Archive for September, 2008
Never a Better Time to Become Frugal
As our economy continues to nose dive, it’s never been a better time to put away the credit cards and change from the “spend, spend, spend” attitude this generation has adapted to one of “pay off and save”. It’s probably not the best idea to sit back and try to ride-out the current market downswing [...]
Safety Strategy – Keeping Your Kids Safe In the Car
Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of injury related deaths for kids under the age of 2 and the leading cause of death for kids between ages 2 and 14. Keeping kids safe is a parent’s priority. It goes without saying that you can never replace a child and the costs and emotional trauma [...]
Never Discount Weather in Travel Plans
In the midst of what is often the strength and height of hurricane season, travelers who have plans to visit Florida, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, and other more hurricane-prone vacation destinations are never surprised when a named storm or hurricane steers their way in September or October. But, what is strange and not expected is a [...]
Theme Park Travels: Trick or Treat
This Halloween consider having the kids trick-or-treat at a theme park such as Walt Disney World or SeaWorld. These limited edition events allow the kids to dress up and trick-or-treat safely in a not so scary environment that provides fun for all. SeaWorld’s Spooktactular is complete with friends of the sea including octopuses, mermaids, pumpkin fish [...]
Aruba: A Look Top Present & Past Land Sights to See & Explore
Photo Credit: Tropical Latitudes Travel; Aruba’s Natural Bridge before its collapse. Located outside the hurricane belt, the Dutch-owned Aruba is a tranquil, tropical year-round destination. Travelers have the opportunity to visit this island via land or sea as it is a port of call for some cruise itineraries. The constant sea breeze and miles of [...]
Can You Save Money and Pounds with NutriSystem?
NutriSystem is the diet program you see advertised on television all the time – they ship you three meals and a snack for each day of the program, and you lose weight. I’ve considered it a few times – mainly for the convenience- all the meals are pre portioned, some are frozen, others require that [...]
Bankrupt or Boarder? Which Will You Choose?
The economy in America is in a tailspin right now and so many people are left feeling dizzy and confused about what to do just to survive. Some of the biggest concerns arising are from homeowners who are afraid of losing their homes because they can no longer afford to live in them or pay [...]
Bogged down by camping
When attending a music festival weekend, it should all be about embracing the music, and enjoying yourself without having to worry about packing up loads of things to take with you for the weekend. The most essential item is a tent, just a small one is sufficient as all you need it for it [...]
Bad Economy Brings Phishing to the Forefront
No doubt internet scammers are on the prowl at all times, working to gain access to your private account information. But due to the recent crisis in the finances world and insurance industry, consumers need to be ever more vigilant about protecting their identities. “Phishing” is a type of fraud in which emails are used [...]
Cavalcade of Risk #61: Risky Business Edition
Is there anyone not familiar with Tom Cruise and the 1983 movie, Risky Business? I was only 3 when it came out, and yet I’m well aware of the movie… and the (what was considered at the time) ”risky” dance moves. The articles in this carnival have nothing to do with Tom Cruise or the movie – [...]
Is Bad-Credit Financing for Computers a Bad Idea?
There may not be one right answer to that question. For many people, it seems to depend on how bad you actually need a computer. However, for others, patience is a virtue. There are several companies now on the market that advertise financing deals to those consumers with part or current credit problems. Blue Hippo, [...]
Official Start of Fall Travel: Time to Visit Scenic Destinations
Photo Credit: www.visitshenandoah.com The official end of summer occurred earlier this week, but that does not mean an end to vacation fun together. Fall is a popular time to travel and experience the changing seasons. A few Travel Advocate fall favorites include the Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive; Williamsburg, Virginia; and a New England [...]
Down with the OTC
The medical community has been pushing harder and harder towards the complete removal of all over-the-counter cold medicines because the doctors believe the medications have not be effectively tested on children. Any parent will lament the helpless feelings that come along when a young child has a cold but doctors warn that giving cold and [...]
The Carnival of Personal Finance #171 Published
This week’s personal finance carnival is hosted by Sound Money Matters and it’s a celebration of Fall. This is my favorite time of year, actually. Cool enough to wear long sleeves and jeans, warm enough not to have to bundle up like an eskimo everytime you step outside! Apple picking… there’s nothing I don’t like about [...]
Wine Inspired Vacations
Glass by glass is a growing way to experience a vacation destination. 27 million travelers, or 17% of American leisure travelers, engaged in culinary or wine-related activities while traveling within the past three years, based on a new report from the Travel Industry Association (TIA), in partnership with Gourmet and the International Culinary Tourism Association. [...]
8 MORE Websites You Should Know About – But Probably Don’t
Earlier I listed 8 websites that you probably don’t know about, but should because they are either useful or entertaining. I discovered new ones that you might want to take a peak at- particularly the first on this list! MousePrint Are you noticing that food items seem to be shrinking but the price remains the [...]
Tips for Shopping For a Car
You’re in the market for another car. Whether your current vehicle is on its last wheel or you are looking to expand your fleet you have many factors to consider. Consider yourself an opponent when entering the dealership lot (or virtual lot through the internet) and make yourself as formidable as possible by educating yourself [...]
A Simple Technique to Stop the Supermarket Drain on Your Finances
* * *This is a guest post by MakeMoneyFromWriting.com student, Karen Payne. Karen is learning what it takes to make money online from writing.* * * Shopping with a list dramatically reduces impulse buying, and saves money. But only the truly financially disciplined among us actually follow that advice. Wallets leak money through too-frequent supermarket [...]
Celebrate Your Birthday Free at Disney: New Promotion Launched
Building off of the Year of the Million Dreams campaign, Disney is not content to rely on its brand name to continue bringing people into the world of fun at a Disney theme park. Disney continues to entice travelers with new park additions, resort features and unique offerings. Yesterday, Disney announced its “What Will You [...]
Pumpkins: Festive Decoration and a Yummy Treat
Fall is approaching and with it the festiveness of the season, such as hay rides, haunted houses, and of course pumpkin carving. For those die-hard waste-not-want-notter’s, here is a great idea for turning Jack-O-Lantern into a tasty and healthy family snack! When your purchase a pumpkin for carving, you should know that any [...]
Traveling to London? Get Show & Concert Tickets with Viagogo
I’ll be taking a trip to the UK next spring, and as part of that trip I’m hoping to see a number of different shows and hopefully a few concerts in addition to the historic and typical tourists websites. In preparation for the trip, I researched all of the different means of ordering tickets online [...]
Making Sense of Travel Insurance: Tips to Understand How to Protect a Vacation Investment
Travelers looking to protect their travel investment and ensure certain items are covered during an upcoming trip can easily be confused when trying to navigate the cluttered travel insurance product marketplace. Travelers should not expect the worst when heading out for a little rest and relaxation; but, they should know that the right travel insurance [...]
Vicious Circle Hits Us All in the Wallet
That infamous saying “desperate times call for desperate measures” is as true now as it was in the 1600′s. (The phrase is said to have been originated by Shakespeare in Hamlet but it is still not confirmed to my findings.) More Downside to Current Economy The damaged economy and price of family wages not keeping [...]
Wait for Reviews and Control Impulse Buys
As an avid internet user and daily blogger, I have discovered recently that I have curved my impulse buys by replacing it with the impulse to know what other people are saying about the product. This usually is true for the larger ticket items I am interested in or intrigued by. I have not [...]
Updates on NeoBudget
So last week I did a post about my dealings with NeoBudget during the initial discovery and set up phase. I wanted to do a follow up post on what happened and why I ultimately have decided this program is not for my family. A brief recap during the set up phase… I found for [...]
What Is In Your Travel Bag?
Getting through airport security is challenging, especially considering restrictions on what a traveler can and can not bring aboard. The Transportation Security Administration keeps a comprehensive, up-to-date allowable list of items acceptable to pack in your carry-on bag. To simplify the packing process, here is a look at some of Travel-Advocate’s must-have carry-on items when [...]
Jar a Few Bucks: Why Cash is a Must for Emergencies
With the spotlight on numerous hurricanes in the last few weeks and the recent anniversary of the terrorist attacks, it’s a good time to be reminded of the simple things in life that may sometimes be overshadowed by the expansion of technology. Those who live in flood-tornado-hurricane-wildfire prone areas of the nation may be a [...]
I agree. If a local business is the one offering the sale price I will buy it from them. ...
We are retired and live on a grocery budget of $200 a month for 2 people in the Midwest. That ...