Hey! Tonight I’m hosting a Twitter chat on affordable adult beverages. I thought it would be timely with the holiday approaching. I’ve written about the subject before, but I wanted to bring in a true expert! I have Nannette, who runs the site Wine Harlots : The Virtue of Vice lending her expertise. I’m super excited. Nannette is most charming and her site is so hilarious. She knows her stuff. She is known for having the best arsenal of appropriate quotes. Here’s one she discovered and sent out on twitter for me:
“Frugality without creativity is deprivation.” — Amy Dacyczyn
Love it. See you at 8 p.m., est on Twitter. Follow @frugalista for all the goods!
What affordable wine/alcohol do you like?
I didn’t believe when I first heard it, but colleges are discounting their prices.
The average private institution is slashing its college tuition by 53.5%. So a school with a tuition sticker price of $30,000 would actually cost $13,950, writes Lynn O’Shaughnessy (author of The College Solution) on her Money Watch blog.
Also, colleges are offering discounts for summer school.
I’ve often read that college costs were on the rise, but a new study says that the private schools are slicing prices to compete for students. I went to a private college (happily) , but if I were a high school senior now, I would probably consider seriously the state college route. Student loans aren’t as sexy as we thought they once were. LOL
Community colleges have really beefed up their programs and are dirt cheap when you think about what they offer. Many people question if college is worth the expense.
What do you think about the college discounts? Is it about time? Do you think private schools are feeling competition from state colleges? Do you think college is over priced?
Talk to me!
Happy Monday! So, the way to tell if the economy is improving is by looking at the length of skirts, according to a new study. The shorter the skirt, the better the outlook on the economy.
It’s been a minute since I’ve purchased a mini skirt. They aren’t the most practical for my line of work. Is that telling? I did buy a romper short set to wear during the weekend. Does that count? Is this the leg economy?
Has anyone else noticed a lot more social shopping websites? I think it’s a good thing because I love talking to other people about products and doing things in a group.
Here are a few new shopping sites:
Smartshoppersunite: Shameless plug: I have a business relationship with this site. I blog for them and I know the community is full of awesome folks. This site is good to chat about everything under the sun. You don’t go there to purchase an item. It’s more about sharing ways to save money and sharing good deals that we’ve found.
Zavee: For South Floridians, Zavee is a site that focuses on local retailers. You can earn cash back rewards from local merchants after shopping on the site.
Groupon: Groupon is more collective bargaining, but it’s still social. Everyday, the site features a deal in a city. If enough people purchase the deal, then it’s official.
Living Social is a site that has daily deals in your city, also. Act quickly. If you get three other people to purchase a deal that you buy, your deal is free.
Have you noticed a lot of social shopping sites? What do you think? Is it too much? Is sharing caring?
Uber penny pincher, Jeff Yeager, has an article on healthy foods for under $1 a pound. Gracious.
Here are some of Jeff’s recommendations:
Apples – One a day keeps the cheapskate away.
Asparagus – HUGE store special at 99 cents a pound during Easter week. I bought 10 pounds, blanched it, and then froze it.
Bananas – Potassium for pennies.
Barley – A tasty alternative to rice and potatoes.
Beans – Canned or dried. Kidney, pinto, navy, black, red, and many more.
Bok choy – Steam and serve with a little soy sauce.
Broccoli – Yes, a store special. Usually closer to $2 per pound.
Bulgar wheat – Try it in pilaf or a tabouleh salad.
Cabbage – Green and red. I like mine fried.
Cantaloupe – No, sorry, I can’t; I’m already married.
Carrots – Raw or steamed. Rich in carotenes, a healthy antioxidant.
Celery – Stir-fry it for a change.
Chicken – Whole or various parts, on sale.
Chickpeas – AKA garbanzo beans — mash ‘em up as a healthy sandwich spread.
Cornmeal – “Polenta” is all the rage these days, but I loved it 40 years ago when Mom called it “cornmeal mush.”
Hmm. He makes some points. I’ve tried bok choy. Not too shabby. What do you eat that’s less than $1 per pound?
Hello, my Frugalistas! I missed you! I have a guest blogger today, writing about retirement. After all, a lot of projections say that our generation will have to work when they are in their 70s, and I’m trying to fight that every day! Retirement savings are a beautiful thing! Say it loud. Say it proud!
Anyway, here’s a guest post from Marina Shifrin, a personal finance and consumer-interest story writer at mybanktracker.com . Marina says she appreciates her job not only for the income, but for opening her eyes to world of finance.
Here’s Marina’s post!
RETIREMENT 101
When I head to work in the morning, my head is clouded with many questions: Who will I fall in love with on the subway today? Where should I go for happy hour? What just brushed up against my leg?
The last thing on my mind as a 22 year old, brand-new college graduate is retirement planning. As each year passes by with a depressing amount of speed, and after accepting a position with mybanktracker.com I decided it was time to confront retirement planning square in the, uh, face? One problem: I don’t know ANYTHING about retirement planning. So I decided to find a solution the same way I do for 99.9% of my problems: turn to the internet.
Working for mybanktracker.com has many perks, one of which is the wealth of knowledge you can find. I did a quick search and found this article about saving for retirement early. It had great tips and resources for young, business minded, individuals. I particularly liked the link to a retirement plan calculator, but shameless plugs aside I am here to reach out to people like me. People who think about the future but just need help to get the right path. This is why I put together some important information from what I read:
1. 401K
You have probably heard this term before because it is one of the most popular ways to save for retirement. It is a plan that offers tax deductable contributions, tax deferred growth and taxable distributions. As long as you have some type of employment you can establish a 401K.
To protect your money, it is best to establish a rollover 401k, which basically lets you transfer your existing retirement funds into another retirement account without penalty.
Although this article was written last year, I found it very helpful on explaining 401k roll over options: How to Roll Over Your 401(k) When You Leave or Lose Your Job – The 401k Rollover .
2. IRAs
IRAs are similar to 401ks but the difference is that they are individually sponsored as opposed to employee sponsored. That means you are the one in charge. The two types of IRAs are traditional IRA and Roth IRA.
Traditional IRA most resembles are 401k with tax-deferred growth meaning you only pay taxes on the money when you withdraw in retirement. Traditional IRAs also have different options for choosing a type.
Roth IRA doesn’t have the option of tax deductable contributions but offers tax-free growth.
There are different regulations to be eligible for these IRAs. To learn more visit The IRA Advantage.
3. What do I do?
* Start saving! That is the first thing necessary for retirement planning. You should be saving 10-15% of your income as a 20 year old to be able to comfortably retire.
* Start investing! The above options explain how to plan for retirement through investing it would be wise to schedule an appointment with your bank or employer to figure out the best plan for you.
* Start reading! Yeah, thinking about grown up things isn’t fun, but being an adult is expensive. The more you know about it, the more you will be prepared for those expenses.
Chello! We tackled affordable running gear and practices in last night’s #dealchat. I was so inspired that I’m seriously considering starting a running program. Sometimes I pick the Twitter #dealchat topics for selfish reasons. heehee! What better way to learn than with your friends?
Check out the transcript here and please stop by blackgirlsrun.com, who were the special invited guests!
In honor of the pending Father’s Day, every phone in the T-Mobile store is free with a two-year contract on Saturday, June 19.
Starting at 8 a.m., visit a T-Mobile retail store and switch to any family plan, or add a new line to an existing family plan, and walk out of the store with a new phone for every new line with a two-year agreement — customer’s choice — while supplies last.
All phones will be available while supplies last, so customers are encouraged to arrive early to stores.
The offer is valid at T-Mobile owned and operated locations only. New activation on qualifying family plan with two-year agreement required. Limit five lines per family plan. Mail-in rebate and restrictions may apply. Store hours may vary. See store for details.
Sounds interesting. Would you buy a T-Mobile phone?
Hey! Tonight I’m hosting a Twitter chat on affordable adult beverages. I thought it would be timely with the holiday approaching. I’ve written about the subject before, but I wanted to bring in a true expert! I have Nannette, who runs the site Wine Harlots : The Virtue of Vice lending her expertise. I’m super excited. Nannette is most charming and her site is so hilarious. She knows her stuff. She is known for having the best arsenal of appropriate quotes. Here’s one she discovered and sent out on twitter for me:
