I FEEL THE NEED TO SLASH! (my auto insurance, that is!)

Today, I was reading some blogs and I came across one that was written by SonyaAnn.  She was talking about saving money on auto insurance, and I came away from her post Totally Inspired!  It got me thinking about ways that I could save money on my family's auto insurance. 

So, I started looking online for ways, and I found, "How to Save Money on Car Insurance" tips at eHow.com.  Read them and let me know what you think.  I am confused about #4 and #5:

1.  First, shop around. If you have moved to a new area recently check different companies. Insurance companies have different rates for different areas.

2.  Try to get your homeowners insurance and auto insurance from the same company if they offer a discount.

3.   Ask for all the discounts like: no smoking, part time driver, good student discount, etc. Be sure to see what each company offers discounts for. Take notes when shopping.

4.  Here is a big issue for some parents of teenagers (like me). If you do not have one car for each driver, put the teen on part time. If you have a car for each driver, put the teen as primary driver on the lowest rate car. I did not say cheapest car, I said lowest rate car. Just because a car is older and worth less it may have a higher rate than a newer car. *I am confused on this one.  We were not able to do this with our current auto insurance.  I'm not sure about this one.

5.  If the teen rate is still outrageously high priced, then consider buying a old junker that has a low rate even if to sit in the driveway and insure and put the teen on as the primary driver of that vehicle. He or she is still covered on the other vehicles but the low rate is based on the car you bought for a few hundred dollars in your driveway. (Again, I am confused on this one.)

6.  If you have the cash pay annually for a discount rather than monthly or quarterly.

7.  Remember to get quotes every six months or so because everything is always changing.

8. This may seem ridiculous but consider the zip code when you are moving. Remember the rates in some zip codes are much higher than others even on your car insurance.

Now that you have read the above tips, what do you think of them?  Give me your feedback and also your handy-dandy car insurance savings knowledge!!

A.Marie

EAT CEREAL GET FREE MONEY

Wow!  This is a pretty amazing deal!  Send in 10 UPCs from participating Kellogg’s cereals, get a $10 pre-paid debit Mastercard.  This offer is available while supplies last and there is a limit of 5 (yes!) Kellogg’s™ Gas Rewards Cards PER HOUSEHOLD. Must have your zip code to mail order. U.S. Military overseas send APO or FPO address. Promotion ends on 12/31/2011; letters must be postmarked by 12/31/2011 and received by 1/07/2012.

Participating Brands:

Kellogg’s All-Bran® Original cereal, Kellogg’s All-Bran® Bran Buds® cereal, Kellogg’s All-Bran® Complete® Wheat Flakes® cereal, Kellogg’s Smart Start® Strong Heart Antioxidant cereal, Kellogg’s Smart Start® Strong Heart Toasted Oat cereal, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes® cereal, Kellogg’s Corn Flakes® Touch of Honey cereal, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran® cereal, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran® Crunch cereal, Kellogg’s Raisin Bran® Extra! cereal, Kellogg’s Crispix® cereal, Kellogg’s Product 19® cereal, Kellogg’s Mueslix® cereal, Kellogg’s® Cracklin’ Oat Bran cereal, Kellogg’s® Lowfat Granola with Raisins cereal, Kellogg’s® Lowfat Granola without Raisins cereal, Kellogg’s® Fruit Harvest Strawberry/Blueberry cereal, Kellogg’s Rice Krispies® cereal 10 oz or larger, mix or match

I don't usually post coupons or deals over at this little blog (I save that for My Money Mission Online), but this is such a terrific money-saving offer that I thought I'd post it over here, also.  I mean, who DOESN'T have cereal in their house, and who DOESN'T need a few bucks??

I know that I already have the Kellogg's Raisin Bran (about 4 boxes) and my folks have some at their house also.  I figure I'll just keep on collecting and saving my UPCs until I have enough to send in. 

Exclusive savings on Kellogg's® brand name cereals, when you visit the Grocery Coupon Center

How's your Monday going so far?  It is sunny here, but chilly (37 degrees), so I am inside paying bills.  I filled the bird feeders with fresh seed and the bird bath with fresh water, and  I am being repaid with all kinds of gorgeous birdy trills and songs when I step outside my front door.  Such a beautiful spring-time treat!  :)

A.Marie

(*Thanks, Mashup Mom)

SUNDAY!!

Sunday comments and graphics

A.Marie

UNCLE SAM WANTS YOU!

Hellloooo!!!!  After yesterday's "Blank Mind" syndrome, I am back in action today!  My little mind just needed some R&R, or, more specifically, FA&S (fresh air and sunshine!)  LOL

It was just absolutely GLORIOUS outside yesterday.  The sky was blue and the air smelled wonderful.  I hung out a load of laundry and then decided to pick up sticks.  That led to bagging up some leaves and then pulling a few weeds.  I was out there only about an hour or so, but it really did wonders to "unclog the ol' drain" in my mind!  And, it's a good thing I had yesterday, because today it is THIRTY DEGREES here....yeppers, 3-0 degrees.....where did THAT come from??  UGH!!!

"Yesterday, All my troubles seem so far away.....now I long for Yesterday!"    :)

Soooo.....now for today....

I was reading a great article at Life Inc this morning and the catchy title said, "Uncle Sam Wants You (to come get free tax help).  Catchy, No??!!  I was half expecting to see this:

But, No Such Luck......drats......I think that would have really made the article!!  ;)

Anyway, the article went on to say this, "If you're overwhelmed by your federal taxes this year, the friendly folks at the IRS are offering their help this Saturday.

Nearly 100 IRS offices across the country will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to aid frustrated taxpayers. IRS personnel will be available to assist with tax return preparation, answer account questions and help with a variety of other issues."

The article further states: "To locate an IRS office that is open Saturday, click here"

To read the entire article, be sure and visit http://lifeinc.today.com.

If I didn't have my handy-dandy-just-in-the-town-down-the-road Tax Preparer, I would probably be one of those frustrated taxpayers that needed some help.  If that is you, and there is an IRS office close by, maybe you should just bop on over there and take advantage of their assistance!

Since Old Man Winter has decided not to take a vacation yet, I am most likely going to stay inside and do some more bookwork.  I really do wish that the "Old Man" would just go to a sunnier climate, say, Bermuda......maybe that would help with his grouchy disposition today!   LOL

**A.Marie**

EVER HAD ONE OF THESE DAYS?

Seriously Blank....I just have no idea what to blog about today....my mind is like a blank slate!  And, that is very rare!  My little mind ALWAYS has something to say. 

So, I guess I'll just say HELLO EVERYONE and leave it at that!!  LOL

**A.Marie**



Dealing With Financial Clutter

For me,  March 1 marked the official end of tax season.  Since I filed our household's Individual Income Tax Return early, and I didn't have to file for an extension (which is a topic for another day), I can now close out Tax Year 2010 and focus on 2011.

How is the best way to start doing that?

My system is pretty straight-forward and easy to use.  I have a 2-drawer filing cabinet that fits under my desk.  I have hanging files with tabs that are in alphabetical order: ie bank statements, credit card receipts, medical bills, utilities, etc. 

Whenever I get a bill paid, I file the receipt in the proper hanging file.  Same goes for credit card statements, dental and medical bills, life insurance statements, and other "stuff" that needs a home during the year.  That way, I have it right where I need it.  This is my "Active" filing cabinet.

Then I have a larger filing cabinet where I store 2 years worth of tax years.  This is my "Historical" filing cabinet.  Since it is now tax year 2011, I cleaned out my 2-drawer filing cabinet and have those files in a box by my desk.  I am going to go into my larger filing cabinet and take out Tax Year 2008 and put that into a Bankers Box.  I'll label it with the proper tax year and store it.  That way, I'll have Tax Years 2009 and 2010 in my larger filing cabinet. 

I keep my records for 10 years.  I know, I am probably anal, but that is what I do.  I have storage space set aside in my house, so it doesn't take up alot of room.  I keep 5 years in my pantry/laundry/storage room and 5 years in the basement. 

If you want more information on how long to keep records, and what type of records you should be keeping, check out this informative article: http://www.irs.gov/publications/p552/index.html

That is my goal for this week: To get all of my records in order, purge what I don't need (this is where a top-notch shredder really pays for itself) and keep what is important, rearrange my filing cabinets so that the proper tax years are where they need to be, put the older, historical files in Bankers Boxes, and put those in their proper place.

How do you organize you financial records??

**A.Marie**

MAY THE "LUCK 'O THE IRISH" BE WITH YOU

Myspace Patricks Day Graphics - More Patricks Day Images

I don't typically serve Corned Beef and Cabbage for St. Patrick's Day.  I guess it's because my Mom wasn't fond of it, and never fixed it, and because her Mother never fixed it either.  But, my Mom WAS, and STILL IS, very fond of desserts, and on special occasions like today, she would fix something "color-coordinated" to go along with the event.  I remember her fixing green salads or desserts like the following: 

Lime Fluff
1 pkg. unsweetened lime soft drink mix
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 (8 oz.) container whipped topping
1 chocolate cookie or graham cracker crust

Mix drink mix and milk, fold in whipped topping and place into crust. Cover and chill. You can make this without the crust, if you'd prefer. 


Irish Ice Cream Pie Recipe: Green Clover Pie
Ingredients:
1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened
1 (12 oz.) can frozen limeade, thawed
2 drops green food coloring
1 (6 oz.) graham cracker pie crust

Directions:
Place the softened ice cream in a large mixing bowl. Pour the limeade in with the ice cream, then add the food coloring using more if you want a darker green color. Use an electric mixer on medium speed and beat the mixture until well combined.

Spoon the ice cream mixture evenly into the pie crust. Cover with lid or foil and freeze until firm, between 2 and 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 10 minutes before cutting.

Top this ice cream pie with some freshly whipped topping and crushed green peppermint candies for a perfect ending to your St. Patrick's Day meal.  This recipe serves 8.

What are you going to fix for this special day?  Tell me, Tell me!  Inquiring Minds want to know!!  :)

 Have a wonderful St. Paddy's Day, Everyone!! 


**A.Marie**

Tell Me How Am I Supposed To Live Without You??

My dryer is on the "fritz" and since I am trying to hold off on replacing it, I am hanging my clothes out on the line more often.  I absolutely LOVE to hang clothes outside.....it is such a peaceful task to do.  It's just me and the clothes and the repetitive motion of clipping and hanging them.

I grew up in a household where my Mother, who grew up on a farm, felt that the old ways were better then the newer ones.  She said that the dryer was a luxury, not a necessity, and that hanging up clothes saved our family money.  I never quite understood how something as simple as having "Mother Nature" dry your clothes could save you $$, but I "went along with her program" and didn't complain.

*I should also mention that we used this type of washer to wash all of our clothes...yep, that's right...I grew up doing laundry with an old-fashioned wringer washer.  I'm just that good!!  LOL  ;)

Anyway, back to the dryer:

Since I've been married (19+ years now), I've had a dryer but have continued to hang clothes outside, mostly during the spring/summer.  In the winter, I hang items in my laundry room to dry, for example, shirts and pants on hangers, small towels on a clip hanger, but for larger items, like towels, sheets, etc., I have to use the dryer due to not having enough space to hang them.

Now that nicer weather is coming (it is supposed to be around 58 degrees today), I am most likely going to hang everything that I can on my "solar dryer." 

I use this to hang socks and hand towels:

And, this is what I hang the rest of the items on

I hope that all of you have a Good Wednesday!  I'm going outside, now, to hang out my laundry!  :)

**A.Marie**

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME 2011

For most Americans, daylight saving time 2011 will start at 2 a.m. TOMORROW, Sunday, March 13, when most states spring forward an hour. Time will fall back to standard time again on Sunday, November 6, 2011, when daylight saving time ends. So, if you want to be on time for anything tomorrow, be sure and set your clock AHEAD before going to bed tonight!  ;)

**A.Marie**

Think Spring!! It IS Coming!  My tulips are already peeking up out of the ground...YAY!!

COLLEGE ILLINOIS GOING BELLY UP?

For Five Long Years, hubby and I have scrimped, saved, and scrimped some more to fully fund our son's college fund.  I had started researching college plans when my now-17-year-old was about 3 years old.  I searched and searched for the best college savings vehicles, and the College Illinois 529 prepaid tuition plan appeared to be the best one.  I sent away for the materials/application and I read and re-read it over and over again.  I called the Plan Office and bugged inquired about everything that I could think of.  But, *sigh,* it appears that all of my hard work might have been in vain. 

According to this Chicago Business.com article, Illinois has the deepest shortfall of any such fund in the United States and is plowing money into unconventional — and some financial experts say high-risk — investments to close the gap. Great....Just Great.....My son is just now finishing his Junior year in high school and he is on track to graduate in May of 2012.  The plan is for him to enter college the Fall of 2012.  This is definitely NOT the type of news I wanted to read today!

This is an overview of the Illinois college (prepaid) savings plans:

When I signed for this plan, I was assured, by the Plan Office, that this money was safe, secure, and would be there when I needed it.  I was told that this was a Contract and the only way it could be broken was if I (a) did not pay my monthly Plan Payment or (b) I initiated the paperwork to cancel the contract and take my money out (minus interest, of course). 

I feel cheated and robbed at this point.....BUT, those of you who read this blog regularly know that I am not going to take this bad new lying down.  I am going to call, and call, and call until I get some answers.  Because, the only way to be informed, and stay informed, is to get the information "straight from the horse's mouth."  So, that's what I'm going to do. 

I'll keep you posted on what I find out. In the meantime, I would suggest that College Illinois take this phrase, "The pot of gold at the end of your child's college rainbow. Prepay and save on college tuition" off of their page.  Because, the "pot of gold" might turn out to be coal..... 

In the meantime, do any of you participate in your State's Prepaid College Plan?  If so, is your money safe?

**A.Marie**

A GIVEAWAY FOR A WORTHY CAUSE

I was over at Midget Momma.com and I this is what she has posted on her blog:

"I think this was worthy of a post and I really hope everyone looks and buys! A nine-year-old girl is making duct tape pencil cases and selling them on ebay to help her family raise money for the Susan G. Komen walk this year! These are super cute, would be great for your child for school or to carry some cash and an ID in, are ONLY $5 plus $1 shipping AND the money is going straight to helping cure breast cancer and allowing a little girl to raise it herself. Just go here to pick one up for yourself."

Well, after I clicked here to see what this was all about, I decided right there and then that I was going to offer Two (2) of My Money Mission readers a chance to WIN one of these awesome pencil cases! 

Required Entry:

All you have to do is click here and check out her pencil cases on ebay.  Decide which color(s) you would like your case to be done in. (1 entry)

Extra Entry:

Then, read more about her efforts at The 3 Day.org.  Leave a comment letting me know what you learned. (2 entries)

This giveaway will be open until next Thursday evening (March 10, 2010) at 11:59pm (central time).  I'll then get the shipping info from the two winners, and I will order and have them shipped directly to the winners.  The winners will be chosen by random.org.

**A.Marie**