Birthday season used to leave me seeing RED $$$$ signs everywhere! Between my kids parties and presents for the other kids birthdays it was a lot of money! You read about the parents that pay hundreds to thousands of dollars for  a child's 1st birthday party and scream and then laugh because a 1 year old would have more fun with an empty box and a cup cake!

Here is how I've learned to save while still keeping the magic of birthday fun alive!

1. Shop all year. From gifts to party supplies, keep your eyes open to bargains.
 
I stumbled upon a great deal on books. Hard Cover brand new books that are still shrink wrapped and sell at Barnes and Nobles for $15.99 and I bought them for $.35 each. I bought 20 and used them as party favors! I have my child write a thank you note inside the book and then we handed them out as the child left. My kids love books and these were a huge hit! 

I love after holiday clearance sales. After Christmas I buy all the red and green decorations and table settings like paper plates and napkins and Valentines day and easter always have me buying red and pink... I then use these as table settings for birthday parties. I add a table setting with the child's chosen theme and I've saved about one million dollars (not really, but it feels like it when I see the prices for the real paper plates and napkins). 

2. Let the Dollar Tree and Oriental Trading Company be your friend

Dollar Tree sells helium filled balloons for $1. and has tons of party favors and more for $1. I can fill a goody bag for next to nothing.

Oriental Trading Company has lots of specific themed goodies for a really good price. This one you need to plan as they ship it to you and the sooner you need it the more that the shipping costs. So if you give yourself a couple months you can really make out.

3. Coupons

I've seen lot's of the home mailers sending out coupons for discounts on jumpy's and pizza... both good choices for an easy party. I also stock up on juice and snack type foods using the Sunday coupons and get most of it for free.

4. Choose your party time carefully.

Consider having your child's party at an off time. During the week is a great time instead of the weekend if you are using any outside services. Jumpy's, clowns, face painters, etc. will be more willing to negotiate on their fees if they are booked during a normally slow time. 

5. Buy presents whenever you see them.

There are some presents that are always a hit, books, art supplies, remote control cars, flying planes, etc. I buy these up whenever I see them on clearance. It saves me gas, time and my sanity not to have to run out and get another present when we get another invite to a birthday party. I do ask the parent what the child wants for their birthday and if I don't have anything on hand that would work I go out and buy something, but 95% of the time I have something.

6. Just write a check.

This seems cold , but for my siblings I just write them a check. I don't even buy a card. I realized that at this point they know what they want and are too polite to blurt out what they really want so I give them a check... but I take it a step farther. I give them $20 plus the cost of a stamp plus the cost of a card and gift bag and tissue wrap. It's almost become a fun joke but it works for us... I love to hear what they bought for their birthday.

7. Remember that the things in life that children remember and consider fun are normally free or pretty close to it.

Why not just do the homemade pizza and cupcakes party? Let the kids run around and play. Plan a scavenger hunt. Let them color the sidewalk in bright chalk!  

 

I started this month blogging as much as I could. I really like to blog, but then life caught up with me and I had to take a little time off.

Now I'm back! So why did I stop blogging? Well my wonderful husband was hit by an uninsured motorist. Not only did he not have insurance, but he also provided fake insurance which just messed up the whole thing. Thankfully my husband is alive. Hurt but alive. Since this is an ongoing issue I won't say more about the accident, but lets just say it has given me more to blog about.

It's amazing how it all amounts to money. If the party at fault had paid for insurance, (like the law says you have to) our life would be different. Thankfully we have uninsured motorist, but this is still costing us big! Talk about taking a hit to the budget...

Anyways, insurance is up there with housing and food for me on my budget... just wish it was for everyone else!

So what have you all been up to?

What's the old saying... "Money makes the world go round"? Most of my friends and family are to some degree self employed so the majority of what I hear is from their point of view and it seems that money is always the conversation. How to get more, how to spend less and how to save more. I often wonder if those who work for others think about money as much as the self employed.

It makes sense that money would be on their mind as there is no guaranteed paycheck (although is there ever a guarantee that your paycheck will always come). But I wonder if the S.E. are always thinking of ways to make more where is the other is thinking more along the lines of saving more and spending less.

If you are S.E. or not which way do you think about money... as a way to make more, a way to spend less, or a way to save more.

It will be interesting to see the comments.

I'll go first. I'm the responsible party (along with DH) for bringing home the bacon, and I think predominantly about ways to make more money. I definitely think about saving and spending less, but the biggest thought is making more... what about you?

I am a recovering restaurant eater. My problem stemmed from a lack of cooking skills (I'm a horrible cook) and a lack of time (I work every second I'm awake)        I expected the "normal" perks of eating at home like when I started eating at home as much as possible but I was surprised at the end results:

        • save money on expensive eating out
        • save time not waiting in lines
        • eat healthier by knowing exactly what is going in your food

But I did not expect to actually save money on my grocery bill. After a few months of eating at home I tallied my receipts and I actually am saving money on my groceries compared to when I would eat out. These are the only explanations I can come up:
 
        • I am more realistic about how much we really eat, I purchase accordingly,  so there is less waste. I hate to throw out spoiled food.

        • Planning our meals based on sales

        • We're not eating as much, home cooked meals make us fuller?

Whatever the reason I'm enjoying the benefits and realizing I might not be the worst cook... I actually might be an okay one... not great but okay!

I'm curious are there any other cooks that might not be the best but are trying like me? Any secrets? 

A few days ago my child was shown a video at school about a third world country and the struggles they face to survive. I was deeply moved. It’s hard not to feel pain when you watch a 5 year old walk an hour by themselves without shoes on just to get an education that they are so excited to receive.

I think about my own children, facing the pain of hunger, the desire to learn and the bleak future that those children face. The presentation was compliments of “change for change” which encourages children to bring in change to their classroom which they then pool together to buy families in third world countries a goat or other animal. The animals are used to boost the families income and change their life. If a family is given a goat they can sell the milk and use the money to send their children to school. Then when the goat has a baby the baby is given to another family to provide the same help. That initial change keeps on giving.

It’s a great idea. How better to help others by not only giving them a fish, but also teaching them to fish. It also teaches the children compassion, charity, and that even small amounts of money do add up. I was truly inspired at the thought of helping others.

But, I couldn’t help but think why aren’t we helping others here in America that are starving and lacking an education to better their lives.

It pains me to see anyone struggling here or in another county, but I feel like we are so close to the ones here that need help, some even in our own backyards that only sending money far away is like saying we don’t care about our own.

I don’t want to appear uncaring to the needs of others that are not American and I don’t want to cut off support to Countries that need it, I just want to see those that are hungry where we live fed too.

I once did a TV appearance where I showed how you can save major money by using coupons to “buy” food. I bought around $225 worth of food and only paid $2.15 (if I remember correctly). The news crew followed me through by grocery shopping trip and then followed me to the local food bank where I donated all the food. I included the food bank trip because people always assume that coupon shoppers buy food they don’t need and waste money doing so. I was able to prove that not only did I not waste money using coupons, but that even when I didn’t need the items I was buying someone else did. As we were unloading the car full of groceries people were lined up outside the local food bank waiting for the food. There were people here that were hungry and there was a way to feed them that costs very little in time and money.

I just wish we could play a video of the people struggling here in America… lining up at the food banks and unemployment offices… and teach our children how to help them too…

You change your website.

What do you think? I think the changes make it easier to read and follow. I'm taking the email's I get and let those lead me. I'm going to be adding a section on budgeting for children, teens and young adults as this seems to be a big area of questions I get and another about doing debt settlement yourself. I'm also rewriting the budget itself. The features will be the same but I'm rewriting the instruction and adding video of it actually being done. I'm excited about it... I'll let you all know when it's done.

So it was almost 2:00 am when I finally made myself step away from the computer. I really wasn't tired but I made myself stop. Now I'm tired and this is going to cost me money as I already feel an emergency coffee stop this afternoon after my meeting is over... I guess it's not that bad since I can't even remember the last time I actually went to a coffee shop... my coffee pot works just as well at home!

Have you all had nights like that? What do you do when you can't sleep?

No, not the real “definition” of a recession. A true recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth in real Gross Domestic Product and we’re not there… yet. But do you think we’re in a recession based on what you are seeing in your community?

Living in Southern California it’s feels like it’s always feast or famine. Some days I am convinced that we are definitely in a recession (in certain neighborhoods at least) and then other days it almost feels like a healthy financial period. The “signs” that I see are restaurants that were normally very busy 1 ½ years ago now have empty tables and nail and hair salons are not as busy either… along with car washes and the malls.

Another really obvious sign of trouble are foreclosures. Driving through some neighborhoods they are everywhere and then in other areas they are few and far between. Just when I think it’s all going down hill I drive to another community and I don’t see even one distressed home.

Putting it all together I think that we are definitely seeing signs that we are heading towards a recession if we are not already in one, but I think that the most noteworthy piece of information is that it is localized. Some areas are really feeling the pinch and others, not so much. It appears that the hardest hit areas with foreclosure and recession like activity are the ones that have the most track homes as apposed to the areas with more custom homes.

My personal view is that although we are not in a depression based on the actual definition of the term, I believe that certain areas are definitely in a recession and that more will be soon. I don’t believe that any area is not being touched by the slow down, just not to the extent that others are.

What are you doing to recession proof your life?
Are you putting away more money each month into savings?
Are you thinking of back up plans incase you loose your job?
Do you think that we are in a recession?
What’s it like in your area? 

Half the budgeting battle is cash flow, income, paycheck, otherwise know as bringing home the bacon. It's not so much what you owe, or even how much you spend as much as how much you make. It's one thing to cut back on all unnecessary spending, but it's an entirely different goal to bring in more money.
 
My Dad always said that cash might be king but that cash flow was God. It took me years to really get this, but it's true.

If you are new to budgeting and you want to do it well you need to do two things. Spend less and bring in more money. Either done separately will surely help, but doing both together will catapult you towards your financial goals a whole lot quicker! A good budget allows you to have the financial security of no bad debt (your mortgage, student loans, 0% credit cards with the money sitting in a high interest earning savings account are all not bad debt) and a large emergency fund. I've put together a list of 50 ways to make more money to help you reach your financial goals. When deciding what you want to do to make more money first start with what you like to do. Next ask yourself if you are good at it. Then research research your idea to see if there is a need for it and if you can make money offering it. A good place to start your research is at http://www.craigslist.org/. Not only is craigslist free, but you can search other geographic areas to see what is missing from your area that others are offering (and making money) in others of the country.

Quick Note- Are there any stay at home Moms out there? I get tons of emails from stay at home moms... telling me that they have no idea what they could possibly do to make extra money because they have been out of the marketplace for so long being a mom. Every time I see one of these emails I'm amazed! Stay at home moms have one of the toughest jobs out there. Moms learn so many very valuable lessons just by becoming moms. Some great ideas for moms that need their self esteem boosted are babysitting, clean houses, organize kids parties, tutoring, cooking, etc. The possibilities are endless and many of these things can be done while your child is with you! So here's the list. Please feel free to share your ideas too. I'd love to get this list over 100 to give others even more ideas!

50 ways to make more money today!

1. Mystery shopping

2. Part time jobDeliver newspaperWalmart night stocker
 
3. Craigslist poster, post ads on craigslist for others and make money doing it.
 
4. Rewards Programs- Join ebates. Whenever you make a purchase online buy through your account at ebates and earn a rebate on your purchase. Click Here to join today!

5. Recycle- yep, pick up cans and glass items and turn them in for cash.

6. Do Online surveys. There are a few posted above... join them and then read the ebook above for inside information to join many more!

7. Check to see if the government has any money that is owed to you. http://www.unclaimed.org/

8. Clean houses

9. Do yard work for a profit

10. Start your own day care- Click here for a complete guide!

11. Construction cleanup. Call construction companies, pool builders, kitchen and bath remodelers and offer your services.

12. Start charging for your hobby- do you like to design websites? Take Photos? Make some money doing what you love.

13. Write blog articles for others... Click Here to learn how!

14. Sell Avon

15. Write a book 1

6. Become a "at your home" call center Representative

17. Become a medical transcriber... Click here for more info.

18. become a tutor, teach English, Spanish, french, whatever you speak

19. Do you know how to play a musical instrument? Teach it.

20. Do you know a sport, how to ride a horse? How to paint? Teach it.

21. Deliver new vehicles to new car dealerships.

22. Become a movie extra

23. Be a dog walker

24. How about a personal chef?

25. Offer yourself as a personal assistant

26. Become an Organizer. Organize garages, offices, paperwork etc. Learn all the tips of the trade CLICK HERE.

27. Write resumes for others.

28. Sell your books, CD's and DVD's online

29. Sell on Ebay. Figure out what sells that you can get for a discount and sell it

30. Enter sweepstakes. Someone has to win, why not you?

31. Write political campaign material contact the local office and apply for a job.

32. Become a freelance translator

33. In store demonstrator

34. grocery store coupon stocker

35. Write an e-book and sell it

36. Start an errand running business

37. buy and sell website domain names

38. Get paid for posting on new website forums

39. Write a newsletter and include advertising in it.

40. become a link seller. Offer your services to website owners and get paid per link you sell to other website owners.

41. Data entry

42. Host estate sales/ garage sales. Keep a percentage of the profit.

43. Sell celebrity photographs

44. become a petition peddler

45. Become a website hoster

46. Become an ebay assistant. Ebay actually sends you the leads!

47. Become a job broker. Help others find jobs.

48. Keep an eye out for good deals on the internet and resell them. Watch my tips section on the home page and pick up the bargains I post and then resell them!

49. Have a garage sale- Click here to learn how to get the most money at your next garage sale!

50. Join the Billion dollar medical transport industry. To learn how to start your own transport businessClick Here!