Crash Survival Zone

Surviving the Economic Crisis

Archive for the 'Frugal Living' Category

22 Jun

Featured Website: Swaptree

Look around your house. There are probably books you never read, CDs you never listen to, and DVDs you never watch. Wouldn’t it be great if you could trade them in for something new you’d enjoy? You can. Swaptree.com is here to help. The site lets users barter goods they’re willing to part with for [...]

20 Jun

Home Economics

“Home,” wrote Robert Frost, “is the place where, when you have to go there, they have to take you in.” Small wonder that when we’re faced with economic hardship, that’s where we retreat. As Rogan Kersh, a professor of public policy at New York University, recently told ABC News, recessions bring out our nesting instincts. [...]

15 Jun

Cooking in a Coffee Pot

and Other Useful Tips for the Homeless

By David Glenn Cox

I write this for the millions who, like myself, are holed up in basements, garages, empty houses, fields, culverts and what have you. Guilty of being Americans and homeless, trying to make it through just one more day in the land of Fuck You and the [...]

07 Jun

Find the cheapest gas in town

GasBuddy can help you find cheap gas prices in your city. In total, we have 185 websites to help you find low gasoline prices.

Average price of gas:
Today                 2.592
One week ago     2.492
One month ago   2.159

…more…

GasBuddy.com

01 Jun

Haggle Economy: Buyers Strike Back

Millions have lost their jobs, trillions of dollars of wealth has vanished. The silver lining: You can get a discount.

When Daniel Bowen, a financial executive in Dallas, started haggling for lower prices a few years ago, he was so nervous he would get knots in his stomach, the way he used to when asking a [...]

26 May

Is that frugal tactic worth it? Here’s how to tell

Why should you think about turning the thermostat down or up a notch to save money if you’re grossing $65,000 a year?

A good point, you might think, but, according to Canadian blogger Mike at Four Pillars, you’re not framing the question correctly.

A more valid approach is: How do the savings compare with your disposable income [...]

19 May

10 Phrases That Will Sink Your Budget

Sticking to a budget, whatever your style, can be a challenge. It’s so easy to come up with reasons to spend spend spend! How come it’s so hard to find such motivating reasons to save?

SD Gal and I have been working with our budget for the past few months now, and we’ve gotten really good [...]

12 May

Here’s the Best Way to Save Even More

As the U.S. descends from its decades-long, debt-fueled, free-spending high, Americans are finding ways to save more money. In March, the average person saved 4.2% of disposable income, compared with just 0.2% a year earlier. Thanks to a deep recession, our buy-it-now-and-buy-it-big culture is moving into a lower gear, at least temporarily.

Downshifting on consumption is [...]

01 May

In Glum Times, Repair Shops Hum

Economic fears are driving a resurgence for repairmen. When it comes to autos, computers and all kinds of appliances, consumers are more likely to repair what they have, rather than buying a new replacement.

…more…

WSJ

30 Apr

‘Vampire’ energy use is taking a bite out of your wallet

Electronic devices and appliances that use electricity even when they’re idle may be costing you hundreds of dollars a year, experts say.

Are vampires sucking the life out of your household energy budget?

Almost every household has at least one electricity vampire that sucks up power and costs you money.

…more…

LA Times

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