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Everyday Cheapskate: Halloween Costumes Compliments of the Closet (Not the Credit Card)
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
Everyday Cheapskate: Make Your Own Mixes and Save a Bundle
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
Everyday Cheapskate: Which Bills to Pay First?
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
Everyday Cheapskate: Food Cost-Cutting Strategies for Every Lifestyle
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
Everyday Cheapskate: How to Rake Leaves Without Breaking Your Back (or the Bank)
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
Everyday Cheapskate: 7 Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals
Habit is defined as behavior repeated so often it becomes almost automatic. I am in awe of the power of habit. It's a force to change your life, and it is available to anyone no matter the situation or the circumstances.
For five years, author Tom Corley observed the daily habits of the rich and the poor and documented his findings in his book,...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: How to Unclog a Toilet -- Quick and Easy!
No one likes to talk about it, but truth be told, it happens. Toilets malfunction. They get clogged. Sure, it's inconvenient, but more than that, downright embarrassing if you're somewhere other than the privacy of your own home. Here's a cheat sheet so you'll know ahead of time how to unclog a toilet.
STOP IT FROM OVERFLOWING
The moment you ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Opting for the Minimum Payment Changed My Life
At the time, it seemed like a good idea. But going for the minimum payment option "just this one time" turned out to be the worst mistake of my life. The day I opened that door and walked through it, I altered the course of my life.
I reasoned that I didn't have enough money to pay the credit card balances in full, so what was I supposed to do ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Patina, Paint and the Price of Sentiment
I call it a hall tree. It's an antique piece of furniture with hooks for coats, a lovely mirror, and two umbrella stands -- each with a tin plate to catch the drips. My husband surprised me with it one Christmas morning more than 30 years ago, and I've loved it every day since.
Yesterday, I casually mentioned that I'm thinking about painting it...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Face to Face With the Junk Drawer
I'm going to go on a limb and assume that you have a junk drawer. We all have one, and I don't know about you, but I'm not about to get rid of mine. After all, where else would we put our junk?
Recently, a reader wrote asking how to conquer his junk drawer. "I can't find anything in there so I keep re-buying all the stuff I bought already!" he ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: 7 Smart Reasons to Use Vinegar in Laundry
Using inexpensive distilled white vinegar in the laundry is smart because it will whiten, brighten, reduce odor and soften clothes without harsh chemicals.
IT'S CHEAP
Plain distilled white 5% vinegar runs around 3.5 cents per ounce in the typical supermarket when purchased by the gallon, and even cheaper when you can find it at the dollar ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Secrets to No-Fail Tender, Juicy White Meat Chicken
They're convenient and, we're told, more healthy. But there are few things quite as boring or more difficult to prepare well than boneless skinless chicken breasts (BSCBs).
Here's the problem: Chicken skin helps keep the chicken moist, and the bones add flavor.
Remove both and what do you have? The potential for dry, tasteless, tough chicken. ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: How to Kill Dust Mites Inside Your Home -- Without Breaking the Bank
Dust mites. You can't see them, but they're everywhere -- your bedding, your couch cushions, your rugs and, yes, your favorite recliner. These tiny, eight-legged creatures are like the worst kind of houseguest: They never pay rent, they eat your skin flakes, and they leave behind waste that makes you sneeze.
Even if you're not particularly ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Clutter's Last Stand
What would we do if we actually had to use everything we own, including all that stuff in the drawers, cupboards, closets, shelves and boxes in our kitchen, bedrooms, living room, basement, attic, garage, rafters, driveway, patio, side yard and cars?
Could we do it? It's not likely. Instead, we pack it, stack it and pile it away -- we even pay ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: How to Stop Making Bad Decisions
I saw the funniest sign, but it wasn't funny for long because I started to think about it. Suddenly, the humor melted away. The sign read: "Everything happens for a reason. Sometimes the reason is, you're stupid and make bad decisions."
Ouch! Those 15 words hit hard because I've made more than my share of bad money decisions in my life.
I've ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Should You Lend Money to Family and Friends? Read This First.
Over the years, I've heard from dozens of readers who have lent money to friends and family members, only to have become outraged when the deal goes sour. The problem is, they write to me after they've made the loan. By now, they've been waiting months, even years, for repayment, without success, hoping I can wave a magic wand to get their money...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Meal Prep for People Who Hate Meal Prep
Some people love meal prep. They plan every meal, color-code containers, and smile as they portion out grilled chicken and broccoli like a seasoned chef. This article is not for them.
This is for the rest of us. The folks who want dinner on the table but without surrendering their entire weekend to a week's worth of meals all neatly loaded into...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: How to Clean a Washing Machine
If you assume the inside of your washer is the cleanest place in your home because you put detergent through it with every load of laundry, join the club. Most people think that -- and that's a really bad assumption.
Have you ever wondered why there's dirty residue on the agitator? Why do washed clothes sometimes come out with stains they didn'...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: 8 Little Words That Can Change Your Life
You hear it all the time, but do you know what it means to live below your means? Have you figured out how to do that?
To live below your means is to choose a lifestyle you can pay for with the money you have and still have some left over.
Living below your means that in this high-pressure, credit-based, gotta-have-it-all-right-now culture is ...Read more
Everyday Cheapskate: Giving Is Good for You!
Fundraisers and requests from charities used to bother me. So did the collection plate at church. I felt guilty because no matter how much money we made, there was never enough to give any of it away. And with all the debt we had (it was plenty!), how could I be expected to help others when I couldn't even help myself?
Then our financial house ...Read more