Our Halloween will not suck this year.

Are you doing anything special for Halloween? We already visited our local pumpkin patch and got ourselves some nice cheap pumpkins. By checking Yelp, we found a patch that sells pumpkins for half the price its next door neighbors sell them for. Part of our family tradition is to visit these pumpkin farms where they have all sorts of fun events for the kids, including pony rides (cute!), a spooky haunted barn (actually funny), a petting zoo, plus a choo choo train.

Halloween Activities: Pumpkins, A Hay Maze and Family Traditions

This year, we found a place that offered a cool hay maze, which I admired for the architecture. The thing was nicely labyrinthine, an enclosure with stacks and stacks of hay; good thing we don’t have hay fever!

Here’s the hay labyrinth we enjoyed for hide and seek play.

Complete with minotaur sentinel to add to the atmosphere. I enjoy these home spun, back road attractions right in your neighborhood which you can take in on a relaxing, casual, fun family day out.

On Cheap Halloween Costumes

The kids are going to be Buzz Lightyear and Dracula this year. If you’re thinking of dressing up this year and haven’t figured out what to do yet, how about checking out these DIY cheap halloween costumes? Personally, I think the best costumes are the ones you make from scratch. I’ve tried shopping for costumes at the usual places you find them, but have always thought them to be expensive for the one time (or once a year) use; on top of it, the outfits are usually pretty flimsy. And for $30? Way off the budget! I found some friendly reminders about how to save on Halloween from Money Talks News, a neat financial site I newly discovered (and who shares well produced embedded videos like this):

Their advice? Make your own graveyard signs with cardboard. Do costume swaps and hand me downs. Use cotton for your cobwebs. Be creative.

One thing I won’t do anymore though: I used to go to Craigslist to try to pick up ultra cheap costumes from people who wanted to unload their old, used costumes online. One time, I drove 30 miles to pick up a $5 outfit for one of my kids. It turned out to be way too old, too small and too worn out to be useful. I was too embarrassed to make the trip and not buy the thing for $5, so I ended up making the transaction. I basically wasted my money, time and gas just to try to save a few bucks. My tip here? Be prepared to face any kind of consequence when you buy stuff online.

Have a great Halloween!

Halloween Activities: Pumpkins, A Hay Maze and Family Traditions

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

Here’s one of my favorite shopping tips.

I don’t know if everyone’s aware of this, but one of my favorite saving tips involves using coupons at a higher priced store. Case in point: Bed, Bath and Beyond.

A pile of Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons. All good! Pic from Blondini

I’ll admit that I’m kind of a home designing junkie. Before I got into blogging, I actually spent a lot of my free time fussing with my home and garden, dabbling in interior design as well as external improvements on our property. You see, when we bought our house, it was fairly new, but had a lot of underdeveloped aspects (this was way back in 2000).

We got a great deal on our house back then, as the real estate market was in turmoil after the dot com bust and 9-11. But as we settled into our home, we realized that we had to do additional work to turn our house into what we ultimately wanted it to be. So I eased my way into a new hobby, which was to get into home improvement projects that would customize our living environment. I became addicted to shopping catalogs and home and garden stores, and yeah, it was one of those things that inflated our bills for a period of time (on a side note: I’m sure glad I eventually replaced a money taking hobby with a money making hobby… ).

But it wasn’t entirely foolish — or so I’d like to think. While I favored a nice store like Bed, Bath and Beyond for all its pretty home effects, there was one thing I did that saved me a decent amount of coin. I collected their coupons that came in the mail on a regular basis. And not only that, I collected ALL the coupons from ALL my friends and family as well. You see, each BBB coupon was good for either $5 off or 20% off on a single item. Each coupon could be applied to any one item at anytime, for a discount.

Bed, Bath and Beyond Coupons Never Expire!

What a lot of people may not realize is that these coupons NEVER EXPIRE. But let me qualify a bit here — apparently, there has been talk that the store’s policy earlier this year has changed the rules a little, such that old coupons are no longer universally accepted at all Bed, Bath and Beyond establishments. That is, certain stores in certain cities may no longer accept “stale” coupons. So depending on where you live, you may have to check with your local store to find out if they still honor your “expired” coupons.

Now as far as expired coupons are concerned: does that mean that the expiration dates are an “inaccuracy” to encourage people to use these coupons quickly? After all, retail sales events are created to encourage you to come out and shop; the sense of urgency makes you want to buy. Just check this out:

Whatever the case, the stores in my area do allow old coupons, so it’s been a good long while since I’ve purchased anything from Bed, Bath and Beyond for full price. Now while this has been the case for me, I still see shopper after shopper at this store, who pays the regular price for their pricey wares. If you’ve got a store that has a liberal coupon policy, don’t let the opportunity go to waste — use those coupons!

So that was one of my favorite shopping tips. If you’ve got one as well, do share!

Bed, Bath and Beyond Coupons Never Expire!

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

This guest article is by Julia Scott, who helps people save on groceries, gasoline and household bills at BargainBabe.com.

If you’re a Costco member, you can take advantage of the bulk buying, especially for certain products. You can also obtain a great balance transfer and cash back rewards card like the American Express Rewards Credit Card which offers a $25 bonus.

But for those of you who aren’t members of Costco, you can still benefit from some deals offered by this warehouse club. Here are some great tips for shopping at Costco even if you’re not a member!

No Costco Membership? Shopping At Costco Still Saves Money

1. You do not have to be a Costco member to get a flu shot there. Unless you have access to a free shot, Costco has the lowest price I have found so far for the flu shot, at $20. The pneumonia shot is $35. Call ahead to see what dates and times they are administering the vaccines. Some restrictions apply. Prices creep up if you go elsewhere. Walgreens is giving flu shots for $25, a slight drop from last year’s standard $30 charge. A benefit of the recession! Rite aid has the flu shot for $30 and the pneumonia shot for $45.

2. Non-members can use the pharmacy. Just tell the employee at the entrance that you are headed there and they will waive you in without a membership card. The Costco pharmacy takes cash and credit cards. I paid $5 for a generic prescription with my Visa that another chain wanted $80 for. One of my blog readers saved $200 getting prescriptions filled at Costco.

3. Members can purchase Costco cash cards and give them to non-members. This was a little known fact about shopping at Costco that a new friend shared with me. Recipients can get a free one-day membership to use the cash card on gas or warehouse items. The cards are also good online.

Cash cards make great gifts and they are useful for employees, students living away from home, and friends who are dying to buy 20 pounds of strawberries. Costco’s page on cash cards lacks details but it may be possible for the recipient to re-load a card as long as they leave some money on it. It also looks like recipients can buy goods for more than the card is worth as long as they can pay for the remainder in cash.

It is unclear if a non-member who receives a Costco cash card is limited to a certain number of uses per year. I suppose if they start recognizing you, you’ll need to pony up $50 and get a membership. Otherwise, the usage guidelines are somewhat open to interpretation. Just remember to bring cash.

4. Non-members can purchase items at Costco.com, though you’ll pay a small surcharge for not being a member. Not a bad idea to price check before making purchases, especially if you are in the market for a coffin.

5. Consider splitting a membership with a friend if you do want to take advantage of the full warehouse. Costco has no problem if the second person on the membership lives at a different address! (If you need prescription glasses, this would be a fabulous deal that makes it worthwhile to join.)

Costco can be a major money suck: huge carts, huge portions, huge bills. That’s why I am not a member. But strangely enough, some of their best deals are open to non-members!

If this post on Costco helped you save money, sign up for email updates from BargainBabe.com.

No Costco Membership? Shopping At Costco Still Saves Money

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

What are some great ways to earn extra cash online? Some of you make money blogging, while others visit online shopping sites and deal sites for rewards. In my case, I’ve been investigating another money earning strategy: have you heard of mystery shopping before?

Image from moneygoddesstips.com

Today as I ran errands during lunch, I got a call from a mystery shopping company. Would I take a pizza shop tonight, the scheduler asked? I would get reimbursed for the pizza plus receive $10 pay. Actually, would I do one pizza shop tonight and one tomorrow, he asked, almost pleading. I laughed and said yes. Even though the pay is lower than I like, I love pizza, especially this brand.

This month marks my one year anniversary as a mystery shopper. Mystery shopping is an activity set up by market research companies where they’ll pay you to shop; companies want your feedback on your shopping experience and they are willing to pay you for it.

So far, my experience with this endeavor has been fun, without a doubt. And the cash has come in handy, a few times amounting to $300-$400 per month in my more lucrative periods. The down side is that you really have to take the time to do the shopping, including the often tedious paperwork afterward, which is tricky when you have a full-time job. But from my experience, this does get easier the more you do it.

I had wanted to do mystery shopping for years, but only took the plunge last year after I finished the bar exam. I had extra time on my hands while awaiting my results, and I needed the cash. So I first signed up with ShadowShopper.com, which is a clearinghouse for mystery shopping opportunities. I paid about $7 for a one month trial. Many mystery shoppers discourage this, saying you don’t need to pay to find shopping opportunities. This may be true, but I found the trial period to be beneficial as I started out. From that small investment, I snagged about $300 in opportunities almost immediately, a good return as I see it.

You can also apply for opportunities at sites like Jobslinger.com and Volition.com. These sites also contain educational information and shopping forums, where you can learn to be a better mystery shopper and where you can bounce ideas off other shoppers.

Mystery Shopping: How I Earn Extra Cash Online

So, how do you get started? Here are the steps I’ve taken to become a mystery shopper:

1. Apply at mystery shopping sites.
Go to the sites I’ve mentioned and apply for individual shopping opportunities. This requires you to create a profile as an independent contractor with the mystery shopping company.

2. Wait to be selected as a shopper.
Your application will go into pending status until a scheduler decides which shopper gets the opportunity. If chosen, you’ll receive guidelines for how to proceed, as well as a due date on your shopping expedition.

3. Evaluate the rules and regulations set by the shopping site.
Sometimes, a shop (e.g. the shopping event) requires a cash outlay which is reimbursed, while at other times, no purchase is necessary because you are just evaluating the service or a certain sales process within a particular store. It is a good idea to review the shop’s evaluation form before you do the shop, so you know what details are needed.

4. Understand the process and how you’ll get paid.
You must meet the shop deadline and complete all tasks to get paid. Some mystery shopping companies pay as quickly as two weeks after the completion of a shop; some don’t pay for 60 days, so make sure you know the company’s pay policy before accepting a shop.

Beware of Mystery Shopping Scams

What about mystery shopping scams? From my experience, they are easy to spot. The typical ones are “opportunities” where you are sent a very large check that you are to deposit into your savings account. Such “opportunities” promise you a sizable portion of the check, then request you to wire the rest to a given address. The check is never good, and you are out the money. Just be aware that a reputable mystery shopping company will never pay you before you actually complete a shop. And if the fee seems too good to be true, it probably is. I received such a check and turned it over to my bank’s fraud department.

Now that my regular work has picked up, I have cut back on mystery shopping, only taking better priced shops or ones that particularly appeal to me, such as the pizza. But I will keep on, because it is an excellent part-time job, allowing me the flexibility to put in the hours whenever I want.

 
Guest contributor: BEM

Mystery Shopping: How I Earn Extra Cash Online

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

Admittedly, I’m not the most fashion conscious person in the world. I don’t care about the latest look or what brand people are wearing or where fads and trends are going. It’s just not my style (yeah, lame pun intended ). But there are people in my family who are highly brand conscious and who take fashion *very* seriously (and that’s an understatement). I am often among people who live and breathe this stuff, so I find it odd how I didn’t quite develop similar inclinations. Although I do remember being pretty fashion conscious in my younger years, until a lightning bolt hit me and left me with this realization: you can look good on a budget.

I sure would like to know why some folks are compelled to relegate a huge portion of their funds to their appearance because I don’t think it’s necessarily justifiable unless:

(a) you’re trying to snag a mate
(b) need a great wardrobe for work so that you look your best
(c) work in an industry that requires you to have hot clothes.

Not to mention that a lot of the trendier items aren’t cheap. They’ll cost you money that could go a long way towards other things that actually matter — say like your long term financial goals?

Having such a bias, I suppose I’m not exactly in a position to rightfully “judge” this type of look:

Image from Urban Outfitters

There’s something a little wrong with this picture, and I think it’s pretty obvious. Honestly though, people actually pay for this stuff? Well, there must be a reason why there are fashionistas out there who would love to have holes in their wardrobe. Maybe so they can look cool like this?

Image from Cottonable.com

Hmmmm…. if old threads can actually pass as “cool”, then why not just save yourself $44 (plus tax and shipping costs) by throwing your mothballs away and having the bugs have a go at your closet?

More fun and finance ahead!

Personal Finance Articles

• Len Penzo: My Ten Commandments of Personal Finance
• Lazy Man and Money: Google Work at Home Scam
• Brip Blap: The Professional Hitman
• Taking Charge: Bernanke’s REAL Reaction To Re-Nomination
• The Financial Blogger: Knowing How Your Advisor Is Compensated
• Wealth Pilgrim: Know When To Fire Somebody
• Darwin’s Finance: Corporate Pension Plan Shortfall – The Next Crisis?
• Managing Money God’s Way: Biblical Financial Principles
• Intelligent Speculator: JetBlue Uses “Brilliant Marketing”?
• Money Smart Life: Profile of a Financial Advisor — Jean Keener

Recent Carnivals

• Best of Money Carnival by All Financial Matters: Thanks to JLP for featuring my post about bank certificates of deposit as a top 10 selection!
• Best of Money Carnival by Man vs Debt: I am also honored that Baker chose my post on work stress and workplace conflict to be on his short list!
• Festival of Frugality: Thanks to the Canadian Finance Blog for choosing my post on energy star appliances as an Editor’s Pick!
• Your Pet Monthly
• Money Hacks Carnival
• Carnival of Personal Finance

Make Your Own Designer Clothes? The Price of Fashion

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

I love rewards. That’s why I’ve joined the Citi ThankYou points network and have a habit of taking advantage of credit card rewards (see this list of best credit cards that offer such programs). So it’s no surprise that I’m also fond of online shopping sites that offer me rewards when I shop.

In fact, for a decade now, I’ve been earning points for online activities and cashing them in for gift certificates, cash and prizes. Common activities such as online shopping, opening email, taking surveys, reviewing products and clicking on websites help me earn points. When you earn enough points, you can cash them in for all sorts of cool stuff.

10 Online Shopping Sites For Point Rewards

Here are some of my favorite points earning websites:

1. MyPoints

Tried and true, MyPoints.com has been around for about ten years. You can do your online shopping through links in email or right from the website. When you sign up, you’ll be able to join surveys and receive emails with links to various related tasks in order to earn points. I also appreciate the fact that MyPoints also features coupon links and printable coupons for additional savings. I’ve actually earned hundreds of dollars in gift certificates from MyPoints over the past ten years! Although this program does not have a cash option, the gift certificate choices are great with participating retailers such as Macy’s, Kmart, Best Buy, Red Lobster and Olive Garden.

2. Memolink

This website has had its ups and downs over the past decade but it has always offered gift certificates for points. Originally, Memolink was geared for the student population but eventually, its audience expanded to include everyone. The features, tasks and retailers that are offered here are actually similar to what you’ll see in MyPoints, but it takes longer to accrue enough points to cash in.

3. Creations Rewards

A relative newbie compared to MyPoints and Memolink, Creations Rewards provides similar opportunities to earn points. You’ll receive daily emails to promote new ways to earn rewards points, say when you click a link to a sponsor or a daily survey. I’ve already earned a number of gift certificates from them, including some from Home Depot.

4. Greenpoints

If you have coupon collectors in your family, you may have noticed them possibly collecting S & H Green Stamps (or Green Shield Stamps, which were popular from the 1930s to late 1980s); these were trading stamps that used to be handed out to shoppers at supermarket counters and gas stations. These stamps were redeemable for catalog items through a rewards program that could yield you merchandise such as kitchen wares, lamps or newspaper racks. Now these Green Stamps have evolved into virtual S & H Greenpoints, which is the online version of this rewards program. You can collect Greenpoints for a variety of online activities much like what you’d do over at MyPoints and Memolink. However, my experience here has been mixed since it actually takes me a while to collect enough points to cash in for gift certificates. It’s a slower process to earn points from this site.

5. FreeRide

One of the first online points websites is FreeRide, which was started over a decade ago and which has had several different owners over the years. When you surf the FreeRide website, various points earning opportunities pop up, including paid email, surveys and shopping opportunities. I’ve received free merchandise from FreeRide in the past, but I’ve since lost interest in their program because of the operational changes that have gone on with the site over the years.

6. SendMoreInfo

While paid email programs may not be for everone, it’s one way to get paid for your time online. SendMoreInfo is one such paid email program; once you sign up, you’ll begin receiving email from the site which will contain links. Clicking on any of these links will lead you to an ad, which you can then check out. The premise here is that you’ll get paid by inspecting these ads (of course, in the best case scenario, they’re hoping you’ll buy something from them). But of course, nothing is ever so easy: unless you refer friends and associates to the program, it will take you a long time to earn a meaningful sum of money. However, I can say that it’s one of the more stable and generous programs of its kind. The minimum cash payout at SendMoreInfo is $10.

7. MySurvey

MySurvey offers customized surveys based on a series of questions asked, with the surveys worth various point quantities. When you accrue a certain number of points, you can cash them in for prizes or cash. I have earned hundreds of dollars at this site over the past eight years and have been more than satisfied with this program.

8. SurveySpot

Once you join SurveySpot, you’ll get the latest survey opportunities emailed to you. Some surveys will pay you cash while others pay you in kind, so you’ll have to review each email message to find out whether the survey offered is worthwhile.

9. Toluna and Your2Cents

I used to participate in email survey opportunities provided by Your2Cents. However, the site has been transferred over to Toluna, which is a portal that allows you to earn points by voting and creating polls. While I haven’t yet tried Toluna, I have used Your2Cents in the past, where I was able to earn anywhere from $1 to $5 per completed survey. I had successfully earned about $50 from surveys through this program.

10. Gather

If you like to write, share ideas and participate in an active online social community, then you can check out Gather. Each time you write an entry, receive a comment on your entries or comment on other posted entries, you’ll earn points which can be cashed in for charities, gift certificates and cash.

What Makes MyPoints, MemoLink and MySurvey Point Rewards Worthwhile?

Websites such as MyPoints, MemoLink and the like are most suitable for people who would like to earn something extra from the comfort of their homes, perhaps as a hobby or side income stream. At the very least, it’s a convenient way to pick up some extra cash or prizes. Now you may wonder just how time-consuming these activities are: speaking from experience, I don’t believe it should take all day to earn points if you participate in natural activities. The point-earning opportunities should be part of your daily activities, such as reading email, shopping and taking quick surveys. You would also need to appreciate the participating retailers that are part of these shopping and survey rewards sites from which you’ll expect to earn gift certificates.

Reviewing Point Earning Opportunities

I prefer to stick with established point earning rewards websites with proven payouts. As it goes, there are always new point earning sites that sprout up every so often, but these new point earning opportunities can be risky! Check out this entry at CompareRewards about BoomerTowne, a point earning opportunity that disappointed many people. That said, do take a look at CompareRewards, a useful resource that evaluates point earning opportunities, rewards programs, rebate portals and survey sites.

When in doubt, take some time to check out a program online by doing a simple Google search to see what others have to say. Over time, I’ve grown to trust a few sites. My favorite websites are My Points and My Survey because I earn the most from them and devote the least time to their activities. I’ve enjoyed participating in part time activities like these and simply love using the gift certificates I earn for holiday presents, back to school clothing and even as wedding and shower gifts. So what are your favorite point-earning opportunities?

For more posts on this vein, check out:

• Where To Get Free Stuff Online
• 21 Deal Sites and Online Tools To Help You Save Money
• Best Coupon Sites For Online Shoppers

MyPoints, MemoLink, MySurvey Online Shopping Sites For Point Rewards

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

A while back, I wrote about how we were able to lower our utility bills with new appliances. As part of my push to try to save money so that I could afford taking the risk of self employment as a full time blogger, my spouse and I focused on the recurring cost of energy in our household. And yes, by the looks of it, our investments in new Energy Star appliances (a $1,200 refrigerator and an $800 washer) should be close to paying themselves off by now, after a couple of years of lower utility bills (also thanks to some stricter rules for energy consumption at home). The great news is that we’ve been experiencing at least 25% in cost savings since our decision to buy these energy-efficient appliances in late 2007.

Image from Greenbox

So I thought I’d follow up on this cost savings strategy today and see just how well Energy Star appliances can work out for you. It may be a good idea to first determine how much you are spending on energy. To help you out, here’s a neat idea called Greenbox, a software program that allows you and your utility company to monitor your electricity usage; Forbes recently ran an article on it.

Using Energy Star Appliances To Save On Utility Costs

As my personal story shows, if you’ve got aging appliances, performing an Energy Star upgrade could reduce your energy consumption by quite a lot. Here’s a little background on it:

The Energy Star program began back in the nineties as a way to help consumers choose products that are more energy efficient. In addition to home appliances, we can find Energy Star labels for common products like office equipment, lighting, and even home electronics, as well as some new homes (just check this green home) and commercial properties. With guidelines provided by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy, you can just look for the blue Energy Star label instead of taking a calculator with you to see if the model you want is energy efficient!

So how about we take a look at a few of these appliances and see how they score for energy efficiency?

Refrigerators & Freezers

As Lowe’s points out, the refrigerator uses the most energy of our household appliances because it runs 24 hours a day. According to the Energy Star site, if you replaced a refrigerator you purchased in 1990 with an Energy Star model, you’d save enough energy to run your lights for four months. Also, today’s Energy Star refrigerators are supposed to use 20% less energy than required by current federal standards and 40% less than the conventional models from as recently as 2001.

As an example, replacing a five-year-old Frigidaire with a similar Energy Star model would cost $548, while the estimated yearly operating cost is $38.

Dishwashers

Now here’s what the Energy Star site says about today’s compliant dishwasher models: they actually use less hot water than conventional models and 41% less energy than the federal standard.

Looking at the specs for this Maytag dishwasher, I can see that it’s Energy Star compliant. I’ve checked a few dishwashers, and a scan of their Energy Guide information shows that a dishwasher can typically cost between $400 and $700; it will also cost you about $34 a year to operate. Could it be time to fire our current team of dish washing relatives and to look into an Energy Star portable dishwasher?

Clothes Washers

I read that an Energy Star clothes washer uses 40% less energy and up to 60% less water than its conventional counterparts. Energy Star also reports that we can save up to $550 over the lifetime of an energy efficient model. While that’s the claim, I actually think those savings are underestimated, as evidenced by my own experience. But then again, my savings also factor in cost cuts due to my household’s stricter rules for energy use at home.

As an example, a Whirlpool Duet model is supposed to save you 73% water and 77% energy compared to a conventional model made before 2004. That would be awesome for the environment and for your wallet, but its price is pretty hefty at $1595.99! It might only be worth it if you’ve got a big family and a lot of laundry to do!

One other point: I looked for information on energy-saving dryers, but Energy Star doesn’t monitor them because the energy use doesn’t vary much among models.

Air Conditioners

For some of us, A/Cs are the biggest energy users in our home (do you live in Nevada or Arizona?). There was a time here in California when we were subjected to rolling blackouts because of the strain that simultaneous air conditioners were placing on our energy grids during heat waves. An Energy Star compliant air conditioner in each household would help by using 10% less energy than their conventional counterparts. So if you’re looking for cheap ways to keep cool, you may want to consider an Energy Star air conditioner to help beat the heat.

So is a new appliance in the cards for you? if you’re going to replace an old home appliance soon, shopping around for an Energy Star model can save you money in the long term (as it did for me). Look for that blue label, and read the yellow Energy Guide labels as well — they’ll give you estimates on the annual cost of running the appliance and the amount of energy you’d save compared to conventional models. And for added savings, don’t forget to pick up rebates and discounts from retailers who are eager to unload their merchandise in this recession. I certainly got a few hundred dollars’ worth of rebates applied to my purchases, sweetening these “investments” all the more!

 
With help from contributing writer: Millie Kay G.

Use Energy Star Appliances To Save On Utility Costs

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

It’s time for a vacation! Here’s a solid list of travel resources for anyone who’s preparing for a trip.

Since I have some vacation time coming up, it seems like a good idea to see what resources are out there for cheap travel.  From flights and hotels to car trips and attractions the whole family can share, there’s bound to be something for every budget traveler. These days, it may actually be an opportune time to travel — I’ve noticed smaller crowds at entertainment venues, what with the recession causing such anemic turnouts. So how about we take a tour of the travel sites that are aching for your business?

Image by Room Candy

Best Travel Sites for Cheap Vacation Deals

Priceline. One of the bigger, more recognizable travel sites out there is Priceline, well known for their Name Your Price feature. You can snare a good vacation deal through bidding, if you’re willing to make tradeoffs on certain aspects of your trip. Check our review of Name Your Price to find out exactly how it works and what kind of parameters you’ll need to work with to receive the best prices.


Expedia. Here’s another top site when it comes to offering travel deals. If you need ideas on where to go, you can browse through Expedia’s Travel Deals.  Here, you’ll find bargains on flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, vacation packages, and even last-minute deals.  Their coverage is comprehensive — their site covers practically any location in the world.

 To save even more and enjoy a wider selection, you might prefer to book early for popular destinations like the Caribbean, Hawaii, Florida, and Mexico.


Travelocity. Another contender in the travel world is Travelocity, which you’ll probably be pretty familiar with thanks to its mascot, the travel gnome (I know them for being such an integrated sponsor of one of my favorite reality shows, The Amazing Race). You can book almost anything through this site, including airfare, cars, cruises, hotels, vacation packages and so on; they give you a lot of flexibility to perform your searches. Travelocity functions a lot like its major competitor, Expedia, and does a good job with providing you a lot of extra resources to help you develop your itinerary.


Hotwire is another source for discounts on airfare, hotel rooms, and other travel choices. Its Trip Watcher has the same objectives as Priceline’s Name That Price feature — it can help you snag the best deals if you can be flexible with your travel dates, destinations, and the airports you’d use if you’re planning to fly.

Budget Travel Guides

Budget Travel has a lot of resources for those of us who are looking to spend less.  The Trip Ideas section covers areas of interest such as adventures, road trips, long weekends, wine trips, and more.  The How-to Handbook discusses strategies and secrets for airfares, cruises, car rentals, and dining.

 You can stop by the Real Deals section for discounted airfares, hotels, and tours throughout the U.S. and international destinations.



Let’s Go offers travel guides for a variety of destinations such as the U.S., Europe and parts of Asia.  Written by students, these resources can guide you to great experiences without the luxury prices.  Also of interest are the stories written by various editors based around the world, so you can get an insider’s perspective of your destination of choice. 

Road Trips!


One way to save on travel is to plan a road trip.  If you’re a member of AAA, you can access maps and travel directions, take advantage of travel deals, and find assistance if you happen to need emergency road service. 

 Now to find cheaper gas during your road trip, don’t forget to visit GasBuddy.com or GasPriceWatch.com! 





Campgrounds & National Parks

National Parks. 
For many, cheap travel means camping.  KOA can help you find locations for tent or RV camping. 

Also, the National Park Service has a Find a Park locator.  Clicking on a park location will give you information on fees and reservations, tour fees, and the interagency pass program, in case you want to visit other national parks.

Camping Equipment. For equipment, you can browse through the offerings at Dick’s Sporting Goods or try your luck at eBay or Craigslist.  Buying discounted tents, cooking gear, and other items throughout the year will make upcoming trips become less of a one-time expense too!  And why not tap anyone in your local network of campers with equipment you can borrow? If you’ve got other families and friends you can share equipment with (along with its cost), why not?

Local Attractions for Less


A state or city’s travel or visitors’ bureau can be a guide to local deals.  For example, a state’s tourism site can contain information for seasonal activities, in addition to city and regional adventures.  And here’s something I do — when I stay at hotels, I check the lobby for coupons, brochures and the local paper for events like plays, concerts and restaurant reviews.

 I also like the idea of becoming a member of a museum, zoo, or other attraction in my hometown, because then I can ask about reciprocal membership or discounted admission to attractions in other cities.  For example, if you’re a member of the Zoological Society of Milwaukee, the 2009 Reciprocal Zoo list shows that you can enjoy free or discounted admission to various zoos across the country.  Plus you can also get a discount at some zoo gift shops!

So how are you planning your vacation? As for me, all I have to do is figure out where I’m going next…

Best Travel Sites For Cheap Vacation Deals

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

Some thoughts of a newly married man who’d like to dispel some illusions about the frugal wedding. Tim Parker from Elementary Finance weighs in on what it takes to get hitched.

Some weeks ago, I got married. While we planned our wedding, my then fiancee did the bulk of the work while I played the good spouse-to-be and did exactly what I was told to do. I suspect it’s like how things usually turn out at most weddings. Now I don’t want to be yet another guy to write the next not-so-great article about how to control your wedding costs. Instead, I’m hoping to tackle the subject of planning a wedding by discussing the stuff I learned from the process.

How To Plan A Wedding Without Getting Stressed

While going through the planning process, here were a few ideas we had that quickly became impractical.

“We’re keeping it simple”.

I think this may rank as the number one most impractical “goal” (or statement) my fiancee and I made. If you want to keep it simple and would like to save money on your wedding, hop in the car and go to the courthouse on an unannounced day and get married there. Or go to Las Vegas. If you decide to have a wedding, you’ll want to get a wedding cake; you’ll also want to have pictures along with a reception, decorations, dresses, tuxes, music, a pastor, and a place to do all of this in. It will not be that simple and will cost a certain amount of money. If you want things truly simple and basic, then don’t have a wedding. It’s a fact that the people who provide these services are far from cheap.

Tip: Set expectations.

“We’re having a small wedding”.

So you want to keep wedding costs down and your guest list short. Perhaps you’re hoping to get away from the traditional practice of inviting all your close friends and extended family whom you haven’t seen in a while. I think this is a great idea. So great, that we tried this. The problem is that if you invite your mother (but of course!), how do you not invite her sister? If you invite her sister, how do you not invite her kids (your cousins)? Before you know it, “immediate family” adds up to 50 people. How much does it cost to feed 50 people? At $20 a head for food alone, your expenses quickly add up to $1,000.

But wait, if there are people you know who’ve got the creative talents to pull off some aspects of your wedding, then why not use some leverage? Here’s one example of what one couple has done for their wedding invitation (warning: may contain an offensive element). And here’s someone else who’s come up with truly unique creative ideas. You’re in luck when someone with talent can lend you a hand. In this case, inviting such people to become part of your wedding can be a good thing!

Tip: Barter services if you can.

“Let’s have a wedding our guests will never forget”.

Do you wish for a wedding that people will remember and talk about for years to come? Many couples work to give their guests a wedding they won’t soon forget… the goal therefore becomes “how to impress the wedding guests”.

But let’s not forget that this event is mainly about the couple taking center stage and hopefully having people help and support them. As the couple, you should be enjoying your special day, rather than stressing about it. Have you seen the show on television called “Bridezilla”? It’s dedicated to featuring many stressed out brides who aren’t enjoying their weddings all that much. But why does it have to be that way? Unfortunately, very often, it is.

Tip: Put the couple first.

“We’ll do it ourselves.”

On your wedding day, you’ll be busy being the stars of your event, so you won’t have time to put the food out, cut the cake, arrange the flowers, and still be able to enjoy what’s going on. So my advice? If you don’t have enough money to get the right people to take care of the details on your day, then work on a budget, prioritize your requirements, try your best to cut back, dial back your expectations and make adjustments. You don’t have to incorporate everything you want in your wedding. This should be your day and you should allow it to be about you (even if it means foregoing the fancy venue and doves)!

Tip: You don’t have to do everything. See if you can recruit others to pitch in.

“We’re flying away for our honeymoon”.

You don’t have to follow “tradition”. I invite you to disagree with me on this. For us, we ruminated upon the $2,000 or more it would take to go on a storybook honeymoon. Then we looked at the shape that our furniture was in and thought about which option seemed like a better idea for our $2,000. It was an easy decision — we didn’t want to take on any extra debt. So we took a rain check on the honeymoon, a compromise if you will. We’d like to enjoy our honeymoon without any money worries, so why not wait 6 months and save our money in order to afford it?

Tip: Make the right financial choices. Beware of the dangers of debt; don’t fall into the debt trap as you plan your wedding.

Say NO To Debt!

You may think that I’m anti-wedding. I’m far from that. In fact, I believe my bride and I made our wedding even more joyous by making sure that we didn’t have to worry about credit card bills piling up in the mailbox after it was all over. We’re starting our new life together debt free. If the experts are right and marriage is a challenge during the first couple of years, then don’t let debt make it even tougher.

How To Plan A Wedding Without Getting Stressed

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci

So how was Father’s Day? Got anything for your dad or husband this year? In my case, it’s a simple phone call and greeting (my dad lives abroad), while in our household, my spouse and I don’t really fall for the pressures of gift giving that much. Nice little trinkets from our kids always serve as our tokens of appreciation for each other during occasions like Mother’s or Father’s Day. Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries are hard enough for us to figure out: we negotiate for the most low cost and high value things we can happily exchange with each other, without having to upset the budget. Maybe we’re overdue for a nice night out for a change?

Fun Gift Ideas For The Finance Enthusiast

Ambient Orb: Image by Codehaus

But for fantasy’s sake, I checked out what currently serve as unique gift ideas, especially for the financially inclined (by no means is this list an endorsement — am doing it just for fun). As a follow up to my post describing some cool gifts for the real estate lover, I thought I’d pick up on this list by Smart Money which caught my fancy: too late to buy Dad anything this year, but I quite appreciated the financial theme of this list. What kind of gifts would you give someone who’s financially sophisticated?

1. StockCast Wireless Stock Market Tracker by Brookstone (Price: $49.99)
I can see this being a useful gift — if you don’t own a computer. It’s a wireless desktop gadget that tracks the market and projects updates onto a screen. If you’re willing to part with another $6.95 a month or $19.95 a quarter, you can create and watch your own stock portfolio. Oh wait! Must be that the scores of stock charting tools, trackers, screeners, checkers, calculators and other FREE online tools offered by online stock brokers and investment sites today just aren’t up to par?

2. A Session With A Financial Advisor (Price: $150 to $400 per hour)
For local fee only financial planners, you can check out the National Association of Personal Finance Advisors or NAPFA.org, as well as the Garrett Planning Network. You can find advisors based on the zip code you provide.

3. The Amazon Kindle DX (Price: $489) with Wall Street Journal Subscription ($14.99 a month)
Is the Kindle something your (old) man would appreciate? An older version costs $359 if you’re looking for something less pricey. Do you really need one? Check out this Amazon Kindle review for some pros and cons.

4. Ambient Orb by Ambient Devices (Price: $99.99)
This stock market mood ring is a spherical glass lamp that shifts hues to reflect the way the stock market is behaving in real time. Just like with the Brookstone Stock Market Tracker, you can set up and follow a custom portfolio using the orb for $6.95 a month. Watch it glow green when the market’s up, red when the market’s down, and yellow when things are flat. It also tracks other “channels” such as weather, pollen forecasts or traffic.

5. Financial Books and Movies (Price: Varied)
If you’re looking for an affordable gift idea, how about a DVD, magazine subscription or book? Sure you can pick up a finance-oriented book or movie, but then again, you can always go to the library for the free stuff.

6. HP 12C Financial Calculator by Hewlett-Packard (Price: $79.99)
This is for the high-tech Dad who loves numbers and gadgets. This thing has 130 built-in functions that help you with figuring out stuff like your loan amortization, yield calculations, time value of money and payoff schedules. It should be a hit with financial geeks if they don’t have it already.

7. Personal Finance and Investing Software for the iPhone or Blackberry (Price: $4.99 to $12.95)
The thing about getting yourself an iPhone is that you won’t be able to help filling it up with fun applications to play with while you’re on the run. There’s a good number of financial apps for your mobile device, among them are iXpenseIt, WalletWhiz, Gas Cubby and Mobile Checkbook. For more applications, here’s a big list.

Nice gift ideas for sure, although some of them aren’t too practical (alternatives exist that are much cheaper). I’ll settle for a nice family cookout for all the dads in my family!

Personal Financial Articles

I was happy for the opportunity to have been mentioned in a few online (and print) articles lately. I was interviewed by Mary Duan for an article about BlogHer, one of the women-oriented blogging communities I’m a member of. I was also mentioned in a few articles by Kimberly Palmer, who writes for Alpha Consumer (US News). Many thanks as well to The Consumerist, Wise Bread, Wallet Pop, Loose Change (Wall Street Journal) and FiLife for featuring The Digerati Life on their sites. I’m always excited when I get a chance to reach out to a larger audience! I also caught up with a few financial bloggers last week:

• The Money Maniac: Investing Life Cycle To Wealth
• One Mint: Reverse Converts Ignites the Blogosphere
• Good Financial Cents: Will They or Won’t They?
• Lazy Man and Money: Murphy-Goode’s Smart Marketing with New Media
• Generation X Finance: Your Car is Making You Poor And What You Can Do About It
• The Sun’s Financial Diary: Where Is Gold Headed?
• Brip Blap: The Four(ty) Hour Workweek
• My Dollar Plan: Money By the Numbers
• Frugal Dad: How Many Nights A Week Do You Eat Out?
• Money Smart Life: Five Financial Pitfalls To Avoid During The Summer
• Joe Tax Payer: IRS Phones Home

Recent Carnivals

• Festival of Frugality: I’m glad to have made the Editor’s list last week for my post on best places to retire for cheap. My thanks to Stupid Cents for hosting this edition of the carnival.
• Carnival of Financial Planning
• Carnival of Pecuniary Delights
• Thrifty Thursday
• Money Hacks Carnival
• Carnival of Personal Finance
• Carnival of Debt Reduction

Fun Gift Ideas For The Finance Enthusiast

YNAB Pro Giveaway Code: fibonacci