ALABAMA A&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES 200 Tips for …drop of oil can cut down on repairs and...
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ALABAMA A&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES 200 Tips for Living on a Reduced Income Introduction Before buying an item, ask yourself these questions: • Can I do without it? • Can I postpone its pur- chase? • Can I substitute some- thing else that costs less? • Can I shop around for a better deal? • Can I use my own skills to make it? • Do I already own one? • Am I buying something I don’t need just to change my mood? Plug your financial leaks by looking closely at your spending. People often can find ways of cutting living expenses by as much as 10-20% with the following helpful spending tips. Rate Your Spending Habits Score yourself on the fol- lowing tips. Place a “2” in the black space for every tip you now do. Place a “1” in the blank space for every tip you plan to do. Total your score for each section, and then total your scores for all sections. Section I: 7 Insurance Tips _____ 1. Buy term insurance and use the savings to buy disabil- ity insurance or add to other insurance protection. _____ 2. Avoid duplicate health insurance coverage when you and your spouse both work and cover each other. You will not be able to collect double payments in most instances. _____ 3. Raise the deductible on your car and homeowner’s in- surance to equal one week’s take-home pay. _____ 4. Drop the collision and comprehensive part of your auto insurance when your car is worth $1,000 or less. _____ 5. Shop for new auto and homeowner’s insurance rates at three or four different insurance companies. _____ 6. Take advantage of all available discounts on auto and homeowner’s insurance. For example, combine your auto and homeowner’s insurance with one company, and take advantage of auto discounts for safe driver and good student and homeowner discounts for safety locks, anti-burglar, security system and fire devices. _____ 7. Before buying a car, first check the yearly insurance cost of the desired car. ______ Your Total Score Section II: 30 Food Tips _____ 1. Make a grocery list and stick to the list when shop- ping. Check cupboards and refrigerator to see what’s on hand. _____ 2. Shop only when necessary and not more than once a week. Eliminate quick trips to the convenience store. _____ 3. Don’t grocery shop when hungry; there is a tendency to purchase more. _____ 4. Try generic or store brands instead of name brands. _____ 5. Know regular prices so you will know when grocery spe- cials are really a bargain. _____ 6. Return bottles on which you have made deposits. _____ 7. Buy seasonal produce since it’s less expensive. www.aces.edu/urban UNP-0077 ARCHIVE
Transcript of ALABAMA A&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES 200 Tips for …drop of oil can cut down on repairs and...
UNP-0041
ALABAMA A&M AND AUBURN UNIVERSITIES
200 Tips for Living on a Reduced Income
Introduction
Before buying an item, ask yourself these questions:
• CanIdowithoutit?• CanIpostponeitspur-chase?
• CanIsubstitutesome-thing else that costs less?
• CanIshoparoundforabetterdeal?
• CanIusemyownskillstomakeit?
• DoIalreadyownone?• AmIbuyingsomethingIdon’tneedjusttochangemymood?
Plugyourfinancialleaksby looking closely at your spending.Peopleoftencanfindwaysofcuttinglivingexpensesbyasmuchas10-20%withthefollowinghelpfulspendingtips.
Rate Your Spending Habits
Score yourself on the fol-lowingtips.Placea“2”intheblackspaceforeverytipyounowdo.Placea“1”intheblankspaceforeverytipyouplantodo.Total your score for eachsection,andthentotalyourscoresforallsections.
Section I: 7 Insurance Tips
_____1. Buyterminsuranceandusethesavingstobuydisabil-ityinsuranceoraddtootherinsuranceprotection.
_____2. Avoidduplicatehealthinsurancecoveragewhenyouandyourspousebothworkandcovereachother.Youwillnotbeabletocollectdoublepaymentsin mostinstances.
_____3. Raisethedeductibleonyourcarandhomeowner’sin-surancetoequaloneweek’stake-homepay.
_____4. Dropthecollisionandcomprehensivepartofyourautoinsurancewhenyourcarisworth$1,000orless.
_____5. Shopfornewautoandhomeowner’sinsuranceratesatthreeorfourdifferentinsurancecompanies.
_____6. Takeadvantageofallavailablediscountsonautoandhomeowner’sinsurance.Forexample,combineyourautoandhomeowner’sinsurancewithonecompany,andtakeadvantageofautodiscountsforsafedriverandgoodstudentandhomeownerdiscountsforsafetylocks,anti-burglar,securitysystemandfiredevices.
_____7. Beforebuyingacar,firstchecktheyearlyinsurancecostofthedesiredcar.
______ Your Total Score
Section II: 30 Food Tips
_____1.Makeagrocerylistandsticktothelistwhenshop-ping.Checkcupboardsandrefrigeratortoseewhat’sonhand.
_____2. Shoponlywhennecessaryandnotmorethanonceaweek.Eliminatequicktripstotheconveniencestore.
_____3.Don’tgroceryshopwhenhungry;thereisatendencytopurchasemore.
_____4. Trygenericorstorebrandsinsteadofnamebrands.
_____5. Knowregularpricessoyouwillknowwhengroceryspe-cialsarereallyabargain.
_____6. Returnbottlesonwhichyouhavemadedeposits.
_____7. Buyseasonalproducesinceit’slessexpensive.
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_____ 8. Checktoseethatpurchasesarerungupcorrectly.
_____ 9. Purchaseyourfoodatlow-costoutletssuchasfarmersmarkets,foodcooperatives,orwarehousefoodstores.
_____ 10.Planyourshoppingaroundweeklyandseasonalspecials.Endoftheweeksalesmaytrimmeatbillsonethird.
_____ 11.Checkyouruseof“conveniencefoods”toseewhichitemsyoucanmakemorecheaplyfromscratch.
_____ 12.Knowwhateachgrademeansformeats.Lowergradesareusuallyjustasnutritiousandcostless.
_____ 13.Clipandusecoupons.
_____ 14.Buylargercutsofmeats,cheese,poultry,andluncheonmeats.Divideintoservings,freeze,anduseasneeded.
_____ 15.Buyproductsbythecasewhensavingsaregreatandyouhavestoragespace.
_____ 16.Compareunitprices.Thecostperounceorperpounddeterminesthebestvalue.
_____ 17.Buysmallersizesofeggsiftheyaremorethan7centslessthanthenextlargersize.Eggsareagoodmeatalternative.
_____ 18.Bringlunchfromhomeinsteadofbuyingit.
_____ 19.Avoidvendingmachinesbybringingyourownsnacksanddrinks.
_____ 20.Useequallynutritiousdryorevaporatedmilkforcookinginsteadofmoreexpensiveliquidmilk.
_____ 21. Useleftoversinsoups,casseroles,stews,andsalads.
_____ 22. Usecookedcerealsinsteadofmoreexpensivesugar-coateddryones.
_____ 23.Planmealsaweekinadvanceandsticktoyourplan.
_____ 24. Preservefoodswhenfeasiblebydrying,canning,orfreezingfooditems.
_____ 25.Avoidsnackfoods.Theyareexpensiveandoflittlenutritionalvalue.
_____ 26.Butterischeaperbytheblock.Divideitwithahotknifeandfreezewhatyoudon’tneed.
_____ 27. Figurepreservingcost.Amoreexpensivemeatorvegetablewithlesswastecanbeabetterbuy.
_____ 28. Plantagardenforlow-costfruitsandvegetablesoranherbgardenforseasonings.
_____ 29.Makeyourownmixesandconveniencefoods.Mixbigbatchesofdryingredientsandsealinindividualcontainersorbags.
_____ 30. Makeyourownbabyfoodandsave.
______ Your Total Score
Section III: 18 Transportation Tips
_____ 1. Carefullyplantheuseofthecartoreducedrivingdistances.Combine errandsandmakeonetrip.
_____ 2. Sellonecarandsharetheothervehicle.
_____ 3. Saveongasandoilbybuyingatindependentordiscountstations.
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_____ 4. Gooddrivinghabitssaveyoumoney.Avoidsuddenstopsandstartsand reducehighwayspeedtominimumspeedlimit.
_____ 5. Startacarpoolforwork,shopping,andschool.
_____ 6. Keepexpenserecordsforbusiness,medical,andvolunteerworkinaglove compartmentnotebook.Theserecordscanhelpsavemoneyattaxtime.
_____ 7. Checkparkingratesifyoucommutetotown.Youcanoftenpaylessablockortwofromthecenteroftown.
_____ 8. Walkorrideabikeinsteadofdriving.It’sgoodforyou!
_____ 9 Usepublictransportationifavailable.
_____ 10. Alwayslockyourcartoreducethechanceoftheft.
_____ 11. Switchtoasmallercarforsavingsongas,maintenance,andinsurance.
_____ 12. Selectamanualtransmissioninsteadofautomaticonyournextcartolowergascosts.
_____ 13. Buyusedinsteadofnewproductstosavemoney.Theaveragecardepreciatesby50%inthefirstthreeyears.
_____ 14. Whenchoosingausedcar,payanindependentmechanictotest-driveandcheckitbeforeyoubuy.
_____ 15. Whenchoosinganewcarrememberthefancyoptionscanaddalottothepricetagandrunningexpense.
_____ 16. Readyourowner’smanualforvaluabletipsonminorrepairs,maintenance,andrun-ningeconomy.
_____ 17. Regularmaintenanceandseasonalcheckupscaneliminateminorproblemsbeforetheybecomemajortroubles.
_____ 18. Occasionallytelecommutetoworkifyouremployerpermitsit.
______ Your Total Score
Section IV: 29 Housing Tips
_____ 1. Learntodosimplehomerepairssuchasreplacingbrokenwindowpanesand washersinfaucets,repairingdamagedlightcordsandtornwindowscreens,
painting,andwallpapering.Checkout“howto”booksfromthelibrarytohelp youindoingminorrepairs.Ifyoucan’trepairityourself,seeifyoucando partofthelabortoreducecosts.
_____ 2. Planyourowndecoratingusingitemsonhand.Freeclassesonbudgetdecoratingmaybeavailableaswellasinformationfrommagazinesandbooks.
_____ 3. Insulateyourhomeforfuelconservationandcomfort.Obtainalow-costloanforhomeinsulating,stormwindows,anddoors.
_____ 4. Learntotradeskillswithneighborsandfriendssuchasyardmaintenanceforhomerepairsorcarrepairs.
_____ 5. Buygoodqualitypaintforbestcoverageanddurability.Undercoatplustopcoatcostslessthantwotopcoats.
_____ 6. Paintingoutside?Temperatureshouldbeatleast50degreesFahrenheitoryou’llwastepaintandeffort.
_____ 7. Rentorbuy?Ifyoumovefrequentlyorhaveirregularincome,you’llbebetteroffnotbuyingahomeinahurry.
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_____ 8. Considermovingtolesscostlylivingquartersorclosertowork.
_____ 9 Ifyourincomeislowandyoufeelyouarepayingtoomuchforhousing, investigatelow-incomeorpublichousing.
_____10. Considerrentingaroom,apartment,oryourgaragetosomeone.
_____11. Carryonlyreplacementvalueinsuranceonhomeinsurance.
_____12. Reduceuseofelectriclights.Developthepracticeofturningofflightsthatare notneeded.
_____13. Conservewater.Stopleakingfaucetsandrunningtoilets.Wateryourlawnor washyourcarlessoften.
_____14. Turndownheatandturnupairconditioningwhenleavingthehouse.Usefans wheneverpossible.
_____15. Closeoffunusedrooms.
_____16. Haveafreeenergyauditdonebyyourelectriccompany.
_____17. Checkwiththeelectricandgascompaniestoseeifyouqualifyforanyspecial programs.
_____18. Duringcoldweather,trywearingsweatersandotherwarmclothingindoors andkeepingthethermostatbelow70degreesFahrenheit.
_____19. Inmoderateweather,adjustthermostatsothattheunitwillcomeononlyif needed.
_____20. Purchasewater-savershowerandfaucetheadstomaintainpressure,but reducewaterusage.
_____21. Makeonlyemergencylongdistancetelephonecalls.
_____22. Useakitchentimertolimitlongdistanceandoutofzonecalls.
_____23. Lookupunknowntelephonenumbersinthetelephonedirectoryratherthan callinginformation.
_____24. Planlongdistancecallsandmakealistoftopicstobediscussedtoavoid callingbackrightaway.
_____25. Takeadvantageoflowerlongdistancephoneratesduringeveningand weekendhours.
_____26. Eliminateextraservicessuchascallwaitingandcallforwarding.
_____27. Ifyouhavebothacellphoneandlandlinephone,chooseoneserviceandget ridoftheother.
_____28. Usetoll-freenumberswhenavailable.
_____29. GiveupextraTVcableorsatelliteconnections
______ Your Total Score
Section V: 20 Appliance and Furniture Tips
_____ 1. Multipurposefurnituresuchassofabedsorsit-onstoragechestssaves moneyandspace.
_____2. Choosestandardsizes.Outsizeditemscanbeaheadachetomove,cost more,andcanbelimitedinstyle.
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_____3. Shopsecond-handstoresforgoodqualityappliancesand/orfurnitureatbig savings.
_____4. Trytheclassifiedadsforbigbargains.Peoplewhoaremovingoftensellnice thingsatlowcost.
_____5. Considerunpaintedfurniturethatyoucancustomfinishyourself.
_____6. Makeyourownfurniturepolishbyusingequalpartsoflinseedoil,vinegar, andturpentine.
_____7. Learntomakeslipcoversorupholstery.Adulteducationcoursesofferexpert helpandinstruction.Localtechnicalschoolsmayperformthisserviceatthe costofonlymaterials.
_____8. Forlesscare,chooserugsandupholsterywithdarkcolorsorhavethefabric treatedwhenyoubuyit.
_____9. Watchthecalendar—Juneforfurnituresales,Mayforrugsandcarpets, FebruaryandAugustforbeddingandmattresses.
_____10. Factoryoutletdiscountstoressometimesofferbigsavings.Justbesure you’regettingtheexactmodelyouordered.
_____11. Getridofitemsyoudon’tneed.Sellthemorswapforsomethingyouwant.
_____12. Saveonsmallappliances.Ifyouwon’tuseitatleastfourtimesayearyou probablydon’tneedit.
_____13. Whenbuyingappliancesbecarefulaboutsecondsandirregulars.Scratches don’tmatter,butmajordefectscanberealtrouble.
_____14. Compareserviceaswellasprice.Buyfromadealerwithareputationfor promptservice.
_____15. Regularmaintenanceprolongsusefulness.Preventivemedicineassimpleasa dropofoilcancutdownonrepairsandreplacement.
_____16. Readandsavesalesslips,labels,andwarranties—theymaysavemoneyand headacheslateron.
_____17. Sharethecostsofbig-ticket,seldomuseditemssuchasfloorpolishersor largecoffeemakersbybuyingasagrouporrentingasneeded.
_____18. Replaceorrepair?Manysmallitemsmaybecheapertoreplacethanto repair.
_____19. Checkspecialfeatures.Theymayaddmoretopricethantousefulnessand makerepairsmorecomplicated.
_____20. Brands?Whichisbest?Readconsumerreportsandindependentresearch reports.Askafriendwhoownsone.
______ Your Total Score
Section VI: 34 Clothing Tips
_____1. Checkeachfamilymember’swardrobetodeterminewhichitemsmustbe repaired,replaced,oradded.
_____2. Swapitemsofclothingwithfamilymembersorfriends.
_____3. Helpchildrenunderstandthat“handeddown”clothingiseconomical,less wasteful,andcanbejustasstylishasnewclothing.
_____4. Teachchildrentocarefortheirownclothing.
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_____5. Havechildrenchangetoold,wornclothingforroughoutsideplay.
_____6. Watchgaragesalesforchildren’sclothing.
_____7. Don’toverbuy,especiallywithchildren’sclothesoritemswhosestylemight change.
_____8. Buyclothingthatiseasytocarefor,washable,anddoesnotrequireironing. Avoid“drycleanonly”clothing.
_____ 9. Carefullycoordinateitemsofclothingandaccessoriessothattheycanbe usedwithseveraloutfits.
_____ 10. Launderclothescarefullyandfollowthemanufacturer’sinstructions.Prolongwearwithsmartlaundering.Toomuchdetergentweakensmaterial.Aneconomicallaundry additiveis½cupwashingsoda.
_____ 11. Hanglaundryonaclotheslineinsteadofusingadryerforeachload.
_____ 12. Washfullloadsoflaundryinsteadofpartialloads.
_____ 13. Washincoldwaterwheneverpossible.
_____ 14. Do-it-yourselfdrycleaningisthriftyforcolorfastnonwashablesthatdon’tneed professionalpressing.
_____ 15. Haveshoesolesandheelsreplacedinsteadofbuyingnewshoes.
_____ 16. Sewyourown.Easy-to-makechildren’swearandcasualclothesmaysaveyou 20-50%.
_____ 17. Doyourownalterations—hem,replacebuttons,repairrippedseams.
_____ 18. Shopthesales.Pre-andpost-seasonsalescanofferrealvalues.
_____ 19. Storeclothescorrectlyforlongerlife.Moth-proofwoolensandputcottonsaway unstarched.
_____ 20. Watchyourweight.It’shardtobuildawardrobeifyoursizekeepschanging.
_____ 21. Rentseldom-usedspecialitems.Atuxoraneveninggownarebigexpensesfor limiteduse.
_____ 22. Visitresaleshopsforagoodsourceofclean,low-pricedclothing.Takeyour unwantedclothestoaresaleshop.
_____ 23. Matchqualitywithuse.Spendmostforthebasicitemthatgetsmostwear;spendlessonseldom-wornitems.
_____ 24. Trydiscountstoresforname-brandclothesandshoes.
_____ 25. Buysocksinquantitysoyou’llalwayshaveamatchingspare.
_____ 26. Shopinchildren’s,teens’,andcollegeshopsforadultswhenyoucan.Youmayfindlowerpricesforsimilaritems.
_____ 27. Checklabelforspecialcleaningrequirements.Specialtreatmentisexpensiveoverlongrun.
_____ 28. Choosedarkercoloredouterwearforlessfrequentdrycleaning.
_____ 29. Avoidfashionfads,especiallyinbig-ticketitemssuchascoatsandsuits.
_____ 30. Agoodfitmeanslongerwear,particularlyinshoes,woolens,andhard-to-alter-clothes.
_____ 31. Checkconstruction.Areseamssecure?Doesfabricpatternmatch?Arebutton- fastenerspractical?
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_____ 32. Checkforfibercontent,shrinkage,andcolorfastness.Youmaysavemoneyinthelongrunbypayingalittlemore.
_____ 33. Tryitonwhenpossible.Sizesdovary.
_____ 34. Planyourshopping.Knowwhatyou’reafter.Avoidimpulsebuying—thinkitoverfirst.
______ Your Total Score
Section VII: 5 Beauty and Grooming Tips
_____ 1. Selectstorebrandcosmeticsthatarelessexpensivethannationalbrands.
_____ 2. Learntodoyourownshampoo,set,manicure,etc.,athome.
_____ 3. Cutchildren’shairyourself.
_____ 4. Visittradeorvocationalschoolsforhaircutsandtrims.
_____ 5. Shopatdiscounthealthandbeautysupplystoresforpersonalcareproducts.Theseitemsaremoreexpensiveatgroceryandconveniencestores.
______ Your Total Score
Section VIII: 15 Medical Tips
_____ 1. Preventillness:eatright,getplentyofrest,andexercise.
_____ 2. Followsafetyrulestopreventaccidents.
_____ 3. Haveregularcheckupstopreventchronicailments.
_____ 4. Havearegulardoctoranddentisttoavoidduplicationoftestsandrecords.
_____ 5. Shoparoundforadoctoranddentistwhosefeesarereasonable.
_____ 6. Obtainmedicalcareatpublicclinicsorteachinghospitals.Thewaitmaybelonger,butthecostislower.
_____ 7. Ifyourincomeislowandyouhavechildren,anAlabamainsuranceprogramfor childrenunder19yearsofagemaybeanoption.Youcanpickupanapplicationatapediatrician’sofficeortheAlabamaPublicHealthDepartment.Theinsurance programiscalled“AllKidsHealthInsurance.”
_____ 8. Takefreefirstaid,babycare,cardiopulmonaryresuscitation(CPR),andhomehealthcareclassesfromtheAmericanRedCrossorothercommunityagencies.
_____ 9. Checkhospitalanddoctorstatementscarefullytoseethatyouwerechargedonlyforservicesyoureceived.
_____ 10. Updatemedicalinsurancepoliciestoeliminateduplicationofpaymentssincemostcompaniespayonacoinsuredbasis.
_____ 11. Ifyourincomeislow,seeifyouqualifyforMedicaid.
_____ 12. Askyourdoctortoprescribeandyourdruggisttofillprescriptionsbygenericname.
_____ 13. Avoidnonprescription(over-the-counter)drugsandnutritionalsupplementsunlessyourhealthcareproviderrecommendsthem.
_____ 14. Avoidhealthinsurancepoliciesforspecificrisks.
_____ 15. Becarefulofmiraclepromisesandquickfixcures.Theyusuallyarehighpricedanddon’tliveuptotheirpromises.
______ Your Total Score
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Section IX: 8 Gift and Donation Tips
_____ 1. Checkthecredentialsofapersonsolicitingacharitablecontributionfromyou;checkwiththeBetterBusinessBureauandstateattorneygeneral’soffice.
_____ 2. Makegiftsinsteadofbuyingthem.
_____ 3. Insteadofgifts,giveservicessuchasadultsitting,babysitting,housewatching,orpetwatching.
_____ 4. Givebakedgoods.Everyoneappreciatesandenjoyshomemadegoodies.
_____ 5. Checkwithotherstoseeiftheywouldliketosharetheexpenseofagift.
_____ 6. Donatetimeinsteadofmoneytocharities.
_____ 7. ShoptheInternetforunusualgiftsatlowprices.
_____ 8. Somethingoldmakesaspecialgift.Anattictreasureyoudon’tusecanbejustrightforanantique-lovingfriendorrelative.
______ Your Total Score
Section X: 21 Recreation and Entertainment Tips
_____ 1. Smokinganddrinkingalcoholicbeveragesareexpensivehabitsyoumaywanttoreduceoreliminate.
_____ 2. Takevacationsathome.Dosomethingspecialeveryday.
_____ 3. Exchangemagazineswithfriends.
_____ 4. Checkoutbooksfromthelocallibraryinsteadofpurchasingthem.Manylibrariesalsohaveaudiotapes,videotapes,CDs,DVDs,andcomputersforpatronstoborrow.
_____ 5. Packluncheswhengoingonoutingsinsteadofpayinghighconcessionprices.
_____ 6. Rentorborrowequipmentfornewhobbiesorsportsfirsttomakesureyouenjoyandtogiveyoutimetocomparebrands.
_____ 7. Matineesusuallycostlessandarelesscrowdedtoo.
_____ 8. Purchaseticketsfarenoughinadvancetosavemoney.Checkround-triprates,stop-overs,familyrates,midweekdepartures.
_____ 9. Whentravelingwithchildren,lookforhotelsandmotelsthatdon’tchargefor childrensharingaparent’sroom.
_____ 10. Discoveryourowncityorcounty.Enjoylocalmuseums,zoos,historical attractions,performances,craftshows,orlecturesthatarelow-costorfree.
_____ 11. Travelcoachortouristclassunlessfamilyratesareavailableonlyinfirstclass.
_____ 12. Useatravelagent.Anagentcostsyounothingandoftenknowsofspecialdeals.Orgoonlinetofinddealsyourself.
_____ 13. Tryatrailerforalow-costvacation.Youcanflytoadistantspotandrentonethere,ifyouarrangeinadvance.
_____ 14. Campingvacationsarefunandeconomical,especiallyforafamily.Trylocal,state,ornationalcampgroundsandparks.
_____ 15. Off-seasonvacationsofferhugesavings,andeverythingislesscrowded.
_____ 16. Buildingahideaway?Shellsorprefabsthatyoufinishyourselfofferbigsavings.
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_____ 17. Iftravelingbycar,planononeroadsidecookoutdaythatcanbefun,fast,and economical.
_____ 18. Joinorstartatravelclub.Grouptoursandtripsarereallyeconomical.
_____ 19. Discovertradeshows,fairs,andexhibitsthatareanidealwaytospendmany educationalandinterestinghours.
_____ 20. Busortraintoursareexcellent,low-costwaystoseethesightsandtoavoid drivingworries.
_____ 21. Forfun,low-costparties,try“potluck”orcovered-dishdinnersandprogressive dinnerswitheachcourseatadifferenthome.
______ Your Total Score
Section XI: 6 Child Care Tips
_____ 1. Sharechildcareresponsibilitieswithaneighbororfriend.
_____ 2. Investigatepublicnurseryschoolsanddaycarecenters.
_____ 3. Checkyouremployeebenefitpackage;someofferpartialpaymentforchildcareorapre-taxedoptionforchildcarepayments.
_____ 4. Investigateyouremployer’sdaycarecenter.Askaboutstartingone.
_____ 5. Participateinacarpoolforchildren’sschoolactivities.
_____ 6. Joinaco-opchildcarecenter.
______ Your Total Score
Section XII: 7 Miscellaneous Tips
_____ 1. Ifyouneedlegalservices,contactalegalreferralserviceforthenamesofattorneysinyourareawhooffer“probono”orreduced-rateservicestolow-incomeclients. Online,searchforlegalservices.
_____ 2. Haveanattorneyevaluatealimonyandchildsupportpaymentsinrelationtoyourcurrentincome.
_____ 3. Payyourbillsontime.Latepaymentpenaltiesareveryexpensive.
_____ 4. Avoidpurchasingfromdoor-to-doorsalespersons.
_____ 5. Avoidbuyingitemswhileinthecheckoutlines.Itemsplacedthereencourage impulsebuying.
_____ 6. Setreasonableamountsforchildren’sallowancesandhaveadefiniteunderstandingofwhatthemoneyistocover.
_____ 7. ShoptheInternetbeforeyougooutshopping.Seewhatitwouldcostonline—butdon’tforgettoaddshippingcost,whichcanbeexpensive.Don’thaveaconnection?Trythelocallibrary.
______ Your Total Score
______ Your Grand Total Score
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List other helpful tips to save you money.
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Bernice B. Wilson, PhD, Extension Resource Management Specialist, Alabama A&M University. Originally prepared by Fred Waddell, former Extension Family Resource Management Specialist
For more information, call your county Extension office. Look in your telephone directory under your county’s name to find the number.
Published by the Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University), an equal opportunity educator and employer.
Revised February 2012, UNP-0077UNP-0077
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