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Are Your Frugal Efforts Going Down the Drain?

If you have been practicing frugal living but you still haven’t seen a difference in your savings or aren’t getting ahead, it could be that some of these efforts are being offset by other expenses that are either a direct or indirect result of your frugal living efforts. Have you ever heard the expression, “Robbing Peter to pay Paul?” This is an expression I have heard many times growing up. Basically it means that you are taking money (or efforts) from one place and applying them to another, without ever really getting on top of things. The expression can apply … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Week in Review: October 27th Through November 2nd

Here is the Frugal Living week in review for October 27th through November 2nd. October 27th Frugal Living Week in Review: October 20th Through October 26th Have you been thinking about Christmas, yet? It is crazy, but the stores all have their decorations, gift items and accessories all in place. I’ve done a bit of Christmas shopping, using some of my favorite secret spots for a bargain. Check out the article posted last week that talks all about it. October 28th 3 Self-Reliant Ways to Be Frugal Doing things for yourself often means that you will also save money. There … Continue reading →

Frugal Month in Review: October 2008

“Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” – George Eliot October has come and gone, but we can still enjoy fall and the celebration of Thanksgiving and all of the great joys of the season. Take a look back at all of the ways to save money that were featured last month. October 1st Frugal Halloween Costumes It is fall and Halloween is approaching fast, are you ready? What do the kids want to be? You can make some great homemade costumes … Continue reading →

3 Self-Reliant Ways to Be Frugal

Doing things for yourself often means that you will also save money. There are so many ways that you can be a bit more self-reliant that will naturally make you frugal as well. I’m just going to cover three of them here today, but the next time you are confronted with an area of your budget that you want to tighten up, see if there is a way that you can be more self-reliant. Heating Heating is a big concern this winter. Prices are very high on oil, natural gas and even electricity. You can become more self-reliant by heating … Continue reading →

Free Boredom Busters for Summer

Monday was the last day of school for our kids, and they “escaped” school, eager for some fun. While their friends all headed off the camp the very next day, it was left to me to make sure that each day had some new adventure planned, all while keeping house and working from home. Fortunately, there are a lot of great resources to help me. Our local community, for example, provides a number of free and low-cost activities. On Tuesday, the kids learned about cave painting and created their own art through a library program, and they also got to … Continue reading →

What Does Strict Parenting Look Like?

Yesterday I asked, Are You a Strict Parent? Realizing, of course, that “strictness” is highly interpretable. What some people think of as strict parenting, other parents think of it as lax parenting. So what does strict parenting look like? To me strict parenting is… Setting Rules: Rules would include cleaning up behind themselves, taking care of their belongings, asking permission before touching another’s belongings, being kind to others, following household rules for computer, television, and going out. While this may sound a little abstract, one must realize that rules change based on age appropriateness, maturity, and trust worthiness. Where one … Continue reading →

What Husbands and Wive Look for When Buying a House

Now is a good time to buy, especially if you’re buying a first home. Interest rates are down and so are house prices. Before you do, look over your list of requirements. Husbands often tend to want a double garage and perhaps room for a workshop. If it’s a house that’s been built a few years, the husband will look at the condition of walls, ceilings and whether there are any water marks, guttering, drainage etc. Always go and look at the house again when it is raining. This will show up any faults or areas where the water tends … Continue reading →

Low Income Energy Assistance Program

Every year there are sad stories about people dying in the winter or the summer because they couldn’t afford to pay for proper heating and cooling. It isn’t a new problem. Did you know that before air conditioning, a large number of people living in New York City would die each summer from the heat? Those who could afford to do so would vacation in cooler locations. Those who could not just hoped for the best. Fortunately today, there is help for people who can’t afford their heating or cooling bills. The U.S. Government has a Low Income Energy Assistance … Continue reading →

Adolf Hitler Denied Birthday Cake

What if you were only three and your name sparked revulsion everywhere you went? That seems to be the case for little Adolf Hitler Campbell, a cute little blonde boy with big eyes who was denied a birthday cake at a local New Jersey Shoprite because the employees did not want to write his name on his birthday cake. The parents of the little boy are upset about the decision made by the supermarket and can’t seem to understand why the store would refuse to fill their order for a birthday cake. They also seem upset and surprised to find … Continue reading →

Finding Money When You Need Some

You’ve been watching every penny, but now the furnace needs a repair. How do you come up with the extra money when there is nothing in the bank to cover it? Or maybe your daughter needs a winter coat. Check out some of the following ideas. Hire yourself out as a handyman or handy woman. If you know a thing or two about general home repair, advertise! There are plenty of people who have a bunch of little jobs around the house that they would love to have completed. Spackle a hole in the wall, replace the washer in a … Continue reading →