The recession has been a major kick in the pants—but is that exactly what you needed? For folks who underwent big career shifts they were more or less forced to make, and who are happy about the changes, the answer is most definitely yes.
Real Estate & Homes
The Plain English Campaign: Waging War Against Gobbledygook
Why are government documents and the fine print in bank agreements and credit card offers littered with undecipherable phrases like “collateral debt obligations” and “sector-specific benchmarking” and “amorphous challenges”? Perhaps because the organizations creating these ugly phrases are purposefully trying to confuse consumers and taxpayers.
Shout-Out: ‘How to Make Your Tools, Gadgets, and Appliances Last Forever’
Something breaks and what do you do? Normally, toss it in the trash and buy another. That’s probably a cheaper route than calling a repairman, plumber, or electrician. Not long ago, people were accustomed to taking a different strategy: fixing it themselves.
More Economic Indicators: Animal Abandonment, Backyard Gardens, Cancelled EZ Pass
How do you know the economy isn’t doing so hot? Your waitress is really hot, for one thing. Also, there’s a decline in the production of boxes meant to hold cereal, toothpaste, or beer. People are planting gardens to cut down on their food bills. Animal shelters are overwhelmed with pets dropped off by folks whose homes are in foreclosure.
Q&A with “In Cheap We Trust” Author Lauren Weber
Lauren Weber’s father is cheap. Really cheap. He kept the thermostat at 50 degrees during the winter. When driving, he used hand signals to indicate he was turning to avoid burning out the headlight bulbs. He washed dishes in cold water to keep the hot water bill down. As a child, Lauren hated how cheap her father was. But she grew up …
A List of Money-Saving Lists: 422 Ways to Save in Total
When it comes to tips for saving, the more the better, right? Here’s a list of lists that’ll help you save money around the house, out at malls or restaurants, in Starbucks, at the grocery store—just about anywhere.
A Free $35K Car! (If You Buy a $2 Million Apartment)
To entice buyers, an apartment building in Brooklyn Heights is throwing in a free parking space, along with something to park there: a 2009 Audi A4. All you have to do is buy an apartment that costs over $2 million.
Fall Cleanup: The Free, Easy, and Earth-Friendly Way
Foliage season is just about upon the Northeast. The leaves will surely be pretty, and the raking, blowing, bagging, and lugging waste to the curb are sure to bring on aching backs. But is there is a better way to clean up your yard than brown-bagging it.
Compete for the Energy Efficiency Crown (and Save Money While You’re at It)
People don’t get all that excited by the idea of saving a couple bucks—or even by the noble-but-intangible ideas of conservation or saving the environment. So what will get folks motivated to become more energy-efficient? Make it a competition and give out cash prizes. Because people love to win, and they really love to win money.
Ten Ways to Get More Out of the Home You Want to Buy, Sell, or Rent
Has the real estate market hit bottom? Is it time to buy? Time to sell? Should you rent rather than buy? Should you rent the home you own instead of trying to sell it? No matter your housing needs and desires, here are some ideas that’ll help your cause.
It’s a Deal: Up to 60% Off at Crate&Barrel
Outdoor furniture, dinnerware, serving bowls, rugs, and bedding are among the items being discounted by up to 60 percent at the Crate&Barrel outlet.
He’s Not a Starchitect. He’s a Garbage Architect
What rubbish! Dan Phillips has to be the hero of everyone who has ever pulled over to pick something out of a heap waiting for garbage pickup on the side of the road. For a dozen years, the now 64-year-old Phillips has built homes in Huntsville, Texas, using license plates, old picture frames, shards of ceramic tiles, wine bottle corks, …