Open Mike

We here at DS knew this would happen...

slk2042 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 22:59:10 GMT

Millions of workers will have to repay part of the Obama tax credit. Read about it here:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091116/ap_on_bi_ge/us_tax_credit_pickle

There were several threads a while back that discussed this. Here are the ones I recall:

1. http://community.stretcher.com/forums/p/11391/118524.aspx#118524

2. http://community.stretcher.com/forums/p/10613/110217.aspx#110217

3. http://community.stretcher.com/forums/p/10892/113368.aspx#113368

(Maybe the financial powers that be should just come here first before they institute new policy...we are so smart!)

rent a cars

nettiea — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:54:40 GMT

My daughter made reservations online for a flight, motel and a rent a car. Her husband is in the service, and is stationed in Kentucky. We live in Texas. Everything went well, until she landed and tried to get her car. She showed them the reservation and confirmation numbers, but they said they couldn't help. The car was reserved for $260. and now they want another $240. She dosen't have it. She is going to get in touch with the uso, I just hope they will help.I would like to know how to get in touch with the Kentucky attarney general. I feel like this is the old bait and switch routine, and something needs to be done about it. She put all this on her credit card, because she hasn't seen him for 3 months, and friday he goes to mi. And it will be another 3 months before she sees him. She is this close and now she may not get to see him this time. I for one will never use Dollar rent a car. I feel they are taking advantage of our service personal.

Sorry to vent so much,

nettie

Scanning and bagging your own groceries

Fran McCarthy — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 16:09:35 GMT

I responded to a post in the dollar stretcher news letter about this and then thought that this might be a good place to start a movement against this trend. The grocery stores, save the cost of cashiers and baggers, and in this time of very difficult employment opportunities contribute to the unemployment problem. In addition to putting much more money in their corporate pockets, they don't pass that savings on to the consumer. Does your grocery store give you a rebate for scanning and then bagging your own groceries? Mine sure as heck doesn't. My grocery store started off with 3 "self serve" aisles and now has six that means at least 12 employees out of work, as cashiers and baggers, and considering all the hours they have to cover it's probably more like 24 employees on the unemployment roles. 24 employees without health insurance coverage too. I for one will never use one of these aisles, and I hope that we can start a movement in which all of us will avoid them. The average folks who keep these huge conglomerates in business, just have to stick together to protect the jobs of their employees. Fran McCarthy

Helping a friend til it hurts.

goldenblaise — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 01:57:38 GMT

A friend of mine needed to move but she didn't have a credit card to rent a U-haul. She asked if I'd help, she'd give me the cash up front. I agreed. I went strait to the bank to depost the money she gave me to pay the card off the second I got the bill. Well, two days ago I get my bill with two charges from u-haul. One for the rental and a second I was sure what for. It was more than the rental was. I called u-haul and was told that the tank wasn't filled to the right line. It was 1/8th of a tank lower than it needed to be. Also she went 6 miles over. I was really upset with my friend. It would have only cost maybe $20 to fill up that last 1/8th of a tank that night, but because she didn't I got chared nearly $90. She will not return my calls now. I'm stuck with this bill at a time that I can't afford to pay it.

cyn

Being frugal out of necessity

mamasjob — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:07:06 GMT

http://journalstar.com/news/local/article_c3f89942-d250-11de-b1d9-001cc4c03286.html

This is an article from my local paper. I'm afraid this is the story for many more people in my area but not many have been as resourceful as this couple. I hope they can hold onto their home. I started thinking maybe this article will help this woman find a way to make her skills pay--maybe teaching them to others.

A few months back, Nebraska was touted as having one of the lowest unemployment figures in the nation. But statistics don't mean much to the person who is unable to find a job.

Thirty "Thank You's"

mommatothree — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:43:30 GMT

With Thanksgiving approaching soon, let's think of thirty things we are thankful for. Write your list of thirty "thank You's". It can be as introspective or as fun as you want it to be!

My Thirty "Thank You's"

1. My Creator
2. My hubby
3. My kidlets
4. My parents
5. My siblings
6. My nephews
7. Patches, our "adopted" kitty
8. Coffee
9. Fall
10. A cool breeze
11. Pears
12. Baked goods
13. A warm blanket
14. Nail polish
15. iPod's
16. Butter
17. Blogs
18. Photographs
19. Leather purses
20. Burt's Bee's Almond Milk Hand Creme
21. Aprons
22. Flowers
23. Pine Cones
24. Wrapping paper
25. Secondhand stores
26. Stationary
27. Mechanical pencils
28. Tom's of Maine toothpaste
29. My health
30. Magic erasers

Article on new "frugalites"

mamasjob — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:41:37 GMT

http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2009/news/0911/gallery.Extreme_Savers/index.html

I thought this was an interesting article. Some of the interviewees were already practicing their frugal trades/habits before the recession but the others have become creative and found ways to save more money.

Past due call from the bill collectors.

mary w. — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 20:26:46 GMT

Todays rant!!!!!!!!!

Today my dh got a call on his cell phone from a bill collector. It said that we had 2 uncollected bills that he was trying to collect. One was for $17 dollars from the hospital where my dh went when he broke his leg. ( 13 years ago) another was from the hospital for a surgical procedure at a cost of $468.40. After doing some checking on this one come to find out it was the day after my son was born. (It is the cost of having him circ.) I actually laughed out loud. That was in Oct 19991, my ds will be 18 y/o on Saturday. He graduates in May of next year and they are just now finding this mistake.

I don't know how far back they can go, but they must be hungry for this one to be that big of a deal. I would not be surprised to see this happening more often.

I set up a payment schedule, I hope to have him paid for before he leaves home.

D-I-Y Health Care Reform--Help Save a $Trillion Right From Home!

This Old Housewife — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:27:07 GMT

1. Wash your hands frequently throughout the day, before/during/after food preparation, after coughing or sneezing, after cleaning the cat box, after using the bathroom, and after handling money.

2. Consume no more than 6 grams of added sugar per serving per day (to ward off expensive diabetes and cancer).

3. Consume no more than 100 mg. of sodium per serving (to ward off expensive hypertension).

4. Consume no more than 6 grams of protein per day (2 servings of 3 oz. each) to ward off expensive high cholesterol and kidney-related diseases, including gout.

5. Use good fats only: high Omega-3’s like olive oil, coconut oil, high-oleic safflower oil (check labels here), high-oleic sunflower oil, etc. The safflower and sunflower oils are good for frying, and the coconut oil is terrific for baking.

6. Stop smoking and don’t expose yourself to cigarette/cigar/joint smoke. Second- and third-hand smoke is just as dangerous (and expensive to treat) as first-hand smoke. Have yourself detoxed for heavy metals—cadmium and other dangerous heavy metals exist in cigarettes. Curb drinking to a minimum to avoid liver damage, and exposure to diabetes potential—booze is fermented grains which turn to liquid sugar, affecting the pancreas.

7. Eat primarily fruits and vegetables—avoid fast foods and processed foods (anything in a can, jar, box, or bag). If you MUST use processed foods, use some with low sodium (<100 mg./serving) or sugar (<6 grams/serving). This increases your fiber and eliminates excess fats, sugars, and hormones from your blood, and helps ward off cancer.

8. Visit a dietitian for a specific eating plan to help you lose weight and reverse chronic diseases you may now have, and visit a personal trainer for an exercise plan that fits your goals and abilities.

9. Have annual physicals, CBC blood tests, a urinalysis, plus all other appropriate annual tests (mammograms, PSA, etc.) to establish a baseline from which to gather knowledge for health improvement—blood and urine tell much of the story. If you have these results, take them to the dietitian, because he or she will need them to help make your corrective eating plan.

10. Stay current with immunizations—especially tetanus. A decent diet pretty much negates the need for things like flu shots, making these optional. I’ve never had a flu shot, and never gotten the flu.

11. Buy and use a faucet filter or filter pitcher for your drinking water to cut exposure to lead, mercury, flushed pharmaceuticals, and other contaminants, as well as chlorine intake.

12. Avoid convenience foods at all costs—learn to make your own at home. Fast foods in particular employ the same addiction-creating methods as cigarettes to keep you coming back for more, and are just as dangerous to your health as cigarettes. Drive-thru windows should be bricked up (in my opinion), and if you absolutely WANT this food, you should be made to get out of the car to get it!

After completing the above steps, then and only then do you need to worry about health insurance (unless you text while driving). Smoking cessation aids listed in #6, the professionals listed in #7, the tests listed in #8, the shots in #10, and the foods listed in #6 are the only things our government should be funding (subsidizing) in the way of national health care—the rest is easily achievable on your own, and should be achieved. Affordable coverage for trauma, surgeries, accidents, cancer, broken bones, and catastrophes is available through HSA plans (employer-provided or available online). The rest can be budgeted for in regular savings. If the qualifications for MSA expenses changed to include things like soap, smoking cessation aids, a water filter, or high Omega-3 oils, I’d recommend using that too as a budgeting aid—I consider these things as important as now-qualified expenses.

The diet you come away with from #7 will also improve our DENTAL health—lowering added sugar intake and increasing NATURAL sugar intake (through fruits and vegetables) will help lower incidence of cavities and gum disease, making dental visits more for cleaning than anything else. Brushing and flossing are the cheapest ways of extending tooth life.

The same can be said for the eyes—better diet will also preserve and possibly improve vision, slowing the need for glasses (or new glasses), and lowering the incidence for macular degeneration, cataracts, and other eye diseases.

Notice I didn't mention exercise--studies have shown that exercise just makes you hungry, and then you eat, and the you exercise to work off what you just ate...it's a never-ending cycle. Just walk more and you'll be all right.

Tort reform, drug patent reform, cost consolidation, back-door rationing, and government regulation may seem like good ideas to solve our so-called health care crisis, but don’t address what we can do for ourselves to eliminate the need for health care insurance in the first place—taking better care of ourselves to begin with. Think of it as “front-door rationing,” leaving those who don’t take better care of themselves to be victims of government onslaught with Medicare, Medicaid, and other intrusive social programs. Every government “giveaway” has strings attached, and nothing’s free—in order to receive this “benefit,” you must be willing and/or able to trash your own health, and then be subject to haphazard and expensive care to repair it.

Every government program puts limits and restrictions on you—remember your freedoms. The Health Care Reform bill is an example of how far Democrats are willing to go in pursuit of votes and power. Government WANTS you to be dependent on them for your very life—do you want to put your life in government’s hands? If not, then get off the couch and start making changes TODAY to show government who’s boss!

So much of the above list can be accomplished without insurance—maybe not the visits to a dietitian or gym instructor, keeping up with immunizations, or the CBC and urinalysis, but many of them CAN be accomplished without insurance or some sort of subsidy. Do you really need Uncle Sam to pay for soap, put fruits and veggies in your shopping cart, or read labels for you?

The people in favor of H-R 3200 say yes, they need Uncle Sam to do it (and more) for them.

It finally happened to me

lmnichols — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:26:57 GMT

I have read and heard that credit card companies are upping everyone's interest rate. I always thought it would never happen to me because I am one of those that never carries a balance. Well, it did!! It went up 2 %. Of course, when I called I got "Mandy" from India. She told me my only course of action is to close the account. She said they sent me something back in June, I don't remeber getting anything. I swear they go by a script and keep repeating the same thing over and over again. I asked to talk to her supervisor and all that got me was back on hold and then some other rep in India. Not only did they up my rate, they have not given me my points for using the card. This is the only reason I use the card. I charge everything on it and then cash in the points to get free gift cards - usually gas cards for when we travel. I know that just last year, I was able to call and get the rate lower just for asking. At that time, a rep from Ohio told me to call again in a few months to get it lower some more.

Moral of this story, read every piece of mail your credit card company sends.

Sprouts grocery store

mary w. — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:46:45 GMT

Does anyone have a Sprouts grocery store near them and can you tell me anything about them. Ours opened less than a month ago. Their prices are incredible.

Watermelons (whole) $ .99 each

Red bell peppers .77 each

Yellow and orange .77 each

Seedless grapes .99 lb.

Yellow squash .99 lb.

Red and Yellow

Vine tomatoes .69 lb.

Large Hass

Avacados .33 each

The produce is not only beautifully priced it is beautiful to look at and taste even better.

Best places to raise a family

mamasjob — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:27:36 GMT

http://journalstar.com/lifestyles/article_a8741be2-a21c-11de-9e0b-001cc4c03286.html

Our local paper had this article about the best places to raise a family. I tried the link within the article to take me to the actual site but it was not working.

My city is #4 on the list. I guess that's something to be happy about!

Does your city come in on this list or do you have reasons why it is/is not a great place to raise a family? What do you think of the criteria?

BTW: I think there are other factors that make a place a great place to raise a family other than those listed. My guess is the magazine used objective and measurable criteria, things which are not available in every city/town.

Save your money!

artisticpursuit08 — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:27:21 GMT

Hey everyone, I just wanted to drop a note. I’ve been sewing and knitting my baby girl clothes lately because I have no money to buy her new ones. Although it is embarrassing to share this, it has helped me out so much. In economic times such as these, I think people need to look for ways to save money. Not only is she happy with her clothes, the actual process of making them has been therapeutic as well. Not to mention how much money I didn't have to worry about spending! Check out my blog and let me know how you’ve been saving money! I was also able to post some other things to help everyone out, hopefully. http://artistwarehouse.blogspot.com/ Take care! Cinhttp://www.stophighcosts.com/?p=192109

Charities' telephone calls

Deborahmichelle — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:17:39 GMT

Dear All, I budget $9/month ($1 bills that I have go into my pushke/charity bank) for charity, & every otehr month I give CHAI ($18 spelled out in Hebrew letters) to a favorite charity. Generally, it's Smile Train or Heifer International. Twice I gave to Jewish organizations (not major ones). Now I get calls once or twice a week with charity reps pleaaadign with me to feed starving Jewish children, or at least to fund holiday celebrations. I keep telling them that I have my charity budgeted already. One of the 2 Jewish organizations that I gave to is in NY & is required by law to have an audited financial statement for inspection. I donated because I had made a phone pledge, but I asked for the statement. No statement. SO, every time that THEY call (frequent!), I dress them down. My Darllling brother says that I should just say, No, & hang up the phone. How do you handle these situations? Yours in Him, Deb

$25 in NSF fee at the bank, I'm sooo mad!!!

Carmina — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 18:01:29 GMT

My fault!!!

I have little money and I didn't keep track of my records. as of Monday!!! A bill that didn't go through yet, the bank even though they haven't posted yet, they don't make funds available and they charge you for not having enough to cover it, even though it hasn't gone through yet!!!! What a rip off!!!

It hurts ,$25 is a lot!!

Carmina, I will get over it.

Migraines .... GRRRRRRRRRRRR ....

forginahead — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:56:40 GMT

I HATE being in pain, and missing work! Like today. I did good over the weekend -- actually cleaned a room, did a real budget, and figured out some other things. Then what happens?!? Yep, you guessed it -- migraine! Now I'll have to factor in the missed pay in the budget.

Honestly -- if there were a procedure for brain transplants, I'd be first in line.

(These danged headaches have been lessening, thankfully -- they were really bad for about seven months earlier this year, thanks to a new medication for another condition -- but I still hate having to call out and miss work. Once the pain sets in, medication will not touch it. All I can do is rest.)

[:'(]

It's all TOO Complicated (Vent)

Toni B. — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 22:04:12 GMT

Not sure how many people on the forum will connect to this thread. This past week as of last Monday, it seemed every one I spoke to (myself included) had some sort of exasperating experience with either utility bills or technology or something that just put them "over the edge". In every case there was some dollar amount involved. For example, my friend caught a feral cat and took it to a shelter where she knew a small donation was expected. The small donation turned into an $89 boarding fee because the cat took a swipe and they have to hold it for 10 days. This same friend also felt hassled because in order to get any kind of store or prescription discount you have fill out a form with all kinds of personal information. I received my bill for Phone/TV/Internet and due to a computer glitch not recognizing my bundle contract and I spent 55 minutes on the phone correcting the problem. They want to me to "up the speed" and pay $10 more than my original contract but if I stay at the current speed they take away my caller id. I don't need a higher speed and I want my caller id. In my sisters neighborhood people go around year raising money for schools by "repainting" the addresses on the curb for a $10 donation. She didn't want it done but could not physically put the notice down over the curb to avoid getting it painted. It got painted and she felt forced into it. I know we are in the age of information but it feels like we are being strong-armed out of every last dime and expected to jump through so many hoops. We're left with fewer options to protect our information and our money. By Friday I wanted to disconnect everything and head for the hills. Maybe I'm getting old and cranky but simple just ain't what it used to be.

I'm Thinking of Giving Aurora a Razor Cut on Her Fur

Virginia Needlewoman — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 00:27:01 GMT

We found enough loose fur to make almost 2 Auroras ! Grrr...... I am so tempted to shave the Pampered Princess !

The thing that gets me is that I comb & brush her daily.

No wonder Dr. Skinny was laughing at my last office visit when I showed her Aurora's picture on my cell phone.

I would never do anything to harm Aurora. I just get tired of all the loose long fur she sheds.

And baby makes...3

mamasjob — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:30:51 GMT

kiddos, that is! We are expecting our 3rd child in February. I'm feeling much better now that I'm past the first trimester. We have a 3 year old and a 5 year old (boys) now.

DH and I are starting to discuss my cutting back work hours even more. I haven't even brought it up to my boss yet. But I've been running numbers, trying to budget for the future which is so unknown.

Anyway, we are very excited and looking forward to MAYBE having a girl. DH is one of three boys and my father in law is one of 3 boys so I may be destined to have 3 boys. I'll take either--I'm not picky, LOL. I just pray for a healthy pregnancy above all else.

Shopping at KOHL's

mary w. — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:35:19 GMT

I went to KOHL's this weekend. They sent me a $10 gift card in the mail. It was also tax free weekend, so I went shopping. I got a new T-shirt, a pair of earrings and a princess puzzle for my dgd for Christmas. Minus the gift card, my total was $7. I saved $31 according to the price tags and adding the tax. Now I have one more Christmas present bought and paid for and I got to talk to a friend I have not seen in 18 months. It was fun and not to expensive.

my life...

goldenblaise — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 03:52:19 GMT

There's a leak in a pipe under my house. Gonna have to tear up the concrete floors to get to the pipe. There's a leak in my roof that I can't find. The breaks are out on my car. My hubby's hours have been cut, he only works 3 days a week now. I have been looking for a job for 2 months and I guess I'm unhireable. Both my boys need new clothes for school. Son2 (12) has jumpped right out of a size 14 in boys and strait into mens clothes. Hello brick wall, meet face. smack

For the last three years we've been debt free, other than our house payments. I feel like I'm being sucked in to a black hole, while trying to push my world out.

cyn

Christmas shopping at Mardels

mary w. — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:49:04 GMT

Yesterday I dropped my dgd off with her mom. I watch her during the day. We met at Mardels Christian Book Store. While we were their they were having their back to school sales. They had a lot of clearence items also. We found $21 dollar candles (beautiful) for $3 and $21 - $29 figurines for $3. All were boxed gifts. The candles, when you opened the boxes they play music. We found $12 sun catchers for $2 and they had lots of christian tee shirts for $5. I purchased a few items for Christmas, and I got my dgd a new back pack for our school co-op. I spent less than 20 dollars and saved more than $40. My dd spent $20 and saved more than $80. She is only 21, but when we left the store she said "Mom that was awesome!" I saw a gleam in her I that I have seen in my own eye a time or two before. After leaving the store saving more money than she had spent and having a head start on Christmas, she was a very happy camper.

I Hate This Site!!

Jari — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:32:21 GMT

I hate this site! It has so many forum topics, so much information, so much advice, so many interesting discussions, I will never be able to finish reading it and move on! Why does it do this? Why isn't it limited in how much it has? Why is DolarStretcher so loaded with good info? HOw am I supposed to use all this information when I'm so busy reading it that I can'y get off the computer?? Sigh.

PS Thanks for all of it!

Yuck ! Weather Related Health Issues

Virginia Needlewoman — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:01:32 GMT

I have sinus and allergy issues. It's just a fact of life.

Here in my part of Virginia we've had a lot of rain this summer. It has triggered so many headaches and it's made my arthritis hurt like crazy !

I cannot deal with extremely hot temperatures either. However, one summer when it was really hot I did not hurt all summer from arthritis pain nor did I get many headaches triggered by the weather that summer.

The summer of 2009 has been a challenge for me because of all the weather related headaches.

Yikes....

AmyC — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 00:29:56 GMT

Recently on the radio, there have been all sorts of claims that the nation isbeginning to climb out of the recession, yet I feel like Utah is just hitting it hard. I am a CNA and for once, I can't find a job...that's unheard of! On our states job boards, almost all the jobs need highly qualified people, and are paying below industry standards for those jobs. The service sector jobs, construction type jobs etc and retail jobs are about non existant. Dh was laid off about five weeks ago and in that time has applied for every job he could find that he was qualified for in a 75 mile radius. The ONLY interest he recieved was for a job that would have him making 40% of his original wage. Unemployment pays 60%. With the commute everyday, he would actually only be bringing in about 28% of his original income. It feels unethical, but we did not take the job. Things are the bleakest they have ever been for us.

Are things looking up in your neck of the woods? Or are the advertisments just good PR for the government?