Living on a Budget
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12 Free or Cheap Things You Must Do in Chicago
Exploring a new city these days isn’t cheap: There are vacation rentals to pay for, restaurants to explore, and museum fees to fork over. But every city — including Chicago — offers its locals and visitors options for free (or deeply discounted)…
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50 Ways to Prepare for a Recession
With consumer prices soaring, interest rates rising, and the looming threat of an economic downturn, many U.S. households are looking for ways to tighten their budgets, do more with less, and revisit purchasing decisions. If yours is among them, and…
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12 Ways to Save This Summer at Costco, Sam’s, and BJ’s
When shoppers think of the savings found at Costco, Sam’s Club, or BJ’s Wholesale Club, food and paper goods likely spring to mind. But the warehouse clubs offer deals on many more products, including some seasonal items. Popsicles, meat for…
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Ways to Become a Product Tester and Get Free Stuff
Free samples have evolved from freebies in supermarket aisles to items that arrived with a newspaper or magazine subscriptions to free perks for influencers and loyal customers. Free samples are now tailored to specific tastes, demographics, and shopping styles and…
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Credit Horror Stories That Will Keep You Up at Night
Your credit isn’t your life, but it affects much of it. Your credit score determines not only your credit card limits, but how worthy you are to rent or buy a house, lease or own a car, get insurance, sign…
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15 Smart Purchases That Pay for Themselves
Cutting expenses is always appealing, but a small upfront investment can reap ongoing savings. These products and services pay for themselves — and then some — in relatively short order. LED Light Bulbs LED bulbs are energy- and cost-efficient replacements…
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12 Hacks and Secrets for Shopping at Walmart
Walmart is known for “everyday low prices” and its famous “Rollback” discounts. But there are so many other ways to save real money at Walmart on a regular basis. These…
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The States With the Highest — and Lowest — Gas Taxes
With gas prices at staggering new highs, it’s tempting to scrutinize every single reason for our pain at the pump. One of them, of course, is an age-old villain: taxes. Some…
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Where to Go for a Budget-Friendly Summer Vacation in All 50 States
Summertime brings longer days and warm-weather wanderlust. Whether you hit a park, take a tour, attend an event, drive a scenic byway, or explore a destination dish by dish, there…
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These Cars Are the Most Likely to Surpass 200,000 Miles
With the price of both new and used cars through the roof, it’s no wonder Americans are driving their cars for longer. In fact, vehicles on U.S. roads were an…
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These 12 Things Are Actually Getting Cheaper
If it feels like everything is more expensive these days, that’s not far from the truth. Inflation is near a 40-year record, and prices for gas, food, and other daily…
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Wastes of Money Sold to You by Luxury Retailers
Even a site called Cheapism isn’t immune to the appeal of the finer things in life, whether it’s a true extravagance or splurging a little on everyday items. Still, there…
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Common Household Items You Can Sell for Cash
You may feel the itch to declutter your home, but it’s worth giving even seemingly worthless items a once-over to see if they’re worth selling. According to a Nielsen survey…
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Retirement Communities With Homes Under $100,000
There is no shortage of pricey retirement communities across the United States. Yet believe it or not, it is still possible to get a decent place for $100,000 or less.…
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Foods That Are Getting More Expensive
Inflation has spread its wings out and touched just about every industry imaginable, causing prices of gas, lumber, and even groceries to skyrocket. But inflation isn’t the only reason why…
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50+ Ways to Slash Your Food Budget
Americans spend a lot of money on food — $7,316 in 2020 in the average U.S. household, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a drop as eating habits changed…
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Where to Sell Clothes for Quick Cash
Emptying your closets of unwanted or long unworn clothing is an easy way to make extra cash quickly. A number of retailers have decided to harness the growing resale market…
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This Is Why Shoppers Are Addicted to Costco
Legions of consumers happily pay the (minimum) $60 annual fee for the privilege of shopping at Costco. In 2021, there were more than 111 million cardholders, according to the company’s…
