ArcaMax

Frugality. It's a word that for many people screams deprivation; poverty. I get letters from readers who say they've had it with trying to live below their means and never having anything they love. "What's the point if all of this deprivation if it just makes me feel even more miserable?" was the way one woman closed her letter.

Look, I can't ...Read more

I had to laugh when I opened my mail to read how one reader was able to get his glass shower doors so clean and sparkly that they looked like new. I had a can of his remedy sitting right there next to my computer.

Hold on! Than can of WD-40 was NOT there to be used as a computer screen cleaner. I've never tried it, do not intend to and hope you...Read more

It happened again; I suffered a kitchen disaster. Boy, do I hate when that happens! This time, I ruined an entire pot of pasta because I got busy and was not paying attention. By the time I realized, the pasta had cooked beyond al dente all the way to al mushe. I could barely make out the pasta shape!

It killed me to dump the whole thing and ...Read more

Let me save you a little time: Yes, I shop in the kids' clothing section -- and no, I'm not embarrassed. In fact, I've come to appreciate it as one of my top frugal fashion strategies. If that sounds strange, stick with me. By the end, you might be tempted to peek behind the rainbow unicorn display yourself.

I'm not talking about dressing like ...Read more

Q: I have a chain-link fence separating my property from my neighbor’s. They have a bird of paradise and a coconut palm (that hatched from a coconut) that are destroying my fence. We’ve spoken to him, and he did a half-hearted job of fixing the problem. In fact, there was no real improvement at all. He refuses to discuss the issue. Very ...Read more

Last week's mail certainly proved my theory that we have the best expert community going on here at Everyday Cheapskate. Even better, we're willing to share.

MICROWAVE CORN ON THE COB

Dear Mary: I wish to share a sweet corn trick with you and your readers that allows you to cook fresh corn in the husk in the microwave. Cut through the husk ...Read more

It's true that financial trouble is a major contributor to the breakup of the American family. It is also true that gaining control over one's finances can repair marriages, restore families and change the future. For that, I am eternally grateful.

Let me assure you right up front that it is possible for you to gain control of your financial ...Read more

MISTAKE: YOU NEED TO PRE-RINSE

Scrape off all the chunks of food from the dishes, but don't pre-rinse. It's not necessary and only wastes time and water. Unless you have particles of food on your dishes, pre-rinsing could actually hinder your dishwasher's performance. Dishwasher detergent needs the acidity of food to activate its cleaning power...Read more

If you're raising a teenager right now -- especially one who can clear a dinner table before you've had a chance to sit down -- you're not imagining things. Feeding a growing teen can feel like trying to stock a vending machine during halftime. Except the vending machine is your kitchen, and halftime happens every afternoon.

It's normal to feel...Read more

Q: I hired a broker to sell my house in Florida. The first buyer backed out, so we agreed that I’d keep part of their deposit. I kept working with the same broker, and eventually, someone else bought the place. The broker got their full commission from that sale. Now the broker is asking for half of the deposit from the first buyer who bailed....Read more