1. All this stuff is not a-ok for the earth: Check out the video below – which by the way, is an older Buy Nothing Day ad (hence them saying Buy Nothing Day is the 26th – it’s really the 27th this year, but the ad is still relevant. Also, this ad was banned by all the major TV networks who said it was too controversial. You can listen to what tv networks said about this commercial at Buy Nothing Day – most thought it was too much for the average American, yet we see half naked girls, violence, and bad language on TV all the time – lame.

2. The deals just aren’t that great: C-NET, my favorite site for researching tech gear before I buy, dishes on why the tech deals aren’t so spectacular on Black Friday.

3. Black Friday is set up to screw you over: Really it is. The fine print is lame and most people waiting in line, in the cold, won’t score the deals you see in the ads – read Dirty secrets of Black Friday ‘doorbusters’ to learn more.

4. Lines suck – get around it: You don’t have to wait in lines to get a good deal. Amazon is making it easier for you to skip the lines by rounding up the best Black Friday deals in town then offering similar limited time deals at their site.

5. There are better deals online: Cyber Monday or even online Black Friday deals are a much better choice if you must shop than in-store Black Friday. You’ll spend less, save more, and no driving is involved. Find the best online Black Friday deals.

6. Shopping doesn’t save money in the long run: However, some other activities you could be doing on Black Friday will fatten your wallet.

7. Stores play all sorts of games to trick you into spending more cash: It’s much easier to fall for these tricks when the store is overcrowded and insane.

Skip Black Friday or don’t but at least read the above before you head out so that you’ll be better prepared for what’s really going on.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Come to find out, there are several other magazines that have these $5 coupons in their December issues.  Here are a list of magazines to find the coupon:

• Real Simple – page 124
• Martha Stewart Living – page 74
• Southern Living
• Woman’s Day
• Taste of Home
• O (Oprah) Magazine

The $5 coupon expires December 24, 2009 and cannot be used on gift cards.  A minimum $5 purchase is required.

This is a pretty thrifty treat for me because I only paid $5 for the Real Simple subscription and the Martha Stewart Living subscription was a freebie subscription from earlier this year.   

There are many ways to use this Hallmark coupon.  You could purchase a special Hallmark Keepsake ornament that you’ve been wanting, perhaps to celebrate a baby’s first Christmas.  You could purchase some birthday cards for upcoming birthdays, Christmas cards, gift wrap, or other gift items.  I don’t shop in Hallmark very often, but I’ll probably end up using mine to purchase Christmas gifts.  Every little bit helps and I’ll have $10 to put towards gifts. 

Have you clipped your Hallmark coupon?

image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

If a person smokes just one pack of cigarettes each day for 20 years, the cost of the unhealthy habit will be at least $25,000.  Think of what you could do with $25,000!  The thing is, smoking just doesn’t cost you money for cigarettes, it also costs you money for other things such as higher premiums on health and life insurance.

Other reasons to quit smoking:

• decreased coughing and shortness of breath
• decreased risk of coronary heart disease
• decreased risk of stroke
• decreased risk of lung, mouth, throat, and other cancers
• decreased health risk from secondhand smoke
• more environmentally friendly

The American Cancer Society has support for those who are quitting.  Help is available 24 hours a day.

Have you thought of quitting?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

• Capital adequacy.
• Asset quality.
• Profitability.
• Liquidity.

Of course you shouldn’t rely on one system when choosing a bank. You should actually head into the nearest branch, look around, talk to some folks, and so on, but getting a basic overview of a bank’s financial health is a good kick-off point.

The site is easy to use and when I filled in the name of a bank it didn’t do anything lame like say, “After you give us your email you can see the rating” I saw it right away. Nice. Plus they make the ratings easy to understand, using a basic star system (shown above).

According to Bankrate, the ratings, “Are comparisons to both industry peer norms and standards. In a very small number of instances, operating strategies that differ from industry norms may lead to ratings that are not truly reflective of an institutions’ financial condition. A Safe & Sound rating of one or two stars does not suggest that we believe direct regulatory action is imminent or even likely but rather only indicates that certain below-average performance factors have been found during the applicable rating cycle. Quarterly updates of Safe & Sound ratings allow us to monitor changes that may occur, and ratings may fluctuate on a quarterly basis.”

So if your bank has lost one too many checks or the tellers have zapped the last of your strength and you’re looking for a new bank, head to the Safe & Sound rating service to see how other banks stack up.

[image via Bankrate]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

When you wait too long, you may be forced to pick up national vs. store brands of items like condensed milk and pie filling, which will cost you.  Save fresh fruits and veggies as day before buys, but get everything else early.

Share the fame: I know folks who want to whip up an entire holiday spread all on their own, because they think they’re the best cook or because they like food just so so. However, if you’re open to other people’s dishes, you can save money when family members show up with pies and other dishes.

Keep it green: Cloth napkins and real dishes save lots of money. I know that there’s time time spent washing real dishes vs. tossing disposables and cloth textiles, but in the long run it will save you money and save the planet. Instead of wax candles go with some reusable LED tea lights on the table – no soot and reusable is greener and healthier. If you want to go extreme green and save way more cash, make it a vegetarian or at least mostly veggie holiday. You don’t need fancy cold cuts before the meal and both a ham and turkey. Choose one meat or say to heck with all of it. Less meat it healthier for you and the earth and your wallet.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

For the kids:

• Thankful tree
• Thanksgiving coloring pages
• Thanksgiving place mat
• Planning Thanksgiving for the Kids
• Thanksgiving turkey banner craft
• Thanksgiving Children’s Activities
• Thanksgiving Party Games and Activities for Kids
• Thanksgiving word scramble
• Fall and Thanksgiving songs
• Thanksgiving place mat Craft for Kids
• Thankful pumpkins
• Rustic vests
• Pumpkin song
• Thanksgiving baby bibs

Decorating and Entertaining:

• Thanksgiving scripture place cards
• Pumpkin Serving Dishes
• Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner
• 5 Ways to Save Money on Entertaining
• Easy Gourd and Candle Fall Centerpieces
• Fall Party Centerpiece Ideas with Gourds
• Apple Decorating Ideas for Fall Parties

Recipes and Food Ideas:

• Thanksgiving brunch ideas
• A Dairy Free Thanksgiving: Pumpkin Bisque
• Healthy Thanksgiving Recipes from Cooking Light
• 35 Holiday Recipes
• Pumpkin Cheesecake (with photos)
• Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes
• Sweet Potato Casserole
• Apple Cake Recipe
• Mini Pecan Pumpkin Pies
• 6 Ways to Cook Your Thanksgiving Turkey
• Thanksgiving Turkey: Easy Prep, Easy Serve
• Thanksgiving Recipes Cookbook Download

Other:

• How to Save Money on Thanksgiving Dinner
• Avoid Food-Related Illness on Thanksgiving

Which ideas do you think you’ll try?

image (c) Linette Gerlach

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Examples of deductible expenses while job hunting include employment and outplacement agency fees, long-distance phone calls related to the job hunt,  job wanted ads placed in newspapers or journals, moving expenses if your new job is 50 miles+ away, resume preparation services, resume related experiences, and travel expenses for both job searching and to and from interviews.

Make sure that you get your deductions trouble free by keeping a log of your driving and phone calls, a copy of all bills related to the job hunt, and keep all receipts as well.

See IRS Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax, for more information.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Here are two apple crates that we’re using as bookcases.  My hubby and I found these in a yard sale many years ago as we were traveling up the mountain to Virginia.  I think we paid $10 for both of them.  We have been using these for about six years and have really enjoyed them.

If you have any old dresser drawers, you could use them as potting boxes.  I saw this recently at a pumpkin patch and thought it was so cute.  If you use these on a railing (as shown here), don’t forget to attach them so that they don’t fall.

This old chair is a favorite in our home.  My husband found it a few years ago at a yard sale for about $5.  He cleaned it up and now Emma sits proudly on it in our dining room.  We really like the rustic look of the chair. 

These are a few ideas of how you can take some old junk and make it into a special treasure.  What ways have you repurposed your old things?

images (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Although I have been eating tuna since I was a small child, I was excited to try some of the Bumble Bee products.  Bumble Bee has an assortment of inexpensive and nutritious lunch ideas that I want to share with you.

One of my new favorite tunas is the lemon pepper tuna. Bumble Bee now has three flavored tunas – Lemon Pepper, Sundried Tomato, and Spicy Thai Chili.  For less than $1.50, you can get a small can of flavored tuna with crackers.  This is a great inexpensive and healthy lunch idea. Bumble Bee offers the new flavored tunas in larger cans with no crackers.

For those that prefer their chicken and tuna with mayonnaise, Bumble Bee has premade chicken and tuna salad lunch packs. There is also a fat free tuna salad.   

Bumble Bee has a sustainability intiative.  They support global policies and management initiatives that ensure long-term sustainability of these resources. 

By becoming a Bumble Bee facebook fan, you can print a coupon good for $1 off three specialty items such as crab, shrimp, oysters, and sardines.

What inexpensive lunch ideas can you share?

images (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Black Friday is typically a hugely crowded shopping day, not only does this waste, not save time, but you also waste gas searching for parking and may be much more prone to impulse buys. Stores lure you in with the promise of 10 special items on sale, but by the time you get there the items may well be gone. Spend the day relaxing with the family, then save money on your holiday shopping with other, better, more sanity saving tactics, such as…

Sign up for special deals – many online stores offer many special holiday savings, but you need to sign up for their newsletters ad special offer emails.

Comparison shop online – you can easily compare prices and shop around for the best deal online, without the crowds, without the driving, without the bad weather and without the cranky salespeople. Look for deals on shipping though, not all sites offer free shipping, and so it pays to look around.

Wait – Black Friday may seem like a super good deal, but many stores have bigger and better sales closer to the actual holidays. Personally I’m not a last minute type of shopper, but if you’re ok with that, you can save a lot by simply holding off until the second to last week before Christmas.

Don’t wait – in a tactic related to the above, with a twist, shop before Black Friday. Prices will be a little (ONLY a little) more but good luck trying to find hot ticket items after Black Friday. According to Smart Money, retailers are stocking less goods this year, so seriously weigh saving a couple of bucks with maybe not getting the gift of your choice.

Spend the day making homemade holiday gifts – you get to spend time with your family and save a ton of cash in the process. If you need some tips about the best gifts to make visit the following links…

• Green & Homemade Gift Ideas
• Nine DIY play kitchen options
• Homemade garden gifts
• Homemade eco-gifts for the holidays
• 24 Things To Make – A Crafty Christmas Countdown
• Homemade Chai Mix
• 50 Holiday Things You Can Make Yourself

[image via Adbusters]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy