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Commingle Personal and Business Finances? Never!
Dear Mary: I am reading your book, "Debt-Proof Living," and have begun tracking my expenses. I have a home-based business. Should I include business expenses or just personal expenses in the tracking? — Lucy, Vermont
Dear Lucy: You …Read more.
In Recessionary Times, Thrift Stores Are Booming
I love to read about the ingenious ways people are dealing with the effects of this unrelenting recession. Reminds me of a news story I read recently about the rise in popularity of thrift stores. They're becoming so popular, in fact, new ones are …Read more.
How to Stop Paying for Standby Power
Take a stroll through all the rooms in your home tonight when it's dark. Notice all the little green or red lights staring at you from TVs, cable boxes, phone chargers, computer peripherals, sound systems, the coffee maker and the microwave. I did …Read more.
Debt: The Good, Bad and Really Ugly
All debt falls into one of three categories: reasonable, toxic and neutral.
Reasonable, or good, debt is the result of borrowing money to buy something that has a high likelihood of increasing in value, and in so doing will increase your net worth.
…Read more.
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Freeze Your Own Bread and Save Your DoughDear Mary: I love to have freshly baked bread, and when I don't make my own, I buy frozen dough and bake it. How do I prepare my own frozen bread dough? -- Robin W., Indiana
Dear Robin: I often freeze fresh bread dough myself -- usually for dinner rolls. Make the bread all the way through the first rise, punching down and forming the loaves or rolls and placing them in the prepared pans. Now instead of allowing the dough to make the second rise, wrap it with plastic wrap tightly, and place it in the freezer. When you want to bake, you need to plan ahead a bit. Take it from the freezer, remove the plastic wrap, and set it out at room temperature to thaw. It will take about three hours for the dough to thaw and another hour or more for the dough to reach the desired rise. (Double is what I look for.) Then just pop it into the preheated oven as directed by your recipe. Dear Mary: I am looking into health savings accounts. Do you know of a Web site that would tell me which expenses the money can be used for? Also, if I should pay for something and later find that it was something that the HSA could have been used for, am I allowed to reimburse myself for the purchase? -- Janet M., e-mail Dear Janet: You can learn all there is to know about HSAs at the U.S.
Dear Mary: Is there a quick and easy way to remove wallpaper and the paste from bathroom walls? -- Mickey, e-mail Dear Mickey: The answer to your question depends on how the wallpaper was applied. Because it was applied with paste, this could present a big challenge. You could try a strong solution of white vinegar and water (two cups of vinegar to a quart of hot water). This will soften most pastes so you can scrape the paper and backing from the wall easily. However, if you want to get this job done quickly, I'd spend a few bucks for a product called DIF Wallpaper Stripper by Zinsser (www.zinsser.com). DIF comes as a concentrated liquid, a gel or a fast-acting spray. You can find DIF at stores such as The Home Depot and Lowe's. It's easy to apply and works like a dream. If DIF doesn't do the job, I'm afraid nothing will. Good luck! Do you have a question for Mary? 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 17 books, including "Debt-Proof Living." To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.
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