Precise record keeping will go a long way in helping you stay within a budget. That means recording all receipts, all expenditures, even cash. Doing this will give you a clear picture of where your money is going, and where you can make adjustments on those expenditures. If you can work with a computer...

...but am climbing back on. Well, I've been trying to accomplish a couple of goals in these last few months -- one was not to incur any more consumer debt, and the other was to get some stuff fixed around my house. It turns out that I over did it on the latter, leading me to fail at the former. I...

Dear Dollar Stretcher, I really struggle with the discipline aspect of saving money. I have heard of companies who put your money in a trust, pay the bills and give you an allowance to live on. Do you or any of your readers know anything about how these companies work or if anyone has had any bad experiences...

I like to make pronouncements. It's easier for me to adopt or give up something altogether, rather than piecemeal. So my latest pronouncement is this: I'm not going out to eat anymore, unless I'm away from home and can't prepare something myself. I'm a vegetarian, so my dining out...

I came across an advertisement recently from Bank of America: open a checking account with them with a minimum depoist of $500, make at least one debit transaction within 30 days of opening the account, and they'll deposit $75.00 into the account, or mail you a check if the account is closed. This...

There have been so many stories in the news, on blogs -- everyhwere -- about what people are doing differently in the midst of this "economic downturn," and lots of speculation about what habits will last and what will disappear once the economy recovers. I started living within my means over...

My beloved cat of 16 years died last fall, and I (and my dog) missed her terribly, so I decided to get a new cat from my local animal shelter. The dog's not so thrilled yet, but I know she'll come around. The cat, Jerome, is healthy and happy. I brought him in to the vet yesterday. I asked the...

Were you able to stick to your buget in March? What is your spending and shopping goals for April? Keep us posted on how you do and share your tips for staying on track as well!

I've found a simple recipe for homemade bread. It's a cool rise, wet dough recipe. I found it on Mother Earth News. They market it as 5min a day bread. NOT!!!! BUT, it is easy! lol.... You make the dough, then it can keep in your fridge for up to 2 weeks. I had to make mine in a very large plastic...

It was in February of 2008 that I decided to change my relationship with money. I was sick of living week to week, always being scrambling to pay bills, being in debt and being generally stressed over money. I bartered with a life coach for a couple of sessions, but quickly realized I didn't need...