Money

stockxpertcom_id9411782_jpg_b02046ae7551e8901672bfc6f6c658b9

Keep bills straight between roommates… and make them pay

Many people live with a roommate at some point or another, and it’s not always a great experience. Sometimes you move in with long-time friends only to discover they have ... Read the full article →

960500_old_post_office

Can you trust the US post office to forward your mail?

Once upon a time, I was a defender of the US post office. I figured it couldn’t be easy to deliver mail correctly as often as they do. Then I ... Read the full article →

stockxpertcom_id13461521_jpg_b10da887e89b1c81077ccf3a9a1065e9

Emotional debt and savings prioritization

Getting out of debt made me a happier person. It actually improved my quality of life and made me feel more secure and safe against possibilities like job loss or ... Read the full article →

729163_investing_1

Investing for retirement when you can barely afford to live now

It’s a great feeling to be out of debt and have some savings. But let’s face it: some people have less money coming in than going out, and it’s not ... Read the full article →

The banner from the US Postal Inspector website

How to start an investigation with the US Postal Inspector

Have you ever mailed something that got lost inexplicably? Or maybe, like me, you had tracking info, and saw the package was out for delivery – but it never got ... Read the full article →

288786_personal_files

Organizing your tax documents

Every January until this one, I’ve suddenly realized I once again failed to keep my tax documentation organized, and go into a panic trying to get everything together. Well, not ... Read the full article →

1177581_shopping_mall

Last minute Christmas shopping tips

Somehow, despite your best efforts, the holiday season beat you again: it’s the eleventh hour, and and you’ve got people you haven’t yet bought gifts. It doesn’t matter how it ... Read the full article →

1224537_couch_potato

How to get your cancellation fees back from DirecTV

A couple of years ago, I wrote about how there’s almost no way to escape DirecTV’s enormous cancellation fees, and it’s really not clear in the fine print that every ... Read the full article →

Current Ebates offers

Ebates: cash back on many online purchases

I recently discovered eBates, a website that pays you cash back on purchases from lots of online vendors. I’ve already gotten my first payment through PayPal, which was a combination ... Read the full article →

1004742_a_meal_and_a_show

12 ways to save money on eating out

Dining out is rarely your most cost effective option if you compare ordering four restaurant meals to preparing four meals at home. But there are many ways to make restaurant ... Read the full article →

Employee typing on laptop

Knowing your rights as an employee

Many people I talk to don’t know their rights as employees. I first became aware of mine when I was working for a lawyer who made them all very clear ... Read the full article →

review

Trusting online reviews – or not

Online reviews can be a wonderful resource – how else can you find out what dozens of people thought about something you’re looking at buying, or a restaurant or service ... Read the full article →

1124721_we_have_a_deal

How to break a lease

Leases are one of the few types of contracts that are pretty one-sided. If you violate their terms, you can be evicted. But if your landlord breaks the terms, you ... Read the full article →

1047072_american_diner

How to send back food at a restaurant

“What’s the point of saying anything? We just won’t come back.” I’ve eaten at restaurants a lot over the years, and I’ve also worked at a few. By restaurants I ... Read the full article →

banner_static_250x250_01

Avoid Get Paid to Read scams

When the job market got scary in the early part of this decade, a lot of people started looking online for ways to make some extra money. Most people realize ... Read the full article →

994617_playing_with_clay_12

Homemade Play Dough recipes

It’s ridiculously easy to make homemade play-dough or Play-Doh. Making homemade play dough is less expensive than buying commercial versions. It also uses all non-toxic ingredients, and you’ll know exactly ... Read the full article →

890370_boxes

10 moving tips: protecting valuables from dishonest movers

When you’re moving, sometimes it’s all you can do to get everything packed and ready for the day the truck arrives. But you know as soon as you get to ... Read the full article →

1128252_3_presents

How to save shopping money for Christmas

Christmas and the other winter gift-giving holidays aren’t that far away. You can either go into debt and start your new year off in worse financial shape than you’re in ... Read the full article →

826249_key_tag_1

5 tips for negotiating lower rent on a new apartment

Most of us think of the rent on an apartment as a fixed price, especially if you live in an area that’s clearly a landlord’s market, with 100 other potential ... Read the full article →

Woman discovering run in her pantyhose

15 uses for old pantyhose

Once a pair of pantyhose is no longer usable as pantyhose, there’s nothing to be done but throw them out, right? And nylon isn’t even biodegradable. But before you throw ... Read the full article →