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Flying is one of the fastest and cheapest ways for many people to travel for the holidays, but it still isn’t easy nor cheap. Not only does holiday flying require shipping gifts ahead or finding room to pack them while meeting TSA guidelines, it also involves miscellaneous travel-related fees and expenses. Tips for saving money while flying any time of year also apply to the holidays, but it also has its own unique challenges. Besides the obvious cost of the flight, there are many places to save money from the moment you book to the moment you arrive at your destination.
Booking Holiday Flights
If you’re not already planning to purchase your tickets for ‘free’ using airline or credit card rewards, using one now will save you money on future travel. Consider these further tips for booking flights around the holidays: [ continue reading… ]
Want to throw a holiday party, but your budget is extra tight this time of year? You can still throw a great party this season by following these budget tips.
Pare Down The Guest List
It’s just not realistic to invite a lot of people if you’re on a budget, unless you plan on having a potluck. Every new guest adds to the cost of your party, and a bigger party can also add to your stress levels and the time it takes you to prepare for the party and clean up afterwards. What tends to happen in a big parties is that not everyone will get to chat with everyone else anyway, so keep it intimate and everyone will probably have a better time. [ continue reading… ]
Going out again the next day to participate in Small Business Saturday might be low on your agenda if you went out and faced the crowds on Black Friday, but it shouldn’t be. Small Business Saturday doesn’t just present another opportunity to shop, but to shop better.
In 2010, American Express launched Small Business Saturday, sandwiched between Black Friday — offering crowd-attracting deals from big-box retailers — and Cyber Monday — a chance to snag online savings from the comfort of home. Last year, 82% of Americans planned to take part in Small Business Saturday by shopping in their local community, and approximately 88 million actually did.
So what’s so special about Small Business Saturday? What’s to motivate you to overcome that shopping (or turkey) hangover and actually participate? The significance of this day isn’t cheap prices or free shipping, but a better experience that makes an impact on the local economy. Here are some of the top reasons to include Small Business Saturday in your shopping plans this year. [ continue reading… ]
Whether you love or hate the Facebook founder, everyone can agree that Mark Zuckerberg is one of the top frugal billionaires around. At a $40.7 billion net worth, Zuckerberg is worth over 100 Kardashian families (that’s right, the whole family 100 times over and still have over $1 billion in his pocket). Although Zuckerberg is rolling in the dough, his lifestyle emulates a lifestyle closer to the average Joe. Here are some frugality lessons we can learn from one of the richest man in America.
He Drives Simple
What do most super-wealthy individuals drive around in? Usually the cars we can only dream about. Soccer superstar, David Beckham, has been seen driving his family around in a $407,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead. In fact, most celebrities and multi-millionaires drive around cars worth more than our houses. Zuckerberg drives a modest, black Acura TSX. This car costs a modest $30,000.
Now that the holiday season is upon us, it’s time to start thinking about how you will spend money during this time. For many of us, the holidays bring higher costs. We buy gifts and decorations, and spend money on food and entertainment.
Your first step is to create a holiday shopping budget. Be realistic about what you can spend this year. One of the strategies I’ve had in place for a long time is to set aside money for the holidays throughout the year. My holiday shopping strategy includes setting a small amount aside for 10 months of the year so that I don’t end up scrambling to find extra money.
Look at where you stand if you don’t have a holiday shopping fund. You might need to look for ways to earn more money, or cut back in other areas to make a workable holiday shopping budget.
Consider what really matters as well. As my siblings continue to have children, we’ve decided to shift to a gift exchange, rather than buying presents for everyone in the family. This works better for us and saves everyone money since it comes with a price limit. Decide how many parties you want to throw and whether or not you need even more ornaments. Cut back on buying the items that don’t matter as much to you. [ continue reading… ]
There are so many things to love about Christmas. I especially love that you can transform your home into your own winter wonderland. However, walk into any home decor store or craft store and it is easy to spend hundreds of dollars on Christmas decorations that are only going to be on display for one month of the year (unless you are that one person who keeps decorations up until March).
While there are many gorgeous holiday pieces available, the truth is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to get the look you want. Here are a few ideas for you this season.
Shop Your Home
Before you buy anything new, shop the items you already have. For example, if you have old picture frames or candlesticks, you can easily transform them into Christmas decorations with spray paint or ribbons. Old vases can become whimsical with glitter spray paint and a stretched out sweater can be transformed into a cute winter pillow. Also, don’t forget to save old jars and other containers, instead of throwing them away. With a little help from Pinterest and craft supplies, you can give them a whole new Christmas life. [ continue reading… ]
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