Is Your Money Falling Through the Cracks?
Does your money just seem to disappear? Well it doesn't jump out of your pockets by itself now does it? The following has been provided by Barbara Dixon. She was a recent guest of the I Hate Debt radio show. She is a success coach, has written several books and is the creator of The Mindful Millionaires Game.

1. Make your own coffee for your commute. Use a spill-proof thermos to keep it hot.
2. Drink water instead of purchasing sodas from vending machine. For you bottled water people, buy in bulk.
3. Give service gifts like babysitting, housecleaning, mowing someone’s lawn, cooking, etc.
4. Camping is fun and inexpensive; much cheaper than a resort vacation.
5. Buy in bulk the things that you frequently use; it saves time and money.
6. Stop subscriptions for magazines that you don’t read. If you are a couple of months behind on your reading, you will probably never get to it.
7. Always shop from a list and don’t deviate.
8. Use coupons and actually save the money!
9. Make “spending less” a game; have fun with this process.
10. Take a vacation in your own home town. You will see it with new eyes and appreciate it more.
11. Get a free checking account.
12. Pay your bills on time, avoid late fees.

These tip have been provided by Barbara Dixon. They and many more can be found in her book "Is Your Money Falling Through the Cracks?".

Stretch Your Money
You can make your money go further. And you can do it painlessly. And you can have fun too! The following has been provided by Kimberly A. Griffiths. She was a recent guest of the I Hate Debt radio show. She shares her personal experiences while getting out of debt so that others can benefit from her successes. Listen to Kimberly's interview here.

10 Ways to save $50 per month: The art of pinching a penny until it screams

1. Save up to 50% per month on convenience cleaner cloths by cutting them into half, i.e. dryer softener cloths, face cleanser cloths, etc.
   Savings: $5 per month
2. Find more thoughtful gifts and buy when the item is on sale, shop for birthdays and holidays throughout the year not at the time of the events.
   Savings: $10 per month
3. Bring your lunch to work once a week instead of eating out.
   Savings: $7 x 4 weeks = $28 per month
4. Don't go to the coffee shop on the weekends.
   Savings: 2 visits @ $2 = $4 per week x 4 weeks = $16 per month
5. If you carry a balance on your credit card, and you're only able to afford paying the minimum monthly amount, pay weekly installments instead of one monthly payment. For example, if you owe $100 per month, pay $25 per week. Because credit card companies accrue interest daily on your balance, paying only once a month is a huge detriment to your fiscal health.
   Savings: $10 - $100 per month (or more!)
6. Instead of a family night out, consider having an old fashion picnic together or a bike ride. Curbing entertainment costs doesn't mean curbing the fun.
   Savings: $25+ per month
7. Spend a day cooking meals that can be frozen for later use for your family. Once-A-Month Cooking, a book by Mary Beth Lagerborg and Mimi Wilson, features grocery lists and recipes to prepare and freeze a month's worth of food for you and your family. Not only are you able to purchase the food in bulk, this method prevents having to throw away any spoiled food.
   Savings: $50+ per month
8. If you are a regular monthly book buyer, stop the habit and visit your library instead! If you insist on buying books, buy it used at your local store or online at merchants such as www.half.com or www.amazon.com. Even a better idea, how about selling the books you have that you don't need!
   Savings: $5 - 15 per month
9. Use less expensive gasoline. If you live in North America and have Internet access, you are able to search for the cheapest gas price in your neighborhood with Gas Buddy, www.gasbuddy.com.
   Savings: $5 - 15 per month
10. Use two-for-one coupons when dining out; search for these in local newspapers, flyers, and in your "junk mail." If you are a group of four or more people, consider buying dining certificates at Restaurant.com, www.restaurant.com. After choosing your city and state on the Website, you will be presented with a listing of restaurants vying for your dining dollar!
    Savings: $5- $50 per month

This is an excerpt from One Paycheck at a Time by Kimberly A. Griffiths, ISBN: 1591133327. ONE PAYCHECK AT A TIME, a 200 page workbook, contains budget management exercises for an entire year of paychecks. The author, Kimberly A. Griffiths, has been through the vicious cycle of debt herself, and provides a no-nonsense system to managing your money paycheck to paycheck. You customize the journal based on your pay schedule and learn the necessary tools for making ends meet.

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Sincerely,
Amanda
(2nd Grade School Teacher, Washington)

"I got myself into over $56,000 in Debt. I don't know how it happened. It seemed like it happened so quick. All of a sudden I found myself in a position where there was no way I could pay that debt off within my lifetime. I was making the minimum payments and the balance never seemed to go down. Then, i missed a couple payments and they raised my interest rate to 33%. It was at this point that I knew I had to do something. I was looking at Bankruptcy at this point and then luckily found your website. I know that Bankruptcy was the last option but you have informed me that I can actually get out of Debt without filing bankruptcy. I'm on the path to getting rid of this debt. Thank you.... I hate debt.com
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(Receptionist, Texas)