I used to confess this money secret pretty regularly, but I haven’t made mention of it for a while. I don’t track our net worth. Famously. Infamously. Stupidly. While it’s a rationale that’s probably complicated enough to merit a whole post, the short answer is that net worth doesn’t mean much to us right now. … [Read more…]
Today is a holiday. My inbox has been celebrating for over a week. Each day, more and more emails arrive. I can’t unsubscribe fast enough. Weekly ads. Daily deals. For a limited-time only. The limited time, though, seems to grow in sync with the commercialization of each holiday. Today, a day intended to honor better … [Read more…]
Maybe you’re an extreme couponer. Maybe you’re an extremely stupid couponer (It takes one to know one. I know, I know.). Or maybe you take a more laid back approach, only occasionally using mobile apps or perusing weekly ads. In a lot of circles, it’s the first piece of financial advice you’re given. Shop the … [Read more…]
There’s a lot to be said about being on the same page as your partner financially. Teamwork makes the dream work after all. But when I think about some of the best financial savvy that I learned growing up, I realize that much of it comes from the fact that I grew up in a … [Read more…]
Over the past month, I’ve gone back to clipping coupons. Not “let’s buy free contact solution even though no one wears contacts” couponing. Not “buried under a mountain of Sunday papers” couponing. I’m not even primarily couponing for things I need. I’m couponing for our food pantry.
Couponers love to brag. In fact, there are entire databases and websites set up to allow couponers to share their triumphs. Rightfully so, because couponing can help people score major deals. I’m not talking about 50% savings. Couponing brags usually include drastically discounted items, freebies, and moneymakers. Still, I’ve been in the couponing world long … [Read more…]
We’ve all heard the cliche that some things are too good to be true. In the case of “free”, sometimes there’s a much higher cost than anyone expects. In our consumer culture, the notion of free shows up in a lot of ways. Sample day at Sam’s Club (the horror!). Mail-in rebates. Buy one, get … [Read more…]
Not one week after posting about my frivolous wasteful stupid couponing shenanigans, I couldn’t resist their siren song. A great grocery store sale combined with four high-value manufacturer’s coupons netted me four boxes of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies for $2.00. If you buy lots of cereal because it’s back-to-school time and you have kids your husband … [Read more…]
I know my fitness post was on the wasteful side of things, but when I’m not hesitating to kick my gym membership to the curb, I actually can be quite frugal at times. Not Extreme Cheapskates frugal, but frugal nonetheless.* I certainly have a long way to go in terms of optimizing my spending and … [Read more…]
I was hooked. Sure, it cost some money up front. Sure, it got some strange looks from passersby. Sure, it even consumed my evenings and weekends. But I was saving money. I was stockpiling all sorts of necessities. I was guaranteed to never pay more than 50 cents for a tube of toothpaste ever again.* I … [Read more…]