In the midst of all the belt-tightening going on during these turbulent times, many charities are seeing an increase in donations. As reported by the Associated Press (which I heard about through Dan Miller’s excellent eNewsletter, 48 Days), Washington state’s largest food bank is getting calls from companies whose employees have decided to forgo their […]
Tag Archives | Holidays
Save on Everything – Part Two
In the last issue of this eNewsletter I steered you to a blog post with links to some of the best money-saving ideas from around the blogosphere. Now, here’s a collection of some of the best holiday-related money saving ideas from various blogs. And, with an assist from a reader named Mary Ellen, here’s a […]
More Gift Giving Tips
If you have a child on your gift list this year, buy them something that doesn’t require batteries. Such gifts usually require more imagination on the child’s part and less ongoing cost for the child’s parents. Also, do as much of your shopping as possible online. Whenever I’m shopping online I open three Internet windows–one […]
The Gift of a Debt-Free Holiday
An estimated 12 million people are still paying off debts they racked up buying holiday gifts last year. That’s among the more sobering findings from a new holiday survey conducted by Consumer Reports. The lingering debts may be one reason why nearly 60 percent of people plan to use a gift budget this year–a much […]
Stay Away From Layaway
Buying “on layaway” is making a comeback. As reported by The Wall Street Journal, the Depression-era retail practice of letting shoppers put items away while they pay for them a little at a time is coming back in fashion. Analysts cite our rough economy, which has limited people’s access to credit. Kmart has even made […]
It All Comes Down to This
“No matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:3 (MSG) If February had a theme, it would be, of course, love. Sure, Valentine’s Day has become a bit commercial, with everything from cakes to multi-carat diamonds available in the shape of a heart, but […]
Completing Our Gift List
“I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40 This time of year the news is full of stories about shopping. How much will people spend on holiday gifts? Nearly $800 per person, according to the National Retail Federation. […]