Recently
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.
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.
more articles
|
Swap Books You Have for Those You WantDear Mary: I had the address of a Web site that allows you to list your books by ISBN and swap them with other members. My plan was to let my daughter enter all of our books into the system so she would have an allowance for her book purchases. Unfortunately, I have been unable to find that Web site again. Can you help? — Echo W., e-mail Dear Echo: The site you are looking for is PaperBackSwap.com. Your daughter can enjoy trading paperbacks, hardbacks, audio books and textbooks. The site is fantastic, with search features, reader reviews and ratings, similar to Amazon.com and www.bn.com. More than 4 million books are listed at PaperBackSwap.com. Membership to the site is "currently free for charter members," which leads me to believe the site will be instituting a membership fee in the near future. I would sign up quickly. Dear Mary: I started tracking my spending. I'm sure you will not be surprised, but I was spending way more than I realized. I have determined that I need to move out of my expensive apartment. What percentage of my income should I be spending on my rent or a mortgage? — Rebekah H., e-mail Dear Rebekah: Keeping track of where your money goes takes self-discipline. As you are learning, that's what brings us to financial maturity. The amount of income you should devote to housing depends on how much debt you are carrying, the size of your family and other factors. Generally speaking, housing (including insurance and taxes for a mortgage) should consume 28 to 32 percent of your gross income — less if you have a lot of debt, slightly more if you are otherwise debt-free. Dear Mary: I finally am living with cash.
For years, I have worked to improve my poor money management skills with your suggestions. I reread "Debt-Proof Your Marriage," and I'm on the right path. The chapter "You Can Get Out of Debt, Yes You Can!" helped so much. Your Rapid Debt-Repayment Plan is showing me the way. It truly is working. I have more than $50,000 of debt, and it will take a few years to pay back, but I know I can do it. Thank you. I appreciate the lifeline. — Jill, e-mail Dear Jill: I am so happy to hear of your progress. It's one thing to know what to do but another to do it! You are proof that my debt-proof living method really works. The Rapid Debt-Repayment Plan recently was expanded as an online tool at our new Web site, http://www.DebtProofLiving.com, to include a management feature. You create your RDRP online using the RDRP calculator and manage it as part of your super-secure Debt-Proof Living membership. It is one of the best things about our new site! 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
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
