I am on a tight budget this year and will be really searching all the sales for everything. I don't know if retailers will acknowledge this by having more items on sale this year or not. I have noticed the groceries at our local stores have gone up excessively more than the usual increases. It is hurting a lot of people in this area that are already hurting and out of work still. I can only talk for my area and not the rest of the U.S. But, if other places are in as bad of shape as we are, they will have to start lowering again or see a lot of the sales go to online deals or not at all.
Grandkids + giftcards = Success!! Tired of giving "lame" gifts at Christmas; wrapping and packaging and mailing to a lukewarm reception, my new tradition of sending giftcards has made everyone in my family happier and more relaxed for the holidays. A little "pre-holiday research" (read: conversation with their mothers) makes the gift cards personalized to their greatest potential. Thank you whoever invented them!! Woohoo!
a very good way to launder large amounts of money is to start a business selling art... because of the nature of art pieces can go for vasts amounts of money... just keep a few nice pieces in your home so if the irs comes searching you can prove your art business... followed up with some fake receipts and your good to go... you could "sell" $500,000 worth of art with just 5 or 6 paintings
I save a set amount each month into a "Gift Fund" so I always have $$ to take advantage of a great sale. I know the interests of my usual gift recipients and never buy anything that isn't designated for a specific person. I do the bulk of my shopping at the after-holiday sales each year. I think we all need to be cautious spending $$ in this uncertain economy -- I consider each purchase carefully to be sure it is worth my hard-earned dollars.
In the past, I have used credit card points to buy gift cards for Lands End or Toys R Us to then purchased gifts for my kids and relatives. But this year, I started my own business so I can now shop at the Sample Sale of a local gift trade show. I am so excited! My friends and I are going together and I hope the prices are as good as I've heard. I very rarely go shopping for fun anymore so I'm looking forward to the event as much as the sale prices.
I bought my first house a year ago with the help of a real estate agent. A 'good' agent is a huge asset when buying or selling a house, and is worth their fees.
Just like a good lawyer or accountant, a real estate agent is a professional that should add value to the situation. If they don't then you've got the wrong person. It's just plain bad advice to tell people they don't need a real estate agent.
Just because you are computer savvy and can look up houses online does not give you the experience and guidance of a professional agent. That's foolish. It's like thinking that you are a chef just because you can google a Bobby Flay recipe. Or that you are a designer just because you can look up some Photoshop tips.
We need to respect and appreciate true professionals in any field that have been educated, paid their dues, and truly know their craft. An internet connection does not equal an expert.
My husband has been out of work for 18 months now so Christmas will be a bit tight again this year. So I have been looking for bargains on practical gifts such as sheep skin slippers and electric blankets. We've also found it enjoyable to find gifts that make it fun to stay at home - such as old movies and board games.
Add in some microwave popcorn and hot cocoa and the weekends can be really wonderful.
I buy gifts year round. as long as the gift is not fitted clothing for a kid, this practice works well. my family also does a lot of crafting for gifts.
I shop year round and never wait for Black Friday etc. If I end up with too much by Christmas, I just save some for next year! I never spend on credit what I couldn't pay off that day.
Heck yes, I've started shopping. I've already got several people done from what was a great sale at Bath and body works.
I save up points I get for being on consumer panels, mypoints, and blue cross and other sites. If there's an option to get my points turned in amazon credit, I just apply that to my balance at amazon and use the credits on items on people's wish lists.
This is really great advice for recent graduates, as well as everyone who has recently found themselves out of work. It's all too easy to get caught up in feeling like you can't find work, no matter what path you follow or job search methods you try. I want to make a suggestion for another online tool that is already helping individuals be found for jobs. I work for OneWire.com, a revolutionary site that matches recent grads and professionals to open opportunities in finance. All that you have to do to be considered for any position on OneWire for which you are qualified is create your detailed profile. Then, OneWire does the matching and the rest of the work for you. OneWire puts you in direct contact with decision makers, so it saves time and is more practical than an old fashioned job board. As you mentioned, searching for a job is tough right now, so OneWire is a great resource to add to anyone's job search tool box.
As an adult, I've always tried to live frugally, but this year's Christmas shopping will be more frugal than usual. I've already started purchasing a few things, and I've tried to buy, and will continue to buy, products thru Etsy. I know in some cases I'll be paying a bit more for the products, but I rest in knowing I am helping support another mother who is doing her very best, as well. In the last few months, I've planted the idea of a very frugal Christmas this year..to all my family members. Hopefully these tough times will help us all remember more than ever "The Christ in Christmas"!
I am already shopping- I actually shop around the year, primarily at the December/January sales of the previous year for gifts to give in the following year. This way I can make the most of the credit card rewards that are issued in January.
One big change for Christmas is that we are not giving individual gifts anymore, only one "family" gift. We are trying to pare down and create meaningful memories, not just fill space under the tree.
Since we had a baby this year, I dressed him up in outfits reminiscent of each month and created a photo calendar to give to the grandparents and great-grandparents. Buying early with sales and discount codes brought each calendar's cost to $10! Yay!
Other gifts we'll give are baked goods combined with herbal teas or coffees, gourmet spice boxes from Penzeys, or donations to our favorite charity, World Vision (or the recipient's fav org.)Be done with it all by Dec. 1 and avoid the stress!
Scientifically speaking, there is NO argument anyone can make for the higher priced cables. HDMI is digital, which means that the signal is all-or-none. There is no room for degradation in quality - if the image isn't perfect, the image is not there.
Higher quality might guarantee that the signal goes for longer distances, but when dealing with the standard 3-6ft range, there is no difference.
I almost got suckered into buying a cable for $90 from Best Buy. It turned out that I didn't buy my TV there, so I didn't buy the cable. I went to a mom and pop appliance store and bought my TV. I asked the man about purchasing a cable, and he told me FIOS (Verizon) would give me one for free. They hooked up 3 TVs for me, and I never bought a cable! I imagine the cable tv companies are the same. Free is even better than Amazon!
I Just came across to your blog and reading your article this article is very help full to people. people are complaining about tax payers getting a tax break and how much it is going to cost. I guess only large currupt corperations deserve federal tax dollars.
I bought mine on monoprice... but the only cables you should pay a little more for are "in-wall" rated cables and those are probalby an extra 10-20 on top of the $2 lol... and thats assuming youre sticking the cables in the wall... Thats a "just in case" scenario for fires and stuff...
I just bought the HDMI cable for a penny from Amazon! So for a total cost of $2.99 it was quite the bargain. Needless to say we were a little skeptical that it would do the job at that price. Works for us and so much better knowing I didn't spend an arm and a leg for it!!
We won't really change the way I shop for holiday gifts. I am always exceptionally frugal (some say cheap!), work with a budget and a list and only shop big sales all through the year.
I NEVER use my credit card for gifts (unless I have to order something on line) - only cash.
I can't imagine changing that now regardless of what happens.
Thanks
Since I have had children, I dread the holidays. My husband is a spender and a Christmas freak! All I can think of is what I have to buy for everyone in the free world. This year, I asked the children to come up with things they could make or give to other family members. My daughter suggested making placemats because she loves to draw, and we can get anything laminated. My son still wants to be boring, but we will think of something. My son will walk the dog for you, etc. It is nice that they are thinking of others for a change, and it is not all "gimme, gimme, gimme."
We'll probably cut back this year. Our son has asked for one big gift as a combined b-day (late November) and Christmas present, and we'll add a few smaller things to that, then give each other a couple things. I'm usually watching all year long for potential gifts, but frankly haven't seen anything yet, even with great deals available online and in stores...
We budget a set amount for gifts and postage each year. We start to gather gifts right after Christmas and stash them in the sunroom. This allows us the leisure to plan, get great buys, and have the stuff ready to mail to family by Thanksgiving. If I were really on top of things I'd wrap everything as I go. Eventually.
We have been trying to cut back at Christmas for a couple years now. It just seemed like it was getting out of hand and we were starting to miss the point. So I think we'll be thinking a little more carefully and spending less than we once did. But this time of the year is when we start picking things up that seem to be a good deal. Since we have recently gotten out of debt, I don't think we'll be using credit cards either. It feels good not to have that burden hanging over our heads!
I personally find it embarrassing when I receive extravagant presents at Christmas. Presents I know the person cannot really afford. All in an attempt to make it "special" as per the retailers.
You can't do better then if you take a little time and think of a thoughtful small gift.
I purchase things throughout the year. Things that say to me "I really think _____ would really enjoy or appreciate this." Stop the guilty, media driven spending.
Christmas is about celebrating a certain great person's birthday, not going into debt over shiny new crap that you'll rarely use.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
BTW, I hate the shopping channel I wish it would die a painful death along with all the product placement infecting every facet of our lives.
I am on a tight budget this year and will be really searching all the sales for everything. I don't know if retailers will acknowledge this by having more items on sale this year or not. I have noticed the groceries at our local stores have gone up excessively more than the usual increases. It is hurting a lot of people in this area that are already hurting and out of work still. I can only talk for my area and not the rest of the U.S. But, if other places are in as bad of shape as we are, they will have to start lowering again or see a lot of the sales go to online deals or not at all.
Grandkids + giftcards = Success!! Tired of giving "lame" gifts at Christmas; wrapping and packaging and mailing to a lukewarm reception, my new tradition of sending giftcards has made everyone in my family happier and more relaxed for the holidays. A little "pre-holiday research" (read: conversation with their mothers) makes the gift cards personalized to their greatest potential. Thank you whoever invented them!! Woohoo!
can my ssi check be taken from a judgment that i got ccause i was not able to appear on the date it was handled?
a very good way to launder large amounts of money is to start a business selling art... because of the nature of art pieces can go for vasts amounts of money... just keep a few nice pieces in your home so if the irs comes searching you can prove your art business... followed up with some fake receipts and your good to go... you could "sell" $500,000 worth of art with just 5 or 6 paintings
I save a set amount each month into a "Gift Fund" so I always have $$ to take advantage of a great sale. I know the interests of my usual gift recipients and never buy anything that isn't designated for a specific person. I do the bulk of my shopping at the after-holiday sales each year. I think we all need to be cautious spending $$ in this uncertain economy -- I consider each purchase carefully to be sure it is worth my hard-earned dollars.
In the past, I have used credit card points to buy gift cards for Lands End or Toys R Us to then purchased gifts for my kids and relatives. But this year, I started my own business so I can now shop at the Sample Sale of a local gift trade show. I am so excited! My friends and I are going together and I hope the prices are as good as I've heard. I very rarely go shopping for fun anymore so I'm looking forward to the event as much as the sale prices.
I bought my first house a year ago with the help of a real estate agent. A 'good' agent is a huge asset when buying or selling a house, and is worth their fees.
Just like a good lawyer or accountant, a real estate agent is a professional that should add value to the situation. If they don't then you've got the wrong person. It's just plain bad advice to tell people they don't need a real estate agent.
Just because you are computer savvy and can look up houses online does not give you the experience and guidance of a professional agent. That's foolish. It's like thinking that you are a chef just because you can google a Bobby Flay recipe. Or that you are a designer just because you can look up some Photoshop tips.
We need to respect and appreciate true professionals in any field that have been educated, paid their dues, and truly know their craft. An internet connection does not equal an expert.
My husband has been out of work for 18 months now so Christmas will be a bit tight again this year. So I have been looking for bargains on practical gifts such as sheep skin slippers and electric blankets. We've also found it enjoyable to find gifts that make it fun to stay at home - such as old movies and board games.
Add in some microwave popcorn and hot cocoa and the weekends can be really wonderful.
I buy gifts year round. as long as the gift is not fitted clothing for a kid, this practice works well. my family also does a lot of crafting for gifts.
I shop year round and never wait for Black Friday etc. If I end up with too much by Christmas, I just save some for next year! I never spend on credit what I couldn't pay off that day.
Heck yes, I've started shopping. I've already got several people done from what was a great sale at Bath and body works.
I save up points I get for being on consumer panels, mypoints, and blue cross and other sites. If there's an option to get my points turned in amazon credit, I just apply that to my balance at amazon and use the credits on items on people's wish lists.
This is really great advice for recent graduates, as well as everyone who has recently found themselves out of work. It's all too easy to get caught up in feeling like you can't find work, no matter what path you follow or job search methods you try. I want to make a suggestion for another online tool that is already helping individuals be found for jobs. I work for OneWire.com, a revolutionary site that matches recent grads and professionals to open opportunities in finance. All that you have to do to be considered for any position on OneWire for which you are qualified is create your detailed profile. Then, OneWire does the matching and the rest of the work for you. OneWire puts you in direct contact with decision makers, so it saves time and is more practical than an old fashioned job board. As you mentioned, searching for a job is tough right now, so OneWire is a great resource to add to anyone's job search tool box.
As an adult, I've always tried to live frugally, but this year's Christmas shopping will be more frugal than usual. I've already started purchasing a few things, and I've tried to buy, and will continue to buy, products thru Etsy. I know in some cases I'll be paying a bit more for the products, but I rest in knowing I am helping support another mother who is doing her very best, as well. In the last few months, I've planted the idea of a very frugal Christmas this year..to all my family members. Hopefully these tough times will help us all remember more than ever "The Christ in Christmas"!
I am already shopping- I actually shop around the year, primarily at the December/January sales of the previous year for gifts to give in the following year. This way I can make the most of the credit card rewards that are issued in January.
One big change for Christmas is that we are not giving individual gifts anymore, only one "family" gift. We are trying to pare down and create meaningful memories, not just fill space under the tree.
Since we had a baby this year, I dressed him up in outfits reminiscent of each month and created a photo calendar to give to the grandparents and great-grandparents. Buying early with sales and discount codes brought each calendar's cost to $10! Yay!
Other gifts we'll give are baked goods combined with herbal teas or coffees, gourmet spice boxes from Penzeys, or donations to our favorite charity, World Vision (or the recipient's fav org.)Be done with it all by Dec. 1 and avoid the stress!
Scientifically speaking, there is NO argument anyone can make for the higher priced cables. HDMI is digital, which means that the signal is all-or-none. There is no room for degradation in quality - if the image isn't perfect, the image is not there.
Higher quality might guarantee that the signal goes for longer distances, but when dealing with the standard 3-6ft range, there is no difference.
I almost got suckered into buying a cable for $90 from Best Buy. It turned out that I didn't buy my TV there, so I didn't buy the cable. I went to a mom and pop appliance store and bought my TV. I asked the man about purchasing a cable, and he told me FIOS (Verizon) would give me one for free. They hooked up 3 TVs for me, and I never bought a cable! I imagine the cable tv companies are the same. Free is even better than Amazon!
I Just came across to your blog and reading your article this article is very help full to people. people are complaining about tax payers getting a tax break and how much it is going to cost. I guess only large currupt corperations deserve federal tax dollars.
http://betterblog.ning.com/profiles/blogs/making-the-home-buying-process
I bought mine on monoprice... but the only cables you should pay a little more for are "in-wall" rated cables and those are probalby an extra 10-20 on top of the $2 lol... and thats assuming youre sticking the cables in the wall... Thats a "just in case" scenario for fires and stuff...
I just bought the HDMI cable for a penny from Amazon! So for a total cost of $2.99 it was quite the bargain. Needless to say we were a little skeptical that it would do the job at that price. Works for us and so much better knowing I didn't spend an arm and a leg for it!!
We won't really change the way I shop for holiday gifts. I am always exceptionally frugal (some say cheap!), work with a budget and a list and only shop big sales all through the year.
I NEVER use my credit card for gifts (unless I have to order something on line) - only cash.
I can't imagine changing that now regardless of what happens.
Thanks
Since I have had children, I dread the holidays. My husband is a spender and a Christmas freak! All I can think of is what I have to buy for everyone in the free world. This year, I asked the children to come up with things they could make or give to other family members. My daughter suggested making placemats because she loves to draw, and we can get anything laminated. My son still wants to be boring, but we will think of something. My son will walk the dog for you, etc. It is nice that they are thinking of others for a change, and it is not all "gimme, gimme, gimme."
We'll probably cut back this year. Our son has asked for one big gift as a combined b-day (late November) and Christmas present, and we'll add a few smaller things to that, then give each other a couple things. I'm usually watching all year long for potential gifts, but frankly haven't seen anything yet, even with great deals available online and in stores...
We budget a set amount for gifts and postage each year. We start to gather gifts right after Christmas and stash them in the sunroom. This allows us the leisure to plan, get great buys, and have the stuff ready to mail to family by Thanksgiving. If I were really on top of things I'd wrap everything as I go. Eventually.
We have been trying to cut back at Christmas for a couple years now. It just seemed like it was getting out of hand and we were starting to miss the point. So I think we'll be thinking a little more carefully and spending less than we once did. But this time of the year is when we start picking things up that seem to be a good deal. Since we have recently gotten out of debt, I don't think we'll be using credit cards either. It feels good not to have that burden hanging over our heads!
I personally find it embarrassing when I receive extravagant presents at Christmas. Presents I know the person cannot really afford. All in an attempt to make it "special" as per the retailers.
You can't do better then if you take a little time and think of a thoughtful small gift.
I purchase things throughout the year. Things that say to me "I really think _____ would really enjoy or appreciate this." Stop the guilty, media driven spending.
Christmas is about celebrating a certain great person's birthday, not going into debt over shiny new crap that you'll rarely use.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
BTW, I hate the shopping channel I wish it would die a painful death along with all the product placement infecting every facet of our lives.