An ABC station in the Bay Area did a segment recently on seven freebies that can save thousands of dollars a year, including free directory assistance, free legal advice, free music, free birthday treats, free music and free PC protection. Check it out here.
Thanks, Andy!
The last of my freebie make up remover is gone, which means for two days after I get dolled up I have this mysterious look from my lingering eyeliner. Mystery is okay, but sometimes I don’t want to have my eyes lined at the grocery store. So how does one make homemade make up remover?
I searched online and came up with a promising suggestion: mix a tablespoonful of raw milk with a pinch of turmeric powder and a few drops of lemon juice and apply the mixture with a cotton ball.
I happened to have all these supplies on hand and happily went about mixing and applying. Unfortunately, the results were about as good as if I had used soap and water. When I rinsed the mixture off, my eyeshadow and eyeliner remained. My mascara had slipped onto the dark circles under my eyes. My skin was very soft, however.
For now, I’m a lady of mystery. But if you have a homemade recipe for removing oily makeup, I would be much obliged. And so would everyone else looking for a cheap home remedy!
I don’t have kids but I do know that a lot of families are looking for cheap ways to keep their children occupied this summer. Here are a few suggestions:
Form a co-op
Take turns babysitting with another parent. This has worked well for a reader named Carrie, who writes NaturalMomsTalkRadio.com. “We’re doing a babysitting co-op – 3 days a week we take care of each other’s children for several hours so we can get work done,” Carrie said.
Host an au pair
If you have room, host a foreigner who provides childcare and light housework in exchange for room and board. There are many organizations that connect au pairs with families, including Cultural Care, AuPair.com, International Au Pair Association, and Au Pair in America.
Enroll in a Parks and Recreation program
Most large cities have low-cost activities for kids. In LA, the Parks and Rec department has more than a dozen programs. Reader Salima said she enrolled her boys for Palms Child Care in Los Angeles, which charges $130 for 15 hours of care per week, or about $180 for 35 hours a week. Search online for programs at your city’s parks and rec department.
Sign up for vacation bible school
A reader named Lisa said vacation bible school is a “cheap alternative to day camps – gets the kids out of the house for a few hours (and gives me time to work too since I work p/t from home). The best part about VBS is that it’s so inexpensive – most churches only charge $40-$75 a week and put on an entire week of fun all tied back to good old-fashioned values.” To find a VBS near you, Google “vacation bible school + 91367″ or whatever your zip code may be.
Rely on friends and family
A reader named Chris taps “every available family/friend resource we have and set a schedule that usually has the kids visiting different family/friends once a week. We also change our work schedule, opting to work on Saturdays (when my mother is available to watch the kids) then having a different day (such as Friday) off with the kids. I also am able to work from home one of the days, which really helps when this option is available.”
Hire a student
Post a note on the job board at your local university or college. Many students who stay in town for the summer need work. Students can be cheaper than commercial childcare centers, while still providing quality care. If possible, share a student nanny with another family and really cut your spending.
Ask for a lower rate at your regular day care
Your go-to source of childcare would probably prefer to cut you a small discount than lose you all together. Call and ask if they have any flexibility with the pricing. Explain your situation and ask them to work with you.
Check for public school programs
In Las Vegas a program called Safe Key is very popular, says reader Charlene, who runs MaxBizMom.com. It is a basic day care program run by the local school district in conjunction with the parks and rec department. “It really has been a godsend,” Charlene said. Safe Key charges about $75 per week with care from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. each weekday.
Enroll in low-cost day camp
While traditional day care can be pricey, there are cheap alternatives. Call around and compare rates.
A reader suggested I look into tax incentives for buying green energy for the home. Seeing how it’s Earth Day, I was happy to do some research. Here are a few resources I found:
- Energy Star has a page listing many green tax credits for 2009, 2010 and some that are good through 2016
- Tree Hugger has a really cool 14-page slide show titled “Stuff Obama will help you buy,” like a Kindle, hybrid car, or wind turbine.
- DSIRE has a searchable database of incentives that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency, listed by state. DSIRE is a joint project between the North Carolina Solar Center and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council and is funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.
- Energy Star explains how the stimulus bill has affected energy credits: The tax credit has been raised from 10 to 30 percent. The maximum credit has been raised from $500 to $1,500 total for the 2009-2010 with some exceptions like geothermal heat pumps, solar water heaters, and solar panels. The $200 cap on windows has been removed, but the requirements have been increased significantly.
- Energy Star has also answered two pages of questions submitted by readers about energy credits.
- Planet Green points out 10 general tax breaks for going green.
Thanks, Rob!
This post is brought to you by Severnside, waste management and recycling specialists.
My sister has an interesting way of flushing the toilet. She lives on the sixth floor of an apartment in NYC and it takes a while for the water to get hot when she takes a shower. So while the water is warming up she shoves a bucket under the faucet.
When she needs to flush the toilet, instead of pressing the lever, she dumps the water from the bucket all at once into the toilet boil. The additional water kick starts the toilet’s siphon, which sucks down the dirty water waste.
She saves water by re-using the cold shower water and by only flushing the toilet when necessary. If it’s yellow…
I stayed with her recently and I was surprised how easy it was to adapt to her flushing system. I rather liked the idea of conserving water, though I did worry that we would forget to flush before guests came over. As soon as I got home I returned to my old ways.
Now, in honor of Earth Day tomorrow, I am trying to adopt my sister’s green habit. I installed a clear bucket under the shower faucet and feel greener already. Hubby says he is on board – as long as he still has the option of flushing the toilet the old fashioned way.
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If you are counting the days until the beginning of the month when your spending budget is replenished, like me, here are a few ideas and resources to get you to May.
- Make meals out of whatever is left in your fridge. Click here to see how many days I lasted when I stopped buying groceries.
- Or cook recipes suggested by one grocery store that only cost $3 a day, which is how much food stamp recipients have for groceries.
- Park your car in favor of biking, taking the bus, or walking. Hubby and I recently took the bus downtown for a date and I was pleasantly surprised how convenient it was.
- Most museums have at least one free day a month. Check when it is at museums near you.
- Instead of going out to an expensive dinner or show, invite your friends over or go on one of these cheap dates. Or rent a free DVD from the library.
- If you hit the bars, leave your credit cards at home and only bring the amount of cash you want (or have) to spend.
- Find out what kind of free stuff you can get on Frugal Freebies.
- Dig out unused gift cards and re-consider using them. Maybe I will go to Panera Bread, after all!
Make it a game to see how long you can go without spending. Instead of feeling trapped because you cannot buy anything, think of how powerful you feel by doing so much without spending!
Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22, 2009.
Get a free roll of Reynolds new recycled aluminum foil (worth up to $4) when you visit their Web site on Earth Day. Go here to set up a reminder email.
My Green Electronics is a cool site that lets you calculate how much electricity each appliance and gadget sucks by the minute, day, month and year. Knowing the cost of each item may help you cut back.
MSNBC has a great roundup of green resources, like a site that helps you find a local recycling program for a lot more than bottles, get info on hybrid and alternative-fuel cars, and more.
Get $1 and $2 off coupons for Seventh Generation products when you register on their site.
Yahoo! has a “green” page with many money-saving tips, like using baking soda as a home cleaner and buying an LCD TV instead of a plasma TV, which uses twice as much energy. If you have covered all the basics, read their ten tips to go even greener.
The site 123 Greetings has 10 free earth day cards you can send electronically to friends.
Get a free medium drink at Peet’s Coffee when you buy one of three green products, from $5 to $22. Peet’s regularly gives ten cents off if you bring your own cup and twenty-five cents off when you reuse a bag. They also give away coffee grounds for your garden or compost bin. Just ask.
You may find many local deals by Googling “earth day deals + 93167″ or whatever your zip code may be.
Find Earth Day events near you.
CD and DVD clearance at participating Borders Books are 50% off. Some exclusions. In store only. Read the fine print for a list of non-participating stores.
Get $50 off patio sets of $200 and up at Big Lots between April 17 and 24, 2009.
Get a free angus chili hot dog when you buy one angus chili hot dog at the regular price at Wienerschnitzel now through April 25, 2009. Print the coupon here.
EBates is offering higher automatic rebates at select green retailers, including beauty supplies, housewares, and gardening products.
Select spring shoes are 50% off at Shoes.com this Saturday, April 18, only. All Naturalizer shoes are 20% off Saturday and Sunday. No coupon code needed.
Gaiam is offering 20% off Earth-friendly best sellers with coupon code EDEMC. Ends April 23, 2009.
Restaurant.com offers 70% off $25 gift certificates that normally go for $10, bringing the cost to $3. Use code FEAST. Expires April 20, 2009. Watch out for strict redemption rules.
JCPenney offers 10-20% off as part of a friends and family sale on many items. Print the coupon here. Online use code FRIEND20 or mention it when ordering from the catalog (800-222-6161). Valid April 19, 2009 only. Some exclusions.
Thanks, Tina!
A few weeks ago my friend started a recession garden to calm her fears about the recession. If she got laid off and couldn’t find a job, at least she had food. Now “sprouties” are appearing in her tiny patch of dirt and she is ecstatic. Green beans! Radishes! Lettuce! She has never enjoyed eating lettuce so much.
“Now the seeds are all sown and, like a miracle, food is growing in my yard,” my friend wrote in the LA Daily News, where she works. “Along with the green things, I regrew some sense of purpose. ”
If you are interested in gardening and/or coping with economic stress, I highly recommend reading her story.
A recent NY Times ad highlighted 16 different iPhone apps that can help save money, including 9 that are free. Highlights:
RN Dining – “As a member of the Rewards Network, you can save up to 15% at select restaurants. RN Dining is the easy, convenient way to find participating restaurants in your area.”
Mint.com – “Manage your bank accounts, monthly bill payments and other finances. With its constantly updated information, it’s an easy way to keep a close eye on your budget.”
RepairPal – “Locate reliable mechanics and get estimates for your vehicle repairs. And if you need roadside assistance, one tap of your iPhone will connect you to a helpline.”
All Recipes.com – “Want to dine in more? Put thousands of money-saving recipes in the palm of your hand. You can also view instructional photos, read user reviews and share your favorite dishes.”
And one I plan to download very soon:
Small Spend – “With handy charts and graphs, this app makes it easy to see exactly where your money’s going so you can make adjustments in your spending habits – and start saving money.”
I spend my money differently than Hubby. Where I like to buy clothes and drinks with friends, he prefers electronics and computer hardware. You spent HOW much on a gizmo that backs up our computer drives? Oh my!
We spend differently and we don’t always spend the same amount of money, which is where it gets tricky. So how does a couple reconcile spending habits?
My friend is currently wrestling with this challenge. She is making changes in her life to spend less, but her spouse has developed hard-to-break spendy habits. He enjoys buying a morning muffin and coffee – and he’s known to return for a cookie and more coffee in the afternoon. Problem is his habit adds up to $200 a month, or $2,400 a year. Then there are the parking tickets because he forgets to put money in the meter. And so on.
So she showed him the money. She added up his spendy habits by month, multiplied by 12, and showed him the awful annual truth. He was piddling away their children’s education, their family home, and their retirement on Starbucks and fines.
He countered that he wants to enjoy his life, a legitimate feeling. If he wanted to live like a monk he’d join a monastery!
My solution is to find ways to enjoy each day without risking your financial future. In other words, compromise.
Not very sexy. But very savvy.
Instead of cutting out splurges entirely, reduce. Focus on making slow and steady progress – say 10-15 percent less spending per month – so that you can adjust your lifestyle in ways that will stick. Drink coffee instead of a latte. Forego the muffin. And always put one extra quarter into the meter.
Talk about your financial goals and keep them front and center. Latte now? Or private school later? Hmmmm…
You might also consider going back to basics and have a serious money talk with your partner/spouse. Free From Broke lists 10 important things to discuss.
UPDATE: A 2 cent increase on a 42 cent stamp is an increase of almost 5 percent, not a half a percent. I apologize for the error. Thanks to reader Luke who gently pointed out my fuzzy math. This means investing in sheets of Forever stamps IS a good idea unless your money is going to earn more than 4.5 percent elsewhere. Even so, it’s a decent return on something as valuable as stamps, assuming you don’t lose them.
PREVIOUSLY: The United States Post Office is raising their rates May 11, 2009, from 42 to 44 cents for a first class letter. You can buy Forever stamps now and use them after the rate hike, however. This saves you two cents per letter, or about a half of a percent.
So is it worth it to hoard Forever stamps?
“Hoarding Forever Stamps makes financial sense if you think postal costs will rise at a higher rate than your after-tax earnings on a money-market mutual fund — currently about 3.5 percent a year for someone in the 30 percent tax bracket,” writes Allan Sloan, a reporter at the Washington Post who looked into this question when USPS introduced the Forever Stamp two years ago.
In the end, hoarding Forever stamps is not a wise investment, except for the pleasure you get from paying a little less at the post office, Sloan says. Hmmm…I think that brief joy is just enough to convince me to buy a few sheets.
I live in an apartment so I’m starting my recession garden small: a single planter box of mint, sage, and rosemary (from top to bottom).
My three plants cost me $7.77 at OSH, which has a very lenient plant return policy. I kicked myself after I bought them because I remembered I still have $50 on a Home Depot gift card. Drat!
Buying herbs at the grocery store costs $1 to $1.50, which means I need to harvest five to eight batches of herbs to break even. I already had the dirt and the planter, so I am not taking into account those costs. I hope the mint does especially well because I love to make mojitos.
How is your recession garden growing? Email me a picture of yours with a comment about the plants and I will post the best on the blog!
More recession garden resources:
Growing food instead of grass: recession gardening
How a garden can save you $500
A recession garden may NOT save you money
Reader tips on recession gardens
We’ve all heard about people walking away from homes worth less than the mortgage, but until recently I did not know anyone in this situation. Then my girlfriend told me she and her partner were stopping mortgage payments. WHAT???
My friend paid $470,000 for her home in 2004. Now it it worth $300,000, according to Zillow. My girlfriend and her partner bought the home with two loans totaling 100 percent of the home’s purchase price. The intended to sell it before their main loan reset. When things got sticky no one would refinance because they lacked equity. The market crashed and, well, you know the rest.
In January they stopped paying their $3,100 mortgage. She feels guilty, but then her partner lost his job so she reasons they would not have been able to keep up with the payments anyway.
Her father, who stopped paying his mortgage in August, just received a letter from his bank saying they were willing to work with him. She hopes the same thing will happen to her.
“You can’t have a nation of people with s—y credit,” she said to me recently over coffee. “There’s got to be a forgiveness program.”
Maybe, I thought. But why in the heck did she buy the home, which she did not even really like, in the first place? She and her partner were making interest-only payments that added up to more than 30 percent of their monthly income. Come on, girlfriend!
“We believed in two years the market was going to be great,” she said. “We would sell the home, make a few thousand, and buy a home we really wanted.”
As an outsider, I can’t help but think she should have been smarter about buying the home in the first place. But then again, Hubby and I also bought a home just before the market peaked that stretched us financially. The main difference between my friend and me is that my mortgage was 30-year fixed and we sold the place before the bubble deflated.
I wished my friend had not made a decision that, in hindsight, was a bad one. If her bank will not modify her payment, she will have to file for bankruptcy.
On the other hand, if she negotiates a lower rate and can stay in her home, I will not feel like she has unfairly gotten ahead of folks like Hubby and I, who played our cards conservatively. My friend has a huge ordeal ahead of her (read: stress and paperwork) and if things work out well, she will still be living in a home she does not really like.
NPR says walking away from a home need not be a shameful decision. The station’s reporters found a web site called You Walk Away that “empowers homeowners who purchased their homes at the peak of the real estate market to take control of their financial future.” Which is not-so-subtle code for reneging on your mortgage.
The site has an interactive calculator that helps you figure out whether you should walk or not. Seeing how their business is helping people walk away, I’m guessing the calculator is biased. Still, it may be worth looking into for some readers.
