Recently
The Infamous Mystery Means
Dear Mary: My husband has two jobs — he is an artist and a salesman. He earns commissions from both jobs, so we never know what our income will be. I work part-time and am paid hourly. How do we go about setting up a budget? — Carol, …Read more.
Handy Tools Ease the Pain
Manufactures have been making a name — and a profit — for themselves creating tools and gadgets to help consumers get a "better grip" on countless household tasks. And I'm not knocking it. But I love it when I don't have to …Read more.
Let the Decluttering Begin
I know it's time. It's been time for at least five years, possibly longer. I need to clean my kitchen. Now, before you send the Health Department to my address, let me explain. What I mean by "clean" is that I need to clean out and …Read more.
A Glimmer of Hope to Cling To
Think back to a low point in your life. Don't struggle with this, just try to recall when you were going through a difficult season and life seemed bleak. Now recall that first glimmer of hope you clung to as you could see that things were beginning …Read more.
more articles
|
A Practical Lesson on InflationDear Mary: If you had $500 for investing, what would you do with the money? I'm considering buying gold. Or should I do something else? — Karen, email Dear Karen: As I write, $500 would buy about one-third of an ounce of gold (the price changes daily). Practically speaking, gold is not available in such a small amount, which puts it out of your reach at this time. A more practical solution for you (and what I would do if I were you) may be to purchase silver, instead. At this time, silver is about $33 per ounce, which is the “spot” price. At a local coin shop in your city, your $500 would buy about 15 1-ounce silver coins (U.S. silver dollars or silver “rounds,” which are .999 pure silver) at spot, plus the coin shop owner mark-up for profit. Silver, like gold, has proven that it retains its value. And if you need the money later, you can easily sell (or cash in) silver dollars or rounds to a local coin shop. Let me explain: If you would have purchased one U.S. silver dollar in 1963, it would have cost you one dollar bill. Today, you need 33 dollar bills to buy that very same silver dollar. It’s not that the silver became more valuable, it’s that the dollar bills have lost their value. We have every reason to believe that silver will continue to increase in cost, which of course is just another way of saying that the U.S. dollar will continue to slide. You can also purchase .9999 pure silver bullion by the ounce online. I can recommend Great Panther Silver Mine as reputable (www.GreatPanther.com).
Dear Mary: I wear a lot of dark clothing. Woolite makes a detergent for dark fabrics, but it’s two to three times the cost of regular detergent. Is there a less expensive detergent to use that won't fade dark clothing? — Dee, New Jersey Dear Dee: Soap and water are the enemy of dark-colored washable fabrics. They leach out the color and send it down the drain. You don’t need pricey products to combat this problem. Simply wash your darks in cool water with the minimum amount of detergent, using the shortest wash cycle. Never allow darks to soak. Another trick is to add about half a cup of table salt to the wash cycle the first time you wash new dark-colored items. Experts tell us that salt “sets” the color. It’s difficult to measure the results, but it can’t hurt. Check out Cheapskate Solutions, a 50-page resource booklet packed full of formulas and recipes for laundry, cleaning solutions, health, beaut, and so much more. It’s available as a digital download or a printed booklet. The digital download is $5; the printed booklet is $7. Order online at www.DebtProofLiving.com, call (800) 550-3502, or mail your check to Debt-Proof Living, PO Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. Do you have a question for Mary? Email 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, a personal finance member website. To find out more about Mary and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
