3 Ways to Save Money in Your Household You May Have Never Considered #SunrunHome #CG

Have you ever felt like you've cut down on so much, as far as spending goes in your household, that there really is nowhere left to cut?  You've switched from cable to strictly streaming media, stopped eating out, bring lunches to work and school from home, rent instead of going out to the movies, take shorter showers, changed all your light bulbs to CFLs, and more.  What could be left?  Well, I wanted to share 3 fairly simple ways you can save money that you may have never considered before.


3 More Ways to Save Money in Your Household . . .

1.  Spend more time together as a family.  When I was a child, if I was reading in the living room, but my sister was drawing at the kitchen table, then my mother would tell me to go read at the kitchen table?  Why?  Well, it was so we didn't have to have more lights on in the house than necessary.  I used think it was just one of my mother's quirks, but now that I'm paying the electric bill, I can understand her logic.  So, why can't the whole family be in the living room at night, even if one is reading, one is on their tablet, another is on their laptop, and someone else is watching television?  It may not seem like a huge difference, but every little bit counts and, if you tracked the savings from month to month and from year to year, you'll realize that it really did make a difference.

2.  Downsize to one car, if possible.  Of course this is not always possible and it's not always convenient, but it is feasible for many households.  We were forced to put this to the test when my husband's old car couldn't pass inspection and needed a lot of maintenance.  Until we could get that taken care of, we were down to one car.  It forced us to consolidate our errands and to organize our out-of-the-house activities in a more sensible way.  We save a lot of money in gas that way.  If we decide to just get rid of the car, then we would save even more money on having one less car to insure and to pay excise tax on.

3.  Rent solar panels for your home.  You might think that this would be a huge ordeal, but the use of solar paneling has become more common in recent years.  We live in a townhouse, so we are not able to save money on electricity this way, but we have close friends who had solar paneling installed over a year ago with no money upfront from a reputable company, like Sunrun.  They pay a set amount per month for their solar electricity, approximately $50 less than what I normally pay per month for standard electricity.  They only need to pay an electricity bill if they go over their allotted solar electricity usage. They are locked into that rate for 20 years, which sounds fantastic because of all the talk about how the cost of electricity will be rising significantly in the future.  I believe in our state, you also receive a tax break for going solar.  Leasing solar panels is a money-savings option that should definitely be explored further, plus it's better for the environment.

Learn more about saving money with solar power in the video below.  Visit Sunrun.com to find out how you can get a solar lease with little or no money upfront. We have a special offer for 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires readers. If you go solar with Sunrun before Nov. 30, you'll get a $500 VISA® Prepaid Card. (Conditions apply.) Get a free solar quote here.


I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Improve Your Financial Position This Summer

This post was brought to you by Shay Quincy

With the economy only recently showing signs of improvement, it’s worthwhile remaining vigilant when it comes to your finances. Thankfully, there are a number of ways you can stay on top of your money, whether that means getting a credit card with a better deal or just cutting your expenses in general. Why not see if some of the following tips can help you?

Stop unnecessary payments
Are you guilty of signing up to an expensive gym contract, with the best intentions of attending regularly but failing to do so? If that’s the case then look to cancel it as soon as possible as the monthly fees can soon add up. The same applies to any subscriptions you have, so think about whether you can do without them and check your bank statement for any outgoings you are uncertain of, as it can be easy to forget what you’re buying.

Find a good credit card deal
It’s always useful to have a little extra cash available for a rainy day, but make sure you compare credit cards to find the right product for you, rather than settling for the first one you come across. Think about how you plan to use your plastic and try to find a preferential rate of interest, because in the event you aren’t able to repay your balance in full one month this will help to keep costs down.

Stay within your limits
If you’re approved for a credit card the lender will give you a credit limit. Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully as exceeding this amount is likely to trigger an additional fee. Of course, the same can also apply to your bank account, so why not make a habit of regularly checking your balance using online banking?

Bank online
If you’ve not already signed up for online banking, then now might be the right time to do so. If you’re not currently the most organized financially and your busy lifestyle makes it seem difficult to do so, then this might be the way to make a change. Gone are the days where you need to call the bank to check your balance or make a payment, as it’s possible to do all this online. If you’re a smartphone user then it might be easier still because many banks now offer dedicated apps, letting you handle your account on the move.

Do you have any tips for improving your personal finances to add to this list?

Fox 25 Morning News Talks with ACCC (American Consumer Credit Counseling) About Student Debt in 2012

There was a time when going to college, building a career, getting married, starting a family, and retiring by age 65 was the general plan many high school students followed after graduation, but in the year 2012 this plan may not be logical or realistic.  The video below shows an interview by the Fox 25 Morning News with ACCC (American Consumer Credit Counseling) education team lead and trainer Matt Paradise about the current state of student debt from both school loans and credit cards . . .

Boston News, Weather, Sports | FOX 25 | MyFoxBoston
It seems that university-bound students can no longer rely on getting a job in their field after graduating college (or even graduate school for that matter).  According to Paradise, high school students and their families need to have a back-up plan for paying off student loans in case their college graduate cannot secure employment in this competitive job market.  It is my belief that such families may also want to keep an open mind about alternative plans other than entering college right from high school, such as working for a few years to save tuition money or attending college classes virtually.  I shudder to think what our family will be facing financially when it comes time for our three children to enter college, especially with twins and their brother being only 3 years older.  There will be one year when all three children will be attending college simultaneously.

NOTE:  My apologies, but comments have been closed for this post because of the enormous amount of spam comments it has been receiving.  Sorry for the inconvenience.

Changing Views Towards Associate, Bachelor, and Graduate Programs

In my generation, as a high school student belonging to an average "middle class" family, the philosophy towards higher education was to be accepted to the best rated school you could (Ivy League if possible), to study hard, and to enjoy the college experience.  Back then, graduating from a 4-year university was the minimum expectation (a 2-year associates degree was not good enough) and obtaining a graduate degree was preferred.  Of course, money was an issue and students turned to their parents, scholarships and grants, working part time, and student loans.  Fast forward to the present, when those high school students now have children of their own with dreams of attending college, the situation is quite different.

How can students today make their dream of going to college come true when their parents are losing their jobs, losing their homes, and the price of college tuition has not stopped rising?  Even if these students work part time, they will likely need to contribute those earnings to their family's finances to make ends meet.  In addition to applying for scholarships, working extra hours, and attending a state school, here are two things students can do to achieve their goal of a college degree . . .

1.  Consider taking online courses to earn college credit.  Many students are choosing this route because the tuition is much lower than attending a school with walls.  Yes, the experience would not be the same, but this may be a good choice for students who need to save as much as possible on tuition and decide they can forego the social interaction.

2.  Take several years to work and save up money for tuition before starting college.  This plan throws a kink into the traditional timeline of 4 years of high school, 4 years of college, and 2 years of graduate school with no gaps in between.  People have actually been doing this for decades.  In fact, the average student age of many state schools is much older than at private colleges because of adults who chose to attend school after they have been part of the workforce full time and after they have started their families.

If you have a success story about how you, your children, or someone else you know were able to get their college degree even though the odds were stacked against them, I would love for you to share it with me and your fellow-readers.  Your story might inspire those who feel like college is not meant to be for themselves or their children.


This post and the subsequent discussion were supported by Online College Classes. The site is a resource for those looking to further their education with a nontraditional program.

3 Ways to Cut Costs Around the House

See these three children? They may be cute, but they each cost a lot of money to raise. Although I have not focused on it, I have shared a bit about how tough the past few years have been for my family financially. To sum it up, before we could fully recover from my husband losing his job two years prior, my husband lost his job again nearly 3 years ago, took out a student loan to go back to school to change his career path, and eventually found a job in the right field. However, it was not quite enough to cover our household expenses when combined with the income I make working from home. That is probably a story that you have heard too many times in recent years.

One of the steps we have taken to better our situation is get a home loan modification.  It took us a year and a half to actually get our mortgage company to help us, but eventually they did.  Although we do not generate any new credit card debts, we do have some very old ones that we had to stop paying on because of our circumstances.  We also have a lot of medical bills hanging over our heads, and need to put together a plan to pay off debt once we are in a more stable financial situation.  To help us feel like we are being proactive in the present, there are a few household expenses we are trying to reduce.


3 Ways to Cut Household Spending . . .

1.  Drink filtered water - Our family of 5 was accustomed to drinking spring water that we purchased by the case and by the gallon.  Although it took us a little while to get use to it, I have to say 85% of the water we drink now is from our countertop water filtration system.  Our children have sets of reusable bottles that I keep filled for them.  We are lucky that our tap water is safe and tastes just fine.  I would say we save around $300/year by doing this.

2.  Switch from cable to streaming video - We have not done this yet, but are seriously considering replacing our cable service with streaming video on each television in the house.  Each box would allow that television to access video from services like Netflix and Hulu Plus.  My husband estimates that we would save about $840/year if we do this.

3.  Bringing lunches from home - My husband can buy lunch for just over $5 from the cafeteria at work, but he could bring lunch and cut that cost by quite a bit.  Even if he picked out some quality frozen entrees on sale instead of taking leftovers, the cost would be about half.  It costs my son $2.50 to buy lunch from school.  Packing a lunch for him from home would also cost about half of that.  Taking lunches from home is something  my husband and 2nd grader already do, but only about 50% of the time.  We can certainly do better.  Between the two of them, even if they only saved $10 a week, that would be $520/year.

I know that saving $1500 in one year is not going to significantly help us pay off bills faster, but it is the difference between our children being able to take part in playing soccer and taking a dance class or not.  I think those experiences are worth a lot more than the amount of effort it takes to make those few changes.

If you have other ideas about how to cut costs around the house, I would love to hear them.

Depression Around the Holidays

All year round, but especially around the holidays, more people seem to suffer from depression or their existing depressed state worsens.  There could be many causes . . .  stress about lack of money, less daylight hours, loneliness, a chemical imbalance, or something else.  Online I know several women who suffer from depression year round because I belong to an online community mostly comprised of women.  In real life, however, I have to say that I know more men who seem to suffer from signs of depression than women.

Like with many other things, men seem more reluctant to seek out help with depression.  It seems to be harder for a man to go to a professional and admit that he may be depressed, perhaps because it may be construed as a sign of weakness?  How many men must suffer silently and just hope that something will turn around and they will just feel better one day?  I wonder if such men would benefit from depression forums, such as Depression Connect?  It is always easier to open up on a forum where there is some anonymity.  I am not suggesting that a forum could replace professional help, but it may provide enough support for men to take the next step and make that appointment to talk to someone.

If you have any experience with online support for depression, I would love for you to share your experiences (provided you feel comfortable).  Other 3G2S readers could benefit from your first hand knowledge.

Kelley Blue Book Says 59% of Americans Hate Car Shopping

When my husband started a new job this summer that required commuting, it was apparent that we needed to buy a second car.  I could no longer drop him off at work to take the children to school, dance class, soccer practice, etc . . . Since money has been tight around here, we decided we should just buy a pre-owned car outright because we could not afford a second car payment.  At the suggestion of some friends and family, we decided to attempt finding a private seller on Craig's List before we tried to shop the smaller dealers.  Needless to say, we were both consumed with the stress of finding a decent reliable used car that was not a lemon.  We could not afford to make a mistake.

I think in the current economic state our country is in, a large percentage of people are in the same situation.  That is why I was not surprised to see the statistics behind how Americans feel about purchasing a new vehicle.  In my opinion, you really need to be well-off enough so that spending a few thousand extra dollars does not even make you blink in order to truly enjoy car shopping.

Any Advice About How To Have Our Dream House?

Everyone has their idea of a dream house.  Some people's dream houses may be grandiose, but mine is actually much simpler.  I just want a three bedroom home large enough to house our family of five with an eat-in-kitchen, a fenced-in yard for a dog, and perhaps a tiny little office for me.  I'm not looking for a jacuzzi or a terrace or a fireplace in the master bedroom.  I just want a simple house where our family can create fond memories.

About 7 years ago, we purchased a two bedroom townhouse, which we thought would be a baby step towards our dream house.  Here we are, 7 years later, still stuck in this shoe box because the value of the home dropped nearly by half.  So I need someone to tell me what we should do.  If you have ever been in this situation and have successfully been able to move forward, I would love to hear about what steps you took to do so.

Looking back, perhaps we should have been looking at real estate in Park City, Utah or Tulsa, Oklahoma . . . somewhere away from Massachusetts?  It seems like being stuck in our situation is the price we had to pay for wanting to stay close to our families.

Holiday 2010 Giveaway: Get It All Done With These Time-Saving Tips ($50 GC) [CLOSED]

You may think that the holiday bustle ends on December 24th, but it really does not. Holiday parties continue for those who cannot get together by Christmas Day and plans for New Year celebrations follow. Not to mention the crowds of people exchanging gifts and taking advantage of post-holiday sales. So what can you do to make it through the last two weeks of the year without becoming overly stressed about time? Here are a few things you can do that actually take a few extra minutes, but will save you time in the long run . . .

1) Use MapQuest to map out a less-traveled route for wherever you are going. We live near a very highly populated retail area. Even if we are just going to visit friend's, traffic is always a huge factor. If we do not plan ahead, we will very likely be late to arrive at our destination.

2) Delegate some of your responsibilities. Instead of trying to be super-human, ask for help from your spouse and your children. If you need to, you can ask for help from a relative for one afternoon or hire a responsible teenager you know to help you with some chores or to watch your children, so you can get all these extra holiday-related tasks done.

3) Take advantage of in-store pick-up offered by many retailers. Many retailers, such as Wal-Mart, Sears, and Best Buy, offer online ordering with in-store pick-up. Not only is this a great way to avoid shipping charges, but you do not have to wait through a check-out line. Rather you just go to a special pick-up area with your receipt, where the line is usually much shorter.

4) Sign up for online banking to keep track of your finances. Before I leave to go shopping, I always check my account balances online. If I need to, I can make an instant transfer, so that I have enough money in my debit card account to shop. If you have web access on your mobile phone, then you can even do this right from your cell phone while away from the house.

Visit BankOfAmerica.com or Bank of America on Twitter to find more great tips about saving time and streamlining your finances.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour campaign by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Bank of America and received a Bank of America preloaded gift card to thank me for taking the time to participate. This contest is hosted and fulfilled solely by 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a $50 Bank of America gift card.

Limitations:

This giveaway is open to U.S. entries only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.

How to Gain Entries:

Leave a comment telling me one way you save time during the last two weeks of the year. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.
2)  For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 5 extra entries, use the Bank of America locator to tell me how many Bank of America Branches & ATMs are in your state. Remember to leave TEN separate comments with your answer.

4)  For 1 extra entry each, if you are a Friend of mine on Facebook and/or if you have "liked" the 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires Facebook page, then leave a separate comment here telling me so with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 1 extra entry, follow Bank of America on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile. (The extra entry for "liking" BOA on Facebook has been removed because it was not the official Facebook page of the brand. All extra entries completed prior to 9:16am EST on December 21st, 2010 will still be valid entries.)

6)  Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7)  Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8)  Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9)  

Subscribe to A Blog of Goodies' feed (the sister site to 3 Garnets & 2 Sapphires). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

10) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)




Random Drawing:

This contest will be closed on Monday, January 3rd, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

Santa's Job Gets Harder Every Year

This year more than ever, I have been reminiscing about how simple Christmas shopping for our children use to be. When they were toddlers, they were so easily impressed. We could have chosen any one of the many ride-on toys available for $35ish at the toy store to put under the tree and Santa would have been a hero. Now that the children are nearly 4, 4, and 7, it has grown increasingly difficult to find toys that have that wow-effect a parent wants from a Santa gift without breaking the bank.

Once the children hit preschool age, the whole logistics of writing a letter to Santa became another factor. It is an important element in maintaining our children's belief in the magic of Santa. The problem is that a parent cannot really tell a child not to ask for something they really want. When my oldest asked for a Nintendo DSi this year, I could not say to him, " Don't ask Santa for that. How about this less costly Harry Potter Lego Set instead?" So, does Santa disappoint a child because their request costs too much money? That could shatter the child's whole belief in Santa with just one shot. So, guess who will be receiving a Nintendo DSi from Santa this year.

Giveaway & Review: Money Savvy Pig Teaching Bank [CLOSED]

Our oldest just turned 6! Every year in December, January, and February, he always receives some money for Christmas, his birthday, and Chinese New Year. This year, it became very clear that we need to start creating some good habits for him when it comes to spending money before we can even consider starting to give him an allowance. Right now, when he has any money, he is likely to want to spend it.

This opportunity to review the Money Savvy Pig could not have presented itself at a better time. This product provided enough guidance to help me explain the other possibilities that exist for money other than spending it. I know not all of it sunk in since my son is only 6, but I think some of it was understood.

What I thought about our Platinum Edition Money Savvy Pig:

1) The Platinum Edition Money Savvy Pig comes in this ready-to-wrap gift box, which is a plus if you are buying this item for a gift.

2) The design of this pig is very well thought out overall. It has four slots on its back, which lead into four separate compartments. Each compartment represents the money your child has opted to save, spend, donate, and invest. Then there are a sheet of labels, some preprinted and some blank, that you can place above each category to help remind your child of his or her goals.

3) Another smart thing about the design is that each of the four feet is also labeled. The covers come off and each releases the money that is in the corresponding compartment. I wish there was a way to make these covers hinged or connected to each foot somehow. I think if a child takes off all four feet, it will be a process to figure out which cover goes on which foot.

4) Explaining the four compartments was a challenge. I think my son eventually got the gist of it. When we were deciding what to label each compartment, he immediately wanted the car sticker for the "Spend" compartment because to him it represents toys . . . toy cars to be exact. When I asked him what he would like to save money for, he wanted to put the sticker for food because he thinks we don't have enough cookies in the house. When it came to deciding what cause he would like to contribute his money towards, I gave him some choices . . . the food pantry where my sister and BIL volunteer, the animal shelter, or the public library . . . all things he could relate to. He ended up choosing the animal shelter. His eyes just glazed over when I told him he should choose a college fund for the investment section. Good thing he just trusted me on that matter.

5) If your child is around my son's age, then he or she likely needs practice counting money. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to have a mini lesson involving coins.

6) After my son counted his money, we had to decide what percentage to put in each section. I was not surprised that he wanted to put the most in the spend category. So we put ended up putting 50% of his money into "Spend", 25% into "Invest", and 12.5% each into "Save" and "Donate".

7) My son did not have any dollar bills to put in his pig, but he will as soon as the Chinese New Year rolls around. The photos on the manufacturer's website do show bills inside the pigs. They can clearly fit through the slots if folded into quarters, but I am worried that they might not come out easily through the legs and feet. Maybe if the pig was slightly larger, then the openings on its feet would be larger so this would not be a concern.

8) I personally thought my son would prefer a translucent pig over the platinum so he could see his money growing, but he actually thought the platinum one was pretty cool because it was very shiny and had a mirror effect.

Currently, the Platinum Edition Money Savvy Pig is on sale for $16.99, bringing it down to the price point of the colored piggy banks, which come in five different colors. To learn more about teaching children about money, visit the children and money blog authored by Susan Beacham. You can also find Money Savvy Generation on Facebook.

Thank you to Money Savvy Generation for sending us a bank on which to base this review and also for providing another bank for our contest prize.

What you can win:
One lucky reader will receive a Money Savvy Pig (winner may choose from blue or green).

Limitations:
This giveaway is open to U.S. addresses only. You do not need to be a blogger to enter, but you must have a valid email address and be age 18 years or older. If you enter anonymously and do not include a valid email address in your comment entries, I will not be able to notify you should you win this random drawing.


How to Gain Entries:
Browse the products offered for different age groups on the Money Savvy Generation website. Then leave a comment telling me the name of one product and how it can help someone you know learn to manage their money. You MUST do this to be eligible to win this contest.

Extra Entries:

1) For 5 extra entries, leave a relevant comment on one of my non-giveaway posts. Then leave FIVE separate comments with the name of the post on which you commented. You will earn 5 extra entries for each different non-contest post you comment on.

2) For 5 extra entries, enter one of my other contests. Leave FIVE separate comments here telling me which contest you entered. You will earn 5 extra entries for each contest you enter.

3) For 10 extra entries, blog about this contest linking back to this post AND MSGen.com . Then come back here and leave TEN separate comments with the link to your blog post.

4) Friend me on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Facebook profile.

5) For 2 extra entries, share the link to this contest post on Facebook. Then leave TWO separate comments with the link to your Facebook profile.

6) Follow me on Twitter. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your Twitter profile.

7) Tweet about this giveaway linking back to this post. Then come back here and leave the link to your tweet in a separate comment. You may do this once per day until the end of the contest.

8) Subscribe to this blog's feed. Or you can follow me through Blogger or subscribe via email (widget is on sidebar). Then leave a separate comment telling me you did so.

9) Add my button or blog link to your blog's sidebar. Then leave a separate comment with the link to your blog.

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(All entries will be verified prior to awarding this prize.)


Random Drawing:
This contest will be closed on Monday, January 25th, 2010 at 11:59pm EST. A random number drawing will be held shortly after. The winner will be announced here and will be contact via email or through their blog. If the winner does not respond within 48 hours, a new number will be drawn.

Good luck in the drawing!

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month

I never really gave life insurance much thought. It was always a benefit we took for granted that we received through either one or both of our employers. After our first son was born, we did buy extra coverage, but again it was through my husband's workplace. It didn't even occur to us until months after my husband lost his job that we needed to look into having life insurance again. It was not until then that we really saw how confusing it was to choose how much and what type of coverage to purchase.

Next month is Life Insurance Awareness Month, so I thought I'd share some resources that might help you if you happen to be in a position where you need to make a decision about purchasing life insurance for yourself and your family.

Life Insurance Needs Calculator

Life Insurance Product Selector

Human Life Value Calculator

Chris Noth Speaking About the Importance of Life Insurance

(Sex in the City and Law & Order)

ING Life Planning Toolbox

Is a Disney Family Vacation in the Cards for Us?

Since there has been all this buzz about Blogher trips these past couple of months, my husband and I have been discussing going somewhere . . . anywhere. Although he has travelled for business, we have not gone anywhere as a couple since our honeymoon and we have never taken a family vacation. Well, the question is, do we spend our money going on a little weekend trip or should we save it and use it towards a big family vacation to Disney? Money is really tight for us, so we will have to be one of those families who plans out every little detail. One thing I do know is that a January trip would be ideal since all 3 of our children have their birthdays that month (not to mention that it would be nice to get away from the New England winter weather).

I have so many questions floating around in my head. For example, what is the best age for my kids to go? Jake is at a good age, but the twins are only 2-1/2 and they won't remember the trip when they are older.

Another question I have is how far ahead can we start planning? Also what happens if you find some really good Disney vacation deals, but you are not ready to go within the next few months? How far out do travel agents book? Will an all-inclusive vacation be too restrictive even though it may be more stress-free to know the approximate cost per person up front?

Feel free to chime in with any advice or suggestions on how to get started with the planning!

Budgeting For a Family Vacation

Summer has just begun. If your family is like mine, then you are terribly stressed out about any extra spending due to the poor economy. You may be considering or may have already decided to cancel your vacation plans this year. If things are too close for comfort, then it may be time to consider debt consolidation.

I'm not just suggesting consolidating your debt for the sake of vacation budgeting, but mainly to regain control of your and your family's life. I know only too well what it's like to be living paycheck to paycheck and worrying about what the next emergency will be that will throw the whole stringent budget off. If you can reduce your interest rates and lower your payments each month, maybe you will be able to take a well-deserved vacation with your family after all.

Tips for Preventing Identity Theft

Although the possibility of identity theft are on all our minds year round, it is particularly worrisome during the vacation months for those who travel. You almost always are not carrying your cards credit cards and identification in the same place or the same bag you normally do when home.

Here are some tips on how to help prevent identity theft:

1) Know where your credit cards/debit cards are at all times: Keep credit card/debit card(s) on you at all times. Don’t leave them at a bar to run a tab because it can lead to the card being compromised.

2) Double-check credit card receipts when traveling out of the country: Some receipts still print out the cardholder’s full name and credit card number. If you’re going to throw receipts in trash, be sure to shred them.

3) Minimize the number of documents carried: Carrying more documents means more potential for loss and/or theft. Keep important documents in a hotel safe and only carry what’s necessary.

4) Be careful when using ATMs: Only use ATMs with monitoring cameras, such as those in bank lobbies. Avoid kiosk ATMs, those freestanding units often do not have cameras and are statistically more likely to be infected by skimmers (electronic devices that allow thieves to record account and PIN numbers). "Shoulder Surfing" can also be a problem at bars or crowded resorts. While you assume that the man behind you is uncomfortably close because of the crowded space, he may actually be looking over your shoulder trying to get your login.

5) Pay cash whenever possible or use credit cards instead of debit cards: Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, Credit Cards provide consumers protection against fraudulent charges and your liability is limited to $50. You also have the right to dispute charges and withhold payment during investigation. However, debit cards are entirely different. Although they market themselves to deliver the same protection, they are not required to by any law. Bottom line, your liability for fraudulent charges is the entire amount in your checking account as well as the credit line you have been authorized to receive.


These tips were provided by IdentityTruth.com .

The Take Care Recovery Plan Aids the Uninsured

As you may or may not know, my dear husband lost his job approximately two weeks ago. Luckily for us (or unluckily, depending on how you look at it), this was not the first time we have had to turn to unemployment benefits for help, so we knew what to do and who to call for the most part. About 3 years ago, the same thing had happened to us right after we found out I was pregnant with twins. I don't think we ever fully recovered from the financial hit.

In these past two weeks, we have come to realize that there are many more programs out there to help us than there were 3 years ago. This is our state's reaction to the high number of people losing their jobs daily in Massachusetts. It was sad to hear how backlogged the unemployment office is during these difficult times. They told us it could take 3 to 4 times as long as usual to process our paperwork because they are just buried.

If someone in your life has become unemployed, please encourage them to educate themselves about what types of programs are available in their state. For example, in Massachusetts, there is a program to be reimbursed for a percentage of your Cobra payments. Luckily, we had the $1000+ to send along to sign up for Cobra. What happens to the people who do not?

If you have recently become unemployed and are uninsured, The Take Care Recovery Plan, brought to you by Walgreens, is something you should look into. You and your family may qualify for free healthcare through the end of 2009. They see patients 18mos and up for everyday things, such as minor injuries, vaccinations, respiratory illnesses, and much more. As far as I know, they do not cover prescriptions.

Not every Walgreens location houses a clinic. To find a Take Care Clinic near you, visit TakeCareHealth.com and enter your zip code. You can also call 1-866-Take-Care (Option #3) to find out more information about this program.