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Frugal Living at The Dollar Stretcher

In Today's Issue:

Financially Fit
12-step program to lose the debt and create a lean, mean financial machine

Fireplace Safety Tips
Keeping that warm glow safe for your family

Winter Fun!
Yes, you can have fun in the snow!

Digital Photo Printers
Finding the best deal for your photos

Frugal Beauty Tips
Budget-friendly ways to look great and feel great!

Storage Solutions
Organize your home

100,000 Post Challenge
Last week's top tips: I'm not sweating the Christmas "small" stuff anymore!, Creative substitutions and Slaying the Debt Dragon in 2009.
We'll announce the winners of the 100,000 Post Challenge on Jan 6th at 2pm Eastern. Join us for the party here.

Afraid to Lose Your House or Car?
The sooner you clean and dress the financial wound the better your chances of a recovery

Site Build It!

False Economies
Weed them out for a more frugal and satisfying life

Top 5 Credit Card "Gotchas"
Watch out for these common traps

Beat Energy Costs: Lighting
Simple adjustments that will save you money

The Great Papers Debate
Which ones should you keep and for how long?

First Aid for the Bathroom
Bring back a little life ot an outdated room

Who You Know at the Grocery Store
Save hundreds of dollars at the grocery store this year

4 Ways to Pay Off Holiday Debts
There's no need to still be paying in June

Quick Kitchen Transformations
An inexpensive transformation for the hub of your home

Quick and Easy Meat Loaf
Let the butcher show you some secrets

How to Be a More Savvy Hair-Care Consumer
Shopping know-how that will save you money

Homemade Lotions and Toiletries
Luxury lotions at a fraction of the cost

Your Annual Performance Review
How does your financial performance measure up?

The Leftover Solution
Use up the odds and ends

Not One Dollar!
What things do you refuse to spend money on?

Potent Peroxide
A wonder worker in your home

Unwanted Christmas Gifts
What do you do with unwanted gifts?

Why People Do Not Achieve Financial Success
Eliminate the stumbling blocks to a better future

Closing Off Unused Rooms
Looking for ways to reduce your heating bill

Action at the Auction
Research and patience pay off

A Caterer's Shopping Tips
A simple solution to lower food bills

Can you help this reader?
Readers want your help!
Buying affordable 'memory' foam
Please take a look and tell us what you think

Reader's Tips
The smartest readers on the web share their frugal living ideas!

  • Priority spending plan
    With a startup business, irregular income and a baby on the way, TJ needs to hear about the prioritized spending plan
  • Breaking down a Ponzi
    Nancy wants Dave to break down the scam that is the Ponzi scheme
  • Going into it full time
    Barry wants to break into the real estate business as a full time career. What pointers does Dave have for him?
  • We Thought We Knew What We Were Doing
    Read how Edward's family made a horrible decision about their life insurance policies - and lost all of the money in 4 months!
  • Mixing up the money
    Elizabeth will be wed soon and wants to know how to work the Baby Steps and the debt snowball into her marriage
  • Buying a house early
    Should a college student with no credit history buy a house, or wait?
    • For more Dave Ramsey Click Here

    Your Story
    Do you know a way to save time and money? Then please take a moment to "Tell Us Your Story"

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    Saving you time and money since 1996
    last update: January 6, 2009


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    Flee, or stay the financial course?
    Financial planners advise investors not to make hasty decisions in this turbulent and uncertain market.

    The best moves in mortgages in 2009
    2008 was the year of foreclosures. 2009 will be the year of refinances and mortgage modifications.

    Video: Retirement planning in your 40s
    Maximize workplace retirement plans and don't invest too conservatively. Skimp on college savings if necessary.

    Who has to file a tax return?
    Not everybody has to submit a tax return, depending on age and income. Just what are the rules?

    Working with a trustee in bankruptcy
    In Chapter 7, you must disclose all payments to creditors and family members to the trustee.

    6 ways to save on continuing education
    When it comes to applying for college scholarships, retirees have some advantages.

    Pre-paid plans an option for adults
    Working adults should consider prepaid tuition and savings plans when charting a return to college.

    13 smart insurance moves for 2009
    Insurers and employers will be trimming coverage in the coming year. Here's how to avoid gaps in insurance.

    The evolution of credit cards
    The credit card craze started in the mid-20th century and never let up. Upcoming changes promise a bright future.

    Video: Your odds for a tax audit
    Are you at greater risk for an audit based on your income?

    8 steps for Day 1 of the 2009 tax season
    Eight tasks you can take care of now instead of later.

    9 smart debt strategies in 2009
    These nine smart debt strategies can keep you from falling into a financial hole during 2009.

    Wife not married to spouse's old debts
    Your spouse's creditors may suggest you are liable for debts incurred prior to marriage. Don't believe it.

    School closure won't erase loan debt
    Private lenders are not subject to rules that discharge debt in the event of a school's closure.

    9 bankruptcy do's and don'ts in 2009
    9 tips to a smooth filing for bankruptcy protection in 2009.

    Surviving a workplace bankruptcy
    Thousands of businesses are shutting down shop and laying off employees. Here's how to protect yourself.

    How important is credit to you?
    Take this online quiz to see how your feelings about credit cards stack up against those of other Americans.

    Certified cars offer peace of mind
    Certified cars may cost more, but they offer reassurance.

    Buyer waiting for car may cancel deal
    A dealer who has failed to deliver a car may be jeopardizing the sale.

    Car payments help rebuild credit
    Making car payments on time will help rebuild a credit score.

    Giving back car will damage your credit
    Simply giving a car back to the dealer will ding your credit.

    Simplify New Year's resolutions
    Don't make grandiose New Year's resolutions. There shouldn't be many, and the few you make should be simple.

    New rules rev-up reverse mortgages
    A new federal housing law raises the ceiling on the amount of money seniors can obtain from a reverse mortgage and lowers the fees charged for the loan.

    Find the home loan limit for your county
    This map will help you determine what the FHA loan limit is for a single-family home in your county as of Jan. 1, 2009.

    Selling your gold jewelry
    If you've got gold jewelry you might consider selling it while gold prices are still high. Here's how to do it.

    Waste water, waste money
    Save money and the environment by making changes in how you use water in your home.

    The ins and outs of reverse mortgages
    You can tap your home equity without having to repay it as long as you live in the house. But it's an expensive loan.

    Ask Dr. Don
  • 'Soft inquiry' won't hurt credit score
    Creditors who look at your credit report do not see soft inquiries, which do not damage your FICO score.
  • Roth IRA beats 401(k) in key ways
    A young worker may find a Roth IRA to be superior to a 401(k) when saving for retirement.
  • Understand annuity before you sign
    The wrong time to learn more details about your annuity contract is after you sign on the dotted line.
  • Invest now or give up gains forever
    If you fail to invest in a retirement account this year, the opportunity will be gone forever.
  • What's $29,000 worth after 18 years?
    A bank deposit of $29,000 loses some of its purchasing power after 18 years.
  • FICO score over 780 is good enough
    Worrying about boosting a FICO score above 780 is a waste of time.
  • CD can boost returns of emergency fund
    Parking your emergency fund in a CD may pay off but review the prepayment penalties.
  • Refinance to clear decks after divorce
    Refinancing is the best way for a woman to pay her ex the appropriate home equity stake.


    • Financial Calculators
    courtesy of BankRate.com


    Inflation Fighters The Dollar Stretcher

    The Gift Budget
    How 11 forgotten months can save you time and money

    My Story
    Could their family go an entire month without spending money?

    Preserving Vegetables
    Using blanching to save money in the kitchen

    Making Sure the Shoe Fits
    Maximize your shoe-buying dollars

    The Dollar Stretcher Community
    Share what you know with your frugal friends!

    Did this holiday season change your plans for next year? - What did you learn from this year's experience?

    Have you been living with a broken whatever for frugality's sake? - Sometimes we get along with things that don't work for so long that it doesn't seem worth fixing them

    Tips for newbie in the kitchen? - She's looking for best beginner tips and cookbooks

    Popcorn tins - Did you get popcorn in one of those large tins this year? What are you going to do with the empty tin?

    Never visited The Community? We'll make it easy for you to make new frugal friends in the About These Forums section


    Dollar Stretcher Blogs recent posts

    Become a Dollar Stretcher blogger. Send us an email with your idea for a blog. We're always looking for more great ideas to share with visitors!


    Current Rates

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  • When to claim credit for the kids
    The child care credit is not meant to subsidize education, but to allow parents to work.
  • FSA benefits for working parents
    Qualified benefits in a flexible spending account include dependent care.
  • Inherited IRA withdrawals
    The beneficiary of an inherited IRA can withdraw without the 10-percent penalty.
  • Rules for claiming dependents
    A student with high medical bills can be claimed as a dependent if the criteria are met.
  • Choosing to form an S corp
    It makes no sense to form an LLC if you really want your business to be taxed as an S corp.


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    Credit card balance transfers: The landscape is changing
    Balance transfers are valuable tools, but the radically changed 2009 landscape means they're trickier and harder to find

    Are three cards too many?
    There's no one answer to how many cards are too many. Lots of variables come into play, including how you use the cards and how you make your payments

    7 credit card fears
    Are you or someone you know afraid to use -- or even obtain -- plastic? Sure, credit cards come with a series of essential cautions, but they can be safe and useful financial management tools

    How to keep a small business credit limit from being cut
    Those who rely on small business cards with high limits to keep their shops running need to be proactive

    How to prevent and cure medical ID theft
    Why you should treat your health insurance card as you would a credit card or driver's license

    Strategies for escaping a too-expensive auto lease
    If you signed an lease that turns out to be unaffordable, you have a few options, but most aren't pretty

    How lower credit limits effect your credit score Banks' decision to cut credit limits may hurt cardholders, but borrowers shouldn't expect any immediate help from the companies that decide how those lines of credit impact credit scores

    Regulators finalize sweeping credit card rule reforms
    Federal regulators approved the most sweeping credit card industry reforms in nearly three decades, limiting interest rate hikes on existing credit card balances, giving cardholders a reasonable amount of time to pay bills and requiring better disclosure of key credit card terms

    The pros and cons of credit union credit cards
    Offers with low APRs and late fees and often beat banks in customer service surveys. But they aren't for everyone

    Bailing family members out of debt
    If that fresh start comes too easily, in a few years they can be back in line looking for another fresh start

    For Our Canadian Friends
  • Prepaid credit cards
    Is taking a prepaid credit card from a payday lender a good idea?
  • Outfitting growing kids for winter sports
    Tips on where to buy and sell used sports equipment
  • To fix or not to fix
    Our experts weigh in on when you should repair a major appliance and when you should buy new
  • Bogged down by stuff?
    It's time to purge your home and your head
  • Making your own dog food
    Cooking for your dog can save you time and money and result in a happier, healthier pet
    • The Dollar Stretcher Poll

    Do you have some thoughts about Financial Resolutions that you want to share? You can email your comments here. Or visit The Dollar Stretcher Community to share your thoughts on Financial Resolutions.

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