6 Tips To Help You Budget For The Holidays

The holidays are right around the corner and we want you to be able to enjoy them this year without the added stress of financial pressure. We’ve put together a list of things to do so you can buy that perfect gift, throw your holiday party AND travel to visit the in-laws! Read on for helpful tips on how to budget for the holidays.

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Set your budget and know your limits.
The easiest way to start is to look at your spending from last year.  Looking back at the previous year will help you decide where you can be more conservative this year.  List out your priorities and determine in advance what your monetary limit is for food, parties, gifts and travel.  Don’t let the pressure of holiday sales and purchases get to you.  Stick to your plan, you’ll thank yourself in the end!

Shop smart!
Expand your search and take advantage of shopping deals from SHOP.COM, free shipping on select orders and Cashback on purchases.  Take advantage of the ShopBuddy feature on SHOP.COM and let your ShopBuddy find the best deal for you! Visit each stores Hot Deals page or check out the Deals Page for the best savings on gifts!

Trim your list.
Take advantage of gift swapping groups among family or friends.  Do you really need to buy all 10 of your friend’s gifts? Have fun with it and throw a Secret Santa party.  A gift exchange will save the holiday spirit and allow you to also save your budget. Another good idea is to make gifts! Turn to some of your social media channels, such as Pinterest, for some great ideas for homemade gifts!

Travel wisely.
Take the time to plan ahead. The demand of your social calendar from family, friends and work can get stressful.  If you plan it out in advance you can forgo the last minute decision making which usually leads to impulsive spending! Plan ahead with Shop Travel on SHOP.COM, get some of the best deals on vacation deals and hotels AND get Cashback.  Use the extra cash towards other holiday expenses!

Entertain for less.
If you don’t want to throw a huge bash every year and incur all of the cost, suggest a rotation.  That way, the quality time is not being lost; the cost is just being shared. Another option is to suggest a potluck style get-together and have your guests help with the expense of holiday food!

Enjoy the season!
Stay focused on what the season is really about, spending time with family and friends! Don’t get overwhelmed with the added stress of planning and budgeting.  Make sure you still make time for exercise and relaxation.  This will help you release stress, stay on track and enjoy the holidays! 

Did I forget any helpful holiday tips? Share your ideas for holiday budgeting in comments below! 
And if you have any questions you can either give a call, 414-881-8739 or leave in the comments as well.

Happy Shopping,
Pam

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ShopBuddy is the perfect holiday helper, because this great tool constantly updates with the very latest deals – so there’s no expired coupons to worry about! ShopBuddy also automatically alerts you when you are shopping at a qualifying Cashback merchant – so it’s like having a personal shopper that helps you get paid to shop!

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Don’t Wait For Black Friday – Visit SHOPWITHBRUCE.COM for the Best Deals Today!

 

The Holiday Shopping season is upon us – but you don’t have to wait until Black Friday or Cyber Monday to get the best deals out there. You can always find the best deals at SHOPWITHBRUCE, but we’ve got some special offers going on right now that will really change the game! These deals are like a turbocharger to your Holiday Shoppinng – and it is the greatest cashback program on the internet!

Who needs to wait until Black Friday to get the best deals out there – when you can get 2% Cashback from WalMart right now through SHOPWITHBRUCE.COM!

Getting 2% Cashback from WalMart is just the beginning.... EXTRA CASHBACK DEALS – with up to 5 times the normal Cashback! Here are just a few of them:

• Perfect Smile – now 20% CB
• Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory – Now 20% CB
• Extend Nutrition – Now 15% CB
• UnbeatableSale.com – Now 10% CB
• BAGSbuy.com – Now 10% CB
• MensHats.com – Now 10% CB
• Toyscamp.com – Now 8% CB
• Fantasy Toyland – Now 8% CB
• David's Cookies – Now 8% CB
• Abe's of Maine – Now 4% CB

Download SHOP BUDDY and never miss a Cashback deal again. With SHOP BUDDY even if you are not on SHOPWITHBRUCE you get to collect your Cashback.

Happy Shopping,
Pam & Bruce

Combat Rising Costs While Building Your Shopping Annuity with SHOPWITHBRUCE.COM

Everyone knows that the economy has really taken a toll on everyone over the past few years, and according to this recent article from Reuters, it appears that 2013 won’t offer much relief unfortunately.

It would seem that the cost of almost everything is going up. From groceries to healthcare, taxes to education – everything is getting more expensive. The problem is this couldn’t come at a worse time, what with high unemployment and average take-home pay on the decline.

What’s really troubling is the fact that experts predict almost a 4% increase in food prices for 2013 – making it even harder for families to get by. To me, it seems clear that it’s even more important than ever to make sure you’re getting the most out of your dollar.

The economic outlook for 2013 makes it critical for families to find ways to stretch their budget – and one of the absolute best ways they can do this is to invest in their Shopping Annuity. Right now, one of SHOPWITHBRUCE.COM’s partner stores, Alice.com, is offering an amazing DOUBLE CASHBACK deal until November 4th - making it even easier for you to get the most bang for your buck!

When you visit Alice.com through your SHOPWITHBRUCE.COM portal, you’ll find amazing deals on all the household items you need – and the best part is you’re building your shopping annuity by purchasing the products you already needed anyway! It’s a no-brainer – especially in this economy.

Leave me a COMMENT, and tell me how you are building your Shopping Annuity!

Christmas 2011.... A New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

Getting Healthy

We all want to be healthy....Some of us have the right recipe and some of us don't. Well we have put together a "Optimal Health" Webinar. This webinar is hosted and presented by Dr. Sheryl Duchess.  This webinar is taking place on the next 3 Mondays. You choose which one fits into your schedule. All you do is go to www.shopwithbruce.com sign up for as a preferred customer (if you haven't already done so), then click on this link Optimal Health Webinar and register. You Pick the date, time, add your name and email and that's it. You then will get an email with the link to the webinar and you just sign on to www.shopwithbruce.com and then sign on to the webinar through your email. Dr. Duchess is a world renowned speaker and I love listening to her. she puts health into the the terms that make sense! Make sure you have a pen and paper  handy when you listen, you will want to take notes.  You will learn so much. If  you have any questions just call 414-881-8739.

Enjoy The Journey This Holiday Season

Can you believe it is time to start thinking about Holiday Travel? Where does the time go? We got you covered at www.shopwithbruce.com 
Plan a trip to see loved ones or give a gift of travel.
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