How Can I Afford Christmas Gifts?

Budgeting is mandatory in hard times. Running up credit card debt this Holiday Season is not the answer. Creative ideas and smart budgeting will make for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year WITHOUT ADDED DEBT!

There are easy ways to stay within your weekly budget and still give everyone a gift; BUT, you need to start today. We are going to show you two easy things to start doing today; and also, show you gift ideas that will help you stay within your budget.

1)Skip Starbucks or your local coffee shop twice a week (or two cups of coffee). With savings of $7 to $8, in just eight weeks that’s $56 to $64 in gifts.

2)Take your lunch to work twice a week. That’s a savings of $10 to $20 a week. In just eight weeks that’s another $80 to $160 in gifts.

With just two easy steps you have between $136 to $224 to spend on Christmas gifts without increasing your budget 1 penny. For you it might be skipping the movies a few times or going out to dinner. A few sacrafices now will save you a lot later. One more very important point; do Not run out at the last minute to buy gifts. Procrastination will kill a budget with panic buying!

$80.00 Shoestring Budget Gift Ideas
Gift for a Toddler: Pound-A-Peg by Melissa and Doug $9.98 Sold Out

Gift for a Girl: Melissa and Doug Decorate-Your-Own Piggy Bank $6.98

Gift for a Girlfriend or Wife: Gold Oval In and Out Crystal Hoop Earrings $22.98

Gift for a Female Friend: Cranberry Pearl Earrings with Swarovski Crystals $6.98 Sold Out

Gift for a Male Friend : Celtic Knot Pendant Leather Cord Necklace $8.98 Sold Out

Gift for a Computer User: USB 2.0 Hub Robot $17.98

Total $73.88

Great Gifts for the $140.00 Budget
Gift for a Boy or Girl: Turbospoke Bike Toy $18.98

Gift for a Girl: Melissa and Doug Bake and Decorate Cupcake Set $19.98

Gift for a Girlfriend or Wife: Peridot and Sterling Silver Necklace and matching Stud Earrings $43.96

Gift for a Female Friend: Pearl Necklace with Pearl Earrings $16.98

Gift for a Male Friend: USB Travel Shaver $19.98

Gift for a Computer User: USB LED Lamp and Fan $19.98

Total $139.86

A little sacrifice and a few good ideas will help you have a more relaxing enjoyable holiday season without adding credit card debt or increasing your budget. Remember, DO NOT procrastinate! Start using these guidelines today. Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

How to Spend Wisely with Money Saving Tips

In today’s economy most of us are trying to save money any way we can. We are all aware of ways to save such as buying in bulk, discount sales, and using coupons. Here are a few money saving tips that we hope will be useful.

Shop alone if possible; and if not, pretend you are alone. Image is everything, right? We are all concerned with the image we portray even when we shop. If we shop with friends we tend to select a pricey brand over a more economical choice. Be on the alert if you are shopping in a crowd.

Don’t let temptation get you. Rid yourself of the barrage of catalogs and emails from your favorite stores. These tend to create the urge to splurge. You can stop the catalogs, direct mail ads, and store emails by visiting dmachoice.org. You can also unsubscribe from most email lists individually by following the instructions that are usually at the bottom of each email message.

Before you splurge, ask yourself “What does this really cost?” If you stop and think about how many hours you have to work in order to earn the money to pay for each item you consider buying, you will make better decisions about your purchases.
Don’t be average. Nielsen Company research shows that average Americans watch TV 153 hours per month. A study in the Journal of Consumer Research says people who watch a lot of TV tend to crave more material possessions since many of today’s popular shows portray an upscale lifestyle.

Resist mega bargains. Overspending is overspending even if you are getting a designer dress originally priced at $200 for $50. If you don’t absolutely love the dress, don’t buy it. A dress hanging in your closet that never gets worn is no bargain at any price.

Keep your eye on the prize. If you are saving for a great vacation, a new car, or a hot tub you will be more likely to stash the cash to reach your goal if you are constantly reminded. Put pictures on your refrigerator, the visor of your car, or in your wallet to help stave off impulse buys.

Free is always good, right? Wrong! Avoid free trials like the plague unless you are confident you will follow through with the usual required cancellation. Most of us are too lazy or forgetful to take the necessary steps when the free trial ends. Using cash pays. Leaving your credit cards at home when you shop so that you have to take a moment to think about each purchase will help curb overspending. People are more likely to buy only basic necessities when spending good old dollars and cents.

Ask yourself “Do I really need all the bells and whistles?” Whether you are buying a mini-van or a flat screen TV the extras add up. Consider whether the added features will still be desirable after the new wears off. Buying only the features you really need can save big bucks.

Follow this useful information; and watch your savings grow. Remember, as Ben Franklin would say “A penny saved is a penny earned”.

Great Tips That will Save you Money

Plan meals ahead of time: When you try to shop without meal planning you buy at random without considering the price. We buy a lot of products then try to prepare our meals around what we buy.

Do not go shopping when you are hungry: If you go to the store when you are hungry, everything looks good and you over buy. In fact you will tend to buy cookies, ice cream and snacks which have a high price tag. If you shop on your way home from work you are usually tired, hungry, in a hurry, and make bad decisions. If you plan your shopping trip the night before and have a snack after work, you will save money and make wiser decisions.

Buy store brands: Store brands are cheaper and are usually produced by well known brand name companies.

Use coupons: Combining products that are on sale with a coupon can save you even more. Save the coupons on products you use even if you do not need them right away. Coupons may not expire for months.

Look for good deals while you shop: If you find a good deal buy extra. Keep it on your shelf until you need it. Buy one get one free can be a great deal but two things to watch out for here are over pricing and expiration dates.

Make out a grocery list and stick to it!

Don’t buy on impulse: Impulse shopping will drive your costs sky high. The only time you should buy impulsively is on great deals.

Try not to buy cleaning and paper products at the grocery store: Grocery stores usually over price these type of products. The place to save on these items is at discount stores.