Unclaimed Money

The new year is almost upon us, and as tradition holds it is a good time to reflect on the past year, and plan for the coming year. Many of us right down a lengthy list of resolutions to make our lives better. Most of us do not hold to those resolutions through the month of January, and quickly slip back into our old routines.

Reflecting and making goals are valuable tools. Many of us fail to meet keep to our resolutions because our goals are too broad, and there are too many. This year, as you consider your financial life, put an action plan behind those broad goals.

Saving money and creating a small emergency fund is a worthwhile  goal, but how will you get there? Decide how much you would like to save. If you have debt to pay off, many would recommend that your emergency fund stay small; one or two thousand dollars. Set an amount that you feel comfortable with.

How will you get there? Look at your spending. Where could you trim and save money? Could you make your coffee at home? Pack your lunch for work? Eat out less? Carpool? Decide where you are willing to trim the budget,  how much it will save you, and purpose to do it. To be sure that the money gets to the savings account set up an automatic withdrawal from your checking to savings,  or deposit a set amount yourself on payday.

Of course this is only one example, but the point is to put some meat on those New Year’s Goals. If you truly want to make changes in the coming year think carefully about your goals and make a plan that will help you meet them. If you have several changes in your financial life you’d like to make, I suggest implementing the changes one at a time. Making change gradually will help you make them a habit.

Twas almost the night before Christmas and all through the lands people were in a panic for their last minute Christmas gifts.

Time is running out for your Christmas purchases. The traffic is crazy. The stores are packed, and you can see the panic in peoples eyes, “We must find something, and find it now.” If you are feeling sucked in by the panic, stop, take a deep breath, and make a plan.

I personally don’t mind shopping in crowds on days like the day after Thanksgiving, or the day after Christmas, but I avoid the last few days before Christmas like the plague! People are too desperate. It is too crazy. If you don’t mind the craziness, there are deals to be had now. I’ve seen ads for some very popular stores offering 40% off winter clothing items and more. Some are even offering door buster sales this weekend. So, maybe procrastination does pay, and you can finish your shopping and save money.

If you want to avoid the retail craziness there still is online shopping. There is still time for express shipping on many items, but it will cost you; plenty! There are some other options that don’t require shipping. Here are some ideas for last minute gifts:

1. Restaurant.com
Buy gift certificates for restaurants that can be printed from home.

2. Video rental membership
Get a subscription from Netflix or Blockbuster Total Access.

3. Museum or zoo memberships.
Buy the membership online. Print out a nice shot of the museum with a note that the membership card is on the way. Put it in a little box to wrap and put under the tree.

4. Subscriptions to online or print magazines.

5. Home baked goods.
Whip up a batch of cookies or a loaf or bread.

6. DIY Gift Certificates
Make your own certificates for services you’re will to provide. You could offer babysitting, cleaning, cooking, car washes, or anything else you think the recipient would appreciate.

You don’t have to get sucked into the panic. Get done what you need to, and then enjoy your holiday with family and friends.

Merry Christmas!

Less than two weeks before Christmas! How are you doing? Hopefully the shopping is complete, and you are putting the finishing touches on your last minute preparations. While you are finishing up and have all your Christmas wrapping supplies out, it a good time to start thinking about the week after Christmas.

Shopping for seasonal items is always cheaper if you shop at the end of the season. Christmas is no exception. The day after Christmas you can find your supplies for next year at 50% off or more. This is the time to buy next year’s Christmas cards, wrapping paper, or gift bags. It is also a wonderful time to add to your decoration collection. Want to change over to LED lights, replace the tree topper, or need a stocking for the new baby? Buying these this year, after Christmas, will save you money.

But the savings doesn’t end there. All those prepackaged gift sets will be marked at least 1/2 off too. I like to pick these up for my gift closest, for upcoming birthdays, or just for things we need. If the packaging is overtly Christmas, simply take it apart and repackage using a gift bag or basket. Many of the packages are suitable to use for other occasions.

You may be surprised at what you find marked down. Just about everything that a store stocks with their Christmas decorations will be marked down. You can find many things that you will use for other seasons, like tape or white tissue paper. You can find things your family needs like underwear, children’s toothbrushes and paste, hair brushes and accessories, and even many clothing items significantly marked down after Christmas simply because they were packaged for Christmas.

So while you are wrapping your presents, keep a pen and paper handy. Make note of any wrapping supplies you may be running low on. Jot down any Christmas decorations you’ve been thinking of replacing, or adding to your collection. List upcoming birthdays or other occasions that you may need a present for.

Then sometime the week after Christmas (the selection will be best the day after) take your list, and head to the store. Remember to stick to your list, and to your budget as you’re shopping. Even the most drastically reduced item is not a good deal if you won’t use it, or don’t have the money for it.

The weather has turned to winter. It has been cold, and there is snow on the ground where I live. The kids have been building snowmen and sled riding. All this cold weather has made hot drinks very attractive. Teas, coffees, and cocoa are delicious ways to take off that winter chill.

Buying those mixes though can be a drain on the grocery budget. Making your own really is very easy, and will save you money. My favorite cocoa recipe is not a mix, but just cocoa made from scratch

2 tsp cocoa
2 scant teaspoons sugar
1 C boiling water
1 C milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Put cocoa, sugar and boiling water into a saucepan. Boil 1 minute, add milk and heat. Do not boil.

Though the above recipe is my favorite for taste, sometimes you just want a mix so all you have to do is boil water. The Hillbilly Housewife has a wide range of tea, coffee, and cocoa mix recipes. My favorite is the hot cocoa mix.

4 C instant nonfat dry milk
1 1/2 - 2 C sugar
1 C powdered non-dairy creamer
2/3 C unsweetened cocoa
1 package instant chocolate or vanilla pudding mix

Put it all in the food processor and process until blended. Add boiling water to 1/3 C of the mix.

I like to make the Rich Vanilla Coffee for myself.
1/3 C instant coffee
1 C instant dry milk
1/2 C powdered coffee creamer
1/3 C sugar
1/4 C instant vanilla pudding

Process in the blender or food processor. Use 1/4 C of mix and add hot water to your cup. Stir and enjoy.

Check out all the other recipes she has on the site. Any of these mixes make great gifts. Put the mix in an airtight container or jar. Make a card with instructions. I like to include the hot cocoa mix in gift baskets at Christmas. I also include some chocolate covered marshmallows in Christmas colors. It make for a very pretty gift.

Enjoy playing in the snow. Then come inside and warm up with a hot drink you made yourself. It will be delicious, and save you some money.

For more frugal tips go to Frugal Fridays.

Whether you go all out for Christmas, or try to keep it simple, chances are you will be shopping during this season. Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas at all, you still have to shop. We all need to buy things; to part with our hard earned money. There are ways to part with less of it, or to at least get some of it back.

Shopping online has several advantages. You can do it from home, at any hour of the day. Price comparison is easier with sites like Wize. There often is no tax. Merchants often offer free shipping incentives too. There also are many sites out there that offer you rebates or other rewards when you shop through their site.

The site I use the most for online shopping is Ebates. This lists coupons and specials for over 800 merchants. You also accumulate cash in the form of rebates when you shop at a merchant by clicking through the Ebates site. The rebate percentage varies from merchant to merchant, but can be up to 25%. You receive your rebate check quarterly.

Another popular rewards program is MyPoints. With MyPoints you are given points when you shop at a merchant by clicking through the My Points site. You can also earn points for taking surveys, and for playing games. When you’ve accumulated enough points, they can be cashed in for gift certificates for 100’s of merchants. Other reward sites include Bigcrumbs and FatWallet.

Of course when shopping online you can add to your rewards by picking a credit or debit card that also offers points or cash back rewards. Do be careful though. If you are going to use credit, be sure that you do not spend more than you can pay off. If you do not pay off the balance in full, the interest charges will negate all the rewards you’ve just earned. If you are trying to pay off credit cards, you may be better off just sticking with the debit card.

There is shopping that must be done for Christmas or other times. Get the most for you hard earned money. When shopping online or at a store, stick to your budget, and shop for the best deals. If you shop online, use sites that reward you for shopping with them. Use your savings to pay off debt, save, or to treat yourself.