My suggestions are divided into the following subsections:

• Summer Hobbies – activities with lasting benefits and meaning
  
• Summer Studies – develop skills that will be useful in life
  
• Summer To-Do’s – a few ways to get your life or home in order
  
• Summer Fitness – ways to keep cool and stay fit
  
• Summer Pet Bonding – make your pet happy and you healthy

Summer Hobbies

Here are some ideas for catching up on tasks that may have been neglected during the year.

• Write in your journal
  Write about your past year, what’s on your mind, who and what you like and dislike, your daydreams, anything. In future years you will be glad you did it and also amused by your younger self. You think you will always remember what happened when, but as time goes by, memories do fade and become forgotten. (Trust me, I’m speaking from experience and I’m not yet 30 and have a memory better than most.)
• Make a family video
  Go around the house and take a video of your family going about its regular business. You will be glad for the memories one day.
• Scrapbook
  Organize family photos, report cards, birthday cards, artwork, concert programs and other keepsakes from the past year into a scrapbook.
• Reading
  Reading (even fun fiction) can help improve your mind, vocabulary, grammar and writing skills. If you go to the library, you can read in an air-conditioned environment without having to pay for the air-conditioning or the books.

Summer Studies

Yes, summer should be fun, but there’s no reason it can’t be both fun and productive.

• Learn a new language
  The benefits of learning languages are endless. Learning a new language can help you to:
  • Get ahead in your career
  • Make new friends from different parts of the world. When you show an interest in someone’s language or culture, they are often appreciative and take an interest in you in return.
  • Improve your English (or first language)
• Learn to play a musical instrument
  Music enhances the mind in many ways. Studies have shown that children who study music at an early age do better in school than those who don’t. Aside from that, it is also just plain fun.
• Learn to sew
  Sewing is a very useful skill to have regardless of your gender. You can learn to mend clothes, make your own clothes and other things for your house, which can save you a lot of money. Older and more skilled children can even make their own clothes for the coming school year. Check out one of our earlier articles for more info: Save Money by Sewing Your Own Clothes.
• Take a computer class
  Learn to type properly, use a spreadsheet or database, design websites, make presentations, etc. Most jobs these days involve computer use, so knowing as much as you can about computers might help you get a higher salary.

Summer To-Do’s

A few suggestions for improving life at home and getting ahead on the coming year.

• Get a head start on your Christmas shopping
  This could save you time and money because you can shop at your leisure and take advantage of summer sales. Leaving your shopping to the last minute usually costs more because you are up against a deadline and usually have fewer options.
• Sort through your stuff
  Go through your clothes and things and prune out those you no longer want or need. You could donate the things you no longer need or hold a garage or yard sale and make some money to put into your college or retirement savings.
• Re-arrange your room or home
  Re-arranging your room or home can have a positive impact on your life. A change can be uplifting and produce an overall feeling of well-being and accomplishment, renew your energy and increase productivity.
• Clean out your computer
  Ideally you would do this several times a year, but if you use the internet and download a lot of things, it’s a good idea to clean out your computer on a regular basis. If there are programs you don’t use, uninstall them. If there are files that you no longer need, delete them. Clean your registry if you’ve had the computer for a while. Keeping your hard drive from getting too full will extend its life.

Summer Fitness

A few suggestions for staying cool and healthy this summer.

• Mall Walking
  Walking in an indoor, air-conditioned mall is a great way to get exercise away from the heat and smog, and you can also save on sunscreen. You can even window-shop during your walks, but if you think you might get too tempted, leave your money and credit card at home.
• Swimming in an indoor pool
  Swimming is another low-impact exercise (safer than running) which increases endurance, muscle and cardiovascular strength. Try to swim in an indoor pool whenever possible or wait until early evening to avoid sunburn.
• Ice Skating
  Not only does it let you get away from the heat, but it’s a good low-impact and aerobic exercise which will help strengthen your bones and cardiovascular system. Taking some lessons and learning to skate properly can be worth the money.

Summer Pet Bonding

If you have a pet, spend some quality time together. Not only will you make your pet very happy, he/she will help make you healthier. (How Pets Help People)

• Take your dog to obedience school
  Obedience school is good for socializing and teaching discipline. There is nothing wrong with repeating obedience school for fun and refreshing both your memories.
• Teach your dog new tricks
  There are lots of fun tricks you can teach your dog: beg, spin (in both directions), roll, speak, catch a ball or frisbee, etc. You can also teach your dog to be helpful around the house: closing the door or brining you something you dropped. Dogs enjoy feeling helpful and learning new things can keep mature dogs’ minds sharp.
• Take your dog for long evening strolls or hikes
  If going hiking, be sure to take another person along, bring lots of water and plastic bags, and make sure your dog’s feet are protected from rough terrain. For your dog’s and other hikers’ safety, never let him off-leash on a hiking trail.
• Enter your dog in a 4th of July costume contest
  Make a fun costume for your dog and enter a costume contest or parade. (Sorry, for the self-promotion, but if you don’t want to make your own costume, check out some of our patriotic dog clothing and costumes at Franga Designs.)

Well, I hope some of these suggestions prove helpful in making your summer both fun and productive. Vas-y t’amuser!

Related posts:

• June 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Under the Weather – Recommended Reading
• No-Air Conditioning Summer Part 1 – How It Started: No-Heat Winters
• Language Lesson ~ Frugality is a Virtue
• Frugal Thermodymics Part I: Limiting Sources of Heat in the Home

Originally posted 2008-06-09 05:28:43.

Tiny leaks and evaporation put a constant drain on your resources. As discussed in our previous post, From Pennies One Million Dollars Grow, a few cents saved here and there can add up to be a significant amount. Here we offer 101 suggestions for plugging expenditures in various aspects of your life – around the house, in your personal care, transportation, recreation and more. Most of these ideas we currently use or have applied in the past.

101 Drops in the Bucket

Saving on Utilities

• Minimize electricity use during peak hours (weekdays during work hours). Do laundry, use hot water, etc. in the evenings.
• Cook enough for several meals at once.
• Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth.
• Turn off shower when shampooing and soaping.
• Work or read in the same room with family members or roommates to consolidate light usage.
• Take advantage of natural daylight to get your work done. Sleep when it’s dark, get up as soon as it is light (before sunrise).
• Hold off on personal phone calls that can wait until evenings and weekends when rates are lower or free.
• Wash things on the lawn to water the grass at the same time.
• Water the lawn or garden in the early morning or after sundown. Skip watering on windy days.
• Use curtains to keep your house cool in summer and warm in winter.
• Keep thermostat lower in the winter and wear extra layers.
• Don’t separate colors in your laundry; instead, hand wash items that bleed. This way, you can reduce the number of loads. Saves water, electricity and soap.
• Keep thermostat as high as can be tolerated in summer without harming your pets, antiques and musical instruments.
• Drink lots of cold water to keep cool and reduce need for air conditioning.
• Turn off air conditioning in late afternoon, open doors and windows and turn on fans.
• Using ceiling fans in summer and winter (reverse directions to push warm air down).
• For laundry, set a shorter dryer time. It’s better to have to do a touch up instead of using unnecessary gas or electricity. You’d be surprised how little time some clothing need to dry. If taken out still warm, damp things can still air dry quite quickly.
• Cancel cable, purchase a few DVDs a month (which cost less than cable and leave you with an asset) and watch current shows online at Hulu or network channel websites.

Saving on Food and Health

• Eat smaller portions to avoid waste and overindulgence.
• Eat foods of substance that hold you over longer (i.e. proteins).
• Take baking soda instead of over-the-counter antacids (unless you have other health conditions that are affected by sodium intake).
• Put away leftover food immediately to prevent spoilage.
• Do not overfill refrigerator as food goes bad faster due to poor air circulation.
• Do house and yard work for exercise.
• Get an exercise bike for $150-$200 or pedal exerciser for under $20 and some hand weights instead of a gym membership.
• Water down juice to reduce caloric and sugar intake as well as make the juice last longer.
• Make a pot of tea with a teabag instead of just one cup.
• Opt for stainless steel silverware and cookware without plastic parts as they last indefinitely.
• Use a hand whisk instead of electric egg beater to burn calories and save money.
• When baking – cakes, casseroles, etc. – use a cookie sheet instead of aluminum foil to cover the pan or casserole dish.
• Combine a box of Jell-O with a pack of unflavored Knox Gelatin for lower sugar content and cost.
• Buy quart-size yogurt instead of individual serving cups. They often cost $2.00 per container and save a lot.
• (Cont. from #78) When finished with the yogurt, save the container for storing food, cut fruits and leftovers, or use for various projects around the house such as mixing paint.
• Bring treats home. For example:
• (Example 1 for #80) Instead of going out for ice cream, buy a gallon and a pack of cones and enjoy several ice cream cones at the same cost.
• (Example 2 for #80) Instead of ordering delivery pizza, bring home a frozen pizza. The most deluxe frozen pizza such as Freschetta still costs a lot less than delivery plus tip.
• If you cannot decide between a low-carb and low-fat diet, low-fat is usually cheaper.

Saving on Household

• Use old clothing to make rags, pillows, blankets and pet beds.
• Use a home dry cleaning kit instead of a professional dry cleaner.
• Use less laundry detergent unless your clothes are very dirty to extend the life of your clothing.
• Turn clothing inside-out when washing to preserve the appearance.
• Use rubbing alcohol to sanitize doorknobs, exercise equipment, refrigerator handles, etc.
• Hold the insecticide. When you see an ant or other little bug, wipe it away with a soapy sponge and discourage further visits by cleaning thoroughly and caulking any cracks and entry points.
• Use rubbing alcohol to kill insects such as ants, spiders, gnats, silverfish.
• Use vinegar to kill tougher and larger insects. Vinegar in a spray bottle is also the best and cleanest fly swatter.
• Use vinegar in place of more expensive cleaners.
• When the oven is on, set dishes or other items to dry on top of or near the oven (keep safety in mind).
• Repaint or varnish furniture you already own for a new look or to give it second life.
• If throwing or cutting up old clothes, salvage buttons, zippers, drawstrings, bows and re-usable trims for mending other clothing.
• Rinse dishes before soaping to save dish detergent.
• When doing dishes, put the dirtiest at the bottom so that soap and water can run over them while you’re washing other easier dishes first.
• If you dry your hands or face on a paper towel, set it aside for cleaning floors and other things.
• Use cold water to clean on hot days to prevent getting overheated and save electricity or gas.
• Follow the The Life Stages of a Dish Sponge not only for sponges, but towels, clothing and anything else that applies.
• Use plastic shopping bags instead of buying trash bags. The small size will also encourage you to take the garbage out more often.
• Use small holiday buckets that can be purchased half-price (around 25¢-50¢) after a holiday for trash cans/waste baskets or cleaning buckets. These small buckets can be set on the counter near the kitchen sink to keep dogs out of the trash.
• Water down dish and hand soap. You often pump out more than you need.
• Learn to perform minor repairs around your home such as lighting a pilot light, replacing a thermocouple, etc. (We once saved $70 by changing the thermocouple on our water heater ourselves instead of calling a repairman.)
• Redye color-worn clothing to give a second life. Fabric dyes can be purchased in the laundry section.
• To save your septic system, instead of pouring cooking oils down the drain, pour them into empty glass or plastic bottles, close tightly and throw away.
• To extend the life of your septic system and reduce frequency of pumping, throw toilet paper in a trash can lined with shopping bags (and take it out everyday).
• Instead of replacing your pillow, launder in hot water and dry on thoroughly on high heat (to kill dust mites). You can even cut one seam open, fluff the material by hand, and sew it shut. No one will notice if your stitching is untidy. Consider a pillow cover if you suffer from allergies.
• Use pillow and mattress covers to prolong the life of your bedding and facilitate easier cleaning especially if you have pets or children.
• Use a push reel lawn mower. It is cheaper to buy, efficient to store, requires no fuel, has fewer parts to maintain and repair, and provides for refreshing and fun exercise.
• Use a wind-up clock instead of a battery or electric clock.

Saving on Personal Care

• Opt for a low maintenance and shorter hair style to save on shampoo and hair products.
• Make bar soap last longer by unwrapping and letting it dry for about a week before using it. (You could set it in your closet during this time to make things smell fresh.)
• In personal grooming, wherever practical, pluck instead of wax as a one-time purchase of a good pair of tweezers lasts for years.
• While using a facial scrub, exfoliate your hands (and maybe even your elbows) before rinsing off.
• Accept free samples of products that you use and would purchase – soap, deodorant, shampoo, lotions, etc. – so long as it doesn’t require you to pay money or register for some sort of membership. A sample is usually enough for several uses and can put off need to purchase them.
• Dry your hair naturally to save electricity, heat damage to hair, and sweating. In cooler weather, wear a small towel, scarf, or flannel cap until hair is almost completely dry.
• Curl your hair without electricity. Cut rectangular strips from an old t-shirt, roll up sections of damp hair and tie in a knot. This method has been used for many centuries and gives a very charming style of curl. Mousse can be applied before curling if desired.
• Keep good quality ribbons from gift wrap and packaging (such as for candy, food, and cosmetics) and use these as hair ties for securing the ends of braids, tying a bow over a plain rubber band, or stitching hair styles on your head (with a blunt needle).

Saving on Hobbies, Recreation and Entertainment

• If there are 2 or more of you, wait for the DVD release of a film instead of going to the theater, especially if you like to watch a film more than once. The purchase of 1 DVD is less than the cost of 2 movie tickets.
• Buy DVDs instead of renting. You may see fewer films in a year, but will have assets to reuse or resell.
• If you have a piano, consider learning to tune it yourself, which can save about $160 a year. The one-time purchase of a good tuning kit and manual is about $110. Tools could be had for less, but good tools will better prevent damage. Refer to: Tuning Your Own Piano: A Skill With Many Unexpected Benefits
• Use the library to borrow books, audiobooks and music and rent movies for $1-$2 a week. See The Library Card: Your Other “Rewards Credit Card” for more ways your library can save you money.
• Buy a small potted Christmas tree instead of a large “dead” one. When Christmas is over, plant it in your yard to increase your property value or keep it for next year.
• If you need paper for crafts and projects, request paper at the grocery store checkout. We used to use paper bags for testing clothing sewing patterns. Horse feed bags are great for patterns, too.
• Use reading as a frugal leisure activity that will improve your writing, grammar, and vocabulary which is advantages in all walks of life. The Frugal Literate’s Guide to Affordable Reading.
• Stop paying for classes, lessons, and activities if you or your children do not attend, practice, or enjoy them enough. A break might revive motivation or provide a chance to discover new interests and talents.

Saving on Shopping

• Shop online whenever possible and take advantage of free and low shipping costs to save gas and time.
• When shopping, always check unit prices. Don’t be deceived by packaging size.
• Don’t buy junk food if you’ll regret it eating it.
• Use cash back rewards credit cards wherever and whenever you can.
• Try to limit purchases to things of lasting value such as books, classic literature, reference books, classical music, conservative fashions and acoustic instruments instead of electric.
• Purchase furniture made of real wood and not laminate or particle board. If items contain particle board, at least make sure the framing is constructed of solid wood. Particle boards will bow, causing shelves to collapse, and swell and become permanently damaged when wet.
• Choose latex and rubber toys for your dogs. They outlast plush toys by several years and are more sanitary.

Saving on Miscellaneous

• Use online postage printing and carrier pickup for mailing packages.
• Turn of wrist watches when not wearing them to save the battery.
• Pick up all loose change.
• Use open source software.
• Resist pressure from peers and solicitors to donate to causes you do not feel strongly for or cannot afford.
• Close your bank account and open a credit union account with higher dividends, no minimum balance, unlimited free teller visits and checks, and fee-free accounts. Why Credit Unions Instead of Banks
• Choose credit cards with no annual fees. You could be spending or earning interest on that money.

Saving on Transportation

• Walk wherever and whenever you can.
• Consolidate errands.
• Plan your route to avoid left turns when driving.
• When driving, take your foot off the gas when anticipating a stop ahead.
• Park in the first vacant space you find.
• Plan downhill routes to and from your destinations.

Hurrah! We made it!

Related posts:

• Our Fourpence Worth has moved. Please update your feed readers.
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #9
• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Interesting Reads From Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #11
• Put Your Brain Where Your Money Is: Think to Save

Reading is one of the most frugal hobbies in existence, and is something, in my opinion, that everyone should do. Not only is it entertaining, but it can be beneficial and educational in many ways. In fact, reading is (along with watching period films based on classic literature) Madoline’s and my favorite hobby, and when we’re not working we can often be found with a book in front of us, even while eating.

The virtues of reading (even light-hearted, entertaining fiction) are as follows:

• Subconsciously improves your knowledge of language, grammar and writing
• Acquisition of vocabulary through example in context
• Expands your horizons and knowledge of people and the world
• Teaches a sense of perspective and the ability to see more than one side of a situation
• Improves overall reading comprehension skills and better prepare you for life
  • Good reading and writing skills are essential for success in career and business
  • The ability to better read and understand contracts, terms and conditions (such as credit card terms) helps you to be a more conscientious consumer
  • Proper writing and spelling is a necessity if you want to be taken seriously whether it be in letters, on message boards, your own website or blog, etc.

So now that I’ve convinced you of the virtues of reading, here are some tips for reading on a budget (or ) and sources for affordable reading. While we try to borrow from the library as much as possible, we do sometimes purchase books.

A few reasons we purchase books are:

• Collecting
  Book collecting is just as rewarding a hobby as stamp or coin collecting. Some people collect for fun, and others for profit. We personally love books so much that we would rather keep old and rare books than sell them.
• Reading more than once
  We have favorite books and series that we often read more than once (sometimes once a year) and feel it worthwhile to purchase and collect them.
• Study and reference
  Madoline is currently studying in preparation for graduate school, so we often purchase reference and related materials that will be useful both now and later.
• Home library
  We live in a remote area without much to do and our local library can be rather lacking in some areas, so if there is a book we are sure of liking and re-reading, we sometimes purchase it. Also, if you live a frugal lifestyle and often opt to stay home instead of going out and spending money, it’s sometimes nice to have a handy library to pick from when in need of some entertainment or activity.

You don’t have to purchase new books to fill your collection or library. In fact, we often prefer to purchase used books just because they’re more comfortable to read. When we read a new book, we always feel the need to keep it pristine and hate seeing them get dinged or creased. But with used books, we don’t have that problem, and can read in total comfort (after wiping it over with rubbing alcohol). There are many sources for very affordable books, as low as 10-25 cents per book, which I will share below. I will start with the most preferred (frugal) sources and work my way down.

Continue on for a list of affordable reading resources.

1. Libraries

Every city, county and/or state has a public library system. You’ve already paid for the resources offered by the library, so you might as well use it. Most library systems these days are very up-to-date and offer the latest bestsellers and new releases. For more on the benefits of libraries, refer to my post .

2. e-Books

I personally prefer physical books that I can carry around and read in bed or a comfy chair, but for those who don’t mind reading on the computer, e-Books are very easily available from a variety of sources these days. Most free e-Books are classics and other works that have entered into the public domain as a result of expired copyright, but libraries often offer free access to thousands of new release and bestsellers in e-book and audio-book formats through their websites. A couple of good sources for free e-Books are:

• Project Gutenberg
• Book Glutton

3. Library and Friends of the Library Book Sales

Most libraries have a Friends of the Library group that collects donated books and organizes regular sales to raise funds for the library. These book sales often sell old, used, like-new and sometimes even new books for incredible prices, often at 10 to 25 cents for a paperback, 50 cents for softcover trade paperbacks, and $1.00 for hardbacks. These types of sales in metropolitan areas such as Los Angeles are especially plentiful in current bestsellers in new condition. They usually occur once a month in most areas, but even when there isn’t a sale, many libraries have a cart or shelf near the entrance where you can pick up books and deposit the money into a collection box.

The Book Sale Finder website is a great place to search for and sign up for notifications of book sales in your area.

4. Thrift Stores

Thrift stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army usually have a book section with decent prices. They’re not as good as the library sales, but cheaper than most other used book stores, with prices between 50 cents for smaller children’s books to $2.00 – $3.00 for other books.

You can search for thrift stores near you at The Thrift Shopper.com.

5. Used Books Online

My favorite online source for used books is abebooks.com. Prices start at $1.00, even for some new books, and there is a vast selection from booksellers all over the world. The sellers that sell on this site also sell on other used book sites such as Amazon Marketplace, but at AbeBooks, the combined shipping rates for additional books from the same seller are sometimes better, as it would seem that AbeBooks allows the sellers to set their own rates for additional books, while the other sites set a flat rate. Some sellers on AbeBooks offer combined shipping rates of only $1.50-$2.00 per additional book (within the United States), while most other sites charge between $3.00-$3.99 per additional book.

	Author Title Keyword ISBN

6. New Books Online

If you can’t find a book used or free from the library and must buy it new, then I’d say go with Amazon or Overstock.com. I recently learned that many people are not aware that Overstock.com carries books and movies. In fact, Overstock.com actually often has better prices than Amazon even when you add shipping charges, but Amazon has a wider selection, competitive pricing and free shipping on orders over $25.00.

• Books on Amazon.com
• Books on Overstock.com

Related posts:

• April 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Under the Weather – Recommended Reading
• Pecuniarities (Our Fourpence Worth) 1 Year Anniversary
• Interesting Reads from Fellow Personal Finance Bloggers #10
• My Favorite Money and Time Saving Websites

So here are a few basic points and tips for the young and frugal. They may not help you climb the social ladder, but keeping them in mind and practicing them in whatever you do can keep you from falling off, and maybe help you to climb up, the financial ladder. And remember that basics are not just for beginners. They are taught first to beginners not because they are easy and therefore less important, but because they are the foundation upon which to build everything else.

Basics for the Young and Frugal

• Frugality is a Virtue
  This is not just another feel-good phrase to make you believe something that’s not true. The word frugal actually comes from the Latin word for “virtue” or “virtuous,” “valuable,” “worthy,” “deserving,” and many other good things. Check out my post and see for yourself. You should not be ashamed of being frugal; in fact, you should be proud that you are thinking ahead and planning and saving for the future – be it a down payment on a house or car, your retirement, a family, etc.
• Frugality entails sacrifice
  You will have to give up some luxuries if you truly want to save money. This doesn’t mean you have to give up every single joy in your life, but you will have to cut back.
• There is nothing wrong with staying home
  A little extra time to yourself at home is good. You’re paying rent or mortgage on your home, why not actually use it for something other than sleeping?
• It is never too late to take up a new hobby
  If you’ve always wished you could play a musical instrument, speak another language, sew or knit your own clothes, the sooner you start, the less time you’ll have for regrets and “if only’s” later. Invest in a useful hobby that will benefit you in later life as a professional or a parent, and stay home and practice it. For example, when you are a mother with a handful of children and not enough time in the day, you will be glad that you already know how to sew and mend clothing rather than having to learn to sew at that time.
• True friends will respect your choices
  If your friends put you down for your frugal lifestyle, then it’s time to find some new friends. Friends who really care about you will not repeatedly ask you to make sacrifices to feed their need to spend money. You don’t have to sever all ties with such friends, but there is nothing wrong with making new friends who share your values and can help you stay on track in your frugal lifestyle.
• It is never too early to think about your future
  Even if you are still 40 years from retirement age, you must start thinking about and take responsibility for your future. What if you’re lucky enough to live another 40 years after retirement? And this is assuming that all goes well and you do not need to take early retirement for any reason.
• A penny saved is a penny plus interest earned
  Check out my previous article and learn just how just a few dollars saved per day can turn into a small fortune over the course of 1-40 years.

Check back soon for suggestions for frugal activities and hobbies.

Related posts:

• April 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Blog Carnivals
• Make It Do: Frugal Forever
• Motivating Children to Practice Music (Part 2)
• Friday Fun: Meme Me! 7 Things You Didn’t Know About Me (Penelope Pince)

Originally posted 2008-03-25 16:36:19.

A good way to see this for yourself is to start a coin jar or piggy bank and put in every bit of loose change you find lying around the house: in your pockets, desk drawers, under couch cushions, in the car, etc. What starts out looking like a few unpromising handfuls of change can turn out to be $5, $10 or even $15. So it’s not going to pay next month’s rent, but it can pay for many other things that you may need (or want).

So, here are a few rudimentary suggestions for saving a little here and there:

• As with long distance phone rates, utility companies have peak and off-peak rates for residential accounts – usually 10am-6pm (when most people are at work) are the peak hours . If you happen to be home between those hours on a weekday, try to limit your use of electricity even more than usual. If you can, wait until after 6pm to do the laundry, use hot water if you have an electric water heater, and other electric appliances.
• Consolidate errands as much as possible. Try to schedule trips to the bank, post office, grocery store, dry cleaner’s, etc. in one outing, planning the most efficient route to save time and gas.
• When grocery shopping, try to buy enough to last at least a week so as not to have to return in a couple of days. Every trip to the store often results in more purchases than originally planned; thus, the fewer trips the better. In our household, we now shop once a month and have seen a significant decrease in our grocery bill.
• Eat before leaving the house and take a snack and water bottle with you. Hunger or thirst can cause you to shop less prudently or need to eat out.
• Before making any sort of purchase, seriously consider whether or not you really need it or just want it, and if you want it, if it will be of lasting value.
• Patience is a virtue when it comes to prudent economy. Wait a while and see if something you thought you “must have” was something that would have just been “nice to have”.
• Price or cost doesn’t always determine quality. Just because something (an item, an activity, etc.) costs less doesn’t mean it’s not just as valuable or fun.
• Find new and less expensive hobbies to substitute a few more costly recreational activities (suggestions for hobbies and activities coming soon).

These are just some very basic frugality tips. We will go into further detail for various matters on future posts.

Related posts:

• Festival of Frugality #140: The Frugal Quotes Edition
• Festival of Frugality #152: Affected by Recession Edition
• Hosting Festival of Frugality and Money Hacks Carnival Next Week
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Recent Blog Carnivals (February 2009)

A necessity is an item/service that you simply cannot do without in your everyday life and that is vital to your survival and situation.

A luxury is anything that is not a necessity.

A few examples of necessities (or necessary expenditures) would be:

• Food
• Rent/mortgage
• Auto insurance
• Home insurance
• Health insurance
• Gas
• Auto Maintenance
• Utilities: electricity, gas and phone

Of course these are not the only necessities in the world, and it’s different for everyone, but when you really think about it, true necessities are actually quite few in number, and many things that you think you need are in fact not that necessary.

A few common examples of luxuries would be:

• Entertainment – movies (at the theater, renting, or buying), music and/or books
• Cable or satellite
• Toys and games (video or non-video)
• More than one home phone line
• More than one computer (even one computer could be considered a luxury in dire circumstances)
• High speed internet service

Even in one of the main necessities, food, there are luxuries that aren’t necessary. Necessary foods are foods that are vital for your health and continued existence. These are usually basic foods and staples that fill out your food pyramid and keep you in good health. Any food that is not vital to your health and survival should be regarded as a luxury.

A few examples of luxury foods when grocery shopping would be:

• Chips and other junk food
• Cookies and other sweets
• Gourmet cheeses
• Alcoholic drinks
• Soda and other bottled beverages
• Bakery goods
• Specialty breads i.e. foccacia
• Seasonal and tropical fruits
• Fancy meats (i.e. steaks)
• Pre-prepared and packaged foods (sandwiches, salads, sushi, cut fruit, etc.)

I say “should be regarded as a luxury” because I think it is important to understand and appreciate the difference. I am not saying that your life should be completely stripped of all pleasures and comforts, but when you are purchasing a new DVD or CD, it is important to be aware that what you are purchasing is a luxury item.

So, the first step in trying to figure out how to cut your expenditures is to go through your regular purchases (including services) and distinguish all luxuries from necessities. Luxuries should not be regarded as “forbidden” because it could turn into an obsession (the desirability might be blown out of proportion), but be aware that by choosing not to purchase these items, you are gaining an advantage.

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Originally posted 2008-04-25 00:59:12.

Madoline and I love to read, and we often come across amusing passages on matters pecuniary that we think our readers might enjoy. The following is from Chapter One of Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie, in which Mr. Darling, upon the arrival of his children, calculates the potential expense and speculates on whether or not he can afford to keep them. We thought it was quite cute and hope you enjoy it.

Wendy came first, then John, then Michael.

For a week or two after Wendy came it was doubtful whether they would be able to keep her, as she was another mouth to feed. Mr. Darling was frightfully proud of her, but he was very honourable, and he sat on the edge of Mrs. Darling’s bed, holding her hand and calculating expenses, while she looked at him imploringly. She wanted to risk it, come what might, but that was not his way; his way was with a pencil and a piece of paper, and if she confused him with suggestions he had to begin at the beginning again.

“Now don’t interrupt,” he would beg of her.

“I have one pound seventeen here, and two and six at the office; I can cut off my coffee at the office, say ten shillings, making two nine and six, with your eighteen and three makes three nine seven, with five naught naught in my cheque-book makes eight nine seven—who is that moving?—eight nine seven, dot and carry seven—don’t speak, my own—and the pound you lent to that man who came to the door—quiet, child—dot and carry child—there, you’ve done it!—did I say nine nine seven? yes, I said nine nine seven; the question is, can we try it for a year on nine nine seven?”

“Of course we can, George,” she cried. But she was prejudiced in Wendy’s favour, and he was really the grander character of the two.

“Remember mumps,” he warned her almost threateningly, and off he went again. “Mumps one pound, that is what I have put down, but I daresay it will be more like thirty shillings—don’t speak—measles one five, German measles half a guinea, makes two fifteen six—don’t waggle your finger—whooping-cough, say fifteen shillings”—and so on it went, and it added up differently each time; but at last Wendy just got through, with mumps reduced to twelve six, and the two kinds of measles treated as one.

There was the same excitement over John, and Michael had even a narrower squeak; but both were kept, and soon, you might have seen the three of them going in a row to Miss Fulsom’s Kindergarten school, accompanied by their nurse.

You can read or download this book at Project Gutenberg.

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Originally posted 2008-11-15 07:00:50.

This is a fairly easy Monopoly game expansion to teach youngsters the principles of filing and paying income tax. It includes an income tax form on which players keep track of income and deductions, figure and pay their income tax at the end of each circuit of the board. Players may opt to hire themselves out as tax preparers and those who do not wish to file their own returns may hire and pay tax preparers to do so, the cost of which is tax deductible, of course.

Please note that this is not a representation of real-life tax preparation. It is a simplified simulation meant to educate children on the basic principles of income and taxes and should not be taken as a source for tax preparation information.

How to Play the Monopoly Income Tax Expansion

1. Download and print out a set of Personal Income Tax Form and Instructions (pdf format) for each player.
2. The game is played as usual, but players record all income, payments of taxes and applicable expenses.
3. When a player passes “Go,” he pauses to calculate and pay his income tax for the circuit just completed.
4. The only difference in this game is the Income Tax square. When a player lands on Income Tax, he will receive an Income Tax Refund of $200 instead of paying it.

Paid Tax Preparers

Players may hire themselves out as paid preparers and other players may hire tax preparers to calculate and prepare their tax returns on their behalf.

• Tax preparers can set their own rates for preparation.
• Players who hire paid preparers may deduct the preparer costs from their taxable income (on Line 3).

Monopoly Personal Income Tax Form Instructions

Click on the image below to view a sample form

• Lines 1a and 1b (1-15). Record income and deductible transactions as they occur.
  • Income counts as all money received (rent, bribes, free parking, dividends, investments, etc.) with the exception of income tax refunds.
  • Deductions are other taxes paid, such as Poor Tax, School Tax, Luxury Tax, street and housing repairs, etc.
• Line 2. Figure your taxable income.
  • 2a. Add up all income.
  • Line 2b. Add up all deductions.
  • Line 2c. Subtract 2b from 2a to figure your taxable income.
• Line 3. Enter the amount paid to the tax preparer, if any. Pay this amount to your tax preparer, if applicable.
• Line 4. Subtract the amount of Line 3 from Line 2c.
• Line 5. Figure the tax, which is 10% of taxable income; multiply .1 by the amount on Line 4.
• Line 6. Previous unpaid tax. Enter the amount of tax on Line 10 from your previous tax period, if any, that was not paid last period.
• Line 7. Total tax due. Add the amounts on Line 6 and Line 7. This is the amount you owe.
• Line 8. Total tax paid. The amount you wish to or can afford to pay at this time. Pay this amount to the bank.
• Line 9. Remaining unpaid tax. Subtract the amount on Line 8 from Line 7.
• Line 10. Balance to forward to next tax period. The amount on Line 9 plus 10% penalty (the amount on Line 9 multiplied by .1)

Visit OurFourpenceWorth.com/Monopoly for more Money Management and Investment Monopoly Expansions!

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Originally posted 2008-09-09 10:00:09.

Expansions Difficulty/Complexity: Easy

This is a cash-free version of the game wherein all transactions are handled through personal checking accounts and recorded in individual check registers. Each player is responsible for his own account and must record all transactions – payment and receipt of rent, taxes, bribes, etc. in his check register.

Objective

To teach children (and some adults) how to accurately record transactions and balance a check register.

How to Play

• Download and print the Bank of Monopoly Personal Check Register (includes rules)
• Instead of distributing cash at the beginning of the game, players record the opening balance at the top of the check register (in the right-hand column under $ Balance). If playing the original Atlantic City Monopoly game with the distribution of 2 x $500, 2 x $100, 2 x $50, 6 x $20, 5 x $10, 5 x $5 , and 5 x $1 bills, the opening balance is $1,500.
• Instead of using cash, all transactions are recorded in the check register under Deposit (+) and Payment (-), and all money belonging to the player is totaled in the $ Balance column.

Click on the image to view a sample check register

How to Use the Check Register

• For each transaction, begin by recording the date and/or time. Since most games are played within one day, you may opt to record the time of each transaction instead of the date. We suggest placing a clock on the table in a spot easily visible by all players.
• Enter a brief description of the transaction. For example, “Luxury Tax,” “Rent – Board Walk,” “Passed Go.”
• When making a deposit record the amount in the Deposit (+) column, add it to the existing balance and record the new balance in the $ Balance column.
• When making a payment, record the amount in the Payment (-) column and subtract the amount from the existing balance and record the new balance in the $ Balance column.
  • Examples of transactions that belong under Deposit (+):
    Passing “Go,” collecting rent and utilities, Chance and Community Chest bonuses (bank error, dividends, income tax refund, etc.), mortgaging property, selling houses and hotels
  • Examples of transactions that belong under Payment (-):
    Paying rent, utilities, income tax, luxury tax, school tax, poor tax, hospital bill, etc., buying property, building houses and hotels, un-mortgaging property.

Transactions Between Players

When one player must pay another player – rent, Chance or Community Chest, etc. – he debits the amount from his account under Payment (-). The player receiving the funds adds the amount to his account under Deposit (+).

Optional Overdraft and Negative Balance

Instead of declaring bankruptcy and leaving the game when a player’s balance reaches $0, the player can be charged an Overdraft Fee of $25 per transaction that creates or maintains a negative balance. For each round that the balance remains negative (upon landing on or passing “Go”), the player is charged a 10% overdraft penalty. This is a good lesson in the snowball effect of debt.

Optional Personal Checks

To train youngsters how to properly make out checks, personal checks are also included (page 6) for practicing on game transactions.

Click on the image below to view a sample check

Visit OurFourpenceWorth.com/Monopoly for more Money Management and Investment Monopoly Expansions!

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• Monopoly Game Expansion #3: Certificate of Deposit

Originally posted 2008-06-20 06:30:05.

My spring cleaning therefore begins with using up these scraps as fast as possible and disposing of the remaining shreds. One easy way to use fabric scraps is to make patchwork berets which are highly individual and as colorful or demure as you choose. My recent hats are very colorful as I have a large variety of small pieces to deal with, but I intend soon to make some with fabric choices limited to one or two tones.

 

I have two styles of patchwork berets pictured here. Each beret is a 16 inch circle gathered onto a 22 inch band and took less than half of a day to make. The brims are optional and stitched on afterwards. The first beret is composed of truly small scraps of pretty fabrics (velvet, satin, cotton prints, suede, & corduroy) appliquéd to a circle of an ugly blue-green cloth that we once purchased for some inexplicable reason. The stitched edges were concealed by sewing white lace on top, which gives the whole piece a sugary, frosty look. You can use other trims such as ric rac, ribbon, or dimensional fabric paint to cover these edges. I opted for a white satin bow at the top instead of a pom pom (fitting for children) or a silk daisy and finished it off with a pieced together brim and three buttons in different colors.

The second hat is made of five pie-shaped pieces sewn into a circle. I made the pattern on my computer using the simple drawing tools common to word processing programs and added ½ inch to each edge for sewing. I then joined two or tree pieces of scraps to get a piece from which a section could be cut. These five piece were joined, lined with flannel (two leftover pieces joined together) and gathered on a patchwork band. The brim is made from leftover suede, stiffened with iron-on stabilizer. A button tops off the hat.

These hats are possibly too colorful for some people, but they are nice when worn with conservative clothing such as white shirts and coats. They can also be pieced together entirely from scraps of one fabric or the remnants from sewing a garment which becomes a matching accessory. Lining is optional and can add warmth or durability. The flannel pieces I used were from sewing a nightgown and old-fashioned ruffled caps. Other good fabrics for lining hats are: fleece, cottons, satin & faux fur. When you have enough hats for yourself and your family, produce them as Christmas, birthday, and baby gifts, saving the money you would spend buying presents.

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Originally posted 2008-03-27 16:48:57.

I will be the first to admit that I LOVE television and movies. I have been an avid TV-watcher since I was a kid. To this day, I can still remember the schedule for my favorite show, a cartoon called Doraemon, when I was 6 years old and living in Japan – Friday nights at 7:00 on Channel 10. Despite being a pretty intelligent kid — I read a lot and got good grades — I loved television. Some of my favorite shows as a kid (now living in the States) were Flipper, Lassie, Saved By the Bell, Full House, Growing Pains, I Love Lucy, etc.

I haven’t changed a bit as far as this area of my personality is concerned (as a matter of fact, I have passed my love for video entertainment on to my dog), but can proudly say that I have survived since 2001 without cable. For some reason, our TV doesn’t work without paying for cable. We don’t get any local channels and antennae don’t work — don’t ask me why. But for almost 8 years, my appetite for video entertainment has been sated solely by DVDs. Luckily, I am one of those people who can watch the same movie over and over (even more than once in the same day) and still enjoy it, so we haven’t gone broke feeding my addiction.

Then last year, I learned about this marvelous site called Hulu, a network approved video hosting site for watching free TV shows and movies online, and I have to say, life has vastly improved — not that I wasn’t happy before, I’m just even happier. I was now able to watch shows that I’d only vaguely heard or read about such as House, and have discovered an array of new shows that I had never even heard of that have come on air since 2001.

Free and Legal Online Videos

Since then, I have learned a lot about where, when and how to watch TV shows online and thought I’d put together a list/guide of websites for those of you who are considering cutting off cable, because you can live without cable these days and still be able to watch all your favorite television shows and keep up with local, national and international news.

Pros of Online Video Viewing

• You can watch what you want when you want
  • New episodes are usually available for about a month
  • Some canceled shows make 1 or 2 seasons available for free online viewing
• You can catch up on episodes you missed from current and past seasons
• Commercial breaks are shorter than on television — most are 15 or 30 seconds
• You can pause, rewind or fast forward during play so you can visit the facilities or fetch more popcorn
• You can watch your favorite episodes again and again as long as it’s still online
• Most sites have a notification system where you can have alerts sent to your email when new episodes of your favorite shows are posted
• It’s free!

Cons of Online Video Viewing

I haven’t really come across any except that my computer screen isn’t as big as our TV. But you might be able to circumvent that by connecting your computer to your TV if you are technologically savvy.

Some shows don’t release new episodes until 8 days after the original TV broadcast, but you still get one new episode a week, just one week behind the TV watchers. But as long as you have a decent internet connection, you shouldn’t have many problems.

Websites for Watching Free TV Episodes and Movies

There are a couple of different types of websites that offer free video viewing. One is the Network sites, the official homepages of the television studios or channels. These sites have official pages for each of their shows with information and interactive material such as photo galleries, games and forums for their fans. The other is the online video service sites which host video content from various networks.

The official network sites seem to offer more HD videos (see Technical Requirements below) than the online video services, which mostly offer Standard-Res or HQ (360p or 480p) videos.

Online Video Service Sites

These sites have current and new episodes as well as offer more back episodes of previous seasons and canceled shows than the network sites do.

• Hulu
  • Hosts videos from over 100 content providers including FOX, NBC Universal, MGM, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. and more.
  • Offers free full movies, full episodes, clips from films and TV shows, news, talk shows, and more.
  • Includes past episodes and seasons not available on the network sites.
  • Past seasons of current, older and canceled shows include: Arrested Development, New Amsterdam, The Journeyman, The Riches, Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, The O.C., One Tree Hill
  • My favorite shows on Hulu: House, Bones, Crusoe, Burn Notice, Battlestar Galactica, Life, Monk, Psych, The Office, 24
• TV.com
  • Many of the videos on this site are streamed from Hulu, but it also offers videos from CBS which aren’t available on Hulu.
  • The CBS site is sometimes a little slow, so I watch CBS shows here.
  • Offers quite a few shows in HD quality video.
  • What I watch on TV.com: NCIS
• Fancast
  • This site also streams a lot of videos from Hulu, but also has episodes not available on Hulu. For example, it has the pilot episode of Psych which isn’t on Hulu.
  • What I watch on Fancast: Friends
• Joost
  • Originally a download desktop player service, Joost recently launched an online viewing service; however I find the search function could be improved.
  • Content from from CBS, Showtime, HBO, TheWB.
• Sling
  • Still in beta, this site streams videos from Hulu as well as CBS and others.
• TidalTV
  • Still in beta, this site offers a large selection of TV channels including Animal Planet, National Geographic, Wall Street Journal, The Travel Channel,  and lots more.
  • Selection is vast, but video quality isn’t quite as high as other sites.

Official TV Network/Channel Sites

Entertainment

• FOX
  • Home of 24, Bones, House, Fringe
  • Offers HD quality video
• NBC
  • Home of The Office, Crusoe,  Life, My Own Worst Enemy, 30 Rock, Heroes and many more
  • Offers HD quality video
• USA
  • Home of Burn Notice, Monk, Psych and The Starter Wife
• CBS
  • Home of NCIS, CSI, Numb3rs, How I Met Your Mother
  • Offers HD quality video
• ABC
  • Home of Desperate Housewives, Lost (which I saw for the first time last night), Pushing Daisies, Grey’s Anatomy (which I’ve not yet seen but seems popular)
  • Offers HD quality video
• Sci Fi
  • Home of Battlestar Galactica, Eureka, Sanctuary
  • Includes enhanced episodes with commentary by the film makers
• FX
  • Home of Damages, Nip/Tuck (which I’ve not seen)
• TheWB
  • Show include Chuck, One Tree Hill, The O.C., Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Smallville, Gilmore Girls, Firefly and many more
  • I’ve watched 1st season episodes of Chuck here, which aren’t available on Hulu or other sites.
  • Still in beta
  • Has more commercials than the other sites
  • Cycles through seasons of shows so you can watch them in order
• The CW Network
  • A joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS with a target audience of women between age 18-34
  • Shows include 90210, Privileged, Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Superatural, Smallville and more
• ABC Family
  • Shows include 7th Heaven, Greek, Gilmore Girls and more
  • Also has a couple of full length movies
• TV Land
  • Classic TV such as The Andy Griffiths Show, The Beverly Hilbillies, etc.
  • This site seems to rotate available shows and episodes and advises bookmarking the above page and checking back frequently to see what’s on.

Educational

Shows and video clips on all things educational – history, animals, environment, science and more.

• The History Channel
  • A vast collection of full episodes and video clips on an array of historical subjects including American History, Military History, famous speeches
  • Shows include Ancient Discoveries, Cities of the Underworld, Moster Quest and more
• National Geographic
  • Videos on a variety of subjects: Animals, Environment, Science & Space, Travel & Culture, Specials and News
  • My dog especially enjoyed the clip on Arctic Hares
• The Discovery Channel
  • Full episodes of 2 shows and clips from scores of others on a variety of topics including animals, current events, environment, archaeology, technology and more
• Animal Planet
  • Full episodes of shows including Untamed and Uncut, Pet Planet and Living with the Wolfman
  • Scores of other videos on all things animal-related: wild and domestics, informational and political
• PBS
  • Current events, history, arts, cooking and more
  • Includes shows such as Frontline, NOVA, NerdTV, WIRED Science, Julia Child and more
• HGTV
  • Home and garden channel with shows on home decorating, improvement, buying and selling
• The Food Network
  • Including shows such as 30 Minute Meals, Ace of Cakes and more

News

Local, National and International News, Politics, Economy, Personal Finance, Technology, and more

• CNN
• MSNBC
• BBC
• C-SPAN
• Wall Street Journal

Technical Requirements

Video Quality

You need a decent internet connection (preferably DSL or Cable and faster). There are various video quality levels available and you have an option depending on your internet connection.

• Standard Resolution: 360p — 1,000Kbps or higher
• Hi-Res/High Quality (HQ): 480p — 1,500Kbps or higher
• High Definition (HD): 720p — 3,500Kbps or higher

Computer Requirements

• Internet Explorer 6.0 or above, Firefox 1.5 or above, or Safari 2.0 or above
• JavaScript and Cookies must also be enabled
• Adobe Flash Player 9.0 or above
• Microsoft Windows XP SP2, Microsoft Windows Vista, Macintosh OS X, or Linux

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Originally posted 2009-01-26 06:00:33.

If you have never seen Fiddler on the Roof or want to see it again, you can watch the full movie free on Hulu at: http://www.hulu.com/watch/26704/fiddler-on-the-roof

Funny Money Quote from Fiddler On the Roof

Tevye: Again with the rich! What’s wrong with being rich?
Perchik: It’s no reason to marry. Money is the world’s curse.
Tevye: May the Lord smite me with it. And may I never recover!

If I Were a Rich Man

One of my favorite songs in this movie is If I Were a Rich Man, wherin Tevye fantasizes of the (sometimes imprudent) ways in which he would live his life and spend his money were he a wealthy man. Play the video below to watch it performed as can be done by none other than the great Topol. (You can watch the whole movie here, too, if you’d like.)

Fiddler on the Roof: If I Were a Rich Man – Lyrics

“Dear God, you made many, many poor people.
I realize, of course, that it’s no shame to be poor.
But it’s no great honor either!
So, what would have been so terrible if I had a small fortune?”

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

I’d build a big tall house with rooms by the dozen,
Right in the middle of the town.
A fine tin roof with real wooden floors below.
There would be one long staircase just going up,
And one even longer coming down,
And one more leading nowhere, just for show.

I’d fill my yard with chicks and turkeys and geese and ducks
For the town to see and hear.
And each loud “cheep” and “swaqwk” and “honk” and “quack”
Would land like a trumpet on the ear,
As if to say “Here lives a wealthy man.”

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

I see my wife, my Golde, looking like a rich man’s wife
With a proper double-chin.
Supervising meals to her heart’s delight.
I see her putting on airs and strutting like a peacock.
Oy, what a happy mood she’s in.
Screaming at the servants, day and night.

The most important men in town would come to fawn on me!
They would ask me to advise them,
Like a Solomon the Wise.
“If you please, Reb Tevye…”
“Pardon me, Reb Tevye…”
Posing problems that would cross a rabbi’s eyes!
And it won’t make one bit of difference if i answer right or wrong.
When you’re rich, they think you really know!

If I were rich, I’d have the time that I lack
To sit in the synagogue and pray.
And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall.
And I’d discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day.
That would be the sweetest thing of all.

If I were a rich man,
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
All day long I’d biddy biddy bum.
If I were a wealthy man.
I wouldn’t have to work hard.
Ya ha deedle deedle, bubba bubba deedle deedle dum.
If I were a biddy biddy rich,
Yidle-diddle-didle-didle man.

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Originally posted 2008-08-10 10:00:53.

Expansion Difficulty/Complexity: Medium-Easy

This Certificate of Deposit was the second expansion we created for the game (invented by Madoline) of Monopoly. After the Lottopoly (coming soon), I find this to be the most fun. The interest rates are rather high compared to real-life CD’s, but they help to illustrate the point that investing pays off, and it is so much fun watching the money add up.

Objective

To learn the system and benefits of saving and investing via Certificates of Deposit (CD’s).

How to Play

• Download and print the Bank of Monopoly Certificate of Deposit Form (includes rules).
• Banker
  Designate a player to be in charge of CD’s. This person will receive and deposit into the bank the money to be invested, fill out the CD form, keep track of players’ passing of “Go,” calculate interests and penalties, and pay out the earnings from the bank.
• Opening a CD
  Deposit the amount to be invested in the bank and fill in the player’s name, opening balance and term of deposit. The term is the number of “months” or circuits around the board. Deposits may only be made on the turn when a player passes or stops on “Go.” Once a deposit is made and the term is set, it may not be changed.
• Marking off the months
  When a player passes “Go,” the banker marks off a circuit under 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Months. This indicates the passage of time. If a player purchases a CD for 1 month, his account is considered mature after one full circuit of the board. 2 months require 2 full circuits, and 3 months require 3 full circuits.
  Note: Going to jail does not constitute a circuit as one does not pass “Go.”
• Payouts
  When a player passes “Go” for the last time, his/her earnings are calculated and the balance paid out.

Click on the image below to see a sample

Terms

• Interest Rates
  1 Month = 10%
  2 Months = 30%
  3 Months = 60%
• Penalty for early withdrawal
  $50 per month. If a player makes a deposit for 3 months but must withdraw it after only 1 month due to need for cash (to pay rent, taxes, etc.), he is charged a total of $100 dollars early withdrawal penalty and earns no interest.

Additional Notes

• There is no limitation as to the number of CD’s a player may have open at any time.
• CD’s may only be opened on the turn in which a player passes or lands on “Go.”
• A player may opt to immediately re-invest the closing balance of a CD by opening a new one.
• Early withdrawal requires complete withdrawal. If the player wishes to invest a smaller amount, he must wait until he passes “Go” and open a new CD.
• Tip: Use a different color pencil or pen for each player when players open multiple deposits.

Visit OurFourpenceWorth.com/Monopoly for more Money Management and Investment Monopoly Expansions!

The Monopoly game is copyrighted by Parker Brothers, a subsidiary of Hasbro. All expansions are original creations by Our Fourpence Worth and shared for personal use only.
Commercial use of these rules, forms and images is prohibited.

Related posts:

• July 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• August 2008 Finance and Frugality Blog Carnivals
• Monopoly Game Expansion #2: Personal Checking Account
• Monopoly Game Expansion #1: Personal Savings Account
• Monopoly Game Expansion #5: Income Tax Edition

Originally posted 2008-06-25 06:00:16.

My dog Luwi (“loo-vee” short for Ludwig) loves movies. Ever since he was a puppy, he has been fascinated with the television, especially scenes with animals or action. He would jump up on the TV and lick or bite the screen when he saw something exciting. Naturally, he was equally if not more captivated by the remote control, the all-powerful apparatus that could switch the wonderful television on and off.

Over time, however, Luwi became more and more fascinated with the remote control, to the point of obsession. While he still loves the TV and watches it, his focus has shifted more to the remote control. When we mention any of the words “TV,” “movie,” “watch,” “DVD,” and anything else related to the activity in question, he runs to the remote control and stares at it with a mad gleam in his eye.

Whenever we pick up any of the remote controls, he jumps up in “ready position” and doesn’t take his eyes off the remote till we put it back down, and he continues to stare at it until he’s sure we’re finished with it. If and when he can, he steals the remote control to hold or guard on his spot on the bed. He still watches the TV, but I believe his enjoyment of it is less than it used to be because he is now obsessed with getting the remote control rather than watching TV.

Luwi is a good example of how we, people and animals, can forget the original reasons why we do certain things. Many of us are concerned with saving money becuase we want to be able to live comfortably or happily without the stress of being in debt. But we can sometimes get too caught up in the act of saving money and forget our original reasons for doing so. If you ever find yourself spending hours and hours looking for a better deal rather than spending that time doing something more productive or enjoying time with your family just to save a few dollars, you have forgotten.

The same goes for making money. In the beginning, many people want to make money so that they can provide a comfortable life for their families. Over time they sometimes forget and get caught up in making money, become workaholics, and instead of spending a weekend afternoon playing with their kids or pets, they’re locked away in the office working (or blogging ) and shouting at the kids or pets to keep it down.

I am not saying it’s bad to want to make or save money. Just don’t let it consume you the way the remote control has consumed Luwi. An activity he used to enjoy has turned into a vigil rather than a hobby. He is now more concerned with the state of the remote control than what is actually happening on the screen and has completely forgotten the point of it all.

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Most library websites these days go way beyond the ability to check your account and renew books. Rather, you have access to:

• Free e-book, audiobook, video and music downloads
• Periodicals
• Career and skill building resources
• Homework help for students
• School and career test preparation
• Databases of resources on a variety of subjects including (but not limited to):
  • Consumer information
  • Health
  • Genealogy
  • Grants
  • Business and Career

e-Books, Audiobooks, Videos & Music

Many California libraries belong to a program called Califa, where users of participating libraries can log-in with their library card numbers and check out e-books, audiobooks and music. I’m sure library systems in other states have similar programs.

Materials available through Califa include fiction, non-fiction, children’s and young adult literature. The Califa system offers public domain and non-public domain items. Copyrighted material is copy-protected so that while you can use them, they can’t be copies. Non-copyrighted material can be copied to your computer to keep indefinitely.

My favorite of the offerings are the audiobooks. The system is quite up to date and offers contemporary works and bestsellers such as The Da Vinci Code, Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich, Harry Potter and A Series of Unfortunate Events, as well as classics such as Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, etc.

Our favorites that we have listened to several times are the Chronicles of Narnia. The recording quality is good, download is fast, installation and operation of the software was easy.

How the Califa system works

• Browse the catalog for e-books, audiobooks or music you want to check out
• Add the items you want to check out in your “book bag”
• Check out when you are ready (I believe the loan period is 3 weeks).
• Enter your library card number and PIN (Visit or contact your library to get a PIN or if you don’t know yours. It’s often the last 4 digits of your phone number.)
• Download the Overdrive software to play audiobooks or music on your computer
• You can listen to the material on your computer for a period of time before it expires
• The Overdrive program also has MP3 download for iPod, iPhone and iPod Touch

The best part is that even though our current local library isn’t part of the Califa system, I was able to access the system using my old library card from when I lived in Alameda County (in the Bay Area). Older library cards do expire after several years, but if you recently lived in a bigger county or city system, you may still be able to access online resources through those libraries’ websites using your old library card. In California, most libraries will issue you a card as long as you are resident of the state.

So get on our library’s website and check out all the great resources you have access to. If you don’t have a library card, go and get yourself one!

For more on the benefits of a library card, check out a post I wrote earlier this year: The Library Card, Your Other Rewards Credit Card.

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One of the regimes we tried when we were still living in Hawaii was getting up very early in the morning and riding our bikes (which we bought for this very purpose) to feed our horse who was stabled 3 miles away. We pedaled as fast as we could there and back before going to work in the morning. This worked great for about a week until one morning when we got caught in a rainstorm of biblical proportions, with winds that reduced our speed to a crawl, and I was sick for a week. We never did this again.

We also spent a few months, from December 2002 through April 2003, running 5 miles a night after work. We lost a lot of weight, but oftentimes it was extremely unpleasant as we did this at night and the Hawaiian winter weather was highly unpredictable (well Hawaiian weather all year round is) with high winds and sudden rain. After moving to California, we decided the best way to get our exercise would be to be able to do it at home any time of day or night, regardless of the weather, and also because the first neighborhood we lived in wasn’t somewhere we wanted to be walking or running outside.

Our Mini Home Gym

We went to Walmart and picked up an foldable motorized treadmill for $200. For a motorized treadmill, this machine is very small and easy to store. When we’re done working out, we just fold it up and push it into a corner. It also has adustable incline and speed, and progress display of distance and calories. Unfortunately, this kind of treadmill is no longer available for $200 as that was 5 1/2 years ago, but more advanced models of the same brand are now available for around $400 (Weslo Cadence C44 Treadmill), still a decent price for a treadmill. Manual folding treadmills (without motors) like the one pictured to the left are also available for a little over $100 these days.

The winter after buying our treadmill, we also bought one of these pedal exercisers for under $30 (nowadays around $36). As can be expected from the price, it was simply constructed but it had adjustable resistance and worked extremely well; I could feel a difference in my legs within hours. We took this pedal exerciser on a trip to visit relatives and our grandmother liked it so much that she asked us to leave it for her.

A couple of years later, we added a recumbent stationary bike with magnetic resistance which we bought for $100 (again from Walmart) to our home gym. We love this bike and have pedaled thousands of miles on it while watching movies at home. This bike has lasted amazingly long, considering it has worked days as long as 10-12 hours during our Horatio Hornblower movie marathon last Christmas. The belt finally broke a few weeks ago after years of hard service, but we can still pedal without resistance, which means very fast pedaling (something I have find more fun than pedaling slower with resistance). Nowadays, it looks like these can be had for around $160: Phoenix 99608 Magnetic Recumbent Exercise Bike

We added this more advanced fitness mini cycle to our home gym this winter so that we can have resistance pedaling again, and we can both pedal when we don’t feel like getting on the treadmill. What we like most about this bike is that it doesn’t take up much room and we can easily move it where we want to so we can pedal while reading, watching TV or playing games at the table. This mini bike can also be set on a chair or table for working the arms. It comes with an LED monitor for counting calories, reps, time and distance, which is helpful.

For our anaerobic exercise, we have a few hand weights which we use while watching movies to work our biceps, triceps, deltoids, transverse abdominals and forearms.

Saving Money, Time and Gas

So, for an initial investment of a few hundred dollars, you can end up saving thousands from gym membership fees and get your exercise whenever you want without having to leave your house. If you drive to go to a gym, you can save gas as well. Watching movies is one of our hobbies, so we can feel justified in buying some new DVDs once in a while because they help to keep us entertained during our exercise sessions.

Getting More Exercise

Some may argue that exercising artificially on a machine and in front of the television isn’t as healthy or beneficial as doing so in the open air. This may be true if the open air isn’t near traffic and smog emissions. But it definitely is better than no exercise at all. I know that I get a lot more exercise with our home gym because having the equipment right here makes it so much easier to just jump on and work out. If it weren’t here, I’d probably be lying in bed reading or sitting at the computer all the time instead of just some of the time.

When you don’t feel like leaving the warmth of your house to go running, or to drive to the gym, consider investing in some modestly priced exercise equipment. Having exercise equipment conveniently at home will help you stay in shape because:

• it eliminates a step or two of preparation that you would have to take in order to workout outside of your home
• you can space out your workouts for maximum calorie burn without having to squeeze everything into one time slot, and
• you don’t have to worry about how you look while working out and can do so in your underwear if you so desire.

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Mimic one of natures miracles by giving jewelry, money, a small gift or an engagement ring inside a pretty eggshell that must be cracked open by the recipient. The broken eggshell may be kept as a memento of the occasion.

You will need:
1 egg per gift
Clear nail polish or white glue
Nail polish in color of your choice*
or spray paint/enamel

If making a speckled egg, choose a pale background color and brown or gold for the freckles.

*A nail polish color with iridescent sparkle is best to conceal the crack (the sparkle adds opacity). If your color of choice is translucent, do two or more undercoats with a glittery polish similar in color.

To open the egg

• Place egg on a plate large enough to catch the contents

• Use a small sharp knife to saw and cut into eggshell near the middle

• When you can insert the knife into the egg, twist slowly to produce a single crack

• Carefully separate halves of shell. You should have a single edge that fits neatly together

• Wash with detergent and warm water

• Air dry or blow dry with hair dryer

To enclose the gift

• Wrap valuable or fragile items in tissue paper to prevent jingling and protect from glue and paint

• Paint a layer of clear nail polish or white glue onto each broken edge

• Place the present in the bottom half of shell and carefully re-fit the two halves together.

• Hold firmly closed and paint clear polish or glue over the outside of the seam. After a minute or so, the egg will stay closed on its own.

• Set egg on the mouth of a bottle to dry

 

To paint the egg

• Paint one half at a time, leaving a dry area to set back on the bottle

• To avoid denting the surface, wait until enamel is thoroughly dry to paint the other side and set egg back on bottle

• Try to overlap and feather the edge to make a seamless finish

• When the crack is no longer visible and the egg has a smooth finish, you are done

• A coat of clear nail polish or varnish will add luster and protect from scratches

Optional Touches

• Tie a ribbon and bow

• Gift tag

• Glue on dried flowers or tiny rhinestones

• A sprinkle of glitter

• Lightly scent the tissue paper with flower and plant oil before wrapping present

• You can also paint the inside of the egg before closing to make a nice keepsake

• Add in some dried rose petals with gift

• To make a ring box, cut a styrofoam ball in half. On the flat surface of he ball, cut a groove to hold the ring. Push the center of a piece of fabric into the groove, wrap the remainder around the ½ ball, secure with pins or glue. Glue covered ball into bottom of egg. The weight of the styrofoam will probably make the egg stand upright on its own.

Good luck living green and giving green!

Happy Holidays,

Madoline Hatter

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The practice of gift card giving for Christmas is highly debated, and from what I have seen in a lot of online forums, highly frowned upon as lacking in thought and effort. But I must confess, I am not one of those who frown upon gift cards for Christmas and actually like them. And I strongly believe that in the current economy, gift cards can be more of a blessing to many people than presents.

How Gift Cards Can Be a Blessing This Christmas

Many of us are worried about not having enough money for living expenses in the coming months and possibly years. A gift card to a useful store or a Visa or American Express gift card that can be used to purchase groceries and other necessities could be more helpful than say an Xbox or iPhone.

Multiple Gift Cards Into One Big Gift

Even in times without economic crisis, I don’t believe there is anything wrong with giving or receiving gift cards. Despite the common belief that gift cards are an easy way out and show a lack of thoughtfulness, I think that in a way, they can show thought.

For example, say a family wants or needs a new television (or computer or washing machine if you prefer the more practical) and their friends and relatives know about this. Instead of each person giving a gift, they could all give gift cards that can be pooled together and applied toward the purchase of the big item they really want or need.

This can be for things practical or non-practical. But the end result would be the recipient being better able to afford something more expensive they could otherwise afford on their own.

Why Not Just Give Cash?

While gift cards are almost the same as giving cash, they are a little more subtle and a step closer to the gift category. Giving cash for Christmas may feel a little blunt, and maybe even crude to some people. And while a gift card is just cash in another form, the name and implications are a little more gift-like. With a gift card, the recipient has a choice in regards to what their gift will be – be it food, clothes or a luxury.

Examples of Gift Cards That Can Be Helpful During Economic Crisis

• Visa or American Express Gift Cards

  These can be used to buy necessities such as groceries or household necessities anywhere Visa or Amex are accepted. They can be used in store, online and by phone, but be sure to include the accompanying instructions. I would recommend going with Visa as they are more widely accepted than Amex.

  If you wish to add a personal touch to your gift card, GiftCards.com lets you design your own cards with custom images.

  

• Amazon Gift Certificates or Cards

  Amazon.com has a huge selection of merchandise including dry groceries, personal care items, household supplies, clothing, furniture and home improvement. An Amazon.com Gift Card or Gift Certificate can be used to buy anything through the Amazon website including those from the Marketplace (fulfilled by merchants other than Amazon).
  

• Department Store Gift Cards

  Department Store Gift Cards such as the Target Candy Cane Zebra Gift Card pictured below could be helpful to families with children who need to buy things like school clothes and shoes, as well as things for the house.
  

Thoughtful Gift Cards

If you want to show that you do put thought and effort in the giving of a gift card, purchase one from a store or type of store that sells niche items for your recipient’s personal interests or hobbies. Many stores these days sell gift cards – it’s no longer just the big department stores:

• Toys and Games
• Books
• Music or iTunes
• Electronics
• Clothing
• Home improvement
• Restaurants
• Specialty and niche stores such as our own custom dog clothing and costume business. The recipient can select the item and have it customized to his/her pet.

Of course, if you’re just not comfortable with giving gift cards, there is nothing wrong with a traditional gift. After all, the Christmas tradition is one of luxury, and gifts should be luxuries. Only this year, and every year until the current economic crisis is past, I believe gift cards might be more well received than in previous years.

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Because we mentioned learning to tune your piano as a way to save money, I will briefly introduce the topic in this post. For actual tuning instructions, theory, and technique, there are enough websites and manuals available that I think there is little point in repeating that information here (my favorite sources may he found at the end of this post). Instead I will offer some points for you to consider if you are thinking of attempting to tune your own piano. These are things I have learned from my own experience with piano tuning and the discovery of numerous unexpected benefits beyond the financial resulting from this one new skill.

Saving Money

Since this is a financial blog, it makes sense to address the money factor first. The average tuning will cost you about $80. And since most pianos require two tunings a year (due to the changing seasons) you pay your tuner $160 per year not including regulating and minor repairs—which you can also learn to do on your own.

You will need to purchase some basic tools (tuning lever, mutes, A440 tuning fork), but these are one time expenditures resulting in long term savings. While shopping for a tuning kit, I saw prices as low as $60 for new tools and $40 for used tools. I opted for a $90 tuning kit because higher quality meant more accuracy and less risk of damaging my piano. Basic instructions for tuning can be found online for free or you can purchase a manual. This depends on how seriously you wish to learn the subject. I highly recommend Arthur A. Reblitz’s book, Piano Servicing, Tuning, and Rebuilding, Second Edition: For the Professional, the Student, and the Hobbyist, which is thorough and easy to read.

And because time is money, you will need to consider the time you will spend tuning your piano. Your first few tunings may take you several hours, but with practice you might be able to tune your piano in 40 minutes. And remember it is only twice a year. You know how much your time is worth, so you decide.

Physical and Aural Requirements

You will need to be healthy enough to stand and lean over the piano for prolonged periods and repeatedly turn the handle of your tuning lever. You will need a little dexterity with the hands to insert wedges between the strings and turn the lever in very small increments. You should be able to distinguish musical pitches relatively well. You don’t need perfect pitch, but hopefully you are not tone deaf (though tone deaf individuals can probably tune with the help to electronic devices). If you own a piano, you are most likely a musician and your ear should be adequate.

How Hard is Piano Tuning?

How complicated piano tuning is depends on what methods you choose and how much you expect of yourself. Unless you are giving serious concerts in your home, you only need to tune well enough to please yourself and most listeners won’t know the difference. Here are several methods I know of that non-professionals use to tune pianos

From easiest to most difficult

• Use a CD which plays the 88 tones of the piano and match each tone as closely as you can.
• Use an electronic device which tells you what frequency (pitch) you are on so you know when you get it exactly in tune.
• Tune A440 to a tuning fork and tune the other pitches by ear. This is best done by using the intervals Major 3rd, minor 3rd, Major 6th and Octave.
• Learn tuning theory and set the temperament using “beats,” then tune the other notes by matching octaves.

The last method is more precise and requires more patience. It will also increase your knowledge and musicality.

Tuning Improves Your Ear

Ear training is the most stressful part of a musical education for many people. It is also the easiest part to neglect once you’ve scraped an acceptable grade and run away from your last listening exam. And even if you’ve never been in an ear training class, you can imagine how anxious you might be if you sat in a room for 45 minutes trying to process and write down what your teacher is playing before he starts playing the next thing you have to write down. Ironically, ear training class seems to create more insecurity than competence (except in rare individuals) due to the high level of pressure most of us feel in that situation.

There is nothing like routine to turn a skill into a mere habit. In the beginning, you might be uncertain whether an interval you tuned is inaccurate or whether you have a perfect unison in the 2 or 3 strings that make up one note. By the time you have tuned all 88 notes once or twice, you should find yourself quite confident about what you are hearing.

Tuning theory, if you choose to learn it, explains the mathematics (quite simple) and relationships between pitches which takes the mystery out of ear training and makes it more factual.

You Will Better Appreciate Your Instrument

Ever since I began to tune and maintain my piano, and realized how much work it entails, I have an increased appreciation for it as a fine and complex instrument. Penelope and I recently rearranged the entire house in order to move the piano to a location with the most stable temperature in winter and summer. I also dust it more often and make an effort to keep it covered when not in use, but the latter proved rather impractical because now that I work at home, I play the piano frequently during the day and often in the night as well. Still, one might say that I now have a more complex relationship with my piano.

Advantages for Pianists

As a pianist it was not so much the tuning, but learning my way around the inside of the piano that improved my playing. I can make choices based on what sort of harmonics I want to achieve and pedal according to how I want the dampers to interact with the strings. And if you have pretty good mechanical skills, you might learn to regulate and do minor repairs because there is a convenient sort of independence in being able to pop open the piano and fix a broken note or stop an annoying clicking part.

Advantages for Singers

Being able to identify and produce an accurate pitch is an obvious advantage for singers, because we have to tune our vocal chords to every note in a song. The process of piano tuning is good practice for your brain to find correct pitches. The physics of piano string vibration is closely related to vocal cord vibration which improves your understanding of partials and harmonics, allowing you to make more informed choices concerning issues such as vibrato, tone color and basic technique.

Benefits for the Curious and Scholarly

When I decided to learn to tune my piano earlier this year, I had no idea how many new subjects of interest it would lead to. I have been reading up on things like the history of the piano, earlier piano technology, and the math and physics of music which explains the reasons behind all those rules and conventions learned in music theory.

And most fun of all, I used what I learned about the workings of the piano action to design a mechanical toy which Penelope and I built for our dogs just yesterday. This really neat toy is a wooden lever with a place on one end where my dog Wolfie loads a tennis ball. He then steps around to the other end and depresses the lever with his paw, flinging the ball in the air for him to catch. This is so cool that we cheer until we are too hoarse to sing. And it all came from tuning the piano!

Recommended Resources for Piano Tuning and Repair

• Manual: Piano Servicing, Tuning, and Rebuilding, Second Edition: For the Professional, the Student, and the Hobbyist by Arthur A. Reblitz
• Tools: KS Piano Tuning Kits
• Tools, Parts & Online Instructions: Tuning Your Piano – Do It Yourself

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Our Fourpence Worth is all about frugal living and making smart choices in personal finance. We write about things we have learned and are learning as we strive for financial freedom and we offer tips for saving money in various aspects of life: personal, home improvement and decoration, family, money management, pet care, frugal recipes and more, as well as our opinions on current affairs related to our subject.

To give you an idea of the kind of topics we write about, here are a few of our posts that have done quite well in the blogosphere:

• My Favorite Money and Time Saving Websites
• Simple Solutions to Staying Out of Debt
• Resisting the Urge to Splurge
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• Frugal Travel Begins Before the Trip: Vacation Preparation Checklist
• Guide to Safe and Smart Traveling with Pets
• Fast & Frugal Recipe: Yakisoba (Japanese Chow Mein)

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Thanks for stopping by!

Penelope and Madoline

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