Winter makes the familiar look brand-new. Everyday streets and buildings become winter wonderlands full of surprises. Just being out in it all can be one of the most rewarding activities you do all year.

But if you really want to experience snow… in all its majesty, beauty, and fun… make sure to visit one of these cities during the winter. Make a trip of it. I promise, you won’t be disappointed.

• Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Jackson Hole is known worldwide as one of the most gorgeous spots on planet earth. It’s a valley cozily nestled between the Teton and Gros Ventre mountain ranges. It features top-tier ski slopes and restaurants serving fresh fish and game meats from the surrounding area.

It’s also home to hundreds of world-class hiking trails and snowshoeing paths. Whether you’re in town at the local saloon, kicking it with all the other tourists… or cozying up in a cabin by the fire… or exploring the great outdoors, you can’t go wrong with Jackson Hole!

• Park City, Utah

Park City is most famous as the home of the Sundance Film Festival. During this festival, A-list celebrities, actors, and directors fly in from all around the world. They screen films… and hit the bars and slopes.

Park City is about 40 minutes away from the capital of Utah, Salt Lake City. It is a high-end resort town featuring 5-star dining and lodging experiences. There are several major ski resorts located right in town.

Utahns famously state that Utah has the greatest snow on Earth. Why? Because of the climate, the powder is able to stay dry without packing too much. This gives the powder an incredible feeling that must be experienced to be believed.

• Ouray, Colorado

Picture this scene. You’re out in the mountains. Looking forward, you see a frozen waterfall towering 45 feet in the air. Across the waterfall are people with icepicks, climbing to the top. To the right, you look and see the entrance to an abandoned mine. Welcome to Ouray, Colorado.

Ouray is a small town in the sprawling Rockies. It’s the perfect set-up for any outdoors activity in the snow. It’s most popular among climbers, who spend the day climbing and the night soaking away the soreness in hot tubs. But if you’re the kind of person who loves winter beauty… it’s for you.

• Stowe, Vermont

Everyone who has watched a Hollywood movie knows what a Vermont winter looks like. With picturesque covered bridges lining small country roads, Vermont is the ski capital of the East Coast.

The city of Stowe is covered in heavy snow, giving it a “snowed in” charm. Choose from dozens of different activities while in town, from skiing, to horseback riding, and even dog sledding.

• Santa Fe, New Mexico

When you think of New Mexico, snow is proably not the first thing that comes to your mind. And that’s part of why it’s such a great location for it. Although it doesn’t get the huge snowfalls of places like Colorado or New York, it gets enough to cover the red desert rock faces with a powder sugar like coat.

Long known as an oasis of spiritual energy, people visit from all over to feel the calming, healing vibes of this amazing city. Perfect for when you are looking to nature for a hard reset.

The locals who live in Santa Fe love Christmas, and have their own unique way of celebrating it. If you’re in the area during the holidays… it’s absolutely worth checking out.

• Minneapolis, Minnesota

This one is not for winter beginners. Minneapolis gets one of the heaviest snowfalls in the US. And there are few states that get even close to as cold, and stay that way for as long.

That being said, the people of Minnesota thrive in it. And if you want to visit a city that transforms in the winter… and skiing and ice skating become more of a way of life than a recreational activity… you will love this city.

• Anchorage, Alaska

Plane tickets to Anchorage are dirt cheap in the winter. This is because most people believe the capital of Alaska is way too cold to visit in the winter. But is it really? Actually, the lowest average temperature is 11 degrees Fahrenheit. Which is very cold… but, most of the other cities on this list are just as cold, if not colder.

Anchorage is home to some of the most gorgeous, awe-inspiring nature in the whole world. But that’s not all. During the winter, you can actually see the Northern Lights. It’s the only state in the USA where that’s possible!

People who live in Anchorage know how to survive and thrive in the winter. So, if you feel the call of the wild… take the trip and see for yourself.

Black Friday gets bigger and bigger every year. It’s a double-edged sword. You can absolutely get the items you’re looking for at rock bottom prices… if you can find the right deal.

So we wanted to make it easy for you this year. In today’s article, we’ll be going over some of the top retailers in the world. We’ll also tell you our top picks and why.

Let’s dive in.

Vipon Giveaways & Sweepstakes

We’ve worked hard to make Vipon the place to save money on Black Friday. In fact, if you time it right, Vipon will save you more than anywhere else this year.

Here’s why:

We’ll have an entire “Black Friday” section on our website from November 25^th to Dec 2^nd. Most of these products will have a coupon between 30% – 80%.

But here’s where it gets good…

On “giveaway” products, you have a chance to win a 99% discount. $89 products become $0.89. You get the idea. Your odds of winning are good. And even if you don’t win, you still get 30% – 80% off top-quality items.

Costco

Costco’s Black Friday events start November 28^th. They offer major discounts both in-store and online. Here are our top picks:

$200 Off Macbook Air 13.3”

Macbook Air may be the most convenient laptop on the planet. It’s featherlight and just millimeters thick. But that doesn’t stop it from being powerful. With this computer you can design, study, and even start a business.

$500 Off VIZEO 70” 4k tv

This TV is absolutely massive, and crystal clear. Your favorite shows have never looked so good. It’s a smart TV, meaning it features Netflix, Amazon video, Disney+, YouTube, Hulu, and every other streaming app you love. And it’s a whopping $500 off…

$125 Off Trinity 72” Stainless Steel Workbench with Pegboard

If you are looking for a sturdy, modern, practical workbench that looks amazing… this is your deal. It’s simple and compact, yet you’ll be blown away by how much storage there is. With attention to detail obvious in every aspect, this is a deal we rate as can’t miss.

Lowes

Lowes has Black Friday deals available now. And many of them will be available through December 5^th. So, you can take your time on these great deals. Here are our recommendations:

$1,000 Samsung Stainless Steel French Door Refrigerator

There’s something about a stainless-steel French door fridge. It adds a level of comfort and luxury to every setting it’s in. Modern and strong, stainless steel will be in vogue for years to come. And at $1,000 off… it’s tough to beat.

$100 Off Artificial Christmas Tree

Look… you might not think it, but Christmas Trees are a place where a little money goes a long way. With this deal, you can get a luxury level Christmas Tree. You’ll notice the difference. With the season coming up, I wanted to include this because it’s an excellent way to bright up your home, just in time for the holiday.

Playstation

If you’re a gamer… or have gamers in your family… you’ll love these Playstation deals. Playstation offers these Black Friday deals from Nov 24^th – Dec 2^nd.

$160 Off PS4 Bundle

This PS4 bundle comes with one of three platform-defining games. The Last of Us: Remastered, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn. Each game features a sprawling world and cinema quality storylines.

$160 Off PS4 Pro Bundle

Playstation 4 pro offers the best graphics of the generation. Featuring more processing and graphics power, PS4 pro games look and run better than the stock ps4. If you have a nice TV, you will want the Pro for higher resolution and better graphics.

$20 Off PS4 Controller

Playstation controllers can be expensive. Yet you’re going to want more than one if you ever want to play it with friends or family. And this $20 off deal is the perfect time to stock up and save big.

Sam’s Club

Sam’s Club has deals from Nov 29^th – Dec 1^st . Here are our top picks:

$70 Sonos Smart Soundbar

This soundbar fits perfectly under all modern TVs. The sound quality is pristine, featuring a booming bass and a loud, projecting sound. The levels are matched perfectly, allowing the right sounds to come out at the right time.

$100 Off Jackson Power Theater Chair

Part of the fun of watching TV and movies is relaxing. And there’s no better way to relax and watch tv than this power theater chair. Pop your popcorn and recline back in your chair. You’ve earned it!

$100 Off Xbox

We had our playstation deals. At Sam’s Club, you can get an xbox for $100 off. Xbox has a few exclusive games like Halo and Gears of War.

There’s nothing quite like sitting down with friends and family for a big Thanksgiving Dinner.

Of course, to get there is a whole different story. It can take untold hours to fix the meal, plus hundreds—if not thousands—just to get all the supplies and ingredients.

Which is why in today’s article, I’m going to give you 8 ways to save your bank account without sacrificing the quality of the day.

• Have a Budget

The first step is to define exactly how much you want to spend on Thanksgiving dinner. Why is this important? Well, if you don’t have a budget in mind, it’s easy for costs to quickly spiral out of control.

Without a budget, you’ll find yourself walking down the aisles of the store, putting various things in your basket. By the time you reach the checkout, you’re shocked with what the price of it all is. Of course, by that point, it’s usually too late.

On the other hand, when you have a budget, you’ll make sure to get the important things first. After that, you can add any extras on that still fit within the budget. If you find you budgeted too little, you can expand your budget. But by simply having it, you’ll keep costs contained.

• Cook What Food You Need

One of my favorite parts about Thanksgiving is leftovers. However, what leftovers mean is that you cooked—and bought—more food than you actually needed.

So, there’s room to save a lot of money here. Ask yourself how much leftovers you want… or if you need any at all. If not, you can buy a lot less food than normal, while still making sure everyone is full the day of.

Now, if you do end up with a lot of leftovers…

• Turn Leftovers into Hearty Post-Thanksgiving Dishes

These leftovers can turn into amazing future meals, saving you the cost and time it takes to make them. You can turn the turkey bones and excess meat into a delicious stew. You can make a casserole. Or, you can keep it simple and make a turkey sandwich.

• Go Light on the Extras

Thanksgiving is more than just a turkey. There are appetizers, decorations, and all sorts of accessories that go along with the holiday. If you are looking to save money, make sure to boil it all down to what you really need. Odds are, that’s a Turkey, potatoes and other veggies, and a pie. Sure, your home may not look as festive. But the money is going where it counts… on the table… and in your bank account.

• Have Guests Bring Dishes

There’s no reason why you should foot the bill for everyone at the dinner table. And most times, guests are more than happy to bring a dish… provided you give them instructions.

When it comes time for Thanksgiving, make a list of everyone who is going to come. Then figure out what they can bring based on what you know about them. Some may have speciality dishes they’ve prepared in the past – ask them if they can bring it. When you do this type of organizational work for people, it makes it easy for them to help. The more guests who bring dishes, the better (and cheaper!) the meal is for everyone.

Also, having your guests pitch in goes beyond food. You can even have people bring decorations. This is especially good for either people in your family who are good with crafts, or people who aren’t sure what else they can bring.

• Make Decorations from Leaves

With Fall in full bloom, the leaves outside are absolutely gorgeous. Why not use them as free decoration? If you press leaves in between books for a few weeks, you can frame them for one-of-a-kind artwork that costs almost nothing. You can also incorporate them into wreathes and other festive décor.

• Start Buying Now

If you are the type of person who leaves Thanksgiving until the last minute, not only is that causing you stress… it’s costing you big time! Giving yourself time to plan accomplishes a few things.

First, you can only buy the items you need when they’re on sale. Second, you can comparison shop to make sure you are getting the absolute best prices for every single item.

When you’re at the store, be sure to compare generic prices vs name brand. If you are buying only name brand, that will often cost a few dollars more per item. With an entire shopping cart full, this adds up big time.

• Put an Emphasis on FUN

Thanksgiving may be the biggest “food” holiday there is. So, the food has to be good. But as long as it meets the standard of good, it’s not what people will remember the most. No, they’ll remember the experience they had during Thanksgiving.

So, make it fun. Plan games that the whole family can enjoy. Gestures, ping-pong, and scavenger hunts are always big hits. Learn about the history of Thanksgiving and share it at the table. And before you dive into the meal, go around the table and have everyone list at least one thing they’re thankful for.

Did you know that the average person gains 5 – 10 lbs over the winter? That’s what happens when it’s cold out. We stay inside and we don’t move as much.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. In fact, new research suggests that exercising in the cold can be even more beneficial than when it’s warm. Why? For one, when your body shivers, you use 5x more energy than normal.

So if you’re jogging in the cold, parts of your exercising will be 5x more efficient. Now, although exercising in the cold has benefits, it needs to be done right. Otherwise, in a worst-case scenario, it could be dangerous.

How to Be Comfortable in Any Weather

For most of us, our ideal warm temperature is around 70 – 72 degrees Fahrenheit. When it gets between 50 – 60, most of us like a jacket. And below 50 is when it really starts to get cold.

The colder it is, the more distance you’ll want to put between the frigid air and your skin. The best way to do this is to use the concept of layers.

As the name suggests, when layering, you wear several different layers of clothing. The colder it is, the more layers you’ll use… and the warmer materials those layers will consist of.

If it’s 50 degrees, you’ll be fine with a light fleece or a heavier sweater.

In 30 degrees, a wool shirt, fleece, and light down jacket will keep you incredibly toasty.

When It Gets Dangerous

Now, when layering, you need to pay attention to two things:

1. Types of materials
2. Activity level

Types of Materials

Different materials handle cold temperature differently. For example, you want to stay away from cotton at all costs. Why? Because when cotton gets wet, it loses all its ability to insulate and retain heat. Worse yet, it actually saps warmth from your body while wearing it.

When you jog or exercise, you’ll sweat… even if it’s freezing out. If you sweat with cotton on, suddenly it’ll be like you’re not wearing any protective gear on at all. It doesn’t matter if you have the heaviest fill down jacket on. With a cotton undershirt, you’re still freezing. 

Here are the kinds of materials you should look to wear in the winter:

1. Wool
2. Synthetic
3. Down

Wool is great for your lighter layers. Your shirts, fleece, and even pants if it’s cold enough. Synthetic is generally cheaper than wool and provides similar effects. Down is a heavy jacket that really keeps in warmth.

Adding or Shedding Layers

When it’s cold outside, you’ll gear up in your full winter garb. You might have a wool shirt, a fleece, and a down. Then you have some synthetic leggings and wool socks on. Since you’re exercising and building heat, this kind of outfit is good for temperatures as low as 5 – 10 degrees Fahrenheit!

No matter what kinds of material you’re wearing, you’ll want to be aware of your sweat. If possible, you want to avoid sweating at all. This is because no matter what kinds of materials you’re wearing, we want to avoid water in the cold.

As you’re exercising, the moment you feel a little bit hot, unzip your down jacket. Then, when you feel hot again, take it off. If you still feel hot after that… take off another layer. I recommend you take a small backpack with you, so you can easily store these layers. In this way, you will stay comfortable and warm your entire workout.

Types of Exercises to Do in the Winter

Now that you have your gear sorted, it’s time to get out and enjoy the cold. In general, cardio based exercises are the most effective to do in winter. Here are a few examples that we recommend.

Jogging

Jogging in the cold is one of the most meditative experiences. There’s something about the air when it’s below freezing. It’s quieter. And your thinking is clear. Generally at the start of your jog, you’ll be cold. You may start shivering… this is good. You’re burning a lot of calories. Of course, make sure that you check the conditions before leaving. If the streets are icy, that could be incredibly dangerous.

Hiking

This one is my personal favorite. I love to hike in any temperature. But the winter can’t be beat. When the snow falls, it’s like an entirely new world. Rivers freeze over and it is truly beautiful. Plus it’s amazing exercise. If you want to hike in the winter, I recommend a very solid pair of winter boots. Leather is great for the long-term, provided you treat it correctly. For a more modern take, Gore-Tex boots will stay waterproof in almost every environment.  

Fall is here. The leaves are changing colors and falling off. It’s beautiful… but it’s also a new chore!

Fortunately, there are upsides. It turns out there are a lot of amazing uses you can get out of those leaves. Leaves are packed with nutrients that your grass and soil love. If you take the time to recycle your leaves in the fall, you’ll have a beautiful yard come spring and summer.

Make a Mulch

The first step is to mulch your leaves. Why? Because if you just leaf them on the ground, they can smother the grass and plants underneath. And we don’t want that.

Instead, you can use the mulch setting on your lawnmower to shred those suckers up into ribbon-thin pieces. This makes it easy to cover the most surface area, and will let plenty of air and nutrients to the grass beneath.

If your leaves cover the grass evenly, you can just use the mulch setting without a bag on the lawnmower. If not, you’ll need to bag up the mulch, then spread it out. Even if the leaves cover the whole lawn though, you should still make a few bags of mulch for these next uses.

Important note: make sure you don’t mulch up seeds along with the leaves. Doing so could create a ton of new tiny plants come spring! 

Composting

If you already have a compost pile, that is an amazing place to put your mulched up leaves. It’s a match made in heaven. The shredded leaves will bake in with all the other delicious plant nutrients, turning your soil into a photosynthesis paradise!

If you don’t have a compost pile…

…you can till the leaves directly into your soil.

This mixes it all together where it will sit during the winter… letting it all settle like delicious plant stew. When the summer comes, that soil will be absolutely teeming with vitamins and minerals. Anything you plant in it will suck up all those nutrients and make them absolutely bursting with flavor. Flowers look more vivid, too.

Easier Than Compost: Leaf Mold

Leaf mold is another way to supercharge your soil. It doesn’t provide nutrients like a traditional compost, but it does make the soil a lot better at holding water. And, leaf mold is incredibly easy to make.

All you need to do is take a pile of leaves and put it into a container… and then leave it. When the leaves are fully rotted, that’s when you mix it into the soil.  It’s that easy.

Make a Blanket For Your Perennials

If you live somewhere winters can be harsh, your perennials could freeze in the winter. So, let’s make sure that doesn’t happen with another few bags of mulched leaves. Gently spread them over your perennial flowerbeds, making sure to not cover it too tightly.

Just like that, your perennials now have a blanket for the winter. When it’s time for spring, you can remove the leaves as the temperature warms. Your flowerbeds are now the perfect temperature and your perennials will bloom again more beautiful than ever.

Other Great Ideas For Leaves

If you really want to bring a touch of fall to your home… use some of the leaves as decoration. The organic material looks beautiful on porches. If you’re crafty, you can even combine them into an autumn wreath.

But maybe my favorite way to use leaves is to press them. To do this, put individual leaves between two sheets of wax paper. Then pile heavy books on top of them. After two weeks, remove the books. You’ll see perfectly dried leaves that have taken on a subtle transparency. These can be framed on walls, where they form works of art. Straight from nature. You won’t believe how much detail you’ll see in these leaves if you really look at them.

Have Fun With It

When the leaves are raked up, jump in the piles and take family pictures. Speaking of pictures… when the leaves are at their peak… go on a hike and take some pictures. You’ll make a memory that lasts a lifetime.

Final Thoughts

If you follow the tips in this article, you’ll love what you can do with leaves. It will add a new layer to your fall. When you work this closely with the season itself, and use the leaves to enrich all the life around you, it’s a magical feeling. Who knows, it could even become a new tradition for you. I hope so!

If you’d like to get paid to use 50%+ off coupons on Amazon, welcome to your new favorite website!

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Every day, over 45,000 new Amazon coupons hit Vipon.com. These aren’t your basic coupons. Almost every single one is at least 50% off. And many are up to 80% off. 

Sometimes… products are free!

But here’s where it gets good…

You can now earn cash, better discounts and free products just by using the site.

It’s easy to get started and Vipon will always be 100% free.

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With the savings you get from using 50% – 80% off Vipon coupons… plus what you earn from rewards… Vipon will now save you more and help you to earn more than any other website.

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It was one of Amazon’s best deals, ever:

A shiny brand-new 4k TV… $700 off.

This upcoming Black Friday, there will be even more deals like this. And if you know what you’re doing, you can save thousands on very nice products. Honestly, this Black Friday, you could upgrade your entire life.

So, let’s break down how to do it.

All The Best Deals Are Limited

The truth is, if you don’t plan for Black Friday, you won’t get the best deals. The best deals are highly limited in stock and are first come, first serve. You’ll find if you take Black Friday seriously, and follow the steps in this article, you’ll be able to save far more than you ever imagined possible. 

Figure Out What You Want

Can you think of 5 items you’d really like to be on sale this Black Friday? Write down the first five items that come to mind.

Now, all throughout this upcoming week, I want you to keep your eye open. Whenever you find something you’d love to save money on, write it down. It’s eye opening to see how many new ideas you get in one week.

By starting now, you’re able to really relax into the idea of saving big. And you can figure out what you really want. It’s a lot better than going out and “looking” for deals day of. (Because you will almost never find the best deals in broad daylight.)

Explore The Best Products In Each Category

Once you know what you want, here’s where it gets fun. Now you’re going to do some shopping. But you’re not going to buy anything.

So, let’s say you want a brand-new TV. Well, some TVs are better than others. And like the TV that was $700 off, on Black Friday, sometimes you really can get the best for cheap. So go online and browse around.

If you’re up to it, go to the store and test a few TVs out. Get the details and specifications. Decide on one you like. Then write down the brand name. Do this with all the items you really want.

Figure Out The Black Friday Policy Of The Brand

Once you have your brand names, go to Google. Type in the brand name and item name (if you know it) and “black Friday”. For example, “LG 4k tv black Friday”.

If there are a lot of articles and videos about past deals, there’s a good chance it will be on sale again this year.

We recommend you choose 4-5 brands for each of the products you want. So if you want a tv, do LG, Samsung, Philips, Vizeo, etc.

Save Each Website

As you’re doing your brand research, try and find the product on more than one retailer. For example, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Goodegg, Google Shopping, Best Buy. Find the item wherever you can.

Then, keep a bookmark folder called “Black Friday deals”. Bookmark each page you visit with the item. That way, when Black Friday comes, you can quickly check each website, and buy the one that has the best deal.

Check In The Weeks Leading Up

Many of the items you want will go on sale before Black Friday. We recommend checking your bookmarks regularly, especially as it gets closer. Also, Google the brands and “Black Friday” again. Usually news will come out leading up to Black Friday if that particular item will see a major reduction.

Take It To The Next Level With Smartphone Apps

With the right apps, you can compare even more retailers together at the same time. With some apps, you can even get Black Friday “leaks”, which actually show you deals before they happen.

Here are the top two we recommend:

1. TGI Black Friday 2019 – This app has a massive database of deals. You can use the search to filter through items quickly. And you can also browse thousands of different products to get brand new ideas. This app will show you sales that are happening before Black Friday, as well as the best deals on the products you want on the actual date.
2. ShopSavvy – This is one of the top deals apps on the planet. Not only will this app save you big on Black Friday, it will save you throughout the year. It even has a feature where you can scan barcodes in store, and ShopSavvy will tell you if there’s a better price for that item somewhere else! ShopSavvy will alert you of hot new Black Friday deals on the items you want most, and will help you compare deals in-store.

Closing Thoughts

Black Friday is the biggest chance to save all year. By following the steps in this article, you can make sure you take advantage of this and save huge on products that will really improve your life.

It may be Halloween, but that doesn’t mean your bank account should be scared. In fact, if you know what to do, Halloween can be one of the biggest savings months of your year.

In today’s article, I’m going to break down exactly how to make this year’s Halloween one of your best… and least expensive… ever!

Make A Budget

The first step I recommend is to make a budget of how much you’re willing to spend. This will help you think strategically. And with every purchase you make, you’ll know how much is left over for what you still need. By taking this simple step to plan ahead first, you ensure that you’ll be able to have a complete Halloween experience, and healthier finances than ever.

Use These Tips To Save On Costumes

One of the most exciting parts of Halloween are the costumes. But you’ve probably noticed… they can be expensive! Here are some ways you can save on costumes without sacrificing on quality.

• Visit a Thrift Store

During Halloween, the thrift stores near you will be packed with costumes. This is the first place I recommend looking, because you can often find exactly what you’re looking for right away.

This is especially true if you don’t already have a costume in mind. As you’re shopping, you’ll see something that you like and bam… you just solved two problems at once.

Dave Ramsey suggests a game you can play with your kids at the thrift store. Give each of them an envelope with $5 – $10 inside. Tell them they can get whatever they want for their costume, but it has to fit within that budget. Then watch as they go around the store and creatively put together a costume they’re proud to call their own.

• Talk to Your Neighbors

Halloween costumes are a little like prom dresses. Most people wear them once and never again. That means your neighbors probably have a lot of high-quality costumes laying around that they aren’t planning on using this year.

If you provide the leadership and organize a “costume swap”, you can get everyone in the neighborhood together to switch costumes.

• Make Your Own Costume

If you fancy yourself good at crafts, Halloween is the perfect time to let your talents fly. You can use apps like Instagram and TikTok and search the hashtags for Halloween costumes. See what’s trending and what other people are making. Then you can make the type of costume that can win a competition for pennies on the dollar… and with your own hand.

• Buy Costumes After Halloween

This won’t help you this year, but it could save you quite a bit next year. Right after Halloween, costumes will be on clearance. This is a great way to get an amazing, high-quality costume next year for about as cheap as it will get.

Other Halloween Savings Tips

Candy

Stores have major Halloween sales right before the holiday. So make sure you only buy candy that is specifically on sale. I especially recommend you go to a bulk food store like Costco or Sam’s club. Here you’ll be able to find massive boxes of great candy on sale.

Right after holiday is another time when stores have huge candy sales. This is a great time to load up on all the candy you’ll need for Christmas.

Decorations

Head to yard-sales, dollar stores, and even craigslist for inexpensive decorations. Use colored lightbulbs for a cheap way to get that eerie Halloween effect.

There are two schools of thought regarding decorations. You can either go cheap and rebuy every year, or you can buy more high-quality, expensive items that you reuse. Ultimately, after a few years, the high-quality décor will actually save you money. However, the one-use items will be far cheaper in the short-term, so use the strategy that works for your budget.

Entertainment

Make sure to attend free Halloween events around your city. This can include trunk-or-treats, cook offs, and other fun community experiences. To find out about these events, use Facebook events for October. Scroll through and specifically look for free events.

You can also check your city library or city council website for a list of city sponsored events (usually the most affordable and value packed).

And of course, there’s no better place to get free candy than trick-or-treating!

Retail Halloween Sales

Halloween is one of the biggest savings holidays of the year. This means you can buy all kinds of non-Halloween related goods for cheaper than usual. Most of your favorite retail stores will have some kind of fall/Halloween sale.

On Vipon.com, we have a huge list of Halloween coupons, as well as fall accessories that are on sale for 50% off or even more.

Do you own your finances, or do your finances own you?

The easiest way to tell is to check your credit score. This is basically your financial grade in life. And having a great score makes almost all major purchases in life easier and cheaper (including cars, houses, and business loans).

On the other hand, a low score shackles you, putting serious limits on your ability to do what you want, when you want to.

In today’s article, I’ll be discussing some techniques you can use to raise your credit score as quickly as possible. (If you don’t have any credit and are starting from scratch, make sure to read the beginner’s section at the end.)

What Goes Into Your Credit Score?

What makes up a good credit score? Here is what financial companies look at:

Credit History

Your credit history demonstrates how solid you are at repaying debt over the long-term. Since keeping good credit over time takes a lot of discipline, if you can do it, banks feel comfortable loaning money to you.

The longer your (positive) credit history, the better your score will be. Which is why it’s good to start using credit as soon as you believe you responsibly can.

Utilization Rate

Your utilization rate is how much money you use based on your limit. So if you have a limit of $10,000, using $3,000 is a utilization rate of 30%.

Banks prefer to lend to people who utilize less of their available credit. So if you want to quickly raise your credit score, make sure you’re keeping your utilization rate under 30%.

On Time Payments

This is the bread-and-butter of your credit score. The longer your history of making on-time payments is, the higher your credit score will be. For this reason, it’s crucially important that you only use your credit card for purchases you know you can afford.

Treat it like cash. Don’t spend if you can’t pay it off. The system is designed to make going into debt as lucrative as possible for credit card companies. In other words, the second you pay your bill off late, you’re in their system, playing by their rules.

These are multi-billion-dollar companies who have spent untold billions on learning consumer behavior. Please do not think you can outsmart them. Borrow only what you can afford to pay back.

Credit Variety

Banks want to lend to people who have a long history of paying off a variety of loans. This means if you have a car loan, mortgage, or other loan and pay it off regularly, your credit score will increase faster.

What To Do If You Don’t Have Credit

Because of how important credit history is, the sooner you start the better. However, if you’ve never had credit in your life, it can be difficult to get started. So here’s what you do:

Go to your local bank and get a secured credit card. To get this card, you’ll need to pay a deposit usually of around $300. The bank holds onto this as collateral in case you don’t make your payments.

Use your secured card on small purchases throughout the month, and ALWAYS pay it off on time.

After 6 months, you can sign up for a non-secured credit card. But keep the same strategy. After about a year of doing this, you can sign up for a charge card, which will allow you to build your credit even faster.

Common Credit Myths Busted

Now we’re going to talk about some credit card myths that a lot of people believe, even though they’re 100% false!

Myth #1: You need to pay interest or keep a balance to build credit

Some people think the only way to build credit is to be LATE on your payment, therefore paying interest. This is patently false. Paying interest has not been shown to raise your credit score, so why give the banks any more money than you have to?

Myth #2: It hurts your credit score to check it online

It does not hurt your credit score to check it. In fact, you can use a website like CreditKarma.com to check your credit score whenever you’d like. We recommend checking it at least once a month to make sure everything is going in the right direction.

Myth #3: Having Too Many Credit Cards Is Bad

Actually, having more than 1 credit card gives you more credit, which makes it easier to have a low utilization rate. For example, if you have 1 credit card with a limit of $10,000, and you use $3,000 of credit, your utilization rate is 30%. But if you have 10 credit cards each with a $10,000 limit, you have $100,000 credit and now only have a 3% utilization rate!

It’s not exactly a ‘sexy’ task, but it’s gotta be done at least once a year. If the thought of deep cleaning your kitchen makes you groan, don’t worry – this article will not only show you some innovative ways to easily deep clean your kitchen, it will show you how to save money the whole way through.

Ready? Let’s do it!

You Will Need…

Before we get started, I’m going to recommend a few very affordable tools. These will make your job a lot easier, and most of them cost just $1.

• Duster
• Spray Bottle
• Cleaning Cloth
• Microfiber Cloth
• Scrub Brush
• Clorox Mop

I recommend you search these on Vipon first, as we often have coupons for 50% off or more. If you can’t find a coupon, then go to your local Dollar Tree for the second cheapest option.

Making Your Cheap, All-Purpose, Natural Cleaner

To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of using harsh chemicals to clean. I hate how it makes my kitchen smell like chemicals for days. I also don’t like what it does to my hands. The cheap solution? I make my own cleaner with vinegar and water.

To make your solution, mix equal parts distilled water and white vinegar into a spray bottle. You can now use this just about EVERYWHERE in your kitchen to kill all the germs, get rid of dirt and grime, and make the place spotless. Yes, it will smell a little like vinegar. Personally, I far prefer it to chemical cleaner.

Setting The Stage

Once you’ve made your cleaner, you want to clear off all the countertops and surfaces. If you keep pretty organized, this is an easy task. If not, well, what better time than the present! Wash all the dishes and put them away. Make sure every surface is clear.

Dust From The Top Down

First, we want to dust everything from the top down. Use a dollar tree duster to clean the top of the cabinets and the top of the fridge. Don’t forget the tops of your doors! If you have drapes on your windows, take them down and toss them in the washing machine.

By starting from the top, all the dust gradually falls onto the cabinets. Then, when you dust the cabinets, the dust falls to the floor, where it gets swept up. This means you never need to clean something twice!

Bust Out The Water + Vinegar

Now for the fun part. Take out your homemade cleaning solution and use a dollar tree cloth to clean the cabinets, countertops, light fixtures, and electrical outlets. The water + vinegar is simple, but it’s going to surprise you how effective it is! It’s true: you don’t need borderline radioactive chemicals to deep clean.

When it comes to cleaning stainless steel appliances like the fridge, use your solution with a dollar tree microfiber cloth. And here’s a special tip: if you want your stainless steel to look better than ever, put a tiny dab of olive oil on the microfiber cloth, then wipe it on the stainless steel for an incredible shine.

Oven Cleaning Hack

Now for what is usually the tough part: cleaning the oven. Now, most ovens come with a self-cleaning mode. But personally I don’t like how it heats and stinks up the whole house. So, I choose to use a baking soda + water paste. First, clean the oven of any food and crumbs that are easily picked up.

Then, mix soda + water together until it’s the consistency of toothpaste, and spread it all over the oven. Let it sit for about 30 minutes until it’s totally dry. Then, use a damp cloth and wipe it up. You’ll be shocked at just how much grime this mixture gets out of your oven, and it takes about 15 minutes cleaning time total. Not bad!

For the oven racks, here’s another trick. Put an old towel down in the bathtub and fill it up about halfway with hot water. Then put in half a cup of laundry detergent. Let sit for about 20 minutes. Use a dollar tree scrubber to scrub away all the grime. Again it’s going to come off immediately with virtually 0 effort. And you’ll be left with cleaner oven racks than you’ve ever had before!

Lastly, don’t forget to remove the oven filters from the top of your stove (where the fan is). Over time these get incredibly grimy. Don’t worry – you can put them in your dishwasher and they’ll be good as new.

Don’t Forget The Faucet

Last but not least, don’t forget your faucet! Take a zip-lock bag and fill it up with white wine vinegar. Then tie it around your faucet so the faucet is resting in the vinegar. Let sit for 30 minutes, then scrub with an old toothbrush. Again, it will look good as new with almost no effort!

Closing Thoughts

As you can see, deep cleaning your kitchen doesn’t have to be a nightmare. When you use all these tricks, it can actually be fun – and your kitchen will look better than ever. Best of all, by using these methods, you save a bunch of money, giving you a luxury clean feeling while hardly costing a dime!