One of the reasons that I like saving money is that there are things I really want that are not cheap, like travel. I’d rather spend less at the grocery store every week so that I have more money for vacation. Saving up for things is terribly old-fashioned. Yet, like many old-fashioned things, it’s good… [Read More]
Blog
Tag: thrift
The SNAP Challenge isn’t that hard
Last week, food banks and other organizations asked people to take the SNAP Challenge, in which they attempt to live on the same budget as people on food stamps. I was going to do it and write the results for Chicago on the Cheap, but I ran into a problem right off the bad: the… [Read More]
In which I nearly fall for the anchor pricing trick
I’m not an Apple fangirl, but recently, a client asked me to buy an iPad for multimedia project. I started looking for a bargain, and then, I got paralyzed at checkout. I was told to get at least an iPad 2 with 16 gigs of storage, but then I started thinking – maybe I really… [Read More]
Women’s Money Week: Kids and money
One of the many reasons that I am such a cheapskate is that I think it is important for my kid to learn thrifty skills. He is in high school and gets an allowance that is to cover his school lunches, his train fare, and his spending money; I nearly cried tears of joy when… [Read More]
Made in China, the Environment, Our Budgets, and Other Thoughts
It turns out that the Team USA Olympic uniforms are made in China, and that is creating all kinds of outrage about offshoring of different U.S. industries. This is, of course, big news in China, where the story is that Americans should be grateful that our economy has evolved beyond garment work. Certainly, America’s strength… [Read More]