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We have all been a little tight with money recently, so why not treat yourself and your family.

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Credit card debt is costly

Do you know how much your unpaid credit card balances really you nuclides? You'll probably be surprised if you thought with regard to the monthly costs or annual cost in. This interest on your unpaid balances can one real delle in your wallet set.

Costs so how much does your credit card debt? Think of your credit card debt in this way. You pay about $100$ 150 for every $1000 of debt with an interest rate of 15% in a year. This is quite a bit of money if you trying to get out of debt. First of all, if you think about the fact that most credit cards rates more than 15% and many people in debt are probably more than $1,000 are month to month.

It is to relieve your debt on your credit card solutions. People seek debt members of the Council or payment plans with the company, which to negotiate, but they pay debts at the end they still, that the interest of the initial debt amount.

Another solution is the 0% interest credit card. You can find many credit cards offer an introductory rate of 0% for the movement of your funds on your credit card. You are in fact from your high interest card with a 0% interest card pay. Save money using the runtime of the pay-special-interest rate and help your debt.

When you try this balance transfer to avoid errors are. I have a friend who financed his inground pool in this way basically. You must make your minimum monthly payments, or is it all for not. You must be, what the new rate going to be is the 0% rate expires. My friend, he became just the new balance on a new credit card 0% before the old one expired, and has a few this time until he was debt-free.

It takes a little planning, but it's way to your credit card debt to work.

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Going green for Christmas

Kind of funny title because although Christmas with the color green is filled our wreaths, decorations and trees we all really want to have a White Christmas. Anyways for a few days and then snow can goes back where it was as far as I'm concerned.

Although I have a blog set to saving money the other underlying topic I is changes speech to save the obligation to contribute to the environmental protection of energy and the use of less. This is important. Although in many cases do things to be more environmentally friendly are first expensive may seem, I think is important for all of us in the long run. Adding insulation is important, conservation of energy but is expensive to front first. You get your money back later in lower hydro bills in the course of time.

You can this Christmas in turn with recycled Christmas cards. I am talking not about the old cards and of crossing by name and reuse them. I mean making sure that you buy cards made from recycled paper. It is a great way to help, topsoil and show your friends and family you are interested in for the Futire of each.

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Cheap building my home theater

I never had a decent home entertainment in my house and I'm a huge sports fan and love just my weekly tv shows and movies. I decided put together a home theater. Not that I was overly surprised, but I was taken back a bit by the price of the home audio devices after the visit of a few of my local electronics stores. I have to not only the money, in most modern speakers, receiver, and various hardware will fall.

I realized that I already the most system right in my House have. I decided a few decent older floor speakers, I wanted to throw away but to keep. I have a surround sound receiver, which I thought, was old and out dated, but will do the trick. I have a few additional speakers and one decent tv stand pick up.

I was all over eBay and Kijiji tonight and have already contacted a colleague, which sold from his home entertainment system, it is updated. We talked about a few prices and I will save a ton in fact, if his equipment checks.

I am glad that I fliegen-not only the handle and - drop a lot of money to a big box store. I think I will have matching pieces together a beautiful home theater for a good price. It will take only a little while all together but have worth it for the price.

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Use your apps to save you interest

I entered the world of a Smartphone user last fall. I took an iPhone 4. Mainly because I get a good deal by my place of employment. Otherwise, it would have been effort I could without life. For the first bit I was as a iPod for music and as one of the ebook readers use for my books. This is not really the most productive use of the phone.

I am guilty from time to time lack a credit card payment. It happens. You will receive the e-Mail or the mail and you forget it. I hate paying interest and so you should. Banking apps I've paid a penny, since I my phone thanks to the world. I downloaded my banks free app from the iTunes store, set up my account and my monthly bills for credit cards and other payments such as cable or hydro established.

Now, each time an invoice by post is, I grab my phone, load the app and the payment via the phone and post today it on the date which it is to be charged. It's as simple as that. Not remember two days later, that the next month with interest on it in the Bill set a payment or retrieving.

Keep in mind, check the due date and make sure, it is not a weekend or holiday. If it is, that you want to send the day upwards deletes a few days to ensure that your payment.

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It is the coupon day and age

Would them in their right mind full price for anything that must be paid to this day in age? No one should that's for sure. It is, because we are in a time of such fierce competition for our expenditure dollar fights life that everyone and their brother, the a company has for you a faithful and buyer will return.

How does translate, to you or to me the consumer? Coupons. It is so easy. Every single company that has a Web site offers shopping coupons for their online stores or their material, business foot. For example, before I buy online everything I Google searching for coupons or codes, who want me to save money. See also Web sites how can savings.com coupons you are looking for company and see if they have all current coupons or discount codes. Keep in mind, in the old day and age, if you had the paper looking for coupons through. No more. They can be found in about two seconds online and save immediately. As I said, there is no way that you will be charged full price for something that should buy from each merchant.

We just went through two major shopping days and this is a huge gap between now and Christmas. Over three weeks too well. This means that retailers of their way to Christmas offer savings to go. Happy search.

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The affordable home gym

I blogged about before the House renovation, which I have worked. The plan as soon as I done my cellar is an open space with my TV, maybe a small bar and poker table. Also, I would like to have a small fitness area on the back of the room. I started at shops for sports equipment look. Nothing special. Elliptical trainers and some weights. The prices are crazy new buy. That is, when I went to the free trade sites like Craig's list and Kijiji and found some really clean used equipment that save me a bunch. I think most people buy health equipment and then use to hang their clothes. Elliptical, A used some free weights and a pull up bar and I'm on the way to the have a cheap home gym.

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Three quick lessons in thrift

What is frugality? The dictionary definition of the economical: "exercise or marked by economy, as in the expenditure of money or the use of resources material." People think of it as simply "cheap," in the fashion of Ebeneezer Scrooge. I see it as the practice which get the most for money without giving up something important.

It might surprise people to know that I buy the cheapest T-shirts and still have numbers to someone to mow the lawn. But the shirt is the same work as the expensive, and for me, my time is worth more than what I pay for mowing. This is not for this type of economy to sacrifice the most for my money, and I. Of course, I get to work a good deal on the lawn. Here, three ways are what you want less spending and still get.

1. Find free things

I have once free dental X-rays from the dental hygienist program at a local college. Other dental schools the mouth are free of charge or at a charge reduced, X-ray, you have the patience it during the instructor to sit coach students through the process. You will then receive your X-rays to the dentist, saving you the cost of this part of the visit in any case take.

One of the most beautiful campgrounds, those which my wife and I stayed in was Williams landing on Lake Talquin in Florida and it was up to 10 days free of charge. It is distributed free campgrounds across the country. Woodall's campground directory lists most of the campgrounds in the country, including the fee not.

I have turned my tires for free a few years ago. I remember the name of the store chain tyres, but this is their normal policy. It's amazing how many things you can get for free if you keep your eyes open.

2. Use promotions

We regularly use coupons for restaurants in the town. Some of them have "Buy A meal, for the second half" quotes in the paper every week. We eat so it in these places anyway, a true savings, is when we save a voucher to the $5 use.

Speaking coupons, when they double-click one of the store in your area, here is how you use it: suppose you have a 50-cent coupon for washing-up liquid. If the memory it is doubled, you will increase a dollar. Now, if you buy the size 38-ounce at $2.19, it costs $1.19 or 3.1 cents per ounce. But if you buy the size 18-ounce at $1.19, it costs you 19 cents, or something about a penny per ounce - a third of the costs. Small sizes to buy when coupons are doubled.

Look, which you can use for other actions. If your favorite shampoo on sale, buy enough for the next six months. Procurement of non-fresh during sales the cost can severely limited for your household supplies.

3. Alternatives

It's often cheaper options with which it can replace what you think that you need. Certainly this is true for the generic prescription drugs and store brand foods. But also in the area where you think you have no alternative search again. Car insurance use, let us take as an example.

You have the cheapest companies your insurance buy found, and so you believe that is the best you can. However, various companies are not the only alternatives you have. You could the bonuses by increasing the deductible, such as lower. Finally, if you can really make the first $500 of an accident, you should rearrange perhaps your financial life, rather than expensive ways to avoid the responsibility pay apart from a little money. If you pay cash for an older car, you can reject also collision coverage.

Economy can be used as to mean an opportunist. This applies in particular in the search for alternatives. For example, is not it almost certainly true that only at a certain point you fit for a holiday, so why not watch the offers and plane fares for multiple targets, you would enjoy? Select then the cheapest one. You can spend half as much, much, twice the fun (who knows?), and money for other important targets left have.

Is not even, thriftiness of self-sacrifice and misery "Equity." It is to spend less, and if you do that, can you even more of what you really need and want. Each piece of furniture we buy used, a new piece looks identical but costs half as much, means that we get the same comfort at home and money left over for another day of the journey (you select, what is important to you).

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You should always generic..

 Many people assume that buying a brand element guarantee quality. But is this really the case? Generics are just cheap imitations of the real thing, or are expensive but equally reliable alternatives less? As with many things that Yes is the answer to this question and no.

Even if the answer is not "cut and dry", we can list a few things, you should buy more generic:


I am surprised, that you a product that is less than the exact can sell same product 40%, only because it comes in a different color or bottle. However, this is the case, if it around on the medicines counter (OTC).


The food and Drug Administration (FDA) have requirements in place, which make sure that generic OTC have exactly same active ingredients (in the same doses) than the brand name drugs with which they compete.


The generic equivalent is no different from the more expensive brand name. Like many other brand versus generic comparisons, we, that the price difference will find most budgets (among others) is due to the difference in marketing, advertising and packaging.


This is drugs, eye drops, pain not only for pain relievers, but also for the cold and cough relief patches and most other OTC medicines. In any case, are the ingredients both to be sure.


Yes, I know that this article says "always buy", but me excuses. Keep in mind what we on the FDA and over-the-counter medications above said? Now, the same rules apply for prescription medicines as well as. The generic version of a prescription drug must have the same Active dosage units as brand counterpart.


For some people, drugs are more effective for their State but the brand. Actually, there are some people, the fair better if you include the generic version of a drug with the brand. I have no idea why the (because I'm not a pharmacist or doctor), but after he I know for a large pharmaceutical company, this to be true.


Make sure that you talk with your doctor before you decide to opt for the generic version of a drug. Based on your condition, other medications you are taking, or other factors, he can recommend to hold the branded version.


As I began, I remember hear stories of certain gas stations to water down their gas! The common theory was that any "no-name" gas station, priced significantly less than a brand name was station directly across the street, water, gas, added to make more money per gallon. Therefore, they could have lower prices.

If we (my friends and other drivers, I know), that a difference in the performance we then believed our cars which with both types of gas in the tank, unnoticed, that explains the gas only inferior and why it was cheaper. The big oil companies only took for themselves the "good" oil and left the no name with the "bad" oil! Hey you all! We were children, give us a break!;-)


Then, a related got a job for one of the largest oil refineries in the country. He told me that this would be huge oil tankers each oil company fill up with gas. From the same supply lines, each company was given its gas; Which means that there is absolutely no difference in the gas as it is pumped into the trucks.


The other amazing thing, which I said is, that (at the time), if a company wanted to say that their gas contain special detergents, was it good for your car, everyone only needs oil tanker a gallon to!


This means that you can feel comfortable with the purchase of the cheapest gas in your area. I think it also means that you should pay definitely no premium for gas, which claims full of detergents to clean your fuel pipe be!


Bleach is bleach!


I think I over this right should write? Name brand and no name bleach solutions are mainly water. What you have to compare, is the percentage of the active ingredient (sodium hypochlorite) in the solution. Of course there are other types of bleach for more specific uses, but if you are just buying regular, household chlorine bleach to clean the basic areas of your home, save your money and go generic.


As long as the bottles have the same amount of the active substance, they are virtually identical for cleaning purposes.


A former musician and emergency sound man, I have to purchase a number of cables in my life. Add in the fact that I gadgets and computer love, and this number is growing and growing! I honestly, not too many products for you a wide range of prices for essentially the same product can find!


I have purchased computer cables out of the local dollar store work well! No need to spend $50 for an Ethernet cable by a chain of electronics! The same goes for this insanely expensive Monster Cable (yes I or two in my younger days)!


The less expensive cables are good, and they are destroying your expensive electronic devices with them.


This is another odd. There are huge tags for basic spices in most grocery stores. You are just buying salt, oregano, pepper and nutmeg, etc.-These are all things we receive dollars, from the local store if we out run. I don't really think that the other companies have a better salt "Recipe"!


Photo by Suat Eman

What are some of the items for which you will never buy the generic version?Which items would you to this list add top?Tagged as: dollar store, food costs, shopping

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Save money every day - the great coupon hunt!

 It's no secret that can coupons to save you money; the problem is usually with the search to these coupons. Sometimes you luck and come across a great coupon, but not too consistent savings result in happiness. You must have a consistent plan to see significant savings through the use of coupons, where you use them. Here are a few tips coupons you find so you can save money on the things that you really want to buy.

The newspaper
Their Sunday newspaper is still a viable source for coupons. Also if you can not set of with great discount coupons in the paper, no other source the newspaper for the sheer amount of discounts beat. You can the purchasing power of your newspaper coupons by search after a grocery store, a double coupon day every week has increase. I buy regularly several copies of the newspaper, so I have some of the same coupons to use so that I can create my stockpile.

In the supermarket
Many companies now make their coupons in the supermarket. How's that for convenience? While you shop you do, pay particular attention to the small plastic coupon dispenser. Make sure that you pick up coupons relating to one of the products that you buy regularly. You even may save the coupon is the product for sale for further savings.

Visit the website of the company
Companies do just about anything to get their demographic customer information. If a product that you particularly enjoy, or one that is particularly expensive, please visit this company's website. Often, when you register your e-Mail address on their website, the company will send special coupons or other offers. Don't forget to check whether they have a Facebook page.

Product packaging
To repeat consumers to promote purchases, the manufacturers sometimes placed coupons on the packaging. Search on the bottom of the label for coupons, you can take to your next trip to the grocery store. Since the coupon on a product you already have bought was, you will already know if your family like the product.

Entertainment Book
Forget you for useful coupons that are suitable to your own site, check out "Entertainment Opernmagazines." These books are sold as fundraisers for schools, churches and other groups. From retailers, restaurants and attractions in the entertainment book, you will find coupons for everything.

Online coupon codes
Finally, forget not to locate, coupons, when to order you online. I make it habit, never buy anything on line without to see if there is a discount. CouponSnapshot.com is a great resource when searching for the latest online coupon codes.

So, what are your tips for scoring valuable coupons?

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5 Smart things to do with your tax refund

 Many of you have already either get your tax refund or expect in the next few days. Can be very simple to just waste the money, which will provide a great benefit for you on something. Here are more productive ways to spend your refund.

If you don't already have an emergency fund in place, and receive a refund, trade tax refund this year, here's your chance! The point of an emergency fund is so you can make money aside, if something unexpected comes. If you are not financially prepared for emergencies, you can be then forced, rely on high-interest credit cards, or tap out to get in your retirement.

Even if you are in debt, you can really do have a "reasonable amount" of savings! It can be tempting, apply the full amount on debt repayment, or spend even blow on a new toy. However, if you aren't ready for an emergency are run the risk of falling into financial ruin.

If you are in debt, try aside enough to cover reimbursement of your tax to 1 month the cost of living, then proceed to the next suggestion…

To be honest, I wanted to make the proposal, which you pay off all debts you may have, but I wanted a mortgage to shift debate not the focus of this article.

If you have debts for you a high interest rate are charged, you must use your tax refund to remove! It can sometimes just lose motivation when attempting, you pay debt with small amounts every month.

With the restitution is a great way to give your debt repayment plan a great shot in the arm!

Set up an emergency fund and get out of debt should be at the top of most of our lists. This allows us the financial stability, shock, and the freedom of choice for an unconventional path handle have!

I run into people of all the time, a heart to give, but not about the resources will have. There are many things in life, which can complicate to be in need. I've also noticed that many times if we of what is to do with think a flat rate (such as a premium or a refund of tax), we automatically try to find something, providing a significant advantage for us. However, we should consider this also as an opportunity to comply with our request.

There are a number of causes and organizations that we provide. If you are a member of a church, is the first place you should give your local church. Then, you think of other ministries to support the causes that align with your heart. Of course, you must not a Christian to be - there are so many large organizations (of various affiliation) that look to make a difference! If you, family members or friends who could use a helping hand, may know, a further option for your tax refund.

So, before you think about all the great things you can buy with the refund check, the less happy than you, and use this as an opportunity to help.

This is an area, need in the most Americans some serious help! Many people are in despair behind, when it comes to prevention. One of the easiest ways of to get your retirement provide a kick start is using your tax refund fixed to an individual retirement arrangement (IRA)! Check out the current IRA contribution limit and start today!

You can increase also the amount you contribute to an employer-funded pension account, such as such as a 401 k. This makes sense, especially if you have reached your limit on the IRA. What you can do is leave your refund in your savings account, and then increase your annual contribution (be sure not to exceed the 401k contribution limit) of the amount.

Have you ever wanted, to learn a new skill or trade? You feel as if your career could use a boost of more training? If so, take your reimbursement of trade tax and invest in your professional development!

Many universities and community colleges provide training and/or professional development courses during evenings and Saturdays. Courses, you can start your computer skills to improve, or even to a professional certification or degrees!

This list is not exhaustive, but simply can serve as a starting point, if what do with your tax refund, taking into account. Also, do not think that planning a vacation or buy furniture with the refund is wrong! To verify that you are responsible in your decision.

If you gain more satisfaction from your debts see disappear or building an emergency fund, take the holiday to another time.

Photo by Salvatore Vuono

Have you received a refund trade tax refund this year? If so, how to spend it? Follow the same logic, when it comes to other one-time payments?You are one of the millions of people, who do not yet have tax declaration? If so, don't hesitate to contact us for tax preparation.Tagged as: debt, emergency fund, other than money, shopping, spending

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