Entertainment

More Planning to Cut the Cable

Tuesday, May 11th, 2010

More than 90 percent of U.S. households subscribe to cable or satellite television services, but that number may have peaked. CNN recently reported on a new survey in which one in eight pay-TV subscribers said they plan to eliminate or scale back on their packages. No, TV viewers aren’t suddenly switching to books; they’re switching ... [Read more]

A Shopping Alternative

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Retail sales have taken a hit because of the recession. But shoppers haven’t disappeared altogether; some have turned into swappers. As reported on Mainstreet.com, clothing swap groups have become popular on Meetup.com, a site that helps users organize or find meetings based on common interests. Everyone who brings something to the swap event may take ... [Read more]

Big Screen, Little Dough

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Looking for some inexpensive entertainmment for the kids this summer? Five Cent Nickel put together a helpful list of movie theatre chains that are offering free or inexpensive kid-friendly movies. Libraries often have special summer programs for kids as well. The great library in our little town is offering extra story times, craft-making sessions, and ... [Read more]

Cheap Eats

Tuesday, May 12th, 2009

Dining out is high on the list of expenses people are cutting in light of the recession. But if you know where to look, many restaurant deals are there for the taking. A recent Real Simple article reminded readers about Restaurant.com, where $25 gift certificates for thousands of restaurants are available for $10. Get on ... [Read more]

Who Cares What People Think?

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

How do you feel about a person ahead of you in a store checkout line who is using coupons? Do you think to yourself, “Now there’s a smart shopper”? Or do you think, “What a cheapskate”? The New York Times reported on a study in which people using low-value coupons (50 cents off on a ... [Read more]

Irrational Money Moves

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

Some of the most interesting (and odd!) research about money comes from behavioral economists and psychologists. As noted in a recent Economist article, one study found that diners tend to spend more in a restaurant named “Cafe 97″ than one named “Cafe 17.” Another study looked the behavior of people who carry a balance on ... [Read more]

Free is Good

Tuesday, September 9th, 2008

Each year, Kiplinger.com highlights its favorite freebies. In this year’s collection, it tells where to find free foreign language lessons, a free wireless connection while traveling, free e-books and sheet music, and not just one but two of the better free recipe collections. I’m writing this from a peaceful room overlooking a river at one ... [Read more]

Changing Our Money Ways

Monday, August 18th, 2008

With our tough economy leading people to eat out less often, switch from SUVs to gas sippers, and generally spend less, an MSN columnist recently wondered what would happen if we all suddenly got and stayed money-smart? That is, what if we paid our credit cards in full each month (46 percent of households carry ... [Read more]

Economizing in a Tough Economy

Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008

Lots of us are cutting back on discretionary spending – 9 out of 10 people, in fact, according to a survey from market researcher GfK Roper Consulting. Still, as noted in a CNNMoney.com article about the study, there are some things that people just can’t seem to live without – like TV. A whopping half ... [Read more]

Life Without a TV

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

There was an interesting post on Free Money Finance about the many benefits of going without a TV, including the financial savings, and the quality of life improvements. Of course, there’s nothing inherently wrong with watching TV (especially when there’s a good golf tournament on!). However, it’s pretty easy to make the argument that we ... [Read more]

Fleece-Free Flicks