Frugal For Life

Success in the Frugal Journey

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 05:19:00 PDT

Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day, saying.."I will try again tomorrow." ~Mary Anne Radmacher I’ve been looking forward to this day and dreading this day. I look forward to today because I realize that I have finally feel that I know how to ride my figurative bike without training wheels. When I first started Frugal for Life, back in 2004, there

7 Steps to Forming Financial Habits

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 05:19:00 PDT

What are your habits? Do you eat from the vending machine each day, go to the same place for lunch with your co-workers, and fall into bed at the same time each night? Maybe you've made a habit out of spending on impulse, avoiding a budget, and staying up as late as possible. Someone famously said: “Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions. Watch

My 4 Rules to Food Safety

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 06:16:00 PDT

Nothing freaks me out more than seeing meat or poultry thawing on the counter. I'm always asking how long an item has been out and no matter the answer, I usually end up tossing it in the fridge to keep the bacteria at bay. The USDA states: Perishable foods should never be thawed on the counter, or in hot water and must not be left at room temperature for more than two hours. Even though the

Planning Ahead: Free Children's Activities

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 05:08:00 PST

Now that I'm an aunt for the first time, children's clothes, activities and behaviors now catch my attention as I try to understand the mystery of growing up from the outside now. I'm regularly asking my sister what activities my 7mos. old nephew is doing. It is too early to figure out his interests yet, but it is fun to wonder if he will be a DIY builder, a weird scientist concoction mixer or if

Random Thoughts: Gyms, Costco and Can Ethics

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 05:07:00 PST

Since starting the new job I've been trying to find out every little way I can save money by using discounts through the company I work with. I usually work within the telecommunication industry and with that I receive whatever item they sell for free or at a greatly reduced price. Additionally, they have connections with other companies that provide discounts for computers, car rentals, hotels

Online Learning: The Neverending Study

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 05:43:00 PST

Monday I put together a very basic understanding of bonds and what I had learned from them. While I was reading I found that there was so much more that I didn't understand and could have added to my learning. Having written about frugal living for the past 6 years, I have found that the personal finance side of frugality is the part that is harder to learn. To me, it is easier to find ways to

Frugal Web: Forehead Tattoos and Library Songs

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 05:16:00 PST

Previously I've daydreamed about winning the lottery. But recently a British survey (pdf) gathered people's opinion on what they would do for a million pounds (~$1.6 mill. USD). The options were not typical. Be Photographed naked for a national newspaper (31%) Have no human contact for a year (18%) Have sex with someone you find physically "repulsive"(17%) Give up a kidney (15%) Not see sunlight

Codename: Bond Basics

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 05:31:00 PST

SchoolhouseRock - Tyrannosaurus Debt TOUR GUIDE: And this is the U.S. Treasury. It sells Treasury Bonds, bills, and notes, and savings bonds to finance the debt. The U.S. government promises to pay the owner interest plus the value of each bond at a future date.Up to a few days ago, if you asked me what a bond was, I would tell you it was a way to make some interest on your money through the

5 Obstacles to Financial Fitness

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 14:24:16 PST

You want to be financially fit. You know all about buying generic and what needs to be done to start a budget. You know what is involved in starting your retirement fund and how much to sock away. You can even picture a future with fewer stresses and possibly an early retirement. So why aren't you on the road to that frugal success you read about? Simply put, there are life issues that block

6 Ways to Prepare for Medical Bills

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 05:21:00 PST

A 2007 survey of low- and middle-income consumers with credit card debt found the following: Nearly one-third (29 percent) reported that medical expenses contributed to their current level of credit card debt. I would think that with the economy in the dumps since then, that percentage hasn't gone down very much. As a matter of fact, in a 2008 study: More than one-half (52%)of indebted low- and

I HAVE FANTASTIC CREDIT SCORES -- BUT

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:28:12 PST

Just an FYI out there for those who may not know that, even though your credit score can be in the high “700s” and/or even in the low “800s”, it often times does not help you in acquiring a credit card, loan, or anything else you may wish to get on credit if you have very limited credit. My friend, unfortunately, found out that the hard way. DO NOT CLOSE DOWN your credit card accounts even if you

Dreaming Of A Lottery Win

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 06:10:00 PST

Just because I like to think and live frugally, doesn't mean I don't like to dream a little. Every once and a while when I stumble across the amount of the lottery in my state, my mind drifts off to planning how I would spend the money if I got won it. Given I would have to be a VERY lucky person as I don't buy lottery tickets. I've always said to people that if I'm lucky enough to win the

Pros and Cons of ReUsable Bags

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 05:37:00 PST

I recently saw a UPI article about Lead Found in Some Reusable Bags that were offered from grocery and retail stores. "The nonprofit Center for Consumer Freedom (CCF) released new lab results showing that a number of major retailers’ reusable shopping bags contained excessive levels of lead. Of the 44 organizations whose bags were tested, 16 are selling or distributing reusable bags containing

401k Rollover Conclusion

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 05:43:00 PST

After getting laid off from my previous job I initially thought I would remove the money from my 401k to cover any expenses that would come. But then I reminded myself that I'm not going to do this anymore unless it's an emergency. Considering that the last few years of filling out tax returns has resulted in me paying out instead of getting a refund, I figured that would constitute an emergency

Things to Re-Use You Had No Idea You Could

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 05:09:00 PST

When I was growing up, my frugal-to-the-core mother was the master of “re-using.” Now, first, I must say that I love my mother more than anyone on earth and my respect for her knows no bounds. However, as a child, this whole concept of “Don’t throw that away! You can RE-use it!” was first annoying and then just “not cool.” Ironically, now a few years out of college and attempting to make ends

Cleaning Up Your Financial House

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 05:51:00 PST

Being laid off has it's advantages like more time with family, crossing off items on the to do list, no longer putting off that exercising because you are too tired. But one definite disadvantage to being laid off is that depression lurks around the corner to sneak up on you if you are diligent to keep watch. I was doing really well keeping myself positive, working out and keeping myself busy

5 Tips to Remember for Mattress Buying

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 06:19:00 PST

"My ribs hurt!" "I feel better sleeping on the couch or recliner." "I hate getting into that bed." "I never get a decent sleep, I think the bed needs to be replaced." These are all comments that have been mentioned in my home, more and more often, and I think it's almost time to get a new mattress. The foam mattress in question is going on it's 6th year and has acquired hills and valleys. A

41 Things Living Frugally Has Taught Me

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 06:07:00 PST

Anytime frugality is brought up in a conversation, eventually the talk turns to those who are extreme in their frugality. I know that there are some things that I do that are too extreme for my co-workers and some things they do that are beyond the pale for me. But frugality isn't about shocking your friends and family. Frugality isn't an extreme sport where there are winners and losers. It is a

Restoring A Credit Score With Positives

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 06:02:00 PST

I've written multiple times about my own bankruptcy and having to deal with the aftermath of a ruined credit score. I have also had to learn ways to bring my credit score back up to a good level. The classic way and most common suggestion is to make sure that you make all your payments on time and keep your debt ratio around 30-50% (or less) of the credit that is available to you. These two

One Neuron Away From Riches

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 06:38:00 PST

In a 13 page, study, researched by Xinying Cai, Soyoun Kim and Daeyeol Lee, they have come to the conclusion (at least in monkeys) that immediate gratification may be one firing neuron away and can determine if we are genetically spenders or savers. "Two monkeys (H and J) were trained to perform an intertemporal choice task, in which they chose between two different amounts of juice that is

10 Ways to Cut Impulse Grocery Shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 06:28:00 PST

The longer you stay in the grocery store the better chance you have of increasing your receipt total with impulse purchases. My partner is amazed when I run to the store to pick up the groceries, how quickly I come back after leaving. For her it is an easy 60-90 minute shopping trip. I thought I would pass along a few ways I get in and out so quickly for those who are wanting to cutting down on

Finding Money for Gifts in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 06:51:00 PST

Holiday season 2010 was the best year for retailers in the last 4 years even though December was a poor sales record on it's own. (via) Why? Because people started their holiday buying early! Not that I like to see the Christmas season creep in on Halloween, but it's nice to hear that sales are helping people spread out the buying so that people like me can use a budget to buy gifts instead of

Coupons: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 06:04:00 PST

Coupon Sherpa recently post the top 10 coupon stories of 2010 and I have a few things to say about this last year as well. The good, the bad and the ugly part of coupons. 1. Groupon goes viral - I am one of those people who signed up and has bought a few things through them. I bought a good deal for a subscription to the newspaper (for the Sunday coupons) and I have been milking that

A New Chapter: Starting Over With Bankruptcy

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 06:43:00 PST

13 years ago I claimed bankruptcy and the process was easier than my imagination made it out to be. In my imagination I saw myself and my lawyer on one side of the huge courtroom and the mean, impatient credit card lawyers queuing up to give the judge a reason why I should not be allowed bankruptcy. It didn't go like that at all, but the process of chapter 7 was a learning experience. With the

Success in Frugal Living

noreply@blogger.com (Dawn) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 11:58:40 PST

I apologize for the trouble with approving comments, will have them posted once figured out. Have you noticed that people who are successful at living frugally- living on less than they make and saving and investing - are always asked how they did it and seem to expect a 3 point solution that will be as easy as waking up and putting on underwear in the morning. There is a trap to thinking