Site Archives barter

Master Bartering: Strange Ways to Save Money


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 [...]

Saving Money When You Live in the Middle of Nowhere


If you live in the middle of nowhere like I do, you may find that being a money saving guru is difficult at times. We don’t have easy access to a lot of grocery stores or big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target and their lower prices. We don’t have a CVS or Walgreens on [...]

Seventeen Things to Do When You’re Out of Work


The people around me are struggling with cut hours and layoffs, and cutting back on finances is only part of the effect. My friends are suddenly finding themselves with less to do. More time with the kids is good, but when the kids are in school — watching TV only has so much interest, until [...]

Back away from the Ramen! Eat better without breaking the budget


When I was in college, I was content to open my kitchen cupboard and find it full of Ramen. Every flavor – except shrimp (yuck) – was represented after a trip to the grocery store. Not only did I know where my next meal was coming from, but I had saved money. Never mind that [...]