THE DOLLAR STRETCHER

"Living Better...For Less"

October 26, 1998
Volume 3, Number 43

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MONTHLY PRINTED NEWSLETTER
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"The Dollar Stretcher" and Dollar Stretcher, Inc. does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.

In this issue:

Introduction

Miles Per Gallon vs. Miles Per Dollar
by Skip Thomsen

Beating the High Cost of Bed-Wetting
by Pat Hansen

The Natural Handyman
Working With Soft Ducts

The Christmas Book
by Teri Spaulding

My Best Bargain

Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions

NEW ON THE WEB SITE THIS WEEK

Surprise 50th Birthday Party Ideas
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022a.htm

First Time Buyers: House or Duplex?
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022b.htm

Humane Mouse Removal
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022c.htm

The Reluctant Investor:
Pumping and Dumping
by Matt Stamstki
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022d.htm

Eat Better, Spend Less
Krab Royale Casserole
by Julie Davis
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022e.htm

The Frugal Decorator
Organized Pot Storage
by Leah Wynne
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022f.htm

Ask the Master Plumber
New Septic System Smells
by Sherm Turner
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022g.htm

Considering Network Marketing?
by Ralph Helwig
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022h.htm

CopyKat Recipes
Shrimp and Garlic Pasta
by Stephanie Manley
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022I.htm

Is the 'Check Engine' Light a Trick
Ask Bob: The Auto Answer Man
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022j.htm

UPCOMING CHATS

Armchair Millionaire
sponsored by I-Village and Quicken
http://www.armchairmillionaire.com
3rd Monday of Each Month
9:00 to 10:00pm U.S. Eastern Time
"Living Within Your Means"

Hello to all my Frugal Friends!

Came across something neat this week. Could be a great way to keep in touch with friends and relatives using chat rooms. I've tried using chat in the past to meet people, but you almost need to make a date with them and then hope that you end up in the same place at the same time. There's some free software that tells you when your friends are online and then lets you go directly to chat with them. It's a free service called AbbottChat and you'll find it at http://www.abbottsys.com/atchat.html. You'll need a small software program (which is free) and there's no registration or log-in. Can't get much better than that. You know that cousin that you can't talk with because their phone is always tied up with the modem? This could a great way to solve that problem!

Some of you wrote in to mention that we had missed the "Reasons to Budget" article by Jane Chidester. Your editor boneheaded it and managed to get them out of sequence. We'll run it in the near future.

All the Best!
Gary

"We Put Coupons on the Web!"Coupon Central is a revolutionary new coupon site. You can search for money saving coupons for businesses on the Internet or in your own home town!

Anyone with a web browser and a printer can save money and learn about new businesses at the click of a mouse. Sign up for our "My Coupons" program to be notified when coupons for businesses in your zip code become available.

Just what is an "Economy Car?"
Ask six friends what the term "economy car" means and you'll hear mostly about gas mileage. Well, an economy car, by definition, should be economical, right? And "economical" means that it will cost less to own and operate. Well, in many cases, "economical" doesn't have anything to do with gas mileage!
As you'll soon see, the difference in gas mileage from one car to another is almost never a good reason to change cars. Certainly, if you are about to replace your present car anyway, and fuel economy is a factor, you would be wise to pay attention to the miles per gallon figures of your prospective purchase. But buying a more expensive car simply because of its better mileage requires some careful arithmetic to make an intelligent choice.

A Story
Denise now drives a cushy, eight-year-old, air-conditioned Maxicruiser with power just-about-everything. She paid it off years ago. It shows 87,000 miles on the odometer and is still in better-than-average condition. It gets about 14 mpg in town and 20 on the highway. She just got a new job and her Maxi was the only big car in the company parking lot. Everybody else got with the program and bought one of those new, egg-shaped mini-cars, and now, Denise feels the need for a new car, too. In her quest for reasons to replace the Maxicruiser, Denise felt a mini-car would give her "better economy."
After several trips to various new- and used-car dealers, she finally decided on a three-year-old Minicar. The new car was equipped with a five-speed transmission, a nice stereo and air conditioning. It showed 30,000 miles on the odometer. It cost $6995, which she skillfully negotiated down to $6000. The dealer allowed her a trade-in value of $1000 for her Maxicruiser against the purchase price of the Minicar. She was also sold an "extended warranty" for another $400. After subtracting the value of her trade-in as her down payment, she signed a 36-month contract for a balance of a little more than $5400, (financed at 11 percent, that's $180 a month), drove her new car home, and proudly parked it in the driveway. She now had a car just like everyone else's on the block.
Denise wasn't happy to find that her insurance premium had nearly doubled because of the new car. Her agent explained that she had carried no collision on the old Maxicruiser, but since she was financing the new car, the lender insisted she now carry collision. And as expensive as the newer cars were to repair (even a light tap on the front bumper of that Minicar could do more than $1300 damage, she was told), it just wasn't bright to drive without collision coverage, even if it wasn't required. Denise understood, but the extra $220 hurt just the same. Because most of her driving was the commute to work--nearly all highway driving--the Minicar was getting about 33 mpg. Maybe she could make her payments out of what she saved on gas, as the salesman had promised.

The Numbers Tell it All
OK, let's do the math. Denise drives about 15,000 miles per year. The Maxicruiser averaged 17mpg. 15,000 miles at 17 mpg comes to 882 gallons of fuel. At $1.50 a gallon, that's about $1300. The Minicar uses 500 gallons annually at its average of 30 mpg. That comes to $750 for a year's supply of gas. So far, Denise shows a savings of $550/year. The added $220 for insurance coverage not needed for the old car drops her savings to about $330/year, or $27.50 a month. Hardly a car payment, right?
OK, so far she's saving $330 a year, or 27.50 a month. So for driving a car half the size, half the comfort, and a fraction of the safety compared with the sturdy old Maxicruiser, Denise pays about $150 a month more (the $180 payments less the $27.50 savings) to drive the Minicar. Keep track of this figure for a few moments; we'll get back to it. Figuring only principal, interest and the down payment, she will have spent a total of $7480 over the life of the contract. The added insurance cost brings it up another $660, to $8140. But will she be able to live with her basic Minicar for longer than three years? Won't there be sufficient reasons by then to justify another new car? In another three years, she'll have a six-year-old Minicar . . . with 75,000 miles on it . . .

Three Years Later . . .
Let's take a look at the two hypothetical cars after three years. Had Denise kept the Maxicruiser, it would now be showing about 132,000 miles. If she had serviced the car properly during those miles, chances are good that she would have had no major problems. The Minicar would now be reading 75,000 miles. It, too, would probably not have needed any major repairs. The Maxi was worth $1000 three years ago. If it still looks and drives well, it's still worth at least $500. The Mini was worth $6000 three years ago when Denise bought it. At six years and 75,000 miles, it has a market value of about $2000. That's $3500 more depreciation on the Minicar, compared with the Maxi! Add that very real $4000 cost to the $8140 and now Denise has spent a whopping $11,640 over three years on her mini-car. This is economy?!

The Lesson
All of this might sound like I'm recommending never buying another car as long as the old one is still running. Not at all! The lesson in this example is that it's important to consider all of the costs of changing cars, and that depreciation is an important--if not one of the most important--costs to keep in focus. Most cars suffer a huge depreciation loss the first year, and some big losses in the following few years. A ten-year-old car has depreciated to near the bottom of what it will ever be worth as long as it's still in good condition. If you're after maximum miles per dollar, let somebody else pay all that depreciation!

OK, Let's Recap.
If Denise could really afford to spend all that money over the course of three years, then there was certainly nothing wrong with her purchase. But if there were other priorities in her life that got put on hold for this purchase, like maybe a down payment on a house, a course she needed to complete to get a sizable raise, braces for her daughter, or even a lengthy vacation in the tropics, then she unnecessarily deprived herself of things much more important than having a car that blended in better at the office parking lot.
What is key here is making these decisions consciously. And that's often difficult to do in the glittery atmosphere of a car showroom! When money counts, it's essential to look at all of the costs involved, not just gas mileage!
One more "if": If Denise had opted for a new car instead of a three-year-old one, her expenses could have been thousands of dollars higher.
In addition to doing your math when deciding what is and what isn't an "economy car," it's also important to decide whether to even buy the newer car in the first place. Of course, this presumes that you're really, truly seeking economy!

This article is excerpted in part from "The Intelligent Woman's (Used) Car Book" available for $14.95 from Oregon Wordworks, Portland Oregon, or through their website: http://www.mailbooks.com/cars.html.

Does your older-than-toddler-age child wet the bed? Are you tired of watching your money leak away in expensive pull-ups? This article outlines the simplest way I've found to cut pull-up costs.

Supplies Needed:
Several pairs of your child's underwear. Use older pairs, and use them exclusively for this purpose.
Sponges. These are ordinary household sponges from any discount store. I use a 3"x5" size.
Large to extra-large plastic pants that go over cloth diapers.Rummage sales are a good source for these. They are also available at discount stores.
1/4" wide elastic, 10" long for each pair of underwear. (only needed for girls) vinegar

Preparation:
1. Snip a small amount off the four corners of the sponge. Cut a thin amount off the long edges of the sponge, to form a tapered shape.
2. For girls only, cut two pieces of elastic, each 5" long. Sew the elastic to the edges of the crotch area of the underwear (from one side to the other), on the outside. These pieces of elastic will form two loops to slip a sponge into.

Use:
At bedtime, put a drop or two of water on the corners of the sponge, to soften it up. For boys, slip the sponge into the flap in the front of the underwear. For girls, slip the sponge into the elastic loops you sewed onto the underwear. Have the child put on the underwear, with the plastic pants over it. Make sure the underwear is tucked into the plastic pants.

Maintenance:
Each day, put the wet pull-up into a bucket or large plastic bowl. Pour about 1/2 cup of vinegar onto the pull-up, to reduce the smell. In the winter, I keep this bowl in the bathtub. In the warm, humid summer, I keep the bowl in our laundry room in the basement. You could also treat them like cloth diapers. Keep a bucket of water and laundry soap deep enough to cover the pull-ups, and drop them in the bucket each day. To wash, leave the sponges in the underwear. They'll come out in the wash. Use the smallest load setting, with hot water, and about one-third the amount of soap required for a large load. To dry, either line-dry or put in the dryer with a large dry towel, to cut drying time. Replace the sponges when they start falling apart. A sponge will last 3-6 months.

Annual Savings

Cost to make pull-ups:
Underwear, from rummage sales $0.10
(or use those you have on hand)
Sponge $0.70
Plastic pants, from rummage sales $0.10
(cost new is .70 each)
Total cost for each pull-up is $ 0.90

I made four pull-ups, so the total cost was $3.60.

Other costs:
Replacement sponges (3 per year x $0.70 x 4 pull-ups) $8.40
Laundering ($5 per month) $60

TOTAL ANNUAL COST $72

Total annual cost of disposable diapers:
365 days x $0.50 each is $182.50

ANNUAL SAVINGS $110.50

These pull-ups work well if your child is not a heavy wetter. If the sponge isn't enough to hold the water, get a size larger pair of underwear. Sew layers of absorbent cloth inside the underwear. You could use discolored or stained terrycloth dishtowels, worn bath towels, or the top-of-the-foot part of old sweat socks. The pull-up doesn't have to look pretty or win any sewing awards. Forget rainy days: these pull-ups can help you start saving your money for a dry day.

Pat Hansen is the mother of two children, ages 7 and 9. She is also a professional accountant and a published freelance writer.

Down with allowances! Up with money-smart kids! Send for Pat Hansen's booklet, 'Money-Smart Kids in Six Easy Steps'. Regularly $3.50, it is offered to Dollar Stretcher readers for $3.00 from: Pat Hansen 103 Cottonwood Lane, Dept A Yankton, SD 57078

Dear NH,
As a new homeowner and a handyman-wannabe myself, I must thank you for your outstanding page. With your help, I just finished re-installing our guest bathroom toilet from the wax ring up. And as it still doesn't seem to flush very well, it's off to the roof to attack the vent.
After this, I must try to figure out why my office is the only room in the house that doesn't get cooled efficiently by the central A/C system.
It's most likely because I'm the one in the family who likes it the coldest! Unfortunately, the soft duct leading to the room goes from the attic up into a crawl space over a finished room and the builders didn't include any access panels to look for clogs or kinks or leaks. I'll have to find him and thank him sometime. Any suggestions for how to tackle this one before next summer?
Again, thanks for your excellent page and great sense of humor - toilet humor, as it was :)
-- PN

PN,
You may be right that the soft duct is slightly crushed. It is also possible, though, that the flexible duct is just too long. Those ducts cause lots of resistance to air movement--far more than rigid metal ducts--which might explain the low volume.
You can try to compensate by "balancing the system". This is a fancy name for creative closing, fully or partially, of all registers to the colder rooms (during AC season, that is... the reverse for the heating season). This forces the HVAC fan to overcome the resistance in the duct and force more air to your office.
Good luck, and thank you for the kind words.
The Natural Handyman

Have a small home repair question for THE NATURAL HANDYMAN? Just click on this URL: http://www.naturalhandyman.com/aitikia/aitikia.htm.or more home repair information, visit our growing index of original home repair articles and quality links at THE NATURAL HANDYMAN... http://www.naturalhandyman.com. Get a monthly home repair wake-up call with the free Natural Handyman Newsletter! Tips, hints, links, and surprises, delivered right to your Emailbox. To subscribe http://www.naturalhandyman.com/newsltr/newsltr.htm or send an email to Subscribe@naturalhandyman.com

For many people, Christmas triggers stress. The decorations are up in some stores and the commercials for toys begin. It's no wonder we start feeling a little rushed to get started. For me the answer was to make a Christmas Book. A Christmas Book will help organize the holiday and can save you money. Many of heard of the Christmas Book but don't know how to make one.

To get started get a three ring binder. Fill it with dividers with tabs. Now there is a bit of work. Make a list of categories for your book. Some examples are, Inside, Outside, Gifts, crafts, Kid Parties, Menus, Recipes, Lists, Videos/Books, Songs, Traditions Lists, Calendars. Anything that you want to keep track of. These categories are placed on the tabs.

I started with menus. I save them from year to year. I keep menus for breakfast, brunches, lunches, dinners, tree trimming party, kids' party, any party I think of. At times I have made up sample menus to try.

On the back of each menu I keep a list of all ingredients needed. This is where you can save a little money. I decide now on a menu and I move it to a category called "this year." I am then able to buy staples (some on sale), which won't go bad now. This will free up money during the holidays when a few extra dollars might be needed.

I keep my recipes in alphabetical order in a category called "recipes." I keep recipes to try in alphabetical order behind my tried and true recipes. Remember that this book is for you. Your book may have a separate category for recipes to try, or you might want subcategorizes like desserts, meats, vegetables, etc.

Most of your categories will be self explanatory. You will become more creative as your book ages. In the song category you might start with the popular or traditional songs, then expand to lesser-known or funny songs.

After decorating the house, take pictures of every display. Next year you will know exactly where everything was. If you want to make changes, make a list of what you wanted to change. I also make a list of things to buy so I can get them at the after-Christmas sales. With pictures you can use the same displays form year to year, rotate displays or make new displays each year.

After putting up the outside decorations, take photos. I mark on one photo where to start the lights and how many strands are hooked together. I also make lists of what I want to change and what I need to buy for next year.

I keep a list of traditions we celebrate and a list of traditions in others' homes. Each family gets a separate list. This way, when we stay with others I can prepare my children for traditions that might be different from ours. It also helps me to incorporate the traditions of people that visit us.

In the "list" category, keep all the original lists you might use. I also would keep copies of these lists ready to use. Some examples might be to change wrapping paper, stocking stuffers, gift list, card list. I bring some of these lists to the after-Christmas sales; I keep some to help me buy yearround and others are just for organizing.

After a Christmas Book you might start books for other holidays or a book with small celebrations. Remember you can make a book as simple or as elaborate as you want. Good luck.

Teri Spaulding is a wife and mother of four. She enjoys the holidays at a very easy pace and likes to organize everything.

I had seen a big color two-page advertisement in my newspaper from a butcher. Buy 160 pounds of beef and get a certain amount of chicken, pork, sausage, or hot dogs free. The best deal was 240 pounds of meat for $1.19 per pound hanging weight; (pounds were lost to trimming and bones, plus a $0.20 per pound cutting and wrapping fee). I asked my mother for advice, and she said it sounded almost too good to be true, and normally you get cuts of meat you don't like, or cannot use. Also she reminded me that my freezer is only a 3.8 cubic foot, and would only hold 120 pounds of food.

I started looking in the advertisements for grocery stores. I found boneless/skinless chicken breast for $1.99 a pound. I froze the chicken breast on cookie sheets, and then put it into ziploc bags. Now I can pull out as many chicken breast as needed with no waste. Next I found a boneless pork loin for $1.69 a pound. This was cut in to boneless pork chops and frozen the same way. I then found a big ham shank for $0.69 a pound. The butcher at the store happily cut the whole ham up into 1/2 inch ham steaks. Ham steaks can cost up to $2.50 a pound! I wrapped each ham steak in waxed paper and put three or four steaks in ziploc bags. My final meat bargain was bottom rump roast for $1.19 a pound. I took my electric knife, sliced up the roasts like steaks, and wrapped them in waxed paper like the ham.

I was able to get 64 pounds of meat I know my family likes, without any waste, for $61.08! I also bought 20 one-pound bags of frozen veggies for $0.78 each. I figure I have 40 ready-to-go meals for my family with meat, vegetables, and a starch of rice, noodles, potato, or homemade bread. The cost per dinner is approximately $1.91 plus the cost of the starch for my family of four. Best of all, no casseroles for my picky family, and I still have room in my freezer to store other sale items.

(editor's note: Please send your 'Best Bargains' to Gary@Stretcher.com.)

TIPS, QUIPS, QUOTES AND QUESTIONS

I have a big island flower bed in my front yard full of azaleas, perennials, etc... We live in a small neighborhood right outside of city limits. There are four dogs across the street, no fences, chains, etc.. and, guess what? They are males and they love to come into my flower bed and do their business. The urine is burning up my plants. I have small white fences around all my other individual bushes because they were damaging them but I hate to put a fence around this large bed. Anyone have any suggestions on a deterrent? I know you can buy the granules at the home stores, but they are usually expensive and don't last once it rains. Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Debbie C

I've had a couple of spills in my otherwise clean oven lately. I'd like to clean it before it gets out of hand but I'm not too comfortable with the idea of the toxic commercial oven cleaners. Are there any frugal and safe methods for cleaning an oven?
Thank you
Nicole

Please send your answers to: gary@stretcher.com. We'll include the best solutions in future issues.

I just threw a surprise 50th birthday party for my mom, so I've got a few suggestions for Lois' friend. If she has started planning far enough in advance, she could consider: Creating a timeline of local, national, and world events that correspond with major events in the birthday person's life (ex. JFK's assassination, moon landing, etc.). Also consider including special songs, pictures of famous TV and movie stars, etc. Sending a "memory book" page to each of the guests. Have them write down a special story about themselves and the birthday person (and include a picture if they have one). Assemble this and have it on a special table at the party. (This fits in well with a "This is Your Life" type party)
Other ideas:
Have a "sock hop" or some other theme party that reflects the person's teenage years (hippies, etc.) Have all the guests dress appropriately. Consider hiring an entertainer who specializes in this era.
Have a short (10 question or so) quiz as a party game. Ask questions about the birthday person, and be sure to include some that very few people would know the answers to. Award door prizes to the top winners.
-- Jennifer

Ask everyone to bring 50 of something. When I turned 30, a friend had a party for me and asked everyone to bring 30 of something. It was a hoot. Not only did I enjoy opening the presents, but everyone enjoyed seeing what others brought. I got things like: 30 blow pops, a homemade card that had "30" written with nickels, 30 Band-Aids, 30 cheap razors, 30 half dollars, 30 black candles, 30 paper doilies, 30 bottles of hotel shampoo, 30 pieces of gum....
-- Nancy

ed's note: more surprise party ideas at http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022a.htm

The better you know yourself and your family, the easier it will be to make the single family vs. two-family decision. Financially, it is wonderful to have help with your mortgage and have additional tax deductions as well. A double is a good first home because you can eventually save enough to buy a single and keep the double for income. But, you have to learn landlord/tenant laws, screening processes and be willing to be bothered when you are busy. Also, you should not set yourself up to have to rely on the rent to make your payment, because in the event of default of the tenant, you do not want to be affected.
You need to understand your market to know what to pay. A trip to your library should reveal what sold for how much in the recent past, including size, etc. Start driving around and check out the comps. A Realtor can print out a price comp for you as well. In many places, in order to work with a Realtor you have to sign agreements, but they are not binding if you decide you would rather work with someone else. Besides checking out the library, you need to start attending some open houses to get an idea of what is out there.
Most importantly, you need to start with at least two lenders to see what they will allow you to purchase and the best thing you can do is get yourself pre- approved. It is not usually necessary to pay any fees at all for this service. Always remember the lenders make money from you. You are the customer. Once you see the financial options you can use simple financial programs to determine the best amount of down payment etc. in your individual situation.
Good luck, you are at the beginning of an exciting time.
Judy C
real estate broker, Certified Property Manager

ed's note: you'll find more Duplex vs. Home and first time buying advice at http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022b.htm

This trick works great and won't kill the mice: sprinkle ground cayenne around the garage (inside & out), and especially near entry holes. The critters can't stand the stuff!
-- DJM

We too had mice and the first line of defense is to seal up their entryways into the garage/house. I used steel wool because they can't chew through it. Also, remove any food sources that could be attracting them to that particular site. Believe it or not, those commercial rodent bait/poisons DO work. Also, you can use the sticky glue traps with a tiny dab of peanut butter in the middle to stick and trap them as well. It took four months to finally get rid of our mice problem but as long as you are consistent and don't give up you will get rid of those pests!
-- Mrs. V. W.
Phoenix, AZ

ed's note: more suggestions on getting rid of mice at http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981022c.htm

A few years ago, I made my daughter into a Tootsie Roll. Use cardboard for the middle and two paper bags for the ends. Paint the Tootsie roll name in white on two sides of the cardboard and the orange stripe around the bags. Glue the bags to the ends of the cardboard tube and tie them with tape to look like they are twisted. I cut a hole in the middle of the cardboard and painted my daughter's face brown with face paint.
-- Shellie F.
Geneva, OH

Your "Frugal Face" writer mentioned how she doubles up on some of her make-up products to use in different capacities such as a blush to be used as an eyeshadow. What she neglected to mention was that many makeup products (blush included) are not intended to be used around the eyes. Some makeup products contain ingredients that are not safe and should not be used in or around the eye area.
-- Jennifer

Our propane company also has "unadvertised" specials: In late June or July I call them and ask them to mail me a "contract"... I tell them how many gallons of LP I want, then they give me their price. Last year I paid 58 cents a gallon; this year I paid 45 cents. My brother got even a better deal--43 cents--the day he called!
The companies sell this low because: you're agreeing to pay upfront for the fuel you'll be using (in my case I pay for a year's worth), and you're ordering it at a time of year when normal sales are low and prices reflect that too.
My company stores it and comes out once a month to top off my tank and then leaves a ticket in the door telling me how many gallons of my prepay LP I have left. (Can you tell I live in a rural area?)
Now if you use electric heat, you may want to get a "time of day" user contract with your electric company. Basically you get a discount for all electricity consumed between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m. (This is a low-use period and they want to encourage people to "spread" their electricity load over the whole day.) They'll come install a special meter that will record two daily readings for you and separate the usage by time of day.
With my utility company, I generally can use twice the electricity at night and pay half as much for it. The billing statement always gives a comparison to show how much money I saved that month using time of day... generally it's $20 or $25 every month!
-- Kim L.
Spirit Lake, IA

editor's note: more reader's tips at http://www.stretcher.com/stories/981026t.htm

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