Exchange Rate Surcharges and ATM Fees for the International Traveler

The summer travel season is coming and for folks who are traveling abroad and planning to use their credit cards or ATM cards, Lowcards.com has an excellent article, Credit Card Tips for the International Traveler, which explains how the credit exchange rate surcharges work, and the rates currently charged by the various financial institutions, as well as ATM-fees for cash withdrawal from foreign ATMs.

Link to article: Credit Card Tips for the International Traveler

See also my other postings on credit cards:

• More on Credit Cards
  
• Dealing with Credit Cards
• Careful Use of Credit Cards
• Credit Cards and Frugal Living
  

My Frugal Living Tip #10: Selling or Recycling Your Electronic Gadgets for Cash While Saving the Earth

In celebration of Earth Day today (22 April 2010), more and more people are looking to recycle or sell their electronic gadgets instead of mindlessly throwing them into the trash.

Do you know you can earn a bit of cash while selling or recycling your old electronics gadgets? Besides doing a good deed, you can also earn some cash in doing so.

Gazelle.com buys your old electronic gadgets, pays for shipping and sends you a box to send your stuff in. This new site has garnered favorable reviews in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Wired.com.

Main Site: Gazelle.com

Reviews:
Wall Street Journal: Where Old Gadgets Go To Breathe New Life
New York Times: Used Tech Dealers Do Booming Business in iPhones 3Gs
Wired.com: How to Avoid Paying the iPhone 3GS Upgrade Tax

Liked this article? Read the other entries in my Frugal Living Tips Series.
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Preparing and Filing Your Taxes

It's tax filing season. Here is a roundup of useful resouces for preparing and filing your taxes:

• How to File Taxes For Free: Free File and Free Tax Software (GenXFinance.com)
  Excellent advice on finding ways to avoid paying a preparation and filing charges when you e-file your taxes. In my case, I have used TaxAct.com, which gives you free federal e-filing regarding of income level (I don't qualify for income-limited tax filing products). TaxAct.com does nag you to upgrade, but you can always click "later." As someone who is leery of putting tax data online, I am glad that TaxAct.com offers free download of their tax software that you can install on your computer. No, I don't get a cent from endorsing TaxAct.com, I'm just a long-time satisfied customer. As for my state taxes, I use my state's free e-filing. It's barebones but it works.


• Open Tax Solver
  Open Tax Solver (OTS) is a free program for calculating Tax Form entries and tax-owed or refund-due, such as Federal or State personal income taxes. The complete version of OTS for the 2009 tax year has been released. It contains the updated US 1040 with Schedules A, B, C, and D. It also contains the State Tax form updates for California, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Ohio, and Virgina.


• 10 Most Overlooked Tax Deductions (WalletPop.com)
  


• The Audit (Examination) Process - The IRS explains what triggers an audit.


• Paper Records: What to Keep, What to Toss (Kiplinger.com) -- good advice on what paperwork you need to keep, especially for the IRS


• Saving Grace Period for Flex Accounts (Kiplinger.com) -- How to make the most of money left in your flex account.

My Frugal Living Tip #9: Make Your Stuff Last Longer

When people ask me what is my one overriding tip for saving money, I tell them that I try to make my things last as long as possible. When I don't have to spend money replacing broken or worn out stuff, that's money that can be saved or invested.

The challenge that many of us face is how to make stuff last as long as possible. Lifehacker's Top 10 Trips and Tricks For Making Your Stuff Last Longer is a good place to start.

Read the other entries in my Frugal Living Tips Series.