From the category archives:
Frugal Tips to Shrink Your Grocery Bill
Frugal Tips to Shrink Your Grocery Bill (Plus Recipes!) offers helpful money saving tips that will cut your grocery bill. Who doesn’t want to and need to save money in these hard financial times? Find out how to save money on groceries with this frugal tips ebook. Also included are some delicious frugal recipes.
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Freezer Cooking Made Simple
Where to Buy:
http://www.frugalology.com/freezercooking
Also Available:
Crockpot Cooking Made Simple
Meal Planning Made Simple
The Hillbilly Housewife Recipe Collection
About Freezier Cooking Made Simple
Description: This ebook is filled with all the information necessary to learn how to freeze foods and make those dollars stretch. With information such as how to get started, what items you need, what foods freeze well and foods that don’t quite cut it when it comes to freezing, this eBook tells it all. Worksheets, printable labels and even a few quick and easy recipes are included to get you started with healthier meals when living on a tighter budget.
Review: As a mother, wife and just all around caretaker of my home I needed to find something that would take less time and save me money in the kitchen. I went looking for ideas and found many that seemed to be the answer. Most of them I found to be more time consuming than anything. Then, I came upon this ebook.
Freezing foods makes sense in all aspects. It’s amazing how in just one afternoon you can have a freezer full of healthy foods to feed your family for a month. This ebook will show you how. It’s easy to understand, has all the facts you need to know and will give you the answers to any questions you may have.
Freezer Cooking Made Simple is set up so that even the newly married can find what she needs. It explains why freezing foods can save you money and time. It talks about what you need in the way of equipment, how to shop for foods and how to cook these foods.
There is a section that explains how to safely store your freezer meals including labels to help you remember exactly what you have and how to reheat it. Susanne has included a printable shopping list along with a worksheet to help plan your meals on a weekly and monthly basis. Best of all, there are even a few recipes added to get you started.
If you’re looking for a way to save money and time in the kitchen, I strongly urge you to take a look at Freezer Cooking Made Simple. Once you read through it, put it into motion immediately. You will see that this is a very simple and easy way to make those hours in the kitchen count. Shopping, cooking and freezing foods aren’t as hard as many of us believe. Give it a chance and you will find the answer you’ve been looking for all along.
Article written by Susanne Myers of HillbillyHousewife.com
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Frugal Tips on How to Save Money
Money is an essential element in every body’s life. It is the one that we exchange to get all the necessary things in life. And that is exactly the reason why we work all day and sometimes night. Since the flow of money in one’s life is not uniform, it is only prudent to save some money for the crunch days. Economics permits one to spend his/her money in any amount as he/she wishes. But how rationally one could plan so as to maintain a minimum level of backup in any given day is directly linked with his/her ability to save.
In daily life, even if we know that we are spending money to buy things we need, most of us tend to over see the fact that more than 50% of the spending is for purposes that are quite unnecessary or those expenditures can be avoided without affecting one’s basic life style. Exactly this is the point from where one should start thinking of saving money.
Distinguish between and clearly understand your needs and wants. Needs are those things one require to sustain his/her basic needs. Want on the other hand refers to anything that is not an absolute necessity but which presence enhances one’s way of life. For example, a car can be a need but a $40,000 SUV is a want.
It is a human nature to insist on the best and the biggest even if the same quality is available at a lower cost. Spending $100 in a posh restaurant when one can afford the same sumptuous meal at $20 or buying a $20 shirt with a $30 trendy label attached all belong to this category of “keeping up with the Joneses”. A bit of intelligent spending here can save a lot.
It is a good idea to try a commodity and get a feel of it before actually buying one. Because there is no point in buying something you may never use or hardly use. Such an analysis is relevant especially when the item under consideration is a costly one. Rent one, borrow one, and try one out before making the final call.
Mortgages can easily be the biggest single expense most families have in their monthly budget. Here, zeroing on the best deal is where the trick lies. Calculated comparisons can make a difference of few thousand dollars in the entire deal. Another big expense is linked with the vehicles a person owns. One should see if he/she is getting the best deal on the maintenance, insurance and repairs.
True, food is a need as well as a recurring expense. Keeping a check over the money spend on food – to a necessary extend - can make a big difference in the money one could save at the end of the month. Plan food purchases in advance, go for generics or store brands and stock up the items that you regularly use when available on sale.
Another expenditure that drains a lot of money is one’s fascination for clothes. Unlike electronic goods, the price of clothes is continuously on an upward spiral. Hence it is a good idea to buy quality clothes that lasts a longer period. Such clothes are better than the ‘throw away’ types. The cost of clothes is not going to come down either. Therefore, buying in advance for a season ahead is a logical correct step. But never over do it. Getting clothes for 5 years in advance is stupid!
Telephone is a common thing in every house hold. This is one department where money drains like an open tap. Though local phone service has a fixed price long distance calls matters. Shop around to find out the best deal as far as the service provider is concerned. Keep in mind, a saving of $16.75 a month can add up to $200 a year.
If you are a travel addict, travel expenses can make a big difference if not having the right travel agent. Even if it is the same place, airline, hotel or car rental, the difference between two travelers can easily exceed $1000. Keep one’s eyes and ears open when hunting for a traveler.
Remember, saving money is not putting all the dollars that one earns in his/her savings account. But it is all about intelligently spending the bucks, at the same keeping a check on all the unnecessary expenses.
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Planning ways on how to go about winterizing your homes can be done anytime. It is better to be prepared for just about anything so no matter what happens in the coming months, you can take a look at your list come wintertime. If you intend to start executing the plans, the best time for this is at the fall Equinox. At this time of the year, the temperature is beginning to decrease that your house needs to be maintained so that it would be ready for the next season.
How do you go about preparing house for winter? Here are some tips that can help you with the task at hand.
1. First up, you should call an HVAC professional to inspect the heating system. They will do vital furnace inspection as well as clean the ducts. You should have stock of furnace filters with you because this must be changed every month. The furnace must be clear of all flammable materials that may cause other risks and dangers. It will be better if you can avail the kind of thermostat that is programmable. If you are utilizing a hot-water radiator at home, the valves should be opened slightly and close immediately when water appears.
2. Check for crevice cracks at the exterior of your home. Make sure that there are no exposed entry points on the pipes. If you found anything cracks or holes, seal these fast.
3. For the doors, you can use weather stripping to prevent cold air from coming inside the house. To achieve the same for windows, these must be caulked. If the house has a basement, you can protect the window wells by covering these with plastic shields. It’s time to keep the summer screens for later use and get glass replacements installed. You can also put storm windows if you have these or you simply want to.
4. The fireplace must be ready for the coming season. Put a cap at the top of the chimney so that you can keep away birds and rodents. If you haven’t cleaned the chimney for quite a while, call someone to remove creosote and soot from this part. You also have to stock up chopped wood or firewood that should be placed in dry place. Check the damper of the fireplace if this has still the right kind of closing and opening.
5. If the weather at your area usually goes lower than 32 degrees during winter, you should consider adding insulation at the attic. Through this, warm air will be prevented from creeping at the roof that might lead to ice dams. While at the roof, you must inspect worn out tiles and roof shingles and replace materials while you still have time. You must be very sure that water cannot enter your house through the roof. Gutters should also be cleaned from any kind of debris.
There are many more steps that you should consider in winterizing your house. The important thing at this point is to make sure that you will feel comfortable and safe inside even when the temperature hit the lows once the winter season starts.
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Winterizing or preparing for the winter would help preserve your property and even save some energy or fuel. For example, if you are selling your home then you would need to winterize it. Winterizing your home will protect your investment and at the same time keep everything it good condition.
When winterizing your home you could get a professional to do it. There would be instances when you will be needing a plumber, an electrician or a contractor. But there could also be instances when you could do your own winterizing.
During winter, homeowners would often experience pipes freezing and bursting. To prevent pipes from freezing, faucets are often left to drip away the excess water. However, this may be expensive on the long run. A simple pipe insulation will do the work. All you have to do is surround your pipes with this insulation. This is ideal for outdoor pipes and faucets, and those located under your house.
Weather stripping which is fit around doors could also help in sealing your doorway to prevent cold air from seeping it and heated air going out. If storm windows is too expensive for you, then you could use window insulation kit which is more affordable. You could even use this with a storm window for additional insulation.
Vents and ducts would also need some inspection and at the same time some conditioning. Heated air gets lost with misaligned air ducts. You could easily repair it yourself if the misalignment is just minimal. However, if the damage is extensive then you would need to have an air conditioning expert to check the duct work for you.
Most would think that winterizing would just involve water systems and plumbing. Actually, it would even involve roof and gutter cleaning. If a home would be left for a long time during winter or up for sale, then having the roof inspected before winter is important. Cleaning the gutters and the roof would prevent too much ice forming in them resulting to serious damage on the long run.
Aside from making sure that heated air would not escape, you do all of these to watch that energy bill. Before you experience the coldest climate, you may need to make all the necessary repairs. Buying equipment early could actually allow you to buy the items in a lower price. When a lot of people are buying these things you will need at home for the winterization process, there is a tendency to see an increase in price.
If you will be leaving your home for a long time or left vacant because you are selling it, then you would need somebody to check on it, once in a while. Even if the place has been winterized, it is still important to have somebody check on any damages. Some realtors would often visit check houses every week or two during winter.
Even if you will only be going away for a few weeks time, it would still mean a lot to get somebody to baby-sit your home. You could ask them to do daily visits, even give them permission to call on repairs in case of emergency and provide information about service companies that could be called in case the need arises. Remember that winterizing is not an assurance that nothing will happen to your home or property over the winter, but it would protect your property from being completely unusable after the cold climate.
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Energy bills could run very high during winter. Winterizing or preparing for the winter may also be a problem for your purse. There are ways in which you could increase your home’s heating efficiency but at the same time, cur down a little from your previous winter electric bill.
There are things which you could do on your own. There are some homeowners who would hire professional help from plumbers, electricians and contractors. But during this stage of crisis and financial hardship, we can use some simple, do-it-your own and within the budget winterization process.
• Hiring somebody to winterize your home could be expensive. You could start learning on how you could do it from books in your local library or by tackling some cracks and holes. You could also visit websites that could give you sufficient information and even step-by-step procedures.
• You could use plastic sheets when covering unused windows and doors. They could easily be bought in different stores like home improvement shops.
• Do not forget the dryer vent and the area surrounding your washing machine and kitchen sink pipes. Any holes would let the cold wind in and is wasted energy. You could use foam or foam board which can be bought in hardware stores.
• Avoid using your ventilating fans in the kitchen and bathroom since it would suck your heated air out.
• If you have rooms that are not occupied, then it is better to seal off the vent and the doors of these rooms. Imagine keeping the room heated when nobody is even using or going in it.
• Dirty filters are not only dirty, they could also mean more money. Dirt could clog the filters and would eventually cause the filters to work harder and longer.
• You could pull your curtains off the window every morning to let the sunshine and some warmth in the room. At night, your could draw back the curtains to contain the heat and separate the windows from the rest of the heated house.
Preparing your home and your property is not the only thing that you would have to winterize. You would also need to prepare your freezer and your family members for the winter. Summer is a great time for buying sales of fresh produce. You could start stocking up during summer for the winter. You could buy canned fruits, vegetables and meat. Having enough food is important since winter would often mean roads closed, power outages, and harsh weather to be outside. Some would even have extra money with them in case of emergencies.
Aside from fresh produce, you could also start buying equipment that you may need, for example some tape to cover cracks where cold air could pass through. You could also start washing your blankets even before winter strikes. This would save you enough time and at the same time the hassle of preparing the blankets once the first freeze comes in.
Winterizing frugally can be pretty hard. Besides, winter is the most expensive season there is. Energy bills could take a chunk out of your funds. Anyway, it is important to put your family’s comfort and health before anything else.
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Party favors are often at the bottom of the list when it comes to parties and special celebrations. And one cannot blame the people for doing so. After all, anyone will just rather spend the amount on a birthday cake and some food than worry over little gifts that no one even notices after the party.
Unessential as they are, party favors can still add a lot of life into your party. It will also make your guests remember what great time they had in your party, (granted of course that they had a great time. But that’s an entirely different story.) What is really important for a party favor is actually not how expensive it is but how useful it is to the guests even after the party or even during the party.
There are actually ways to ensure that you still have party favors in your party without having to pay so much. Here are some tips on how to get cheap party favors that your guests will just adore.
1. Plan early and buy early
It is good if you plan months ahead of the party. That way, you can take advantage of sales and discount and promos being offered by different establishments. One worthy to mention is of course the 4th of July sale which can go as high as 70 percent off. This is a huge savings for you. There are also great party favors that you can do with Halloween stuff that have not been bought after the Halloween celebration. They will of course be on sale, days after the event. So prepare.
2. Shop at discount store or thrift stores
Party favors need not be matchy matchy. You can give different ones to different guests provided that they revolve around the same theme or concept and that they have the same price range. Some people do not shop at thrift stores because they feel that they won’t find anything good there. But on the contrary, there are a lot of good finds there. You only just have to look.
3. Make your own
Why buy party favors when you can do them on your own? Check on the stuff that you have in the garage and see if there are items that you can recycle or redo into useful party favors. This way, you have nor only made party favors for your event, you also uncluttered your garage. Those are two works for the price one.
When making your own party favors, make sure that you have your timetable right and that you can finish it on time. There have been a lot of great beautiful ideas that have gone down the toilet just because they were executed poorly and made in haste. Don’t let that happen to you.
If you are not interested in making your own gift then just shop for whatever you need. There are cheap party essential store all across the metro. Haggle with the owner and really look for great deals.
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You might be wondering if home mortgage refinance is an easy thing to do. Read on below to find out.
Up to what percentage should be the drop in the interest rates before you consider refinancing your mortgage?
There is no specific secret to this and no certain number can be determined. The financial market hosts to a never ending change so instead of watching out for any specific rates, better yet compute your potential savings. You can do this by comparing your current monthly dues to the payment that you will have to pay for should you refinance your home mortgage. In computing though, just include the principal as well as the interest charges and closing costs. Disregard the cash out, insurance, and taxes. After which, determine if your monthly savings will be worth it.
Will refinancing the credit card debt help save money?
Just like any other debt, you can opt to consolidate your credit card dues. Most of the times, these credit card companies charge skyrocketing interest rates which compound on a daily basis. If you really want to save money on a monthly basis, it will help if you contemplate on refinancing your home especially if you have a big outstanding balance on your credit cards. What you should do is to think about which mortgage charges a higher interest. Your main aim is to convert a higher interest rate into a lower one.
Do you have to cover for some personal expenses?
If there is a need for other personal expenses such as college education, medical expenses, car loans, and the likes, you might want to prefer availing a home refinancing plan. Your cash out can be used for whatever personal purposes you have to fulfill. The amount for your cash out is determined by the equity in your home. Also, it is the best and cheapest way to gain the funds that you need.
Should you go for the adjustable or fixed interest rates?
Both have their own pros and cons. The adjustable rate is fine whenever the rates in the market are low. However, when the mortgage rate goes up, your monthly payment is also likely to increase. Normally, the adjustable loans are best to achieve the short-term savings. Meanwhile, if you mean to keep your home for a longer time, then, it will be better to refinance following a fixed rate.
Is it true that you can save more money by decreasing the mortgage term?
A shorter mortgage term can generally cut back on the amount of interest that you have to pay during the course of the loan. Of course, it is expected that your monthly dues will be higher but at least you will have bigger savings. The home’s equity is also built sooner when you avail of a shorter mortgage term.
Is it right to eliminate the mortgage insurance?
Home refinancing allows you to save more by saying goodbye to the commonly useless insurance if your home has enough equity. The insurance actually benefits only the lender and is added up to your monthly bill. You can be freed from it as you sell your home or as you refinance at about 80% to value or even less.
Home mortgage refinance is actually easy provided that you know which steps to follow. These insights are also meant to set things right for you.
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Either you need money now or there wouldn’t be much of it flowing in the near future. The answer we hear is mortgage refinancing. What questions should you be thinking?
The reasons for it these days can be summed up in these two situations. But before you go through with it, these 4 important questions should be the cornerstones of your decision. Ask yourself.
Will you save up?
Okay, the real deal about the boom in mortgage refinancing today is about realistically meeting up with your obligations. This is by getting a lower interest in the new mortgage term and/or reducing the periods where you have to pay.
However, look out for closing and transaction fees that usually come with mortgage refinancing. Make sure that these fees are less than the savings you ought to get with refinancing the loan.
Are we staying?
The obvious question is: are you moving out in the near future or planning to stay a lot longer? Better get a fixed rate if you are planning to stay 5, 10, 15 years.
Also, choose the shorter length of the fixed rate you can find. You may yield a lot more savings that way because interests are of course, lesser than that of the longer-term rates.
Your current debt and cash flow should also be included in your plans. Work the calculations up with a partner and do not be afraid to ask the lender questions. It is your money after all.
Do I have the best rate?
Shop around, know what is out there. Study the available rates that work in accord to with your plans. Many fail to consider the different options that could have very well worked for them. Be picky. You’re entitled to it.
Get this: some refinanced loans have a higher up front cost, so your plan should be able to make room for that. The rule of thumb is that if you can afford the cash right now, go for it. Remember to never roll your up front fees to your debts. If your closing fees can be recovered in 12 to 16 days, then consider the move brilliant.
Loans with lower initial payments on the other hand, and like those with unfixed rates, may give you a bigger total interest cost over the life of the loan. If you are planning to stay just for a year or two, then varying rates will not affect you as much.
Compare rates and calculate expenses, or you may be exposed to more risks than you what you are trying to reduce. If the closing rate is not what you have calculated it to be, then better think twice.
Should I really take out that equity?
Credibility. Mortgage refinancing long-term with a fixed rate improves your image and standing as a borrower, not to mention the difficulty you might encounter with varying rates down the road.
The other side of the coin is credit rating. Paying it back in the shortest duration of time earns you a higher credit rating, which can help you in the future.
Also remember that taking out home equity and using that to pay for unsecured debt almost always paints a bad picture. It makes much more sense to take out a loan rather than put your home at risk. If you can’t pay the mortgage, they can take your home; if you can’t pay the credit card companies, you still have it.
If you have satisfactory answers to these four important questions, then you might very well be supported in your plan of mortgage refinancing. Guarding yourself from risk and mistakes through research now will pay off beautifully in the long run.
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Are you now feeling the heavy financial burden on your shoulder? Getting a home is not that easy. Yes, your mortgage lender may have promised you an easy payment scheme several years ago but some problems twisted your fate. This leaves you with no choice but to come up with a solid solution on how you can pay back your existing loan.
Millions of homeowners are actually faced with the same dilemma. Don’t wait for the time that you will run out of options. Before you take any further actions, you must pay attention and be directed into the following frequently asked questions on home mortgage refinancing.
1.) Should I refinance my home?
It is quite burdensome to pay for one mortgage payment for your first loan and then settle another payment for your second loan. You will have to shoulder quite a high interest rate if you will settle for such option. Maybe you want to pay for only one mortgage and then reduce the skyrocketing interest rates into an adjustable or fixed rate.
Or perhaps you want to change the current adjustable rate into a fixed rate. Then, refinancing must be your option. Refinancing your mortgage will save you from the private mortgage insurance or PMI especially if you already enjoy 20% equity in your current home.
2.) How will my monthly mortgage responsibility be determined?
The payment that you have to settle on a monthly basis is determined by computing the total amount that you have loaned, the interest rate scheme that you have agreed to, and the number of years that you have specified to pay it back. If you want the adjusted rate mortgage or ARM, it means that you will pay a fluctuating monthly interest rate. Sometimes it will be too much while at times it will be lesser.
3.) Should I decide for home mortgage refinance now?
Your decision to refinance your mortgage should depend on the interest rate at which you can refinance. Take at look at home much you can save on a monthly basis. If by refinancing you can reduce the interest charges that you have to pay for, then, now is the best time. Also, count the number of years left to finish your first mortgage. If you have only five years left to pay it off, then it is not wise to consider this option now.
4.) Can I refinance with only a very minimal cost?
Yes. There are several loan programs available that offer lower cost on refinance mortgage. By availing one of those programs, you save yourself from pulling out the money left in your bank account or from sacrificing the equity of your home.
5.) What other pertinent details should I know?
Before you avail of any refinancing program, it is best to consult several mortgage lenders. Know what they have to offer and how beneficial it can be to you. Be aware of the assessed value of your property. You may ask for your copy from the local tax assessor’s office. Also, it will be of help to know the current trend in the housing market. These details are important and must be weighed when considering refinancing.
In reality, home mortgage refinance is the best way to save you more money on a monthly basis, avoid any foreclosure notices, and lose the home that you have long dreamed of.
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