Those Brits are really embracing frugality. Rather than go out and spend money they don’t have on useless junk, they are opting to stick to indoor activities that are free: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7755315.stm
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We’re Getting Acclimated to the Economic Downturn
You know I’ve been running through the various scenarios in my head for awhile now. “What if I lose my job? What if my wife loses her job? What if we both lose our jobs?” By doing this, it has given me some sense of security in knowing that I should be prepared for just about anything. I still think we are in for a
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Shock and Awe from My Mother’s Cable Bill
A couple of weeks ago I was over at my mother’s house and happened to ask her how much she was paying for her cable TV and Internet service. I was absolutely SHOCKED to find out that she was paying $130 per month for the two of them. My mother is not much of a TV watcher, but she does watch the basic channels. She
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What would a depression in 2009 look like?
I found an interesting article on The Boston Globe that theorizes what a current depression might look like. I found it interesting and somewhat believable. I agree that the long lines would probably be in the hospital emergency rooms and the theory that people would move to urban centers to rent and reduce their transportation costs seems reasonable, although I’m inclined to believe that the
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Are You a Saver, a Spender, or Somewhere in Between?
I think one of the most fascinating things about reading a book like “The Millionaire Next Door” is the personal descriptions about how people spend their money. As I talk to friends and family, I find the same level of fascination when listening to them describe purchases they’ve made, or are planning on making. What’s kind of neat about listening to friends, families, neighbors etc
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Cheap Entertainment at Our Local School
Now that our daughter is in kindergarten we’ve discovered a whole new society. Before we had a child that was in school, we never really saw the elementary school society that has been active all around us. We haven’t really met a ton of people yet (mostly just chit chat), but the school and the PTA have all kinds of activities for us to attend.
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I Feel Like a Frog in a Cold Pot of Water
It’s funny how recessions and depressions work. Rather than just resetting in one day, it strings out over many months and potentially years. So far, the water is relatively cold in the pot at my house. Both my wife and I are still employed, although layoffs are coming at my company. I suppose the fact that layoffs are coming at my company probably increases the
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Extreme Makeover home for sale in Washington State
Having someone show up and build a beautiful new home for you is a lot like winning the lottery. Some people handle these windfalls better than others. In the case of this house, Dawne Kirkwood just couldn’t manage to keep it when she and her husband divorced. In Washington state everything is split down the middle during a divorce so the house has to be
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We’re Actually Tracking to Our Budget!
I have to admit I’m still really enjoying Mint.com. For the first time in many years, I’m tracking my actual expenses against my budgeted expenses. The reason I’m doing this is because Mint has made it so easy. As long as we use our credit or debit cards for purchases, they all automatically download in to Mint and are assigned in to the right category.
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PF Bloggers Exercising Fiscal Responsibility
I was reading MadameX’s post at My Open Wallet on the fact that she’s resorted to eating stale crackers with hummus in an attempt to get her food budget back in line. As I read that, it occurred to me that she’s probably not the only one doing this. I know that we are also cracking down on our food budget, and now that I’m
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