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Posted
Jun 18 2008, 02:39 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
It's once again time to take a break from the heavier issues of the day, and "Frugal Dad" gave us the respite we were looking for. Ponder this one: Is sneaking your own candy into the movie theater frugal or cheap? This is an academic exercise for us because we don't really care for movie theater candy. (We've got our eye on the popcorn with extra butter.) But it's a real-life decision for Frugal Dad, and you might be surprised at the decision he reached.
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Posted
Jun 18 2008, 06:31 AM
by
Karen Datko
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Before Cupid's arrow pierced his manly heart, "Nut" at The Writer's Coin did, well, guy things. He ordered takeout for dinner a lot. Even worse, "I would buy one of those salads in a bag that has all the fixings and -- gross as it may sound -- I ate it straight out of the bag," he writes. Now that he's moved in with "M," he's happy as a geoduck clam, and he's found the financial benefits of coupledom. Food, entertainment and "going out" are all costing less. "Economists call it 'economies of shared living,' and it basically comes down to sharing everything," he says.
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Posted
Jun 13 2008, 09:07 PM
by
Karen Datko
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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 28 2008, 12:17 PM
by
Karen Datko
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Maybe the preaching of frugalists has finally been heard, or people have found their common sense or have less money -- but fewer are buying those overpriced 20-ounce bottles of Coca-Cola and other Coke-brand drinks dispensed by vending machines and convenience stores. The Wall Street Journal reported today that bottler Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. reduced its second-quarter earnings outlook based on weaker-than-expected sales of that size. The WSJ says: Sold in corner groceries, vending machines and other outlets since the early 1990s, soft drinks in 20-ounce plastic bottles revitalized U.S. sales for Coca-Cola and PepsiCo Inc. by getting Americans to drink larger servings. Because they are often sold at prices similar to a two-liter bottle, they have also been highly profitable for the companies' bottlers.
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Posted
May 16 2008, 05:32 AM
by
Karen Datko
This post comes from Trent Hamm at partner blog The Simple Dollar. When I was fresh out of college with my first high-paying job, I would insist on paying for everything -- meals out with friends, lattes at the coffee shop, even sometimes shopping purchases. I felt this deep need to step in, bust out my plastic and say, "I'll take care of it." The burning desire to always save the day led me down a path to a lot of debt.
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Posted
May 16 2008, 05:11 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
What does (fill in name here), our server for tonight, really think of us? For an entertaining insider's look at the restaurant business and the diners who keep those servers hopping (and secretly complaining), check out Waiter Rant. In one of his posts, "Waiter" -- a guy apparently renowned for his 1,000-yard waiter stare (think waiter Daviday on "Curb Your Enthusiasm") -- describes a confrontation between the restaurant owner and a fat guy with a fancy watch and a comb-over who insists on being seated now. This chump doesn't realize that the owner is an ex-cop who still carries a gun. We'll share a few snippets from this post here.
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Posted
Apr 24 2008, 07:07 AM
by
Karen Datko
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This post comes from Linsey Knerl at partner blog Wise Bread. The cost of food isn't going down, and for some, it's making the task of feeding a family more painful than ever. It doesn't help that ad agencies and PR companies are getting better at creating snazzy gimmicks to get you to buy.
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Posted
Apr 11 2008, 05:38 PM
by
Karen Datko
For those skeptics among you, there really is a coffee made from beans passed by an Indonesian cat-like critter. It's called kopi luwak, sometimes indelicately referred to as cat-butt coffee. A post here by colleague Donna Freedman about $81 burgers and $15 cups of joe triggered our curiosity, and an e-mail from a friend led us to this strange and rare beverage. According to Indonesian company Animalcoffee, one of the outfits that sell these beans, ripe coffee berries are eaten by the cat-like luwak, aka Asian palm civet, which then deposits the beans on the jungle floor. Some fans say the digestive process produces a sweeter coffee. This ain't your grandpa's morning brew. Animalcoffee's Web site claims the Royal Family of Kuwait among its "select group of regular clients." For normal folks, pouches range from $30 for 2 ounces to $110 for a pound of the lowly robusta. Prices for arabica are $40 to $180, respectively. If you buy it in a box, the company includes a natural sample, apparently as proof of the coffee's authenticity.
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Posted
Apr 04 2008, 09:04 AM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
Who's up for a $15 cup of coffee, a $35 movie ticket, an $81 burger and a $480 cocktail?
Oh, and I'm not buying.
I'd be awfully surprised if you were buying, either. Those who read this blog are not likely to want to spend $81 on a sandwich.
Not that this is just any old burger. It's a 14-ounce Japanese Kobe beef patty formed around a quarter-pound seared Kobe medallion, according to an article at wcbstv.com. No plebeian Heinz or Hunt's for this sammich; it comes with house-made sake onion catsup and a miso and ginger aioli.
And if that doesn't fill you up? It also comes with a side order of Tater Tots. Honest.
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Posted
Mar 20 2008, 02:30 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Melissa at A Penny Closer used to be skeptical about all of the gloom-and-doom talk about the economy. No longer. Now she's having a very difficult time staying within her $75-a-week food budget, even though she's buying less meat. "In the past I could shrug off the pessimism," she writes, "but now it's hit home in a new way and I'm a little nervous." Even pet food costs more. The sale price for the same can of cat food at her local store went from 33 cents to 44 cents in two weeks. What is her plan to cope? No more monthly $50 donations to the "fun money" savings account, even fewer meat-based meals, and more soup-and-sandwich dinners are among her strategies.
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