Many of our grandparents were alive during the great depression. Therefore, they have a great deal of knowledge about how to cut corners and save money.
Here are some money savings tips from Grandma...
Charitable contributions may be the last thing you have on your mind during tough times.
But, the truth is, giving away money, time, and items is always a good idea.
Here are the top 3 reasons to consider making charitable donations this year...
Everyone knows that the day after Christmas is when the really great sales are, right?
Yes, but the shopper who is not discriminating can end up with junk and/or stuff that they don't really need.
It's really important to plan ahead for your day after Christmas shopping trip, instead of going willy nilly to stores with their newspaper sales page in hand buying whatever strikes your fancy at the moment.
Keep in mind, stores use day after Christmas sales primarily to:
Unload overstock
Get rid of items that are soon to be on clearance
Sell old models that they've had on display
Re-sell returns and exchanges that have been opened (or not)
Now, in many cases, these items can be truly good buys. But it is still important to be discriminating when you shop.
Here's how you can best plan and prepare for your day after Christmas shopping trip...
Living a frugal life can teach you ways to live simply and give you new ideas about how to have fun.
Still, nothing says fun like inviting over your family and friends for a party.
A good party can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a thousand or so, but there is no reason to put off your fun.
Here are some ideas for frugal party planning, no matter what the occasion...
Whether you're on your way to a birthday party, or a Christmas dinner, you don't want to show up empty-handed.
Finding a last-minute gift may seem like a challenge at first, but it's simple really.
Here are some ideas you can use to purchase that last-minute gift on the fly...
We all know what the usual holiday shopping trip is like: you go to the mall, brave the crowds, and hope that you can find everything on your list.
Personally, I hate shopping that way. While I love the idea of seeing all the beautiful decorations, and hearing the holiday music that is played over the speakers in the stores, I don't like the crowds, the pushing, the shoving, the lack of stock, and the trying to find parking.
All of those things I can live without.
In my own personal quest for figuring out the best way to find gifts for the holidays, I came up with a few tips for how you could do your non-traditional holiday shopping.
At DirectBuy, you can make purchases on any number of electronics, home remodeling materials, and other items for the home.
Once you become a member, you are able to make purchases directly from the manufacturer (practically), paying the wholesale price plus a processing fee.
Direct Buy has a high-pressure membership recruitment process. They lure prospective members into the showroom and show them how much they can save on different services. At the end of the presentation, they extend you an offer to join the club. However, this offer is a one-time-only deal once they've shown you confidential pricing information. The recruitment process can best be compared to a timeshare purchase.
DirectBuy is in many ways well worth the membership fee which is somewhere between $3,000 and $5,000, depending upon location. In addition to the membership fee, there is also a yearly renewal fee. Even with all of the money that it costs to be a DirectBuy member, most members would agree that if you are planning to build, remodel, or furnish a home, you will quickly recoup your costs.
Of course, there are detractors as well. For one, the iVillage Gardenweb has a thread that discusses people's DirectBuy experiences. They are overwhelmingly negative.
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