We all know that making money is hard work, so when we have to spend it, we like to do it as smartly as possible. That is, we like to pay as little for something as we can so we can hang on to more of that hard-earned dough.

With that in mind, here are some spending and saving pointers from around the web to help you maximize your value-per-dollar in your everyday expenditures.

Silly Wastes of Money

A recent post from Moolanomy.com highlights some silly mistakes that end up costing money we don’t need to spend (and how to avoid them). They include:

• Paying full price: Between sales, coupons and bargaining, you shouldn’t often pay full price for what you buy. From credit card rates to medical bills to Internet costs to grocery items, there’s nothing immune to the power of discounts. Remember: if you ask for a discount, the worst anyone can say is “no.”
• Eating on the fly: If you aren’t planning meals in advance, you run the risk of turning to expensive restaurant or convenience foods, which can seriously dent a person’s budget. Even if you don’t have much experience (or time), you can find recipes online designed to help people prepare meals quickly and easily.
• Ignoring your finances: Debt will not go away if you ignore it, but your money might. Not knowing how much money you have in a checking account or not checking your credit report regularly could lead to high bank fees or interest rates when you take out loans. Set time aside to check your accounts regularly and you’ll likely find that you’re more careful when you spend.
• Paying anything when you could pay nothing: Places like libraries are great sources of free entertainment in the form of books and DVDs (and often, classes and entertainment series). Lots of restaurants and museums have free days for kids or times when menu items or admission is steeply discounted. Read up on what interests you and take advantage.
• Buying convenience items: Single candy bars and bottles of soda from vending machines cost far more than they would if bought in bulk at the grocery store. The same holds true for pretty much anything you can buy in a gas station or convenience store. To save even more, limit purchases of junk food items to rare treats.
• Paying interest: Interest can be a great money-maker – if you’re earning it instead of paying it. If you carry a balance on your credit cards, set a goal to get rid of it, because paying interest on long-ago purchases is one of the silliest ways to waste your money.

Those of us who have struggled with debt and are trying to build and maintain healthy finances know that there are thousands of tips and suggestions for saving our money and spending it more wisely – but, as many of us also know, not all of them work.

And furthermore, what works for some people won’t work for others. So what’s a well-intentioned would-be saver to do? For starters, here’s a look at some money-saving tips that have been cited as not-so-hot by Credit.com.

Ditch these Money-Saving Tips

• Don’t spend any money at all. Unless you live on a self-sustaining farm-and-woodlot and can make your own clothes out of miff-muffered-moof (to quote Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax), trying to spend zero dollars is a bad goal. Why? Because you won’t succeed – and not because you’re bad at saving. Just as expecting yourself to eat a completely fat- or carb-free diet will eventually lead to a binge of some sort, trying to spend nothing will likely lead to a spree. Instead, set a goal of spending less for specific things you overspend on (like alcohol, meals out, or designer coffee).
• Join a savings club to buy in bulk. Many of these clubs charge annual fees. And many tempt us to buy stuff we never would otherwise. Unless you’ve crunched the numbers and determined that you can save money on an annual basis by joining a savings club, stick to the regular stores.
• Take advantage of credit card transfers. If you’re looking to decrease interest payments by transferring credit card balances, you may be getting into a risky little game. Remember that most balance transfer offers come with limits on their low interest – if you can’t pay off the balance in that time, you may not save any money at all. A better deal? Devise a plan to snowball or crunch your credit card debt.
• Make your own clothes. This has so much potential to fail: startup costs (sewing machine and classes, anyone?), time costs (measuring, cutting, buying fabric, finding patterns, measuring, measuring, measuring…), and upkeep costs (for fabric, patterns, thread, and the machine) generally make this a bad money saving idea for non-experts. Instead, try shopping secondhand and learning to mend your own clothes, which can make old stuff last longer.
• Spend more on home comforts to save on going out. This argument can be made for cable subscriptions, a sound system, furniture or even home itself. But it’s too easy to use it to justify behavior you want to do regardless of its cost. As with any major money decision, make sure you do the math to figure out how much you will (or won’t) save before you take the plunge.

Since credit has been pretty tight for personal loans since the Great Recession hit, financial tips are welcome for people in need of money – especially those people who are struggling with debt or have recently filed bankruptcy and are in the process of rebuilding finances. A recent post from WalletPop.com highlights some suggestions for behaviors to avoid when applying for a personal loan.

How to Behave at the Bank

So how can you present yourself as a good investment risk to bankers and others who might be in a position to lend you money? Here are some short-term things to think about and some long-term suggestions.

• Pay your bills. Okay, so you won’t be doing this at the bank, but one of the most important factors that determine whether or not you’ll be offered a personal loan is your credit history. Building your credit score requires timely payment of bills and loans over a long period of time. So if you think you may some time in the future need a loan, the time to start cleaning up your credit is now.
• Pretend you like your job. Being employed is good when you apply for a loan: it shows you have a source of income that will allow you to make loan payments on a regular basis. But suggesting that you don’t like your job, that you intend to switch careers soon or that you otherwise might jeopardize that stable income could cost you the loan. It’s important to present yourself as a stable, reliable person who can be counted on to send in the payment each month.
• Avoid mentioning past rejections. If you’ve already been rejected by a number of banks, don’t mention these rejections at other banks. Even if it may not officially sway the loan officer’s opinion or final decision, it may prod him to look more closely at your financial records and possibly proceed with more caution than usual in your case.
• Don’t mention your plans to drop your mortgage. These days, it’s much more common than it once was for people to discuss “walking away” from mortgages that are underwater. While the ethics and morality of doing this can be debated ad nauseam, the effect it will likely have on a lender is almost certain to be negative. Why? Because, even if walking away from your mortgage means you have more money each month to put toward a new loan, it suggests that you don’t take financial commitments too seriously. If you walk away from one loan, a banker might reason, what’s to stop you from walking away from another?

Remember: getting a personal loan may be difficult in tough economic times, but you have the power to improve your odds of being offered a reasonable, affordable loan.

Money is one of those things that most of us would rather not have to talk about, even with our close friends and loved ones. But despite our social inhibitions, we will all have encounters that require us to deal with some money issue, whether we like it or not. So here are some suggestions for tackling some common money woes (adapted from WalletPop.com).

• Declined credit card: Whether you’re in front of a long line of weekend shoppers or at a restaurant with close friends, having your credit card turned down can be seriously embarrassing. To minimize any potential fallout, offer a backup form of payment and contact your credit card issuer as soon as you get home. If the card issuer made a mistake, express your frustration and ask what their policy is for compensating consumers for such incidents. If there was no mistake and your card was maxed out, it’s time to start paying more attention to your credit card use.
• An overdue personal loan: Many of us have borrowed money from parents or other family members at some point, and most of us (hopefully) intend to pay that money back. But what happens if so much time has elapsed since the initial loan that you feel awkward bringing it up, even if you can afford to repay it? Try writing a simple (but sincere) thank-you note and including a check for the full amount of the loan. Even if your relationship was not strained by the money, you’ll show your loved one how much you care by honoring the loan terms.
• Secret (overwhelming) debt: The numbers tell us that tens of thousands of Americans have serious credit card debt, but few people feel comfortable talking about credit worries or the stresses of dealing with debt collectors. If you’re considering a bankruptcy filing or some other debt management plan, do yourself a favor and research before you make any decision. The Internet is loaded with free resources so that you can get the information you need before taking any major financial step.
• Bill-splitting friends: One of the most uncomfortable friends-and-money situations can happen at a restaurant when you order a small, inexpensive meal and your friend orders something elaborate and costly – and then suggests splitting the bill evenly. The key to avoiding overpaying for a soup and salad is to act fast: if the waiter sets a single bill on the table, ask immediately (and politely) if can divide the check. If your friend suggests splitting the bill to you, deflect the money issue by saying you don’t think the restaurant would mind printing separate checks.

See? With a little preparation, navigating the world of finance can be manageable!

It’s been a while since I’ve posted a list of pure money-saving tips, so I figured now was the time to offer some refreshers. Every so often new frugality hacks crop up, and it’s fun to take stock of where you are and see what else you can do to keep your budget on track and your savings account well padded.

So, without further ado, here are some timely money-savers (in part culled from the Consumerist) for all sorts of folks.

• Cut your gas bill: With gas prices on the rise once again, this post about saving money on gas struck my fancy. Some of the highlights: don’t top off your tank, drive as smoothly as possible, don’t idle your engine and plan errands so you drive as little as possible.
• Grow your own veggies: I admit that I have never been the best gardener, but this tip for growing sprouts on the windowsill was so easy I hardly had any opportunity to mess it up. Sprouts are by no means the only food you can grow in your home, and growing even a few herbs or veggies can mean a significant reduction in your grocery bill.
• Learn to make some household necessity yourself: Whether it’s salad dressing, laundry detergent or bread, working from scratch will usually mean serious cost-cutting.
• Cook double portions: We all know eating at home is much cheaper than eating out, but it sure does take time. Next time you start chopping and mixing, double the recipe and put half in the freezer for later – that way you’ll save yourself time and money.
• Strike fear in the heart of your cable company: If you aren’t actually willing to trim your TV service, call your provider and say that you’re considering canceling your subscription on account of the high cost. See whether you can negotiate a lower rate.
• Get a roommate: In addition to cutting your rent in half, you’ll have twice as many books and DVDs to choose from when you need some cheap entertainment!
• Search for discounts: Never make an online purchase without scouring the web for coupon codes – often, you’ll be able to find free shipping at the least.
• Nose out some freebies (or at least discounts): Write thank-you notes to the makers of your favorite products and you’ll likely get some sort of “you’re welcome” present in the mail that could end up saving you money at the grocery store. Sound like a waste of time? It shouldn’t take much longer than sifting through coupons for the ones you need!
• Read customer reviews: It may sound like a no-brainer, but you can avoid a lot of buying mistakes by taking a moment to see what other buyers have to say before you finalize a purchase.

Have any other great tips to share? Leave them in the comments below!

Once you die, your creditors can no longer collect money from you (obviously). But some creditors might try to get money from your family members, even if they wouldn’t have been responsible for paying those debts for any other reason.

Here’s a look at one case and what you should know about the important matters of life and debt.

A Student Loan that Outlived the Student

A story reported by ABC tells a troubling story about a young woman who died at the age of 26 without having paid off her student loans in full. Here’s what happened next.

• Lenders contacted her father. Two of her creditors reportedly forgave the loans the woman had owed as soon as the father explained his situation. The other, though, reportedly continued to request payment from the father for the amount his daughter had left unpaid.
• Not a co-signer: If you’d taken on loans with a cosigner and then filed for bankruptcy (or died), the cosigner would be legally responsible to repay any of the debt that remained. In the case of the ABC story, though, the woman’s father had not cosigned for her loans; despite this, the lender persisted in attempting to collect payments.
• No formal policy: The lender, Wells Fargo, eventually forgave the loan. But, it seems, many private students lenders in the country do not have a formal policy in place to address what happens in the event of a student’s death or permanent disability.

Student Loans in Bankruptcy Court

This story has a sort of very dark humor to it: student loans are notoriously difficult to discharge in bankruptcy court, and have been the target of much scrutiny in recent years, as young adults graduate with tens of thousands of dollars in debt and few opportunities in the job market.

Generally speaking, student loans:

• Are unsecured but non-dischargeable in bankruptcy. Policies that exist to extend the greatest number of financial aid to the greatest number of students also make these loans very difficult to discharge. That’s what makes them easy to get: they’re very difficult to not pay back.
• Can rarely be affected by a hardship exemption. The exception to the no-discharge rule for student loans is the proof of undue hardship. This rule states that if a bankruptcy filer can demonstrate that keeping up with his student loan payments would cause him “undue hardship,” that his financial circumstances are unlikely to change in the near future, and that they are limited because of factors beyond his control, the court may choose to excuse the student loan debt. But the court only grants this exemption in very rare cases.

Graduating from college and working your first “real” job can be an exciting time – for many young people, it’s their first experience with significant disposable income (and serious bills to pay). So if you’re a recent college grad or you have one in your life, consider passing on these financial tips to help make sure money troubles don’t come knocking at the door.

Strengthen Your Finances after School

Here’s a look at some common financial myths college graduates tend to fall for – myths that can set them up for money troubles (like debt, repossession and bankruptcy) down the road.

• Myth: There’s no need to save money if I have no concrete financial goals. Truth: Even if you don’t have specific goals, it’s important to have a savings cushion for emergencies (including car repairs, illness, injury, job loss, etc.). Many first-time earners fall into the trap of thinking that, because they’ll likely make more money as time passes, there’s no need to save now. But if the current employment atmosphere has taught us anything, it’s that guaranteed future earnings don’t really exist anymore, and the people who best handle down times are those who saved consistently when times were good.
• Myth: I can save money when I make more money. Truth: Saving money (just like eating well and cleaning the house regularly) is a habit that needs to be nurtured as early as possible. Think about how much more money you make now than you did at your first part-time job – back then, you probably thought you’d save more once you made as much as you do now. And your future self will likely not want to save any more than your present self does. Too confusing a mind game? The lesson is simple: start saving now, and you’ll stick with it.
• Myth: Time is money. Truth: Convenience is for the rich; the rest of us shouldn’t be paying for stuff we can do ourselves. I know someone who got into the habit of buying pre-hardboiled eggs at the supermarket, which cost 50 cents each. A dozen eggs can cost less than two dollars and boiling them only takes about 20 minutes – that’s a big price leap for some pretty minor convenience. Bonus: if you think you don’t have any money to save, try cutting out some of your conveniences, and kill two birds with one stone.
• Myth: I have no time for a side gig. Truth: If you’re single and childless, you’ll never have more time than you do now for a side gig. Track the time you spend on Facebook or watching television and you’ll see that, if you’re really interested in earning a second income, you could probably find ample hours to do it.
• Myth: Saving is something cheap people do. Truth: Saving is something smart people do. If you don’t like paying more for things than they’re worth, you should be saving money. Otherwise, you may end up having to charge things to your credit card and, with interest, you’ll eventually pay well above sticker price for whatever it is you purchased.

Have any tips to share? Leave them in the comments below!

For those people who are slightly less enthusiastic about consumer rights and personal finance than I am, here’s a quick reminder about how the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau began: When the Obama administration passed the financial overhaul bill in 2009, one provision was that the government needed to create a bureau designed specifically for protecting consumer interests in the financial services industry.

While it’s unfortunate that nobody realized how important this bureau was until after the debacle that was the subprime housing boom and bust and the subsequent (prolonged) recession, it’s good that we’ve now got a CFPB working to protect us from unscrupulous profit-vultures of all stripes.

It’s Our Turn to Speak Up

Now, as the CFPB announced in a recent press release, the Bureau is taking comments and suggestions from the American public about what we think the it should be doing for us.

• Give your suggestions. The CFPB has announced that it is eager to hear from individuals, businesses and anyone else interested in “making financial services markets work better for everyone.” The Bureau wants to develop a policy of openness and communication, and ordinary Americans are invited to pose questions and comments via YouTube videos, email and other readily accessible media.
• Learn about the Bureau and its origins: On one part of its web site, the CFPB offers an animated video describing how the financial crisis happened, what caused it and how the CFPB is working to prevent similar catastrophes in the future. The video also includes explanations about the CFPB’s plans for making sure regular American families are able to trust the financial services they need to use every day.
• Stay up to date. In addition, the CFPB provides links from its web site to social media outlets, so interested consumers can follow it on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Flickr.

Speak Up about Your Financial Questions and Concerns

It’s definitely a cliché to claim that knowledge is power, but in this case, knowledge could mean the difference between establishing healthy, stable finances and falling into patterns that could lead you to bankruptcy (or back to bankruptcy, if you’re recovering from an earlier filing).

For personal finance nerds (like me) and anyone interested in matters of credit, debt, bankruptcy, financial management, saving, spending, borrowing and lending (which, hopefully, is you, because these things affect everyone!), the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau web site is exciting. Take advantage of this opportunity to educate yourself and make your voice heard!

No matter how old your kids are, most financial gurus recommend teaching them about money, budgeting and credit, giving them age-appropriate lessons until they leave the home and strike out on their own. Here’s a look at some suggestions (via Credit.com) for preparing your offspring for the world of finance:

• Communicate about credit: When you’re at the store with your kids and pay with a credit card, make sure to explain how the system works. When kids see a no-cash transaction, they might assume you’re getting your purchases for free. So take a moment to explain how the credit card works and that the bill will arrive later.
• Follow through: If you’re comfortable showing your children your credit card bills, follow up a spoken lesson with a bill-paying lesson next time you sit down to take care of your credit card bill. If you don’t want your child to see the state of your debt or finances, simply explain what you’re doing when you get the next bill.
• Use the tools available to you: Since the passage of the Credit CARD Act, credit card bills have had a little square summarizing the amount of money owed and the length of time it would take to pay off this money making only minimum payments.
• Get them involved: Have trouble getting your kids to turn off lights or bundle up in cold months? Try this tip from WalletPop.com: Show them the electric bills for the past few months and offer to split any savings with them if the next bill drops. This will give them a concrete incentive to conserve electricity.
• Encourage savings: If you give your children an allowance or pay for certain chores, consider offering your offspring an incentive for saving the money they get. One option is to offer a percentage match for any money they set away instead of spending.
• Encourage working: At 12 or 13 years old, most children are old enough to work some kind of job (like babysitting, lawn mowing, or shoveling snow). This also tends to be the age where kids start becoming more trend-conscious and begin requesting items you don’t feel like paying for. Making them buy certain things from their own earnings will teach them the value of money like nothing else.
• Talk about credit cards: Even if you have opted for a credit-card-free lifestyle, it’s important to understand that your kids, when they become adults, will have to deal with the kinds of temptations and offers for credit that you navigate every day. For this reason, it’s important to have conversations about how credit cards work, their benefits and risks, and what kinds of behaviors to avoid when using credit cards.

One essential tool for anyone recovering from bankruptcy or trying to build stronger finances is a budget. It’s not a sexy word (though budgets have become slightly hipper since the recession spurred an upshot in prideful frugality), but it’s part of life (or should be) for anyone trying to dig out or stay out of debt.

But where can a person start to build a budget that can offer lasting financial guidance? Here are some options.

Go Digital with Your Budgeting Tools

• Automated online budgeting: Web sites like Mint.com offer a bevy of free online budgeting tools. In order to use them, you enter your bank and account information and the web site provides organization, categorization and tracking services. This may be a great tool for people who want their budgeting to be as easy and hands-free as possible.
• More interactive online budgeting: As this budget commentary from the New York Times points out, though, some consumers may be wary about entering so much personal information on a third party web site. After all, the more you spread your sensitive information, the more likely you are to have an identity thief steal them, right? If you’re interested in a less intrusive online tool, check out the new Doughhound.com, which does not require any account information to start an account. The downside of this system is that you have to enter transaction and sorting information yourself, which will take more time.
• Ordinary spreadsheets: Alternately, you can keep your budget information to yourself entirely by creating a spreadsheet on your personal computer. The disadvantage here is that you’d have to do all the setup work, but if you’re handy with Excel, you could create something to exactly suit your needs.

The Key of Successful Budgeting: Do It

Whatever your budgetary poison, though, the most important thing about creating and sticking with a budget is to actually do it. That means:

• Track your spending: For one month, figure out exactly what you spend.
• Know your income: If you’ve got multiple sources of income in your household, make sure you take them all into account when figuring out this side of the equation.
• Sort your expenses: Once you see what you spend, figure out where and why you spend it.
• Cut your expenses: The next step is to find places where you could drop less cash than you currently do (especially if your monthly expenditures outpace your income).
• Set some goals: Finally, make sure you include in your budget categories for savings and retirement accounts. Once you’ve got the basics, you can add other savings piles: for vacations, major purchases and other rewards.
• Don’t get lax. A budget, like a bankruptcy filing, is not a one-time fix. Both require you to continually renew your commitment to financial responsibility in order to meaningfully help you eliminate your debt in the long term.

Think it’s impossible to trim thousands of dollars from your budget? Think again. A recent video on WalletPop.com offers a variety of cost-cutting measures designed to help you save a whopping $4,000 in 2011.

The video’s suggestions are intriguing because they present specific behaviors to change and what making that change can save you – in dollars and cents.

Here’s a look at how you might be able to put aside a serious chunk of change this year.

• Give up bottled water. It’s expensive and it’s terrible for the planet – all that plastic! Instead, invest in a reusable water bottle and a pitcher to filter your tap water. These two may cost more initially than a single bottle of water, but the savings in the long-term is substantial. The video suggests that regular bottled water drinkers could cut more than $500 from their budgets by switching over.
• Cut the cord – to your cable subscription. This one surprised me with its high savings potential: The video suggests that, by eliminating your cable TV channels, you can save more than $800 per year – even if you start subscribing to NetFlix or a similar service to make up the entertainment gap.
• Find free (or cheaper) parking. On a recent trip to Chicago, I found that parking in the hotel’s lot would run about $100 per 24-hour stay – and if I stayed an extra hour or two, that price jumped significantly. Luckily, with a little online research, I found a much cheaper parking lot in easy walking distance and saved myself a pretty penny. You can do the same any time you hit a restaurant or other venue with valet parking – do some homework ahead of time and save yourself some serious cash, usually by adding only a small walk to your night.
• Cut your own vegetables! I know that those bags of ready-to-steam broccoli are much sexier than the large broccoli crowns a few feet away, but have you ever compared the prices? Pre-chopped or otherwise prepared food can cost twice or three times the amount of untouched stuff. And once you do a few practice chops, the process of slicing and dicing can go very quickly.
• Take care of your car – but not at the dealer. If your car needs work, be sure to get an estimate from at least two places before making an investment. While the sense of trust you can get from going to the dealer is hard to beat, the prices dealers charge are not. Take the time to look at reviews of local mechanics online and you can save yourself hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars.

While some of these tips may not apply to you, their underlying message still can: to save yourself money, avoid convenience whenever possible. The easiest option is usually more expensive than one that requires an extra step or two. But guess what? Doing a little work to save that money makes the savings that much sweeter!

If you’ve ever struggled with debt, you may have had the unpleasant experience of dealing with a debt collector over the phone – collection calls can be at best unpleasant and, at worst, harassing and demeaning.

But what happens if a debt collector contacts you about a debt owed by one of your family members or friends? It’s important to handle such a call correctly in order to minimize the hassle to you and your loved ones and to stay on the right side of the law.

Dealing with Debt Collectors (For Someone Else’s Debt)

According to a recent article from WalletPop.com, there are some important things to keep in mind when dealing with debt collectors.

• Contacting family might be legal: It is legal for a debt collector to contact a debtor’s family members or friends in order to get the debtor’s contact information; if the collector already has that information, though, no family contact should occur. (Note: you are not obligated to share any contact information.)
• Divulging details is not legal: Regardless of what kind of information a debt collector has for a debtor, he is not permitted to reveal any details of a debt to anyone but the debtor. In other words, if a debt collector discusses the amount of a debt, how late it is, or any other information to anyone besides the person who owes that debt, the collector is breaking the law. You may want to take note of the time and date of the phone call in case you have to take legal measures.
• Try to sort things out at the beginning: While your first instinct may be to hang up on a debt collector you think is calling you in error, resist. Take a moment to ask a few questions and attempt to sort out any misunderstandings. This could save you time and frustration down the road, if things should escalate.
• Be on the lookout for scams: The WalletPop.com article mentions that debt collection scams are on the rise in some areas of the country, which means it’s important for you to be careful what and how much you reveal over the phone. If you’re in doubt about the authenticity of a collector, you can and should ask for information about the debt in writing. Then you can double-check the company name and information with online resources like the Better Business Bureau.
• Review your consumer rights: No matter what role you play in a debt collection situation, remember that there are federal laws that protect consumers from belittling, harassing and demeaning treatment from debt collectors.

If you’re among the millions of Americans who made a New Year’s resolution to eliminate or reduce your debt, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work involved in actually becoming debt free.

Luckily, for those of you serious about revamping your finances this year, there are plenty of online resources to help you get there. Here’s a look at some you might be able to use, no matter what your 2011 financial goals.

Eliminate Debt

A recent post from WalletPop.com offers ten pointers on eliminating debt in the new year. Some highlights:

• Ask your credit card issuers for a lower interest rate. According to the post, many new credit card customers are being offered lower interest rates than many current customers get, so go online, find out about current deals and ask for a new rate yourself.
• Take advantage of “debt math.” The new consumer protection laws passed in 2009 required a little box to be displayed on credit card bills that shows how long it would take to pay off your obligation by making only the minimum payment each month. Take advantage of those calculations to motivate yourself!
• Buddy up. Get your friends or family members on board with your financial revamping for added support.

Organize Your Finances Online (for Free)

You’re trying to stop spending your money, right? So why should you have to pay for financial advice? According to a recent post at 20somethingfinance.com, you don’t – plenty of online financial information is absolutely free, including:

• Personal finance software. A number of web sites are devoted exclusively to helping consumers organize their financial lives.
• Free tax software. Why hire an accountant when you can go online and get walked through the process of filing taxes free of charge?
• Free credit report. If you still haven’t visited this web site to check out your official credit reports (for free!), you’re missing out. Log on today to see what lenders see when they consider lending you money.

Save Money in Surprising, “Hard Core” Ways

If you’re in the game of getting out of debt, you’ve likely heard most of the typical money-saving tips over and over, but this post on cutting spending actually had some tips I’d never heard before. My favorites?

• Make your own reusable “paper” towels. The writer recommends buying a few yards of white flannel for less than ten dollars, cutting them into paper-towel-sized squares, loosely hemming the edges and using them over and over. I love that this is eco-friendly as well as good on the wallet.
• Don’t buy new. Unless you’re giving a gift, learn to shop used. It’s amazing how much you can save by being patient and shopping around.
• Leave your comfort zone. I ventured into my town’s international grocery for the first time this week, and found amazing savings on lots of my favorite foods. Of course, this store’s prices for other things were not as good as elsewhere, but for international-type ingredients, it can’t be beat. It’s my new favorite place to shop!

Now that the coziness of the holiday season is about over, many of us might need an extra boost to our home’s heating system to keep out the winter chill – and fortunately, there are ways you can keep yourself from freezing without cranking up the heat (and the heating bill).

Here’s a look at some familiar (and not-so-familiar) tips on staying warm without touching the thermostat or busting your budget (adapted from WiseBread.com).

• Mend the cracks: Check your windows and doors for gaps and find ways to close the space between the warm inside air and the cold stuff outside. This might involve caulking, sealing windows, or simply tucking old towels or rugs into gaps. Keeping the hot air in and the cold air out can head off temperature problems before they start.
• Pad the floors: There’s a reason linoleum often feels cool and refreshing in the summer (and bitter cold in the winter): it has less insulation than carpeted floor. If you don’t feel like springing for wall-to-wall carpet, try spreading some rugs around and wearing slippers with thick soles. Both can keep the cold from getting to your chilly bones.
• Put on layers: This may sound obvious, but it is one of the most effective ways to keep yourself toasty in cooler temperatures. I suggest at least one body-hugging layer underneath whatever else you wear, and I am not above wearing hats in the house (who’s going to see me, after all?).
• Move your body: This one can work as a double- or triple-whammy. Nothing gets a person warm like some good old-fashioned exercise, which you can get from dancing, cleaning vigorously, running up and down stairs for a few minutes, or doing a couple jumping jacks. You only need a few minutes of exercise to get the blood pumping, and the movement should be good for keeping you focused on whatever else you’re doing, too.
• Choose your foods & drinks wisely: Tea, oatmeal, soup, coffee – all of these are cheap, quick ways to keep yourself warm from the inside out.
• Get cooking: Spending some time in the kitchen has a number of heat-boosting rewards: you’re in motion chopping and stirring, you get to spend time near the hot oven or stove, and you get to eat whatever warm and delicious creation you end up with. Plus, cooking food at home is a great way to save money, since takeout and restaurant food come at an extreme markup.
• Make a cave: If you’re spending time in primarily one room of your home, consider getting a space heater for that area and blocking it off from other rooms. This allows you to keep one area pleasantly warm without spending the kind of money it would take to keep the entire house that way.

Winter may seem like a desolate and chilly time, but it’s also a great time to experiment with clever ways to cut costs. And just think what a warm, fuzzy feeling you’ll get when you open your heating bills!

As you may already know, the Federal Trade Commission instituted new rules recently regulating how debt settlement companies must advertise their services and operate. The new rules were largely designed to cut down on abuses in that industry (including excessive fees, bad advice to consumers and little actual debt relief).

Unfortunately, according to a post from CreditBloggers.com, some debt settlement companies are getting around these rules with “creative” practices (sounds like the new credit card rules all over again to me).

Debt Settlement Rule-Avoidance Tricks

Here’s what to watch out for if you want to keep your money in your pocket and get actual debt relief.

• Text message debt relief offers: Because the FTC’s rules are connected to its Telemarketing Sales Rule, debt settlement companies are specifically prohibited from making claims about how much money they can save consumers when conversing with them over the phone. To get around this, it seems that some debt settlement firms are contacting consumers via text message with “survey” questions about their debt, then connecting potential customers with so-called “advocates” for debt settlement. If you find yourself in such a situation, back away.
• Online chat room offers for debt relief: Similarly, sources report that some debt settlement companies are making unrealistic promises to potential customers in online chat forums, where the telemarketing rules about debt settlement offers do not apply. As a general rule of thumb, avoid serious financial decisions that involve initial (or exclusive) online contact with a stranger.
• Offshore telephone debt relief promises: Another sneaky strategy that’s been reported is the use of call centers in other countries, which aren’t answerable to United States law.
• Pretending to be lawyers: One strategy to beware of is debt settlement companies that re-design themselves as law firms. Apparently, some firms have done this because lawyers are exempted from the new rules. However, even those companies that employ honest-to-goodness lawyers may not be shooting straight: most customers may not get a chance to speak with a lawyer (look for a diploma on the wall if you’re not sure) and, if they do, the lawyer may not be licensed to practice in that law in that state.

Avoid High Up-Front Fees for Paltry Service

So how can you avoid the debt trap of paying too much for a service that does little or nothing for your debt (except possibly make it worse)? Your best tool is knowledge. It’s important to be on the lookout for firms that offer results that seem too good to be true, and to understand that the only sweeping, totally legal way to eliminate your debt is to file for personal bankruptcy.

To learn more about your debt relief options, you may want to speak with a bankruptcy lawyer practicing in your state.