Trap #1: The Refund Anticipation Loan

If you’re tight on cash this holiday season you may be tempted to look for money in unusual places. One of those places could be a Refund Anticipation Loan. These are loans based on what you expect to get back from the government after filing your taxes next year. It may seem like a good idea to get the cash around Christmastime when you actually need it, but these loans often come with high fees and plenty of interest. Avoid falling in this trap and steer away from Refund Anticipation Loans.

Trap #2: No Interest for a Year

Lots of stores may be offering credit cards that let you buy your Christmas presents without having to pay interest for a few months or even years. Avoid the “no interest” trap this holiday season because you’ll end up putting yourself in a bad position when it comes time to pay up. And if you don’t pay the balance in full before your special offer ends, you’ll likely be stuck with huge interest fees.

Trap #3: Gifts for Everyone!

You may be tempted to buy anyone and everyone a gift this Christmas. From co-workers to hair stylists, everyone ends up on your gift list. Scale back this year and try to spend less. People will understand if you don’t buy them a gift– they may even be glad because they won’t feel pressure to return the favor.

Trap #4: Paying with Credit

Whether you’ve started saving for Christmas gifts or not, it’s definitely not too late to commit to paying cash for presents this year. Don’t use your credit cards as a crutch to get you through Christmas. If you can’t pay for a present with cash– don’t buy it. No gifts are worth going into debt for.

Trap #5: I Want That

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the commercialism and materialism of Christmas. After all, that’s what corporations spend millions of dollars on each year. Fight that tendency and focus on what the holidays are all about– family, friends and faith. Make this the Christmas that you give more than you’ve ever given in terms of serving and loving others.

But an article on Beliefnet brings up a good point– what about the hypocrisy of Christians who continue to purchase BeBe’s album. The album still holds the #1 spot on the Gospel album charts. It’s also #5 on the R&B/Hip Hop chart and #24 on the Billboard Top 200.

It’s pretty obvious that we as Christians may not want to spend our money on albums containing explicit content or x-rated movies. But what about spending your money to support a Christian artist accused of beating his wife? Our dollars and the way we spend them says a lot about who we are– and perhaps Christians often forget that. We may still buy a knock-off handbag and forget that the money supports terrorism. We may buy clothing without stopping to think about whether it was made in a sweat shop at the hands of little kids.

So how does it work– do we forgive BeBe for his mistakes and continue to buy his albums, but refuse to buy secular albums by artists who are sinners too? Do we as Christians think enough about how we spend our money and what that says about us?

Free Christmas Music: Head to Amazon.com to download this free Classical Christmas Album. It features songs like “The Nutcracker Suite” and “The Messiah.”

Free Fruit Bar: There’s a coupon for a free Sun-Rype FruitSource Bar at GNC.com. It looks like you can use the coupon in the store until the end of the year.

Free Diapers: There are two free diaper samples to take advantage of right now. Get a free sample of Pampers Extra Protection courtesy of Walmart. You can also get a free sample of Kirkland Diapers from Costco.

Free Sears Photo Montage: Just in time for the holidays, take your family to Sears for a free Classic Montage, worth $29.99. Plus you’ll pay no sitting fee which is another $14.99 savings. This could make a great gift for family or friends.

Free Applebee’s for Veterans: On November 11, veterans will be honored for their service with free food from Applebee’s. Veterans who show proof that they are a veteran or active duty will be able to choose between one of six free meals.

Free Cane for Veterans: Veterans can head to Sam’s Club on November 11 to pick up a free Hugo folding cane worth $29.99. You do not have to be a member of Sam’s Club to take advantage of this deal, but you may be required to show proof of your military service.

$10,000 Savings: Getting Multiple Quotes

It took a long time before we found the right person to do the electrical work. The person with the best price didn’t have the ability to pull permits in our city. After that we received several quotes that were way out of our price range– including one that was over $10,000. Finally after at least a half dozen tries we found a great guy for the job. He’s reliable, trustworthy and a very hard worker. On top of that his price was the lowest which ended up saving us thousands of dollars.

$1,000 Savings: Asking for a Discount

We got two quotes for putting spray foam insulation into our attic. Both quotes came in within a couple hundred dollars of each other. I followed up with each, explained the situation and asked if there was any negotiating on the price. One company said no, the other offered a 20% discount that cut the price by about $1,000. Not bad for just asking!

$100 Savings: Coupons

I don’t hide the fact that I love coupons. But it seemed like Home Depot and Lowe’s coupons could be hard to come by. Then I found out that both Home Depot and Lowe’s accept competitor coupons which means any hardware stores in the area that have coupons will be accepted there. As soon as I realized this I started seeing coupons all over the place– online, in my mailbox and in a bunch of magazines I subscribe to. It can be a little bit of a pain because you can only use one coupon per transaction so if you’ve got a lot of small coupons such as $5 off $25 purchase it may take you a while to check out. But it’s definitely worth the savings.

More Savings: Sell What You Find

When we were cleaning out attic we found four antique wooden mirrors, an antique wood door, a neat oil lamp shade, and dozens of linocut newspaper printing blocks from the 1930s. We’ll probably end up selling some of these treasures which will help pay for at least a shower head. Be careful with what you remove from your renovation space because some of it may be valuable! And anyone who has gone through a renovation knows you need lots of cash to get through it.

First, spend a little cash for regular maintenance. Doing this will help prevent trouble down the road which can cost a fortune. DriverSide says only about 41 percent of car owners follow the manufacturer’s service schedule. DriverSide offers repair estimates, information on your car’s value, advice from mechanics and helps you figure out what may be wrong with your vehicle. Another helpful website is RepairPal. This site gives you repair estimates to help you avoid high prices that those shops might be trying to charge you. I typed in the make and model of my car and it brought up a huge list of any repairs you could think of from brakes to air conditioning. RepairPal showed me an estimated repair price.

Second, don’t get unnecessary oil changes. Some say you need one every 3,000 miles; however, most newer cars can go 5,000 to 10,000 miles between one. Check the owner’s manual for more information.

Third and maybe the most obvious, find an honest repair shop. I usually take the advice of a friend and go to someone that they recommend. Unfortunately, many mechanics and even dealerships will try and charge you more than is needed. A recent study found that dealers charge an average of 30 percent more than independent shops. A great resource is AAA’s website, says CBS Money Watch. You can find shops that are part of AAA’s Approved Auto Repair Network. One piece of advice is to try out a repair shop with an oil change before you let them make repairs. See how they treat you. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau and see if there have been any complaints.

You can also shop around for deals. I’m always checking out our coupon packs that come in the mail for specials on tires, oil changes, brakes etc. Hop on the Internet and look around for local shops who might have some special coupons.

Free Medicine: For free medicine check out the Pfizer MAINTAIN Program. The Pfizer MAINTAIN Program provides free Pfizer medicines to qualified patients, delivered right to their home. The program was recently created to help the recently unemployed without insurance continue receiving their Pfizer medicines. You must apply for this program before December 31, 2009 and if you’re accepted you’ll receive free medicines for up to one year. You’re eligible if you’ve become unemployed since January 1, 2009, you were prescribed and have been taking Pfizer medicines for at least three months prior to enrolling in the program. You must also have no prescription coverage and must be able to attest to your financial hardship. To apply download this application and mail it in with proof of unemployment such as a state unemployment benefits letter, benefit check stub or your employer’s termination letter.

Kmart Savings: Save 20% off select store-brand merchandise at Kmart if you’re unemployed. Kmart customers must present a state-issued id and state-issued unemployment benefits enrollment confirmation in order to be a part of this program. You’ll get a discount card that you must show at checkout in order to get your discount. Cards will be issued through January 2010.

Free Healthcare: If you were laid off on or after March 31, 2009 you may be eligible to receive free healthcare from Walgreen’s Take Care Clinics. It’s called the Take Care Recovery Plan and it offers unemployed, uninsured people and their family members free limited primary health care and diagnostic testing. You must fill out this form and send it in along with a copy of your driver’s license and proof that you are receiving unemployment benefits.

Discounted Test Preparation: If you’re unemployed and looking to take the GRE or GMAT, you’ll get a discount in test preparation courses through PowerScore. The company needs proof of your unemployment in order to give the $50 off.

At a recent church service my pastor explained that our giving for this year has increased and membership continues to grow. We all know that the recession has affected most everyone; however, this study found that Americans are continuing to give. More than two-thirds of congregations in the study reported that their fundraising increased or remained the same earlier this year compared to last year.

Almost 37 percent of congregations reported an increase for the first half of 2009, compared to 2008. And another 34 percent reported steady giving. One thing that has helped churches is their creativity, such as giving aid to the homeless and emergency cash assistance to others. The study showed that congregations (or “growth congregations”) with $600,000 to $1 million in revenue, weekly attendance of more than 300, younger attendees and higher income families were more likely to report an increase in fundraising receipts.

Although the news of increased giving is encouraging, still 30 percent of congregations saw a decrease in giving earlier this year – 8.1 percentage points more than reported a decline in 2008. Those churches called “survival congregations”, which have a 10 percent or more drop in finances and attendance, were more likely to report a decline in giving. Other congregations that were likely to report a decrease are those with annual revenue of less than $150,000, weekly attendance of less than 100, older congregants and those with a lower average income.

Not all congregations are alike. Many are struggling to make ends meet, but many more are holding their own and growing, says the study.

OODC: How did you get started blogging and tweeting?

@IAmaMoneyMagnet: I started blogging in June 2008, a couple months after I discovered how much money could be saved by using coupons! I felt I had discovered something life changing and I wanted to share the fun with others! I am passionate about staying debt-free, saving, and spending wisely and blogging allows me to share that passion with others. I’m not exaggerating when I say coupons have changed my life. Our pantry is well stocked and I am able to give to others in ways I never imagined!

I took up tweeting in December 2008 and to be honest it took me some time to figure out what Twitter was all about. Now that I have the hang of it, I love it! Twitter is a great way to connect & network instantaneously with other like-minded people.

OODC:How much free stuff did you score last week?

@IAmaMoneyMagnet: Oh goodness! I would estimate that I scored at least 100 free items last week. It was an awesome week of Mega Event Deals at Kroger!

OODC:We know your blog must save you money, but does it make you money, too?

@IAmaMoneyMagnet: A little bit. Definitely not enough to quit my day job! Most of the blog earnings come through advertisers like Google Ad Sense and Project Wonderful. I also get a few cents when someone prints coupons through Coupons.com on my page. It’s not money, but I do occasionally receive free products in exchange for reviews.

OODC:What’s your best advice for those thinking of jumping into the coupon world?

@IAmaMoneyMagnet: Start slow-it takes time to learn the best prices and when to stock up on an item. I started by learning the ins and outs (coupon policies, how the registers worked, rewards program, etc) of one store at a time. Don’t stress if you don’t get every deal that comes along! Chances are it will come back around again. If you are saving more than you were before you started then you’re moving in the right direction!

OODC:What do you hope people get out of your Tweets and blog posts?

@IAmaMoneyMagnet: It is my hope that I can show others how easy it is to stretch their hard earned dollars!

OODC:Who are some of your favorite money tweeters?

@IAmaMoneyMagnet: @DrugStoreDivas, @CommnSenseMoney , @er1ca (of IHeartCVS.com), @deborahcraft, @KingdomFirstMom and many more!

Thanks again to Jamie (@IAmaMoneyMagnet) for being our Twitter Tuesday Profile this week! Want to be considered for an upcoming profile? Just tweet me!

Mission2Go: This site offers everything from how to fund a trip and a short-term mission packing list. It also has information on how to prepare spiritually through prayer, understanding your faith and your mental attitude.

206Tours: If you are interested in Catholic pilgrimages, take a look at 206Tours. The site describes pilgrimages as a personal invitation from God and a journey to a holy and sacred place. Trips listed on this website include Spain and Portugal, the shrines of Italy and Medjugorje, The Holy Land, Egypt, Jordan, Greece and others. On these trips professional Catholic guides are provided and Mass is attended.

Significant Living: If you are in your “Golden Years”, this one may be the right fit for you. It lists mission trips, other travel opportunities and discounted rates with a Christian focus.

Christian Travel Finder: Looking for help finding cruises and other vacations for Christian interests? This is a great resource for booking cruise tours that explore early Christianity and to book a visit to the Holy Land. A mission cruise, Cruise with a Cause,  is also coming in 2011.

See Jordan: This a one-stop shop to find tours and information about visiting Jordan. Click on specific links and you have tons of websites to help you book a vacation.

The Holy Land Experience: You don’t have to travel out the country to get a feel for the Holy Land. By traveling to Orlando, you can experience the Bible and way of living in ancient Jerusalem. It’s considered to be a living, historical, Biblical museum. Exhibits include The Great Temple, Jerusalem Street Market, Dead Sea Qumram Caves and many others.

Although the economy and things such as high unemployment levels are hitting many people, giving back to others is still important. TOMS Shoes is a great example of someone still trying to make a difference. In 2006, Blake Mycoskie was traveling in Argentina and was astounded at the amount of children without shoes on their feet. This year TOMS Shoes is hoping to hand out 300,000 pairs of shoes to those in other countries.

Along with buying a pair of shoes, you can also get involved in other ways. First, they are in need of interns year- round. How about hosting a style your sole party? Start off with a pair of white TOMS Shoes, grab some pens, markers and stencils and host a party where everyone can personalize their shoes. You can also join a TOMS Shoes Campus Club. When you’re on campus, you can set up TOMS Shoes events with a One for One movement at your school.

Shoes start at $44 with women’s, men’s and children’s sizes and geo-metric, tie-dye or glitter designs. You can purchase them online or find them in many large retail stores. It always feels good to give back to others and this is a simple and fun way to do it.