Unclaimed Money

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.

The leaves are turned, and quickly falling. The air is crisp, yet the temperatures are still enjoyable. The day of ghosts and goblins has passed, and it will soon be time for turkey. These first few weeks of November are a nice time to reflect, plan, and prepare before the rush of the holidays begins.

While life is relatively quiet these weeks, take some time to reflect on the things we do have; the things we are thankful for. Take this time to list the things that are most important in your life. Prioritize them and  keep them in mind. You may even want to write them down and keep them somewhere you will see them daily like on the bathroom mirror or the refrigerator. Focusing on these things will help put the craziness of the holidays in perspective.

Use this time to plan for the upcoming busyness. Make a list of the things that have to be done between now and the first of the year. Make a list of things you’d like to do, but aren’t musts. Keep your lists realistic. Prioritize these lists and make a plan of action. Write it on your calendar, “Make pies for Thanksgiving,” and “Get Christmas cards in the mail,” and “Take the kids to see Christmas lights.”  There can be flexibility in those dates, but writing them down helps to keep the plan in mind and to track the progress

During these weeks you are less likely to have social commitments and other things vying for your time. Now, its the time to get a jump start on the holiday preparations. If you do a lot of baking and cooking for the holidays, start buying your ingredients now. The sales on basic ingredients like flour and sugar have begun. Don’t forget about fantastic deals on turkey and ham now too; worth buying extra to stock the freezer. Many items like rolls, cookies, pies, and other holiday favorites can be made now and kept in the freezer for the big day. If you are hand making any of your Christmas gifts, it is also good to work on these now, before the pressure of a looming deadline sets in.

Reflecting, planning and preparing now is not only good for your mental state, it is good for your finances. The stress and pressure of busy schedules, long to do lists, and fast approaching deadlines greatly increase the odds of impulse buying and excess spending.  Entering the holidays with a focus on what is important, a plan to get things done, and a jump start on those tasks  will allow you to be truly thankful this Thanksgiving and enjoy a less stressful holiday season.

We lived in our last house about four years. It had a large basement and lots of storage space. When it came time to move, I could hardly believe the amount of stuff that had accumulated in those storage areas. We had to downsize before moving because the distance of our move would not allow for multiple trips, and because the new house did not have nearly the storage space. The move happened fast. There was no time to sell things. We needed to declutter quickly so Goodwill and Freecycle were the recipients  of our excessive stuff.

We moved two years ago, and I am amazed at the amount of things that have accumulated in that time. It seems every cupboard and closet is stuffed to overflowing. It is time to declutter again.

Having too much stuff can cost you money. When storage areas are packed they tend to be disorganized. You can’t remember what is in there, or see what is in there for that matter. Have you ever cleaned out a closet and found a pair of shoes you’d forgotten about or a printer cartridge  you didn’t know you had? Have you ever found an item just after purchasing something similar? It has happened to me!

When there is less stuff you can organize your storage spaces. Then when you need something it is easy to look into the cupboard to see if you already have it, saving you from running out to the store to buy something you already have.

Decluttering can also make you money. Don’t let stuff just sit in your home and collect dust. If you aren’t using it, why do you need to keep it? Have books you haven’t read in years? Sell them on half.com or Amazon. Clothing that just doesn’t fit anymore? Baby items you don’t need? Take them to your local consignment store.  Sell those items or just about anything else using Craigslist, eBay or your local newspaper classifieds. You could also have a garage sale, but I think the return for your time is better using the other methods mentioned.

Decluttering is a constant process in this house. Decluttering helps you to stay organized. Staying organized saves you money. By selling unused, unwanted items, decluttering can also make some money for you.

Going green is the popular thing to do now. Everywhere you look merchandise is promoted as being green, earth friendly, or environmentally responsible.  Politicians, celebrities and government agencies encourage us to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Frugality, however, it isn’t so popular. Have you seen any full sized newspaper ads or TV commercial spots lately promoting frugality? Besides bloggers, who is leading the charge, encouraging people to be frugal with their resources? Frugality gets a bad rap. It seems to imply cheapness, sacrifice and overall scrooge like behavior to many people, but is being frugal really that far from being green?

If you look at two people, one who considers themselves frugal and one who would call themselves green, they very likely would be engaged in many of the same activities. They may both use cloth diapers, ride their bike to work, keep a vegetable garden, use cloth napkins, hang their laundry on a line, recycle their cans, cook from scratch or set their air conditioning a few degrees higher than last year. Their motivations may be different, but the outcome will be the same. They will both save money, and they will both lower their impact on the environment.

Call it what you want. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Make do with the things you have, and conserve your resources. Be fashionable and call it being green. Be practical and call it being frugal. They really go hand in hand. Just do it and help your budget and the earth.

You already know that the end of the season is the time to shop for things like clothing and household items. Did you know that there are days that are better for shopping than others? The Best Time to Buy Everything is an article that discussed this. I’ve seen it the most in my grocery shopping.

When do you normally do your grocery shopping? Friday, because it is payday? Saturday, because you don’t work, or so you don’t have to take all the kids? There are lots of reasons to pick what day we go shopping. Have you ever considered what days could save you money?

Why does a different day of the week save you money? Most people shop on the weekends. The stores know this, and they stock accordingly. What happens to fresh items, like meat, that didn’t get sold? They get marked down as the sell by date approaches, usually around the middle of the week.

Meat can take a large percentage of your grocery budget, even with adjusting your menu to use less. Meat at my local stores is marked down 30% as the sell by date approaches. The meat is perfectly fine to use soon, or stick in the freezer for later. I almost never buy meat that isn’t marked down. I buy what is marked down, stock up the freezer and plan my meals accordingly.

Other departments to look for mark downs midweek: bakery, dairy, and produce. I usually do my own baking, but when items are marked down 40% it is nice to be able to pick something pre-made up. On mark down, a large loaf of French bread is $0.75. I may be able to make it for that, but for $0.75, it is worth the time savings to me. The day old French bread makes great pizzas.

There are less dairy items marked down, but you can sometimes find them. Mostly, I see the higher end (organic and the like) dairy marked down. You can freeze milk just use a little out of the container first to give the milk room to expand when it freezes. Other dairy can be trickier to store. Before you buy, make sure you will be able to use it. It isn’t a bargain if it ends up in the trash.

Produce also doesn’t not get marked down as frequently. Most commonly I find bananas marked down. Great if you want to freeze some for baking later. Cut fruit, like watermelon and mixed fruit, will get marked down. Of course with those items, you’ll want to be sure they will be eaten soon.

We also save big on bread by shopping the right day. Our local bread thrift store runs manager specials on Wednesdays. Selected types of bread are $0.33 a loaf. It is often the whole grain breads, that we prefer. I can’t make bread for $0.33. We typically stock our freezer every other week.

Keep your eyes open for the mark downs. There aren’t big signs for these, like a sale. Our bakery has a special cart for day old items. One store has a small section of the cooler for marked down meat, but often the marked down items are mixed in with the full priced items. Look for stickers (often yellow) on the packaging. Once you see how your store handles the marked down items, they are easy to pick out.  My kids are trained to look for the mark down stickers, and often point them out to me.

What day is the best day to save money? That depends. I find Wednesdays here usually are good, but I have also found deals on Tuesday and Thursday. There is usually a larger selection in the morning. You may need to experiment to find your best day. For a few weeks, try shopping on different days and at different times. Some weeks there are more mark downs than others so don’t get discouraged if you don’t find much the first time. You could ask someone who works in the departments when items typically get marked down.

Groceries are one of the easiest places to trim your expenses.There are lots of ways to trim the grocery budget. Shopping on the right day is one place to start. I encourage you to try it and see.

Food can be a huge area of the family budget. After all, we all have to eat right? While food is a necessity, spending a lot of money on it is not. Here are a few quick tips to help trim the food budget.

1. Limit dining - Even the least expensive restaurants cost significantly more than you would pay to make the same food at home.

2. Put grocery shopping on a schedule - You will spend less if you only go to the store once or even every other week. The “quick trips for just one thing” usually turn into costly endeavors.

3. Make a shopping list - Keep a list of the things you keep on hand as you run low on them. Plan for the meals you will need between shopping trips, and add those things to your list.

4. Cook from scratch - Buying convenience food at the grocery store is certainly cheaper than going out to eat, but cooking from scratch will save you even more. You may be surprised at how easy some things you are accustomed to buying in the convenience form are to make from scratch. A few that come to mind; pancakes, macaroni and cheese, brownies, cornbread, and sloppy joes. Others may take a bit more time, but usually the taste is worth the effort.

5. Cut back on meat consumption - Meat often takes a lion’s share of the grocery budget. One of the best ways to help cut this cost is to use meat as an ingredient, not a stand alone dish. Make casseroles and stir fries that include sliced chicken instead of serving chicken breasts. Watch for sales on meat and stock up!

When looking to trim your budget, food is often one of the easiest places to start. Implement one or two changes at a time and soon you will notice the difference in the amount of your hard earned cash being consumed.

Summer is here, and with it lots of activities. It seems as though once summer arrives we all want to get out and go. Be careful though, those summer activities can take a toll on your budget. Here are some tips to help keep the costs down.
Research.
This doesn’t have to be a lot of work. Check the event calendars on your local park and library websites. The parks and libraries offer many free or low cost events for all ages. Check the newspapers too. Look for local festivals and events. Many local businesses offer free craft and do it your self classes. Keep your eyes open for free events.

If there is someplace you want to go check their website first. You can find coupons or times that are discounted. For example, by checking the website I found our local art museum is free on Tuesdays and offers free kids classes on Saturday. Another museum near us is free on Thursday nights.

Sometimes the website will have deals you can’t find anywhere else. I learned of a local theater’s free movie camp (children’s movies in the morning) from their web page. I hadn’t seen this advertised anywhere else, not even at the theater itself.

Go early. Go late. Don’t go on the weekends!
In other words go when it isn’t busy. Not only is it more enjoyable, (in my opinion!) it is cheaper. Movies offer matinees, restaurants early bird specials, some museums and amusement parks offer after 5 specials.

Many restaurants and amusements offer great specials during the week. They are busy on the weekends and trying to fill the place during the week. Check for weekday deals!
Buy the Membership.
To the museum, to the zoo or other places your family loves. The cost of the membership is often paid for with two visits. Buy the membership once and use it all year long.

When we lived near a zoo the family membership was $55. What a deal! For $55 we could go to our zoo anytime and as often as we wanted for a year. We could also go to lots of zoos all over the US for free or discounted admission. At the time we lived close enough to five zoos we could visit for a day trip. Other museums, like science museums, offer similar reciprical memberships.

What I really love about the memberships is that we can pick up and go whenever. We don’t have to plan it in the budget, or even plan to spend a whole day to get our money’s worth. We can go for an hour. We can go when the budget is tight, and there is no cash. By the way, memberships are great family gifts to give and receive!

Pack a lunch!
Now that you’ve found free or low cost entertainment, don’t ruin the savings by spending a fortune on food. The food at places like the zoo or amusement parks is so over priced! Save yourself a ton of cash, and pack your lunch and drinks! (or find a cheap place to eat later.)

Stay local.
Travel costs can add up quickly. Most of us don’t fully utilize the treasures found in our own local areas. Think like a tourist. If you were a visitor to the area where would you go? What would you want to see? Discover the gems that are right under your nose.

Enjoy your summer, but keep it in your budget. Research. Stay close to home. Go early or late, and go during the week. Buy the membership and pack your lunch! Fun to be had. Money to be saved.

Eating out is expensive. Cooking at home is much more economical. With kids, eating out can really take its toll on the budget. Eating out should not be a regular occurrence, if you are trying live frugally or pay off debt, but it is not practical to expect to never go out to eat. Sometimes, you find yourself out and about with out a packed meal, and suddenly there is a car full of hungry, grumpy kids, not to mention parents. (See below for some tips to prevent that.) Sometimes you just want to go out to eat as a special treat. So, when you do dine out, here are some tips to help keep the cost down.

Drink Water
It is amazing how much this will save you. Adult drinks can be up $2 at some restaurants. Kids drinks $1 or more. It adds up quick when you are with the family. Do the kids really need more sugar and/or caffeine? Do check the kids menu closely. Sometimes their drink is included, so you wouldn’t save money by drinking water. Let them have milk or juice if it is part of their meal.

If you do choose to buy drinks, buy the smallest size. Most restaurants have free refills. No matter how thirsty you are you can be satisfied with the smallest size.

Know your Restaurants
Pay attention to their ads and signs. Many places have days when the kids eat for free. A local Italian place here has Two for Tuesdays. Remember them or write them down. Save your special treats for those days. Some restaurants have good deals for kids everyday. Shoney’s gives you one free meal per adult buffet.

Don’t go to fast food.
It really is not that cheap, especially if you buy the kids meals. Yes, you do pay for the toy. You can eat better food (though I’m glad to see some healthier options at fast food places) for the same, or less money elsewhere.

Eat at Buffets
Buffets may not always be an adult favorite, but they are great for kids. Here are a few reasons:
Better food and more options than fast food.
Instant gratification for the kids. They don’t have to wait after they order.
It often costs less than fast food. Younger children often eat free.
Great for picky eaters!

One of our regular choices is CiCi’s. The kids love CiCi’s. We have four children. Two eat free there. We drink water. Our total bill is $22. Another tip about CiCi’s, if they don’t have the pizza you want on the buffet, they will make a pizza to your order, and bring it to your table. Golden Corral is reasonable too. They price kids according to age.

Probably our favorite buffets though are the local ethnic ones. Pricing varies, but at most at least two of our kids are free, some price by age, and usually the adult prices are very reasonable. It is a great place to have the kids try new food. Ours love Chinese. We went with the kids to the local Indian buffet once. I love Indian! The kids were a bit hesitant at first, but found many things they liked. Total with tip $27. We can spend that much on fast food.

Consider how much your kids really eat.
Do your children finish a whole kids meal. Can they share a meal? Younger ones usually can. Often, the adult portion is large enough to share with a child. Another trick, order small sandwiches for all, but share sides.

Avoid Getting Caught Out and About
With good planing dining costs can be cut substantially. Try to prevent getting “caught out and about” at meal time by planning errands between meals. Keep a stash of snacks in the car for those times things take longer than expected. If you need to get something while on the run, convenience food at the store is cheaper than at the drive through.

Eating out is something we are going to do. We can do our best to avoid unplanned dining, and save dining for a special treat. When we do choose to eat out, keeping these tips in mind will help keep the costs under control.

On the practical side, as obviously you have to pay your debts, finding extra money to pay them faster can make your month. How to save for an extra payment on your credit card? Probably you are looking for some practical tips to get you started. There are some common sense steps you can take and some you probably are. Check the list to be sure your have a tick on each point and you are saving as much as you can.

Once all a kid had to do to become a meaningful adult was to be able to hunt or gather food. As we evolved, children had to acquire farming and do it yourself skills and some more brainy ones, like reading and writing -not such a matter of fact ability only a hundred years ago- and a talent for numbers. All that is not enough today: it is necessary to get money management expertise

How can parents instill the value of money and the ability to manage it in their little ones?

An allowance is the best way to teach kids personal finance skills, such as:

• Living on a budget – as they cannot spend more money than they have
• Put some money apart to purchase something big - and learn how to delay gratification
• Deciding how they are going to spend their money – they are making financial decisions.

Even if their decisions are not all wise now, be certain they are learning. They are learning how to survive consumerism and how to tell wants apart from needs; be sure they will be faster to evaluate and take better decisions when they grow. There is an immediate benefit: having their own money and using it as they see fit will increase their self-confidence and sense of independence.