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• Holiday gifts that save the recipient money

  Posted Sep 23 2008, 11:03 AM by Karen Datko
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  Filed under: family, saving, giving, Karen Datko
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  Be a careful shopper and you'll save money on gifts. Be a considerate shopper and you'll save your recipient some money as well.

  We can see lots of people pursuing this new goal in gifting as the holiday season speeds our way. (Did you notice how early Halloween stuff started to appear in stores? At this rate, we'll be inundated with Christmas promotions long before the last leaf has fallen from the tree. But we digress.)

  Jennifer Derrick, one of our favorite PF writers, gives 28 examples of gifts that will enhance the giftee's frugality in a post at Personal Finance Advice. "Who can argue with a gift that saves them money," she says.   Read More...

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• Teaching your kids about money

  Posted Jun 11 2008, 05:20 AM by Karen Datko
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  Filed under: spending, family, saving, giving
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  This post comes from partner blog The Dough Roller.

  Recently, I took my son, Gavin, to the Coinstar machine to turn the random coins he's been getting into paper money. Added to the last two years of birthday money, his total was right around $150. As he stared at that money (and lamented the fact that now all he had was paper instead of a huge jar of coins), I realized that it was time to start teaching Gavin about money.   Read More...

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• Give your child the gift of fiscal responsibility

  Posted Dec 20 2007, 07:02 AM by Karen Datko
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  Filed under: spending, family, saving, giving
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money

  This post comes from Linsey Knerl at partner blog Wise Bread.

  Kids may think they know what they want to get for the holidays this year, but that doesn't mean they have a clue about what they need. Use this gift-giving opportunity as a chance to invest in them and help change their financial futures.

  Here is a rundown of some of the best money-management gifts I have used for kids under 12.

  The Money Savvy Kids @ Home program by Money Savvy Generation. One of the most comprehensive financial-education packages on the market, it's designed to be used as a complete curriculum on money. Home educators will find that it is very similar to a unit study, complete with parent handbook, student workbook, CD-ROM and cool piggy bank. I've tried this program and found it to be one of the most interesting. Covering the basic money principles -- save, spend, donate, invest -- reminded me of my financial goals, and I  learned some quirky facts about the history of money in the process. This is a well- thought-out program with much to offer kids ages 6 to 11.   Read More...

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• Can't bake or sew? This gift list is for you

  Posted Nov 27 2007, 02:32 PM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: spending, family, saving, giving
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
  Do you read those posts about homemade, handmade gifts and think, "Martha Stewart and I have very little in common"? (In some ways, we might add, this is not a bad thing.) If so, we recommend you read " 25 great gifts for $5 or less " at Wise Bread if you're looking to reduce holiday spending but not the thoughtfulness of your gifts. Some items on blogger Julie Rains' list are simple, like a jump rope, an easily assembled fruit basket, or a green oven mitt partnered with red and green Hershey's Kisses. Some are exotic: a drinking glass made by an artisan in Bangladesh and a terra cotta bird whistle, both sold through Ten Thousand Villages , allowing you to help impoverished families while staying on a budget. Rains includes two food items she swears are easy to prepare -- chocolate chess pie and potato soup in a jar. This post is exceptionally helpful because she also tells you the best places to buy the items to get the best bargains.
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• Stow away this trick-or-treat tip for next year

  Posted Nov 01 2007, 10:31 AM by Karen Datko
  Filed under: family, saving, giving
  Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
  This may be a day late, but not a dollar short. Blueprint for Financial Prosperity offers a great way not to have lots of unwanted candy the day after Halloween . When BFP was a child, he and his sister would stop home occasionally during their trick-or-treat rounds and drop the candy they didn't want into a giveaway bowl. This tip, called candy recycling, is so good we're sure you'll remember it next year. Parents spend less on candy, children keep only the treats they want, and the rest is distributed to the other kids in the neighborhood.
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