Whipping your finances into shape doesn't have to come at a price.
The news lately has been focusing on the money that people are
likely to get back as a tax refund from the government as part of the
economic stimulus plan.
But plenty of other freebies can spruce up your personal finances.
Here are 10 examples:
Credit Reports
The government allows you to get your credit report free each year from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies --
Equifax, Experian and Transunion -- in one of three ways:
1. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com and order it online.
2. Call toll-free 877-322-8228 to order it.
3. Request it by regular mail by writing to Annual Credit Report
Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, Ga. 30348-5281.
This will allow you to confirm that everything in your
report is correct, ensuring that you get the best rates if you borrow money. If there are inaccuracies, your can correct them.
Receiving these reports can also tip you off early to possible
identity theft, saving you countless hours of frustration and
time that it would take to correct a fraud.
Tax Filing
Seventy percent of Americans can do their taxes at no cost.
If your adjusted gross income was $54,000 or less in 2007,
you can use Free File to prepare and e-file your taxes online through
the
IRS Web site.
Be sure to use the IRS Web site since it's the only place you can use the tax software and file at no cost. If you
go directly to tax-software sites, you will be charged a fee to
file.
Water-Conservation Kits
Contact your local water and sewer bureau to
see if they offer free water-audit kits and water-conservation kits.
The water-audit kit will help you find areas where you may be wasting water. The water-conservation kit will help reduce your water usage.
A surprising number of these public-utility companies
offer these both free. This saves you money in two ways:
you won't need to pay for water-conservation devices and you'll
create monthly savings by reducing the amount of water you use.
Free water-conservation kits usually contain faucet aerators, low flow
shower heads, water gauges and shower timers.
Here's an example.
Energy Audit
Many electric companies offer free energy audits where
they will come to your home and evaluate where you may be wasting
energy. Then you can see what will bring you the most savings on your energy bill.
In addition, they may offer free devices such as
Energy-efficient light bulbs, weather stripping and caulk to help you
save without having to buy these for yourself.
Here's an example.
In addition, some may offer discounts and rebates for the purchase of energy efficient appliances all of which will help you pinpoint waste so you can save money.
Personal-Finance Education
More and more colleges are offering
free online courses.
Among the wide variety of classes offered is one from University of California, Irvine, that is a
personal-finance course.
Take it free of charge to help you learn the basics of personal finances or brush up what you have learned on your own.
Small-Business Education
If you'd like to boost your income
by starting a part-time home business, the U.S. Small Business
Administration offers a wide variety of classes at no cost that can
help you.
This includes such information as how to write a business
plan and how to register your company. Classes are usually held at
locations across the U.S. You can find the classes nearest you through
the
SBA Local resource
finder.
Language Classes
One way to improve career prospects is to learn a
second language.
The Web offers a number of free ways to learn a
foreign language, including the
Foreign Service
Institute which were developed by the U.S. government and are
in the public domain, or online
through
flash.
Jeffrey Strain
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