Frugal Friday Tips

Here's some Friday tips for living thrifty and being frugal. So happy "Frugal Friday"!

• Pay yourself first. Try to put away at least 10% of your pre-tax income into a savings account.


• Have an emergency fund. Have at least three months income in a high-yield savings account that can be easily accessed.


• Negotiate fees. For example, ask a bank to waive late fees. Often enough, they will.


• Have enough. Have enough life insurance to replace at least five years of your salary, ten years if you have kids or significant debts.


• Think about insurance before you buy a car. Typically, the more expensive your car, the higher your insurance cost will be. Take this into account before buying.


• Refinance your mortgage if you can cut at least one point. The costs of refinancing are considerable, so it should only be done if you can trim your interest rate by at least 1%.

Have a great weekend!

Check out http://www.thrifty411.com for more on being thrifty and frugal.

Recycle Christmas cards

Here's a few simple thrifty ideas for the beautiful Christmas cards we all receive.

Works just as well for year-round greeting cards. (Nice for the environment too!)

• BookMarks. Laminate to make it more sturdy if necessary.


• ScrapBooking projects. No need to buy the "store made" supplies.


• Donate to your local school. The cards can be used for many projects.


• Inexpensive but beautiful gift tags.


• Placemats and coasters. Create great, attention getting placemats. May need to laminate.

For more Thrifty Living ideas, visit www.Thrifty411.com.

Also check out my Thrifty Living ebook .

Thrifty Entertainment

Want to spend more time with the family, but just cannot afford the cost of a movie night out? Even old-fashioned fun, like bowling, has become too expensive to do on a regular basis.

Having fun does not always have to be expensive. Check your local newspaper for cultural and social events. Many local events are free or low cost. You can also find information about things going on in your area at http://www.citysearch.com/.

Here are a few other ideas:

• Your local library offers more than books! Check them for videos and games.


• Borrow books on making crafts or cooking and plan an inside activity.


• If the weather permits, visit a local park. Have a picnic and play lawn games.


• Have a family game night and play board games, puzzles, or cards.

For more thrifty entertainment ideas, check out my Thrifty Living ebook .

Random Monday Tips!

Here's some random money saving tips to start our week!

• Be patient. Don't buy the latest and greatest as soon as it's available. Wait for the price to drop some.
• Buy airline tickets as far in advance as possible then keep up with the current price. The airline may adjust your ticket if the price drops.
• Be careful about home equity loans. If you cannot make the payments your home is at risk.
• Pay off credit card debt.
• Know your credit score.
• Check your cell phone plan. If you have had the same plan a while, chances are you can get a better deal. Work with your carrier - they want to keep your business.

Have a great thrifty week!