People generally have one of three reactions to the K-Cup revolution: What a godsend! It’s easy, convenient, and conserves resources (no more dumping half a pot of coffee down the drain anymore). It’s an abomination! You call that coffee? And what a waste of money and resources (packaging). People still use those things? I thought […]
6 Tips for Budget Eating Together As a Family
If you’re human, you breathe and eat. That’s the deal. Breathing is free; eating not so much. In a household with two working parents, finding time to grocery shop and prepare healthy meals can be difficult. It’s a mistake to not try though. Want to burn through cash faster than a no-revenue Silicon Valley start-up? […]
6 Reasons Why I Still Reconcile My Checkbook Every Month
Our good friend and neighbor Hannah stopped by our house the other day. Hannah is Nora’s housemate from graduate school at the College of William and Mary. “What are you doing?” Hannah asks. I think she knows but I play along: “I’m reconciling my checkbook.” “You’re doing what?” she says exaggeratedly. “I didn’t know anyone […]
Seven Insurance Commandments for Thrifty (Cheap) People
I’m thrifty. Or cheap, if you ask one of my kids. I don’t like to spend money if I don’t have to. So I’m always looking to reduce the regular ongoing expenses that really accumulate over the years. Like insurance. I have a neighborhood friend who grew tired of practicing law and decided to become […]
3 New Year’s High-Impact Money-Saving Resolutions for 2017
I’m not joining a gym. I’m not going to eat less. And let’s face it, I’m probably not going to earn more. But I am going to spend less, and thus have more. You’ll note there’s nothing here about replacing your light bulbs with more efficient ones. That’s good for the earth and I enthusiastically […]
Spending Money Like an Exotic Dancer
You’d think my wife, Nora, is an exotic dancer. She comes home from work with thick stacks of bills – 1s, 5s, and 10s. But she doesn’t come home at 2am exhausted from a night of dancing, but rather at 4pm, also exhausted, but from a drama-filled day of working with teens. She works in […]