saving

Boom and Gloom

Posted on 09/13/2012 by | Chief Volunteer | Comments

Money & SavingsI learned  that Baby Boomers are riddled with anxiety about whether they’ll be financially secure when they retire, and they’re less than pleased with our political leaders’ response. A new Anxiety Index, created by AARP through a series of surveys, measures what non-retired Baby Boomer voters age 50-64 worry about. This concern overrides even their worry about health expenses, jobs, or paying too much in taxes. Almost three in four (72%) believe they will have to delay retirement, and almost …

Thinking About Retirement Pays Off at Any Age

Posted on 06/6/2012 by | AARP Blog Author | Comments

Money & Savings | WorkWhen you hear the “R” word, what comes to mind? Your perspective on retirement planning depends on a lot of things, including your age bracket. If you’re 50+, you might say: “What retirement? My IRA has taken a huge hit, and now I’ll have to work way past 65.” Or, “I’m so behind I don’t even know where to start. I hope Social Security is there when I need it, but I’m worried.” A 40-something might say: “Retirement? We’re down …

Gift Wrapping, Cheapskate Style

Posted on 12/15/2011 by | The Ultimate Cheapskate | Comments

Money & SavingsDid you know that we spend about $2.9 billion every year on gift wrapping paper and supplies according to Hallmark? And of course most of it ends up being throw way after the holidays, which is one reason why between Thanksgiving and New Year’s we generate an extra one million tons of garbage every week. Consider these creative gift wrapping alternatives to save some cash and tread a little lighter on the environment this holiday season: Wrapping gifts in the colorful …

4 Frugal Foods to Stock Up on This Thanksgiving…or Right After

Posted on 11/15/2011 by | The Ultimate Cheapskate | Comments

Money & Savings“You must be cooking two Thanksgiving dinners, huh?” the supermarket cashier said to me. I hadn’t realized it, but my groceries marching down the conveyor belt did look like a parade headed toward Noah’s ark:  two bags of sweet potatoes, two sacks of cranberries, two frozen turkeys, two bags of onions. “No, just stocking up,” I said, wondering to myself if I’d forgotten the creamed corn. Or maybe that was the unicorn?

A Cheapskate’s Good-Smelling Energy Audit

Posted on 11/2/2011 by | The Ultimate Cheapskate | Comments

Money & SavingsSince I work from home, my wife sometimes wonders what I do all day. I’m a writer, so the fruits of my daily labor aren’t always apparent to her, and I’m pretty sure she thinks I spend most of the day goofing off. That misconception was fueled when Denise came home early from work last week. She found me in my bathrobe, looking like a shaman while I paraded around the house with a handful of smoking incense sticks. The …

Fall Savings Challenge: How Did YOU Do?

Posted on 10/28/2011 by | The Ultimate Cheapskate | Comments

Money & SavingsWith this edition of the Savings Challenge nearing its end, I’ve been tallying up how I’ve done in meeting the special challenge we set out for the group: Find creative ways to pay less than full price for everything you buy during the month of October. In my case, I’m reminded of that line from the old sitcom Get Smart:  “Missed it by that much.” Between coupons, store specials, and a couple of items from the discounted “dented cans bin” …

« Older Entries