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We have two dogs.  One is perfectly well behaved.  She rarely barks and when she does she starts with a polite little bark, the minimum needed to get the job done.  She sits when told to sit, comes when told to come, and spends her days happily playing or snuggling on her blankie in pillows.  Then, there is the other one.  He’s a howling little maniac. He barks at his sister, he barks at other dogs, he barks at the washing machine.  He is very smart when it comes to causing trouble (for example, he learned that when he scratches at the door he gets taken outside to potty, so now he does it at about 2 AM once or twice a week just so he can get a midnight stroll), but he isn’t quite so smart when it comes to training. (more…)

One of the first things people say when you mention the desire to cut down expenses is to get rid of cable tv.  However, I think this nearly universal directive can be wrong, depending on the situation.  We cut our expenses to the minimum, got rid of cell phones, etc. but we kept our expensive cable TV package including HBO and Showtime.  For us, this was the best bang for our entertainment buck. (more…)

In keeping with the theme of the past few days, I’ve decided to write a brief little summary of some tips that I have come to believe are key to having a successful sale on Craigslist. (more…)

As a followup to yesterdays post, I am making a list of 10 places that I like to look to find furniture, and the secrets to succeeding at finding the best bargains.  It is entirely possible to have a house full of beautiful things on a very tight budget, as long as you know the secrets to shopping (more…)

This weekend, I bought some new furniture.  I had a $300 budget for this furniture (it was a Christmas gift) and I decided I wanted to get a bed because our mattress and box spring were just sitting on the ground.  I could have gone to Ikea, or to some other cheap furniture store, and purchased something for right around $300.  And, what woud I have had?  A particle board piece that likely would fall apart the first time we move it.  So, instead, I decided I was going to prioritize quality.  I wanted to find the perfect bed, from a reputale furniture maker, in real wood.  A bed that is truly a piece of furniture that I could keep for life. (more…)

Ok, I am not a huge fan of everything Dave Ramsey says.  But, my DF is a guy who had a lot of credit card debt when I met him, and who didn’t seem all that eager to buckle down and pay it off (lets be honest, he wasn’t eager at all and we nearly broke up several times over his spendthrift ways).

Now, not only is my DF not spending money, not only has he paid off a good portion of that debt, not only is he checking his credit score every day… but he is watching the No Debt guru!  He even TIVO’s it.  I’m so proud I am nearly speechless!

Does anyone remember Aussie Tee-Shirts?  Those shirts with the cute little sayings on them, I think they were all the rage when I was in about 8th grade.  One of the tee-shirts read “If You Think Education Is Expensive, Try Ignorance.”  I always thought it was a clever little phrase, and quite true.  Not knowing things can cost you money.   (more…)

I don’t currently have a full time job right now, as some of you may know (for those that don’t, you can read about it here). My days mainly consist of couponing, taking care of the house/dogs, doing some freelance work, and writing for this blog, and 6 hours of these days that used to be ‘taken’ is now free. Yet, I constantly feel pressed for time, like it is impossible for me to get everything done. In other words, as soon as I was given more time I immediately and promptly filled it up with more tasks so I was once again bemoaning about my desperate need for more hours in the day… (more…)

Being frugal really doesn’t have to be hard, or time consuming.  It is about changing small habits, making little lasting differences that save you money now and in the future.  So, here is a suggestion for 15 minutes a day of frugal activities that can save you quite a bit of cash in the long haul if you do them consistently.   (more…)

Almost everyone has a dream, or a goal in the back of their minds of something they want to accomplish.  For me, it was starting my own tutoring business and trying to become a part time (maybe someday full time) writer.  This is different for everyone, of course- some people may want to write the Great American Novel while others may dream of becoming a Scuba Instructor or opening a bed and breakfast.  But, a lot of people have the same excuses for why they can’t accomplish their goals.  For me, one of my big excuses was time- I just have to much to do.   (more…)