Well, I gave it a good hour of my time and I’m retiring.

I began by researching tips for beginners and gladly took the advice to start small. It was also suggested to shop at one store, which is fine with me, because no matter how good I get at this, I’m not visiting every pharmacy in town for a deal on heartburn medicine. So, armed with that advice, I skimmed through the Sunday paper for ad inserts. Apparently, my co-workers beat me to the punch because all the manufacturer inserts were gone (Procter & Gamble, Red Plum and Smart Source) as well the circular for my all-time favorite store, Target. Feeling slightly defeated (since I want to start couponing and I want to start now!), I settled on the two inserts for the local grocery stores and figured I’d pick the store with the best deals.

Being a good sport, I flipped through the two stores’ inserts and selected the one that had the most items I always buy, regardless of price. I then created a list of name-brand items with their corresponding deals and prices, but this is where I lost interest. The long list of coupon terms, like “$1.00/2” and “BOGO”, had me overwhelmed. I love sales, but I don’t like chasing them. Once I had my list of “store coupons,” the next step was to locate manufacturer coupons for each of the items. Since the Sunday inserts had been picked over, I tried looking at specific merchandise websites, but after visiting a couple sites for laundry detergent and lettuce… I realized that while this might be an awesome opportunity for someone, it’s not for me. I have the desire to coupon, but not the will.

My short career as a couponer reminded me something about myself. I love bargains and I’m already darn good at achieving them, whether shopping for food, clothes or entertainment. I take sales into account, but in moderation. I only buy a clearance grocery item if 1) I’ll reasonably use the item before it expires, and 2) I have the space. I don’t buy JUST because it’s on sale. The way I save the most is by buying off-brand products. Some things, like toilet paper and macaroni and cheese I’ll never skimp on, but with many other items, I can’t tell one bit of difference between off-brand and name-brand.

So in the end, I think I may have discovered how I can master Couponing 101. Next time shopping, I’ll record the prices of store-brand items and name-brand items on my grocery list. Then, I’ll figure out how much I saved. Dare I say this tactic may be just as good as couponing? I may not experience the ridiculous savings or leave with a free cartful of deodorant and mouthwash, but at least I’ll have my sanity.

Wish me luck as I rebel against the coupon craze.

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Tips

• Talk things out and don’t let annoyances bother you endlessly. This is especially important for married couples. It’s best to discuss finances in detail.
• Be proactive. If you have a relative who always wants to split the bill down the middle, even when they order more food than you, ask for separate checks prior to the giving your orders to the waitress.
• If a relative constantly borrows and breaks your things then stop allowing them to borrow. You don’t want to hold a grudge against them for past transgressions, but eliminating the problem at the source will put future mishaps to a halt.

What awkward money situations do I face? With the holiday season quickly approaching (ugh) I find myself worrying about our finances. Last year, my husband and I were three months into a marriage and hadn’t yet discussed how to approach the holidays. We discussed it briefly and decided our approach would be to keep things fairly even between our two families. We didn’t plan anything and the result was over-spending. That’s something I’d like to avoid this year.

So, what do we plan to do? Spend less, of course!

We talked and made our first decision as a team. We’ve set aside specific money for Christmas gifts this year. The key will be to stick to our budget. It was awkward to talk about last year, because we both kind of blamed each other for our predicament, but in the end I’m glad we did. Only time will tell whether it will save us money this year!

Read the full article here: http://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/articles/2011/09/19/how-to-handle-awkward-money-situations?PageNr=1

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My point, and yes I do have one, is that I have come to understand and recognize the “Oscar the Grouch Syndrome” that takes over once August comes to an end. As with any un-fun thing, you must find the positives to get you through. What was it Mary Poppins said? Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down? Well… bring on the sugar.

In order to get through the retirement of sundresses, I’ve focused on the unique things that come with fall. And, as with anything shared on MFW, I tried to be wallet-friendly in my activity search.

So, here it goes. My heaping, overflowing spoonful of sugar:

• Camping and hiking: Somehow sleeping on the ground in cooler temperatures is slightly more appealing than sleeping on the ground in… warmer temperatures.
• Bon fires: Bon fires go hand-in-hand with camping. No one likes a smoking mountain of heat in the middle of July.
• Apple orchards: I’m discovering quite a few local farms that allow for a pick-your-own fruit setting. Perhaps I’ll make a day of it and gain some ingredients for new recipes.
• Pumpkin patches: Okay, I’ve always loved this. I enjoy picking out my own pumpkin and carving a masterpiece (no template allowed).
• Halloween: Alter egos are quite amazing… I wonder what I should be this year…
• Corn mazes: Slightly terrifying for the claustrophobic, super fun for everyone else.
• Haunted house tours: I won’t set foot in one, but those who dare are welcome to take my place.
• Hay rides: Can easily be squeezed into a visit to the apple orchard or pumpkin patch. Plan B? Just hook up your little brother to a wagon.
• Tailgating and watch parties: Alright, football is pretty fun. Bet you wouldn’t guess that I’m a certified referee for the sport!
• Thanksgiving: As an annual tradition, I make a “Fakesgiving” feast for my close friends the week before the actual holiday. It takes quite a bit of planning, but it’s totally worth it. Perhaps I’ll share my tips in a later blog…
• Craft fairs: These seem to show up all over the place once the weather turns. Nearby communities will host many in the upcoming weeks.
• Homemade caramel apples and cider: Never attempted, always desired. 2011 may be the year.
• Playing in the leaves: You may look like a 5-year old, but when they take away your pool and diving board, this is what you’re left with.

If you have any fall favorites, please share. As a self-proclaimed Vitamin D junkie, I need all the help I can get in the upcoming months.

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Well, MFW readers, I save… and I save a lot. Just like my strategy for checking accounts, I have more than one savings account. I have my emergency fund which is worth a few months of unemployment, heaven forbid. Then I have my holiday fund, which I know may sound a little weird, but when you decorate as much as I do, and give as many gifts as I do throughout the year, the “holiday fund” becomes your best friend come October. Lastly, I have my general savings. This is where the bulk of my savings goes each paycheck. The general savings is multi-purpose. I don’t allow myself to touch it, but when I do, I pay it back with my next opportunity. It truly just sits there, with the exception of an occasional car repair (paid back) or the unexpected doctor bill (paid back) or the unfortunate incident of turning-left-at-a-no-left-turn-intersection (also paid back).

Car repairs and doctors bills can’t always be prevented.  It’s good to have back-up money in case your checking account is unable to support the bill. Tickets for driving violations can certainly be prevented, but in the case that you get one, you can’t ignore the cost. I was fortunate enough to borrow from my savings so I could resolve the citation as quickly as possible. But, as promised, I paid it back and my account balance returned to normal. Then in mid-August, I accessed my savings account simply because there was an item I wanted, and gosh darn it, I deserved it!

That’s right. August 13, 2011, I fulfilled a childhood dream and bought a jet ski.

 Was it the most practical purchase? Depends on how you look at it. I have always spent my summers on the lake and I wanted a toy of my own to not only play with, but gain experience. Because I want to own a boat someday, this is step toward learning how to maintain a personal watercraft. Plus, I purchased it from a family friend, so I felt more comfortable than if I had worked with a dealer.

Was I prepared for the purchase? Sort of. I made the mistake of buying the carriage before the horse and was forced to stare longingly at the new PWC for a full two weeks, because I underestimated the time it would take to have a trailer hitch installed on my car. I also had to pick up the jet ski a day late, because I had to get a storage unit lined up (a case of buying the horse before the barn, if we’re sticking to my analogy). But, when talking finances, I was more than prepared. While I wasn’t expecting to purchase a jet ski that particular afternoon, the deal presented itself and I rationalized that this was one of those times it was okay to break into the piggy bank.

While I’m still experiencing the sticker shock of it all, I’m proud of doing something just for myself. I save and budget and plan non-stop. It felt good to just do something because I could. Don’t let saving money confine and restrict you from the spontaneity of life. Live a little. You’ve worked hard for your money and as long as you live and spend responsibly a majority of the year, you’ll be ready for life’s happy surprises. Even jet skis.

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One solution I’ve found for taming the overflow and expense is paperbackswap.com. It’s a book-lover’s dream! The whole idea is to swap your books with other “PBS” members. After starting an account, select the gently used books you are willing to part with and post them to your digital bookshelf.

After signing up for PBS, you will get one credit. Credits are used to order books from other members. You earn credits by mailing requested books to other members. Membership is free; the only cost to you is postage. To mail your books, you can do it the old-fashioned way and take it to the post office, or you can print a pre-paid wrapper through PBS. Simply wrap the book in cellophane to protect it from water and cover with the printed wrapper before dropping in a mailbox.

To purchase a pre-paid wrapper, you must add money to your PBS account— credits only pay for books, not postage. Since there is a small charge to load money, it’s best to add enough for multiple books. The fee is marginal (roughly $0.40 per transaction), but if you only add money when you need it, you’re paying multiple fees and could end up spending more on postage than if you had just used the post office. This is the only downside to mailing your own. Since I know I will use the service, I load $20 at a time to keep the fees down. It typically costs about $3 to mail a book, which is comparable to prices at a used bookstore, but the selection is much wider. Plus, you shop from the comfort of your home!

 So far there’s only been a few instances where I received the wrong book, or the book didn’t arrive. This is easily correctable and it must happen more often than I realize, because PBS has perfected the system.

Overall, it’s a great service that I recommend. I repost many of the books I receive to keep my library from growing; the only drawback being that you need to properly store the books until they are requested by the next reader.

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I absolutely love this cool treat in the summer time. It sort of resembles that weird dessert Aunt Mildred always brings to the family reunion, but believe me, it is way more attractive and involves less ingredients. Give this a try for your summer barbeques. Hands-on time is minimal, but it does require multiple hours in the fridge.

• 1 3oz package Jell-O gelatin mix (lime is my favorite, but pick what you like!)
• 2/3 cup boiling water
• 1/2 cup cold water; add ice cubes to make 1 cup
• 1 8oz package Cool Whip, thawed*
• 1 graham cracker crust

Pour boiling water into a bowl with Jell-O mix, and then stir with a whisk or fork until the mix is completely dissolved. Add the cold water and ice cubes, stirring until melted. Now, fold in the thawed Cool Whip. This means slowly adding the Cool Whip to the Jell-O and stirring gently. If you whip or stir too fast, you will liquefy the Cool Whip and it will lose its fluffiness. Once the two are blended, it will be a little runny and will spill over your crust. To prevent this, put the mixture in the fridge for 10-20 minutes so that it becomes “scoopable.” Once it’s firmed up a little, you can then scoop the mixture into your graham cracker crust. Return the pie to the fridge and let sit for at least 4 hours (overnight is ideal).

*Thawing the Cool Whip: Make sure to do this overnight in the refrigerator– do NOT microwave or let sit on the counter. Heating the Cool Whip will make it melt and then it won’t firm up properly.

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1. Date: May not be postdated or stale dated. Postdated is when the date written has not yet happened. Payees must wait until the check’s designated date to present the check for payment. The depositing bank may accept it, but the paying bank could deny it because of the date discrepancy. A stale dated check is one that is more than 6 months old. According to the FDIC, no bank is obligated to accept a stale dated check.
2. Payee: The payee, as designated by the check’s remitter, must be the one to endorse the check and take ownership of the funds. The only exception is if the payee signs the check with a special endorsement, making the check payable to another person.
3. Legal Line: The legal line is where the remitter designates the check’s dollar amount in written word. You also write the dollar amount in numerical form to the right of the legal line. These two amounts must match! If they do not, the bank will refer to the legal line for payment.
4. Signature: The remitter must have signed the front of the check. Without a signature the check is no good.
5. Legibility: The check must be legible and the motive clearly stated. Since checks should be written in pen (to prevent alterations), mistakes happen. If writing a check and you make an error, correct it legibly and mark the edit with your initials. Don’t use white out. If it is messy, or you are trying to reuse a check that was originally intended for a different payee, don’t use it! Void it out and write a new check. Banks have the right to refuse any checks that appear altered. Why risk writing or accepting a check that could be turned away?

An additional pointer to leave you with: a valid check will always have a routing number and check number printed along the bottom of the check. This is called the MICR line. If someone hands over a check without a MICR line, you should hand it right back.

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Your bank and credit card company can only do so much to protect you from the fraudsters trying to attack your account balance. To help keep your money and private information SAFE, make sure you are doing your part, too.

Phishing is a common type of fraud where the bad guys attempt to retrieve personal information from their victims by posing as legitimate companies or agencies. Phishers will send an email or generate a browser pop-up with a bogus message asking the victim to update or verify information. Often times, a link will be provided. Needless to say, the link is just another trap. Don’t be a part of the 57% who answered these erroneous requests!  If you ever receive an email or pop-up asking for private information, don’t respond! Instead, use contact information you know to be genuine and get in touch with the organization to confirm the request.

Phishers are looking to obtain personal information that will allow them to conduct fraud using your name, social security number or account balance. Other scammers just want to get straight to the money. Mail fraud is a common way of going about this. By use of snail mail, fraudsters will surprise recipients with a money order for “lottery winnings.” All you have to do to claim your fortunes is pay for the taxes and contest fees by sending them a money order! Be on the defense with these types of mailings. Have you entered a contest recently? Were you expecting payment in the mail? If not, contact your bank so they can verify and report the scam attempt.

You, too, can be an investigator of potential fraud. If you receive a request for money or information, take a good look at the email address, website and phone number attached to the request. When online shopping, review the site’s security features.  And by all means, read the fine print— “free trials” are rarely free. Failing to read the fine print does not mean you can call these unexpected charges fraud.

Your financial privacy is not something to be relaxed about! It only takes a minute to do an internet search or phone book scan and confirm the legitimacy of the email, pop-up, letter or offer.

The moral of the story: don’t give money or information to just anybody.  The Federal Trade Commission has put together a whole reference site surrounding the topic of phishing. Check it out at onguardonline.gov, and continue to read up on our Wingman updates. I promise there will be more blogging now that I’ve established a solid base tan.

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As a kid, I thought beef stroganoff was disgusting, but now it’s one of my favorite comfort foods. After all, it does have cream cheese (only my most favorite ingredient!). And did I mention it makes a TON? Prepare to have leftovers.

• 1 (16oz) bag medium egg noodles
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 packet dry brown gravy mix
• 1 (8oz) block cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup milk 
• 1 (8oz) container sour cream
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Boil the egg noodles in a large pot for 8-10 minutes; drain and return to pot. Add the milk, sour cream and soup to pot. While noodles are boiling, brown the hamburger meat in a large skillet; drain and return to skillet. Over low heat, stir in the gravy mix and cream cheese. Once the cream cheese has given the hamburger a creamy consistency, add the hamburger mixture to the noodles and heat on low-medium until warmed through.

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According to U.S. Small Business Administration, “the legal name of a business is the name of the person or entity that owns a business.” Therefore, if you are the sole owner, then your full name is the legal name of the business. While that may be the technicality, it’s not very… catchy. Part of the fun of running your own business is getting to name it!

If you choose to give yourself a business name, this is called an assumed name, fictitious name or DBA name. DBA stands for “doing business as.” To give an example, John Doe is DBA John’s Mowing. An assumed name should be unique to you, to the best of your knowledge. It is not permissible to use the name of a known entity. For example, DBA John’s Mowing is allowed but not DBA John Deere. This is an important rule to follow when working as an independent sales representative for a company such as Avon or Mary Kay. You cannot be a DBA because you do not have ownership in Mary Kay.

To claim your chosen DBA name, you may need to register it with your state’s government agency. Some states, like Kansas, do not require any formal registration of an assumed business name. For guidance, you may reference this chart for each state’s required documentation. After completing the proper certification for your state, you may move forward with opening a business account and working under the new name!

In addition to a sole proprietorship, there are many other options for how a business can be established. Check out the website for the U.S. Small Business Administration to learn about Limited Liability Companies, Partnerships and Corporations and the legalities of each ownership option.

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