Find Help America

Back in 1958, during the production of the Hollywood classic “Solomon and Sheba”, then lead actor Tyrone Power was advised to get further medical check-up before filming in the desert. Tyrone Power, however, declined and said “If there is anything wrong with me, I’d rather not know about it.” A few days later, the biggest star of that era died of a massive heart attack while shooting the film’s climax duel scene.

When it comes to our credit card debt, many of us are like Tyrone Power. We simply like to ignore bad news and pretend that everything is normal just to spare ourselves from too much worry. But no matter how ‘normal’ we act, it doesn’t change the fact that something is still wrong.

The truth is that many us have credit card debt problems. Because of the ease and freedom of using a credit card, our favorite plastic can give us an impression of a false sense of wealth that could easily result to excessive spending. Purchase more than you can afford and you’ll have difficulty keeping up with payment obligations. Maxed-out credit cards and delinquent payments usually lead to a poor credit score.

Many Americans who have trouble keeping current on their debt have an inkling that their credit score is poor. But rather than check their scores, they simply carry on as usual, using their credit cards like always, as though everything were fine.

Perhaps it’s fear or maybe even shame that makes people ignore doing a credit check. Unfortunately, not knowing your score can only make your life more difficult. Bad credit means higher interest rates in your transactions, which in turn compounds payment problems. In the end, you’ll simply be paying more than you should.

But transactions aren’t your only problem with low credit scores. Employers, especially in the financial industry, do a credit check on applicants to assess a person’s responsibility with money. Therefore, poor credit scores also hamper your career opportunities whether you’re looking for your first job or trying to get another one.

Knowing is always better than not knowing. If you have financial problems, check your credit score so you can take the necessary steps in repairing it. You’ve got nothing to lose. You can even get credit reports and other credit repair services online—fast, easy and free.

As if paying off your student loan isn’t enough of a burden already, there are other expenses that you have to think about. At your young (but bewildering) age, finances may sound like such a big responsibility. But if you can spend your money wisely, then it shouldn’t be a dilemma. Here are a few tips for students on a budget:

1. Buy used textbooks. This may seem really obvious and/or desperate, but it’s not such a bad idea. Used textbooks are usually in good condition, and far cheaper than its original price. Just make sure to check for missing pages and also check the edition number if it’s what is required of you.
2. Be frugal. It sounds painful, doesn’t it? But it’s not. Living on a budget doesn’t mean living miserably—just differentiate your wants from your needs. And buying from bargain stores and surplus shops won’t hurt either.
3. Pay your bills on time. Pay them as they arrive. As much as possible, pay before the deadline, not during the deadline. And NEVER after! This will save you time and effort, and keep you from paying late payment fees and penalties.
4. Create a money calendar. It can be especially useful to help you pay your bills on time. Mark down due dates for your expenses and bills (and even your tuition if you’re the one paying for them).
5. Avoid debt altogether. Your student loan is a big enough debt—don’t add to it anymore. Especially avoid non-academic debt! Like mentioned before, separate your wants from your needs. Prioritize your needs, and set aside what’s left for you to splurge with later.
6. Learn to budget. There are computer programs out there that can help you track your expenses. It also wouldn’t hurt to keep your receipts and keep them in an organized fashion. This way you’ll be able to set an amount you can use per day, per week, or per month and compare it to your daily, weekly or monthly allowance.
7. If possible, be friends with not-so-big spenders. There are a lot of people out there who know how to spend cash properly and it would be beneficial to be with them. They could even give you tips on how to save money like they do as well. And what’s best, you won’t be forced to “keep up” with other people’s expensive lifestyles.
8. Keep an eye out for freebies and free events. Having fun doesn’t have to be expensive. There are free and/or inexpensive events in schools and cities all the time—festivals, carnivals, movie marathons, themed events, concerts, etc. Sometimes, freebies and gift bags are given to early birds and people dressed in certain ways!
   
9. Limit your vices. This will not only save you money—it will also keep you healthy! Let’s face it: cigarettes, liquor and partying can be very expensive nowadays. It will also take a toll on your body if you don’t stop or at least cut down on these vices.
10. Get a job. Apply as a waitress at the coffee shop, or as an assistant at the library, or even try out as a musician for the local club. It’s only part-time since you’re a student. But having the extra money will be ever so sweet, especially if you’ve been eyeing that new mp3 player or cute shirt at the mall. Buying stuff you want with your own money feels really good!
11. Start a simple business. If you are some sort of computer whiz, or you can burn music that people love, or have a pickup truck that you can let others use when moving from dorm to dorm, then use them to your advantage. Help others and earn extra cash at the same time.
12. Plan ahead. Look into the future a bit—will you need the cash you have for a project, a road trip or for Christmas gifts, etc.? Then don’t spend it. It pays to wait.
13. Talk to your roommate(s). It’s really okay to share. It’s much less expensive to share your appliances, and for them to share theirs with you. It’s crazy having two refrigerators or two microwaves in one room when you can just share. And just imagine the electric bill!
14. Don’t be afraid to phone home for help. Despite your newly-learned budgeting skills, there will be times when all of a sudden you’re in dire need of cash (say, your car suddenly needs repair, or you have major project needs that are way expensive). It’s okay to call home and borrow cash—and make sure to pay it back as soon as possible. Nobody’s perfect, so the occasional financial slip is okay. Just don’t do it too often.
15. Talk to your parents. Ask them what they are responsible for paying, so you could get a better handle on your finances.
16. Have an emergency fund. Remember those piggy banks you used to stick your fingers in to get coins for ice cream? It’s time to get one again. These little banks could save your life! Drop a dollar in there every day, or even five dollars if you’re feeling generous. The money you save can be used for rainy days and times when you need money quick but can’t get the ATM to work.

More and more Americans are now getting coupons from Sunday newspapers, websites, and cellphones for use in paying for their groceries. The economic slump caused by high prices of gas and food items have forced most people to relive this habit that only 50-year-olds and above used to do. Now, even younger people have joined the couponing bandwagon to cut down their grocery bills.

Gone are the days when people look down on those who redeem their coupons at the supermarket. Michelle Fox, a housewife from Colorado, used to be one of those people who had to endure a certain degree of humiliation from others but now, people come to her seeking advice on where and how to use coupons .

Others have also begun getting serious about couponing, devoting several hours a day to browse newspapers for coupons and going online to look for sites that offer printable coupons and other tips on where to get more coupons. It has become sort of a part-time job. For Michelle, it is a $20-a-day job.

“(The) lackluster economy brings out the couponing tendency in all of us,” said Sharon Baker, executive director of Shortcuts , a digital coupon distribution service started this year by Time Warner Inc.’s AOL.

According to CMS Inc. , a coupon-processing agent and promotions logistics, the increase in coupon redemption that started last year (2.6 billion manufacturers’ coupons used) ended a 16-year trend of redemption decline. This is the first time that redemption rates didn’t fall since 1992, when only about 8 billion coupons were used. In addition, they said that redemption rates rise when prices and unemployment go up.

Coupons Inc. , a company that specializes in offering printable online coupons , saw a large increase in the numbers of people who use their coupons.

“We saw a huge leap; we think consumers really started to feel the pinch then,” said Steven Boal, founder and chief executive of the 10-year-old company. “We’re just seeing the numbers continue to climb.”

Where to get these coupons?

Your newspapers are one source. Just devote enough time to cut and clip coupons every day. The Internet is also one convenient venue for getting coupons. There are sites which you can visit to find and share information on which companies offer coupons and where to find more. Also, there are blogs that give tips on how to use your coupons wisely.

Aside from the sites and companies already mentioned earlier in this article, you can also check out CouponMom.com to check out tips, advice, and get free coupons . TheGroceryGame.com is a site that helps you coordinate coupon use with supermarkets and drug stores. The online community is so vast that you can check out other sites that will be helpful in your coupon-hunting .

Companies are now maximizing the benefits of the current trend, and you can take advantage of this. The Brandcaster system , created by Coupons Inc., provides coupons related to the site you are visiting. This means that if you are currently reading a nutrition site you may see a coupon for organic food. General Mills Inc., Kimberly-Clark Corp. and Kraft Foods Inc. are some of the participating companies. Procter & Gamble and Kroger also provide paperless coupons online.

You can also get paperless digital coupons through cellphones . Do not be surprised to get a text message from Kroger informing you that you just received a coupon because the grocery giant is experimenting on sending coupons via text message through Cellfire.com .

The Seattle branch of Ikea has made available the use of a text message redeeming coupon machine. You would need to register first with Ikea Mobile by texting in a specific keyword before you can receive mobile coupons, which you can redeem and scan using a certain gadget available at the store.

How much can I save?

Depending on how diligent you are in scouring for coupons, you can reduce as much as one fourth of your grocery bills . Take Ariel Redmon, a university student, as an example. She can cut her grocery bill by 25 percent because of the coupons she got from websites and newspapers.

How to use it wisely?

Kellie Bayne and Carrie Barrett, known as the coupon commandos, offer some useful tips:

• *Save coupons for items that you will only use.
• *There are stores that allow combining coupons on the same item. Do it whenever possible and always use your store discount cards.
• *Shun the habit of buying branded items.
• *Check if your store honors competitors’ coupons and double them up to a certain value.
• *Be alert and religious in checking online sites that offer online coupons. Get multiple copies of newspapers that offer coupons.

We may not be able to do much about the high prices of gas but we can always compensate in other ways. By using coupons, we can significantly shrink our food budget and use the money we saved on other things.

Related post: 25 Best Places to Get Food & Grocery Coupons From

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On a hot California summer day, our air conditioning broke down, and I had no choice but to fan myself vigorously. I kept ranting about how hot it was, and kept fanning while sweat trickled down my back. My amused companion, who had been listening to my sorry speech about substandard appliances and global warming, simply said: “Take a bath or swim to cool down. There’s nothing you could do about the heat, but you could do something about your body’s temperature.”

It’s the same with the economic crisis. We may have cause to blame the government or big companies for starting it or for not doing enough to solve the problem, but really, sometimes, we have no choice but to adjust. Complaining and getting angry about the situation won’t fix it.

So rather than stress ourselves out over things that we have little power over (except perhaps, when we help vote into power the right candidate this election), let’s just do what we can with what’s within our control: our habits and lifestyles. Let’s start with what we already have and work our way into cutting down on our expenses.

We must ask ourselves questions like: Must I really buy branded items and shop at certain stores only? Do I absolutely need to snack while watching T.V. , in-between meals and before going to bed? Do we need three or four T.V. sets?

It does take some getting used to. But with enough discipline, it can be done. The country’s economic troubles won’t go away overnight, and like it or not, we’ll all be forced to discipline ourselves in order to survive.

See if you could change your lifestyle enough to save money on the following:

Electric consumption

1. Use lights only when necessary. Turn off the ones you’re not using.
2. Set your thermostat a little higher during the day and a little lower at night.
3. Find ways to use electric fans more often and use your air-conditioner only when the heat is really unbearable.
4. When you need to buy new appliances, always look for the ones with the lowest energy consumption.

Food expense

1. Shop at lower-priced food stores rather than convenience stores.
2. Before going to the grocery, list down the things that you must buy. Prioritize certain purchases and cut back on those that you don’t really need, such as junk foods.
3. Settling for cheaper alternative brands isn’t always bad. There are inexpensive products that are of good quality. You may have to compare your old branded choice and the cheaper alternative side by side to see if you’re really getting the same deal for less.
4. Eat out less. Prepare food at home and bring packed lunch or snacks to work or school rather than go to a fast-food or any other type of restaurant.

Prescription drugs

1. Buy generic equivalents of certain drugs. Be sure to consult your doctor first.
2. Shop around different pharmacies since prices of prescription drugs may vary from place to place.
3. Prevention is always better than cure. Avoid getting sick by getting the right amount of rest, nutrition, and exercise—all those things that we often take for granted.

Because of our country’s ever-growing economic troubles, people are increasingly looking for alternative money-saving resources. Setting aside money for future and emergency use is still important, of course, but in the short term, how do you pay for the cost of food, groceries and home supplies?

Coupons are one answer. These little things will help you save your cash for other needs. And they’re not just found in newspapers and magazines anymore. Scouring the Web can prove to be quite helpful, as some of the best deals are available online. Here are some of the best websites to get your coupon discounts and savings from:

1. Deal Taker: The Place for Coupons and Deals! (www.dealtaker.com) – This website contains deals, coupons, gift cards, and even some free stuff. Sorted as such, the categories also contain subcategories to help you find whatever discounts you’re looking for.
2. CouponPages.com (www.couponpages.com) – They have four categories of available coupons: Today’s Top 25, Newest Coupons, Supermarket Coupons, and Sample Coupons. You may also search by city or zip code to help locate which coupons they have will be of use and interest to you.
3. Money Saving Mom (www.moneysavingmom.com) – This website not only has freebies and coupons, but also provides money-saving ideas and tips on how to spend money wisely. This site is perfect for mom-on-a-budget types.
4. Freebies 4 Mom (http://freebies4mom.blogspot.com) – This website is similar to the aforementioned site; it gives access to coupons and freebies and at the same time gives money-saving tips. Rebates and freebie events are also posted.
5. Cool Savings: Savings Made Simple (www.coolsavings.com) – They have free samples, printable coupons, online coupons and price comparisons. Their coupon categories range from grocery coupons, to home offers, to education offers. You name it, they probably have a coupon for it.
6. Coupon Cabin (www.couponcabin.com) – They have internet coupon codes and printable coupon codes; expiring coupons, as well as the most used ones, are also given priority. They are sorted by store and by category, depending on which works best for the user or visitor.
7. Wow Coupons (www.wow-coupons.com) – This website has a lot of printable retail coupons in addition to travel, rebates, restaurant & grocery coupons. What’s great about their site is that the coupon’s status information (ongoing, expiring, etc.) is right next to the coupon, along with which store it will work on.
8. Valpak.com (www.valpak.com) – As their tagline goes, there’s “Coupons and Savings in Your Neighborhood.” You can print free coupons that are specifically for you because you enter your location as you search.
9. About.com Coupons and Bargains (http://couponing.about.com/od/groceryzone/qt/printgrocery.htm) – This section of Couponing.About.com contains links to different off-site printable grocery & food coupons.
10. Target Grocery Coupons & Specials (http://sites.target.com/site/en/supertarget/page.jsp?title=coupons_specials) – Specifically made coupons & deals for products sold at Target. This website has coupons that can be “clipped,” or you may print them all if you choose.
11. MySavings.com (www.mysavings.com) – They are an online community dedicated to helping others find samples, coupons and other free stuff. Articles and forums on money-saving tips are also part of the site.
12. BudgetMom.com (www.budgetmom.com) – They have “printable coupons & freebies for the frugal mom.” Bargains, free downloads, printables and other bonus savings are available for moms on the go.
13. Free printable coupons at CoolFreebieLinks (http://www.coolfreebielinks.com/Coupon_Freebies) – This subsite has quite a number of links to printable coupons and shopping codes, and for some sites even the expiration/end of the offer is listed.
14. Pizza Hut Deals (https://quikorder.pizzahut.com/phorders2/deals.php) – Depending on your location, this popular pizza place can offer you coupons whether for delivery or takeout orders.
15. Printable Coupons in NYC (www.8coupons.com) – Contains many text coupons for restaurants, entertainment, beauty & spa, services and shopping. Also shows the top 8 NYC deals, hence the site’s domain name.
16. CouponAlbum’s Printable Coupons (http://www.couponalbum.com/printable-coupons.htm) – This page contains a list of external links containing different printable coupons and promos. The expiry and statuses of these deals are shown on this page as well.
17. The Coupon Mom (http://www.couponmom.com/index.php?cid=6) – This subpage of The Coupon Mom has two categories: Free Grocery Coupons and Print Retail Store Coupons. The former has external links while the latter has printable coupons ready to go.
18. Coupons from Betty Crocker (http://www.bettycrocker.com/coupons-promotions/coupons/default.aspx?WT.ac=homepage_05-01-2008) – A user must sign up to be able to print coupons. But as their instructions say, it’s as easy as “Click. Print. Save.”
19. Cheap Stingy Bargains – Printable Coupons (http://www.cheapstingybargains.com/cheapster/printable-coupons) – This subpage has many printable coupons that vary ranging from toys to food to clothes to almost anything they can find. Date of posting and expiration is also shown to avoid confusion.
20. Lisa’s Freebies (http://www.lisasfreebies.com/printcoupons.html) – This website is a comprehensive directory of online freebies and printable coupons by category. Date of expiration is also shown.
21. Mommy Saves Big Printable Coupons (http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com/2005/10/grocery-coupons.html) – A well-updated site containing printable coupons and ongoing promos from many external sites. Expired links can be noted by users by sending comments to the author.
22. KFC Online Coupons (http://www.kfc.com/coupons/ageverification.asp) – They offer coupons depending on your location. An age verification and a really short survey is required in order to obtain printable coupons.
23. Random Acts of Thriftiness (http://randomactsofthriftiness.wordpress.com) – This blogsite is constantly updated with coupons, discounts and deals. Wise shopping tips are also posted in addition to these money-saving gems.
24. Restaurant Coupons from AZeats.com (http://www.azeats.com/html/coupons-phx.htm) – They have coupons for several restaurants, and even more printable gift certificates when you opt to subscribe to their semi-monthly newsletter.
25. Eversave.com (www.eversave.com) – This site has lots of coupons under about a dozen categories, in addition to great articles and tips. If you register, they will offer you more promos and savings for free.