Comments on: Back to Mint.com http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/ Put the \"personal\" back in personal finance, the \"me\" in money management, the \"I\" in investing. Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:05:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.3 By: LDH http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9412 LDH Thu, 24 Jul 2008 14:43:29 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9412 get the freezer! But I agree, don't buy grocery store meat and fill it, find a local butcher or farmer you can buy meat in bulk. Check out outer ring suburbs, Elk River, Big Lake, Monticello, etc., where there is still farmland...those meat places can either give you a recommendation for a farmer, or else they usually have a great price on variety packs, may be worth the 45 minute drive. We get our beef for $2 a pound, that's lean hamburger, roasts, and steaks, and the quality is far superior to anything in the grocery store. That is where the money is saved, moreso than stocking up on grocery store sales, I think. get the freezer! But I agree, don’t buy grocery store meat and fill it, find a local butcher or farmer you can buy meat in bulk. Check out outer ring suburbs, Elk River, Big Lake, Monticello, etc., where there is still farmland…those meat places can either give you a recommendation for a farmer, or else they usually have a great price on variety packs, may be worth the 45 minute drive. We get our beef for $2 a pound, that’s lean hamburger, roasts, and steaks, and the quality is far superior to anything in the grocery store. That is where the money is saved, moreso than stocking up on grocery store sales, I think.

]]> By: sipote http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9410 sipote Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:12:06 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9410 Kara is pretty hot for a midwest writer chick.... Kara is pretty hot for a midwest writer chick….

]]> By: david http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9409 david Wed, 23 Jul 2008 02:18:43 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9409 I don't see the chest freezer as the cure-all...keep us update on the choices. Seems like $700+ in food is a lot...my two cents. I don’t see the chest freezer as the cure-all…keep us update on the choices. Seems like $700+ in food is a lot…my two cents.

]]> By: Kara McGuire http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9408 Kara McGuire Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:44:26 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9408 They partner with Yodlee: http://corporate.yodlee.com/, used by many financial institutions for secure online banking. I am much more concerned with people taking sensitive mail out of my mailbox when it comes to ID theft than I am the security of this site. I never gave them my SSN. But everyone is different. They partner with Yodlee: http://corporate.yodlee.com/, used by many financial institutions for secure online banking.

I am much more concerned with people taking sensitive mail out of my mailbox when it comes to ID theft than I am the security of this site. I never gave them my SSN. But everyone is different.

]]> By: breder http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9407 breder Tue, 22 Jul 2008 18:25:53 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9407 I totally agree with the chest freezer - and the idea of having an upright sounds even better. (Do you lose more cold air when you open an upright? I'd be interested in an energy analysis on that one... if anyone has a spare hour or two on their hands, ha ha.) Check out this cookbook if you are into the idea of bulk cooking "Don't Panic: Dinner's in the Freezer". I did it last winter and it was fun and saved us a boatload of money. It has great tips for shopping and menu planning as well as really good recipes. I totally agree with the chest freezer - and the idea of having an upright sounds even better. (Do you lose more cold air when you open an upright? I’d be interested in an energy analysis on that one… if anyone has a spare hour or two on their hands, ha ha.)

Check out this cookbook if you are into the idea of bulk cooking “Don’t Panic: Dinner’s in the Freezer”. I did it last winter and it was fun and saved us a boatload of money. It has great tips for shopping and menu planning as well as really good recipes.

]]> By: bsimon http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9406 bsimon Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:32:19 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9406 "I don’t want to give a third party my username and password for my banking sites... I honestly don’t see why anyone would trust them with that information." This curmudgeon agrees. I like the chest freezer idea though. Sadly we gave ours away. “I don’t want to give a third party my username and password for my banking sites… I honestly don’t see why anyone would trust them with that information.”

This curmudgeon agrees. I like the chest freezer idea though. Sadly we gave ours away.

]]> By: Chris http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9405 Chris Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:07:03 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9405 I've said this before and I'll say it again about mint.com. No thanks, I don't want to give a third party my username and password for my banking sites. I honestly don't see why anyone would trust them with that information. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again about mint.com. No thanks, I don’t want to give a third party my username and password for my banking sites.

I honestly don’t see why anyone would trust them with that information.

]]> By: Jack http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9404 Jack Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:39:41 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9404 As I mentioned in previous posts, I don't really budget so I'll give you my $.02 on a couple other items you mentioned. Chest freezer, great idea except don't get a chest get a mid-size upright freezer as it's much easier to get at everything, you don't "forget" the items on the bottom and I just wheel it out of the garage and into the driveway every couple years in the summer, open the door and let it defrost as you don't want a non-frost freezer for long term storage. As for dining out I was always surprised at how much a couple beers and wines added to our tab when our family of 4 went to a casual dining location. Of course it didn't bother me enough to skip the couple beers as when the kids younger I probably needed them. As I mentioned in previous posts, I don’t really budget so I’ll give you my $.02 on a couple other items you mentioned. Chest freezer, great idea except don’t get a chest get a mid-size upright freezer as it’s much easier to get at everything, you don’t “forget” the items on the bottom and I just wheel it out of the garage and into the driveway every couple years in the summer, open the door and let it defrost as you don’t want a non-frost freezer for long term storage. As for dining out I was always surprised at how much a couple beers and wines added to our tab when our family of 4 went to a casual dining location. Of course it didn’t bother me enough to skip the couple beers as when the kids younger I probably needed them.

]]> By: robin marty http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9403 robin marty Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:29:40 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9403 Not to hijack and slightly off topic, but I'm pretty annoyed that the cub promotion for grocery cards is ending in two weeks. My stimulus has been put on hold for some reason -- likely because I had to file an amendment due to some short term disability when I had a baby. I'm obviously not the only person in this situation since when I call in for more info they tell me the call volume is too much and I need to hang up and call back. I did my amended return pre-deadline, so I'm annoyed that I will be missing the special simply because I am the main filer and my ss# is so late. Not to hijack and slightly off topic, but I’m pretty annoyed that the cub promotion for grocery cards is ending in two weeks. My stimulus has been put on hold for some reason — likely because I had to file an amendment due to some short term disability when I had a baby. I’m obviously not the only person in this situation since when I call in for more info they tell me the call volume is too much and I need to hang up and call back. I did my amended return pre-deadline, so I’m annoyed that I will be missing the special simply because I am the main filer and my ss# is so late.

]]> By: Betsy http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9402 Betsy Tue, 22 Jul 2008 13:57:34 +0000 http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/kablog/2008/07/21/back-to-mintcom/#comment-9402 Get the chest freezer! I have always found it to be a fantastic tool. It allows you to buy in bulk when prices are best. It facilitates cooking in bulk and having meals ready. I loved my chest freezer so much that I got it in the divorce even though I am in an apartment and can't use it for some time. Meanwhile I do have a small freezer in my kitchen in addition to the small one that came with my refrigerator. If you get a used one, make sure it was manufactured in the last decade -- the efficiency is remarkably higher, and the chemical footprint much lower. Get the chest freezer! I have always found it to be a fantastic tool. It allows you to buy in bulk when prices are best. It facilitates cooking in bulk and having meals ready. I loved my chest freezer so much that I got it in the divorce even though I am in an apartment and can’t use it for some time. Meanwhile I do have a small freezer in my kitchen in addition to the small one that came with my refrigerator. If you get a used one, make sure it was manufactured in the last decade — the efficiency is remarkably higher, and the chemical footprint much lower.

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