Archive for August, 2008

Summer is coming to an end and the heating season, at least here on the East Coast, is not far off.  Along with the need to warm houses and the high costs of heating fuel, there may be a lot more people using alternatives, such as plug-in heaters and kerosene heaters to stay warm. With [...]

If you’re living in a studio apartment or loft style apartment, you might think you need to choose between setting up your main living area as a living room or a bedroom – but you can do both despite the small space.  With a little creativity, you can have clearly defined areas that offer a [...]

Extra-curricular activities such as soccer, cheerleading, football, dance, music lessons, and Scouting are all wonderful ways to encourage children to grow, gain a sense of responsibility, and to stay active. However, just the thought of the cost associated with these activities can make even the most seasoned parent groan. 
Putting aside for the moment the cost [...]

We are fast becoming an internet-reliant society. I personally tend to think I live on the internet now. At any rate, the internet – despite the critics – is filled with information that can be accessed in no time at all. One can do everything from online banking to checking the weather before the six [...]

In the last thirty years we’ve moved from recording personal video with old-style reel video to BetaMax and VHS to DVD, and now to digital formats. You might have videos in all sorts of formats and have no idea how to make them useable because they’re in all sorts of different formats. There’s a new [...]

It’s easier said than done.  Financial advisors will often tell you the most important thing you can do for a healthyfinancial future is to “pay yourself first”.  This can seem impossible to do if you’re just barely making enough to pay your bills, like many people, but it’s even more important for people who are [...]

Every personal finance blogger I’ve come across promotes the benefits of having a  budget you can live with.  If you don’t set up a budget, it’s far too easy to spend more than you should on different items because you don’t have any boundaries set up.  Living without a budget is one of the fastest [...]

Summer is slowly drawing to a close and universities and colleges are beginning to welcome a new semester’s worth of college students. Parents, especially one of first-time collegiate kids, will no doubt offer their offspring plenty of advise about sleeping, eating, and partying. But what about money? Quite frankly, next to safety, the topic should [...]

It’s been proven the best way to take advantage of a rewards program (whether the reward is miles, cash back, or merchandise), is to use your credit cards for all monthly purchases and expenses, and to pay it off in full at the end of the month.
For the not-so-financially disciplined, though, charging everything all month [...]

Moving is stressful.  There is nothing worse than getting all of your “stuff” to the new place, only to discover you can’t find anything without digging through every box and tote to find what you’re looking for.  Here are some tips to help organize your next move:
Get Supplies That Let You Prepare
Several weeks before your [...]

This week, American Consumer News didn’t make the picks for The Carnival of Personal Finance.  So, I thought I’d take the opportunity to show off some of the great blog posts submitted and published in the Carnival of Debt Reduction, instead!
If you’re struggling to get out of debt or reduce your debt to a more [...]

Ahh…sweet sixteen! An exciting time for kids – not so much for parents. Of course every kid dreams of opening up their gift to find the keys to a brand new ride. While many parents wish they could honor that dream, few have the resources to do just that. Planning for the time your children [...]

Because junk food is so readily available today many children do not understand the value and importance of good nutritional lunches. Here are some handy ideas to entice your child to eat from his lunch box. All ideas are low in fat, low in sugar and high in nutrition giving children long lasting energy to [...]

Keeping your home junk free and organized is sometimes a challenge in this fast paced world that we live in. Here are 3 tips to keep your home looking great and help you find thing at a moments notice.
1. Taking Care of Business
Paying the bills is always a hassle and having a good system in [...]