Face it, once you’re past Santa-believing age, Christmas gifts don’t hold quite the same thrill. The gift-giving aspects of the holidays are definitely for the kids. But that doesn’t mean your spouse doesn’t expect something — far from it! But, especially if you’re on a tight budget that you are co-managing, your spouse may be […]
When you think of the basics of a civilized family existence, a decent home is foundational. Doesn’t grace at your table frequently end with thanks for “the roof over our heads”? But not all home repair jobs are equally vital. The roof? Yes, you need a good roof. But, if you’re facing financial difficulties, a […]
Water is a precious commodity, and we use a lot of it. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at your monthly water bill. A typical family of four consumes 300 to 400 gallons of water per day, which means between 9, 000 and 12, 000 gallons flow through a household each month. How much […]
Every family would like a little more money in the piggy bank at the end of the month, but sometimes it seems like trimming expenses is too painful or too much of a hassle. Well, here are six painless ways to save a few bucks on your transportation budget — and those few bucks can […]
Busy people could sometimes — okay, always — use a little extra cash. But getting a normal part-time job is not feasible for many people. Who wants to be tied down to regular hours at the local diner when your kids might need a ride to soccer practice or help with their homework? Skip the […]
The kids have been begging for a puppy for six months, and you finally decide a dog might just complete your family. Plus, the canine may teach your kids a few things about responsibility and caring for others, right? Those are good reasons to get a dog, but before you bring Spot home, take a […]
If you’ve been to a major professional sporting event lately, you know the accounting: tickets $50 each, parking $35, beer $8 per, hot dogs $5, ice cream $4, souvenirs $15 for the cheap ones… There’s simply no getting out of that stadium without spending several hundred dollars. But wait! There is a solution! Read on […]
If you have little kids, you probably see college expenses as some distant cloud hardly deserving attention. But as your kids age, that cloud gets closer, darker, and larger, until suddenly you realize it’s a raging storm that threatens to wreck your personal finances. The sooner you start dealing with the likelihood of that storm, […]
Ouch, that electric bill is gonna hurt this month! With temperatures soaring across the United States, power consumption has been soaring right along with it. Of course you’ve already turned up your thermostat and screwed in the CFLs, so here are some slightly different tips to trim the power bill. Get your hands wet. Wash […]
For kids, summer is a lovely long stretch of day camps, playing with friends, going to the pool, and generally having fun. But for parents, struggling to keep those little folks busy can get costly. Trips to amusement parks, sporting events, museums, and such can seriously stretch a budget. And that’s not even counting the […]