Posts by FabGirl:
Save Spooktacularly this Halloween
Eek!
Halloween is fast approaching! American families will spend approximately $2.2 billion dollars on Halloween candy alone this year, not to mention all the money that is shelled out for costumes and decorations. Most of us are still feeling the recession’s pinch on our wallets, but that doesn’t mean we can’t create a fun and affordable Halloween. Read More »
Cheer On Your Team for Cheap
So football season is in full swing and you’ve dragged out your favorite jersey and giant foam finger. (Go Lakers! Oh, wait, that’s basketball.) You’d love to see your team in person or throw an awesome tailgate party, but your bank balance has reminded you that money is a little tight. Looks like it’s just you and the recliner this season. Lucky for you, I asked some real football fans how they manage game day without blowing their budget. Read More »
Back to School: Six Tricks for Getting There on the Cheap
How can it possibly be the second week of August? Whatddya mean summer is almost over? That only means one thing for me…taking my children back to school shopping.
AGGGGHHHH.
*faints*
Sorry. Now that I have recovered, let me guide you on how to not lose your mind or your wallet during back to school shopping. Read More »
She Wore A Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Cheap Bikini?
So we’ve splashed into summer headfirst and you’ve just been invited over to the neighbor’s for a BBQ and pool party. The problem is your swimsuit is six years old and has more sags than our stock market right now. And your Quicken Online Mobile iPhone app says that you’ve got $73 in your account until payday, so where can you find a cool deal on a hot suit?
- Photo by Coreyu
With the nation still tightening its belt, a good place to start is major discount retailers. TJ Maxx, Kohl’s and Marshalls are all good choices to consider, as mid-season sales are underway and fall stock is now entering stores.
Many retailers are now offering up to 50% on their swimwear collections, which you know, sounds good to me. My favorite store for summer is Victoria’s Secret, which is having a massive online swimsuit blowout with sales from 25-50% on over 200 styles. Score! My personal favorite is one this tankini. Too bad it would take a ‘miracle’ for me to not look like a walrus stuffed into a floral garbage bag.
One place to avoid this time of year is swimwear chains, located in your local mall, as summer and winter are their busy seasons, and it’s not likely you’ll find a discount to be had. Head there in the fall, when they typically clear out the previous season’s stock to make room for the new year. Do instead browse their offerings to find out what the latest styles are, but leave before you fork over big bucks for a suit you could have purchased elsewhere, for up to half the cost.
If you have Dolce & Gabbana eyes and an Old Navy wallet, then check out Bluefly.com. Here you can find top designer brands offered at budget-friendly prices. I found the discounts were generally 30-40%, which may leave you enough cash to pick up those cute little hot pink mules. I’m like your own thrifty Tim Gunn, y’all.
According to ShopItToMe.com, Saturdays are the best day to pick up a great deal on a bikini, but you can also check their free personal shopping service, where all it takes is a few clicks for you to enter your favorite apparel brands and they will alert you via SaleMail™, when your desired item goes on sale. The average savings is usually around 42% which to my brains reads, “Almost 50% off, so buy two! Whoo!”
Another great website for instant discounts from many popular retailers is FabulousSavings.com. It’s a free online coupon website that requires no registration or waiting for an email alert and can assist you in saving from hundreds of national retailers offering savings both online and in-store. Plug in your favorite store and start saving!
For those interested in saving AND giving back, a must-have on your bookmark file should be GoodShop.com. It’s a growing coupon service that offers discounts and deals from more than 1,000 online stores. When you enter the charity of your choice and click through GoodShop.com’s site, up to 30% of every sale goes back to the charity you selected. You can look good and feel good about your shopping choices.
The middle of summer is a great time to snag a great deal on swim apparel, so you’ll be well-suited to rock that pool party. Just remember that a belly flop is not a good look for anybody. Period.
Saving for the Kids College: What's the Best Way?
Credit: paul_everett82
Remember the day you brought home your new child and thought, “This is the BEST day, ever! I am going to love being a parent,” then the baby pooped, at which point you realized that this precious child is going to be nothing but hard, stinky work and is going to be the costliest decision you’ve ever made?
Yeah. Fond memories.
Of course, I am not saying that children are nothing but expensive accessories in your life, but one day, you’ll realize that you want to send your child off to college to gain themselves a fine education, because clearly, after all those diaper changes, that kid owes you. BIG TIME.
So, where do you start? I figured that I was a pretty smart, so I decided to google my little fingers off and see just how easy it is to save money for my children’s education. What I discovered is that not only do I not know Where’s Waldo, I also don’t know diddley about choosing the right plan for my kids’ college fund.
I decided that clearly I needed help, so I asked a whole bunch of smart people, who actually have degrees in this field, and here’s what I discovered:
529’s are not for everyone - These plans are all about tax-free growth. So if you’ve just had a baby,excellent. If your child is 13, not a lot of moola is going to accumulate in the next 5 years. If you are a making a high income and not even in the running for financial aid, then why are you reading this… go ask your accountant already. Kidding! Author Tim Higgins from CollegePlusRetirement.com suggests that 529’s are a great way to reduce taxes on your savings, as well as a great place for grandparents who would like to help with their grandchildren’s college expenses. They can control all the money and can gift large amounts out of their estate.
Given the recent decline in most people’s 529 accounts, many parents are questioning even keeping their money in a 529. “What many need to look at now is how well their plan provider managed the downturn. Just going with your state’s plan may not be the right thing to do going forward, if your manager took on more risk than was appropriate, or doesn’t offer save options, like money market accounts.” says Robert Schmansky, CFP.
by tomsaint11
Think creatively – Roth IRAs are a good choice as you can pull out the principal after five years with no penalty for educational purposes. If your child does not attend college, then your money will continue to grow for your retirement.
Manuel Fabriquer, a Certified College Planner from College Planning ABC, says “If the parents do not want to risk losing principle, a CD account is going to give peace of mind in this economy. The rates are low and the accounts are FDIC insured now to $250,000. It’s not fancy but it will work for now until the economy gets back on its feet.” Which as we all know is going to be next week. Right? Wrong.
With all the time you are on the internet, why not use Freshman Fund as an innovative way to save for college? All it takes is an email address, two minutes and grandparents, aunts and that lady that lives down the street (who makes those fabulous cookies), can easily and quickly deposit money into your child’s 529 account.
Wait! Not easy enough? How about using your everyday checking account to help save for college? FutureTrust Banking Center’s 529 checking accounts earn a minimum of 1 percent interest on their average daily account balance. That generated interest is automatically deposited into a college savings plan of the account holder’s choice. Suh-weeet! Anything that I don’t have to get up off the couch to do is all right with me!
Saving, schmaving – If saving is not an option for your family right now, as it is for many of us, don’t forget that school scholarships, grants and financial aid are all worth looking into for your child’s education. Instill in your kids now the importance of good study habits and a great GPA and it will pay off come college application time. There is no need to forgo your own retirement for your kid’s education. If all you can afford is putting some money away for retirement, then pay yourself first. The government doesn’t offer financial aid for road trips to visit your grandchildren.
As always, you can sign up for a free Quicken Online account to keep tabs on your investments. It won’t cost you a cent and you’ll be happy to see if your money is growing enough to send junior to his favorite school.
If not, there’s always living with Mom and Dad. Oh snap! Did I say that?
Save Some Moolah this Summer Travel Season
Like any good procrastinator, I’ve been trying to finally schedule my summer travel plans for this year. Of course, this summer is not last summer and most of us are rethinking an expensive trip.
Here’s my Do and Don’t List for Saving Some Moola while Traveling this Summer or #D&DLFSSMWTTS: (Catchy, isn’t it?)
* Do travel with another family or group of friends. Know somebody who also likes the beach? Call them up and see if they want to split the cost of accommodations with you. If you’ve got a family, asking friends with kids to travel with you can save you in a couple of ways. If you rent a house for a week, you save half the rental fee (More money for booze!) and you have built-in playmates for the kids. If you trade off baby-sitting, you get the option of having one evening of the week to sneak away for a date night.
* Don’t travel with your in-laws. You’ll be shelling out cash for therapy years later. Just trust me on this.
* Do sign up for hotel chain reward memberships. I belong to Hilton, (Hi Paris! Call me! Let’s do lunch!) Marriott and Starwood and it only takes a few nights here and there to earn enough points to get a free room. Also, they offer special discounts throughout the year to their members – so go sign up now. (I’ll wait.)
* Don’t forget that booking a room with a kitchen can help save more cashola. Making a quick stop at a grocery store can score you a few meals and snacks for the stay and Whee! No grief from (or tip for) the angsty waitress at the local restaurant. If you do go out, you’ll also have a fridge for your leftovers when you order too much at the Cheesecake Factory. Mmmmm, I love their Chicken Madeira. Wait, where was I?
* Do use the internet as your own travel agent. You can download this nifty toolbar, powered by Conduit, on Travelocity and you will then receive special travel alerts and last minute trip ideas just for downloading it. Sweet! What could be easier? I also discovered that Starwood Hotels is offering a “Stay 2 nights and get the 3rd free” if you check in on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Which again is sweet because MORE MONEY FOR BOOZE.
* Don’t forget to check out destinations close to your home. Staycations are all the rage with the current economic state being what it is. I live within 20 minutes of Niagara Falls and do you know how often I go there? That’s right, never. Oh, yeah, that big old waterfall thing? Pfffft. But I found that my kids love going to see the tacky shops and to Rainforest Cafe for dessert, so pull up Google Maps and pick a destination that’s a short drive away and make it a daycation! Bring me back a $2 tee shirt already.
* Do let your phone keep track of your travel expenses. Quicken has launched an iPhone app that allows you to easily enter your purchases, update balances and locate ATMs when your funds are running low. Very handy if you’re lost in an unfamiliar city and need $20 for your venti coffee with extra whipped cream.
* Do hit up friends and family (that you actually like) for some free lodging (especially if they live in a cool city) and tell them you’ll bring wine and that photo album from college when everyone had big hair and not one picture is in focus. Consider a house swap for a week (and argue over the broken microwave and red wine stains later). Good times.
And, finally…
* Do try and find a way to get away. If it’s only a weekend trip poking around flea markets or a week schlepping through a National Park, summer travel this year can still be affordable and fun. Don’t forget your camera. You’ll want more blurry photos for that album.
