Quote of the Day
"Budget: a mathematical confirmation of your suspicions." —A.A. Latimer
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December 28, 2007
December 21, 2007
Cheap Airfare
Skybus has started to sell plane tickets for travel between March 7-May 31, 2008. The new low-fare carrier offers 10 seats for $10 on each flight. Here are the current destinations:
Columbus, OH to/from:
Boston (Portsmouth)
Chattanooga
Ft. Lauderdale
Greensboro**
Gulfport-Biloxi/New Orleans Area
Hartford/Springfield
Jacksonville/Daytona Beach
Kansas City
Los Angeles
Milwaukee
New York/Stewart
Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers
Richmond
S.F./Bay Area
Greensboro,** NC to/from:
Boston (Portsmouth)
Columbus
Ft. Lauderdale
Gulfport-Biloxi/New Orleans Area
Hartford/Springfield
Jacksonville/Daytona Beach
Los Angeles
New York/Stewart
Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers
Boston, MA (Portsmouth) to/from:
Columbus
Greensboro**
Jacksonville/Daytona Beach
Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers
After the $10 seats sell out, you can still get fares for around $35 to $45 on many flights.
December 20, 2007
Free 8x10 from Walgreens - Friday Only
Friday, Dec. 21, Walgreens is offering 1 free 8x10 when you use the coupon code: VERYNICE.
Very nice, indeed.
December 19, 2007
Quote of the Day
"Oh, for the good old days when people would stop Christmas shopping when they ran out of money." —Author Unknown
December 17, 2007
Quote of the Day
"Do not be fooled into believing that because a man is rich he is necessarily smart. There is ample proof to the contrary." —Julius Rosenwald
Going Green on a Budget
Organic and specialty products are almost always more expensive than their less-eco-friendly counterparts. MSN has an article with tips on how to go green on a budget.
December 15, 2007
Cheap Trend? Rent a Designer Handbag
Some women are opting to rent high-end designer handbags, thanks to websites like BagBorrowOrSteal.com and FromBagsToRiches.com.
A Boston Globe story explains how BagBorrowOrSteal works: "Customers pay a monthly fee for access to a collection of authentic designer handbags. Membership levels -- ranging from Trendsetter ($19.95) to Diva Deluxe ($174.95) -- determine whether a customer borrows a Coach minibag or an expensive, hard-to-get Hermes tote. Members may borrow the bag for as long as they like, and when they're ready for a change they can go online and order another. The company also offers the option to buy the bag at a discounted price determined by the bag's age and condition."
Interesting trend! What do you think about it? Post below.
Quote of the Day
"Business, you know, may bring money, but friendship hardly ever does." —Jane Austen
Free Donut After Magic Win
Jeff and I went to the Magic game tonight ... and they lost to the Memphis Grizzles. But had they won, we would have been looking at scoring a free donut tomorrow morning before church. Dunkin Donuts has teamed with the Orlando Magic this year to offer free donuts when you mention a Magic win the day after the game. Click here for more info.
Do you have something similar in your area? Post it below in the comments!
December 14, 2007
Cheap Ways to Get Santa Pics
I never knew this was possible until tonight, but my friend told me that she and some others in her local "moms" group went to the mall to have their kids made with Santa. When they got up there, they asked if they could take their own photos and the workers gladly obliged. They just stepped aside. This is a common practice! They paid $0 to have their kids pictures made with Santa and the whole setup. Great tip!
December 13, 2007
Manatee Tenders
This has nothing to do with cheap ways to do anything ... well, except it's about eating at home, which will definitely save you money ... but tonight my husband was baking some chicken tenders when he noticed that they were in the shape of a manatee family, complete with mommy, daddy and baby manatee. Pretty hilarious if you've ever listened to comedian Jim Gaffigan.
Some people see the Virgin Mary in their food — we see manatees. Save the manatees!
Cheap Ways to Support our Troops!
I found a website today sponsored by the Xerox company. They will send a postcard to a soldier at no cost to you. You pick out a design (created by children across the country), select a pre-written message or write your own, add your name and hometown and submit. They hold it until they have enough for a full print run, then print and mail it. For something that's free and takes about 30 seconds of your time, it's the least we can do!
Quote of the Day
"Empty pockets never held anyone back. Only empty heads and empty hearts can do that." —Norman Vincent Peale
December 12, 2007
Free TV Taping Tickets
If you're in the LA area or visiting, check this site for free tv show tapings.
Canon Cameras on Sale
Canon Digital Rebel DSLRs are now about half-price on Amazon.com. Plus, shipping is free. I have one of these and have really enjoyed it. Although better lenses do exist, I find the one that comes with it is fine for regular photography.
Quote of the Day
"Happiness consists not in having much, but in being content with little.” —Marguerite Gardiner
December 10, 2007
Quote of the Day
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” —Maryanne Williamson
(Used by Nelson Mandela in his 1994 inaugural speech)
December 09, 2007
Get 6 free songs on Amazon.com
Amazon.com is offering six free songs (no strings attached). Go to the mp3 section and click 'holiday deals', scroll down to the bottom to see and download 4 of them. Do a search for KT Tunstall for the fifth one and Brian Setzer for the sixth. Enjoy!
FREE MP3 Songs:
"So Long, You Fool"
by Sophie Milman
"100 Days, 100 Nights"
by Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings
"Holiday Twist"
by Los Straitjackets
"Thick As Thieves"
by Dashboard Confessional
"Saving My Face"
by KT Tunstall
"Take A Break Guys"
by Brian Setzer
Candy Cane Creations
Buy candy canes in bulk and make a variety of holiday treats that are easy on your budget.
Shop at a warehouse store like Sam's Club or Costco, or shop online for bulk deals.
Peppermint Bark
Buy meltable Almond Bark from your grocery store. Melt it in a microwavable safe dish, then pour it into a 9x13 pan. As it begins to cool, sprinkle crushed candy canes over the top. After it has hardened, use a knife to break into uneven pieces. These make great gifts packaged pretty.
Gift embellishments
Top your hand-delivered Christmas cards and gifts with wrapped candy canes.
Sweet Stirrers
Use your candy cane as a stirrer in hot cocoa. You can also place a hot cocoa packet in a pretty mug, then place a candy cane in it as an economical gift for coworkers.
Ornaments
Use any leftover candy cards to decorate your Christmas tree as ornaments! Let your child (or yourself) eat one each day until Christmas.
Get Crafty!
I have a friend who is getting into selling her products at craft shows. She's done a great job of doing research on which ones to attend and how to sell her products effectively at the show. If you are thinking of doing some shows, here's an article with some tips. I would add to this that there are many smaller craft shows that women are hosting from home. This is a great, low-cost way to get started. If you can't find someone in your area who's already doing it, start your own! Get together your crafty friends, print up fliers advertising the date and location and do some viral marketing online to spread the word (blogs are great for this!)
Curbly.com
Here's a fun website with fun ideas on how to make cool, modern stuff: Curbly.com. Think Ready Made magazine.
Here are some recent posts: gift tags, sporty shopping bag, picture frame from glasses, candy dish, pet hotel ....
Cardboard Christmas
This year, don't throw out the cardboard boxes your kids' (and big kids') gifts come in (large screen tv anyone?) Keep them to create forts, castles, houses and anything else your kids will enjoy for months to come. Ribbons and bows from packages can trim windows and discarded wrapping paper can create a quilt-like covering for your abode. Let the kids go crazy with markers to add the rest of the details. It's really true that kids sometimes like to play with the boxes more than the toys! Help them do that this year and create memories that will last a lifetime (a lot longer than that tv will).
Cheap Ways to Celebrate Christmas
• What a card! Keep your Christmas cards each year. Cut the covers off and use them as postcards the next year. You'll save on postage and recycle! You can also attach these to gifts to use them as name cards.
• Cut it out! Reduce the number of people you send cards to or give gifts to! If you haven't talked to the person in a year, don't feel obligated to send them a card!
• That's a wrap! Use paper of all kinds to wrap gifts. Here are ideas on how to do it.
• Do your homework. Before buying (whether it's gifts or food), check the newspaper for the best deals. And for items that can wait, plan your purchase for after the holidays when clearance prices are at their lowest. Before you buy in the store, check prices online. Many sites offer free shipping during the holidays.
• Go out! There are lots of free holiday programs around Christmas. Check local church websites and chamber of commerce websites to find local parades, concerts and other free events.
• Get together. With many "buy one, get one free" deals around, get with a friend and split your purchases to save money and avoid buying more than you need.
• Give. If you're investing in new technology or toys this year, donate your old stuff to charity or a family you know needs it would appreciate it.
Quote of the Day
"Money's only important when you don't have any." —Sting
December 05, 2007
Quote of the Day
"After a visit to the beach, it's hard to believe that we live in a material world." —Pam Shaw
December 04, 2007
Cheap Ways to Build a Brand
Quite a few of my friends have their own businesses. One of the most important things when you have your own business is to build your brand effectively. This article talks about cheap ways to do that, including creating an affiliate program, making sure all your graphics match and writing articles (and blogs) related to your craft.
Quote of the Day
“You can only become truly accomplished at something you love. Don't make money your goal. Instead, pursue the things you love doing, and then do them so well that people can't take their eyes off you.” —Maya Angelou
December 03, 2007
Quote of the Day
"If you would be wealthy, think of saving as well as getting." —Benjamin Franklin