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Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Budget Diet,

Happy Birthday to you!

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The Budget Diet has been sharing money saving tips with you for a year, and I hope you’ve learned a few tricks of the frugal living world!

Please help celebrate The Budget Diet’s birthday by sharing one of your favorite Budget Diet articles with a friend! (Just click the “tell a friend” button at the bottom of any article!)

Thanks and Happy Saving!

Weekly Challenge – Find your unused gift cards!

According to The New York Times, nearly $5 billion in gift cards goes unused each year! That’s right, $5 BILLION! That’s a lot of wasted money!

So, if gift cards are supposed to be the perfect gift, why aren’t we using them? In a Time Magazine survey, 27% of people had an unused gift card because…

• They had no time to shop.
• They couldn’t find anything they wanted.
• They forgot about the gift card!

 
Maybe gift cards aren’t the perfect gift after all!

How much of that $5 billion is sitting around your house? I’ll wait while you take a moment to go dig through your drawers and go dig though your wallet because there’s money to be found!

Now that you’ve found a few lost and lonely gift cards, what are your options?

• Use the gift card! Plan a gift card only shopping spree!
• Regift the gift card if it’s never been used.
• Sell or trade the gift card! It’s gift card selling season!

 
If you’re a bargain shopper, these unwanted gift cards are a treasure just waiting to be found! Get in the habit of checking Plastic Jungle each week and stock up on gift cards for your favorite stores. As of today, you could buy a Macy’s $25 gift card for $22.25 (11% savings) or how about a $50 Bath & Body Works card for $43.50 (13% savings).

Let’s put an end to the gift card madness and save the billions of wasted dollars! Let’s find homes for all the unused gift cards in the world!

Weekly Challenge – Tidy Up Your Finances

The New Year provides opportunities to clean away the old and welcome the new in a variety of ways. I like to take time during the month of January to empty the closets, clean away the cobwebs, and reorganize.

While I usually think of doing these tasks around my home, it’s important to remember that finances can use some restructuring as well. Our financial situations change along with our jobs, families and the economy in general. Join me in tidying up your finances in these five ways!

Stay Focused

Financial responsibility takes discipline, which can be difficult at times. Making financial goals can help maintain focus where motivation is lacking. For me, this is in the form of saving for a minivan. The idea of paying cash for my future minivan helps me stick to a budget, achieve my saving goals, and go to work when I don’t feel like it.

This short-term goal is also combined with longer-term plans, like saving for our kids’ college years, our retirement funds, and an emergency savings account. “Setting financial goals helps keep you focused on a bright future,” Damon Winter, who specializes in financial management and insurance in Portland, Oregon. “These goals help you remember why you’re working so hard, especially in our current economy.”

Track Your Budget

Budgeting is a necessary task, but I found it difficult when I first started. Looking back, I think it was due to making a budget and then trying to fit my financial situation into that structure.

Instead, take some time to simply track the money that you spend each month. On a simple spreadsheet document, list your regular monthly bills and make categories for the rest of your expenditures, like Saving, Groceries, Entertainment, Household Repairs, Gas and Auto Repairs and Dining Out. Then write down everything you spend, no matter how small or big.

Make Lifestyle Changes

After a few weeks of tracking the money you spend, it will be easy to see where adjustments can be made in your lifestyle to achieve your financial goals. Reflecting on the different categories of your budget, determine what needs to be added or taken out.

Just because you’ve always spent money on something doesn’t mean you need to continue. Review your credit card agreements and past bills, taking note of the current percentage of interest. If it’s too high, call and ask for it to be reduced. Review your bills for services like phone, internet, insurance, and investments. This is a great time to evaluate what changes need to be made in the areas where you spend money.

Stay Out of Debt

One of these lifestyle changes may involve getting out of debt. About three years ago, I scoffed when my husband said he wanted us to live debt-free, but with planning and hard work we’ve been without debt ever since. It’s totally worth it, especially in this uncertain economy. Whether you decide to tackle the smaller debts and go from there or attack the highest-interest debt first, make a small goal and get started.

Once you’ve rid your budget of debt, it’s important to keep living debt-free. A few months ago, I was considering going into debt for a purchase, and after careful thought decided against it. I remembered the stress associated with the payments and I decided to save up instead.

Make the Most of Your Savings

As the weeks go by, set aside an amount of money that you can save on a regular basis. This is an important step to build a habit of saving, whether the amount is just $5 each time.

As saving money becomes part of your financial routine, begin thinking of savings as pots of money in different places that you can access during various times in your life. One of these special pots might be an emergency savings account that’s separate from other accounts, while another might be a retirement account with a higher long-term rate of return. Financial professionals like these who specialize in investments and insurance in Portland can help with these more sophisticated options.

Kelly Wilson is a busy mom and freelance writer who lives with her family in Portland, Oregon.

Photo courtesy of Free Web Photos

The Budget Diet is kicking off Resolution Week today! If your resolution is going to have anything to do with saving money, you’ll discover plenty of ideas to help you keep that resolution!

One of the most popular resolutions is to lose weight, but I’d like to suggest a diet for your wallet instead!

The Budget Diet is a diet for your wallet…not your waistline, and sometimes your overspending requires your wallet to go on a CRASH DIET!

If you really need to SAVE YOUR MONEY, consider this your weekly challenge!

It’s a simple 3-step process, here’s how:

#1. Review budget basics and budget tips…you must know the amount of your weekly allowance. Your weekly allowance is the amount you should be spending for food, fun, dry cleaning, etc.

#2. Once you’re used to spending your weekly allowance and not a penny more…let the crash diet begin!

#3. Starting this week, allow yourself to only spend half of your weekly allowance! It’s frugal living time! Example: If your weekly allowance is $350, you’re going to have to live on $175…food, fun, gas, dry cleaner, etc. Continue the crash diet for 4 weeks!

This is a tough challenge, but it will force you to change some spending habits & save your money!

You’ll have to think twice about every purchase – no more impulse purchases!

The Budget Diet girl is here to help with budget tips to help you save your money in just about every area of your life…see the topics on the left side of this page!

If grocery shopping is where you spend way too much…click grocery shopping on a budget to read all sorts of tips on how to grocery shop for less.

If you’re not a cook…check out The Budget Diet’s quick, easy & cheap recipes.

If your definition of family fun requires you to spend a lot of money…The Budget Diet has plenty of budget friendly ideas for family fun and free fun!

If you need more motivation, why don’t you consider signing up for The Budget Diet Boot Camp…I’ll work with you to establish a budget, and I’ll make suggestions to help you save money!

The Budget Diet girl suggests having a reward to make this challenge more fun! So…take the money you saved & buy something you really want or take a weekend trip! Get the entire family involved in this challenge!

Throughout Resolution Week, you’ll discover plenty of ideas to help you SAVE YOUR MONEY!

HAPPY SAVING & HAPPY NEW YEAR!

P.S. – Get in the habit of checking The Budget Diet’s freebies page everyday!

The gifts have all been opened, the Christmas parties are over,

Our thoughts have turned from Sugar Plums to tightening our belts…ugh!

If your New Year’s Resolution has anything to do with saving money, frugal living or getting organized…you’ll be happy to know that Resolution Week starts tomorrow on The Budget Diet! Each day, I’ll give you a challenge that would make a great resolution!

Monday: Let’s Go on a Budget Diet (A diet for your wallet…not your waistline!)

Tuesday: If you could share just one money saving tip, what would it be? (A collection of my favorite money saving tips!)

Wednesday: Cut your spending by $11 a day and save $4000 a year! (How easy is that?)

Thursday: Organize My Life in 10 Short Days (Time is money, so organize your life and save!)

Friday: Chore Chart (Have a chore lottery on New Year’s Day and enjoy more free time!)

Weekly Challenge – Reduce your time running errands!

Photo courtesy of Free Web Photos

Twas’ the week before Christmas, and you’re running around
shopping and stressing…no peace to be found!

Take a deep breath and keep your cool.
Isn’t there more to life than errands and carpool?

If you want to spend less time running errands, you must plan ahead! Planning ahead takes time, but it will save you time in the long run!

Think about it…

It may take an hour to plan your meals for the week and make a grocery list, but that hour of planning will save you 5 trips to the grocery! The 1 hour of planning will save you both time and money. I’m amazed how many people consider a trip to the grocery store just part of their everyday routine.

When you’re planning your meals and making your grocery list, make sure to look at the calendar. Do you need to bake cookies for the scout meeting? Did you sign up to bring snacks for the soccer game? Add these items to your grocery list, and reduce your running around.

Here’s your plan to get through these last days before Christmas…

#1. Why don’t you spend just 30 minutes today making a list of everything you still need to do for Christmas. Make a list of the last minute gifts you need to buy. Look at all your gifts and make sure you have a box our gift bag for them. Do you still have gifts to ship? How about the grocery list for Christmas dinner, and don’t forget the cookies for Santa!

#2. Look at your list and see if there are any items that you could simply skip! Remember needs vs. wants!

#3. Shop efficiently! Could you skip Best Buy and the Sporting Goods store, and make 1 trip to Target or Walmart? Just think, you could get your groceries there too!

#4. Shop early! You’ll be in and out of the stores twice as fast if you get there first thing in the morning…less traffic on the streets and shorter lines in the stores!

#5. Come home, lock yourself in your room, turn on some festive music and start wrapping!

Stick to this plan, and it will all be merry and bright!

Weekly Challenge: A Budget Diet for the Holidays

Here’s your weekly challenge – stick to your budget diet this holiday season and gain wealth not debt!

This simple 3-step process will ensure you start the New Year on budget.

Make a List

We all know that meal planning and preparing a grocery list will help save your money. Well, the same applies to Christmas shopping! Take a moment and make a list of who you need to shop for, how much you will spend on each person and gift ideas for that person. Example: Lisa, $30, jewelry or a cookbook. Keep this list in your purse, so you’ll have it with you whenever you’re out shopping.

Search for Bargains

• Can you buy any discounted gift cards to save money on a gift? You can save 5% – 30% on your gifts by simply shopping with a discounted gift card. Right now you can buy a $125 Bath and Body Works gift card for $108.75, that’s an instant savings of $16.25! Now feel free to use that discounted gift card during a sale or with a coupon to maximize your savings! Learn more about buying discounted gift cards. It only takes a few minutes to do a web search for discounted gift cards.
• Shop discount stores first – try T.J. Maxx, Marshalls, Ross, Homegoods and Half Price Books. You might be pleasantly surprised how many gifts you can check off your list without blowing your budget!
• Shopping Online? Always take a minute to search for coupon codes for extra savings! Need to know how to find coupon codes?
• Take time to read the newspaper ads! You’re certain to find a sale, and you just might find a coupon!

Check Everyone Off Your List

Once you’ve made your list, found your bargains and stuck to your budget…check the person off your list! If you’re shopping way ahead of time, have a central location where you keep all your gifts. Don’t be tempted to buy one more little thing because those last minute stocking stuffers will add up!

If you stick to this Budget Diet plan you won’t blow your budget this holiday season, and you can start the New Year without being weighed down in debt.

The Budget Diet girl knows that homemade cleaning products will help you save your money and save the planet, but I’ve always felt like I needed a recipe!

Thanks to my friends at ComplexSearch.com for RECIPES FOR CLEANING!

Why don’t you challenge yourself to try at least one homemade cleaning product this week? You’ll save your money using 2 simple ingredients: baking soda and vinegar.

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Homemade cleaning products are not only great for the environment, they are also easy on the checkbook and easy to make. Reducing the chemicals in your home can also help eliminate illness. Save your money by learning how to make your own cleaning products. With a few basic ingredients that are found in most kitchens, you can make your own non-toxic cleaning products and never have to buy chemical products again.

The basic ingredients for cleaning products are white distilled vinegar, baking soda, washing soda, pure liquid soap, and tea tree oil. Other ingredients may be used too, such as olive oil and lemon juice. Pure Liquid Soap can be found in health food stores. Spray bottles and jars to contain and dispense the cleaning products can be purchased at local discount stores or your nearest department store.

There are many recipes online that teach people how to make home-made cleaning products. Some recipes are simple, while others are extravagant. Most people would agree that simple is often better, so here are several simple recipes for cleaning:

*Soft Scrubber*

½ C baking soda

Pure liquid soap

Take a bowl and mix about ½ cup of baking soda and just enough liquid soap to make a frosting-like texture. Place the mixture onto a sponge and clean the desired surface. This recipe is great for countertops and bathtubs because it won’t leave a gritty residue.

The soft scrubber recipe is so simple that you can make it up as you need it, or store it in a glass jar with 1 teaspoon of vegetable glycerin to keep the product moist. Lemon can also be added to add antibacterial and antiseptic properties to this cleaning scrub. You could also pour baking soda directly onto half of a lemon to scrub stubborn surfaces, stains, and dishes. Lemon is a natural bleaching agent and can also help dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits.

Baking soda is an abrasive cleanser that also acts as a natural deodorizer. It can dissolve dirt, grease, mildew, and even wax. Adding a ½ cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle in your washing machine will help remove odors from cloths. Place a box in the fridge and freezer to absorb food odors. Sprinkle baking soda on your carpet before vacuuming to eliminate pet and food odors and sprinkle it at the bottom of garbage bins and litter boxes to eliminate odors. Baking soda is also wonderful at cleaning and polishing metals and plastics.

*Oven Cleaner*

1 C or more baking soda

A squirt or two of pure liquid soap

Water

A home-made oven cleaner is almost the same recipe as the soft scrubber. When cleaning an oven, first generously sprinkle water over the bottom of the oven. Then, cover over with baking soda so that the surface is totally white. You may need to put extra baking soda on spots where food has spilled. Sprinkle with more water. This needs to set overnight. The next morning, take a sponge and wipe up the grease and grim. If needed, add a bit of pure liquid soap to a sponge and wash any remaining residue from the oven. If this recipe doesn’t seem to work, it is probably because more baking soda and/or water was needed. Try again.

*All Purpose Spray Cleaner*

2 cups hot tap water

1/2 teaspoon washing soda

A dab of liquid soap

Add all ingredients to a clean spray bottle. Shake mixture until the washing soda has completely dissolved. Spray onto the desired surface and wipe off with a rag or sponge. This spray cleaner will not spoil.

*Window Cleaner*

3 tbs vinegar

1/4-1/2 tsp pure liquid soap

2 cups water

Spray bottle

Take a clean spray bottle and place all ingredients inside. Shake to mix the ingredients and use as you would any commercial window cleaner. The liquid soap will remove any residue from previous cleanings with commercial window cleaner. Simply refill the spray bottle as the cleaner runs out. This product will not spoil.

*Furniture Polish*

1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon oil, such as olive (or jojoba, a liquid wax)

Place ingredients into a glass jar and mix. Use a rag to dip into the solution, using a small amount, and wipe onto wood surfaces. As long as this stays covered, it can be stored indefinitely.

Lemons can also be used to clean and shine brass and copper. Cut a lemon in half and dip in salt to scrub copper fixtures.

*Vinegar Disinfectant and Deodorizer*

Vinegar

Spray bottle

Keep straight vinegar in a spray bottle in your kitchen and bathroom for cleaning. The vinegar is great for cleaning the toilet rim, simply spray it on and wipe it off. Vinegar is also great for cleaning cutting boards, just spray on, let sit overnight, and wash off with water in the morning. Any vinegar smell will dissipate within a few hours.

This mixture is also great for cleaning appliances, stone and brick surfaces, windows, and to wash the bathroom floor. You can also pour ½ cup of vinegar into the rinse cycle instead of using fabric softener.

*Mold and Mildew Cleaner*

2 cups water

2 teaspoons tea tree oil

Spray bottle

Combine the tea tree oil and water into a spray bottle and shake. This will make 2 cups of solution. Spray directly onto problem areas and do not rinse off. Tea Tree oil can be expensive but a little goes a long way. If you can not locate tea tree oil in your local health food store it can be purchased online. The smell can be strong, but will dissipate within a couple of hours.

*Bleach Alternative*

Lemon juice

Lemon juice can be used directly on white linens and cloths to bleach away stains. Simply pour the lemon juice on the fabric and sit in the sun to dry. The combination of the lemons and direct sun light will make stains disappear.

*Dishwasher Detergent*

2 tbs Borax Soap

1 ½ tbs baking soda

Mix these together and place into dishwasher detergent receptacles to wash dishes.

*Drain Cleaner*

½ C baking soda

½ C white vinegar

1 Gallon hot water

Pour the baking soda down the drain, followed by the white vinegar. Cover the drain for at least 15 minutes. Uncover and pour 1 gallon of hot water down the drain to get ride of clogs and build-up.

Home-made cleaning products cost about one-tenth of the price of store bought cleaning products. They are also eco-friendly and super easy to make. Learning how to make your own home-made cleaning products is a wonderful way to live greener or simply save your money. Reducing synthetic chemicals in the home can also help lesson symptoms of asthma, allergies, bronchitis, and sinusitis (as stated by the US National Center for Health Statistics).

“This article was written by Andrew Salmon from LifeCover.ca – a Canadian life insurance site.”