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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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Journal in a Jar Makes a Great (Cheap) Holiday GiftDear Mary: Where can I get information about creating a "journal in a jar"? I love the idea, and I started a couple of jars with my own questions, but I would love to have your questions, too. Thank you so much. — Rachel H., California Dear Rachel: The idea is to give a person a gift that includes everything he/she needs to write the story of his/her life, including appropriate and specific questions and prompts, such as: Why was your name chosen for you? What was happening in the world when you were born? What was your favorite hiding place as a child? What is your favorite hiding place as an adult? What is your personal secret to happiness? The "jar" part of this gift comes from the original idea to put all of the items, including the questions on small pieces of paper, into a glass jar, embellish the lid and add a gift tag. It makes such a great gift. I've posted hundreds of questions for both children and adults, the text for a gift tag, and printable instructions to give to your recipient on "Mary's Web Desk" at my Web site, http://www.DebtProofLiving.com. Dear Mary: My 13-year-old KitchenAid mixer has begun to leak oil. I did a little Internet research and learned this is a common issue. Some owners have bought new mixers and are not as happy with their new purchases, saying the quality doesn't seem to be the same.
Dear A.M.: This is easy. Get it repaired. You'll have your high-quality mixer back working in tiptop shape for half the cost of a new, inferior model. Dear Mary: I have a few old credit cards that have zero balances. I no longer use them, and I would like to cancel them but do not want to lower my credit score. What would you say is the best approach for canceling them, one every year or one every six months? — Linda, Texas Dear Linda: Yes, spread the closures over a period of time. I don't know your score or how many cards you're talking about, but one every six months should be OK. Should your score suffer the loss of a few points along the way, don't worry. That will bounce back quickly if you continue to live responsibly and are never late paying your bills. 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 18 books, including "Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?" 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.COM
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