The open enrollment period for most companies and for those who buy plans through the Affordable Care Act is about to end. Insurance decisions are particularly challenging for parents. Kids get sick and you never know when your kid will break a bone or have another injury.
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Did You Know Your Preschooler’s Apps Are Full Of Ads?
Our lives are driven by our electronic devices, and our kids also spend a lot of time surfing the net and playing on apps. Some children get cell phones or tablets before they can walk. But did you know that screen time for kids also means getting bombarded by ads while they learn their ABCs and how to count?
Car Seat Recommendations: How To Find The Right One For Your Child
Children of the 70s and 80s rode in the front seat of the car with their parents and sometimes in the back of a truck unrestrained. Nowadays, we know it’s safer to make sure our children are properly restrained. From the time a child is born until the child is between eight and ten, parents need to have a car seat.
Expecting a New Family Member? Discover These 5 Strategies That Will Prevent You from Racking up Debt
When you’re expecting a new family member, one of the first concerns that comes to mind is finances. From diapers and baby food to checkups and babysitting fees, there are not just heavy expenses but several expenses that add up quickly. Are you financially prepared?
School Is In Session! Protect Yourself From Scams
Beware of Back-to-School Credit Card Fraud
With the school season starting again, education is job number one for students and parents alike. A proper education includes an education in personal finance, and one of the best ways to start is to learn how to protect yourself against scams.
5 Ways to Buy Cheap Christmas Gifts for Kids
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!)
SnagShout
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:
- Browse their merchandise to see if there is something you’d like to purchase. Often these products are marked 60% to 90% off. Some products are even free.
- You’ll be given a specific SnagShout code to enter at check out.
- These are Amazon products, so you’ll be automatically transferred to Amazon to complete your purchase.
- Once you’ve received and tried out the product, you must leave a review on Amazon to complete your agreement with SnagShout.
- After that, you’re permitted to shop for your next SnagShout product.
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.
Off-season clearance racks
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.
Swagbucks
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:
- Searching the Web
- Online shopping
- Surveys
- Watching videos
- Playing games
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.
Make gifts
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.
Groupon
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.
Do you start Christmas shopping before or after Thanksgiving? Tell us in the comments below?
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!
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Best Black Friday Shopping Apps and Websites
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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Priming for a Windfall
What would you do if you suddenly won the lottery? Would you get a luxury car, travel the world or maybe invest in the best performing unit trusts or investments. Bonuses are often seen as a prize. We tend to spend our bonuses long before we get them and very often make poor decisions on what to do with the money.
Maybe it is time for you to think about these windfalls a bit differently. Receiving a bonus, or any unexpected income for that matter, allows you to take a moment to evaluate your overall finances. Are you saving enough for the future? Are your debts under control? Allocating a portion of a windfall to save or pay off debts will help maximize its effect. Self-control, reflection and planning can dramatically increase the longevity of a windfall. In the end it’s your long-term happiness that counts.
Reflection
Reflect on instances where you received a large sum of money: How did you spend it and did your choices benefit you in the long run? Think about all the effects of your past decisions and it will help you make better choices in the future. Usually all we’re left with after large purchases is buyer’s remorse. Tap into the consequences of your past financial decisions and it may help you resist any impulsive purchases.
Make a plan
Things rarely just work out and relying on fate is a poor strategic choice. Make a detailed plan on how best to spend your money before the ever-intoxicating holiday season arrives. Always consider your future well-being: Pay off debts, make new investments or make additional contributions to your existing investments. Take care of the important things and can happily spend what’s left.
Don’t totally ignore your desires. Small treats can make the bigger sacrifices a bit easy to handle. We often see saving as a sacrifice, but really it just allows us to continue spending comfortably in the future. Delayed gratification now will lead to a better lifestyle when you retire.
Avoiding the dangers of the festive season
The festive season has become all about spending. It is often difficult to control your spending habits when you’re surrounding by the buzz, the lights and the people. Retailers know this and will try and target you at every corner. Here are a few things to look out for:
- Putting baskets/trollies at the entrance
We tend to want to fill up a basket. It happens subconsciously. If you’ve come to the store of one or a few things then avoid the baskets.
- Stores are designed so that you will spend
There is a reason why all the expensive chocolates, snacks and tidbits are in the cheque out aisle. Stores are designed to make you stop and buy. The long and constant exposure to items tends to lower our self-control. By the time you reach the cheque out those treats just seem to make sense. Make a list and stick to it.
- Targeted shopping
Online shopping is convenient and often cheaper than their physical counterparts. It also affords retailers to target products specifically to you and have a greater chance of getting us to open our wallets.
Take a moment
Theory often doesn’t hold up in practice. It will take some discipline and thought. What happens when that new item you desire overrides any logical plan you formulated? Well, all you need to do is pause. Break the stimulus/response mentality. Take some time and step away. It will help set you on the right path to wealth creation and financial security.