Make your own cream soups and save a bundle Published: Mon, Feb 13, 2012 | Leave a comment Dear Mary: I love the recipes you include from time to time in your column. I am trying to find recipe substitutes for the popular creamed soups, like cream of celery, cream of mushroom, etc. These condensed soups are killing my budget. I don't even want to pay a buck a can for the generic option at Walmart! —... Read More

Free checking accounts still out there Published: Mon, Feb 6, 2012 | Leave a comment Many bank customers have been feeling nickeled-and-dimed by their banks for some time. And as banks scramble to make up for lost revenue, some are demanding even steeper fees. The country's largest banks are charging consumers as much as $50 a month if they do not maintain minimum balances or meet other... Read More

Save money on your electric bill Published: Mon, Jan 30, 2012 | Leave a comment When high school science teacher Ray Janke bought a home in western Massachusetts, he decided to see just how much he could save on his electric bill. He didn't do big things like replacing windows or installing high-end insulation. His changes were simple, like switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs and... Read More

Lenders prefer students pay ahead, not pay down Published: Mon, Jan 23, 2012 | Leave a comment Dear Mary: I read your book "How to Debt-Proof Your Marriage." You talked about paying down the mortgage principal with a 13th payment each year (adding one-twelfth of one payment each month to your regular payment, so that after 12 months you have added one full payment). How can I do this to my student loans?... Read More

Clean out clutter to improve your life Published: Mon, Jan 16, 2012 | Leave a comment What would you do if you actually had to use everything you own, including all that stuff in the drawers, cupboards, closets, shelves and boxes in your kitchen, bedrooms, living room, basement, attic, garage, rafters, driveway, patio, side yard and cars? Most of us will never accomplish such an overwhelming task.... Read More

Mystery and wonder in a book Published: Mon, Jan 9, 2012 | Leave a comment I just got a box in the mail. I kinda knew what was inside, given its size. Still, I hesitated, part scared but mostly excited. Inside was a book, produced from a manuscript I wrote. Actually, it is the very first copy to roll off the presses. It's "7 Money Rules for Life," and it is beautiful. My publisher told... Read More

How to save money ... really Published: Mon, Jan 2, 2012 | Leave a comment Saving money is a curious term with two meanings: 1) to spend less, as in, "buy things on sale to save money," and 2) to physically place money where it is safe from being spent. It's easy to trick yourself into thinking that 1) and 2) are the same. They are not, unless of course you stop by the bank to deposit the... Read More

The best Christmas book ever Published: Mon, Dec 19, 2011 | Leave a comment In the crush of holiday wish lists, gadgets, toys and media hype, it's easy to overlook the four things studies tell us that children really want for Christmas: — Relaxed time with family. — Realistic expectations about gifts. — An evenly paced holiday season. — Reliable family traditions. Today, I... Read More

Life lessons from a 2-year-old Published: Mon, Dec 12, 2011 | Leave a comment I gave my son and daughter-in-law lots of gifts when their son Elijah was born. But none has come back to bless me more than the Gift of Friday. Since he was six weeks old, I've closed the door to work on Fridays to care for and learn from my grandson. In these two years, Eli and I have explored our neighborhood... Read More

When kids won't leave the nest Published: Mon, Dec 5, 2011 | Leave a comment In Italy, they're know as "mammon" (mamas' boys). The Japanese call them "parasaito shinguru" (parasite singles). In the U.S., they're referred to as "boomerangs." And in Britain, they go by "KIPPERS," an acronym for "kids in parents' pockets eroding retirement savings." As humorous as this may be at first, kids... Read More

Leather to last a lifetime Published: Tue, Nov 29, 2011 | Leave a comment There's nothing quite like the feel and smell of new leather, whether it's furniture, car seats or clothing. And nothing as distressing as discovering condensation from a glass on a leather couch, rain spots on a leather jacket or white spots left on boots that have tromped through rain or snow. If this has... Read More

Surprise! You're a millionaire Published: Tue, Nov 22, 2011 | Leave a comment Knowing what you know about money and managing your finances, how would you rate yourself in financial proficiency and confidence to manage your massive (yes, you read that right) lifetime income? Over the course of your life, you will handle millions of dollars in earned income, and that's not a typo. Let me prove... Read More