Some folks were less than impressed with a trio of bloggers featured on The Cheapskate Blog who limited their food expenditures of $50 a week. A few commenters were downright angry—outraged, insulted even at the idea of the blogger experiment. Well, maybe they’ll be more open to reading about a pair of bloggers living on a weekly …
Budgeting
Salvage Grocery Stores: Who Cares About Sell-By Dates if You’re Saving Money?
Sell-by dates, schmell-by dates. The discount, or salvage, grocery store is filled with merchandise that’s marked with sell-by dates that came and passed sometime before the recession was called a recession. You know what? The food inside most super-packaged containers is still fine—and it’s often 50 percent cheaper than the stuff in …
Now That You’re Saving Money, Where the Heck Do You Put It?
The recession has turned the U.S. into a nation of savers. After years of spending like it was a job—and in some ways it was a job to buy stuff and keep the economy pumping along—we are finally saving some money. The national savings rate was around 7 percent recently. But now that we’re saving, interest rates in a typical bank …
Why Isn’t Your Roof White Already?
Studies are showing that most—but not all–Americans should be following U.S. Secretary of Energy Steve Chu’s recommendation that people paint their roofs white. On hot days, it’s 20 percent or more cheaper to air-condition a house with a white roof rather than a traditional charcoal-colored asphalt roof. It’s another simple solution …
The Government Saved $102 Million Without Really Trying. How Much Could You Save?
Three months ago, President Obama challenged his cabinet secretaries to come up with $100 million in budget cuts. Apparently, the task wasn’t that difficult. They’ve already found 77 different ways to save a total of $102 million. Most savings came through the simplest of solutions, like eliminating unused phone lines and printing on …
Finally, a Modest Limo for the Newly Less Rich
A new Rolls-Royce limo model called the Ghost is $135,000 less than an older model, the Phantom. The “cheaper” and “less ostentatious” model that’s being called a “recession-ready limousine” can now be yours for a mere $245,000.
It’s a Bird! It’s a Plane! It’s … a Cartoon Warren Buffett Teaching Kids About Finance?
An Internet cartoon starring Warren Buffett is expected to be released sometime later this year. It’ll be called “Secret Millionaires Club,” starring America’s most lovable 2-D billionaire, along with four cartoon kids who cover the range of ethnic makeup and skin color in Benetton-ad fashion.
What Will a Cheapskate Spend Good Money On? Part VII
Even a cheapskate has to spend money sometimes. I’ve asked various frugal folks—bloggers, writers, money-saving and consumer experts—to compile a list of the products, services, experiences, and other “things” they’re willing to shell out good money on. Because if a cheapskate is willing to drop cash on something, you know it’s worthwhile.
Q&A with Josie Daga of PreownedWeddingDresses.com
In the market for a wedding dress? Most brides (hopefully) only wear theirs once—which means there are an awful lot of very-gently-used wedding dresses out there. Hence, a lot of dresses that could be a perfect fit, financially and otherwise, for soon-to-be brides. Josie Daga, founder of PreownedWeddingDresses.com, an online meeting …
Is the Minimum Wage Hike a Good Idea?
On July 24, the minimum wage will increase from $6.55 to $7.25 an hour. Every worker deserves a living wage, but the timing of the pay hike is less than ideal. The national jobless rate is nearly 10 percent, and among American teenagers—who are likely to work many of those minimum-wage jobs seeing a pay increase—the unemployment rate …
What Will a Cheapskate Spend Good Money On? Part III
Even a cheapskate has to spend money sometimes. I’ve asked various frugal folks—bloggers, writers, money-saving and consumer experts—to compile personal, totally subjective lists of the products, services, experiences, and other “things” they’re willing to shell out good money on. Because if a cheapskate is willing to drop cash on …
The Rise of Wireless Phone “Because They Can Fees”
When your wireless bill goes up by 20¢ or 40¢, it’s hardly a cause for outrage. Or is it? As an LA Times story reports, T-Mobile, Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint Nextel have all quietly been raising monthly fees with no good rationale, no legit reason.