SmartyPig®

SmartyPig Blog

SmartyPig®: Posts tagged 'holidays'

The following posts are associated with the tag you have selected. You may subscribe to the RSS feed for this tag to receive future updates relevant to the topic(s) of your interest.

http://blog.smartypig.com/tag/holidays.rss

November 6, 2009 • Posted by Erica Adams

Card Companies Pig Out

Credit card companies are realizing tremendous profit as they punish customers by increasing credit card rates at the worst possible time. Customers struggling to pay interest rates in the single digits are now seeing rates of 20%+ when they open up their card statements. According to David Ellis in a recent CNNMoney article, "Looks can be deceiving, especially in the credit card business."

No matter if the relationship is in good standing or even if you pay your entire bill off every month, it's a cash grab for Wall Street at the expense of Main Street, as congress moves to speed legislation to protect those who need it most. And with the holidays coming, and recent statistics from Consumer Reports indicating that 13.5 million Americans are still carrying debt incurred from last year's holiday season, our leaders in Washington cannot move fast enough.

Watch video

Financial expert and "Today Show" contributor Jean Chatzky has recommended socking away $100 each week starting now until December to ease the eventual pain caused by seasonal spending. Chatzky smartly points out that, by setting a goal like this and sticking to it, by the time the holidays roll around, credit cards might not be the necessary evil they have been in the past.

We could not agree more, and, in fact, this sentiment is exactly what we here at SmartyPig stand for. With expenses like gifts and travel piling up, there has never been a better time to take back control. Credit cards are doing more harm than good, even to the most loyal and responsible customers. Thus, there's no time like the present to stand up for yourself, get back to the basics and finally own the holidays. A little bit at a time can definitely make a whole lot of difference.

 

Tags: smartypig   •  saving money   •  holidays   •  credit card act

0 Comments | |

January 26, 2009 • Posted by Erica Adams

Pros Say 'Save For Holidays Now'

As we move into February, the temptation to abandon New Year's resolutions grows. Slimmer waistlines become less important, yes, but the paper-thin wallets of many of us cannot be ignored. The bills from over-indulging are starting to show up. The jingle bells of the best season have officially been drowned out by the constant economic storm that is raging worldwide. 

But there is hope. If you are experiencing the pain of a horrible holiday hangover, SmartyPig can help. Start saving for the 2009 holidays now and prevent next year's debt from ever happening. In an article on MSNBC, it suggests the same plan of attack. "You probably did all of your holiday spending in the last six weeks - or less," writes Sharon Epperson. "Tally up your expenses for this holiday season, including gifts, travel, entertaining. Divide the total by 10 and contribute that amount to your savings each month from January to October. Next November you can start spending that amount, paying cash for your holiday purchases."

SmartyPig makes this process quite simple. Enter the total amount you want to save, when you want to save it by and SmartyPig will do the rest. Every month on the day of your choice, SmartyPig will pull those funds from your checking or savings account into your constantly growing SmartyPig account. You'll also be earning one of the highest annual percentage yields in the market; and SmartyPig has teamed up with some of the country's top retailers who will give you up to an additional 6% cash boost on top of what you've already saved. Most importantly, you'll be satisfied knowing that your spending cash for the holidays at the end of the year is being taken care of now. 

Most people don't ever get to own the holidays. Using SmartyPig gives you the opportunity to do exactly that. No bills, no hassles, no worries - just an enjoyable holiday season.

 

Tags: smartypig   •  saving money   •  holidays   •  credit cards

2 Comments | |

December 5, 2008 • Posted by Erica Adams

Turn To SmartyPig

Our current economic situation is a nightmare. Depression, deflation, recession, crunch, crisis - whatever you call it, one thing is for certain: if we don't change the way we approach how we handle our finances, we're going to be upside down for years, if not decades to come. The decisions we make now, today, will not only affect our standard of living, but that of our children and grandchildren, as well. Simply put: Money isn't easy anymore. Plastic, home loans, lines of credit have all become hard-to-get tools for people who don't need them. The only way to get cash in days like these is if you have some.

Reading a post by Lynnae from BeingFrugal.net struck a chord with me. She's been saving for months for her holiday purchases using SmartyPig. She has all of her shopping done and is able to sit back and relax, not worrying about a bill-filled January. She knows she won't be a part of the holiday hangover crowd (paying off her credit card bills for the next year) because she owns everything she bought.

I also read a post from Krystal about her uncertainty of today's markets and what she should be doing with her money. She's using SmartyPig and set up a goal just to save. In her words, the simplicity, automation and the fact that her money can't be easily raided keep her from spending what she's saving. She's earning interest, watching her money grow and is able to share her progress with friends, family and readers of her blog.

They aren't the only ones. People everywhere are figuring out that the best way to buy something is to save up for it first. The savings rate has more than doubled from this time last year to 1.3% during the July-September quarter. Though still relatively low compared to other countries, it is expected to rise as more and more people begin to reverse the credit-card mindset of "buy now, pay later." And with SmartyPig's terrific interest rate (3.9%APY) and cash boosts, discerning savers are reaching out to us like never before. So join the saving trend! Create a goal! Today is the first day to start "saving" your life.

Tags: smartypig   •  saving   •  holidays   •  credit cards   •  debt

3 Comments | |

October 31, 2008 • Posted by Erica Adams

SmartyPig For Your Stocking

It's projected that consumer spending will be down - way down - over the holidays. With unemployment up and credit card companies decreasing lines of credit it's easy to understand why. There is uncertainty carried on the cool winds of autumn. Winter, many believe, will be crueler than ever. And while there are no bigger cheerleaders for a brighter tomorrow than the folks here at SmartyPig, let's face it. This is not the time for splurging.  

Of course, many, if not most of us will still purchase gifts this holiday season. Obviously, the holidays are a time for putting our troubles aside and focusing on the good things in life. But in these times, why not give a gift that can help give someone you know and love a leg up, a chance for a dream to come true or just a crash course in how to handle money? SmartyPig gift cards help you Give the Gift of Saving. If ever people needed a sound financial tool in their stocking it is now.

Know someone who needs to get on the right track? Have a family member who is in dire need of a vacation and just needs a nudge to start saving for it? Need to inspire and educate your employees about how to get to the light at the end of the tunnel - and a canned ham just won't do the trick? SmartyPig Gift Cards can be your saving grace. You give. They learn the basics of creating a goal, saving for it and earning interest, as well as a head start -instead of the fruitcake. Now that's a gift that will keep on giving and giving and giving. 

 

Tags: christmas   •  saving   •  holidays   •  debt   •  gifts

0 Comments | |

August 6, 2008 • Posted by Erica Adams

Over the river and through the woods...

To Grandmother's house we go? It feels as though the majority of us have just unpacked our suitcases from summer travels. The thought of taking a trip for the holidays most likely hasn't crossed our minds. But before you know it, Thanksgiving will be here and soon after, the holidays. Problem is, the idea of discount travel - thanks to unstable gas prices - is now firmly in the rearview mirror.

Popping up across the web are sites like TripIt and Dopplr to help you plan and share your trip with friends and others from your area, sites like Trazzler to help you find the perfect trip based on your interests close to where you live and even GasBuddy, which finds the most inexpensive fuel, based on your location. And while these are all good ideas for hitting the road, what you really need is a way to get you where you're going in a financially sound way.

Putting your trip to Grandma's house on plastic will have the Big Bad Wolf in a mailman's clothing dropping big bad credit card bills in your mailbox for months. But if you use SmartyPig and create a goal for gas or plane tickets and maybe even your gifts, you'll have the next five months to make a dent in your holiday bottom line before it bottoms out - all while earning one of the most competitive interest rates in the country and cash boosts of up to 5% from America's top retailers and travel companies.

For many, spending the holidays with those you love most is a cherished occasion, an event that's anticipated for months. And when you save up with SmartyPig instead of racking up huge credit card bills, getting there can again be half the fun.

Tags: smartypig   •  travel   •  holidays   •  saving   •  money

2 Comments | |