There is really no reason for you to have to read hundreds of blogs, articles and e-zines and feeds. Thrifty News will keep you up to date on living a thrifty life.

Not every article in this newsletter will apply to you and your family. Our content will change monthly, so pick out the parts that work for you and skip over the rest.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Segment 1 - Thrifty Valentines Day

Segment 2 - Adopt A Thrifty Mind Set

Segment 3 - Get Out Of Debt E-Book Soon To Be Released

Segment 4 - Getting Finances In Order - Part 2

Segment 5 - Thrifty Meals For Valentines Day

Thrifty Valentines Day -

Valentines Day can be an expensive day - but it doesn't have to be. Valentines Day is all about the memories, so find inexpensive ways to make some memories with your sweetheart.

If you are in the younger set, make up some posters that spell out her name and a banner above that says, "I Love You". Then take her to a local game and have your friends sit on the other side of the arena and hold up the signs when you give a particular signal. You could hand her a flower and that could be the signal to your friends.

If you live together, you could get up early and bring her breakfast in bed - place a rose on the tray. How easy is that - and she will love it.

If you and another couple want an evening out but can't afford it, swap houses for one night. The two of you go to your friends house and they come to yours, you make dinner and stay the night in the guest room. Viola a change of scenery!

Look for other on our thrifty dating page.

This new year has brought with it many financial challenges for many people. If you are suddenly in financial straights, it is time to re-evaluate. It seems we all need to cut back, change our mind set, tighten our belts.

What do I mean by "change our mind set"? I am talking about looking at all expenses in your budget and deciding if it is a need or a want. I am talking about eliminating the wants, or at least reducing them a great deal.

Food, shelter and clothing are needs. The rest are wants - like cable television, eating out instead of cooking at home, buying new clothes every time the styles change, redecorating your house, new furniture, the latest movie or toys for your children, etc. The list of wants is much longer than the list of needs.

Most people can eliminate $200.00 or more a month if they really look at where the money is going.

I challenge you to see how much you can eliminate from your monthly budget and spending.

Step-By-Step Get Out Of Debt is soon to be released.

If you have debt in your life, this is a book you won't want to miss. It will literally walk you step-by-step to get out of debt.

Put yourself on the list now and when the book is released, you will be among the first to know.

Go to this page to sign up for your copy of the book.

It will cost you nothing to sign up - you won't pay a dime until the book is released and you return to purchase it.

In January you made up your files and filed away all of your old bills and receipts. In February you are going to set up your end of year taxes file. In this file you will put anything during the year that you need to file taxes. If you do not itemize, you will need just your income receipts. At the end of the year you will need your W-2 and any other income such as child support payments.

If you itemize, you will need any interest statements as well as your W-2 and other income statements. You will also need any expenses, such as medical, work related gasoline receipts, work related moving receipts, any loan statements, a copy of your profit and loss statement for the year, and anything else your accountant needs.

One easy way to set up this file is to have your accountant give you a checklist of what they will need to calculate your taxes. Keep that checklist in the file and review it quarterly to make sure you are putting all receipts in the file that the accountant will need.

Make this Valentines Day special with a home cooked meal. Use red food as your theme. You can make any kind of pasta with red sauce such as Marinara Sauce, salad with red lettuce, red peppers, radishes and even red cherry peppers, a dessert of red velvet cake with creme cheese frosting.

Another idea for the meal is stuffed red peppers, the same salad, and a red jello dish for dessert.

If you like to have bread with your meal, you can add some paprika to the butter on the bread.

For full recipes and more meal ideas go to our thrifty meals pages.

These THRIFTY LIVING TIPS should get you started on a fun and thrifty February.

Please be safe and enjoy your friends and your family.

See you with more Thrifty Ideas in March!