Bidnip.com is an auction sniper site that will swoop in at the last minute on an auction, and, for a very small fee (generally less than a quarter), snag the item for you!  If you don’t win, you get your change back!  This will help you save up to 50% on your item, which will make you feel a little better about the ridiculous shipping costs that the sellers charge!  Also, if you’re not sure you want to sign up with them, they let you have a free trial, just to be sure.  No obligation, no worries.

Happy shopping!  Save some money.

As our regular readers are aware, your favorite southern couple now has a daughter.  At around a month old, her requirements are mainly food, diaper changes and sleep (and the pacifier, haha).  Another requirement, we have learned, is that of gas relief drops, like Mylicon.  The stuff is like liquid gold.  We go through an ounce a week, for crying out loud, and at about $13 an ounce, buying that stuff at the grocery, frankly, hurts.  The good news is that while at another local grocery store, we found their generic brand drops for only $4 an ounce!  That’s a savings of $9 a week, or $468 a year!  For those of you looking for a good start on your vacation fund, saving on generics like this is a fast track to making it a reality. 

Review your weekly expenditures and try and find the name brand things that can be swapped for generic.  It doesn’t have to be all of your weekly expenses, but $10-$15 a week adds up, and will be a nice boost to your savings, or a good start on a vacation (or at least a nice long weekend)!

My favorite item on the list has to be weddings, since I have somewhat of a personal vendetta against high cost weddings.  It’s not that I don’t want people to have a nice wedding full of memories, it’s just that I don’t think we need to spend an average of $19,000 (according to the article) to make these memories.  Friends and family make the memories of your wedding (trust me on this), not the decorations.  Use less expensive decorations/venues to cut costs.  Have a friend throw you a “stock the bar” shower as opposed to a lingerie shower, since we all know that the lingerie ends up on the floor anyway, and save a ton on booze.  Either way, cut your costs, and put that money into savings!

Another favorite off the list?  Kitchen gadgets!  We all love them and we all buy them (unless of course, you use your kitchen as a closet or can only cook 5 meals, and therefore eat our a lot), but do we really need them?  Be honest!  Do you really need that pasta maker?  Have you ever made pasta from scratch?  Or is it more likely that you bought the gadget and still buy your pasta pre-made from the grocery?  Whatever the gadget, chances are you don’t need it!  You should either save that cash, or put it toward something useful, like saving it up to buy a good set of knives or cookware!

There are 8 other items on the list, which I strongly suggest you check out!  Some are funny (electronic litter box, anyone??), and others are practical, but all are a waste of money!

We would like to take this time to wish everyone a Happy Father’s Day this Sunday, and would also like to notify you that we will be taking next week off from writing, as we celebrate the birth of our daughter.  As our regular readers know, we take family time very seriously, and think that spending time loving each other is a key element in a happy marriage, and of course, loving more and living better.  Therefore, that is what we’re going to do next week!  Have a great week next week, and we’ll see you soon!

• Better Budgeting - Some great ideas here!  My favorite is the idea of yard service.  This is great for the father who doesn’t relish the idea of getting out in the heat and working in the yard.   A truly thoughtful gift.
• About.com - As for this website, I personally like the “week of special lunches”, since Jerrill takes his lunch to work everyday.  I think this might top my list for next years Father’s Day!
• iVillage.com - This has some good tips for the 1st Father’s Day for a new dad!  The big idea here is keeping it simple and inexpensive, and I wholeheartedly agree, since most men I know wouldn’t want you to break the bank on their Father’s Day gift anyway.  Men are men.  If they want something for themselves, they generally go get it!
• Associated Content - This has some sweet ideas and some funny ideas for the new dad.  I LOVE the “new dad diaper changing survival kit”!  This is a great little funny gift for the dad with a sense of humor!

So, with my baby about to be born any day now, you might be asking what your favorite southern woman has done for her man on Father’s Day.  Well, I have 2 presents in store for him (I don’t mind sharing…he’s a little busy with baby stuff right now, and won’t likely be reading this week’s posts, haha).  The first is a picture frame that will have our first family picture in it, that he can take to work.  The second is my favorite however.  I have had his wedding band inscribed, something personal from just me to him, because even though it is Father’s Day, the joy of our baby would not have been possible without our love and devotion to each other, and it’s always good for couples to remember that.

Hope these links help you find the ideal and frugal gift for your dad!  Good luck!

Along with the companies distressed driver services (roadside breakdown, flat tire, a dead battery and car keys locked in the car, to name a few), they also offer features like Triptik, their online travel planner (which my mom has used for years and loves it) maps and apps for your GPS and your iPhone, and tour books!  On top of all this, some local AAA offices are affiliated with your local DMV and can allow member drivers to take care of vehicle registration, lost license plates and car stickers and transfer out of state vehicles (a serious pain in the neck, if you’ve never had to do it)!  Another benefit?  They have recently added identity theft monitoring with specialized people in their fraud relosultion support department, which is a free program included in your membership…all you have to do is sign up!

The other great benefit to a AAA membership?  All the discounts!  Discounts can range from 10%-30%, depending on the location, and can include locations like hotels, rental cars, gym memberships, restaurants, sporting events, prescription medicines etc.

With all of these benefits, a Classic AAA membership seems like a great deal, and, if you have your budget on track (i.e. no debt except the house), this should be a great way for you to save some money!  Now, if your lifestyle dictates that you’re on the road a lot (salesman, for example), then you should consider this service, out of debt or not!

On a personal note, your favorite southern couple is fast approaching the due date of their first child, and therefore, will likely miss a post or 2 in the upcoming weeks.  If, you, our wonderful readers, visit the site and find no post for the day, please be assured that we will be back soon, and will post pictures of the newest addition to our clan as soon as we get the chance.

• Krispy Kreme – 1 free doughnut per customer, no purchase necessary!
• Dunkin’ Donuts – free doughnut WITH the purchase of a beverage!
• LaMar’s – 1 free Ray’s Original Glazed Doughnut, no purchase necessary!
• Shipley Do-Nuts – Free glazed doughnut WITH purchase UNTIL noon!

Don’t have one of these shops near your house?  Check with local mom and pop shops to see if they’re celebrating the day!  If not, explain the day and see if you can get a freebie (or freebie with purchase).  Hey, it never hurts to ask!  Have a great National Doughnut Day and happy eating! 

A special thanks goes out to Amy for bringing such a yummy article to our attention!

So, I did a little math, and if these people, who don’t make above the poverty line, invested that 9% of their $13,000 a year, which works out to $97.50 a month, over 50 years with a 9% return over that time (reasonable rate of return), they would have a little over $1 million dollars at the end!  Yes, you read that right!  $1 MILLION dollars at the end!  That means that there is a good chance for ANYof those people earning $13,000 a year to have a million dollars when they retire, if they are disciplined enough to invest what they spend on a chance at instant gratification! 

And that’s the difference, isn’t it?  Most of us DO NOT win the lottery.  We know that it only parts fools from their money.  What truly helps people build wealth is discipline with their money and the ability to wait for the payoff over time.  Problem is, I don’t know if a poor person would believe me if I told them that they could have $1 million dollars when they retire.  However, given the study and the little bit of math above, we hope you decide that the lottery is a waste of money and perhaps saving to become a millionaire isn’t as hard as you once thought it was!

Let’s talk about being a teacher.  It’s a truly stressful job.  They have 100 students (at least) every day that need to be educated with not only the subject that the teacher is charged with teaching but also the life lessons that some of our more lackadaisical parents “don’t bother to” or “forget to” teach their children at home (FYI…it is NOT the job of a school teacher to teach your children the good morals and values of our society…that is in YOUR jurisdiction!).  Needless to say, it’s a little overwhelming.  What’s more, the money system set up around the education system (at least the parts I know about, as I am not an expert) is ludicrous.  For example, the school system allots each teacher a certain number of copies that they are allowed to make per year on the copy machine, and if they want to make more, they have to pay for them!  That puts added and undue pressure on the teacher, because let’s face it, toner and copy paper are cheap.

 However, silly as it is, it is the workplace version of “living within your means”.  But not all teachers do.  They will either spend money out of their own pocket to buy supplies, or send home a list of supplies that the parent MUST provide for all of the various projects the teacher wants to do.  All I have to say is, my oh my, what a mess!  Teachers are given a budget.  They should have to work within that budget (and yes, I am absolutely certain that their budget is too low and doesn’t help much, but it is what it is).  By buying supplies out of their own pocket, they are saying that the budget is meaningless, and that sets the wrong example for the students.  I love the generous nature, but they shouldn’t take the burden on themselves and set a bad example for the children.  And if they decide to pass the cost onto the parent?  Well, the parents at home have their own budgets and money problems to worry about, and the decision to have all of these wonderful projects impacts them too!

So, what is a teacher to do since they’re being squeezed on both sides?  Get creative!  If they figure out less costly projects and methods for teaching the same lesson, they will be able to stay within the budget the school set for them without passing the cost on to the parents!  I know that the replacement projects won’t be as full of bells and whistles, but the object of the lesson is to teach something, and that usually doesn’t require fancy projects.  Also, as long as the teacher has a computer with an Internet connection, she can show the students whatever she wants to show them!  For example…let’s say the teacher originally wanted to have the students build volcanoes for science class.  All she has to do is have them read the chapter, discuss it in class, then show the students this on the projector.  It’s not AS cool, but it works and it’s pretty much free!

I’m not trying to pick on teachers, just so you know.  I just wanted to give an example of how we have a mental disconnect between living within our means at home and at work.  We shouldn’t be frugal at home and a spendthrift at work.  Apply the same principles at both places, and get creative on your savings!

I LOVE this statement.  It shows the power that your thoughts and your point of view can have on your life and your future.  You see, all too often we take the “glass is half empty” approach to life.  We are pessimistic, we expect the worst out of life and out of people we know and meet, and more often than not, we shouldn’t be doing that. 

I like to say that if you want a different outcome, you have to take a different path, and that you shouldn’t let life happen to you, you should happen to your life.  This way of thinking/doing things puts you in a better position to make positive and, on occasion, very lucrative/beneficial decisions for your future because you’re not just following the simple path or a previous path…you’re challenging yourself to be better.  This is the same idea behind Ms. Godfrey’s statement.  By telling people to raise their children to make a job and not just get a job that someone else is offering, she’s not just telling people to be entrepreneurs, she’s telling them to think for themselves, think of what they can make of themselves, and to learn how to plan for their future.  In my opinion, one key difference between the “haves” and the “have nots” of this great nation is that the “haves” have created and are on a plan.  They think positively and shape their point of view to the path that best benefits them.  It doesn’t ALWAYS matter what plan you’re on…more often than not, it just matters that you’re on a plan.

Just a little food for thought in the middle of your week.  Try a different approach.  Think positively.  Create a plan.  See how things turn out.

• Raise your deductible to $1,000 – Let’s face it…if you ‘have to use your insurance for your home, you’re likely to have to spend WELL OVER$1,000 on whatever the repair might be , and you could save up to 25% off your yearly premium!  It’s a good choice!  Plus, if you have an emergency fund, like we suggest, of at least $1,000, then you would have the money to cover the deductible.
• Use the same company for both your auto insurance AND your homeowners insurance – This is a no brainer!  Most insurance companies offer discounts when you have multiple accounts with them, which could amount to 10% off your premium.  No sense paying an extra 10% just to be able to use 2 different companies.  Find the company with the best rate for both policies and go with them!
• Check with your insurer to see if they offer loyalty discounts – Not all of them do, but the insurance companies that do will give discounts up to 10%.  It’s worth looking into, although you might have to have been with them for several years (at least 5).
• Install dead bolts and/or a security system – Not only is it a safety issue, but it’s a good way to save an extra 5% on the homeowners policy.  Check with your insurance company to see if other safety features can be added to your home to increase the discount even more!

Whether you implement all or just one of these tips, you will see the difference on your bill, and that money can be used as savings, debt payment or additional funds for another under-funded budget category.  “Trimming the fat” out of each bill is a key way to making your budget work for you!

As of this past Wednesday, Microsoft released its Office 2010 Suite to businesses around the globe, and is planning a release date in June for individual consumers.  Why is this big news?  Because this release includes an online component called Web Apps…for FREE! 

So, what are Web Apps?  They are applications that have the ability to create, edit, view and share files online, similar to GoogleDocs, that are accessed on Microsoft’s SkyDrive website.  And the best part is that you don’t have to buy the software suite to be able to use the online tools!  Microsoft has made the decision to offer most of Office 2010 (some things are disabled) for free to anyone in an attempt to compete with (squash??) the rising popularity of Google Docs. 

Basically, they want you to use their software!  They want that brand loyalty to continue!  They DO NOTwant you to switch to Google Docs or Open Office!  Microsoft finally realized that in order to keep their brand in use and popular with the younger and future generations, they were going to have to offer some things for free.  On top of that, they are offering free storage space on their SkyDrive website for your documents, so you don’t even have to save it to your own PC (which is a little weird to me, but I’m  skeptic). 

For those of you that want “your own copy”(those of you who are even more skeptical than me), there are some acceptable price point packages.  For a middle of the road package, you can get Microsoft Office Home and Business, which sells for $279 in a box (in the store), or $199 for a product key and includes Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, OneNote 2010, and Outlook 2010.  If that is more than you need, you can pay $149 for the box version or $119 for the product key card version of Microsoft Office Home and Student.  This package offers Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, OneNote 2010, and the Office Web Apps.  The best part about this package is that it is available in a Family Pack, allowing use on three computers in one home, and let’s be honest…for the average user, this would be all you’d need. 

Our suggestion is to use the Web Apps tools online for free.  Learn to do what you need within the free version (as there will be disabled parts) so that you can save a bundle! 

As the title of the article indicates, it appears that there has been a shift in the public mentality regarding our television viewing.  The article points out that around 90% of U.S. households subscribe to some form of pay TV (which is disturbing, since according to the last data available from 2008, 15.4% of households don’t have health insurance.  I guess that means more people will pay for TV than will pay for health insurance…I hate to say this, but if you don’t have health insurance, you shouldn’t have cable or satellite TV…you should be using that money toward health insurance), but that that number is trending downward, now that you can watch many of your shows on the internet on demand, and at least for now, for free. 

This isn’t an unheard of precedent.  Many households have cut the cord to their land line telephones, keeping their cellular telephone as the sole form of communicating in many cases.  The reasoning behind the declining interest in pay TV is also similar to the decline in interest in land line telephones:  The cost just keeps going up!  Cable and satellite TV are, frankly, both outdated technologies in comparison to the Internet and it’s current speeds for your PC (and in some cases your mobile phone).  In spite of this fact, they still have average yearly rate hikes of around 5%, putting current prices around $71 per month.  The 5% rate hike could end up being worse too, because the 4 big broadcasters (ABC, CBS, NBC & Fox) have cost the cable and satellite providers nothing to air in the past (this is because they are available for free over the airwaves anyway), but now, these networks are demanding fees for their programming comparable to other cable networks, and unfortunately, they are receiving them!  This is ridiculous, because the fees get passed on to those of us that subscribe!

Don’t be fooled though.  The networks who provide this entertainment might be offering the content for free online right now, but they will start to charge eventually.  They’re not going to allow one cent of profit to fall between their fingers.  Any lost revenue through cable/satellite will be made up in other ways.  Eventually, I predict there to be a fee for both cable/satellite and a ”subscription fee” to watch your shows on sites like Hulu.com on demand.  At that point, you as the consumer will have to decide which service to go with, or allow these people to “double dip” once again and convince you to subscribe to both services!

Check out celebrations.com to get ideas on:

• Mother’s Day cupcakes
• Gifts for your wife to be
• Photo or herb bouquets
• Mother’s Day poems

Check out abcnews.com for great ideas including:

• Customized bracelets
• Customizable vases
• Photo books
• DIY Flip flops
• “Me” books (a great idea…very sweet)

There are plenty of low cost/no cost options to make mom happy on these sites, however, most of you should keep in mind that all most moms want for their special day is to see you and spend time with you.  A greeting card would be a nice bonus, but even that is probably optional.  Most moms really just want to know that you care and that you think of them.  So, if you don’t have the time or money, any gesture (like going for a visit) will do.  If, however, you want to do something special for Mother’s Day, these are some great low cost options, which is especially important for those of you following our guidance on frugal living to get out of debt! 

Good luck and  happy shopping to all the children out there.  To the mothers??  A very Happy Mother’s Day to all of you!

Now, as with any other free offer, their could (will) be some limitations for your particular Olan Mills location, but they are still free photos!  Even if they come out in poor quality, it’s no big deal because you didn’t spend any money on them in the first place!  Keep in mind that the coupon is only valid for children 3 months of age or younger, and that the are only going to give you the pictures from the first picture they snap. 

This isn’t a big money saver for everybody, but it can be a great little treat for those of you who are having trouble finding the money to pay for baby himself, much less professional photos!

If you’re in the market for a home (hopefully your other debt is paid off, like we suggest, and you have a down payment), then you should be aware of what your family truly needs.  If there are 3 of you (mom, dad and baby), then a 4 bedroom house IS overkill.  If no one in the house cooks (or likes to), then you don’t REALLY need the chef’s kitchen now, do you?  You should get just as much house as is required by your families needs, that way, you can save more for the future and have your “comfortable” home paid off sooner. 

Struggling with your current home’s mortgage payment?  Maybe it’s time you downsized!  Many people get into houses that they can’t really afford, and then think there isn’t anything they can do about it, but this isn’t true.  If you bought more house than you can afford, chances are, you’re struggling.  Now, many people like to blame the banks (and there are some at fault), but they are not the only place to lay blame.  It’s easy to find and attack a scapegoat, but in reality, many people who bought more home than they could afford should have known they couldn’t afford them.  I know that the interest only loans and the ARM’s made it difficult to understand the EXACT terms of the loan, but let’s be honest…if you were approved for a $200,000 home, and you make $20,000 a year, sirens should have been going off in your head.  You should have been confused as to why you could afford so much.  You should have paused during your jumps for joy…if you were jumping for joy, saying “WOW, look what I can afford”, that WAS the warning sign! 

So, now you have more home than you can afford.  Sounds like it’s time to downsize!  I know that it can be hard to sell a home in this market, but as long as you keep your price competitive, and keep the home looking great, then you’ve got a good chance.  And something else of note?  Even if you have to take on a small personal loan to get out of the house, you’re still better off.  For example:  Let’s say your house is worth $225,000, and you put it on the market for $230,000.  Someone offers you $215,000, and they pay closing costs.  Well, after looking (really looking) at your finances, you realize you can’t afford more than a $150,000 home.  It’s better to sell the house for the offered price, take on a $10,000 personal loan, and find a house for $140,000.  You’re going to be better off, even if you did have to “take a hit” on the other house, because you will actually be able to make your mortgage payment now!  Sometimes, you just have to look at the bigger picture!

Remember, sometimes saving money IS the obvious choice.  Don’t buy more than you should.  Sounds simple, so try and live by it!

As most of our readers know, just a few short years ago, the savings rate in the U.S. was in the negatives, and had been for a few years. That doesn’t even seem possible, does it? No, but unfortunately it is. So, what does it mean? It means that as a nation, we were spending more than we were bringing in. We were living beyond our means. Then, the economy started to tank and many of us woke up and started to save for the future. Out of all of the bad things that came with a down economy, this was a bright point. Now, however, we’ve decided that we were saving more than enough and that it is time to blow through our money again! WHY would we be convinced of this? Did we all suddenly wake up rich? I don’t think so! We need to realize that the more we save now, and the earlier we start saving, the more we will have when we retire!

The recent 1.5% decline in savings, if continued over 30 years could mean the difference between retiring comfortably and retiring on “just enough”. It could mean the difference between taking trips to fun locations when you retire, or having a need to have a part time job when you retire. I don’t know about you, but I’d say that it’s worth a few sacrifices now to get to retire without the stress of money problems. Getting out of debt now and saving for the future should be a top priority for all of us. Read the article. Get motivated. Then get started on saving, or try and do more than you already are!

So, as many of our regular readers now know, we’re expecting a baby this summer!  This means that we’ve been getting up to speed on ways to save on babies/children, and I can’t think of 2 things mothers and fathers need to save more than money and time!  As such, I have 2 great tips to share today!  We are attending a maternity fair (kind of like a career fair) very soon, which is a great way to save some money.  There is no admission charge, and many of the vendors offer giveaways, so you could end up with lots of free stuff!  The main sponsor of the fair, in this case a hospital, is also offering a grand prize that includes labor and delivery of your baby!  Obviously, not everyone will win, but it’s worth a couple of hours one day to try! 

Now for the time saving part…IF you do decide to check out vendor sponsored maternity fairs, or food fairs or career fairs etc., be sure to take address labels with you.  Many of these places expect a name and address to register you to win their prizes, and if you have address labels with you, you will save yourself plenty of time, so you can see/do more things at the fair!  It will make your life less stressful! 

As humans, we are always coming up with ways to save time.  Hopefully, this will benefit you in more ways than just trade shows and fairs!  Good luck!

First, if you’re lucky enough to live in a few select cities throughout the U.S. (unfortunately, I am not), you can go to your local tool-lending library (find a list of cities here) and borrow the tools you need, saving perhaps hundreds of dollars per project.  This is a great idea!  I think this service should come to more cities and grow into something that can help us all save money and encourage us to learn how to maintain our own homes again.  Even a project like adding a small flowerbed involves purchasing a $200 or more tiller/cultivator (if you don’t want to have to dig the hole area out with a shovel, which, is totally fine in a money pinch).  Better to get the tools from a tool library! 

Don’t have a local tool library?  Then you’d better learn to do what we do, and that is borrow the expensive but seldom used tools from friends or family.  This is a little more tricky however, since if you don’t return the tool in the same condition in which it was given to you, you will have to replace it or run the risk of a damaged relationship with that friend or family member.  Our advice?  Treat the borrowed tool like it is on loan from a store, or has been rented.  That way, the fear of having to pay for it will keep you careful!

Clearly, I wasn’t too happy about the price of one of those tiller/cultivators after seeing the price.  As I said above, we don’t have a tool library in our area, so we are borrowing one from a family member.  The way I figure it, I just saved us $200!  Wouldn’t you like to save money this summer too?

Your favorite southern couple has a little announcement to make: We are about to become your favorite southern family! We are expecting our first child early this June!  Because of this, I have been doing a lot of catch up on finding ways to save money for new babies!  Consignment shops like Once Upon a Child or Kid to Kid offer a great way to save some money on baby clothes (and some toys), and pay you for your gently used or unworn baby/toddler clothing that you don’t need anymore.   Some good news?   They don’t just accept any clothing…it has to be in very good condition. 

Although I haven’t even given birth yet, I’ve already checked out some local consignment shops, and was very impressed!  I found 2 little every day rompers that still had the tags on them from the original stores, both originally around $10 a piece, now marked down to $1.50 and $2.50!  What a steal!  The selection was INCREDIBLE, and the merchandise ranged from low end store wares all the way to the designer brands found at high end stores.  Every item was clearly priced and sized on their tags, and the staff was helpful. 

Here’s a shocker: Children and babies are messy.  There are mud pies and markers and dirty diapers and spit up.  Their clothing (for the most part) should be bought to reflect their messy lifestyle, i.e. semi-disposable, which means that spending a ton of money on their regular, everyday clothes is silly.  Take my advice and check out the consignment stores, even if it’s normally not a place you would go, it’s worth the trip, since you are almost guaranteed to save some money!

In general, it’s not a good idea to even have a a tax refund.  It’s better for your bottom line as well as mathematically to get that money in your paycheck throughout the year, instead of giving the government an interest free loan for a whole year, but I understand that some people just like to get that lump sum at the end of the year.  That’s fine.  However, if you choose to get the lump sum refund for your taxes from the government, you shouldn’t be counting on it for regular bills or expenses.  This money should be used to pay down debt, start (or add to) an emergency fund or invest for your retirement.  These choices will help better your life and your future, whereas buying a big screen TV will only give you short term entertainment.  Do yourself a favor and don’t budget your tax refund into your budget!

Also, I wanted to share a friendly reminder.  Tomorrow is the first day of April, which means that summer is only a couple of months away.  Have you started planning your vacation yet?? More specifically, have you started planning how you’re going to pay for your vacation?  If not, now is the time to start!  Review your budget and see if there is money left over (assuming you have no debt other than your house and are already saving for retirement) for a vacation, and if there is, you should start saving for it now!  Nobody likes to be caught off guard, and that is usually what happens at Christmas time and vacation time.  People are always surprised that vacation time and Christmas came as quickly as it did, and so they aren’t prepared.  This reminder is an effort to be sure that doesn’t happen to our readers!

• If you haven’t done an energy audit of your house, then you should!  Contact your local utility company to see if they will do it for free (they usually will), and if not, then check out energystar.gov, and use their guide to do it on your own!
• Buy and use a programmable thermostat.  These things are great.  We love ours!  We set it to lower the temperature in the house at night when we go to bed, since we’re going to be under the covers anyway, and raise the temperature shortly before the alarm clock sounds.  It’s a great way to save a few bucks!
• Buy CFL bulbs!  Compact fluorescent bulbs will save you money over the long haul and the last longer as well.  I won’t deny the color is a little different and the bulbs  look weird, but they are well worth it!
• Put on or take off that sweater!  I know that our preference is for a nice temperature controlled house, and most people don’t have a problem with putting on the sweater in the winter, but it’s just as important in the summer!  I know that we can only take off so many clothes, but the wearing lightweight fabrics, fewer clothes, and running the thermostat at a higher temperature is a great way to save in the summer.  We all (well, a lot of us) love to go to the beach, right?  So why is it that we can stand high temps at the beach and not in our house?  I say if the temperature is hot, deal with a little heat and raise the temp!  For each 1 degree you lower (in the winter) or raise (in the summer) your temperature, you will save roughly 1% off your bill each month!

As of Saturday, we are officially in spring.  Make these tips part of this years spring cleaning to do list, and save yourself some money this summer!

So you say you don’t know how to do certain things around the house?  Learn.  Lack of knowledge is no excuse for not doing something!  Check out the Diy Network for instructions on how to fix lots of common things around the house.  Every time you fix something yourself, you’re saving money for your future!   If you’re hiring out lawn mowing and driveway shoveling, stop.  Unless you are not physically capable, there is no reason you should be paying someone to do things around your house!  Besides, a little extra physical activity is good for us all!

Your favorite southern couple hates to hire out work.  We try to do as much as we can ourselves, and only hire out when absolutely necessary (having a broken tree removed from our yard, for example).  If we don’t know how to fix something, we research it.  We do understand that not everyone is “handy” around the house, however.  If you’re not handy, then befriend someone who is, and trade services.  Whatever your talent, exchange that for their help.  Maybe they fix your toilet and you help them (as a personal trainer, for example) teach them a basic fitness program in return. 

Whatever the circumstance, figure out a way to do things for yourself!  Not only will you save money, but you will become more self sufficient!

Our local library (and hopefully yours as well) offers audiobooks to be downloaded on their website for free!  Our local library connects us to NetLibrary, an eBook and eAudiobook content distributor.  They have a huge selection for their members to choose from, and offer the content FOR FREE for a set time.  The audiobook we wanted to listen to was available, and with an access code, we downloaded it for free for 20 days, which is more than enough time to listen to an audiobook!

Take it from me when I say that this is a great way to read or listen to books!  Not only is it free like your local library, but you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home!  What a great way to save some money!

Now, I’m sure you can tell from above, we believe if you can’t keep a minimum amount in your bank account, or can’t keep from overspending because you aren’t diligent, then you shouldn’t have a bank account, and should operate on a cash only (money orders to pay bills) system.  However, if you choose to have  a bank account, and struggle to keep funds in it, then use the other services that many banks offer, that don’t come attached to a ~$35 fee PER TRANSACTION! 

The scary stuff you get in the mail from the bank, that says your debit card will stop working and the like is true, because OF COURSE it should stop paying people if you don’t have any money in your account!  That is the way it is supposed to work!  The card is not supposed to let you spend more than you have!  Overdraft “protection” is like you receiving a mini loan from the bank…kind of like those payday check cashing places, but wrapped in a prettier sounding name.  Ignore these letters from the bank!  You don’t want to keep paying $35 a transaction loan fees for the rest of your life!  DO NOT opt in to this plan, just learn to watch your account and don’t over spend. 

If you absolutely CANNOT LIVE without overdraft and refuse to be on cash only (hard headed, aren’t you??), then there are a couple of alternatives.  Many banks will allow you to link your checking account to your savings account to prevent overdrafts.  Some will also link it to a line of credit (not something we recommend) to prevent these overdrafts from happening.  Neither of these programs are free, but they are cheaper than overdraft, and won’t catch you off guard either, because, let’s face it, if you don’t have the money to cover your purchase, you definitely don’t have the money to cover your $35 a transaction overdraft “protection”.

If or when you start receiving these notices from your bank, do yourself a favor, and “just say no” to overdraft protection…instead, be more diligent with your account, or switch to cash!

Well, if you are having trouble coming up with creative ideas, let me put your mind at ease that most women (not all of us, unfortunately…even though Valentine’s Day is OPTIONAL, some women expect the moon and more) are appreciative of anything you do.  So no matter what it is, the fact that you’ve done something is enough to make us happy.  That being said, if you want to get creative with the traditional Valentine’s Day ideas, to score some bonus  points, there are some great ways to do that.  For example:

• The trifecta – Flowers, candy and jewelry.  We all like roses, but get creative and get some orchids or tulips (red or pink are probably best).  Candy is great unless she’s health conscious, so either get her favorite chocolates (they don’t have to be expensive, just her favorite) or try something a little more healthy, like her favorite fruits or nuts (the expensive ones that she won’t buy herself).  Jewelry is a personal thing, but as long as you know which color is her favorite (yellow or white gold) and which type of jewelry (bracelet, earrings or necklace) you should be fine.  No matter what you choose, be sure to get creative and hide the box where it will surprise her.
• Dinner and a movie- This is a great gift for the significant other that doesn’t get to go out much.  The dinner should be to a nice place (where she can get dressed up, if she likes that sort of thing) and the movie should be her favorite (yes, that could mean chick flick, but come on, it’s only once a year, I know you’re man enough to live through it).
• Cultural – If your girl likes a little culture, a trip to the theater or a museum might suit her.  Take her to her favorite cultural outing, or to a new place (or show) she hasn’t been to yet.

If  you’re on a tight budget, some of these things can sound out of your reach.  Don’t worry!  These are ways to be sweet to your significant other while watching your pennies too!  Here are some examples of the above ideas, on a budget:

•  The trifecta – Flowers, candy and jewelry.  Flowers on a budget at Valentine’s Day isn’t too bad.  You can get them at a discount store, like Costco or Sam’s Club/Wal-Mart, the price will be what you like.  Also, it pays to buy them a week early and give them to her then, since the price will be lower (unfortunate, but yes, the florists jack-up the prices on Valentine’s Day).  Candy is easy on a budget…instead of opting for an expensive box of chocolates, bake her a delicious dessert.  This satisfies her sweet tooth, saves money and scores you points for effort!  Jewelry is easier than you think on a budget.  Most women like “costume” or “fashion” jewelry, so find out her favorite costume jewelry designer, and, if it’s in your budget, get some.  Not in your budget?  Opt for something personal, like her favorite movie on DVD, with a bag of popcorn and a note about having a movie night, or a professional massage (check your local massage school, since they often offer these services at a fraction of the cost…or, give her the massage yourself!).
• Dinner and a movie – If she likes to go out, do a dinner out, but scale back and take her to a moderately priced place.  Otherwise, cook for her.  You can buy the ingredients to make a fancy dinner at a fraction of the cost of that same dinner out.  Set the table for a formal dinner, with full silverware, linen napkins and candles.  Inform her that she should “dress” for dinner, and be dressed up yourself, since it will make the experience more memorable.  The movie can be watched at home (budget friendly), and if you want serious bonus points, a little dancing in the living room never hurt any man, I don’t care if you’ve heard rumors to the contrary!
• Cultural – Well, museums are still priced right for the budget conscious this year, but the theater is out, so if the museum isn’t your thing, you could both go donate blood together, or do some community service work together.  Not in that kind of mood?  Well, find a safe but culturally different part of town, and go on a mini “tour”.  Walking, biking or driving, it’s up to you.  Just do something to make it memorable.

There you have it!  A few (and long winded) tips on ways to get creative or stay in budget for Valentine’s Day!  Good luck, and I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

I will be the first to admit that it is sometimes difficult to decipher fees when the bill comes in, but that’s no excuse for not knowing what is happening on your account.  If, after pouring over the bill for a little while, you still can’t figure out what is going on, call the customer service line and ask them to explain it.  A nice added benefit?  If you’re more vigilant about bills, it might carry over into your bank account, and then you won’t be charged overdraft fees (if you were overdrawing in the first place, because let’s face it, you shouldn’t be).  Overdraft fees from banks are one of the biggest stupid taxes around.  If you pay attention to how much you have in your account, you won’t be charged.  It’s only when you are unaware that they happen, and no one should be unaware of what’s going on with their money.

Now, how about “mirroring”?  Mirroring is a practice of charging you twice in the same month for only one month’s service, by companies who have access to your bank account because you’ve set them up on an auto pay function, where they have access to your account.  I use this feature myself, although, truth be told, I’m very sceptical of it.  We check our bank statement carefully each month to ensure that mirroring does not occur, and it has happened to us in the past.  Usually it’s not terribly complicated to get adjusted, if you catch them quickly.  The problems start to occur when you haven’t noticed the problem over the course of months, or a year, and them try to get your money back.  They have had it for a year!  It doesn’t always go well if you wait.  Remember, if you give a company access to your account, then you have the responsibility to yourself to ensure that they are doing right by you and only taking what they are supposed to take.  Never let them take advantage of you!

First of all, stick to your budget, but allow yourself a little indulgence on rare occasion.  Why?  Well, it’s my opinion that everyone only has so much willpower to give to something, and eventually they will break and indulge anyway, so little indulgences keep away the big ones.  So, what types of indulgences are little?  Well, when you’ve got your finances locked down, and you’re buying basic needs only when it comes to groceries, TV and movies/shows etc., on occasion it wouldn’t hurt to buy a nice meal from the grocery.  Make that a special family night with a nice meal and some board games or something.  Or, you could save a couple of bucks every week out of your grocery budget to take the family to the movies or some other inexpensive activity.  Your choice!  The point is to indulge occasionally to keep you focused and on task, without blowing through your budget.  If you never treat yourself, you might fall off the wagon.  Notice to those of you who are “used to” treating yourselves…this does not mean you can do your normal “treating”…no mani/pedi’s, or blowouts, or daily cupcake from the specialty $10 a cupcake store, or expensive clothes/shoes/tools.  This is a small indulgence.  A $20 pick me up a couple of times a month.  If you can’t stick to that, you’ll never get out of debt.  And no, you don’t “deserve” those mani/pedi’s, because they are what got you into debt in the first place! 

Trying to do 2 or more hard things, like getting out of debt and quitting smoking (for example) at the same time, means even more added stress to your willpower.  You have to give a little slack and indulge yourself  while getting out of debt, because the alternative,in this example, is indulging in smoking.  Not cool.  And indulging a little there would save you money anyway, since once you quit smoking, you would have a ton of cash to put toward paying down your debt!

What’s the take away?  Get on a budget.  Pay off your debt.  Learn to live like an adult who doesn’t get everything they want every time they want it.  But stay on this path for the long haul by making the occasional small ticket splurge!

This shouldn’t surprise anyone…it didn’t get dubbed “retail therapy” for no reason!  The problem is that in our society, we act like retail therapy is a GOOD thing, when it’s actually AWFUL.  The retail stores have convinced us that it’s normal and OK to shop when we’re down, but they’re only doing that because they want to part us from our money, not because they actually want us to feel better!

The next time you’re feeling down, don’t go out and look for a distraction, go home and find ways to distract yourself!  Take a bubble bath, clean the house, take on some of your “honey-do” list etc.  Go to a park, or the beach, or some other free place to clear your mind.  Get creative.  What you do is your choice, so long as you don’t go to a store and spend money.  It’s a new year, and that means it’s the perfect time for you to make the change that could make you retire with ease 20 or 30 years from now.  It all starts with you, and a step in the right direction is avoiding the mall when you’re down (and whenever else you don’t actually NEED something from there)!

So, keep our advice in mind, and don’t touch it!  If you’re the type of person to go out for “retail therapy” (do NOT get me started on how much I loathe that phrase, and what it implies), then you need to find something to do with your hands.  Put them in your pocket, carry a big bag in your hands, text etc.  Finding something to do with your hands could save you a lot of money over the course of the month, because every time you see a $200 and don’t buy it, that’s $200 in your pocket for something else, which I hope will be savings!

So, where do you get ink?  Well, some local drug stores and shopping malls offer a place to buy ink, and if you can’t find a place locally, check out Staples.com.  They have a section on their website, Ink and Toner finder that might just be a great way for you to find the ink you need. 

Let’s face it.  You don’t buy a new car when you run out of gas, so why would you buy a new cartridge (or printer) when you run out of ink?  Enjoy your savings, and the satisfaction of not being taken by the current system!

Other than being free, the great thing about a sample is that you can try something without having to spend your hard earned dollars on it!  A great place to get free samples is at the grocery store (some don’t give samples, but some do).  You can try some food to see if you like it before you buy it!  This could save you a couple of bucks, but if you try ALL the food samples at the store, you’ve had a nice little snack…for free!

An even better place to get free samples are at the mall/department stores.  You can get perfume samples, make up samples, skin care samples etc.  As a bonus, if you live in a big city with multiple malls/locations of stores, you can get the same product from different stores, and have a nice little supply of  your favorite products!  So, say you like a particular eye cream or perfume…if you get a sample at three different places, you’ve got quite a bit for free, that should last a while.  Just a quick tip though…be nice to the sales people…they don’t HAVE to give those samples out.  The nicer you are, the more you’ll get…and by the way, you’re there for free stuff, so, you’d have to be out of your mind to try and be snobby.

Another great place to get some free samples are restaurants/coffee houses/ice cream parlors.  Now, they won’t let you sample enough for a meal, or probably even a snack, but if you need just a taste of something, this can work.  Say you’ve brown-bagged your lunch, but you took it to a park to eat.  While walking back to work, you pass an ice cream parlor…you know you don’t need the calories or the hit to your wallet.  What do you do?  Go in, and ask for a sample…or two.  It’s just enough to scratch the itch, but doesn’t cost a thing.  Just don’t forget, be nice, and try not to go in too often without occasionally buying something.  The owner will be much more inclined to keep giving out the samples that way!

Alright!  That’s it!  Happy sampling, and if you know of another way to get free samples, don’t forget to post them in the comment section!

Let’s not forget, however, that when we save, someone else has to take the hit.  As the article points out, in this case, that would be farmers.  They are receiving less for their products, and so that means harder times in their households this year.  I am all about a deal, but I hate that it comes at the expense of others…keep this in mind when you go to buy your turkey this year.

On a personal note, I would like to take the time to ask our readers to have a generous heart and donate a couple of cans of food to a local charity this year to help feed families who are struggling.  With a lot of people out of work, food banks and pantries will be running low on their normal stock of goods, so we all need to chip in.  At Thanksgiving, I like to donate by giving food, and at Christmas, I like to donate by giving toys, coats and other goods to local charities.  If you have $5 to spare this year (skip a latte or brown bag a day?), buy some non perishable food items and donate them.   The Salvation Army website is a good place to start.  The main page has a place to enter your zip code and find your local donation center. 

So, for those of you that don’t know, Twitter is a free social networking and micro blogging (normal posts aren’t longer
than 140 characters) service where users send and receive messages.  They are also able to read posts from anyone they are following (unless they have been removed from that persons’ followers list), and posts on particular trending topics.  If that didn’t make much sense to you, check out a tutorial for twitter here or read up on the service here.

So, how do you save money on Twitter? It’s simple…just follow certain users who post discount information for their
businesses!  Here are a few examples of users who disclose discounts:  @amazonmp3 for music, @JetBlueCheeps for travel discounts, @DealDivine for fashion and beauty deals and steals, @DealsPlus for general retail deals and @fstimes for giveaways and winning prizes.  Another good choice? @coupons…this could be hit or miss, but you might be able to print off some useful coupons for your weekly groceries!

So, check out these sections on Twitter if you want to save a little cash!  Good luck!

A great way to save money on childcare is to make friends with another family who has a child and go in on a babysitter together!  Think about it!  If you both only have 1 child, then the sitter would charge you each, say, for example $10 an hour.  But you would only be charged $14 or $15 an hour if you had 2 children, so combine your kids, and save some cash!  Then, each family is only responsible for $7.50 an hour!

For medicine, you need to talk to your doctor and see if they will write the prescription for double the dosage.  If they will, you can cut your pills in half to get your necessary dosage, and only need to buy your prescription every other month!  It might not save a ton of money, but as much as healthcare is in the news these days, I think everyone wants to save money, even a little, on their healthcare costs!

As far as pet care goes, when you go away and board your pet, you are paying a premium.  Instead, try finding other pet owners who are willing to watch your pet in exchange for you watching their pet!  You save on the boarding bill, and they will probably get more loving care that way too!  If you have a pet that doesn’t do well when you’re gone, and a boarding place is your only option, do worry, there are other ways to save!  find local pet grooming schools, and take your pet to be groomed there!  The discount is usually in the neighborhood of 40%, compared with operating grooming establishments.  Lastly, and honestly, I can’t believe such a thing exists, much less that I am having to talk about it, but drop your pet insurance.  I mean really, the amount you pay for such insurance than you would save in vet bills!   Understand, I have 2 cats that I love and want to live forever, but when their time comes, I will not be bankrupting myself just to make them live on a few extra weeks, probably in pain.   So save your money on the pet insurance…it probably won’t work out to your monetary benefit in the long run anyway.

There you have it!  3 tips that will hopefully save you some money THIS month! 

Additionally, we would love to start taking questions from our readers.  If you have a money question, or a relationship question (about how we make it work)  that you would like answered, feel free to leave a comment, and we will review and post the relevant questions!  Thanks for reading!

According to the care tags on a lot of clothing (or household items), you should be dry cleaning most of what you own.  Well, I beg to differ!  Lots of things that say “dry clean only” are able to be hand washed or washed in a garment bag on the gentle cycle in your washer.  In fact, some of the new washers on the market even have a “hand wash” setting, where the agitator moves very slowly, simulating the act of hand washing.  Now, should you do this every time?  Well, that depends on the type of garment.  I wouldn’t, for example, recommend going against the care instructions on a garment that cost most of your paycheck, but on an everyday, regular shirt, skirt or pair of pants…absolutely.  This doesn’t mean you give it up completely either.  Maybe you have a suit, and you trust that you can hand wash the pants, but want the jacket professionally cleaned?  I’m okay with that, so long as you are smart about what you get dry cleaned, and how often you do it, since dry cleaning can be so costly.  A suit costs on average $10 (2 piece) around the country.  So, if you’re a man who wears suits everyday to work, you could be paying $50 a week in dry cleaning bills!  If you can get away with hand washing those every other week, you can save $100 a month!  That makes it worth trying in my book!

The other tip is to  buy seasonal items when they are on sale.  Okay, so what does that mean?  That means, that if you are going to buy a winter coat, you should buy it in March, when it is likely to be on sale.  Need a swimsuit?  Buy it in July or August.  I have personally seen bathing suit separates marked down to $3 a piece in these months!  Other things even surprise me.  For example, tires should be bought in July.  If I had to hazard a guess, I would say that it’s because there isn’t much inclement weather during the summer months in the U.S.  In addition, linens should be bought in January and kitchenwares should be bought in April and November (can we say Christmas presents?).

Good luck with the new tips!  I hope you find some deals and save some money!  And remember, if you don’t trust that the garment will hand wash (or wash in the washer on gentle) well, go with your gut, and take it to the cleaners.  I don’t want you ruining your clothes, just second guessing wether or not your 100% cotton tank tops need to be dry cleaned!

Ebates.com: This website is a good tool for those of you who do a lot of online shopping. The trick to Ebates.com is that you have to “shop through” their website, as in, you go to their website first, find the store where you want to make a purchase, click on the link, and shop. The site is useful because you can search for a store or a product, which means if you need a product, but don’t know where to get it, you can search for the item and shop that way. Cash back percentages vary from store to store and the site sends out the rebates to their users quarterly. Some good news is that if you shop at certain online stores, you can get the item shipped to the “bricks and mortar” location and get free shipping! Bigger purchases mean bigger rebates, so consider this site when you need to purchase big ticket items!

Mypoints.com: At Mypoints.com, you can make purchases or take surveys to earn points. They offer several ways to earn extra points. For example, in addition to making purchases and taking surveys to earn points, you can click through emails and subscribe to their elist. After accruing a certain number of points, you can exchange them for gift cards to stores and other locations, or donations to participating charities.

39dollarglasses.com: If you have the prescription for your glasses and want your glasses on the cheap, this is the place for you. Go somewhere you can try on glasses and figure out what kind of frames you like, then get on their website and find similar frames (or the exact same frames, if you can), and buy them, on the cheap. They aren’t the nicest frames (you wouldn’t expect that for the price though, would you?), but they are good for people who wear contacts and just need something occasionally. Bonus? This website is also on Ebates.com, so you can get cash back on them!

I would like to thank my friend Jodi for pointing these websites out, and tell our readers that I hope you find them useful! Happy shopping!

The article centers around Chad and Stephanie Grant, from San Diego, who are both 31, have been married 7 years and are starting a family.  They make a very good living, with a nice nest egg already started, but not a very big emergency fund.  The article points out that they have a few actions to take to be ready for baby.

If you are in the same situation, trying to start a family, I have a few tips:

• You MUST have an emergency fund of AT LEAST $1000, but preferably 3-6 months worth of expenses.
• It’s a good idea to find out what the total cost of doctor visits and delivery will be and save that amount (or as close to it as you can) to pay cash for your baby when it’s born.  It’ll be nice not to finance your child, right?
• Now is the time to get diversified, as the article points out.  Make sure you don’t have all of your retirement “eggs” in 1 basket.  You should diversify between small, mid and large cap funds, and international funds.
• Insurance!  We all know that health insurance is important, but life insurance is equally important when you are starting a family.  If you die, something has to replace your income!
• A Last Will and Testament is important for you and your spouse, but when you have a baby, it’s IMPERATIVE.  If you don’t have a local lawyer, or don’t have the cash for a lawyer, then go to USLegalForms.com and do it yourself on the cheap!
• And, of course, stock up on diapers (or ask for gift cards to buy diapers)!

That’s it!  Check out the article, and use these tips to get you on track, if you aren’t already!  Good luck, and I look forward to your questions and comments!

Your first option, of course, is to save up throughout the year (or what time you have remaining before the holidays).  It’s not that hard to amass a nice little sum to spend on your loved ones if you plan and budget.  Saving only $10 a week amounts up to $520 in a year…now, while that isn’t enough to buy everyone a new car, you can certainly do something nice with that amount.  Want to spend more?  Save more!  The trick is in deciding on what you usually spend and saving that amount throughout the year!  If you didn’t save up for it, and don’t have the disposable income, then you should look into other forms of gifts, because no one needs the stress of credit card debt, and the certainly don’t need to go into debt to buy presents for other people.  And, I’ll tell you a secret…your friends and family don’t want you to go into debt to buy them a present!

If the first option won’t work for you, you’re not out of luck, because you can always give the gift of your time or experience!  Granted, it’s not as glamorous as a new T.V., but giving the gift of your time is still special, ans still shows that you care enough (maybe more) to do something nice for your friends and relatives during the holidays.  Some good options?  Well, you could offer up babysitting services, cook dinner etc. for busy working parents.  That kind of stuff not your thing?  Well, figure out what you’re good at, or what your hobby is, and offer that service to your friends and family!  Let’s say you’re a masseuse…you could offer some of your friends and family a complimentary 30 minute massage as a gift!  No one would turn that down! You just need to be creative.

I’m sure I will revisit this topic as the holiday season draws near, because honestly, it irks my nerves that so many people cannot plan for the holiday season!  Whatever your financial situation is, it boils down to this: If you have the cash saved up or on hand, by all means, spend it on loved ones as you wish, but if you don’t have the cash, give the gift of your time or don’t buy gifts at all, since the last thing anyone needs is more credit card debt!

Some tips that might make you more valuable as a babysitter:

• It might benefit you to be CPR certified.  To find a class near you, check out this website.
• Advertising on Craigslist or in your local newspaper might be a good way to attract clients.  Or, just put up fliers in your neighborhood.
• Be willing to do things that your average teenager can’t/won’t do, like take care of infants or keep the child/children overnight.
• It’s a job, just like any other.  That means you need references.  People who can attest that you are responsible, especially with children (if you know someone who can vouch for that sort of thing).
• Check around for well-to-do families that need a nanny for vacation.  If you can go with them (unlike a teenager, who is in school, or too young, generally) you make yourself more valuable to them.  And yes, it is their responsibility to pay your way.

I know a person who babysits a lot, and has a job working with children, and all they do is complain about them.  I question why they want a job in that field, if they hate it and get so frustrated with the children.  Therefore, there is one other thing I feel compelled to say-if you don’t necessarily like children, or if , after being around children, all you can do is complain about them or what they did, you should probably steer clear of babysitting.  Not only does a parent not want a babysitter that doesn’t like children, but you probably won’t do as well as as someone who does.

This article is a good look into outlet malls, outlet or “factory” stores and whether or not their discounts are really any good.   The main source sited is Ellen Ruppel Shell and her book  Cheap: The High Cost of Discount Culture.  One of the best points she makes (there are many) is that because these stores are billed as “designer quality and value price” people swallow their marketing hook, line and sinker.  They don’t question whether or not the prices are a deal, because they see a sale sign that says, for example, “30% off”, and assume that it’s a good deal.  Big mistake. Especially since, according to Shell, some stores (this is refuted by another source) raise the prices in the store so that they can mark them down, which after raising them makes them settle around regular price…wow, real savings.

Another lessen learned from this article, is that, much to my delight, and only slightly to my surprise, stores like Coach sell different products in their outlet stores as opposed to their standard retail stores.  This means that the majority (my opinion) of people who shop at these Coach outlet stores think they’re getting the same quality designer goods as the retail store, but to a trained “fashion eye”, stand out with their outlet items.  So, for a regular designer Coach bag, the price might be good, but since it’s made from lesser materials (not always) for their outlet stores only, the price might be “full price”, and you were just parted from your cash!  Something to keep in mind the next time you buy at an outlet store where the status of their brand is important…since to a trained eye, your item’s status doesn’t measure up.

Another little tip to note:   According to a recent “state of the industry” report by Retail Value News the average discount at the outlet stores is 37%.  We can do better than that on the sale and clearance racks at most retail stores.

The moral of this very interesting story is that it doesn’t matter whether or not the items in these stores are on sale, but whether or not they are a price you are willing to pay for the label and quality.

Staying in for the day/night can be a great (and cheap) way to rest and relax.  If you’re single, it will be easy to make this happen…if you’re married (with kids?) you just have to be a little more creative.  Think of what your favorite things to do at home are and make a list.  If you’re single, simply take the list and start doing whichever items feel right for the day.  Maybe it’s a bubblebath, or drinking coffee on your back porch/deck, cuddling up by a fire or laying out in the sun…whichever it is, just do it.  Don’t worry about bills or friends or appointments, just have a fun and relaxing day.  If you’re attached to someone, this requires a little more effort.   If you have kids, find them a play date or a friend or family member that will watch them for a few hours, so they get to do something fun and you get a few hours off.  Now that the kids are taken care of, you and your spouse think of things that you can do together or independently that will be relaxing to you both.   For example, a leisurely lunch, drinking coffee together or any other hobbies you might have. 

Are you one of those people who don’t like to waste time on “leisurely” activities, and prefer to stay busy?  That’s OK, because staying in is ideal for you as well!  Sure, there are a million other places you could go and lots of other things you could be doing (jogging, biking, painting etc.), but if you stay home you can save money and be productive!  Make a list of the things that need to be done around your house (anything from cleaning out the garage to dusting the blinds…it all has to get done sometime) and start tackling them, one by one.  Not only are you staying busy, but you are also saving yourself money 2 different ways:  You aren’t going out, spending money, and you aren’t having to pay anyone to do what you have chosen to do around the house! 

When we stay in, we do a combination of both.  We talk in the morning over a leisurely breakfast, about what we’ll be doing that day…the fun stuff and the not so fun stuff.  He wants to tinker with his electronics and his computer programs, I want to lay out, take a bubble bath or read a book/magazine.  We do the fun stuff, then we tackle the projects that are “on deck” to be done.  I find these days to be a breath of fresh air.  We know ahead of time that we aren’t going anywhere that day, so there’s no pressure to get stuff done in a certain time frame or to look our best (ladies) etc.  We just move at our own pace and do what we can do, and even though we haven’t been out around town, we had a good day.

Try staying in if you want to save some money, or if you just want to spend more time with each other or on your own with no distractions/other people for a few hours.  It’s my opinion that staying in only became uncool because our society tells us that we should always be out having a good time spending money.  Probably because that is what celebrities are photographed doing.  It wasn’t too long ago that staying in was normal and going out was a treat.  Try and remember that the next time you feel you need to go out and buy something or go somewhere.

Pick a park in an easily accessible location and invite a few friends to make a dish (someone should make the days menu, so you don’t end up with 5 side dishes and no main dish) to share with everyone.  Pack some blankets, board games, outdoor games (such as baseballs/gloves and Frisbee’s), plates/napkins/utensils and some music and set a time for everyone to meet up.  This will save everyone a ton of cash, since they only have to buy the ingredients for one dish and bring games etc. that they already have in their possession as opposed to the cost of dinner out and possibly drinks or a movie after that!  My suggestion is that you set the time for mid-afternoon, so that you can enjoy a couple of hours of games/gossip before grilling (if you’ve found a park with a public grill) or serving up every one’s dish.

Like this idea, and want to use it in the winter?  That’s OK! You just have to get a little creative!  Inform all the guests that you’re having a “potluck picnic” at your  house, indoors, and that the dish they bring should be picnic appropriate food.  Set the mood by moving out some of the furniture in the main room(s) you’ll be entertaining in and spreading out blankets and pillows for your guests to get comfy on.  Have board/card games set out and ready to play (no cheating though, so keep TVs and other electrical devices off, with maybe the exception of a radio, which could be brought to a picnic).  Have a signature drink for the picnic, something summery/fruity or crisp.  The main goal is for everyone to have a good time without spending a lot, so again, keep it simple.  This way, everyone shares the cost and no one is out a lot of money!

Good luck with it!  Jerrill and I are already talking about having a winter time “potluck picnic”!  I haven’t even set a guest list and I already can’t wait!

In general, men and women shop differently.  Men go into a store, go straight to the item they want to buy, and buy it.  Sometimes, they haggle for a deal, sometimes they don’t.  Once they make up their mind that they want something, often, they will buy it “on the spot” .   Most women do not shop this way.   When we go to the mall, we feel the need to hit every store in the joint to find the best deal.  But make no mistake, we will find the best deal!  We will hunt, dig and search through the entire building for what we want at the price we want.   Where  do we come together on this?  The women usually find  the deal and the men go close the deal/pick it up!  There are those couples (us included) that are able to shop together.  For our frequent readers, it will not surprise you that we have a system.  We alternate between stores that he wants to check out and stores I want to check out.  This way, we both are happy with the day’s activities!   If you can’t shop with your partner, that’s o.k.  Figure out a system that works for you and your spouse and go with it!

We’re different on savings too!  We women, being the emotional creatures we are, we like…security.  We like to have some savings, an emergency fund, in the bank.  Savings for a rainy day, a sunny day or any other day that a problem comes up.  It makes us a lot more comfortable as we go about our daily lives.  Men, on the other hand, like to be a little more risky.  They feel confident in their investments, even if those are in coffee bean futures or comic books (although some comics are worth quite a bit).  They don’t feel the need to have a “safety net” in the bank, and don’t understand why it’s so important to us.  Well, I’ve got news for all the men out there… just do the emergency fund.  It will make your life happier, because it will make your wife happier!  How did we solve this one?  We have an emergency fund. 

It’s our suggestion that you sit down and discuss your spending and saving habits.  Figure out what works and what doesn’t.  Communicate.  You’ve heard it a thousand times for a reason… it works!  It’s the backbone of our relationship, and you should make it a part of yours.  No couple can truly be happy with their financial situation if they don’t agree on how they do their finances.  Talk about yours now, so that money problems don’t become a part of your future!

Now, obviously if you don’t have the money to pay admission and buy drinks and a snack I don’t want you to finance it.  If, however, you’ve got the money to do that, but are like me, and don’t want to spend a ton of money on something like an amusement park, then going in the evening to save some cash is the way to go!  Since amusement parks are, in my opinion, a money black hole anyway, here are some other tips:

• If you intend to stay for a long period of time, and know you will be hungry, pack a cooler with sandwiches, chips and drinks.  Most amusement parks will allow you a stamp on your hand (or some other pass) that will let you exit the park and come back in.  So, all you have to do is get the stamp, go to your car, eat your chips and sandwiches, then return, having saved a ton of cash, since food in these places is ridiculously over priced.
• If you want to eat lunch or dinner at the park, eat breakfast at home so that you’ll eat less while there, and what you eat should not be a feast.  Get the cheapest drink (preferably bottled water, so you can pack it with you), and get food like hot dogs or pizza to share, which will be far less expensive.
• Resist the urge to go into the shops.  You are at an amusement park, not a shopping mall.  You do not need anything they sell in those stores, and all it does is part you from money better spent (or saved) someplace else.

That’s it.  I’m sure there are lots of other ways to save at these places, so if anyone has other insights, I’d love to hear them!

While it’s true that I’m a “girly-girl”, and love pretty weddings and all that glitters, I do not believe that anyone should spend what they 1) don’t have and 2) haven’t budgeted for.  So when I read that the average cost of a wedding in 2005 was a little over $26,000, I wanted to fall in the floor (or the sand, as in this case)!  Are there people out there that can afford that?  Absolutely.  Can most of us? No way.  The report went on to say that a research firm had concluded that spending is likely to drop as much as 30% this year, and that 3 out of 4 brides are scaling back their spending.  Could it be that the recession has knocked some sense into some people? I hope so.  It is our opinion that starting off a marriage in debt (especially for a wedding…double especially if either the bride or groom doesn’t want to spend that much) is a terrible idea.  As a newlywed couple, you are getting used to each other, living together, each other’s habits, quirks etc.  You don’t need debt and money problems to go along with that!  It’s silly!

What’s the other reason to start off without debt?  How about, that most new couples want to buy a house, or pay off school loans or start a family.  There are lots of things you want to do when you get married, and ALL of them are easier if you don’t have any debt hanging over your head.  Look at it this way: Do your guests need fancy seat covers at the reception, or do you need a washer and dryer??  Do I want ostrich feathers in my centerpieces, or do my husband to be and I want a nice honeymoon?? Come one people, it’s not brain surgery. 

Weddings are supposed to be about 2 people in love.  It’s not about the guests, or your family, or your friends, or how fancy it is or how rich you look.  It’s about you and your spouse to be, celebrating how much you love each other and looking toward your future together.  And that, my friends, is easier to do without a credit card bill!

The first little tidbit that I want to share I am postive most of you wouldn’t do anyway, but hey, I’d feel bad if I didn’t mention it, and that is, to skip the big tourist-y stores!  They are all either over priced on the items they sell, or those items are of poor quality.  While at the beach, we drove by lots of these stores, and went in one of them.  That store had a lot of beach related stuff, some reasonably priced, some not, but all of it was poor quality.  Do yourself a favor and find a Wal-Mart or Target.  They are likely (not always) to have better quality stuff, and since they are located, in this example, on the beach, they will stock the beach themed items you need year round!

My other tip revolves around coupons.   Before you go on vacation, you should look up coupons for that area on the internet and print them off…the harder and somewhat more important part, as this southern couple found out, is remembering to take/use the coupons!  They made it to the beach, but we didn’t remember to use all of them…some, but not all!  And if you’re worried about appearances, don’t be, because everyone uses coupons, even at vacation destinations!

Those are today’s tips!  Feel free to add a comment with your own tips!  I’m loving some of the recent feedback!

And here are a couple of photos from the trip!

The topics it helps you with are as follows:

• Text Messaging – Whether or not you know it, text messages charge both the sender, and the recipient.  So, if you don’t send any messages, but still receive some, you are paying for them…depending on how many you send and receive, you might like to have a messaging plan.
• Extended Calling Hours – Not everyone likes to wait until 9 pm to make all their phone calls, and certainly not everyone likes to receive them after 9pm.  Making calls before that time usually charges your “anytime” minutes, which are much more costly than your night and weekend minutes…this plan could save you significantly!
• Prepaid Calling Plans – For the people that rarely use their phones.  Low minutes, low price…sounds pretty good, doesn’t it??
• Overseas Calling – I have no real experience with this, but I know it’s expensive, so any way to save here is a good way!
• Phone Insurance – No one needs this.  It’s ridiculous.  Period.

Personally, I think it’s unfortunate that most people don’t know what type of plan they have from their cell phones to their  cable/satellite packages!  If you are paying someone for something, you should know what you’re paying for!  Don’t just let them charge you and hope you’re getting a good deal!  Look into it!  Maybe this article and these tips will help you save some money.  Remember, $5 a month is $60 a year, which will be a nice addition to your budget, no matter if it’s for vacation or savings!

• Ask the question “Can you go any lower on the price?”.  This will at least let the sales person know they can’t bully you into a price you’re unwilling to pay.  Telling them in this manner isn’t confrontational and won’t offend them if they weren’t going to bully you in the first place.
• If  they come back with a lower price, ask “Is that as low as you can go?”.  It’s uncomfortable, yes, but it could be worth a couple of hundred dollars, which is always worth it.  If they won’t go any lower, don’t push it by asking again, just say “ok” and then decide if you want the item or not.
• Lastly, right before you leave, ask “Can you throw in the delivery charges?”.  The worst they can say is “no”, and if they wouldn’t come down on the price at all, and you decided to buy the item anyway, then they should absolutely cover the delivery charges.  Also, if they tell you that delivery service is provided by another company, then you tell them to drop the price of the item to cover the delivery.  I have had very good luck getting delivery charges that way!  

I hope these tips make your next trip to the furniture store at least a little more fruitful.  Remember that you have to walk a fine line of being firm but polite when dealing with the salespeople.  As much as you want them to know you can’t be forced into something, you also want to build a rapport with them that will make them want to “go to bat” for you with their superiors.  Good luck!

How does it work? Well, people just like you become a member, and as they get gas/drive by a gas station with low prices, they send in the information to the website, which posts the information for other people to use. Membership is free, and it is very simple to send/receive the information. Over time, this can add up to MAJOR savings!

Another neat way to use this website?? When you plan a road trip, you can check out the map section on the website. Although you don’t want to alter your course A LOT, you can at least use the information to find the most reasonable prices near where you think you’ll stop, so that you can save some cash on your road trip for more important things, like fun activities!

I suggest that you try to get gas in the middle of the week, since it is usually at it’s cheapest then (at least it is where we live…if it’s not where you live, watch gas prices for a couple of weeks and take note of the days that it’s at its cheapest). Pick the same day of the week to get gas (like every Wednesday) and look up the local gas prices on GasBuddy.com before you head to the pump! Good luck, and I hope you save some green!

This website, called Healthcare Blue Book, is a free service that provides fair price information to people for services or products for patients that pay with cash. The amount is what many health care providers accept from insurance companies as “payment in full”.

People generally can’t figure out how much services cost anyway, since it’s not like doctors make a habit of publishing their price list (which in my opinion is the REAL crime. Incidentally, my doctor actually does do that…he’s pretty awesome!). And if they do publish it, it’s the “billed charges” amount, which is higher than the amount they accept from insurance companies. Read more about this here.

Basically, you go to this website, type in a product or a procedure that you need, along with your zip code, and it will tell you the reasonable price you should pay for that service in your area. Although this website is mainly for people who need to pay for their health care with cash, it is also a good way to be sure that your health care provider isn’t over-charging your insurance company. Now, you might want to sit there and say “who cares if the insurance company is paying too much”, but if they are paying too much, they will make up that money somewhere, and it will probably (eventually) come out of your pocket!

So, go to the website. Spend a few minutes taking it on a “test drive”. Bookmark the page. Hopefully, you won’t ever need it, but Jerrill and I believe in being prepared (those of you who read our posts often know this about us), and you should too!

I don’t know where the craze started to get big, but I imagine it started because of job losses and the economy slowing down. People need or want things and services, and bartering is a great way to get what you need or want without having the cash on hand. Craigslist is a great place to see modern day bartering in action. Here you can find computer “geeks” willing to fix your computer for other goods or services, or a hair stylist willing to cut/highlight/style etc. your hair for goods and services. I personally know of a hair stylist who trades her services for personal training sessions with a trainer. She wants to get in shape and the trainer needs a haircut…works out perfectly!

How to do it: Make a list of things you are competent at doing. Now, list yourself on websites like Craigslist, BarterQuest and U-Exchange. Hopefully, someone will look you up and have something you want in exchange for what you’re offering, or will be willing to buy something for you in exchange for your service.

Some precautions:

• Be sure to have an agreement in place before the trade begins, so everyone is clear on the terms and no one can back out on the deal. If you can get something in writing or an email, that is even better!
• If you see inappropriate behavior, report it. You could be saving someone else from a scam.
• Try to barter locally, if you can. It’s better for your local economy and people will think twice about committing fraud so close to home (we hope).

Good luck and happy bartering!

Recently, Jerrill and I went to a local DVD rental store to rent a couple of movies. We have subscribed to an online movie rental website for years, and have been very satisfied with them, but had watched both of those movies and wanted a couple more (it was a movie watching evening in). To rent to movies from this rental establishment ended up costing us around $10!! I absolutely could not believe it! When had DVD rentals gotten so expensive? Now we know to go to the movie rental boxes that rent DVD’s for $1, if ever we want something other than the norm. Plus, since we have cable Internet (necessary when you’re starting an online business) we can stream movies instantly from our online movie rental site. All in all, we pay about $15 a month for 2 movies at home at a time, no late fees, unlimited rentals and unlimited movie streaming. That’s a lot better than the 2 DVD’s rented for 3-4 days for $10!

An added bonus, with online movie rental websites, there is variety. They have hundreds of movies to choose from, as opposed to the limited space of a movie rental store, which has limited space with which to display their movies. This means they likely have that oddball movie you watched when you were a child and would love to see again!

If you watch a lot of movies, it would definitely be to your benefit to switch to an online movie rental website or one of the movie rental boxes. To me, saving money and have a better selection of movies to choose from is a no-brainer!

This article discusses the pay raise range going on in the economy right now, which has a median of 2%-3%. Given the unemployment rate and the slumping sales going on right now, that’s not bad. Also, at least they still have a job. That said, counting your lucky stars that you have a job isn’t enough. Yes, you should put in that extra effort right now to make yourself stand out and be more indispensable, but you should also remember your worth. If you are producing results (bringing in clients, raising profits, lowering costs etc.) then you deserve to be compensated. And, if there is simply NO money for raises and bonuses at your company at this moment, keep producing “top notch” results, but discuss other “perks” that you might be able to get with your boss. An economic slump isn’t an excuse for treating employees with disregard.

It boils down to this: If you’re looking for a job, you should be spending hours a day looking for it, and good luck to you. If you have a job, work hard to keep it, don’t be surprised at a lower than usual pay raise. In good economic times, or in bad, don’t let them take advantage of you and keep up on how others are being compensated in your field.

The biggest reason to use a shopping list is to cut down on impulse buys. I’m not just talking about the silly impulse buys we make while standing/waiting in the cashier’s line, I’m talking about the impulse buys we make while walking up and down the aisles. Maybe you buy some cookies, or chips or candy that wasn’t on the list. Or maybe you purchase a couple of steaks, and didn’t need them. Then, you go home, and you’ve bought 10 days worth of food, when you go to the grocery every 7 days. Now you’ve bought too much food for 1 week, and not enough for 2 weeks!

Another good reason to make a list for the grocery? Pre-determined meals may help cut down portion sizes! What does this mean for you? Likely, a smaller waistline! When we plan out our meals for the week and shop for those meals from a list we generally try to avoid buying more food than we need, which keeps our portion sizes down. This, in turn, will keep you from “mindless eating” or eating when you’re bored.

Jerrill and I shop from a list every week. We plan out what meals we want for the week, including which meals we think will be a dine out meal. Usually our dine out meals are on Friday or Saturday. Taking the list with us keeps us focused on what we need for the week and keeps us from forgetting something we need. We rarely impulse buy (no one is perfect all the time) because when we see something we want (usually cookies) we are able to tell ourselves “this is not on the list”. In fact, I would’ve forgotten to post this tip if I didn’t have a list for SCG! Just something to think about when you are thinking of heading to the grocery.

As you can imagine, this did not work out the way he had hoped. With all of his objections to spending money, on from what I take from the article is a daily basis, he starts to realize just how hard that is and just how much money he actually spends on a daily/weekly basis. He realized the kinds of sacrifices he had to make in order to stay true to his word. And some of those sacrifices weren’t worth it.

The article is awesome, and definitely worth the read. As you know, Jerrill and I are always looking for ways to save money. We try to find the best deal, bargain with people, find ways to cut costs and will often buy the store brand etc. to save some money. And, we want everyone to make sacrifices to help balance their budget and grow their emergency fund/retirement savings/kids college fund. It is our goal for you to become/stay debt free…but you should keep it in perspective. For example, buying the store brand or dropping your daily $6 coffee habit might be totally worth it, but skipping your child’s birthday present might not be. Just something to keep in mind.

The article Home Ownership Was Never a Road to Riches makes several good points regarding the myth of investing in a home. As Professor Christopher Mayer from Columbia Business School points out, home appreciation nationally has run about 1% above inflation over time. 1% over inflation is a worse return on an investment than some CD’s! What people saw in the late 90′s through 2006 or 2007 (depending on where you were in the country) was an oddity.

The value a person gets in owning a home is that they avoid paying rent! By owning a home, you get to build equity in your home, not build equity in your landlord’s rental property. However, when you buy a larger home than you need, like a McMansion, it is simply ridiculous. People think that it makes them look smart and rich to have a large home, but if all you have is a large mortgage, and nothing in the bank to back it up, you’re not rich OR smart, you’re house poor. Plus, with a higher mortgage for this large house also comes higher taxes and higher insurance. That’s why you should buy as much home as you need, but no more than that.

So, do yourself a favor and stop thinking that home ownership is a way to save for retirement. All it is is a way to avoid paying rent! You want to save for retirement? Then do it the right way, with investment tools such as Roth IRA’s, CD’s, mutual funds etc.

Questions about investing? Please leave a comment!

Simply put, auto insurance companies work by taking a little money from a lot of people, and then protecting any of them who actually get in an auto accident. If an accident occurs, the insurance company then pays any related bills (hopefully) from the pool of money they have collected. This spreads the risk of paying out large sums for an auto accident over all of the participants of the insurance.

If you follow our suggestions on an emergency fund (with a starter fund of $1000, and being fully funded when you reach 3-6 months worth of expenses) then you should not need an extremely low deductible. It’s called an emergency fund for a reason…for emergencies. You should get a lower cost, higher deductible policy so that you can pay for small losses out of pocket and use insurance only to protect yourself against large losses, which is, after all, how insurance is supposed to be used.

Just something to think about when you’re deciding whether or not to start an emergency fund while paying ridiculous amounts of money to your insurance company!

Basically, Microsoft has been watching other companies like Google and Open Office provide free versions of “Office” like products for years (I myself use Open Office instead, and am happy with it so far) and are now getting in on the action. Their free versions of the Office software will be limited, with the ultimate goal being to up sell people into full versions of the software. However, for those of you who like Microsoft Office and don’t want to pay the premium for all the bells and whistles, this new free version (available sometime in the first half of next year) just might be for you. I know some of you might be worried that it will only be available in IE, however Microsoft says it will support Firefox and Safari as well!

Just something to keep in mind. Not only is this a great way to save some cash, but it’s also interesting that Microsoft, “king of the paid software”, is giving anything away for free!

For those of you who need to save a few bucks, cutting back on some of the guilty pleasures in your life can really add up! Things like sporting events, concerts, manicures, pedicures and blowouts etc. can all be cut back to half of what you normally indulge in! As an example, if you cut back on pedicures throughout the year, and only got 1 every 2 weeks instead of every week (and let’s be honest, they do last that long) then you would save a minimum of $780 a year! That’s a lot of money that could be used in other places! Want to save the full $1560, which could take your family on a week long vacation in the summer? Do your own pedicures at home for a year! I personally do my own pedicures…are they wonderfully relaxing etc??? No. But they still look nice.

All of these “guilty pleasures” are great ways to save some cash! For those of you trying to pay down debt, I would suggest that you abstain from all guilty pleasures until the debt is paid off. After all, some of those guilty pleasures could have been a contributing factor to the debt in the first place. For those of you just trying to add to your savings or find some extra cash for the summer, cutting your guilty pleasure expenses in half will help you do that!

A tip for those thinking of doing their own pedicures at home: be sure your files, clippers etc. are kept clean. To sanitize them, wash with soap and water, then either use barbacide (from your local beauty supply store, like Sally Beauty Supply) to sanitize them or use a solution of 10 parts water to 1 part bleach…same effect. However, if you use bleach, rinse afterward, as the bleach may rust the instrument. Here are ideas on how to do a 2 minute,
5 minuteand
35 minute pedicure. Enjoy!

So, today we’re talking about ways to save money when you go to play or watch sports. Now, I know not all places offer discounts, but maybe there is a way to change what you normally do to save money. Here are a few examples:

• Golf – Golf is a great sport to save money. Firstly, don’t get a cart! Let’s face it, you do get a workout in your upper body from swinging the clubs, but maybe a little cardio wouldn’t hurt your waistline, now would it…and you save big bucks, because they charge ridiculous amounts to rent them! Also, some golf courses will offer a discounted playing fee if you go in the evening! They know you can’t play the whole course, so they give you a price break! Check it out sometime when you need to save a little cash!
• Tennis and Basketball – Both of these sports are high intensity and lots of fun, but renting the courts to play them on can be ridiculous, especially if no one else chips in! So, I say you should check out your local Parks and Recreation website/office. Parks and Rec usually have several places in your city/county that offer free tennis/basketball courts, among a whole lot of other wonderful amenities, some free, some pay, but ALL reasonable…check them out!
• Watching Sports (either at the game, or at a sports bar) – 1 chilidog, 2 chilidog, 3 chilidog…floor! Let’s face it, when it comes to watching sports, we get so distracted we have no IDEA how much food or alcohol/soda we consume. Now, I wouldn’t dream of telling our readers to completely stop going out to a game or buying food and drink there, but I would ask you to cut back! The tickets are expensive, so maybe you go to 3 of the 5 games you would have went to this year. And skip some of the food. This time, only get 2 chilidogs versus 3 (and all the chips and other stuff you would get) and 2-3 beers instead of 4-5 and save yourself tons of cash. Only watch the game at your favorite sprots bar? That’s cool…you’re already saving on the cost of admission (i.e. free)! Now, look at the menu…whatever food you were going to order, either order half, or order items that were half the price of your usual food! You’ve already saved! Now, the same goes for the beer! Drink a little slower, and drink half as much as you normally would! You could be surprised at how much you save!

That’s it! A few good ways to save cash when playing or watching sports! I encourage our readers to try these tips and see how much they can save!

Today’s article is Americans’ wealth drops $1.3 trillion By: By Tami Luhby

Brief summary: The wealth of Americans has been dwindling over the last 7 quarters, to amount to a hefty overall decline. Only only good news from the decline in our wealth is that the average American’s debt has also declined for the first time EVER. During the first quarter of ’09, $1.3 trillion of wealth disappeared from our wallets, and the stock market and home values are still declining according to a government report. Some things may be changing, but not quick enough. Luckily, at least some Americans have learned that debt is a bad thing. According to a source from Moody’s economy.com, “Consumers are cutting back on their borrowing to some extent, but the decline in value of assets is swamping that.” Household debt fell at an annual rate of 1.1% to $13.8 trillion for the first quarter of 2009, after falling off 2% in the fourth quarter of 2008. That was the first time household debt shrank…EVER. All I have to say is that it’s about time.

Alright, there is the brief summary. Now, it is up to you to click the link above and read the rest of the article. We’ve given you the tools, now go use them!

Most of us at some point in our lives have been in the position of being friends with someone who either has more money than us or at least spends like they have more money than us (this is bad, of course, cause they are spending money they don’t have). They are constantly wanting to go out to new places. Ladies want to go shopping at expensive boutiques, get massages or mani/pedis etc. Men want to go play golf at expensive courses, watch football, basketball or baseball games in person. Unfortunately, they don’t realize what kind of effect this has on their friends who make less money or don’t want to spend a lot of money. They are costing YOU money! You agree to go out, and then they pick a very expensive restaurant, where you end up spending $75 on 2 glasses of wine and a salad. Now, as much as you value their friendship, and as much as you love spending time with them, you dread their phonecall/text because of the impending monetary dilemma.

So, how do you stop them from costing you more money in the future? Well, this is not a popular way to do it, but doing things the right way is rarely popular…tell them you’re broke! Tell them you don’t have the money to go out. You might feel uncomfortable doing this, but when your checking account starts to recover, I have a feeling that you’ll be happy! I know that it feels weird to say something like that. To be honest, the first couple of times we said it when we were getting out of debt I was wholly embarrassed. But then, I started to notice how people stopped expecting me to go along with their expensive plans, and started to ask what I wanted to do. This gave me the option of saying “yes” to going out, but “no” to the expensive stuff!

Saying “I’m broke” not your thing? Well, luckily, “we can’t afford it right now”, “money is tight right now” and “we’re trying to save more money these days, can we choose a less expensive to do?” all have the same effect. They all tell your over-spending friend to back off on the luxury when you hang out together. If you just say “no”, that opens the door for them to pressure you on the subject, where you might cave in. Telling them that you don’t have the money usually makes the friend conclude that further discussion is out of the question.

Hopefully, this will set you on the right track with your friends. It’s all about personal responsibility. Remember, it is grown up to take control of your finances and childish to let others decide what you spend your money on!

Well, the first thing I did was to set up a chart of the week on the computer (geeky, I know, but it works!) so that I could plug in the information easier. It has the date, day of the week, activity/activities and the estimated cost of each days activities. This helps you keep track of your activity options, makes sure you know what you are spending (or it keeps you from spending too much) and makes sure that you have enough activities lined up for the week. Now obviously, you want some flexible time in their for the days that you just decide to stay in and goof off, but I always think it is better to be over-prepared than under-prepared!

Next, I did some research to find out what to do in my area for little or no money. After some digging I found quite a few things to do in my area, and started to choose the activities that I thought would be fun for Jerrill and I. Coupling the new ideas with other ideas that I had on my own and we had a very nice list of things to do. For example, I intend for us to go to a wine tasting one day next week. Now, for those of you that don’t know, central Kentucky was the site of the first commercial vineyard in the United States! We have several vinyards within driving distance, and have visited one prior to this (for Valentine’s Day 08…my idea, and we had a great time) but I am looking forward to visiting all of them over time! Other things on the list: Going for a picnic, outdoor games, board game night with milkshakes, go to our local Arboretum to walk around and look at plants, and of course, we will be going to see Night at the Museum #2 and Terminator Salvation. There are many other things on the list, but you get the idea.

Now, that I have decided on my activities for the week, I then get to research them and “guesstimate” the costs associated. I come up with figures for the activities, and total them up. I then take that total and compare it with the amount of money I have to spend that week. Now, as I said in the post on March 6th, everyone has a little money for a staycation, because you have your normal weekly amount to spend. So, if you normally have $150 a week to spend on groceries, gas and recreation (dining out, drinks, movies etc.) then you still have that amount…you can simply repurpose some of it! For example, instead of buying your “normal” groceries, buy some things on the cheap so that you can go out to a movie, or buy steaks to grill out, or both! It’s all about being creative to work within your means!

So, the chart/list would look something like this:

• May 25th, Monday – Picnic at the park – Cost $10 (for groceries)
• May 26th, Tuesday – Nature walk at the Arboretum – Cost Free!!

I know that because of the economy a lot of people are opting to stay home this year, so I hope that this will help you better plan for your staycations, so you can more thoroughly enjoy them!

***A note to our readers: We believe that family time is just as important as proper money management to leading and living a successful life, so the blog may or may not be written next week. Honestly, it depends on whether or not I find the time to write in between the fun! I might post photos of the activities we are doing instead, but I haven’t decided. Don’t despair! I’ll be back to it the following week!

First things first…if you are looking to switch brands, you shouldn’t try to do this at a gas station or other liquor store that has a TINY selection. You need to go to a location that has enough selection of each type of alcohol to make the prices competitive.

Next, do not go to a liquor store that does not have a knowledgeable staff…as an example, I walked into a liquor store once and asked if they had Dekuyper Peach Schnapps and they said they weren’t sure if they carried that brand…well, Dekuyper is a “major brand” of alcohol, and any employee should know the name. The fact that this employee didn’t told me that their knowledge of their product was limited, and I shouldn’t ask them for any more help.

Going to a store that has a knowledgeable staff is the key when I switch brands. When I want to switch alcohol brands, or try a different type of wine, I go to our local Liquor Barn. They are only located in our state, so you should find a liquor/party store in your area. So, I walk into the store, find the nearest employee, and ask them which employee on staff that day is most informed about the particular type of alcohol I am interested in. The employee never hesitates to offer a name or two, and tells me where I might find them. Once I find the employee in question, I ask for help, and explain what I normally use, what I like and don’t like about it, what types of drinks in general I like and what price range I want to be in. This has never failed me. I am always pleased with the results, no matter if it was wine (they have helped several times with wine) or with hard liquor (I switched brands on vodka, which costs less and is smoother than the other brand).

This tip can be applied to more than just alcohol, but make sure when you go to a store and ask for help that the employees are not commission based or high pressure sales driven. You can’t always trust that these employees are genuine when they direct you toward a particular product. I have used this tactic when choosing gym shoes at our local athletics store (non-commission) and purchasing flowers/shrubs/trees at our local nursery. You just have to find an expert/knowlegeable person and get their help, the same way you go to a lawyer for legal advice and a doctor for medical help. Try this tip! Don’t feel like you are bothering an employee if you ask for help, that’s what they’re there for!

Today’s article is Goodbye to shop ’til you drop By: Parija B. Kavilanz

Brief summary: Retailers have been suffering at the lack of shoppers shopping. They are also noticing that the shoppers who are out are being more selective in what they do buy.

It’s called frivolous spending for a reason, and it’s what Americans do well, unfortunately. We are all guilty of it at one time or another. I myself, recall buying a faux leather bomber jacket this past fall and thinking that I would wear it all the time…I didn’t. I wore my fleece zip up or my wool pea coats, as always. Alas, my very cool bomber jacket hung in the closet all winter (thank goodness it was faux)and my jacket can be added to the category of frivolous spending. So, we are all guilty of it, but luckily, it’s become out of fashion as people in the U.S. are focusing more on budget shopping.

The article points out that our retail culture is in a transition from concpicuous consupmtion to budgeting because we are starting to realize that we’ve lived far beyond our means. Things like pre-owned cars and store brand labels are starting to come back in fashion, and, for what it’s worth, I don’t know why they ever went out of fashion. There is nothing wrong with purchasing a car owned by someone else, especially if it is in good shape and fits your budget better than its brand new brother!

Another real interesting thing to note is that high income shoppers whose jobs/incomes haven’t been affected are shopping differently and putting extra money away! These high earners might not necessarily start buying less expensive items, but they will be “more selective” in their purchases and focus on the quality of the item, rather than the quantity.

The article makes a very exciting point about the retailers approach to selling and how they are going to have to change strategies. They are going to show a “value” to their product, over and above the competition, if they expect to separate us from ours dollars. This means an expansion in the type of fits and varieties. For example, tall men with a long inseam cannot go into just any store and find a pair of pants, the same way that short waisted women cannot wear all of the “long and lean” shirts that are out there. I mean, the name implies “short waisted people, this is not for you”.

As the article says, the retailers of this great nation are going to have to become more sophisticated, selling items that maintain high quality while maintaining value, that can be sold to a wider base of people. In the example of cars, shoppers want to go back to basics. A car that is mechanically sound and will last for a reasonable price is a lot more important than tilt/cruise and the “gold package”. Clothes that are designed to fit “real people with average bodies” and not just 5’11″, 22 inch waisted models will be considered investment pieces in this new economy and will sell. Everything else will be considered “trendy” and will likely be overlooked. Stores that aren’t strategizing for this outcome should take heed…when you start designing a product for a broader group of people, you will sell more items!

Think about it…buy 1 get 1 50% (or half) off, is the same thing as 25% off of each item. That is NOT a significant discount! That is a relatively standard discount something at a retail store receives when it goes on sale, which means they have a lot more margin in the item than 25%! The same thing goes for appliance/electronic stores, that offer $50 off when you spend $500 or $100 when you spend $750…that works out to be 10% and 7.5% respectively. That means the discount actually goes DOWN when you spend more!

Another fun part of the “Buy 1 get 1 50% off” is that they have made you spend more money then you would have when you went to the store in the first place. Know why? Because they have made you buy 2 of something, where you might have only bought 1. That’s right…it’s BUY 1, GET 1 50% off, so they have made you buy 2 of them! So, let’s say that you are looking at a $40 skirt (men, substitute a tool). It’s buy 1 get 1 50% off, but you only need the 1 color (tool). You say, well, i might as well go ahead and get the discount…now, instead of buying 1 $40 skirt (tool) that you need, you are buying 2 for $60! The retail store got $20 more dollars from your wallet, and still did not have to give a very big discount!

Now, if the retail store has a percentage off sale, where you are not forced to buy more than one item to get a discount, go for it, if you NEED the item and if the discount is worth it. I usually don’t think a discount is good until it hits 40-50% off per item. Also, don’t forget that an item you truly NEED does not HAVE to be discounted for you to purchase it. I should also tell you that I do not have a problem with a grocery store “buy 1 get 1 50% off”, if it is on something you would have bought anyway, like frozen veggies, and are absolutely sure you will use both items. So, the moral of the story, is to be the savvy shopper that I know we all have inside of us. Remember back to when you were a child, and had to make your money last. Since you didn’t have a job, you couldn’t guarantee that once you spent what you had, you would be able to get more in the near future. Be a smart shopper and don’t fall for gimick sales that just want to make you spend more money.

I cannot begin to stress how important it is for you to track your progress with your personal finances. Knowing what is going on in your bank account on a weekly/monthly basis helps keep you yourself “in check” so to speak. I know a lot of people who bounce checks/overdraft simply because they don’t pay close enough attention to how much money they have and what they have spent that week/month. So, keep your receipts and use them to track what you spend! Know how much money you have that week, and don’t spend more than that. Go to the ATM and take out some money if you have to and pay for everything that week (and the following weeks) in cash, so that you don’t overspend.

Tracking your progress doesn’t just keep you from overspending, but it shows you where you might be able to cut back and save some money. If every week, you set aside $200 for groceries, but for the last month you have only spent on average arounnd $150 each week in groceries, then you should change your budgeted amount to $150 and either apply that money to another bill that needs to be paid, or add it to the money that you put into your savings. In this example, tracking your progress is effectively the same as adding income, since keeping a close eye on your money helped you spend $50 less a week! In the end, it pays (literally) to watch your money.

Brief summary: An ad agency in Finland has started running an “evil piggybank” ad encouraging people to spend money, while here in the U.S. we have the “feed the pig” commercials encouraging people to save money.

This article is interesting because it brings up a good point…should I save my money in a down economy, or go spend some to help the economy recover? Well, I say save what you can. Here’s why…

The Finns are trying to stimulate their economy by having their citizens spend all they can, but that is part of what got us Americans in trouble in the first place. We didn’t save, we just saw what we wanted (instant gratification) and bought it, usually on credit. This is proven by the fact that 2 years ago Americans were spending 2% more than they were earning…that’s right, we were saving NEGATIVE 2% of our incomes…awesome, huh? That figure has jumped to POSITIVE 2.5%, but that still isn’t enough.

I love that the feedthepig.org organization is trying to encourage people to save…I think it is exactly what we need to be doing right now, and so does the expert from the article, Kent Smetters. Smetters says we should be saving about 10% of our incomes, and Jerrill and I agree with that percentage, as long as the person has the added protection of an emergency fund of at least 3 months expenses ($1000 emergency fund to get started).

So, you might be asking yourself why in a time of economic downturn do we think you should be saving money? Well, we figure it’s covered. Think about it…you still buy your groceries, pay your electric bill and mortgage payment (hopefully), so the only thing you’ve cut back on are the $6 coffee and designer handbags. Well, the truth of the matter is that if you had to put those items on credit or had to cut back on them first, you probably couldn’t afford them anyway. But that’s OK, not everyone can afford those things. That is the way of the capitalist system…it only guarantees you the opportunity to earn enough to have the finest things, it doesn’t guarantee you the finest things. and don’t worry that no one is out there buying things and stimulating parts of the economy other than groceries and electric bills. There will always be people who can afford to have finer things, and they will by these things even when there are economic woes.

So, save your money. Pay attention to what we say and those Feed the Pig commercials. Don’t pay any attention to the Finnish commercials…we tried over-spending already, and look where it got us!

Brief summary: A survey of nearly 30,000 people revealed some insights into the way people are feeling about the economy and their money. It revealed what they are doing to help tighten the belt on their finances to get by these days.

I love surveys like this one, because it’s kind of like taking the financial temperature of the country.

Page 1 of the article tells how people are spending less on dining out, clothing and recreational activities. I am happy to see that people are refocusing their priorities and are watching what they spend…everyone could save a little more. Where a lot of people get into trouble is eating out and recreational spending. The average American eats out only 1-2 times a week, however, where are they eating? Is the whole family with them? If they eat out at pricey restaurants with the whole family, that can get costly. Even if families are only eating out at McDonald’s 2 times a week, that is probably averaging $20 a trip, or $40 a week. That works out to be $160 a month…that will pay for lots of different things…more groceries, car insurance, health insurance etc.

Page 2 focuses on gift giving. This is a hard topic for me, because I LOVE to give gifts. The survey shows how people are either buying less gifts, or spending less on them. I myself switch to spending less on gifts when funds are tight, and think it is a good way to save cash in your budget. To those people who think they have to skip gift giving because they can’t afford something really nice, I say relax. People like to receive gifts. People REALLY like to receive gift cards! And, for the most part, people don’t care how much you spent on the gift/gift card. And if they are disappointed with your gift, it’s on them…you did what you could, and if they truly do care about you, then your gift will be perfect, because it came from you!

I was absolutely elated by page 3, where it was revealed that if given $10,000 dollars, 48% of those answering the survey would put the money in the bank, and 38% would use the money to pay off debts. All I have to say to this is this…I am excessively happy that people are finally taking notice that they are not saving enough, and I hope that when the economy recovers, they continue to save and don’t go back to their over-spending, have it now ways.

Page 4 deals with something that I don’t really do very well…cutting coupons. Those of you who cut coupons every week, I applaud you, but I have never been like you. I have tried to clip coupons and use them at the grocery, but it doesn’t work for us. We use a lot of generic products, and those products never have coupons in the paper, usually (not always) because the generic is cheaper than the name brand item with the coupon. So, coupons have never really worked for me, but, my mother swears by them! So, apparently do 64% of the respondents (combination of those who have always used them and those new to clipping coupons) to the survey, thanks to the economy. I am excited to see this as groceries are one of the easiest places to cut costs, but one that some people never put the effort into.

Page 5 reveals the how people feel about the economy (well, of the opinions of the respondents anyway). Overall, 47% of the respondents say the economy hasn’t affected their long term plans and 34% think there will be an economic upswing in a year. While I hope that is the case, I worry that the economy has not completely bottomed out yet, and therefore, might take a little longer to come back. Also, our economy is tied to other economies, so we have to watch the financial happenings in other countries (like China) to get some idea of what will happen in our economy. However, I hope those who see an upswing in a year are correct!

So, in my opinion, based on this survey, the financial temperature of the economy is sickly, but people are getting by. They simply need to remember how their parents did things when they were kids…do you remember your parents using layaway? there is a reason for that. You remember them saving up to put a down payment on a car or a house? There is a reason for that. It was the RIGHT way to do things, and according to the survey, some people are finally starting to remember/take notice.

Gallop poll resource – http://books.google.com/books?id=WOug0pzW6_IC&pg=PA481&lpg=PA481&dq=average+number+of+eating+out+per+week&source=bl&ots=b2_ny9ni7M&sig=weev3bzrbR1J6iZj-3Ii9fyP52M&hl=en&ei=-uPMSYnlHpKNtgfc1vTfCQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=3&ct=result

No matter how “good” we try to be, we will always buy things, even when we are trying to save money. We are out somewhere, and see something awesome that we just HAVE to have. A shirt, a necklace, shoes, or if you are a man, some tools etc. Then, you take it home, and you like it, but not as much as when you were in the store. Or maybe you lose some weight and the item no longer fits…either way, at some point, you decide you don’t really want it anymore. Over a little time, you will gather up several of these items, and instead of throwing them away, you should have a swap meet party with some of your close friends!

Now, there are a few Do’s and Dont’s you should know about when you plan a swap meet:

First, DON’T be offended if some of your friends turn you down…some people just don’t like the idea of wearing things other people wore…it’s just a fact of life. so, don’t get your feelings hurt, simply move on and concentrate on the friends that DO want to participate!

Second, DO decide ahead of time on the items that should be brought. Rule out items that those attending feel too private or inappropriate to swap (i.e. undergarments). Some might also want to exclude items like shoes (the whole sweaty stinky problem), so make sure you inform the guests of the items to be excluded!

Third, DO decide how things will be exchanged/purchased and let the guests know ahead of time. For example, if you are having a jewelry swap meet, you could say that the exchange will only be for equivalent items (necklace for necklace, earrings for earrings) unless otherwise agreed upon by both people at the party.

Fourth, DON’T forget to have some money on hand in case a guest needs change to purchase something!

Fifth, DON’T forget to have some food for people to snack on, but make sure you wait til after the swap to feed them…you don’t need sticky fingers touching the merchandise!

Lastly, once all the items have been exchanged, DON’T feel that you have claim to anything you have swapped with a friend, so make sure you REALLY want to swap it in the first place!

Overall, if you have a group of friends that like to (or need to) save money, a swap meet can do double duty…you can get together with friends (which everyone loves to do) and go home with some really awesome loot for little or no money AND get rid of stuff you don’t want anymore! I hope this idea will help our readers get want they want and still have “Mucho Moolah” left over!

For my first Mucho Moolah post, I decided to discuss the “dinner/drinks and a movie” dilemma. When your friends or significant other asks you to go out for dinner or drinks (or both) and a movie, you might cringe at the cost. That is, if you have figured up the cost! Dinner for one is at least $15-$30, depending on where you (or your friends) decide to go. Then you throw in a couple of drinks…$3 to $7 a piece, for a total of $6 to $14. Then the movie…$10 for admission, $5 for a drink and the price just goes up… Totaling up the dinner, drinks, admission and a drink at the movie, you get $36-59 per person. That is A LOT of money. If you go out like that once a week, the hit to your pocketbook could be significant, and you might not even know it. .

So, my first tip is this: When your friend or friends ask you to go out for dinner/drinks and a movie, suggest that you go out for lunch/drinks and a matinee! .

Lunch menus are almost always less expensive than the dinner menu ($6-$12), a lot of restaurants offer a happy hour where you can get drink specials ($2-$4 a piece) and then off to the movies! A matinee is usually half the price ($5) of the evening show, and then add the drink ($5…sorry no discount). Totaling up the same outing, but earlier in the day, we get a total of $20-$30! STOP and think about that…the high end of the daytime outing in this example is LESS than the low end on the nighttime outing! You could save up to $49 per outing, depending on your effort to save! That is A LOT of money!.

I know you might feel awkward asking your friends to change to the daytime but you shouldn’t. Everybody likes to save money. Even Michelle Obama has been known to wear J. Crew clothing, and she’s the country’s First Lady!.

So, to get Mucho Moolah, say NO to dinner/drinks and a movie and YES to lunch/drinks and a matinee!.

I know that the news regarding jobs and the economy is frightening, but you have to compartmentalize that as “what’s going on in the world” and focus on “what’s going on in your house and community”. It could be that some towns and cities across the U.S. are hitting rock bottom, but your hometown is still doing ok. So, before you do anything, assess your own personal situation. If you have your job, and your company doesn’t seem to be struggling, then stay where you are. Now, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t build up an emergency fund in case something does happen, it just means that your job looks relatively stable. Now, if you live in a small town with only a couple of big companies that provide employment for most of the townspeople, you should definitely be saving some money and keeping your eyes open for signs that the company is struggling. For example, have they cut back on freebies or privileges? Are there no free bagels in the morning? No more overtime? No bonuses? Have they closed other locations? If you see any actions like this, prepare yourself for the possibility of a layoff.

Okay, so now let’s assume that you’ve lost your job. You need money. You need to provide for your family. Well, in spite of what the news is reporting, there are jobs to be had in the U.S. Now, not all of these jobs are glamorous, and the truth is that you might be overqualified for them, but, I have to say, so what? You are looking for something to provide for your family, and if in a couple of weeks you don’t find your dream job, well then, I suggest you deliver pizzas til you find what you want. Everyone knows that companies are eliminating jobs. There is NO SHAME in providing for your family. Wal-Mart offers health insurance to its employees, so get a job there and have health coverage. Starbucks offers health insurance to part time employees!!!

Here is another point that might surprise you: it might be financially better for your family if one of the parents stayed home. Take a look at your finances. If one parent makes significantly more than the other, maybe the lesser earning parent should stay home. If the lesser earner does not make enough to cover the cost of daycare, their gas or bus pass for transportation to and from work and their daily lunch/coffee, then it is a financially sound decision (not to mention good for the well being of the child) for that parent (no matter if it is the dad or the mom) to stay home and care for the child. So, if you lost your job, but financially weren’t making enough to cover the job, then stay home and be with your child!

Now, for those who say there are no jobs out there, I say you just have to look. Granted, some small towns have only one factory, which provides most of the jobs for its residents. This is hard for me to say, because I came from one of those towns, but it is a bad model from which to set up a town. As a resident, your whole existence depends on the stability of the company. I wouldn’t want that stress. So my advice on this, though hard, is to MOVE AWAY. For the rest of you living in towns/cities with plenty of businesses, I say, looking for a job is a full time job. You only get as much out of it as you put in it. If you blow off looking because interviews are uncomfortable, well then, don’t expect to get a job. And please don’t think that looking for jobs on the internet only will help you find something, because usually it doesn’t (yes, there are exceptions). Here are some places that are usually hiring, no matter what the economy is doing:

Tech industry – you might have a masters degree, but level 1 tech support lackey beats grill master at a fast food joint.

Wal-Mart/Target/Kroger/Costco – again, not glamorous, but we’re talking about basic employment with benefits

Health Care Industry – all that money we pay for health services doesn’t just go to doctors, some of it goes to the nurses and administrative support team. (Hint: these positions are usually paid way more than what the job responsibilities imply they should be)

Government/State jobs – come on, it’s the Government, they’re always hiring. Pay is decent, benefits are good.

Military – should be under government, but I separated it because they just recently came out saying they were adding 180,000 jobs. These jobs offer free housing, food costs, health benefits and an average starting salary of $35,000.

Don’t tell me there’s nothing out there. Maybe you just aren’t looking in the right place, or thinking the right way. I wish all of you luck in your search for a job. If you have any questions and think I might be able to help, just add a comment, and I will try to the best of my ability!

Happy Hunting!

http://money.cnn.com/2009/02/26/news/economy/jobless_claims/index.htm?postversion=2009022609

http://news.google.com/news?ned=us&hl=en&q=walmart+hiring

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10073394-2.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29377376/