Mary Hunt

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, "Ask Mary." Tips can be submitted at tips.everydaycheapskate.com/ . This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book "Debt-Proof Living."

Problems, Mistakes and Mysteries — and How to Solve Them

Laundry challenges, it seems, come in every size, shape, and intensity. Rather than thinking there is no solution for that…

19 hours ago

In Investing, No Risk Means No Reward

Dear Cheapskate: This may be the ultimate in stupid questions but it's been plaguing me for a while. Is there…

2 days ago

Clever Readers Share Their Best Time- and Money-Saving Tips

My email inbox, much like yours, I'm sure, is often brimming with spam, ads and all kinds of other delete-worthy…

3 days ago

Simple Tips to Persuade Your Car to Keep Going for 200,000 Miles or Longer

With new and used cars still painfully expensive, it seems that Americans are holding on to their vehicles longer. The…

4 days ago

Mary’s Favorite Kitchen Money Savers

I'm crazy about gadgets, everything from quirky can openers to smartphones. Hand me a Swiss Army knife and I'm in…

1 week ago

How to Make Groceries Last Even Longer

A recent column on the proper storage for fresh fruits and vegetables generated a lot of great reader feedback —…

1 week ago

How to Make Brown-Bagging Better Than Buying Lunch

I know people who try to convince themselves they can buy lunch every day for less than they'd spend if…

1 week ago

Handling an Inheritance Well and Dealing with the IRS Both Require a Game Plan

While not always easy to think about, an inheritance is a part of the financial picture for many baby boomers.…

2 weeks ago

What Kids Need to Know About Giving

If you are committed to teaching your kids how the world operates, and you should be, teach them about money.…

2 weeks ago

Get Your Kids on the Road to Financial Independence

Have teens? Are they always hitting you up for money? The next time they come sweetly beseeching you for cash,…

2 weeks ago

More Creative Ways to Save Time and Money

Sometimes, the best way to stretch a buck is to look in the most unlikely places. I'm a huge fan…

2 weeks ago

Semi-Homemade: How to Combine Quick-Service Foods with Home Cooking

On those super busy days when you just don't have time to cook at home, but eating out is too…

3 weeks ago

Danger Signs You’re Headed Into the Debt Trap

Debt. It's a four-letter word and certainly not ideal under any circumstances. Being debt-free is always better than being in…

3 weeks ago

Don’t Break the Rules of Self-Employment, Removing Rust and More

Dear Cheapskate: My husband and I have really gotten ourselves in deep this time. At the time, we thought buying…

3 weeks ago

How to Ditch the Plastic Bottled Water

The trouble with plastic bottled water, experts say, is not the water. It's the plastic bottles the water comes in…

3 weeks ago