The FREE Budget Stretcher Newsletter
December 4, 2006



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    The Budget Stretcher
    Week Of: December 4, 2006
    AOL Users Please Visit Online

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    Grandpa Terry's Quips

    Tip #30 - Having money isn't about having money.  It's about
    peace of mind.

    Answer to Last Week's Tip:

    Tip #9 - Trick Question -  You don't have enough money to cover
    your House payment/Rent and your car payment.  The House payment
    is 30 days behind and the car payment is 90 days behind.  What
    do you pay first? Think about it!

    Answer:

    Your house payment or rent is always the second priority you
    have behind groceries.  This is simply the law of survival.  In
    the above question you should pay the house payment and contact
    the car loan company and explain the situation.

    To get a better understanding of how to set your priorities here
    is an article that explains it in detail:


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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 - Coconut Pie
    Everyday Savings from http://www.thefrugalshopper.com

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    Subscriber Tip

    I have been shopping at Safeway and when their roasts come on
    sale for $1.99lb, I have them grind it up into hamburger.  The
    butcher does this for  free and you get extra lean hamburger
    for half the price of already ground hamburger.

    Michelle
    http://www.vermeerfamilyshop.com (we are adding more items)

    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.

    Please use the form available at:


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    Coupon Savings
    by Michelle Jones

    Here's a tip that will help you with your holiday shopping!
    Since one of the best ways to maximize your coupons is to buy
    items that are on sale, an easy method for knowing when a store
    SALE is a GREAT SALE is to be familiar with the regular prices,
    and regular sale prices. Every year during the holidays I
    collect the weekly sale flyers from stores like Wal-Mart,
    Target, Staples, Best Buy, Sears or any store that might have a
    particular item I'm wanting to purchase. Then, when the item I'm
    looking for goes on sale I can easily compare what the normal
    sale prices are and know when it's the best time to buy!

    Save hundreds of dollars on your groceries each month, with or
    without using coupons! Read more of Michelle's FREE grocery

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    Grandpa Terry's Update

    (Quote - "Do It Now Before Your Future Becomes Your Past")

    I want to personally welcome you to this week's newsletter. If
    you are a new subscriber all you have to do is just sit back,
    read and enjoy.

    I have a great special offer coming out this afternoon.  I'm
    sorry but I can't tell you about it now.  You will just have
    to watch your mailbox for a Subject Line of:

    The Budget Stretcher - Let Your Kids Hear From Santa

    I think you are going to especially enjoy one of our articles.
    It contains a link to a complete listing of all of the holiday
    shows on tv including what channel they are on.  The article is
    called "The Christmas Jar".

    I printed the list of tv shows out and it was 11 pages sorted
    by date and time.  I had to copy and paste it into Microsoft
    Works Word Processor and adjust the spacing or it would have
    been 18 pages.

    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

    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

    Special-need card users: Introduction
    By Bankrate.com

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    Grandpa Terry's Tip of the Week

    Thrifty Fun.com

    There are a lot of great web sites on the internet these days
    to help you save money and make life a lot easier.

    Without a doubt, Thrifty Fun.com is my favorite. They offer so
    much that it's hard to where to start.  This is why you see
    their ad in the newsletter each week.

    First, you can find an informative newsletter on a variety of
    subjects. Here is a list of the newsletters they offer:

    ThriftyFun Crafts: New! A weekly crafts newsletter full of
    tips, ideas and requests. A must read for frugal crafters!

    ThriftyFun Recipes: The ThriftyFun Recipes is published daily,
    Monday through Saturday. Everyday we feature between 5 and 10
    recipes submitted by our readers.

    Daily Thrifty Tips: The Daily Thrifty Tips is published daily,
    Monday through Saturday. Everyday we publish tips, photos, craft
    ideas and requests that have been submitted by our readers.

    ThriftyFun News: The ThriftyFun News is published weekly. Every
    week we pick a new topic and publish tips and articles about
    that topic. Topics include food, holidays, frugal living, home
    improvement and gardening.

    Happy Garden Newsletter: Our gardening newsletter. Full of
    gardening advice and growing guides. Sent once a week.

    One other area that I believe will interest you is their Coupon
    Swap pages. Right now they have over 600 people with coupons
    they want to swap and coupons they need.

    I want you to do something for me. Please visit the below link
    and sign up for one or more of their newsletters and take
    advantage of all they have to offer. Actually, this will be
    doing something for you too:


    Oh, by the way, this is all free!

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    Site of the Week

    Christmas Websites

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    Grandpa Terry's Email

    Topic of Discussion

    Dear Terry,

    I would like just a little info on which is the best way to get
    out of debt. We do not have the extra money to pay more on our
    debts, in fact we barely pay all of them now. In you opinion,
    which is the best way to go to help get us out of debt. We spend
    only about $30.00 a week on food. We have no outside activities
    that we have to pay to do. Just a little advice.

    Thanks,
    Laurie

    My Response:

    Hi Laurie,

    That's a tough one but I'll give it a try. If you can't afford
    to pay more on your credit cards or other debt you may try
    manipulating them.

    First, call your credit card companies and ask them if they
    will lower your interest rate. Inform them that you intend to
    transfer your balance to another card if they refuse. If they
    won't work with you then try to obtain a 0% interest rate card
    (normally 12 months) or a card that charges less interest than
    the ones you have and transfer the balances to that card.

    Here is another trick that could cut half the time and interest
    and won't cost you anything. Keep paying the same payment you
    paid this month on all of your credit cards even though the
    minimum payment goes down. This actually works even though it
    takes a little longer than adding to your payment. Here is a
    link to an article that explains this in detail.


    I hope this helps,
    Terry

    -------

    Response to last week's quip!

    Hi Terry,

    If the one payment is 90 days late there will be late charges!
    For 3 months!

    The 30 days would also, but only 1 month. The little amount
    that is paid on the 3 months wouldn't really be much. The one
    month might be a better solution. But the amount of interest is
    something to consider also. I think I'd go with the 30 day. This
    is Juanita talking to you! Remember me? Co-signer of grandson's
    loan, who now has no money? I have filled out forms to get on
    the Circuit Breaker here in Il. I won't know till Jan if I'm
    going to be accepted. Let me know or are you going to put the
    answer in your newsletter? Of course you are, , , , , , , ,
    DAAAAA I had a fair Thanksgiving too.

    All the Best to you
    Love, Juanita

    -------

    Grandpa Terry,

    I wanted to say thank you for giving me a light at what I
    thought was a very long dark tunnel. In looking at your debt
    elimination plan for my family I actually found it manageable
    and not as overwhelming as I once thought it might be.

    I will admit to you that I am sure that from time to time
    something will come up that will cause us to deviate from the
    given plan but I have vowed to not use any more credit cards no
    matter what. They have been the bain of our finances for a while
    now and I want to be free from them. I have been finding that
    getting started budgeting and what not is a bit overwhelming for
    me only because I tend to jump in with both feet thinking that I
    can get it all under my control within a matter of days when in
    reality that's so far from the truth especially since it didn't
    take a mere few days to get us spinning out of control. So I am
    attempting to take it one step at a time. I will be using your
    debt elimination plan for my family and in the mean time I will
    be tracking all of the family spending (cash, debit card
    purchases & bills written by check or paid electronically) and
    after that I will compile my list so that I can attempt to do a
    truer budget for my family. I have to realize that this is a
    work in progress and a learning process for all of us.

    I have to thank you for that. You and your open dialogue with
    me. I can't tell you how much I appreciate that especially since
    there are so many money management programs out there that don't
    offer the interaction you do. It means a great deal to me to
    know that I am not alone.

    Thank you again.
    Lisa

    My Response:

    Hi Lisa,

    You are very welcome and I am thrilled to be a small part of
    your quest to pay off your debt.

    There is very little in managing your money that is written in
    stone. There will always be things pop up that you just can't
    plan for. However, the more organized you are the easier it will
    be.

    One of the quips I use in my newsletter goes: "Debt is
    overwhelming. So is building a house. It's a little easier if
    you tackle it one 2X4 at a time." Just take it slow and easy and
    it will come together before you know it.

    Any time you have a question please feel free to contact me.
    That's what I'm here for.

    Have a great weekend,
    Grandpa Terry

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    Subscriber Tip

    Tired of buying roll after roll of wrapping paper (and having
    it run out when you're almost finished wrapping)? Try going
    down to your local newspaper - or other printing establishment
    and ask if you can buy an end-roll. These are rolls of newsprint
    paper that they did not quite use up, but are too small to start
    another printing run. You can wrap large packages for almost
    nothing, and decorate it however you like. My favorite decor for
    white packages is gluing on dried or silk flowers. The white
    paper is perfect for coloring, too. It's always a big hit.

    Shelley
    Editor's Note:  Shelley please contact me at tre2000@midwest.net
    I need your email address to send your organizer.

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    Subscriber Tip

    During the year, I keep various cereal boxes, boxes from tea,
    cookies, potato chip cylinders, etc. and use them for gift boxes
    for the holidays. If my child has a favorite cereal, it is fun
    to watch them open a present and see their cereal box with a
    gift inside. My relatives get a laugh out of opening a box of
    their favorite tea and finding a gift inside as well. Its an
    opportunity to reuse and lets them know I think about them
    during the year as well. You can flatten the boxes and keep them
    in a paper grocery bag in the pantry to cut down on storage
    space. I do this for birthdays too... sort of a gift within a
    gift and it always brings a surprised laugh when they tear open
    the wrapping paper. (Did she give me a box of cereal for a
    gift?) ; ]

    Hobby

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    This Week's Article Links

    Just click the links to view the article

    The Christmas Jar
    By Amy Allen Clark
    (Note: This article contains a complete listing of holiday tv
    shows)

    Refinancing doesn't stop debt problems
    The Debt Adviser by Steve Bucci • Bankrate.com

    The Money Jar Trap - Why Many Lose Money With A Coin Jar
    By Jeffrey Strain

    To read more articles visit:

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    Special Recipe

    Holiday Cooking

    Coconut Pie

    1 1/2 cups milk
    1/4 cup sugar
    1/4 tsp. salt
    3 Tbsp. flour
    1 egg yoke
    1 Tbsp. butter
    1/2 tsp. vanilla
    1 1/2 cups coconut
    1 baked pie shell
    whipped cream

    Scald 1 cup milk in a double boiler.  Mix sugar, salt flour, and
    remaining milk together.  Stir into hot milk and cook slowly
    until thickened, stirring constantly.  Cover and cook over
    boiling water for 5 minutes.  Add mixture slowly to egg yokes
    and cook 1 minute longer.  Add butter and vanilla.  Stir in
    coconut.  Cool.  Pour into baked pie shell and top with shipped
    cream if desired.  Makes one 9-inch pie.

    This recipe compliments of The Best Cookbook Anywhere Not Just

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    Everyday Savings

    These Tips provided by The Frugal Shopper

    Please show your appreciation for these great tips by visiting
    this site.

    Do you need some free Christmas printables?  Check out the large
    selection of printable links on the below page:


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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.