Four Costly Wedding Expenses You Weren’t Expecting

August 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When you’re newly engaged, you’re most likely giddy with romance and excitement. Once you have the ring on your finger, it’s hard to think about anything besides flowers, favors and bridal fashion! In our culture of wedding mania, it’s easy to get carried away with every last detail of your Big Day – until you get the big bill.

Because talking about a wedding budget is so utterly unromantic, most brides-to-be blow through their available cash before they even get to their cake tasting appointment. Thankfully, cash-strapped brides don’t need to borrow from friends and family, or assume a high interest, high-risk bank loan to cover unforeseen wedding planning expenses. A budget-savvy bride can apply for plaingreenloans online for a quick and painless solution to affording these four major unexpected wedding expenses.

Invitation Postage

Sure, you were planning to drop a good chunk of change on high-end save-the-date cards, invitations and thank you notes – but most brides-to-be conveniently forget about the high cost of actually mailing these tiny works of art.

Today, the average wedding includes almost 200 guests, and most fancy invitations cost far more to mail than a typical greeting card. With total postage for each piece of stationary you’ll most likely mail per invitee, it’s important to budget at least $2-$3 per person – and that can add up quickly (and unexpectedly)!

Wedding Gown Alterations

You may have found the dress of your dreams, and plenty of lucky brides are gifted their gorgeous gowns by parents or loved ones. But it’s easy to forget that your dream dress won’t fit perfectly off the rack, and alteration costs normally hover around a hefty percentage of the gown’s original price tag!

Even if you found a wallet-friendly bridal gown, making it unique isn’t cheap. In fact, if you’re planning to add delicate lace sleeves or a stunning jeweled waistline detail, plan on dropping another few hundred dollars on that “affordable” dress. And that’s before size alterations like shortening a hemline or tightening a baggy bust.

Marriage License Fees

In a veritable flurry of champagne bubbles, it’s easy to forget the reason behind a costly wedding day – the marriage itself! And Uncle Sam won’t let you off the hook easily. The cost of applying for a legal marriage license varies depending on where you live, but could cost anywhere from $50 up to $250!

Feeding Your Vendors

All those professionals you booked for your big party – like your band, photographer and videographer – will expect a meal on your dime, and wedding etiquette dictates you need to feed them. With average per-head venue costs clocking in around $100, that’s a big chunk of money you never knew you needed to spend!

Planning the wedding of your dreams is exciting, exhilarating – and very expensive! Prepare for unforeseen costs before the Big Day, and save yourself lots of financial worry. We’re curious – what wedding expenses crept up on you while planning your own party? Do you agree or disagree with our list?

Filed Under: Green Living Budgets Tagged With: , , , ,

The Benefits Of Shopping Online

February 16, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Shopping online is becoming more and more popular with a never ending variety of items available and the ability to shop from home.  Often you can find items such as clothing, in sizes and colors not otherwise available.  By shopping from home, you save gas, tim, and the trouble.  At home it’s just you and an unlimited number of online catalogues displaying anything you could ever want.  Online stores are open 24 hours, allowing you to shop at 2:00 in the morning if you wish.  Products bought online are often less money because the overhead is a fraction of that of a brick and mortar store.  It’s also very easy to comparison shop, since you can visit a number of stores with the click of your mouse.
There are a few drawbacks to shopping online.  With just a picture to assess your purchase, you may be disappointed when it arrives in the mail and find it isn’t exactly what you want.  It could be the wrong color or the fabric may not be what you were expecting.  There is also the disadvantage of not being able to try clothing on when purchasing online.  If you are hard to fit, you may not be happy with what comes in the mail.  The same holds true for product testing.  Sometimes it’s better to be able to physically check things out before buying.
Some buyers are afraid of shopping online for fear of having their personal information stolen.  But shopping cart systems are highly encrypted and hacker proof. Paypal, which is probably the most widely used online payment method is extremely safe for consumers.
A final consideration when shopping online is shipping rates.  The cost of shipping can add a lot to the price of an item, especially if it is something heavy.  Make sure you are  aware of the total price, including shipping before committing to buy.

Filed Under: Green Living Budgets Tagged With: , ,

Reason for Paying Taxes Online

January 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

What once was a menial task that was dreaded all year has now become easy with online tax programs. By filing taxes online using free tax preparing software, such as Turbo Tax, people are finding that preparing taxes isn’t the horrible task it used to be. Instead of spending hours agonizing over tax forms, online tax programs fill out the forms for you.

First, you’ll want to have all of your relevant forms in front of you before you begin. These include forms such as your W-2s, investment statements, and relevant receipts for business expenses. Online tax preparation software is up to date on all available tax credits and deductions for the current tax year, such as the 2010 federal energy tax credit. Answer a few questions and the necessary tax forms are filled out for you.

Online tax preparation helps you save time by not having to wait for any representative to pay taxes on your behalf. You can keep track of your all accounts and payments yourself and prevent any kind of fraud. It will also save you the money it costs to hire someone and pay them for preparing your taxes. Filing online is often free for federal taxes, but even if you end up paying, it’s still cheaper than hiring an accountant and avoids human error. The program will go through and ask you questions making sure that you receive all deductions that are available for that tax year. At the end, you can choose to file electronically and you can download the tax forms as PDF files so you can keep them for future reference.

Overall, taking advantage of free efile is the best choice by saving you money, time, and headaches. Instead of dreading tax season, you can look forward to it knowing you’ll be getting as much money back from the government as possible.

Filed Under: Green Living Budgets Tagged With: , ,

Benefits of Online Shopping

December 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Many women enjoy shopping. In fact, one recent study showed that the average women spends three whole years of her life shopping for clothes, food, accessories and other household goods. However, there are many benefits to avoiding the stores and making your purchases online instead.

First, online shopping is extremely convenient because it allows customers to shop from the comfort of their home. Purchased items can be shipped to almost any location and generally arrive within a week. For rush orders, items can be received overnight. The prices for items purchased online are generally comparable to what you find in a retail store. However, many online retailers also offer the opportunity to enter a discount code or coupon code during check out to receive extra savings such as free shipping or 10% off of the entire order. A quick online search for a special offer code will bring up lists of websites that maintain these discounts and coupons. These extra offers are usually not available in stores. In addition, online purchases are often exempt from sales tax, which will provide additional savings to the shopper.

Online shopping is also a great way to avoid crowded stores. It saves on gas and other travel costs. When you shop online, you don’t need to worry about an item being out of stock in your size or favorite color. If you find something unavailable at one store, you can easily shop at another. In fact, some websites will even compare the same item in a variety of stores to make sure that you get the best price. Finally, online shopping can make it easy to buy and send gifts to friends and loved ones for birthdays, holidays and other special occasions. Many online stores will even gift wrap the package for no additional cost.

Filed Under: Green Living Budgets Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Discover the Many Benefits of a Prepaid Card in Emergencies

December 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Prepaid credit cards are used to make a payment that is within a specified limit. These cards are also known as secured credit cards. Prepaid credit cards are just like any other credit card, except they have a fixed expenditure limit. A security deposit made by the account holder determines the maximum expenditure limit of the credit card.

There are numerous benefits of a prepaid card. It is quite easy to get started with and use. All you have to do is deposit your money into an account linked to the credit card. The card becomes just like any other credit card out there, ready to be swiped and used. Using a prepaid credit card also protects you form falling into debt, since you are limiting your spending. It helps you keep tabs on how much you are able to spend, as well as how much you have spent.

You can use a prepaid credit card especially in cases of emergencies. Instead of being an actual line of credit, the card is your own money, stored on the card and ready to be used in emergency situations. If your card is running low, you can easily reload it from your bank account. If you are in an emergency situation and you can’t get to an ATM, but you can access your account online and put money on the prepaid card, then you have immediate “cash” on hand. This type of card is accepted in most places, which makes it convenient in cases of emergencies. Furthermore, you have the added benefit in having protection of your money in the event you lose your card. Instead of loosing a wad of cash, your lost card has the same protections of regular credit cards. In emergencies, this could make all the difference and provides you with peace of mind.

Filed Under: Green Living Budgets

Finding the Best Deals Online

December 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment
SWANSEA, WALES - NOVEMBER 26: Staff at the Am...
Image by Getty Images via @daylife

I simply love finding the best deals online! I get a certain kind of thrill out of finding a bargain and knowing I just got a really great deal. It takes a little bit of work, but you really can find some awesome deals out there on the internet. Here are some tips I use to find the best deals.

1. I search a lot of sites. I’ll go to many different online stores that offer the same product and price compare. I never buy at the first shop. Check out the competitors and you’ll likely find a better price for that dress, ceiling fan, or throw rug you really want.

2. I look to other people. There are a ton of bargain shoppers out there on the internet and many of them share their ideas. I have bookmarked some of my favorite “deal” sites and I check every day to see what kind of specials are out there. I really like looking at other people’s websites because it saves me the hassle of doing the research.

3. I wait for holidays. Around the holidays, there are always great deals. I like to make a list throughout the year of things I really want and then I wait for the Cyber Monday and after Christmas sales. You can save literally hundreds of dollars this way!

Some may think I have an addiction to online shopping. Sometimes I think my husband would like to check me into rehab or have me go to TheCyn.com. But honestly, I save so much money every month on our family budget by being a bargain shopper and looking for the best deals. And since I shop online, we are saving money on gas and transportation as well. So it might look like I’m a little crazy to some people, but I’m really a winner when it comes to saving money.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Green Living Budgets Tagged With: , ,

How To Host A Party On a Budget

December 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Orange juice.
Image via Wikipedia

With an economy that is less than fruitful, going out is not always easy. Hosting a party in your home can be just as much fun without breaking the bank. Here are some simple steps to help you plan a budget friendly party that is sure to be a blast.

1. Use decorations from a discount store. Dollar stores always have items like wrapping paper, small candles, and other items that can be used to inexpensively decorate your dinner table or the rest of the home. Wrapping paper makes a great tablecloth that when the party is over you can throw the entire mess out.

2. Pick a theme. Picking a theme adds another element of fun to your party, but also allows you to find creative ways to add to your decor. A halloween party can have candy in bowls as decoration or even little pumpkins. Decorate pine cones for a fall party.

3. Make a budget prior to purchasing any items. Make sure that you know how much you can spend and what part you need to earmark for food, decorations, and miscellaneous items.

4. Do not serve alcohol. Instead, make your own specialty drink using less expensive ingredients like soda and fruit juice. It will add a special touch to your party and alcohol can be very expensive.

5. Serve food items that are less expensive at that time of year. A fruit basket made of in season fruit can be a popular dish. Check out the grocery ads the week before your party to plan a meal around what is on sale.

Sticking to a budget can help you to create a party that is free of stress and enjoyable for all of your attendees. The more you save, the more parties you can host in the future!

Enhanced by Zemanta
Filed Under: Green Living Budgets Tagged With: , , , , , , ,