I'm writing this column while plugged into a gorgeously tactile white-and-chrome gadget the size of a cigarette pack that is giving me a better-than-CD-quality rendition of Hey Jude. For a music junkie like me, listening to tunes at work is not unusual. Listening on a portable device is. If this were a Discman or a regular MP3 player, I would be fretting right now about how much battery power I was wasting, and I would certainly have to hunt for ...

Just in case we needed more evidence of the hardship inflicted by the country's devastating economic crisis, earlier this month we got it: more Americans than ever are receiving food stamps. The Department of Agriculture reported that 35.1 million people relied on government help to buy groceries in June — 713,000 more than in the previous month and a 22% jump from the previous year's figure. The odds are better than ever that when a shopper wheels ...

Book Review - America's Cheapest Family The Economides family has gained national notoriety for living on what many would consider meager means. They have appeared on national television and in magazines to describe just how they do it. In this book, Steve presents the lessons they have learned from their own experiences and from the counseling they have provided to other couples in their church. Finding Your Frugal Comfort Level Each chapter is organized around one area of your financial picture, such as ...