Money Lesson: Be Observant

Last weekend, I needed to do a little shopping so I headed out to Target.  I saw a large package of toilet paper was on sale for $12 so I quickly grabbed one and headed to the checkout line.  The cashier rang up my purchase and called out the total, but as I pulled out my debit card and began to swipe, I paused..."Could you repeat that total?"  Turns out the toilet paper rang up as the original price of $15...

The same night, my fiancé and I decided to go out to eat.  We had great food, a really nice waitress, and everything was going fine...until the bill came.  There was an extra item listed on our receipt and--had I not noticed--we would have been overcharged by about $5!

So, there were mistakes on two separate occasions in the same night that could have cost me money...BUT, by paying attention as the transactions were taking place, I was able to catch these mistakes and save a few dollars.  It may not seem like $3-5 is a lot of money, but considering all the purchases you make every single month, if even a few result in you being overcharged then that $3-5 can add up!  Make sure you observant when making purchases and review all your receipts!

Guest Blogging Round-up: October

 Every Thursday, I write about all things finance from the young adult’s perspective in a series called Pennies-Nickel-Dollars over at Pretty Natural Divas.  Take a look at my posts from October and be sure to check me out  each and every Thursday! 


Daily Deal Sites: Do's and Don'ts  Tips to make sure you are making the most out of daily deal sites like Groupon and Living Social. 


Budgeting 101 + Free Budget Template A beginner's guide to making a budget, with a free template available for download.


Things Retailers Don't Tell You  A discussion of insider retail secrets used to trick shoppers into spending more.  


My Favorite Cheapie Hair Products  A rundown of my favorite hair products priced under $10.

Credit Card Paid Off!

For the first time since 2005, I checked my credit card statement online and saw this:

Woo Hoo!!!

Now I have to decide where to go from here. Originally I had planned to start using my credit card for all my monthly purchases and just pay the balance in full each month. This was due to the maintenance fees and check card fees that Suntrust bank were planning to implement, but now that they have decided not to charge these fees, I don't have a reason to stop using my debit card. I'll figure it out eventually, but for now I'm going to enjoy the feeling of the $0 balance : )

Layaway: Good, Bad or In Between?

With the holiday season quickly approaching, I’ve noticed some major retailers advertising the return of their Layaway programs. These programs work by allowing a customer to make a small down payment on items they want to buy, and make a series of payments over the course of a few weeks to finish paying for the items. In return, the retailer will guarantee that the item is in stock when it comes time for the customer to pick it up after the last payment is made. There is a service fee associated with layaway, and a customer may be faced with cancellation fees if they miss payments or decide to cancel the layaway plan. However, from looking at both the Walmart and Kmart layaway plans, service fees generally are between $5-10, and customers can get a refund if they decide to cancel the layaway.

I’ve never used layaway before and I’m not planning to use it in the future, but I am curious to know if it is a truly a benefit for shoppers. I can think of a few “pros” for using layaway:

Is Your Workplace Affecting Your Wallet?

Let me start off by saying I am absolutely grateful to have a job, but I can't help but notice how the office is affecting my budget, and I'm not even considering transportation and costs to maintain a professional wardrobe.  First there is the pressure to go out on group lunches, which are much more expensive than my homemade or frozen lunches.  Then there is the office party.  At my office, we celebrate birthdays, holidays,  weddings, boss's day, employee appreciation week, and I'm probably forgetting some other party occasions.  We take up a small monthly collections to help with the costs of parties and for office supplies like napkins and cleaning supplies, but each party requires that we either make a potluck dish or pay for catering, and contribute money for gifts.  Each party may call for a small donation, but these $5-$10 add up!

I have to admit, I do love the parties so I always choose to take part in them, but I have come up with a few ways to keep work spending in check:

Office Parties
Suggest a breakfast or afternoon snack party instead of one where the party food is serving as lunch.  This limits the amount of food everyone needs to bring, and everyone can contribute to cheaper food items than  meat items or large sandwich platters.
Offer non-monetary donations.  Bring in decorations, handmade gifts, or games you already own to serve as entertainment.
Suggest consolidating parties.  Instead of celebrating several birthdays individually, have a joint birthday party for co-worker's whose birthdays are in the same month or season.  Likewise, have one big holiday party instead of having back-to-back parties for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's.

Group Lunches
Take advantage of lunch specials offered during the day to get menu items for a cheaper price.
Split an entree with a coworker to save on costs and keep you both from over-eating :)
Swap a  restaurant meal for B.Y.O.L (bring your own lunch) get-together in the break room or at a nearby park.

So, is your workplace affecting your wallet? How much do you spend on average each month for work related expenses? Feel free to share!