Including: Am I losing my mind or is this Internet connection really slow?, When oh when will I be happy with my life?, and How much did the economic collapse cost me?
Budgeting
You Probably Spent $6,514 on Food Last Year
That’s if you’re average. Everything’s bigger in Texas—and apparently that includes what folks spend on food and drink. The average household in the city of Austin spent $12,447 on food and drink last year ($6,301 on dining out, $6,146 on groceries). That’s the most of any U.S. city, where the overall average household food bill came …
8 Ways to Teach Kids about Money
Before scaring them with concepts like debit card overdrafts and bank foreclosure, you can start by taking them shopping and making them aware that advertising exists to try and part fools with their money.
How Much Do You Really Spend on Your Pet?
For a medium-sized dog, you’re looking at roughly $1,600 in the first year.
Round-up: 82 Money Saving Tips
Strategies for saving at the supermarket and the warehouse membership store, for cutting expenses in retirement and returning items that aren’t up to snuff—and also for snooping on your spendthrift spouse.
Q&A with the $5 Dinner Mom
Her budgetary goal is pretty simple to follow: The ingredients for each evening meal for her family of four must cost five bucks or less. Her strategies for reaching that goal: Among other things, clipping coupons (big-time), using cash only instead of plastic, and never, ever paying full for anything. Her as-yet unreached goal, which is …
Why You’ll See Tons of “New and Improved” Products Soon
Call it the recession lesson. The downturn caused many newly thrifty consumers to detour into the world of cheap toilet paper, store brand shampoos, and other generic necessities. And you know what these consumers discovered? The cheaper stuff isn’t half-bad. Often, the cheaper stuff clearly gives more bang for the buck. So why would …
How to Eat on a Dollar a Day, Part II
A 31-year-old woman in Charleston, S.C., tries to live on a seriously tight food budget: $365 for 365 days.
Is Extreme Couponing a Total Waste? Does Spending Less Make You Happier?
And other questions to ponder if you’re interested in saving money.
Cheapskate Wisdom from … Lots of Cheapskates
You can learn lessons about money the hard way: For example, by digging yourself deeply into (and hopefully out of) credit card debt. Or you can learn from the experiences of folks who have been there, bought that, and who now proudly preach the gospel of frugality.
Teaching a Child to Save When You Have No Clue How
For a generation of adults accustomed to credit card debt and negative checking account balances, teaching kids about savings is a matter of do as I say, not as I’ve done.
Shout Out: ‘Think Like a Squirrel’
When faced with the choice between enjoying the moment and planning for the future, the squirrel knows what to do. Do you?