Back to newsletter listDate:
Sun, November 18, 2007 08:00:00 PMFrom:
editor@stretcher.com
Subject:
11/19/07: The Dollar Stretcher
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The Dollar Stretcher
"Living Better...For Less"
November 19, 2007
Volume 12, Number 47
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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.
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In This Issue:
Introduction
Even People with Good Credit Are Penalized
by Harrine Freeman
The importance of knowing what's in your credit report
Burning Wood
by Pat Veretto
Wood heating is no longer a social statement, it's a practical
solution
In The Dollar Stretcher Community
How Much for a Turkey?
Thanksgiving turkeys are on sale now, but not everyone can
find a good deal. Can you?
Coupon Swaps
by Bethanie Frank
Save money and make friends along the way
Blinking Door Ajar Light
Ask Bob: The Auto Answer Man
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!
I read an article about a U.S. Treasury Department study the
other day. The results were encouraging. The economists who
prepared the survey compared a sample of 96,000 income tax
returns from 1996 to 2005. Individuals were divided into 5
groups based on their income for 1996 from the lowest 20% to
the highest 20%.
They found that the 20% with the lowest earnings in 1996
increased their income by 90% by 2005. The next lowest 20%
improved by 34%. The average for all groups was a 24% increase
over the 10 year period (adjusted for inflation).
Also interesting was that 58% of those who were in the lowest
20% in 1996 moved to a higher group by 2005. In fact, 25%
jumped into the middle or upper-middle income group by 2005.
I think that's cause for optimism. Even if you're having tough
times today, there is hope for the future. There are
opportunities to increase your income and improve your
monetary standard of living.
What the study didn't show (or at least the review that I read
didn't) was what people did to increase their income. I'm sure
some went to school or learned a new skill or even a new
trade. Some changed employers or even careers. It would only
seem reasonable that some of them opened their own business.
In short, they looked for opportunity.
Obviously, there's no guarantee that your income will be
higher next year or in ten years, but there is an opportunity.
And, for those who are willing to pursue it, that's probably
the most important thing they need.
Hope that you have a wonderful week!
All the Best!
Gary
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Even People with Good Credit Are Penalized
by Harrine Freeman
The importance of knowing what's in your credit report
By now everyone is aware of the Vantage credit scoring system
developed by the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian
and TransUnion. The system grades consumers on a scale of A-F.
I have done extensive research, but have yet to find out how
lenders will use this score, or which lenders will choose to
use the Vantage score as opposed to the FICO score. Will they
be flexible in their analysis and look at the actual score or
just look at the grade of A-F? Unfortunately, no one knows for
sure. For now, when applying for a loan, ask the lender which
credit score they are using.
I recently refinanced my home and the lender used the FICO
score. Well, I recently obtained a copy of my credit report
and credit scores from the three major credit bureaus. I have
not made any late payments in the past 10 years; therefore, I
expected to get the highest credit score possible or at least
very close to it. My scores were 760 and above. When I ordered
my Experian report, I wanted to order a FICO score, yet I only
had the option of getting a Vantage score. My Experian Vantage
score was 819. To my surprise, all of these ridiculous reasons
were given to explain why my credit scores were not higher:
1. Your report does not show real estate loans. This was
incorrect. I have had a mortgage for the past seven years.
2. Your report shows that available credit across your open
revolving accounts is too low. I only have one credit card
with a limit of $3,000. They are telling me that if I had more
credit cards my score would be higher.
3. Your report shows that the ratio of balances to credit
limits across your open revolving accounts is too high. My
balance on my credit card was approximately $900, which is
only 30% of the credit limit. The suggested balance that
consumers should have on their credit cards.
4. Your report shows that the time since your oldest revolving
account is too short. Wrong! I have one revolving account.
It's my credit card, which I have had for the past 10 years.
5. Your report shows one or more inquiries on file. I had one
inquiry in June 2005. One inquiry in February 2006 and one in
October 2006. Inquiries should be obtained no more than twice
a year unless you are doing comparison shopping. I am being
penalized because I had two inquiries within one year.
Well, needless to say, I wrote each credit bureau and disputed
all the reasons they provided. I received two responses back
and am waiting for the last response. After I receive it, I
will order a copy of my credit report again to see if my
scores have increased. I have struggled to find out how one
obtains an 800 FICO credit score or higher. From the looks of
things, it doesn't seem like an 800 is possible anymore
because the credit bureaus will find ways to make sure your
credit score is not as high as it can be.
I advise everyone, whether you have bad credit or good credit,
to order a copy of your credit report once a year, read every
single line on your credit report and read all of the
information provided along with your credit report. Make sure
everything listed on your credit report is accurate. Even a
few points on your credit score can make the difference
between getting approved or getting declined, and we all need
those extra points.
___________________________
Harrine Freeman is the CEO of H.E. Freeman Enterprises, a
credit repair and personal finance services company. She is a
member of the American Association of Daily Money Managers, a
credit repair expert and the author of, "How to Get Out of
Debt: Get an 'A' Credit Rating for Free Using the System I've
Used Successfully with Thousands of Clients." For more
information, visit
Take the Next Step:
If you haven't done so already this year, order a copy of your
credit report, read every single line on your credit report
and read all information provided along with your credit
report. Make sure everything is completely accurate.
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Burning Wood
by Pat Veretto
Wood heating is no longer a social statement, it's a practical
solution
Fashion and style go in circles, they say. Applying that to
fuel sources, it's no longer much of a social statement to
burn wood or any other alternative fuel to heat our homes.
While it's not exactly fashionable (except in a pretty
fireplace next to a window where you can watch it snow), it's
neither so uncommon nor frowned upon as it was for a time.
The negative concept was, and still is sometimes, a holdover
from the days when only poor folks burned wood for a heating
fuel. People who were rich enough (or lucky enough) to have
gas lines run close enough to pipe into their homes eventually
bought natural gas heaters and could stay warm day or night
with little effort. Poor people (or, more realistically at
first, the majority of people) still had to gather firewood,
build fires and dump ashes.
Another negative attitude is fed by gas and coal producers.
Fossil fuel producers simply don't like wood burning
advocates. They constantly tell us how bad wood smoke is for
us, while offering only one solution: Burn fuel that can never
be replaced. (Go ahead. Take it out of the earth. By the time
your grandkids get old enough to need it, you'll be dead
anyway, so why should you care?)
Renewable fuel (that which we can grow to replace what we've
used up) includes corn and wood pellets, besides the stackable
wood with which we're familiar. Corn and pellets call for
special stoves, but the idea is the same, and the costs are
comparable in the long run. We won't attempt to cover that
here, but a search on any search engine will return
information about those fuels.
Cost wise, wood compares very favorably to other fuels over
most of the nation, although the cost of wood (and other
fuels) varies quite a bit. Anywhere from fifty to a hundred
and fifty dollars a cord is average depending on where you
live.
That's not the whole story though. You don't have to buy wood
in prepackaged and delivered units as you do other fuels. If
you're in one of those "thirty seven cents until Thursday"
periods, you can get by for a few days burning scrap wood,
kindling, cardboard or furniture!
Ok, so you may not be that desperate, but why should you pay a
good price for heat if you can get it for less? Or free. Free
heating fuel sounds like a dream in our pay-through-the-nose-
for-the-air-you-breathe world. At one time (before natural gas
and commercial totalitarianism) heat was free for many. Of
course you had to go to the effort of getting the fuel and
bringing it home. You can still do it.
Instead of laboring at a job we don't necessarily enjoy, or
working more hours than we'd like even if we do enjoy our
jobs, we can take it upon ourselves to supply the fuel we need
to stay warm without spending cash. Here's how:
* Consider pallets used by newspaper publishers and anyone who
receives shipments on a regular basis. They often give them
away. They're not recycled because it's too costly to ship
them back to the point of origination. Often they're made, at
least partly, of hardwood. (Note: Pallets need to be seasoned
at least six months before using, even if they look old when
you get them. They're almost always made from green wood.)
* Tree services need a place to dump their trimmings. You'll
need an area for them to dump and some patience to sort
through the small limbs, leaves and inevitable trash that
comes along with it. All kinds of wood will appear in these
piles, from hardwood to pine. Some will be very poor fuel, so
be prepared to use it for other things, or to bury it or
discard it in other ways.
* Your own tree trimming or clean up efforts. Neighbors (the
non-wood-burning kind) often look for places to get rid of
broken branches and trimmings, or sometimes whole trees. If
you're handy with a saw and don't mind a little exercise, this
is a great way to increase your woodpile.
* Barter, trade, swap. If there is a firewood supply business
around at all, get to know the owners or operators and find
out if they would be willing to trade for something you can
do. Things to offer might include tuning up their trucks,
changing oil in them, or knitting warm socks or sweaters for
the outside work they do.
* Scavenge. Once upon a time, on a Sunday afternoon with
nothing better to do, we took the old truck out for a drive.
Wandering along the back roads, we watched for wood. We found
broken limbs, fallen trees, discarded fence posts, various
pieces of wood from who knows where, and pieces of stove wood
fallen from someone else's delivery. We came home with about
half a cord of wood. At the going price of $125 a cord, it
wasn't bad for an enjoyable afternoon's work.
Which Stove?
Although heating with wood seems like a very frugal thing to
do, new stoves can be prohibitively expensive. Take a lot of
time and look around to find the one that's right for your
home.
It's tempting to buy the biggest, prettiest appliance there
is, but you'll be wasting money if you buy a stove that's too
big for your home. And you'll either be burning fuel too
slowly for safety or using more fuel than it should take to
warm your house. Check the BTU rating and talk with the
salesman about it. Expect straight talk. Go with your home's
statistics in hand, total square feet and insulation specs if
you know them. Whether your home sits on a basement or is a
two story makes a difference in what you'll need, too.
If there are only brief periods (up to three or four hours)
when someone isn't up and around in your household, you might
not want to pay for a stove that will hold a fire for hours
and hours. If, however, you tend to hibernate during cold
weather, or you're gone from home for long periods, look for
something that will hold a fire for many hours.
The downside of a stove that only has to be refueled two or
three times a day is that they don't usually put out a lot of
heat at one time. That means that if you let the house cool
down, it takes a long while to get it heated back up. Faster
stoves, ones that require fueling more often, will heat up
faster and heat your home that much faster, but you can't go
off and leave them all day and expect the house to be warm
when you come home. Take your time, study the various types
and make a decision based on your lifestyle.
Good Wood, Bad Wood
No matter what kind of woodstove you get, wood is the basic
need. You can burn wood in a fireplace, in a heating stove, in
a cookstove, and in a barbecue pit.
Remember that wood needs to cure for at least six months
before burning. Burning green wood results in a lot of
creosote in the chimney, leading to chimney fires. Green wood
doesn't put out as much heat as well seasoned wood, either, no
matter what kind it is.
Hard and Soft
Softwood burns easily, but it burns up much faster. It's a
lighter weight wood, which means it has less density. Pine and
cottonwood are a couple of common examples of softwood. Pine
is easy to burn, easy to build a fire with, but it burns up
quickly. The pitch in pine makes it burn fairly hot, so it's
good for when you need a quick, hot fire. Cottonwood, and its
cousins the willows and poplars, don't burn as easily, and
they don't put out much heat either. There are times when this
type of wood is welcome.
Hardwood, such as oak and apple and black walnut, has more
heat in it. It's harder to start a fire with only hardwood,
though, and sometimes it's harder to keep burning. Because of
its density, it burns slower and hotter than softwood. This is
excellent for most purposes.
To get the most from a wood stove, a combination of soft and
hard woods is best. Start a fire with kindling and softwood,
then add hardwood as it becomes established. Once a good
hardwood fire is going, you won't have to worry about it for
awhile.
If you let the fire die down quite a bit, you'll need softwood
to start it up again. Also, use softwood for a fire that you
want only for an hour or so.
Do you need reasons to heat with wood? How about:
* No power outages and no freezing in the dark.
* Renewable resource. Ever heard of coal and gas depletion?
How about wood depletion?
* Keep the money at home. If you buy wood, you'll no doubt be
supporting a local entrepreneur instead of a faceless giant
corporation.
* Use resources that are free to you and would otherwise go to
waste. Pallets and scrap wood often wind up in dumps... er,
excuse me, landfills.
__________________________
Pat Veretto is a work at home grandmother who has homesteaded,
homeschooled and happily lived frugally most of her life. She
currently freelances and is the moderator of The Dollar
Stretcher Community at
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In the Dollar Stretcher Community
How Much for a Turkey?
Thanksgiving turkeys are on sale now, but not everyone can
find a good deal. Can you?
http://community.stretcher.com/forums/t/2419.aspx
===========================================================
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===========================================================
Coupon Swaps
by Bethanie Frank
Save money and make friends along the way
When I was younger, I traded baseball cards with my brother
and some friends in our neighborhood. Those lazy days of
sitting on our porch sipping Kool-Aid are long gone. Now we're
all rushing home from work, getting dinner on the table,
keeping appointments and trying to keep the budget under
control at the same time. How can we ever re-live those days
of trading cards on the front porch? Though it's not going to
reduce the number of appointments you have to keep while stuck
in rush hour traffic, a coupon swap will help save you more
money than you've been saving with your own coupons. It's
easy, fun, and will keep your budget in control for
groceries, toiletries and other items. And you'll make friends
along the way.
There are many ways you can set up a coupon swap. One popular
way is through Yahoo Groups. Just plugging in the words
"coupon" or "coupons" leads you to a wealth of groups that are
exchanging coupons right now. Ask to join one of the many
groups that appeal to your needs and interests. There are even
ones that devote themselves to baby coupons only. They trade
coupons for baby food, diapers, and other products for baby.
Or, there are many that just trade any and every coupon
available. Now that's my kind of swap.
Or, if you prefer to "keep it in the family," ask your
friends, family and co-workers if they want to join a swap
with you. To set up this easy and fun way to save money, you
first need to gather the names and addresses of everyone
participating. Of course, a website or email list would work
well with this idea but isn't necessary. Once the group is
assembled, figure out some random order in which the coupon
pack will be mailed. For example, maybe when you're done with
the pack, you give it to your co-worker who in turns drops it
off to her day care provider. That person in turn mails it off
to her cousin in another state. The cousin will pass it along,
and so on. Just don't let the group get too big, or you'll
only get your coupon pack once in awhile and that's not worth
it. Getting it back once a month would be a great help with
your grocery shopping.
So now the circle is assembled and everyone knows the person
they are supposed to give the pack to. The object is to fill
the pack with coupons you don't use. Remember to double check
expiration dates, as you don't want to be giving out useless
expired coupons. Then when you get the pack, you take what you
want and replace it with coupons you don't use. Tell everyone
to clip any and all coupons they see. That way, you ensure a
variety.
Having a group of people from different parts of the city or
state can provide you with a variety of coupons you may not
see in your local Sunday papers. Even refunds can be included
in the swap package. Many people toss refunds when they know
they won't be purchasing that particular item ever again. How
wonderful to be able to pass along the savings to one of your
friends or family members. By broadening this circle, you will
be able to meet new people and save money at the same time.
Or, if your group is particularly big, have a few swap
packages traveling at the same time. That way, you'll always
be able to find savings every couple of weeks.
Have fun with this project and let it grow how it may.
Hopefully, you'll have a fun and active group and be able to
save money and try new products all at the same time. Coupon
swaps aren't just about stretching that dollar, but they allow
us to make friends and receive snail mail while we're keeping
that budget on track. Have fun swapping!
Take the Next Step:
- Join a coupon swap through Yahoo Groups. Plug in the words
"coupon" or "coupons" to find groups that are exchanging
coupons right now. Ask to join one of the many groups that
appeal to your needs and interests.
- Or ask your friends, family and co-workers if they want to
join a swap with you.
===========================================================
Blinking Door Ajar Light
Ask Bob: The Auto Answer Man
Bob,
My 1999 Honda Accord EX v6 coupe's door ajar light keeps
blinking. It does it randomly, and as a result, the dome light
keeps blinking, causing me to turn it off. It'll go away for a
while and then come back again. As a result, I can't set my
alarm because it will go off randomly. The doors are shut
completely, and it even does it when I have the doors open
sometimes. Is this a problem with the switch or the computer
itself? What do I need to do to diagnose and fix it? Also,
this mostly happens when it rains, but it has happened when
it's dry too. If I leave it alone for a couple of hours, it
goes away, but when I take it out for a drive, it happens
again.
Raul
Raul,
It sounds like a problem with the door switch or the
associated wiring. Look there first for a short.
Good Luck!
Drive Safely!
Bob, The Auto Answer Man
___________________________________
If you have a question for Bob, send it to
mailto:AskBob@stretcher.com. He's able to answer many of them
personally and we'll include the best questions in future
issues of The Dollar Stretcher.
===========================================================
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Tips, Quips, Quotes and Questions
*********
Can You Help This Reader?
*********
Black Belt Tightwads
I think I am pretty good at frugal living. However, with gas,
milk, etc. on the rise and cold weather on the way, I am
really struggling to cope. Please think about calling on all
the great "black belt" tightwads to send in their greatest
money saving tip (just one idea from each). I need to know how
the very best frugal folks are dealing with issues today. Many
thanks!
Iris in Dallas
Please send your answers mailto:CanYouHelp@stretcher.com with
"Black Belt" as the subject. We'll include the best solutions
in future issues.
*********
Yes, We Can Help This Reader
De-Icing Car Windows
*********
To prevent your car's windows/mirrors from icing up in the
winter, treat the windows before you go to bed each night. The
window treatment can be made up of 3 parts vinegar to 1 part
water and placed in a spray bottle. This mixture will prevent
ice from forming. It is important to spray all of the car's
windows and not just the windshield. You can also use the same
mixture replacing the vinegar with rubbing alcohol.
Marianne
more ways to keep your car's windows ice free at
*********
On Second Thought...
We are in the process of selling our home and moving to
another country. Our university age children will be the
recipients of many of our things, but we still find ourselves
with a lot of things to dispose of. It makes us wonder why we
bought some of these things in the first place. My husband
sent seven large garbage bags full of clothing to the thrift
store. We had a whole pickup truck loaded high with items for
the thrift store and another load for the dump. I have boxes
of china to send to consignment, a piano that no one wants,
and numerous trinkets that seemed necessary at the time.
It all begs the question: why did we waste our money on this
stuff? In our new home, I'm not buying things just because
they're pretty. There's nothing pretty about clutter. If we
all pared down and considered thoughtfully whether an item was
worth buying, we would all have a lot less clutter in our
homes and more money in our pockets.
Joanne D.
*********
Hose Extender
When my toes start to poke through the end of my hose, it
drives me crazy and is uncomfortable. I used to throw them out
at that point until I figured out that I could mend them. All
I do is machine stitch across the toe area to close up those
pesky holes, and I am good to go for several more uses. I have
been known to sew up the ends several times before I finally
give up and declare my panty hose worn out.
Mary Ellen
*********
It Pays to Override
When I was working at the office, I was able to set my
thermostat to save as much energy during the day as I did at
night. However, now that I am working from home, I had
adjusted the thermostat to keep the daytime temperature warmer
(or cooler in the summer) and had seen a corresponding
increase in my utility bills.
The nice thing about almost all of these setback thermostats
is that they have an override function that is very easy to
use. Now when I will be gone for more than an hour or two to
go to meetings or shopping, I just tap the button to lower the
temperature. When I return home, the "run program" button is
available to bring the temperature back to "normal."
While it is nice to come home to a warm house, it is even
nicer to see the impact this makes on the monthly heating
bill.
Helen in frosty Minnesota
*********
What would you do with an extra $100? Last month, CA from
Idaho Falls 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
Money
http://www.stretcher.com/money/index.cfm
----------------------------------------
Even People with Good Credit Are Penalized
by Harrine Freeman
The importance of knowing what's in your credit reports
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19b.cfm
High Yields but High Risk in Bank Loan Funds
The search for higher yields may lead you to bank loan funds,
which invest in loans made by banks. But know what the risks
are
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov13b.htm
Making it to Boardwalk
"Rich Dad, Poor Dad" author Robert Kiyosaki believes all of
life's (financial) lessons are mirrored by the game of
Monopoly
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12j.htm
Fame & Fortune: Sir Anthony Hopkins
The British actor finds creative balance as a renaissance man
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12n.htm
How the Pros Save Money
This strategy, which emulates those used by successful condo
associations, can be adopted if your budget seems to be
constantly disrupted by unexpected expenses
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov08a.htm
Payroll Taxes Owed on 401(k) Money
An annual bonus can be diverted to a 401(k) account, but the
contribution must follow company rules
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov13d.htm
Frugal Lifestyle Can Keep 401(k) Flush
It's difficult -- but not impossible -- to live off retirement
investments without touching the principal
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12q.htm
$50 Is Enough to Start Retirement Fund
A little savings is just enough to start funding a retirement
kitty
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12r.htm
Keep More Cash Safe by Learning FDIC Rules
Finessing deposit insurance rules can help you insure more
money
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov08d.htm
Use Inheritance to Fund Retirement Plan
A man who inherited $250,000 can use the money to build a
foundation for retirement
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov08e.htm
In Critical Condition
http://www.stretcher.com/critical/index.cfm
-------------------------------------------
Refinancing a Mortgage in Chapter 13
Finding a mortgage while in bankruptcy is a tricky and
expensive proposition
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov13c.htm
Foreclosure Can Leave Renters Homeless
Think you're exempt from the financial fallout of the fallen
real estate market because you're a renter? Think again
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12h.htm
Four People Awash in Debt, One Plea
Answers to a grab bag of questions related to credit card debt
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12p.htm
Family
http://www.stretcher.com/family/index.cfm
-----------------------------------------
Setting an Example
by Jill Cooper
Helping children to become wise caretakers of their money
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19f.cfm
Grandparents, 529 Plans Are Great Match
Opening a college savings account for your grandchild can
reduce your exposure to estate taxes
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12f.htm
Green
http://www.stretcher.com/green/index.cfm
----------------------------------------
Burning Wood
by Pat Veretto
Wood heating is no longer a social statement, it's a practical
solution
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19c.cfm
Home and Auto
http://www.stretcher.com/homeauto/index.cfm
-------------------------------------------
Homemade Window De-Icer
Be prepared for winter's storms
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19a.cfm
My Story: Laundry Discs
contributed by Benny
What I learned in 12 years of use
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19h.cfm
Blinking Door Ajar Light
Ask Bob: The Auto Answer Man
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19e.cfm
Refinance Car Loan When Numbers Add Up
Sometimes it makes sense to refinance a car loan
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12g.htm
Bargain Autos Unlikely to Catch On
A rebirth of cheap cars may be coming, but it is likely to be
short-lived
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12k.htm
Walk Away if Dealer Demands Financing
A car dealer who insists that buyers finance their purchase is
probably trying to pad profits
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12m.htm
Real Estate Revival on (Distant) Horizon
It's likely to get worse before it gets better but growing
demand could spell the beginning of a recovery in home values
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov08b.htm
A Few Bad Apples Spoil the Rates
Mortgages are suffering from a bad reputation, and that led to
an increase in fixed rates this week. That's the theory,
anyway
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov08c.htm
Lifestyle
http://www.stretcher.com/lifestyle/index.cfm
--------------------------------------------
The Critical Pause
by Pamela Parks
How consumerism and poor eating go hand-in-hand
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19g.cfm
Coupon Swaps
by Bethanie Frank
Save money and make friends along the way
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19d.cfm
10 Places to Find Temporary Work
Whether you need extra holiday cash or simply have too many
debts, here are the best places to find temporary employment
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov13a.htm
2007 Gift Card Study: Consumers Love Them
Survey of gift cards shows that issuers offer plenty of
choices for consumers
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12a.htm
2007 Gift Card Study Results
The "big four" credit card issuers, major retailers and
largest shopping malls gift card programs
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12b.htm
Electronic Gift Certificates Not Widespread
Only 12 of the 31 merchants surveyed have electronic gift
certificates -- and they all have use restrictions
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12c.htm
Gift Card Trends
Sales of gift cards continue to grow, and every type of
business is jumping on the bandwagon
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12d.htm
Give the Gift of Giving
Gift cards that donate funds to nonprofits are win-win for
givers and receivers -- and charity
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12e.htm
Your Taxes
----------
UGMA Account Generates Taxes
The income from a Uniform Gift to Minors Act (UGMA) is usually
reported to the IRS under the child's Social Security number
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov12s.htm
Limit on Real Estate Tax Deductions
Real estate taxes are generally always tax deductible, but you
may not get any tax benefit if the dreaded alternative minimum
tax kicks in
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov08f.htm
Writing Off Travel Expenses
You can deduct reasonable and ordinary travel expenses when
away from home on a temporary work assignment
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov07a.htm
Everything Else
---------------
Readers' Tips
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/07/07nov19t.cfm
From Dave Ramsey
----------------
Affording a House
Jennifer has the chance to move in with friends to save money
for a house ... should she take it?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov13e.htm
Am I Eligible for an ESA?
What does it take to qualify for an educational savings
account?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov13f.htm
I'm Trying to Get Out of a $19,000 Stupid Tax!
Jeff bought 3 weeks at a timeshare. Now he wants to get out of
it because he's realized what a ripoff timeshares are!
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov13g.htm
Out of Pocket Baby
How should this young couple pay for a baby if they have no
health insurance?
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov08g.htm
Grocery Woes!
Due to not planning at all, Chad's family wasted so much money
at the grocery store each month. Find out how you can save
money each month!
Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/07/07nov08h.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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