Convenience vs. Cost

There was a time – not so long ago – when I’d do anything to save a buck. Drive to the far side of town to pump the cheapest gas into my SUV’s tank? Absolutely. Choose to shop at the grocery store that was a few miles farther down the road to...

Am I Really Saving Money? My XM Radio

Each year, I get an invoice from XM, the satellite radio company with whom I’ve had a subscription – one of my few admitted luxuries – since buying my car in 2009; a three-month subscription came complimentary with the vehicle. Each year, that...

Commuting Costs Can Be a Biatch

Hi!  The following is a guest post from Crystal’s younger sister, Ambi.  She’s a recent college graduate and just started her first post-college career. I currently live in a suburb of Houston with my awesome older sister (Crystal’s comment: awwww). I have to commute...

How We Spent $13,000

What would you do with an unexpected gift of $13,000, one that came with absolutely no strings attached? That’s the question I asked you a few months ago, after my grandmother gave my husband and me $13,000 in cash as she tried to find a way to avoid a potential...

Determining Fair Market Value

For years, I accumulated more than a dozen tupperware tubs full of children’s clothing, old toys, obsolete baby gear, and household paraphrenalia in my home’s attic. I knew I wanted to donate a lot of it to charity and use my contribution as a tax...