Leap Year Savings!

She's LEAPING, get it?
She’s LEAPING, get it?

Leap Year… who came up with that? (Pope Gregory, actually.) An extra day every four years is just…weird, somehow. But also kind of fun. When I was a kid, a friend’s mom had her birthday on February 29th. She REALLY enjoyed telling people she was only 12 years old!

That extra day – February 29th – is coming up this Monday, and retailers and restaurants are having a little fun offering Leap Year/Leap Day deals. Some offers are for everybody, and some just for Leap-ers. Some are only valid Monday, others give you time. So, call ahead. Let’s take a look!

  • Great American Cookies: Free Cookie Cake
  • Hard Rock Cafe: Free entrée
  • Honeybaked Ham: Free or discounted sandwich
  • Krispy Kreme: Discount on second dozen donuts
  • Olive Garden: Free dessert
  • Starbucks: $29 off $100 order
  • Tropical Smoothie Café: $2.29 smoothie, regular $4.49
  • McAlister’s Deli: Free cookies
  • Dollar General:  $5 off orders of $50
  • Foot Locker: 15% off of $70 purchase
  • Lands’ End: 20% off swimwear
  • Lane Bryant: $35 off online purchases of $150 or more, free shipping
  • Lids: Free shipping on orders of $50 or more
  • OshKosh B’gosh: Save 25% off orders of $40 or more
  • Verizon: $50 off select smartphones

These are just a few of the bargains on and around February 29th. Be sure to check out “Celebrate Leap Day with these 55 deals and discounts!” From money dude Clark Howard. And grab those Leap Day deals, or you’ll miss out until 2020!

How about you? Any big Leap Day plans? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Avoiding Money Mistakes

dueling piggiesIt’s a common theme that you hear repeated by the personal finance gurus – and the anxious folks who call them up on their radio shows: Why don’t they teach this stuff?

I think that life gets complicated, and the simplest lessons, such as “Don’t buy stuff you can’t afford,” get lost in the hustle.

So it’s helpful when somebody – MoneyTalksNews, in this case – types up a list of common money mistakes. We have all made a few of these. For instance, I waited YEARS to take advantage of my employers 401K matching, and I am still catching up! Others, I finally caught on; I haven’t bought a new car in years, and I try to pay off my credit cards every month. But, your mileage will vary, as they say.

So what are some common money mistakes? Here are a few:

  • Keeping up with friends
  • Letting indulgences become habits
  • Signing up and spacing out (Your first month is free. After that…)
  • Buying a new car
  • Buying almost anything else new
  • Paying interest on credit cards
  • Ignoring your employer’s 401(k) match
  • Borrowing to buy stuff that loses value
  • Chasing credit card rewards
  • Living with no emergency fund
  • Letting bank fees drain your accounts
  • Raiding your retirement savings

Fortunately, this article not only identifies the traps, it also offers some useful how-to for making smart money moves instead. But again, it’s not always quick and easy. It takes time and discipline. Anyway, check it out!

So, I told you a few of the money mistakes I made – mostly when I was younger. How about you? Did you make a few? How did you climb out of it? What did you learn? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Restaurant Loyalty Clubs

ID-100275125How about a little Pro and Con on loyalty clubs? They  are everywhere, from the gas station to retail to restaurants. You sign up, give them your email address, and watch the bargains roll in. And roll in, and roll in. The tagline should be, “If you like saving, but you like getting a ton of emails even more – join the club!!”

I get easily frustrated with these clubs, because it seems like they flood you with offers like BOGO’s or “$10 off of a $50 purchase”… right when you join. They hit you with way more offers than you can use before they expire. Then, the offers – the GOOD ones – slow down to a trickle. Or, it seems like the offers you get are announcements about sales that anybody could enjoy. In other words, they are just advertisements. They have your email address now, and that was really the point all along.

On the other hand… FREE STUFF. Free is free, whether or not the deals continue into the infinite future. If you get tired of it, you can always opt out of the club, unless you are too lazy (and by YOU, I mean ME.)  So they can be good fun while they last.

In case you are loyalty-inclined, here are a few current restaurant loyalty offers, as reported in MoneyTalksNews.com. Sign up and receive…

  • IHOP: Free pancakes
  • TGI Fridays: Free app, or dessert, and a “jump to the head of the line” in the waiting area.
  • Joe’s Crab Shack: Free app
  • Del Taco: Free chicken taco and birthday shake
  • Sbarro: Free slice, birthday surprise
  • Zaxby’s: Meal deal, birthday app
  • Qdoba: Free chips ‘n salsa or drink
  • Chili’s: Free menu item
  • Krispy Kreme: Free doughnut

More deals and links at the original article. So, are you in the club, or are you in several? Which are your faves, and why? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great weekend!

Photo: freedigitalphotos.net/stockimages

Arguing Over Money

money fightCouples and money. Yikes, right? Various studies tell us what many of us already know: disagreements over our finances lead to more fights than disagreements over kids, sharing the chores, work or friends. Another study says that couples who fight over finances once a week are twice as likely to divorce as those who fight once a month.

What is the answer? Well, money issues never seem to go away, so maybe we should get used to that, and try to find ways to deal constructively with each other.

Money dude Dave Ramsey has a few ideas on the topic in an article entitled “14 Things Only Couples Understand about Money.” In it, he suggests that some of the things that bug us about our significant other in the finance department are universal – everybody deals with them. Others are unique to our situations, but if we can recognize them, we can deal with them without it turning ugly. Here are some highlights…

  • Money disagreements will happen
  • Compromise is key
  • Timing is everything.(As in, don’t try to have a serious discussion about money when you’re angry, or time is short.)
  • Play to each other’s strengths.(Dave is big on there being one “fun” person and one “nerd” in each couple, to balance each other out in the finance department.)
  • Be each other’s accountability partner
  • Occasional splurges: If you up save for them, they are good stress-relievers.
  • Vacations: You NEED to get away sometimes. Just be sure to save up for them.
  • Getting rid of debt takes some serious cooperation
  • Getting on the same page about money takes time!

Even when you know these things, it can be hard. I guess teamwork is key, and knowing that you aren’t the first couple to deal with this stuff. Anyway, there are more thoughts and tips at the original piece, so check it out.

How about you? Did you ever deal with this stuff? How did you handle it? What did you learn about yourself and your partner? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Valentine’s Day by the Numbers 2016

valentine bucksWell, the Valentine’s Day statistics are in, and retailers would like to thank the 55% of you who are taking part. Valentine’s Day spending continues the slow climb it has made since the 2008 crash. This year’s $19 billion will be up 3% from last year, and a new record. Part of that increase, they say, is that V-day is on the weekend this year. For some reason, that leads to extra spending. Why do you think that is?

Each year the National Retail Federation does the tally, and the results are reported far and wide. Here, then, is “Valentine’s Day by the Numbers 2016!”

What are we buying?

  • Jewelry $4.5 billion
  • Evening out, $4.4 billion
  • Flowers, $2 billion

Who are we buying for?

  • 89% spouse or significant other
  • 61% kids, parents, and other family
  • 25% friends

Where are we buying it?  

  • 35% Department Store
  • 31% Discount Store
  • 28% Online

Spending by Region

  • Northeasterners spend $146
  • Southerners spend $129
  • Westerners spend $120
  • Midwesterners spend $111

Spending by Age  

  • 25 to 34’s spend the most at $177
  • 65-plus’ spend the least at $80

Spending by Category (if you buy these things, here’s what you spend)

  • Jewelry: $156
  • Evening Out: $72
  • Clothes: $71
  • Flowers: $37
  • Candy: $21
  • Cards: $13
  • Gift Cards: $13

And, my favorite statistic:

75% of us say not to get us anything, but only 25% mean it!

Beware, gentlemen, that last one is REAL! So, what are YOUR Valentine’s day plans? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and Happy Valentine’s Day!

Source, source, source, source, source

Get Your Free Stuff!

free stuffAs a MindField Online member, you’re probably pretty savvy when it comes to saving, surveys, rebates, couponing, and free stuff in general. If not, here are few ideas from MoneyTalksNews.com for grabbing those sweet, sweet freebies. Some are classics, and some have a new spin – many having to do with online resources and new technology. Take a look, read the original piece, and then try out a few of the links provided. Yay, free stuff!

  • House Parties: This field has expanded – It’s not just Tupperware and Pampered Chef these days!
  • “Swap Sites” allow you to set up lists of stuff you have and stuff you want to get rid of. To paraphrase George Carlin, “Why is everybody else’s stuff junk, and all your junk is stuff?”
  • Free samples: of stuff! Cosmetics are big on these.
  • Free-after-rebate sites: You have to buy it, you have to mail it in, and you have to wait. But it might be worth it!
  • Health freebies: Prevention is big these days. Often, you can avoid co-pays for preventative doctor visits. And there always seems to be a Free Screening of some kind at every weekend event.
  • Other health care freebies: My mom has done this for years – asking for free drugs at the doctor’s office!
  • Free fitness: Find a diet or fitness plan, free places to work out and exercise, even free trainers!
  • Free classes: From free language courses, to how-to classes at Home Depot, and beyond!
  • Free phone calls: Conserve your data with Skype.com! Me, I use the NON-video option so I don’t have to look presentable
  • Free Books: It’s not just the public library that offers free books these days – there are online options available as well!

Here are some links to some potentially useful Freebie sites:

How about you? Are you big on freebies? Is the work you put into them worth it? Have you found some good ones we missed? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!

Super Bowl by the Numbers 2016

superbowlconsumeWell, I finally got my answer… The Super Bowl has always used Roman numerals. So, for the past few years it’s been XLVIII, XLIX, and so on. And I wondered, what will they call it when they hit fifty – “Super Bowl L”? That’s stupid!

Welcome to “Super Bowl 50.”

Whether we love the teams, or love the game, or the commercials, or the Puppy Bowl, we will be tuning in to the Big Game this Sunday, right after the 14-hour pregame show. 190 million of us will be huddled around a TV somewhere, watching, screaming and consuming everything in sight. Where will we be? What will we eat and drink? How much will we spend? It’s all here in Super Bowl by the Numbers, 2015!

  • 189 million: number of US television viewers (up 5 mill from last year)
  • $15.5 billion: total spending for food, party supplies, team wear, etc.
  • $82: the average spent per person (up 4 mill from last year)
  • PARTIES! 18% will throw one, 29% will attend one
  • $140 million spent on potato chips (top snack)
  • 1.3 billion chicken wings will be consumed. That’s, like, 650 million wingless chickens!
  • BOOZE! 53% drink beer, 27% wine, 24% hard liquor
  • 8.6 million people bought a new TV for Super Bowl 50
  • 79% see the TV commercials as part of the fun

Being a Bengals fan, I am used to feeling a little case of the what-ifs at Super Bowl time. This year, after that last Pittsburgh game, Cincy fans get to feel a big dose of embarrassment and shame, too! Good news: Steelers receiver Antonio Brown is up and around and talking smack, so I guess he recovered from that brutal 4th quarter hit from Vontaze Burfict!

So what are your plans for Super Bowl? Having friends over? How much will you spend on snacks (and BEER!)? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page, and have a great Super Bowl weekend!

Your Best Deals for February

february dealsJanuary is certainly one of the big “best-buy” months, but there are still good deals to be found in cold, boring February. The post-holiday “everything must go” still lingers. The big Consumer Electronics Show has transpired in Vegas, which immediately determines what’s hot (and not) for the techies. And, of course, the price of anything romantic will drop after Valentine’s Day. In general, winter items are a good deal, and timely: you still need them, yet the retailers are trying to make room for the spring stuff!

So, what’s hot – and NOT – in February deals? Here are the bullet points, followed by some helpful links. Check ‘em out!

Get it!

  • Winter Clothing
  • Jewelry, Flowers, Perfume (AFTER Valentines Day, of course!)
  • Mattresses
  • Humidifiers
  • Indoor Furniture
  • Wedding Supplies
  • Travel
  • Tax Software
  • Presidents Day Sales
  • Broadway Tickets
  • Skis and Snowboards

Forget it!

  • Mattresses
  • Smartphones
  • Eyeglasses
  • Suitcases
  • Refrigerators

Link it!

One more possible deal for February: Chipotle! Apparently, the health scares are over, and they want you back. There will be good deals, even freebies, at Chipotle in February, including Super Bowl deals. So, if you are feeling adventurous…

So, what’s on your spending agenda for February? Let us know over at the MindField Online Facebook page!