The Budget Diet

Here I am (again)…your FREE personal organizer with your checklist for February!

Check you calendar!
Any birthday gifts or birthday cards you need to send? How about anniversaries? Plan ahead for all those special events by putting together a Greeting Card Organizer!

Super Bowl Party?
What are you serving or what are you taking to your Super Bowl Party? I’ve put together a Super Bowl Party Menu (aka Man Food!) that’s full of frugalicious and fast favorites.

Valentine’s Day
Don’t let Valentine’s Day sneak up on you! Be a “Budget Cupid” and order discounted gift cards or Groupons now, so you can save at favorite stores and restaurants. How about saving on your Valentine’s dinner – 11% off at Maggianos, 12% off at Morton’s Steakhouse, 15% off at McCormick and Schmick’s, 9% off at P.F. Chang’s and 11% off at The Cheesecake Factory. You’ll also find discounted gift cards to your favorite movie theatre, Bath & Body Works, Victoria’s Secret and more!

 
Spring Break Travel Plans?
It’s time to make Spring Break travel plans! In the spirit of budget travel, why don’t you take a good old-fashioned road trip? Have a family meeting, decide where to go, and let each family member plan a day of the trip (from meals to activities to lodging)! It’s a great way to please everyone and save money! Another option, find a Groupon Getaway to cure your spring fever! Groupon Getaways update each Tuesday, and these great deals can always be found on the right side of this page.

February is a great time to buy…
Bicycles
Boats
Home Theatre & Big Screen TV’s
Video Games
Wedding – plan an off-peak wedding and save!
 
Thanks FreeShipping.org for sharing your Best Buy Guide!

Weekly Challenge – Here’s to an organized 2012!

Your FREE personal organizer (that’s me!) is here to help you get off to an organized start in 2012! If your new year’s resolution had anything to do with saving money or getting organized, The Budget Diet girl is here to help!

Save Money!

A new year is the perfect time to take a look at your financial situation, and update your budget! If you don’t have a written household budget, try my budget basics! It’s a simple fill in the blank worksheet, so you’ll know exactly how much you have left to spend on food and fun! If your new year’s resolution is to save money, you don’t want to miss these articles:

• Cut Your Spending By $11 a Day and Save $4000 a Year
• Let’s Go on a Budget Diet
• If You Could Share Just One Money Saving Tip, What Would It Be?
• Resolution Solution – Reduce Your Bills

 
Get Organized!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could wave a magic wand, and all your Christmas decorations would be put away, nice and neat, labeled and ready for next year? There’s no magic wand, but you can save yourself a lot of time by organizing your decorations as you put them away. Follow these three simple rules for putting away Christmas decorations:

• Use clear plastic bins and label clearly!
• Roll each strand of lights and put in a plastic grocery bag to prevent tangling.
• Make a box of decorations that you no longer want and drop them off at Goodwill.

If you need tips to organize more than just your Christmas decorations, Organize My Life in 10 Short Days will get you off to a great start this new year!
 
Save Time and Money

Delegate, delegate, delegate! Let this be your motto for 2012, and you’ll enjoy more free time!

Let’s start by delegating some of your housework! Our family tradition is to hold a chore lottery on New Year’s day. I come up with a list of chores, write each one on a scrap of paper, put the scraps of paper in a jar & let the children choose their chores for the year. Here’s a list of chores that my children have been helping me with for years.

How would you like to take a night off from cooking? Let your children do the cooking (and cleaning) and enjoy your night off. It’s a great way for your kids to learn to cook!
 
Christmas Receipts and Instruction Books

Take a moment to staple your receipts to instruction books for toys, electronics or any gadget that has a warranty. Next, put them in your file cabinet in a folder labeled “warranties”, so you’ll know exactly where to find then when something is broken. If you need to tackle your file cabinet chaos, take a look at these file cabinet organization tips.
 
Check Your Calendar

Any birthdays, anniversaries or parties this month? If you plan ahead, you’ll save money!
 
Shopping Calendar

Thanks to the folks at FreeShipping.org for sharing their Best Time to Buy Guide! January is one of those months when retailers are clearing out, so take advantage of the savings if you need:

• Big Appliances
• Bicycles
• Calendars
• Carpet and Flooring
• Furniture
• Linens and Bedding
• Office Furniture
• Outdoor Gear
• Suits
• Video Games
• Wrapping Paper

 
January is also a great month to buy discounted gift cards! Did you know that according to the USA Today, 30% of Americans still have gift cards that are over a year old? More and more people are discovering that they can sell their unwanted gift cards, and YOU CAN ENJOY THE SAVINGS! $100 gift cards for as low as $70 to purchase brand name products at your favorite stores! PlasticJungle -Buy, sell & trade gift cards

Your free personal organizer, aka The Budget Diet girl, is always at your service with tips to help you keep your new year’s resolution!

Get Organized for Christmas!

Your FREE personal organizer (that’s me!) is here to help you stay sane and manage your to-do list for the festive month of December!

Christmas Gifts:

If you didn’t check everybody off your list during the Black Friday madness, don’t worry…The Budget Diet girl plans to keep you updated with The 12 Days of Festive and Frugal Christmas Ideas beginning tomorrow! You’ll discover Festive and Frugal ideas for homemade gifts, great Groupon Gifts and Christmas decorations. Don’t forget Free Shipping Day on December 16th! Check out the over 1000 stores participating in FreeShippingDay.com, and they promise delivery by Christmas Eve.

Christmas Cards:

Have you taken your Christmas card photo? Choose from over 100 photo card designs at Snapfish! and get FREE shipping on orders of $25 or more. Here’s a time saving tip: keep your Christmas cards with you in the car, and you’ll be amazed how quickly you’ll get them stamped and addressed if you work on them whenever you’re waiting in car pool line, dance class, piano lessons, doctor’s office, etc.

Gift Wrap:

The Budget Diet girl actually suggests waiting to buy gift wrap and boxes until all the gifts are purchased. Spend the next couple of week collecting boxes and packing material from the packages arrive at your home! Then, make a list of how many and what size boxes or gift bags you still need. Set-up a “gift wrapping station” with all your supplies and get it done! One trip to the post office is plenty!

Christmas Baking:

If you like to bake during the holidays, but you’re feeling crunched for time – you’ll love The Budget Diet’s 12 Days of Cookies! Starting December 13th, I’ll feature a cookie recipe everyday for 12 days that’s a snap to make! If you need some cookie ideas today, a few of my favorites can be found in my Recipe Index. How about Rolo Pretzel Turtles (they take less than 5 minutes to make) or Saltine Toffee (you can make this in less than 15 minutes)!

Hostess Gifts / Teacher Gifts / Neighbor Gifts:

Tis the season of parties, and it’s nice to have a few hostess gift on hand! Click here for festive and frugal hostess gift ideas that also make nice gifts for teachers, coaches and neighbors!

Holiday Travel:

Keep up with The Top 10 Budget Travel Deals each week and the Groupon Getaways on the right side of this page because you just might discover a great airfare for the holidays or a great travel deal to give as a gift! Our family tradition is to give our Spring Break trip as a gift – we wrap up a box filled with clues, and our kids work together to figure out our destination!

Shopping Calendar – Best Time to Buy

Thanks to my friends at FreeShipping.org for reminding us which items are typically on sale in December!

• Computers
• Televisions
• Small Appliances
• Cookware
• Hardware
• Champagne
• Produce: Citrus and Squash

Finish your to-do list early this month, and then relax and enjoy the season!

Your free personal organizer, aka The Budget Diet girl, is always at your service with gift ideas,, party ideas, organizing tips and more!

Do you ever visit other moms’ homes and wonder how they keep it so neat? Do you ever sit around in your own home with toys strewn over the floor, laundry piles (both clean and dirty) beckoning for attention, and three meals worth of dishes stacked next to the sink and wonder why you are the only mom on the planet who cannot keep up with her home? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you may be suffering from “TOMHANTY” Syndrome (Thinking Other Moms’ Homes Are Neater Than Yours). The symptoms of this terrible disease are guilt, envy, stress, and even withdrawal (did I mention guilt?). You look around as you walk from room to room wondering how it could have gotten so messy since yesterday. You believe that the new friend you just made from your weekly visit to the library could never let her house look like a tornado just went through it. You are sure that your friend whose house you visit occasionally for a scheduled playgroup would never have dust bunnies the size of . . .well, a bunny.

Welcome to the Real Moms Club, where it is not just about being a mom, but being real and knowing that you don’t have to be a perfect housekeeper. Maybe in the days of our grandmothers when society said that kids could roam unsupervised and free around town, but a mom’s house was a reflection of who she was as a woman. Today, there is a different set of priorities for many moms, and a perfect house is not usually the highest on the list, although we still imagine we are being judged on everything from how we raise our children to how much education we pursue to how great a job we land and finally to how tidy we keep house. Moms of today are stretched and pulled in many directions. Life is rarely as simple as a clean house. Stop telling yourself that you are not a good mom because your house is not always as neat as you think other moms’ homes are. Most moms are struggling to keep up as well. What is the cure to TOMHANTY Syndrome, you ask? Well, you could drop by a friend’s house unannounced with the pretext of delivering some home-baked cookies; you could watch her face turn beet red with shame as she turns to survey the wreck of toys, laundry, and dishes behind her; you could listen to her offer up every reason why her house is in such disarray; or maybe you could just take me at my word when I say that you are not alone. Release your guilt by making a list of what you DID accomplish today: got kids dressed, dropped kids off at school and picked kids up after, washed and folded a load of laundry, paid bills, took dog to vet, fed family for the day. It all counts toward making your house a home in which your family can grow and feel loved.

~~~~~~~

written by: Jennifer Tankersley
Jennifer Tankersley is the creator of ListPlanIt where you can find 400 lists and planning pages including cleaning schedules, daily to do lists, grocery lists, and holiday/party planning to put your world in order.

~~~~~~~

Image courtesy of: Bill Longshaw / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Your FREE personal organizer (that’s me!) is here to help you plan ahead with calendar tips and shopping tips for the busy month of November!

Plan Ahead for Birthday Gifts:

Check your calendar for upcoming birthdays, so you’ll have time to find a great gift at a great price. If your weekend social calendar is filled with children’s birthday parties, consider starting a gift closet since November is the best time to buy toys.

Plan Ahead for Parties:

The Christmas party season will soon be in full swing, so start shopping now for a party dress at a pretty price! Have you ever shopped a consignment store or thrift store in a nice part of town? You’ll be amazed how many fabulous dresses you will find, and the prices can’t be beat!

Plan Ahead for Christmas Gifts:

If your family draws names for Christmas, don’t delay! The Budget Diet girl has all sorts of variations on drawing names for Christmas that will work with any budget.

Plan Ahead for Holiday Travel:

Now is the time to plan ahead and start researching airfares, hotels and rental cars. The Budget Diet’s Top 10 Budget Travel Deals is a great source for all the best travel bargains, and it’s updated weekly.

Shopping Calendar – Best Time to Buy

Thanks to my friends at FreeShipping.org for reminding us which items are typically on sale in November!

• Electronics – especially black Friday
• Kitchen Gadgets
• RV’s
• Toys
• Produce – citrus and squash

Your free personal organizer, aka The Budget Diet girl, is always at your service with gift ideas, party ideas, organizing tips and more!

Aaahhhhhh…the first cool, crisp days of fall have arrived!

It’s a new month, and it’s time to tackle a new to-do list!

Check your calendar and plan ahead! Any October holidays, birthdays or parties coming up? Do you need to find a special outfit for a party? If you plan ahead, you’ll have time to find a bargain!
 
Halloween…you have until the end of the month, but now is the time to be thinking about costumes, decorations & Halloween parties. If you need Halloween ideas, The Budget Diet girl has devoted an entire section to inexpensive Halloween ideas, from costumes to decorations to parties – BOO! Click here for all the great ideas!
 
Closet Organizing…the change of season is a great time to organize your closet! Need an incentive? Don’t allow yourself to buy new clothes until you’ve finished the closet cleaning project. Even better, sell your unwanted clothes and accessories at a consignment shop and use the money you make for new fall outfits. Check out these step-by-step closet organizing tips!
 
Fall Cleaning…the change of season is also the ideal time for house cleaning projects like pressure washing, window washing and garage organizing. Another project that’s ideal this time of the year is cleaning all your silk plants & flower arrangements. I take all of mine out to the driveway, spray them with silk plant cleaner (available at Michael’s, Hobby Lobby or Garden Ridge), let them dry for about an hour and bring them in. My friend, Unna, has a frugal solution to silk plant cleaner, it’s spray net from The Dollar Store! Don’t wait until it’s too cold for the outside chores on your to-do list.
 
Thanksgiving or Christmas Travel Plans? Now is the time to start researching airfares, hotels and rental cars, and here’s a handy Expedia search tool to help you! Just click on the little guy in the top right hand corner to change the type of search from hotel to flight to rental car.

 
Christmas Gifts If your family draws names for Christmas, don’t delay! Once you have your shopping list, try doing a little Christmas shopping each month…it’s easier on the budget! Have fun with your gift exchange and try one of my 5 variations on drawing names for Christmas!
 
Lists, Lists, Lists – You’ve got to love lists especially this time of the year! The folks at ListPlanIt want to help you be your most efficient, productive, and organized self with hundreds of lists available to download. You’ll find lists for Christmas shopping, grocery shopping, meal planning and travel planning – all designed to keep your world in order. Click here to discover the world of lists!
 
Best Items to Buy in October
Thanks to my friends at FreeShipping.org for sharing this list!

Air Conditioners – The temperatures are dropping, and so are the prices!
Appliances - The new models are arriving this month, so you’ll find great deals on the older models.
Cars – The new model year has begun, so buy an ’09 and SAVE! Always buy a new car at the end of the month when dealers are trying to make their quotas.
Gas Grills – The gas grill section at Home Depot & Lowe’s is shrinking! They are clearing out the grills to make room for Christmas, and the savings are huge!
Fruit – apples, cranberries, grapes & pomegranates.
Veggies – broccoli, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, sweet potatoes & winter squash.

 
You’ll save time and money by planning ahead! Remember, it wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark!

Now…go out, be organized and tackle your to-do list this month!

Preparing for a move, whether you’re staying in town or moving cross country, can be a tiring process. Luckily, a little advance planning and budgeting can help the process be less difficult. You’ll be able to stay organized, choose among moving companies with ease, and get on the road with few, if any, delays. Try some of the following tips to make your transition between homes a little easier.

1. Plan ahead

This tip may seem simple but a plan of action can make the time leading up to moving day less hectic. Schedule specific days for utilities to be disconnected. There’s little sense in starting moving day without a hot shower and cup of coffee if you can leave the gas and electricity connected until you’re ready to pull away from the curb. Similarly, you’ll want to charge mobile devices you’ll need on the road, like cell phones. Dipping into your moving fund before the journey has even begun – for instance, needing to stop at Starbucks for coffee that would’ve been free at home – can quickly add up and make future purchases difficult at a time when money might already be tight.

2. Create a budget

The costs of a move can seem to spiral out of control if you aren’t prepared for them. Make a list of anything you need to buy or pay for within 48 hours of your arrival at your destination, such as groceries or a deposit on utility service. Be mindful of what you’ll need as you settle into your new home, such as a vacuum if you’re moving from hardwood floors to carpets. You might also need to secure a new piece of furniture if you’ve decided not to haul a living room set with you. Part of a new residence’s allure is sitting on a still-packed box and eating a slice of pizza but the novelty will wear off after that first night.

3. Reduce your inventory

A local thrift store or service like Freecycle will be glad to take unwanted belongings off your hands, from household goods to out-of-season clothing. Are you moving to a city with a different climate than you’re currently living in? Maybe you can ditch bulky winter coats that will take up unnecessary room in the moving truck. Same goes for cumbersome items like patio furniture or treadmills. If you’re moving from a home to an apartment or downsizing, know what will and won’t be useful in your new space. Purging extra belongings from your life will make your move easier and set-up in your new location that much easier. Remember to get a receipt when you make a donation to places like Goodwill; items you donate are generally tax deductible.

4. Streamline

Packing your belongings before professional movers arrive will also help you keep things moving full steam ahead, especially if you prefer to pack or label items a certain way. The most important box to pack and maintain control of is the bin that contains items you’ll need immediately upon arriving at your new home, such as hand soap, phone chargers, toiletries, and utensils. Things can get turned around easily with a move; organize and keep your wits about you.

Loading up all your belongings can be quite the undertaking, but not if you do a little advance planning and have a good idea of where your money will be spent between destinations. There’s never been a better time to get organized, look at your immediate financial needs, and reduce clutter. With a little control comes success.

~~~~~~~

written by: Nan Gibbons

~~~~~~~

Image courtesy of: Ambro / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

I love lists, all kinds of lists – grocery lists, to-do lists, vacation planning lists, Christmas shopping lists – lists are liberating! There’s just something about the feeling of making a list and then checking off that list!

Do you love lists?

Check out my Top 10 List of Why I Love Lists (and you should too)!

10. Lists help me feel organized and in control rather than flying by the seat of my pants.

9. Lists are a great tool for defragmenting your brain!

8. A written list will help you sleep! In the movie, “I Don’t Know How She Does It”, Sarah Jessica Parker says, “Instead of sleeping, I do THE LIST.” You know what she’s talking about, making that list in your head when you should be sleeping. Get the list out of your head and onto paper, so you can get some sleep.

7. Lists help you save money. I promise you’ll spend more at the grocery if you don’t have a list!

6. Lists allow me to plan my day.

5. Ahhh, that wonderful feeling that comes with checking everything off your to-do list!

4. I love to plan, and I do my planning in the form of lists like my Christmas shopping list or my weekly meal planning list.

3. You’ll save time with a list! Have you ever gone to the grocery without a list, racked your brain to remember all the ingredients for the cake and then returned home to discover that you forgot something?

2. Lists are gentle little reminders that can go with you anywhere.

1. Truth be told, maybe I’m just getting old, and I need lists to remember everything!

If you’re not in the habit of making lists and using lists, you might want to check out List Plan It – they have hundreds of lists that you can download to help you put your world in order!

~~~~~~~

Image courtesy of: 89studio / FreeDigitalPhotos.net