But They Sure Are Worth It
If you could only have one of the following for your child(ren), which would you choose, health insurance or an expanded free online tax deduction? [Read more…]
Jackie Cohen is an award winning financial journalist turned turned financial advisor obsessed with climate change risk, data and business. Jackie holds a B.A. Degree from Macalester College and an M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate University.
Some people shop all year long for Christmas. Others wait until December 24th. Wherever you fit in that spectrum, you still want to score a deal. Americans spend $830 billion on Christmas, according to a 2013 statistic. If you’re looking for cheap Christmas gifts for kids, then here are five tips that will help.
(Got any kids 5 and under? Here’s a great list of gift ideas for them!)
If you’re a fan of Amazon, especially around the holidays, then check out SnagShout.com. It offers hundreds of deeply discounted products you can purchase in exchange for a review.
How does SnagShout work:
Giving SnagShout products as gifts is tricky since you do need to leave a review. I’m certainly not suggesting you lie because that’s unethical and could get you banned from SnagShout. The best solution is to purchase the item for your child, let him play with it, then ask what he thinks. You could also purchase an item of which you’re already familiar and leave a review based on what you already know.
Fall and spring are great times of the year for garage sales. Every changing season brings a deep discount (i.e. end of summer, back to school, end of winter, etc.). If there are huge discounts on summer clothes during the fall, then you could score some big savings on next year’s summer wardrobe and give them as Christmas presents.
If gift cards and online shopping are your preferred methods for finding cheap Christmas gifts for kids, then look up Swagbucks. This is one of the most popular survey + reward sites because it offers a wide variety of ways to earn. They include:
You could earn points the next time you shop online at Toys R Us, Target, Old Navy, or the Disney Store. Cash in your points for free gift cards for Amazon, PayPal, Walmart, Target, Visa and more.
Click here to sign up for your free Swagbucks account.
Cheap Christmas gifts for kids come in every shape in size. One of my favorite things about Pinterest is that there are so many options for making awesome gifts for your awesome kids. Not everything is cheaper to make at home than it is in the store. However, I encourage you to at least consider this route, especially if time is on your side. I made a no-sew blanket for each of my babies, and could easily work on it while I watched a movie. Fabric stores often have coupons for supplies, so I saved money and gave my kids something homemade they’ll have for a long time from their not-that-crafty mom.
Actually, probably the best gift for boys is to buy them a soldering iron and a bunch of inductors. Then have them build circuits or the like. That will increase their knowledge of science and their manual dexterity.
One of the coolest gifts you can give your kids is the gift of experiences. Groupon is a great resource for discounted events and adventures. Search “Groupon + Your City” to find some kid-friendly events happening near you.
Image Credit: Andrew Neel (UnSplash)
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase, Kids Ain’t Cheap will receive a commission, but we only recommend products that we know and love. Thank you for your business!
Set a good example when comes to money habits, and you’ll raise financially responsible kids. Here’s how. [Read more…]
Jackie Cohen is an award winning financial journalist turned turned financial advisor obsessed with climate change risk, data and business. Jackie holds a B.A. Degree from Macalester College and an M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate University.
Movie subscriptions can save you money over the theater but the savings evaporate if you sign up for too many of them.
[Read more…]
Jackie Cohen is an award winning financial journalist turned turned financial advisor obsessed with climate change risk, data and business. Jackie holds a B.A. Degree from Macalester College and an M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate University.
Help us help you and you just might win an Amazon gift card worth up to $100 – it’s one of 50 prizes we’re offering in a drawing to encourage readers like yourself to give us quick feedback. [Read more…]
Jackie Cohen is an award winning financial journalist turned turned financial advisor obsessed with climate change risk, data and business. Jackie holds a B.A. Degree from Macalester College and an M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate University.
Black Friday is closer than you think, so make sure you’re prepared. The worst thing a Black Friday attendee can do is to show up without a game plan.
Everyone knows shopping centers and malls are pandemonium on Black Friday, so don’t get caught up in the commotion. Make the most out of your Black Friday experience. Find the right coupon shopping apps.
We came up with the list of the best Black Friday shopping sites and apps available. Find toys, clothes, kitchenware, electronics and so much more. The countdown to the big day has begun!
Black Friday Mobile (BF!)
There’s probably no app more devoted to black friday than simply BlackFriday.com. Available on the app store or Google Play, you can find Black Friday deals before heading to the store. Be the first to get coupon ad alerts and find the best black friday deals before retailers run out.
They make it all easy with their Wishlist. This is a section of the app where you can save your favorite deals all in one place. That’s not all. You can organize your deals by which store they come from or by certain category.
BF has over a million followers on Facebook, so make sure you’re included in getting first wind of great deals!
BFAds
BFAds has one mission and one mission only: to keep you updated on the hottest Black Friday deals.
The website updates regularly and features articles about big name stores and what they’re offering this year. BFAds also flaunts their “leaked” deals to try and keep users in the know of secretly planned Black Friday deals.
Unique to shopping sites that only let you know what deals are around, BFAds offers their own giveaways. They recently gave readers a chance to enter into a contest in which a winner could receive the much anticipated Nintendo SNES Classic.
Black Friday Ads
Find rare Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals with Black Friday Ads.
Ads for BlackFriday.fm will start popping up in November, so you’ll have to stay tuned. Shop the best Black Friday deals from Kohl’s, Best Buy, Target, Walmart, The Home Depot, Macy’s, Sears, Bed Bath & Beyond, and more.
You can search by brand or category. Categories include appliances, food & wine, sports & outdoors, cellphones, baby & kids, general electronics, among others.
Retail Me Not
Retail Me Not is great all year round, but Black Friday is their time to shine.
Retail Me Not is a popular discount shopping app dedicated to promotions and discounts. This app helps companies get the word out about their brand, and it help customers find what they’re looking for.
This convenient shopper app is popular among clothing shoppers. They can find sweaters, boots, purses, and other Fall favorites.
TGI Black Friday
Another Black Friday shopping website is TGI Black Friday. Receive push notifications and frequent updates on Black Friday news to stay in the loop during the entrance into the holiday season.
According to their website, TGI Black Friday has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, and the Wall Street Journal.
From Black Friday to Cyber Monday, you don’t have to worry about missing a thing. Sign up for the mailing list on their homepage to get notifications when they start emailing deals.
The Black Friday
Though Black Friday deals are not released yet, The Black Friday offers information on current sales. Check their shopper app or website and you’ll find pre black friday deals from places like Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and more.
The Black Friday also gives insightful information like each store’s top picks and recent news. For example, when clicking on Toys”R”Us, you’ll find updated information about the bankruptcy the major retailer is going through and how it will influence their performance this season.
DealNews
Deal news is similar to the other trusty Black Friday shopping websites on this list, but what Deal News also offers is Black Friday predictions. For example, Deal News predicts that K-Cup machines will be selling for as little as $50 this year.
They also have a shopping blog on their site that is fun to read. In the blog, you’ll find helpful shopping related articles. One of the blogs is titled “10 Ways to Save Up for a Black Friday Doorbuster. In this article, you find 10 interesting ways a shopper can save cash and prepare for the big spending day.
Find DealNews on an Android phone or iOS iPhone.
SlickDeals
SlickDeals is also another unique coupon shopping app. It’s like Yelp for deals.
Users can rate and review coupons, so you’ll know what you’re getting into and if a coupon is legit. Users can also share coupons they’ve found with others.
There are forums where people can get together and talk about anything related to online deal hunting. In these forums, consumers work together to sniff out fake or sketchy deals.
This online community of bargain shoppers is changing the way people save money. It’s a wonderful place for people to look out for each other and to avoid getting scammed.
Similar to other discount shopping websites, SlickDeals has a blog where you can find shopping advice and news. One of the most recent blogs features the best things to buy in the month of October.
Santa’s Bag
This shopping app is a little different than the other ones on the list. Santa’s Bag is a convenient way to help alleviate stress of Christmas. This Christmas shopping app is useful in that it helps you plan out Christmas gifts in a streamlined way.
Not only can you plan gifts for others through the app, you can send your preferences for the presents you want to receive this year.
You can also budget your gifts and keep track of how much you’ve spent on each person you’re purchasing items for.
Download it on iTunes and save yourself some time!
Get Ready to Save!
Black Friday seems intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be! With all the ways you can coupon search and gift plan, shopping this year should be a piece of cake. The key is preparation. Get ready and keep up with the latest doorbusters by downloading these helpful shopping apps. Good luck, bargain hunters!
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James Hendrickson is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek. When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College. He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.
Do you like watching horse racing? Are you one of its fans? Horse racing is one of the primitive sports that until now still favored by many people. Seeing a group of race horses racing to be the fastest on the finish line is a thrilling thing, not only for horse enthusiasts but also speed lovers. Initially, horse races were often contested during the Roman Empire (Ben-Hur provides a complete picture for it). In addition, this horse race is also found in various mythologies in the European region.
The world’s horse race is divided into 2 major sections; Thoroughbred Race and Harness Race. Thoroughbred is a racetrack where the game is divided into 2 parts i.e. Flat Race (horse racing without hindrance) and Jumping Race (racetrack using obstacles). Thoroughbred Race is the most popular race in the world. The Harness Race is a horse race by train. Of course the train used has a size smaller than the Roman era train. Harness is mostly played in Canada and some European countries.
If you are a horse race fan then you can get more things from your hobby. You can earn not only “satisfaction” but also big money! You can try horse racing gambling games both conventionally and online. Of course the online version is more recommended as you do not need to race to monitor the horse of your choice. The winning money you earn (in case you win a game) can also be directly transferred to your personal account without going through a complicated bureaucracy. Not only that, you can get some bonuses even before playing the game!
The next question is how to choose the best gambling house. In gambling games you have to consider everything and the selection of bookies is one of the most important pillars. You can’t succeed in playing gambling if you deal with bad bookies. What you need is a quality book dealer that does business transparently to ensure there is no loss beyond what has been agreed upon. Of course “losing” in gambling is a natural thing but cheated by a dealer is something that can’t be tolerated.
We are a group of people who love racing gambling and we have been observing for years. From our observations we can conclude that there are only a handful of high quality online gambling bands, one of which is William Hill! By playing on William Hill’s field you can find out the game process in detail even horse racing results today – provided by William Hill. Be smart in choosing “the playing field.”
What you have to know before you play is how you can make a deposit on the bookies where you play. You also have to make sure they are really professional so that your personal data is in the right hands. Make sure also the payment method in case you win a game. Do not let you fall into despair to take what you deserve for.
James Hendrickson is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek. When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College. He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.
There’s nothing like having a family pet. But, when welcoming a furry or feathered family member to your home, you must take extra measures to ensure they are living in a healthy and pet-friendly environment.
Just as having good indoor air quality is important to humans, it’s also important for your pets. You’d be surprised by how dirty your air filter can get, so change it regularly to ensure your air conditioner is blowing clean air in your home. Additionally, aerosol sprays are hazardous to birds, so never spray around them. Avoid using softwood shavings in your hamster’s cage, as they emit dangerous fumes that are deadly to your fur baby.
Many objects may look like toys to your pets, however, they can be dangerous — or even deadly. Store rubber bands, ropes, holiday lights, and medicine out of reach or in cabinets to eliminate curiosity and harm. While chocolate may be delicious to humans, it hazardous to dogs and cats, so don’t leave it out on the counter or table. You can also avoid nosy sniffers from getting into food by using childproof locks.
When it comes to the outdoors, we all love looking at a beautifully landscaped yard. However, be mindful of what you’re using to keep the grass green and weeds at bay, as fertilizers and plant food can be toxic to animals. If you’ve just fertilized, keep your pets inside. And once you’ve finished your yard tasks, store everything in sealed containers and out of reach.
Keep your precious animals safe by taking a few extra measures to ensure your home is as pet-friendly as possible.
James Hendrickson is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek. When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College. He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.
Starting a new business usually requires money. For most aspiring entrepreneurs, self-funding is not a feasible option, so it’s up to them to find ways of securing funding.
Given today’s market condition, it may be tough to find financial support for your startup. It’s not enough to have a solid business model to attract potential investors nowadays. You’ll have to put in extra effort to search for people who are willing to invest in your business idea.
“Bootstrapping” means starting a business venture with only your existing savings and cash on hand. It’s similar to self-funding, except you’re not tapping into your regular income streams to power your business dream.
Bootstrapping also involves finding cost-efficient ways of running business processes. Creating an online shop using free tools and taking advantage of social media platforms for marketing are some of the typical ways to keep operating costs cheap.
The obvious disadvantage of this method is relying on a limited pool of funds – at least for the average Joe. On the upside, however, you get to start manageably small and get to scale up at a controlled pace.
Banks and certain government agencies offer financial support to aspiring business owners. Look into getting a small business loan for your startup. Your personal credit rating will be taken into consideration for this method.
Instead of pitching your idea to a business investor, you’ll be facing a loans officer. Make sure your business model is solid and that the numbers add up. Work with your financial advisor and sort out the details so you can present an appealing case to the officer.
Crowd funding services like Kickstarter and Indiegogo can be an interesting option for securing funding. Harnessing the power of the Internet and tapping into multiple “mini-investors” can work out well for your business, so long as you set a realistic timetable and achievable goals.
Carefully study these crowd funding platforms as they have various fee structures and rules to follow. There are plenty of horror stories regarding failed crowd funding attempts in various industries ever since the phenomenon started, so wade cautiously in these waters.
A venture capitalist is basically an investor that provides funding for new businesses or supports them by investing additional funds for expansion. These individuals usually have deep pockets but are very discerning when it comes to backing startups, especially those hatched by inexperienced entrepreneurs.
Make sure you have a rock-solid business plan if you’re planning to reach out to these venture capitalists.
Like venture capitalists, angel investors also invest in newly launched businesses. These wealthy businessmen are more interested in boosting small businesses to profitability rather than earning a profit from their beneficiaries.
Angel investors typically don’t demand a lot of control in the direction of a business, unlike venture capitalists. With many startups vying for this type of funding, be ready to pull out all the stops when convincing angel investors.
It can be a challenge to get external funding for your startup venture, especially when you’re a newly-minted entrepreneur. Everyone’s looking to get funding for their business ideas nowadays, so it’s a crowded market out there. Don’t lose hope and keep at it – when there’s a will, there’s a way, after all.
James Hendrickson is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek. When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College. He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.
Workers have a universal right to work in safe conditions. It’s the duty of the business owners and their managerial staff to fulfill this right by prioritizing safety in the company’s day-to-day operations. There are plenty of ways to accomplish this, so finding the best strategies that fit the company’s profile is highly important.
Workers that are treated well and furnished with a good work-conducive environment are in their best condition for their jobs. Essentially, workers are the backbone of any business. If they’re in poor shape, the business naturally suffers.
Use clear signs and labels
The strategy might sound trivial, but having proper warning signs and labels in the workspace can contribute significantly to its safety and orderliness. This is vitally important for high-risk workplaces, like certain construction and manufacturing industries, as one small mistake can lead to a major accident.
The last thing any enterprise wants is a workplace-related injury or worse – death. Setting up the correct signage can be the difference between a prevented accident, or an injury sustained in the line of work. Workers need to be reminded regularly of the protocols and hazards, and signs are a great way to reinforce that task.
Devote resources to employee health care
An employee’s morale and health play a big factor in their productivity at work. Many scientific studies have come to the same conclusion that healthy workers usually make the best workers.
A practical way to approach health care is to provide regular medical check-ups for the workforce. It can be a cost-effective, preventive measure to ensure that the workers are always in shape for work. Screenings for work-impairing substances, via marijuana urine tests and the like, can also be employed to further improve workplace conditions.
Prepare for emergencies and conduct drills
Disasters like earthquakes and can’t be predicted, but they can be prepared for. Physically preparing the workplace for unpredictable emergencies is the first step to this end. Readying the workers through seminars and drills is the next step afterward.
The managerial staff must have properly crafted guidelines for employees to follow during accidents and emergencies. An evacuation plan should be part of these guidelines, just in case the worst case scenario unfolds.
Investigate accidents and keep records
Unraveling the causes of accidents is part and parcel of accident prevention. It’s important to find out the details of a particular incident and work on improving the workplace so that the chances of a recurrence are diminished.
Keeping records is also part of the investigation, and is a legal requirement for businesses in certain countries. For example, the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers with more than 10 employees to keep a tally of serious work-related injuries and illnesses. Minor injuries that can be handled with a first aid kit are not part of the record.
Wrapping Up
It’s the legal and ethical duty of a business owner to secure a safe working space for the workers. It’s also in the interest of the business to promote the safety and wellness of the workers. The most productive employees are generally the ones that are happy and healthy.
Businesses must be ready to invest resources into making sure these goals are successful. The cost of investment may not be trivial and can be a challenge especially for new enterprises. The rewards, however, of a stronger and more productive workforce can easily overturn the financial stake.
James Hendrickson is an internet entrepreneur, blogging junky, hunter and personal finance geek. When he’s not lurking in coffee shops in Portland, Oregon, you’ll find him in the Pacific Northwest’s great outdoors. James has a masters degree in Sociology from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelors degree on Sociology from Earlham College. He loves individual stocks, bonds and precious metals.