From the category archives:

spending

Have a Clutter-Free Christmas With These Minimalist Gift Ideas That Don’t Take Up Space or Collect Dust Around the House

December 16, 2009 · 2 comments

in December, financial planning, happiness, health, holidays, lifestyle design, money decisions, purchases, special dates, spending

Congratulations on opting for a minimalist Christmas, or at least thinking about how to have a clutter-free Christmas.  If you’re like me and appreciate minimalism, but you also love giving gifts – you just need to find a way to buy or make gifts that don’t sit around and collect dust for the next three [...]

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How to Save Money and Calories on Starbucks Drinks and Lattes

November 7, 2009 · 3 comments

in Starbucks, consumers, drinks, savings, spending

Forget about trying to give up a daily latte if it really makes your morning or is an essential part of your coffee shop networking.  It’s easier to just save money doing it.
Here are two basic tips for making the most of your latte money at Starbucks.
Misto Instead of Latte: Save $0.50

Your latte is one [...]

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5 Recent Examples of Consumer Food Price Inflation in Second Half of 2009

October 22, 2009 · 4 comments

in budgets, consumers, financial planning, inflation, purchases, spending

While going through my receipts and budget yesterday, I paid particular attention to some items for which the cost has jumped up in recent months.
Analysts keep saying that deflation is still officially the name of the current game, but here are some real examples of costs going up.
They can keep saying “deflation” all they [...]

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What To Do With Your Money When the Canadian Dollar Is Nearing Parity With the US Dollar

October 14, 2009 · 12 comments

in Canadian dollar, US dollar, exchange rates, forex, living in US, money management, purchases, spending, travel

The Canadian dollar is once again at 52-week highs and edging closer to parity every day.  Since this happens once in a blue moon, it pays to be able to recognize it when it’s happening and be able to act on the opportunity.
I’ve written previously about how you can build up your reserve of US [...]

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Tips For Getting An Early Start On Your Holiday Season Budgeting and Christmas Gift Planning

September 23, 2009 · 7 comments

in budgets, holidays, money management, purchases, savings, spending

With the arrival of the autumn equinox, it is a good time for many to start thinking ahead to budgeting for the holiday gift-giving season.  The holidays are about more than gifts, though – social events, unexpected guests dropping by, more travel plans and decorations for your home all add up to put pressure on [...]

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How Much It Costs to Apply To Graduate School

September 21, 2009 · 6 comments

in education, financial planning, grad school, money decisions, spending, students, universities

My advice: don’t overlook the little costs involved in furthering your education.  Applying to grad school is one of them.  We focus on the big ticket costs like tuition and accommodation, but this is one that sneaks in the back door and should be part of your budget.
The largest factor determining how much you will [...]

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Getting Motivated About Tackling Credit Card Debt

August 9, 2009 · 10 comments

in budgets, credit cards, debt, discipline, finances, paycheck, portfolio, spending

To truly become free – and stay free – from consumer debt, it takes a strong shift in mindset, akin to the force of a tsunami (as my blogging colleague Baker from ManVsDebt has creatively put it).
What’s the point of paying off all those credit cards if you’re just going to end up racking them [...]

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