Wise Bread (Andrea Dickson)

How to Cheaply Display Your Art

Andrea Dickson — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 15:53:30 +0000

Custom framing your art is often more expensive than the art itself. How weird is that?

There are so many places nowadays to find good, cheap art, but framing said art can be one of the most expensive aspects of decorating your home. Unless you have your own equipment or some killer coupons, professional framing can easily set you back $60-$200 per 8x10 piece of art. If you're like me, and have an eclectic collection of paintings, drawings, and collage, you probably also DON'T have the kind of dough it takes to professionally frame your whole collection.

Well, there are plenty of ways to display your art that don't involve thumb tacks or poster putty (or pricey custom framing) that are still funky, fun, and cheap.

Framed Art

Oil paintings (and often acrylics, for that matter), aren't typically framed behind glass. They can be, but the glass has to be set off of the painting, because if it comes into contact with the paint, even if it's dry, the paint might stick to the glass. Oil paintings are typically made on canvas, and are stretched onto a wooden frame that gives them shape. You can add a frame to the outside or just hang a stretched canvas without a frame — my point is not to invest in a big heavy piece of glass if you don't need it.

Similarly, posters can be mounted onto posterboard and framed with a simple poster frame that may or may not include glass — the less glass you use, the cheaper (and lighter) the end product is. Matting is always optional. The larger the matting, the more expensive the project, so for bigger pieces, you might want to avoid matting. However, pre-cut matting is fairly inexpensive and can really make a difference in the quality of a framed piece of art.

Premade frames

This isn't the cheapest option, because even premade frames aren't cheap, but they are easy to deal with and involve minimal effort on your behalf. Frames come in many different sizes, so you can find something to fit most any piece of art. When buying a frame, take the piece of art with you so that you can see how it will look in the frame. There are many different types of frames available these days: you can buy wooden or plastic frames, frames with or without glass or plastic covering the art, frames with or without matting, and even frames without frames (essentially a piece of glass and a piece of particle board that you stick your art between). Generally, the more ornate the frame, the more expensive it will be.

You can buy frames at stores like Target or Walmart, although selection may be limited. Better options include art supply stores or frame stores — check your local paper for coupons or ask a store associate when the next big sale is in order to find the big savings. A simple frame for an 8x10 picture may be $20 on a normal day, but a sale day will knock that down to $10, easy. Aaron Brothers and Michael's (both stores have great selections) have amazing sales in which frames are reduced up to 75% off. Always keep your eyes peeled for coupons in your local paper or Valu-Pak. Also, in addition to the art and frames section of these stores, you may want to check out the wood projects and kids' sections. I've found thick, unfinished backless frames for $1.50 each. The frames were meant for kids to decorate with glitter and sequins, but they looked amazing framing some 4x4 color prints I had purchased on Etsy.

If you are a good bargainer, it never hurts to befriend your local frame consultant to see if you can't buy some of the cast-offs or rejects — the frames that other people order, and then decide they don't want for whatever reason.

By far the most consistently affordable place to buy ready-made picture frames is IKEA. If you happen to have a Swedish mega-maze somewhere near you, check out the frame selection on your next day-long venture.

Damaged frames

A smooth black picture frame is just about the easiest thing in the world to scratch or scuff, so frames with dings and divots are frequently tossed in the bargain bin as soon as they are unpacked. Lots of stores have their bargain section in a back corner, so always check there to see if there is something you can use. Most minor imperfections can either be easily fixed with some nail filler and black marker, or improved upon by "distressing" the entire frame with sandpaper so that it has that shabby chic look that is so desirable these days.

Buy pre-framed art and throw away the art

Department stores have more than their fair share of hideous pre-framed art. If you find a piece of pre-framed hideous art with a good frame, there's no need to keep the art. Just toss it out and insert your own awesome blacklight unicorn poster. Ross is particularly good for this.

Used frames featuring all kinds of horrible art can be found at thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, and next to dumpsters all over the country. You can keep the existing art or throw it away.

Making an ugly frame look amazing doesn't take much effort — just some acrylic paint or a rattle can in an amazing color, a well-ventilated area, and a good drop-cloth, and you've got yourself a snazzy, incredibly hip frame for your art. I've actually seen some pretty cool-looking rooms that are decorated entirely using empty picture frames that have all been painted the same awesome color, or simply matched according to a general sense of aesthetics.

Of course, if you have an entire tool shed just bursting with state-of-the-art miter saws and bevellers, you can always make your own frames.

Frameless frames

There are plenty of glass or Plexiglas "frames" that consists of a clear cover, a solid back, and small clips that allow you to protect and hang your art without a traditional "frame". I buy these in bulk at my local art supply store. Gallery-style frames are another option — a very thin plastic frame that barely shows allows you to place art inside and press a piece of glass or plastic into little grooves in the front of the frame. Gallery frames are cheap, but do significantly limit the thickness of the piece you are displaying.

Hanging Art

Hanging framed art is an art in and of itself...or is it a science? In any case, there are many different ways to get the look that you want.

If you want to hang frames in a gallery style, take some advice from the pros, like an actual curator. Or, you may find it easier and more cathartic to cluster your framed art in a more unique and devil-may-care manner that doesn't depend on straight lines and perfect corners.

There are many different ways to hang framed art. Some people like to use eye-hooks/staples and wire across the back of the frame. The wire can be kept short, and tucked behind the picture so that the nail is hidden when the picture is hung, or long, so that the picture hangs down from a nail. I've seen really pretty hangings done using silk ribbon that is attached to the top back of the frame using strong staples.

Unframed Art

Of course, you can save a bundle on framing costs by simply skipping the frames altogether, There is plenty of art out there that doesn't have to be matted and framed; in fact, almost anything that is displayed with a certain amount of flair becomes art, like a wall covered in a rainbow of paint chips from Home Depot.

For more traditional 2D art, like posters, paintings, and collages, you can either leave the art as-is, or have it mounted on a poster board to give a little more heft and to keep it from getting damaged. Posterboard is fairly inexpensive, and you can do the mounting yourself or have it done at a frame shop for a steal.

Wire and clips

This method is my favorite because it's easy, breezy, and slightly edgy. Take a long piece of wire (thinner gauges are better), some small nails, and a hammer. Pound the nails into your walls at whatever locations you feel are appropriate, and string the wire taught between them. It helps to angle the nails AWAY from the direction that the wire will be pulling. You can create a single horizontal line, many horizontal lines, zigzag lines, vertical lines, or spider webs — it really doesn't matter. You can hang the wire up high and string it across a room, or stick to one wall or small area. Whatever floats your boat.

Next, take a handful of clothespins (the newer kind works better than the old fashioned style) or binder clips, and attach your art wherever you like it. I like to hang concert posters high up on horizontal wires, and clip vintage postcards along vertical wires. A series of black and white photographs evokes a darkroom or photographer's studio. You can hang letters from your grandma, childhood mementos, potholders, jewelry or even air plants, if you want. Mixing up colors, sizes, and shapes is fun, or you can choose one particular style and stick with it. Variety is the spice of life, but not everyone likes as much spice as I do (for examples of both ways of thinking, check out this apartment featured on design*sponge).

With a bit more effort, you can use clips sans wire to create a gallery-like arrangement of unframed art. This method doesn't afford you as much flexibility with rearranging your collection, but looks clean and unencumbered.

Clothing hangers

A slightly less flexible way to show off your unframed pictures or posters is to hang wire clothing hangers from a nail in a prominent location, and then use clothes pins or binder clips to hang the art from the clothing hangers. Hangers are frequently used to make mobiles for 3D art display, so you can move the medium to the 2 dimensional for a new take on a common household item.

Clipboards

If you have lots of smaller pieces of art that you want to display, try hanging a series of clipboards on your wall. Art can be neatly pinned to the center of the clipboard, and the back of the board provides a frame in which to show off the art. A clipboard can be had for as little as $2 (I've seen them for $0.88 on some websites, but you have to consider shipping). Buy a couple dozen of them, and hang them in neat military lines or in a more random fashion. If the dark brown background of the clipboard doesn't suit you, you can always paint the clipboard white, yellow, or any hue that makes you smile and offsets your art collection.

Magnets

If you enjoy rearranging your collection, but have a morbid fear of nails and the damage they cause, you can turn a huge space into a magnetic board of your own with magnetic paint. Assuming you have the ability/right to paint your walls, you can create art spaces with a roller and a can of Rustoleum brand magnetic paint (runs about $30). Add some snazzy, modern-looking magnets for about $20. While $50 isn't a drop in the bucket, it's cheaper than framing your entire poster collection. A whole wall (or room) becomes your personal art gallery on which you can arrange your drawings, newspaper clippings, posters, collages, or anything else you can think of. The best part is you don't have to refill and touch up holes in the wall every time you want to rearrange your artwork.

The Art of Leaning

Whoever said that art had to be hung? One of my favorite ways to display my favorite large oil paintings is to set them on top of dressers or low bookshelves, or even rest them on the floor, leaning against the wall. The look is casual, you don't have to mar the walls with nail holes, and you can move stuff around without having to worry about busting out the measuring tape or level.

*This advice doesn't necessarily apply to art that you consider highly valuable or a collector's item of some kind — for those, do consider a professional framing job to protect the artwork from light and time.*

Permalink | 15 comments | Andrea Dickson's blog | Channel: Art and Leisure

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Surviving Swine Flu

Andrea Dickson — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:37:19 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

You're probably going to get swine flu, and there's really no need to freak out. Most people are surviving it just fine. Sure, fear-mongering news reporters love nothing better than a global pandemic to boost their ratings with sensationalist coverage of school shut-downs and hospitalizations, but while swine flu is no picnic, it doesn't look like it's going to wipe out civilization as we know it.

Let's go ahead and take a fatalistic approach to this virus. We're going to get it, and we're probably going to survive it; but those who are in high-risk catgories need to take special precautions. Wash your hands all you want; it's a virus, and it will travel.

We need a level-headed approach to combating this illness, and with a vaccine still not available to the public, it's important to take stock of your health and protect yourself and your loved ones before the flu season really takes off.

Know if you are at risk

You expect the flu to pick off the old and infirm, but this flu is different. You might not be happy to hear that most of the 77 swine-flu related deaths recently studied by the CDC had underlying conditions like asthma or diabetes that complicated their illness (10% of the U.S. population has diabetes; 16.4% has asthma). If you are asthmatic, your condition can be aggravated by respiratory complications associated with the flu, so have your fast-acting bronchial dilator on hand and talk to your doctor about other precautions you might want to take. Diabetics are slower to heal and more prone to infections, so discuss a proactive approach with your doctor before you get sick.

Consider a pneumonia vaccination

The swine flu vaccine itself is days or possibly weeks away, and the biggest risk of the flu isn't really the flu virus itself, but rather the bacterial infections that strike once your immune system has been weakened by the flu. Data from the CDC suggests what most doctors probably could have guessed: up to 29% of people who have died while infected with the swine flu have also had accompanying infections like pneumonia. I didn't even know that you could get a vaccine for pneumonia until recently, but apparently this underused treatment is fairly effective. The vaccine only needs to be given twice in a lifetime, and although it only covers a couple dozen strains of pneumonia (there are more than 80 different types), most infections are caused by the 23 strains of bacteria that are included in the vaccine. Pregnant/nursing women and children under the age of two are not generally vaccinated.

I've been calling around, and the price of a pneumonia vaccine seems to range between $30-55. That's not exactly cheap, but for an asthmatic like me, it's cheaper than a trip to the emergency room (again). Check your local pharmacy or clinic to see if they are offering pneumonia vaccines; many pharmacies are scheduling vaccination clinics that include the flu shot and pneumonia vaccinations at the same time. The vaccine isn't always covered by insurance.

Exercise and eat well

This is obviously something everyone should be doing already, but if today is the first day that you put down the bag of Doritos and take a slow walk around the block, so be it. You don't have to deprive yourself and go crazy with a weight-loss scheme; just add some fresh fruit and veggies (the darker, the better — think berries and kale) to your daily food intake and find ways to keep your blood pumping, even if it means long, leisurely walks around the block. Take deep breaths and try to slowly expand your lung capacity. Don't exhaust yourself, because that can just make you more prone to illness.

Get enough Vitamin D

Many people live with vitamin D deficiency, and it can be difficult to tell that you have one without a blood test. Vitamin D may play an essential role in keeping your immune system, particularly your respiratory system, healthy. There are few ways to get enough vitamin D, but you can take supplements, drink vitamin D-fortified milk (3 glasses a day), or make a point of spending at least 15 minutes a day outside during the sun's peak hours (11AM-1PM).

Get plenty of sleep

The flu hits those who are most vulnerable, and that includes not just the old and sick, but also the physically exhausted. Most people don't get nearly enough sleep on a daily basis, so if it means that you have to skip your favorite TV shows for a few weeks to get some more shut-eye, so be it. Remember, unless you are one of those rare genetic mutants who only needs 6 hours of sleep per night, you should be striving for somewhere around 8.5 hours of quality sleep.

If you get sick...

If you've managed to catch the swine flu, you can still take steps to avoid the worst aspects of the disease. The usual advice still applies: get plenty of rest, stay home if you can, remain hydrated, and allow people to tell you how good chicken soup is for you. For most people, this should be enough.

For those with immuno-suppressive disorders or anyone considered "high-risk," you might want to take an anti-viral medication within the first 24 hours of the onset of flu symptoms. Pneumonias develop when mucus and fluids in the lungs become infected with bacteria, which happens when the mucus is allowed to hang out and fester. To prevent pooling of mucus:

Assuming you don't have any other conditions that would prevent this (like fresh stitches from an appendectomy), cough. Force yourself to cough; this moves the phlegm around in your chest and disrupts bacterial growth.
When not sleeping, try to rest in an upright position.
Try to move around when you are sleeping. Don't just stay flat on your back for many hours at a time.
If you develop a cough that isn't bringing up much phlegm, and you have your doctor's go-ahead, get your hands on a good expectorant that contains Guaifenesin, like Mucinex. Expectorants help to thin the mucus out, so that you can bring it up when you cough. Breaking up this nastiness and coughing it out is crucial to preventing infection.
If you are asthmatic, be vigilant and keep in touch with your doctor as necessary. At the first instance of respiratory distress, get thee to a medical facility.

**I am not a doctor, and nothing in this article should be construed as me giving medical advice. However, most of the tips given here do come from the Center for Disease Control or other reputable sources, so I promise that I am not just making stuff up. Please consult your physician before undertaking any new medical treatments.**

Permalink | 16 comments | Andrea Dickson's blog | Channel: Health and Beauty

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Best of Personal Finance: Dog Days of Summer Edition

Andrea Dickson — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 19:00:35 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

Networking is the key to self-promotion, and self-promotion is the key to success. The Simple Dollar discusses the importance of building social ties that will help you advance.

I thought "couchsurfing" meant sitting on the couch and watching a lot of TV by rapidly flipping through the channels, but it's actually a good way to save money on accommodations when traveling - by crashing on other people's couches. Now, you can use the internet to find the couches, reports Get Rich Slowly.

Have you considered a chicken coop in your backyard? Whether you're doing it to save money, improve the environment, or just have tastier eggs, read this article before taking the plunge into chicken farming. (Parenting Squad)

Chubby AND broke? Learn the correlation between dieting and frugality from Frugal Dad.

Sell your Twitter account for profit? You kids and your crazy technologies. (Mighty Bargain Hunter)

American Consumer News asks if getting freebies is worth the time it takes to get the freebies. Time being money and all.

Dumb Little Man has 8 ways in which you can organize your life in roughly 5 minutes.

Saving Advice reminds you that your house is not only full of crap, but you probably paid for that crap, so it's like you're sitting in a big pile of money, but not as cool.

Next time you are heading to the grocery store, don't forget to add "healthcare" to your shopping list. Yes, healthcare services are now offered at grocery stores and general retailers like Wal-Mart.

Afraid of finding out just how little money you actually have? Money Under 30 will help you to overcome your fears.

Check out all the carnivals we've been included in this week!

Optimize Your IRA and 401(k) was included in Carnival of Personal Finance
What's the Right Way to Save? was included in Best of the Best in Money and Personal Finance carnival
10 Ways to Get More Wear Out of Your Clothing was included in Carnival of Shopping #22

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Best of Personal Finance: 'Screw It, I'm Buying an Air Conditioner' Edition

Andrea Dickson — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 17:03:32 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

Boy howdy, was this ever a hot, muggy week. I tried to be brave, walking around naked with lots of running fans and buckets of ice, but my coworkers complained too much. Something about seared retinas? Anyway, while I wait patiently for my Hai'er brand air conditioner to arrive from Costco, here are some great personal finance blog posts from around the country, and maybe one from the Great White North.

Squawkfox lists ways to stay cool without air conditioning. Interesting enough, one of them involves mooching off of people who DO have air conditioning. I highly recommend mooching.

Soon, your kids will be going back to school and you won't have to listen to them whine about how you don't have air conditioning. Frugal Dad has back to school shopping tips galore.

20 Something Finance gets all metaphorical with a comparison of personal finance to the Tour de France... or is that a simile? Interestingly, neither the Tour de France or personal finance necessarily involves air conditioning.

Dumb Little Man has tips for not becoming a complete whale while living the life of a cubicle monkey. Also no mention of air conditioning. COINCIDENCE?!?!

Saving Advice asks if crafting is a good way to make money. I don't know, can you knit a functioning air conditioner?

The Wisdom Journal offers some methods for turning your supposed "needs" into mere "wants." Like, I thought I needed a diamond necklace, but it turns out that I was simply delusional from the heat, so I bought an air conditioner, which I actually needed.

The Greenest Dollar teaches you how to quit your job, which we all know you won't do, since that's 8 hours of AC-cooled existence every weekday.

You know how you like to start up the grill with a pile of $20 bills? Me, too. That's the surest way to attract a frugal mate, reports Weakonomics, so get to it if you want to marry Thrifty McSavingspants.

For Canadians traveling to the U.S., you should buy your American dinero before arriving, according to Get Money Energy. However, just as an FYI, we are already all sold out of "les aire condtiounieres", so you might want to try Mexico.

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Best of Personal Finance: Solar Eclipse/Moon Landing Edition

Andrea Dickson — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:00:21 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

The Simple Dollar explains why "free" is actually anything but (and is a great marketing tool in the meantime).

Get Rich Slowly gives a good explanation of how those money transfer schemes from Nigeria actually work.

Saving Advice has some great tips for dealing with impatient people, like me, who get all pissy when you use coupons at the grocery store... because OMG, PEOPLE, I AM IN A HURRY AND YOU ARE ONLY SAVING, LIKE, TWO CENTS!

Squawkfox gives some great advice (with photos!) on how to start your own container garden.

Consumerism Commentary tells you how to deal with the overlfow of awesome produce that will surely come from your container gardens. Frugal Upstate has advice specific to using up green tomatoes (yum, fried!).

Have a bun in the oven? Bargaineering has a checklist of financial considerations for the before, during, and after pregnancy stages of parenthood, none of which involve selling the kid for cash. Which would be more lucrative.

Alpha Consumer discusses a new government program to help you purchase foreclosed homes.

If you bought an iPhone, you will need these 26 apps to help you save money for your business. (Milk Your Money)

Your job is suppose to EARN you money, not cost you money, says Dumb Little Man.

Recession Wire shares four ways to find discount dental options.

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Best of Personal Finance: Cold Shower Edition

Andrea Dickson — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:00:08 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

You know how your mom said that if you crossed your eyes for long enough, they'd get stuck that way? She was probably right. We don't know, we haven't tried it. But here are 35 other things she probably told you that aren't true about your health, so go ahead and do whatever you want. (Health Theory)

Same ways to keep cool in the summer heat that might seem a bit kooky but actually work pretty well. (Care 2)

It's OK to love your money. Go ahead. Give it a hug. (AARP via Dual Income No Kids)

If you are pregnant in this kind of heat, you might be thinking twice about your choice to reproduce. But if you're having a baby shower for the first time, here are some tips on registering for gifts, and what you need and don't need for your little bundle of screaming joy. (Parenting Squad)

After a few days of rallies, stocks start to fall because of stupid CIT and their stupid financial problems. Also, Chrysler Financial paid the government back for its 1.5 billion dollar loan. Yay, money? (Wall Street Journal)

Once you've come to the realization that you are deeply in debt and need to struggle out of it, you might want to consider these tips for becoming a debt-murdering ninja. (Frugal Dad)

Some people seem to have time to get everything done, unlike you, who barely has time to eat or sleep between errands. Learn some productivity tips from an expert, and clean out your garage while you are at it. (Unclutterer)

Thinking of buying a house? That's a big step, eh? Why don't you try out the mortgage payments in Imaginary World first and see how you like it? (Bargaineering)

Debt is a form of slavery. That might seem harsh, but think about it for a second. (Millionaire Mommy Next Door)

Saving Advice discusses debt as an obligation rather than indentured servitude. Both of those things suck, though. Obligations and slavery. (Saving Advice)

Are you an afternoon snacker? Does that bother you? You can do something to stop it, it turns out. (Dumb Little Man)

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Best of Personal Finance: El Nino is Coming Edition

Andrea Dickson — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 00:00:02 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

Former and current Bank of America employees discuss how the bank's corporate policy encouraged getting low-income and minority customers into high levels of debt, because everyone loves a default. (Boston.com)

Hey, no one wants to think about dying or anything, but you should designate your beneficiaries, like, stat, says Bargaineering.

It's going to be another El Nino year, which means... oh, who the hell even knows anymore? It'll be hot, I guess. (Sydney Morning Herald)

It's pretty unlikely that anyone is getting a raise these days, but let's say your income is increasing because of all of the extra side-hustles you are taking on. Are your savings increasing as well? Five Cent Nickel thinks that you probably spend it (I know I do) and has strategies to combat your (my) financial idiocy.

You've been paying down your credit cards, haven't you? Because the card companies are raising your rates, right? Alpha Consumer notes that you are not alone.

In addition to going to the gym to work out, Dumb Little Man says you should sleep more. I have no objections to ... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Stop Buying Crap explains the nuances of a credit freeze, which is not a delicious slushy drink mixed with vodka.

Unclutterer shares 11 secrets to having it all by simplifying your life.

Hey, kids! Do you want to make millions upon millions of dollars but still work for a non-profit organization? You can be a doctor at a major non-profit hospital! It's way more lucrative than being a regular ol' doctor. (KUOW)

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Best of Personal Finance: C'mon In, The Water's Fine Edition

Andrea Dickson — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 07:40:35 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

Happy Canada Day! What, you've never heard of Canada Day? That's because I just made it up. Canada's not even a place; I just made that up, too. Where was I? Oh, yes. Independence Day, that one. Wow, it's almost here, which means that summer is getting close to being half over. That makes me sad, does it make you sad? Good, now read these linked articles and feel better. At least there are people out there who know more about finance than you do, and that is good.

Heh, Canada Day. I kill me!

Bible Money Matters gives advice on how to sell a home in a lousy economy, which is to say, THIS economy.
Brip Blap considers the psychology of fearing money.
Dumb Little Man looks at gym membership from a new angle, and no, doesn't recommend starting a gym at home or jogging around your local park.
Frugal Dad and Bargaineering look at ways to survive being laid off, which is pretty much what you are doing right now, but it never hurts to have more advice.
Squawkfox, which I swear is the hardest blog name to type, EVER, gives you eight sneaky ways to locate online savings when shopping, and none of them involve not actually shopping.
Envelope budgeting: you may have heard of it, but do you ever wonder if you could really use it as an effective method for managing money? 20-Something Finance says you can.
No Credit Needed is going to branch out into writing about something other than not needing credit, such as not needing to wear pants.
Moolanomy, which is the second-hardest blog name to type, recommends using a TracFone (prepaid minutes) in order to save money on your monthly cell bill.
The Wisdom Journal offers a few ways to calm the heck down, which is good for people who are emotional spenders.

Want to share a blog post with Wise Bread readers in the Best of Personal Finance posts? Recommend your article in the user forums.

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Best of Personal Finance: Summer's Bounty Edition

Andrea Dickson — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 19:59:59 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

If you are thinking of buying a car, new or used, you'll want to be aware of common tricks that car salesmen use to jack up the price of the purchase, says Get Rich Slowly.

CCN, the company behind many of those fake Oprah-endorsed ads for free acai berry drinks and supplements, has to pay back the 1.4 million that it bilked customers out of using upselling and all kinds of other deceptive practices, reports Consumerist.

Frugal Dad explains why everyone needs a "side hustle", which is way less illicit than it sounds.

Money Smart Life tells you how to set up a side business.

Five Cent Nickel has five things you can do that will make your life better today.

Stay-at-home dads are increasingly common, says Alpha Consumer, who interviews Jeremy Adam Smith, the author of The Daddy Shift: How Stay-at-Home Dads, Breadwinning Moms, and Shared Parenting Are Transforming the American Family.

Don't Mess With Taxes has advice for Jon & Kate, which should pretty much apply to anyone going through a messy split.

The Wallet tells you how to lazily manage your money.

Frugal Upstate has a killer recommendation for storing your garden herbs.

American Consumer News tells you to just go ahead and cancel your gym membership, because you never go anyway. Of course, they say it better, and with more words and a proper list and everything.

Mrs. Micah has advice for talking to your honey about money, preferably before you get married and realize that you are now the owner of your spouse's 157K in gambling debt.

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Best of Personal Finance: Hot and Humid Edition

Andrea Dickson — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:22:27 +0000

By Andrea Dickson

The Simple Dollar is starting a new series called Trent's 14 Money Rules. First up: Spend less than you earn.

Frugal Dad offers some thoughts on being truly content with life, which doesn't always mean seeing every single dream become a reality.

Get Rich Slowly has a fabulous article on people who shop garage sales to find rare items that can be sold on eBay for real, awesome money. Do not miss this read.

Lazy Man and Money has a practical post up called 20 tips for saving money on groceries

Squawkfox knows a thing or two about caring for a lawn without breaking the bank - check out 10 ways to care for your yard that are actually easier than what you are doing right now.

Traveling abroad just got more expensive, not just because of the dollar's weakness, but because banks are adding more fees to every international transaction you make with your credit or debit card. Free Money Finance lists some of the best ways to access your cash abroad, so as to save yourself some serious dough if you can afford more than a staycation.

Ah, love. Is there anything else that money is so good at ruining? Five Cent Nickel discusses the pros and cons of joint expenses.

If you can afford a ticket to anywhere, you're probably not going to be able to afford a hotel, so better learn how to be a good backpacker from 20 Something Finance.

Dumb Little Man has some seriously good advice for becoming a better all-around worker, no matter what your job or lot in life.

Punny Money puts a smile on my face by arguing for some terrible driving habits you should indulge in before gas goes about $4 a gallon again. This is an old blog post, but too funny to ignore.

The Digerati Life shares 10 attributes of millionaires. The secret? It's all about your attitude.

Until next week, stay cool and keep the A/C costs down with these 6 simple DIY freezer treats from Linsey.

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This article is from Wise Bread.