I will be staying safely in the confines of my home and will NOT be among the thrashing hordes at the mall and various stores trying to score some kind of deal.

I worked in retail in the past and I must say it was a nightmare. There are people camped outside the stores way before they open and sometimes even employees have a hard time getting through. I just found out there is a lady camped outside a Best Buy four days in advance to get some toy for her child.

Seriously? Four days in advance!!!!

And the funny thing is that the item she wishes to get is available online for the Black Friday price and can be ordered after 5 pm on Wednesday. If you plan to brave the crowds just make sure you are careful because some of these people mean business and will do just about anything to get their hands on that coveted item.

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Consumer Features

At its very basic level, consumer software will have a customer enter information from their credit report and then generate dispute letters for individual report items that the customer wishes to have taken off of their report by the credit rating bureaus.

Enterprise Features

Software is much more robust at the Enterprise level. If you own or are starting a credit repair business, you’ll need features to help deal with multiple customers and affiliates as well as the actual automation processes. With the right features, a software suite can help you track client status and generate dispute letters for each of them — including spouses — for all three credit bureaus. You can manage multiple dispute templates and maintain detailed client files, all easily track-able in a central location.

A program that can send automatic notifications and reminders to clients helps reduce customer service calls significantly, which helps your business handle more business with fewer people. Automating notifications when a letter is sent out lets your customer know where they are in the dispute process and gives them an idea what to expect next. You can also send out payment reminders that can help recover delinquent accounts. Features like these can be a big time-saver when you have thousands of clients.

Computer vs. Web-based Software

Client-bases software can have a small speed-advantage over web-based credit repair software, but that largely depends on the connection-speed of the individual computer. A web-based programming does all its processing on a server, storing customer and affiliate data in a central location.

One of the biggest benefits of web-based software is the fact that clients, employees and affiliates can access services from any computer. You can let customers view their account status, and affiliates can check commissions and track referrals through their own accounts. By using a web-based program and storage, you don’t have to worry about maintaining your own servers and network security.

If you’re opening your own credit repair business, or you’re looking for a better solution to handling dispute-automation and client tracking, it’s important to identify the processes in your business that are costing you the most money. Then you can identify credit repair software with the proper features to eliminate or shrink the most time-consuming — and therefore the most costly — tasks.

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Saving on Gym Costs

The International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association reports that the median annual cost of going to the gym is $775 for new members and $511 for ongoing members. To lower this cost for yourself, the first rule would be “shop around.” Don’t just pay for a membership to the closest gym, or the gym that your friends go to. In addition to comparing prices, there are many other possible ways to lower gym fees:

Shop Around During Slow Periods – Due to cold weather, gift certificates, and renewed resolve, gyms experience a spike in membership around Christmas, New Year’s, and the colder months at the beginning of the year. Therefore, gyms don’t need to pander to potential customers as much during these times. Look for discounts and special deals during summer months and later in the year. Also, gyms often have a monthly membership requirement, so joining at the end of the month can get you a cheaper package.

Negotiate – Don’t be afraid to ask gym managers about promotional rates, and see if they will lower the cost for you. If a gym chain has more than one location in your area, go to both – prices and flexibility can vary among different franchises.

Get Rid of The Extras – Look at your itemized bill and try to eliminate anything you don’t need. For example, some gyms incorporate a childcare fee into your monthly bill. If you have no children, you’re not using this service – negotiate with the manager to see if it can be removed.

Avoid Annual Contracts – Can’t stress this one enough. Gyms will try to push you into signing a yearly (or longer) contract. This means you’ll be stuck paying for the gym even if you never go, can’t afford it, or move away. Even if the annual contract is cheaper in the long run, it’s more money-savvy to be able to opt out whenever you want, especially with gym burnout rates being so high.

Talk to Your Employer – With health and obesity being a growing concern in the workplace, some employers are willing to help workers with gym costs. For example, University of Kentucky employees save 65% when they sign up for a year-long contract with Curves.

Look at Your Insurance Policies – Some insurance companies offer discounts to fitness clubs. For example, members of Oxford Health Plans get up to 30% off of monthly dues at Gold’s Gyms, Bally’s Total Fitness, and Curves.

Put Your Membership on Hold – If you’re traveling (or you’re just sure you won’t get to the gym for the next month), some gyms will allow you to forgo your fees while you’re away. Just be sure to do this ahead of time instead of trying to get a refund later.

An interesting development in the gym world is Gym-Pact.com, which allows you to set aside money as an incentive to go to the gym. If you don’t go, you lose your money (starting at $5 per session). However, if you stay true to your schedule, you can actually earn cash prizes.

Building a Home Gym

There’s one simple way to save money on gym costs – don’t go at all! Instead, purchase some equipment for your home. Again, shopping around is the key, but here are some other things to think about:

Define Your Goals – What exactly do you want out of your workout? To build muscle or get mainly aerobic exercise? Are there certain areas of your body you want to work on? If you hone in on exactly what you want to accomplish, you’ll avoid buying unnecessary equipment.

Buy Used – Exercise equipment is notoriously expensive. For example, have you looked at any sole elliptical reviews lately? You’d be spending at least $1000 if you purchase new. So, check out Craigslist or eBay for deals. Craigslist can be better, as people are often just looking to get rid of things, and you don’t have to bid against the world for an item.

Start Simple – For many people, there’s really no need to buy expensive equipment right away. Getting a mat, elastic bands, dumbbells, a stability ball and an exercise DVD can provide you with a great cardio workout for around $100.

Free Workouts – Instead of that exercise DVD, take advantage of the multitude of free exercise videos online.

Free Exercise Opportunities

Ok, here are the classics. Exercise can be completely free – just ask anyone who jogs regularly. MSNBC reported earlier this year that 15 minutes of fitness a day can add 3 years to your life, so it’s worthwhile to consider some of these options:

Bike to Work – If your job is relatively close to your workplace, consider biking. You’ll save money on the commute and get a workout.

Find Opportunities to Walk – You’ve probably heard this one before, but instead of wasting gas driving around the parking lot, simply park in the first space you find and walk the rest of the way.

Use the Stairs – Places such as large department stores and public transit stations often have elevators or escalators. These usually aren’t the only ways of moving up though. Taking the stairs can provide a great workout, especially if you do it many times throughout the day.

Hobbies – Take up a fun hobby that gets your blood pumping. An activity such as gardening can actually be surprisingly physical. Also, you don’t necessarily have to be a superstar athlete to join a city basketball league in many places.

So, basically anytime you’re performing a task, think about how you might incorporate some physical activity into it. Simply staying active throughout the day can help keep you away from the gym.

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1. Cable

Cable these days is something of a dinosaur, and unless you are unemployed and have tons of free time on your hands, it’s likely that you aren’t making full use of your service of hundreds of channels. Some alternatives to cable are using the Internet to stream your favorite shows and movies for free, or signing up for Netflix, which showcases the best that cable has to offer. If you are a sports addict, then going to your local pub or a friend’s house to watch certain sports is another option.

2. Food/drink purchases during work

You’d be surprised by the close relationship between stress and spending money. It wasn’t until I carefully examined my expenditures for the month that I realized I spent more during work hours than at any other time, including weekends. These small items that I’d buy like lunch, snacks, multiple coffees all began to add up such that they represented an expense that far exceeded even bigger monthly expenses like utilities. The best way to cut back on these items is to bring your own. Making coffee at home then bringing it to the office in a thermos or making your own lunch before going can stand to save you hundreds of dollars over a few months.

3. Magazine/newspaper subscriptions

With the proliferation of millions of magazines, newspapers, and other sources of information like blogs on the Internet, there is really no reason to waste hundreds of dollars a year on paper subscriptions. Of course, there may be one magazine that you read cover-to-cover whose content is not available online for free, and if you truly feel that the expense is worth it, then keep that one subscription. If you are subscribed to multiple publications just out of force of habit, then consider cancelling them and finding their free online versions.

4. Gas and transportation

We all know that gas prices are outrageous, but still we buy gas on a consistent basis since we consider it a necessary expense. Of course, in some ways it is a necessary expense, but you’d be surprised by how many other options you have when it comes to cutting back on transportation and gas. An easy way to do just that is to organize a carpool with friends to work or your children’s school. Using public transportation, if available, is another good option, even if it takes a little longer.

Saving money on daily expenses isn’t rocket science. All it takes is carefully examining your spending habits and realizing which ones you can live without, and which ones you can cut back on substantially. Good luck!

Author Bio:

This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at accredited online colleges about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5 @ gmail.com.

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What Printer?

Before you plump for that bargain printer or a snazzy new model, you should do your homework. It may sound boring, but it makes sense to stop and think before you are seduced into making such an essential purchase, particularly if your run a home-business. Check how much replacement cartridges will cost and look at the page yield of each cartridge. This is a more reliable way of judging how much you’ll get out of your printer than researching the cost per volume of ink. Furthermore, a laser printer may initially cost more than an inkjet, but will prove cheaper to run over time. Choose a color printer with separate cartridges for each shade, that way you’ll only need to replace each individual color as and when required.

Is It Really Empty?

Sometimes your printer will tell you that you’re out of ink when you’ve only recently replaced your cartridge. The truth is that some manufacturers have recently run into trouble for pre-programming their printers to inform consumers that their ink cartridges are empty when there is still some ink remaining. Before you buy replacements first try removing the cartridge, giving it a shake and replacing it. This can trick your printer into believing a new cartridge has been installed and yield a few more pages.

Try Remanufactured Cartridges

Sometimes called refilled cartridges, remanufactured cartridges are a popular technique for saving money on the cost of printer ink. They are much cheaper than genuine cartridges (sometimes up to 60% less) and are excellent if you’re printing a bulk black and white job. Choose wisely however, as a lot of remanufactured cartridges are filled with generic inks. These can be thinner than genuine ones and cause leaks and damage your printer. If you’re a dab hand at DIY you could even try refilling your cartridges yourself.

Buy Compatible Cartridges

Don’t automatically assume you have to buy the same brand of cartridge as your printer. Check out what compatible cartridges are available from lesser known manufacturers. These have been specifically designed to work with your printer model, but cost significantly less than big-name brands.

Look at Your Settings

By changing the settings on your printer you can dramatically reduce the cost per page. Use the draft, greyscale or economy setting and your printer will work at an increased speed, using much less ink in the process. This technique is best applied when the quality of your printout isn’t too crucial, and isn’t recommended for formal documents or presentations.

Print More!

It may sound like a contradiction, but the less you use your printer the more quickly your ink cartridges will dry out and need replacing. Try to print out a black and white document in greyscale or draft once a week – black inks are cheaper to replace than color.

Check Your Typeface

Century Gothic is said to be the most economical font as it’s a thin, sans serif typeface that uses less ink. Arial and Times New Roman are also recommended. You could try downloading the software for Ecofont, a new typeface that punches miniscule holes into each letter that subsequently cuts down on ink consumption.

Print What You Need

This especially applies if you’re printing a document from the internet, as there may be advertisements, portions of text and images you don’t actually need. So instead of automatically opting for your print screen function, highlight the areas you want to print to avoid unnecessary ink consumption.

Before You Hit Print…

Have you thoroughly proofed your document? Have you reviewed your print preview? These simple and obvious steps that we are all guilty of missing are the simplest way to avoid mistakes that lead to wasted ink and paper – it’s well worth the extra five minutes it takes!

__________________________________________________________________________________

Author Bio:

This guest post was contributed by Clickinks.com, an online retailer of printer ink and toner cartridges. Clickinks sells both OEM and remanufactured cartridges, and offers factory-direct prices up to 86% lower than competitors. Visit Clickinks.com to search by printer model and cartridge number to get the discount ink cartridges you’re looking for!

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Food

Basically—make your own. Most people greatly underestimate the amount they spend on food, probably because 1) they don’t keep track of it, and 2) they don’t include all the little purchases they make into the equation. Food expenses really pile up quickly, especially when you’re eating out every day.

Let’s just do some simple math. Say you walk into McDonald’s and (in an effort to be frugal) you order from the dollar menu. However, as a college student, you probably don’t just get one thing, and you also probably will get fries and a drink. To keep things easy and round, I’ll just say you spend $5 on the whole meal. That’s lunch. $5. Not bad.

Then, you repeat the same thing for dinner, but probably spend more there, probably between $7 and $10. That’s $15 for one day, and doesn’t even include breakfast. After seven days, you’ll have spent $105; and that figure jumps to $420 a month, and almost certainly higher, after you calculate what you spend on coffee, candy, and snacks. It’s really probably closer to $500. A month.

If you make your own food, you can survive on easily half that, and not just survive, but flourish. The difference is that when you make food, you usually aren’t making just one portion (and if you are, it’s most likely a meal that was extremely cheap, like ramen noodles).

The trick? Make meals that leave you with leftovers you can reheat. I make a delicious chicken, rice, and mushroom dish that lasts me an entire week and costs less than $20 to make. Yes, it gets a little boring, but I can splurge occasionally because I’m not tight with money all the time from eating out all the time.

Transportation

Basically—get a bike or ride the bus. I’m sure I don’t have to run the numbers on this one—gas is still over $3 a gallon. You can make a one-time purchase of $200 or less for a decent bike that will get you around for free forever. That pays itself off in a month, as you would have spent that much or more driving between school, work, and home anyway. Granted, riding a bike isn’t always an option because you sometimes don’t want to be sweaty when you get to class or work. So when you can’t ride your bike, ride the bus. Bus fare is usually a dollar, and you can get a monthly passes for around $50 or less. It’s pretty amazing if you think about it.

The only thing these kinds of transportation require is smart time-budgeting; you have to allow yourself more time to get from place to place. But, if you’re on the bus, you can use that time to do homework, or anything else you want, so it balances out.

Alternatively, you can car-pool. This isn’t as cost-effect as public transportation or a bike, but it’s still half as expensive as paying for your own gas 100% of the time. And the more people you bring into the car pool, the less you’ll have to pay (provided that you work out a system where a different person pays every time you get gas.

Utilities & Entertainment

Basically—consume less. This applies mostly to electricity, but also extends out to water, and other services you pay for that you probably don’t need as much as you think you do. Electricity really sky rockets during the winter and summer months when you turn the heat or A/C on high to stay comfortable. Fans and space heaters work for this purpose and are far less expensive. Personally, I can’t sleep when it’s hot, so I turn the A/C on when about an hour before I go to sleep to get it cool enough to fall asleep and then turn it off when I’m about to hit the sack. I sleep like a baby all night.

Internet and cable are extremely expensive, and if you are a student, you have free access to the internet at school. Take care of your online business there, and live a little more frugally at home. You can also save money by going out to the movies (or bars) less; throw a movie party instead and stay at home with your friends, having a better time than if you had gone out.

With these three tricks alone, you can save anywhere between $250 and $500 a month, which you can then put toward, books, tuition, debts, rent, utilities, phone bill, etc. Making the transition to this kind of lifestyle can be difficult at first, but once you make the shift, you won’t regret it.

By-line:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

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Now the question arises- What is the criteria to judge the credibility and expertise of a removal company? There is no gauge to measure the genuineness of a moving firm, but there is certainly a criteria you should take into account, before bestowing the responsibility of moving on a removal company. You can narrow your search by asking a few questions from moving companies to help avoid overspending on a move.

Ask for a quote
Companies charge heavy for things that are bulky and areas that are difficult to access. You must be aware of the differences moving in estimates before you decide a removal firm for conducting your move. Asking for quotes beforehand helps you avoid scams. Out of binding and non-binding quotes, only ask for the former. A binding contract helps customers understand the total budget estimate of their move and the exact amount of money they need to pay when relocation is done.

A quote helps in allocating a budget for moving
You won’t overspend in the moving process, if you know you already know the amount of money that you need to pay to removal London . Hire a company that gives an overall moving estimate only after seeing and assessing all of the items that need to be moved. This way no additional fees can be added on top of the original quote.

Compare quotes from different moving companies
Do not seek services of companies before going through their quotes carefully. You may end up with an unwanted surprise price later on. Asking for moving quotes is imperative to make your move affordable and successful.

If a respective moving company denies to give a moving quote, you must not give them the moving contract. Sometimes these professionals will prefer to inspect your home to actually see the items they would move and they provide a quote only after that. Remember that low quotes might not always be the best way to choose a company. Your main concern should be moving without damage. It doesn’t make much difference if you pay some bucks extra to make your move more relaxed, as the responsibility goes in safer hands.

About the Author:
The author of this article is an writer primarily focusing on moving and relocation related topics and is associated with Removal services London and London storage services for a long time.

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To start, you need to know some basic information about your debt: who you owe, the balance owed, your interest rate, and your minimum payment. To compare the alternative of paying on your own, you’ll need to know how much you can afford to put toward your debt each month.

Option 1: Paying on your own

To evaluate this option, put all your debt into the calculator. If you have more than 5 accounts, click the button that lets you add more. Then, choose the “Fixed payments” option and enter the amount you can afford to pay each month, preferably more than the minimum. The calculator shows you how long it will take to pay off your debt with that payment amount.

Option 2: Credit counseling

Credit counseling puts you on a debt management plan to pay off your debt. The goal is to lower your interest rate and minimum payment and have your debt repaid in 4 to 6 years. To see repayment under credit counseling, lower your interest rate by 1% and your minimum payment by 30% (multiply all your minimum payments by .7). Then, select the “Debt-free deadline” option and enter 4 years. The result will show you the monthly payment needed to repay your debt in 4 years. You can also do 5 and 6 years for comparison.

Option 3: Debt consolidation

Through debt consolidation, you pay off all your debts with a loan and then pay off that loan. The debt planner calculator would help you estimate debt consolidation too. To do this, total your balances. Then, enter just one debt in the calculator, with a balance equal to your total balances. Enter the interest rate you’d expect, preferably lower than your current average rates. For the monthly payment, enter anything, but make it low. Then, choose the “Debt-free deadline” option and choose the loan term you’d expect to get. The result would show you the monthly payment you’d make to pay your debt off in that time.

Option 4: Debt settlement

Debt settlement’s goal is to have repay your debt, but for a fraction of your total balances. Calculate debt settlement payments similar to what you did for debt consolidation. Use just one balance, but make the balance 60% of what you currently owe (multiply your total balances by .6). Enter 0% for the interest rate and $1 for the minimum payment. Then, enter 5 years for the Debt-free deadline. The result shows you how much you’d have to set aside each month to settle your debt at an average 60% in five years. You can play around with the numbers, for example use 40% of your debt, or 4 years for the Debt-free deadline.

Compare the results from each of your calculations to decide the best option for you. Base your decision not only on the monthly payment, but also the time it takes to pay off your debt. Finally, don’t forget to consider any drawbacks associated with each option.

This guest post was written by Eliza Collins, who is a personal finance writer specializing in saving strategies, alternative income and debt relief options. You can read more of her articles at the debt settlement blog.

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Even if you aren’t a micro-subscription junkie like me, there are probably a lot of little things you pay for every month – those seemingly vital but ultimately unnecessary things you’re paying for without even knowing it. Even cutting just a few of these expenses can net you some extra cash every month; cash you can put in your savings account or spend on other unnecessary things – it’s up to you.

Cut the Bottled Water

It might seem like old advice, but bottled water really is a curse on us all, and it’s an entirely unnecessary cost that we can all afford to cut. Even at its cheapest, bottled water is an enormous expense. According to an article in Fast Company Magazine (Issue 117, July 2007), the average water utility bill each month would be more than $9,000 if we bought only bottled water for our daily needs – and that was four years ago. Even if you only consider “drinking water” (not the water in the shower or toilet), you would still be paying around $1,400 each year for your recommended daily water intake (eight 8 oz. glasses a day). What would the same amount of water cost if it came from the tap? About $0.49 a year in New York City.

So forget all of the moral reasons to avoid stripping third world countries of their water supply and filling the world with plastic bottles. Simply cutting down your bottled water consumption to a couple of bottles a week can save you a huge amount of money every month. If you hate the thought of drinking tap water or your tap water is unsafe for drinking, consider investing in a small filter for your faucet – which will get you plenty more mileage than those bottles of Fiji you pound at your next workout.

Trim Down Your Wireless Service

Most of us have Internet service for only a couple of reasons – to check our email and see what’s new on Facebook. If you don’t plan on using your Internet for high definition gaming, it’s pretty likely that you can trim your monthly Internet bill. Even packages that include Internet and cable can be too much for most people, even though adding Internet for an extra $49.99 a month seems like a great deal.

One alternative is to opt for a clear wireless Internet plan, rather than a big box cable provider. Simple plans with plenty of speed for browsing are cheap when using 4G. In addition, you use cell phone coverage for your Internet connection – not the same connection as your cable television. This type of service tends to stay up far more often than cable service.

Stop Paying More at the ATM

That sneaky $3.00 fee you pay to access your own money might not seem like a big expense, but it really adds up every month. In 2010, Americans spent $7.1 billion paying ATM fees – that’s almost $2 billion more than McDonalds made in revenue through the entire year of 2009. If you happen to bank at Wells Fargo, you face not only an ATM fee from the company that owns the machine you use, but another fee from Wells Fargo for not using one of their ATMs. If the fee is $2.50, for example, and you withdraw $100.00, you’ve essentially paid a 5% fee to access your cash.

If you need cash, try to use only the ATMs owned by your bank, as withdrawals from these ATMs usually don’t carry any fees. Otherwise, consider sticking to your debit card, or plan ahead and go to the bank before it closes during the day. Many businesses also allow you to get cash back with your debit card purchases – which usually don’t carry a fee. However, some tellers are trained not to offer up this information (the business does have to cover a fee sometimes), and you might have to ask.

Say “No” To Extended Warranties

This one always makes me laugh. If you visit your favorite big brand retail store to buy electronics, you’ll probably be offered an extended warranty on anything from an electric toothbrush to a big screen television. The warranty depends on the cost of the product, and is usually pitched at the checkout counter. Be very careful about purchasing these warranties.

If the original warranty only lasts a couple of months and the extended warranty covers you for two years, really think about whether you want to buy products from that store. Suggesting that there’s a good chance your electric toothbrush will explode in your mouth after only a month (making an extended coverage warranty necessary) makes me doubt the quality of the product in the first place.

Still, if you’re purchasing a highly priced product like a computer or television, buy directly from the manufacturer. They’ll usually provide a better warranty out of the box than your local Wal-Mart will.

Watch Your Utility Expenses

While, as we’ve seen, water is pretty cheap, heating that water is not. I won’t ask you to skip the hot shower every morning, but there are other ways you can trim your home heating budget every month. Most clothes can be cleaned just as effectively in cold water (especially if you use cold water detergent). Using hot water to do laundry is more of a psychological “it seems to get things cleaner” practice. Additionally, you can keep clothes from shrinking or losing their color by using cold water.

Finally, don’t forget to adjust the water level to an appropriate level when you do smaller loads. It’s easy to forget to switch the load size when you just need to wash a few items. Using too large a load size can waste water.

One of the most important things you can do when trying to save money is to find ways to cut costs without impacting the way you live your life. You might not be dedicated enough to start walking to work instead of driving, and that’s ok. However, being a frugal person is as simple as finding the little things that we can do without (or better yet, do more efficiently) to save a little bit of cash every month. Other than trimming down on monthly online subscriptions, what are some of the things you’ve cut to save money every month?

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Remember that I used Lending Club first to get rid of my high interest credit card debt a few years ago BEFORE becoming a lender on the site myself. I have had really good results with it and actually had a few people sign up for loans because they saw how easy it was to use.

Check it out and if you are interested don’t forget to sign up and either get your loan or fund a loan!!!!!

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When looking at term life insurance policies, the most important factor for most people is the amount of insurance being purchased. However, you also need to look at the term during which the policy has a level premium and the type of policy–whether it is a straight term policy, a “return of premium” policy or some other variant. In addition, you should look carefully at the financial strength of the insurance carrier as rated by A.M. Best. Finally, make sure that the insurance policies you are comparing all rate you the same. A preferred plus policy for someone in excellent health will be cheaper than a standard-rated policy, but is not comparable to it.

Vehicle insurance policies are similar to life insurance policies in that they have a vast number of different variables. Although coverage levels and deductibles are easy to compare, an auto insurance policy can go well beyond liability, collision and comprehensive coverage. Additional protection for such things as uninsured motorists, medical effects or a rental car in the case of an accident can impact the cost of a policy, as can whether the insurer will repair your car with aftermarket or most costly “original equipment manufacturer” parts.

Property insurance is some of the hardest insurance to compare online, because there are so many ways that property can be damaged. Look carefully to see which types of damage are covered, as well as to see if there are any possessions, such as jewellery or camera equipment, that are excluded from coverage under the policy.

Simply going to an insurer’s site can be a way to compare policies, but you will need to identify a number of carriers and also compare policies which will all be described slightly differently as you go from company to company. Alternately, there are a number of Internet sites which serve as insurance shopping tools. They take the basic information on the policy that you want to buy and go out to multiple companies. You then receive a matrix which compares all of the different insurance policies and carriers in the same format so that you can just glance across and pick the best one for you. Thanks to these online price comparison sites, insurance shopping has never been easier.

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Oatmeal

1. Neutralize odors by putting a small, open container of it toward the bottom of the fridge (baking soda works, too). Some people line their ash trays with oatmeal, too.
2. Treat acne, sunburns, or otherwise irritated skin by running 2 cups of uncooked, plain oatmeal through a food processor until it becomes powdery and dumping it in your bathwater. Add 1 cup of milk and a tablespoon of honey for a more luxurious spa experience.
3. Forget commercial face or body scrubs. All those little beads are not biodegradable (they’re basically plastic) and they justify raised prices for something you could make for cheap. Just add 1 tsp of ground-up oatmeal (or almonds) to your face or body wash. It exfoliates, moisturizes, and soothes—without the extra dollars.
4. Wipe the inside of an empty oatmeal container with a dry towel, slap on some wrapping paper, and use it as a container for gifts, cotton balls, toilet paper rolls, and whatever else you can think of.

Vodka

1. Fill a small spray bottle with high alcohol content vodka and spritz on funky-smelling clothes (or all over your closet, bed sheets, and the like) to kill odor-causing bacteria. (The alcohol smell goes away as soon as the fabric dries.) It’s cheaper and lasts longer than Febreeze, the lasting smell of which can cause headaches or nausea.
2. Use the same spray bottle of vodka to chase away pesky insects in the house or on a hike.
3. Use the same spray bottle (again) if you get stung by a jellyfish or stumble into some poison ivy. The alcohol will relieve the pain and remove poison ivy’s culprit, urushiol oil.
4. Combat bathroom mold by spritzing some vodka onto the problem area and walking away for 15 minutes. Com back armed with an old tooth brush and start scrubbing.

Aluminum Foil

1. You can wash a sheet of it after use and reuse it until it starts falling apart.
2. Sharpen scissors by folding used foil (the kind that you really don’t want to wash and reuse anymore) so there are at least five layers and cut through. You can use the same method on garden and pruning sheers; just make the foil thicker in layers.
3. Is the cat ruining your blinds by crawling through and eventually bending or breaking them? Lay a sheet of aluminum foil wherever your animals are unwelcome. They hate the stuff.
4. If your scissors are sharp and you still have non-reusable balls of aluminum foil lying around, scrub grills, ovens, and non-Teflon surfaces with them.

Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and amateur musician. Lately she’s been researching grants for engineering students and writing about higher education. To keep her sanity she enjoys practicing martial arts and playing PlayStation 3.

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We all need it, our bodies run on it, and it is one of the major components of everyone’s budget. When you take the initiative to avoid settling for some overpriced sandwich and are willing to put in the time to purchase the ingredients and create your own masterpiece, you’re not only saving money, but fully satisfying your hunger. However every now and again it is nice to have someone prepare your meal for you. But this experience becomes even more enjoyable when you use a coupon. By looking out for such deals, whether they are in your mail or in your online inbox, it makes that experience of eating out that much sweeter. With the deals being offered by various restaurants, you are able to purchase your food knowing that with your discount, you have paid pretty much what it would have cost you to make your own meal.

Eating out should be a celebration, not something you do to survive. Something fun to try can be letting the grocery stores dictate what you eat. Next time you are out shopping, look at all of the items that are on sale. From here, pick out not only the items you know you will enjoy, but others you are interested to try – ones that you may not have previously purchased because the price may have been too high. Grocery stores are constantly rotating the items they put on sale, giving you the chance to try a number of different products. It is not just packaged items that are being marked down, but also those that have an immense amount of nutritional value. By taking advantage of the sales and coupons store make available to their customers, you can begin to notice a drop in the total amount of money you spend every week on food. Sign up for every club card you can companies are always sending out special offers to their members that you wouldn’t normally see in the store. Almost all are free to join, and the results can pay dividends. Never shy away from busting out a coupon from your wallet at the checkout counter. You have worked hard for your savings, and you deserve to relish in that moment of reduction.

This guest contribution was submitted by Jamie Davis, who specializes in writing about masters degree. Questions and comments can be sent to: davis.jamie17@gmail.com.

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I use them all the time and they are a great way to:

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I am my father’s only child so I am really getting a lot of pressure from him, although I think if he was so serious about having grandchildren then he should have raised his odds by having more than one child right?

img from sxc.hu

I keep thinking that if my mother were still alive then I would be more open to having children because she would be around to help me with the pregnancy and the baby and all that.

In any case having a child is a BIG decision (or at least it SHOULD be) and that is just not a decision I want to make right now. I think that if I were absolutely sure then I would have a child but since I have doubts (for various reasons) then I should not rush into that just because EVERYONE else thinks I should.

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He may have lost his regular job but he is now bursting with the renewed passion to bring great content to his readers so head over and show some love!!!!!

All the best J…who knows you just might make it to the millionaire club faster now.

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One of the main attractions of store cards is that they generally provide lucrative rewards for purchases made when a card account is opened. Such rewards often come in the form of discounts and/or free merchandise. While these perks may be negligible during low-volume shopping periods throughout the year, they can prove significant during the holidays, when spending is high. For example, if you plan on buying a necklace for your daughter, a new suit for your son and earrings for your wife this Christmas, you would stand to save big if you bought them all at Macy’s using a Macy’s store card that gives you 15% off any purchases made on the day the card is opened.

It is essential that these savings only be used to lower the costs of your already planned purchases, however. If you use them to facilitate more extravagant spending, you are simply wasting an opportunity to save money. Similarly, if your purchases are not paid for in full by the end of the month, interest will begin to erode your savings.

Store cards can also help certain consumers who are looking for a different kind of gift this holiday season. As a result of the Great Recession and the overall economic downturn, many consumers have incurred serious credit score damage. As America begins to recover, these people now need to focus on rebuilding their credit. Why? Because one’s credit score is an extremely important factor in determining whether or not he or she will be able to get a loan, buy or lease a car, buy or rent a property or even get a certain job.

But how does a store credit card fit into the equation? Well, for starters, any type of credit card represents the easiest way to infuse positive information into your credit report on a monthly basis. Secured credit cards and unsecured credit cards for bad credit are usually considered the only types of credit cards that consumers with bad credit can be approved for. However, members of this demographic can also often gain approval for store credit cards, which have lower fee structures than unsecured credit cards for bad credit. In addition—like with any credit card—actual use of a store card is not required for credit improvement, thus negating the genre’s lack of flexibility. So open a store card, lock it away and benefit from having an open credit card in good standing and at zero balance or save on your holiday purchases and pay your bill in full each month. Either way, your credit score will improve.

Getting a store credit card this holiday season should definitely be considered, but don’t wed yourself to the idea. If you do not get approved for a store card after applying for three different ones, you should just open a secured credit card since approval is guaranteed. After all, numerous credit card applications signal desperateness to the credit bureaus and will lower your credit score even further.

This article was written by Odysseas Papadimitriou, CEO and Founder of CardHub.com.

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CoastalContacts.com is giving away 10,000 free pairs of glasses across the USA this Thursday, November 18, 2010, from 12:01 PM (Noon).

To get your free glasses simply click on the “Like” button on the CoastalContacts.com Facebook Page and then click on the “Get the Code” button. CoastalContacts.com recommends picking out 3-5 frames on the website ahead of time so that you have your order all ready to go at noon on Thursday – and so you don’t miss out on the 10,000 free pairs!

For further info and the giveaway terms and conditions please see the FAQ’s on the CoastalConatcts.com giveaway tab. I think this is a great opportunity for anyone who wears glasses to get a chance to win a free pair, even if they are just your backup pair. I also ordered glasses online so I know they can be just as good as the ones you order from the doctor’s office.

Just make sure to order your glasses early by going to the giveaway page and placing your entry for a chance to win. We all love FREE right? Good luck.

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With the panel, you get to give your input to hundreds of companies by answering surveys and scanning your purchases…so let your voice be heard.

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The writer says that people who purchase with credit cards are generally sending their money over to pay interest on those purchases…but this is not always the case and it certainly is not the case in my circumstances. I pay off my credit in card in full every month so I NEVER pay the credit card company any interest. I earn cash back on my purchases which I can get back

• as a credit on my statement or
• as a check which I deposit into my ING account earn some more interest on that.

Another point I found that the writer made is that “A credit card will make you spend money you don’t have“. This is an utter fallacy as a credit card cannot MAKE you do anything. Some people may tend to spend what they do not have because they have a credit card but there are also those of us who spend what we have based on our BUDGETS and stay within our limits. I have been using credit cards exclusively to pay for everything for months now and I am always under my budget for the month (as chronicled in my Monthly Financial Updates.)

I have found that I actually spend less when I use my cards because I cannot easily pull out some cash and drop on a vending machine…or the person who comes around selling things at the office….or the guy on the street with ‘handmade’ necklaces or the poor girl scouts who knocked on my door (sorry about that last one).

I look at what is in my zero based budget and if I have the money for it then I get it…if not the card stays in my wallet. I don’t go out and buy things just because I can swipe a card. I still have the mindset that I have to pay for it….I treat my credit card like a debit card!

So while it certainly it possible for me to live without credit I choose to live with RESPONSIBLE credit and

earn cash back for my purchases,

have easy access to receipts and

have easy tracking of my spending

I won’t have any more debt after paying off the last of that personal loan in December of this year and I am currently saving money for a future car. I can live without Debt and Credit…..but I choose not to.

Another reason I love debt is that in a reverse situation it actually works for me. I currently loan money on Lending Club and earn interest off the repayments of the loans…so someone’s debt becomes income for me. If they don’t pay back the money then I stand to lose it but when they do make the payments the little bit of side income is very nice.

What about you?

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