Well, there’s no denying this challenge has run its course. I’m starving, I’m frustrated, and I’m getting very tired of sticking to the same protein-heavy food. (Today, it has been hard boiled eggs (.65) cheese (.30) , a banana (.29) and some milk (.25). (I ate all my peanut butter yesterday). I’ve mentioned before that in addition to being… Read more →
When I signed up to take the Live Below the Line Challenge, I knew there was no way I’d convince my husband to partake, and my son? Well, I just wasn’t comfortable limiting his food for the sake of experiment. (And yes, I do understand that there are many kids who live under these circumstances, without a parent who can… Read more →
As a freelance writer, I work when my child is either napping, or at preschool. Because his school is not particularly near our house, I’ll usually swing by a local coffee shop to sip a $2 coffee and use their Wi-Fi to work. Obviously, that’s not an option when I’m on a $1.50 budget for the whole day, so here… Read more →
Well, I lived through the experience of living on $1.50 a day as part of the Live Below the Line Challenge–but it wasn’t easy, and certainly wasn’t without its obstacles. I’ll spare the details of how frustrating it is to eat on a $1.50 budget, because frankly, I think we all expect that. Here’s the summary: I drank cheap coffee… Read more →
If you’ve been staying put in your house and avoiding putting your home on the market in order to ride out the real estate market wave, this spring appears to be showing signs of life in the housing market. Last Thursday, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac announced that the average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage loan fell to 3.43… Read more →
I recently wrote a story for Mint. com on divorce loans offered by lender BBL Churchill. Sadly, such services have become necessity for couples who become so tied up in legal costs that they can no longer afford to pay to keep up the fight for a fair divorce settlement. It’s also highly ironic that money–an issue that has… Read more →
Summer vacations are right around the corner, but the airline industry isn’t much for the idea of giving things away for free these days. To get the most of the summer vacation you’ve budgeted for, you’ve got to be proactive in reducing fees as much you can. One easy way to do it on an airline that charges for baggage?… Read more →
You may intrinsically know first hand just how stressful reading your smartphone, work emails, or Blackberry messages are after work hours, but YoungAh Park, assistant professor of psychology at Kansas State University says that detaching from technology completely during non-work hours is critical to stress relief, and the qualify of your life at home. Perhaps most importantly, getting your spouse… Read more →
If you’re struggling to focus under a deadline, stop beating yourself up and take time to give yourself a little reward that will boost your mood. According to findings from a recent study at The Ohio State University, researchers found that the act of gifting simple mood-boosting gifts like candy or a card to seniors actually impacted cognitive functioning in… Read more →
Feeling down in the dumps post-holidays? Here are five simple ways to boost your mood. The best part? they’ll cost you next to nothing! 1. Step outside. Yes, it’s cold. Yes, it’s winter. Yes, it takes work to bundle the kids and dog to get outdoors–BUT it’s well worth the effort. A study at University of Essex study found that… Read more →
