Tag Archives: Holiday

The Do’s and Don’ts of Layaway Plans

This a guest post by Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc.

Layaway PlansWould you rather put holiday spending on your credit card or pay for it through a layaway program? Many Americans are opting for the latter, helping retrench these time-honored payment plans.

Walmart, Sears, Best Buy and TJ Maxx are just a few of the major merchants now offering layaway. In fact, Toys ‘R Us has expanded its layaway program to include most toys, rather than just the big-ticket items.

Layaway nearly vanished before the recession, as credit card use grew in prominence. Stores preferred we swipe away because it was easier than handling all that paperwork. But with consumers leery of facing too much holiday debt — and threatening to spend less this year in stores — retailers began using layaway as a means of luring us back.

While this all sounds well and good, there are problems related to such programs. Here are a few “Do’s” and “Don’ts” you should consider before making the leap.

DO

Do Dissect the Fine Print
You’ll have to sign a contract or layaway initiation form, which naturally contains a lot of vital information you could easily overlook. Don’t let a long line or impatient clerk rush you through checking each detail so you know what to expect.

Do Consider Whether it’s Worth the Origination Fee
There’s a fair amount of paperwork, processing and labor involved in layaway plans, so stores charge a start-up fee for each order. Consider the amount of that charge is worthwhile compared to the overall total of your purchase.

Do Decide if You Really Need This Item
Should something happen and you decide not to go through with all payments, you’ll likely have to pay a fee of roughly 25 to 30 percent of the total price of the layaway plan. That’s a hefty fine for changing your mind, so make sure you really want the item before placing it on layaway.

Do Compare all Fees vs. Credit Card Charges
Add up the potential costs and consider whether you’d be better off placing a purchase on a credit card. According to a New York Times op-ed by Cornell professor Louis Hyman, a typical shopper could wind up paying far less interest by using a credit card, even if it has a fairly high APR. Plus, a credit card gives you purchase protection and, with some companies, price protection.

DON’T

Don’t Ignore the Internet
Don’t let a sale combined with a layaway plan talk you into buying before researching your options. You’ll often find better deals online and it’s a lot easier to comparison shop with your mouse. Search for promo codes to use toward your coveted item, and then compare the total cost of the online purchase to what you’d ultimately pay by putting it on layaway.

Don’t Neglect Your Expiration Date
There’s a limit to how long Walmart will store your stuff. As with other stores, they want to move it before Christmas, so check to ensure you have enough time and cash to pay the entire debt off on time or you’ll forfeit everything you’ve already paid. Mark that date on your calendar and make sure you make all payments before it hits.

Don’t Forget About Automatic Withdrawals
Some merchants prefer to set-up automatic checking-account deductions, ostensibly to save you the hassle of coming in to make each payment. In actuality, it’s just another way to make sure they get their money. Should one of those payments bounce, however, you’ll be socked with a healthy overdraft fee from both the merchant and your bank. Once again, mark on your calendar the date each deduction will be made, so you can double check the balance in your account.

Don’t Layaway When You Can Pay
It’s hard to part with cash during the holidays, when other expenses build up, but the fees you incur with a layaway plan aren’t always worth it if you can pay cash now and avoid the hassle.

This a guest post by Andrea Woroch, a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc.

Review: #DEFIANTS 4×4 Maximum Mayhem Playset – {Contest Closed}

This contest is closed.  Congratulations Beth S.!

DEFIANTS 4X4 motorized trucks and trackMy son, like most boys, loves motorized vehicles.  There’s something fascinating about them.  He recently got a DEFIANTS Maximum Mayhem playset which includes 7 feet of track for the ultimate in extreme action plus one 4×4 vehicle.  He and his sister have had a BLAST playing with this set!  They take the 4x4s outside on the sidewalk in the yard, in the car, and sometimes they even play with them on the track they came with!  Imagine that!   Defiants 4x4s are Mighty, Mini and Motorized – With no remote control needed (just AAA batteries), you just pick your gear and set them loose.  They have two speed settings; my son loves the high setting while my daughter likes the low setting.

Starting October 12th, you can go to GetDefiants.com and play the Defiants Danger Rally Game. Once a day, they are giving away a Limited Production Defiants 4×4. The code that can be entered on the website for a chance to win is “4×4” (also visible on the video).

My husband appreciates that DEFIANTS are simple in design.  They go up and they go down and when the 4×4’s hit the ramp at the end of the track the 4×4’s jump, twist, and sometimes even push boxes across the room.. as happened in my son’s case.  He thought that was the funniest thing. DEFIANT 4×4’s have headlights making them fun to play with in the dark.  The vehicles are quiet and stick to the track well.

The DEFIANTS 4×4 Maximum Mayhem Playset will provide your kids, boys and girls, with hours of racing fun and what’s better than buying your kids toys that will entertain them for hours?  Defiants 4x4s individual trucks and flex tracks are available at Target for $5.99, down from $7.99, from October 9 through November 5.  Stock up for the holidays!

Continue reading Review: #DEFIANTS 4×4 Maximum Mayhem Playset – {Contest Closed}

Davey Cakes – Hand Screen Printed Onesies and T-Shirts, a Unique Gift

Davey Cakes personalized baby onesies
Davey Cakes personalized onesie - Ballerina in Training

Are you looking for a unique baby shower gift idea that you know the recipient isn’t already getting 10 of (ahem.. socks, thermometers, rattles)?  Shari, the owner and designer of Davey Cakes personalized onesies makes it easy to give the perfect gift to an expecting mom.  One that she will appreciate and that will be used.

All of the onesies and tee shirts offered on Davey Cakes are hand screen printed by the Davey Cakes™ baker and wrapped to look like cupcakes.  Choose from our adorable selection of onesies and tee shirts and choose the size.  Then choose the color of the reusable cupcake holder (blue, pink, or yellow).  Lastly, choose the ribbon color (blue, pink, red, yellow, green, or purple).

Davey Cakes onesies
Davey Cakes onesies - $12 each

Priced at just $12 each, Davey Cakes onesies are perfect to stock up on for every occasion.  Designer, Shari, has several pre-made designs available for order on her website or you can request a hand screen-printed onesie with the saying of your choice.  You could get a “Fun in the Sun” onesie made for baby’s first summer days, a “Boo! Baby” onesie for Halloween, and the list goes on.

My husband is very proud of his Irish ancestry so I asked Shari to design an adorable “Daddy’s Little Leprechaun” t-shirt for my 4 year old to wear on St. Patrick’s Day and yes, I took photographs but my SD card went caput on me and I lost the photos! 🙁   That said.. I believe Shari will consider screen-printing just about any saying on a onesie as long at it fits.  Just ask!

Get to know Davey Cakes

Alicia Hagan, Mom Blog editor

Be the Ultimate Gift Giver with Mud Pie Baby, Wedding, and Holiday Gifts

Mud Pie trendy baby items and gifts

Mud Pie plush toys
Mud Pie plush toys - My 4 year old loves this little guy!

I attended a fun event at the Mud Pie showroom at AmericasMart in Atlanta today called “Be the Ultimate Gift Giver!”.  Talk about fun.  For a couple of hours, I was surrounded by colorful, whimsical, all occasion, gift giving goodness.  I wasn’t familiar with the Mud Pie brand before today but now that I’ve learned about Mud Pie, you’d better believe I’ll turn to Mud Pie for just about every occasion including Mothers’s Day, Graduation gifts, Weddings, Anniversary’s, Birthdays, Christmas, Baby Showers, and even Halloween decor.  Mud Pie’s affordable prices make their gifts attainable by moms with even a budget on the lower end.

Creative, adorable, fun, and innovative gifts are words that describe Mud Pie®product.  The company began 25 years ago with 10 items and has grown into a leading gift company.

Mud Pie offers three catalogs – Baby, Gift and Initials, with over 1,500 items designed and produced exclusively by Mud Pie®.  Our goal is to bring you innovative, well-priced, packaged gifts that make you smile.

Mud Pie Essential Tote
Mud Pie Essential Tote

There’s no wonder celebrity moms including Marcia Cross enjoy Mud Pie’s products. Mud Pie’s Essential Tots are the perfect bag to pack with beach towels and toys for a day at the beach or for a trip to the market. The Essential Tote has a water-resistant interior lining and an interior pocket with a zipper. It retails for just $25 making it a great gift for all of your mom-friends, yourself, and don’t forget your Mom!

Marcia Miller of Mud Pie
Marcia Miller of Mud Pie

I really enjoyed talking to Mud Pie’s CEO Marcia Miller.  Marcia is a lovely person with a very professional and lively presence about her.  Love her!  Ms. Miller started a business in 1988 with a small pottery-making shop and named it “Mud Pie” because the pottery was painted brown to resemble terra cotta and the rest is history.  If only starting and running a business were really that simple.  I learned today that Ms. Miller and I share a similarity, one that I think neither of us prefer to share.. we were both run over by a car and seriously injured.  Despite the difficulties she’s been through as a result of the accident Ms. Miller has built this amazing company that caters to moms and all types of consumers with style, trend, and budget in mind.

 

Alicia Hagan, Mom Blog editor

Give the Gift of Getting There Safely and Efficiently with a Map Update from NAVTEQ

Do you want to give friends and family a gift that you know they won’t return or re-gift this year?  Look no further than a NAVTEQ in-dash navigation system map update.   Did you know that NAVTEQ is the company whose technology and maps power most of the in-dash navigation systems and GPS-powered devices in the US?

NAVTEQ in-dash map updates

Unfortunately my 2006 Nissan Quest is not equipped with in-dash navigation but chances are that if you, your friends, or family have an in-dash navigation system, it’s powered by NAVTEQ so giving them a NAVTEQ Map Update is a no-brainer.

Holidays = Travel, right?
Well, that doesn’t apply just to you or me.. It applies to millions of people who like to share the highways with us.  If you have kids and will be travelling.. between traffic, accidents, construction, and much needed ‘pit-stops’, you’ll be very grateful for your GPS system this year.  However, if your navigation maps aren’t updated your GPS system isn’t going to help you as much as it could if it was updated.

The world changes, so should your maps. You don’t want your family, your parents, or teenage kids to be stuck somewhere that you aren’t familiar with so it’s really important to have a GPS navigation system and NAVTEQ’s map updates make the perfect gift!

The holiday season is in full swing, which means a lot of running around and a lot of trying to figure what to get for that hard-to-shop-for loved one. A nav system map update from NAVTEQ can help save time when it comes to both of these issues. Whether store hopping to find that sold-out toy, or need to find a place to pick up a hostess gift on the way to the holiday party, an updated map will get you there.

NAVTEQ websiteNAVTEQ website

NAVTEQ TwitterFollow NAVTEQ on Twitter

NAVTEQ Facebook pageLike NAVTEQ on Facebook

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of NAVTEQ.  All opinions are 100% mine.