In my last post I argued that you can save substantially on groceries—perhaps 19% or $760 per year—by having them delivered to you rather than going grocery shopping. Doing so saves a lot of time, too. But I also acknowledged that sometimes it makes more sense to shop for groceries in store. When shopping in store, there are still ways to quickly save money on groceries.
Following are 4 efficient ways to save money when shopping for groceries in the store: (more…)
The average American household spends over $4,000 per year on groceries. As a result, saving even a small percent on groceries can add up. That said, many cost-savings tactics—like clipping coupons—often aren’t worth the time. The question is: how can one save the most money on groceries in the least amount of time?
In this two-part series of posts, I’ll share 5 ways to quickly save on groceries. Today I want to share my #1 recommendation: (more…)
Whether flying in economy, business, or first class, you want the best seat for the money you spend. Some seats—such as those near the bathrooms—you know to avoid choosing. But how can you know in advance which seats don’t recline or which have misaligned windows? On the other hand, how can you know which have extra leg room or AC power so that you can charge your device in flight? The answer is SeatGuru.
I’ve used SeatGuru for many years to help me get the best seat for the money. In this post I will explain how SeatGuru works and show you how to use it to get a great seat on the plane. (more…)
Four good bank offers have come out over the past week or so, as reported by Doctor of Credit. Each offer allows you to earn $500 or more. They represent a fairly easy way to add to your financial bottom line.
Here’s an overview of each of the four offers, together with my recommendation for which one(s) to get, depending on your circumstances: (more…)
If you’re like most people, you don’t want to overpay for a hotel. At the same time, you don’t want to spend forever squeezing out every last dollar of savings. You want to quickly find and book a great hotel at a great price. If you’re going to pay cash (rather than points) for a hotel, the absolute best way I know of to quickly get a great hotel at a great price is to use the Priceline hack I describe in this post.
Times Square, New York — one of the many places the Priceline hack works
The last time I used this method I booked a $150 4-star hotel in Miami for $65—a savings of $85 or 57%. Saving $85 is great. But imagine saving $85/night on a 5-night stay. That’s a savings of $425. Now imagine doing that four times per year. That’s a savings of $1,700. The savings add up quickly when you make this method of booking hotels your default method.
In this post I will explain how Priceline works. Then I’ll share the key to the trick. Finally, I’ll include a video I recorded of me using the method. That way you can see, step-by-step, exactly how to do it. (more…)
Poker legend Doyle Brunson is rumored to have been asked whether he would take the following bet. A coin is flipped. If it comes up heads, Doyle loses his entire net worth. Tails, he wins 10 times his net worth. Doyle responded, “I’d have to take that bet.”
He’d “have to” take that bet because of a concept called expected value. Even if some of us wouldn’t take that particular bet, the concept of expected value can help us make better decisions in many areas of life, especially those involving time and money.
In this post, I’ll define expected value and show how you can use it to save time and money. (more…)
Cancelling a flight is often costly. Most of the U.S. carriers charge $100-200 to cancel or change a nonrefundable, domestic ticket. In some cases, however, you can cancel without paying a flight cancellation fee.
Following are 4 ways to cancel your ticket without paying a fee. I’ve used three of these four ways a good number of times. (more…)
A reader named Blake wrote in to ask me the following question about credit card rewards: If your intent is to travel, would you rather have travel points rewarded you or straight cash? My thought is that with cash I have more freedom to search the cheapest flight, at the right time, going to the right place. Do you think this is a true assumption?
It’s a great question—one that probably a lot of folks have. Years ago, I agreed with Blake’s assumption. “Cash is king,” I thought. Often, it is. But sometimes, you can do better—even much better—with miles and points. Let me explain. (more…)
Did you know that you can often earn $50-400 by opening a bank account? Such amounts, especially when earned repeatedly, can meaningfully boost a lot of folks’ finances. Also, for those who shouldn’t sign up for credit cards because they carry debt, signing up for bank accounts with big bonuses is a viable alternative.
In this post I’ll explain what bank account bonuses are. I’ll cover their advantages and disadvantages. I’ll show you how to find the best bonuses. And I’ll assess whether bank account bonuses are a good deal. (more…)
The 80/20 rule states that 80% of effects are determined by 20% of their causes. The rule is also known as the Pareto Principle, after the 19th Century Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto. Pareto noticed that 80% of the peas in his garden came from 20% of the peapods. (Weird thing to notice.) He also showed that about 80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population.
The Pareto Principle is not a law, like gravity. It’s a rule of thumb. It fits a wide array of phenomena. Consider, for instance, these applications of the rule across a variety of fields: (more…)