Debt Free by 2013

Guest Post by Katie Malcolm 

Being in debt is upsetting. You know that all you need to get rid of debt is a little extra money, but that extra cash is sure hard to come by. However, with a little initiative and a lot of motivation, being debt-free is certainly an obtainable goal. Here are five simple ways you can combat debt in 12 months or less.

Cut Up Your Credit Cards

The first step toward becoming debt-free is making a firm decision to spend your money differently. Study your current accounts and pick one credit card to use only in an emergency situation. Cut up all of the rest of your cards.
Don't close any of your credit card accounts, however. Closing an account lowers your debt-to-available-credit ratio and reduces the length of your credit history. Both of those factors will lower your credit score and you want to be a debt-free person with great credit. Just in case.

Find Small Ways to Save

Look at all of your current accounts and find small ways to save. Do you really need premium cable? You can always watch your shows for free on the TV channel's website. Ditch your Smart Phone and buy a simple prepaid cell phone that costs you $20 a month or less.
Cut out all of the small luxuries, like having rental movies mailed directly to your home and unused gym memberships. Every little bit you can save each month will quickly add up to a debt-free life.

Reduce Larger Monthly Payments

Lower your car bills by selling the vehicle you're making payments on and buying a reliable used car. While it might not look as nice as a new vehicle, it should still get you where you need to go. Shop around for cheaper car insurance as well. If you don't owe anything on your car, consider getting just the minimum insurance required by your state.
If you're renting a place to live, try haggling with your landlord to bring down your monthly payment. If this doesn't work, look for another place with lower rent. If you own a home, consider moving to a smaller house to lower your monthly mortgage payments. This might sound drastic, but you have to take some drastic measures to combat debt within 12 months.

Pay Off Debts

Now, take all of the money you saved by cutting back on expenses and throw it at your debts. Make a list of how much you owe on each of your current accounts. Start paying off your smallest loan or credit card debt first. Send in at least double the amount of the required monthly payment for the fastest results.
Once you pay off the first debt, start paying on your next smallest debt. This time, make at least the minimum monthly payment along with the same amount of money you were sending to your first creditor. Continue this pattern until all of your debts are paid off.

Pay Your Bills Early

Pay your bills early to avoid accruing any interest. Paying early also prevents costly late fees from draining your savings. You can pay many bills online to make this process faster and easier.
Combating your debts and becoming debt-free is only half the battle. Staying debt-free is the other half. Play smart with your money. Never spend any money that you don't already have. If you decide that you really want to buy some non-essential item, and then save up for it instead of putting it on a credit card.




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Safeway Updates its Coupon Policy

Safeway (which includes Von's Pavilion's, Dominick's, Randall's, Tom Thumb, and Generidi) has updated their coupon policy again. I placed the updated coupon policy below:

This policy applies to Safeway Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries in the USA
Manufacturer and Store Coupons:
1. We will redeem coupons only for the specific items included in our customer's purchase transaction. The redemption value will be as stated on the coupon, unless that value yields a final price for such item less than zero; if application of the redemption value yields a price less than zero, the coupon will be redeemed only for the amount that yields a zero price (our customer cannot net a cash credit or payout from a coupon purchase).

2. Paper coupons must be presented at the time of the purchase transaction. We will accept only coupons issued by Safeway or the manufacturer of the relevant product. We will not accept photocopies of coupons.

3. Coupons are subject to advertised offer limitations and all other limitations and restrictions on the applicable coupon or product.

4. Coupons may not be applied against any free item received in any offer.

5. Coupons have no cash value.

6. Safeway will not accept manufacturer coupons (including, but not limited to, coupons issued through a Catalina or other in-store coupon dispenser) that display another retailer's logo or name unless such coupon is for a specific item with the same product identifiers as the product included in our customer's purchase transaction and is sold and available at the store.

7. We will not accept coupons unless they have an expiration date. Expired coupons will not be accepted.

8. We will not accept coupons that, in the determination of Safeway personnel, appear distorted or blurry or are altered in any way.

9. Sales taxes will be applied in accordance with the law of the applicable state, regardless of any coupon or other discount that may apply to the purchase transaction.

10. All applicable bottle and packaging deposits on the purchased and free items must be paid by the customer.

11. Safeway reserves the right to refuse any coupons at its discretion.

12. Purchase reward thresholds (if any) will be calculated based upon customer's final price (after deducting Club Card savings and all other discounts and savings) before deductions for any manufacturer coupons. As an example (and not as an offer), if a $10 minimum purchase is required for a customer reward, a customer's order at full retail would be $12, a Club Card discount of $1.75 applies, and a manufacturer's coupon of $1 applies, the customer would be given credit for a $10.25 purchase, and would be eligible for the reward (assuming compliance with all other requirements) even though the customer's cash payment would be only $9.25. The manufacturer's coupon would not be deducted from the total for purposes of determining reward eligibility. Purchase reward thresholds (if any) will be calculated based upon customer's final price (after deducting Club Card savings, and all other discounts)

13. References to a threshold purchase requirement will exclude purchases of: Beer, Wine, Spirits, Tobacco Products, Fuel, All Fluid Items in the Refrigerated Dairy Section (including Fluid Dairy and Dairy Substitutes), Prescription Items and Co-payments, Bus/Commuter Passes, Fishing/Hunting Licenses and Tags, Postage Stamps, Money Orders, Money Transfers, Ski Tickets, Amusement Park Tickets, Event Tickets, Lottery Tickets, Phone Cards, Gift Cards, and Gift Certificates; also excluded are: Bottle Deposits, Redemption Values, and Sales Taxes.
Internet Printed Coupons:
14. We accept internet printed coupons. The same manufacturer and store coupon rules above apply to all internet printed coupons.

15. Internet printed coupons must be capable of scanning at checkout.

16. Internet printed coupons must have serial numbers and must follow an industry-standard format.

17. Manufacturer internet printed coupons must clearly indicate that they are a manufacturer coupon and must have a valid manufacture address on the printed coupon.

18. We will not accept "free product" internet printed manufacturer coupons.
Load to Card Club Coupons:
19. Internet and digital coupons that have been electronically loaded to a Safeway Club Card are automatically redeemed at the time of purchase after the club card number has been entered. All other coupon policies above apply to electronic coupons that are loaded to a club card. Internet and digital coupons electronically loaded to a Safeway Club Card are not included in any operative “double coupon” or other increase in coupon value promotion. Coupons are not accepted on online shopping orders made on Safeway.com, except Internet and digital coupons that have been electronically loaded the ‘Safeway Club Card’ being used for that order.
Doubling of Coupons:
20. Check with your local store regarding “double coupon” promotions where customers will receive double the manufacturer coupon face value off the regular or club card price up to the identified limit. Not all locations offer double coupon promotions and the terms of such promotions may differ by time and store. Limitations and restrictions for double coupon promotions may change at any time. Changes will be posted in store only. “Double coupon” promotions do not apply to any internet or digital coupons except for applicable internet printed manufacturer coupons. These explanations and restrictions on “double coupons” apply to any promotion that increases the value of a manufacturer coupon beyond its face value.
Coupon Stacking:
21. Safeway does not allow a customer to redeem two or more manufacturer coupons against the same item in a single transaction.

22. Coupon stacking policies for manufacturer coupons apply to paper and electronic coupons that have been loaded to a club card.

23. If a customer presents two coupons for the same item in a single transaction, Safeway will give the highest discount for that item, subject to the terms of the applicable offer and/or coupon.
Rainchecks:
24. Rainchecks expire ninety (90) days from the date issued and will not be accepted at any Safeway store that has the specific item in stock.

25. We reserve the right to limit Raincheck quantities based on product availability and advertised limits.

26. Rainchecks can be issued for up to six (6) items unless otherwise stated in the applicable advertisement.

27. Rainchecks will not be issued for Beer, Wine, Spirits, Tobacco Products, Fuel, All Fluid Items in the Refrigerated Dairy Section (including Fluid Dairy and Dairy Substitutes).

28. Rainchecks can be offered for store super coupon items unless otherwise specified on the coupon. Rainchecks will not be provided for items advertised as "clearance", "while supplies last," "limited quantities," or other designation indicating a limited supply.




All coupon redemption terms are subject to our Coupon Acceptance Policy in effect at time of redemption.

We may change the terms of our Coupon Acceptance Policy at any time. Such changes may become effective without advance notice or advertisement. The current Coupon Acceptance Policy will be posted at the customer service area in each store. You are also advised to periodically check our website for any changes to the terms of our Coupon Acceptance Policy.



Revision Date: 01/20/2012


- Safeway Coupon Policy

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What's the Deal with Preferred Stock?

Guest post by Andy Boyd


The landscape of investing is vast and there's no way to know everything about everything. Sometimes it's best to leave some investment products to other people and stick with something that's easy to understand, but preferred stock isn't one of those. Once you understand it and how it fits in to your portfolio, you'll wonder what you were missing.

What is it?

If any class of investments should feel rejected or ignored, it's preferred stock. The bond world doesn't claim it because it trades on stock exchanges and has the name stock. The stock world doesn't claim it because its actually closer to a type of bond than it is a stock. It's price changes more based on interest rates than it does market conditions. In short, nobody wants to claim the preferred stocks of the world but they're valuable none the less.

Some of the reasons companies issue preferred stock are complicated but the two textbook reasons may be alternative financing and takeover defense. First, most preferred stock pays a dividend which means that a company doesn't have to pay it every month (although it's rare that quality preferred stock wouldn't be paid). They can choose not to pay for as long as they please and make up the payments later on. When they issue bonds, they have to make the payments on time or risk affecting their credit rating.

Although not common with most companies, preferred stock can also be used to fight against hostile takeovers by issuing preferred shares with a poison pill attached to make the company less attractive as a takeover target.

Finally, if the company filed for bankruptcy, the assets are divided up in the hopes that shareholders won't walk away with nothing. Some creditors and debt holders get first dibs on the assets but after that, bond holders get paid, then preferred stock holders, and finally, if there's anything left, common stock holders. Holding preferred shares moves you one step up the ladder although realistically, even preferred stock holders won't get much.

Types of Preferred Stock

This is where preferred stock starts to look a lot like a bond. There are different types of preferred stock and in order to understand the many different types, you'll have to do a lot more reading but the easiest to understand is convertible preferreds. Convertible shares allow you to exchange your preferred stock for a certain amount of common stock where non-convertible doesn't have that option.

For the average investor, it's important to understand how your preferred stock works, but there's a better than average chance that you won't use the convertibility feature for long time if at all.

How to Use Preferred Stock

There are some problems with buying bonds. First, they aren't as liquid as stocks. They're more of a hassle and more expensive to buy and sell. Bonds have a minimum purchase which isn't possible for many individual investors and still keep a diversified portfolio.

But if you're an income investor looking for a safe, steady, and secure way to create an income stream, preferred stock is a great way. The bulk of the preferred stock is issued by financial companies but you can find preferred shares in other sectors as well.

What kind of dividends come with preferred shares? Much like common stock, the rates are higher when you purchase shares in a riskier company. Some of the world's largest banks have payouts of 8% or more while other, more risky companies pay well in to the double digits.

The Downside

The major downside of preferred stock for the individual investor is that in most cases, it takes a long time to see any capital appreciation. When you buy preferred stock, you're buying it for the dividend so make sure that the dividend is high enough that it captures a reasonable rate of return once you subtract inflation. Inflation may not be a problem now but as the European economy recovers, inflation can take a large piece of the dividend.

Related to this, the market is full of common stock that pays equally high dividends but in a market where some European common stock is at historic lows, you may be able to combine a high dividend yield with better than average growth prospects.

In Conclusion

Treat preferred stock like you would any other stock by setting a stop price just in case something happens but aside from that, keep it in your portfolio and create a low maintenance income stream that keeps you away from the hassle of owning bonds especially if you don't have experience in the bond world.

Andy is the co-founder of one of the leading credit card comparison websites in Australia. Click here to go to CreditCardCompare.com.au to read his reviews of the top credit cards on the market, or visit their personal finance education center for his articles on managing money.



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All You Need to Know about Mail-In Rebates

This post was written by Ella Davidson of couponing website Coupons. The website strives to provide consumers with the best possible deals available on the Internet while maintaining a charitable aspect and giving back to the community.

If you have two coupons and then add the possibility of a mail-in rebate, it is like you are practically getting paid to buy the product. This situation is not as uncommon as it sounds. Everyone loves saving money and a great way to fulfill those desires is by using rebates. The complicated but higher saving cousin of the cutout coupon, rebates are advantageous for both you and the company.

The good news for you is that rebates save you money. Mail-in rebates started the trend and were made noticeable by accompanying large electronic items from stores like Best Buy and Staples. Large sticker prices led to even bigger rebates. Nowadays rebates exist in many mediums, not just mail-in anymore. You can get a rebate on hundreds of thousands of different items—phones, car parts, makeup, food, and even beer—and you can get them for a wide range of money anywhere from five dollars to hundreds of dollars.

The added bonus for a rebate is that normally it stacks with coupons and discounts. If you talk to rebate connoisseurs or read about their exploits, it is not uncommon for them to actually get items for free with the coupling of discounts, coupons, and rebates.

As previously mentioned, rebates are also good for companies. This is where the bad news fits in for you and other consumers. Although some of the positive qualities allow companies to conduct surveys and collect accurate data about their consumers, there are also many qualities of the age-old mail-in rebate that try to take advantage of the consumer. If you have used a rebate before, you know the feeling of approaching the register expecting to pay one price. Instead, you have to pay a higher price and wait 6-8 or 8-12 weeks to get that money back.

This is a smooth psychological trick that companies use to make their products seem more appealing. People love seeing that lower price. But we all know what happens when you get home. If you are like many—and not like one of those rebate connoisseurs—then that receipt gets lost at the bottom of the file cabinet, the UPC gets thrown away with the box, or it is two months past expiration before you remember there was a mail-in rebate. This could mean that your pocket is fifty or even a hundred dollars lighter, while the company makes that extra money without having to lift a finger.

Factor this procrastination or laziness over every consumer and you get cases very similar to what happened with the Tivo. Just over 50,000 customers—half of the total people who purchased Tivo—had the same problem as me: they lost receipts, misplaced paperwork, and had that date slip their mind. This means that with the price of a hundred dollars per rebate, the makers of Tivo netted over 5 million dollars off of the mail-in rebate.

The good news now though, is that many rebates are going online. It used to feel like a company was paying you to jump through hoops and fill out paperwork. In some cases those five or ten dollars was not worth the time, the cost of the stamp, and the trip to the store. But now companies are making it easier. With the click of a few buttons you can have a check sent to you or even have the rebate deposited straight into your Paypal account.

Not only does the Internet make redeeming rebates simpler and easier, it also allows you to find more rebates. Now you can plan your purchases around rebates. Making a quick Google search of items you already buy is a good practice to work into your shopping lifestyle. You would be surprised with what rebates you can find. Nowadays there are rebates to turn your home green or to cut down on water usage. Rebates are an excellent way to save money that the Internet is making less and less daunting to take advantage of.





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We Reward

Have you heard of a new program called We Reward? It is a great program from Izea. The basic concept is that it allows you to check in with different businesses with your smartphone. The difference is they pay you for checking in. Like a couple of weeks ago when I went apartment hunting with my wife we checked in, taking a picture of the front door of the apartment locator and got 10 cents. Then at each apartment complex we again checked in taking a picture of their signage and again received 10 cents. Last night we had coupons for free food at McDonald's, we checked in, took a picture of ourselves with the food and got paid 25 cents. If you want to earn little side income then click here and sign up today. The best thing is, you can visit with your PC, scan the QR code on their webpage with your phone to install the app. I won't get rich with them, but I am certainly convinced that it can make some extra cash.

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