The Frugal You

The Frugal You
If you are trying to cut down on your costs, there are ways
to reduce your spending by simply applying these tips into
your day to day activities.

Winter is here and that may translate to higher electric
bills for some homes. Appliances can be the main culprits
of high electric bills. If you are trying to cut cost, try
using less of these electricity eaters. For instance, after
washing your clothes, consider hanging them up to dry
instead of putting them in the dryer. Your clothes may
thank you as some fabrics are ruined by the dryer. For
quicker results, designate an area of the house that either
gets the most heat or has less traffic. Also, make sure
you have your refrigerator set to run most efficiently.
The temperature should range between 36 and 40 degrees
Fahrenheit and the freezer should between 0 and 5 degrees
Fahrenheit. Turn off the anti-sweat feature. It keeps the
moisture from forming on the outside, but turning off that
feature can save 10% in energy costs. If your fridge is
near the oven and you can move it, do so. The heat from
the oven will make it work harder. Place only cold or room
temperature foods in the fridge. Placing something hot
inside, will make the fridge work harder to cool it down.
Plus, hot items may spoil foods around it.

If you are planning on making home improvements or simply
would like to redecorate a room, stop by the Habitat for
Humanity's ReStore. The ReStore is a venture initiated by
Habitat for Humanity to generate funds to support their
building programs. The store stocks and sells donated
building and home improvement materials that otherwise
would end up in area landfills. So while helping the
environment the ReStore is able to provide construction
materials and furniture at a much cheaper price than your
local vendors. Plus, as a shopper, you support a worth
while cause! To find a ReStore near you, visit Habitat for
Humanity's website at www.habitat.org.

Paying with cash helps keeps expenses at a minimum. Debit
cards issued by your bank that are linked to your checking
or your savings account can be helpful but they can also
ruin your checking or savings account balances. If you are
diligent about keeping a record of your expenses (in your
check registrar or otherwise)you may get away with using
your debit card often. However, most people use the debit
card and mentally deduct the amounts as they go along. This
can have expensive effects on your bank account. Overdraft
fees average $30 per transaction for each posting period!
Two things can happen when you use your debit card and not
keep track of your expenses:
1. you will be more likely to overspend through out the
week
2. You may spend more money than you actually had and be at
the mercy of your bank's fees.
Give yourself a certain amount of money to spend throughout
the week, this will help keep your finances in check.

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Debt Management Credit Counseling Corp. ("DMCC") is a
501c(3) not-for-profit charitable organization. DMCC
provides free financial educational materials, seminars and
a financial literacy program to consumers across the U.S.A.
DMCC also provides free assistance to any consumer needing
debt solutions. DMCC financial counselors can be reached by
calling (866) 285-0994, emailing debthelp@dmcconline.org,
or by visiting http://www.dmcccorp.org .