Saving money this Christmas

Christmas is an expensive time for everyone, so it is important that we save cash wherever we can. Here are some effective money-saving tips that will help you out this season:

Look out for store discounts

It has been reported that the UK alone will spend £10 billion pound online this year, so the total for the world is set to be astronomical - and it’s easy to see why. Compared to shopping in store, there are a range of bargains and discounts to be had online.

Before I purchase anything online, I always do a quick search for voucher codes. I simply type the name of the store and ‘discount code’ into a search engine and I can usually find some great discounts. I’ve saved so much money over the years!

Like many other people, I am looking forward to all of the Black Friday savings to be had, although I don’t think I’m quite cut out to battle through the stores. Instead, I’ll be enjoying it online. Amazon have had some pretty great discounts in the past, so I am excited to see what they’ll have to offer this year.

DIY

Shop-bought cards and gifts can be expensive, bumping up your Christmas budgets. While you will inevitably have to fork out for gifts at some point, there are some great DIY options too that could save you some cash.

Not many people send Christmas cards nowadays, but it is a nice touch especially if you are sending them to people who live far away. If you have kids like me, you could get your little ones to hand make a few cards – your friends and relatives will love the personal touch.

I’m tempted to put my computer skills to the test and try a spot of card designing on my PC. The only problem is that our printer is not very good, so I’ll need to invest in a new one before I start designing – there’s no point in having a beautiful card that I can’t send to anyone!

As United Carlton is based in the UK, I know I can’t order from there, but I have been looking on their website to get some ideas on what printer to go for. They’re printing specialists so I know that they will only recommend the best.

As you know, I love to bake and cook. I’ve found this recipe for gingerbread men online. They look delicious and the ingredients will be much cheaper to buy than ready-made ones, plus I’m sure Noah wouldn’t mind giving me a helping hand! I may even dish these out to our friends and family as extra Christmas gifts!

Four ways to cut your spending

With the economy being how it is at the moment, a little extra money to spend is something many people would welcome. If cash is tight there are a number of options available to you,such as getting a credit card or taking out a loan. But even if you do that there are other simple ways to reduce your expenditure too.

Consider where you buy

In days gone by, comparing prices meant going from shop to shop and making a note of how much an item you wanted costs. Thankfully, if you’re prepared things can be much easier these days and thanks to the internet you could almost entirely avoid the high street if you wanted to. It’s easy to compare prices online and (depending on what you want) it can be cheaper too, so always have a look before handing over your cash. If you’re shopping for a holiday then prices can vary greatly, so never settle for the first price you find. Remember too that it might be worth waiting for your credit card application to be approved, to protect your cash in case of something going wrong.

Slash your bills

Household bills can soon add up, so it’s well worth finding out if you could make savings in any way. This might be possible by switching to a new tariff, paying by direct debit or moving to a new supplier. If you’ve been with the same company for a few years then your loyalty might not be paying off, so find out what the competition has to offer.

Save money on your car

If a car is something that’s essential in your life then it’s probably an expense you have factored in to your budget. But that’s not to say you couldn’t be paying less. Shopping around for a better car insurance deal might help, but you might also like to consider car sharing when possible. This could mean sharing driving duties with work colleagues, or weighing up if your family really needs that second car.

Make days and nights out cheaper

In summer it can feel like one gathering after another and while that’s great for your social life it can take its toll on your bank balance. So instead of dining out at a restaurant, it might be worth inviting your friends over for a barbecue. That way everyone can contribute with a little food and drink and the costs can be kept to a minimum. The same applies to days out, so take a picnic to the park instead of forking out to go to the cinema.

How to Save Money on Perfume

When I was younger, I had a perfume collection. I used to have many different scents to choose from.  Some of my favorites were CK One, Tommy Girl and Pleasures. I would wear different scents with different outfits or depending on my mood. I love to wear perfume; I think that how you smell is very important.  It is good to have a signature scent. It can become very expensive if you really like different scents.  My favorite perfume as an adult is Amazing Grace. Thankfully there are discount perfumes you can purchase.  I remember when I was in school there was a whole thing about imposter perfume. The great thing about discounted fragrances is that they are the real thing, just are a lot cheaper. I love to shop for things at a discount, but I cannot stand to go in to perfume stores. They give me a headache and make my nose hurt. I am so glad that I can find discounted fragrances in the comfort of my own home.  I know that I am getting quality scents that will help me feel good.

If you are buying a gift for your guy, it can be insanely expensive. Cologne is a great gift. I once dated a guy who wore cologne that costs $70 a bottle. It smelled amazing but man, it hurt my pocketbook.  I wish I had bought it at discount colognes site instead at a department store.  He of course loved it. It wasn’t the price of the bottle of cologne; it was the thought that counts.  I always give my mom perfume for Christmas too. It is a tradition so when shopping for her I would love to save so I can get her a extra gift or two.

What is your signature scent? Do you shop for perfumes and colognes online?

The Importance of Life Insurance

Before I was a mom I taught at a daycare. One of the benefits they offered was term life insurance. I was only 19 at the time so I wasn't really sure of the benefits.  I think that i signed up for every benefit they offered. It was my first experience with having my own insurance. I was always on my mom's plan. I had my mom as my beneficiary. It was for 75,000 dollars and only paid a couple dollars for it a pay  check. I teased my mom about her thinking of ways to bump me off like in the movies . My mom would never do that of course.    She loves me and I don't remember using my health insurance more than a couple times during the time I worked there.

You can get a lot of coverage for not a lot of money.  I read that if you are healthy you can get a 1,000,000 dollar policy for five dollars a month. Five dollars a month is like the price of a grande cup of coffee from Starbucks. I always like to compare things like that. If you think about it like that it will be easier to grasp. If I wanted to be like those commercials and pull out my calculator it comes out to sixteen cents a day! You can't even make a phone call or buy a gum ball for sixteen cents. The only thing I can think of that is sixteen cents is a baby root beer at a restaurant I like, which is the perfect size for Noah.  Just think how you can protect your family and provide for them with a million dollar policy for meager pocket change.

Now that I am a mom I realize the importance of having it. 

Teach Your Children Responsiblity with My Job Chart

MyJobChart.com, an online chore chart was designed to teach young people the concept of responsibility, work ethic and the value of money by giving them a way to earn points for completing their chores.
The free site has always offered a way for young users to ‘spend’ their points on rewards they want, ‘share’ what they earn with a chosen charity, or to ‘save’ for the future.”

Kids are able to experience the tremendous rewards of earning money for themselves and then of accumulating that money and saving for the future. As they do this they will get a $20 bonus into each child’s account just for signing up for a kids savings account.

My Job Chart is easy of use and the high-tech approach have made MyJobChart.com a hit with more than 140,000 kids in just over a year since its inception with kids completing over 9.4 Million chores using the site!

I Have Never Had a Real Credit Card

I have a rule where I don’t really like talking about finances with friends because it seems to cause problems sometimes. I have on occasion talked about it with a few close friends; they talk about their money problems and their debts. I am going to tell you something that will shock you; I am thirty years old and never have had an actual credit card. I wasn’t someone who when they turned 18 they mailed in every credit card offer they were mailed.  I am not going to say I am debt free because I am not. I have some unpaid medical bills from the time I had to take Noah to the ER because he stuck pieces of the inside of a diaper up his nose and didn’t have insurance. It was one of those situations where the hospital and poison control were telling me to rush him to the emergency room, and I didn’t want to chance something happening to my little boy, so we went.  I have other things that put me in debt, but it could be a lot worse.  I know that a lot of people are in debt, especially with the horrible economy.  Sometimes people have to rely on their credit cards to make ends meet.  Sometimes others use their credit cards on big ticket items like TV’s and tablets and they have to look in to contacting a debt management company, to help them get back on track.

I can’t say that I am the best when it comes to money though. I did a long time ago have some trouble with bounced checks… I was young and stupid. I thought the money would hit the bank before the check cleared and my calculations were wrong a couple times. I promptly paid the checks and the fees, but it was a hard lesson to learn. It’s really easy when you are 18 to end up having money problems because you are young. It’s not surprise why people use debt relief programs to help get out of debt.  I know that they do help people reduce the money they owe considerably.  I think that besides the checks and the little debt I am in, that I am in good shape, especially compared to other people my own age.

ATTN: Parents with Tablets...

If you are a parent that owns a tablet, an iPad, or even a smart phone, you will want to take special note of this post. Remember it read it often, this is important.  I like most parents, let my five year old use my tablet, to play games, take care of his fish, and draw. I always am monitoring what he is doing, with him right next to me, but I am usually on my laptop doing work related things. I am not 100% watching what he is doing every single second, but make sure that he isn’t doing something he shouldn’t. Not that he would purposely do something he shouldn’t that would endanger him, come on he is five.  It is part of our daily ritual for him to ask to use my tablet to check on his fish and play the plane game.  I of course can’t resist his smile especially when his cheek dimple is present. I am putty in my five year old's hands.  He has an allotted amount of tablet time each day, if he misbehaves that is the first thing to go. 

You can of course purchase games, apps, coins and credits for certain things. I had some extra money left over so I thought, hey I will let Noah upgrade his plane game and get him some coins and bucks for his fish game.  I wasn’t going to attach it to my bank account because I had this fear, I don’t know if it was because I remember when my old best friend’s son got a hold of my phone and downloaded a few ring tones, that I had to pay for. It was only like 5 or 6 bucks no big deal.  I was not under any circumstances have that linked to my bank account. So, I had a prepaid credit card that I used.  I am a smart cookie, because I signed on gmail, which is what my Android account is linked to, so I could talk to one of my greatest friends Lee. I never really sign on it ever, unless it is to use gchat. I noticed in my email there were a few extra purchases made. One being one million coins on Tap Fish for the price of $99.99, which was a purchase made by my five year old trying to magically get coins. Either that or he thinks I am made of money.  There wasn't that much left on the card, I think there was like 90 cents. So, it was cancelled, thank God. I used to “magically” get him coins by selling fish at night when he was asleep. He would freak out if he knew I was selling them. I was mom during the day and fish pimp at night.

Here is my important advice, if you have a tablet; it takes literally three taps for your child to put you in financial ruin. You should use a prepaid credit card for this. Seriously, you will thank me later. Never have it linked to your bank account, a normal credit card, or Paypal, if they take Paypal. Now I know it is annoying to go to the store and there is a fee of like $5, but it is so much easier than finding out that adorable child you brought in this world took your hard earned money and fighting the bank and the app people. It is worth your sanity. TRUST ME.

MasterCard Here's to Mom Holiday Promotion

It is definitely time to start your holiday shopping. There are so many different presents you are going to buy for your children, loved ones and friends. When I was young, I used to always give my teachers and bus driver holiday gifts. They were sometimes homemade, but other times we would buy them a little something.  I know that teachers really appreciate those little thoughtful gifts, as a daughter of a teacher. Unfortunately, the economy isn’t at its best, so we rely on sales and promotions to help us stretch out our holiday bucks.  You all know how much I like to shop online. I won’t be fighting the crowds this holiday season.  I will be shopping online for gifts, that way Santa’s special gifts will remain a secret, until Christmas morning.

I am so excited to share with you a promotion from MasterCard. The promotion is called Here’s to Mom. Being a mom is hard work, so MasterCard thought they would celebrate us.  Signing up is really easy. All you have to do to receive your $20 MasterCard gift card is go HERE  and enroll with your MasterCard card (credit or debit) and e-mail address, shop online with that card between November 15 and December 31, 2011. After spending $200 online you’ll receive and e-mail where you can redeem your gift card reward.

This sounds like such a great deal and I hope you all will sign up and earn the rewards. I mean you are going to use those cards anyways, right? May as well, be rewarded for it. I love that it includes debit cards so, it shows that MasterCard really wants to reward us.  Let me know if you sign up. It takes only a few minutes and then you can kick back with a cup of hot chocolate and shop in your jammies.

Happy Holidays!

I am participating in this MasterCard Promotion and I received a complimentary special Here’s to Mom kit for my participation. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Help Your Children Track Their Money With Allowance Manager

I am trying to teach Noah about money. I thought that now that he is four years old, he should start getting an allowance. I think it is important to teach him about saving and spending even at his age. I am hoping to prevent him from going out and wasting all his money on something silly when he gets a little older. Right now his allowance goes in his piggy bank and it is saved. Today is St. Nicolas Day and he woke up to find 4 shiny quarters in his shoes along with a treat. It is my job to teach him that he has to earn the things he wants and that money is something that isn’t just handed to him at his command. Thanks to my sister and brother in law they taught Noah how to hold up a cup and say to strangers “please can I have some money?” He even said it to a police officer who thought it was hilarious. I hid my face in shame. Now he kind of has the mentality that mommy will give him money whenever he asks, not happening.

I came across a website called Allowance Manager. It is a great way for children to keep track of their spending and how much money your child has. Just think, your child doesn’t have to count the change in their piggy bank anymore. All you have to do is create a free parent account and then you can create an account for each of your children each of them will have their own password. It is really easy to sign up. I personally hate long sign up processes. It takes like 2 minutes to completely set up the whole thing. One of the features I really like is the printable chore chart that we will be using for Noah to start doing chores like picking up his toys, cleaning up his dishes after meals and picking up his trash during the day. Your children can’t update any of the parent settings so it is secure and it remains accurate. You can easily reward your child for good behavior by adding extra money and even penalize for bad behavior by subtracting money from their account. It will also serve as a reminder or as evidence as to why their allowance is a few dollars less. It also teaches them the basics of banking if your child is a little older.

I am still thinking about how much money to give Noah for an allowance. How much do you give your child or children and how old are they?

For more information please visit Allowance Manger.

I received a gift card for my review of this website. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Gerber Life College Plan

One of the things you have to start thinking about the moment you find out you are going to be a parent or when you find out you are having another child is paying for the child to college if that is something they want to do. I am not one of those parents that will demand that my child goes to college. I am pretty sure he will want to because even at 4 years old, he loves to learn. Many parents start saving for their children’s college education from birth. I wanted to share with you about the Gerber Life College Plan. Everyone knows about Gerber with the iconic Gerber Baby. I learned recently that they offer a college plan to help you save and pay for your child’s future education. It is an endowment life insurance policy. It is designed to help parents save a guaranteed amount of money for their children's college education expenses in a safe and secure way. I am sure a few of you are wondering what an endowment life insurance plan is, I didn’t know until I checked out the FAQ.

I think that this is a great gift to give your child or grandchild. It will help them in the future. You don’t have to worry about losing it by having it tied up in investments and have the stock market crash, and be left with nothing. I know that has happened to a lot of people recently with the economy being so bad off. It is a small monthly gift that will provide a lifetime of education which will provide a future for your child or grandchild. I know in some families it is customary for the grandparents to pay for college, why not start now and have it taken care of without having to pay a large sum every year.

For more information please visit the Gerber Life College Plan’s FAQ.

Piggy Bank for the 21st Century

I have a really cool toy to share with you. I thought my readers with older children would love to hear about this brand new, unique, hi-tech, educational children's toy. The toy is the Ekomini Piggy Bank and it has been designed by educational professionals to promote financial literacy among kids. It features an interactive money box that connects to a computer via USB to provide kids with a fun way to keep track of what they save. I wish I had one of these when I was a kid. I would have to sit and count change all the time back when I did Kool-aid stands and sold other random items. It would also be great if your child is saving for a special toy or game. When Noah gets to be a little older I am going to give him an allowance and I am going to have him save for things he really wants.



Another really cool thing about Ekommini is that kids can take part in virtual adventures in Ekominiville where they learn about saving, spending, donating and investing their money in a fun context. I feel it is important to teach children about money at a young age to prepare them for the future. The Ekomini is currently being launched in North America and is priced at USD 39.99.
For more information please visit http://ekomini.com