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Smart Spending blog - The best money-saving tips on the Web, featuring MSN Money's Karen Datko, Donna Freedman, Teresa Mears and the best of other sites.
Smart Spending combines the best money-saving tips from MSN Money and the rest of the Web. Our team of experts on stretching dollars:
  • Karen DatkoKaren Datko, lead blogger, is a veteran journalist in small-town Montana, where her mortgage is $310 a month.
  • Teresa MearsTeresa Mears is a veteran writer in Florida. She doesn't clip coupons, but she does shop at Goodwill.
  • Donna FreedmanDonna Freedman, our "Living With Less" columnist, is a student, freelance writer and handywoman in Washington.
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Editor's Pick

Any one of these practical measures can help you build wealth.

Posted by Karen Datko on Friday, October 30, 2009 3:42 PM

This post comes from partner blog The Dough Roller.

 

Perhaps the most frequently asked question in all of personal finance is this: How do you become a millionaire? Although we often focus on the idea of becoming a millionaire, there's really a different question lurking just below the surface -- how do you become financially independent? It's financial independence that we are really seeking, although for most of us, achieving millionaire status would get us there or at least be a great start.

While $1 million is a big number, it can be attained. The journey to $1 million may be a long one, but each step along the way is not difficult. In fact, each step is downright easy. With the right planning, commitment and execution, anybody can become a millionaire. While there are certainly more than five ways to build wealth, what follows are five of the most practical concepts and methods that anybody can follow to become a millionaire in the making.

Cybercriminals are gearing up to take advantage of the holiday season.

Posted by Karen Datko on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 12:24 PM

This post comes from James Limbach at partner site ConsumerAffairs.com.

 

As cybercriminals begin to take advantage of the holiday season, McAfee Inc. is warning consumers about the "12 Scams of Christmas" -- the 12 most dangerous online scams that computer users should be cautious of.

 

According to Consumer Reports’ 2009 State of the Net Survey, cybercriminals have bilked $8 billion from consumers in the past two years.

"Cybercriminals use their best schemes during the holidays to steal people's money, credit card information, Social Security number and identity," said Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee Labs. "These thieves follow seasonal trends and create holiday-related Web sites, scams and other convincing e-mails that can trick even the most cautious users."

 

The 12 Scams of Christmas are:

Sometimes bribery isn't a bad word.

Posted by Karen Datko on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 10:47 AM

This post comes from Jim Wang at partner blog Bargaineering.

 

I’ve always found that tipping, by far, is the best investment you can ever make in almost any situation. Anyone who has ever bellied up to a bar knows that a dollar a drink is all it takes to get the speediest service on even the busiest of nights. Want a nicer hotel room? I’ll tell you about a risk-free technique you can use to score complimentary upgrades, if they’re available.

'Happy Eid al-Adha' on a Thanksgiving ad stirs outrage, debate.

Posted by Karen Datko on Monday, November 23, 2009 6:51 PM

Eid al-Adha sounds like a lovely holiday -- a happy occasion full of praise for God, lots of food -- which is shared with the poor -- and gifts for children. An imam interviewed by The Modesto Bee said the four-day Eid al-Adha is the Muslim holiday that most closely resembles Christmas.

So why is a small blurb wishing “Happy Eid al-Adha” in a Best Buy Thanksgiving ad stirring controversy and debate?

Consumer Reports unveils survey of top holiday shopping turnoffs.

Posted by Karen Datko on Monday, November 23, 2009 3:32 PM

This post comes from partner site ConsumerAffairs.com.

 

Consumer Reports has unveiled a public education campaign that takes aim at pushy holiday season retail practices. The campaign’s centerpiece is a full-page ad in USA Today on Tuesday, Nov. 24, that highlights top holiday shopping annoyances as determined by a nationally representative survey of Americans by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

The list of holiday annoyances that Americans were asked about was generated by readers of The Consumerist, a member of the Consumer Reports family.

 

The ad takes the form of a “Dear Shopper” letter highlighting pushy holiday season practices and the percentage of Americans who find them annoying:

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