Creative Holiday Giving on a Tight Budget

Creative Holiday Giving on a Tight Budget

According to the National Retail Federation holiday shoppers plan to spend an average $463 on family members, up from $458 last year and the highest in survey history. Your family doesn’t have to break the bank during this gift-giving season. Here are seven wonderful ideas for creative holiday giving on a tight budget.

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Prepping for the Holiday Shopping Season

Prepping for the Holiday Shopping Season

It’s a scary thought, but it won’t be long before the holiday shopping season is in full swing. Christmas Creep is already setting in as trees and tinsel emerge in the aisles of your favorite stores. While few of us welcome this pre-Halloween intrusion, it serves as a good reminder that it’s never too early to start planning your holiday budget. Try these tips to get your finances in order now so you’re not facing a massive credit card bill come January.

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Valentine’s Day on the Cheap

Valentine’s Day on the Cheap

According to research done by BIGresearch, in 2011 Americans spent $3.4 billion on dinners, $3.5 billion on jewelry, $1.1 billion for cards, and $1.7 billion for flowers on Valentine’s Day. A recent article in USA Today predicts that Americans will spend 8.5 percent more in 2013!

A quick Internet search of “Valentine’s on the Cheap” will yield some wonderfully romantic and inexpensive ideas for celebrating the ones you love this Valentine’s Day. The following is a small sampling of inexpensive or free ideas:

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