Laura Sullivan, Author at MintLife Blog

Budget Travel Tips: Skip the Hotel With These Five Lodging Alternatives

August 16, 2010 / Laura Sullivan

Staying at a hotel — whether in New York City or elsewhere in the world — is among the priciest ways to travel. Increasingly, budget-conscious travelers are seeking out alternative lodging arrangements, from swapping apartments to crashing on someone’s couch.

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How To

Is Grad School Worth the Money?

February 16, 2010 / Laura Sullivan

You had a job that you liked but you, like 9.3 million other Americans, are now jobless. Sitting around in gym shorts sending desperate resumes and cover letters is getting tiring (how many times can you hear the words “hiring” and “freeze” next to each other?), and you’ve always dreamed of being a therapist or photographer or just getting an MBA so you can tell your former Ivy League colleagues to shove it. Should the crappy economy drive you to get a Master’s Degree?

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Can You Live Without a Car?

September 17, 2009 / Laura Sullivan

I’ll spare you the environmental lecture—Just imagine your life with out a car payment. Sounds pretty nice, right? Read on to see how you can make it a reality. Even better: you don’t have to wear spandex biking shorts.

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Trends

Real-World Cash for Clunkers

August 18, 2009 / Laura Sullivan

There’s no doubt that the recently extended Cash for Clunkers program is breathing new life into our gasping auto industry and shifting attention away from gas guzzlers to more efficient and environmentally friendly vehicles. But is this a win win win situation for the government, the auto industry and individuals alike? Here are some real-world stories from the front lines of Cash for Clunkers.

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How To

Strapped for cash? Take a “Fakecation”

March 10, 2009 / Laura Sullivan

Now more than ever you’re lusting after a vacation that will take your mind off all the gloom and doom in the news. The trouble is you just can’t afford it. But exotic travel doesn’t have to be expensive. That is if you’re willing to suspend disbelief and consider a variety of travel alternatives that can stand-in for the real thing. There are some real deals on the fake deal.

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Boys Gone Shopping Wild

January 27, 2009 / Laura Sullivan

You’ve heard about our hunter and gatherer ancestors, no? Did you know that you can find them at your local Target? Humans have carried some of their ancient, gendered instincts with them when it comes to shopping. Women tend to browse around, “gathering” up the best from various sources and enjoying the experience, while men tend to buy, going straight in for the “kill.” Here are some things men spend money on that women don’t.

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Financial IQ

Girls Gone Shopping Wild

December 17, 2008 / Laura Sullivan

Ever wondered why women have such large bags? Apparently, they are carrying all the cash for the household. OK, not literally, but ladies do 80 percent of the buying for any given home. It’s no surprise that marketers are leading the “Eve-olution” to woo their bucks, sometimes by tugging at their heart strings. Here are some simple things women spend money on that men don’t.

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Trends

A Brief History of Government Bailouts

October 16, 2008 / Laura Sullivan

Free-wheeling capitalism has always been the heart of the US Economy but the recent $700 billion bailout, a level of government intervention not seen since the Great Depression, is hardly unprecedented. Historically, the Feds have not only taken stakes in banks, steel mills, and coal mines but have even seized control of everything from railways to savings and loans. To get some perspective on our current financial crisis, it’s helpful to look back at some earlier bailouts.

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9 Secret Ingredients of the Frugal Foodie

September 23, 2008 / Laura Sullivan

From Italian truffle butter to Vietnamese saffron, foodies have turned the act of tasting the world’s best food into a competitive sport. Meanwhile, back in your own pantry, you’re lucky to find so much as a can of beans. But even if your own budget won’t support such refined ingredients, you too can be a frugal foodie.

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How To

Sell Your Skills Overseas

September 12, 2008 / Laura Sullivan

Don’t wait until you are too old to scale the steps of Chichen Itza to travel. The best time to see the world is when you are young. But if travel seems beyond your means or beyond your budget, you’re going to have to get creative before you get going. Are you in a rut because your current job doesn’t take advantage of your skills? Identify those skills and they can be your passport to a world of adventure.

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Laura Sullivan

Links

Budget Travel Tips: Skip the Hotel With These Five Lodging Alternatives

Is Grad School Worth the Money?

Can You Live Without a Car?

Real-World Cash for Clunkers

Strapped for cash? Take a “Fakecation”

Boys Gone Shopping Wild

Girls Gone Shopping Wild

A Brief History of Government Bailouts

9 Secret Ingredients of the Frugal Foodie

Sell Your Skills Overseas

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