October 2011

iMania Makes Me Nauseous

Unless you consciously shun contact with the outside world, you’ve undoubtedly heard about the latest craze in the world of tech–the new Apple iPhone. The untimely death of Steve Jobs only amplified this effect, with a bright spotlight on Apple and their place in technological history. However, I reject the notion that iMania, the craze that surrounds [...]

8 Critical Mistakes in Envelope Budgeting

Envelope budgets are the best thing since sliced bread–if you’ve read this blog for any period of time, you know that I honestly believe that. An envelope budget can fix a big spender, heal money fights, and point you in the path of earlier and bigger financial success than you even dreamed. I knew that [...]

Should I Buy New or Used for My Kids?

New parents face what is, on the surface, a simple decision when it comes to “stuff” for their kids–to buy new or buy used. Buying used is a frequently cited means of dampening the cost of kids, both because prices for used items are much lower and because the secondhand market for children’s gear is saturated [...]

Why I Expect 10% Food Price Inflation

This is a guest post from Gary Foreman, a former purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website. This article originally appeared here. You can follow Gary on Twitter. As a country, we spend an unusually low percentage of our income on food–roughly 10 percent by many accounts. As food prices spike on one end and the sustainable movement pushes [...]