Everyday Cheapskate from Creators Syndicate

Keeping a Meal Journal Saves Time and Money for 04/09/2008

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Last month, I invited readers of this column to submit their best tips for how to save time and money every day. Your response was amazing. Thanks to every person who sent in tips. You'll be seeing many of them in future columns. We did our best to narrow down the best of the best and to select the best idea based on originality and universal appeal. The winner will receive a one-year membership t ...

Updated: Wed Apr 09, 2008

Are Identity Protection Companies a Rip-off? for 04/10/2008

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Mary: There appears to be an increasing number of companies offering protection from identity theft. Is this worth consideration, or is it just another scheme to get into a person's wallet? -- Homer L., e-mail

Dear Homer: I am familiar with one company that offers identity theft service, LifeLock, which I have found to be reputable and which provides an excellent service for people who ne ...

Updated: Thu Apr 10, 2008

Don't Ever Give Up for 04/14/2008

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Every day, I get messages from readers who are looking for encouragement and solutions for their financial situations. It might be a never-changing credit card balance that has a reader down in the dumps. Or a letter might arrive from someone who's made tremendous progress with repaying debt but then started down that terrible path again.

Perhaps today that person is you. Do you feel as if the ...

Updated: Mon Apr 14, 2008

The Anatomy of a Supermarket for 04/15/2008

Tue, 15 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I never had thought much about the intense marketing logistics behind the supermarket business until one day when I was in a tremendous hurry. I dashed into my favorite market, only to find it had been rearranged completely the previous night.

The harder I searched for the items I needed the more frustrated I became. Finally, I went to the store manager to register my complaint. He told me tha ...

Updated: Tue Apr 15, 2008

Some Assembly Required Made Easy for 04/16/2008

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

If you ever have purchased a household item that comes with "some assembly required," you may know the frustration of getting the item nearly completed, only to discover you're missing some parts. Or you spend so much time digging through piles of parts and hardware trying to find what you need you want to pull your hair out. Today's first tipster has a great idea for taking the angst ou ...

Updated: Wed Apr 16, 2008

Credit Card Issuer May Be in Violation of the Law for 04/17/2008

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Mary: Recently I made a credit card payment on time using online bill pay but later received a late payment fee and interest charge. I complained, and it was removed, but the woman on the phone told me to pay the account five days before the due date. Why? Because they don't "process" the payments necessarily on the day they receive them, even electronically! Where in the informatio ...

Updated: Thu Apr 17, 2008

A Little Change Can Really Make a Difference for 04/21/2008

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Recently I read a news story about Starbucks Corp. that left me stunned. In a nutshell, it seems that the company practice has been to place "tip jars" by the cash registers where customers can drop their loose change to tip the baristas. In California, there is a law that prohibits managers and supervisors from sharing in employee tips. And because Starbucks allowed their shift supervis ...

Updated: Mon Apr 21, 2008

Just 5 Smooth Stones and a Ton of Support for 04/22/2008

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

A few months ago, Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney introduced the Credit Cardholders' Bill of Rights Act of 2008 (H.R. 5244). The proposed legislation calls for comprehensive credit card reform.
It's about time.

The bill is aimed at preventing major credit industry abuses while fostering fair competition between card issuers. If you ever have been hit with an unfair late fee, b ...

Updated: Tue Apr 22, 2008

The Secret for Making Your Own Scrubbing Bubbles for 04/23/2008

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Just in case you've been wondering how on earth you could make your own scrubbing bubbles to both clean and disinfect the grout in your home, wonder no more. Today's first tipster has a quick, effective -- and cheap! -- grout cleaner.

GROUT CLEANER. To clean grout, I pour a little baking soda on the grout line, add enough hydrogen peroxide to make a thin paste, scrub a few times with an old to ...

Updated: Wed Apr 23, 2008

Freeze Your Own Bread and Save Your Dough for 04/24/2008

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Mary: I love to have freshly baked bread, and when I don't make my own, I buy frozen dough and bake it. How do I prepare my own frozen bread dough? -- Robin W., Indiana

Dear Robin: I often freeze fresh bread dough myself -- usually for dinner rolls.

Make the bread all the way through the first rise, punching down and forming the loaves or rolls and placing them in the prepa ...

Updated: Thu Apr 24, 2008

The Chart of Your Life for 04/28/2008

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Imagine for a moment that I'm standing in front of a gigantic chart that tracks the movement of the stock market from almost the beginning of last century. You see a series of peaks and valleys corresponding to various historic events. There is a serious downdraft during the Depression. But look. After it bottoms out, the line goes up. Invariably goes up.

Notice the 1987 stock market crash. Se ...

Updated: Mon Apr 28, 2008

The Least Teens Need To Know About Credit Cards for 04/29/2008

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

If the greeting card aisle at my local supermarket is any indicator, we are headlong into graduation season. And while all graduations are significant and worthy of a nice card -- with the possible exception of graduation from preschool, which (sorry) I just don't get -- none is quite so momentous as graduating from high school. That's a real milestone that signals a rite of passage from youth to ...

Updated: Tue Apr 29, 2008

Bushels of Tips and Tricks for Spring for 04/30/2008

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0700

I love spring for so many reasons but mostly for the flowers. The anticipation for my sweet peas to bloom is nearly killing me. I have lots of healthy, sturdy vines but so far not a single bloom. I can't wait to start cutting bushels of sweet peas that will fill every vase I can get my hands on.

With the arrival of spring comes a whole set of gardening challenges that, if you're not careful, c ...

Updated: Wed Apr 30, 2008

Daughter Returns Home Dragging Her Debt Behind Her for 05/01/2008

Thu, 01 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Mary: My daughter recently came home to live (she pays a very nominal rent) while she gets her bearings in a new career. She has about $10,000 in credit card debt and now owes me about the same amount. She pays me what she can, when she can. I am charging her 6 percent interest on the unpaid balance.

A financial adviser at an investment company told her she should put money away in saving ...

Updated: Thu May 01, 2008

Making It Right When You Make a Mistake for 05/05/2008

Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Imagine this: You pull up to the gasoline pump and jump out to fill up your tank, only to notice the price per gallon is set to $0.35 per gallon. Yeah, you read that right. Thirty-five cents.

My first thought would be they've begun selling gasoline by the cup, not the gallon. Or I'd be looking for the cameras because I might be getting "Punk'd" or caught on the newest version of &quo ...

Updated: Mon May 05, 2008

How To Get Whacked by Double Taxation for 05/06/2008

Tue, 06 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

In a recent column, I cautioned my readers against cashing in or taking loans from 401(k) accounts or other types of retirement accounts. One of the problems with taking a loan, I said, is the matter of double taxation. And those two words caused a tsunami of mail to wash up on my desk. Some of you just did not understand, while others suggested I don't know what I'm talking about. So I'm going to ...

Updated: Tue May 06, 2008

Doggy Door Do-Over Wins Tip of the Month for 05/07/2008

Wed, 07 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

TIP OF THE MONTH. Doggy door flap replacements are expensive; my pet store wanted $35 for one. So why not make your own? Check out the carpet section at your local discount department store, and pick up a rubber-backed doormat for a couple of dollars. Then just cut it to fit using the old door flap as a template. I only spent about $2. -- Shirley R., Missouri

Congratulations to Shirley R. for ...

Updated: Wed May 07, 2008

First Credit Card for a College Student for 05/08/2008

Thu, 08 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Dear Mary: My son is a college student and wants to begin establishing credit. He is interested in finding a credit card that would be right for him, a college student on a budget. He did apply for a card, but they turned him down because he lacks credit. Could you suggest a card or a way to get his credit started? -- Pam M., e-mail

Dear Pam: I understand your son's desire to begin building go ...

Updated: Thu May 08, 2008

5 Good Reasons To Rent for 05/12/2008

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

There is a generally accepted notion in this country that if you don't own a home, you're pretty much a loser -- that if you rent your home, you are not experiencing the American dream. And that is simply not true.

While many people prefer to own their own homes, there are many advantages to renting instead.

-- NO RISK. Owning a home can be a risky business, and there are no guar ...

Updated: Mon May 12, 2008

Health Insurance for the Young and Healthy for 05/13/2008

Tue, 13 May 2008 00:00:00 -0700

Recently I received a letter from Cheri T., who wrote about an issue facing many college grads:

"My daughter will be graduating from college this month. I can keep her on my insurance by using COBRA until she finds a job with benefits. Should I do that or look for an insurance plan that covers just her? She is a healthy 22-year-old."

Cheri is going to have a rude awaken ...

Updated: Tue May 13, 2008