With so many holidays promoting the gift of flowers and so many special occasions that warrant the same, people
have been spending a small fortune on flowers for decades. Sure, it’s great to send mom a bouquet for Mother’s Day and it’s common for husbands to send roses just because but there is a better way to get a better deal on the beautiful buds.
Here are some easy tips for saving cash on flowers deliveries:
Stick with the local florist. The online flower sites and big dogs like FTD and 1-800-Flowers do make big promises and you can call them at 2 am but essentially it all comes down to this: the big companies add a surcharge to the customers but call on the local florist too. You can do the same thing for free.
Specials are on Friday. At the end of the week, florists are ready to clear out their stock so Fridays and even Saturdays are the best time to ask for a deal.
Restock is Mondays. If you have a specific arrangement in mind, place your order on a Monday and you’ll stand a better chance getting what you want.
Ask for a Deal. Florists usually have no problem giving discounts to senior citizens, local organizations, and loyal customers. But you likely will not get a deal without asking for it first.
Make Flowers Last. Cut stems on an angle and be sure to change the water every other day. When you do change water, wash the vase with soap and water to remove bacteria that will kill the flowers. Use the preservatives the florist provides as directed. If you run out of preservatives, mix ¼ cup of 7 Up with ¾ cup of water and 2 drops of bleach.
Position Counts. Don’t put your flowers in the window. The sunlight is okay but its heat will kill the flowers. Also, never set your arrangements near a bowl of fruit. Fruit emits ethylene gases that kills the flowers.
Too Many Vases? If you are the recipient of regular flower deliveries, you may be up to your eyeballs in clear glass vases. Check with your local florist and see if they will recycle them for you.
No Smell? If you get arrangements that are not very fragrant, don’t worry. Flowers these days are meant to have long stems and longer lives and breeding practices have changed the way flowers smell.
Most financial experts agree that having an emergency fund full of at least 3-6 months worth of living expenses is ideal
for financial stability. But many people who live paycheck to paycheck are not able to save such large amount and end up having extra financial struggles when disaster strikes. Disasters can range from losing a job, having to replace a roof, repair a car, or any other time a big ticket purchase is necessary.
In place of having an emergency fund bank account on hand, a credit card can be used as a suitable replacement but only if it is handled correctly. Unnecessary spending on credit cards can have the opposite reaction – instead of helping you in an emergency you can wind up deeper in debt. If you plan to use your credit card as an emergency back up, then you’ll need to do it the right way.
Here are some tips for using a credit card as an emergency back up:
Pay Off the Balances
While you may not be able to save 3-6 months of funds, you should still be putting at least something in an account. Just because you use a credit card as an emergency doesn’t mean you don’t have to pay off the bill. It can be very tempting to use that ‘extra’ cash for other things besides paying down debt but resist the temptation.
Have One Emergency Card
If you have several cards with balances you can’t pay off in full, you might consider dedicating only one for emergencies and ensure the balance is always zero so you will have access to your credit line when you need it. Don’t employ several cards for emergencies and then spend on them. When the time comes for a true emergency, you may not be able to use the cards.
Decide What ‘Emergency’ Means
To a college kid pulling an all-nighter, an emergency might be a large pizza. If you plan to use a credit card as back up, you need to define emergency and restrict other spending.
Shop for a Better Card
If your credit card situation is good and your credit score is sufficient, you may want to shop for a new card that is a better fit for emergencies. For instance, if current cards charge an annual fee, look for a card that doesn’t. It’s pointless to pay for a credit card you’ll only use from time to time, if at all.
Say No To the Advance
Depending on your emergency, you may not be able to use the credit card because only cash will do. If this is the cash, resist the urge to get a cash advance from your credit card unless you are certain you can pay it back in full before the grace period ends. Otherwise, not only will you be responsible for the amount taken, you’ll also have to pay for the high interest rates that generally come with cash advances.
Many people struggle to find balance in life. Whether you are seeking financial, personal or professional balance you must first learn how to get your priorities in order to find success. The term priority is
defined as “something given or meriting attention before competing alternatives”. To find balance in life you must make a list of your priorities and list them in order of importance. Unless you are independently wealthy and have enough money to achieve all financial goals simultaneously, you more than likely play a juggling game with your money as you work toward several different financial goals. Here we look at what goals are most important and what goals are farther down the list of financial priorities.
Paying bills- At the top of your list of financial priorities is paying for bills necessary to survive. All other financial goals are moot if you don’t have a place to live or the basic necessities in life. If you are working with a limited income and struggling to pay everything at once, you must make the decision to pay housing expenses, utilities and day-to-day living expenses first before focusing on other priorities. If you are just getting by paying these expenses, you want to look closely at where you can cut costs to free up more money for other financial responsibilities. This may include canceling cable or Internet services or dropping gym memberships.
Savings- In a struggling economy, many people find themselves weighing the need to save money or pay off debt. Having a well padded savings account is one of the best ways to avoid future debt, however if you are losing hundreds of dollars each month to high interest debt, you may not have time to build up the desired amount of savings. With that being said, after paying bills, you should try to tuck away just a few hundred dollars to have a small cushion of money for emergencies. When you are living paycheck to paycheck, missing a few days of work can put you so far behind the eight ball you will struggle for months to catch up. By saving a few hundred dollars you have the peace of mind that should you find yourself with even less available cash, you have something in the bank to get you by in the short term. Once you get past your financial hardship you can then focus on building an adequate emergency fund as well as putting aside money for retirement.
Pay off high interest debt- There is nothing more frustrating than watching your balances grow to epic proportions due to high interest rates. Clearly making the minimum payment will never get you out of debt, however if you are truly facing tough times, you should at least make the minimum payment to avoid late fees and other penalties that occur as a result of not making the minimum monthly payment. Ideally you should tackle your high interest debt aggressively to pay down your balances and stop the hemorrhaging of money. Once you have eliminated your high interest debt you will have extra money to put toward other financial goals.
Retirement contributions- If you have managed to get to this point, you are in good shape. You are paying your bills, have a growing stash of money in savings and have paid off your high interest debt. Now you must try to make up for lost time and begin contributing toward your retirement. If your employer offers a tax deferred retirement plan take advantage of this opportunity to sock away money each paycheck toward your retirement. If your employer provides a company match, all the better, increasing the money that goes into your account with no effort on your part.
It is almost impossible to address all financial goals at once, especially if you are dealing with a financial hardship. By prioritizing your financial goals you can make it through tough times and continue your journey toward other goals.
Vacations and entertainment are usually the first to go when the time comes to cut household costs. The nice thing
about cutting traditional entertainment out of the budget is that it forces you to get creative. Finding entertainment that is beyond the traditional dinner and movie is easier than you may think.
Here are a few options that are easy, creative and cost effective:
• Take a trip to the bookstore. The bookstore offers much more than just books. Before you go make sure everyone knows that there will be no purchases. Explain that you are going to enjoy the experience. Large bookstores such as Borders and Barnes and Noble offer much more than just book sales, it’s a way to spend an afternoon. They offer headsets to listen to music; a coffee house that often times has live music and a play area for kids. The sitting area allows customers to spend hours browsing through the many books and magazines with no pressure to buy a thing.
• Smaller bookstores also offer a great place to spend an afternoon. Unlike the big stores many smaller bookstores may allow you to trade your old books for a few new ones. This can be an incentive to get the kids to box up some of those old books that are collecting dust on the shelf in their bedrooms for that trip to the bookstore.
• Take advantage of free events in your area. Most local papers and local websites offer listings of the many free events in and around the area. These events can range from parades and festivals to plays and even organized hiking events. Taking the time to browse through the local events section in your paper can offer dozens of free or low cost events happening every day of the week.
• Go to the library. The library, much like the bookstore offers more than just books. There are DVD and even VHS rentals, cheap book sales, and racks of books and magazines to browse through. It’s free, easy and accessible to the public. The added bonus is that most local libraries are struggling to stay open. Your trip to the library can help your local branch increase their attendance. Libraries also offer story time for kids, book signings, poetry readings and occasional educational sessions. Libraries also have a bulletin board that announces other up and coming community events in the area. The library could open up many other options for entertainment for the whole family.
• Make your own photo slide show. Most families today own a computer and a digital camera. If you do, take advantage of the technology and make your own family photo show. Spend the evening in front of the computer watching your own family photos rather than the same old television shows. This can offer hours of good memories and quality family time. If you don’t have a digital camera you can make an evening out of going through old photos. Most local department stores have the technology to scan already developed photos and put them on a computer CD. Either option is low cost and a great way to spend time together.
You do not have to spend a lot of money to have a fun filled day or evening with your family. In fact there are countless activities that you and your family can do together that are free or cost very little. Let’s take a look.
- Visit a local park or playground if you have young children.Let the kids have fun on the playground equipment. Take along a soccer ball, basketball or other sporting equipment to keep you entertained.
- Find a nature area or preserve and take a family hike together.Bring along a picnic lunch and enjoy all that nature has to offer.
- Dig out everyone’s bicycles and head out for a bike ride. Most areas have bike paths that are great to ride on.
- Check out local area beaches. Sometimes there is a small fee for entry. Make it a full fun beach day.
- If it is winter time and there is snow on the ground, pull out the sleds and find a park in your area with a hill. If you have young kids even a small hill will be loads of fun.
- Head out in the snow together as a family and make snow angels and snowmen. After the outside fun head back inside and make hot chocolate together.
- Have a camp out in your back yard.
- Have a family game night. Pull out the games from your game closet, dust them off and take turns choosing which one to play. Your family can have hours of fun playing your favorite games together.
- Head to your local library and check out books to read and movies to watch together. Most libraries carry a nice selection of family movies. Head home, pop some popcorn and watch a movie together.
- Pull out family photos to look at together or take out the home videos. It is always entertaining to take a trip down memory lane.
- Have a family pajama party.
- Take time to make a fun meal together. One idea is to make homemade pizza. It is pretty easy to make and fun to eat.
- Do a jigsaw puzzle together.
- Call your local museums and see what programs they offer. Many times local museums offer free or low cost family programs.
- Keep an eye on your local papers for fun festivals, area events or other family fun activities that may be free of charge.
If one of your New Year’s resolutions for 2010 is to cut your spending habit, here are some tips to get you on your way.
Switch to Cash
Leave your credit cards at home and switch to spending only cash. When you can only spend cash you are limited to what you have on hand, helping you to keep your spending under control. When you rely on plastic, it is very easy to add extras to the cart knowing that what you spend can be virtually unlimited. After all you can spend today and not worry about it till later. This can be a deadly habit.
Learn the Difference Between Needs and Wants
Before making purchases stop and determine whether or not what you are going to purchase is a need or a want. Think it through. By all means if it is a necessity and you have the cash, make the purchase. If however, it is just a want weigh the pros and cons. Before making the purchase decide whether or not you can truly afford it and what purpose the item will serve you. It is also a great idea to sleep on any purchases that are not necessities. Sometimes when you have given yourself a chance to think about it, you realize you really can live without the item.
Make a List and Check it Twice
Never shop without making a list first. It is so easy to randomly throw objects into your cart as you go through a store. Before you know it you could have dozens of items that just aren’t necessary. Before heading out to shop, especially for groceries, determine what you need and write it down. Once you are in the store, stick to purchasing only what is on your list.
Keep Better Track of Finances
Keep a Debt Diary. Write down every dollar that you spend. This way you can see where your money is going. Then total it. It can be amazing to see how easy it is to spend hundreds of dollars each month on needless purchases like coffee to go or lunches on the run. When you see it in black and white it is much less tempting to make those purchases.
Don’t Skip Entertainment
Finally, give yourself some play money. Each week or month make a dollar allotment that you can spend how you see fit. Whether it is $10.00 or several hundred, depending on your means, you can blow that money any way you like. Just know that once the money is gone you are done for that time period. Knowing you have this fund will help you to stay away from extra spending.
As the cost of everything on the planet increases, people are finding it difficult to stay afloat financially. Saving money has become increasingly important in most households. Here are some easy methods that you can use to reduce your grocery bill and your utility bill.
Saving Money at the Grocery Store
You can potentially save hundreds of dollars per year by using grocery store coupons. It’s possible that you’ve been stuck at the checkout line of the grocery store behind someone who is fumbling with a stack of coupons. However, you can potentially save hundreds of dollars per year by using grocery store coupons.
Purchase generic products instead of name brand products. Many times people can’t even tell the difference between a store brand and a name brand product. The only major difference is the price tag.
Make a grocery list and stick to it. Many people often go to the grocery store not knowing what they want to buy, and they end up purchasing items that they don’t really need. Making a definitive list will ensure that you don’t end up impulse-buying.
Saving Money on Utilities
If you have traditional incandescent light bulbs, you might want to replace them with fluorescent bulbs. The fluorescent bulbs use 75% less energy, and lasts up to ten times longer than incandescent bulbs.
Water heating is the third largest household energy expense. Lowering the temperature on your hot water heater can shave dollars off your utility bill. If you have plans to go on vacation, reduce the water heater temperature to the lowest setting. Washing clothes in cold water instead of hot or warm water will contribute to a lower utility bill as well.
Chances are you have appliances around your house that remain plugged in at all times. Some of these items soak up electricity, and you might not even know it. Unplugging appliances that have clocks like microwaves and coffee makers will help save electricity as well as a few dollars every month.
A clothes dryer is one of the most energy-consuming appliances in your household. A cheaper alternative to drying your clothes is to invest in a clothesline and start hanging your laundry out to dry. Sure, it’ll take more time, but your lower utility bill might be worth it. If weather does not permit, you can still hang your clothes to dry inside your home. Dry racks can be purchased at any department store.
Your paycheck can quickly dry up courtesy of inflating utility and grocery costs. Using some of these common sense ideas-coupled with a little sacrificing of certain luxuries-can help absorb the ever-growing price increases.
Being in control of your personal finances is a beautiful thing, but the cost of beauty products might not be so pretty. 
A global survey on beauty, conducted by the Neilson Company, found that 2/3 of US consumers agree the pressure to look good is much greater now than ever before, but the costs of personal grooming products can take a bite out of their budgets. According to the survey, the most popular beauty services include hair care, skin care regimes, and facial treatments. These services are not free, but there are ways to get spa like treatments for less than a pretty penny.
Simple, Inexpensive Hair Care
Chose hair styles that are easy to care for and require very little upkeep. Hair that has a specific cut will be more expensive to maintain than a simple wash and wear style. In general it’s best to work with your natural hair texture and color to save maximum money.
Easy Skin Care
Reduce your skincare budget by making your own products. There are simple recipes for face masks, scrubs, and anti-aging products. Check out Skin Care Recipies for ways to turn your kitchen into a beauty supply store and keep your skin radiant.
Manicures and Pedicures
There are many inexpensive home manicure and pedicures kits on the market that are far less expensive than salon nail care. Spend one hour per week doing your own nails and you’ll save a bundle.
Hair Removal
If you are used to a full face wax every 2 weeks, try to stretch out the time between services to 4 weeks. Keep on top of stray eyebrow hairs by tweezing regularly. Invest in some waxing products to use at home for lip and chin. Other ways to save on beauty and personal care:
- Salon coupons
- Try a licensed beauty school for massage or haircuts. Usually these services are about half the price of a regular salon visit.
- Comparison shop. With nail salons on every corner most are willing to negotiate.
Beauty Is on the Inside
True beauty begins on the inside. We all have physical flaws. We can obsess about them or embrace them as part of our quirky humanity. Learning self acceptance does not cost a thing, but getting a little help with what nature provided does not have to cost much either.
There are so many things to buy. The stores are filled with bright shiny things that can easily lure you into spending 
thoughtlessly. Online stores make it simple to point, click, and spend without a second thought. It does not take long before you are in debt, but not sure where the money has gone. Impulse spending can put a real dent in your budget. Practicing disciplined spending is one of the best ways to gain control over your personal finances.
Make a Budget
Budget is not the most exciting word, but following one has amazing results. Determine the amount of money you can spend for each category of your life; for example: food, clothing, entertainment, housing, ECT… Budgets can be tracked using pen and paper or a computer software program such as Quicken or Money. Give yourself some leeway by budgeting in miscellaneous items that come up during the week, but stick to the other elements of your budget religiously. Your impulse spending will drop dramatically and you’ll see your bank account swell.
Stay Out of the Stores
Unless you need something specific, stay away from the stores. Shopping should not be a form of entertainment. Spend time with friends, family, exercising or reading and leave the shopping for when you really need something.
Think Twice Before Spending
When you do need to buy something, maybe you can borrow it or repair what you already have. Outside of food, clothing, or shelter, what do you really need? If you can find a way to borrow or do without you’ll save yourself a ton of money.
Watch Advertisements with a Critical Eye
It’s the marketer’s job to part you from your money. Who cares if you really need it or even want the item? Notice how advertisements play on your emotions. Will you really be more successful, beautiful, handsome ECT… if you use XYZ products? Laugh at the absurdity and then keep your wallet close.
Research Your Item
If there is something you want to buy, take the time to research the product. If you buy it, are there other add-ons you will need over time? How much does it cost to upkeep the product? Is there a new version coming out soon? Before spending, do your diligence to make sure you are aware of the full cost of the product.
Spend Wisely for Healthier Finances
Impulse spending is a bad habit and a slow leak that can wreak havoc on your personal finances. With a little thought you can gain control of thoughtless spending and rebuild your savings.
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