Hi MaryAnn,
Thanks so much for watching. You did exactly the right thing — when our interest rates are too high and our current creditors won’t lower them, we look for lower interest rates in the form of a balance transfer somewhere else. If that credit union doesn’t have a card for you, go to lowcards.com and look for a card there. They have a listing of hundreds (maybe more than that) that is up to date and very useful. Don’t use all of your savings to pay down your debt though. I want you to have that in case of emergency. Just try to make a little more headway by trimming some of your monthly expenses and putting the extra dollars against that credit card debt.

Of course, saving money upfront is an even better option. The column caught the eye of my friend Josh from college, who shot me an email this morning outlining the money-saving strategies he and his wife used when they got married in 2000. I thought his suggestions were worth passing on:

Get creative with the dress. Josh’s wife got hers at an outlet, but thrift stores and online discount websites are also great options.

Limit the size. Of the wedding, not the dress. Keeping your guest count low is the best way to cut costs, as is shortening the length of the party itself. An afternoon wedding is another great option – it’s often much cheaper than an evening event.

Pick your battles. It’s hard to afford an upscale menu and a full bar, so focus on one or the other, whichever is most important to you. It’s okay to stick to beer, wine and champagne so your guests can dine on shrimp and steak, or go for a full bar but a scaled back menu. It’s your day.

Go off-season. Having your wedding in a down month – Josh and his wife were married in January – can save you up to 25% across the board. Venues, photographers, florists and DJs are slower in the winter months, so they’re more likely to work with you.

Put off the honeymoon. It’s tempting to take off right after the reception, but if you’ve already laid out a lot of cash, it can make sense to wait a few months and give yourself time to save up. You also might want to consider piggybacking on other events that are on your schedule – if you have to go somewhere fun for work, plan your honeymoon in the same city right after so part of the airfare will be covered. Josh said he and his wife planned their trip around a business conference they had to attend in Paris.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Hello Jean,

I just became a member. Per this article, you are saying it’s wise to erase or retreive your credit card numbers after you make a purchase online…is that correct? So, in other words, you should submit the information every time you purchase and erase it after your order is complete? I order at Amazon, and have an account at Paypal. Should I retrieve my credit card info that I have left there?
– Susanm

Thanks for your question. Sites like Amazon often store credit card information when you make a purchase – although in most cases, they’ll ask your permission first. In the future, if you want to be really safe, you should decline to have them store your credit card information, and simply type it in every time (you should always do this if you make a purchase from a public computer – and in fact, just to be on the safe side, try not to make purchases from public computers, like those in libraries or Internet cafes). It takes a bit more time, but gives you peace of mind.As far as what you can do now, yes, you should go back into a site that has your information and remove it, particularly if you have a computer that could be easily stolen – like a laptop – or is shared (about a third of identity theft is perpetrated by friends and family members). It think the extra few minutes it takes me to type in my account number each time I make a purchase online is worth it – plus, it gives me a bit more time to think about whether or not I really need what I’m buying!

Paypal is a little different, however. It’s actually a way to keep your personal information safe – you don’t have to share your credit card information directly with retailers, or people who are providing you with a service, when you pay with PayPal – and to sign up, you need to link to a checking account or credit card. PayPal has pretty advanced anti-fraud systems in place, as well as quick and easy ways to dispute purchases that you think are fraudulent.  Even so, make sure your password is ironclad, and don’t share it with anyone – or leave it near your computer.

In general, the bottom line is this:  You want to share your credit and debit card information as little as possible.  Sure, these cards come with protections that limit your liability for fraudulent charges – in most cases, you’ll pay $0 – but you’ll still have an administrative hassle on your hands. You should also be sure to stay on top of your credit report (you can get a free copy here), credit card and bank accounts, so you can spot any suspicious activity right away.

For more tips about protecting yourself online, read my recent More magazine article.

I also learned a lot about how to edit my closet – what I need, what I don’t need – and I have a few bags ready to be donated. To that end, I thought I’d share some tips with you. Even if you’re not ready or willing to limit yourself to six items of clothing – trust me, I understand – it can be really freeing to clean out your closet and live a little more simply, whatever that means to you. The extra money in your pocket is just icing on the cake.

Set yourself up with staples. I certainly found out what mine were over the last month, and I’ll tell you, my black pencil skirt and black cardigan saved me on more than one occasion. A few versatile pieces are really the foundation of your closet, and you can mix and match them to your taste. Suggestions from Jill Heller, a sustainable fashion stylist and founder of PureThread, include a pair of medium to dark wash jeans, a crisp white shirt (with or without a collar – your choice), a cardigan in a neutral color like grey, and a black dress. You can pick and choose to fit your own lifestyle, but the idea is to select items that can be worn in a variety of different ways. That cardigan, for example, can be worn over a dress, your white shirt, or buttoned up with jeans or a skirt.

Start at the store. A well-edited closet means having a lot of self-control. If you’re wondering how many times you’ll wear something, put it back on the rack, says Heller. Instead, you want to look at the cost and compare it with how often and how long you’ll be able to wear the item. “Spend a little more here, because it’s really about multiple usage, and getting the most mileage out of things. I’ve even seen reversible cardigans, where one side is brown and one side is black, so with one item, you get two colors,” says Heller. She also suggests dresses that you can wear a variety of different ways, like sustainable bamboo one from ANGeLRoX. Remember, you’re going for quality over quantity.

Accessorize. You don’t have to get crazy, but one thing I learned is that a couple of bright scarves or a few pieces of jewelry can give the same old outfits a brand new look. These kinds of pieces are generally inexpensive, so they allow you to dabble in trends or switch up your look from season to season without breaking the bank. “Fashion is about change and newness, and so when we buy something that we’ll get a long life out of, it sort of goes against the fashion industry. So you want to get your fantastic quality basics that last a long time and fit great, and then play with accessories and color in a way that doesn’t cost much,” explains Heller.

Repurpose. We all have a few things that we just can’t wear any more, but we can’t part with them either. Maybe the material is beautiful, but the dress doesn’t fit, or your favorite old leather jacket has a small tear in the sleeve. Consider recycling the material into something new and different – that jacket could become a handbag. There are a lot of new designers popping up these days that specialize in this kind of sustainable fashion, called upcycling. One Heller recommends, specifically for handbags, is reMade USA.

Another provision, though, was a huge game changer for college students: In order to get a credit card under age 21, you have to prove you have the income to make the payments, or get a co-signer.

This, I think, is good, for a lot of reasons. In years past, we’ve seen campuses crammed with credit card lenders, offering t-shirts and snacks and movie tickets to anyone who passed along their personal information or signed up for a card. There wasn’t a whole lot of education involved, and as a result, students were graduating with an average of $4,138 in credit card debt. Not good.

But not building a credit history isn’t good either, and to do that, you need to borrow money responsibly. College is a good time to start. So what’s the solution?

First of all, I don’t think it’s a good idea to co-sign on a loan or credit card for anyone, for any reason. When you co-sign on a loan or credit card, you’re putting your credit on the line. If the person you’re signing for – in this case, your son or daughter – slips up by paying late, missing payments altogether, or defaulting, your score is going down the tubes right along with theirs. And in some states, creditors can collect the unpaid debt from you without first trying to collect from the borrower, which means that in addition to a bruised credit score, you could be stuck with the balance – as well as late fees and collection costs. Federal Trade Commission studies have shown that when co-signed loans go into default, three out of four co-signers end up paying the loan.

In this case, if you want to help your student start building a credit history this coming semester, and he or she doesn’t qualify for a card on their own, your best bet is adding them as an authorized user on your card. From that position, they’ll get their own card, which will go on their credit file. The charges will come on one bill, however, so you’ll be able to collect the money and make sure the payment gets in on time each month. You can also monitor his or her spending, if you’d like, or, with some cards, set the credit limit lower to keep things in check. Keeping the coupon book in your hands means you get to protect your credit, and give your kids the opportunity to build theirs.

Making friends with other moms can be downright daunting (and keeping them, just as exhausting). The constant, swirling mass of mom-on-mom judgment, criticism and competitiveness makes connecting with our parenting peers an endless cycle of frustration—from the mom at preschool who’s always one-upping you, to your old friend who thought it was fun to give your sugar-free daughter a frosted doughnut.

It’s no surprise that one of the touchiest topics among moms is money. Having too much, not having enough, where you spend it and how you handle it wiggles its way into motherhood and can sabotage even the closest of friendships.

Too Much, Too Little
Caroline and Lauren are part of rotating playgroup. Caroline is ashamed to host at her tiny townhouse, and resents spending money on snacks for kids and moms. Meanwhile, Lauren dreads playgroup at her grand home, self-conscious that the other moms will be jealous of her “having it all” when she just wants to be accepted like everyone else. Both moms keep their embarrassment to themselves.

Check, Please
After hitting it off at an outdoor children’s concert, Susan asked Mindy to have lunch with the kids at a nearby deli. When the bill came, Mindy didn’t offer to pay her share. Susan didn’t want to bring it up, for fear she would offend Mindy and sabotage their potential friendship. Susan paid the total check and went home seething but confused: was Mindy cheap, or oblivious?

Keeping Up With The Joneses
Best friends from college, Kim and Michelle clash over their financial statuses. Kim is a SAHM of two boys with a housekeeper and a hands-on husband. Michelle is a working mom of three with a traveling husband. When Kim complains about the way her laundry is folded, or about having to schlep her kids to their overload of activities when Michelle can barely afford daycare, Michelle wants to throttle her but remains silent, worried their friendship might be stuck in a frat party from years ago.

Why Do We Suffer Silently?
Betsy Brown Braun, parenting expert and best-selling author of You’re Not the Boss of Me, explains that today’s moms attack parenting like a career. We are “so used to clawing our way to the top, being successful and constantly achieving, that parenting is a goal rather than an experience.”

Tips to try:
• Focus on doing your best, rather than being the best. Parenting is not a competition!
• When you feel stuck, follow the advice you would give to your child in a similar situation.
• Always let the person on the tighter budget pick the activity or restaurant.
• Be upfront about your expectations to avoid misunderstandings and the silent treatment.
• Remember that no one is immune to difficulties. Your friend might seem to live in a materialistic wonderland, but her life is far from perfect, just like yours. When we let our guard down honestly and authentically, we can learn from one other, and everyone feels richer.

Naomi Panzer is the co-creator of Mommy Manners, an online community where moms share, vent and solve each other’s conflicts and clashes with other moms. Naomi lives in Connecticut with her husband and two kids.

When it comes to making dinner in my kitchen, I’m always on the lookout for the easy, convenient and of course the least expensive way to get dinner on the table.  I love this White Chicken Chili recipe because it is made from scratch, it slow cooks all day, and it satisfies the hungry masses come dinner time!

Making your own sauce from scratch saves both time and money.  I recommend making up a large batch of homemade white sauce and freezing it in plastic containers, in 2 or 3 cup portions.  I substitute 1 can of “cream of” soup for 2-3 cups of homemade white sauce.

Also, cooking dried beans in large batches, then freezing in meal size portions, adds to your time and money savings.  Rather than cooking 1 cup of dried beans at a time, prepare the entire bag, drain, cool, then freeze the cooked beans in 2 cups portions.  I find that 2 cups of cooked beans is the equivalent of 1 15 ounce can of beans.  Cooking dried beans costs 50-75% less than buying canned beans.

By making your own sauce and cooking dried beans, this White Chicken Chili meal comes in well under the $5 mark!

White Chicken Chili

Ingredients
2 chicken breasts ($1.66)
½ onion, chopped ($.15)
2 cups of homemade basic white sauce ($.40)
1 6 oz. can green chilies ($.59)
2 garlic cloves, crushed ($.10)
1 cup dried beans ($.25)
1 lb. asparagus ($.99)
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil ($.10)
Salt/Pepper

Directions
1. Prepare 2 cups of homemade basic white sauce, as directed on page *.
2.  Dice chicken breast into ½ inch pieces.   Place diced chicken, chopped onion, crushed garlic, can green chilies, dried beans and 4 cups of water in slow cooker.  Pour homemade white sauce over the chicken and other ingredients in the slow cooker.  Set slow cooker to low and cook for 8 hours.
3. Sauté asparagus in 2 Tbsp olive oil for approximately 5-6 minutes, stirring every other minute.  Asparagus will turn a brighter green and is ready to serve.  Remove from skillet to prevent overcooking.
4. Serve with White Chicken Chili with Sautéed Asparagus.

Cost $4.24

Frugal Fact: Pair colorful vegetables with “white” meals, such as this chili, to ensure proper balance of nutrients in each meal.

———————

“Cream of” White Sauce

Ingredients
Basic Sauce
4 Tbsp butter ($.40)
6 Tbsp flour ($.10)
3 cups milk ($.30)
Salt/Pepper

Variations
Cream of Chicken: Use 2 cups of milk and 1 cup of chicken broth in place of 3 cups of milk.
Cream of Mushroom: Add 1 6 oz. can of chopped mushrooms to basic white sauce in place of 3 cups of milk.
Cream of Celery: Use 2 cups of milk, 1 cup of vegetable broth, 1 cup of finely chopped celery

Directions
1. In medium saucepan, melt butter.  Then add flour and whisk with the melted butter until it forms a paste.
2. Whisk in milk (or other specified liquids).  Whisk until flour/butter dissolves into the milk.
3. Cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Sauce will begin to thicken, as it bubbles and cooks.
4. To reach the desired consistency of the sauce you need for your meal, add milk or flour, 1 Tbsp at a time.  To make sauce thicker, whisk in more flour. To make sauce thinner, whisk in more milk. Once sauce reaches your desired consistency, use it in the meal as directed.
Cost $.80 for 4 cups

Frugal Fact: Making your own white sauce is not only cheaper than buying a “cream of” can, making your own sauce eliminates many of the preservatives and sodium found in these “creamed” cans.

Erin Chase is the author of The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook and founder of $5 Dinners.com.  When she’s not in the kitchen experimenting with new recipes or saving money at the grocery store, she can be found outside playing with her kids, tending the garden, or enjoying walks around the neighborhood.  She lives with her husband and 3 little men in Ohio.