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The Infamous Mystery Means
Dear Mary: My husband has two jobs — he is an artist and a salesman. He earns commissions from both jobs, so we never know what our income will be. I work part-time and am paid hourly. How do we go about setting up a budget? — Carol, …Read more.
Handy Tools Ease the Pain
Manufactures have been making a name — and a profit — for themselves creating tools and gadgets to help consumers get a "better grip" on countless household tasks. And I'm not knocking it. But I love it when I don't have to …Read more.
Let the Decluttering Begin
I know it's time. It's been time for at least five years, possibly longer. I need to clean my kitchen. Now, before you send the Health Department to my address, let me explain. What I mean by "clean" is that I need to clean out and …Read more.
A Glimmer of Hope to Cling To
Think back to a low point in your life. Don't struggle with this, just try to recall when you were going through a difficult season and life seemed bleak. Now recall that first glimmer of hope you clung to as you could see that things were beginning …Read more.
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A Surefire Way To Slow the Flow of WaterFor years, I've been encouraging readers to send in their best timesaving and money-saving tips, and we've pored over mountains of reader-submitted tips. It's not easy for readers to come up with ideas that my staff at DPL Central and I have not heard before. Now and then, however, it happens. This past month, we received so many great new tips that it was downright difficult to settle on a winner! Read on to see whether you don't agree. TIP OF THE MONTH. My kids always were running the water at full blast while doing dishes, brushing their teeth and doing other chores at the sink. It was difficult to get them to remember to turn off the faucet when they didn't need it, so I slowed the flow by turning down the shut-off valves under each sink. I found that you can adjust for more or less flow by turning on the water all the way at the sink and then slowly turning the shut-off valve toward the off position until you get the desired flow. If the shut-off valve for the shower is accessible, you can slow down that flow the same way. My water bill has decreased significantly since I slowed the flow. — David R., Massachusetts KITCHEN BROKER. A friend of mine recently remodeled his kitchen. Ripping out his existing kitchen was going to cost him approximately $600. Instead, he placed an ad in the local newspaper offering his entire kitchen for sale. He described what was included (cabinets, countertops, appliances, sink and faucet), and he specified that the buyer would need to remove these items from the kitchen.
MATCHING QUEEN. I have an easy tip for matching linens. When I take sheets out of the laundry, I fold them and stuff all the pieces of each set into one of its pillowcases. Then, when I make the bed, all I have to do is pull a pillowcase out of the cabinet, and everything is there, already matched up! — Lauretta B., e-mail NEGOTIATING GURU. Recently I had two emergency room visits and two surgeries in three months. Even with health insurance, my portion of the bill came to more than $3,000. I had the money in savings to pay the bills in full, but I wanted the providers to cut me a break. It is expensive for offices to rebill patients month after month, so I called the hospital first. They reduced my bill by 22 percent, provided I paid it immediately. By the time I was done speaking to all the providers, I had negotiated $710 in discounts, averaging more than 17 percent off my bills. You have to pay immediately for negotiation to work, but if you have a contingency fund, you should be in good shape. — Lesa, Washington Would you like to send a tip to Mary? You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including "Debt-Proof Living" and "Tiptionary 2." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.
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