Archive for January, 2009
Credit cards
Monday, January 26th, 2009
First of all, thanks to everyone who came to my author talk at the Danbury Library yesterday. We had a great time! Please check out my other upcoming radio/library appearances–we continuously update them to keep you informed!
One of the topics we talked about yesterday was credit cards. For many folks, credit cards were problematic before all of the economic upheaval in the U.S. Now they are downright overwhelming. Which, among other things, means that the vultures come out. I am talking about those companies that promise to get rid of your credit card debt and/or help you declare bankruptcy, charge you an arm and a leg to do it, and then you are left with the wreckage of their help. Instead, here are 3 ways to help get yourself back on track:
There are several players in the get out of debt arena that are honest, trustworthy, and can actually help you get the job done. However, no method will be successful without commitment on your part to take charge of your debt, get rid of it, and never let it happen again.
Provider: You (as in DIY Credit Card Management)
Website: None
What it is: You take control of your debt by calling each of your creditors and negotiating a lower interest rate or a better payment plan. Then you stick to the plan and knock out your debts one by one. If you are nervous about negotiating, go back to the “Ask, Ask, Ask” chapter.
Pros: No additional cost other than your current interest rates. Negotiating on your own saves you money as well as keeps your credit report cleaner since you do not use a service to manage your debt. It’s also very empowering!
Cons: This method requires a large amount of self-discipline, motivation and organization. Take notes on everything that you do, who you talk to and before paying anything to anyone, get the deal you made in writing.
Provider: Dave Ramsey’s
Website: www.daveramsey.com
What it is: A guide to getting out of debt using Method 2 above. This is for folks who want to manage their own debt but don’t know where to start. You can purchase Ramsey’s book, The Total Money Makeover for about $20 (or borrow it from your local library) or his entire Financial Peace University Kitfor about $150. If you buy the kit, you are also entitled to attend any of the Financial Peace classes held around the country for free as well as have lifetime access to his financial counselor hotline.
Pros: A relatively inexpensive way to organize your finances and get yourself out of debt. There’s no going through a debt consolidation process and no further trashing of your credit. Free lifetime phone support comes with the plan. It’s straightforward, easy to follow, and generates results. Consider it a financial lifestyle change instead of a financial diet.
Cons: Quality of Financial Peace classes can vary greatly. You must be able to focus and practice much self-control to make this method work.
Provider: Consumer Credit Counseling Services
Website: www.cccsinc.org
What it is: One of the few legitimate companies dedicated to helping you get out of unsecured debt. They are a non-profit organization that works to lower the interest rates on your debts (not the debts themselves) and consolidate your payments. They provide free credit counseling and budgeting; you only pay if you decide to use their Debt Management Plan. You write one check to them and they send it to your creditors. You can also discuss bankruptcy options with them.
Pros: Lower interest rates on your outstanding debts mean that you can get yourself debt-free sooner. Not as damaging to your credit as companies who perform debt negotiation, or reduction of the actual amount owed. They also work with you to create a budget and keep you out of debt in the future. The low monthly cost to be in their program is dictated by individual state law: the highest monthly fee they can charge is $50/month, but many states are in the $15-$25/month range.
Cons: If you do not control your spending, this is like a financial diet as opposed to a lifestyle change. Also, if your interest rates are already low but you have a high amount of debt, their services will not be very helpful to you.
If you are in a bad credit card situation, promise yourself today that you will use one of these tools to get you back on track. My heart goes out to you–you can do it!!
Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.
Tags: credit cards, Dave Ramsey, interest rates
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Save Money with Kristin Delfau – Turbo-Mom Radio Appearance
Sunday, January 25th, 2009
Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom’s Guide to Saving Money without Wasting Time, appeared recently on WLAD. Listen to her radio interview:
Kristin Delfau Turbo-Mom Radio Appearance on WLAD
Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.
Tags: saving money, Turbo-Mom, WLAD Radio Appearance
Posted in Radio Appearance, Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time, saving money | 1 Comment »
When baby stores are cheaper
Monday, January 19th, 2009
Hi everyone! A couple of notes before this week’s post…
For those of you who are local, I am giving an author talk and book signing at the Danbury Library this Sunday, January 25th at 2pm. I’d love for you to attend!
Also, the book is now available on www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com for all of your out of town friends!
Now, back to the post…
One of the things I find interesting is when you hear in the press that baby-centered stores are ALWAYS more expensive than a discount store like Target or Walmart. Today is dedicated to unorthodox places to shop and save money.
Yes, baby stores like Babies r Us can be expensive for things like cribs, bedding, and breast pumps. Yes, their prices can be beaten on those fronts.
But how about on those everyday items like diapers, clothes and other kid-friendly items? Some of the smartest, thriftiest moms I know have come to the same conclusion: with store coupons and sales, diapers and clothes are often cheaper at BRU.
How is that so? Let’s take an example: At Target and Walmart, I recently saw a “jumbo box” Size 4 Baby Dry Pampers (read: low-end Pampers) advertised for $19.99/box, with 88 diapers in the box. That’s about 22.7 cents per diaper.
Over at BRU, the sell “mega” packs equal to 2 of the Target/Walmart sized boxes. This 176-box of the same Pampers usually retails for $40.69, which makes them more expensive. HOWEVER, BRU often has coupon specials like $5 off a mega box. That would bring the diaper price down to 20.3 cents per diaper–a savings of over 10% off the Target/Walmart price!
Also, BRU coupons work over at Toys R Us so if BRU doesn’t have your child’s size, TRU usually will.
Let’s also talk about clothes. I have consistently found some of the best clothing deals for Nicolas over at BRU on their clearance rack. Last week I just picked up a sweatshirt for $2.87 and a pair of pants for $3.50.
However, another good place to try is Once Upon a Child (to find one near you, visit www.ouac.com). OUAC has new and gently used clothes and kid products for less. Often, you will find clothes that still have the original tags on them!
So save your dollars for something else…more diapers?
Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.
Tags: author talk, baby, diapers, once upon a child
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Those Pesky Users Manuals
Monday, January 12th, 2009
Last night, the washer wasn’t working quite right so I knew I needed to take a peek at the user’s manual to see what was going on. Problem was, I normally store all of my user’s manuals for inside appliances in one place…but I had taken the washer manual out and neglected to put it back. Instead of wasting a bunch of time tearing apart the house looking for it, I remembered a website that I had used in the past and boom! there was my manual, in my hands, in 5 minutes.
This particular website is quite handy: www.managemyhome.com. You create a user account and then search for your user manuals for all of the different appliances and gadgets in your home. Then, in a stroke of brilliance, you can save them to your account. This way, the next time you have a problem with something–just log on, click on “Home Profile” under the “Home Management” section, and your user’s manual is at your fingertips in PDF form. For free! This is a great time and money saver!
Getting all of these manuals in one “virtual” place could also be a good rainy day activity for the 6+ age group. Give your kid(s) a blank piece of paper and have them run around and play “detective” to find all of the brands and model numbers…and give a prize to the child who collects the most or the most correct information. It will keep them occupied for a little while and you’ll get all of this handy information all in one place!
The only complaint I have about www.managemyhome.com is that once I saved my users’ manuals, it was tricky to try to find them again–which is why I told you how to do so in an earlier paragraph. 
Still, it is a great, free way to save time and money!
Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.
Tags: appliances, kidtivities, user manuals
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As Seen on TV
Monday, January 5th, 2009
Okay, I admit, I was thrilled when Bed Bath & Beyond started stocking the “As Seen on TV” merchandise in their stores. No longer would I be tormented by the announcer’s voice about the latest greatest gadget that would work wonders, save me money and time all at the same time! I would watch in facination but then hold back from ordering…because I had heard (and read) about the nightmares of broken promises with broken items and the futile effort of getting your money back from a P.O. Box and a nameless customer service rep on the other end of the phone.
Then, certain items started popping up in Walmart. THEN, the now-defunct Linens ‘n Things had a WHOLE SECTION dedicated to “As Seen on TV” in our local store. BBB sprinkled them throughout the appropriate departments…and I could try things out and return them if I hated them.
So in the spirit of good (and bad) holiday gifts and purchases, here are my “Top 3″ best “As Seen on TV” products. Please, add your own to the conversation!
Top 3:
1. The Flip-Fold: This is a plastic device that you use to fold t-shirts, sweaters, pants, etc. into uniform piles so that everything looks all nice and stacked in your closet. My husband just had to have it…and admittedly, even though I do the majority of the laundry in our house, I love the thing. It is sturdy, it folds rapidly and makes laundry that much less of a chore. And it comes in a smaller size for kids’ clothes.
2. Hercules Hooks: These might not look like (or cost) a whole lot, but they are a lifesaver, particularly for moms who need to get things done around the house but may not be super handy (or get tired of asking their spouses). These work quickly, effectively, and don’t take a lot of know-how!
3. Dryer Balls: Fortunately, these can now be found cheaply in your local drug store, but yet another great invention. In the winter, I still use fabric softener at the same time because the air is so dry. But they are a big help for a little bit of cash.
Anyone else have products they’ve loved/hated?
Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.
Tags: as seen on Tv
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