Gift cards & other holiday items

Monday, December 29th, 2008

Sorry for not posting last week; like many others, the holidays sometimes get the better of me as well!

However, I am now back in CT (where we are no longer freezing for the moment) trying to put our house back together after 10 days visiting family.

Christmas was a nice time and if your family is anything like ours, gift cards are often the method of choice in the gift giving arena.  More personalized than cash but less hassle than returning gifts you didn’t want, gift cards can be a nice happy medium.  And for the gift giver, a lot less time (and possibly money) wasted.  If you’ve budgeted to spend $25 for someone, it’s much easier to give them a $25 gift card than trying to find the perfect gift in their price range.

However, here are some tips on not wasting that precious gift card money or (or time trying to find them!)

1. Keep current on your state’s expiration rules.  On gift cards issued in CT, there is no expiration date.  However, each state’s rules are different, so you may want to check the laws in your state (or the state where the purchaser lives, if different).  Then you’ll know if you are in for “inactive” fees, expiration dates, etc.

2. Get a permanent marker.  In our house, we pull all of the gift cards out of their “gift card holders” which take up lots of room and simply write the value on them in permanent marker if it isn’t printed on the card.  This makes storage and organization a lot easier.

3. Keep all of your gift cards in one place in your home.  A big problem with gift cards is that they can get easily misplaced (or thrown away when mixed up in wrapping paper!) because they are so small.  Instead, keep a family gift card box and keep them all together.  If you have multiple children, label each child’s name on their respective gift card(s) so you can keep them straight–and keep arguing to a minimum!

4. Only take the gift cards that you need to the store.  I like to organize my cards into “mall” and “non-mall” groups so I can grab the appropriate cards easily and quickly.  I don’t like to carry all cards with me at all times because a) they make my wallet thick and b) if they are stolen, there is no recovering them.

I also organize my store credits along with my gift cards, so all of my cards are in the same place.  It keeps headaches to a minimum!

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: gift cards, holidays
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Keeping it in your car (and your purse)

Monday, December 15th, 2008

As moms, we are usually pretty good about toting stuff around for our kids–a change of clothes, diapers, snacks, toys, etc.

But what about us?  Particularly during the holiday season, when we are going to parties, shows or recitals at our kids’ schools, etc., it’s often hard to always look our best when we are on the go!  Here are some kits that I have found really useful to keep myself (somewhat) put together for when I am running out the door:

1. In my purse, I keep a small makeup bag with the following:

• neutral lipstick that goes with everything
• oil blotting papers (to keep the forehead & nose shine to a minimum without having to slap on extra powder)
• concealer (for when it wears off under my eyes or over blemishes)
• extra set of gold hoop earrings (for the days I forget to put them on before leaving the house)
• Rolaids/Tums (either individual sample packs or in a “snack size” Ziploc–for after holiday parties!)
• Tylenol/Advil (either individual sample packs or a mini pill holder)
• a couple of Band-Aids

2. Then, in the car, I make sure that I have:

• deodorant stick (for when I run out and forget to apply it!)
• lint roller (3 cats + long hair + 1 child = lots of lint and hair on black wool)
• extra tissues & napkins
• baby wipes
• notepad + pen (this can come in really handy when you least expect it)
• hair elastics + a clip or 2 (for bad hair days)

I hope these will help you as well!

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: holidays, purse kits
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Taxes and more taxes

Monday, December 8th, 2008

Well, I just spent my Friday & Saturday of last week at an intensive 2-day tax update seminar.  Believe it or not, the speakers are really good and even manage to make federal, CT, & NY updates interesting.  But these meetings are not for the faint at heart!

At this time of year, many newspapers and magazines are running their annual “end of year tax planning” articles which can be helpful if you know what questions to ask.  Here are a few tips you may not have heard that I will share with you:

1. If you are planning on improving the energy efficiency of your home with a big purchase such as a new boiler, insulation, etc., hold off until at least January if you want some of the stingy tax credit benefit the IRS is giving ($500 lifetime credit–I mean really.  Replace 2 windows in your house and you are done.).  The credit existed in 2007 and is being revived for 2009, but for some reason, purchases in 2008 are being left out.

2. Get those charitable donations in.  Books to the library, clothing to Salvation Army or wherever you choose to donate your goods.  The warm clothes will help the less fortunate this year and you’ll free up some space in your closets. And don’t forget your charitable driving mileage–14 cents/mile.

3. Consider refinancing your mortgage if possible.  Okay, so this isn’t directly related to saving on your taxes, but it can save you money.  Mortgage rates have dropped and lending has loosened up a bit so if you have an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) or a higher rate, give it a try.  And call your current bank and see if they directly hold your mortgage and ask them for a “rate modification” if they do.  This costs much less and is much less hassle than a refinance and is a great way to save if you can.

4. Take some of those capital losses.  If you had gains (yes, some people actually had these earlier in the year) in 2008, try to offset them.  If you have some losses, might as well use some of them.

5. If you are a first time home buyer, be aware of the pros & cons of the 1st time home buyer credit.  This $7,500 credit looks rather attractive, but be aware it is not a complete government freebie.  It is actually an interest-free loan from the IRS that you will pay back over a period of 15 years each year at tax time if you stay in your house.  If you sell your home before the 15 years are up, you will have to pay back the balance in full when it sells.

If you are a CT or NY resident, feel free to contact me directly with questions.  CT & NY aren’t playing well together these days, so if you work in one state and reside in the other, watch it if you work some days in the office and some from home.  Both states may come knocking on your door for their share.

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: IRS, taxes
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Black Friday?

Monday, December 1st, 2008

As Turbo-Moms, how many of you actually ventured out and did some Black Friday shopping?  I, actually, did not.

Ack! What kind of “super-saver” Mom doesn’t brave the mall on Black Friday?  This Turbo-Mom finds that in-store Black Friday deals can be difficult to obtain and often, a big waste of time. Standing in front of Best Buy at 4am in CT in November is not the best use of my time…

Instead, I have found that doing most of my shopping online is the best way to save time and money–as long as I don’t let myself hang around on too many websites for too long!

Another massive time & money saver when it comes to Christmas shopping is Excel.  Huh? Call me nerdy, but each year in October or so, I make an Excel spreadsheet with each year’s gift recipients, what I am buying them and how much I plan to spend.  This way, I can keep track of who I’ve bought for, who I haven’t, what I was planning to get them in the first place, and how much it should cost.  Then there are no surprises when it comes to the spending totals and no worry in January of how to pay for everything.

Also, some stores seem to be bringing back layaway policies I’ve noticed.  If you want to start your own “Christmas Savings” account, go to www.ingdirect.com and open an online savings account.  They are my favorite of the bunch because they don’t have any catches or minimums and it is really easy to do.  Then, if you know you regularly spend (for example) $500 per year on Christmas gifts, have $45/month auto-debited from your checking account.  Then, when Christmas comes around, you have your cash and budget in-line…with a lot fewer headaches come January.

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: excel, ING, shopping
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Holidays & Giving Back

Monday, November 24th, 2008

Holidays during a recession are always tricky.  We don’t want to look cheap or uncaring, but cripes, everyone is struggling in this economy!  What are you doing to make this holiday season a less expensive but full of joy?  Here’s what I am up to:

 1. Paring down on exchanges.  I’ve contacted several family members and friends and asked if it would be okay to suspend exchanging gifts this year in light of the circumstances.  Reaching out in a kind way not only takes the stress off of me but them as well, with no one feeling slighted or bad or left out.  Other folks that we will exchange with I have already discussed with them that we can’t spend what we did in the past years and have agreed on limits together.  This alone has cut my holiday budget in half.

2. Shopping online with coupon codes as much as possible.  Personally, I hate stores during the holidays.  In CT, it’s super cold out and the malls are too warm and it’s even tougher with a 14-month old!  So I do about 90% of my shopping online.  Always remember to try www.ebates.com if you are in a hurry but still want great prices (I talk all about Ebates in an earlier post on my Top 10 favorites).  Also, www.retailmenot.com and www.flamingoworld.com are good places to go for real online coupon codes and not just store-sponsored links.

3. Making purchases count.  Each year, I purchase a portion of my gifts from http://www.greatergood.com/.  They have nifty, well-made items and a portion of every dollar spent goes to the cause of your choice (such as Child Health, Global Girlfriend, Animal Rescue, etc.).

Imported items, such as jewelry, handbags, and clothing, are made in a “fair trade” environment.  For those who aren’t familiar with the term “fair trade” means that the people making the goods are earning a living wage for their work and you are not supporting sweatshop labor. 

4. How to donate even if money is tight.  There are all sorts of ways to help even if you don’t have a lot of time or money to spare.  Each Greater Good website has a “Click Once a Day” feature by which if you visit the specific site and click on their icon, the site sponsors donate money to your particular cause.  You can even have a daily email reminder sent to you.  In about 15 seconds a day, you can help others for free!

Another way is to give one of their “Gifts that Give More”.  These are great for the person who has everything and doesn’t want “more stuff” or for your more civic-minded family and friends.  With these gifts, 100% of the profits go to the cause of choice.  And because each donation goes to a specific cause (examples: Feed a U.S. Family for 5 weeks, School Shoes for Girls in Rural Africa, etc.), you (and your recipient) have a better sense of where your money is going.  Each year, I purchase one of these for my sister as a gift and she loves it.

Happy shopping!

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: donating, gifts, greater good, online shopping, top 10
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Coupons and more coupons

Monday, November 17th, 2008

With the retail season looking rather dismal, there are tons of coupons out there, flooding our email addresses, our mailboxes, and buried in our newspapers.  And of course, we want to save money, so we end up with all of these little pieces of paper in our kitchens, in our coat pockets, shoved between the seats of our cars, etc.  And of course, when you are ready to use that coupon, sometimes you find it just expired!

So how do we keep them all straight?  It’s tough because traditional “coupon organizers” costing anywhere from $5 to $20 allow spaces for dairy, bakery, fruits, vegetables, etc.  But there is no tag for “department stores” nor “home improvement” nor “salon services”.  And it is near impossible to keep all of the expiration dates straight.

If you are like me and have gotten tired of wasted, expired coupons as well as the mess of little pieces of paper everywhere, try this:

• Get a check organizer from somewhere like Walmart (approx. cost: $4) that will fit in your purse or at least in the door of your car. 
• Instead of organizing coupons by category, try organizing them by month.  It’s much easier to vaguely remember that you have a coupon for Macy’s as well as some pasta sauce rather than to try to keep all of the items and expiration dates straight.  At the beginning of the month, flip through your coupons and see what is going to expire so that you can use them up.
• Only clip the coupons you really have a chance of using.  Remember, coupons are always marketing tools first.  If a brand or store can convince you to try something “new” or spend $50 to save $10, you could be spending a lot more money than you were planning to.
• When manufacturers’ coupons do expire, consider sending them to www.ocpnet.org.  This is a non-profit that helps military families living overseas by getting folks to send them coupons.  Manufacturers will accept coupons on a military base up to 6 months after the expiration date. 

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: coupons, military families
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Flex Health Accounts – Enrollment Season is Now

Monday, November 10th, 2008

For those of you (or your spouses) who have employers that offer health, dental and/or life insurance benefits, November & December are usually the “open enrollment” periods when you have to choose which benefits you would like to have for the following year.

For some, Flex Spending Accounts (aka FSAs) are also offered.  For those with children in daycare or after-school care, usually the FSA for Childcare is a no-brainer–you max it out and it gets used up in a few months.  But what about the Healthcare FSA?

Healthcare FSAs are used to pay for eligible medical expenses not covered by your health insurance.  Since these accounts are funded by you with your pre-tax dollars, you can essentially save anywhere from 10-33% on eligible out-of-pocket medical expenses, depending on your tax bracket.  Out-of-pocket items include things like co-pays for doctor visits and prescriptions, dental work, etc.

The downside is that FSAs have “use it or lose it” clauses–if you don’t use up your contributions during the year, the money is lost. So many people either avoid the FSA entirely or underfund them (missing out on tax benefits) or overfund them (and lose cash).

So how do you make FSAs work for you?  You can sit down with a pencil, paper and calculator to determine how many times you go to the doctor, need a prescription, etc. each year. If you like, contact me with your name & email address at kristin@turbo-mom.com and I will send you a free FSA worksheet that you can either print out and write in your info or simply type right on the form and it will calculate your totals for you!

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: FSA, health insurance, open enrollment
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Public Libraries: A great way to save money and time

Monday, November 3rd, 2008

I don’t know how many of you utilize your local libraries, but they can be a real time and money saver.

I admit, ever since I was 7 or 8, I’ve loved libraries.  I almost always took out the maximum amount of books—10—and loved going through them.  Even at that time, I loved the fact that you could have lots of books for free—as long as you returned them on time.

Nowadays, libraries have significantly evolved and they are a great place for free stuff.  Consider this: according to the American Library Association, almost 100% of libraries now have public internet access! 

Many libraries also have free adult education programs on everything from learning Microsoft Excel to how to sell your items on eBay.  I attended a talk on the latter and saved myself numerous hours trying to figure out the process myself.  And I actually managed to sell a few items lingering in my closet!

Here are a few other things that libraries are good for:

1. Saving you money on home decoration/renovation projects.  When we are getting ready for a home renovation, it can be our impulse to go to the book store and buy every book and magazine about decks or basements or kitchens.  Instead, why not go to the library, check out every book on the subject for free, and then go buy the book or two that ends up being your main inspiration?  Much cheaper.  Then you can put the money you saved on books and magazines toward your improvement.

2. Job search materials.  Of course, there is a usual selection of job search books in the stacks, but did you know that the librarians can help you research local companies that hire in your field?  Or, if you are starting your own business, to get you in touch with the proper state offices to get yourself registered correctly? Save time by learning what they already know. 

3. Movie rentals. Many libraries have movie rentals—which can save you a bunch in Netflix or Blockbuster fees.  Our library allows 5 movies for up to one week for free.  Also, your library may not only have the latest released blockbusters but also independent or foreign films that didn’t have the ad budget of a big studio but are nonetheless interesting.

So if you haven’t been in awhile, check out your local library and reap the savings!

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: free stuff, libraries
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Innovative decorating without spending money

Monday, October 27th, 2008

In these rough economic times, much of our extraneous spending goes out the window as we concentrate on getting food on the table, keeping the heat on, and the roof paid for.  Usually home decorating (or re-decorating!) is one of the first things to go.

 But what if you still want to revamp a room or two but you don’t have the budget?  Try the following resource: Use What You Have Decorating by Lauri Ward (her website is www.redecorate.com).  It is an excellent way to learn how to go around your house and reuse furniture from different rooms to make an entirely different look–without spending any extra cash!  For me, it gave me a different way to look at furniture–and saved us from buying items we didn’t ultimately need.

For those of you who have an eye for style and are looking for a new line of work, you can also learn how to become a “Use What You Have” design consultant.  Part of the course also teaches you “staging”, which is a technique used by real estate agents to make a home more appealing and hopefully a quicker sell.

Have a great week and happy shopping around your house!

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: careers, home decorating, lauri ward
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Saving lots of time and money on software

Monday, October 20th, 2008

For those of you who have been reading for awhile, you probably have some vague recollection of my praise for top 10 honoree www.download.com.  It’s that great place to find spyware free software downloads where you can truly “try before you buy”.

 However, here’s another way to save both time and money on software for those of you using Microsoft Office that you may not know about.

 Did you ever have to write a letter, build a spreadsheet or (ack!) a database and didn’t know where to start?  That blank “new document” staring you in the face can be quite daunting.  Instead, try www.office.microsoft.com and click on their “Templates” list at the top of the page.  Here you can find a template for just about anything–from building a personal budget to tracking a kitchen remodel to spreadsheets on “activity based depreciation” and project proposals. 

The best part is that they are all free and if you already know your way a little bit around the Office software suite, there’s no need to learn a whole new program.  No building painful spreadsheets with long formulas just to find that one line is wrong. No staring at a blank page when you need to write a business letter–get a head start. That saves a HUGE amount of time and free is a very good price!

Copyright 2008-2009 Kristin Delfau, author of Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time a womens' personal finance book, and Aji Publishing.

Tags: microsoft office, software, top 10
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