Contest is now closed. Congratulations to our winner – Sammi!

Cold and flu symptoms are starting to make their way around the office this holiday season and the worst of it isn’t the running nose or sneezing; it’s the congestion and sinus pressure which inevitably causes horrible headaches and much whining and complaining by all. Most people don’t know that sinus pressure caused by nasal inflammation is a potential cause of congestion, which means they probably aren’t taking the right medication to alleviate their symptoms.

That means wasted money on the wrong medications and extra time off of work to recuperate. Don’t waste time and money when Advil® Congestion Relief treats the real problem; sinus pressure, congestion, and headaches caused by nasal swelling and inflammation.

Advil is also taking on another type of congestion – congestion problems facing communities around the country – through the Advil® Congestion Relief Project and they are looking for communities in need of relief.

Submit your story on how congestion effects your community – from long lines at the DMV to bumper-to-bumper traffic in the school parking lot – include how Advil’s Congestion Relief Project can help and your community could win up to $30,000. Advil has already unveiled a new library in the Brox so relief to your communities congestion problems could be next!

Leave a comment telling me what kinds of congestion problems are plaguing your community and one winner will receive a 10 count package of Advil Congestion Relief.

I am a member of One2One Network and this post is part of a sponsored campaign. I received both product and compensation for my time. I make no claims about Advil Congestion Relief as a product or it’s effectiveness. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Please see my site policy with any questions.

Entries will be accepted until midnight, Sunday, December 18th. One (1) winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email. Please use your real first name and a valid email address when entering. I am not responsible for incorrect contact information. US residents only. Prize will be shipped directly from the sponsor.

All this holiday talk already! I’m super excited about the holidays this year – I’ll be traveling back home to Chicago for Thanksgiving and my family is visiting Austin from Chicago and New York for Christmas. I can’t wait to start decorating and baking and it’s never too early to start thinking of ways to save money. Here are ten tips to make your holiday planning budget friendly:

1. There’s only 12 weeks until Christmas – which means only 6 paychecks for most of us. Make your holiday budget early and set aside cold hard cash to pay for things like gifts, party supplies, and travel. The  more thorough you are with your planning, the more likely you are to stick to your budget.

2. One of the highlights of the holidays is the (over) abundance of baked goods. If you’re doing the baking this Christmas, remember that bulk ingredients and finished baked goods freeze like a dream. You’ll save money by buying in larger quantities and be able to start your baking earlier knowing that your famous sugar cookies will taste just as good as the day on Christmas day as on the day you baked them.

3. Order your Storkie Christmas cards early (I aim to have mine ready to address by Thanksgiving) so that you can address one or two whenever you have a free minute. They’ll be ready to mail before you know it and your holiday greetings will arrive before the snow melts. Place your order with Strokie now, and you’ll have your customized cards before Halloween. Now that’s planning ahead.

4. You’re bound to stumble across some great sales throughout the year, so stash those purchases in your trunk or the back of your closet. Whether you’re buying gifts, decorations, or supplies for your big holiday gathering, you’ll avoid sticker shock come November if you spread your purchases out throughout the year.

5. If you’re shopping online, be sure to order early to avoid rush shipping charges!

6. Make your holiday dinners pot-luck! Have everyone bring their specialty and you’ll cut your budget and the stress of having to cook every dish at the table. All it takes is a festive email a few weeks in advance and a little ego stroking to get your great aunt to bring her famous egg nog.

7. Personalize your holiday cards with a handwritten message and a family photo. It’s a cheap and easy way to amp up the holiday cheer and show family and friends that you care. Storkie has a great collection of photo Christmas cards to customize for less than the price of a store-bought greeting card. Holy Swirls is my favorite – it’s modern and festive without being too Christmas-y.

8. Do your research. I know most people don’t recommend using credit around the holidays (heck, I recommended using cash only in this very post) but if you have a credit card with a great cash back program or airline mileage rewards and you have the cash on hand to pay the bill in full (that’s the key!) then definitely take advantage of those savings!

9. Decide who you truly want/need to buy gifts for. Buying for everyone and their brother isn’t budget-friendly nor do the gifts mean as much to you or the recipient.

10. Stock up on gift cards – especially if you can get them at a discount by purchasing online or in packs of 3 or more. If you’re anything like me, you’ll mistakenly overlook someone important and gift cards to a great last minute present to have on hand. Who doesn’t like gift cards?

How do you plan ahead for the holiday season? Are you excited to start planning this year?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the Storkie holiday blogging program. I received compensation for my participation. All opinions are 100% mine. Please see my site policy with any questions.

I don’t want to alarm anyone, but there are less than 12 weeks until Christmas. That’s only six paychecks.

(Three for me since I only get paid once a month. Scary!)

One of my fave money saving websites, Plastic Jungle, is a great place to start your holiday shopping.

You may know Plastic Jungle as the place to sell a gift card and get up to 92% payout – super handy after holidays and birthdays when well-meaning relatives give gift cards to places you’ve never set foot in. I just sold a gift certificate to a restaurant that isn’t exactly my favorite, shipped it to Plastic Jungle for free, and got cash in my PayPal account within days. Every experience I’ve had with Plastic Jungle has been just as easy.

Did you know that you can also buy a discounted gift card and save up to 35% at Plastic Jungle? Target gift cards, Anthropologie gift cards, PetSmart gift cards – they’ve got pretty much everything. All gift card transactions are guaranteed, shipping is always free, and gift cards have no additional fees or expiration dates.

Besides shopping for others, buying gift cards through Plastic Jungle is a fantastic way to save money on everyday purchases. I buy all my household goods at Target so buying discounted Target gift cards saves me up to 35% right out of the gate. Combine that with sales and coupons, and the savings really add up!

I’m a devoted fan of Plastic Jungle – have you bought or sold gift cards through their website? What did you think?

This post has been sponsored by the good people at Plastic Jungle. Please see my site policy with any questions.

Be warned. I’ve been on a bit of a salted caramel mocha frappuccino kick this past week. I also treated myself to a massage. Neither one of those things has improved my outlook.

Blah.

• $35 Starbucks
• $933 rent
• $85 Sprint
• $165 Sallie Mae
• $490 car payment
• $61 Massage Envy – I needed it
• $164 grocery
• $64 Costco
• $100 ING

Tax time has me rummaging through shoe boxes full of receipts, which is always quite the eye opener. While filing away all the 2010 FSA paperwork, it became abundantly clear that prescription eye glasses are my biggest health care expense.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m quite grateful that an astigmatism is my biggest health care concern, but the price of a yearly exam and new glasses can be a strain, and I understand why people put it off until absolutely necessary.

One great way to keep health care expenses in check is by ordering prescription glasses from Zenni Optical. For as little as $6.95 a pair, you can get frames and prescription lenses with anti-scratch coating and UV protection.

I’ve been a customer of Zenni Optical for years, and I can tell you firsthand that my orders have always been accurate, prompt, and stylish. Their website was just redesigned, making it much more user friendly, and much more tempting to order a pair of glasses for everyday of the week. Especially these full frame glasses which look like my everyday glasses but with a pop of color (green – my favorite color).

Do you order from Zenni Optical? Do you have any other tips for keeping health care costs down?

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are 100% mine. Please see my site policy with any questions.

I have pretty much everyone fooled. They think we’re rich. Rolling in dough. Money in the bank. Burning holes in our pockets. Related to the Rockefellers.

Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration.

But we have heard mumbles of how do they afford it and they’re always spending money among friends and family that shall remain nameless.

Even though it’s none of their business, I do enjoy helping them get a clue and turning them on to websites like http://www.savings.com, which is exactly how we’re able to buy all the things we need and want.

I don’t make a single purchase without first comparing prices online and off and then searching for coupons, coupon codes, rebates, and other perks to sweeten the deal. The majority of the time, I find online purchases to be the better deal and by using savings.com, I can search by store, brand, or keyword to find additional savings on all the items we’re looking for.

Thanks to a little time spent online, I can’t remember the last time I paid full price for anything. There’s really no other way to shop..or to make people think you’re loaded.

This is a sponsored post. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. Please read my site policy if you have any questions.

Some of you may not know that in addition to being a personal finance and frugal blogger, I also blog about fashion and style. I’m always looking for a bargain when it comes to the latest trends, but I value quality above all else, which is why I’m a big fan of Lands’ Ends.

Next Friday, February 4, Lands’ End is hosting a Facebook contest where they will be giving away 50 of their new mesh polos.

Be sure to like Lands’ End on Facebook and look for this message next Friday…

Nearly 30 years and 40 million polos later, Lands’ End has been the go-to place for men’s polos. Guys, what are some of the other “go-to” things that have stood the test of time in your life? A timeless movie that never gets old? Something passed down to you by your dad? The classic car in your garage? Tell us about it and you could win a New Mesh Polo.

Also keep an eye on my other blog – I’ll be giving away three polos just in time for Valentine’s Day!

I received a gift certificate to Lands’ End in exchange for my post. All opinions are 100% my own. Please see my site policy with any questions.