An employer buyout at 60 involves more than the severance payment. Compare after-tax proceeds, healthcare expenses before Medicare, accessible retirement savings, Social Security estimates, and benefits you would give up before deciding – Shutterstock An employer buyout can make retirement look wonderfully close, especially when the offer includes a lump sum and a polite invitation to leave early. But the number on that offer letter isn’t the number that determines whether retirement works. Your real […]

Some money-saving habits get called outdated. Hanging laundry on a rack, borrowing books instead of buying them, wearing hand-me-downs, cooking dinner from whatever was on sale. Plenty of people have written them off as too much work or too old-school. But with grocery bills, utility bills, and just about everything else costing more, these habits are looking pretty smart again. They’re simple, they’re cheap, and they work whether you live frugally by choice or because you have to. Here are 11 old-fashioned frugal habits that are quietly making a comeback. Some will fit your life right away. Others may feel out of touch, and that’s okay. The best frugal tips are the ones that work for you. Hang Your Clothes To Dry Using a drying rack to hang your clothes will save you money on your electric bill. It also makes your clothes last longer, so you need to replace them less often. That’s a lot of reasons to make the switch. If a full rack in the living room isn’t your thing, start with just the heavier items like towels and jeans, which cost the most to dry. Use the Library (For More Than Books) Having a library card is one of the biggest ways you can live cheaply. I don’t buy books anymore. If you have a Kindle or another e-reader, you can download free books from your library’s Libby app any time of day. And books are just the start. Many libraries also offer games you can borrow, discounted passes to museums, and plenty of other free or cheaper perks. If you don’t have a card yet, get one. Wear Hand-Me-Downs My kids and I wear really lovely hand-me-downs. You can trade clothes with other families or shop at thrift stores to find nice things for you and your kids. One trick that helped me: before each season, I decide how many of each clothing item my kids need and only buy that amount. Sales were causing me to overbuy until I set it up this way. Eat at Home and Get Creative We experiment at home. We don’t go to bakeries; we figure out something fun to make with the kids instead. You can make so many meals and treats at home with a little planning and creativity. It costs far less than takeout or the bakery counter, and it turns into a family activity. Stock Your Freezer Keep your freezer full of meals so you don’t reach for takeout when you’re stressed or overwhelmed. When you cook, double the recipe and freeze the extra. Soups freeze well and are perfect for this. Freezer meals are especially helpful before a major holiday or when you’re having a baby. And if you have the space, a large freezer can pay for itself in six months or less. A garage or covered patio works if you have an outlet nearby. Don’t toss those slightly browning bananas, either. Freeze them for cheap smoothies and snacks.

Recently I joined a Facebook Group called Buy Nothing. At first, I thought maybe it was a type of bartering platform or re-sell market like Offer Up. Maybe it even had something to do with Buy Nothing Day, Buy Nothing Month, or No Spend November. But, as I read more, I realized the group wasn’t about any of these. The Buy Nothing Project (buynothingproject.org) was started in 2013 by a few ladies from Washington state […]

Buying fresh fruits and vegetables shouldn’t have to take up half your grocery budget. But if you’ve been paying attention to produce prices lately, you know how quickly things add up. A few apples, a container of strawberries, some lettuce, and a couple of peppers can cost more than you expected. And it’s frustrating when you spend that money only to have some of your produce go bad before you get around to eating it. […]

Houseplants brought indoors for winter can carry hidden pests such as spider mites, aphids, and mealybugs. Inspecting and isolating returning plants for several weeks can help prevent infestations from spreading to your indoor collection. Fuss Sergey/Shutterstock Your houseplants have spent the summer thriving on the patio, growing lush leaves and enjoying the warm sunshine. Now that nighttime temperatures are dropping, you’re ready to bring them indoors before the first frost. You carry your favorite plants […]

I recently had the opportunity to join Christine Benz and Amy Arnott for Morningstar’s The Long View podcast. We discussed my new book and a variety of themes relating to cybersecurity, as well as how to keep ourselves (and our family members) safe as we age. Mike Piper: Scammers Are Getting Smarter. Is Your Financial Security Keeping Up? Other Recommended Reading Final Regulations Clear the Path for Debit/Credit Card Payments to IRS from Martha Waggoner […]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic lawmakers approved an estimated $14.3 billion in annual tax and fee increases during the 2025-26 legislative session, according to a report from the California Tax Foundation. The changes include a tax on digital software sales, limits on business tax credits and a renewed tax on health plans, with some costs potentially passed on to consumers. Read the rest

By Charles Patterson, WCI Columnist