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Posted
Aug 12 2009, 06:20 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Some customers were likely breathless as they pushed the "add to cart" button at Best Buy's Web site. The big draw? A Samsung 52-inch HDTV that appeared on the chain's Web site for the unbelievably low sale price of $9.99.
Best Buy corrected the error hours later and announced that any orders processed at that price would not be honored. (You can find screen shots of the ad and an order placed by Augustine Fou at his go-Digital Blog.) But what's truly amazing about all this is that so many people are ticked off.
Bing: Best HDTVs
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Posted
Nov 04 2008, 03:55 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
David G. Mitchell knows he's not preaching to the choir when he strongly recommends that most people stop using cell phones. He observes that "I will not use a cell phone and you probably cannot be separated from yours." Yet, he makes a compelling argument in a pithy post at Saving Advice that provides five reasons to give up cell phones and save money. Health is one of his concerns.
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Posted
Sep 03 2008, 02:12 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Better gas mileage can be had from what used to be standard in cars -- the manual transmission, or stick shift. But how many drivers know how to use one these days?
It's a lost art, but a very efficient one. For its October issue, Consumer Reports bought two versions of seven different cars -- ranging from a $15,800 Scion to a $24,000 Mini Cooper -- and found a gain of 2 to 5 mpg with a standard versus automatic transmission in the same model.
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Posted
Sep 29 2009, 10:48 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
We're all for dollar stores. They can provide savings, many people agree. At last count, 55% of about 423,000 people who have participated in an MSN Money online poll said they sometimes shop at dollar stores, and 36% said they frequently do. (Another 3% chose "I'd never set foot in one.")
But there are some products "rutgerskevin" of The Red Stapler Chronicles recommends you avoid, via his post called "The 10 dumbest things to buy at a dollar store." First on his list are home pregnancy tests.
Find on Bing: Dollar stores thriving in recession
Pregnancy test from the dollar store? That's a product you'd want to spend more on for a result you can trust. "I almost bought this just to see what it looked like, but the girlfriend vetoed this idea in disgust," Kevin said.
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Posted
Sep 22 2007, 05:06 PM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Re-used any dental floss lately?
All together now: Eeeewwww!
Yet a reader of the Smart Spending message board knows a guy who did this. "There’s nothing grosser than dental floss hanging over the towel rack," said the reader, who posts as "Willowtears."
Sure there is. How about the folks who flush their toilet only once a day? Or the guy who would re-use wash water "until it was black"? Or the woman whose mom strained and re-used cooking oil regardless of pedigree: "Doughnut-flavored taquitos, yum."
All this came from the "Most Extreme Savings Tactics" thread on the message board. I’m pretty extreme myself, but I flush my toilet each and every time, thanks.
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Posted
Sep 09 2009, 08:08 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Paul Michael at partner blog Wise Bread.
When I was a young lad, eating out was something of a luxury for my family. Most of our meals, at least 95%, were prepared and eaten at home. This was the model for most people my age or older. But these days, society has migrated to eating outside the home way more often. The result is that we're spending a lot more on food than we used to. So, are there ways to chop the bill and eat out for less? You bet.
Share your soft drink. Most of the time, my wife and I find that one drink is adequate for both of us. But in this day and age of countless free refills, we will never run short of our soft drink anyway. It's not much, but a couple of bucks saved every time you order a drink at a restaurant or fast-food place really adds up. And that goes for the kids' drinks, too. My kids are quite happy to share a juice box or fountain drink. Oh, and before anyone cries for the poor fast-food joints or restaurant chains, it's worth noting that the average fountain drink costs the restaurant about 20 cents and they charge you about 10 times that for the beverage. So, I'm not losing any sleep over it; they're still making an insane profit from any drinks we order.
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Posted
Oct 12 2007, 07:27 AM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Hidden in my apartment is a slowly growing collection of small bills. I’ve been setting aside ones and fives toward the goal of having cash on hand for emergencies.
Some Smart Spending message board readers do this, too. Whether they call it pin money, bail money, “gittin’ out of town” money or just a collection of presidential quarters, having a little ready cash makes them feel, well, ready.
The U.S. government wants us to be ready. One of the Department of Homeland Security’s Web sites, www.ready.gov, recommends keeping some folding green on hand, right alongside the food, water and bucket toilet.
After all, some emergencies mean power failures -- bye-bye, ATMs.
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Posted
Mar 21 2008, 12:24 PM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
A little cleaning can save dollars along with your sanity. That's what Smart Spending message board reader "Lynn D" says, anyway. In a thread called "Making home a haven," the grad student notes that her formerly crowded condo made her feel "stressed and boxed in," which led to her wanting to go out, which led to her spending money. At first, she tried to combat the tendency by spending more money -- on storage bins, hooks, an entertainment center and other things allegedly designed to help. Finally, Lynn D figured out the real problem: "I needed to get rid of (junk)!" Now she finds herself staying at home more, whether it's to do her nails or watch a movie on a couch no longer littered with papers and books. Lynn D admits to another savings, too: She no longer has to buy things she already owns but couldn't find in all the clutter.
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Posted
Aug 08 2008, 03:42 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
"Not the Jet Set" is sorely tempted on the way to work by perfectly usable things people have left out by their trash cans. But what are the rules for Dumpster-diving? Do you need to be sneaky? How do you handle shame? We did some research and found a handy post at Sueann's NWPR Blog, plus photos of her remarkable finds, including brand new KitchenAid food processor attachments. (Her finds don't include food; she hasn't become a freegan.) "Dumpster divers have rules," Sueann Ramella wrote. Here are some we gleaned from her post and from other sources:
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Posted
Nov 11 2008, 01:34 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
The ugly economy came home to roost on Kyle's head in the form of a pink slip, so we read with great interest his post at Amateur Asset Allocator called "11 things to do immediately when you get laid off."
Our favorites on that list? Take a vacation, and find a girlfriend/boyfriend. Until now you probably haven't had time for either one.
This post is tongue-in-cheek and fun (bonus tip for the unemployed: Maintain a sense of humor) and it contains lots of wisdom. We'll also review the steps Kyle really took once he was let go from his software company job.
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