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Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

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The 5 Most Misleading Grocery Products Shoppers Waste Money On

By Mike Dolen

If there's one thing I spend way too much time on in life, its the process of grocery shopping. As someone who blogs about personal finance all day long, it's probably predictable that I waste a bunch of time obsessing over which stores qualify for ...

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27 Comments June 23, 2025

4 Smart Reasons Why College Isn’t for Everyone

By Len Penzo

Some things in life are painfully overrated. Take camping, for instance. Or iPhones. I've never understood the allure of luxury cars or the Baby Boomer generation's collective fascination with Bob Dylan either. Here's one more thing that's ...

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73 Comments May 26, 2025

Looking for Inflation? It’s Hiding In Smaller Package Sizes

By Len Penzo

Inflation? What inflation? The fact is, for those who are willing to look close enough, we are actually being confronted by a serious bout of deflation, at least when it comes to the size of the containers sitting on our supermarket shelves. Sadly, ...

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May 12, 2025

8 Misleading Claims People Often Make To Close a Deal

By Len Penzo

The other day I came across an old article that suggested a healthy dose of skepticism was essential when you're watching television commercials that make misleading claims for both prescription and non-prescription drugs. No, really. A study ...

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January 6, 2025

18 Things You Should Never Pay For (Or So They Say)

By Len Penzo

Who doesn't love a free lunch? I know I've never turned one down. If you believe everything you read on the Internet, then there are lots of products and services you should never pay for. The problem is "never" is such a strong word, isn't it? So ...

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December 16, 2024

How to Find a Low-Cost Pest Control Company That Won’t Rip You Off

By Anum Yoon

Eventually, pests happen. Whether it's a rat or rodent infestation, a serious bug problem or something more serious like termites, you will need to hire a professional pest control company. In most cases, you can rely on them to rid your home of a ...

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November 19, 2024

How to Protect Your Financial Data During the Holiday Shopping Hustle

By Mikey Rox

With all the fun and excitement the holidays bring, the last thing you want on your mind is if somebody is robbing you blind out in cyberspace. Guard yourself when shopping online during the holiday shopping hustle by following these six helpful tips ...

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November 12, 2024

My Dumbest Money Mistakes

By Len Penzo

Money mistakes; we've all made them. Today I'm not going to talk about everyday money leaks or niggling oversights we all make from time to time, like leaving the lights on or buying a burger at a fast food joint and then forgetting to use the ...

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July 29, 2024

How to Avoid a Mandatory Gratuity for Bad Service

By Len Penzo

It used to be that tipping was meant to reward and encourage your server for exemplary service. Unfortunately, with the advent of tipping pools, mandatory gratuities, and general tip inflation, that's clearly the exception now. As such, I adhere to ...

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May 27, 2024

How to Find Discount Plumbers Who Won’t Rip You Off

By Len Penzo

I'm not a plumber. In fact, I'm not very handy around the house at all. If I can't fix something with a hammer or screwdriver I prefer to pay somebody else to do the work. That's why I decided to consider a professional plumber to reroute and ...

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April 15, 2024

Why You Should Never Cosign A Loan for Anyone

By Len Penzo

Cosigning for a loan is one of the dumbest financial moves you could ever make. By cosigning, you not only assume liability for the borrowed money, but you also make it tougher on yourself to qualify for large loans -- regardless of your payment ...

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February 8, 2024

Beware: A Credit Card for Excellent Credit That Doesn’t Fit the Bill

By Odysseas Papadimitriou

You might think that credit cards for people with excellent credit are universally the best products available, and that the quality of a credit card naturally rises in accordance with the credit level required to get it. And you might believe that ...

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February 7, 2024

16 Reasons Why Whirlpool Tubs Are For Suckers

By Len Penzo

Once again, I thought I'd pass on a little advice and save a serious case of buyer's remorse for the six people left in America who are still looking to buy a home. No, no. I'm not going to tell you why corner lots are for suckers again. This ...

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January 29, 2024

A Real-Life Example of the High Cost of Convenience

By Len Penzo

We've all heard people lament the high costs of convenience. Well ... today I want to share a personal story that perfectly exemplifies this. I was in my garage the other day when I heard a strange beeping sound coming from the optical network ...

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January 8, 2024

You Don’t Always Get What You Pay For

By Len Penzo

One of the most popular financial tips that people routinely dispense to others is, "You get what you pay for." Perhaps that's why many folks erroneously believe they can't go wrong by paying more for something -- whether it's a fancy meal, designer ...

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December 28, 2023

14 Reasons Why Treadmills Are For Suckers

By Len Penzo

For all of you folks out there who are thinking about getting into shape, I thought I'd pass on a little advice and save you a serious case of buyer's remorse. Believe it or not, treadmills are the most popular form of exercise equipment, which is ...

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December 11, 2023

The Best Way to Sell Your Timeshare

By Enero Febrero

Timeshares can be a significant burden on your finances. They're overpriced, lose their value quickly, and quite frankly, are not for everyone. But maybe you still bought one. Well ... take comfort in the fact that you're not alone. Many people buy ...

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September 12, 2023

How to Make the Most of Fancy Resorts Offering Low-Season Deals

By Len Penzo

I recently took my entire family -- including the in-laws -- to Scottsdale, Arizona for a little summer fun at a very posh desert resort. Okay, perhaps I'm exaggerating just a tiny bit. Let's call it fairly posh. Regardless, one thing is ...

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July 17, 2023

The Intentional Obsolescence Scam: How It’s Robbing You Blind

By Mikey Rox

This may come as a shock, but some of the most trusted brands to which you're loyal are selling you things that are designed to break or otherwise become useless after a period of time. There's a name for this shady practice -- planned or intentional ...

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July 11, 2023

Why Extended Warranties for New Tires Are A Waste of Money

By Len Penzo

A while back I bought four new tires for my old car. The tires came with a pro-rated 65,000-mile guarantee and were $74 each, or just under $300 for the entire set. As the salesman was tallying the bill he asked if I'd like to purchase the ...

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January 16, 2023

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