Halloween costume ideas!

Halloween is coming and it's always better to start getting ready earlier than later. Thrift stores are the best place to look for costumes! They have brand new costumes, Gently used costumes and just clothes you can use, to come up with your own costumes for cheap! If you like to budget, used is always the best way to go for Halloween. I mean come on they are only going to wear it once : D  here are a few costume ideas to get you started .

Dirty laundry

Pirates

50's

Fancy Nancy

Horse

Strong Woman  We can Do it!

Princess

Vampire

Vampire

Fireman

Chewbacca

Monkey

Grapes

Clown

Skunk/ Packers

Dragon

Cowgirl

Owl

Flapper

Marty, Back to the Future 

You could find / make any of these costumes from Thrift store items

Have Fun!!!

I have a love/hate relationship with Credit cards!

OK, so I really love my credit cards, when I want to buy something that I can't afford ! But then I hate it when, I max them out and have to start all over again! What if you don't use your credit card, what if you could just save the money and buy it with cash? Wouldn't that be marvelous? It is possible! Do you want to pay off your credit cards, but it seems like this impossible daunting task that will never happen? Well My mom was taking this debt class and shared some awesome secrets with me about credit cards. First of all stop using them , I know its very very very hard but you can do it, I know its something that i need to work on too! Then, what you do, is start off by paying your smallest credit card off first. Start by paying $50.00 a month on that first card, once that first card is payed off ,take that $50.00 plus the amount you were already paying monthly on your second card and start paying off that one too! For example if you were paying $15.00 a month on your second card, apply that $50.00 a month plus your minimum payment, so you would be paying $65.00 a month on your second card. Than once that's payed off, take that $65.00 and apply it to your next card with that cards minimum  payment. So the third card you would be paying $80.00  and so on. Its great because it totally works out well, you would be able to afford it because its what you were paying in the first place. Once your credit cards are payed off, don't stop there apply that amount to your car payments and then finally your mortgage  What ever debts you have you can pay them off. I never thought about this and once my mom told me what she had learned I just felt so relieved that there is a way to pay off debts and if i can do it so can you! We have to get a hold of our debts especially credit cards those things gather up interest like crazy, if you are only making monthly payments you really aren't paying the debt, you are just paying interest! I know it's cruel and evil ! Well that's my budget saving tip for the day! Please leave comments , I would love yo hear other ways to manage credit card debt or just feed back on how this is working for you !Thanks!

Yay, I'm free from credit card debt! 

Really, credit cards?

But, I love my credit card!

Help I have so much debt!

It's never too early to start getting ready for Christmas.

OK so here is the thing, I have two children and both of their birthdays are 3 days apart in December, plus Christmas! Let's just say December is a very crazy, busy month for me. I start saving as soon as I can, as much as i can. But even if you don't have kids birthdays in December  it still is a really good idea to just get it done. Plus everyone around you will be impressed that you have your shopping done and you wont have to stress so much , with last minute shopping.. Layaway is an awesome thing because you only usually have to put down about 5% and you can start just stacking up for Christmas from now until then, even if it is just wrapping paper and decorations. Some layaway's are also free as well. So it works out great for you because you will have all of your Christmas shopping done and if you don't have the money now, you can pay it when you do, monthly is good!  There is also online shopping a really great website to go to for all your Christmas needs is Amazon. They have such great deals on well.... everything, and then you can just have things shipped to you and stay away from the crazy holiday crowds. Here are a couple of great deals I found on Amazon but you should defiantly check it out for your self. Don't stress this year be organized and plan ahead it's so much better.

Sassy Bathtime Pals Squirt and Float Toys 7.29 ! Great stocking stuffers

Hamilton Beach 68320 1-1/2-Quart Capacity Ice Cream Maker, White $24.77

Little People Christmas Story Nativity Scene Play set $38.99 !

12 piece Large Assorted Dinosaurs - Toys 5-7" Larger Size Dinosaur Figures $9.92 !

The Hunger Games Trilogy Boxed Set [Hardcover] $31.57

Barbie Blonde Styling Head. $13.91

Monster High Frankie Stein Doll $17.99

PlayStation 3 $299.96

Fisher Price Loving FamilyTM Grand Dollhouse Super Set $95.00

Mega Bloks Maxi Classic $12.99

Fisher-Price Bubble Mower $19.99

LEGO Friends 3184 Adventure Camper $29.97

Wii Console Bundle 167.93

Melissa & Doug Deluxe Wooden Stringing Beads with over 200 beads $12.95

Mr. Coffee Programmable Coffeemakers $19.99

Play-Doh: Fun Factory Deluxe Set $19.55

Kidoozie My First Purse $12.99

Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Fun with Friends Musical Table $35.99

KitchenAid K45SS Classic 250-Watt 4-1/2-Quart Stand Mixer, White $239.00

Step2 Naturally Playful Sand Table $49.97

Cable? Really, why?

So here is the thing. cable is an absolutely meaningless bill that costs you 100 bucks a month, I mean really who needs it. What I mean is, if you didn't know, most flat screens come with a digital converter box and almost everybody has a flat screen now. For those of you that don't have a flat screen you can buy a digital converter box. A digital converter box means you could hook up an antenna to it and you will get channels 1-30 for free! yep that's right i said it! FREE!! Antennas are about $11.00 at Walmart, so all you have to do is plug it into your flat screen or digital converter box, if you don't have a flat screen. Really the majority of shows that I watch are on basic channels anyway! Then you never have to pay for it, its just free all the time! Also another great tool is Netflix! its only 8.64 a month with tax! You get unlimited streaming movies and tv shows, They have a ton of great shows on their for your children and adults and there are lot of new movies out on it too.  Hulu Plus is another great thing to order, its about $8.00 a month and you get all the tv shows latest episodes, and more.. For example here are a couple TV shows on there, Hell's kitchen, Kitchen nightmares, Hotel hell , New girl, Fringe, house, Once upon a time and a ton more!! Can you tell I like chef Ramsey? Anyway back on subject.... plus you could stream Netflix and Hulu plus on your computers and tablets as well, so cool!  So for a recap You pay $16.00 - $17.00 a month for unlimited shows and movies on Hulu Plus and Netflix, plus you have your antenna which gets channels 1-30 for free ! Hello what are you waiting for? $16 a month or around $100 it's your call. I know when I am going into the winter, we need to downsize our bills because work slows down. If that's how it is for you this is a perfect way to lower your bills and still be able to watch your shows.... and don't forget movies too? I used to spend ALLOT of money on red box and then allot of people forget to turn in their movies and get charged a fortune (DAD)! So why not just have your Netflix and get allot of great movies there instead !  Well that's my budget saving tip for the day see you tomorrow!

Sign up for Hulu Plus here

Sign up for Netflix here