Yazmin Cruz
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
The Frugal Festival was the first time I had been to any kind of swap. That day, as volunteers and I sorted through clothes, the anticipation built in the room. Come the swap start the anticipation turned to excitement as hundreds of people rushed in the doors to swap. I didn’t swap then, but got my first swapping experience this past weekend.
I was invited to a garden swap in the Milagro Allegro Community Garden in Highland Park, California where gardeners exchanged everything from tools to produce.
I must admit I was a skeptic. I didn’t think I’d end up liking it as much as I did. I don’t even like participating in Secret Santa come Christmas time because I usually end up with the worst gift. But not this time.
The swap was free of charge and was organized much like the Frugal Festival. There was a specific area for everything people brought to swap like plants, seeds, magazines, produce and “worm tea,” which is worm pee used for fertilizing.
I arrived a little late but was still able to exchange the seeds I had brought with me. I had all kinds of seeds including dill, broccoli rabe, kale, and lima beans. I also had seeds that I’d harvested myself like basil and cilantro seeds.
Here’s my haul and approximately how much I saved:
- “Organic Gardening” magazine – $3.99
- “Sunset” magazine – $4.99
- Heirloom cucumber seeds – $2
- Organic Plums (10) – $6.90
- Organic Tomatoes (2 lbs.) – $5
- Aloe Vera plant – $4
- Organic Bay Leaves – $4
- Organic Pineapple Sage – $2
Total Saved: $32.88
My goods.
I am now a believer – swapping is the new shopping. If you’ve never participated in a swap, you must. BargainBabe.com writer Bobbi wrote a post on how to get the most out of a swap that is essential to read before heading to your first swap.
I already leafed through my magazines and found yummy recipes using my tomatoes and bay leaves, and I can’t wait to try my pineapple sage tea, which I hear is good for anxiety. The only thing I wasn’t able to get was the worm tea, but I hear the community garden is looking to have swaps every last Sunday of the month and you know I’ll be there.
What kind of swaps have you participated in and how much money have you saved?
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
basykes/Flickr
I recently received an email asking me where to get a chair re-upholstered at an affordable price and I instantly thought of a very unknown resource – occupational centers and technical schools. These are public schools that teach older students occupations like:
- furniture upholstery
- fashion design
- web graphics
- auto body repair
- landscaping
- floral design
- construction
- baking/cooking
- hair and beauty
- and much more
Most of these schools connect folks like you and me with students looking for experience at low fees. Many of these students are looking for experience and to build a portfolio and referrals. The work might not be perfect, but if you get a student who is just about finished with their studies, you could get a great product and a great deal.
I used a student to help me with my home landscaping. He was awesome. He educated me on different plants and helped me to pick out what would grow in my yard. He was very reasonably priced. As a matter of fact, I paid him more than he asked because he charged so little for all the work he did.
In California these schools are part of the California Association of Regional Occupational Centers and Programs (CAROCP.) In the Los Angeles area, these schools are called Los Angeles Occupational Centers. The mission of these occupational centers is to “provide exemplary career education, career development, and workforce preparation that contribute to student academic and career success and to the economic development of California.” These schools are also a resource for you to find classes at a very reasonable price. Classes for eligible students are around $50.
In New York State, there are New York Technical and Vocational Schools. I don’t know if their tuition is as reasonable as the California schools, but the advice about hiring students remains the same. I’m sure that there are similar schools in every state in America.
And who knows, the student designer that you use to help you create a custom wedding dress might just turn out to be the next hot thing. Think how lucky you will be to have one of their early works. You’ll be able to tell people that you knew they were headed for greatness.
Have you ever hired a student to do work for you?
Related posts:
Home improvement: DIY a waste of time?
koka_sexton/Flickr
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
I recently received an email that asked:
“We are moving and will have to get some things to make our new place work. Any ideas on where to get any of this, as affordably as possible, would be greatly appreciated. Of course we want beauty, environmental excellence and very low cost. Natch.”
My response:
Everything that you are wanting is available for free or drastically reduced rates on Freecycle, Craigslist, Recycler, thrift stores, or yard sales. Shameless promotion: you’ll also find a lot of housewares at the Frugal Festival Summer Swap this Saturday, June 19 in North Hollywood.
The biggest thing is that you MUST have access to a van or truck to be able to easily pick them up (especially with freecycle.) People move all the time and practically give away their furniture because it is cheaper to give it away than to move it or store it.
It is also important that you know your color scheme. If this is something you care about, then carry color swatches with you at all times.
Measure the space you have available for your items (couch, bookshelf, etc) and have this information with you. Measuring includes knowing the size of the doorway or hallway you have to fit the item through. There is nothing worse than finding out that your new couch or fridge doesn’t fit through any of your doors. Big bummer! Have a tape measure in your purse or car so you can get the exact dimensions of a potential item when you come across it. You never know when you will happen upon a desk with a free sign or a random estate sale.
You should easily be able to pick up the following items for no more than 10% of the original price:
- Tables and desks
- Chairs
- Headboards
- Chest of Drawers
- Refrigerators & Stoves
- Bookshelves
- Lamps
- Fans (in the winter)
- Heaters (in the summer)
- Kitchen items
- Flower vases
- CDs & DVDs
- Books
- Clothing
- Knick-knacks
- Picture Frames
- Couch
- File Cabinets
I suggest you do not buy the following items used because they could carry pests:
- Rugs
- Mattresses
- Pillows
Have you found great stuff for your home or apartment for free?
00dann/Flickr
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains
I’m on a quest to frugally, humanely and effectively get rid of the pigeons that want to make a nest in the corner of my balcony roof.
Over the last year or two, my husband has put up bird wiring around the areas where the birds like to build nests and drop their droppings on our balcony. He is fighting a losing battle. Recently, a couple of very persistent pigeons have been flying in large quantities of twigs to make their dream home in our rafters.
Time to get involved in the pigeon versus man battle.
My first stop was Home Depot. I assumed that Home Depot would have what I needed. After all, this way-too-large high ceiling-ed warehouse has everything. As a matter of fact, Home Depot DID have what I needed, but they didn’t sell the product – they only use the product. Seems Home Depot has a problem with pigeons roosting on the beams and pipes on their ceilings. All of the landing spots were covered with pigeon spikes. It took me 45 minutes and many conversations with team members before I found out that Home Depot only sells this product online.
I never found pigeon spikes on the HD website, but I did find other sites that sell and describe in detail how to install pigeon spikes. After measuring my house’s pigeon-friendly spaces, I determined I needed 38 feet of pigeon spikes. This would cost about $200 plus installation, which is way over my budget for this project.
Other options to deter the pesky birds: noise makers, poison, and a shotgun. Nah! None of those are my style.
Sustainable gardener Yolanda Vanveen suggests some natural pigeon deterrents in a video. One of her suggestions is putting down spices like cinnamon, garlic or curry in the areas the birds congregate. My area is too windy for that. Most of the spices will end up blowing back into my house.
However, the wind that would blow away the spices may be the answer. I saw this stuff for sale called, Irri-tape pigeon scarer. It’s holographic tape that is supposed to scare away the birds. That got me to thinking…what if I just get some sparkly ribbons and wind twirlers and hang them where the pigeons like to hang out? I’m heading to the 99 Cent Only store to find some shiny stuff that moves in the wind. If it works, I’ll end up spending less than $10 on a project that started with a price tag of more than $200. I’ll keep you posted.
Any readers have personal experience in getting rid of pigeons?
A friend of mine is very into DIY (do-it-yourself) culture. She recently showed me how to plant a spring vegetable garden without spending a dime (aside from buying seeds, which you will need to buy unless you saved some from last year).
You will likely have all the supplies you need on hand:
- Newspaper
- Tape (duct tape works well) or string
- Compost or soil
- Trays (you can use baking dishes, plastic bowls, anything with a flat surface that is rimmed)
- Plastic wrap
- Spritz bottle
Rip the newspaper into 3-4 inch strips and roll them into tubes so the opening is about 2-3 inches across. Tape each tube around the middle or fasten with string so they stay rolled up, as above. Fill each one with compost and set in a tray.
Plant seeds according to the directions on the packet. Most of the seeds will want to be nestled at the top of the dirt. Separate trays by seed type (one tray for tomatoes, another for eggplant, etc) and mark them with tape so you remember what you are sprouting. Plant more seeds that you think you need because many will not make it.
Once you plant, spritz each seed cup with water 2-5 times, so they are moist but not wet. Cover each tray loosely with plastic wrap and set in a warm place. My friend puts her trays above her fridge. The seeds need a bit of light, but not too much or they will dry out. Spritz the seeds once a day, then re-cover with the plastic wrap.
When the seeds have sprouted and grown a bit, a few daily spritzes will not be enough to keep them moist. Stop spritzing and add water so it rises about a half-inch from the bottom of the tray. The newspaper and seed roots will soak up the water. Re-add a half-inch of water every other day or so when the seeds need it. You want them to be moist, but not soaked.
When the seedlings are bursting through the cups, pull the newspaper away and plant outside. You are well on your way to spring harvest!
Thanks, Mariel!
Reader Iggy has a great tip for creating mini-greenhouses to nurture new seeds:
You can also re-use the styrofoam trays from produce as pot liners. Also, you can create mini-greenhouses out of plastic salad containers or washed out containers from fast food restaurants (tray plus lid). You won’t have to spritz any water for at least a week. It helps to open the container every couple of days for a few minutes to prevent the air from stagnating and checking the moisture level.
Get a coupon for free Hersey’s Pieces bag candy.
Restaurant.com certificates are 80 percent off until Jan. 31, 2010 with this coupon code.
Home Depot sends special coupons to those on its email list.
Buying your Valentine’s lingerie? Check out Charlotte Russe’s intimates sale with $2 panties and $5 bras.
Now until the end of the month new gym memberships at 24 Hour Fitness are as low as $30 a month with no initiation fee.
Here is a Borders coupon for 33 percent off, good through Feb. 1, 2010.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
For the last eight, no seventeen, no 36 months Hubby has refused to say goodbye to our sad, broken robotic vacuum cleaner, Roomba. It broke three years ago when we moved from Jersey City, N.J. to Los Angeles. Even a new battery didn’t perk Roombie up.
Hubby does not like to throw out holey socks let alone a vacuum cleaner. So he pulled out the box – he always saves the box – and stashed the broken Roombie in the closet. Where it sat. And waited. And got on my nerves.
A typical exchange when I noticed Roomba taking up closet space:
“What’s the status of Roombie?” I would ask.
“What?” he would say.
“The Roombie – does it even work?”
“No.”
“Can we get rid of it then?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m going to fix it.”
Sigh.
Hubby made good on his promise Thursday. Actually, he did even better than that. He got rid of broken Roombie and brought home a brand new vacuum cleaner two models up, pictured above. Hubby left it on the dining room table so I was sure to notice it. I did.
“What’s that?”
“Our new vacuum cleaner.”
“How much did you pay for it?”
“$26.”
“What? How?”
“I’m cute.”
“Ha!”
He punctuated his silence with raised eyebrows.
“You are a better bargain hunter than me! Tell me the story,” I begged.
“I told them I wanted to upgrade. And the sales clerk said ‘OK. Go get another one.’”
“That’s amazing.”
Turns out Bed, Bath and Beyond still sells the Roomba model we had for $280. Hubby upgraded to a newer version, priced at $380. They accepted the exchange without a receipt (it was a secret santa Christmas gift) and apparently without caring that it was 3+ years old. And broken. Chalk it up to BB&B’s great customer service.
As the sales clerk rang him up, Hubby realized he had left his 20 percent off coupon in the car. He was about to ask if the clerk had an extra when he noticed she had already given him the discount, a $76 windfall.
With full credit for the broken Roomba, Hubby’s subtotal was $24. With tax he paid $26.34. S.C.O.R.E.
We put Roombie Two to work immediately. It is noisy but cleans on its own!
I was putting up flyers for the Frugal Fe$tival last weekend when I noticed two thrift stores on Sherman Way just west of Owensmouth in Canoga Park had gone out of business. To my shock Out of the Closest was a discount a furniture store and Aaardvarks Odd Ark was dark.
If anything, in a recession thrift stores should be thriving! Are people not even buying used clothes? My goodness.
I looked online to see how thrift stores across the country are faring. Perhaps the two I saw closed were a fluke. I found these headlines:
Billerica consignment stores hit hard by recession (MA, 7/20/09)
Salvation Army store to close (Mt. Vernon, VA) (7/17/09)
Economy closing Noble Road thrift store (Cleveland, OH 7/9/09)
Helping Hands thrift store closes its doors (Wetaskiwin, Canada 7/7/09)
St. Vincent de Paul closing its doors – seeking small headquarters (Sault Ste Marie, MI 6/26/09)
Thrift shops expect increase due to closing of Salvation Army (Norwich, CT 6/25/09)
And that is just going back one month!
I wonder what the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops has to say about this. An April press release begins, “The resale industry is one of the few recession proof segments of retailing…”
Not anymore. The recession has gone on long enough that the wave of consumers who turned to thrift stores to cut their budget a year ago has washed out.
Add this to my list of what I am going to buy as soon as my July spending moratorium is over – a new pair of sunglasses. My current ones are so pocked that it’s like a chicken pecked my eyes out. Add that need to a fabulous sale on SelectSpecs.com.
They have twenty pairs of sunglasses for $13.07. There are five styles that come in various colors, plus two ski goggles for $36.
SelectSpecs.com also has a limited selection of super cheap – I’m talking $8 a pair – regular glasses. The site currently has eight pairs at $8 and two pairs at $13.
The site lays out a price comparrison to rivals Zenni Optical, Eye Buy Direct and Goggles4U, and SHOCKINGLY, SelectSpecs.com comes out ahead. (Internet sarcasm, there.)
But there are drawbacks to purchasing new glasses online. At these prices, however, I think they’d be great for a second pair. Maybe something a bit funkier than your dad-to-day pair.
It feels a little bit like I’m about to start seventh grade and my Mom has stashed my new clothes and pristine new shoes into the hall closet where I can pull them out one by one and day dream about the first day of school when I can wear them. Actually, she always gave me permission to wear them ahead of time but she laced her approval with a caveat, “If you wear them now you won’t have something new to wear on the first day of school.”
Any other day of the year I was happy with hand-me-downs, but the first day of school? Even my underwear was new. I still remember in the tenth grade a friend wore dirty, black hi-top converse on the first day. That, I thought, took guts. It also made me realize that not everybody could afford to have new clothes.
But I digress. The stash that I am currently excited about is not clothes but a huge bag of toiletries. I used my coupons from TheCouponMaster.com at Target!
I redeemed 15 coupons totaling $17.25, bringing my bill to $32.74. (Incidentally, I still had to pay 9.75 percent California sales tax on the full, pre-coupon amount.) I paid $1.79 for the coupons, bringing my savings to $15.46 ($17.25 – $1.79).
Yes, I broke my moratorium. But I decided letting a wallet full of coupons go to waste – the ones I used all expire in July – was very un-Bargain Babe-like. However, as reader Tammy suggested, I am going to hide these items away until August in observance of the moratorium. This is the most sensible solution, I decided.
I would not have gotten this big of a deal without befriending the Target cashier. Most of the coupons say only one can be used per purchase. I was prepared to make separate purchases if need be. Turns out my placement in line set the stage for a score.
The person in front of me was a Target employee buying clothing with her employee discount. She started talking to the cashier about a local celebrity that had walked into the store wearing a *very* short skirt and a *very* low-cut top revealing her fake “pillow bags.” Naturally, I joined in the conversation. As soon as the celebrity left, everyone surrounded the cashier, who had rung her up, to gossip.
The cashier swiped the employee’s purchases and asked for her employee number.
“How big is the employee discount?” I asked. “Should I get a second job?”
“It’s not too bad,” the employee said.
“But they are getting more strict,” the cashier chimed in. “Now you have to show your ID card, not just the number.”
“Oh yeah?”
“My son tried to use my number – he is my designated shopper – but he didn’t have his ID card on him. I asked him how much it was. Just $30. I told him I would give him the $3.”
So the Target employee discount is 10 percent, I thought.
“Every little bit counts,” I said.
The cashier, who has a second job, agreed. She works 7 days a week but has Friday evening off, she told me.
Then she started to ring me up.
“Speaking of every little bit counts,” I said, “I have some coupons I’d like to use.”
I had set out my 15 coupons with my odd collection of deodorant, shampoo and facial cleanser.
She looked at the coupons, then she looked at me. I smiled.
“I guess I’m in one of those moods,” she said, scanning all the coupons. “But you know you’re only supposed to use one coupon per purchase (per item).”
“Thank you,” I said, swiping my credit card. “Enjoy your day off.”
I was considering giving myself a haircut – if I botched it my pesky spending moratorium nixes a quick fix at the salon – but the challenge has been put off until August. My video producer (yes, I was going to make a video of the ordeal) is on vacation.
But it got me thinking, when is Doing-It-Yourself in the name of saving money a really awful idea? A countdown.
10. Cutting your own hair. The opportunities for disaster are as thick as my hair. Not that this is going to deter me. Hair grows back!
9. Butchering your own (wild) animal. I heard on NPR that a grown buck is worth hundreds of dollars!
8. Using bug spray with abandon. One man blew up his home this way.
7. Making your own clothes. Fixing buttons and socks, sure, but princess seams?
6. Car repair beyond the basics. Your safety is important, yo.
5. Trying a bold new hair color at home. You pay your stylist for their skills and a second opinion.
4. Electrical work. There are reasons why electrical work requires licensed professionals and permits. Reasons like fires and explosions.
3. Making your own fireworks display. This is sure to get you a Darwin award.
2. Repairing your microwave. The cost of new parts will likely cost more than buying a new one, and fixing the broken involves handling very dangerous parts.
And the No. 1 activity that is a stupid way to save money is…
1. Nipple piercing. One hapless gal from “Lower Indiana” tried this at home and concludes “I still have trouble believing how tough the skin was to pierce.” Ouch.
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve done to save money?
This is a guest post from BargainBabe.com’s intern, Alex.
Military spending may seem like far-off dollars that will never see your pocket, but military-based discounts are everywhere. They just aren’t usually displayed in storefront windows.
As a dependent of my dad who retired from the air force, I received tons of discounts all throughout high school and college on stuff like movie tickets, flowers, and hotel reservations. The only time I had to step foot on a military base was to get my military ID card, a process which can take a couple hours but is well worth it.
Sometimes the hardest part is just remembering to ask about these discounts. Who would have thought I would save 15 percent on my lift ticket and ski rental last winter? Oh, and not just for me, but my two friends as well. If you know somebody with a military ID, be sure to remind them of possible discounts.
And flowers! Are flowers expensive or what? I was able to get a discount on Valentine’s Day flowers online because I have a friend in the active military. I showed him Military.com, a site that lists companies with military discounts, and he hooked me up with some of the exclusive coupon codes.
Some places are a little less accommodating. They have strict rules about offering their discounts only to those serving active duty, meaning nobody who is retired or simply has a parent in the military is eligible. Should you try to get your discount anyway? Knowing you’re not active military that’s up to the individual. The average behind-the-counter-guy/girl is not going to be up to speed on the differences between military ID cards, but that may change. Knowledge is power I say, use it with everyone in mind.
The savings don’t stop at the storefronts, though. I was once pulled over for an illegal U-Turn as well as impeding traffic. The cop started writing me up before he noticed the military ID in my wallet as I showed him my driver’s license.
He still wrote me up for a basic traffic violation, but made it clear that he could have done worse. Did he hold off because of the military affiliation? Maybe. Something tells me picking up that military ID card on the base was worth the time. It expired years ago, but still comes in handy.
Check this eHow page to see if your relationship to somebody in the military makes you qualified for special discounts.
One of life’s annoyances is that freezers are always three-quarters full when really, they are empty. Don’t know what I mean?
Last night I was looking for freezer space for my groceries, and saw pizza sauce, mashed potatoes, cubes of chicken broth…I think. I can’t really tell!
Rather than admit defeat I close the door to think. I need to make room, but I can’t toss these indecipherable packages and containers because I have been paying to freeze them all this time. They must be valuable – and edible – if I put them in there!
Which brings us to the first law of freezers. The longer an item remains in the freezer the less likely you are to throw it away OR EAT IT.
I call this the grandfather rule. In practice, ancient items have grandfathered rights to remain in the freezer.
The problem is these inedible edibles are taking up valuable real estate. How am I supposed to be a freezer diva when all I can stash in my icebox is one measly pizza pocket? It’s embarrassing, I tell you.
Worst of all, my frozen foodstuffs mock me.
Have you ever tried to put a carton of ice cream on top of a grandfathered tenant? Immediately slides off and jams the door before you can slam it shut. It’s as if all the old tenants pass around a bottle of olive oil and lather up so nobody can cozy up to them.
This is the second law of freezers. Old = oily.
If you are lucky, you will close the freezer completely on the seventh try. (Yes, I leave the freezer bursting precariously and yes, I make sure not to be the next person who opens it.)
Yesterday, after a late-night run to Albertons, which is having a massive sale through Tuesday, I came face to face with my grumpy old tenants. Oh, I’ll outsmart you this time, I thought when I returned with three whole chickens, two cartons of ice cream and one pint of sorbet. (Not to mention 11 boxes of cereal, all on super sale.)
The sorbet popped into the door on top of a bag of chili peppers (I’m testing how long they freeze. Three years and counting!) I jammed one ice cream container into a bag of frozen peas, and I rearranged two packages of hot togs to make room for a chicken. I shoved the second ice cream carton into a bag of hamburger buns and stuffed another chicken on top. That leaves one more chicken. Into the fridge with you!
The door stayed shut, but 
I know my tenants will get the better of me soon. So this morning I decided to confront them once and for all.
I opened my freezer and evicted every last edible and inedible package, above. Get moving, granny!
Here are the shady characters I have been renting to this entire time. Items in italics are bound for the trash.
4 D, 2 C and 2 AA batteries
1 small bag of breadcrumbs
1 tupperware of breadcrumbs
8 frozen strawberries
Full loaf of bread
1 bag of chili peppers
2 frozen cheese and chili tamales
Small bottle of Jeager with one shot left
2 containers of Hubby’s chili dated 1/9/08 and 9/22/07
Tube of limeade syrup
7 containers of chicken broth
1 freezer-burned chicken carcass (for making broth – as if I needed more!)
7 half-full containers of pizza sauce
1 serving of mashed potatoes
4 veggie burgers (unopened)
1 baggie of gray, freezer-burned chicken meat
1 small, 1 large bag chopped peppers
7 hot dog buns
8 hamburger buns
4 mini pita rounds
2 empty plastic bags
3 slices of bread
2 1/4 chunks of unsliced bread
4 slices of bread
1 unopened package of vegetables
2 cracked containers of beef gravy
1 bag edamame
1/2 bag pork wontons
2 whole chickens
1 lb ground turkey
2 packages of hot dogs
4 chicken thighs (in two bags)
5 completely unidentifiable packages
3 cold sports packs for icing joints
1 blue eye mask
1 bag peas
2 bags chopped green and red peppers
6 potato rolls
1/2 bag petite onions
1 rolling cloth (for dough)
1/2 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequilla
2 mini empanadas
1 bag french toast
1 container sorbet, two boxes of ice cream
6 otter pops
4 cubes of potatoes
1/2 package green beans
2 tiny balls of dough
1/2 lb sliced turkey breast
I wiped down the freezer, re-arranged the items by category (from the bottom up, bread/veggies; meat; anything in tupperware; misc.), and snapped a picture for you all to see evidence of the third freezer law. Sometimes you have to throw stuff out. Notice the top shelf is half-empty. Success!
A reader named Fred wrote in with this important question:
Can I get a mortgage if I do not have a job? There are so many factors to consider. Would you be kind enough as to give me some pointers as what to look for or avoid? Please help me. Thank you.
Fred, my short answer is not likely. The long answer is maybe, because getting a loan depends on many factors. Lenders look at your whole financial picture when deciding if you are a good risk, i.e., someone who is likely to pay them back.
Maybe you are a trust fund baby and has never worked a day but still has plenty of moolah to make good on a loan. If you are a regular working Joe, however, your chances are not as good because job stability is a factor lenders consider, so not having a job hurts you. Do you have any evidence of how soon you will get a job and how stable that job will be? How do you plan to pay your mortgage with no income?
Ultimately, the best way to answer your question is to prepare a loan application and submit it.
Start by figuring out what you can afford to buy using this calculator from the American Bankers Association, which recently shared tips to get a loan in this tight market.
Next, gather and organize your information, including pay stubs, tax returns, financial statements, and paperwork showing your monthly payments on your car, credit card, and student loans. Lenders will want recent statements going back three to 24 months.
To strength your application, include any additional information that proves additional income or wealth. Depending on your credit score and other factors, lenders will want to see that you have many months of PITI (principal, interest, taxes and insurance) on hand. Here’s a PITI calculator.
ABA also recommends you use a trusted institution, pay down other loans, read the fine print, and take into account the myriad costs of home ownership like insurance, maintenance, closing costs and taxes.
Good luck!
Junk mail and overzealous catalog companies create a lot of waste and tempt you to buy things you didn’t know you needed. Here are a few free and paid ways to opt out.
CatalogChoice.org is a free service that lets you chose which catalogs you want to receive. More than 1 million people and 1,000 merchants use CatalogChoice. Read more about how the site works.
ProQuo promises to reduce your junk mail by 90 percent by removing your name from marketing lists. The service costs $18 a year. ProQuo says their members have less clutter in their lives, are safer from identity theft and help the environment.
DMAChoice.org helps you cut back on credit card offers, catalogs, magazine offers, and other mail like donation requests, bank offers, and retail promotions. The free site connects you with company websites or customer service departments so you can opt out. Read more about DMAChoice.
OptOutPreScreen.com allows you to remove your name from lists used by the main credit card agencies, TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. This means you will not receive credit card offers for five years. The site says you can also opt-out permanently or opt-in.
DirectMail.com is another free opt-out or opt-in service for direct mail. They say they are the closest thing to a national Do Not Mail List (which doesn’t exist – yet). DirectMail.com is not a government-run agency and also sells mailing lists.
Related:
Thanks, PJ!
