Canadian Governmental Assistance for Dental Bills?
Try talking to the dental office about reducing your bill or working out a payment plan. Show them your monthly budget and tell them you appreciate their service but you can only pay X amount each month.
Buying A House With One Income?
Can you sell your car and buy a less expensive used one? Can you rent for awhile while you save up for a down payment? Can you shop around for car insurance to see if you can get a better deal? Are you sure the mortgage on $79,000 would really be $900 per month...
Making Single Serve Coffee Bags?
When my husband went on a business trip to Israel last year, the coffee there was simply a spoonful of fresh coffee grounds in a cup of hot water. You just let it sit for a couple of minutes, allowing the water to turn to coffee and the grounds to settle to...
Losing a Bedroom When Renovating?
How does your house compare to others in the neighborhood? If the improvements would make it lots better, you may not recoup the costs when selling, because someone looking for that type of house might want it to be in a neighborhood with others like it.
Easy Clothing Sewing Project?
Try a simple skirt pattern like this one: http://simplicity.com/dv1_v4.cfm?design=4036 It will be easy to make and youll have something you can wear right away. Wait to buy patterns until they are on sale-- they go on sale for 99 cents or $1.99 every 6 or 8...
Moving Without Selling Current House?
Ive never been in that situation, but Ive heard it stated this way: If you lived in one state, and had a few hundred grand laying around in the bank, would you use it to buy a house in another state? Probably not. Keeping the old house would be the same thing...
Can Only One Child Have Head Lice?
What is the length of the life cycle of lice? Could it be that the lice are at the ex-wifes house, but since the little girl goes to your house and then returns to the ex-wife on a regular schedule, she just happens to arrive home at the point in the life cycle...
Wedding Shower Ideas?
Is it a shower or a bachelorette party? Ive never heard of an r-rated bridal shower. Just do the normal thing-- send invitations that tell where she is registered, play goofy shower games, eat food, etc. They may not need lots of household stuff but they could...
Cleaning a Shower Curtain?
I kept having the same problem so I got a fabric shower curtain liner. Im not sure what its made of--polyester maybe? But it keeps the water in the shower and not on the bathroom floor, it doesnt get scummy and it doesnt fall apart in the wash.
Advice for a Dealing with Fiance's Family?
Im having a baby next month and I get lots of unwanted advice from everybody too. I just say, Oh, thats a good thought. Ill keep that in mind. People just give lots of unwanted advice about major life events like getting married or having a baby. If they get...
Unsubscribing from Freecycle?
I receive a digest of all the posts in one daily email-- you could subscribe to that.
How to Avoid Pilling on Clothes and Sheets?
Usually 100% cotton sheets do not pill--maybe your sheets have some polyester. Those tend to pill. Considering we spend about 1/3 of our lives asleep in bed, I think its worth it to spend a little extra on high quality comfortable sheets. Nylon does tend to...
Finding Good Coupon Savings?
I think youre right to be suspicious-- I dont feel that coupons tend to yield the highest savings. I do the best when I go through all the sale ads and write down what is on sale that I normally buy, then go to WalMart and ask them to match the prices. I think...
Dave Ramsey's Car Insurance Philosophy?
I already emailed him but I dont have 3 hours to listen to the show every single day so I dont know if hes answered it or not.
Getting Started Trading Stocks?
We manage our own Roth IRAs through Vanguard.com. We dont own any single stocks, just mutual funds. Mutual funds are managed by somebody who really knows what theyre doing, and they contain lots of different stocks from companies of different sizes, locations...
How Has the Cost of Gasoline and Oil Affected Your Life?
I know I am spending more on gas but it hasnt been detrimental to my finances at this point. I try to be careful and combine trips and not make unnecessary trips. I have noticed that the price of groceries has gone up a lot. I would say for me the allocation...
Should I Close My High Interest Credit Card Account?
The only reason to have a good credit score is to be able to borrow money. Are you planning to borrow money? Probably not--you just got out of debt, right? So even if canceling the card does affect your credit score a little bit, it doesnt matter. Its pointless...
Should I Close My High Interest Credit Card Account?
If your car insurance payments and monthly mortgage payments are already set, closing one credit card account shouldnt affect them. It only affects them if you apply for a NEW mortgage or NEW insurance and I really doubt closing one account would have a large...
Getting a Student Loan When on Disability?
You need to fill out the FAFSA to apply for federal student loans. You may be eligible for grants, not just student loans. FAFSA loans are available to more people than regular student loans. The website is www.finaid.org. But, if you are well enough to go...
Low Sugar Freezer Jam or Jelly
Well, I found the special pectin for low-sugar jam at WalMart, and it was on clearance-- a pack of 3 for $1.50. I bought one to see how I like it. Inside was a coupon for 50 cents off! So on my next trip to Walmart I bought another one for only $1.00. What...
Getting a Dog to Like Someone?
My mom had trouble with her dog in the same way-- it didnt like my dad, and its still afraid of most men. It took about 4 years but finally the dog got over its fear of my dad, but other men still make it nervous. My dad fed the dog regular food and treats...
Thrifty Gifts For The Family
Well, the gifts were a hit! I called my husbands gift an Electric Toothbrush Repair Kit. I ended up finding brush heads for $1 at Big Lots-- of course, I left the price tag on and as I mentioned before, I charged AA batteries we already had to go in it rather...
Use a Lamp Timer With Your Crock Pot
When I worked at Chickfila in high school, I learned that the danger zone for food temperature is between 40 and 140 degrees. Food should not be kept warmer than 40 degrees or cooler than 140 degrees for long periods of time, or bacteria can grow and cause...
Removing Sharpie from a Cloth Doll?
Ive used nail polish remover to get sharpie off of plastic. Maybe that would work. You got an amazing deal on the doll!!!
Organizing Hair Supplies?
Are you sure you really use everything you didnt get rid of? Maybe you could try putting most of the items away for a month and use only a select few and see what happens--maybe you dont need to organize and keep up with all of those afterall. For my elastic...
What Percentage of My Income Should I Pay for Rent or a Mortgage?
Ive also heard that 35% is the magic number. But its also important to consider your other expenses and income-- 35% may be too high for some peoples situations. Weve personally only paid 20 - 25% of our income toward our home, and that includes making extra...
Advice About Boy Girl Sleepover?
NO! I wouldnt let a child of any age have a boy/girl sleepover. I teach high school. Trust me, it is hard enough keeping things under control in a classroom sometimes. Id hate to be the adult responsible for keeping things under control in the living room overnight...
Newlywed Financial Advice?
I wouldnt recommend combining your finances until you are actually married. Once you are married, I would not recommend having separate accounts. My husband and I have had a joint checking and savings account since the week after we married (5 1/2 years ago...
Halloween Alternatives
Many Latin American countries celebrate Day of the Dead on Nov 1. This is a time when families get together for a meal and remember ancestors and relatives that have died. They also go visit their graves. Its not really a sad or morbid day, just a day to remember...
Not So Frugal Newlyweds?
Its good youre thinking about this as newlyweds. Be careful not to play the blame game, just focus on sticking to the budget. You might want to start a budget by just looking at your past few statements together and look at how much you have been spending on...
Is Bicarbonate of Soda a Substitute For Borax?
Im pretty sure bicarbonate of soda is baking soda. I wouldnt use it if you are also using vinegar-- the chemical reaction might create a foamy mess.
When Are You Ready For Your First Child?
You really need to wait until you are older and financially stable. Do you have full time jobs? Do you have a college education? Do you have a strong marriage (not counting whatever boyfriend-girlfriend relationship you had before)? Do you own a home to take...
Towel vs. Bathmat for Outside Shower or Tub?
I am using the same set of bathmats we got for a wedding gift 5 years ago. They started out white, but when we moved 2 years ago, the new bathroom seemed like it would look better with off-white mats, so I dyed them using tea.
Advice For Managing Budget With 2 Houses?
If you didnt own two homes today, would you go out and buy an extra one? If the answer is no, maybe you should consider selling one of the houses--its essentially the same question.
Boy-Girl Birthday Party?
As long as the party is supervised, things wont get intimate. Just make sure you supervise and it seems to me it should be ok.
Mexican Souvenirs For Coworkers?
The two Latin American countries I have visited have sold colorful carved balsawood ballpoint pens as souvenirs. I purchased those for my coworkers and they loved them. Its something they can use at work.
Product Review: Swiffer WetJet
Have you tried the Swiffer thingy that vacuums? I cant remember what its called. I loved mine. Then I found a dirt devil thing that vacuums AND does the wet spray stuff on clearance so I bought it and gave the swiffer vacuum to my mom and she says its great...
Information About Gas Logs?
We have gas logs in our house. They were here when we bought the house so I dont know what they cost to install. The past two winters weve paid about $60 to have the tank refilled. We dont pay any kind of rental fee. (That sounds like a big rip off to me.) We...
Product Review: Swiffer WetJet
Its not $10 for a single mopping. Its $10 for one of these gizmos that you use over and over: http://www.swiffer.com/swiffer/en_US/wetjet.do If you dont want to buy the pads for it, you can use old washcloths. If you dont want to buy the cleaning solution, you...
Use Credit Cards for All Purchases and Earn Cash Back
I googled reward credit cards and this helpful list came up in the results: http://www.creditcards.com/reward.php
Preventing Mold In Toilet?
Do you have an exhaust fan in that bathroom? Maybe running that (or installing one) for a few hours each day would get rid of moisture that could cause mold to grow in places besides the toilet that you cant see.
$10 Dinners - Basil Tomato Salad with...
I think these recipes are great. They include plenty of healthy ingredients. I am curious about how someone can feed their family HEALTHY food for several days on only $10.
How Should I Pay For My Child's College?
I always worked really hard in school and made excellent grades. My parents always told me, with those grades you can go to college where ever you want. Well, I only got a scholarship for 50% off to the college where I wanted to go. My mom had a cow because...
How Should I Pay For My Child's College?
Another thing to think about-- you can borrow to pay for college if needed, but you CANT borrow to pay for retirement. I would not recommend cashing in any retirement savings to pay for a childs college.
Starting a Budget?
http://www.daveramsey.com/the_truth_about/budgeting_3457.html.cfm http://www.daveramsey.com/etc/cms/index.cfm?intContentID=4123 See if the information given in those links help. One thing Ive had to do is make a when to pay what plan. My husband gets paid biweekly...
How much do you pay for internet?
We pay $34.99/month for cable internet through Charter. That may seem pricey, but we also have Viatalk phone service, which uses the cable internet, for only $14.99/month. So combined phone and internet is $50.00/month.
Listening Suggestions For Online Radio Shows?
Ive heard of npr and bbc but there are so many shows to choose from--which specific shows are your favorites?
Inexpensive Bridesmaid Dresses?
I heard that Target may start carrying wedding attire. Other places to look would be newport-news.com and chadwicks.com.
Quick Weight Loss Tips?
I dont think you can safely loose 100 lbs in 6 weeks, but you can definitely reevaluate what you eat and start making healthy choices in that time. You didnt mention if you exercise--that would be something to consider. Also, drink plenty of water. If you dont...
Ways To Eat Bagels?
I like to make bacon egg and cheese bagels for breakfast, but I dont know what the rules are about those foods for vegetarians.
Graduation Party Decorations?
One thing to think about is right after New Years, visit a party store to see if they have any 08 balloons or confetti or other decorations on clearance that could be used for an 08 graduation party.
Weeds From Neighbor's Property?
Talk to the neighbor about it. Our neighbors used to let their dogs out to potty and the dogs roamed all over the place, including our yard, so when my husband mowed the yard the mower would fling dried dog dooey all over the place and he hated it. But he just...
Rich Hummus Recipe?
I make hummus by whizzing up a can of garbanzo beans (drained), a few cloves of garlic, a little salt, a little lemon juice, and a glob of olive oil in the food processor. I think its pretty good.
Keeping Preteens Entertained In Summer?
Go to the library. Look for books to read or books that show you how to make stuff. I think there are books that show you how to make things with duct tape--he might like that. Volunteer at an animal shelter or soup kitchen together. Go to garage sales on Fridays...
Rainbow Birthday Cake
Thats beautiful! You should consider decorating cakes as a small home-based business.
Remember The Leftovers Instead Of The Drive Thru
I try to remember to stick a granola bar in my purse if Ill be out for a while--then I can munch on that instead of going through the drive through. Or I stop by the grocery store and buy snacks we will eat anyway instead of going through the drive through...
Motivation for Getting Organized?
Check out flylady.net. But if you subscribe to the emails, subscribe to the digest version so your inbox doesnt become as cluttered up as your house.
Many Problems With Dish Internet And Vonage
We tried Vonage for a month and had no problems with the service. We then found that Viatalk had a local number, so thats why we switched. We werent charged a cancellation fee by Vonage, and weve been happy with Viatalk. We pay a grand total of around $80 for...
Many Problems With Dish Internet And Vonage
FREE means free... I always question a free offer. I always read the fine print. Theres usually some sort of catch. Free usually means, Free as long as you cancel in time. I always find out HOW to get the item, service, or whatever for free before signing up...
Many Problems With Dish Internet And Vonage
http://vonage.com/help.php?article=839&category=49&nav=3 This link to the Vonage website is where they explain the type of internet service you need for Vonage to work. You said they didnt mention the type of service needed, but actually, they do.
Many Problems With Dish Internet And Vonage
http://vonage.com/help.php?article=839&category=49&nav=3 This link to the Vonage website is where they explain the type of internet service you need for Vonage to work. You said they didnt mention the type of service needed, but actually, they do.
Wedding Reception in a Church's Gym?
My friend had her wedding reception in her churchs gym and she made it really beautiful by hanging four big pieces of tulle along with Christmas lights from a central spot on the high ceiling, draping the pieces down to each corner of the gym. I dont know if...
Rural Work at Home Ideas?
My aunts live in a rural area and they clean houses to make extra money. There is the expense of driving to the houses, but the hours are flexible and the pay is good. Part of the driving expense would be deductible on your tax return, so that would recoup...
Help With My Grocery Budget?
It sounds like you may already be doing a lot of things to keep your bill down. You didnt mention if you cook from scratch a lot, so that may be something to try. You can even make bisquik and creamofwhatever soup from scratch. Are there other areas in your...
Buying Organic Clothing?
Ive seen a few items in the womens department at Walmart. Maybe the mens part has some too.
Mouth Retainers Dropped in a Trash Can?
Id try soaking them in Listerine. If that kills germs in your mouth, it should also kill germs from the trashcan.
What is a Bundt Pan?
Its a cake pan with hole in the middle. You need to watch the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Theres a whole ordeal over a bundt cake in that movie and its so funny.
Avocado Salad Dressing
Did the avocado make it turn brown after being in the fridge for a little while?
Help Your Savings Grow With CD's
Online bank savings accounts also have competitive interest rates. Usually the rates are just as good as CDs but it works like a regular savings account so theres no penalty if you have to take the money out early and you can put in any amount at any time. hsbcdirect...
Chicha de Jingibre Recipe?
Maybe you could try ginger ale. My husband is from Ecuador and Im pretty sure he told me that chicha is a fermented drink the indigenous people make with yuca. They chew it up and spit it out and let it sit and after a while its fermented. But the same word...
Carnation Evaporated Milk Cake Recipe?
Is it tres leches cake? I dont have a recipe but thats what comes to mind when I think of cake with evaporated milk.
$10 Dinners: Chicken Stir Fry
Thats cool, I like how the costs for ingredients are broken down. Does an onion really cost $0.99? Wow. Um, somebody mentioned feeding your kids kool-aid instead of milk. I dont have kids, but that sounds pretty unhealthy to me. Just my two cents.
Keep Expenses Low And Pocket The Savings
I didnt realize it was necessary to go into detail about the student loans, but maybe it is. At first I was trying to pay them off as fast as possible and they are over 50% paid off. However, last year, the school where I teach was classified as low-income...
Products Being Thrown in the Garbage
If they are out of date, the safest thing is to toss them out. I shop at a salvage grocery store a lot, but I stopped buying the out of date items there after my mom showed me a newspaper article about a young man who died after eating brownies his mom had...
Pets No Longer Allowed on Freecycle?
Pets are still allowed on the site in northeast TN. It seems weird to me that freecyclers are considered to be exchanging pets. That would mean they get something in return, which is against the freecycle rules.
Spaghetti and Meatballs ($10 Dinners)
These $10 meals are cool. Are there going to be more? (b)Editors Note:(/b) Yes, we plan on having more in the series. Glad you like them.
Spaghetti and Meatballs ($10 Dinners)
Im glad to hear there will be more. Also, I think this would be a great contest!
Proactiv Alternatives?
Along with those tips about cleansers, this one may help some too. Do you often sit with your chin rested in your hand? In high school and college I had to be careful not to sit that way in class or I would get breakouts along my chin and jawline, too. I guess...
College Grants and Scholarships?
You need to fill out the FAFSA. Most colleges require that anyway. Also, check your states department of education website for state scholarship information. It does take some effort--they have to know enough about each applicant in order to be able to decide...
Fixing Squeaky Classroom Tables?
Maybe you could tighten the plates on the underside of the table and from now on only move them by lifting them off the floor instead of dragging them. It seems like constant dragging against the carpet would loosen the plates and cause squeaks.
School Fundraising Discussion?
Maybe you should have the group take a vote on what price to sell the books for. Then the matter would be settled by a vote without becoming a personal conflict. Did they not have insurance on the building that burned down? Maybe someone should suggest insurance...
Keeping Track of My Mileage?
My husband calculates his mileage for tax purposes by using a site like mapquest to get directions from our home to the locations he often drives to. Multiply that times two for the round trip mileage, then multiply that by the estimated number of trips to...
Satin Bow for a Prom Dress?
Wow that is such a pretty dress! Would hairspray help? Or maybe sew some velcro on the appropriate places behind the bow, inside the dress? Maybe you could sew on some kind of hook-and-eye closure in the back. You might want to take the dress to a fabric store...
How Do You Antique Stain a Table Cloth?
With tea, of course. I did this with some bathroom rugs. I bought a large box of cheap tea bags at walmart. I filled the washing machine up with hot water on the smallest load setting and put in the tea bags and rugs. I let it get to the point in the cycle...
Feedback About Online Survey Sites?
Pinecone Research, Lightspeed Panel, and MyPoints are all legit. I participate in these three an make $5-$10 per month total.
Getting a Fair Price on a Car?
I think it is better to buy directly from an owner than to buy from a dealer. Most used cars come without warranties either way, and I think it is nearly impossible to know all the work that has been done to a car. My husband fixes our cars and he keeps a record...
Activity Ideas for Visiting Parents?
Maybe you could go through family pictures together and create a scrapbook.
Gift Idea for Less Than $30?
Maybe theyd like movie tickets, or a gift certificate to a movie rental place.
