Michele's Money Corner

Money Saving Tip #221: Re-Finance?

2012-05-03T11:45:00.000-04:00

My husband and I have been living in our home for a couple of years. Like most new mortgages, we opted for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage. With the new low interest rates, we decided to look into our refinance options. After we settled on a lender, we qualified and acquired a new mortgage for our home. Our new mortgage is a 20-year fixed rate mortgage. And, our monthly payments only went up $17. We get to have our house 10 years earlier for practically the same price.

Money Saving Tip #220: Sports Equipment

2012-03-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

My daughter recently signed up to play softball. Having never played before, the last thing I wanted to do was spend hundreds of dollars on sporting equipment. Our league required each child to have a glove, cleats, and a helmet. The first (and last) place I went to to buy these items was a sporting goods store that sells used equipment. Everything I got for her was used.

The helmet was $15.00, rather than $25.00. The glove was $8.00, rather than $25.00. The cleats were $15.00, rather than $35.00. I even bought used softballs for $1 each. With the extra money I saved, I was able to buy her a used baseball bat. Our bat was $10.00. The bat originally sold for $50.00.

Money Saving Tip #219: Super Cheap Fabric Softener

2012-03-02T09:00:00.000-05:00

Most people use a form of fabric softener when doing their laundry. Some people choose dryer sheets, and some choose liquid fabric softener. Whatever you choose, the cost of these items can be quite costly over the period of one year. For a fraction of the cost, you could use white vinegar instead.

I have substituted white vinegar for my liquid fabric softener. I also do this for the purity of the vinegar rather than a commercially made product filled with unnatural chemicals.

I took an empty container of fabric softener. Then, I added the peel of about 8 lemons to the container. Next, I filled up the container with white vinegar. The vinegar becomes saturated with the lemons after a couple days. I recommend changing out the lemon peels every couple of weeks. I use a cap-full of vinegar in my washing machine.

If you don't want to use lemon peel (or any other citrus peel), you can always leave it plain or add some drops of essential oils. The smell of the vinegar leaves the clothing before they come out of the washing machine.

My grocery store sells a gallon of white vinegar for about $2.00.

Money Saving Tip #218: Auto Insurance Coverage

2012-02-29T13:00:00.003-05:00

My husband and I are very lucky to completely own our three personal vehicles. But, please don't think we drive the latest and greatest cars. Our newest car is 12 years old now. Our other two cars are over 19 and 25 years old. Because we hold the titles for each of our cars, we are able to save money on our auto insurance coverage.

Each of our vehicles have Liability Only insurance coverage. For our 12 year old vehicle, this means a savings of over $400 each year. Our policy has been reduced from $377 to less than $175 for 6 months.

If you hold the title to your car, contact your insurance provider and see what your savings could be. If you reduce your policy to Liability Only, understand that you will not be compensated for your vehicle in the event that you cause a collision with another vehicle.

We looked at the estimated value of our vehicle to determine if we should reduce our coverage. Because our vehicle is only valued about a few thousand dollars and we primarily drive our company cars, this decision was easy for us.

Money Saving Tip #217: Salad Dressing

2012-02-16T16:00:00.000-05:00

When eating a salad, don't pour your salad dressing all over the top. Pour a small amount in a separate bowl or ramekin, and then dip your fork full of salad into the dressing. You will probably find that you use about 25% less salad dressing if you do it this way.

The added bonus to this suggestion is the reduction of calories that you consume.

Money Saving Tip #216: Apple Cider Vinegar as a Hair Conditioner

2012-02-06T13:00:00.008-05:00

Wait! Don't go! Keep reading...

The longer your hair is, the more money you will spend on hair care products such as shampoo and conditioner. Some people wash their hair once a day, every other day, a few times per week, and sometimes even once per week. Whatever your routine is, I can save you a lot of money if you switch out your conditioner for apple cider vinegar. Yes, I said, "Apple Cider Vinegar." Many people store their apple cider vinegar (ACV) in the kitchen where it is used for food preparations.

Not too long ago, I substituted ACV for conditioner while showering. I did it on the weekend, because I didn't know what the final result was going to be. Combine 1 TBSP of ACV with 1 cup of water. I then put the mixture in my spray mist bottle. Off to the shower I went.

After I washed my hair, I sprayed my damp (not soaking wet) hair with ACV. I sprayed the outer layers, middle layers, and area around the nape of my neck. I did all this while still standing in the shower. Yes, the smell was quite disturbing. Fear not, it fades once your hair is dry. Some people rinse it out, and some people leave it in their hair.

After I dried off, I took a comb to my hair. Fully expecting it to filled with tangles, I braced myself for a tugging session with my scalp. To my complete surprise, my comb glided through my hair with no tangles. Once it was dried, my hair was so silky smooth and shiny. And, still no tangles. I have been hooked ever since.

Some people only do this Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse every other day or a couple of times per week. Give it a try and see what works best for you.

So, if you want to spend pennies on conditioning your hair, make the switch to apple cider vinegar. You will be happy you did.

Money Saving Tip #215: Drafty Doors

2012-01-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Depending on the age of your home, you may have some drafty doors. Our home is 12 years old. We have a basement door near our kitchen. Below the basement door is about a 3/4 inch gap. This gap allows air from the basement into our main level and allows our main level air into the basement. This means that our toasty, heater air (in the winter), and our cool, air conditioner air (in the summer) seeps into our unfinished basement.

Prevent the escape of air into your basement, garage, and exterior of your home by placing a barrier at the bottom of these drafty doors. You can buy something specially made for these doors, or you can use no money at all. If you prefer the "no money" method, grab a bath towel, roll it up into a long roll, and place at the bottom opening of the door. You can also use a bath mat, old t-shirt, or anything that can can be molded to fit the shape of your door.

Money Saving Tip #214: Cheap, Good-For-You Eye Make-up Remover

2012-01-25T09:00:00.001-05:00

I use eye make-up remover every night to remove eye shadow, mascara, and eye liner before I go to bed. Just about every grocery store and drug store sells conventional eye make-up remover. The price ranges from $5 to $20 depending on where you shop. I used to buy Target's Up brand of eye make-up remover.

Now, I use an all-natural, organic oil to remove eye make-up that works just as effectively and is good for my eye lids and skin. It's called Jojoba oil. It is pronounced "yo yo bah." Jojoba oil is terrific for your skin, not just removing eye make-up. I apply it to my entire body, especially my face. Unlike some other oils, it does not leave your skin greasy or oily.

When using it to remove eye make-up, dab about 1-2 drops (that's it!) to your baby wash cloth. Then rub it on the exterior of your eyes to remove the make-up. It works fantastic! Though the cost is slightly more per ounce, you only use 1-2 drops rather than about 1/2 teaspoon of the traditional stuff. It will last 3-4 times longer than the chemical product you buy at the grocery store. I prefer the organic option, but it also comes in non-organic too. It is usually purchased at nutrition stores or on-line.

Money Saving Tip #213: Don't Use Cottonballs to Remove Eye Make-up

2012-01-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

Cottonballs are disposable. If you use them to remove your eye make-up, you toss them in the garbage everytime you use them. Things that are disposable mean that you toss your money in the garbage after its use. Instead of cottonballs, use something that can be washed and re-used to remove your eye make-up.

Because I have three kids, I have a huge stockpile of baby washcloths. They are different than regular washcloths. Baby washcloths are super thin and slightly smaller. They are perfect for removing eye make-up. Eye liner and mascara can be difficult to remove, but the thinness of the baby washcloths make removal easy to manage.

Stay tuned for what I put on my baby washcloth to remove my eye make-up. Hint: It's all natural, organic, and good for your eyelids, face, body, and hair!

Money Saving Tip #212: Can Openers

2012-01-17T07:00:00.009-05:00

A couple decades ago, almost every American home had an electric can opener. They plugged into the wall, and some were even mounted to you under-cabinet or the wall. Yeah, you remember those.

Prices for these can openers range from about $10 to more than $30 depending on the features. Save the money, and buy a hand-crank can opener. The cost is usually about $5. They hardly ever break. The may need to be replaced every ten to twenty years or so. I've been using the same can opener for almost a decade, and it probably has another 5-10 years left on it.

These items can even be washed in the dishwasher.

Money Saving Tip #211: Sliced American Cheese

2012-01-16T07:00:00.000-05:00

My kids love grilled cheese sandwiches (and so does my husband). American cheese slices are found on almost all my weekly grocery lists. My grocery store sells American cheese slices two different ways. It comes in a package where each slice is individually wrapped. This is the most traditional way to buy American cheese slices.

The other way my grocery store sells this cheese is without the individual wrapping. To buy it in this package can save you a little bit of money. Plus, it is annoying to have to unwrap each slice everytime. Once I open the package, I place the opened package in a ziplock baggy. The bag keeps it fresh.

Money Saving Tip #210: Skip Shaving Cream

2012-01-15T12:16:00.000-05:00

Some people swear by shaving cream for all their shaving needs. Women use it on their legs, and men use it on their faces. Have you ever run out of shaving cream? What did you do? I bet you simply used soap. Chances are, there was no difference. Save the money and use traditional soap instead.

Money Saving Tip #209: Avoid Certain Items in your Dishwasher

2012-01-10T13:00:00.000-05:00

Most everyone in this country has a dishwasher in their homes. For our family, the dishwasher is one of the most used appliances we use, besides our refrigerator.

There are certain things that should not be placed in the dishwasher for a couple of different reasons. Don't put large pots and pans in the dishwasher. They take up valuable space in the dishwasher that can be better utilized by putting in 10 dirty dinner plates instead.

Don't put cast iron skillets in the dishwasher. These should always be handwashed.

Wood chopping blocks should be handwashed. The dishwasher will likely split the wood.

Avoid putting copper pots/pans in the dishwasher.

Some of us have nice reusable, aluminum water bottles. The earlier versions of these bottles were not meant to be placed in the dishwasher. Check the bottom of the bottle. If it is not dishwasher safe, the colors can chip off and contaminate the other clean items in the dishwasher. Hand wash these items using a bottle brush. You can find a bottle brush in the baby section of your grocery or warehouse store.

Some portable coffee mugs are not dishwasher-safe either. Check the bottom of the cup.

Money Saving Tip #208: Disposable Make-up Sponges

2012-01-09T11:00:00.000-05:00

Some ladies use make-up sponges to apply foundation to their faces each morning. They usually cost about $2.00 for a 30-pack. They are disposable and meant to be trashed after each use. Save the money, and don't use them. Use your fingers to apply your make-up.

If you insist in the seamless look by using the make-up sponges, consider washing them and reusing them. This is what I do. I place my used ones in a lingerie bag and wash them with my laundry. They come out looking brand new!

Money Saving Tip #207: Homemade Fruit Cups and Snack Servings

2012-01-07T12:00:00.000-05:00

This was an original bonus tip from one of my prior postings (#4): Avoid buying fruit cups and individually packaged food items. For my homemade fruit cups for my daughter's lunch, I pack her sliced-up fruit, grapes, mandarin oranges from the produce section, a large can, or frozen fruit (like blueberries) that can defrost by lunchtime. I buy animal crackers and pretzels in bulk and put them into re-usable 4oz. containers.

Everyday, my daughter gets all natural applesauce in her lunch. I don't buy the individual servings. I buy the biggest jar I can find, then sort out portions into 4-oz. containers.

Money Saving Tip #206: Don't Wash Clean Dishes

2012-01-06T12:00:00.000-05:00

I know what you are thinking. The title says not to wash clean dishes. Who does that? Well, you might be surprised. There are some people in this country who feel the need to wash any dish, any cup, any plate, etc. everytime it is used. Unless the iem is dirty, you don't need to wash it. Free up valuable space in your dishwasher for dishes that are actually dirty.

For example: If you bake a cake from a premade box like Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker, you will have to add some liquid ingredient. That ingredient may be milk or water. If you take out a measuring cup to measure out that milk or water, don't automatically throw it into the dishwasher. If it was used to measure water, you can just put it back into your pantry without even washing or rinsing. It never even got dirty. If you used it to pour milk, give it a quick rinse with cold water and put it back in your pantry. You don't need to put those measuring cups in the dishwasher.

The next time you go to put a dish in your dishwasher, look at it and see if it is actually dirty or not.

Money Saving Tip #205: Beverage Refrigerator

2012-01-03T12:17:00.001-05:00

Everyone knows that refrigerators consume a lot of energy to operate. Most people have their primary refrigerator in their kitchens for food and beverage storage. Some people have another refrigerator dedicated to keeping their beverages cold on a constant basis. This extra refrigerator is probably completely unnecessary. Unless you are the Dugger family from 19 Kids and Counting, your family cannot possibly consume 50 gallons of any beverage on a daily basis.

Since I don't drink sodas, I have given my husband half of the bottom shelf of our refrigerator for storage of his Cokes and Mountain Dews. Empty out the extra refrigerator and use only one. Sell it and earn a few extra bucks!

Money Saving Tip #204: Insulate Your Attic Yourself

2011-12-23T07:00:00.001-05:00

Let's face it, you can never have too much attic insulation. The standard amount of insulation put into attics when a home is built is fair at best. My husband and I wanted to add some loose fill insulation in our attic, but we didn't want to spend thousands of dollars to have someone do it. We decided to do it ourselves.

I spent about a week on the internet researching how-to videos getting all my ducks in a row. Then, we visited the local home improvement store to price our project. While there, we inquired about renting the tool to blow the loose fill. We learned that if we bought a certain number of bags of loose fill, the tool rental was free for an entire day.

We set aside a full day to do the project. The first thing I did was go up into my attic and fix any sheets of insulation that had fallen. Then I re-stapled any styrofoam cornice pieces that needed to be refastened. Next, we used bubble wrap to keep the vertical pieces from falling again in the future. We stapled the bubble wrap in place against the 2x4s. Next, I stood in the attic with the AttiCat hose while my husband loaded the machine on our front porch. In the end, we managed to obtain at least R48 everywhere in the attic with some places of R60. The last thing we did was buy an insulated dome cover for the attic door. The entire project cost us about $400 and about 4 hours of our time. It was well worth it.

Our home keeps it's heat much better. Our heater does not turn on as much because the heat stays in the house longer.

If your home is in need for insulation, consider doing it yourself and saving several hundred or thousands of dollars.

Money Saving Tip #203: Pay in Person to Avoid Fees

2011-12-22T09:00:00.000-05:00

Some organizations offer the option to pay on-line for ease ability. But, some of those places charge an extra "on-line fee" to make the transaction.

Though my daughter brings her lunch to school on a daily basis, I do allow her to buy her lunch as a special treat on certain days. Her school utilizes a website to collect lunch money, but they also take checks made directly to the school to fund her lunch account also. If I fund her account using the website, I will be charged an extra $1.95 per transaction. To avoid these extra unnecessary costs, I opt to write a check directly to the school.

To pay the registration fees on my vehicle every year, I have the option of paying on-line or in person. If I pay on-line, there are extra fees to utilize the web, usually $3.00. However, if I pay in person, there are no extra fees. I am lucky that I live in a county where the lines are very manageable. Some of our locations even have a drive-thru feature.

In the end, you should weigh the pros and cons of paying on-line. If you will spend more money in gas to pay a bill or fee in person, it may be better to pay on-line with a small fee. But, if you need to pay a bill or fee at a location located within the normal route you take, consider making the quick stop to avoid the fees.

Money Saving Tip #202: Disposable vs. Refill Razors

2011-12-21T07:00:00.008-05:00

Most men and women in the U.S. use razors on a daily basis. Men use them to shave their faces in the morning, while women use them to shave their legs. Shaving can be quite combersome, so razor companies have marketed fancy-looking razors over the past several years. Some have up to 5 razor bladed claiming to give the comsumer perfectly smooth skin.

There are several different types of razors on the market. The most common are electric razors and disposable razors. This post will be about the disposable variety.

Like cars and ink pens, there is a heirarchy of razors for the consumer to select from. The latest of the high-end razors feature a non-disposable handle with a disposable head. These products are terribly expensive, and they trap you into their brand of product. For example, you cannot buy a Gillette handle and Target brand refills. Some of these razor products even have gel pads eliminating the need for shaving cream or soap.

As a person who has tried several different types of disposable razors, including the high-end types, I can say that I save a lot of money by using the standard no-frills store brand razor that is sold in a bulk package of 10-20. If you buy the refill cartridge packages, you will be spending about $20 for 4 refills. I can buy close to 60 razors for the same price as those 4 refills.

Skip the urge to buy the fancy razors located at eye level at your grocery store, and look down to the packages of razors in the bins on the bottom shelf.

Money Saving Tip #201: Spoons

2011-12-16T12:00:00.000-05:00

We are a family of five with 3 small children. Our kids go through spoons at every single meal. Oftentimes, we would run out of utincels before our dishwasher was even full. On occassion, we would have to run our dishwasher half full or rely on plastic utincels. Then my husband suggested that we simply buy more spoons. Simple idea that I simply didn't think about.

If you have a standard utincel set, you probably have 8-10 spoons, knives, and forks. Don't force yourself to run a half full dishwasher. Supplement your utincel set. I went to Target and purchased two additional sets of spoons (each set had 4 spoons) for $3.99 each. And because we have a plain-design utincel set, the cheap ones I purchased look very similar. Now, I always have extra utincels in my drawer and hardly ever run out.

Money Saving Tip #200: Deli Lunch Meat or Pre-Packaged Lunch Meat

2011-12-13T08:00:00.000-05:00

I consistently make my own sandwiches at work using lunch meat. But, is it cheaper to buy it freshly cut at the service deli (within the grocery store) or to buy it pre-packaged in the meat and cheese refrigerated section? The answer is... it depends.

My grocery store has terrific prices on lunch meat at the service deli. I shop at Super Target. I can buy Market Pantry (Target brand) lunch meat for about $5.99 per pound (not on sale). Buying lunch meat not on sale is something that I rarely do. Most times, I can find turkey breast on sale for about $3.99 per pound. Target had ham on sale yesterday for $1.50 per pound. These are super cheap prices. Even if I opted for the turkey breast, I can spend less than $2.00 for a half of a pound of lunch meat. You cannot get that in the pre-packaged section.

Some more expensive grocery stores (like Publix) sell their Publix brand lunch meat for about $7.99-9.99 per pound. Buying the pre-packaged variety may save you a little money if you shop at these places.

Most pre-packaged lunch meat containers start at about $3.99, and it's only about 9 ounces of meat.

Before you rush out to your grocery store's service deli, remember this: freshly cut lunch meat really only lasts about 4-5 days. So, don't buy more than you and your family can eat within 4-5 days.

Money Saving Tip #199: Ask the Business about Specials or Discounts

2011-12-12T14:00:00.000-05:00

When trying out a new business or service, ask the person you are dealing with about any specials or discounts on their product or services. You may be surprised that they have discounts that are not advertised.

When we first moved to the area where we currently reside, we would consistently tell businesses that we were new to the area. Many times, the business would give a discount or a free gift in hopes that you would return to their store or restaurant in the future.

Money Saving Tip #198: Pictures with Santa

2011-11-28T15:01:00.000-05:00

If you are a parent of young children, chances are you love getting your child's photo taken with Santa Claus every Christmas season. I am no exception! If you take your kid(s) to the local mall to get their photo taken, you will be forced to purchase their photo package. Their photo packages usually start at around $20-30 for one sheet of photos. And, they don't let you take your own photos unless you buy theirs. The other HUGE drawback to the mall Santa is that you are forced to wait in a huge line. If your kids are young, they will probably get tired and cranky just before you get to the front of the line.

Instead of rushing to the mall for your Santa pics, turn to your local community instead. Just this morning, I passed a Christmas tree lot that advertised Santa pics. You can find local churches and community centers that host a Santa event for a fraction of the cost or free.

Last year, one of our local high schools hosted a Breakfast with Santa event to raise money for the band. For $5 per child, each of my kids got a pancake breakfast plus an individual photo with Santa. So, for $15 all my kids had a breakfast, and I got 3 photos. This year, we went to our local Parks and Recreation Center and paid $10 for all the kids to get their photo taken plus access to the craft show. Plus, I took about a dozen of my own photos on my camera.

Money Saving Tip #197: Grocery Shop with a Calculator

2011-11-26T08:00:00.000-05:00

Inside my coupon folder, I keep a small calculator. I use this calculator whenever I do my grocery shopping. I use it to determine the price of an item when there is a certain percentage off. And, I use it to compare prices.

When I compare prices, I look at the quantity of the product in the package. Using the ounces on the product, I can determine the cost of that item per ounce. Then, I select another similar item. Using my calculator, I can figure out how much I would be paying per ounce. Here is an example:

Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt 32 ounces: $2.34 each = $0.07 per ounce
Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt 6 ounces: $0.60 each = $0.10 per ounce

Based on my math above, it is cheaper per ounce for me to buy the larger yogurt. I should buy one large yogurt container rather than 6 individual yogurt containers. You should do this comparing two similar brands too (Jiff vs. Skippy peanut butter).