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The Frugal Life – Living Well With What You Have

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s ******************** The Frugal Life News October 27, 2004 Edition https://www.thefrugallife.com ****************** A Note From Randal ****************** Hello Everyone, We are soon going into the budget buster months (November and December). Every year more and more well meaning people spend more than they have on Christmas presents. This issue we have started a new section called “Frugal Holiday”. Please take some time to read the tips in this issue. To get out of debt this indulgence has to be brought under control. We hope this information gives you some new ideas and helps you to make some commitments that you will keep. As always, we appreciate all you do to increase our subscriber base every week. Frugally yours, Randal ************ Frugal Finances ************ Know How You’re Scored… You’ve probably heard a lot about FICO — credit scoring — but, do you know the important factors that go into computing your score? If not, this article will help you understand what goes into computing this important financial metric and how you can create or maintain a ‘GOOD’ score. Since becoming Debt-Free, I haven’t given much thought to credit scoring, also known as FICO, and what statistical alchemy they use to come up with your ‘number.’ After all, who needs credit when you have cash? As of late, however, your FICO score is being used by institutions and services unrelated to borrowing money. Insurance companies claim their use of your score helps them keep claims low. Apparently, they believe a bad score is predictive of who will file claims. Landlords use your score to decide whether to rent to you and how much to charge. Employers use your score to decide whether to hire you for certain kinds of jobs. All of which started me to wondering if paying off your debts fast has a negative impact on your FICO score. It’s not logical, but when it comes to debt, logic is in the eye of the creditor. To help you understand what contributes to a positive or negative score, take this interesting, informative and short quiz: You’ll discover what’s considered a ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’ score, the impact of debt levels on your score, what happens to your score if you pay off your debts fast, and more eye-opening facts. For example, I was often puzzled about how an individual could rack up tons of debt-card debt, have only modest income, and continue to receive more debt-card solicitations. Here’s a hint, INCOME is not as important as you might believe. After completing this QUIZ, I now know the impact of getting Debt-Free as fast as you possibly can on your FICO score. If you can’t wait until you’ve finished this QUIZ to know this answer, let’s just say that, following a systematic plan and paying off all of your debts as fast as you possibly can will make your FICO score go through the roof! And this is a good thing! In the final analysis, since we’re powerless to stop the FICO machine, it’s better to have a good score and not to need it, than to need it and not have it. ——————- Greg Moore is the Architect of the Wealth Building System, ‘DebtIntoWealth — Lessons from My Journey to Debt Freedom.’ If you have children at home, you might be trapped! *************************** Free Lesson #1 – Debt Freedom Course *************************** Pay off all of your debt in 5-7 years using the money you already make. Find out why financial guru and best-selling author, Suze Orman, is advising her millions of followers to “Pay Everything Off as Fast As Possible!” ***************************************** ************** Frugal Holidays ************** A Different Kind of Christmas by Donna L. Watkins “The Holidays” are here again. It’s a time of year that creates a lot of stress in lives, families and health. I’m hoping that many of you have chosen to avoid the push and shove of the holidays and are keeping it simple. We decided years back to stop all the “clatter and clutter” of December and enjoy the real reason for the season. We explained to friends and family that we wanted to de-stress the holidays to be able to truly enjoy holiday events and to spend shopping time volunteering to make a difference in lives that have no hope for a holiday at all. Some of my friends and I exchange contributions to a chosen organization. It’s been very special to be able to “sacrifice” a gift to be able to give to somebody who needs seeds to plant for food, or to provide funds where communities have been destroyed because of natural disasters. It only takes a few minutes to purchase this kind of a gift, but it gives a lifetime of good thoughts and it’s an investment in people. One site that might be helpful for you to “swap gifts” with family members and friends is this one that I use: Alternative Gifts International Think back …. How many of the gifts you received were really needed or wanted? How much of it ends up at a yard sale in the near future? How much is enough? Do we really need more to maintain and store away? What do we teach our children with the way we model/define Christmas? How much holiday depression could be avoided for the next generation if Christmas wasn’t about what you get? Begin this year to suggest this approach to the holidays and spend the time with family and friends at Christmas musicals or around the fireplace with a cup of tea or hot cider. Enjoy people and share the Christ of Christmas. Have you noticed that Jesus never hurried? Donna writes “A Touch of Nature” and “A Healing Moment.” You can subscribe to these free email mailings at this site: http://www.theherbsplace.com/subscrip.html A Touch of Nature and A Healing Moment ************** Frugal Simplicity ************** Simplicity Circles In 1989, in her position as a community college administrator, Cecile Andrews offered a workshop on voluntary simplicity. Only 4 people registered and the workshop was cancelled. In 1992, she offered it again, and this time 175 people came, many because they wanted to join a Simplicity Circle. Now Simplicity Circles are spreading across the country and around the world. The Simplicity Circles Project is coordinating a national network through its Seeds of Simplicity directory. Find a Simplicity Circle near you: Make Your Own Home And Beauty Products Bath, Beauty, Perfumes, Cleaning and Air Freshner/Deodorizer Essential oil kits allow you to make your own safe non-chemical home and beauty products. You’ll save a lot and feel better about making your home less toxic for yourself, children and pets. The Starter Pack has a Recipe Guide with tons of ideas. http://www.theherbsplace.com/essentialkits.html Make Your Own Home and Beauty Products ****************** Frugal Home Making ****************** With all the research now being presented on the dangers of chemical cleaners, it’s nice to make life simple again with homemade natural cleaners. Here’s a recipe for one that we use: Lavender and Tea Tree Spray Cleaner 1 t. borax 2 T. white vinegar 2 c. hot water 1/4 t. lavender essential oil 3 drops tea tree essential oil Mix all ingredients together and stir until dry ingredients dissolve. Pour into spray bottle for long-term storage and use. Spray as needed on any surface except glass. Scrub and rinse with a clean damp, cloth. To purchase quality essential oils, visit this site: http://www.theherbsplace.com/essentialsingles.html Lavender and Tea Tree Spray Cleaner Deodorize While You Kill Bacteria and Viruses Essential oils will make your home smell wonderful without the dangerous air freshner chemicals that have been in the news. The big bonus is that you also get the anti-microbial properties of essential plant oils so you can kill germs throughout your home without bleach and toxic cleaning products. The AromaBall is a handy plug-in appliance with a ceramic plate that holds a small pad on which you add essential oils. Easy-to-use as a night light. Get more info and/or purchase here: http://www.theherbsplace.com/essentialaroma.html AromaBall for Deodorizer and Anti-Microbial Home Defense *********** Frugal Pets *********** Herbal Heartworm Program and Prevention Robin Sockness works with pet owners with an individualized program and has currently worked with over 300 dogs. Herbs are safer and less expensive so it’s a win-win situation for all. Prevention programs are available also. Read more about it here: http://www.theherbsplace.com/heartworm.html Herbal Heartworm Program & Prevention Free Information, Free Ecards, and Pet Foods Too! Healthy Pet Corner provides lots of information and links for birds, cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, and reptiles. http://www.healthypetcorner.com Healthy Pet Corner – Your Pet Portal ************************* Frugal Tips From Our Subscribers ************************* Two Great Booklets for Parents! Each of the booklets is great on its own, but taken together, they’re a veritable survival kit for parents trying to raising children in today’s economic society. You can download these for free on the site or ask your bookstore to get you a print copy. Tips for Parenting in a Commercial Culture This 30-page booklet contains loads of practical, hands-on tips for parents on how to raise healthy children in our highly commercial culture. It also offers a careful examination of the harmful effects of excessive commercialism on kids and some wonderful insights from children across the country about what they really want that money can’t buy. Good Times Made Simple: The Lost Art of Fun This booklet is packed with inexpensive, non-commercial ways to spend time with your family . It’s a great antidote to video games, TV and trips to the mall . The suggested activities offer something for everyone and for every season, spanning both outdoor and indoor activities. Warning: parents may enjoy this booklet as much as their kids, and grownups without children show an alarming tendency toward enjoying it, too! Here’s the site for the download: **************************** 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 Forum Questions Needing Answers At The Forum Cleaning Forum 1. We have 2 track combination windows on our house. The screen is permanent on the outside. It doesn’t move or come off. Therefore I have to somehow find a way to clean the insides of the actual house windows and the insides of the storm windows.  There is no way a person can get their arms up inside of there! They have been on the house over 1 year now, and I still can’t figure out how Menards wanted people to clean their windows! Please Help Me. I love snow and its about to fall in Wisconsin and I want to be able to See it! 2. My coat developed a growth of mildew over the summer.  It calls for dry cleaning, but I would really like to be able to clean it at home and clean the mildew.  Any suggestions? 3. How do I clean diet coke cola from cream carpet!! Do-It-Yourself Forum 1. I am wanting to cover my couch. The problem is it is an old couch with very little padding. All of the slip covers now days are for very padded furniture. I can buy a slip cover, but it won’t fit my couch. Can any one tell me how to put extra padding on the furniture? I don’t know what the padding would actually be called either so that I can go buy it and how much would I need for the arms and the back. I would also like to have more of a cushion to sit on. Do you have ideas on how to accomplish this also. In total, I have  a couch, love seat, and recliner that I would like to recover and have extra padding added to them.  Thank you for any advice you may have. Miscellaneous Forum 1. Over the past 5 years, I have found eBay to be less of a bargain. The fees are higher, the site is deluged with stuff so selling an item is harder to do, and you practically have to pay for a PayPal account to successfully transact. The only success I have any more on eBay is selling the  kids’ clothes. (I buy good brands off-season at deep discounts, leave the tags in, take care of them, and can usually recoup 50% of the purchase price.) Anyone know of eBay alternatives or strategies? ************************* Home Based Business Ideas ************************* Home Spa Party Plan – Make Bath and 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 Home Spa Party 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. Websites are not yet available. http://www.healthypetcorner.com/FRR/busop.html Flint River Ranch Nature’s Sunshine Products – Herbs and Supplements If you’ve been a natural health nut, you have a lot of information to share. Earn an income selling over 500 natural health products, beverages, essential oils, skin care systems, water filters, and more. Websites are also available for $15.95/month (plus an initial $19.95 set-up fee). http://www.theherbsplace.com/busop.html Nature’s Sunshine Products Life’s Abundance Foods and Supplements Life’s Abundance products by Dr. Jane Bicks and Dr. Barry Sears who developed the Zone Diet for Overweight Dogs. Besides dog, cat and horse products, they have a non-toxic line of cleaning products – safe for pets and children. Websites available for $10.95/month (plus an initial $20 set-up fee). http://www.healthypetcorner.com/HPN/busopform.html Healthy Pet Net ZoneNet Health Products ZoneNet products are produced by the same company that produces Life’s Abundance. ZoneNet products are backed by the research and wisdom of Dr. Barry Sears one of America’s most trusted health and wellness experts. Their mission is to to develop superior functional food products that help people achieve long-term wellness. http://www.zonenetonline.com/home.asp?realname=10037649 ZoneNet Health Products *************** 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.

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