Home and Mortgage
- How One Decision Can Help You Retire Faster (117 comments)
This is a guest post by Dee Bauer from SmallHouseLife.com, where she shares information about abundant living in small spaces. Do you sometimes wonder if you'll ever be financially stable enough to r...Read more »
- Let Go of the Spatula: Reconsidering Wedding Registries (233 comments)
This post is from staff writer Tim Sullivan. My brother, my best friend, and my girlfriend’s sister are all getting married in the upcoming year, so I’ve heard a lot about wedding registries...Read more »
- Reader Story: The Money Fix (56 comments)
This guest post from Christine is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success or fa...Read more »
- How We Paid Cash for Our First Home (231 comments)
This is a guest post from Crystal Paine, the Money Saving Mom. Paine is a wife, homeschool mom to three, self-proclaimed minimalist, and wannabe runner. For practical help and inspiration to get your ...Read more »
- A Place of My Own (563 comments)
Two months ago today, I asked my wife for a divorce. I won't be writing about the personal aspects of the divorce at Get Rich Slowly. In fact, other than some brief background at my personal site, ...Read more »
- Reader Story: Can a Saver Learn to Spend? (61 comments)
This guest post from Felix is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success — o...Read more »
- The Economics of Country Mouse vs. City Mouse (111 comments)
This post is from staff writer April Dykman. I've lived in a small town for most of my life. The drive home includes steep hills with panoramic views and winding country roads that ramble past ranc...Read more »
- Reader Story: Long-Term Thinking Pays Off (80 comments)
This guest post from Heather Roth is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success &m...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: October 2011 Update (21 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for October 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results f...Read more »
- Our Roof Repair: A Typical Tale of Working with Contractors (95 comments)
My wife and I have been homeowners for nearly twenty years. In that time, we've done a lot of home improvement ourselves. But we've also learned when it's best to hand projects to the pros. (To be hon...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: September 2011 Update (32 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for September 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results...Read more »
- Preparing for an Emergency (80 comments)
This post is from staff writer April Dykman, who recently wrote about ceviche and how to peel shrimp like a Hawaiian. A few weeks ago, I wrote about how hot it was in the Lone Star State. The updat...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: August 2011 Update (34 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for August 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results fo...Read more »
- How Much Is a Clean Home Worth? (96 comments)
This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and raising children at Childwild.com. Last month I wrote a post on do-it-yourself beauty and persona...Read more »
- 10 Easy Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill (133 comments)
This post is from staff writer April Dykman. I don't know what the weather is like where you live, but here in Austin, Texas, the heat and drought are the topic of 85% of conversations (that's scie...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: July 2011 Update (29 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for July 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results for ...Read more »
- Reader Story: How I Sold My Condo and Saved $5,000 (106 comments)
This guest post from Nick Rothacher, the self-taught economist, is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: June 2011 Update (40 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for June 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results for ...Read more »
- Big House, Little House (271 comments)
I am constantly changing. While many people are much the same today as they were yesterday (or last week or twenty years ago), I'm always evolving. This isn't necessarily good or bad — it's just...Read more »
- My First Garden: What I’ve Learned So Far (45 comments)
This is a guest post from Jenny Sandman, who writes at Broke Foodie. This summer is my first attempt at full-scale gardening. This is the first year I’ve lived in a house with a yard; previous ga...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Pay Off the Mortgage or Keep the Money in Savings? (211 comments)
It's tough to write a personal-finance blog for five years without repeating topics. New readers come and old readers go. Meanwhile, the needs of existing readers are constantly changing. I try not to...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: May 2011 Update (41 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for May 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results for 2...Read more »
- Buying a Home? Pay Attention to Property Inspection (59 comments)
This post is from staff writer April Dykman. A house is the most expensive thing most of us ever will purchase. If you plan to stay put for some time, you could be paying on your mortgage for the ...Read more »
- The Basic Allowance for Housing: Helping Military Members Afford a Home (57 comments)
Today is Memorial Day in the United States, a federal holiday to commemorate U.S. soldiers who died while in military service. This is a guest post from Chris Birk, a recovering journalist and the dir...Read more »
- How to Run a Profitable Garage Sale (57 comments)
This is a guest post from Katy Wolk-Stanley of The Non-Consumer Advocate, a blog about frugality, food waste, environmentalism, simple living and finding thrift-store bargains. When not blogging (or n...Read more »
- Reader Story: How I Built My Own House — Without a Mortgage (137 comments)
This guest post from Ian is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. It's the extended version of the story he shared in his prize-winning entry to this year's GRS video contest. Some ...Read more »
- Reader Story: Rental Properties from the Tenant’s Point of View (169 comments)
This guest post from Avery is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success — o...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: April 2011 Update (39 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for April 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results for...Read more »
- How to Grow Your First Garden (32 comments)
This guest post is from Jane Sanders of DebtManagement, a writer whose two biggest passions are gardening and personal finance. Starting a vegetable garden can be one of the most rewarding hobbies ...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Should We Rent or Should We Buy? (100 comments)
Is it better to rent or buy? We've discussed this age-old housing question several times in the past, but it's always been on a theoretical level. Sometimes what seems simple in theory is tougher to f...Read more »
- Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make It Do, or Do Without (178 comments)
This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and raising children at Childwild.com. My shower is broken. The water comes out just fine, and it doe...Read more »
- American Cookery: Magazine Ads from 1939 (26 comments)
My wife knows me pretty well. At a recent garage sale, Kris picked up the November 1939 issue of American Cookery magazine. She wanted it for the recipes. But after she was finished, she handed it off...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: March 2011 Update (30 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for March 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results for...Read more »
- Emergency Preparedness on a Shoestring (130 comments)
This post is from new GRS staff writer Donna Freedman. Donna writes a personal finance column for MSN Money, and writes about frugality and intentional living at Surviving And Thriving. Images of d...Read more »
- Recipe: Spicy Pickled Carrots (36 comments)
This guest post from my wife is yet another installment in her ongoing quest to grow and preserve food for our household. I've had the canning bug pretty bad for the last week or two. But although ...Read more »
- Do Programmable Thermostats Really Save Money? (105 comments)
Programmable thermostats save you money. That's a no-brainer, right? You've seen that advice in books and magazines and on personal-finance blogs — even here at Get Rich Slowly. Well, it turn...Read more »
- Reader Story: Saving for Something Close to Home (38 comments)
This guest post from Jeanne is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success — ...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: February 2011 Update (53 comments)
Welcome to the GRS Garden Project. Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for February 2011. (Here are the results for 2008 and the results ...Read more »
- Reader Story: Living on Less in Mexico (50 comments)
This guest post from Louisa Rogers is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success &...Read more »
- Geographic Arbitrage: Save Money by Leaving The Country (73 comments)
This is a guest post from Gary Arndt, who has been traveling around the world non-stop since March 2007 and has visited over 80 countries. He blogs at Everything-Everywhere.com, which was named one of...Read more »
- Setting Your Homebuying Priorities – Price, Quality, Location: Pick Any Two (42 comments)
This is a guest-post from Tim Ellis, author of Seattle Bubble, a blog and forum dedicated to real-estate market conditions in the Seattle area. Tim is a long-time GRS reader. Previously on GRS, Tim ha...Read more »
- Compound Returns in the Garden: How Long-Term Planning Pays Off When Growing Your Own Food (52 comments)
A lot of folks have been asking if my wife and I will be doing the Get Rich Slowly garden project this year. That's the plan! After a one-year hiatus, Kris and I intend to track our spending and our p...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Should We Move to a More Expensive Part of the Country? (175 comments)
The Friday "Ask the Readers" column generally follows a set format: I introduce the topic, share a reader e-mail, give my best advice, and then ask for your feedback. Today's column is a little differ...Read more »
- When To Walk Away From A Bad Mortgage (234 comments)
This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. Since the housing bubble burst, many Americans hav...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Should We Buy Our Dream House? (212 comments)
What happens when a great opportunity comes along, but you don't quite have the resources to take advantage of it? That's what Greg wants to know. He and his wife have found their Dream House. They th...Read more »
- Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Early? (87 comments)
This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the adviser for The Motley Fool’s Rule Your Retirement service. He contributes one new articl...Read more »
- How to Lower Your Heating Bills This Winter (86 comments)
This post is from staff writer Sierra Black. Sierra writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. The chilly season is upon us. If you live in North...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: How Can We Afford to Buy a House? (176 comments)
Though they could fall farther, housing prices are starting to seem reasonable again in many parts of the United States. Mortgage rates are cheap, too. Naturally, that means some GRS readers are begin...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Is It Okay to Refinance a Mortgage to Get Cash for Other Goals? (59 comments)
I have a backlog of "ask the readers" questions since I didn't publish any while I was vacationing over the past month. As soon as possible, I'll get to those I've promised to post. Today, however, I ...Read more »
- How to Slay Energy Vampires (54 comments)
This post is from staff writer April Dykman. April is writing a series on money monsters for the recently launched Pageonce blog, including fighting zombie debt and how to Frankenstein your savings. ...Read more »
- Budget-Friendly Decorating Tips (26 comments)
In April, Rebecca shared a guest post about how she generates extra income by letting strangers pay her rent. She has homes in Portland, Oregon and New York City. When she's in one city, she rents out...Read more »
- Moving? Rent First, Ask Questions Later (56 comments)
This is a guest-post from Tim Ellis, author of Seattle Bubble, a blog and forum dedicated to discussing real estate market conditions in the Seattle area. Tim is a long-time GRS reader. During my last...Read more »
- Reader Story: How We Became Reluctant Landlords (61 comments)
This guest post from Jolyn is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success — o...Read more »
- Book Review: The Skinny on Real-Estate Investing (21 comments)
Book Week at Get Rich Slowly comes to a close today. Well, I guess tomorrow's Ask the Readers is about books, but this is the final review. I've saved the best for last. Over the past year, I've h...Read more »
- Reader Story: I Paid for Graduate School by Renting out Rooms (49 comments)
This guest post from Mike Choi is part of the "reader stories" feature at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financial success &mdas...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Should I Sell My Home to Pay Off My Debt? (98 comments)
Yesterday we had a great discussion about some of the financial choices I'm facing, but today it's time to look at a decision a GRS reader is trying to make. Catherine wrote to ask if it makes sense t...Read more »
- Unusual Abodes: The Grain Bin Home (38 comments)
This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. I'm a fan of unusual homes. From tiny homes to recycled homes, I'm fascinated by unconventional ways one can build houses that save on construction ...Read more »
- Planning for Budget Busters: Home Ownership (41 comments)
This video post is the third of a four-part series from staff writer Adam Baker. Baker previously featured a post on his own blog entitled Cost of Living Abroad: Dozens of Bloggers Share Their Expense...Read more »
- Reader Story: Debt-Free by 30 — Including the Mortgage! (116 comments)
This guest post from Jesse (who juggles) is part of the "reader stories" feature here at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general "how I did X" advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader ach...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Should I Invest or Prepay My Mortgage? (181 comments)
Kelley wrote recently with the sort of dilemma I get asked about all of the time: Is it better to invest or to prepay a mortgage? We've covered this topic in the distant past, but it's time to review ...Read more »
- Reader Story: The Other Side of Bankruptcy (212 comments)
This guest post from Shara is part of the "reader stories" feature here at Get Rich Slowly. Some stories contain general "how I did X" advice; others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved financia...Read more »
- Bigger Isn’t Always Better: Remembering to Appreciate What I Already Have (195 comments)
Walking home from work today, I decided to take the long way. Most of the time, I choose the easy quarter-mile stroll downhill from the office to our happy half acre (or happy .62 acre, if you'd like ...Read more »
- How Quickly Wants Can Turn to Needs (42 comments)
This article is by staff writer Adam Baker. Baker recently featured a post on his own blog entitled, Are You Eating Yourself Into Debt? As some of you know, Courtney and I recently spent just under...Read more »
- Home Safe Home? 27 Safety Precautions Under $40 (34 comments)
I'm back from my Alaskan vacation, but it'll take me a day or two to get my wits about me. More soon. Meanwhile, this post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. Dorothy was right: There is no...Read more »
- Further Adventures in Home Maintenance (97 comments)
As much as I've learned about money in the past five years, and as much as I like to share what I've learned, there are still times when I fail to follow my own advice. As I've mentioned, we live i...Read more »
- Reader Story: A Drastic Change for Drastic Results (37 comments)
This guest post from Ian is part of the "reader stories" feature here at Get Rich Slowly. Some reader stories contain general "how I did X" advice, and others are examples of how a GRS reader achieved...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: April 2010 Update (38 comments)
Kris and I aren't repeating our annual garden project this year. We're too swamped to take the time to track our expenses and harvests. In fact, our garden will probably be a bit smaller than usual th...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Should I Stick With My Adjustable-Rate Mortgage? (53 comments)
In February, Get Rich Slowly reader Abby wrote with questions about her adjustable-rate mortgage (or ARM, for short). She's had an ARM for seven years now, and the rate is due to reset in 2010. She wa...Read more »
- How I Generate Extra Income by Letting Strangers Pay My Rent (77 comments)
This is a guest post from Rebecca Rosenfelt, the founder of RealSavvyRealEstate.com, a website devoted to demystifying the home buying process for first-time home buyers. I almost never pay the ent...Read more »
- Reader Story: I Bought a Fire Station for My First Home (64 comments)
This post is part of the new "reader stories" feature here at Get Rich Slowly. Some reader stories contain general "how I did X" advice, and others will be examples of how a GRS reader achieved financ...Read more »
- Living Like No One Else (99 comments)
This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. I've been thinking a lot lately about a quote from J.D.’s review of The Total Money Makeover: Printed on the bottom of every page...is the book...Read more »
- How I Made My Peace with Hiring a Housekeeper (147 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife. It's a response to the debate on Erica's recent article about outsourcing life. J.D. and I have been employing an independent housekeeper for about 10 years. The ...Read more »
- How My Real Estate Investing Adventure Came to an End (53 comments)
This article is by staff writer Adam Baker, whose own blog previously featured a comparison of money gurus in Dave Ramsey vs. Suze Orman. This is final article of a three-part series on how he stumble...Read more »
- Dinosaur Comics on the Rent vs. Buy Debate (33 comments)
Thomas wrote in on Monday to share a comic strip related to our discussion last week about whether renting makes sense: Click on image to open a larger version in a new window. Ah, Dinosaur Comi...Read more »
- Lessons Learned from Rushing Into Real-Estate Investing (39 comments)
This article is by staff writer Adam Baker, whose own blog recently featured a must-see graphic on credit card transactions around the world. This is part two of a three-part series on how he stumbled...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: January 2010 Update (28 comments)
It's been a l-o-n-g time since Kris and I gave an update on our garden project. I've been too wrapped up in writing a book to pay attention to anything else. Now that I've pulled my head out of the sa...Read more »
- Does Renting Make Sense? (254 comments)
Writing Your Money: The Missing Manual has been intense. I've spent a ton of time researching personal finance topics ranging from buying a car to funding a 401(k) to the relationship between money an...Read more »
- Reader Story: Rental Properties for the Average Joe (79 comments)
This guest post from Barry is part of a new feature here at Get Rich Slowly. Every Sunday will include a reader story (in the new "reader stories" category). Some will be general "how I did X" stories...Read more »
- How I Bought an 8-Unit Apartment Building with No Money Down and Walked Away with $1000 Cash at Closing (81 comments)
This article is by staff writer Adam Baker. Baker recently outlined his ambitious 2010 goals for his blogging, business, and life. When I was 23, I bought an eight-unit apartment building with no m...Read more »
- Reader Story: How I Cut 16 Years from My Mortgage in Just One Hour (122 comments)
This guest post from Caitlin of ClutterCubed (a blog about ridding clutter from your life) is part of a new feature here at Get Rich Slowly. Every Sunday will include a reader story (in the new "reade...Read more »
- Energy-Efficiency Tax Credits Could Be Your Personal Government-Bailout Package (37 comments)
David Kaplan wrote with the following: "A lot of personal finance blogs cover the same material. I'd like to see some quality content on the value added by investing in energy efficiencies. My prime ...Read more »
- Does It Still Make Sense to Refinance in Today’s Market? (92 comments)
Last winter, Kris and I refinanced our mortgage. Interest rates had dropped, and it seemed like a good idea to make the leap. Though it took us a couple of months to actually pull the trigger, we fina...Read more »
- Is a Reverse Mortgage Right for You? (41 comments)
This is a guest post from Francine Huff, a freelance journalist and writer at BestReverseMortgage.com and the author of The 25-Day Money Makeover for Women. She has appeared on a variety of TV and rad...Read more »
- Furniture and Scambags: Adventures on Craigslist (98 comments)
This is a guest post from Robert Brokamp of The Motley Fool. Robert is a Certified Financial Planner and the advisor for The Motley Fool’s Rule Your Retirement service. He contributes one new articl...Read more »
- Reader Story: A Very, Very Fine House (59 comments)
This morning, April wrote about trying to figure out how much house you need. In the comments, Tyler K. shared a photo of the house he and his wife live in. It has 450 square feet: "Last year o...Read more »
- How Much House Do You Need? (148 comments)
This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. For more than a decade, Jay Shafer of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company has lived in an 89 square-foot home. His decision to live in a tiny house cam...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: October 2009 Update (20 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for October 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) As those of you who follow me on Twitter alread...Read more »
- Which Comes First: The House or the Nest Egg? (85 comments)
This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. It's also a part of National Save for Retirement Week A few weeks ago, J.D. asked me to consider writing a post on retirement for National Save for ...Read more »
- 9 Ways You Can Knock the Socks off Your Next Landlord (39 comments)
This article is by GRS staff writer Adam Baker. Currently, Baker is fat and in debt. We all know how to rent a typical, cookie-cutter apartment or house. Find a contact number. Set-up a walk thro...Read more »
- Use a Lease Option to Lock in Low Home Prices (28 comments)
This article is GRS staff writer Adam Baker. In addition to his work at Get Rich Slowly, Baker blogs over at Man Vs. Debt, where he publicly tracks his spending on a daily basis. Everywhere I turn,...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: September 2009 Update (28 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for September 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) After a long productive summer, our September...Read more »
- Pros and Cons: 30-Year Mortgage vs. 15-Year Mortgage (112 comments)
This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. My husband and I are in the early stages of building a house. As we modify our floor plans, the amount we'll need to borrow to build is on our minds...Read more »
- Furniture Shopping Secrets: How to Tell Superior from Shoddy (51 comments)
This is a guest post from Karawynn Long, who writes about personal finance at Pocketmint. Karawynn is a semi-regular contributor for Get Rich Slowly. She has been blogging since before "blogging" was ...Read more »
- Renters Insurance: Peace of Mind for Ten Bucks a Month (132 comments)
This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. On 02 August 2005, my friend Frank and his partner awoke at 2:45 a.m. to the dog barking and a neighbor knocking on their door. The apartment comple...Read more »
- Should You Buy It? A Flowchart for Evaluating Potential Purchases (69 comments)
This post is from GRS staff writer April Dykman. My husband and I are in the process of building a home on 4.5 acres in the Texas hill country. At the moment, we're still in the planning phase &mda...Read more »
- Sweating the Big Stuff (73 comments)
This is a guest post from Sierra Black, a long-time GRS reader. She writes about frugality, sustainable living, and getting her kids to eat kale at Childwild.com. When my husband and I first got ma...Read more »
- Further Adventures in My War on Stuff (100 comments)
Long-time readers of Get Rich Slowly know that I've been waging an ongoing battle against Stuff — the clutter and crap I managed to collect during 20 years of wanton spending and debt. Though I'...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: August 2009 Update (41 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for August 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) After late July's blistering heat, August has be...Read more »
- Understanding Your Home Appraisal (33 comments)
This is a guest post from Liz Freeman, who writes about mortgage and finance issues. Freeman is the spokesperson for ShopRate.com, an online tool for finding the lowest mortgage rates since 2000. ...Read more »
- A Few Notes About Clotheslines (104 comments)
Howdy, folks! Staff writer tryouts still have a few days left, but I jotted a quick post this morning and thought I'd squeeze it in this afternoon just to break things up. I wrote a MAMMOTH post about...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: July 2009 Update (34 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for July 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) Welcome to Oregon, where for the past week it's be...Read more »
- How to Buy a Mattress (115 comments)
After my post about mattress shopping the other day, Garrison contacted me. "My home just flooded and due to renters insurance I was thrown into the market for a new mattress," he said. "I called up ...Read more »
- Preparing to Shop for a New Mattress (110 comments)
On Monday, I mentioned that Kris and I are ready to replace our 15-year-old mattress. I don't sleep well on it, though I sleep fine on other mattresses. I only mentioned this to illustrate a point, bu...Read more »
- The Personal Finance Hour, Episode 14: Home Improvement (5 comments)
Summer's here, and for many homeowners that means it's time for projects around the house. Since we bought our current home, Kris and I have spent a lot of money to make improvements. (At this very mo...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: June 2009 Update (27 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for June 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) It's the beginning of summer, and that means our g...Read more »
- How My Parents Saved $14,000 on Home Repairs (35 comments)
This is a guest post from MLR at My Life ROI. If you like this post, check out his website or subscribe to his feed. One thing I love about reading Get Rich Slowly is that J.D. is always willing to...Read more »
- Remnants of Things Past (96 comments)
I did a little time traveling yesterday, and I didn't like it. "I'm going to clean the workshop," I announced at breakfast. "I know I should write or mow the lawn, but I'm going to clean the works...Read more »
- The Accidental Slumlord (47 comments)
Several years ago — as I was clawing my way out of debt — I did a dumb thing and subscribed to Newsweek. I didn't subscribe for just one year — I subscribed for four. As penance, I w...Read more »
- Cut Your Food Costs With a Stand-Alone Freezer (64 comments)
Kris and I recently bought another side of beef. Well, to be more accurate, we purchased one third of a cow. Every year, we go in with several other families to split an animal. This year, our portion...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: May 2009 Update (50 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for May 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) What a difference a year makes! Our fruits, berries...Read more »
- A First-Hand Account of the Subprime Mortgage Crisis (54 comments)
Sunday's issue of The New York Times Magazine was all about "the dilemmas of debt", and featured stories like: "Suze Orman is having a moment", a profile of the popular personal-finance guru "W...Read more »
- Coping with Life’s Little Setbacks (52 comments)
I had a lousy weekend. It was one of those weekends where anything that could go wrong did go wrong. The individual problems were minor enough, but taken as a whole, it was all rather overwhelming. So...Read more »
- Learning to Do It Yourself (39 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife. I am not handy. Given a garden tool or a kitchen gadget, I can usually find success. But I have neither the talent or inclination for wiring, plumbing, or car...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: How Do You Choose a Mortgage Broker? (58 comments)
For most of us, buying a home is the largest purchase we'll ever make. There can be a lot of pressure to get things just right; you don't want to pay more than you have to. A good broker or lender can...Read more »
- The Personal Finance Hour, Episode 7: Home Gardening (5 comments)
Kris and I are avid gardeners. A home garden is a great way to grow tasty food while saving a bit of cash, and that's the subject we plan to address in this week's seventh episode of The Personal Fina...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: April 2009 Update (36 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for April 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) April was a slow month for our garden. We didn't ...Read more »
- The Neighborhood Plant Swap (19 comments)
This is a guest post from Kris. Earlier this month, I shared the notion of SwapLucks. Kris recently participated in a similar event, trading plants with friends and neighbors. Last weekend, my frie...Read more »
- 21st Century Real Estate: Use a Blog to Sell Your Home (24 comments)
David Hobby at Strobist recently posted an interesting article describing how to use a blog to sell your house. Hobby and his wife have outgrown their townhouse in Columbia, Maryland, and are look...Read more »
- Why Our Heating Bill Ballooned This Winter (63 comments)
Kris and I own an old house. During the winter, the cold air seeps in through cracks in the windows and beneath gaps in the doors. We've done what we can to keep our heating costs low, and we make a h...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: March 2009 Update (34 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for March 2009, which was written by Kris. (Here are the results for 2008.) In Oregon, the month o...Read more »
- Why We Chose a 30-Year Mortgage (125 comments)
Last week, I announced that Kris and I have refinanced our mortgage at 4.96% for 30 years. In the comments, Ian expressed disappointment that we'd opted for the longer term when we could have afforded...Read more »
- 50 Tips for DIY Savings Around the House (18 comments)
While researching for our upcoming home repairs, I stumbled upon an article over at This Old House. Josh Garskof has put together a list of 50 nifty tricks for big do-it-yourself savings. What sort of...Read more »
- Mission Accomplished: Our Shiny New Mortgage (71 comments)
We did it! After two months of hemming and hawing, Kris and I finally closed on our mortgage refinance, dropping our rate from 6.25% to 4.96%. Bright and early yesterday morning, we made a trip to the...Read more »
- Why You Shouldn’t Keep a Mortgage Just for the Tax Deduction (106 comments)
This is a guest post from CJ at WiseMoneyMatters.com. This post represents CJ's viewpoints, which are not necessarily my viewpoints. (Although I, too, hope to pay off my mortgage early.) Note: This...Read more »
- Starting Seeds Indoors: Jump-Start Your Garden Today (44 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife, who has received several requests to describe her method for starting seeds indoors. In some parts of the U.S., vegetable and flower seeds can be successfully pla...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: February 2009 Update (53 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for February 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) We spent a lot of time in our garden this mont...Read more »
- Magazines (and Websites) About Homesteading and Self-Sufficiency (104 comments)
When I was a boy, my father used to buy Mother Earth News from the grocery store. The magazine was filled with stories about self-sufficient country living, the sort of thing my dad aspired to. I'd re...Read more »
- Save Money with Regular Home Maintenance (49 comments)
In 2004, Kris and I bought a hundred-year-old farmhouse. We'd been living in a 1976 ranch-style home that was virtually maintenance-free. We knew that our new house was quirky, and that it needed some...Read more »
- Refinancing Made Easy: Our Story (93 comments)
I recently had lunch with Winston, the Get Rich Slowly intern. We talked about our families, our finances, and our plans for this site. Winston mentioned that, at my prompting, he and his wife were re...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: January 2009 Update (40 comments)
Every month, my wife and I track how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for January 2009. (Here are the results for 2008.) Even with the other stuff going on in our lives...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: How to Rent Out Your Spare Room? (106 comments)
Last month, Alison from Diamond-Cut Life shared a guest post about providing lodging to a housemate in exchange for work (instead of rent). Her story prompted a number of readers to ask about the mech...Read more »
- Repair, Restore, Rejoice: Making the Most of Home Appliances (65 comments)
This is a guest post from Betsy Teutsch, who blogs about sustainable living and socially-responsible investing at Money Changes Things. As any homeowner can attest, appliance longevity is diminishi...Read more »
- 7 Tips for Starting Your Own Vegetable Garden (61 comments)
Early January. Though it's the dead of winter, many of us are dreaming about our summer vegetable gardens. The seed catalogs have begun to appear in the mailbox. Kris and I received eight of them toda...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: Winners and Losers for 2008 (37 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife. Our gardening for the year came to a close around Halloween. Although we'll harvest herbs all winter — I've started an indoor herb garden with clearance-sal...Read more »
- How to Save $5000 a Year — As a Homeowner or a Renter (63 comments)
J.D. is on vacation. This is a guest post from Alison Wiley, who writes about more joy and less consumption at Diamond-Cut Life. Friendly married couple, both professionals in sustainability, seeks...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: When Does It Make Sense to Refinance a Mortgage? (109 comments)
So much for vacation. I just can't keep myself away from you guys! While surfing around this evening, I found a story at USA Today about how mortgages are at a 37-year low. A 30-year fixed-rate mor...Read more »
- 6 Must-Have Characteristics to Look for When Buying a Home (57 comments)
J.D. is on vacation. This is a guest post from G.E. Miller, author of the 20somethingfinance.com blog for young professionals. With home prices down, foreclosures up, there's an influx of great hom...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: November Update (30 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for November. This month's garden update is small. As winter approaches, there's less for u...Read more »
- Plant a Tree to Add Beauty and Value to Your Home (27 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife. She speaks for the trees. There's nothing like a breathtaking autumn to make us notice the trees. And fall is the perfect time to start thinking about adding a tr...Read more »
- The Debt-to-Income Ratio: How Much House Can You Afford? (133 comments)
Housing is the largest expense in the budget of most families. But how much is too much to spend on shelter? An article in Saturday's New York Times contains a shocking example of one woman who crosse...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: October Update (39 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for October. October can be something of a relief for gardeners. The bulk of the harvest is...Read more »
- The First-Time Homebuyer Tax Credit (67 comments)
First-time home buyers are now eligible for a tax credit of up to $7,500 under the U.S. Housing and Economic Recover Act of 2008. To qualify for the tax credit, purchasers must close on a home bet...Read more »
- Dealing with Disaster: A Brief Guide to Emergency Preparedness (33 comments)
This is a guest post from JLP of All Financial Matters. JLP, who is a financial planner, was instrumental in helping me get started with Get Rich Slowly, and his blog remains one of my favorites. A...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: September Update (62 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for September. September generally brings the largest harvests for our garden. That was tru...Read more »
- Drama in Real Life: Foreclosure! (128 comments)
Most of the time, the talk about the housing bubble and the credit crisis and the faltering U.S. economy seem rather abstract to me, as if people were discussing a problem in Canada or Mexico. Or Norw...Read more »
- Could Tithing Lead Some Americans to Lose Their Homes? (191 comments)
Last week, USA Today featured an article on Christians who continue to tithe even as they face foreclosure. Tithing is the practice of donating 10% of your gross income to your church. It's not a c...Read more »
- How to Prepare for Buying a Home (48 comments)
This is a guest post from Jim, my friend and colleague at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity. When I bought a home three years ago, the economic climate was different from today. Back then, a house...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: August Update (31 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for August. The berry harvest continued this month at Rosings Park, our happy half acre sou...Read more »
- Fix Your Own Printer and Save Money (19 comments)
Farhad Manjoo at Slate says your computer printer may be lying to you. He bought a cheap laser printer a couple years ago. When the machine decided it was out of toner, it stopped working. But the las...Read more »
- Do-It-Yourself Landscaping Can Save Thousands (28 comments)
This is the first post from Winston, the new GRS editorial assistant. My wife and I have saved thousands of dollars by landscaping our own yard. Four years ago, we were feeling overwhelmed by ou...Read more »
- Energy Conservation in Alaska: What Worked? What Did Not? (30 comments)
Last April, Dan wrote to ask GRS readers for help with a sudden energy crisis. Because of a natural disaster, electricity costs in Juneau, Alaska jumped from $0.11 per kilowatt-hour to $0.53 per kilow...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: July Update (29 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for July. It was a berry, berry good month at Rosings Park (as we call our happy half acre)...Read more »
- Back to Basics: A Guide to Traditional Skills (39 comments)
Based on reader suggestions, Kris and I made a trip to Costco on Friday to buy bulk yeast and a fifty-pound bag of bread flour. (We're serious about this whole home-made bread thing.) While I waited f...Read more »
- Gardening Basics: What to Do with All That Extra Zucchini (40 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife. I could not have written this — I hate zucchini. Ah, summer. Or, as it's sometimes known, zucchini season. If you were one of those brave souls tha...Read more »
- Selling Your Existing Home While Buying a New One (30 comments)
Kris and I had been in our first house for ten years when our dream home fell in our lap one day. Until then, we had no plans to move. We were completely unprepared to sell our existing home while buy...Read more »
- 11 Tips for First-Time Homebuyers (89 comments)
This is a guest post from Mike at Quest for Four Pillars, a Canadian financial blog. Buying a house is a difficult process — there are large sums of money involved, the transaction costs and ...Read more »
- Estimate Your Electricity Costs with a Web-Based Calculator (20 comments)
It's been a couple years since I mentioned Michael Bluejay's fantastic Saving Electricity site. It's a treasure trove of practical tips for household power management. Bluejay offers information on: ...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: June Update (36 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for June. It was a miserable June for gardeners in northwest Oregon. The first two weeks we...Read more »
- Guarding Against the Invasion of Stuff (58 comments)
Since August, I've been on a quest to reduce the clutter in my life. Back when I was a spendthrift, I bought a lot of Stuff. Stuff comforted me. When I was buying things (even on credit), I felt wealt...Read more »
- How to Make Your Own Small-Batch Strawberry Jam (9 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife. Making your own jam doesn't have to be a big production. While it's sometimes most efficient to do things in bulk with all the right gear, the small-scale opt...Read more »
- Don’t Raid Your 401(k) to Make Mortgage Payments (27 comments)
What's worse than not being able to make your mortgage payments? How about tapping into retirement savings to make ends meet? National Public Radio's Morning Edition ran a story on Friday about the gr...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: May Update (56 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food. This is the report for May. Today I picked the first two strawberries from our garden. They weren't particular...Read more »
- The Giant Pool of Money: Anatomy of the Subprime Mortgage Mess (31 comments)
The American housing crisis isn't over yet. The fallout from the subprime mortgage mess will continue to settle for months (or years). Though the various statistical models disagree on just how much f...Read more »
- The Rise of Suburban Farming (40 comments)
When our friends Mike and Rhonda moved into their new house a couple years ago, their yard was just like every other in the neighborhood: green grass. Chances are, that's what the yards are like in yo...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: April Update (27 comments)
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..." — Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food in our g...Read more »
- Frugality in Practice: Turn Your Junk Mail into Garden Mulch (34 comments)
In yesterday's discussion about how to stop junk mail, icup mentioned using junk mail for mulch. Intrigued, I asked for more information. Here's what he had to say. I'm more interested in saving mo...Read more »
- The Bountiful Container: Gardening in Small Spaces (25 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife. I've been gardening for almost fifteen years. I started with flowers, added herbs and vegetables, then a few fruits, then a lot more. I've gardened in plots and...Read more »
- How to Get Rid of Ants (Without Calling an Exterminator) (178 comments)
I hate ants. At our old house, Kris and I were constantly at war with the little devils. Every time we suffered another invasion, every time they managed to find the pantry, every time they discove...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: March Update (25 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I are tracking how much time and money we spend growing food in our garden. In my mind, March is filled with gardening activities. Not so much, as it turns out. I think April ...Read more »
- Suze Orman’s Ultimate Protection Portfolio (and a Do-It-Yourself Alternative) (57 comments)
For the past few months, I've been pursuing a paperless personal finance system. I've scheduled electronic transactions with my bank, and I scan important documents when I receive them. My method is s...Read more »
- Possessed: People Who are Ruled by Stuff (38 comments)
When I was a boy, I hoarded Stuff. I had what my parent's called a "rat's nest", a closet full of the Stuff I'd gathered. Why did I hoard Stuff? Was it because we were poor and I wanted to own things?...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: February Update (22 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I will be tracking how much time and money we spend growing food in our garden. (Important note: Kris tells me she is not going to track her time, which may throw a monkey wre...Read more »
- Will the Subprime Mortgage Crisis Turn the Suburbs Into Slums? (44 comments)
Is today's McMansion tomorrow's tenement home? Wrtiting in The Atlantic Monthly, Christopher B. Leinberger argues that modern suburban neighborhoods may be in decline, and not just because of the subp...Read more »
- Home-Made Treats for Backyard Birds (19 comments)
This is a guest post from my wife. If there's one area of our household budget where frugality goes out the window, it's the birds. There's a large picture window over our kitchen sink, and I l...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: How to Choose VOIP Telephone Service? (78 comments)
Lauren recently wrote with the sort of technical question I usually route to the Get Rich Slowly forums. (The forums are a great place to get help with your specific financial situation.) She's lookin...Read more »
- Energy Star: Saving Money Through Energy Efficiency (12 comments)
If you've bought a major appliance in the U.S. during the past decade, you've probably noticed the government-issued Energy Star certification. Energy Star is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental...Read more »
- Mortgage Prepayment Made Easy: Own Your Home in Half the Time (201 comments)
Because I recently eliminated all of my non-mortgage debt, I have a significant positive cash flow. The $1,000 per month I was putting toward debt can now be used for investing. I'm making maximum con...Read more »
- The GRS Garden Project: January Update (35 comments)
During 2008, my wife and I will be tracking how much time and money we spend growing food in our garden. (Important note: Kris tells me she is not going to track her time, which may throw a monkey wre...Read more »
- The Year-Long GRS Project: How Much Does a Garden Really Save? (107 comments)
Kris and I are huge fans of gardening. We grow our own flowers, herbs, fruit, berries, and vegetables. We're not able to supply all of our needs, but we do what we can. For the past two years, I've ar...Read more »
- Advice and Tips for First-Time Homebuyers (61 comments)
Over at AskMetafilter, somebody recently wrote: What is the single most valuable piece of advice you received when you were in the process of buying your home? Among the great advice in this thr...Read more »
- Using a Home Equity Loan to Pay Off Credit Cards (45 comments)
This is a "dueling bloggers" post between me and Jim at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity. Read his post about not using home equity to pay off unsecured debt, and share your thoughts about this issu...Read more »
- The Thrill of Paying Off a Mortgage (76 comments)
This is a guest-post from Free Money Finance. It's a follow-up to Mrs. Micah's post earlier today. A few weeks ago, J.D. and I were chatting when he asked me what it felt like to be debt-free. He'd...Read more »
- The Pros and Cons of an Interest-Only Mortgage (49 comments)
This is a guest post from Mrs. Micah of Finance and Life. Look for a related post later today. Getting an interest-only mortgage can seem like a great idea when you’re trying to buy a house and c...Read more »
- Frugality in Practice: Keeping Warm in Winter (95 comments)
Cold cold cold — I am cold. Remember George Bailey's "drafty old barn" in It's a Wonderful Life? Our place is like that. This 100-year-old farmhouse is cold all winter long. There are drafts...Read more »
- The New York Times Rent vs. Buy Calculator (43 comments)
Is it better to buy or rent? It's one of the eternal personal finance questions, and one that each person has to decide for herself. There are lots of non-financial factors that affect this decision, ...Read more »
- How Much Do Compact Fluorescent Bulbs Really Cost? (132 comments)
Valerie writes: "Someone in our family recently suggested that compact fluourescents weren't worth it due to their high initial cost compared to incandescent light bulbs. We've switched all our light...Read more »
- House Math 2.0: A Real-Estate Analysis Tool (19 comments)
Earlier today, Justin asked for feedback about whether he should buy a condo or continue to save for his retirement. GRS reader Andrew forwarded a tool that may help Justin make his decision. House...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Buy a Home, or Max Out Retirement Savings? (77 comments)
The toughest personal finance choices are those where your heart wrestles with your mind. Justin wrote because he's found a great place to live, but it's just on the edge of what he can afford. He wan...Read more »
- Learning to Love the Not-So-Big House (101 comments)
I had lunch with my friend Cameron a few weeks ago. Over plates of Kung Pao Chicken and Mongolian Beef, the conversation drifted toward personal finance. We began to talk about the repairs and upgrade...Read more »
- Two Quick Kitchen Hacks (19 comments)
It's always fun to find new ways to save time and money in the kitchen. Here are two simple ideas to help reduce clutter on the counters. Let the library store your cookbooks During my recent figh...Read more »
- Accelerated Mortgage Payments (and the GRS Amortization Calculator) (48 comments)
What if you've reviewed the compromises required to pay your mortgage early and the idea still appeals to you? You might pay a bank to set up a bi-weekly payment plan or a money merge account. But you...Read more »
- Is a Money Merge Account a Good Way to Pay Off Your Mortgage? (795 comments)
Over the past few weeks, I've received several questions about money merge accounts (sometimes called "Australian mortgages"). I haven't paid much attention to these because I'm unfamiliar the produc...Read more »
- Frugality in Practice: Home-Made Grape Juice (25 comments)
Kris and I don't grow a lot of our own food, but we grow enough to make a difference. In the fall of 2004, the year we moved into this house, we planted a row of grapes. Using only a shovel, I tor...Read more »
- Frugality in Practice: Do-it-Yourself Home Maintenance (26 comments)
I hate plumbing. Whenever a faucet begins to leak or a drain clogs, my stomach sinks. I know it means hours of frustrating work. It's not that plumbing is difficult — it's just that I'm not well...Read more »
- Blow-by-Blow Account of a Housing Addition, part four: Combating Murphy’s Law (5 comments)
This is a guest post from Jericho Hill. In part one of this series, the author discussed the costs of a housing addition. Part two explored funding, and part three featured tips for saving money on co...Read more »
- Every Penny Counts: Saving for Big Goals (29 comments)
Get Rich Slowly readers submitted a couple dozen articles while I was on vacation, but one story was mentioned more than any other. Several people sent me a New York Times piece by Christine Haughney ...Read more »
- Blow-by-Blow Account of a Housing Addition, part three: Construction (11 comments)
This is a guest post from JerichoHill. For the past few weekends, I've described what I learned through the process of building a home addition. In part one, I covered costs. In part two, I covere...Read more »
- Extreme Personal Finance: From Penthouse to RV (40 comments)
He's back! The ever-controversial Tynan offers today's guest entry on downsizing from an expensive condo to a 21-foot RV. On April 20th at 3am I was still awake. I stood on the balcony of my pentho...Read more »
- Blow-by-Blow Account of a Housing Addition, part two: Capitalization (13 comments)
This is a guest post from JerichoHill. Last week I introduced the first of a three-part series on my experiences with building a major home addition. It dealt with defining your objectives and det...Read more »
- Getting the Guts to Relocate to a Cheaper City (65 comments)
This guest post is from Penelope Trunk, author of Brazen Careerist: The New Rules for Success. Trunk is a career columnist for the Boston Globe and Yahoo! Finance, and also dispenses wisdom on her blo...Read more »
- Blow-by-Blow Account of a Housing Addition, part one: Costs (7 comments)
This is a guest post from JerichoHill. Recently my fiancée and I have engaged in a bit of home-renovation. Several years ago, Julie bought half of a duplex in a suburb of Washington, D.C. It is ra...Read more »
- Renting vs. Buying: The Realities of Home-Ownership (295 comments)
This is a guest-post from Tim Ellis, author of Seattle Bubble, a blog and forum dedicated to discussing real estate market conditions in the Seattle area. "If you rent, you're throwing away your ...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: What if You’re Frugal But Your Roommates Aren’t? (61 comments)
Eleanor wrote with a question that could test even the mightiest personal finance expert. "What," she asks, "can you do when you want to save money and your roommates don't care?" I share a house...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: What’s the Best Way to Save for a Down Payment? (50 comments)
When I asked recently for topics you'd like to see covered at Get Rich Slowly, many of you expressed interest in learning more about how to purchase a home. Jason sent the following question: ...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Is It Better to Invest or to Prepay a Mortgage? (194 comments)
Paul writes with a common question that illustrates how challenging personal finance can be, even when you're doing the right things. Sometimes it's difficult to choose between several good options. H...Read more »
- Save Big By Canceling Private Mortgage Insurance (20 comments)
When you buy a home, you learn there are many little costs that accumulate over time: mortgage, interest, insurance, utilities, maintenance, etc. Many of these are recurring expenses about which littl...Read more »
- Fact or Fiction: Can a Rain Barrel Save You Money? (51 comments)
In the forums, robblat asked about rain barrels: Are they useful? How much do they cost? Where do you get one? My wife just installed a rain barrel last year, so I asked her to explain how they work. ...Read more »
- The Minimalist and the No-Frills Kitchen (29 comments)
In the GRS forums, Fillanzea mentioned a New York Times article written by Mark Bittman, a.k.a. The Minimalist, who believes "a no-frills kitchen still cooks". He writes: The question I’m asked m...Read more »
- An Introduction to Square-Foot Gardening (69 comments)
I grew up in the country — gardening meant a large plot, plowed and raked, and then planted with long, widely-space rows of vegetables. It also meant weeding and hoeing, weeding and hoeing. Gard...Read more »
- Home Depot to Give Away Compact Fluorescent Bulbs this Sunday (29 comments)
April 22nd is Earth Day in the United States. In celebration The Home Depot is giving away one million compact fluorescent lightbulbs to people who visit their stores this Sunday. Rumor has it that th...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Cheap Places to Live? (91 comments)
Money Minx has decided to make a frugal leap of faith, to move to another city in order to save money. But she has one stipulation that's causing problems. She's come to Get Rich Slowly readers for he...Read more »
- Frugality in Practice: A Cheap Defense Against Weeds (35 comments)
Spring is here, and that means lawn chores. "Grass is a weed," my wife and I tell each other. But with 3/5 of an acre, much of it lawn, we have a lot of grass to care for. Aside from mowing, one o...Read more »
- The Real Estate Roller Coaster (32 comments)
Last summer I shared a graph of American home values from 1890 to present. I found it alarming: Click image to view larger version in a new window. Graph © NYT. This graph was taken from a ...Read more »
- The Rentometer: How Does YOUR Rent Compare? (10 comments)
Do you rent a home or apartment? Have you ever wondered if you're getting a fair shake? Flexo at Consumerism Commentary discovered a handy tool called the Rentometer. Enter your street address and you...Read more »
- How to Find a Contractor: It’s Not Just About Price (12 comments)
On Monday I mentioned that it pays to shop around for the lowest price. This skill is specially important when making large money decisions. You should always shop around when purchasing a car, obtain...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: Save for a Down Payment, or Put Money into Home Equity? (27 comments)
Matt has a question about the best way to save for upgrading his house: My wife and I bought a small house before our wedding, and we know that eventually (say, within the next five years) we'll ...Read more »
- When to Replace Common Household Items (34 comments)
Smart Money has published a guide about when to replace common household items. Here are the items they mention and the recommended replacement periods. (The complete list includes "expert" reasons fo...Read more »
- How Home and Community Affect Our Wealth (20 comments)
Where we choose to live — both home and community — can have a profound effect on our personal finances, and on the non-monetary "wealth" in our lives. Sabra at the Zillow Blog discovered ...Read more »
- Extreme Personal Finance: Homeless By Choice (9 comments)
Several readers wrote to share this story of extreme personal finance from the pages of the Los Angeles Times: 26-year-old Andy Bussell has been living in his truck, homeless by choice, for the past y...Read more »
- Loan.com: A New Site for Home Loan Info (8 comments)
Chuck Hoover wrote to pitch a new web site, Loan.com: Here's something that may be of interest to your readers — a new website, Loan.com, that provides consumers with the first tool to f...Read more »
- 15 Tools Every Homeowner Should Own (27 comments)
Lifehacker points to a MSN Real Estate piece listing the 15 tools every homeowner should own. I'm working on a longer article about home workshops, but this is a good introduction to the subject. I...Read more »
- The Seller’s Gift: How To Buy a Home With No Down Payment (18 comments)
Matt wrote to me with an unusual homebuying tale which he's also posted to his site, Zero Down: My Homebuying Story. On December 29th, he closed on a $90,000 Texas home. His total out-of-pocket expens...Read more »
- Ask the Readers: How Do You Buy One Home While Selling Another? (13 comments)
Ryan recently wrote with a question: What things should you consider when you're buying a new house while trying to sell the one you own? What's the best way to coordinate closing dates to allow y...Read more »
- Tiny London Apartment for $334,000 (16 comments)
Do you think housing prices are insane where you live? You ought to see London's Chelsea district. The BBS News reports that a "table-sized" apartment is selling for £170,000 (roughly $334,000US). He...Read more »
- 7 Mistakes That Make Homeowners Targets for Burglars (31 comments)
I received an advertisement in the mail yesterday for a publication called Bottom Line Personal. The ad included several money tips. My favorite was the list of "Top Mistakes That Make Homeowners Prim...Read more »
- How I Bought My House With Very Little Of My Own Money (13 comments)
Susan at +amateur christian+ has some advice for first-time homebuyers — spend some time to search for grants, and you might be able to get into a home without spending a fortune. Two years a...Read more »
- Save Money on Plumbing Whether or Not You Do It Yourself (6 comments)
A few weeks ago I mentioned Curbly, a new community-based DIY site. Here's a guest-post from one of the Curbly's featured writers, Alex Russell. Copper's proper. That's the saying, anyway. But the ...Read more »
- Cheap Ways to Stay Warm this Winter (51 comments)
Winter weather has arrived in Oregon — it's rainy and cold. This time of year, Kris and I search for ways to keep warm. A lot of guides to saving money on heating contain impractical advice: "co...Read more »
- Review: Kill-a-Watt Electricity Usage Monitor (65 comments)
In June I shared some tips for reducing home energy costs. Most of the information came from Michael Bluejay's excellent guide to saving electricity. I was curious how much electricity invidual applia...Read more »
- Curbly: A Community-Based DIY Site (8 comments)
Jeff V. writes: I just came across this budget-minded DIY site and I thought you and your readers would be interested in it. Curbly bills itself as a "web community for people who love where the...Read more »
- Remodeling a Home, part two: A Leak in the Attic (10 comments)
This is the second in a series describing our adventures remodeling a one-hundred-year-old home. Last week I shared our experiences with a nightmare insulation contractor. This week, we learn that the...Read more »
- Remodeling a Home, part one: Little Surprises (22 comments)
Luneray's home-buying adventure is over, but I'd like to continue to share home-ownership stories every Thursday. Fortunately, I've got some doozies of my own to share. For the next few weeks, I'll de...Read more »
- Buying a Home, part seven: First-Time Homeowners (5 comments)
This is the seventh (and final) weekly installment in Luneray's homebuying adventure. Previous entries include: Week one: Looking at houses Week two: Making an offer Week three: A lifetime of d...Read more »
- What Happens When You Try to Get Rich Quickly (31 comments)
Robert Kiyosaki, Robert Allen, and Loral Langemeier would have you believe that in order to get rich all you need to do is throw your money into real estate, sit back, and let the profits come. It's n...Read more »
- Buying a Home, part six: The Close (13 comments)
This is the sixth installment in Luneray's homebuying adventure. In the first part, she looked at houses. She made an offer in part two. Next, she meditated on coming face-to-face with a lifetime of d...Read more »
- Free Home-Equity Information Kit (1 comment)
My wife is addicted to the Absurdly Cool Freebie Finder, a site I've mentioned here before. She and I have have used it to send away for free samples of beef jerkey, pantyhose, shampoo and more. Yo...Read more »
- Buying a Home, part five: Preparing to Close (3 comments)
This is the fifth installment in Luneray's homebuying adventure. In the first part, she looked at houses. She made an offer in part two. Next, she meditated on coming face-to-face with a lifetime of d...Read more »
- Buying a Home, part four: Calm Before the Storm (8 comments)
This is the fourth installment in Luneray's homebuying adventure. In the first part, she looked at houses. She made an offer in part two. Last week she meditated on coming face-to-face with a lifetime...Read more »
- Buying a Home, part three: Dealing with Debt (21 comments)
This is the third installment in Luneray's homebuying adventure. In the first part, she looked at houses. Last week she made an offer. In today's third part, she discusses coming face-to-face with a l...Read more »
- 20 Free Ways to Save Energy (15 comments)
Consumer Reports has a new publication entitled Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs. To promote the book, they've made twenty tips available for free online: Wash clothes in cold water. Most ...Read more »
- Buying a Home, part two: Making the Offer (4 comments)
Last Thursday I shared the first of Luneray's posts on buying a house. In today's second part, she talks about the psychological impact of agreeing to an enormous loan. We looked at more houses tod...Read more »
- Buying a Home, part one: Looking at Houses (19 comments)
GRS-reader Luneray is in the process of buying her first home. I've been following her weblog with interest, as I well-remember the stress from the two times my wife and I purchased a house. Here, wit...Read more »
- Beware of Nightmare Mortgages (5 comments)
Business Week has a fascinating story about "nightmare mortgages" — adjustable rate home loans made over the past few years that now haunt consumers. For cash-strapped homeowners, it was a ...Read more »
- Housing Bubble: Reading Between the For-Sale Signs (19 comments)
Yesterday Jason Kottke linked to a graph of American home values from 1890 to present. It's shocking. It's one thing to hear that the U.S. is in the midst of a housing bubble, but it's another thing t...Read more »
- Programmable Thermostats: A Three-Month Review (17 comments)
How much can a programmable thermostat save you? A lot, says Adam Gurno. His is the first guest-post while I'm on vacation Due to the rising cost of, well, everything, my wife and I decided to make...Read more »
- Extreme Personal Finance: How to Pay Off Your Mortgage in Three Years (31 comments)
Most people who accelerate their mortgage make one extra payment a year. Maybe two. Or they refinance a thirty-year mortgage at fifteen years. Yahoo! Canada has a story of one couple who paid off thei...Read more »
- Free Web-Based Home Energy Analyzer (0 comment)
Andrew W. wrote in to share this free home-energy analyzer. This [site] is well done. It walks you through a set of questions about the kind of home you have, your appliances, and your sources of ...Read more »
- Our First Lesson in the Costs of Homeownership (1 comment)
This is a true story. My wife and I bought our first house in June of 1993. It was a nice ranch-style house in my home-town. The seller had prepped it for market by keeping the lawn a gorgeous emer...Read more »
- Most Overpriced Housing Markets (4 comments)
CNNMoney has published a list ranking 100 housing markets according to affordability. Though home prices are beginning to level out in parts of the country, they're still way too high in other areas. ...Read more »
- 25 Cheap Ways to Keep Your House Cooler (1 comment)
Yesterday I gave some tips on how to keep cool during the summer heat. MoneyCentral has posted 25 ways to keep your house cooler. The article includes advice on getting the most from your air condi...Read more »
- Cheap Places to Live Rich (3 comments)
Forbes has a report on 150 cheap places to live. Author Richard Karlgaard points out the obvious: it's more expensive to live in some places than others. A $4,000,000 home in San Diego might only cost...Read more »
- Save Money by Switching to Compact Fluorescents (6 comments)
How much can you save by switching lightbulbs? The Technocrat recently did the math and decided to replace all of his incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescents. The up-front cost was huge, but h...Read more »
- Should You Prepay Your Mortgage? (26 comments)
You can save tens of thousands of dollars by prepaying your mortgage. But is it a smart move? A CNNMoney reader asks expert Walter Updegrave: The psychological freedom of not having a mortgage is v...Read more »
- Coping with an Adustable Rate Mortgage (3 comments)
Interest rates are on the rise, and that means the 25 percent of homeowners who hold adjustable-rate mortgages are beginning to feel the pinch. Gerri Willis at CNNMoney has some advice to help these f...Read more »
- Saving Electricity: How to Reduce Your Energy Costs (15 comments)
How much electricity does your computer use? Your refrigerator? Your washer and dryer? Do you know how to save money on water heating costs? Michael Bluejay's guide to saving electricity answers these...Read more »
- Reader Question: Buying a House Without a Credit History? (3 comments)
A reader e-mailed wondering if it were possible to obtain a mortgage without a credit history. I posed this question to Robb Severdia of Guarantee Mortgage in Portland. If a couple came to you wi...Read more »
- Workshops and Craft Rooms (0 comment)
Phil at the Make Blog is hosting an informal best workshop contest. There's a Flickr pool for submitting workshop photos. Natalie, Make's "crafts maker", also found a set of craft room photos. Thes...Read more »
- Housing: Rent vs. Buy Calculator (6 comments)
Should you buy or rent? That's a question we each face at some point. It doesn't always make sense to buy. Depending on your location, your marital status, your income level, how long you intend t...Read more »
- How to Slash Summer Energy Costs (1 comment)
SmartMoney has some ideas on how to save money on energy this summer. Typically, the average household spends $1,400 a year on electricity and gas, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. B...Read more »
- Quick and Easy Yellow-Jacket Trap (1 comment)
Just in time for summer, here's a quick and easy way to deal with the hoards of yellow jackets that are just waiting for you to grill those steaks on a warm evening. This trap can be built from stuff ...Read more »
- Why a 50-Year Mortgage is a Bad Idea (1 comment)
I hope that most people understand that an extra-long mortgage is a fool's game. If not, check out 50-Year Mortgages: No Shelter for the Strapped at Yahoo! Finance. Author Laura Rowley hits the nail o...Read more »
- Quick and Easy Self-Watering Garden Planters (1 comment)
The Make Blog has a quick-and-easy tip for all of you frugal home gardeners: how to make self-watering planters from old milk jugs. Awesome in its simplicity and utility. Now, if you'll exc...Read more »
- What I Wish I Knew Then About Home Buying (5 comments)
Laura Rowley at Yahoo! Finance has written an excellent piece on buying a house. I felt inspired to write a letter to the home buyer I was four years ago, when I purchased my first single-family h...Read more »
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