money saving tips – Page 2 – Luv Saving Money

The Value Of Timber On Your Land: FREE Resource

It’s not something I’ve put a lot of thought into. In hindsight, maybe I should have. We hired some arborists to cut down a few dead trees for us a couple years ago. We did keep the fallen timber to use in our fire pit and wood burning furnace. So, I guess we didn’t waste it. But we only live on about an acre. I know a number of people around us have acres of land with lots of trees or fallen timber.

Have you ever wondered about the value of the timber on your land? Penn State Extension has released the “Value of Standing Timber” publication. It helps land owners and loggers learn the economic value of standing timber and how it’s determined.

This 24-page publication describes methods for estimating timber volumes and values in a simple, easy to understand, manner. It will also help landowners and loggers understand how the value of timber is determined and, in turn, provide them with increased opportunities for obtaining a fair market price when selling timber, said Dave Jackson, extension forester and publication co-author.

The publication is available as a free downloadable PDF; printed copies are available for purchase. To learn more, visit https://extension.psu.edu/valuing-standing-timber or call 877-345-0691

I looked over this myself. It’s highly informative with helpful illustrations and tables. It covers a number of steps to take to prepare you for getting a good value for your standing timber. As well as information about how it’s valued at more. Education is the best way to make sure you’re not taken advantage of!

This is a great time to start preparing wood for the winter too. It needs to dry out for several weeks to a couple months to make good firewood. I know in my area, there are always people looking for firewood for small things like fire pits to necessities like heating their homes.

If you own wooded acreage in my area another way to make money off your land is to let hunters pay to hunt on your land. Hunter find it appealing as there is exclusivity to it. The land isn’t over-hunted.

About Penn State Extension

Penn State Extension is dedicated to translating scientific research into real-world applications to drive progress. In support of Penn State’s land-grant mission, extension programs serve individuals, businesses and communities, while promoting a vibrant food and fiber system, a clean environment, and a healthier population in Pennsylvania and beyond. With support from federal, state and county governments, the organization has a tradition of bringing unbiased information and support to the citizens of Pennsylvania for more than 100 years.

Ideas For Finding Staples During the Pandemic (And Maybe Save Money)

People from all walks of life and across the board like to save money on things they needs or want. Why pay full price if you don’t have to right? With this pandemic it was almost impossible to find some things for a while. Things like: cleaning wipes, hand sanitizer, disposable masks, and even common grocery items like chicken, hamburger, and toilet paper were scarce.

More recently while heading to the store it’s been a little relief to see toilet paper, chicken, hamburger, and occasionally cleaning wipes on the shelf. It’s not the selection it used to be and the shelves aren’t full like they used to be though. If I see cleaning wipes I’ll grab a container while I’m out.

Watching numbers rise all over the country and seeing some states back track on opening phases and starting schools online makes me wonder if another shutdown and possibly scarcity is in our future again in the next few months. But how do you save money on these things and get what you need without being greedy?

Here are some ways I’ve found to make sure my family of 6 is taken care of without financial hardship.

Chicken: Going directly to the source and/or buy in bulk. We have a little country store near us that offers bulk meat deals near us. Also a small family owned grocery store that periodically offers bulk meat deals. I just ordered a 40 lb case of boneless skinless chicken breast for $48! That’s only $1.20/lb The last time I ordered it was $39.99 for a 40 lb case! When I get it home I break it up into freezer bags with about 2 breast in each bag. That case will last my family of 6 for 2 month or more. More recently I read an article where chicken ownership has become more popular among homeowners. I know my sister got chickens. You get gets and chicken in that deal!

Hamburger: Again the bulk deals are great. Some of the same places offering bulk chicken deals will periodically offer bulk hamburger deals. Another idea: My husband and I went in with my in-laws on a 1/2 a cow from a local farm. We ended up with about 35 lbs of ground beef, tons of steaks, soup bones, and roasts for $400. That was about 2 months ago and I haven’t even gone through half the meat yet. I figure if it lasts us 6 months then it will have cost $60/mo for all that meat. But I have a feeling it will last longer than that. I’ll have to let you know.

Milk: Milk delivery has picked up. In fact, we now have a milkman and we don’t have to leave our house for milk, butter, ice cream, sour cream, and lots of other products. They are even selling frozen pizzas now for a small business. The prices are very reasonable and you get a bigger discount the more you order. Milk can also be frozen. You just have to take a cup of milk out of the container to allow for expansion.

Not everyone is on-board with this option but I honestly love coconut milk and almond milk. It lasts a lot longer in the fridge too. I’ve been buying Silk unsweetened coconut milk and it doesn’t expire for 2 months! Plus you can find sales on it as well as coupons from time to time.

Fruits/Veggies: It’s summer so it’s certainly easier to get your hands on items. With roadside stands, farmer’s markets, and home gardens. Growing your own fruits/veggies is a great way to save money though. Land isn’t even a necessity anymore with container gardening and so many in-home options. Things like Aerogarden and Click and Grow Smart Garden have been becoming more popular because you can grow fruits and veggies all year long in a compact space. My husband is all into gardening right now and is talking about setting lights up and stuff in the basement. This might have to be a Christmas idea for him.

Another thing to consider with veggies/fruits is trading with neighbors. One year I had a huge crop of zucchini. I was trying every zucchini recipe I had. I even shredded some to freezer for later. But still too many. I gave some to neighbors and coworkers. In return I got things like rhubarb, tomatoes, and green peppers. It worked out nicely.

Currently, with things becoming available, it seems almost every company is putting out some type of hand sanitizer. My suggestion is to buy an extra bottle now for safe keeping (please be considerate and don’t buy out stores!). I also buy one extra pack of toilet paper than I would normally buy just to keep stock or buy in bulk when I can.

If you’re looking for ways to save money on groceries check out the article I linked to or search the term “save on groceries” in my search bar! I’ve done a few articles 🙂

Guys I’ve even recently started seeing deals on disposable face masks from reputable sites. Office Depot right now has a 50 ct box of disposable masks for $14.99 and free shipping. I ordered it myself and received it within 3 days!

The bottom line an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Take advantage of the deals now. Stock up with what you NEED for your family but be considerate.

It’s a Good Time To Invest With Webull

The markets be a little scary lately. Watching the the market is like watching a rollercoaster. But this can be a great time to invest. With stocks lower than normal you can grab the stock you’ve been thinking about but haven’t quite pulled the trigger on.

Webull makes it easy to invest. Even giving you free stock when you start investing. In this way, you can get even more bang for your buck. How much free stock? Anywhere from $12 and up to $1400 in free stock! That’s not a bad deal right?

Why Webull (other than the free stock of course)? Webull offers:

$0 Commission and $0 Minimum Deposit
Free Real Time Quotes
Multiplatform Accessibility
Full Extended Hours Trading (Full Pre-Market 4:30 am – 9:30 AM ET and Full after hours 4:00 PM – 8 PM ET)
24/7 online help
Powerful Charting Tools with 44 technical indicators as well as 12 charting tools designed to help you analyze trends

I know it can be a little intimidating to start investing but Webull gives you the tools you need to learn and invest wisely. Start investing and get your free stock today!

This post does contain affiliate links. I will get a small commission from sales made through my links.

Credit Card Debt During A Pandemic with Saxton Associates

As of 2019, 184 million Americans actively used credit cards according to TransUnion. The average American owns 3.1 credit cards according to Experian. And the credit card balance total for all Americans? A whopping $1.05 trillion as of February 2020! That’s crazy.

Of the US that currently uses credit cards, 42% percent carry a balance month to month. And what is the average balance for consumers? Over $6000!

Want to know what’s even crazier? Americans paid $121 billion in interest to the credit cards companies. That’s a lot of money! That is up 7% since 2018. I think it’s fair to say with the pandemic, some Americans not working, and panic buying that credit card debt could go even higher.

So who are the biggest offenders? As much as I hate to say it, it’s my generation, Generation X. My generation carries the highest credit card balances. While people want to get down on Millenials for different reasons, they actually carry the lowest credit card balances. I know my sister in law is a Millenial and she’s into this “minimalistic” lifestyle. I mean Millenials aren’t even using top sheets right? Millenials also, on average, have less credit cards that Gen X and Baby Boomers. In fact, Baby Boomers, on average carry the most credit cards at 4.8.

Want to know how your state stacks up with credit card debt? Check out this infographic:

With more and more Americans currently relying on credit cards and other financial devices in these uncertain times these number could climb with record highs. Don’t let yourself get into financial trouble.

I realize people gotta do what they gotta do but when this is all over get your credit straightened out before it takes you down. Saxton Associates can help.

Delinquency rates peaked in 2009 at nearly 7%, but in 2019 delinquency rates were 2.6%, historically well below the long-term average.

Credit card debt becomes delinquent when a bank reports a missed payment to the major credit reporting bureaus. Banks typically don’t report a missed payment until a person is at least 30 days late in paying. When a consumer doesn’t pay for at least 90 days, the credit card balance becomes seriously delinquent. Banks are very likely to take a total loss on seriously delinquent balances.

Check out these ways to consolidate credit card debt too.

This post is sponsored by Diamond Links.

FREE $10 to Spend at Ebay

You can find some great deals on Ebay. But, you can get even better deals when you go through TopCashback. TopCashback offers cash back at Ebay regularly but if you’re a new TopCashBack member you can get a free $10 to spend at Ebay! That could be a really nice discount or maybe a free items , depending on what you’re looking for.

Step 1:
OFFER LINK
Using my link, signup for a FREE TopCashback account.This offer is for new TopCashback members only.

Step 2:
Follow the directions listed on the offer page to purchase. You must spend at least $10.00 to receive $10.00 cash back.

Step 3:
Within 7 days of purchase, $10.00 will appear in your TopCashback account. You’ll be able to withdraw this within 14 days of purchase. You can withdraw the money straight to your checking, PayPal, or claim as gift cards.

Tips:

Important: Check your email to confirm your email address. Click on the link in your email to authenticate your new account.
Want to purchase more than $10.00? Make a second transaction instead of adding more to an existing cart to maximize additional cash back.

Terms & Conditions:Note: Transactions must contain at least $10.00 worth of purchases to ensure the $10.00 cash back is credited to TopCashback accounts. Transactions may initially track lower, but within the 14 days after purchase it will be uplifted and turn payable at the amount of $10.00. Transactions may take up to 7 days to appear in your TopCashback account. The deal is open until 11:59pm PST on 4/21/2020 or until supplies run out; whichever happens first; applicable for purchases made directly after clicking through TopCashback. Only one TopCashback account is permitted per member. Cannot be combined with other TopCashback freebie offers. Do not close the window, open any new tabs, or use non-TopCashback approved coupons while checking out.