10 Gifts for Everyone, All Under $15!

The Frugallery is posting this article again in case you missed it a few weeks ago.  There is still time to get these great gifts!

The holidays are fast approaching, and gift shopping can be daunting.  Not only is it expensive, but it is time-consuming too. If you're wondering what to get your 8-year-old nephew, your 60-year-old aunt, or your best friend, here are some great finds that are unique & budget friendly. These items were picked specifically because they qualify for Amazon's free super-saver shipping on orders over $25. Pick out a couple of gifts and the shipping is free.  Order now so they arrive by the holidays!

1) Brain Quest Trivia Games $8.76: Available for all different age ranges. The cards are all secured to each other so you don't have to worry about losing the cards or making a mess. Each card contains trivia and academic questions that will get kids engaged and learning. (They are fun for adults too!)


2) I'm Not a Plastic Cup $7.63: These cups are great because they are reusable (great for the environment) and are insulated so they do not sweat (less mess!). Great gift idea for your coworkers!



3) Pashmina Scarf $10.99: Available in 33 beautiful colors (not all colors qualify for free shipping) this is a universal gift that any lucky woman in your life will love!


4)Emergency Flashlight/Cell Phone Charger/Window Hammer/Seat Belt Cutter $13.99: This is a must-have for every vehicle. These are the issues no one wants to think about, but it is better to be prepared than scared! A great gift or stocking stuffer for an elderly relative or a new teenage driver.


5)IPhone Touch Gloves $12.99: These gloves have unique technology in the pointer finger & thumb tips that allow the ability to use touch screens. Great for the gadget lover in your life!


6) Keep Calm & Carry On Day-by-Day Calendar $10.39: Give a daily dose of inspiration! Your friend or loved one will think of you every day in 2012!



7) Colorful Luggage Strap $8.00: Anyone who travels will appreciate these colorful luggage straps. They make baggage claim go much smoother when bags can be easily identified.



8) Baberoo Organic Baby Socks-Hiking Boot Style $15: These unique baby socks have the look of hiking boots. They are adorable!


9) Trudeau Wine Glass Charms $7.73 for a set of 12: These adorable glass charms are unlike any charms you've seen before. Great for the person who has everything!


10) Lipsmackers Coca-Cola Party pack $11.98 for a set of 8: Even the pickiest teenager would get some use out of this gift!

Vistaprint's Day Three Offer: Free Photo Books!

Surprise friends and family by putting a personalized photo book in their stockings this Christmas. At Vistaprint you can customize your free book with ten of your favorite photos and add captions to each one. Feel creative? Upload drawings to create a children’s story or picture books. Or, add stickers and stamps to your stocking and treat your photo book like a sticker book.

Click on the image below to get started!  The book is free--you only pay for shipping & it will arrive in plenty of time for the holidays!

Couponing Adventure #1 $16.34

I always watch with amazement at Extreme Couponer's.  Until now I had never been able to figure out how they do it.  This week I bought two newspapers, cut all the coupons, and hit up my grocery store's website to find out what was on sale.  I also looked online at coupons.com and target.com to find additional coupons. (My Publix considers Target a competitor so they take their coupons.)

Publix has a buy-one-get-one section on their website which showcases each BOGO item for the week.  Since Publix allows you to use a coupon on the "free" item, this is a big savings opportunity.  I used the website to match up the BOGO items with the coupons I had. 

This was what I bought:

6 Boxes of Bagel Bites ($5 for 3, free with two $5 Target coupons from last week's insert)
2 Boxes Egg Rolls (BOGO Free at Publix, $2.99 less two $.35 coupons, final price $1.15 each)
6 Units Del Monte Fruit (BOGO Free at Publix, $2.53 less three $1/2 coupon, final price $.77 each)
4 Boxes Cookie Mix (BOGO Free at Publix, $2.19 less $1/2 coupon, final price $.60 each)
4 Cans Select Harvest Soup (BOGO Free at Publix, $2.49 less $1/4 coupon, final price $1.14 each)
2 Two Liters of Soda ($.89 each, not on sale)
1 Jar of Pizza Sauce ($1.19, not on sale)

My final bill was $16.34 on $57.90 worth of food.  This is a total of 72% off!  Can't wait to try again next week!

Give the Gift of Education

If you are struggling to come up with gift ideas for the children in your life, keep in mind US Savings Bonds.  Kids get so many unnecessary gifts; things that lose their appeal quickly or break in short-order.  Why not skip the frivolous gifts altogether and give them the gift of future education?  Trust me, the kids won't even notice a few less presents under the tree. 

United States EE type bonds are available for purchase for as little as $25 and grow at a guaranteed rate until the bonds mature.  If you invest $100 per year annually over 18 years, the bonds would be worth over $2,200 after 18 years.  Start doing this at birth and you can give a very sizable gift for the child when they are done with high school.  If the bond funds are used towards education, the earnings are completely tax free!

Is this a skyrocketing rate of return?  No.  But when you purchase bonds, you are ensured that the kids won't spend it on toys and that the parents won't raid the kids' piggy banks in a moment of need.  Savings bonds take out the temptation and make sure that the money will be used down the road when the children are capable of making mature decisions.

To purchase US Savings bonds, visit http://www.treasurydirect.gov/tdhome.htm.  Happy savings!

Vistaprint's Day Two Offer: Free Mugs

Looking for affordable yet personal stocking stuffers? Get a custom mug from Vistaprint! These 11-oz. ceramic mugs are the perfect way to send warm wishes to loved ones. Turn this stocking stuffer idea into a theme by including gourmet coffees and teas, hot chocolate packages, cookies and more as additional stocking stuffers. Customize your mug with your choice of design and text, then get it for free!

Share this offer with your friends this holiday season!

Pancakes from Scratch--Easy Recipe!

Out of pancake mix?  Fear not.  With just a few household ingredients you can have delicious home made pancakes from scratch. 

This is what you'll need:
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:
Heat griddle, using oil to grease the pan.
Mix ingredients together.
Pour onto griddle and cook until brown.

These pancakes are very light and fluffy.  This recipe makes about 12 medium sized pancakes. YUM!

Personalized Christmas Stocking only $7.99!

Fill your home with Christmas cheer by hanging embroidered stockings on your mantle. Personalize this soft and fuzzy decorations with your name or the name of a loved one. The best stocking deal available, this offer includes embroidered stockings and 7-day shipping for just $7.99 each!

Inexpensive Holiday Ornament

Say what you want about Martha Stewart, but the lady has some great ideas!  All you need to make this adorable ornament is some wire, ribbon, and a bunch of buttons.  You can see the full instructions by visiting http://www.marthastewart.com/268828/button-wreath-ornament?czone=holiday/workshop-christmas/workshop-christmas-kids.  This is a great idea for a snowy Saturday afternoon and it's easy enough for the kids to help.  Too cute--can't wait to try it out!

Vistaprint Free Calendar Offer

Just in time for the holidays, check out this amazing Vistaprint offer!  For a limited time receive a free personalized calendar.  Use up to 13 of your favorite photos and notate all of your loved one's special days!  Give as a gift or keep for yourself--you'll be guaranteed never to forget a birthday again!  Click the link below and start creating your free calendar today.

Christmas Gift Idea-Personalized Items

Personalized items make spectacular Christmas gifts for people who are hard to buy for.  If you are looking for a top-notch supplier for EVERYTHING you could dream of getting personalized, look no further.  Visit the Personalization Mall and check out their selection of personalized Christmas stockings, ornaments, doormats, picture frames, and more! 

They are offering free shipping on orders $65 or more and 25% off everything in the store!  Their 1-2 day turnaround ensures that you'll have your gifts in plenty of time for the holidays!

Create a Personalized Calendar for Free at Vistaprint!

If you are wondering what to get that hard to buy for person for Christmas, Vistaprint is running a great offer right now.  For a limited time, create a personalized calendar for free by visiting Vistaprint.  You can use up to 13 of your favorite photos and label each of your family's special days (birthdays & anniversaries).  You pay only shipping & handling and you can receive it in as few as three days! 

Click here to begin designing your personalized holiday gift!

REFOCUSING Your Finances Week #3-Eliminating Credit Card Debt

The next category in your expenses is E and it stands for eliminating debt.  Clearly the goal is not to reduce what you put towards debt by 10% each month, as that would only cause the debt to grow.  Your goal here is to eliminate the debt so that this item is no longer a monthly expense for you.  Remember, I am not a financial advisor and these are my personal opinions on how to tackle credit card debt.

1)     Which to Payoff First.  List your credit card debts in descending order based on which card has the highest interest rate.  Start putting extra money towards the card with the highest rate, while maintaining the minimum payments on the rest.  When the card with the highest rate is paid off, start working on the next one.

2)    Try to Consolidate.  If you have a good credit score, you may be able to consolidate your credit card bills by getting balance transfers from the card with the lowest rate.  This will eliminate some of the higher rate cards and reduce the number of payments you have to make a month (which will feel better psychologically).

3)    Negotiate.  Again, with a good credit score, you may be able to negotiate a lower rate on your cards.  If you threaten your credit card company with a balance transfer to another institution, they will be more likely to work with you. 

4)    Budget Overhaul.  Credit card debt is likely to be one of your most costly expenses.  Whatever money you can save in other categories needs to be applied to credit card debt.  If you save $20 by skipping lattes, don’t spend it on a new pair of sunglasses.  Refocus your energy toward paying down debt so that you can move forward financially. 

5)    Get Creative.  If you are really serious about getting out of credit card debt, you need to get creative.  Get a roommate, take the bus/ditch the car, sell things on EBay, and stop drinking coffee.  Whatever sacrifices you can make today to reduce your credit card debt, the better your future will look.

After you have an emergency fund, every penny that you can shave off of your other expense categories should be put towards your outstanding debts. 

What tips/tactics have you used to pull yourself out of credit card debt? 

Winter Inspiration

This is a little off-topic of the articles that we normally share, but it is a very good read.  Whether you love winter or hate it, here are some ways to think positively about the season!

Read The Simple Dollar's article.

What winter traditions do you have?

Target $10 Gift Card--Last Day!

Reminder, today is the last day to use this coupon to get a $10 gift card with any $50 Target purchase.  Print this coupon and present it at the register. 

Use it towards a future purchase or give the gift card as a gift itself!

Best Reward Credit Cards

If you use credit cards responsibly, they can be a great means to rack up cash back or travel rewards.  Here are some great reward credit cards that you may want to check out. 

1)       Chase Freedom  Earn $200 in cash back after you make $500 in purchases during the first 3 months.  Get 5% cash back on the first $1500 you spend on dining and department stores.  (They update the 5% categories every 3 months so you’ll have additional opportunities to earn more).  Unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.  APR 15.99%-22.99% and no annual fee.

2)      Discover More Card  0% APR for 6 months, 0% on balance transfers for 18 months.  5% cash back on select categories.  APR 11.99%-20.99% and no annual fee.

3)      Capital One Venture  Earn 1.25 miles for each dollar purchase.  Earn 10,000 bonus miles which can be redeemed for airfare, rooms or rental cars.  No blackout dates or caps on how many miles you can earn.  0% APR through November 2012.  APR 11.9%-19.9% and no annual fee.

4)      Citi Dividend World Mastercard  Earn $100 on your first $500 worth of purchases in the first 3 months.  0% APR for 15 months (balance transfers and purchases).  5% cash back on select purchases.  APR 12.99% - 22.99% and no annual fee.

5)      Chase Slate  No balance transfer fees (limited time).  0% APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers.  APR 11.99% - 21.99% with no annual fee.

Adorable Dress $10.48 At Target

Need an inexpensive dress for your holiday party?  Check out this adorable dress for only $10.48 at Target.  For a limited time get 20% off and free shipping!  Comes in multiple colors and is convertible into multiple styles.  Wear as a halter, with sleeves, or crossed across the chest.  Dress it up for a cocktail party or dress it down for a night on the town!  Visit http://www.target.com/p/Mossimo-Women-s-Multi-Style-Convertible-Wrap-Dress-Assorted-Colors/-/A-13141814 to order one today!

December Grocery Savings

The holidays are a great time to stock up on all sorts of kitchen items.  Many stores compete with each other on common holiday needs and prices drop despite the increase in demand!  The Budget Saving Mom has a great post today about what items you should stock up on during the month of December.

http://budgetsavingmom.com/2011/12/02/what-cooking-items-you-can-save-money-on-in-december/

Also take advantage of post-Thanksgiving sales on items such as evaporated milk and premade pie crusts--they can be easily frozen for use at a later date!

Proctor & Gamble Coupon Offer $35 Worth of Coupons!

Ever wonder where all of those extreme couponers get all those slugs of coupons?  Rather than buying a dozen Sunday newspapers, explore online and see what you can find.  Here is a link to an offer for over $35 worth of coupons for P&G items.

https://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/HMS/brandsampler-login.jsp

Register and submit your address to have a coupon booklet sent to you.  Happy saving!

Book Review: The Money Class by Suze Orman

If you are unfamiliar with Suze Orman, she is a leading author and presenter on the topic of personal finance.  Her straight forward personality tells people exactly what is what without sugar coating it. 

In "The Money Class," Suze brings readers to a new reality about their current financial situations.  What she calls "truthful living" involves being realistic about your current situation and future possibilities.  She encourages readers to work through money issues with their families such as supporting elderly parents, paying for children's educations, and helping adult children financially. 

Suze breaks down what people should do based on what their current situation is.  She gives straightforward advice for readers who are underwater on their mortgages, unemployed, and struggling to pay for retirement. Other topics include whether to aggressively pay off your mortgage, dealing with health care costs, and whether to delay pulling social security benefits. 

If you are looking for a straightforward book with advice on how to move forward, this is the book for you.  It is full of up-to-date information based on the economic situation the country currently finds itself in.  Knowing that it is written by a credible source who gains nothing from helping you, you can be assured that there are no false pretenses for the advice you are getting. 

Check out a copy at your local library, or get your own copy here today!

Reusable Sandwich Bags

If you're like me, a lot of your baggies are used on packing lunches.  Tossing these bags after use can get really expensive, and washing them is a pain.  Here is a great alternative:

These reusable sandwich/snack bags are great for packing lunches.  These are dishwasher safe and can be reused hundreds of times! 

Try Cortaid Free!

For a limited time, get a full rebate on a full size purchase of Cortaid.  Go to http://www.cortaid.com/sites/default/files/rebate1.pdf to print your offer!

Working Out on a Budget

You have probably begun thinking about what your new year’s resolutions will be. Lose weight, save money, have more free time. These are all noble ventures, but can they be done at the same time?
Joining a gym and signing up for classes are excellent ways to lose weight. But how does that fit in with saving money and having more free time? Believe it or not, it is very feasible to lose weight without spending a mass amount of time or money. Here are a few ideas how:

1) Walk.  Walking is an excellent (and free) way to work your entire body.  Whether you make an effort to park at the back of the parking lot, go for a walk during your lunch break, or a stroll around your neighborhood after work, walking is an excellent way to lose weight. 

2)  Purchase a multi-purpose workout kit.  There are many kits on the market that include rubber bands for resistance training, numerous grips for various exercises, and a jump rope for cardio.  This inexpensive kit allows you to do dozens of different exercises to tone your entire body. 


3)  Use workout DVD's.  Workout DVD's are a good way to get some variety in your workout.  You can check out DVD's at your local library, or purchase them inexpensively online.  My personal favorites is The Biggest Loser's Boot Camp.  It offers different levels for beginners and advanced.  It takes less than a half hour and you can feel it in every part of your body!


4)  Visit the playground.  Child playgrounds are a great place to get your workout in.  Pick a playground that is at least half a mile from home (so you get a mile walk in just by getting to & from!).  Once you are there, the playground equipment can be used for stepping stairs, doing pull ups, and quick sprints.  Use the equipment as your own obstacle course and get a full body workout!

5)  Look for used equipment.  If you can afford to purchase equipment for your home, this is a great way to take the hassle out of working out.  Check Craigslist or local used sports stores.  You may be able to get a great treadmill, free weights, or weight machines at a discounted price.  Once you have made the purchase, put them in a "in the way" place where you will see the equipment everyday.  If they are hidden in the corner of the basement, you will feel less guilt for not using them.

Whatever you decide to do as part of your exercise regiment, just remember to keep moving!