Mending is Better Than Ending

Lots of businesses are hurting right now, but not those involved in fixing and mending our stuff. According to an article in Time magazine, cobblers and tailors are thriving as people opt to repair old shoes and alter ill-fitting clothes rather than replace them. The same is true for shops that repair everything from cars […]

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Fear, Anger, and a Ray of Hope

Our tattered economy has a lot of people feeling fearful, angry, and surprisingly, okay. These mixed findings come from a new survey by CNN and Opinion Research Corporation, which found that nearly 75 percent of U.S. adults are scared about the way things are going in our country. About the same number are angry. Those […]

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Dialing for More Dollars

In the last issue of this eNewsletter I mentioned an ABC News profile of someone who easily persuaded many of his service providers – from his health club to his cable company – to reduce their rates. He simply called them and said, “I need to save some money. I know you get it. Can […]

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Couponing Made Easy

If you’re serious about saving on the cost of groceries, you probably already know about CouponMom.com. But U.S. News & World Report recently highlighted another good grocery coupon resource–the blog, Frugal Coupon Mom. Ashley Nuzzo, who writes the blog, scours lots of other web sites and blogs looking for the best deals and then posts […]

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Romance In, Spending Down

A few more of us plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year (63% of all adults) than last year (61%). However, the economy is driving down how much we plan to spend. According to the National Retail Federation, those planning to celebrate this year say they will spend an average of $103 on their loved […]

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Of Calories and Cash

There are a number of parallels between the worlds of nutrition and finance. On the negative side, people tend to describe a budget in the same terms they use to describe a diet – it’s something one goes on, as in, “Poor Brian, he’s on a budget.” However, as was pointed out in a New […]

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The Power of Gratitude

“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” – 1 Timothy 6:6-8 Every day of our lives, we are the unwitting recipients of countless messages designed to foster […]

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How to Spot a Lemon

This sure seems like a good time to buy a car with all the incentives being offered by ailing carmakers. However, a deal isn’t a deal unless you were in the market for the item anyway. And I’m a strong believer in keeping vehicles as long as possible. But if you really _are_ in the […]

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Free Filing For All

If you’re anticipating an income tax refund this year, the fastest way to get that money is to file your tax return electronically and have the refund automatically deposited. The process takes as few as 10 days. This year, the IRS has expanded its e-file program, making it possible for nearly everyone to file electronically […]

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Online Budget Tools Put to the Test

Last month I mentioned that I was planning to switch from a traditional version of Quicken to one of the newer free online “financial aggregators.” The traditional software version ties you to one computer, whereas the online tools provide access via any computer. While I’m not done with my evaluation, here are a few things […]

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