By Ann Hartter
Christmas cheer kicked in when I returned from my vacation and decorated my house. I emptied my Post Office box into a bag, then onto my table. Christmas cards (I scribble on a notebook some addresses before the envelopes disappear), bills (none unexpected), a couple of coupons, and junk mail galore. While booting […]

By Jennifer Derrick
In recent weeks I’ve seen reports flying around the Internet that some Wal-Mart stores are accepting only ten coupons or less per transaction. For a heavy coupon user like me, this is bad news. I had hoped that perhaps it was just one or two stores that were doing this but, unfortunately, this […]

By Cortni Marrazzo
I recently came across an article on The Simple Dollar website entitled “Dealing With A Bad Day Without Spending Money.” The author, Trent Hamm, listed 6 things that help him to chill out after a bad day and don’t cost a thing. I was inspired by the suggestions he listed and […]

By Shannon Christman
If you have a lot of storage space, warehouse clubs, such as BJ’s, Costco, and Sam’s Club, can help you save some money on products you use frequently. The one we visit does not offer the best deals on every product, but we depend on it for consistently low prices (usually about […]

By Shannon Christman
As a child, I went grocery shopping with my adult sister at a store that didn’t exist in my hometown. When she checked out, the cashier gave her a number of stamps based on how much she had spent, and she discovered that she had enough saved to treat me to a […]

By Jennifer Derrick
Some people are “pound wise and penny foolish.” That is, they focus their savings efforts only on big items while letting small amounts of money slip through their fingers. Having tallied up my “penny savings” from last year, I can tell you that small amounts of money can quickly add up to big […]

By Ann Hartter
My son asked for some bananas for snack, and I started singing something I had a vague recollection of: “Yes, we have no bananas, we have no bananas today!” I got the melody all wrong, and as my husband and I tried to finagle the right tune, I offered banana spread I had […]

By Cortni Marrazzo
Judging by the fact that my computer is telling me that multifunctionality is spelled wrong as I’m typing this, I’m going to take a guess that it’s not a real word. True as that may be, it should be pretty obvious what meaning I’m trying to get across - is something that […]

By Shannon Christman
Personal finance books and articles offer many simple ways to save money — cut out a daily trip to Starbucks, turn down the heat by one degree, order water at restaurants — and all of these tips are useful, but we often ignore the fact that the best way to save money is […]

By Jennifer Derrick
I try to live an environmentally friendly life. Among other things, I drive a smaller car, I recycle, and I use compact fluorescent light bulbs. I’m interested in doing more to help the environment, but sometimes I find myself stymied by the cost of becoming truly green. Environmentally friendly detergents, cleaning products, light […]

By Jennifer Derrick
In recent weeks I’ve felt a distinct discomfort when listening to the media, the government, and even my acquaintances talk about money. It’s always been pretty clear that I’m not normal and that I don’t fit financially into this society. I’m a saver and a proponent of more frugal lifestyles. I’m not a […]

By Shannon Christman
Coupon clippers and other frugal types are under constant scrutiny by those who are eager to call them “penny wise but pound foolish.” “You might be saving pennies there,” the naysayers say, “but you waste dollars on the big things.” While penny pinchers who overlook big savings are common enough to […]

By Cortni Marrazzo
Who doesn’t hate the clutter of junk mail that comes via snail mail? Someone’s always advertising something and it just seems to pile up in your garbage can. I’ve personally done virtually all I can to eliminate junk mail from my physical mailbox, but when it comes to my e-mail inbox, […]

By Cortni Marrazzo
I remember playing Monopoly when I was younger and I remember landing on the squares that were marked Chance or Community Chest. You could get a card that said “Go straight to Jail,” “Pay $50 to each player” or “Win $50 in a beauty contest.” But what about that one that […]

By Shannon Christman
A number of people have pointed out that advertisements that insult consumers use these ads because they work and that I must be affected by ads, too. I agree with these comments. I never said that those particular ad strategies are ineffective, only that they are insulting. I also have nothing […]

By Marilyn Brodeur
I have never been able to make money online. I’m terrible at it. I’ve done survey sites, sign-up for stuff sites, read these email sites and rate our product sites. I’m resigned to the fact that I’m just not creative or persevering enough to read 500 2-cent emails to make the […]

By Cortni Marrazzo
Why is it that we can hear that promise again and again for different products, yet we still perk our ears up to find out what it is that is being advertised and if it really will change our life? We all want the magic cure to the inconveniences we face in life, […]

By Shannon Christman
Bargain hunters looking for deeply discounted Christmas items and gift recipients eager to exchange their loot for something that better fits their bodies or personalities make the day after Christmas a busy one for retailers. With 364 shopping days until Christmas, those who work best under pressure might not have enough motivation to […]

By Cortni Marrazzo
Everyone knows you have to sacrifice in order to spend less and save more. Just how much you are willing to sacrifice depends on how much you want to save or how quickly you want to pay off debt. It really depends on your situation and preferences in regards to how […]

By Shannon Christman
Successful businesses spend a lot of time planning - creating a business model, a business plan, a strategy, and a mission statement. They want to define their main purpose and goals partly so that everyone in the company can stay focused on the reason for their work and not get distracted by […]