Most cities set your whole year’s sewer charge based on how much water you used in one winter month. Here’s how that formula works …
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Grocery & Food Budgeting
Cashback and Receipt-Scanning Apps: Which Ones Actually Put Money Back in Your Pocket
There are a dozen apps promising to pay you for groceries you’d buy anyway. Here’s which ones are worth the five minutes of scanning and which ones just want your …
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Energy & Utility Bills
How to Time Big Appliance Purchases Around Utility Rebates and Rate Discounts
Your utility company probably has money set aside for you to buy a more efficient water heater, washer, or AC unit — you just have to know when to ask …
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Many water bills quietly charge more per gallon once you cross a usage line. Once you know where your tier breaks are, you can plan your month around staying just …
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The little price-per-ounce tag on the shelf is supposed to help you compare, but package sizes and sneaky units make it easy to grab the ‘deal’ that isn’t one. Here’s …
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School Costs & Fees
Budgeting for School Technology Fees and Device Insurance Before the Bill Arrives
Chromebook fees, tablet insurance, and tech deposits sneak up every fall because they’re rarely mentioned until the invoice shows up. Here’s how to see them coming and plan for them …
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Your dryer is one of the biggest energy hogs in the house, but the payoff from air-drying isn’t the same in July as it is in January. Here’s how to …
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Childcare Costs
Nanny Shares Explained: Splitting a Sitter’s Pay With Another Family Without the Drama
A nanny share can cut your childcare bill close to daycare-center rates while keeping the one-on-one attention — if you set it up with the right agreements from day one. …
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If you’re only trying to keep one room comfortable, running the whole furnace might be costing you more than a space heater ever would — but only if you use …
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School Costs & Fees
Comparing Before and After School Care Costs So You’re Not Overpaying for Convenience
Before and after school programs range wildly in price for basically the same few hours of supervision. Here’s how to line up your real options and stop defaulting to the …
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If your water bill comes as one number for the whole unit or house, here’s how to divide it in a way that actually reflects who’s using what, so nobody’s …
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Internet & Phone Bills
The Equipment Rental Fee Hiding on Your Internet Bill and How to Get Rid of It
That extra $10 to $15 a month for your modem or router adds up to well over $100 a year, and most providers will drop it the moment you ask …