I am going to venture a guess that one of the leading reasons many of us twentysomethings wind up buried in debt is because we spend above our means not because we have to, but to look good, fit in, and feel richer than we are.

Are you an “image spender?”

I’m not saying you have to be a superficial diva or high-rolling meterosexual. But from time to time, do you indulge, splurge, and overspend on clothes, jewelry, watches and other accessories; apartments, furniture and even pets; dinner and drinks and lattes; cars, vacations, and a whole lot else?

And do you do it to look good? [...]

You don’t have to be at a yard sale to do a littler haggling. Did you know you can actually negotiate prices at retail stores? Use this thrifty trick to save on your next purchase—no matter where you make it! [...]

The guy with the $50,000 luxury car. The couple with the $3,000 a month loft apartment. The girl who spends $200 a week on locally-grown food. The guy who spends $200 a month on gym memberships and fitness classes. The guy with four motorcycles. Do you know them? These are extreme examples, but most of us have one or two spending weaknesses. Even if we’re otherwise smart with our money—even if we know better—we splurge in a few areas. As long as you limit your splurges and as long as you are sure of the value of those splurges to you personally, your spending weakness is probably a good thing. [...]

Getting married? The engagement ring and wedding rings you select for your fiancée and yourself will be symbols of your love and commitment for the rest of your life. Of course, the diamond industry knows this and does a brilliant job coercing us to spend a small fortune on engagement rings. Although quality engagement rings and wedding bands (like all fine jewelery) comes at a cost, there is no reason you should pay what the mainstream jewelry industry asks you to pay for these rings. It is very possible to save money on an engagement ring. [...]

The average American wedding costs almost $29,000, according to The Wedding Report, a market research publication. $29,000! That money could buy a nice new car or be a 20% down payment on a $145,000 home. It’s also more than many Americans earn in a year. How do wedding costs get so out-of-hand? And what can you do to keep costs down when it’s your turn to tie the knot? I’m getting hitched in less than three months, so I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit. Here’s what I’ve found. [...]

Tips on being frugal and raising extra cash are a dime a dozen these days and, chances are, you’ve heard them all before. We all know what we need to do to save money (or earn more); sometimes we just don’t know how to do it. One of my favorite tips for getting some extra cash is selling stuff you don’t use (or can live without). Not only will you make money to save or pay off debt; you’ll declutter your home, too! Here are a few secrets for selling your unused stuff quickly while still getting the best price possible. [...]

High fuel prices and Hollywood hype made 2008 the year to “go green”. But we shouldn’t table efforts to reduce our impact on our planet just because the economy has soured. In fact, you can do a lot of things to be green and save green at the same time. In celebration of Earth Day, here are a few suggestions. [...]

I’ve never been a fan of “extreme” frugality. Of course, I have been working on (and succeeding at) eating out less, buying things used or on sale whenever possible, and practicing common sense conservation. But I doubt I would ever go through others’ trash, split one roll of 2-ply toilet paper into two rolls, or use old dish water to flush my toilet. That said, in today’s economy, I wouldn’t blame some people for trying these or other extreme ways to save money. So I want to know, what’s your most “extreme” frugal habit? Let me know in a comment!

Often times, it seems that healthy food costs a lot more than junk food. But sticking to a budget and living frugally doesn’t have to mean forgoing eating healthfully. After all, what good is health without wealth? [...]

If you have ever considered selling old gold or other unwanted jewelry for cash, you need to know that the many companies that advertise on TV and online, including Cash4Gold.com, will NOT give you “top dollar” for your silver, gold, or platinum. In fact, they may only offer you a fraction of what you could fetch at a reputable local dealer. [...]