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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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Fun Housecleaning Wins Tip of the MonthJust wait until you read the July Tip of the Month. If you're looking for a great way to cool off in the hot sun and get some housecleaning done at the same time, here's a great way to do it. It even may win you some help from the little ones in the house. Congratulations to Joan V. for winning a one-year online membership to Debt-Proof Living (http://www.DebtProofLiving.com) for this tip: BLIND HOUSEKEEPING. For $9.99, I bought a 42-inch wading pool. I put it on my patio table, filled it with suds and water, and washed all of my window blinds in it. I didn't have to bend, stoop or make a mess in the house. After I washed the blinds, I hung them over outdoor chairs, rinsed them with a hose and let them dry. Now it's time to refill the pool and give the dog a bath! — Joan V., e-mail TRASH TALK. We have a trash compactor in our kitchen. I don't use it because I recycle everything and we barely put out two bags of trash a week. I always have wished it were another cabinet instead. Then I got the idea to use it as a temporary recycling stop. Now I put only recyclable plastics and glass in it. That way, I don't have to carry recycling outside more than once or twice a week. — Jodi H., e-mail WALNUT WONDER. When I was growing up, our cats would jump onto our dark hardwood piano and scratch it. My mom used to rub the scratches with the meat of a walnut (no shell, of course!).
AMAZING SAVING. When my son was an infant, he received $20 or $30 in cash for special occasions, such as Christmas and birthdays, from grandparents and friends. I opened a savings account for him and put all the money in it. At his age, he never missed it. Then I had young neighbors who liked to host weekly parties. Afterward they were more than happy to drop off sacks of aluminum cans at my house. I sold the cans and matched the profits out of my pocket, all of which I added to my son's savings account. Eventually, I went to a stockbroker and had him set up a fund for my son with me as the custodian. I transferred the savings money into it and added to it regularly. When my son turned 15 years old, this account was worth $28,000. The amazing thing about it was that saving the money was painless. — Debra M., Colorado 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. Include your first and last name and state. 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 2010 CREATORS.COM
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