A Budget of Convenience

March 21, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Is your budget a budget of necessity or a budget of convenience?

With a budget of necessity, you are down to what you need. You may be paying off debt. You may be adding to your savings. You aren’t buying extras such a dinner out or hitting up a sale to look for new shoes for sure. You will be looking for sales for your basic needs such as food items, laundry soap, and pet food. You may even check out online resources to find the cheapest gas for your car in your area. A budget of necessity is often seen as a not fun budget and what most people think of when they hear the word budget.

A budget of convenience is one where you keep track of what you spend but you weigh your options … constantly! In a budget of convenience, you will admit that you need room in your budget. You may buy the Amazon Prime membership so you can get the free two day shipping. Or you might shop more at Walmart because you can buy your groceries, craft supplies, and clothes at the same places. Sure you won’t get the same sales as the supermarket but you are saving time. You might use discount voucher codes to buy your kids new shoes because it easier to have that cover shipping than to drag three kids to the store with you. But you do all of this while watching your bottome line.

We find ourselves in a situation of have a budget that fits both categories. We have cut our budget down to what we call the “basics plus”. We have had to weigh options such as is it cheaper to get trash pick up or to pay per bag at the county trash service. (As a note, the cost was within a few dollars plus there was the add gas costs to take our own bags so we get trash picked up.) We also still have our satellite service because the tv programs we get our one source of entertainment. We don’t go out the movies and hardly ever rent a movie. We did decide that the Netflix subscription could go when the price continued to go up and our time to watch the movies we got was less and less. So those decisions are there for us each month. The debate on if we upgraded to iPhones or not could be a whole budget post on its own for sure! The fact that we have cut our budget down to the “basic plus” level means that I can just hop online and order Matthew shoes with free shipping instead of dragging the kids to the store though. That is a big deal to me right now.

What type of budget do you have? Leave us a comment and let us know!

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Dear Budget – March 18

March 18, 2012 By 2 Comments

I have a love/hate relations with our budget. I decided I would share some of our victories and struggles with our budget so you can see that it happens to all of us.

It is past the middle of the month and we are still friends. I realize that this might change next week as we get near the end of the month though. I am hoping we can stay on track as we are watching our grocery and extras spending budgets closely. We feel like we are doing good this month as we are following our reduce the debt plan we embarked on this month.

I was able to stay your friend earlier in the month thanks to a local children’s consignment sale and hope to finish up summer clothes shopping for the kids at the other sale’s discount day next week. Children’s clothes is an area we try to save for sure!

I will probably not be your friend when I decide to shop for a new pair of summer work sandals though and I will warn you of that now.

Here is to keeping on track again this week …

Beth

Are you friends with you budget this week? Leave us a comment and let us know!

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5 Ways to Budget as a Family in 2012

February 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When considering fun activities that the whole family can enjoy, “create a family budget” usually doesn’t factor into the top 100, much less the top 5. But with a little creativity and planning, budgeting can be fun and educational for the kids and easier for you. Here are five helpful family budgeting tips to help everyone plan their spending more effectively and work together to save as a family in 2012.

Examine Everything

This one is strictly for the parents, but the kids can be involved later when you explain it to them. How many monthly bills do you have that you never even consider when thinking of ways to reduce? Home and car insurance are big ones, since we typically view insurance as hard to change. It’s so simple, though, to perform a house insurance comparison online. House insurance comparison sites let home owners evaluate policies and find out ways to save
money. A little bit more per month on this and other expenditures once considered “unchangeable” can mean hundreds or thousands more per year in the family account.

Plan Meals Together

The grocery bill can easily become a family’s biggest monthly expenditure. This is a tremendous teaching opportunity, since you can encourage the whole family to participate in meal planning and shopping. Everyone can search circulars for coupons and sales and then create a weekly menu based on their finds. This team approach will teach children how grocery store pricing works, the value of stretching a budget and creativity in the kitchen.

Create Family Activities

It’s easy for family entertainment outings to break the budget. Consider that going to the movies, for a family of four, can cost over $100 for two hours’ entertainment. With discipline and planning, family night can be fun and cost-effective. Everyone can pitch in, listing their favorite activities, and then the family can plan inexpensive alternatives in advance. Movie night with a DVD and the kids making popcorn will cost 1/10 as much is probably much more fun.

Pay in Cash

It’s not a fun activity, but this tip will certainly teach your kids the value of money. When you set aside funds for a budget, actually set the money itself aside. When it’s time to shop for groceries, take that actual grocery cash with you. This will get keep kids from getting into the credit card habit and will keep you from spending more than you planned to.

Make it a Game

Kids love to play games. The family budget activities can be turned into a fun activity they’ll enjoy. Like any game, the family can sit down and plot out budget goals and the ways you’ll meet them. After that, you can all get together and see how you’re meeting those goals. Tracking and reviewing a budget as a family will be fun and educational. You can even set a reward for “winning” the game: some of the money you save can be given to the kids as an allowance. They’ll certainly be inspired to help with the budget then.

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Remember to Check Your Budget

February 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When was the last time you looked at your budget? We have mentioned in the past it is a great idea to look at your budget every few months. Before you say you have the same bills every month, think about if you have thought about who your service providers are. If you haven’t thought about it recently, sites such as MoneySupermarket.com may be a great resource or maybe you just need to go through your budget line by line to see who you are paying.

One of my favorite examples of checking your budget is when I called the trash company that kept mailing us fliers. Their flier said “no fees” and I knew I was paying fees on our trash service. That one call saved us $100 A YEAR just by not paying fees. As an added bonus, they saved us time too as they picked up our recycling too and the other company did not offer a recycling service. It doesn’t get better saving time and money in your budget!

Look through all areas of your budget … cable or satellite service, internet service, phone service, cell service, mortgage, gas and electric utilities … go through it all. Look at your bills. Are you paying for TV channels you never watch? Are you paying for extra minutes or a higher data plan than what you need on your cell bill? Is your gas company charging you a delivery fee that other companies aren’t charging? Those few minutes of looking through your bills followed up by phone calls (always call instead of jumping online!) might save you a bundle in your budget!

So why are you waiting? What part of your budget going to look at first? Leave us a comment and let us know!

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Save Money in 2012

January 14, 2012 By 1 Comment

This is a guest post written by Shawn Ambrose and edited by Brian at Simply Budgeted. We hope you enjoy it!

Gear up to save money in 2012 – Some budgeting tips that can assist you

After the financial ups and downs of 2011, most of us are hoping to make huge changes to our financial lives in 2012.  If you spent all of 2011 without a budget, this may the time to change that and make sure that 2012 goes well and ends on a more positive note.  Although shopping during the after-Christmas season seems attractive, many people forget to stay within their means, making it tougher and tougher to climb out of credit card debt.  Higher credit card payments take a toll on the wallet and lead deeper into the credit card mess.  Writing a budget or making a budget through a budget planner, however, can help you stay on track and make sure that your expenses do not exceed your income. Here are some smart budgeting tips for 2012:

  • Give a rear-view mirror glance at 2011: Before taking some solid steps for making 2012 successful, give a retrospective glance at 2011 so as not to make those same mistakes.  Analyze bad spending habits and resolve not to repeat them in the near future.
  • Make a list of the necessities: Make a clear list of all the necessities that you may need in 2012.  Focus on covering those expenses and try to curb other costs so that you keep within your budget.  Overstretching your budget may push you further into the debt cycle.
  • Save money like never before:  If you did not save enough in 2011, resolve to save like never before in 2012. This doesn’t mean that you have to pinch your pennies throughout 2012.  Just make sure that you focus your spending on the things that you need and not necessarily on the things that you want.  The best way to keep your money saved is to invest it in a high-yield savings account.  This way you never see the funds.
  • Say NO to credit cards:  This is the best way to stop adding on to further debt.  These nasty little plastics may seem overwhelming, but they are debt generators and you should avoid them as much as possible so as to stay on the right financial track.  Stuff your wallet with cash instead of credit and forget about getting things that you can’t afford today with cash.

If you are planning to make 2012 a memorable year, stay on top of your finances by following the points mentioned above.  Repay your debt obligations and seek help from a financial professional when it gets to be too overwhelming.  Make this your year to come out on top.  You’ll sleep better, stress less, and be happier.  Now that sounds like a plan!

What are your goals for budget in 2012?

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Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

December 31, 2011 By 11 Comments

This isn’t your typical New Year’s Eve post … mostly because it really has nothing to do with New Year’s Eve. It just fits because of the years mentioned. It is a post that has been on my list to write but it never made it to the top of the pile to write so here it is and thankfully it fits today anyway!

Back in March of 2011, our minivan died. It was an older, used minivan but it fit our family and ran … plus it was paid for already since we got it used (and cheap). We didn’t expect it to die when it did … we were all in it and about 40 minutes from our house. My parents thankfully rescued us since a tow truck does not fit 2 adults and 3 kids in car seats. We decided to suck it up and get a new van when we learned the cost to repair the old van was double its value. Did I mentioned that van payments were not in our budget, yeah, they weren’t. So we re-did the whole budget and managed to figure out a way to add a van payment. You want to talk about the whole Budget Pie changing … adding a van payment will certainly change your Budget Pie! We ended up with a Dark Cherry Pearl Honda Odyssey 2011 mini-van. We loved it. Yes, I said loved … as in past tense. Keep reading.

Then August 22, 2011 happened. Brian was taking Grace and tag-along Sophie to Grace’s five year check-up appointment. I stayed home with Matthew to do some work. I got the call and at first thought Brian said they weren’t going to make the appointment because there was an accident on the way there. The call dropped. I finally got him and back to only learn they were IN the accident. I rounded Matthew up and drove down there to sit in traffic to find our brand new van looking like this …

and this …

Everyone was fine in our van. The girls were in their Graco Nautilus seats and hardly felt it. Brian didn’t even think there was much damage outside of the van until he got out of it because of the way it absorbed the impact and crumbled. Crumple zones work was the lesson here! The inside of the van looked perfect. It was amazing. Brian and I were both amazed when started to empty it out of our belongings so it could be towed to see how far the back came into the trunk. The Odyssey has awesome trunk space and that is one of the reasons we love it. It was all gone. The back of the van was about 6 inches from the back seat where the girls were sitting. We feel so blessed it stopped there. I should probably add that Brian was in the middle of a 4 car pile up that wasn’t his fault. He and the two cars in front of him stopped because there was a two car accident in the road in front of them. The lady that hit Brian push him into the car in front of him and that car into the truck in front of them.  Oh and the insurance company replaced the car seats … I of course ordered new Graco Nautilus Car Seats from Amazon
and they arrived the next day … way before the new van!

So without a second thought, we went back to the Honda dealer and ordered the same van when were told the brand new van was totaled. Then came the timing issue that they could find the Dark Cherry Pearl color we loved in a 2011 model. We waited extra time to get the color we loved and ended up with a 2012 model. (See the goodbye 2011, hello 2012 part now?!) Our new van arrived in October. We were so thrilled to have a cherry van again (that is what the kids call it). This time we added the roof rack to the top of it but is the same as the old one really.

For a family that never buys new vehicles, buying two in one year is really odd but we are so thankfully we had the super safe Odyssey in August when that accident happened. I don’t think our old van would have faired very well and I wonder how the family would have faired in it.

So we said Goodbye to 2011 in August and Hello to 2012 in October and have been loving 2012 ever since then. We will be loving 2012 for years to come as we don’t get new vehicles often so are hoping it is a good year in more than one way!! So while our Budget Pie is super tight right now with this van payment, we know it is worth it because our three little ones are safe as we drive around!

Happy New Year from us! We hope you have time to enjoy it with friends and family.

What happened in 2011 for you that changed your budget? What are you hoping for in 2012 for your budget?

Leave us a comment and let us know!

 

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25 Freebies for Holiday Shoppers

December 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment
We are excited to bring another guest post to you today from Andrea Woroch!
Somewhere in all this frantic shopping, shouldn’t there be something just for you? We’ve found 25 stores and restaurants offering something they call “lagniappe” in New Orleans. Consider it your free thirteenth donut. From gift cards to gift wrap, these offers cross the spectrum. Most require a purchase, but a few are outright free.
Of course, the biggest freebie this year is Free Shipping Day on Friday, Dec. 16, when you can shop online from over 2,000 merchants with free shipping by Christmas Eve. Lots of e-retailers are offering free shipping on all orders with no minimum purchase required, so don’t miss your last-gasp chance to shop online with great deals.
Unless otherwise stated, offers are available only while supplies last. For additional holiday freebies, visit MrFreeStuff.com.
1. 4WD - Free 3-month courtesy subscription to “Off-Road Aventures.”
2. Aeropostale - Free $25 e-gift card when you spend $100 and use “25EGIFT” at online checkout. Aeropostale also offers free shipping on all gift cards.
3. Baby Phat - Free logo hat with any purchase when you register online.
4. Bath&Body Works - Free gift of your choice, worth up to $13, with purchase of $10 or more. Ends Dec. 24. Click on our link to print out the required coupon.
5. Becker - Free one-year subscription to Surfer Magazine with orders over $99.
6. Ben & Jerrys - Free scoop of ice cream when you spend $10 on gift cards.
7. Big Dogs – Free Polar Dogs Blanket with $100 purchase.
8. Chuck E. Cheese’s - Buy 60 tokens for $15 and get 30 tokens free, through Jan. 8. Click on our link for a downloadable coupon.
9. Cookies: The Kids Department Store - Free $25 Restaurant.com gift card plus 33% off Staff Picks with a minimum order of $25. Use code “RDC25” at online checkout.
10. Delia’s - Free I.D. holder with each $50 gift card purchase.
11. Dell – Free Canon ELPH 100 digital camera and Shutterfly 8×8 photobook when you purchase select PCs with Adobe Photoshop 9 and Premiere Elements 9. Dell is also offering free shipping on all TV orders.
12. DressBarn - Free $10 savings card for every $50 gift card purchase. You can redeem the card between Dec. 26 and Jan. 31. Offer valid in stores only.
13. Famous Dave’s - Free $5 rewards card with every $25 gift card in-store purchase.
14. GameStop - Free 1-year product replacement plan on all pre-owned hardware. Good with in-store purchases only.
15. Gordmans - $10 savings card with purchase of $50 or more of Gordmans gift cards. Ends Dec. 24.
16. HP - Free 4GB USB flash drive when you buy 2 ink multipacks.
17. Maidenform - Free manicure set with $75 online order. Use codes “FREESILVER” or “FREEBLACK.”
18. Neiman Marcus – Free gift packaging through Dec. 14.
19. OfficeMax - Free $10 OfficeMax gift card when you purchase $60 in national-brand ink.
20. Origins - Free gift wrap.
21. Plow & Hearth - Free $10 reward card with any purchase of $75 or more. Ends. Dec. 18.
22. Radio Shack – $100 in gift cards when you buy an iPad 2 with your Shack Credit Card.  (Trade in your original 64GB iPad and receive as much as $250 towards an iPad 2.)
23. Roxy.com - Spend $100 and get a $25 coupon code. Ends Dec. 14.
24. Sephora - Free scent in a mini collectible bottle with any order of $25 or more, with code “LUXEMINI.” Good with online purchases only.
25. Ulta Beauty - Free $60 luxury robe with any men’s or women’s fragrance purchase of $30 or more. Your choice of three styles.
Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. As a nationally recognized media source, Andrea has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more.
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Lighten Up by Peter Walsh

November 8, 2011 By

Details …

It seems as though not a day goes by that we don’t think about money. We cut back on spending. We chase a bargain. We try to save more. We strive to use less credit. We worry about funding our retirement and our children’s education. Yet we continue to spend money on things that don’t matter. Peter Walsh knows that money and debt can overwhelm your life even faster than clutter, and he has a plan to help you deal with that emotional and financial chaos. Peter’s previous bestselling books inspired us to successfully evict the clutter in our homes, on our bodies, and in six key areas of our lives. But for many people, clearing the clutter suddenly exposes deeper issues—financial, physical, and emotional. Sometimes our problems are not really about the physical stuff but about the emotional fabric of our lives—from our relationships with money to our relationships with people and even how we define and find happiness.

In Lighten Up, Peter demonstrates that this reassessment of priorities is a great opportunity to examine our lives and circumstances and to make the changes necessary to focus on the things that really matter. Exploring the real source of happiness, Peter offers a clear strategy for finding the delicate balance between what we have, what we need, and what we want or feel entitled to. With three unique audits that cover every aspect of our well-being, he takes us step by step through sizing up not just our possessions and financial statements but also our thoughts, goals, use of time and energy, and even our innermost sources of tension. He then shows us how to embrace the changes we’ve experienced, set a new path for the future, and come to accept that living on less can feel—and be—so much richer.

Our Thoughts …

This is our first introduction into Peter Walsh’s books. It might be odd for us to say that being a budgeting site but we talk about our simply methods for budgeting so it always great to see what others see. This book really a work book more than a reading book. Plan to think and have an ink pen in hand! If you are in a relationship, you should read this book with your husband, wife, who ever you share finances with right now because it will impact you both. This books makes you think. It covers the WANTS versus NEED thought that we talk about here. If you are look for a way to work through redoing how you look at your finances and budget, check out Lighten Up! This book might be the right book to get your budget on track for 2012!!

You can buy Lighten Upon Amazon right now so click over there and be on the path to lighten up your family’s finances!

We are excited to offer TWO our readers a copy of Peter Walsh’s Light Up to get them started on the right financial path as we close out 2011!

Details:
This drawing will end Tuesday, November 22nd at 11:59pm EST. The winner will have 48 hours to reply with their address. You must include your email address in the comment form so you can be contacted if you are a winner! You must complete the Mandatory Entry for the additional entries to count.

This giveaway is open to US residents only!

So how do you enter?

Mandatory Entry: Leave us a comment about what you hope to change in your budget.

Additional Entries:

1) Follow us on Facebook HERE. Worth two entries so leave two comments here! (Psst … we love comments on Facebook so maybe you can leave us one!)
2) Follow BOTH SimplyBudgeted and This_Cookin_Dad on Twitter. Leave a THREE comment with your twitter name.
3) Tweet about this giveaway with this tweet:

RT #Win a 1 of 2 copies of Peter Walsh’s Lighten Up book at @simplybudgeted http://bit.ly/u0eGq5 ends 11/22 #giveaway #book #budget #finance

Leave a comment with the URL for your tweet. (One Tweet per day until end of giveaway!!)
4) Follow us publicly through the Google Friends Connect in the footer. Leave a comment with your name that you subscribe with.
5) Subscribe to the daily email here at Simply Budgeted. It is at the top of the sidebar!;) Please leave a comment. (worth 5 entries!)

NOTE: We were sent a review copy of this book in support of this review. No other compensation was received. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are our honest opinion.

 

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20 Trendy and Cheap Halloween Costumes for 2011

October 9, 2011 By 2 Comments

We are excited to bring another guest post to you today from Andrea Woroch!

Halloween is now officially the second-highest grossing holiday of the year, right after Christmas. No doubt thrift shops come in for a major cut of that profit. Costume shops do pretty well, particularly since many are offering great deals and free shipping offers this year, but drugstores and big-box stores also enjoy the Halloween kaching!

In the end, who cares how much money merchants make off our favorite holiday? Finding just the right zingy costume is the best part of All Souls Eve, particularly if you can do it on the cheap. Here are 20 trendy ideas pulled directly out of the 2011 zeitgeist.

1. Tiger Mom
You gotta read the book to get this one, but those who kick into the joke will ROTFL. In “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mom,” Amy Chua wrote about how Chinese parents are better at raising kids. Instead, it became a clash of east against west, with many complaining Chua’s strict rules were too hard on the kids. Either way, it made for an interesting story and could make a fun costume.

Here’s the recipe: Pick up a set of mommy clothes (including high-waisted jeans) and some face paints, then do your best at recreating a tiger face. For a special touch, add a wild wig of blond hair and fluff to the max.

2. Rebecca Black “Friday” Video
The songbird that foisted auto-tune-heavy “Friday” upon the universe deserves a touch of parody. A long, frizzy black wig (don’t forget the side part), a purple, sleeveless dress from Forever 21, piles of eye makeup and a headbouncing posse should do it. Oh, and don’t forget to memorize the lyrics to this insipidly repetitive song.

3. Angry Birds
Anyone hooked on this addictive Facebook, mobile phone and Google Chrome game knows the deathly attraction of the chirping birds and snorting green pigs. This could be a great group costume, but you can also select your favorite birdbrain and go it alone.

While you can make your own version, you might want to check out the 20-percent off deal offered by Spirit. Spice your costume up even further with a small slingshot, if you’re a bird, and a basket of eggs, if you’re a pig. Keep an eye out for Spirit Halloween codes for free shipping as Oct. 31st approaches.

4. Hipster Barista
Enough with the skinny black jeans and snobbish attitude! Everyone loves to hate their own snotty Starbuck’s manager. Now you, too, can be loathed by hundreds.

The costume is simple: To the aforementioned skinny jeans, add a black, v-neck T-shirt, black scarf (wrapped in trendy fashion about your neck), and a batch of rub-on tattoos. Voila! You’re ready to stick your nose in the air. If you’ve got a Che Guevara T-shirt, this is the time to wear it proudly. The best part of this costume is that it’s androgynous, so either males or females can be a Hipster Barista.

5. Garden Gnome
For some reason garden gnomes have become the kitch costume of the year, showing up everywhere from Mardi Gras to the Tour de Fat bicycle parade in growing numbers. Strangely, Pottery Barn Teen has a great version of the little pointy-hatted guy, and is currently offering 20% off Halloween costumes. Get a Pottery Barn free shipping code to save even more.

6. Hurricane Irene
Once considered a deadly force of nature, Hurricane Irene limped to the East Coast with little more than heavy rains and a will to survive. Sure there was lots of flooding, but the weather-weenie predictions happily proved to be wrong.

The costume is fairly simple. Just print out a bunch of satellite maps depicting hurricanes and pin them to your clothes. Then limp around all night blowing gently into friend’s faces.

7. Charlie Sheen
Halloween Mart has all the components for this absolute-must costume. Combine their Malibu Maniac Kit (black wig and “Two-and-a-half Men” shirt), IV bag of Tiger Blood, and tiger-skin-banded hat emblazoned with “Winning!” Pop on your own dark shades and you’re ready to ramble around shouting “Duh!”

8. Tron Guy
Remember Jay Maynard, who had 10 minutes of fame for his homemade Tron costume? Then he used up his last five minutes when Duck Brand adhesive tape made a Tronish commercial that ended up inside Maynard’s head?

You don’t have to know about this computer programmer, however, to recreate his costume. Take a set of long underwear, a bike helmet and Frisbees and create a Tron pattern with fluorescent-blue duct tape. If you really want to mimic Maynard, slap on a porn-stache and a pair of aviator glasses.

9. I Love Lucy
August saw the 100th birthday of Lucille Ball, the comedic genius who started a television empire with Desilu Productions company. You can Desi Arnaz your night with a Luuuuuucyyyy outfit from Drugstore.com. Find free shipping codes for the e-retailer, plus 30-percent off costumes at sites like FreeShipping.

10. Bronies
For some reason, there’s a contingent of male nerds out there who are addicted to the animated cartoon “My Little Pony.” Known as “Bronies,” these fanboys watch pretty pictures of ponies — with names like Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash — have magical adventures. Seriously!

The costume is simple: Buy several of the pony “action figures” and attach them to slacker clothing, i.e. sweatpants and a bagged-out T-shirt. Then wax eloquently about the pink aisle at Toys R Us.

11. Insane Clown Posse “Miracles” Video
Sick of rapping about murdering people with axes, the Detroit hip-hop duo released “Miracles” about the magic in the universe. The Posse rapped in X-rated language that made the video one of the biggest joke memes in 2010. For a wicked twist, go with the Saturday Night Live version.

The costumes are simple: Dress in all-white gangster togs, paint on a black-and-white clown face and you’re ready to rap about magic and miracles being “just there in the air.”

12. Bridezilla
If you’ve seen the WE Network show “Bridezillas,” it’s easy to believe all women in white have turned into raving maniacs. While some brides can get a bit out of hand under pre-wedding stress, nothing can touch the WE’s matrimonial disasters.

To turn yourself into one of these nightmare brides, wear a trashy gown from your local thrift shop and scream into your cell phone all night. Key phrases, “You’re out of the wedding” and “You’ve ruined the biggest day of my life!”

13. Hawaii Five-0
Here’s an easy one for lazy guys, based on the resurrected television show on CBS. Rock a pair of shorts and a Hawaiian shirt with some nifty shades, pick up a set of handcuffs at the costume shop and you’re good to go. (Surfboard is optional.) Now book ‘em, Dano.

14. Republican Presidential Candidates
Watch just one of the Republican debates and you’ll have the costume down. Dark suit and a red tie for men and pearls for Michelle Bachmann imitators. Key phrases to push: Taxes, tax cuts and Ronald Reagan. This one is definitely better as a group costume.

15. “Entourage” Gang
Another group-costume concept, this one pays homage to the final season of HBO’s “Entourage,” featuring one movie star and his bro-mance with three homies (and one maniacal Hollywood agent). The costumes are pretty basic, but it’s the chemistry that will make this one come alive.

16. “The Big Bang Theory”
Speaking of TV shows ripe for the costume picking, the geeks from “The Big Bang Theory” are even easier to recreate. Take one skinny nerd in multiple T-shirts, add a shorter version in horn rims and a couple multicultural buddies and you’ve got your gang. Remember, the geekier the clothing the better, so hit up Goodwill for your Green Lantern T-shirt. The best accessory, however, would be an attractive blond.

17. “Bridesmaids”
You don’t have to replicate the “Bridesmaids’” movie cast; just follow the lead of so many modern bachelorette parties these days. The bride-to-be gets to wear a crown or goofy white veil. The bridesmaids all follow a common theme, like bobble headbands or goofy scarves or some such. Now go out and party!

18. Pirates
Johnny Depp has made the world safe for pirate costumes again, thanks to the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies. Forget the eye patch, however, and follow the gorgeous movie star’s lead with a basic vest, white shirt, pants tucked into boots and lots of bangles, rings and scarves. Oh, and don’t forget the guy-liner.

Gals might go with a Penélope Cruz look: Big black hat with buckle, frock coat and much of the same look as Johnny, just without the dreadlocks. Grab a Target free shipping promo code and enjoy their great version of this look for the ladies.

19. Anthony Bourdain
Recreating Mr. “No Reservations” is easy as pie. Just wear a chef’s jacket and check pants (found at many thrift shops) then plop on a white wig. Can’t find the kitchen uniform? Bourdain is partial to blue polos and dress shirts with jeans.

The great part of dressing as the Travel Channel chef is that it requires you devour drinks and food all night. Non-party attenders can carry a frying pan and wine bottle to give their costume a “kitchenie” look.

20. Royal Wedding
Did you hear Prince William got married this year? If you followed the royal wedding closely, you don’t need much costume advice. Ladies wear a long, brown wig with a thrift-shop wedding gown and carry a white bouquet. Gentlemen have it tougher finding a red military jacket, but cardboard medals and a blue ribbon sash are easier. It also helps if your hairline is rapidly receding.

If your group includes additional females, follow Princess Beatrice’s atrocious lead by coordinating outfit colors with the ugliest hat possible. If you’re really ambitious, you might try recreating her terrible topper.

 

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. As a nationally recognized media source, Andrea has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more.

Filed Under: Budgeting Advice, Lifestyle, Simply Life, SimplySaving Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Oh My Eyes

September 8, 2011 By 3 Comments

Every couple of years, my eyes start getting the better of me and I have to go get them checked out.  Our insurance covers an eye exam so that’s no big deal.  It’s when we start shopping for eyewear that we realize just how expensive it can be.  Think about it.  They have doctors and sales staff to pay along with rent and utilities.  I don’t know about you, but I’m having enough trouble paying my own utilities, much less a ridiculous mark-up so that someone else can pay theirs.

That’s why we took to the internet.  Buying men’s glasses online can be a bit daunting (there are so many more options), but I know that I am not going to have to settle between two frames that I don’t really want.  I also know that price becomes much less of an issue.  For the price of that middle of the line frame, I can get a “designer” frame with the lenses included.

The biggest problem with purchasing glasses online is the fit.  You have to make sure that the lenses line up properly, that they sit on your ears and nose comfortably, etc.  The best way to address these issues is to make sure that your prescription is well-written.  This means getting all of the information needed to make your eyeglasses, including your pupillary distance (PD).  If the optometrist doesn’t write it in, ask them to.

If you have any experiences buy glasses online or in the store, leave us a comment.

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