Here’s a round-up of everything from how to cook with dried beans to how to ask for a raise, from how to negotiate for a cheaper cell-phone bill to how to figure out how much house you can really afford.
Borrowing
19 Surefire Money Savers: Avoid Unnecessary Expenses, Foreclosure, Hidden Fees, Nasty Food, Career Dead Ends, and Jail
It’s not just about avoidance techniques. Also covered: What’s the most economical sandwich to make at home? If you’re thinking PB&J, you’re wrong.
Five Questions. Also: Five Answers
Including: What’s the downside of going cash only? And: Should a restaurant tip be based on the amount before or after taxes?
Why You Should Pause Before Paying Off Even a Small Fraction of Your Debt
Not paying off your debts can mean trouble. Bizarrely enough, paying off some of an old debt can mean even more trouble.
Post-Reform Credit Card Scene: New Dirty Tricks Replacing the Old Ones
The monumental credit card reforms that began taking effect last summer had some unintended consequences—namely soaring interest rates, higher fees, and less credit available. But mostly, the laws succeeded in stopping the banks and credit card companies from using the same old dirty tricks to get extra money out of customers—by, …
Hey, Frequent Overdrafters! The Banks Want You!
You’re not supposed to spend money you don’t have. But this is what you’re doing when you buy something with a debit card and don’t have enough in your bank account to cover the tab—in other words, an overdraft. Since banks make money when their customers spend money they don’t have, the banks basically encourage customers to do …
Desperate Economic Times Call for … Desperately Crazy Measures?
Facing foreclosure, one man bulldozed his entire home, while another thought the best means of catching up with the mortgage payments was to set his car on fire. Here’s a roundup of people who have been pushed to the brink by awful financial situations—and who also may have had a few screws loose long before the economy tanked.
Why a Smart Consumer Is a Bad Credit Card Customer
And how you can be punished for responsible behavior: In some cases, credit card issuers have rejected applicants who have credit scores that are too good (sometimes over 800). Why? Because these consumers typically pay bills in full and on time, they’re unlikely to make the credit card companies much money.
Credit Card Annual Fees: Is It Ever a Good Idea to Suck It Up and Pay?
Sometimes, absolutely. But it all depends on what kinds of rewards the card promises—and what kinds of rewards you’ll actually reap and use.
Survey: College Isn’t All That Great an Investment
Last year, 80% of Americans believed that college was a good financial investment. Now, results from the same survey show a sharp drop in confidence in the rewards of higher education, with only 64% of people saying that college is a good investment.
9 Signs That Your Town, State, or Country Is Broke
The bad signs include canceled sales tax holidays, dark street lights, the reappearance of gravel roads, and the elimination of every one of your city’s employees.
Cheapskate Wisdom from … Gary Hart (About His Childhood in Kansas)
“Everyone worked, in my case starting at the age of eleven. (I don’t think there were child labor laws then.) We didn’t spend money we didn’t have. There were no credit cards. And my parents would have been embarrassed to go to the bank and ask for a loan to buy more gadgets. The Depression taught them, and they taught me, don’t …