10 Common Expenses To Avoid If You Want To Really Save Money

By MoneyBlueBook

When you're standing in front of the cash register about to make a large purchase for hundreds of dollars, it's easy to immediately recognize the high cost and the financial gravity of the situation. The price is high and it's easy to see how the large one time expenditure is going to hit your pocket book. But what about those pesky little daily expenses that we often take for granted? They are just as effective at draining money, but the only difference is that they usually occur over a wider span of time. Those type of silent and hidden expenses do add up quickly over a month or even a one year period. It's important to be aware of what some of them are so that we can learn to avoid these money traps and do a better job of pocketing the savings.

1) Bottled Water - Although I list this as my first money drain due to the consensus of many, it's actually one daily expenditure that I personally find to be worth the daily cost. While not necessarily healthier in terms of purity, due to the convenience and the healthy consumption habit the act promotes, I actually think drinking bottled water is worth the regular cost. However, there is a right way to do it and a wrong way. The right way is to buy bottled water in bulk supermarket 24 packs or in Costco's mega 32 packs. The absolute wrong way is to buy them in single units from a place like

By MoneyBlueBook

I would like to wish my readers and my lovely girl a Happy Valentine's Day! For those of you who don't have a clue where to take your Valentine's date, I recommend The Melting Pot, a classy fondue restaurant. Fondue is basically a communal type of dinner meal shared around an earthenware pot cooked over a small burner at your table. The light fondue cheese mix inside the pot is usually cooked with traces of wine and kept warm while diners use specially pronged forks to dip bread and other bits of food into it. Although it's deliciously fun, the dining experience can be rather expensive.

Love May Be Cheap, But Fondue Isn't

The Melting Pot is definitely not a place for patrons who are financially squeamish about opening up their wallets wide for a rare romantic dinner. On special occasions like Valentine's Day, expect reservations to be in demand and planned dinner courses for two to cost upwards of $130.00. On other days, the price doesn't fare all that much better - at around $85 per couple. It's amazing how high prices soar for love-related events and merchandise during special holiday occasions like Valentine's Day (just look at the price of online Valentine's day flowers in my last post).

I'm not really a high end restaurant connoisseur (usually preferring to save my money by going elsewhere), but I've been there a few times and enjoyed the food and ambiance. Don't get me wrong - a dinner at the Melting Pot is incredibly expensive,

By MoneyBlueBook

Well Valentine's Day is here again and it's time to carry out the age old tradition of sending flowers to that special girl in your life. While women today frequently send flowers as well, I think the great majority of gift flowers purchased for Valentine's Day are made by men for their love crush, their girlfriends, or for their wives. Anyway you look at it - women love flowers - the commercially universal symbol of love (that and diamonds). They love to receive them, look at them, show them off to friends and co-workers, and display them on their desks for all to see (I see it all the time). Today, flowers make great presents for any occasion, and they're no longer just for the major holidays and birthdays anymore either.

Since giving flowers during those special holidays is almost a given, for the guys, if you really want to score bonus points, try sending your special lady flowers for no special reason at all - it's even better when she's not expecting them. That will really brighten her day. Not that I am an expert in the flower-sending department or even have that extensive of an experience in wooing girls with flowers, but I've done it before - through both traditional local florists and through online flower delivery services. Both techniques have always yielded great results.

Flowers Are Expensive, But Buying and Sending Them Doesn't Have To Break The Bank

Now one of the biggest gripes with sending flower arrangements as gifts is that they're usually quite

By MoneyBlueBook

Despite what some people may think, many people still visit public libraries - such as myself. Although the societal trend seems to be shifting towards an entirely digital world where the internet dominates the information landscape, traditional brick and mortar library branches still serve their useful purpose.

Other than studying at the school library during college or university, the last time most people were inside their local public library was probably during high school. These days, your local public library branches are a bit different than those that are affiliated with schools. Rather than focusing on academic research type resources, many cater more to community and family needs. Today they offer a wealth of free services that should be part of everyone's everyday frugal living strategy. Instead of buying expensive books, movies, video disks, or audio tapes without sampling first, you should think about test driving them out at the local county or city library before committing.

Here Are Some Free Services Your Local Public Library Likely Provides That You May Or May Not Be Aware Of:

By MoneyBlueBook

For the last few weeks I've been receiving incessant phone calls several times daily from some unknown toll free number - specifically 1-800-261-1646. Because I have a habit of screening my calls and not picking up my cell phone if I don't recognize the caller ID, the missed calls kept coming in. The unknown calls were perplexing because I recalled signing up my number for the National Do Not Call List. Eventually I gave up and chose to call the number back to see what was up.

The Verizon Wireless Sales Pitch - May We Bind You To A New Multi Year Contract With Just A Few Freebie Offers?

When I called the number, at first there was dead air and I wondered if I had called a scam number, but then a voice over the phone introduced himself thanking me for my interest in Verizon Wireless and requested my cell phone number. I was a bit suspicious but since my cell phone was indeed serviced through Verizon Wireless and I figured my cell phone number wasn't really confidential information, I gave him my information. If he had inquired about the last 4 digits of my social security number I might not have readily given him the number, since I was still a bit suspicious at that point. But with my phone number information, he immediately ascertained my name so I figured he was at least somewhat legit.

Immediately he launched into a sales pitch to get me to sign up for a new binding multi year

By MoneyBlueBook

When I read about the crazy sums of money football fans have been plunking down for a chance to watch the New York Giants play the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII (42nd), I was shocked, but not surprised. Just for the record, no - I didn't pay more than $4,000 for a pair of Super Bowl tickets to watch the two best football teams in the nation play this coming weekend. But I understand why feverish and passionate football fans would pay that kind of money to support their team (I've done it before, although not nearly to that level of degree).

If I were a Giants or Pats fan, I would have given some serious thought to shelling out the high scalper-driven prices to secure the coveted tickets and necessary hotel rooms for the chance to experience the event of a lifetime. Looking back at my earlier days, I wish I had jumped on the exciting opportunities when I had the chance. When my college alma mater made it to the men's NCAA basketball championship game I was still in graduate school and didn't have the financial means or the ability to take time off from classes to attend. Looking back I wish I had dug down deep and made the effort, because ultimately my school went on to win that national title game. I missed an opportunity that may not happen again for some time. Afterwards, I promised myself - never again would I give