Living on a Budget

  • One roll of silver cloth duct tape on light blue table background. Pastel color. Closeup. Top down view.

    15 Clever Uses for Duct Tape That Save Money

    In many homes, duct tape is the go-to solution when something’s broken. A 2019 study of 2,000 Americans found that 51% of participants had duct tape fixing something in their home, while 37% were using duct tape to hold something…

  • August 8, 2019 Palo Alto / CA / USA - Exterior view a Grocery Outlet bargain market located in San Francisco bay area

    How Salvage Grocery Stores Help Shoppers Save Money (and the Planet)

    As inflation continues to eat away at budgets, more shoppers are turning to salvage stores, which sell damaged, discounted, and otherwise unwanted goods for cheap. In the first part of 2022, some salvage store managers even saw double-digit sales growth,…

  • Unrecognizable man buying beer in a supermarket store.

    The Best IPAs You Can Buy at the Grocery Store

    When IPAs became all the rage in the 2010s, I resisted the craft beer trend, preferring cheap, easy-drinking light beers to the metallic bitterness of a bottle of Lagunitas. Everything from IPA culture’s bloated lexicon to the bottles’ gaudy designs…

  • Serving fish dish as a business class food on board

    Things We Used To Get For Free (But Now We Have To Pay For)

    Once upon a time, we got a lot of goods and services for no charge at all. But now we’re nickeled and dimed from the local gas station to the grocery store to the airliner where a full meal used…

  • Two Walmart+ bags on customer's doorstep

    Is Walmart+ Worth It? Here’s What You Need to Know

    While Walmart launched its membership program more than two years ago, even savvy consumers seem unaware or perplexed by Walmart+. What is it? How much does it cost? Is it worth it? If you find yourself wondering, you’re in the…

  • Fairfax: People with shopping carts filled with groceries goods, products walking out of Costco store in Virginia in parking car lot

    Costco Superfans Reveal the Retailer’s ‘Best Deals’

    While most retailers tack on 25-50% extra on products to make a profit, Costco keeps its markups lower than 15%, ensuring that its members pay low prices. And some deals are even better. Here are Costco’s “best deals,” according to…