I’m a coffee junkie. I make at least half a pot of coffee every morning, and if I’m having a particularly stressful day, I make a second pot in the afternoon. A few months ago, I started thinking about how much coffee I drink, and how the grinds end up in the trash. I don’t like [...]

15 Ways to Reuse Coffee Grinds at Home is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

During any recession, news stories about unemployment figures take center stage while the families dealing with the recession suffer, often quietly. People work hard just to stay afloat in hopes that the economy will turn around soon, but often to no avail. While many families do their best to carry on as if nothing is [...]

9 Effects of the Recession on Families and How to Cope is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Using coupons to save money on groceries can be challenging. Perhaps you’ve tried using coupons, and you didn’t receive the savings you expected. You put a lot of effort into your planning and preparation, but the payoff was miniscule. Many people collect coupons, clip coupons, save coupons, organize coupons and bring their coupons to the [...]

Extreme Couponing Tips – Using Discount Coupons for Free Groceries is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

“Wardrobing” is the act of buying a product from a retailer (most commonly high-end clothing, but it can be other items as well), using it for a while, and then returning it as “unused” to the store for a full refund. For example, people who need a formal dress or suit to wear once (e.g. [...]

Wardrobing on the Rise in Tough Economic Times is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

With gas prices rising, high unemployment, and inflation poised to spiral out of control, your talent for cutting household expenses is becoming more and more important. You can slash services like yard landscaping and premium cable channels (e.g. DIRECTV), and you can reduce your utility bills by using electricity, gas, and water more sparingly. But what about everyday necessities like feeding [...]

Extreme Couponing 101: How to Extreme Coupon and Save 84%+ on Groceries is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

My dad is a hoarder – no, not the kind that needs an intervention on the “Hoarders” television show. Just the kind that has managed to cram every cabinet, shelf, and drawer in his house to the gills with tools, already-used nails, paper clips, pens, and other useful things. His theory is that the more [...]

Are You a Cheapskate? – 9 Signs You’re Taking Frugal Living Too Far is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Have you ever wondered why you handle money the way you do? Perhaps you’re a saver and you feel satisfaction every time you look at your growing account balances and displeasure when you need to buy something. Or maybe you’re a compulsive shopaholic, looking at life as something to enjoy, so you buy on impulse and pay [...]

The Psychology of Money – How Saving and Spending Habits are Programmed in Your Brain is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

My kids love Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers. In fact, if it’s available, that’s the only snack they’ll go for. Recently, however, our house has been without Goldfish for several weeks. The reason? In my household, we do not pay full price for things if we can help it. A 6.6 oz bag of Goldfish normally [...]

The Three P’s of Extreme Couponing 101 – How to Save Money on Groceries & More is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

As the Frugal Guinea Pig, I strive to bring you reports on what’s new and exciting in the world of bargains. Today’s experiment addresses whether buying food at the dollar store saves you money – and if what you buy there can even be considered edible food. I love dollar store items like plastic flatware [...]

Frugal Guinea Pig: Dollar Store Dining with Food Items & Products – Worth the $1? is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

When I buy vinegar, I buy it in bulk from Costco. Why on earth do I need that much vinegar, you ask? Because vinegar, like baking soda uses, is one of those miracle products that I use for dozens of different things. I use it  to can vegetables, to clean my house, to remove stains [...]

11+ Uses for Vinegar You Need to Know About is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Have you ever added up how much you spend every year getting your car’s oil changed? Or, how much you’ve spent on fresh vegetables, gourmet jam, or having your pants hemmed? Chances are, it’s a fair amount. I recently stopped to think about all the products and services I pay for, that I could be [...]

7 Frugal Life Skills to “Do It Yourself” and Save Money is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

We have all heard of “keeping up with the Joneses.” It’s the all-American notion of besting your neighbors. If they remodel their kitchen, maybe you should too – and upgrade the bathroom while you’re at it. If they just got a new car, then you need a new one, too, but not just new. It [...]

$20 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway: Keeping Up with the Money Crashers – Compete For Financial Fitness is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Shopping for affordable and stylish men’s clothing can be a real challenge for most guys. So here is a handy guide – by a real live girl who has helped real men shop – for how to pick out clothes that won’t make you look like a “doofus,” and keep you looking sharp so you can [...]

Men’s Fashion Tips and How to Shop for Men’s Clothing – A Woman’s Ultimate Guide is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Time flies when you are having fun – and when you are with the one you love. As the years go by, perhaps your anniversaries begin to sneak up on you, with you and your loved one seemingly always ending up going out to dinner again. Or perhaps the big day comes and goes, and [...]

10 Romantic, Memorable, and Affordable Wedding or Dating Anniversary Ideas For Couples is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Have you ever read the directions on the back of your laundry detergent? You know, where it says “Use 2/3 cup for heavy loads, 1/2 cup for lighter loads,” and so on. The problem with these directions, and with a lot of the products we use daily, is that when we follow the “recommended use” [...]

How to Use Less and Save on 5 Common Household Products is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

One of the most challenging aspects of extreme couponing is finding the coupons. We all know to get the Sunday paper, print coupons online, and to get the coupons off the packaging of previously purchased products. But where else can you look and what else can you do to get valuable coupons? Here are six ideas [...]

6 Unique Tips On Where To Find Discount Store and Online Coupons is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

Here’s the scenario: you’ve got your Aunt Edna, Uncle Frank, and your three cousins coming for the holidays. Plus, your parents have been subtly hinting they’d like to come stay as well. You’re trying to be excited about having so much time with your family, but you can’t help but think about how much this [...]

7 Frugal Tips For How To Entertain Guests At Your House For The Holidays is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

When it comes to frugal tips, there are some old tricks that have been practiced for a long time. For instance, one of the many uses for baking soda is as a cleaning substitute to wash your countertops. Or, to give new life to your grungy sponges, you simply pop them in the microwave with [...]

13 Frugal Home Budgeting Tips You’ve Probably Never Heard Of is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

The fall and the holidays tend to be the best time to go out for coffee. The weather starts to get cooler, and there is an exciting spirit in the air. The seasonal coffee flavors are comforting because they remind us of friends, family, and good times: pumpkin, cinnamon and spice, gingerbread, peppermint, and eggnog. It is enjoyable [...]

How To Make The Best Gourmet Coffee Recipes At Home is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.

In just a few short weeks, we’re going to enter what retailers call “The Golden Month.” It’s the month that falls between Thanksgiving and Christmas, when our consumer spending habits can get out of control. We shop, we decorate, and we entertain far more than we do the rest of the year. And as we [...]

8 Homemade Christmas Decorations And Ornaments is a post from the Money Crashers personal finance blog.