My parents have always been coupon fiends. I remember Saturday mornings from my childhood, sitting at the kitchen table with my father helping him clip grocery coupons from last Sunday’s newspaper (and sort through envelopes of saved coupons) before heading out to the store. Coupons have their pros and cons—they can save you a bunch, but they can also tempt you to buy things you might not need. Do you use coupons? If not, here are some tips for saving with coupons. Continued

Surprised by new fees to check luggage at the airport? Don’t be. A Boeing 737 burns between 650 and 900 gallons of fuel an hour, so airlines are feeling the pinch of sky-high fuel prices just like the rest of us. That said, we still don’t feel like paying between $15 and $25 per bag—and we don’t have to. Here are some quick tips for learning to love carrying-on, so you can duck that checked bag surcharge. Continued

Few parts of your car are as important to safety, comfort, and fuel economy as your tires, which should be replaced approximately every 50,000 miles, 5 years, or when they begin to show excessive wear. But with new tires running between $60-$200 each plus installation, replacing four tires can give your wallet a serious whack. To save yourself some dough on tires, follow these tips. Continued

The July 2008 issue of Consumer Reports dishes out a sobering suggestion regarding consumer rewards programs—namely store-specific rewards credit cards. The advice? Don’t bother. Continued

Remember the Seinfeld episode when George complains of back pain only to learn it’s his brick-size wallet in his back pocket causing the problem? Someday, I hope to have the ultimate simple wallet. What would be in there? Continued

While frugal air travel tips abound, info on saving money on car rentals is scarce. That’s too bad, as car rental can be the most confusing part of traveling.

Photo by TranceMist.

Online quotes do not include multiple taxes, fees, and surcharges, and the rental agency will try to sell you upgrades, add-ons and all kinds of insurance when you pick up your car.

Often, you have no idea how much the car rental is actually going to cost until you return the car and it’s too late.

How do all the fees stack up – and what can you do about it? Here are five tips to save you big bucks the next time you rent a car. Continued

This guest post on frugal European travel is written by my friend Rick, who has been living in Italy for over a year on a shoestring budget. You can read more about his adventures at his blog: Over a Bottle.

Photo by dachalan.

The falling dollar can make overseas travel seem rather daunting these days.

But with careful planning, flexibility and doing some research, you can still have that great cultural European vacation on the cheap.

Plan your vacation carefully. Research what you want to see and plan daily schedules.

Try to plan your vacation during
the off-season for tourism, typically from October until March in Europe. Use sites such as TripAdvisor, Venere, and Eurocheapo to plan your sightseeing carefully. Continued

It’s been quiet around the blog this week because I’ve been traveling. I’m becoming a pretty seasoned business traveler. I rarely check my bags, I know how to get free first class upgrades, and I have no sympathy for you if you don’t have your belt, shoes, laptop, and plastic baggie of liquids in your hand before you get to the metal detectors. But last week I made an embarrassing – and expensive – mistake: I overslept and missed my flight. Continued

The following is a guest post by Heather Johnson, a freelance writer and contributor to Credit Card Lowdown. Heather invites your comments and freelancing job opportunities at her email address: heatherjohnson2323@gmail.com. Want to write for Money Under 30? Let me know!

Being money-wise at a young age doesn’t mean you have to sit around and do nothing while you wait to retire. No, it isn’t shrewd to blow a week’s wages on Saturday night, but there are plenty of things to do when you are bored while trying to build your savings. Here are 15 recommended activities: Continued

Photo: fofurasfelinas

My friend Dan has always been an animal lover. He grew up with two dogs and three cats, and he always talked about owning his own pets.

When he bought a condo last year, Dan immediately went out and adopted two kittens.

The other day, Dan remarked to me how expensive his cats are. Dan can afford the costs of pet ownership, but he was still surprised at how much owning cats costs.

Before bringing a furry friend into your home, you might want to ask: Can you afford to be a pet owner? Continued