It’s amazing how saving a little here and a little there can add up to big savings. Each of these great reader tips doesn’t really save much on its own. But added up over time? In a way that changes your attitude and keeps you focused? That can really make a difference. Don’t believe me?…

One of the benefits of getting out of debt and working 90-hour weeks (perhaps I exaggerate but only a little) is having the means to actually take a vacation. And we did — two glorious weeks in Europe. What an amazing experience. And by “amazing” I refer to the $9.50 dental floss. I’m not kidding….

“Save money” is a near-universal mantra in the travel business — suppliers constantly shout about how much you “save” if you buy their product or use their service, and we writers continually post “money-saving” tips. But to me, that’s a bit off target. You can easily “save” 100 percent on travel — just stay home….

In a recent poll at my Everyday Cheapskate website, I asked: What would you do with an unexpected windfall of $10,000? Responses ranged from saving every penny to giving all of it away to using it to get caught up on bills. This got me thinking: What fascinating answer would I get if I changed…

I was not born with a natural bent toward frugality. Everything in me cries out to spend, acquire, spend, achieve, amass, spend, spend, spend! I am drawn to the extraordinary, the luxurious and the unique. I live with visions of grandeur and opulence. My fondest dreams include tailored clothing, domestic staffs, $600 silk bed sheets,…

I don’t know what I was thinking the year that I bought three dozen tomato plants (they were small), plus enough planting mix to cover a small farm. And as long as I was there, I picked up mulch, root stimulator, liquid fertilizer, time-release fertilizer, pest control, slug and snail bait, metal cages (one per…

Hear that sound? It’s the first of the major shopping holidays at the door. Halloween is the fourth most popular holiday that gets consumers to open their wallets — the kick-off to a lot of shopping before the end of the year. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent north of $10 billion on…

Brisk mornings, fall colors, pumpkin pie and apple cider. Autumn is just the best time of year, right? And our minds are leaning toward Halloween and Thanksgiving. Consider this a strong nudge to put a DIY Christmas on your list. Start planning now and you’ll benefit in so many ways come December. Before I find…

There are so many good reasons to make your own household cleaners. It’s cheaper, healthier and greener, too. The homemade household cleaners I share with you from time to time do not contain chemicals. That means you can always count on them to be nontoxic. Dear Cheapskate: The copper post tops on my deck are…

In a society of continuous change, those things that remain constant give us the courage to boldly face the uncertainty of each new day. No matter what should befall us, we rest in the assurance that some things never change. The rising of the sun, the coming of spring, the levy of taxes — and…