Guest Post by Mariana

Issues with money or personal finance are some of the most challenging and stressful ones out there. Dealing with money problems can be particularly difficult if you little experience with financial management on your own.

 Money is a daunting thing. While it is important to understand the specifics of interest, investment, and savings, it is also essential that you know your own personal lifestyle enough to manage your personal finance habits. These three steps in your own personal development are essential steps to take in your financial development as well. Use these personal development stages to better manage and solve your money matters. 

Try Some Honesty

Honesty is paramount in most situations in life. And, while that sounds like a worthless notion, it’s true. Part of growing up and becoming a responsible adult means realizing when you are being dishonest with yourself and remedying it.

Money makes it easy to be dishonest with ourselves. There are many tricks that we will play on ourselves when it comes to personal finances and spending. However, once you are able to recognize when you are being dishonest with yourself and your needs, you will be able to better manage your money. If you really want to solve money issues, you have to be realistic with yourself about your situation. The truth is the first step in dealing with money matters.

Taking Responsibility and Making Sacrifices

For most of us, taking control of our finances means making a sacrifice or two. There are some aspects of our financial lives that we took for granted at a younger age, that we just have to own up to and change. Of course, this goes hand in hand with being honest with yourself.

If your money issues involve budgeting, then you need to accept that some things are luxuries you just shouldn’t spend your money on. If you can’t afford these luxuries, than you need to find a way to sacrifice them. Learn how to be more economical. Eat out less, use public transportation, or make your own coffee at home. Each of these little sacrifices can make a significant impact on your financial situation.

Lose the Pride, Ask for Help

For most of us, money is a very personal issue. For this reason, many people keep their financial questions and concerns to themselves. However, talking to someone about your issues or concerns can be extremely useful. Don’t be afraid to ask for help with something concerning your money situation.

Discuss things with a professional or a trusted and knowledgeable family member. If you have someone you trust in your life who has knowledge with money and numbers, solicit their help. Of course, you should be wary about who you share your financial information with. Be sure that you find someone trustworthy and capable of giving solid advice. Asking for help is one of the first signs to really maturity. Seek it, if you need it.

Author Bio:

Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about
online colleges.  She loves receiving reader feedback, which can be directed to
mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com.

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Image by youngice44

It was a day like any other, I was minding my business and came across some entertaining news.  In any case, the title I saw on the screen was a shocker.  Rapper 50 cent had just made 8.7 Million Dollars promoting one of his favorite penny stocks.

Intrigued, I had to learn the answer of how easy it was for this guy that came from what most would call poor conditions to being one of the most renowned rappers today.  Even if you don’t agree with rap, don’t like rap , think it’s crap e.t.c. - that point is moot, as it’s not what I’m talking about today.  50 cent had just made a colossal sum of money from simply thinking outside the box a little.  The result was a very big payday on his end (it’s not like he needs the money). 

So, how did he make this new level of riches?  By endorsing a favorite penny stock of his to his 3.8 Million Twitter followers. Yes, 3.8 Million with an ‘M’.

Interestingly enough, many were on the bull horn quickly to see if any of the conventional rules of stock investing that the SEC sanctions were broken.  In reality, there was none – even though many would argue that it was a borderline ‘pump’ to inflate almost worthless stock.  Read how 50 backs away from shady investments.

The concept I’d like you to take away from this whole story is the following:

1.   You can get super results by using some leverage.  In this case, 50 cent used his leverage of fame to persuade many of his followers to mimic his behavior of buying specific stock because he believed in it.

2.   Anyone with a little creative thinking can build wealth quickly if you think non-conventionally.

Since making the fortune with stocks, 50 cent has of course shied away from borderline ‘pumping’ stocks publicly as he used to as far as most can tell. 

It doesn’t mean that the guy doesn’t still know how to take business ventures seriously.  The point being made here is that it doesn’t take a whiz kid or someone born into ‘old money’ to get even richer. 

You can build wealth on your own terms by figuring out what’s your greatest way of using leverage to your advantage.  Maybe it’s purchasing quality real estate at a deep discount and you making great gains once the housing market bounces back.  It might be that you could get angel investors on board for one of your killer concepts that you want to develop. 

The list goes on but the biggest takeaway should be to start thinking outside the box.  That’s what I’m currently working on as well.  I’m not a millionaire yet as of this writing, but I’ve got very good laid out plans on how to get there.  What about yourself, have you got a good treasure map of building wealth a bit at a time and finally earning Financial Freedom?  Nothing will get you wealthy quite as fast as getting rid of bad debts / loans / consumer debt  so put that at your highest check off on your priority list.

Hey, one more thing, if you liked this post, please do share with social buttons below and spread the karma.

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Guest post by Andreas

Looking ahead to a better financial future is the goal of many individuals. A new year tends to make people take a good, hard look at their situation and make some decisions on what to change. A majority of people are looking to clear out their debts and stay in the black this year, stashing money away in a savings account.

To clear debts, extra money needs to be obtained. When a bill for a credit card or personal loan arrives in the mailbox, funds are necessary to make the minimum payment. Adding more money to each payment will just decrease the amount of time it will take to pay off the debt. This means making deposits into a savings account sooner than originally planned.

Use Money Wisely

The extra money has to come from somewhere. A windfall of cash isn’t necessarily going to happen. Start by making sure that all money is being spent wisely. Invest some time in checking out discounts for everything from your electric bill to your homeowner’s insurance. Both of these are a necessity, but there are ways to save money and ensure that the lowest price possible is being paid. Every cent saved can go directly to reduce debt or into a savings account.

Cut Back On Spending

Cutbacks are another efficient way to free up extra cash and get those bills taken care of promptly. Decreasing spending can happen in several areas of a person’s budget. Consider foregoing a meal out on the town for a quiet dinner at home. Skip a trip to the theater and opt for a movie rental instead.

Take the money saved and put it towards the debt. Cutting back on the amount paid for entertainment, groceries, or even clothing isn’t always easy. However, these changes make it easier to clear up debts and move on to a new financial situation. This includes the opportunity to open up a savings account and begin frequent deposits.

Protect Your New Financial Status

Paying off debt can be a thrilling experience. A person achieves a true sense of accomplishment and is able to see the financial changes for the better. The problem is that debt easily creeps back up. It always starts out small, but it takes very little for it to spiral out of control.

Protect finances from overwhelming debt by taking away opportunities for spending on credit. If a checking account previously had an overdraft option that was consistently being used, cancel it when it is paid off. It costs money each time the funds are taken from the overdraft account and it is an easy way to slip back into debt.

While canceling all credit cards isn’t a good idea, look into getting rid of accounts that are not beneficial. Credit cards obtained a long time ago that show most payments coming in on time could be beneficial. Cards for things like clothing stores are potentially less valuable and should be deactivated or closed. It takes away the temptation.

As debts are taken care of and more money is being accumulated, it is important to choose a savings account that will not only keep the funds safe, but also provide some rate of return. Research carefully and choose an account that fits into the overall financial plan. It is possible to clear out the debt and begin to save more money.

 The above was a guest post on behalf of Money Supermarket and was written by financial writer Andreas

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Please welcome a guest post by: Katheryn Rivas

Being stuck in debt is sometimes like being locked in a prison or trapped in a deep hole you can’t climb, scramble, or fight your way out of.  One of the most common figurate phrases associated with debt, in fact, is not being able to “get out” of it.

Debt is a financial problem, but what few people stop to realize is that what leads to debt is often more a matter of discipline, self-control, self-image, and other psychological or sociological influences.  People who are unable to stop themselves from buying, or who always need something nicer and something bigger often are internally troubled and would benefit more from improving their self esteem than from attending a debt management class.

If you want to be financially free, want to finally escape your debt, the following self-improvement strategies might be a great place to start (instead of spending $250 on the upcoming personal finance seminar):

Look Within

One of the worst kinds of purchases is one that was made on impulse.  Generally impulse buys are unwise decisions because you don’t usually need what you buy on a whim.  However, impulse buys are just one kind of poor financial decision. 

The most important thing to do before buying anything is to ask yourself two questions:

1.   Do I need this?

And more importantly:

2.   Why am I buying this?

The first question alone is not enough because you can easily justify any purchase you want.  The second question, however, gets at something much deeper and more personal.  Even when you strongly desire something, when you ask yourself why you want it, your brain has a hard time closing the gap between reason and desire and will pause.

During that pause, stop and count to ten.  Start practicing self control this way.  If you can analyze why you want something, then you might be able to stop and realize, for example, that you are only buying the new phone or iPod because you are feeling down, you can put a little distance between you and your impulse, and maybe even replace the action with a more productive one, like exercising or reading a book. 

Set Goals

If you have realized that you have a problem spending money, then you are at least halfway there.  The next step is to brainstorm ways to help you change your habits.  One effective way to help you do this is to set spending goals.  Tell yourself that you will spend no more than x amount of dollars on certain categories of goods, giving priority to ones that are essential such as food, shelter, and transportation.  Next set aside a certain percentage of your earnings for savings.  Lastly, set aside a little amount as a congratulatory allowance that you can spend if you meet your goals.  Goals are also easier to meet if you work with someone close to you, like a spouse or a family member, who can keep you accountable. 

Understand Yourself

Sometimes we spend money or do certain things because we wish that we were richer or had more power when we actually don’t.  We want to appear to be something that perhaps we aren’t yet, and wind up spending everything we have in the process. It is very beneficial to think about the motives that drive you to spend money before you spend.  If you are spending because you don’t want to be regarded as poor, perhaps you should consider options like going back to school or changing career paths to put you on a path that will be more fulfilling.

Financial Freedom is possible, but the place to start changing things is within yourself. Don’t treat external symptoms when the problem is internal.  Work on improving yourself, and your finances will improve alongside. 

Bio:

This guest post is contributed by Katheryn Rivas, who writes on the topics of online universities advice.  She welcomes your comments at her email: katherynrivas87@gmail.com.

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Wow, it’s hard to believe that 2011 is about ready to retire and 2012 come in as the New Year into our lives.  2012 is closing down really quickly as I write this, but take notice that nothing comes about without change.  I really hope you had some good holidays and that your poised on what 2012 could bring into your life.  It seemed like just yesterday where I was writing down my 2011 Goals in another blog post just a year before hand.

I don’t know about you, but I’m prepared to set myself up for success in 2012.  2011 was a decent year for most even though we may still be weathering a recession.

I really do want to get you to take a glimpse back for what was a very eventful 2011.  What made 2011 what it was?  What are some lessons or skills you may have gained?  I’m sure you could come up with quite a list of these rhetorical questions to ask yourself, but the most important issue is that you learn from them and gain perspective going in fresh for the New Year.

More Mentionable Happenings of 2011

As with most years, 2011 carried with it some really big newsworthy mentions.  I mean I can recall events worth mentioning like:

• Bill Jobs, Apple’s Founder and CEO, passed on to a new life
• People got fed up enough with Wall Street’s greed and staged their own ‘Occupy’ Wallstreet’ stance, later came Occupy everything else
• The Japanese Tsunami claimed many lives caused by their massive earthquake.  I blogged on pledging support for the Japanese Tsunami victims. The world showed just how compassionate and caring it could be in helping our neighbors in the Asia-Pacific.
• The Euro Debt Financial Tragedy that engulfed that side of the world as the Euro currency held on for dear life.
• Lots more than I can actually mention here…..

My Bold Predictions for 2012

I actually feel that 2012 will be a good and rebounding year for the economy, finances and prosperity overall.  I was thinking back all the way to around 2007-2008 where there was a pivotal swing and financial experts were waiting for the bubble to burst on the housing market and it really did go bust in a short amount of time.  People got too greedy, unfair and unscrupulous loans were concocted and those most unfortunate suffered the aftermath.  Ever since then people have been crying a recession. 

 I say it’s time that we take back our voice and pull up the boot strings as the economy is slowly making a turn-around.  If a growth spurt is around the corner, it will come sooner rather than later and now is your opportunity to change with it.

Here’s my advice to create your own mini-economy around yourself:

1.   Stay positive.  Yes, this has been beaten to death a bit but it really is true. How you feel changes your outlook on life and attracts more opportunity while taking away the negative.

2.   Watch less news, learn to live more.  If it’s that important, you’ll hear it from someone anyway

3.   Surround yourself with positive peers.  Get used to a better set of friends, it really makes a difference.

4.   Never stop learning.  Learn what you need to progress.

5.   Take inspired action on what you learn.  Stop reinventing the wheel and good things will happen from your finances to your personal ambitions and everything in between.

6.   Make sure to read my post on setting achievable goals.  Many people set resolutions that are over almost as soon as they set them

Turbo Boost Your Positivity and Results in 2012

I’m going to be letting you in on a little secret on what has really helped me all these years on my way to true Financial Freedom!  Are you ready for this one?  The secret that many people around the planet don’t realize is that we actually think in pictures.  Don’t believe me?  Let me prove it – please picture with me a Green Lion driving a Convertible Ferrari with the top down and eating a red juicy apple.  Hah, can you see this in your mind’s eye?  Of course you can, also notice that the text that I said above didn’t pop into your head not one time.  This concretes the fact that we think in pictures and visuals.

In any case, you may ask where I’m going with this – fair enough.  What if you could link positive visuals and outcomes deeply into your subconscious by physically seeing these images at a whim or call them up whenever you want?  Surprise, but these kinds of visualization tools already exists and they’re called Vision Boards or Dream Maps, Dream Boxes and even treasure maps.

Image by Shawn of themillionairesecrets.net

I first got my start with setting up vision boards by picking up  The Complete Vision Board Kit: Using the Power of Intention and Visualization to Achieve Your Dreams from respected Self Improvement and Law of Attraction coach, John Assaraf.  You might have even seen John Assaraf on tv and didn’t even realize it. 

If you’ve watched the highly acclaimed movie, The Secret – John was one of the highly respected speakers on the show. 

Just What is a Vision Board? -  Glad you asked, but a vision board is usually a canvas like a bulletin board covered with pictures, visuals and even captivating text and speeches on what you’d like to accomplish in your life.

I built my first vision board with John’s vision board and the rest is history.  Seeing Visuals of what I want to accomplish along with your goal setting strategy will propel you towards more and more success.  So, get started building your own vision board today and start visualizing yourself towards positive outcomes and a life that you really want to live.

For those of you that would like to make a video vision board on a pc, you could make a mind movie which would accomplish the same thing except with animation.  I’m starting to explore this a bit more myself.

I’m going to do one better in helping you set meaningful goals

Below this post, you’ll find a cheat sheet to helping you set meaningful goals for 2012 and also a template for the various types of goals you should set

Wishing you a Happy and Blessed 2012!

For all the normal readers of the Financially Elite Blog, I just want to really thank you for being a supporter and if you’re a new reader, please stick around and get the best out of the blog by Grabbing the Golden Nuggets guide to Financial Freedom and signing up for the RSS Feed and never miss another post.

Hey, one more thing – spread the good Karma and Please share this post from social buttons below.  Also, I’m eager to hear what your thoughts are on the New Year, so please comment below.

Before you go, make sure to grab your FREE Resources below:

2012 – Goal Setting Cheat Sheet (Right Click and ‘Save Target’)

2012 – Goal Setting Template (Right Click and ‘Save Target’)

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If you find yourself financially suffering from the current state of the economy, you should know that you are not alone. The current economical slump is affecting almost everyone.

Most people reach adulthood without ever taking financial courses. Fortunately, there are many financial tools online that can help you get out of debt and start saving money.

Many people spend huge amounts of money paying financial advisors and accountants to tell them what they should do with their money. If you are experiencing financial difficulty, save your money and start learning about the financial world on your own. The internet is your best friend when it comes to research, so use it to educate yourself.

Some of the greatest financial tools that are available on the internet are financial calculators. Before you make any monetary decisions, always use a search engine to find a calculator that applies to the situation.

For example, a mortgage calculator is an extremely useful tool and can help you save tons of money. Calculating the total cost of the mortgage over the entire payment term as well as the cost of monthly payments is very complicated.

Mortgage calculators calculate your monthly payments and the full cost of the loan for you. All you have to do is enter in the interest rate and the borrowed amount and the mortgage calculator will do the rest.

A mortgage calculator is extremely convenient if you are considering purchasing a new home. Since they calculate monthly payments, you can figure out exactly what housing price range you can afford.

Budgeting spreadsheet tutorials and templates are also available online. Microsoft Excel and other spreadsheet software can be very confusing if you are unfamiliar with financial jargon and formulas.

The internet has plenty of tutorials that provide step-by-step, image-by-image instructions on how to create a budget using spreadsheet software. For example, if you are having trouble figuring out how much interest will be charged on your credit card each month, type “how to calculate interest in Excel” into a search engine.

Budgeting spreadsheet templates are also available online. You can download pre-made spreadsheets that already have all of the formulas entered in. With a budgeting spreadsheet, all you have to do is enter the numbers that apply to you into the boxes. The spreadsheet will automatically calculate everything else for you.

Figuring out your debt-to-income ratio can also help you work out what you need to do to get out of debt. This ratio, called the DTI, is a number that represents the amount of debt you have compared to your income.

Many lenders ask for your DTI when you apply for credit. If you are preparing to apply for a credit card or loan, make sure that your DTI is decent beforehand.

Free DTI calculators exist online. These calculators ask for your total monthly income and your total monthly debt. Using this information, they calculate a number that represents your DTI.

For example, if you have $1,500 of recurring debt each month and you receive $2,000 worth of income each month, your DTI will be 75%. If your monthly debt is $2,500 and your monthly income is $2,000, your DTI is 125%.

Your DTI will give you a general overview of your current situation. If your DTI is above 100%, you should create a budget spreadsheet and try to work out how you can cut back on some of your expenses.

 The above was a guest post on behalf of Money Supermarket and was written by financial writer Andreas

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Part 2 of Case Study Series

If you’ve been following the blog lately, you’ll notice that I took on another personal challenge to take on $5000 worth of debt to invite you to look over my shoulder on how I put debt busting on steroids.  It’s my way of helping others like you get out of debt so that you can lead a more fulfilling life.  This is the second part of the Case study where I tackle the debt with another payment and good info. that you can follow along. Check out my first post on the case study of the “Watch Me Knock Out $5000 In Debt (Case Study) “series.

Like I mentioned before, it’s the kind of information big credit card companies and loan officers just don’t want you to know.  Keeping you in the dark and in Debt can be some of the many tactics creditors use to keep you in serious debt and their profits high –it’s time to change all that.  How to achieve Financial Freedom! is one of my personal goals and it should be yours too. 

Staying in debt and living a mediocre life is for a life of those not so sophisticated. It’s time to take back the reigns and pull back the curtain to getting out of debt for good, so without further wait, let’s get started on the 2^nd part of this series.

Tackling Debt Payment #2 of the $5000 Loan

In my last series of knocking out debt, my running balance of the loan is now down to $4,034.00.   I noted that mentally from the last time and you should also note that my payments were just over $400 because I set the term of the loan to a 1 year one payment.   A couple of caveats and notes here:  By reducing the term of the loan, my payments were higher, however, the loan term is a lot shorter getting you out of debt quicker.  You should balance or refinance any of your loans this way with what you can afford that can cut debt faster.

In any case, I wasn’t able to come up with another $1000 payment to apply to the 2^nd payment like the 1^st payment.  However, I was able to apply $500 straight to the loan with the balance going to the unscheduled payment.  Although, you might be not to impressed with this payment, it still gets the job done.  (1) It pays the 2^nd payment (2) It cuts interest of the term of the loan with the extra payment (3) It once again cuts the original principal which is a great mind booster.

Here’s the original receipt (sorry about the resolution as it’s a bad copy from my picture phone). 

You should note that I’m completely on schedule to get this paid off way ahead of schedule.  I’ve looked at cash flow and may be able to effectively double up on the next payment.  In any case, make sure to stay updated by signing up to the RSS feed and you’ll never miss a post.

I encourage any questions or feedback by commenting and sharing this post.

Let’s just say that I needed $5000 to clear up another short term, personal loan I had with another institution.  Here’s where you should listen.  I got financing for $5000 to upgrade my share of personal real estate I owned that would improve myself and my wife’s lifestyle a bit. 

Also, grab your complimentary  original Financial Blueprint  to debt busting strategies and wealth building if you haven’t already to keep yourself on track.

Pay it down Debt Balance     $5000

                                            $4,032

                                           $3,549.11

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I’ve been toying with the idea for a while of helping to bring entrepreneurs or even those just interested in business together as a like minded group.

A concept where you can simply just look up very informative and engaging topics of business straight from the Financially Elite Blog.

I then came up with a brilliant idea called “Business Tuesday” – where I’d indulge readers in very helpful and hopefully great discussion posts that they could use in their online business.  I’m excited about this concept and believe in the medium to long term strategy of these goals to help great readers such as yourself.

How It Will Work

When a great topic comes up, it will be featured on a Tuesday of the month, hence the name – Business Tuesday.  Of course, I’m still toying with the concept but it will go from concept to reality very quickly, as if you’ve been reading the blog for some time, you’ll know that I endorse taking action because I’m an action taker myself.

Here’s an array of topics / format that Business Tuesday will feature:

• Guest blog posts by those knowledgeable in the business arena – best posts featured.  (Interested?  See the Writer’s Section).
• Blog Posts on real entrepreneurship based on my real life experiences on what it takes to succeed.
• Featured tools / utilities / learning materials that can take your business to the next level.  Reviews might be in order.
• Interviews where necessary with influential business characters where needed.
• Maybe some case studies of real life characters on how they were able to propel their business.
• How to make it in offline business (brick and mortar) as well as non-traditional means of leveraging online business to make you see results quicker.

So, I’m excited about this one and will possibly start the first part of December, 2011.  We’ll wait and see, but do make sure you never miss a post and stay updated with this by joining the RSS Feed.

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Just wanted to start off and say Happy Thanksgiving from the Financially Elite Blog.  I know there may be quite a few people out there that think that they don’t have enough to be thankful for.  The truth is, there’s always something out there that you can be thankful for.

Take for example, in the case of a job loss.  Yes, you may have just got sacked and at the minute you could feel down and out. The truth is that this is just a momentary bit of stormy cloud cover that may just have a silver lining.  You can always start over, you’ve got health, you’re still alive, maybe you even got support of friends and family?  This is enough to be thankful for.

This year we saw our ups and downs globally with such events as the Japanese Tsunami that ravaged part of the country, The BP oil spill in the gulf, numerous wars e.t.c. The good news is, the human race is a  very tenacious race that can bounce back from disasters and can adapt and cope with life changing events.

Some things to be thankful for could include:

1. Health
2. A loving spouse
3. Life in General
4. Money in the bank
5. Happiness and Joy
6. Your Spirituality
7. Helping others via donations or Philanthropy
8. A higher purpose other than self
9. Maybe transportation or a car (however new or junkie it might be)
10. The Fact that you eat regularly
11. Good Friends
12. Supportive Peers
13. Living in a free country
14. Support for those fighting abroad

The list goes on and on, so take stock this season and really come to grips of what you might be thankful for.  It’s more about the turkey and socializing or shopping during the holidays.  See what you are really thankful for by writing it down and really feeling an attitude of gratitude of where you’ve come and are currently in life.

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Please welcome with me a guest post by Jon Vincent

Do you have one of those best friends that seem impossible to shop for? And it seems like whatever you get them, they’re just not satisfied? If you’ve racked your brain and just can’t come up with the perfect gift (and at the right budget), look no further than our list below.

We’ve found a variety of holiday gift ideas – both quirky and practical – that you can buy for your best friend. The best part is, they’re all less than $30…and they’re all easy to find:

For the Tea and Coffee Lover: Forget the fancy coffee makers – this pour-over brewing system from Starbucks is just $12.95 and creates the perfect cup of coffee. Or, if your friend prefers tea, consider the IngenuiTEA teapot. You can use your favorite loose leaf teas to brew the perfect cup of tea and when it’s done, a spring-loaded bottom makes it easy to empty into a mug.

For the Tech Lover: Even if your best friend has all the latest gadgets, that’s not to say he’s equipped with all the accessories. Did you ever consider….

• Travel kit – Get a travel kit they can use with their smart phone, e-Reader, or tablet. Most include a car adapter, ear buds, and everything else you’ll need to take your electronics on a road trip. You can find generic travel kits at places like Target or Wal-Mart, or spend a little extra and buy name brand. 
• Fancy USB drives – USB drives are so easy to misplace so it’s always nice to have an extra lying around. Think Geek carries an array of cool looking USB drives including those shaped like robots and transformers and ones that do everything from open bottles to light up a room.
• Mini speakers – This year, mini speakers are all the rage. They connect to an mp3 player and enhance sound so it can be used to play music around a room or for an impromptu dance party. Prices range from $10 – $30 and can be found in most department stores.

For the Game Lover: Put together a themed package with playing cards, dice, and poker chips. Or, shop in store or online for a variety of board games (many of which you can find for less than $30). One of the best for under $20 is 2009’s Game of the Year called Bananagrams. It includes Scrabble-like tiles packaged in a canvas banana-shaped bag.

For the Food Lover: This time of year, many online merchants are offering special deals on gift packages for the holidays. Send your best friend things like fresh baked goods, gourmet beef jerky, or baskets of cheese, crackers, and summer sausage.

For the Environmentally Conscious: Decorative tote bags provide a great gift for those who are all about going green. Most can be purchased for anywhere from $5 to $20 – and some can even be compacted into a keychain for the forgetful shopper so they’ll always be around.

About the Author:

Jon Vincent turned his obsession with Black Friday ads into a website – and a career! He’s been interviewed about his website, BlackFriday.info, by the New York Times, CNN, Tech Crunch and more. When he’s not hunting down Black Friday ad leaks he stays busy by writing frugality and savings advice.

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