Valentine’s Day is one of the most popular days to get engaged, according to the Diamond Information Center. An engagement ring generally carries a high price tag and tends to be one of the larger purchases a person makes in their lifetime.

A common belief (most likely perpetuated by the diamond industry, in my not-so-humble opinion) is that the cost of an engagement ring should be equivalent to three month’s salary.

Three month’s salary is a lot of green, particularly in these tough economic times. Recession or not, spending a small fortune on an engagement ring is unnecessary.

If you are planning on popping the question this Valentine’s Day (or any other day), here are some ways to lessen the blow to your bank account.

But first:

Diamonds 101

Before we get started, I have a few words about the “Four C’s” of diamonds: Cut, Clarity, Color, and Carat. If you consult a jeweler, it’s likely that they are going to give you an in-depth presentation on the importance of these four factors. In my opinion, not all of them should be weighed evenly.

The clarity of a diamond is related to the imperfections within the stone. Most of them are microscopic and cannot be seen with the naked eye. The diamond in my engagement ring actually has a huge flaw in the corner of it. At least, that’s what I’ve been told because it’s certainly something I have never noticed. Why pay more for something that isn’t noticeable?

The color rating of the diamond is related to the absence of color within the diamond, or how “yellow” the stone is. Yellow, being undesirable. The highest rated diamonds are given a D, E, or F in color. The next tier on the color scale is G, H, I and J. Unless you are comparing a D stone to a J one, the differences in color are difficult to detect with the naked eye. You can save yourself a ton of dough by sticking to the second tier.

Fine jewelry designer Staci, of AnaStaci, says, “A big, colorless diamond with very few inclusions is much more rare to find than one that has some color or a few imperfections. I believe the most important of the 4 C’s are cut and carat weight. Color is very personal. I have had clients like a little color in their diamonds, where others love the clear blue vividness of a D color graded diamond.”

The cost of a diamond is largely based on the carat, or size of the diamond. There are ways to create the illusion of a larger stone, as mentioned below in this article, but there is another way to cut corners around this one. Purchasing a diamond just below a whole number will dramatically reduce the price. For example, a diamond that is .9 carats, versus 1 carat, is much less expensive. You can use this rule wherever your budget falls on the stone sizing.

The cut of the diamond is what gives it its sparkle. A poorly cut diamond will have a huge impact on how the light reflects off the stone. Think about putting a significant portion of your budget into a diamond that is properly cut. Staci also says, “The cut is the only part of the diamond that is man-dictated, and really defines the brilliance of a stone. Inclusions are hard for many average people to see, so you can ‘give’ in this area.”

Finally, where you purchase your diamond is ultimately more important than any of the Four C’s. Diamonds are beautiful and they may last forever, but the social and ethical price to bring them to market is larger than any dollar figure can ever amount to. Some ethical and socially responsible diamond dealers to consider are BrilliantEarth.com and TurtleLoveCo.com.

Now that you are all diamond aficionados, we can get down to the nitty gritty: How to buy an engagement ring on a budget.

Take the pressure off.

Whether your budget is $50 or $50,000, keep in mind that an engagement ring is a symbol love and commitment, not keeping up with the Joneses. Starting a life together with unnecessary financial stress and burden completely misses the point of the meaning behind a marriage proposal. Let go of the idea that the size of the ring is equivalent to the magnitude of your love and settle on a figure that is within your means.

Select a style.

Certain engagement ring styles are more affordable than others. Here are a few to consider:

Pronged Setting. This style uses less metal, which significantly lowers the price of the setting. You can use the extra dollars you saved to invest in the stone or your IRA. Just saying’.

Fancy cuts. The least expensive cut right now is the marquis, an oval-shaped diamond with points at the ends that appears larger than it is. Round cut diamonds are the most expensive, as they are classic and are the only stones that can offer a perfectly mathematical, symmetrical cut to provide the most fire and scintillation. According to Staci, ”Princess cuts, ovals and cushions are great options, as they fit nicely in the very popular vintage-inspired settings that many girls like these days. These ‘fancy cuts’ as they are termed are less expensive per carat than rounds.”

Engraving and filigree. Skip eternity settings (bands that are adorned with tiny diamonds all the way around) and opt for engraving or filigree instead. This is an easy way to “fancy” up a band without shelling out big bucks for a ton of sparkle. Fun fact: My wedding ring is intricately engraved all the way around and is often mistaken for an eternity band.

Halo setting. A halo design is where the center stone is surrounded by a circle of smaller stones. This design gives the optical illusion of a larger center stone, if that’s what you are going for. Halo settings are high on the “wow” factor and give the ring a vintage feel.

Something old vs. something new.

Certain antique stores carry exquisite and unique alternatives to traditional engagement rings. A family heirloom is also an excellent alternative option that also carries deep meaning. I have a particular fondness for antique engagement rings because they are timeless, one-of-a-kind pieces that come with a rich history.

Think outside the box. Errr…. Diamond.

There are plenty of stunning stones that make beautiful alternatives to diamonds. Consider using your partner’s birthstone or a stone related to the month of an important date in your relationship. Blue, pink or yellow sapphires are popular alternatives, as are citrine, peridot, moonstone, and pearls. Moissonite, a stone harvested in a lab, is rising in popularity because of its sparkly, inexpensive, and socially responsible nature.

Staci also recommends using alternative stones. “I love tourmaline stones as they are so unique. They come in a range of color from hunter green to watermelon pink. I did an amazing 8-carat bi-color tourmaline (meaning the color of the stone had an ombre effect that started green at one end and faded into a beautiful light pink on the other) set with yellow gold and diamonds.

Thinks waaaaay outside the box.

For some you wild and crazy cats out there, an engagement ring just isn’t your thing. There are plenty of cultures that honor marriage in other ways and who says you have to put a rock on someone’s finger to symbolize your commitment to each other? Maybe you want to create your own tradition or ceremony when you decide to commit to your partner. The important thing is that you feel connected to the symbol, whatever it may be. There are no rules in love, just… love.

Morgan Benzian is a freelance writer and blogger living in Southern California with her two daughters and flock of backyard chickens. You can read more of her at The Little Hen House.

A fuel costs rise and the demand for food increases, so do the prices at the grocery store. For example, domestic wholesale food prices rose a dramatic 3.9 percent in February 2011, the largest increase in a single month since 1974. Internationally, the cost of food rose 37% in the year between February 2010 and 2011, according to an organization of the United Nations.

In the midst of a recession, even a slight increase in a grocery budget can have a major negative impact on the  family budget. The financial burden of digging deeper into your pockets to cover basic needs, like food, often means going without. Instead of making the hard decision between essentials like food, medical expenses or utilities, reworking your grocery list may be the ticket to making your dollars stretch.

The following food items are inexpensive pantry and refrigerator staples that are also the foundations of many tasty and nutritious recipes. Just add a meat (on sale, of course!) and additional vegetable or side, for a simple, budget-friendly meal.

You can also check out MintLife’s weekly Frugal Foodie column, as well as this article about how to grocery shop frugally and ethically.

Keeping a continuous stock of these items guarantees you will always have something to feed the family. These items are all on the inexpensive side and because you can make numerous breakfast, lunch and dinner meals by re-using the following ingredients, you will also save money by keeping the grocery list small.

Seasonings

-Garlic
-Salt
-Pepper
-Dried Italian Herbs

Produce

-Pre-washed salad greens and at least two other salad vegetables of your choice
-Apples
-Potatoes
-Onions

In the Baking Aisle

-All-Purpose Flour
-Regular Sugar
-Brown Sugar
-Vegetable Oil
-Olive Oil

Grains and Pastas

-Rice
-Sliced Bread
-Oatmeal
-Spaghetti Pasta
-Ziti Pasta

Canned Foods

-Beans
-Crushed Tomatoes
-Tomato Sauce
-Chicken Broth or Stock

Dairy

-Eggs
-Milk
-Butter

Example meals include:

-Eggs and toast or oatmeal with brown sugar for breakfast.
-Roasted potatoes with garlic and onions and a meat of your choice for dinner.
-Various rice dishes, such as fried rice (rice, eggs, chicken broth, onion and another vegetable of your choice).
-Various pasta dishes (spaghetti, crushed tomatoes, garlic, dried Italian herbs, salt and pepper).

Lori Hutchison teaches high school English and owns the site, Masters in Teaching. In her spare time, she enjoys writing guest blog posts about various topics of interest — especially how to save money!

Most of us have received a medical bill with an error on it at some point in our lifetime. It’s bound to happen, with an estimated 50 to 80% of bills containing some kind of mistake. But how many of us have actually bothered to look for errors, let alone succeed in finding one?

It’s not easy. Medical bills can be pretty complex for a single sheet of paper. Most of us just grumble at the high cost, write our checks begrudgingly and then move on with our day. We never quite know whether what we paid was truly right or not.

How do you actually detect an error and what should you look for?

This stuff can be complicated and some errors require an expert’s eye, while others take only take a few minutes to spot. Really. Try these quick tips each time you get a new bill.

Find the discount.

If you’ve met your deductible, your health plan should be paying. It’s that simple. If you find you’re being billed for the full charge, there is probably something wrong.

Double check dates of service.

This is especially important for hospital stays. Sometimes patients are billed for more days than they actually spent in the hospital.

Look for duplicate charges.

If the same service name or CPT code appears twice on a bill, or you get more than one bill for what appears to be the exact same service, you might be getting charged twice.

Check the network discount.

If your plan has co-insurance (you pay a certain percent of the cost), you usually have to pay a higher percent for out-of-network providers than in-network. Look for the discounted or adjusted rate on your bill and then check what percent your insurance company applied. Sometimes the out-of-network discount is applied when the provider was actually in-network, which could make you responsible for 50% of the cost, rather than 80%.

Compare past bills.

If you got similar services from the same provider in the past, you might be able to spot an outlier. Tools like simplee.com allow you to compare bills at a glance, without having to save and sort through a pile of paper. One man recently saved over $900 when he noticed one bill where the wrong discount was applied.

Look-up the CPT code.

This is a five digit code, usually all numbers, but sometimes four numbers with a letter on the end. There is a code for every procedure you could get. For example, there is a code for a routine physical, one for a flu shot, an x-ray of the abdomen, etc. Make sure that the description of the code matches the service you received. If the description sounds inaccurate or more elaborate, that’s a red flag.

By being familiar with your health plan’s rules and regularly reviewing your bills, you’ll get more comfortable with how they look and what seems off. But most people don’t receive bills frequently enough to get that much experience.

If you are unsure, call the plan, contact your state’s Department of Insurance or the agency that regulates health plans. They may offer free consumer assistance with bills. And if you’re still in doubt? Consider a billing advocacy organization such as Medical Billing Advocates of America.

Tomer Shoval is the CEO and Co-Founder of Simplee, a free online personal health care expense management tool. Connect with him on twitter, facebook or email.

If you’re a trusting kind of person, then chances are you’ve been ripped off more than a few times.

You’re not alone, my friend. I’ve fallen for so many scams, I’ve almost lost count.

But here’s a useful exercise: Do you know who you can trust? A Gallup survey of honesty and ethics finds that nurses, pharmacists and doctors are ranked the most ethical (in that order).

Also scoring high: teachers, police officers and members of the clergy.

Of more interest to those of us who want to avoid falling for a fraudulent offer is the bottom of the list. Here’s who the survey found the least trustworthy, and a few insights on how to avoid being taken advantage of when you’re a customer:

If you’re buying a car.

Car salespeople ranked dead last in the latest Gallup survey and if you’ve been to a car dealership recently, I probably don’t have to tell you why. The high-pressure sales tactics and the price games are a total turn-off to customers. Also, the suspicion that your salesperson may not be telling the entire truth never quite fades, even long after you’ve driven your new or used car home.

The fix: It’s possible to bypass the sales department by buying your vehicle online or asking the fleet sales department (those are the folks that sell more than one car at a time, usually to other businesses) to quote a price.

If someone is trying to sell you something by phone.

The second-worst performance – by just one percentage point – went to telemarketers. Again, your experience probably bears this out. If you get a random call from someone trying to sell anything from magazine subscriptions to a timeshare, you know there’s probably something shady going on. What’s more, telemarketers usually don’t have the best phone manners. They can be insistent and they always seem to have a comeback when you’re trying to politely say “no.”

The fix: Get yourself on the national “do not call” registry.

When you’re seeing an ad – any ad.

Advertising practitioners are next on the list and that’s no surprise. Advertising often relies on too-good-to-be-true claims to achieve its goals instead of presenting a product honestly. Frankly, American consumers have been burned too many times to give this profession any hope of regaining any level of trust they may have once had in it.  That’s too bad. Done correctly, advertising could provide a valuable public service – and drive sales at the same time. Done incorrectly, it can and will lead you down the road to Scamville.

The fix: Don’t believe everything you see, especially if it’s an advertisement.

When you’re buying stocks.

Stockbrockers rank low on the Gallup survey, too. The image of a fast-talking broker trying to sell worthless shares to a hapless widow comes to mind. I spent two years working on Wall Street, and while that’s something of a cliché, the role many of these slick salespeople played in the subprime mess can’t be denied. It’s also true that even reputable stockbrokers often charge outrageous fees, which they get to keep regardless of how your portfolio fares.

The fix: Buy your shares online and you’ll avoid the come-ons from these sometimes ethically challenged professionals.

When you’re dealing with an executive.

CEOs and other high-level managers also scored low in the survey. Perhaps the only shocker is that they didn’t score any lower than they did. All you have to do is open your local business section to see the latest revelation of an executive caught lying, cheating, stealing and more often than that, all of the above. There’s a Sicilian proverb, “The fish rots from the head down,” that’s often used to describe the ethical and moral void so often found in the corner office.

The fix: Thinking of appealing your problem to the president of the company? You might want to reconsider and try a VP or middle manager instead.

The Gallup results underscore the importance of staying vigilant as a customer. While there’s no need to become paranoid, there are certain times when you should be extra cautious.

You’ll thank me for it someday.

Christopher Elliott is a consumer advocate who blogs about getting better customer service at On Your Side. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook or send him your questions by email.

In today’s labor market, a well-paid, lucrative job may sound like wishful thinking. We have all heard grim stories of unsuccessful job hunting, but the news is not all dire. According to career site PayScale.com, the good news is that certain industries are still offering fast growing jobs in this otherwise slow-growth economy.

Not all jobs are “hot,” but those looking to start a new career might be helped by looking specifically at certain jobs that pay well in growing industries. These jobs are largely specialized roles that require dedication and are traditionally available to those with a bachelor’s degree.

The following list uses data from PayScale to rank the top 10 jobs in terms of the pay you will receive after you have gained some years of experience, the necessary education (traditionally a bachelor’s degree), the job’s commonness and the years of experience that it will take to reach your plateau.

Mechanical Engineer – $73,200 After Three Years Experience

For people just starting their careers, mechanical engineering is a good place to begin because it is one of the broadest and most in demand of the engineering disciplines. In short, mechanical engineers use science and mathematics to plan and design tools, engines and machines. Many of these engineers work in manufacturing – chiefly for companies that make primary and fabricated materials, machinery and electrical and transportation equipment. Others work for government agencies, colleges and universities and consulting firms.

Software Developer – $82,400 After Four Years Experience

Software developers build the modules or layers of code that create software programs to run on computers or electronic devices. They are currently in high demand because tech startups and giants like Facebook and Google can’t recruit enough top in-house engineering talent fast enough to keep pace with rivals. Developers needs to have strong communication, creative problem solving and analytical skills.

Financial Analyst – $62,600 After Three Years Experience

Financial analysts help businesses, individuals and organizations to make the best possible investment decisions. The industry is currently hot because of increased complexity and global diversification of investments and growth in overall amount of assets under management. Hiring is being conducted by private firms, hospitals, non-profits, local state and federal governments and colleges. According to Mindflash, there is a 20% projected hiring growth and 49,600 projected openings in 2011. Interested applicants should show a mind for research, strong communication, analytical skills and proficiency with borrowing structures.

Electrical Engineer – $84,700 After Four Years Experience

A job in electrical engineering involves designing, developing and maintaining electrical systems and/or components to required specifications, focusing on economy, safety, reliability, quality and sustainability. They may specialize in areas such as power systems, equipment manufacturing or building design. Although jobs in electrical engineering are competitive, statistics show that there is an exponential increase in electrical engineering salaries after just a few years of experience.

Web Developer – $60,900 After Three Years Experience

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook, the overall job outlook in the field of web development is expected to grow “much faster” than other occupations. Web developers and web designers can choose to freelance (the job pool is vast and varied) or they can work for corporations, schools, non-profits, government organizations or for design firms. Not only do they need to understand technology, they need to be creative problem solvers with strong communication skills.

Financial Advisor – $93,900 After Four Years Experience

Financial advisors provide clients with advice on financial matters, making recommendations on ways to best utilize their money. They provide a broad range of budgeting, tax, investment, and estate advice and there are many career pathways such as working for large financial services firms, boutique advisory practices or as solo practitioners. Financial advisors can enjoy a very high ceiling on income potential as their expertise grows.

Employment Recruiter – $55,400 After Three Years Experience

Certain industries are benefiting from the challenging job market, and it should be no surprise that employment recruiters are in high demand for their services to assist the unemployed in finding a suitable job. Employment recruiters’ daily duties consist of searching out candidates for specific job openings, reviewing resumes, interviewing candidates, administering employment tests, keeping up on rules regarding employment and possibly marketing services to independent companies. For this role an outgoing personality and an understanding of the nuances of the market is a necessity.

Construction Estimator – $67,400 After Four Years Experience

Construction estimators create cost estimates for construction companies based on materials, labor, location and projected timelines. They may work on residential, commercial or municipal building projects. Those interested in this field need to demonstrate strong math and analytical skills, an eye for detail and interpersonal skills for coordinating team members.

Project Engineer, Construction – $69,200 After Three Years Experience

Project engineers plan, design and oversee the construction and maintenance of building structures and facilities. The ideal candidate is a strong leader who is organized and has some practical experience in the construction business. The project engineer has the responsibility for making sure that the project is finished on time and they have to coordinate everything from workers to heavy equipment rental and materials delivery.

Manufacturing Engineer – $73,900 After Five Years Experience

As the final engineering category in our grouping, manufacturing engineers design and improve manufacturing systems. They may work with commercial and industrial designers to increase production, decrease costs and refine a product’s design and may also look into solutions on how manufacturers can edge out the competition. As well as understanding the technical engineering aspects of the role, an ideal candidate must have an interest in understanding the international marketplace and logistics.

The Bottom Line

All of these jobs only require a bachelor’s degree, but there is always room for increased income with more expertise and possibly a graduate degree. If you’re trained for a career in engineering you stand to be well compensated right out of the gate. Engineering dominates the list of top-paid majors, according to results of a new survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). All top 10 require the practical application of math at some level. Most importantly, they all require dedication to learn a craft, so interest and enjoyment in your chosen career is essential.

“Hot, High-Paying Career Sectors” was provided by Investopedia.com.

Teaching kids about money, like teaching them about anything, isn’t always easy. Raising financially-fit children, however, is one of the key duties of a parent, so any time spent in this area will pay off.

Parents must start teaching their children about money when they’re young. The lessons learned in early childhood will last children through their teenage years and into adulthood It’s more difficult to start giving lessons to teenagers. Therefore, the earlier you start, the more likely the lessons will stick.

With that in mind, here are a few guidelines for teaching kids about money:

Give an Allowance

The allowance is a child’s firs t experience with an income and it teaches many lessons about where money comes from, how it works, and what to do with it when you have it. Even young children can be given small allowances and taught to count out the bills and coins and keep them in a safe place. The allowance is a child’s own money and having his or her own money encourages a sense of responsibility for it.

Encourage Saving

When you do give an allowance, it’s a good idea to encourage, or even require, the child to save a percentage of it. Younger children can do this by putting aside some of the cash in an envelope or box. Older children might put it in a savings account at the bank. Encouraging saving at an early age teaches fiscal responsibility and this lesson can put children ahead of many adults.

Teach Budgeting

All families operate with a budget and it’s helpful for children to understand how budgets work and why it’s important to keep them. Include children in family financial discussions and budgetary planning sessions and explain to them how the budget plays out in everyday life. For instance, if the money for entertainment has been used up for the month, explain to the children why the family will stay in and play board games one night instead of heading out to the movies. Understanding where the family’s money goes, and why, is an important lesson for children to learn. Helping them feel part of the budgeting process also makes them feel like vital members of the family. It models for them good budgeting behavior that they can enact and replicate themselves.

Have Them Keep a Financial Journal

Get a spiral notebook and have the children keep track of their allowances and other income, along with any expenditures that they have. Writing down the figures and keeping track of their money, even in a rudimentary way, can help children to understand where their money goes and how much things cost. It can also help them when they’re saving for a large purchase to keep track of how much money they have to spend.

Participate in Philanthropy

It’s never too early to learn about giving, so it’s a good idea to encourage children to give a portion of their allowance to charity. Charitable contributions might go to a church program in which they’re involved, a local food bank or homeless shelter or a children’s charity. Such contributions teach children that they’re part of a community and their money can help others.

Introduce Them to Stock Investing

You can open custodial accounts for children and help them to follow the process of researching stocks and investing money. Choose stocks that relate to a child’s everyday life, such as Coca Cola, McDonald’s, or Nike. Investing, even at an early age, helps children to understand how the stock market works and its relationship to the products and companies that surround them.

Help Them to Get Work

Part-time employment in high school teaches teenagers about money, time management and responsibility. Assist your children in looking for jobs locally and help them as they go through the application and interview process. Work will also help them as they apply for college, since it demonstrates initiative and professionalism.

We all know that children learn more from what we do than what we say and this holds true for finances, as well. Parents, therefore, must model good financial behavior, creating a budget and sticking to it, avoiding excessive debt, saving money, doing comparison shopping and keeping financial records. More than anything else, such modeling can be a worthwhile investment in both a child’s and a family’s overall financial health.

Vivian Wagner is a freelance writer in New Concord, Ohio. Vivian blogs via Contently.com.

A romantic Valentine’s Day meal may be the fastest way to your sweetie’s heart – and an empty wallet.

The National Retail Federation expects that the 35.6% of people who say they plan to take their significant other out that night will spend a collective $3.5 billion, second only to jewelry in terms of holiday expense. Houston Asset Management, which creates an annual “Cost of Loving Index” for common gifts, says diners can expect to spend 9% more this year, due largely to higher food prices.

Despite these figures, it’s relatively easy to be both frugal and romantic, whether you’re eating out or dining at home:

Grab a voucher

Sites like LivingSocial and Groupon offer a regular rotation of half-off deals to local restaurants. Just make sure your date is OK with it. “I haven’t found it to be tacky in the slightest,” says Washington, D.C., resident Sharon Rosenblatt, who has been on a number of dates where her beau whipped out a voucher. The key: The guys noted in advance that they’d scored a deal, and picked cool places that wouldn’t otherwise be affordable.

Use everyday savings tricks

Restaurant reward programs? Check. Discounts from apps and happy hour deals? Check, check. Plenty of restaurants offer specials on Valentine’s Day to increase traffic, so make sure you peruse the options to find a good deal.

Order delivery

Sites that let you order restaurant food online for home delivery often offer discounts themselves. For example, first-time customers on Delivery.com get 25% off, and Eat24.com lets frequent customers earn VIP rewards, including free dishes. Provide your own candles and wine and, voilà! Instant atmosphere.

Cook together

“[My wife and I] will sometimes buy special ingredients and try something new or a classic favorite of ours,” says Mike Allen, chief executive shopper for Shopping-Bargains.com. “The 
time together and the home ‘dinner and a movie’ approach is lots of fun 
and rather inexpensive.” A few ideas for cheap romantic meals:

Oysters with spicy vinaigrette. A classic and expensive-seeming aphrodisiac, this dish actually clocks in at under $10.

Beef goulash. A steak dinner can cost more than $80 on Valentine’s Day, which is why Isra Hashmi, of “TheFrugalette.com,” says she prefers a slow-cooked version that lets you use a cheaper cut. Her version costs $3.45 per serving, leaving “a lot more leftover for flowers,” she jokes.

To make it, warm two tablespoons vegetable oil over med-high heat. Add two pounds of beef chuck in 1” pieces, turning until brown on all sides. Put in a slow-cooker. Add two chopped onions to pan and fry until soft. Add two cloves chopped garlic, a tablespoon each of paprika and tomato paste and two cups chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then pour over beef in slow cooker. Add one chopped bell pepper, cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over egg noodles topped with a little sour cream.

Chocolate-covered-cherry cake truffles. Kris Schoels, of “YoungMarriedChic.com,” suggests swapping in this recipe for standard homemade truffles.

Roast Cornish game hens. They’re often more per pound than a roaster chicken, but at a lower weight, still clock in at less than $10 for two. Here’s how Candace Conley, of “TheGirlCanCook.blogspot.com,” prepares them:

Preheat oven to 450. Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of canola or grapeseed oil. Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper. Place two lemon wedges and a sprig of rosemary in the cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan with a pound of baby potatoes and two chopped onions scattered around the hens. Roast for 25 minutes, and then reduce oven temperature to 350.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together a third of a cup each of white wine and chicken broth. Add a pound of chopped mushrooms to the roasting pan and pour the wine mixture over the pan contents. Roast another 25 minutes, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes. Once hens are cooked, transfer pan juices to a medium saucepan and boil about 10 minutes, until they reduce to a sauce consistency. Serve the hens split open, with vegetables and sauce.

Frugal Foodie is a journalist based in New York City who spends her days writing about personal finance and obsessing about what she’ll have for dinner. Chat with her on Twitter through @MintFoodie.

According to a 2011 survey by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, 64% of Americans don’t have enough cash on-hand to handle a $1,000 emergency. If you don’t have money put away for emergencies, you’re walking a financial tightrope.

Building an emergency fund is one of the most important ways to protect yourself against financial disaster. It’s an account with money set aside strictly for emergencies and when bad things happen. Experts say when people fail to have an adequate emergency fund in place they often turn to debt.

Because stuff happens

Bad things can and do happen in life. It doesn’t always have to be something totally catastrophic but if you go long enough, some unexpected surprise, incident or problem will leave you with a large bill. If you’re lucky, the problem is relatively straight forward: Your car could break down, the heater in your house could go out, or you might need a new roof.

Then there are the really bad things. You could lose your job and be out of work for two months or you could need an operation and have to cover a $5,000 insurance deductible.

You can’t anticipate when these things can happen but you can prepared for them financially by having money set aside. William Hammer, Jr., CFP, Vice President of Wealth Management for Vanderbilt Partners, said an emergency fund can prevent an emotional struggle from becoming a financial one.

“It’s not that the odds of something terrible happening are that great. It’s that the hardships could be devastating if you don’t have the money. An emergency fund is a piece of mind,” said Hammer.

Aim to have six months living expenses put away

Most financial advisors recommend you have at least six months worth of living expenses or income in your emergency fund. This should be what you need to cover bare essentials such as the mortgage, utilities, food, insurance premiums, childcare costs and everything you need to keep your life running.

You don’t need to include retirement contributions, money for fun on the weekends and other discretionary spending. If your mortgage, utilities, food and all the basics add up to $3,000 per month, you’ll want to aim to have $18,000 in your emergency fund.

Mari Adam, Certified Financial Planner and president of Adam Financial Associates, said while six months is ideal, it can be a little out of reach for most people. She said three might suffice for many and if you can’t meet that, then “something” is always better than nothing.

“Even one month is better than nothing. You need to have something put away to handle emergencies. Some people say they can’t save up six months worth, so they get frustrated and quit,” she said.

Adam recommends putting your emergency fund in an online savings account and setting up automatic transfers to slowly build it to the level you need. You also need to be disciplined and not give into temptation to pull money from your emergency fund to take vacations, indulge in splurges or use it for non-emergency expenses.

If you don’t usually invest in a Roth IRA, Adam said another alternative might be to start building an emergency fund in one. While a Roth is a retirement account, you’re allowed to withdraw contributions at any time for any reason. You can typically put up to $5,000 per year in a Roth and your money can grow tax-free and be withdrawn tax-free in retirement.

“Maybe you put it in a Roth and hopefully you don’t need the money. You’ll have some emergency funds in place and you’ll also be building a retirement fund,” said Adam.

Going without an emergency fund is an open door to debt

When you don’t have an adequate emergency fund, you risk having to turn to debt in a time of crisis.

The N.F.C.C. survey found that 17 percent of respondents said they would borrow money from family to cover the emergency. Another 17 percent said they would neglect existing obligations, 12 percent said they would sell or pawn belongings and 9 percent said they would get a loan from a cash advance store. All of these options can lead to snowballing debt and financial problems.

“Most people will turn to credit cards or a home equity line of credit, if they’re lucky enough to have one when you consider where home prices are at,” said Adam Koos, CFP, President and Founder of Libertas Wealth Management.

The problem with relying on debt is you start accruing interest on whatever problem you had. If you’re tapping a credit card with a 20% interest rate to cover that $1,000 car repair and carry that debt for a year, that problem will now cost you $1,200 instead. Koos said you can “be your own credit card” by saving up the money to begin with.

Adam said whereas many people relied on home equity lines of credit to serve as an emergency fund, fewer people have that option nowadays. Plummeting real estate values across the country means that fewer people have home equity to borrow against.

Craig Guillot is a business and personal finance writer from New Orleans. He covers insurance, investing, real estate, retirement and debt. His work has appeared in such publications and web sites as Entrepreneur, CNNMoney.com, CNBC.com, Bankrate.com and Investor’s Business Daily. He is the author of “Stuff About Money: No BS Financial Advice for Regular People.“

Valentine’s Day comes hot on the heels of the holiday gift-giving season. If you’re like most people, you’re sitting around looking at your bills wondering how you’re going to afford another holiday. What people often forget is that Valentine’s Day isn’t about expensive chocolates, flowers or fine dining — it’s about you and the one that you love spending time together. Whether you’re newlyweds or old marrieds, here are some ways you can spend February 14 that will have you remembering the very first time you met.

A Home Cooked Meal

Especially if one of you tends to do most of the cooking, a home cooked meal can be a nice change of pace. Get quality ingredients and make an event out of it. Let the person who normally does the cooking sit back and relax. If you both tend to share cooking responsibilities, you can spend time cooking together. Accomplishing tasks in common together is proven to bring couples closer together.

A Guide to Dining Out

Dining out doesn’t have to be pricy. You can easily feed two people well for under $50, including a desert and have a night to remember. What you want to do is look for an out of the way place that’s a little off the beaten path. Not only will it be cheaper, it will also be quieter. Throw in some inexpensive flowers, gentleman, and your date will be telling everyone just how romantic you are the next day.

Skating

For the person who lives somewhere with an ice skating rink, this can be a great way to get close to one another. Someone without a lot of experience on the rink will be clinging to the person with more experience. Roller rinks are another way to do this for people who live in warmer climates. In both cases, you’re going to go have flashbacks to the more whimsical days of your youth. You won’t spend more than $20 or $30 on a night like this, and it will create memories that will last a life time. You can’t put a price on that.

Karaoke

Karaoke is a  great date because it gets you to open up and act a little sillier than you might normally. Unless you’re heavy drinkers or live somewhere where drinking out is expensive, you won’t spend a ton of money on this date, but you’ll have a ton of fun. Even if you or your date can’t sing, who cares? Karaoke isn’t about singing. It’s about having fun.

Window Shopping

If you live somewhere with an upscale shopping district, why not take a walk through it with that special someone dreaming of the days after you hit the lottery? Walk around looking at stuff you can’t really afford. Even try some of it on. Note to gentlemen: It’s probably a good idea to spend $50 or so on something small for her so the evening isn’t just a reminder of what you can’t afford. You can always get her a bottle of nice perfume for that price; but the time she has doesn’t have a value.

Hiking or Running

If you and your partner are active, why not have an active night together? A walk in the park can be made into a serious hike. If you prefer running, why not go for a serious five kilometer run together? If you’re used to the run, there’s no reason why you two can’t bond over the run — and you wouldn’t be the first runners who prefer running to just about everything else. A lot of cities even have couples runs.

Crafting Date

For the creative and crafting types, you can spend the evening together crafting. Even if one of you isn’t that into crafting generally, it can be fun to spend time together making something for the other person. When the night is done you will each have a gift that money couldn’t buy, as well as the memory of good time spent together.

The Best Things In Life Are Free

Whether it’s the view from Mulholland Drive or just the natural beauty of looking at a majestic mountain out in the sticks, there’s a good chance where you live boasts something of natural or man-made beauty that costs nothing at all. Pack yourself a picnic lunch and head out there for some quiet time together.

Nicholas Pell doesn’t have any plans for Valentine’s Day at press time.

Here’s something you haven’t heard in years: I have good news about your 401(k).

Last week, the Department of Labor published a new regulation requiring 401(k) plans to tell participants (that’s you), on an annual basis, what services they’re charging you for and how much they’re charging. No, this wasn’t already required. The regulation takes effect at the end of August.

“It’s an itemized receipt,” says Dave O’Brien, a certified financial planner in Richmond, VA, who helps businesses develop 401(k) plans. “Back in the 80s, when you bought a car, all you knew was the MSRP on the window. Today, you go to any different website and it tells you what the true cost is.”

O’Brien and other retirement plan experts I spoke to agreed on two things: People aren’t going to read the new disclosures, but it’s great news anyway.

“The new regulations are a huge deal, not necessarily because of what an individual can do with the information, but more about what’s going to happen to the overall marketplace,” says Mike Alfred, cofounder and CEO of Brightscope, which helps people see how their employer’s 401(k) stacks up. “You can already see that happening.”

For example, said Alfred, last month Schwab announced a new 401(k) product based entirely around low-cost index funds.

Let’s take a step back, though, and ask: Why does it matter how much your 401(k) costs? You never get a bill for it, right?

The high cost of 1 percent

In the world of 401(k)s, like the rest of the world, there are haves and have-nots. The haves work at big companies that have the size and power to negotiate with plan providers (the insurance companies and mutual fund companies that implement 401(k) plans for employers) for a 401(k) with great investment options and low fees. Think of these good 401(k)s as Disneyland.

Most people are stuck with crappy 401(k)s, full of expensive funds with extra management fees slapped on top. These are more like your skeezy neighborhood amusement park, lousy with pickpockets and greedy carneys. Or, to go back to Dave O’Brien’s car dealership example, these plans sell you undercoating without telling you.

The price difference between the best and worst 401(k)s is shocking. In 2009, the Government Accountability Office released a report that was mostly about the benefits of automatic enrollment in retirement plans, but also included these gems:

- “[M]ore than 80 percent of 401(k) participants reported in a nationwide survey not knowing how much they pay in fees.”

- And what you don’t know can hurt you: Over a 20-year period, a 1 percentage point increase in fees and expenses would reduce a worker’s ending balance by over 17%. If you have an expensive 401(k), you could literally be retiring years later so your retirement plan provider can get richer. And the difference in cost between the best and worst plans is a lot more than 1 percentage point. I’ve seen plans charging as little as 0.1% and as much as 3%.

“Providers, as you may know, don’t want this regulation, because it’ll make it harder for them to make as much money as they have in the past,” says Brightscope’s Alfred.

Let ’em have it

If you’re stuck with a 401(k) run by carneys, it’s probably not because you work for an evil company; it’s because your company is just as confused by this stuff as you are. The new regulations can help there, too, because they require itemized disclosures from plan providers (Schwab, Nationwide, Merrill Lynch, and so on) to plan sponsors (your boss).

Even though the regulations don’t go into effect for another six months, it’s worth trying to figure out what your 401(k) is charging you now. Nobody (other than weird personal finance writers) enjoys talking to their benefits department, but it wouldn’t hurt to let them know that you understand there are new rules coming soon and you’d like to get that information as soon as possible. My fantasy is millions of employees waving their annual fee disclosure forms and descending on their benefits offices in droves, but I’m a weird personal finance writer.

If we’re going to ask workers to manage their own retirement savings, the least we can do is give them an honest, accurate bill. “The spirit of this is, you should know what you pay for,” says O’Brien.

That’s a good start. Now I’m going to go into fantasy mode. You know the sticker on your water heater that shows you how energy-efficient it is compared to the competition? Wouldn’t it be great if your 401(k)’s annual report had to put your expenses in context?

This is, not coincidentally, a lot like what Brightscope shows you on their website, but a federal mandate would make the information more specific and more widely available. If you’re paying 1.1% for the same fund that charges 0.5% in the 401(k) of the company next door (and this happens all the time), wouldn’t you like to know?

Oh, one more thing: I’d like to apologize to carneys for comparing them to financial services industry professionals.

Matthew Amster-Burton is a personal finance columnist at Mint.com. Find him on Twitter @Mint_Mamster