Did you know that if you did not receive an stimulus check last year for one reason or another, then you may qualify for it this year?  Neither did we.  However, you can read a little bit more about it over at My Two Dollars.  You can also read more about it on the IRS website at the Recovery Rebate Credit Information Center.

American Consumer News provides 5 tips to help you pay off debt.  All of these are great!  We would just like to add that you may want to keep track of them by using a service like, well, Geezeo!  It really helps to stay on track if you are actively watching the numbers go down.

Do you know what a life without debt looks like?  SavingAdvice.com shows you.  We really like this statement: “When you decide to live debt free, you have to balance what you want with what you can realistically afford without dinging other parts of your budget.”  Geezeo allows you to create a budget that is easy to follow because we do all the hard work for you!

When should you hire a professional, and when should you just do it yourself?  Dawn at Fighting Foreclosure asked just that.  Be sure to check out the comments as well, as some posters left some good advice on other areas that may be beneficial to hire professionals.

Can clutter cost you money?  American Consumer News gives some very good advice when it comes to that clutter.  While it may be difficult to do, you need to go through and get rid of clutter.  Better yet, “the less clutter you bring into your life, the less clutter you will later have to remove from your life.”

We hope you enjoyed these blogs just as much as we did.  Don’t forget that you still have a change to win $6,000 in The Great Geezeo Bailout!

Geezeo is all about helping people make educated financial decisions, not turning them into misers.  Keeping a budget and focusing on your money doesn’t make you cheap.  Cheap is not the same as thrift or frugality.  Frugal is a way of being that emphasizes getting the most value for your dollar.  Cheap is strictly about spending as little as possible.  The quest to become master of your financial domain is useless if you end up sitting alone on a mountain of cash.  To keep from going there, read these four cheapskate warning signs.

You feel entitled to a discount.  All the time.   
A wise money manager always inquires about deals and does so politely. Cheapsters consistently try to get something for nothing.  The worst offenders actively seek deficiency in a product or service to justify being given a discount. You may notice them yelling, berating sales people, or otherwise pushing people around to get what they want. It’s not the principle it’s the money.  Smart consumers know they have endless choices when shopping and there is no need to tolerate truly bad service or quality, even for a discount.  

Nobody likes going to dinner with you.   
Do you pull out a calculator when the check comes?   Nobody wants to ruin a good time haggling over a bill.  Eating out with friends is give and take.  Take turns picking up the check.  It’s dinner not a math test.  If you’re on a budget let your friends know and stick to your number. 

But calculating every penny isn’t the worst cheapskate dining behavior.  Do you know someone who is NEVER happy with the service and leaves little or nothing as a tip?   While over-tipping isn’t recommended, choosing to under-tip after receiving competent service says a lot about your character.  A date or business associate won’t be impressed if you seem to lack the ability to treat others fairly.  

Your buying decisions are based on solely on price. 
Researching and taking the time to find the best deal on an item is frugal.  A low price doesn’t  make something economical. Buying the cheapest can actually cost more if the item needs to be replaced or repaired.  Even in an economic crisis most Americans are still fortunate enough to consider the impact their purchases have on the environment, their community, and the world.  A good buy used to mean great product at a great price.  Now it can also mean supporting the companies and people who share your values.  If you can only afford the cheapest then so be it. Being able to afford the best value and buying the cheapest doesn’t mean you’re spending wisely. 

You give thoughtless gifts. 
The point of a gift is to let a person know you love, appreciate, or respect them.  Thoughtless gifts send the opposite message which is bad for all relationships, from love to business.  This doesn’t mean you can’t re-gift.  Re-gifting is frugal when done with consideration.  Giving Aunt Mabel those stilettos you never wore is cheap. Unfortunately custom sometimes demands we buy a gift for a person  we’re not crazy about. In the end it’s about the relationship and not the gift itself.  Make sure what you give is appropriate to enhance or maintain the relationship.  At bare minimum your gift should demonstrate respect for the receiver. 

So you’re probably noticing an underlying theme here.  Everything comes back to the golden rule.  If saving a few bucks gets in the way of being a good person are you really getting ahead?

Photo: www.rupertjeffries.com

There’s nothing like a major life change to give one some perspective and clarity. A couple of months ago I ended a long term relationship. I thought he was ‘the one’ and that we’d be together for good.

Things didn’t work out that way and I found myself looking for a new place to live. My challenge was to find something cheap that wasn’t too depressing. And I did. On a long term temporary basis I am renting a room in a fabulous house in the neighborhood in which I always wanted to live.

I have three housemates. This arrangement allows me to live in a place I couldn’t afford on my own without forking over a ridiculous amount of rent. I can focus on growing my business, save money, and get used to being single. (That last part I’m really enjoying by the way!)

But I’ve learned something very interesting and I’d like to share it with my Geezeo family.

When I moved into the house I brought only what I needed to function on a daily basis and my family photos. The plan was to bring over the non-essentials in dribs and drabs as time permitted. I sold off my collection of vintage clothing and handbags. I kept only the clothes and shoes that fit into my available closet space and gave the rest to charity. That was eight weeks ago. I haven’t brought another thing into my space and I have absolutely no desire to do so. I have what I need and everything else is just clutter.

I do not miss any of my possessions. I don’t wish to be surrounded by clothes, books, DVD’s, flea market art, kitchen gadgets, or excess beauty products. I have what I need and (gasp!) that’s all I need. I am getting along just fine without these various objects I believed were important enough to spend my time and money accumulating.

I didn’t consider myself a Shopaholic but I certainly bought a lot of stuff.

How many hours have I used earning money then shopping?

How many thousands of dollars went toward bringing this stuff into my life?

What else could I have done with all that time and money?

These questions have forced me to think much harder about my financial choices and those seemingly small purchases that added up to a houseful of stuff I really didn’t need.

I’m thinking much harder now before buying an item I’d have to bring home. If I’m doing fine without something then I just don’t need it. I’m not rationalizing a purchase by convincing myself that what I’m buying is useful.

Living with house mates has helped me develop some simpler habits. With limited fridge space it just doesn’t make sense to buy more food than I can realistically use for the week. No more stocking up on things that I may or may not get around to cooking. I also don’t want to be the house couch potato. Cable is included in my rent but I don’t watch much television anymore. If I had to pay extra for cable I could easily do without. Spare time is now spent exercising, socializing, or working.

I use my car to drive to the train station, for trips to the supermarket, and when work requires that I drive to a client’s home. If a chore can be easily done without driving I don’t use the car.

I have shifted from a pretty typical American lifestyle to something much simpler. And it’s really nice. I believe happiness is a choice. Even when things seem bad I’m still thankful and thrilled to be me because I have a great life. Discovering that I can choose to live with much less is a new level of happiness. Living simply has taken away so much of the pressure related to improving my finances. I don’t feel deprived because I’m not allowing my perceived needs to become bigger than my actual needs.

To all the users who Confess to overspending, there is hope. It is possible to change your habits. If I can do it anyone can. Stick with Geezeo, keep using the tools and sharing your stories. We’re here for you!