This article was published here on Valentine’s Day 2007. I enjoyed it so much, I decided to reprint it with perhaps a few updates every successive Valentine’s Day for the rest of my life. Enjoy.

Do you want to be romantic and save money? In a world where romanticism is portrayed by the media as the giving of expensive gifts like diamonds, a Lexus, and a tropical vacation, romanticism and frugality are seen as incompatible. Here are some ways to bring the two concepts together in a beautiful marriage of ideas (without the expensive caterers, wedding dress, and relatives).

1. Make your own cards. You don’t have to be a great artist, but some effort can go a long way. Fold a piece of paper in quarters, draw a simple design on the front with no more than two crayons, and write heartfelt words inside (in pen). You’ll be fine, and you’ll avoid the clichéd imagery.

Personally, I can never find cards that express what I feel—they’re either too cheesy or too stupid—so I opt for blank ones anyway.

2. Pass over the chocolate. Chocolate (represented by the pictured chocolate heart) is expensive this time of year, especially if you’re a fan of Godiva. Chocolate is such a pleasureful food because its chemicals react with the chemicals in the brain to create a slight euphoria.

Other options that create the same feeling include papaya and other juicy fruit, as well as marijuana. Drugs may not be the most frugal choice, however, depending on your source.

3. Don’t rent pornography. Doing so supports a dangerous industry (and terrorism, of course!). The best alternative is to select your videos for free at your local sex library.

Another option: film your own scene for your private home viewing. It’s more “personal” but less sexy to anyone other than you, so keep it to yourself.

4. Avoid lingerie. Why spend so much money on small pieces of fabric that will quickly be removed from the body anyway? Nudity is much sexier, and doesn’t fund terrorism.

5. Turn off electrical appliances. No television, no lights, nothing that draws power provided by an outside source. Light a candle if you need to see, but otherwise just get in bed and cuddle in the dark… without the aforementioned lingerie.

6. Skip the gourmet dinner. Homemade filet mignon sends a message to your sweetie: I’m willing to spend extra money for meat depending on its originating proximity to a bull’s ass. Skip the fine foods. When everything comes out, it smells the same whether it’s Omaha Steaks or McDonald’s.

Note: Don’t feel bad if you are without a partner on this Valentine’s Day. All of the above activities can be accomplished as well, if not better, on your own.

♥ Happy Valentine’s Day from Consumerism Commentary! ♥

Now is most likely the best time for finding great deals on holiday items like Christmas tree ornaments and decorations. While I’m inclined to say that holiday tchotchkes are generally overpriced to begin with, I’ve spotted discounts up to 75% off of the regular price over the past few days. Most people, particularly those who plan and prepare for the holidays, are just happy the year has ended. They’re not thinking about preparing for next Christmas or Hanukkah.

Meanwhile, the stores need to unload their unsold holiday inventory. It’s time to start making room for Valentine’s Day junk. Use this knowledge to take advantage of the strong supply to demand ratio. If you have the storage space and can’t reuse what you already have, consider buying what you’ll need next December now at a deep discount.

In the course of my holiday shopping, I happened into my local pet shop for some supplies and a catnip-filled stocking or two.

While there, I couldn’t help but wander towards the wall full of wriggling puppies, each more adorable than the last.

As usual, there were a few display tanks full of kittens, generally from stray or other cats which people drop off to be vaccinated and then resold. It’s not a bad program, really, and the store always charges $49.99 to adopt a kitten once they’ve been checked and treated, enough to cover the vet and their expenses.

Always, that is, except the holidays. As I looked at the inquisitive little faces, my eye was drawn up to the yellow tag: $199.99.

“Well, they must be from a breeder,” I mused aloud, but a nearby store clerk shook her head. She gave me a knowing look and whispered “They’re the same cats as always,” then strolled off before anyone else could overhear.

Indeed, these were run-of-the-mill kittens, some stripey, some longhaired with white bibs, and some pure jet black. But all featured the special holiday pricing, four times the normal cost.

In the midst of the Christmas rush, I wonder if anyone else will even notice.

Image Credit: Collinj

Unfortunately, I forgot to mention PriceProtectr during my recent Wall Street Journal interview, but I can’t praise this free service enough. This website keeps a private database of your purchases, in store or online, and monitors the price of the items. Many stores offer a price match policy, in which the customer would be entitled to a credit if the price of a purchased item drops within 30 days of purchase. While I normally check the price of large purchases on my own, PriceProtectr has the benefit of constant monitoring and alert.

A few weeks ago, my girlfriend A. purchased a gift for me—a somewhat pricey gift—from Best Buy. The gift is currently wrapped, so technically I shouldn’t know about it. But I do. This morning, I received notification that the price for the item, a Blu-Ray Disc player, dropped from $399 to $299. That’s a significant decrease, and the money saved could certainly be spent towards other things or deposited into savings.

Originally, my plan was to wait until I could find a lower-cost refurbished Blu-Ray player at a Sony outlet store, but receiving the player as a gift works as well. The price drop is just icing on the cake.

So when we get a chance, probably next weekend, we will visit the store with the receipt and take advantage of the Best Buy price drop policy.

Using PriceProtectr is easy, even if your purchase took place in person. Just find the URL listing the product and enter that address and your email address on the home page. PriceProtectr will do the rest, checking the price of your items each day. You’ll receive an email if the price drops and when the protection expires after 30 days from the purchase date.

photo: downbeat

Homemade gifts can be so much more than the sum of their parts, which makes them a great frugal gift option.

They are redolent of effort, of “I thought of you all year and worked on this for you” versus “I realized I needed a gift for you ten minutes ago and picked this up as I was driving here.”

MoneySavingMom has an extensive collection of frugal gift ideas. Some of my favorite homemade gifts from her list follow:

• Homemade baking mixes
• Embroidered pillowcases
• Hand-stamped notecards
• Personalized CDs (with music, family photos, etc.)
• Custom-made photo calendars (every grandparent I know adores these)
• Homemade food, including freezer-ready quick meals and baked goods (I am seriously asking my mother-in-law for a giant vat of her famous fresh Tomato soup for the holidays this year)
• Canned vegetables, jam, pickles, etc.
• Scarves, sweaters and other knitted/crocheted goodies
• Fleece throw blankets

• Homegrown organic dried herbs (in a charming little jar, what could be better?)

  I talked a bit about this in my last entry, but the ultimate “handmade” gift may not be a thing at all, but instead, a service. I love the concept of lending your personal services to someone else, especially in this age of so little free time.

  If you’re good at sewing, what about giving certificates for mending and tailoring clothing? Or giving proofreading or resume help to someone still in school? Know someone who travels a lot? A few certificates for rides provided by you to and from the airport could be just the thing. Or create a scrapbook or photo album for someone with lots of memories and no time to compile them. Babysitting, yard cleanup, etc. are gifts which cost little but your time.

  I’ve been blessed with some very creative friends, so in the past I’ve received amazing scarves, jewelry, gorgeous embroidered pillowcases, and even original artwork. This year, one of my good friends knitted me some very chic pure-white cashmere gloves.

  My own talents are more culinary than crafty, so this year I’m giving out tins of several varieties of homemade cookies and a few premade freezer meals, like lasagna, for those in my life who don’t enjoy cooking as much as I do. If you’re not inclined to create gifts yourself, you can buy amazing and unique handmade gifts of all sorts at Etsy.com.

  Any special handmade gifts you’ve given or received? Share your favorites.

  Image Credit: Autreyu

‘Tis the season to think about charitable giving, and there are some wonderful opportunities to do this while giving to your friends and loved ones. Whether it’s one of your favorite causes or one which aligns with the interests of the recipient, there are three simple ways to make a doubly-impactful gift this holiday season.

1. Buy Christmas/holiday cards which support your charity of choice

If you’re going to buy cards this year anyway, why not see if your favorite charity has anything to offer? Not only do you show your support, but you may find interesting, unique cards which stand out to their recipients.

• The Audubon Society has a stunning array, and 10% of each box goes to serve their cause.
• The Make-A-Wish Foundation will actually personalize and mail your cards for you if you wish to make a gift on someone else’s behalf. Or you can order blank cards and send them yourself.
• The American Diabetes Association offers cards which you can personalize regardless of whether you are making a gift donation as well.
• Defenders of Wildlife offers free personalization of up to 4 lines when you order 3 or more boxes of cards, plus the cards are really wonderful for animal lovers.
• Sierra Club has an array of cards ranging from adorable polar bears frolicking in the snow to stunning National Park landscapes.

  2. Buy gifts which provide a percentage to charity

• Know someone who loves the water? Oceana has some really cool t-shirts and apparel, and as much as 25% of the proceeds benefit their charity.
• Sierra Club offers two gorgeous gift-boxed calendars, note card sets (the owl set is my favorite) and even books for the nature/scenery lover in your life.
• The American Red Cross Store offers a number of smart gifts for the practical people in your life who always like to be prepared. Start with the $5 emergency kit as a stocking stuffer or spring for an emergency radio or more extensive kit. They’ve even got a line of vintage-style and baby clothing and some cute wrapping paper to package it all up.
• UNICEF has a store full of interesting, international gifts, including candles, journals, and books.
• A cancer survivor or supporter might enjoy jewelry, clothing or a tote bag from the American Cancer Society Gift Shop.

  3. Donate to charity as a gift

• Oceana is offering a holiday adopt-a-creature program. For $35, you can adopt a dolphin, seahorse, or one of 16 other sea creatures and receive a cookie cutter in the shape of that creature and a special sugar cookie recipe. For $75, you can choose a set of 4 creatures, or for more, you can get the full set with an oven mitt or two included. It’s a nice way to donate while still having a fun gift for the recipient to open and enjoy.

  

• Oxfam America offers you the unique opportunity to present your friends and family with a sheep, a can of worms, or other amusing gift. You are donating your funds to purchase items needed by growing communities worldwide, but you get a very charming personalized card announcing your gift in any of a number of categories relevant to the recipient, from gardener to student. How else could you possibly gift wrap a camel?

  

• Heifer International also donates livestock to countries in need. You can choose from a variety of animals, including a llama for $150.
• American Forests lets you plant trees in the name of a loved one for $1 a tree.
• Alternative Gifts International offers truly impactful gifts of of food, shelter, trees, gardens and medicines around the world.
• Not sure what charity would be most fitting? JustGive.org sells gift certificates which can be redeemed for any of 1,000,000 charities and nonprofit organizations.

  There are so many more charities out there offering personal, interesting and impactful holiday gifts. What are your favorites?

This is a guest post from Steve, who writes about finance and life at Brip Blap.

As the holiday season approaches, calls for donating to charity begin to multiply. Americans donate over $240 billion per year to various charities, and that’s simply in terms of money; the contributions in goods and services add even more to that number. This is a brief guide to the biggest questions about charitable giving in the US.

Decide what’s right for you. First of all, you need to come up with an idea of the type of charity you want to support. The list is almost endless. There are small local charities that benefit a very specific area, and there are gigantic global charities that help around the world. There are charities that try to offer direct help, and those that try to raise awareness. A few things you should consider before deciding on a charity:

1. Is it a “good” charity?
2. How will you contribute?

1. Will you receive a tax deduction?

   Is it a “good” charity? Make sure you agree with the charity’s stated aims. Try to understand what percentage of your contributions will go where you think they need to go. The IRS has a Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax.” This form is probably your single best piece of information about a charity, because it’s the way the government prevents abuse of tax-exempt status.

   There are almost 2 million American charities; specifically you should seek out “qualified organizations.” A qualified organization is called that because it qualifies for a tax deduction. These organizations include religious groups, public schools, not-for-profit hospitals, parks and a variety of other groups. If the organization is not qualified there is no barrier to giving to that group, but your donation will not be deductible.

   You can view a charitable organization’s Form 990 to find out more about that organization’s mission and programs. The IRS Form 990, “Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax,” can be thought of as the financial statements of a nonprofit organization. The form gives information about the organization’s finances and how money collected is spent. Keep in mind that although some groups may spend more on overhead than others, that does not necessarily disqualify a group from your consideration. Larger nonprofits may have more expenses for outreach or large, multi-year projects. If you have any concerns about how the money is being spent, you should contact the organization and ask them for more information; if they won’t provide it, that’s a good indicator!

   Resources:

   • Guidestar
   • Charity Navigator

• IRS Form 990 [pdf]

  How will you contribute? There are three basic ways to contribute to charity: money, goods and time. All three have value, and you should never let yourself feel badly because you can give one way and not another. A busy traveling salesman may not have the time to work hands-on with a charity group, but he can donate money or goods. A college student may not have extra cash or goods but can certainly contribute time. Everyone can give something:

• Give money. Obviously this is the simplest way to contribute, and usually it can be done quickly by going to a web site or mailing a letter. Many charities struggle to raise money, and every little bit counts.
• Give goods. You may think that old, gently worn coat will never been worn again, but there are plenty of organizations who would be thrilled to give that coat to someone who needs it. Clothes, books, almost anything that is in decent condition can be given to worthwhile organizations like the Salvation Army.

• Give time. A lot of people give money and goods to charitable organizations, but many of them need the gift of your time more than anything. From answering phones to building houses, many organizations deeply appreciate the time you can give them to help them spread their message or even complete their core missions. You can even under certain circumstances donate your professional services to an organization.

  Will you receive a tax deduction? Some people may think that it’s improper to discuss tax writeoffs when talking about giving. The US government has chosen to create an incentive to giving, though, and there’s no reason not to take advantage of it. Of course, if you can only really receive the benefit of these deductions if you itemize. If you give money or other gifts (stocks, goods, etc.) and the charity has the proper Internal Revenue Service (IRS) status, you may be eligible to deduct some or all of your contributions. The rules have been significantly tightened in 2007, however. A few basic pointers:

• Starting in 2007, you need a receipt for ANY donation. The old limit of $250 has been eliminated, so even a $10 bill in the collection plate requires a receipt if you want to deduct it.
• You may deduct up to 50% of your adjusted gross income in one year for charitable donations (certain contributions, though, may have lower limits).
• If you give more than 50%, you can carry the excess forward for up to five years.
• If you donate goods to an organization, it must be in good condition or better in order to be deductible – and if it’s worth more than $500 you have to get a professional appraisal to prove its value.

• If you receive something in return for your donation, you can only deduct the excess of your donation over what you received; so if you paid $100 for a charity dinner with a value of $30, you can only deduct $70.

  Your best resource for figuring out the rules? Go to the source: Publication 526 from the IRS website. (This is the 2006 version; 2007 is not yet available.) If you have any concerns, make sure you talk to a tax professional about your specific situation.

  While there are a lot of rules surrounding the deductibility of donations and a lot of suspicion over some recent charity scandals, it is important to remember that the great majority of charitable organizations exist for one reason: to help. As the holidays come, it’s important to remember those less fortunate, and extend what help you can. You can even be a little selfish, because one of the biggest benefits of giving is that you’ll feel great about doing it!

  Read more from Steve at his blog, Brip Blap.