With the economy slowly re-bounding, the holidays can be a stressful time of year for those struggling financially. There are some easy ways that you can cut down on your holiday expenses without your family feeling the tightening of the purse strings. After all, you want to create memories you will cherish forever, and fortunately, memories don’t cost a thing!

 
5. Start shopping now
Start making lists of what you are going to buy now, and keep your eyes out for sales on those items. Not only can you save some money by purchasing things on sale, but you will be spreading your holiday spending out over several months so your budget won’t feel it so hard in December.

4. Use the Internet
Driving all over town to find the best deal isn’t necessarily a deal. You waste time and valuable (and expensive) gasoline looking for a savings of a dollar. Instead use sites like amazon and Froogle to order your gifts. Around the holidays many sites also offer free shipping which saves money too!

3. Use a cash-back or rewards credit card
Now of course if you don’t immediately pay off the credit card you aren’t actually saving the money because you will be paying interest. So instead of writing checks or paying cash, let the money build up in your checking account, use a credit card to purchase the gifts and immediately pay it off. If you are following step 5, hopefully your rewards will come in time for you to finish up any last minute Christmas shopping.

2. Look for deals at discount stores such as Big Lots and TJ Maxx
These stores carry name-brand things and often times have hit toys and fashion items. Sure you won’t find this year’s HOT toy there, but if they want something that’s been around for a while you can usually find it at a store such as this with a good discount.

1. Change the way you exchange gifts
As I’ve grown up all of the adults in my family have continued to exchange gifts. So I end up spending $25 on everyone buying them something they dont’ really want, and then in exchange I get back $25 worth of stuff I don’t really want. It’s nice to exchange gifts with my loved ones but I’ve often thought it’s a bit of a weird situation. This year we plan to all draw a name, and that’s who we buy a present for. Instead of going out and spending $25 on something they don’t’ really want I can talk to the person who’s name I drew, get a good idea for some things actually on their list and maybe spend $50 on a really good credit. Since I won’t be buying for the other 8 people I’m still saving $175 and people will get gifts they actually enjoy.

The holidays can be a stressful time for people on a strict budget, but with a few shortcuts here and there you can save some money and still have an amazing holiday season with your family!
Cheryl Smith is a health and family blogger with a particular interest in saving money. She is also a contributing writer for Policy Expert, a site which offers families the protection they need.

5 Ways to Cut Back on Expenses Over the Holidays is a post from: Five DC

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Buying a home can be a nerve-racking time.  Especially in this tough economic climate.  There is a lot of stress associated with it and at the end of the day you hope you make the right decision.

There are some factors that play in the decision making.  How much you earn on a monthly basis, how much you have saved for your down deposit and closing costs, and your existing debt and credit worthiness.  This will help determine whether a bank or lender will be willing to lend you the remaining 80%.

The good news is that you are no longer giving your money away as rent.  Buying a home is an investment and one where you can walk away with a profit when you sell it.  But make sure you are going to live there for 3-4 years as the costs of buying and selling means that you could lose money if you move before then.  And if its under 2 years you will be liable for capital gains tax on any profit you make.  So consider how motivated you are to stay in the house – ask yourself whether  your job is settled or are you likely to be moved?

Prices vary across the country.  If in your area monthly rent costs are on average 35% lower than your anticipated monthly mortgage payment, then it makes sense to continue renting.  In this situation you would do better to wait until home prices come down, or rents increase.

If the time is right to buy then organize your finances.  Make sure your credit report is up to date and get errors removed.  Determine how much mortgage can I afford?  Use a mortgage calculator to figure this out.  Then get pre approved by a lender.  Save enough cash to pay for your down deposit and closing costs.  The deposit is usually 20% of the cost of the home – although this figure can be lower if you can get a government type of loan such as FHA or Fannie May.

Government Loans to Reduce You Deposit. is a post from: Five DC

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As the next election year draws closer, topics on politics and party divisions become more common, heated and stronger. And while this is relatively thematic, it actually detracts from and mitigates the opportunity for dialectic exchange, which is important today, possibly more now than ever before. There is a tremendous amount of importance placed on creating a winning argument and defeating your opponent. While that has its place, it is also contrary to creating a greater understanding of issues and finding new comprehensive answers. Finding a common ground between party divisions sounds like an impossible task, and people have been called traitors or sympathizers simply for suggesting it. However, it’s essential to progress, which is essential to healing this great nation.

But how do we go about having a respectful dialogue, when everyone seems to be so full of blame, anger, fear and resentment? It’s not enough that the economy is in such dire straights, or that we’re about to honor the victims of 9/11 on this 10th anniversary of the tragedy. What do financial advisors, money mutual Montel Williams, suggest will help bridge the divide? Well, expert opinions vary, though a thorough understanding of the opponent’s position is essential for many reasons.

One of the easiest ways to gain respect and an understanding of your adversary is to consider the relative nature of politics as well as culture and economic history. This includes the reality that the two main political parties are actually a bit more transient and fluid than most people realize. Most of the uber conservative right wing Republican voter base has no idea that their beloved GOP was once the liberal domain of the poor majority. And even more surprising, to some though not all, is the reality that when the major substantiation of political parties began to take place, their  political philosophies were entirely reversed. Interestingly, they have done an almost complete 90 degree switch in the past century and some odd years.

During the Civil War, the Republican Party came into its existence, and Abraham Lincoln was the first elected Republican president. The party arose from socially progressive minded individuals and former members of the Whigs. It was primarily composed of a poor farmer population from the North, and was formed primarily as a strong response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The rich, Confederate, plantation owners from the South composed the Democratic Party and they were against the civil rights, progressive, social service, equal rights for all agenda of the Republicans. In dealing with the economic and political crisis of today, a simple look at money mutual reviews will tell us it’s wise to remember we once stood in the others’ shoes. Let’s try it again.

Those Liberal Republicans is a post from: Five DC

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As a 20 something, you probably have a growing number of things that you are slowly beginning to check of your lifetime “to-do” list one by one. This is an exciting time, but it can be slightly nerve-racking financially as well. You are starting a new career, likely paying off student loan debt and now you are thinking of buying your first home. There is a lot to be excited about and as long as you do your research and find a house that fits your budget, this is one more item you can confidently check off your list, but before that can happen you need to take the time to be sure you are well informed of your choices. If you follow these tips, you may find that the whole process is a little less daunting.

First off, it’s time to face the cold hard facts. The days of 100% financing on a home that is guaranteed to double in value within five years are over, and by the looks of it, they are not coming back anytime soon. Financing is harder to come by and the market is over supplied with homes. Homes once upon a time sold easily in 90 days or less. But many who are trying to sell homes on the market today are finding that this is not the case anymore. The current state of the housing market has both benefits and drawbacks for first time home buyers like you. As long as you are aware of the current market situation and what it means before purchasing a new home this can actually work to your favor.

Tip #1: What you can get financing on is not the same as what you can afford.
The rule of thumb is that your total housing costs should not exceed 28% of your total monthly take home pay. This rule was routinely broken several years ago, and because of this many people have lost their homes. The economy is not great right now, and the prospect of getting laid off is very real. It is important that as a first time home buyer, you do not overextend your means. Do not buy a home on the anticipation that a raise is soon to come. You never know what may happen, but you don’t want to bet your house on it. To find out exactly what you can afford, you may want to use one of the many online mortgage calculators to see what your monthly payment would need to be in order to not drain all your income. Remember there will be certain unexpected costs that will come up, like repairs, additions, remodeling and of course home owner’s insurance, that you will want to have money put aside for. It’s easy to fall in love with a house and think “I’ll figure the payments out somehow,” so it is a good idea to figure out what you can actually afford before you even start looking around.

Tip #2:  Get pre-approved before shopping for your first home.
This will save both you and your agent time. By knowing what a bank is willing to loan you can limit your search to only properties you can receive financing for. This will also alert you to any problems that might come up. It is best to know about any credit problems early on in the process. This will allow you to address those problems while simultaneously looking for a new home. However, you really want to look around and not go with the very first loan you see. Of course, it may be easier to go with whatever your normal bank is, but be sure that you are getting the best loan for your money. Do not overlook the fine print. Be sure you know all the fees and penalties for late payments.

Tip #3 Make sure it’s a neighborhood you love.
It seems like common sense, but buy a home you love in an area you love! It is very likely that you will be in this home for at least five years. The days of buying and flipping are through. While a home is still an investment, it is not a short term investment. You should plan on living in your new home and not looking to trade up as soon as possible. Along these same lines, be prepared to check out many homes in the area you love. With the Internet at everyone’s fingertips, buying a home is much different than it once was in our parent’s generation. In the past you had to rely on an agent to show you properties or drive around looking for “for sale” signs. Now you can enter a simple search for your area and see hundreds of homes. Be selective, make a list of your favorites and then make calls to view the homes from there. Generally, if you are motivated it’s realistic to find your new home within as little as 2 weeks. Remember, yes you want to look around and be a smart shopper, but when you find that perfect home, be happy with it and stop looking. With so many listings in your reach, it’s easy to get caught up looking even after you’ve gotten settled. Look at it this way, if you met your soul mate on a dating sight, should you really still be looking to see what else is out there? Okay, it might be a bit of a stretch, but you get the general idea.

Tip #4: Once you’ve got it, insure it!
When you do take on a mortgage, it’s necessary for you to get home owners insurance. What you should do however is look for a policy that also covers contents insurance. This essentially covers all the “movable parts” of your home (think furniture, televisions, computers etc.). After taking on the added cost of a mortgage, the last thing you want to worry about is how to replace your belongings in case an emergency happens. You may at first glance write it off as unnecessary or costly, but in the long run, contents insurance can save you a lot of money.

The current market is not all bad. Because of the oversupply of homes on the market prices are falling. As a result, you can afford more house than you could have four years ago. This is an extremely exciting time in your life, do your research and jump in!

Tips For the First Time Home Buyer is a post from: Five DC

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Newt Gingrich appeared on Meet the Press for the first time after announcing his run for the 2012 Presidential Election. Watch Gingrich defend himself against the meritless accusations of which he been the target of recently. On the program Gingrich discusses his stand on healthcare and the direction that he hopes to take this country if he is elected. Watch the video below.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Newt Gingrich stands strong on Meet the Press is a post from: Five DC

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Mike Huckabee and Donald Trump announced this week that they will not be campaigning for the GOP nomination for the 2012 Presidential Election. Both Huckabee and Trump has instead chosen to continue with their personal careers. Huckabee will continue to host his popular Fox television program; Trump plans to focus on his many business and television program as well. With the loss of two these popular potential candidates Michele Bachmann recently commented that she might be driven to run for the sake of the Republican Party.

via Fox News (1) (2), LA Times

Huckabee and Trump will not be campaigning for 2012 Election is a post from: Five DC

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With the 2012 Presidential Elections quickly approaching one issue that is guaranteed to be a hot topic is the current debt crisis. Our fellow Republicans in the Senate have tried to resolve the debt crisis, and we even came close to a government shutdown but the problem has not yet been solved. For many Americans the National Debt is this mysterious number just floating around somewhere ,but the current National Deficit is a real problem and one that must be addressed immediately by our government. The Democrats, including the President, have shown that they don’t have the resolve to make the hard decisions like reducing spending, instead they rather live in a dream world where the money never stops flowing. I’d like to draw your attention for a moment to the U.S. National Debt Clock.

Our External Debt to GDP ratio has already reached 100%, which means unless we reduce government spending there is no way or debt will decrease. Now China’s External Debt to GDP ratio is only 5%. What does that mean? Well let me educate you, it means that China might even be debt free soon and guess who owns many of the United States’ assets. That’s right, China. My fellow Americans, money doesn’t grow on trees it’s time to stop pretending. It’s time to reclaim our country from foreign interests and the ineptitude of the Democrats. My fellow Republicans, I urge you to take a long look at the National Debt Clock, and realize there is only one political party that can rescue us from this mess. The good news is that you are already member of that party.

View the U.S. National Debt Clock here

The U.S. National Debt Clock is a post from: Five DC

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Newt Gingrich, as promised, officially announced today on his Facebook and Twitter accounts his run for Presidency in the 2012 elections.  As part of his official campaign Gingrich launched a new website where his supports can follow and donate to his campaign here. As of this posts people can also view the solutions that Gingrich has put forth for improving the country. Gingrich has also posted the first six states that he plans to visit for his campaign.

Newt Gingrich Officially announces run for 2012 Presidency is a post from: Five DC

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Jon Huntsman recently told fellow Republicans that he is considering campaigning for the GOP presidential race for 2012. Huntsman stated that he has yet to decide if he is going to try to secure a nomination from the GOP for 2012, but he claims he will reach a decision by the end of the month. Huntsman just having left office as the 9th US Ambassador to China on April 30th would be a strong contender for the the 2012 GOP nomination.

Jon Huntsman to run for President in 2012? is a post from: Five DC

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Mitt Romney has announced that he will speak on the healthcare issue on Thursday May, 12, 2011 at University of  Michigan Cardiovascular Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Romney also intends to speak  in Iowa on the 27th. Romney has said that he will speak on how he intends to “repeal and replace Obamacare”.  Perhaps presidential hopeful, Mitt Romney will have more luck repealing the Job-Killing Health Care Bill.

Mitt Romney to speak on Healthcare is a post from: Five DC

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