Personal Finance Advice

Do you have a museum, zoo, or theme park nearby that you find yourself visiting more than once per year? If you do, you might want to look into the costs and benefits of buying a season pass or becoming a member. I was surprised recently to discover that a year long membership at my [...]

Have you noticed that lately new bank fees and fee increases have been popping up like pimples on prom night? Much of this is because of new federal regulations limiting revenue major financial institutions take in from things like overdraft fees and, more importantly, debit card swipe fees. Also known as interchange fees — this [...]

Unless you get your clothes dry cleaned, wire coat hangers are getting harder to find. Everyone seems to appreciate the plastic and wood models more these days and those are the hangers you’ll find in stores. I’ll bet, though, that you have a stash of old wire hangers in your closet. Wire hangers have a [...]

It’s only October and Halloween hasn’t even passed yet. However, it’s not too early to start planning your holiday meals and baking. I was in the store the other day and they already have the special center aisle display set up with all of the traditional baking ingredients. Things like stuffing mix, cranberries, pie shells, [...]

This is the time of year when one of my friends starts running around like a maniac trying to use up all of the coupons from her Entertainment Book. Most of the coupons expire in November, so we will spend the next month eating in all kinds of places and doing all sorts of activities [...]

No matter how little money you earn, there is almost always someone, somewhere (likely in your own area), who is managing to live well on less than what you make. Now, by living “well” I don’t necessarily mean having a three thousand square foot house, a Mercedes, a cruise every year, and a housekeeper. I’m [...]

When we go out to eat, I’m frequently annoyed by the menu. I’m not a big eater but most restaurant menus are designed for people with big appetites. This isn’t always a problem; there are doggie bags, after all. But sometimes I’m in a position where I can’t take a doggie bag. Maybe I’m running [...]

I don’t know whether to classify the following as a strange way to save money, make money, or spend money, but it is definitely strange so I’ll leave it at that. I was out over the weekend with a friend trawling some yard sales. At one sale, the seller had a table set up with [...]

With the economy in the doldrums, many people are getting their luxury fix by shopping at high end consignment stores. These stores specialize in luxury goods and brands. It’s possible to pick up Prada, Tiffany, Gucci, and other high end brands for a fraction of what they would cost new. Many items have been used [...]

If you have a dryer at home, you know that dryer lint is never in short supply. It seems like one of those things that should just always go into the trash, but there are ways to use it that might save you a little money (after you save money using your dryer), or at [...]

A long time ago, when I was starting to get my finances in order, I did everything I was supposed to do. I made out budgets, I tracked my spending, I watched all the small expenses, and I planned for the bigger expenses. This was all well and good, but something was still missing. I [...]

New legislation that took effect on October 1st means that banks can no longer collect exorbitant fees from merchants whenever you swipe your debit card. What does this mean for you? Your bank will now likely switch to collecting those fees from you, the customer. Several banks, including Bank of America, SunTrust, Chase, and Wells [...]

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a piece about how to master haggling to save money. This week I’m giving tips on how to barter successfully. Like haggling, bartering isn’t often done in the U.S. I think part of it is because, as with haggling, people are embarrassed to barter. Some people feel uncomfortable [...]

Eating out is a budget leak for a lot of people. It’s just so easy to grab something and it’s nice not to have to clean up. The problem is, though, that eating out is expensive compared to eating at home. By the time you pay for overpriced drinks and then tip, you’ve spent three, [...]

There are few ways to save on TV viewing in your own home. You can cut back your cable service to the minimum, or use a service like Netflix to supplement or replace your cable. You can buy DVD’s of TV shows and movies cheap on the used or clearance shelves. But short of going [...]

The savings account is about as in style as 90′s rock sensation Pearl Jam (Don’t feel bad if you’ve never heard of them) but much like some of those same 90s fads, the savings account is making a reemergence. Everybody is happy when interest rates fall and they can refinance their homes, but they forget [...]

I like adventure and trying new things. Sometimes. I also find comfort in the tried, true and familiar. I tend do do a lot of the same things over and over. I suspect many people are like this. We all have our favorite things to do, places to go, and people we hang out with. [...]

I may be late to the party, but I discovered the Tiny House Blog the other day. The author features all kinds of tiny houses, including homes made from storage sheds, campers, freight cars, and other unconventional materials. At first glance, you probably think, as I did, “How can anyone live in a space that [...]

In an earlier article, I talked about the pros and cons of signing up for a coupon class. While there are some plusses to such classes, much of what you will learn can be found online for free. Even better, it can be found right here at Saving Advice. Below I’ve compiled a list of [...]

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” is what you’re thinking. Here come all of the obesity facts. You think I’m going to talk about all of the money you spend on fast food, junk food, and those other sinful pleasures, or at least sinful as defined by the health nuts with six pack abs. No more guilt trips. [...]