So I recently called in to cancel my American Express Gold Card.
“Well, Sir, if you don’t mind me asking,” began the representative in a tone of voice I can only describe as accusatory, “what is it you don’t like about your American Express Gold Card?”
“Well, it’s not that I’ve have any problems with the card [...]

Potatoes are a cheapskate’s best friend. They are oh so cheap, oh so versatile, oh so filling. You can make potatoes into french fries, potato chips, hash browns, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes, potato salad, potato soup. Potatoes can be had for $1 per 5-10 pounds when they’re on sale. That’s just $.10-$.20 per pound. What [...]

This week, I participated in five blog carnivals and was honored with one editor’s choice. A big thanks go out to all the carnival organizers and blogmasters who worked hard to put these things together.
My Carnival Submissions
Carnival of Debt Reduction #141 - Hosted by Consumerism Commentary and featuring my post If necessity is the mother [...]

It seems to me that many people see the word “cheap” in a negative light. I think this is because being “cheap” is associated with being stingy or greedy. A lot of folks, I think, believe cheapness is synonymous with illogical, obsessive penny-pinching - that is, focusing on the small stuff to the exclusion of [...]

I’d like to finally lay to rest the misconception that investing is more important than living cheap.
In the personal finance world, there are those who promote the idea of living below your means and there are those who reject it, pooh-poohing frugality as a form of self-deprivation. Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Rich Dad, Poor [...]

A while back, I posted about how credit cards can be used responsibly and how personal finance commentators who say this is impossible are just incorrect (see The real truth about credit cards: why Dave Ramsey is wrong). I still believe that taking advantage of credit card cash back programs is a smart and responsible [...]

The other day I got to thinking about that old adage “necessity is the mother of invention.” I’m certain that it’s true - and I believe that fully understanding this adage can help all of us learn to be more responsible with our money.
One recent example of a technique which has been invented to respond [...]

So you’re traveling and you’ve got an urgent need to check your email; do you stop in at Starbucks, buy an overpriced drink, and pay $6 an hour for WiFi access? No way!
Many businesses these days are offering free internet access to patrons. The idea is generally that you’ll get the internet for free but [...]

US News and World Report’s Alpha Consumer blog is running a guest post by yours truly today. It’s entitled “A Pop Quiz on Your Spending.” Head on over and check it out!
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I recently blogged about the stimulus check bonuses being offered by several grocery chains, and stated that my own plan was to use $300 of my stimulus payment to purchase a gift card at Food 4 Less, a super cheap grocery chain in my area. I believed I would receive a 10% bonus (i.e. I’d [...]