When’s the last time you took a bus for an out-of-town trip? With airline ticket prices on the rise and some airlines now charging for luggage, several bus lines are trying to win new business with upgraded vehicles, low prices, and high-tech amenities like free Wi-Fi. The financial blog WalletPop highlighted BoltBus (a subsidiary of […]
Author Archive | Matt Bell
A Good Green Guide
Bankrate.com has put together a helpful list of over 100 eco-friendly tips, many of which are also easy on the wallet. The ideas are grouped in eight broad categories, each of which is further grouped by “quick fixes,” “short-term,” and “long-term.” For example, under the category of “Leisure & entertainment,” a quick fix idea is […]
Life Without a TV
There was an interesting post on Free Money Finance about the many benefits of going without a TV, including the financial savings, and the quality of life improvements. Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with watching TV (especially when there’s a good golf tournament on!). However, it’s pretty easy to make the argument that we […]
Fleece-Free Flicks
For a lot of people, going to a movie is a favorite form of entertainment. However, with tickets now $10 in many markets and a “small” container of popcorn going for nearly $5, even a love story can seem a horror show. Some money saving tips from SmartMoney.com included the following. Find the freebies. Regal […]
Rebates Made Easy
Ever heard of Ebates? I found out about the web site from the blog Gather Little by Little. A quick online registration process gives you access to rebates from hundreds of merchants. The rebates are typically about two to five percent of the purchase price, but can go higher. For items you’re planning to buy […]
Twenty-Four Hours of Savings
A recent post on the blog The Simple Dollar charted the author’s money saving moves over each of the 24 hours in a typical day. At midnight, for example, a programmable thermostat adjusts his home’s temperature, saving on cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. At 3 a.m., clothes hung out to dry […]
Paid in Full
“You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men.” – 1 Corinthians 7:23 On a recent retreat I had the privilege of serving communion. Over and over, I looked a brother or sister in Christ in the eye and said, “This represents the body and blood of Jesus, broken and shed for […]
The True Coupon Queen
Among all the coupon queens and kings out there, Crissy Thompson is true royalty. The Gainesville, GA woman sometimes spends as little as $10 per week to feed her family of five. To really understand her methods you may have to read the full transcript of the TV news report about her, but here are […]
Don’t Dim a Bright Idea
There’s been a big push to get people to replace traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL). As a result, sales have skyrocketed—from about 17,000 bulbs in 2000 to 380 million last year. However, there’s been less focus on teaching people how to properly dispose of such bulbs. As was pointed out in […]
Paying More With Plastic
Do you pay your credit card balances in full every month? Have you been using credit cards for more of your purchases, like groceries, figuring you’re ahead of the game because of the rebates, miles, or other perks? According to researchers quoted in a Washington Post article, you’re overspending. Professors from MIT, Harvard, and Britain’s […]