Are Loyalty Rewards Cards Worth the Effort? + MORE

I was mocked the other day because of the fact that I “had some things paid for” for me in my younger days. Sure, that is true. I was pampered with a bit of monetary luxury for a few years between the ages of 17 and 23. I had the majority of two nice vehicles bought for me, which I tore through…

Know someone graduating from high school soon? Looking for a career change? Check it out…the latest list of best and worst jobs is up.
Sorry, Newspaper Reporters
Topping the list of worst jobs is newspaper reporter. The reasons for the low rating are low pay, long hours, high stress, and of course a shrinking industry…

Traffic analysis company Inrix has released its annual report on traffic congestion, showing just how much time we waste in our cars in major metropolitan areas.Here are the worst cities for congestion for 2012, as well as the time wasted during commutes last year:Los Angeles, 59 hours lost.Honolulu, 50 hours…

Note from DC: Today my wife has a post that is geared towards Minnesotans. If you are interested in a more general article, check out her post How to Save Money on a Date. Finally, if you don’t want to read about dating, check out my post about 7 Home Upgrades I Want…Someday ;).
Maybe it’s just me, but I always struggle to think of great date ideas in certain seasons, especially towards the end when I have already done the typical dates for a season (think apple orchard in the Fall, beach in the summer, etc…

This post is from staff writer Kristin Wong. I just read Barbara Stanny’s “Secrets of Six-Figure Women.” I was happy to find that I share similar traits to the 150 women she interviewed. But there was a section that stood out to me, mostly because I didn’t expect it to stand out to me…

(Guest Post by Mrs. 1500 from 1500 Days to Freedom)We have two children, ages 6 and 3. We are passionate about bringing up not only well-behaved, respectful children, but we also want them to turn into financially responsible adults.
Our Background
My parents showed me how to spend frugally, by shopping mostly at garage sales (not a lot of thrift stores around when I was growing up) and using coupons…

I’m pretty lucky to have the most loyal readers of any personal finance blog (notice I didn’t say “one of the most”). Larry, StackingCash, Mo D, Trina, Ryo, and many others have been reading and commenting on my blog posts for years. Some of you, have lurked for just as long, but never taken the time to actually engage with the community…

A few days ago, I came across this interesting post by Kelly McGonigal in which she describes the vital role of mindfulness in losing weight, citing scientific studies. This paragraph stood out to me:
Why are we so easily influenced by external factors? According to Wansink, most of our eating decisions are automatic…

A lot of healthy food — organic, locally grown food — is priced like yuppy specialty items. That fact does not mean that poor or frugal people need to eat junk. (See also: Anyone Can Spend Less for Food)
Let me begin with the premise that you’re willing to make compromises — that’s necessary, because that’s where the overlap is…

As I embark on what will be the first of four road trips this year, I take solace in knowing that I’m prepared for whatever life throws at me.  Equipped with camping supplies, a spare tire, a cooler full of food, and a gas card, I can take care of my basic needs easily on my cross country road trip from Kansas to California and back this month…

There are four common reactions that I get when I preach frugality and the benefits harvested from a frugal lifestyle.
The first is excitement. Those who have been bitten by the frugality bug have an incredible connection to others who also have. There’s a synergy. A commonality. I think that comes from being in the small minority, but having similar goals to simplify, break free, and thrive…

The economy may be starting to wake up from its sleep, but it’s certainly slow to rise. Cutting spending and saving money may have been key to your weathering the storm, but you can also put yourself in a better position by seeking out ways to generate income. So, instead of watching those reruns or surfing the Internet after your work day is done, try putting your spare time to use and make some extra cash…

Comedian John Pinette jokes that every business has their own loyalty rewards card nowadays. He’s right. You can’t check out at a grocery store, gift store, or gas station without being offered a rewards card application.
Is it really worth your time to fill out yet another application for yet another card to tote around with you? In most cases, the answer is yes…

Next to achieving a fully funded self-directed retirement account, paying off your mortgage early is probably the Holy Grail of personal finance success. As well it should be – once you’ve paid off your mortgage, your monthly living expenses take a dramatic drop. That opens up the opportunity to save even more money than you ever have in the past…

The hubs and I have been fortunate to travel and live in a few different places, and one of the most awe-inspiring places I’ve ever been was Versailles in France.
We spent an entire day there back in our college days. By a whole day, I mean that we got there early and walked around the grounds until fireworks went off at 11:00 p…

Getting rid of debt is often thought to be an uncomfortable and overbearing task. One for which, you will most likely need the help of a professional, of course, at a cost! The bad news is, you have debt and yes, it can get uncomfortable at times. However, there is good new. In most cases, you will not have to hire a professional! All you will need to do is buckle down and make financially wise decisions…

The following is the latest post in my “Reader Profiles” series. Each post in this series details the financial situation and challenges of an FMF reader. The purpose of this series is to help us all identify with people like us (in similar situations — not all will be, of course, but eventually I’m sure you will find someone like you here), get to know the frequent commenters on the site, and hear some financial wisdom/challenges from people other than me…

Naked With Cash is the year-long series on Consumerism Commentary where seven readers’ households share their financial progress on a monthly basis. I’ve partnered with financial planners who will offer some guidance along the way. The participants and experts are discussing tax issues among their commentaries this month…

If you want to save money, one of the best options is to buy used. Not only can buying something second-hand help you save money, but it also reduces the amount of resources that you use. Buying used is one way to increase the sustainability of your life.
Before you buy new, consider whether or not you can save money — and the earth — by purchasing the following items used:
Electronics
There are many consumer electronics items that you can purchase used…