Building Credit History

This post originally appeared on this blog on 8/30/2012, but it's such an important topic we felt we should revisit this one.

Even if you are not in the market to get a loan, having and building a healthy credit score in the United States can be beneficial and even fundamental for managing your bills. Your credit score is a complex algorithm designed by lending agencies to allow lenders to quickly and easily judge how likely you are to pay your bills and manage the amount of debt you request to borrow. Your credit score can earn you discounts and perks, even on basic utilities like electricity (or washer and dryer rentals!), or it could prevent you from being able to obtain loans in the future, all depending on how you spend your money over your lifetime. Though it takes years to build credit, don't feel intimidated! There are a few simple things you can keep in mind to build a good score.

Credit is based mainly on your borrowing history.

Even if you have a bank account and pay your apartment rent on time and have never had a credit card or been in debt, you may not have an established credit history. Having no credit can be just as detrimental as bad credit because lenders don't have any idea about how likely you are to pay your debts. The credit bureaus recommend that you have somewhere between 4 and 6 accounts that report to credit agencies to have a healthy score. A credit line could be a student loan, a car loan, or even as simple as a card that you buy groceries with and pay off at the end of each month.

You don't have to start off with no credit when you turn 18.

Parents can add their children's names to credit accounts when they are of age, usually around 16, to begin building credit. Your teenager does not have to use the card or even make payments, just having her name on the card will piggyback off of your credit score. However, keep in mind that if your credit is bad and you do this, your child will inherit bad credit too.

The amount of time you keep a credit line matters.

Having long-standing accounts that are paid on time for several years helps to build your credit. This is another great reason to start early when building your credit. Even if you pay off your debts, try to keep at least one card around that you have a long history with.

Keep a low balance on your cards and low overall debt.

Try to keep the amount of debt used on your credit line below 30%. A heavy determinant of your score is how much debt you have compared to how much you make each year. But just having a maxed out credit card can be damaging to your credit. Try spreading out your debt over a couple of cards and try to be as pragmatic and conservative as possible when judging how much you need to borrow. Just because you can borrow a lot doesn't mean that you should.

Hard inquiries to your credit do effect your score, but not by much.

Any time someone other than you checks your credit -- that is, any time you show interest in taking on more debt-- lenders see this as a potential risk factor in lending to you, which can potentially damage your score. However, the actual debt you have compared to your income and whether you pay your bills on time is far more weighty than an outside agency checking your credit. To limit the number of checks, check your own score regularly so that you have your rating in mind. Then whenever you are interested in dealing with a company who checks credit, be sure to ask what general score range they look for to get the best rate. This will help you judge how likely you are to be approved at the budget line you are looking for without adding unnecessary dings to your score.

Checking your credit score is free!

Though all of these factors are very important, the best way to keep on track is to check your score and your detailed report. Credit scores vary so much from person to person because everyone's financial needs are different. You can check your score as many times as you want, as well as obtain at least one annual detailed report from each of the three main credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) at no cost. Credit monitoring sites such as CreditKarma.com are a great free resource for gaining insight into your credit history. If at any time you see major changes in your score and you're unsure why, get a detailed report from each of the bureaus to make sure your affairs are in order. Big unexplained changes can point to errors in reporting or even identity theft.

Remember, knowledge is power! Keeping your credit rating in mind when you're budgeting can give you an edge in the future. Though credit scoring can seem scary and mysterious, it's just another factor in balancing your finances that you can use to your advantage. So keep an eye on it every month, just like your bills and your bank account. And until next time, keep it clean!

Smart Budgeting

While we're beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel, many of us have taken a beating financially from the recent economic crisis. Job losses, underemployment, student debt and credit card debt undertaken from investing in what would hopefully eventually be beneficial are crushing millions of us. But there's plenty we can do to make the day-to-day easier. We're all already familiar with cutting back. Here are a few tips on using your budget to get the most from your paycheck for your future.

Keep Investing
Paying off debt or keeping afloat may be your highest priority. However, if you can afford it, keep putting aside a percentage of your paycheck towards investments and retirement, especially if your employer offers a matching investments. Spending one year not putting aside money can result in spending hundreds more a month later down the road to make up for it.

Pay More than the Minimum
Paying the minimum balance on credit cards and loans is a good way to barely keep your head above water. There are plenty of online calculators to determine how much your monthly payment needs to be to pay off your cards completely in your chosen number of years. Try to aim for paying off your debts in 5 years or less. Balance your payments by how large the debt is. Let's say you have $200 a month you can put towards credit cards, and you have one card with a balance of $1000 and another with a balance of $3000. 25% of your debt is on the lower card. So pay $50 (25% of your monthly payment budget) to the lower card and $150 to the higher card. It will get paid down a lot faster and you can avoid hefty interest fees by paying more. Of course, the higher the interest, the faster you want to try to pay down that card.

Make Smart Purchases
This may seem obvious, but be discerning when allocating your money to extra expenditures. You may be able to live with a beat up old couch. But a leaky drain can turn into a flooded house, and a toothache can turn into a root canal. If you must spend extra money, be sure you're investing in something you really need. And especially spend on things that can turn into a problem later. It's better to nip it in the bud.

Buy Secondhand and Fix What You Have
You can get tons of good quality items if you give yourself a little extra time and keep a discerning eye out. We didn't have anywhere to sit in our living room and were in the market for a couch. We had the option of buying a new discount couch for $800 at a wholesale warehouse, but didn't really have the budget for it. We found a nice worn-in leather couch at a second-hand store for $300 and spent $100 and a few hours of elbow grease to restore the leather. That's half the price for a nicer couch! Same principle applies to clothes. Nice quality slacks and jeans that may just need to be dry-cleaned, dyed, patched or hemmed get dropped off at Goodwill because the last person didn't want to bother with it. Look for consignment shops in nicer neighborhoods for the best quality deals. Keep an open mind and see what you can find. If something you already have is wearing out and you don't know how to fix it, take it to a tailor or a dry cleaner to get it like new again for just a few bucks.

Keep an Eye on Your Credit Score
Make sure you always pay your bills on time, and if you can't, call and see what kind of deals you can make. Many loans and credit cards offer deferred payment programs, especially if you're unemployed. Try to avoid opening any new accounts and if you must have a card, keep the one you've had the longest for the most positive effect on your credit. If you can, pay your full debt instead of negotiating down. A chargeoff can really hurt your credit and be much worse for you in the future than just being in debt.

It's OK to Rent!
A lot of people think that purchasing is the soundest decision you can make, but purchasing an item new can devalue it instantly, just like driving a new car off the lot. That's a big dent in your investment. An even bigger dent comes from maintenance. Avoid the headaches of repairs by letting someone else do the work for you. Azuma covers all maintenance and installation at no charge for refrigerator and washer and dryer rentals, giving you one less thing to worry about.

Don't Get Caught Up in the Little Things
Oftentimes financial advisers will tell you to cut back on little stuff, like the fancy coffees or basic cable. It's true that these things add up, however sometimes that cup of coffee is the only thing keeping you sane through your workday. You know what you spend the most money on. Eating at home, using a prepaid phone instead of a smartphone and re-watching a DVD instead of going out to the theater are all things we already know save money. You still have to live your life, so don't tear your hair out over the small stuff. Sometimes having that small reward that you earned at the end of the week, like a cup of coffee, is what reminds you that you're working towards long term goals and are still doing okay.

Hopefully these tips will help you all continue to be wise with your money. Until next time, keep it clean!

Apple Bundt Cake With a Twist!

With the holidays upon us I have been looking all over the place for the perfect recipe for our families thanksgiving get together! I always love pie, but its very traditional for thanksgiving and I wanted to try bringing something a bit different. I opted for a cake! I found this fabulous recipe online and wanted to share! :)

Apple Bundt with Brown-Butter Vanilla Bean Glaze

for the apple bundt:
1 T. butter and some flour for preparing the pan
4 medium apples – peeled, cored, & shredded (use the big holes on your grater), to make about 3-1/2 cups shredded apples – I used 2 Granny Smith, 1 Gala, and 1 McIntosh
1 T. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1-1/3 c. white sugar, divided
3 c. all-purpose flour
1 T. baking powder
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. mace
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. applesauce
4 large eggs
1/2 c. apple cider
2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare a 12-cup bundt pan by smearing butter over every little nook and cranny of its interior. Then add some flour and tilt your pan so flour sticks to all of the buttery surface. Set pan aside.

Stir the shredded apple with lemon juice and 1/3 cup of the white sugar. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the remaining 1 cup white sugar, brown sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, apple cider, and vanilla. Mix to combine. Then add the flour mixture and combine once again. Add the apples and mix until the apples are evenly distributed. Pour into prepared Bundt pan and bake for 1 hour, or until a toothpick comes out of the cake clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then invert onto your serving platter.

**If you are going to top the cake with the glaze, start making the glaze immediately, while the cake is still warm!

Another option for serving this cake would be to finish it with a simple dusting of powdered sugar once it is cool. A dollop of slightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream would also be very good.

for the brown-butter vanilla bean glaze:
2 to 3 T. half and half
2 c. sifted powdered sugar
vanilla bean seeds scraped from 1/2 a vanilla bean (split bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds)
4 oz. butter
2 tsp. vanilla

First, pour 3 tablespoons of half and half into a small bowl and set aside. This is just to take the chill off, while you prepare the rest of the glaze.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sifted (don’t skip the sifting!) powdered sugar and vanilla bean seeds. Set aside.

In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the butter until golden brown. It should smell delicious and toasty. If it smells burnt, you went too far! This should take about 6 to 8 minutes. Carefully pour browned butter into the powdered sugar and vanilla bean seeds, leaving the darkened butter sediment behind. Add 2 tablespoons of the half and half, then add the vanilla. Stir vigorously until smooth. You want the glaze to be somewhat thick, but easily pourable. If it seems too thick, add the remaining tablespoon of half and half.  

Pour the glaze over the cake while both the glaze and cake are still warm. The glaze cools quickly, so don’t delay! Let the glaze set. Then slice and enjoy!

Until next time, keep it clean! :)

The Infinite Uses of Salt

Last time we discussed the amazing cleaning power of vinegar. Another great simple ingredient is salt! Salt sometimes gets a bad rap for being bad for you, but when used properly it has an amazingly broad range of benefits.


Probably the most familiar use for salt is in the kitchen. Salt as a seasoning is great for savory foods, but has tons of applications with a wide variety of ingredients. Small amounts of salt enrich and deepen the flavor of delicate desserts, especially chocolate. If your coffee is too bitter, put a pinch of salt in the pot to get rid of the overcooked flavor. Washing your produce in salt water yields cleaner fruits and veggies and can prevent sliced fruit and vegetables from turning brown. A pinch of salt in your milk will also make it last longer. Use natural sea salt and rock salt when cooking to gain the benefits of micronutrients found in the earth. Remember that if you make most of your food from scratch, you can safely use salt in your cooking when used with discretion without having to worry about harmful effects. Herbivores (that means you, vegetarians!) actually can have more salt added in their diets because they don't get salt from meat. Of course, be sure to check with your nutritionist when judging how much salt you need based on your diet and how often you exercise.

Salt is also excellent for beauty. Put a couple tablespoons of salt into a spray bottle of water and shake it up, then spritz it on your hair and comb through and let it air dry. Salt water helps tame frizziness, and because of the antibacterial qualities it can relieve itchiness and dandruff on your scalp too. Scrubbing your face with a paste made from salt and oil removes dead skin and brightens your complexion. Sprinkling a mixture of table salt and baking soda (also, incidentally, a type of salt) onto your toothbrush and brushing your teeth will whiten your teeth and remove hardened plaque.

As an antibacterial, salt works surprisingly well. Bacteria can cause itchy skin, wound inflammation and bad odors from the waste they create (like stinky armpits). When salted water is introduced to bacteria, the salt causes the bacteria to absorb far more water than their bodies can contain. Eventually the bacteria will absorb so much water that they burst, effectively and naturally killing the bacteria. Pressing salt into minor cuts and scrapes will kill bacteria and help the wound heal. It also relieves bee stings, bug bites and poison ivy. You can swish salt water as an effective alternative to mouthwash, and gargle warm salt water to relieve a sore throat. My favorite antibacterial use for salt, however, is as a deodorant! After you shower, wet a smooth piece of rock salt and rub it in your armpits and you'll be fresh all day. Rock salt is a cheap and easy alternative to deodorants and antiperspirants that lasts a long time. If that's not motivation enough, consider that the majority of waste in the body are eliminated through sweat. Blocking your sweat glands with chemicals and introducing metals such as aluminum (found in most deodorants) to your body has been strongly linked to cancer, especially breast cancer. Sweating is a normal function your body needs to perform to stay healthy, so spare your sweat glands and your precious disease fighting lymph nodes the abuse!

Here at Azuma we love budget-conscious ways to make a happier, healthier and cleaner home. We know you'll enjoy these simple, cheap, eco-friendly and effective alternatives to the store-bought stuff. We have plenty more tips coming, so until next time, keep it clean! :)

Vinegar!

     As I grow older and wiser there are many changes I have decided to make in my life. These start as small as buying generic items, and can be as big as changing my diet! Some of the smaller in-between consist of trying to recycle, conserve water and energy, and even be more organic in my everyday life! When I began trying to cut out all of the harsh chemicals in my life, i began to realized how many options there really are for natural cleaners! I've learned most of them here on this blog from my fellow bloggers. :) Since gaining the interest to make these changes, you wouldn't believe the time that I spend on the computer researching new ways to clean and/or create things for my home. I not only enjoy knowing that I am handling things without the use of chemicals, but I also enjoy expanding my knowledge on the topic! One of the best universal cleaners I have discovered is: Vinegar. It's an amazing little tool that I never thought had the capabilities that it does! Here at AZUMA Leasing we all know our favorite topic is Laundry! So here's a few reasons why you should use this god sent item in your laundry room!

     First, lets talk about your clothes. We all know that wash after wash the colors become dull, and that is something we all dread! Just by adding 1/2 a cup to the rinse cycle, will keep your clothes bright and looking brand new! No more faded jeans! This, my friends, is priority number one in my book! At the same time we're not only brightening our colors, but fabric softener won't be needed!  That's right! Vinegar is a great substitute for softening your fabrics!
      Have you ever forgotten your clothes in the washer because you got busy, or even fell asleep, and when you return they smell gross?! All you need to do is throw a couple cups of vinegar into the washer and run through a rinse cycle - once completed, wash them again with detergent. Your clothes will be fresh like they never sat over night forgotten in your washer! Vinegar also works great to remove perspiration odors AND stains! Spray a little bit of vinegar on the stain or 'smelly location' before throwing the item into the normal wash and you'll be covered. :)
     Any pesky residue from walking around after it rains that sticks around and leaves your shoes looking dull, can be easily removed by wiping them down with an equal part solution of water and vinegar. Not only does it clean the stains from your garments, it is also great for cleaning the washer, itself! Run a load in the washing machine without any clothing, and add a few cups of vinegar with hot water. This will clean out your washing machine and keep it fresh for your clothing! Not only can it clean the washing machine, it is also great for your iron! We all know that starch, and all sorts of funk can build up on the iron over time. In order to clean it and keep it working well, take equal parts vinegar and water and use this mixture in your iron. Fill it up, let it heat up and steam upright for about 5 minutes, then let the iron cool. Once cool, rinse and fill back up with water. This keeps the mineral deposits from building up in the steam vent and spray nozzle! This cleans the inside of the iron, for the outer surfaces, you can use the same mixture with warm water to scrub the residue off of the heat plate itself (when cool, of course)!
     Vinegar is an amazing substitute for bleach! Add 1-2 cups of vinegar to a pot of boiling water, then add your whites to the pot (socks, dingy rags, etc), then let it soak over night, you'll be amazed at the difference! Not only can it whiten those dingy whites, but it also works great as a spot treatment! Take a spray bottle with equal parts water and vinegar and apply mixture to the stain and rub it in. Then throw it in the wash, and watch the stain disappear! Last but not lease, lets talk about our towels. Are your towels not absorbing as much as they used to? Run then through a warm wash with 2-3 cups of vinegar. This strips all of the extras that get absorbed into your towels, causing them not to do their job!

     If this didn't convince you to run out to the store and buy some vinegar for your laundry room, I don't know what will! From your friends at AZUMA Leasing - until next time, keep it clean! :)

Simplifying Your Stuff

A lot of our current culture revolves around the easily accessible, the cheap, the replaceable and the disposable. Even with discount items and big box super stores, all of that stuff adds up and costs money. Today I'd like to challenge you to swap quantity for quality and change your idea of what you "need" to get by.

Disposable Items
There are a lot of disposable, packaged goods that people purchase every week, but mankind thrived for thousands of years before these were invented. Think about each packaged thing you purchase and replace at least one of those each week with something you can keep instead. Do you have allergies and need to blow your nose twice a day? Instead of tissues, try a handkerchief. Having 2 or 3 on hand, one to use while one is in the wash, is usually plenty for most people. Handkerchiefs are sturdier and easier on your face. Save tissues for when you have a terrible case of the flu. Do you use plastic bags and foil to wrap up leftovers? Try glass jars or cheesecloth. There are even companies that make reusable bags that mimic sandwich bags that can be thrown in the dishwasher after a few uses.

Clothes and Fashion
When was the last time you wore that dress, and why do you need 20 pairs of jeans? You shouldn't be hanging on to clothes you might grow into or eventually lose weight and can wear again. And it could be years before you need to reuse those baby clothes. Pare down your closet to what you can wear for a week, plus a couple of seasonal or special occasion items like sweaters, swimsuits or something you'd wear to a fancy gathering. When you have less to choose from, you have less to worry about, less space to fill with stuff, and you get more creative with mixing and matching what you have. Give the extra stuff to those who need and can use it today.

Kitchen Items
There are 3 of you in your house, yet you have enough dishes and place settings for Thanksgiving. You don't have to have all that stuff just for that one day out of the year. Limiting your use to one or two dishes of each kind per person cuts down on dishes to do, provides incentive to keep things clean, and limits clutter.  Think about gadgets, too: a frying pan and a knife work just as well as a grill and a slicer-dicer. Have items that do multiple things and learn to use them instead of specialized items that just do one thing.

Storage and Someday Items
When was the last time you went camping? Do you really need a treadmill, or can you run outside? Are you still hanging on to your 16 year old's tricycle? Remember that what you use daily is often not a lot. Get to know your neighbors, make friends in your community and learn to share. You're not going to mow your lawn or cut down a tree every day, but there are rental programs and free community sharing programs that make it easy to access convenience items when you do need them. You don't need your own personal item for each activity you do a few times a year.


100 Items
There are likely tons of other things in your home that I haven't listed. Hobbies and abandoned crafts, things stuffed under the bed, 4 different shampoos in the shower, 5 different cleaners under the sink. Decluttering your life extends to all sorts of places in your home, and the benefits include more space, less money spent and peace of mind. If there are other items you need to factor in, it helps creative thinking to limit yourself to a number. Often minimalists limit to 100 personal items (5 shirts, one toothbrush, one pen, one pad of paper, etc.). If something breaks and can't be fixed or needs to be replaced, you remove the one thing and replace it with one thing so the number stays constant. The number is arbitrary, your number can be whatever you're comfortable with. But having a number helps to keep focus and control and a mental image of what you can expect to have in your home at any given time.

It may be hard to let go of things that you have, especially if it's something of nostalgic value. But what matters most is not the things themselves but the memories and the people in them and what you share with them. If you let go of a thing, you are not letting go of that person or that experience. If you have less physical items to hang on to, you have less to worry about insuring, replacing, or losing. When you pick and choose what you keep and use, you also give yourself the freedom to worry less about the stuff you have and the stuff you're going to buy and the ability to do more.

Feng Shui Your Way Into A Wealthier You!

     Many of us make plans each new year to make changes in our lives! Whether it be dieting, saving money, or being a better person - we all struggle throughout the year to actually make those things happen! One of the hot topics for all American's is the economy. The massive U.S. budget deficit is the gravest threat facing the economy, topping high unemployment and the risk of inflation or deflation. Today I read an article online with some interesting ideas, and I'm going to pass these ideas onto you to help improve the number one concern of all Americans: increasing your income!

     Well, that is a good question! We've all heard this term, and are familiar with it, but have we actually taken the time to learn what it means? Never fear, because I did some research so we can all understand it more clearly. "Feng Shui is an ancient art and science developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It is a complex body of knowledge that reveals how to balance the energies of any given space to assure the health and good fortune for people inhabiting it. Feng Shui is based on the Taoist vision and understanding of nature, particularly on the idea that the land is alive and filled with Chi, or energy. The ancient Chinese believed that the land's energy could either make or break the kingdom, so to speak."

     The first and most important step to using Feng Shui to help increase your financial resources is your attitude! By using energy to help increase wealth, you are counting on cosmic forces to bring you positive results! If you go into this experience with a negative attitude, how can you ever expect this method to work for you? It absolutely won't. You must BELIEVE that wealth and good fortune are coming your way; otherwise all other steps are null and void. Next, Choose the right charm. This step is also very important. The charm doesn’t have to be anything specific, just something that you associate with wealth. Even if others don’t understand what a particular charm has to do with wealth, remember, it is your space and it’s up to how you associate the item.

      It is very important that you avoid filling the home with items you don’t associate with wealth. This has everything to do with keeping the right positive attitude! If your parents bought a particular grocery product when you were a child and in the back of your mind, you associated that product with being poor (we all know Ramen is the food of poor college students), stop buying that product. The same can be said for clothes shopping. You don’t have to go out and buy a designer wardrobe, but just try to keep in mind when you’re out to cover yourself in brands that you don’t associate with being poor. It may not sound like much, but you must convince yourself that you are worthy of wealth before wealth will come to you. For example, if you're going out to the grocery store, carry yourself differently. Maybe in stead of going in your pj's (like I commonly do) - comfortable casuals would be a good alternative.

      

     Keep in mind that the true objective of Feng Shui is to harness the Chi of the local environment to support us in our goals and desires. It is a science and practice of looking at the quality of a person's life by looking at their living environment and seeking to improve that quality of life by tapping into the natural energies in that environment. This can have an impact on gaining new opportunities and being able to take advantage of them as they arise. Although everyone wants to improve their finances and and make more money, the first thing to review and improve is overall health and happiness. If you don't have those two items, the improvement in finances may be wasted. I hope all our laundry fanatics take these tips to heart! Who doesn't love a little extra cash in their pocket, and a happier lifestyle? I know I sure do! Until next time: live long, prosper, and most of all, keep it clean! :)

Last Minute Shopping!

If 'tis the season for you to put off your holiday shopping for the last few days before Christmas, you are not alone! According to the Today Show, despite $25 billion dollars already spent this holiday season (up 15% from last year), 37 million consumers have not yet started their holiday shopping (I happen to be one of those consumers!).
Here are a few holiday shopping tips that may help to make your season merry and bright...and to get you through that last minute holiday rush!!

• The National Retail Federation states that 90% of online retailers are offering free shipping. Equally as important to free shipping is a free return policy. Be sure to read the details of this policy so you don't have to fork out any extra bucks to return an item that didn't work out for you or your gift recipient.
• Consider taking a day off from work to do shopping. A week day morning is an excellent time to do some shopping. Not only do you not have to battle the after-work crowds but you get to make the most of your day. Many stores open early and close late during the holiday shopping season so take advantage of this! You may be able to knock out all of your shopping in one day!
• Don't rule out shopping on Christmas Eve. Many malls are not crowded because people begin gathering with their families. PLUS, many retailers begin their markdowns on Christmas Eve so there are some good deals to be had if you wait until then.
• Crowds aren't for you? Consider shopping online. Many retailers are guaranteeing delivery by Christmas eve on in-stock items. Be sure to check order deadlines for this guaranteed delivery because it does vary from retailer to retailer.
• Always make a list. If Santa does it, then it MUST be a good idea! In reality, a list will help you keep track of everyone you plan to shop for. I also write down three gift options for each person so that I know what to look for instead of randomly shopping. It helps to save lots of time!
• And speaking of saving, be sure to make a budget. Not having a budget can lead to overspending and, let's face it, who wants to be stuck with hefty credit card bill at the end of the season? Set a target amount to spend for each person on your list and try to stick within a few bucks of that target. You will feel a lot better about the holiday and budgeting eliminates a lot of holiday stress.

Hope these tips make your holiday shopping easier and virtually pain-free! Don't forget to take a minute to enjoy a nice cup of hot chocolate and some holiday music. Remember, it's the little things in life that matter most, not the new tablet computer for little Johnny or Jenny. Until next time, keep it clean!!