#3 - Yes, so long as your credit card offers rewards. Some restrict it by type of purchase, or have to enroll in a program before you get the rewards. My husband and I are planning on buying a motorcycle in a year or two. I'm planning on putting it on my credit card, if I can, to score the cash back bonus.
YOU MUST PREPARE YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE WRITING MISLEADING INFORMATION. THE INCOME TAX IN BULGARIA IS 10% BECAUSE IT IS A FLAT TAX. COMPARED TO AVG CORPORATE TAX IN USA- 15%. IN BULGARIA, THE SALES TAX IS 22% COMPARED TO THE SALES TAX IN MARYLAND- 6%. CHECK YOUR INFORMATION!!!!!
I have three dogs and they are well worth the joy they bring to our family. We keep costs down by feeding them properly, exercising them a lot, and taking care of any medical or health problems before they get out of control. Having any pet is a big responsibility in terms of how much time and effort you should devote to them. Dogs add immeasurably to the quality of our lives.
I've been meaning to do this for awhile now so I finally sat down and calculated it. I'm actually positive which makes me excited! Thanks for the easy breakdown and inspiration.
Although I'll admit that the title of this piece first drew me in through some dime association with the brandot film, Last Tango in Paris, I soon found myself thoroughly impressed by the manifold uses of better. It seems a shame to me that something so ubiqituous and versatile would be condemned for its one bad attribute. I plan on printing this blog off and keeping it on hand for the purpose of easy referencing.
Marcus Cicero considered friends to be such a valuable asset; "Friendship improves happiness and abates misery by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief."
Your suggestion about using cards for every small purchase may benefit you personally in cash savings, but think about one way these companies make their money - they charge an even higher percentage to the business owners who accept your credit card. This HURTS small, local business owners, and even large companies add this cost to the price of the goods you buy. So who wins?
Yes you should. In fact, people should be aware that their back-up hard drives can crash. I had all my personal pictures on the back-up drive to save space on my computer's internal hard drive. The back-up drive crashed two days ago and I will probably lose all those important and treasured memories. Everyone should consider using some kind of on-line back up capability because of this distinct possibility.
The steps in this article can indeed help with monthly cash flow. However, I have a few additional thoughts...
- Although paying for everything on credit cards can earn the borrower rewards, and is a fantastic way to leverage the lender's money to your advantage, it is very important to pay off the full balance each month before any interest is charged. Paying interest can quickly negate any potential benefits (to the borrower) and quickly put you in a negative cash position.
- Although refinancing might result in a lower monthly payment, the borrower should carefully weigh the long-term impacts to their financial future. My recent article "Why are Lenders so Eager for us to Refinance?" (on my website) covers this very issue.
- A lot of money can also be freed up during the month by spending wisely and strategically (i.e. find the lowest prices, minimize driving to every store, etc). The best way I know of is shopping online. Using a cyber mall like the one explained on my website provides many benefits including efficiencies of time and money. And, of course, this ties in with Item 3 about using credit cards more.
- Another bit of advice I give to people is to track their cash flow. Actually seeing your income and expenditures tallied on paper can be a real eye opener. Seeing every transaction listed gives great insight about where money is coming and going. Using an automated money monitoring system (again, see my website) makes this effortless to do, shows account balances all in one place, and instantaneously shows the long-term financial impact of every spending decision and financial transaction the user makes or is thinking about making (financial forecasting).
Thanks for this helpful article about freeing up more money since so many people are hurting financially, and are desperate for ways to improve their cash position.
Because we rent, we're not allowed to have pets. We loved our hamster, and the emotional cost was great when we were told to get red of him. Our fish, however, is fairly low-maintennace, and my son loves to watch him swim around. Definitely worth it. :)
Jim,
Did it turn cloudy after you cut it with water, or before? You could have some oils that were distilled through or hard water. If you used good ingredients, it is only cosmetic. The looks wont hurt you. You can re run through the still.
Only if you can afford having another kid in the house.. A pet is a lot of responsibility. I like June the Homemaker's idea of pet sitting though! I did that once and thought it was great.
Just wanted to let you know that your link "Advanced Money-Saving Tactics to Get Free Food" is not really about saving money; it's about stealing. Even the author of the piece admits it: "So obviously I am just kidding with all of this money-saving advice. Everything I listed above is pure theft. Don’t steal things and call it saving money."
Everyone likes to save money, but this isn't the way to do it.
Great post, and exactly on point: foraging is a fun hobby, and a great way to augment one's diet at no cost.
Here in Chicago, many of the public parks have fruit trees: mostly Juneberry and crab apple trees. We enjoy eating the Juneberries off the bush, and we make the crabapples into great sauce. (A mouli is useful for getting out the seeds/cores.) A friend makes wonderful spiced apple butter from the crabapples. Wild raspberries and blackberries are common in semi-wooded areas and are always a treat. When I lived in WA state, there were even "real" apple, cherry, plum and pear trees in parks and on roadsides. These went unharvested except by gleaners.
I am a little wary of foraging greens from urban areas, where there is a high lead concentration in the soil. But I have happily dug dandelions from a suburban back yard.
In addition to pots of herbs, you can also grow salad mixes and tatsoi on your window sill. Again, the point is not to get enough to feed yourself (which is a more ambitious undertaking) but simply to add some extra nutrition, flavor and variety to one's diet. If you're trying to base your diet on rice and beans, for instance, those extra greens and herbs would be very welcome.
Mastercard extended warranty is the worst. Their people lose your claim and when you call them they jerk you around and sometimes the phone goes dead. Even after they find the claim you submitted, they do nothing to expedite the process.
Just replaced all of my socks - I waited wayyyyyy too long! Saved around 50% by grabbing the packs from the clearance rack (same as the ones on the regular shelf but with ripped containers).
I am saving so that I can be prepared for anything. You never know when you will loose your job, or incur a high medical bill. I want to be able to pay for it when it does happen and allow my children to not have to worry about money.
I absolutely love my pets, and I really don't try to cut corners on their costs. I mean, I try to keep an eye out for coupons or buy in bulk, and I sometimes make their treats to save on costs and improve their health. But I don't skip vaccinations or scrimp on dog food or anything. The benefit of my pets is that they rely on me for everything, and love me unconditionally. It gives me purpose and love and companionship and contentment, and that's worth quite a bit to me. Plus, it saves on the therapy I'd likely be paying for if they weren't around!
Oof, yeah. Too much sugar sometimes, too. I remember a few years ago, I got some "healthy" fruit, nut, and yogurt thing at McDonald's, and the walnuts were coated in sugar.
#3 - Yes, so long as your credit card offers rewards. Some restrict it by type of purchase, or have to enroll in a program before you get the rewards. My husband and I are planning on buying a motorcycle in a year or two. I'm planning on putting it on my credit card, if I can, to score the cash back bonus.
Awesome! It's onward and upward from here:-)
YOU MUST PREPARE YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE WRITING MISLEADING INFORMATION. THE INCOME TAX IN BULGARIA IS 10% BECAUSE IT IS A FLAT TAX. COMPARED TO AVG CORPORATE TAX IN USA- 15%. IN BULGARIA, THE SALES TAX IS 22% COMPARED TO THE SALES TAX IN MARYLAND- 6%. CHECK YOUR INFORMATION!!!!!
I have three dogs and they are well worth the joy they bring to our family. We keep costs down by feeding them properly, exercising them a lot, and taking care of any medical or health problems before they get out of control. Having any pet is a big responsibility in terms of how much time and effort you should devote to them. Dogs add immeasurably to the quality of our lives.
Another motivation for saving is the feeling of some security. I like knowing I have something saved in the bank.
Definitely! No matter the cost, I love all 4 of my cats. :)
I've been meaning to do this for awhile now so I finally sat down and calculated it. I'm actually positive which makes me excited! Thanks for the easy breakdown and inspiration.
Although I'll admit that the title of this piece first drew me in through some dime association with the brandot film, Last Tango in Paris, I soon found myself thoroughly impressed by the manifold uses of better. It seems a shame to me that something so ubiqituous and versatile would be condemned for its one bad attribute. I plan on printing this blog off and keeping it on hand for the purpose of easy referencing.
Marcus Cicero considered friends to be such a valuable asset; "Friendship improves happiness and abates misery by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief."
Really!
Your suggestion about using cards for every small purchase may benefit you personally in cash savings, but think about one way these companies make their money - they charge an even higher percentage to the business owners who accept your credit card. This HURTS small, local business owners, and even large companies add this cost to the price of the goods you buy. So who wins?
I can vouch for the vinyl trick, it definitely helped me out when I got a spot a Decemberists record!
Yes you should. In fact, people should be aware that their back-up hard drives can crash. I had all my personal pictures on the back-up drive to save space on my computer's internal hard drive. The back-up drive crashed two days ago and I will probably lose all those important and treasured memories. Everyone should consider using some kind of on-line back up capability because of this distinct possibility.
The steps in this article can indeed help with monthly cash flow. However, I have a few additional thoughts...
- Although paying for everything on credit cards can earn the borrower rewards, and is a fantastic way to leverage the lender's money to your advantage, it is very important to pay off the full balance each month before any interest is charged. Paying interest can quickly negate any potential benefits (to the borrower) and quickly put you in a negative cash position.
- Although refinancing might result in a lower monthly payment, the borrower should carefully weigh the long-term impacts to their financial future. My recent article "Why are Lenders so Eager for us to Refinance?" (on my website) covers this very issue.
- A lot of money can also be freed up during the month by spending wisely and strategically (i.e. find the lowest prices, minimize driving to every store, etc). The best way I know of is shopping online. Using a cyber mall like the one explained on my website provides many benefits including efficiencies of time and money. And, of course, this ties in with Item 3 about using credit cards more.
- Another bit of advice I give to people is to track their cash flow. Actually seeing your income and expenditures tallied on paper can be a real eye opener. Seeing every transaction listed gives great insight about where money is coming and going. Using an automated money monitoring system (again, see my website) makes this effortless to do, shows account balances all in one place, and instantaneously shows the long-term financial impact of every spending decision and financial transaction the user makes or is thinking about making (financial forecasting).
Thanks for this helpful article about freeing up more money since so many people are hurting financially, and are desperate for ways to improve their cash position.
Because we rent, we're not allowed to have pets. We loved our hamster, and the emotional cost was great when we were told to get red of him. Our fish, however, is fairly low-maintennace, and my son loves to watch him swim around. Definitely worth it. :)
Jim,
Did it turn cloudy after you cut it with water, or before? You could have some oils that were distilled through or hard water. If you used good ingredients, it is only cosmetic. The looks wont hurt you. You can re run through the still.
Only if you can afford having another kid in the house.. A pet is a lot of responsibility. I like June the Homemaker's idea of pet sitting though! I did that once and thought it was great.
Hi Ashley,
Just wanted to let you know that your link "Advanced Money-Saving Tactics to Get Free Food" is not really about saving money; it's about stealing. Even the author of the piece admits it: "So obviously I am just kidding with all of this money-saving advice. Everything I listed above is pure theft. Don’t steal things and call it saving money."
Everyone likes to save money, but this isn't the way to do it.
Great post, and exactly on point: foraging is a fun hobby, and a great way to augment one's diet at no cost.
Here in Chicago, many of the public parks have fruit trees: mostly Juneberry and crab apple trees. We enjoy eating the Juneberries off the bush, and we make the crabapples into great sauce. (A mouli is useful for getting out the seeds/cores.) A friend makes wonderful spiced apple butter from the crabapples. Wild raspberries and blackberries are common in semi-wooded areas and are always a treat. When I lived in WA state, there were even "real" apple, cherry, plum and pear trees in parks and on roadsides. These went unharvested except by gleaners.
I am a little wary of foraging greens from urban areas, where there is a high lead concentration in the soil. But I have happily dug dandelions from a suburban back yard.
In addition to pots of herbs, you can also grow salad mixes and tatsoi on your window sill. Again, the point is not to get enough to feed yourself (which is a more ambitious undertaking) but simply to add some extra nutrition, flavor and variety to one's diet. If you're trying to base your diet on rice and beans, for instance, those extra greens and herbs would be very welcome.
Mastercard extended warranty is the worst. Their people lose your claim and when you call them they jerk you around and sometimes the phone goes dead. Even after they find the claim you submitted, they do nothing to expedite the process.
Absolutely worth the cost. A pet's love, to give and receive, is priceless.
Just replaced all of my socks - I waited wayyyyyy too long! Saved around 50% by grabbing the packs from the clearance rack (same as the ones on the regular shelf but with ripped containers).
I am saving so that I can be prepared for anything. You never know when you will loose your job, or incur a high medical bill. I want to be able to pay for it when it does happen and allow my children to not have to worry about money.
I absolutely love my pets, and I really don't try to cut corners on their costs. I mean, I try to keep an eye out for coupons or buy in bulk, and I sometimes make their treats to save on costs and improve their health. But I don't skip vaccinations or scrimp on dog food or anything. The benefit of my pets is that they rely on me for everything, and love me unconditionally. It gives me purpose and love and companionship and contentment, and that's worth quite a bit to me. Plus, it saves on the therapy I'd likely be paying for if they weren't around!
great list Jullie
Oof, yeah. Too much sugar sometimes, too. I remember a few years ago, I got some "healthy" fruit, nut, and yogurt thing at McDonald's, and the walnuts were coated in sugar.