We put in an offer yesterday (though it may not actually reach the buyer until today). It’s about 6% below the asking price and we’re also asking for closing costs. Around here, homes typically go for 10% or so below asking price right now if closing costs aren’t tossed in, so we think this is about right. Wish us luck!

Meal Planning Around Grocery Sales: 15 Ways To Use Those Jars Of Pasta Sauce I don’t necessarily view pasta sauce as a staple item (I tend to prefer to start with tomato juice, add herbs to it, then boil it to the thickness I like and add my own meat … but I digress), the idea here is brilliant: just keep an eye out for big sales on particular staple foods, stock up, then be creative with them. (@ not made of money)

Can A Rain Barrel Save You Money? If you have uses for non-potable water (like, say, gardening), they sure can. My parents used several enormous rain barrels with a hose system on them to handle most of the garden and flower watering during the summer. If arranged well, they can also help out with drainage if you live in a poorly-drained area. (@ get rich slowly)

How Much Do You Need To Earn $0.01 In Interest Every Month? This is an amusing exercise in financial math that could be extrapolated a bit further. For example, for every $2.78 you have in an ING Direct savings account, you earn $0.01 in interest each month. Thus, $278 would earn $1 in interest in a month, and $2,780 would earn $10 (and then that $10 would earn $0.03 itself the following month… oh, the power of compound interest!). (@ endless gibberish)

The Simple Dollar Retro: What Exactly Is A “Certified Financial Planner,” and Why Should I Care? I kept hearing the title pop up here and there, so I went and did the research to find out if it really meant anything. Does it? Sort of… it’s not cut and dried. Read the article to see what I mean.