It started slowly with concerns about rising food and energy costs. Next came the mortgage meltdown. Finally, news coverage reported that more than half of Americans plan to use their rebate checks to pay down debt or boost savings. Now, I’m seeing car commercials that encourage people to pay off their credit cards. Is frugality …
It’s officially spring! According to legend, you should have been able to stand an egg on its end at the moment of the spring equinox. In case you missed the moment, here are 13 frugal ways to celebrate spring fever (one for each week of the season.) Buy fresh flowers: This year, the first week …
As I said last year, I don’t actually do Valentine’s Day. It’s crowded, gift prices go up, and no one really has enough time and space for romance. This year will be even worse, because it falls on a Saturday that is also part of a holiday weekend. Cue the mad dash to a romantic getaway. …
Supercapitalism: The Transformation of Business, Democracy, and Everyday Life is a new book by Robert Reich, former Labor Secretary under Clinton. If you listen to NPR’s Morning Edition or American Public Media’s Marketplace, you’ve probably heard one of his commentaries. The book delves into the development of US economy during the last century, mostly since the …
Festival of Frugality #123: The Supercapitalism Edition Read More »
I’m not a Valentine’s Day scrooge. I have celebrated the day with great fanfare in the past – usually early in a relationship. Now that I’ve been with my husband for nine years, the day is becoming less important to me. Also, I don’t find being surrounded by hordes celebrating enforced romance the least bit …
I don’t usually do anything for Father’s Day except send a card because my dad lives 400 miles away. When I was young, we were usually on vacation for Father’s Day, but we did affordable family activities if we were home. If you’re not sure what to do to honor the occasion, here are 5 …
We’re at the one-week countdown to Thanksgiving. This is a family holiday, so no need to go all out and spend a fortune on your tablescape and whatnot. Keep it simple and it should be pretty frugal, too. Here are my top 10 tips for a frugal Thanksgiving. Use Your Coupons Wisely Next week is …
It’s officially summer. Although many places started to get hot a few weeks ago, the season officially kicks off today at 4:59 PM Pacific Time, the exact moment of the solstice. In honor of the season of sun, sand, and surf, here are 13 frugal ways to celebrate the summer. Drink Lemonade! I love lemonade …
What is Voluntary Simplicity? The other day I heard Vicki Robin refer to the Simplicity Movement in a CNN interview. She was brought on as the counterpoint to a man saying that it was our patriotic duty to spend money. Obviously, she didn’t agree. More than that, it started me wondering just what the Simplicity …
When the Mafia Wars and Farmville games first rolled out on Facebook, I didn’t participate. In fact, I actively blocked all of those posts and updates from my stream. Now that Google + has rolled out games in a separate stream, I decided to see why people get so addicted to these games. As I …
Of Monsters and Money: Fake Ways to Waste Real Money Read More »
