Ten Ways to a Frugal New Year

Start the new year off on the right foot! Now's the time to review, revise, revisit and rework, whether it's yourself or your financial picture. Get going on the track that will put you in more frugal (read: prosperous) condition for this year and the year after and the year after...

Review all of your insurance
Home owner's insurance,  vehicle insurance, health insurance, life insurance, whatever you have. The beginning of the year is a perfect time to be sure you're paying the least amount possible for the amount of coverage you need. Raise your deductible if you can, revamp values, revisit needs. Go over everything first by yourself,

Last Minute Gifts You Don't Have to Buy

Oops... you thought you had all your shopping done for the holidays? And then... well, you got a gift from someone you had forgotten about. Or a coworker suddenly decided you were worth a plate of homemade goodies. One of the kids got invited to a Christmas party that requires a gift.

And there you are, turning your credit card over and over, contemplating yet one more shopping trip.

Don't.

There is time to create quick and frugal gifts even if it's the day before Christmas.

For kids:

Beware the Commercial Christmas Syndrome

Christmas is practically here! Suddenly all the things I put off until later because it was too early, now need doing immediately because it will soon be too late!

While it might feel like (and actually be) panic time, it's the worst time possible on our pocketbooks for us to panic! When we feel stress, we spend more. We don't take