Clothes Shopping on a Budget

  Whether you’re shopping for clothes for yourself or a family member, a few basic items can really add up. It’s easy to leave a mall or department store with very little more than anxiety over the amount of money you just spent. Here are some fantastic tips for clothes shopping on a budget.

 #1 Make a list of what you need and how much you’re willing to spend on each item. Just like when you go to the grocery store, making a list helps you stick to your budget. Little items so easily find their way into your bag when you shop without a list. Adding the amount you’re willing to spend gives you a reality check when you’re ready to buy. It forces you to evaluate the logic of your purchase.

 #2 Save and splurge. This is particularly effective when you’re shopping with brand conscious teenagers. You can purchase a few name brand items that will be seen by their peers and then buy store brand items to cover the rest of their bodies. For example, a Hollister t-shirt and Target jeans.

#3 Buy and use discount gift cards for places you like to shop from Plastic Jungle.com. Makes your dollars go a lot farther, especially when you also shop sales–double savings!

#4 Hit the resale shops and consignment stores. There are some truly wonderful resale shops around the country. In fact, the people who brought Once Upon a Child to the mainstream also opened a store dedicated to teens called Pandora’s Closet. These stores sell brand name items only and they must be in good shape. You can take your brand conscious teenager there and help them fit in with their peers while also meeting family budget needs.

 #5 Look for coupons, card and discounts before you buy. Many stores now offer loyalty programs. Each month they’ll mail or email their current promotion. If you know you’re going to be shopping at those stores, save the coupon or promotion code and shop during the specified days.

 Additionally, before you hit the mall, do a quick online search for any ongoing promotions or coupons. There are many websites devoted to aggregating promotion codes and other membership sites with local money-saving opportunities or group shopping opportunities. These can be a great way to save money.

 #6 Don’t forget the discount stores and outlet malls. You can save a bundle by shopping at outlet stores and discount stores like TJ Maxx. Yes, it can take a bit of time to wade through all the racks of clothing; however, when you save a few hundred dollars it’s probably worth the effort.

 #7 Shop post-holiday or season. You can save money, for example on back to school clothing, if you shop in October. You can save money on swimsuits when you shop for them in June. The store seasons generally start about a month or two before people actually need to wear the clothing. Ever wonder why they’re selling swimsuits in February? Save your shopping for after the season or holiday rush. Buy kids’ snow boots a size bigger in June for the next season. You’ll save a bundle!

Clothes shopping doesn’t have to be expensive. With a little shopping savvy, a strategy and a bit of patience and planning, you can get way more for your money.

Old-Fashioned Christmas Fun

Crafty Old-Fashioned Christmas Fun

 Sometimes the best times are the simplest times. You and your family can have an old-fashioned Christmas by enjoying some fun holiday crafts. Here are five old-fashioned Christmas craft ideas to enjoy.

 #1 Paper chain – Paper chains can be made year around. However, they’re particularly fun during the holidays. They’re a wonderful and quite simple way to decorate a holiday tree. You’ll need construction paper, or old wrapping paper works quite well too. You’ll also need glue.

 Cut small strips of paper, the size you want your rings to be. Fold the ends over so the strip makes a circle, and glue the ends together. Create another circle through your first one and continue linking the circles together until your chain has reached its desired length or your fingers are tired from cutting and gluing. Let dry and hang on your tree or around a doorway, mirror or fireplace mantle.

 #2 Popcorn strands – Popcorn and cranberry strands are another old-fashioned holiday tradition. Like the paper chain, they can be used to hang on a tree or decorate other areas of your home. You’ll need to pop some popcorn and purchase a bag or two of fresh cranberries. You’ll also need a needle and durable thread measured to your desired length. It’s also a good idea to have a thimble to protect your thumb. It can be difficult to push the needle through the cranberries. Create a pattern of your choosing. You can rotate cranberry and popcorn kernels, or you can string mostly popcorn with the occasional splash of red. You decide.

 #3 Paper snowflakes – Children love to cut paper snowflakes and teens and adults can have fun too. Using special paper and scissors with patterns, you can take this basic craft and make it quite extraordinary. Consider using old wrapping paper from last year to add a holiday touch.  Paper snowflake fun

 #4 Gingerbread homes and cookies – Who doesn’t love a good gingerbread cookie! And decorating them is extremely fun. If you want to get even more elaborate or detailed, consider making a gingerbread house instead. You can buy kits at the craft store to help you make a gingerbread house. They usually come with everything you need, including the candy decorations. Or you can try it yourself by following a basic recipe, do your own design, and purchasing the candy and frosting to fit your needs .Gingerbread fun 

 #5 Pine cone ornaments – Pine cones (collected in your yard, in the woods or purchased at a craft store) make wonderful tree decorations and centerpieces. You can add small items like buttons and knick-knacks to the cone with hot glue. You can spray it with adhesive and sprinkle glitter on it. You can also purchase spray paint and coat the pine cone for a dynamic effect. String the cones and hang them on your tree. Or place them in a basket for a centerpiece.

 Old-fashioned holiday crafts often focus on using items you may already have at home. They are simple ideas executed well. A simple piece of paper can become a snowflake masterpiece. A basic piece of popcorn can become a beautiful decoration. Have fun this holiday and remember the simple things that make it special.

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Plastic Jungle is a great way to save

Think gift cards are a great gift? Read this and save.  Great idea–combine discounted gift cards with store specials!

Holiday Spending Part 2

Seven Tips for a Family Christmas That Doesn’t Break the Bank

On a budget? Who isn’t these days? With the economy still a bit tight for many families, it’s tough to think about the upcoming holidays without getting a little stressed. How are you going to afford it? Not to worry. It’s possible to have a magnificent family Christmas and still stay on or below budget.

Here are seven tips for a family Christmas that doesn’t break the bank.

#1 Plan well ahead – Chances are you can still get some closeout holiday decoration items from last year. We’re talking about holiday ornaments, table cloths and place settings, and of course wreaths and other adornments.

#2 Shop on auction sites – Start shopping for holiday gifts before the season is in full swing. Use auction sites like eBay to buy many of your gifts. You can buy them gently used or brand spanking new and save a bundle.

#3 Get a family gift – Depending on how old your children are, they may understand the concept of a budget. If they’re old enough to understand, pose the idea of a family gift to them instead of individual gifts. If you spend, for example, $300 on a family gift instead of spending $100 per person, you’re saving $100 on a four-person family and more if your family is larger.

Great ideas for family gifts might include a home gaming system, a new computer, a trip to a show, or even a new pet.

#4 Have everyone bring something – If you host a family Christmas get-together, instead of making the entire meal yourself, have others bring a dish to pass. You can make the main course and set the table; the rest is up to your family members.

#5 Simply scale down – Ask your family members and children specifically to choose one gift they want this year instead of ten. Ask them to keep to a specific dollar amount. Children understand that the holidays are about more than getting gifts.

#6 Make some gifts – If you’re crafty at all or an artist, make some gifts for people. If you’re a photographer for example, take a photo, frame it and give it as a gift. If you like to knit, knit holiday stockings for other family members. If you’re a cook, make them some delicious salsa or bread. They’ll love the personal attention.

#7 Trade and barter – One great way to get original gifts at a low price is to trade or barter with others. If you have a particular skill or service you can offer, that makes it much easier. For example, if you have a friend who owns a toy store, you can offer to work in the store in exchange for toys.

There are many creative ways to make the most of this holiday season without spending a fortune. Use your imagination and plan ahead.

Five Great Places to Get Unique Gifts

Five Great Places to Get Unique, Budget-Friendly  Holiday Gifts

 Are you tired of giving the same old commercialized brand name gifts to friends and family? Are you looking for something unique and personalized to give this year? On a budget and trying to be creative? Here are five great places to help you get started on your quest!

 #1 Etsy – Etsy is a website that sells vintage items along with handmade items. There are some real artisans here. You can find everything from home goods to beautiful pieces of art and jewelry on Etsy.

 It works much like eBay in that each seller has their own store. Etsy takes PayPal, which makes paying for your purchases quick and easy. And you can contact the artist or seller to ask questions. One of the wonderful things about Etsy, besides the variety of products you can purchase, is the unique nature. Many items are one of a kind items that you just cannot get anywhere else.

 Additionally, there’s something satisfying about helping small business owners and artists make a living. The Etsy website 

#2 Foodzie – If you love food or the person you’re buying for is a real foodie, consider visiting Foodzie. Much like Etsy, Foodzie is a website set up to help chefs, bakers and food artists from around the world sell their wares.

You can buy anything from kicking hot salsa to amazing cookies and baked goods. Candies, cheese, meats and just about everything under the sun is available at Foodzie. It’s a great place to try new food and to buy unique gifts at a low cost.

You may want to try the food before you give it as a gift to make sure it’s what you’re looking for. You can also read reviews posted about the sellers to help minimize risk. Like Etsy you can pay via PayPal.

Consider using Foodzie to create one of a kind gift baskets. The Foodzie website  

#3 Ebay – If your recipient loves vintage, consider shopping on eBay for their holiday gift. Many of eBay’s items are auctions; however, there are also some great buy it now offers. Antiques, vintage jewelry, and even photographs and movie posters can be found online at eBay. It’s a fun place to do your holiday shopping.

 #4 Charities – Every year more and more charities are promoting themselves as a gift giving option. You can donate in your recipient’s name to anything from the Red Cross to buying a cow in Africa to feed a family. You can help children learn, deliver water to families in drought-ridden areas or help the homeless. It’s a kind and rewarding gift.

 #5 Your local gift shop – Finally, don’t forget to wander the shopping district in your own home town. Local small gift shops are jam-packed with unique gift ideas and again, it’s just plain fun to support local small business owners.

 There’s no end to the unique gifts you can give to your friends and family. Check out these five ideas today and get started on what may be the best holiday yet.

Holiday Spending Part 1

How to Not Overspend This Christmas

 During the holiday season, one thing that’s really easy to do is to overspend, and breaking the budget can lead to stress, anxiety, debt and no money left for anything else. That’s no way to spend your holidays! Here’s how to not overspend this holiday season.

 #1 Set your priorities – What is the single most important thing to you this holiday season? Is it to see family you haven’t seen in a while? Is it to take time off from work and enjoy your family? Is it to travel to a new location and sightsee? Is it to see the smiles on your kids’ faces when they open their gifts?

 What is the single most important thing you want to accomplish this holiday season? 

 #2 Create a plan around your priority – If, for example, your goal this holiday is to spend time with your family, then create a plan to make that happen. Perhaps you’ll spend a weekend at an indoor water park during the holiday break. Maybe you’ll take long days and visit local museums. Maybe you’ll go Christmas caroling and decorate a tree. Write down the things that will help you achieve your goal.

 #3 Budget – The next step, once you’ve created a plan to achieve your goal, is to budget for it. This means outlining what you have to spend on your holiday goal and how much it’s realistically going to cost. Don’t forget to budget a little bit for your other holiday priorities and expectations.

 For example, maybe you’ve decided that in order to achieve your goal of a family vacation, you’re not going to get each other any gifts. You may still be obligated to get gifts for your child’s teachers or classroom secret Santa gifts. Make sure to include those items in your budget.

#4 Tracking – The next step to stay on budget, regardless of your holiday priorities and goals, is to track your expenses. For example, if you’re buying tickets for that family vacation, track how much it’s costing you. When you’re on vacation, make sure to track how much you’re spending. That way, you can be sure you’re sticking to your budget.

#5 Contingencies – A good budget always includes a little wiggle room. Call it the miscellaneous or emergency fund. When you make room for the unexpected, it’s not a stressful event when it happens.

Before you dive into the holiday season, take some time to prioritize and identify your goals. What does Christmas mean to you? Do your goals, plans and budget reflect that? If not, make adjustments. Christmas doesn’t have to be about giving gifts to everyone you know. It can be, but it can also be about family, vacations, or some well-deserved rest. You get to decide how you want to spend it and how much it costs you.

Increase FICO score

Increasing your FICO® score may take time and often there is no quick fix. FICO scores reflect credit payment patterns over time with more of an emphasis on recently reported information than older information. Below are some general tips to follow that may increase your FICO score:

• Focus on the negative factors provided with your FICO score. These represent the main areas where your score could be higher.
• Apply for and open new credit accounts only as needed. Don’t open accounts for the purpose of providing a better credit picture – it probably won’t raise your FICO score and, in some instances, may even lower your score.
• Pay off your bills on time. Delinquent payments, even if only a few days late, and collections can have a major negative impact on your FICO score.
• If you have missed payments, get current and stay current. The longer you pay your bills on time after being late, the more your FICO score should increase. Older credit problems count for less, so poor credit performance won’t haunt you forever. The impact of past credit problems on your FICO score fades as time passes and as recent good payment patterns show up on your credit report. And good FICO scores weigh any credit problems against the positive information that says you’re managing your credit well.
• If you are having trouble making ends meet, contact your creditors or see a legitimate credit counselor. This will not improve your FICO score immediately, but if you can begin to manage your credit and pay on time, your score should increase over time. And seeking assistance from a credit counseling service will not hurt your FICO score.
• Keep balances low on credit cards and other “revolving credit”. High outstanding credit card debt can negatively impact your FICO score.
• Pay off debt rather than move it around from one credit card to another. The most effective way to increase your FICO score in this area is by paying down your total revolving (credit card) debt.
• If you have had problems in the past, re-establish your credit history by opening new accounts responsibly and paying them on time.
• Manage credit cards responsibly by keeping balances well under the credit limit. In general, having credit cards and installment loans (and making timely payments) will raise your FICO score. People with no credit cards, for example, tend to be higher risk than people who have managed credit cards responsibly.
• Do your rate shopping for a loan within a focused period of time. FICO scores distinguish between a search for a mortgage or auto loan, where it is customary to shop for the best rate, and a search for many new credit cards.
• Don’t close unused credit cards as a short-term strategy to raise your FICO score. This approach could backfire and actually lower your FICO score.
• If you have been using credit for only a short time, don’t open a lot of new accounts too quickly, as rapid account build-up can look risky to a lender.

*www.myfico.com

Payment History Tips

Pay your bills on time.
Delinquent payments and collections can have a major negative impact on your FICO score.

• If you have missed payments, get current and stay current.
  The longer you pay your bills on time, the better your credit score.
• Be aware that paying off a collection account will not remove it from your credit report.
  It will stay on your report for seven years.
• If you are having trouble making ends meet, contact your creditors or see a legitimate credit counselor.
  This won’t improve your credit score immediately, but if you can begin to manage your credit and pay on time, your score will get better over time.

*www.myfico.com

FICO- Amounts Owed

Keep balances low on credit cards and other “revolving credit”.
High outstanding debt can affect a credit score.

Pay off debt rather than moving it around.
The most effective way to improve your credit score in this area is by paying down your revolving credit. In fact, owing the same amount but having fewer open accounts may lower your score.

Don’t close unused credit cards as a short-term strategy to raise your score.

Don’t open a number of new credit cards that you don’t need, just to increase your available credit.
This approach could backfire and actually lower your credit score.

*www.myfico.com