Back to newsletter listDate:
Sun, December 10, 2006 09:00:01 PMFrom:
editor@stretcher.com
Subject:
12/11/06: The Dollar Stretcher
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The Dollar Stretcher
"Living Better...For Less"
December 11, 2006
Volume 11, Number 50
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"The Dollar Stretcher" and Dollar Stretcher, Inc. does not
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In This Issue:
Introduction
5 Minute Guide to Finding the Best Price Online
by Diana Ratliff
Hints for finding the best online prices for that perfect
holiday gift
Credit Repair
by Walter Burch
You can do it yourself
Cutting Your Electric Bill
by Kathleen G. Lupole
Applying 'off the grid' lessons to your home
Use What You Have Holiday Decorating
by Kathy Wilson
Create a beautiful theme holiday, with creativity, not cash!
Book Review: "Millionaire Women Next Door" by Thomas J.
Stanley
contributed by Cathy Tanaka
Do we have another must-read?
Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions
On www.Stretcher.com This Week
===========================================================
Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hello to all my Frugal Friends!
How does that song go? "It's the most wonderful time of the
year" And, for many of us, that's true. But, it's also the
busiest time of the year as well. There's baking, shopping,
decorating, parties, more shopping, visiting relatives,
special meals, worship services...the list almost seems
endless.
Before you jump into any of those tasks, I'd like to suggest
that you spend a little time in The Dollar Stretcher library
in the "Christmas and Holiday" section. You'll find ideas for
inexpensive gifts, holiday recipes, travel tips, fun things
to do with your family and much, much more. You'll find a
variety of ways to save yourself both time and money. So check
it out at http://www.stretcher.com/christmas
Oh, and I wanted to wish a Happy Hanukkah to all of our Jewish
friends! May you have a blessed holiday!
All the Best!
Gary
===========================================================
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5 Minute Guide to Finding the Best Price Online
by Diana Ratliff
Hints for finding the best online prices for that perfect
holiday gift
Finding the best price for the gifts you want can drive you
crazy at the best of times. Add a holiday deadline, limited
budget and a list as long as Santa's, and you've got major
stress. Even if you shop online for the sake of convenience,
the experience is often bewildering. Who can you trust? Which
vendor has the best price? What about customer service? And
how can you find the answers to those questions, fast?
Online comparison shopping sites like Shopzilla.com,
Pricegrabber.com and Shopping.Yahoo.com (all well-regarded
services) were designed to solve those problems. Growing
numbers of US consumers turn to these sites to help them
quickly locate the best prices on a wide variety of products.
So how do online price comparison sites work, and how do you
use them to find the best deal?
Most comparison pricing sites allow you to enter the specific
item you want and then show you a list of retailers that carry
it. Usually, you'll see the price that stores are charging for
the item and some rating (using stars, checkmarks or smiley
faces) of the merchant's reliability. If you know exactly what
you want, this fast, basic search may be all you need.
The Search
But if you need to do some browsing to find what you want, or
if you want to see results from more vendors, you'll have to
look further. Trying a different price comparison site may
help. Some have more participating merchants; some focus on
specific product categories.
For example, try AddAll.com
price comparisons, AMusicArea.com
for music CD comparisons and AMovieArea.com
Generally speaking, electronics, computers, appliances and
techie "gadgets" are easiest to find at online shopping
comparison sites.
Be sure to use the search tools sites offer, such as searching
by price, zip code, shipping fees, product popularity, product
rating, and so on.
The Stores
iPod Nanos are sold at hundreds of stores, so why don't you
see hundreds of merchants in your comparison shopping price
results? That's because only vendors that pay to be included
will come up in your search. The fact that a site is listed
(or listed first), does not mean that it is endorsed or that
it has even been checked out.
This is one of the biggest downsides of using product price
comparison sites. If your favorite online retailer(s) do not
appear, you'll need to do a separate search at their site.
Be sure to do your research before buying from stores you've
never heard of, or paying a price that seems too good to be
true.
The Scoop
One of the most useful features of online shopping price
comparison sites is that consumers are usually given the
option to rate and/or review merchants. Buyers grade vendors
on delivery speed, customer service and quality of items.
Some sites also award certifications for track records of good
customer service, such as "BizRate Certified" or "Trusted
Merchant" status. (Stores cannot pay for these designations;
they must be earned.)
Many of the better comparison shopping services also offer
product reviews as well.
It pays to read the reviews, even if a store (or a product) is
generally ranked favorably. You may learn something that helps
you make your decision.
___________________
Online Shopping Expert Diana Ratliff is the author of "The
Insider's Guide to Shopping Online", available for immediately
download at www.InsidersGuidetoShoppingOnline.com . Order
today for dozens of ways to save time, money, and hassle when
shopping online. Free newsletter. Copyright 2006, All Rights
Reserved
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Credit Repair
by Walter Burch
You can do it yourself
Once you understand how much your credit can impact your
financial future, it's likely that you will want to do
everything you can to improve your credit score. How much you
pay on home loans or refinances, auto loans, insurance, credit
cards, and many other areas are directly affected by your
credit score. The very words repair or fix credit suggests
that you can repair your credit just as you would repair your
car. Or, that you can pay money to a company that will somehow
"engineer" a high credit score for you.
Here's some good news for you: You don't need to shop around
for a credit repair company, just look in the mirror and hire
yourself, for free. You'll save a lot of money, and you'll
know for the rest of your life how to manage and protect your
own credit, which is the way it should be.
Information on your credit history will be contained in three
separate credit reports from each of the credit bureaus:
Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. It's important to check and
monitor all three of your credit reports because the
information in each report may vary. Why? Because different
creditors may report your credit account and payment
information to separate bureaus, and companies checking your
credit may only use one of the three credit bureaus.
You should review all the information in your credit reports
to make sure everything is accurate, because any discrepancy
could affect your credit score, or be an indication that you
have become a victim of identity theft. Here's how the
information in your credit report is "weighted" to determine
your credit score:
Your Payment History accounts for roughly 35% of your overall
score. This category includes account payment information on
credit cards, retail or department store cards, installment
loans, mortgages, finance companies and more. Lenders want to
know how many of these accounts are being paid as agreed or
are past due. How long has it been since there are delinquent
(or overdue) items? Do you have any public records including
bankruptcies, liens, judgments, suits, wage garnishments, or
collection items in your files? Lenders want to see a
consistent record of paying as promised. Paying your bills on
time is the number one way you can help improve your credit
score.
Your "Amounts Owed" accounts for roughly 30% of your overall
score. This includes the amount of money you owe on specific
accounts, the number of accounts you have with balances, your
debt-to-credit ratio (or what proportion of your total credit
limit is currently being used), and your installment loan
ratio, or the proportion of balance to the original loan
amount. Higher credit ratings are achieved by those who have
substantial credit available to them, and maintain relatively
low balances.
Your "Length of Credit History" accounts for about 15% of your
score. This includes the length of time since your accounts
have been opened, by specific account category, and it
includes the time span since credit activity is recorded.
Your "Amount of New Credit" accounts for roughly 10% of your
score. For instance, how many recently opened accounts do you
have, how many accounts by category, how many of these
accounts are delinquent, how long has it been since record of
delinquency, and if you have had credit glitches, have you re-
established a positive credit pattern since problems occurred?
The "Type of Credit Used" accounts for approximately 10% of
your score. This category looks at what kind of credit
accounts you have (credit cards, department store charge
cards, installment loans, mortgages, finance company accounts,
etc.), as well as the specific number of accounts in each
category and any recent information available on those
accounts. Generally, creditors like to see a healthy balance
of credit used and not an over-reliance on credit cards.
Knowing how each section of your credit report is "weighted"
can help you take positive steps to improve your credit score.
___________________________
Walter Burch is the Editor-In-Chief of
www.creditlearningcenter.com, a website that provides
information, as well as audio and video resources to help
consumers understand, manage, and protect personal credit. Get
Your Credit Score, Credit Report and 3-Bureau Credit
Monitoring Free for 30 Days at
creditlearningcenter.com/sponsored_offer1.php?aff_id=dst&chan_id=ht
Take the Next Step:
- Check your credit reports. The only one who knows if
your credit report is accurate is you. Not only will you
get the credit you deserve, but can also be your "first line
of defense" in detecting potential identity theft.
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Cutting Your Electric Bill
by Kathleen G. Lupole
Applying 'off the grid' lessons to your home
Living off the grid, I have many people contact me to ask how
they can cut the cost of their electric bill, without changing
over to alternative energy sources. For anyone who is trying
to cut energy costs, here are some ideas to get you started.
Main Energy Users
You can apply some of the same principles an off the grid home
uses, but use it to drastically cut your electrical power
usage. Of course, the main energy hogs are the ones that use
heat, such as electric heat, electric hot water, electric
stove and oven and the electric clothes dryer. There's air
conditioning, as well. These appliances use huge amounts of
your electric power, eating up your watts as soon as they are
turned on. Switching to propane or natural gas for water
heating, home heat, cooking and clothes drying, along with
more efficient refrigerators and freezers will offer savings.
For an air conditioning alternative, there are evaporative
cooling systems. Changing to these appliances will instantly
cut off more than three-quarters of what you usually pay for
electricity.
Lighting
The very first thing I tell them to do is to change all their
light bulbs to the newer compact fluorescent bulbs. Screw in
light bulbs should be mostly compact fluorescent, using about
one quarter the power of regular bulbs while giving the same
brightness and color. Timers are great for children's rooms or
any room where the light is usually left on.
Computers
And especially for anyone who is thinking of replacing a
computer. Replace your big desktop computers with laptops.
They use much less power. We run two laptops over 12 hours a
day on very little power. A desk top (actually it is the
monitors) uses as much in a few hours, as ours do in a week.
The monitors are what you have to watch.
Cooking Ranges
Newer gas cooking ranges have what is called a "glow bar" in
the oven. It uses electricity, so even if your power is out,
you can't use the oven. This is an electric red-hot glow-bar
pilot in the oven that consumes 400 watts all the time the
oven is used! Instead, look for one of two types of pilot
light ovens. An oven with regular gas flame pilot light is the
simplest. Better is an oven pilot that lights by electric
spark when the oven is started and goes off when the oven is
finished. Propane or natural gas stoves with gas pilot lights
need no power connection at all.
Another option would be no options! Yes, that's what I did
when purchasing my brand new Premier propane range. It has no
timer, no oven light, no light on top and no clock. You can
purchase a separate timer for a few dollars just about
anywhere. And most people already have a clock in their
kitchen anyway. The same is true with lighting. Remember that
you do pay for all those little options. And they are electric
users.
Refrigeration
Ordinary AC refrigerators and freezers run on over 200 watts
AC, and run many hours a day. Most have less than 2-inch
insulation. Fortunately, special refrigerators and freezers
are available, which use less than 30% as much energy.
Sunfrost refrigerator products have 4- to 6-inch insulation,
and a quality compressor on top where it can't put heat back
into the box. The RF-12 model runs 50 watts for 12 hours a
day, totaling 600-watt hours a day. Compare that to the
standard models, which use around 3000 watt hours each day.
Just think how that would cut that electric bill down!
Laundry
It goes without saying that another big saving for any
household is to hang your laundry outside. I do that and even
in the snowy cold winter of New York State. It is no big deal
to me, and I admit to liking the way my home looks with my
laundry hanging on the line. You could use a gas dryer and
that would give you some savings, but of course, there is the
price of the fuel, and it still does use some electricity, as
well.
The Staber washing machine is also built with the off-the-grid
family in mind. But what a savings for the family on the grid
as well! It is a simply designed machine with under 200 watts
running power, with only a larger surge at the start of the
spin cycle, which means that 165 watts per load is much less
than any other regular washing machine uses. It's a double
plus, as it uses less than half as much water per load as
other machines as well. Spins faster than others, saving more
energy in faster drying on the clothesline or in your dryer.
So if you do a lot of wash each week, this is a good way to
save on the electric bill every month.
Ghost Loads
There are some appliances that consume your power twenty-four
hours a day, even when you think they are turned off.
Televisions, stereos, office equipment, garage door openers
and many, many others. These appliances really need to turned
off when you are not using them. By turned off, I mean the
plug pulled out or they should be on a outlet strip that is
turned off. Remember that little things count when you are
trying to cut your usage back.
So you see, you can drastically reduce your bill, but you have
to work at it. If it was easy, everyone would do it. Once you
start living this way on a regular basis, you should see your
power bill drop to about 100-300 kilowatt hours a month. At 15
cents a kilowatt-hour, that would be just $15 per month. That
would be a welcome change I am sure.
____________________
Kathleen G. Lupole is a successful online entrepreneur,
operating Homesteader Marketplace at
www.larrylupole.com/catalog. The site offers other sellers an
opportunity to list their products online for sale, and only
paying a fee after the sale. For more information, visit
www.larrylupole.com/catalog/listproducts.php.
Take the Next Step:
- Consider Fluorescent Bulbs to save 75% on electric you use
for lighting
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/03/03jun23c.cfm
- Simply turn things off & unplug them when they aren't in use
===========================================================
Use What You Have Holiday Decorating
by Kathy Wilson
Create a beautiful theme holiday, with creativity, not cash!
The holidays often leaves those of us who are on tight budgets
scratching our heads trying to figure out how to afford to
decorate for the season, without going into debt. Never fear,
there are some easy ways you can take ordinary items you
already own, and with a few inexpensive tools, turn them into
one of a kind holiday decor.
First, arm yourself with a couple of supplies. Get a roll of
wide wire edge ribbon in a bright holiday color, scrap holiday
fabric or a couple of yards from the clearance bin in holiday
red and green, and a roll of narrow metallic ribbon, the kind
sold at your local fabric store for around 50 cents.
Next, choose a theme. This can be a theme for your whole home
or a different one for each room, but make sure you choose a
theme where you already have a lot of items. For instance, in
your kitchen, you may choose a "teacup" theme, and if you have
kids, the family room might be a great place for a "Toyland"
theme. Husband love fishing? Guest bathroom...come on ladies,
you can let him have this for just a few weeks a year! Boys
love sports? Ok, the TV room is just longing for it!
Now that you've chosen your theme, you need to create holiday
sparkle with your ordinary items. Anything can be made holiday
with a little ribbon and fabric. First create a background.
Layer holiday fabric pieces over your tables and shelves, wrap
a piece over the top of your dining chairs, make a few throw
pillow covers with fabric and safety pins.
Now the trick with turning ordinary items into decor is to
make it deliberate. You don't just want one or two teacups in
that kitchen. You want all your teacups, tied with holiday
ribbon! Have shelving in that Toyland room? Make sure every
corner is tucked with a ribbon tied teddy or stacked with
wooden blocks. Tie ribbon around every item and tuck into
nooks and crannies. Overkill? Nah, it's just good old
fashioned ingenuity. Make the ordinary, extraordinary!
Finally, remember that anything lightweight can become an
ornament with a little narrow ribbon tied on. And don't limit
yourself to hanging ornaments on the tree, either. Hang them
from curtain rods, light fixtures, and doorways as well!
Follow these tricks and you can use almost any item you
already own to create a beautiful theme holiday, with
creativity, not cash!
__________________________
Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of several
popular websites including The Budget Decorator and Decorating
Your Small Space. For hundreds of free home decorating ideas,
visit her now at nla_internal_691335.jpg or
http://www.DecoratingYourSmallSpace.com . You can also visit
her at http://www.Women-on-the-Net.com .
Take the Next Step:
- Pick a theme for your holiday decorating!
- Learn some great ideas for Homemade Holiday Decorations from
our readers!
http://www.stretcher.com/stories/99/991129b.cfm
===========================================================
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Book Review: "Millionaire Women Next Door" by Thomas J.
Stanley
contributed by Cathy Tanaka
Do we have another must-read?
I enjoyed "The Millionaire Mind" by Thomas J. Stanley so much
that as soon as I was done reading it, I picked up
"Millionaire Women Next Door." But it took me a surprisingly
long time to get through it, primarily because it is quite
repetitive of the themes from "The Millionaire Next Door" and
"The Millionaire Mind." Millionaire women, like the
millionaires profiled in Stanley's other books, are often
successful business owners who have built their own wealth,
rather than inheriting it. They live frugally, are "balance-
sheet affluent" rather than "income-statement affluent," and
are more focused on financial independence than on having nice
things.
One interesting point about being a business owner that
applied more to women than to men was that women frequently
choose to enter the retail business, even though the failure
rate in retail is extremely high. Another interesting
difference worth noting is that millionaire women give away
much more of their money than millionaire men. This generosity
is so noteworthy, in fact, that Stanley mentions it repeatedly
throughout the book.
I would have found the book much more compelling if Stanley
had elaborated on the final chapter of the book, which focused
on women who did not work outside the home but built their
family's wealth by "running the family office." As a reader
looking to glean practical advice on building wealth, I felt
like I could have learned an awful lot from the experiences of
wives and mothers who have successfully maximized their
family's income.
The bottom line is that if you have already read "The
Millionaire Next Door" and "The Millionaire Mind," there will
be very little that's new in "Millionaire Women Next Door."
___________________
Cathy Tanaka publishes a blog called CFO: Chief Family Officer
at http://chieffamilyofficer.blogspot.com, featuring tips on
finances, parenting, cooking and more.
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Tips, Quips, Quotes and Questions
*********
Can You Help This Reader?
*********
Fighting the Utility Company
I recently had two TV sets, two cable boxes and my entire home
theatre system ruined when the electric company changed out a
power pole. They refuse to take responsibility for it. I now
know the difference between a power strip and a surge
protector but am questioning the reasoning that this makes it
my fault! I didn't get any warning that they were going to do
this or I would have unplugged all my electrical appliances.
Have any other readers encountered this kind of situation? I
have lost over $1800 and do not have the money to replace any
of this. It was a gift from my son. How do you fight (and win)
with the utility company?
Mara in Texas
Please send your answers mailto:CanYouHelp@stretcher.com with
"Utility_Fight" as the subject. We'll include the best
solutions in future issues.
*********
Yes, We Can Help This Reader
Retirement Rollovers
*********
I work at an investment firm as a sales assistant to four
brokers. There are good honest people in this business that
care about people and want their clients' money to be safe and
grow. Ask people at your church or other friends if they can
recommend someone. The brokers in my office like referrals.
Your plans can all roll over into a Rollover IRA. Put it into
some good funds and don't touch it until retirement.
If you are retired, your investment representative can help
you. Write down your questions. If you happen to go to someone
who says you must do this or that and it doesn't feel right,
tell him you will think about what he said. Check with the
Better Business Bureau in your area.
Ellen M.
editor's note: more suggestions on rolling over and managing
your retirement plans at
*********
Soup? No! Stir-fry? Yes!
Everyone has heard about saving veggies and meat, freezing
them and then using them to make a soup. I am not good at
making homemade soup. Instead, I cook up some rice and make a
stir-fry with them instead.
Lynn
*********
Ready for Sale
When you are putting items aside for a future garage sale, tag
them with the price. This makes it easier to organize the sale
if you don't have to stop and price.
Nancy S.
*********
Office Gifts
One year, my office decided to exchange toys at our Christmas
party. We drew names and purchased toys that reminded us of
that person; we had a lot of fun seeing how other people
perceived each other! Then we donated the toys to a charity.
J.G.
*********
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
Special Holiday Section
-----------------------
5 Minute Guide to Finding the Best Price Online
by Diana Ratliff
Hints for finding the best online prices for that perfect
holiday gift
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11b.cfm
Use What You Have Holiday Decorating
by Kathy Wilson
Create a beautiful theme holiday, with creativity, not cash!
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11d.cfm
My Story: Homemade Christmas Gifts
contributed by Amber
Mom enlists kid's help as she teaches them about gift giving
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11h.cfm
Great Holiday Parties on Tight Budgets
You can cut costs by applying smart shopping strategies to
your decor, food and beverage purchases
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec04c.htm
Your Money
----------
Retirement Roll-overs
Rolling all of your plans into one easy-to-manage account
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11a.cfm
Book Review: "Millionaire Women Next Door" by Thomas J.
Stanley
contributed by Cathy Tanaka
Do we have another must-read?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11e.cfm
Credit Repair
by Walter Burch
You can do it yourself
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11j.cfm
With Delta Shares, Take the Loss
You're not likely to get much after the bankruptcy
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov30b.htm
Nudge Your Boss to Start 401(k) Plan
Americans who work for small businesses likely don't have
access to a retirement plan. These workers must find a way to
approach their bosses!
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov29e.htm
Don't Switch to Option ARM
There are better ways to build funds for your children's
education
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec05e.htm
Borrowing to Meet Current Income Needs
You need to consult a fee-based financial planner
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec04d.htm
Putting Faith in Your Investment Plan
Faith-based financial planning enables investors to put their
money where their belief systems are. Just be careful you
don't get caught in a fraud scheme
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec05a.htm
Fame & Fortune
"Running With Scissors" author Augusten Burroughs has been
consumed by money since he was a child, mostly because he
never had any
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec05b.htm
ETFs: Another Choice for Your 401(k)
Exchange traded funds might be cheaper than mutual funds
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec05c.htm
Home Equity Loan to Wipe Out Bankruptcy?
You'll be surprised at how many lenders want your post-
bankruptcy business, but you'll be shocked at the terms
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec05d.htm
Savings Levels and Rates Should Rise in 2007
If the economy slows, as many expect, savings rates should
rise. A potential rate war could fuel the fire
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec04b.htm
5 Ways to Monitor Your Credit Reports
A look at the pros and cons of ID-theft protection plans, from
credit freezes to credit monitoring services
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec01a.htm
Refinancing Won't Solve Debt Problems
Tapping equity to refinance a mortgage will wipe out credit
card and student loan debt, but it creates new problems if you
keep on spending
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec01c.htm
Your Family
-----------
My Story: Homemade Christmas Gifts
contributed by Amber
Mom enlists kid's help as she teaches them about gift giving
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11h.cfm
FAFSA Form is the Key to Financial Aid
The FAFSA form must be completed if you want your student to
be eligible for federal and state aid
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov29d.htm
Your Home
---------
Cutting Your Electric Bill
by Kathleen G. Lupole
Applying 'off the grid' lessons to your home
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11c.cfm
Use What You Have Holiday Decorating
by Kathy Wilson
Create a beautiful theme holiday, with creativity, not cash!
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11d.cfm
Front Ratios, Back Ratios and Gross Income
The mortgage-related ratios apply to your gross income, not
net income
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov29f.htm
Hiring Real Estate Agents in a Buyer's Market
There are lots of eager agents out there. But to sell your
house in today's market, you want to find the best one for
you, not necessarily the cheapest
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov30a.htm
Jumbo Mortgage Limits Remain Unchanged
In another sign of the housing market's stall and fall, the
limit between "jumbo" and "conforming" mortgages will be
unchanged in 2007
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov29c.htm
Your Career or Small Business
-----------------------------
Who Makes the Big Money?
As you might expect, CEOs top the list by a large margin
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov29b.htm
17 Steps to a Bigger Paycheck
Showcasing skills and learning new ones is the key to moving
up the salary ladder
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov29a.htm
Lessons You Can Learn from Big Business
What Bill Gates and large corporations can teach you about
your career and life
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec01d.htm
Your Food
---------
Save Up to 50% on Your Grocery Bill!
by Jill Cooper
It's time to cut the waste from your food budget
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11g.cfm
Your Auto
---------
Too Late to Renege on Car Purchase
Try to fight it and you might end up with the car, like it or
not
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec01e.htm
Your Taxes
----------
Does Land Qualify for Capital Gains Exclusion?
Adjacent vacant land will be considered part of your personal
residence if you owned and used the land as part of your
residence
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec05f.htm
Moving into Investment Property
Since you probably didn't expect to divorce when you entered
into the 1031 exchange, the IRS will probably not challenge
you
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec01f.htm
Deducting Travel Expenses
Your indefinite relocation is considered a permanent move by
IRS standards
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov30c.htm
Using Retirement Funds for Business Investment
You can't borrow funds from your IRA to invest, but you have
other options
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06nov29g.htm
Everything Else
---------------
Lights, Camera, Action!
by Rekaya Gibson
Money-saving strategies when you want to see the next great
flick
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11f.cfm
10 Pretreatment Ways to Cut Health-Care Costs
Consumers can take charge of their finances by arming
themselves with the information they need to comparison shop
wisely before receiving treatment
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/06/06dec04a.htm
Readers' Tips
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/06/06dec11t.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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