Sharing insights since 2007 on carefully saving money, investing, frugal living, coupons, promo codes because the little things matter in achieving financial freedom!
My husband finally has a “real” job. He’s no longer an adjunct; he has a full-time job at a school that seems to like that he prioritizes students and learning. With that full-time job comes benefits — and it’s amazing how much they’re affecting our financial life.
As we enjoy the benefits of having benefits, it really brings home the reasons that many people choose to stick with “real” jobs, even though they hate them. (Luckily, my husband enjoys the college professor lifestyle, and teaching, so we get to have benefits and a job he likes.)
You’ve spent the past few years cleaning up your credit and stashing away enough cash to qualify for your dream home.
And now, the time has come to seal the deal. But there’s only one problem: you only accounted for the monthly principal, interest, and property taxes, and overlooked a slew of other costs. Unfortunately, you’re forced to walk away and find more cost-efficient options.
This isn’t all that uncommon; many prospective homeowners are unprepared for the costs that come up at the closing table. Here are seven hidden costs you should be aware of before buying your first house. [ continue reading… ]
I’ve talked before about earning side money by reselling used children’s items. After visiting a local thrift store, I thought it would be fun to give a better example of how much money can be made doing this. (Not to spoil the mystery — but I didn’t make a lot.)
First off, shopping at thrift stores is unpredictable. This past trip, I found a Juicy Couture baby dress right next to a faded and stained baby shirt from Walmart; both were the same price. Sometimes you find gold, and sometimes you don’t find anything.
During this shopping trip, I looked through the racks for about 30 minutes and spent $12 on the items listed below. (Goodwill stores in California seem to be priced much higher than in other areas.) When I got home, it took another 20-30 minutes to list all of the items on Ebay using the Ebay app. The total time invested in my side project was less than an hour.
Below is a list of my profits. This doesn’t list what I sold the item for — but how much I made after subtracting the cost of the item, as well as the Ebay, Paypal, and shipping fees. For example, I received $16.99 for the Janie and Jack airplane sweater, and after subtracting all of the costs, my profit was $7.67. [ continue reading… ]
Market analysts have discovered something surprising about human nature. When choosing a product we don’t know much about, we automatically assume the highest-priced item is also the highest quality. This carries over into our sensory perceptions, as well: consumers who eat more expensive pizza or drink more expensive wine claim these products taste better than their lower-priced varieties.
But is it really true? Does a higher price indicate higher quality?
Well, yes and no. By determining when this perception is correct — and when it’s simply a response to effective marketing — you can not only save yourself money, but choose quality products without hesitation.
Here’s how to figure out if an item is worth the cost:
In early 2012, my garbage company offered me a deal: commit to them for two years, and in return, they wouldn’t raise my rates.
Prices are always increasing, so I thought it would be smart to agree.
I found my latest garbage bill in the mailbox this week, and it was higher than I remembered. In fact, it seemed like my bill had been steadily increasing over the past two years. I decided it was time to take a closer look.
They send the bill every three months, and the current bill was for about $140. When I looked at the bill’s breakdown, one thing caught my eye: my refuse and recycling service only accounted for $76 of the total.
Between myself and my two kids, ages 4 and 5, I rarely spend more than $400 a month on groceries.
I don’t use coupons, I don’t search the sales fliers, and I’m not particularly fond of cooking everything from scratch. Ever since I decided to tackle my grocery budget — and quit eating out — I’ve developed a super simple system for keeping myself in check.
Below, I reveal how I keep my grocery bill low — so you can do the same:
Stock Up on Staples Once a Month
I love Sam’s Club; I always have. But now that I have a little one in school who packs her lunch every single day, I love it even more.
I make a trip to Sam’s Club about once a month to stock up on the things my family uses on a consistent basis: juice, Powerade, kids snacks, and generic household items. [ continue reading… ]
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