Money Tips down2basics: I thought this might help....I know it helps me sometimes. Given we are all struggling to live on half of what we did - every little bit helps! Enjoy!
The average American household spends more than $2,200 dining out, according to New Strategist Publications. And as we work longer hours leaving us less time to cook, I have no doubt that number will head skyward. That's reason enough to approach dining in a restaurant as any other consumer experience. I'm not saying you need to haggle over every item on the bill, just to make sure you know where rip-offs are likely to lurk.
* Specials: It's not unusual for them to be more expensive than every other item on the menu. Simply ask how much they are as the waiter lists them.
* Bottled water: Bottled water is a huge profit center for restaurants. Beware of a place that starts pouring and doesn't stop.
* Wine: Be certain the bottle you order is the bottle you receive. Sometimes less expensive varieties are substituted for pricier versions. Some restaurants will cavalierly substitute a less expensive year but still charge you the higher price.
Re:Money Tips down2basics: Automate Your Paycheck
Are you taking advantage of direct deposit? Not only is it easy, but most banks will knock $1 to $2 off your monthly account maintenance fees if you have your paychecks direct-deposited. Check with your employer to see if they have special deals with local banks for direct deposit. And don't stop with your paycheck: You can also direct-deposit expense and travel reimbursements, Social Security and Veteran's payments, retirement and mutual fund distributions, and tax refunds. In all of these cases, direct-depositing saves you a trip to the bank. With taxes there's an additional bonus: If you file electronically and elect to have your refund direct-deposited, you'll shave weeks off the time it takes to get your money back.
Re:Money Tips tyrogers: Money tip.........
Don't hit a deer with your car, spend a day at the ER, get a doctor's excuse for that day and the next day and attempt to go back to work. You might get fired. Then you have no money. So if you happen to hit that deer......just deal with the "whiplash" and take lots of Tylenol. ;D
BBH - Tyleena ("Ty")
Re:Money Tips down2basics: Umbrella Insurance for a Rainy Day
You already know that we live in a litigious society. That's why you need liability coverage on your home. Such a policy will provide a nice check in case someone slips and falls on your wet bathroom floor and sues you. As with auto insurance, most homeowners policies come with $100,000 to $300,000 of coverage. But unless you're worth less than that (including all your assets), you should buy more coverage in the form of umbrella liability policy.
Umbrella liability insurance is a relatively inexpensive way to make sure you have complete liability protection on all of your turf as well as your car. It may also cover you in other liability cases, such as if someone sues you for libel. And basic umbrella coverage may include all owner-occupied residences, up to four rental units, drivers under twenty-five, and small boats.
Typically, umbrella policies start to pay only after the liability protection under your homeowners or auto policy exhausts itself. To make the purchase most cost-effective, you'll want to increase the liability coverage on both your home and auto insurance to $300,000 before you buy the umbrella. According to the Insurance Information Institute, you should then be able to buy $1 million of umbrella coverage for $150 to $300. The next million will cost about $75, and $50 for each additional million worth of insurance.
Re:Money Tips down2basics: More than four out of every 10 Americans is a volunteer. It's no wonder. The late Michael Argyle, a pioneering social psychologist from the U.K., found that volunteering and other charity work ranked second on a list of group activities that result in happiness. (Only dancing ranked higher.) If you're already a volunteer, or would like to be one, you need to try to make your volunteer hours fulfilling for both you and the charity. Follow these steps:
1. Think about your skills. There are three ways to approach volunteering. You can offer up skills you have (the same skills you use in your workaday life as a doctor, lawyer, publicist, or accountant). You can use volunteering as a way to develop new skills you'd like to put on your resume. Or you can approach it as a way to take a break from your daily life by doing something completely different.
2. Consider what else you want. Think about your motives for volunteering. Yes, it's nice to do good. But what else is driving you? Do you want to meet other singles? Spend time outdoors? Be with children (or escape them)? Or are you trying to teach the spirit of giving to your own kids? Knowing what you're looking for will help you find the right slot.
3. Be realistic. The average volunteer donates 3.6 hours of time each week, according to the Independent Sector. You may do more, you may do less. Both are fine. Approximately 85% of nonprofits rely on volunteers for at least some of their labor, so they need you. What they don't need are people who make commitments they can't fulfill.
4. Find a good fit. Once you have a grip on what you want, call charities directly or head to a Web site like volunteermatch.org, which has filled nearly a million volunteer positions since 1998. Then attend a volunteer orientation, and if you don't believe you've found the right place for you, try something else. After all, the goal is to find something that adds to your happiness;not one that robs you of it.
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