Show you father just how much you love and appreciate him this Father’s Day. Gifts don’t have to be expensive to make a big impact, what is important is that you pick something that shows your dad that you see him as more than just the breadwinner.

And don’t worry if you can’t come up with something completely unique and clever – the big thing is that you choose something that reflects his needs and personality. That said, unless you know he has a great sense of humor, stay away from the ear and nose hair clipper sets!

Something to decorate his desk/office

Most fathers love showing off their family and interests, but in a subtle way.

  • A gorgeous framed picture of the family
  • A knick knack or souvenir from one of his favorite vacation spots
  • A desk calendar that reflects his interests
  • A geeky novelty from an online retailer like Think Geek to let his nerd flag fly

Something to wear

Clothes can be a great choice, but only if you take a moment  to think about your father’s tastes and needs. Be sure to get a gift receipt in case it doesn’t fit!

  • Dads who need to dress up for their work would appreciate a nice tie or pair of cufflinks. It’s cliché, yes, but on the other hand, it will remind him of his family every time he wears it.
  • Fun t-shirts like those offered by Threadless are a big hit with dads that are young at heart.
  • Dads who are into sports might not feel comfortable spending cash on athletic gear, so a nice wicking t-shirt or shoes would be very appreciated.
  • Who doesn’t like new socks? A bag of white crew socks might be a lame gift, but nice all wool or performance synthetic socks are a practical and luxurious gift.
  • Help your dad protect his skin with a great hat. Pick something that suits his personality like a jaunty fedora or his interests like a ballcap from his favorite team.

Something practical

Some dads are all about being practical and that’s why we love them! Show your dad you’ve been paying attention to his no-nonsense approach to life with one of these great gifts.

  • A weather radio can be a lifesaver. Some television stations will even hold events where they will program your new radio to pick up the local alert channel.
  • Nobody can ever have too many flashlights. An emergency LED or windup flashlight is great for those who live in areas prone to the lights going out.
  • Tools always go on sale around Father’s Day for a good reason – a lot  of dads enjoy tinkering around the house! Go ahead and ask him what he’s missing from his tool box so that you can get something he’s sure to enjoy.
  • If your father’s into cooking or barbecuing, don’t overlook books on technique, especially those with a heavy DIY bent.

Don’t forget!

While we tend to think of moms as being the more sentimental parents, our fathers also love us very much and would love nothing more than a lovely card or letter expressing just how much they have taught you about life and how much you appreciate them. They might be gruff about it, but deep down, knowing that they’ve been wonderful fathers to their children is the best gift of all.

Not too long ago, the Borders in my town closed. In the weeks leading up to the store closing, the store held sales and offered discounts. It became common for my husband to stop at Borders on the way home from school and look to see what was on sale. After looking through what was available, and spotting something he thought we might want, he’d give me a call on the (prepaid) cell phone.

He would give me the name of the book, CD, movie or novelty item, and then I would look it up on Amazon.com. If the price was lower at the store, he would snag it. If, however, the Amazon price was lower, we’d add it our Wishlist for later purchase. In fact, I often find that Amazon.com offers me better options than shopping at the club store — something I really don’t think is that great.

Some of the things that we have bought on Amazon.com include:

  • Small appliances
  • Pasta and other grocery items
  • Personal hygiene items
  • Books
  • Movies
  • Music (digital download usually)
  • Mattress topper

Plus, as we shop at Amazon.com, we do our best to find items that are eligible for Super Saver Shipping. That way, when we do buy, we get free shipping. Our Wishlist allows us to “set aside” items for later purchase and free shipping. We wait until our order qualifies before it is sent.

This does require some planning, though. We rarely order items that we need immediately from Amazon, since the Super Saver Shipping is slower than other shipping options. However, since he have built up our home food storage, and we keep an eye on the levels of our personal care items, we are able to order what we need ahead of time.

Other Places to Find Good Deals

There are, of course, other places to find good deals on different products and services. We recently bought a new commercial vacuum from an online warehouse. The price was much better than anything we could find locally, and the selection was better than what was available on Amazon. Take the time to comparison shop, and you can find great deals all over the web.

Indeed, Consumer Reports Money Adviser offered some helpful hints recently on where you could go to buy different items. Here are some of the recommendations from Money Adviser’s Tightwad Tod:

  • Small Appliances: Amazon, Costco (it has a great return policy)
  • Large Appliances: Abt Electronics
  • Home Electronics: Newegg, Amazon, TigerDirect, Buy.com
  • Mattresses: The Original Mattress Factory, Costco, Sam’s Club (we got our last mattress from Ashley, since we got a great discount from my brother, who was a salesman at the local homestore)

Knowing where to start your search for the best prices can help you reduce the amount of time you are looking. We also like to get brands that are likely to be of high quality, so we actually use Consumer Reports a lot to help us find the best value for our money. We often get products recommended by the venerable testing institution as best values.

What do you do when you are shopping around for the best value?

It’s finally the end of the year and you’d like to give your child’s teacher(s) a tangible token of your appreciation but you can’t afford to spend a fortune. Don’t worry – most teachers say that the best gift you can give them is a heartfelt note or card from your child expressing their thanks and appreciation. If you’d like to add a bit to that, here are some ideas to keep in mind.

1. Beware of teacher themed tchotkes like little ceramic apples and “1 Teacher” mugs. While the thought will be appreciated, most teachers already have plenty of stuff like this and some don’t even like apples!

2. Consumables are good because they aren’t more clutter, but be aware that your child’s teacher might have allergies, be trying to lose weight or is sick of Almond Roca. Some teachers are also wary of homemade foods, not because they don’t trust you personally, but they are naturally more cautious of things made in an unknown environment.

3.  Gift certificates/cards to local coffee shops, restaurants and movie theaters are always a good bet. Do be mindful that you don’t give a gift card that will force the recipient to spend lots more money to be useful (e.g. a $10 gift card to the most expensive restaurant in town).

4. Consider asking other parents if they’d be interested in pooling money to purchase a gift card in a more significant amount to a department store like Target. This will allow the teacher to buy one big thing that he or she really needs while being very affordable for most parents.

5. Many parents do not realize that teachers purchase a lot of the classroom books, educational posters and other supplies. While a gift certificate to the local office supply store, teacher’s store or art store might not seems like the most exciting gift, it can really help a teacher out, particularly ones  who are new to the job and haven’t had the time to build up a vast store of materials.

6. Scented candles, soaps and other products can be difficult to pick out for somebody you don’t know well, so unless you know the teacher enjoys a particular scent, it’s best to give these a miss.

7. A gift card to an online photo developer like Kodak Gallery or HP Snapfish so that the teacher can print out her photos or make photo books is thoughtful and useful.

8. Who wouldn’t love to have a car detailing service come to their office and get their vehicle sparkling? This is pricey but could be doable if several parents pooled their resources.

9. If your child’s teacher is outstanding, don’t forget to let everyone know! Send compliments to the school Superintendent and/or nominate them for awards.

10. Flowers and potted plants brighten almost anyone’s day.

Do you get your children’s teachers end of school year gifts? What are some of your favorites?

Spring is full of gift-giving occasions. Between graduations, bridal showers, weddings, and Father’s Day, gift-giving can become expensive! How can we give generously and thoughtfully without our gift budget spiraling out of control?

First, consider the real reason for giving a gift. A gift is much more than an opportunity to show the recipient how much money you’re willing to spend on him or her. It’s an opportunity to show how much you care. Fortunately, that sentiment can be expressed without spending a lot of money. The most thoughtful gifts demonstrate to the recipient that you know them, care about them and want to give them something representative of the relationship you share.

Creativity can go a long way to helping you come up with gifts that are personal, meaningful and ‘just right’ for the occasion. Thankfully for your budget’s sake, creativity is free. Even if you don’t consider yourself creative, the following suggestions will help spark gift ideas that will mean much more than they cost.

Gift Baskets are a Good Option

Fill a basket with individual items that together, comprise a gift on a particular theme. Actually, the basket doesn’t even need to be a basket. Any type of container that is pertinent to the gift can serve as the receptacle while also being a component of the gift itself.

Some examples of creative gift baskets and their possible contents:

  • Colander – Add a can opener, kitchen shears, measuring spoons and cups, kitchen towel and other small kitchen essentials for a housewarming gift for a first-timer.
  • Flower pot – Fill with live flowers or herbs for almost any occasion. Alternatively, make it a ‘gardener’s kit’ by including seed packets, potting soil, gardening gloves and implements for a new gardener or housewarming.
  • Bucket – Include car wash solution, sponges, chamois, gloves and wax for a teen or new car owner.
  • Decorative tin – Fill with homemade cookies, popcorn, candy or other treats for anyone.
  • Mixing bowl – Add pancake mix, wire whisk, dried blueberries, hot pads and a spatula for a housewarming gift.
  • Pet bowl – Fill with dog/cat treats, pet brush, claw clippers and a collar for pet owners.
  • Plastic sand bucket – Include bubbles, a kite, sidewalk chalk and a jump rope for a “fun in the sun” bucket.
  • Pot or pan – Fill with spaghetti, a jar of sauce, pasta spoon, Parmesan cheese and a loaf of Italian bread for a “meal in a pot” gift for newlyweds, new parents or college survival.
  • Inverted hat – Add barrettes, comb, brush, mirror, various hair gels, glitters and temporary hair colors for fun gift for a young girl.
  • Small suitcase – Fill with toiletries, toiletry bag and travel supplies for a first-time traveler.
  • Ice bucket – Include a bottle of wine or champagne, bottle opener, glasses, fancy crackers, caviar or cheeses for a celebration to go.

Memory Boxes Share Special Times

Memory boxes are containers designed to display memorabilia from an event or of significance to a person. Its contents represent a time, place or person. Empty memory boxes, which usually resemble deep photo frames, are available inexpensively at craft stores.

Memory boxes can display such items as:

  • Ticket stubs/boarding passes
  • Newspaper clippings
  • Brochures
  • Souvenirs
  • Invitations/place cards
  • Certificates/Documents
  • Photographs
  • Record albums
  • Books/magazines
  • Locks of hair
  • Small items of clothing, handkerchiefs, or scarves
  • Greeting cards
  • Pressed flowers
  • Small, significant items

Whether you’re giving a gift to celebrate today or remember yesterday, gift giving need not be costly. Personalized, one-of-a-kind gifts are greatly appreciated by recipients. By combining items that individually are inexpensive (or you already have), gifts become about the recipient, presentation and your attention to detail rather than the price tag.

Thanks to Dave Ramsey, many people are keen on the idea of saving a $1,000 baby emergency fund as part of their plan towards financial security. Having a thousand dollars saved is enough to cover most little emergencies such as an unexpected car repair or needing urgent dental work and keep you away from using credit to cover these costs.

But how on earth will you put aside $1,000 if you’re barely making ends meet now? It won’t be a walk in the park, but it’s nowhere near impossible, either. Here’s a few ideas on how to save a thousand dollars.

1. No matter what time of year it is, spring clean. Chances are, you can find quite a bit of stuff that you don’t need and could sell to jump-start your savings. Books, clothes, furniture, exercise and sports equipment, baby gear and more can all be sold.

Research the different selling venues to pick the right spot for your things. While books will do well on Amazon or Half.com, exercise equipment might be better sold locally on Craigslist while baby clothes can go on eBay and women’s professional clothing to the consignment shop.

A yard sale is the quickest way to sell your things but unlikely to be the most lucrative. You’ll have to weigh expediency against maximizing your profits to decide what works best for you.

2. Look for a side job or two. While a second part time job delivering pizzas or stocking shelves is a possibility, you can also earn quite a bit of money doing odd jobs like yard work, handyman services, housecleaning, babysitting and painting.

There are many opportunities for earning extra money if you are diligent for looking for opportunities. Families with a stay at home parent should look into having that parent find a way to bring in extra cash, if only until the emergency fund is complete.

3. Go on a drastic spending diet, but only for a month or so. While this is unsustainable for the long run for most people, almost everyone can live super frugally for a few weeks. Avoid buying anything that is not 100% necessary and eat from your pantry and freezer to keep spending down. This will not only help you save a lot of money in a short time, it will also reset your expectations and remind you of how nice a simple life really can be.

4. Look for services and subscriptions you can cancel. It’s amazing how much we spend on phones and entertainment. You don’t have to cancel everything, just edit it down to the ones that you get the most out of. If you find that you actually need everything that you pay for every month, then at least look for some broadband promotions so you can get a good discount.

Do you need both your cable and Netflix? Do you need a cell phone and a land line? Can you downsize to a simple phone without a data plan?

Saving $1,000 can seem intimidating, but you’ll be surprised at how fast things can add up if you put your mind to it.

Even if you’ve established a ‘system’ for buying at the best prices, it may be worth your while to shake up that system from time to time by shopping at a different venue. Changing your ‘shopping scenery’ may make you aware of better pricing and/or alternative products. For a worthwhile alternative to the same old stores, try flea markets.

Today’s flea markets are not simply vast garage sales designed to liquidate other peoples’ unwanted stuff. While some flea markets do offer antiques, collectibles and previously used items, many often have a plethora of new merchandise for sale as well. Flea markets today offer just about anything you can think of, from everyday merchandise like food, household items, clothing and accessories to more unusual fare such as live turtles and chickens. Even services, like specialty photography, are available. You can even grab a meal while you shop at one of the many food purveyors. Flea markets are exciting places to buy anything under the sun – a one-stop hunting and gathering experience!

What to expect when shopping at a flea market

Flea markets are venues where hundreds of merchants set up individual ‘shops’ indoor or outdoor, displaying merchandise or services to enthusiastic shoppers.

  • Multiple vendors with similar items: Each booth is unique to its vendor, who is free to sell whatever he or she desires. While the overall selection is varied, expect to find the same type of merchandise at several locations as you browse.
  • A bargaining environment: Although prices are often posted, expect to negotiate the final prices of items with the vendor. It’s expected that customers will haggle with the vendor over the price.

Advantages of shopping at a flea market

  • Ability to exercise influence over the price you pay: When you shop flea markets, you have an opportunity to make a deal with the seller for items you want.
  • Opportunity to establish a personal relationship with the vendor: Here’s the chance to get to know the person behind the table. That relationship may mean you’ll get a more advantageous price or will feel more comfortable buying from a particular vendor.
  • Quantity savings: Flea market vendors are in business for themselves so they may be willing to offer you a bargain price for taking a large number of items off their hands.

Disadvantages of shopping at a flea market

  • Source of products and identity of vendor is unknown: These facts beg the legitimate consumer concerns, “Who will stand behind this merchandise?” and “Will I ever see this seller again?”
  • Unreliable inventory/attendance: Vendors sell what they can get when they can get it. Bear in mind that while they may have a particular item now, they may not next time you see them. Or, they may simply not attend this flea market again, leaving you without a source for a desired product or service.

Best practices for shopping at a flea market

  • Buy it when you see it: Merchandise moves rapidly. An item may be sold while you hesitate so when you’re interested, buy it!
  • Patronize those vendors with whom you have good rapport: When a vendor invests time to explain their products and/or services, this indicates trustworthiness. Figure that “personal touch” into the price you’re willing to pay.
  • Know your prices: Being an informed consumer will help you determine what’s a fair price to offer and accept and help you avoid wasting time haggling over price too long.

At flea markets — like all consumer situations — use your good common sense. Project the demeanor of a serious customer and you’ll attract legitimate vendors and fair prices.

One of the financial management items that we often forget to do is to check the credit report. Your credit report is a look at your current credit situation, as reported by others. It includes information on the way you pay your bills, how much debt you have, and other information. Many people tend to ignore their credit reports — especially if they aren’t planning on applying for credit anytime soon. This, however, can be a mistake.

Identity Fraud and Your Credit Report

Your credit report can alert you to unusual activity. You do need to watch your credit card accounts, and your bank accounts for unusual activity, since that can be a sign that your identity has been stolen. However, if someone has opened an account in your name, it won’t show up in your existing accounts. But it might show up on your credit report.

If you pull your credit report, look for accounts that shouldn’t be there. You can then work on fixing the problem. You can make sure the account is closed, and put a fraud alert on your report so that others know that your identity has been compromised, and no new accounts can be opened in your name. Keeping track of what’s in your credit report can be a way to catch issues with your identity, and prevent further problems.

Your Credit Report and Other Financial Decisions

Even if you aren’t applying for credit, what’s in your report can affect other finance-related decisions. Your credit score, of course, is based on information in your credit report. If there is inaccurate information, you credit score can be affected. While you might not care about it from the standpoint of getting a car loan or a credit card, it might matter in other cases:

  1. Insurance rates: Your insurance premium might be based, in part, on your credit score. Many insurers use it as one of the factors they consider when determining what sort of risk you are. Auto insurers, especially, might consider your credit score.
  2. Some service providers: Some satellite/cable TV providers, and some cell phone service providers, might run a credit check before approving you for service.
  3. Landlords: Increasingly, landlords are checking into your credit before approving you to be a tenant. In some cases, if you are approved, you might have to pay a higher security deposit with a lower credit score.

It is also worth noting that your credit report might be used as part of a job interview. While potential employers aren’t supposed to look at your credit score, they can get a limited look at your credit report. The information in your credit report might lead an employer to decide that you present too much of a risk, especially if the position deals with money, or makes you vulnerable to bribes.

If you check your credit report regularly, you can look for duplicate loans and inaccurate information that can lower your score, or cause others to reconsider your situation. Checking your credit report is important to stay on top of your financial situation as others see it.

Too often, we look at saving money as something that is imposed on us and assume that it will be something miserable that we’ll have to soldier through. The truth is, for those of us who have enough to take care of our basic needs, there is no reason why we can’t look at saving money in a more positive light instead of feeling sorry for ourselves.

Look at it as a Lesson in Creativity

Instead of focusing on all the things we can’t do because we need to cut back on expenses, why not look at it as an opportunity to exercise our creativity and ingenuity? Some money saving skills that use our imagination include:

  • Finding interesting and tasty uses for inexpensive ingredients and ways to use up leftovers.
  • Learning to repair and re-purpose old items to meet today’s needs.
  • Entertaining yourself at home instead of going out to eat or to the movies or concerts or clubs.
  • Making fabulous brown bag lunches that are the envy of the lunchroom.

Celebrate your Resourcefulness

It’s easy to get things done if you throw money at it! Saving money means being resourceful and that’s something to be proud of. Instead of feeling sad because you can’t afford things, empower yourself by looking for other ways to get things done. For example:

  • Finding a way to make money on the side to pay down debt faster or increase savings.
  • Looking for scholarships or grants for schools, camps and other educational activities.
  • Making a list of free or low cost cultural activities or events in your town.
  • Learning a new skill like gardening or sewing.

Make it a Game

Everything is more fun if you make it a game! When you look at saving money as a fun challenge, it’s much easier to get and stay motivated. You could try:

  • Keeping a list of your personal bests at grocery bills or utility bills and trying to shave as much off it as possible.
  • Challenge your spouse or your friend on who can spend the least in a week.
  • Joining a no spend challenge week or month or a pantry challenge where you only make meals from all the food languishing in your cupboards and freezer.

Share your Experiences

It’s no fun to feel like we’re the only ones going through tight times. Many people have found that starting a blog and/or joining a money saving group or forum helps them stay on track with saving money and makes things more fun and less lonely.  Some ideas:

  • Start a blog to share your fabulous and thrifty recipes , crafts or DIY projects.
  • Join and participate in a money saving forum.
  • Comment on personal finance blogs and facebook pages to share your fabulous tips.
  • Don’t be afraid to talk frankly about saving money with friends and family members. Don’t be pushy or make people uncomfortable by demeaning their choices, but you’ll be surprised how many others are also trying to save money or would like to start.

Don’t look at saving money as a burden or punishment! Make the decision to be positive and look at it as a fun challenge!

These are challenging and uncertain financial times for sure. What would those who work in the business of money — accountants, for instance — suggest we do to increase our financial security for now and into the future? Here are five very doable recommendations from the pros:

  1. Make paying off high interest debt a priority: This includes credit card balances and loans. Even before you deposit money in any type of savings account, make every effort to get out from under as much debt as possible. In essence, paying down debt is saving because the result of lessening your debt is less money going out for payments and more money staying in your pocket. Keep the big picture in mind and you’ll witness the increase in your spendable income as you eliminate those pesky monthly payments to your debtors.
  2. Save: It goes without saying that saving is a wise idea. Any buffer in a budget leads to financial peace-of-mind so be sure to set some money aside for saving before you pay any of your other bills. Taking savings seriously — as seriously as any other financial commitment you have — is a smart way to turn a financial buffer into a tidy nest egg that can, in turn, earn you even more with interest.
  3. Revisit your budget yearly: Our circumstances and expenses can and do change rapidly. That’s why it’s a prudent idea to sit down and make adjustments to our budget once a year. Expenses go up or get redistributed. Invariably some expense slips in under the radar and doesn’t get reflected in our current budget. Even pay increases, if not reflected in our budgets, can disappear, rather than contributing to those areas mentioned earlier, decreasing debt and increasing savings. Having an accurate picture of where our money is going leads to greater financial empowerment and wiser spending.
  4. Review/reevaluate your savings and investments: It’s a great wealth-building opportunity to contribute to a 401k, money market or stock account. Once you set one up, however, it’s not a case of “set it and forget it.” Several times each year, examine exactly how your particular investments are performing and redistribute funds as you see fit. Seeking the wisdom of a financial advisor may be worth the expense if you don’t feel qualified to evaluate their progress yourself.
  5. Check your credit score: In many ways, your credit score is your financial report card. It tells creditors (and anyone else with a vested interest in your financial life) how responsible you are in the handling of your finances and credit. If your credit report shows that you aren’t paying your bills, pay late or have an inordinate amount of debt, you will lose out on opportunities such as lower interest rates or getting credit to make a major purchase. It’s not uncommon for a credit report to contain inaccurate information that could reflect badly on you as, say, a credit risk or even as a potential employee. Check your credit score with the three credit reporting agencies once a year for free: Go to experian.com, transunion.com and equifax.com, register and supply some personal information and you’ll find out exactly what others can find out about your financial situation.

Take it from the financial pros — there’s plenty you can do to increase your financial security. Take the time to be vigilant about your money and you’ll steadily grow more and more fiscally strong, able to withstand tough times.

Tips provided by the financial experts at Wegner CPAs and Consultants and Sheryl Woodhouse-Keese, founder of Twisted Limb Paperworks who disseminated advice from her accountant.

What do you do to shore up your money so you’re ready to weather financial storms?

Summer is just around the corner, and that means, in some areas, air conditioners. In my house it also means more people home from school every day, so electronics like the TV are being used more, and, sometimes, more lights are being left on in rooms that are not in use. Energy bills rise often rise in the summer, and that can be a real budget buster.

If you want to save money on your energy bills this summer, you might try some of the following:

Outside the Home

You can actually improve the energy efficiency of your home by the way you landscape your yard. Some moves, such as choosing native plants, will help you save on watering costs. However, you can also improve your home’s energy efficiency by planting a tree near the window to provide shade, or bushes in front of lower windows.

You can also put awnings over windows, or change the tilt of a patio umbrella to help shade the windows. It may cost money initially, but over the years, these actions can help you save money on energy bills. If you are really feeling extreme, you can actually paint your roof white to deflect some of the sun’s heat from your home.

Inside the House

There are some things you can do inside the house to help keep the heat out as well. Plugging air leaks around doors, windows and electrical outlets also help keep heat out and cool air in — it’s not just for improving your home’s ability to hold in heat during the winter. Extra insulation in the walls and energy efficient windows all help in the summer as well as the winter. It’s a great way to save on utilities year round.

You can also improve matters by closing the blinds. It will keep the sun from beating in and warming up the house. If you want a little natural light, you can leave the blinds open part way, or you can take a couple of minutes to close the blinds where the sun shines in during the morning, and then switch in the evening.

If you have a downstairs, you can spend more time downstairs during the summer. That way, you won’t need to crank your air conditioner so high. Turn the air conditioner off at night, and open the windows to let in the cooler night air. Once you get up in the morning, close the windows and run fans instead of the air conditioner, and you are more likely to last longer in the day without turning on the conditioner.

And, of course, try to use your electrical devices as little as possible during the day. We also try to be vigilant about turning off lights in rooms that aren’t in use. In many of our rooms, which are quite open, we don’t need to turn on lights even when the blinds are closed; there is usually enough light to play by. If we want to do something that requires light, we do it at the kitchen table in the morning, since the back yard is shaded in the morning, and we can leave the big sliding glass door uncovered during those hours.

With a little planning, it’s possible to keep the house reasonably cool without using a great deal of power, ensuring that we spend a little less during the summer.