If you’re already a member of the Adaptu community, downloading The Adaptu Wallet is a no brainer. If you’re not yet an Adaptu member, the app makes a compelling argument for joining.

How it Works

The Adaptu Wallet lets you see all of your bank and credit card accounts at a glance. As a big fan of financial literacy and my iPhone in general, I was excited to see what Adaptu had come up with. One feature I love is the ability to add in accounts manually, in order to account for the gold you have buried in the yard, or the checking account from the bank with no online access.

Pros

The other big perk is that the app allows me to take pictures of my infrequently-used rewards cards (like a Preferred Falafel Buyer card that gets you 10% off at your favorite falafel stand) so I can bury the cards in my backyard, along with my gold. Now my wallet can finally close again. Success!

One concern I had was the safety of entering in all my financial info into my phone. Adaptu has done a good job of addressing this issue. Every time you log in you have to enter in a PIN code and Adaptu uses TRUSTe and VeriSign for security.

You can easily track your spending with nifty graphs and adjust spending limits and expected income with the swipe of a finger. It’s stripped-down version of budgeting where you can see if you went over or not. The app can also send alerts to warn you if you’re going over what you can spend for the month.

Cons

The app has a few limitations. I’d recommend inputting all of your account information with an actual keyboard just for convenience’s sake, and the photos I took of my insurance card wouldn’t orient correctly. Also, I would’ve liked a way to adjust the spending limits by inputting a number instead of messing with the slider. But these are quibbles. Adaptu has put together a remarkably powerful and free tool.

Bottom Line

It felt good to know, with one look, where I stood financially for the month.  Adaptu Wallet is a great way to easily take stock of your finances. Download the app from the iTunes stores.

Original article by The Credit Karma Team (c) Credit and Personal Finance Blog | Credit Karma - Read full story here.

Tough times have made us all a bit more cautious about whipping out our wallets on a whim. When it comes to spending with discretion, it’s important to have priorities about things you think are worth the money, and those items or services that are not. Here are 11 things that I think are worth it.

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Original article by SavvySugar (c) Wise Bread - Read full story here.

It’s that season again, when your wallet starts to feel lighter and every purchase means a big nasty surprise when the credit card bill rolls around in January. I am not against spending money for gifts at the holidays — after all, this is the one time of year when people are spending money on others rather than on themselves. But the holiday season shouldn’t be one of financial burden — it should be a time of joy. And there are few things as joyful as being financially stable and responsible with your money.

How can you spend almost nothing this Christmas? By being innovative and resourceful when it comes to giving gifts, of course! Some of the gifts below won’t cost you anything; most cost you very little if you already have some of the materials on hand. (See also: 31 Great Gifts That Keep on Giving)

1. Buy Presents Using Old Gift Cards

I still had a few gift cards hanging around from when I got married, some of which were from stores I don’t normally shop at. I had never used them because I never found anything I liked from those stores. However, I was able to find some thoughtful presents for friends who like those stores. I consider gift cards free money, so in this way, I was able to buy nice gifts without spending any of my own cash. Dig through your own desk drawers, and you’ll likely find a few old gift cards too!

2. Make Baked Goods

For most of the friends and acquaintances on your list, a bag of cookies is a perfectly appropriate gift. Chances are you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry, and any you lack will cost far less than buying a whole gift. Wrapping the cookies up beautifully (in dollar store colored tissue paper) makes your gift look even more fancy and expensive.

3. Make Cookie “Mixes”

Even easier than making baked goods — how about making mixes for baked goods or hot chocolate? You don’t even have to pay for eggs or milk! Put pre-mixed quantities of flour, baking powder, sugar, and flavorings into a washed-out jar and tie it with a ribbon. Large glass pasta sauce jars make pretty containers for cookie and pancake mixes. Or make a peppermint hot chocolate mix with cocoa powder, sugar, and a crushed candy cane. Again, it’s all about presentation. Decorate the jar with lovely labels, ribbons, and other crafty things, and your gift looks gorgeous and not at all cheap.

4. Regift!

Wince. I know, I know. Regifting seems kind of lame. But let’s face it — we’ve all done it. And if something that someone gave you happens to suit another friend better than it suits you, why not? It’s the right thing to do. Just avoid regifting items that have been used, or regifting at a party where the original giver might be present. Now that’s lame.

5. Revamp the Traditional Gift Exchange

Instead of having a traditional gift exchange or Secret Santa, propose a White Elephant gift exchange. Everyone brings some junk that they don’t want, and then you take turns swapping for the best stuff. You get to clean out your junk drawer and give a gift at the same time! One year, I hosted a holiday book exchange instead of a traditional gift exchange, where everyone brought a used book from their personal collection that they had read and liked. Again, we played a game of swap to see who could score the book he or she wanted. No purchase required!

6. Make Your Own Wrapping Paper and Cards

Wrapping paper can get expensive. Make your own by using brown paper bags and decorating them using potato stamps, stickers, ribbon, and bits of colored paper. Cut out the gift labels printed on Trader Joe’s grocery bags. Use the comics section of the newspaper to wrap a gift. Plus you get brownie points for being eco-friendly and using recyclable and biodegradable materials.

For cards, download free printable holiday cards and gift tags from websites like HowAboutOrange, or make your own, more personal cards with paper, markers, and other materials you have around the house. If you’re particularly artsy, you can even bundle several handmade notecards together as a gift that the receiver can use throughout the year.

7. Make a Personal Photo Album

Collect photos of you and a friend, and make a photo album out of scrapbooking or construction paper. Across from every photo, write a cute personal message. Bind the pages together with yarn or ribbon. It may not cost much (or anything if you already have photos printed), but the time and effort you put into this gift makes it a unique and memorable one. For friends who live far away, you can give them a variation of this gift for free! Create a Word or Powerpoint file (or if you’re more computer-savvy, a video slideshow) with photos and meaningful notes that you can email to your friends for them to print out.

8. Get Your Craft On

If you’re crafty, you might be able to whip up a beanie or scarf from some leftover yarn (it’s not hard — my husband crocheted me a beanie once!). Or use the fabric scraps in your cupboard to make coasters or a cute pillow or blanket. Make ornaments from scrap pieces of wood and craft paint (for example, we’re renovating our house and we’ve got plenty of perfectly good pieces of pine lying around). Makeover an old wood tray with paint or decoupage. Paint pretty designs on smooth rocks to make paperweights. Stick an orange full of cloves to make a clove-orange ornament. Take a good look at the raw materials you have in and around your home, and see if you can make something with them.

9. Give the Gift of Service

If you have a skill, consider offering a valuable service to a friend or relative. For instance, if you’re handy around the house, offer to build bookshelves, paint a bedroom, or do some home repairs. Shovel the snow for a week for a neighbor. If you’re a good cook, offer to privately cater a romantic dinner for two. If you’re a freelancer, offer a free family photo session, a free blog post promoting a friend’s business, a free makeover, or a free design consultation.

10. Donate Your Time

If you can’t afford to spend money on gifts this year, consider donating your time instead. Suggest that instead of exchanging gifts, you and your family volunteer at a local soup kitchen, nursing home, or food bank, or cook a meal for a family in need. You’ll capture the true meaning of the season — caring for others, which might just be the best gift you ever give yourself.

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Original article by Camilla Cheung (c) Wise Bread - Read full story here.

Don’t let the holidays take there toll on you or your finances; instead slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures they bring. This week’s reading is full of articles to help you stay on track and share holiday blessings with even the smallest members of your family.

Practice & Teach Safer Spending

• Developing a Giving Spirit This Holiday Season @JeremyVoh “The point is that no matter what your economic status may be, you can find ways to help others during Thanksgiving and Christmastime. Give the gift of giving this year.”
• A Different Kind of Holiday Gift Guide @MoneyCrush “Give yourself the gift of financial security and things that used to be major setbacks will become little hiccups – or blips that you don’t even notice. Best of all, you’ll able to help others when they need it, or give cool gifts to others just because.”
• 9 Christmas Gift Ideas for Kids to Learn About Money @MyDollarPlan “Looking for gift ideas for kids that focus on personal finance? You’re in luck, because gifts and toys that double as tools to teach kids about money management are some of my favorite gifts to give. They’re also the perfect gifts for kids that have everything and really don’t have a use for another expensive plastic toy.”
• Change Your Financial Family Tree @NoDebtPlan “We learn how money works by watching our parents and the ways they interact with it. Whether good or bad, we see the decisions they make and we are learning from them. Our financial future is largely based on what we have witnessed and learned from our family. What if your parents don’t have a healthy relationship with money? What if you have watched them struggle through the years and know they have made poor decisions?”
• Christmas Arts and Crafts Projects for Kids @PersonalDiv “If you are looking for some fun ways to help your child express his or her inner artist this Christmas, here are some ideas for fun things you can help them do.”

Avoid Holiday Splurges

• Just Say No to Inflatable Santa’s @EnemyofDebt “According to a Bloomberg report, “This year U.S. consumers will spend $6 billion on decorations, the most in at least seven years, according to the National Retail Federation, which began tracking the data in 2005.”
• 5 Christmas Shopping Mistakes To Avoid @ChristianPF “Before you rush to the store or add something to your cart online, now’s the perfect time to think about some of the biggest mistakes that you should avoid this season.”
• 4 Financial Mistakes to Avoid During the Holidays @ReadyForZero “After all, spending money has become such a fundamental part of the holidays that it’s hard to imagine them without it. Which is great for the retail industry and the country’s GDP, but not so great for your bank account or your financial goals.”

Stress Free Holidays

• Want to Save Money? Slow Down @GRSBlog “The moral of the story: Sometimes the best way to save money is to slow down. Instead of trying to be frugal by jamming as many tasks as possible into your conscious hours, save money by doing fewer things.”
• 3 Powerful Ways To Decrease Your Financial Stress @roshawnwatson “Sixty-one percent of people live paycheck to paycheck, meaning it does not take much to push them to the brink of financial cataclysm.”

Photo Credit

Suzanne Cramer

Original article by CoachSuzanne (c) A Straight Talk on Debt - Read full story here.