P H O T O : V E E R

FAMILY MONEY

better

savin

guide to everyday

By b le n d in g o ld -fa s h io n e d c o m m o n sense

a n d n e w te c h n o lo g ic a l to o ls , w e ’ve fo u n d

e n o u g h w ays o f savin g m o n e y t o c o v e r

e v e ry le tte r in th e a lp h a b e t.

by CHRISTINA TYNAN-W O O D

A &

^automate

“Most people don’t know where their money goes,” says

Sandy Shore, senior counselor at Novadebt.org. One

way to keep track of your spending is at Mint.com. At

this free site, you register anonymously to set up links to

your checking account, loans, and credit cards. In a few

minutes, you’ll see where the money is going and be able

to set up a realistic budget. E-mail or text alerts warn you

of low balances, low available credit, and bills due. The

software may save you money by advising a switch to

lower-fee accounts and cards.

Bs f,beauty

Linsey Knerl, one of the authors of

1 0 , 0 0 1

W

a y s t o L i v

e

L a r g e o n a S m

a l l B u d g e t ,

suggests hitting the local

beauty school to save half or

more on the cost of lads’

haircuts. Like what you see?

T ry it yourself: Start with a

shampoo, rinse, and blow -dry

before working up to a cut

and highlighting.

C

is

forcredit cards

is for

Does your credit card pay you to use it? Cash-back cards pay rewards whenever you charge. Take note: This tip

is only for people who pay their balance off each month. (It makes no sense to get 1 percent back and then pay 20

times that in interest.) Look for a card with rewards that match the way you spend and that let you spend those

rewards the way you want.

BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS AUGUST 2009 2 2 7