EASY NO YEAST PIZZA DOUGH DIY

NO YEAST PIZZA DOUGH
2 1/2 c. flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder (if using baking soda use half and omit salt)
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil
3/4 to 1 c. water

Mix dry ingredients. add 3/4 cup water and oil. Stir until it forms a ball. If dough is stiff, add more water.

The dough will be soft, not sticky. Knead on a floured surface for 3-4 minutes.

Bake at 400°F for 15-25 minutes.

Submitted by: Terry H

source

AdSense Transparent Ad

In what could be breaking news (I couldn’t find any other mentions on the web), a transparent AdSense ad has been spotted in the wild (click to expand):

The ad unit doesn’t stream video, but instead links to a YouTube video. Rather interesting!
Update: These YouTube ads have apparently been around a while – I assume their low CPM keeps their general visibility low. Pretty sure transparent backgrounds are somewhat new, however.

AdSense: Revenue Prediction

Until very recently, the AdSense UI featured “today’s estimated earnings”; which incorrectly suggested that this is the amount you could expect to receive that day. That wasn’t the case; it really just showed how much had been earned so far (‘estimated’ to give Google some moving space). The interface now labels this as “Today so far”, which is far more accurate.

It did give the idea of creating our own revenue prediction model, which would be useful for allowing you to understand whether today’s earnings was on track with expected performance.
We’ve now figured out how to collect revenue data from AdSense and analysed how the intraday earnings trends over a 24-hour period, so had just one missing piece to solve. The time and percent values from the prior analysis were placed into an array and a function created to return an estimate of the full day’s earnings based on this historical data.

The output now reads as:

Next: getting this data on your mobile.

AdSense: Script

It’s totally free and I encourage you to use it in whatever way you wish. As ever, I outsourced the overwhelming majority of the work, so can’t take all the credit really. If it ads some joy to your life, you’re welcome to buy me a coffee!

Want to build your own AdSense revenue predictor or mobile app? You can download the script here –  on the house.

The code is fairly well documented. You’ll need to populate config.inc with your AdSense and SQL credentials. If you want to plug-in your own intraday trend (no two accounts will be the same, after all), collect the data into SQL, make some averages and then plug the data into the percentages.inc file.

Since this involves sensitive data, make sure you’re running this on a server you control/trust and take precautions to keep your information safe (protecting the directory, for example). You can execute gas.php via the command line, or better yet, as a CRON job.

AdSense: DIY Mobile Web App

A further improvement would be to create push-notifications/alerts if the the predicted revenue falls below an accepted range. I’m lacking reliable data/net access this week, so a daily SMS report would also make for a useful extension. Something to look into another day.


The official app was well needed; there’s a whole bunch of unofficial 3rd party apps which can show you similar data, but all of which pose a significant security risk (given the need to share your log-in credentials). It’s pretty, simple to use, and provides all the reports you’d actually want on-the-go. It does lack the all new revenue predictor and suffers from the annoyance of a timed user-session (thus requiring you to periodically login), meaning that it can still be helpful to create your own DIY mobile app – the topic of this post.

Using our previous work with a self-made script, it’s surprisingly easy to make your own “app”. The script now spits the output as HTML and both Android and iOS allow you to create homepage URL shortcuts. The result is one-click access to your statistics without the need to log in, or unnecessarily trust a 3rd party developer. Plus, since it’s your app, you can develop it your hearts content, perhaps to report other pertinent information for your website/business on the same page. Okay, okay, it’s not really an “app” in the true sense, but it feels and looks pretty close to one.

I started drafting this post just a few days before Google released their official AdSense Android app, which has made most of what I was going to say pretty redundant.

Cheap Freezer Dinner-Cranberry Apricot Chicken

(great dish for guests!)
Ingredients:
1 lb. chicken (raw, any kind)
1 can whole cranberry sauce (not just for Thanksgiving!:))
1/2 apricot preserves
1 C. french or catalina dressing
1 pkg. onion soup mix
Gallon Ziploc Freezer Bag

Directions:
Put all ingredients except chicken in ziploc freezer bag and squash and mash to mix (this the the kids' favorite part!). Add chicken and mix well. Pour into 9 x 13 greased pan at 350 for 35-40 minutes and serve over rice. If are preparing this for later use, simply put ziploc bag with the sauce and chicken directly in the freezer, defrost when ready to use and bake as directed above.

Cheap Freezer Dinner-Kalua Pork

Ingredients:
Large Pork Loin (around 8 lbs., about $1.58 per lb. at Sams)
coarse Kosher Salt
liquid smoke (in the spice aisle)
Sandwich rolls, any kind
Plastic Wrap
Aluminum Foil

Directions:Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Cut pork loin in half. Lay out two large sheets of aluminum foil. Lay two large sheets of plastic wrap on top of foil. Place half of pork loin on the plastic wrap (this keeps the moisture in! It's an amazing slow-roasting secret!:)). Sprinkle generously with kosher salt and liquid smoke, rub all over pork loin. Wrap up plastic wrap tightly around pork loin and then wrap with aluminum foil. Place in large roasting pan. Repeat with other loin half. Bake at 225 degrees 7-10 hrs. until done. Serve with soft rolls, cheese, bbq sauce, whatever your family likes. YUM!

Cheap Freezer Dinner-Crab-Stuffed Pork Loin

Ingredients:
Large Pork Loin (around 8 lbs., about $1.58 per lb. at Sams), cut into just under 1" slices--the butcher at Sams Club can do this for you. You'll get about 18 slices.
1 lb. lump imitation crab meat
1 1/2 c. plain bread crumbs
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 cup french dressing

Marinade Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 Tbsp. Brown sugar
1/4 tsp. powdered ginger
1 tsp. garlic
dash red pepper flakes
dash black pepper
3 Tbsp. tomato sauce (or ketchup if you're in a pinch)

Directions:
Place all marinade ingredients in a gallon Ziploc Freezer bag and mix well. Slide through side of pork loin to make a pocket (see video tutorial). Mix crab meat, bread crumbs, crushed pineapple, and french dressing in a medium bowl. Stuff about 2-3 heaping tablespoons crab mixture into pork loin pocket and place in marinade bag. Repeat with all pork loin pieces (you can fit about 6 in a bag). Place directly in freezer. When ready to cook, defrost and grill 7-10 minutes on each side.

Money Tales

Most of us are probably a combination of money types. I could see small traits of all them in myself. At times I am The Innocent, because I would rather not pay attention to the money details, and sometimes I'm The Victim, who likes to blame the economic downturn, but then The Warrior in me will emerge briefly, until The Martyr takes over and I spend too much money on my kids, then I truly feel like The Fool, and crawl into The Creator/Artist who wonders why we need money anyway, until the Tyrant emerges reminding me that the one with the gold makes the rules. Unfortunately, cycling through all these types has never lead to The Magician, who I am sure resides somewhere in my mind.

Ms. Price starts by explaining about the energy of money and why there are winners and loser in the money game. The most interesting part of the book was Price's description of the eight money types:

• The Innocent
• The Victim
• The Warrior
• The Martyr
• The Fool
• The Creator/Artist
• The Tyrant
• The Magician

So how do we recognize these types, and identify which type we are? I am sure we've all known people like these.
For instance my friend who has no clue of what her take home pay is and how much her monthly expenses are, she'd be The Innocent. Or my relative, The Victim, who continually makes bad choices with her money then blames everyone else and gets her mother to bail her out. And oh boy, you know The Warrior type, he is so focused on money, he sets out to conquer the world, all in an effort to prove his own self-worth. Then there's The Martyr, poor thing she spends all her time, energy and money on everyone else.
I think I dated The Fool once or twice, they play by a different set of money rules, usually rules they tried to stack in their favor! The Creator/Artist type just finds it difficult to live in the material world and would rather not have to think about money. I think we've all known The Tyrant, he dedicates his whole life to making money so he can use it to feel superior and control those in his life. Finally, there is The Magician, these are probably the millionaires and billionaires, because they know how to transform and manifest their own financial reality!

If you want to learn about "Unleashing Your True Potential for Prosperity and Fulfillment" then read Money Magic by Deborah L. Price! This book is chocked full of insightful, useful information.

Amazing Money Spells

Are you ready to become the most powerful witch you can? Do you want to learn what it means to be a witch, and how to create your own spells at the drop of a dime? Do you want more free spells and the best resource for ancient witchcraft and Wiccan knowledge?

 

Here are 2 money magic spells that anyone can use to help attract more of the green stuff into their lives.The first isn't a money magic spell as much as it is an exercise, and one that works extremely well. Anyone who practices magic knows that their will creates and effects their life and the world around them. With proper application, one no longer needs spells as much as they need to direct their thoughts, energy, and attention properly in order to manifest what they want.

Start by taking the time daily to imagine what you want in your minds eye. You have to do this as though you are right there doing it yourself. If you just need money to pay the electric bill, imagine yourself writing the check over and over again and having the money to pay it. Feel as though it is real, think as though it is real, and believe that it is real. This is the key to all of it. If you want more, like a trip to Europe, imagine that you are there doing stuff, and feel as though you are in the moment and are actually there.

Here is the second of the money magic spells. Start by taking two green candles and place them on a table. Take a twenty dollar bill and rub it on the candles as you imagine loads of money coming to you. Now, place the bill in between the two candles. Before all of this, you should have created a circle around you to help focus the energy.
Now, light the candles when you are ready. Be sure to clear you mind and aura of anything other than your focus on the task at hand. Recite out loud three times the following. "Bring to me all I need, money, comfort, and dreams. Bring to me all I need, as quickly as can be."

We all want more of the green stuff in our lives. People say that money can't make you happy. They may be right, however, these people have never had it. Regardless, we all have basic needs that have to be taken care of, and a good collection of money magic spells can be useful to take care of these needs.

Magic Money Button?

It is an uncomplicated push button system that enables you to make quick money online. Even people having zero technical knowledge can utilize this system. Joining the websites such as money magic button by entering your email address and certain other information will enable you to be a success in online business world.

The people trying to step into online business will be wondering from where to start. However, the best solution for this problem can be the inbox cash technique. Money magic button makes use of this technique to help people make money online.
You must understand that starting an online business without a clear-cut business plan can be suicidal. Even though you are spending a lot of money and time on researching about the various techniques through which you can make good amounts of money online, you may not be successful.

You must understand the fact that making it big in the online marketing scenario is not about using the latest technology and formulating great plans.
Being successful in the online marketing world can only be through establishing a system that helps you in making good amounts of money. The system must be able to offer you results quickly as you cannot survive in this world without making profits for a long period.
Even the beginners can attain great results through the inbox cash technique. The major benefit of this system is that you do not require any sort of technical knowledge for making use of this system. You do not require the expensive hosting services, programming knowledge and payment processes too.

Most of the people will not have any idea about what money magic button is. The people who are searching for the effective techniques for making money online should have a basic understanding about the working of this website as it offers you an amazing technique through which you can make money online.

Make Money Tricks

Perhaps, because of this, when money is used in magic, spectators invest a little more emotions in the effect than they normally would with a card trick for example. Especially if you are using money belong to them. For example, if you borrow a banknote from someone, and do a torn and restored banknote trick, chances are at the moment the spectator believes that their bill is genuinely being torn, you will get a strong emotional response from that spectator. The spectator cannot help but react emotionally if they believe their money is being destroyed because they see it as a desirable item of value that belongs to them that is being destroyed.
It is the emotional investment behind money magic tricks that makes them so powerful. If you compare that with a torn and restored playing card, whilst the spectators may be impressed with the effect, the emotional reaction will not be as strong as the item being destroyed is of little interest to them.

Coins in particular are very popular props for magicians to use. They are readily available and there is a wide variety of magic tricks that can be performed with them. Like card tricks, there are a wide variety of skills involved and tricks range from self working tricks to ones involving complex and sometimes difficult sleight of hand moves.
Emotional response to money magic tricks
Everyone these days, like it or not, is obsessed with money. Our lives revolve around it. Many of us dream of having lots of it. Its both a status symbol and the key that can be used to obtain virtually anything desirable in your life.

Many magicians like to use money as a prop when performing magic tricks. Money magic tricks with coins and with banknotes prove very popular with both magicians and spectators alike. But why is this?

Money MAGIC

What is one action you will take today that shows you're committed to this mindset?
By having read and worked through each of these 5 steps, you will have begun the process of shifting your relationship with money and ultimately achieving greater financial success. Congratulations on taking the plunge!

The key to success in any relationship is a willingness to work at it, grow in our awareness and become empowered in our choices - this is also true in our relationship with money. You can begin to transform your relationship with money by following these 5 powerful steps -The 5 Steps to Money MAGIC.
MONEY MYTHS: The first step is to become aware of the money myths that are floating around in your mind. What do I believe about money? What do I believe about people with money? What did my parents teach me about money? What were some of the messages about money when I was growing up? These are all important questions to explore in understanding your history with money, back to your earliest memory about it. Your money myths have been created by your money story i.e. your experience and influences around money that have created your beliefs about it. Once you've done this, ask yourself "Is this really what I believe?".

AWARENESS: As you begin to explore questions about your beliefs about money, your awareness will grow. Ask yourself "How does this belief about money impact how I am with money today?" For example, you may have grown up in a family that saw money as a status symbol, or that somehow there was a pecking order according to the size of a person's bank account. To drive a nice car had more to do with power and position than it did with necessity. As you explore these messages, you will begin to understand and become aware of your underlying belief patterns and behaviours around money. More importantly, you will become aware of how those patterns are influencing your life today both personally and financially.
What are you becoming aware of?

GRATITUDE AND GIVE AWAYS: Gratitude plays a big part in the magic. What would it be like to stop striving for more and more and begin to notice all that you have? Often we are so caught up in the pursuit of more, we forget to notice and decide what is enough. Who said that more is always better? Make a list of all the things you are grateful for. Begin to spend more time in a place of gratitude and your life will change. All those powerful positive messages and experiences with money? Be grateful to those people in your life that have had a significant impact on you. All those negative or distorted messages? Give them back to their origin and let it go.

INVENTORY: We are often so focused on our financial assets contributing to our net worth, but what about all of those non-financial assets? Do an accounting of all of your assets, financial and non-financial - things like experience, credentials, your unique qualities, things that you're good at. Separate your net worth from your self-worth, and watch your assets grow and your relationship with money begin to shift.

CHOOSE: Once you have identified your beliefs about money, and understand their impact on your financial decisions and relationship with money, you can begin to be more mindful by choosing the beliefs and behaviours that serve in the achievement of your financial goals.. Choose your mindset. You'll begin to feel more empowered in your choices and in control of your money. You always are in control of your choices; choose gratitude over scarcity and you'll change your relationship with money. Choose beliefs about money that are positive and serving and trust in your self-worth to grow and sustain your net-worth.

Ever wonder what it would be like to feel in control and at peace when it comes to money? Magic, right? Often, immediately what comes to mind for most people is a response, something like "I need to have a lot of money before I can feel in control and at peace when it comes to dealing with it". While abundance does bring a momentary sense of peace - as does a good relationship with our financial advisors -a healthy relationship with money itself is key to feeling in control and at peace with what you have, regardless of the amount.

My Top Copper Age Comics To Invest In!

Whether you consider copper age comic books as part of the modern age or not, there are some, although very few, wise key issues to invest in. These are a tad more affordable than bronze or silver age books, but they are well worth owning to bring more value to your collection.
There are quite a few copies floating around at high grades, especially in the 9.8 area. Unlike many high demand silver age books, in which mid to low grades are still investment worthy, these copper age selections on my list are best to invest in at high grades. I'm advising no lower than low NM or 9.2 according to CGC universal standards.
So, without further a due, here are just a few of my top copper age comics to invest in:

1. G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #21 (1st Storm Shadow/Silent issue).
2. G.I Joe A Real American Hero #26 & 27 ( Snake Eyes origin, 2 part story).
3. G.I. Joe A Real American Hero #150 through #155 (Low Print run. Issue 155 is last issue).
4. Amazing Spider-Man #299 (1st brief appearance of Venom. Todd McFarlane art.)
5. Amazing Spider-Man #300 (1st full appearance of Venom. Todd McFarlane art.)
6. Marvel, The Transformers, 1984 #1 (1st Transformers comic based off Hasbro Toys.)
7. New Mutants Vol 1 #98 (1st appearance of Deadpool).
8. Uncanny X-Men #221 (1st appearance of Cable as baby Nathan.)
9. Uncanny X-Men #244 (1st appearance of Jubilee.)
10. Uncanny X-Men #248 (1st Jim Lee artwork on X-Men.)

Of course there are more from the copper age that are well-worth investing in. These are just my first-round picks, as you could say. The great thing about many of these issues is that they are still well under a hundred dollars for many copies that are over 9.4 NM (near mint).
All the issues here are in demand, and ones like the last five issues of G.I. Joe A Real American Hero by Marvel Comics have low print runs. That means that they're pretty scarce and some hunting for those issues at a high grade may be needed. Be sure to see the links below for even more fantastic invest in comics advice and picks from all comic book ages.

Investing In Times Of Uncertainty And Volatility Part 3 - Investing When The Market Is Bad

Am I wasting my money investing when the market is so bad?
This is a common concern you hear from people that have been salary sacrificing (investing) into superannuation in a declining share market. They see contributions being taken from their salary each week but their superannuation balance (investment) is stagnant or even going down. Should they stop investing or put it in cash?
Dollar cost averaging.
The advantage of ongoing salary sacrifice is that you are "dollar cost averaging" into the share market. By this we mean that you are investing the same amount into the share market on a periodic basis however if the share market is declining you are actual getting more for your money, more units or shares, which will recover in value if they are quality assets.
Dollar cost averaging does require a disciplined approach. You must invest the same amount at the same time of the month regardless of whether the share market has gone up or down. If the share market has gone up you were able to have purchased some assets at a lower price but the if the share market goes down you are now able to get more quality assets at an even better price!
Buy when shares are on sale.
A good example is if you are shopping for a new suit or dress. You can go to your favourite store before Christmas and pay full price or wait until the Boxing Day sales and get the same suit or dress for half price. It is the identical article of clothing but it is now on sale.
This is the same as buying quality assets when investing during times of uncertainty and volatility. You are getting blue chip shares on sale. Values do return to quality assets.
The share market can move quickly!
One final point about being out of the share market at the wrong time. The market can move a large amount in a single day. Missing out on just a handful of these significant trading days can have a large impact on investment returns. Some of the biggest trading days in the Australian share market are listed below:
6.71% - 2 Jan 2000, 6.10% - 29 Oct 1997, 5.76% - 13 Nov 1987, 5.5% - 25 Nov 2008
There is no bell that rings at the bottom of the market. Missing the biggest half dozen "up days" in a year makes a significant impact on your investment return for that year.

Invest in Your Business or Retirement?

Whether To Invest in Your Business or Retirement. It's Not an Either-Or.
I get this question all the time from business owners about where to invest.
Should you invest in your business or should you invest in an IRA for retirement?
My simple shpiel? You have to do both.
Then I hear this from other clients: Justin, I feel like I have no control over what happens to the stock market! I'd rather just put my money back into my business.
I get it. I feel your sense of having more control in your business but...
You still need to diversify. You can't put all of your eggs in one basket and only invest in your business — even if you think your biz will be worth tons down the road.
Here's why. Let's say you regularly invest in your business for many years. So the value of your business is the only thing you have set aside for retirement. But what happens if you can't sell your biz for the amount you want? Or even worse, what if it is worth zero by the time you try to sell it? You will be kaput. We don't want that.
But what if you could develop an investment plan that wasn't just tied to the stock market! Woohoo! Now we are talking. Wondering how to do that? Email me.
So how do you do both? Try reinvesting 5-10% of your revenue back into your business. Try saving 5-10% of your revenue for retirement.
To save, you need to set up a system and it needs to be automated. Not the willy nilly stuff where you do manual transfers from your business account to your savings account every month or two. We need to take things to DefCon 4. (Who saw War Games?) Take more control and automate your savings.
One of the first types of accounts you may want to set up for retirement is a Roth IRA. You fund it with after tax dollars. It grows tax deferred and as long as you keep it in till you are 59 1/2 the money you take out is tax free. Saweeet!
If you are single and your earned income is under $110,000, you should be able to contribute to a Roth. If you are married and your earned income is under $173,000, you should be able to contribute to a Roth. Please double check with your accountant.

How To Successfully Invest In Mutual Funds Online

When it comes to investing in mutual funds online, you're going to want to have the fastest Internet connection you can get your hands on. Several accounts and brokers offer information about trading in within milliseconds of it becoming important. Having a slow connection or suffering from frequent delays will only throw off the timing of your account and hurt your chances of success. The faster your Internet connection, the better.
Deciding On An Account
Before selecting a broker, go over the requirements of enlisting with each one you are considering. What is the initial deposit? Some brokers may require quite a large amount of money, while others will suffice for a simple hundred dollars. You should consider all the information you can gather about each broker before deciding. The same goes for picking an investment - make sure you know exactly what you are getting into before you proceed. Many investors new to the trade market make the mistake of choosing the fund that has done the best in the recent past, forgetting that there are other extremely important factors to examine. Sometimes the fund that is best for you may be one that only has mediocre results in recent reports, but that comes along with great benefits.
Keeping Those Fees Down
If you are investing online in mutual funds, you are going to want to go after the fund with the lowest possible fees. Brokers charge differently depending on who they are, and two brokers might charge totally different prices for the same investment. Look for the account that will charge the least per trade. The higher your fees and expenses, the lower the return will be on your precious investment, and these charges will only snowball on you. Also be sure to thoroughly examine the fine print, as you never know what extra charges may be included inside those clauses that so many people merely glance over. Know the tax consequences of any mutual fund you are considering. Tax liabilities can be affected in different ways.
No-Load Funds And Load Funds
You have two main choices when it comes to selecting your mutual fund: you can go with a load fund, or you can choose a no-load fund. Load funds essentially come with a mandatory commission that you must pay to your broker for leading you to your fund. Financial experts are still unsure of whether load funds are any better than load funds. But professional investment advice comes in quite handy if you find yourself in a situation where you aren't confidence in the decision you want to make. If you are using past performance as a way to judge a fund, don't think you can simply look at the past year and make your choice that way. A mutual fund's performance must be analyzed back at least ten years in order for the research to truly be of any use. Investigating the thorough way will help you to decide whether or not the mutual fund is right for you.

The Top Commodities to Invest In

The top commodities to invest in, this is the most important question if you are thinking about investing in commodities. The two top most commodities that you must seriously consider investing in are gold and silver also known as the yellow metal and the white metal. Both these commodities are experiencing unprecedented boom for the last many years.
In 2011, gold prices made huge gains. The debasing of paper currencies is going on unabated. FED has lowered the interest rates on USD to the lowest level and plans to keep this low level for 2012. When interest rates fall, inflation rises in the economy. Inflation is considered to be the destroyer of wealth. Wealthy people in times of inflation always seek a safe haven for their wealth.
Gold has always been considered to a store of wealth in human history. It still holds this position in human mind. Gold prices historically have been observed to rise when the inflation in the global economy rises. This is precisely what has been happening in the past few years.
Gold prices started as low as $800 few years back. Last year, gold prices hit the historical high of $1,920 per troy ounce in September 2011. During 2011, this market saw unprecedented price hike. After reaching $1,920 per troy ounce, the price made a retracement and is now hovering around $1,700 per ounce.
It is being predicted by many market analyst that gold prices can reach $2,200 per ounce in 2012. This is in fact a conservative prediction. There are some market analyst who are bullish and say that gold prices can reach as high as $3,000 per ounce in 2012. Now, this can be a bold prediction. But most including Morgan Stanley is putting their reputation on the line by predicting that the gold price will hit $2,200 per ounce in 2012.
Keeping in view what happened in 2011, this is very much possible. Now consider the fact that the prices right now are hovering around $1,700 ounce. If the price does hit $2,200 per ounce in 2012, it means a capital gain of $500 on each ounce that you invested in.
Suppose, you had bought 10 ounces of gold costing you $17K. If the price does hit $2,200 per ounce, your investment will grow to $22K giving you a gain of 29%. Now, you can amplify this gain by using leverage. If you just use leverage of 5:1, you can turn this $17K into $110K in 2012. But always keep this in mind that prices can go up as well as go down. So, always use leverage with caution.

55 Painless Money Saving Tips

1. Use Ebates for up to 25% cash back: Ebates is a free online coupon site that offers up to 25% cash back from top online stores like Target, eBay, Barnes & Noble, and the Gap. Registering on Ebates is free and takes just seconds. You can get more details at the Ebates website.
2. Combine your cable, internet and telephone service. Companies now offer combined services that not only cost less, but offer the convenience of a single bill. Called a Triple Play Package (Cable, Internet, and Phone), these combined service deals can save you a bundle. Resource: Check out these current Verizon Triple Play Coupons and Discounts
3. Slow down your internet service. I went to the slower internet service option with my cable company and saved $15 per month. And I haven’t noticed a difference when surfing the Net.
4. Learn the one trick to cutting your electric bill. You can build your own solar panels to generate power for your home, and it’s easier and cheaper than you may think. To learn more, Click Here.
5. Improve your credit score. A good credit score can save you thousands of dollar in interest on everything from a home loan to a car loan, and from school loans to credit cards. If you’ve never focused on your credit score before, the place to start is to get your free FICO score. Once you know where you stand, you can begin to improve your score and lower your interest payments.
6. Send away for and follow up on rebates. After you buy a product with a rebate, send in the form that day. Then mark your calendar to remind yourself to follow up with the rebate company if the check hasn’t show up.
7. Buy Your Next Cell Phone from Amazon: It may seem odd to buy a cell phone from Amazon, but they offer all of the newest phones (e.g., Droid, Storm 2, Vibrant) from AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless. Amazon offers free 2-day shipping and low prices without the hassle of mail-in rebate forms. To check out the deals, visit AmazonWireless.
8. Buy a refurbished Mac: I’ve written about this before because it is a great way to buy not only computers, but iPods and iPhones as well. You can check out the details on how to buy a refurbished iPhone here.
9. Convert to a gas water heater. They are more efficient and will save you money in the long run. Better yet, build your own solar water heater.
10. Request a reduction in the interest rate for your home equity line of credit. I did and my mortgage company agreed to reduce the rate by more than 0.50%. And if you are looking for a home equity loan,LendingTree Home Equity Loansis a great place to check out available options.
11. Request a reduction in the interest rate on your credit cards. As with home equity loans, credit card companies sometimes are willing to reduce the interest rate. It can’t hurt to ask. If your credit card company won’t help you, switch to a low interest credit card or a one of several 0% APR credit cards
12. Refinance you mortgage. If you can reduce your interest rate by one percent or more, it is often beneficial to refinance. This is particularly true for those with high rates due to less than stellar credit scores. If your score has improved, you may qualify for a better rate. I would start by asking your current mortgage lender about lower rates. Here’s a table of refinance rates that is updated daily.
13. Get rid of Private Mortgage Insurance. If your down payment was less than 20%, you are probably paying PMI. Once you have a 20% cushion through reducing your debt and home appreciation (yes, prices do go up from time to time), contact your mortgage company to start the process of removing the PMI.
14. Get your books from the library. I love books and read every day. While I buy some of the books I read, most come from the library. Simply put, it’s hard to beat free.
15. Get DVDs from the library. Many libraries now have movies on DVD that can be checked out. If your library offers this service, it sure beats paying Blockbuster or Netflix.
16. Get DVDs from Red Box. If your library doesn’t offer DVDs, get your moves from Red Box. It costs just one dollar per night. You find Red Box locations here. Netflix is also a great, low cost and convenient alternative.
17. Read magazines at the library or online. Too many magazines can cost a fortune. And how many times have you bought a magazine based on the cover and been disappointed by the lack of substance. At the library you can read magazines for free. And many magazines now offer their content for free online.
18. Subscribe to magazines that are must reads. If you must have a certain magazine each month, subscribe. Subscriptions offer substantial savings over the cost at the newsstand. Update: Amazon offers some great deals on personal finance magazines.
19. Buy your car over the internet: Search the internet for information on the car you want and then send e-mail requests to dealers for the best price. Even if the dealer is located in another state, the cost to have the car delivered may still be worth it. I paid $500 to have a Honda Odyssey shipped 500 miles and still saved $1,000 over the best local price available.
20. Request a discount on trash service. For some reason this is a highly competitive business. If you get a better offer in the mail for trash service, call your current trash company and ask them to beat the offer. My trash service has reduced its rates twice in six months to match competing offers.
21. Never pay checking account fees. I hate bank fees. With so many free checking account plans available, there’s no reason to pay a fee. And if the bank happens to charge you one, ask them to reverse the fee or take your business to another bank.
22. Get a rewards card. There are many reward cards that pay out in cash or points that can be redeemed for travel or products. Many of these cards don’t have an annual fee. I recently traveled to my college reunion for free using points earned from a credit card. My favorite rewards card is American Express Gold Card. It does have an annual fee, and the first year fee is waived. You can also check out my review of several travel reward credit cards.
23. Don’t pay interest on credit cards. This is obvious, but I soon as you fail to pay off the credit card in full, the high interest payments start to eat away at your monthly budget. If the temptation to spend more than you can pay on a credit card is to great, get rid of the credit card (and ignore the previous tip!).
24. Take advantage of 0% credit card offers. I’ve saved thousands of dollars using 0% balance transfer credit cards. Again, as long as the cards won’t cause you to spend more, they can offer substantial savings. Make sure, however, that you keep an eye on the balance transfer fee, which can wipe out your savings.
25. Replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFLs) bulbs. These bulbs use 75% less energy and last 10 times longer. They do take some getting used to, and they won’t work in every light fixture. But use them where it makes sense and save energy and money.
26. Drive your car longer. The buy new versus used debate often overlooks the most important factor–how long you own your car. Drive it as long as you safely can for substantial savings.
27. Pay your life insurance annually. Insurance companies charge you more if you pay monthly, quarterly or semi-annually. Pay once a year and you’ll pay less.
28. Pay car insurance semi-annually. At least with my car insurance, they offer quarterly and semi-annual payment options. It costs more to pay quarterly, and twice a year is more convenient anyway.
29. Increase insurance deductibles. Most of us don’t need to be insured for all losses over $100 on our car, for example. Although we wouldn’t want to pay a $250 or even $500 deductible, we could. If that’s you, find out how much you’d save from raising your deductible. I’ve raised my deductibles on my auto insurance and home owner’s insurance and saved a considerable amount.
30. Think before submitting an insurance claim. My rule of thumb is that I won’t submit a claim on a loss that is less than twice my deductible. So for a $250 deductible on an auto loss, I’ll pay out of pocket any loss up to $500. Why? The $250 I’d receive from my insurance company is not worth the increased premiums I’m likely to pay. You may want to call your insurance agent to find out how a claim will impact your premiums before filing the claim.
31. Get rid of your home telephone. This is a great way to save money. Many don’t do it because of the 911 service, and that’s understandable. But if you’re comfortable relying on a cell phone, there’s no reason to keep a land line. If you do, consider reducing your service to the minimum and only use the phone in an emergency.
32. Consider VOiP telephone service. We use Internet phone service and have saved substantial money over Verizon service. The phone service has been very reliable, and you’d never even know the signal was being carried over the Internet. Phone Power is a great option for internet telephone service, which costs as little as $9.95 a month. Note that the Phone Power sign-up page will have an entry for a promo code. I’ve talked to the good folks at Phone Power, and they tell me there are no promo codes; they offer the best price to everybody!
33. Shut vents in unused rooms. This isn’t advisable if you have forced air heating, but shutting vents in unused rooms can save on your heating and cooling bill.
34. Eliminate some cable service. Note that I’m not recommending getting rid of cable completely, although that’s certainly a way to save money. If you must have cable, take a look at all the charges on your cable bill and consider getting rid of some of the service. Try it for a month and see if you really miss those last 500 channels.
35. Agree to limit gift giving. At Christmas our extended family and we go overboard when it comes to gift giving. Agree in advance to limit the gifts and save everybody some money.
36. Get healthy. Your health will directly impact the cost of life insurance and, in some cases, can reduce the cost of your health insurance.
37. Cancel the health club membership. Seems to contradict the previous tip, but evaluate how much you really use your health club. Less expensive options may include a gym at your work or a gym at your local parks and recreation center. Some offer pay as you go options rather than monthly fees, which can be great for those of us who aren’t as consistent in our routines as we’d like to be.
38. Pass on extended warranties. A $129 two year extension on a $300 product is just not worth it. Warranties are insurance, and we rarely need to insure such a small amount.
39. Take your lunch to work one more day a week than you do now. Eating out at lunch is fun, so I wouldn’t eliminate it completely. But taking lunch just one more day a week will keep money in your pocket.
40. Buy low cost mutual funds. This is easy to miss because the money doesn’t come out of your pocket each month. But keep an eye on the cost of the mutual funds in your 401(k) and other investments. My rule of thumb is that no fund should cost more than 1% and the combined cost for all your funds should be less than 0.50%. If you don’t believe that even a half percent can make a big difference, read this.
41. Take advantage of employer 401(k) matches. If your employer matches 401(k) contributions, do everything you can to take full advantage of that match.
42. Use flexible spending accounts. FSAs allow you to pay certain medical, dental and child care expenses using pre-tax dollars. If your not taking advantage of these accounts, you’re wasting money. Enrollment at many companies is occurring now, so check with your HR department if you have any questions about FSAs.
43. Get tires from Costco or other wholesale clubs. Simply put, they cost a lot less than buying them at the dealer or even a chain tire store.
44. Keep tires properly inflated. It keeps you safe and costs less on gas.
45. Stop smoking. Need I say more?
46. Drink less alcohol. It costs money and adds calories.
47. Buy term life insurance. Any other life insurance product is just not worth the extra cost.
48. Buy generic over-the-counter medicines. They are exactly the same as their branded counterparts and cost less.
49. Get organized and avoid missed payments. I’ve missed a payment or two because the bill got buried beneath a stack of papers. Get organized and avoid those late payment penalties. If you do miss a payment, call your creditor and ask to have the penalty removed. They’ll usually accommodate the request, at least the first time.
50. Buy online when it saves you money. I’ve used Amazon to buy more than just books. It sells just about anything and sometimes at substantial savings.
51. Consider MythTV PVR in replace of TiVo type services. I just ran across MythTV and am still investigating it. I pay $15 a month to my cable company for a DVR box and would love to save the money. If you’ve used MythTV, let us know how well it works. You can get more information about MythTV here.
52. Use Open Source software when possible. I use GIMP instead of Photoshop. GIMP is free; Photoshop ain’t.
53. Check the insulation in your home. Extra insulation can easily pay for itself in one or two years, and it helps save the environment, too.
54. Buy energy efficient appliances. Look for the Energy Star on appliances and consider the annual energy cost before buying. More efficient appliances cost more, but you make up the extra cost and then some over the life of the product.
55. Stay married. Yes, I did say 54 “painless” money-saving tips. Yes, I know that some marriages end because of abuse and other extreme circumstances. “Isn’t marriage about love”, you ask. Sometimes. “You don’t know my situation”, you say. True. But I lived through the emotional and financial pain of two divorces as a child, and I’ve been married to the same woman for more than 23 years, so I know plenty. Am I telling you not to get a divorce? Of course not. I am telling you that divorce will wreck your finances and your spouse’s finances. And if you want some tips on how to get your ex back, click here.

List of Ways to Save Money

Start with the tips below and then proceed to our ten step checklist to save money.

Get car insurance quotes and make sure that you have health insurance.
Clip coupons at Coupons.com, SmartSource and PrintableGroceryCoupons.net.
Buy generic everything. Many generics are exactly the same as brand names.
Get a mortgage refinance quote to see if you pay too much for home payments.
Get free offers here.
Buy in bulk and get rewards cards at the supermarket.
Insulate your home and use fans and ventilation instead of AC.
Walk or take the bus and sell your car.
Create a budget.
Use Skype.com if you talk on the phone a lot, especially internationally.
Travel cheap. Stay at hostels, Couch Surf or Air BnB.
Use an online savings account that pays better interest, like ING Direct.
Pack lunch and bring coffee to work.
Have a drink at home before going to the bar.
Get a rewards credit or debit card.
Invest your money. Vanguard or Scottrade is a good place to start.
Get a credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com, the government sponsored credit reporting website.
Ask for a discount on large purchases like a refrigerator or washing machine.
Take advantage of federal tax credits for energy efficiency with Energy Star.
Use the library. They have plenty of books, CD’s and DVDs. You can also request that the library buy certain books.
Make saving a game. Set goals and give yourself a reward if you reach them.
Don’t follow your impulse. If you feel the urge to buy something, wait a few days and see if you still want it.
At the grocery store look down. Items below eye level are often cheaper.
Print a grocery list and stick to it.
Take up hobbies that don’t cost money.
Set the thermostat when you’re not home to save energy.
Use open source software. It’s free and usually as good. For example use Open Office instead of Microsoft Word or Excel.
Quit smoking. This calculator shows you how much you could save.
Buy a quality used car instead of new. A new car is worth thousands less as soon as it leaves the lot.
Food Bank. If you cannot afford food, find a food bank that gives out bags of groceries.
Get rid of credit card debt. A $20 shirt could actually cost $200 with fees and interest if you don’t pay your credit card bill right away.
Donate and have yard sales for the stuff that you don’t use.
Watch for fees. Fees are everywhere; bank fees, atm fees, cash checking fees, late fees. These can add up over time.
Group discounts. Try to get a bargain on everything and ask if you can get a discount, especially if you have a large group.
Instead of buying things new, get them used or for free on Craig’s List.
Lotto and Gambling. Generally, people lose money on the lotto and especially gambling. If you quit or limit this, you will save money.