Difference Between Frugality and Cheapness

By MoneyBlueBook

I try my best to live a healthy and reasonably frugal life. This doesn't mean that I spend all of my time counting pennies but I do have a mental calculator to keep track of spending as it relates to the income I bring in. I enjoy being financially organized and efficient in how I use my limited resources to maximize the value I get back. But I have my priorities and when I am with friends, family, or loved ones, I don't mind splurging for them. My frugal lifestyle is mostly for me and I try to limit the practice when I am around others so it doesn't rub off the wrong way.

Frugality Sees Value, Cheapness Sees Cost

Frugality is a very positive trait but many people often mistaken it for it's evil cousin, cheapness. Frugality and cheapness are two different things. Frugal people understand true value and have the ability to evaluate finances by taking into consideration past, present, and future needs. Cheap people don't really care about value and prefer not to spend money for the sake of not spending money.

For example, if I can buy paper towels in bulk and after factoring in the time value of spent money I decide that I will save more money in the long run by spending a little bit more today, frugality dictates that I make the more expensive purchase now that will provide greater value cumulatively in the long run. Cheapness would probably dictate that I not buy it at all or

By MoneyBlueBook

I enjoy using coupons. I don't spend a whole lot of time clipping coupons from the Sunday paper however. In fact, I don't even order or buy the Sunday newspaper and its collection of coupons. I prefer to do it the easy way - by emailing companies directly and requesting coupons and discount promotion vouchers.

Believe it or not, companies love to hear from their customers and appreciate your comments and suggestions. You don't even need to beat around the bush by sugar coating your emails and gushing about how much you love their products. I prefer to get straight to the point and simply ask them if they can send me coupons.

Here Are the Steps to Take.

That's it! See how easy it is? I've been receiving lots of coupons from every conceivable brand in the last few days after requesting them through their websites. Some brands like Kashi are super generous and will send

By MoneyBlueBook

I was a late comer to the cell phone scene, but once I got the cell phone I ditched the traditional land line. Today, I only use cell phones and my high speed internet service. Who wants to pay for an extra land line?

I have not owned a traditional land line phone since I started using a cell phone more than half a decade ago. Frankly I just don't see the need to have an extra line that can only be used at home. I know advocates of land line service point out that wireless phones can be unreliable and that for emergencies it is best to have a land line, but in my opinion, my most potentially critical emergencies aren't likely to occur at home. My crucial times of need will likely occur on the road or somewhere far away from traditional phone lines when I may need to summon help from afar. At that time, only my trusty cell phone will do the job and my clunky land line sitting at home won't do me any good.

I'm Not Alone And I'm Part of A Trend

Apparently, I am part of a growing movement towards cell phone only households. According to a recent study by Mediamark research, a firm that has been tracking such data since the mid 1980s, the firm found for the first time that cell-phone only households were starting to outnumber land line-only homes. More than a quarter of young adults have only cell phones, making them the leading

By MoneyBlueBook

I spend a great deal of time browsing the internet looking for bargains and discounts. While some people like to play video games or watch television at home, or do crossword puzzles and Sudoku at work, I prefer to look for deals. I even like to spend a few extra minutes here and there filling out online paid surveys to make a few extra dollars. I don't consider it a waste of time at all because I enjoy it - it's my hobby. Over the years, I've made and saved a respectable amount of money by following through on these money making and saving opportunities whenever possible. I've made bargain hunting and being a savvy consumer an integral part of my life. As long as it is reasonably time and effort efficient to do so, I don't mind taking the extra few steps to maximize my money further.

Some People Just Aren't Into It

But I've noticed that there are many people that simply aren't interested in these deals. Oftentimes, they consider it too much trouble or too much of a hassle to bother with. Some are even peculiarly worried that they might contract a computer virus or spyware by participating in these money saving solutions. I could explain the procedure and method in great simplistic detail and yet some would still prefer to shrug off the money saving opportunity.

I always try to take advantage of special online promotions. Some promotions are just so easy and simple to apply for that it boggles my mind

By MoneyBlueBook

Did you know that for the vast majority of purchases, it's almost always cheaper to buy online? The internet is full of great online deals. I've pretty much stopped buying anything at brick and mortar stores aside from groceries and basic day to day personal items. Even for groceries I've lately been researching and investigating how to buy them cheaper online. I'll write a post about buying groceries through the web when I have accomplished something to write about!

Use Shopping Portals Like Ebates, Jellyfish, and FatWallet to Save Money

If you're going to shop online, don't forget to use cash back shopping portals like Ebates, Jellyfish, or FatWallet (formerly known as FatCash). They offer links to everyday stores such as Priceline, Expedia, Target, Macys, and Dell Computers, but best of all they give you a percentage back as a cash rebate for shopping through their links.

How Do I Earn Cash Back Or Points?

Here is how the shopping portals work. You sign up and register through the portal of your choice. If you're like me, you sign up with all three of them and comparison shop between the portals every time you're about to order something. This is because the portals offer slightly different cash back percentages for different store links.

Next you browse around an online store's website until you know what you want to order. When you're ready, you sign into your shopping portal account and locate the store's corresponding link on the portal's store listing. To have

By MoneyBlueBook

What do you think about this statement - true or false? To prolong the life of your vehicle, experts recommend that you change your vehicle's engine oil every 3000 miles.

The answer? False! Modern engines today are much more advanced and don't require oil changes every 3000 miles, and research has shown that frequent oil changes have no appreciable benefits. The only experts that push for this are those from the oil industry.

The 3,000 Mile Myth

The long handed down concept of the 3000 miles oil change was the brain child of Jiffy Lube and propagated by oil industry officials. While it's not exactly a scam per-se, it's quite a lucrative myth for the engine oil maintenance industry. The average American drives 12,000 miles in a year, and with an oil change every 3,000 miles costing in excess of $25 each, that's $100 annually for each customer. Every visit to the auto mechanic or oil change facility gives them yet another opportunity to push for other pricey maintenance services such as air filter replacement and transmission flush.

Although oil companies and quick engine lube shops like to promote this idea, it's usually not necessary. Instead, drivers should consult their vehicle owner's manual oil change schedule for more credible guidance. Most vehicles driven under normal conditions can reliably go 7,500 miles or more between oil changes. Some models now even come with monitoring systems that alert the driver when the oil needs changing. Depending on driving conditions, they can help extend oil change intervals further - to 10,000 or