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Post by SAR01 on Jan 3, 2018 18:40:50 GMT -5
Tuesday, January 2, 2018
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
Welcome to a new year. Have you made any new year resolutions? I know it may sound trite or even hackneyed, but a new year resolution may just be the gentle nudge or kick in the pants you need to start a whole new saving regimen.
Remember; you don't get rid of bad habits, you only replace them with good ones.
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP:
A resolution to save can be a simple as putting a change jar on your countertop (one of my favorite methods for socking away a few extra hundred) or cutting out your morning stop at the coffee shop a couple days a week.
Other useful resolutions include creating a budget (if you are not in the habit of doing it monthly) or writing down every dollar you spend in a month. That is a real eye-opener if you have never done it before.
Keep your resolution realistic and you won't feel discouraged right off the bat. The important part is to decide on something and get started. The first step is the hardest and you will be surprised at what you can accomplish with just a little bit of discipline.
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Post by SAR01 on Jan 16, 2018 12:18:03 GMT -5
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
So you clip coupons, use energy efficient light bulbs and recycle aluminum, but sometimes being too cheap can cost you money instead of saving it. Scroll down for some ideas of when and where it pays to open up the checkbook.
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP:
* Neglecting Basic Maintenance
Neglecting the basic maintenance needed on your home and car will only end up costing you more money down the road. Lack of maintenance inevitably leads to something big breaking and that will cost you a lot more to repair than it would have cost to make small investments in regular maintenance.
* Not Saving Anything
Unexpected expenses happen, and if you don't have any sort of savings cushion to help you deal with those expenses, you'll find yourself relying on your credit cards, high interest loans or some other equally expensive way of paying for a crisis. So save something out of every paycheck. Even if it's only $10 or $20 at first.
* Letting Coupons Shop for You
Buying a product at a discounted price with a coupon is better than paying full-price - but if coupon clipping leads you to make purchases you wouldn't normally make, it's money wasted, not money saved. Only use coupons if they apply to your normal and needed purchase items. Otherwise, skip the coupon and skip the purchase altogether.
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Post by SAR01 on Jan 23, 2018 19:19:17 GMT -5
Tuesday, January 23, 2018
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
Debt has a way of sneaking up on a person. There are just so many ways you can take on debt, it is almost impossible to avoid. Really, how many people do you know who are debt free? Not many. But debt is not necessarily evil. It is an invaluable tool when it is used responsibly. So what steps can we take to avoid more debt than we can handle?
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP:
* Consolidating debt sounds like a good financial move. It may not be, however. The main reason is because many people continue to add to their debt burden after the consolidation and end up with more debt than they can manage. Restructure your spending instead of your debt
* Never co-sign a loan. There is a reason why a professional lender won't approve a loan you have to co-sign. So, why should you?
* Never take out a payday loan if you can possibly avoid it. You borrow what you need for a very large fee, but the big problem is that you probably won't have the extra money to pay back the loan when you get paid next time, either. This begins a vicious cycle of ever-increasing fees.
* Avoid an upside-down car loan. If you need to sell your car, you need to make enough from the sale to pay off your car loan.
* Pay off no-interest offers before they expire! One late payment, and all of those retroactive interest payments will automatically apply!
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Post by SAR01 on Jan 31, 2018 13:23:32 GMT -5
uesday, January 30, 2018
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
I have written this before in Thrifty Tips; often we have to trick ourselves into saving, and it works, too! One of my favorite tips, and many readers have written to tell me it works for them too, is collecting change in a countertop jar. You'll be surprised at how fast a couple hundred bucks accumulates! And you'll never even miss it from your budget. Today's tip is a similar idea... just one step further. Please scroll down for more.
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: You Won't Even Miss It!
Collecting change is easy, but cash is so much harder because it is too convenient to grab a few bucks from wherever you keep it stashed when you're short. So trick yourself into saving it. Buy a can of juice, like a 46 oz pineapple juice tin can, and make a slit in the top. Drain the juice and give it a good rinse. Then, whenever you have an extra single or two, fold it up and put it in the can. Just like the change, a few dollars here and there won't put a dent in your budget, but in six months or so you will have a small fortune in your can. And since you need a can opener to get it out you won't be tempted to dip into it whenever you're short two bucks for coffee.
BONUS TIP: Open an emergency bank account.
So you've cashed in your change jar and you've opened your cash can and you discover you have about five hundred extra dollars! Go straight to the casino, right? Why not make a dent in that high interest credit card balance you're carrying? Or better yet, open an emergency bank account. Open a completely different account from the one you normally keep your money in. Just make sure there are no fees or minimum balances or minimum debit card uses (which is a popular trick banks use). Once again you're tricking yourself into saving. If you put that money into your regular bank account it will end up getting spent.
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Post by SAR01 on Feb 6, 2018 14:41:46 GMT -5
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
I was checking the bargain bin in the grocery store the other day (ALWAYS check the bargain bin), and I found a bunch of tubes of a discontinued flavor of toothpaste. One dollar for a 3.5 oz tube! That's quite a deal. But really, how much toothpaste can a person use?
That depends on what you use it for.
We all know that toothpaste makes an excellent jewelry polish (or at least you should if you're subscribed to Thrifty Tips) but it can do a lot more than polishing jewelry and teeth. Especially at a dollar per tube!
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP:
* If it works on jewelry it will work on silver and brass: Use a soft toothbrush to scrub lightly with just a dab of paste. Rinse thoroughly and polish with a dry, soft cloth. If toothpaste remains in any cracks, clean the toothbrush thoroughly and brush under water to dislodge the white paste. Dry again and polish. Whatever you do, however, don't apply toothpaste to pearls as the grit will remove the shiny finish.
* Coffee Table Water Rings: This is an oldie but goody: Simply rub some toothpaste into the irritating ring with a soft cloth and wipe dry with a clean, damp cloth. Apply a finishing shine with a touch of furniture polish or oil (olive oil works, too). Then break out the coasters and make sure they get used.
* Crayon on Painted Walls: Children, crayons, and walls are natural attractants. No need to panic. Just gently rub a damp cloth and some toothpaste on your child's masterpiece, then rinse with a wet cloth and dry. Make sure you run a test on a small area of the wall before applying to a large area, just in case the paint can't handle even a mild abrasive.
* Carpet Stains: Squeeze toothpaste directly onto the carpet stain and scrub it with a toothbrush. Then rinse and repeat the process until the stain disappears.
* Clothing Stains: If toothpaste works on your carpets, it should work equally well on cloth. Apply the toothpaste directly to the stained area with a bit of water and rub hard before popping in the washer. This may not work on all fabrics or stains but it's quite effective on ink and shirt-collar stains. Of course, you don't want to use whitening toothpastes on colored fabrics. Instead, use a basic toothpaste without bleaching agents for this purpose.
* Toothpaste works wonders on stainless steel sinks. Just apply to a sponge and scour gently. It will leave your sink clean and fresh.
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Post by SAR01 on Feb 13, 2018 15:35:16 GMT -5
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
It's February and that means you probably already have your W-2. If you are getting any of your tax money back from the government you shouldn't wait to file.
If you aren't expecting to get any of your tax money back from the government, make sure you haven't overlooked any of these money-saving deductions.
Don't pay a cent more than you have to. Make sure you claim all the breaks you deserve.
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP:
Don't take the standard deduction if you can itemize. The standard tax deduction ($6,350 for singles and $12,700 if you're married filing jointly) is a deduction set by the IRS that allows you to reduce your taxable income if you cannot take advantage of more tax deductions by itemizing. Although standard deductions will help lower your taxes, if you take a little time you may find you can itemize your deductions to get a bigger tax refund. Some additional expenses such as charitable contributions, casualty losses, unreimbursed business expenses, job search expenses and the state and local sales tax deduction may push you over the standard deduction.
Take above-the-line deductions if eligible. Above-the-line tax deductions allow you reduce your taxable income without itemizing. Examples include if you paid for your students' school supplies, went back to school to land that promotion, paid alimony, pay self-employment tax, paid student loan interest, contribute to your IRA or had unreimbursed moving expenses. The reduction to your taxable income may also help you get a bigger Advanced Premium Tax Credit if you received assistance to help pay for insurance in the health insurance marketplace.
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Post by SAR01 on Mar 13, 2018 15:54:39 GMT -5
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Pretty up your skin for pennies.
There is an old saying that you pay for packaging. And that's the truth! You can save dollars if you just use a little common sense when buying everyday products.
A drugstore's first-aid aisle may hold your key to perfect skin. The secret: witch hazel. It's the main ingredient in many pricey facial toners in the beauty section, but you can also find it sold among the health products for as little as $2.
BONUS THRIFTY TIP: Whiter teeth for less money!
Professional teeth whitening isn't cheap and even the home whitening kits are a bit of a splurge. The good news is that you can whiten your teeth without using either one.
Just wet your toothbrush, and dip it into a box of baking soda. Then, brush your teeth, and rinse. Repeat regularly, and you'll have whiter teeth at a price that you won't feel guilty about.
Why This Works
When mixed with water, baking soda creates a thick paste that's perfect for scrubbing away the stains on your teeth, and because it's applied with a toothbrush, it even does a good job of reaching and removing the stains that form between your teeth - something most whitening kits can't do.
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Post by SAR01 on Mar 20, 2018 20:07:59 GMT -5
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
Today is the first day of spring, and when the weather starts warming up a lot of people start thinking about car buying. If you are in the market for a new vehicle my first advice would be to keep the car you have. Unless it is a health and safety hazard, any vehicle that is paid off will be cheaper than coming up with the $300, $400 or $500 a month for a new car, no matter what repairs or maintenance you have to do to it. However, if you absolutely have to buy, keep these tips in mind...
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Buy Used.
You have heard that a car loses 20 percent of its value as soon as you buy it. A $30,000 car will lose $6,000 as you drive off the lot.
Instead of buying that new car for 20 or 30 grand, buy a 2-3 year old car with low mileage of the same make and model for about half price. Remember, the minute that brand new vehicle rolls off the lot it becomes a "used" car.
BONUS TIP: But at the end of the month.
It may not always work, but dealers always have quotas to meet, and if you happen to catch a dealer behind on their quota at the end of the month, they will be much more willing to knock that two or three thousand dollars off the price of a vehicle to make the deal.
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Post by SAR01 on Apr 4, 2018 12:11:05 GMT -5
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Windshield Washer Fluid
Don't pay lots of money for Windex. Wait until the gallon size Windshield Washer fluid for cars goes on sale, and stock up. I see it in our area on sale for 99 cents quite often. Refill the Windex bottles you have, and save!
BONUS TIP: Bug Off!
Dead bugs all over your paint after a road trip? Use baking soda on a moist sponge and they just soften right up and wash off. Easy and inexpensive, and won't scratch the finish!
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Post by SAR01 on Apr 18, 2018 21:42:12 GMT -5
Hint 1:
The small trash cans in our homes can sometimes be overlooked until they are overflowing. Make this chore easier and more quickly accomplished by storing extra liners in the bottom of the trash can.
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When the power goes out, the LED Emergency Bulb shines bright automatically!
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Hint 2: Squeak-proof your wipers with rubbing alcohol!
Wipe the wipers with a cloth saturated with rubbing alcohol or ammonia.
This one trick can make badly streaking & squeaking wipers change to near perfect silence & clarity.
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Post by SAR01 on Apr 24, 2018 17:45:00 GMT -5
Tuesday, April 24, 2018
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
Most people know that paying bills late can play havoc with your credit score. But not every move that shaves points from your credit score is so obvious.
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP:
1. Charging a Big Balance to a Store Card You're tempted to buy thousands of dollars worth of furniture or appliances and charge it all to a store credit card that doesn't require payments for six months or even a yearand sometimes longer. But debt that sits untouched could drag down your score, especially if the balance is near the card's limit.
2. Trashing a Parking Ticket Parking and speeding tickets, library fines, and other dues to the government left unpaid won't go directly to your credit report. But if they are eventually reported to a collection agency, they could damage your score. That goes for anything that could go to collections. Even if you pay up, collections will appear on your report for seven years.
3. Stuffing Your Wallet With Cards If you've had a handful of cards for years, they won't hurt your score. But if you open several new accounts in a short period, your score is likely to take a hit, and you may not benefit immediately from expanded credit limits.
4. Transferring a Balance to a New Card The inquiry on your report from the new lender may shave a few points from your score, but the real problem is what you do with the old account. If you close it, your overall credit limit could go down, and your credit-utilization ratio will increase if you have debt on any remaining cards. Your best bet: Leave the old account open but keep a zero balance.
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Post by SAR01 on May 8, 2018 15:24:09 GMT -5
Tuesday, May 8, 2018 Greetings Thrifty Friends, A lot of money gets washed down the drain when you take a shower, and I'm not just talking about hot water. How many people have three different kinds of soap in their shower stall? Unless you're using a medicated soap for something you really don't need it. Be honest; what's the difference between shampoo and body wash? Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily! Learn more about RevenueStripe... TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Let's do a little shopping online for body wash. Okay, here is a 19.5 oz bottle of hydrating body wash for $5.69. I guess that's not too bad. Here's something called Coconut & Hibiscus. Sounds nice. Only $6.59 for 13 little ounces. Oooo... this body wash is infused with tree oil. That's got to be good for your skin. It better be for $13.93 for 12 oz. Personally, all I buy is moisturizing shampoo. I get a 28oz bottle for $3.99 at Target. I use it both as a shampoo and as a body wash and one bottle usually lasts me 2 months or longer. Granted, I don't smell like coconut & hibiscus or tree oil, but I get just as clean, my skin is just as soft, and cash always smells sweeter to me than pretty smelling soap.
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Post by SAR01 on May 15, 2018 12:54:52 GMT -5
uesday, May 15, 2018 Greetings Thrifty Friends, If the only thing you ever do with vodka is either add orange juice or olives to it, you're missing out! Scroll down for some clever and simple ideas with vodka. Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily! Learn more about RevenueStripe... TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Freshen Laundry Save yourself the occasional load of laundry by freshening up your clothes with vodka. If an item is relatively clean but just a little 'worn' simply spritz it with the vodka, then hang to dry in a well-ventilated area. Vodka kills odor-causing bacteria, but doesn't leave a scent when dry. Preserve Add a few drops of vodka and a teaspoon of sugar to the water in your flower vase. It should help keep your fresh longer. Change out the mixture with fresh ingredients daily. Clean Away Mold Got mold? The stuff spreads easily and can severely diminish indoor air quality. Instead of harsh chemical sprays, try filling a recycled spray bottle with some bottom-shelf vodka. Spritz on, then let sit for 15 minutes and scrub away. Deodorize your feet Foot odor is caused by bacteria and, or fungus. This is normally a consequence of trapping our sweaty feet in shoes and socks all day. Soaking your feet in a dilute solution of vodka (once again, might as well use the cheap stuff for this) and water will give them a deep clean and deodorize them.
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Post by SAR01 on Jun 12, 2018 12:51:29 GMT -5
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP: Have you moved around? Bank accounts, stocks, even uncashed checks, people, for one reason or another, sometimes end up leaving all sorts of money behind. Luckily, states keep track of it and if the owner can't be found, the account is listed on websites like unclaimed.org. Tax refund never arrive? Last year the IRS had more than $120 million in unclaimed refund checks! To find our if you're owed anything, log onto www.irs.gov where you can use the site's Where's My Refund took in a few simple steps. Or give them a call at 800-829-1954 and update your information. Missing a money gift? Grandparents give you a savings bond way back when? It's easy to forget to cash them in. So easy that more than 25,000 savings bonds payments go uncashed each year.
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Post by SAR01 on Jun 19, 2018 16:10:30 GMT -5
Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Greetings Thrifty Friends,
After heating and cooling, water heating is typically the largest energy user in the home because it is necessary for so many domestic activities. So it pays to keep your water heater working as efficiently as possible like lowering the water temperature thermostat by ten degrees and wrapping the water tank in an insulating blanket. But there is a simple and very important part of maintenance that many people ignore or don't even know about.
In the course of normal use, minerals and natural sediment in your water condense and settle to the bottom of your water heater. This sediment can seriously impede the efficiency of your water heater and can eventually cause it to corrode and malfunction, not to mention the fact that the sediment will eventually start to get into your tap water.
Scroll down to find out what to do about this slowly creeping problem.
Keep pinchin' those pennies, Penny
P.S. EVTV1 is back and better than ever! This video portal was created to sort through the online clutter to bring you the best animal clips...funniest videos...most popular...PLUS the most unusual. New videos are added daily!
Learn more about RevenueStripe...
TODAY'S THRIFTY TIP:
* Drain a few gallons of water from your water heater each year to remove sediment and improve efficiency!
Learning how to clean hot water heater sediment is easy:
First turn off the power so you don't risk electrical shock or burn out your element. Then turn off the cold water valve to the tank. Attach a garden hose to the tank drain valve and then drain a few gallons of the hot water in the tank through the hose. Then close the drain valve and open the cold water valve and you're ready to use the tank again.
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