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Why smart consumers should celebrate Valentine's Day Feb. 15 02/10/2016 07:00pm • It began as a fluke. The young man and woman had to spend their first Valentine's Day apart. The lovebirds decided to celebrate the holiday on Feb. 15. The man then showed up at her door with his arms full of chocolate boxes, stuffed animals and flowers. "You didn't need to do this," she said -- kin Unique and affordable Valentine's Day gifts 02/08/2016 07:00pm • Valentine's Day is fast approaching, and finding the perfect gift can be hard if you're not prepared. Here are some unique ideas and traditional ones with a twist for the special people in your life. You can't go wrong with chocolate. If your sweetheart has a sweet tooth and you plan on purch Garden Plot: Countdown to Valentine’s Day 02/05/2016 05:30am • WASHINGTON — Valentine’s Day is one week and one day away! The basic requirements are a nice card (not a dumb one that your friends think is funny), dark chocolate (milk is for babies) and flowers.  Orchid trick keeps the love going past the 4th of July As Valentine’s Day approaches, I am r 20 Valentine's Day gifts under $50 02/04/2016 07:00pm • With Valentine's Day fast approaching, it's time to put on your creative hat and find gifts for your loved one that are both affordable and unique. From cozy to delicious, there's a bounty of gifts to fit any style or personality. If you want to give a gift that's both special and affordable this 8 surprising things that are taxable 02/03/2016 07:00pm • On the list of things you hate, somewhere in there is probably learning that something you didn't think you had to pay tax on, you do. Any money that comes into your life can be taxable, says San Diego-based tax attorney Sam Brotman. "Technically, under Internal Revenue Code Section 62, the IR The Hidden Cost of Freebies 02/01/2016 07:00pm • You've probably heard that there's no such thing as a free lunch. Well, that logic applies in the shopping world, too. Even when something is advertised as free, there's a good chance that it requires you to pay something, whether it's with your time, personal information or even money. Here are jus 5 simple ways to have a frugal Valentine's Day 01/26/2016 09:00am • Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Who doesn't like to take a day to show a loved one just how much they mean to them? The retail industry takes that desire and preaches one message: You must spend money to accomplish it. The National Retail Federation reports Americans spent almost $150 5 Indoor Money-Saving Projects for Cold Winter Weekends 01/25/2016 07:00pm • The weather outside might be frightful, but that doesn't mean it's a great idea to binge watch every single Netflix series until the weather gets better (although an occasional lazy afternoon never hurt anyone). Instead, take advantage of those cold winter weekends and snow days to take on some indo Remembering the homeless during the storm 01/23/2016 06:06pm • WASHINGTON — Even with near-blizzard conditions, some members of the homeless community are remaining outdoors, despite the opening of shelters and warming centers in D.C. Jesse Rabinowitz with Miriam's Kitchen says if you encounter a homeless person outside during the storm, urge them to go to How to Balance Debt Reduction and Retirement Savings 01/21/2016 07:00pm • Millennials face a particularly difficult challenge when it comes to retirement savings. They are juggling credit card debt and student loans, while at the same time trying to save for the future.A recent Insured Retirement Institute and Center for Generational Kinetics survey of 1,110 adults found How to Finally Pay Off Your Debt This Year 01/19/2016 07:00pm • If you're one of the thousands of Americans who has committed to finally paying off your debt this year, then you might be wondering how to keep that promise to yourself. After all, people often build up debt not because they want to but because of unexpected life events, from an illness to job loss 6 Ways to Save on Your Beauty Routine 01/18/2016 07:00pm • You don't have to be a celebrity to spend a lot of money on beauty. Even a daily skin routine that includes moisturize and sunscreen is pretty standard these days, and it's not uncommon to add eyebrow shaping, pedicures and other luxuries to the list. As popular as they are, though, those treatments Keep an Eye on These College Savings Trends in 2016 01/12/2016 07:00pm • Beth Halbach wanted her friends and family to be able to give college savings as a gift for her 1-year-old daughter's birthday, but she found the gift-giving process available through her college savings plan in Minnesota to be cumbersome. She ended up using Gift of College, a third-party gift reg 5 items that are OK to regift -- and 5 that are not 01/12/2016 07:00pm • Now that the holiday season is behind us, and you are getting things organized for the year ahead, don't overlook the option of regifting items that just aren't quite for you. According to a November survey by American Express, more than three-fourths of Americans consider regifting socially accepta 4 easy resolutions for a frugal new year 01/04/2016 04:00pm • If one of your New Year's resolutions is to be better with your money, you're not alone. Improved money habits are one of the most common goals for those looking to make changes in the upcoming year. Have you thought beyond your aspirations to be more frugal? It can be daunting to take on a major li