"Living Better...For Less"
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In this issue:
Introduction
Credit Card Tricks
North of the Border
Finding the Best Ticket Price
A Money Quote
Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions
New on The Dollar Stretcher Website
Hello to all my Frugal Friends!
One site that your smaller children might find interesting is www.emailsanta.com. They can safely email a letter to Santa. Emailing Santa together with your child is a great way to keep their expectations
reasonable (after all, even Santa has to budget). If you'd like some holiday humor you can read the letters that come in to Santa's email box. There's even some reindeer games that your kids will enjoy.
Before we get into this week's issue we want to take a moment and wish a very happy Chanukkah to all our Jewish friends. May it be a blessed time for you and your family.
All the Best!
Save Up to 78% on Great Holiday Gift and Decoration Ideas
Wine gift bags, Throws, Pillows, Rugs, Table Linen, Bags and many
many more items.
Credit card companies use numerous legal, but underhanded tricks to get more of your cash. Even if you have recently switched your credit card balance to a card with a low interest rate, beware!
Credit card companies are required by law to post your payment to your account on the day it is received. But they often use some sly tricks to avoid doing that, legally. Here are some ways you can outwit the credit tricks, and make sure you don't fall prey to losing your low interest rate and/or having to pay a late fee.
1) Be sure you write as neatly as possible. Credit card companies are legally allowed to hold for five days and re-route all "illegible" payments to another department..
and thus your payment will be "late" before it is posted.
2) Never include an additional note about anything in with your payment. If you are adding additional money in your payment for the principle, (i.e. making more than the minimum payment due), do NOT add an extra note with your check, and do NOT write on your payment stub. All payments received with extra notes are also legally allowed to be held and routed to a different department... and thus your payment will be "late" before it is posted.
3) Make your payment twice every month, instead of just once. If you break your payment in half, and send it in twice each month, making sure that both payments are received well before the final due date, you eliminate some of the interest which accrues. This may not be a huge amount per month, or may not seem like very much when you do this for just one credit card. But if you have multiple credit card debt, and you can afford to only make the minimum payments required, using this method will save you a significant amount of money when added up over time, and you won't have to spend any more money to pay your bill than you already are now.
And after all, keeping more of our hard earned cash in our own pockets is what it is all about!
From the free weekly newsletter Shoestrings, by Elaine Silverman.
A sample of Shoestrings can be found at www.newsightpublications.com/shoestrings or can be requested from shoestrings@newsightpublications.com
Viewing or requesting a sample will NOT subscribe you.
Of course my neighbours think I'm crazy, but with snow flurries in the air, I fired up the lawn mower and concentrated on fertilizing my lawn, and that of my elder neighbour. I was working with the piles of leaves that have fallen from maple, apple, pear and beech trees. We don't rake leaves around our place. As they fall we use what is needed to lay a layer of mulch in the vegetable garden. We use leaves to mulch around tender plants (tree peonies, heather, roses & etc) before running the lawn mower over the remaining carpet - several times. We never purchase lawn and garden fertilizer. Leaves do the trick for us. By bagging leaves and putting at curbside for take-away, you are throwing a quite a few "fertilizer" dollars into your local landfill. Cutting with a lawn mower in the late autumn/early winter and letting nature take its course with the resultant leaf mulch will ensure that your lawn comes up green and a little healthier in the spring. Mower cut mulched leaves break down nicely during the winter so that there is very little residue to rake in the spring.
There is one exception to cutting leaves with a lawn mower. In our part of Canada, salt and sand are used extensively on highways and byways. When big road plows come through, slush and snow containing salt and sand is thrown unto boulevards. To combat the effects of this lethal "cocktail" we leave a thick layer of leaves on the boulevard to act as a winter mat. This leaf mat collects the "cocktail" all winter. As soon as possible in early spring, we rake carefully roll-rake from sidewalk to roadside. Because it is so thick the leaf cover rolls up, salt and sand included, just like a mat. After it is deposited at curbside, town crews are kind enough to take it away. If such service is not available in your community, there are several uses for the mat, that is now easily handled. It can be laid against a fence - or anywhere that you are trying to control weeds. It should not be put on your garden as it is full of salt and sand. When I know the dressing soil won't be used for several years, I have put mats in a large open compost and let nature take its course.
Want a tip about a free winter wrap for trees? Automotive body repair shops up our way get bumpers wrapped in white insulative packaging that looks a lot like sheets of pliable plastic paper. I have no idea what the official name is for this material. These sheets make excellent insulative wrap for tender trees. I wrap the trunks of wisteria and kiwi. My mission figs are blanketed with the material and it works. Check your nearest automotive body repair shop to see if they receive this material - and what they do with it. I scoop it FREE because it is slated for a landfill site.
A reader asked about preserving newspaper clippings. Do I have the solution for him. This little tip was given to me by my grandmother. I have clippings from her collection dating to 1907 that are in excellent shape. They haven't browned, brittled or disintegrated. The estimated life span for newspaper clippings preserved in this way is 200 years. Dissolve one milk of magnesia tablet in one quart of club soda. Let sit overnight. Pour this mixture into a pan large enough to hold the flattened clipping. Soak the clipping for one hour, remove carefully to a mat of paper towels. Pat dry and leave on the mat until completely dry. If you don't use paper towels, use a tea towel as a mat.
What about empty margarine tubs, someone asked who suffers a rain of tubs every time she opened her cupboard door. How about using them to store nuts, bolts, screws, nails & etc in basement or garage. Put a sticky label on each to indicate what tub holds which item. Stack them alphabetically. Store dried fruits and vegetables in them. They are excellent containers for freezer use and hold two servings of stew, chili, soup & etc. I use them to store crayons, small toys, doll's clothing, rubber stamps . . . Children view them as "treasure" because them never know what is under the lid of a margarine tub in their toy chest. Store office supplies in tubs. Label each to indicate, stamps, paper clips, elastics . . . Use as flower pots. Punch holes in the bottom and use lids as saucers. Tubs are good for mixing paints and cleaning paint brushes. They make good containers for garden seeds, craft supplies and found collectibles. One fellow I know keeps small semi-precious stones in margarine tubs. Another makes art objects of tubs with paint, buttons, feathers, artificial stones and costume jewelry. He used to give them to residents in nursing homes, and to church groups that held rummage sales. His tubs are getting so sophisticated now that he sells them at craft shows. Some of his early models are selling for a good price on the "secondary market". Imagination can be a great asset, can't it.
Periodically Pat Mestern provides us with frugal living tips from a
Canadian perspective. Her family is responsible for The Scottish
Shop www.scottishshop.com. Please drop by and visit.
Copyright 1998-99 www.valulinks.com
It the wild and wacky world of "airfare wars", the rate you pay for an airline ticket all depends on where, when and how you buy your tickets.
The farther in advance you plan your flight and the more flexible you can be with your schedule, will result in a lower airfare rate.
Here are some general guidelines you should follow when booking any type of airline reservation:
Here is a list of sources you should check out before ever calling a travel agent or airline. They are organized in the order you should explore prior to giving your credit card number for a ticket reservation.
Going through a courier company is by far the cheapest way to fly, period. How much cheaper? Sometimes more than half off the lowest coach fare. So what's the catch?
Courier companies offer extremely low priced airfares to individuals willing to "sacrifice" their luggage allowance for a particular flight. In other words, you will be carrying their "luggage" in the place of yours.
These are legal temporary arrangements that are done thousands of times everyday and can be an excellent money saving opportunity (if you can part with your luggage space).
Remember, legitimate courier companies can only operate with a license, and 99% of the time you never even see/touch the "luggage" you are transporting. You simply meet a representative a few hours before the flight and hand papers to a representative once you arrive at your destination.
Consolidators buy tickets in bulk and then pass the savings on to you by selling the tickets at a discounted rate. Expect an average discount of 20% off regular airfare ticket prices.
One disadvantage that you'll find, is that flights booked through consolidators aren't as frequent as you might like. If your schedule is time/day specific, you might not be able to find an accommodating flight.
You can find information about quite a number of consolidating companies in the travel section of any major metropolitan newspaper (particularly within the Sunday edition). Look for the ads offering "super low rate airfares".
Use resources on the Internet to help save you money off your next airline ticket. Get prices quotes from term specific searches and even direct access to online reservation systems.
Beware, the price quotes that you find at a web site are JUST the price quotes in that particular database. Another site or airline might be offering a lower rate that is NOT listed in their database, and in turn, will not show up on a search query.
Here are some resources to help you start your online search for low priced airfares:
Most major airlines now offer special email notifications to inform subscribers about special discounts and last minute "deals". Simply go to the home page of any major airline and look for the appropriate subscribe option.
You will then receive email notifications of special airfare rates. For example, on a Sunday night, you might receive the following: 'Flight number XXX from Seattle to Miami leaving Tuesday departure time 2am - half price $189 round trip'.
You'll find many great airfare prices, but you'll also find that most flights depart in a matter of days, giving you very little time to prepare. However, if you fly regularly and foresee flights in the near future, check your email for possible savings!
After you have explored all your options, contact a few travel agents to see what they can offer. You might come across a deal or two.
Travel agents will be able to check the airfares amongst ALL the airlines they deal with and possibly suggest less expensive flights that fit your scheduled plan. It pays to check with a few travel agents before buying, in order to get the lowest priced ticket possible.
Usually if you want to purchase a product/service for the lowest price possible, you would buy directly from the source. Not in the case for airline tickets.
Since airlines know that people are going to fly "the friendly skies", and most will not take the time to research their opportunities, airlines can charge whatever they want (especially during the holidays).
The only time you should call an airline is to check and see how much money you saved by exploring your other options. Your pocketbook will thank you for taking the time to investigate lower ticket rates.
Gregory Thomas edits "Money Saving Tips" - www.valulinks.com Your source for FREE articles, tips and advice designed to help you save money. You can also take advantage of our free bi-weekly "Money Saving Tips" newsletter for added money saving opportunities.
"If your outgo exceeds your income, than your upkeep will be your downfall."
To receive three Great Quotes on a common theme each weekday, send a blank email to GreatQuotes-subscribe@egroups.com
How do you say....
My boss is a jerk.
Say it with pictures! Send online Photo Greeting Cards.
I recently started a food buying group by contacting a
friend whose husband is a wholesale food rep. We met
and I gave him an initial list of what type foods we
were interested in. I made up an order form and
several of us placed a $1,200 order. Our next order
topped $2,000 and the last $3,000. I learned some
very valuable (expensive) lessons.
You can get
too big. Handling the money becomes a nightmare if
you don't have some strict rules. We have several
congregations worth of people ordering. Some changes
we have made include
On another tangent... How do you find a food
wholesaler ? They sell to restaurants, nursing homes,
schools etc. Ask someone at a local nursing home for
the name and phone number of their reps. These people
work on commission. They WILL talk to you if you plan
on ordering $500 or more. Less than that really is
not worth their time because you won't be a weekly
customer. Also, remember bigger is not always
cheaper. We save some serious money on some items...
but other items are MUCH higher than you can find in
the grocery store every day.
Check to see if your employer has a medical spending program. This is a
program whereby a specified amount of money is taken out of your paycheck on
a pretax basis. It cuts down on you taxes and you can send in for
reimbursements immediately at January 1 of each year, even if the full
amount has not been taken out yet.
Another option is to begin to prepay immediately with your selected
orthodontist, before your child has braces put on.
Also you can perhaps look for a younger orthodontist that may be
starting his/her own practice right out of their training program. Often
their fees are lower and they may be willing to take a portion of the fee
off for a confirmed referral. This latter option you may even be able to
work out with a more established doctor.
Above all, do not be afraid to approach the doctor himself/herself (in
fact if you are going to propose something out of the ordinary, start with
the doctor). Oftentimes, the billing people will tell that something is not
possible when the doctor will agree to a proposal. This is because the
billing/administrative/secretarial people are working from a set of ground
rules but the doctor has the ultimate say.
Hannah
Editor's note: more suggestions at www.stretcher.com/stories/99/991129a.cfm
Some easy inexpensive decorations are...
Editor's note: more great holiday decorating ideas at www.stretcher.com/stories/99/991129b.cfm
Please send your tips to gary@stretcher.com with "Tips" as the subject. If you'd like to receive more tips please subscribe to Dollar Stretcher Tips by sending a blank email to subscribe-ds-tips@xc.org
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Less Expensive Braces
Homemade Holiday Decorations
Making a List, Checking It Twice
New College Savings Programs
Envelope Stuffing
Simple Room Make-Overs
De-Stressing the Holidays!
Replacing a Bath Tub
Bad Battery, Or?
Conquering The Paper Piles In Your Home
Time to Lock In Your Variable Mortgage?
Lessons in Disaster Preparedness
Beware of Hidden Damage on Used Cars
Financing a Home Remodeling Project
The Right Sign for Your Business
Finding a Free ATM
Credit Card 'Gift Offers' Come With a Catch
A Business That Gives to the Community Gets Many Returns
Reverse Mortgages Help Seniors Cash In Without Cashing Out
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Copyright 1999 "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc.". All rights reserved unless specifically noted.
Write to the Dollar Stretcher at:
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by Elaine Silverman
Mulch and Other Thoughts
by Pat Mestern
by Gregory Thomas
courtesy of Great Quotes!
Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
With this issue we get full into the swing of the holidays. Shopping, baking, parties and travel will all demand our attention. We'll try to give you some help to keep your sanity and your budget intact!
Gary
Our Sponsor
at Incredible Bargains!
Credit Card Tricks
by Elaine Silverman
newsightpublications@newsightpublications.com
Ms. Silverman has been certified as a Debt Reduction And Credit Consultant.
North of the Border
Mulch and Other Thoughts
by Pat Mestern
pat.mestern@scottishshop.com
You'll find some of her other musings at www.mestern.net.
Finding the Best Ticket Price
by Gregory Thomas
Airline Auction
www.skyauction.com
Budget Travel Online
www.frommers.com
Expedia
www.expedia.com
A Money Quote
courtesy of Great Quotes!
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a) each group orders for
themselves with the rep.
b) If that were not the
case, it is important to have one check for the group-
as opposed to 20 checks.
c) Charge a fee to join the
group and use it to establish a checking account for
your food buying group. Don't do what I did and work
out of your own checking account.
d) have a rule
that you must volunteer to help divide up the order
when the truck comes- Not everyone but one person CAN
NOT do it alone
e)Require on time pick up OR charge
a late pick up fee. I have babysat people's food in
my garage for weeks. It can be very annoying.
f)Don't
get into splitting cases. Take the whole case or work
it out with a friend and divide it elsewhere.
g) Have
two people check the money.
h) Be sure people
understand that sometimes the truck comes and things
are not on it. They get their money back and if they
yell...they may want to find another group. I hope I
don't sound like a shrew. I have two cases of Karo
syrup in my garage that someone ordered - then swore
she did not. I have no use for $72 in corn syrup...
which came out of my checking account. As a protection
for everyone, people need to think through the rules.
Francie B.
--Hot glue a ribbon to the top of a pine cone and tie a bow. The pine
cones can be spray painted or left natural, depending on your
decorating style.
--Make up a kids' dough recipe, cut out shapes with cookie cutters,
pierce a hole in the top and bake, then paint. Make sure kids know
they're not edible. Alternately, you can make actual cookies and let
the family munch them.
--large candy canes
--ribbons tied in bows throughout the tree
--silk flowers
--You can buy unfinished flat wooden shapes like hearts in craft and
sewing stores for about $2-$3 per 50 or so. Paint them and
personalize them, then either drill a hole to hand or hot glue a
ribbon on.
--Ruined Christmas ornaments can be re-used... if the silk threads
come off the plastic balls, paint the balls and glue ribbon or beads
around them. Chipped paint on glass ornaments can be removed with
some homemade solvents (a web search should turn up recipes, I can't
remember offhand), and they can then be filled with dried flower
petals or you can dribble paint inside and let it run in interesting
patterns.
--You can use plastic canvas and yarn to quickly make little 2" boxes
that look like presents. Simply use any stitch you like on 6 squares
and then join them in a square and form a bow on top and hang. I
stitch in an alternate color up the sides so it looks like they're
really tied with ribbons.
--Small children's toys or booties can be sentimental ornaments and
cute.
--Jewelry works, especially with Victorian trees. Anything from drop
earrings to gold bracelets can add sparkle and charm.
--You can buy beads and fake pearls by the yard in sewing stores for
much cheaper than garland in stores. Besides draping it the
traditional way, you can cut smaller lengths and drape them over
branches like icicles.
--Craft sites on the net can provide lots more ideas too.
Alicia
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