Frugal Living

Pour some of the juices from the pan over the chicken after you serve it on each plate.  And YUM! Ingredients 1/4 cup olive oil ($.50) 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar ($.35) Salt and pepper 3 medium or 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 1.3 pounds ($2.58) 1 yellow onion, sliced ($.30) 1 cup white rice ($.20) 2 large broccoli heads ($.79) Directions Preheat oven [...]

This is a guest post from Mike Piper, who blogs at The Oblivious Investor, where he reminds readers that investing doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. Mike is a long-time GRS reader and the author of Investing Made Simple. Like many other investors, J.D. and I are fans of taking the slow, sure path to wealth. We invest much of our money in index funds. An index fund is a low-maintenance, low-cost mutual fund designed to follow the price fluctuations of a broader index, such as the S&P 500 or the Wilshire 5000. They’re boring investments, but they work. (If you’re investing for the excitement, you’re doing it for the wrong reason.) Because of their low costs, index funds have been shown over and over to dominate the majority of their competition. Yet many investors shy away from index funds with the reasoning that “the stock market is too risky for me.” People seem to think that [...]

By Linsey Knerl Welcome to Wise Bread's Best of Personal Finance roundup. In this article, we put your minds at ease with good news concerning the Zhu-Zhu pet scare, give you 13 tips for making sure you actually get your holiday purchase rebate, and provide one of the best tutorials for rotating your own car tires. (We’ll also show you how to use all those reusable grocery bags you haven’t been using as killer free gift wrap alternatives!) Top 5 Articles Relax, Toy Hamsters Not Metalloid Death Bringers After All — The L.A. Times reports on commentary from the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) and their findings in the recent Zhu-Zhu pet freak out. This is good news for kids everywhere. L.A. Times via The Consumerist 13 Tips to Receive Your Rebate Promptly — Some people swear that rebates never come, but this list of tips helps increase the chance you won’t be taken again. Coupon Sherpa How to Rotate Your Car Tires — Before you shell out big bucks to have some high school kid...

By Lynn Truong Today's best deals are in dining, apparel, shoes, DVD, accessories, kitchen, toys, luggage, office, bed & bath, GPS, fitness, TV, and more coupons! Don't forget to pick up Wise Bread's 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget — it's a great (and thoroughly useful) stocking stuffer! Freebies FREE Dragon Dictation for iPhone / iPod touch Get the Dragon Dictation app for iPhone or iPod touch free. It features voice recognition by the publishers of Dragon NaturallySpeaking. 1,621 FREE Digital Prints Dealnews rounds up all the photo services that offers free prints. Take advantage of all of them and they add up to a whopping 1,621! FREE Beech-Nut Starter Kit Sign up for their monthly eNewsletter to get a FREE Starter Kit. Kit includes a box of Beech-Nut cereal and two jars of Beech-Nut baby food. FREE tax questions Through 1/31, TurboTax will answer tax questions, whether you are a customer or not. Submit a personal, federal tax-related question online and receive a...

By Bankrate Is debt overwhelming your finances? If you have nightmarish visions of being surrounded by creditors, it's time to put down all credit cards, tighten the proverbial belt and start living not only within your means, but under them until you've paid back what you owe. Take control of your debt and commit to the following strategies so you can start using credit to get ahead, rather than always playing catch-up. 1. Know where you stand Ignorance may be bliss, but it won't solve your problems. The only way to get out of a debt predicament is to know how beholden you are to creditors. Where are you starting from? Look honestly, as painful as it may be, at how much you currently owe. It's stunning how many people are afraid to take this step, says Michael McAuliffe, president of Family Credit Counseling Service. The majority of people I speak with, when we sit down and add up their debt, have no idea how much they owe. I have people say, "No that can't be right, add it up...

By Philip Brewer Frugality sites are full of advice for cutting your expenses right away. Everybody's got a list of unnecessary expenses, an exhortation not to buy stuff you don't need, and some ideas for how you can get the things you do need more cheaply. Living cheaply for the long term is different. Call it "strategic frugality." Most people don't really have a goal to live cheaply. Rather, within the constraints of their income and their important long-term goals (like college for the kids and retirement), they want to live as well as they can. The problem is, boosting your living standard at each opportunity makes it impossible to take the strategic actions that let you live better for less. (And once you've got that down, funding your long-term goals gets a lot easier.) Many of these strategies cost money, which means that they're not an option for someone who's in the midst of a financial emergency like a loss of income or a major unexpected expense. For that, see the my...

This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of unemployed was 15.4 million and the jobless rate was 10 percent in November. While those numbers “edged down” from previous months, there’s no doubt that job loss and unemployment are hot topics, and people are worried. Some of those lucky enough to hang onto their jobs have experienced salary reductions, reduced hours, or withheld bonuses. Even if your income has remained unaffected, hearing stories on the news and witnessing friends and family members experience job loss can make a person nervous. It’s why car dealerships and travel companies are offering job loss insurance, reassuring consumers that it’s okay to buy a new car or book a cruise. But wiggling out of a major purchase means little if you still can’t afford to pay your mortgage after job loss. Worst-case scenario planning This made me think about what my financial situation would look like if I lost my job, [...]

This is a post from David over at Adventures of a Barefoot Geek. David writes about life-topics such as peace of mind, simplicity and technology. Be sure to subscribe to his posts in a reader or by email. Giving to charity is often a friction-filled process. We like the idea of giving to those [...] Post by Frugal Dad

Today’s guest post is from Jennifer at Savor the Thyme! Don’t you just want to reach through the screen for a bite of this delicious pot pie?!? Last week I happily purchased a bulk package of boneless, skinless chicken breasts for $1.99/ lb. When I got home, I had to run out again so I [...]

By Linsey Knerl New Year's Resolutions will be a hot topic in the coming weeks, and some of the most common resolutions will involve your personal health. Whether you're looking to lose weight, kick the smoking habit, or scale back on the caffeine, many of us have — at one point or another — made a health care resolution. It's even more relevant with talks of health care reform. Perhaps the number way to lower costs in any sector (public or private) is to start making personal changes that will have long-lasting, healthy benefits. So what about you? Do you have a health resolution lined up? Have you tried in the past and been unsuccessful? Do you share these resolutions with others to help maintain accountability, or is this something personal that you do for just yourself (and choose not to disclose them). Let us know how your health habits will change in January. Will you save money as a result? Or do you even bother waiting until the New Year (you can start now!) We'd love to hear...

By Lynn Truong Check out our best deals today in $10 and Under, Gifts, Video Games, Apparel, Shoes, Toys, Auto, Outdoor, DVD, Desktop PC, Laptop, TV, and Camera. Freebies FREE When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions Season 1 (trailer starts when you land on this page) Amazon is offering Season 1 of When We Left Earth: The NASA Missions for free download through its Video on Demand. Click on the "Redeem a gift card or promotion code" link below the viewer and enter BLASTOFF to get a $11.94 credit (the cost of downloading the entire season). You can watch online or download to your PC to watch offline (you'll need to install their Unbox Video Player). FREE Bag of Stacy's Pita Chips Become a fan of Stacy's Pita Chips on Facebook and get a coupon for a free bag. Stacy's Pita Chips are made with all-natural pita, twice-baked. FREE 20-pack Duracell Batteries Become a Staples Rewards member, buy a 20-pk for $12.99 and automatically get $12.99 back in Staples Rewards. 2 per customer per week....

By Xin Lu The hottest toy of this holiday season is a little electronic hamster named the Zhu Zhu Pet. The $9.99 toy is this season's Tickle Me Elmo and parents are lining up early to snatch one for their kids. Millions of these cute little toys have been sold, but a consumer products website called Good Guide claims that these toys contain some toxic chemicals. Is this a good reason to take these toys to the dumpster? GoodGuide is a website that scores over 70,000 consumer products for their impact on health, the environment, and the society. In a recent report about popular holiday toys, the website reported that Zhu Zhu Pets has high levels of antimony and tin. However, the website does have a disclaimer that says these levels of chemicals "are not intended to correspond to levels known to cause health effects." In the case of the toxic metal antimony, it has to be ingested or absorbed to cause harm. GoodGuide found 93 parts per million in the fur of the Zhu Zhu Pet, and 106 parts...

By Marla Walters The United States Department of Agriculture predicts that in 2010, the prices of meat or poultry will increase by 1.5% to 2.5%. The prices of fresh fruits and vegetables will rise 3% to 4%, as will cereal and bakery products. Based on this outlook, I would say this is a good year to learn how to garden, if you have not already. It also looks like a good year to watch for sales on cereal and do your own baking. Signs such as these, as well as the current unemployment rate, and devaluation of the dollar, all seem to support the wisdom of previous generations’ more frugal ways. While my family is conservative about how we eat because we feel it is the prudent thing to do, we remember that our parents, and their parents, stretched their food budgets because it was often a matter of complete necessity. Here are some signs that you were raised by serious savers, and what we can learn from them. While I plan to do even more gardening of fresh vegetables and fruits, and do...

By Linsey Knerl This article shares tips from the 16th episode of Dealista, our new podcast that'll help you get more for less. Click play to listen, or subscribe via iTunes to take the episode with you! Download episode mp3 | Check out show archive Buying new is so pre-recession, and with so many online swap sites available for the picky trader, there’s no excuse not to get out there and start trading your excellent-condition, used items for something of equal value. We’ve already covered a handful of the best clothing swap sites around (check out these 5 favorites of our own Xin Lu), and in a recent Dealista episode, we dig a bit deeper to cover makeup, books, and video games, too! Here’s the scoop on the rest of our top picks. MakeUp Alley While some people will get icked out by the thought of trading makeup, there really is no better way to snag those hard-to-find and discontinued items that you find yourself unable to live without. MakeUp Alley has over a thousand new items added...

In May, I wrote about how to negotiate your salary. I argued that following the advice in Jack Chapman’s Negotiating Your Salary: How to Make $1,000 a Minute is one of the best ways to improve your financial well-being. I still believe it. If you’re looking for work or looking for a raise, you should absolutely read his book. But negotiation is a skill you can use in other parts of your life, too. In fact, in You Can Negotiate Anything, Herb Cohen says that we negotiate constantly with our spouses, our children, our parents, our co-workers, and our friends. The three crucial variables In every negotiation, Cohen says, there are three crucial variables: power, time, and information. You can hold the best hand at the table, but if you lack these three things, you’re still going to lose. Power is the ability to get things done. If you can generate competition, for example, you’ll have more power [...]

The following post is from Neal of WealthPilgrim.com. After reading the article, be sure to sign up for free at Wealth Pilgrim to receive more from Neal. Also, be sure to check out Neal’s free “Holidays Without the Headaches” program for families. Great stuff! Larry and Abby are in their late 60’s.  They are broke, [...] Post by Frugal Dad

Tonight’s $5 Dinner comes from Amanda at All Frugal Stuff! Amanda is a newlywed, a coupon clipper and a freebie lover. She loves to save money any way she can. She enjoys writing articles, book reviews and top ten lists. In her spare time she likes to read, watch movies and search for deals. Ingredients Large can (32 [...]

By Nora Dunn Is your high school-aged child looking for something different? Are they curious about various cultures and standards around the world? Would they excel in a fast-paced school abroad that focuses on world issues, communication, community projects, and studying alongside students from dozens of other countries? If so, United World College could be a good fit. And for a school abroad, you may be surprised at the sticker price — or lack thereof. The Basics United World College (UWC) has 12 colleges on five continents. Most of them are pre-university programs, which take place during the last two years of high school, or the last year of high school plus one extra year. At the end of the two years, students earn an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, which is said to open many international doors. Weekly involvement in community projects are a fundamental part of the UWC curriculum, and they are not projects to sneeze at. For example, one campus’s students operate a...

By Lynn Truong Check out today's best deals in $10 and under, video games, shoes, apparel, toys, hard drive, office, jewlery, laptop, TV, and camera. Freebies FREE Sampler Clause 7 MP3 Album Amazon offers the Sampler Clause Album which includes 7 Christmas songs by artists like Frank Sinatra and Robert Goulet. You'll need to install Amazon's MP3 Downloader. FREE 25 4x6" Prints or 8x10" Collage Poster Shutterfly offers either 25 4x6" digital prints or a 8x10" collage poster free via coupon code BORDERSOFFERPP. Ends 12/14. FREE Personalized ESPN Poster Upload a photo, pick a design, and print your custom poster. FREE A Christmas Carol Audio Download Learn Out Loud is offering this holiday classic for download free. Best Deals $10 and Under 1-Year Subscription to Shape Magazine $1.50 Tanga offers a 1-year subscription to Shape Magazine for $1.50 (via coupon code 8249). USB Heated GLoves $4 Meritline offers these USB Heated Gloves for $3.99 with free shipping. $5 Magazine Sale Amazon has...

By Linsey Knerl Back in 1996, I was a partial scholarship private college student with the “gold” meal plan. Despite having access to food almost anytime I wanted, I often went hungry. Why? I was a horrible planner, a bit bad with my time, and I really had no knowledge of food savings strategies. Here are 6 things I finally learned about how to get more from your very limited college food budget. Know how much your meal plan (really) costs. Unless you were my good friend “Hacker” — with a full-ride scholarship and grants coming out of his pajama drawer — most of us private college kids had a $20,000+ a year college loan to look forward too. This didn’t cover the meal plan (which ranged in cost from $1,000 to a few thousand dollars). Assuming you could get a Stafford loan or some private funding to pay for your café dollars, this is still a fairly pricey investment. At the 3.5-5% interest rate that many of us paid on those loans over a period of 10-30 years, that’s a pretty hefty lunch...

By Paul Michael This debate has been furiously argued on both sides for several months, so I thought I’d throw my hat in the ring. I lived with the British National Health Service (NHS) until I was 26 years old, and then I moved to America. For the last 9 years, I have lived with private healthcare. Obviously this is just one man’s opinion. You have your own opinion, and that’s cool. That’s what’s great about this country. What is also great is that we can talk openly about this in a public forum, and (hopefully) spark some intelligent debate and questions. So, let me first begin with my experiences from both sides of the pond. Living With The British NHS You will hear horror stories about British healthcare, and I will be the first to say the system is not perfect. But it is no archaic nightmare filled with medieval torture devices and untrained doctors. On the whole, my treatment was great. When I wanted to see a doctor, I saw a doctor. No co-pay. It was the doctor of my choosing,...