|
|
The
Editor's Desk - From Beneath the Clutter
Feature Article - Saving money on groceries
Guest Article - How is Your Credit?
Classified Ads
Well, I have another new section on the site. I got an email the other day from Jennifer Shryock of www.familypaws.com asking if I'd be interested in posting some of her articles on dogs as part of the family. They're great, so why not take a look? They're in the Family section of the website.
Being a mom is so much fun. I've started a new thread on the Discussion Boards on odd things parents say. Care to join in?
I saw a great resource on another site for any of you in direct sales. It's the IRS's guide for preparing your 2003 return. You can get it at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p911.pdf.
Don't forget, you can contribute your articles or tips anytime for consideration. Just use the contact form.
They're some of the only things you must buy. You might love grocery shopping, see it as a challenge, or you may dislike it because it's hard to look out for bargains while dealing with your children. No matter what you think of grocery shopping, it's something that must be done, and be done regularly.
Fortunately, there are some easy ways to save money when shopping. It's part organization, part research and part persistence.
Be organized when you go shopping. You may not enjoy making menus for the week, but it's a great way to ensure you don't overbuy on items that will spoil. Check out the menu planner at http://www.thehomeschoolmom.com/kitchen/ or make your own. Before you start planning your menu, make sure you go through your coupons and grocery store ads so that you can include the current bargains available to you. If it isn't too inconvenient, some parents save money by shopping at more than one store, but make sure you don't have to drive too far just to save 30 cents.
It's a good idea to know what a good price on foods is. It's part organization and part research. Keep track of what you're paying for various foods in a log. That way, you know if a special is particularly good and if you should stock up that week.
You may be loyal to a particular brand, but do you have to be? If you are willing to switch brands, you can save far more than if you stick with a single brand. Also, do not assume the bigger package is always a better deal. Check the cost per unit on everything you buy, especially if one size is on sale.
Make sure you are using your coupons wisely. You may actually get a better deal buying the smallest size the coupon allows, when you compare the per unit cost, than you would in buying the larger item. Coupons are available just about anywhere. Before printing coupons off the internet, however, make sure you check with your store's policy on acceptance. Due to fraud, not all stores accept online coupons anymore. Call or email manufacturers for coupons, check your local newspaper and mail, or even join coupon trading groups online. Another trick is to know when your meat counter marks down meat further and be ready to take advantage.
If you can afford the space, consider purchasing an additional freezer to stock up on especially good deals. This will add to your electric bill, of course, but if used wisely you can store a great deal of great deals. Be sure to rotate the foods you freeze to avoid spoilage. Meats and cheeses tend to freeze well; other foods may require preparation.
Need more advice on saving money? Check out http://budget101.com/, a great resource for saving money when you're shopping.
Stephanie Foster is the owner of Home with the Kids, a resource that knows that there's more to staying home with your family than just business. From money saving tips to parenting and marriage tips, to work at home jobs and businesses, you can get information and support here. You can visit the site at http://www.homewiththekids.com.
Add to Your Social Bookmarks:
Del.icio.us
Furl
Reddit
Simpy
Spurl
Y! MyWeb - Netscape
Help start a business in General Home Business - spikegomez, Tue 02-Dec-08 (4 Replies)
P/T Moderator & Marketing Assoc. - Unresearched in Working From Home - WorkAtHomeSpace, Tue 02-Dec-08 (0 Replies)
Hi From Wichita Kansas in Introduce Yourself - kharding, Mon 01-Dec-08 (5 Replies)
Hi my name is Missy and I'm from GA in Introduce Yourself - kharding, Mon 01-Dec-08 (5 Replies)
With unlimited permission to get dirty comes great mud in General Chatter - stephfoster, Mon 01-Dec-08 (6 Replies)
Whether you are Working at Home, a salaried Professional, Older and Wiser , or at any stage of your life, your credit can be good, or bad. No matter what you think it is, i.e. you pay your bills on time so you think it's really good, you should know as much as you can about it and how it can affect you.
Seventy percent of Americans have never seen their own credit report or credit score. Do you know that you have a credit score ? It's usually referred to as a FICO score . Being a Mortgage Consultant, Mortgage Broker, I've seen many credit reports and I am often surprised by the fact that my clients either don't really know they have a credit score , or they don't realize how much it can hurt them if they were inattentive to the numerous factors that make up a Credit Score.
The FICO score is a summary of your credit history. In other words, it's a financial history of your life .
That score impacts a surprising cross-section of life, in fact it impacts many things you knew about. Such as;
Now, for some things you may not have been aware of,
The FICO score reflects hundreds of parameters in one's financial history.
These hundred of variables are included in the calculation of your credit score, but I only mentioned the bigger ones here. Just paying your bills on time, as important as that is, may not rescue you from other credit pitfalls. Bills, mortgages, your monthly rent, credit cards, long overdue or overlooked, can show up as a blotch on your credit.
It's often not one of these items, which spell disaster for your credit; it's having a combination of these. One of these things may or may not hurt too much, but having numerous problems may mean trouble for you. It is the Credit Bureaus and the Institution extending credit to you, who decide how it affects you and your credit.
When this article resumes I'll continue with what is needed to be a good guardian of your credit, identity theft and I'll share with you how to run you credit report, for free and how to read the report once you have it.
Michael Herman is a CPA and a Mortgage Broker / Consultant. Michael has recently developed web sites to assist those you are, or planning to, work at home www.working-at-home-ideas-and-information.com/ and 15 Ways to Automate Your Income
New feature here. You may have to fill out a survey or give out personal information for your freebies, so decide if the offer looks worthwhile to you.
If you offer a freebie, let me know! I will consider it for inclusion here and in the freebie section of the website.
Are
you a *serious* internet marketer?
=================================================
Online success comes down to one thing -> learning!
Stay on top of the latest teleclasses and seminars.
Subscribe now and claim your 10% discount:
http://www.SeminarAnnouncer.com/a/266/3
I'm using a system to add thousands of opt-in leads to my list for virtually zero effort - and it's all 100% free. Find out more: http://www.listinferno.com/?i=391&c=a5.
=====> A Swarm of Traffic to Your Site <=====
Targeted prospects will swarm your site 24/7! Just 5 minutes to set-up, it's automated, "viral" and proven - and best of all it's FREE! http://www.trafficswarm.com/go.cgi?176590
Site Map - Press Room - Disclaimer - Disclosure
Copyright © 2003-2008 Stephanie Foster unless otherwise indicated
