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The first thing I learned to cook was chocolate chip cookies, when I was 9 years old. Because I learned to bake before I could cook, I’ve never understand why people find baking so mysterious. If you can read, you can bake. One of the easiest things to make is a cake, so I’m [...]  As a personal finance columnist, I am supposed to advise you to clip coupons to save money. The truth is, it may not be worth your time. Whether clipping grocery coupons will save you enough to compensate you for the time it takes to organize them depends upon your shopping habits and, even more, [...] I could be drummed out of the frugalista corps if this secret got around: I buy my salad ingredients already cut up. Yes, I could save money if I bought heads of lettuce, washed, dried and cut them up myself. But I don’t save a thing if they sit in the refrigerator until they [...] There’s a lot of strategic shopping going on these days. But perhaps no shoppers are as strategic as those who play the Drugstore Game. You may, like me, belong to CVS’ ExtraCare program or Walgreens’ Register Rewards, through which you sometimes receive coupons on your receipts. Occasionally, you may even use one. But Drugstore Game [...] I don’t very often clip coupons, but I’m a dedicated user of the Publix “buy one, get one free” promotions. And nothing annoys me more than stocking up on something only to see it go BOGO the next week. Then I realized that BOGO promotions, and other supermarket discounts, run in cycles, with certain items [...] Like many people in small households, I never know how many fruits and vegetables to buy. Sure, I could shop every day as the Europeans do, but I don’t have the time. If I don’t buy vegetables, I won’t eat them. But, too often, when I do buy them, I miscalculate and end up with [...] Conventional wisdom has it that you always save money if you buy in bulk, choosing the largest sizes and stocking up on items when they’re on sale. The truth is, we might end up spending less if we bought only the amount we’re going to use, even if it costs more per unit. A gallon [...] Thinking about ordering pizza? Before you reach for the phone, go to the computer. You can often find a coupon. Of course, you can and should save the coupon inserts you get in the newspaper and via mail. When my extended family plans dinner, the organizers start by checking their paper coupon stash. Because I [...] With school back in session, it’s time to turn your attention back to packing lunches. I don’t mean your kids’ lunches. I’m talking about bringing your own lunch, especially if you’re spending money every day on food you’re not enjoying. Years ago, I happily ate lunch every day at the office cafeteria. The $5 price [...] Some tips for saving money are so obvious, I hate to mention them. And yet, we forget and then it costs us. So here is our Obvious Advice of the Week: Do not stock up on perishable food during hurricane season. In fact, hurricane season is a good time to eat what’s in your refrigerator [...] |
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