Ah, the spending season is upon us. This is the time of year where everyone probably tends to spend the most...am I right? You've got Halloween candy and costumes, Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas presents (don't forget those presents)! But with a few ideas, you can easily save yourself some dough over the holidays.

Even though we have less than two months before the BIG day, you still have time to set money aside here and there. This is particularly a good idea immediately after Christmas. Not only does this help reduce your stress and prevent you from becoming the grinch, but setting aside cash is a good idea so you're not having to put it on credit. And you can always put it on a loadable card too so it's in one place. Out of sight out of mind will help you to not spend it. If you do, just make sure to replace it.

Say you have a big family get-together planned, assigning each person a duty will help you to cut cost also. So have Aunt Jennie bring the ham (or turkey, whatever you prefer) and Uncle Bob can bring the dessert. Pumpkin pie, pecan pie, fresh fruit pie...oh sorry! I'm getting off topic here. Like I was saying though, it can either be food related or decorations. You can also apply this to a get-together for friends, too. The more, the merrier - and not just for you but for your wallet as well.

Now I always seem to go back to this, but making things yourself is always an option. If you've got the materials already and they've just been collecting dust, use them! Sometimes going out and buying materials can be more pricey than just buying it already made, so use what you have. This can be especially useful for cards. You may not think that these are expensive, but it begins to add up if you have a rather large family that you're mailing them out to. And if you've got kiddos, start a new tradition during this time of year by having them make and decorate the cards themselves. I can guarantee you that handmade greeting cards are much more personal than store bought ones! And you know Grandma will love that hand-drawn snowman.

One more thing to think about is making a list. Not only does Santa do this, but you should too (and check it twice). Make an agreement between family members to stick to a certain amount. Believe me, fifty dollars can go a long way if you get creative. Sticking to a budget will help cut you cost by a lot. Everyone agreeing to the same amount is also great because no one feels guilty for spending less on the other. Once you have your amount set, start compiling a list of things that they have mentioned that they want or that you know they would love. Make sure to write the price next to each item, too! In the end, this will save you tons of shopping hours by already knowing what you're looking for and buying - leaving you plenty of time to enjoy it with family and friends instead!

There are probably ten more ways to save around this time of year, but these are just a handful to get you started. We'd love to hear some of your ideas though! Leave a comment below and let us know how you save during the holidays. Happy shopping!

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Call me crazy, but I love Sundays...do you know why? Getting those wonderful coupons in the newspaper is like getting a small present. Seriously, who doesn't like saving money, especially when it comes to groceries? We all know grocery shopping can get to be pretty expensive, so effective couponing will help to save you a bundle!

In 1894 Asa Candler , the co-owner of Coca-Cola, used handwritten tickets so that people could get a free glass of Coca-Cola. And so begins the evolution of the coupon! For more information on the history of coupons click here. It's really quite interesting!

In addition to the newspaper, you can also get coupons through family and friends. On top of that there are some EXCELLENT blogs out there that bring the coupons to you. Check out Hip 2 Save. Not only does the author give lists of deals currently going on, but also coupons to print out as well as FREE items to snag. You can visit Coupons.com, SmartSource.com and RedPlum.com for other great coupons. Don't forget to pick up store circulars as well, those are great sources for coupons too!

Sometimes there may be instances when you do not need or want a lot of the products that have coupons. However, with the items that you snag at a discounted price or for free that you don't want, you can always end up donating to a local shelter who can use them. On that same note, you may not have a child at home but maybe one of your friends is expecting. By finding good deals on formula or diapers, clothing, etc. you can gather all of these items together and make a nice gift basket! Those items will definitely come in handy down the road. 

Also, paying attention to really good deals is also another reason why you should coupon. You can frequently find items that are on sale for a dollar. Those are the best because you can stack a $1 coupon on top of that or one for 75 cents and practically get that item FREE!

Most importantly, couponing is all about being thrifty and saving as much money as possible. The money you save with coupons can go towards something like a vacation, unexpected expenses, old items that need upgrading (I'm sure you may have your own personal list). So get out there and start your clipping! Happy couponing :-) 

Summers in south Texas: they're sweltering hot (ok, so are the springs and autumns) with high electricity bills to match. With some extra care around the house, you can keep both your bills and your thermostat low.

First, have a certified technician come out to check that your ventilation, heating and air-conditioning is working efficiently. If there are any leaks in your ducts, this could reduce their energy-efficiency by about 20%. On average, the cost of these check-ups ranges anywhere from $50 to $100, but you could determine it's well worth spending to save yourself the money in the long run.

As much of a pain as it can be sometimes, replacing the air filters for your air conditioning unit is an absolute must as well. Layers of dirt, dust and even pet hair can clog the filter from allowing good air flow to come through. Air filters are cheap and are just one more inexpensive way to help you conserve more energy. If you use Microsoft Outlook or an online email and calendar client, simply set up a recurring reminder to change the filter according to the schedule recommended by your AC manufacturer.

 If your appliances are needing an upgrade, purchasing energy-efficient models can be another great way to cut down your bill costs. Do you know how well your windows and door frames are sealed? It's a good chance that air may be escaping from both. If that's the case, sealing them up as soon as possible could save you another 20% on energy year-round. You can check out these figures on Alliance to Save Energy.

Avoiding chores until the evening time is also effective for cutting summer electricity bills. Instead of generating heat using the oven, your clothes dryer or dishwasher during the day, wait until the evening time when temperatures are at their coolest to give your air-conditioner a chance to "chill out".

Finally, here are three things that will take you a maximum of five to ten minutes: changing your light bulbs, use your ceiling fans and closing your blinds. Changing your lightbulbs from incandescent to compact fluorescents can cut your yearly energy costs down considerably. And instead of letting the sun shine through during the hot summer days, keep it cool by using your fans and keeping the blinds closed when in direct sun. It's as simple as that!

This is just a handful of ways that will help put more money back into your pocket. With these helpful steps and hints, it will work wonders to help lower your electricity bill. So why not start now?!

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June 18th is National Splurge Day, and the faux-holiday is exactly what it sounds like. Today is the day to splurge on whatever it is that you enjoy splurging on. Whatever it is: 12 cases of candy, a few priceless works of modern art, designer jean shorts. Granted the examples given are outrageous, and I'm not sure how I feel about a day devoted to what could be unnecessary excess.

The magazine Fast Company has asked several "consumption experts" what their wish lists are, and they are pretty ridiculous. You can take a look at those here.

When it comes to spending maybe splurging isn't a bad thing. Especially if you only splurge once a year on this day. Many times it is hard to justify spending large sums of money, and there are mental barriers. Every time I have to go to the story and buy necessities like laundry detergent, and dishwasher soap I feel like i am wasting my money, and I can't believe how much they cost. Usually because, for whatever reason, I always seem to run out of all of these things at once. What's odd is that I will spend the exact same amount on books and music without even blinking because I enjoy those things. I certainly could take better advantage of my local library, but books are something that I value.

The same is true for clothes. During college i was always called out by my friends on how much I spent on clothes because I decided to shop at a slightly upscale retailer. At the time I thought this was out of line because my wardrobe was not excessive, and I liked the clothes. Several years later I am still wearing some of these same clothes because their styling is still good and they have not worn out. While clothes I have bought at other retailers, and spent less on, have lasted as little as six months.

The point is that in this case I am perfectly fine with splurging because of the added value that comes for the quality that I believe I am paying for. Sometimes it is okay to splurge as long as there are good reasons, and your budget can handle the extra cost. Just because something is expensive doesn't mean there should be guilt associated with it.

So, what would be on my wish-list for Splurge Day? A Hasselblad Medium Format Camera. They cost around twelve thousand dollars new and that's a lot of money for a camera, but they are incredible and I want one. What would be on your splurge day wish list?

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Not really, but this is one of the ways that my extended family saves money during the holiday season. Ever since my sister and I came to the age where we could understand and accept not getting a present from every relative we could think of my family has met on Christmas Day and done a white elephant gift exchange. If you are have never participated in this type of gift exchange it works by everyone putting the gifts they brought in the center of the room. Then everyone takes turns getting a gift and as the exchange progresses they have the option to steal gifts, but only twice. A spending limit is placed on the gift, somewhere between $30-50 and each person tries to come up with something that will be fought over by the rest of the family.

Nothing brings a family together like trying to steal gifts from each other. This usually allows for better gifts to be given because instead of shopping for 20 people on a budget, you are able to focus on one really cool thing. While gifts are nice, and thoughtful gifts are even better this provides an opportunity to interact with your relatives and spend some time avoiding a bit of the commercialism that can take away from the Christmas spirit.

Another way to save would be to assign everyone a Secret Santa. Then on Christmas day there could be the fun of trying to figure out who gave everyone what. The advantage here is that you can focus on a personalized and hopefully meaningful gift for one person instead of a vague desirable gift for the whole family. I enjoy our family tradition, it helps us focus on each other when we are together, and helps to relieve some of the stress of the holidays.

I have been looking forward to our exchange all year, and more importantly the pies that come with any family gathering. I hope this helps with your holiday planning, and let us know anything else that your family might do to try and hold down the cost of Christmas.

I've always had a hard time saving, and always told myself that I would start when I got my next paycheck. The plan that i had was to put away a certain percentage before I even touched the money, but I always found myself unwilling to see such a large sum of money go away.

Yesterday, I was reading some of what Ramit Sethi has to say over at IWillTeachYouToBeRich.com. While I was there I stumbled upon this article. The premise of the article is to start saving you should begin by taxing yourself on all the purchases you make. For instance if I spent $100 on groceries and and I was taxing myself %10 then I should put $10 into my savings account. This way I am saving as I spend, and it will effect my spending habits because everything will cost more than the sticker price. This should lead to lower overall spending, and increased savings.

I am actually excited about saving this way, and have already made a deposit into my savings account. The real trick will be the follow through.  Hopefully, I will be able to!

 What are some of the ways that you all save?

Today's passage of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 will require the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) to immediately increase share insurance protection to $250,000 on all types of accounts until Dec. 31, 2009. President George W. Bush this afternoon signed the economic rescue package passed by the House today.

Today’s passage of the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act is the culmination of a month-long series of significant and beneficial legislative changes for credit unions. This bill, combined with the enactment of the law that removes the CLF borrowing cap, will assist NCUA in mitigating some of the current and potential difficulties facing the credit union industry. In addition to the highly-publicized increase in share insurance coverage, I am particularly pleased that Congress included important last-minute changes recommended by NCUA.The final version of the Act incorporates language that allows NCUSIF insurance level to be increased while recognizing the unique elements of the fund that make it different from FDIC, and it also provides for NCUA to act in a consultative role with other regulators in determining how the Troubled Asset Repurchasing Program (TARP) will work. This last aspect is crucial, as it will enable NCUA to have input on the rules under which assets are accepted by the federal government. Earlier drafts of the legislation did not include NCUA, and I was adamant that NCUA be able to consult so that credit unions, if they choose, can fully and fairly participate in the program. Viewed in their totality, I firmly believe that these actions will add important dimensions of financial and regulatory assistance to NCUA, credit unions and the entire financial services industry. I will move forward expeditiously and with a sense of purpose as we employ the new tools at our disposal.” The National Credit Union Administration charters and supervises federal credit unions. NCUA, with the backing of the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, also operates and manages the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), insuring the deposits of nearly 89 million account holders in all federal credit unions and the majority of state-chartered credit unions. NCUA is funded by credit unions, not federal tax dollars.

Last week I spoke to a group of high school students about the importance of saving.As I stood in front of them (it was weird being "old"), I thought, "I wish I would've started saving ten years earlier." That said, it's never too late to start.

In fact, today marks the start of National Savings Week. I found the announcement in a CUNA News Now story this morning. But before I noticed that piece, the first thing visible on my screen today was the last thing I read before I logged off last Friday evening: a Yahoo! Finance article called More People Tap 401(k) Accounts for Cash.  Yikes!

When it comes to building an emergency fund and hopefully avoiding a scramble for cash when I need it, I've found the most luck with automation and budgeting. Look for more on both topics down the line.