Birthday party fit for a dog - Star Local: Live And Local
Here is an Article written by a friend of mine Dan Eakin..So Cute!
Birthday party fit for a dog - Star Local: Live And Local
What To Do With All The Money You Saved By Spending Less This Christmas
You did it. You stuck to your guns and your budget. In
spite of shiny temptations and marketing tricks, you did Christmas on the cheap
and saved yourself a ton of money. Congratulations. Now, what do you do with
all the money you saved? If you have
credit card or other debt, obviously pay that off first. If you live paycheck
to paycheck, put it in a savings account for emergencies. Once those needs have
been met, the possibilities for the extra money are exciting.
You could splurge on a family trip to Disney. Now, this
doesn’t mean you can waste the money and pay full price. Plan your trip so you
can take advantage of off-season prices.
Many hotels and airlines charge a premium for travel during school
breaks and colder months. Consider bringing non-perishable breakfast bars and
snacks to save money on food. Search the
internet; there is bound to be a blog dedicated to your vacation site with tons
of information on where to get specials. You can also fund a plethora of websites
offering coupons and deals on everything from car rentals and airfare to hotels
and dinner.
You could be altruistic and donate the money. Non-profit
organizations always need funds, especially in this economy. Toys For Tots is a
charity run by the Marines and focused on giving new toys to children who
wouldn’t otherwise have anything to open on Christmas morning. Your local
Humane Society is another good choice. If you feel strongly, you can even use
your thrifty savings to equip the Cruelty Investigation unit with much needed
cameras, video equipment and first aid kits. Instead of donating the money
directly to a charity right away, you can use it as seed money. For example,
challenge everyone at your place of employment, school or church to donate to a
specific cause and agree to match them, dollar for dollar, up to the amount of
your savings.
Lastly, you could invest the money. Your IRA or mutual
fund can always use a boost. If you have children or grandchildren, you can set
the money aside in a number of education savings plans, like a 529 Plan. You
can put the money in traditional savings account, buy bonds or even start a CD
ladder. The choices are nearly limitless; just check with your CPA on any
potential tax issues.
Your goal of achieving a debt-free Christmas was a
success; just make sure the money goes to good use. Whether you buy something
for yourself or invest in the future, enjoy your reward and know that Christmas
really can be done, and done well, on the cheap.
The Truth About Christmas Spending and Debt
“It’s Christmas.” You hear that as a viable excuse every
year when someone goes overboard in their spending or buys an extravagant gift
that is out of their price range.
Somehow unwise purchases are acceptable during the last month of the
year. People don’t think; their financial logic goes out the window.
Unfortunately, the repetitive bad decisions will only come back to haunt them.
Before you go out and splurge when you really shouldn’t, read these sobering
statistics on Christmas spending and credit card debt.
- Americans
spend $525 billion over the holiday season
- Online
spending has increased 12%
- Christmas
spending is back to pre-recession levels
- Savings
have increased from 1% to 6% of income in the past several years
Sounds somewhat promising, right? The statistics make it
appear that the economy is thriving and shoppers are out spending their
hard-earned money in droves. The truth is that, yes, shoppers are out, but they
are not spending their money. At least, not money they’ve earned yet. In fact,
many Americans have become accustomed to “charging” the entire holiday.
Presents for the kids courtesy of Visa. Dinner for the office staff thanks to
the generosity of MasterCard. Out of town flight to spend Christmas with the
grandparents made possible by American Express. Before you think of those as acceptable
solutions to having cash on hand this holiday season, try these next stats on
for size.
- The
average person spends just under
$1,200 over the holidays – including food, gifts and travel
- At
least 23% of that was paid for by credit card
- 6
million people borrow to pay for Christmas each year
- Americans
average 13 credit cards per person
- When
paying by credit card, people tend to spend 112% more than if paying with
cash
- A
minimum monthly payment is usually 90% interest, 10% principal
- One
third of bankruptcies filed in March site overspending at Christmas
- The
average American spends 40% more then they earn
Americans have been trained to think that love and
friendship at Christmas somehow equates to buying expensive gifts. The truth is
that no one who truly loves and cares about you wants a gift from you that puts
you into debt. If everyone was just honest about their credit card bills and
concentrated on spending less over the holidays, January would be a lot less
stressful all around.
So, what’s the solution? It is as simple as ABC. Accept that you can’t spend like Paris
Hilton. Budget for the holidays like
you would any other expense. Commit
to spending less for Christmas each and every year. If you stick to your guns,
you may even inspire a friend or family member to do the same. Enjoy the holidays without the use of
plastic.
Singer, Song Writer John Hogue
Take a listen to one of my friends Singer, Song Writer John Hogue.....Believe me you won't be sorry you
did! Great singing artist...
http://www.reverbnation.com/johnhhogue/songs
did! Great singing artist...
http://www.reverbnation.com/johnhhogue/songs
How To Have a “Make Under” Christmas
Are you sick of all the hustle and bustle of the holiday
season? Do want to stop all the craziness and just keep it simple? A “make
under” Christmas may be the answer to both slowing down and saving money. Try
these suggestions for an effortless, unadorned and down-to-earth Christmas this
year without having to say “Bah Humbug”.
- Dinner:
Instead of the fancy, over-the-top family dinner that takes days to
prepare, have a potluck with your family. If you as each member bring a
simple dish to pass, you just reduced both your cost and your workload
without having any effect on the happiness of the day or the quality of
the meal.
- Presents:
If you have a large family full of aunts, uncles and cousins, streamline
your gift-giving by drawing names at Thanksgiving (or assigning them via
email). Have each person buy a generic boy or girl gift with a reasonable
spending limit. Create a game of picking wrapped gifts, playing hot potato
with them or drawing names to see who gets which present. You can do this
for everyone or just the adults; either way you have fewer gifts to buy
and more money to spend on other things (like paying off credit cards).
- Party:
Why go to the trouble and expense of a formal party? Your friends have a
ton of holiday functions, from the office to family functions. They will
need to get dressed up, hire a sitter and stress over being late. Keep
your function ultra-casual. Invite everyone over, with kids, on a Thursday
night. Tell them you are wearing jeans and ordering pizza. For less than
$100, you can buy enough pizza and 2-liters to feed all your friends and
their children with no stress, little clean up and plenty of holiday
cheer.
- Cards:
We are all guilty of mailing our Christmas cards late. The stamps and
cards add to your stretched budget. For many people, just the thought of
addressing and commenting in so many cards can be overwhelming. Make it
easy on yourself and send e-cards. Or, if that is too informal for you,
don’t send Christmas cards. Buy festive but generic cards on sale after
Christmas and start a tradition of mailing New Year’s cards in January. No
rush. No stress.
- Decorations:
Keep it minimal. Don’t drag box upon box of ornaments out of the attic and
spend days decorating every square inch of your house. Create a dramatic
display on your mantle or put a gorgeous wreath at your door. That’s it.
No one will accuse you of being Scrooge. They will just admire your
unpretentious design.
- Cookies:
The average person gains 5 pounds over the holidays. Save yourself the
diet headache and don’t make any cookies. No need for extra calories or
added expenses.
What else can you think of to create a memorable “Make
Under” Christmas for your family this year?
How To Spend Less and Give More This Christmas
There is nothing wrong with a Fruit-of-the-month club but there
are better ways to enjoy Christmas for less. In fact, many will get more
satisfaction out of buying that special toy for the Toys for Tots campaign at
the office than they ever do from the office secret Santa. Here are a few
suggestions on how to return Christmas to a season of simple giving and simple
pleasures.
1. Serve Up Dinner: This is the most obvious choice and, probably
the first one that comes to most people’s minds when thinking about how to give
of themselves over the holiday season. Plan to take time to volunteer as a
family at a shelter. Whether you help to prep the meal the day before or head
over on Christmas Day, the shelter team and dinner guests greatly appreciate
your time. Unfortunately, for many it may be their only hot meal. The
experience will make your family be thankful for their dinner even more and it
didn’t cost you a dime.
2. Use a Wish List: Many
people do not realize that charities have a “Wish List”. This is perfect for
those who want to do Christmas on the cheap but still love to shop. Instead of
spending money on extravagant gifts for loved ones, ask your favorite animal
shelter or children’s hospital what they
want. Set a spending limit and hit the mall. In fact, sometimes actual presents
mean more this time of year than cash donations. What lonely dog doesn’t
deserve a new tennis ball or chew toy on Christmas morning?
3. Make a Loan: If you have
never heard of Kiva.org, you need to check it out. The concept is
extraordinary; you loan a small amount of money to a family in a third world
country to help them become self-sufficient. The desired microloans are varied,
from a family in Mali who need money to buy seeds and fertilizer to a widow in
Tajikistan who needs to buy more products to sell for a profit at the local
market. It can be a meaningful gift to know that a loan of as little as $25 can
be life-changing for someone else. And, the best part? When they pay the money
back, you can loan it again.
4. Donate: Many people give
a cash donation to their favorite charity this time of year but, in order to
give more and spend less, you need to put a little more thought into it. Why not opt out of buying gifts for family
and friends and donate a small amount to each of their favorite charities this
Christmas? You will spend less and they
will love you for it. In fact, it shows you care enough about them to know what
causes they believe in.
5. Commit: Volunteering your
time and donating money in lieu of family gifts is great but charities need
help year round. Give yourself a present
and commit to volunteering throughout the year. Maybe you could start a new family
tradition; have everyone go around the table and talk about their favorite
charity. Each of you can announce why you chose it and what you are committed
to doing for them in the coming year.
Hopefully, this gives you some great tips on how to give more
meaningful gifts from the heart while still spending less and doing Christmas
on the cheap.
How To Plan For Christmas All Year Long
The last six weeks of the year can be expensive. From
Thanksgiving through Christmas, we do nothing but cook and eat, visit and
travel, spend and shop. It can wreak havoc on an otherwise tight budget. Many
savvy spenders budget for Christmas over all twelve months of the year, not
just the last one.
Open a Christmas Club savings account. Although this
term isn’t really used anymore the concept still works. Set aside a small
amount each pay period into a separate savings account and withdraw it just in
time for a holiday gift shopping spree. If shopping all at once isn’t your idea
of fun, you can set up your budget to allow for the purchase of a gift a month
and just save each item until Christmas. In fact, this also gives you the
opportunity to take advantage of end of the season sales, essentially
stretching your budget a little farther. This may also allow you to buy things
you normally wouldn’t be able to afford. For example, you can scoop up warm winter
blankets and coats for just a few dollars each in February and March. Retailers
need to move seasonal merchandise out of the store to make room for spring
clothing. Save the blankets until fall and then make a welcome donation to your
local homeless shelter.
Storing extra gifts throughout the year usually
necessitates having a gift closet. It can be anywhere, just as long as it is
away from prying eyes. Be sure to include a stash of wrapping supplies as well.
Wrapping paper, ribbon, cards, tape and gift bags all go on sale for next to
nothing after Christmas and you can stock up for next year for cheap. Target
lets everyone know that they sell items at 50% off the day after a holiday, 75%
off after three days and 90% off after seven days. In fact, many shoppers are
making purchases for next year when they shop the day after Christmas.
If you normally have a busy party schedule, this
plan-ahead method can work, too. Use your gift closet to keep token, generic
gifts for all those people that stop by with a “you-shouldn’t-have” gift.
Candles, vases and fine stationary products all go on sale and all appeal to a
wide variety of guests. You can also stop by the Godiva Chocolatier on December
26th (early in the day) to purchase boxed chocolates with holiday
wrappings and decorations. They sell for half off and, if you are planning on
visiting anyone between Christmas and New Year’s, make a perfect hostess gift.
Planning for Christmas throughout the year is easy of
you have a flexible list and a sharp eye. Watch for sales and plan accordingly.
Laughter Is Good Medicine
1.
| Are caterpillars good to eat? | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Johnny: Daddy, are caterpillars good to eat?Father: Have I not told you never to mention such things during meals!Mother: Why did you say that, Junior? Why did you ask the question?Johnny: It's because I saw one on daddy's lettuce, but now it's gone. 2.
|
10 Ways To Do Christmas Cheap
Christmas is a time of year when everyone gets rushed
and overspends, often without even realizing it. To avoid a surprise credit
card balance after the holidays, stick to budget. In fact, make shopping easy
on your time and budget by purchasing gift cards for everyone on your list.
With gift cards, it is easy to stay on budget and, if you set a limit of just
$10 per person, you can have an inexpensive and stress-free holiday. Not every
gift card lends itself to a smaller denomination but the following are all
great choices.
- Best
Buy: If you have a technology lover or a gamer on your list, they will
love a Best buy card. True, a $10 gift card won’t buy much but it helps
defray the cost of what they really want.
- Starbucks:
Seriously, who doesn’t love Starbucks? A frugal spender can get four or
more cups of joe out of one little gift card.
- iTunes:
With the popularity of iPods and similar products, every teen and young
adult loves these gift cards. They can download several songs of their
choice to their device and listen to your gift for years to come.
- Blockbuster:
Netflix has lured many people away from traditional video rentals but, if
you have someone on your list that still prefers their local
BlockBuster, you can be sure that
they will love a gift card. You could even wrap it with a pack of
microwave popcorn. Buy it at the grocery store; it’s cheaper.
- Cold
Stone Creamery: I scream, you scream. We all scream for ice cream. This
popular ice cream parlor is a step above the corner soft serve. Savvy
shoppers doing Christmas on the cheap can look for a coupon to enclose
with the gift, too.
- Barnes
& Noble: Purchasing a gift card from Barnes & Noble (or whatever
bookstore is closest to your gift recipient) is a great way to share your
love of reading with your loved one. An afternoon spent leisurely
wandering a book store and, then, returning home to enjoy your purchase is
a great gift.
- Phone
Card: If you know that your friend has a pay-as-you-go cell phone plan or
makes frequent overseas calls, you can buy any number of gift cards for
those phone services. It is not the most personal gift but it is
definitely thoughtful.
- SkinIt:
It’s a fact; tech lovers like cool accessories for their gear. Skinit.com
gives them what they want. The site offers 1,000’s of “skins” for laptops
and mobile devices. Think of it as a giant, re-positionable sticker. They
smallest denomination is $14.99 but the cool factor alone is worth the
extra 5 bucks.
- Movies:
Your local movie theatre offers gift certificates for both the movie and
for the snack counter. With the rise in prices, you may not be able to get
a pair of tickets for you niece but you could get one each for her and her
sister.
- Amazon:
The internet powerhouse, Amazon.com, offers gift cards. The really unique
feature is how they are delivered. You can email one, download it and
print it at home or send it to a friend in a Facebook post.
Hopefully, you’ll take these gift card ideas and have
your own Christmas on the cheap.
7 Ways For College Students To Give Christmas Gifts Without Spending Money
College students are notoriously broke. Most don’t have jobs and those
that do need the money to help pay for tuition and living expenses. This
perpetual state of poverty doesn’t have to mean that you can’t give generously
at Christmas. There is a vast selection of gifts that cost nothing (or close to
nothing).
1.
Brag: Normally, you are discouraged from bragging but its
ok with parents. Wrap up your grades or an “A” paper. They miss being part of
your day-to-day education and will be thrilled to be included. Reading a paper,
whether they understand the subject or not, will make them proud. You can’t buy
that.
2.
Crop: If you like to scrapbook, make a page for a friend or
loved one. Use materials you already have to save money. You can make a page
showing your life at school for a younger sibling who misses you.
3.
Write: Grandparents are always hard to buy for, whether you
have money or not. Why not buy a nice card and then include a handwritten
letter. Not a note, but a real letter. Grandparents everywhere love letters,
especially from favorite grandchildren away at college. It doesn’t cost you
anything to spend 20 minutes jotting down details of your week, a few childhood
memories and a quick “I miss you”.
4.
Bake: If you enjoy baking, head home and get in the
kitchen. Fresh baked goods are always appreciated and do not cost much. The
best part is that mom has most of the ingredients on–hand already.
5.
Watch: Children, that is. If you have older siblings with
children, volunteer to babysit. It may seem hokey to you, but they will love
the opportunity to get out of the house knowing they have a babysitter they can
trust.
6.
Record: Your friends are just as broke as you and do not
expect a gift. You can, however, burn a CD of your favorite songs for them.
7.
Read: When all else
fails, hunt down cheap magazine subscriptions. Look for inserts in the
magazines offering special pricing, search the internet for coupons and check
eBay for deals. You can find magazine subscriptions for less than $10,
sometimes as little as $7 for the year. Keep your eyes open. Everyone loves
getting a brand new magazine to read each month and they’ll remember who gave
it to them.
The key to remember is that no one expects you to buy them an expensive
gift. They are just happy to see you and spend time with you. Don’t stress the
gift; you don’t need to spend money at Christmas to make your family and
friends happy.
5 Tricks To Spending Less Over Christmas
Making the commitment to spend less this Christmas is easy. Sticking to
that commitment is the hard part. In fact, everyone has probably considered the
idea on more than one occasion but fallen short of the goal. No matter how good
your intentions, once the season gets in full swing a frenzied momentum can
take over. Before you know it, you have spent well over your planned Spartan
budget, are nowhere near finished and are forced to postpone your frugal goals
for another year.
Let's jump on this and save you from this fate with five tricks to help
you stay on track.
1.
Don’t go window shopping at the mall. Better yet, don’t go
to the mall at all, if you can help it. Marketing execs are paid the big bucks
to make you forget your ambitious plan. In fact, they spend money to learn
which techniques will make you spend yours. Online shopping still pressures you
into buying what you don’t want or need but it is much easier to say no from
the comforts of your own living room.
2.
Set a budget. This is sometimes easier said than done. Be
strict with yourself. Take cash out of the bank and put that exact amount you
want to spend on each person in a separate envelope. You can have a separate
envelope for expenses such as stamps, wrapping paper, holiday cards, shipping
costs – just don’t forget to budget for them.
3.
Accept the fact that you are not perfect. Know that there
are exceptions too every rule. If you see the ultimate, dream gift for someone
(& can afford it), go ahead. Do not make the mistake of thinking that you
need to do this for everyone, no matter how much you are tempted. You can explain that this gift is a birthday/Christmas/every-holiday-for-the-rest-of-your-life
gift.
4.
Don’t feel pressured to get involved with every gift giving
arrangement at the office. Practice saying, “My family is really focused on not
buying gifts this year”. Most people will understand. If all else fails,
announce that you will be baking several dozen cookies or your grandmother’s
famous fill-in-the-blank and bringing it to the office. Leave a note that
reads, “Happy Holidays from the Smith Family” and make sure everyone can see
it. Food always does the trick.
5.
If you feel weak in the knees and don’t think you can stand
up to the pressure, turn to gift cards. You can purchase them in specific
dollar amounts that are within your budget and then tell everyone that you are
done shopping.
Hopefully these tricks will help you avoid overspending this Christmas
and finally reach your goal of spending less (much less) this holiday season.
5 Myths About An Inexpensive Christmas
What holds people back from setting the goal of having an inexpensive
Christmas? What are they concerned about when they toss around the idea?
Everyone likes to save money, but, somehow the idea of doing so during
Christmastime is enough to make even the bargain shopper pause.
Here are some myths about an inexpensive Christmas and reasons why you
should ignore them.
1.
People will think you are cheap.
Inexpensive does not have to be a bad
thing. In fact, many of your friends and family may even be relieved. They may
be trying to spend less and save more, too. The key is to not hit the dollar
store. Don’t try to buy a bunch of cheap stuff. Rather, you'll want to get the
best deals you can and buy good quality no matter the price-range. Whether you
reduced your budget to $20 a person or $10, buy one nice item.
2.
You’ll feel guilty.
Well, maybe a little but you shouldn’t.
Christmas is not about who spends the most money or buys the most extravagant
gift. Besides, you will feel great in January when your credit card statement
comes and you don’t dread opening it. In fact, someone should bottle that
feeling of satisfaction you get when you know you don’t have a credit card
balance any longer.
3.
Everyone will think it is ridiculous to cut back so much at
this time of year.
The truth is people that know you will
probably admire your strength. In fact, each and every one of them probably had
the same idea at least once, got sidetracked and fell short of their goal. They
will be impressed by your fortitude.
And, who knows, they might even jump on the inexpensive bandwagon next
year.
4.
You can’t buy anything someone would want for cheap.
Actually,
limited budgets lend themselves to some of the most creative, appreciated and
memorable presents. If you take a family photo every year, put one in a frame
for the grandparents. It makes for a very inexpensive gift that any grandparent
would cherish more than that new sweater. Likewise, a hand-made gift from a
child is worth much more in the eyes of a parent than any blue box from Tiffany.
5.
I won’t enjoy Christmas as much if I can’t spend a ton of
money on gifts.
Well,
it’s like your mother always said, “You never know until you try.” It can take
dozens of repetitions before an action becomes a habit. Once you see the
results, saving money and not going overboard at Christmas will stick faster
than most.
Whatever your hang-ups, beliefs or fears about
simplifying Christmas are, they are likely unfounded. Tell yourself that you
need to make the commitment to have an inexpensive holiday this season. Try it
just once. You never know; you may like it
4 Little Known Benefits to Spending Less at Christmas
Spending less at Christmas is obviously beneficial. When you spend less, you have more money available to put in your savings account or to pay off debts. There are, however, lesser known benefits to doing Christmas on the cheap.
1. No stress: Driving on icy, snow-covered roads to brave the crowds at your local mall only to spend more than you wanted is stressful. Many worry about finding the perfect gift, getting everything on their long gift list and shipping it all on time. Let’s not even talk about the long line at the post office. When you intentionally spend less at Christmas, you can avoid many of these stress inducers.
2. No January Surprise: Many Americans go through the holiday season with blinders on and happily charge whatever they want on their credit cards. The shocker comes in January when they get their monthly statement or, worse, statements. Opening that dreaded envelope and seeing the balance, rapidly compounding interest, late fees, new monthly payment and possibly even an over limit fee can all bring one back to reality fast. The real joy of cutting back and spending less at Christmas is knowing that you won’t be paying for Christmas in monthly installments.
3. Real Focus: Spending less at Christmas allows you to focus on what is really important. Namely, spending time with family and friends, enjoying the simple pleasure of home-cooked meals, participating in candlelight services and volunteering to make the holiday enjoyable for those less fortunate. Once you step away from the commercial aspect of the holiday by refusing to spend ridiculous amounts of money, you can really appreciate these “gifts”.
4. Chance to Relax: Many people take time off from their jobs over the Christmas holiday only to run around like crazy, trying to get everything done. They spend every weekend and off hour running from mall to mall, shopping with abandon. Some even pull all-nighters just to wrap the multitude of presents. This routine can be downright exhausting. Remember that this is your weekend, your vacation time. Sit back and enjoy it. If you only purchase a small, token gift for everyone on your list, you will be able to spend more time with your family and friends and less time with the clerk at your teen’s favorite store. You work hard all year. Why not make taking time to relax a personal gift to yourself.
Don't overlook the simplicity and idealism of these benefits. If everyone took a little time to spend less over the holidays, even if it meant just eliminating one or two gifts, Christmas would be less stressful, more affordable and more enjoyable for all.
Hate Letter
This is a very clever way to get your love letter past the parents!
Read this “Hate Letter”. It is so creative. This is a love letter from a boy to a girl…. However, the girl’s father does not like him and want them stop their relationship. …and so.. the boy wrote this letter to the girl..he knows that the girl’s father will definitely read this letter……
Read this letter and then the message after it :
“The great love that I have for you
is gone, and I find my dislike for you
grows every day. When I see you,
I do not even like your face;
the one thing that I want to do is to
look at other girls. I never wanted to
marry you. Our last conversation
was very boring and has not
made me look forward to seeing you again.
You think only of yourself.
If we were married, I know that I would find
life very difficult, and I would have no
pleasure in living with you. I have a heart
to give, but it is not something
that I want to give to you. No one is more
foolish and selfish than you, and you are not
able to care for me and help me.
I sincerely want you to understand that
I speak the truth. You will do me a favor
if you think this is the end. Do not try
to answer this. Your letters are full of
things that do not interest me. You have no
true love for me. Good-bye! Believe me,
I don’t care for you. Please don’t think that
I am still your boyfriend.”
So bad!!!!!!! is it???
However, Before handing over the letter to the girl, The boy told the girl to “READ BETWEEN THE LINES”…
Read the Alternate Lines.. [ 1,3,5 etc... ]
It’s so smart & sweet….
It’s so smart & sweet….
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