August 2009 Archives
Aug31

Are women doing better than men in...

Posted at 8:21 AM • 3 Comments

Girls_rock-362 I ran across an article on CNN.com that says that women are doing better in the recession than our menfolk. How is that for girl power?  Since the recession started in 2007, 80 percent of the people who lost their job were men. One reason women are standing out is because we are better at personal branding (having a clear professional identity), according to the article. 

I was a little bit surprised at the article because I know plenty of women who have been laid off. However, I do think that women are very smart about having a "Plan B" and making adjustments.Other reasons cited in the article because industries such auto and construction were hard hit.

Are you surprised by the information? Do you think women are doing better during this recession?

Aug27

Free samples of Nexxus hair product...

Posted at 4:39 AM • No Comments

This freebie is only good for the first 1,000 entrants. Happy shampooing and conditioning. Nexxus smells yummy! The samples are the Therappe shampoo and Humectress conditioner, which are excellent for thick hair in need of TLC. *Waves hand high in the air.*

xo,

Fruga

Aug26

Disney World “Frugalista styl...

Posted at 8:47 AM • 3 Comments

Golden_castle Hello! We have a guest post today from Michelle Stepney, News Bureau Director for Disney Destinations, LLC. Stepney will talk to us about ways to visit Disney World as frugally as possible! The theme park has some "hook ups" going on this fall!

DISNEY TIPS:

Disney’s Magical Express – When guests bound for Disney owned-and-operated hotels are traveling via commercial airline to Orlando International Airport (OIA), they can arrange for special luggage tags that allow them to check their bags at their hometown airport, bypass baggage claim at OIA and board state-of-the-art motor coaches for complimentary transportation to the Vacation Kingdom, where their bags “magically” appear in their guestroom.  When it’s time to say good-bye, guests board motor coaches for complimentary transportation back to OIA.  An extra convenience: Guests traveling on participating airlines can check their baggage for the return flight at their Disney resort, saving time and luggage-toting at the airport.

Walt Disney World Transportation System – A Walt Disney World resort ID is the ticket for buses, monorails and boat launches that combine to connect virtually all areas of the Vacation Kingdom.  With the convenience of “door-to-door” service throughout the resort, many guests enjoy their Walt Disney World vacation without a car.

 

But if you do rent a car…

Exemption from parking fees at the theme parks – By presenting a resort ID, guests enter parking lots for free no matter how many parks they visit during their stay.

Free Dining Offer:

Guests buying a five-night/five-day room and theme park ticket package at select Disney Moderate, Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa resorts for stays most nights from Oct. 1 to Nov. 24 and Nov. 29 to Dec. 17, 2009 can enjoy the Disney Dining Plan for free.  The Disney Dining Plan includes one quick-service meal, one select snack and one table-service meal at up to 100 restaurants for each night of the package stay.   

The package can be booked now through Sept. 26, 2009, at disneyworld.com or by calling 407/W-DISNEY (407/934-7639) or their local travel agent and asking for package code KHF for packages with rooms at Disney Value Resorts and asking for package code TEP for packages with rooms at select Disney Moderate, Disney Deluxe or Disney Deluxe Villa Resorts.

All You Can Drink: 

 “Bottomless” drinking mug – Quenching a vacation-long thirst is easy at Disney’s resorts.  Guests can purchase a mug themed to their resort that will become a keepsake when the holiday ends.  During their length of stay, they can continually refill the mug at designated locations at their resort.

Have you been to Disney World? Who is your favorite character? Do you think Mickey uses the "bottomless drinking mug?"  How does Mickey stay the life of the party? 

Aug25

Jobless grad sues college because s...

Posted at 12:20 PM • 9 Comments

A college graduate is suing her alma mater for tuition because she can't find work. Trina Thompson is suing Monroe College in New York for $70,000, the amount she spent on her education, according to the New York Post. She graduated in April.

I'm not so sure about this woman's plight. A college degree is supposed to give you access to more opportunities, but I'm not sure it's a guarantee of work. I mean, Thompson and every other over-educated worker are looking for a desk job. I'm not sure why her Monroe College degree is supposed to be magic.  Quite honestly, an undergraduate college degree in many quarters is like having a high school diploma. 

Am I being a grouch? Do you think college is a rip off? Do you think the lawsuit will black ball Trina in the job market?

Aug24

Will ‘Cash for Clunkers’...

Posted at 9:26 AM • One Comment

Today is the last day for the government-funded Cash for Clunkers program, where people can trade in their gas guzzlers for new, more fuel-efficent vehicles on discount. ABC ran an interesting story about how the program probably won't help the environment that much. Boo hiss! 

What do you think about Cash for Clunkers? Was it "green enough" for you? Do you think it helped the economy? Did you get a new car?

Aug21

U.S. Money Laced with Cocaine

Posted at 9:28 AM • 2 Comments

Scarface-photo-xl-scarface-6235696 American cash has large amounts of blow on it. Cocaine taints about 90 percent of our money! Is this why we are in the recession? Are we getting high and can't hold onto a job? Someone's having fun with the cash. It makes me think of Prince's Pop Life! JUST SAY NO!

Have a fabulous, drug free weekend! 

Fruga

Aug20

Credit card reforms kick in today!

Posted at 8:44 AM • 2 Comments

Credit-cards  Well, the first phase of President Obama's Credit CARD ACT- start today.  Here are some of the new changes, courtesy of the Associated Press.

Q: What changes are going into effect this week?

A: As of Thursday, credit card companies will be required to notify customers 45 days before changing interest rates or other significant terms of an account. They also must make sure customers have 21 days between the time statements are sent out and the payment is due, up from 14 days under existing rules.

Q: What else is going to change?

A: Starting in February, credit card statements will begin to spell out in an easy-to-read way how long it will take to pay off a balance if you make only the minimum payment each month.

Credit card companies will no longer be able to raise interest rates on existing balances if you've been paying on time, won't be allowed to raise rates the first year an account is open unless a time-limited promotional rate is explained up front, and will have to review accounts every six months if they do hike rates, to see if they should lower them again.

They will also no longer be allowed to charge fees for going over credit limits unless the consumer agrees to pay that fee, and must apply any amount of payment over the minimum to the highest interest rate balance first.

In addition, there are new restrictions about granting credit to students.

Q: Will these rules only affect credit cards?

A: There are also parts of the new law that limit things like inactivity fees and expiration dates on prepaid cards and gift cards.
Have you noticed your credit card interest rates increase right before today? A lot of credit card issuers raised the rates in anticipation of today. Boo hiss! 

Aug19

Frugalista does China

Posted at 4:35 AM • 6 Comments

So a few weeks back, I got contacted by a Chinese Madmen_fullbodyjournalist named Fu. Apparently, I'm known as the "Frugal Queen" in the Far East! Fancy that! As a Frugalista, I am a citizen of the world, even though my passport may need a few more stamps. :( One day! Anyway, here's the article that the China Youth Daily wrote about me. The article is written in Chinese, in case you aren't fluent, but it included some of my party photos. 

Life is good. Frugal living is great!

Thanks to Fu for writing about this American girl,
Natalie

P.S. Are you addicted to Mad Men? 
Aug18

Ways to save on car insurance

Posted at 8:01 AM • One Comment

Hello, Frugalistas! We have a guest blog from The Hartford Financial Services Group, advising on ways to save on auto insurance. 

3 Steps, 10 Minutes to Auto Insurance Savings
 
When times get tough, financial trade-offs are inevitable.  One area where consumers may be looking to save as much as possible is their car insurance.  And like most things, there’s a right AND a wrong way to go about it.
 
Yes, you may save money in the short run by changing your policy.  But eliminating those coverages from your plan may put you in a bigger financial hole in the case of an accident, and you should always think through important factors like things such as how far, how much, and what type of vehicle you drive. 
 
Step 1: Think Long Term
 
·         Think of the Long-Haul – Most insurance companies think in the long-term too, and they prove it by offering additional benefits to long-time, loyal customers.  Drivers thinking of switching insurance providers just to save on their monthly payment should first check with their insurance provider to see about any additional savings they may soon be eligible for.
 
Step 2: Delve into Discounts
 
·         Apply the Rule of “Safety in Numbers” – While insurance companies have their own set of numbers that they use to evaluate the potential risk of individual drivers, there are ways to make the numbers work for you by consolidating.  This applies in a number of areas such as:
-          Membership Discounts – Many providers offer group plans from employers or through professional, business and alumni groups or other associations. 
-          Family Discounts – Similar to any family cell phone plan, most companies are able to offer special rates when households insure multiple vehicles under the same plan. 
-          Multi-Product Discounts – While “diversifying” is the key to any financial savings plan, “consolidation” is the path to take if saving on insurance is the end goal.  Insurers such as The Hartford provide discounts for customers who use other products like homeowner’s insurance.
-          Carpooling – Drivers who ride with others to work can often benefit from low mileage discounts on their policies.
 
Step 3: Pay Wisely
 
·         Don’t Delay When You Pay – Believe it or not, paying your rent on time can actually have a bearing on the cost of your car insurance.  That’s because your credit score is an important factor in determining your rates.  And that means the bill-paying balancing act may actually cost you more on insurance.  If you find yourself having to make the best of a challenging financial decision, try raising the deductible on your policy.  Increasing a deductible from $250 to $500, for instance, could reduce the collision and comprehensive coverage premium by 15 to 30 percent while keeping you protected in the case of an accident.  However, drivers should be prepared to pay the amount of the deductible should something happen to their car.
What do you think about these tips? Have you considered changing your auto insurance because it was too pricey?
Aug17

Frugalista is a Wi-Fi abuser!

Posted at 7:27 AM • 11 Comments

Ashamed Ok, please don't tell anyone I did this. So, I have a hard time writing from home and I am working on a book. The beige walls in my abode can be sooo, hmm, beige. I need to switch up my environment.   I find myself going to different restaurants/book stores/hotels for the free-ish Wi-Fi.  Normally, when I'm at Starbucks or Panera Bread, I at least purchase a drink. 

Well, last night, I went to a Starbucks where the free Wi-Fi didn't work. As I sipped my green tea latte, I became more and more frustrated as the world turned quickly.  I spent at least 5 hours (OK, more like 20 minutes) trying to log on to that darn Wi-Fi at Starbucks. Fuming, I packed my laptop in my canvas tote and headed to Panera. When I hit Panera, there was a line. A long one. On a Sunday. I hate lines. I mean, really people. After 12 hours of waiting in line (Ok, I exaggerate), I did something I NEVER do. I logged on right there in Panera and didn't buy ANYTHING.

Every time a worker walked near my table, I started sweating. As I stealthily typed on my computer, I felt a little bit guilty for "sticking it to the man." But seriously, the line shouldn't have been long. Didn't they know I had a manuscript to write? What about MY deadlines? How dare they serve other customers! Writers need service, too!

*Whew*

Using up the free Wi-Fi at Panera without at least purchasing something from the establishment was not my shining moment. But, I did it. I am a Wi-Fi abuser. I pray Panera doesn't put my mug up on the wall next to the soup menu. Broccoli cheese soup and Frugalista ON A PLATTER! 

Am I shady? Have you done anything like that before? Are we still friends?