Yesterday I commented on a popular financial blog about using a debt snowball to pay off debt. Another commenter said she would never use such "psychological aids" or some other derisive name, if she ever found herself in debt.

I commented back, saying she could call it whatever she wanted, but I'd call it what it is: a plan. And if you're going to pay off debt, you either need a plan, or some phenomenal luck.

At 93 degrees, it was the first big test of the year for the thermal curtains today. With the thermostat set at 77, the house is comfortable. Some parts of the house are never comfortable at that setting.

Add that to the list of things I wish I'd bought five years ago.

So the Stingy Scottish Miser Chronicles continue. Yesterday my wife and I went shopping for thermal (also known as blackout) curtains. I'd read about them in comments on financial blogs but never saw much else in the way of first-person testimony about them.

I figure one day's worth of experience with them is better than no information at all.

At Costco today, I found a solar-powered attic fan for $319. I've been thinking about an attic fan for a while. Solar power solves at least one problem very neatly: no need to run wiring to the thing.

The idea is that your attic can reach 150 degrees, and blowing that hot air out removes that heat blanket, so your living space stays cooler and your air conditioner doesn't have to work as hard.

I found a blog: Fivepercent.us is all about saving energy. Over the course of the last 4-5 years, Tom Harrison and his family cut their electric bill in half. I'm impressed.

Various analysts are blaming the current depression on people like me. The reasoning goes like this: I have money in the bank, therefore, I should be out spending it, for the greater good, to stir the economy.

Let's correct that right now.

So my wife wanted to replace the handles on the pantry doors. She went to Lowe's, picked out some handles, and brought them home.

The screws that came with them were too short. So I went to Home Depot (it's two minutes away and open late on Sundays) and bought replacements. I learned something.

I've been seeing news segments and stories about how people are choosing not to replace things, but rather, repair them, saving money in the process, but hurting the big-box stores as well.

I can see how this could be a good thing in the long run, though.

So if you're a CEO of one of the Big Three automakers, you have to fly a private plane, as corporate policy, for safety reasons.

Congress suggested they save money by flying first class, or plane-pool at the very least.

So on Friday, I went to the local Walgreen Drug (no, I won't misuse an apostrophe) to buy Zicam to ward off a cold. I spent $20, and they gave me a $2 coupon. I went again today, spent another $20 on similar products, and got another $2 coupon. And yesterday, Target sent us a coupon for $10 off a $100 purchase.

It seems stores are trying to lure us in. If you're smart, that means savings.