ArcaMax

On one ordinary day back in 2012, a hefty envelope turned up in my snail mail containing a very kind letter along with a mechanical drawing so detailed it made me want to chew my hair. The sender thought I would be the perfect person to build my own solar oven. Right. Like that was ever going to happen. The idea of cooking with sunshine did, ...Read more

Fast-food runs, deli detours and grocery carts loaded with prepared food can drain a food budget faster than a houseful of hungry teenagers. The secret for slashing your family's food bill is to cook at home. And the way to become confident in the kitchen is to learn a few strategic trucs of the trade.

"Truc" (rhymes with "fluke") is a French ...Read more

Whether your goal is to purge your home of stuff you no longer need or raise some cash -- or both -- you have options.

You can sell your items on an auction website like eBay, list them in classifieds on Craigslist or give the stuff away. Or, you can create a killer garage sale that turns your castoffs into cold, hard cash.

PLAN AHEAD. Give ...Read more

Your paycheck doesn't exactly walk out the front door; it seeps away. Little dribbles here and there: a forgotten return, a subscription you never use, that "risk-free" gadget from a TV ad. On paper, these are small things. But small things have a way of piling up until your money is leaving faster than you can make it.

Want to keep more of ...Read more

There is an old adage out there that promises, "Teaching teaches the teacher." I believe that with all my heart. Never does a day go by that I don't learn something from my readers. Most days those lessons are small, perhaps even insignificant. And then there are days like today when it's just one big wow after another!

Dear Mary: In response ...Read more

A few years back, Eric and Donna Reed shopped for groceries and household products just once for an entire year. How on Earth? I know. That was my reaction too.

The Reeds got the idea after reading a column in USA Today wherein the writer confessed to his weakness when it came to buying clothes. So driven to buy new sweaters, slacks or shoes ...Read more

Every day my email box loads up with messages, many of which contain questions from you, my dear readers. And if you've sent a message, you are aware by now that while I read my mail and keep it filed, I just do not have enough time in my days to answer every message personally. However, I reach into that file regularly and select questions I ...Read more

Some people's generosity comes with ribbon-cutting ceremonies and giant cardboard checks. The rest of us? We show our gratitude with banana bread or offering to watch the children to give harried parents a much-needed break.

The truth is, giving back doesn't have to come with a big price tag to have a big impact. In fact, some of the most ...Read more

For years, I believed an old wives' tale that bananas will turn black and spoil almost instantly if you put them in the refrigerator. In fact, I even passed this notion on to you. Whoops! Hearing from reader Lin made me reconsider, test, and now, recant. Lin is right. I was wrong!

BANANAS IN THE FRIDGE

I read in your column a while back about ...Read more

If you're a fan of liquid soap for hand-washing and prefer to use body wash in the tub and shower, bars of soap may seem quite old-fashioned. And you may be surprised to learn that good old bar soap still has a valuable place in an active household! Bar soaps -- any scent, and even those little bars from your last hotel stay -- are useful for ...Read more

Not all companies are starving for business these days. If my mailbag is a good indicator, businesses that offer any kind of repair do better during economically turbulent times.

Makes sense. After all, it doesn't require a Mensa membership to know that it is often cheaper to repair than to replace. And how about those dollar stores? They're in...Read more

You spend a perfectly nice Saturday pulling weeds, trimming roses and finally conquering that corner of the yard that's been giving you side-eye since spring. You feel productive, a little sunburned and oddly proud. Fast-forward to 3 a.m. -- you're wide awake and scratching like you rolled around in fiberglass. What on earth happened?

...Read more

For a good deal of my life, I lived under a dark cloud of fear that I would end up financially destitute -- a bag lady. Studies reveal that I'm not the only one. Most of us have felt that way, not because we're broke but because we lack confidence. That makes us timid, worried and financially insecure.

Look, we don't have to accept financial ...Read more

I am always entertained and often educated by the tips readers mail in. Today is no exception. I'm pretty sure you're about to agree with me.

SAFELY FROZEN

I am on a waiting list to get a safe deposit box at my bank. While I wait, I am keeping my important papers in a heavy freezer bag, in the deep freeze. I hear that in a fire, the inside of ...Read more

There are many things in my life that I enjoy but would not be completely devastated if required to give them up. My dishwasher is not one of them.

During our last kitchen remodel, we donated the old appliances to Habitat for Humanity -- all except for my stripped down 14-year-old Whirlpool dishwasher.

Even though it has been replaced, it ...Read more

When my kids were little, I shelled out a pile of hard-earned dollars to make matching Popeye the Sailor Man costumes. I spent entire evenings determined to make them authentic to the muscular guy himself, right down to the boys each carrying a can of spinach! I'm still not convinced anyone under age 25 had any idea who they were supposed to be....Read more

They're convenient and tasty, but have you ever considered the high cost of your favorite prepared mixes and spices?

In less time than it takes you to run to the market to pick up a box of Rice-A-Rani or Shake'N Bake, you could make them yourself -- and save a bundle in the process.

With each of these "copycat" recipes, I've indicated the ...Read more

If you don't have enough money to pay all your bills, which should you pay first, and which ones can slide for a while? That's the question frequently showing up in my email inbox these days. The past year has been so difficult for so many. And with each request for help I receive, the more my heart breaks for my dear readers going through such ...Read more

If it seems as though you never have enough money to consistently save some of it for emergencies -- consistent, regular deposits out of every paycheck that go straight into a savings account -- perhaps it's time to consider that you're handing over your savings to restaurants, drive-thrus, diners and coffee shops. Think about it.

No matter ...Read more

Every fall, trees throw their own version of a ticker-tape parade, and like clockwork, we're the lucky ones who get to clean up the confetti. Leaves everywhere -- on the lawn, in the flower beds, and somehow in the dog's water bowl. Again.

But here's the good news: Raking doesn't have to cost a fortune or leave you flattened on the couch with ...Read more