Save money at dollar stores

Dollar stores are everywhere, so how can you save even more money by shopping at them.  Last year Family Dollar and Dollar Tree added almost a 1000 stores for a total of over 30,000 stores.  By the way both stores are owned by the same company. This is big business and they have a lot of purchasing power.  There costs can be lower than typical grocery or big box stores on many items.   Here are some tips to save money and make sure you're getting comparable goods.

Check the ingredients 

Read the ingredient labels on foods, make sure the dollar store foods have the same ingredients and nutrition as the name brands.

Do the size math

Package size varies so make sure you calculate the unit math and compare.  For example one package may be 12 oz the other might be 16 oz.  The first package is $1.00 while the second is $1.50.  $1.00/12 = $.083 per oz and 16/$1.50 = $10.7 so clearly the 12 oz package at the dollar store would be the better deal.

Use coupons

You can use in store and manufacturer coupons at both dollar stores so make sure you check their websites before shopping.

Try the no brand or store brand product

You many find that the store brand products work just as good as the name brand.  These might be half the price of the name brand.

Check expiration dates

With any shopping exercise caution and make sure the products you are buying haven't expired.

Return to Money page for more money saving tips

Tips for pulling a large trailer or 5th wheel

 I've been pulling trailers for years, started with a small popup camper trailer and eventually I pulled a 30' travel trailer to every state with the family.  Came across and article and thought it might benefit those who don't have much experience towing a trailer.

Remember trailers are heavy, pop ups can be 2-3000 lbs, boat on a trailer 5000-10,000 lbs and 5th wheels can easily hit 15,000 lbs.  This means everything happens slower.  It takes longer to accelerate and stop a trailer this large.  So take it slow, make sure you have plenty of starting and stopping distance.

Acceleration - It will take you longer to accelerate pulling a trailer, so make sure you have plenty of space before you pull out into traffic or make a turn.

Braking - Leave plenty of distance between the vehicles in front of you to ensure you have enough distance for stopping your tow vehicle and trailer.  If your trailer is equipped with trailer brakes, you should also make sure your your trailer brakes are working properly.

Turning - When you pull a trailer, you need to make wider turns to avoid dragging your trailer over a curb, through a ditch or into a pole.  The longer the trailer the wider the turn will need to be.  You'll also need to worry about the length of the trailer behind the wheels.  You back end pivots about the rear wheels and can swing into things, so be careful in gas stations where corners are tight.

It's Long - Remember when your driving you have a trailer behind you and it's long.  Leave more space before you merge or change lanes.  Use your turn signal to let others know your intentions.

Practice - If you haven't pulled a trailer start off slow and use less traveled back roads until you are comfortable.  Go to an empty large parking log and practice turns.  Set up cones and practice backing into spaces.  The larger the trailer, the more challenging this will be.

Up hill climbs - Use the right lane and make sure you vehicle is in Tow/Haul mode to help keep you vehicle in a constant gear.  Remember this is a lot of work for your tow vehicle.  Don't be afraid to take it slow.

Downhill - Again use Tow/Haul Mode, if it's a really steep grade, shift to a lower gear and let you vehicle engine help brake.  Try not to continuously apply the brakes, they can heat up and will not be as affective at stopping your vehicle.

Other Failures - You may encounter many other problems when trailering, I know I've encountered all of these except coupler failure.  Remember no sudden reactions or slamming on the brakes.  You will encounter high winds, large vehicles passing and causing a slight sway, blow outs, broken springs or maybe even you trailer decoupling from you tow vehicle.  

Plan your trip - To avoid stress you may want to plan out your trips with stops an known locations where you have plenty of clearance and easy out capability.

Return to Travel Page for more information on camping and trailering

Checklist for Yearly Tax Preparation

 When it comes to tax time, are you prepared?  Make a file folder to track the items you'll need for next years taxes.  

Here's a check list for you and your tax preparer.  Put this list on the inside cover and check-off the items as you add them to the folder.

Personal Information

• Social Security or Individual Tax ID Number
• Bank account name, routing number and account number for your refunds
• Property tax payments
• Any estimated tax payments made

Income

• W2 Forms
• State tax refunds from last year
• Social Security Benefits
• 1099 forms
• Rental Property Income
• Unemployment Income
• Pension Income
• Investment Income
• Retirement Income
• Other income like Lottery or Casino winnings

Expenses and Deductions

• Do you have any grand child care expenses
• Educational Expenses
• Medical Insurance including health care insurance and payments
• Itemized Medical Receipts
• Job and vehicle expenses related to any job you may have.
• Mortgage Interest
• Real Estate Taxes
• Retirement Plan Contributions
• Any Charitable Contributions

Other Tax Information

• Are you self employed?
• Do you have other business interests?
• Do you have any home office expenses

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