Alpha Consumer

Efficient Basements and Financial Help From Parents

By Kimberly Palmer

Posted: June 20, 2008

Here are my favorite stories from around the blogosphere this week:

• From Get Rich Slowly: Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown. You can save money and avoid long airport lines.

• From the Money & Fitness Blog: Being Efficient and Frugal in Your Basement. Tips on what to look for in a washer and dryer, and in lighting.

• From Money Under Thirty: Should You Take Financial Help From Your Parents? This blogger makes a persuasive argument for why 20-somethings should not accept money from Mom and Dad.

Also, remember that to join the Alpha Consumer Book Club, you just have to check out the book, Buying In, and send me your comments and questions for the author, Rob Walker. (Either post them below, E-mail me at alphaconsumer@usnews.com, or join the book club on Facebook.) Rob Walker suggests this site for readers looking for an overview of the book.

I am pro-moving back in with parents... it really helped me out when I was 24. Although I did pay my parents $400/month in rent to cover costs. It was still much less than what I would have paid for an apartment.

Kimberly Palmer of @ Jun 24, 2008 16:16:49 PM

20-somethings and help from the 'rents

Interesting article on 20somethings accepting help from their parents. My mom has always said the door was open if I ever wanted to move back home, now that I'm faced with owing almost 100k in combined undergrad/grad debt my basement bedroom is looking more and more attractive. While I haven't ruled out staying in NY, the cost of living here would not be commensurate with a salary I would probably draw. While I would be making less money in NH, my cost of living would be dramatically decreased and I'd be able to pay more per month than if I stay in NY. I mean, my boyfriend's rent for a studio in Crown Heights Brooklyn is probably more than what my mom pays per month for her mortgage...

Veronica of NY @ Jun 23, 2008 21:31:08 PM

Basements

I used to have a bedroom in my mom's basement, not so great in the winter....but awesome in the heat of the summer. I practically never left it because it was like 50 to 60 degrees while the rest of the house was 80s and above...

Veronica of NY @ Jun 23, 2008 21:20:08 PM

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Alpha Consumer

Alpha Consumer

Kimberly Palmer, senior editor for U.S. News & World Report, writes about how to save money, avoid scams, manage debt, and be a savvy shopper. Send your personal finance questions to her for expert money advice.


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