Economics. Investing. Credit. Quot;Financial Thrillers" Forums - Finance. Six Ways to Stay Warm and Reduce the Heating Bill. Wise Bread Picks Last month our heating bill shot up from around $60 to more than $120 and my husband was not pleased.
After receiving that bill we had a moratorium on using the heater. After two weeks of enduring chilly nights we gave up and started using the heater again. Actually there are many things we can do to save money on our heating bill and still stay warm. Here are some of the things I learned. 1. 3. 4. 5. 6. Anyway, some of you readers must think we are wimps for feeling cold in Northern California where there are about 10 days a year with freezing temperatures. Big List of Free Budgeting Tools and Software. More than a month ago, I wrote a post about tracking your spending for a month.
I tried to think of the best way to budget, but I don’t think there is anything that works for everyone. Everyone knows about MS Money and Quicken, so instead I’ve decided to compile a resource of free budgeting tools so that people can try them out on their own. 102 Personal Finance Tips Your Professor Never Taught You. If you're anything like me, you graduated from college and perhaps even took a finance class or accounting class here or there, but you didn't learn anything about managing your personal finances.
In fact, there probably wasn't even an opportunity to take any such class in either high school or college. But if college is partly about training us for a job, shouldn't we learn what to do with the money we earn from a job? Especially in a country where 45% of college students are in credit card debt and 40% of all Americans say they live beyond their means, I think it's time to wise up to some of the challenges of money management. A few (say, 102) simple financial tips can help get your money life (back) on the right track. The Painfully Obvious But Rarely Followed Tips Pay yourself first. Career and Education. Conscious spending: How my friend spends $21,000/year on going out.
A few weeks ago, a couple of friends and I were talking about where we want to travel this year, and one of them said something that surprised me. “You probably wouldn’t approve, but I want to go to the Caribbean this year.” Huh? Why wouldn’t I approve? I thought about this in a pensive stare for many moments, taking the form of Rodin’s Thinking Man and wishing that I had a pipe and perhaps a tweed jacket. Then I figured it out. Nothing could be further from the truth. But first, let’s talk about a couple of things. Frugality. For me, writing a blog on frugality would be like trying to convince an ankylosaurus to dance a god damn jig. Finally, and this is the most important, frugality alone doesn’t get you to your goals. 2007 is the year of conscious spending. No. The simple fact is that as young people, most of us are not spending consciously.
Today I’m going to write about people who spend a lot on things that most people consider absurd. Ok, let’s get to it. My three friends. Basic Tips on Tipping: How Much and To Whom? Every time I get my hair cut, I’m faced with a dilemma — should I tip the barber or not?
I usually get my hair cut in a small-town shop. I tip $2 on a $12 haircut. If I get to hear stories about Vietnam or histrionic political rants, I tip $3, even if I don’t agree with the barber’s viewpoints. (I tip because I’ve been entertained.) Sometimes, if I don’t have enough cash, I don’t leave a anything at all. What about when I pick up Chinese takeout? For example, you know you should tip your waitress. After browsing dozens of pages, I drafted the following guide. Food Service Barista No tip required, though many suggest throwing coins into the tip jar. Bartender $1/drink (or 15% of total bill). Delivery person (including pizza) 10%, $2 minimum (also, also) Maitre d’ $5-$25 for special efforts Takeout No tip required unless something special is done (also, also) Waiter 15% for adequate service, 20% for exceptional service.
Hotel Staff Bellman/Porter $1 to $2 per bag, $5 minimum. Concierge Housekeeper. Get Rich Slowly.