candy

Ask the Readers: What Do You Do With Leftover Halloween Candy?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 29 Oct 2019 08:30:09 +0000

Depending on how you feel about sweets (and on any dietary restrictions you may have), leftover Halloween candy be either a blessing or a curse. Ideally, you would've picked up just enough candy for all the trick-or-treaters in your neighborhood...but how often does that actually happen? If you can't just eat all of it, you'll need to find something to do with the leftover candy.

What do you do with leftover Halloween candy? Do you use the candy to make other treats -- and if so, what treats? Do you take any steps to avoid having too much candy in the first place?

Tell us what you do with leftover Halloween candy and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — here's how you can win:

Follow us on Twitter
Tweet about our giveaway for an entry.
Visit our Facebook page for an entry.
Follow @janetonthemoney on Twitter.

Use our Rafflecopter widget for your chance to win one of three Amazon Gift Cards:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, November 4th at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Winners will be announced after November 4th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook or Twitter.
You must be 18 and U.S. resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

Tell us what you do with leftover Halloween candy and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

This article is from Ashley Jacobs of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Flashback Friday: 44 Ways to Effectively Resist Impulse Buys

Chrissa Hardy — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 08:30:12 +0000

The impulse buy is sly. It is cunning. It can suck you into its wasteful clutches before you realize you don’t actually need that gadget or geegaw or trifle in the first place. Impulse buys are also major budget busters, as they are often unplanned expenses that can add up quickly. If you're looking to resist the lure of the impulse buy, succumb to the charms of these 44 impulse buy busters.

10 Classic Impulse Buys We Need to Stop Falling For — To defeat your enemy, you must first learn everything you can about them. So in terms of impulse buys, you need to know which products to avoid. These are the items we all fall for, so steer clear.

6 Ways Having Your Groceries Delivered Can Save You Money — A big chunk of impulse buys include food. Whether it's candy at the checkout line, ice cream when you decide you've had a bad day and deserve it, or three extra frozen pizzas because you've had a bad week, if you get your groceries delivered to your doorstep, you can likely avoid all of these purchases. And save money while you're at it!

Now or Later: How to Decide the Right Time to Buy Almost Anything — Cutting out the classic impulse buys entirely from your budget isn't a good idea though, because it'll come to feel like deprivation, which can lead to even more reckless spending. So if you use this guide to determine when you should stock up on some of your favorite comfort buys, you will be victorious.

9 Simple Ways to Stop Impulse Buying — Cutting back on impulse buys is a great idea, in theory. But so is eating right, getting eight hours of sleep, and exercising four or five times a week, and not many of us practice these healthy habits consistently. These tips will simplify the concept, though, so that in a moment of weakness, you'll make the right choice.

7 Effortless Ways to Prevent Budget-Busting Impulse Buys — Sure, "simple" ways to prevent impulse buys sounds helpful, but you know what sounds even better? "Effortless." These tips will make impulse buys seem as easy as breathing, well, almost.

11 Money Habits That Make You Look Financially Immature — Impulse buying is a bad habit. It's also a financially immature habit, because it screams, "I want it now, so I will have it now!" Once you accept that, and decide you want to avoid all immature financial habits, you'll be less likely to make these poor shopping choices.

This article is from Chrissa Hardy of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

9 Halloween Treats You Can Make in an Instant Pot

Carrie Kirby — Fri, 13 Oct 2017 09:00:06 +0000

Like virtually every other home cook in America, I recently got an Instant Pot, a brand of electric pressure cooker and slow cooker combo that has become a word-of-mouth hit. While I use it for everyday meals, the electric pressure cooker has a feature that makes it particularly indispensable for holiday use: You can set it and forget it. On past Halloweens, whether I'm cooking the pre-trick-or-treat supper or heating up apple cider, I have found myself running between the stovetop, the front door, or my kids' bedrooms where they are getting into their costumes. This year, I know I will set up whatever I'm making in the instant pot and then walk away to deal with everything else.

The only question is, what to make? Fortunately, every food blogger and her sister has an idea for spooky Halloween treats to make this year. (See also: 11 Instant Pot Meals That Prove Autumn Is the Best Season)

1. Apple cinnamon pull-apart bread

Start the sugar overload first thing in the morning of October 31 with this gooey, fragrant version of apple cinnamon rolls. Hey, at least the kids will have some fruit before school!

2. One-trick chili

Especially if the weather is blustery, I like to fortify my trick-or-treaters before they go out. Chili is a favorite for me anyway, and since there are jack-o'-lanterns everywhere, why not throw some healthy squash into the caldron tonight with this squash and turkey chili recipe? I serve mine with a side of mummy dogs, made in the oven.

3. Hot apple cider

You can always pour store-bought cider or apple juice into the instant pot and set it for a few minutes to get it piping hot, but since it can work unsupervised, why not get more ambitious and set up an amazing pot of fresh apple cider just as your trick-or-treaters are heading out? A few hours later, they'll come home to a house that smells amazing. I'll be adding bourbon to my mug. (See also: 9 Delicious Reasons Cider Is Our Favorite Fall Treat)

4. Hot cocoa

If you were out escorting trick-or-treaters and didn't have time to prepare anything to warm them up on their return, you can use the pot to produce creamy, not-too-sugary hot cocoa in just six minutes, by following this YouTube tutorial.

5. Spider web or pumpkin cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of the dishes that made the instant pot famous. To impress at any Halloween gathering, try this adorable cheesecake decorated with a dulce de leche spider web design.

If that's not Halloween-y enough, instead of following that plain cheesecake recipe, you could also make a pumpkin-flavored cheesecake to top with the same dulce de leche web. You can even make the dulce de leche in the instant pot. Or if the spider web looks too fussy for you, just chop up some candy bars for a trick-or-treat-themed topping. Perhaps best of all for parties, you can make the same recipes into individual cheesecakes by placing them inside Mason jars in the instant pot. But beware! Cheesecakes need 12 hours to set in the refrigerator, so start this recipe the day before you want to serve it.

6. Pumpkin pudding

Need a gluten-free dessert option? This elegant dessert is only a pudding in the sense of an English Christmas pudding, meaning that it's more of a cake. It's also not terribly sweet, making it a nice option for pre-trick-or-treat potlucks when everyone's about to eat a bunch of candy.

7. Oreo pops

If you have some kids in your life who you like to give a special treat to on Halloween, this fits the bill. Use the instant pot to melt chocolate, then dip Oreos on lollipop sticks to create spiders, monsters, or skeleton treats.

8. Apple crisp in a pot

Pies are nice and all, but they tend to take awhile to bake, and this apple crisp recipe cooks in just eight minutes. Serve it with vanilla ice cream for dessert, and save some to have with a dollop of yogurt for a morning-after breakfast. With Halloween falling on a school night again, you'll be grateful you saved something to put on the breakfast table.

9. Pumpkin Bundt cake

With pureed pumpkin, a banana, and Greek yogurt on the ingredient list, I'm gonna add this pumpkin Bundt cake recipe to the healthy morning-after breakfast category. Just pretend those chocolate chips are spiders and the calories from them won't count. Or, if that thought terrifies you to your very core, embrace the chocolate chips, because those are always better than spiders.

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Carrie Kirby of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

11 Fun Tax Facts You Probably Never Knew

Mikey Rox — Tue, 18 Apr 2017 08:00:09 +0000

Taxes: Love 'em or hate 'em, you still gotta pay 'em.

In fact, taxes are a tale as old as time. Well, almost. The earliest tax, according to the book "A World History of Tax Rebellions," was on the corvee (by definition, a day's unpaid labor owed by a vassal to his feudal lord) in 594 B.C. China. Peasants paid overlords for the land they farmed in labor if they couldn't pay the land tax in money.

That's just one fun fact. Check out this list of tax trivia that's weird, wacky, and sometimes just plain wrong.

1. There was no re-using cooking oil in Ancient Egypt

Ancient Egypt's early taxation system isn't exactly known for being fair, and their cooking oil tax was a perfect example. Not only was cooking oil taxed, but citizens weren't allowed to reuse it. They had to continually buy new oil, thus constantly forking over the associated tax. This was no joke: Scribes (Ancient Egypt's version of tax collectors) would sweep homes in search of recycled cooking oil, forcing people to pony up and buy new.

2. People in the Middle Ages really stunk up the joint

European governments taxed soap during the Middle Ages, which meant that you probably only bought a bar if you had some extra dough. As for the rest of the folks, well, they weren't making any new friends smelling like King John's sewage pot. The tax lasted for quite a while, too: Britain didn't repeal its soap tax until 1835.

3. Watching TV in the U.K. ain't cheap, you guys

We all need a license to drive, but a license to watch television? That's the case in the United Kingdom, where each household is taxed on its TVs — £145.50 a year — the funds from which primarily support the television, radio, and online services of the BBC. Total income from TV license fees in 2015–16 was £3.74 billion.

4. The good deed that lingered too long

To rebuild the town after a devastating flood in 1936, Johnstown, Pennsylvania slapped a tax on alcohol to raise money for the recovery efforts. The town met its fundraising goal in 1942, but the tax remained. Today it brings in around $200 million annually.

5. Eating a bagel in New York could cut you two ways

New York City has a special tax on food and prepared foods. If you have your bagel sliced in the store, you'll pay both taxes. Leave it uncut, you'll only pay the food tax since nobody is "preparing" it for you.

6. Pennsylvania has put a price on fun

Want to go to the movies? Or bowling? Or to a concert? Add 5 percent to your bill thanks to Pennsylvania's amusement tax, which applies to any kind of entertainment.

7. Certain pumpkins get a pass in Iowa, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey

Pumpkins are exempt from sales tax in these states if they'll be eaten and not carved. Carving pumpkins and cooking pumpkins are separated so customers aren't confused.

8. Leaving out this one ingredient drives candy prices way up in Chicago

It's simple. If the candy is made with flour — like licorice (who knew?) and KitKat bars — it receives a 1 percent tax. Leave the flour out for pure sugary goodness, and the tax climbs to 6.25 percent.

9. You have to lose both limbs to qualify for this tax credit in Oregon

That's right: Double amputees receive a $50 tax credit in the Beaver State. You might think that single amputees would receive half that credit, but no such luck.

10. If you live to age 100, you're home free in New Mexico

They say the only two things that are certain in life are death and taxes. Except in New Mexico. If you can make it to age 100, you become tax-exempt (but only if you're no one's dependent).

11. You can count your pet as a moving expense

You're allowed to write off moving expenses if you're relocating to begin a new job. You can also deduct the cost of taking your pet with you as the IRS treats your furbaby as personal property. How rude! But also, thank you.

This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Classic Impulse Buys We Need to Stop Falling For

Paul Michael — Thu, 03 Nov 2016 09:00:10 +0000

An impulse buy is just how it sounds. It's a purchase that we haven't really thought through, and instead follow the direction of our "lizard brains." We don't ponder the pros and cons of the purchase, or even think about what it is we're actually buying. We simply grab it, pay for it, and enjoy it. But these little impulse buys can really add up to some serious money every month. And just by alerting yourself to the biggest offenders, you may actually think twice next time you're about to grab one, and save yourself a nice chunk of change every month. (See also: 9 Simple Ways to Stop Impulse Buying)

1. Magazines

You're standing in line at the checkout, you've loaded up the conveyor belt, and now you're playing the waiting game. That's when you notice some of the outrageous or tempting headlines on the magazines in the rack, and pick one up. Before you know it, you're sucked in, you've plopped the magazine on the conveyor, and you've just spent $5 on something you were not planning to buy. That, in itself, is bad enough. But magazines fresh off the rack are way more expensive than a magazine subscription. These days, you can pick up a subscription to most of the big magazine titles for between $5-$10 per year! Not only that, but almost everything you read in the magazine is available online, through your phone, tablet, or computer. It's a complete waste of money.

2. Candy

Oh, those pesky supermarket designers are devious. They know just how to get you dipping into your purse or wallet, and candy is a classic example. Even if you're not tempted by chocolate or sugary snacks, kids are. And the "nag factor" is enough to make most parents, grandparents, aunties, and uncles, cave in. You will also see special offers on candy in the checkout line, such as BOGO free, or BOGO half off. You may also see "Buy 2, Get 1 Free." These offers are designed to push you from a maybe to a "well heck, I don't want to miss out on that kind of a deal!" And before you know it, you've added a bunch of extra calories, and expenses, onto your grocery haul.

3. Cold Drinks

Have you noticed that mini-refrigerators have been popping up at checkouts with increasing regularity? From stores like Walmart and Target, to Goodwill, Ross, and Best Buy, as you wait in line, you will be staring into ice-cold beverage heaven. For some reason, many of us are preprogrammed to just naturally grab a drink after we've been shopping, but those drinks are more expensive as singles than as part of a pack — a pack you can find just a few aisles away. Plus, you need to ask yourself, "Are you really that thirsty?" Many stores have drinking fountains, so grab some free water before dropping $2-$4 on a drink you probably don't need.

4. Lip Balm

Raise your hand: How many of you have more than three or four lip balms at home (and yes, I'm putting my hand up, too). It may be more common in places with a drier climate, like Colorado or Arizona, but for some reason, the lure of the fresh, hermetically sealed lip balm is as tempting as candy and soda. And at the same time, we seem to forget how many we already have at home in the junk drawer or nightstand.

5. Batteries

"Batteries Not Included" is a phrase that has been burned into the memory of anyone that has ever given a present to an eager child. They open it up, press the buttons, and nothing happens. That's when you realize it takes eight size "C" batteries and all the stores are closed. Due to that conditioning, batteries are strategically placed near checkouts in grocery stores, warehouse stores, and electronics outlets. "Don't forget your batteries" ticks away in your head, and you grab a pack of each variety…. just in case. They join their unopened brothers and sisters on the shelf in the garage. One day, hopefully before they run out of juice, they'll get used.

6. Gum or Mints

Another classic impulse purchase is the tin of mints or packs of gum. They're placed at eye-level, right as you're plunking down your purchases for the cashier. No one likes a whiff of bad breath, so a tin of extra strong mints and a pack of spearmint gum will do the trick. They're only a few bucks, after all. You can put them in the glove compartment, and hope you'll have a reason to use the 60 sticks of gum that are already in there.

7. Coffee

What is the deal with coffee these days? It's like you can't walk 10 feet without bumping into a store selling the latest organic, dark roasted, pumpkin-spice-flavored cup of joe. Let's be honest though. Somewhere along the line, we were all convinced that paying $6-$7 for coffee was reasonable, even though we can all make perfectly good coffee at home for a tenth of the price. The smell of coffee, and the incredible flavors that go into it, is often hard to resist. There are Starbucks stores inside grocery stores, just near the exit, and one whiff is enough to get most people diving into their pockets for a quick pick-me-up.

8. Fast Food

Just like coffee stores, fast food brands have been setting up shop in grocery stores and retail outlets around the country. For instance, you can find both Subway and McDonald's inside Walmart, and they do an incredible amount of business. Some people say that you should never do your shopping on an empty stomach, and grabbing a quick burger before hitting the aisles seems like a good idea. Or, as you leave the store, the scent of grilled beef and fresh bread breaks down your willpower in seconds. Before you know it, you're munching on a burger in the car, despite having a week's supply of food in the trunk.

9. Energy Shots

These pesky critters have been popping up around the checkouts for the last few years. It used to be just one brand (Five Hour Energy), but now there are dozens of different brands on the scene. Gas stations and supermarkets are not exactly fun places to be, and if you're in one for long enough, or you're having one of those days, a little shot of energy seems like a great idea. "I'm tired…oh, energy in a bottle. I'll take one!" These shots can cost $2-$3 each, and the effects they have vary from person-to-person. You may get an insane energy buzz, or barely a twitch. Either way, it's an expensive little impulse.

10. Protein Bars

Protein. Protein. Gotta have your protein. These protein-packed bars are big business, and can be found in various places, including the vitamins and supplements aisles. That is a bit bizarre, because although they do contain a big chunk of protein, they also contain a list of ingredients that would give a healthy eater nightmares: high-fructose corn syrup, inulin, agave syrup, sugar alcohols, and fractionated palm kernel oil are just a few horrors lurking in them. But due to our increasingly hectic lifestyles, these have become a quick "grab-and-go" meal replacement. No time for lunch? A protein bar will do. Actually, it won't. It's an expensive mistake, and it can lead to sugar crashes and diarrhea.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Are You Spending Too Much on Halloween This Year?

Nick Wharton — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 10:00:09 +0000

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), more than 171 million Americans will celebrate Halloween this year at a total cost of about $8.4 billion — an all-time high.

Broken down, the price tag for each person is estimated to be an average of $82.93, up from last year's $74.34. But we all know that number goes right out the window if you're a fright-night fanatic. At least mine does — on candy and costume and festivities alone. Tack on decorations, greeting cards, and pet costumes to the list (the latter of which has become BIG business to the tune of $350 million a year), and you can easily spend $100 to $200 on Halloween — a hefty price tag for what's generally considered to be a "kid" holiday.

Ward off such wickedness this October 31 by checking your receipts for hidden spending gremlins.

1. Decorations

The National Retail Federation found that 70% of Halloween shoppers plan to purchase decorations, spending $2.4 billion, while 49% — likely many of the same respondents — say they'll decorate their homes or yards. This certainly can become problematic if you're buying new, full-price decorations to add to your collection every year, but there are ways to lessen the cost.

My method, for instance, is to buy new items postseason. I never purchase any holiday decorations, Halloween or otherwise, while the season is in full swing. Even if discounts are available (Target reels you in with discounts throughout the season on its Cartwheel app, for example), you'll pay a fraction of even those discounted prices if you wait until November 1 or a couple days after to snag what's left of the haul. Granted, you may not find high-end items like yard inflatables or animatronic monsters, but I'm usually able to add a few smaller decorations to my overall Halloween aesthetic. Outdoor holiday lights and party supplies also are in abundance on clearance the day after.

2. Greeting Cards

A whopping $390 million is spent on Halloween greeting cards every year, purchased by 35.4% of Halloween shoppers. This might not makes sense to some of you, but anybody who has children in their lives — specifically nieces, nephews, and grandchildren — will recognize how Hallmark and American Greetings continue to make a killing (mostly because of the guilt we feel for not actually being present to celebrate with them), especially when you consider that the average cost of greeting cards hovers around $5. In fact, I've known people who have spent upward of $18 on a single fancy greeting card; they've been drinking too much witches' brew, for sure.

I cut costs on greeting cards for my own nephews by either buying them a year in advance like I do decorations — and I've walked away with cards at a whopping 90% off the day after Halloween — or forgoing the card altogether. Because based on my own personal experience, I can absolutely confirm that children don't care about the card whatsoever when there's also candy in the package. Skip it and it'll never be missed.

3. Candy

Okay, now we're getting into serious Halloween territory. Candy — the crux of the entire bloody celebration — rakes in an incredible $2.5 billion in September and October alone, with 94.3% of consumers surveyed by the NRF breaking out their wallets for the sugary-sweet treats.

And it's not cheap. The average person will spend $24.43 on candy this year, which represents a big chunk of the total Halloween spend average of $82.93. It's easy to see how it gets there though. Premium chocolate brands, like Hershey's, Mars, M & M's, and Reese's, are priced between $10 and $12 per large bag featuring kids/snack size servings. I've seen the per-pound cost of some of these bags between $5 and $7, which is rather expensive for run-of-the-mill chocolate.

But therein lies your savings tip: Before I purchase any bag of candy, I compare the number of pieces in the bag/how much the bag weighs with the price-per-pound designation listed on the price tag on the store shelf. Most of them have these. While larger bags may seem like the best value, often the smaller bags are more economical, comparatively.

Let's not forget, either, that you're paying for packaging and holiday marketing when you buy holiday food/candy — the brands factor in the cost of unsold post-holiday items into the cost of the bag you're buying — which means that you'll save even more if you purchase the everyday bags in the regular candy aisle opposed to those in the seasonal food section. Of course, you can reduce the price even further with app savings and coupons.

4. Human Costumes

Outside of candy, the other major Halloween expense is costumes, which takes up the biggest portion of the holiday-spending pie at $3.1 billion.

When it comes to costumes, we're already fairly savvy: 35% of costume shoppers search for the perfect outfit online, where you can find great costumes at reasonable or even discounted prices, while 29% shop in store, likely at pop-up shops like Spirit Halloween Superstores. (I receive discounts galore at Halloween by being on their email list.)

What's even more heartening from a savings standpoint is that many of us rely on social media (34%), friend and family (19%), pop culture (16%), and print media (14%) for costume ideas, the pieces for which we look for in our own closets or thrift stores.

Again, I've saved a bundle picking up full costumes, odds and ends, and accessories after the holiday; Spirit goes out of business for the year, end of day November 1, but you can snag tons of great stuff that day. I keep all those items in a box to piece meal a costume together the next year.

Another smart idea is to swap costumes and accessories among friends. Somebody in your circle may have just what you're looking for — Facebook is an excellent way to find out — so you don't have to shell out for one-use-only items.

5. Pet Costumes

We love our pets. So much so that 20 million of us are willing to fork over a combined $350 million to dress up our furbabies as waggy-tailed ghouls and goblins.

I admit that I've dressed up my own dog for a celebration at the dog park or for a neighborhood parade, but I'll let you in on a little secret: He doesn't like it one bit. And it stands to reason that yours probably doesn't either. Which is why I don't do it anymore.

Even a discounted costume is a waste, in my opinion, because if the dog doesn't destroy it trying to get it off, it'll get filthy when your pet rolls around in the dirt and other dogs' poop in hopes of sending you a message to stop humiliating it in public. Thus, if you're looking to shave real money off your Halloween expenditures this year, cut out the pet costume altogether (or reuse the filthy one). No sleep will be lost, least of all by your slobbery companion.

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Nick Wharton of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Smart Things to Do With Leftover Easter Goodies

Ashley Marcin — Fri, 25 Mar 2016 09:00:11 +0000

The Easter holiday means a house filled with pastel… everything... cluttering the house. Don't toss all those goodies right away after. Instead, here are some ingenious ways to repurpose your leftovers for immediate use or year-round enjoyment.

1. Plastic Eggs (Practical)

These birdseed ornaments will liven up your backyard for pennies. Mix together flour, birdseed, water, and corn syrup. Scoop mixture into your plastic eggs, firmly packing to fit. Then close them up to set into your egg shape. Gently open the eggs (it helps to place them in a muffin tin) and let air dry for a few hours. To hang, tie some string or yarn around them. This tutorial makes about 18 small feeders.

2. Plastic Eggs (Pretty)

This sophisticated tealight flight is incredibly easy to make. Take your leftover plastic eggs, crack them in half (using the bottoms only), spray on a few coats of spray paint, and attach them to a piece of scrap wood with strong glue. Let everything dry before you place tealights inside to create a beautiful glow.

3. Plastic Eggs (Educational)

I've seen quite a number of ways to repurpose plastic eggs for learning. For my four-year-old daughter, I plan to work on reading skills with these word family eggs. Just collect your eggs, and use a permanent marker to write several letters on one half and the rest of the word on the second half of the egg. (For example, b-, c-, m-, s- and -at to make bat, cat, mat, and sat.) Your child can turn the sides of the eggs to create the different words and see how they relate.

4. Egg Dye

You've finished coloring your eggs — now what? Use leftover dye to get crafty. Try dying bare yarn in a rainbow of colors for whatever projects you have on your calendar. First, soak the yarn in vinegar and water. Get your dyes ready in different containers and use plastic pipettes for coloring. Apply the dye to the yarn, microwave to set, rinse, squeeze, and hang to dry.

5. Jelly Beans

Teach your kids some engineering basics using colorful jelly beans as your guide. To set up the experiment, you'll just need toothpicks, jelly beans, and some creative minds. Make cubes to start and then move on to more complicated shapes to see how they stabilize and shift. The author of this project said that these simple supplies gave her kids over a month of educational enjoyment.

6. Fake Grass

We typically fill our Easter baskets with fake grass of the paper variety. I then use whatever we have left for wrapping gifts (usually in gift bags) throughout the year. I've also used it as cheap packing material and given handfuls of it to my daughter to add dimension to art projects. Alternatively, you can carefully collect your leftovers and reuse them next year.

7. Hard-Boiled Eggs

Before eating your hard-boiled eggs, make sure they haven't been sitting out of the refrigerator for longer than two hours, haven't been in contact with pesticides or animal waste in an outdoor hunt, and aren't more than a week old. Once you've considered these food safety points, you can eat them plain, make deviled eggs, or whip up a delicious egg salad.

8. Candy

These leftover Easter candy cookies will help clear out your pantry shelves for fresh spring produce in no time. You simply mix together the dough base with flour, baking soda, sugars, salt, vanilla, and eggs. Then chop up two cups of whatever candy you have left (assorted chocolates probably work better than jelly beans), fold it into the dough, and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown.

9. Baskets

Whether they're crazy colored or more neutral, you can always find great uses for baskets around your home. I store my daughter's markers, crayons, and other art supplies in small baskets that I keep in my craft room. When we're ready to do some coloring or art, I grab a basket and it helps keep everything tidy. Use yours to wrangle small toys (cars, blocks, etc.), books, or store it away to use again next year. Don't like your basket's looks? Spray paint it another color to suit your mood or decor.

10. Egg Crates

There are seriously a million ways you can reuse an egg carton in your home. My current favorite? I'm organizing my seedlings for the upcoming planting season. Just cut the lid off, poke a small hole in the bottom of each cup, fill each three-quarters full with soil, place your seeds inside, and put it on a plastic tray. Then label so you know what is what. (See also: 11 Creative Ways to Reuse Egg Crates)

How are you re-using your Easter stuff? Let us know in comments!

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Ashley Marcin of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

8 Reasons the Easter Bunny Should Give Money Instead of Candy

Tim Lemke — Tue, 22 Mar 2016 09:00:05 +0000

In 2015, the average family spent about $140 on Easter-related goodies. That's a lot of cash for a lot of sugar. Is it a good idea to be spending so much on something that's gone by the end of the spring? (Aside from those immortal Peeps, of course.) Or is it better to save your dough and give them some lessons in personal finance instead?

Now, I'm not going to be the one to suggest that the Easter Bunny forgo candy in favor of sensible financial gifts. It's the Easter Bunny, not the boring Easter Financial Planner, after all.

But there may be ways to weave in personal finance lessons while letting your kids gorge on some treats. Here are some good "financial" alternatives to chocolate bunnies and jelly beans, and why they're so much sweeter as gifts than sugary, empty calories.

1. Kids Need an Early Lesson in Saving

Many banks offer savings accounts for people under age 18, with parents having joint custody and control. Other banks, including Wells Fargo, have some accounts allowing children over 13 to have full control. Your kids are free to use the savings account and learn about deposits and withdrawals, interest, and even how to use an ATM card.

2. Savings Bonds Teach the Power of Patience

It's easy to purchase U.S. Treasuries through Treasurydirect.gov and gift them to whomever you want. You can even have a gift certificate delivered with the bond. Savings bonds are very simple financial instruments that are virtually guaranteed to grow in value over time and teach children about interest. And if they are long-term bonds, they'll get lessons in patience, as well.

3. Becoming a Choco-Stock Holder Is Way More Fun Than Just Eating Chocolate

If you want to let your kids embrace chocolate, but give some financial lessons along the way, give them a few shares of a chocolate or candy company. Hershey [NYSE: NSY] is the largest chocolate company in North America. Its stock is a solid performer with a 2.5% dividend. Another solid option is Rocky Mountain Chocolate Company [NASDAQ: RMCF]. And it's also possible to invest in international chocolate makers including Nestle and Cadbury.

4. They Can Learn How to Build a Nest Egg

Let's say you take that $140 you're planning to spend on Easter and instead, place it in an index fund that mirrors the S&P 500. If you do that every year for the next 10 years, you'll have more than $2,000 to give to your kiddos, according to most investment calculators. Do it for 20 years and you'll have more than $6,000. Do it for 30 years, and you'll have more than $14,000. Seems a lot better than cheap baskets and piles of fake grass, am I right?

5. Give Them an Early Start on Saving for College

It's hard to think about your kids going off to college when they still believe in the Easter Bunny. But college ain't cheap, and there may be no greater gift than helping them avoid thousands of dollars of debt when they graduate. A 529 college savings plan will allow you to put money into the stock market and have it grow tax-free, provided the funds are used for college later. And you may also get some additional tax breaks from your state. The annual cost of public college tuition in 2030 could top $40,000, while private school tuition might run you $90,000 or more, according to the College Board. Start saving now! (See also: The 9 Best State 529 College Savings Plans)

6. You Can Help Them Start a Business

When your kid is opening a Hershey bar, consider telling him the story of how Milton Hershey founded several businesses before hitting it big with chocolate. Your kid has great ideas. Why not help them see if they can turn their smarts and creativity into a money-making operation?

You can help them craft a business plan, learn how to develop and market products, and even keep a balance sheet. Many schools offer real-world business lessons through the Young Entrepreneurs Academy, so it's worth exploring whether the program is available in your area. Even if your child isn't ready to start a business now, giving them lessons in entrepreneurship can open up a world of opportunities later.

7. Make Chocolate With Them Instead of Buying It

Adults know it takes time to properly save for big ticket items like homes and cars, and that the most patient investors are the ones that come out ahead. By teaching your children to make chocolate instead of getting store-bought candy, they will learn the value of patience over immediate gratification. They'll also learn how to be frugal by exploring DIY options, rather than immediately spending money on pre-made, overpriced items. Because, after all, their homemade chocolate is bound to taste better than whatever the Easter Bunny drops off.

8. Give Them an Allowance — And a Budget to Buy the Chocolate

Depending on the child's age, it may be time to pay them for doing chores around the house. It's often recommended to give a child 50 cents a week for every year they've been alive. So a six-year-old might get $3 a week if they take care of their responsibilities. But the allowance should also come with lessons on spending. Set limits on what a child can spend each week, so they understand the power of accumulating savings. Who knows? Perhaps they'll realize they can afford even more than what was left on Easter morning.

What other gifts should the Easter Bunny give other than candy? Share with us in the comments!

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Tim Lemke of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

7 DIY Easter Baskets That Cost $10 or Less

Brittany Lyte — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 10:30:12 +0000

The Easter bunny will hop across America on Sunday, March 27. Four out of five Americans will participate in the celebration, spending upwards of $17 billion, or $145 per person, on everything from greeting cards and flowers to food and candy. If you're looking to cut back on this year's holiday splurge, a great place to start is the Easter basket. Read on for our guide to architecting a basket full of simple, stellar fillers for $10 or less.

1. The Beach Basket

If you live on the shore or you're planning an upcoming family beach vacation, try out a sunshine-and-sand-themed Easter basket. Start with a sand bucket. If you already own one, clean it up and use it, otherwise you can buy a new one for a couple bucks at your local party store. Fill the pail with low-cost beachy items, such as an inflatable beach ball, flip flops, or stuffed sea life animals.

If you have multiple children, consider drawing up paper invitations to a sand castle building contest! Give the contest a nifty name and be sure to outline the rules. For example, you might want to institute a one-hour time limit and declare yourself the judge. And don't forget to set the date! For inspiration, print out photos of spectacular sand castles and staple them into an idea book.

2. The Wellness Basket

Revolt against sugary jelly beans and the Russell Stover chocolate rabbit with a healthy spin on this year's Easter gift. To begin, swap the traditional wicker basket for your child's lunch box and fill it with healthy snacks. Think almonds, tangerines, grapes, and little boxes of raisins. If your child has a favorite fruit or veggie, be sure to include it. Toss in a jump-rope, fun Band-Aids, a stopwatch, or a cool pair of running socks for good measure.

3. Spring Has Sprung Basket

Dig around the garage for an empty flower pot. Scrub it clean and fill it with tulip bulbs and seed packets. Toss in a pair of gardening gloves, a shovel, and instructions on how to grow your own spring flowers — and voila! You've got yourself a green thumb spin on the traditional Easter basket.

4. For Your Little Artist

Got a wicker basket sitting around the house? Find some simple Easter-themed clip-art on the computer and print it out in black and white for homemade coloring sheets. Staple a few favorites together and you've got yourself a custom coloring book. Include a small box of crayons or a paintbrush and a set of non-toxic paint.

5. For the Tech-Head

For the child who's always glued to a screen: Fill a basket with handmade coupons redeemable for prizes. One iTunes song download. One movie download. One new smartphone app priced under $2. To make it last, add the stipulation that only one coupon can be redeemed per week. Staple the coupons into a book so they don't get lost in the shuffle of the holiday.

6. For Your Little Handyman

Clean up an old tool box and fill it with a toy hammer and wrench, a clipboard and paper, and a measuring tape. You can also pick up a kid-sized hard hat for $3 to $6 on Amazon. If you don't have a spare tool box sitting around the house, you can buy a plastic crate for about $1 at Walmart.

7. For the Fashionista

An inexpensive purse or a statement hat make for perfect replacement Easter baskets for little girls who love style and design. Fill the purse or the head of the hat with mini bottles of nail polish (navy, beige, gray, and apple red are trending right now), a pocket mirror, a brush, and a set of colorful barrettes.

What are you planning to spend on Easter baskets this year? What do you plan to include in them?

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Brittany Lyte of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

25 DIY Halloween Treats That Trick-or-Treaters Will Love

Nick Wharton — Fri, 16 Oct 2015 11:00:35 +0000

When my daughter was five, I took her trick-or-treating in our new neighborhood. Sparkly wand in hand, she trotted up to a door and rang the bell. A very nice old man explained that he had run out of treats, but asked her to wait while he checked his kitchen. He came back with a large bag of prunes. Although she politely said her thanks, the look on her face was priceless.

Don't be the prune guy. Give out one of these great ideas instead.

(Note: I usually have two types of treats to give to trick-or-treaters at my door: homemade for children and parents who know me, and therefore don't have to worry. And then wrapped candy or non-edible treats for children whom I don't know.)

1. Spooky Hands

Purchase food handler gloves, and fill the fingers with bulk candy. Tie off with orange or black ribbon.

2. Candy Lei

Get some orange or black lei netting, and fill with candy. (Place a candy in the netting, tie off, add a candy, repeat). Tie the ends and give a spooky aloha!

3. Bag it Up

Small orange paper bags are easy to stuff with that bulk candy. Add a ribbon or close with a Halloween sticker.

4. Blow it Up

Orange nine-inch balloons, stuffed with a few pieces of bulk candy, easily become very cute pumpkins using this easy DIY technique.

5. Borrow From the Ballerinas

Buy a yard or two of tulle, or netting, and cut into 6" squares. Place a few of those bargain candies in the center, gather, and tie with contrasting ribbon.

6. Classic Caramel Apples

Did you think caramel apples would be difficult? Well, I'll confess: I did. Wrong! They are easy, fun, and kids, both big and small, love them. I like them with just the caramel, but as you can see in the video, you can add all kinds of decorative items. Make sure you wash your apples to get the wax off, dry them well, and choose apples that are very firm and on the smaller side.

7. Easy Popcorn Balls

A seasonal classic, popcorn balls, are inexpensive and fun to make. Put the finished ones in these orange cello bags and tie with black ribbon.

8. Spooky String Cheese

For those looking for sugar-free options, get out your markers. Purchase string cheese in a bulk bag and draw spooky faces on the cheeses, making tiny ghosts. I found it is best when the plastic wrapper is very dry, so wipe them down before attempting to draw.

9. Frugal Spiders

These Tootsie Pop spiders always appear at Halloween, and I'll admit to letting them hang around for a while because they really are cute. As the enthusiastic lady in the video says, check 99 cent stores for supplies.

10. Cereal Killer

Look for extra-cheap "krispie" cereal and make these delicious pumpkin treats.

11. Play-Dough

What kid doesn't love play-dough? I'd include a little label with a bag of this homemade play-dough just to make sure nobody tries to eat it (although the recipe seems to safe).

12. Glow-in-the-Dark Slime

Even adults love to play with this gooey glowing slime. This blogger kindly included the cute labels to go with!

13. Smiling Spiders

I really and truly do hate spiders, but if they are smiling like these pom pom spiders, they aren't so bad.

14. Fold It Up

Origami and I just get don't along, but some people really love it. I won't post my attempt, which looked nothing like the one in this video, but these Origami pumpkins are really cute, aren't they?

15. Good, Clean Fun

Ever made your own blowing bubbles? These are sure to delight all the kids who come to your door. Try a bubble recipe, and you can even buy bright, inexpensive containers for your solution.

16. Witches' Hats

I love that there are creative people out there who say hey, let's take a cookie and a Hershey's Kiss and make some witches' hats. This kind of stuff just never occurs to me, so I am tickled every time I see something like this.

17. Very Twisted

Dollar Stores are a super place to get big bags of pretzels. Then, dip them in chocolate and decorate. I love the salty-sweet combination. Apparently, so do a lot of people — we went through an entire "test" pan of these at work last week.

18. Peanut Butter Ghosts

Being a big peanut butter lover, I was excited to see the use of Nutter-Butters as ghosts. Simply dip into melted white chocolate, and add bits of chopped licorice for eyes, nose, and mouth. Let the chocolate dry and then bag up.

19. Bark! Bark!

I'm a sucker for all the types of "bark" out there, this Halloween bark being no exception. It looks nifty all chopped up and bagged in clear cello bags, with bright ribbon.

20. Sorry, Candy Corn Haters

I know you are out there, but I ADORE candy corn and eat an entire bag all by myself every Halloween (I always offer to share, but no one takes me up on it). What do you think about fudge candy corn?

21. Pumpkin Oranges?

Just get out a marker and draw faces on clementines, tangerines, or other smooth-skinned citrus delights.

22. Orange O'Lanterns

Who could resist these jack o'lantern bowls, all filled with fruits of your choice?

23. Franken... Kiwi?

This food blogger is an artiste! I can't stop laughing about her Frankenstein kiwi creation, which is almost too cute to eat.

24. Sort of Seedy

Aren't the seeds the best part of the pumpkin? Clean most of the "guts" away from the seeds and soak overnight in salted water. Drain well, toss with a little olive oil and garlic salt, and roast at 300 degrees until crispy.

25. Boo-Nanas

You can easily substitute carob chips for the chocolate in these ghost bananas. Look for firm bananas, or your ghosts will be mushy.

What are your go-to halloween treats?

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Nick Wharton of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Ways to Have a Cheaper Easter

Mikey Rox — Tue, 31 Mar 2015 17:00:09 +0000

Easter has never been a break-the-bank holiday, but you can easily go overboard. Keep your bunny budget in check with these tips to cut costs during this time-honored spring celebration.

1. Shop For Easter Gifts on Presidents' Day or Post-Valentine's Day

Easter baskets are filled with more than sweets, like small trinkets, toys, and clothing. In fact, one of my favorite Easter gifts as a kid was a kite, and when I'm making an Easter basket for my husband, I like to include a swimsuit for summer. To save on this and other items I put in the basket, I shop ahead for holidays like Easter during big sale events throughout the year, like Presidents' Day and after Valentine's Day. The former is a great way to score big savings on clothing items, while the latter yields copious amounts of deeply discounted candy.

2. Make the Easter Egg Hunt a Neighborhood Affair

What's better than an Easter egg hunt with your family? An Easter egg hunt with multiple families! Not only is this a good chance to spend quality time with your neighbors and catch up after a long winter spent hibernating, but it also provides all the neighborhood kids with ample space and goodies to search and find.

To coordinate the effort, send out a free sign-up form from SignUpGenius asking participating families to contribute one dozen eggs for each child, which is made cheaper by buying plastic eggs in bulk. Users can leaves comments on the sign-up form to let everyone know what goodies they'll put in their eggs to ensure a wide variety of treats.

3. Use Multi-Purpose Containers as Easter "Baskets"

If you and your family have traditional Easter baskets that you use from year-to-year, that's awesome — and your kids will cherish it (or at least the memory of it) forever. If you don't, consider using multi-use containers that cost you no money out of pocket, or that you can repurpose after Easter. You can use something lying around the house — perhaps one of your kids' beach pails. Or, do like I did and buy a container that I already needed for the house; a nice basket I picked up for my dogs' toys, which I'll use as my husband's Easter basket this year.

4. Limit the Candy in Festive Packaging

Seasonal items are corralled into one section of the store because it makes all the holiday things easy to find. It also makes it more difficult for you to compare prices with the same items that come in everyday packaging — a stealthy marketing tactic that's silently robbing you blind.

When I recently walked down the Easter aisle at Target, I found lots of fun, pastel-colored goodies. Some of the prices were reasonable, but others were above and beyond a rip-off. The candies in plastic eggs, especially, have a high markup because of the price it costs the manufacturer for such festive packaging. They try to fool you with the $1 price tag — you think you're getting a great deal at just a buck — but don't be a sucker. Some of those packages have a mere handful of tiny candies inside the eggs whereas if you buy the regular-size bag of the same candy, you can get up to five times as much for around $2.50.

That's not to say you shouldn't buy any candy in festive packaging — what's Easter without a few bunnies and chicks in the basket? But limit yourself and fill the rest with treats from the everyday candy aisle. Your kids totally don't care what color the foil wrapping is on their favorite chocolate.

5. Ditch the Plastic "Grass" for Recycled Paper

What happens to all that non-biodegradable plastic "grass" that fills the bottom of Easter baskets to make them look prettier? It ends up in the trash, where it will eventually make its way to its forever home at a landfill (once your kids dig out all the loose jellybeans hidden underneath it). Save the planet and your money by reversing the process. Take colorful paper — like weekly circulars — out of the recycling bin, cut into thin shreds, and fill the baskets with this decorative "grass" instead.

6. Shop the Big-Box Craft Stores for Discounts

Most of you probably head to Walmart or Target for Easter items like plastic eggs and decorations (kudos if they're on sale), while savvier shoppers reduce costs by sticking to dollar stores. I take an altogether different approach and purchase these seasonal items at craft stores that consistently have 40% to 50% off sales and similar coupons on a daily to weekly basis. A.C. Moore and Michaels, in particular, are well known for their deep discounts that you can readily find with a few flicks of the finger. You can only use one coupon per one regular-price item, so you may have to spread out the purchases. My gym is right next to A.C. Moore, so I pop into the store several times a week to get everything I need at a serious savings.

If stopping by these stores multiple times to stock up isn't convenient for you, consider holding out until the last minute to get what you need.

"Typically, Easter egg packages at Hobby Lobby are $.88 or $.97, but during the last week before Easter they're an extra 40% off," says Melea Johnson, founder of Freebie2Deals.com. "Buy enough so it's only a one-time purchase that will last for years."

7. Search for Free Easter Activities in Your Area

If you don't live in a neighbor where an all-hands Easter egg hunt or Easter-themed activity is feasible, your family can still get in on holiday fun at other local events — for free.

"Don't pay to attend a huge Easter egg hunt in your city," Johnson advises. "There are plenty of places in your area that offer free Easter egg hunts throughout the weekend."

Search the Internet or browse your local calendars, like your Chamber of Commerce or nearby churches.

8. Pass on PAAS, Consider Kool-Aid Instead

Paas Easter egg kits are somewhat of an American tradition — at least they were when I was a kid — but with so many other options these days, it's probably not important to your kids with which brand their eggs are dyed. If that's the case, get creative to save cash by swapping out the prepackaged kit for a homemade version made from your kids' favorite flavored drink packets.

"Use Kool-Aid to dye your Easter eggs; it's so much cheaper than purchasing a dye kit — and it smells fruity, not like vinegar," Johnson suggests. "PAAS egg coloring kits start at $1.50ish. And each Kool-Aid packet costs around $.20, and store brands cost around $.12. You can pick and choose which colors you want to do and purchase a handful."

9. Take Advantage of "Free Dinner" Deals at Your Supermarket

I'm not sure if this is common in your neck of the woods, but several of the supermarkets around me offer a free ham for Easter if you meet a certain purchase criteria within a specified window of time, which is usually something like X amount of dollars spent each week for X many weeks.

Mike Collins, owner of the personal finance blog WealthyTurtle, loves to take advantage of this annual promotion.

"My number one tip to have a cheaper Easter is to get your main course for free," he says. "As a family of five we never have any problem reaching the minimum spending requirement, so we always get the meat for free and just have to pay for the sides."

10. Host a Potluck Dinner

While Mike Collins is paying for the sides, you can absolve yourself from all that jazz by hosting an Easter potluck. Pop your free ham into the oven to heat up (it's likely already cooked), and let your friends and family brings all the trimmings.

"One of the best ways to save on Easter is to have a potluck with family and friends. That way, you're not stuck with all of the costs, and usually your guests won't mind contributing by bringing a side dish, appetizer, or paper goods like plates and napkins," says CouponPal's Erin Konrad. "Not having to pay for all of the food and beverages also allows you to spend money on things like decorations, supplies for an Easter egg hunt, or party favors (if kids will be attending)."

Do you know more ways to have a cheaper Easter? Please share in comments!

Like this article? Pin it!

This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Best Money Tips: Ways to Use Leftover Halloween Candy

Ashley Jacobs — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 10:00:51 +0000

Welcome to Wise Bread's Best Money Tips Roundup! Today we found some fantastic articles on ways to use leftover Halloween candy, safeguarding your career switch, and saving money on holiday shopping.

What NOT to Hand Out on Halloween

Ashley Watson — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 09:36:18 +0000

I am that neighbor who turns off her lights and closes the curtains, hoping the kids won't hear the movie I'm watching blaring inside. It's not that I'm a stingy person, or that I'm some crank who hates holidays focused on kids. Who doesn't find it absolutely adorable when a three-year-old in a tutu shows up at the door holding out a plastic pumpkin?

I just feel guilty about handing out loads of processed junk food to my neighbors' kids. Although I am not a parent, and I don't have to deal with the sugar high at bedtime, I do like my neighbors. In the past I've tried to come up with some amazing healthy alternative to bite-sized candy bars that won't result in egg stains on my house or a smashed jack-o-lantern the morning after. (See also: 10 Things to Do With Leftover Candy)

But It pained me to see the disappointment in their tiny faces when I throw in that box of raisins or snack-sized bags of pretzels or nuts (before peanut allergies became so prominent). One year, I thought I'd compromise and buy organic lollipops flavored with fruit juice, and a kid dressed as Spider Man unabashedly said, "Awww, these suck!"

This year, I thought I'd take a different approach. I searched the Internet and asked some of the parents I know about some popular substitutes for the standard Halloween treats. What I found wasn't much different from the same alternatives to processed sugar that I have tried in the past. I did learn some new suggestions, but I can tell you from my experience with kids what doesn't work for them or their parents, and why.

Here's a list of treats that I would NOT suggest handing out on Halloween, keeping in mind that the commentary is all in good fun but also practical.

1. Homemade Items

This one should be a no-brainer, right? But you would be surprised at the number of people who still hand out homemade cookies and popcorn balls to today's kids. There's enough hysteria surrounding tampered Halloween candy, not to mention food allergies, that your hard work will most likely go into the trash once it gets home. Don't waste your time making treats at home.

2. Money

Kids earn more allowance than most adults earn at a minimum wage job. They will not be impressed with a nickel or quarter, and if you're handing out a dollar or more to each trick-or-treater, you're going to end up spending a lot more than you would've on a bag or two of candy. Hand out money to homeless people instead (seriously). (See also: 6 Teachable Money Moments to Share With Your Kids)

3. Jokes

I thought it was a joke when someone told me that one of her neighbors handed out slips of paper with individual jokes on them. Half the kids showing up at your door can't read, and the ones who can will only appreciate it if it's wrapped around a piece of Laffy Taffy.

4. Toothpaste

While parents will appreciate the battle against all the cavities their children may get after polishing off their loot, the kids will not appreciate it in the least. Expect toothpaste smeared on your mailbox the next morning if you try this one.

5. Mini Pumpkins

It's October 31st, and kids have had an entire month of decorating pumpkins and gourds and any other winter vegetable teachers can get their hands on. Plus, they are expensive and will only add dead weight to the loaded bags of candy.

6. Soon-to-Be-Trash Trinkets

I think some trinkets won't immediately end up in the trash, but not many. Stickers, pencils, and sidewalk chalk are a few examples; however, it really depends on the age and how much you are willing to spend. As a rule, don't give them anything that they would get as birthday party favors. Leave that to the hosting parents to haggle over what qualifies as junk (below are a few more specific examples). (See also: 5 Free Toys Kids Will Love)

7. Whistles

Mom and Dad may be the ones to egg your house if you hand out whistles or noisemakers. For the sake of the neighborhood, do NOT hand out anything that makes noise.

8. Stamps

I cannot name a single child I know (and I do have a lot of friends with children) who collect stamps or have any need for them, since their parents are the ones who stamp and address all the Thank You cards to the Grandparents.

9. Unfinished Wood Items

I couldn't believe it when I saw this alternative treat listed on an anonymous blog, with a hyperlink to an online craft store that sells wooden cutouts for adults! Most kids don't keep acrylic paints lying around, nor do their parents want to buy paint just for one small art project. This one can be filed under soon-to-be-trash trinkets.

10. Cartoon Band-Aids

This is only impressive if you hand out an entire box. One bandage will get you a, "What's this for?" response from every kid on the block.

11. Jewelry

Unless you are hip to the latest craze in kid bling (and believe me, it changes weekly), don't waste your money.

12. Confetti

Aside from the expense of buying individual packages of confetti, this novelty item is sure to end its short life inside a vacuum cleaner.

13. Soap

Like the toothpaste, expect to see the remnants of this handout on the windows of your car in the morning.

14. Rocks and Minerals

The only way you're getting away with this one is if you're an elementary school Science teacher, and even then, I don't think I need to inform you about the post-Halloween looks you'll get in class.

15. Seed Packets

Most kids are not into gardening, and if they are, they would probably rather have the candy.

16. Apples

Razor blades aside, apples are plentiful this time of year. Kids expect a "treat" on Halloween. If you don't want to see mopey faces, don't hand out another MacIntosh. (See also: 23 Great Uses for Apples)

17. Crayons

Again, think treats. Kids get plenty of crayon usage at school and at home. Markers apply to the same rule. Only decorative or glow-in-the-dark writing utensils are considered a treat.

18. Yarn Bracelets

I refer you to my earlier statement about kid bling.

19. Trail Mix

If it has chocolate in it, some trail mix is an acceptable alternative to a Snicker's bar. But you have to weigh that with the cost of individual packages, considering that you can't make your own because of the "no homemade treats" rule of thumb.

20. Organic and "Healthy" Treats

The treats sold in health food stores, such as organic chocolate and honey sticks*, are great to give to trick-or-treaters, but most kids won't know the difference. And they won't care. Even if your conscience is on the line, these treats are wildly expensive, especially if you live in a largely populated area. You will have to turn out the lights an hour into the festivities if you go with any of the treats you find at the health food store.

Let's face it, Halloween is the one time of year that kids are allowed to indulge. And it is up to the parents to decide how much sugar they will allow their kids to eat in one sitting. I say go buy the bag of candy and be done with it. But go while you have a few weeks left, before all the good junk food is sold out.

*Note that doctors do not recommend giving honey to children under two years old.

This article is from Ashley Watson of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Take back St. Valentine’s Day from Hallmark and Hershey’s.

Paul Michael — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 18:11:04 +0000

Today is St. Valentine’s Day. Delivery vans filled with flowers are passing each other on the highways; the supermarket aisles filled with pink and red cards are chock full of men and women, frantically buying that last-minute love note. And I have to wonder…why do we bother?

I knew very little about St. Valentine’s Day so I did some digging around at the library and on the Internet. I won’t bore you with all of the details, so here’s a brief summary in spectacular bullet-point style:

Many Christian martyrs were called Valentine.
Up until around 40 years ago, there were 11 (yes 11) Valentine’s Days recognized by the Catholic Church.
Prior to the works of Chaucer, no link between love and the Valentine Saints existed.
St. Valentine’s Day has appeared in Shakespeare plays.
The current day revolves around the legend of a priest named Valentine and Roman Emperor Claudius II. Claudius wanted young men to remain single, Valentine secretly performed marriages and was executed. A note he left to his beloved, the jailer’s daughter, read “From Your Valentine.”

So, that’s the brief, brief history of the day. But now, as with most holidays in the world, corporate interests are heavily invested in capitalizing on this day. Expensive cards, flowers, chocolates, little teddy bears, lingerie, teddy bears wearing lingerie and holding chocolates, you name it, there’s a tacky gift with a heart on it.

And that made me wonder, is this day at all necessary? After all, why do we need a special day to remind our true love that we do indeed love them? Listening to the radio this morning, I heard a caller say that men need this day to remind us to do something special for our partner, or we’d just not bother. Does that mean we’re paying the price for our laziness through cards and flowers? Can’t we do better?

St. Valentine's Day cards for Mom, Dad, Sister, Cousin, Dog, Cat and backyard squirrel.

What has also disturbed me is the vast number of people now eligible to receive a St. Valentine’s Day card or gift. Now, when I was in Britain seven years ago, St. Valentine’s Day was a celebration of romance. Couples and would-be lovers would send cards to each other. But now, you can wish your grandma, your niece or your best friend a Happy Valentine’s Day. Seriously, why? It was bad enough that large corporations had hijacked this holiday for lovers, but now they’ve expanded it to include everyone on the planet.

However, being a realist I’m well aware that St. Valentine’s Day is here to stay. But, as the mighty consumer we have the power to take it back. Reject the card companies, forget the flowers, kiss goodbye to the Hershey’s kisses. Instead, do something that takes more thought and less money.

One year, I found a small craft box for a few dollars. I painted it burgundy and filled it with small notes, each one endorsed with a small phrase about why I loved my wife. The notes were tied with ribbon, the whole cost of the project was around $6. And it’s one of my wife’s most treasured possessions, still taking pride of place on the dresser some 5 years later.

The point is, I think this day allows us to be lazy. It’s easy to order flowers or gifts, it’s simple to sign your name at the bottom of a $5 card. But we can all do better if we try, giving more of our true love to our partners and a lot less of our hard-earned money to places like Hallmark and Hershey’s in the process.

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

4lb box of See's chocolates for $1, plus FREE shipping. DEAL ENDED.

Paul Michael — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 20:53:10 +0000

I'm scratching my head on this one folks. It may be a little premature to say I've found the "deal of the year" on January 1st, but I can't see anyone topping this for a while. It's possible it's a typo, or a glitch, or incredible good will on the part of See's, but they're currently offering a massive 4lb box of holiday chocolates for the paltry sum of $1...and it's FREE 3-day select shipping, too!

(You'll notice it says only 1lb in the write up, but everywhere else it states 3lbs, 15 1/2 oz...so, this could be a typo too).

The deal is available via this link . I test drive everything I do for WB so here you can see the results. First, the screen above shows the stellar deal. I thought it was a mistake so I did the only thing I could. I ordered 4 boxes to see if this would a) apply to multiple orders, and b) give me FREE shipping regardless of quantity.

So, the shipping issue. It worked, regardless of boxes (which makes me wonder what kind of tax write-off See's is looking for...my order of 16lbs of candy via UPS 3-day select cannot be cheap. A quick visit to UPS tells you that on average, it will be at least $30). Anyway, as you'll see, it was $0.00 for quick 3-day shipping.

How long will this deal last? I have no idea., but I'd get my order in quick! I called See's and got no answer, presumably they're off for New Year's Day (which could also explain why this 'glitch' hasn't been fixed yet). Anyway, my family and friends will be getting the benefit of my huge 16lbs of choccies, I'm more of a chicken-wing fan myself. But this is certainly one very happy way to start 2008. Happy New Year everyone!

This article is from Paul Michael of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: