Spirit Halloween Coupons

Only 34 more days till Halloween. The best coupons are usually available the month before Halloween, so you’ve got three more days until most of them go away and you’re wearing a sheet with eyes cut out as a costume. So what was the worst halloween costume you ever wore?

Here are some coupons for Spirit Halloween Store and you can find more Halloween Costume coupons here…

• Spirit Halloween Superstores - Free Shipping w/ $75 Purchase Posted on 9/29/08 and Expires on 10/8/08
• Spirit Halloween Superstores - 20% off One Item using coupon code SPAF20P Posted on 9/10/08 and Expires on 10/31/08
• Spirit Halloween Superstores - 10% off Purchase using coupon code SPAF10P Posted on 9/10/08 and Expires on 10/28/08

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Establishing Credit and getting a car loan (for students)

What's the best way for you (a student) to establish credit? Are there still credit cards that will let you put some money on hold in order to back any purchases you might make? How do you find them?

Establishing credit... It's important that you get off to a good start. The record that you build now will follow him throughout your life. And it will effect how much you pays when you borrow money.

A good first step is to open a checking or savings account. It's an easy way to demonstrate that you're able to handle money responsibly. Just making regular transactions without overdrawing the account will begin to build a good record.

The next step is to get a credit card. To qualify you'll need to be 18 years old and have either a steady source of income or a savings account. It's easiest to qualify for a department store or gasoline card.

If you're a full-time student you won't need to prove your income to qualify for a card with a low credit limit. Most card issuers are anxious to sign up college students. Even for major credit cards.

Ironically, it's harder to get a first credit card after graduation. The card issuers figure that parents will bail out students but not grads.

You shouldn't apply for a bunch of cards. That will hurt your credit rating. It's much better to get one card and pay it faithfully for a year. Then apply for a second card. That will demonstrate that you are managing your credit responsibly.

First time cardholders will not get the lowest rates. But if you pays the entire balance each month it won't make any difference. And paying bills on time is very important.

If you have trouble getting a card, you'll need to use the strategy that she mentioned and apply for a "secured card" first. Money is deposited with a bank which acts as security for your card. If you don't pay the bill, your money will be taken from the bank account.

There's enough competition now so that you can find a number of secured cards that don't require an application fee. Rates run from about 10% to 20% and annual fees range between $18 and $45. You can ask your bank or check out Bankrate Monitor to find a card issuer.

If you use a secured card properly it's possible that you'll get a better reception on a non-secured card after 12 to 18 months.

You need to manage your use of the cards. The best (and cheapest) plan is to pay the entire bill each month and not carry a balance. Unfortunately, that's not what most first time cardholders do.

Experts say that monthly installment debt should not total more than 20% of your monthly take home pay. Even that level could be too high. For instance, that much money committed to installment debt could make it very hard to afford a house later.

Now we move on to the specific goal - a car loan. It's likely that there won't be enough time for you build up a good credit history before you want the car. You should apply for a loan at the bank or credit union where you keeps your checking or savings account. Hopefully your reputation there is good.

Some car manufacturers have great programs for graduating students with job offers. My first car was Toyota Corolla with NO credit history whatsoever. All I had to provide to a dealership is letter that I am about to graduate or have recently graduated and official job offer from a company. Such a wonderful way to help young educated people into this crazy world!

It's also possible that you'll be able to arrange credit through the dealer where you buys your car. Sometimes they'll make loans trying to attract younger buyers for their brand of car. If you do go through the dealer you'll probably pay a higher rate of interest.

Finally, if no one will give you a car loan, you can get a co-signer. Your parents could agree to be responsible if you defaults on the loan. But that's a step that should only be taken after careful thought. Remember, the banks are saying that you are not a good credit risk. When you co-sign a loan, in effect you're saying that you know more than the bank. And you're willing to put your own money behind your beliefs. If anything happens they will be responsible to make the payments.

Now that we've seen how you can establish credit, let's ask a different question. Is a car loan really the best way to go? Is it wise to borrow to buy a car?

Just to illustrate, let's assume that you borrows $10,000 to buy the car. You takes out a 4 year loan at the current rate of 8.8%. You'll be paying $347.90 per month or a total of $11,947 in payments. In effect, you've paid 20% more for the car than if you had paid cash.

And, you've created a pattern that could last a lifetime. If you are making car payments it will be hard to save up for your second car. So you'll be borrowing again. And again with the third. It's as if you've agreed to pay 20% more for every car you buys as long as you lives.

Sure, you probably can't afford to pay cash for the car you wants now. But by sacrificing with a cheaper, affordable car now, you could save yourself tens of thousands of dollars over the years.

Slashing Grocery Bills

Even the thought of spending a lot of time tracking grocery prices from store to store gives me a headache. I know a lot of people who keep detailed notes of every grocery item they regularly purchase and routinely note the price fluctuations at the grocery stores they frequent.

I used to not pay attention to grocery prices much at all. I have never been one to spend excessively, and have always been pretty good about only getting what's on my shopping list (a necessity!), but it took me awhile to realize that I could save some extra money if I started paying a little more attention to grocery price variations.

I recognize the fact that some people need to reduce their monthly bills as much as possible, and how necessary it is for some to spend as little as possible on groceries, especially if you have a lot of mouths to feed. Although we have no money leftover at the end of the month, so to speak, I never tried to drastically reduce our grocery bill until quite by accident I discovered that if I spent less on groceries, I would have more money to spend on other things! That's when I really started to change my ways. You'll find that my approach to being frugal-minded is not as drastic as some, but I consider myself to be a person who saves money when I can, and have made it a personal challenge to not spend money I don't have to. If you follow my advice, you will definitely see a reduction in your grocery bill.

Like I mentioned previously, I have always made a list before going to the grocery store. Every Saturday or Sunday I sit down and figure out what to serve for dinner every night for the next week. This list also includes snack ideas and lunch menus for my daughter. Every Wednesday I glance through the coupons in the local newspaper and make a mental note of what's on sale and where. Remember, just because something's on sale doesn't mean you need it. Stick only to things you would have bought anyway. If I notice chicken, hamburger, or pork chops are on sale, for example, I might alter my menu to include one of these items.

I decide which store to shop at based on my findings in the advertisements. I usually don't go to more than one store unless one store is having a particularly good deal not found anywhere else. The grocery stores in our area are usually pretty competitive with each other; consequently, their sale prices are fairly predictable.

I have never been one to stock up much, due to limited freezer and pantry space, but I recently realized the value of buying a lot of one item on sale. I usually avoid our neighborhood market because it is a small store and often overpriced, but they finally caught on to the idea of having specials to draw people in. One day I noticed they had 5-lb. chubs of lean hamburger on sale for .69 a pound! I couldn't believe it. I initially bought 2 chubs, and then a few days later couldn't resist going back to get 2 more. I divided them into 1 lb. portions (20 lb. altogether!), wrapped them in foil, and stuck them in the freezer. I was psyched. That same weekend I found an unbelievable deal on pork chops and chicken breasts at another grocery store. I bought several packages of those also. I spent probably $40 to $50 on meat that week, but it lasted for months! I was hooked...I knew I had to start stocking up more when I could. It didn't make sense not to. My freezer was packed to overflowing.

Just this last week I was lamenting the .89 per can price of tuna and wishing I had stocked up more than I had. Tonight on my way home from dropping off my daughter at her bible class, I stopped at the neighborhood market to get some pretzels (1 1/2 pounds for $1.29!) and just happened to notice their Starkist tuna was .59 per can with no limit! I couldn't believe my luck and stocked up again. I also bought another bag of pretzels because my husband and daughter are trying to wean themselves from Doritos, which I'm trying to help with in any way I can!

Anyway, you get the idea. You may not see big changes at first, but if you start stocking up here and there, you will see your grocery bills getting lower and lower. You may find you start spending that little bit of extra money somewhere else, but at least you have the choice to decide where you want that money to go. Don't feel like you have to spend a lot of money on groceries--I'm living proof that you don't have to!

What is Creative Frugality?

Most people understand what creativity is, and have a good idea what it means to be frugal. But the idea of putting the two together is a little hard to grasp. Because creative frugality is one of those things that is easier to show than to tell, here is a quick list of dead giveaways for identifying creative frugality in action.

• It's making something out of little bits of nothing that the average person would have overlooked or just thrown away.
• It's stubbornly refusing to pay full price because you know that if you hold out, the store will have a sale soon.
• It's using your talents, skills and abilities to produce a gift that's priceless because it cannot be purchased in any store.
• It's looking for free or low-cost ways to have just as much fun as if you went out and spent a bundle.
• It's finding unusual ways to make things last longer or go farther so you don't have to spend as often.
• It's making dinner with what you have on hand rather than what the recipe calls for and ending up with a tastier dish than if you'd followed the recipe.
• It's figuring out how you can reproduce some expensive something sold in stores for next to nothing at home.
• It's being happier with extra money in your bank account than a new toy in your garage or entertainment center.
• It's enjoying the thrill of the bargain-hunting chase much more than the instant gratification of just going and buying something.
• But most of all, it's understanding that your mind works a little differently than everyone else's and being proud of it!

Save Money Going Out

It seems as though whenever we go out for the night, it costs much more than we originally intended to spend. Having a 'night on the town' shouldn't cost you a whole weeks salary.

\Keep in mind that the amount you spend is directly related to the place you go and what you purchase. If you are attending an opera with private balcony seats, followed by an elegant candle-lit dinner...plan on spending more than forty dollars.

However, many activities can be a lot of fun and not cost much money at the same time. Sure, it's nice to go out in style once and awhile, but realistically, how often can our pocketbooks afford it?

Use the following tips to help cut some of the costs when going out. These tips can also be helpful if you have children, and are looking for some lower priced outings.

How And Where To Save Money ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can often find local organizations and establishments offering a variety of "weekly" specials that will save you money. By lowering prices and offering special discounts, these businesses attract customers during their "down" time, or slow days.

For instance, many Los Angeles area bars and restaurants offer free midweek buffets, $1 drink specials, and even half price appetizers. And many times, these specials last all night long! Those that don't, have "Happy Hours" usually from 4-8pm offering food and drink specials ranging anywhere from $1-$5.

Granted these places won't have the typical Friday night crowds, nevertheless they WILL provide you and your date more quality time together and save you money at the same time.

There is no need to feel cheap, or tight, just because you are interested in saving some of YOUR money. Is there a law commanding that you spend $200 every time you go out?

Check For Local Events ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another idea is to check with your City Hall or local Parks and Recreation center to see what's coming up. Often cities/counties sponsor a number of dance, theater, music and visual arts events that are either FREE, or cost a few dollars for admission.

Local colleges also offer quite a number of events that cost very little to attend. Sporting events, musicals, drama and performing arts, are just a few that you will find. Contact your local colleges and see if you can be placed on a mailing list to be notified of upcoming events.

Don't forget to check the papers and the everpopular website http://www.ebay.com !

Many times you will find ticket deals on all types of events just from browsing the classifieds/Internet. You can often find ads placed by season ticket holders, selling because they are unable to attend. This is a great opportunity to score on a deal. You may also find lower priced tickets on games that are during the week or on games that are a bit "unpopular".

Save When Dining Out ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you are looking to save money when dining out, consider eating something at home before you go out, to lessen your hunger. You can then order a smaller meal or an appetizer when out. Also, avoid desserts and alcoholic beverages at restaurants since their markups are very high. This will really reduce the overall cost for dinner.

Here's an idea for a somewhat of a romantic evening. Prepare a nice candle-lit dinner at home (pasta is very inexpensive) along with soothing music and afterwards, go out somewhere nice for dessert or a nice walk around a lake or by the beach.

It Does Not Stop Here ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These are just a few ideas and tips that can help you save money when going out, but don't stop here! There are literally hundreds of activities, places, and events to see and do that cost very little. All it takes is a little research, creativity, and a willingness to try something new.

How about camping at the beach, desert, or mountains? Not only is camping inexpensive, but tons of fun. The whole family will enjoy this weekend getaway. You can also try visiting parks and lakes in your neighboring cities and towns. Doesn't a relaxing picnic and a nice walk through scenic trails and vistas sound wonderful?

Just remember, it shouldn't matter where you go with your 'special' someone. If you really enjoy each others company, then you will have fun literally anywhere you go. You can even make it a contest between the two of you to see who can come up with the best lowest priced date. Take turns and compare the price and results afterwards. Contests are always fun especially when the two of you get to decide on what the winner gets...

Where does all the money go?

Ever wonder where all your money goes? We mean, really wonder?? You start with your paycheck and before you know it, there is more month left after the money. Believe it or not, there is a very simple method for seeing just where the money goes and it's free!

It's called the Shoebox method. Get a shoebox, cut a rectangular slot in the top. Now tape the box securely closed and write the date on it. Some people find it helpful to coincide starting this on payday or at the beginning of the month. Decide what start date works best for you. Once you decide though, be faithful and stick to the plan. It takes one month.

To start, pick your date. Now be sure to get a receipt for everything you spend money on, no matter how small of an expense it is. Include cigarettes, coffee (lattes), candy bars, nights out on the town, EVERYTHING! Every penny you spend, be sure to get a receipt if possible. Put all these receipts in the shoebox. If you pay your children allowance or have other expenditures that may not generate a receipt, quickly make one and stuff it in the box. Be sure to put a copy of your bills in there too.

Ok, it's been one month and you have been very good about gathering all your receipts and expenses, putting them in the box. Open the box and get a tablet to write on. Anything that is a repeated expense, be sure to write down under the same heading. Adding everything up, you can quickly see where the money really goes. Be sure to multiply those figures by 12 to see how much is spent a year!

This should allow you to see exactly where you can make some cuts by giving you a great overview of your expenditures. Don't wait to do this, get started today!

A Smorgasbord of Savings in the Buffet Line

Finding a great bargain in a good restaurant can be difficult, especially for people with a large family. Fortunately, there is a buffet in just about every city of every state and there really is a smorgasbord of savings in each one of those buffet lines.

Finding a great bargain in a good restaurant can be difficult, especially for people with a large family. Fortunately, there is a buffet in just about every city of every state and there really is a smorgasbord of savings in each one of those buffet lines.

If you were to take your family to a regular restaurant, there is always the hassle that comes along with trying to figure out what everybody wants. Children will often take seemingly endless amounts of time arguing with one another and trying to decide how to figure out who gets what. Then once the food arrives, they continue looking at each other’s plates and explain how they really wanted something else. It becomes a chore to go out, much less enjoy any quality time at a restaurant, especially with small kids.
The buffet line is great for at least two reasons for anybody that has to go through this dilemma when spending a night out with the family. First, the buffet is usually a lot cheaper than most regular restaurants. Second, the children are also free to pick and choose a little bit of everything so that they do not have to fight or argue over who got what and what they really wanted.

Most of the buffets are substantially cheaper than normal restaurants. This is usually because they can buy larger quantities of certain foods, and because they purchase so much, they get it at a substantial savings. Other restaurants are forced to purchase smaller amounts and the result is that they pay more, hence the customer also is paying a higher price.

While it used to be that, the quality of food in the buffet line was not as good, over the course of time this has changed as well. As our society becomes more health conscious, the restaurants have taken note as well. The food in most buffets is now just as healthy and most of the time, just as good as the food in more traditional restaurants.

For anyone who has small children and seen them bickering over who got what and arguing about everything from the tablecloth to the drink they have, the buffet can be a welcome alternative as well. Trying to enjoy quality time with the family, much less trying to enjoy a meal is extremely difficult with constant arguing. The children can go through the buffet line and pick out all of the food that they want which they think looks good or may be appealing to them. There is no fighting among siblings and no need to worry about disappointment spoiling the enjoyment of the evening.

Perhaps the best part about the buffet, other than the financial savings, is the dessert line. While this may not be the most important factor for many parents, it is extremely important to the kids. They will make more than one trip to the dessert line in the buffet almost without exception.

The result of going to the buffet and standing in line a little longer will add up to more than just financial savings. While saving money is always nice, having the whole family come home happy and contented makes the whole buffet experience that much more enjoyable for everyone involved.