Springboard December 2010 · Following are some tips to help you maneuver the holiday season with ease and keep more ... sional advice or tips that are free to give but will be invaluable

Volume 5 - Issue 4 Fall 2010

You can contact SPRINGBOARD® by mail, phone, fax or email; we are always here to help.

Mail: SPRINGBOARD®Nonpro�t Consumer Credit ManagementP.O. Box 5438Riverside, CA 92517-5438

Phone: 1-877-Wise-Plan (1.877.947.3752)E-mail: [email protected]: 1.951.781.8027Website: www.credit.org

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Money Saving Tips for a Happy Holiday Season

Another holiday season has arrived, and that means the coming weeks will be �lled with lots of activi-ty and plenty of excitement. Like millions of consumers, you likely have established long-standing tra-ditions that involve gift giving and spending time with family and friends. No matter how you choose tocelebrate the holidays, setting priorities can reduce stress, and may prevent you from incurring newdebt. Following are some tips to help you maneuver the holiday season with ease and keep moremoney in your pocket:

- Create a budget and a list for holiday spending and gift giving in advance of buying. Includepossible gifts, dollar amounts, and alternative choices. Don't forget expenses like holiday decorations, wrapping paper, cards and postage, plus extra food costs for parties and familygatherings. Knowing how much you can truly a�ord to spend is a crucial �rst step in controllingcosts.

- Establish spending limits for gifts for each person on your list and start looking for bargainsearly. Stick to your list and spending limits to avoid overspending.

- If it has been a challenging year �nancially, you may need to shrink your holiday gift list. Begin bytalking with those you exchange gifts with, perhaps suggesting not exchanging gifts or mutuallyobserving much lower dollar limits on gifts.Separate shopping trips (when comparing prices, quality,value, etc.) from spending trips (when making a purchase), and resist taking cash, credit cards, ora checkbook on the shopping trips.

- Pay with cash and avoid using credit cards. Charge cards tend to encourage indiscriminatespending. Credit card users often say they had no idea how much they spent on the holidays untilthe credit card bills arrive in January or February.

- Make more of your gifts at home. Handmade craft items, special desserts or breads and other"goodies" can help stretch a holiday budget.

For a free copy of Springboard's Surviving the Holidays booklet to learn how to prepare for costs asso-ciated with the holidays, manage holiday spending and begin the New Year without holiday debt, visitthe "Resources" section of our website at www.credit.org. For those without internet access, please callus at 1-800-449-9818 for printed copies of our educational materials.

Todd Emerson, President and Chief Executive O�cer

Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management, Inc.

Springboardwww.credit.org

®

The Dollar Stretcher Page 2

From the Editor’s Desk:Holiday Spendingby Gary Foreman, editor

How much will you be spending onthe holidays this year? And, howdoes your spending stack up to

what other people are doing?

It's a question that most of us ask eachyear. I just saw a survey that might helpanswer the question for you.

94% of consumers will spend the same orless on holiday gifts this year (most peoplebetween $200 and $500) according to ajust-released survey from Western UnionPayments.

Findings from the latest Western UnionPayments’ Money Mindset Index surveyreveal:

~ 30% of consumers have hidden a giftpurchase from their spouse/significantother

~ 60% will set a holiday budget

~ 12% of consumers will spend nothingthis holiday

~ 32% will spend less on each personthis year

~ 19% will shop only at discount stores

~ 22% say they would pay off debt,instead of buying gifts, if they had thechoice; on ly 2% would save themoney

~ 20% will buy a holiday gift for theirwork colleague; 19% of those reportthey wi l l do i t because they fee lobligated

~ 6% admi t they wi l l g ive bosses,cl ients or col leagues gi fts to gainfavor in 2011

~ 4 0 % c o n s i d e r g o v e r n m e n t t h ebiggest ‘Scrooge’ this holiday

(The Western Union Company is a leaderin global payment services. For morein fo rma t i on , you can v i s i twww.westernunion.com).

How does that compare to your plans? Areyou joining the roughly 1/3 who expect tospend less on each person this year? Myguess is that many people will actually fol-low through on their plans. Usually it's abattle between a plan to control spendingand the pull exerted by a store pushinggifts. This year I'd give the edge to thespending controls.

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The Dollar StretcherP.O. Box 14160 • Bradenton, FL 34280-4160Phone: (941) 761-7805 • Fax: (941) 761-8301Publisher: Dollar Stretcher, Inc.Editor-In-Chief: Gary Foreman

The Dollar Stretcher is published monthlyAnnual subscriptions $36.00 (US$)Group rates available on requestReprints for non-profit classes also availablePlease call for informationCopyright 2010 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Dollar Stretcher does not assumeresponsibility for advice given. Alladvice should be weighed against yourown abilities and circumstances andapplied accordingly. It is up to the readerto determine if advice is safe andsuitable for his own situation.

Add more value to your holiday than any price tag can measure

10 Free Holiday Giftsby Melissa Mayntz

Holiday gifts may be one of thelast things to purchase on astrict budget, but they are often

the first things that recipients noticemissing, even without ill will. Gift-giverswhose budgets are stretched this year,however, do not have to play Scroogewith gift lists. These ten gifts are com-pletely free to give and will make a last-ing impression both on the giver andthe recipient.

1. Companionship

Visiting an old friend or spending achilly winter afternoon withsomeone who is unable to get outis a great gift to warm the heartsof both parties. A simple conver-sation, board game, sharedmeal, or watching a movie is agreat way to spend the timetogether enjoying the holi-day spirit.

2. A Letter

The “happy family updateletter” is a popular fea-ture for many holidaycards, but nothingbeats a hand-written,pe rsona l l e t t e r.Longer than aquick noteo r s i gnedg r e e t i n g

card, a special letter c a n b ereread and enjoyed throughout theholiday season.

3. Coupons

It is easy to draw or print simple person-al coupons to give as stocking stuffersor meaningful gifts. A free kiss coupon isperfect for couples, while kids willappreciate a “get out of trouble free”coupon or a “dinner pick” certificate tochoose a favorite home cooked meal.

4. Services

Free labor is a great gift to share to helpease that special someone’s holiday

burden. Offer to shovel snow for aweek, baby-sit during another holi-

day, or share special skills therecipient can use, such as profes-sional advice or tips that are freeto give but will be invaluable for

them.

5. Quitting a Habit

Making a concerted effort toquit a bothersome habit likebiting fingernails, interrupt-

ing, etc. is a thoughtfulway to show some-one that you’vebeen listening totheir requests for

y o u t o s t o pthroughout the

l iving better...for less Page 3

cont. on pg. 4...

year. Stronger habits such as smokingand gambling may be more difficult toquit, but doing so is an even moremeaningful gift.

6. No Arguing

The perfect gift kids can give their par-ents is a day free from petty argumentsand fights. The same concept appliesto tense family situations or any socialoccasion when not everyone may getalong, but time free from that tension isa great gift to offer.

7. Pampering

Pampering someone special doesn’thave to cost a mint. Offer a neck or footmassage, draw a warm bubble bath, orotherwise treat them like they deserveall of this and more for a thoughtful giftthat will be thoroughly enjoyed.

8. Time Alone

Parents especially will appreciate thegift of time alone. Offer to take care ofthe kids, answer the phone, and dealwith any emergencies that crop up inorder to give the recipient time to enjoywhatever they want or to catch up withtheir own to-do list.

9. Day of Chores

A day of chores can be a useful andproductive gift. Whether it includes

daily tasks, such as cooking a mealand cleaning the kitchen, or too longdelayed chores, such as cleaning outthe garage or attic, offering a 24-hourperiod of complaint-free servitude issure to be appreciated.

10. Forgiveness

The holidays often bring family andpersonal problems into the spotlightwhen fights break out or estrange-ments become apparent. Make thisholiday season extra special with thegift of forgiveness, and move past dis-agreements to welcome the new yearwith a new attitude toward one anoth-er.

It is easy to spend hundreds of dollarson the latest clothing, technical gadg-ets, and must-have items during theholiday season, but long before thebills are paid off, many of those giftsare unused or forgotten. By choosingmeaningful free gifts to share, it is pos-sible to trim the holiday budget andadd more value to it than any price tagcan measure.

Melissa Mayntz is a freelance writer and edi-tor from Utah. She has written more than1,500 articles for print and online markets,and she edits manuscripts for publishers andindividual writers. Learn more atwww.MelissaMayntz.com.

Holiday Gifts cont...


We’re told to replace our smokedetector’s battery every year,but what about our budgets?

Every November (once we find whethera salary increase is coming or not), werevamp our spending plan. We evaluateusing these questions.

Was each category adequately funded?When we came to the clothing account,was it empty far too often and requiringus to “borrow” from somewhere else?Are any costs increasing next year?Taxes? Rent? Utilities? Just where willthe money come from?

Can we cut back within an existing cat-egory, like food? Or clothing? Can welower the thermostat? Or use less elec-tricity? Are there options for our healthneeds? Can we reduce our car insur-ance premium? This is where strategiescome in and where most personalfinance resources put their efforts.

May we eliminate or must we add a cat-egory? Money is either coming or going.Divert an eliminated category’s fundingto where it’s needed or it just evapo-rates. A new line item has to be fundedfrom existing resources. We don’t havethe option of printing our own money.

Have any life-changing events impactedour budget? Our son starting collegehas. It’s resulted in lower food costs andhigher school expenses. When ouryoungest broke his arm, that made ahuge dent in our medical account.

Hopefully a raise is coming this year.But we’re also responsible for a greatershare of health costs. Recovery from orplanning for a financial blow takes think-ing through the options.

Are we on target with our life goals? Canwe do anything to better realize them?Let’s say retirement is the biggie. Canwe skimp in any area to boost savings?Take $5 off food costs every week andwe have $260 in a year. Take $20 offand we have over $1,000. What invest-ment strategies should we consider?Some people have options through theirjobs. Even so, the research burden is onthe individual. It’s time to tackle thestacks at your public library. Is there athree- to six-month cushion in place?Are there higher rates out there for ourCDs as they come due? Should we con-sider laddering? Would a money marketbe a better choice? Bankrate.com has alisting worth looking at.

Is there any wiggle room? Being finan-cially blind-sided is no fun. An emer-gency fund gives you the freedom to rollwith the punches, and even help some-one else if they’re in need. We try tohave one in addition to the cushion.

So let’s crack open our budget books,sit down with a cup of coffee, and tacklethe job.

Olivia Fox ioves finding new ways of doingmore for less. She can be found at www.fru-galbohemian.blogspot.com.

How to adjust your financial plan for the new year

Yearly Overhaulby Olivia Fox


Must healthy food cost more?

Eating Better for Lessby Jennifer Beam

Irecently overheard a conversationin a grocery store between twowomen who were debating the cost

of eating healthy. The debate wassummed up by the one woman’s sim-ple statement “It’s cheaper to eat theunhealthy stuff.”

While sparing no expense for the nutri-tional benefits may seem like a worthycause, the reality is that most individu-als and families are on a budget andfood is only a portion of total expenses.In truth, the casual observation by theaforementioned grocery shopper wasright on. Healthier foods, such aswhole grains, fresh fruits and vegeta-bles, baked snacks, low-calorie andreduced fat products, simply do costmore.

With so many reports published by theUSDA and the modern-day nutritionalguidelines indicating that certain foodsare more nutritious, it’s a shame thatmany families must choose betweenwhat is good for them and what theycan more easily afford.

How do you bridge the gap betweenbringing the best food choices homeand affording the total at the checkout?Louise Easterly, Licensed Nutritionistand Supervisor of Food and Nutritionat an USDA nutritional award-winningschool district in Ohio, knows as wellas anyone what it costs to feed a hun-gry brood. She agrees that it can be

difficult to balance affordability withhealthy choices when it comes to food.“When a bag of chips cost less than abag of apples, people on fixed incomesare more likely to buy the chips. Andit’s sad that it has to be that way.”

Easterly blames a lot of the problem onfood manufacturers, questioning why aloaf of whole grain bread has to costabout a dollar more than enrichedwhite bread. “Milk costs the same pergallon whether you buy skim, 1%, 2%or whole milk,” she points out. Whilethe dairy industry might have found abalance between nutritional choice andprice efficiency, the choice betweenother products simply comes down toprice.

According to Easterly, when her districtswitched to whole grain products likehamburger buns, pizza crusts, and tor-tilla chips, their cost increased $.10 to$.12 per serving. Easterly suggestsshoppers focus on whole grain prod-ucts, fresh fruits and vegetables whenthey can. If fresh produce doesn’t fityour budget, buy a combination offresh, canned and frozen fruits andvegetables. While not as nutritious,canned and frozen produce can stillprovide a percentage of the daily-recom-mended vitamins and minerals. Those onreduced-sodium diets should pay specialattention to the labeling of canned pro-duce, as they are traditionally higher insodium, but many manufacturers are

cont. on pg. 7...


Eating Better cont...


now reducing or eliminating sodium incanned and frozen produce.

To get the most out of your grocery dol-lar and still reap the nutritional bene-fits, buy fresh fruits and vegetablesthat are in season when they tend tobe cheaper. Plan meals around theseproduce products, and when the frozenor canned variety is on sale, stock upfor the off-season. When shopping inthe produce department, pay specialattention to fresh produce. Purchasingthe pre-packaged, pre-shredded let-tuce, cabbage, or leaf spinach is moreexpensive than buying whole heads.The same is true for purchasing pre-cut vegetables like cauliflower, broccoliand carrots.

Focus on whole grain products when itis affordable to do so, but choose wise-ly. Whole grains are comprised of theentire kernel from the seed-heads ofgrasses and contain more fiber andnutrients than white flour products,which are made from just theendosperm, or the inner bulk of thekernel. Most white flour products areenriched with vitamins, minerals andfolic acid, but have a higher total per-centage of carbohydrates.

A balance between whole grain andenriched white flour breads, cerealsand pastas is a better nutritional choicethan consuming only enriched whiteflour grains. Often, whole grain pastas,

store brand breads, and tortillas arecompetitively priced compared to theirenriched white flour counterparts.Focus on these products instead ofwhole grain crackers and snack prod-ucts since breads and pastas accountfor the bulk of your daily intake.

Organic food is another area that canconfuse consumers who comparehealthy eating with the cost. Organicfoods may eliminate additives andpreservatives, but often cost twice asmuch as similar products. Some nutri-tionists feel that consumers are mis-guided by their choice to buy organicbecause they think it automaticallymeans a more nutritious product.When it comes to nutrition, key vita-mins and minerals, like vitamins A, B,C, D and E, zinc, folic acid, fiber,niacin, thiamin and protein are what’simportant. Organic foods don’t neces-sarily mean less fat, fewer calories, ormore nutritional value. Therefore, ifyou can’t afford to buy organic, don’tlet that dissuade you from choosingmore affordable nutritious products.

In the end, it may appear that choosingthe healthiest food products is themore expensive route. While in manycases that may be true, careful selec-tions combined with an understandingof what makes a food nutritious versuswhat food manufacturers want you tobelieve is the key to eating healthier forless.

When you were in school andweren’t happy with the lunchthat Mom packed, you traded

your peanut butter and jelly sandwichand an apple for your friend’s tuna fishsandwich and banana. How clever youfelt, discovering the concept of tradinggoods. But historians report that wayback in about 9000 B.C., people weretrading cattle for other goods. Thispractice became known as bartering.It wasn’t until about 1000 B.C. thatmetal coins came into existence, fol-lowed by paper currency in the 800sA.D; using money in exchange forgoods and services is just anotherform of bartering.

The recent tough economy has givenpeople today the opportunity tobecome more creative in stretchingtheir dollar. Consequently, bartering ismaking a comeback. Bartering groupsare springing up in neighborhoodsaround the country and numerousonline bartering networks are just aclick away.

Bartering goods is a great way toacquire the things you want

While reorganizing at home, you mightfind some things no longer neededthat might be enjoyed by others.Books and textbooks, compact discs,videos, and DVDs often find their wayto some back corner on a shelf, gath-ering dust from lack of use. Give them


Just like when you used to trade your school lunch

Barter Your Way to Savingsby Debra L. Karplus, MS, OTR/L

a new home in exchange for some ofa friend’s former favorites. Swaptoys, games and puzzles that are nolonger used. You might even expandthis bartering idea to clothing acces-sories, such as scarves, purses andcostume jewelry, and for home fur-nishings, such as throw pillows, cur-tains and other decorative items.You’ll get exciting new things anytime of year!

Perhaps you and your friends can getorganized the next time you need tobuy some of the same goods. First,do some planning as a group. Then,buy larger-than-you-need quantitiesand do some trading. You can easilydo this when purchasing school sup-plies like pens, pencils and notebookpaper each semester, and for groceryshopping. Go ahead and buy that toi-let paper 12-roll pack at the super-store or that mega-sized box of laun-dry detergent and swap with yourfriends. There may even be someitems you want from the homeimprovement or hardware store thatare cheaper if bought in larger quan-tities, such as garden rocks, pottingsoil, or seeds. Check with friends firstand then buy big.

Time shares are popular for vacationlodging spots. Why not take thissame concept and do some time-sharing with neighbors and friendsfor some of the tools you have at

cont. on pg. 9...


home but don’t use often. A fewdevices that could be time-sharedmight include lawn mowers, outdoorblowers, wet-dry vacuums, weed cut-ters, ladders, hedge trimmers, chainsaws, and even some of the smallertools, such as power saws for carpen-try projects. Be sure to set some initialguidelines on safe use, maintenance,and storage.

Bartering your services stretches dollars

There are many services for whichfamilies currently hire that can easilybe swapped with a friend. Capable,trustworthy babysitters are difficult tofind and can be expensive. Why notorganize a babysitting club withfriends? Select a weekend night whenyou watch children from several fami-lies overnight at your home inexchange for several weekend nightswhen they watch your children. Thekids will have fun developing friend-ships with the other children.Transporting children and carpoolingcan be shared in the same way.

Indoor and outdoor repairs and espe-cially yard work can become over-whelming at times. Organize workparties or swaps where groups of peo-ple gather at a home and accomplisha specific task, such as scraping,priming and painting the exterior ofthe garage or laying sod. The work will

Barter cont...

have a party-like feel to it and will getfinished with a sense of fun and com-munity.

Everyone possesses at least a fewspecial skills that can be used to bar-gain with friends in exchange forthings you need. Perhaps you canteach piano, singing, or other musiclessons. Or maybe you are computersavvy, a good writer or have above-average bookkeeping skills. Possiblyyou are good at haircutting. All ofthese are valuable abilities that otherscan benefit from via a swap. You justneed to network with people to organ-ize a bartering community.

If you have a small pick-up truck, youmay be the envy of the neighborhoodwhen others occasionally need to haulsomething that won’t fit into their car orminivan. Offer your services to trans-port items such as that long piece oflumber from the lumber yard inexchange for something you need orwant. You’ll be amazed at how manypeople will want to barter with you!

Theme parties can be especially funfor adults or children. Plan a barteringparty to exchange toys, books, orCDs. You can ask people to wrapthem to add an element of surprise. Ororganize a bartering exchange in yourarea. Bartering is economical, fun,and a wonderful way to enhance asense of community into your family.

Early preparation is the key

Prepare for a Snowstorm by Linda Shapero


Most winters include a snowstorm or two. This isparticularly true for the Midwest and the east-ern part of the country. That being said, if you

live in either of these areas, you should know how toprepare for a snowstorm. Make sure you are readywhen one hits.

Heating, Power & Water Sources

Regardless of the type of heat you have, be sure yoursystem is in good working order. If you use oil or wood,make sure at the beginning of the season that you’vehad enough delivered that you can get through the win-ter and then some. You may also want to consider pur-chasing a generator and gas, but these must not beused indoors.

If there is a chance that you will not be able to get waterfrom the tap, make sure you have purchased bottledwater or have bottled at least a week’s worth on yourown.

Food

If a storm is on the way and your supplies are low, youmust get out and shop for food. Be sure to have cannedgoods like soups, stews, spaghetti, fruits and vegeta-bles, and a good manual can opener in case you losepower. Don’t forget to get lots of healthy snacks, aswell. If you are cooped up in the house during a lengthystorm, everyone will be eating more than usual due tothe fact that they are there rather than out of the housefollowing their routine.

Alternative Methods for Cooking

You may have to use a propane grill, regular barbecuegrill, or camp stove if you lose your electricity. Makesure you have all related supplies ready to go. Also, besure to use these cooking substitutes outside only.

cont. on pg. 11...

Emergency Supplies

Matches, several flashlights, lanterns, extra batteries,candles, a weather radio, extra blankets and comforters,sleeping bags, snow shovels, rock salt for the sidewalksand driveway, and kitty litter for the trunk of the car aresome of the items you’ll want to have on hand. Keep lis-tening for weather information on the battery-operatedradio in case they are calling for evacuation.

Medications and First Aid

Always have a first aid kit available. Check it often to besure that items that have been used are replaced.Purchase enough medication to get you through astorm. Any other special supplies should be purchasedin advance as well, such as baby supplies or items foran elderly member of the family, such as Depends, etc.

Clothing

Everyone should have warm clothing. It may be neces-sary to wear extra layers if the heat goes off. You mayhave to camp around the fireplace, if you’re luckyenough to have one. With everyone in one room, youwill stay warmer. In fact, it’s a good idea to shut doorsto rooms that aren’t being used to conserve any heat.

Things to Do

Try to keep a box of various types of fun things that yourfamily likes to do, such as books, cards, craft supplies,and games, etc. If conditions are safe outside, you maywant to go out for a walk, play in the snow, or go sled-ding to break the monotony of being inside.

Knowing how to prepare in advance for a snowstormwill help you tremendously. If you do your homeworkand get everything you need, you will be well-fed andcozy while you wait out the storm.

Snowstorm cont...


cont on pg. 13...

When the purchased item just won’t work for you

The Etiquette of Exchanging by Shaunna Privratsky


store credit on returns or an evenexchange. Doing your homework willsave you some grief later.

~ Holiday and seasonal items have anarrow window for returns. So if youcan’t use that set of Christmas dishes, hustle to the store right away.Stores are more relaxed with theirreturn policy around the holidays.

~ Save the original boxes and packing.I’ve often seen people try to returnsomething in a plastic bag or plainbox.

~ Electronic returns are trickier. Manystores will not take back electronicsunless they are unopened. The timelimit is usually much shorter, as well.They will provide a replacement ifsomething is clearly broken.

~ Know what you want and ask for it. Ifyou want to get a different size, tell

Oh no! Your daughter turns hernose up at the jeans you boughtfor her. The sweater you gave

your husband doesn’t fit. Your son won’tbe caught dead in the brand-name poloshirts you picked up on clearance.

Time to exchange your purchases. Ifexchanging and returning makes yougroan, here are some tips to makereturns easier and exchanges effortless.

~ Make it timely. Most stores acceptreturns up to two months. Thesooner the better, because the storecan restock the items and sell themto someone else.

~ Make it easy. Keep all tags andreceipts for the quickest and easiestexchanges. Don’t give up if you don’thave one or the other. Many storescan e l ec t r on i ca l l y t r ace you r purchase and print a new receipt ifyou paid with their store card, a credit or debit card, or a check. If youhave the receipt, but lost the tag, thestore can look up the item number.

~ Know the store’s policy on returns. Itis usually printed on your receipt, oryou can call customer service at thestore. A general rule of returns is youcan get your money back in the formyou or ig ina l ly pa id or an evenexchange.

~ Be careful with clearance items.Many stores will not accept returnson clearance items. Some will allow

Exchanging cont...

them. If you want your money back,tell them that. If you prefer a storecredit for a later shopping date, statethat. You will both end up happier.

~ Don’t ask for something you knowthe store won’t or can’t do. Forexample, if you know the policy is nocash back, and you paid with a credit card, do not demand cash.

~ No matter how upset you are that theproduct you purchased didn’t workout, don’t take it out on the clerk.They are much more likely to dowhatever they can to help if you arepleasant.

~ If you can’t get the satisfaction youwant, then politely ask for a manageror supervisor. Only do this as a lastresort, because anytime you go oversomeone’s head, they will probablyresent you.

If you find you are standing in the returnline much too often, take a moment toask yourself why. Here is a list of reasonsyou might need to return an item, andwhat you can do to correct the problem.

~ The wrong size. Write down thesizes of items you frequently buy foryour family on a small note card.Check the sizes before you buy.

~ The wrong style. If your kids rejecty o u r c h o i c e s , m a k e t h e m g o shopping with you, or skip buying

them clothes altogether. You mights tar t a c lo th ing a l lowance andchoose one or two times a year to goshopping. If they pick it out, they aregoing to wear it.

~ Something the person doesn’t needor want. Did you buy something justbecause it was on sale? Or maybeyou thought the item was needed.Instead, wait until your family asksfor something. Keep an ongoing liston the fridge and encourage everyone to write down what they need.

~ Something you bought on impulse.Thinking over every purchase canreally save a bundle. Ask yourself if itis something you need, or just wantbecause it’s on sale or pretty orseems useful. Wait until the nextshopping trip, and if you still want orneed it, buy it.

~ Sunk by the stocking-up syndrome.Do you love to stockpile i tems?Sometimes that is good, but if youare frequently returning thingsbecause you bought too much, curtail the stockpiling. Limit yourselfto five items, until you find a balance.

There will always be times we need toexchange something, but by followingthese hints, it doesn’t have to be a has-sle. With just a little forethought, apleasant attitude and a smile, you canmaster the etiquette of exchanging.


My project for the last year hasbeen to reduce our family’sTelcom bill. This is not an easy

task. With a teenage daughter and mywife working more, we haveexpanding needs. Evenagainst these odds, Ihave been success-ful.

First up, I wantedto cut the cablebill. That’s easy.We just elimi-nated it andjoined a grow-ing number ofcable cutters.There is plenty ofvideo content onInternet sites likeHulu. Also, Netflix,Roko, Boxee, Zinc andothers will deliver Internetvideo content that rivalscable. Savings: $40 to $60 permonth.

Next, I focused on the landline. Yes, westill use a landline phone. The savingshere came from dropping the traditionalphone carrier and going with a VoIPphone system. There are many tochoose from, including Vonage, MagicJack, Ooma, and Skype. I almost wentwith Skype because I could buy a SkypeWi-Fi handset and make calls from anyfree Wi-fi cloud. It’s kind of like a poor

man’s cell phone. At home, I could linkthe handset to my wireless router andhave the convenience of a cordlessphone. But instead I went with a compa-

ny named Phone Power. Theysent me a free adapter that

connected my existingphones directly to my

network. No comput-er was needed tomake and receivecalls. The list ofincluded featuresis long, but thebest one is theability to havetwo calls goingsimultaneously

w i t h a s i n g l ephone number.

This feature is par-ticularly handy with

the aforement ionedteenager in the house. The

cost is less than half that of atraditional landline. Savings: $30 per

month.

A couple of years ago we suddenlyneeded a second cell phone. The mostobvious thing to do was to convert ourexisting plan to a family plan, but thatwould cost an additional $20 per monthper line, which isn’t really too bad if youuse it a lot. Instead I bought a prepaidcell phone. After some research, Ibought a 7-11 Speak Out phone (nolonger available). At the time, 15 cents a

He set out to reduce these costs without reducing service

My Story: Cutting the Cost of Phone and Cablecontributed by Gordon R.

cont. on pg. 15...


minute was a good rate for a prepaidphone. Today, there are better plans.But that phone has only cost me $100per year for the last two years. Thatworks out to less than $10 per month.Another phone was activated with PagePlus Cellular. I put $25 on it about everysix to eight weeks. Our primary cell hasalso been ported to a Page Plus $30-per-month plan that gives us a hugebucket of minutes and text.

The best part about having prepaid cellphones is that I can control the costs.like any other pay-as-you-go service likewater or electricity. If I want to savemoney, I just use it less. Savings: I fig-ure that I’m paying about $55 per monthfor three cell phones. A three-line familyplan with a reasonably large bucket ofminutes would cost about $110 permonth, so let’s say the savings are $50to $60 per month.

I’m still working on Internet. With VoIP,streaming video, movie downloads, etc.,I have no choice but to have broadbandInternet access. At $45 per month, it’stwice what I want to pay. I will pass on afew alternatives that may work in yoursituation. DSL is available in a range ofspeeds from 768K up to 12Mbpsdepending on how aggressive your localphone company has been in upgradingtheir system. Before getting DSL servicefrom your local phone company, checkout some third party providers, such asDSL Extreme. Clear.com is deploying

fixed-point wireless Internet accessaround the USA. They are a viable alter-native to DSL and cable Internet.Several coffee shops and fast foodjoints sell subscription Wi-Fi Internetaccess. With a good antenna (search“Cantenna”), you can beam into a Wi-Fibubble from several blocks away. Noneof the above have turned out to be aviable alternative for me. Savings: forme, none so far. I hope you can do bet-ter.

Trying to figure out my total savings islike trying to hit a moving target. I havesaved big by cutting out cable and goingto a VoIP phone service, but that is bal-anced out by the need for higher speed(and higher cost) Internet service.Paying for premium Internet video (Hulupremium or Netflix) would also reducethe savings. With the cell phones, thewin has been to hold the line on costswhile increasing use. Three cell phonesfor about $55 per month is very good. Ifigure that I’m saving between $50 to$100 per month.

My Story is a regular feature of The DollarStretcher. If you have information that canhelp others save time or money please sendit to: My Story c/o The Dollar Stretcher, POBox 14160, Bradenton FL 34280.

My Story cont...


Yeah, I know that this is a maga-zine that features tips and adviceon how to save money, shop

wisely, and practice prudent frugality,but sometimes buying the low-cost alter-native isn’t the best way to s-t-r-e-t-c-hyour dollars. Sometimes the tiebreakercomes down to quality and durability.Here are a few examples.

Porch paint/deck stains: I recently pur-chased three gallons of stain to use onmy porches and wooden walkway. Thecost was $108. “Rich, are you nuts? Ican buy abba zabba stain at the big bluehome improvement store for about halfthat price!” And my answer to thatentreaty would be this. The stain I usewas formulated to stand up to the brutalmarine environment in Nova Scotia. Sodespite my frigid Yankee winter where200” of snow sometimes falls, my stainlasts three years. And, as it takes asmuch time to apply expensive stain as itdoes the cheap stuff, I’d rather skip twoyears of pushing a paintbrush instead ofapplying an annual coat of cheap stain.Ben Franklin said, “Time is money.” Inthis case, I’d rather spend the moneyand save the time.

Car/boat wax: The wax I use on myboat costs $16 for a 24-ounce bottle.Expensive? You betcha, but we’re talk-ing about my boat here. It’s my prideand joy. Besides, I only need to wax thehull once every two years because thefinish this wax lays down is incredibly


Sometimes buying the low-cost alternative isn’t the best way to stretch your dollars

When Cheap Is Expensiveby Rich Finzer

durable and long lasting. The “bluelagoon” wax I use on my vehicles is thesame. I wouldn’t skimp on these items.The risks are too great and the resultsare worth the price.

Tools: I own two types or grades oftools. I have the relatively inexpensiveones that I bought at the big yellow dis-count tool store (you know the one)and the tools I never loan out. Thecheap tools are manufactured in theOrient and look it. And you can borrowthem any time you like. But my USAmade SK wrenches, Channellock pli-ers, and Estwing hammers are mine.When I’m too old to use them anymore,I intend to give them to my nephews.They’ll only be about 60 years old (thetools that is) by then, which meansthey’ll have completed their break-inperiod. Think about it this way. Cheaptools and expensive tools cost exactlythe same amount, because you end upreplacing the junky ones when theyinevitably fail. And to my mind, toolsshouldn’t break just because you usethem.

Are there other examples where buyingthe low-cost alternative isn’t wise?Absolutely! However, I can only think ofone other, and that’s a parachute!Jumping out of a perfectly good air-plane is scary enough in its own right,but skydiving while wearing a para-chute manufactured in Beijing is a trulyterrifying thought.


Make two meals from one

Restaurant Magic by Melissa Koosmann

The occasional restaurant splurgeis a fun break from cooking andcleaning up at home, but only if

the prices don’t take away yourappetite. And they don’t have to, evenif you’re on a tight budget. If you wantto eat at restaurants from time to time,try cutting costs the same way youwould at home by stretching the food.

Asian and Indian restaurants offersome of the best options for peoplewho need to make their restaurant dol-lars go as far as possible. Theserestaurants usually offer many dishesthat are packed with flavor, drippingwith sauce, and meant to be eatenover rice. Try ordering a single entreefor every two or three people in yourgroup, along with extra rice. If you eatalone, order the extra rice for yourselfand keep half of the main dish for left-overs.

Those Asian and Indian entrees some-times get even less expensive if youorder them as take-out. Ask for yourfood without rice (if this is cheaper)and then bring it home and make therice yourself. You’ll still get the greatrestaurant food and skip out on mostof the work, but you’ll pay grocerystore prices for the staple element ofthe meal. If you want to mimic theexact flavors and textures of therestaurant food, you’ll need to buy theright variety of rice to match the cui-sine you’re eating. Thai food is typical-

cont. on pg. 18...

ly served with jasmine rice. Indian isserved with basmati rice, and Chineseis generally served with the long-grainrice that most Americans already use.If you live in a large urban area, theserice varieties may be available at yourlocal grocery store. Otherwise, you’llneed to explore specialty marketswhen you can get to them. Bewarethat buying special rice is a goodoption only for enthusiastic cooks whowill use the rest later. If that doesn’t

sound like you, stick with the rice youalready have in the house. It’ll taste alittle different, but you won’t end upwasting money.

If you’re craving a different variety offood, find out which restaurants nearyour home offer freebies. Mexicanrestaurants are an excellent choice,as they typically start you off with freechips and salsa. Take the edge offyour hunger with those, and thenorder a small meal such as a singletaco or side salad. Similarly, someItalian restaurants serve free bread. Ifyou eat quite a bit of that, it’s no prob-lem to share or save half of your maincourse.

No matter where you eat, it’s impor-tant to be savvy about how you order

and what you consume. Most restau-rants serve far more than a personcan eat at a single meal, but not everydish is worth taking home. Make apoint of finishing the foods that needto be eaten right away, such as greasyFrench fries or pre-dressed salads,and just eating a few bites of the foodsthat will taste best the next day. Thisoften means going easy on your meatdish, but it will ensure that you reallyget at least two meals out of your sin-gle restaurant bill.

Eating in restaurants will never be ascheap as cooking from scratch, butmost budgets have room for a dinnerout at least once in a while. It’s a nicefeeling. You can get out of the house,eat great food, and avoid washingdishes for once. If you’re smart abouthow you order, you might even enjoyyourself.

Melissa Koosmann is an American free-lance writer who lives in Cape Town, SouthAfrica. She is the author of three books:Meet Our New Student from South Africa,Going to School Around the World, andMonumental Milestones: The Fall ofApartheid in South Africa.


Restaurant cont...


The school my daughter attendsprepares many meals for the poorduring a special month of fasting,

worship and charitable giving. Studentsare asked to participate by bringing asingle ingredient for the day’s meal. If,for example, potatoes are needed, eachchild in a designated class brings justone potato. If the school needs rice,each child in another class brings justone cup of rice. The emphasis is onbringing just one item. With more than athousand students in the school, theyare quickly able to assemble a vastamount of food for each meal.

I really like this school’s method of col-lecting food. By requesting very simpleingredients, parents do not feel bur-dened, and the kids learn that charitablegiving does not have to be complicatedor expensive. One item can make animpact, especially when combined withall the items donated by others.

Applying this concept, we have a jar forcharity in my home to which we all con-tribute. No one is pressured to makedonations, and I tell my kids that evenone penny is welcome. They are alwayssurprised when we finally count themoney and find $10-$20 that we canuse to ease another person’s hardships.

If you have ever felt that giving charity istoo difficult on a tight budget, try cooper-ating with friends, family members orneighbors to donate one of “something”on a regular schedule.

Even if you’re poor, giving can be easy

Charitable Contributions by Amel S. Abdullah

Let’s say that you are a mother whomeets other mothers at the park eachweek. You all have babies and toddlersin diapers and know exactly how expen-sive it is to keep your kids diapered.Donating a whole package of diapers toa needy mother might be difficult, butyou really want to help a special friend.Applying the “just one” method, a groupof five mothers could each donate onediaper per week until a complete pack-age of 20 diapers is collected.

This can also work with other essentialgoods, like laundry soap, regular soap,toilet paper, food, or anything else youcan think of. For example, before theschool year, school supplies are certain-ly a burden for many families. Can youdonate one pencil? How about a note-book, a folder, an eraser, or a ruler? Afriend of mine started a project like this,asking for little, and ended up collectingso many supplies that she was able todonate more than 65 fully-equippedbackpacks to needy children in her city.

The “just one” method of collecting char-itable items is so subtle that you don’teven realize how much you are actuallyaccumulating in a short period. Smalldonations can quickly turn into somethinghuge and help many people. Involve yourchildren, and they will see that helpingothers is something anyone can do.

Amel Abdullah is a freelance writer, editorand Arabic to English translator. She may bereached at [email protected]

This year, our family is considering beginning somenew traditions as an alternative to gift giving. Wewant to have special family time that will be mean-

ingful to all. We have what we need and even what wewant in many cases. It’s not that we are unable to affordbuying gifts; we are striving to move beyond all thehype. Any suggestions?Corin

Christmas Tradition Idea: Once Upon a Time

Have a gathering where each person brings one gift fora person whose name they drew in advance. Set adollar limit like $10 or even $5. The rule is that the giftmust be an item you think that person would haveliked as a child, such as a toy, a children’s book, etc.Wrap them up, and then let the recipients removethe gift-wrapping. Then, gather up all the goodies

and donate them to Toys for Tots. It’s fun becauseyou have to put some thought into it, considering

the person’s interests, but it ultimately benefits aworthy cause.Cassie

A Take Home Christmas Memory

One family I know gets together to makeChristmas ornaments to exchange. Theyhave a fun day using lace and fabricscraps, glitter, markers and other craftsupplies to make ornaments. Theynumber the collection and put the

numbers in a hat and draw for theirexchange. Everyone takes home agreat Christmas memory.Laurie

Looking for alternatives to gifts

New Christmas Traditions

cont. on pg. 21...


Christmas Tradition cont...

Everybody Loves Traditional Christmas Cookies!

A cookie baking day could be fun! Each member can picktheir favorite recipe and make enough for everyone totake home. You’ll have good food and family time in one!Gretchen

Giving Face-to-Face

A very good friend of mine began a new Christmas tra-dition last year. She and her family have all that theyneed and were looking to recapture the spirit ofChristmas they felt was missing from their lives.

For the second year in a row, my friend has purchased20 good quality fleece throw blankets on sale the dayafter Thanksgiving at the best price she could find.This year she found her best buy at Mervyn’s. Theywere selling three blankets for $10, so she bought 21blankets. She will then go to Costco and local gro-cery stores to purchase water and various non-per-ishable food items and will make up a bag to gowith each blanket.

Then, on Christmas Eve, they go into SanFrancisco (our nearest large city) and give thebags and blankets to any homeless people theyfind on the street. These people have been verygrateful. They never force a bag and blanketon anyone unwilling to accept them, and forthe sake of safety, they never approachgroups of people, only individuals orthose in groups of two.

Giving a small gift to someone they knowwon’t get anything makes them appreciatethe joy of giving, and unlike donating tocharity, they are giving face to face.

cont. on pg. 22...



Another great suggestion is to participate in the distribu-tion of toys with an organization like Toys for Tots or seeif a local organization has an opportunity to sponsor anunder-privileged family for Christmas, providing giftsand a holiday meal.Lori

Sharing “Off” Time

Three years ago, we decided we didn’t much enjoy theholidays. We were asking our grown-up children whatthey wanted and then buying and wrapping what they

had asked for. It ended up in a flurry of opening pres-ents with not much quality time.

We came up with the idea that we would give our kidssome much needed “off” time. We rented a house onthe beach for a week before Christmas and invitedthe kids and grandkids. We did not get gifts for the

grown ups, just a gift for each grandchild. Webrought all the food, most of which I had prepared

and froze. They were officially “on vacation.”We took care of most of the chores and evenadded a couple of surprises to the week,such as massages for the girls and a day offishing for the guys. It didn’t cost much morethan buying gifts and we got the biggest pres-ent of all, time with our family. Everyone

asked to keep up our new tradition.

We are planning to find somethingaway from the beach next year as it isgetting too pricey for the rental. Sinceit isn’t the location so much as just

time together that’s important, a clean,comfortable place with enough beds forall of us will be fine.Nancy


cont. on pg. 23...

Dwell in the Joy of the Season

When my children were young we had very little income.Plus, I worked multiple part-time jobs to avoid the costof childcare. A pricey Christmas was out of the question.

We always went caroling. Wrap up warmly if you live ina cold climate and take some easy lyrics with you. Youcan find these in books at the library. If you feel funnygoing to homes of people you don’t know, call localnursing homes. They love visitors.

Adopt a family for Christmas. Call the local SalvationArmy. They’ll give you general details of ages andneeds. Fill a big laundry basket full of foods, clothingand toys for someone needy.

Invite people to your home for the holidays who havelost a loved one, suffered a breakup, or are just lone-ly. Go all out to make them feel there is joy in justbeing together. Let them know you appreciate theirpresence.

Volunteer to cook or serve at a local soupkitchen after the holidays. They are often over-whelmed with volunteers during Hanukkah andChristmas, but volunteers are in short supplycome January and February.

Practice random acts of kindness. Last year,while Christmas shopping, my son bought abag of chocolates and handed them topeople as he shopped at a mall. A fewwere actually suspicious, but moststopped and took time to talk with him.He doesn’t remember most of the presentshe bought, but he still remembers some ofthe people he spoke with that day.Carrie



Sandra is right. She’s running a bitbehind schedule. And, yes, she has alot of company. Many 50-year-olds arerecognizing that they don’t haveenough savings for the retirement thatthey expect and want.

Sandra has no time to waste. Sheneeds to move on a number of fronts atthe same time. She’ll want to controlher spending, acquire a home, andbuild up her retirement accounts.

First, it will be important for Sandra tokeep close track of her spending. Everydollar that she doesn’t spend now willbe $2 or more that she can spend aftershe retires. Under normal circum-stances, she might attempt to save 5%to 10% of her take home pay. Given hersituation, Sandra needs to try to pushtowards 15% or more.

Second, Sandra is wise to want a homewithout a mortgage by the time sheretires. Accomplishing this couldreduce her retirement income needs by25%.

One advantage to the current recessionis that it’s easier for Sandra to find anaffordable home and the interest rate onher mortgage will be lower.

She’ll want to look for a fixed rate, 15-year mortgage. That will give her a cou-ple of advantages. First, she’ll have itpaid off by the time she’s 65. Second,she’ll get a lower interest rate than on a30-year mortgage. Finally, the monthlypayment won’t be much larger than a30-year mortgage.

Sandra might also want to consider buy-ing a home that would be big enough totake in a paying roommate or even aduplex that could provide an additionalsource of retirement income.

Next, Sandra will want to maximize hersavings, and specifically her retirementaccounts. The reason that she’ll empha-size the retirement accounts is thatthey’ll allow her to accumulate savingswith a minimum of taxes. Also, in thecase of the 401k plan, she may benefitfrom employer matching funds.


What to do when your savings don’t match your retirement goals

Retirement Planning by Gary Foreman

cont. on pg.25...

I’m starting over with no retirement. With this economy, there are lots of middle-aged people like me who, through company closings, stupid choices, divorce,etc. have little retirement savings and are seeing a need to kick things in over-

drive for a healthy retirement. Personally, my goal is to buy a place, have it paid for,and build Social Security and savings over the next 15 years. I trusted someone,and they blew my life savings. It’s my own fault. So I have to get this ball rolling.How do I do it on $10 per hour in an area in which you can get a home for under$50K? Sandra

Sandra will probably want to know howmuch she needs to save. There is no“one size fits all” answer, but there is away to estimate it. Sandra will beginby deciding how much income she’ll want after she retires. She’ll f ind at o o l t o e s t i m a t e h e r n e e d s a twww.stretcher.com/stories/04/04jul19b.cfm.

Once she has a target income, she canestimate how much savings she’ll needto provide that amount of income. Asimple rule of thumb is that for everydollar that you’d like to spend, youneed to save 15. If she can earn 7%per year, she can spend a dollar a yearwithout touching her principal. So if shewants an income of $15k per year,she’ll need to save $225k ($15,000 x15).

How much does Sandra need to putaway each month to have $1,000 wait-ing for her in 15 years? For each $1,000at retirement in 15 years, Sandra willneed to save $4.72 per month from nowuntil then. So, if she felt that she neededto have a $225,000 nest egg at retire-ment, she’d need to save $1062 perm o n t h b e g i n n i n g n o w. S h e c a n find a calculator at www.bankrate.com/calculators/retirement/retirement-goal-calculator-4.aspx?pid=p:dls.

Sandra will need to make decisions onwhere to invest her savings. Twothings could have a major impact onhow well her plan works.

One threat that all long-term saversneed to consider is inflation. Wehaven’t seen much inflation since thelate 1970’s, but inflation is one way forthe government to handle a debt prob-lem, so it is a real concern.

There’s no perfect way to “inflationproof” your savings. One thing that canhelp is to invest about 10% of your sav-ings in things that would appreciatewith inflation (i.e. gold, other minerals).

Also, Sandra needs to keep the propertime frame in mind. She may be retiringin 15 years, but she’s likely to liveanother 30 or 40 years, so she’ll wantto invest for the long term.

Finally, here’s a little encouragement. Itwill be tempting to think that the job istoo big, too difficult, and freeze in placedoing nothing. That’s the single worstthing that Sandra can do. Yes, it wouldhave been better to start years ago, butthe next best time to start saving istoday. Even if she can’t make her goal,every dollar she accumulates will makeher retirement easier.

Gary Foreman is a former financial plannerwho currently edits The Dollar Stretcher.

Retirement Planning cont...


It’s hard for home cooks to achievethe triumvirate qualities of fast, inex-pensive and tasty. Mixes and canned

goods are fast and often cheap, but theycan get boring and predictable. Addingjust a little bit of a leftover or a commonstaple dresses up an ordinary dish formere pennies, plus you don’t have to goout and buy anything special. Here are afew ideas to help your go-to conven-ience foods go glam.

~ G o t M i l k ? M a k e a n y c a n n e d , condensed soup a cream soup byusing it in place of water. Replace thewater in a boxed or envelope mix withmilk for a creamier side dish. Milk canalso make cocoa mix creamier thanwhen using water.

~ Reserve the water in which you cookvegetables. Allow it to cool and freezeit in ice cube trays. It adds nutrientsand flavor to reconstituted cannedsoup.

~ Mushrooms, diced onion, sl icedalmonds and/or celery are delicioussautéed and added to r ice pi laf,instant stuffing, or canned soup orstew. Also try a strip of crumbledbacon or cooked sausage to any ofthe above.

~ Crush leftover croutons, flavored pretzels or seasoned potato chips toc rumbs to top boxed au g ra t in potatoes or noodle side dishes.

cont. on pg.27...


~ Save leftover cooked veggies to addto soup or envelopes of rice or noodleside dishes. If you add a little leftovermeat, you’ll have an easy and tastycasserole right from your stovetop.

~ Extra cream cheese? Try it instead ofbutter in boxed mashed potatoes for adecadent flavor and creamy texture.O r s o f t e n i t a n d b l e n d i t i n t o store-bought frosting.

~ Kick up the flavor of canned bakedbeans by draining off some of theliquid and adding a shot of barbecuesauce.

~ Blend a dollop of peanut butter intostore-bought chocolate or vanillafrosting. It’s delicious on a chocolatecake. Stirred into canned chili, peanutbutter adds an unexpected flavor thatwill keep them guessing.

~ A squirt of mustard makes boxed mac& cheese so much more interesting. It

Easily transform your meals from bland to grand!

Flavor Boostersby Deborah Jeanne Sergeant


Flavor cont...

also makes the deli’s potato saladedgier.

~ A sprinkle of oregano jazzes upfrozen pizza.

~ Don’t let that last banana spoil. If it’s abit soft, beat i t into a cake mix, pancake mix, or cookie mix (reducingthe other added liquid by 1/2 a cup).

~ Press sprinkles into refrigeratedsugar cookie dough slices before youbake them. You’l l also save timebecause you won’t have to frost them.

~ I mpa r t a b r i gh t f l a vo r t o you r store-bought sugar cookie mix byworking in a teaspoon of lemon juice.

Deborah Jeanne Sergeant writes articles forconsumer and trade publications, marketingand promotional materials, and Web copy.Visit her at www.skilledquill.net or her blog atwww.cheapchownow.blogspot.com.

Laundry Detergent Stretcher

Simply add baking soda to your regulardetergent. Your detergent will go a longway, and your clothes will smell freshand be cleaner.Sandra H.

Simple Winter Window Insulation

Simply adding bubble wrap to your win-dows will greatly improve heat loss. Spraythe window with water and apply bubblewrap that has been cut to fit. It also can beeasily removed. Most furniture stores willgive you bubble wrap for free.K.

Instead of a Drive Thru Snack

I have five children, and even the dollarmenu of a fast food restaurant isn’t eco-nomical for us! So for those times whenthey’re thirsty or hungry while we’re onthe road, I keep a package of dispos-able cups and a box of inexpensivesandwich bags in the car. Instead ofspending $10 or more at the drivethrough, we run in the grocery store fora refrigerated carton of drink and amuch healthier snack, such as bakedcrackers or fruit. When we look for saleitems, we can find something for $3 orless. Not only do we save money, butalso we have healthier foods, drinkrefills, and leftovers for another day!Sarah

Readers’ Tips

cont. on pg. 28...

Buying a Used Vacuum

My vacuum cleaner died, and I neededto find a replacement without buying anew one. I called my local vacuumrepair shop to see if they had a used orrefurbished one that I could buy. Theylet me buy one that a customer neverpicked up for $50 (the fee to tune up). Itwas a Hoover® bagless, which sells for$200 regular price. The vacuum repairshop recouped their money for the tuneup, and I gained a nice vacuum for afraction of the price.Terri B.

Checking the Bookshelf

If you’re a book-lover like I am, you cannever have too many books. But, whenmoney is tight and you still want to readsomething new, go shopping in yourown library. Chances are that you havetons of books in your house. In fact, I’dventure to guess that some of themhave never been opened because theyare in your “pile” of stuff to be read downthe line. Look through all of these bookswith fresh eyes. Prowl among all thebooks you’ve stored in odd places, likethe top shelf of your hallway closet, thatancient bookcase in the basement, orthat dresser drawer that should containsocks and underwear but is jam-packedwith books! You’ll be surprised at whatyou’ll find.Kathy P.

Custom Pizza

Save money even when indulging inpizza. Order a cheese pizza. Whilewaiting for the pizza, prepare toppingsfrom what you have in the kitchen,such as onions, green peppers,spinach, other vegetables, cookedhamburger or sausage, and so on.You’ll have a deluxe pizza for the low-est cost, especially if you had leftoversto use as toppings.M.

Thinking of Getting a Dog?

Craigslist is an excellent source ofused items, but did you know you canalso find a pet that way? Instead ofgetting a new puppy, I opted to get ayoung dog whose owners were movingout of town. My two-year-old pet wasalready trained, housebroken, vacci-nated and spayed. I made sure shewas not a victim of a puppy mill andthat she did not have any problems.She was just a really good dog whoneeded a new home. Her former own-ers also included all her items like herfood, dishes, leash, rawhide bones,etc. That saved me a lot of money, andit saved a very pretty and sweet littledog from going to the pound and fac-ing a very uncertain future because ofher age. It was a “doggone” happyending for all concerned.N2W


Readers’ Tips cont...

cont. on pg. 29...

Hiding Christmas Gifts

I have one tip if you have children.When you arrange for someone towatch your kids or if you watch kids fora family, ask them if you can storeyour children’s gifts at their house. Idid this for years and my friend evenwrapped the kids’ gifts, so the kidswouldn’t recognize the paper. If youhave teenagers, they will really be sur-prised when they can’t find anyChristmas gifts that you have suppos-edly hidden. Janet C.

Timing Mark-Downs

Find out when your grocery doesmark-downs on meat and deli items.For example, I do most of my grocerybuying at Wal-Mart. My Wal-Martmarks their deli items and also somefresh meats down around 5pm. I havebought rotisserie chickens for $2.50,bags of chicken tenders for $2.00(about 4 pounds), and large contain-ers of mac and cheese for 90 cents!

I have also found fresh poultry andground round for half-price. At thistime of day, the deli is about to closeand they are ready to move their left-overs. The meats are about to hit theirexpiration time the next day. Justmake sure you have freezer spaceand containers ready at home. T.

Pre-Purchase Briefing

Knowledge is power against beingripped off. Before paying for hugeexpenses like car or house repairs, I talkto several people, including friends withmore expertise than myself. I compari-son shop. I do a lot of Internet research.When I am satisfied that I have turnedevery stone to know every option fromcheap to expensive, I then make mydecision on what is best for me.DL

Don’t Replace Door Locks

In changing my door lock, I have foundthat having the cylinder “re-keyed” rep-resents a huge savings (as much as50%) as opposed to buying a new lockand chucking the old. Plus, it is a bitgreener! Then, if one is slightly handy,installing the lock is a no-brainer! Evenmore savings here! Marian

Leftover Turkey?

Sometimes after storing leftover turkeyin the refrigerator, it gets a “different”taste to it. I have found that if you coverthe turkey with chicken broth, it’ll contin-ue to taste fine. When re-heating theturkey, use the broth to make moregravy. When freezing, the broth helps toprotect against freezer burn. Joann V. from Ohio


cont. on pg. 30...


Cut Your Electric Bill

Power strips. My house is equippedwith them in every room. The kitchentoaster, can opener, microwave, cof-feepot and telephone are plugged intothem. They do not need to be on all thetime, and it saves a great deal of ener-gy that way. The television and DVDplayer are also on a power strip, sowhen it is not in use, it is not drawingenergy. The bedrooms have powerstrips for the cell phone cords andthere is nothing on during the day inthe rooms. My electric bill went from$175 a month to $78 and less eachmonth. I had a bill for $51 one monthwith everything turned off.EE

Last Call

I go to flea markets later in the day.One reason is the admission is usuallyfree. The dealers want to get rid ofthings, so they deeply discount items.At the very end of the day, many startselling things for 25 cents, and thenyou hear many yelling, “Free! Free!Free! Take it away!” I can usually fill upmy minivan with very cheap or freethings. I also check next to trash bar-rels. Many people leave stuff theydon’t want there. After a few of theseoutings, I set up a yard sale with theday being pure profit. Good job done.B.


Convenient AND Cheap?

While many convenience items aremore costly than their non-conveniencecounterparts, this is not always true.When my local supermarket puts thestore brand shredded cheese on sale,the price per pound for the cheese isless than the chunk cheese. Since I usea lot of cheese for my vegetarian nightdinners, I stock up. Then I can haveconvenience and a good price. It pays todo the price comparison.Ruth C. from New Jersey

Fancy Holiday Tables

Often times, stores have tableclothson sale and the largest size isn’t toomuch more than the smaller sizes. Ibuy one to fit my table and one in thelargest size to cut down and hem formatching napkins and runners for mybuffet as well as a small tablecloth foranother small table in my dining room.You could buy a tablecloth just a cou-ple sizes bigger for just making thenapkins or runner. I even have plaidchair cushion covers to match my din-ing table linens at Christmas time thatwere made this way. It only takes ashort time to hem them, and this is alot less expensive than buying all thenapkins, place mats and runners sep-arately. It’s great for odd sized piecesas well. Rhonda H.


cont. on pg. 31...


Cheaper Craft Supplies

When shopping for craft supplies, don’tforget your local Goodwill or other thriftstore. I frequently find plenty of materi-als I need for my sewing projects thereat a fraction of the price of most craftstores. I have purchased fabric for $1 forseveral yards on sale days and bags fullof trimmings for about the same price.Plus, I’ve gotten patterns for 50 cents orless.BF

Two Gifts in One

For many years, gifts in our family havebeen wrapped in new towels. Dish tow-els, hand towels, bath towels, andwashcloths are used and secured withpins. We use safety pins for youngerfamily members and straight pins forolder ones, but tape can be used alsoand removed carefully to preserve thenap of the towel. We buy the towelsthroughout the year on sale. The recipi-ent has two gifts instead of one andeveryone can use new towels! Holly in NH

Affordable “Luxury” Christmas Gifts

Do your Christmas shopping at yourlocal library. Our library sells gently usedor new books for around $2 for hardcover and only 75 cents for paperback. Igot a “new” book on Ireland. The jacket

price for this book was $36, but I got itfor $2. My sister is going to Ireland inMarch, and she will love finding thisbook under her tree. I do tell the recip-ient that it was purchased at the libraryor thrift store if it isn’t new. I also tellthem that it is sent with love. Times arehard, and everyone is understanding.You can even mail the books mediamail for Christmas if you shop early.Mary

Putting the Word Out

When there is something I am lookingfor or want, I put the word out. I let myfriends know, and I don’t expect to getthe item right away. Often someonehas what I’m looking for, doesn’t wantit, and is glad to get rid of it.

For example, my microwave drew itslast breath and I was debating gettinga new one. I mentioned this to myfriend, and she said, “Oh, don’t buyone. My daughter just brought me onethat she got free at a garage sale.” Shedidn’t want it, but thought someonecould use it and dropped it off at hermother’s house. It had been sitting inthe shed for six months unused! Icleaned it up and had a new-to-memicrowave that worked perfectly. Soletting folks know you need or wantsomething can often produce resultsthat are good for you and good for theenvironment.K.


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Springboard December 2010 · Following are some tips to help you maneuver the holiday season with ease and keep more ... sional advice or tips that are free to give but will be invaluable