Mary Hunt

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https://www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, "Ask Mary." Tips can be submitted at tips.everydaycheapskate.com/ . This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book "Debt-Proof Living."

Chicken Labeling at the Supermarket: Prepare to Be Surprised

If you've ever stood in the supermarket wondering if paying more for chicken that is free-range, antibiotic-free, no hormones added,…

17 hours ago

How to Win the Battle Over Temptation

If you've ever stopped by the store to pick up milk and walked out with a week's worth of snacks…

2 days ago

I Tried Dozens of Methods to Clean Kitchen Counters — This Is the One I’m Excited About

A kitchen counter is more than just a surface for cooking and meal preparation. In many homes, the kitchen counter…

3 days ago

The Right Temperature for Your Refrigerator and Freezer

There are some things in life we can successfully manage by guesswork. How much cinnamon goes in the apple pie?…

4 days ago

8 Surfaces You Should Never Clean With Vinegar

Vinegar is an amazing and versatile cleaner for all kinds of applications around the house. However, because it is acidic…

1 week ago

5 Genius Ways to Use Food-Grade Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth, referred to simply as DE, is a natural sedimentary rock composed of fossilized remains of microscopic algae called…

1 week ago

The Science of Shopping

Don't look now, but that man who just walked into the store behind you is not here to shop. He's…

1 week ago

We’ve Come a Long Way, Huh?

If we sang it once, we sang it a thousand times. "Sixteen Tons" was No. 1 on the Lowell Elementary…

2 weeks ago

Get Headed Down a Debt-End Course

Facing your debts can be depressing for several reasons. First, all the stuff that caused the debt is not so…

2 weeks ago

More Creative Ways My Clever Readers Save Time and Money

Sometimes, I wonder how "Everyday Cheapskate" readers discover their handy ideas. I mean, who would have thought something that cleans…

2 weeks ago

How to Make Fruits and Vegetables Last Longer

According to the World Resources Institute, the average U.S. household of four people throws out about $1,600 in rotten food…

2 weeks ago

7 Surprising Uses for Chlorine Bleach Around the House

Chlorine bleach has been hanging around American laundry rooms for so long that we may have seriously underestimated it. Whiten…

3 weeks ago

7 Ways to Use Borax

A recent letter from a reader who used borax to solve her dishwasher woes got me thinking about all the…

3 weeks ago

When Not to File an Insurance Claim

Insurance is a funny thing. You pay a small fortune to get it and keep it. Then, if you have…

3 weeks ago

7 Easy-to-Fix Reasons Your Dishwasher Is Not Cleaning Like It Should

Few things are more disappointing than opening the dishwasher to put away its clean contents, only to be greeted by…

3 weeks ago