Living on a Budget

  • Skip the Flip-Flops: 10 Ways to Save on Kids’ Clothes

    Kids tear through their clothes, literally. They either outgrow things at an alarming rate or wear them so hard that they don’t last longer than a few months. And while some items demand replacements, other types of kids’ clothes can…

  • 12 Steps to Hiring a Contractor for Less

    This is the time of year when you look at your home afresh and think about all the improvements you’d like to make. The prospect of some tax refund cash might be just the spur you need to get started.…

  • How I Saved More Than $500 in a Month

    This February we invited readers to take the Frugal Month Challenge and commit to what some have called a “no-buy month.” My family of four embarked on this cheap-living challenge and now I’m back to share the results. I am…

  • 11 Ways to Throw a March Madness Party on the Cheap

    March Madness is quickly approaching and throwing a party to cheer for any of the 68 teams in the weeks-long tournament is what a devoted fan of college basketball does. From decorations and themed baked goods to snacks and booze,…

  • 10 Ways to Save on Valentine’s Day

    Valentine’s Day is approaching, which means many Americans will be dropping dollars in the name of love. Among respondents in a recent survey by the National Retail Federation, women plan to spend an average of $96.58 to show their affection…

  • 10 Ideas for a Budget-Friendly Guys’ or Girls’ Night In

    Taylor Swift is the new queen of girls’ night in. Every week, it seems, Swift posts another photo on Instagram of herself with her famous friends cooking, singing, and dancing in the living room. No doubt guys and girls alike…

  • Save $400: Take the Frugal Month Challenge in February

    The holidays may provide a festive reprieve from the daily grind, but as a rule of thumb, they’re not good for your wallet. With January comes a return to real…

  • 10 Tips for Sewing Your Way to Savings

    Sewing does require skill, no doubt about that. But for certain projects around the house or in your closet, it may be a worthwhile skill to learn and put to…

  • 11 Things You Should Be Renting Instead of Buying

    Recent years have seen the flowering of the rental economy. What started with streaming services such as Netflix and Pandora has become a full-on profusion of rental options as an…

  • 10 Deal Finders to Follow in 2015

    Bargain hunters, rejoice: There are more tools than ever to help you find sales, deals, and coupon codes. Companies whose sole purpose is to make finding coupons and coupon codes…

  • What’s Worth More: Your Money or Your Time?

    My banker husband has always said, “Time is money.” I understood the point but never put the old adage to the test. We all probably have a different bottom line…

  • 50 Best Money-Saving Tips of the Year

    Another year is coming to an end, presenting a chance to reflect on what we learned during the past 12 months. From electricity costs to credit cards, we’ve covered it…

  • What Are the Best Free Resources for Learning Personal Finance?

    From 401(k)s to the monthly budget, personal finance can be a dull and difficult subject to master. Countless articles and paid and free courses tackle the matter from a variety…

  • Should You Head Outside the City for Cheaper Gas?

    Have you ever made a U-turn to reach the gas station on the other side of the street because the price is cheaper than at the one straight ahead? But…

  • Is Free Money Worth It?

    You’ve no doubt received a flyer in the mail or seen the billboards: Open a new checking account with us and receive $100 cash! Sounds like a deal, to be…

  • Save an Easy $100 by Unplugging These Devices

    Just because the TV is turned off doesn’t mean it isn’t consuming energy. Millions and millions of watts of “phantom energy” are used every day by unsuspecting electric customers. When…

  • Advice From the Minimum Wage Front Lines

    Mysti Reutlinger has been through tough times. Although now in the process of starting her own business in the Cheyenne, Wyoming area — the third in six years and the…

  • College Tours: How Students Can Visit for Free

    As high school students prepare to spend the next several years and thousands of dollars earning an undergraduate degree, finding the right college is critical. The atmosphere on campus, the…