Festive but Frugal – Impress for Less this Christmas
One holiday down, and another around the corner… Starting to feel more generous with your spending as you embrace the festivities? A guest article provided by IVA Advisory Centre, a personal finance specialist based in the UK, they offer a few tips on how to get into the spirit without getting into your wallet.
Whatever expectations you take with you into the festive season, take a moment to ponder what you’ll be taking back out with you on the other side.
When January rolls around, will your lasting memories of Christmas 2010 be of good times and good cheer – or will they revolve around the massive credit card debts that are likely to cause you sleepless nights for much of 2011?
In short, plan your fun carefully to avoid that kind of debt problem. There are many ways to ‘impress for less’: to protect your bank account without gaining a reputation for Scrooge-like behavior when ‘everyone else’ seems to be giving until it hurts.
Money isn’t everything.
Money really isn’t everything. That’s as true at Christmas as it is at any time of the year: the type of presents you give needn’t cost much. In fact, they needn’t cost anything at all. A few ideas…
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Stocking Up On Household Goods For FREE
For the past few weeks I’ve been laid up with two different, but related back muscle injuries. Constantly pushing myself, I had a minor strain during a long run. Instead of resting then, I spent the remainder of the weekend moving furniture and continuing to train. So now, I’ll be skipping the Marine Corps race (10k, not the marathon) this weekend and letting the wife run it alone. Things have gotten a lot better though, and we went indoor rock climbing last night, but I just don’t think I can manage the race *and can’t allow a so-so time 
.
During this time, I’ve been using a fair amount of heat pads. In need some of more, I recently stocked up on them along with lots of cold medicine. The best part of all – everything I got was… FOR FREE! These aren’t trial sizes either; we’re talking regularly sold products. Continue reading “Stocking Up On Household Goods For FREE” »
6 Ways To Save On Electricity Bills
Saving money is on the top of everyone’s minds these days. Between job losses, benefit losses, and the rising cost of just about everything it is easy to see why many people are seeking out new ways to save money. One of the first places that you should look for savings is in your own home and your electricity spending. Most people can cut their electric bill significantly by making small changes that cost nothing or very little. If you have some money to spend there are a few big changes you can make that will cut costs and earn your money back for you in short order.
- Unplug things you do not use – Every item that is plugged into an outlet is drawing power, even if it is switched off. Go through your home and unplug everything that is non-essential. Lamps, clocks, televisions, coffee pots, and toasters should all be unplugged when they are not actually being used. You will be shocked to see how many of those items never get plugged in or only get plugged in on rare occasions.
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Financial Mistakes of Young Families
The following is a guest post by Crystal at Budgeting in the Fun Stuff. Her blog covers living expenses, saving for your future, and the fun stuff in between. Quickly gaining popularity and a strong following, make sure to check out her other great articles before she goes big-time!
I don’t hit on parental subjects very often since I only have dogs, but I liked these tips in the Yahoo Finance article, The Six Mistakes Young Families Make. I think these are mistakes made by lots of people, not just young families. And not just families here in the US. Young families in the UK may find this article useful. Here’s their six mistakes and my view on them:
