ArcaMax

It's been a hectic day. The family's hungry, the fridge offers little more than eggs and leftovers and you're fresh out of answers for the question everyone's asking: What's for dinner? The solution may be found in a single word: frittata.

A frittata is like an omelet but without the fancy pan work. It's similar to a quiche without the ...Read more

Our house is not haunted, but just try to tell that to our guests. "Our water heater makes funny noises," I warn. First-timers respond with a smile and nod -- and forget.

"What was that noise?" is the predictable next-morning question. Some say it sounds like a big clumsy man on the roof. Children trend more toward a "monster in the wall" ...Read more

Imagine this: You're off on a dreamy New York-London-Paris adventure. Somewhere over the Atlantic, someone swipes your carry-on. The airline shrugs. "Not our responsibility." You roll with it. London is fabulous. So fabulous, in fact, that you skip your flight to Paris and instead hop a train a few days later.

Fast-forward to departure day in ...Read more

Dear Mary: I used to buy a packet of "blue jeans softener" in a store that has since gone out of business. Added to the first washing, it would make a pair of new jeans feel like they had been stone-washed. I can no longer find anything like this. Do you have a suggestion for softening new denim? I've tried extra fabric softener in the last ...Read more

I was not born with a natural bent toward frugality. Everything in me cries out to spend, acquire, spend, achieve, amass, spend, spend, spend! I am drawn to the extraordinary, the luxurious and the unique. I live with visions of grandeur and opulence. My fondest dreams include tailored clothing, domestic staffs, $600 silk bed sheets, manicured ...Read more

I am noticing a growing trend in my mailbox -- readers in search of financial planners or advisers. Or assistants. The problem is that when taking in the message's context it's pretty clear that not everyone means the same thing when they refer to a financial "planner-advisor-assistant-helper."

One reader wanted to know where to find a "...Read more

Mother's Day has become one of those occasions that comes with a lot of expectation -- and a lot of suggestions about what you're supposed to buy.

There are reminders everywhere -- emails, store displays, last-minute "gift ideas" that guarantee to make the day special if you just click, buy and wrap in time. The message is clear: Don't miss it,...Read more

The most important thing you can do to make your personal economy strong is to have an umbrella -- a contingency fund with at least enough money to pay all of your bills without a paycheck for three to six months.

Call it $10,000. On a weekly basis, try to save 10% of your paycheck. It may sound like a lot, so if you can't do 10%, start with 5%...Read more

From time to time, this kind of question pops up in my inbox: How can I get started investing in stocks and mutual funds that are risk-free and have guaranteed high rates of return?

Of course, that makes me laugh, not only because there is no such thing as a risk-free investment -- let alone one with a guaranteed high rate of return -- but also...Read more

If the cost to keep your pets fed, healthy, cared for, and looking good has gotten so high, you're the one coughing up fur balls, take heart. There are many little ways to cut the cost of pet care that will add up to big savings.

According to one survey, owning a dog costs an average of $1,480 in basic expenses annually. For cats, average ...Read more

Every spring the same thing happens. The sun comes out, the grass wakes up, and suddenly the yard starts whispering all the little things it needs. A loose plant leaning sideways. Bare spots in the lawn. Garden tools scattered like they had a party overnight. A hose that looks like it wrestled a garden snake and lost.

Our first instinct is ...Read more