Search Results for: blog saving for a car to drive later

What Not to Buy Now

You probably know that there are times when certain items are at their best prices, and times when they are not. Of course, since the things that we buy are so numerous and varied it can be very hard to keep track of what to buy when. One good resource is a book called “Buy Ketchup in May and Fly at Noon” by Mark DiVincenzo. Not only does this book offer valuable money – saving information, it also offers other suggestions for the best times to do certain things and go certain places which can save you time and make … Continue reading →

Adventures of a Beginning Couponer Part 4

Today I took my couponing skills for a test drive to my local Shaws supermarket. When we arrived at the store, Dylan and I went to pick out his bagel. He likes to chew on a bagel or a piece of fruit while we shop, so I always ask him when we get to the store which one he wants. He had just finished an apple before we left for the store, so I was not surprised that he wanted the bagel. Bagel in hand, we went about picking up the items on my list. As I had mentioned yesterday, … Continue reading →

A Slow, Steady Drip

I’ve recently seen a television commercial that shows people throwing away food as soon as they’ve purchased it, rationalizing that they’re just going to throw it away later, so they might as well take care of that now. The commercial then goes on to state that we throw away around $500.00 of food every year because of spoilage. That really rang true for me—I clean out my fridge weekly, and tend to find all kinds of little things in there that shouldn’t be consumed by human mouths. I would estimate that yes, I do throw away about that much food. … Continue reading →

Preparing for a Powerful Snowstorm 2

The snow is falling, and we are all gearing up for a snowstorm that may leave us without power and without an easy way to get out of our driveway. If you missed the first post, click here: Preparing for a Powerful Snowstorm. We do have a generator (which is also gassed up and ready to go), but we can’t attach it to everything. If we will be without power for more than a few hours, we will attach it to the heat, the well pump and water treatment system, the upright freezer and the refrigerator. This will have our … Continue reading →

Frugal Living Month in Review: June 2008

What a happy month is June, filled with the renewal of spring and the promise of summer. In the last month, we have shared so many ideas for frugal living and saving money. This past month has seen some pretty big increases in food, gas and other items (look for an upcoming post about strawberries increasing more than 100 percent). Now more than ever, it is important to save money where we can. This is why I decided to do a month in review. June 2nd Frugal Living Review: May 26th Through June 1st Garage sale shopping has got to … Continue reading →

Travel Tales: Kids Rebel Against High Gas Prices

My daughter is far too young to understand that skyrocketing gas prices are just one of the reasons we can’t afford to drive to Chicago everyday to see her finned friends at the aquarium. And even if she did comprehend what gas prices have done to our household budget I’m still not convinced she would take on the project two sisters in Salt Lake City did recently. Nine-year-old Sadie and 7-year-old Pyper Vance are rebelling against record high gas prices. The sisters aren’t even old enough to have their learner’s permit, yet they say they are as sick of the … Continue reading →

The Well-Stocked Toolbox

If you perform your own home repair or do it yourself (DIY) projects then a well-stocked toolbox is a must. The nice thing about having a toolbox is that you can build it up as needed, depending on your level of skill and the size and types of projects you do. Whether you simply want to hang a few pictures or whether you want to rewire some cable, having the right tools always makes the job easier. Here is a guide to the basic tools you should have. Make sure that you don’t purchase cheap tools, or you will pay … Continue reading →

Controversial Device Repels Teenagers

In a previous article, we wrote about a ring tone that only teenagers can hear. They use it to fool adults into thinking that they aren’t using a cell phone, such as in school where cell phones may be banned. Now, it seems, the adults are getting back at the teens, taking advantage of the sound to repel teens from hanging out in places where they are not wanted, such as in front of an apartment building, at the street corner or on school grounds after hours. But the device is highly controversial. Human rights activists and civil liberties unions … Continue reading →

Is Shopping at Wal-Mart Frugal?

Wal-Mart has the image of being a store where there are “always low prices,” but is it really frugal to shop there? In general, I have to say no. Here are my reasons and how you can get around a Wal-Mart policy that could cost you an extra 25 percent. Low Prices When They Want Sure, Wal-Mart does advertise some low prices on hot items. But you need to shop smart. There are two things that can go wrong. The first is the fact Wal-mart may be misleading when it comes to these hot prices. They may only be available … Continue reading →

Taking the Scenic Route to the Grand Canyon

My dad was never one for taking the scenic route. (I suppose traveling in a car with four young children and a wife who had the world’s smallest bladder had something to do with it.) Needless to say, whenever our family ventured out on a road trip my father chose to get from point A to point B the fastest way he knew how. For example, if we were flying into Phoenix, Arizona to visit the Grand Canyon (located 4 hours away) my dad would opt to take the straight shot involving three stark freeways, which provided little or nothing … Continue reading →