Why You Should Do Your Christmas Shopping Now

Christmas shopping in September? Sure, it’s a little bit early, but not by that much. Some of the large retail chains are even beginning to stock their stores for the holidays, and some are even beginning to decorate. (When you are in the retail business, there can never be too much Christmas!) It might not […]

Chrsistmas Deals this Weekend

Everyone is looking for Christmas deals this weekend to finish up their Christmas shopping before the holiday.  We just finished ours this afternoon, and we survived! Here are a few deals that caught my eye recently. Blockbuster Free Trial A Blockbuster free trial of their online movie service can be a good stocking stuffer if you […]

10 Hidden Holiday Costs People Overlook in Their Budget

I ran across an article on CNBC about the top 10 hidden costs associated with the holidays, and it struck a chord with me, because I often overlook these expenses during the holiday season. Here is the list from the article and my take on each of them. 1. Holiday meals/gifts for hosts/entertaining My wife […]

Christmas Deals to Save You Money While Holiday Shopping

Christmas deals are everywhere in days before Black Friday and the month leading up to the biggest gift giving event of the year.  Sometimes retailers get pretty creative with their holiday promotions and sometimes they simply offer good old discounts.  Here are a few I’ve noticed mentioned around the web recently: American Express $20 Cashback […]

Black Friday Deals or Cyber Monday Savings?

Black Friday deals can save you a lot of money if you don’t mind getting up early and standing in line in the cold dark morning.  An alternative to the early morning and long lines is shopping for deals from your computer on Cyber Monday. A recent survey by ShopZilla indicates that Cyber Monday has […]

Christmas Shopping and Saving Tips for a Troubled Economy

Christmas shopping and budgeting can be stressful, especially when the economy is struggling.  Here are some tips on Christmas shopping and saving from last holiday season that definitely apply in today’s tough economy: Christmas Deals How to Double Your Savings on Christmas Shopping Deals – “Looking for some deals this Christmas? Understanding the strategy behind retailer’s […]

Restaurant Gift Certificates – Giving the Gift of Food

Restaurant gift certificates are a great holiday gift for friends or family that love to eat out.  Choosing the right gift card when it comes to food can be kind of tricky so you really have to be sure you’re picking a place they like to eat. If you know of a restaurant they like […]

Christmas Gift Cards – Choosing the Best Gift Card

How many times have you been stumped when trying to buy a gift for a friend or family member? A recent survey by the National Retail Federation found one of the main reasons why people avoid gift cards is that they aren’t sure which ones to buy. I’ve found that gift cards and gift certificates can […]

Christmas Shopping Calendar – Dates to Save You Money

We’ve written a lot recently about preparing your budget and shopping plans so that you don’t overspend on gifts over the holidays.  Here are some key shopping dates to plan around that can save you some money. Black Friday (November 28) – The official start of the holiday shopping season, the day after Thanksgiving when retailers offer […]

The Best Websites For Christmas Shopping Deals

Here are some websites that I frequent to get great deals when shopping online.  You may want to check out these sites when doing your holiday shopping this year. Ben’s Bargain’s – It’s a deal aggregator that scours the web for the best deals on electronics, appliances, and various other products.  Many of the items that […]