Choosing to eliminate debt isn't simply a matter of spending less, "Finally Frugal" has found.

You may have to deal with a lack of support from loved ones. We're sorry to hear that her family's response to her new goal "was one of ridicule and disbelief."

You also have to identify and confront the demons that have made you spend more than you earn. In her case, the demon is envy. In a thoughtful essay, Finally Frugal provides some detailed solutions for overcoming her insecurity.   Read More...

This post comes from partner blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity.

When I was young, I used to write a fake company name on all sorts of papers to make it look like my company stationery, as if I were a big-swinging successful entrepreneur like Andrew Carnegie.

We'd play football in the streets and pretend to be Joe Montana throwing yet another touchdown pass to Jerry Rice. We'd tackle each other in the field and pretend we were LT (no, not Ladainian Tomlinson -- the real LT, Mr. Lawrence Taylor) getting Joe Theisman, minus the snapping leg.   Read More...

Here are today's hot deals from partner blog dealnews.com:

Save-A-Seat retractable car seat cover for $3 plus $4.95 for shipping. We couldn't find these covers for less than $24 elsewhere.

Ralph Lauren men's classic-fit long-sleeve tee for $19.99. With free shipping via coupon code RLJP79, that's $25 off and the lowest total price we could find.   Read More...

We're quite sure it never occurred to you to cut up cereal liner bags and use the pieces  between hamburger patties when you're stacking and freezing them.

Empty tissue boxes? Fill them with those flimsy plastic shopping bags so you can easily pull out one when you need it. And those bags? Line the garbage pail or the paint tray (or our own personal favorite -- pick up doggie deposits).

You'll find the complete list of these clever tips at TipNut.com, a site we immediately bookmarked after it was recommended to us by Abby Freedman.   Read More...

The government giveth, and the government taketh away, given the opportunity. You might want to keep that in mind when you're wondering why your economic-stimulus check is smaller than you thought it would be.

Kay Bell, the author of our favorite tax blog, Don't Mess With Taxes, explains: "If you owe the IRS federal taxes from previous tax years or have ignored a variety of nonfederal debts you owe, Uncle Sam can take those uncollected amounts out of any federal money you might be due."   Read More...

"Money Smart Life" remembers the forced frugality of college: beans and rice, water on cereal because milk is too pricey, buying the cheapest beer, no matter how awful the taste.

He also knows how newly employed graduates are tempted to spend. For them, he recounts the tale of the guy who went to an all-you-can-eat buffet after spending four years stranded on a desert island: He goes into shock and almost dies because his appetite wrote a check that his stomach couldn't cash.

"Of course you won't die from overspending, but you can literally kill your financial future for years to come if you go on a buying binge," Money Smart Life writes in this down-to-earth post.   Read More...

Yesterday my only child, Abby, wed her sweetheart, Tim. Today they are frolicking in Florida. They achieved both happy states without breaking the bank. I recount this to encourage other young couples who wonder if they can "afford" to get married.

Well, of course you can afford it. Marriage licenses are cheap and so are civil ceremonies. If by "afford" you mean "can I go into debt to satisfy other people's expectations" -- well, that's a question that only you can answer.   Read More...

Here are today's hot deals from partner blog dealnews.com:

The North Face men's Denali jacket for $79.98 plus $7.99 for shipping. We've rarely seen this jacket under $100, although it was $4 less back in February.

Staples SPL-638X six-sheet cross-cut shredder for $4.99. With $9.95 for shipping, that's $13 under our last mention and the lowest total price we've seen.   Read More...

This post comes from J.D. Roth at partner blog Get Rich Slowly.

Ralph sent me an e-mail recently describing a clever budget trick he picked up from a friend:

My wife and I had dinner last night with a couple of young women we know. We talked a little about personal finance. One of the girls has an interesting idea on forced savings. She calls it "reverse credit."

"When I want to buy something expensive, I go to the store and buy a $20 gift card," she said. "I save these up. When I'm ready, I take all the cards and go get my new thing."

I think this forced savings plan is brilliant, and told her so.

I've actually been doing something similar.   Read More...

Did you know that you can learn a lot about personal finance from the Rolling Stones? They said, "You Can't Always Get What You Want." "They didn't say, 'Put it on a credit card,'" writes Debbie Dragon at Destroy Debt. 

Debbie identifies 28 songs that contain lessons about money management. Here are some of our favorites:   Read More...