24/Savvy Home and Money

If you clicked on this article, I assume it's fair to say that you are expecting or have already received a tax refund.  On the one hand, I wish to congratulate you heartily because nobody likes owing money at tax time. 

On the other hand, savvy friends, consider this a stern (but loving!) "tsk, tsk."  The reason?  If you're receiving a refund, you're having too much withheld from your paycheck and have essentially given Uncle Sam an interest-free year-long loan and while that's awfully nice of you, it's more than Sam would do for you, n'est-ce pas?  So, before you order up that new iPad, here are a couple savvy tax time "do's" and "don'ts" to help you get your money working better for you, not Uncle S.

Money may or may not make the world go round, but it definitely doesn't have to stand in your way when you want to have a gay 'ol time, savvy friends.  When you're on a budget, you can sure feel like you have to say "no" to a lot of indulgences, but some of the best things in life are still (almost) free, giving you the chance to discover new interests, uncover fave old hobbies and have a fabulous time, no matter what you've got in your bank account.  The next time you're itching for a good time, consult this list when you don't feel like you've got the money to have fun. You don't need it.  You just need a little creativity and a taste for adventure.

It's a shame that board game nights have fallen in popularity with the advent of, oh I don't know, just about every electronic device available to us now.  If you're in the mood for some inexpensive family or even adult-friendly fun, dust off your old games, or invest in a new set and serve up plenty of nights to remember with themed cocktails or desserts.

Whether you're the one throwing a last minute-New Year's Eve party this year, you're a guest at someone else's or you're keeping it small, this is one holiday where food, bev and decorating costs can quickly get out of control.  You don't have to blow another Christmas-sized wad to have a good time, however.  Just a few tasty treats, some inexpensive alternate bubbly and fun, festive decor will go a long way toward making the night a memorable one.

We love getting Savvy Central all gussied up for the holidays, but we do NOT have mega-storage space that will house holiday decorations that look lovely during December but sit idle the remaining eleven months of the year in the precious little closet space our apartment offers.  No stuffed, puffed, tinned, ceramic'd, lacquered or lighted figurines, statues or tchotchkes will fit in our apartment already bursting at the seams with everyday wares, fares and necessities.

Mr. Savvy and I love receiving holiday cards but we're often shaky on displaying them.  Line them up like an army on the mantle and even the faintest breeze will send them flying.  Pile them on the fridge with magnets and it just looks like...a piled on fridge/dumpheap.  This year, we've decided to make artful christmas card creations to kill two birds with one card: holiday decorating and card displaying. 

Whether you're a DJ wannabe, a master of the mix at home, or are just looking for inexpensive Christmas gift ideas, you can whip up a copy of your favorite tunes and croons in a snap and wrap them up savvy-style with these chic ideas. Imagine if your favorite perfume came in a plain, unmarked plastic spritzer...you certainly wouldn't be shelling out $70+ for the bottle, now would you? Pretty packaging is 99% of the perceived value of an item, so mixed cds wrapped in a little "frosting" say a lot more than a Sharpie-marked cd bearing a hot title like "X-Mas Mix '10." Put a little creative elbow grease behind your homemade projects and your efforts will show!