits.

Inevitably, these situations end up in conflict. The actions each spouse takes on a daily basis are pulling their finances in opposite directions. Just like two mules pulling on opposite ends of the wagon, no progress is made and both partners are frustrated.

Arguments ensue. Frustration takes hold. Poor decisions are made. These situations can eventually cause a marriage to dissolve.

What can you do if your spouse’s financial decisions are working against all of your plans and efforts? Here are three approaches that are well worth trying.

There’s a small family-owned restaurant that Sarah and I take our family to regularly. We like the employees and the owners there and have become something like “regulars,” as it’s a place we’re comfortable taking our children to for a pleasant and peaceful meal.

Anyway, as we were examining the menus during our last visit, I was distracted by the prices on some of the offerings. They had a “small” and a “big” version of many of their dishes (I don’t remember the exact term they used for each column).

Most of the prices were the same in each column – a small dish was $8.99 and a large dish was $12.99.

When we ordered, Sarah ordered as she usually does, choosing the large dish. Her plan, as usual, was to eat about half of it, then put the rest into a doggie bag to take home and then take for lunch the next day.

I usually do the same thing, but this time I chose the small dish instead, which would give me about half the food.

We learn so much from the people who raised us — for better or worse! With Mother's Day just around the corner, let's talk about the things we learned from mom.

What is the best lesson you learned from your mom? Is it something you appreciated at the time, or did you resist as children do? Do you make it a point to pass on the lesson to your kids — or anyone else?

Tell us about the best lesson you learned from your mom 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!

Looking for that 1960s look for when you head down to the office? It's a lot easier than you think.

Few television shows have had such an impact on popular culture as "Mad Men." No one, so far as we know, is looking to dress like Jesse Pinkman from "Breaking Bad." Lots of guys, however, are looking for the perfect Don Draper-esque suit or hat. Fortunately, the run of "Mad Men" happens to coincide with a sort of golden age of discount made-to-measure suits. Here's how to get the Draper look without the Draper budget.