The Gift that keeps Giving: Make a Difference on a Tight Budget

A Mexican legend tells the story of a child who picked some weeds at the roadside to give to Baby Jesus on Christmas Eve, because he could not afford a gift. This humble gift given in love was acceptable in God's eyes, and when it was brought into the church it blossomed into red and green flowers - a poinsettia and a Christmas miracle.
(Source: Wikipedia)



You want to reach out and give back, but at the end of the month you find yourself with a measly $84.72 in your account after rent, groceries, and car payment. Can you make someone's holiday a little more special, even when you are struggling to make ends meet?

Today we finish our 3-part series on charitable giving, focusing on ways you can help without spending money.

Donate

*Give a worthy cause the gift of your time and volunteer! Soup kitchens, food and toy drives, and Habitat for Humanity are just a few places that are looking for extra help in many ways.

*Want to clear out some space in your closet? Donate your gently used clothes, books, dishes, and furniture to a local charity such as Goodwill. Go one step further and organize a clothing drive in your apartment building or neighborhood. MissChickie explains how she made this a success now three years running!

*Think about donating blood or placing your name on a living donor's list (e.g. bone marrow, etc.). Challenge friends and family members to do the same - hey, you may need the support if you're queasy about needles!

Give some holiday cheer

*Call up some friends and go caroling at a retirement home! Spend some time playing checkers, eating cookies, or just listening. Many elderly people feel alone during the holidays and you may be the only visit they get. Call the events coordinator at the home first to set up a convenient time.

*Costume up, grab some books and games, and head over to the pediatrics ward at your local hospital. Call the hospital administrator to set this up, as they probably wouldn't appreciate a surprise visit for the sake of their patients.

*Write your grandparents a proper letter; their generation appreciates these things more than you might realize.

*Cook a proper dinner for a new mom or dad in your family or circle of friends. Bring it to their home, and if it's convenient stick around for a visit. They may be starving for adult conversation!

Do you have any fun and inexpensive ideas? Share them here! We at ChickAdvisor want to encourage you to do something extra this year and make a difference in someone's life. It might be a small thing for you to give, but huge for the person on the receiving end.

Sweet Holiday Style for Cheap

Maiden Lane silver metal framed clutch, $45 CAD

There is so much pressure during the holidays to spend money. Not only do you shell out money you may or may not have for gifts for your nearest and dearest, you also end up spending a nice chunk dolling yourself up for all of those inevitable Christmas parties.

Abaeté for Payless Bayley d'Orsay Pump, $60 CAD

The problem with holiday wear is that it is so seasonal. Those sparkly tops and shiny fabrics are decidedly December and don't always work for the rest of the year. That's why we recommend going cheap with your Christmas wardrobe and accessories. Why spend $100 on a pair of shoes for Christmas when you can get something sweet for a lot less?

Abaeté for Payless Bing Clutch, $45 CAD

Payless is making it easy to doll up for cheap this year with their new holiday collection from Abaeté for Payless. The collection is designed by French born Laura Poretsky. She is a graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, has worked with Ralph Lauren, created her own sexy line of swimwear called James, and now designs for Abaeté. The collection is inspired by her rich international experiences living in Brazil, France and New York.

We think it's definitely worth a peek - especially online. For an even better deal, go to payless.com. Not only are the US prices about 50% less than these ones, they also have BOGO going on right now.

Abaeté for Payless Rose Ruffle Pump, $60 CAD

Over Pay? No Way!

I was watching NBC's Today Show this morning. They featured a piece called "5 Surprising Bargain-hunting Tips" that I thought were so good, I just had to share them! The best part is, it requires hardly any effort on your part.

1. Getting a big sales pitch in the store, but not sure if it's a good deal? Step away for a moment and dial 1-800-DO-FRUCALL (or search frucall.com) for a quickie price comparison over major retailers for the same item. Best of all, there is no fee for using this service! Now that's frugal. This is available in the US only.

2. You've filled your online shopping cart and head over to the checkout. Then you see that teaser box on the side that asks if you have a promo code. D-oh! Many major retailers have released coupon codes for everything from $$ or % discounts to free shipping or samples that only need to be sniffed out.

Our regular visitors already know that we comb the web daily for these very codes and post them for you on our deals page.

3. Heads up, cheapskates! Get free stuff from swap site FreeCycle and do the environment a favor by keeping something in use that would otherwise adorn the summit of your local landfill. The chapters are locally organized, so you don't have to worry about big shipping charges - bonus! Ok, so we're probably not talking about scoring some Christmas gifts this way, but if your lawnmower has mulched its last tree stump there's no need to buy something new.

More good news - FreeCycle has chapters in more than 30 countries! Check this page to find one near you.

4. If you're going out of town and are planning to stay in a hotel, you might be surprised to hear you can haggle. Even with major brands, many locations are independently owned and have some leeway in their pricing. Try asking for an "out-of-order" room, which might mean the TV isn't working or a stained carpet is awaiting replacement. That's one room the hotel wouldn't be making any money on otherwise, so it's a win-win! Other perks or upgrades may also be negotiable.

5. Here's a creative way to say price gouging - try "dynamic pricing". Some online retailers use their cookies to gauge your interest in a particular item, so if they notice you coming back several times to view something specific they may increase the sale price on it! The best way to avoid this is to clear your cookies regularly and/or switch browsers or even computers if you know you're going back for another look.

Have any of you used these services, or have other bargain-hunting tips you'd be willing to share?

Read the full article from NBC here

Gift Idea: For the Shoe-Aholic

She has more shoes than you have underwear. If it came down to a choice between buying groceries or picking up the Louboutins she spotted on sale the other day, she'd eat crackers for a week.

Know that girl? ;)

Shoe Queen... Meet Shoebby! (pronounced shoo-bee)

Shoes never need to battle for closet space again. Forget that old method of taking Polaroids of your shoes and taping them to ugly mis-matched store shoe boxes. These squeaky clean transparent boxes display your shoes in style.

Designed like a flat gift box, the foldable plastic structure of the shoebby snaps easily into place to create a shoe box that is 100 per cent transparent. Fitted with air vents, the outer sleeve safely protects an inner sliding tray which holds the shoes, keeping them mold, dust and dirt-free.

Each box comes with four rubber pads for stacking and with a handle for effortless portability. The 3 ¾-inch tall by 7 ¼-inch wide by 12-inch deep drawer can house up to a size 12 pair of women’s dress shoes.

Shoebby sells at $7.95 each, sold online in sets of five ($39.75 for the set), and when 20 (four sets) or more are purchased, the price drops to $6.95 each.

What a cute way to organize and protect your - er, her precious shoe collection.

www.shoebby.ca

Cyber Monday, anyone?

Those of you who didn't have the stomach for braving Black Friday's crowds in the US will have another chance to save big.

'Cyber Monday' is the newest push for retailers with online shopping pages once the in-store crowds have petered out. Check out your favorite e-store for their deals; many have hourly specials and one-day-only events going on tomorrow!

If you're stuck, try CyberMonday.com for more ideas.

The Gift that keeps Giving: Make a Difference at Home

Last week we started a series on charitable giving. Those of us living in the US are still stuffed to the gills from our Turkey-fest, glowing with thankful thoughts and sluggishly trying to vault ourselves off the sofa onto our feet to get something accomplished today. I, for one, just came in from splitting logs. Which may not have been such a great idea on a full stomach.

While you're still feeling the warm snugglies, we'd like to highlight a few ways you can make a difference for someone less fortunate in your city.

If you're not sure where to start, consider donating to a charity that has many worthy causes under its umbrella. The United Way spends 88¢ of every dollar donated and is a BBB accredited charity. Their programs range from local disaster relief to providing health insurance for low income families. The Salvation Army uses 84¢ of each dollar on its programs including national and local services. These are just two such charities.

Maybe there is a cause that lies near to your heart, such as soup kitchens, food drives, schools, or shelters for abused women. Many of these are small charities that lack the resources to advertise in the mainstream. Here you can be sure that your dollars are desperately needed, but you should do your research before you donate if you are curious about how your money is spent. Another great option is to donate to medical research or your local hospital, perhaps in honor of a family member who has passed away.

Looking for an even closer connection? Get some friends together and assemble a Christmas hamper! This typically includes a holiday dinner with all the fixin's plus gifts for the family. Search for a local charity in your city if you are interested; they will supply you with contact information and some general details about the family to help you with your shopping decisions. Often, these organizations will expect you to drop off your hamper at their distribution center, but in some cases you can choose to bring the family the package yourself. Expect to spend $75-100, depending on the size of the family.

Do you know about a unique charity opportunity in your area? Spread the word here and help a great local cause! We want to challenge you to add one more charity to your list this year, or increase your involvement with one of your favorites. Satisfaction guaranteed!

Strapped for cash this year? Check back next week for our final post in this series entitled "Make a Difference on a Tight Budget".

Snag a Deal on Black Friday?

You might have a shopping strategy worked out for big sale events like Black Friday. I certainly had a plan when I sat down to write this post, which was to find the Most Smokin' Deals In The History Of Mankind and type them neatly into a list for you all.

It turns out, I hit a few snags along the way. One was the discovery that the leaked store ads I had found were yanked and not-so-friendly "cease and desist" letters sent to the offending sites who published them. Another was the gradual realization (after several hours of research of course) that all the stores have conspired and lowered their prices on similar items.

The convenient fact is, all of your favorite retailers will have discounts in nearly every department. Early-bird specials will start at 5 or 6 am across the board and won't last long. Most stores have already released their Black Friday deals, others will be made public on Monday.

Many items from major retailers can be bought now at the Black Friday price through this website or their own, and some stores will have unannounced deals in the store as an extra incentive to get you in their doors. Amazon.com will have hourly deals with optional gift-wrapping for 99¢ - and you won't have to stand in line! Those deals can be accessed on Black Friday through this link.

For other great deals not limited to Black Friday, check out our deals page. We add new stuff every day!

The Gift that keeps Giving: Make a Difference in the World

A recent poll on our homepage showed that many of you plan to support charities this holiday season. Today we begin a three-part series to convert the rest of you who decided to support The Charity of Myself :D

You know the season is upon us when the charity commercials displace the ED and herpes spots on TV, and everywhere you look there's Santa ringing his bell beside a Salvation Army bucket - some looking more jolly than others.

All joking aside, we push away from the Thanksgiving table bloated with turkey and have only a few short weeks to prepare for the next feast, not always mindful of our blessings compared to others.

One important way you can help is to donate to foreign aid charities. Here are just a few of the worthy causes we want to highlight.

Disaster Relief and Humanitarian Aid
Red Cross is probably best known in this category. According to their website, approximately 91¢ of every dollar donated is used for the programs they support, and you can designate where your money should be used (e.g. disaster relief, international aid, etc.) You can choose to support your national branch or select the International Red Cross/Red Crescent. Other comparable agencies include UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, and Mennonite Central Committee (MCC).

Impoverished Children
There are many charities to choose from if you want to help a third-world child this year. World Vision puts 87¢ of every dollar toward its programs; you can support a child for $30/month or a whole family for $40/month. Christian Children's Fund uses 81¢ per dollar on its programs, and the monthly cost to support a child is only $24.

Do your homework when deciding between several agencies, because the programs are not necessarily the same and will focus on different ways to help (e.g. providing food and clothing vs. digging a well and providing agricultural materials). Many charities also offer the option of making a one-time donation, if you're not sure you will be able to afford a regular monthly contribution.

Sending a special gift
One year, my family decided to pass on gifts and instead spend that money on Operation Christmas Child. This charity asks you to assemble shoe box-sized holiday packages (OCC boxes are available at certain locations and sponsors as well) filled with toiletries, candy, toys, and/or clothes for a girl or boy within a certain age range (2-4, 5-9, 10-14) that will be distributed to children all over the world during the holidays. This is a really fun activity to do with your children or nieces and nephews, but the deadline for dropping off your boxes is November 19th so you need to act quickly. Check the website for a drop-off location in your area.

There are many other local, national, and international charities that provide gifts to disadvantaged kids, and too many to list here. Also, some of the organizations mentioned above have similar programs under their umbrella.

Supporting charity is important to most of us. This year, we want to challenge you to add one more charitable act to the ones you were already planning to support this season. For more ideas on where you can make a difference, check back here soon. Our next installment is entitled "Make a Difference at Home".

Heck, at least these donations are tax-deductible. Take that, Charity-of-Myself-ers! ;)

Editor's note: Many of the charities we've noted here are faith-based organizations. No offense or prejudice is intended toward faiths or charities omitted here, there are simply too many to list and these are the charities the writer is most familiar with at the time of this posting. Which charity will you support this time? We're interested in your stories; please add them in the comments to this post!

Black Friday meets its match

By now, you must have noticed that we're coming up on one of the year's biggest shopping days - Black Friday! Betcha didn't know it's also "Buy Nothing Day"?

This year marks the 15th anniversary of a day designated by artist and environmentalist Ted Dave of Vancouver, BC (Canada) for evaluating our consumer culture. Social activists around the world mark this day with kooky but peaceful demonstrations such as a "Whirl-Mart" (where participants trot empty shopping carts through stores for hours without buying anything) or enjoy a public credit card cutting-up ceremony.

Would you like some samples? They're free, No Purchase Necessary.

Critics have claimed that this gimmick does little more than postpone the inevitable over-spending that the season guarantees. But Buy Nothing advocates challenge consumers to consider the overall problem of filling our homes with unnecessary purchases destined for the garbage heap once the "planned obsolescence" moment arrives. The idea here is, rethink your spending over the whole year, not just on this day.

What will you be doing next week after Thanksgiving? Will you be the eager early-bird shopper shivering in the pre-dawn gloom outside your nearest big box retailer? Or will you and your friends be practicing your conga line with a few carts?

Head back to our home page now to vote, or post your comment here!

Photo credit (Nothing samples): Adbusters

Esprit: March '08

This week we attended a sneak preview of Esprit's new collection for March 2008.
The collection was primarily neutral colors infused with occasional punches of red, nautical themes and a few sea inspired shades.

The highlight of the collection was the accessories.
They are coming out with some really gorgeous bags, belts and scarves that are definitely worth checking out.

We also really love their lingerie section. The bras are comfortable, well made and reasonably priced. Their lingerie is available at The Bay.

Esprit is opening their first stand alone store in Montreal on December 6th, 2007.

Ho! Ho! ... No?

Should we be offended by Santa's trademark ch