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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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Pet Blood Donors Get Services for Reduced CostEvery time I think to myself that I've probably heard every timesaving and money-saving tip, mail comes that proves me wrong. Today's winner of our Tip of the Month contest falls into that category. What a great idea! TIP OF THE MONTH. Many people don't know that dogs and cats need blood sometimes to save their lives, too! There is a 24-hour pet emergency hospital in my town that gives you significant savings if it is able to use your dog or cat as a blood donor. There are age, weight and other restrictions that apply, but my dog receives regular vet care for free. We also get 40 percent off our medications and emergency care for that pet. — Dawn D., Indiana FLEE, FLEAS! Instead of buying an expensive flea shampoo, buy a small bottle of baby shampoo and add two tablespoons of orange or lemon juice. It's a great natural flea shampoo with power even the priciest products can't beat. Citric acid is the flea killer in many of those products. Avoid getting it in your pet's eyes, and let it sit for a few minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Your pup will smell fresh, too! — Karen L., California ICE PACK. Instead of buying an expensive ice pack for injuries, mix equal parts of water and rubbing alcohol in a quart-size freezer bag and freeze it. It makes a slushy ice pack (alcohol does not freeze) that conforms to whatever needs to be iced.
SWIFT CHOPPING. I broke my nut chopper last Christmas, and because I seldom use it, I have yet to replace it. The other day, I was making an apple cake that needed chopped nuts, and the thought occurred to me to try using the "apple wheel," the gadget that cores and slices apples. It worked beautifully! I had control over the nuts in a glass pie plate, and there was no mess. Also, it worked much faster than a knife! — Eri G., Texas CHANGE CUP. I bought a digital coin bank that fits like a coffee cup in my car's cup holder. Now I have a handy place to put my spare change, and the bank keeps track of the balance. I plan to donate the money at the end of the year. It will be fun to see how quickly this change adds up! — Christana F., California 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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