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• Bulk Buying 101

  Posted Dec 13 2007, 08:20 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Family, Saving, Dining, Emergency
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  This post comes from Myscha Theriault at partner blog Wise Bread.

  While I've been developing this article for a while now, Philip Brewer's recent article on bulk-purchase investment returns really kicked things into high gear. Most of us have known for some time that purchasing in bulk provides decent financial returns. Now, with Philip's excellent analysis of the potential percentage rates, you may be more motivated than ever to get started with large-quantity purchasing.

  The problem? Bulk buying sounds way simpler than it actually is. Where do you store it? When does it make sense to buy in bulk versus small quantities? It's enough to make your eyes cross and your brain start to feel pickled, particularly if you've never shopped this way before. What's more, it's far from the sexiest financial subject matter out there, which can make it very difficult to analyze and apply to your personal situation.

  Here's a nuts-and-bolts article covering what I see as the five major areas of consideration.   Read More...

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• Planning for a frugal Halloween with my family

  Posted Oct 26 2007, 06:38 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Spending, Family, Saving, Dining
  This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar . Halloween is one of my favorite times of year. Where I live, children trick-or-treat by the dozens, dressed up in all types of costumes. My family enjoys Halloween as a harvest celebration as well. The best part? Halloween offers all sorts of opportunities for frugality. The holiday can create several weekends of fun for the whole family on a modest budget. Here are our family’s plans for a frugal Halloween: Buying and carving pumpkins. This eats up a couple of hours, because we go out in the country, pick up several pumpkins of various sizes, and head home. Then we have fun carving the pumpkins. My son picks out a face design or two. I empty out the pumpkins' innards and carve the faces. The best touch: LED pumpkin lights that use almost no energy and give a wonderful glow to the jack-o'-lanterns. Cost: $15. Making homemade pumpkin pie. It’s easier than you’ve heard. Remove the pulp, then slice the pumpkin’s outer shell   Read More...
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• Working mom asks for advice, and she gets plenty

  Posted Oct 08 2007, 07:51 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Spending, Family, Saving, Dining
  The female half of a two-income family issued a call for money-saving tips that won't eat into her very crowded schedule, and lots of working mothers responded at The Dollar Stretcher . Here are some samples: Use online banking. Buy a freezer and fill it with in-season vegetables and super-sized meals cooked on weekends. Learn about square-foot gardening . Plan in advance what each family member is wearing the next day. Find out which restaurants have special discounts and "kids eat free" nights. Brown bag it to work; don't be like the co-worker who blows $4 on a single serving of cut-up melon. Have a rule: The spouse who gets home first cooks (heats up) dinner. Don't do everything by yourself. "We are a family and we all contribute," Allison writes. "One person cannot and should not have to do it all."
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• The hidden savings of having another child

  Posted Sep 26 2007, 09:57 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Family, Saving, Clothing, Dining

  You'll eat out less often, if at all, when you add a fussy newborn to the family. And you can reuse toys, clothes and other items no longer age-appropriate for your first child. The father of a newborn explains these and other savings.   Read More...

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