How The Grinch Stole Christmas

No, I'm not dead.  Thought I was going to die, but I pulled through.

So...last week, someone told me, "I'm too broke for Christmas."

This thought popped in my head...



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What?

Did it sneak up on you?

I gave you 11 months warning!!!

Christmas comes every year - on the same day!  Not like Easter; I get that...Easter may throw you for a loop.

So what do you do if you are too broke for Christmas?  Here are 5 suggestions on how to afford Christmas quickly - WITHOUT USING CREDIT!!!

1)  Read here how to earn $1000 quickly.
2)  If you use credit cards in the past, check your rewards balances...if you have rewards.  You may have 1000's of points that could be redeemed for gift cards. 
3)  Start immediately using Swagbucks.  You can do surveys, searches, games, etc. to earn "Swagbucks."  Those points can be converted into Amazon gift cards...among other things.  My sister has earned $150 in Amazon gift cards THIS MONTH ALONE.  You can buy almost anything on Amazon...even toilet paper!
4)  Sell your kids clothes/toys.  We always complain about space right after Christmas.  So before Santa arrives, clean out your kids' toys.  Sell the gently used ones to a consignment store.  Or if you don't have kids, sell your unused clothing to a consignment store.
5)  Re-gift.  Aaahhh!!!  Huge faux pas, right?  Not so.  If you have something 1) you've never used, 2) that someone else would LOVE (key word: LOVE) don't be afraid to regift.  Try not to regift in the same circle of friends/family.  But if you got gourmet coffee for your birthday and you hate coffee, but your mother in law loves it - REGIFT.

You've got 6 weeks till Christmas.  Don't despair!  It can be done!

The Have's vs. The Have-Nots

I've tried to ignore the Occupy Wall Street protest hoping they'd fade away.  Just last month, these idots were part of the Occupy My Mother's Basement movement.

I saw this quote by Dave Ramsey and immediately posted it to my Facebook page.

"When someone takes my money and gives me no say in the matter, that’s called theft—whether they’re using a gun or the government."

The OWS movement is all about economic inequality.  They are basically saying, "The rich have too much money and the government needs to take some of it away and give it to me."  Redistribution of wealth. 

But what they don't get is if you take money away from the rich to make every one even, there is zero motivation to better yourself.

Without motivation, there will be no more Steve Jobs', Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg's.

There will be no more rich.

Everyone will begin to depend on the government.

And eventually there will be no more revenues.

And what then?

Revolt against the government and then, eventually, total collapse.

Yes, this is a very Glen Beck-esque, doomsday rant.  But it's the truth.  It's the same pattern followed by every socialists government in history.

And it's what's we're facing if we cave into the Wall Street Brats.

The Secret to Successful Online Shopping

I love saving some dough, the Benjamins, cold hard cash.

And I will admit, I frequent the online world of shopping...shocking, I know.

But before I ever click on "Buy" I follow a couple steps to make sure I'm getting the absolute best price online.  I assumed the rest of the world operated this same way. 

So imagine how my debt dumping, ever saving, penny pinching world was rocked when I found out THEY DON'T.  The best way to convey my reaction is this...

I still love this movie!



I was shocked!  Aghast!  Flabbergasted! 

So, here are my top three tips for savvy online shopping.  (Does anyone else but me want to say "savvy" with an accent like Captain Jack Sparrow?)

1.  Go through a cash back service.

Always, always shop through a cash back service.  My personal favorite is Ebates.

All you do is go to the site, search for your retailer (such as Barnes & Noble, Groupon - yay!!, Sears, just to name a few.)  Click through their website and wa-lah, you'll be earning anywhere from 2%-10% back on your purchase.  Just for clicking through their link.  And if you're feeling philanthropic, you can choose to donate your cash back to a charity.

There is also Shop at Home which is a lot like Ebates.  Just different stores.

I've had an Ebates account since 2006 and earned $141 dollars.  That's not a huge amount, I know.  But $141 is $141.  (A tenth of the way to your emergency fund!)  I don't do ridiculous amounts of online shopping, but I usually rack up during the Christmas season.     


Ka-ching!



2.  Google "[retailer] promo code"

Even when using one of the above cash back sites, you can still use discount codes.  I typically google the name of the store and "promo code."  This will bring up several sites that "specialize" in this.  A word to the wise, don't just click on a random one.  You'll end up with smut all over your computer.  :) 

My favorite site is http://www.retailmenot.com/ .  They're bona fide.  But retailers can opt out or limit codes that can be posted so if you don't find success there, keep trying.

Ka-ching!

3.  Don't forget to price compare.

Pricegrabber compares prices online from different retailers.  When you factor in discounts, shipping costs, and sales, the amount you pay can vary widely on the same exact item. 



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Hopefully, on this Thrifty Thursday, these simple strategies can keep some coin in your pocket next time you single handedly decide to stimulate the economy. 

Counting the Cost of a Big Move

Moving is never easy.

And usually, it’s never cheap.

I have a friend who is moving about 2 hours away from her current home and is facing just under $2,000 in moving expenses alone.

And that doesn’t take into account any of the new costs of living she will be facing in her new home.

At this rate and taking into account the extreme volatility of the current real estate market, she may not even make enough on the sale of her current home to cover the costs of her move.

My question is, are there actual ways to cut costs on moves (whether local or long distance)?

Is there any way to make it easier on your pocketbook if not your back?

Here are some things to take into account when budgeting for your moves that may help you save money in the long run.

1. Shop your ear off.

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There are a limited number of options for the average mover, but I wouldn’t leave any option off the table until I have learned the cost benefit to each option. 

U-Haul

Budget

2 Men and a Truck

1-800-Pack-Rat

Pods

They are all valid options.

Call around.  And I say call, because you can only find so much out on a website.

Find out the requirements, the benefits, the disadvantages and the limitations of each option. 

2. Coupons MAY apply.

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I don’t know about you, but once a week I get a stack of sale papers and yes – coupons – in my mailbox.  Most of these coupons and mailers are for local companies that provide just the kind of services you may be looking for. 

And don’t forget about your Val-Pak’s that you get once a month!  I can’t tell you how many times I have seen coupons for local businesses such as moving companies. 

If all else fails, check online for coupon codes to mention when you call in to each company.  You may be able to find a deal that you can’t walk away from.

3. Be Willing to Do Some of the Heavy Lifting

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You can save yourself a heck of a lot of money if you are willing to do some of the stacking and loading yourself.  Not to mention the fact that you control what goes where – meaning your grandmother’s china won’t end up under 3 boxes full of college yearbooks. 

And if you go with the option of Pack-Rat or Pod’s, you have the luxury of packing at your leisure.  No 1-day rush to get it all in, out, and off.

Which your back will probably thank you for a week after your move is over.

4. Consider the tip.

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If you choose to go with a moving company – actual people moving your stuff in and out of homes – you need to account for tipping the poor people whose backs you are breaking.  Most of the time that cost isn’t thought of until that day and suddenly you’re running to the nearest ATM and digging out whatever cash you can lay your hands on so that your helpful movers don’t end up breaking your Aunt Bernice’s antique glassware or spitting on your favorite sofa out of spite. 

Take that into account when you are budgeting IN ADVANCE of your move, and plan accordingly.

5. Gasoline Surcharges

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Gas is expensive.

That's no secret.

And no matter which option you choose, you will need to take gas rates into account. 

Whether you opt to rent a U-Haul or send your stuff across 8 states by way of a crane, gas rates are going to affect you. 

Obviously, since the rates change almost daily, it is difficult to predict the actual amount you will pay, but consider the time of year and location of your move as well as the local average gas rates to prepare yourself.

You don’t want to end up with sticker shock at the “fuel surcharge” line for your move.

Overall, moving expenses are probably going to leave you feeling a little woozy, but preparation and knowing you got the best bang for your buck may hold your feet on solid ground for a little longer.

Me vs. Extreme Couponers

I couponed when couponing wasn't cool.

Before coupon binders were the norm.

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Waaaayyyy before stockpiles were a status symbol.



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But it wasn't till last year that I began spending a little more time couponing. 

I had just had baby #3. 

(Repeat:  Three kids - all in daycare, all in diapers.  Not cheap.)

I could no longer afford to only use X brand of toilet paper.  I had to use whatever was on sale...that I had a coupon for.  My aunt, The Coupon Queen, showed me some of her tips and shared a website that matched up the sales with the coupons. 

And wa-la, a pro-couponer was born.

That being said, I thought I would love the show, Extreme Couponing.  I thought it would give us low profile couponers some tips & tricks.  I HATE IT!

A lot of them commit fraud.

A lot of them are "shelve clearers."  (Which is a huge no-no in the coupon world.)

They don't tell you what a lot of them spend on the coupons themselves.

And thanks to their greed, they've made it harder for us regular couponers to use coupons.  (FYI - Since the show aired, three major national retailers have changed their coupon policies to make it more restrictive. 

All thanks to some random woman who decided she needed 92 bottles of mustard...for her family...that doesn't like mustard.

It's Thrifty Thursday and I'm planning my grocery trip for tomorrow.  As I stare at my stack of coupons, I feel a sense of dread. 

Now, when I march up to the cash register at Target with my 7 coupons, I get stared at, glared at, and even laughed at.  One of the cashiers said, "Oh...you're on of those people." 

I wanted to so bad say, "If you mean a frugal mom with three kids that works 40+ hours a week rather than taking government assistance and a husband who makes next to nothing serving the public, then yes, I am one of those people.  Thankyouverymuch!"

But I refrained.  I regret it.

Thrifty Thursday: Vacation Wishes

Today...

Because I am busy.

Because I have too much going on...

And because I am daydreaming about vacation...

And how to pack for vacation with THREE children under 3 years old...

I am researching what the guys (and gals, in this case) over at Get Rich Slowly have to say about it.

You should check it out here.

Thrifty Thursday: Shoe Cents

I’ve mentioned my secret crush on Christian Louboutin black peep toe heels.

From that reference, you’d think that I was a shoe connoisseur.

Hardly.

I should take a picture of my shoe rack.

Pathetic.

I’m one of those people if they find a shoe they like, they buy it in all twelve colors.

I just don’t spend much on shoes.

I should.  I desperately need new shoes.

New work shoes.

New casual shoes.

New shoes.  Period. 

I don’t shoe shop.  I’m bad at it.

I’m super picky.

Have a terrible time in anything over a 1 inch heel.

And have I mentioned that I am cheap?

Deadly combination for shoe buying.

I informed my husband that my goal this weekend was to replace my shoes.  All of them.

But in case you missed it - I'M CHEAP.

How am I going to do it?

I don’t have a clue.  I’ve got about $200 to spend on approximately 4-6 pairs of shoes.

Any recommendations?