Aussie readers, Mother’s Day is just around the corner — May 8th. Here’s my compiled list of easy and relatively cheap things to get yer mum. In other financial news, keeping her happy will also mean you’ll be good for loans from her for the rest of the year

Online Cheapies:

Etsy has these lux robes for $69 + postage.

Also on Etsy, this mother + child circles necklace, $34 + postage.

Or if you think your mum will see the funny side (mine would!), check out Chatterbox Cards.

Best bargain — the beautiful vintage-look earrings, $13.

Gifts that Help You with the Taxman: Give to a charity, and you can also claim the donation as a tax deduction.

In this category, tough to go past the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia – that also send a personalised card noting your donation to give to her on the day – and Unicef’s Mothers Day Inspired gifts — I like the story books, polio vaccine and mosquito nets. They buy them on your behalf, and you get a card you can instantly print off at home to give to your mum (perfect if you’ve left it to the last minute, like I do every year). I also like Freeschools, because if you’re skint, you only need to donate $15 to educate a girl in India or Thailand for a year. Or if your mum’s a Greenie … make a donation to Greenpeace. You can choose which animal you want to protect — I like the Emperor Penguins!

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For those of you struggling away at your Nine-to-Five, not-paying-you-anywhere-near-enough jobs, here’s some weekend escapism … a list of jobs you NEVER knew existed. So next time you’re worried about your really annoying boss .. spare a thought for deodorant testers worldwide. Pe-ewww!

Here’s the article …… my favourite – and total dream job as an 8 year old! – waterslide tester!!

But seriously, if you really want to quit your job and start something you love, like you own business, check out my recent article about whether you’re financially sorted to do so first, and get some words of inspiration from my friend Denise Duffield-Thomas’ blog.

Happy job hunting, sniffers …!

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Forget all that stuff about making a New Year’s Resolution and sticking to it. It is all crap. Are you really going to do that yoga DVD every day for the next 365 days? Nup. Zero chance. But there are some simple things you could decide to do this week that will mean you get richer. They’re painless, and almost all are close to effort-free. Tick them off as you go, and at the end of 2011, you’ll have made a lot of cash.

1. Make a list of ALL of your debts as they stand now, prioritise them in order of most to least interest charged, and work out a weekly plan to pay them back this year. Remember to include all credit cards, store cards, loans from the bank and even loans from family and friends. Stick the list from January 2011 somewhere where you can see it often and tick them off as they get paid off – ridiculously satisfying. If you have debt in many places, consider consolidating the debt. Use every cent of your existing savings to pay off your debt – I know it looks like you have less in the bank, but it’ll mean less interest charged and it’ll make you richer in 2011.

2. Find out how to make your savings work for you a little better. Go here to find out the best rates on term deposits, and work out how much you can afford to put into your long term savings. The longer you put it away, the richer you’ll be at the end of 2011.

3. Make sure that your everyday habits aren’t making you poor. Stop buying dinner ingredients every night at the convenience store, or keep a money spending diary if you’re just not sure where all your cash goes.

4. Do quick n easy audit of your “essential” spending – especially insurances – and work out if you can get the same thing at a cheaper price. If you can’t be bothered shopping around, just call your existing insurer and ask for a cheaper price. If you have a convincing argument (and a friendly phone manner), you’re likely to get it in the current economic client.

5. If you’re renting something you don’t really need (especially appliances and electronics), stop it. If you have unwanted valuable items or clothes, sell them.

6. Figure out what you spend a lot of money on, and just don’t do it in 2011. Or for all of January in 2011. My weakness is clothes … I’m going to start Fantasy Shopping again. It’s so much cheaper!!

7. Work out where you have money or points sitting that you may have forgotten about, and use them. Frequent Flier points can be used to buy cool stuff. Don’t bother having a balance sitting in your PayPal or similar accounts – they won’t ever pay you any interest!

8. Start a long-term, meaningful relationship … with a good accountant. Get a referral from a friend or colleague, and pay attention to your new best mate. You wouldn’t walk up to a perfect stranger and give them a wad of notes … but you’re doing exactly that if you’re not taking your tax returns seriously.

Good luck …! Let me know how you go.

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I managed to do a fair bit of shopping in 2010 – especially for Christmas – on Etsy. The website is entirely for handmade stuff – literally all kinds of stuff – and every time you look, there’s something new and awesome on there. Here’s where I spent my cash.

I got the man in my life these beer coasters for a stocking filler – the search function meant I could type in “beer” and get a bunch of different options.

Red Bird Ink's awesome beer coasters

Etsy seller Red Bird Ink wrapped them beautifully, and sent them to me in a week – the total cost? $15. Great news.

Then, I decided on some personalised shopping for my favourite little person –  including a Little Digger T shirt by gatetim.

I pretty much thought I was done, but then “accidentally” stumbled over something for myself … a cool tote bag on theboldbanana.  Just $9US plus postage, bargain!

Etsy’s great because most of the shops and sellers care about the environment, their goods are incredibly well priced and you get better-than-best personalised service, including a little email chat with pretty much every single item bought. It feels nice to support people doing this on their own, rather than giving your bucks to the big companies, and the Shop Local function means you can support people closer to home if you choose to.  What’s your fave Etsy or homemade purchase this year?

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We just got a new car, so the car I use all the time, I now use maybe once a week. I thought it might be more cost effective to try pay as you go, or per-kilometre car insurance, and called my car insurance provider to see if they had that option for me now. The conversation went something like this.

Me: “Do you do insurance for pay-as-you-go or a per kilometre rate? I think $878 a year for car insurance is a bit too expensive, so I’m just shopping around a little.”

Insurance chick: “Oh, don’t do that. We have a retention service here for long-standing customers. (I actually suspect they have this for anybody who calls and suggests they’re shopping around). Can you answer some questions for me?”

Me: “Yeah, ok” …. insert a few boring questions here.

Insurance chick: “OK, we don’t want you to take your policy elsewhere, so we can change your policy from $878 to $741 per year, if you stay with us”.

Me: “Do you take Visa?”

So the ol’ don’t ask, don’t get really is as simple as that. We were both polite, I didn’t threaten to withdraw my business straight away or tell them they were idiots – I just said I was shopping around – and the woman on the line couldn’t have been more helpful. I’ve used this trick to save money on my credit card bills, and I’m sure you could use it for all kinds of things – because right now, companies need your business more than ever. And if a company doesn’t want your business – don’t be afraid to go elsewhere.

PS … Just a reminder. A year ago, I wrote about 2010 and having the life you wanted … without going bankrupt. As 2010 draws to a close, have a think … did you get it yet? If not, start thinking about 2011.

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For most of us, Christmas means our biggest spending time of the year. So for most of us, that also means an eye-watering credit card bill sometime around the end of January.

Together, we Aussies have 16 million credit cards. Kind of weird and scary, since there are only 22.4 million of us all up, and surely there’s plenty of kids in that 22.4 million who don’t have credit cards yet. The average Aussie owes $3, 140 (or thereabouts) on credit and charge cards. Over three grand?! That means you’re paying some serious interest every month. And not even interest on anything good, like your future house. Just that awful compounding interest on credit card purchases of crappy stuff you’ve long since forgotten. So how to avoid it?

Get tough on your credit card this Christmas. Eek!

First, get rid of your charge cards – those quasi credit cards like department store cards. Those things can really get you into trouble. Secondly, find out what interest rate you are paying on each credit card (usually you can find this by flipping over the front page of your credit card statement. If it isn’t there, call your bank and ask them). While you’re there, ask your bank if there is anything they can do to make Christmas easier for you – lower interest rate, longer number of days interest free, anything like that.

Only use the credit card with the lowest interest rate, and seriously, don’t use it unless you have to – or you’ll hate yourself come January. Get rid of the second, third, or fourth credit card you have – just cut it up (and remember to call your bank to tell them you’ve cut it up, so you can stop paying fees on it).

Make a list of all your current credit card and other debt – and total it up, even if you don’t want to – and remember that with everything you buy in December, you’re adding to that debt, and this means yet more compounding interest for you come January. If you can, put a lump of cash onto your credit card — think of how good you’ll feel in the New Year when the bill is a little less hairy than you feared.

And finally, don’t get too carried away with internet shopping where you have to use your card – set the same budget you would do at the ‘real’ shops. Or if you can’t manage that, force yourself into a budget by only putting a set sum into your PayPal account, and only paying for internet purchases via PayPal. Good luck …

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Thanks for all your feedback on the first two gift guides. Hope you get as much out of this one – it includes dads as requested! Happy shopping …

What Do You Get …

Your Dad (cool) Three of the best T Shirts … ‘You Can’t Scare Me, I Have a Daughter’ Tshirt, $32.50 + $6 postage, ‘This is What a Cool Dad Looks Like’ T Shirt, $25 + $6 postage, and this cute ‘iDad’ T Shirt, $25 + $6 postage. Or this French recycled leather Ipod case, $22US + $5 postage.

Your Dad (still awesome, but not so cool) ‘Embarrassing My Children, Just One More Service I Offer’ T Shirt, $22 + $6 postage. Or these Handstamped personalised sterling silver Cufflinks, $73US + $15 to post.

Your Male Friend Recycled Seatbelt Wallet, $35US + $2 postage. Or this Padded Ipad Cover, $35US + $16 to post.

Your Brother’s Girlfriend Jarrah Wooden Bracelet, $25US + $6 to post. Or this homemade Facial Mask, $10 + $4.80.

Your Sister’s Boyfriend This cool Camera TShirt, $12US + $7.50. Or ‘Hmmm, That’s Weird’ Coasters, $12US + $6 postage.

Your Friend that Lives Overseas 14K Hoop Earrings, $27US + $ postage. Or this ‘Quit Procrastinating’ Notebook, $10.50 US + $7 postage. And this asymmetrical Brass Cuff, $42US + $12 postage.

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Glad you liked the first Christmas Gift Guide. Here’s another, just for fun.

If you didn’t see the first Christmas (Budget) Gift Guide, it is here. Look out for Number Three coming your way sometime before Christmas.

What Do You Get …

Your Sister (the more serious one) Vintage Salt n Pepper Shakers from Japan, $24US + $% Postage. Or this Antique Pocket Watch, $35US + $3.50 postage.

Your Best Friend This hilarious Moustache Yoga Mat, $34.50 + $6 postage. Or this Ask Me About My Mix Tapes (ha!) Thermos, $23.50 + $6 to post. And this Careful, or You’ll End Up in My Novel Notebook, $12 + $5 postage.

Your Cousin (the fun one) Little Birdie earrings, $16US + $2.50 postage. Or this cute linen and cotton Bicycle Wallet, $29US + $2 to post.

Your Favourite Small Person (who has cool Parents) Leopard Print Baby Shoes, $21 + $3 postage. Or this brilliant Dinosaur cushion, $22.50US + $4.50 to post. Or a Froggie Onesie. $25US + $6 postage.

Your Big Brother (the goofy one) These  Vintage Cufflinks, $28 + $5 to post. Or this ‘Relax, I’m Hilarious’ T Shirt, $19US + $9 postage.

The Girls in the Office Awesome Pink IPhone case, IPad sleeve, or Recycled Seatbealt Ladies Wallets.

Your Naughty Mate The perfect Christmas TShirt – ‘I Put Out for Santa’. Funny. $19US + $9 postage.

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OK, so the Aussie dollar’s still great, every day there’s a new Aussie bargain website, and Christmas looks like it might not break the bank this year … if you get in early.

Here’s a few Christmas present ideas to get the ball rolling that won’t cost an arm and a leg (and leave your poor mum racing back to Westfield to exchange everything). More present ideas to come soon.

What Do You Get …

Your Mum (really great but kind of fussy)  I’d go for a cool photography print from awesome website 20×200.com – like this print of a cool trailer, or this print of an indoor art deco swimming pool, both $20US. Or if she’s not so arty, what about these Azure Earrings, $15US with free shipping, or a handy handbag liner, $24.95. Or if she’s a softie, you can educate a young girl in Thailand or India for just $15.

Your Boyfriend (will take anything, but doesn’t really care about clothes) A cool bag that sits inside his gym bag or laptop case, so he can transfer stuff form one to the other without losing everything, $24.95. Or this London Underground vinyl wall decal, $45US + $6 P&H.

Your Girlfriend (get this wrong and you’re dead, or single) Try this cool wooden clutch for $41US + $7 postage, or Customised Sterling Silver Hoop Earrings, $20US with free shipping, or if you REALLY want to make the good books, get these awesome Uberkate Necklaces with your names stamped on them, $340 (order this week for a free pair of earrings worth $110).

Your Brother Easy. This soap made from beer. $7 plus P&H. Or this cool fern terrarium, $66US.

Your Sister (the slightly quirky one) A Tree of Life Necklace, $40US + $2 to post, or this cute Owl Clutch Purse, $20US + $4.50 to post.

The Little People in Your Life A Make-Your-Own Santa Ornament, $9.50US + $2 to post, or this Cute Kitty Made from Vintage Fabric, $25US + $4.50 P&H. Or for super little ones, what about this handknitted Baby Bear Hat (love the ears) $17.50US + $5 to post. Or a  Candy-Striped Dribble Bib, $12US + $2.60 to post.

…And don’t forget the Gift Tags! More Christmas gift ideas as I stumble across them. What are you getting the peeps in our life this year?

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Cute bikini at polyvore.com

I was in a store yesterday already selling bikinis. Bikinis?! Really?! Like Cadbury Creme Eggs spotted in January, and Christmas decorations popping up in September, I swore it was way too early for summer fashion. But no, turns out, summer stock has been in the shops for a little while now, and winter is officially over in a little over a week.

Great! Time to race out and buy stuff, right? Summer sandals, short dresses, singlet tops? I catch myself getting a little giddy and overspending on the summer wardrobe every year, only to find that, strangely, I have almost exactly the same top in my wardrobe from last year. So do a bit of thinking before the excitement of the warmer seasons sees you overspending. Get out your summer wardrobe, take a good look at it, remember what you actually bought last year that’s still in fashion, and do a quick audit of your clothes and shoes. What do you actually need?

I need new sandals, a summer dress with sleeves, and a pair of shorts that can be dressed up a little more than what I’ve got right now. I feel much better about going back into the shops now. And I already have 2 this-season bikinis thanks to trips to the States this year, so there’s going to be no panic-spending from me. See, now that I’ve told you guys, I can’t.

What do you guys need for summer? And more importantly, what don’t you need? A little pre-planning before the shops right now will see you stay inside your budget this year. Good luck.

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