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Newsletter to Your Friends (Use this link only if you receive this newsletter by email) Week of March 29, 2010This is an OPT-IN list ONLY! If you feel that you have received this message in error, please follow the directions at the bottom of this email to unsubscribe. Thank you.Click Here to view this newsletter online. Navigate This ColumnGrandpa Terry's Update Welcome to The Budget Stretcher! (First printed on April 7, 2008) Yes, I've written about it before but this is getting old. It's getting to the point that I avoid the news like the plague. I can't say that I don't moan and complain every once in a while but the news media has it down to a science. I just read that 86% of those polled in a survey feel our economy isn't going in the right direction. To an extent I can understand how they would feel that way with prices going through the roof. I am paying $3+ for gas and $4+ for milk too. My main problem with all of this negativity is that the media enjoys reporting it so much. You can hear it in their voice. But, where are the ones that say "here's what we have and here's what we have to do to fix it". When I was in the Navy I can't tell you how many times one of my superiors told me "Rigg, don't come to me with a problem unless you have a solution". Yes, we are losing jobs right now. But, did you lose your job? Don't worry about it unless you did. You can plan but don't worry. Yes, the stock market is going down. Did you sell stocks at a loss? Don't worry about it unless you did. Plan for it. This same media was finding fault when we were adding 1 million jobs a month and the Dow was over 14,000. Don't let what you hear on TV or listen to on the radio or read in the newspapers affect the way you feel about our economy. We are in rough times right now but things will get better, they always do. The "Power of Positive Thinking" really does work. It may not make you a nickel or pay any of your bills but you won't go nuts worrying about it. Just once I would like to hear that we lost 80,000 jobs this month but that means that over 150 million people are still working. Fat Chance... I'll step down from my soap box now and let you get to the rest of the newsletter. Enjoy! That really sounds like a dumb question but it's one that's worth asking. The answer is not as simple as you would think. You need to find out if you are paying cash or using a credit card. If you are using a credit card how will you pay the bill? Let's start with cash. You will pay $500 for that TV and in most states between 6% & 8% sales tax. The cost of the TV will be (using 7%) $535 total. Now for the credit card. Simply using a credit card doesn't increase the cost of that TV. It depends on how you pay the bill. If you pay off the entire balance of the card each month you won't pay a penny more than the $535 including tax. If you pay $50 per month on that card you will pay $45.81 in interest (at 18%) for a total of $581 including tax. It will take you 11 months to pay it off. If you pay the mininum payment on the card you will pay $198.34 in interest (at 18%) for a total of $733 including tax. It will take you 47 months to pay it off. You just added nearly 50% to the cost of that TV. It doesn't matter how many rewards you get for the card or whether you bought it on sale, if you don't pay it off with either cash or pay the entire balance each month, that TV won't be a bargain. That's all for now. Remember, I really enjoy hearing from you folks. If you have any comments, complaints, suggestions or just want to say Hi, please send me an email to tre2000@midwest.net If you know someone that may be interested in subscribing to our newsletter just copy and paste the below link into an email to them and have them subscribe: http://www.homemoneyhelp.com/confirmsubs.html Have a great week, Grandpa Terry Sponsor AdvertisementAre you frustrated trying to get by on the money you make? Would you like to get a good view to where all your money is going? Would you like to start saving your money, or save even more? Looking for something easier then software like Quicken or Money? Would you like to teach your children about finance? Click Here to check out My Budget Planner Today Grandpa Terry's Tip of the Weekfrom Budget Stretcher 1. Find out when using coupons can save you money. 2. Use the dollar bill or change savings plan to increase your savings. 3. Guard your credit card numbers and other personal information against theft. 4. Consider consolidating your debts only after you understand the costs involved. 5. Understand that money problems can cause family problems. Don't let it happen. 6. Consider the "Cook for a Day, Eat for a Month" plan. 7. Read and Understand everything you sign. 8. Check with your credit card, insurance or cell phone companies to see if they offer free or low cost Road Side Assistance. 9. Make sure you really need the extended warranties on the items you buy before you pay the big bucks. 10. Consider paying a few extra dollars on your mortgage or other debts each month. Sponsor AdvertisementPaying highest-interest debt first is the SLOWEST way out ... You can laugh at money worries - if you follow our simple plan. Discover savvy consumer money secrets your friends don't know and banks won't tell you. Limited time only. ACT NOW: ///////////////////////////////////////// Grandpa Terry's EmailFeatured Articleby Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper
1. There are two kinds of garage sales ? the ones where people want to make money and the ones where people want to get rid of stuff. The object is to find the ones where people want to get rid of stuff. 2. Get a map and newspaper and map out your route. Photocopying a map from a phone book or printing one from the web works great. Using this method, you can easily visit 25 sales an hour. If you're a beginner you might hit neighborhoods you are familiar with first. 3. If at all possible leave the kids at home. If you must take them use a baby backpack or an umbrella stroller to make it easier. Give older children 25 or 50 cents and let them see what good deals they can get. Kids love picking out gifts for grandparents, siblings, parents and other family and bargain hunting helps them learn about money. Bring snacks (animal crackers, cereals, crackers in plastic bag works well) and cold water for everyone and plan ahead for potty breaks. If you have children with you, it's best only to plan on hitting about five sales until you see how they do. 4. Wear cool, comfortable clothes. Bring lots of change and one dollar bills. Put your money in your pockets so you don?t have to worry about carrying your purse. Also bring a tote bag in which to carry your finds as you walk. 5. When you find something you're not sure you want, pick it up and carry it around while you continue looking. Otherwise someone else may take it while you're trying to decide. 6. Always ask politely if they will come down on the price. Most of the time they will. Every once in a while some things are so reasonable that I do not feel right asking for less. Finding women's sweater's at $1.00 each isn't bad, but I still ask if they will take 50 or 75 cents. If I find a name brand sweater in perfect shape for 25 cents, I don't ask for less. 7. If there is something you really want, but the seller is asking more than you want to pay, offer them a lower price. If they say no, leave your name and number and ask them to consider selling it to you at your price if they still have it at the end of the day. 8. Always check items well for hard to see tears, stains, or breakage. Remember it is a garage sale so everything won't be perfect. 10. If you don’t have success in one part of town, try somewhere else the next time. Sometimes the best garage sale neighborhoods are the ones you don’t expect. Don?t be embarrassed about buying at garage sales. Some of the wealthiest women in the world love garage sales - Martha Stewart and Oprah are among them! When you?re done, go home, put up your feet and have a nice glass of ice cold lemonade. Grab the phone and call someone who will share the excitement and appreciate your good buys. Garage sales are like old fishing stories. Die-hards always brag about the one that got away! Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the co-editors of http://www.LivingOnADime.com/. As a single mother of two, Jill Cooper started her own home business without any capital and paid off $35,000 debt in 5 years on $1,000 a month income. |
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