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A jar of coins spilling out on a white background.

Cashing In Pocket ChangeMy husband won't spend change, so we wind up with piles of change on his dresser. Every so often, I'll take it to Coinstar in our grocery store. I found that I can turn the coins into an Amazon e-coupon, for free. I just cash in the coins and then add the code to my Amazon account.

 

A pile of dollar bills and change on a wooden table.

Take Advantage of Senior DiscountsMy parents have a list of shops in their area that offer senior discounts. Some are valid every day, some are one day a week, some are one day a month. The discounts can vary from 10 to 25 percent off, and most don't require you to sign up for a free membership.

 

A phone showing cellular data off.

Turn Data Off When Using Wi-Fi to Avoid OverchargesOur family plan is unlimited talk, text and shared 10GB of data among four phone lines. I remind everyone on the plan to turn off cellular data when they're using WI-FI (free internet) so we know for sure we are not using cellular data and that will prevent from overcharges on our bill.

 

The view outside a car's windshield.

My Experience Driving UberIn that eternal quest for remunerative work, I have had the experience of driving Uber for the past 4 months. I just wanted to share my experiences, in case anyone else is wondering, or thinks it is a good fit.

 

Bank paperwork held in a folder.

Weekly Bank Reconciliation for RetireesLiving on a fixed income can be a challenge. I have a red folder with a spiral notebook inside which I record my weekly transactions on my checking account, including debits, bank drafts or any any monies withdrawn from my checking account, which I receive from calling a bank representative.

 

An LED lightbulb on a bed of leaves.

Save Electricity with LED BulbsDid you know that by using LED light bulbs instead of regular light bulbs, you can lower your lighting bill by 75%? Also lighting is about 12% of your electric bill (the rest is AC, heat, and appliances).

 

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Free Cell Service with Q Link WirelessIn filling out one of those endless surveys online the other day, one interesting thing came out of it. A window popped up advertising a federal program offering completely FREE cell phones and service.

 

Pay Cash for Everything

Pay Cash for EverythingI realized how often I was swiping my debit card. It's just too easy to swipe that card and not think twice! I have started to take out a pre-set amount of money at the beginning of the month and pay cash for everything. It is way harder to part with 5 green dollar bills in your hand for a gourmet latte then it is to swipe your card.

 

A person using an ATM at a bank.

Finish Your ATM TransactionWhen you are at your bank's ATM, make sure you finish your transaction. I have pulled up to my bank's ATM, twice in the last month, and found that each person did not finish his/her transaction.

 

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Protect Bank Cards With FoilI now wrap my CC and debit cards in an aluminum foil wrap. This prevents anyone from downloading the numbers if they try to scan my purse. This practice is also good if you carry your Social Security and health cards.

 

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Important Information If You Receive Federal Benefit Paper ChecksAs of March 1, 2013, these payments will all be electronic because of changes made by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. They are doing this in order to save money on paper, printing and postage. In other words, the check will no longer be in the mail.

 

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Save Money by Organizing Your RefrigeratorAlways add a label with the date a product was opened to insure freshness. If you do not plan to use leftovers right away, immediately freeze them for future use.

 

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Pay Bills Online ImmediatelyWhen I get the mail each day, I immediately sort it and discard what I can. I do not hold bills to be paid later. I immediately "pay" them using the internet. I go to the website of the company and choose the option to pay my bill.

 

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Funeral Savings And Other TidbitsSadly, our family has experienced several funerals this past year. The first one caught us off guard. We found out a bit too late that we had over paid, big time. I am going to share with you some things we learned, in hopes that it will prevent others from over paying.

 

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Avoid Funeral Home PurchasesDon't purchase anything from the funeral home that you can buy elsewhere because they mark up the prices.

 

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Pay Off Your 30 Year Home Mortgage in Only 18 YearsPaying one additional mortgage payment each year, whether in a lump sum or monthly increments, can lower a 30-year loan down to 18 years. If you pay more than one extra payment, the number of years will decrease even more.

 

A collection of valuable jewelry on a smooth surface.

Buy Used Jewelry Instead Of NewMy husband always wanted to upgrade my engagement ring to something nicer. A good friend introduced him to a local jeweler. They also buy back jewelry from people. Because they can buy it back cheaper, they can sell it cheaper.

 

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Know What Information Is In Your Background CheckDid you know that there is even more to getting a loan or even a job than your credit reports and credit scores being checked into? There are agencies that lenders and employers turn to for background checks, too.

 

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Tax Forms No Longer Being MailedIf you're like me and wait for IRS forms and instructions to arrive via US Postal mail to fill out and send in, here's a heads up! Don't wait and expect them to arrive in your snail mail box from now on, because it's not going to happen.

 

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Destroy Sensitive Papers by Soaking ThemHere's an idea if you have a large amount of paper that needs to be shredded and have a small shredder that can handle only so much or the motor gets hot if it runs too long.

 

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Prevent Identity Theft Via PhishingLet's talk emails. You get the cute ones from friends , the important ones from work and family and then you get the ones that are disguised. These emails are set up to fool you and convince you to give information that sets you up for a fall. Possibly for identity theft.

 

A woman paying bills on a computer.

Snowball Payments to Get Out of DebtYears ago, a good friend of mine and I were discussing finances. I was a newly single mom, and was feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of trying to pay my bills. By organizing and paying them as follows, you will be surprised how quickly they can be paid off!

 

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Gift Card BudgetingThis one works great! Hubby pointed out that he saw big fluctuations from month to month on our grocery spending. I've decided that $400 should be enough for a month of groceries.

 

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Organizing Financial InformationI have a 3 ring binder for each of us (my husband and I) to organize our financial information and I also have a binder for joint financial information.

 

A jar full of pennies.

Save Those PenniesMany of us are living cheque to cheque and trying to make ends meet. How are we supposed to save money when we barely have enough as it is now for basic needs?

 

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Retirement Planning TipsPlanning for retirement can be sticky. We have not been in a position to save due to high medical costs. But there are a few things you can do.

 

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Keep Track Of Deductibles On Checks All Year LongI put deductible on the memo line on checks and, when balancing my account, write the name, etc. of the amount and to who the deductible was written to on the statement page.

 

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Have a Dollar Store BudgetEven when I go to the dollar store, (or should I say, especially when I go to the dollar store) I make sure I count the items in my basket to make sure I am within my budgeted amount.

 

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Saving By the "Windfall" MethodFor years, we have had a leaky roof. Every summer my husband puts another coat of sealer on it (it's a mobile home) and every winter we put buckets under the leaks. I have determined that we will have a good roof before the snow flies.

 

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College Students And DebtI deal with debt elimination in my line of business and I am amazed at the student loan debt that people are accumulating. Don't fall into this trap.

 

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Get Ready for Next Year's TaxesWith the tax season already behind us (almost!), here are a few suggestions I have to make next year's preparations a bit easier.

 

Annualize Everything

Annualize EverythingAre you spending $10 a day on lunch? If you bring something from home, it will cost perhaps $3. That $7 a day that you save is $35 a week, over $1500 a year.

 

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Save the Diaper Money for CollegeWhen your child finally gets potty trained, put the $50 or so you have been spending monthly on diapers into a college fund!

 

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