How many times have you gone out and need a business phone number, or want to check the movie times and need to call 411?  Check your phone bill!  by dialing those easy to remember numbers 4..1..1  Its going to cost you anywhere from $0.75 to $7.50 a call!  There is an alernate source for information.  Make sure to write it down or program it into your phone.

1-800-CALL-411

OR

1-800-225-5411

Google Labs has also came up with a 411 phone service called Goog411.  Dial 1-800-GOOG-411 .  Click Here for More Information

How much has your 411 calls cost you?  Post a comment and let us know!

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There are a few ways that married couples can get discounted rates on their Car Insurance and save some money. Any money you can save, even a dollar, is one more dollar you can put to something else. Not all policies are the same, so you can not just go by the quote, make sure your policy includes everything you want, such as a rental car if you have an accident, ect (Which a rental might not be important if you have more than 1 car). Here are some great tips to getting the lowest rate possible.

Tip 1. Get several quotes from multiple insurance companies online. Some insurance companies even represent more than 1 insurance company, so with one call you can get multiple quotes at one time. Make sure to find out if there is a married couple discount. If you have multiple cars ask if you can get a multiple car discount.

Tip 2. Look at each other’s driving record. If one person has a DUI or multiple traffic violations get quotes for separate policies and also a couple policy and compare which is cheaper.

Tip 3. Always keep the agent that you are making a deal with on their toes, by not always accepting the first quote they give you. Ask what that quote includes, and see if you can get rid of some features that you do not need for a lower quote.

Tip 4. Pay your policy in 6 month or 1 year. Most insurance companies charge more if you pay monthly.

Good Luck and Happy Saving!

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The debt for young people is rising, more than ever before as younger people are getting more and more credit card offers in the mail.  This is what got me in trouble.  While in college I was a student with not very much money, a part-time job and credit card offers piling in the mailbox everyday.  I lived on campus and even there you signup these little pieces of paper to get a free $2.00 T-shirt with you school logo on it and sure enough a few weeks later you have 5 - 12 credit cards ready to go in your mailbox.  This alone put in me behind early in life, just to suffer to dig myself out later on.

Teach your children the value of money and how credit cards and ruin their future if not used properly.  I would do this early on, by teaching them that money does not grow on trees and that the “urge to buy” something that costs more than you have is a bad idea and to let it go for 24 hours and think if you still want it or not.

Have your children work for their money, by doing some easy chores around the house, pick up a paper route, help neighbors.  Do not just hand them money when they need money, this will teach them bad money handling skills later in life and you will see the credit cards mounting up.

Any other suggestions?  Post a Comment!

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So you know there is a great deal coming up, right? or you want to purchase multiple items such as food items, but you only get one paper. No problem. Many people do not even think about look on Ebay! You can bid and get multiples of the same coupons (usually in 20s) sent to your house in a few days for only a couple of bucks. Most of these coupons will save you $20, $30 or more. If paired up with the right deals can get you multiple items for FREE! Just go on Ebay and go to the Coupon Section (Direct Link to Coupons) and search or browse for which coupons you would like to find. If you are not registered on ebay yet, Registration is Free (click here direct link).

I use Ebay a lot when I can not find coupons that I am looking for.  Plus not all coupons are sent to everyone in the country!  You can live in Florida and there is a coupon in Ohio for $4.00 off of your dog’s dog food brand and it is on sale for $3.99 (this happens a lot sometimes), but you don’t have a coupon.  No problem just go to the pet food coupon (direct link there! ) section and you can find those coupons!

Good Luck and Happy Bidding!

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I worked for a mortgage for a little while and with all the foreclosures increasing around the country I feel some people might need some help.  There is a great web site called creditloan.com that has a lot of information on it. Use their learning center to find great articles. Anything from Auto Loans to Tax loans.

California, Ohio, Florida and Michigan ended up having the most cities with the highest foreclosure rate in 2007. Many people 1 to 2 years ago were sold by their mortgage broker or loan officer a fixed adjustable mortgage. A lot of people liked the loan because they “qualified” for a “loan rate fixed mortgage.” Many of them did not really know that the fixed rate was only good for 2 years, then jumps up to a higher adjustable rate sometimes as high as 17%! This could almost double your monthly mortgage payments and the rate could change monthly. What makes it worse is that the economy is not in a good condition, so refiancing for many people into a true fixed rate is too late because of low credit scores.

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We live in a world where debt is not only acceptable, it is the norm. Almost everyone you meet has debt of some kind. So, in a society that views debt as a way of life, how can we control our debt instead of allowing it to control us? Here are some things to help you with debt prevention and management.

The first thing to do when considering your debt is to make a budget. It is important to have a plan for your money so that you will know exactly where all of your funds are going. Many people believe that a budget will be constricting and not allow them any freedom. Really the opposite is true. A budget allows you the freedom of having peace of mind knowing that all of your bills are paid and the money has been allocated ahead of time for these expenses.

Knowing where to start when making your budget can be overwhelming. The best place to begin is to make a list of all of your income. Once you have listed your income, make a list of all of your bills. Be sure to include things like cable, internet, cell phone, electricity, water, credit cards, loan payments, and any others that you might have on a monthly basis. Things like trash that are normally billed on a quarterly basis should also be included by dividing the normal bill by 3 to get the monthly total. Once you have listed all of your bills, consider living expenses. Things like gas, groceries, laundry, personal care, entertainment, and spending money should all be budgeted into your plan.

It is also important to have a savings plan. This is key to help you prevent yourself from getting into debt. Set aside a certain amount each month into a savings account. It can just be for general savings, or you could set a goal to save up for a big purchase. Saving with a goal in mind motivates many people to stick to their savings plan. They know that at the end they will be able to purchase the desired object without going into debt.

If you already have debt, it can be advantageous to take some steps to help manage it. If you have a high amount of credit card debt, it can be wise to consolidate it into one loan. If you are a homeowner, using the equity you have accumulated in your home is often the wisest way to restructure your debt load. You can roll all of your debt into one loan and make one payment that has tax advantages. It is wise to talk to your financial institution about all of the options they have for you.

Another way to manage existing debt is to consolidate your debt into one payment using an unsecured loan. Although the rates will be higher than a secured loan, often it will be lower than your credit card rates and the payment will be lower as well. This will allow you to pay off your debt in a specified time period while paying less interest over the long run.

There are many practical ways to manage the debt you already have while preventing yourself from getting in any deeper. Make a logical, practical budget and consolidate your existing debt in order.

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“I don’t know what you guys are paying for gasoline….but here in California we are also paying higher, up to $3.50 per gallon.  My line of work is in petroleum for about 31 years now, so here are some tricks to get more of your money’s worth for every gallon.. Here at the Kinder Morgan Pipeline where I work in San Jose, CA we deliver about 4 million gallons in a 24-hour period thru the pipeline.  One day is diesel the next day is jet fuel, and gasoline, regular and premium grades.  We have 34-storage tanks here with a total capacity of 16,800,000 gallons.

Only buy or fill up your car or truck in the early morning when the ground temperature is still cold.
Remember that all service stations have their storage tanks buried below ground.  The colder the ground the more dense the gasoline, when it gets warmer gasoline expands, so buying in the afternoon or in the evening….your gallon is not exactly a gallon. In the petroleum business, the specific gravity and the temperature of the gasoline, diesel and jet fuel, ethanol and other petroleum products plays an important role.  A 1-degree rise in temperature is a big deal for this business. But the service stations do not have temperature compensation
at the pumps.

When you’re filling up do not squeeze the trigger of the nozzle to a fast mode.  If you look you will see that the trigger has three (3) stages: low, middle, and high.  In slow mode you should be pumping on low speed, thereby minimizing the vapors that are created while you are pumping.  All hoses at the pump have a vapor return.  If you are pumping on the fast rate, some of the liquid that goes to your tank becomes vapor.  Those vapors are being sucked up and back into the underground storage tank so you’re getting less worth for your money.

One of the most important tips is to fill up when your gas tank is HALF FULL or HALF EMPTY.  The reason for this is, the more gas you have in your tank the less air occupying its empty space.  Gasoline evaporates faster than you can imagine.  Gasoline storage tanks have an internal floating roof.  This roof serves as zero clearance between the gas and the atmosphere, so it minimizes the evaporation.  Unlike service stations, here where I work, every truck that we load is temperature compensated so that every gallon is actually the exact amount.  Another reminder, if there is a gasoline truck pumping into the storage tanks when you stop to buy gas, DO NOT fill up–most likely the gasoline is being stirred up as the gas is being delivered, and you might pick up some of the dirt that normally settles on the bottom.

Hope this will help you get the most value for your money.

DO SHARE THESE TIPS WITH OTHERS! “

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Getting an apartment organized requires some special home organization skills. The areas to store anything always seem to be too small and the size of most apartment kitchens are enough to want to make you throw up your hands in defeat. But where there’s a will, there’s a way. Here are a few tips to help you maximize the space in your apartment.

Using Your Vertical Space
Use every inch of vertical space that you can. Get furniture that is tall. Bookcases are your friend. There are great ways you can use them and for more than just books. Use them to help you organize your kids’ toys in their room (use the top shelves that they can’t reach for displaying stuffed animals they don’t typically play with). Use them to display photos and knick-knacks. Use them for CDs and DVDs. Use all of the vertical space that you have in every closet space in the entire apartment. Stackable plastic containers or stackable plastic drawer units in closets can help you get your home organized and can help you effectively use the vertical space in those closets.

Cabinet Space Is Golden
Use every inch of it you can. Stackable plastic drawer units that fit under the kitchen or bathroom sink work great for organizing those spaces. These units also still make it easy for you to access what is in that space. Stackable plastic containers also work well for organizing these spaces and can be very inexpensive.

Kitchen Problems
A baker’s rack or pantry cupboard is the best way to tackle the problem of apartment kitchen storage space. A nice one of these in the dining area and in a style that matches your dining room furniture can help compliment the room in addition to giving you more storage space. And if you have space above your kitchen cabinets, don’t be afraid to use it. Attractive storage containers can help make the space look nice but yet still allows you to use it well. If you can find a hanging pot rack that won’t leave huge holes in the ceiling or wall, this is also a great way to free up cabinet space.

You control your space, your space does not control you. Use the space in your apartment to your best possible advantage. Just because you may have a smaller space, it does not mean that you can’t get your home organized in a way that fits your needs and that makes your home look beautiful.

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Planning a wedding involves what seems to be a never ending list of details to take care of. One of those is choosing what gifts to give your guests at the reception of your wedding. Because the costs can begin to mount some people begin to consider using discount wedding favors. Let’s take a look at why you still can get the results you are hoping for using these popular favors.

Choosing the theme of your wedding is one of the most important things you do. This is where you inject your personality into your wedding. If you have a flair for decorations you can add it to your wedding and wedding reception.

The favors you give to your guests can be a part of that. These gifts are the perfect addition to an already perfect day. Now you get to direct the spotlight towards your guests and away from yourselves.

Thankfully discount wedding favors can be just as effective as ones that cost more. What many people do not realize when planning their wedding is that your guests do not care how much you spend on these gifts.

It is the thought that counts. When you plan in advance you are able to shop for souvenirs that match your wedding theme and your budget at the same time.

For example did you know that you could get flip flop favors at a discount if you are using a more casual theme. You can do the very same thing with a wine bottle stopper if your reception is going for a more elegant theme.

If you will plan in advance you can find discount wedding favors without breaking your budget. You do not want to add any extra cost if it is not necessary. However, you still need gifts for the wedding reception. This is why it is good to use discount favors.

When you are shopping for wedding favors at a discount you want to make sure that you shop around. Also, if you have a theme for your wedding you want to make sure that the wedding favors will go with the theme.

One example might be to give out cake candles which you can get in a color matching your colors at your reception.

Another example would be if you are going to have a beach wedding than you can find beach wedding favors that will be beach related. This might include beach stylish sailboats or candles that would add to your beach wedding decor. Shopping online is a great place to get more ideas.

When buying favors for your reception at a discount you will not be purchasing anything that is of cheap quality. Most of the times you can find inexpensive items that are on sale because they have been overstocked or the store is trying to get rid of their remaining inventory.

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Today, Identity fraud has become one of the most common thefts of the decade – It has been featured in different kinds of magazines and Television shows. It seems like each year the amount of cases being published increase drastically.

In America alone, over 27 million cases are being filed each year and it is still constantly increasing. In fact this past year of 2007, a record number of cases of identity was reported, and that is even with people more aware of this type of crime. This is indeed really alarming.

It is also due to the fact that slowly most of the purchases are done through information – usually credit cards are the ones with high risk, since if they know all about your personal information they can easily use your card to purchase over the internet.

Now, in order to prevent Identity fraud I have listed the essential things you can do to prevent this from happening to you and your family. Keep in mind that if you follow these things you will prevent identity theft at least 90% of the time. So please take note of the information I am about to share with you. Knowledge is power once again.

1. Information Awareness

Now this is very essential, you should be extremely wary of the amount of information you are giving away to the public. It can be on the internet or hard copies of your identification documents.

So in order to be aware of the situation you just have to limit the amount of information you give out, especially on the internet. Don’t publish all of your information online.

Another thing is you should not allow anyone to copy or borrow your identification documents without proper reason.

Plus, always deal business with an official sanction of a company – Do not try to deal with individuals that don’t seem to have any official identifications, you can also check the person by calling up the company.

Shred any financial papers you receive before disposing of them in the trash. This includes any solicitation notices that you may receive for any credit cards or mail from other financial institutions.

Lastly, don’t bring your Social Security Card (or Identification number) with you unless it’s absolutely important.

2. Report Odd Credit Information

This is an extremely important part of preventing identity fraud. Most of the time, people who are involved in the cases think that they could be subjected to identity fraud problems, unfortunately they don’t follow their gut instinct to check.

The telltale signs are monthly expenses that show up in your credit card payment but they don’t provide any form of billing and check your credit card transactions to make sure that all transactions are made by you and if there is a discrepancy, immediately call the company to stop any fraud from continuing further.

And lastly, check your credit report at least once a year to make sure your information (and credit standing) is correct. This is a must for most people nowadays and it does not take much of your time to do this now that this process can be done online.

That’s why it is essential that you exercise these tips and relate them to your friends and family to prevent any of identity theft/fraud problem in the future.

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