Budgets suck. Most budgets are really just a page of lies. They fail because they are not built on any sort of financial balance but instead seem to be driven more by spending guilt. Somehow the impression is that people who go without “unnecessary” expenses are somehow purer or better at managing their money. Hogwash. … Read more
Dealing with increasing prescription costs for medication is an issue for many. I know my personal monthly costs have been rising over the years. I wanted to let you know about a very interesting company PillPack.com. PillPack is now an Amazon-owned company. Walmart was hot and heavy to purchase them as well but lost out. … Read more
Here is an interesting look at some tests at Walmart with new electronic labels for pricing information in their grocery section. Kroger has also been testing new label ideas to make shopping easier. rame> I would expect in just a few years that electronic product labels will become standard. Eventually, it would not be impossible … Read more
Not having money saved away in case of an emergency is a bonafide recipe for a financial disaster. A recent study by the good people at Bankrate found only about four out of ten people said they could cover a $1,000 unexpected expense with money in savings. That means that six out of ten people … Read more
The antivirus and internet security folks at AVG recently approached me about their new Ultimate All-In-One Protection package. It was the typical pitch I get from many other companies. But as someone who uses AVG products, I was very interested in their paid post offer. I love to brag about something I already use and … Read more
I received a very nice tip from Robert Custer on how to save money at the grocery store. Thanks for sending this in. It’s great information to refresh ourselves with. If you’ve got a good tip to share, send it in. Robert’s Tip Robert said, “When you buy groceries at the grocery store of your … Read more
Just 38 percent of consumers are savvy savers and say they save every penny possible on expenses, according to a recent survey by American Consumer Credit Counseling. Thirty-seven percent of respondents save if the savings is significant, while almost 25 percent either feel saving isn’t worth the effort or they are not willing to live … Read more
Americans buy – and keep – a lot of stuff. That’s made self-storage a $24 billion industry, according to its major trade group, the Self Storage Association. According to the SSA, 84 percent of all U.S. counties have at least one self-storage facility. It’s been one of the fastest-growing sectors of the commercial real-estate industry … Read more
To coupon, or not to coupon. They try to suck me in with all their buzz words. Double and triple coupons, points towards free gas, 2/$5 and 10/$10. It’s hard not to get lured in by the coupon pushers who want you to subscribe to their clipping service, or the desperate newspaper salesman trying to … Read more
Cleaning. It’s something we all have to face at some point. Why is it that a bottle of generic cleaner that contains who knows what tends to eat up so much of my grocery budget? I am a self-proclaimed neat freak. Ask anyone who has visited my home and they will concur. I can’t help … Read more
I write about debt issues all the time. I’ve done it for decades. Truly the best way to deal with digging yourself out of a financial hole is to adjust the balance of your money coming in and your dollars going out. It is a fact of life that every dollar saved in expenses is … Read more
Heading off to college for the first time or just another semester is a prime time to either unload your wallet or engage in some deep debt acquisition. But before you just spend, spend, spend there are some really simple and easy money saving tips that case ease the pain up to 35%. It can … Read more
This week on Ask Steve I answer reader and viewer questions on how to find an inexpensive wine and what to do about student loans if you are unemployed. In the first question my team and I tasted ten of the least expensive wines in an attempt to find some good deals for little money. … Read more
Apart from its basic functions, mobile devices have opened new windows of possibility when it comes to managing our finances. These powerful tools when used smartly can save you money and get you out of debt. In this post, we are going to talk about money-saving apps and ways to cut down your mobile expenses … Read more
I’m looking to replace some appliances in my kitchen. Mine are old and on their last legs. The trouble is that I really can’t afford new appliances and I don’t want to put them on my credit card. I’ve heard that you can get great deals on ‘scratch and dent’ appliances. But, I don’t know … Read more