Clik here to view.
How to Have a Merry (but frugal) Christmas
I know what you are thinking: Christmas and frugal living do not exactly go together. If ever there were a time when even the most ardent savers take a break from the budget, it is the year-end...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Rule of Frugal Living: Never pay to attend sporting events
As the college football holiday bowl season is upon us, well over a million Americans are going about the process of booking flights, hotels, restaurant reservations and, of course, stadium tickets....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Products and Services you should NEVER buy
My last post explained one of my cardinal rules of practical frugal living of never paying to watch sporting events. This generated a fair amount of interest and discussion, with more than a few...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Bottled water for sale . . . Really?
I had this dream last night that I hated to see end. I had become a multi-millionaire and won the Nobel Peace Prize, all for inventing and perfecting a method of delivering an essential product to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Products and Services you should NEVER buy (continued)
Because it seems to be generating a lot of interest, let’s continue with this theme of things you should never spend your money on. I talked about bottled water last week and cigarettes and tattoos...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tools of Frugality: the Tire Gauge
With all the recent discussion about products you should never buy, I thought it would be good to switch gears and discuss a tool of the trade that you have to buy if you are interested in a frugal...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Winter Storms: Great Teachers of Frugal Living
When it comes to frugal living, winter weather deserves a little love. Sure, we all curse those snow and ice covered roads and frigid temperatures, but, when you really think it through, we can...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Busting the Myth that Motorcycles Save Gas (and Money)
With each new surge in gas prices, a frequently asked question is whether motorcycles offer substantial savings in fuel consumption. The related question is whether motorcycles have a place in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Busting the Myths of Motorcycle Savings (Part II)
As I mentioned in the last post, motorcycles, for all their glory, are pretty disappointing when it comes to fuel economy and savings. When you consider their small size relative to cars and trucks,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tools of Frugality: The Rain Check
So yesterday I was lured into my local grocery store in large part by electronic notification of my frequent shopper card specials. As is customary for this particular grocer, a few of my best...
View ArticleClik here to view.
On Deck: the Toyota Prius – frugal or no?
Hello everyone, and apologies for the lack of discussion recently. The posts I wrote about the myths of motorcycles saving money generated some good questions about my views on hybrid cars. I’m...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Myth Busters: Toyota Prius as a Money Saver
People often wonder just how much money they can save by purchasing a Toyota Prius. With the Prius’ famed EPA fuel consumption estimates of 48 miles per gallon city and 51 highway, everyone believes...
View ArticleClik here to view.
American Pickers and How Not to Negotiate
If you followed Practical Frugal Living during the blog’s early days, you know my take on the popular History Channel program American Pickers. It’s an entertaining show, mostly because of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Outgrowing the home — seriously?
I recently lost a second neighbor from my cul-de-sac to the utterly silly mythical belief that they had “outgrown the house.” It kind of shakes me up because both of these homeowners were persons whom...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Some thoughts on the Myth of American “Exceptionalism” and why I am not proud...
Recently Fox News’ Megyn Kelly made headlines by interviewing Bill Ayers, one of the many controversial figures from Barack Obama’s past. Ayers is a former member of the Weather Underground...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Emotions, Pride, and the Myth of Prius Savings
Man, did I ever strike a nerve with my post that questioned whether a Toyota Prius really accomplishes significant, or any, savings in the long run. The post elicited a number of comments from a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
SUVs, Trucks, and Other Foolish Means of Transportation
I tell you, sometimes I see things that just shake me up. Just check out this picture that I took from a downtown parking garage that I sometimes use. It is a site I see pretty much any time I...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Saving Money with Credit Cards – a Tool of Frugal Living
Credit cards are one of the most ignored tools of frugal living. This is so because the credit card, bless it, has an undeserved reputation as a bad guy in the world of consumer debt. It is a most...
View ArticleClik here to view.
More Benefits of Credit Cards and Strategies for Effective Use
You know from my last post that credit cards, when used properly, are actually a great way to save money. The cash back bonus is like having a one to five percent off coupon on everything you buy....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Save Money on Insurance by Knowing the Harsh Truth About Insurance Companies
Oh brother, that annoying Allstate ad is airing again. You know, the one with the obnoxious dweeb who pretends to be the latest hazard or absent-minded mistake that causes a huge accident before...
View Article