A Most Ingenious Way to Keep Butter Soft and Fresh
If you’ve ever struggled with hard, unspreadable butter or dealt with the mess of storing it, the Butter Bell might
Mail … Mary gets lots of mail, many of those messages are questions. Rather that respond directly to the sender, questions and answers she believes will have a universal appeal for many readers appear in “Ask me Anything” posts. Got a question? Use this contact form to reach her.
Ask Me Anything: Is Making Ice Cheaper Than Buying It? Plus DIY Butter & More!
Have you ever had a debate over whether it’s cheaper to make ice at home or just buy a bag
Ask Me Anything: Fair Market Values, Dump Dinners, Hardwood Floors, Wadded Up Sheets, and MORE!
Today's the day that, once again, I reach into my virtual mailbag and pull out some of your questions. This
Ask Me Anything: Lost Wallet, 529s, Dubious Credit
Today's batch of reader questions reminds me how complicated our lives have become since the introduction of consumer credit. Some
Ask Me Anything: Best Cookbooks for Kitchen Newbies | Insuring Fine Jewelry
Here it is, another episode in our Ask Me Anything series where I reach into my virtual mailbag and pull
Dear Mary: Drowning in Debt, Bouquet Garni How-To, Quilt Rescue
It’s mailbag day, when I reach into my virtual mailbag and pull out for few questions from my dear Readers,
Dear Mary: I’m Not Sure I Can Trust Her … Now What?
Of all the things I’ve ever dreamed of being, advice columnist was never on the list. But here I am
How to Overstress Kids and Ruin the Family Finances at the Same Time
Experts tell us it is not good for kids to be overstimulated by things or activities. You can simultaneously push
How to Bake the Perfect Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread: High-Rising & Soft
If you bake gluten-free for yourself or others, you have likely attempted to bake soft, airy, sandwich-worthy bread. And your
Would You Put a Teenager In Charge of the Family Vacation Budget?
One of the most memorable letters I’ve received in my writing career came from a reader reporting on how she
Handling an Inheritance Requires a Game Plan
While not always easy to think about, inheritances are a part of the financial picture for many  Boomers—and just one
Ask Me Anything: Big Bulky Laundry, Cash for Text Books, Who Needs Life Insurance, and More
Another reach into my virtual mailbag—the place where hundreds of questions land every single day! How awesome is that? The
Ask Me Anything: Baked-On Crud, Window A/C, DIY Floor Cleaner, Shrunken Wool, How to Get Out of Debt, and More!
I've been accused of thinking I have an answer for everything (you know who you are, my dear husband), and
Most Common Money Questions Women Ask, Answered
I recently asked a group of women of all ages to tell me the money questions they most wanted to
Ask Me Anything: How to Store Potatoes, Adult Children Money Matters, Shrinking Tuna, and More
It’s Mailbag day and time to reach in my a file named ECMailbag. That’s where I save all of the
Breaking Up (with a Credit Card) is Hard to Do
It's a lot easier to open a credit card account than to close one! Let's just say that when it
Help! I’m Drowning in an Upside Down Car Loan
It's time once again to reach into my virtual mailbag to pull out a few questions from you, my dear
Ask Me Anything: Dry Slow Cooking, Clean Grout, Home Safe, Cloudy Glassware, Not-Drying Dryer, and Lots More!
I don't mention it as often as I should, but the truth is that I'd be lost without you, my loyal,
Ask Me Anything: Scratched Dinnerware, Cosigning Parents, Silent Stylist, Mortgage Write-Off, Yum Rum Cake, and More
Once again, it's mailbag day, when I reach in and pull out your questions. While there are always more than
Ask Me Anything: Plastic in the Oven, DIY Spreadable Butter and More
I love my overflowing inbox filled with questions from my dear readers. What I don't love is not being able to
Ask Me Anything: Vinyl Flooring Care, Healthy 5-Min Bread, Stubborn Water Spots
If you've ever dealt with vinyl flooring—especially in an older home where the flooring has not been well-cared for, you
Ask Me Anything: Best Vacuum | Best Blow Torch | Best Meat Thermometer
My mail doesn’t arrive one message at a time. It comes in piles. Think avalanche. While I have recently hired
Ask Me Anything: Why is Dip-It No Longer Available, Laminate Floors, Unscented Dawn
Growing up in Boise, Ida. (shout out to all my Gem State readers) my parents had a percolator. I can
Are You Saving Money by Choice or Just by Chance?
A question that I answered in a previous post brought a small avalanche of mail, mostly from readers who were
With ATM Receipts and Legal Guardians, Leave Nothing to Chance
Face it, life is uncertain. We cannot know the future, but that doesn't mean we should just throw caution to
Is It Worth It? Induction Cooking Pros and Cons to Know
I have to tell you that receiving the message in today’s post put the biggest smile on my face. Induction
Can You Use Regular Detergent in an HE Washer Safely?
If you've ever wondered what's the difference between regular laundry detergents and those designated as "High Efficiency" or HE if
When Driving a Lemon is Easier Than Getting Rid of It
There’s a moment most of us hit with an old car when every new noise feels like a negotiation. You’re