Springboard Fall 2008 - Credit.org · 2016-09-20 · caulk or weather stripping. Most of the heat that leaves your home escapes through cracks around the windows and doors. To the

Volume 3 - Issue 4 Fall 2008

You can contact SPRINGBOARD® by mail, phone, fax or email; we are always here to help.

Mail: SPRINGBOARD®Non-Pro�t Consumer Credit ManagementP.O. Box 5438Riverside, CA 92517-5438

Phone: 1-877-Wise-Plan (1.877.947.3752)E-mail: [email protected]: 1.951.781.8027Website: www.credit.org

13-20

Identity Theft - The Best Defense is a Good Offense

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that as many as 9 million Americanshave their identities stolen each year. This is a serious crime that a�ects people of anyage. Identity theft can occur in many ways. Your personal information can be stolen fromtrash bins, the Internet, your home or place of business. According to the FTC, identitytheft has been the top consumer complaint for the past �ve years in a row.

The good news is there are measures that you can take now to protect yourself.Springboard recommends that you take the following actions:

(1) Obtain a free copy of your credit report. According to the FTC, 39 percent of victimsdiscovered that their identity was stolen more than seven months after it �rst occurred.

(2) Make a photocopy of everything in your wallet. Do not carry the information with you.Store it in a secure location.

(3) Keep on hand the three credit reporting bureaus telephone numbers.

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.comExperian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742); www.experian.com TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289; www.transunion.com

If you have your wallet or personal information lost or stolen you will have a duplicate copyof your records to contact those companies. Additionally, you may immediately call anyone of the bureaus above to place a fraud alert on your credit �le. The credit bureau youcontact is required to alert the other two credit reporting agencies. This prompt action willplace a 90 day fraud alert on your credit report, which may help prevent an identity thieffrom opening accounts in your name. If you need to extend the fraud alert longer orrequire a credit freeze please contact the bureaus directly for more information.

Todd Emerson, President and Chief Executive O�cer

Nonprofit Consumer Credit Management, Inc.

Springboardwww.credit.org

®

The Dollar Stretcher Page 2

From the Editor’s Desk:FADD?by Gary Foreman, editor

If you Google "attention deficit disorder"you'll get 3,150,000 returns. It was about1980 when doctors first started talking

about it. Move forward to today and you'llhear the phrase frequently. Not only in rela-tion to children, but also to adults. There area variety of similar disorders and ways todescribe it: ADHD, A.D.D., ADD/ADHD,ADD-ADHD.

It's time for a new designation: FADD. It willstand for Financial Attention Deficit Disorder.

There are a variety of symptoms. An inabilityto see the financial consequences of a deci-sion. The need for immediate gratificationregardless of cost. The desire for an immedi-ate solution to a financial problem.

Many people are unable to see the financialconsequences of their decisions. You can

see FADD at work at malls and other placeswhere people shop. Many who suffer withFADD spend entire days at the mall shop-ping. Acute sufferers sometimes take pur-chases out to their car in the parking lot andreturn for more shopping. When challengedas to how they'll pay for their shoppingsprees, they can become dangerous. Becautious approaching someone displayingthis type of FADD behavior. They've beenknown to ridicule the financial status of peo-ple who don't share their urge to shop.

Another similar FADD behavior is the personwho is compelled to make a purchase nowwithout thinking of the costs. Any time thatyou hear someone convincing themselvesthat they can afford the payments, you'reprobably dealing with a case of ImmediateFADD (or IFADD). It's unfortunate, but sales-people encourage IFADD behavior. SomeIFADD victims are able to limit themselves tobuying knives and costume jewelry on theshopping channel or internet. But IFADDis progressive. Mos t common l yt hey ' l l p rog ress to electronics/appli-ances, then automobiles/boats/recreationalvehicles and finally to overly large homes.

It's unusual for a FADD victim to recognizethat they have a problem. Usually it's up toa friend, loved one or financial advisor. If yousee someone you love exhibiting FADD,approach them cautiously. While not proneto violence, they have been known to termi-nate long-standing relationships when con-fronted with their FADD symptoms.

Counseling provides the best opportunity torecognize the condition and embark on acourse to reduce or eliminate FADD symp-toms. Many patients report that by studyingtheir habits and seeking alternative behav-iors they can lead a productive life. Mostoften, these patients demonstrate nopropensity to return to FADD behavior.

13-20, 04-20

The Dollar StretcherP.O. Box 14160 • Bradenton, FL 34280-4160

Phone: (941) 761-7805 • Fax: (941) 761-8301

Publisher: Dollar Stretcher, Inc.

Editor-In-Chief: Gary Foreman

The Dollar Stretcher is published monthly

Annual subscriptions $36.00 (US$)

Group rates available on request

Reprints for non-profit classes also available

Please call for informationCopyright 2008 Dollar Stretcher, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

The Dollar Stretcher does not assumeresponsibility for advice given. All adviceshould be weighed against your ownabilities and circumstances and appliedaccordingly. It is up to the reader todetermine if advice is safe and suitable forhis own situation.

With gas, heating fuel, and electric prices risingmore and more every day, many people arefinding that the cost of heating their homes is

reaching astronomical proportions. Unlike other month-ly expenses that can be cut out of a person’s budget,home heating expenses are not an area where we havemuch choice. We have to heat our homes during thecold winter months just in order to survive. It’s as simpleas that.

Despite the fact that this is an expense we cannotremove from our budgets, there are a number of thingsthat can be done to trim those heating costs throughoutthe winter. Many articles point to expensive remedies,such as installing energy efficient windows or installingnew insulation. While these solutions work, it can takeyears to realize the savings in lower heating costs.Conversely, most of these ten tips are cheap, easy, andquick to implement. I hope they will save you somemoney while keeping you warm throughout those coldwinter months!

~ Install a “smart” thermostat. While it may cost yousomewhere in the neighborhood of $100 to purchasea programmable thermostat, it should pay for itselfw i th in a year. Personal ly, I bought a 7-dayprogrammable thermostat as soon as I moved intomy new house and I love it. It was relatively easy toinstall myself and now the temperature in my homefluctuates throughout the day per my plan. The heatdrops down to 62 during the day when I’m not home(why keep the place warm when nobody is home!)then charges back up to 70 degrees shortly before Iget back from work. At bedtime, it drops down to 62again, and then it heads back up to 70 shortly beforeI need to get out of bed in the morning. It’s great!

~ Throw some extra blankets on the bed. Followingthe thought from above, I sleep in a relatively cold

cont. on pg. 4...

You don’t have a choice. You must heat your home.

Saving on Your Heating Billby Justin Ripley

l iving better...for less Page 3

Heating Bill cont...

environment. I find it to be better for my lungs, andfrankly, once you’re nestled under a bunch of warmblankets, it’s quite enjoyable. Not heating the houseto 70 degrees throughout the night will save a bunchof money on those heating bills.

~ Consider buying a humidifier. Moist air feelswarmer than dry air, and it’s better for your skin andlungs, too.

~ Wear wool socks in the house. The floors in yourhouse get cold in the winter as heat rises and colderair moves down. Cold feet make cold people. Woolsocks are cheap, comfortable, and will keep you andyour feet warm.

~ Wear a sweater. Like the socks, this is a cheap andeasy way to stay warm throughout the winter andal lows you to set the thermostat a t a lowertemperature. I’ve noticed that in today’s modernworld, people seem to think they should be able towear shorts and t-shirts in their homes throughoutthe winter. This is fine if you want to pay for it. I’ll takea lesson from my ancestors and just bundle up alittle bit.

~ Let the light in. Be sure to open the window shadesand blinds during the day. Sunlight coming in will actas passive solar heat and can make a significantdifference in the temperature of your home.

~ Turn the ceiling fans on. This one may sound a little crazy, but it works. Most ceiling fans have aswitch on them that allows them to run in reverse. Byrunning the fan in reverse at a low speed, it will actually help circulate warm air throughout thehouse.


cont. on pg. 5...

~ Seal the leaks. At the beginning of winter, go aroundyour home and seal up any potential air leaks withcaulk or weather stripping. Most of the heat thatleaves your home escapes through cracks aroundthe windows and doors. To the extent possible, sealthese up!

~ Service your furnace. A dirty furnace is not efficientand will cost more money to run than a furnace thatreceives annual cleaning from a professional. Inaddition to periodic servicing, be sure to replacethose air filters.

~ Cook a big Sunday roast. Growing up in Maine, myMom always cooked a Sunday roast. Pork or beefwith carrots, potatoes, gravy, and all the other goodstuff. It was a great tradition to bring the familytogether at least one day a week, and of course, thefood was great, too. Coming from a frugal ilk, therewas another reason she did it. Cooking a roastmeant having the oven on for a few hours, and allthat heat definitely escapes into the house. It doesn’tcost much to run the oven, and it’s also a nice way tospend a quiet Sunday in the winter with family.

I hope these simple tips prove useful and help you savesome of your hard-earned cash this winter!

Heating Bill cont...



Returning to the real essence of the holidays

Five Tips for a Happy Thrifty Holidayby Linda Shapero

With Christmas, Hanukkah andKwanzaa right around the cor-ner, we all have to make a deci-

sion. Do we choose another year of fillingthe corporate coffers, or do we go for asimpler, more meaningful holiday? Onethat will just say no to the credit card debtthat hangs around months after the holi-day and that will satisfy in ways of sharingthat have nothing to do with the crazinessthat will soon begin at a mall near you.

Here are a few alternatives to what theretailers are hoping you’ll do this year.Any of them will help reduce the financialand emotional stress of this time of yearand will bring you back to the realessence of the holidays.

1. Plan a holiday meal for friends andfamily. This can even go as far asbecoming a meal for your wholechurch where everyone takes part,or for the neighbors on your street.When everyone chips in, the senseof sharing is truly wonderful. Just theact of everyone sitting down togetheris spiritually uplifting. Your presenceis the present.

2. Choose to “gift” a special family.Adopt a disadvantaged family inneed of help for the holiday. You canusually find out about such familiesthrough church, work, or even yourkids’ school. This gift can be in theform of grocer ies, f ix ings for a h o l i d a y d i n n e r, c l o t h i n g a n d household goods, gift cards, or anycombination of the above.

3. Opt for a Secret Santa or Pollyannafor gift giving. If you must experiencethe act of purchasing and wrapping agift, this is a great way to still give butis inexpensive compared to having tobuy for everyone. You can limit theamount to , say, $10 and evengo with a theme, if you like. Also,wi th on ly one g i f t per person,everyone will pay more attentionwhen gifts are opened.

4. Make a contribution to your favoritecharity or organization. There are somany agencies that depend ondonations to keep them afloat. Youmay even be able to come up withsomething in your own backyard thatoffers a closer, more satisfying feeling of community.

5. Send a gift box or boxes to ourtroops overseas. Check the Internet.There are many sites dedicated tothis type of giving. The whole familyor your work family can put togethergifts of homemade items, as well asother gifts to make our troops feelappreciated and remembered.

Now that we’ve got the ball rolling withsome ideas, maybe you can think up afew more that will become traditions inyour family. These will not only teachyour children to appreciate the value ofa dollar but think of giving and receivingin less materialistic terms.

Finding a way to fund your child’s extra-curricular activities

Keeping Kids in the Game with Creative Financingby Kathleen Frassrand

With family budgets stretched tothe breaking point, many par-ents are canceling their chil-

dren’s costly extra-curricular activities.Before pulling out of little Katie’s violinpractice or Johnny’s soccer team, con-sider some creative financing strategies.

~ Know what you need. Calculateexact ly how much money each activity will cost. Be sure to includemoney for gas in your budget. Fuelprices can significantly increase the“ t rue cos t ” o f c lasses . Have adesignated saving spot for all thecash you accumulate. This can be ass i m p l e a s a n e n v e l o p e w i t h“Gymnastics” on the front, or you canopen a free savings account at thebank. Having a location earmarkedfor money ensures that it won’t getsucked up in household spending.

~ Host a garage sale. When a favoritesport is at stake, children will give upa lot more of their unused toys andpossessions. Clean out the closetsand the garage and put it all up forsale. Not enough stuff? Ask friendsand family members to donate theirunwanted items too. When sale day isover, be sure to stash the cash in aspecial spot.

~ Birthday cash equals swim teamsplash. Instead of receiving anothersweater or high-priced toy, askGrandma to pitch in to the sports fundinstead. Most relatives would ratherhelp pay for a sport or activity thatlasts a l l year then a toy that isdiscarded after a week. Who knows,your child might just hit the jackpotand get both the funds and the must-have new toy!

~ Get creative with the householdbudget. Drop those expensive drinksand switch to water. Make one meal aweek vegetarian. Clip coupons, shopsales, and make a weekly menu.Raise your A/C by one or twodeg rees . Sk i p t he b rand -newwardrobe and stick to outlet andconsignment shopping. Even a fewdollars here and there add up to bigbucks over the course of a month.

~ Stop the small spending and start acoin jar. Carrying cash in your walletensures that you will spend it. Stop

cont. on pg. 8...


Kids in the Game cont...

the fly-bys at the convenience storeand the drop-ins at the donut shop.W h e n y o u d o s p e n d c a s h ,immediately place your change in acoin jar. The bucks add up and helppush the sports fund over the top.

~ Split up the weekly allowance. Ifyour children are old enough to earnan allowance, they are old enough tohelp fund the cost of their activities.Designate a portion of allowance tobe added to the sports fund. Stillshort? Children can do a variety ofjobs around the neighborhood to helpra ise money. Babys i t t ing, lawn mowing, gardening, and dog walkingare just a few options.

~ Try trading services. Small businessowners love to trade services. Canyou build a website in exchange forsome classes or coaching? Can youscrub the gym once a week? Howabout offering to hand out flyers ord o n a t e s o m e t i m e a n s w e r i n gphones? The possibilities are endlessso don’t be afraid to ask.

~ Donate blood and platelets. It’s awin-win situation. There is great needfor blood and platelets donation in theUnited States. Blood donation centersoften give gas cards, gift cards, andeven cash as a thank you. Whenredeeming a gas card, swap the corresponding cash out of your gasbudget and into your sports fund.


~ Look for scholarships . Many organizations offer scholarships, andnot just for school. Some are willing tofund sports and other activities thathelp children grow and develop agood moral character. Call around tothe different clubs and organizationsin your area to see what is available.Don’t forget to talk to the heads ofyour sports organization, as someoffer scholarships to the truly needy.

~ U s e c r e d i t c a r d c a s h - b a c kbonuses. Using credit cards wiselycan make you money, but only if youpay off your charges each month. Besure your credit card has a cash backprogram, and pay all of your bills withthat card. When you’ve racked upenough bonus cash, request a check.Remember to deposit the moneydirectly into the sports/activity fund.

Sports, music, and specialty classesdon’t have to be sacrificed just becausemoney is tight. Get creative, find thefunds, and enjoy watching your childrenblossom in their chosen activity.

Acouple months ago, my coworker and I were run-ning late for a meeting in another city. We knewlunch was going to be fast food because of this.

Pulling into the parking lot, my partner said, “Use the drive-through, as it’s quicker.”

There was a car waiting to pull up to the ordering board andthere was a line of vehicles around the corner to the pick-up window. We made a small wager and went inside topick up our order. When we left, the car we would havepulled in behind had moved two spots forward. I won thebet and he paid for lunch.

My coworker was under the impression a drive-throughallowed you to get food quicker. It means no such thing. Itonly means you don’t have to get out of your vehicle.

Doing a little research, I found the drive-through takesroughly five minutes per customer. It didn’t matter if it wasa fast food restaurant, coffee shop, or bank.

Vehicles burn between one and four gallons per hour,depending on the number of cylinders the engine has andif it’s a hybrid. Depending on your vehicle type, how longyou wait, and if you keep your engine running, it can addup quickly. With today’s gas prices, it doesn’t take long toadd another dollar or more.

Then I tried thinking of a place that sold items that madeour lives more convenient. The grocery store? I found allkinds of things but will only compare a couple items. Theprices are for where I live.

The first item is a 12-ounce package of salad mix, contain-ing a mixture of iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, carrots,and radishes with no dressing. A one-pound bag of babycarrots costs $2.29/pound. There are about one hundredcarrots in the bag, and in the mix, they shredded aboutthree for a cost of about $.07. Radishes cost $.79 for tenand they used about two in the mix for a cost of about $.16.

cont. on pg. 10...


What is the true cost of convenience?

Convenience vs. Reality vs. the Walletby Steven Burns

Romaine lettuce costs $1.29/pound or $.08/ounce. I’m esti-mating that they used six ounces for a cost of $.48. Iceberglettuce costs $.99 for a 2½ pound head or about$.02/ounce. Using another six ounces to fill out the bagcosts an additional $.15. Add it all together and it wouldcost you, if you made it yourself, $.86. The pre-made bagcosts $3.49, a savings of $2.63/bag.

Several aisles later, I found pudding snacks: four cups for14 ounces. A box of pudding mix that makes 16 ouncescosts $1.05 or $.92 for 14 ounces. A gallon of milk costs$3.75 or $.41 for 14 ounces. The tricky part is having some-thing to put it in to take to work. Plastic containers cost$3.99 for six. There isn’t any way the convenience pricecan be beat if these containers are only used once. I havea set that I’ve used for over a year. We’ll make the assump-tion they are replaced yearly so the price is $.05 for fourcups. The total cost is $1.38 versus $2.09 for the conven-ience, a savings of $.71.

In the cooler section were gelatin snacks: six cups for 19.5ounces. A box of gelatin that makes 32 ounces costs $1.75or $1.07 for 19.5 ounces. We’ll use the same assumptionfor containers as we did in the previous example: $.08 forsix cups. To make it costs $1.15 against $3.49 charged bythe store, a savings of $2.34.

There will be no argument that there is an energy cost tocool the pudding or gelatin, but it isn’t that much. The argu-ment comes when your personal time is put into the equa-tion. My favorite is when a person says, “My time isworth…” and they mention some large amount. Get real.

I found a lot of items that were pre-made for our conven-ience. Very few were cheaper than if you made it yourself.Not to mention that you are putting what you want into yourmeal and making it as healthy as you want.

So, when you think about using the drive-through or pick-ing up that pre-made item, consider if it’s worth the extracost for the convenience.


Convenience cont...

What does it all mean?

Understanding Write-Offs and Foreclosuresby Gary Foreman

living better...for less Page 11

That does two things. First, it reducesthe value of the corporation by theamount of the write-down. Second, itreduces the corporate profits by thesame amount. That reduces incometaxes.

OK, so what about a “charge-off”? Forthe most part, it means the same as awrite-off. The main difference is that acharge-off is usually a loan that can’t becollected. A write-off is often real proper-ty (building, vehicle, or equipment) thathas lost its value.

One thing for DG to notice is that theseare only accounting transactions. Theydo not release him from his responsibil-ity to pay. Fair Isaacs, the company thatstarted credit scoring, does not saywhether a write-off or charge-off has anegative effect on your credit score. But,they do say that not paying back a loanon time does. So being late with yourpayment is a problem whether the loanis charged-off or not.

Ideally, DG would have contacted thecredit card company (or whoever heowed the money to) as soon as he fig-ured out that he couldn’t repay it ontime. Often the lender will agree to a

DG asks a good question. We hearthese terms and wonder what affectthey have on the money that we owe.So let’s see if we can’t shed some lighton the question and help DG avoidfinancial hardship.

We’ll start with some definitions. For“write-off,” we’ll turn to theWallingfordCapital.com site. “The act ofchanging the value of an asset to anexpense or a loss. A write-off is used toreduce or eliminate the value an assetand reduce profits.”

In everyday English that means thelender has decided that one of its assetsisn’t as valuable as they say it is on thecorporate books. For instance, yourpromise to pay the bank (car loan, cred-it card debt, mortgage) is an asset tothem. They have it on the bank account-ing records as something that has aspecific dollar value. Generally it’s worthwhat you owe on the debt.

When the bank “writes-off” part or all ofyour debt, they’re saying that they don’texpect you to pay the entire debt. Sothey’re taking part or all of that debt andnot counting it as an asset of the corpo-ration any longer.

Could you please give me some idea about charge-offs, foreclosures, and write-offs? I need to know on what grounds the banks will go for charge-off or fore-closure? What are the advantages of the above three to the bank? It would be

great if you can explain with examples.DG

cont. on pg. 12...

Write-Offs and Foreclosures cont...

smaller payment over a longer time. Ifthat doesn’t solve the problem, DGcould consider a credit counselor.

By the time the debt is charged-off, DGis in pretty deep. His credit score hasbeen affected. Chances are that all ofhis credit cards are charging him penal-ty rates of up to 30%. And, bill collectorsare beginning to call him. At that point, ifhe can’t work out a repayment plan, hemay need to consider bankruptcy.

What about foreclosure? According toPrinceton.edu (Princeton University), itis “the legal proceedings initiated by acreditor to repossess the collateral for aloan that is in default.” Typically, foreclo-sure is used in reference to real estateproperty, but it can be used for otherphysical property (your car for instance).

Foreclosure, unlike our other words, isnot an accounting term. It’s a legal term.It means that the company that holds alien on your property (like a mortgage)has sued you. The suit will attempt totake possession and ownership of theproperty. In other words, you’ll lose yourhouse or car.

Once again the credit score is damagedwhen the payments fall behind. In thiscase, the foreclosure will lower it somemore.

Whether the lender has started foreclo-sure or not, the borrower should take

the initiative and contact them if they arehaving trouble with the payment. Thelender may adjust the payment terms.

DG asks what triggers the bank to fore-close or write-off a loan. There are allkinds of circumstances, but generally it’swhen the bank feels that you won’t beable to repay the money you borrowed.Trying to predict exactly when a bankwill foreclose or write-off is difficult andcould be dangerous to your finances.

What’s the bottom line to all of this? Ifyou can’t keep up with your payments,go to the lender as soon as possible andtry to work out an easier paymentschedule. Often they’d rather lengthen aloan than have to write it off or gothrough foreclosure.

Simply hoping that things will get betterwhile you fall behind is a sure way tohurt your credit score and perhaps endup in legal troubles.

Gary Foreman is a former financial plannerwho currently edits The Dollar Stretcher.


Balancing efficiency and variety

Brown Bag Blues by Tamara Wilhite

Making lunches in bulk oftenresults in having the same thingfor lunch all week. That’s a good

diet tip to control your appetite, but canwear out your palate by Friday, leading toa splurge at a vending machine. Or(gasp!) eating out to break the monotony.

We need balance between the efficiencyof making lunches in bulk and our desirefor variety. Otherwise, we’ll end up withthe brown bag blues; the thrill of themoney saved by brown bagging it over-whelmed by every boring bite of yoursandwich or salad.

Here are a few tips for preventing thebrown bag blues.

When you have leftovers from dinner,especially when it isn’t enough for a sec-ond dinner, put it in a small Tupperwarecontainer and pop it in the freezer. It’s aninstant lunch different from those madeearlier in the week.

When making sandwiches, add varietyas you add the ingredients. Make PB&Jwith PB and three types of jelly. Makecold cut sandwiches, but add cheese tosome and not others and different top-pings to each. You’ve made each one dif-ferent, but you’re within the same budget.

When making pasta for lunches for theweek, make the pasta, sauce, meat top-ping, and pull out a pack of shreddedcheese. An easy break down for varietyamongst these toppings are:

One a la denteOne with sauce only One with meat only One with cheese only One with meat and sauce One with cheese and sauce One with meat, cheese, and sauce

Pick any 5 for variety without alteringyour ingredients.

When making rice and meat mixtures forlunches for the week, make the rice andmeat mix together, and pull out a pack ofshredded cheese. An easy break downfor variety amongst these toppings are:

One a la dente One with cheese only as a topper One with a can of corn tossed in One with a can of diced carrots mixed inOne with a can of green beans mixed in

Have an emergency stash in your deskconsisting of pop-top canned pasta orsoup and a Tupperware container. If youhave forgotten your lunch, you still get tobrown bag. This also works well as anemergency dinner if you end up having towork late.

I hope these ideas help keep the brownbag blues away at your brown bag lunch-eon.

Tamara Wilhite, the author of Humanity’sEdge, available on amazon.com. Visit athttp://humanitysedge.homeip.net/


Know what you have and what you need

Into the Boomer Babe’s Closetby Lynne Cavanaugh

I t was a rare, relaxed evening andthis boomer babe was cozilybrowsing through an assortment of

last month’s style magazines thatwere checked out from the locallibrary. Curled up at herfeet, the family caninestretched and settled intohis evening nap. Quitesuddenly, the silencewas shattered by rau-cous laughter. Thisboomer babe was read-ing wardrobe advice forthe newest fashion sea-son. The “must haves”looked like nothing func-tional for anyone overthirty and the advice to“toss anything youhaven’t worn in sixmonths” was far tooharsh for the thrifty (orthe sane). These fashion “words ofwisdom” were about as useful as thehome improvement TV program thatdemonstrated how a budget of$50,000 could transform the familykitchen into a high tech, chef’s delight!

On one point, though, we do agree:cleaning and organizing your clothescloset is enormously helpful in makingthe best use of what you already haveand easing your morning routine asyou reach for clothing suitable for theday’s activities. It is helpful to desig-nate areas in your closet for cate-

gories useful to you, such as“Workplace,” “Working at Home,”“Better Casual” (for an evening withfriends or a child’s school program),“Bedtime,” “Dirty Work” (for yard work

or home improvementprojects) and “Serious”(perhaps a wedding or afuneral). In this boomerbabe’s world, this lattercategory has the fewestnumber of selections and“Working at Home” hasthe greatest.

You may find that an out-fit that has served youwell in “Better Casual”needs to be re-purposedas “Working at Home,”replacing an article nowready for a transfer to“Dirty Work.” Finally, that

worn and stained tee shirt in “DirtyWork” can (and should) be cut intopieces for the rag bag.

When reviewing your closet contents,you may discover a surplus of, say,sweatshirts. Coordinating pajama bot-toms culled from a clearance rack maybe all that would be needed to createattractive and comfortable sets ofpajamas. You may discover an unwornarticle of clothing that needs only abutton or other minor mending to bereturned to service. This boomer babediscovered a winter coat once worn


cont. on pg. 15...

Boomer Babe’s Closet cont...

occasionally by a teenage daughterand in great condition. By removingthe shoulder pads and tacking downthe shoulder pleats, the coat wasupdated to the more tailored look thatis fashionable today.

Perhaps there are items for which youhave no coordinating pieces. Wouldthe addition of a neutral pair of slacks,for example, blend with the orphanedtops? Ask yourself, “Am I truly in needof new shoes or do I have appropriateshoes that I have just never gotten inthe habit of wearing?” When you areunhurried, it is much easier to coordi-nate outfits. Later, when you are timepressed, you will appreciate knowingwhich jacket blends with which skirtand which necklace adds just the rightfinishing touch.

When you have finished your work,you will have re-purposed some cloth-ing from one category to another andrepairs will have been made wherenecessary. You may well have somestill serviceable clothing ready to bepassed along to others (yard sale,Goodwill, etc.) and you will have aclearer picture of your clothing needs.Doing the organizing and researchbefore we shop helps us focus onwhat we need and avoid distractions.Then, with our list in hand, we canhead to our favorite shopping hauntsassured of filling the gaps of our trulyfunctional wardrobes.

cont. on pg. 16...


Please read this before you buy yournext vehicle! It makes no differencewhether you plan to lease your next

car or buy it. You need to protect yourselfagainst the catastrophic loss of your vehi-cle. A loss that could cost you thousandsof your hard-earned dollars.

In the twelve years I was in car sales, oneform of protection was overlooked orunderestimated by many customers. Thatprotection was GAP insurance. GAPmeans Guaranteed Auto Protection. Andhere is how it works. Let’s say that you buya new car and six months later you havean accident. Your insurance companycomes out and assesses the damage.The car is deemed a total write-off andyour insurance company writes a checkfor the value of the car. Since the first yearof ownership is when the greatest amountof depreciation occurs, the check will benoticeably less than what you paid for thevehicle. If you owed nothing on the vehi-cle, you have cash in hand now to pur-chase another. But if you owed more thanwhat your old car was worth, your check isnot going to satisfy the overage from yourloan. And guess who is responsible for theshortfall? You are. And depending on howmuch you owe, that shortfall could costyou thousands of dollars. Unless, ofcourse, you were smart enough to buyGAP insurance.

Let us put together a scenario that showsGAP in action. Suppose you buy a car thatcosts $25,000. After tax, motor vehicle,incidentals and finance charges, the total

Is there a gap in your auto coverage?

GAP Insuranceby Mark Albertson


comes to $32,000. You put down $5,000and finance the car for five years. Thismeans over the next sixty months youowe the bank $27,000.

Six months later, you have an accidentand your insurance company totals thecar. They reimburse you for what the carwas worth and write a check for $19,000.During that period of six months, youmade six payments on your loan, totaling$3,000. Subtract that from your startingbalance of $27,000 and you still owe$24,000. But the check the insurancecompany wrote is for $19,000. You nowhave to come up with $5,000 to finish offthe loan. If you had GAP, you could keepyour $5,000. The bank gets your insur-ance check and you get to breath easy.

Does every customer need GAP insur-ance? No. If you pay cash for your car, youdo not need GAP because there is no loanoutstanding against the vehicle. If youfinance the car for three years or less, youprobably will not need GAP. If you putdown a large amount of money, say thirtypercent, then the down would probablyhandle the depreciation, saving you frombeing upside down in the event of loss.

But if you are putting little or no moneydown and are financing for four years ormore, chances are that you will need GAP.If you have suspect credit and getapproved for purchase with a high rate ofinterest, you will need GAP. Whether ornot you need GAP will depend on yourcalculations, so do your homework. There

GAP Insurance cont...

is no reason to spend more money thanyou have to when buying a car.

If leasing your new car, GAP protection isimperative. Revisiting the above scenarioof an accident six months down the road,the reimbursement check from your insur-ance company will most likely not coveryour remaining lease payments plus thebuy out printed on your lease contract.However, a number of states require lend-ing institutions to include GAP in their con-tracts. So check your state laws. Don’t letsome smooth talking finance managercoax you into paying for GAP when by lawit is part of the deal.

Where can you get GAP? Most dealersoffer GAP, but you will pay top dollar for itthere. Start with your insurance company.In fact, go over your current insurance pol-icy. You might find GAP is included. If not,ask your agent for a quote. Also checkother providers of GAP as well. Ratingservices like A.M. Best and Standard andPoor’s can help here. Prices range from$50 to $100 per year. However, by shop-ping, you might find it for less. Once youhave educated yourself on GAP pricing,you can not only negotiate the price of thecar with your dealer, but also GAP protec-tion as well. If you get GAP from the deal-er, it will be included in your loan, whichmeans you will pay interest on it. Unless,you pay for GAP in a lump sum.

Do not underestimate the safety net pro-vided by GAP insurance. It could be thebest car-buying decision you ever make.


If you have a basement, the wallspace going down the stairs is agreat space to build shelving to store

cans. Not only is this wasted space, butalso most basement stairs are accessedclose to the kitchen.

Build 4” wide shelves on awall above where the firstfloor wall (usually 4” wide)meets the foundation (usu-ally 8” wide). You’ll nevermiss the 4” because theentire stair well narrowswhen it hits the foundationanyway, and you can line upyour 3.5” cans two to threehigh very nicely. My pantryshelves are made of ordi-nary 2x4s cut 12” high thatare spaced every 2’ and 1x51/2” boards, painted white. Our twohighest shelves are a bit wider (8”) andspaced higher (18”) so we can fit thingslike Tupperware and extra boxes ofcereal (which are light and won’t giveyou a concussion when you pull themdown). Because they’re higher than 6’,the increased shelf width doesn’t inter-fere with using the stairwell (althoughone of those reachers/grabbers thatsenior citizens use is handy to reachless-used goods stored on the most dis-tant shelves so you’re not stretchingprecariously over an 8-foot stairwell).The shelves are actually rather attrac-tive if you paint them to match yourdécor.

If the stair well doesn’t have interiorwallboard, you can simply insert 2x4cross-shelves every 12 inches highbetween the existing studs and thenstack your cans. Painting is optional.

There is usuallyenough headroom toinstall a couple of 6-8”wide shelves acrossthe end of the stairwellfor stuff such as pasta.Just be mindful of thewidth of this shelf soyou don’t whack yourhead when you usethe stairs. Our oldhouse fit three lovely12” shelves, but wedidn’t install a cross-stair shelf at the end of

the stairwell in our new house becausethe stairs are so steep and narrow. Mytall husband would have been whackinghis head on them. Use your judgement.

Lastly, since most doorjambs jut out 4”or more from the wall, build another 4”wide (or wider if you have the room) setof shelves behind the basement door inthe stair well. We were able to fit 5” wideshelves where boxes of macaroni fitvery nicely.

To prevent cans from inadvertently get-ting knocked off the shelves when youuse the stairs, buy 1/4” wide elastic fromthe sewing notions section of your local

cont. on pg. 18...

Creating a pantry out of wasted space

My Story: A Basement Storage Systemcontributed by Anna

department store. Staple or tack strips ofthis between the vertical supports ofyour shelves (or studs) on those shelvesyou’d be most likely to bump. Then, ifyou’re a klutz like me, you won’t knockdown your beautiful display of alphabet-ized canned goods when you carry anoverloaded basket of laundry up anddown the stairs.

I always write the sell-by date in big let-ters on all my dry goods in dark magicmarker so things don’t expire. I alsocontinuously push older items to the leftand put newer items to the right (assem-bly-line style) as I buy them so that I’malways using the oldest items up first.Lastly, I store “like” items together oncertain labeled shelves. Thanks to my“stair pantry,” I always know exactlywhat I have, what I paid for it, andwhether or not it’s time to take advan-tage of that lost leader sale to stock upon enough of a specific item to last untilthe next sale.

Not only do stair-shelves free up valu-able kitchen cabinets for other items(like your slow cooker), but also sincemost of your staples are highly visible,you’ll know exactly what you have andavoid buying duplicates.

My Story is a regular feature of The DollarStretcher. If you have information that canhelp others save time or money please sendit to: My Story c/o The Dollar Stretcher, POBox 14160, Bradenton FL 34280.

When my kids were little, therewas something they said thattickled me. When one of them

was trying to take a toy from anotherchild or playing with something I didn’twant them to have, I would say, “Youcan’t have that.” And the responsewould be, “But I want that.”

It cracked me up every time, because itwas so absurd. Like I would really say,“Oh, you want that? I didn’t know youwanted it! Well, then, take it!”

I would laugh at my kids for saying it, butnow I realize how many times that wasmy justification for spending money onthings we couldn’t afford. “Look,” I wouldsay, “They have ______ and I’ve beenwanting that for a long time.”

If “I want it” wasn’t justification enough,the length of time that I had wanted itwas surely enough to tip the scales.Said item being on sale would removeall remaining doubt. I was being as ludi-crous as my children were! How muchmoney or month we had remaining did-n’t matter.

There are many things I do to make ourdollars stretch. But the thing thatchanged our finances the most waswhen I realized that “but I want that” isnot a good reason to spend money.

Jeana Owens is a frugal homeschoolingmom with an odd sense of humor and a ten-dency to over-think things. You can readmore about her at www.daystocome.net.

Storage cont...


When kids say it, it’s a lame excuse

But I Want Thatby Jeana Owens

A college educated stay-at-home Mom is looking for part-time income

Finding Part-Time Work

living better...for less Page 19

Banquet Servers Needed

My husband and I have found the per-fect part time job. It is flexible andpays well. We are banquet servers forthe catering company at our city’sconvention center. We set up, serve,bus after the meals, and tear downthe job at the end of the event. Wesimply went to the little catering officeat the convention center and submit-ted an application. Quarterly, we givethem our availability and only work afew days a month. We are paid mini-mum wage plus a percentage of thejob as a gratuity. We always bringhome (after taxes and union fees) atleast $20/hr.Jenny

Part-Time Work Outside the Box

I was thinking of the stay-at-homemom who wants to find work after theworking hours of her husband. Well,she may regret not spending that timewith her husband. So, I had a fewideas that may keep her home withher kids and still make money.

In my area there is a lady with a babyin a stroller who comes by to walk mydog early in the morning. I am sickright now and can’t walk that far, butthe dog is still in need. So I pay her$20 a week to do this for 20 minutesevery morning. She gets the exerciseand $20 too. If this lady has threeother customers like me, she couldpull in $80 worth of grocery cash andnever need to go to the gym. This isbetter than $8 an hour for her time.

I have girlfriends who housesit forothers for $150 or more. All they do ischeck on the house, pick up mail andnewspapers, empty the answeringmachine, and answer questions if thealarm company calls. And they have

Ihave been having the hardest time finding a part-time job. I am a college edu-cated stay-at-home mom, but I can’t even get hired at a national toy store!Granted, I can only work when my husband is home, which means after 6pm

Monday through Saturday and all day Sunday. But, I have experience in retail.Any suggestions on how I can earn some extra cash or what companies or typesof companies might hire me? It doesn’t necessarily need to be a retail job.Nichole in Saint Clair Shores, MI

cont. on pg. 20...

Part-Time Work cont...

their children with them while theywork.

One of my girlfriends needed just afew bucks to get by. When her hus-band has the kids on the weekend,she goes to make the pizza for achain store. Weekends are very busyat pizza places and teens don’talways want to work Saturday night.This doesn’t get her any medical ben-efits, but for one or two days a weekof work, she can earn enough to buygroceries.Ally in Lake Worth, FL

Visit 24-Hour Stores

I train pharmacy technicians forWalgreens, and speaking personally,I wish you lived near me! We arealways looking for people who wantto work nights and weekends. Afterall, that’s when our customers come.I recommend you put in your applica-tion online, and then go down to yourlocal Walgreens and ask to speakwith the store manager and/or phar-macy manager. Introduce yourself tothem and tell them that you are look-ing for a part time position for nightsand weekends. Let them know youhave already put in your applicationonline. I strongly recommend visitinga 24-hour store because they havemore positions available. I would bevery surprised if you didn’t end up

with a position if you followed thisadvice.B

What Are You Good At?

If you’re so inclined, how about mar-keting yourself in tasks you can do athome and you are good at? You canproofread papers for students, tutorstudents of all ages, do editing forwriters, take in sewing, do catering,fix healthy meals for working families,etc. If you’re administratively inclined,there are Internet companies thatplace “virtual assistants.” Do someresearch. Find something you likedoing and then find people who coulduse your services. The possibilitiesare endless. Plus, you’ll work fromyour home, you’re your own boss, andyou have a flexible schedule.Cheryl

Consider Call Centers

Try call centers in your area. Manyare open seven days a week, 24hours a day and offer seasonal andpart-time employment. Catalog callcenters typically hire seasonal andpart-time help this time of year.Consider call centers that have awork-at-home program where you cantake calls from home.Denise D.


Make yourself a harder target for identity thieves

Keep Your Identity (And Your Bank Account) Safe by Jonathan Moeller


No matter how far you stretch adollar, it won’t do you much goodif a thief steals your identity and

snatches that dollar out of your bankaccount. Identity theft has become amulti-billion dollar problem, and it’s get-ting worse. A British columnist recentlywrote an article downplaying identitytheft, and published his bank accountnumber to prove his point. He did indeedmake a point, but not quite the one hehad intended; a thief took thenumber and drained out thecolumnist’s bank account.

Needless to say, it’s moreimportant than ever to safe-guard your personal infor-mation. Fortunately, mostidentity thieves and hackersare not the omniscient villains you mightsee on TV. Like any other kind of crimi-nal, identity thieves are often criminals ofopportunity. Just as there’s no foolproofway to burglar-proof your home, there’sno surefire way to protect yourself fromidentity theft, but you can do a lot to cutdown the risk with a few simple strate-gies.

Make sure to thoroughly shred any finan-cial papers you discard. Credit cardstatements, bank statements, car pay-ments, investment reports, 401(k)papers, receipts, tax forms, and govern-ment documents all contain informationthat could be used in identity theft.College students might go dumpster div-

ing for cheap furniture, but the savvyidentity thief knows that he or she mightfind useful documents that people neg-lected to shred. As a general rule ofthumb, shred any document containingyour name, an account number of any

kind, or your SocialSecurity number. It’simportant to destroyany credit card offersyou receive. Identitythieves will often usediscarded offers to takeout a card and rack uphuge debts in their vic-tims’ names.

Thoroughly check allyour bank and creditcard statements forunusual activity. Manyidentity thieves will

first draw out small sumsin order to test the waters on a particularaccount. If you monitor your statements,you can often spot abnormal activity andfreeze the account before anythingworse happens. If your bank or creditcard company offers the option of check-ing your accounts online, you’ll want todo so daily. If you do use online banking,be on guard against the Internet’s mostcommon form of identity theft, namelyphishing, where a thief’s website mas-querades as a legitimate website inhopes of snaring personal information.Also never check your accounts from apublic computer terminal, since you

cont. on pg. 22...


Identity cont...

might inadvertently leave personal infor-mation behind.

Credit cards have a bad reputationamong the budget-conscious, but youmay want to use them in place of a debitcard. A debit card might be convenient,but it drains the money directly from yourchecking or bank account. If a thief usesyour card, the money is gone from youraccount, and you’ll have a hard time con-vincing the bank that you didn’t spend themoney. With credit cards, the money isn’ttaken directly from your bank account,which provides you an extra layer of pro-tection. The protection is enhanced if youonly use cards with a low maximum;even if a thief steals your credit card andmaxes it out, the potential loss is lowerthan it could have been.

Mailboxes are a common vector for iden-tity theft, especially in apartment com-plexes. There have been numerous doc-umented cases of an apartment-dwellingthief pilfering the neighbors’ mailboxesand stealing their identities. Getting alock for your mailbox is an excellent idea.Or you may want to consider getting aP.O. box and sending your financial mailthere. This, of course, will entail someextra expense, but it’s cheaper thanstruggling to recover from identity theft.

In our world, there’s no absolute guaran-tee of security from theft, but with a littlecare and forethought, you can makeyourself a harder target for identitythieves.

cont. on pg. 23...

Sewing know-how can save money

Stitches to Savingsby Phyllis Guth

You don’t have to be an accom-plished seamstress to save bigbucks by making minor alter-

ations to your wardrobe, sewing simpletier curtains or turning clothing nolonger worn into useful items for thehome.

When I started working full time, Istopped making clothes, draperies andslipcovers, but I never stopped sewingaltogether. I found that there were gen-uine savings to be had if I were to dosmall jobs that weren’t time consuming.

When a friend sent away for a specialgift for me, a sweatshirt with cockerspaniels imprinted on the front thatturned out to be much too long, Iremoved the bottom band, cut off theextra length and sewed the band backon. Since then, I’ve done it severaltimes with other sweats.

Another sweatshirt, in a dark green, hada cream-colored collar. After a numberof washings, the collar turned dingy, soI picked open the stitches attaching it tothe neckline and removed it. A turtle-neck worn under the sweatshirt made anice substitute.

I had a white cotton blouse with a fancycutwork collar. After retiring, I seldom

wore the blouse, so I shortened it andcut off the sleeves to wear it as a deco-rative dickey under sweaters andsweats. The neckband had a yellowtinge that no amount of scrubbing andbleaching would take away, soI simply removed thelabel from the backand wore the dickeyinside out.

When I no longer need-ed my long paisley skirt, buthesitated to donate it to char-ity, I made it into a calf-length skirt. For bestresults, I use hemmingtape when turning upskirts or pants.

Sometimes, I’m reluctant to part with agarment even though I seldom wear it.If that’s the case, I look for ways to usethe fabric. For example, I had a denimjumper with an embroidered bib top. Iconverted the skirt into a pillow coverand centered the embroidered part onthe front of it. Another time, I turned adenim skirt into a clothespin bag, usingmy old purchased bag as a pattern.

A cotton summer dress with an embroi-dered top and short-sleeved jacketmade a lovely pillow. I was able to usethe front opening of the jacket, com-plete with buttons and buttonholes, forthe back of the pillow cover so it couldbe removed for laundering.

My husband wears a 32”-33” sleevelength, which is always difficult to find.Therefore, I sometimes bought thelonger length and removed the cuffs,then re-attached them after cuttingaway a half inch or so. And it’s usually

relatively simple to shorten thesleeves of lightweight or

unlined jackets and makesfor a nicer appearance.

Unlined tier curtainsand valances are easyto make and far less

expensive than buyingready-made. We have

a birdhouse-themedwallpaper border inone of our bed-

rooms. I purchased the matchingsheets and comforter, but balked at thealmost $100 price tag for the curtains.As luck would have it, the pattern alsocame in tablecloths and table runners.Because the tablecloth was made fromthe same fabric as the curtains, Ibought several on sale and made theminto tier curtains at about half the cost.The leftover fabric came in handy to re-cover the seat of a small dressing tablestool in the room. I bought the matchingtable runners on sale and used them asdresser scarves.

Don’t toss out leftover material after asewing project. After making bathroomcurtains from material that matched thewallpaper, I used a remnant to sew a


Stitches cont...

cont. on pg. 24...

Stitches cont...

drawstring hanky bag for my husband’ssoiled handkerchiefs. Fabric left overfrom making a skirt for the powder roomsink was used to add a matching borderon the hand towels.

When we replaced our ruffled livingroom curtains, I turned one of the oldones into a tablecloth for a small roundtable. If you have odd-sized windowsand can’t find the proper size, why notbuy the larger size and cut away theexcess fabric, leaving a few inches for agenerous hem?

When buying fabric for kitchen curtains,I bought enough to re-cover the seats ofour dinette set (with my husband’shelp). This project didn’t require anysewing as the fabric was stapled to theunderside of the chair seat.

Toaster and can-opener covers requireonly a small amount of material. Useyour present covers as patterns ormeasure the height, width and depth ofthe appliance and cut to fit, allowingextra fabric for seams. When I boughtbargain-priced kitchen curtains, I pur-chased an extra pair to stitch matchingcovers for my small kitchen appliances.

As you can see, it takes very little effortto sew up big savings for your wardrobeand your home.


Several fellows worked on our old,quirky kitchen recently. Theiradvice and efforts transformed

that room. I picked their brains for thefollowing tips:

~ If you’ve removed wallpaper, makesure the surfaces are thoroughlycleaned of paste before proceeding.Larry showed me a blotchy area.“See that? Some people put primeron it and sti l l the paste bubblesthrough. Wash it down well beforeyou paint.”

~ Remove electrical faceplates and furnishings.

~ “You can’t paint a crack,” said Chuck.He introduced me to the joys of caulk.Make sure the surfaces are clean anddry. Cut the tube tip on a 45-degreeangle with a smallish hole and run aneven bead of caulk along the entire

Painting advice from professionals

Paint Like a Pro by Olivia Fox

cont. on pg. 25...

crack’s length. Wet a sponge and useit to keep your finger moist. Using awet finger, smooth the caulk into thecrack. Remember to release the tubeafter each run to avoid a delayed“splurt.” Clean up while it’s still wet.Let it dry about two hours beforepainting. The fellows like white ALEXPLUS by Dap, as it’s paintable. Sincethe house is vintage with a lot ofmolding, we used almost four tubes.

~ Use dropcloths.

~ Quick drying primer allows you to dothe actual painting the same day.They recommended BIN by Zinnser.It’s ready in 45 minutes. The smellisn’t unpleasant but is very strong, soventilate the place. It’s a bit drippiert h a n r e g u l a r p a i n t . C l e a n u p immediately using ammonia.

~ I found out the hard way that a goodquality sashing brush is economical.My $4 special did not paint evenly orprecisely. Scott to ld me that hespends about $15 on one. He cleansi t we l l a f t e r each use w i t h anammonia and water combo (for latexpaints, as well as BIN). Make sure it’sthoroughly dried.

~ Ceil ing white is chalky and non-ref lect ive and makes a smoothlooking ceiling. Quality washable wallpaint is a wise expenditure too. You’llget truer color, and it’s more durable

than the cheap stuff. Pick one shadelighter than you like, as it seemsdarker over larger surfaces. “Cut in”first before filling in with a roller.

~ Chuck muttered, “I hate tape.” After Ipulled the blue edging tape up alongwith some of the wall paint, I foundout why. He cuts paint in against theceiling with his good angled paintbrush. That makes a clean line. Larrysuggested that if I insist on tape,remove it immediately after painting.The fellows felt it works alright to p r o t e c t f l o o r i n g ( f o r pa i n t i n gkickboards). From then on, I took it upright after painting. Splotches cleanedup easily too.

~ Dip the brush bristles less than aninch into the paint. Though the fellowsdidn’t say outright, I noticed Chuckdidn’t load his brush as much as Iwould have. Rollers should be evenlysaturated, not dripping. Choose a napappropriate for the wall’s texture.

~ “Every paint needs two coats unlessthe color’s very similar,” Chuck toldme. Here I thought blotchy wallswere from my amateur technique.He’s right.

After the caulk, primer and second coat,the walls look seamless. Thanks guysfor your help!

Paint cont...


Consider two gifts: one givenand one earned. Both areimportant items that you deeply

want. The first is given as a Christmaspresent, wrapped in shiny paper. Theother you earn yourself, pulling longhours at an after-school job. Is theearned item sweeter than the gift?Maybe. For some, the agony of theeffort sours the reward. For others, thetriumph over adversity imparts anadded value.

I believe that this is a key conceptbehind frugality. For some, it is tri-umph, and for others, it is defeat. Anda lot of the difference depends on atti-tude.

My husband and I have struggled hardto craft a house and finances and alifestyle of our own design. Thesestruggles have built us up, I believe.The challenges have all been thingswe could triumph over, and so witheach challenge, we feel stronger. Itake three vital lessons from our expe-riences.

The first is choice. We had a choicewith our house. We could haveremained in our previous situation,which was tolerable enough but lessthan we wanted. We chose instead toaccept the challenge of building ahome, and obviously, we could facethis challenge at a time and place ofour choosing.

The second point is that we had towork to achieve our goal. We had tothink long and hard about the designand weigh wants versus needs.Kitchen cabinets, floors, trim andmolding cost too much. We could saveby installing these things ourselves.Once we triumphed and finished thehouse, the “sweat equity” that we’dinvested made it all that much sweet-er.

Third is that with our house (or otherfun goals, such as a vacation) wewere moving toward something. Thereis a goal, a reward, or something toachieve. Being able to sleep at nightbecause unpaid bills are not hangingover your head is nice. Marking theday on the calendar that a studentloan or a credit card debt is paid offgives one real motivation. Having thatgoal ahead of you makes all the differ-ence, and each plateau along the wayis a triumph where you savor your oldaccomplishments and rest beforepushing onward to new heights.

It’s easy for the “frugality” struggle tohave no goal. It’s a hand-to-mouthexistence, and managing it is a drearyexercise in stark survival. But wemade it a goal. Now, where there is anissue of frugality, we are re-examiningour lifestyle, our society’s consumermessages, planetary ecology, andissues of true satisfaction. There is areal purpose and destination. We think

How much is the struggle worth?

Triumph!by Pamela Parks


cont. on pg. 27...

Triumph cont...


about what we really need, and how toobtain that with the least impact andwith the most benefit (to our pocketbook, to our health, and to the world atlarge).

The whole frugality/money strugglehas been an amazing voyage. Wehave been forged under fire. Duringthe course of the struggle, we areforced to make priorities and trade-offs, so that we know how much ourgain is worth. The battle focuses us(“eyes on the prize”) so that the realgoal, the one we are striving for,looms large in our sight.

What makes a simple struggle intosomething more uplifting? It’s thatfeeling of “This is where my life ismeant to be, this is where I want it tobe. This is what I have deliberatelycreated for myself.” I have replaced ahouse full of useless junk with a lifefilled with learning and discovery.Given what we have come throughand what we’ve accomplished so far, Ican only wonder what is to come.

Expensive Oil Pump Replacement

Hi Bob,I have a Ford F150 2003 model with65,000 miles. I was told that I need anoil pump and it would be $1200. Thatseems pricey. An idea what it shouldcost?Kristen

Kristen,The oil pump is located in the oil pan. Inorder to change it, you need to removethe oil pan. However, on some vehicles,the oil pan cannot be simply removed.Usually there are suspension membersin the way. So, you either have toremove the suspension member orremove the engine. The price of thepump is relatively low and the actualinstall process is quite easy. However,this is one of those parts where gettingto it is a lot of work!Good Luck!Drive Safely!Bob, The Auto Answer Man

If you have a question for Bob, send it [email protected]. He’s able toanswer many of them personally andwe’ll include the best questions in futureissues of The Dollar Stretcher.

Ask Bob:The Auto Answer Man

Small Paint Touch-Ups

If you like crafts and need to paint smallthings, use cotton swabs. The cottonswab is flexible and fits in small areas.They cost a lot less than paintbrushes.You can find cheap swabs at the dollarstore. You just throw them away whendone with no messy clean up.Delores G.

Use It All

Tired of trying to dig out the mayonnaisein small neck jars in your fridge? Turnthe jar on its side and the mayonnaisewill settle on the side. You’ll be able toreach in with a knife and not get mayon-naise on your fingers or the knife han-dle.Robert P. in Aloha, Ore

Save the Nail Polish

Have you ever thrown away a bottle ofnail polish because even though there isstill polish in the bottle, the brush can’tquite reach it or because you just hatethe color? Well, don’t throw it away. Youcan either combine several almostempty bottles of polish to make a newfuller bottle that is also a new color, orcombine an undesirable color with someolder almost empty favorites to tone thecolor down.D. K. in Hudson, MA

How Much Per Hour?

Prepare bag lunches at night, ratherthan buying lunch every day. It takesvery little time and saves very muchmoney! I’ve often watched a co-workerunwrap a bowl of cut-up melon or veg-gies, for which she paid $4. One servingfor $4! Preparing it would take betweenone and three minutes. Think of it as get-ting paid $20 to $60 per hour, tax free,for the time it takes to make your lunch.Rivka K.

Student Perks

I am a college student and have learnedthat I can save a ton of money onInternet fees, ink, and paper by using thecomputer lab at my school. The use ofthe lab, including Internet access andprinting, is included in tuition fees (I’m onPell Grant). I do all of my Internetresearch, reports, and printing there.This has saved an average of $20/monthfor Internet service, $5 for computerpaper, and another $10 for ink (I used anaverage of 1/3 of a black cartridge permonth at a cost of $30 per cartridge).That’s $35 into my savings account.

Also included in the cost of tuition is free,unlimited use of the school gym, whichincludes an indoor walking track, heatedindoor pool, and weight room. Goodbyegym membership, hello savings! Christy S.

Readers’ Tips


cont. on pg. 29...

Friends Who Cook Together

Find a friend, maybe one afternoon amonth, to prepare meals in bulk andseparate into freezable containers. Thenyou’ll both have meals to take out of thefreezer and heat up. If you do this withanother busy mom, you can buy theingredients in bulk and split the cost.Believe me, the five to six hours that youspend will save you tons of time in thelong-run.

I have found that before you start cook-ing, if you do all the prep work like chop-ping onions, etc., it helps a lot, especial-ly if you have several recipes going atthe same time. The first time my momand I did this, it took a lot longerbecause we didn’t prep first. There are alot of websites out there that give ideason meals you can prepare in bulk for thispurpose. One of my regular things tomake is marinara sauce and it freezeswell in the zipper bags. Keeping a list ofwhat you’ve prepared helps, too. Alyce

Razor Care

Do not leave your razor in the shower.After each use, dry your razor (whetherdisposable or regular) with a towel. Youcan use a hair dryer if necessary. Storeit where it will stay dry until the next timeyou need to use it. The razor blade willstay sharp much longer.Rose

Readers’ Tips cont...


Birthday Party Two-fer

At my daughter’s 9th birthday sleepover,I wanted to do something creative withthe kids that would also double as their“goodie” for coming. So, I bought eachattendee an inexpensive white pillow-case. Then at the party, each girl deco-rated her own pillowcase with fabricmarkers in a rainbow of colors. Becausemy daughters and I love to do crafts, wealready had the markers on hand. Thekids had a blast decorating the pillow-cases. It was fun to watch their creativi-ty in action. Then, at the end of theevening, I gave them each a stuffedteddy bear that I bought at a dollar storeto go with their pillowcase. They were soexcited to cuddle up in their sleepingbags! It made bedtime relatively easy,which was an added bonus.

The best part of this idea is that the pil-lowcase is something that my daughterwill always have. I have washed it multi-ple times since then and the colors inher pillowcase have never faded, keep-ing her memory of her 9th birthday alive.Pam H.

Fresh Spices

Whenever I purchase new spices, I putthe containers in the freezer in a plasticshoebox container. They stay fresher,especially if you do not bake regularly. Jane A.

cont. on pg. 30...

Free Bath Toys

Why buy toys for the bathtub? Instead,recycle empty plastic containers fromyour kitchen, such as parmesan cheeseshakers, spice jars, and mustardsqueeze containers. Once cleaned, theywork great as bath toys and sand/watertable toys. It’s better for your wallet andthe environment too!Mondisa

Suggest a Purchase

Our library (like others) has a servicecalled “suggest a purchase.” Using that,I have requested that the library pur-chase specific materials. Even thoughsome are quite expensive, the libraryhas bought almost all of them.

I try to suggest only items that would beof interest to many people in the com-munity. For example, our library hostsknitting groups two evenings a week.So, I have suggested and the library haspurchased several knitting books thathave good reviews online. We have alarge community of science geeks aswell, so DVDs of Dr. Who andTorchwood were bought because of mysuggestion.

Another benefit is when the library pur-chases a new item because of apatron’s suggestion, that patron gets tobe the first to check the item out! Jora


cont. on pg. 31...


Sharp Looking Gift Tags

Instead of buying gift tags for presents,use the color cards that paint companiesproduce to show the colors of theirpaints. They come in various sizes andyou should be able to find any color tomatch your wrapping paper. If you don’thave any color cards around the house,ask a paint store for their cards of dis-continued colors that they are going tothrow away anyway. Kristel W.

Affordable Area Rugs

Ask your local carpet dealer if they eversell samples or if they ever donate them.I recently purchased several large, well-made sample rugs for $35 each from alocal Habitat Restore. They have a smallsquare on the ends with the word “sam-ple” printed on it, which is the backingonly. I positioned the rugs so the word-ing is under furniture. The look is beau-tiful, elegant, and much more quiet andwarm since I have hardwood floors.Jackie D. in Durant, IA

Fresher Crackers

In order to keep Saltine crackers freshlonger, I store them in the freezer. I dothis for both opened and unopenedpackages. My mother passed on this tipto me and I can tell you it really works!Jackie V.

Blocked Kitchen Sink Sprayer?

The hose sprayer on our kitchen sinkbecame clogged with water deposits,leaving only a few jets for water to passthrough. As I began to take apart thesprayer to clean it, I thought there mustbe a quicker solution. I filled a cup withvinegar soaked the sprayer head in it for5 minutes. Viola! The sprayer looks andworks like new.Nick M. in Pullman, WA

Better Baby Shower

When the ladies at my church asked meif I wanted a baby shower for my thirdbaby, I had already stockpiled andsaved practically everything my babywill need when she arrives. Everybodyspends a fortune on the first baby, butwith subsequent children, we know justhow few of the common baby showergifts are actually put to good use. I con-sidered turning the shower down.

Then one of the ladies had a brilliantidea. She suggested a diaper shower! Ifyou’re on your second (or 15th!) child,chances are that you have most of thethings you’ll need to clothe, bathe, andcare for your baby, but that doesn’tmean your friends and family can’t helpyou over the financial hump of a newbaby. Diapers are something you cannever have too many of!Cindy D.

Do I Really Need...

I have tried to be thrifty all of my life. Iam skeptical of the true value of manyitems other people see as necessities.For example, after several years ofusing conditioner on my hair after sham-pooing, I tried going without and trulycould not see any difference. I also findthat inexpensive shampoos work justfine. I also think that fancy gels for shav-ing my legs are unnecessary. A lather ofordinary hand soap does the same jobfor a lot less money. Why not see ifthese ideas work for you?S. in VA

Longer Lasting Pantyhose

I sell hosiery at Von Maur and a lot of mycustomers always complain that theirpantyhose are not lasting as long asthey want. I always suggest puttingpantyhose in the freezer after purchas-ing them. This works great. Since I haveto wear pantyhose to work, it’s great tostock up and leave some pantyhose (inthe original packaging) in the freezeruntil the ones I’m wearing start develop-ing runs. Tiffany in IL

Send your time- or money-saving tips toDollar Stretcher Tips, P.O. Box 14160,Bradenton, FL 34280-4160 or by email [email protected].



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Springboard Fall 2008 - Credit.org · 2016-09-20 · caulk or weather stripping. Most of the heat that leaves your home escapes through cracks around the windows and doors. To the