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Hello readers! Three years ago, I decided to the frugal living tips I was sharing in an online newspaper column and turn them into a website. I did research into the best platforms for a non-technical person to use to create a website, and I found SBI!
I got to work creating my website, Laughing Wallet, and I've spent the last three years creating what I've hoped was useful and helpful content about living a frugal lifestyle - something that still seems important in these unsettled economic times.
But while the need for this site still seems pressing, my own life has shifted, and I no longer have the time to devote to Laughing Wallet. I created this site with a passion for my topic, but also as a business venture, and the finances of the site just don't make sense for me at this time in my life. So, I'll be retiring Laughing Wallet on January 13, 2013.
I hope you've enjoyed the content here and that some of the tips have improved your financial life. I still believe in SBI!, and if I ever decide to launch another website, SBI! will sure be the platform I use. For now, though, I'm off to other ventures.
Thank you for your interest and contributions, and best of frugal luck to all of my readers!
Black Friday is almost upon us. While we at Laughing Wallet avoid Black Friday shopping like the plague, we know that many of you consider it part of your Thanksgiving tradition. So, if you must leave your turkey and crazy old Uncle Bill to go shop, consider some of Consumer World's tips on how to get a bargain on this kick-off to holiday shopping.
A new bill in Congress could mean that shoppers will no longer get a tax break when they buy something online. If the bill passes, online shoppers will have to pay sales taxes on items they buy online, just as if they'd bought the items at a brick-and-mortar store in their neighborhood.
Comparing prices is a tried and true way to save money, whether you're buying a car, clothes or a hotel room. But if you're using Orbitz to book your travel, and you happen to use a Mac, you'll want to be extra careful about how you search the website for hotel deals. According to the Wall Street Journal, the site is steering Mac users to costlier rooms, and CBS News reports that it's not the first time Orbitz has used questionable business tactics.
Continue reading "Orbitz steers Mac users to pricier hotels"
If you've got an appliance that needs replacing, a great option for saving money is to buy a "scratch and dent" model, especially if you keep the appliance in an area that no one but you ever sees, such as a laundry closet. Scratch and dent models are new machines that were damaged before they could be sold, so the retailer sells them at a discount. Gary Foreman of "The Dollar Stretcher" tells "Money Talks" readers how to find these discounted appliances and how to make sure you get a good deal.
One aspect of frugal living is making sure you have a fund of money that you can use for an emergency, rather than using credit cards or some other method of borrowing that will end up costing you more. Most experts recommend keeping six months months of liquid cash in savings, but do you know how much that really is for you? Fox Business has a calendar you can use to determine what your target number should be.
A website that offers free math learning resources, such as games, tutorials and worksheets, is offering free apps for mobile devices in the month of June. To help kids keep their skills sharp over the summer, HoodaMath.com is offering its apps for iPads, iPhones and Droid devices free of charge through the month of June.
If you cook, and frugal people do, you end up with scraps. Maybe you compost them, or maybe you throw them away, but before you toss them in either pile, consider these 11 suggestions from The Huffington Post for getting extra use out of them. I used #6 several years ago on a tree that was struggling, and it really helped!
Warmer weather means garage sale season is under way. Laughing Wallet loves garage sales - we even have a whole page of yard sale shopping tips and a page of tips for hosting a yard sale. Buying things used is often a great way to save money. But one of the tenets of frugal living is that just because something is cheap doesn't mean it's a good deal. Reader's Digest lists 10 things you should never buy used - at a garage sale or anywhere else.
Continue reading "10 Things You Should Never Buy at Garage Sales"
Friday, June 1, 2012 is National Donut Day - that means free donuts! What a great day! Dunkin Donuts will celebrate by offering a free donut with any beverage purchase, and Krispy Kreme will offer one FREE doughnut of any variety to every guest at Krispy Kreme's US locations. Also, many local shops are participating with special deals, so be sure to check out your hometown donut shop.