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Herald the season with our budget-friendly holiday hints. Light It Up With LEDs Nothing sets the tone for a festive season like a well-dressed tree. Decorating with LED lights instead of old-fashioned incandescent bulbs offers significant savings. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that a 6-foot Christmas tree lighted 12 hours per day, for 40 days with old-fashioned C-9 light strands costs, on average, ten dollars. A tree lighted with C-9 LED light strands for the same amount of time uses only 27 cents worth of electricity.  Making Memories Set aside time with family and friends to craft simple decorations.  Colored paper chains, though simple in design, add impact and ...

You don’t have to be Cinderella’s fairy godmother to transform pumpkins into unexpected works of art.  Impressing your guests with these magical ideas is as simple as saying “Abracadabra!" Boo! It’s A Stick Up! Apply easy-to-use decals to pumpkins in assorted shapes and sizes.  Craft and party stores and online sites offer inspiration for Halloween and autumn decorations that say “Welcome!”   Paper A Trio of Pumpkins Remember the days of playing with papier-mâché?  Channel your inner child with a grown-up version of a favorite elementary craft – decoupage!  Create any look you can imagine by using everything from newspaper to gift ...

Tailgating, a favorite American pastime, can run up the cost of a fall football gathering faster than points on a scoreboard. Execute these tips for major savings when you huddle to cheer your team: Winning Plays: Caring Is Sharing Create a game plan with your guests for all the essentials. Think beyond food: draft friends to help with everything from folding chairs and tables to utensils and equipment. Ask friends helping with edibles to bring a salty or sweet item to ensure variety.  Team Transport Stadium parking is usually a logistical pain; it can also be expensive. Have your group park farther away from the stadium, where it’s often free. Guests can walk, ride-share, or ...

Surveys project an average family will spend about $510.00 on back-to-school items this year.  Don’t worry!  We’re ready to “school” you in a few of our favorite strategies and tips to put more money back in your wallet. Do A Supply Sweep Before hitting the stores, be sure to check around your home for items you might already have.  You may discover you own perfectly good scissors and rulers from years past.  Final cost: free. Shop For Big Items Secondhand From music to sports, outfitting your child for their favorite activity can be expensive.  When it comes to sports equipment, check Craigslist and consignment shops like Play It Again Sports.  ...

Summer is coming to a close, but there’s still time for one last road trip! Follow our suggestions to stay within your budget, wherever the journey takes you. Travel Light It’s tempting to over-pack when traveling by car. Bringing only the essentials pays off. An excess of 100 pounds in the trunk of your car cuts fuel economy by one to two percent. Stock Up On Snacks Planning ahead and bringing along a stash of your favorite travel-friendly treats usually result in major savings. Items purchased in convenience stores are often marked up much higher than at local grocery stores Use Mobile Apps To Save On Gas and Hotels Apps like GasBuddy help calculate fuel costs and compare prices ...