This summer, you can expect to spend as much as 60% more on the meat you purchase for your backyard barbecue than you did last year. Why? Because of last year’s drought, corn prices skyrocketed and many farmers were forced to cut the sizes of their herds. Consequently, the beef supply has suffered.

While a big, juicy steak or thick hamburger is an American tradition that is intrinsically linked to Independence Day and many other summer holidays, you’ll spend more this summer if you choose not to change or modify your menu.

Here are some ways you can still have meat on your grill without an outrageous grocery bill. [ continue reading… ]

Retirees are a favorite target of scammers and con artists. Not only do many retirees have a large nest egg that they might not know how to invest, but they also might feel reluctant to involve their family in their decisions, for fear of losing independence. These two factors mean that retirees are particularly vulnerable to scams.

But forewarned is forearmed. Just knowing that scams are rampant among seniors can be enough to help you have a healthy skepticism about any new offer. But it’s also useful to know what scams are most common.

Here are three scams that you may find yourself facing: [ continue reading… ]

Family reunions, church, shopping centers, sporting events, festivals, conferences — spend some time watching people, and you’re likely to notice one thing: smartphones and tablets are everywhere.

In the same day, I had an 80-year-old man give me a twenty-minute lesson on a genealogy app, and I watched a five-year-old entertain a group of adults with bird calls from a bird watching app.

Young and old, mobile devices are a part of everyday life for most households. But that smartphone or tablet can be used for more than entertainment and killing boredom. Mobile apps can also help save you time and money.

Here are three of my favorite money-saving apps. [ continue reading… ]

As a baseball player, I have to deal with many different people. They all serve a different purpose in the grand scheme of the sport. Tips are part of the game, and we pay those who help us out.

Just like in the rest of the world, deciding how to tip someone is important, and good service is rewarded. These lessons can be applied to your life, as well.

Tipping in the World of Baseball

In baseball, clubhouse managers are important. They’re in the service business: they cook, clean and do just about anything necessary to make the players feel comfortable. We pay them a daily fee, plus a tip based on how well we feel we were treated. [ continue reading… ]

The summer vacation is considered a staple of the American experience. Not all of us, however, can take off for a full two weeks. Whether money is tight or you have obligations at work, a full-blown vacation might not be an option.

At times when you just can’t take off for a vacation, why not go camping? When you’re camping, you’re not only enjoying time with family and nature, but you’re also spending very little money.

Plus, since you go camping in two to three day stretches, you can go more than once during the summer. It makes a great weekend getaway that won’t break the bank or interfere too much with work.

It’s the perfect staycation. [ continue reading… ]

Your boss is nagging you — again — wanting to know where the reports are. They were due yesterday. The kids are bored, driving your wife nuts at home all summer. It’ll be months before you get any more time off. But you need it now. Not later.

As the news loops in the background, you start drifting to dreamland… smiling in your mind as you feel the breeze blowing in your face, like you were standing portside on the Carnival Dream.

BUZZZZ! Your alarm yanks you from your fantasy, kicking and screaming.

But, it’s too late; it’s in your mind. You’re going to find a cruise that you and your family can afford to take — if it’s the last thing you do. [ continue reading… ]