What is a Fat Dollar?

A Fat Dollar buys more and not just "stuff". A Fat Dollar works for you to create a better quality of life. A Fat Dollar lets you reach your dreams. The Fat Dollar will help you appreciate your abundance and get more impact from each dollar.

Extra dollars get fatter with good investments and we'll explore those, too. Stay tuned and check back often.

Mind over Dollar

Your beliefs can change your life. The Fat Dollar can teach you how to increase your money and budget your money, but if you are convinced that you will always be poor and broke, then it's likely that you will be. If you want true wealth and a lifestyle free from worries and constraints about money, then you will have to learn how to behave that way! It's that simple.

Money Saving Tips and Ideas That Work

A money saving tip is only good if it works for you. The Fat Dollar will help you use what you already have as well as things you can easily get. Our motto is that a money saving tip should be interesting, fun, relatively easy, and should awaken your creative spirit. Oh, and one more thing ....saving money should make you feel comfortably rich, not miserly or deprived!

Fat Dollar Money Saving Tip of the Day

Does Powdered Milk Cost Less than Regular Milk?

In 1992, Amy Dacyczyn, author of The Complete Tightwad Gazette, found that it was much less expensive to use reconstituted powdered milk rather than regular milk. But is that still true for today? Let's do the math and find out.

Stay Cool This Summer:

You can stay cooler and save energy costs at the same time. Try these tips posted on The Fat Dollar Blog.

Getting Ready to Keep Cool This Summer

With summer already heating up, it's time to change the direction of your ceiling fan, open your windows to the cool morning breezes, and use your heat-generating appliances wisely.

Finding Valuables in Your House - Is Your Stuff Worth Something?

Ok, maybe your old stuff isn't worth a fortune, but it could be worth more than you expect.

While I was clearing out some of my own clutter, I happened across a 2012 Woman's Day magazine. (Yes, that is a five year old magazine. I did say I was clearing clutter.)

An article in the magazine intrigued me. It listed several items that "could fetch big bucks on places like eBay". Hmmm.

Did you know that tacky sweaters could bring a good price? Like sweaters with pictures of Rudolph with a red pom-pom nose?

Here are the things that were listed as possibly valuable items hiding in your home:

1. Small kitchen appliances - like bread machines, food dehydrators, espresso machines

2. Video Games - check gazelle.com

3. Tacky Sweaters - sweaters decorated with things like pictures, holiday themes, cats - the ones that Aunt Gertrude gave you that you would never, ever wear

4. 1950s Furniture

Read more for rest of article and more resources for lists of possibly valuable or collectible items ...

photo credit: freedigitalphotos.net and emptyglass

How to Use the Leftover Turkey Carcass

Roasted Turkey with garnishments

Now that you've had a wonderful turkey dinner with friends and family, you may be wondering what to do with the leftover turkey.

Make turkey broth! And more....

After cutting off as much of the meat as possible, simmer the carcass in a large stock pot of water for 2-3 hours until most of the meat has fallen from the bones.

You can now strain off the broth, put it in 1 - 4 cup freezer safe containers. The recipes you like to use will determine the size of the containers. If you are not sure, the best option is to freeze in smaller containers. You can always use four one-cup portions, but it is difficult to thaw and use just one cup of broth from a 4 cup frozen container.

If you prefer, before you load the broth into freezer containers, you can refrigerate the broth overnight and then skim off the hardened fat and make your own fat-free or low-fat turkey broth.

Our 19 pound turkey made 6 quarts of delicious broth. I poured this into Ziploc freezer bags and froze them flat on a cookie sheet. Today, I'll take them off the cookie sheet and stack them on the freezer shelf. I'm looking forward to some turkey soup and turkey and noodles this winter.

After the broth is strained off, there will be lots and lots of chunks and bits of meat. It will be an assortment of yucky looking and tender, tempting looking meat. Pick though this and sort out the cooking-worthy chunks and bits. They will be perfect for turkey soup, casseroles, or turkey and egg noodles. I got about 2 cups of this type of meat.

If you have pets, and you did not put too much seasoning on the turkey, you can take the rest and carefully pick out the rest of the skin and "yucky" meat, being very, very careful not to get any bones. This can now be chopped into fine pieces or whirred in the food processor and used as a protein- (and fat-, if you are using the skin) rich treat to be served a bit at a time. We mix a spoonful or so into the dry food for the dog and the outdoor cats. The indoor cats will sniff and taste this, but don't eat much of it, so they usually only get a little taste. Porsche, our dog, goes crazy for it. But then again, she goes crazy over anything food related. She even ate a bacon grease soaked paper towel once. But that is another story.

The 3 - 4 hours of heating on a gas stove will cost about $.35. If you make 6 quarts of broth, this will cost about $.06 per quart and will be preservative free, as well as very fresh. As a comparison, store bought broth (chicken broth) will cost about $1.90 to $2.00 per quart. (reference Swanson Chicken Natural Goodness - $1.98 for 32 ounces on walmart.com). You will also get, if you choose, another 1-3 cups of delicious turkey meat and another 3 or so cups of pet food meat and skin. This is another few dollars in savings as well.

Enjoy your delicious broth and smile at your resourcefulness!

(The Fat Dollar article is at How To Make Turkey Stock from Leftover Turkey)

For more ideas and resources for recipes, check out our blog post .. What To Do With That Turkey Carcass

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and tiverylucky.

Review Your Monthly, Quarterly, and Yearly Bills

Woman paying and reviewing monthly bills

Now is a good time to review your regular bills. Make a list of the bills that are paid regularly, such as electric and gas bills, internet and TV, cell phone, trash service, home and auto insurance, etc.

Start with the monthly bills and select one. Review every line item on the bill. Do you understand everything that you are being charged for? Are there items on the bill that you don't need or use anymore? Are you being charged to rent a piece of equipment that you don't have anymore?

For internet, TV service, and other similar bills, if you have had the same service package for a year or more, call the customer service center and ask if there are any discounts or different packages that may be available.

I recently called my internet and cable TV service and found that we were eligible for a free upgrade to a much faster internet service. The customer service rep did the upgrade while I was still on the phone. While that call didn't save any monthly money, I felt it was a very worthwhile call. I am thrilled with the faster internet speed. As well, she gave me another number to call because it appeared that we were also eligible for a lower-cost package. I'll be calling that number soon!

Go through each of your regular bills one by one, slowly and in detail. If you find a charge that should not be there, make the call or send the email and get the process started to get it eliminated. While it may only be a few dollars of savings, keep in mind that a few dollars each month adds up. Saving $5.00 a month is a savings of $60.00 a year. What would you do if someone handed you $60.00 at the end of each year?

Credit card bills should be reviewed each and every month as they arrive. Did you sign up for a monthly "club" that you haven't used in 3 months, but are still getting a $19.99/month charge? Did a company accidentally double bill you for something? Are there charges you don't recognize? Even a $.25 charge that you didn't authorize should be investigated. It may be a test charge by a card thief to see if the card is good as well as to see if they are able to make undetected charges on your account.

A periodic review of your regular bills helps to prevent money being completely wasted on services or items that you no longer use or need.

Even better, as soon as you discover and remove an unnecessary charge, set up an automatic monthly transfer of that amount to your savings account. You won't miss the money and your savings account will start growing effortlessly.

Take a look at The Fat Dollar's article on Automatic Investing for more ideas on increasing your regular savings.

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and patpitchaya.

Cost-Saving Home Heating Ideas

Woman with Gloves and Sweater

While snowed-in and thinking about home heating costs, I found five low-cost, offbeat, ways to heat your home .... read more

Photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net and artur84

A Visit to a US National Park Is a Fun, Low-Cost Vacation

Tent on lake

One of my best childhood memories is camping with my family at various Indiana state parks.

Every summer, my dad would pick one or two state parks and we would pack up our gear and head out. We were a tent and sleeping bag family - my dad wouldn't have it any other way.

Visiting of our 401 National Parks is not only a refreshing way to experience the beauty of nature, but it can be a very inexpensive vacation, too! Read more ....

Does it Save Money to Use Vinegar or Baking Soda Instead of Fabric Softener?

Are you really saving money by using baking soda or vinegar instead of commercial fabric softeners?

Did you know that using too much fabric softener can be dangerous, especially for small children and the elderly?

Tax Deductions for Donations of Clothing and Household Items

The Fat Dollar blog post Clothing and Furniture Donations on Your Tax Return was just updated to include current information and links. If you are working on your tax return, this has very helpful information.

Automatic Savings - A Secret of the Rich

If you take only one financial step this year, you can make it a powerful one by setting up an automatic savings plan. Best of all, it is an easy step.

Simply have a set dollar amount transferred from your paycheck or checking account to a savings or investment account on a regular basis. Ideally, you will set this up as an automatic transfer which will eliminate your need to write a check or remember to do something to complete the transaction.

David Bach, author of The Automatic Millionaire, considers this a secret of getting rich. You can make it your secret, too.

Read on ... Automatic Investing, Easy Savings Plan for The New Year

More money saving tips:

Gift Ideas For $10 or Less

It's that time of year again and The Fat Dollar is here to help with more gift ideas that won't have you reaching for your credit card.

There is something for everyone on our list, from bamboo coaster sets for your down-to-earth friends to leather Kindle covers to books for the cat lover to a long list of ideas for your practical friends.

Take a look at the 10 Dollar Gift Ideas

Be Flexible With Recipes

You have probably already found good savings on your food budget by cooking homemade dishes rather than purchasing fast food or highly processed foods.

Save even more by being flexible with your recipes. Experiment with substituting less expensive ingredients for costly ones. Substitute ingredients that you already have for ingredients that you have on hand.

The US Census estimates that a family of four with older children and a moderate food budget spends $221.00 per week on food. (Really?! That seems like a lot!). If we use this figure, and estimate that creative substitutions will help this average family reduce their food budget by 10%, then this could create $22.10 per week in grocery savings. That is $1149.20 per year in easy food savings.

Read on for links to substitution lists and more creative recipe tips ...

Make a Refrigerator List

Today's tip will help to save money on your grocery budget.

A refrigerator is a wonderful, modern way to keep food fresh longer. Because of it's many shelves and nooks, it's also a good place for food to get misplaced and to eventually spoil. A container of delicious leftover meatloaf can get pushed behind the yogurt containers and the next time you find the meatloaf container, a week has passed, along with your chance (and desire) to eat the meatloaf.

Read on....

Uses for Used Coffee Grounds

Coffee Cup

Mmm, coffee does taste good in the morning. The aroma of a freshly-brewed pot of coffee draws me to the kitchen with my favorite coffee cup in hand. We brew at least one pot of coffee nearly every day. It's one of our morning routines - make a fresh pot of coffee and feed the cats. Not necessarily in that order, depending on how loud the cats are meowing.

After the coffee is made and enjoyed, there is a filter full of coffee grounds. Day after day, more and more grounds. We don't throw them away, though. Those used coffee grounds can be re purposed in many useful ways. Following are a few of them, 26 to be exact:

NOTE: In most of these alternate uses, the coffee grounds should first be spread out in a thin layer to dry. If you can place the drying grounds in a patch of sunshine on your kitchen counter, that is even better, it will speed up the drying process.

(If you don't drink coffee, but want to try some of these uses, then see ideas for Where to Get Coffee Grounds at the end of this article.)

26 Good Uses for Used Coffee Grounds

1. Coffee Pot The obvious - use the grounds to make a second pot of coffee. Leave the freshly used grounds in the filter and simply measure new grounds on top. You may need to adjust this to taste, but I'd recommend starting by adding 1/2 to 3/4 of the grounds you would normally use. I've found that this makes a very good second pot of coffee at half the normal cost. This is likely because my coffee maker brews the coffee very fast, which leaves a lot of the flavor in the grounds.

Not everyone will appreciate re-brewing coffee grounds: The National Coffee Association USA, indicates that "once brewed, the desirable coffee flavors have been extracted and only the bitter undesirable ones are left."

Note that the coffee grounds should be used immediately after the first pot is brewed. I have found that the second pot is not nearly as good if you used leftover, refrigerated grounds. Nonetheless, If you still want to save the grounds for later, they MUST be either refrigerated or quickly dried. Mold develops fairly rapidly on coffee grounds simply left damp and dark in the coffee maker.

2. To eliminate an ant problem, sprinkle dried coffee grounds on anthills and around and across the ant entry areas. (Sorry, does not really work with fire ants.)

3. Work the coffee grounds into the soil around house plants and garden plants as a fertilizer. Flowers outside window Coffee contains acids, nitrogen, potassium, copper, and other trace elements that are beneficial to plants.

Coffee grounds are slightly acidic, so they are especially effective with acid-loving plants like rhododendrons, blueberries, azaleas, iris, pachysandra, ferns, and pine trees.

Coffee grounds are also an excellent fertilizer for tomatoes, and make a good soil for mushrooms.

(Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory has a good list of acid-loving perennials and trees: http://njaes.rutgers.edu/soiltestinglab/pdfs/ph-Lime-req.pdf)

See the resources below for an article from Sunset.com with detailed, in-depth information on using coffee as a compost in your garden.

4. Use the grounds as a pesticide. This does not work with decaffeinated coffee - it's the caffeine that does the trick. According to The Harvard Crimson, a Harvard scientist has determined that caffeine disrupted the behavior and reproduction cycles of insects, and in concentrated doses, killed insects within hours. The study also found that mixing caffeine with pesticides could increase the pesticide's potency by ten times.

While there may not be enough of a concentration of caffeine in the coffee grounds to kill insects, sprinkling the grounds in the soil and also applying pesticide may allow you to use much less pesticide. It is certainly worth experimenting with. ...... more.......

Read all 26 Uses....

Freezing Milk

Carton of Milk Milk is a staple in my kitchen, as it probably is in your kitchen, too. When we run out of milk we usually need to make a special trip to the store for milk to use for the next day's breakfast or for a recipe for dinner. When you add in the gas to stop at the store and the cost of the occasional impulse item, that makes the gallon of milk pretty expensive!

It finally occurred to me that maybe I could save some money and time by freezing milk.

Yes, milk can be frozen. The secret is that the longer it is frozen, the more the fats in the milk tend to separate from the water in the milk. ... Read More ...

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries can be a major cost savings in a household that has many battery-powered devices.

According to All-Battery.com, premium alkaline batteries will power your digital camera to take about 45 photos for a cost of $2.99. Rechargeable NiMH Batteries will take about 30,000 photos for a cost of about $18.98. This calculates to about $0.0664* per photo with the alkaline batteries and $0.0006 per photo for the rechargeable NiMH batteries. This makes the rechargeable batteries about 100 times less costly than alkaline batteries. The cost difference is staggering.

Save Money on Gas for Your Car With a Gas Mileage Tool

The US Department of Energy has a nifty little tool for looking up the expected gas mileage of your vehicle. This tool works for both new and used cars. It has updated expected mileage figures for older cars, as well as mileage reports from actual drivers of your model of car. Knowing the expected gas mileage of your vehicle is a good step toward increasing the gas mileage of your vehicle. If your car's actual gas mileage is noticeably lower than these estimates, then you should first look at your driving habits and then look at the possibility that your car's engine or tires need some attention. (See The Fat Dollar's article on Saving Money on Gas for ideas on changing your driving habits for better gas mileage.)

Another use for this tool is estimating a vehicle's yearly gas cost when you are considering purchasing a new or used car. A few hundred dollars in gas savings each year can add up to a few thousand dollars in gas savings over the life of a vehicle.

The tool can also help you if you are putting together a spending budget and want a starting figure for your monthly gasoline expense.

And hey, if your gas mileage figures are noticeably better than the estimates on the site, then thumbs up! You're already ahead of the gas-saving game. And that is the Fat Dollar way!

Here is the US Department of Energy link: www.fueleconomy.gov