The Incredible Shrinking Package

Does it seem as though the packages lining grocery store aisles are getting smaller? They are. It’s a strategy some packaged goods manufacturers are using to pass along their higher costs. Instead of raising the price on a normal sized container, they are shrinking the container but charging what they used to charge for the […]

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Protect Yourself From Overdraft Protection

If you use your debit card to make a purchase but don’t have enough money in your account, chances are good that your bank will allow the transaction to go through, helping you avoid the embarrassment of a checkout line rejection. However, as pointed out in a recent CNNMoney.com article, there’s a cost to the […]

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When Not to Reduce Spending

High gasoline and food prices have people tightening their belts in one place where frugality is not likely to pay off: their healthcare. MarketWatch reported on a survey by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, in which about one in five (22 percent) Americans said they have reduced their visits to the doctor in order […]

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Changing Our Money Ways

With our tough economy leading people to eat out less often, switch from SUVs to gas sippers, and generally spend less, an MSN columnist recently wondered what would happen if we all suddenly got and stayed money-smart? That is, what if we paid our credit cards in full each month (46 percent of households carry […]

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Your Number Matters

Several times in this eNewsletter we’ve discussed the importance of knowing and managing your credit score. A recent MarketWatch article emphasized the point by highlighting five types of organizations beyond creditors who use our credit scores to guide their relationship with us: employers, insurance companies, landlords, utilities, and cell phone carriers. Keeping our score high, […]

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Recycling is the Rage

Recycling must be getting trendy because the number of places that accept various items for recycling seems to be growing. As reported on the blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity, the office supply store Staples will accept old computers and TVs for $10 each. To properly dispose of used batteries or ink/toner cartridges, Staples and Best […]

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Don’t Get Fleeced by Fido

Are you among the 60 percent of households that have a pet? Then you know the dangers of investing in anything that eats! Seriously, though, while pets are usually viewed as a member of the family, there are costs to consider. And if you haven’t chosen a pet yet, perhaps a glance at the estimated […]

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It’s Personal

Most of us would prefer to discuss just about anything other than our financial situation, especially when that situation includes debt. As reported by MarketWatch, a new survey found that 82 percent of people are reluctant to openly discuss their credit card debts. Further, people are more willing to talk about the personal details of […]

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The Debt Fix

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” – Romans 12:12 For the last couple of months we’ve been going over a step-by-step plan for getting out of debt and staying out of debt forever.  If you have debt, you probably didn’t get into it overnight.  Getting out of debt won’t be an […]

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Economizing in a Tough Economy

Lots of us are cutting back on discretionary spending – 9 out of 10 people, in fact, according to a survey from market researcher GfK Roper Consulting. Still, as noted in a CNNMoney.com article about the study, there are some things that people just can’t seem to live without – like TV. A whopping half […]

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