Millionaire Matchmaker: Tips for Budget Dating
She may specialize in dating for millionaires, but The Millionaire Matchmaker's Patti Stanger also knows how to have a good time on the cheap. Here's her advice for planning fun dates on a budget.
budget
Thousands of Post Offices Face the Budget Ax
The U.S. Postal Service released a list of nearly 3,700 post offices that it will consider shuttering. The USPS lost more than $2.2 billion last quarter, and has warned that it will run out of money in September, so such closures are probably inevitable.
What Americans Just Won't Give Up to Save Money
The U.S. economy is still sputtering, and household budgets are still under pressure. So where are we cutting: Fancy coffee? Check. Eating out? You bet. But there are a few things that once would have been considered luxuries the recent poll shows Americans just aren't willing to do without.
Will Your Finances Be Better in 2012? Most Think Not
When it comes to the the state of their family finances, Americans seem to be moving toward the "acceptance" stage. Some of us think our own household scenarios will get better in the coming year, some of us dread things getting worse, but mostly, we expect more of the same.
Should You Save or Earn Your Way Rich?
It's a contentious personal finance debate: To stay out of debt and get rich, should we focus on controlling our small purchases, or put most of our effort into making the big gains in areas like earnings? DailyFinance asks three of the Web's most popular personal finance bloggers for their views.
Top Tips for Empty Nesters to Protect Their Nest Eggs
With graduation season upon us, a new batch of parents are about to become empty nesters, and there are host of hidden costs can sneak up on them. So we've asked some personal financial advisers for their best advice on protecting your nest egg after the children are grown and gone.
In Tough Times, Americans Are Really Hitting the Sauce
Since the economy went bland, Americans have been trying to spice things up at home, and they're pouring on a lot of sauce to do it. Sales of cooking sauces have risen 20% between 2005 and 2010, according to a new report from market research firm Mintel.
The Frugal Auteur: How Roger Corman Makes Cheap Great
What's the cheapest thing B-movie maestro Roger Corman ever did in the movie biz? Find out in our interview with the penny-pinching master of the low-budget film, who's in Cannes to promote a documentary about himself, Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel.
New Online Tools Help Manage Your Money For Nothing
Too many of us rely on ballpark estimates to track our finances, but when it comes to money, there's no need to wing it: Several new online tools debuted at the Finovate Conference this week that can help take the guesswork out of figuring out how much you have, owe or are owed.
Rookie Director's Guide to Budgeting: Cut!
Film director Spencer Susser's personal finance philosophy is one you might have heard before: Stop caring so much about the money, and perhaps the money will come. If it doesn't, at least you're doing what you want to do. It worked for him: Susser got his first movie, the low-budget Hesher, made in the middle of the recession.
Eight Money Lessons for New College Grads
Members of the Class of 2011, you're about to be tossed head first into the real world, and -- surprise -- you probably need a little more education about how to handle your personal finances. Here's a Cliffs Notes crash course in Money 101.
Why More People Are Rejecting Their Credit Cards
In the past year, millions of Americans have significantly cut their use of credit cards in an effort to take control of their financial lives. But some people are taking an even more radical step -- going cold turkey on plastic and paying for everything with good ol' cash.
The Frugal Consumer: Stay Home for Dinner and Suspense
Looking for an easy way to keep your entertainment budget in check without feeling like you're pinching pennies or getting bored? Bring the gang over for a dinner party and movie night that features one of these classic Hollywood suspense films.
Free Money! Make Pretax Deductions Work for You
You can't clip coupons or bargain shop for many of your biggest household expenses -- but what if there was a way to get a discount? There is: You can often take pretax deductions from your paycheck and allocate it for basic expenses like child care, transportation and tuition.
Want to Save on Groceries? Try an International Market
Saving money gets a tasty twist at international grocery stores, where your favorite foods often come with much smaller price tags. And with food costs on the rise, what a better time to explore than right now.
Who Wins and Who Loses If the Government Shuts Down
Unless lawmakers can agree on budget legislation to keep the federal government running, a shutdown at midnight Friday looms. If it happens, there will be a few clear winners, some who break even and a whole lot of losers.
Will Budget Battle End With a Tax Increase?
Republicans pushing for spending cuts in the 2011 federal budget may be ready to shut the government down to get their way. But is anyone ready to do what it would take to really make a dent in the federal budget: raise taxes on the rich and close corporate tax loopholes?
California's Smart-Meter Controversy: What You Need to Know
Amid health concerns over smart meters, which can wirelessly transmit household energy-usage data to utilities and customers, California's largest utility has proposed a plan that would allow homeowners to opt for regular meters -- at a cost. Here are some facts for consumers to consider.
GOP Wins Budget Battle, but May Lose Political War
The Republicans are winning this year's budget battle: Discretionary spending will decrease. But this is hardly the time for the GOP to take a victory lap: Next, the GOP will have to lower unemployment and improve the average American's daily life -- two areas where the party has historically come up short.
How to Avoid Making Dumb Money Mistakes
Even the smartest people can do dumb things when it comes to money. Do you find yourself accumulating credit-card debt for goodies you don't really need -- and failing to plan for retirement? Here's one financial adviser's five-step plan to break bad habits.
Five Ways Women Sabotage Their Financial Futures
While both men and women are prone to a variety of costly financial blunders, many women seem to be plagued with a gender-specific set of tendencies that sabotages their relationship with money. Here's are women's most common financial missteps -- and how to avoid them.
State Worker Retirements Are Soaring Across the Country
As wages and benefits shrink, state workers are retiring in droves. On top of all the layoffs, these retirements amount to a huge brain drain, and the problem will only get worse given the yawning budget gaps of states from coast to coast.
High Heating Oil Prices Continue to Drain Wallets
Winter in the Northeast was particularly brutal this year, but not enough to account for the likely record prices. Blame crude oil's recent price jump for that. But the chills could become even worse if Obama's proposed cut in low-income energy subsidies passes.
House Votes to End 'Car Czar,' 'Pay Czar' Posts
Republicans in the House of Representatives voted Thursday to eliminate the Obama administration's "car czar," as well as the "pay czar" who oversees compensation at companies bailed out with TARP money, and seven other presidential advisers.
