Entertainment Archives - Page 2 of 4

Celebrating St. Frugaltine’s Day Without Spending a Fortune

January 27, 2017 March 16, 2019

He’s baaaaaaack! Saint Frugaltine—the patron saint of all that’s frugal and yet still a romantic at heart—is about to take center stage again. With just about 3 weeks to go, the planning is probably already in your mind for Valentine’s day ideas. Even if I was ever to forget about it, I have a built-in reminder right here where I live. Her name is Suzanne, my wonderful wife, and she is an avid Saint Frugaltine fan in every way.

Now I don’t want to appear like someone who doesn’t believe in the celebration. I do, really. I have to admit that I like being romantic and letting my dear wife know that I adore her, but I also realize that it’s not in our best interest financially to spend all kinds of money on all the many varieties of gifts, jewelry, clothes and the like that the brilliant merchandising minds of our time come up with every year to entice us. Even just a nice dinner out can be a budget buster on a special day like this one. It’s not too far behind the biggies like Mother’s Day and New Year’s Eve as far as pricing and reservations go. So what can one do? I want to mark the day as special, and I want it to be romantic and memorable, but I don’t like the idea that if I spend a fortune on Saint Valentine’s Day, I won’t be able to fulfill all of my financial obligations in February!Continue reading“Celebrating St. Frugaltine’s Day Without Spending a Fortune”

Entertainment

“Terminal Tech” – 7 Dying Technologies to Dump & Save Money

September 13, 2016 February 3, 2017

It’s almost the year 2017 (why do I think that phrase should be followed by the words: a space odyssey?) and you may think you are totally onboard with all the latest in electronics and technology trends that are happening right this minute. After all, you have so much stuff you bought in the past couple of years and it’s all over your house, so much so that they know you by name down at the local Best Buy. But wait just a second. You’ve spent a small fortune on that stuff, haven’t you? And painfully, I have to tell you, it may not all be around and useful that much longer. You may think it was all money well spent, but here’s a wakeup call: there are dying technologies out there.

Technology is changing every second and overlapping itself again and again. It is all very confusing. The companies that have brought it all to you are really good at advertising, promoting, and tempting you. They want to convince you that everything is a must have and you are completely out of the loop if you don’t buy right now! Many folks are still quite happy with what they have, even the 20th century tech (yes, it’s still around). But, there are about 83 million millennials who think that 20th century tech was a “B movie” and they demand more!Continue reading““Terminal Tech” – 7 Dying Technologies to Dump & Save Money”

Entertainment, Food, Home

11 Ways to Save on Summer Barbecues

May 24, 2016 June 3, 2018

Despite the calendar, this morning as I write this post, we still haven’t seen the temperatures make us feel like summer is just around the corner. In fact, “Princess” (our beautiful hanging basket of purple petunias…yes, we name our plants) slept last night in the house to avoid us having to put a winter sweater on her to keep her warm!

But just as light follows darkness, summer is going to arrive soon and for us, Memorial Day weekend is the kickoff to those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer! And what says summer more than a good old fashioned barbecue?Continue reading“11 Ways to Save on Summer Barbecues”

Credit, Entertainment, Travel

How to Avoid Those Annoying Fees

March 22, 2016 June 3, 2018

There’s a subject that annoys me to the core, and I’m willing to bet it’s a major source of frustration for you as well. I’m talking about those annoying fees you find these days on just about everything. Businesses are busy thinking up new and even more annoying ways to grab our money even now as I write this post.

Ordinarily, I don’t condemn anyone or any business from making money when they are providing a valuable product or service. But when it’s a blatant predatory move and often obscure charge or fee, I do draw the line. And so should you. By becoming aware of these annoying charges before they’re part of you bill, you’re taking the first step in defending your money.Continue reading“How to Avoid Those Annoying Fees”

Cars, Entertainment, Home, Shopping

Repair or Replace? Which Makes the Best Sense?

March 11, 2016 June 2, 2018

We have all been there, haven’t we? We have a new appliance or device at home and then suddenly out of nowhere, it just stops functioning. You recently spent $700 on that thing and now it doesn’t work. What should you do? It’s under a warranty, right? It should be fixed! Should you return it and get another one? Can you return it? What happens if it gets repaired? Deciding whether to repair or replace it is an expensive guessing game.

One thing that’s important to know is that you don’t have to throw good money after bad. Repairing items isn’t always the best way to get an appliance or item to work properly again. Let’s take a look at some facts from a Consumer Reports study published in January 2014. They surveyed nearly 30,000 subscribers who own dozens of specific items of varying age to see what they did when an item needed a repair or replacement and they discovered several interesting things.Continue reading“Repair or Replace? Which Makes the Best Sense?”

Entertainment, Health, Home, Saving & Investing, Shopping

How to Cash in an Extra $5,000 in Savings This Year

February 23, 2016 September 2, 2018

Please welcome back fellow blogger Anum Yoon for today’s guest post.

We all want to save money. Unfortunately we live in a society that constantly encourages us to spend. Whether it’s the need to keep up with the Joneses or just maintain the lifestyle we’ve become used to, we all find it hard to give up the things we love.

If you’re willing to make some minor concessions, you might just find ways to put back a bit of extra cash without compromising your lifestyle. Here are a few ideas to get you started.Continue reading“How to Cash in an Extra $5,000 in Savings This Year”

Entertainment, Shopping

How to Get the Most Out of Your Amazon Prime Membership

January 8, 2016 June 2, 2018

Today we have a wonderful guest post from fellow blogger Anum Yoon.

If you’ve become a convert to the convenience of shopping on Amazon this holiday season, you already know that an Amazon Prime membership can save you a ton of cash on shipping. As many as 80 million people worldwide may already be basking in the glow of free two-day shipping.

As if the promise of never fighting for a parking spot at the mall again weren’t enough, Amazon Prime offers lots of other great perks for members. Are you taking full advantage of all your membership privileges? Try these extra features on for size:Continue reading“How to Get the Most Out of Your Amazon Prime Membership”

Entertainment, More, Personal Finance, Shopping

15 Money Movies That Make Great Last Minute Gifts

December 18, 2015 June 3, 2018

As we are rounding third and heading for home (excuse the baseball reference please, but I’m so deprived at this time of the year!), I thought what’s more of a holiday treat than to get a DVD of a classic movie that you love and other family members may not have seen? Classic DVD’s are usually a bargain and can even be purchased used online to save even more. (If you order from Amazon today, there’s still time to get it by Christmas with standard shipping.) Then I thought why not tie it all in and pick money movies that can entertain and teach you some great financial lessons!

While I haven’t gotten to see The Big Short yet (it’s not playing near me until next week), here’s my list of some of the best money movies of the past 40 years. So why not take a stroll down memory lane and give one of these to a loved one or friend? It’s a great evening at home with popcorn and an entertaining money lesson without any of the pain.Continue reading“15 Money Movies That Make Great Last Minute Gifts”