This morning, the Office of Thrifty Supervision (yes this is a real Government Office! It’s a division of the Treasury Department), announced that it has finalized new changes that will protect consumers from a variety of questionable credit card practices. This is fantastic news for consumers! Let’s dig in and look at some of the official documents released today.
(Click to Continue…)

Reader Sarah left this wonderful comment in reply to my post on 10 Ways to Save Money Right Now! I’ll let her do most of the talking, so read on and take advantage of these great tips for your holiday this year!
No, I’m not going to tell you to go dig around in your couch for spare change. But I am going to suggest you make small changes to 5 things you’re already doing. The point is, you can be more efficient and save resources in your everyday life and spend less doing so.
When you make small changes in the way you spend or save, most of the time you can expect small results. There’s nothing wrong with small results, because after all, with time they add up and can have a big impact. But sometimes you need more than a small change to kick you in the butt and get your moving in the right path. Here are four BIG changes that can give you a huge boost and get you moving in the right direction.
(Click to Continue…)
Right now, this very minute you can stop what you can read this and act. Don’t procrastinate, don’t let the opportunity to change something right now slide by. You can save more of your hard-earned cash, and you can do it now. I’ll bet that you’ll easily be able to do at least two of the things in the list below. If not, either you’re lying to yourself and you really don’t want to save money, or you’re already on the path. Here are ten tips you can put into action right the moment you finish reading this. (Click to Continue…)
Having fun can get expensive very quickly, especially when it comes to movies and television. Have you actually looked at your cable or satellite bill lately? The average person spends about $1,800 a year on entertainment – and that doesn’t even include eating out! So challenge yourself to make better choices and find alternate sources for the same entertainment you’re paying too much for now.
Try these four ideas to pay less for tv and movies! (Click to Continue…)

Poor money management can lead you down some dark and dangerous roads. Ever hear the term “dead end”? Of course, we all have. The image that comes to my mind when I think of “dead end” is being stuck, unable to move or unable to make a decision. People use “dead end” in all sorts of different situations and almost always use its perceived meaning. Something has ended or will inevitably end.
Let’s take a closer look at “dead end”. Just that fact that we say ‘end’ assumes that something has concluded – most likely a trip or journey of some sort. When you add ‘dead’ into the mix, that just reinforces how serious the conclusion is. There is clearly no going back. The real problem though, is that’s not true at all.
Editor’s Note: From time to time I will be featuring the thoughts and strategies offered by those who have, and continue to, influence my thrifty life. One such person, who I hope will become a regular contributor, is my mom. This is a guest post by my mom, Linda Roberto.
I can’t help thinking that “becoming thrifty” is like going on a diet – and just as futile as every fad diet that comes along if you try to do it all at once, cold turkey, without making the necessary changes to your perspective. Being thrifty has to be a long-term lifestyle change to make a real difference. Just like a weight-loss program has to be about healthy living, not just losing weight, becoming thrifty requires a mindset that is motivated at least in part by an appreciation of a simpler way of living, not just by the possibility of accumulating more “stuff” some day in the future.
At the end of October, Ramit Sethi at I Will Teach You To Be Rich started a series of posts called the Save $1000 in 30 Days Challenge. I’m always looking for new ideas to save money so I’ve been following along through the month. The first few are often some of the first things that come to mind when you start to think about quick ways to save money:
- Bring lunch with you instead of buying lunch
- Turn your thermostat down 3 degrees(or more!)
- Sell something on eBay(or anywhere for that matter)
- (Scroll down to read all of his suggestions here)
The other items on the list, the more difficult items, are the ones that interested me the most.
(Click to Continue…)
How many times have bought something on impulse or worse – for the wrong reasons? One of the simplest and most effective changes you can make is to stop and think before you make a purchase.
If you can break the cycle of thoughtless purchasing and consumption you can take control of your spending and work towards affording the things in life you’re truly trying to save for.
Here are 7 things to ask yourself, so you can be certain that you’re making a smart decision.
(Click to Continue…)
Ready to put some money back in your bank account? You've come to the right place.


