Wise Bread (Deals and Coupons posts)

Ask the Readers: Do You See Movies in the Theater?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:24:12 +0000

It's always nice to escape reality by watching a movie. Whether you are a fan of action, comedy, romance, or horror, movies can provide an escape from everyday life. Some people like to see movies in the theaters while others are deterred by the high ticket prices and opt to wait to see movies on DVD.

Do you see movies in the theater? Or do you prefer to wait until they come out on DVD? Why?

Tell us if you see movies in the theater and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment on this article telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, February 20th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after February 20th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

Tell us if you see movies in the theater and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

SaveUp Giving Away $1000 to Wise Bread Readers

Ashley Jacobs — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 11:36:36 +0000

Most rewards programs try to get you to spend money. Wouldn’t it be great if a program actually rewards you for saving money instead?

That’s the innovative idea behind SaveUp, a free program that rewards consumers with SaveUp credits when they do something good, like adding money to their savings accounts or paying off their debt. The credits can be used to win a ton of cool prizes, like a new Prius, a Hawaii vacation, or a life-changing $2 million jackpot.

At Wise Bread, we’re all about giving you the best financial tips to live large on a small budget. So now, why not get rewarded for all your hard work and have a little fun at the same time?

That’s why Wise Bread and SaveUp have teamed up to help you stay motivated with your 2012 financial goals. SaveUp is giving away $1,000 exclusively to Wise Bread readers and 200 free bonus credits to anyone who join SaveUp via Wise Bread.

How to Enter:

We have three different prizes ($500, $400, $100) for three different contests. You can enter all three to increase your chances of winning.

1. Exclusive Wise Bread Prize on SaveUp: $500

SaveUp wants to keep you motivated and reward you for your good financial actions with a special $500 prize — exclusive to Wise Bread readers only. To enter:

Join SaveUp via this link (this is 100% free), and
Go to SaveUp's homepage, click on the “Wise Bread Prize” and then on the “Play Now” button. You’re all set!

As a bonus, anyone who signs up using our link during the contest period will also get 200 free game credits. 200 credits will give you 20 different chances to win a ton of cool prizes.

2. Leave a Comment: $400 Prize

To enter the comment contest, leave a comment below answering this question: What motivates you to save? (Or if you’re not saving, why not?)

Your comment must be at least two sentences long to qualify. You can enter one comment per day.

3. Twitter Entry: $100 Prize

To enter the Twitter contest, simply:

Follow @WiseBread and @playSaveUp, and
Tweet this message: RT this for chance to win $100 from @WiseBread & @playSaveUp http://bit.ly/saveupwin #SaveUpWin

You may tweet once per day.

Contest Details:

Contest ends Monday, March 12 at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners are randomly selected. Winners will be announced after March 19th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email. Winners have 3 business days to respond. If you do not respond within 3 days we reserve the right to select new winners.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited. No purchase necessary. Prizes may be distributed as Amazon, Visa, or MasterCard gift cards.
You can enter all three contests to increase your chances of winning. But you can only win one prize.

How to Spend Your 200 Free Credits

SaveUp prizes are mostly lottery-style instant scratcher games. Each prize costs 10 credits to play. So with 200 free credits you can play 20 times! Personally I like to go for the prizes with the highest values. For example, these are my favorite:

SaveUp has some other great prizes that can fulfill awesome fantasies:

Join SaveUp.com via this link and get your free 200 credits today.

About SaveUp

Here’s a message from our contest sponsor:

Unlike traditional rewards programs that focus on driving consumer spending, SaveUp rewards users for performing positive financial actions, such as contributing to their savings or retirement accounts; paying down their credit cards, mortgages or other loans; and engaging with SaveUp’s financial education content on the site. Americans who bank at more than 18,000 US financial institutions nationwide can register their financial accounts on SaveUp and immediately begin earning SaveUp credits every time they save money or pay down their debts. The credits users earn can be redeemed for chances to win instant prizes and entries into weekly and monthly drawings.

SaveUp’s prizes range from the exciting (retail gift cards, consumer electronics) to aspirational (luxury vacations, home or wardrobe make-overs) to life-changing (a new car, money for college tuition, debt pay-off, or a $2 million jackpot).

In addition to making SaveUp fun and rewarding, we employ bank-level encryption to make sure our program is safe and secure for our users.

Ready to win some prizes? Remember you have 3 ways to enter!

Leave a comment below answering the question: What motivates you to save? (Or if you’re not saving, why not?)

Follow @WiseBread and @playSaveUp, and tweet: "RT this for chance to win $100 from @WiseBread & @playSaveUp http://bit.ly/saveupwin #SaveUpWin"

Good luck!

To enter simply tell us what motivates you to save.

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Review Your Credit Report?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:36:33 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Diane, Megan, and Therese for winning this week's contest!

Having a good credit score is an important part of your financial health. It is necessary to review your credit report from time to time to check on your credit health and make sure you have no discrepancies with your report. Some people review their credit report once a year while others do it more regularly.

How often do you review your credit report? Yearly? Monthly? When was the last time you reviewed your credit report?

Tell us how often you review your credit report and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment on this article telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, February 13th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after February 13th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

Tell us how often you review your credit report and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: How Often Do You Evaluate Your Budget?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 11:36:18 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Katie, Earn Save Live, and Jesse for winning this week's contest!

Having a budget is one of the key ways to keep your finances in check. Budgets help you create a clear picture of how to live within your means. It's important to evalute your budget from time to time to make adjustments as income sources change and expenses fluctuate. Some people evaluate their budgets on a weekly or monthly basis while others do a budget check up once a year.

How often do you evaluate your budget? Once a week? Once a month? Once a year? When was the last time you evaluated your budget?

Tell us how often you evaluate your budget and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment on this article telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, February 6th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after February 6th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

Tell us how often you evaluate your budget and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: Do You Have a Prenup?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:36:13 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulations to a2slbailey, lostAnnfound, and RD for winning this week's contest!

Getting married is oftentimes one of the best things to happen in someone's life. While most couples plan on staying together forever, sadly many marriages fall apart. Some couples recognize this and opt to sign a prenup before they say their vows. However, other couples avoid signing a prenup because they believe their love will stand the test of time.

Do you have a prenup? Why or why not? If you aren't married yet, do you plan on signing a prenup when you get married?

Tell us if you have a prenup and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment on this article telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, January 30th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after January 30th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

Tell us if you have a prenup and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Big List of Student Discounts

Kelly Kehoe — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:00:14 +0000

If you’re barely scraping by on your university student’s income (or Mom and Dad are giving you a very limited budget), then student discounts can really help you to stretch those funds until the end of the month. The following is a list of the major discounts obtainable to those with a valid student ID card (or college email address). (See also: 9 Places to Get Student Discounts)

Electronics

If you're looking for great deals on pricey gadgets for school, then look no further than the following section.

Apple Store for Education

The Apple Store for Education offers discounts its products (particularly favorable in regards to MacBooks and software) for college students and teachers, administrators, staff, and board members for K-12.

HP Pavilion

There are PC and laptop discounts for students and educators at HP Pavilion's store online.

Dell University

You can get discounts on PCs and laptops specially designed with students’ needs in mind at Dell University.

Sony Education Store

Students can find discounts of up to 10% on VAIO products upon checkout at the Sony Education Store.

Travel

Looking to travel on a budget as a college student? There are several deals created just for you!

Student Universe

One of the best websites offering low-cost flights and hotel bookings for students is StudentUniverse.com. I’ve used this one personally, and most flight offerings were much less than the stated price on airline websites, and even less than most other “discount travel” sites.

American Airlines

One of the biggest airlines in the U.S., American Airlines offers flight discounts for current college students, including 5% on land components (hotels, tours, rental cars, theme park tickets, etc.) when booking through their site.

Student Air Travel Association

One of the biggest travel agencies in the world is the Student Air Travel Association, targeting the traveling college student crowd.

Squaw Valley Lift Tickets

College students can find $59 Squaw Valley Lift Tickets (regularly $70-84) at the world-renowned skiing resort that once hosted the Winter Olympics. You can check to see if your local ski area offers discounts as well.

Food

Restaurants in college towns love university students for two reasons: they eat a lot, and they tell their friends afterwards (assuming the food was good). Relying on word of mouth marketing is crucial to these food joints staying in business, so they often offer student specials throughout the week. You never know which restaurants and fast food places may offer a student discount, so be sure to carry your school ID with you wherever you go, just in case.

Entertainment

Looking for a way to spend a few hours without a lot of cash? Check out the following options for entertainment.

Regal Movie Theaters

Students can get discounted movie tickets on select days at Regal Movie Theaters (price depends on location).

Several other movie theaters offer discounts for students as well. For more information, either call or check the website of your local cinema.

Broadway Shows

To help students save money and still get to see their favorite performances, many Broadway shows have begun offering tickets through a Student Rush pricing structure.

For smaller theaters, especially those on high school or university campuses, student discounts are usually offered to those who bring a form of ID. To see if a local theater offers student discounts, give them a call or check for ticketing options online.

Museums

Across the country, there are hundreds of museums that value their educationally inclined visitors and often have significant discounts offered to high school and college students with valid ID cards. For example, Columbia University students get free admission to 34 museums in New York through the CU Arts Program. The same applies for many other cities, so be sure to contact the museum before purchasing tickets. You might be able to save as much as 50% or more off of the regular admission price!

Basics

The following three items listed do not fit into a specific category, but they are too good not to mention.

International Student Identity Card

The International Student Identity Card has over 4.5 million members worldwide and over 40,000 discounts currently offered to members. This includes language schools, transportation, magazines, hostels, motels, clothing, etc.

Amazon Student

Free two-day shipping on millions of items and special deals and promotions offered frequently to members of Amazon Student.

Sam's Club

Get a $15 gift card through the Sam’s Club collegiate program when you sign up or renew your membership. This gives you access to the low prices on their entire inventory, saving you a bundle while struggling to get by in college.

What about your college town? Feel free to share other student discounts that you know about in the comments below.

Written by Kelly Kehoe and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: Is It Possible to Be Too Frugal?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:36:11 +0000

Congratulations to frugalportland, Kristin Haffey, and Bob Muller for winning this week's contest!

Being frugal is typically something looked upon favorably nowadays. From clipping coupons to buying on sale, most people practice frugality in their day-to-day lives. But is there ever a point where someone can be a little too frugal?

Is it possible to be too frugal? At what point does being frugal become cheap? Or is it impossible to take frugality too far?

Tell us if you think it's possible to be too frugal and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment on this article telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, January 23rd at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after January 23rd on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Note: Due to recent changes in Facebook's promotions guidelines, we have restructured the entry format of our giveaways.

Good Luck!

Tell us if you think it's possible to be too frugal and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: Do You Use Business Cards? (Special $100 Giveaway)

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:36:24 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulations to our first prize winner, Aaron L, and our second and third place winners, Guest and Emily.

Business cards are one of the most important networking tools. Professionals, job seekers, freelancers, and even students have used business cards to advance their careers. Whether you hand them out to clients or prospective employers, a tasteful business card provides people with a great first impression.

Do you use business cards? If yes, how do you use them? If no, why not?

Tell us if you use business cards and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card or two sets of die-cut business cards courtesy of our sponsor UPrinting.com.

Prizes: $100 Amazon Gift Card & Two Sets of Die-Cut Business Cards

This week we will be giving away thee prizes:

First Place: $100 Amazon gift card

Second and Third Place: Each will get a set of 250 die-cut business cards courtesy of UPrinting.com. Winners of the business cards can choose among UPrinting.com's available die-cut shape and sizes and cardstock option. Standard turnaround time and shipping applies (no shipping charges). Restricted to people 18 years and above, US residents only. Check out these beautiful samples.

How to Enter:

You can enter 3 different ways:

Comment Entry. Answer this question in the comments below: "Have you used business cards? If yes, how do you use them? If no, why not?"
Facebook Entry. Go to UPrinting.com's Facebook page, "Like" the page, and leave a separate comment on this article telling us: "I liked UPrinting.com on Facebook."
Twitter Entry. Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of @wisebread and @UPrinting. Include @wisebread, @UPrinting and #WBAsk in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment below.

If you do all 3 things you get 3 entries into the contest. Maximum 3 entries per person. Be sure to always include your email when leaving a comment.

Giveaway Details:

Contest ends Monday, January 16th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after January 16th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking UPrinting.com's Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Good Luck!

About UPrinting.com

Here's a message from our contest sponsor.

Free Proofs Before You Pay!

Did you know that unlike other online printing companies, you can get your files proofed and checked for errors without paying a cent at UPrinting.com? No order commitment or credit card is required! Proceed with your order when you are confident with your online proof. We're confident in the quality of our printing services online, and don't need to pressure you to pay before you're ready!

24 Hour Customer Support

Have a question or need some help with printing online? We're here for you 24 hours a day Monday-Friday and from 8am-5pm PST on Saturday and Sunday! Call 1-888-888-4211 or chat online with one of our helpful customer service representatives for any inquiries or assistance with your custome online printing.

Here's a sample of the kind of beautiful cards created using UPrinting.com:

Good luck with the contest! Enter now by answering the question in the comments below.

Tell us if you use business cards and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card or a set of die-cut business cards!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: What Are You Most Looking Forward to in 2012?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 11:36:22 +0000

Congratulations to Diane, Elizabeth, and Kristin Haffey for winning this week's contest!

2012 is less than a week away! Chances are you are busy making plans for new years, reflecting on all the major events of this past year, and getting excited for what 2012 has to bring!

What are you must looking forward to in 2012? Do you have a big trip planned? Are you getting married? Expecting your first child this upcoming year?

Tell us about what you are most looking forward to in 2012 and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, January 2nd at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after January 2nd on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Note: Due to recent changes in Facebook's promotions guidelines, we have restructured the entry format of our giveaways.

Good Luck!

Tell us about what you are most looking forward to in 2012 and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: What’s the Best Gift You’ve Ever Received?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 11:36:11 +0000

Congratulations to Olivia & Will's Fine Children's Furniture, Peggy Davis, and RazzBari for winning this week's contest!

With the holiday season in full swing, gift giving is under way. Throughout the holidays, you received many gifts that you liked. But chances are there is one gift you’ve received that you absolutely loved and will always remember.

What’s the best gift you’ve ever received? Who gave it to you? What was the occasion?

Tell us about the best gift you've ever received and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, December 26th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after December 26th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Note: Due to recent changes in Facebook's promotions guidelines, we have restructured the entry format of our giveaways.

Good Luck!

Tell us about the best gift you've ever received and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: What is Your Favorite Part About the Holidays?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:36:21 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulationst to Raina, Debra, and Henri for winning this week's contest!

The holiday season is upon us yet again. Chances are you can’t go anywhere without hearing Christmas music, seeing holiday decorations, and receiving constant reminders about how you must get your shopping done. While the holidays can be overwhelming, everyone has something they always love about the holiday season.

What is your favorite part about the holidays? Is it spending time with family? Giving the perfect gift? Or maybe the great post-holiday sales?

Tell us what your favorite part about the holidays is and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, December 19th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after December 19th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Note: Due to recent changes in Facebook's promotions guidelines, we have restructured the entry format of our giveaways.

Good Luck!

Tell us what your favorite part about the holidays is and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Join Our Tweetchat on Thu 12/8, 12pm Pacific for a Chance to Win Prizes

Ashley Jacobs — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 23:59:19 +0000

Join our Tweetchat this Thursday at 12:00 pm Pacific for lively conversation and a chance to win prizes! Use #WBChat to participate.

This week's topic: Holiday Traditions!

Anyone can participate, but you must be following @WiseBread and RSVP below to win our prize!

To make it easier for us to keep track of attendees and pick our winners, please RSVP below with your twitter ID (put that in the "Link Title" field), email address, and your twitter URL (put that in the "URL" field, do not put your blog's url in there). Winners will be selected at random from RSVPs. If a winner is chosen who RSVPed but did not attend a 2nd winner will be chosen.

New Parenting Chat #pschat

Our sister blog Parenting Squad (@ParentingSquad) will be hosting a parenting chat every Thursday at 11:00 am Pacific. Drop by for fun parenting conversations and a chance to win prizes! Use #PSChat to participate.

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: Do You Have a Holiday Shopping Budget?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:36:19 +0000

Editor's Note: Congratulations to Kate, Razorbacks92, and Nicholas for winning this week's contest!

It’s time to start thinking about getting your holiday shopping done! Shopping for the holidays can be a huge drain on anyone’s bank account. While many people create a budget to follow when they holiday shop, others prefer to spend first and worry later.

Do you have a holiday shopping budget? Why or why not?

Tell us if you have a holiday shopping budget and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, December 12th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after December 12th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Note: Due to recent changes in Facebook's promotions guidelines, we have restructured the entry format of our giveaways.

Good Luck!

Tell us if you have a holiday shopping budget and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Ask the Readers: How Do You Save on Winter Clothes?

Ashley Jacobs — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 11:36:38 +0000

Winter is upon us and the cold weather has set in. It’s time to break out the coats and other warm clothes. For many people, that means pulling winter clothes out of storage. For others, it means heading to the mall to update their winter wardrobe.

How do you save on winter clothes? Do you shop in the off-season? Instead of hitting the mall, do you shop at thrift stores?

Tell us how you save on winter clothes and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards

We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.

Mandatory Entry:

Post your answer in the comments below

For extra entries (1 per action):

Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment telling us you did, or
Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.

If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.

Giveaway Rules:

Contest ends Monday, December 5th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after December 5th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Note: Due to recent changes in Facebook's promotions guidelines, we have restructured the entry format of our giveaways.

Good Luck!

Tell us how you save on winter clothes and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!

Written by Ashley Jacobs and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.

Win a 2012 Money Planner Workbook!

Meg Favreau — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 10:49:04 +0000

Kimberly Palmer knows a few things about financial planning. As author of the book Generation Earn, a guide to finances for young professionals, and a personal finance columnist for U.S. News & World Report, Kimberly has an extensive understanding of how people can successfully achieve their financial goals. Now she's taken this information and distilled it into a series of money-planning workbooks to help people reach goals such as getting out of debt, preparing financially for a new baby, and simply taking better control of their finances over the course of a year.

Kimberly's 2012 Money Planner is a 50-page guide aimed at helping users have a financially great 2012 (and beyond). The workbook begins with an area to set goals for the year, and then helps you by breaking down your financial to-dos into monthly chunks.

One of the things I love about this workbook is that it strikes a positive, can-do tone. It's easy to only think about financial planning negatively ("I need to get better at saving..."). But the very first section of the book, "My Money Vision," has users focus not just on what they need to improve, but also what their financial strengths are.

The goal-setting guidance, structured quarterly financial check-ins, and other sections that help you track your finances and visualize your budget are the workbook's strengths, and they provide a solid structure for planning.

I do, however, recommend flipping ahead in the workbook if you get it. If you're trying to make a major financial overhaul, the month-to-month suggestions are great, but I would have liked to see many of them come sooner. Several changes aren't addressed in January, but in later months, including making a plan to pay down your debt, carefully examining discretionary spending, and starting an emergency fund. Just because you skip ahead on those doesn't mean you can't also revisit those areas when you reach the month they're addressed in the book, though.

If you feel like you need some guidance to help you get your financial plan in order, especially if you like having a pen-and-paper way to track your finances, this workbook could be helpful for you. And if you feel like it would be...enter our giveaway!

Money Planner Giveaway

We're giving away three copies of Kimberly's printable-PDF 2012 Money Planner (an $8 value). To enter, leave a comment with a financial goal you hope to achieve in 2012.

Giveaway Rules

Contest ends Wednesday, November 30 at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after November 30th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.

Disclosure: I received a free PDF copy of Kimberly's money planner for review.

This 2012 Money Planner can help you define and achieve your goals for the next year and beyond — and we're giving away three for free.

Written by Meg Favreau and published on Wise Bread. Read more articles from Wise Bread.