Do you have a friend who brags about making money selling on eBay? Do you want to do the same? Selling on eBay is appealing for many reasons. One advantage is that the “work” involved can be done at any time from home. It’s safer than using Craigslist or local newspaper ads that will bring strangers to your door. Lastly, the pool of potential buyers is enormous. That’s the reason that Adam Cohen’s book about the ins and outs of eBay is titled The Perfect Store. Three years ago, right before Christmas, I made several hundred dollars selling children’s items on eBay. I didn’t set out to do this…

Doorbuster deals that sound too good to be true. Bleary-eyed consumers loading up on caffeine. Lines so long that police supervision is necessary. It must be Black Friday! The Friday after Thanksgiving has long been considered the beginning of the holiday shopping season. The name Black Friday, as the day is now known, was originally coined by members of Philadelphia law enforcement. These officers were dreading the inevitable consequences of colossal numbers of people shopping at the same time. Retailers, not wanting the pejorative connotation to stick, offered a different interpretation of …

Last week, Boston.com published an article that stated, “Putting a traditional turkey dinner on the table is going to be pricier this year.” The American Farm Bureau Federation in Washington, DC, reported a 13 percent increase in the cost after comparing them to last year’s figures.While this may sound like bad news, Thanksgiving dinner is typically less expensive than other holiday meals. The estimated $49.20 that will be  spent for a ten-person, turkey-and-all-the-trimmings meal will work out to less than $5 per guest. These are average prices. The frugal among us will endeavor to spend …

Last week’s early snow caused many trees to fall, bringing electrical wires down with them. As a result, thousands of local residents were without power, many for four or five days. Consequences of the storm included frozen and burst pipes, loss of food in refrigerators and freezers, and folks having to stay with friends or in hotels to keep warm. Most local residents were affected by this disruption directly or indirectly.   The majority of those who stayed in their homes despite the loss of power kept fires going in their fireplaces or wood stoves.   Or they used portable generators. If you…

It would be easy if one grocery store consistently had the lowest prices on all the products that cycle onto a particular individual’s grocery list. One-stop shopping would be the order of the day. Combing through weekly flyers would be unnecessary. It doesn’t work that way, of course. Grocery stores are in a constant state of competition with each another.  If one were always the clear financial winner, the rivalry would disappear, putting the others out of business. So what can savvy consumers do? One option is to shop at Market Basket, where the prices, on average, beat other chains. The …

Most of us have, at some point, declared a moratorium on buying more “stuff.” The exception for many folks: books. In a world of conflicting opinions about just about everything, the benefits of reading are universally acknowledged. No one discourages a child who cherishes books or criticizes a well-read friend. This past weekend, The Acton Memorial Library was the scene for much used-book buying. The Friends of the Acton Libraries, under President Carol Domblewski’s direction, held their last sale of 2011. On Saturday, books were offered at $1 or $2 each. On Sunday afternoon, the remaining …

It’s long been my opinion that any interior designer can do a great job decorating a home if money is no object. The real gems are the ones who can incorporate a client’s preferences and financial constraints and still come up with something fabulous.HGTV’s Design on a Dime hosts make it look easy to transform any space from dull to inviting. My husband has begun saying, “Let’s write to Candice (Olson)!” as a way to illustrate his fantasy that we will make it onto the show and she will transform our lackluster master bedroom into a beautiful retreat. The good news is that there exists a local…

My pretty pink laptop is more than just a vehicle which allows me to keep up with the news, read about interesting topics, utilize email and post photographs on Facebook. It’s a money-making tool. At the beginning of this year, msn.com published a story claiming that one person can save $8,000 per year using the web. I am skeptical of this figure. Unless said individual is a huge spender to begin with or has been overpaying for virtually everything, it seems doubtful. The California woman they profiled who claims she saved $5,000 in two years?  I’d like to have lunch with her and pick her …

When I was a kid, I never minded going back to school in September. I missed the lazy, sun-drenched summer, but the thought of fall and all its glory filled me with happy anticipation. Cool, crisp nights, apple cider, Halloween … it was all good. Now I’m a mom of three kids who love the trappings of autumn. (Well, maybe they don’t love raking leaves.) The goal at this time of year is to take advantage of the season before it goes the way of summer and bitter-cold winter takes over. Here are some suggestions for low-cost fun that every member of the family will enjoy: Apple Picking: I don’t …

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on toys & gifts, a gym membership and a great pizza bargain. 1. Just Next Door, 327 Auburn St., AuburndaleDeal: $5 off any purchase of $30 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Oct. 27 2. Beacon Hill Athletic Club, 1089 Washington St., NewtonDeal: 30-day membership for $29, regularly $99. Click for coupon and details.Good through: Oct. 30 3. Learning Express Newton, 1296 Centre St., Newton CentreDeal: $10 off a purchase of $50 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Oct. 27 4. Newton Center Town Pizza, 845 Beacon…

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on a bicycle tune up, propane rental, custom framing and pizza for dinner. 1. Taylor Rentals, 26 Washington St., Wellesley HillsDeal: $2 off propane refills. Click for coupon.Good through: Ongoing 2. Andrina's Pizzeria, 1060 Massachusetts Ave., ArlingtonDeal: Buy any large specialty or three-topping pizza and get a large cheese pizza free. Click for coupon.Good through: Oct. 3 3. Middlesex Framing, 54 Middlesex Turnpike, BurlingtonDeal: $25 off your custom framing order of $100 or more. Click for coupon.Good …

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on a variety of eateries, to dine in or to take out, and a dry cleaning offer.1. Chateau Restaurant, 195 School St., WalthamDeal: $5 off any purchase of $25 or more for dining in. Click for coupon. Good through: Oct. 312. Pini's Pizzeria 2, 85 River St. #1, WalthamDeal: $15.99 + tax for a large two-topping pizza and a large cheese pizza. Click for coupon.Good through: Sept. 263. Reliable Cleaners, 214 W Central St., NatickDeal: $3 off dry cleaning of $15 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Sept. 15 4. Feng Shui…

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on salon services, a round of golf and some great eats.1. Stefani's Salon, 650 Worcester Road, FraminghamDeal: Free haircut with any chemical service. Click for coupon.Good through: Jan. 31, 2012 2. Sassamon Trace Golf Course, 233 South Main St., NatickDeal: $15 greens fee for 9 holes. Click for coupon.Good through: Sept. 20 3. Wild Willy's Burgers, 1257 Highland Ave., NeedhamDeal: $5 off any purchase of $25 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Sept. 124. Bill's Pizzeria, 753A Beacon St., Newton CentreDeal: $2 …

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on a car wash and oil change, dry cleaning and dinner. 1. Natick Car Wash and Detailing, 1245 Worcester St., NatickDeal: Schedule an appointment online and save 10 percent. Click for coupon.Good through: Dec. 31 2. The Pongal II, 103 Boston Post Road, SudburyDeal: $10 off any dine-in or take out purchase of $50 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 29 3. Superior Cleaners, 922 High St., WestwoodDeal: $10 off any incoming dry cleaning order of $45 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Sept. 12 4. Audy's …

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on a pizzeria, a great lunch deal, hitting balls at the practice range and a natural grocer. 1. Bill’s Pizzeria, 753A Beacon St., NewtonDeal: $10 off any purchase of $50 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Sept. 5 2. Southborough Golf Practice & Learning Center Driving Range, 22 Turnpike Road, SouthboroughDeal: Buy 4 jumbo buckets, get 1 jumbo bucket free. Click for coupon.Good through: Sept. 5 3. Simple Enough Natural Foods, 18 Lyman St., WestboroughDeal: $5 off any purchase of $25 or more. Click for coupon.…

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on car service, back to school shoes and books and a great pizza deal. 1. Direct Tire & Auto Service, 126 Galen St., WatertownDeal: $18.88 Pennzoil conventional oil change & tire rotation. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 31  2. Andrina's Pizzeria - 1060 Massachusetts Ave., ArlingtonDeal: Buy any large specialty pizza (or 3 topping), get one large cheese pizza free. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 29 3. Used Book Super Store, 256 Cambridge St., BurlingtonDeal: 40 percent off used books and bargain books. …

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on a variety of eateries, back to school sporting goods, and a haircut. 1. Brine's Sporting Goods, 60 Main St., ConcordDeal: $5 off any purchase of $30 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 11 2. Concord's Colonial Inn, 48 Monument Square, ConcordDeal: Buy one entree, get one of equal or lesser value for 50 percent off. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 31 3. Rosenfeld Bagels, 1280 Centre St., Newton CenterDeal: Buy 12 bagels, get 6 free. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 22 4. Kaleidoscope, 1408 Centre …

This week, Frugal Family scoured local sources to come up with great deals on a variety of beauty services, some great shopping and an ice cream cone.1. Lotus Mind+Body Spa, 1183 Highland Ave., NeedhamDeal: 20 percent discounts for purchase of same five services. Click for coupon.Good through: Dec. 312. Learning Express Newton, 1296 Centre St., Newton CenterDeal: $10 off any purchase of $50 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 113.  Ben & Jerry's, 1265 Worcester St., NatickDeal: Buy one get one free on any small or large cup or cone. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 104. Kid To Kid…

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on a variety of restaurants, a manicure and house cleaning. 1.Cast Iron Kitchen, 177 Main St., MaynardDeal: $5 off any purchase of $30 or more, excluding alcohol. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 11 2. Boardroom Bistro, 54 Middlesex Turnpike, BedfordDeal: $4 off any breakfast or afternoon delight in addition to 15 percent off. Click for coupon. Good through: Aug. 31 3. Spa & Polish, 200 Great Road Unit 6B, BedfordDeal: $20 for a gel or shellac manicure. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 11 4. AJ Rose, 136 …

This week, Frugal Family scoured our local sources to come up with great deals on to keep your home and yard beautiful, some good reads and a deal on burgers. 1.Wild Willy's Burgers , 1257 Highland Ave., NeedhamDeal: $5 off any purchase of $25 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Sept. 15 2. Needham Garden Center, 53 Chestnut St., NeedhamDeal: $5 off any purchase of $35 or more. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 11 3. Under Pressure, 31 Point St., NatickDeal: $25 off a full roof washing. Click for coupon.Good through: Aug. 11 4. Willow Books - 279 Great Road, ActonDeal: 15 percent off …