Lists of grocery-shopping tips have become commonplace in economic coverage in the past couple of years.But Consumer Reports brings a fresh eye to that old staple, with a relatively new list of 13 ways to save at the grocers. The list includes some well-worn and…
Will you -- or your kids -- be looking for a summer job?It's a good idea to get an early start, this year more than others. Surveys show employers are expecting more applicants and planning to hire fewer of them, so you'll want to get…
Bartering is back.At least that's what a spate of activity at online sites suggests. With people in penny-pinching mode, offers to barter for everything from used cars to professional services to weekends at lake homes are booming at web sites like craigslist and U-exchange.com.Craigslist.com, the…
Is the recession fundamentally changing Americans' attitudes toward money?A recent survey conducted for CNNMoney.com found that a lot of people think so: Ninety-four percent said the recession will have a lasting effect on the way they manage their finances. Nine in 10 people said they've…
Simplicity is a kind of corrollary to frugality -- people often talk about both values at the same time.The blog Unclutterer focuses on clearing out the clutter and getting organized, and as a result it often touches on issues that relate to saving money and…
In the next couple of months, a lot of high school and college students will be looking for summer jobs.And some of those jobs are going to provide young people with horror stories they can tell the rest of their lives. Whether it's a job…
Everyone's noticed the upward creep in gas prices.After plummeting from record highs late last year, prices have inched upward ever since January. That's true across the board, but of course it's often the differences in prices among regions that attract our attention -- the steady…
Credit or debit? There's more to this question than some of us realize. Writing at the blog Wise Bread, Paul Michael poses a question it hadn't really occured to me to ask: Being someone who hates the word “credit” I have always opted for “debit”…
There's a fantasy a lot of us have, once we've accumulated a house and cars -- and the payments that come with them -- and filled the house with stuff.The fantasy involves getting rid of it all and living a blissfully simple life, traveling from…
The typical hallmarks of this recession are well-known: unemployment, foreclosures, bankruptcies...Now you can add beards -- at least for some men. The rise of the "recession beard" has drawn commentary in some quarters, and now there's a contest for the best recession beard at WalletPop,…
At a time when it's extra painful to do so, some companies are providing new perks to workers in an effort to build loyalty.It's the exception, to be sure. But a piece in the Wall Street Journal notes that some companies are adding relatively low-cost,…
I'm starting to think we're kidding ourselves a little bit, when it comes to coffee.Is any daily habit more subject to the whims and attentions of our suddenly rediscovered frugality? Is any item more likely to be suggested as a way to save than giving…
Google has started a new web site that gathers all sorts of advice for saving money, called Tip Jar.The suggestions come from readers and frugal-living websites. People can contribute their own ideas and vote on their favorites from other people. You might have heard some…
Lots of people have stopped investment in their retirement accounts lately -- or at least shifted their accounts dramatically toward the slow and safe bets.And we've all heard the gloomy estimates about how long it took the market to recover from the Great Depression --…
If you buy a lot of food in bulk, you'll naturally need to freeze some of it.But a lot of us are uncertain about freezing certain foods, like dairy products and vegetables. Erin Hufstetler, at Frugal Living, has a post today outlining the variety of…
Kiplinger.com's latest "15-minute Tip" has some useful advice for people who've been getting those sometimes indecipherable notices from their credit-card companies lately.As a lot of us are learning, the notices often leave a little to be desired when it comes to a full explanation of…
Everyone's got their mind on money these days -- how to get it and hang onto it.But some strategies just aren't worth it. A piece at WalletPop examines 10 bad ideas for raising some money -- with No. 1 being taking a 401(k) loan.Don't do…
Are your kids worried about the economy?You may assume they're not. But if you are, chances are decent that they're feeling your anxiety and wondering what's going on. Teen-agers, especially, are mature enough to be scared -- and to be given some straight talk about…
For people who are feeling the direct effects of the recession -- whether it's a foreclosure or a drop in pay -- this year's tax season brings some changes.The New York Times has collected a list of 10 tax tips for people hurt by the…
When the national economy zigs, Spokane's sometimes zags. Or at least lags -- showing less intense highs and lows than elsewhere during the recent housing bubble and subsequent recession.It's been true with foreclosures and bankruptcies, which have been going up here, but not to the…
Kiplinger.com often posts quizzes as a way to provide information about a range of financial subjects. It's an engaging and interactive way to pick up information about topics from investing to tax deductions.Today there's a quiz up about retirement, which opens with this question:Your 401(k)…
How often would you say you make an actual decision about your health care?I mean an active decision -- as opposed to simply following what your doctor or pharmacist or health-care pro suggests at the moment? As health-care costs rise and employers cut benefits, individual…
We've all noticed the shrinking packages at the grocery store. Everything from ice cream cartons, peanut butter jars, cereal boxes and jugs of juice have gotten smaller, as manufacturers look for roundabout ways of raising prices without appearing to raise prices.Now the Girl Scouts are…
Sometimes, trying to save money gets more complicated than string theory.At least that's the case with the "Catalina." Broken down in a post today at Wise Bread, the Catalina is a special kind of grocery offer that apparently allows shoppers to combine sale prices and…
Sometimes, you've got to spend money to save money. It's a truth you learn over time -- that a well-made, long-lasting item is worth more than a poorly made inexpensive ones.Erin Hufstetler at her Frugal Living blog called out a few of her favorite items…
