May
2
Last weekend, summer arrived early in Los Angeles. It’s gone again, but the brief appearance caused thousands of air conditioners to be fired up for a few days. Even if summer hasn’t arrived where you are yet, now is a good time to check your system or develop a plan for energy efficient air conditioner use. Not only will it reduce your electricity bill, it will also help the environment.
Of course, air conditioning options depend on where you live, but here are a few suggestions for different types of housing:
For a house with windows, a yard, and space on all sides, there are four primary suggestions for reducing air conditioner use:
- Plant trees on the sunny side of the house to provide shade on hot summer days
- Turn off lights and close the drapes or blinds in any rooms you’re not using
- Open opposite windows or sliding doors to allow cross air-flow
- Apply window films to block additional light.
By doing this, my parents are able to limit their AC use to days when it gets over 95 in the house. Using a fan makes a room feel four degrees cooler, but when it’s over 90, that’s not much of a difference.
For an apartment without air conditioning and adequate air flow, some of the same above suggestions apply, but some don’t. For example, you probably have no control over the foliage outside your apartment. My landlord allowed a giant shrub to grow all winter, and then cut it down when it got hot outside. This is the exact opposite of the ideal, so I discovered several ways to keep cool in these conditions:
- Use an outdoor grill and limit oven use. If barbecues aren’t permitted by your lease, use a Foreman grill inside.
- Buy several fans. If your front door faces out to fresh air, place a box fan in the doorway to suck cool air from outside. Some of my neighbors said they had luck facing the fan out, so it sucked all the hot air out of the room, but I could never feel the difference.
- Open the front door and all windows to allow cross-air flow, but keep the blinds down. Instead, tilt them open to block some light, but still allow air through.
- Keep the lights off as much as possible. Don’t use candles, they’re just as warm.
- Take off your shoes and socks. You lose heat through your head, hands, and feet, so keeping them bare will help keep you cool, as will wearing shorts and t-shirts.
For an apartment with air conditioning, and adequate air-flow or direct light, use the same suggestions to avoid turning on the air conditioner until it’s absolutely necessary.
For an apartment with air conditioning, but little air-flow or direct light, some of the above suggestions apply, but most don’t. My current apartment is a more modern building surrounding a courtyard, but we get little air-flow or direct light because of the design. To keep our apartment cool without using a lot of AC, we follow these suggestions:
- Turning off lights in other rooms
- Grill outside or use a Foreman grill inside to reduce oven/stove use
- Wear shorts, t-shirts, and go barefoot
- If you have airflow, keep the windows open longer and use fans to cool the room
- Set the overnight AC above 78 degrees. Turn it up just long enough to bring the temperature down before you go to sleep.
In summer, you should also drink lots of water and other refreshing beverages - not soda - to stay cool and hydrated.
Extreme temperatures usually necessitate air conditioning, especially for children and the elderly. If you don’t have air conditioning, go the library, the mall, or some other air conditioned location. Even if you do have it, you can reduce your energy bill by going outside in the twilight hours to enjoy the fresh air or use the library or mall’s AC. With wise AC use, you can reduce your energy bill significantly and still be comfortable.
If it’s still winter where you live, try these tips for reducing winter energy costs.
What’s your favorite way to avoid using the air conditioner? Tell me in the comments.
Apr
30
Tips for Buying Sporting Goods
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Summer is synonymous with a lot of things, but two of them are sports and camping. Most children’s sports take place during the spring, summer, and fall months. Most family sporting events and sports-related vacations also occur during these seasons. Now is a great time to buy sporting goods, but only if you know how to get deals. Use these seven tips for buying sporting goods and camping gear to save a bundle.
Buy Used Sports Equipment
This is especially important for children who are adopting a new sport. Your little baseball star may decide he likes soccer next year, so don’t invest in expensive bats, balls, and gloves. Instead, visit a used sporting goods store like Play It Again Sports. Of course, there is a caveat: helmets and shoes. Always buy the shoes new, to prevent injury from worn out soles. Helmets for some sports can be bought used, but take a close look at it to make sure it didn’t take any hard hits. For you golfers – this is a great way to upgrade your clubs without spending a fortune.
Buy Surplus Camping Gear
If you’re heading out to the woods for some quality time with nature, then you’ll need a tent, sleeping bag, and camp stove. Before you head to Target or a sporting goods store, check your local Army surplus store for deals. Most of the stuff is brand new and just as good as the name brands you’ll find at other stores.
Buy Late in the Season
If you want to upgrade your camping gear or sports equipment, wait until the end of the summer. That’s when you can nab close-out deals on major name brands at major sporting goods stores. You’ll also find close-outs at stores like Target a little earlier in the summer.
Visit Costco and Other Big Box Stores
Costco, Target, and Wal-Mart often carry high-quality gear at lower prices than the sporting goods stores. Several years ago I bought a name-brand tent from Costco for 50% less than the Sport Chalet price. Right now, you can buy a hydration pack for $19.98, as I mentioned in my article on the Costco haul.
Scan Craigslist and Garage Sale Ads
I wouldn’t recommend eBay because I prefer to inspect sports equipment and camping gear in person, but you can find great deals at garage sales, moving sales, and on Craigslist. This is spring cleaning time, which means lots of gear is being dragged out of closets and sold. Check again at the end of the summer for more deals.
Check Amazon
Amazon sells everything, including athletic equipment and camping gear. When shopping at Amazon, I would buy new rather than used, and look for the deals offering free shipping. This stuff is heavy. I spotted several tents that were 40% off the list price, and I wouldn’t have to pay shipping or tax, which brings the savings close to 50% versus buying it from a local store.
Don’t Buy It – Borrow It
If your kid is trying a new sport this year, or you only camp once a year, hit up friends and relatives for borrowed equipment. As long as you return the gear in excellent condition and return the favor when they ask to borrow something of yours, it’s a great way to reduce costs for everyone.
Sports equipment and camping gear can quickly get expensive, but if you shop wisely and borrow well, you can save a bundle on used equipment that is just as good as the new stuff.
Apr
22
Celebrate Earth Day – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle (and Save Money)
Filed Under Frugal, Reducing Clutter, Saving Money | 2 Comments
The credit series will resume tomorrow, after this brief interruption for Earth Day.
A lot of people are looking for ways to save money these days. Although they don’t intend it, their newfound frugality may also be good for the environment. However, it also helps to be intentionally eco-conscious when making frugal choices. Here are ten tips to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. As a bonus, you’ll probably save money. If frugality doesn’t motivate you, discovering your carbon footprint might.
Carry Canvas Grocery Sacks
But won’t you have to buy a grocery sack first? You might not! If you dig deep into your closets, chances are you’ll find a treasure trove of canvas bags from conferences, events, gifts, and donations. I have several in various sizes – small ones that are perfect for walking up to the store for one item and big ones that are great for my full weekend shop. Even if you do have to buy them, you can usually get them for $1 and they last a long time.
Make Reusable Produce Bags
Once you start using canvas grocery bags, you won’t want to fill them with plastic bags. You can make cheap reusable produce bags to load all your produce in. You could also buy them, but making produce bags would be more frugal if you have a sewing machine or a friend you can borrow one from. Here’s a third produce bag to give you another idea.
Reuse Ziptop Bags
This one grosses some people out, but it’s really not that bad. I reuse my plastic lunch baggies for four days, which means I go through a total of about seven a week (I bring my snacks to work, too.) You can either rinse them out, or just use the same bag for the same item each day. I also have a permanent lunch sack made from nylon.
Reuse Glass Jars
When I buy something in a glass jar, I inspect the lid. Even if I have to spend twenty cents more, I might do it if it means getting a glass jar with a screw-on lid that I can reuse later on. Do that a few times and soon you have your very own free jar collection. They’re great for storing leftover sauce or making crème fraiche.
Stop Junk Mail
Stopping junk mail not only reduces your urge to get another credit card or buy something for a catalog, it also reduces the amount of wasted paper. That’s good for everyone! Since signing up with Catalog Choice and the DMA no-junk list, I’ve reduced my pile of junk mail to ¼ its original size. Some days the mailbox is empty.
Reduce Energy Use
We reduce our energy use through careful control of the heater and air-conditioner, through the wise use of window blinds, and by installing CFLs in most of our lamps. There are a few that the bulbs won’t fit into, so we’re looking for replacement lamps that will fit them.
Eat Local, Grass-Fed Meat
I recently read The Omnivore’s Dilemma and no longer feel comfortable eating corn-fed beef and pork. Fortunately, a farmer sells grass-fed beef and pork at my nearby farmer’s market. It’s only marginally more expensive, but greatly reduces the impact on the earth. I know we could cut red meat entirely, but my diet is already so limited that I hate to cut more items!
Buy Produce at the Farmer’s Market
We’re also buying as much produce as we can at the farmer’s market. Most of it is grown without pesticides on local farms, which reduces the impact on the earth from food transport and pesticide production/waste. It does mean eating more seasonally, but the improved taste is definitely worth it.
Use Old Socks and T-Shirts for Rags
My mom still uses my old cloth diapers as dust rags. That’s over thirty years of reusing one item! They’re not hard to wash, and it’s cheaper than paper towels or wasteful disposable cleaning wipes. I love to use old socks to polish silver and brass because the soft cotton doesn’t scratch them.
Use Cloth Napkins and Dish Towels
We switched to cloth napkins and dishtowels a few years ago in order to reduce our use of paper towels and napkins. Not only has it saved us a bundle on paper products, but we create less trash.
As our awareness of the environment and our determination to save money have increased, we’ve started to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much as possible. We’ve definitely seen an impact on our energy and household expenses bills. Hopefully we’ll see a reduction in our food bills, too.
How do you reduce, reuse, or recycle? Tell me in the comments.
Apr
14
How to Reduce Prescription Drug Costs
Filed Under Saving Money | 3 Comments
Prescription drug costs just keep going up. Rampant TV advertising to consumers and marketing to doctors isn’t helping any. Fortunately, you can find ways to reduce those costs. Use these tips to save money on your prescription medicines.
Use a Mail-Order Pharmacy
Most health insurance plans with prescription coverage offer a mail-order pharmacy. You can find out if yours does by calling them or logging into your health insurance plan online. With my plan, the mail-order pharmacy gives you three months for the covered price of two, even generics. They also include free shipping. To take advantage of it, you have to print out the form, get a prescription written for three-month refills from your doctor, and then mail or fax both to the pharmacy. You’ll get your first order a couple weeks later. Later refills can be requested by mail or online and take less time to process.
Use the Target or Wal-Mart Pharmacy
Both Target and Wal-Mart offer $4 generic prescriptions in most states. See if your state and prescription is on Target’s $4 generic drug list. You can also review Wal-Mart’s $4 generic drug list. The restricted states are the same. You should also note that Wal-Mart only offers that price on the “most commonly prescribed dosage.”
Ask the Doctor about Generics
New drugs are heavily marketed to doctors, and many of them prescribe those drugs as a result. Ask the doctor if an older generic is available and would be equally or more effective. For example, a new schizophrenia drug was found to be less effective than one that has been around since the 1950s, and had increased risk of serious side effects. Similar results have been shown with more common drugs for heart disease and cholesterol.
In some cases, you may have to stick with the name-brand. Even though the active ingredients are identical, the fillers are not and you could react poorly to the fillers. Many women have had problems with generic birth control pills causing more side effects than the name-brand versions.
Buy Over-the-Counter Alternatives
Several allergy drugs went over the counter at the same time as the generic was released to avoid losing money when patients were forced to switch to the generic by their insurance companies. The good news is that the generics are available over-the-counter, too, and are usually right next to the original on the shelf!
Be careful when opting for herbal supplements instead of prescriptions. Some herbs can negatively react with other prescription drugs. In some cases, they only make the prescription ineffective; in others they can actually be harmful to your health.
Consider a Canadian Pharmacy
I haven’t investigated Canadian pharmacies, but they’ve been helping seniors in the border states for years. Usually you fax your prescription to the pharmacy, which has it rewritten by a Canadian doctor. Recently, drug companies have been tightening supplies to Canadian pharmacies with online ordering and international shipping, so you might find that you can’t get some of the drugs you need.
Don’t even think about using a Mexican pharmacy. Unlike Canadian pharmacies, they don’t have the same quality standards as we do. They’re also known for selling counterfeits.
Get a Drugstore Prescription Discount Card
Although you won’t get the same low pricing as you’d get from full prescription coverage through your health insurance, you could try a prescription discount card. Mrs. Micah discussed her experience with using a free discount card from YourRxCard.com at CVS. I Googled “discount prescription card” and found ten more sites offering them. Check their drug lists to find the cards that cover your prescriptions.
Of course, the best way to save on prescriptions is to not need them in the first place. In addition to the above suggestions, ask your doctor if lifestyle and dietary changes might work just as well. Being healthy not only reduces your prescription and healthcare costs, it makes life more enjoyable.
Apr
10
My $14 Kitchen Makeover
Filed Under Frugal, Home Maintenance, Saving Money | Leave a Comment
I loathe my kitchen. It was apparently designed by a bachelor who did not cook and it’s ridiculous. We have tons of storage everywhere in the apartment except the kitchen. Every day, I yell “I hate this kitchen” while making dinner. But not anymore! Now that we’ve completed our $14 kitchen makeover, I don’t love it, but I hate it a lot less.
These are photos of my old kitchen and my new kitchen. See the difference? It’s subtle. It’s the wire cage shelving - we don’t need it in my new kitchen. No, we didn’t start buying less food. Instead, we installed this wondrous thing: the shelf. It’s a simple plywood shelf, but it’s made using our kitchen a lot easier.
What We Did
It all started with the new microwave. Our old one was shooting sparks, so I asked the manager to replace it. Rather than installing the new microwave in the same place under the counter, they installed it over the stove. My mom suggested that we remove the old microwave and install a shelf in its place.
Removing the microwave was easy - it was only held in by four screws. My dad and my husband then went to Home Depot to have a piece of thick plywood cut down to size. We already had a drill, level, and lots and lots of screws. I’m one of those people who saves every unused screw from every kit, package, or piece of furniture I buy, and I have for years. They also bought a small strip of wood to support the shelf.
The total installation time took less than an hour. Now we can freely access all our cabinets (few though they are), and open the fridge all the way.
Additional Kitchen Makeover Ideas
If you have a tiny kitchen and a full remodel is out of the question (whether it’s due to lack of funds or lack of ownership), you do still have several makeover options:
Pot Rack: I considered hanging a pot rack when I first moved in, but the ceiling is a giant, fluorescent light fixture. Hanging one from the wall still would have limited our ability to access the freezer.
Magnetic knife rack: If you’re short on drawer space and don’t want a knife block (or are short on counter spice), bolt a magnetic knife rack to the wall.
Magnetic spice rack: You can also buy metal spice containers and attach them to a magnetic wall strip.
Removable shelf: the shelf on our counter was part of set of kitchen equipment. We set it on the counter to double our counter storage space.
Hanging baskets: My best friend hung wire baskets from the ceiling in her tiny New York City kitchen. Rather than use it for fruit, she used it for plastic spice bottles, garlic, and onions. These are also handy for holding bottles in the shower.
Cup hooks: Screw metal hooks under your cabinet and hang your mugs, spatulas, or other lightweight items from them.
Relocate your storage: If you can’t do any of the above, you could buy a cheap bureau with deep drawers or buy a stand-alone cabinet and hutch. Put them in the dining room or just outside the kitchen to add more storage space. Just make sure the drawers have sturdy bottoms if you plan to put dishes, pots, or pans in them.
For now, we’re happy with the dining room cabinet and our new kitchen shelf. I will probably be able to tolerate the kitchen a lot longer now.
Apr
8
How to Use CVS Coupons and Extra Care Bucks
Filed Under Groceries and Food, Saving Money | 6 Comments
If you read many stay-at-home mom blogs, you’ve heard about the CVS Extra Care Bucks craze. It works like this: CVS was over-priced, so they started offering Extra Care Bucks on various products. When you buy that product, you earn back these bucks, which you can use to pay for other products. In addition, you can scan your Extra Care card at the store to print out CVS coupons. Finally, you earn a few for prescriptions and quarterly spending totals. For complete instructions, read CVS 101. Here’s how the program worked for me, and where I went wrong.
The CVS Extra Care Card
I did have a card, but it wasn’t linked to the website. I added my email address and then waited for the coupons to be emailed to me. They were not. I finally emailed CVS and was told it takes about four weeks to start receiving email coupons. Once you receive them, you print them out and take them to the store with you. You’ll need to use your CVS card on every purchases in order to really work the system. In addition to earning you Extra Care Bucks, you also need it to qualify for the advertised discounts and print out coupons from the card reader in the store.
CVS Coupons
This was my first trip, so I received one useless coupon for diapers or something, and $3 off $10 in CVS products. I trolled the store until I finally found what I thought was $10 worth of products - including a fantastic deal on 200 count tissue boxes (99 cents each!). It turns out I actually overbought - I spent over $12 on their products.
Extra Care Bucks Items
I went on a Sunday morning after reviewing the CVS newspaper ad and seeing several $5 in Extra Care Bucks when you spend $15 on brands we use like Garnier, Maybelline, and Dove. I looked through my manufacturer coupons and made a stack, then took them down to CVS with me. I bought four Garnier shampoos and conditioners, 2 Mennen deodorants, 3 Maybelline products, and 3 6-bar packages of Dove soap. Together they qualified for $18 in Extra Care Bucks. The Mennen and Dove were also on sale.
Combining Coupons and ECBs
I used a total of $9 in coupons on the Garnier, Dove, and Mennen products, plus the $3 CVS coupon. Had I planned more carefully, I could have printed a $4 off $20 store coupon, too. I also now realize that I shouldn’t have bought all those products in one purchase, but instead made four purchases. My total was $60.76 (plus tax). Had I done it correctly, I would have spent $21 less.
Here’s what I should have done:
Transaction 1:
4 bottles of Garnier - $17.16
2 Mennen sticks - $5.00
Less $5 in Garnier coupons
Less $4/20 coupon
Total out of pocket: $13.16 (plus tax)
Earn $8 in ECBs
Transaction 2:
3 packs of Dove soap: $17.97
Less $3 in coupons
Less $8 in ECBs
Total out of pocket: $6.97 (plus tax)
Earn $5 in ECBs
Transaction 3:
2 Maybelline products: $17.97
Less $5 in ECBs
Total out of pocket: $12.97 (plus tax)
Earn $5 in ECBs
Transaction 4:
CVS products: $13.92
Palmolive: .99
Less .25 coupon
Less $3/10 coupon
Less $5 in ECBs
Total out of pocket: $6.66 (plus tax)
Grand total: $39.76
Would I Do It Again?
As it stands now, I have $18 in ECBs to spend, and a $4 off $20 coupon left to use. I have some gift events coming up, so I’ll spend the ECBs on cards.
I’ve seen some women report that they’ve “rolled” their ECBs over so many times that they spend $25 for hundreds of dollars worth of products. However, really working the system means spending a lot of time planning, and it may also require numerous trips to CVS, weekly at least. At some point, I have to question whether it’s really worth my time. We’re just a family of 2, so the products we bought will last us at least six months, probably longer. It might be something I do occasionally when we need to stock up, but it won’t be a regular thing for us. When I do the math, it may not be cheaper than Costco, especially once you factor in the cost of gas driving to and from the store and to and from the recycling center.
Apr
7
The Costco Haul: Saving Money at Costco
Filed Under Groceries and Food, Saving Money | Leave a Comment
Welcome to my 101st post!
I’ve already mentioned the great deal Costco has on tires. I also hit Costco 4-5 times a year to stock up on essentials, in a shopping trip I refer to as the “Costco Haul.” Unfortunately, there are a few preferred brands of personal care products that they don’t carry, but I usually find their prices to be much better on the items they do carry. Here’s how to score good deals, and know when to skip a deal.
Costco Deal Examples
Costco usually offers really good deals on items you can’t always find elsewhere, or in sizes you can’t find anywhere else.
Renu Multi-Plus contact lens solution: I can get two 16 oz. bottles for $15.49 at Costco. My local CVS and Ralph’s charge $13 for a single 12 oz. bottle. Even with coupons, I would pay almost as much for less than half if I bought it at a regular store. Off-brands or store brands are cheaper at these stores, but this is one item I won’t buy off-brand. My eyes are too important to take the risk.
Wine: A 1.5 liter bottle of Woodbridge is 8.99. A bottle half that size is $6.99 at Trader Joe’s. Of course, that’s a lot of wine, so I only buy it when guests are coming. If you’re having a party, this is the best place to stock up on liquor and soda.
How to Shop at Costco
I know some people fear Costco because they aren’t able to walk out the door without spending way more than planned, sometimes hundreds more. (I don’t understand how a recliner becomes an impulse purchase, but people do it. How do you get it home?) I’m not generally an impulse purchaser, but just to be safe, I take a list of all the essentials I need. I try to stop on just those aisles, although I will walk past the large appliances to price them because we’ll need to buy a new fridge and possibly a washer/dryer when we buy a condo. I will also check the books, but I don’t always buy them.
There are occasions where I spend more than planned, but usually they’re items I’d been thinking about for a while. On one occasion they had a $30 drill set. It was a good brand, came with several bits, a battery, a charger and a cordless drill. We’d been thinking about buying one, so I grabbed it. I also picked up two $12 emergency survival kits for our cars. Again, not something I planned, but we live in earthquake country. I consider that money very well spent because the chances of me getting stuck in my car during a disaster or emergency are pretty good.
Making Use of Costco Coupons
Every couple of months, Costco sends out a coupon booklet. When the coupons are valid, I make a list of all the items we need to stock up on, check the prices at a local store, and then write a list. I won’t buy something with a coupon that we don’t normally buy, but I will use coupons to save extra on our essentials. This week I was able to use $5.50 in coupons.
I had another $2 coupon, but the price of the dish soap even after the coupon was higher price I could get at the grocery store, so I didn’t buy it. It’s rare for that to happen at Costco, but it does.
This Week’s Costco Haul
I received my coupons in the mail last weekend, and they were valid Friday. I spent $205.99 on the following items
- two 16 oz. bottles of Renu contact lens solution
- 14 bars of body soap
- 4 liters of regular olive oil
- 17 photos
- Quicken Deluxe 2008
- Pur water filter and 2 replacement inserts
- 20 Swiffer dusters
- 1.5 liter bottle of wine
- 2 pounds of active yeast
- 4 bottles of shave gel
- 300 allergy pills (store version of Zyrtec)
- Hydration backpack
The hydration backpack wasn’t on my list, but I’ve been looking for one to give my husband. At $19.98 (roughly one-third the price of a hydration pack elsewhere), I couldn’t pass it up. Nearly $80 of the purchase was Quicken and the Pur filter. That means we spent about $100 on everything else.
If you’re a careful shopper, you can score some great deals at Costco. The key is not to buy items you’ll never use up before they go bad (like four pounds of garlic), or items you wouldn’t have bought elsewhere.
Mar
26
7 Things You Should Always Buy New
Filed Under Frugal, Saving Money | 1 Comment
For many items, like cars and houses, buying used is a good idea. In some cases, though, used is not better. Here are seven items you should always buy new.
Shoes: The problem with used shoes isn’t related to hygiene, it’s related to fit. Shoes conform to our feet over time, which means that used shoes have molded to someone else’s foot and won’t provide you with proper support or comfort. The only exception might be expensive stiletto heels that you can have resoled and relined. Then the only part you’re buying used is the pretty strappy part on top.
Helmets: If possible, always buy a new, custom-made helmet. Even if you’re just buying an off-the-shelf helmet, never buy it used. Many helmets can only withstand one serious accident, and you have no way of knowing whether that used helmet has been in a crash.
Car Seats: Car seats should only be purchased new for the same reason. You also shouldn’t accept hand-me-down car seats from other people. A car seat handed down from your own child is fine if you know it wasn’t in an accident.
Mattresses: Mattresses are expensive, but a good one will last you at least ten years. If you buy a used mattress, you’ll probably have to replace it sooner. It may also contain bed bugs or other nasty beasties that come out at night. Finally, like shoes, mattresses conform to our bodies over time. A mattress someone else has slept on for the last year or two is already imprinted with their body shape and may not provide you with the right support.
Undergarments: Underwear should be bought new for obvious reasons. Bras should also be bought new. Not only does the strap elastic wear out after about six months, but the cups may have conformed to someone else’s shape and not provide you with the right support.
Cribs: Although cribs are usually used gently, it may be subject to a recall or it may have hairline cracks you can’t see. If you do buy used, always go look at it and check Recalls.gov before agreeing to the purchase.
Makeup: You often see used makeup on eBay, but it’s really not a good idea to buy it. First, makeup expires sooner than you think. Mascara lasts about three months and lipstick about a year. Second, they often contain bacteria. They don’t hurt you when they’re your own germs, but you don’t want someone else’s eye infection. Makeup artists suggest cutting off the tops of lipsticks if you do want to buy used, but I would recommend always buying eye makeup new.
Although most other items can safely be bought used, your health, safety, and body will thank you if you buy these seven items new. Is there anything else you would never buy used?
Mar
10
How to Reduce Car Expenses
Filed Under Cars, Expenses, Saving Money | Leave a Comment
In addition to using a Goodyear card to reduce my car expenses, I have a few other ways of keeping my car costs down. As I mentioned yesterday, Goodyear sometimes offers a “12 months same as cash” offer. I learned Saturday that they’re offering it now through April 5. The manager made sure to remind me that the finance charges will apply if I don’t finish paying the bill before the 12 months was up - that’s what I call good service.
And now, without further ado, here are my nine tips for reducing your car expenses.
Follow the Recommended Maintenance Schedule
Although auto shops want you to change your oil every 3,000 miles, most newer cars don’t need service nearly that often. My eleven-year-old car requires service every 5,000 miles or four months. Because I only drive 8,000 miles a year, I go in for service every four months, more often if your dealer recommends it because of where you live. To keep your car in good condition, I would use the lower of either the mileage or time recommendation as a guide for service. By going three times a year instead of four, I save $20 a year on maintenance.
Don’t Delay Tune-Ups
When I was younger, I delayed my 30,000 mile tune-up because I was poor. I later learned that delaying my tune-up and other maintenance probably actually added to my car expenses because the car ran less efficiently. I don’t delay my tune-ups anymore.
Buy Tires at Costco
If you have a Costco membership, then this is the best place to buy your tires. Not only are they discounted, but they have an insanely good warranty (for free). I’ve tested the warranty several times, because I have very bad luck with tires. I’ve gotten a nail stuck in my tire, and they replaced it with a new tire for $1. I had a tire that was losing air, and they replaced it for free. The downside is that there can be a long wait, so if you get your tires on a Saturday, I recommend arriving the minute the tire shop opens, and then going inside to do your Costco shopping (with a list, of course.)
Keep Tires Properly Inflated
If your tires are under-inflated, you’ll burn more gas. If your tires are over-inflated, you have less control of the car. Accidents are costly.
Don’t Get Service at the Dealer
My husband insists on getting service at the dealer, even though his car is out of warranty. I insist he’s throwing money away. We haven’t worked that one out yet, but I always go to Goodyear. They know how to work on most cars and have the same equipment. What they don’t have are overpriced factory parts and overpriced labor. I save at least 50% on tune-ups, and nearly 70% on struts, brakes, and other routine maintenance costs. I also save on major service. For example, this weekend I took my car in because it was making a bad sound. They said I need to replace the wheel hub bearings, at a cost of $831.40. Toyota would charge me $1260.
Get a Second Opinion
If a mechanic recommends a major service that doesn’t sound reasonable to you, take it to another mechanic to have it checked out. You could just go in and say you hear a strange sound from under the car and see what they recommend. Just make sure it’s a mechanic with a good reputation for honesty. I want to get a second opinion on my wheel hub bearings, although it seems reasonable that a car with 116,000 miles might need that. I was considering taking my car to Toyota, but they want to charge me $99 just for the inspection.
Keep Your Car At Least Ten Years
Of course, this only applies if you have a good car. My first car was a Pontiac built by Isuzu. It was also a former rental. I will never buy any of those again. I only kept the car for five years because by the end it had developed the annoying habit of stalling at on-ramps and red lights, and overheating the brakes. It was replaced by a brand new Toyota. (I had a friend at the dealer who got me a very, very good deal and financial help from my Dad.) The loan has been paid off for six years now. I haven’t had any major issues, like the transmission or the engine blowing.
Replace Old Gas Guzzlers or Cars that Break Down Often
If you have an old car that is unreliable or guzzles gas, then I would consider replacing it with a late-model used car that gets good mileage and has a good safety and reliability record. Personally, I would stick with Japanese cars. I’ve compared gas mileage between Japanese and German cars and Japanese cars definitely get better mileage. I haven’t considered American cars. I know it seems counter-intuitive to save money by buying a different car, but if your car is in the shop every other week, belching smoke, or only gets 15 miles to the gallon, you’re spending far more to keep that car than you would if you bought a more reliable, fuel-conscious car.
Buy Late Model Used Cars
Late model used cars tend to be leased cars. They’re better than rentals because leases have to be return in excellent condition and have mileage limits. I might consider buying my next Toyota or Honda new, because they hold their value well, but if I can find a good former lease, I’ll buy it. By buying a car that’s a few years old, you not only avoid the immediate loss in value, but you also have lower insurance and registration costs, both of which are car expenses you don’t consider on a daily basis but that do add up.
If you use these nine tips to reducing car costs, you could save thousands of dollars in maintenance, insurance, and car payments. Do you have other tips to reduce car expenses?
Feb
29
Financial Leaps for Leap Year
Filed Under Found Money, Personal Finance, Saving Money | 2 Comments
Leap day comes but once every four years. In honor of this rare occasion, I propose 29 financial leaps to take. Here they are, in no particular order:
Prepare your taxes now. Spend an hour preparing your taxes online. If you don’t owe, file them now and receive your rebate now. If you owe, now you’ll have several weeks to save the money to pay the bill instead of panicking on April 15.
Deposit $29 into an emergency fund. If you don’t have one, start one today with this small sum. If you have one, add a little extra.
Stop paper statements. If you still receive paper statements, call the issuer or go online to turn them off. (Washington Mutual won’t do this). It’s a quick, easy way to protect your identity.
Order one of your credit reports. I request one report every four months, usually on the 1st of the month.
Make an extra debt payment ending in 29. If you have any debt, make an extra debt payment of $29, or any other figure ending in 29 ($129, for example). If you can’t swing even an extra $29, go for $2.90. Anything to give your repayment a little boost.
Organize your financial papers. Buy a simple metal box and organize your financial papers, finally. Use simple categories like “bank statements,” “tax returns,” and “receipts.”
Open a safe deposit box. Visit a local bank to open a safe deposit box. Put a copy of your marriage license, house deed or mortgage agreement, birth certificate, insurance documents, home inventory photos or video, and a computer backup inside.
Consolidate your savings. If you have savings in several different banks, and they don’t total more than $100,000, consolidate them down to one account in one bank.
Confirm old accounts. If you have any old accounts, contact the bank to let them know you’re still aware of the account. Hopefully this will avoid any unclaimed property seizures.
Search for unclaimed property. See if any states are holding your money and claim it today!
Test online financial software. If you don’t use Quicken or MS Money, check out Mint or Yodlee to see if you like them.
Start tracking your finances. If you don’t have a financial tracking system in place, start one now. It can as simple as a lined notebook with a page for every month where you list your bills and deposits or as complex as software.
Discuss your finances with your spouse. If you’re not in the habit of talking about money with your spouse, do it today. Review all of your important financial documents, including your checking and savings accounts, retirement balances, portfolios, insurance policies, mortgage, and college savings programs. Discuss your personal spending habits and beliefs.
Set joint financial goals. Setting joint financial goals with your spouse can help you both curb your spending. Choose one goal, whether it’s saving for your dream vacation or remodeling the kitchen, and make a plan to work toward it.
Make a debt or savings poster. If you need visual goal reinforcement, draw a thermometer on a big piece of paper. Put your pay-off or savings goal at the top. Now color it in each time you make a payment or deposit. Use green ink to show your progress!
Track your spending for one day. If you’ve never tracked your spending before, tracking it for one month is best, but try it for one day just to see how easy it is.
Read a financial magazine. Even if you already read a financial magazine regularly, try a different one to see how you like it. Visit the library to read one for free.
Balance your portfolio. If you haven’t balanced your portfolio in the last twelve months, review it today and make necessary adjustments. Don’t make panic adjustments, if the fundamentals are still good, stay the course.
Read a personal finance book. Ask the librarian for a good one. Even if you disagree with the advice, it’s always good to get a different perspective.
Turn off the TV for one week. Stop watching TV for one week and see if it affects your spending. Do you want less stuff because you’re not seeing commercials? Do you enjoy life more because you have more time to do other things?
Research one stock that interests you. Even if you don’t invest in the stock market, research one stock in-depth just to get in the practice. See if it’s really as good as you think it is. If it’s really good and you can afford it, invest.
Invest in an index fund. This one will cost much more than $29, but if you have enough money, invest in an index fund today. Vanguard is one of the best fund families with the lowest expenses.
Don’t spend any money for one day. Brown bag your lunch, skip the coffee, don’t buy that snack. Go one day without spending any money. Now see if you can make it two.
Pay cash for everything for one day. Withdraw $20 from the bank in the morning, or limit yourself to whatever is in your wallet. Buy everything with cash for that one day. (Bonus points if you do this on a grocery shopping day.)
Set up automatic transfers to savings. If you’ve paid off your debt and are in saving mode, set up automatic transfers for the day after payday (just to be safe). If the money is whisked into your savings account automatically, you’ll never find excuses not to save.
Consider switching banks. If your bank charges checking account fees and you don’t have direct deposit, or if they charge for online bill pay, consider switching to a bank that offers both for free.
Purge your stuff. Go through your home from top to bottom and purge all the stuff you don’t want anymore. Sell it, donate it, or throw it out. Whatever you do, get it out of your home and your mind.
Set a one-in, one-out policy. Vow that every time you buy something, you will get rid of something else. Bonus points if you can make it one-in, two-out.
Get rid of your storage unit. If you have so much stuff that it has to be in storage, then you probably don’t need it. Visit your storage unit and do a full inventory. Then steadily get rid of the stuff. Once it’s empty, cancel the unit.
And now a special bonus leap because I’m a fan of Monk:
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Do you have any financial leaps you’re making in honor of leap year? Let me know in the comments.
