The Advantage Advisor

Volume 4 / Issue 10 / 2009
 In this issue:
Saving on Seasonal Sales
Get Creative with Leftovers
Year End Budget Review
 
 
Seasonal sales help you save money
Do you buy sundresses and shorts in February?  What about winter quilts in August?  Christmas decorations in January?
 
If you’re not buying off-season or shopping seasonal sales, you’re not saving as much money as you possible can.  Knowing when to buy can keep you outfitted and your home stocked with essentials for far less than the normal retail cost of items.
 
Once the dead of winter rolls around, retailers are trying to clear their racks of any unsold clothes from the previous summer.  This is a great time to find name brand clothes at a fraction of their original cost.  Simply put the clothes away for a few months until the weather warms up, and you can avoid paying full cost for your summer wardrobe.  Likewise, in the heat of summer, stores are trying to get rid of leftover winter clothing.
 
Stores generally have a pattern of sales.  Here is a guideline to help you plan when to shop for certain items.  Please keep in mind that this is a general guideline, and may vary depending on each store’s unique situation and economic factors.
 
January -  Post-holiday sales of Christmas merchandise, shoes, handbags, toiletries, tablecloths, costume jewelry, furniture, toys, dishes, sports equipment and appliances.  Many stores also have “white sales” on bedding.
 
February – Furniture, rugs, mattresses, curtains, china, glassware, silverware, house wares, radios and CD players, stereo equipment and used cars.
 
March - Garden supplies, luggage, spring clothing, infant wear, shoes, laundry appliances, skates, ski equipment, storm windows.
 
April – After Easter sales of clothing, including men’s and boys’ suits, women’s and children’s coats, housecoats and women’s hats.
 
May – White sales, clean-up and fix-up supplies for the home, women’s undergarments, televisions, handbags, sportswear, and tires.
 
June – Women’s ready to wear clothing, televisions, refrigerators, fabric, summer clothing, building materials, lumber.
 
July – Shoes, summer clothes, bathing suits, lingerie, sportswear, home appliances, air conditioners, fuel oil, radios and stereo equipment, rugs and carpets, summer sports equipment and used cars.
 
August – Furniture, white sales, camping equipment, house wares, lamps, coats, tires, lawn mowers, sprinklers, yard tools, barbecue sets and tools, air conditioners, fans, new cars, paints, school supplies, school clothes and bathing suits.
 
September – School supplies, house wares, bicycles, car batteries and mufflers, children’s clothing, dishes, gardening equipment, glassware, hardware, lamps, paints, rugs and carpets and tools.
 
October – Fishing equipment, glassware, hosiery, school clothes, school supplies, silverware and cars.
 
November – Coats, pre-Christmas items, quilts, shoes, boots, men’s and boys’ suits, kitchen appliances and water heaters.
 
December – Toys, gift items, coats, shoes, party items, quilts and used cars.  The day after Christmas you can find bargains everywhere.
  
With some planning you can save money on just about everything.
 
Dear Debt Monkey
Q: I am currently enrolled in a Debt Management Plan (DMP) to help me pay down my credit card debt. Recently I’ve had a change in my financial situation and am now struggling to make my mortgage payment.  Can the DMP help me with my mortgage too?
 
A:  A DMP cannot help you with your mortgage.  However, Advantage has certified housing counselors available to help people who are having trouble paying their mortgage.
 
During a foreclosure prevention session, your housing counselor will look at your financial situation and determine what resources may be able to help you.  These resources may include assistance through a state program, a workout directly with you lender, bankruptcy or a short sale.
 
It is very important for you to schedule a session as soon as possible.  If you are a Pennsylvania resident and have received and Act 91 notices, you should call for a session immediately.
 
For more information about Advantage’s housing counseling services or to schedule a session call: (888) 511-2227.
 
Tips
Holiday decorating can be costly, and even frustrating, if you’re not prepared.  Here are some tips to help you decorate: 
  • When you’re packing away holiday decorations from this season, make a list of everything you need for next year.  Write the list on or paper clip it to the September page of your 2010 calendar.  That way you’ll know exactly what to buy next year and you can keep an eye out for sales.
  • Do you need a big ticket item like a new artificial tree?  Consider buying it right after Christmas when retailers are likely to have them on sale.
  • Shop dollar stores.  You can find all kinds of holiday decorations and wrapping paper for minimal cost.
Be Creative with Holiday Leftovers
 Who hasn’t found themselves staring at a refrigerator full of leftovers after a holiday gathering?
 
In some cases the leftovers get scarfed up.  Other times they sit there as person after person opens the refrigerator, stares at the stack of food before them and moves on to something else.  Pretty soon what was once good food is being tossed in the trash.
 
Make an effort this holiday season to be creative and use your leftovers.
 
First make sure to properly store and refrigerate any uneaten food within two hours of its serving time.
 
If you don’t think you’re going to eat the leftovers within a few days, freeze them immediately.  Make sure everything is well wrapped and sealed ad that you use freezer paper or bags so the food doesn’t get freezer burned.
 
Search the internet for recipes to help you use up the leftovers.  All Recipes (allrecipes.com) has some great and creative ways to make use of foods.  Have you ever thought of using sweet potatoes to make a cake?
 
 Turkey and ham can make great soups.  Even if you’re not going to eat the soup immediately, make it right away and freeze it in batches for meals throughout the winter.  Potatoes and vegetables can be turned into casseroles to be eaten right away or frozen for quick a weeknight meal in the future.
 
The Food Network, www.foodnetwork.com, also has a whole section of its web site dedicated to recipes for holiday leftovers.  Don’t just think about dinners, there are some great breakfast ideas out there too.
 
If you really went crazy preparing too much food and even getting creative with leftovers isn’t going to clean out the fridge, you can always send some food home with your guests!
 
The Advantage Challenge
            ACCS is challenging you to…
Do a year end budget review.
Take a look at the past 12 months.  What months did you meet your budget?
 
If there are months where you went over-budget, figure out why and create a plan to address those situation in the future.
 
Were there months that you were under-budget? Consider reallocating money from months where you spent less to months where you had more expenses.
 
Did you have goals for 2009 such as debt reduction, saving or putting money into investments?  If so, did you meet those goals?
 
Taking some time to review how the past year has gone will help you to create a better budget and goals for 2010.
 
Resources
For free copies of your credit report:
www.annualcreditreport.com
 
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:
www.hud.gov
 
Frugal shopping tips and coupons:
www.thefrugalshopper.com


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