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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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Paying Yourself To Get CreativeUsually, it is cheaper to repair than to replace. Sure, there are exceptions, but they are few and far between. Repairing things, it seems, brings out the inner clever person in all of us. Don't believe it? Check out these clever readers: UNDERWATER BASKET WEAVING. The silverware basket in my dishwasher was starting to break along the bottom, so the silverware would fall through. I found replacement baskets online, but they were not cheap. So I dug through my husband's toolbox and took some of his plastic zip ties. I wove them along the bottom of the basket, between the pieces of the basket that were not broken and other zip ties, forming a new basket. I have used it that way for almost a year with no further problems and saved myself money by not having to purchase a new basket. — Rachel P., Oregon HAPPY FEET. My daughter's favorite shoes close with Velcro, and I have noticed that the Velcro is the first thing to wear out on them. I dug around in my craft supplies and found stick-on Velcro circles from the dollar store. I stuck one on the worn shoe and sewed it on with a couple of stitches. Now she can wear her favorite shoes again, and I don't have to buy a replacement pair. — Elizabeth J., e-mail PILLOW TALK. I was told down pillows wear out and have to be thrown away, and I have a 12-year-old down pillow that was beginning to smell pretty bad.
MAGIC MOM. While I was preparing Easter dinner, my 4-year-old daughter climbed up to the counter in her most beautiful dress, opened a bottle of bright red fingernail polish and spilled it on herself. That afternoon, I tried everything to save her dress, which I felt was doomed for the dump. Finally, I tried oven cleaner. I saturated the polish stains with Easy-Off, waited 30 seconds, rubbed the stain lightly and then rinsed it well. It worked like magic. After I repeated this process twice, all the stains were gone, and it did no harm to the fabric. I laundered the dress as usual and happily hung it up; it was as good as new. — Amanda F., Kansas 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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