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Posted
Sep 22 2008, 03:33 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
A story about a mother bargaining with her small daughter prompted "R" at Retired at 47 to think of purchases in a new way. It goes something like this: If you have a choice between buying $300 slacks or a pair for $50 (or even less), think about whether the more expensive slacks are six times better. Or, as she says, "Is the price ratio worth it?"
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Posted
Aug 29 2008, 01:10 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Imagine this scenario: "The Frugal Duchess" (aka Sharon Harvey Rosenberg) and her 10-year-old daughter kill time before a movie in a clothing store that caters to tween girls. A cute young salesclerk loads the daughter up with cute merchandise. They leave without buying because the movie is about to start, but the daughter promises to return. She at least wants to say bye to her new friend. Hold on a minute, Sharon says. "She's not really your friend. ... Sure, she likes you. But she also likes your business." Now Sharon wonders if she said the right thing. "Should I have continued to let her believe that the cool clerk was a friend?" she asks.
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Posted
Aug 01 2008, 03:24 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Kay Bell at Don't Mess With Taxes has the skinny on an event we're unfamiliar with (we live Montana, where every day is a sales tax holiday): Many states are waiving sales tax on purchases of school supplies, computers and clothing this weekend or later this month. Often, the holiday applies to local sales tax as well. The celebration doesn't stop there. During the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, South Carolina is waiving sales tax when people buy handguns, shotguns and rifles. And another round of tax-free days is coming up for energy-efficient appliances and other products in a few states.
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Posted
Jul 23 2008, 05:52 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
"Green Panda" at Green Panda Treehouse makes the onerous task of finding a job less like torture with "The best job hunt post: Top 40 links from the Web." Green Panda is unemployed. She quit her job after being asked to take on additional work she believes she couldn't have handled in the time allowed. Respect issues and no additional compensation also entered into her decision. We're all benefiting from it: Her list has a wealth of information about starting your search, building a resume, finding jobs online and elsewhere, interviewing, and negotiating pay.
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Posted
Jun 14 2008, 08:22 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Here's a concept we can wrap our mind around: A Bankrate article talks about 12 "new necessities" of modern living that are actually "entitlements" we can do without. The article quotes psychotherapist Olivia Mellan by way of explanation: A lot of us in wealthy, overspending America are either born or raised with a tremendous sense of entitlement. We say to ourselves,"I work hard or, I work at a job I hate -- at least I should be able to have a Starbucks coffee every day or eat out for lunch." But of course, those are not needs, they're wants. They're pleasures.
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Posted
Jun 13 2008, 09:07 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Michael Nolan begins a recent post at Frugal Mania with this excellent question: "Have you ever noticed how many aspects of frugal living used to be considered just plain common sense?" Yes, we have. And we also suspect that the adjustment to higher prices for food and fuel would be less jarring if we all applied some of that old-fashioned thinking. For those who want to give it a try, Michael offers a crash course in the form of the 30-day frugal challenge.
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Posted
May 22 2008, 10:12 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Ron at The Wisdom Journal has recently written some in-depth posts about weighty topics, like often-overlooked disability insurance and the oft-ignored benefits of higher gas prices. So we were caught off guard by his equally thorough post (including photos) about how to iron a shirt. "Yikes! Did he say ironing?" Ron writes, anticipating readers' reaction. But when taking shirts to the cleaners costs more than $3 each, you can save $65 or more a month by doing it yourself.
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Posted
May 16 2008, 03:33 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
If you want The Frugal Duchess' business, you'd better listen up. In an open letter to consumer-product companies, she says she's fed up with those that mislead, poison, overcharge or downright insult customers. "Stop filling magazine pages, cyberspace and television airwaves with advertisements designed to make me feel needy, greedy and inadequate," she writes in a guest post at Frugal For Life. For instance: "What's wrong with fine lines around my eyes? I've laughed a lot. I've cried plenty."
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Posted
May 08 2008, 04:40 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Pinyo's wife thinks he's cheap. In his mind, he's frugal. Who's right? He scored a 20 on the cheap vs. frugal test he devised and posted at Moolanomy. That score indicates that he's neither, but that he "appears to be reasonable" with his spending. Take the test. It's fun. For example, here's Question No. 6. You have some old clothes. Do you ...? - What are you talking about? I don't have old clothes.
- I donate them when they get a little older.
- I turn them into rags.
- I am still wearing them.
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Posted
Apr 22 2008, 03:18 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
An article at MSN Money about things you should buy only when they're new prompted Mrs. Nespy at Mrs. Nespy's World to come up with her own top 10 list. Among her items: child car seats, helmets, mattresses, children's shoes, makeup, hot tubs and many car parts. She also offers an action plan if you really can't afford to buy these things new.
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