Reader's Tips

We use the "Private Issue" card by Discover. You get 2% cash back after the first $5000. You work your way up to that rate incrementally. We put everything possible on it. Of course you pay it off every month. The bill is broken out by type of purchase i.e. auto, entertainment, groceries etc. so it helps categorize your expenses at a glance for your budget.
--Wes G.
Dallas, Texas

We have the "Giant Food Visa" card issued by Chevy Chase Bank. We found that it had the right combination of features for us. First, no annual fee. Second, all the normal advantages of a gold card (for the gold card version). Finally, we get "free groceries" in the amount of 3% of all Giant Food purchases and 1% of all other purchases. Every quarter we get mailed coupons that are essentially Giant gift certificates in the appropriate amount.

We calculated that $300 a month in groceries (most spent at Giant anyway) translates into $9/month, even if we didn't spend anything else. Sure we "have to" spend it on groceries, but we were going to do that anyway. It frees up other money to go straight into savings.

You should be able to pick up an application at any Giant Food store. If there isn't one in your area, the card won't be of much use to you anyway.
--sKw

editor's note: more suggestions on cash back credit cards at: http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971121c.htm.

Is the remaining balance that you owe on your minivan more than you could get for selling the vehicle? If so, get the thing paid off as soon as possible. See if paying off the monthly in 2 installments per month (that is 1/2 + 1/2) is possible - it could save you from some of the interest from that month.

If the car is worth enough to trade-in and not have you wallow in left-over debt, wait until the end of the new model year is over, many companies/dealers offer better financing incentives, some as low as 2.9, 3.9. Or - sell the thing and buy a cheaper, used vehicle.

As to the credit card debt - good luck.
--Rina B.

A few years ago we found out we were expecting another child. We had no insurance to pay for the birth, and finances were tight. One day I looked out the window at our two late model vehicles and something clicked.

We sold both vehicles in the paper. We sold them for more than we owed on each, making about three thousand on each. My husband bought an old small pickup for 1,300.00 and we bought a ten year old large station wagon for 2,300.00 (Room enough for kids, dogs and equipment). The stated price on both vehicles was about double what we actually paid. Don't be afraid to dicker.

Not only did we gain cash, we lost two car payments, saving over 550.00 a month. Because we own our cars outright, we don't have to carry comprehensive insurance. Savings of another 75.00-90.00 dollars a month. Also, we live in a state that bases its licensing fees on value. Instead of 280.00 a year per vehicle, we now pay around 60.00. MORE savings!

Sure, I pay a little more in gas. I actually haven't ever had anything go wrong with my wagon. They built 'em good back in the eighties. Soon we'll trade it in. On another old wagon, just a few years newer.

I feel great every time I get in my car. Its paid for! I feel smug everytime I drive by someone in their fancy new car. I can just see the dollars flowing away to payment, insurance, taxes.
--Hallie P

editor's note: had some great suggestions on this question. Many were too long to summarize here. You can find them at: http://www.stretcher.com/stories/971121d.htm. Thanks to everyone who shared their ideas!

I know of a good web site that will help determine which long- distance company is best for an individual's calling patterns...
www.teleworth.com
Once you input your calling pattern (it helps to have a recent phone bill handy), it gives a quote from the major long- distance companies, as well as some of the new, smaller ones. The analysis includes international and calling-card calls.
I've found this site to be very helpful.
--Sandy

Just wanted to let your subscribers know that there is a OAMC email list, for recipes and discussion of Once a Month Cooking. Send mail to Majordomo@ListService.net with the following command in the body of your email message:
subscribe oamc-digest
Or, for individual posts, subscribe oamc

--Paulette B.

Although this has not appealed to me in the past(I like more variety than this), when I read it this time, it gave me the idea to pare it down to once a month cooking about 5 or 6 meals. That way on those harried days when I am tempted to go out to eat, we will have something available.
--Sherri P

At one time I lived near a "clothing factory." I went to the and found that they sold huge bags of scrap cloth for $3.00. Also, leftover fabric and ridiculously low prices. I found I bought much too much and ended up giving it away, but I saved larger pieces and those that were my favorites.

This year I used some Christmas fabric to make bags with handles to "wrap" my grandchildren's gifts in. The bags were tailored to fit the size of the package I was wrapping. In my case racetrack boxes for six grandsons. Once the bag was made, I slipped the box inside and used crochet thread to loosely stitch the top together so it would be "wrapped." These bags can be hung on a hanger and then used to store the racetrack when not in use. I did the same thing for my granddaughters gifts only in sizes that fit their packages. You could do the same thing with any scraps you have around, then use curling ribbon which is very inexpensive just after Christmas for next year.

I love saving money and when you "look" around you "find" ways to save.
--Charlotte

Quick tip on liquid soap dispensers: attach a rubber band. You'll use about 1/2 as much soap, but it's plenty to suds up with.
--Jennifer

I am in the lending business and have found that there are quite a few people that end up in bankruptcy due to uninsured medical bills. When these people realize they can not pay them, the end up in bankruptcy. They often get advice from lawyers to charge off all possible bills because they can only file bankruptcy every seven years.
I would advise someone in this situation to look at their whole credit picture before charging off all debts. If you have good credit, and it is possible, charge off only the medical bills.

This does two things: From a lending standpoint, it is much easier to lend to someone who had a bankruptcy from something out of their control (medical problem) who is genuinely making an effort to pay all of their other bills. Also, many credit decisions these days are based on credit scoring. A bankruptcy does not hurt your score as much if there is other "good credit" reporting.

Also, I agree with avoiding the "quick fix" credit people. The only thing that can erase bad credit is time and positive information reported from lenders.
--BB

Something I found to free up a lot of space was to take all my blankets, comforters, quilts, sleeping bags, etc that I normally use when company comes and lay them flat between the mattress and box springs and leave them there until needed.
This freed up an entire closet for me!
--Pat M

I live in a college dormitory, and in our basement we have a recycling area with bins for plastics, cans and bottles, and papers. If you have anything similar in your dorm or even apartment building, keep an eye on it! I've lived in my building for less than a year and I've found stacks of free magazines and newspapers (especially if you have any neighbors studying Politics or Current Events), free cans and bottles waiting to be redeemed, free plastic bags to collect the unredeemed cans, and numerous cardboard boxes of all sizes (look after vacations or other periods when people will be moving). It's like Junior Dumpster Diving without having to dig through old pasta and used Kleenex.
--- Kite in Boston

(editor's note: awhile back we had a suggestion to wash wool in cold water. Ann wrote in saying it didn't work. This is in response to that letter.)

I did exactly the same thing to my jacket Ann. Now I am in a textile course, and have learned that when they say 'cold', they don't MEAN cold. Both rayon and wool will shrink almost as much when shocked by COLD (brrrrr!!) water. The phrase should be 'tepid'. The water should be neither warmish, or (brrrrr!!) cold. I don't have an exact temperature to give you. If it feels neither warm OR cold....it's about right. I went back and tried another wool jacket....worked fine.
-Deb

As we enter winter, some people might benefit from these 2 frugal hints I've used before to save money on electricity/butane.

When you use the oven, after you turn it off instead of shutting the door open it so the heat can dissipate into the house. WARNING: DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU HAVE SMALL CHILDREN!!

Also, after a bath, don't let the water out of the tub until it's cold. You can benefit from the heat escaping from the bath water & also the humidity.
--deb c.

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