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• The simple, frugal life offers freedom

  Posted Aug 14 2008, 04:40 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Investing, Housing, Spending, Wise Bread
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  This post comes from Philip Brewer at partner blog Wise Bread.

  People might look at how I spend money and say I'm cheap or a tightwad. If they do, they're missing the point. The fact is, I'm much more interested in simplicity than I am in saving money.

  In many cases, it works out about the same: The simple choice is often frugal. The cheapest choice, though, is often not the simple one.   Read More...

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• Don't buy something just because you can afford it

  Posted Mar 20 2008, 05:32 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Housing, Spending, Saving, Wise Bread
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  This post comes from Xin Lu at partner blog Wise Bread.

  Since I got married, people have been constantly asking me two questions: "Are you pregnant yet?" and "Are you going to buy a house?"

  If you are a reader of my personal blog, you already know that I don't want to buy a house in the San Francisco Bay Area right now because the prices are still quite ridiculous. The hubby and I always tell people that we cannot afford a house, but that's not entirely true. We can afford to buy a house with a pretty nice margin of comfort, but we don't want to buy one just because we can afford it.

  One day I told someone that I do not want to afford a house right now and he asked me what I meant. Here is my explanation.

  We do not need to spend more. The cost to own a unit similar to what we live in is two to three times what we pay in rent. The only purpose of a house is to provide shelter, and I don't see a need to upgrade just because we can afford it.   Read More...

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• It pays to call and ask

  Posted Jan 24 2008, 06:28 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Housing, Spending, Saving, Wise Bread

  This post comes from Carrie Kirby at partner blog Wise Bread.

  All you have to do is ask. Whether it's getting a fair shake from a business that treated you badly or getting a little extra, picking up the phone or sending an e-mail often pays off.

  But here's the thing to remember: Sometimes you have to ask more than once.

  If the answer is no the first or second time, try again. Ask for a manager. Hang up and try a different operator. Ask about the appeals process. Write a demand letter threatening legal action. If you are in the right, you should eventually get what you deserve.

  Here are five examples of how speaking up has saved me money in the last year.   Read More...

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• 5 tips for making do with the right now

  Posted Nov 15 2007, 07:16 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: Housing, Family, Saving, Wise Bread
  Rating:
  This post comes from Linsey Knerl at partner blog Wise Bread . My family has lived in the same house for two years, but we neither rent it nor own it. It is part of a family farming corporation with an uncertain future. We don’t know if we will be here another 10 years, or if we will need to move next spring. It seems silly to invest too much in it without it being a permanent home, but, at the same time, we really want to make it our own. It seems easy to hold your breath and wait for situations in life to become clear, determined and permanent. But what will you be missing in the meantime? Here are five steps that can help you live life while waiting to see just where it may go. Know that you are not alone. How many other honorable professions and lifestyles are temporary, nomadic , or without careful material plans? Plenty. Just ask any missionary family, military spouse, or theater troupe how it feels never to know what the next move may hold for them. Time spent at a single location   Read More...
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