I Wasn't Paying Attention: Where Does My Money Go and How Can I Get Some Back?

I Wasn't Paying Attention: Where Does My Money
Go and How Can I Get Some Back? - Part 3
by: Janet L. Hall

Here are my Top 7 Tips Lists for * OverHalling * Seven
Financial Areas of Your Life:

Top 7 Tips for * OverHalling * Your Food Purchases
1. Use a master grocery list
2. Make your morning drink at home
3. Stop snacking from vending machines
4. Carry your own snacks, celery sticks, carrots, broccoli
spears, fresh fruit, pop corn
5. Pack your lunch
6. STOP eating out
7. Only use coupons for the products you normally buy

Richard Carlson, Ph.D. gave this wonderful example on how
much you can save by taking your lunch to work with you in
Don’t Worry, Make Money, “For example, if you stayed on
the job for thirty years and substituted a $2 lunch for a $7.50
lunch at a local restaurant, the $5.50-per-day savings
deposited in an investment club earning 8 percent over thirty
years would amount to around $100,000.”

That’s being conservative!

Top 7 Tips for * OverHalling * Your Transportation Costs
1. Find the lowest priced gas station for your gasoline
needs
2. Plan and map out your errands
3. Walk
4. Ride a bike
5. Public transportation
6. Car pool
7. Errand exchange with a neighbor, worker, friend, or
relative

You can find the lowest gas prices in your neighbor, if
someone has reported in, at http://www.gasprices.com

Top 7 Tips for * OverHalling * Your Reading Costs
1. Go to the library
2. Find and use a used bookstore
3. Find it on the Internet
4. Borrow from friend or relative
5. Co-op on subscriptions and book clubs
6. Listen to audio tapes that you get FREE at the library
7. Read book reviews first!

Top 7 Tips for * OverHalling * Your Auto Expenses
1. Learn to and do your own oil and filter change
2. Keep you car maintained
3. Drop collision and comprehension if your car is paid off
4. Sell your car if the payments are too much and purchase
a good, reliable used car
5. Pay off your car loan with a home equity loan and now
that once car payment is tax deductible!
6. Change your deductible on auto insurance to as high as
you can afford; your insurance premiums will be less
7. Maintain tire pressure and drive the speed limit

Top 7 Tips for * OverHalling * Your Banking Expenses
1. Find out what fees/rates your bank is charging you
2. Find and get the lowest fees/rates
3. Check out online banking
4. Switch to a credit union
5. Reconcile your checkbook every month (toss out the
bank statement afterwards…you DO NOT need to keep
it)
6. Don’t bounce checks
7. Buy checks through a check company NOT your bank

Top 7 Tips for * OverHalling Your Mortgage Expenses
1. Find and GET the lowest interest rate
2. Pay your monthly payment in two week intervals
3. Switch from adjustable to an ARM
4. Drop your PMI (Private Mortgage Insurance) if you have
at least 20% equity in your home
5. Pay a little extra on the principle each month or whenever
you have extra money (make sure you tell the mortgage
company the extra is to be applied to your PRINCIPLE
only)
6. Pay a little extra on the principle each month (needed to
be said again!)
7. Check into changing your mortgage from a 30 year to 20
or 15 year loan

Top 7 Tips for * OverHalling Your Credit Card Expenses
1. Use only ONE major credit card per person/family (cuts
down on paper, tracking expenses, and bills)
2. Get rid of high interest rate major credit and department
store cards
3. Get rid of cards that require you to pay an annual fee
4. Check for additional fees, such as transaction fees, late
fees, over-limit fees
5. Charge ONLY what you can pay off monthly
6. Prepay before you charge, such as vacations and
holidays
7. Pay on time. Don’t put the bill in a pile, pay immediately
or put with the rest of your monthly bills

Smiles, not Piles,
Janet L. Hall

The Organizing Wizard, Janet L. Hall, is a Professional
Organizer, Speaker, and Author. She is the owner of
OverHall Consulting, and Organizing By Phone. Subscribe to
her FREE organizing newsletter at
http://www.overhall.com/newsletter.htm or visit
her web site at http://www.overhall.com

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