Debt relief is possible, even if you have to plan a Thanksgiving meal. (Photo: Wikipedia.org)

If you find yourself inhaling the last of the crouton dust after a fruitless search for the elusive meal, you are likely in need of debt relief. I’ve been there before, so I feel your fruitlessness. Now that Thanksgiving has flickered into view like flames from a toaster slot, you’re going to have to do a little bit better, particularly if you’re going to be having people over.

Plan and Save from Your Man Cave

Or feminine aerie, or whatever you call your esteemed hovel. You can plan how much food you’ll need and save some money in the process. That’s debt relief with wings that work, unlike the ex-bird that will grace your table.

Or Will You Even Give Them the Bird?

There are lots of other solutions, including ham, enchiladas or the gluten-free vegan feast of your choosing. But the main things you need to know are how long you’re going to entertain, how many people you’ll have and what time of day you’re doing this. If you’re doing an after-dinner party rather than an all day football gorge fest, you know you won’t need as much.

But Let’s Get to the Menu “Rules of Thumb”

Thanks to About.com, here are some general guidelines for you to follow. I’ve added my own comments, as I’m sure you’ll deduce. They’ll make Thanksgiving cheaper and contribute toward your debt relief journey.

1) Round Up When You Estimate

Better a little too much than too little.

2) Offer Ample Choices

Contrary to what you might think, more choices equals less of any one item. A little of this and a little of that instead of industrial-sized portions of an old stand-by make Thanksgiving parties spicy and (generally) cheaper for you.

3) Assume They’ll Try Everything

But they’ll likely go small, so that’s more leftovers for you! Trust me, it’s a psychological thing akin to nobody wanting to be “the one” who ate the last cookie.

4) Go Bulk for Sit-Down Dinners

Go with breads, nuts, olives, pretzels or anything cheap. This saves on prep time for those of you with no culinary skills. Besides, lots of bread will fill them up fast, make them feel like fat slobs and lower their resistance to your hypnotic suggestions. Tell them to stop eating and leave immediately… but wait until after dessert. The world’s all right with pie.

How Much SHOULD One Person Eat?

This varies, but you can do the math and figure out where the budgetary debris will fall.

Hors d’oeuvres and Salad?

Six bites before a meal. Remind them of Botswana if they object. If that’s the meal, think four to six bites per hour. With green salad, one ounce is right. Excess lettuce leads to emission problems (see the bean barb below).

Le Main Course?

Poultry, meat or fish are acceptable. About.com says six ounces per person if there’s one main dish, eight if there are two or more. To me, that seems counter intuitive to the myriad bulk plan offered above, but perhaps your guests are zombies and their lust for carne cannot be sated.

Rice and Grains? Yes Please! Pasta too!

One-and-one-half ounces as a side dish, two in a main dish like risotto. Can’t go wrong there, I think. And for pasta, think two ounces as a side, three for first course and four for main. Not all of those, however. Pick one. Repetition will cause your guest to plot your demise as you sleep. Change it up and you won’t have an “Ox Bow Incident” on your hands.

Get Starchy

Five ounces of potatoes should do it. The starches lull the mind into trance more readily, to which I’ve already alluded. It also weighs them down if you plan to use your guests as tackling dummies later.

Veggies and Beans within Your Means

Think four ounces of vegetables and two ounces of beans per person. I cannot stress enough that you adhere to think, particularly when it comes to the beans. You’re going to be locked in tight quarters with many people for a few hours, so think about it. If you have a gas stove, it’s a no-brainer.

You May Now Have Dessert

One thin slice of cakey substance is appropriate. In fact, it’s very cosmopolitan. If you’re going to get gushy, four ounces of pudding will do. For ice cream, think five ounces. If you mix the two, cut the portions in half. You’re out to perform debt relief surgery on yourself, so you don’t need pastry blobs giving you a hard time. Give those creampuffs the what-for if they question your stinginess.

But as always, do this in the most thankful manner possible. It is Thanksgiving, remember!

Related Video:

Learn how you can organize your bills so that they seem less of chore and more of an achievement.

You see them every day, and you hate to open them. What more exciting news could they possibly bring than reminding you of your obligation? Don’t they realize there is a recession going on? Do they think you have extra cash lying around? Rather than looking at them like the 800-pound ogre that won’t go away, begin organizing bills by priority and take a conquering approach to them.

According to psychologist Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the first thing you have to satisfy are physiological needs such as food, shelter and breathing. This is generally a good guideline to follow, but you don’t have to exactly stick to it to the T as you’re organizing which bills to pay first. You may want to consider this recommendation.

Keep a Roof Over Your Head

As you’re leafing through those dreaded envelopes, organizing the bills in order of least ulcer-inducing, remember first that you’ve got avoid sleeping under a bridge. Mortgages may be the biggest pain because they are the largest payment, but if you consistently miss paying that bill, then be prepared to pitch your tent underneath the nearest overpass. Okay, perhaps that’s a bit harsh. At least consider that you have to first take care of your physical needs.

Got to Get Around

The second priority in organizing your bills is making your car payment. Unless you live in a city and have daily access to fast public transport, you need be able to get to and from work or to that next job fair. In the United States, Canada and other spread out societies, you can’t really go too far without wheels. We are highly dependent on cars to perform day-to-day functions.

Health Insurance

Despite this being under large debate in the government, health care is not something to gamble with. Swine flu, cancer treatments, disability-related injuries, obesity and stress-related symptoms have all affected physical and mental health in some form or another, especially in this economy. You need to be able to see the doctor whenever necessary. Don’t leave your health to chance and whimsy.

Who’s On First

Pay the bill that has the earlier date. You might have thought this would be the first criterion in paying bills, but you have to consider your personal needs as you’re organizing. Can you afford a negative balance in your checking account until payday rolls around the next week? Or can you afford to lose your house for a month as you maintain a positive balance in your checking account? Once you meet your physical needs, then you can take on the pesky bill that knocks early at your door.

Highest Percentage Credit Cards

Paying off high interest-rate credit cards is emphasized time and again by financial experts for good reason. Missing these payments on a consistent basis just piles on unnecessary fees. Remember that you are paying a penalty for being late. If you show up late to a meeting, you get a stern look. If you’re late with a promised card payment, you’re slapped with an added cost you don’t need right now. Some credit cards are a lot harsher about your delinquency than others by how high they charge you.

A little trim saves a lot of money (photo: flickr.com)

Today, many families are struggling with tight budgets. Even in better economic times, it can be difficult to find ways to save money when there’s little or none left at the end of the month. But when you take a really close look at your spending habits, there’s almost always one more way to save a little money. Small, incremental savings really do add up.  Here are a few ideas to help you trim your budget and free up some extra cash:

Food and grocery expenses

Take a look at where your food dollars really go. Make a list of how frequently you eat in a restaurant or visit the coffee shop on the way to work. Perhaps there are extra impulsive buys at the grocery store that aren’t necessary. If you are purchasing brand name items, there are usually generic brands available that can offer you the same (or nearly the same) quality.  Eating at home more often and buying generic products can save you money every week.

Gauge your utility usage carefully

Utility bills are major expenses in most household budgets. Electricity and water are necessities; however, can you usually find ways to use them more efficiently. Are you switching off the computer when you’re not using it? Are you turning off the water at appropriate times? Are you turning down the heat when you’re not home?  These and other simple things can make a big difference in the bottom line.

Check your bank statement for ATM fees

When you look closely at your bank statement, you may find fees you’ve never noticed before. If you use the ATM frequently, you may be paying several dollars for each transaction. You can avoid this unnecessary expense, by use your debit card for a purchase and asking for cash back.  It doesn’t cost anything extra to get cash back from a purchase at major grocery, drug, and hardware stores.

Cut down on bank account fees

Another thing to look for on your bank statement is fees for services you don’t use.  Some bank accounts have monthly fees for multiple transactions, and others charge you for each one that you make. Count the number of transactions that you make, and find which route is cheaper for you.  It’s easy to find banks who offer accounts with free services.  Change banks if doing so will save you money.  At some banks, you can also save a few dollars by opting for online statements rather than paper statements

Stop using credit cards

If you owe a balance on your credit card, cut the card up and throw it away. If you have any extra cash that you would normally deposit into your bank account, use it to pay down your card instead. You may be paying hundreds of dollars in interest on this debt.  Make every effort to pay it down quickly.  Once you start to make a dent in the principal balance, you’ll notice the difference in your available cash each month.

Pay your bills on time

Paying your bills when they are due will save significant amounts each month.  When money is tight, late fees and other penalties make your struggles so much worse.  Cut back on other expenditures in whatever way you can and pay your monthly bills on time.  If you’ve incurring late fees, you can save hundreds of dollars each month – literally – by make timely payments your first priority.

Add up your extra cash!

When you get serious about cutting your expenditures, you’ll notice the savings right away.  It’s surprising how quickly these little changes can make such a big difference.

If you need Extra Cash, Apply Now

(Photo via Wikimedia.org)

People go to Wal-Mart for one thing; to save money. I don’t care what others have to say about the world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart is one of the best places to go to reduce the probable need of a payday loan. I find just about everything I need there: kids toys, home appliance, electronics, food, beauty products, etc. They have also expanded to other ventures. For instance, you can now get great deals on Wal-Mart caskets. Yep… I said caskets.

Wal-Mart Caskets Available Online

Wal-Mart is taking it all the way, from the cradle to the grave. Wal-Mart is offering caskets online with prices that range from $999.00 to $3,199.00. These unbelievable prices will no doubt carve a hole in the pockets of funeral homes, which has been the major source for caskets.

With Wal-Mart, you can get a casket for $1,000 instead of paying the traditional amount of $2-$3,000 at funeral homes. Caskets are shipped within 24 hours and delivered by FedEx overnight. According to the website, there are no refunds unless the product has been damaged during shipping. Wal-Mart is also allowing people to pay for the caskets over a period of 12 months with no interest. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal to me.

Cheaper Caskets – Wal-Mart or Costco?

This Wal-Mart casket motion follows a similar shift made by discount competitor Costco, which also sells caskets online. I compared the prices of Wal-Mart caskets with the price of caskets at Costco and so far, from what I’m looking at, you can find cheaper caskets at Costco. You can get a casket at Costco for only $924.99, rather than paying $999 for a casket at Wal-Mart. This way you save$74.01 on a casket. That’s another sweet saving!

Death of a Loved One is Hard Enough

The death of a loved one is hard on anyone. It also carries a huge burden of large expenses that may require an instant payday loan. That’s why I’m glad places like Wal-Mart and Costco are offering great deals on interment appliances such as caskets and floral arrangements. Death of a loved one is hard enough. Things are a lot easier when you have a little extra cash on hand.

Learning to cook can help improve your credit score (photo: flickr.com)

Credit repair services are on the rise as people figure out ways to save money and build wealth so they can pay down debt.   Paying down debt is a key element of credit repair, and obviously, it takes money to pay down debt.

But do you realize that if you just stopped wasting money when you buy groceries, clean your house, or pay for auto insurance, you would have the money you need to pay off debts and get your credit report cleaned up?  Here are a few ways to free up cash so you can start paying off those past due debts.

Eat more healthfully

Most of the typical food budget is dedicated to convenience foods that you could make yourself for pennies on the dollar. Instead of buying prepared mixes and processed foods, invest in a good recipe book and learn to cook.  Not only will you eat better and have fun in the kitchen, you’ll save money that you can apply to your credit repair.

Do you always need to buy brand-name foods? If you buy less-expensive generic foods, you’ll get the same quality while saving on your food expenses every month.  If you exercise just a little restraint at the grocery store, you’ll actually eat better and save enough to pay off your credit cards years earlier than you would otherwise. Credit repair is only a matter of living and spending sensibly.  You’ll save money to pay off debts, and you may even find that you enjoy life more!

Use safer household cleansers

Commercial cleansers are big money wasters.  Many of them are just chemical versions of natural cleaners you can make on your own with everyday ingredients. By using essential oils, lemon juice, borax, and vinegar, you can create your own healthful cleansers and save money every month.

Be frugal about energy usage

Energy bills are big-ticket items in any budget, and utility rates are expected to get even worse in the near future. In the winter, make sure you cover all drafts in your house by using plastic on your windows and blocking cracks around your doors. Depending on how well insulated your house is, you may be able to save extra money by using an energy-efficient space heater and turning down the thermostat.

Reconsider comprehensive auto insurance

Comprehensive insurance – coverage for a full range of potential hazards rather than just accidents and theft — can be a waste of money when you’re trying to pay down your debts and improve your credit score. Of course, if you’re making payments on your car, your lender may require you to carry comprehensive insurance.  But if you own your car outright, think about carrying the minimum insurance required by law and save yourself the much higher premiums paid for comprehensive coverage.

Buy a used car

When you buy a new, you lose a huge portion of its value the minute you drive it off the lot. In today’s market, used cars are far from clunkers.  When you buy a newer used car from a dealer, it looks and feels like new, comes with warranties, and has all the new-car bugs worked out.  If you’re in the market for a car, buy a used one and apply the money you save to payment of your debts.  The savings you’ll get by buying used instead of new are so great that if you apply them to your debts, you’ll be well on your way to an improved credit score.

Get ahead of the game right now

Credit repair is not just for people with extra money lying around. If you cut down on expenses right now, where ever you can, you’ll find the extra $100 to $300 per month you need to pay down your debts, even in this economy.  Think how great it will feel to be out of debt and ahead of the game when economic climate finally improves!

You can save money on groceries by switching from name brands to store brands. Image from Flikr.

Everyone has some variable expenses in their budgets, and if you are not careful, an unexpectedly large electricity or gas bill can really break your budget.

Payday loans can help in this situation, but the secret to staying on top of your budget is to reduce your variable expenses wherever possible.

Utilities

One area where it is possible to save money is your utility bills. If you struggle to pay gas, water and electricity bills when they are due, find out whether your utility company offers different payment methods. Most do,  and it is a good idea to take a look at these.

You might be able to have your gas and electricity payments averaged out to a monthly cost. Although this may mean having to make changes in other areas, it is worth doing. When your utility bill is averaged and split evenly, you don’t have to worry about hefty bills during the winter.

Mortgage

If you currently have a variable rate mortgage, you may want to consider refinancing. Refinancing does involve closing costs with your current lender, but most lenders now will add the closing costs to your new mortgage. If you have the money available, it is far better to pay the closing costs at the beginning  because then you will save on interest later on.

\Switching from a variable to a fixed rate mortgage may not seem like a good idea, but the fact is that a fixed rate actually saves you money in the long term. When you have a variable rate mortgage, it is great when interest rates go down and you can pay less, but then there are the times when the interest rate goes up and this could wreck your budget. You can save hundreds of dollars a year in the long term if you switch from a variable to a fixed mortgage rate.

Food bills

The current economic crisis has sent food bills through the roof. A loaf of bread now costs more than double what it was twelve months ago, and it is not only bread that has gone up in price, it is virtually everything. The first thing you should do is to switch from brand-name goods to store brands, as this can save you a lot. Most store brands are just as good as name brands, but they can be as much as 40 percent cheaper.

Some people are switching supermarkets to save money on their food bills, and  this is another good way to save money.

Sometimes you really do need an installment loan to make ends meet. But an easy cash loan isn’t the only way to round up extra cash. Here are some money-saving ideas that might help you save cash now and make it easier to manage your expenses.

Keep moving and don’t touch

According to an article published by Joann Peck and Suzanne B. Shu on the Chicago Journals website, touching an object or even staring at it for too long increases the psychological sense of ownership. This isn’t news for retailers, who have long known the benefits of window dressings that stop passersby in their tracks and table displays that encourage shoppers to handle the goods. Staring and touching make it harder to resist buying. So tread lightly.

Be a happy shopper

Don’t go shopping when you’re in a lousy mood. According to a study published by Jennifer Lerner on the Harvard Kennedy School website, people who feel depressed when they shop are willing to spend 30% more than consumers who shop in a better frame of mind.

Don’t get started

According to marketing research published on the Stanford GSB News, for most people, buying the first item — however unremarkable it may be — opens the purchasing floodgates. The researchers called this the “shopping momentum effect” concluded that the phenomenon has important implications for how stores are laid out as well as for understanding individual shopping behavior.

A big cart can lead to big spending

Don’t make it easy

The easier it is to shop, the easier it is to overspend. Unless you intend to stock up on supplies, use a shopping basket instead of a cart. In fact, if you’re wandering around without a clear shopping agenda, don’t use a basket at all. If you aren’t willing to carry it, you probably don’t need it.

Write it down

According to MIT behavioral economist Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational, making your spending limits concrete by writing them down or even telling them to someone else can help you maintain self-control when shopping. When you walk into a grocery store with a list in hand, you’re far less likely to make impulse purchases. If you stray from the list and make one impulse buy, the “shopping momentum effect” can take over.

Indulge yourself a little

Research published by Columbia University marketing professor Ran Kivetz on the American Marketing Association website suggests that occasional self-indulgence is a good thing. If you’re too hard on yourself and don’t splurge occasionally, you’ll end up feeling deprived. Deprivation fosters regret which in turn tempts you to splurge on something big in an effort to feel better.

Don’t overtax your willpower

According to Roy F. Baumeister, Kathleen D. Vohs, researchers and authors of Handbook of Self-Regulation: Research, Theory, and Applications, you have only so much willpower to work with. If, for example, you’re trying to lose weight and also trying to cut back on spending, give yourself a little slack on the spending front. Losing weight will save you so much money in the long run that you can probably afford those deeply discounted shoes now.

Pay in cash

According to a study published on the NYU Stern website by joint researchers at New York University and the University of Maryland, consumers spend less when paying in cash and spend more when using credit cards, gift cards, or gift certificates. Additionally, consumers are more frugal when they estimate expenses in detail. The authors concluded that “treating [non-cash] tender as play money leads to overspending.”

Use coupons

Coupons can yield big savings if you’re not too proud to use them. But don’t quit your day job to become a full-time coupon clipper, and use coupons only for items you would normally buy.

Save on homeowner insurance

Check with your homeowner insurance carrier about ways to reduce your premiums. Loyalty discounts for long-term customers, increased deductibles, combined policies (home and auto for example), and installation of dead bolts and security systems can help lower your premium payments.

Small houses make wonderful homes

Move to a smaller home

If you’re struggling with a huge mortgage, now is a great time to consider downsizing. Home prices in many markets appear to be bottoming out and mortgage rates are low right now. Or if the interest rate on your current loan is higher than prevailing interest rates and you plan to stay in your home for a few years, consider refinancing now.

More money-saving ideas

Find more ways to save cash until payday by reading Cut Your Spending | Part I and Cut Your Spending | Part II.

Money is tight, but there are lots of simple things you can do to free up some extra cash. In fact, making just a few minor changes to your spending routines could mean you’ll never have to get a payday cash advance again.

Make off-season purchases

You can save lots of money if you plan ahead for seasonal purchases. Buy air conditioners in January, winter coats in May, and swimsuits in July and August.

Eat what’s in season

Produce costs more when it’s out of season in your locale and shipped a long distance. For a list of what’s in season, go to fruitsandveggiesmorematters.org and click on the Planning and Shopping tab. Organic produce costs more than the conventional kind. Cut your toxin intake by choosing organic on the most chemically-laden produce (apples, lettuce) and conventional on the cleanest (kiwi, tomatoes). To figure out which produce to buy organic, and which conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables are okay if organic isn’t available, go to foodnews.org.

Shop once a week

When you stop by the store to pick up just one or two items, you usually end up making a few unplanned purchases as well. The more trips you make to the store, the more frequently you will make impulse purchases. Try making a shopping list and making just one planned trip to the store each week.

Stretch time between hair appointments

Add a couple weeks to the time between hair-coloring appointments by using over-the-counter products from the drugstore to touch up the roots.

Cut down on dry cleaning

Many clothes with labels that recommend dry cleaning can be washed by hand in cold water or on a gentle machine cycle with cold water. For example, linens can be washed in the machine and most sweaters can be washed by hand (including cashmere and camel hair). Most silks are hand washable too.  Even so, some deeply saturated and bold colors should be dry-cleaned.

Stop the water-bottle madness

Stop drinking bottled water and instead buy a filter for your kitchen faucet. For the most part, the water you’re paying for in those little bottles is nothing but filtered tap water.

Support your local shoe repair shop

Shoe repair shops are recession-proof

Rather than spend your extra cash to buy a new pair of good shoes each season, repair the shoes your already own. Your local shoe-repair shop will charge just a few dollars to fix worn-out heels on women’s shoes, and men can extend the life of dress shoes by replacing the heels and soles.

Spend less money commuting

If your employer has a transportation reimbursement account, you may be able to get a tax break by paying your monthly parking fees or public transit with pretax dollars, so sign up. Or cut your commute costs in half by carpooling to work with a colleague. If you don’t know anyone to carpool with, check out some carpool-matching sites like carpoolworld.com or erideshare.com.

Get fit on your way to work

You might be pleasantly surprised at how convenient it can be to take a public bus to work. And why not cycle to work when the weather permits, instead of spending time and money at the health club?

More money-saving ideas

Find more ways to save cash until payday by reading Cut Your Spending | Part II and Cut Your Spending | Part III

Start being responsible with your money now. You'll thank yourself later.

Most college students get financial help from their parents. It’s perfectly normal and widely accepted, but it can give people a false sense of security and a skewed vision of financial responsibility.

If you’re one of those people who is lucky enough to get help from your parents, be grateful and don’t take it for granted. Also, know that the funds can’t keep flowing forever, and you should start now on your path to financial independence.

Develop good habits now

The good news is that after you graduate college and your parents inevitably stop giving you or even lending you money, there are money lenders out there who will help you out with short-term loans, payday loans or installment loans.But we’ll talk about that later. Short-term lending should only be used as a last resort.

The best thing to do is to avoid getting into financial trouble by developing good spending and saving habits. So just because your parents can or will bail you out if you run out of money, don’t lean too heavily on that crutch. If you make a habit of spending all of your money and then running to your parents for help, you’ll continue to run out of money after the First Bank of Mom and Dad is closed.

It’s OK to be a poor college student

It can be very tempting to spend freely on food, fun and cool stuff in college. I should know. I spent money on expensive jeans, furniture and nights out on the town. When I ran out of money and needed something important, my parents were there to help.

Thing is, if I hadn’t spent my own money on stuff that was unnecessary or more expensive than it needed to be, I wouldn’t have needed to mooch off my parents. At least, not as much. The earlier you start clipping coupons, checking for sales at the grocery store and pricing out different options when making purchases, the easier it will be. Learn to budget your discretionary expenses like going out to dinner and other fun activities with friends, or learn to suggest cheaper alternatives when coming up with ideas for what to do with your friends.

The long term

Once you develop bad spending habits and patterns they’re hard to break. College students dream of getting done with school and ditching the part-time job for a full-time, bona fide, “adult” job. However, if you don’t manage your money well, the struggle will continue.

For most people, once they are done with college, Mom and Dad pull the plug on the money machine. That means you don’t have a backup if you spend everything in your checking account. If you start developing good financial habits now, you won’t end up needing payday loans when you “grow up.”

Unforeseen circumstances

Of course, sometimes even the best planning and budgeting can’t prepare you for everything that life throws at you. Luckily, if you do need cash fast and your line of credit at Offspring Credit Union has been cut off, you can get a short-term loan. Payday lenders will spot you a few hundred bucks to get you through until your next paycheck.

Payday loans and short-term loans come with fees and conditions, though. Make sure you can pay back your loan on time and you have enough money in your next paycheck to cover fees, your full loan amount and the rest of the expenses and bills you have to take out of your paycheck. Payday loans should be a once-in-a-while thing, not another crutch.

Racking up payday loan after payday loan should tell you something about your budget—it’s stretched to an over-capacity and that you are spending your money on things or services you can probably live without. Couple an over-stretched budget with an under-capacity imagination, and you have what you have—a lot of stress over something you can probably do something about. Why the imagination? Because, if all you can see are bills, upon bills, upon more bills, then you are not using your imagination to its full capacity for finding creative ways to remedy your situation.

First, you more than likely have some budget busters that are destroying your peace of mind. These are the “gotta have it” items, that in retrospect, you didn’t need. Items such as a bigger house (with the bigger mortgage payment), a brand spanking new car (with the big payment spanking you), and all the electronic gizmos and gadgets that you don’t need. How to get out of the trap? Stay tuned…

Budget Saver #1—Food Expenses

Probably the biggest drain on anyone’s finances is the expenses related to food, especially when you have at least one teenager in the house (Girls or guys—they both eat a lot!) There are some ways to cut down on how much you spend on food without sacrificing the good stuff or even changing what you eat. In fact, the only thing you really need to change is how you prepare your food.

What do I mean by that? Well, have you ever bought the convenience foods in the store? Stuff like pancake mixes, flavored syrups, premade breakfasts…things like that. Have you ever noticed how much they cost per serving? No? Well, let me give you an example: Say you buy pancake mix on a regular basis for $2.35 per box. Now say that you use at least half a box per batch, which comes out to $1.18 per batch. That isn’t bad, but what if I tell you that I use a pancake mix that comes out to maybe $.50 per batch? Would you be interested? The only thing I do differently is that I make my own pancake mix from scratch and I store them in zipper-type bags. Then I label them, and store them in the cupboard until I need them.

Also, when you make your convenience foods from scratch, you know what goes in there, and you can therefore control the ingredients your family consumes. This makes your mixes healthier and cheaper in the long run. Another thing that you may want to change is to buy generic brands over brand name foods. There isn’t much difference in taste, and all you are paying for is the advertising and label, which may require a payday loan to afford. Save a few bucks here and there by getting generic food. You’ll end up saving enough money to start a savings account!

Budget Saver #2—Utilities

This is the next biggest drain on your budget. But if you make the appropriate changes, such as better insulation and energy saving appliances, you will be able to slash your monthly bills and add to your savings account. Another thing—in the winter, if your windows are losing a lot of heat, putting up plastic on your windows will help to reduce your heating costs by at least one-third. Space heaters work wonders as well.

Budget Saver #3—Auto

Auto insurance, maintenance and gas—not to mention car payments—really take a toll on your budget. The best thing to do, first of all, is to shop around for cheaper auto insurance. Then, when you do find a cheaper company, only get the liability coverage. Of course, if you do not own your car outright yet, you will need to get the comprehensive, unfortunately. However, if you shop around, you can find the cheaper premiums.

There are also ways to cut down on your car maintenance costs. Commercials today are popping up where you can pay a certain amount each month, and they will pay for any and all maintenance costs. Might be something worth checking into. Gas…the most fickle price of them all when it comes to your auto costs. If you have to commute a long distance to get to work, there are things you can do to cut down on these costs. Car pooling, move closer, or try getting your boss to agree to let you work from home. All of these ideas can help you slash the amount of money you paying for gas each month. Besides, getting a payday loan just to buy gas to get to work may not be such a great plan.

Best Budget Saver Tip!

The best budget saver tip I can give you is that you DO NOT have to have the latest gadget or fashion to hit the market right now. You also do not need to live in the newest or flashiest house, or drive the newest model of vehicle. Take my advice—wait until you can reasonably afford it…

And here comes another reason to worry about your finances.  Why?  Surely you’ve been in this situation before or maybe you’re there now—someone in your family or one of your best friends announces their upcoming wedding, and could you please be Maid of Honor or Best Man?  Of course, it’s an honor and you’d love to take on the role, which almost always means getting the appropriate dress or renting a tux, as well as finding the perfect wedding gift.  Hear your wallet sending out its warning signals?

Something Blue

‘Blue’ is what you’ll be when you realize how much you’ll end up spending, if you don’t plan your decisions carefully.  If you’re lucky, some couples actually shoulder the expenses of their party—from clothes to preparations to plane tickets and hotel accommodations, if needed. But the financial crunch will most likely have many of them relying on their chosen ones to pay their own way.  And because they are probably very important people in your life, you’ll still want to do your best to make the wedding memorable—but how to do it without compromising your budget.

Something Old, Something New

First off, why not check your own closet for outfits you used maybe just once or twice, maybe even one you wore for a previous wedding.  If you’re creative, perhaps you can rework a dress, change the neckline or shorten the hemline, and add beadwork here and there.  A tux is a tux—just rent one at the best cost.  Do your own hair and makeup. Why not ask other members of the bridal party if they’d like to share a room at the hotel, if the wedding is to be held somewhere else.  Take advantage of airline promos and book way ahead.  As for the wedding gift, well, let’s just say it would be best to go for substance over form. Get something the bride and groom will surely remember, like putting together an online photo album of their best memories.

Something Borrowed

And you though it was the bride who needed something borrowed? I hope it’s not you who will be needing something borrowed because you’ve accidentally gone over your budget or the expenses just wouldn’t fit the amount you originally set. Maybe rather than money, what you could borrow would be your sister’s shoes that match the dress, or your friend’s car to drive to the ceremonies.

And Live Happily Ever After

Weddings shouldn’t be stressful. They should be seen for the unforgettable occasions they truly are.  Whether you’ve got one or ten weddings to be part of, the whole point is to celebrate the union of two people who you really care about.  You may look at these incidental costs as a way to show the bride and groom how much you value them. Just keep the nostalgia at bay, and don’t go overboard—and enjoy what is really a milestone in any relationship.

Hmm.. What to get?

If you’re in a pinch and you need some extra cash for groceries, payday loans can certainly help.  But there’s another way to stretch your food budget, and it’s not necessarily what you think.    In fact, many health experts they are saying that we in this country are going to become MORE obese in these tough economic times, not less. That doesn’t really seem to make sense, because you’d think if we have less money, we’d eat less and therefore would slim down.

However, tough economic times mean that there’s a need to stretch every dollar we have. That can mean that we buy “cheap” food nutritionally, things like white bread, white flour, macaroni and cheese, and so on. But the fact is, these foods are also nutritionally empty, which can make us hungrier and therefore can make us gain weight. There’s a better way.

Make your grocery dollars count

Chances are, your grocery budget is less now than it was previously. That doesn’t mean you have to starve, though, and it doesn’t mean you have to eat nutritionally “empty” food.

Take a look at your food budget

Make healthy decisions

Give yourself a dollar amount per week that you can afford to spend on food. I can just about guarantee you that no matter what it is (say you’re spending $50, $60, $100 a week on a family of four), you’ll be able to feed your family nutritiously. That will save you money not just on food, but on medical bills, too. When you eat healthy, you’re healthier.

Shopping

When you go to the grocery store, break your list down like this: first, you buy things like fresh fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates like whole grain breads, some beans and legumes like pintos and lentils, healthy low-fat dairy, and then finally meat.

Stretching your food dollar

You can stretch your food dollar not just by utilizing payday loans if you need them, but also by supplementing some of the meat in your diet with beans. Beans are healthy and nutritious, and they can be disguised in most dishes so that you won’t even taste them if you’ve got members of your family who don’t like them.

Disguise them in chili, throw a cup of cooked lentils in with your next meat loaf or hamburger recipe (reducing the meat by the same amount), or sneak a few tablespoons of puréed white beans like Great Northern beans or navy beans in with egg or tuna fish salad.

Nutrition doesn’t have to be expensive

In fact, despite complaints most people have, nutrition doesn’t have to be expensive. It can be if you think you need to have a pound of meat be the centerpiece your dinner every night, but really, you don’t need that much. Most nutritionists say that three ounces of meat per day per person is plenty; you can even opt to be a semi-”vegetarian” once a week or so to save even more money. And you’re not going to hurt your nutritional profile, even if you really do need me.

Finally, cut way down on the junk food and soda

Most people don’t realize how much money they spend on truly empty foods like soda and junk food. These foods are expensive and may provide absolutely no nutritional value whatsoever. Opt instead for inexpensive beverage choices like powdered drink mixes mixed with water (unsweetened generic versions can be had for as little as a few cents a quart) sweetened with an herb called stevia or another artificial sweetener like Splenda.

And instead of reaching for the chips, buy yourself a microwave popcorn popper and snack on freshly popped popcorn instead. It has fiber and nutritional value, and you’re going to enjoy that movie or ballgame a lot more cheaply, too. This just may help you make the best use of your payday loan the next time you need one — not to buy junk food, but to spend it on something you truly need.

We can all use financial help at some time, whether it’s critical, urgent or just necessary, and sometimes the easiest way of doing this is by taking a Payday Loan.

My “Payday Loan list” is out of control
When the money arrives, what should I attend to first?
I am a list guy. My lists are

• the ‘hysterical list’ aka the Payday Loan list,
• the ‘critical list’,
• the ‘urgent’ and
• the ‘wish list’.

I have never made it to my wish list and only once have I attended to something on the urgent list.

I live in the critical/hysterical area which means times without an oven or hot water and weeks without a car. The urgent list is stable. We all have lists like this and we all manage to live without attending to the urgent things in our lives.

There’s a loan solution for every occasion

Despite the recent flurry of publicity, some good and some bad, many people are still unaware of the existence and the benefits of the Payday Loan system. Many people still consider a loan beneath them. Some people have gone to extreme lengths to keep themselves afloat when they could have solved the problem, or at least staved it off, with a short term loan.

These days, in 2009, are full of dark patches and sometimes it’s hard to believe that things will get better and the family cash will get back on its feet and start flowing again. This is a time of gritting one’s teeth and sinking one’s fingernails into what one has and hanging in there as never before.

There’s another solution for every problem

Life is not clear-cut and smooth. It is complicated and full of bumps and it takes a combination of good fortune and good thinking to find one’s way in the world. Almost 7 billion people manage to somehow make it through every day of their lives which means that all of us can do it. The human mind is flexible and creative enough to find workable solutions to financial problems.

Meantime, back on the ranch in Davos

The economic leaders of the world are meeting, as they do every year in the snows of Switzerland (number 17 on my wish list) and the main question of the conference is “What had happened to the Global Economy?” Gee, guys, if you don’t know, who does?

There are so far no answers to the question and there are not likely to be either. Everyone is sailing in the same boat and the boat is sailing in unchartered waters.

The best answer

The best advice anyone can give at times like these is to say, “Hold on and hold tight. Don’t make any rash moves and don’t get desperate. There’s a good chance things will turn out all right. They may not return to what they were or to the good times you remember, but everything will be okay.

Introducing my hysterical list

I have to repair my computer. I left a half-written article on it last night and went out for a walk to ease my aching back, and when I came back the creaky old computer was frozen. All I managed to get out of it was that toothless, black screen glare. So “Buy a new computer” leapfrogged from the ‘urgent’ to the ‘hysterical’ list. I am a writer, so no computer means no words, which simply means no money.

I am going over to my neighbor to borrow his laptop so I can file an application for an express Payday Loan. How things can change in an instant and move everything around on the lists. My Swiss trip just moved down to number 18 on my ‘wish list’!

Payday loans are sometimes necessary. An unexpected financial event can take place, leaving you strapped for extra cash. Instead of applying for payday loans to pay off the unforeseen expense, a lot of people end up paying more on overdraft fees and other penalty charges.

Payday loans are short-term, designed as a last resort for those who are in financial dire straits. Although payday loans are a great option when you are short on money, time and resources, there are ways to prepare for any unexpected events that may occur in the future. Difficult times are moving people towards payday loans and on the search for ways to make and save more money.

Preventative Measures to Make

Amidst the current economic crisis, we can’t afford to waste any money. The economy is still at its worst and there appears to be no sign of things getting better any time soon. However, we should not allow ourselves to shrink back and avert from the horizon. There are essential steps to make in order to secure your current and future financial stability.

Overspending is one of the biggest mistakes people make. Before you venture out into the world of market, plan out a budget and create a shopping list that fits well within that budget. This will help you avoid making purchases on impulse. Stick to what you need. Of course it can be hard to pass up a great deal, especially with all these crazy close-out sales going on. But learning to calm your urges as soon as they ascend will instill a lasting sense of financial freedom no discount sale can offer. Stick with simplicity.

Spending Enough to Buy Starbucks

Another huge expense is coffee. Yes you caffeine junkies, I said coffee. Starbucks is one of the most popular coffee companies in the nation. Despite the declining economic conditions, the company still manages to scrape in some hundreds of millions of dollars in net earnings. Even with a deteriorating economy, consumers are still willing to pay $4 for a latte. But that $4 you spend on a daily basis can accumulate to an enormous amount of money that could be going into your savings fund. What should you do you ask? It’s actually quite simple. Invest in a coffee maker and make your own coffee at home.

Having Dignity in Saving

There is no shame to apply for payday loans or even by clipping coupons. Times like these, finding ways to create an extra money flow is absolutely important. Comparing prices of products in different grocery stores, buying store brands, and buying in bulk are some of the best ways you can save money. Create homemade meals around staples such as beans, rice, and pasta. You can put together a delicious feast the family will enjoy and still have extra cash in your pocket.

Get Back on Track With a Payday Loan

There are many things you can do to save money. By practicing these money saving techniques, your chances of needing payday loans in the future will be slim to none. However, there may be times when life’s surprising affairs will cause you to stumble and fall short on your finances; applying for payday loans may be your best option.

MODERN TIMES

“MOM! I need a cell phone!”   Things certainly are different from when I was a teenager. It would be called the ‘dark ages’ if you asked my kids. It was before cell phones, the internet, and mp3 players. Yep, I guess from their perspective times were archaic.  How did I get to volleyball practice without phoning my parents? I could have been kidnapped! Well, that may sound ridiculous, but so are my teenagers. If they’re not in a growth spurt and needing new pants every five minutes (which they wear sooo low that I wonder what is holding them up!), then they are in the middle of some drama that I could not possibly understand. Oy vey!

CONSUMING MASS QUANTITIES OF FOOD

Anyone out there ever seen Coneheads? Remember the breakfast scene?  That would be a scene played out in my kitchen after school.  They all file in the back door (an avalanche of back packs) with their friends in tow. I know that they are ravenous, and I try to plan for that.  However, when they are in that state (like a pride of lions crowding over a slab of meat), anything goes. I will come home from work to find that along with the frozen burritos having been consumed, that they ate all the pickles, cottage cheese, and a box of Cheerios. Now, that doesn’t even make any sense.  But neither do my teenagers. Knowing that my grocery budget is blown, I will pick up the phone and get quick payday loans to get me through. They can eat their weight in chicken chimichangas.  Don’t ask me how I know.

SAVE YOUR DRAMA FOR YOUR MAMA

There is a lot of pressure on our kids these days, but how much of that is a bad thing? For example, are there any of you parents out there who’s a ‘rescuer’?  That used to be me (once upon a time).  I couldn’t stand the thought of my ‘baby’ suffering in any way.  Never mind the fact that he may be hitting puberty and is almost 6 ft. tall!  If my girls were late to school (overslept, makeup woes, clothing dilemmas), they would bound up the stairs to declare “I need you to call the office for me mommy. You work sooo hard!  Gee mom, are you getting thinner?”  Yep!  They played me like a harp.   But now, they are accountable for their own choices, including the expensive ones.  Need a cell phone or an iPod?  Here, let me show you what a snow shovel looks like (I understand that they are hard to find these days!) and go see if you can make a few pennies.  Now, they have begun to have an appreciation for how hard it is to earn that dollar and consequently, they are not so quick to part with it.  I want them to have some idea of financial responsibility before they leave home.

SOFT PLACE TO LAND

Knowing that adulthood is looming like a semi truck in my rearview mirror, I would like for my teenagers to begin to take some ownership of their choices in life.  We all make mistakes and home should be a safe haven, but it also should equip them for the road ahead. Hopefully this is done before they leave the nest. However, if they find when they get out in the real world that they need a little extra cash, I’ll let them know that they can get help through payday loans.  It’s worked for mom.

Cash Advance?

I started toying with this idea but could not come up with a solution to add to my financial resources. It was only when I met my friend that things began falling in place for me. She said, in passing, that if it were not for some sort of cash advance help, she would not have been able to cope with some of her financial burdens. I casually inquired about the cash advance and when she started explaining, things started settling for me at a different level. After leaving her, I did a crazy thing. I got online and looked up her payday loan website, “personal money store” and applied for the loan. To my surprise, the loan got approved and the amount was transferred to my bank.

Got things going -

From there on, things started happening fast. I asked my boss for my well deserved vacation and he was all too happy to oblige; he even gave me a bonus to enjoy. I went home and told my husband that we can now take that much needed break. Though he was pleased, he gave me a guarded look, hesitating to ask whether we will be able to afford it.

My skeptical husband. . .

It was not the travel plan that was upsetting him, but paying for the trip that bothered him. He is a little tight with his finances, as he has been paying off our house loan.  I told him not to worry, and that I will pay for the trip.  He was skeptical. He knows I am not good with savings. I smiled and asked him to be more positive and told him that I can handle this. He simply asked how. I said I have a bonus, a little savings and a payday loan. He was surprised and asked for an explanation about the loan. I explained to him that it is one of the easiest loans one can get. You simply have to make an online application and if that got through the approval process, which you find out about in minutes, the amount is delivered right to your account. He teased me, saying I would not have been approved for the loan if he had not helped me maintain my credit. I said I did not go through a credit check or even use any faxing to get the loan. That really got him interested.

So we sat down and started planning our vacation. We did a little online research to bag cheap offers. There are tremendous opportunities to travel cheaply. We found a good one to suit our budget and also leave us enough to enjoy our trip.

So here I am off to enjoy my vacation with my payday loan…

My car hunt is over but now there’s a problem

Where can I find out fast about a payday loan? I need money fast and that means by the end of the week. What’s the urgency you ask? Well, if you really want to know, I want to buy that rusty old car down at Smith’s garage, the one that’s standing on the sidewalk.

In case you didn’t recognize it, the car is a 1952 Anglia, made in England and a real collector’s item. They are asking $1,800 for it. I’m dying to get my hands on it and restore it to its original powder-blue color, but it will take the housekeeping money, and I don’t think that it’s right to penalize Julie and the boys for my hobby.

Seeking alternatives

The internet, source of all knowledge, will probably be able to help me. I am not an internet freak like some of the other guys in the office; in fact I once told Julie that the home computer is strictly for her and the kids because I didn’t want to use it. I’ll go downstairs tonight after she’s gone to bed and search for a payday loan. I’m sure I’ll find something. I’ll take a loan of $2,000 and I’ll work a lot of overtime over the next few weeks to pay it back as fast as I can. No one in the house needs to know about it. They’ll think I bought the car out of the money I got for selling that ‘64 Buick that I worked on. I ended up spending too much on new seats and the dashboard and sold it too cheap.

Finding alternatives.

Success! But I am wiped out. It took me half an hour to get the computer switched on and to find the icon that operates the browser. Why do women reorganize everything? I found many sites that offer a payday loan and then I had to decide which one I wanted to borrow from. All the sites are friendly and ask a few, but not too many questions, not that I have anything to hide.

I picked one called Personal Money Store. It is friendly and feels quite human. Actually it sounds exactly like what I would like to have. Perhaps I can talk them into going into partnership with me. They can lend me money and I will spend it. Ideal arrangement, right? Anyway, I filled in the application form and received approval and I will have an extra $1,500 in my bank account tomorrow. I’m off to the garage to nail the sale.

That car is mine

The car is up on blocks in the yard and tonight I will start a de-rusting process. The interior is in good shape and the engine looks good. I haven’t tried to fire it up yet.  First I have to check the oil and gaskets. The body needs work and one door will have to be replaced.

The end of the story

I made money today! Anyone want a loan? Remember that Anglia car that I was working on? Well, the job is done and the car is just great. I took it for a spin down to the park and some old guy walked over, looked at it and said, “Hey, Mister, will you take $10,000 for that? It’s a beauty!” Will I ever?! I’m going into business with my payday loan!

Try positive thinking.

Make yourself believe that the recession is not going to hit you, and then see if it works; that you are not going to be hit.

Caution with money is prudent at these times

Of course, caution is prudent at times when salaries are plummeting and unemployment is soaring but you may remain untouched if you do not overdo things. Do not give way to sentiments when spending your money, instead concentrate on expenses that are absolutely necessary.  Do the best you can to get out of financial tangles, one tangle at a time.

Easy Option

Opting for payday loans can help. Get in front of your computer or get on the phone and apply for the loan at Personal money Store.  If you qualify, you can get money transferred to your bank the very same day.  There are no hidden charges either.  It will be what is agreed and signed upon at the time of applying for the loan. With these types of loans, the lenders usually do not bother with the credit records or document issues. It is a very short term loan, so there is no time to waste over such rigmaroles. This can also help you if you are a very private sort of person and are not comfortable with anyone prying into your privacy–even into your financial records for your own benefit. Look at the convenience of the loan.  If approved, it will be credited to your bank account, usually in a single day, all the while sitting at home. Make sure that you make use of the money in the right way, only to solve that particular issue for which it was meant and be sure that you will have the funds to pay it back.

Do all you can to keep your job

Do all you can to keep your job.  Even if things are terrible all around you, you need not lose hope as long as you can hold on to your job, because then you will have the option of payday loans to fall back on whenever you are in need of money fast and easy. Obviously be cautious.  Recession is hitting people hard.  But if payday loans can save you from losing your home, avoid a late fee on your rent or overdraft fees or pay for something important, go ahead and do what has to be done.

Rightly dividing your expenses utilizing a budget will help you to save more.

When it comes to creating a budget, many don’t know where to start. So many bills, so many expenses, all due at different times of the month; small wonder people need payday loans. Its quite easy to get lost or frustrated during the process.

Implementing a budget will help you build credit, pay bills on time without the use of payday loans, credit cards or other third party financial services and prepare you successfully for all your future financial goals ranging from family movie nights at your local theater, exotic vacations around the world or retirement.

Debt And Money Management

When it comes to debt, we all have it, and we all hate it, but we don’t have to live with it. The primary reason why we as consumers fall into the cycle of debt is because we fail to know where we stand financially on a day to day basis.

The average American consumer possesses $9200 of consumer credit debt which could be avoided through implementing basic money management practices through easy to implement tools and strategies such as a personal budget.

Budgeting Today For A Better Tomorrow

For the duration of this article we will examine the fundamentals of creating and implementing a financial budget. Often times people associate budgeting as a deterrent or restriction to their ability or right to have fun.

It’s true that you may have to make some sacrifices but often times budgeting your money leaves you with more money to both have fun with, pay your bills and pay down your debts.

Be Careful Not to be to Conservative

When budgeting your finances be careful not to eliminate the entertainment or fun in your life as eventually you will lose interest and focus on budgeting altogether. Instead, learn to compromise or moderate the funds you allocate towards entertainment expenses.

For example if your used to going out to lunch five days a week, cut back to three. If you go to your local cinema once a week, cut back to two for two weeks out of the month and rent a movie for the other two.

You don’t have to sacrifice much to save a lot. You simply need to know what your spending and then learn to spend those funds in moderation and find cheaper substitutes for the same activities.

Track Your Expenses

The first thing you need to do before developing a budget is to discover where all your funds are currently being allocated. To do this you will need to use a ledger to track all your daily expenses for one full month. This needs to include any and all expenses both big and small.

After the month is over, you can categorize your expenses and come to terms with how much you are spending and where you are spending it. You can then make educated decisions on how to better allocate your funds and moderate excessive spending.

Pay Yourself Before Anything Else And Build Your Savings

Off the top of your budget each month try to allocate around ten percent of your funds to a savings account before doing anything else. We all have rainy days sometimes and having a source of emergency funds available without having to borrow payday loans will prove useful.

Maxing Out Your 401K

Apart from contributing funds to a savings account, be mindful of your 401k as well especially if your employer is willing to contribute. There are not many places where you can get free extra money and although you won’t see your 401k funds for a long time, this is an excellent way to get ahead and meet or exceed your financial goals for retirement.

Matching 401k options from employers will usually only match funds up to a certain amount. Do your best to contribute enough each month so that by the end of the year, you are getting the maximum amount of contributed funds to your 401k matched as possible.

Remember, it’s free money and the extra cash that is contributed to your 401k by your employer becomes larger over time making this opportunity even more important to take advantage of.

Spending with cash instead of credit will help you make decisions that will save you money.

Getting Use to Cash Instead of Credit

Once you have allocated funds in your budget to put towards monthly bills, investments in your 401k and or your personal savings account, you should designate a modest sum of what is left over for monthly fun and entertainment and use the rest to get ahead on credit debt by paying extra towards the principle amount owed.

The funds you set aside for entertainment purposes should be set aside in cash. Doing so will help hold you accountable to your budget and what you have alloted yourself to spend. Being able to see the amount you have or have left, will prevent you from spending these funds wastefully and help you spread your transactions equally throughout the month. You may end up thinking about payday loans less.

Spending cash out of your wallet or purse will catch you making decision such as

“Do I want to go out to lunch with my friend or buy that new CD I have been wanting?” or “Do I want to treat myself out to espresso this week or go to a movie with refreshments this weekend”

With a credit card we never have to make these decisions and end up surprised when we see the new balance on our monthly statement.

Make the effort. Take the plunge. Do what is best for you and your future starting today by creating a budget for your finances.

Posted Courtesy of personalmoneystore.com, your payday loans source.

Extra Cash, in other words, Money.

Money is not so fun to unwrap, but any teenager will tell you that they would love extra cash. To make it fun to unwrap, you can put it in a great big box and watch them unwrap it. You can also stuff it in a balloon and blow it up. Another idea is to look online for origami patterns and fold the money into a shirt, tie or bird, then wrap it in a decorative box.

In this tough economy, any adult would appreciate certificates of deposit and savings bonds. CDs and savings bonds can be purchased at bank branches or online and, if saved, have the potential of eventually being worth more than you spent on them.

Lottery ticket.

Although usually only a dollar, there is the potential of more. It’s always fun to dream! If you need to bring a gift to an office party, this is one that everyone fights over.

Gift certificates.

How about a $5 gift certificate to a video rental store tied to a box of popcorn? Tying the gift certificate to a gift makes it a little more fun; however, for mailing purposes, a gift certificate is a great idea. Gift certificates can be limiting, but I was surprised to learn that my local mall offers a gift certificate which is good at all the stores and includes the movie theater and food court. Other fun gift certificate ideas are to a place like Baskin Robbins for the ice cream lover (could be attached to an ice cream scoop) or a Papa Murphy’s Pizza gift card (attached to a round pizza cutter or pizza stone.)

Subscriptions.

Subscriptions to their favorite magazine are a nice idea because they will remember you every month as the new magazine arrives. National Geographic would be great for the friend dreaming of a trip to Africa and National Geographic for kids is great for the little ones. Reader’s Digest is very popular among adults. Entertainment Weekly for your mother who watches everything the Stars do; Vanity Fair for your friend with the flair for fashion; you get the idea.

Themed gifts and baskets.

Gift Idea

Baskets can be bought at dollar stores, craft stores, even found in your garage. You can even use just saran wrap and forget the basket.

What fun to receive a basket full of fruit!

Have a friend saving to go Hawaii? Put together a box with a flower lay, macadamia nuts, a can of pineapple and maybe CD of Hawaiian music. (If it’s someone you love, you might want to include the tickets to Hawaii-but that might take a payday loan to pay for.)

How about a bird feeder and bird seed for the avid bird watcher? You could even make a bird feeder slathering a pine cone with peanut butter, roll it in birdseed and hang it from a ribbon. Be sure to have a box ready to drop it right into for wrapping.

Or for the baker, how about cake or cookie mix, frosting, cupcake holders and sprinkles tied with a bow and attach a cookie cutter?

My Italian mother would love a basket with special pasta from the refrigerator section, one of those specialty pasta sauces in the canned pasta section, Parmesan cheese, and one of those plastic pasta forks. I may even throw in a bottle of pickled peppers. My Italian mom would also love a trip to Italy, but then again, I’d have to take out a payday loan.

I think my sister would like a basket with a card game in it, like Uno, hot chocolate and marshmallows, and a box of popcorn so they can have a special family night.

I think I’ll make a breakfast basket for my friend who complains she never has time for breakfast: cereal bowls, Captain Crunch, Pop Tarts, pancake mix and syrup.

Candy.

Sees Chocolate is pretty well accepted as OK for anyone. And you can order online, have it sent, and it’s done. Chocolate covered cherries, fruitcake, divinity, chocolate kisses (mint flavored at Christmas). It’s all right at your grocery store for you to buy and wrap.

Photos.

All grandparents love photos of their children and grandchildren. Frames are relatively inexpensive, but you can even give the photo alone. Non-grandparents may not want photos of someone else’s kids, but my mother-in-law had a dog that she adored. We framed a photo of her dog for her and she loved it. Most photo places will now take your photo and turn it into a gift of some sort: a calendar, ornament, mug or mouse pad. You can even go online, upload your photo, order it and have it shipped.

Plants

You can always bring someone a poinsettia or indoor flower at this time of year. And there are Chia Pets, even an herb garden. Cut flowers make nice gifts too. No need to buy a vase, if you have a cupboard full of vases. Put a bouquet of cut flowers in a vase you already have, tie a ribbon and there you go.

For the kitchen.

There are some pretty fun things you can get for almost anyone for their kitchen.  There are crepe makers, waffle makers like you see at hotels, chocolate fountains, George Foreman grills with replaceable plates, donut makers, popcorn poppers, snow cone makers, juicers, milk shake machines, the list goes on and on.

Puzzles.

There are puzzles for every age, from 2 years to 99 (or more).  There are soft foamy ones for the little ones, thousand piece puzzles  for the big ones.  There is a puzzle that when completed, becomes a game.  There are 3-D puzzles.  There are puzzles that become globes.  You can’t lose with a puzzle.

I’m out of time.

Well, it’s time to get out there and shop. One quick minute and I’ll have an application for a payday loan completed online. A couple hours from now, the money will be in my bank account and I’ll be out shopping with this list. If you have other last-minute gift ideas, post them in the comments below so we can all help each other out. Have a great holiday season and a happy new year!