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Newsletter to Your Friends (Use this link only if you receive this newsletter by email) Week of November 30, 2009This 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! I read an article from Bankrate that spells out a how the new health care bill, if passed, will affect us. The first part of the article is a little scary because the government is mandating everyone, with only a few exception, have health care and imposing stiff penalties if you don't. I'm not sure what the final bill will look like but I do believe that it's important to keep an eye on how things are going. Here is an article that will help: How the health reform bill would affect you I have something else that may be fun to list in the newsletter. Every state and many citys have laws that are just crazy. I'm going to list one of those law each week. Let me know what you think!! Florida If an elephant is left tied to a parking meter, the parking fee has to be paid just as it would for a vehicle. Compliments of Loony Laws.com Gas in Homewood $2.88 a gallon "Free Candy Christmas Wreath e-Book" If you feel you can't afford a Lifetime Membership to Budget Stretcher Premium you may want to consider how much it will cost you by not joining. There are literally thousands of ways you can save much more that the price of a membership at the Budget Stretcher Premium web site. From saving a few dollars here and there from the thousands of money saving tips to saving $10,000 or more when you get a free debt elimination summary. This Christmas break the cycle of New Year debt that has been ruining your finances for years. Become a Lifetime Member and learn how to change your financial future. Our "Secret Offer" may be a free download or a program that I recommend for you that costs a little bit of money. This is not a gimmick or a trick and you make the final decision whether you want the offer or not. 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 WeekAre you one of those people that pay your bills no matter what? That is an admirable trait to have when managing your money. You made the bill and you feel you are responsible for paying it. Good for you. Now let's talk about how much money you have to cover your household expenses after you pay all of those bills. Your household expenses would include your groceries, car gas, school lunches, and all of the other stuff that it takes to run a household. Do you have enough to pay this bill? All to often, people tend to pay their bills and try to live on what's left. This never works unless you have enough money left to cover these at home expenses. The grocery bill will always run about the same, you will always need about the same money for gas, etc. In other words, you need enough to live on. I have seen this time and time again. Another bill is made and the money comes out of the household budget because there is no money available in any other category. Then what happens? Many people resort to using their credit cards to cover their regular expenses. Since there is no other money available to pay their increased credit card payments, that also has to come out of their household expenses. This is how many people find themselves in over their heads. There is only one way to change this cycle. You have to allow enough money in your budget to cover the things you need. You must do this even at the expense of your other bills. That could put you in a position that you can't make some of your payments, but at lease you won't be increasing your debt, except for possibly late fees. If this is your situation you need to seek help to reduce the payments on your other bills. Naturally, there are many ways to cut your household expenses that will allow you to pay more toward your other bills. You can save a lot of money on groceries by using coupons, buying generic, not using processed foods, etc. The internet is full of ideas and tips to help you save. When you develop or revise your budget, always put the emphasis on your household needs. Once you have determined how much you need to get by, then you can see what is left for other bills. Sponsor AdvertisementEditor's Note: I wouldn't trust my computer backup to any other company. Your computer files are not only backed up on their servers but also on your computer. Make a mistake and delete something. Just go in and retrieve it. It's that simple!! Grandpa Terry's EmailGood Afternoon Grandpa Terry !!!!Long time no chat ! =( Hope & pray you are well !!! First thought today was to hop on before the week got to busy-- and wish you A Very Happy Thanksgiving !!!! Second thought was I read the article from Kathy on inexpensive Christmas decorating. Got me thinking do you have any old articles on inexpensive Christmas gift giving? We often have those people that we would like to give something small to- (school bus drivers, mailmen, teachers, trashman, or a kind neighbor, and of course the children have "friends" that just can not be forgotten or left out) BUT of course those of us who read your newsletters know we NEED to stick to a budget. Any articles or suggestions would be a great help !! Thanks a bunch !! Again have a great Thanksgiving !!! Crystal (from DE) My Response: Hi Crystal, And a Very Happy Thanksgiving to you!! I checked my articles and couldn't find any articles on inexpensive gifts. I did find an article that gives several ideas that you may want to consider. Here is the link: Giving Christmas Gifts on the Cheap Cheap Christmas Gifts: Why Not Start a New Tradition? http://stress.about.com/od/shoppingstress/a/cheap_gift_idea.htm I hope this helps, Grandpa Terry Hi Grandpa Terry, I have a question about paying on credit cards. We are currently over 3 months behind on our credit cards. My husband's business is WAY down, and I had knee surgery this summer without health insurance. the doctors have been great about working on me without insurance, and have actually discounted my account substantially. I am just paying each-doctor, anesthiologist, etc. about 10.00 each until I get it done. Which is working as I can see the balances go down some. My problem is my credit card bills. With the big reduction in our income from my hubby's business way down, there just isn't the money to make these huge credit card payments. Second job isn't an option as we have children that can't be left alone. We have the creditors calling constantly. I have talked to them and written them each about 3 letters. They won't accept a small payment of 10.00 a month. However, I would like to keep PAYING on the bills. I would like to try to pay them. What I would like to do is for them to stop these exorbitant late fees and high interest rates, close the accounts and accept whatever I can pay. How can I get them to accept a small payment on a regular basis?? Currently, I do not have any big amount of money saved up to settle with them. Our house payment had gotten behind as well, and we just got that current. I did write them to ask them to stop phone calls since they won't listen to what I have to say. Any ideas? Thanks, Ann from KY Featured Articleby Alyssa Davis If you are a college student or have just moved into your first apartment, you probably have a tight budget for furnishing your home. Because you are likely to move in a few years, it is a good idea to keep furniture basic and easy to part with down the road. Or, you may be in a position where you simply can't afford to walk into a regular furniture store and bring home what you like. In any case, there are generally two routes you can take when hunting for furniture on a budget. You can either go for cheaper furniture sold at large discount department stores or retail warehouse stores, or buy second-hand furniture sold by private parties or used furniture shops. Buying New Furniture It is not difficult to find new and inexpensive furniture that looks presentable and even has some style in its construction. However, the quality of the materials used and the workmanship will fall short, which will undoubtedly affect the durability and sturdiness of the piece. If you are buying furniture that will not go through a lot of weight or wear, such as a side table or display shelves, you can get away with the poorer quality. If you anticipate using the furniture only for a couple of years, buying new from discount places can turn out to be a good decision. Buying Used Furniture Buying used furniture does not mean getting the low end of the deal. People sell their furniture for various reasons, such as when they are redecorating their home or no longer need a particular piece in their new home. You may find others who have to relocate and are eager to sell some relatively new pieces in excellent condition. If you take the time and effort essential to bargain hunting, you may find fantastic deals that will be worth the legwork. Resources Your local newspaper or pennysaver are good resources to keep an eye out for furniture ads or garage sales in your neighborhood. Bulletin boards at your office, school, or supermarket are other sources. The popular online marketplace, Craigslist, is another great place to search for second-hand furniture. Don't forget thrift stores and charity organizations, which usually have a continual supply of used furniture of all kinds and styles. Before You Buy As with buying furniture in general, consider the dimensions of the space you have available and determine the measurements of the furniture you are considering. If you have contacted a private buyer and indicated interest in his or her furniture, make sure you have a good look at the item before you commit to the purchase. Test out sofas and coffee tables, inspect upholstery, springs, and stability of the legs or shelves, and ask the owner if any repairs are necessary. Also find out whether the furniture has come from a pet-free and smoke-free environment. Refinishing Pieces If you are good with your hands and have an interest in home projects, consider getting pieces that are solidly constructed and in a style you like. You may think about repainting or staining a worn coffee table or wooden chair to better fit into your décor. You may also want to get new hardware to update an old dresser or wardrobe. Alyssa Davis, on-staff writer for Metal-Wall-Art.com has extensive experience in decorating with wall art metal , large metal wall art and offers many more creative decorating ideas. |
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