Search Results for: blog are you sinking your ship

Snowflake Your Way to Savings

Using the snowflake method, you can save enough money for vacations, private school for the kids, groceries, holiday gifts, or your emergency fund. You can snowflake to build up your stockpile or be a stay at home parent. You can even snowflake to buy an iPod. Many people use the snowflake method, whether they work outside of the home or not. it is easy to do, and you can earn as much or as little as your time allows. What is the snowflake method? You basically find ways of making small amounts of money (the snowflakes) in short bursts of … Continue reading →

What Did You Do Today that Was Frugal?

It seems that this question keeps coming up every where I turn. Sometimes I encounter it when I am visiting our forums. Other times I may read it in a frugal book, and of course, friends may ask me, either to get some advice or to keep me on my toes. Frugal living really is a sort of lifestyle that develops over time. You can form many frugal habits that come naturally and without even thinking. I couldn’t tell you how many lights I’ve turned off today, because I am in the habit of turning them off whenever I leave … Continue reading →

Are You Sinking Your Ship?

Are you two bucketfuls away from disaster? You may be unintentionally sabotaging your savings and sinking your household ship. One of my favorite dead people is Benjamin Franklin. Now maybe this is because I live in Pennsylvania, and I am not too far from Philadelphia and Franklin is a big part of local history as well as the history of our country. But I think it goes a little deeper than that. Franklin was a true innovator, creative and true. I see those same qualities in many of the frugal people that I meet. One quote of Franklin’s goes like … Continue reading →

Should You Lease a Car?

Is leasing a car a good idea? It really depends on whom you are talking to, the answer you will receive. If you are talking to a car dealer or a person who leases cars, he will share with you numerous reasons to lease. You can get a brand new car every few years. Your car will stay under warranty during the lease, so you do not need to worry about any major repairs. It can bring you peace of mind because ultimately things will be taken care of. Leasing is basically renting a car for three years. Every month … Continue reading →

Consider a Cheap Cruise

Despite video of stranded ships and tales of irate passengers going viral, the cruise industry insists that it is not sinking.  However, in an effort to entice travelers, many cruise companies are offering super sales on late summer sailings. If you are looking to take the plunge and book a voyage in the near future, consider the following to keep costs down: Travel Agents:  If you are a first-time cruiser, opt to use an experienced travel agent.  Many of these travel experts that specialize in cruises do not charge for their services because they are paid a commission by the … Continue reading →

Summer Sailing Sale

If sailing off into a stunning summer sunset without sinking your entire vacation budget seems too good to be true, think again. For a limited time, Princess Cruises is offering a summer clearance sale on voyages to Alaska and Europe.  The promotion features savings of up to 50% off rack rates on more than 200 summer sailings.  It also includes on-board credits of $25 to $100 depending on the type of accommodations you book.  For example, if you book an interior or ocean-view cabin on sailings of up to nine days, you will receive $25 in credit. However, if you … Continue reading →

A Great Resource to Study the 100th Anniversary of the Titantic

Book: Titanic Voices from Disaster Author: Deborah Hopkinson Published by: Scholastic Press Age Recommendation: 8 and up Use: Read aloud, historical non-fiction for studying the Titanic, independent student reading Book Summary: (Amazon.com) Critically acclaimed nonfiction author Deborah Hopkinson pieces together the story of the TITANIC and that fateful April night, drawing on the voices of survivors and archival photographs. Scheduled to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the TITANIC, a topic that continues to haunt and thrill readers to this day, this book by critically acclaimed author Deborah Hopkinson weaves together the voices and stories of … Continue reading →

The Ebb and Flow of Marriage

Like the tides that ebb and flow, so do marriages…seasons and times where things go down but then come back up again. Sometimes these ups and downs are caused by real troubles in life. It could be a job change, sickness, financial difficulties, rebellious children and other family problems. When life is on an even keel then we might feel like our marriage is flowing along smoothly. But there are other times in our marriage when the ebb and flow isn’t caused by obvious life challenges. Sometimes we go through moments in our marriage when we allow feelings to dictate … Continue reading →

Calculate the Real Cost of a Purchase

So often when we make purchases or other financial decision, we consider long and hard the assumed cost of an item without calculating the real cost of that item. There are all sorts of added costs that come in to play on most of the things we purchase. For example, let’s say that you purchase a Swiffer WetJet system to mop your floors. It looks like a great deal, especially with a $5 off coupon. I absolutely love mine for sudden spills and quick touch ups. But when you purchase the system, realize that you will be continuously purchasing the … Continue reading →

Crisis Frugality: 3 Things to Do to Make It to the Next Paycheck

With frugal living allows families to save money and live a better life, but what do you do if you are in a situation where you are wondering how you are going to make it until your next paycheck? Sometimes life throws unexpected curves at you such as a job layoff, a medical expense, or even an unexpected home repair. If you find yourself in a crisis, it is important cut as many expenses as you can as soon as you can, so you’ll have enough for the basics of food, clothing and shelter. This is especially true when you … Continue reading →