The FREE Budget Stretcher Newsletter
August 21, 2006



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    The Budget Stretcher
    Week Of: August 21, 2006
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    Grandpa Terry's Quips

    Tip #21 - Unless you want enough fuel for a bonfire at the
    end of the year, throw away all of the propaganda you
    receive with your bill statements.

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    ***What's Inside***

    Money Saving Tip
    Subscriber's Tip of the Week
    Coupon Savings
    Grandpa Terry's Update
    Credit Card Information
    Grandpa Terry's Tip of the Week
    Site of the Week
    Grandpa Terry's Email
    This Week's Articles
    Special Recipe - Crock Pot Mac & Cheese
    Everyday Savings from http://www.thefrugalshopper.com

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    Subscriber Tip

    When hand mixing a batch of brownies or a box cake mix - I
    run the dry batter through my flour sifter first - it makes
    it easier to beat all of the lumps out when mixing by hand.

    Vickie

    All you have to do is submit a "Subscriber Tip" and if it
    appears in The Budget Stretcher you will get your choice of
    either The Complete Budget and Bill Organizer Download or
    10 of my Budget and Credit Card Calculating Forms.

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    Coupon Savings
    by Michelle Jones

    For the next several weeks I'm going to talk about
    different methods for organizing grocery coupons; after you
    have clipped them out and have a coupon file, box or
    notebook ready. One of my favorite ways to organize coupons
    is in alphabetical order! This organizing method is always
    quick and simple, and easy to maintain. Simply file each
    coupon by the first letter of whatever the product is,
    using either the brand name or the food type. For example,
    Quaker Oatmeal could be filed under Q for Quaker, or O for
    oatmeal, whichever you feel will be easiest for you to
    locate when it goes on sale! ; o)

    Save hundreds of dollars on your groceries each month, with
    or without using coupons!  Read more of Michelle's FREE
    grocery saving tips at http://www.GrocerySavingTips.com

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    Grandpa Terry's Update

    Welcome to this week's issue of our newsletter. I hope
    this finds everyone doing well.

    Please make sure you read "Grandpa Terry's Tip of the
    Week". There is a new free service that you will probably
    be interested in that can save you a lot of time and money.

    Well, my grandkids are back in school and the fight is on.
    They just started Thursday and after only two days the
    squabble over what they want to wear, doing their homework,
    getting up early, and just about everything else has
    already become a routine. I love seeing my kids go through
    what we went through with them. I guess that's what makes
    being a grandparent so great!

    The holidays are just a few months away.  Now would be a
    good time to start planning your holiday shopping.  I
    found a calculator that you can use to help you with this
    task.  Here's the link:


    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

    If you know someone that may be interested in subscribing
    to our newsletter just have them visit:


    All the best,
    Grandpa Terry

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    Credit Card Information

    Debit Cards vs. Credit Cards
    Credit Cards.com

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    Grandpa Terry's Tip of the Week

    Grocery Guide

    There's a new way to shop the specials at your local
    stores and it won't cost you a cent.

    This last week I was contacted by Groceryguide.com and
    asked if I would be interested in promoting their new
    beta software to my visitors and subscribers.

    I was a little skeptical at first because many times when
    a program is free there are usually some strings attached.
    This is understandable because people that spend their
    money to develop and promote need to recoup it in some
    way.

    I decided to give it a try because the concept of providing
    a no cost way for you to shop your local stores specials
    right on your computer was worth the effort.

    Actually, it was better than I expected.  Here is what
    you do:


    Enter your Zip Code - A list of stores in your area will
      show up in the next window.

    Select the store you want shop

    Browse the Specials that are listed with the expiration
      date of the offer.

    Place a check in the box to the right of each item you
      want

    When you are done you simply click on "Print List" and you
      will receive a list of only the items you checked.

    You can also use the option to "Send to Cell Phone"

    I would very much like to know what you think of this new
    service by Budget Stretcher.  Just send your comments to

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    Site of the Week

    KRB Enterprises

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    Grandpa Terry's Email

    Topic of Discussion

    I found this site through another newsletter and it is a
    great site to say thanks to our soldiers. It is a free site
    where you can pick out a card to be sent to a soldier
    serving in the war. You cannot specify who it will be sent
    to. The website is:


    I hope you can pass this on to your readers, as the men
    and women serving our country could sure use our support
    and know that the country is behind them and praying for
    their safe return soon. Thank you for passing this on!!!

    jmz2005, thank you!

    ----------

    Hi Terry, my name is Carla, I have been reading your
    newsletter for years, and have purchased a couple of your
    e-books, which very useful.

    Regarding fundraisers for youth groups, etc. Years ago, I
    was the adult leader for a youth group my daughter was a
    member of. Every year there was a state convention at one
    of the colleges for these girls to gather and compete. When
    I took over, several of the girls in our local group had
    never attended, due to the expense. I initiated " Let me
    bring you lunch." All of the parents were asked once a
    month to ask their co-workers if they would be willing to
    buy a sub sandwich for the lunch the following week on a
    specified day. We arrange for donations of all the food to
    make the sandwiches except the meat, which we were able to
    purchase through a local wholesaler for a discounted price.
    The night before, we met at the meeting place, and in less
    than 2 hours, made and wrapped the sandwiches, which were
    sent home with the girls, put into coolers by the parents
    and delivered to their co-workers, families, etc. Orders
    each month totaled over 100, the cost to make-.75, and they
    were sold for 3 dollars apiece. All 15 girls went to the
    convention expenses paid the following summer.

    Carla

    ----------

    My idea of volunteering is as follows:

    1. Volunteering at a hospital helping patients who are ill

    2. Volunteering time at a hospital doing things that
    hospital sets aside that paid employees cannot get done.

    3. Joining the Rotary Club

    4. Joining and working with a local Community Club for the
    benefit of the community - planning parades, helping
    development and improvement within the community, etc.

    5. Working with Aging Services -- volunteering time at the
    centers

    6. Volunteering as a Volunteer Ombudsman (ombudsman -
    advocating for those in nursing and personal care homes --
    making sure the laws are being followed for the care and
    welfare of those in the home).

    7. Volunteering at Church providing your talents that help
    everyone

    8. Those with computer skills volunteering at aging
    services for those older people who want to learn to use
    the internet, etc. And on and on and on ...

    I personally volunteer at our local hospital on the
    Patient Information Desk where we take calls concerning
    those admitted to the hospital, move patients from their
    rooms to their waiting cars and family, etc.

    I am past Vice Pres of the local Rotary Club and just
    retired from the club

    I am past president of the Area Community Association that
    provides may services to the local area and am still active

    I am past president to the local Computer Club and still
    active

    I am currently a volunteer ombudsman to 11 personal care
    homes and one Nursing home

    I provide various free services using my computer for
    video, photography and the like.

    Why am I telling you this? Not because I am so great! I am
    a very humble person. I don't flaunt what I do for someone.
    I was in the insurance business for 42 years. While I was
    an agent I always volunteered as a way of giving back to
    those who supported me and to help the community. Yes, I
    gave away t-shirts, pens, pencils, road atlases, etc but I
    was still active in the community because I enjoyed it and
    it was a way of giving back. So many people take but never
    give back.

    In many communities there are many who do volunteer and
    thank God for their help because many things would not be
    available in the area if there were no volunteers. I am
    hoping that more people will get off their duffs, quit with
    the excuses, and help someone in need. Those in business
    can advertise by giving away little things here and there
    but if you are in business and you truly love people,
    volunteering within the community is so rewarding. All the
    advertising give-aways will be long forgotten but your
    helping those in need will never be forgotten -- and the
    latter is the most rewarding. At least it is to me.

    Continue on with your good work.

    Unsigned

    ----------

    Hi Grandpa Terry, I just wanted to let you know that I
    felt this week's newsletter was absolutely outstanding.

    I learned several very helpful tips from this week's
    edition. I have bookmarked the new partner site,
    totallyfrugal.com, and hope to spend a lot of time there
    browsing what looks like tons of good information from
    others who are pioneering their way to a more frugal yet
    abundant lifestyle. And I absolutely love the little pocket
    organizer at pocketmod.com that someone suggested. It is
    perfect for me!

    On my 55th birthday, I said goodbye to purses and now
    carry everything I need in my pockets. This little jewel
    will fit in my wallet! I also wanted to pass along a tip I
    got a few days ago from a butcher at Sam's Club. We had
    been buying their 90% lean ground beef in large packages
    there for a long time, and we bring them home and divide
    them into smaller packages and patties to freeze. We have
    been paying usually $2.28 per pound, which is a decent
    price for relatively lean ground beef, and the quality has
    always been good. But the butcher shared with us that the
    large tubes of ground beef just next to the packages we had
    been buying are exactly what they use to make up the large
    packages. They just run the meat through the grinder and
    repackage it. That's it!

    The difference is that they charge 36 cents per pound to
    handle the meat one more time. The meat in the large tube
    is $1.92 per pound, which is 36 cents less per pound than
    the packages we had been buying! We bought the large tube,
    brought it home and divided it up as usual, and again, the
    quality has been excellent. I hope others can put this
    information to good use. I realize ground beef can be
    purchased at a lower cost, and extremely low fat varieties
    cost a lot more, but if someone has any dietary and health
    concerns they are trying to address without breaking the
    bank, this 90% fat free ground beef may be just the thing
    for them.

    Thanks again for your efforts on our behalf,
    Pam

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    Subscriber Tip

    This is a very useful tip when trying to read small print.
    If you hold the down the CTRL key on your keyboard and then
    turn the small wheel in the middle of your mouse away from
    you or towards you, the print size will change -- it will
    either get larger or smaller -- depending on which way you
    turn the wheel.

    Marsha

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    Subscriber Tip

    Try bulk cooking and freezing, only shop the sales for
    several weeks and then cook and freeze. I find this saves
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    Constance

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    This Week's Article Links

    Just click the links to view the articles

    50 good things about being debt-free
    The Debt Adviser by Steve Bucci • Bankrate.com

    You can't afford to get sick!
    By Viola Horne

    PARENTING: HOW TO BE A BETTER ONE!
    By Dr. Vernon Brabham

    To read more articles visit:

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    Special Recipe

    Editor's Note:  I received this recipe in an email that
    wasn't signed.  I haven't tried it!

    This is "THE BEST EVER" mac and cheese you will ever eat.

    Crock Pot Mac & Cheese:

    1 box (16oz) elbow macaroni
    1 stick butter or marg.
    2 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
    1 c. swiss cheese (shredded)
    1 1/2 c. milk
    2 eggs
    1 large can evaporated milk
    Salt & pepper (to taste)

    Cook and drain macaroni (as on package directions.)
    put in crock pot.

    Add butter, 2 c.cheddar cheese and 1 c. swiss cheese and
    stir.

    In large bowl add milk, salt & pepper, beaten eggs and can
    of milk then pour over mac in crackpot and stir. top with
    remaining cheddar cheese. you can add some extra if you want
    to. Cover and cook on low for 3 hrs. (the mac will be just
    fine, believe me) I was scared it would be mushy too, but
    it wasn't.

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    Everyday Savings

    These Tips provided by The Frugal Shopper

    Before Shopping:

    Check your pantry to see what you already have.

    Don't spend money on things you don't need.

    Plan your spending to avoid impulse buys.

    Grow it or Make it yourself and save!

    Make a price book, and frequently refer to it.

    Prepare your menu for the week around what you
    already have, and what's on sale.

    If your area has food co-ops, Join up! A food co-op can
    reduce your weekly food bill by as much as 50%.

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    Contact Information:
    Budget Stretcher
    1203 Madison 228
    Fredericktown, MO  63645
    FAX:  573-783-5982

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    Disclaimer:  This newsletter is only intended to provide
    information on proper money management.  Budget Stretcher
    or Terry Rigg can not accept responsibility for any injury or
    damage that may be caused to yourself, others, or
    property when following any advice given.