This week’s roundup of consumer tips and personal finance advice also includes a list of actions to take right now that promise to “change your financial life forever.” One such suggested action: Do something nice for your spouse today, so that you don’t have to buy her something nice later on.
vegetables
Salad Bar Maximization Tips
To get the most for your money, stay away from vegetables—especially beets, carrots, and red onion.
Gardening Pro: It’s Wise to Start Small, on the Cheap
Growing vegetables in your own backyard can be enormously rewarding, with payoffs including delicious super-fresh foods and a decreased grocery bill. To get started the right way, take the advice of an expert who considers costs at every turn.
223 Tips: Snag Freebies, Save Money, Salvage Food About to Spoil, Get Your Adult Kid Out of the House, and More
This week’s links cover topics ranging from school fundraisers that aren’t worth your time (and don’t raise much money), to resources for finding the best Black Friday deals, to effective, low-effort, low-cost ways to clean the bathroom.
Green Living: What Home Upgrades Are Really Worth the Money?
A woman in California has spent the past two years (and a decent chunk of money) installing and testing out all sorts of energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, money-saving improvements in her home. In the process, she’s discovered that some improvements are so simple and so cost-effective that it’s dumb not to make the change. Yet …
Handy Produce Storage Guide: Tips on Keeping 32 Fruits and Veggies Fresh
This guide clues you in on where to store fruits and veggies to maximize their shelf lives—even if you’re not supposed to keep them on shelves—and includes a reminder about the brilliance of potatoes: They’re not only great for filling you up on the cheap, they’ll stay good for two or three months so long as you keep them away from …
How the New Federal Dietary Guidelines Will Save You Money
Every five years, a federal nutrition panel makes recommendations as to what Americans should and shouldn’t be eating. The latest report was just released, and while the main goal is make Americans healthier, you’re all but guaranteed to save money if you follow the recommendations.
Fraud at the Farmer’s Market
Those “local” strawberries may actually be brought in on a truck from California, and, though you’ve been led to believe that it was made from scratch, that pie you just paid $15 for could in fact be pre-packaged.
43 More Gardening Tips
If you’re more greenhorn than green thumb, here are some helpful tips to get your garden up and growing.
Q&A: All the Dirt on Gardening with a Small Budget
A drive around town is the quickest and best way to figure out what kind of plants will thrive in your yard. You should water your plants longer, but less often than you do. Anything claiming to “revolutionize” the way you garden is probably a waste of money. Once you eat home-grown tomatoes, it’s really disappointing when you go back to …
The Grocery Game: Play or Get Played
The supermarket is designed to get you to spend more than you need. Product location, packaging, quantities, and promotions are all part of the game. And if you aren’t aware that supermarket marketers are even playing a game, then you’re the easiest mark.
How Many Tomatoes Can You Really Eat?
This year, tons of people planted their own vegetables in backyard gardens—to double up on saving money and eating healthy at the same time. But now that harvest season is upon us, if you’ve had any luck you’re eyeballing an overabundance of cucumbers, zuchini, squash, tomatoes, and peppers that are going to spoil unless you do …