One of my favorite things about Christmas shopping, is shopping the after Christmas sales.  There are great bargains to be found, and not only on Christmas gifts, but also on gifts that can be used throughout the year.  Although there are great deals, you need to have a strategy.  This is what works for me.

Make a list of all of the people that you will need presents for next Christmas, and how many birthday presents you need throughout the year.  If you have an idea of what you would like to get that person, you can place that beside their name on the list.

Make a list of all of the Christmas decorations that you need, or want to get for next year.  Do you need to replace your tree?  Are your ornaments broken, and what about the lights?

Once you have your lists complete, set a budget.  Decide how much money you want to spend in total.

The last thing to decide is when to go.  Most stores start marking things down the day after Christmas.  They usually start at 50% off, and then in about a week they lower it to 75% off.  The earlier you go, the better selection you will get, but if you wait you will get a little better price.  It all depends on the budget that you have.

Shopping the after Christmas sale can save you tons of money, so if you have a little extra Christmas cash, you may want to check it out.

photo source:  jaylopez

How can you save money around your house without making drastic changes?  It is simple, there are several small things you can do that will add up to a big savings at the end of the year.

1.  Go green!  Going green is a great way to save a little extra cash.  Stop using paper towels and start using cloth napkins.  If you have a child in diapers, you can switch from disposable diapers to cloth diapers.  If you have a bad habit of printing tons of pages from your computer, make sure you really need the document before you hit the print button.

2.  Bundle up!  During the winter months it is so easy to hit the up button on the thermostat, but try wearing a sweater and keeping it one degree lower.

3.  Run all of your errands on the same day!  By planning out your day, you can save yourself gas and energy.

4.  Unplug it!  If an item is not in use, unplug it.  By unplugging the item you stop it from needlessly draining energy.

5.  Drink water!  Not only is it healthy, it is cheap.  If you invest in a water filtration pitcher, you can really save a good amount of money.  Plus, you are helping your body and the environment at the same time.

These are just a few of the many things you can do around your home to help save a little money.

photo source:  svilen001

What is your financial attitude?  In order to answer this question, ask yourself if you are a spender or a saver.  Can you resist the temptation to buy the latest gadget or do you come home with more debt every time you visit the mall?  You should also be honest with yourself about your organizational habits.  Do you know where everything is in your office, or are you constantly searching for a past due bill?

There are two main categories when it comes to financial attitudes, the spender and the saver.  If you have a “spender” attitude, you are probably hurting your finances.  Spenders usually purchase the latest, most up-to-date items, rather than save their money.  Sometimes these purchases are made with credit cards, which is even worse.  Spending money that you actually have on non-essential items is sometimes bad, but spending money that you do not have on those same items is dangerous.  In the end “spenders” usually end up with tons of debt, and a lot of junk lying around the house.

“Savers” are the opposite.  Savers like to keep tabs on all of their money, and make sure that it is spent wisely.  These people are usually very organized, and goal oriented.  They tend to have less debt as well.

There is room for a little compromise, it is good to splurge every now and then on something special.  However, you should spend a little time planning your splurge to make sure it is really worth it.

photo source:  jprole

Calenders, we all have them, but did you know that they can actually save you money?

You may be asking, how can a calender possibly save me money?  It is all a part of your organizational system.  Even though you may think you have a handle on all of your due dates, when it comes to the bills, it is very easy to forget one.  When you do forget a bill, there are always late fees.  One late fee may not seem like that much money, but when they start adding up they can really take a large chunk out of your budget.

In order to prevent those pesky fees, find a good calender.  It can be any size, but I prefer to have a large desk calender.  On that calendar write out all of your due dates.  Include your utility bills, car payments, mortgage payments, rent payment, insurance payments, credit card payments, and any other type of loan payment that you have.  You may want to make the due date on your calendar, a couple of days earlier than the actual due date, that way you allow yourself enough time to get them paid.  If you mail in your payments, write out what day you need to mail the payment off on.

One of the most important things to do with your calendar is to place it somewhere you will see it every day.  That way you will be sure to remember all of those important dates.

photo source:  shadowkill

We all know that tax time is just around the corner, so now is a good time to make plans for the money that you will receive.  Although you may not know exactly what the amount of your refund will be, you can probably get a good idea from the amount of your refund from last year.  So, what should you do with the money once you receive it?

One of the most important things, especially with today’s economy, is to set some money aside in a separate savings account in case there is an emergency.  An emergency could be the loss of a job, auto problems, sickness, along with a number of other things.

Once you have some money set aside in the emergancy account, your next focus should be on your debt.  If you have several small debts, or one large one, figure out how much you can take from that refund to pay towards the debt.  If the amounts are small you may want to try to pay some of them off entirely.

The most important thing to remember is, do not throw it away.  Make sure you use your money responsibility, and be sure to save some for a rainy day.

photo source:  leonardini

With the price of gas on the rise again, can you really save money by shopping online?  By shopping for deals and searching for sites that offer free shipping you can usually save more money by making your purchases online.

So, how do you find out about all of the really good deals?  The first thing to do is visit the website of your favorite retailer.  Many times they will have an email list that you can subscribe to.  Once you are on the list, the stores will send out emails when they run special promotions and sales.  These emails usually contain coupon codes that you can use either for a percentage off or for free shipping.

There are also several sites that will periodically post coupon codes for free shipping at various retail sites.

Another tip for online shopping at sites like eBay, is to ask for combined shipping.  Many times if you purchase more than one item from the same seller they will offer combined shipping, or even free shipping.

It is possible to save money by shopping online, you just have to search for the best bargains.  Knowing where and when to look for those great deals can be a big advantage.

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Although many people may not view communication as very important to their finances, it can be.  When there is a lack of communication or a miscommunication, small mistakes can lead to big consequences.

In a family, it is important that all of the parties involved know what they are working with.  Even if one person is responsible for dealing with the money and paying the bills, the other person should also be aware of how the finances work.

The best place for your open communication to start is with the budget.  When you are working on your family budget, both you and your spouse should work together.  This will help to ensure that you do not forget any important expenses, and that both of you know exactly what is needed to meet your budget.

Another good idea is to have a monthly financial checkup.  Once a month both you and your spouse should sit down and evaluate how you have done with your finances over the past month, and what areas need improvement.  If there are problems, this is a great way to find out what they are and address them together.

Finances can be stressful, especially in today’s economy, but if you work together as a family it can be a little easier.  Not only will you help to keep each other accountable, but you will also help to motivate each other so you can both keep up the good work.

photo source:  clix

With December quickly approaching, you know what that means.  Soon it will be time to file taxes. Now is the perfect time to get all of your tax documents in order.  Although you have to wait until you receive your W2 from your employer before you can actually file your taxes, you can get everything else ready to go.  Below are a few tips to help you get organized.

Gather all of your documents for your deductions.  If you itemize your deductions make a list of all the things you need to locate.  Are there certain receipts that you plan to claim as deductions?  Do you have business related expenses that you will claim as deductions on your taxes?  What about child care expenses, and medical expenses?

Locate a copy of your tax returns from last year.  You will need to have these handy.

If you pay on a mortgage or student loan, make sure you know where that documentation is as well.  Many times you can deduct the interest paid for these.

If you are a business owner, and have deductions for your business, it is a good idea to go through all of your receipts and expense reports and organize them by month.  That way if you need to find something for a specific event, you will know where to look.

Tax time may seem scary to some people, but if you are organized the process can be a little less painful.

photo source: djshaw

With Christmas rapidly approaching, do you know how to shop wisely?  By using a few simple strategies, you can save big on all of your holiday purchases.

The first, and most important thing to do is make a list.  Write down all of the people that you want to purchase gifts for.  Next decide on a budget for your holiday spending.  Once you have the number of people and the total amount that you can spend, decide how much you will allot for each persons gift.

Get creative with your gifts.  The best gifts are not always purchased from a store.  Think about things that you like to do.  If you love to bake, why not bake some special treats for the people on your list.  You will have fun doing it, and they will definitely have fun enjoying it.

You may want to consider giving a photo of you and your family.  Photo holiday cards are always nice, and at this time of year you can usually find really good sales on these.  Simply add a special note to your gift, and you have a unique gift that your recipient will enjoy throughout the year.

If you have children, why not let them get in on the fun as well.  Let the children create a master piece for your friend or family member.

Although many of us feel obligated to purchase a gift for everyone on our list, homemade and heartfelt gifts are better than store bought any day.

photo source: elvinstar

With the weather turning colder, and the price of energy rising you are probably starting to see an increase in your electric bill.  As nice as it would be to go with solar energy, that is way to expensive, and just not practical for most people. However, there are certain things that you can do to help lower your bill.

Turn off the lights when you are not in the room.  It may seem like a simple thing to do, but leaving every light on when you are not using them can really add up on your light bill.

Close the blinds and curtains to insulate against the cold.  You may even want to get curtains that are lined on the back, they help to better insulate.

Unplug appliances when they are not in use.  Things like your computer, the coffee maker, the microwave, and even the TV use electricity even when they are not in use.  By unplugging them you can stop the energy drain.

You may also want to check out your windows.  Older windows tend to leak, and may be costing your precious dollars.  This solution is more costly, but if you have a little money to invest in home improvements, this would be a great place to start.

These are just a few suggestions that can help you save money on your electric bill.

photo source: kwod