Here’s a cheap way to bring light into a dark shed during the day while cutting down on your electricity costs. Fill a plastic bottle with water and two cap-fulls of bleach and stick it through the roof. The bottle refracts the sunlight into the space and generates as many lumens as a 50 watt bulb. It’s free light! [More]
saving money
Training For A Triathlon On The Cheap
By 9.12.11
Triathlons have shot up in popularity over the past few years, but how do you train without busting the bank? After all, you’re doing three sports in one, swimming, biking, and running. That means three different sports you have to buy equipment for. [More]
Knocked $30 Off My Cable Bill Just By Asking
By 9.9.11
I’ve been hearing how the ol’ “threaten to cancel to get your cable bill reduced” ploy is “dead” but I decided to give negotiating with the cable company a shot. I got my monthly bill reduced by $30, and, indirectly related to my conversation with them, somehow also got free HBO. Schweet. [More]
Time Warner Calls Back With Sweet Deal After Man Cancels
By 8.11.11
Another reader has written in to say that after they canceled their Time Warner service, the cable company turned around and offered them much better rates if they would stay. In both this one and the one earlier this week, Time Warner Cable said that because of “special circumstances,” they were able to offer a sweet retention deal. In this case, $67/month for two years, down from $150. [More]
Don't Get Ripped Off By Your Cellphone When Overseas
By 8.9.11
Tales abound of cellphone bills in the double-digit thousands from customers who got snagged when traveling overseas. But there’s a bunch of easy ways to make sure that your cellphone bill doesn’t outpace your airplane ticket when gallivanting internationally. [More]
Setting And Staying On A Budget In College
By 8.4.11
Before you even step foot on campus this fall, you should know your budget as well as you know your class schedule. If you graduate with an A+ in personal finance management, that might be the best lesson you learn in your years of higher education. Here are a few tips, reminders and resources you should take advantage of. [More]
Are You "Baller" Enough To Get Secret No-Contract Cell Service?
By 8.3.11
It’s buried on the websites but you could be saving on your cellphone service every month if you signed up for one of their no contract plans. Not only are you not locked into contract, the actual per-monthly bill is cheaper, for exactly the same plan. [More]
Which Airlines Give Refunds After Price Drops, And How To Get Them
By 7.27.11
When the price drops on a non-refundable airline ticket after you bought it, you should get a refund on the difference, right? Actually, only a few airlines agree with that and they have varying policies… [More]
6 Ways To Tame The Costs Of Having A Pet
By 7.5.11
As nice as it is to have a furry, feathered or fishy companion around the house, between food, medicine, the vet and other expenses, it can sometimes add up to a lot of red ink in your checkbook. [More]
16 Tales Of Frugal Fathers
By 7.5.11
We got over 225 comments when we asked you, “What’s the most frugal thing your dad ever did?” You guys have some really crafty pops. Your stories were humorous, heartfelt, and inspiring. I seriously got misty reading some of them. Others made me fearful for how our generation of young men will ever live up to what these heroes of frugality and grit did on a daily basis. Here are 16 of the best. [More]
Canceling Verizon Without ETF Over Fee Increase Is Hard But Doable
By 6.29.11
Some readers have tried out the info from yesterday about using an increased regulatory fee Verizon is charging to get out of contract without paying an early termination fee (ETF). The most successful so far was commenter doogz, who got his ETF cut in half. Here is his story: [More]
New Fee Is Your Chance To Break Verizon Contract Without Paying Early Termination Fee
By 6.28.11
It’s possible to break out of your Verizon Wireless contract in the next 60 days without paying an early termination fee because they’re increasing the “regulatory fee” they charge customers from $.13 to $.16. This is what is known as a “materially adverse change of contract” and by standard contract law, it renders the contract void if one of the parties doesn’t like the change. [More]
Cable Boxes Slurp More Electricity Than Refrigerators
By 6.27.11 — Updated: 12.6.12
The biggest energy hog in your house is probably sitting right under your TV. That little ol’ set-top box could be using up more electricity in your house than your refrigerator or central air conditioning, according to a new study by the Natural Resources Defense Council. [More]
What's The Most Frugal Thing Your Dad Ever Did?
By 6.21.11
In honor of Father’s Day, the Year of Shopping Detox blogger took time to celebrate her frugal father this weekend. She goes so far as to say her dad is more frugal than yours. Here are some of the things she remembers him doing when she was growing up: [More]
How To Swerve Away From Extra Car Rental Fees
By 6.17.11 — Updated: 9.8.16
Sure, maybe you’re smart enough not to fall for the optional insurance car rental companies like to shill when you borrow one of their fine vehicles. And of course, you’re wise to the astronomical final bill you might get if you opt for their pricey fuel options. But do you know what other gotchas lay in store? [More]
Xanthan Gum Is The Secret To Making Your Own Frappuccino At Home For $.32
By 6.16.11
If you’ve ever tried to come up with your own version of the Starbucks Frappuccino at home, you may have run into this problem. It separates. That lovely smooth texture and consistency you enjoy at the Sbux emporium just seems unobtainable on your own. But it turns out the secret is a simple and cheap ingredient you can find next to the flour in the supermarket: xanthan gum! [More]
Make Your Own Peanut Butter At Home
By 6.6.11
You can save $1.37 a jar making your own peanut butter at home. It’s actually really easy, fun, and it won’t contain a bunch of that extra nonsense you find from big name brands. [More]
Extreme Savers Stealing Coupons From Newspapers
By 6.6.11
For some people, coupons are those annoying things in newspapers you toss out on your way to the funny pages. For others, they’re like crack. There’s been a big uptick in Boise of people stealing the coupons from newspapers they haven’t paid for. People buy just pay for one paper from the newspaper box, then reach in and grab the coupons from the rest. The local newspaper has even gotten complaints about coupons being taken from newspapers in front of houses. [More]
