Tips

From Gary Foreman at www.TheDollarStretcher.com


0% Credit Cards

Be sure to check all terms of any balance transfer offer. The last time I succumbed to an offer like that, I learned too late that I was required to make purchases of a certain amount each month. New purchases were subject to a much higher variable interest rate. Payments were applied to the older balance first, meaning that the new purchases continued to accrue at the higher interest rate.
Marilyn


Co-Signer Caution

I work for a major lender, and it amazes me how few people think before co-signing a loan if they could handle the payment if they had to. My advice for co-signers is never co-sign. Let the person know that it is against your beliefs to agree to pay anyone else's debts. And that is what you do when you co-sign.
Debbie Z.


Haircut Trim-Up

Have a short hairstyle? I'm not sure about you, but the back of my hair (along my neck) seems to grow faster than the rest! Often times, the back needs to be cut after four or five weeks when I'm not quite ready to fork over the money again for a whole other haircut. As many people know, most hair salons will cut your bangs for $5. What many people don't know is that they'll cut just the back of your hair for the same price. And it's not just a straight cut. Most will do layers, too, if you like. You can get cleaned up for a nominal price (quickly too, I might add) and stretch out the time in between haircuts.
Tracy G.


How Much Water?

The next time you are in the shower, plug the drain. This tactic will help you visualize just how much money your shower costs. If it is too much, try to reduce that amount the next time you shower. Seeing is believing!
Kelli


Belt Buster - or - Budget Buster?

I have a great tip to not only reduce your grocery budget but your waistline as well! I have switched my family over from ground beef to ground turkey. Ground beef usually costs around $1.69/lb on sale in my area (for the cheap stuff that is 1/3 fat anyway). Ground turkey from the freezer section is 99 cents/lb. Not only is it cheaper, but it's much leaner than the cheap ground beef. I have successfully switched to the ground turkey on 99% of our ground beef recipes. I do still use ground beef for tacos, chili and spaghetti as the taste was inferior with the turkey. My kids love my turkey burgers and turkey meatloaf (better than when I used ground beef) and you can't tell the difference in most recipes. Even if you only switched it out for half of your ground beef, you will see significant savings in your pocketbook and in your waistline!
Jamie in Metamora, Michigan


Stove Warning

This is from a stove repairman that visited my friend for a $250 repair after she used the self-cleaning function of her oven. He suggests not using the self-cleaning function of your oven because he half of the problem he sees are caused by using the self- cleaning. I would add to try the self-cleaning function of your oven while the stove is under warranty, so if it does cause a malfunction, they will fix it under the warranty.
Mary Z. in Woods Hole, MA


Another Cloth Diaper Benefit

One of the biggest selling points for me to use cloth diapers for all three babies was the great "natural" push it gave to potty training. Since the kids felt the wetness, they figured out the whole thing faster. I had three toddlers potty trained by 2 1/2 years. The youngest one was trained at age 2 without really trying. Friends with the high priced disposable diapers were still changing diapers on three- and four-year-old kids, since the absorbent layers kept them too dry. No diapers at all is the real money saver
Lisa in Los Angeles, California


Learning About Bills

I have three daughters, and as each became teenagers and got their first summer job, I gave them a small (light, electric, phone) bill. Their task was to pay the bill on their own and on time. They had to pay by cash, check or money order, but they could not give me the money for the bill. They had to handle it themselves. This gave them a sense of responsibility and taught them how the real world worked. It also freed me financially for those bills in the summer months.
A. K.


Mommie!

When one of my portable phones was beyond use, we used it for "sick" days. I plug the phone in next to the bed of the sick person. They keep the base at the bedside and I keep the handset with me. When they hit the "Page" button, my handset beeps to let me know when they need something. It has saved us a lot of running back and forth.
Donna


A Reward for Saving

Call your home and car insurance agent and see if you can lower your monthly premium by increasing your deductible amount. If you're like me, you set those amounts when you may not have had the savings built up that you do now.

Just this month I increased my auto deductible from $100 to $1000 and my homeowner's deductible from $1000 to $5000. If something happens, I can cover that amount with my savings.

I saved $70 a month! That's $840 a year and I still have exactly the same coverage.
Dolores


Cheap T-Shirts

My husband wears t-shirts to work, and in the construction trade, t-shirts don't have a long life. I like to purchase quality t-shirts so that they last a while and look decent in the process. However, they are costly. I found that if I go to a thrift shop in a nicer area, they have racks and racks of t-shirts that people wore once and they don't wear again. Instead, they toss it into the donation bag for the local thrift store (to benefit local schools, women's shelters, etc.). They are usually priced at 50 cents each and are very good quality. As long as your husband doesn't mind slogans like "Teachers Do It Best" or "XYZ Company's Softball Team," he should have a good supply of clean, high-grade t-shirts for work or play. This has saved us a lot of money!
Kris A.