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Archived Message of "The Frugal Life News "
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PARASITE CLEANSE WITH PAW PAW

The Garbage Gets Taken Out - The House Gets Cleaned - You Shower Every Day - What About Your Internal Body?

Microscopic organisms in the body are more common than you might think. In spite of our efforts and even government regulations, these organisms can take up residence in us and some can affect our ability to thrive.

Read more: http://www.theherbsplace.com/paracleanse.html <a
href="http://www.theherbsplace.com/paracleanse.html">Parasite Cleanse</a>


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THE FRUGAL LIFE NEWS
Published Twice Monthly by Randal Watkins
http://www.thefrugallife.com
<a href="http://www.thefrugallife.com">The Frugal Life</a>
January 27, 2004

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The Frugal Life News is sent to subscribers only. Manage
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Please note that with over 24,000 subscribers to this newsletter, we cannot reply to all emails.

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A NOTE FROM RANDAL

Hello Everyone,

Sorry I am late in this issue. Here in Virginia, we received 4 inches of snow yesterday. The snow prevented me from coming to the office to get the ezine out like I normally do. Today the temperature has risen some and the snowing has stopped too.

Hope all of you are doing well despite this strange weather we all are experiencing. Remember we can always use new frugal ideas on our forum. Also, this is a great resource to post any questions you might have that are related to frugality.

As always, we are grateful for your sharing and subscribing to The Frugal Life News.


Until next time,

Randal


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FRUGAL FINANCES

APRIL 15TH IS COMING!

For U.S. citizens, April 15th is Federal Income Tax Return Filing Day. Now that the holiday season is over, and we're in the lull between college football bowl games and the Super Bowl, take a few moments to make sure you won't have any nasty surprises on national tax filing day.

Estimate your tax liability for tax year 2003 and, using your final 2003 paycheck stub, determine if you have overwithheld, underwithheld, or magically broken even with the government.

If you have overwithheld, i.e., you expect a refund, file your taxes early so that you may use this refund to help you pay off debts.

If you have underwithheld, i.e., you will be writing a check to send along with your return, start saving now for the next three months to help pay your taxes.

You want to avoid creating debt to pay taxes, even if the IRS is your creditor, so, this is a good use of savings.

Use this simple tax estimation tool:

http://www.fincalc.com/nat/natTAX01i.htm

to calculate your taxes.

Let's return to the subject, and the possibility, of receiving a substantial
refund.

In addition to filing your taxes as soon as possible to liberate your money so that you may use it wisely to build wealth by paying off debt, you must also determine why it was locked away in the first place.

When you correct this overwithholding, your refund will increase your take-home pay for each of your 2004 paychecks instead of serving time in the government's vaults until next tax season.

This means you will have a fatter paycheck each month, rather than a large refund check after filing your annual return.

Use these tools:

http://www.paycheckcity.com

to compute adjustments to your 2004 W-4 form.

In the event that you have underwithheld, and the government expects a check-in-the-mail from you, consider adjusting your W-4 exemptions to eliminate this deficit for next tax season.

Or, if you're comfortable saving money for a few months, as described earlier in this article, then you can leave things as they are.

Be careful if you choose to leave things as they are. If you are penalized for not withholding enough, then definitely adjust your W-4 exemptions.

While we're on the subject of taxes, here's a strategy you can use to increase your deductions and reduce your taxes.

Recent tax code changes have reduced the number of itemizable deductions while increasing the standard deduction.

For married couples filing jointly, the standard deduction for 2003 is
$9,500.

This means that, for itemization of your home interest expense, property taxes, and any other deductions to make financial sense, the total must exceed $9,500. Otherwise, just take the standard deduction.

One way to increase your itemized deductions is to pay two years of property taxes in one calendar year.

Suppose your total itemized deductions equal $9,000. They're useless because of the standard deduction.

Suppose, also, that your property taxes are $5,000.

In Texas, property taxes are due in December but may be paid as late as the following January 31 without penalty. Make sure your state has similar requirements.

So, pay 2004 property taxes in January 2005 and pay 2005 property taxes in December 2005, for a total $10,000 property tax deduction in 2005.

Add this to your other itemizable deductions and you will comfortably exceed the $9,500 standard deduction.

You can only do this every other year, so in 2006 you will simply take the standard deduction and double-up again in 2007.

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Payoff All of your Debts in 5-7 Years using the money you ALREADY make!

Greg Moore is the author of the Debt Freedom Course, "DebtIntoWealth -- Lessons from My Journey to Debt Freedom".

To discover why:

"Americans are carrying more debt than ever before and are behind payments in record numbers..." -- New York Post

and how to get out of this trap, click here:


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FRUGAL EDUCATION

FINANCING HIGHER EDUCATION - By: Liz Smith, Editor-in-Chief
www.edu-advisor.com

Whether you‚re a parent or working adult (or both), you have a variety of options when it comes to furthering your education. Most people think, once they have a career or have been away from school for a few years, that they have given up the opportunity to earn their degree. With the ever-increasing costs of tuition, room and board, books, etc. that goes along with earning a degree, attending college is even difficult for many teens, let alone working adults. Adults, though perhaps not „going away to school,‰ will lose vital time at work and thus incur all the same costs plus the costs associated with losing the pay you would otherwise earn.

Now, regardless of the flexibility of your budget and your free time, you have many options that will allow you to prepare for a specific career. These include vocational programs or trade schools, and will let you earn your degree or certification in less than four years, and, sometimes, in less than two. There are vocational schools in nearly every field including fashion and design, fine arts, medicine, computers, culinary, and many more. Vocational schools are a great option because they cater to working adults by offering night and weekend classes.

If you want to continue working full-time and need more flexibility than a nighttime class will offer, an online degree could be a great option for you. You must be self-motivated to attend an online college because you set your own schedule and it is your responsibility to complete your work, which appeals to many working professionals. You can even take a variety of courses online, such as law courses, art courses, business degree courses, and even interior designing courses. Perhaps most importantly, at online universities, tuition is significantly less than that at the average college or university because costs like buildings, classrooms, and janitorial staff are avoided.

Whatever your situation, financial or otherwise, you should research your options to determine which degree program works best for your lifestyle. A four-year university is also, clearly, an excellent choice, but just keep in mind that it‚s not the only one and certainly not the least expensive one. There are a lot of different possibilities available and, chances are you‚ll find a degree program that caters to you. An education is always an asset, so consider your options, talk to your family, and figure out how you can develop your future.


Vocational Programs
Trade Schools
Fashion and Design
Medicine
Computers
Culinary
An Online College
Law Courses
Art Courses
Business Degree Courses
Interior Designing Courses



GOT PETS?

Visit Healthy Pet Corner for lots of information, products, and links for birds, cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, and reptiles.
http://www.healthypetcorner.com
<a href="http://www.healthypetcorner.com"> All for Pets </a>


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FRUGAL SIMPLICITY

NATURAL DE-ICERS

The chemical salts used to de-ice driveways and walkways do a lot of damage to grass, bulbs and perennials. There are some natural ways to handle the situation and save your plants. Here are a few ice breakers that are environmentally safe.

De-Ice: Alfalfa Meal - This is a totally natural fertilizer that contains nitrogen to promote ice melting and has a texture to provide traction while it works.

Traction: Cover ice with wood ashes, coal cinders, sand, or cat litter.



MAKE YOUR OWN CLEANING, BATH, and BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Here's a kit with everything you will need to start making your own pampering and cleaning products for pennies with the easy-to-follow recipe guide.
http://www.theherbsplace.com/essentialstarter.html
<a href="http://www.theherbsplace.com/essentialstarter.html"> Make Your Own
</a>


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FRUGAL TIPS FROM OUR SUBSCRIBERS

REMOVING LABELS

If you've tried alcohol and it hasn't worked or you want a "smoother" way of removing it so you don't scratch plastic or leave a residual sticky surface, try this:

1. Apply a thick coat of cooking oil to the label and allow it to soak in, undisturbed, for 24 hours.

2. Try to peel the label off. If it comes readily, proceed to the next step. If it doesn't, repeat steps 1 and 2. (Many labels require more than one application)

3. After the label has been peeled off, some sticky glue will remain. To remove it, coat the area with oil a final time and allow it to sit
overnight.

4. Wipe off the oil and dissolved glue, then wash the container in hot, soapy water. No trace of label or glue will remain.


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WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE FORUM?

Maybe you can help these folks out with a few suggestions? Or post some of your own questions. LOG-IN TO POST Here's the link:
http://www.thefrugallife.com/bulletinboard.html <a
href="http://www.thefrugallife.com/bulletinboard.html"> Forum </a>

Questions Needing Answers at The Forum:

1. Critters Forum I live on the Texas coast and my whole block seems to be infested with cut ants, a.k.a., carpenter ants, texas red cut ants,and I know there are about 3 more names but i cant remember them all. any way they can totally strip my hibiscus plant over night. they have stripped tons of leaves off my 25 yr. old ash tree and they're nests are everywhere. they completely surround my neighbors house around the foundation and they burrow deep into the ground. i have found out that they don't actually eat the leaves that they strip from trees and bushes etc. but they take them down into the tunnels and let them rot.    

Please help me with any suggestions as to eradicating them  as they have done untold damage to my landscape plants as well as my old trees not to mention the money I've spent all to no avail. I've been told the only real way to get rid of them is to hire a professional who sticks a wand or something like it down into the tunnel and forces a poisonous smoke into them. the only problem with that is the main part of the nest can be upwards of a mile away. please help. thanks

2. Miscellaneous Forum
Hello, I am trying to build an electrical generator ,using my wood stove as a source of power,. does anyone have any knowledge of this sort of thing,. t/y


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HOME-BASED BUSINESS IDEAS

NATURAL PET FOODS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Healthy Pet Net has great products by Dr. Jane Bicks and Dr. Barry Sears who developed the Zone Diet for Overweight Dogs. Besides dog, cat and horse products, you will have a non-toxic line of cleaning products - safe for pets and children. Visit this website for more information. This type of site is also available for $10.95/month (plus an initial $20 set-up fee).
http://www.healthypetcorner.com/HPN/busopform.html <a
href="http://www.healthypetcorner.com/HPN/busopform.html"> Healthy Pet Net </a>

HOME SPA PARTY PLAN - MAKE BATH & BODY PRODUCTS

Have you noticed how popular bath and pampering products have become? The HomeSpa Party Plan taps into that craze. Guests at HomeSpa parties will learn how to make bath salts, personalized perfumes, body spritzers and more using essential oils, while you make a nice income from Nature's Sunshine.
http://www.theherbsplace.com/essentialspa.html <a
href="http://www.theherbsplace.com/essentialspa.html"> Home Spa Party </a>

ARE YOU A NATURAL HEALTH NUT?

If you've been a natural health nut, you have a lot of information others need to have. Earn an income selling over 600 natural health products, skin care, water filters, beverages, essential oils, and more. Earn trips and car allowance. Websites are also available for $15.95/month.
http://www.theherbsplace.com/busop.html <a
href="http://www.theherbsplace.com/busop.html"> Nature's Sunshine </a>

FLINT RIVER RANCH OVEN-BAKED PET FOODS

If you have pets, they'll love Flint River and you can make an income providing good pet foods and other pet products to friends, neighbors and your family. Pets keep eating, so customers keep buying. If you love animals, this is a very rewarding home-based business. With only 100 volume a month you can earn 19% on all sales.
http://www.healthypetcorner.com/FRR/busop.html <a
href="http://www.healthypetcorner.com/FRR/busop.html"> Flint River Ranch</a>


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LEGAL DISCLAIMER

Information in The Frugal Life News (TFL) has been derived from sources believed accurate and reliable. In no event shall *The Frugal Life,* Randal Watkins, or the TFL staff be liable for any damages whatsoever resulting from any action arising in connection with the use of information herein.

TFL does not knowingly accept ads from advertisers deemed detrimental to TFL's readers, however, publication of an ad in TFL does not constitute an endorsement for such product or service.

There is no remuneration for suggestions, tips, or ideas submitted by readers. All suggestions, tips, and ideas, submitted for publication in The Frugal Life, become the property of The Frugal Life, notwithstanding similar rights of the reader submitting such suggestions, tips, or ideas. TFL publishes readers' names with their suggestions, tips, and ideas unless a reader requests otherwise at the time of the submission.