Save yourself a stamp, and avoid late fees by paying your bills online.

You can pay direct to your creditors, or set up automatic bill pay with your bank; and take yourself out of the equation entirely.

I have been doing it for years and have never had a problem yet. It is especially good if you travel a lot or even have to leave the country…..internet is everywhere.

When it’s hot, people want to buy window air conditioners and gas barbecue grills. When it’s cold, they want sweaters and winter coats. And businesses charge a lot more money for these items because the demand is greater then.

Last year, during the winter months, I purchased a commercial size gas grill for $200.00 less than the ticket price was in the summer months. I was not even looking for a new stainless steel commercial grill but could not pass up the price.

Instead of shopping in your normal manner, change it up and make your purchases at times when demand is low. You are able to negotiate then, the stores are willing to offer you a bargain just so that they can get the merchandise off of their shelves or off of their floor space.

New models of big appliances, snow blowers, air-conditioners, grills etc. tend to arrive in the store in early fall. You can look for a good deal on these models. So don’t be shy, just ask and you might be very surprised at what happens.

Here are 17 things that will get you out of most car-related jams. Keep them in your trunk or glove compartment so that they are always handy.

 Maps (even if you have a GPS)
 First-Aid Kit
 Flares or Emergency Lights
 Jumper Cables
 Paper Towels
 Flashlight, portable flash-light, spare batteries
 Energy Bars (or other non-perishable food)
 Drinking water
 Matches and emergency candles
 Brightly colored flag, banner, or “help” sign

These would be more appropriate for Winter Months:

 Cat liter, sand or salt (provides good traction for your climate)
 Snow shovel (they make folding ones)
 Ice scraper/windshield brush
 Extra clothing and shoes, particularly ware jackets, hats and gloves
 Windshield wiper fluid and/or deicing fluid
 Gas-line antifreeze
 Blanket or comforter

This is a day at the spa, not free but fun and economical.

Get a bunch of friends together, go to the local department store (Macy, Lord & Taylor) that has a few make up counters with technicians that can give you a make over for free. Pick a time when someone like Clinique or Lancome is offering gift sets with a purchase of say $21.00-25.00. That is not a lot of money and you could either purchase it for yourself or a gift for someone. With this in mind you have two gifts covered.

Take advantage of the many special holiday gift sets and two-for-one options to expand your giving options or consider gift ideas that will allow you to spread out your giving.

So here is the plan:

1) Get a few friends together for a “Sex in the City” day out.
2) Go to get your make overs and do some shopping for the 2 for 1 or free gifts.
3) Pick your favorite spot for a light lunch with maybe a glass of wine or two
4) Get caught up on the latest.
5) Enjoy your friendships and plan your next event.

“Life is nothing without friendship”

This tip is for Moms, Working Moms, Working Gals & Guys, the Young, the Old and the In-betweens……

The ultimate treat for the ALL of the above on your list or a treat for yourself:

Time to exercise and find your inner peace at the same time. Package a new yoga mat with a couple of DVD’s (yoga and aerobics are a good combo) so you can workout in the convenience of your own home.

This is a frugal tip…..The gym membership “hundreds of dollars” and will you be faithful to the regime? OR do the above in the confines of your home and add some friends make a time of it, like planning a lunch (healthy of course) or dinner; I think you can be creative with this, getting healthy and frugal at the same time. Oh did I mention…..make it fun!

Is your home or business office a little too cluttered and disorganized. I know mine from time to time overwhelms me. I have tried to just get organized in small increments. So to begin with I started with Scanning documents as they come in and shredding/recycling the waste.

Don’t be afraid to part with all those papers. Scan your documents. Take advantage of a desktop document management solution like the Free OCR v2.2 software download to organize those electronic files. Visit Freeware Files and download a copy now.

Getting organized now and erasing those piles of paper can help to ease the stress of tax time next year. Having all of your documents scanned and filed electronically will make them easy to find and submit come tax time. And you’ll also have peace of mind knowing that you now have a safe, secure electronic copy of your most important files.

Already have electronic copies of your documents but need them in PDF to submit with your taxes? Products such as PDFMoto can help get your files converted to PDF in a snap. For more information, visit Freeware Files again for your free down loadable copy.

To save time and space, scan documents that you need to save as soon as they come in and shred what you don’t need. Shredders are so inexpensive today, go to Wal-Mart and pick out the very smallest to the largest, whatever you fancy. The important thing is to get organized.

Let this little tidbit help you start the list of things you need to accomplish in 2009. Maybe a little early but none the less, it is a start.

Are you looking for additional inexpensive ways to reduce energy and water while washing clothes might consider the following:

• Wash full loads of laundry. Running a partial load uses the same amount of energy as a full load.
• Use cold water when possible to reduce energy consumption by your water heater.
• Don’t dry clothes excessively. Drying laundry excessively uses more energy and is hard on fabrics. Consider drying clothes partly in the dryer and then hanging them to dry the remainder of the way.
• Clean the lint filter after each load. Doing so keeps the dryer running efficiently. Also, periodically check the air vent and hose to prevent a fire hazard.

If you are going to charge your purchases for the holidays; try to use the cards that offer you the following:

 Cash back
 Airline Miles
 Fuel Perks
 Points

As well as getting back a little something for your effort you will also want to be vigilant in your credit card payments.

When paying your balance due on these cards, you will want to pay as much as possible as to not have a high finance charge added to the remaining balance.

Speaking of finance charge rates, use only the cards you have the lowest finance rate. You can also negotiate that rate with your credit card company if you have established good paying practices with this financial institution. Good Credit is great leverage.

Here is another one of those “Old Fashioned Notions”. I like saying that, it is something my Grandma might say but you know they had the right idea. Not a lot of money and they still enjoyed themselves. Whoa….I know you are thinking they didn’t rent movies back then. No but they did go to the movies when they were only $.25 (twenty five cents) to view.

Gosh…..you can’t even get a bottle of water for that price. BTW, who would have thought we would be paying for water. What ever happened to the Water Fountain…..oh, don’t get me started. Find below my little bit of info you may already know but just plain forget about it.

Instead of renting movies or buying books. Go to your Public Library.


It is FREE.

Buying books and movies gets expensive, and even renting can add up. Take a trip to your local library; and you’ll find all of the latest books and movies available free of charge.

Still like the idea of renting? Then, sign up for Netflix or Blockbuster. With plans starting at $5, the damage to your budget will be minimal.

Again, if you are more inclined to use either netflix or blockbuster……the time, the gas and the aggravation saved is well worth the price. It’s quick, simple and fun.

Fed up with fingerprints on your stainless steel appliances? Skip the pricey stainless steel cleaners, and head to your pantry for an easy fix:

What You Need:
• White vinegar
• An empty spray bottle
• A cleaning cloth

What You Do:
Fill a spray bottle with undiluted white vinegar. Then, spray on all of your stainless steel surfaces, and wipe dry with a soft cleaning cloth. Simple and effective!

Why This Works:
The acetic acid in the vinegar cuts through the oil left behind by fingertips, rather than smearing it around like a lot of other cleaners.

Benefits of Cleaning with Vinegar:
• inexpensive
• no harsh chemicals
• effective sanitizer
• effective grease cutter
• non-abrasive

Warnings:
1) Do not reuse empty cleaner bottles. Buy a new bottle to use for your vinegar spray
2) As with any cleaner, you should avoid all contact with the eyes and prolonged contact with the skin
3) Keep out of the reach of children