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Posted
Jul 02 2009, 06:46 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
"MoneyMate Kate" is thoroughly impressed by the frugality employed by her sister as she plans her upcoming wedding. Then why does Kate call her "Bridezilla"? That doesn't seem fair.
So far, Kate estimates that Bridezilla's clever planning has saved $8,300, compared with the average wedding expenses in the New Jersey suburbs where they grew up. If she had compared her sister's spending with the cost of weddings in Aspen, Colo., where the wedding will take place, the savings would be in the stratosphere.
To make her cost comparisons, Kate used the Cost of Wedding Web site provided by The Wedding Report, which tells you what weddings and their various components cost broken down by ZIP code.
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Posted
Jul 02 2009, 03:53 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
More corporations are recognizing that there's plenty of good will to be had if they extend a helping hand to the unemployed. Plus they're building customer loyalty and boosting sales.
Is this a win-win?
The latest offers of assistance come from the chains owned by the Sears Holdings Corp. -- Kmart and Sears.
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Posted
Jul 01 2009, 05:02 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
A contest by "Shadox" at Money and Such reminds us of the "your life story in six words" contest that spawned the book of tiny memoirs called "Not Quite What I Was Planning" and Lizzie Widdicombe's subsequent clever write-up in The New Yorker (as well as a post by "Madame X" that was featured here).
Shadox challenged readers to submit career advice, expressed in a mere 10 words or less. To their credit, several bloggers came in way under the limit without sacrificing content. The winner was randomly selected.
Here are some samples, categorized somewhat by us:
Job selection:
- From Julie Bestry: "Perform no task you'd be ashamed to tell your mom."
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Posted
Jul 01 2009, 01:33 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Online searches for affordable prescription drugs may be easier than you think. Our thanks to Silicon Valley Blogger at The Digerati Life for putting the spotlight on a Web site called Medtipster.
At this site, you can search your town or region for pharmacies that offer low-cost generics of drugs you're taking, as well as low-cost therapeutic alternatives -- plus health screenings, mini clinics and immunizations available near you.
Specifically, the site says on its FAQs page: "You can search our database and find $4 generic equivalents to your prescription drugs. If there is no generic, we'll also suggest $4 drugs that might be able to be substituted with your doctor's advice."
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Posted
Jul 01 2009, 09:05 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Grocery stockers, unless they're slackers, live by the FIFO rule -- first in, first out. What does that mean to you?
When new inventory comes in and it's time to refill the grocery displays, the new product is placed in the back. Thus, the grocery store has less waste because most people grab the item that's closest to them. (Smart shoppers sometimes dig a little deeper.)
Why not apply FIFO at home and do as the professionals do? It's a good way to save money on groceries, says Charlie at Pay Less for Food.
Here's how this works:
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Posted
Jun 30 2009, 01:48 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
The concert promoter that organized the 50 sold-out "This is It" London performances that Michael Jackson will never give is offering disappointed fans a choice: A refund of the $125 or so they paid -- or the actual ticket, which the promoter says was designed by Jackson himself as a keepsake.
"Since he loved his fans in life, it is incumbent upon us to treat them with the same reverence and respect after his death," Randy Phillips, president and CEO of AEG Live, said in a statement. In fact, AEG suggested in an article in TheWrap that thousands of people are clamoring for the tickets.
Other fans are more than skeptical.
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Posted
Jun 30 2009, 09:46 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Does vinegar kill weeds? Can you wipe them out with boiling water? Are there other low-cost steps you can take to grow a better garden or maintain a healthy lawn?
We love this stuff. The lettuces, greens, tomatoes, broccoli, eggplant, beans and yellow squash we planted are thriving (so far). But weeds in the yard persist, so bloggers' experiments to find natural and cheap weed killers are of great interest to us.
The investigation of homemade weed killers began with a post by Hanna at This Garden Is Illegal. (No, it's not what you think.) She sang the praises of:
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Posted
Jun 30 2009, 08:30 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
I Will Teach You To Be Rich blogger Ramit Sethi posed a question that challenges all the frugalists and frugalistas among us: Is our watchful spending truly meaningful, or do we pursue it out of guilt about spending?
In this most recent salvo at frugality, Ramit makes three central points:
- The amount saved by not buying lattes, dessert or whatever isn't significant. "I've always believed that you can't out-frugal your way to rich," Ramit writes.
- Thus, the psychological boost of frugal practices won't give us "the big wins" we need to change our money habits and build wealth. "Plus, there's the 'paradox of choice': The more things we worry about, the less we do of anything at all," he said.
- Guilt is a weak motivator. Plus it's a lousy reason to do anything. (On that we agree.)
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Posted
Jun 29 2009, 03:27 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
What's even more amazing than FiscalGeek's "12 ways to fail your job interview" is the fact that they need to be verbalized at all. But they do, he knows from personal experience as a manager involved in hiring.
Most obvious on his list is "chew gum. Constantly." One job candidate did through five interviews. "Honestly, I never thought this was necessary to mention but this was the proverbial nail in the coffin of this interview candidate," "FiscalGeek" says.
See what we mean? The others on his list aren't as obvious, but are still mind-boggling.
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Posted
Jun 29 2009, 11:03 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Like Kay Bell at Don't Mess With Taxes, we've never seen that show about Jon and Kate Gosselin and their eight progeny. And, like Kay, that doesn't mean we've been able to avoid the news that their marriage is in trouble.
"So," tax geek Kay writes, "it seems as good a time as any to offer some tax tips, eight to be exact in keeping with the show's title ("Jon & Kate Plus 8"), to folks who are severing their marital ties."
Here's an important one: Timing is everything.
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