Back to newsletter listDate:
Sun, September 10, 2006 09:00:01 PMFrom:
editor@stretcher.com
Subject:
9/11/06: The Dollar Stretcher
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The Dollar Stretcher
"Living Better...For Less"
September 11, 2006
Volume 11, Number 37
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"The Dollar Stretcher" and Dollar Stretcher, Inc. does not
assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be
weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and
applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if
advice is safe and suitable for his/her own situation.
===========================================================
In This Issue:
Introduction
Ten Ways To Save
by Joey Shanley
Old school vs. new wave
Making the Most of Your Club Card
by Shannon Medisky
Squeeze every penny of savings out of each and every club card
My Story: Finding A Job
contributed by JE
6 tools to help you get your career restarted
Gas vs. Electric Heating
by Gary Foreman
Keeping winter energy bills manageable
Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions
On www.Stretcher.com This Week
===========================================================
Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hello to all my Frugal Friends!
Ever really mess something up? We had that happen last week.
One of the articles in last week's Dollar Stretcher had bad
tax advice in it. I started Monday morning with a number of
emails commenting on it. Here's just one.
When reading the Dollar Stretcher this morning, I
believe some incorrect information is presented in
the article from National Association of Responsible
Lending & Investment. This article says that the
amount of interest that you pay relating to your home
or mortgage is deducted from the amount of taxes that
you owe. That is incorrect. These amounts are deducted
from your adjusted gross income and reduce the amount
that the taxes are figured on but they do not directly
reduce the TAX itself. Articles like this continue to
make people believe that they can deduct all this stuff
from their taxes when in fact it is not exactly true.
Please correct this information in your article.
Nettie R.
Nettie (and everyone else who joined her!) is absolutely
right. You don't reduce your taxes by the amount of interest.
You reduce your taxable income (and, only if you itemize). So
the actual reduction in taxes is the amount of interest times
your tax rate.
The crazy thing is that I've known that fact for over 25
years. Not sure how I missed it when we originally accepted
the article. Guess that maybe it's a sign that I need to slow
down and move a little more purposefully. In any case, I'm
sorry if we got anyone too excited about buying a home last
week! And, we will do everything that we can to keep mistakes
to a minimum.
Hope you have a wonderful week!
All the Best!
Gary
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Ten Ways To Save
by Joey Shanley
Old school vs. new wave
In order to trim your budget, not only should you take an Old
School approach, but you should discover where you can limit
your spending in the New Wave areas of your life, as well.
Below are ten ways to save, tossing aside older habits and
analyzing newer fads that may have infested your pocketbook
and destroyed your budget.
Old School
1. Ah. The Great Television Debate
Analyze your television viewing habits and figure out if you
really need all nine hundred and eighty-four channels on your
cable/satellite system. Chances are you chose to receive many
of them at a cost. Especially now that entire seasons are
released on DVD, it's the perfect time to say goodbye to the
Sopranos and Deadwood. If you can stand to watch your favorite
series by renting the DVDs next year, then trim your cable
offerings and your budget.
2. Eating At Home: So simple, but yet oh so hard...
Buying groceries, cooking dinner, and eating meals at home is
the easiest way to cut costs and free up extra money to pay
down debt or to sock away. Not to mention, tonight's leftovers
turn into tomorrow's lunches. Bringing my lunch to work is
easily the number one area in my life where I consistently
trim my budget.
3. Cancel Those Subscriptions
I get the newspaper everyday. I read the newspaper everyday.
Therefore, I will probably continue to get, and read, the
newspaper everyday. My subscription to the gossip and
entertainment magazines? They come weekly and I can't remember
the last time I popped any open. I went through my magazines
last weekend and canceled every single subscription, but one.
If you don't read it, get rid of it.
4. Your Landline
We spend so much time thinking about our cell phone plan that
many of us have neglected to think about our landline phone
bill with the same level of scrutiny. Do you make most or all
of your long distance calls from your cell phone? Then get rid
of your long distance carrier. A couple of times a year, look
at your phone bill and decipher whether those additional
charges continue to be necessary.
5. Those Lingering Services
Look over each of your credit card statements with a fine
tooth comb and cancel those lingering services. Many times,
you've signed on for something and were told that a $5 monthly
fee would be billed to your credit cards. However, once you
stopped using the service, you forgot to call the company to
cancel the fee. Month after month, you are charged for a
service you have long since stopped using. This happens, too,
with online services such as dating sites or apartment/housing
rental sites. You pay them an annual fee, but they will renew
it automatically without alerting you. So make sure you cancel
services you no longer use.
New Wave
1. Tivo vs. Your Cable Company's DVR
Every cable/satellite company now offers their own DVR
(digital video recorder). However, you are billed for the
service monthly without end. Find out if it would be
financially sound for you to purchase a Tivo system and pay
the one time flat fee subscription rate that is good for the
entire life of your Tivo machine. Or you can eliminate this
"need" entirely. There was a time when you did live without
Tivo. (I know. I know. It changed your life.)
2. Music Subscription Sites vs. Apple's iTunes
There's no argument in terms of pricing. A buck for songs that
you get to keep forever versus a monthly fee for songs that
are "yours" for as long as you continue to pay for the
subscription? If you have your iPod, this is a no-brainer. Or
you eliminate this "need" entirely, too. I know music is
extremely important for some people, but while you are trying
to climb out of debt and build up your savings, this may be a
luxury you could temporarily do without. (This same thought
process should be applied to Netflix, as well.)
3. Cell Phones
Sometimes we just have too many options. And sometimes we
succumb to marketing campaigns. In late 2004, I bought a cell
phone with a camera that I never use. Opt for the free cell
phone that comes with the introductory plan. You don't need a
razor. I don't care how cool they look. Buy it when you can
really afford one.
4. Internet Access: DSL vs. Wireless vs. Dial-Up vs. Anything
At All
This luxury has pretty much turned into a necessity within
just over a decade, but you may not be able to afford the
high-speed access that you have right now. Ask yourself if you
could drop down to dial-up (or no home access at all) while
you are trying to get control of your finances. For those who
are able to have access at work, it might make sense to say
goodbye (temporarily) to your Internet access.
5. Online Shopping
At least when you go to the mall, there are factors that limit
your ability to purchase items: your time constraints, an item
may not be in stock, or the store might be closed. Shopping
online removes any barriers between you and what you want. The
Internet is always open. Things are, more often than not, in
stock. You shop when you are available. Hell, you can even
shop during work. In order to eliminate your debt, you have to
stop building on it in the first place. Stop shopping online.
Be more intentional about your purchases.
Individually, you might only save $5 or $10 per month with
each area. By taking action and trimming your consumption,
you'll see savings rise to hundreds of dollars a year (or
more).
Consumers in previous generations never had the onslaught of
goods that most of us are facing today: iPods, DVDs, MP3s,
Tivo, cell phones, text messages, home computers, Internet
fees. These all add up. Some of these have, unfortunately,
turned into "luxurious necessities" that are difficult to live
without. However, with a heightened level of self-control, you
can learn to eliminate the extra costs associated with these
items.
_____________________________
Joey Shanley writes "Molly's Brother On A Budget," an online
journal devoted to helping him, and others, get spending under
control. You can visit him again at
http://mollysbrother.com
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Making the Most of Your Club Card
by Shannon Medisky
Squeeze every penny of savings out of each and every club card
In an effort to stretch my grocery budget, I invested in a
subscription to the Sunday paper. Every week I clipped the
coupons and organized them by expiration date in an effort to
actually use them. This process continued, and I did save
money.
Then along came the grocery store club savings card. An
absolute God-send, I thought. Simply swipe the card and reap
the savings. No more paying for the newspaper. No more
afternoons spent at the table trying to simultaneously cut out
coupons while my toddler son made mountains of crinkled
newsprint at my feet. Like the debit card replaces a
checkbook, my club savings card replaces the clutter of
countless coupons floating around somewhere in my purse.
I sign on the dotted line for any and all club cards I can get
my hands on. Over the years and throughout the stores, I've
picked up a number of ways to multiply my savings beyond what
the "club" promises.
There are two basic types of club card programs. One offers
special discounts throughout the store for those using a club
card. The other may or may not offer discounts, but tallies
your purchases and promises a rebate on a certain percentage
of your accrued purchases after a set period of time. Some
stores even combine the club card with specifically targeted
coupons printed right at the checkout counter - coupons
directly related to your purchases.
Club Card Tip #1 - Share with Others
Many of these club card programs provide you with several
cards so that you can share them with members of your family.
For your shopping convenience, many stores will allow you to
simply key in your phone number in case you do not have your
card on you. Unless the program explicitly forbids it, ask
friends and extended family that don't have or use a club card
to key in your phone number whenever they make purchases at
these stores. For stores offering discounts, they'll reap the
savings; however, for stores offering rebates, you'll reap the
reward of their purchase amount! Not only that, at stores
offering coupons at the register, you'll be adding more
variety to the stash of free coupons.
Club Card Tip #2 - Let Brands Compete for You
Many product manufacturers are in on this. Club card usage
provides them invaluable data on how their product is selling
versus that of the competition. If you're not a brand snob,
you can easily make this work to your advantage. If you pay
special attention to the coupons printed at the checkout line,
you'll see a pattern develop. Often times, you'll receive a
coupon for a product you already purchased on that visit, only
the coupon will be for a competing brand. If you alternate the
brands you purchase each visit, you can almost guarantee that
you'll always have a coupon for something you'll already be
purchasing anyway.
Club Card Tip #3 - Combine Store Discounts with Manufacturer
Discounts
If you're willing to clip coupons or at least use the already
clipped coupons conveniently printed out for you with each
shopping visit, you can easily compound your savings by using
them along with scheduled club card promotions. It's key to
remember that most of the coupons you clip are provided by the
product manufacturers, but the club card discounts are given
by the store. It's completely legitimate to use a coupon along
with a club card discount. Using this method, you'll quickly
and easily rack up even more savings. Those of you living in
areas of the country where stores double coupons, I envy you!
Club Card Tip #4 - Look Online for More Savings
Think the savings end here? Think again! We have yet to touch
on the computer - online shopping, that is! Stores know that
they must market to two different demographics: those who shop
in person at the store and those who shop online from home.
Many of these stores offer completely different or additional
promotional savings on their websites for club card members.
One nationwide chain in particular often offers buy one, get
one free promotions online for products that aren't offered in
the store. Some weeks the savings online are so great with my
club card that it washes out the nominal cost of delivery.
And, if I haven't done any shopping yet that week, I often
make the dollar amount cut off for free delivery. Anyone with
a car that they actually use knows that can translate to
additional savings - no gas! Anyone with small children knows
that having groceries delivered to your doorstep means
immeasurable savings as your energy is at a premium!
If you don't mind the additional direct mail that comes along
with each new club card, then get ready to reap the savings.
The stores and manufacturers will be working hard to make the
data they receive from your card work for them; make sure you
do your best to squeeze every last penny of savings out of
each and every card you sign up for!
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My Story: Finding A Job
contributed by JE
6 tools to help you get your career restarted
In response to Joyce's piece at
www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06jul31d.cfm, I'd like to add
some things:- An important fact in the job search is that you
may not find employment as fast as Joyce did. I was fortunate
that after I was laid off from a career counselor position one
time, I found another position within a month. Yet several
years previously, it took me eight months to find a job. For
others, the process may take a year or more. Job seekers need
to be aware of the possibility that their personal search may
last much longer than they anticipate or desire and they
should prepare themselves for that reality.
- Joyce mentioned applying for jobs that interest you even if
you don't meet all of the qualifications. This depends because
it sometimes doesn't matter how enthusiastic and willing you
are to learn the appropriate skills, you still won't be hired
or even contacted for an interview. The best thing to do is to
move on.
- If necessary, contact your local Social Services or
unemployment agency to see if you're eligible for unemployment
benefits, and if you are, apply for them. While they aren't
much, these funds can at least provide some source of income
as you continue your job search. Another source of income can
be found by becoming a temporary employee, allowing you to
"sample" various companies to find the one that's a good fit
for you. Again, the funds you receive might not be much, but
there's income coming in. Additionally, you can be on the
lookout for possible openings within a company and apply for
those that interest you. Numerous temporary agencies are found
online and in phone books, with major ones such as Kelly
Services, Manpower and Adecco frequently offering open houses
at their local branches to give potential applicants the
opportunity to check them out.
- Another resource that a job seeker may want to utilize is
their local county or state job center; contact information
for these places can be found in phone directories, the
Internet or in libraries. I made use of the one near me while
unemployed the first time around and had use of a work space,
Internet access, computers and printers to create and revise
resumes and phone, something that I didn't have at home. If
you qualify, you can also get job training for free at local
career schools or community colleges. I wanted to upgrade my
computer skills and was able to attend a nearby computer
school for free. Job service agencies also provide seminars
such as resume writing, interviewing techniques, searching for
jobs via the Internet and others geared to assist job seekers
in upgrading or developing these skills. I'm convinced that
because I made the effort to get to know the staff of
counselors, they were able to serve as references and I was
hired for a special project to serve as a career counselor for
soon-to-be displaced workers of a local steel company.
- You should frequently update your resume, as you acquire
additional skills, abilities and work experience. By waiting
until unemployment appears on the horizon, you may rush
through the revision, leaving out critical information. There
are numerous books available to assist in constructing the
right resume and cover letter for you.
- Richard Bolles' "What Color is Your Parachute" is one of the
best resources out there; it's amazing just how much
information is contained between the pages. Each revision just
gets better and better.
- Build a support network and stay in contact with them.
Realize that sometimes, you'll need a break from the search
and this is when your network comes in for encouragement. Give
yourself permission to take care of yourself and do it.
___________________________
"My Story" is a regular feature of The Dollar Stretcher. If
you have a story that could help save time or money, please
send it by mailto:MyStory@stretcher.com
===========================================================
Gas vs. Electric Heating
by Gary Foreman
Keeping winter energy bills manageable
Natural gas prices are going up all the time. At what point
does it make sense to replace my gas water heater (40-gallon)
with an electric one? I live by myself and my July gas bill
was $28. I take one quick shower a day, do two to three loads
of laundry a week, and run one dishwasher load per week. I
also rarely, if ever, use my gas stove during the summer. The
same CCF usage last year cost me $11! This is already bare-
bones usage. How astronomical is my heating bill going to be
this winter? What can do I to save on natural gas?
Barbara in Columbus, OH
Barbara asks a question that's on many people's minds as we
head toward winter. How will rising energy prices affect my
budget and what can I do to limit the damage? Let's begin by
looking at water heaters and then follow-up with some ideas on
reducing energy bills.
The U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE) says that 14% of our home
energy usage is for heating water. By comparison, 44% is for
heating and air conditioning. According to the Rocky Mountain
Institute over $15 billion is spent by Americans each year to
heat water.
Should Barbara consider switching away from natural gas?
Probably not now or ever. Generally, it has been cheaper to
heat water with gas than with electric. In February, 2005, the
Metropolitan Utilities District of Omaha NE estimated that an
electric water heater cost 75% more to operate than a gas
heater.
But that doesn't mean that Barbara can't reduce the amount of
energy she uses to heat water. The Rocky Mountain Institute
claims energy saving techniques can reduce the cost of heating
water by two thirds. The four biggest savers are using
efficient showerheads, washing clothes in cold water,
insulating the water heater and lowering the water heater
thermostat to 120F. Combining those would reduce a bill by
1/3.
Two of the techniques don't require Barbara to spend any
money. The other two are inexpensive. Installing low-flow
showerheads is a do-it-yourself type project. Barbara can put
a blanket of R-12 insulation around the water heater herself.
She should check the manufacturer, since some recommend
against extra insulation.
Although a little more expensive, Barbara might also want to
check out the cost of installing a timer on her water heater.
Ok, what about her winter heating bills? Should she consider
replacing a gas furnace? Again, probably not.
What makes comparing furnaces hard is getting an apples to
apples measurement. DOE estimates that 1 kWh of electricity is
worth 3.3 cubic feet of natural gas in terms of generating
heat. A common method of comparison translates everything into
how much energy is needed to produce a BTU. But even that
still just measures heat generation. It doesn't take into
account the efficiency of the heat delivery system.
We won't get into the formula details. If you're seriously
shopping for a new furnace or water heater, you'll need to get
estimates based specifically on your own home and lifestyle.
That will be better than generic estimate anyway.
Even after the current increase in prices, gas is still
cheaper than electric for generating heat. And, electric
prices will probably rise, too. About 20% of electricity in
the U.S. is generated from natural gas and petroleum. So an
increase in those prices will tend to raise electric costs,
too.
That doesn't mean that Barbara is helpless. The DOE suggests
an energy audit as a good way to find out where you're using
energy. Often your local power provider will do an audit free
of charge. Or you can do a simple audit yourself. An internet
search will uncover instructions.
In most cases, the best thing a homeowner can do is to make
sure that they're not wasting energy. The DOE says that if you
total up all the leaks around windows and doors it's the same
as leaving a window wide open. Weather-stripping is an easy,
inexpensive way to eliminate those leaks. A $3 tube of
caulking could save you quite a bit.
The other key to winter heating, especially when there's only
one person at home, is to only heat the areas where you are.
You don't need to heat the entire home.
Yes, a central furnace will be more efficient than a space
heater. But, only if they're heating the same sized area. In
most cases, the space heater only has to heat one room, while
the furnace will heat the entire residence. So even if the
space heater is less efficient, it will still use less energy
than running your furnace.
Winter energy bills will always be a challenge, especially
when prices rise and you live in a cold climate. Fortunately,
there are things that consumers can do to reduce their bills
short of replacing water heaters and furnaces.
_____________
Gary Foreman is a former purchasing manager who
currently edits The Dollar Stretcher website
===========================================================
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Tips, Quips, Quotes and Questions
*********
Can You Help This Reader?
*********
Homemade Fabric Freshener
Will one of your clever readers tell me (all of us) how to
make Febreze at home? There must be a very simple recipe for
this fabric and upholstery freshener. Thanks so much!
Lisa in Utah
Please send your answers mailto:CanYouHelp@stretcher.com with
"Fabric Freshener" as the subject. We'll include the best
solutions in future issues.
*********
Yes, We Can Help This Reader
Getting Internet Coupons Accepted
*********
I had this same problem. While I think it is a pretty weak
argument, I found that if I print and bring in the whole page,
the argument just falls apart and they take the coupon(s).
It's the little "http..." in the upper left corner that, in my
opinion, proves I am not the "cheat" the store is implying I
am. If I present this argument from this perspective, the
managers are a bit more thoughtful about throwing away my
business over some cents off coupon. They know me now at my
favorite grocery store so it's no longer an issue. Trying it
at some big box store is another story. Be prepared to have to
go through this little dance at every visit. Go up the chain
of command if you have to, but I mostly just don't shop those
kind of stores if I have coupons. I can spend my money and my
time elsewhere.
Jill
editor's note: more suggestions on how to use internet coupons
at
*********
Success Stories: How Many Hours?
When I was married, I never had to worry about money and
usually bought anything I wanted to and spent money rather
carelessly. After my divorce, I had to really watch things.
The secret of my success is that I now consider how many hours
I will have to work to pay for an item.
No matter what it is, I ask myself if I'm willing to work
extra to pay for it. More often than not (when it comes to
"wants" rather than "needs"), I decide that it just isn't
worth it, and my savings have grown.
A.
*********
Fragrant Stash
I save the perfume sample pages from magazines and tuck them
into the stash of birthday cards and notecards I always have
on hand. I rotate them out when the scent fades. That way, my
drawer smells nice and people get cards and letters that are
not only interesting but smell great, too! (And maybe it's
even a treat for the postman!)
Glenda W. in Chicago
*********
Slowing Online Purchases
We don't use credit cards. I know that sounds quite limiting.
It is, but it works for us. Often, making an "online" purchase
can save money, time and gasoline, so we use a debit card set
up on a checking account solely for this purpose. We keep a
minimum balance, say $10-15 at all times, but if we see
something "on the Net" that we just have to have, we actually
have to take the time to transfer the money needed to make a
purchase. That allows us just enough time to think about how
necessary that item really is. More often than not, we've come
to the conclusion that it would've been just an impulse buy
and not really needed after all.
This method also gives us the opportunity to look at our other
account to determine if that money is really available to
spend. It's not "credit." Instead, it's real money that we
have or we don't have that month to spend. The end result is
that no additional debt and extra stress is incurred.
Karla from Colorado
*********
Become a Dollar Stretcher "tipster" by sending your time and
money saving tips by mailto:Tips@stretcher.com If we use your
tip in any of our publications, we'll send you the next three
issues of our print newsletter as a "thank you."
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===========================================================
On www.Stretcher.com This Week
editor's note: Hotmail and WebTV users may have trouble with
some addresses. Please access them from our front page
Your Money
----------
Ten Ways To Save
by Joey Shanley
Old school vs. new wave
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11b.cfm
Fame & Fortune
Steve Schirripa came from "the neighborhood" and showed he's a
true "wise guy" by taking a chance on an offbeat new TV show
called "The Sopranos"
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep05a.htm
A Debit Card for Disaster Victims
Insurance companies and banks team up to issue debit cards
loaded with insurance money
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02c.htm
To Sign or Not to Sign?
Many consumers refuse to sign their credit cards, or write
"check ID" thinking it will thwart fraud
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep01a.htm
Should You Refinance Your Mortgage?
Calculate your costs with our refi calculator
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02e.htm
Pension Law Also Changes Credit Counseling
Tucked into the new law were 5 consumer-friendly provisions
that toughen the standards for counselors
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep01b.htm
FAQs on Debt and Credit Counseling
Need help? Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. Help's out there,
but what do you ask and who do you trust?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02g.htm
Preparing Finances for Death and Disaster
We don't like to think about our mortality, but we also
shouldn't leave a mess behind
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02h.htm
How Two-Cycle Billing Works
If your balance stays steady, it shouldn't make much
difference
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep01c.htm
Better Credit Raises Refinance Question
It all depends on how long you intend to stay in the house
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06aug31b.htm
Your Family
-----------
Kids in the Kitchen
by Leanne Ely, The Dinner Diva
Make being together in the kitchen a part of your life
together as a family
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11g.cfm
Your Home
---------
Gas vs. Electric Heating
by Gary Foreman
Keeping winter energy bills manageable
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11e.cfm
Fit to Frame
by Marlene Alexander
Fun, frugal ways to fill empty wall space
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11f.cfm
5 Cheap Storage Solutions for Kids' Rooms
by Kathy Wilson
Creating a comfortable, organized space for your little one
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11h.cfm
Should You Refinance Your Mortgage?
Calculate your costs with our refi calculator
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02e.htm
PMI Tries to Shake a Piggyback
A combination of rising interest rates and the availability of
single-premium coverage makes private mortgage insurance
competitive with piggyback mortgages
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06aug31a.htm
Deciding Between Building and Buying a Home
On construction-to-permanent financing, make sure to get a
good rate lock
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06aug30a.htm
Better Credit Raises Refinance Question
It all depends on how long you intend to stay in the house
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06aug31b.htm
Dumping Him, Not the House
Trying to hold on to a house you can't afford is a bad idea
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep05b.htm
Your Career or Small Business
-----------------------------
My Story: Finding A Job
contributed by JE
6 tools to help you get your career restarted
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11d.cfm
My Story: Day Care Considerations
contributed by CD
Before embarking on this business venture
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11j.cfm
Your Food
---------
Internet Coupons
Getting stores to accept your coupons
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11a.cfm
Making the Most of Your Club Card
by Shannon Medisky
Squeeze every penny of savings out of each and every club card
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11c.cfm
Kids in the Kitchen
by Leanne Ely, The Dinner Diva
Make being together in the kitchen a part of your life
together as a family
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11g.cfm
Your Auto
---------
Top New Safety Features for 2007
Cars just keep getting safer, thanks to new advances in
design, construction, braking, warning sensors and
stabilization
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02a.htm
Wireless Technology Revolutionizing Autos
Wireless technology letting drivers dodge traffic jams, report
potholes and pay for drive-through meals without touching a
wallet is coming to a car near you
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02b.htm
The Truth about EPA Mileage Estimates
Your new car is supposed to get 30 miles to the gallon but you
only get 24. Are you that bad a driver? Or is the EPA figure a
bit of wishful thinking?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02d.htm
Your Taxes
----------
Second Home vs. Rental Property
If the property were considered a second home, you could claim
the mortgage interest and taxes on Schedule A
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep05c.htm
Writing Off Loan Interest on a Pop-Up Trailer
You can deduct the interest on boats, RVs and house trailers
that have sleeping, cooking and toilet facilities
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep01d.htm
Getting Back on Track with the IRS
As a starting point, visit a tax accountant and get your last
three years' tax returns prepared
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06aug31c.htm
Writing Off Commutes to Satellite Offices
The miles that you accumulate traveling to and from satellite
offices are considered business miles
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06aug30b.htm
Does Delayed Refund Come with Interest?
Fair is fair: If you owe taxes, IRS charges you interest.
Conversely, if they delay your refund, they owe you interest
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02j.htm
IRS Hounds Ex for Employees' Tax Money
If your wife did not pay the taxes withheld from her
employees' paychecks, the IRS will come after the person
responsible for failure to pay
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02k.htm
Everything Else
---------------
Assisted Living at Your Doorstep
Most folks would prefer to live at home, even if they need
assistance. So the elder-care industry is catering to this
demand by sending caregiving troops to people's homes
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06sep02f.htm
Readers' Tips
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06sep11t.cfm
===========================================================
Decision-Making Tools
For Your Home
-
Rent or Buy Your Next Home?
-
Mortgage Calculator
-
15-Year or 30-Year Mortgage?
-
Fixed or Adjustable Rate Mortgage?
-
Mortgage Points Adviser
For Your Car
-
How much car can you afford?
-
Buy or lease your next car?
-
Your next car: New or used?
-
Auto Loan Calculator
-
Is a hybrid car right for you?
===========================================================
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