These two share a banking account. âœLou✠/ Flickr
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Jim Wang tackles couple finances and weighs the pros and cons of blending your finances with your spouse or significant other. (Bargaineering)
Emergency funds act as a cushion when things go awry, but you’d be surprised how many Americans do not have money set aside. Here’s how to save for an emergency fund. (Fabulous & Frugal)
Borrowing from your 401k, good solution or bad? Laura explains the SEAL Act, that would limits 401k borrowing and ease repayment loans, and tells you what this means for those contributing to retirement accounts. (Money & Happiness)
Donna didn’t care much for yogurt until she found a simple yet inexpensive recipe for homemade yogurt. A quart only costs $1.25 to make! (Surviving and Thriving)
Consumers are caught in the middle as a plan to cut debit card fees retailers pay banks every time shoppers swipe their cards is hotly debated. Find out how the reduction in swipe fees could affect YOU. (USA Today)
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price. 
Since I regularly use Greek-style nonfat yogurt, I plan to give this recipe a try. It is time-consuming, but should be worth it in the long run. The tip about using it on baked potatoes is a good one, especially if you add fresh snipped chives and freshly ground pepper. The same thing can be added to boiled red or yellow skin potatoes, which are cubed and cooked to desired doneness.
Thanks for the link, Julia. 🙂
@EllieD: What a great idea for boiled red or yellow potatoes! I will be giving this a try.
@EllieD That sounds delicious!
@Donna We love sharing your posts. They are always so informative and helpful.
@Yazmin ~ Someone named Yazmin Cruz had a great “Reasonable Rant” published in today’s (Sunday, 5/29) Daily News editorial pages. Is that Yazmin the same one as our own dear Yazmin??? Excellent essay! Hope this bodes well for an even brighter future for you. All the very best wishes from me to you, and congrats on your graduation from CSUN!
BIG OL’ HUGS!!!
@EllieD Yup, it’s me. Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m not surprised you found the article as you’re an avid reader of the Daily News. I know you followed Julia when she was doing Bargain Hunter. I’m happy to be done with school, but even happier to be doing what I love.
@Yazmin ~ I cut out the essay and will bring the copy to you at Frugal Fest.
I received a degree from CSUN in 1989, the year graduation was held at the Hollywood Bowl, and the traffic was tied up on the freeway, delaying the ceremonies until the speaker and other dignitaries could arrive. Plus it was hotter than Hades as we had to stand in our black robes! Much nicer now that the ceremonies are held on campus.