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The Frugal Life – Living Well With What You Have

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THE FRUGAL LIFE NEWS
Published Weekly by Randal Watkins
https://www.thefrugallife.com
The Frugal Life
September 12, 2003

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A NOTE FROM RANDAL

Hello Everyone,

Sorry this issue is late. We have been out of town to our Nature’s Sunshine
annual convention in San Francisco. When we got back into town we found out
for 3-4 days any AOL subscriber wasn’t receiving emails from us. I found
this out because my son and Dad are on AOL and they weren’t receiving our
emails. I contacted AOL and they were very helpful and assured me that our
domain had not been blacklisted. They did tell me the problem was between
my ISP and AOL. They resolved the problem through the night so now I have
the go ahead to send out The Frugal Life News.

Also, remember our
house is available – see ad below.

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WILDLIFE / NATURE LOVERS! HOUSE FOR SALE
In Central Virginia – Nelson County – 2 or 3 BR/3 Bath

Land of “The Walton’s” and nearby Blue Ridge Parkway.
Custom-designed and built home on 6.72 acres with lots
of biodiversity for wildlife and birds. Mountain views,
no house in sight, total peace and quiet but within the
protective covenants of River Trails subdivision. $249,900
Get more info: http://www.theherbsplace.com/RT-241.html
241 River Trails

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Thanks again for sharing and subscribing to The Frugal Life News.

Until next time,

Randal

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FRUGAL FINANCES

REBATES

To find extra money to accelerate debt payoff, increase your income,
decrease your expenses, or better yet, do both!

Rebates fall into the category of decreasing your expenses – at least for
purchases that actually provide value in addition to a rebate.

That is, if you are going to purchase the item anyway, rebates are a great
way to reduce – and sometimes practically eliminate – your cost.

“Free After Rebate!” advertising, especially for electronic gadgets, always
catches my eye. And I must confess, sometimes I have to stretch my
justification for making a purchase by rationalizing that, after the rebate,
it’s FREE!

Of course, if you’ve ever responded to a rebate opportunity, you know it’s
far from FREE.

First, it gets you into the store – already in a buying mood — where you
are exposed to all of the other non-rebate merchandise.

Second, if you manage to evade that trap, many states exact a sales tax– in
Texas sales taxes are 8.25%– so, it will cost you something. But, if you
think of it as a 91.75% discount, and you can really justify this purchase,
you still save money.

Third, you actually have to submit your rebate paperwork – receipts, proof
of purchase, rebate forms, DNA sample, etc., in an envelope postmarked by
the submission deadline.

Fourth, you have to wait for your rebate check to arrive, typically in 6 – 8
weeks, and be careful not to discard it as junk mail.

Although this can appear to be daunting, the amount of time that’s specific
to getting your rebate – step 3 — is pretty small. If it took you 15
minutes to do the paperwork for a $50 rebate, that’s $200/hour! Good work if
you can get it.

Thus far, I’ve discussed rebates that you find through responding to
advertising, which makes it more likely that you will buy on impulse rather
than need.

Suppose you were able to identify a need and then find a rebate… and you
could avoid going to the store… and maybe even sales taxes?

For example, suppose you need a new wireless adapter for your laptop
computer so that you can download your Frugal Life newsletter while sunning
on your patio.

Wouldn’t it be great to hunt for currently available rebates on wireless
adapters?

Have I got just the website for you! Go to:

http://www.rebateplace.com
Rebate Place

You can Browse RebatePlace.com by manufacturer or product category to find a
product that interests you AND has a current rebate. You can also download
and study the rebate claims form BEFORE purchase to make sure you understand
all of the “gotchas.”

Rebateplace.com makes it convenient to comparison shop among different
merchants to find the best overall deal – all from the comfort of your home.

After purchase and receipt of your product, the rebate application process
is identical to any other rebate application. And if you want to check on
the status of your rebate, Rebateplace.com makes this easy to do, too.

Plus, there’s no cost to use Rebateplace.com.

So, you receive your wireless adapter, apply for the rebate, and 6-8 weeks
later your $50 check arrives in the mail.

What should you do with this check?

That’s right… make an extra principal payment on your #1 Priority debt!

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FRUGAL HOME / GARDENING

   
HOW TO TEST SEEDS WITHOUT WASTING THEM
 
Large seeds that can be handled easily can be tested for viability then carefully planted on as transplants.

Difficulty: N/A
Time Required: Usually a few days

Here’s How:

1. Select a plastic container with a tight-sealing lid. Any clean, empty
plastic container will do; I like to recycle those of cream cheese and
margarine, since they are easily nested for storage.
2. Place the inverted lid on the countertop. Cut a single paper towel
into 1-2 inch squares, and place the squares onto the lid allowing a tiny
bit of space between each.
3. Moisten each of the squares with a few drops of warm water. Place one
seed on each square.
4. Take the lower portion of the container (which will now become the
upper portion) and snap it down onto the inverted lid. This forms a
mini-greenhouse of sorts.

Click here for the rest of this article

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
All for Pets

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FRUGAL SIMPLICITY

WAYS TO SAVE ON THE PURCHASE, CARE, AND REPAIR OF SHOES
by: Dr. Charlotte Gorman*

1. When considering buying a pair of shoes, ask yourself, “Do I really need
another pair of shoes?” For example, “Do I really need a new pair of black
shoes, since I already have four pairs of good, black shoes in the closet?”
Answering “no” to such questions could save you a sizable amount of money.

2. If possible, wait until needed shoes are on sale–preferably at 50 to 75
percent or more off. My favorite pair of high-heel shoes was regularly
priced at $56. I bought them on a closeout table for $3.00. Nearly all shoes
(men’s, women’s, and children’s) will eventually be put on sale. Rare should
be the case when you would need to pay full price for a pair of shoes.

3. If you really do need a pair of new shoes and you cannot find them on
sale, shop around for the best full price. For example, the price of an
identical style and brand of shoe can vary from store to store.

4. Check out the garage sales. Shoes, especially ones still in very good
condition, are usually rare, but not impossible to find, at garage sales. I
have purchased some in like-new condition, so be on the lookout. Spray the
insides of all secondhand shoes with a commercial fungicide to avoid the
chance of getting athlete’s foot.

For more great tips go here.

*Dr. Charlotte Gorman is an Extension Agent, Family & Consumer Sciences,
Texas Cooperative Extension, Texas A & M University System. She is the
author of The Frugal Mind, The Little Book of Living Frugal, and Speak for
Yourself.

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
Make Your Own

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FRUGAL TIPS FROM OUR SUBSCRIBERS

A great way to save on vehicle purchases.

CARS, TRUCKS, SUV’S, VANS AND MORE – UP TO 90% OFF RETAIL

Every year thousands of vehicles, are essentially “given away.” They become
the property of Uncle Sam and banks through “seizure and surplus” laws.
Because of the constant influx of goods and the overwhelming expense to
store them, they must get rid of them fast. This could mean dirt-cheap
prices for you – not only on cars but other products too!
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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:
https://www.thefrugallife.com/bulletinboard.html

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