Valentine’s Day is next Monday! If you haven’t gotten started with your Valentine’s Day gift, now is the time.

Here are some great ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts under $20, for him or for her, from Amazon.com. All of these items come with Free Super Saver Shipping. However, I would recommend one or two day shipping, so that you’ll have your gift in time for Valentine’s Day.

If you need quick shipping, for a limited time, Amazon.com is offering Free Two Day Shipping on select Valentine’s Day items in the Grocery and Gourmet Food department.

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Valentine’s Day is coming up soon. If you haven’t gotten anything yet for your sweetie, flowers are always a great gift for her.

There are also great gifts for him, such as chocolates, chocolate covered oreos, Mrs. Field’s cookies, Mr. Beer premium home brewery, and more.

True story. One year, when I was working at a small office, all of the women received roses on Valentine’s Day from their significant others. And the guys in the office felt guilty for not buying flowers for their significant other! Don’t let this be you! (Do you something for your special someone, be it flowers or something else.)

For many people, tax season is a dreaded time of year. They worry about keeping up with all of their deductions, the possibility of owing a substantial tax or if they will be audited for their past years’ tax returns.

There are several companies that offer comprehensive online tax preparation software, so customers don’t have to concern themselves with catching every detail themselves. Here are six of the best online tax preparation software that are available today. Some are even free if you have a simple tax return.

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Birthdays aren’t about becoming a year older, it’s about getting free stuff! You are entitled, so don’t be afraid to let people know it’s your birthday. Here is a list of free stuff you can get on your birthday.

Baskin Robbins – Receive a coupon for a free scoop of ice cream and a discount off your birthday cake on your birthday when you sign up for their birthday club

Ben & Jerry’s – Get a free ice cream treat on your birthday when you become a ChunkSpelunker member

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Not too long ago, a reader on my blog asked me “Is 700 a good credit score?” I explained to her that it is a decent score, but in today’s economy I would no longer consider it good. Creditors are now pickier than ever when it comes to granting credit and although a 700 credit score would have gotten you far in the past, it won’t today. Now more than ever, a high credit score is important.

But whether you currently have a 605 or a 755, what are ways of improving your credit score? Besides paying off credit card debt, here are 3 tips you should keep in mind:

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Being a parent is perhaps one of the most important responsibilities in life. And the IRS provides multiple tax deductions for it. Why not lower your taxes and get all of the tax deductions you qualify for, as a parent?

1. Dependents – In most cases, a child can be claimed as a dependent in the year they were born. For more information see 6 Important Facts About Dependents, IRS Publication 501.

2. Child Tax Credit - For each child under 17, you may be able to take this credit on your tax return. For your 2010 tax return, it’s $1,000 per child. For more info, see Child Tax Credit, IRS Publication 972.

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This week, I hosted the Carnival of Personal Finance - Fun with Finance.

Check out the past week's collection of recent blog articles on personal finance, frugality, real estate, taxes, budgeting, credit cards, debt, saving, career, and business.

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It’s here again – a FREE Hello Kitty calendar for 2011! I’ve been searching for this since last December. It’s finally out today!

The free printable Hello Kitty calendar was such a popular post last year, I decided to share this again.

If you’re a big Hello Kitty fan like I am, you’ll want to download this. After all, it’s free, free, free!

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With so many major banks getting rid of free checking or making you jump through hoops to earn it, there aren’t many financial institutions left, with brick-and-mortar branches, that offer free checking. So where can you stash your money for free with no minimum balance or hassle and perhaps earn interest along the way?

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Chase bank announced it will start charging its former WAMU customers, a checking account service fee of $10, starting on February 8, 2011. The Chase Free Extra Checking account will be converted to Chase Total Checking (or Chase “Total Ripoff”).

To avoid the $10 monthly service fee, you have to meet one of the following criteria:

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Expiring tomorrow: cash in $40 or more in coins at any coinstar machine, choose a eCertificate, get a $10 bonus!

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Santa may be just about ready to load up his sleigh, but what if you are still behind with your preparations? Even worse what if you need to prepare for Christmas on a budget? Well, here are best tips for having a cracker of a Christmas without breaking the bank.



Although the holidays are just round the corner, it isn’t too late to create an enjoyable but cost-effective Christmas, even if you haven’t yet started your preparations.

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My article on 10 Homemade Christmas Gifts was featured in this week’s edition of Festival of Frugality – The Christmas Song Edition, hosted by Passive Family Income.

Don’t have time to make your own gifts? Here are some cool gifts I hand-picked for you, all of which are under $20 from Amazon.com, my favorite shopping site.



There is something for every budget. Shop for gifts under $10, $15, and $25.

All of the items include Free Super Saver Shipping on orders $25 or more.

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Holidays are filled with excitement and fun. You don’t have to spend a fortune this festive season to enjoy yourself. You must see what is more important during your holidays, heavy expenditure or spending quality time with your loved ones.



If you spend a lot of money on celebrations and gifts, it’ll last only a day or two but you have to carry the burden of debt for a very long time. For that reason, if you’re frugal in your holidays, you may stay debt free the rest of your lives.

Tips to help you celebrate your festive season on a budget:

There are many articles about saving money by making your own coffee at home. But they're about making drip coffee. What if you prefer the more sophisticated, cafe espresso drinks, which require more skill to make? Isn't that why you spend the extra $3 - $4 a day to buy it from Starbucks?



How much does your daily latte or mocha cost you? $3 - $4 a day? $21 - $28 a week? $84 - $112 a month? What if you made your espresso drinks at home or even at work?

You don't even need an expensive espresso machine! In fact, I'll admit, I'm afraid of the espresso machine, especially the frothing feature. It's loud and screaming hot. You can burn yourself if you're not careful. And it takes a lot of skill to use it.

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Homemade gifts are not only inexpensive to make but also more meaningful to give. You’ve spent extra time to make a gift specifically for that person and it shows. Also, homemade gifts are less likely to be re-gifted!

When I was younger, every Christmas, I would look forward to my neighbor’s homemade chocolate chip cookies, packed in a Folger’s coffee tin. But these weren’t just any chocolate chip cookies, they were the best chocolate chip cookies ever! And they went fast. Many years later, I can still remember her special homemade gift even though she has now passed on. Even now, I cannot find cookies that taste like hers, because she made it with love.

Create warm memories for your friends and family. Give a special homemade gift this Christmas!



1. Recipe Kit. Know someone who loves to bake? Why not make it easier for them to try a new recipe? Put together all of the dry ingredients, layered in a beautiful glass container. Then attach the recipe card, finished with a pretty bow.

And go beyond cookies. What about Apple Almond Gingerbread, Cinnamon Pancake Mix, or Rosemary Olive Oil? The possibilities are endless. Here are over 30 ideas to get your started.

2. Gift Basket. Gift baskets are easy to put together and are pretty awesome to receive as gifts. Start with a basket from a crafts store or even a plastic container from the dollar store. Pick a theme catered to the recipient. Then bundle things that go together in the theme.

Here are some examples:

For coffee lovers – reusable to-go coffee mug, porcelain coffee drip filter, gourmet coffee beans, and a box of biscottis.

For tea lovers – tea press, tea cup and saucer,a bag of loose leaf tea, and tea cookies

For sushi lovers – Japanese sushi tray, chopsticks, bento box, and sushi erasers

3. Baked Goods. You can’t really go wrong with baked goods. Whether it be shortbread cookies, zucchini bread, or fudgy brownies, baked goods can brighten anyone’s day. Just a tip, cookies stay fresh longer in tins. Try storing them coffee tins or cookie tins.

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Udder Cover, the maker of nursing covers, is offering free nursing covers! The catch? Only pay for $9.95 shipping and handling. This is a deal since nursing covers generally cost between $25 - $30.

What is a nursing cover? It's a piece of fabric, much like an apron, that provides privacy for mothers nursing their babies.

I just ordered my free nursing cover and was able to use PayPal to pay, since I have some funds in there.

They are connected to Seven Slings, cloth baby carriers, who had a similar free deal. Also, Udder Cover is accredited by the Better Business Bureau.

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I put together a list of the best holiday deals. Hope you can use it and save some money!



Barnes and Noble - 15% off

Bath and Bodyworks - $10 off

Borders - 33% off

Current Catalog - 20% off

Kohl's - 50% off

Macy's Friends and Family - 25% off

Walgreens Friends and Family - 15% off

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Who doesn't love free shipping? Avoid the holiday crowds and fights over parking.

Order your gifts online and get free holiday shipping! Most of the deals below don't require a coupon code. Plus, a few sites offer free holiday shipping on all orders!



Amazon.com - Orders of $25 or more

Athleta.com - Orders of $50 or more

BananaRepublic.com - Orders of $50 or more

BarnesandNoble.com - Orders of $25 or more

BedBathandBeyond.com - Orders over $100, expires 12/16

Borders.com - Orders of $40 or more for nonmembers; $25 or more for members

ChefsCatalog.com - Orders of $49 or more

Chocolate.com - Orders of $60 or more

ColorfulImages.com - Orders of $25 or more

CurrentCatalog.com - Orders over $40, receive 20% off, expires 12/1

CVS.com - Orders of $60 or more, receive $15 off and free shipping (promo code: CYBERMONDAY), expires 11/30

Drugstore.com - Orders of $25 or more

eBags.com - All orders (promo code: LINKFREES), expires 12/31 - special offer from Living Richly on a Budget

Gap.com - Orders of $50 or more

Kohls.com - Orders of $50 or more

Full list here: