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Mortgage Insurance? Not on Your Life!
Dear Mary: I just bought a house, and I've been getting a lot of flyers about mortgage protection insurance. Is it something good for a new homeowner or just a waste of money? — Donna, email
Dear Donna: Great questions. "Mortgage …Read more.
Tips That Make You Feel Like a Genius
Secretly, I feel like a genius when I discover a secondary use for this or that — in case I run out of this, but have plenty of that! Like using a paper coffee filter to wash a glass top or mirror when I'm in a pinch for paper towels. Or using …Read more.
Supermarket Tricks That Makes Us Spend More
I've always thought of myself as pretty sharp when it comes to spotting supermarket trickery. I'm not even fazed by an end-cap display announcing, "Special." I know their ways. They hope we'll just assume that "special" means …Read more.
The Struggle to Actually Use up Gift Cards
My love-hate relationship with gift cards has intensified. What a pain, really. I'm one who just forgets to use them, and when I remember, I try to figure out how to use each one to the last cent. I was reminded of my situation recently when I …Read more.
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Do Your Back-to-School Shopping in Someone Else's ClosetIf your cash flow has been reduced to a trickle, you may be finding the thought of back-to-school shopping more than a little stressful. Of course you want to send the kids back to school with new shoes, clothes and school supplies, but what can you do if the funds are just not as available as they once were? Get creative! Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing. —ThredUP. With this amazing website, America's busy families are exchanging their kids' clothing online. Here's how it works: Go to http://www.thredUP.com to register. The company will send 10 empty boxes to you. While you're waiting for them to arrive, start browsing the website for boxes of clothing that interest you. Once you find a box of clothes you want, you will pay $13 for shipping and the person who posted that box will send it to you. Then you list a box of clothing you want to swap. Once your box is chosen, you are notified, and you ship it for free. ThredUP even will arrange for UPS to pick up the box from your home at the time you specify. Membership at thredUP is free; premium is $29.99 per year. There are thousands of boxes full of clothing just waiting for kids like yours to wear to school this fall. —Consignment stores. Most areas have specialty consignment shops just for children's clothing.
—Uniforms. More and more schools are moving to school uniforms. Even with all the benefits, uniforms can be expensive, especially if you have several children. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways you can save money on school uniforms. More and more stores are stocking them, including Costco. Be sure to check clearance racks in late September and early October, after school has started. You also can buy uniforms used. Check children's consignment stores frequently. If your school doesn't have a uniform resale night already, organize one yourself. Have parents bring outgrown uniforms to swap or sell. —Neighborhood swap. You could have a neighborhood swap organized by next weekend. Consider the clothes you have to swap, and multiply that by all the houses in your neighborhood. Get the neighbors together. Serve some wine and cheese and just see how creative you will be. It'll be good for your pocketbook and fun for everyone. Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her latest, "Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?" You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2010 CREATORS.COM
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