Clothes Shopping on a Budget

  Whether you’re shopping for clothes for yourself or a family member, a few basic items can really add up. It’s easy to leave a mall or department store with very little more than anxiety over the amount of money you just spent. Here are some fantastic tips for clothes shopping on a budget.

 #1 Make a list of what you need and how much you’re willing to spend on each item. Just like when you go to the grocery store, making a list helps you stick to your budget. Little items so easily find their way into your bag when you shop without a list. Adding the amount you’re willing to spend gives you a reality check when you’re ready to buy. It forces you to evaluate the logic of your purchase.

 #2 Save and splurge. This is particularly effective when you’re shopping with brand conscious teenagers. You can purchase a few name brand items that will be seen by their peers and then buy store brand items to cover the rest of their bodies. For example, a Hollister t-shirt and Target jeans.

#3 Buy and use discount gift cards for places you like to shop from Plastic Jungle.com. Makes your dollars go a lot farther, especially when you also shop sales–double savings!

#4 Hit the resale shops and consignment stores. There are some truly wonderful resale shops around the country. In fact, the people who brought Once Upon a Child to the mainstream also opened a store dedicated to teens called Pandora’s Closet. These stores sell brand name items only and they must be in good shape. You can take your brand conscious teenager there and help them fit in with their peers while also meeting family budget needs.

 #5 Look for coupons, card and discounts before you buy. Many stores now offer loyalty programs. Each month they’ll mail or email their current promotion. If you know you’re going to be shopping at those stores, save the coupon or promotion code and shop during the specified days.

 Additionally, before you hit the mall, do a quick online search for any ongoing promotions or coupons. There are many websites devoted to aggregating promotion codes and other membership sites with local money-saving opportunities or group shopping opportunities. These can be a great way to save money.

 #6 Don’t forget the discount stores and outlet malls. You can save a bundle by shopping at outlet stores and discount stores like TJ Maxx. Yes, it can take a bit of time to wade through all the racks of clothing; however, when you save a few hundred dollars it’s probably worth the effort.

 #7 Shop post-holiday or season. You can save money, for example on back to school clothing, if you shop in October. You can save money on swimsuits when you shop for them in June. The store seasons generally start about a month or two before people actually need to wear the clothing. Ever wonder why they’re selling swimsuits in February? Save your shopping for after the season or holiday rush. Buy kids’ snow boots a size bigger in June for the next season. You’ll save a bundle!

Clothes shopping doesn’t have to be expensive. With a little shopping savvy, a strategy and a bit of patience and planning, you can get way more for your money.

Special: Get a Fresh Face for the Holidays

Get your party face on! Special until December 31! Choice of 3 different peels for $45 (over 50% off regular price of $100)

1- Blueberry Lactic Peel: A very gentle peel providing brightening & lightening of damage done by the sun and elements. Can be repeated every 2 weeks.

2- Pumpkin Enzyme Peel: Resuces surface build-up and is an amazing antioxidant. This exfoliating peel leaves the skin with a smooth, polished feel. Great for all skin types.

3- Fruit Enzyme Peel: the most aggressive of the three, this peel is a great anti-aging procedure. Incredibly rich in antioxidants, aids in exfoliation of the top layer of skin and fights against free radicals while building healthy tissue. 

Shelley is an advanced skin care therapist, and can help you decide which one is right for your skin type at your appointment if you are not sure. Visit her website

Shelley Sharp Skincare
2000 Plymouth Rd #230
Minnetonka, Mn 55305
612-805-9213

Five Great Places to Get Unique Gifts

Five Great Places to Get Unique, Budget-Friendly  Holiday Gifts

 Are you tired of giving the same old commercialized brand name gifts to friends and family? Are you looking for something unique and personalized to give this year? On a budget and trying to be creative? Here are five great places to help you get started on your quest!

 #1 Etsy – Etsy is a website that sells vintage items along with handmade items. There are some real artisans here. You can find everything from home goods to beautiful pieces of art and jewelry on Etsy.

 It works much like eBay in that each seller has their own store. Etsy takes PayPal, which makes paying for your purchases quick and easy. And you can contact the artist or seller to ask questions. One of the wonderful things about Etsy, besides the variety of products you can purchase, is the unique nature. Many items are one of a kind items that you just cannot get anywhere else.

 Additionally, there’s something satisfying about helping small business owners and artists make a living. The Etsy website 

#2 Foodzie – If you love food or the person you’re buying for is a real foodie, consider visiting Foodzie. Much like Etsy, Foodzie is a website set up to help chefs, bakers and food artists from around the world sell their wares.

You can buy anything from kicking hot salsa to amazing cookies and baked goods. Candies, cheese, meats and just about everything under the sun is available at Foodzie. It’s a great place to try new food and to buy unique gifts at a low cost.

You may want to try the food before you give it as a gift to make sure it’s what you’re looking for. You can also read reviews posted about the sellers to help minimize risk. Like Etsy you can pay via PayPal.

Consider using Foodzie to create one of a kind gift baskets. The Foodzie website  

#3 Ebay – If your recipient loves vintage, consider shopping on eBay for their holiday gift. Many of eBay’s items are auctions; however, there are also some great buy it now offers. Antiques, vintage jewelry, and even photographs and movie posters can be found online at eBay. It’s a fun place to do your holiday shopping.

 #4 Charities – Every year more and more charities are promoting themselves as a gift giving option. You can donate in your recipient’s name to anything from the Red Cross to buying a cow in Africa to feed a family. You can help children learn, deliver water to families in drought-ridden areas or help the homeless. It’s a kind and rewarding gift.

 #5 Your local gift shop – Finally, don’t forget to wander the shopping district in your own home town. Local small gift shops are jam-packed with unique gift ideas and again, it’s just plain fun to support local small business owners.

 There’s no end to the unique gifts you can give to your friends and family. Check out these five ideas today and get started on what may be the best holiday yet.

Increase FICO score

Increasing your FICO® score may take time and often there is no quick fix. FICO scores reflect credit payment patterns over time with more of an emphasis on recently reported information than older information. Below are some general tips to follow that may increase your FICO score:

• Focus on the negative factors provided with your FICO score. These represent the main areas where your score could be higher.
• Apply for and open new credit accounts only as needed. Don’t open accounts for the purpose of providing a better credit picture – it probably won’t raise your FICO score and, in some instances, may even lower your score.
• Pay off your bills on time. Delinquent payments, even if only a few days late, and collections can have a major negative impact on your FICO score.
• If you have missed payments, get current and stay current. The longer you pay your bills on time after being late, the more your FICO score should increase. Older credit problems count for less, so poor credit performance won’t haunt you forever. The impact of past credit problems on your FICO score fades as time passes and as recent good payment patterns show up on your credit report. And good FICO scores weigh any credit problems against the positive information that says you’re managing your credit well.
• If you are having trouble making ends meet, contact your creditors or see a legitimate credit counselor. This will not improve your FICO score immediately, but if you can begin to manage your credit and pay on time, your score should increase over time. And seeking assistance from a credit counseling service will not hurt your FICO score.
• Keep balances low on credit cards and other “revolving credit”. High outstanding credit card debt can negatively impact your FICO score.
• Pay off debt rather than move it around from one credit card to another. The most effective way to increase your FICO score in this area is by paying down your total revolving (credit card) debt.
• If you have had problems in the past, re-establish your credit history by opening new accounts responsibly and paying them on time.
• Manage credit cards responsibly by keeping balances well under the credit limit. In general, having credit cards and installment loans (and making timely payments) will raise your FICO score. People with no credit cards, for example, tend to be higher risk than people who have managed credit cards responsibly.
• Do your rate shopping for a loan within a focused period of time. FICO scores distinguish between a search for a mortgage or auto loan, where it is customary to shop for the best rate, and a search for many new credit cards.
• Don’t close unused credit cards as a short-term strategy to raise your FICO score. This approach could backfire and actually lower your FICO score.
• If you have been using credit for only a short time, don’t open a lot of new accounts too quickly, as rapid account build-up can look risky to a lender.

*www.myfico.com

How long are BAD things on my credit report

It depends on the type of negative information. Here’s the basic breakdown of how long different types of negative information will remain on your credit report:

• Late payments: 7 years
• Bankruptcies: 7 years for completed Chapter 13 bankruptcies and 10 years for Chapter 7 bankruptcies.
• Foreclosures: 7 years
• Collections: Generally, about 7 years, depending on the age of the debt being collected.
• Public Record: Generally 7 years, although unpaid tax liens can remain indefinitely.

What plays into your FICO score?

Here is a quick and easy breakdown from the Fair Isaac Corporation on how they weigh your creditworthiness in the score itself.

35% Payment History

30% Amounts Owed

15% Length of History

10% New Credit

10% Types of Credit Used

hunger,food shelf, food bank, humanity

March is a great time to double your dollars to fight hunger!

Each March, Minnesota FoodShare kicks off the largest food drive in the state restocking more than 260 food shelves. Why? Because March is the month that the federal government gives its matching funds to both food shelves and food banks. Many food banks get over half of their donations during this month. Every dollar you donate to your local food bank can be used to get food at government commodity rates that are at a drastically lower price than you can purchase the foods to donate, so dollars are a much better way to contribute. The local food shelf can order through a food bank to then purchase the type of foods the population it serves eats and needs.

Did you know that food stamps in Minnesota and across the country allow people $1.00 for each meal. It is no wonder that low income houses and people out of work are flooding food shelves.

What’s the Difference Between a Food Shelf and a Food Bank?
Food shelves are a place to get 1-3 days of food per month for a family and are often run through churches or other charitable programs.
Food banks are huge buying groups that buy foods at greatly reduced rates and give produce to low income shoppers. In Minneapolis we have the Greater Lake Country Food Bank that is the model for all food banks across the country.

The more food and money that a food shelf collects in March the more they receive of the “incentive allocation.” Help stock our local food shelves so they can receive FREE money.

Find out more: http://www.hungersolutions.org/find

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