Back to newsletter listDate:
Sun, February 11, 2007 09:00:01 PMFrom:
editor@stretcher.com
Subject:
2/12/07: The Dollar Stretcher
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The Dollar Stretcher
"Living Better...For Less"
February 12, 2007
Volume 12, Number 7
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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
Is Uncle Sam Using Your Money?
by Damon Carr
Can you call it a "rapid refund" when it's 365 days late?
Saving $20K as a 20 Something
by Alyssa Kagel
Many small steps lead to a big result
Credit is Serious Business
by Walter Burch
Know how to improve your credit score
My Story: Just Start
contributed by Kim
No better time than the present to start your savings plan
Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions
On www.Stretcher.com This Week
===========================================================
Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com
Hello to all my Frugal Friends!
Too much in this issue to keep you here. Just a quick reminder
to pass on a copy of the newsletter to a frugal friend.
They'll be glad that you did!
Hope that you're staying warm!
All the Best!
Gary
===========================================================
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Is Uncle Sam Using Your Money?
by Damon Carr
Can you call it a "rapid refund" when it's 365 days late?
Tax time is upon us. This is the time where Uncle Sam mandates
that we reconcile taxes that were collected from us thus far
by way of payroll withholdings and estimated payments and
what's rightfully due to the IRS. Individuals have until April
15th to get their tax returns prepared, and if applicable,
their balance due paid or suffer the consequences of
penalties, interest and/or the wrath of the IRS.
After having individual tax returns prepared, millions of
people have learned that throughout the preceding year, they
paid more into the tax system than what they owed. Many people
are eagerly anticipating the largest lump sum check they'll
receive the entire year. This check is the result of a tax
refund. If you'll expecting a large tax refund this year, I'm
sure you can't wait to get your W2s from your employer so that
you can file your returns and get access to your refund. After
running up balances on your credit cards and/or spending more
than what was budgeted for during holidays, a refund of any
kind would be appreciated by all.
Tax time can be considered the day of reckoning. This is a
time when you come face to face with the amount of money you
earned throughout the year than suddenly gasp wondering what,
where, why, when and how did I spend this money. Millions of
people lack a financial game plan.
Would you lend a blood relative a zero interest loan requiring
no payments until next year? In an effort to have access to
your money sooner than your blood relative can return your
money, would you allow a local loan shark to charge you 20-200
percent annual interest? Lastly, would you cash the check you
received from the local loan shark at a check cashing company
who's going to charge additional money so that you can finally
have access to the money that is rightfully yours to begin
with? When spoken in these terms, I'm sure that most of us, if
not all, would answer no to all the above questions. This is
exactly what millions of people do each and every year.
In the past, I would ridicule tax preparation companies who
aligned themselves with third party organizations that offer
various high cost products and services. After taking a closer
look at their business model, I came to the realization that
if they did not offer these products and services, most of
their clients would take their business elsewhere. People want
their money and they want it now.
Considering the fact that 70% of households live paycheck to
paycheck, you can understand why people need to have access to
their money as soon as possible. When you factor in the fact
that the average American saves less than two cents for every
dollar earned, you began to understand that money received
during tax refund time represents the only form of savings the
typical American does on a consistent basis. Because of this
reality, I've always been hesitant to suggest a way that
millions of people who are in need of extra money can access
their hard earned money each and every paycheck versus once a
year during tax season. For if they follow the advice, I fear
that the extra money in their paycheck will be absorbed,
spent, and unaccounted for. This time there will be no tax
refund to serve as a bailout.
We can continue this "little man can't get ahead" mentality of
managing our money or we can become more responsible and begin
to make our money work just as hard for us as we work for it.
I encourage you to stop lending interest free money to the IRS
only to receive a negative return on your money once you
factor in bank and check cashing fees to have access to money
next year you can use today. In the meantime, use this year's
refund to establish a financial game plan that will allow you
to get your spending under control and develop and fund much
needed saving goals such as saving for emergencies, furniture,
car, house, school, etc. The IRS welcomes this advice. They
prefer you come close to breaking even on your tax return for
it's an administrative nightmare to process millions of tax
refund checks each and every year.
Here's how you access your money today versus next year:
Form W4 - Withholding Allowance Certificate - This form
instructs your employer on how much to withhold from taxable
wages. Remember that exemptions and withholding are not the
same. You may be entitled additional withholdings if you
qualify for various deductions and/or credits.
Form W5 - Earned Income Credit Advance Payment Certificate -
Taxpayers who are allowed to claim the earned income credit
and have at least one qualifying child can receive up to 60%
of the maximum credit throughout the year versus tax time.
Receiving your money throughout the year and managing it
wisely is the true definition of a "Rapid Refund."
___________________
Damon is the owner of ACE Financial. Damon has a solution for
your financial problems and a plan to help you reach your
financial goals - Regardless of current financial status! He
can be reached at 412-856-1183 or visit his website at
www.allcreditexperts.com.
Take the Next Step:
- Review your W4 - Withholding Allowance Certificate
===========================================================
Saving $20K as a 20 Something
by Alyssa Kagel
Many small steps lead to a big result
"Life would be a lot easier if I made just a little bit more
money," Sarah announced, slurping her mocha frappachino. "It's
expensive living in a city. So many bills!" I sipped my tea
quietly, staring down into the mug and hoping my friend
wouldn't expect me to chime in.
The truth is, I've managed to save almost $30K during the two
years since landing my first job out of college. I've got zero
credit card debt, and I've nearly paid off all my student
loans. And no, I don't sell my soul to a big investment firm.
I work for a small environmental nonprofit.
We all have to do things like eat, drink, and choose a place
to live. These essentials can add up if you're not careful.
Follow my tips, and you'll save in no time.
Eating
I've got this friend, let's call him Ron, who's constantly
worried about money. He can't rationalize spending large
amounts on single items like dressers, so his room is empty of
furniture. When I asked Ron how much he typically spends on
food each day, he told me he tries to spend under $25, not
counting his occasional going-out-to-dinner-splurges. You'd be
surprised by how much money can be, ahem..., eaten up by take
out and restaurant faire.
How to Save:
- Invest in cereal. There's your five-minute breakfast.
- Start packing your lunch and buying healthy snacks.
- Start cooking dinner. If you don't know how to cook, learn.
- Sometimes nothing beats a lavish meal out. But also consider
hosting a potluck, cooking dinner for friends, or meeting for
dessert or tea rather than a full meal.
- When you want to eat out, try meeting friends for lunch
rather than dinner.
If you used to eat out at all meals, when you begin eating in
for most, you'd save approximately $6500 per year.
Drinking
You need hydration, yes, but Pepsi and mochachino? I don't
think so.
How to save:
Wean yourself off all that junk, and stick to nothing but
water. You'll save money, unneeded calories and bad-for-your-
teeth sugars all in one blow. Buy a Brita filter and change it
every two and a half months. Splurge only occasionally.
If you used to spend a couple bucks a day on drinks, when you
switched to a Brita and a few splurges only, you'll save
approximately $500 a year
Ahem, You Meant the Other Drinking?
Especially if you're a young person, going out to the bars is
a big part of socializing and a big money sink.
How to save:
- Invite friends over and drink your first couple at your
house. When you're ready, go to the bar and slowly nurse that
$6 beer. (editor's reminder: use a designated driver when
appropriate)
- Limit yourself to two nights of boozing it up, max, per
week.
- Instead of going out two weekend nights in a row, go out one
weekday for happy hour (read: cheap specials) and one weekend
night.
If you used to go out three times a week buying three drinks
each night; and you instead go out twice a week, once at a
happy hour where you buy three drinks, and once at a bar where
you drink two drinks at home and buy one at the bar, you'd
save approximately: $3150 a year
Socializing
Less money doesn't equal less fun. Besides the bar and dinner
scene, here are a few more ideas:
- Go to the museum on the free day.
- Visit a nature spot.
- Scour listings for free music or book signings.
- Go to a matinee or rent a movie.
- Buy rush or half price tickets to shows. Many cities have
half price ticket vendors the day of the show.
Your savings per year will range anywhere from $500 to $1000
Getting from Here to There
It's a shame (not only for your bank account, but for the
environment, too) that public transportation is not more
readily available outside the city. If you live in a city,
take advantage.
How to save:
- Ditch your car if you can. Ditch the insurance payments,
upkeep, and gas costs along with it.
- Walk. You're exercising this New Year, right? Well, keep it
up.
- A taxi should be your last option. Rely on the bus or the
subway if you can (but never sacrifice safety for savings).
If you lose the car and rely on public transportation, you'll
save approximately $4000 a year
Sheltering Yourself
There's a lot to consider when choosing where to live,
especially the first time out on your own. And, no, you don't
have to live in a shack to save money.
How to save:
- Find a roommate or two. Choose the most private room in the
house (preferably with your own bathroom) even if it's smaller
than the other rooms. Unless you enjoy loud music or phone
conversations that are not your own, you'll be happy you're
removed from the "action" of the house.
- Opt for a smaller place in the heart of town over a larger
place that's more isolated. What are you going to do with more
square footage, anyway?
If you used to live alone, but move in with at least one
roommate, you'll save approximately $4000.
All of that may seem simple, but it adds up. It adds up to
around twenty thousand dollars, to be exact. Even if you can't
ditch your car, follow everything else and you'll save almost
$15,000 per year.
Next year, I plan to stash away another ten thousand. I'll pay
off all my student loans. I just got back from a trip to
Argentina, and I'm thinking about Ireland in the fall. What
will you do?
Take the Next Step:
- Cooking for One made easy with the help of our readers!
===========================================================
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Credit is Serious Business
by Walter Burch
Know how to improve your credit score
Credit, for better or worse, is a reality of modern life. How
credit is used is a matter of choice. Credit can be used
wisely to help achieve the dreams of owning a home, a car, or
financing a college education. It can also be used carelessly
to ring up impulse purchases and credit card debts whose true
cost cannot be calculated in dollars and cents. Use credit
wisely and know that when you're applying for credit, your
three digit credit score can make a big difference in the
financing terms you receive. The higher your credit score, the
better chance you have of saving money on a home loan or
refinance, auto loan, business loan, and much more. Your
credit score can even affect your insurance rates and whether
you're hired for a job.
The good news is that your credit score (see
is not a static number. It is constantly changing as new
information is reported on your credit report (see
for all three credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and
Equifax. Each credit bureau has a slightly different formula
it uses to calculate your credit score. Regardless of the
formula, here are five things you can do to help improve your
credit score:
1. Pay your bills on time. Your "payment history" accounts for
35% of your credit score. Even one late payment can seriously
affect your credit score. On the other hand, since your files
are constantly being updated, a strong record of on time
payments even for two or three months can increase your credit
score.
2. Avoid using too much of your available credit. Scoring
models consider lower balances to be a positive factor. When
you are "maxed out," using virtually all of your available
credit, your credit scores will be lower.
3. Pay down your debts. Don't get into the "monthly minimum"
trap! The more available credit you have, the higher your
credit score will be.
4. Keep new credit applications to a minimum. Too many new
credit applications over a short period of time are a sign to
lenders that you are in over your head.
5. Be careful about closing those "old accounts." If you have
an old account that you've forgotten, think twice before
closing it. Why? Because that old account may increase the
"length of credit history" you present to lenders. Closing old
accounts can also reduce the overall amount of available
credit you present to lenders. As long as you do not have fees
associated with an old account, let it work to your advantage.
The first step in managing and protecting your credit is to
monitor your credit reports from all three credit bureaus. You
can get your free credit score and free credit report (see
with a 30-day credit monitoring trial from Experian. This
service provides daily email alerts to notify you of key
changes on all three credit bureaus. This can help protect
your credit report and credit score, and it can also be your
first line of defense against identity theft. How? If someone
uses your identity to apply for a credit account in your name,
you can discover this via an email alert. Or, if an identity
thief changes your contact information to hide fraudulent
charges, this too can be discovered via an email alert. It
pays to know what's in your credit report and your credit
score (see
also order a free annual credit report once each year for all
three credit bureaus at www.annualcreditreport.com. However,
it is important to remember that a free annual report does not
come with a 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. The
site recently released a special report on the Top Ten List of
Worst Credit Card Company Practices at
credit score and free credit report at
with a 30-day credit monitoring trial
===========================================================
My Story: Just Start
contributed by Kim
No better time than the present to start your savings plan
I've read about living below your means for many years and
want to share my story. At age 24, I had finished school, had
a fair amount of debt, no savings, no house and a nice big new
car payment. Faced with the decision to participate in a
retirement account at my new job, I met with one of the
investment company representatives. This person advised me to
start saving, even if it wasn't with his company. Just start.
I did start, but ironically not with his company.
A few days later, I read an article about living below your
means. If you could afford to pay $1000 per month in rent or
mortgage, find something for $700 or get a roommate to split
payments. If you could afford $100 per month in entertainment,
skip a month or so or only spend $25 and put the rest towards
debt. Well, I "just started" to pay down my debt and live
below my means. I got a second job to increase my means and
still live well below. I started to save for retirement, and
all the while, I had as much fun as I could, so I never feel
like I'm missing out on anything. I just work hard and try to
make decisions on what is important to me.
I found that after a few years, things start to snowball in a
good way. Debt starts to get paid off. You learn more about
finance. Your savings starts to give you a smile of
contentment. All this motivated me to keep it up.
Now I'm 36 years old and married with two young kids. I work
one job, working three long days, which gives me four days per
week to spend with my kids and husband. We still live below
our means, but the more we do it the easier it becomes. Since
we live below our means, we have paid off both of our cars,
pay our credit card balance in full each month, and are
planning to pay off our five-bedroom house within the next six
years. We take nice vacations several times per year, go to
the movies and go out to eat. We could probably go out two to
three times per week and still be able to afford it, but we
choose to do it every couple weeks. The longer we've been
doing this, the less we have to think about it. That's where
the real freedom comes in! And that first retirement account
that I started when I was 24, well, I still contribute to it.
It's had its ups and downs, but I'm sure glad that I "just
started" when I did. It's a pretty good lump of money that
I've never missed.
So my tip is to "just start." I can't say it's easy,
especially the first few years, but the years are going to go
by regardless, and for your sacrifices now, the returns are by
far well worth every sacrifice!
______________________________
"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:
- "Just start" saving on Family Entertainment
===========================================================
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Tips, Quips, Quotes and Questions
*********
Can You Help This Reader?
*********
Choosing the Proper Compact Florescent Bulbs
Tipsters are fast to suggest substituting CF bulbs for regular
light bulbs as a way to save money and the environment. I wish
it was that easy. There is a single reason people don't make
the switch, and that is they don't know which bulb to buy for
which application. I have bought three different CF bulbs
(three different brands), and the light quality was so poor
that I took them out and put them in the closet.
Could readers tell us which brands work best for different
applications? (Example: For a corner lamp, use General
Electric CF Bright White 65 watt. Or for recessed lighting,
use Sylvania CF Soft White 75 watt.) For those of us that get
sensory over load when we walk down an aisle, a little help is
appreciated.
TY
Please send your answers mailto:CanYouHelp@stretcher.com with
"Compact Florescent" as the subject. We'll include the best
solutions in future issues.
*********
Yes, We Can Help This Reader
Reducing the Cost of Organic Foods
*********
Try to link up with local farmers who grow organic food and
buy directly from them. They are often families who are trying
to get by just like you are and would be happy to help out
like-minded folks, maybe even bartering for your purchases.
The organic items you buy in the store cost more because of
the packaging, shipping and so on. If you can buy local, you
avoid all that unnecessary cost.
A.
more suggestions on how to reduce the costs of organic foods
at
*********
Eating On the Road
When travelling for business or pleasure, considering eating
at a college dining hall to save money. I just came back from
a conference in Virginia and had lunch at a public
university's dining hall. It was a buffet lunch with
everything you can think of, such as pasta, sandwiches,
lasagna, pizza, ice cream, soup, salad bar, etc. It cost me
$5.59. They didn't ask to see a student ID and I just paid
cash. In Dublin, I ate at Trinity University. It was ala carte
but still much cheaper than eating off campus. Now some people
think dinning hall food is terrible. I haven't had a bad
experience, but if you want, you can always ask students on
campus how the food is before joining them.
Lindsey in Notre Dame, IN
*********
Flavor Cubes
A great way to infuse flavor into soups and stews is to throw
in a garlic and herb cube. How do you do that? Process some
garlic and your favorite herbs in the blender and freeze them
in ice cube trays. This ways the herbs don't spoil after a
couple of days and you avoid the mess when cooking.
On a similar note, instead of squeezing lemons every time you
need them, squeeze a quantity and freeze in ice cube trays.
This saves time and money.
Leah A.
*********
Spending Control
My husband is a terrible spender. He is constantly using his
ATM card and withdrawing money out of our checking account. It
seems that he loves to hit that $100 easy withdrawal button
and will use it several times in a week. He sometimes forgets
to tell me so I am hit with an "Insufficient Fund" charge from
my bank and an additional charge from the creditor I had
bounced the check with. Not only am I hit with those charges,
but also he will use any ATM machine that is convenient for
him, which results in additional ATM usage charges.
Out of desperation, I came up with this idea, which is working
beautifully. I traded him his ATM card for a reloadable
prepaid MasterCard. I reload it for him each week at our local
pharmacy with $60 and that is what he has to live off of each
week. This has not only saved me the headaches and extra fees,
but it has made him more mindful of what he is spending his
money on. Some weeks he will still have half the money still
available on the card!
There is a one time fee of about $10 to activate the card, but
that has paid for itself many times over!
Betsie O.
*********
What would you do with an extra $100? Last month Paula from
Hastings, MN won a $100 check just for sending in a favorite
time or money saving idea. This month it could be you. Just
send your suggestion 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"
and you'll automatically be entered into our monthly $100
drawing!
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
----------
Is Uncle Sam Using Your Money?
by Damon Carr
Can you call it a "rapid refund" when it's 365 days late?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12b.cfm
Saving $20K as a 20 Something
by Alyssa Kagel
Many small steps lead to a big result
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12c.cfm
Credit is Serious Business
by Walter Burch
Know how to improve your credit score
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12d.cfm
My Story: Just Start
contributed by Kim
No better time than the present to start your savings plan
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12e.cfm
Credit Cards Come to Vending Machines
by Nancy Castleman, CardRatings.com Consumer Reporter
Students and all consumers beware
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12h.cfm
High-Yield Savings Accounts Raking in the Customers
Competition for depositors is driving banks to offer higher
yields for online savings account
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb06b.htm
Why Live on a Budget?
Discover how evaluating your spending and saving habits can
make a difference in your life
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb06c.htm
Don't Give Up on Chapter 13 Payments
There are several ways to seek relief, but whatever you do,
keep current on the Chapter 13 payments
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb06d.htm
Private College Loans Gain Popularity
The business of private lenders is booming, but critics say
their loans cost too much, and students are getting in trouble
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb05a.htm
Shopping for the Best Private Loans
Students really need to do their homework before signing onto
a private loan
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb05b.htm
Investing Basics: Money Market Accounts
Money market accounts are liquid, souped-up savings accounts
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb05d.htm
Tough Love When Grown Kids Ask for Money
For openers, first make sure you don't need the cash for your
own retirement
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02a.htm
Bankrate's Financial Literacy Guide
Each month, we'll take an in-depth look at a single topic
important to learning about money. This month's topic:
budgeting
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31a.htm
Poll: What Americans Say about Budgeting
Bankrate polled the nation to find how many of us make a
budget and what percentage of us really follow it
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31b.htm
Even Famous Folks Budget
Celebrities, including Dave Barry and Alice Cooper, share what
they learned about budgeting back when money was hard to come
by
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31c.htm
Poll: We Set and Follow Budgets. Yeah, right
Most Americans say it's important to have a personal budget.
They say they stick to their budgets. But experts think that's
just wishful thinking
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31d.htm
Money Makeover: Single Mom's Dilemma
This single mom is doing a good job managing debt but she's
missing a couple of essential steps that could spell trouble
for her finances
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31f.htm
6 Budget Bombs
Your best intentions for wise saving and spending are easily
sabotaged by any of these budget blunders
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31g.htm
Budgeting Tools and Tips
Worksheets, calculators and loads of tips for making your own
budget and living with it
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31k.htm
How to Get Rich
Young folks have a leg up on older generations when it comes
to building wealth. But they will likely have to give up
something
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31m.htm
Seeking Best Way to Invest Savings
First you must decide what you want to use the money for
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb06e.htm
Is the Down Payment Too Big?
That mostly depends on how conservative an investor you are
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb05e.htm
Authorized User May Not Be the Answer
They would be better off to solve the problem on their own
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02f.htm
Car Loan Alone Isn't Causing Debt Problems
Choosing between car repossession and bankruptcy is like
choosing between a black eye and a broken nose
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02d.htm
Monthly Financial Calendar Work Sheet
Use this work sheet to map out all your expenses each month
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02e.htm
Translating the FOMC Statement
What the members of the FOMC are saying about the economy in
their Fed statement
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb01b.htm
Your Family
-----------
Single, Expectant Mom
by Gary Foreman
With a baby on the way she needs to plan for her future
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12f.cfm
Save In Your Sleep!
by Jill Cooper
Get serious about your family's sleep habits
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12g.cfm
The Dollar Store Shopper: Creature Comforts
by Marlene Alexander
Make your pet happy
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12j.cfm
Allowances: How Soon and How Much?
Most financial experts agree that children should be given an
allowance in order to learn financial skills at an early age.
But how early, and how much?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb06a.htm
Tough Love When Grown Kids Ask for Money
For openers, first make sure you don't need the cash for your
own retirement
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02a.htm
Paying for College: Best Strategies for the Year Ahead
New rules, financial aid programs and other changes mean it's
time to revamp how you'll pay for college
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31j.htm
Your Home
---------
Study: Paying Points Seldom Worth It
Home buyers often buy down their interest rate. But a long-
term study shows that in recent years, that's been a losing
strategy
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb01a.htm
Refinance or Extend ARM Rate?
You should also consider if you can drop your PMI payments
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31n.htm
Your Food
---------
Saving On Organic Foods
Recent trips to the grocery store were an expensive shock
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12a.cfm
Your Auto
---------
Car Loan Alone Isn't Causing Debt Problems
Choosing between car repossession and bankruptcy is like
choosing between a black eye and a broken nose
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02d.htm
Your Taxes
----------
Back Taxes on Discharged Debt
Most folks ordinarily don't have to pay income tax on
cancelled debt
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb06f.htm
Win Your Office Super Bowl Pool?
Uncle Sam wants to know since he gets a cut of your gambling
winnings. Here are the forms you need to report your good luck
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb05f.htm
Safe Bet: IRS Won't Get Gambling Winnings
The law says you're supposed to share with Uncle Sam if you
make a successful wager on the Super Bowl. The odds say you
won't
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31h.htm
Depreciation Deductions not Optional
When you sell a property, the allowable depreciation that was
not claimed is taxed at a higher tax rate
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02g.htm
Getting a Phone Tax Refund
You're not getting your money back from 1898, but you will get
back the tax paid after February 2003
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb01c.htm
Alternative Minimum Tax Land Mines
If you have lots of exemptions or claim several deductions,
you may face this costly additional assessment
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb01d.htm
Don't Give Uncle Sam Early Access to Cash
Did you just discover you're getting a big tax refund? Then
you need to adjust your withholding
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31p.htm
Making the Most of a Capital Loss
The general rule is that a loss in a transaction entered into
for profit is deductible
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31q.htm
Everything Else
---------------
Be Smart about Buying Jewelry Online
Following these five steps will help you make the best
purchase
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02b.htm
Online Jewelry-Buying Deadlines
If you want your bauble in time for Valentine's Day, you have
to order by these dates
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02c.htm
Readers' Tips
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07feb12t.cfm
From Dave Ramsey
----------------
One of the Worst Vacations Ever
This "free" vacation cost us about $2,000 and ranks near the
top of the list of all-time worst vacations ever
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb02h.htm
Doing the Small Things
More often than not, doing the small things in your daily life
can keep you from big overspending
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb01e.htm
Smoke Detector Scam
"Don't be a sucker like me. Nothing that's free is REALLY
free." Check out what happened to Jeff
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31r.htm
A Blessing In Disguise
"If it weren't for my 'financial mastery', we would have gone
through our marriage like most couples with no financial
goals..."
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07jan31s.htm
Celebrating in Luxury
This couple lived like no one else so later they could live
like no one else. Now they are celebrating in luxury!
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07feb05g.htm
===========================================================
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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