Whenever I watch those money-saving segments on TV news shows, one of the first things suggested as a way to save money is to ditch the daily latte. The idea is that eliminating the little $4 or $5 expenses can add up to big savings.  And I don't disagree with that theory. But for a non-coffee drinker, the daily latte has never been my problem.  My problem is eating out.  I love to go out to eat.  Fast food, family dining, buffets, fancy restaurants - I love them all.  But they are bad for … [Read more...]

The following guest post and infographic comes from Jordan. It is estimated that there are millions of people who pay more tax than they should simply because they overlook tax benefits that could apply to them. Come tax day, you could be a happier person just by taking advantage of a few not so well-known tax benefits listed on the infographic below. Because at the end of the year, who doesn’t want to be pleasantly surprised with a little extra cash to splurge? … [Read more...]

I've recently started writing a frugal living column for our local weekly newspaper.  While I sometimes write with a local focus, I thought that one of my most recent columns would be something all of you would be interested in. Here's a snippet from my column, 7 Smart Ways to Use Your Tax Refund :     Some financial experts will tell you you’re foolish to get a tax refund. They’ll say you’re giving Uncle Sam an interest free-loan. They’ll tell you you should change your tax withholding so … [Read more...]

When you're limping from paycheck to paycheck, saving money can seem like a daunting task. But it doesn't have to be that hard, when you start small and think big. … [Read more...]

In an earlier post, Evaluating Health Insurance Options: The Basics, we talked about different places you can find coverage that you may be eligible for, an alternative to health insurance and the basic types of plans offered. As I covered in that first post, Steve and I have recently shopped for health insurance as his new employer coverage was quite expensive both in the premiums we would pay and the out of pocket costs to us via the deductibles. So, we decided to get creative and really … [Read more...]

Health insurance. Anyone else feel just sort of blech about health insurance? I mean, coverage is a necessity (required by US law), but it is so. very. expensive.  And, often, even with high premiums, you can end up with large deductibles and/or spotty coverage. When I left my job in 2013, we knew that one of the biggest perks we were walking away from was our health insurance.  Up until then, I was fortunate enough to work for a company that paid all of the premiums for our entire … [Read more...]

When money gets tight, a spending freeze seems like it would be a good idea.   There are plenty of frugal bloggers and personal finance experts who recommend spending freezes - taking a break from spending for a period of a week or even a month - as a way to save money. But are spending freezes a good idea? … [Read more...]