Wise Bread

3 Ways to Ban Spam and Stop Junk

Stacy Johnson — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:42:13 +0000

I work at home, often under high pressure, so I'm not fond of interuptions. And yet they come constantly: spam emails that bury ones I need to see, stupid junk mail I have to sort through, people knocking at my door trying to sell me everything from steak to magazines and phone calls from people trying to sell me something. I'm mad as hell and not going to take it any more! How about you?

On the phone front, we finally acheived a partial victory in September when the Federal Trade Commission finally passed a ban on “Robo-calls.” Telemarketers can be fined up to $16,000 for some of these exceedinly irritating solicitations. But not all robo-calls are banned. You can still get them from politicians, some non-profits and various others.

But there are steps you can take to at least curtail live telemarketers on the phone, spam in your email box and junk in your mailbox.

Junk "snail mail"

To stop junk “snail mail” for redit or insurance, you either go to optoutprescreen.com, or call 888-5OPTOUT. That doesn’t stop all junk: mainly just credit card solicitations. (And the economy has already stopped a lot of those.) But it will help.

Spam email

When it comes to email, sign up for a personal account to share with people you trust and a private account to use online when you shop or post. Then don’t ever give out the private one. Ever.

Telemarketers

What about unsolicited phone calls? Your defense here is the “do-not-call list.” Put your name on it by going to donotcall.gov or calling 888-382-1222. And if someone does call you after your name is on that list, report them to the BBB or FTC.

Also: once a year you’re going to get mail from lenders and other companies you do business with, asking if it’s ok for them to share your personal information with other companies. Don’t throw these away unread: return them and to quote Nancy Reagan: “just say no.”

As for people on the porch? Next time I'm at the hardware store, I'm investing in a "No Soliciting" sign. Pity the idiot who ignores it.

Permalink | 2 comments | Stacy Johnson's blog | Channel: Consumer Affairs, Technology

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Best Deals For Friday 11/20/09

Paul Michael — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:03:27 +0000

By Paul Michael

Today's WISEBUY. JR.com Black Friday DVD Blowout Already Underway!
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Get More Bang for Your Membership Buck!

Kelly Whalen — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:00:02 +0000

By Kelly Whalen

If you are looking for a way to get out of the house, and do something without breaking the bank, it may seem your options are limited, but using these simple tricks, you will be able to get out of the house without going broke.

Free Days

Many museums offer days of the year, or hours during the week, where you can get in for free or reap deep discounts. For instance, here is a fantastic list on NY.com of museums in New York City that are free, take only donations, or offer free times every week.

Scout your local area's websites, and call your local museums/attractions, to find out if and when they offer any free or pay-as-you-wish times.

Another option is to volunteer! If you volunteer you may get a free membership, or at the very least use of the museum or attraction after you are done helping out. Volunteering is also a fantastic way to meet people who share common interests.

It Pays to Be a Member

Purchasing a membership is the key to consistently going places on a budget. By being a "member," you can take advantage of reciprocal memberships. Reciprocal memberships are memberships that give you the benefit of admission to similar attractions.

By digging around on your chosen attraction's website, you can usually find any associations and rules for using your membership at other places. For instance, by using theAmerican Horticultural Society's website, I was able to find a local garden membership at nearly half the cost of the garden I was considering joining.

You may find a membership at a vacation spot or in your hometown that is a less expensive option to your local attraction to stretch your dollar even further. This can be a boon when there are rules about how far away you have to be from your "home" museum or site.

Aren't sure you want to purchase a membership without visiting first? Ask if you can buy one that same day if you change your mind. In my experience, many places offer this benefit because it's a win-win. Just be sure to hold onto your receipt, and usually the membership office can deduct that day's fees.

Best Family Memberships

Look for a membership to one of the museums who belong to the Association of Children's Museums, which touts it "was rated by Real Simple, Nick Jr. Family Magazine, and others as the best value for families."

In my area, a membership to ACM affiliate The Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia is a fantastic deal. It saves you the $5 parking fee at every visit, and includes a number of free carousel rides.

Kid-Free Households

No kids? No problem! There are memberships to gardens, botanical centers, science centers, etc. that have the same benefits. Whatever your taste, you are sure to find some kind of museum or attraction that offers admission to other local, national or worldwide places. It may take longer to pay back your membership, but if you have a favorite place, it's well worth it.

Other Discounts on Memberships

Students should always make sure to take along your ID, as many museums offer student discounts.

Seniors also get discounts at a variety of venues.

Check with AAA, your workplace, and even your local government — you may find an extra discount, or discounted tickets.

Vacation and Memberships

When visiting another area for vacation or to visit family, you can leverage your memberships to see the local sights. You may find your memberships don't extend to that area, or your memberships don't extend to the attractions you want to see. In major metropolitan areas, look for multi-passes to several attractions.

In San Francisco, for example, you can choose the CityPass, which includes a muni/cable car pass and admission to:

the California Academy of Sciences
to Aquarium of the Bay
San Francisco MoMA
the Exploratorium or the deYoung/Legion of Honor art institutes
a cruise on the Blue/Gold Fleet

Just be sure you want to visit ALL the attractions, or you may end up spending more than you need to. When my husband and I visited San Francisco in June, we purchased a Muni/Cable Car pass only. It enabled us to take the cable cars multiple times ($5 for one way), the streetcars (my favorite), and Muni all over the city.

Another example, my family (6 of us) traveled to Baltimore 2 years ago, and thanks to our memberships, we went to the Children's Museum and the Science Center for FREE! We saved over $200 in admission fees.

Keep in mind that you can also plan ahead by using guidebooks and websites to find free or discounted admission times at various venues. Just be sure to call ahead, so you don't end up spending $100 without intending to!

Do the Math

My family has used memberships to save over $1,000 in the last 3 years. That's a lot of bang for our membership buck!

With a family of 6 a membership usually pays for itself pretty quickly. A few months ago we purchased a family membership to the Philadelphia Zoo. We would have paid $106 plus parking, but instead I bought and printed out our membership for $99 which included free parking. We only saved $7 on the first trip, but each additional trip adds another $106 to our savings total!

You may not have quite as large a brood, so here is a simple equation to figure out how many trips it will take to make membership worth your money:

Step 1: Cost of tickets x # of people = cost for 1 visit
Example: $15 x 4 = $60

Step 2: Cost of membership / Cost for 1 visit = # of visits to pay for membership (round up)
Example: $100 / $60 = 2 (rounded up)

In our example, it would take only 2 visits for a membership to be worth it!

My favorite part of using these memberships, however, is not saving money. It is the time well spent with your family or friends in a carefully and lovingly cared-for environment. Whether it's a science museum, an estate turned garden, a historic ship, or a children's museum we often find a renewed sense of wonder with each visit!

5 Creative, Simple, and Frugal Recipes for Leftover Turkey

Sarah Winfrey — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:02 +0000

By Sarah Winfrey

It's that time of year again. No, not the holiday season. The time when everyone and their mother tells you what to do with all that leftover turkey you're going to have in a week. Not wanting to be left out of such honored company, here are some of the best ideas I've heard (and had!) for using up those extra bits of bird. Besides being tasty, they might not be anything you've had before, they whip up quickly, and they use ingredients that most people have on hand.

1. Turkey Bar-B-Q Sandwiches

These are a great spin on the overdone after-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches. Simmer some turkey in your favorite bar-b-q sauce. Add some onion and garlic if you're feeling particularly adventuresome. Meanwhile, lightly toast some bread (those leftover dinner rolls will work, too). When everything smells fabulous and tastes the way you like it, put the turkey mixture on the rolls and consume the goodness.

2. Turkey Marinara

Some people put boring old meatballs in their spaghetti sauce, but not you. Nope, creative fiend that you are, you use turkey instead. If you're feeling really ambitious, you can chop your turkey really small or put it through a grinder, mix it with some onion, garlic, and other spices, and cook your meatballs in a pan or your oven until they've glommed together in that special way meatballs do.

If you're still sleeping off the first turkey dinner, just add some turkey and spices to your spaghetti sauce and simmer until the flavors mix. The taste is about the same, though meatballs are just more fun.

3. Turkey Broth

Before you say, "Bor-ring!" and walk away, hear me out. Broth is infinitely useful, obviously great for soups and gravies, but also useful as a marinade, in rice, or anytime you want to add a little extra meaty flavor. And the best thing about it? You can freeze it and save it forever! So you won't have to use all your turkey in a week. Instead, you'll consume it over months.

To make turkey broth, simmer your turkey or turkey carcass (yup, making broth lets you use even the carcass!) in water with spices you like. I'd suggest garlic, parsley, basil, salt and pepper, but you can choose whatever works best for you. You can also add chopped veggies, like celery and onion. Simmer for several hours, then use a strainer to remove any bones. It's up to you whether or not you leave bits of meat in — some people like it this way and others don't. Set aside any that you'll use within the next week and freeze the rest for later.

4. Turkey Divan

I'm not sure what "Divan" means, but I've always guessed it must be related to "divine" because of how amazing this meal tastes. Seriously, food of the gods, folks. I made up a recipe for this once-upon-a-time, but that was before I found this one. And honestly, there's nothing in mine to recommend it above this one. Just swap out the chicken it mentions for your turkey leftovers and you may never want to eat anything else again.

5. Turkey Tortilla Soup

I love me some good tortilla soup (and I hate the bad ones!). There's not much better on a cold day than some spicy, substantial soup for lunch. If you're sick, there's not much that works better for clearing those poor sinuses, either.

Just add some turkey to your favorite tortilla soup recipe (doesn't every cook have one?), or use this one and substitute your turkey where it says "chicken." As a bonus, you can also use your fresh turkey broth here, too (see, I told you it'd be useful).

Instead of this just being me blathering on and on about what I like to eat, tell me what you do with your leftover turkey (or the rest of your leftover holiday spread, for that matter). After all, with Christmas just around the corner, it's not like we won't have ample time to try out all the recipes!

Permalink | 3 comments | Sarah Winfrey's blog | Channel: Food and Drink

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Urgent: Check Your Withholdings

Philip Brewer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:08:47 +0000

By Philip Brewer

Your paycheck has probably been bigger this year because the government stimulus package cut the amount of tax withheld from people who were expected to get the new "Making Work Pay" tax credit. But there's a problem: According to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, more than 15 million taxpayers may unexpectedly end up owing taxes.

The idea was to get the stimulus out sooner (by workers taking home larger paychecks) rather than later (at tax refund time), but the new tables were applied too broadly. Among the people who may be under-withheld:

Dependents who receive wages
Single taxpayers with more than one job.
Joint filers where one or both spouses have more than one job or both spouses work.
Individuals who file a return with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.
Taxpayers who receive pension payments.
Social Security recipients who receive wages

Obviously it's bad for anyone to be unexpectedly under-withheld. It's especially bad for people who pay estimated taxes, as they may be so under-withheld as to have to pay a penalty on top of the extra tax.

If you fall into any of the categories above, you ought to take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with the details in the Inspector General's report, and get your withholdings adjusted while there's still time to catch up. It's got complete details on the credit and the various categories of people who might be under-withheld.

Permalink | 3 comments | Philip Brewer's blog | Channel: Taxes

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Best Deals For Thursday 11/19/09

Paul Michael — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:58:27 +0000

By Paul Michael

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Thanksgiving: 3 Ways (This Thanksgiving We're Going to Party Like It's 1621)

Max Wong — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:03 +0000

By Max Wong

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday. I prefer it to the December holidays, New Years, and even my birthday. I prefer it because it is one of the only holidays that have not succumbed to commercialization and become a special day for candy and home decor companies to push their wares. Even though it's now a secular holiday, after three centuries, Thanksgiving is still a celebration that's centered on being a generous, grateful, and compassionate human being.

A lot of Thanksgivings are about family dysfunction and weird, terrible food involving aspic and marshmallow topping.

That is not how I roll.

I'm celebrating Thanksgiving three times this year. (Which really isn't that weird considering Florida, Texas and Virginia all had Thanksgiving celebrations before the Plymouth Colony made it a yearly holiday in 1621.) And really, wouldn't this country be better off if we focused more attention on harvest festivals that are about being thankful for what we already have and not holidays that center on deep discounts at the mall? In the spirit of the Plymouth colonists' and Wampanoag Confederacy's first dinner, I'm going to follow their example on what makes a good party.

In addition to wild turkey and a variety of winter vegetables, the guests at the first Plymouth Thanksgiving also enjoyed swan, venison and seal. Taking a cue from what is surely the ultimate pot luck dinner, I hosted a Thanksgiving pot luck for my Chowhounds foodies group, on November 15th, before everyone went home for the real deal. Last year's foodies party was so epic that I ended up with 40 pounds of leftovers, including four untouched pumpkin pies and two turkey carcasses that I turned into five gallons of turkey and rice soup. It was enough to cater three Thanksgiving Redux parties, which was tiresome, but delicious.

Although I managed to successfully entertain fifty guests in my 1000 square foot house, we almost immediately ran out of protein. I thought that two twenty-pound turkeys would be enough for all the carnivores to have a decent serving of white or dark meat. What I didn't count on was how much the birds would shrink during cooking.

Instead of spending hours basting and fretting over the oven, I delegated the turkey preparation to the neighborhood bodega that is famous for its Armenian-style rotisserie chicken. For $20 they agreed to rotisserie my two turkeys. The roasting was perfect. The birds were succulent and juicy with dark brown, crackly skin that melted in your mouth...but at half their original mass.

This year I'm planning a little better, first by asking all my guests to bring some Tupperware for leftovers, so I don't have so much surplus. In addition to turkeys (that will be rotisserie cooked again), I'm also serving a Honey Baked Ham purchased with an expired $50 ham gift certificate from 1997 that my mom found stuck to the back of her kitchen junk drawer. (Thanks to an awesome law in California, gift certificates have no expiration, a legal loophole that my mother can't exploit in Arizona.) Now if only I can get other people to bring some eel and lobster as alternate main courses...

Strays Party

My actual Thanksgiving dinner will be an all-day event I call the Strays Party. Up until two years ago, I hosted a Strays Party where I would start cooking at 10 in the morning and wouldn't stop until 10 at night. In the fabulous Wampanoag Indian tradition of snacking all day, people who were alone for the holiday could show up, eat and leave whenever they wanted. (Each year I also pick up a number of friends who eat at my house to subsidize what they know will be a disastrous meal cooked by mom. At least they know they'll eat well at least once that day.) The Strays Party is super fun, because I never know who is going to show up when, so every hour it's like a different party with different guests. Over the years my Strays menu got more and more elaborate and byzantine. I made elk meatloaf sandwiches on focaccia. I made Ovaltine gelato. I made Turducken.

Thanksgiving Breakfast

Two years ago I wised up — I realized that the thing my friends were dying to eat every year wasn't my Thanksgiving dinner, it was my Thanksgiving breakfast which consists of baked curried fruit salad and Swedish pancakes topped with my homemade cranberry preserve and creme fraiche. So, for the past two years, I've still had a Strays Party but only served the pancakes with different toppings all day. Let me just say that my kitchen stays much cleaner with all-day Thanksgiving Breakfast and my friends are still excited to come over.

Thanksgiving Redux

During the first week of December I am going to host Thanksgiving Redux. This is a potluck dinner where everyone brings his or her Thanksgiving leftovers to share. This a great way to squeeze in one more dinner with friends before everyone's year end schedule gets too crazy, without spending any money on food.

(Author's Note: Squanto and Samoset were the two Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims survive after the colony nearly perished from the harsh New England winter. They taught the newly minted Americans how to fish for eel, fertilize their crops and grow corn. The 1621 Thanksgiving was a celebration of the colony's first successful harvest. In honor of Squanto's and Somoset's generosity, I am going to raffle off local honey and homemade organic preserves at this year's Thanksgiving Redux as a fundraiser for Heifer International that will provide ten communities in Tanzania with honeybees and specialized education in resource management and beekeeping.)

Tallying the True Cost of Debt

Bankrate — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:00:03 +0000

By Bankrate

The financial side is easy to quantify, and the numbers are huge. Americans are drowning in debt, carrying a record $972.5 billion in revolving charges at the end of 2007, according to data from the Federal Reserve.

"The average household has $11,000 to $12,000 in credit card debt," says Christopher Viale, president and chief executive officer of Cambridge Credit Counseling Corp. Those figures are diluted by those who don't hold any debt, he adds. Households that carry debt from month to month carry close to $17,000 of unsecured debt on average, he says.

One out of every five households is either behind on payments or over the limit on at least one account, he adds. "Up and down every street in America, you go to every fifth house and they're living in the penalty rate zone on credit cards."

To put things in perspective, he calculates that the interest and penalties alone on a debt of $17,000 totals $400 a month. "The first $400 they send doesn't pay down the $17,000," Viale says.

Beyond the numbers

On the human side, the consequences of debt are never isolated. As hard as we try to compartmentalize our problems, the lines often become blurred.

In one extreme example, a school bus driver had been driving up debt at home and hiding it from her husband. Finally she came in to meet with credit counselor Howard Dvorkin, founder of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services, bringing her husband along to get the bad news.

"Her husband is physically a very large man," Dvorkin remembers, "and it was obvious that he was getting mad. You try to smooth things over, but it was a very uncomfortable situation."

Flash forward a few months and Dvorkin sees her on TV: Bus driver arrested for robbing a bank. She pulled the bus right up to the door, jumped off, robbed the bank, hopped right back on the bus and drove off. "The pressures are tremendous in a family," he says.

Debt can have many ramifications in our daily lives.

Opportunity cost

Freshman year at college is a time of new experiences, including credit card offers. But the future is a lot to trade for free T-shirts and water bottles -- the freebies offered by lenders. Campus booths hawk easy credit and in no time many students receive bad marks on their credit scores before ever leaving university. In fact, debt rung up during college can cut an education short.

Even kids who make it to college on their parents' dime can easily throw their educations away unless they've learned how to handle credit. Lewis Mandell, Ph.D., a debt expert and finance professor at the University of Buffalo, sees a lot of students who are forced to drop out because they had not paid enough attention to how much debt they'd run up.

"A very large proportion of those who drop out for that reason never get back in," he says. "So you're condemning yourself to a life of underperforming your own ability."

In finance jargon, it's called an opportunity cost. By not sticking with the curriculum and getting sidetracked by debt, many young people forgo the college diploma and the opportunities and higher earnings that come with it.

Job prospects

It's increasingly true that your three-digit credit score is a stamp of approval or a brand of shame on your forehead. Once you've been branded, the consequences affect you in ways that would have been unimaginable a few years ago.

Students who leave college early to pay bills may find it difficult to get a new job with ruined credit. Even with a degree in hand, a high GPA won't always offset a low FICO score. Viale warns students that accumulating debt during college could cost them job offers.

"Employers do judge you now on your FICO score," he says.

That goes for anyone who's unemployed at any age. Employers routinely check credit scores along with work history and personal references.

But for those who already have a good job, a low credit score is sure to be costly in other areas of life. Even if your score is high enough to get an apartment, over the long term you'll get nickel-and-dimed through higher insurance premiums, as well as costs of car loans and mortgages. Viale says: "Whatever your number is, is who you are these days."

Worker productivity

Our preoccupation with debt is affecting our performance at work and hindering our ability to grow our job income through employment and job advancement.

"The No. 1 stress in America right now is, 'How can I pay my bills down,'" Viale says. "Folks that are carrying credit card debt from month to month, as most people in this country do, tend to have thoughts of 'How am I going to do this? What am I going to do tomorrow?' Because everyone's living paycheck to paycheck -- there's no savings rate."

Not only does this matter on a personal level, it hits at the heart of business profitability and extends to our national economy.

"The No. 1 loss of income from corporate America right now is lack of production by their employees due to stress levels or preoccupation caused by debt," say Viale.

Peace of mind

Every phone call placed to a credit counselor comes from someone who is embarrassed, ashamed of where he or she is at and trying to come to grips with how debt happened. He or she never intended for it to happen.

"We're not dealing with abusive consumers," Viale says. "We're talking to people with debt that accumulated over time, consumers who don't understand how it's affecting them, how it affected them and how it's going to affect them in the future. That's the mentality of the consumer that's calling us right now."

Collection calls compound the anguish. "We see people here all the time crying because a lot of times collectors lie to them, saying that the police are going to come to the house, that they're going to sue them," says Michael McAuliffe, president of Family Credit Counseling Service in Rockford, Ill.

Partner relationships

Debt certainly can create relationship problems. McAuliffe says he sees signs of this all the time. Couples come in blaming each other, especially if they have different spending styles or debt tolerance levels.

McAuliffe has seen marriages end over debt: "One of my close friends got divorced and debt was a big part of that. He couldn't stand the debt and took out loans on the house to pay off the credit cards. Then his wife ran them back up again. It was killing him. He really has a very low debt tolerance."

Future generations

The side effects of burdensome debt can impact children in multiple ways. If you are preoccupied with debt or depressed, you'll bring that anxiety home to your family.

If your debt problems get truly out of hand, you may need to uproot your kids and move to a new neighborhood, or even a different school district. "I've seen families move back in with one of their parents," McAuliffe says, "so they can save the money that way."

Says Mandell: "Parents, by running up a lot of debt, may unwittingly be passing on this debt burden to their children." Your financial situation spills over to your ability to pay for your kids' college education.

"If you don't pay for your kids' higher education, two bad things can happen," he says. "No. 1, they don't get higher education, or No. 2, if they do get higher education, they rack up huge amounts of debt doing so, which really puts them behind the eight ball."

Heading into parenthood already saddled by debt creates a particularly challenging situation. Kids are expensive, bringing with them more opportunities for parents to go further into debt and fewer opportunities to get out of debt. Adding to that, Mandell explains, is timing.

"These days with the average age of childbearing in the 30s, it means that the kids won't be out of school until your mid-to-late 50s. It gives you a very short horizon for saving money. If you didn't save money when you were younger, the beauty of compounding doesn't have time to work its magic."

Achieving goals

The gotta-have-it-now mentality enabled by easy credit actually prevents many of us from having nice things in the future. Time was we saved for the special things; now, as Viale points out, we aren't saving at all.

"Debt is keeping us from reaching those goals or obtaining those perks that we want in life to live more comfortably. We're doing it on credit, but we don't understand the consequences that will come down the road."

Even if you don't lose your home to bankruptcy or foreclosure, getting out of debt could cost you your home. "Downsizing a home is always one of the toughest things to do, but when the house you're living in is more than you can afford -- it should never be more than 35 percent of your total budget allocation -- it's time to really consider downsizing," says Viale.

Spending power

Paying off debt really cuts into spending power. Before you whip out the plastic to make a purchase or sign an in-store loan, make sure you think your purchase is a deal at nearly twice the price, because that's what you might end up paying.

For example, if you make $1,000 purchase with a credit card carrying an average interest rate of 16 percent, and then make minimum payments -- you're not getting a good deal.

In that situation, says Viale, "A TV that costs $1,000 really costs $1,600."

Creditors send offers with limited-time, low teaser rates of 1.9 percent, according to McAuliffe, because their research shows we won't pay it off in time. "A lot of people have good intentions about it and think they'll pay it off in six months," he says. "And then they don't and are stuck with the debt.

"Then," he adds, "what's the big deal if you add a new dress to it or a dinner?"

Consider that even if the low rate isn't a teaser rate, you could lose it with any misstep.

"When you get 3.9 percent for the life of the account, you think it is locked in for good, but it's not. A missed or late payment on that or any account can raise the rate," Viale says. "Too many folks feel protected by a deal that they think is good for the life of the loan."

Viale reports the average consumer who comes to his organization is carrying $16,000 to $17,000 in debt at an average interest rate of 23 percent. If you do the math on that, that's roughly $325 in interest, not including over-the-limit or late fees, which could be a total of $60 per account. And the average person they talk to holds eight accounts.

"If someone is behind on their accounts or they're over the limit, you're looking at almost $800 a month in fees and interest each month," he says. "More than half the folks we talk to are behind on all their cards."

Things can get pricey very quickly if you trigger the universal default policy. Viale explains: "If you trigger any default, that raises your interest rate into the penalty rate on all your cards."

Penalty rates range from 19 percent to 24 percent, according to Bankrate. However, the rates for those with bad credit can range from 26 percent to 29 percent. McAuliffe says he's seen rates as high as 34 percent.

"You could see your monthly payments double because you missed one payment on one card," says Viale.

Security

Play too close to the edge and you might fall in. "Taking on a huge amount of debt, anything that goes wrong in life," says Mandell, "from losing a job, to divorce, to having your car die or needing a new roof, can push people over the edge into financial distress -- bankruptcy and things like that."

Once you are in a vulnerable position, it's easier to be taken advantage of.

"In many ways, the democratization of credit is a good thing," says New York Law School professor and debt expert Karen Gross. "Members of society who could not previously get credit now can do so -- that is the good news and I am not against credit.

"The bad news is that credit extenders target these vulnerable communities and in some cases, overcharge for the credit extended. There are lots of people who are trying to take advantage of vulnerable people."

Does More Detergent Make for More Clean?

Philip Brewer — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:00:03 +0000

By Philip Brewer

Given the number of posts at frugality sites on how to make your own cleaning supplies (and the number of reads those posts get), the topic is obviously one of interest to the community. My take is that there's an easier way to save money on cleaning supplies than making your own: Use less.

It may not take a genius to observe that using less saves money, but it does take more than average awareness to see through all the ways manufacturers get you to use too much, and to see just how much less is actually enough.

Laundry detergent

For example, how much detergent does it take to get your clothes clean? The answer depends on how dirty they are. If you've been working (or playing) hard outdoors, it may take quite a bit. If you've been repairing bicycles or rebuilding engines or working as a fry cook, it may take even more. But if you've been sitting at home or working in a cubicle, it doesn't actually take much.

Plus, the fact is, using more detergent than you need makes your clothes less clean, because some of it stays behind in your clothes.

I first learned about this back in the mid-1990s, when several companies started marketing these ceramic disks that supposedly cleaned your laundry without detergent. Many people who tried them found that they seemed to work, but only for a while. Eventually, people figured out that what was happening was that there was enough detergent left in clothes from previous launderings to get the clothes clean, even if you just washed them in water, until everything in the load has been run through a cycle or two without added detergent.

Mull that over for a minute: Even after rinsing, there's still enough detergent left in your clothes to wash them again. That little detergent — the amount left behind after the rinse cycle in your washer — is all it takes to get your clothes clean.

Once I internalized that, I started using much, much less laundry detergent. For ordinary amounts of dirt, a quarter of the recommended quantity is plenty. For clothing that has only been worn indoors, just an eighth is probably enough. Not only will small amounts get your clothes clean, they'll be more clean, because they'll have a lot less detergent left in the fabric.

Obviously the manufacturer's incentives are to recommend using more. Not only do people who use more buy more, but it reduces the chance that you'll lose respect for the product due to having load of especially dirty laundry come out less than completely clean.

All your other cleaning supplies

Much the same is true of all your other cleaning supplies.

How much shampoo does it take to get your hair clean? It depends on how oily your hair is (and how much hair you have), but it doesn't take a lot to get hair clean. (And if you don't strip every last little bit of oil out of your hair by washing it twice, you may find that you don't need to add oil back in the form of hair conditioner.)

How much toothpaste is enough? The ADA recommends a pea-sized amount for children. (They suggest that adults use "just enough" to cover the length of the bristles on their toothbrush, but I expect that was due to pressure from the toothpaste manufacturers.)

In the kitchen and bathroom it's particularly easy to start with just a little and then add more if things aren't getting clean.

Using less doesn't just save money; it's also gentler on the planet. It uses less natural resources to make the stuff, package it, and ship it to you; it exposes you to a smaller dose of the chemicals involved, and dumps less of them into the environment.

Experiment with using less — and not just a little less. Start with using half as much. If things still get clean, cut by half as much again. Personally, I find that about one-quarter of the recommended amount is usually a lot closer to the right amount than what the manufacturer recommends.

Permalink | 26 comments | Philip Brewer's blog | Channel: Green Living, Health and Beauty

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21 Gift Ideas for Adventure Travelers

Myscha Theriault — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:50:50 +0000

By Myscha Theriault

Gift giving season is upon us. If you have a budding adventure traveler in your life, and are looking for affordable gift ideas, this list has exactly the suggestions you are looking for. The gift ideas on this list aren't necessarily sexy, but they all provide valuable infrastructure for adventure travelers and on-the-fly functionality. Bonus? Many of these gift ideas are less than five dollars. All of them fall into the category of affordability. So grab a stocking and start stuffing!

Flat rubber sink stopper

OK, so this isn't exactly the sexiest of gift ideas. But if you're looking for an affordable stocking stuffer, these offer a ton of flexibility and cost savings. Many budget hostels and hotel rooms abroad come sans drain plugs. The disc-style sink stoppers fit virtually any sink or tub drain, allowing hand laundry and bubble bath options where there would otherwise be none.

Travel clothesline

Whether to save money, or stay a little longer at a remote location, eventually it's necessary to do some hand laundry on the road. Having a compact travel clothesline expands travel options without taking up large amounts of pack room.

S hooks

Having a couple of these on hand creates on-the-fly hanging storage on mall restroom doors and hostel shower rods. This comes in handy when you want to keep your purse or day pack from resting on less than sanitary floors. Ikea has affordable multi-packs available.

Door wedges

Door wedges provide additional security in cheap hotel rooms when wedged underneath closed doors from the inside. These come in multi-packs, allowing for more than one stocking stuffer gift per purchase.

Bandana

Dirt cheap and available in a variety of colors, there are a variety of travel uses for bandanas. Dish washing and picnic support are a couple that come to mind.

Sarong

These are one of my all time favorite pieces of travel gear. Multiple uses and low on weight with loads of color options, lots of travel needs are met with sarongs. Wrap around skirts, quick drying towels and makeshift hostel room curtains are a few of the ways I use them most often.

Headlamp

There are many on the market, but the one that my husband and I have settled on is the Petzle E+Lite. It's extremely compact, has multiple brightness settings and both white and red light options. The red light options come in handy when you don't want your night vision disturbed or want to make a lower light impact. Reading in a group dorm or astronomical observing are two examples of where we use the red light option.

Zipper pull compass and thermometer

These are small as gifts go, and can be attached to the zipper of a coat or pack. Not exactly professional gear, but it's occasionally nice to know the temperature, and you'd be surprised how often you want to know what direction your facing when visiting one sun temple or another. Zipper pull compasses are a fun little gift that can be picked up affordably as an add-on and tied on to another package with ribbon.

Travel sized sewing kit

Packing the kitchen sink isn't necessary when it comes to sewing supplies, but you should have a few items at your disposal to mend gear and tighten buttons. Travel sized sewing kits are affordable and practical items to add to your adventure traveler's gift list.

Safety pins in assorted sizes

They provide transitional support for wardrobe malfunctions, keep bra straps in place and affix sarongs into skirt mode on a windy day. Safety pins come in multi-packs of assorted sizes and are low on space and weight.

First aid kit

Having a reasonable selection of basic medial supplies is always a good idea on the road. This fact makes streamlined first aid kits a fantastic small gift idea for adventure travelers in the making. Pick one up that suits the person you're shopping for and tuck it in their stocking or gift bag.

Small stainless steel nail clippers

Even if seamless manicures aren't your thing, rips and hang nails happen sooner or later to everyone. This makes a small set of stainless steel nail clippers a great travel themed stocking stuffer for both men and women.

Professional teasing comb with steel prongs

In my opinion, if a girl can only carry one hair grooming tool, it should be a professional teasing comb with steel prongs on one end. These provide basic combing and detangling support, teasing capabilities for lift and body and a makeshift hair pick for perms and curls.

Recon wrap

OK, to be honest I likely would never have explored these if I hadn't been married to a military man. But he brought one home from the supply store one day, and after he showed me the different ways you could wear it and use it on the road, I was hooked. I have one in black. He has a few in different colors. Recon wraps are great during dust storms, in between showers when traveling distances without water access, and make helpful ear warmers on cooler nights in hostels with limited heat.

Passport cover

Having your country of residence displayed for travelers and local service staff in the customs area to see isn't always the safest way to go, depending on your nationality and chosen travel destination. It can also cost you more money if people in your part of the world are believed to have more money than other tourists on average. Generic passport covers are an affordable security measure.

Bra stash

Women are blessed with an extra spot to safely store small valuables and extra cash: the inside of their bra. You could whip up a fabric pouch and safety pin it in place, but that risks inconveniently timed and painful pokes. Years ago on a trip to Egypt, a friend turned me on to a product called a bra stash. It holds cash and other small valuables, and hooks on to your bra strap without sharp pins. If you are feeling like you want try out a bra stash for yourself, they are available at Amazon.

Waist security pouch

Both male and female travelers tend to find this particular item helpful. A waist security pouch straps on to your waist and provides a large wallet-sized area to hold cash, documents and more.

Toothbrush cover

Many people don't mind skipping these, but in my opinion they eliminate a fair amount of what I like to call the yuck factor. Ultimately, it's the call of the individual traveler, but I think toothbrush covers provide a service I don't like to go without.

Carabiner clips

You don't have to be a rock climber to find carabiner clips helpful on the road. They provide closed loop hanging support for packs on hostel beds, tuk tuk bars and more. Carabiner clips are also helpful in securing other items to various loops and handles on travel bags.

Nail brush

I recommend going with a minimum of four rows of bristles. Six if you have the room. The ultra mini nail brushes with only two rows will leave you with a brush that does one thing — scrub nails. While I realize that's the main purpose of a nail brush, I like to use them for laundry support as well. A soft to medium strength bristle lends not only great personal grooming support, but also allows for the scrubbing of socks, tee shirts, underclothes and more. A large scrub brush isn't realistic and is too rough for many clothes anyway. But a medium sized nail brush? It's one of my main travel items of choice.

Art tube

Picking up high quality, affordable street art on the road is a great way to build an international collection. If you buy it unframed, it's not only more affordable, but much easier to transport home. Simply roll up sketches, water colors and similar pieces and tuck into an affordable art tube you can attach to your backpack. This keeps your souvenir stash compact as well as on budget.

Related Readings: 10 Universal Travel Skills, Purchasing Travel Items from the Hardware Store, How to Travel Light and Low Budget, Going Green on the Road, Eating Cheap Abroad, Green for Girls and DIY Passport Photos.

Music Pairing: Shane Alexander's Amsterdam, from the CD The Sky Below. Listen to it for free by visiting Shane Alexander Music online. A great tune to rock out to at the keyboard or pop in during a road trip.

*This article contains affiliate links.

Permalink | 6 comments | Myscha Theriault's blog | Channel: Lifestyle, Shopping

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Best Deals For Wednesday 11/18/09

Paul Michael — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:02:02 +0000

By Paul Michael

Today's WISEBUY. 80% Off Clarks Shoes: Deals From Just $8!
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Amazing price on the groundbreaking original series from Showtime.

Best of Personal Finance: The Most Shoplifted Items of 2009

Linsey Knerl — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:00:02 +0000

By Linsey Knerl

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best of Personal Finance roundup. This week, we tell you the final date you can order online and still get your stuff in time for the holidays, how to cook an amazing Depression-era meal, and what stellar deals you can expect at Walmart this Black Friday! Plus, we'll share the most shoplifted items of 2009.

Year-End Holiday Celebrations for Less

Little House — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:00:04 +0000

By Little House

Whether you're hosting this year's Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts, or not, there are several small touches you can create that are both affordable and beautiful. My family has come up with a few ways to cook, decorate, and gift for far less. Here are our favorites!

Thanksgiving Hosting

Since my husband and I don't have children yet, we are usually the ones visiting our families for Thanksgiving. We haven't had to host a Thanksgiving dinner yet and be responsible for the whole dinner, thankfully. However, I know that many people have family visitors during this holiday.

Pot luck

If you're the lucky one stuck with making Thanksgiving dinner for more than just your immediate family, then suggesting a pot-luck for the side dishes may be beneficial on your pocketbook. For instance, you might decide that you'll bake the turkey, since that usually takes the longest to cook. Assign one adult from each visiting family to bring the side dishes, such as sweet potatoes or yams, a green-bean casserole, an apple or pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce or applesauce. Understandably, if relatives are visiting from afar and can't cook, they have the option of purchasing a side dish from the grocery store deli or a neighborhood deli. Be sure you tell them ahead of time where to order from. If each adult brought one side dish to compliment your turkey, then your cooking will be minimized and your cost reduced.

Another expense at Thanksgiving is the centerpiece for a beautifully-dressed table. One alternative to purchasing expensive, store-bought center pieces is creating your own center piece. Here are two low-cost options.

Candles

Candles make any table glow with elegance — large, small, tall, or short. If you use tea lights, which are usually sold in large quantity bags, you can use many of them on a large serving plate or wood chopping block to make a simple center piece. You can also dress up the candles with dried flowers or silk flowers at the base or with pine cones. Another option is floating candles in a fish bowls.

Fruit and flower bowls

If candles aren't your thing, (or your dad is a retired fireman and has a thing about fire in general) you can use a large bowl filled with fresh fruit and flowers to dress up any table. If you mix the sizes of bowls and the kinds of fruit, it gives the table a more bohemian decor.

Christmas or Hanukkah Happiness

For the past few years, my husband and I have gotten out of visiting our families for Christmas. One reason we have ducked out of this holiday is that his family celebrates over-consumption at this time of year, and it makes us both sick to our stomachs. Years ago, there was discussion within his family to reduce the amount of gifts purchased, but it never materialized and instead grew more out of control. We've tried a few tactics, but it just hasn't worked in our favor. Below are a few ideas for a simplistic gift-giving holiday season that we try to implement each year.

1. Reduce the amount of gifts.

Some large families I know select a name out of a hat and only purchase a gift for that one person. This reduces the pressure of having to purchase gifts for everyone and is a more economical option.

2. Purchase only one gift per family unit.

Instead of purchasing each individual within a family a gift, buy one item that family can share. Last year, my husband and I purchased Omaha Steaks for each family unit. They were appreciated and enjoyed by the entire family. Other ideas include gift certificates to the theatre, which our mother-in-law has purchased for us in the past, or theme parks for families with children.

3. Only purchase gifts for the children.

In our case, since we don't have children, this never has worked out quite as well as we hoped. However, we have, in the past, only purchased gifts for our nieces and nephew instead of their parents. This reduced our cost and the time spent shopping.

4. Make gifts.

Gift jars

For friends and colleagues, I try and make gift baskets, with an assortment of chocolates, cookies, and coffees, or special gift jars. One year, a colleague of mine gave me a homemade cider recipe in a mason jar (a saving tip: you can use empty spaghetti sauce jars, they are often mason jars). It was a great gift idea and inexpensive. The ingredients were as follows:

1½ cups of Tang
¾ cup iced tea mix
1½ cups white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger

Tipnut has more gift jar ideas.

Cards and gift tags

My husband and I try to add a personal touch to the gifts we give, especially if we ship the gifts instead of attending the holiday festivities. Some things we have included are homemade gift tags with our picture on it, or pictures of our cats wearing Santa hats. This year, we intend to make our own gift cards, and not the photo gift cards so many others mail out. I learned of a great art project, through an art teacher at school, that only involves using a black, felt-tip pen, some imagination, and a little bit of time. Drawing an upside down capital 'U' in the center of the page, you can create a Santa or elf-type figure with an immense beard. Here are the steps:

Draw an upside down capital 'U' in the center of white construction paper.
Draw eyes, eyebrows, and a nose in the center of the 'U' for the face.
Beginning directly under the nose, draw any kind of line you like and repeat it six times, keeping the lines close together and extending it out to the edges of the paper. Continue filling up the 'beard' with many types of lines (squiggly, zigzag, curly, wavy, etc.). Each block of lines repeats six times. Fill in the white space inside the beard with small diagonal, horizontal, or vertical lines.
Draw a Santa hat or elf ears on top, or on the side, of the 'U' shaped face.
Once you've drawn your figure, you can Xerox copy it onto however many cards you need.

I hope that these arts and craft ideas and gift ideas will reduce your holiday cost and the time spent shopping for gifts. I know that this year, we again intend to simplify our gift giving and remain under budget.

What It Really Costs to Own a Home

Julie Rains — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:03 +0000

By Julie Rains

I'm a mortgage-free homeowner but I still have plenty of expenses associated with owning and maintaining my house. Some have been easy to anticipate — others, not so obvious. Either way, the dollars add up. For everyday and long-term budgeting purposes, here are some expenses you may need to consider when counting the cost of homeownership.

Unavoidable expenses that will probably last forever

Property taxes were added to my mortgage payment (and held in escrow) so I have been aware of this expense for a while. Unlike my mortgage loan, which I paid off, taxes stay around forever. According to the Tax Foundation, the average property tax bill in the U.S. is $1897 per year (or $158 per month) on a median home value of $197,600. See Myscha's article on ways to save on property taxes for eligible homeowners; also, property taxes are generally deductible from income tax so you'll reap savings in other areas.

Homeowners insurance was included in my monthly payment and, likewise, is not a surprise. Rates depend on factors such as the value of the house, type of coverage, and deductible. This expense can easily cost $50-$100 or more each month and also does not disappear like the mortgage eventually will. Even as a renter, you'll likely want to insure your belongings so the true cost of homeownership in this category will be the difference between renters and homeowners rates; save by installing safety features (deadbolt locks and security systems), raising your deductible, and/or combining your home policy with your auto policy.

Homeowners Association (HOA) dues are not something I pay though these can run $100 per month, more or less, depending on services provided to homeowners, such as security, common area maintenance, and lawn upkeep. Dues may not include periodic assessments for capital improvements or major projects.

Mission-critical expenses that keep your home livable

Repair, maintenance, and replacement of heating and air conditioning systems can run a couple of hundred dollars each year for basic maintenance to several thousand dollars for system replacement. Our system is nearing the end of its life, so I need to start setting aside at least $250 each month for the next few years. For homeowners with newer systems, consider saving about $80 monthly in anticipation of a future replacement.

Roof replacement should probably happen every 15-30 years and may cost several thousand dollars each time. Budget about $25 per month if you've got a brand new roof, and more if you are closer to the replacement time.

Exterior door replacement can range from the simple to the wildly complicated, from swapping out a new slab with the existing one for a few hundred dollars to replacing the entire system for the front entrance, which can cost several thousand dollars. Basement doors and side entrance doors with or without storm doors, specialty hardware, and deadbolt locks can add to the total cost of exterior doors. If you intend to replace a few doors every 15 years, save at least $5 per month.

Tree removal is not something I had considered when we bought our house, especially since my husband and I liked the abundance of trees in our neighborhood. But, when we found out that our pine trees were diseased, we needed to take them down rather than allow them to fall randomly and possibly injure someone or damage property. For safety reasons, taking down tall pine trees is not a great do-it-yourself (DIY) project and professional services can charge hundreds of dollars.

Yard work may not seem like a critical function but, trust me, if you don't cut your grass or clean the gutters on a regular basis, bad things are likely to happen. You might find yourself in violation of local ordinances or repairing water damage resulting from clogged gutters and improper drainage. Expenses in this category, even for DIYers, include equipment, tools, and supplies, such as lawnmowers, rakes or leafblowers, clippers, and grass seed. Budget at least $10 each month for general upkeep and more for lawn improvements.

Decor-related expenses

Exterior painting cost me about $2,500 a few years ago. There is one section of the house that is inaccessible without special equipment or we might have painted the house ourselves. We have a part-frame, part-brick exterior so those with all brick will have minimal costs for repainting and those with all-frame much more (I plan to buy all-brick next time). DIYers could lower the cost significantly but a basic budget should run about $10 per month..

Interior decor, even for someone like me with minimal design needs, can cost $10-15 each month for interior painting and window treatments, if you want to freshen things every 10 years or so.

More expenses for repairs and upkeep that you may deem essential or useful

Security systems can cost $30 per month, if you choose to have monitoring services. Options that may be less expensive are a neighborhood watch program or, according to police in my area, a dog in a fenced backyard.

Additional expenses like pest control, driveway paving/repaving, power washing of decks and exteriors, window replacement, plumbing and electrical repairs can add a few to many more dollars each month.

Obviously, you won't actually spend money to replace your HVAC system or buy yard tools every month; but I've divided one-time and periodic costs over useful lives for general budgeting purposes. You can defer some activities and their associated costs (interior painting for example); others may be more urgent (like taking down a tree that is about to fall on yours or a neighbor's house) so that not spending money now can cost much more later.

Buying a new house can help to defer many costs for several years but you'll probably need to make replacements at some point. You can also sell before stuff starts breaking but the life remaining on your roof, HVAC system, etc. will likely be factored in the final sales price.

Homeowership costs, then, go beyond the cost to service the mortgage loan; budget at least 30% of your monthly mortgage payment (principal plus interest only) for taxes, insurance, maintenance, and general upkeep. This budget may be conservative; MySpendingPlan recommends 30-45%. Other experts recommend an alternative approach to estimating homeownership costs: set aside 1% of the value of your home for maintenance each year plus taxes and insurance.

Permalink | 22 comments | Julie Rains's blog | Channel: Budgeting, Real Estate and Housing

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Ask the Readers: Do You Do Black Friday?

Linsey Knerl — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:12:35 +0000

By Linsey Knerl

You've seen the hype, read about it in the news, and have even heard our thoughts on the matter: Black Friday is a buzzworthy topic, but is it really a great deal? With new developments happening as a result of last year's Walmart tragedy, it may not even be the same shopping event that you remember. (Reports from Walmart authorities reveal that stores will be open 24 hours prior to the shopping event, limited-stock merchandise will be offered at staffed "hubs" throughout the store, and order will be stressed above anything else.) But is it even worth going out into the madness?

I've done Black Friday in the past with amazing results, and with so much information being leaked online and ahead of schedule, you can plan, budget, and prepare well before that turkey ever hits the table. But will talks of $3 appliances at Target and half-priced robotic kittens be enough to push you out into the wee hours of the morning for deep discounts? Or will you sit it out, shop from home, or (heaven-forbid) regift with what you already have on hand?

I want to hear your thoughts on the all things Black Friday -- if you have any. Share them here in our comment thread or on Twitter, and you'll be entered to win one of two $10 Amazon giveaways. It won't guarantee your place in line for the uber-cheap netbooks, but it may help offset your cost of getting little Susie her dream gift. Dozens of readers have already won. You could be next!

Win a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate

We're doing two giveaways — one for random comments, and another one for a random tweets.

How to Enter:

Post your answer in the comments below, or
Tweet your answer. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

At the end of the drawing, we'll update this post to include (and link to) all of your helpful responses.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Friday, November 20th at 11:59 pm CST. Winners will be announced after November 20th on the original post and via Twitter. Winners will also be contacted via email and Twitter Direct Message.
You can enter both drawings -- once by leaving a comment and once by tweeting.
Only tweets that contain both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" will be entered. (Otherwise, we won't see it.)

Good luck!

Permalink | 107 comments | Linsey Knerl's blog | Channel: Giveaways

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When They Say Extreme Deals, They’re Not Kidding!

Paul Michael — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:36:36 +0000

By Paul Michael

I stumbled upon a website last week that gave me that feeling of being a hungry kid in a free candy store. The site offers amazing discounts on thousands of gadgets, and free shipping is the norm. This is one hot bookmark.

Dealextreme.com is a gadget-lover’s paradise. Deals start from just 1 cent with free shipping (don’t ask me how they make any kind of profit on those) and the categories range from computers and electronics, to home & office supplies, apparel and cell phones.

The $2 gadgets page is great for finding little items that would make quick and easy stocking stuffers for the gadget-geeks in your life. And you can also find some unusual gift ideas in the “Hard-To-Find” gadgets section. Again, they’re dirt cheap.

Some of the most unusual items I found were:

A Pig LED Flashlight for $0.78 + FREE s/h

Apple Shaped Memo Pad - $2.61 + FREE s/h

Feng Shui Chinese Compass - $2.67 + FREE s/h

Realistic Rose Digital Voice Recorder - $3.50 + FREE s/h

You’ll probably blow 10 minutes just looking around at all of the stuff, but keep it in mind for gifts or cheap trinkets and you’ll always have a fun source of affordable gadgets and gizmos.

Please note, I’m not affiliated with this site in any way, and do not make money of any of the links within this article. Quite simply, I like the place - it’s a bargain-hunter’s bazaar.

Permalink | 18 comments | Paul Michael's blog | Channel: Shopping

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Furnished For Free

Sasha A. Rae — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:00:03 +0000

By Sasha A. Rae

Free is such a great word. It brings images of cool things and cool experiences flying your way for less than the cost of an average cup of coffee or snack at the grocery store. It’s even better when all of that free stuff helps you furnish an entire apartment at no real cost to you, aside from a little bit of time and gas.

That’s exactly what I did a few years ago. I had pared down all of my belongings to just two suitcases and a few boxes before I moved overseas. When I returned, I didn’t even have a sleeping bag to use on the floor of my new place. That problem was easily solved with a little bit of ingenuity and some Internet research.

Start Your Search on Craigslist

One of the best places for free stuff is Craigslist. Craigslist offers a plethora of amazing goodies for nothing or next to nothing. You can check under the For Sale/Wanted section where there’s a free link or you can surf through the furniture and appliance sections. Even a general search in a broader category can pull up some interesting tidbits. Don’t forget: The closer it gets to moving day, the more inclined people are to start giving household goods away for free. Keep an eye out for anything that has a specific date on it.

Join a Freecycling Group

Freecycling is another beauty of a place to find free furnishings. Once you join a Freecycling group in your community, you can start surfing through the postings. If you’re in a hurry to find things, try searching the group postings specifically for what you want. If you have more time and a general interest in collecting things, you can sign up for a daily or weekly email or check the postings out periodically. The summer that I spent decking out my apartment, I found everything from a bookshelf and a table to dishes and utensils for the kitchen. I even came up with a few unexpected niceties like almost new place settings and a set of matching glasses.

With Freecycling, though, it’s a give and take situation. While you can easily find and pick up dozens of furnishings, clothes, and books, you have to be willing to give something back to the community. After I had furnished my apartment and was well on my way to creating a comfortable living space, I started looking around for things I no longer needed. I donated an old laptop to a non-profit that needed one and spent some time showing the woman who picked it up how to work the different programs. I also donated books and hangers the next time I moved.

To get started, sign up for a group in your area. Make sure to read the rules for how to post ads and how to respond to ads. Each group uses its own specific terminology and online rules of etiquette.

Hook into Free Stuff on the Web

Kashless Krew is one of the newest freecycling sites out there and uses all the benefits of Web 2.0 technology to spread their message, which is to “give and get free stuff.” Similar to Freecycling, the idea is to re-use things in a community. You might not need your old iron any more, but it might be exactly what someone else is looking for. Plus, with Kashless Krew, you can hook into Facebook and look for free stuff while you do some social networking.

Take a Stroll Through Your Neighborhood

A final place to look is at your local curbside. No kidding, especially if you’re living in a college town. Students start dumping their belongings on the streets towards the end of every semester and year. I’ve found dressers, books, and even a clean futon mattress just by keeping my eyes peeled while going on a casual walk or bike ride through my neighborhood. Plus, if you tell your friends and family what you’re looking for, they can keep their eyes peeled too.

It’s all about staying connected. Once you’re hooked in, you’re all set to find cool stuff for free. Have fun furnishing your digs!

Permalink | 11 comments | Sasha A. Rae's blog | Channel: Frugal Living

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Best Deals For Tuesday 11/17/09

Paul Michael — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:45:40 +0000

By Paul Michael

Today's WISEBUY. SEARS Luggage Sale - Up to 70% Off!
Sears takes up to 70% off select items as part of its Semi-Annual Luggage Event. Shipping starts at $6.25, but free in-store pickup is available.

FREE Memo Cube From Sandy Paper
To see the quality of our products for yourself, use this form to request sample. Your free memo cube sample will come with our website URL imprint.

FREE Slice Of Pie From The Waffle House
Get a free regular slice of pie at the Waffle House. Download, print out the coupon and take it in.

FREE Campbell's Tomato Seeds
Grow your soup! Click on "Free Campbell's Tomato Seeds" link to the right.

FREE Slim-Fast Guide To Weight Loss
Get a free Guide to Weight Loss Success from Slim-Fast. Provide your name and mailing address to receive the guide.

70% Off ALL New Balance Shoes at 6PM.com
This week, 6PM takes 70% off all New Balance Shoes (Exp 11/22). Add $6.95 flat rate shipping or qualify for FREE shipping on orders $100+.

Amazon Kids' Book Roundup: Deals From Just $2!
Amazon.com discounts a selection of children's books, as listed at DealNews. Orders over $25 receive free shipping; otherwise, shipping starts at $2.98.

Bruce Springsteen 4-CD Deluxe Boxed Set Just $19.99
Includes 66 total songs including 56 never before released B-sides, demos and alternate versions of already-released material from over 25 years of recording.

Macy's Printable Coupon - $10 off $25 Purchase
Today, from 8 am until 1 pm local time, Macy's stores knock $10 off a purchase of $25 or more via this printable coupon.

3 Ways Technology Makes Personal Finances Easier

Greg Go — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:00:01 +0000

By Greg Go

This article is Wise Bread's contribution to Life Scoop, where ordinary people learn how to make surprising things happen with technology.

From saving money to staying on budget, technology has made it easier than ever to stay on top of my personal finances. Here are 3 ways technology has helped me save money and time.

1. Banking, budgeting, and investment tracking always within reach.

iPhone apps from Bank of America and Bloomberg

Smartphones (and even regular cellphones) puts control of my finances in my pocket.

Banking has become much easier since I got my iPhone. I can check balances, transfer money between accounts, and look for the nearest ATM just by pulling out my phone. Even folks with regular cellphones can check bank balances and/or get low balance alerts via text messages.

Budgeting -- really, sticking to a budget -- is now 10 times easier with my iPhone. One of the problems I had with sticking to a budget was keeping track of my spending. At first, I was good about keeping receipts and entering the totals into a spreadsheet at the end of the day. But as the days went by, I got lazier about entering receipts each day. Eventually, I stopped tracking my spending altogether.

These days, I can enter amounts I've spent into my phone right away. Even when I didn't have a smartphone, my regular cellphone had a way to store simple notes. This made it easier to keep track of my spending on a day to day basis.

Once I started using Mint.com (and their great iPhone app), the process got even simpler. If I use a debit or credit card, the transaction is added to my Mint account automatically. Even better, Mint does a good job of automatically categorizing expenditures, which makes analyzing my spending at the end of the month easier and more accurate.

Finally, keeping track of how my favorite stocks are doing is now a breeze with the Bloomberg iPhone app. I can now easily check my portfolio daily, and make trades as soon as I notice trends or hear interesting news. Rather than waiting until the end of the month to look over statements or meeting with my broker once every quarter, I can now stay on top of my investment portfolio while waiting in line or when I'm having lunch. The iPhone has made me a faster and smarter investor.

2. Crowdsourcing my way to better buying decisions.

Making smarter buys with consumer reviews on Yelp and Amazon.

Between local business review site Yelp and Amazon's customer reviews, I now buy with a lot more confidence. No more wasting money on restaurants or products that disappoint. Nowadays, I hardly ever walk into a new restaurant before checking out what fellow foodies have to say about the place on Yelp. And I almost never buy something without checking Amazon's user reviews. Thanks for the recommendations, world!

By the way, both Amazon and Yelp have iPhone apps so I can look up reviews while standing in front of a new restaurant or walking around a big box store.

3. More data than ever available to consumers.

Zillow provides info previously only available to real estate agents.

The Internet has been a boon to consumers hungry for information. Not just product reviews, but large scale trending data that helps them make big purchases. I'm looking to buy a home in the next year or so, and I've been a frequent visitor to Zillow. I haven't even contacted a real estate broker yet, but I feel like I already know more about the real estate market in my area than my parents ever did when they were house shopping.

Rather than depend on an agent to feed me limited information, I can use Zillow to get a list of all houses on sale in my neighborhood, details about each home (including nearby schools, lots of photos, and a bird's eye view of the neighborhood), and even historical charts of the home and neighborhood's value. Technology has given us home shoppers unparalleled information that was previously only available to professional real estate agents.

Once I am ready to make an offer, I can use another site, SmartHippo, to shop for mortgages. SmartHippo is Yelp-for-mortgages. Consumers review their lending institutions and even individual agents. Again, leveraging the power of the crowd to make smarter buying decisions!

Getting Free Stuff at Walgreens

Linsey Knerl — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:46:01 +0000

By Linsey Knerl

This article shares tips from the 13th episode of Dealista, our new podcast that'll help you get more for less. Click play to listen, or subscribe via iTunes to take the episode with you!

Download episode mp3 | Check out show archive

We’ve loved getting free stuff from national pharmacy chain Walgreens for some time. (In fact, it was because of their past rebate program that I had been able to amass quite a lot of my free toiletry stash!) With their new rewards program, called Register Rewards, there is no longer any need to wait weeks or even months for a rebate check. You can get money towards your next purchase right in the checkout line! (And that means even more free stuff than before.) We teamed up with Clair from MummyDeals.org to provide you with the ins and outs of the new Walgreens program, and we’ll share some extra tips for paying next to nothing for everything from cleaning products, to food, to makeup!

Register Rewards Explained

During Walgreens' weekly promotions, Register Rewards are advertised as a great way to earn cash back on regular purchases. The rewards come in the form of a coupon that prints out of a Catalina machine next to the register when you complete your purchase. The coupons are good for a certain dollar amount off your next Walgreens purchase (in-store only) and give you about two weeks to spend them before they expire.

Like any good promotion, there are restrictions and rules to using these Register Rewards:

You can only earn one Register Reward per promotion per transaction. (If you were to participate in a program that earns you $4.50 from the purchase of a tube of Colgate toothpaste, for example, you could NOT purchase 4 tubes and expect 4 coupons to print out. You would only get one, regardless of how many you bought.) You can, however, space them out over 4 separate purchases (preferably on separate visits), and get all four coupons for $4.50 on your next purchase.
Register Rewards can’t be used for purchases of alcohol, stamps, and a few other excluded products. Check the back of the coupon for details.
You can use your Register Rewards to buy other things that will generate Register Reward coupons, but not if they are the same product. (You can use your newly acquired $4.50 Register Reward to buy deodorant, but not to buy more Colgate.)
You will always need to spend more than the value of the Register Reward. If your Reward is good for $4.50, but your purchase only comes up to $4.00, you’ll need to find an extra something to toss onto the checkout stand. (Gum, candy, or another small item works great.)
You can roll those Rewards to create even more Rewards! While you can’t use that $4.50 Reward to buy more Colgate, you can use it to buy a deal on Chapstick that will generate a $2 reward and a pack of hairbands that will generate $2. Then toss in a $.50 filler, and you’re good to go! (You’ll have spent 50 cents out of pocket for both the Chapstick and hair products.) You can do this over and over again, as long as you alternate between product types.
Walgreens cashiers consider Register Rewards to be coupons, and they don’t allow you to have more coupons than items purchased. To avoid any problems, you may need to add one of those filler items we discussed before to keep everything working smoothly.

Many frugal bloggers (like Clair) go out of their way to help their readers find the best Walgreens deals and match them with manufacturer’s coupons for an even better find. By checking sites like MummyDeals, you can often see what Sunday’s paper will have in store, as early as Thursday or Friday! Here are some additional tips for getting every last bit out of the money you spend at Walgreens:

Each Walgreens has the right to institute their own coupon policies, so if you find that your closest store is not too fond of your frugal ways, consider another store. (There are usually several within a given area to choose from.)
If your manufacturer’s coupon is worth more than the price of an item, Walgreens will usually still take it. You will have to let the cashier know to adjust the coupon value down to ensure that it is accepted.
To be sure that you get all the savings from all your coupons, present the manufacturer’s coupons before the Walgreen’s store coupons (the ones found in their circular and monthly catalog). Do this at the end of transaction.
Some shoppers have reported being able to use Register Rewards at competing stores like Jewel’s and Kroger, since they seem to have a very liberal coupon-matching policy. Ask to see what the local policy is at your competing store.
Always be polite. This seems like a no-brainer, but acting entitled does nothing to help earn the respect of the Walgreens staff and the community in general. If you have any problems with getting a Register Reward to print, contact Catalina directly at 1-888-8COUPON (1-888-826-8766). They’ll get you taken care of!

Note: The author has no vested or affiliate interest in Wallgreens.

Dealista

If you enjoyed these tips you can find more in our show's archive or subscribe via iTunes.

Dealista is a collaboration between Wise Bread and Quick and Dirty Tips, the producer of popular podcasts such as Grammar Girl, Money Girl, Winning Investor, and Mighty Mommy.

Check out more great tips from our sister shows:

Permalink | 10 comments | Linsey Knerl's blog | Channel: Shopping

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This article is from Wise Bread.

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