We have a new “Welcome Video” for Club TUKI that I would love your comments on. Please let us know what you think of this new video.
For those of you who may not be aware of what Club TUKI is, let me give you a brief explanation. This is a one of a kind, patented, educational rewards engine based, kids gaming site. Filled with educational games that teach kids about money, finance, math, geography, Internet safety, health & nutrition and success principles. We continue to add educational games and we are always looking for game developers to contribute educational games to this site.
We have been told by a number of teachers they use these games in their classrooms to help teach math, subtraction, multiplication, geography and Internet safety.
If you have children that like to play games and win real stuff you must check out www.ClubTuki.com.
Balancing your checkbook and monitoring your credit-card bills every month will help you determine exactly what you are spending. By bringing attention to your spending, you will start to see patterns and begin to set priorities. One priority should be putting money into savings, no matter how modest the amount. Even taking the loose change out of your pockets each day and putting it into a piggy bank can make a difference.
You can avoid impulse buying when you use a shopping list especially when grocery shopping. Take time each week to go through your pantry and fridge to determine what you need based on what meals you plan to prepare, what’s on sale and in season..
Money magazine cites a study of supermarket receipts showing that shoppers with credit cards spend an average of 30 percent more than those who use cash, largely on purchases of nonessential items. Consumer’s pay less attention to what they’re buying when they use credit. Another study showed that when college students used cash at their campus bookstore, they could recall what they spent 68 percent of the time, versus 35 percent for students who used credit.
It’s tempting to think you’ll get a better deal if you buy a whole crate of peaches or an entire case of cough syrup. But if the food spoils faster than you can eat it, or the "use by" date passes on medicine before it’s used up, you’ve wasted money. Be realistic about what you’ll use and keep your volume purchases to paper towels, trash bags, diapers and detergent.
"Price of Food is very high right now and that’s reflected in restaurant prices, plus there is a huge markup on prepared foods," said Mike Russo, consumer advocate for the California Public Interest Research Group. You can save money on food by making your own lunch and in turn you save gas by not driving to a restaurant. This is also an opportunity to eat a healthier diet since you can control the amount of mayonnaise on your chicken sandwich and cheese on your salad. For a little variety, have an occasional office sandwich swap or potluck.
Exchange books, music and DVD’s with friends or trade them on the internet via member sites such as paperbackswap.com. The public library does not just offer books, movies and DVDs; it also offers a wealth of events and activities including lectures, film series and exhibits. Check out your local parks and recreation centers for free or nominally priced programs, classes and activities for seniors, singles, children and families.
The U.S. Department estimates that each 5 miles per hour above 60 mph that drivers go costs them an additional 30 cents per gallon of gas. Keep your tires properly inflated and aligned, refrain from constant braking and accelerating, eliminate extra cargo in the car and remove roof racks and other aerodynamic drags. (A roof rack can make your car 2 percent to 3 percent less efficient.)
Install a programmable thermostat set to heat or cool your house only when you need it and cut your energy bill by 10 percent to 20 percent, according to the Energy Department. Replace your old incandescent light bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescent ones and put the lamps on timers. Connect your entertainment center and/or computer workstation to a smart power strip. Energy-saving power strips cut power to all devices on the strip, so every time you power down your workstation, you shut down your monitor, printer, scanner and so on.
Review your savings account with your banker to insure that you are getting the highest interest rate possible. As your savings build, consider transferring the money into relatively short-term certificates of deposit, which can generate a steady stream of interest income until the stock and bond markets improve. If you are paying high interest rates on your credit cards, call the card issuer and try to negotiate a lower rate. Some issuers would rather lower the rate than lose a reliable customer. Jennifer Delcamp Wallis, author of "Get Out of Debt and Stay Out of Debt,’ offers tips for renegotiating a credit-card rate at betterbudgeting.com.
Get help if your bills are stacking up and you are having trouble making your mortgage payments. There are nonprofit counseling agencies to assist homeowners. Start by calling the Homeownership Preservation Foundation’s hotline at (888) 995-HOPE or go to the Website 995hope.or for more information. Counselors will work with callers to help come up with a plan, which may include contacting mortgage companies to work out more favorable loan terms or monthly payments. The foundation partners with community-based nonprofit organizations, callers may be referred to a local counseling agency for more personal help.