Archive for December, 2009

Christmas Budget Ideas

December 9th, 2009

Are you looking for ways to trim your budget this Christmas season?

Rather than buying a Christmas gift for your cousin, a gift for her husband and a gift for each of their three children, why not give one Christmas gift to the five of them that they can enjoy as a family? You’ll be amazed how much money you can save this Christmas season by giving one family gift rather than several individual gifts. Christmas can be cheap with these gift ideas.

Let your friends and family know that you’ve decided to create special gifts for families this year, so that you don’t have to worry about anyone feeling awkward when it comes time to exchange gifts. Hopefully they’ll like the idea and jump on the bandwagon.

Here are some cheap Christmas ideas for for families:

* A gift card to Blockbuster or your local video store. Pair the passes with some microwave popcorn or candy. The entire family will appreciate the idea of a movie night together.

* A book of passes to the movie theater. How about throwing in a homemade coupon good for a night of babysitting so Mom and Dad can enjoy a show without the kids one night?

* Board games make great gifts for families. Choose a few to cater to different family member’s ability level. Don’t forget classic card games like Uno and Old Maid.

* A gift certificate to a nice, family friendly restaurant. Mom and Dad will appreciate the opportunity to get out of cooking for an evening and doing dishes.

* A donation in their family’s name to a charity that’s important to them. Most organizations have cards that can be mailed for contributions made as gifts. Did a hospice help them in their time of need? If so, the donation on their behalf will be appreciated more than another Christmas gift to clutter up their home.

Think of the people on your Christmas shopping list. Imagine how much you can reduce your holiday budget by buying a gift for a family rather than separate gifts for everyone. Christmas can be cheap!

Giving family Christmas gifts is a super effective way to cut back on holiday spending and can often be more personal than your run of the mill gift. Here’s to making your holiday cheaper and more fun!

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Control Your Spending: Home Budget Idea

December 8th, 2009

Setting up a budget is a great way to manage your personal finances. There are many budgeting and personal finance management systems available today, ranging from simple pencil and paper systems to expensive budgeting software. If you’re looking for a way to control your spending, here is a system that is inexpensive and easy to set up and use.

It’s called the envelope budget system, and it’s similar to what your grandparents probably used for managing their money. First, you need to set up a budget by creating categories for things you spend money on each month. Common categories include groceries, dining out, transportation, utilities, entertainment, clothing, household expenses, fun money, and miscellaneous. There will of course be a few things you won’t be able to put in the categories such as automatic withdrawals and bills paid by check. But everything else can be put in your categories. Look at past spending patterns for the categories you set up, and estimate what you will likely spend in the upcoming month.

Next, total up all of the expenses for the month and make a withdrawal from the bank for that exact amount. Then label each envelope with the categories you’ve identified, and fill each envelope with the money you’ve budgeted for that category. For example, if you have budgeted $50 for clothing for the month, put exactly $50 in cash in the clothing envelope.

When you shop or pay a bill, take money from that category you need to pay for. If you need to go to the grocery store, take as much money as you think you will need for your shopping list, and then pay cash for your grocery items at the register. Any excess money you will put back in the envelope for later purchases. Once you’ve spent all of the money in any envelope, you’re done spending for that category.

It’s o.k. to transfer money between categories if you need to, i.e. you have $25 left in your entertainment envelope and you transfer it to your empty grocery envelope. However, you must resist the temptation to visit the ATM or charge your expenses if you run short for the month. It’s important that you learn to spend only what you have in the envelopes to avoid continuing going into debt.

In conclusion, using an envelope budgeting system is a great way to control your spending and get off of the credit charging merry-go-round. With some practice and discipline, you’ll get the system down and learn how to pay off your debt, save money, and build financial stability in your life.

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Home Made Christmas Ideas: Homemade Bath Salts

December 1st, 2009
What You Will Need:

For the Bath Salts Recipes -

  • epsom salts or sea salt, or both, and baking soda
  • food coloring
  • 1 or 2 teaspoons of glycerin per jar – optional, but glycerin is an effective skin moisturizer and a nice addition
  • essential oils – mandarin orange, lavender, sandlewood, and patchouli
    		•  For Decorative Glass Jars –

  • glass jars
  • printable jar labels
  • scissors and glue
  • assorted embellishments, including several yards of orange or peach colored ribbon, small amount of lavender or mauve ribbon, ecru or white doily, raffia, tacky glue and household twine
    		•

    General Instructions:
    1. Collect your jars, remove labels, then wash and dry thoroughly.

    2. For most bath salts recipes you can use your choice of epsom salts or sea salt, with baking soda, if desired, or a combination of all three. One good mix is one cup of epsom salts, with 1/4 cup of sea salt, and two or three tablespoons of baking soda. A little more or less of each ingredient is fine for most bath salts. Epsom salts and sea salt are soothing for tired muscles, while both will gently soften the water for a luxurious bath experience. You could also add a tablespoon or two of finely ground regular oatmeal (not quick cooking) for silky, skin-softening water.

    3. Fill each jar to the top with the combination of bath salts that you plan to use. Empty the salts into a mixing jar and add a drop or two of glycerin, if using. Add your choice of essential oil – how many drops you use is a personal preference, but start with two or three drops and see if you like the fragrance. The same goes for the liquid food coloring; sometimes I use quite a few drops of food color to get the strong hue that I like, but so far it hasn’t stained the bath tub or anyone’s skin. Remember that the color and fragrance will be much diluted in the bath water. Stir the salts vigorously until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

  • Lavender Bath Salts:

    • I used 1 cup of epsom salts, half a cup of sea salt, and a few tablespoons of baking soda for this recipe, adding 8 drops of lavender. (This one was for me, and I adore lavender – it made the bathroom smell heavenly!) Adjust the fragrance, just adding one or two drops at a time until you’re happy with it. Lavender is a difficult color to achieve with food coloring, I found, but I managed to get a lavender color that I liked by using far more red than blue.

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