Author: Life or Debt
Way to Save #94: Change 1 Degree On Your Thermostat
Life or Debt on October 21, 2009
Turning your thermostat dial up or down by just one degree can reduce your energy bill by up to five percent per month.
Way to Save #93: Seal Up Your Home
Life or Debt on October 20, 2009
Use a lighted candle to detect air leaks around doors and windows. Caulk is much cheaper than electricity.
Way to Save #92: Change Your Filters
Life or Debt on October 19, 2009
Keeping your furnace and air conditioning filters like new can save you up to 10% per month on costs. Don’t check them once a year, check them once a month.
Way to Save #91: Buy Energy Efficient Appliances
Life or Debt on October 18, 2009
Those yellow energy-guide stickers are important reading, especially if you’re shopping for a refrigerator, air-conditioning or a furnace.
Way to Save #90: Run Your Dishwasher Less
Life or Debt on October 17, 2009
One less time per week can save you $50 per year. And air-drying your dishes will also save.
Way to Save #89: Use Florescent Bulbs
Life or Debt on October 16, 2009
Here’s a bright idea. Florescent bulbs use 75% less energy than incandescent and last up to 10 times longer. Use as many as you can. And for non-reading lights, lower the wattage of your bulbs.
Way to Save #88: Get A Free Energy Audit
Life or Debt on October 15, 2009
Many utility companies will come out to your house for free or at a nominal cost and tell you how to save money. If yours will, let em. And while they’re there, ask if they have any off-peak, load-management or other savings programs.
Way to Save #87: Negotiate Rent
Life or Debt on October 14, 2009
For some reason, everybody knows they’re supposed to negotiate house purchases, but almost nobody thinks of negotiating rent. Why should you pay the same rent as the punk rockers upstairs? You’re a quiet, high quality, self-sufficient tenant who will be less hassle than other people. Therefore you should pay less rent. (Trust me, as a … Continued
Way to Save #86: Inspect A House Before You Buy
Life or Debt on October 13, 2009
Don’t even think of buying a house until you’ve had it thoroughly inspected. Not only will you be more comfortable with the purchase, but you can use the report as leverage to get the price lowered. (The inspector will ALWAYS find something wrong.)
Way to Save #85: Buy Homes Direct
Life or Debt on October 12, 2009
People who sell their house themselves are saving money on real estate commissions. They should be able to sell for less. But doing things without realtors also means more education for you. So be knowledgeable before you try bringing home the savings.
Way to Save #84: Sell Your Own Home
Life or Debt on October 11, 2009
Real estate commissions are among the costliest of fees, especially considering the value you get in return. If you’re in a lousy housing market, you may not have a choice: realtors will expose your home to the maximum number of potential buyers. But if the market’s popping, try selling it yourself, after reading a book … Continued
Way to Save #83: Time Your Home Purchase
Life or Debt on October 10, 2009
October, November and December are the hardest months to sell a house, making them the best months to buy one.
Way to Save #82: Buy Stocks Direct
Life or Debt on October 9, 2009
You can buy nearly 1,000 different stocks by going direct to the company that issues them. While the fees charged for doing this vary from company to company, they are often much less than the fees you’d pay by going through a broker. DRIP refers to dividend reinvestment plans that allow you to reinvest quarterly … Continued
Way to Save #81: Don't Buy "Load" Mutual Funds
Life or Debt on October 8, 2009
A “load” refers to a commission, and there’s no reason for you to ever pay one. If you’re buying a mutual fund through a financial advisor of any kind (except ones you pay by the hour), you’re undoubtedly going to pay a load. Do your own research, buy your own funds, and don’t pay a … Continued
Way to Save #80: Get A Retirement Plan
Life or Debt on October 7, 2009
Join your employer’s voluntary retirement plan, especially if it offers a match. After your debts are paid off, saving through a retirement plan has some great advantages, like investing automatically and being able to defer the taxes on the money you make. Even before you pay off your debts, you should enroll in a plan … Continued
Way to Save #79: Know The Lingo
Life or Debt on October 6, 2009
When we shop for credit cards, or any loans for that matter, the focus is always on the interest rate you’re being charged. While that’s obviously the main thing, it’s not the only thing. In the case of credit cards, you also need to inquire about “grace period.” That’s the period of time you have … Continued
Way to Save #78: Check For "Stealth" Fees
Life or Debt on October 5, 2009
Hidden fees abound in credit cards. They include fees for going over your credit limit, transferring your balance to another company and paying late. The only way you have of finding out about these fees is to call the issuer or read the microscopic print found on the original disclosure paperwork or monthly statements. You … Continued
Way to Save #77: Give Yourself Credit
Life or Debt on October 4, 2009
If you’re going to have credit cards, get the best possible deals. If you pay off your balance every month, get a card with no fee. If you don’t, get the lowest possible interest rate, but don’t forget to include any annual fees in the interest price you’re paying. You can find good credit card … Continued
Way to Save #76: Balance Your Checking Account
Life or Debt on October 3, 2009
Estimates of people who don’t bother to reconcile their checking accounts range from 6% to 20%. If you don’t keep track of what’s in your account, you should just carry cash. Because sooner or later, you’re going to be paying giant fees for bounced checks!
Way to Save #75: Use Direct Deposit
Life or Debt on October 2, 2009
Go direct! Direct deposit of money you receive and direct payment of bills you owe can save you postage, gas and hassle. And it could increase your interest earnings to boot. See what your bank offers and take advantage of it.
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