A pair of jeans marked down from $75 to $60 might seem like a deal. But what if the jeans are really worth $30? Then you’re a sucker who just paid twice as much as you should have.
Saving & Spending
Ten Odd Economic Indicators: Hot Waitresses, Men’s Underwear, Blacked-Out Football Games, and More
It’s hard for the lay person to wrap one’s brain around the rise or fall of GDP, new residential sales, money supply, and other traditional economic indicators. What do those numbers really mean? Well, here are some other indicators that do as advertised, truly indicating in simple terms how people are living, what they’re doing to keep …
Curious About Ditching Plastic and Going Cash Only? Read This First
Even in the 21st century, you can survive without plastic. Thrive, actually. Many people swear by the switch to cash-only as a means to avoid going into debt.
It’s a Deal: Free Admission to Hundreds of Museums on Saturday
This Saturday, September 26, is Museum Day, when hundreds of museums and cultural centers around the country are waiving normal admissions fees. The event is sponsored by Smithsonian magazine, and museum visitors must download and print a fee admission card to gain entrance. Details here.
It’s a Deal: Extra 15% Off Contact Lenses from VisionDirect
New customers at VisionDirect.com get 15 percent off orders, along with free shipping if you’re spending $99 or more. Use the coupon code 15NEW when making purchases. More details here.
Cheapskate Wisdom from … Benjamin Franklin
“Beware of little expenses. A small leak can sink a great ship.”
Read on for ten more wise quotes from B.F.
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 …
Gen Y Consumers: Sophisticated, Confident, Materialistic, Demanding
The tech-savvy Generation Y shopper assumes quite a lot: Tons and tons of choices will be a few quick clicks away, the shipping will be free, there will be online customer ratings at their disposal, and so on. Exactly what, where, how, and why do these consumers buy, and how are retailers reacting to the way they shop? A new book offers insights.
How Many Times Can You Use a Razor Blade to Shave?
A true cheapskate disregards the term “disposable.” With a little effort—and a heap full of pig-headed, tight-wadded stubbornness—things like plastic utensils, paper cups, aluminum foil, and yes, razor blades, can be used again and again and again.
It’s a Deal: Save an Extra 20% at Old Navy
Through September 24, you’ll save an extra 20 percent off of any Old Navy purchase, so long as you spend at least $100. Use the coupon code ONSAVESOME at checkout. More details here.
Q&A with Clothing Swap Founder Suzanne Agasi
In the last 15 years, Suzanne Agasi has bought a grand total of two pairs of jeans—and she loves jeans. Most of Agasi’s wardrobe comes free of charge from clothing swaps she’s helped organize as the founder of Clothing Swap.
Ten Credit Card Myths
The website FoolProof uses videos and straightforward messages to warn young people (and everyone else, really) about the hazards of debt, interest, bouncing checks, and more.
Read more about the website at this story, which includes the site’s top financial myths:
–I don’t have to worry about credit at my age.
–Bad credit can’t
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