I always sit down the weekend before payday and balance our budget and write out checks.

• $1003 Chase
• $600 rent

I made payments on four Chase credit cards. Two were paid double the minimum, one was paid half of the current balance, and one was paid in full!

I’ve also started to put a portion of rent aside every payday. I was paying rent in full the payday that it was due, but it was making me nervous cutting our budget so close the first of every month. I think this will work out better and give us a little more wiggle room every payday.

In my previous post, I was baffled by the amount of people swarming the stores to start their Christmas shopping, but the more I paid attention, the more I realized that there are some really great deals to be had.

I mean, the Sears Black Friday Sale has already started, so there’s no time to waste! While supplies last, Sears is slashing prices on some of this season’s hottest gifts. Where else can you find a Nintendo Wii for $249.99 or a 3.1 megapixel 3x optical zoom digital camera for $99.99 before a $20 instant savings? I know a blu-ray DVD player is on my husband’s Christmas list (poor guy got a HD dvd player last year and it was obsolete before he could even watch any movies) and I can save $120 at Sears and get a Sharp AQUOS blue-ray player for only $179.99!

These deals aren’t just to help you buy more this holiday season, they are to help you save more! Some of your holiday shopping “must haves” are available during the Sears Black Friday Sale, so get out there early and scoop up the deals! Then relax the rest of this holiday season and think about all the money you saved at Sears!

My mom and I ventured out yesterday to take advantage of the GAP Give & Get Sale and run some errands, and we were both shocked by the amount of people out shopping. Parking lots were full, lines were long, and shopping baskets were overflowing in every store we went to.

Granted, we were part of this shopping frenzy, but we were out for necessities. It seemed like more people than usual were out doing actual holiday shopping before Thanksgiving, but why?

Is our area one of the least effected by the current economy? Are stores offering more sales sooner? Are people still charging and spending above their means?

When the economy was soaring and everybody had disposable income and credit lines at their fingertips, layaway fell by the wayside. Nobody worried about making big purchases, because they had a plastic card they could swipe and worry about the bill later. Now that the economy has taken a downturn and people are paying close attention to their spending limits and being stripped of their credit, layaway is the perfect way to make sure the holidays are still merry and bright.

The Kmart Layaway program is especially nice, because you can choose the perfect gift from any Kmart store for someone special and make interest-free incremental payments. When Kmart has the hottest item of the holiday on their shelves, you can snag it before the holiday rush begins, and have it paid off by the time it’s set to be wrapped and under the Christmas tree.

I know my husband has been dropping hints that he would love a new high def television, but there isn’t a chance that I have the money to waltz into an electronics store and pay cash on the spot and I’m certainly not going to put it on a credit card where I’ll end up paying double thanks to all that interest. At Kmart, I can incorporate the payments into our monthly budget and start planning our Super Bowl party!

I just read that October video game sales are up 18%, and although it seems to baffle many, it makes complete sense to me!

People are trying to find ways to cut their budget and enjoy their entertainment at home. For less than the cost of a night out, you can buy a video game that can be played over and over again, by yourself, or with someone else. When you’re sick of it, you can trade it in and get a new one at a reduced cost, extending your entertainment hours and your budget!

We have several video game systems in our house, and we’ve bought several games over the past few months to keep us busy and at home instead of out spending money we don’t have!

• $21 gas

Believe it or not, I’ve been able to keep my wallet in my purse almost the entire week. And thanks to gas prices at $2.09/gal and dropping, I filled my tank up for a pittance.

My husband and I aren’t exactly rolling in money (more like swimming in debt), but we’re much better off than a lot of people that are struggling to pay their utility bill or put food on the table. While we may be living paycheck to paycheck, our jobs are secure and we have a stable roof over our head. Thankfully, I think the US has elected the right president to help stimulate the economy and help families get back on their feet, but until then Rebuilding of America is a great way to stimulate your own community.

Rebuilding America is a program that uses fully insured certificates of deposits to invest, rebuild, and resell viable income generating properties. All monies are combined to back construction loans, which in turn create jobs and rebuild families and communities while bringing business and visitors to newly refurbished real estate and giving you the maximum return on your investment.

$25 is nothing to some people. It’s a week’s worth of Starbucks that they don’t drink half of, an evening at a movie they don’t enjoy, or an impulse purchase that never gets used. Make an investment in something that can revitalize your community, help your neighbors, and improve your quality of life. Give $25 to Rebuilding America.