|
|
|
Friday, July 10th, 2009
thesimpledollar
|
2:00p
Rule #4: Eliminate (and Avoid) High Interest Debt.
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thesimpledollar/~3/9GZnFEF2QK0/ http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3955  A reader asked me if I could break down my ideas into a handful of principles. After some careful thought, I came up with a list of fourteen basic “rules” that summarize my money and life philosophy. I’ll be presenting these as a weekly series.
This rule is about as subtle as a sledgehammer, of course. Many of you started visiting The Simple Dollar because you came to this realization on your own - high interest debt is a terrible idea, and even low interest debts are a terrible idea. Let’s count the ways.
The higher the interest rate, the more money you lose with nothing in return. Leave a $1,000 debt on a credit card with an 5.5% APR for a year and you lose $55 - not good. But if you bump that amount up to a level that’s typical for credit cards - say, 19.9% - and you’re up to $199 a year. Gone. Poof. Vanished.
The higher the debt level, the more money you lose with nothing in return. So, you have $1,000 debt on a credit card with a 19.9% APR and you lose $199 a year. Bump that up to $5,000 and you’re losing $998 a year. Gone. Nothing in return.
You’re open to late payment fees, over-limit fees, annual fees, ATM fees, cash advance fees, and countless other drains on your money. If there’s a way to ding you, credit card companies will figure out how to do it. A fee here, a fee there, and you’re suddenly watching even more money evaporate for nothing in return.
A required debt payment each month reduces your freedom. With that $5,000 debt above, you’re paying about $100 every single month as a minimum payment. That’s $100 you could be saving for a down payment. That’s $100 you could be saving to start a business. That’s $100 you could be saving for a car. That’s $100 you could be saving towards retiring early. That’s $100 you could be saving towards a great vacation. Your freedom is gone, eaten by the debt monster.
The mere presence of high interest debt often brings other debt into your life. You make a big commitment to getting rid of all of this debt, then start really bearing down on it. You get half of the debt gone, then all of a sudden disaster strikes. You lose your job. Your car breaks down. Your hot water heater leaks water all over the basement. Suddenly, you’re busting out the plastic again to take care of the problem - and you’re right back deep into debt. It’s like escaping from quicksand - if all of your strokes are perfect, you can pull yourself out slowly, but if even one little thing goes wrong, you’re slurped right back in.
In other words, it costs you money, costs you freedom, and puts you into a vicious cycle of even more debt.
There are really two prongs to getting out of this trap. Whether you’re avoiding it entirely or you’re trying to escape from the pit of despair, there’s one big first step you must take.
Build a Small Emergency Fund
The first step is not paying off debt. Paying off debt first is like kicking to get out of quicksand without getting your arms around something safe first - you might be able to kick out, but if anything goes wrong, you’ll just be sucked in deeper.
So, no matter what state you’re in, give yourself that rock - a cash emergency fund, sitting in a savings account. It doesn’t need to be too big - $1,000 should be your big target, but just start by putting $20 a week into savings - or more if you can swing it. Instruct your bank to do this automatically. Do it right now - call up your bank and ask them to do it.
You won’t miss that $20 a week. Your life will quickly find little ways to save - you’ll eat a few less expensive meals, start carpooling with a friend, or skip a few coffee shop visits and you’re there. What happens is that over the course of three months, your savings account reaches $250. After just shy of a year, your savings account will have $1,000 in it.
If you’re already making extra payments on your debts and you don’t have an emergency fund, stop those overpayments for a while and deposit that extra amount into your savings each month until you reach that $1,000.
Leave this money alone except for an emergency. You might be tempted to spend it on something fun or to pay off a big slug of debt with it. Don’t. That money is your rock - it’ll be there for you if your car breaks down or you lose your job. You won’t be sucked back into debt by these unfortunate events - your savings will save you.
What do you do when you reach that $1,000 level? Many people keep saving. Then, once a month, they sweep anything over $1,000 back into their checking and use it to make an extra debt payment, knocking down their debt without touching their $1,000 emergency fund.
Here’s the big key: if you do face that emergency, like having your car break down or losing your job, and you tap that emergency fund, replenish the fund after the emergency. Go back to minimum payments on your debts and rebuild that fund. It’s your rock.
I’ve written a detailed guide to building your first emergency fund if you want to know more.
Make a Debt Repayment Plan
When you have that emergency fund in place, it’s time to start tackling your debts in an intelligent fashion. Make a big list of all of your debts; then, attempt to get the rate on each of those debts reduced. Give your credit card companies a call and negotiate your rate down. Contact your local credit union and see if there are any opportunities to consolidate your debt at a lower rate.
Once you’ve done these things, list all of your remaining debts in order of interest rate, with the highest rate first. Then throw everything you can at the highest interest rate debt. Your only extra payment should be towards this top debt, and it should be the biggest overpayment you can muster without tapping your emergency fund. Live lean. Sell off stuff you don’t use. Find ways to earn a few extra bucks to throw at it.
Once that first debt is gone, throw everything at the next one, then the next one, then the next one. Your extra payments will grow larger because you’ve got fewer minimum payments to make, and soon you’ll find yourself free.
I’ve written a detailed guide to building a debt repayment plan, too.
Avoiding High Interest Debt
I’m not a “no debt” absolutist. I think that home mortgages are often worthwhile for most people, and I think credit cards can be a useful tool if used carefully.
Having said that, many people do not use credit cards carefully. Instead of carefully using them as a tool during very regular purchases (like gas) and then setting the cash aside to pay the bill in full each month, they use credit cards mindlessly to buy whatever they throw in their shopping cart, not worrying too much about prices because, hey, the credit card will cover it!
Bad idea. If you have any inclination in that direction, cut up your credit cards, seriously. It’s the equivalent of swinging a chainsaw around with your eyes closed after knocking back three shots - you might luck out and wind up safe, but it’s more likely to wind up bloody and painful.
Instead, adopt a different approach. Leave your card at home most of the time. When you do use it, use it for specific purposes, like using a BP credit card and use it only at BP gas stations so you can get a nice kick back, or use the Target Visa only at Target to get 10% off your entire purchase regularly, and pay off the balance in full every time. Otherwise, leave it at home and use a debit card (one that features a Visa or MasterCard logo) for your purchases because then you’re actually accountable for every dime you spend while still enjoying the convenience of card use.
There are two big reasons for using this approach instead of going entirely down the cash road. First, it builds a positive credit rating, and a good credit rating improves your insurance rates and helps your employment opportunities. Second, using cards only in a very targeted fashion - as shown above - and paying off the bills in full each time results in some sweet cash kickbacks - 3% at least.
You’ve just got to respect the tool - and not start swinging it around like a toddler with an axe.
|
(comment on this)
mashup_mom
|
2:43p
Little Jewel updates, 7/10/09
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MashupMom/~3/8Ns-yvbUSBk/ http://www.mashupmom.com/?p=6878 
A couple little Jewel updates for your shopping pleasure:
- Someone on Couponers Wanted just posted that they’ve spotted Dreamfields Pasta on clearance for $1.37. You can print $1.00/1 here, so check your store.
- Some Sally Hansen nail polish is BOGO. If you have the BOGO coupon from the June All You, grab 2 for free.
- Jamie reminds us in comments that the Skippy All Natural Catalina deal is still running through 8/9 (!) — buy two, get $1.00 OYNO.
- Teri spotted $1.00 off a 8-roll of Bounty paper towels on Avenu. This goes well with: Buy any two Bounty Basic (8 regular roll) or Charmin Basic (12 big roll) at $5.99 each, get $3.00 OYNO ($.25/1 6/7, 7/5 PG; $1.00/1 P&G year of savings rebate booklet if you got that a few months ago) — you’re now down to $4.99 each, so pay $9.98 (minus any coupons) and get $3.00 back. (If you prefer regular Bounty, go with Dominick’s this week since it’s $4.99 wyb 3 (minus a whopping $.25 on P&G eSaver) — not as good a deal since you don’t get the Catalina back, though.)
|
(comment on this)
(comment on this)
(comment on this) Thursday, July 9th, 2009
thesimpledollar
|
8:00p
A Frugal Man and His Nintendo DS / DSi
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thesimpledollar/~3/CsT_rzf8ua4/ http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3950  I’m a video game fan, and I’ve been one since I was tiny. During my life, I’ve owned an Atari 2600, a Nintendo Entertainment System, a Super Nintendo, a Sega Genesis, a Game Boy, a Game Boy Advance, a Nintendo 64, a PlayStation, a Game Cube, a Playstation 2, a Nintendo DS (and a DSi), and a Wii. It’s a hobby I’ve enjoyed pretty much my entire life, and I still enjoy it, even in my thirties.
About two years ago, I wrote an article detailing my Wii: how do I maximize my gaming dollars on it? This was a popular topic, one I’m often asked about by people my age who still want to play occasional video games but don’t want to break the bank. Many other readers have requested similar notes on a Nintendo DS, either for themselves or for a friend or a child.
What I’ve found is that for my gaming dollar, my Nintendo DSi is the best bargain I’ve yet found. The Nintendo DSi is a handheld console that easily fits in a pocket. Let’s walk through the details.
First, why a handheld console at all? If you’re a video game fan, why not buy an Xbox 360 or a Playstation 3? If you’re more into casual games, why not just play the games available on your cell phone?
The biggest factor that improves upon the consoles is portability, obviously. Most of the time, when I do actually play with my DSi, I’m out and about. I’ll play it on a long road trip. I’ll play it at the doctor’s office. I’ll play it whenever I’m in line. Although those situations make up the vast majority of my playing time, I can also play it at home on the couch if I so choose.
Why not just play the ones on the cell phones? Frankly, it’s the quality of the games. I’ve played a ton of different cell phone games and not many match up to the quality of even the worst games on the DS. The only cell phone that has even a few quality games is the iPhone, and if you’re looking at the iPhone because you want a cell phone that plays good games, it’s vastly cheaper to just get a low-end Verizon phone for your calls and a DSi for your games - and you’ll get both services better than you would with an iPhone.
Obviously, there is the option of simply not playing at all, which is completely worthwhile as well, but I’m fairly obviously writing to people who enjoy gaming and value it as a hobby.
Second, why a DSi instead of a DS Lite? A DS Lite is currently $40 less expensive, plus it has a slot that lets you play older Game Boy Advance titles - a feature that the DSi lacks. So why is a DSi a better value?
The biggest reason is the downloadable software. The DSi allows you to download very, very good games for just a few dollars each (more on them below), with more appearing all the time. Even better, you’re able to download two of them for free when you first get a DSi, and it comes with a free web browser, too (which I’m using in the picture at the top of this post).
The second reason is it functions as an mp3 player. All you need is an SD card loaded up with mp3s and headphones and the DSi functions as a portable music player - another solid argument for simply getting a dirt cheap cell phone in conjunction with this device.
The third reason is a bit of a knock against the old Advance games - the worthwhile games for the Advance are getting difficult to find. At the used game stores I frequent, it’s almost impossible to find any worthwhile Advance games for a reasonable price.
Finding a bargain on a DSi A DSi currently has a list price of $169.99. How can you shave a bit more off of that?
Suggestion one: trade in any older video games or consoles you don’t play with. I traded in my Nintendo DS Lite and several Advance games that I had thoroughly played to get my DSi for free. Another friend of mine traded in several old played-through games to get one. If you have any older games sitting around that you’ve already played through, gather them up, take them to the local gaming shop, and trade them in.
Suggestion two: wait for a sale on Amazon. If you’re interested, use this trick to automatically find a deal on a DSi at Amazon. You’ll have to be patient, but it’s a great way to dig up a deal.
Suggestion three: be patient. Do some comparison price searching yourself and decide if you really want one or not. Spending some time thinking about the purchase has a good chance of talking you out of it if you’re not truly interested.
Starting Out With a DSi
Unlike any other video game console I’ve ever tried, you can get quite a bit of enjoyment out of the DSi without buying anything else. Pick up the console, take it home, and fire it up. When you log onto the DSi Shop, you’ll automatically be given 1,000 free points, which you can use to download software. I strongly recommend spending those 1,000 points downloading the web browser, Art Style: Boxlife and Art Style: Pictobits.
Boxlife is a puzzle game in which you are given a piece of “paper” with tons of squares drawn on it, like a piece of graph paper. You cut the paper along the edges of the squares, then fold the pieces you cut out into cubes - which means that the pieces you cut out have to be of certain shapes. It also features an amusing simple storyline detailing your rise through the employee ranks in a factory. This is a highly addictive puzzle game.
Pictobits is another addictive Tetris-like puzzle game where you have to match up colored pieces. When you do, the pieces disappear and then reappear above, filling in colors automatically in a picture.
Both of these are great ways to spend five minutes juicing up your brain while you’re sitting at the doctor’s office or on the bus, and since you can get them both for free with the purchase of a unit, why not?
Before I discuss any other purchases, I should point something out: I don’t think a video game is a worthwhile purchase unless you get the cost of the purchase down to $1 per hour of playing it. Ideally, I can do better than that, which I’ll discuss below.
If you decide to make an additional purchase with your DSi, I’d recommend getting a single Nintendo points card (SRP: $20), which gives you 2,000 more points with which to download games - and there are plenty of additional worthwhile games to download. I recommend Mario vs. Donkey Kong: Minis March Again (800 points), Dr. Mario Express (500 points), and Art Style: Aquia (500 points), then just hold onto the other 200 points for the future.
What about the DS cartridges? There are a ton of games available for the DS, many of which are awful and many of which are incredibly worth playing. My strategy for maximizing my gaming dollar is pretty simple: I buy and trade used games. Occasionally, I’ll receive new ones as gifts (because my wife and my family know what kinds of games I enjoy) and I’ll cycle them in as well.
Here’s how I do it. Let’s say I go to the used game shop and buy two used games which together cost about the price of one new game. I play through both of these thoroughly until I’m truly tired of both games. Along the way, my kids get me another game for my birthday and I play through that one, too. I’ll then take those three games to the used game store and trade them in for two others that I haven’t played. I’ll play through those two thoroughly, then I’ll take those into the used game store and trade them in for two more. Along the way, I might stumble upon a huge bargain (like recently, when I found a game I really wanted to play for the DS, Fire Emblem, for $5 new) and add that into the mix.
I recently calculated that I’ve invested an average of $6 out of pocket per game I’ve played through for the DS (and that includes the cost of the console averaged into each game) - and I’ve played some games nearly to death. That drops a game down into the used paperback range, since I’ll spend much more time on a game than on a single book.
If you’re looking for games to pick up that really maximize bang for the buck, the six best values I’ve found in DS gaming are Advance Wars: Dual Strike (war strategy; I’ve spent more hours on this game than any other, ever), Elite Beat Agents (rhythm tapping game, often inexplicably available for $5-10 on the discount rack at Target), Mario Kart DS (kart racing with a lot of variety, plus this is a must-buy if you have multiple DS owners in the household), Legend of Zelda: Phantom Hourglass (distinctive and very fun adventure), Final Fantasy Tactics A2: Grimoire of the Rift (adventure/strategy mix, a HUGE game), and New Super Mario Bros. (if you ever enjoyed playing a Mario Bros. game, this will be tons and tons of fun). All of these were well worth the price, especially if you can get them used.
I’ve had tons of fun with my DS Lite - and now my DSi. The best part is, if you’re careful, it can be a real bargain.
|
(comment on this)
(comment on this)
(comment on this)
(comment on this)
(comment on this)
mashup_mom
|
6:39p
Quick little McD’s coupons 24-hour giveaway
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MashupMom/~3/_Pz5OArsM9U/ http://www.mashupmom.com/?p=6841 
Today I had the bright idea to take the kids to McDonald’s for lunch. What’s fascinating? I spent more feeding the three of us one meal there than on my entire Target trip earlier. But anyway… if you, like us, can’t always avoid the lure of the Golden Arches, I have a quick little giveaway for you to enter! I’m giving away:
One gift certificate book with four $1.00 coupons good toward any purchase at McDonald’s (plus a Upromise code in the back!).
How can you win it? Comment on this post within the next 24 hours — that’s by tomorrow 7/10/09 at 1:45 PM CST. Tell me when and why you most often give in to going to McD’s! 
(Be sure to comment with a valid email so I can contact you! I’ll pick the winning comment with random.org tomorrow night.)
|
(comment on this)
mashup_mom
|
4:06p
Target trip, 7/9/09
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MashupMom/~3/FE-_ZEbAn2c/ http://www.mashupmom.com/?p=6838 
What’s in this bag? $12.95 worth of Target stuff! I wasn’t going to shop again this week, but this trip was completely due to poor planning on my part — last night I realized that Mr. 2’s toothbrush was getting kind of, well, gross. And of course I have extras of every kind of toothbrush except toddler. So, to Target to get a toothbrush we went, since I wanted to get the cheap Kashi bars there at some point anyway. $12.95 later…
I’m looking on the bright side here, because I never used to be able to get out of Target without spending $50-$100 a trip! Here’s the breakdown:
Pantene restoratives frizz control shampoo (hope springs eternal!), $3.33. Used $2.00/1 Target (home mailer) + $1.00/1 mfr (6/28 RP) = $.33.
Taylor Farms bag broccoli, $1.99. Used $1.00/1 Target printable = $.99.
2 Muir Glen tomato paste, $2.80. Used two $1.00/1 printables = $.80.
3 ears corn, $.60.
One Dr. Seuss bowl, $1.00. (Couldn’t resist because Mr. 2’s name is… SAM!)
1lb strawberries, $1.89. Used $1.00/1 Target printable = $.89.
Kashi waffles, $2.29 (they raised the price!). Used $1.50/1 printable + $.25/1 Target printable = $.54.
Mini Edy’s ice cream, $1.19. Used $1.00/1 Target printable = $.19.
2 Palmolive Pure & Clear, $5.48. Used $1.00/1 mfr (BzzAgent), $.40/1 mfr (tearpad) + two $.50/1 Target (6/28 SS) = $3.08.
1 reusable Target bag, $.99. Used get free bag when you buy 2 Palmolive Pure & Clear (6/28 SS) = FREE.
2 boxes Kashi TLC cereal bars, $5.00. Used $1.00/2 Target printable + two $1.50/1 mfr printables = $1.00.
1 Oral B toddler toothbrush, $2.69. Used $1.00/1 (7/5 PG) = $1.69.
Total: $12.95 (of which $1.09 was tax!).
|
(comment on this)
thesimpledollar
|
2:00p
Taxes and the Future
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/thesimpledollar/~3/3QRgKaQH3jo/ http://www.thesimpledollar.com/?p=3932 One big point that I often bring up in favor of Roth IRAs is the fact that you’ve already paid your income taxes on it. When you take money out of your Roth IRA at retirement age, you don’t have to pay income taxes on any of your withdrawals. On the other hand, with a 401(k), you’ll owe income tax on all of your withdrawals.
Obviously, the big difference comes when you pay into these accounts. With a Roth IRA, you put your money in after taxes - from your take-home pay. With a 401(k), you invest with money before taxes. Thus, a 401(k) investment reduces your taxes today, while a Roth IRA investment reduces your taxes tomorrow.
Many people want a simple answer to the question of which retirement account type is better - but it’s not that simple at all. To truly know which option is the best one would require a crystal ball.
The best we can do is make the case for a future where a Roth IRA is better - and a future where a 401(k) is better. Let’s look at each one.
A Roth IRA Is Better If…
… income tax rates go up from where they’re at now. Let’s face it - the United States is deep into debt. The revenue to pay for that debt will have to come from somewhere. At the same time, income tax rates are currently about as low as they’ve been in decades. What’s a reasonable conclusion from this? The government will raise individual income tax rates gradually over time to make up for all of the rampant spending since the start of the Reagan years.
… your earnings go way up from your current level. If you have higher earnings later in life, it’s likely that most of your retirement savings will also come later in life so that you can have a standard of living in retirement that’s notably higher than what you have now. If you need a lot of money in retirement, it’ll be very useful to have some of that money arrive on your plate tax-free, especially if the income tax rates are higher. In other words, if you have a big entrepreneurial bone in your body, a Roth IRA is probably a better option.
… you have other avenues of income in retirement besides the Roth IRA. Most likely, if your income goes way up, you’re going to have investments of all kinds that earn income for you in retirement. Almost all of that will be taxable income. Again, having some of your income in a non-taxable form means substantially less taxes for you, particularly, again, if tax rates are higher.
… your employer isn’t offering matching contributions into a 401(k). If you’re self-employed or with an employer that doesn’t offer a 401(k) - or doesn’t offer any sort of 401(k) contribution matching - a Roth IRA definitely looks good in comparison, since the 401(k) doesn’t have this huge advantage.
A 401(k) Is Better If…
… income tax rates stay at the same level - or go down. Many argue that the best way to increase revenue is to actually lower tax rates, spurring on business growth. If future governments apply this philosophy, it’s likely that tax levels will either stay steady or decline.
… your earnings decline, stay the same, or only go up at a slow rate until retirement. If you’re not entrepreneurial in any way, shape, or form and you’re not interested in battling your way up the corporate ladder, your income will likely remain pretty steady throughout your life. This means you won’t bump yourself up to higher tax brackets later on and you’ll likely be in this tax bracket (or a lower one) in retirement. Thus, deferring the taxes until then is advantageous.
… your main income (besides Social Security) will be your 401(k). If your income in retirement will mostly come from your 401(k) and not from outside investments, your total tax bill will be limited significantly. You won’t have additional income pushing up your tax burden (which your 401(k) will contribute to).
… your employer offers matching 401(k) contributions. This is free money that blows away any tax benefits that might come from a Roth IRA. If your employer matches your contributions, the decision becomes pretty easy - take those matches all the way to the bank.
What About a Roth 401(k)?
Some people also have the option of a Roth 401(k), which essentially works like a 401(k) except with after-tax money. A Roth 401(k) often ends up being like a Roth IRA that gets employer matching, which means that most of the arguments in favor of a Roth IRA apply to it.
In the end, though, you need to decide for yourself where you’re headed and where you believe the government is headed. Of course, all of this is moot if you don’t start saving right now. Regardless of what you choose, you’ll lose any advantage of either choice by putting off saving while you decide. If you’re unsure, sign up for one plan or another and start contributing. If you change your mind later, switch your savings plan. But, no matter what, start saving now - don’t put it off.
|
(comment on this)
get_rich_slowly
|
12:00p
More Month Than Money: Tightening Your Food Budget While Feeding Your Family Well
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/getrichslowly/~3/4ytVwN4H9T0/ http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/?p=4841 The July/August issue of Countryside (one of my favorite magazines) contains an article from Tracy Rimmer about how she saves money on food. In the article, Rimmer mentions her website, New Century Homestead, where she describes her family’s quest for self-reliance in southwestern Manitoba. Her philosophy:
Homesteading is an attitude, an approach, not necessarily a lifestyle. We believe that one can start small, and still make a difference. Indeed, that starting small must be the way for most people to begin. Every effort that is made toward personal self-sufficiency, toward reducing our levels of consumption, toward making better choices for ourselves, our families, and our environment, must be a good thing. If we can accomplish these things economically, all the better.
 At her site, Rimmer offers a free 22-page e-book entitled More Month Than Money: Tightening Your Food Budget While Feeding Your Family Well [356k PDF]. This document describes here approach to feeding her family healthy food on a budget. She lists eight specific techniques, many of which will be familiar to GRS readers:
- Understand the difference between “need” and “want”. Rimmer argues that many of us blow our food budget on wants. You can still enjoy the food you need without overspending on junk.
- Plan your menus. “Meal planning is becoming a lost art,” writes Rimmer. “But planning can take a little of the rush out of the equation. Having a planned menu that we can work from can streamline our meal preparation time, and save us money at the grocery store checkout.”
- Be flexible. You can’t always stick to your meal plan — and sometimes you won’t want to. Other times, you won’t be able to get the foods you need. Flexibility is important if you want to keep costs low.
- Explore the role of soup in your family’s diet. Rimmer is a huge advocate of soup. She says that homemade soup can be delicious, healthy, and cheap.
- Plant a garden. The author’s family has seven acres of land and over 6800 square foot for gardening. She grows most of her own produce. But she notes that even city dwellers on an average lot can grow some of their food.
- Prepare meals from scratch. Learning to cook can save you money and provide more nutritious meals.
- Buy in bulk whenever possible. Rimmer does a lot of “annual shopping”. She’ll buy certain items in bulk from local producers or suppliers just once per year (!?!). She’s able to do this because she has space. For the rest of us, she recommends shopping just once every few weeks.
- Prepare basic meals with simple ingredients. Ah, this is one area where my food budget suffers. Rimmer points out that we don’t need fancy ingredients, like six kinds of salt. (I probably have a dozen kinds of salt in the cupboard!) Stick with the basics and you’ll save money.
In More Month Than Money: Tightening Your Food Budget While Feeding Your Family Well, Rimmer outlines how she puts these steps into practice. She offers advice about stocking a pantry, provides several recipes, and lists three weeks of sample meal plans.
Rimmer shares her annual grocery list (which she says provides “mega-savings”), but she also includes a three-week shopping list for the vast majority of us who can’t stock up for twelve months at a time. (This reminds me of once-a-month shopping.)
This e-book is short but informative. If you’ve been struggling with your food budget, it’s well worth a read.
---
Related Articles at Get Rich Slowly:
|
(comment on this)
(comment on this)
mashup_mom
|
2:10a
Kellogg’s Fuel for School Rebate
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MashupMom/~3/wYGEzomaXtg/ http://www.mashupmom.com/?p=6830 Go over to Kellogg’s Fuel for School Rebate program. Create an account with Kellogg’s or sign in if you already have one. Then, click “$80 in Savings!” over on the right to login and access the rebate form. Here’s the deal:
Buy 10 participating products in ONE TRANSACTION between 7/6 and 9/30. Get a $10.00 rebate by mail, plus a $70.00 coupon code to Dell. Mail in the 10 UPC codes and the original cash register receipt.
Participating products include:
- 100 Calorie Right Bites, 6ct+
- Eggo products, 4ct+
- Keebler or Austin Products, 8oz+
- Kellogg’s Cereal, 10oz+
- Kellogg’s fruit flavored snacks, 6ct+
- Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain cereal bars, 8ct+
- Kellogg’s Poptarts, 8ct+
- Kellogg’s Rice Krispies treats squares, 8ct+
- Kellogg’s Special K cereal bars, 8ct+
- MorningStar Farms veggie foods products, 5oz+
- Sunshine product, 8oz+
Now, the really annoying part about this is the one transaction/receipt business. However: One way to do this right now and make money is by buying 10 Kellogg’s Bake Shop products at Target (still $1.50 each), use 10 printable $1.00 off coupons: Here or here or here (can print two from each location per computer, so you will need 2 computers to get 10 coupons), pay $5.00, get $10.00 back.
Also, Kellogg’s stuff should go on crazy sales as September approaches since they always do big back-to-school sales, so you could also wait a bit to see what deals pop up over the next couple of months. They do this every year, and there is usually a special Kellogg’s insert with coupons and the rebate form toward the end of the summer, so, no hurry.
|
(comment on this)
|
|
|
Just your friendly Friday reminder — Every Friday through Sept., 
