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Posts Tagged ‘Money tips’

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A better way to win those eBay auctions…

Monday, July 19th, 2010

I love looking on eBay,  They have so much stuff!  Used or new, you can find all kinds of interesting things on there.  Frankly, however, it can be a pain in the butt!  It irritates me that they overcharge on the shipping, and, if you really want something, you have to use the “buy it now” option, since it’s almost impossible to win an auction these days…until now!

Bidnip.com is an auction sniper site that will swoop in at the last minute on an auction, and, for a very small fee (generally less than a quarter), snag the item for you!  If you don’t win, you get your change back!  This will help you save up to 50% on your item, which will make you feel a little better about the ridiculous shipping costs that the sellers charge!  Also, if you’re not sure you want to sign up with them, they let you have a free trial, just to be sure.  No obligation, no worries.

Happy shopping!  Save some money.

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Wasting money…

Friday, June 18th, 2010

I found a great article for today on Walletpop.com, titled 10 products you”re wasting your money on.  Not only is the article funny, but it does point out several things that people buy/spend money on that are unnecessary. 

My favorite item on the list has to be weddings, since I have somewhat of a personal vendetta against high cost weddings.  It’s not that I don’t want people to have a nice wedding full of memories, it’s just that I don’t think we need to spend an average of $19,000 (according to the article) to make these memories.  Friends and family make the memories of your wedding (trust me on this), not the decorations.  Use less expensive decorations/venues to cut costs.  Have a friend throw you a “stock the bar” shower as opposed to a lingerie shower, since we all know that the lingerie ends up on the floor anyway, and save a ton on booze.  Either way, cut your costs, and put that money into savings!

Another favorite off the list?  Kitchen gadgets!  We all love them and we all buy them (unless of course, you use your kitchen as a closet or can only cook 5 meals, and therefore eat our a lot), but do we really need them?  Be honest!  Do you really need that pasta maker?  Have you ever made pasta from scratch?  Or is it more likely that you bought the gadget and still buy your pasta pre-made from the grocery?  Whatever the gadget, chances are you don’t need it!  You should either save that cash, or put it toward something useful, like saving it up to buy a good set of knives or cookware!

There are 8 other items on the list, which I strongly suggest you check out!  Some are funny (electronic litter box, anyone??), and others are practical, but all are a waste of money!

We would like to take this time to wish everyone a Happy Father’s Day this Sunday, and would also like to notify you that we will be taking next week off from writing, as we celebrate the birth of our daughter.  As our regular readers know, we take family time very seriously, and think that spending time loving each other is a key element in a happy marriage, and of course, loving more and living better.  Therefore, that is what we’re going to do next week!  Have a great week next week, and we’ll see you soon!

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Tips for executing a will…

Friday, June 11th, 2010

Today, I’m writing about and article I found after being inspired by an article on CNNMoney.com titled What an executor must know before a parent dies.  Basically, I found the article on CNN Money to be lacking, and so I did some digging around and found a more in depth and comprehensive checklist (obviously not meant to replace the advice of a lawyer or accountant, but helpful for the DIY-er) for an executor (trix) of a will.

I myself am currently named as an Executrix of an estate, although I hope not to have to be saddled with the job for many, many years, and, after I got to reading the little article on CNN Money, I began to wonder what the  basics of executing a will were, and whether or not I knew any of them.  I mean, I have no doubt that I can and will carry it out to the best of my ability, but I am no expert, and therefore, would like to have some tips on the process and legal issues that might arise.  The article I found surpassed my expectations.  From contacting the funeral home to contacting a lawyer (if necessary), this checklist has a little bit for everyone.  An important question raised is how to pay for the funeral if it has not been paid in advance.  Life insurance “isn’t paid in a week” as it says, and therefore the author recommends that the owner of the estate have money set aside for these expenses if they don’t pay for them ahead of time!  What a great suggestion!

This article not only has tips for the executor of the will, but also, at the bottom of the checklist it has some tips for the person with the estate.  This is fantastic, if you ask me, because more often than not, the issues that arise from a will (other than people being petty over material mementos) are because the deceased person doesn’t have their affairs “completely” in order.  For those of you with a will, I would double check this list to be sure you haven’t missed something.  The best tip (in my humble opinion) was to have a specific folder, binder etc. that is stored in a place that the executor and another family member know of that has ALL of your important information in it, from wills to passports to divorce decrees…and not copies either!  They need to be the originals!

I suggest to all of our readers to check out the article.  This just seems like information that could be useful for most of us in the future, especially if you follow our suggestions and get yourself our of debt and start building wealth.  You could have a “nice chunk of change” to leave to your family, and you don’t want them to get a headache from your gift!  Happy reading!

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Interesting and controversial way to make money!

Monday, May 10th, 2010

Our regular readers know the types of suggestions that we typically make for making extra money, so this might come as a shock to you, but today, we wanted to suggest making money by selling your eggs or sperm!

While goofing off this weekend, we ran across this article and this article that talked about sperm/egg donations, and we thought it was a great idea for a way to make extra cash! 

Now, you should know ahead of time that it isn’t the shady type of operation that most of us picture it to be.  These are upstanding businesses that are helping infertile couples get pregnant.  Are they doing it for free? NO!  Of course not, because they are a business.  So if you have moral problems with making money off of helping people achieve pregnancy, this is probably not the route for you.  Also, if you worry that you will have children running around everywhere marrying each other, this is probably not for you.  If, however, you believe it to be a good and vital part of our society that helps people create the family they have always wanted, then you should consider donating, especially given to income potential!

Does it pay well?  Yes, as a matter of fact it does!  After the routine psychological and physical screenings that a potential donor has to pass, they are admitted to programs that can make them $500-$1,000 a month (for sperm) and $5,000 -$10,000 per removal (for eggs).  That’s a lot of money for something we already have in our bodies!  I’m sure that you noticed the compensation disparity in eggs versus sperm, and I want you to know that there is a reason.  While men can donate relatively easily, women have to go through hormone therapy and a minor surgical procedure to donate, so the risks are higher. 

Does everyone get accepted?  No!  The screening process is very stringent, and most applicants don’t make it through.  Those that do, however, get a decent sized paycheck and the knowledge that they have helped couples all over the country, and that is a truly worthwhile extra “job”!

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Save money on portraits!

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

Today I wanted to share a tip for saving money on portrait buying for new parents.  Olan Mills, the national photographers, offer a special for new parents to receive FREE photographs of their newborn!  The New Baby Portrait Special offers parents  one 8 x 10, two 5 x 7s, and 8 wallet portraits all for free! 

Now, as with any other free offer, their could (will) be some limitations for your particular Olan Mills location, but they are still free photos!  Even if they come out in poor quality, it’s no big deal because you didn’t spend any money on them in the first place!  Keep in mind that the coupon is only valid for children 3 months of age or younger, and that the are only going to give you the pictures from the first picture they snap. 

This isn’t a big money saver for everybody, but it can be a great little treat for those of you who are having trouble finding the money to pay for baby himself, much less professional photos!

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A neat way to save when you need some tools!

Monday, April 12th, 2010

Once spring rolls around, as it has this year, many of us find ourselves making plans for all of the things we’d like to do around the house.  From simple projects like adding new flowerbeds to large scale remodeling of a room, we want to make improvements to the place we spend the most time (hopefully you spend more time at your house than your office).  The problem with the desire to make these improvements is that the tools and other equipment required can be very expensive.  Is there a way around the high price tag?  I have 2 suggestions.

First, if you’re lucky enough to live in a few select cities throughout the U.S. (unfortunately, I am not), you can go to your local tool-lending library (find a list of cities here) and borrow the tools you need, saving perhaps hundreds of dollars per project.  This is a great idea!  I think this service should come to more cities and grow into something that can help us all save money and encourage us to learn how to maintain our own homes again.  Even a project like adding a small flowerbed involves purchasing a $200 or more tiller/cultivator (if you don’t want to have to dig the hole area out with a shovel, which, is totally fine in a money pinch).  Better to get the tools from a tool library! 

Don’t have a local tool library?  Then you’d better learn to do what we do, and that is borrow the expensive but seldom used tools from friends or family.  This is a little more tricky however, since if you don’t return the tool in the same condition in which it was given to you, you will have to replace it or run the risk of a damaged relationship with that friend or family member.  Our advice?  Treat the borrowed tool like it is on loan from a store, or has been rented.  That way, the fear of having to pay for it will keep you careful!

Clearly, I wasn’t too happy about the price of one of those tiller/cultivators after seeing the price.  As I said above, we don’t have a tool library in our area, so we are borrowing one from a family member.  The way I figure it, I just saved us $200!  Wouldn’t you like to save money this summer too?

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Get your audiobooks for free!

Monday, March 8th, 2010

I know that some of you don’t do audiobooks, but for those of you that do, you know that newer release books cost quite a bit to download/purchase.  Well, this weekend, while trying to find the best price on an audiobook that Jerrill and I wanted to listen to, we stumbled across a great way to listen to them for free!

Our local library (and hopefully yours as well) offers audiobooks to be downloaded on their website for free!  Our local library connects us to NetLibrary, an eBook and eAudiobook content distributor.  They have a huge selection for their members to choose from, and offer the content FOR FREE for a set time.  The audiobook we wanted to listen to was available, and with an access code, we downloaded it for free for 20 days, which is more than enough time to listen to an audiobook!

Take it from me when I say that this is a great way to read or listen to books!  Not only is it free like your local library, but you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home!  What a great way to save some money!

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Saving on ATM fees!

Monday, February 22nd, 2010

ATM fees are one of those things that we all probably wish would fade away (except perhaps the owners of the banks), considering they usually run $2-$4 each time, possibly from each bank!  Luckily, there are a few ways to avoid these fees.

The first is the obvious choice: Use only your own bank’s ATMs.  Not one on your current daily route?  Look into changing routes, or possibly changing banks to a bank with ATMs near your home or on your daily route.  One caution though:  Be sure if you decide to change banks for a more convenient location that you don’t switch to a bank with less features or worse interest rates/customer service. 

A better choice?  Skip the ATM and get cash back when you’re buying groceries or picking up something at the drugstore…any place that offers a cash back feature is a substitute ATM, without the fee.  Another good reason to use this method?  You definitely do not have to go out of your way to get the money you need!

Another option is to switch to an online bank that refunds its ATM fees (a new benefit, recently cropping up).  A great place to find a bank with this feature is Bankrate.com. 

With any of these options, you can save money on your bottom line every month.  The money you save can be allocated to paying off debt or go into savings, because let’s face it, you weren’t missing it in the first place.  It might as well be put to good use!

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Fees and mirroring…

Monday, February 8th, 2010

For most of us, fees are the type of bill that give us heartburn or headaches.  They stink!  And, if we’re actually paying attention to our bills, fees just irritate us to no end.  Especially when we see all the extra taxes on there lumped in with the fees, since we give Uncle Sam plenty out of our paycheck every year.  But noticing these fees is very important!  As a matter of fact, being vigilant and reading through your bills as they come in is very important, since not only might you be paying a fee you shouldn’t, but you could also catch a company in the practice of “mirroring”.

I will be the first to admit that it is sometimes difficult to decipher fees when the bill comes in, but that’s no excuse for not knowing what is happening on your account.  If, after pouring over the bill for a little while, you still can’t figure out what is going on, call the customer service line and ask them to explain it.  A nice added benefit?  If you’re more vigilant about bills, it might carry over into your bank account, and then you won’t be charged overdraft fees (if you were overdrawing in the first place, because let’s face it, you shouldn’t be).  Overdraft fees from banks are one of the biggest stupid taxes around.  If you pay attention to how much you have in your account, you won’t be charged.  It’s only when you are unaware that they happen, and no one should be unaware of what’s going on with their money.

Now, how about “mirroring”?  Mirroring is a practice of charging you twice in the same month for only one month’s service, by companies who have access to your bank account because you’ve set them up on an auto pay function, where they have access to your account.  I use this feature myself, although, truth be told, I’m very sceptical of it.  We check our bank statement carefully each month to ensure that mirroring does not occur, and it has happened to us in the past.  Usually it’s not terribly complicated to get adjusted, if you catch them quickly.  The problems start to occur when you haven’t noticed the problem over the course of months, or a year, and them try to get your money back.  They have had it for a year!  It doesn’t always go well if you wait.  Remember, if you give a company access to your account, then you have the responsibility to yourself to ensure that they are doing right by you and only taking what they are supposed to take.  Never let them take advantage of you!

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Taking on too much & treating yourself…

Monday, February 1st, 2010

Okay, so what happens when you decide that you want to lock down your finances, follow a budget and get out of debt.  We know that getting out of debt can be a boring and tiring experience, but you can take some precautions to guard against that. 

First of all, stick to your budget, but allow yourself a little indulgence on rare occasion.  Why?  Well, it’s my opinion that everyone only has so much willpower to give to something, and eventually they will break and indulge anyway, so little indulgences keep away the big ones.  So, what types of indulgences are little?  Well, when you’ve got your finances locked down, and you’re buying basic needs only when it comes to groceries, TV and movies/shows etc., on occasion it wouldn’t hurt to buy a nice meal from the grocery.  Make that a special family night with a nice meal and some board games or something.  Or, you could save a couple of bucks every week out of your grocery budget to take the family to the movies or some other inexpensive activity.  Your choice!  The point is to indulge occasionally to keep you focused and on task, without blowing through your budget.  If you never treat yourself, you might fall off the wagon.  Notice to those of you who are “used to” treating yourselves…this does not mean you can do your normal “treating”…no mani/pedi’s, or blowouts, or daily cupcake from the specialty $10 a cupcake store, or expensive clothes/shoes/tools.  This is a small indulgence.  A $20 pick me up a couple of times a month.  If you can’t stick to that, you’ll never get out of debt.  And no, you don’t “deserve” those mani/pedi’s, because they are what got you into debt in the first place! 

Trying to do 2 or more hard things, like getting out of debt and quitting smoking (for example) at the same time, means even more added stress to your willpower.  You have to give a little slack and indulge yourself  while getting out of debt, because the alternative,in this example, is indulging in smoking.  Not cool.  And indulging a little there would save you money anyway, since once you quit smoking, you would have a ton of cash to put toward paying down your debt!

What’s the take away?  Get on a budget.  Pay off your debt.  Learn to live like an adult who doesn’t get everything they want every time they want it.  But stay on this path for the long haul by making the occasional small ticket splurge!

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