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Posted
Sep 24 2007, 08:12 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog Get Rich Slowly. When I went to the street to get the mail on Saturday, the latest issue of The New Yorker was in the box. Walking up the sidewalk to the house, I idly began to remove the subscription cards. I stopped, though, when I came to a full-page cardstock advertisement. I read the front of the ad. I read the back. At the kitchen table, I carefully removed the ad from the magazine, carried it upstairs, and sat down at my computer. I typed in the listed URL, and for the next two hours, I was at the mercy of the advertiser. What was this ad for? The 2007 MINI Cooper. I hate my current vehicle -- a 2000 Ford Focus. I bought it in a hurry after my 1992 Geo Storm was totaled by a wayward tractor-trailer rig. I've loathed the Focus since Day One.
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Posted
Sep 24 2007, 11:01 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
The Fed's decision to lower short-term interest rates last week stimulated fear among some money managers that prices for consumer items could rise. Investors are watching carefully as the Fed tries to steer a course between inflation and recession.
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Posted
Sep 25 2007, 09:17 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog Wise Bread. I’d like to start this article by pointing out that PayPal is a fabulous resource and I use it often. I feel safe buying items, especially items on eBay, with my PayPal account. But over the past few months I’ve noticed that more and more places accept PayPal and I began to wonder: Is this going to create a generation of impulse buyers? PayPal was founded in December of 1998. It was acquired by eBay in 2002 and quickly became a phenomenon. Now, with more than 31 million accounts and growing, it’s a quick, easy way to pay for anything from cheap novelties to new cars. Initial impulse But is it too easy?
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Posted
Sep 25 2007, 09:45 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
It's one thing to buy candy from your neighbor's kids so they can go on a school field trip. But not every salesperson who knocks on your door is legit. Think twice before you hand out personal financial information or a check to strangers selling overpriced magazine subscriptions.
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Posted
Sep 25 2007, 03:09 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
If you really, really need to replace your vehicle, resist the temptation to buy a new model. A well-made, no-frills used car that's properly maintained can provide dependable transportation while saving you thousands. Do your research, insist on a low price and, if you can't pay cash, shop around for a low interest rate. When the loan is paid off, save your extra money for your next car.
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Posted
Sep 26 2007, 09:35 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
You've heard these before: "I don't make enough money, so I can't save." "I need to carry a balance on my credit card to build a credit history." "The furniture/appliance/gizmo store offers a zero-interest, zero-payment loan, so I can afford it." A blogger tackles these and 79 other commonly held beliefs about finances.
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Posted
Sep 26 2007, 04:54 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Do we really need prepackaged 100-calorie portions of snacks, let alone entire supermarket aisles dedicated to this craze? Think of the money saved if you simply bought the large size and used some willpower to limit your consumption, or divided it up into baggies at home.
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Posted
Sep 26 2007, 05:24 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
When U.S. News & World Report listed the top places to retire, cost was not the only factor. But some affordable gems can be found on a list that includes Bozeman, Mont. (median home price, $279,300) and San Francisco ($765,000). The median home price in Fayetteville, Ark.? Just $163,000. There's also Lawrence, Kan. ($142,928) and Smyrna, Tenn. ($145,000).
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Posted
Sep 26 2007, 06:14 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Organic food costs more in the supermarket. But if organic is your goal, buy in bulk and make your own. Organic co-ops and farmer's markets can be good sources of chemical-free food. Save even more and plant a garden.
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Posted
Sep 27 2007, 07:20 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog Wise Bread. Want to help the environment, but not too keen on all of the expensive suggestions floating around out there? Here are 10 frugal ways to incorporate green living into your life without throwing your well-laid budget plans to the wind. 1. Safety razors. Giving up disposable razors for the old-fashioned safety razor is a great way to save money and the environment. The multi-packs of flat razor blades are not only inexpensive, they come without all of the extra plastic housing that ultimately ends up in landfills. We've been doing this in our house for a few years and have noticed a tremendous savings. Added bonus: We don't have to carve out extra storage in the cabinets when we stock up. Flat packs of blades store very efficiently in a minimum amount of space. 2. Mineral salt deodorant sticks. You can find these at nearly any health food or natural living store. They last an incredibly long time, don't contain harmful ingredients and don't come with a ton of obnoxious plastic packaging to toss in the landfill once the product has been used up. 3. Reusable coffee filters. Just imagine never having to buy or run out of these little babies again.
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