Cancel PMI Private Mortgage Insurance ASAP

We took out our first mortgage in 2001. Along with principal, interest, taxes and insurance, there's an added fee for first time mortgage borrowers and those who can't afford 20 percent down-- PMI--Private Mortgage Insurance. It's a fee you pay to guarantee that you will pay your mortgage. After collecting that extra $25 a month from us, for a few years we would have proved that we would pay and the PMI would be removed. Or so we were told. Read on  Expensive Lessons Learned on PMI Private Mortgage Insurance

Remember Younkers Community Days Coupons Nov 15-16

Hey, did you buy one of those Younkers Community Days coupon fundraiser coupon books? Don't forget, this weekend, November 15-16 are the ONLY days to use them. Remember, your book has a $10 off anything coupon. Use that one at least. And this year, you can use it on Bonus Buys. Buy one in-store and donate money to your favorite school or booster program. Remember Younkers Community Days Coupons Nov 15-16

Skip Younkers Community Days Coupon Fundraiser Books, Save Money

I write daily bargain hunter tips using the daily deals of the day tag. Typically I write money-saving do's, but today's tip is a don't. Do not buy a Younkers Community Days fundraiser coupon booklet, unless you like paying more for things.

Last year, I took my youngest back-to-school shopping for a coat. We hit a mall in another town some distance away. After hunting through racks of tacky, cheaply made junk, we tried Younkers. At the door, we were approached by kids selling Community Days coupon books for $5.  Skip Younkers Community Days Coupon Fundraiser Books, Save Money

Skip Younkers Community Days Coupon Fundraiser Books

Typically I write money-saving do's, but today's tip is a don't. Do not buy a Younkers Bonton Stores Community Days fundraiser coupon booklet. Unless you like paying more for things. Last year, I took my youngest back-to-school shopping for a coat. We hit a mall in another town some distance away. After hunting through racks of tacky, cheaply made junk, we tried Younkers. At the door, we were approached by kids selling Community Days coupon books for $5. Read on...Skip Younkers Community Days Coupon Fundraiser Books, Save Money - News - Bubblews

Tightwad Mama Saves Money Back to School Shopping

Back to School--how merchandisers and retailers love those three words. And how they love to upsell. Long lists of school supplies your kids supposedly can't live without. And I'll admit, I love BTS shopping. What's not to love about $.25 crayons and scissors? But tightwad mama is also a teacher. She knows kids don't need half the stuff stores pad the list with. Here's a different kind of BTS shopping guide--one that saves you money. Tightwad Mama Saves Money Back to School Shopping

Penny-Pincher Tip: Beware of Hidden Costs

I write money saving tips and an experience got me thinking about hidden costs and how to avoid paying them. Our youngest son just came back from a weekend camping trip. He stayed at a recommended private campground. He didn't know if he could get time off so couldn't reserve a spot in advance. He had to take what he could get. And he learned some things about hidden costs and how the sneak up. Read more atPenny-Pincher Tip: Watch for Hidden Costs

How Tightwad Mama Get Bargains

We raised and four kids in an 800-square-foot mobile home. We were solvent and debt-free on one income while I homeschooled the children. I know all about pinching pennies. Here are tightwad mama's tips to stretch your family activity dollar. Use these ideas year-round. We did! We still do! This is us with the youngest at Silver Lake State Park on our most recent budget vacay.

* Make money multitask. Pay with the payment form that saves most and earns best rewards: store credit cards, debit card. Save points for better rewards.

* Get admission deals. Use buy-one-get-one-free deals from vendors like Daily Deal Superstore. Save on concert, museum, amusement park, restaurants and vacation tickets. Look for events offering free kid admission with paid parents. Contact event websites for deals. I got half-price student opera tickets from the box office. An air fair distributed free tickets to school kids. They send me tickets to distribute to our home school group. Read more at Cheap Summer Family Fun Ideas from Tightwad Mama

Bargain Hunter Deal of the Day--Cheap Veggie Burgers

Today's Deal of the day is bean burgers at the dollar store! I've got two daughters who flirt with being vegetarian-vegan. I'm dieting and don't eat much meat. Veggie burgers are a low-calorie protein alternative. So we buy a fair amount of them. Now if you buy organic or health food, you know it's expensive. And less is definitely more, price-wise. A 10-ounce package of MorningStar Farms or Boca burgers sells for about $4 full price. And that's at Meijer and Walmart. Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and Fresh Market would be more, likely. Even on sale, I still pay $3. Very irritating when your would-be vegetarian turns up her nose at your veggie burger choice. Here's where to get'em!Bargain Hunter Deal of the Day--Veggie Burgers, Cheap!

Cheap Summer Family Fun Ideas from Tightwad Mama

We raised and four kids in an 800-square-foot mobile home. We were solvent and debt-free on one income while I homeschooled. I know about pinching pennies and cheap family fun. Here are tightwad mama's tips to stretch your summer fun buck. Make money multitask. Pay with the payment form that saves most and earns best rewards: store credit cards, debit card. Save points for better rewards. Cheap Summer Family Fun Ideas from Tightwad Mama

Tightwad Mom's Cheap Airline Travel, Car Rental Money-Savers

As a tightwad mom of four, I know about budget travel. Here are cheap travel tips to save money on airline and rental cars. Shop for cheapest air fare. Using Priceline's "Name Your Own Price" option, bid on airfare, rental cars and hotel accommodations. Buying flight plus rental car plus hotel packages may save but only if you're staying in the same city as the airport. I've done better bidding on each separately. Start with airfare. After buying tickets, you'll usually get offers for rental car and hotel deals. Check sales. Compare companies: Kayak, Orbitz, Cheap Seats, Expedia, Travelocity. Priceline "name your own price" has always been cheapest for me. I've gotten cheap upgrades with Priceline, too. We stayed in a 3-star hotel for $60. Watch for tagged-on fees. In order to say they technically got you the price you bid, vendors will sometimes pad prices. Even with added fees it may still be a better deal.  Read moreTightwad Mom's Cheap Airline Travel, Car Rental Money-Savers

Dad-Inspired, Kid-Friendly Mother's Day Party, Homemade and Cheap

As a 25-year mom of four, I've been the guest of honor at many kid-inspired Mother's Day and birthday parties. Our children learned to throw a budget, homemade bash from me and my husband. For a guy, he's great at party-planning. Dads, here are tips from the master's knee, on planning an inexpensive Mother's Day party with your kids, that your wife will love! Dad-Inspired, Kid-Friendly Mother's Day Party, Homemade and Cheap

Cheap, Homemade, Green Spring Cleaning Tips

 As days get longer and snow melts, my thoughts turn to spring cleaning: out with the old-man-winter accumulation and in with sunshine and spring-green-clean! Here are easy, cheap, homemade spring cleaning tips and earth-friendly tool swaps. Save money, labor and the environment with these solutions.

* Bagless vacuum vs. traditional bag cleaning: Bagless vacuums save us $80 a year. Emptying canisters directly saves environmental paper waste from bags, too. Clean filter regularly to avoid costly replacement. Read more

Off-the-Beaten-Path Parks in Metro Detroit

Looking for spring frolics in metro Detroit? Why not check out an area park? Mayor Dave Bing announced the closing of 51 parks in February, reports the Detroit Free Press, but there are still plenty of outdoor venues to enjoy. Here are local parks with the most diverse activities, unique accommodations, and off-the-beaten-path amenities. Just right for spring and summer recreation and adventure!Off-the-Beaten-Path Parks in Metro Detroit
 

Spring 2013 Festivals and Fairs in Detroit (Cheap Family Fun!)

Say "spring," and what leaps to mind? In Michigan, picnics, flowers, parades, and festivals -- a chance to sweep out winter blues with the last, dingy snow! Here are must-not-miss spring 2013 festivals in and around Detroit. Not from anywhere nearby? Check out your own local fairs and festivals. Churches, espcially Catholic often have festivals. Community activities, group events--lots of good family fun!
Spring 2013 Festivals and Fairs in Detroit

How I Save 50 Percent (or More!) on Groceries

I don't brag very often, but when I do, it's about how I save money. Our four kids have each thanked and praised dad and I for raising them to know the value of a dollar. And saving begins in the most basic purchases--groceries and food. Here's how I save 50-80 shopping. Tame that impulse shopping monster. Learn to regiment haphazard,  last-minute, or careless spending habits. Here's how How I Save 50 Percent (or More!) on Groceries

Easy, Healthy, Cheap WIC Foods Recipes

When our four kids were young, our income qualified me and the children for WIC (Woman, Infants and Children) food coupons.WIC, a USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) program, gives low-income families coupons for free food. Unlike food stamps, WIC can only be used for specific foods and baby formula. Breastfeeding moms like me couldn't use formula coupons and so WIC added vegetables, rice and tuna to supplement nursing moms' diets. WIC added Project Fresh coupons (used at farmers markets) and later produce vouchers. Here are recipes using basic WIC foods: eggs, juice, milk, peanut butter, cheese, approved cereal, tuna, carrots, bread, fruit and vegetables. Use these cheap recipes stretch your grocery budget and food stamps. For transitional housing dwellers, I've kept preparation and ingredients simple. Omit anything you don't have.  Easy, Healthy, Cheap WIC Foods Recipes

How I Save $1,500 a Year on Family Personal Care Products

Do girls or boys cost more for hygiene and personal care? I've got two of each and they are evenly matched. Each has product preferences. I never minded buying what they liked, but I did it cheaply. Here's how I saved at least $1,500 a year on personal care products for a family of six. And no, I didn't get rid of two kids!

Extreme discounts and coupons: I print coupons from online sites, like Swagbucks. I earn Swagbucks for using coupons and redeem points for gift cards. I preload store coupons on store perks cards. Meijer often gives percentage off total HBA purchase with perks card. I've snagged up to five discounts per item between sale, printed coupons, store card perks, total purchase discount and Swagbucks. Read more How I Save $1,500 a Year on Family Personal Care Products

Low Calorie, Hunger Satisfying Foods that Save Money

I'm halfway through my goal to lose 100 pounds. One of my biggest diet struggles is constantly feeling hungry when I cut calories. Early on, dieting was a vicious circle. My larger stomach needed more food to fill up. I was reducing calories, not losing and always hungry. Now that I've lost some, it's easier to fill up. Here are low-calorie, feel-full foods that satisfy hunger and aid weight loss. Eating less saves money, too!  Low Calorie, Hunger Satisfying Foods to Fill You Up

Protein, Meat Food Swaps to Cut Calories

I started dieting 18 months ago. I wanted to lose weight and develop healthier eating. Initially I ate a vegan-vegetarian diet. Since then, I've tweaked my protein intake to include healthier meats and protein sources. Using these food switches, I've cut out roughly 1,000 calories a day. I've also saved roughly $8-10 a week per person per week on groceries. Those savings apply to homecooked meals. Money savings are higher when meat-based restaurant meals. Protein Swaps for Weight Loss

Money Tips for Welfare Recipient Parents

"Octomom" Nadya Suleman, the single mom of 14 (including octuplets) is back on welfare again, says TMZ. Suleman is an extreme example of negative welfare stereotype. But her unhealthy financial choices highlight key issues that we can all learn from. Here are money tips for parents on welfare, culled from five months when we received food stamps and Medicaid. Right off the bat, let me say that the tone of this article may seem preachy. I heard the discussions on whether we taxpayers should be able to tell welfare recipients how to their spend money. I say yes we who are frugal should be able to. It's our money after all. Am I saying that all welfare recipients spend foolishly? Of course not. But those who do who make it difficult for those who don't. Sometimes folks can't get the help they need because others are wasting those governmental dollars. There's only just so much to go around. Even those of us who aren't on government assistance, though we live frugally, will need it if we don't all trim our spending. Spending Tips for Welfare Recipients

How I Paid Off Student Loan Debt in 18 Months

 I paid off $22,000 in student loans accrued for my college age kids in 18 months. How did I accomplish this? What secrets did I use? My strategies for loan repayment are no different than those I used for paying off other debt. I use the old Nike shoe maxim--"Just Do It." Here's how it worked.

Make big (and I mean big) payments. Paying off a large loan is like swimming in Lake Michigan when it's cold. You've got to dive in quick and get it over with. Going in gingerly just prolongs it. With students loans, making small, ineffectual minimum monthly payments just compounds the interest and inflates debt to elephantine proportions. During the loan repayment, I made $1,500 payments monthly. Read more