It's so lovely that your friends have found each other and are getting married. But, it can be challenging to express your congratulations--in gift form--without feeling the pinch. The best way to balance out being cheap is to be super thoughtful. Thus, not every one of these gifts will be fitting for every couple. Read on for our ideas on wedding gifts that won't break the bank.

After all the excitement of December, January can sometimes feel a bit ... flat. For the observant bum, however, there are many ways to take advantage of the first month of the year. Get it started right, as they say. We do of course mean with looking for great seasonal deals.

As we reported earlier, crowdfunding is an increasingly popular way to get money for your project, especially if you don't have rich parents. It just so happens that our favorite L.A. speakeasy-folk band, Smithfield Bargain, is raising money for their new album, and thought we'd ask what their experience has been.

Us bums have been busy. Between running the site back-end, day jobs, and hitting up BrokeLA events, our schedules are pretty packed. But we are still making time to change the world. Word Bum is committed to Team in Training, Design Bum is about to make his way to Ethiopia, and Head Bum is collecting her friends' causes. Sure, we've all heard mo' money, mo' problems. But, for these causes near to our hearts, we're betting the opposite is true. And sure, your tax-deductible donation will go far, but there are also ways to get involved without spending a penny.

Last week we got a call from the bank about some suspicious activity on our credit card. No, we did not buy parking in Chicago or groceries in Wisconsin. At the beginning of this week, Facebook asked us if we had been attempting to login from the Middle East. No, Facebook, not this week. Unrelated, sure, but these incidents reminded us that we have a responsibility to attempt to protect ourselves. Whether we've been lazy or unaware of the danger, there are a few ways we can go about some basic identity protection.

Here at RentFoodBroke we have spent quite a lot of time thinking about ways to mitigate or undo our personal debt. It's been a great couple years, but it seems like our market (that would be you) isn't really interested in reducing expenditure by getting more bang for the buck or paying down high credit card premiums. So, we've decided to shift our focus. We'd like to join the 1%, so we're going to act like we are already there by making 10 Quarter-Year Resolutions about how to spend more.

I just saw another Walmart commercial talking about how layaway is back for Christmas. Who's pumped!?! Well at least 2,841 people who took a poll on about.com are excited along with the 829 who supported a Facebook campaign to bring it back to Walmart are. This is a pretty interesting move to get people spending more on the holidays.

One of the easiest way to keep your savings account growing is simply not to spend money. It would make sense to always search for and go with the best deal, but that’s not always the case. Their are two other important aspects to consider when bargain shopping: time and long term value. The cheapest items can sometimes end up costing you a great deal more than you’d think.

Before you buy, get quotes and brush up on your negotiating technique. My mom used to tell me to let my fingers do the walking and call places before driving around to see if they had what you were looking for. The same thing goes with cars. Online quotes are your golden ticket to the best deal.

Whether you’re looking for a loan or to pay with cash, look at your budget and determine the maximum you can spend. It is important to determine this price or monthly payment before even researching or getting ready to buy. It’s easy to see different models or more features and think the price in manageable in the heat of the moment. Be honest with yourself about what you can afford, as much as your car is a statement as to who you are and your style, most importantly it’s a tool and a big financial commitment.