Back to newsletter listDate:
Sun, November 12, 2006 08:00:01 PMFrom:
editor@stretcher.com
Subject:
11/13/06: The Dollar Stretcher
===========================================================
The Dollar Stretcher
"Living Better...For Less"
November 13, 2006
Volume 11, Number 46
===========================================================
To Subscribe
send mailto:sub-dollar-stretcher@hub.thedollarstretcher.com or
visit http://www.stretcher.com/menu/subscrib.cfm
To ***
send a blank
mailto:leave-dollar-stretcher-4-2263148P@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
"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
The Grocery Prosumer
by Paul Davis
For grocery savings in the electronic age, it can be as easy
as "click, pick and save."
Do I Need a Financial Planner?
by Gary Foreman
When is it time to call in a professional?
Wrap Up Your Holiday For Free!
by Stephanie Stambaugh
Don't let a penny of your holiday gift budget "roll" out the
door
My Story: Buy Local
contributed by Moriah
Applying ecological principals to home renovation
Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions
On www.Stretcher.com This Week
===========================================================
Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hello to all my Frugal Friends!
As part of my job I read a lot. So I get exposed to a variety
of different ideas about how people think about and handle
their money. One of the topics that's always interested me is
consumer behavior.
Consumer behavior is being dramatically changed in the
internet age. We have tools and choices that simply weren't
available or practical 20 years ago. One area that's really
been changing is grocery ads and coupons. Guess that's not
surprising. Groceries are the easiest area for most of us
to make a big impact on our budget.
Our lead article this week looks at how technology is changing
the way we shop for groceries. Hopefully you'll find it as
interesting as I did. Drop me an email and let me know what
you think
All the Best!
Gary
===========================================================
Our Sponsor
* * * * * * Free Special Report * * * * * *
The Top 3 Middle Class Dangers...
and How to Avoid Them!
Get It Now. Click...
http://www.debtintowealth.com/specialreport
===========================================================
The Grocery Prosumer
by Paul Davis
For grocery savings in the electronic age, it can be as easy
as "click, pick and save."
Most experts agree that customer loyalty in the grocery sector
is virtually dead. Ten years ago, it was somewhat unusual for
a consumer to drive past the closest grocery store to shop at
a competing store. Today, within a few mile radius, eight
supercenters and chains can be fighting it out, in a market,
which the experts might say can only support three or four. So
while the chains struggle to find their niche and battle on
price, the price conscious shopper benefits.
It's a critical juncture for the grocers. Food price inflation
has softened and, along with flat demand, has caused profit
margins to decrease in the supermarket channel. Many industry
observers believe that the supermarket industry has failed to
believe that the so-called "time-crunched" shopper will, in
fact, travel to a number of stores to find the deals and
products they are looking for. And no matter what the gas
price is, they will do so even if it means extending the
overall duration of their shopping trip. Today, the
fragmentation of the grocery-shopping trip is an undeniable
trend in the industry. So, today's grocery shopper is prepared
to use their feet and cars to save money, but more than ever,
they are using their fingers, their laptops and even their
handhelds to save significant dollars, every week.
In general, today's consumer has turned into the "pre-shopper
extraordinaire." Whether it's clothing, electronics,
automotive or computer, the consumer will do her homework
first, on-line. Comparison-shopping sites rule the Internet
allowing shoppers to learn more about the products they wish
to purchase and then find the best price. With the growth of
e-commerce, price comparison has become the dominant theme for
on-line shoppers. So the comparison-shopping world has become
the focus of a new breed of buyer, the "prosumer," the
proactive consumer.
Now it's time to welcome the grocery "prosumer" to the
electronic age. For eons, the sharp grocery shopper has saved
by comparing prices in the weekly flyers/circulars that arrive
on your doorstep, via your daily newspapers. Flyer production
is a multi-billion dollar business and research indicates that
an amazing 67% (Newspaper Association of America) of female
heads of households use the flyers to plan their shopping
trips. Similarly, manufacturers across the United States
offered $375 billion, that's right billion, in paper coupons
last year, everything from peanut butter to laundry detergent.
Until recently, the planning component required effort to
manually sift through the weekly circulars to identify the
best deals and to prepare the shopping list. But things are
changing and changing fast. Free on-line services are now
available where weekly advertised deals are right at the
consumers' fingertips with the shopping list only a few
keystrokes away.
Consumers can select the stores they shop at, make a list of
the products they want and then search for the best deals or
they can simply skim the flyers by store, similar to the way
they used to look at the paper flyers. They can also search by
brand or category. The output is a shopping list that breaks
down the purchases they wish to make by store and shows the
savings at each store, as well as the overall savings.
So for grocery savings in the electronic age, it can be as
easy as "click, pick and save."
_________________________
Paul Davis is the CEO of MyGroceryDeals.com and has implemented
customer satisfaction measurement programs for leading U.S.
grocery retailers over the last 15 years.
===========================================================
Do I Need a Financial Planner?
by Gary Foreman
When is it time to call in a professional?
My husband is an engineer and I am a CPA (not in public
practice), so we are relatively savvy when it comes to
financial matters. Does everyone need a financial planner?
We're not millionaires, but have amounts in IRA accounts,
investment accounts and 401k accounts. It just seems like the
accounts are scattered everywhere and should be more
centralized. Can you help us?
Janice in Tulsa, OK
Janice asks a good question. Managing our financial affairs is
getting more complicated even if you don't have a lot of
money. The truth is that everyone needs someone to manage
their financial affairs. But, it's equally true that many
people can be that manager for some or all of their affairs.
Let's see if we can't create some guidelines to help decide
when you need to call in a financial planner.
The first thing is to understand what a financial planner
does. It is not the same as a stock broker or investment
adviser. A planner will help you define your goal and then
work with you to assemble a plan to achieve that goal.
For instance, your goal might be retirement. The planner would
want to know at what age you'd like to retire and what you'd
like to do during retirement. From there, he'd determine how
much money it would take to afford that lifestyle and then
create a strategy to accumulate enough money.
In some cases, the planner will need to call in other experts.
Many planners started out in specific fields (accounting, law,
investments, insurance) and will handle transactions in their
field, but outside of their expertise, they'll need to call in
other professionals.
A financial plan can be for a specific goal like college
education for your kids. Or it can be for all of the financial
goals throughout your life.
Now that we have an idea of what a planner does, let's see if
we can determine whether Janice can do it. Like many do-it-
yourself projects, you'll need to answer a couple of questions
before deciding whether to tackle the job.
The first question: will you know when a plan is required?
Needing to plan and not doing one could cause serious problems
later. Some appropriate times might be marriage, birth of
children, opening and closing a business, and retirement.
You'll also want to do some preplanning for retirement and for
your estate.
Next question: can you define your goal accurately? Putting
Junior through college isn't specific enough. You'll need to
consider public vs. private schools. Will Junior work? Live on
or off campus? Knowing the right questions to ask is important
to defining your goal.
Once you have a goal, it's time to create a strategy for
attaining that goal. Our college example would require
calculating how much money would be required. You'll need to
estimate how much prices will change in the intervening years.
The plan will use savings and investment tools. It also could
include tax strategies and possibly even legal documents.
Since most of us have fairly common goals, there are many
resources to help Janice. She'll find books and websites
dedicated to helping the do-it-yourselfer. Most of the
information is understandable, but it often requires study.
Now that Janice understands the goal and has some feel for the
plan and what resources are available, she can consider
whether she's capable of doing the job herself.
The first thing that might disqualify her from a do-it-
yourself plan is competence. Some legal documents, investment
vehicles or tax strategies really require training to
understand and complete successfully. Other things can be done
by the average person.
The second question for Janice to consider is does she have
the time and temperament to do the job. It takes time to
complete a financial plan. There are a lot of 50 year olds who
have been meaning to put a retirement plan together for over
20 years and still haven't gotten it done.
Janice might also find that she has the wrong temperament for
the job. You'll need to enjoy doing research and math to
complete many portions of a financial plan.
Ultimately, no one is qualified to do every step of the
different financial plans you'll need in your life. Even
professional planners refer clients to specialists when it's
appropriate.
In fact, that might be one reason to use a planner. They will
have a network of professionals. The planner will know their
strengths and weaknesses. And should be able to make a good
recommendation when a specialist is needed.
For most people, financial planning is a combination of do-it-
yourself and call the professional. Some planners are
unwilling to work on anything short of a complete financial
plan that encompasses everything. But, most are comfortable
helping clients complete the portions that they can't do
themselves.
Janice may also find that something that she thought she could
do turns out to be beyond her capabilities. That's alright as
long as she realizes that soon and goes to get the proper help
while there's still time to meet her goals.
Ultimately, only Janice can decide how much help she needs in
managing her finances. But, having some idea of what the task
is should make it easier for her to come to a good decision.
_______________
Gary Foreman is a former financial planner who began The
Dollar Stretcher.com website and newsletters in 1996.
Take the Next Step:
- Be wise about Selecting a Broker or Financial Planner
===========================================================
Our Sponsor
Compare the Top 10 Credit Cards
Save money now by using the proper credit card. LowCards.com
compares the ten leading credit cards in every card
category: low interest, cash rebates and travel rewards as
well as balance transfer cards, business cards, and cards
for people with poor credit.
Objective opinion given on each card. Links to apply online.
LowCards has been featured on SmartMoney, USA Today, MSNBC,
CBS MarketWatch and PBS.
Go to http://www.LowCards.com
===========================================================
Wrap Up Your Holiday For Free!
by Stephanie Stambaugh
Don't let a penny of your holiday gift budget "roll" out the
door
When the gift-giving season rolls around the first thing most
of us write on our shopping list is wrapping paper.
Unfortunately, wrapping presents can often cost as much as
buying presents. I admit it is hard to resist all the elegant
papers and fun character prints so we wait until the end of
the holiday season to stock up on discounted rolls. But no
matter how many rolls we buy there never seems to be enough
paper or just the right wrapping for certain gifts. Determined
to save our holiday funds for presents and special holiday
outings, our family has devised a list of holiday wrapping
ideas that won't let a penny of our holiday gift budget "roll"
out the door. Most of all, family and friends know their
presents were wrapped with love.
Towels and Blankets: When buying kitchen or bathroom items,
budget into your present the price of a large dish towel or
bath towel to wrap the present in. Simply set the gift in the
middle of the towel, pull up the towel around the gift, and
either tie with yarn or ribbon you have on hand or knot the
towel at the top. If you're buying baby gifts, a receiving
blanket or afghan is another alternative to include as part of
the present and the wrapping.
Shirt Boxes: If you purchase clothes as a gift this year,
remember that during the holidays many department stores offer
at least one free box with your purchase. Decorate the box
with existing pens, pencils, stencils, glitter, or paint you
already have on hand. Use holiday pictures from magazines or
newspapers and glue them in a collage around the box or
feature just one on the top lid. You can also use duplicates
or scanned copies of old family photos for decorating the box
to give it a more personal touch.
Paper and Plastic Sacks: Gift bags are always popular, so why
not decorate your own? On paper sacks use pens, paint or
glitter you already have on hand and either staple or tape the
bag closed to hide the contents. Plastic bags, if white, can
be cut and used for wrapping paper for smaller boxes or
scrunched into a ball and used for sponging designs onto paper
sacks. Cutting the paper bag up instead of using it as a gift
bag is also a great alternative for wrapping paper. Don't
forget lunch bags for smaller gifts.
Foil, Parchment and Wax Paper: Chances are you already have
one or two of these in your kitchen cupboard. In a pinch, all
three will make elegant gift wrapping. Wax paper can even be
enhanced for gift tags or adding additional package
embellishments. Take two equal sheets of wax paper and on one
of those sheets grate old crayons of your favorite holiday
colors, enough to cover the surface lightly. Then lay the
second sheet of wax paper on top and iron the two pieces
together. Use a low heat setting ironing until the crayon
pieces are melted. The melted crayons will give the wax paper
a stained glass finish and you can cut the paper into various
shapes such as stars or hearts. Use a paper towel or a cotton
pastry cloth on top of the papers to protect your iron.
Newspapers: This is an old stand by that works all year round.
Use the comics for children, the sports section for Dad, the
arts and entertainment section for teenagers, or maybe the
homes for sale section for Mom if she's a real estate agent.
The newspaper also makes great lettering for gift cards. Just
cut letters and holiday pictures from the paper and arrange on
solid colored paper you already have on hand or recycle
envelopes from opened mail by cutting out squares to make "To"
and "From" labels.
Coffee Filters: Either as they are or died with food coloring,
watercolor paints or markers, coffee filters are the perfect
size for small gifts like jewelry or gift cards. They can also
be colored, layered and tied together at the bottom with yarn
or string to create flower shaped bows to add to the top of
larger presents. Insert into the middle an extra photo cut to
size of the person the present belongs to for a more personal
touch to the bow.
Yarn: Chances are you have a few skeins hidden in a closet
somewhere that can be used for wrapping. Use it for tying up
the other packaging ideas listed here or as a wrapping paper
alternative. When using it as packaging, wrap the yarn all
around the item until it is completely covered and then tie
off. You can even embellish the yarn with beads or feathers if
you have these items left over from previous craft projects.
Calendars: The year is almost over, so put that old calendar
to good use and recycle the pictures from the calendar for
wrapping paper. You can also cut the calendar pictures into
squares and add a smaller square of white or solid colored
paper on top to create unique gift tags or thank you notes.
Crepe Paper: Another excellent way to wrap a present is to use
the left over decorations from previous celebrations. Crepe
paper is another great wrapping material used like the yarn
idea. Just wrap around the present until it is completely
covered and then tape secure. You can also use crepe paper as
an embellishment like ribbon or to tie on gift tags.
Let Some One Else Wrap It: If you still want to use
traditional wrapping paper on some presents or you just don't
have time to wrap presents yourself, be sure to watch for
stores or Internet sites that offer free gift wrapping with
your purchase. Or if you want your gift wrap purchase to count
for more than just paper, many malls offer gift wrapping
booths ran by local charity organizations that use the
proceeds from wrapping your presents to support their cause.
In the end, your present then becomes two gifts in one.
Remember, if using any of the wrapping ideas that include
painting or gluing, plan ahead so the items can dry completely
before wrapping your gift.
__________________
Stephanie Stambaugh home schools her two children and works as
an independent antique dealer and writer in Denver, Colorado.
Take the Next Step:
- Ask for the gift boxes & gift bags with your purchases
- Make some very creative and fun Gift Bags For Less
===========================================================
My Story: Buy Local
contributed by Moriah
Applying ecological principals to home renovation
After months of planning and agonizing, we finally started
demolition of our kitchen and small adjacent bathroom. As
first time homeowners, we'd never done this sort of thing
before. We did our own general contracting, in part because we
wanted to use our "sweat equity" for as much of the project as
possible.
We knew this project would be difficult and expensive, but
both my husband and I are fairly organized, so started out by
doing our research. The most surprising thing we discovered is
that "buying local" isn't just a good idea for fruits and
vegetables, but may be the best money-saving strategy for our
renovation project.
When we first started shopping around for ideas and materials,
we went where many people go: the big box store. You know what
I'm talking about. When we first bought our house three years
ago, we made weekly trips there and joked that we should buy
some of their stock so at least we would get some of our money
back.
The big box store (BBS) is convenient. If you want to look at
the cost of tile versus stone, you just go from aisle 8 to
aisle 10. You don't have to drive across town or into the next
state. You can wander from aisle to aisle pricing toilets,
refrigerators, ceramic tile versus stone, and even get
estimates for installation fees. All can be done in one handy,
just-off-the-main-highway spot.
But you pay for that convenience in a lot of ways. The first
is the price. Even though the BBS often gets exclusive rights
for selling some brands, that doesn't necessarily mean that
those brands are cheaper than a similar brand or style
elsewhere.
You also pay with lack of quality. Unless you pay for the
high-end stuff from the BBS, the quality is often much less
than you'd find at a specialty store. And with a kitchen or
bathroom, where traffic is high, don't kid yourself that a
cheap alternative will look good for more than a year. If
that's all you can afford, and the room simply isn't usable
unless you do something right this instant, then go for it.
But if you've saved and are looking to do more than surface
touch-ups, this is where spending a moderate amount of money
will pay off in the long run.
Another surprising way you pay is with lack of choices. We
thought we were locked into a BBS choice of medium-quality
countertop that we weren't thrilled with, but the price was in
our range. When we went to a specialty store, we found a
countertop we loved, of equal or greater quality, and the
total cost was half of what the BBS offered! This can be for a
variety of reasons, including lower overhead or something
simple like a material being manufactured or quarried locally.
When it came to work we couldn't do, we were at first afraid
to find contractors by ourselves. We thought that going
through the BBS-recommended contractors would give us some
level of assurance that the jobs would be done right, and
insurance if something went terribly wrong. That is not
correct. In this fashion, the BBS simply serves as a middleman
and connects a client to the contractor. Though the BBS takes
a cut from the contractor for getting them work, in the end,
the client is still working directly with the contractor. Any
problems or suits would go directly through that contractor,
with the BBS slinking out the door.
It took a bit of time, but by using a lot of web-based
resources, we were able to make contacts with local suppliers
and installers. There are free sites like the Better Business
Bureaus, which log complaints for service providers registered
in their city, and Craigslist, where a lot of independent
contractors post their services. We also subscribed to Angie's
List where the subscribers themselves generate ratings for
services. It gave us peace of mind to be able to
quantitatively assess the quality of different contractors.
It's great to have a word-of-mouth reference from a friend or
relative, but no matter where you get your contractors, always
do your research. We asked for references from every
contractor and actually called those people. A good set of
references should include at least one general contractor and
one homeowner. Don't be afraid to ask what they paid for the
services they had done, and to bluntly ask if they had any
negative experiences with the contractor. You can save
yourself a lot of money and heartache by being a bit
calculating and pushy at this stage. Just because a contractor
"seems like a nice person," doesn't mean he or she is the best
person to be working for you.
In the end, we're happier and more comfortable with the local
choices we've made. For reasons of full-disclosure, I'll tell
you that we still ordered our cabinetry from a BBS. Our
kitchen is small, and we completely removed and did not
replace some of the cabinets. In order to maximize the storage
space, the BBS's high-end, quality cabinets with all the fancy
pull-outs and specialty drawers met our needs, and were less
expensive than locally manufactured cabinets with similar
options. I'm not telling you to avoid the BBS entirely, but
just don't assume that they're the best value for every part
of your project. We were able to afford the fancier BBS
cabinets we wanted because we're saving so much in other parts
of the project.
______________________________________
"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
Take the Next Step:
- Check your local business providers and see what they have
to offer!
- Read these suggestions to Find the Best Contractor
===========================================================
Our Sponsor
$145,000 Mortgage for Under $484/Month
Act Fast -- The Fed May Resume Their Rate Hikes Soon!
http://tinyurl.com/ykz9oo
Get the mortgage rates & terms you deserve!
===> Get up to 4 FREE Quotes from Top Lenders
===> Swap Your Rising ARM for a Low Fixed Rate
===> Get Cash to Pay Off Credit Card Debt or
Make Home Improvements for Spring
===> All Credit Types Welcome
Visit LowerMyBills.com now - it's fast, easy, secure & FREE
http://tinyurl.com/ykz9oo
===========================================================
Tips, Quips, Quotes and Questions
*********
Can You Help This Reader?
*********
Where to Invest Emergency Fund?
I have saved up six months' worth of savings as an emergency
fund. Where should I put the money now? Presently, it is in a
regular savings account that is paying about 2%.
Andrea in Brooklyn, New York
Please send your answers mailto:CanYouHelp@stretcher.com with
"Emergency Fund Investing" as the subject. We'll include the
best solutions in future issues.
*********
Yes, We Can Help This Reader
Moving to a New Home Without Income
*********
I have a few ideas that might help you get through the winter
without any income. First of all, could you temporarily rent
out your present home, or have someone housesit for you with
the understanding that all utility costs are their
responsibility? If this is an option, you might look for
someone through the Caretaker Gazette, a wonderful publication
that advertises housesitting opportunities, as well as people
seeking housesitting opportunities. I believe that you can
access them at CaretakerGazette.com.
Also, do you have the SHARE food co-op program available to
you? This is a nonprofit co-op widely available in the U.S.
and in some foreign countries as well. Check the white
business pages of your phone book, or inquire at a local
church. You do not have to meet any income requirements in
order to qualify for it, and you will realize very substantial
savings from participating.
Lastly, perhaps you could barter for the groceries and other
items that you need during the winter. Can you offer
childcare, house cleaning, tutoring, or any other type of
service? You might be able to trade your services, or any of
the goods that you are going to get rid of, to cover any
expenses that you will have. If you are moving near a major
city, check out Craig's List online and look under the barter
column. You can also advertise your services or goods for sale
free of charge.
Finally, check with your local utility companies, both in your
present location as well as the new one, to see if they will
put you on budget billing. This is a system whereby the
company looks at the typical amount spent every year, divides
it by 12, and gives you a fixed payment due every month. This
is an excellent way to avoid huge monthly utility bills during
the winter.
Jeanne
editor's note: more suggestions on moving to a new location
and living for awhile without income at
*********
Holiday Dress Up
Dress up your black or dark wardrobe for a holiday party by
going to the craft section of your local Wal-Mart and buying
several holiday sequined patches. Buy a bottle of glue that is
made specifically for sequined patches. This glue allows you
to stick a patch on a piece of clothing and then pull it off
when desired to be put on a different piece of clothing. Make
sure to let the glue dry overnight before you stick it to
clothing. A plain black shirt and pair of pants can be fancied
up with these inexpensive patches.
Arla A.
*********
Turkey Plus One
Last year, I shopped for meat the day after Thanksgiving and
found great sales. This was especially true when the butcher
had been off for the holiday and now had two- and three-day-
old beef and chicken to sell.
Kacy
*********
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."
Receive Dollar Stretcher Tips twice each week. More great
ideas for saving money! Just send
mailto:sub-ds-tips@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
===========================================================
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
----------
Do I Need a Financial Planner?
by Gary Foreman
When is it time to call in a professional?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13c.cfm
Personal Finance Calendar
2007 calendar to remember important dates and plan your
personal financial future
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov01a.htm
9 Questions to Ask Before Bankruptcy
The answers will show how complex your bankruptcy is, and
whether you need an attorney or can file yourself with forms
from a kit
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov01b.htm
Boomer Bucks
A roundup of questions or comments sent in by readers on
issues concerning student loan debt, beneficiaries of
retirement plans and trans fats
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov01c.htm
Tax-Free Versus Taxable Money Market Funds
You need to know how your state and local government taxes
apply
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov07d.htm
Bigger Investing Returns Require Bigger Risks
The safer the investment, the less it will return
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06j.htm
Credit Report Dispute? Put It in Writing
It doesn't help to phone the call center
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06k.htm
Considering a Refinance of FHA Mortgage
You would have to get a very attractive rate to make it
worthwhile
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov02d.htm
Maximizing the Employer's 401(k) Match
It makes sense to take full advantage both pre tax and after
tax
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov01d.htm
New I-Bond Rate is Up
But fixed rate component remains the same
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov02b.htm
7-Step Plan to Stop an Overspending Spouse
If you love your spouse but hate the way he or she is
overspending, here's seven ways to protect yourself and
prevent financial ruin
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06f.htm
5 Ways to Tame Your Line of Credit Payment
Home equity line of credit payments have been skyrocketing,
but the worst may be over, and if the payment pain is too
great, you have other options
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov07a.htm
Fame & Fortune
A Cuban immigrant with a strong work ethic, renowned TV Judge
Alex Ferrer advises getting as much education as possible to
obtain financial security
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov07c.htm
Bank Error in My Favor; Can I Keep It?
Yes, banks do make mistakes. And, even if the error seems good
for your bank account, it's usually not
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06e.htm
Your Family
-----------
Wrap Up Your Holiday For Free!
by Stephanie Stambaugh
Don't let a penny of your holiday gift budget "roll" out the
door
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13d.cfm
Children and Identity Theft
by Joanne Coley
Even our kids aren't immune to this high tech crime
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13f.cfm
Gifts for Free
by Anonymous
A clever way to purchase gifts with little or no cash outlay
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13g.cfm
7-Step Plan to Stop an Overspending Spouse
If you love your spouse but hate the way he or she is
overspending, here's seven ways to protect yourself and
prevent financial ruin
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06f.htm
Your Home
---------
My Story: Buy Local
contributed by Moriah
Applying ecological principals to home renovation
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13e.cfm
Three Frugal Decorating Tricks
by Kathy Wilson
The raw tools to make your house a home
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13j.cfm
Fill Your Tool Kit for Less than $200
Professional handy folks suggest these essential tools that
belong in every homeowner's toolbox
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov07b.htm
Considering a Refinance of FHA Mortgage
You would have to get a very attractive rate to make it
worthwhile
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov02d.htm
Understanding Equity Accelerator Mortgages
It's a mortgage, and a home equity loan, and it's another hot
new loan product. But is it any good?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov02a.htm
Mortgage Rates, Home Prices Rise and Fall
At the beginning of 2006, everyone expected mortgage rates to
rise. And they did. And then, surprisingly, even shockingly,
they fell. So did home prices
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06c.htm
Fed Rate Action Will Strongly Impact Home Prices
An unusual refinancing boom is likely in 2007 as hundreds of
thousands of borrowers bail out of their adjustable-rate
mortgages while the getting is good
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06d.htm
Option ARM-Holders: Time to Panic?
As higher payments kick in, holders of option ARMs need to
take a hard look at their budgets, their incomes and
refinancing alternatives
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06g.htm
Your Career or Small Business
-----------------------------
Negotiate Your Way to Fair Pay
Follow these strategies to get your salary up to par
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06b.htm
Bridging the Pay Gap between Genders
Even though federal laws forbid discrimination, a wage gap
persists. Experts disagree about the reasons for the disparity
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06a.htm
Your Food
---------
The Grocery Prosumer
by Paul Davis
For grocery savings in the electronic age, it can be as easy
as "click, pick and save"
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13b.cfm
Your Auto
---------
Stuck Horn
Ask Bob: The Auto Answer Man
What would cause his Saturn's horn to keep honking?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13h.cfm
Your Taxes
----------
Deducting Sales Tax of Building Materials
Here we are in the elections of 2006 and no one thought to
extend this tax deduction, which expired in 2005
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov07e.htm
Pitfalls of Using IRA to Buy Real Estate
In theory, it's true that you can invest in real estate using
IRA funds, but in practice it's difficult
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06m.htm
Accounting for Condo Occupied by Son
If you don't collect normal rent from your full-time-student
son, you could treat it as a second home
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov02e.htm
Everything Else
---------------
Moving without Income
A short-term plan to get a fresh start
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13a.cfm
ABCs of Health Insurance
Choosing which medical plan works best for you and your family
can be confusing. Get tips for understanding HMOs, PPOs, POSs
and more
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov06h.htm
The False Promises of DNA Testing
Online offers are often a waste of money and an attempt to
sell you stuff you don't need
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov02c.htm
Readers' Tips
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06nov13t.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?
===========================================================
Publication Information: Copyright "The Dollar Stretcher,
Inc." 2006. ISSN 1527-2974. All Rights reserved. Copies may be
distributed without alteration electronically free of charge.
This newsletter may be reproduced, without alteration, for
non-commercial purposes without prior permission. "The Dollar
Stretcher" is distributed via email each week between Sunday
noon and Tuesday 8PM United States Eastern Time. The
newsletter runs approximately 34k in length. All articles are
printed with the author's prior consent. It is assumed that
any questions, tips, or replies to questions may be reprinted.
The name and email address of the sender will not be used
unless specifically requested or approved. All letters become
the property of "The Dollar Stretcher, Inc".
Subscription Information: "The Dollar Stretcher" is a free
weekly newsletter.
To Subscribe
send mailto:sub-dollar-stretcher@hub.thedollarstretcher.com or
visit http://www.stretcher.com/menu/subscrib.cfm
If you'd like the newsletter sent as a .txt file attachment to
an email send
mailto:sub-dollar-stretcher-attach@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
To ***
send mailto:leave-dollar-stretcher-4-2263148P@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
If you have a problem subscribing or unsubscribing send
mailto:admin@stretcher.com and a real live human being will
try to solve the problem.
To Change Your Address
send mailto:admin@stretcher.com?subject=AddChg
Please include which ezine you get and indicate your old and
new email address.
Sponsorship Information is available by
mailto:marketing@stretcher.com
The Dollar Stretcher reaches over 150,000 readers every week.
copyright 2006 The Dollar Stretcher, Inc.
All rights reserved.
The Dollar Stretcher
6695 Cortez Rd W.
Bradenton FL 34210
gary@stretcher.com
http://www.stretcher.com
phone: 941-761-7805
fax 941-761-8301
mailto:leave-dollar-stretcher-4-2263148P@hub.thedollarstretcher.com
---
You are currently subscribed to dollar-stretcher-4 as: ralrusu@gmail.com
To *** send any message to the following address:
