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The Dollar Stretcher

"Living Better...For Less"
April 9, 2007
Volume 12, Number 15

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In This Issue:

Introduction

Don't Ignore the Growth
by Georges Yared
What could you learn from baby boomer investing?

Be Careful of Debt That Comes Back to Life
by Jeffrey Strain
Know your rights when it comes to debts

For the Love of Money
by Jill Cooper
Are your money and emotions connected?

My Story: Buying a Car
contributed by Debbie
Getting the best deal every time

Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions

On www.Stretcher.com This Week

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Introduction
by Gary Foreman
gary@stretcher.com

Hello to all my Frugal Friends!

Had an interesting experience last weekend. I was with a
friend and he pulled out an old toolbox. In the toolbox was a
pretty good-sized screwdriver. The shaft was badly rusted. The
toolbox had probably been sitting on a boat for quite some
time. My friend is a boater and loves to go out into the gulf.

I looked at the screwdriver for awhile. It was one of those
sold by Sears with a clear plastic handle. I noticed that the
shaft that was within the handle was also badly rusted. But
the handle looked and felt just fine.

It occurred to me that people's finances are similar to that
screwdriver. Some people have openly rusty finances. They're
struggling and pretty much everyone knows it.

But others had a slick plastic shell. They look good. But, if
you can see into their situation, you'd find a rusty shaft.
There may be a new, expensive car in the driveway, but the
last two payments were late.

If you had a file or a grinder, you could put a nice new head
on the screwdriver. But, chances are that it'll just be thrown
away and replaced. After all, screwdrivers aren't that
expensive.

But it's pretty hard to throw away and replace your finances.
Yes, you can go bankrupt, but that's not an easy road.

So my hope is that your finances aren't a rusty shaft. Or, if
you have a bit of rust, it's just a little surface rust that
can be sanded away before it does any serious damage.

All the Best!
Gary

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Don't Ignore the Growth
by Georges Yared
What could you learn from baby boomer investing?

The asset allocation cardinal rule: As Baby Boomer investors,
we have to think about our own personal asset allocations.
Where do we put our investable dollars? At age 51, I have my
non-real estate dollars 65 percent in growth stocks and 35
percent in growth and income funds. No individual stock makes
up more than 7 percent of my portfolio.

Why? I don't want all my eggs in one basket. I believe I own
all winners in my portfolio-companies that are executing and
growing their revenues, earnings and market shares, but funny
things can happen. Situations can change quickly, and the
stock market has a way of resetting values in an instant.

Conventional wisdom (whatever that is) says we should have
exposure to cash and fixed-income bond funds. I respectfully
disagree with that concept, especially if you are still
working and earning income.

If you are talking about the monies that are earmarked for
living expenses, mortgage payments or the tuition bills due
next month, those funds should be kept in an interest bearing
checking or savings account. Immediate obligations should not
be in the stock market or in mutual funds.

That being said, your investable dollars, retirement plans and
long-term college funds should be in growth mutual funds or
individual stocks or both.

Why? Bond market investments, whether corporate, government or
municipal bonds, are normally priced at $1,000, pay a
specified interest rate (typically twice a year) and mature,
or pay off, at $1,000. There is no capital growth, just twice-
a-year income.

It is true that during a bond's lifetime, it can fluctuate in
underlying value as much as 10 to 20 percent, but it
ultimately matures at $1,000. If current income from your
investments is necessary, then I strongly suggest you have a
portfolio with high-paying dividend stocks such as Citigroup
(C), which pays a current dividend with a yield of 3.9 percent
or Bank of America (BAC), which pays a current dividend of 4
percent.

While you may earn a higher interest rate on a taxable
corporate or government bond, three things are working against
you: one, the interest is taxed at your full tax bracket rate;
two, the interest will not go up during the life of the bond;
and three, there will be no growth of your capital.

With a high-paying dividend stock, three good things can
happen: one, the dividend is taxed at the 15 percent rate
regardless of your individual tax bracket; two, good companies
have a history of raising their dividend payments (Citigroup
has done so for the last five years); and three, the value of
the stock over the years will more than likely rise.
_____________________

Georges Yared entered the brokerage business in 1979 as a
rookie with Dean Witter Reynolds. In six years, he was in
charge of 1,200 brokers in 40 different branches covering 11
states, and he eventually rose to the position of
president/CEO of Dean Witter Canada. In 2003, he joined
ThinkEquity Partners as a senior partner and head of
international sales. Mr. Yared is also the author of "Baby
Boomer Investing" and "Stop Losing Money Today."

Visit his website at http://www.georgesyared.com or contact
him at mailto:geoyared@aol.com

Take the Next Step:
- Review your retirement accounts to see how much of your
money is invested in bonds

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Be Careful of Debt That Comes Back to Life
by Jeffrey Strain
Know your rights when it comes to debts

When it comes to debt, not all collection agencies play by the
rules. It's important to know your rights when it comes to
debts that you have so that you don't feel pressured into
doing something or enduring tactics that are against the law.
One debt tactic that you need to be aware of is zombie debt.

Zombie debt gets its name because it's debt that seems to rise
from the dead. When a debt becomes seven years old, in most
cases, it should be erased from your credit report whether
it's been paid in full or not. If it hasn't been paid off,
your lender or creditor will most likely write off the debt as
a loss. Unfortunately, they will not stop there in most cases.
They will take any uncollected debt and sell it to collection
companies for pennies on the dollar.

While these collection companies know that they will not be
able to collect most of the money, they pay so little for it
that even if they are able to collect on a few of them, they
can make a lot of money. They will try extremely hard to
collect at least a portion of the outstanding debt and
sometimes they will engage in illegal activities to do so. One
of these practices is to report the old debts to the credit
bureaus as if the debts were new, uncollected bills. This is
officially referred to as "re-aging" in the debt business, but
is commonly referred to as "zombie debt" since it is debt that
has arisen from the dead.

Although zombie debt is illegal, it's a growing problem
because it is an effective way to place pressure on a person
to pay old debt. Once a person has had the debt erased from
their record, they are shocked to see it appear again and
often want to get rid of it as soon as possible. This is
exactly what the collection agencies hope for and will often
offer to report the bill as paid if a person will pay a part
of the debt, thus removing it from the credit report.

If you find that zombie debt has appeared on your credit
report, your best course of action is to contact the credit
bureaus directly and dispute the debt. If you have proof that
shows the debt is over seven years old, has been paid or the
debt was discharged in bankruptcy court, this proof should get
the debt removed from your credit record. If you don't have
proof, contact the credit bureaus and demand the collection
agency show proof of the debt being legitimate and recent.
While this process will take a bit longer, if they can't show
the debt to be recent, it also will eventually be removed.
_______________________________

Jeffrey Strain is the owner of SavingAdvice.com at
http://www.savingadvice.com - a website dedicated to saving
you money and also writes the daily updated blog Personal
Finance Advice at http://www.pfadvice.com

Take the Next Step:
- Check the status of any debt that may be over seven years
old, has been paid or debt that was discharged in bankruptcy
court

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For the Love of Money
by Jill Cooper
Are your money and emotions connected?

One of the biggest factors in most of our money problems comes
from the fact that we deal with our money emotionally. If you
don't think money and emotions are tied together, think again.
Take a serious look at all the ways your money and emotions
are connected.

Here is a list of questions to ask yourself to see if you deal
with your money emotionally and if there are things you need
to change.

- Are you an emotional shopper?

- Do you shop when you get upset?

- Do you buy more than you should because of what happened to
you in your childhood or because there were things you had to
do without? Do you think your children "deserve" more?

- Do you buy things hoping that these "things" will fill an
emptiness or void in your life?

- Do you worry yourself sick over money? Do you think about it
from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at
night? Do you have trouble falling asleep because of money
problems?

- Are you and your spouse and/or children always fighting
about money?

- Did you know that in over 50% of the divorce cases the #1
reason for the conflict is money? I'm not really surprised at
this because so many people are having a love affair with
their money.

If you think I'm stretching things and that isn't true, then
think about this. When you are in love, you have some signs.
The subject of your love is all you think about and you can't
get the one you love out of your mind. You can't get enough of
them. No matter how much you are with them, it is never
enough. The thought of being without them is devastating.

Translate that into money. When you love money, money is all
you think about. You can't get enough of it and the thought of
being without it is devastating. Many of us have got to get a
reality check. Our love (or love affair) with money is tearing
our families and us apart. We need to stop using money to
satisfy our emotional and spiritual needs.

I have used this example before, but I think it bears
repeating. I am walking through the desert and dying of
thirst. If someone comes up to me and gives me a new pair of
shoes or a big screen TV, is that going to take care of my
need? Of course not! I need water. In the same way, if
someone's spouse has just died, you don't generally say
"here's a glass of water." She has an emotional need not a
physical need.

As silly as those examples seem, many of us do the same silly
things all the time. Consider these real life situations:

- You have a bad day at work so you go buy something.

- Your boyfriend leaves you, so you go shopping. _

- You're deep in debt and stressed out, so go so you go on an
expensive vacation.

- You think you might have cancer so you go shopping to drown
your sorrows.

We respond this way because we have not learned to solve
emotional problems with emotional solutions, physical problems
with physical solutions and spiritual problems with spiritual
solutions.

Practical Solutions

Become more logical in the way you handle your money. Use it
for necessities. Then when your debts are paid, you can start
using it for some of your "wants," but only in a controlled
way, as special gifts to yourself and not to take care of an
emotional or spiritual need. Rethink the ways you choose to
deal with things:

- If you have a bad day at work, what could you do instead of
spending money? You could go home and take a hot bath, talk
things over with your spouse or watch a funny movie and forget
about work.

- If your boyfriend leaves you, talk to a friend, go have some
fun with some friends, or even just have a good long cry.

- If you are stressed from debt, use the money to pay towards
your debt instead of going on vacation and use your time off
to earn more money to pay your debt. Your next vacation will
feel much better if you don't have that debt looming over you.

- And if you think you have cancer, go to a doctor and find
out.

Whenever you have any problem, especially if it is a problem
that keeps cropping up in the same way over and over, decide
whether it is an emotional, physical or spiritual problem and
then find a solution that is emotional, physical or spiritual.
_____________________

Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the
editors of http://www.LivingOnADime.com / . As a single mother
of two, Jill Cooper started her own business without any
capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month
income. Tawra and her husband paid off $20,000 debt in 5 years
on $22,000 a year income.

Take the Next Step:
- Do you have an emotional, physical, or spiritual money
problem?

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My Story: Buying a Car
contributed by Debbie
Getting the best deal every time

I often get asked to help others buy cars. Here is what I do
to maximize savings. Do all the "normal" stuff like getting
your FICO score and saving up at least a small down payment.

1. Test drive many, many cars. Tell the salesperson that
you're looking at other makes/models, but you'll take their
card. This tells the salesperson you know the game and are
trying to play fair, and if they treat you politely, they just
may get a call in three weeks or so.

Look at Consumer Reports and test drive many models at your
price point that have good things said about them. You may
find that you really like four to six different models. Write
down what you like/don't like about each car, as after a while
they all start to blur together. Note anything you do/don't
want. I never get the factory radio or the floormats since I
can buy better for less elsewhere. I do want the upgraded seat
with lumbar support. Check things out and get what you want
since you may be driving this for 15 years, so make it comfy
for you. Remember that real mileage may be 30% less than the
EPA mileage shown on stickers, so it is seldom a good idea to
spend a lot extra for a few miles more per gallon on the
sticker when in the real world, there may be little or no real
difference.

2. Contact your insurance person about the various models and
what the insurance cost will be for each. Find out if there
are any "gotcha" where the insurance doubles due to a turbo, a
"sports" model, etc. The last thing you want is to be held
over the barrel on insurance fees. Find out if clone cars will
be cheaper to insure. For example, the Pontiac Vibe is a
Toyota Matrix under another name. Vibe may be 10-20% cheaper
both to buy and insure and it may also mean much cheaper parts
down the road.

3. Whittle your choices down to two to three and get pricing
information online. Now you are almost ready to "shop."
Contact those salespeople and ask for price quotes from a
faxed description you send that states model, equipment, etc.
and you will have a firm basis for negotiation.

4. Contact three to five different financing places and get
direct phone numbers to call regarding a deal. Now go to the
dealer mid-morning on a weekday. Don't plan to trade your old
car. Instead, sell it later. All you want to focus on is the
total price for the car and write on the contract any promises
they make. If it is not true, they will find excuses not to
sign it. Then you can pounce on those things, which will give
you the moral high ground. Use them to negotiate a better
price. Get the price nailed down and signed on before you do
financing.

5. When it comes to financing, let the dealer offer what they
can do. Then call one of your contacts and get them competing
for your business. Every time the dealer's deal is beaten,
he/she will reach deeper for a better deal. Keep this up until
no one can beat the deal you currently have. Now make sure
there are no pre-payment penalties and take that great deal.
Go out to lunch to recover from the stress and celebrate the
good deal you got. It will probably take about four hours all
together. I usually save about $4000 in combo price plus lower
financing rate. I can bear the stress in exchange for that
kind of return.
_______________________

"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 out ConsumerReports.org and Edmunds.com to find out
more about the cars you are considering

===========================================================

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Tips, Quips, Quotes and Questions

*********
Can You Help This Reader?
*********
My "Can't Afford" Friend

I have a friend who works full time (I work part time and make
half the income that she does) who just doesn't seem to
understand that I can't do the things that she does. She is
having a holiday from her job soon for two weeks, and when I
went to see her a few days ago, she asked me what "we" are
doing for her holiday. I have to work and told her so, but she
knows that I work mornings and she wants to do things in the
afternoon. Everything that she wants to do involves money,
which I simply don't have. I have some bills to pay at the
moment, and I am trying very hard to keep on top of my bills
and pay off the debts that I have. I simply don't have the
money to travel around and visit places with her. She won't
pay for me and I wouldn't ask her to anyway. She wants me to
take her places and go on trips with her, but I simply don't
have those resources. She lives with family as do I, but she
doesn't pay board or have a car. My car is acting up too and I
need to save money to get it fixed.

How do I explain to her that I simply can't keep up with her
social life and let her know that my expenses are more
important than running her around without her getting
offended? Has anyone had a problem with someone like this? She
told me that she doesn't want to sit at home on her holidays
and I know that she expects me to run around after her as I
have stupidly done in the past. If you or any of your readers
have some advice, I would be grateful.
Cheryl

Please send your answers mailto:CanYouHelp@stretcher.com with
"Can't Afford Friend" as the subject. We'll include the best
solutions in future issues.

*********
Yes, We Can Help This Reader
Working from Home
*********

The key to successfully working from home is convincing
yourself and your family that you really do have a job.
Therefore, you should act as if you are actually "going to
work." You need to get up in the morning and get ready as if
you were working outside the house. (It's nearly impossible to
be serious about working when you are still in your jammies.)
You need to set aside a place dedicated to your work that is
kept solely for that purpose. You should set regular hours
that you routinely work and resist any temptation to interrupt
them. You need to become very firm about saying, "I'm sorry. I
can't talk right now; I'm working. I'll call you after work."
Carolyn

more suggestions on how to be a success working from home (for
yourself or for an employer) at

*********
Just a Bit

When you need just a portion of a cabbage or lettuce head,
remove the undesirable outside leaves/skin but keep the root
end intact. Cut off from the top as you need it and wash well
for use. Keep root end portion stored in refrigerator as
usual. This works for onions as well.
Gladys

*********
Camping Cooler

Every summer my husband and I attend a big camping event for
eight or nine days. Before we leave, I buy bottled water and
freeze enough to fill our cooler and we take these bottles
with us. This provides two benefits. We don't have to buy ice
until four or five days into the event (when everyone else we
know is making almost daily ice runs), and we have ice cold
water for several days of camping.
Tammy

*********
Dent Removal

How many of us have moved heavy furniture and saw those
dreaded indents in the carpet where the furniture sat? Just
take a steam iron, place a cloth under it on the indent, and
let it sit a second. The steam will swell the padding back to
it original level.
Janice H.

*********

What would you do with an extra $100? Last month Janet from
Greenville, TN 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
----------

Don't Ignore the Growth
by Georges Yared
What could you learn from baby boomer investing?

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09b.cfm

Be Careful of Debt That Comes Back to Life
by Jeffrey Strain
Know your rights when it comes to debts

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09c.cfm

For the Love of Money
by Jill Cooper
Are your money and emotions connected?

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09d.cfm

Fame & Fortune
Like so many others, the rock 'n' roll lifestyle caused Eddie
Money much pain and loss. But after putting windmills, drugs
and booze behind him, this "working slob" is just plain happy

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr03b.htm

Dealing with a Debt Collector Who Lies
Know the rights granted by the Fair Debt Collection Practices
Act, and if the collector breaks the law, sue 'em

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr03c.htm

Using Other State's 529 Plan Won't Hike Tuition
You're free to shop for the best 529 plan without fear that it
will jeopardize your in-state tuition

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr02d.htm

Divorcing a Man and His $190,000 Debt
Use negotiations and the divorce decree to make sure the
spouse who ran up the massive credit card debt is the one the
debt collectors go after

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30a.htm

Student Loan Shenanigans
What does it take for student loan firms to make a college's
preferred lenders list? In some cases, it has nothing to do
with what's best for students

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28f.htm

Financial Planning for Peace Corps Volunteer
With such a lengthy foreign stay on tap, having financial
affairs in order is vital

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr03d.htm

Closing a Credit Card Account with a Balance
You won't get a final bill, but the account isn't closed until
the balance is paid

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr02e.htm

Do Numbers or Words Count on a Check?
He put two different amounts on his mortgage check

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30d.htm

Considering a Nondeductible IRA
An upcoming change in the tax law might make it worthwhile

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar29c.htm

Avoiding Withholding on Rollovers
Just make sure you move the money in a direct transfer

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28g.htm

Celebrities Talk about Real Estate
Rock stars, authors, comedians and other stars reflect on
their real estate investments: lessons learned and investing
philosophies

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28c.htm

Your Family
-----------

Financing Fertility Treatment Costs
For couples battling infertility, the emotional and financial
costs are high. There are several ways to lessen the financial
pain

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr02b.htm

Your Home
---------

Gearing Up For Summer
by Amy Allen Clark
Preparing your home's exterior for the summer months

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09f.cfm

Should Newlyweds Buy a House?
Is it wise to buy a home before the ink dries on your marriage
certificate? Here are financial questions to consider

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr03a.htm

Don't Get Stung: Know Thy Mortgage
Not knowing your mortgage terms can bring a nasty (and
expensive) surprise when it comes time to sell or the interest
rate adjusts

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr02a.htm

Western Real Estate Cools, With Exceptions
Prices will be rising modestly in the West, and Utah looks
like it could become a 2007 hotspot. But the hottest markets
of the past will continue to struggle

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr02c.htm

Negative Media Stories Can Dampen Real Estate Market
Many real estate professionals insist a lot of negative
publicity about the housing market can have an effect on
whether consumers will buy, sell or sit

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30b.htm

Credit Scores and Your Mortgage Rate
The higher a credit score, the better the mortgage deal.
Discover the relationship of interest rates and credit
worthiness, and other factors lenders will consider

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar29a.htm

Contrarian Advice: Invest in Real Estate Now
True, real estate is prone to market cycles. But a down market
may be the best time to invest in this asset class

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar29b.htm

Your Career or Small Business
-----------------------------

Working from Home
Readers share what's worked for them

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09a.cfm

Your Auto
---------

My Story: Buying a Car
contributed by Debbie
Getting the best deal every time

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09e.cfm

How to Beat that Traffic Ticket
With some preparation and work, you might be able to keep
those points off your record

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30c.htm

Your Taxes
----------

Where's My Refund?
Still waiting for your IRS check? Before your mail carrier
takes out a restraining order, try these tips for tracking
down your tax cash

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28d.htm

Cover College Costs with a Coverdell
These special savings plans offer tax breaks for schooling at
many levels

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr03f.htm

Getting the Phone Tax Refund
The IRS has come out with a one-time-only form for individuals
who otherwise would not file a return to claim the federal
excise tax refund

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr03g.htm

Tax Rules for Young Investors
Changes to the kiddie tax means that some investment earnings
will face higher taxes

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr02f.htm

Cashing in on Uncommon Contributions
These atypical write-offs can help you support your favorite
charity and cut your tax bill

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30j.htm

Deducting Losses or Capitalizing Costs
If instead of immediately selling the property you offer it
for rent, you can convert your capital loss to ordinary loss

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30k.htm

Dealing with IRS Notices
Don't panic when that letter from the IRS arrives. Many tax
notices can be dealt with simply and painlessly

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar29d.htm

Taxability of Right-of-Way Proceeds
There are two types of easements, and one of them involves a
taxable gain

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar29e.htm

Carrying Back Casualty Loss
If your client has negative taxable income, he can use the net
operating loss to recover taxes paid in prior years

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28k.htm

Reporting Your Capital Gains (or Losses)
When you sell an investment, the IRS wants a Schedule D. This
form can be a hassle, but it also could save you some tax
dollars

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28m.htm

Tempting the Tax Auditor
The IRS is coming after more filers. You might be a target if
you fly these red flags on your tax return

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28a.htm

Preparing for a Tax Audit
You got that dreaded IRS letter? Don't panic, just prepare

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28b.htm

Everything Else
---------------

Waste Not, Want Not
by Kimberly Danger
Embracing resourcefulness and using what you already have

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09g.cfm

My Story: Just 5 Minutes
contributed by Heather
She makes a difference in the first 5 minutes of her day

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09h.cfm

Readers' Tips

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07apr09t.cfm

From Dave Ramsey
----------------

I Got My Life Back
My nerves were shot, and I was a mess until I found out about
the Debt Snowball program"

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07apr03e.htm

Buying a Car
Don't buy more car than you need, or trouble will come with it

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30e.htm

My Timeshare
Timeshares are horrible purchases! Rachel found this out the
hard way and has been trying to sell one for over 2 years!

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30f.htm

Paying for a Dirt Bike
Joe purchased a dirt bike on credit, and the bike ended up
being a curse and not a blessing

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30g.htm

Debt Free & Saving Like Crazy
We are proud to say that last week we became DEBT FREE! We had
made another goal - to have $10,000 in savings by the end of
this year

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar30h.htm

Fleeced!
Fleecing a car is just bad math! Avoid Melissa's mistake, and
you can save yourself tons of money!

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28h.htm

A Wake Up Call
"Jobless, in debt up to my eyeballs, house payment - I
absolutely wanted to die." ...But then Karyn got a good wake-
up call and is now getting out of debt!

Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07mar28j.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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4/09/07: The Dollar Stretcher