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Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

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Is It Okay to Eat Food Past Its Expiration Date?

By Len Penzo

This weekend, I was pouring a little half-and-half into my cup of coffee (not Folgers) when I saw something extremely disturbing: The creamer was 34 days beyond the expiration date. Yes, 34 days. Of course, the first thought that immediately ...

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75 Comments June 30, 2025

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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29 Comments June 23, 2025

The 10 Best Things I Ever Bought

By Len Penzo

The other day my son Matthew was extolling the virtues of the laptop computer that he recently bought with his own money. "This is the best thing I ever bought, Dad!" I just nodded my head and smiled.  The truth is, if I took a moment to ...

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79 Comments June 9, 2025

Wedding Planning 101: Here’s How to Ensure You’ll Pay Too Much

By Mikey Rox

For most people, getting married is one of the happiest milestones of their life -- until they get the bill. Then again, that's to be expected if you fail to master Wedding Planning 101. Last year, the average cost of a US wedding was a whopping ...

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3 Comments June 3, 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

Why Should You Buy Mushroom Chocolate From Reliable Vendors?

By Enero Febrero

When it comes to buying mushroom chocolate, the vendor you choose plays a crucial role in ensuring a quality experience. With so many options available, it’s important to trust a reliable vendor who prioritizes quality, consistency, and transparency. ...

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May 1, 2025

Finding Affordable Car Insurance: What It Took to Get a Quote 25 Years Ago

By Tex Freitag

Auto insurance can be expensive. Of course, everyone wants affordable car insurance. But if you don't take the time to find a better deal on your car insurance premiums, you're likely to pay even more than you're currently paying. Car insurance ...

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April 30, 2025

How Smart Menu Planning Can Reduce Your Annual Grocery Bill by $1000

By Len Penzo

If you google the term "world's toughest question" you'll come across a panoply of potential candidates: What is the meaning of life? What is the secret of happiness? How can I get rich quickly? Why does the line you're in always move ...

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April 28, 2025

3 Things That People Overpay For

By Sabado Domingo

No matter how thrifty you think you are, the truth is, most people are constantly spending money; it's just part of being an adult. And if you have any level of property or responsibility at all, you have operating costs and overhead, just like a ...

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April 16, 2025

This Blue Fruit Cuts $400 Off My Grocery Bill Every Year

By Len Penzo

Have you ever wondered why there aren't very many blue fruits or vegetables in nature? I know I have. In fact, most fruits and vegetables that people usually offer as examples of azure produce are actually purple. And, no, blueberries aren't blue; ...

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April 9, 2025

Money Lessons for Kids: Teaching My Son About Payback Periods

By Len Penzo

The other day my 14-year-old son, Matthew, was really trying to sell me on his wish for the latest PlayStation video game console this Christmas. Never mind that he owns an XBox system that is in perfect working order, mainly because he got that as a ...

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March 24, 2025

Credit or Debit? How the Wrong Choice Hurts Small Businesses (and You)

By Mike Glanz

Hello all! My name is Mike. I'm a big time fan of Len Penzo, and it's a privilege to share some of my thoughts on his blog. I read Len's article on why choosing debit or credit is like picking salad dressing; in that post he mentioned that he always ...

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March 17, 2025

The Leprechaun and the Lamborghini

By Len Penzo

Here is my St. Patrick's Day variation on a very old story that's been passed down and told many times. The Leprechaun and the Lamborghini One day, not too long ago, a leprechaun disguised as a businessman walked into a bank in New York City and ...

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March 10, 2025

Why People Prefer to Make Anonymous Payments

By Tex Freitag

anonymous payments

In an increasingly digital world, financial transactions have evolved significantly. While traditional banking and payment methods still dominate, a growing number of individuals prefer to make anonymous payments. This trend is driven by multiple ...

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March 6, 2025

Clothes Buying Tips: 7 Questions You Should Always Ask

By Anum Yoon

Investing in new clothes is a process that takes several steps. While splurging on yourself can be fun, you should always keep in mind how practical your new purchase will really be. When it comes to clothes buying tips, you can keep your inner ...

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February 4, 2025

Weekly Meal Planning: Here’s How Singles On a Tight Budget Do It

By Sabado Domingo

Whether your kids have moved out of the house, or you've just left a relationship, being single doesn't have to mean lonely nights of greasy take-out or microwaved frozen meals. Smart weekly meal planning is a great way to support a tight budget, eat ...

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January 15, 2025

How to Break a Shopping Addiction

By Tex Freitag

how to break a shopping addiction

Do you find it hard to say no when you're out shopping? Does the urge to buy something, even when you don’t really need it, feel almost uncontrollable? If so, you might be dealing with a shopping addiction. It’s a real issue that many people face, ...

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January 3, 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

Mastering the Art of Deal Hunting

By Sabado Domingo

Everybody loves a bargain. There are few better feelings in life than getting a sweet deal on something, and some people make it look like an art form. Some people just seem to get these good deals all the time. And when somebody else sees what a ...

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December 4, 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

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