Kiplinger Offers Tips on Debt-Free Living

Debt-free living is a common goal. Therefore, I was interested when I received a pitch from the folks at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance , featuring great tips for living debt free.

My personal favorite is the tip about watching our medical bills. My parents have caught major errors in hospital bills. I wrote about medical bills in this post


Meanwhile, here is the info from Kiplinger's:


"The November issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine profiles five ordinary people who tackled their debt—and are now get a good night’s rest. See how they did it; you can, too.

Take Washington D.C.-area resident Cindy Campbell, for example, who got hooked on credit cards in college and within two years owed $7,000. She paid off her plastic—plus a car loan—in three years. How did she do it?

Plus, Kiplinger’s offers how-to checklists to overcome common causes of debt:

Erase credit-card debt. Find extra money to put toward your bills by cutting back on spending, taking an extra job or devoting gifts or bonuses to pay off high-interest cards. Call your card issuer and ask for a lower rate and seek help from lenders. Before you miss a payment, contact a credit-counseling agency.

Pay off medical bills. Make sure the bills are correct before you pay anything, build your case if a claim is denied, and negotiate with service providers to reduce your bill or set up a payment plan.

Shrink student loan debt. Pay off loans with the highest interest rate first and look for discounts, as some lenders cut their interest rates if you make automatic payments from your bank account. Also, be sure to take advantage of tax breaks—in 2007, you can deduct up to $2,500 in student-loan interest if you meet certain salary criteria.

Fix adjustable-rate mortgages. Refinance into a fixed-rate loan if you have good credit. If you have trouble refinancing or you’ve already missed payments, ask your lender for help."

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The Power of Light: A Cheap Fix for the Home

Our dinner guests moved into the kitchen to read a book and a light bulb went off in my head: Our dining and living rooms were just too dim. Fortunately, a silver, beaded hanging light came to our rescue. New lighting improved the visibility and the decor of my home with just a small investment.

My husband found an attractive fixture -- $10, marked down from $40 -- in the clearance aisles of Urban Outfitters, a national chain. We also upped the wattage by changing our light bulbs to energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) that use 75 percent less energy than a standard 60-watt bulb and will save energy and money.

''Lighting accounts for nearly 20 percent of a home's electricity costs, with the average home containing more than 30 light fixtures, so it represents an opportunity to save on energy bills,'' said Anibal Sepulveda, regional communications manager for The Home Depot.

With our new fixture and bulbs, we expected more light, but we were surprised by the transformation of our living room. Everything -- the wall colors, the furniture and the accessories -- looked upgraded.

Affordable lights are available at high-end specialty stores, national chains, garage sales and thrift stores. Melissa Zegans, store supervisor for six Salvation Army stores in Broward County, says light fixtures and chandeliers are sold there for as little as $10. Her inventory includes one-of-a-kind lights, antique crystal chandeliers ($50) and Tiffany-style lights.
''We get new shipments every day, usually earlier in the day,'' Zegans says.

''Selecting a light fixture is more than just choosing a beam of light. Lighting sets the mood and tone for a home,'' Sepulveda says.

Home Depot offers these tips for selecting fixtures:
• Pendant lights that dangle from ceiling are a great source for general lighting.
• For the best visibility, hanging lights or chandeliers in an entry way should measure two inches wide for every foot of width in a room.
• Track lights can be combined with other fixtures for general lighting or used as accent lighting.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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Breaking the Bottled Water Habit

One community group is throwing down a challenge: Can we break our addiction to bottled water? The group: Center for a New American Deam offers these suggestions:

"This Month: Break the Bottled Water Habit

* Switch from disposable to reusable water bottles
* Buy a filter for your tap water if necessary

The first step is making sure you have a non-toxic reusable water bottle to use on the go. Find a few options on Conscious Consumer.
You should also find out about the quality of tap water in your area. In much of the country it's just as, if not more, healthy than some bottled water."

There are other strategies. I recommend checking it out. Here's the link:
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Frugal Home Merchandise at Habitat for Humanity Restore

Great bargains in new and used home merchandise are available at The Habitat for Humanity Restore , a national not-for-profit home accessories chain. In Miami, for example, the Restore recently received a donation of 500 vintage cloth napkins in excellent condition, according to Steve Levin, director. The Restore offered the napkins for 10 cents each and the collection sold out in just a few days.

At other Restore locations, nails are as cheap as 50 cents a box, doors are $10 and filing cabinets are $5 to $40, says Nancy Daly, chairwoman of The Habitat for Humanity Restore in Broward County. Restore sells desks priced from $25 to $250. The store's merchandise includes new furniture donated by national and regional stores such as City Furniture and El Dorado. In South Florida and throughout the country, Restores receive new furniture (slightly damaged or discontinued pieces) from major retailers.


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How to Organize Your Desk Cheaply

It's frugal to be organized because disorganization can cost time and money. But complex (and often expensive) organizational systems don't really work for me. The maze of color-coded files, in-out boxes and other structures overwhelm my brain. But these desk-top fixes from Better Home and Garden's Storage magazine don't seem complicated or expensive.



Here are a few cheap fixes for the desk:


1) Buy a pre-fab shoe house. Those little cardboard or wooden cubbies made for holding shoes in your closet are great for segregating and organizing office supplies, desk appliances (small clock, stapler, etc) and other office tools.


2) Use a Lazy Susan. The spinning serving dish -- designed for the dining room table -- also provides a frugal and easy-to-use organizational system for your desk. Each rotating section is ideal for holding pens, markers, paperclips, rulers or other supplies. I plan to look for a wooden Lazy Susan at a thrift store and use that unit for paper clips, pens and other frequently used items.


3. Old lunch boxes: Flea markets are filled with old metal lunch boxes. Storage magazine recommends recycling and labeling old lunch boxes as storage space for supplies and office gadgets.


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Saving Money & Resources with Cloth Napkins

Switching from paper napkins to cloth can save money and natural resources.
For instance, earth 911, a nonprofit group based in Arizona, calculates that paper towels and napkins cost more than $260 a year for a family of four.

But given the time and resources needed to launder cloth napkins, other experts are divided about the true savings.

Several factors determine the economic, time and environmental savings of cloth napkins, according to Dave Tilford, senior writer at the Center for a New American Dream, a nonprofit consumer watchdog organization in Maryland.
His advice:
• Use cloth napkins made from organic cotton, linen or hemp.
• Launder the cloth in cold water, which saves money and energy.
• Line dry for greater savings.

Judith Zwolak, Family Finances editor at Suite 101.com, an online news service, estimates that her family has saved $8 to $10 by switching from paper to cloth napkins in the last month. Plus, family dining has become more elegant and Zwolak doesn't feel guilty about filling landfills with paper napkins.

From gifts and yard sales, Zwolak had collected a large stack of cloth napkins that were rarely used. Personalized napkin rings, a wicker basket and seating assignments have helped Zwolak get more mileage out of her cloth napkin collection.

This is her strategy:
• Each family member has personalized a napkin ring with stickers.
• The cloth napkins are laundered every few days, more often if needed. But between uses, the napkins are stored in a wicker basket.
Cloth napkins -- new and vintage -- are available from a variety of sources, including retail chains, auctions and estate sales.
At one yard sale, for example, my husband and I picked up a large stack of Ralph Lauren cloth dinner napkins -- all new -- in various colors and patterns for 50 cents each. As a bonus, the seller threw in elegant napkins rings in different sizes and shapes for 25 cents each.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.



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Free Costume Making Classes

Many craft stores -- regional and national chains -- offer free DIY costume-making classes. "Just pay for materials and an instructor helps you make your own costume," according to the Oct. 23 issue of Woman's World magazine.

For instance, this weekend Michael's is offering a mask-making class: ("MASKerade Masks 10am - Noon $2 US, $3 Canada"). Check the store calendar in your area for times, dates and other details. go to the website and plug in your zip code for regional details.


Meanwhile, on this link, the chain offers a lot of affordable, last minute DIY costume ideas.
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Affordable Nightstands & Unusual Furniture Choices

Every nightstand has a story.

I paid $25 at a second-hand store in midtown Manhattan for a wooden nightstand that now holds some of my favorite books. Originally, it functioned as a living room end table in a large loft apartment that I shared with a cast of single women in New York. Years later in Miami, that table has a second life in the master bedroom.

Rearranging my furniture has taught me this lesson: Affordable, attractive and unique nightstands and other bedroom furniture can be used in every room of the house. Melissa Tosetti, editor of Budget Savvy, (www.budgetsavvymag.com), an online magazine, found her bedroom nightstand in the bathroom department.

''My husband and I were looking for a nightstand for our Bali-themed bedroom,'' Tosetti told me. ``I wasn't willing to spend $150 to $300. We stumbled across the perfect item at Target for just $60. The piece is actually a bathroom cabinet.''

Even the gardening section of Home Depot can offer outdoor fixtures, shelves and units that provide storage space and decorative touches in bedrooms, Tosetti said.

''Keeping your eyes and mind open while shopping will help you net unique items and save big bucks,'' she said.

Storage magazine, published by Better Homes and Gardens, features ''unconventional bedside tables'' in the new fall/winter issue. The article suggests office furniture such as file cabinets and computer printer stands can be used to hold books, magazines, tea cups and other items stored on traditional nightstands. A coffee table and a matching storage cube from a den or living room can be tucked into a bedroom and used to hold reading lamps, papers and other accessories.
In my home, my husband has repainted and recycled low bookcases and small odd tables as bedroom furniture.

Even the kitchen can supply unusual storage pieces for the bedroom. Storage magazine recommends wooden vegetable bins sold at cabinet or container stores or on eBay. Refinished and relocated into the bedroom, those bins -- especially the taller multilevel ones -- can serve as a nightstand or as cubbies in children's bedrooms. Vegetable bins are ideal for organizing and storing clothes, toys and books. What's more, the horizontal lid can support a small lamp or alarm clock.

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Cutting the Land Line & Other Frugal Tips From CCCS

I liked these tips for cutting housing expenses from Consumer Credit Counseling Service www.cccsinc.org or www.cccsenespanol.org:

"Look for savings inside and outside your home – Start by evaluating some of your monthly services and determine which are absolutely necessary. Do you really need 250 channels, or could you live with basic cable or without cable at all?

- If you use your cell phone as your primary phone, consider disconnecting your land line. If you can’t bear to part with your phone, cable and internet access, shop around. Many companies offer options to “bundle” these services together at a significant discount.

- Turn down the thermostat. According to a recent report by Consumer Reports, lowering the temperature by 5 or 10 degrees at night and when no one is at home can slash your energy bills by up to 20 percent per year. If you can’t remember to change your thermostat, consider installing the programmable kind—they are available for as little as $30 and can add up to big savings.

- Reduce your grocery bill. By planning your meals, making a list before you shop and avoiding shopping while hungry, you can save substantially on your grocery bill. Compare prices on your staple items, buy in bulk when it is more cost effective, and avoid making more than weekly trips to the store. Watching for specials, such as “buy one, get one free” offers and using coupons can also maximize savings. Consider bringing your lunch to work—you can save $5 to $15 per day.

- Skyrocketing gas prices have taken a toll on everyone’s wallet. Planning your trips to minimize driving times, carpooling, and using alternative modes of transportation when possible can all add up to savings at the pump.

Reduce Homeowners Insurance costs – Consider increasing your deductible, which can reduce your premiums, but will require you to pay more out of pocket if you make a claim. If you have more than one policy with the same insurance carrier, such as home and auto, you can typically get a 5 to 15 percent savings on your premium. You might also qualify for a discount if your home has smoke alarms, a monitored security system, or hurricane shutters.

Florida homeowners may also receive significant discounts in their insurance premiums by having a wind mitigation report. For about $150, homeowners can have a certified inspector evaluate their home’s ability to withstand wind. In addition to receiving recommendations on how to better secure your home, you may be eligible for savings of hundreds of dollars or more per year. Visit www.mysafefloridahome.com for more information.

Evaluate your property taxes and explore homestead exemption – As the housing market boomed, so did the appraised value of many houses. If you think your property values are overestimated, you can request that they be reevaluated. If your appraised value is lowered, your taxes will also be reduced. Check your state’s homestead exemption policy. In many states, filing for homestead exemption will reduce the taxable value of your home and may also limit your annual increases in property tax."
--source: from Consumer Credit Counseling Service www.cccsinc.org or ww.cccsenespanol.org:

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Big Halloween Spenders

Halloween spending translates into hefty receipts, according to this survey, which arrived in my mailbox today.

My advice: Shop in November for next year. After Halloween, decorations, costumes and party accessories sell at 75 percent and 90 percent discounts.

But here's the survey:

"A new survey released by Visa Inc. shows that seventy three percent of Americans celebrate – and spend on – Halloween. According to the survey, among those who celebrate Halloween, the average will spend $40 on candy and decorations. Parents with children under 18 will spend $54 on candy and decorations while those without children under 18 will spend $32. Of mention, Dads tend to go all out, spending $63, while moms are more conservative, spending $46.

“You wouldn't think you'd have to budget for something as 'fun' as Halloween. But I believe all expenditures, large and small, are better planned for in advance,” said personal finance expert and best-selling author Jean Chatzky. “Whether you are buying candy or a car, planning a budget is critical to staying in overall good financial health.”

Additional findings in the survey include:

Men ($46) who celebrate Halloween report spending $12 more than women ($34).
Younger people ($44) say they spend more than those 55 and over ($31).
Those who live in rural areas ($49) spend $10 more on average than people living in urban areas ($39) and $13 more than suburbanites ($36).

To help consumers budget for holidays or other financial events, Visa Inc. offers parents, teachers and consumers of all ages free access to a financial education program called Practical Money Skills for Life."


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5 Reasons Why I have No New Fall Clothes

I shopped differently this year. I skipped all of the seasonal sales. By my estimate, I've saved at least $200 and possibly much more.

Last year, and the year before, I scored hefty savings by purchasing my entire wardrobe for the year at upscale stores at thrift store prices. Basically, all of the national chains sell their summer/early fall clothing at super cheap prices in Aug. and September. Those items work well year-round in Miami. Two years ago, for instance, I purchased a $100 jacket for $15 at Ann Taylor Loft and last year: a $129 skirt for $30 at Anthropologie.

Usually, I "save" by purchasing cart-loads of clothes at steep discounts. But this year, I purchased nothing new for the summer/fall season. Here's why:

1. Too much of a good thing. In previous years, I purchased far more than I needed. I have barely worn some of my past purchases. When I can find the back of my closet and the bottom of my clothes cabinet, I'll go shopping again.

2. Not enough time. I've been too busy to shop. I've found other hobbies that are more satisfying and less expensive. Besides, I'd rather spend my extra time with my kids or use my spare time to earn more money.

3. Free clothes. My sister-in-law gave me a lot of great hand-me-downs in terrific shape. Why do I need more stuff?

4. I found better uses for my money. We fixed the car; attended my parent's 50th Anniversary and paid bills. With all of that going on, do I really need another skirt?

5. Sale items often fickle flavor-of-the month items: For the most part, I purchase classic items. But last year, I purchased a black handkerchief skirt and two short jackets that now look sooo dated. I still like them, and wear them, but I learned a valuable lesson: Don't invest in hot-flash fashion trends.




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Do-it-Yourself Art for Your Walls

Are you stuck with a crate of old album covers or a postcard collection? Old art pieces, including vintage magazine photos and record covers, can be framed, nailed and displayed on your walls, according to design mavens. Here are some tips from the pros:


• Think in multiples. Arrange postcards and photographs in clusters of six, nine or 12, says Stella Bugbee, design director at Domino magazine. Small photographs or cards can be framed individually or as a group in a single frame. A professional framer can create a large, matted arrangement or, with double-sided tape, you can do it yourself.


• Go vintage. Old mod scarves and unusual fabrics look elegant and artful when stretched tight over a canvas. As a DIY project, use a staple gun to attach cloth to a pretreated canvas, Bugbee says.


• Flip through old magazines. Many famous photographers, such as Irving Penn, have a wide portfolio of glossy magazine portraits. Vintage magazines from garage sales, thrift stores and eBay offer photographs from famous names that are suitable for framing.

• Find your inner photographer. Create your own abstract art by snapping close-ups of flowers and other subjects. For the best results, use film or a high-resolution setting on a digital camera and blow up photos to a large format before framing, Bugbee says.

• Create a family gallery. Jonni McCoy, author of http://www.miserlymoms.com/ and a real McCoy from the Arkansas branch of the infamous feuding family, has decorated her dining room with framed pieces created by her children.


• Display your pots. McCoy decorates her kitchen walls with the copper pots handed down from her grandmother. ''Don't keep them shiny,'' she says. Copper pots are more valuable when the patina shows.


• Hang up the quilts. Family quilts double as great wall hangings. Drape over curtain rods or use quilt hangers sold in craft, rug and quilt stores.


• Hunt for frames. Old frames can be recycled from discarded paintings and posters. You can also find low-cost frames at second-hand shops, garage sales and dollar stores. When you need an expert's touch, McCoy recommends waiting for two-for-one framing sales or other discounts at craft stores.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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My Favorite Picks from the 94th Festival of Frugality

At My Two Dollars : The Festival Of Frugality Is Collecting Social Security. It's an excellent carnival. Here are a few of the posts that caught my eye.

MoneyNing presents Do You Live Frugal Just To Buy Fancy Luxuries For Yourself? posted at Personal Finance Blog by Money Ning.

Penny Nickel presents Think before you buy! A wallet-sized reminder of your priorities posted at Money and Values.

Millionaire Mommy Next Door presents 8 Questions To Ask Yourself Before You Buy posted at Millionaire Mommy Next Door.

Frugal Panda presents Fly or Drive: Which is Cheaper? (A Definitive Answer, Once and For All) posted at Frugal Panda.

patti presents Free and Cheap Food posted at 2nd Grade Teacher.

the baglady presents Why Games Have More Entertainment Value for Your Money than Other Media posted at The Baglady.

terry presents How to Send Your Kid to College with no College Fund posted at Savvy Frugality

thanks to the host for providing such a well-organized carnival. It's a great read.
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Fertilizer from Starbucks, Cheap Anti-Cellulite Cream & Other Uses for Coffee Grounds

Who Knew? Coffee grounds are good for home repairs, gardening, and beauty. Here are a few tips that I've collected, including tips that I've tried or heard about from a friend.

My latest ode to coffee was inspired by the October 1, 2007 issue of First for Women magazine.

1. Plant food: Dump used coffee grounds on plants. A grandmother of one my friend's always did this with her old coffee and tea grounds. Used grounds "refreshen soil elements," according to First magazine. A thin coat over dirt helps to fertilize your garden and "precipitation will release nitrogen from the coffee grounds into the soil," the magazine reports. This also enhances new plant growth.

You can also get free used grounds from some Starbucks cafes.


2. Meat tenderizer: First offers a recipe that calls for coffee grounds as a "tasty marinade."
I eat mostly vegetarian, but I will try this recipe when we have steak.

a. Mix in a bowl: 1/3 cup of coffee grounds and 1/3 cup of pepper (coarsely grounded)
b. Lather steaks in olive oil
c. Dip steaks in coffee mix
d. Refrigerate steaks for half-hour before grilling.

The reasoning behind the seasoning: "The tannic acids in the coffee break down tough muscle fibers to make the meat more tender," the magazine reports. Also the coffee beefs up the flavor in the meat

3. Hair dye: Yes, I have tried this and yes, it sort-of works. Cooled coffee, when poured over the hair, actually deepens hair color. After my coffee treatment, my hair was richer, darker and java-scented.

Here's is the First recipe:

1/4 cup of coffee grounds
3 cups of hot water
steep the coffee in the water
Let it cool!
Dump the coffee (strained?) over your hair
Let it sit for a few minutes
Rinse your hair with warm water

Here's how it works: The "tannins" in the coffee serve as a natural hair dye: "This dark dye also conceals gray hair between touch-ups."--source: First magazine.


4. Prevent clogged drains. (Disclaimer: This procedure is not recommended for pipes that are fully clogged or backed up.)

1/2 cup of used coffee grounds
4 cups of warm water
pour the grounds into the drain
use this procedure once a week to prevent clogged sink pipes.

The process: "As the grounds move through the tubes, friction against the internal walls dislodges stuck food to keep the pipes clear and running smoothly." source: First

Other uses for coffee grounds:

• eliminates/reduces odors in refrigerators: On a bottom shelf, leave a bowl of filtered coffee grounds in your frig over night.
• furniture repair: Mix 2 tablespoons of coffee grounds in four ounces of hot water. Let it sit for five minutes. Using a cotton swap, apply the coffee mix to nicks in dark furniture. "The tannins in coffee act as a dye to darken scratches, making the marks less obvious," First reports.
• cellulite cream: apply this mixture to dimpled skin: 1/2 cup of used or fresh coffee grounds and 2/3 cup of olive oil. Massage this coffee-olive oil paste into your cellulite patches for 2 minutes before rinsing with warm water. For tight skin, take this action twice a week. The How: The coffee with caffeine "dehydrates fat cells." The rough texture exfoliates the skin! Hmmmm?

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How to Prep & Pack for a Yard Sale: Tips from Fire Finance

A successful yard sale outing depends more on planning and less on shopping, according to the folks at Fire Finance (www.firefinance.blogspot.com/), a top-rated personal finance blog written by Amalendu Haldar and his wife, Hoimonti Basu, a pair of engineers from Boston. Using maps, power tools, paper towels and ropes, they hunt down yard sale deals for their home. Here are some of their tips:


Create a wish list. The Fire Finance team maintains a list of items needed around their home. ''We keep a simple notebook and pen on our kitchen counter. When we need something, we write it in this notebook,'' they told me during a recent online interview.


Establish priorities. Not every item on their wish list falls into the must-have/must-buy category. After a one-week cooling-off period, the engineers evaluate each item on the basis of need vs. want. ''We wait and see if we can really do without it,'' they said.


Get out the maps. After sorting through the weekly list of yard sales, the husband-and-wife team spends time mapping out the shortest route, with the help of Google, Yahoo! and AAA.com. This step saves time and gas, they say. They use the mileage estimate provided by the online trip-planning services to eliminate sales that are too far. (They will, however, travel 50 to 75 miles if a garage sale advertises a big-ticket item from their wish list.)


Pack your bags. The duo packs power tools, a rope, paper towels and a measuring tape. These items are used for dissembling, cleaning up, carting away or measuring purchases.
And you might want to pack food: Well-fed shoppers make smarter decisions.

This is from my latest column in the home & design section of the Miami Herald.

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