As a parent – or as someone who aspires to parenthood – you may be interested to know that in Canada the average cost of raising a child from infancy through high school is about $182,000. If you foot the bill for another two to four years of college or university for your child, you can add at least another $40,000 to $50,000 to the sum.

The numbers represent spending within a typical middle class household. No extravagance here by Canadian standards, just spending that typically reflects the general needs and expectations of most of today’s families across the land.

Obviously, food and clothing account for much of the spending that goes to raising children. But plenty more goes to other things such as school books and activities, transportation, allowances, maybe special medical and dental needs, gifts, vacations, and – in today’s electronically driven world – computers and cell phones.

Sports and recreation factor into the picture, too, sometimes in a big way. And that’s what I’d like to focus on today.

The fact is, in most areas of spending concerning kids, there is not a lot of financial wiggle room for parents. Needs are needs after all, and beyond that it’s basically a given that a child’s lifestyle ought to proportionately reflect that of his or her parents (assuming the parents are fiscally realistic about the lifestyles they lead).

In matters of sports and recreation, there is significant wiggle room for spending. Smart parents can find ways to spend wisely – even frugally  – and at the same time keep their youngsters active, healthy, and happy.

In saying this, I’m in no way minimizing the importance of sports and recreation in the lives of children. Kids need to be active for the sake of their physical and mental health. Moreover, sports and recreation activities help kids hone the social skills they need to function well in the competitive adult world they will eventually join.

What I am saying is that there are plenty of sports and recreation options out there that vary widely in terms of costs, and that educating oneself about those costs can have a significant impact on a family’s finances over the life of the child.

Newlyweds planning families, and parents whose little ones still have a lot of growing to do, especially benefit from broadening their outlook in this regard. It starts with an understanding of spending options and standards.

Let’s consider some of those options and standards point by point, and assign a spending value to them in terms of being great, pretty good, and not so good.

Hockey – Value: Not so good.

With this assigned value I am not denigrating Canada’s national obsession in any way, I’m just saying it can be hard on the pocketbook as a serious kids’ sport. We’re talking registration costs approaching perhaps $500 a season, plus new gear costing upwards of $1,000. Then there’s the matter of travel/accommodation expenses. And because it’s a shift sport, you have to ask how much actual playing time your child will receive. Of course, if a child has a real desire to play the sport, parents may have to ante up. Tax credit and financial aid programs can help out here (see my note about them at the end of this blog).

Hockey moms and dads who are strapped ought to check out used equipment options. Note, for example, that in Toronto the civic government has partnered with Goodwill, the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) and several businesses to launch a Hockey Reuse Equipment Bank.
See http://www.goodwill.on.ca/2006_newsrelease_39.htmlfor more info.

Cycling – Value: Not so good.

In addition to the initial expense of at least $500 for a half decent, new racing bike for a wee racer, parents are looking at hundreds more in outlays for cycling shoes, helmets, and sports duds. Moreover, if your child seriously pursue the sport over time, count on spending thousands on better bikes and renewed equipment over the years. Also fees, transportation costs and time needed for the sport can be daunting. Bike races usually require entry fees of $15 to $30, then there’s the matter of transportation to racing events that can be spaced hundreds, even thousands, of kilometres apart. Many parents buy bikes for their kids anyway. To save coin, you can let the kids roll and have fun exercising freely outside of the official competition.

Riding – Value: Not so good.

As you can imagine, a sport involving horses cannot be cheap.  First, lessons are needed at usually $30 to $50 per hour. Now add a saddle, proper riding attire, and the use of a horse, which can run well over $1,000 annually. Of course, you can always buy your child a horse, but that opens another whole bin of costly oats. A horse can cost you from hundreds to thousands of dollars. Then you have to take care of the animal with boarding, grooming, feed, and medical and transportation costs (think horse trailer and a vehicle sturdy enough to pull it). You’ll probably want to consider this as a sport for your kid after you win the lottery.

Gymnastics – Value: Not so good.

Dreams of Olympic gold can quickly turn to lead when you start adding up the costs here. You wouldn’t think gymnastics would be all that expensive. But outlays for simple weekly lessons soon grow as quickly as your kid’s limbs. Suddenly, there is the need for professional private coaching that costs hundreds of dollars a month. Now add warm-up and performance attire, not to mention travel costs and registration fees. It’s easy to spend $1,000 to $5,000 a year for basic expenses, not including skills camps and Olympic circuit training.

Martial Arts – Value: Pretty Good.

Team sports are great for developing social skills. But there is a lot to be said for individual disciplines that teach kids self-reliance and discipline. Karate, Tae Kwon Do and other martial arts require simple attire and that’s it beyond the training fees, which may run parents $400 or $500 a year. Naturally, courses with celebrated masters in teaching roles can run much higher, but does your child really need to learn his or her chops from Steven Seagal?

Soccer – Value: Great.

For all the talk about hockey being Canada’s national sport, the truth is that in terms of the sheer number of kids in Canada who play the game, soccer is the sport of choice. Parents can expect to spend as little as $300 for the privilege of seeing their kids runs themselves ragged for 90 minutes a game. The gear, shorts and sweat shirts, don’t come with big price tags, and soccer balls can be had for $20 each on sale. In terms of practice, soccer can be played just about anywhere.

Swimming – Value: Great.

A great strengthening sport from the point of view of both individual skills development and team skill development.  Gear is minimal, obviously, and school swim teams frequently have either their own pools or pools under sponsorship. Practice can be had for the small price of a local community pool membership, plus there are bodies of water everywhere worth dipping into come warm sunshine. Special swimming lessons may run parents a few hundred dollars.

Basketball and Volleyball – Value: Great.

Basketball and volleyball are very popular school and community centre sports with courts and balls provided. Your expense amounts to a simple uniform and, if your child plays in a community league, maybe a small community membership fee. You may have to put a little money towards gas to drive to and from games. Practice is easy. Pick up games for either sport are easily arranged on courts at playgrounds and on school property.

Track Sports – Value: Great.

Running is perhaps the most affordable sport. We’re talking about expenses that amount to the cost of a pair of good running shoes. Schools everywhere have track and field programs that are fully sponsored. Most schools readily supply equipment for field sports such as javelin or pole vaulting. Practice can take place anywhere there is a field.

So, all this should help you decide what kind of value you’re getting for the dollars you spend on your kids’ sports activities. You will notice I left football out of the mix. That’s because it’s mostly oriented to male high school students, and my thinking here was to look at sports that apply to a broad cross section of youngsters.

The bottom line is, when spending on sports and recreation for your kids, be money smart. Spend only what you can afford to spend. If you promote affordable sports to your kids when they are young, they are likely to cotton to them.

Meanwhile, be aware that the federal government offers a tax benefit that helps parents cover costs for kids’ sports and recreation activities. Through the Canada Revenue Agency, you can, and I quote, “claim to a maximum of $500 per child the fees paid in 2011 relating to the cost of registering your or your spouse’s or common-law partner’s child in a prescribed program of physical activity.”

As well, the Province of Ontario offers something called the Ontario Children’s Activity Tax Credit covering an extensive array of sports and recreation activities. Under the program, parents and guardians are able to claim up to $500 of eligible expenses per child. There is a refundable tax credit worth up to $50 per child under 16 years of age, or up to $100 for a child with a disability under age 18.

Last but not least, financially strapped parents should take note of a charitable organization called KidSport, with chapters in all regions of Canada. KidSport provides grants ranging from $100 to $500 to cover the cost of registration fees for one season of sport. Some chapters may also assist with equipment, youth leadership opportunities, sport camps and travel costs.

Out with old man 2011 and in with 2012’s cute and cuddly baby wrapped in a fuzzy blanket and soothing with a pacifier. A good friend of mine recently welcomed a baby boy to her family. He is an adorable bundle of joy, cooing and sleepy-eyed while his parents shower him with admiration and loving cuddles. Not being a parent myself I got the full low-down on how stressful 22 hours of labour can be for a first-time mom and a few pointers on how they plan to save a penny here or there when it comes to raising little Jeremy. If you are a new parent yourself consider some of these parental savings tips:

• Breast-feeding is not only better for the immune system and development of the baby, it’s also FREE FOOD!

• Plan ahead, look into RESPs for your child’s future education (and get the government to pitch in a little bonus too)!

• Invest in some jars and make your own baby food with a food processor. It’s much healthier to avoid all of those preservatives and cheaper in the long run.

• Cloth diapers are a good way to save money if you don’t mind some extra laundry/mess. If you decide to opt for a pick-up service then the price may not be much better than buying disposables but it is still better for the environment and wearing cloth lets your baby’s tushy breath.

• If certain genetic diseases are common in your family you may want to consider cord blood stem cell banking. This can be a pricey treatment since you most likely will have to pay for yearly storage but it could also help save your child or another family member down the road. Even if it is not right for you, the science behind it is quite interesting.

• Check out your local library and community centre. There are often free children’s activities like story time that you can take advantage of.

• Wait until AFTER the baby shower to start buying baby items. You may be surprized with how generous your friends and family can be. It’s becoming more and more popular to register for gifts so that others will know that you really like those yellow ducky bed sheets.

• When you do purchase baby furniture, clothing, toys and anything else consider buying second hand instead of new. There are stores that sell gently used items at half the retail price and will also buy back items later on if they are still in good condition.

So while your new bundle of joy may be keeping you up at night, spitting up on your favourite shirt or smelling up the car, at least your pocketbook can take a sigh of relief by following a few of these suggestions.

Happy New Year!

-And on the thirteenth day of Xmas, the mailman gave to me, a credit card bill for free .

So Happy New Year! You thought that you recovered from your New Year’s hangover. Then you open your mail. Everything was good in December and then you decided that you would buy a few things. Besides they were not full price as they were from Xmas sales. You decided what better to treat your friends and family then to break in your new credit card?

After a few days of not having a plan and no budget, you decided no credit card should be left behind. Why not break them all in? Besides you needed the points! You felt that you were assisting the economy. These actions you felt would assist in improving your holiday spirit (and that of others)! Then you decided to buy a few things for yourself: a new HDTV and a Blu-Ray DVD player, that new copy of the Pink Floyd boxset. Hey and why not spruce up your car with ultimate decoration: a new car stereo?  What could it hurt? Your holly jolly feeling lasted at least 12 days. You would not put any thought to the bills until next year. No big deal!

The problem is now, the new year is here. Your Christmas spirit or your holly jolly feeling has been replaced by an excessive headache, shortness of breath and a case of indigestion.  And maybe a feeling of confusion. The reason? Your credit card bills came in the mail. The feeling of joy was gone in about three seconds of seeing your bills.

Right around this time you may be wondering if Santa Claus has something else in his magical sack that he might be dropping off to let you payoff these bills. No such luck. Right at this time you have also clued that you have completely maxed yourself out. And Santa would not be coming back to supply any holiday good will.

To assist you in alleviating your New Year’s headache, Credit Canada might be able to assist you in coming up with a solution.

Credit Canada can work with you in a free hour long counselling session or at one of our free seminars so you can learn about credit, your credit rating and how to make life more comfortable again.

Credit Canada can assist in making out a workable budget. As well with the help of our Monthly Budget Trackers,  eg. The Staying on Track book can help you account for where your money goes every month. As well we can work out how to budget your money better.

If the unsecured debt bills you have ( like credit cards, loans and overdrafts) turn out to be as unbearable as an ugly Christmas sweater, I would suggest giving us a call or sending us an email at infor@creditcanada.com. Or you can do an online assessment at creditcanada.com.

If you are feeling things are becoming unwieldy, feel free to contact us where and when you can and we can work with you to steer things in the right direction.

Regardless of what the state of things are in now, we can work with you to understand the bonuses and the pratfalls of credit and how to get your credit back on track again.

Maybe you are dealing with one hangover while reading this. Let us try to help you with the other.

I found it rather coincidental that on the day I decided to start shopping (Black Friday), my Moneysense magazine came in the mail with a startling declaration.

The editorial ,”Overtaking America”, stated that in the Credit Suisse 2011 Global Wealth Report that we are currently wealthier than the Americans. Apparently, our net worth median income per adult is $89,072; for Americans the amount was just $53,000.

In the bad news department, our household debt ratio is the highest of the G7 countries (including THE USA) except for the U.K.

On Black Friday, people were definitely showing their wealth off. Cash registers were ringing and sales were everywhere. I felt like I was in a scene from Jingle All the way. (Anyways it was pretty crazy and I made the best efforts to get out of everyone’s way).

The frenzy has begun; the starting pistol of holiday shopping has begun and lots of people are off to the races. The rules are simple everyone gets a gift and ugly sweaters might be allowed.

I thought I should share some tips with you to allow you to enjoy your holiday season:

1)Have you worked out a budget of what you need to spend at Christmas?

It is always best to try to do a rough workout or list of these costs as early as possible and flesh out what expenses you will have to cover during that time period including food and gift costs.

With these amounts, you can start squirreling money away between that time period and Christmas for this purpose and check out things off your list as you move along.

The sooner you work out your budget, hopefully the sooner you can recalculate your budget.

As well, with some food items buy them by a certain date so you are not left surprised when they are sold out.

2)Are you using the best digital shopping applications to help you zero in the gifts that you need?

A lot of shopping mall developers have phone applications (in various platforms)  or email alerts to inform you what stores have things on sale and when.

When you want to save money shopping online you can use shopping applications eg. price comparison websites. They can save you a lot of time to find out what quantity stores of what you need when you have no time. A lot of these websites like Red -flagdeals.com, Wishabi or Pricebot partner with retailers so you can filter the information you need on retailer inventory, manufacturer, price etc. As well with these sites it is good to compare sites to make sure you are getting the best deal and see what is in your desired price range.

Iphones have a variety of applications that do the price shopping and legwork for you.
As well with programs like Giftplan which allow you to keep an inventory of information including what gifts you may have purchased for friends and family in the past (including pricing). It can be used for almost anything including Christmas and people’s birthdays.  Android and Blackberry platform phones have similar applications.

3)Have you written down or typed out exactly who you are buying for? Do you really need to buy gifts for everybody and everyone?

Buying for everyone can certainly be expensive and frustrating especially when you leave things to the last minute.

If you have a special talent it may be time to utilize it for purposes of Christmas giving. Showing off your creativity like baking, embroidering, knitting, painting for example might allow you to do things in a fun and inexpensive way.

As well, maybe you might want to discuss with friends or families about buying gifts for the kids or doing a Kris Kringle.

A friend of mine has a brother who has five kids and took the chance to go the last minute shopping route. After paying $1,500 for gifts for his brother’s whole family (two years ago), he decided he might want to put his creative streak to work and make his own cards and gifts for friends and family members. When he thinks he cannot do it, he pulls out the credit card bill to remind him.

4)Have you confirmed shipping deadlines before Christmas ?

If absolutely, positively has to be there before Christmas it maybe best to review terms with canadapost.ca or the website of whatever courier you decide to use for shipping knowing these dates can save you a lot on shipping costs.

Hopefully I have given you some food for thought. I hope these options will allow you to have an enjoyable Christmas holiday and a richer and even more pleasant New Year!

For more shopping tips, please these links:

Victoria’s Secret big with Santa shoppers, http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/10/victorias-secret-big-with-santa-shoppers

Super T.O. Christmas Shoppers Guide, http://www.torontosun.com/2011/12/10/super-to-christmas-shopper-guide

Christmas Battle Plan: Think Ahead, Shop Effectively, http://www.walletpop.ca/blog/2011/12/12/the-christmas-battle-plan-think-ahead-shop-effectively/

I would like to thank a colourful, wee elf named Undlin Neldth for arranging dinner last week between me and Father Christmas himself, St. Nicholas Claus (aka Santa).

Undlin, who is in charge of Santa’s publicity department, recommended me to his boss for an interview after surfing the Net and chancing upon a blog I wrote recently, which cast Santa in a good light as an adept giver of financial wisdom.

Said Undlin: “As you know Laurie, our CEO here at North Pole Inc. is a very busy man. He does not grant many interviews. Indeed, most bloggers and journalists must settle for interviews with Santa’s stand-ins – many of whom smell of gin and nicotine – and of course few media people are happy about that.

“In your case, though, Laurie, I will be glad to set up an interview, provided we have an understanding between us. You can talk to the chief about anything you like, except his weight and his penchant for judging the behaviour of children. Am I clear on this?”

“You’re clear,” I replied in my slippery way, and it seemed to comfort the tiny, pointy-eared publicist.

Days later Santa and I met at Odin’s Hut, a quaint Toronto eatery specializing in delicious Scandinavian food at very reasonable prices. To my surprise, Santa arrived by helicopter. He was lowered onto the restaurant’s roof by wire in the dark of night.

“Sorry about all this,” Santa said, his flaring mop-top and massive beard swirling as he struggled to free himself from a bulky leather harness. “I need to take special precautions meeting with select members of the press. Tempers are bound to flare when I show favour.”

He added: “You’re a lucky lady, you know. I’m a tough chestnut to crack – ho, ho, ho.”

On that lyrical note, I took stock of the celebrity saint. He was not attired in his usual red and white suit. Instead, he wore an oversized, navy Armani jacket, tan turtleneck, and black trousers with perfectly tailored cuffs over a shiny pair of Cole Haan brogues. Otherwise, he looked exactly like the image portrayed in those cheery Coca Cola posters from the 1930s – huge in the waist, rosy cheeked, and with an iron-cast squint that doubled as a smile behind dainty, wire-rimmed spectacles.

I took a shot at breaking the ice.

“You remind me of someone I greatly admire, the late Robertson Davies.”

Santa blinked deadpan. “Who’s Robertson Davies?”

The remark took me aback, then I saw a big smile take shape and heard the signature laugh again. “Ho, ho, ho – just kidding young lady. I’m quite familiar with the late, great Canadian novelist. Why, I must have delivered hundreds of thousands of his books as gifts over the years. His Deptford Trilogy was just wonderful.  I thank you for the compliment.”

Relieved that I was dealing with a literate, albeit mischievous, soul, I looked forward to the interview I was about to conduct. It unfolded in a quiet corner of Odin’s Hut where piles of food were delivered to our table over a period of a couple of hours.

I was sated after a delicious plate of poached cod in the form of Torsk. But Santa was ravenous, downing everything from Surslid (pickled herring) and Kjottboller (meatballs) to Gravet elg (sweet and salt-cured moose). Following the appetizers and main courses came Danish pastries – lots and lots of them.

“Got to bulk up for the gruelling work ahead in freezing temperatures,” Santa told me. “Most importantly, though, I love food as much as I love the Mrs. – maybe even more so at my age … ho, ho, ho.”

Suddenly, he stopped laughing, and paused to think. “That bit about the Mrs. is off the record. Am I clear on this?”

“You’re clear,” I said in my slippery way, and that seemed to comfort the porcine, white-haired legend.

So it was that between bites Santa engaged me in lively conversation. He enthralled me with stories about the daunting challenges he faces each Christmas.

“I deliver gifts to 388 million kids in 31 hours,” he said proudly
.
“Thirty-one hours?” I said. “How’s that possible on Christmas eve?”

“Well,” he said, “you have to take into account the different time zones and the rotation of the earth while moving east to west. I’m talking about moving fast, too, with a payload of 350,000 tons. Rudolph and his fellow reindeer haul butt pulling this weight at 650 miles per second in order for us to hit our mark of 822.6 visits per second.”

“Amazing,” I said.

“And get this,” he went on, leaning toward me for emphasis. “For each household I visit, I have about one one-thousandth of a second to park the sleigh, hop out, jump down the chimney, fill stockings, distribute gifts under the tree, eat whatever snacks I’ve been provided, get back up the chimney, hop back into the sleigh, and move on to the next house.”

“Wow,” I exclaimed. “That’s supernatural!”

“It ain’t no cake walk kid, ho, ho, ho. Of course, having mythical powers makes it all possible.”

Soon I steered the conversation to matters that interest us here at Credit Canada. Given all the knowledge and wisdom Santa has gathered over the years, I asked him what kind of advice he could provide to Canadians at large regarding personal money management come Christmas time.

“Well, you know, I don’t spend a great deal on gifts myself. Virtually all my outlays go to unionized elf and reindeer labour, and they go to building material, sleigh maintenance and what have you. I just take orders from people – parents mostly  – and of course I take guidelines from all the correspondence I receive, including more than a million letters and emails from kids across Canada each year,” Santa said.

“Concerning money matters, though, I see a lot in my travels. If there is one bit of advice I would offer all Canadians, it is this: don’t spend beyond your means at Christmas. Above all, don’t panic and rack up debt that you will later be sorry for. The spirit of the holidays is defined by giving, true, but giving is not restricted to material things.

“Giving of one’s heart and time are the best gifts anyone can receive.”

Santa went on to say that among the millions of families he observes each year who don’t have much Christmas coin, the happiest are those who prioritize spending on events and activities that bring people together.

“Sumptuous feasts, roasting marsh mellows or chestnuts ‘round a fireplace or bonfire, sleigh rides, caroling with friends, snowman building, bobbing for apples, getting out to free carnivals, events, and concerts – these are the kinds of things that make Christmas special, and they can be enjoyed without digging a deep debt hole,” Santa said.

He added there are endless economical ways for families to enjoy themselves at Christmas no matter what the location. In places like the City of Toronto, for example, there are more ways to get together and have fun than can be readily listed, he noted.

“During the holiday season, as I fly over cities, towns and communities across Canada, I see families enjoying an endless array of activities. Nowadays, joining in on the fun is as easy as visiting the Internet and Googling free, local holiday events and activities,” he explained.

“Such things should be kept in mind when planning for Christmas. And speaking of planning for the holidays – of which I am acutely aware – if you’re an individual or a family who has not prepared a Christmas budget in writing, then when I’m making my list and checking it twice, you can be sure I’ll put you in my ‘naughty’ category.”

The note about naughtiness reminded me of elf Undlin Neldth’s warning that some issues remained off limits for anyone interviewing Santa. As dinner drew to a close, I couldn’t curb the urge to test those limits.

“Santa,” I said, “I have just two more questions I’d like to ask: The first is, what are the criteria you use for judging the behaviour of children; and the second is, how much do you weigh?”

Santa’s eyes widened suddenly, then his brow furrowed, and his face took on an angry cast.

“No comment!” he snapped.

But just as quickly, he beamed a big fat smile and winked.

“Ho, ho, ho,” he bellowed.

Then I heard the whoop, whoop, whoop of an approaching helicopter.

This morning my sister called at 6.47 a.m. She and my nephew were both home because they were sick. She felt guilty for not being at work because apparently they’re understaffed as it is. My nephew felt badly for not being at school because it was pizza day and he had pinky sworn he would swap Pokémon cards with some kid.

I don’t have advice for a seven-year old whose life is like a constant party so I told him he should indeed feel bad. For my sister I had this, “You’re sick! Do you think your boss feels guilty every time he signs your paycheque? I think not!” After I had a good old laugh out loud at my own quip my sister went back to bed guilt-free.

After our call though, I started to think about people who do not get paid for sick days. At a time when more of us are living paycheque to paycheque, an unpaid sick day can be a catastrophic event.

If your sick days are unpaid you need to go to your budget immediately and do what you can to make room for this expense. Then, set up a direct payment to a savings account every payday. A savings account that you do not use for any other regular expenses. Even $5 bi weekly can add up. When you’re sick the last thing you need is the stress of knowing that being sick will mean that you can’t pay your rent.

It’s flu season. This sounds way more dramatic in French. La Grippe season! If you get the flu shot, it’s that time of the year again. Click here for your nearest clinic.

Don’t forget to keep in mind your neighbours, friends and families who may live alone. If you know that they’re feeling under the weather they will likely welcome a knock on the door with a bag of essentials and a quick hello.

And remember; this flu season, when you’re lying in bed with tissue stuck up your nostrils, the last thing you need is a ‘reminder’ call from MasterCard. Set up your direct payment for a sick savings account today!

Everyone seems to have a system when it comes to shopping. Some have the swift skill of negotiating.  Others look for sales with flyers and stock up. Some have a shopping blowout at the dollar store. Some grumble under their collective breath about the state of prices at the supermarket, about the fact that everything is getting higher and hope for a revolution by the people. The rest of the folks track coupons.

Coupon stacking is taking multiple coupons for the same product with different UPC codes and use them towards the purchase of one item in a single transaction. A lot of retailers and stores are not going out of their way to go after their way to advertise the use of coupons at their locations. The practice is so popular that in 2010 the government then wanted to quash the practice because of the complications they had figuring out how to see the amount designated to GST (HST).

I honestly admit I haven’t got a clue on how to use coupons and how to transact them.

With a short internet search you can find websites like mrsjanuary.com discuss the etiquette of how to become an extreme couponer and where to find coupons to save you money for months at a time. I recently found a seasoned Canadian couponer who gives online classes on the Internet to learn how to become and talk like a real a coupon expert.

Many stores like Zellers, Metro, Giant Tiger, Shoppers, Loblaws and Sobeys (and their stores that come under their umbrella) allow usage of coupons. If you find that things or brands you like are not on sale on a regular basis you still have some hope.

Also many retailers allow for price matching if you have a flyer from the retailer with a low price. Walmart, Loblaws, Zellers, Price Chopper, Superstore and No Frills will allow consumers to price match on the lowest advertised price of the same item. While Giant Tiger and Walmart will allow consumers to use coupons that are more than the products being purchased. This allows consumers to get some money back.

When Retailers have “Buy one get one free” sales, coupons of the same type  like the  “Buy one get one free” can be used for the sales, allowing a consumer to get two items for free.

Dollar stores are popping up everywhere allowing you to stop overspending on groceries. This will allow you to put your money where it belongs — back in your pocket.

Carvers of pumpkins, makers of costumes, givers of treats – listen up. According to the National Retail Federation in the United States, Americans will spend $6.86 billion on Halloween this year. Extrapolate that to Canada – by a reduced factor of 10 – and we here in the great yellow, orange and rust-coloured north will fork over about $686 million for sundry items celebrating All Hallows’ Eve in a couple of weeks’ time.

That’s a lot of scratch just to keep the little pagans happy and the outside of the house free of raw egg goop for a night.

So where is all the money going? Well, the RTF survey says that on average, a household will spend $26.52 per person on costumes, $19.79 on decorations, $21.05 on candy, and $4.96 on greeting cards (again, I point here to general parallels between Canada and the U.S.).  So on average for a family of four, we’re looking at basic Halloween expenditures of more than $150.00.

Now this figure does not include all the money that goes to Halloween feasts, pumpkin sculptures and the like, or special events including activities such as apple bobbing, bonfire weenie roasts and – perhaps for the adults – parties highlighting the balancing of a Scarecrow Ceasar-tini on one’s forehead.

I wager that the money spent for Halloween receives no family budget oversight in the vast majority of cases. For those who do care about what the annual ritual is costing them, I have some advice.

Clearly, aside from the extras mentioned above, the single biggest outlay for Halloween goes to costumes. And here you can save money just by being imaginative and money smart. The rules for cost-cutting on costumes apply equally to kids and adults.

Here’s your costume savings checklist:

• Creep into thrift stores.

Once you’ve determined what kind of costume you want, hit the thrift stores for the costume elements you need.   Bring the kids along and make of it a fun treasure hunt.

• Get used stuff.

Costumes typically are worn only once or twice. So check out gently used items through craigslist or eBay.

• Make a trade.

Got old costume material kicking around? Talk to relatives, friends and associates about what used costume stuff   they may possess and propose some trading.

• Check your closets and trunks.

Speaking of old costumes, you may already have the material you need to make a costume without too much effort.   Imagine what you can create with the clothes and accessories that you already own.

• Dawdle till the last minute.

This might be problematic – and you may have to be flexible – but if you’re willing to take a risk, you can shop   the day before Halloween evening, when prices at many shops drop.

• Consider double duty.

Eyeball material from the point of view of what you can do with it over time. For example, a pretty dress can   double as a princess costume and a fairy outfit over a couple of years.

• Be forward thinking.

For markdown prices that are hard to beat, purchase costumes – and costume accessories – just after Halloween   this year to prepare for next year.

• Look online for ideas:

Always check online for sales and ideas. To get started visit   http://about.pricegrabber.com/search_attrib.php/page_id=2010/st=filter/lo_p=0/hi_p=20/mode=about_kidmoney/

With this advice in hand, Halloween spending should be a little less scary for those who really need to watch out for money gobbling goblins.

Sorry to bring this up but (achoo) cold, wind, sleet and snow will soon be upon us, and you know what that means – a rotund, white-bearded fellow in an outlandish red outfit will be crawling down chimneys to deliver gifts under evergreen trees in living rooms across the land.

The old boy never sleeps. Right now he and his army of little green-suited elves are hard at work at the North Pole, putting together lists, checking them twice, and touching base with authorities to be sure “no-fly” does not apply to anyone at Santa Enterprises Inc., particularly those within the Reindeer Division.

Contrary to popular belief, Santa is busy year-round preparing for the one day he actually gets out and about. He is forward thinking. A master planner. He has to be. He’s got billions of deliveries to make in just one night. Shouldn’t you, in your own small way, take a lesson from him as Christmas approaches?

Throw out traditional timetables. Start planning – and shopping – for Christmas right now, and you will be glad you did. There are good reasons why.

The luxury of more time provides an advantage for serious savings on anything and everything you might purchase. You can find just the right gift and just the right price.

Aside from avoiding seasonal mark ups, you can surf the Net for the best deals in your area and the global village, with plenty of lead-time for deliverables. What’s more, you’ve got space to go coupon crazy. Maybe start by visiting www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-10-sites-for-online-coupons-promotional-codes/.

Perhaps above all, early or even year-round Christmas shopping is good for the body and spirit. It could add years to your life, when you think about it.

For example, it’s been scientifically proven that flying into rages in traffic and the middle of department stores leads to all kinds of terrible things, possibly even heart-stopping apoplectic fits, not to mention divorce, delinquency among your kids, or at least miserable evenings at home where the air is thick enough to cut with a Ginzu knife.

But aside from all the reduced stress, planning ahead for Christmas makes you a better person. When the holiday season does at last arrive, you remain an island of calm amidst the frenzied seas around you. You do not drink heavily as an escape and make an ass of yourself at parties. Your mate, children, friends and associates marvel at your aplomb.

Your planning, like that of Santa’s, keeps you sane and in control. You are master of the holiday universe, and lord of the season.

Now, isn’t that a merry thought?

After one rainy long weekend of watching one too many episodes of TLC’s show “Hoarders” I decided it was about time my room went through a major cleansing. I got rid of most of my old stuff and I wanted something new. During my cleanup process I collected a lot of valuables that I could sell on Craigslist, so I did and decided to use that money to invest in an HDTV for my room.

Like any other expensive purchase, a HDTV is a big investment but can also be worth it if you use good sense and go searching for your product with some background knowledge. I can’t even count how many times I’ve gone to purchase something and have been confused as to what the sales person is really selling me. I usually find myself trapped or intrigued into buying things I really don’t know much about, and what use is that?

Below you will find a few common and costly traps that you should be aware of and try to avoid.

The size trap
I cannot stress how important purchasing something that suits your lifestyle and living environment is. In fact, this should be your second priority after affordability. Bigger is not always better! Purchasing a gigantic television that you’ll have to squeeze into a small living room is not appealing at all (unless you’re into serious headaches and eye strain). The ideal distance between your TV and your eyes should be just about 1.5 to 2.5 times the size of your screen. So if it’s not, don’t purchase it, you don’t need it!

The showroom trap
It is the sole purpose of a showroom to impress the consumer and when a consumer is impressed, well… a consumer will buy…and buy some more! Keep in mind that everything from the lighting to the colours in a showroom is designed to intrigue the consumer and most importantly make that final sale. Think of what will work for your living environment and not of what works for the showroom.

The numbers trap
HDTV manufacturers always provide numbers on their spec sheet and sales people love to mention them. For example, the sales person might mention the “refresh rate” of each television (how frequently a fresh image is displayed) the higher the number, the smoother the images should be. Did you know that anything beyond 120Hz, the human eye has difficulty noticing? Obviously the sales person isn’t going to tell you that the $700 HDTV is just as good as that $850 HDTV or that you would probably never be able to tell the difference even if you knew the specs. This brings me back to my original point as to why it’s so important to have some background knowledge before you go shopping!

The running-out-of-money-for-extras trap
What’s the point of buying something you can’t even use and enjoy?  If you purchase an affordable HDTV you’ll be able to save some money for movies, a game console, satellite and/or cable. Spending all your money on a gigantic television with nothing to be entertained by is not a financially savvy idea. How else are you going to appreciate the specs you just paid for?

Last but not least…

The buying-something-you-don’t-even-need trap
STAY FOCUSED! You should have a relatively good idea as to what you want to purchase before you go to purchase it. Remember that the salesperson’s trained to up-sell the customer at all times. A good way of avoiding this is creating a list of what you know you want to buy so you can stick to your list and avoid spending more money on unnecessary extras.