Powered by YourMailinglistProvider.com
This 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. This email
contains advertisements to help support Budget Stretcher.
***********************************************************
The Budget Stretcher
Week Of: December 25, 2006
AOL Users Please Visit Online
***********************************************************
Grandpa Terry's Quips
Tip #20 - I've heard Mom's say they just don't have the
discipline to manage their money. I don't get it. Around most
homes discipline is spelled M O M!
***********************************************************
/////////////////////////////////////////
THE MORE DEBTS YOU HAVE,
THE FASTER YOU CAN PAY THEM OFF!
Paying 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:
/////////////////////////////////////////
***********************************************************
***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 - Extra Rich Hot Cocoa Mix
***********************************************************
Subscriber Tip
Terry
Our whole family gets our hair cut at the local beauty school.
It only costs $6.50 per cut, which is about 1/4 of what you
would pay at a salon. I also get my hair highlighted for about
$30, which is half the cost of what a regular salon charges. The
students always do a good job--and I get compliments on my hair.
They're also very accomodating w/ my small children.
Thanks for your newsletter, Terry!
Ashley
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:
***********************************************************
Coupon Savings
by Michelle Jones
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!!! If you know
someone who is out of work right now this could be a wonderful
time to take them a box full of groceries with a big red bow on
top! Take advantage of the "Buy One - Get One Free" and other
sales this week, use your coupons, and you'll be able to fill a
large box with needed grocery items for a very affordable price.
This may not seem like much to some people but we know from
personal experience that it can mean the world to your gift
recipient! :o)
Save hundreds of dollars on your groceries each month, with or
without using coupons! Read more of Michelle's FREE grocery
***********************************************************
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.
On January 1, 2000 I started Budget Stretcher which means I'm
going into my 8th year. I receive a lot of email telling me
how much you appreciate the information I provide and how it
has helped you better manage your money.
I have to admit that over the last 7 years I have learned much
more from you folks than I could ever teach you. Every email
and tip I receive just adds to my knowledge and allows me to pass
that along to all of the subscribers.
I just want to say thanks to all of you and wish you a Happy
and Prosperous New Year!
There's a lot of things that cause money problems, but most of
these relate to how much money you owe and your monthly
payments. 2007 is going to be the year that we work really
hard on reducing or eliminating your debt and your monthly
payments.
With the New Year just a week away it's time to start getting
organized and thinking about how we are going to reduce your
debt next year.
The first thing I would like for you to do is get your 2006
files put away and start your new 2007 files. This would be
a good week to get this done and be ready for the new year.
Next, in my Tip of the Week this week I suggest that you find
out exactly what and who you owe money to and provide a form
to get it down on paper.
Now, I would like for you to make a New Year's Resolution if
you are paying the minimum payments on your credit cards. To Do
this you need to stop using your credit cards and rely on cash.
Take your January 2007 payment and continue to pay that amount
every month no matter whether the minimum payment is reduced or
not. This alone could save you thousands of dollars in interest
and allow you to pay them off much quicker. Usually it's only
a few dollars and you won't notice the extra money.
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
***********************************************************
Support Our Sponsor
Want a safer, healthier home? Want to save time and money?
Over 10,000 Frugal Tips and Articles
Are you looking for ways to economize? ThriftyFun.com publishes
tips in a variety of categories, from food to home improvement.
We encourage reader's requests and participation. Come join the
discussion at ThriftyFun.com and view over 10, 000 tips and
articles to save you money and time!
***********************************************************
Credit Card Information
Bi-Weekly Credit Card Payments Can Save $1000s in Interest
Charges
By Nancy Castleman, CardRatings.com Consumer Reporter
***********************************************************
Grandpa Terry's Tip of the Week
Reprinted From March 2002 Newsletter
How Much Do You Owe
I thought it would be a good time for all of us to find out
just how much we owe.
Some of you might want to shoot me or at least unsubscribe at
the suggestion that you actually sit down and determine who and
what you owe. However, I think it's worth the risk.
All too often we just concentrate on what the payments are and
not the bottom line. That's good to a certain extent so long as
we keep those payments within our budget. I have bought cars and
other items where what the item cost or how long I was going to
have to pay never really crossed my mind. This is how our debt
can get out of control.
When you know how much you really owe you will have a better
idea of how to go about managing that debt. It should be our
goal to reduce our debt from year to year. The only way to do
this is to list all of our debts on a single piece of paper once
or twice a year and compare it to what we owed the year before.
Finding out how much you owe is a simple process. I would
recommend that you write down the account number, company name
and the balance on all of your debts on a single piece of paper
as you receive your statements for any given month. If some of
your debtors do not send statements, you may have to call for
the balance. Then, when you have the information you need for
each debt simply add those balances together. It might be a
sobering experience.
I have developed a simple form for this purpose you can print
if you like. You can find it at
if you kept this form with your other budget forms.
***********************************************************
Site of the Week
Money Expertise
***********************************************************
Grandpa Terry's Email
I just wanted to say thanks for your site, even in Australia
most of what you speak of (except the coupons) are relevant
here. Have a wonderful Christmas and all the very best for 2007.
Cheers
Maree
-------
Dear Grandpa Terry
First let me wish you and your family a Merry Christmas and a
healthy and happy 2007.
My husband's former employer (he's retired) has informed us
that a laptop with his name and all information (Boeing) has
been stolen and hundreds of thousands of current and retired
employees information has been compromised. So far, they've
given us a "code number" which will allow us to have a free
credit report at all 3 services.
I know you've written about this, but I'm so upset I can't find
information anywhere. Can you tell me where to look to find
other things we should be doing so we don't have our identify
and credit ruined? Thank you.
Marie
My Response:
Hi Marie,
The absolute best site I have found with information about
identity theft is at the Federal Trade Commission. Here is the
link:
And a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and yours!
Grandpa Terry
***********************************************************
Subscriber Tip
Every annual bill added up for the year and divided by 26
(every 2 weeks) must be deposited in a seperate account. This way
when the bill is due, there is no concern, you just write the
cheque.
Bev
***********************************************************
Finally Organized, Finally Free
An amazing collection of 1, 300 organizing tips, ideas and
techniques to help you organize your home, your office and your
life!
Clutter-control tips for every room in the house. Time
management systems to help you gain extra hours in your day.
Super ways to organize the paper monsters in your life. Ideas
and systems to keep you motivated, and so much more!
***********************************************************
Budget Stretcher Partners
At Home Parent
Frugal Folks.com
Tidbits from the Pantry
Abbys Good Stuff for Free
Diva Tribe
Free Credit Card Reviews
MomsMakingMoneyOnline.com
***********************************************************
Subscriber Tip
Those return envelopes that come with all of the junk mail work
well for the kids to use for lunch money, book money, bake sale
money, and notes to teachers. I write on them with a marker and
X off the mailing address and postage paid area so it doesn't
get" accidently" mailed.
Sheila
**********************************************************
Support Our Sponsors
Samples for free - over 1500 to choose from
Free 1500 samples
Samples of candy, food and other items
Free candy samples, pet samples, + others
***********************************************************
This Week's Article Links
Just click the links to view the article
7 experts' 7 top tips for '07
By Bankrate.com
After Christmas Sales!
(The most wonderful time of the year!)
By Tawra Kellam
How to Raise Your Credit Score
by Ellise Walsh
To read more articles visit:
***********************************************************
Take Advantage of your Budget Stretcher Subscriber
Benefits Visit:
Visit Our Forum
Budget Stretcher Subscriber Benefits Page
The Complete Budget and Bill Organizer
Budget Forms
Visit Your Forum
Join These Groups
A_Simple_Life
Frugal-Folks
FrugalMomsNews
FunOnABudget
***********************************************************
Support Our Sponsors
250 Quick, Easy Dinner Ideas
Do you ever get stuck in a rut, preparing the same meals
for your family week after week? I do!
What's for dinner tonight?? The Creative Homemaking
What's for Dinner? cookbook contains more than 250
quick, easy, family-tested dinner ideas plus a lot
more.
***********************************************************
Special Recipe
Extra Rich Hot Cocoa Mix
10 2/3 cups dry milk
6 oz. non-dairy coffee creamer
1 lb. Nestle Quik
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Mix the ingredients in a large bowl and store in covered
container. To prepare hot cocoa, mix 1/2 cup of the mix with 1
cup of hot water. This is double the cost of the plain cocoa mix
but it is very good and still cheaper than the little packets.
This recipe compliments of The Best Cookbook Anywhere Not Just
***********************************************************
Everyday Savings
These Tips provided by The Frugal Shopper
Please show your appreciation for these great tips by visiting
this site.
~~When washing dark clothes for the first time use
cold water and put salt in the water. The salt helps set
the color. To brighten dark clothes after they have been
washed several times, repeat the procedure.
~~Black clothing tends to look brown after several
washings. To restore the black color, add coffee or strong
tea to the rinse water.
~~Many garments labeled "Dry Clean Only" can be safely
hand washed using mild soap like Woolite and cold water.
***********************************************************
Contact Information:
Budget Stretcher
1203 Madison 228
Fredericktown, MO 63645
FAX: 573-783-5982
***********************************************************
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.
|