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Extreme Couponing – Money Saver or Time Waster?
Extreme Couponing – Money Saver or Time Waster? We have all seen those shows on TV that show the amazing moms who have turned coupon clipping into an art form. They scour the local papers, grocery store inserts and the web for the best deals. They utilize elaborate organization systems for making their shopping trips as productive as possible. It is enough to make my head spin. I am all about saving money and I have been known to clip a few coupons myself. I even take advantage of a good deal or two in my local grocery store. But savings is not just about dollars and cents. Value…
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Money: Saving with Groupon.com
Saving Money with Groupon.com Groupon.com is a free subscription service that offers a cornucopia of items at discounted prices. There are deals on restaurants, household goods, toys, clothing, make-up, even vacations. When you sign up you give the site your location and your email address. Your location allows Groupon to show you ads targeted for your area. These ads are most often for restaurants and services near where you live. Your email address allows Groupon to alert you hot deals. We are all trying to save money, so a site that can offer a way to do that can be a big benefit. I want to caution…
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Life Planning: Saving for Retirement
Planning for Retirement I’ve said before that I am not a financial advisor. But I have learned a few things along my path. It is very important to save something for retirement. I am a firm believer that we are the makers of our own destiny and as such we are responsible for the planning that takes us to that destiny. That said, I have always been a bit skeptical about the reliability of Social Security benefits by the time I reach that golden age. So I have taken some steps to make sure there is something in the coffers when I need it. Tip #1:…
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Money: Saving For College
If you have at least one child I’m sure you have at least thought about what to do about saving for their education. Choosing the right option can be a daunting task. There are many factors to consider. This post is not designed to help you choose what option is best for you, but to give you a bit of information on what the options are. I want to focus on three options. The Pre-Paid Tuition Plan – This type of plan allows you to pay for tomorrow’s college costs at today’s price. Sounds great, right? Well there are some things you should know. First, your child must…
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Basic Bookkeeping Systems For Your Home-Based Business
Business Bookkeeping for Your Home-Based Business (Part 2) As we work our way through the holidays, it’s a good idea to set up your bookkeeping for the coming year. This way, when you start your business activity for the new year you will be all set to keep track of everything. A basic bookkeeping system for a home based business can be as simple as a notebook or as complex as accounting software. It’s best to keep it simple, at least at first. Get a notebook. You can get a spiral bound book so that you don’t lose pages. I would recommend a book with two sections…
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How To Stay On Budget This Holiday Season
How To Stay On Budget This Holiday Season I know I said that we would start to look at home-based business bookkeeping systems, but I’d like to take a quick break and talk about the holidays. This is a very stressful time for most people. One of the biggest stressors is the cost. So, how can you get what you need and still stay on budget? I have a few ideas: Make a List! First, make a list (I love lists) of all of the people you need to purchase gifts for. Next, make a list of other things you need to buy. Do you need or want any…