The Advantage Advisor

  Save money tailgating this fall

  How to find free stuff

  Clean up your credit

 

The end of summer brings cooler temperatures, leaves changing, and getting the kids back onto the school bus in the morning. Autumn also brings with it a familiar question: Are you ready for some football?! And as everyone knows, it’s not really about the game, it’s about who’s got the best pre-game spread of refreshment delights. 

 

Unfortunately, buying all of the supplies for a tailgating party can be expensive. Pricey meats, large quantities of drinks, and dips that contain several layers of goodness can really start to add up quickly. But before you break the bank tailgating or having friends and family over for the game, use these tips to help reduce the cost of your football events.

 

Chicken Wings - Is there a more perfect tailgating party food? Eaten with your hands, they pass the convenience test. They can also be more affordable than hamburgers. You can spend a little time experimenting with different spices and sauces to perfect your own chicken wing flavor. Also try mixing different sauces for your guests to experience a different flavor explosion with each bite.  

 

Chips and Dips - Tortilla chips and salsa are great for tailgating. Consider making your own salsa as you can make a much larger quantity for a lot less than pre-made salsa. Spicier salsas can also help keep your crowd warm at cold-weather games. Experiment with different kinds of beans for dips. Beans are an inexpensive and delicious way to keep chips heavily loaded.      

 

Fruits and Veggies – A tray of carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of tailgating food, but your body will thank you for including nutrition, albeit in a very small portion. Buy and cut your own veggies to see large savings over veggie platters at the grocery store. And just like salsa, you can make large quantities of veggie dip for much less than pre-made dips at the store. When it comes to the other half of this food group, nothing beats the heat like fresh fruit. Just like veggie platters, make your own combinations to save. You can hollow out half of a watermelon, and then put your fruit cocktail in it to serve. In addition to being creative, delicious, and fun, you’re also getting two uses out of the watermelon. Be sure to use fruits that are in season for maximum savings.   

 

Potatoes - Don’t forget about the almighty spud. Throughout history it’s harder to find a more delicious and satisfying snack than the potato. The great thing about potatoes is their versatility; you can prepare them in nearly any fashion.  Bake them, fry them, or wrap them in foil and throw them on the grill; any way you can’t go wrong. And by the way, potatoes are nearly as cheap as the dirt they used to call home.

 

Hot Dogs - Hot dogs can be a much cheaper alternative to brats or sausages. Look for sales at the store as grocers usually change the brands on sale to keep their stock rotating.

 

Soda - No one will really care if you’re serving Pepsi or RC. Look for the brand that’s on sale, as it usually changes from week to week. Particularly good deals are available when buying soda by the case at bulk stores like Sam’s Club or Costco.

 

“Party-Pooling” - As you may have noticed, a lot of the ways to save money on tailgating and parties involves preparing ingredients and dishes yourself. But who has the time? Party-pooling is a new term to define how different guests can contribute to the party. Most guests are happy to bring their favorite side dish or dip to add to your smorgasbord. The variety of items will have guests salivating, and by having others contribute will significantly reduce your costs for the party.

 

After indulging in all of these goodies, your guests won’t even know that your party was such a bargain.

 

So the next time the big game calls for a big party, you can do it on a not so big budget.

 

 

Halloween will be here before we know it. It’s easy to go overboard and bust your budget between costumes, candy and parties. This year make sure your budget isn’t adding to the season’s scare factor.

 

 

Q: My credit score isn’t very good, and I have some negative things on my credit report. How can I clean up my credit?

 

A: First, it’s important to realize that it will take some time to get your credit report back in good shape and to raise your credit score. There is no way to remove negative items that are accurate, except by waiting until they drop from your report. You should pay past due accounts, but that won’t remove the negative information.

In general most negative items will be removed in seven years, while a bankruptcy will remain on your credit report for seven to 10 years.

 

You can start to improve your credit report by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com and getting a free copy from each of the three credit reporting bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). Correct anything on your report that is inaccurate.

 

It is very, very important that you pay all of your bills on time. Late payments really hurt your credit score, and you need to start building a positive history.

 

Pay down your debts, especially unsecured debts like credit card bills, and try not to incur any new debts.

 

The old saying goes, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.”

 

Sometimes that’s true, but other times a little creativity can get you something for free. You just need to think outside of the box.

 

Do you have a talent or skill that you can use to barter with? More and more businesses and people are trading products and services.

 

If you need a babysitter, look to friends or family members who may be in the same situation. You can trade babysitting services hour for hour as needed. Are you terrible at house cleaning, but a pro at washing and waxing cars? Maybe you could trade services with a neighbor, house cleaning for car washing.

 

Likewise, some businesses are willing to trade services for products. If you have a marketable skill, instead of charging a price for your time and talents, consider what might be a fair trade. Of course this works best with local, family-owned businesses, or chain franchises that are owned and operated by a local owner.

 

There are also organized groups of people who believe in giving things away for free in an effort to not only save money, but to reduce waste and to save the environment by keeping things out of landfills.

 

Freecycle is a non-profit organization that operates through a network of users who are each registered online. There are Freecycle communities located throughout the country. When someone has an unwanted item they post it online. If you want the item, you go and pick it up. The idea is to give freely with no strings attached.

 

Freecycle’s motto is, “Changing the world one gift at a time.” The concept is simple: If you have an item that you no longer want, give it away to someone who does want it.

 

 

Reduce the amount of food you throw away.

 

Most of us have been there: You’re staring into a refrigerator full of food that either spoiled before it was prepared or leftovers that sat untouched.

 

Always shop with a list and pay attention to what things get tossed the most. Are you buying too many apples? Do you insist on buying asparagus even though no one likes it?

 

Don’t fill your or your child’s plate. You can always get a second serving if you’re still hungry, and you’ll be less likely to send uneaten food down the garbage disposal.

 

After you cook and eat, immediately freeze any leftovers that you know won’t get eaten within a couple of days.

 

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