LivingFrugal:HowtoSaveMoneyandNotFeelLikeYou'reBroke

byJamieWalker

Copyright2012Allrightsreservedbyauthor.

Disclaimer:Theinformationcontainedinthisguideisforinformationpurposesonlyandshouldnotbetakenasfactorlegaladvice.Exceptaspermittedunderthe U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication shall be copied,transmittedorreproducedinanyform,norcanitbestoredinaretrievalsystemordatabase,withouttheexpresswrittenconsentoftheauthor.

This book is a nonfiction book. However, the names characteristics of theindividualsinthebook,aswellassomeoftheevents,havebeenfictionalizedinordertoprotecttheidentitiesofthepeoplecontainedherein.Anysemblancetoapersonlivingordeadisincidentalandunintentional.

Innoeventwillwebeliableforanylossordamageincludingwithoutlimitation,indirect or consequential loss or damage, or any loss or damage whatsoeverarisingfromlossofdataorprofitsarisingoutof,orinconnectionwith,theuseofthisbook.

ContentsIntroduction5WhyYouNeedaSavingsAccount6TheThirty-DayRule10BeThrifty:BuySecondhandStuff12

Appliances13Books14Clothing15Furniture16Toys17ItemsYouShouldn'tBuy17

HowtoGetStuffForFree19FreeSamples20FreeorCheaperLongDistanceCalls20

ScratchandDentStores22DrinkMore,SaveMore24MakeYourOwnLaundrySoap25MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent27MakeYourOwnPlayDoughandSillyPutty2850UsesForBakingSoda30AppleCiderVinegar:EveryBitAsUsefulAsBakingSoda33HydrogenPeroxide36TurnOuttheLights38LearntoCoupon40

GetOrganized41FindingCoupons42HowToMaximizeCouponSavings42

SaveMoneyonLaundry45TryBundlingYourBills47

YourLifeInsuranceMayBeCostingYouTooMuch49SaveMoneyonYourCar51

NeverBuyNew51SaveMoneyonRepairs53

TipstoCutMedicalCosts57SaveMoneyWhenYou'reInsured57SaveMoneyWhenYouDon'tHaveInsurance59

CellPhoneSavings61Cramming63

GetDentalCareForFree(OrCheap)6610WaystoSaveMoneyonPetFoodandCare68

NaturalFleaandTickPrevention69MakeYourOwnPetFoodandSaveaBundle71

Introduction

Thanksforbuyingthisbook.I'ma38-yearoldmotheroftwowhowasbornintoaworkingclassfamily.Ilearnedathingortwentyfrommymotheraboutsavingcash growing up. She never had a job that paid more than $8 an hour, yetmanagedtosaveupwellover$300Koverthecourseofherlife.Shepurchasedandpaidforatownhomeandalwaysmanagedtoputfoodonthetable.

AsIsithereandlookbackatmychildhood,Irealizehowpoorwewere,butweneverfeltpoorthen.Wealwayshadthreemealsaday,aroofoverourheadsandclothing on our back. Granted, we weren't eating steak or lobster, living in amansionorwearingthelatestGuessjeans,butweweren'tbeingsenttoschoolinragseither.

Thisbookismyattempttopassontoyoutheknowledgeimpartedtomeovertheyearsbecause I'msure therearepeopleout there struggling togetbywhocanuseit.IfIcanhelpjustoneperson, thenwritingthisbookwasworthit tome.Inadditiontotheknowledgemymompassedontome,I'velearnedatrickortwoofmyownovertheyears.I'mgoingtopassthatontoyoutoo.

Well, enough about me. Let's get to what you bought the book for—savingmoney.

WhyYouNeedaSavingsAccount

Lifehappens.Justwhenitseemsthingsaregoingsmoothlyforthefirsttimeinforever, the ball drops. Someone gets sick, something breaks or Uncle HenrygetsarrestedagainandAuntEdnaasksyoutohelpwithbail.

Sinceyouaren'tabletopredictthecurveballslifethrowsyourway,youneedtohedge your bets financially. The best way to do this is by starting a savingsaccount.

Savingsaccountsareeasytoopen.Youcanopenoneatprettymuchanybankorcreditunionintheworld.Inthisdayandage,youdon'tevenneedtoleavethecomfort of your home.You can open a savings account online in amatter ofminutes.

If you have a checking account, there's a good chance you already have asavingsaccounttiedintoit.Ifnot,yourbankshouldbewillingtogiveyouoneforfree.Theminimumbalanceisusuallyprettysmall,especiallyifyouusethebank for checking. Some banks charge a small fee for savings accounts, so itpaystoshoparoundabit.

Ifyou're the typeofpersonwhosocksmoneyawayunder themattressor inashoeboxonthetopshelfinyourcloset,you'reputtingyourselfatrisk,especially

ifyou'resavingadecentamountofmoneythisway.Ifsomeonebreaksintoyourhome,youcouldpossiblyloseyourentirelifesavings.Don'tbethepersonwhothought itwouldn'thappen to them.Ithappens,and ithappens in thenicestofneighborhoods to people who think that kind of stuff only happens to otherpeople.

MoneyplacedinasavingsaccountisinsuredbytheFederalDepositInsuranceCorporation(FDIC)upto$250K.Ifyouhavemorethan$250K,you'reprobablynotreadingthisbook.Ifyou'rereadingitjustforkicks,spreadyourmoneyouttodifferentaccountstoensureit'sprotected.

Asavingsaccountallowsyoutoputcashawayformajoremergencies—andno,thenewiPhonethatjustcameoutdoesn'tqualifyasanemergency.Startsockingaway every last penny you can afford to put away now to ensure you'refinancially stable enough to weather the storm in the event of an emergency.Most financial experts recommend you have enough in savings to cover sixmonthsworthofyourexpenses.Whilethatmaynotberealisticformostofus,trytoshootforthreemonthssavings.

The tips in this book are going to show you how to save money. Instead ofblowingthemoneyyousaveonstuffyoureallydon'tneed,putthatmoneyintoasavingsaccountandkeep it thereuntilyouneed it.Beforeyouknow it,you'llhaveenoughtoputadown-paymentonthathouseyou'vealwayswantedortohelppayforyourkidstogotocollege.

Treat your savings account like a black hole into which money goes in anddoesn't comeout.Onceyou'vemovedmoney into savings it should stay thereunlessyouabsolutelyhavetohaveit.Unlesstherearebillsthatabsolutelyhavetobepaidoryourkidsaregoingtostarve,leavethemoneyinsavingsalone.

LetmetellyouastoryofafriendIhavewhoItriedforyearstotalkintogettingasavingsaccount.Ifinallygotthroughtoherandwalkedherthroughthestepsneededtosetupheraccount.Iwaslikeaproudmotherwhenshetoldmeshe'dgonethroughwithitandwasgoingtostartsavingcash.

Fastforwardsixmonths.WewerechattingonedayandIaskedhowthewholesavings account thingwas going. She looked down at her feet and sheepishlytoldmeshe'dbeen trying,buthadn'tbeenable tosaveanymoney. Iknewshedidn'thaveagreat job,butshemadegoodenoughmoneytowheresheshouldhavebeenabletosquirrelsomeofitaway.

Istartedaskingprobingquestions to try toget to thebottomof things.It turns

out she was putting money in savings, but had started treating her savingsaccountlikeanadditionalcheckingaccount.Shehadadebitcardforthesavingsaccountanduseditwhenevershefeltherregularcheckingaccountwasgettinglow. Instead of savingmoney, shewas simply puttingmoney in two accountsandspendingallofit.

Thisisaperfectexampleofthewrongwaytouseasavingsaccount.Savingsisjust that, savings. You're supposed to save money in it. If you're not savingmoney, it's time to start, even if it's just a fewbucks here and there.While itmightnotseemlikeitintheshortterm,afewbuckshereandtherereallyaddsupovertime.

Justtoputitinperspective,ifyousaveahundredbucksamonthinanaccountthatpays2percent interest, after5years,you'llhave$6300 in savings. In tenyears,thatamountwillmorethandoubletowellover$13K.Whileitmightnotseemlikeit,ifyou'reanythingliketheaverageperson,you'rewastingmorethanahundreddollarsamonthyoucouldbeaddingtoasavingsaccount.

TheThirty-DayRule

People tend to be spontaneous spenders.We see something we want and wedecide tobuy it on awhim, regardlessof cost.Thehigher-ticket the item, themorespontaneouswetendtobe.Inordertocombatimpulsebuys,enactastrict30-DayRulepolicy.

Whenever you find yourself wanting something expensive, wait thirty daysbeforemaking the purchase. After the thirty days are up, ask yourself if youreallyneedtobuytheitemorifyoureallywantit.

Moreoften thannot, you'll findyou reallydon't care about the itemanymore.Theurgetobuyonimpulsewillhavepassedandtheitemwon'tholdthesameappealasitdidthirtydaysago.

Keepthelistinyourhead.Moreoftenthannot,you'llhaveforgottenabouttheitemby the time you reach thirty days. Thiswill allow you to filter outmostunimportantitems,whilekeepingtheimportantstuffinmind.

Anythingthatmakesitthroughthe30-Daytimeperiodasanitemyoustillwanttobuycanbeconsidered forpurchase.Takeanotherweekandweigh theprosand cons. Is it something you really need or just something you want? Howmuchwill the item cost?Howmuchwill it cost you tomaintain the item? Isthere a similar items that's cheaper?Are you buying the item for you or is itbecause you want to look good to others? That's a lot of stuff to take into

consideration.Ifyoufindyoustillhavetohavetheitem,it'sprobablyOKtobuyit,aslongasyou'llstillbeabletoputfoodonthetableandpayyourbills.

Usingthistechniquewillfilteroutalotofunnecessarypurchasesyoumayhaveotherwisemade.

BeThrifty:BuySecondhandStuff

Don'tbeafraid to shopat thrift stores, consignment stores,yard salesand fleamarkets.Peoplewithmoneytendtoturntheirnosesupatthriftstores,actingasthough they're toogood to buy anduse someone's second-handgoods.Unlessyou're richenoughnot toneed tosavemoney, thrift storesareagreatplace tofindanumberofgently-useditemsforpenniesonthedollar.

Iftheideaofshoppingatathriftstorereallybugsyou,youdon'thavetousethistip.That justmeansmoredeals formeand therestof thepeople in theknow.Just be aware you may be passing up the chance to get rare books, jewelry,antiquesanddesignerclothingforafractionofwhatthey'dcostyouelsewhere.

HerearejustafewofthesmokingdealsI'vefoundatlocalthriftstoresinthepastyear:

Booksfor5fora$1.00.Thisdealwasaone-dayonlydealthatincludedevery book in the store. This included children's books and hardcoverbooks.

Anantique tea set for$25.When Igothomeandpriced itonEbay, Ifoundthesamesetsellingfor$300.

Brand-namedesignerclothesforbetween$1and$3.

Ink cartridges for my printer for $2 each. I normally pay $25 percartridge.

Aclockradiofor$1.25.

Asolidoakkitchentableandchairsfor$45.

Watchforsalesatyourfavoritethriftstorestogetthebestdeals.Thethriftstoresinmyareahavediscountdayswheretheydiscountalloftheitemsofacertaintype.Onedaybookswillbehalfoff.Thenextdayallshirtswillbeabuck.Theday after that all pants are two bucks. They have something different on saleeverydayandyoucangetgreatdealsifyoucatchitontherightday.

Know thebest times to shopyour favorite places.Thrift stores replenish theirstockthroughouttheday.Iliketocheckmyfavoritestoresatleastonceaweekfornewstuff.Whenitcomestoshoppingfleamarketsandyardsales,theearlybirdgetstheworm.Trytobethereasearlyaspossibletoscorethebestdeals.

Don't be afraid to bicker. While you're probably not going to get the pricesreducedat thriftstores,allbetsareoffatconsignmentstores, fleamarketsandyard sales. Start offwith a low-ball price andwork yourway up slowly.Youmightbesurprisedbyjusthowmuchpeoplearewillingtocomeofftheiraskingprice.

Appliances

Youcanfindgooddealsonappliances,justlookforsignsofabuseormisuse.Abeat-up appliance is probably at the end of its useful life. Look for chips andcracks,frayedcordsandrust.

Alwaysasktopluginanapplianceandtestit.Ifthesalesclerkwon'tletyoutestit,don'tbuyit—it'sthatsimple.Iftheywon'tletyoutestit,youmaybebuyinganoverpricedpaperweight.Reputablesecond-handstoresarealwayswillingtoletyoupluganitemintoseeifitworks.They'veusuallytrieditbeforetheyputitontheshelvesandarewillingtoletyoutryittoo.

Books

Youcangetbooksforlessthan10percentoftheircoverprice.Iregularlyfindhardcoverbooksthatnormallysellfor30bucksonsaleatmylocalthriftstoreforacouplebooks.

Mydaughter readsa lotandIwouldgobrokebuyingherbooks if Ispent fullretail.Idon'tmindbuyingherbooksforabuckortwo,especiallywhenIcansellthematagaragesaleforthesameprice.

If you knowwhat you're doing, you canmakemoney by seeking out rare orexpensive books at thrift stores, then selling them for a premium on Ebay oronline.Iknowofahandfulofpeoplewhomakealivinggoingfromthriftstoreto thrift store seeking out rare books they can turn a decent profit on. It's notuncommonfor themtobuyabookforabuck, then turnaroundandsell it forfiftybucksormore.

Clothing

Some of the best deals can be found on clothing at thrift stores. It's notuncommontoseeshirtsforabuckapiece,sweatersfor$3,pantsfor$3to$4andcoatsforbetween$5and$10.Whenitcomestimetogoclothesshopping,beitformyselforforthekids,westartamonthortwoinadvanceandmakeafewroundsofallthethriftstoresinthearea.

Whenitcomestostuff likeschoolshoppingorshoppingforseasonalclothing,startearlybeforeeveryoneelseisoutmakingthesamecircuit.Thisallowsyoutogetajumpofthecompetitionandtofindthebestdeals.It'snotuncommontofindclotheswithtagsonthemorclothesthatlooklikethey'veonlybeenwornonceortwice.

There'safewthingstolookforthat'llmakeyourclothesshoppingexperienceabetter one. Check all zippers and buttons tomake sure theywork before youpurchase thearticleofclothing.Besure togive theclothingagoodonce-overforstains,ripsandtears.

Besuretocheckwhatthereturnpolicyisforanyclothingyoubuy.YoumaynotbeabletoreturnthatChristmascardiganifyougethomeanditdoesn'tfit.Mostthriftstoreshavefittingroomssotryonanythingyou'renotsurewillfit.

All the money you save on clothing adds up quick. I've managed to cut myfamiliesyearly clothingbudgetby a fewhundredbucksbydoingmostofourshoppingatthriftstores.

Furniture

Whenitcomestobuyingfurniture,youmaygetmorethanyoubargainedfor.Iavoidbuyingitemswithfabricorcloththatcouldbecarryingbed-bugsorfleas.I steer clear of mattresses, recliners and couches that could be crawling withinsects.

Ifyoudodecidetobuyfabricfurnitureoramattress,closelyexamineitbeforehanding over the cash. Look for sign of infestation like eggs or the bugsthemselvestuckedawaybetweenseamsandcushions.Gettingridofbugsonceyou've brought them into your house can quickly eliminate any savings yougainedfrombuyingausedmattress.

Ihavenoqualmsaboutpurchasingwoodfurniturefromathriftstoreandhavebeen able to find some pretty good deals. In addition to the solid oak table Imentionedearlier,Irecentlypurchasedacouplebookcasesandanentertainmentcenterforlesswhatoneofthebookcaseswouldhavecostmenew.

Toys

Ifyouhaveyoungchildren,youcanfindtonsoftoysatthriftstores.Kidsdon'tcarewhetheratoy'sbeenusedornotandneithershouldyou.OtherthanagiftortwoforbirthdaysandChristmas, Ibuyalmostallofmykids' toysat the thriftstore.

Cleanthetoysbeforeyougivethemtoyourkidsanddisinfectthemwithwhitevinegar.Allyouhavetodoisspraythevinegaronthemandletthetoyair-dry.

ItemsYouShouldn'tBuy

Therearesomethingsyoushouldn'tbuyatathriftstore.Ipersonallywon'tbuyunderwear. Not because it's unsanitary, I just don't like the idea of wearingunderwearsomeoneIdon'tknowhasworn.Youactuallydon'trunmuchriskaslongasyoucangetpasttheickfactor.

Safety equipment like hard hats and helmets should probably bought new aswell.Onceahardhatorhelmethastakenagood,solidimpact,itsstructuremaybecompromised.Thismeansyouaren'tassafeasyoushouldbewhenwearingthesafetygear.Alwaysbuyyoursafetygearnew.

Alwaysbuymattressesandbeddingnewtoavoidtheriskofbringingbedbugsor fleas intoyourhome.Bedbugscan live formonths inamattress ina thriftstore.Itcancostthousandsofdollarstogetridofaninfestation,soyouwanttodoeverythingwithinyourpowertokeepthemoutofyourhome.

Never buy makeup at a thrift store, even if the container appears to be new.Makeupcanexpireandthepackagesdon'thaveuse-bydatesonthem.Youdon'tknowwherethemake-up'sbeenorwhatit'sbeenthrough,soit'sbettertospendalittleextraandgetstuffthat'snew.

While it'sOK to buy toys, steer clear of stuffed animals, even if they appearclean.Stuffedanimalsmayhavebeendrooledon,peedonorpoopedonandaretoughtosanitize.Spendtheextramoneyandbuynewstuffedanimals.Ifyoudodecide tobuyapre-ownedstuffedanimal,wash itbefore lettingyoukidsplaywithit.

I know I recommendedbuying appliances as long asyou've tested it first, butthere'soneapplianceyoushouldsteerclearof.Blendersaretoughtocleanandyou'rebuyinganappliancefullofoldfoodremnants.Whenyouconsiderthefactyoucanbuyanewblenderforlessthanatwentydollar

Shoesare another item I'd avoidunless they'renew in thebox.Shoes that arebrokenintosomeoneelse'sfeetaren'tgoingtobecomfortable.It'sbesttobuyyourshoesnewandbreaktheminyourself.

HowtoGetStuffForFree

Yes,youcansometimesgetthestuffyouneedforabsolutelynothing.Thereareacoupleplacestocheck.Freecycle.orgisasitewherepeoplepoststufftheynolongerwantandaretryingtogiveaway.Itisn'tuncommontoseestuffontherethat's in prettygood shape.SignupusingyourYahoo account and choose themetroareaclosesttowhereyoulivetostartbrowsingthefreestuff.Youcanfindeverything fromclothes to furnitureon there, sokeep an eyepeeled for itemsyoucanuse.

Another place to check is Craigslist. Go to themetro area closest to you andclickon"free"intheforsalelistings.Ifyoudon'tfindwhatyou'relookingfor,tryexpandingout tonearbyareas.Aquickcheckof theareaI live inrevealedthefollowingitemsforfree:

Riverrock

Akitten

Children'sDVDs

Awalker

A56-inchTV

Adecorativepalmtree

Twoboats

Movingboxes

Treadmill

AFushigiball

Abrownleathercouch(ingoodcondition)

Woodgaragedoor

ThisisjustasmallsampleofthetypeofstuffyoucanfindforfreeonCraigslist.Keepyoureyespeeledforstuffyoucanuse.

FreeSamples

Thereareanumberofplaceyoucangetfreesamplesofyourfavoriteproducts.Thefreesite.com is a directory that lists a ton of free stuff you can get frommanufacturers.There'senoughonthesitetokeepyoubusyforhours.

Anotherplacetocheckisyourfavoriteretailerswebsite.SiteslikeKrogersandWalmart have free samples sections that offer free samples of groceries andhouseholditems.

If you have a product you particularly like or want to try, contact themanufacturer directly. My husband recently wrote a popular weight liftingsupplement company to findoutwhat they recommendedhe take to help loseweightandputonmuscle.They respondedbyasking forhisaddressand theysentoutoverahundreddollarsworthoffreesupplements.Iwasshockedwhenweopenedthelargeboxtofindfourfull-sizecontainersofsupplements.

FreeorCheaperLongDistanceCalls

Ifyoumakea lotof long-distancecallsandhavehugephonebills, thereareacoupleoptionsyoucanusetoreallycutdownthebill.

The first is Skype. Sign up at skype.com and have the people you call long-distance a lot signup too.As long as the twoof you are usingSkypevia theInternet,thecallsarecompletelyfree.Youcanmakefreevideocallsorregularcalls.Ifyouwanttocallpeoplewhoaren'tonSkype,thefeesaremuchcheaperthannormallong-distanceproviders.

Anotheroption is togetanXbox360andsignup forXboxLive.Thisallowsyou to chat with your long-distance friends via Live. While this service isintendedtoallowgamerstochatwithoneanotherwhiletheyplayvideogamesonline,there'snothingstoppingyoufromloggingonandtalkingwithoutplaying

games.Itcosts$50ayeartosignupforXboxLiveandyoucantalktoanyoneintheworldthathasahigh-speedconnectionandanXbox.

ScratchandDentStores

Ifyourareahasstoreswherescratchedordentedgoodsaresold,youcansavealotofmoneybyshoppingtheseplaces.

I'm lucky tohaveadentedcannedgoods store rightdown the street fromme.WhenIneedcannedfoodslikesoupsandvegetables,Ialwayschecktherefirst.I'mrarelydisappointedandusuallyget the foodIneedforaroundhalfwhat itcosts at the supermarket. These stores typically stock more than just cannedgoods—they also sell overstock items from other stores and other food itemswithdamagedpackages.

When buying canned goods from a scratch and dent store, it's important toexaminethecansyou'rebuyingclosely.Lookforleaksorforthetoporbottom

tobepuffedout—thisindicatesthefoodinsidehasgonebad.Besuretochecktheexpirationdate. I'vepurchasedcannedgoodsand took themhome,only tofindtheywerewellpasttheexpirationdate.

Checkthesestoresfrequentlyinordertogetthebestdeals.Stockisconstantlyrotatingandyouneverknowwhatyou'regoingtofind.Theybuytruckloadsofstuffandareconstantlyputtingnewstuffout.

If you're in themarket fornew furnitureor appliances, check around to see ifthere'sascratchanddentstorethatsellsappliancesorfurniturenearyou.Searshas anumberof scratch anddent stores spread across theU.S.There are alsospecialtystoresthatbuyscratchedanddenteditemsforcheapandresellthem.

Aslongasyoudon'tmindaminorflawortwo,youcansometimesgethundredsofdollarsofftheretailprice.Theseitemsusuallycomewithafullwarranty,soit'sjustlikebuyingabrandnewitem.

DrinkMore,SaveMore

Now that I've got your attention, let me tell you what I'm talking about. I'mtalkingaboutwater.Drinkmorewatertosavemoremoney.

Here'show.It'srecommendedyoudrink8to10glassesofwateraday.That's8to10lessglassesofjuice,milk,sodaandbeeryou'llbedrinking.Thiswillallowyou to save themoney you'd normally spend on those items. I'vemanaged tocompletelycutsodaoutofmydailydietandrarelydrinkjuicesandbeer.Istilldrink a couple glasses of milk a day, but that's a lot healthier than the otheroptions.

Ifyoudon'tlikewater,trysprucingitupabitwithawedgeoflemon,orangeorlime or a slice of cucumber. I usually ask for lemon water when I'm at arestaurant.They'remorethanwillingtoaccommodatethisrequestandyousave

themoneydrinkswouldhavecost.

Ifyoudrinkabigglassofwaterbeforeyoueatameal,you'regoingtosuppressyour appetite and help with digestion. You'll save money on your food billbecause you'll eat less and you'll feel healthier because you'll be properlyhydrated.

MakeYourOwnLaundrySoap

Well,it'snotquitefree,butitisalotcheaperthanthestuffyoubuyatthestore.

People tend to laugh and dismiss this item, but it's one that can realize you adecentamountofmoneysaved,especiallyifyouliveinahouseholdwherealotof laundry is done. Compare the amount you're paying for laundry soap ordetergenttowhatitcoststomakeyourowntodecidewhetherthismoneysavingitemisforyou.

Thissoap is inexpensiveandeasy tomake—and itworkseverybitasgoodasthestuffyoucanbuyfromthestore,ifnotbetter.Allyouneedarethefollowingthreeingredients:

Abarofsoap.Ivoryworkswell,asdoesFelsNaptha.

Borax.Usedtowhitenanddeodorize.ThebrandIuseis20MuleTeam.

ArmandHammerWashingSoda.Nottobeconfusedwithbakingsoda,washingsodaisadifferentproductandcanbefoundonlineatAmazon.comorinthelaundrysectionofyourlocalgrocerystore.

Takeathirdofthebarofsoapandgrateitintofinepieces.Add6cupsofwatertoasaucepans,addthesoapandheatuntilthesoapiscompletelymelted.Adda

half cup each of washing soda and Borax and stir until dissolved. Pour thecontents of the saucepan into a bucket and add a gallon of water. Let sitovernight andyou shouldhave a thin gel-like substance.When it's time to dolaundryuseafourthtoahalfcup,dependingonhowbigtheloadis.

Ifyouwantyoursoap tobescented,addessentialoilsor fragranceoils to themixatthesametimeyouaddtheBoraxandwashingsoda.Experimentwiththeamountyouaddtoseewhatyoulikebest.

Whenyouuse thissoap,youaren'tgoing togetmuchbywayofsuds.This isOK, as it isn't the suds that clean your clothes. The foaming agent added tocommercialagentsissolelyaddedforaestheticpurposesandcontributestoyourriskofdevelopingcancer.

Wondering howmuchmoney you just saved?You'll get 50+ loads of laundrydonewiththeamountofdetergentyoujustmade.Theingredientsusedtomakethebatchcostyoulessthanabuckforallthree.Laundrydetergentcostsatleast$10forfiftyloads,andthat'sonlyifyoufindagreatdeal.

ThissoapcanbeusedinHEmachines.I'vebeenusingitinmineforyearsandhaven't had a problem.HE detergent is designed to have lower sudsing. Thisdetergentdoesn'tbubbleup,soit'sgoodtogo.

MakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergent

You can make your own dishwasher detergent that will cut grease and isenvironmentallyfriendly.

Mix 1 cupBorax, 1 cupwashing soda, 1/2 cupKosher salt and a half cup ofcitricacid togetherandstore inanairtightcontainer.Useacouple tablespoonswitheachload.

Thisisagreatwaytosavealotofmoneyondishwasherdetergent.Ifyounoticeafilmonyourdishes,addabitofvinegartotherinsereceptacle.

Make Your Own Play Dough and SillyPutty

Gotkids?Youcanuseafewhouseholditemstomakeplaydoughforthemandprovide them with hours of entertainment. If they make a mess with it, grabsomeapplecidervinegarandcleanitrightup.

Here'stheingredients:

2cupswater

2cupssalt

1cupflour

Yourchoiceoffoodcoloring.

Here'sthedirections:

Mixeverythinginapotandheatitonlow.Continuestirringuntilthemixtureisthecorrectconsistency.Letitcoolandhanditovertothekids.

I know what you're thinking. Real PlayDough isn't all that expensive. You'reright,butusingthismethodstillsavesyoumoneyandwithalittlecreativity,youcanmake all sorts of colors for your kids.All it takes is a fewdrops of foodcoloring,sodon'tbeafraidtoexperimenttoseewhatcolorsyoucanmixup.Youcanalsomakealotofitinsteadofthelittlechunksyougetwhenyoubuyitfromthestore.

Silly putty is easy tomake too.All you need is equal parts Elmer's glue andliquid starch. Mix it together and slowly work the putty until it's the rightconsistency.Addstarchifit'stoostickyandmoreglueifit'stoostringy.

50UsesForBakingSoda

Baking soda is inexpensive and can be used to replace all kinds of costlyhousehold items. You can get a 13.5 pound bag of baking soda fromAmazon.comforlessthantwentybucks.Ifyoushoparound,youmayevenbeabletofinditcheaper.

Hereare50itemsyoucanreplacewithgood'olbakingsoda:

1.Antacid.

2.Facescrub.

3.Bodyscrub.

4.Deodorant.

5.Skinconditioner.

6.Toothpaste(mixwithperoxidepaste).

7.Mouthwash(mixwithahalf-glassofwater).

8.Relievesunburnpain.

9.Relieveitchingfrombugbites.

10.Relievediaperrashbyputtingitinbathwater.

11.Ovencleaner.

12.Batteryterminalcleaner.

13.Microwavecleaner.

14.Scrubcast-iron.

15.Scrubstainlesssteel.

16.Denturecleaner.

17.Showercleaner.

18.Draincleaner.

19.Countertopcleaner.

20.Barbecuegrillcleaner.

21.Cleanburntfoodfrompans.

22.Scatteroncarpettoeliminateodors.

23.Coffee-makercleaner.

24.Fridgecleaner.

25.Shoecleaner.

26.Polishchromeandsteel.

27.Degreaser.

28.Carpetandupholsterycleaner.

29.Toiletcleaner.

30.Sportsdrink(mixwithwater,saltandKool-Aid).

31.Helpsmakefeatherseasiertoremovefrombirds.

32.Perdeodorizer.

33.Litterboxdeodorizer.

34.Keepanimalsoutofyourgardenbysprinklingitaroundtheperimeter.

35.Bugrepellant.

36.Mouserepellant.

37.Airfreshener(combinewithbathsalts).

38.Wipeitontoyourwindshieldtorepelwater.

39.Addanopencontainertoyourfridgetogetridofodors.

40.Useittoputoutfires.

41.Beestingrelief.

42.Windburnrelief.

43.Sunburnrelief.

44.Cankersorerelief.

45.Applytorashes.

46.Removingcradlecap.

47.Jewelrycleaner.

48.Shampoo.

49.Removesthesmellofskunk.

50.Teethwhitener.

NoticeIdidn'tevenmentionbaking,whichistheintendeduse.ThisisoneofthefewproductsI'dclassifyassomethingyouabsolutelyhavetohaveinthehouse.Itworksforprettymuchanythingyoumightthinkitwouldworkfor.Ifyouuseittoreplaceevenahandfulofexpensivehouseholditems,you'regoingtosaveaprettypenny.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Every Bit AsUsefulAsBakingSoda

Whateverbaking sodacan'tdo, applecidervinegarprobablycan.At less thantenbucksagallon,it'scheaptoo.Usingitforthefollowingthingscanhelpyousavemoneyon the expensivehouseholdproducts andcleanersyou'dnormallyuse:

1.Useittoaddacidtosoilforplantsthatlikeacidicsoil.

2.Killsgrassandweeds.Sprayundilutedapplecidervinegarongrassandweedsandthey'llbedeadandgoneinacoupledays.

3.Addacoupletablespoonstowatertohelpfresh-cutflowerslastlonger.Addacoupletablespoonsofsugaratthesametimeforbestresults.

4.Usetoneutralizelimeonyourhandsafterworkingwithitinthegarden.

5.Addtoyourpet'swatertokeepfleasaway.

6.Sprayonareaswhereyouwanttokeepgardenpestsawayfrom.

7.Removesskunksmell.

8.Worksasantandbugrepellent.

9.Cleanshardwaterdeposits.

10.Cleansurinestainsfromcarpetandfabric.

11.Chromepolish.

12.Keepwindowsfreeoffrostbysprayingonwindowsthenightbefore.

13.Rustremover.Donotdilute.

14.Soothesbeestings.

15.Soothesitchingfrommosquitobites.

16.Appetitesuppressant.Sprinkleonfoodoronsaladbeforeyoueat.

17.Sunburnrelief.

18.Dandruffrelief.

19.Sorethroatrelief.

20.Stainremover.

21.Curesupsetstomach.

22.Denturecleaner.

23.Mixwithlaundrysoaptomakeitlastlonger.

24.Keepslintoffofclotheswhenyouaddacuptotheload.

25.Brightensthecolorsonfabric.

26.Brightenscoloredhair.

27.Degreaser.

28.Fabricsoftener.

29.Deodorizer.

30.Unclogironorshowerhead.

31.Removescoffeeandteastains.

32.Hairrinse.

33.Relievesdryanditchyskinwhenaddedtobathwater.

34.Disinfectant.

35.Mildewremover.

36.Toiletcleaner.

37.Mixwithlinseedoilandusetocleanwoodorleather.

38.Smokesmellremover.

39.Stickeranddecalremover.

40.Bringswiltedveggiesbacktolife.Add2tablespoonsto2cupsofwaterandsoaktheveggies.

41.Brassandpewtercleaner.

42.Draindeclogger.

43.Disinfectant.

44.Tarnishremover.

45.Glasscleaner.

46.Refrigeratorcleaner.

47.Chinaandglasswarecleaner.

48.Microwavecleaner.

49.Soapscumremover.

50.Overcleaner.

HydrogenPeroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is another inexpensive item to keep around the house thathasmultipleuses.Itcostsabitmorethanapplecidervinegar,butyoucanstillgetagallonforlessthantwentybucks.

Herearesomeoftheusesforhydrogenperoxide:

1. Mouthwash.Don't swallow anddon't use for an extendedperiod oftime.

2.Toothwhitener.Don'tswallow.

3.Helpshealcankersores.

4.Disinfectant.

5.Gargle.

6.Killbacteriaonfruitsandvegetables.

7.Insecticide.

8.Weedkiller.

9.Moldremover.

10.Counterandtabletopcleaner.

11.Killbacteriaonwoodcuttingboard.

12.Antiseptic.Killsbacteriaandgermsincutsandburns.

13.Combthroughhairtocreatenaturallookinghighlights.

14.Useinsteadofbleachtowhitenwhites.

15.Canbeusedtocleanbrightcoloredclothingaswell.

16.Removebloodstains.

17.Cleanmirrorsandglasswithoutstreaking.Drywithnewspaperforbestresults.

18.Footfungicide.

19.Douche.

20.Dilute50/50withwaterandsprayintonostrilstobreakupmucuswhenyouhaveacoldorsinusinfection.

21.Toothacherelief.

22. Add to the water you use to water your plants to enhance rootdevelopment.

23.Earacherelief.

Electricity: Tips to Help Decrease YourElectricBill

=====Lightning=====ByAxelRouvin

Ifyou'reanythingliketheaverageAmerican,you'releavingalotofmoneyonthetablewhenitcomestoyourelectricbill.Thesesimpletipscanhelpyousavequiteabitofcash.

TurnOuttheLights

Lightsaresomethingmostpeopletakeforgranted,soit'seasytoforgettoturnoffthelightswhenweleaveforthedayoronalongtrip.Let's lookatwhatitcoststoleaveonthelights.

Mostbulbsburnsomewhereintherangeof10wattsto100wattsofelectricity.This is the electricity used by a single bulb, not an entire fixture or bank oflights.Aquickwalkaroundmyhouse revealsonly a fewplaceswith a singlelight.Mostswitchesturnonatleastfourlights.Theswitchinmykitchenturnson8.

Let'ssaythelightsinmyhouseaverage60wattsanhourandIleavethehousefor12hours. If I leave12lightson,I'vewasted10,800wattsofelectricity.12lightsmaysoundlikealot,butthat'sjusttwoorthreeswitchesbeingleftoninmyhouse.

Electriccompanieschargebythekilowatt-hour.10,800watts is10.8kilowatts.My electric company charges $0.15 cents per hour, on average. That meanseverysingletimeIleavemyhouseforworkandleavethelightson,I'mlosing$1.62.

This doesn't factor in other electrical devices. My daughter is notorious forleavingherradioonandmyhusbandisprettybadaboutleavingtheTVon.Thisaddsanother$.50or so to theunnecessarycostswe're rackingup for theday.Whenyouconsiderthefactthatittakesacoupleminutesatmosttomakeapassthrough the house to turn everything off, there's no reason not to do it. Yourwalletwillthankyouforit.

TurnElectronicsOffAttheSwitch

While turning off lights and devices before you leave can save you a bundle,you'restillusingmoreelectricitythanyouneedto.

Mosthomeshaveatleastoneswitchineachroomthatturnoffpowertoalightsocketortwo.Ifyou'relucky,youhaveacoupleswitchesperroomthatturnoffoutlets.Placethelightsintheroomononeswitchandtherestoftheelectricaldevicesonanother.

One of the biggest power drains in the house are the electronics in yourentertainmentcenter.YouhaveyourDVDplayer,TV,agamesystemorthree,aBlu-Rayplayer,yourcableboxandareceiverallpluggedin.Whenyou'reintheroomandusingtheentertainmentcenter,you'regoingtousepower.There'snowayaroundit.

Whatmostpeoplefailtotakeintoconsiderationisthepowerthey'reconsumingwhenthey'renotintheroom.Turneverythingoffandlookatyourentertainment

center.See all of the clocks and lights.That's powerbeingwasted right there.Even if the device doesn't have a light or clock, it's probably draining powerbecauseit'skeepingitselfreadytobeturnedon.

Let's look around the house for other power drains. Kitchen appliances areanother big one. Your microwave, blender, toaster and smoothie maker don'tneedtobeonallthetime.There'sprobablyitemspluggedinthatdon'tneedtobeinyourbathroomandbedroomsaswell.

So, just howmuch electricity are youwasting? Individually, the devices don'tuse much. As a whole, the electricity used adds up. Just your entertainmentcenteralonemaybecostingyouupwardsof$15amonthtopowerwhenyou'renotusingit.Yourgameroommaybecostingyouthesame.Yourkitchen?Addinanother$5.Yourbedroomsandbathroomareprobablycostingyoua5-spottoo. That's forty dollars a month you're paying to provide power to devicesyou'renotusing.

Here'swhatIsuggest.Ifyouhavemultipleswitchesinyourroomsthatprovidepower to outlets, set one up to power your lights and one to power the otherelectrical devices in the room.When you leave the room, get in the habit ofturningbothswitchesoff.

Ifyoudon'thavemultipleswitches,don'tworry,allisn'tlost.It'sgoingtotakeabit more work, but you can still power down the devices in a room. Put thedevicesonapowerstriportwoandflipthestripoffwhenyouleavetheroom.Problemsolved.

Thisisasimplewaytosavemoneyonyourelectricbillandthesavingsaddupquick.

LearntoCoupon

Couponingisoneofthebestwaystosavemoney.Ifdoneright,youcantakeasignificantbiteoutofyourmonthlygroceryandpersonalitemexpenses.

ThetipsI'mgoingtogiveyouinthissectionaren'tgoingtonetyouthousandsofdollarsworthofgroceries for$35.99 likeyou seeonTV.Theywill, however,allowyou to knock themoney you spend on food and household items downquiteabit.It'snotuncommonforafamilyoffourtobeabletocuttheirexpensesbyhundredsofdollarsusingthesetips.

Peoplehave themisconception that couponing takes toomuch time. It does ifyou meticulously plan out your entire trip to get carts full of groceries forpenniesonthedollar—that'sdangnearafulltimejob.Whatwe'reshootingforisahappymedium.Allyouneedtospendisahalfhourorsoaweekclippingandorganizingyourcoupons.Whenyouconsiderthathalfhourcouldsaveyour$50to$100,you're lookingataprettygoodreturnonthe timeinvested.Whatelsecanyoudothat'sworthahundredbucksanhourormore?

Youhave tobecarefulwhenyoustart couponingbecauseyou'regoing to feeltheurgetobuyeverythingyoufindagoodcouponfor.Ithelpstokeepinmindthatyou'retryingtosavemoneyonthestuffyounormallybuy,notbuystuffjustbecause you're getting a buck or two off. When you buy unnecessary stuff,you'renotsavingmoney,you'rewastingit.

GetOrganized

Thefirstthingyou'regoingtowanttodoisgetorganized.

MyfavoritewaytodothisistocollectalloftheinsertsIgetinthemailandallofthecouponsthatcomeintheSundaynewspaperandsortouttheitemsIknowIwillwanttobuy.ThesearetheonlycouponsIclip.Therestgetfiledintoafilefolderbythedatetheywereissued.

The coupons I actually clip get sorted out into a binder full of baseball cardholders.IfoldtheminhalfsoIcanseetheproductandthedateandsortthembythetypeofitemtheyare.ThisallowsmeeasyaccesstothemwhenIneedthem.

WhenIplanashoppingtrip,ItakeoutthecouponsIplanonusingandputtheminanenvelope.Thisallowsmetogoshoppingforjust theitemsIneed.I takethecouponbookwithmejustincaseIfindadealonsomethingthat'stoogoodtopassup.

IfIneedsomethingoutoftheordinary,IgotothecouponsI'vefiledawaytoseeifIhaveacouponfortheitem.ThissystemallowsmetokeepthecouponsIusethemosthandy,whilesavingmyself thehassleofclippingcouponsIprobablywon'tuse—butstillkeepingthemaroundjustincase.

FindingCoupons

While I still get quite a few coupons frommy Sunday paper and theweeklymailers,thereareanumberofotherplacesyoucangetcouponsfrom.Here'salistoftheplacesI'vesourcedcouponsfrom:

Sundaypaper.

Coupons.com

SmartSource

RedPlum

Valpak

Websitesformyfavoritestores(Target.com,Walmart.com,etc.)

StoreslikeSafewayallowyoutoloadcouponsdirectlyontoyourstorecard.

Manufacturer'swebsites.

Blinkies.Thesearethemachinesyou'vebeenpassingbyandignoringintheaislesofthegrocerystore.Theyhavesomeofthebestcoupons.

Catalinas.Thesearethestripsofcouponsyougetwithyourreceipt.

Ifyoufindyourselfinneedofmorecoupons,askfriendsandfamilywhodon'tcoupontosavetheirinsertsforyou.

HowToMaximizeCouponSavings

Thereareanumberoftipsandtechniquesyoucanusetomaximizeyourcouponsavings.Thefirstisasimpleoneandthat'stowaitforgreatsalesatyourlocalstores.An example of thiswould be if you have a coupon for $.50 offKraftMacaroni andCheese,wait until they're on sale for $0.85 and only pay $0.35centseachforthem.Groceriestypicallyfollowa6to8weekcycle.Waitfortherock-bottompricetogetthebiggestsavings.

Watchforstorecouponsyoucanstackontopofmanufacturercoupons.It'snotuncommonforstorestoofferacouponashortwhileafterthemanufacturerdoes,orviceversa.Ifyousavethefirstcoupon,youcanstackitontopofthesecondat most stores. It's important to note most stores will allow to stack amanufacturer's coupon on top of a store coupon. Theywon't typically let youstackmorethanonecouponofthesametype.

Checkaroundyourareatoseeifanystoreshavedoublecoupondays.Storesthatdo double coupons will double the face value of coupons you bring in. Thismeans that $0.50off couponyouhavewill nownet you$1.00off. I live in astatewheremost stores don't do doubles and I stillmanage to save hundredseverymonth,soifyoucandoublecoupons,youcanreallyupyoursavings.

The last trick you can use to maximize savings is to get the Rewards cardsofferedatyourfavoritestores.Ilikethecardsthatgivestorecashbackthatcanbespentatalaterdate.PlaceslikeWalgreensandLongsDrugshaveanumberofitemseachweekthatearnyourewardsdollarstowardfuturepurchases.Ifyouplayyourcardsright,youcanusetherewardsyou'vebuiltuptobuyitemswhichoffermore rewards andget the itemsyou're buying for next tonothing.Soap,deodorant, razors and other personal grooming supplies can be purchased forpennieson thedollarusing this techniquealongwithacouponor two.Justbeaware the rewardsexpireafteracertainperiodof timeandmakesureyouusethembeforetheyexpire.

SaveMoneyonLaundry

Trythesesimpletipstosavehundredsperyear:

Washyourclothesincoldwatersavesyoucash.Yourclothesgetjustascleanandyousavethemoneyittakestorunyourwaterheater.

GetaHighEfficiency(HE)front-loadingmachine.

Insteadofusingyourdryer,hangyourclothesouttodry.Thistipalonewillsaveyoualmostahundreddollarsayearingasandelectricitycosts.Italsoextendsthelifeofyourclothes.

Fillupyourmachine.Runningfullloadsinsteadofsmallonessavesyoualoadortwoeachtime.

Don'toverfillyourmachinebycrammingstuffintoit.

Saveyourdryersheetsandusethemtoremovefingernailpolish.Theyworkgreatandwillsaveyoufromhavingtousecottonballs.

Ifyourdryerhasamoisturesensor,useit.

Besuretoremovethelintfromthefiltersbeforeeachload.

If you have an electric dryer, buy a converter you can use to selectwhether your dryer vents inside or outside the house. During the winter,

vent inside thehouse to saveonheating costs.Cover the coverwith finemesh to prevent the lint from blowing in. DONOTDOTHISWITHAGASDRYER!

Makeyourownlaundryproducts.RecipesaboundontheInternet.There'sevenacoupleoftheminearliersectionsofthisbook.

Ifyoudon'twanttoordon'thavetimetomakeyourownproducts,buystoresbrandsandgowithpowderedproductsoverliquid.

Cutthequantitiesinhalf.Useahalfcupinsteadofafullcup.Cutdryersheetsinhalf.

Usetheshortestcyclewhenpossible.

Timeyourwashinganddryingsoyoucanmovethenext loadinto thedryer as soon as the previous load is done. This allows you to takeadvantageoftheheatfromthepreviousload.

Throwadrytowelinthedryerwithyourwetclothes.Itwillhelpsoakupthemoistureandwilldryfaster.

Stopwashingstuffthatdoesn'tneedtobewashed.Shirtsmaybeabletobeworn a couple times. So can pants.Use towels for a few days beforewashingthem.

Insteadofusingfabricsoftener,useahalfcupofwhitevinegar.

Ifyouusea laundromat,shoparound.Laudromatsdon'tallcharge thesameprice.Lookaroundandfindthebestvalue.

TryBundlingYourBills

Bundled bill packages are offered by companies like Comcast that provide anumberofdifferentservices.Cablecompaniesoftenallowyoutobundlecable,Internet and phone services into a single package to rack up some serioussavings.

Insurance companies are another areawhere you can bundle your bill to savemoney.Ifyouhavemorethanonetypeof insuranceandyou'reusingdifferentcompaniesforeachtype,shoparoundandseewhatkindofdealyoucangetifyoubundleyourinsurance.

Onethingtokeepinmindisthatbundlesoftenstartataseriouslylowpricetolure you in, but then go up after the introductory period. You can still savemoneywithbundles,justmakesureyouknowhowmuchtheactualcostisgoingtobeonce the initialprice expires and the costgoesup.Thisusuallyhappensafterthefirstyearofservice.

OnetrickI'veusedistoswitchfromcompanytocompany.Ihaveanumberofcompanies that offer phone, TV and Internet service in my area. I'll get theintroductorypriceatonecompany,thenswitchtoanotheraftertheintroductorypricegoesup.Oncethatcompanyraisestheprice,Iswitchagain.BythetimeIswitch back to the previous company, they're usually willing to give me theintroductorypriceagain.

It saves a lot of cash, you just have to be ready for the inconvenience of nothavingserviceforthedayortwoittakestosetthingsup.

There is a downside to bundles. Because they're cheaper, people tend to getlargerpackages than theyactuallyneed.Look forpackages thatonlyoffer theservicesyouneedandwilluse.Whatgoodisahomephoneifyou'reneverhometouse it?Eliminate the landline if youhave a cell phoneyou alwaysuse andsavealittlemorecash.

Your Life Insurance May Be CostingYouTooMuch

Formost adults with families, a life insurance policy is a necessity to ensureyourfamilywillbeabletocarryonintheeventthere'sacatastrophicinjuryorillness that results in your death. A good policywill get your family throughtoughtimeswhentheyneeditmost.

Youcannevergetlifeinsurancetooyoung.Theyounger(andhealthier)youarewhen you get your policy, the cheaper the premiums will be. Locking in thepremiumsforthetermofthepolicyallowsyoutopaythesamelowamountformanyyearstocome.

Makesureyoushoparoundbeforebuyingapolicy.Premiumscanvarywidelyfromcompanytocompanyonthesametypeofpolicy.Findonethatsuitsyourneedsandhasapremiumyoucanlivewith.

Ifyoucanaffordit,it'sbesttopayyourpremiumsyearly.Thisletsyouavoidtheinstallmentfeeslifeinsurancecompanieschargefortheconvenienceofmakingmonthlyorquarterlypayments.

Try to improve your health before shopping around. If you're overweight andhavehighbloodpressure and cholesterol, you're going to pay a lotmore thanyouwouldifyouwereofnormalweightandcompletelyhealthy.Ifyouhaveahealthconditionyoucancureortreat,takecareofitbeforeyoushoparoundforapolicy.Thiswillallowyoutolockinlowerprices.

If you were patently unhealthy at the time you started your policy and yourhealth has changed for the better since then, you can sometimes request areassessment.Ifnot,youcanalwaysswitchprovidersandgetassessedbythem.Just be careful with this one. If you really aren't healthier and you've gottensignificantlyolder,thecostofyourpolicycangoup.

SaveMoneyonYourCar

Other thanyourhome,yourcar isprobablyyourbiggestexpense. Ifyouhaveonecar,yourpaymentisprobablysomewhereintheneighborhoodof$400.Twocarsputsyouclosetoahundred.Thisisanexpenseyoucanreallyknockdown,aslongasyou'rewillingtomakeafewconcessions.

StoptryingtokeepupwiththeJoneses.Doyoureallyneedthatshiny,newcarorcanyougetbywithsomethingusedthatcostsaheckofalotless.Peoplewhobuybrandnewcarsinstantlylosethousandsassoonastheydrivethemoffthelot. Ifyouwantanewcar, look forcars thathaveacouple thousandmilesonthem. You'll save a bundle and still get a car that's covered under themanufacturer'swarrantyforyeartocome.

NeverBuyNew

When it comes to buying used vs. buying new, themost common argument Ihear from people is the fact that they don't like having to pay for their ownrepairswhensomethinggoeswrongwith their car.They'd ratherbuynewandgetthemanufacturer'swarrantyforthelifeofthecar.Themathherejustdoesn'taddup.Let'stakeaquicklookatthecostofrepairvs.thecostofinterest.

Sayyoubuyanewcar,freshofftheline.It'snotatopofthelinecar,butit'snottoo shabby either. It costs you $25K.You don't have a down-payment so youdecide to finance the loanover60monthsat an interest rateof7.5percent. Ifyouhavegoodcredit,itmightbealittleless.Badcreditcannetyoumorethantwiceashighofaninterestrate.

Youmonthly payments are approximately 500 dollars.Over the course of theloan,you'regoing topay$5Kworthof interest,whichbumps the totalcostofyourvehicleuptorightaround$30K.

Nowlet'slookatwhatausedvehiclewouldcostyou.Youcangetadecentusedvehicleforrightaround$5K,giveortakeathousanddependingonwhereintheUnitedStatesyoulive.You'renotgoingtogetaBMW,butyou'llgetsomethingyou can safely drive aroundwithout the constantworry of it imploding. Let'sassume you've enacted all of themoney saving tips laid out in this book andhavesavedupenoughtopayforthiscarincash.

There'sinstantlya$25Kdifferenceinpricebetweenwhatyoupaidfortheusedcarandwhatyoupaidfor thebrandnewcar.That'sahellofa lotofrepairs.Iknow car repairs are expensive, but you can replace your motor, drivetrain,electricalsystemandtransmissionandnotcomeclosetothismuch.

Here'swhat Iproposeyoudo.Saveup thecash tobuy theusedcaryouwant.Now,insteadofmakingabigmonthlypaymentthat'sfront-loadedwithinterest,makemonthlypaymentstoyoursavingsaccountintheamountofthepaymentyouwouldhavebeenmaking for thenewcaryouwere looking.You'll saveabunchofmoneyandwillhaveplentyforrepairsifyourusedcarbreaksdown.

Anotheroptionwhenyou'relookingtosavecashistobuyfromarepoauction.Youcangetcarsthatareclosetonewforalotlessthanyou'dpayforthemonalotsomewhere.Checkaroundforauctionsandcheckwithany local lenders to

seeiftheysellreposdirectlytothepublic.Theyjustwanttogetthevehiclesofftheir books andwill sell them for up to 40percent offwhat thegoing rate is.They sell the repocars to thehighestbidder and sendabill for thedifferencebetweenwhatthepersonthecarwastakenfromowesandwhatwaspaidtotheoriginalowner.

When you go to buy a car, never pay the asking price. At most dealerships,everythingisnegotiable—I'vetalkeddealershipsdownonthecostofthecar,theinterestrateontheloanandthecostoftheextendedwarranty.I'veeventalkedthemintogivingmethe"undercarriagetreatment"forfree.Sure,thistreatmentislargelyascamperpetuatedtomakedealershipsextracash,butitcan'thurtanditwasfree,sowhynot?

SaveMoneyonRepairs

Yourpaymentisn'ttheonlyplaceyoucansavemoney.Whilemostmajorrepairsarebeyond the abilitiesof the averageperson, you can learn abit aboutbasicmaintenanceandrepairandsaveyourselfhundredsofdollarsannually.

Oilchangesandradiatorflushesaretwomaintenanceitemsthatcanreallyaddupoverthecourseofthelifeofyourvehicle.Anoilchangecosts$40ormore,dependingonthetypeofoilyouuseandtheamountofoilyourvehicletakes.Aradiatorflush isevenmoreexpensive.Bothof thesemaintenance itemscanbedoneathomewith littleheartache.They'rebotheasyenough towhereanyoneshouldbeabletodothem.Lookonlineforatutorialorasktheguyatyourlocalgarageifyoucanwatchwhilehedoesyouroilchangenexttime.

Don'tfallvictimtoa"service"Irecentlyfellvictimto.Iwasinarushanddidn'thavetimetodomyownoilchangeandtookthecartothegarage.Themechanicpulled out a couple of air filters that were caked in dirt and grime.When heshowedthemtome,Iwasdisgustedandtoldhimyes,Iwantedthosereplaced.Itcostalmost90dollars.WhenIgothomeandtoldmyhusbandaboutit,hegliblypointed out to me the cost of the filters online—less than ten bucks apiece.They're easy to replace too.They're usually found behind a lid that screws orsnapsinplace.

Batteryreplacementisanotherquickandeasytask.Insteadoftakingyourcartothegarage(orhavingittowedthere),gobuythebatteryandreplaceityourself.All it usually takes is unbolting a couple bolts, removing the old battery andreplacingitwiththenewone.Don'tspendhundredsonarepairthatshouldonly

run you the cost of a battery. Some stores offer free installation—if that's thecase,thenbyallmeanstakeadvantageofit.

Brake pads and rotors are marginally more difficult, but aren't that tough ifyou'remechanicallyinclined.Whileyoumightassumethebrakingsystemisascomplexastherestofthevehicle,that'snotreallythecase.Brakesareoneareathathasn'tchangedmuchinthepasttwentyyears.Blockoutacouplehoursandlearntodothemyourself.

Spark plugs are another easy one, but they're a little time-consuming. Takepictureswhenyou'retakingthemouttomakesureyouputthewiresbackintheright place. They have to stay connected in the same pattern to functioncorrectly.

Even if you don't want to do your own repairs, you can save some cash byfindingyourownreplacementparts.Lookforthepartsyouneedatjunkyardsorscrappers.Whileyouprobablydon'twantanenginefromaplacelikethis,thatpower window regulator and motor can be bought for less than half what itwouldnormallycostyou. If that fails, sourceyourpartson the Internet.Thereareanumberofsiteswhichselldiscountpartsonline.CheckEbayandCraigslisttoo.

If you're having electrical problems or problems that could be related to theelectricalsystem,don'tforgettocheckyourfusebox.Mechanicsanotoriousforchargingcustomersforexpensiverepairswhenafuseistheculprit.Theyreplacethefusein30secondsandbankacouplehundredbucksfortherepair.Fusesaretheproblemmoreoftenthanyoumightthink—alwayscheckthemfirst.

TipstoCutMedicalCosts

If you don't have insurance, medical costs can add up quick. If you do haveinsurance that isn't paid for by your place of employment, you're probablystruggling to pay the bill every month. Medical costs are one of the biggestexpensesmostfamilieshaveoutsideoftheirhouseandcarnotes.

SaveMoneyWhenYou'reInsured

Forthosewhocanaffordit,medicalinsuranceisanabsolutemust.Ithelpsyouhedgeyourbetsagainstcostlyillnesseslaterondowntheroad.Whileinsurancewon't completely eliminatemedical bills if you get injured or get sick, they'llhelpmakethemmanageable.Withoutinsurance,you'reonthehookforallcosts.This can add up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in the event of a seriousinjuryorillness.

Whenshoppingforinsurance,shoparoundforthebestbargain.Takenoteofthenumberofvisitsthemembersofyourfamilymaketothedoctorandthecostsofanyprescriptionstheycurrentlyneed.Comparethepricesfortheseitemsacrossa variety of health plans to find the best deal.Make sure you look closely atdeductiblesandmonthlypremiums.

If you have money in savings and your family is generally healthy, a high-deductible(HD)healthplanmaybeagoodoption.WithHDplans,you'reonthehookforexpensesuptoacertainamount,usuallyoverathousanddollars.Theupsideis thedeductiblesaresignificantlylessthanwhatyouhavewithnormalplans.HDplansareavailablethatofferahandfulofpreventativecheck-upvisitsyearly,soshoparoundandmakesureyoufindthebestdeal.

Here'satipmostpeopledon'tknowabout.Yourstate'sfarmbureauorfarmer'sassociationmayofferdiscountedinsurance.Whileyou'dassumeyouhavetobeafarmertosignup,thatisn'tthecase.Allyouhavetodoispaythe$50orlessyearlymembership fee and you're in.The discounts you can get on insurancemorethanmakeupforthissmallfee.

If your company has a flex-spending account, use it. These accounts are tax-shelteredaccountwhichcanbeusedtosavemoneythat'llbespentonhealthcareeachyear.Thecatch?Flex-spendingaccountsexpireattheendofeachyear.Themoneyintheaccountdisappearsattheendoftheyear.Ifyouhaveexpensesyouknowyou'llhavefromyeartoyear,putthatmoneyinaflexaccountsoyoudon'thavetopaytaxesonit.

Ifyougetdeniedonaninsuranceclaimformedicalcare,don'tgiveupjustyet.Appealthedecision.Ifyou'redeniedagain,contacttheinsurancecommissioninyour state.Theymaybewilling tomediate thedisputebetweenyou andyourinsurer. If they make a decision in your favor, you're off the hook for your

medicalcosts.It'sworthashot.

When you need prescription medicines, go over the list of prescriptionmedicationsyour insurance coverswithyour doctor.There are usually pricingtiers for medications. Ask your doctor to look at lower tiers to see if there'sanythingavailableatalowercostthat'llwork.

SaveMoneyWhenYouDon'tHaveInsurance

Medicalbills for theuninsured addupquick.Anunexpected illness candrainyourbankaccountsandleaveyouonthevergeoffinancialruin.

Thefollowingtipscanhelpyoukeepuninsuredmedicalcoststoaminimum:

Eatright.Ahealthydietleadstoahealthyperson.

Exerciseregularly.

Getenoughsleep.

Stopsmoking.

Drinkatleast8glassesofwateraday.

Drinkinmoderation.

Don'tgotothedoctorfortrivialissues.Ifyouhaveacommoncoldortheflu,you'reprobablygoingtogetbetterwhetherornotyouvisitthedoctor.Ifyouhavesymptomsofaseriousmedicalcondition,byallmeansgo. Ifyoujusthavearunnynoseandaheadache,stayhomeandgiveyourbodytimetohealonitsown.

Askyourdoctorforadiscount.Explainyourfinancialsituationwithyourprimaryphysicianandseeifheorsheiswillingtocutyouadeal.You'llgetmoremileageoutofthistacticifyou'redealingwithaprivatepractice.

Always ask for genericprescriptions.They cost a lot less thanbrand-nameprescriptionsandhavethesameactiveingredients.

Ifyouhaveateachinghospitalormedicalschoolnearby,callandseeiftheyofferlow-costorfreecare.They'reusuallywillingtoprovidecareatadeepdiscounttogivestudentstheopportunitytoworkwithpeoplewithrealproblems.

Take a close look at your bill. Up to half ofmedical care bills havemistakesoraddedexpenses.Argueanythingyoudon't thinkshouldbeonthebill.

Steerclearof theER.Youdon'twant togo thereunless it'sabsolutely

necessary.Clinicsandregulardoctor'sofficeswillcostyoualotless—andyou'llprobablygetahigherlevelofcare.ERdoctorsandnursesarerushedandwon'tgiveyouthesamelevelofcareyou'llgetelsewhere,especiallyifyougoinwithatrivialinjuryorillness.

CellPhoneSavings

Doyougo into shock at themere sight of your cell phonebill arriving in themail?Thingsdon'thavetobe thisway.Mostpeoplearepayingwaytoomuchfortheirphones.

Keep track of the amount of time you're talking every month. If you'reconsistentlygoingoveryourminuteseverymonth,itwouldcostyoualotlesstoupyourplantoonewithmoreminutes.Overageminutesareexpensiveandcanaddupquickly.

Ontheotherhand,ifyou'reconsistentlywellunderyourminutelimit,itmightbenefityou to loweryourplan toonewith lessminutes.You'llsavemoneyonthe cheaper plan and probably still won't come close to using your minutes.Don'tcutittooclose,buttrytoavoidpayingforabunchofextraminutesyou'llneveruse.

Abuddyofminehas3kidsandismarried.HeusesAT&T,hiswifeusesSprintand his kids all useT-Mobile.He constantly complains about the bills,whichtotalwell over $400 amonth.Combining the plans to one carrierwould savehimabunchofmoney.

Friendsandfamilydealsnetyousignificantsavings,somaketheswitchassoon

aspossible.Don'tuseearlycancellationfeesasyourexcuse.Sitdownandfigureout the savings you'd get if you pay the early cancellation fee and make theswitchnow.Youmightbesurprisedtofindyou'llsavemoney,evenwiththefeefactoredin.Ifyou'reswitchingbecauseyou'reunhappywiththelevelofserviceyou'rereceiving,callandpolitelycomplainandaskthemtoreleaseyoufromthecontract. They may be willing to waive the cancellation fees. You can alsotransferyourcontract to someoneelse. Ifyouhavea friendor familymemberwhowantsit,youmaybeoffthehook.

Here'sabigone—monitoryourusageandyourkidsusage.Inthisdayandage,there'snoexcuseforan$800dollarphonebillbecauseofoverages.Logineverycoupleofdaystoseewhatyourfamilyisupto.Putanendtoanybadbehaviorbythekids.Theaddedbenefitisyoucanseewhoyourchildrenarecallingandtextingandthetimesthey'retestingthem.Irecentlycaughtmydaughtertextingaboyat3AMwhilespendingthenightatafriend'shouse.IfIwasn'tmonitoringhercellphoneusage,Ineverwouldhaveknownwhatshewasupto.

Peopleuse411likeit'sgoingoutofstyle—atacostofabuckapop.Thisreallyaddsup, especiallywhenyouhave4or5peopleonyourplanwhoall use it.Instead,usethefree411serviceofferedbyGooglebycalling:

1-800-GOOG-411

Anotherwaytosavecashonyourbillistolookattheextrasyou'repayingfor.Doyou reallyneed roadside serviceattached toyourcellphonebill?Areyoupaying for aGPSnavigationprogramwhen there are free oneswith the samefeatures?Lookcloselyatyourphoneinsuranceplan.FortheiPhone,thecostofreplacementwith insurance is a couple hundred bucks.You can get a new orgently-usedphoneoffCraigslistorEbayforlessthanthat.You'rewastingyourmoneyontheinsurancewhenyoucanbuyanewphoneforlesselsewhere.

If you're carrying a cell phone just for emergencies where you may needassistance,youcanskipyourcellphonebillaltogether.Aslongascellular911serviceisavailableinyourarea,youcandial911fromanycellphone,whetherit'sconnectedtoaserviceplanornot.

Ifyoufeel likeyou'reoverpayingforyourcellphoneservice,callyourcarrierandaskforabetterdeal.Letthemknowyou'refedupandreadytoleaveandaskif they'rewilling to do anything to help youout.Bepolite, but be firm.Theymightsurpriseyoubyloweringyourbilloraddingservicestoyourpackageforfree.

Cramming

Check your bill for changes to your contract/fees. Sometimes carriers willchangetheirpolicyandaddfeeswithoutnotifyingyou.Lookforsmallchargeswithnamesthatdon'treallyexplainwhattheyare.Somethinglike"servicefee"thatcosts$1.35shouldpopuparedflag.

Thisaddingofmeaninglessfeesandchargesissowide-spread,it'sbeengivenaname—cramming.Theactofcramming isestimated tocost thegeneralpublicupwards of a couple billion dollars a year—yes, Imeant to say billion.Whenyouconsideronly5percentofpeoplecatchattemptsatcramming,thataddsuptoalotofextramoneyliningthepocketsofthealready-richcellphonecarriers.

Check for subscriptions youdidn't ask forwhenyou signedup.Unscrupuloussalespeople sometimes add subscription services you didn't request to up theircommissions.Sometimestheseaddedservicescancostasmuchas$20amonth.Mostpeopledon'tnoticethiswhenthebillshowsup.Don'tbelikemostpeople.

If theydomakeunauthorizedchangesthatyoudon'tagreewith,call themandtrytonegotiateyourbillbacktowhereitwas.Iftheydon'tagreetoloweryourbill,they'relegallyobligatedtoletyououtofthecontract.Thiswillallowyoutofindabetterdealsomewhereelse.

Watch for thirdpartiesattempting toaddcharges toyourbill.Companieswhohaveyourphonenumbercanessentially treat it likeacredit card,billingyourphone account for services they may or may not have rendered. Look forservicesyoudidn'tagreetopayforandservicesyoudidn'taskfororwant.

Beaware thatany"free" trialservicesyousignupforaregoingtocarryheftychargesonce the trial period is up.Companiesoffer free trials because they'rebankingonthefactyou'llforgettocanceltheservicebeforethetrial isupandenduppayingmonthlyfees.Checkyourbillforservicesyousignedupforandforgotaboutandservicesyousignedupforandnolongeruse.

GetDentalCareForFree(OrCheap)

Nobody likes going to the dentist, but it's a servicewe all need from time totime. It'sunpleasantandcanbepainfulwhileyou're sitting in thechair,and itcan hurt evenmorewhen it's time to get out yourwallet.We tend to assumethese costs are unavoidable, but there areways you can savemoney on yourdentalbills.

Thefirstwaytopreventexpensivebillsispreventativecare.Regularcleaningscostlessthanahundredbucksandcansaveyouabunchofmoneylaterondowntheroad.Betweencleanings,besuretobrushyourteethtwiceaday,flossandusemouthwash.Useatoothpastewithbakingsodaandfluorideinit.

Dental costs arehighnomatterwhereyougo,butdoa little shoppingaroundbeforesettlingonadentist.Get recommendationsfromfriendsandfamilyandget a second opinion before paying for expensive treatments. I recently had adentisttellmeIneededtospendthousandsonspacersforsomeofmydaughter'steeth. Another dentist looked in her mouth and immediately dismissed thenotion,statingherteethwouldgrowinstraightwithoutthespacer.Guesswhat?Theygrewinstraightanditsavedmeacouplethousandbucks—anditsavedmydaughterthepainandhassleofhavingthespacers.

Dental insurance can help defray the costs of dental care, butmake sure you

knowwhatyou'regetting.Itisn'tuncommonforpeoplewithdentalcaretostillgethitwithhugebillsforstuffthatisn'tcoveredorisonlypartiallycoveredbytheir dental plan. Good dental plans are expensive and most don't coverpreexistingconditions.

If you don't have insurance and find yourself in need of expensive dentalprocedures,adentalschoolmaybewillingtoperformtheworkforfreeoratalowcost.Thedownsidetothisistheworkwillbedonebystudentswhomaybeperforming the procedure for the first time. There are teachers overseeing theprocedures,sothechancesofsomethingreallybadhappeningareslim.

The reality is you might get better care at a dental school than at a privatepractice.Dentistswhoarealready licensedmaybe ina rush togetallof theirappointmentsdone.Studentsareeagertodoagoodjobandwill taketheextratimetogeteverythingperfect.

If you find yourself having to pay full price for a procedure, checkwith yourdentist to see if there's a discount for paying cash.Agoodnumberof dentistsofferdiscountsofupto10%forcashpayments.

10WaystoSaveMoneyonPetFoodandCare

Petsarelikefamilymembers.Whentimesaretough,wecan'tjustgivethemup,even though food, shots andmedical bills for your pet can add up in a hurry.Luckily,youcankeepyourpet fedandhealthy fora lot less thanwhatyou'reprobablyspendingnow.

Herearetentipstohelpyousavemoneyonpetfoodandcare:

1. Don'tfeedyourpetstoomuch.Whiletherecommendedamountmaynotseemlikeenough,itis.Stopoverfeedingyourpetsandsavemoneyonfoodandhealthcarecosts.Overweightpetstendtohavemorehealthcareproblems.

2.Stopbuyingtop-shelfpetfood.Youdon'tneedtofeedyourpets$70-a-bagfoodtokeepthemhealthy.Don'tbuythecheapeststuffbecauseit'sfullof filler. Instead,gowith stuff that costs30bucksabagand savemoneywhilestillkeepingyourpethealthy.Pet'sarepickyandmayberesistanttotheswitch.Startoffbyswitching1/4ofthefoodinyourpet'sbowl.Dothatforacoupledays,thenupittohalf.Acoupledayslater,upitto3/4ofthebowl,thencompletelyswitchitout.

3. Getyourpets trained at pet store chains insteadof hiring expensiveprivatetrainers.Yourdogwilllearntositjustaswellata$40trainingclassasitwillata$200trainingclass.

4.Stoppayingmembershipfeesatexclusivedogparks.Findfreeparksorsetup"playdates"withfriendswhohavedogs.

5. Buyyourpetsuppliesused.WhypayfullpriceforadoghousewhenyoucangetanalmostnewoneforhalfthatonCraigslist?

6. Didyouknowyoucangethealthinsuranceforyourpets?Lookintoitandsee if it canhelpdefray thecostofmedicalcare foryourpet.At theveryleast,startputtingmoneyawayformedicalcareforyourpet.

7.Learntogroomyourpetyourself.Itwillhelpyougetclosertoyourpetandwillsaveyouhundredsofdollarsyearly.

8.Coupon.Findcouponsforpetcareandfoodandsavecash.

9. Lookforclinicsinyourarea.Youcanusuallygetfreecheck-upsanddiscountedshotsandservicesatclinics.

10.Don'twaituntilit'sanemergency.Ifyourpetisinjuredorsickandisn'thealing,getthemintoseethevet.Itmightsaveyoualotofmoneyinthelongrun.

NaturalFleaandTickPrevention

Keeping your pet free of fleas and ticks naturally is going to take a bitmorework,butit'sacheaperandsaferalternativetotheharshchemicalsmostpeopleuse.

Firstofall,determinewhereyoupetispickingupthebugs.Ifit'satalocaldogpark, there isn'tmuch you can do about it. If it's in your back yard, you canintroducepredatoryworms toyouryard thatpreyon fleasand ticks.Theydieonce the food supply dries up, so you don't have toworry about them takingover.Atlessthan$30atreatment,you'repayinghalfwhatitcoststotreatyourpet for fleasand ticksandyou'renotusingchemicals thatcanmakeyou,yourkidsandyourpetsick.

TreattheinsideofyourhomewithBoraxandsalt.Sprinkleitonyourcarpetstokillsfleas.Itgetsintotheirexoskeletonsandkillsthemfromtheinsideout.Let

itsitforaday,thenvacuumitup.Besuretogetridofyourvacuumbagsandemptyyourvacuumcleaneroutsidetopreventanyfleasthatmayhavesurvivedfromgettingbackintoyourcarpet.

Ifyourpetisfulloffleas,it'stimetobreakoutthedishsoap.Latheryourpetuprealgoodandlethimorhersitlikethatfortenminutes.Thiswillsuffocateanylivingcreaturesonyourpet.Now,comboutanyeggsyouseewithafleacomb.Addacoupledropsofpeppermintoil toyourpet'sbathwaterwhenyoubathethemtokeepbugsaway.

You can add garlic cloves to your pet's food to naturally repel fleas. It takesabout amonth for this treatment to start working. Brewer's yeast can also beaddedtorepelbugs.

MakeYourOwnPetFoodandSaveaBundle

Store-bought pet foods are a convenient way to feed your pet. They're alsoexpensiveandtendtobefullofadditives.Inlightofrecentrecalls,youmaybeputtingyourpetsatriskbyfeedingthemstore-boughtfood.

Dogsandcatseatprettymuchthesamethingspeopledo—that is, theyeat thesamethingshealthypeopledo.AdietofTwinkiesandsodapopiseverybitasbadforyourpetasitisforyou.

Pets need some sort of meat, like chicken, beef, lamb or turkey. They alsorequireveggieslikepeasandcarrotsandsomefoodwithcalciuminitlikemilk,cheeseorsardines.Addacuportwoofoatmealtothemixtobulkitupabit.

Here'saquickandeasydogfoodrecipe:

5lbsrawgroundbeef

5lbsrawgroundturkey

10eggs,shellsincluded

3cupscookedwhiterice

3cupsboiledoatmeal

Vitaminsupplement(askyourvetforrecommendations)

Thisrecipewillmakeapproximate25cupsofdogfood.

Herearethedirections:

1.Blendeggsandshellsinblender.

2.Addallingredientstolargebowlsandthoroughlymix.

3.Make5largeloafs.

4.Preheatovento350F.

5.Cookforuptoanhour.Don'tleaveanypink.

6.Refrigerateuntilneeded.

Here'saquickandeasycatfoodrecipe:

3cupscornmeal

2cupsboiledoats

10eggs

10tablespoonbutter

10poundsgroundmeat(mixandmatchchicken,beef,fish)

1teaspoonfishoils

Ahandfuloffreshveggies,mixedintothemeat

Anysupplementsrecommendedbyyourvet

Directions:

1.Grindmeatsandveggies,ifnecessary.

2.Ifyouwanttocookthem,createlargeballsandcookinpreheatedovenuntildone.

3. Ifyouwanttopreserveallofthenutrients,formintoballsservefoodraw.

4.Refrigerateuntilserving.

TableofContentsCopyrightIntroductionWhyYouNeedaSavingsAccountTheThirty-DayRuleBeThrifty

AppliancesBooksClothingFurnitureToysItemsYouShouldn'tBuy

HowtoGetStuffForFreeFreeSamplesFreeorCheaperLongDistanceCalls

ScratchandDentStoresDrinkMore,SaveMoreMakeYourOwnLaundrySoapMakeYourOwnDishwasherDetergentMakeYourOwnPlayDoughandSillyPutty50UsesForBakingSodaAppleCiderVinegar:HydrogenPeroxideTurnOuttheLightsLearntoCoupon

GetOrganizedFindingCouponsHowToMaximizeCouponSavings

SaveMoneyonLaundryTryBundlingYourBillsYourLifeInsuranceMayBeCostingYouTooMuchSaveMoneyonYourCar

NeverBuyNewSaveMoneyonRepairs

TipstoCutMedicalCostsSaveMoneyWhenYou'reInsured

SaveMoneyWhenYouDon'tHaveInsuranceCellPhoneSavingsCrammingGetDentalCareForFree(OrCheap)10WaystoSaveMoneyonPetFoodandCare

NaturalFleaandTickPreventionMakeYourOwnPetFoodandSaveaBundle