Category: Frugal Living Tips

There are thousands of different headphones on the market, and it can be tough to find the perfect pair for you.

In a perfect world, you’d go down to the store, try on different pairs of headphones, and you’d find the perfect pair for you. But, you’re probably going to be buying your pair online.

We’ve developed the definitive guide for buying the best cheap headphones.

1More Triple Driver In-Ear Headphones

If you’re looking for a new pair of in-ear headphones, you will find that the 1More Triple Driver In-Ear headphones are worth taking a look at. The aluminum construction makes these headphones both attractive and fairly durable.

They have an angled design that goes nicely into the ear while allowing you to keep a low profile.

The remote control on these headphones has three different buttons that will allow you to pause and play audio as well as increase or decrease the volume. You get a decent amount of sound detail for the price that you pay for these.

The mids are good and really bring out human voices while the bass gives you a decent impact. While there is no noise cancellation feature, the triple drivers do a good job of keeping out ambient noise.

Some of the features of these earphones include three drivers.

There are two balanced armatures and a dynamic driver to ensure accurate sound. The remote control on these headphones will let you take calls, play or pause music, and adjust the volume easily.

The microphone these headphones use will provide you with the perfect way to make calls while you have them in.

Some of the pros of these headphones include their extreme durability. The lightweight aluminum alloy body of these headphones makes them extremely ready and tough for long term use.

The angled design of these headphones means that you can keep them in for hours without any discomfort. They offer a very full and lush sound with good mids and excellent overall bass.

The Jaybird X4

The entire Jaybird X series has earned quite an amazing reputation for itself over the last few years.  

The X4 headphones add a number of new features that set them apart from their predecessors. These headphones have a waterproof design and interchangeable ear cups that make them more versatile than ever before. You will find these headphones are available in a number of colors, including black, glacier white, and jade.

The metallic accents and colorful design make them very sleek and attractive. There is a three-button in-line remote and microphone on the cord, allowing you to take calls when you are on your phone.

Skipping tracks, pausing or playing and adjusting the volume is all pretty easy, and can be done with the press of a button.  The Jaybird app that you can use with these headphones is completely free and allows you to adjust the settings to achieve the custom sound that you want.

Some of the features of this headphone include the waterproof design. You can submerge these headphones in up to one meter of water without damage, making them perfect for the pool or bathtub. The Jaybird Mobile app from Android and iOs users lets you customize the settings.

When these headphones fully charged, you can get a full eight hours of play time from them.

If you are really picky about the sound of your headphones, you can use the mobile app to modify the settings.

Beats Studio3 Wireless

Beats Studio3 Wireless headphones look quite similar to the Studio2 model from 2014, but there are a number of noteworthy differences. These headphones have a proprietary chip, which significantly increases their battery life when you sync up with an iPhone.

You will be able to maintain a strong connection even when you are separated from your phone by hundreds of feet.

There are two onboard microphones that adapt to ambient noise to ensure you can always hear what you’re listening to with absolute clarity. The noise canceling technology that these headphones use is quite impressive, to say the least. Each of the rotating ear cups on these headphones is still thickly cushioned for maximum comfort, even with extended usage.

There’s also quite a bit of padding on the headband. There are a few buttons on the side of these headphones. The standard 3.5-millimeter input can be found at the bottom of the right ear cup.

Some of the features of this headphone include its dual mode adaptive noise canceling. The battery these headphones use will last for twelve hours before it needs to be recharged.

Cushions on each ear cup seal up around the ears to keep sound in at all times. 

Some of the pros of these headphones include its comfort. The thickly padded ear cups and headband means that you can listen to your favorite music in complete comfort. You can quickly switch between watching a movie on your MacBook to taking a call on your iPhone with these headphones.

The Beats Studio3 headphones have quite a sleek and stylish look that should appeal to most people.

Sony WH1000XM2

The Sony WH1000XM2 headphones have a noise canceling design that makes the outside world fall away while you are listening to music. These headphones have a solid design with a somewhat reflective plastic material in the exterior.

The ear cups themselves have a textured backing that looks a bit like leather. You will find that these headphones are very comfortable to use even for hours on end. The padded ear pads feel good, and don’t put a lot of pressure on your head.

While you have the option of using a 3.5 millimeter wired plug, you can also take advantage of the wireless Bluetooth connectivity.

When you use this feature, you will be able to make the most out of controlling phase, which is very well designed. These headphones have impressive noise canceling properties that work extremely well.

You can easily listen to music on them in a fairly noisy environment without any issues. The overall sound quality is good, though there is definitely more of an emphasis on bass than the mids out of the box.

The voice assistant feature makes it easy to perform various functions. You can do everything from changing a volume to making a call by slightly touching one of the ear cups.

Some of the pros of these headphones include fast charging. You can get up to 30 hours of use with these headphones before needing to recharge them.

While the bass is perhaps a bit overemphasized, the overall sound quality these headphones offer is very good.

These headphones fold up and have a lightweight design for maximum convenience when traveling. 

Sony has been working hard on creating a very solid line of headphones, and they have certainly accomplished their goal with these. This company has a more comprehensive review of Sony headphones.

Bose QuietComfort 35

Bose has established itself as one of the top manufacturers of audio equipment in the world. The Quiet Comfort35 is the first pair of wireless noise-canceling headphones from this company. These headphones have a longer battery life that will allow you to keep using them for an extended period before you have to recharge.

The overall design of these headphones is very similar to its predecessor, featuring oval ear cups that are incredibly stylish and offer plenty of functionality.

There is plenty of added padding with the headband and individual ear cups, providing you with a comfortable way to listen to music or anything else. The even weight distribution also contributes to the overall performance of these headphones, making them easy to wear for hours without issues.

The sound has a nice, crisp quality that is far superior to most other wireless headphones on the market today. It handles everything from the mids to the bass with the utmost skill.

Some of the features of this headphone include its noise-rejecting microphone. The built-in microphones on these headphones have a noise-rejecting design for clear phone conversations.

Some of the pros of these headphones include its long battery life. You can get up to 20 hours of use in wireless mode and 40 hours of use with a wired connection.

Overall quality of noise cancellation is impressive, allowing you to tune out ambient noise completely. Pairing these headphones with your smartphone and other devices is a very quick and easy process. These headphones offer high-quality audio performance for a nice, even sound.

It is the best pair of wireless headphones on the market right now, and you definitely get your money’s worth. This is also a very comfortable set of headphones that anyone can use for hours on end.

Get the Best Cheap Headphones

If you’re looking for a solid pair of headphones, these five products are some of the best options on the market right now. The Bose Quiet35 is definitely our top choice, offering unparalleled noise cancellation in sound quality.

We recommend them for their sleek design and adaptive noise cancellation. Before you make your final decision, we recommend that you review each of the best cheap headphones closely.

Read more product reviews and comparisons here.

Are you a thrifty woman moving from America to England?

Whether you’re moving for love, for work, or purely for the adventure, you’re sure to find that many things are different than at home.

Compared to costs at home, living in the UK could present some sticker shock. As the fifth strongest currency in the world, the British pound outweighs the US dollar by around 25%.

What’s an American moving to England to do? Here are four tips to help you cut down costs and continue living your thrifty lifestyle.

1. Be Energy Conscious

Unless you’re moving from Minnesota or Maine, the climate in England is probably colder and wetter than you’re used to.

Energy bills can quickly add up, especially during the chilly winter months. Layer up with your cutest sweaters and scarves to avoid high heating bills at home.

You might also consider new windows to make your home more energy efficient all year long.

2. Save Your Pence

Brits use more coins than Americans do, and those coins can quickly add up.

At the end of the day, drop your extra 1-pound and 2-pound coins and all those pence in a savings jar. Even if you only save a pound a day, that adds up to 30 pounds a month or over 360 pounds by the end of the year.

Another idea is to set up a bank account that automatically rounds up your debit card purchases and places the extra money in your savings account. Then you can use that extra cash for a fun date night with your significant other.

3. Buy Own-Brand Products

We all love name-brand products, but they don’t always fit our thrifty lifestyle.

While many people feel that generic products are inferior to name-brand items, that’s simply not true. The only difference is usually the marketing budget for the item.

Rather than going for expensive imported or name-brand products, choose locally made store-brand ones. Buying these generic products can save you 30% or more at the grocery store.

4. Avoid Pricey Subscriptions

Another great way to save money in the UK is to avoid expensive subscriptions for certain services.

Cable television, for instance, can run over 80 pounds per month. Can you get by with Netflix or similar streaming services for a fraction of the price?

Traditional gym memberships also add up quickly. Rather than pay those high prices, why not take a walk around your neighborhood or download free workouts from YouTube?

Living in the UK on a Budget: You Can Do It!

England might not be one of the cheapest countries in the world to live in, but it doesn’t have to cost a fortune either.

Once you make your move across the pond, keep these tips in mind. As your extra pence and pounds add up, you’ll realize it is possible to maintain your frugal lifestyle in the UK.

One of the best parts of living in the UK is its proximity to so many exciting travel destinations. Check out our recent post about booking a trip to Rome on a budget.

Whether you’re traveling with a new baby or have a gaggle of kids of all ages, when you’re on an extended vacation, you definitely deserve to make the most of your time off. 

You’re ready to find an au pair that will provide excellent care for your children — and allow you to kick back, relax, and enjoy a glass of wine without your kid asking you to do something for the thousandth time. 

Connecting with a great au pair means you’ll need to do a little leg work now in order to take full advantage of your travel plans later. 

Read on to learn how to find an au pair that’s the right fit for your family in every way. 

1. Ask Around

You rely on your other mom friends for advice from how to handle a picky eater to how to deal with a teacher that seriously has it out for your kid. 

So, it’s no surprise that they should be your first resource when it comes to finding an au pair.

Even if the person they worked with has moved back to their home country or has switched jobs, they can still offer you great insight into the methods they used to connect with one.

Plus, they might have friends that have a great au pair that’s looking for a new family to work with. 

2. Check out Job Boards

Before you had kids, maybe you loved the idea of traveling around the world, exploring new cultures, and seeing the most incredible sites and landmarks possible. 

Guess what? 

Even if you’re no longer backpacking across Europe and staying in questionable hostels, there are still plenty of people who are.

Many of them sign up on au pair job boards to make some money while they travel. The Internet has made finding qualified candidates for jobs easier than ever, and childcare positions are definitely no exception. Some of them even conduct background checks and verify the identities of potential au pairs. 

Check out the Backpacker Job Board to browse through tons of awesome au pair profiles. Reach out to several candidates, and move forward with some of your most promising options. 

3. Rely on an Au Pair Agency

Looking for someone to do most of the work for you? 

If so, then working with an au pair agency is the right move for you. 

An agency will be able to provide you with au pairs that have experience with children around the same age as your kids, excellent references, and any other preferences you have. 

You might need to pony up a bit more money to an agency than you would if you elected to conduct your search on your own. Still, we think that making an investment in the person taking care of your child is well worth it. 

Just make sure you read reviews of the agencies to make sure that they vet their candidates — and pay the au pairs that work for them fairly.

In other words?

Don’t just do your research on the au pairs themselves. Also, ask around about the validity of the agency you’re planning on working with. 

4. How to Conduct an Interview

So, you’ve used the above methods to find a few au pair candidates. 

In order to ensure you make the right decision, you need to conduct a thorough interview. 

First, ask about their experience with childcare, and especially with au pair work. An au pair needs to be flexible, up for long travel days, and work well with your overall family dynamic. 

You’ll be spending much more time with an au pair than you would with a nanny or babysitter. 

You may also want to ask about their overall experience level with cooking and even light housecleaning.

Make sure that they can work with a schedule that’s not as consistent as a traditional job. They may work long hours one day, and then barely any the next. Talk about off-days and payment up front, so that there’s no confusion later on. 

Always ask to speak with families they’ve worked with in the past. This will give you an idea of what to expect — and whether or not you should go with another au pair. 

You should also run a background check on the top candidate before you hire them.

Check out this list of some of the best background checking services, so that you can rest easy knowing you’re leaving your kids with the right kind of person. Above all, trust your gut. If something just seems “off” during the interview process, it’s best to continue your search.  

Finding a Great Au Pair Is Easier Than You Think

If you follow these tips, we know that you’ll find a great au pair that doesn’t just along with your kids, but also fits well within your family unit. 

In addition to being a serious help, an au pair can encourage your children to learn a new language, allow you to enjoy your time off, and even open your eyes to new experiences.

Looking for more advice about how to find a great childcare provider? Interested in picking up a few tips about how to vacation with kids — and save on the costs of travel in the process? 

We’ve got you covered. 

No matter what kind of great deal, life advice, or even tips on how to actually enjoy your time at the airport, keep checking back with us for more more-friendly tips and tricks. 

Given that 80% of women might be wearing the wrong bra size, there are a lot of people who’ve never had themselves fit for the right bra. Figuring out how to measure bra size is half the battle if you’re looking for the perfect fit. However, if you don’t know how bras really work or how to measure, then you won’t end up with the result you’re looking for.

Here are five steps for measuring your bra size perfectly.

1. The Band Is Your Main Support

When you’re looking for a bra that fits right, you might be focused on the size of the cups and how they fit. However, the band is the part of your bra that does the most of the work of supporting you. Strapless bras might be a dead giveaway that this is the case.

The strap isn’t the part that does the work of holding up your bust so much as that they help to keep your cup flush with your body. They also work to shape the breast.

When you’ve found a bra that fits, you’ll know when you can slip the straps off and take a few steps while your bra still stays in place. This is a quick way to see how well a bra fits before you invest in one.

2. You Need Two Sizes

Much like jeans, there are a wide variety of ways that bras fit your body. You’ll find that every single brand has a different way that they fit your body. Bras as notoriously difficult to shop for, just like pants, but once you find the way a brand fits, you’ll know what you can expect.

You’ll have a true size that corresponds to your body in most circumstances. However, there are also sister sizes that can help you understand the way bras fit if in other brands. If you can’t find a bra that fits in one size, try a bra in one of your sister sizes.

If you go up in your band size, go down in your cup size. The opposite is true as well. A 32C could also fit a 30D depending on the company you’re buying from.

If you know sister sizes, you can start to understand how to accommodate for different sizes based on different brands. When your real size is hard to shop for, you can find something in one of the other options.

3. You Can Use an Equation to Figure it Out

Your bra size is a ratio that’s based on your cup and band size. If you really want to have a handle on your bra size, get yourself professional fit at a boutique at least once in your adult life. Don’t be surprised if a bra expert tells you that you’ve been wearing the wrong size for your entire life.

Measure yourself at home with some measuring tape if you’re struggling to find your size.

You need to take two separate measurements to get the true size you’re looking for. Loop the tape around your back and underneath your bust so that you know your band size. That’s the first number that you’re looking for.

Then take the tape around your back again and over your bust. If you get a 32 under your bust but a 34 over your bust, then your cup size is a B. That’s because the difference is 2 and a B is the second letter of the alphabet.

4. No One Is Naturally Symmetrical

It’s very common and typical for one breast to be bigger than the other one. If you find that’s the case, always round up. For some people, the difference is significant enough to require an expert.

Two different-sized breasts are often accommodated by fitting to the larger breast and adding a removable pad. This ensures that you get a better fit without discomfort. Trying to compress the larger breast into a smaller bra is going to cause unnecessary discomfort that a pad could help to alleviate.

Be careful to find a pad that fits you securely so it doesn’t jostle or move around while you’re going through your day.

5. Beware of a Big Band or Small Cups

You need to have a perfectly-fit bra for your body if you want to feel comfortable wearing a bra for hours at a time.

Look for your breasts to squeeze out of one side of your cups. This will put extra weight on your straps and cause them to dig into your shoulders. While you might be able to alleviate this issue by pulling the straps taut, this isn’t always the solution you need.

If your straps hurt, you may need larger cups.

However, be sure that your bra matches your current body size. If you’ve gained or lost weight recently, you might need a different sized band. Straps that dig into your shoulder also mean that your band is too big.

Your straps are forced to do all of the work when your band is too loose. If you look at your straps in a mirror and you notice that they’re pulling the band up, it’ll be so stretched out that it could wear it out.

Try out these vouchers if you want to figure out how to find something that fits you better.

Learning How To Measure Bra Size Takes Time

Don’t rush if you want to get this right. If you don’t take your time to measure carefully, you’re going to end up continuing to wear bras that don’t fit. Learning how to measure your bra size is a worthwhile effort since the result is going to impact you every day.

If you’ve recently had surgery, check out our guide for finding bras to wear after a procedure.

As research has shown, oral health can directly impact your overall well-being. At the same time, though, keeping your mouth healthy can tend to be expensive, even when you take good care of it. Even relatively simple procedures like a filling can drive up costs due to the necessary x-rays or other needs. 

This can be an especially large inconvenience if you are currently struggling with your income. When living pay check to pay check and without dental insurance, you may not have the ability to pay for a necessary dental procedure. Luckily, though, there are some ways.

Read on to find out about some alternative, low cost dental care options that you can try for your next procedure. 

Clinical Research Trials

Though it may sound risky, clinical research trials are a great, low-cost alternative to typical dental care. These research trials are typically trying out new health care products or services on potential customers to deal with common dental issues. They may also simply be researching the ways these dental issues affect us.

While the word “trial” may sound risky, these are typically well monitored and safe. They also typically offer the dental services you need at no cost at all. You may even make money by attending them!

University Dental School

In trying to train their students, many dental schools around the country need test patients. For that reason, getting your dental care at a local dental school is a great way to keep costs low.

Though having a student work on your mouth may seem strange, many of these future dentists are well-trained and careful as they are being judged by their professors. 

Community Dental Clinic

Community dental clinics are typically available in most cities around the country, especially in inner-city areas. This low cost dental option is available to almost anyone and can offer a wide range of services.

You can find these community clinics with a quick online search or by asking your local hospital.

Affordable Dentist

If you want to go to a certified, private dentist for your dental needs but are still looking to save, look to an affordable one. There is simply nothing like the care of a good dentist, and those that are affordable can provide a great service to you for a fraction of the typical costs.

Affordable dentists will give you great, low prices on any type of insurance and will be especially helpful if you don’t have coverage. Be sure to learn more about an affordable dentist as an option before you choose the right one. 

The Best Low Cost Dental Care

While you may be tempted to leave your dental care off to later, this may be catastrophic to your overall health. That is exactly why low cost dental care exists. If you need dental services, be sure to go to one of these options right away. 

If you’re looking for more tips on how to save money for you and your family, check out some of our other frugal articles!