Clothes are an investment so you want to keep them looking good. But there are ways to avoid getting taken to the cleaners when it comes to your dry cleaning bills. Trimming down your dry cleaning bill just takes some preventative steps.

It Starts in the Morning

When you’re getting ready in the morning you can do a lot to save your dry cleaning bill. Put on your make up, perfume, hair spray or any products before you get dressed. This will prevent it from getting all over your clothing which translates into fewer trips to the cleaners.

Try the “Dry Cleaner’s Secret”

This easy-to-use system cleans clothes in just 30 minutes. Simply put your clothing item in the dryer with one of these special sheets. The cloth creates a vapor that gently penetrates clothing fibers and removes odors without damaging your clothing. You can buy enough to clean 56 items for just $19.37 on Amazon– that’s a whole lot less than taking 56 items to the dry cleaners.

Clean Spots Quickly

Small spills can be treated at home rather than hauling the item away to the dry cleaners. Try products that are made for treating small spots like OxiClean. Make sure to read the labels and try testing a small spot of fabric in a location that’s not visible.

Look for Coupons

The Entertainment Book will often hold coupons to your local dry cleaners that will easily pay for the cost of the book. Check with local dry cleaners about daily specials. You might get bargains on shirts dropped off on Mondays and suits taken in on Tuesdays.

Don’t Over-Clean

Yes, it is possible to over dry clean items. Typically, clothing doesn’t need to be washed after every wear. You can wear them more than once and many items can be worn three or four times. One way to decrease the need for dry cleaning is by layering washable items underneath.

Photo Courtesy of waving at you.

A penny doesn’t get you much these days, but for a limited time it will get you some Sharpies at Office Max and it’s just in time for heading back to school. Simply print out these coupons from Office Max, take them to your local store and stock up. For a penny each you can get up to three Sharpie Mini Permanent Markers and up to three Sharpie Highlighters. The coupons are only good in the store and until August 21. So grab your pennies and head to Office Max!

No doubt there are golden arches pasted all over Beijing right now. McDonald’s is a major sponsor of the Olympics. As part of their Olympic promotion McDonald’s has launched the Face the Glory promotion. Right now at FacetheGlory.com you can make your own Olympic video featuring yourself and you can get a coupon for a FREE Southern Style Chicken Sandwich. Check out the fine print though– the coupon must be printed with a COLOR printer. Black and white print outs won’t be accepted. Plus, you’ve only got one shot to print your coupon so make sure your printer is working properly!

Photo Courtesy of Editor B

Six and a half years ago I was watching the news. A story came on about the preparations for the upcoming winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. They were set to start in less than two weeks. After watching that story I decided I had to go to the Olympics. I was a broke part-time reporter/weather anchor for a small town television station in Iowa– but I wanted to be a part of the Olympic magic.

I ended up attending the Salt Lake games for a long weekend and it was an amazing experience. I saw competitions, I took in amazing scenery and I experienced a piece of history. So if watching the games in Beijing has given you the urge to see the Olympics in 2010 in Vancouver or in 2012 in London, here are a few tips to experience the Olympics on a budget.

1. Gather up some friends. Going with a small group will help cut costs for transportation and lodging. You’ll be able to split gas costs, hotel room fees and maybe even share the burden of food.

2. Call area churches. Since I waited until just two weeks before the Salt Lake Olympics to make plans to attend, there were no hotels left. (At least not anything I could remotely afford.) So I looked up a list of area churches and started calling. I asked if any of them were opening their doors so that I could sleep on the floor or if they knew of anywhere I could stay. One church gave me the number to a church member that was opening their home to visitors in order to make a little extra money. I could stay in their basement and all I had to do was give them some money– whatever I could afford. I think I ended up giving them $75 for three nights on an air mattress in their basement.

3. Pick obscure sports. I never got to see the Americans compete in the Olympics, but that was fine. I saw Chinese women dominate the ice at a hockey game and I also attended the Biathlon. (It’s a sport that combines cross-country skiing with rifle shooting.) The crowds were still excited, energy was in the air, and the Olympic spirit was just as noticeable as it was at the ice skating finals– but the ticket prices were far less.

4. Attend free events. Tickets to the opening ceremony are as much as a mortgage payment. But there are plenty of free events and sites to take in. I waited in line for two hours to try bobsledding at one of the Olympic parks. It was an experience I will never forget– and it was free!

Photo Courtesy of Galaygobi

Dave Ramsey is wrong – at least in the point he makes about paying off the smallest debt first. The truth is that you will save more money in the long run if you pay off the highest interest rate first. The main reason that Ramsey promotes the smallest debt first plan is that it gives the consumer a sense of accomplishment.

There is no magic path to a sound financial life. Each individual must plot his or her own course and then step out in that direction. It’s like a diet (or raising a child) in that every person will be a little different. But there are a few concepts that will always play a part in becoming sound in finances.

1. NEVER spend more than you make! There is no way to balance a budget if you live your life down this path.

2. ALWAYS save a little from each paycheck. Life has a way of throwing curve balls and it’s a good idea to be prepared.

3. SOMETIMES waiting a while will relieve the need. Instead of buying on impulse walk away for a day (or a month or a year) and see if the desire to buy is still there later.

Creating a strong financial life does not require a program or a plan laid out by a specialist (although it might help). It does require establishing sound financial habits, following through on those habits and balancing needs, wants and desires with income.

It may seem like a blessing, but the housing bill is not all that it has been made out to be. Homeowners will not receive the relief they were hoping to get from the legislation. But there are some good points to the plan.

1. Tax credit – not quite. Homeowners can receive a tax credit of up to $7,500 for the purchase of a new (first time) home in 2008 thru July of 2009, but it is not exactly free money. Instead the “tax credit” will have to be paid back to the government over the next several years.

2. New standard deduction - this if for those people that do not itemize deductions can now deduct qualified real property taxes.

3. More information to the IRS - in the past the IRS was required to get a subpoena to look at bank records but the housing bill virtually skips that step. Now the IRS will receive a statement of your total merchant credit card gross receipts for the year. It is the government’s attempt to go after the online income.

It seems that the help the government is offering has more catches than it does relief. The good news is that many of the provisions provided through the housing bill will not take effect for several years. The bad news is that the help many homeowners were looking for just doesn’t seem to be there.

It sounds like a movie plot– someone finds out they have money owed to them from the estate of a distant relative or cash stashed in a forgotten bank account. We all dream of uncovering hidden riches and there are ways you can find out if any are waiting for you to claim them. Here are a few ways to search for unclaimed property.

Unclaimed.org

The National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators operates the website, Unclaimed.org. The NAUPA represents state governments protecting lost funds that are waiting to be claimed. Simply click on your state to start the search. If you’ve moved around at all, the site says you should check out every state in which you’ve lived over the years.

MissingMoney.com

MissingMoney.com is a database of state unclaimed property records. Unclaimed property can be anything from bank accounts and safe deposit box contents to uncashed checks or escrow accounts. Start the free national search by simply typing in your name and state.

Visit Your State’s Website

Each state has it’s own method of tracking and finding unclaimed property. Many states now allow you to conduct online searches and databases for unclaimed property. If you discover that you do have unclaimed property, claiming it may require different types of verification depending on the state involved.

Do you ever get sick of the songs on your MP3 player? Stocking it up with new music or books can be expensive– unless you can do it for free. Here are links to free songs to fill up your MP3 player with something your ears haven’t heard a thousand times.

Get Chris Singleton’s album “Twisted City” for free. Simply fill out a form on SingletonMusic.com. You don’t need to worry– it’s a legal download.

Get free music courtesy of Walmart.com by visiting Walmart Soundcheck. Choose between nine different songs– or just download all of them.

If you’re looking for something with Spanish flair, check out these free downloads through Tapena Spanish Wines. You’ll learn a little bit about the Spanish lifestyle and the connection between wind, food and music.

Download two tracks from John Mellencamp’s new album through this website. You must have a code found in the latest issue of Vanity Fair Magazine.

Photo Courtesy of Dan Taylor

It’s hard to go very long (or very far) without seeing an ad or location for getting a loan on your paycheck. These Cash Advance Loans may seem like the perfect answer to your current problems. In the end they are likely only going to dig your problems even deeper.

The loan is secured by a personal check that will be covered when your paycheck is deposited. You agree to pay back less than you receive. This difference is the fee charged by the lender for the use of their cash.

Most people get into a problem with the Cash Advance Loans because they are already living on a budget ready to rip at the seams. Taking out additional money to pay the fees on the loans usually pushes them beyond what they can afford. That means that they run out of money before the next paycheck. Each paycheck runs out earlier and earlier until even the paycheck is eaten up by the loan fees.

If you get into a situation where you need the cash to make it to payday (in order to pay your rent or buy groceries) then it is time to seek immediate financial help. Talk to your church to get some suggestions on who can help you find a way to fix your financial situation.

Getting loans and paying extreme fees for the privilege will only make the situation worse. Skip the Cash Advance Loans!

The circumstances may not be that great, but getting an unexpected inheritance can be a great boost to your personal finances. Experts recommend that your first step should be a visit to a professional financial consultant, but here are a few other things to think about before you sit down with him (or her).

1. Tithe – there is a huge debate among Christians over how, when or where to tithe. My personal feeling is that it all belongs to God so it doesn’t hurt to release a small portion. If you are going to whine about the process then skip the tithe. The Lord loves a CHEERFUL giver!

2. Debt reduction – many people promise to use the unexpected funds to pay off debts. This is a good idea unless you can invest at a higher percentage. If your investments are paying more than your debts then you might be better off to leave the money invested (particularly if you can afford to continue to make payments on the debts).

3. Gifts – when the inheritance is large you may be tempted to give to the people around you. Be careful with this practice. Your gift could cause them to have to pay higher income taxes. And you could be setting yourself up to receive more requests in the future.

The best advice is to not rush any decisions. Take a little time to think about all of your options. Talk to your spouse and advisors. Then step out slowly into your decisions.