If your thinking about retiring early mostly what you have to consider are numbers. Here are just some quick rules of thumb to consider:

According to CNN/Money the first number you have to consider is how much longer will you live. Their answer is 95 to 100.

How much income do you need? Experts estimate that some people need as much as 100 percent or more of their pre-retirement income.

How big does your portfolio need to be?  Most experts reccommend you have a portfolio about 25 times the amount you withdraw for your first year of retirement. So if you want $60,000 per year of inflation adjusted income from your investments you would need a portfolio of about $1,500,000.

What age can you start collecting Social Security Benefits? - 62 years old

Those are just some quick numbers to consider. You also need to consider if you can deal with early retirement psychologically. What would you do with your time, if you didn’t work?

Maybe early retirement is too big a step. Why not think about semi-retirement. Is it possible to consult in your field as opposed to working full time? Do you have a hobby or a passion you might enjoy making into a part-time business? Could you stand to work a part time retail job if there were health insurance as a benefit?

See our previous post   Tips-On-Retiring-Early

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Hey Cheapskaters, You know how we love free stuff - well here is an offer I saw in the Dear Abby column in our local paper.  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Women’s Health wants to encourage women to get the most out of their health and beauty products by taking the time to read the directions and following them properly. The message to women is “Take Time to Care…. Health and Beauty.

In celebration of National Women’s Health Week this week, the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration is offering a free Health and Beauty Kit that includes tools for making informed choices about the cosmetics and other products women use every day. According to the letter in Abby’s column this effort has already been paid for with taxpayer dollars, including postage and handling.

Okay cheapskaters, looks like we might as well get what we paid for so just click  Free-Health-And-Beauty-Kit to order. This offer is also available in Spanish. I just ordered mine. I’ll let you know when I get it.

Please see our previous post Free-Office-Software-For-Home-And-Business

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Do You Have Student Driver Auto Insurance Sticker Shock?

Hey parents, do you have the blues over your kid’s card insurance bill? Sometimes when you add a student to your own car insurance policy, your premiums can double or triple.  However, we do believe that you can find affordable young driver car insurance.

>>> You are 4 Minutes From Cheaper Auto Insurance <<<

This is because you may be responsible middle aged drivers with a long driving history with no recent accidents or traffic tickets. Now you are adding a member of a very high risk driving group. Even if your own student driver is a very careful and responsible driver, auto insurance companies do not believe they have enough driving history to make a judgement. So your student is lumped in with one of the highest risk groups, especially if your student is a boy!

However, you can still take the edge off of the bill by looking for every discount you can find. Many car insurance companies will give your student a break for keeping a B average up in school. And of course, normal discounts apply to your young driver, just like they would apply to you. Driving one of the safer cars to insure, having anti-theft and safety devices, or combining multiple policies can shave off a very large percent of the bill.

And yes, you should shop. You may get a better car insurance rate from a company that wants your business, at least for the first year. With the internet, it is simple to compare car insurance rates online. And well, after that first year passes, your young driver will have established him or herself as a good driver (we hope). Good luck out there.

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The most popular tip you always hear is to keep your tires inflated and that does really work. My mechanic had actually kept track of his fuel consumption on trips to Austin and when the tires were inflated properly he did get better mileage. Also give your car regular tune ups and do scheduled maintenance. Your car is just like your body, if you maintain well, will run smoothly and efficiently.

Our local paper also mentioned not topping off your tank because fuel can slosh out of the tank.

One thing in the article that interested me was the recommendation not to buy premium fuel unless it is required. According to consumer advice experts premium fuel is for performance not fuel economy. The other thing was that the most significant savings came from reducing aggressive driving habits. 

Using cruise control saves up to 14% fuel consumption.

Avoiding excessive idling saves up to 19%

Drive the speed limit. According to the article “As a rule of thumb, you can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $.20 per gallon for gas.”

On the airconditioner vs. windows down - no difference (unless you have a sun roof and you have that down too).

Two places to find more tips if you would like are Edmonds.com and fueleconomy.gov

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Hey Cheapskaters, summer is coming and if you are thinking about international travel here are  some tips to make your dollar go further. The dollar has been falling against most of the world’s currencies which means it is going to cost you more to travel in most other countries. I read in our paper even India is avoiding dealing in dollars. They are requiring tourists to pay entrance fees to monuments in the local currency instead of dollars. So here are some tips from our local travel section:

Eat like a local or eat ethnic - Whenever I watch Rick Steve’s program - Travel In Europe, he is always going to really cool places to eat that are not tourist traps. I would even go so far as to recommend you look at one of his guides. I have also used Fodor’s travel guides and found them very helpful.

Dine near an outdoor market - They tend to attract less expensive eateries that cater to workers and shoppers. Makes sense.

Watch for seasonal deals on airfares and hotel - This means traveling to places in the off season. We live in Texas and our schools let out earlier than the eastern schools. One year we went to Maine in May. It was still off season and we got some really cheap rates.

Pick you price - For bargains on name-brand hotel chains, Priceline.com lets you name your own price bids on four and five star hotels overseas and in Canada (see www.biddingfortravel.com for travelers’ tips) on how to bid.

Select the best destinations - Southest Asia, Latin America, Africa and the Middle East are the bargain foreign destinations for American travelers, but if you really want Europe, consider less popular regions and countries i.e. Sicily instead of Tuscany.

Stay or eat in residential areas - usually cheaper because downtown  locations tend to cater to those with expense accounts.

Use public transportation instead of taxis and renting a car - An all day passs of the London Underground and Buses is 6.60 pounds or about $13.50 compared to $14.00 - $22.00 for one taxi ride of two miles.

Find out if it’s less expensive to fly between cities on one the new no-frills airlines: Check out www.whichbudget.com or www.attidtudetravel.com for a list of who flies where.

Minimize foreign currency exchange fees when using credit cards or withdrawing cash from automated teller machines in other countries, including Mexico and Canada: Use cards that carry a maximum 1 percent fee on each charge or withdrawal (available from small community banks, credit unions, etc., as  opposed to bigger national banks, which charge 3 percent or more). Capital One (www.capitalone.com) issues a no annual fee Visa of MasterCard with no foreign currency transaction fee.

Consider an apartment or condo rental instead of a hotel for longer stays: Deal directly with the aprtment or condo owner if possible. Avoid rental agencies that ask you to pay in full up front. And negotiate a reasonable deposit.

Read the fine print in group-tour and cruise contracts to find out if the price might change if the dollar’s value drops: Prices might be higher than advertised in the brochures.

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Do You Have Silver in Your Pocket Change?

This post on Silver In Pocket Change took me back. I remembered spending some time with my dad going through the change he took in at his store. We were on a treasure hunt, looking for silver dimes, quarters, and halves which were minted on or before 1964. Why? Well, 1964 was the last year that many coins were minted from 90% silver. In a short time, the value of the silver was much more then the face value of the coins.

In fact, half dollars were still 40% silver from 1965 until 1970, and many people report finding silver halves in bank rolls and pocket change today! People who live near banks in smaller towns tend to have the best luck. Apparently the large coin distributors who serve larger banks already go though the change, or else too many people have already been treasure hunting to make looking worthwhile.

However, you can still find quantities of US silver coins for sale at flea markets, auctions, and online auctions. This is often the cheapest way to buy silver because you aren’t paying for a fancy coin. And US silver is something that everybody recognizes. To get more help understanding the value of US Silver Coins, try this free US silver coin value calculator.

Also note that WWII coins were minted with some silver because other base metals were in short value during the war effort. A lot of people do not know about that, so learn about the value of WWII Silver Nickels.

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Well fellow cheapskaters, the news has been so grim lately about the economy. I read that Americans had negative savings this year and the cost of things just keeps going up, up, up. But the great thing about being a cheapskater is we know how deal with this. I frequently read from Sarah Ban Breathnach’s book Simple Abundance and I want to pass on an entry in her book that is particularly relevant and helpful at times when the news seems all bad.

In her meditation about “The Good Life” she talks about the days of the Great Depression and couple named Scott and Helen Nearing. The Nearings abandoned life in New York City to become twentieth-century pioneers in the Green Mountains of Vermont. The Nearings went in search of the good life: “simplicity, freedom from anxiety….. an opportunity to be useful and live harmoniously.” The part that I really like is where she lists Helen Nearing’s suggestions for living less stressfully. So here they are and I hope you find them as comforting as I do.

Do the best you can, whatever arises.

Be at peace with yourself.

Find a job you enjoy.

Live in simple conditions; housing, food, clothing, get rid of clutter.

Contact nature every day, feel the earth under your feet.

Take physical exercise through hard work; through gardening or walking.

Don’t worry; live one day at a time (also Richard Carlson of Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff favorite piece of advice)

Share something every day with someone else; if you live alone, write someone; give something away; help someone else somehow.

Take time to wonder at life and the world; see some humor in life where you can.

Observe the one life in all things.

Be kind to creatures.

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How Do Cheap People Buy Clothes?

Buying clothes as a confirmed cheapskate does mean looking for bargains, but it doesn’t mean going for the cheapest price on everything in your closet! Look at this article on cheap clothes shopping. They mention some items, like cute T shirts or funky jewelry that you will probably be fine picking up at your local discount store. T shirts don’t tend to last long anyway, because they have to be washed very often. Trendy items, for instance those clunky green earrings that you had to have five years ago, will sit in your jewelry box when the season’s colors switch over from hot tropical to muted peach.

However, some staple items like a classic black dress and black dress pants, sturdy and comfortable shoes, and of course, underthings like bras, should be of a good quality. These items can serve you well for years, and if you spend a little more on quality, you will proably save money over several years.

So go ahead and buy the T shirt with the latest print from a rack at the outlet where you buy your socks, but be a little more generous when you budget for classic and essential items like dress clothes, shoes, and supportive wear.

If you have to buy an evening gown which you may only wear a few times consider an upscale consignment shop. You can find fabulous gowns that have probably only been worn once for a fraction of the cost. These shops are usually located close to the affluent neighborhoods in your area because the people who sell those gowns to the shops live close by. I promise you it is worth the trip though to check out these shops.  

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If you have a stomach ache or upset stomach, chamomile tea is the best rememdy I know. There are several varieties available at the grocery store - honey chamoile, lemon chamomile and mint chamomile - and they all work equally well. Chamomile tea is inexpensive. It costs maybe $2.00 for a box of 20 bags. You really can’t overdose on this stuff either. When I or my kids have an upset stomach, I put two or three chamomile tea bags in a cup and drink it. Pretty soon I start to feel better. Chamomile is also good if you are having trouble getting to sleep. Celestial Seasonings makes a blend of chamomile with valerian which really works well for relaxation and inducing sleep.

Chamomile is an amazing herb. If I were stranded on a desert island and I could only have one herb, it would be chamomile. According to Pamela Allardice author of Natural Remedies, chamomile has long been cultivated as a medicinal herb and early documents refer to chamomile compresses being used for healing everythings from abcesses to rheumatism. She says a very mild infusion (steeping a tea bag in hot water) may be given to colicky babies. She also offers this tip - adding a strong brew of chamomile tea to bath water will have a soothing effect on dry or sunburned skin. Other uses are soothe a sore throat, ease the pain of arthritis and menstrual cramps and a chamomile bath to reduce symptoms of hemorrhoids.

You can also purchase chamomile in oil form (ask for essential oils). You can use the oil to speed wound healing, treating burns and bruises, earache, neuralgia and toothache.

Avoid chamomile if you taking an anticoagulent, are allergic to daises or are pregnant.

UPDATE: Some digestive problems are caused by poor colon health. We found that a simple impacted colon can cause long term and short term health problems, fatigue, and discomfort. That is why colon cleansing products are becoming much more popular. Are colon cleansing products bad or good?

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Check our post on natural allergy remedies at curepure.com natural-allergy-remedies

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Free Money For College

Your search for federal grant money for college starts with a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form. This is the federal student aid form, but it is also used by state grants, and even by private colleges, to determine a student’s financial need.

Free Online Scholarship Search

We also found a free online college scholarship search that is free to sign up for, and even offers its own semi-annual scholarship drawing. You will automatically be registered when you join. The online search includes over 40,000 sources of free scholarship money which totals to over $10,000,000! So it is well worth your time to create a short profile, confirm your email search, and start looking for free college money.

Money Saving College Tips

Also see some amazing tips on How To Afford College on a Budget!

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