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The Frugal Life News
December 16, 2004 Edition
https://www.thefrugallife.com
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A Note From Randal
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Hello Everyone,
It won’t be long and Christmas will be upon us. I am sure many of you are caught up in the hustle and bustle that’s involved with this blessed holiday.
Donna and I hope you can find peace despite the turmoil that is around you or soon will be.
Please let us know if there is anything that could improve our ezines, websites or forums. Your comments are welcome!
As always, we appreciate all of your sharing of our ezines and websites.
Frugally yours,
Randal
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Frugal Finances
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Heads Up! It’s 401-K enrollment season. Watch out for some new wrinkles!
401-K Debt-Cards
Now that they’ve sucked all of the wealth out of your home using cash-out refinancing and Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit, they’re moving on to sucking the wealth out of your retirement with a brand new invention – a 401K Debt-Card!
Boston inventor Francis Vitagliano
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/business/10046468.htm
and MIT professor Franco Modigliani have spent the last 10 years promoting their patented idea allowing Americans the ‘convenience’ of plastic to borrow from their 401K accounts and retirement future.
Literally a credit card that draws on the assets of your 401-K.
It took 10 years for this idea to reach testing stage because congress and a lot of financial advisors think saving for your retirement by spending it is an oxymoronic idea.
However, when there’s lots of money to be made preying on destructive spending habits – the inventors were offered $10 Million to sell their patent (which they declined) – oxymoronic ideas have a way of morphing into ‘product-enhancement concepts.’
Lest you think this is just another way to get a 401K loan, where you pay interest to yourself, think again. A portion of the interest does go back to you, but as currently planned, 38% of the interest goes to the company managing your account; and you can bet their business plan is projecting way more than $10 Million profit.
No matter their profit projection, you can rest assured of one thing; all of their profit comes from your future wealth.
So, beware if your company wants you to test one of these things on your retirement wealth.
Why couldn’t these geniuses invent something useful like a car that runs on water?
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Greg Moore is the Architect of the Debt Freedom System,
‘DebtIntoWealth — Lessons from My Journey to Debt Freedom.’
If you have children at home, you might be trapped!
Read here for more information:
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Free Lesson #1 – Debt Freedom Course
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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!”
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Frugal Security
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Watch Out For Those Warranty Cards!
“Warranty cards that ask for your household income, number of children, hobbies and other personal information are just a way to profile you and sell that information to marketers,” says attorney Mari J. Frank, author of The Identify Theft Survival Kit.
That makes you vulnerable to junk mail and spam as well as to identity theft. Frank’s advice is to write only your name and address and the product serial number on the card.
Your receipt is your warranty – whether or not you fill out the card at all.
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Frugal How-To
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Clearing Out Closets
Think of it as a spiritual mission. Sending old clothes to a better afterlife in the paradise of Goodwill. Begin with these thoughts:
1 – Does it fit?
2 – Is it old and threadbare?
3 – Does it flatter?
There’s no reason to keep something you have no use for.
If you just can’t let go, how about keeping a storage box of these items and mark the calendar for six months to a year. If you haven’t missed anything from it, send it on to its afterlife with a sign of relief and without a glance inside.
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
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Frugal Decorating
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Christmas Wrapping Paper for Shelf and Drawer Liners
Make a note to shop for wrapping paper after Christmas. Choose a pattern
that can be used for more than wrapping Christmas presents.
I line drawers and shelves with Christmas wrapping paper because it’s so
much cheaper than buying shelf paper or the fancy Rubbermaid liners.
If you don’t like the pattern, turn it over and use the white back.
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
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Frugal Pets
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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
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Frugal Tips From Our Subscribers
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Have Dry Skin?
Hot water tends to dry your skin, so opt for warm showers and baths. Saves
energy and saves on lotions and time to put them on.
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What’s Going On In The Forum
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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. Does anyone have any idea how to get mold off snakeskin cowboy boots?? They were forgotten in the box, in a bag, in the garage. Help!
2. We live next to a gentleman who has many honeybees, and just recently I discovered that the strange “rust” colored stains on our clothing were the result of bee frass… poop. I have tried shout, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, club soda to no avail… anyone with any help or suggestion would be greatly appreciated!! This is ruining my children’s clothing!!! Christina
Holidays Forum
1. I’m looking for ideas for games at office Christmas party. This will be held in a restaurant. All adult party. Clean games, please
2. Hi new here. I am making snack baskets for Christmas with things like chex mix and spiced nuts. Any suggestions or recipes would be appreciated. Thanks in advance. pkellyc
3. My grandkids are coming for the first Xmas ever – I need some ideas to make it special – I have heard of reindeer food etc. etc. Your help is appreciated!!!
Pets Forum
1. Hi all, This is my first time using this forum. . . . I have 3 cats. The youngest is “Daisy” who is 3 years old. Daisy seems like a fine, friendly, good natured cat at home. She gets along fairly well with the other two (older) cats. The problem is that, when we take her to the vet (e.g. to get her nails clipped), she turns into a screaming banshee. She thrashes around, scratches, tries to bite, and is a real terror. She has drawn blood on a number of very experienced veterinarians and assistants. I would like to get her nails clipped occasionally and take her to the vet for other reasons, but it is a nightmare. Does anyone have any suggestions — for the vet or for us — on how Daisy can be “calmed down” for her vet visits ? The only thing that’s helped so far has been giving her anesthesia, which I object to because of the dangers, costs, etc. If you have any ideas, please let me know. Thanks ! – Barbara
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Home Based Business Ideas
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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 Healthy Pet Net. 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.
Check out his unique products at http://www.zonenetonline.com/home.asp?realname=10037649
ZoneNet Health Products
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Legal Disclaimer
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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.