May 30, 2014
Stuff is the lifeblood of the American Dream, apparently. Our culture inundates with the clarion call to buy, to spend. Whether we NEED the proffered product is a secondary, if not tertiary, purchasing determinant. I fail to understand this seemingly unique-to-Americans drive to consumption. People buy material goods they don’t need in order to fill houses that are…
May 23, 2014
“Aren’t you bored not spending money? I mean, what do you DO?” I get this a lot yet I’m shocked every time. Shocked I tell you. No, we are not bored! We do not need to spend money to enjoy our lives! On the contrary, it’s freeing. You should try it. We don’t worry about “keeping up” or…
May 21, 2014
Pets are costly and while the most frugal option is not to have a critter at all, Frugal Hound (a rescued retired racing greyhound) brings so much joy to our lives and is well worth the expense. Though we love her dearly, we see no reason to spend serious dough; we care for her in a frugal, compassionate…
May 19, 2014
Several people in my office are thinking about buying a home and since I’m known as the resident real estate nerd, they’ve started asking me what they should do to prepare. I always start with finances–in my experience, that’s where people are most likely to get tripped up. Borrowing hundreds of thousands of dollars is complicated…
May 16, 2014
NO! Just kidding, pets rock. They’re wonderful and often hilarious little additions to our lives, but they’re not free. Owning a pet is a serious financial undertaking and shouldn’t be entered into lightly. While I’m obviously in favor, I’m a cautious and contingent proponent. Any pet is going to impact your monthly savings rate and should be considered…
May 9, 2014
Condos can look enticing. In hot real estate markets, they may appear more affordable than traditional homes. But there’s a lot not to like about condos. If you’re considering purchasing a condo, here are a seven things to look out for: Condo Fees: Any condo is going to have a fee. Usually this is referred to as a…
May 8, 2014
Buying a house is falling out of fashion in the Financial Independence and Early Retirement community. Not “Green Polyester Leisure Suit” out of fashion, more “Cherry Cabinets and Ornamental Backsplash” out of fashion. The oft-cited, and extensively researched, post on the matter is the awesome and amazing JCollinsNH’s “Rent v. Owning Your Home, opportunity cost and…
May 6, 2014
Yes, this is an homage to Hyperbole and a Half, possibly the most humorous blog. Ever. But back to the topic at hand: EATING! As part of our Uber Frugal Month experiment, Mr. Frugalwoods and I challenged ourselves to eat the backlog of food in our home. We’re not over-buyers by our very frugal nature, but…
May 3, 2014
One of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make is whether to buy or rent your home. This decision can feel more important than mere numbers and ratios. After all, most realtors will quickly whisper in your ear “it’s not a house, it’s a home!” Once you’re settled in a career and have some money in the bank, the…
May 3, 2014
Howdy! If you haven’t read Part 1, you’ll want to do that first. Step 12: Prep your primer (and later, your paint). Pour a small amount of paint into a personal paint cup/old plastic container. Don’t dip your brush into the gallon because it might contaminate the whole supply–eek! With a personal paint cup, if you get…
May 3, 2014
Refinishing kitchen cabinets is an excellent frugal alternative to installing new cabinets, which can cost thousands of dollars (say what?!). While I won’t lie to you–this is a time-consuming endeavor–it yields a major impact and isn’t difficult! It’s such an inexpensive alternative to completely renovating a kitchen and you could get creative with colors. This is probably…