Every year, about this time, a little flying baby comes around and shoots his heart shaped arrows on to couples for one of the most romantic days of the year. Well those arrows start to cost a pretty penny when you add up buying a gift, dinner, and any other Valentine’s Day trinkets, so maybe this year it’s time to start arrow dodging.

Luckily for you and your sweetheart, there is no need to skip the swoon-fest, there are plenty of ways to have a hearts and arrow filled V-Day that won’t leave your wallet heartbroken.

Get crafty: Instead of spending money on a card from the store, grab some old magazines, scissors, and glue to make a card from the heart. This saves at least five bucks and it is much more personal. So get cutting and start saving!

Don’t forget about the presents! Look around the house and make a crafty, from the heart, gift for your special someone and skip the pricy stores. Try making a special dessert with things you already have in the kitchen.

Skip the bistro: You know everyone is going to be heading out to the restaurants, so make a delicious meal at home and have a picnic next to the fireplace. Way more romantic and wallet friendly, and you don’t have to get stuck paying extras like tips for servers or waiting to get a table.

Close to home: Instead of jetting off to a cabin somewhere, take the weekend and spend the entire time with each other. Play games, watch movies, or just sit around and talk, the point of the day is to spend time with each other not all your money.

Coupon Clipper: Make a coupon book for your romantic interest with vouchers for different chores like cleaning the house, washing the car, or giving the dogs a bath. These are not only a great way to show you care but the cash you save will really make your heart flutter.

There is no need to go out and empty your bank account just to show you care, the best (and least expensive) gifts are the ones from the heart.

What kind of inexpensive Valentine’s Day ideas have you had in the past?

Photo by: Eddellyn // CC 2.0

How much did the holidays cost you? With cost of traveling, food, drinks, and gifts, holiday debt can accumulate fast, and it will hit you all at once. According to the National Retail Federation, 36.3% of Americans purchased these expenses on credit, and 65% of these people are still carrying their debt from last year!

The holidays are a time when retailers offer huge discounts, so it’s easy to see why there is so much consumer debt. Eliminating your consumer debt is easier said than done, but it’s possible. So sober up! It’s time to get rid of your holiday debt hangover.

Prepare: Even before your bills start to come in, start making a list of all the debt you may have accumulated over the holidays. Don’t let each bill that comes in surprise you.

Letting Go: It’s time to let go of any gifts you bought for yourself. If your debt is out of control, with no way to pay it off in time. Reduce the amount you owe as fast as you can. Although you’ve always wanted that HDTV, you should put it off until you can truly afford it. If you are able to return anything, it will reduce your bill, if not, you can try selling it yourself.

Using Rewards: Some cards offer you cash back rewards. If you accumulated enough to earn you a check, this can be used to pay down some of your holiday debt.

Be On The Lookout: With the CARD Act deadline coming in, credit card companies are trying to get under the wire by increasing rates and changing policies. You should be aware of these changes, especially of your APR, as some APRs have gone from 9% to 28%. If your APR skyrockets, it will force you to spend additional time and money to pay it off. Although it is difficult to do, you can try to negotiate a lower APR if this is the case.

Use A Loan: May seem a little bit backward to do, but depending on your situation; it could help you save some money on interest. If you are unable to negotiate a better APR with your credit card, you can try getting a loan, such as a Home Equity Loan, to pay off your credit card, while it still leaves you with the debt, you’ll be able to get a better APR. You can also try social lending websites, such as Lending Club, you will be borrowing directly from an individual, and you will be able to search for various amounts and rates.

Freeze Your Debt: With a large amount of debt looming, it can become overwhelming. Freeze your debt in place by using cash or your debit card. Adding on more debt as you are trying to pay it off will only leave you in a bigger mess.

Many people get caught up with holiday cheer and end up overspending, and your holiday debt for the first time can make you sick, but there are ways you can manage and reduce the impact it will have on you. Sticking with the basics of debt management, you can clear things up sooner rather than later.

How severe is your debt hangover?

“It sure would be nice to get away for a few days.“

“Maybe next year we can afford it.“

“I don’t want to feel guilty about spending the money”

The same excuses year after year. It’s finally time take that coveted vacation, but instead of going somewhere you just sit at home, watch some television, tinker around the house, or just sleep in because it’s just too expensive to go somewhere. Sadly, you’re right. Going out of town for a few days is major expense. You have to get to your destination, possibly rent a car, pay for a place to stay, and after that you still need to eat three meals a day. No wonder it’s seemingly impossible to get out of town.

Not to worry! With some careful planning and creative thinking you can cut that vacation bill in half. So before you start selling off furniture or the dog just to get away, try some of these money saving tips that will get you a lot farther than you may think.

Location: Pick a destination that’s in a slow season. No reason to deal with the crowds or pay premium rates when all you’re looking for is a little relaxation. Map out the area and find the free parks or events to save on pricey admission fees. Utilize websites like Uptake.com that allow you to search for cheep and free things to. Keep in mind you can buy last minute travel packages that are all inclusive and very inexpensive if you are flexible in your destination and travel dates.

Getting there: With this category you have a few options:

Driving: Taking your own car means no airport security lines, baggage checks, or expensive tickets! However, depending on the distance, the gasoline bill could put a hefty hole in your pocket. You are also adding a lot of miles on the car’s engine and if it breaks down on the way, emergency repairs will cost you a pretty penny.

Flying: Should flying even be an option??! With a little research and some heavy bargain hunting, taking an airplane doesn’t have to cost hundreds of dollars. If you are flexible when you can leave, Airfarewatchdog.com has a very nice bargain search engine for tickets. Just put in where you want to leave from and it gives you the cheapest tickets online to a wide variety of locations.

Bus: If you plan enough in advance, there are some bus lines that will get you where you need to go for under fifteen bucks one way! Megabus.com is an extremely inexpensive bus line that has a wide selection of stops. Perfect for the penny pinching traveler and the best part is you don’t have to drive!

Bottom line, be flexible with your dates and locations, plan ahead, and you’ll to get the cheapest price on whatever mode of transportation you choose.

Staying there: Always plan ahead! This will ensure the best possible price for a place to stay. Check Priceline.com for any last minute deals in the area you are staying. Make it a point to pick hotels that have a free breakfast, this way you can save on meals in the morning! Don’t just stick to chain hotels, some family owned motels are quite comfy and a fraction of the price.

Don’t starve: A big misconception is that if you go on vacation, you’re stuck eating out every meal and left with a hefty restaurant bill. Choose a hotel that provides complementary breakfast. Prepare food at home that will easily heat up in the hotel microwave. Make a visit to the local market to pick up some fresh fruit, snacks, and sandwich meat.

Going on vacation does not have to be a bank breaking event. Be flexible, plan ahead, avoid the hot spots, and make your own food. This way your mind can be at ease and so can your wallet.

Photo By: BenDigital2 // CC BY 2.0

You’ve seen it happen at just about any party. Maybe this happened at your New Year’s Eve Party. Someone is bound to spill something somewhere. Were you left with a mystery stain in your carpets? Getting the stain out while it’s fresh is the best time to remove it before it does too much damage to your furniture, floors, or clothes. So have these things prepared next time so you don’t end up with a big red blot in your home.

Rags/Paper Towels: Have these ready to help take up any excess liquids when the spill happens. The biggest mistake you can make is to wipe or rub to get the spill cleaned up. This will just drive the stain further in and make it harder to remove.

Salt: To get deep into the stain, use salt. The salt will absorb any of the extra moisture making the spill less likely to stain your stuff. Coarse salts generally work better than fine grain salts.

Baking Soda: Baking soda can be sprinkled on your stain or mixed into a paste to help clean up.

Club Soda: Pour club soda directly onto the stain. The carbonation will help pull the stain out.

Vinegar: You can pour vinegar onto the stain, just like club soda to help remove the stain. Or you can pour some onto a rag to help the rag have more cleaning power.

Having these simple tools in your kitchen can keep a stain from forming in your house, which could lead to costly stain removal processes later on. So if your guest spills any wines, juices, or sauces on your floor, you’ll be ready to take care of it.

Every New Years, it reminds us that another year has passed. Where does the time go? There are a couple of devices that can save you some time, as well as some money for this upcoming year. So don’t delay, time’s a wasting! Here some devices to help you out:

Electric kettle – Don’t wait for water to boil on the stove anymore. Electric kettles only take a minute or two to heat up, saving you lots of time. You can use them in the morning to make tea or coffee. You can also use them to cut down your cooking time, just heat up the water in the kettle then pour it into a pot on the stove to cook pasta.

Programmable Thermostat – If you are constantly adjusting the thermostat to help save you energy, this will help you out. You can set specific times and days when it should be warmer or cooler. And after you get everything set, you won’t have to worry about it ever again!

Water Filter – If you hate tap water, and end up buying bottled water because of it, this will help save you time and money. Don’t worry about waiting for the water to filter through a pitcher because there are filters you can attach directly to the tap itself.

Filtered Water Bottle – If you’re constantly on the go and can’t get home to use your own water filter, don’t worry, there is another solution for you! Filtered water bottles can seem quite pricey at first, but they do also save you money in the long run. The bottle itself can be filled up at any tap or water fountain, and the built in filter will take care of the rest.

Portable Chargers – Another good one if you’re always running around. How many times have you found yourself with a low battery without anytime to stop and charge it? Keep this around and You’ll be able to keep your devices charged so you can keep on going.

Flash Drive – With most people working on a computer nowadays, this handy device easily fits into your pocket and is ready to save anything you want onto it. So don’t worry about finding or needing floppy disks, CDs, or worrying about emailing to yourself. It is very easy to backup your files onto it as well, so you never lose any important information.

Digital TV Recorder – If you’re a TV addict and have to catch the latest episodes of your favorite shows, you can save a lot of time by getting one of these. Skip through the commercials which can eat away at your TV time.

So don’t let time pass you by. What gadgets save the most time for you?

Have you picked one yet? It’s just about that time. The New Year is almost upon us and everybody knows what that means: fancy parties, champagne, and New Year resolutions. All of them come and go so fast, particularly the last one. Most people forget about making a resolution till the last minute, then right before the ball drops, hastily promise to lose twenty pounds, quit smoking, or to save more money.

All of these promises are made with the best of intentions but for most people fall flat after a couple weeks. People lose interest, become overwhelmed, get tempted, and sometimes just plain forget about their resolutions. So what can be done to stick to these resolutions?

Don’t just pick one to pick one

Take some time to think about what you want as your goal. Make it special and important, this way you are more likely to remember it and stick to it. Stop smoking for your health, save more money for a new house, or make more time for your kids. Whatever you choose make sure it’s something that has a special meaning to you.

Make an obtainable goal

Some people can handle quitting things cold turkey, but for example, someone who smokes three packs a day, might not have enough drive to never touch a cigarette again. So instead of quitting altogether, make a resolution to cut to a pack a day, only go out to eat once every two weeks, or get to the gym once or twice a week. Cut your “never again” or “all the time” to “some of the time” and “a few times a week”. You can run farther than you can sprint, so make that goal obtainable so you can stick to it!

Plan it out

Now that you’ve got an obtainable goal, set up some check points to see how you have been progressing as the weeks go on. Three hundred and sixty four days is a long time to hold a goal, but if you cut that amount into two week chunks it becomes a tad more manageable. Then after your first few check points, you can up the ante and start going to the gym 2-3 days a week instead of 1-2 or eat out only once a month instead of twice.

Set reminders…EVERYWHERE

Since you picked this year’s resolution with a special purpose, put reminders on your desk, in your car, on the refrigerator, and next to the bed. These will help you to remember the reason you are setting a resolution, and not just because it was New Years and you felt like you should.

So don’t just start the New Year off on good intentions that fizz off after a couple of weeks, put some planning, will power, and some heart into this year’s resolution, you just might surprise yourself with the results.

Photo by: myklroventine // CC BY 2.0

We’ve all done it. Got lost in the holiday commotion, thinking all that’s left to do is sit and wait for the big day. Then just when time almost runs out, you remember the co-worker, friend, or cousin that doesn’t have a package with their name on it. If you’ve really let the clock run down, the stores are closed and it’s definitely too late to have something shipped on time. Here are a few suggestions for any of you who happen to forget about someone this season.

-24/7 Convenience stores: Now who would want a bag of chips and a magazine for a present? Well that’s not the only things these stores carry! A lot of these places have an extensive amount of gift certificates for restaurants, major retail stores, and you can even give the gift of music with an iTunes or Zune Pass gift card. Some of these stores even have a selection of new release DVDs, and who doesn’t love a good movie these days.

-Get em’ going: Most gas stations are open 24/7, so why not pick up something that will really fuel them up this season. We all need gas in our cars and with gas prices going up, it’s always nice to get a freebie fill up once in a while. Most gas stations also carry emergency kits for your car, not something you use every day, but in a pinch it’s a lifesaver (and a timesaver for you).

-E-Gift: Not enough time to even get to a store? Try emailing a gift! Most stores, like Walmart, Kohls, Meijer, and many others have an option to purchase and send gift cards via the internet. All of this can be done while you’re getting ready to head out to the party!

-Take em’ out: If you’ve ran out of places to shop, give them a homemade gift certificate good for a night on the town! You can take them out to the movies or grab a bite to eat, either way it’s a great way to spend time with a loved one, not to mention it buys you a few days when you’re in that last minute crunch.

-Wrap yourself: When you run out of time to pick up a gift, why not give yourself. Everybody has some type of talent or skill they can bring to the table. Paint a room, clean up the house for a few weeks, or even give them a break with the kids and babysit. All free of charge, of course.

So don’t sweat it if you forgot about your second cousin, twice removed, who always gets you a little something every year. There is always time for these last minute options.

Photo by: judson // CC BY 2.0

So we all know money can be pretty tight during the holiday season and every year you donate less and less to your favorite charity. It’s not that you don’t want to help out. It’s just not in the books this year. What some people don’t think about is there are a lot more things you can do instead of writing a check to your favorite charity, and some of them can be more valuable than money.

Time: The most obvious one would be donating your time. There isn’t a soup kitchen, shelter, or other charitable organization that doesn’t need any help this holiday season, so why not take some time and see what you can do to help out.

Talent: If you have the time, why not do more than just hand out meals. Organizations are always looking for professional individuals who can help organize fund raisers, set up food drives, or help recruit more workers. A donation of this magnitude is much more valuable than most monetary contributions.

Bring your friends: Once you start at the organization, try to get your friends, family, and co-workers to join you. Not only are you giving back to the community, but you are spending time with the ones you love, while at the same time, contributing to an excellent cause.

Get your office involved: Ask your boss if you can organize a food drive at the office. Coordinate with your local soup kitchen because most of the time they have fliers and collection bins you can use for free.

Clean out the house: Everybody has mounds of old clothes, electronics, games, and accessories that they don’t need any more. Take the time this season to round them all up and drop them off at your local Salvation Army. All the profits from these donations go to fund the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center. These centers are 100% funded by the sales of your donations.

Start your own fundraiser: You can organize a bake sale, walk-a-thon, or raffle to raise money to donate to a specific charity. This is a great way to not only get donations, but it also involves and informs the community about your cause.

Give a piece of you: As odd as it may sound, you can donate a part of you this season. Try registering to donate bone marrow to someone in need to a transplant. If you have long hair, you can donate to Locks of Love, an organization that supplies hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under 21. All you have to do is make sure your hairy donation is at least ten inches long, tip to tip.

If this holiday season has had a bit of a drain on the finances, don’t feel like you can’t give back this year, there are plenty of ways to donate without writing a check.

What are some of your favorite ways to give back to the community?

Photo by:stuartpilbrow // CC BY 2.0

The holidays are the best time to get together and meet old friends. Whether it’s a college friend or relative, they might be looking for a place to stay. If you are gracious enough to open up your home to a house guest, make sure that your guest rooms are ready for them over the course of their stay.

The Guest room

• If the room hasn’t been used in a while, make sure to air it out and clean it up before your guests arrive.

• Make sure the bed has fresh linens, a pillow, and a blanket.

• The bed should also have a mattress in good condition, nobody likes sleeping on a saggy mattress.

• If you have been using the guest room as a storage closet, take some time to clear it out so your guest will have some place to put their suitcase, hang clothes, and lay out their stuff.

• Make sure the lights are working so they aren’t left in the dark.

• A waste basket in the room will help your guest find a place to put their garbage, and it will help keep the room tidy.

Bathroom

• To make it look nice, take some time to scrub the soap scum from the tub, walls, and sink.

• Provide towels for your guest so they can dry themselves off. A dripping wet guest won’t be good for your house.

• Provide general toiletries, such as, toothpaste and toilet paper. A spare toothbrush and razor will help too, just in case they forgot to pack one.

• An air freshener will help prevent a musty smell from forming after your guest takes a shower.

These preparations will allow your house guest to have a pleasant stay and not wishing they had a stayed at a hotel instead. Don’t you want your house guest to feel welcome?

You open a holiday card only to find the most outlandish, inappropriate, ill-fitting gift card you have ever received. What do you do if someone gives you a gift card to somewhere you would never, ever shop? Before you start aiming for the trash can, let’s explore the alternatives. Here are some options for getting more use out of un-thoughtful gift cards you received this year.

Re-gifts:
Maybe receiving a gift card worth half a plate at some expensive houseware store doesn’t excite you, but it could be just what someone else on your list wanted. This gift may actually serve its purpose as relieving you of having to run out to buy another gift – and that’s worth something, right?

Coasters:
Though this may not be the intended purpose of the gift, once you develop a large enough collection of unwanted gift cards, you can brag of having really expensive coasters for your guests to set their drinks on (plus they are the perfect shape for juice boxes).

Swaps:
If you happen to find yourself in the unlikely situation that you and a friend/coworker/family member both have unwanted gift cards that the other one wants, you can easily just swap cards. However, if you don’t, there are always sites like swapagift.com where you can sell, buy, or swap gift cards with others.

Art Supplies:
Art supplies can be very expensive. If you asked for a palette knife and ended up with an art store gift card not quite worth enough to buy one, try re-purposing the card to use as a painting tool. Now you’re not just artistic, you’re also economical!

Donations:
Consider your unwanted gift card an opportunity to do something good for others. The website GiftCardGiver.com collects unused gift cards and donates them to help people in need by distributing the cards to non-profits.

Guitar Picks:
Are you a music person who ended up with a gift card to some stuffy store? Turn this gift into something you can use by cutting the card into your own guitar pick. You can even use the picks to write a song venting about it.

Try It Out:
If you can stand it, take a trip to the place where the card is good for and have a look around. You may discover this gift is not as bad as you thought and develop a new interest in the process.

What do you do with unwanted gift cards?

Photo by: kainr // CC BY 2.0