Cheap date ideas, tactics for negotiating with your landlord, ways your phone isn’t as dumb as you think, reasons life would be better if it was more like Monopoly, days of the year when people hand you stuff for free, and more.
5 reasons you don’t need an iPhone. Or any other smartphone for that matter. You can smarten up your old “dumb” phone with these tricks that many cell-phone owners are unaware of, including ways to email and Googling info via text message.
6 more shrinking products. You pay the same, but get less of these products—including Girl Scout cookies. Is nothing sacred?
7 money lies from Monopoly. A fun list from Bargaineering, which sets the record straight about the iconic board game. In the game, for instance, when you land on income tax, you must pay 10% or a flat $200. If only income tax was that simple, let alone only a couple hundred bucks!
7 cheap date ideas. A Mint.com post shows that with a little creativity, romance doesn’t have to cost a bundle.
8 tips that’ll save any shopaholic. Posted by a recovering shopaholic, who suggests limiting your wardrobe to only a few colors—which limits what you can buy—and also learning to sew, so that you can customize your clothing, not to mention repair it when necessary. Another tip recommends getting a job at your favorite retailer, but that seems like asking for trouble in a kid-in-a-candy-store or alcoholic-in-a-bar sort of way.
9 product loyalty programs that pay. Consumer Reports ShopSmart magazine lists ways to get freebies from nine reward programs for products like Coca-Cola, Pampers, and Disney movies.
10 ways to negotiate cheaper rent. A WalletPop post offers possibilities, including seeking out properties that have been vacant for a while (and which the landlord will be desperate to fill), and asking the landlord for a discount if you pay rent early.
10 common credit myths. The truth is: Checking your credit score will not lower your credit score, and carrying a balance is not a good thing. More myths (and corresponding truths) at a MainStreet.com slideshow.
10 products you’re wasting your money on. If you’re looking for ways to save, you can start by no longer spending money unnecessarily on kitchen gadgets you don’t use, random items you buy for no good reason at garage sales (even if they’re cheap), and other stuff in this WalletPop list.
12 best days to get free stuff. Here’s a freebie calendar from BillShrink listing the “holidays” when you can get free pancakes, pretzels, donuts, and more.