Spending money wisely takes more than a budget and a stack of coupons. It takes some self-knowledge. A good article on Oprah.com highlighted several ways to keep our emotions from trashing our finances. For example, researchers have found that when we run up big tabs on a single trip to a single store, which can […]
Archive | Spending Smart
Is Frugality Fading?
Frugality has been all the rage during the recession. But now there’s some evidence that our money-saving ways may be going by the wayside. A CNN.com story noted that the personal savings rate dipped in June after several months of strong growth. And, while an HSBC survey found that 85 percent of people have modified […]
Energy Saving Facts and Fiction
When it comes to saving energy, there are some confusing and conflicting ideas out there. A recent Associated Press story sought to sort out fact from fiction. For example, do computer screen savers save energy? No. Sleep mode, which uses about 70 percent less energy, is a better choice if you’re not going to be […]
How Outlet Malls Promote Overspending
Outlet malls may not be the money-savers they appear to be. As noted on Consumerist.com, the new book, Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture, describes manufacturers’ suggested retail prices, against which the outlet store prices are compared, as “often fabricated to give consumers the impression that they are getting bargains.” The book also notes […]
Dollar Store Hits and Misses
Have you ever shopped in a dollar store? Consumer Reports recently made some helpful recommendations about what to buy and what to avoid in such stores. It said that dollar store prices on aluminum foil, gift wrap, and party supplies can’t be beat. However, it recommended taking a pass on electrical products (they may carry […]
Thriving After the Recession
While a lot of people are still deeply impacted by the recession, a number of post-recession articles are starting to emerge, including one from US News & World Report that suggested 10 ways to “thrive” after the recession. It described the new “evolved consumer” who “shops with more discipline and focuses on buying products with […]
Don’t Get Taken for a Fee Ride
It wasn’t long ago that banks would not allow debit card transactions to go through if you didn’t have enough money in your checking account. But then they discovered how profitable it could be to allow such transactions and then hit you with an overdraft fee. Such fees will total an estimated $38.5 billion this […]
All Worn Out
There was a good post on the Wisebread blog recently about the author’s preference for things that wear out rather than fall out of fashion, break, or become technologically obsolete. He noted that people’s primary reason for replacing something used to be that it wore out, whereas today the main reason is more likely due […]
All Worn Out
There was a good post on the Wisebread blog recently about the author’s preference for things that wear out rather than fall out of fashion, break, or become technologically obsolete. He noted that people’s primary reason for replacing something used to be that it wore out, whereas today the main reason is more likely due […]
It’s Not Easy Being Green
Paper or plastic? At first, it was polite of grocery store cashiers to ask which sort of bag we’d prefer. But today, the question often sounds like, “Environmentalist or Polluter?” Everyone knows that paper is the best choice for protecting the planet. Or is it? A recent Wall Street Journal article noted, “There is growing […]