Guest guest Posted August 1, 2005 Report Share Posted August 1, 2005 bounce-dollar-stretcher-4-349406 [bounce-dollar-stretcher-4-349406] On Behalf Of editor Sunday, July 31, 2005 11:00 PM Living Better ... for Less 8/1/05: The Dollar Stretcher =========================================================== The Dollar Stretcher " Living Better...For Less " August 1, 2005 Volume 10, Number 31 =========================================================== To Subscribe send sub-dollar-stretcher or visit http://www.stretcher.com/menu/subscrib.cfm To Un send a blank leave-dollar-stretcher-4-349406X " The Dollar Stretcher " and Dollar Stretcher, Inc. does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for his/her own situation. =========================================================== In This Issue: Introduction Credit Card Minimum Payments by Gary Foreman How much would you need to increase your monthly credit card payments to pay off the debt? How to Win the Lottery by Alex Conde You could have more money than a lottery winner Retail Shopping by Jona E. Kessans 10 inside tips to saving money My Story: Vacation Meals contributed by Todd in Wisconsin When eating on the road goes seriously awry Tips, Quips, Quotes & Questions On www.Stretcher.com This Week =========================================================== Introduction by Gary Foreman gary Hello to all my Frugal Friends! Wouldn't you agree that one of the best sounds in the world is the sound of laughter? I've read reports that laughter releases endorphins (or something like that) that actually make a person feel better. And other reports that people who laugh more tend to have happier, healthier lives. Perhaps I'm more aware of the value of laughter because I know that all this talk about money can be boring, serious or even depressing (depending on your current financial situation). And, we're all aware of the caricature of the scowling, tight- fisted miser (think Ebeneezer Scrooge). So this week's My Story article is a little different (and maybe a little controversial). The girl that works with me getting the ezine ready for distribution says that I'm going to get hate email over this one. Maybe she's right. But I'm betting that you'll understand that we're not trying to laugh at anyone. We're just looking in a fun house mirror and recognizing that sometimes we dollar stretchers look a little funny (and that's alright, too!). I also wanted to thank all the people who sent in their comments about how they use our ezine and site. Your help is sincerely appreciated! Hope that everyone has a great week! All the Best! Gary =========================================================== Our Sponsor " What the heck... I'll give it a try! " " I have to say I'm so glad I purchased your DebtIntoWealth System! I was skeptical at first, so I went to the website. It sounded good, so I figured " what the heck, " I'll give it a try. My goal was to pay off $5000 in credit card debt and a car loan so I could buy a new home, and get me and my 4 girls out of our 2-bedroom apartment. It worked! It's now 9 months later and ALL of my debt is paid off, and I just signed a contract on a new 5-bedroom house! There is no better feeling than to have NO debts, and a savings account too! Thanks to your system, my family is going to have a better life by not being enslaved to debt. " -- Katrina S. in Houston, TX What the heck... Give DebtIntoWealth a try, today! Click: http://www.debtintowealth.com/stretcher.html =========================================================== Credit Card Minimum Payments by Gary Foreman How much would you need to increase your monthly credit card payments to pay off the debt? A couple of months ago, I read an article about getting finances under control. According to the article, you can double the minimum monthly payment on a revolving charge and that account will be paid in full in 36 months regardless of the amount. How could that be possible, considering how " minimum " most minimum monthly payments are? Gail E. Gail asks a very good question. How much would you need to increase your monthly credit card payments to pay off the debt? The average balance for people who hold at least one credit card is now over $9,000. So a lot of people should be asking the same question! Let's take a look at the numbers. To allow for a common comparison, we'll assume a $1,000 balance and an interest rate of 14%. We also assumed that nothing new was charged to the account and that the smallest payment allowed would be $10. Most credit card companies require a minimum monthly payment of 2%. That's what they feel earns them the most money. Remember that their goal is to keep you in debt for your entire life. If Gail were carrying our pretend $1,000 balance and made the minimum 2% payment each month, she'd be making payments for 156 months or 13 years! She'd pay a total of $935 in interest. Is it possible that she could shrink that to 36 months by doubling the minimum payment on her statement each month? Unfortunately, no. If she were to do that, it would still take 77 months or 6 1/2 years to pay it off. The same is true for different interest rates. Even the lowest of interest rates. However, it is possible that the article meant doubling the minimum payment the first month and then continuing to pay the same dollar amount every month until the debt was paid off. Let's see how that works on our pretend $1,000 balance. For instance, if Gail doubled the minimum monthly payment to 4% (or $40.47) and kept paying that same amount every month, she would in fact have it paid off after 30 months! Regardless of the size of the balance. A higher interest rate could add a few months, but the results are still dramatic. So the trick is to double the current minimum payment and then stay at that level until the bill has been paid off. Soon most credit card users will be facing higher minimums anyway. In 2003, the Office of the Controller of the Currency told banks that minimum payments had to cover all fees, interest owed and pay down some portion of principal. For most credit card issuers that will mean raising the minimum to about 4% of the account balance each month. The biggest credit card issuers have already started moving in that direction. And most are expected to follow. The resulting changes in minimum payments could have a major impact on some families. For many people paying more than the 2% minimum doesn't seem possible. Their budget is based on that amount and there's nothing left of their paycheck after the minimums are paid. Unless these families can find a way to squeeze some savings out of other expenses they're heading for trouble. In fact, the banks expect that some borrowers will not be able to pay the increased minimums. Some have already prepared by increasing the reserves that are used to pay for the write- offs that occur when people can't pay their bills. What can you do if you're struggling just to meet the monthly minimums now? Begin by looking for expenses that can be cut which will free up more money for the monthly credit card bill. If there's just not enough money to pay increased monthly minimums, contact your credit card company. They would rather work out an affordable payment plan than have you declare bankruptcy. Increased minimums are not all bad news for consumers. This could be a good opportunity for borrowers to take control of their finances. Especially those who think that just paying the minimum is an acceptable way to manage credit. We can already see that budgeting for the monthly minimum puts borrowers at the mercy of the lender. Any increase in interest rate or minimum will cause them trouble. In effect, the amount of their monthly payment is out of their control. And, as evidenced by Gail's question, paying more than the minimum does allow for credit card balances to be eliminated. When you don't carry a balance you effectively pay less for everything that you buy. It's like buying everything on sale. Hopefully Gail will be able to adjust her budget and double the minimum payment until her balance is gone. _____________________________ Gary Foreman is a former financial planner and purchasing manager who currently edits The Dollar Stretcher.com website and newsletters. =========================================================== How to Win the Lottery by Alex Conde You could have more money than a lottery winner This title might make you think that this is an article about getting rich quickly, but it would be much better to say that this article is not about getting poor. The lottery is a dream we all have. At some point in time, each one of us has asked ourselves what it would be like to win one million, ten million, or even more money. The higher the jackpots, the longer the lines grow in front of the lottery booths. With the kind of money involved in a lottery jackpot, it's easy to imagine how a single winning ticket could solve all of our financial woes. However, you don't actually need to win in order to achieve these goals. Let me illustrate what I'm talking about with an imaginary person named Jack. Much like any of us, Jack is a dreamer. He buys several lottery tickets per week, hoping he'll strike it rich and be able to quit his job. On weeks that have a larger jackpot, he'll buy quite a few tickets. Jack's expenditures on lottery tickets average $10 per week. At that rate, he spends $520 per year solely on lottery tickets. That amount alone is the equivalent of a significant payment on a loan or a credit card for most people, and could certainly make the Christmas shopping season much easier. However, in this case, let's assume that Jack decides to invest the money. Jack has just turned 35 years of age, and hopes to retire at age 65 if possible. In order to simplify this explanation, we're going to disregard inflation. If Jack takes the $520 per year that he saves from not buying lottery tickets and invests it, let's assume that he can earn an average annual return of 7% until his retirement. Given that we're looking at a 30-year timeframe, this expectation isn't unreasonable, especially since the interest is compounded annually as opposed to monthly or more frequently. Based on these figures, Jack will have accumulated $49,119.61 at the end of the 30-year period. While this isn't as fantastic as a $10 million dollar lottery jackpot, it would be considered a significant win by any means. Who wouldn't consider themselves lucky to win nearly $50,000 in a lottery? The odds of such a win depend on the specific lottery, but would be slim in any situation. The odds of this investment strategy working out for Jack are much higher. As well, while there is a chance that Jack's rate of return will be lower, there is also a chance that it will be higher. A 10% average rate of return will give Jack $85,536.89 in his savings by the time he reaches retirement. Even if Jack's overall rate of return were to drop to 4% from his first day of investing, he would still have saved $29,164.17 by the end of his 30-year period. A 4% rate of return is a reasonable one for long-term bonds, and still would produce an amount equal to a significant lottery win, or a large portion of an individual's yearly salary. Now, the key to the lottery is the dream of it. It doesn't so much matter whether you win or lose (though winning is always preferable). The possibility of winning is worth the cost. If Jack enjoys the thrill of the lottery experience and still wants to have it, then he should cut his lottery expenditures down to $2 per week, or even $2 per month. This still gives Jack a large amount of money with which he can make his investments. The odds of winning the top prize in any lottery run about 1 in 10,000,000. This means that the odds you have of winning with a single ticket aren't really significantly higher than your odds of winning with five tickets. Five tickets with each having a one in ten million chance of winning are still pretty poor odds. The power of budgeting is that a small change can produce a big result as long as you are willing to give it enough time. Budgeting isn't glamorous or quick, but it is a reasonably certain system. $10 per week is not a significant amount of money for most people to be spending on something they don't need. However, that same $10 per week can make a free loan payment in the short term, or a very significant amount of savings in the long term. The lottery has the power to completely change the lives of a very small number of people, but budgeting can change the lives of everyone. If you want to motivate yourself for a savings plan such as this, pick a goal to work towards with your savings. Goals help you stay on track by providing a target to aim for at the end of the plan. How about a trip around the world upon retirement? Or spending winters in Florida for several years? Anything is possible if you take control of how you spend your money with the power of budgeting. =========================================================== Our Sponsor An Average Family Of Four Can Save $180 to $240 a Month On Groceries Just By Following A Simple Buying Strategy! " Last month I spent $502.90 on groceries. This month after adopting your simple strategy I spent only $219.00 feeding a family of six with three teenagers! Best of all, I was able to finish all of my shopping in half as much time as before! " - Lynn Scharping, Arizona Learn how you can immediately save time and money at http://www.grocerybook.com! Act today and receive a *Free Bonus* Grocery PriceBook valued at over $30! =========================================================== Retail Shopping by Jona E. Kessans 10 inside tips to saving money In addition to running my regular consulting business, I also work part-time as an Ad Set Supervisor for a national retail store. During this time, I have learned many of the ins and outs of the retail business and how to get the most bang for my buying dollar. If you follow these same ten tips, I guarantee that you too will save more money. Following are ten of the best inside tips I've learned about the retail world since becoming part of it. 1. How to Get the Best Clearance Price in Stores In most retail stores, clearance is marked down at the beginning of the month. And for stores that use the tiered clearance system, where items fall in price as the month progresses, you will find that the best time to get the lowest price for a clearance item is toward the end of the month. 2. Yellow Tag, Red Tag Clearance Method - When the Best Price Isn't Always the Final Clearance Price Stores that use the yellow tag to red tag clearance method also use a tiered system to incrementally mark down items on clearance. Generally, items are placed on clearance at the beginning of the month and will be gradually marked down as the month progresses. Any remaining yellow-ticketed items are then red ticketed for final clearance at the beginning of the following month. Because this system is percentage based, when the yellow-ticketed price drops to its lowest percentage off (usually 50% off the yellow-ticketed clearance price), this is the best item to buy. This way you can save as much as 80% off the regular price of an item. However, if you wait until the same item is red-ticketed for final clearance, you will pay a higher price and only receive about 50-60% off the regular price. This is a clearance strategy used by many major retailers. 3. Too Early/Too Late For a Great Sale - Not Anymore Most retail stores have an unpublished policy that allows customers to receive the sale price for an item either a day before or a day after the begin and end dates of an advertised sale. You just have to ask to receive the sale price. 4. Price Adjustment - Too Late, Not Necessarily Most retailers have a published policy allowing customers a specific timeframe to receive price adjustments and an unpublished policy that actually extends this timeframe anywhere from 7 to 14 days. Even if you are outside the official timeframe for a price change, make the request, as most stores will honor the adjustment based on the unpublished policy and because they won't risk losing a customer. 5. Buy One, Get One Free and Buy One, Get One 1/2 Off Sales (BOGO) - Great for the Retailer, Bad for the Customer The national retail store I work at part-time as Ad Set Supervisor usually has a Buy One, Get One Free and Buy One, Get One 1/2 Off Sale, also know as BOGOs, twice every sale cycle (12 weeks). It always amazes me how many people flock to the store for these sales because in the retail industry, these are known to be one of the worst sales for customers. How? By breaking the numbers down, one can quickly see just what I mean. Let's say you need a pair of jeans and find that there is a BOGO sale at your favorite store offering you 1/2 off the second purchase. If you paid $20 for the first pair and $10 for the second pair (since it was 1/2 off), your total purchase amount on two pairs of jeans is $30, with an overall savings of $10 or 25%. But more than likely, these same jeans usually go on sale for 30 to 40% off during one of the store's regular sale events. That means, if you had purchased these same jeans during a regular 30% off sale, you would have paid $14 per pair or $28 for two pairs for a savings of $12, or 30% off, saving you an additional $2 than the BOGO Sale. At 40% off, you would have paid $12 per pair or $24 for two pairs, or 40% off saving you an additional $6 than the BOGO Sale. Buy One, Get One Free Sales are only good if you plan on purchasing two of the same items anyway. Otherwise, they force customers to purchase more than they had planned, causing them to bring home two items when they only wanted one of in the first place. A way around this dilemma is to shop with a friend or relative who intends to purchase the same type of item that you are going to purchase. Stores love these sales because it is a way of getting customers to spend more money, reduce store inventory quicker, and increase sales figures. 6. Shopping Day Savings Passes, Just Ask Several national retail stores offer Shopping Day Savings Passes, which are coupons that offer the customer anywhere from 10-20% off every purchase made throughout that day. These " savings passes " are available at customer service desks. All you need to do is ask. One large retailer that offers these passes is Macys. 7. Those People with the Scanners - They Know More Than You Think Ever go into a store and see some of the associates with a scanner scanning items? Well, more than likely, those are " Ad Setters " that are responsible for placing sale signs for upcoming sale events. Almost every store has an Ad Set Crew. Some stores have the Ad Set Crew set ads for upcoming sales after store closing. Most, however, have the Crew start setting ads a few hours prior to closing. Shop during these hours and seek these people out. Why? They are the most knowledgeable about what store sales are the best for customers and when these sales are going to occur since they know about upcoming sales weeks in advance. If you are wondering if an item you are interested in purchasing is cheaper during the current sale or cheaper during an upcoming sale, they can usually scan it and tell you. I have helped countless customers save this way and then proceeded to tell them about the day prior, day later rule covered in tip number three. Most regular sales associates don't have this inside information about upcoming sales, nor do they have the ability to find out what upcoming sales prices are going to be on items. That's why you need to speak to an Ad Setter. 8. Imperfections = Discounts, Even Packaging Everyone probably knows about getting an additional discount on imperfect merchandise, but many don't know that imperfect packaging gets the same discounts. The store I work at, like most stores, has a policy that allows at least an additional 10-20% discount on damaged items. Even if the only damage is to an item's packaging, we gladly give this discount when someone asks. As a result, I have learned to purposefully seek out items that have damaged packaging and to always ask for this extra discount. To date, I have always received it. Being willing to purchase items with damaged packaging creates a win-win situation for both customers and the store. The store gets rid of slightly blemished items and customers save money. 9. Forgot Your Extra Savings Coupon - No Problem, Just Tell the Cashier Many stores send out extra savings coupons to holders of their credit cards or loyal customers on their mailing list. Sometimes, however, customers get to the register only to realize that they forgot to bring their " Extra Savings Coupon " with them. If this happens to you, no problem, since most stores have a policy granting the discount to the customer anyway just by telling the cashier that you forgot your savings coupon. 10. The Clearance Merry-Go-Round Most stores have what is called " back stock. " This usually refers to clearance items that have not sold during the previous season's clearance sales. These items are placed in a designated area in the stockroom and then brought back out onto the sales floor during a store's next seasonal clearance event. For example, January and February are two good months to find last season's bathing suits on clearance in many stores. May and June are good times to find heavy coats and leather jackets at rock-bottom prices. I know our store does this routinely, and have found this to be true for several other major retailers as well. I hope you are able to save tons of money as I have by using these ten tips. Prior to working in retail, I would have considered myself a frugal and smart shopper but have since become even better and saved more. By learning the ins-and- outs of the retail world and by using these tips, I now pay less for brand-new, brand-name clothing, shoes, accessories, and home goods than I had previously paid at thrift stores and I hope you do too. Happy Shopping and Saving! _____________________ Jona is an instructional designer, web and graphic designer, and technical and business writer. When she isn't working on client projects, she can be found updating her personal project, www.simpleandfrugal.com, a website dedicated to those seeking to simplify their lives. Copyright 2005 Jona E. Kessans. All rights reserved. =========================================================== My Story: Vacation Meals contributed by Todd in Wisconsin When eating on the road goes seriously awry editor's note: Occasionally we'll get an email from someone reminding us that frugal living can be taken too far. We offer the following article as proof that too much of a good thing can become a bad thing! (Please note that the author was kidding and wasn't really recommending these ideas, so no one needs to send him an email to set him straight!) We live in Wisconsin and there are so many places to go here, but you still must watch your budget when you vacation in Florida. Our food budget is the biggest problem for us when we're on vacation. I have found a wonderful thing to do. About six months before a trip, I start buying old clothes at Salvation Army and Goodwill. If I spend $1 a week on old holey clothes, I will have $26 worth of dirty, holey and well-worn clothes when we go on vacation. Enough for the whole family! Here's the beauty of it all. We put these clothes on after we've had our fun for the day. We then go to Homeless Shelters, the YMCA, or YWCA and " bunk down " for the night. Believe me; you meet some really interesting people when you stay at one of these nice, friendly and warm shelters. Best of all, it costs abso-frickin-lutely nothing. Also, before we head out for the day, we hit the same shelters for breakfast and a sack lunch. Sometimes, if the amusement parks we're visiting don't open until noon or later, we have the kids go out and panhandle before we change clothes for the fun-filled days of vacation. (That's spending money for the kids, free and clear). If we hurry back after a fun-filled day, we even get another free meal; and believe me, the evening meal is much better than any you've had (don't tell Mom, but it's almost like home-cookin'). Using this approach, you don't have to worry about the money as much because you're not spending one thin dime. Heck, if you have no scruples, you can even call up the local Pastor and tell him that your kids have never been to Disney Land (which is true in our case), and chances are, they'll throw a few free tickets your way. (Heads up! This works best if you call from the Shelter.) Anyway, with all the money you've saved on vacation, you can use on you and your spouse when you get home. And we all know, there's nothing better than a vacation away from the kids, is there? Have a Hinkely-Dinkely-Doo Day! ______________________ " My Story " is a regular feature of The Dollar Stretcher. If you have a story that could help save time or money, please send it by MyStory =========================================================== Our Sponsor Keep Forgetting Your Passwords? PC PasswordPro keeps track of passwords so you don't have to Auto-saves and Auto-fills passwords for you! Keeps your passwords safe, secure and easy to access! Protects from malicious software that records your keystrokes - one click to enter data! Multiple user accounts available! One-Stop login for all your password-protected sites! No more forgotten logins! No more jotting down you passwords on scraps of paper! PC Password Pro is designed to make your online life safe, easy and worry-free! Click Here Now to start using PC PasswordPro today!! Copyright 2005 Intrigue Learning Services Inc. All Rights http://www.pcpasswordpro.com/index.html?kbid=1011 =========================================================== Tips, Quips, Quotes and Questions ********* Can You Help This Reader? ********* Ant Invasion Several years ago, we were invaded by little ants. They are everywhere. We get rid of them in one area of the house and they show up in another. We can't leave anything out or they attack it in force. The darn pests have been in our beds, in our computers, etc. I would appreciate any tip that will help. Harry C. Please send your answers CanYouHelp with " Ants " as the subject. We'll include the best solutions in future issues. ********* Yes, We Can Help This Reader Really Good Coffee ********* I work in a coffee shop and this is a frequent complaint from our customers. They buy a bag of a coffee that was tasted in the store and loved, only to find that it doesn't taste the same at home. There are several possible reasons for this. First, we only use filtered water when making coffee at the shop. Tap water can ruin the flavor of good coffee. Second, we grind the coffee right before we brew it, so that it maintains as much flavor as possible. The longer the time between grinding and brewing, the less flavor in the coffee. We also store our beans in opaque, tightly sealed bags with all the air forced out, and in a dark, cool place. Light and air exposure can alter the taste of the beans (and you should never store coffee in the freezer). Also, if you buy your coffee from a coffee shop, I would suggest asking the baristas for any tips they might have. We're very friendly and we usually know quite a bit. Elise editor's note: more suggestions on how to make the best coffee at home at <http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01a.cfm> ********* Which Is Cheaper? I love shopping at the dollar store to get good deals, but I've learned to keep my eye out for some items that are actually cheaper at the " regular " store. For instance, shaving cream is less than $1 at my " regular " store. Also, paper plates in a quantity of 25 for $1 is not a deal, when the " regular " store has 50 or 100 on sale for $1.50. Hally B. ********* More Shakable Containers I just read the tip on punching holes in a used baking powder can to create one's own baking soda shaker. Ever since they started marketing parmesan cheese in plastic canisters with flip up and screw-off covers, I have been reusing the empties for all kinds of things. I use them baking soda, salt, cornstarch, sugar, pepper, parsley, and dried minced onion. I buy my pepper, parsley and dried minced onion in bulk. Other readers could probably list many other uses. If they wear out or break, just use the next cheese container when it's empty. JP ********* The Cost of " Freebies " The interesting story on " freebies " in your 7/25 issue <http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05jul25b.cfm> failed to mention the most serious cost of freebies, which is invasion of privacy! In every instance when a provider of goods or services makes a special offer, the customer is asked for personal information like name, address, e-mail address or other facts. When you respond, you are giving these people access to this data about yourself for whatever purpose they choose. In effect, these offers constitute market research, and those who respond are contributing to that research at what is often a minimal gain. Think it over carefully! Is it worth a " free " or reduced-price item to give up a portion of your privacy? Once that is given out, you can't take it back and you have no further control over what happens to it. Such trades cannot always be measured in dollars and cents! Recently, my dentist's hygienist gave me a $10-off coupon on a major brand of electric toothbrush. To get my discount, I would have had to fill out and send in a form giving a number of personal details. I chose to find the same toothbrush at a discounted price through amazon.com and skip giving the information to the original manufacturer! A better deal by far! Jane C. ********* Please send your tips by Tips If we use your tip or reply to 'Can You Help' in any of our publications, we'll send you the next three issues of our print newsletter as a " thank you. " Receive Dollar Stretcher Tips twice each week. More great ideas for saving money! Just send sub-ds-tips =========================================================== On www.Stretcher.com This Week <http://www.stretcher.com> editor's note: Hotmail and WebTV users may have trouble with some addresses. Please access them from our front page <www.stretcher.com> Your Money ---------- Credit Card Minimum Payments by Gary Foreman How much would you need to increase your monthly credit card payments to pay off the debt? <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01b.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01b.cfm </a> How to Win the Lottery by Alex Conde You could have more money than a lottery winner <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01c.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01c.cfm </a> Celebrity Finances Joe " J.A. " Konrath says writing fiction is a business and spends a great deal on self-promotion, and hopes his stock will go up <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26d.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26d.htm </a> Good, Better, Best Money-Saving Ideas From easy to hard, some ways to cut your costs and get better deals <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul25a.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul25a.htm </a> 7 Steps to Take at Age 59 1/2 Those at the vanguard of the baby boom generation can access retirement accounts penalty free. But as you approach your golden years, it's a good time to assess your options <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul24c.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul24c.htm </a> Not Ready to Cross the Finish Line Here are some financial fixes for boomers not quite ready for retirement <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul22b.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul22b.htm </a> No Opt-Out for Higher Credit Card Payments Because the mandate to increase minimum payments comes from the feds, you can't escape it the way you can other changes <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul22c.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul22c.htm </a> 10 Top Mistakes by Novice Investors Real estate has become the investment everyone sees as their ticket to easy wealth. It's not that easy <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23d.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23d.htm </a> The Bankruptcy Adviser Social Security disability is safe in bankruptcy. Plus, you may be able to protect the equity in your home <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul21a.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul21a.htm </a> The Growing Problem of ID Theft Your identity remains a highly fluid and marketable commodity that high-tech thieves may hijack at the click of a mouse <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul24a.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul24a.htm </a> Identity Stolen? Freeze Your Credit Reports Here's how a credit freeze works and what to do to put the lock in place <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23f.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23f.htm </a> A Primer on Student Loans Though rates went up early this month, student loans are still a relative bargain <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul20b.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul20b.htm </a> Changing Credit Card Numbers Won't Help Actually it might give you more exposure to identity theft <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul22d.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul22d.htm </a> Your Family ----------- Back-to-School Savings Aren't Just for Kids by Kimberly Button End-of-summer savings to be enjoyed throughout the year <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01g.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01g.cfm </a> Your Home --------- Furniture Remakes by Kathy Wilson Transforming what you already have <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01f.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01f.cfm </a> Special Hazards Need Special Coverage Earthquake, flood, hurricane and tornado zones often mean special insurance. Or maybe you want protection from the low- flying 747s passing over your house. Regional and specialty coverage should be in your plans <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23a.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23a.htm </a> What to Look For In a House As you shop for a house it helps to know the danger signs for problems, both serious and minor <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23b.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23b.htm </a> Designing the World's Worst Mortgage It doesn't exist yet, but we're getting closer <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul25b.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul25b.htm </a> Good Appraisals Gone Bad The seller can set the price and the buyer can agree to it. But if the appraiser nixes it the deal is likely to fail <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23c.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23c.htm </a> Title Insurance 101 Whose title and why am I insuring it? As a seller it's usually your job to prove you own the property outright and have the right to sell it <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23e.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23e.htm </a> Tapping Equity Right After Escrow You can do it, but basically you're just borrowing against your down payment <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul25d.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul25d.htm </a> Pulling Equity from Your Home It's a good idea if you have the discipline to avoid more debt <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul20c.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul20c.htm </a> Your Career or Small Business ----------------------------- Creating Marketing Fireworks by Charlie Cook Get the attention of your prospects <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01h.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01h.cfm </a> Work With Marty Persistence is great! To a point <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul25c.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul25c.htm </a> Your Food --------- Really Good Coffee The secrets of making really good coffee at home <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01a.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01a.cfm </a> My Story: Vacation Meals contributed by Todd in Wisconsin Our food budget is the biggest problem for us when we're on vacation <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01e.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01e.cfm </a> Your Auto --------- Saving to Buy a New Car Put cash aside now and wonder about it when you buy the vehicle <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul21c.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul21c.htm </a> Your Taxes ---------- Swapping a Recently Purchased Property Our expert examines ways a reader can exchange one newly acquired house for another to lessen taxes <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23h.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23h.htm </a> New Bride Frets About Home-Sale Capital Gains A new bride is selling her home at a big profit, and wants to know if the $500,000 exclusion applies <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul21d.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul21d.htm </a> Tax Break Doesn't Apply to LLC Partner A real estate investor who has lived in a home owned by an LLC of which she is a part doesn't qualify for the capital gains exclusion <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul20d.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul20d.htm </a> Waiting It Out to Close On a Home A couple wants to hasten the closing on their home, but our tax adviser says that to get the tax break, they need to live in the house for a full 730 days <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26f.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26f.htm </a> Tax Breaks for Homeowners Favorable tax treatment is one of the best reasons for buying your own home. Here's how it can work for you <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23g.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul23g.htm </a> Everything Else --------------- Retail Shopping by Jona E. Kessans 10 inside tips to saving money <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01d.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01d.cfm </a> Appealing a Denied Medical Claim These 10 steps give you the ammo to reverse your insurance company's decision <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26a.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26a.htm </a> Appealing a Denial with a Self-Funded Insurance Plan State regulatory agencies don't oversee self-funded plans, which are employer-run health plans. But you can still appeal claim denials <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26b.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26b.htm </a> Preventing Problems with Your Insurer A little prevention can go a long way in heading off problems with insurance claims. Know the three 'Vs' <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26c.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26c.htm </a> Dealing With the Tenants from Hell The law is on their side, so proceed with caution <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul21b.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul21b.htm </a> Scam Tracker Security breeches at companies that store consumer information are a far too common event. Our chart identifies the companies, who and what was involved and more <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul24b.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul24b.htm </a> Another Victim of the Rebate Process About all you can do is not buy that manufacturer's products again <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26e.htm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/brm/05/05jul26e.htm </a> Readers' Tips <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01t.cfm " > Story Here - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05aug01t.cfm </a> =========================================================== Decision-Making Tools For Your Home - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/home1.htm " > Rent or Buy Your Next Home?</a> - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/home2.htm " > Mortgage Calculator</a> - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/home3.htm " > 15-Year or 30-Year Mortgage?</a> - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/home4.htm " > Fixed or Adjustable Rate Mortgage?</a> - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/home5.htm " > Mortgage Points Adviser</a> For Your Car - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/car1.htm " > How much car can you afford?</a> - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/car2.htm " > Buy or lease your next car?</a> - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/car3.htm " > Your next car:</a> New or used? - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/car4.htm " > Auto Loan Calculator</a> - <a href= " http://www.stretcher.com/brm/car5.htm " > Is a hybrid car right for you?</a> =========================================================== Publication Information: Copyright " The Dollar Stretcher, Inc. " 2005. ISSN 1527-2974. All Rights reserved. Copies may be distributed without alteration electronically free of charge. This newsletter may be reproduced, without alteration, for non-commercial purposes without prior permission. " The Dollar Stretcher " is distributed via email each week between Sunday noon and Tuesday 8PM United States Eastern Time. The newsletter runs approximately 34k in length. All articles are printed with the author's prior consent. It is assumed that any questions, tips, or replies to questions may be reprinted. The name and email address of the sender will not be used unless specifically requested or approved. All letters become the property of " The Dollar Stretcher, Inc " . Subscription Information: " The Dollar Stretcher " is a free weekly newsletter. 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