Living on a Budget

  • 21 Money-Saving Summer Vacation Tips

    Summertime is vacation time for many families, with the kids out of school and the warm weather inviting outdoor adventures. Sticking to a budget during the busy travel season can be difficult, but these tips may help.Related: 11 Ways to…

  • Live Large Like Oprah or Gwyneth for Less

    Oprah Winfrey’s “favorite things” and the shopping discoveries in Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop newsletter are presented as must-haves for living the celebrity life. For us common folk, though, spending $60 on cherry pie that’s eaten in an hour or an admittedly…

  • Prepping for Prom on a Budget

    Prom is supposed to be a night for creating lasting memories, not a lasting dent in your wallet. Last year families with teenagers spent nearly $1,000 on that magical night, according to a survey by Visa, Inc. But savvy parents…

  • 10 Ways to Cut Costs on a Kid’s Birthday Party

    If you’ve ever seen the MTV show My Super Sweet 16, then you know about the parents who spare no expense to indulge their child’s every desire for one birthday party extravaganza. Judging from our research, this kind of out-of-control…

  • Animal cheetah wildlife safari drive savanna nature cat Africa grass

    Tallyho! 12 Tips for an Affordable Safari

    Many travelers dream of venturing across the African plain to see rare wildlife up close. For most people who manage to make the trip, going on safari is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and an expensive one at that, with prices easily…

  • 11 Ways to Save for a Summer Vacation

    Planning ahead for a summer vacation can save money and allow time to set aside funds. Families who budget year-round have a leg up, but there’s still time left in the school year to get serious about saving. These tips…

  • How to Spay or Neuter Your Pet for Less

    It’s no secret that a new pet comes with heavy costs, especially in the first year. One of the major expenses involves spaying (females) or neutering (males) a dog or…

  • 11 Ways to Make Saving Money Automatic

    For America Saves Week, Feb. 22-27 this year, the Consumer Federation of America is encouraging consumers to automate their savings. Not sure how to do that? Here are 11 easy…

  • Who Is the Most Frugal Presidential Candidate?

    The 2016 presidential race marches on, with candidates of both parties making promises about economic reform. Some want to spend a lot more government dough, while others want to cut…

  • 10 Ways to Make Sure You’re Seeing the Lowest Price Online

    Imagine that the price sticker on a store shelf could automatically change based on the price at another store, or who is walking by. That’s essentially what happens online: Retailers…

  • 20 Products and Services You Should Never Buy at Full Price

    Money is often tight in January, when the holidays finally end and the bills come due. But for a variety of products and services, discounts are so easy to find…

  • How to Save Up to 20 Percent By Using Bitcoin

    By now, most people have heard of Bitcoin; the decentralized digital currency is all the rage among new-technology geeks. But anyone can use Bitcoin, and frugal consumers might want to…

  • 10 Ways to Save $100 or More in 10 Minutes or Less

    Saving money often requires a lot of time and effort. In some cases, though, 10 minutes or less is all it takes to save $100 or more. Get a head…

  • Hosting This Holiday? 18 Ways to Cut Stress and Spending

    Holiday entertaining can be stressful — and expensive. Instead of slipping down that rabbit hole, try these 18 tips for saving money, time, and sanity without detracting from the event.…

  • 10 Things You Should Never Buy Secondhand

    For many types of durable consumer goods, “shop secondhand” is a valuable money-saving tip. Books, cars, dishware, décor, and most clothes can often be bought for pennies on the dollar…

  • How Group Travel Can Save You Money

    Traveling solo or with a friend can be fun, but it can also be expensive. A budget-friendly solution to consider before hitting the road is traveling with a group. Affinity…

  • 7 Keys to Successful Price Matching

    The best way to get a good deal is to shop around, right? But running from store to store can gobble up time and gas. That’s where price matching comes…

  • Woman showing a coupon on a mobile phone to a store employee

    Best Price-Matching Policies

    Jump to: Price-Match Guarantees: The Fine Print Eligible Items Eligible Merchants Other Exclusions How to Price Match Employee Discretion Online Price Matching Price Adjustment Stores That Price Match: How They…