Here it is New Years Eve again and I'm still working on my 2011 financial resolutions. Some went well and others, probably like you, fell by the wayside. The smartest thing I did this year was to set up a budgetary spreadsheet and try to stick to it. Sadly, emergency expenses kept me from reaching several goals but at least I'm ending the year solvent with a car that doesn't require the constant presence of a AAA tow truck.

How did you do? Are there resolutions you'll carry over from last year or are you primed to tackle new battles? Don't kick yourself if 2011 wasn't a stellar financial year. We are, as the media constantly remind us, in the middle of "hard economic times." Just staying afloat is a major accomplishment, even if you have to clean floors and take in laundry to do so.

Naturally, if you're ending the year employed with extra cash, your resolutions will be different than the "99ers" who've run out of unemployment benefits after 99 weeks. Still, all of us can make financial resolutions towards a brighter future. Towards that end, here are 10 resolutions geared for varying situations. Happy New Year everyone, and thanks for sharing 2010 with Go Frugal!

1. Resolve To Keep Your List Short
You're likely to burn out early if you try to bite off too much at once. While I'll suggest quite a few possibilities here, select just a few and focus on them for best results.

2. Establish a Budget
Boy do I sound like a broken record but this is the one resolution I recommend for everyone. Kiplinger provides a basic budget worksheet to help you get started.

3. Establish Goals
Whether your goal is to pay off a credit card, develop an emergency fund or sock away some retirement money, goals are the sugar in budgetary medicine. Keep track of your progress on a spreadsheet so you have a visible reminder that you're accomplishing those goals.

4. Watch Out For Cash Leakage
Be careful of ATM withdrawals and debit-card charges that drain your bank account faster than you can fill it. Identify whether you're the type who hates spending cash or hates using a card and select the one that causes you the most pain. Establish a monthly ceiling for cash expenditures and track it via your budget spreadsheet. You needn't count every penny, but it helps to record withdrawals, charges and generally how the money was spent. That way, you can see at the end of the month if you're pissing away cash on Pez dispensers or making progress towards your goals.

5. Differentiate Luxuries From Necessities
If your outgo exceeds your income, it's time to examine what luxuries can be eliminated. You needn't cut out semblance of a fun life, but perhaps you could exchange weekly nights out with the gals for once-a -month festivities. Instead, supplement with evenings at each other's houses, where you can split the cost of wine and pretzels without the costly bar or restaurant mark-ups. Basically, consider how you can cut out or cut back luxuries.

6. Tithe Thyself
Establish a goal to spend no more than 90 percent of your income and bank the other 10 percent for big-picture items, like retirement, college, vacations, etc. Designate the target purpose for these funds so you're less likely to dip into this fund for daily expenses.

7. Match Your Employer
If you work for an employer who kindly offers a matching retirement plan, contribute enough to get the maximum company match. This is your best investment opportunity at present, so take advantage of it.

8. Open a Savings Account
Are you living entirely out of a savings account or have the bare minimum deposited in your checking account? It's time to start building a cushion in an accessible place so you're less tempted to put emergencies on a credit card. Shop around for the best interest rate and aim to save three to six months worth of expenses.

9. Automate Your Savings
Authorize a direct monthly deposit from your checking account into your emergency savings account to ensure you keep the resolution #8.

10. Educate Yourself About Investing
Start slowly by learning about bonds, stocks and mutual funds. What are they, how do they work, and how can they benefit you? For each topic, apply your new-found knowledge so the information becomes relevant to you.

Photo by BazaarBizaarSF

Guest Post from Thomas Stone

Black Friday is probably the most important day for retail in America. For anyone reading this in Turkey who doesn’t know, Black Friday is the first day after Thanksgiving and therefore the first “official” day of Christmas shopping. Retailers pull buyers into their stores to enjoy extreme discounts designed to clear stock out for the New Year and to generate profit for retailers who often spend months in the red. Yes, Black Friday is designed to bring companies back “in the black,” hence the name.
 
The name originated in 1960s Philadelphia, but has spread throughout the nation to describe the consumer insanity that takes place the day after Thanksgiving. It may be a crazy day to leave the house, but its importance to our economy -- and to a lesser extent our culture -- is undeniable.
 
One of the most incredible things about Black Friday is the rapidity with which both buyers and retailers took to it. For retailers, everything is fair game: you can find deals from baby wipes to Whirlpool refrigerators to tractor oil. If you want it, and it has been too expensive, chances are you can find it at a deep discount. For buyers, the story is a bit different. I once saw two men bludgeon each other over the last Nintendo 64 in a Walmart.
 
Black Friday offers the thrill and danger that many Americans are devoid of in their everyday lives and can be fulfilled by spending long hours in retail establishments fighting for deals tooth and nail. The fervor of Black Friday shopping has gotten to an unbearable point for many Americans, and so to cater to those who would rather find deals online, digital retail companies invented Cyber Monday, a marketing term designed to entice shoppers to shop online.  
 
Cyber Monday and Free Shipping Day indicate a flight from physical retail to the digital space. Online shopping has risen considerably in the last decade, especially around the holidays. Retailers have to worry less about stocking shelves; consumers don’t have to worry about catching a swing from an irate soccer mom over the last easy bake oven; and they can avoid general misery of driving around a city looking for the lowest price for an item. This has made the weekend much more manageable for stores and consumers.
 
As we move to a more Internet-based society, it may be hard for physical retailers to pull in the number of customers they need to hit the black on their accounting sheets. Signs of that can be seen in the slow creep of the start time of Black Friday, from midnight doorbusters, to 3 a.m. and 4 a.m. This year, Walmart and Target will showcase their deals the night of Thanksgiving. This may or may not be sustainable. There has been pushback with regard to employees being forced to work on Thanksgiving and, if that continues, we'll likely see an even greater portion of shopping done online.
 
Online retailers use free shipping as a marketing strategy to lower their prices and facilitate the flourishing of big brands previously tied to physical locations.
 
In fact, in a bizarre twist, eBay has brought their online-only model to life, and set up physical storefronts in the United Kingdom. The goal is to attract consumers while they shop brick-and-mortar sstores and provide them with various Internet-connected devices with which they could make online purchases at a physical location.
 
Commerce is advancing. New trends, habits and distribution streams are being developed all around us. Black Friday may remain similar in name to the shopping event of the past, but as we begin to doff the trappings of physical locations, develop new NFC technology, and sharpen our acumen for online deal hunting, Black Friday will morph and change with society.
 
Thomas Stone is a writer and SEO specialist focusing on e-commerce. He writes for Sears and other prestigious brands.

Photo by Steve Rhodes

"The safe way to double your money is to fold it over once and put it in your pocket." --Frank Hubbard
Do you reconsider a purchase when you have to pay for it in cash? Research has repeatedly shown we feel more pain when forking over the greenbacks than when using plastic. That’s why the old envelope system works so well.

Here’s how it goes: After you’ve paid your online bills and transferred a percentage of earnings into savings and investments, figure out how much you can afford to spend on entertainment, gas, etc. Withdraw enough cash to cover these “wants” and place the designated amount in envelopes labeled for each purpose. When the cash from a particular envelope is depleted, that’s it...No soup for you!

Learn more about the envelope system by reading Dave Ramsey’s excellent article.

"In the old days a man who saved money was a miser; nowadays he's a wonder." --Author Unknown
Frugal rules these days, and such things as free shipping offers and extreme couponing have gained a certain cache. For example, it’s no longer considered all that tacky to use a daily deal voucher on a date or to bargain hunt at garage sales. Those who’ve mastered these skills have learned how to enjoy life without throwing money around. Frugalistas rule!

Photo by EricGjerde

Wisdom doesn't necessarily have to come down through the ages. Our frugal quotes for this week come from a Greek writer and philosopher born in 1883 and an American feminist born in 1934. Read on for details.

"How simple and frugal a thing is happiness: A glass of wine, a roast chestnut, a wretched little brazier, the sound of the sea...All that is required to feel that here and now is happiness is a simple, frugal heart." --Nikos Kazantzakis
Cutting back your entertainment budget doesn’t mean you have to forgo all pleasures. As Kazantzakis implies, money doesn’t necessarily lead to happiness. If it did, many rich people would be a lot happier. For a few ideas, check out our blog post “11 Tips to Maximize Your Entertainment Dollar.”

“We can tell our values by looking at our checkbook stubs." --Gloria Steinem
Boy did Gloria know whereof she spoke, although the reference to “checkbook stubs” is a bit out of date.

Take a quick look at your checking account statement online and calculate how much you’ve spent on such “wants” as clothes, entertainment, etc. Now compare it to the figures for “needs,” like rent, utilities and food. Are you really spending your money where it’s most effective?

You should also make the same comparison each month with your credit card bill and see if you can’t winnow down the percentage spent on “wants” until there’s a better balance.

Photo by irina slutsky

As the saying goes, “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Considering America is experiencing what feels like a second Great Depression, we thought it time to take a look back at some frugal-related quotes and see how such wisdom might apply to our present circumstances.

Today we offer our first round of quotes, with more helpings to be served up each Monday. Please feel free to send us your favorite quotes for inclusion in future posts.

"Being frugal does not mean being cheap! It means being economical and avoiding waste." --Catherine Pulsifer
Some would say being cheap is using a coupon on a first date, but others believe that’s simply being smart. This discussion had raged for a couple years now, and it’s interesting to see how the sides have divided. Surprisingly, many surveys quote women who say they’d be inclined to like a guy who’s confident enough to reveal his frugality early in the relationship.

Another symptom revealing the truth behind Pulsifer’s quote is America’s move towards repurposing. This trend takes old stuff that still has some value and makes it usable for another purpose. For example, repurposers would take a chair with a broken back and turn it into a stool, perhaps adding a cute cushion for the top from thrift-shop drapes.

Here’s an interesting article on “40 Eco-Frugal Ways to Repurpose Household Items.”

“A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.” --Yogi Berra
In actuality, a nickel isn’t worth a nickel anymore, either. According to Coinflation.com, that five-cent piece in your pocket is only worth $0.0485873 when melted down, or 97.17 percent of its face value.

Nickel presently is selling for $8.4333 per pound and falling, unlike gold, which has climbed in the last year to $800 per ounce, making it the go-to investment for many seeking to avoid the more volatile aspects of today’s stock market.

Historically, gold is a proven method of preserving value when a national currency was losing value, as is our present failing dollar.

“Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.” --Benjamin Franklin
Large expenses, like rent and medical bills, take big bites out of a budget, but sometimes it’s the little things that really end up costing you, like driving fast with jack-rabbit starts.

Try this two-month test: During the first month, drive 5 mph under the speed limit, accelerate slowly, and don’t push your car too hard. For the second month, drive in a gas-guzzling manner, or the opposite of the first month. Then compare the difference in gas bills. The first month was cheaper, wasn’t it?

While we’re talking about gas stations, don’t forget to check out some of the great offers that aren’t widely posted at the pump. For example, Walmart is presently offering 10-cents-off per gallon at participating Walmart and Murphy USA gas stations, when you use one of the Walmart family of cards, including gift cards.

"Never let the defeats of the past rob you of the success of your future." --Ray Comfort
You’ve turned age 45 and your company laid you off. Unfortunately, you’ve also reached the cut-off point at which many employers aren’t willing to hire a new employee because they view their skills as out of date.

It’s time to bite the bullet and invest in some retraining, particularly computer skills. Bosses particularly appreciate a resume that indicates you’ve taken classes to update your usefulness as an employee. There are plenty of independent companies offering such courses, but classes tend to be less expensive at community colleges. As an added benefit, these credits should transfer to a four-year university, should you decide to pursue another degree.

While you’re at it, consider volunteer, freelance, entrepreneurial and/or consulting work to ensure your resume looks current. According to testimonies before the U.S. Equal Opportunity Commission in February, employers are discriminating against those without work, so it’s important to maintain the appearance of progress in your career.

Photo by whatadqr

There’s a growing corporate trend, and this time it’s not about greed or CEO bonuses. The pursuit of positive social impacts has gained such a toehold in today’s business world that several states have passed laws making it legal for corporations to put social responsibility before shareholder profits.

California Governor Jerry Brown is shortly expected to sign AB 361, a bill that would create “benefit corporations.” Other states with similar legislation on the books include Hawaii, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and Vermont.

We particularly applaud those companies who not only offer free shipping to defray the costs of shopping online but package their products in materials with a minimal carbon footprint. This movement is steadily growing, thanks to the leadership of Amazon.com.

The following 40 companies take their social responsibility quite seriously, as you’ll see by the supporting evidence. We’re not saying they’re all innocent angels, but every little bit helps make this world a better place.

Amazon
Focuses: Recyclable and responsible packaging
The giant online retailer has put its weight behind frustration-free packaging, which bans clamshell casings, wire ties and plastic bindings. Instead, certified products are shipped in recyclable materials without excess packaging. Not only does this eliminate a lot of plastic landfill but it also helps Amazon shoppers avoid slashing their wrists with box cutters and knives.

Studies show consumers view packaging as socially responsible when it’s recyclable or is made from recyclable materials, contains no hazardous chemicals, and reduces waste.

Ann Taylor
Focus: Sustainability
The women’s clothing merchant integrates environmental responsibility from production to sales through its Green Task Force. A cross-functional team oversees its global-supplier program, including third-party monitoring of clothing manufacturers and development of green initiatives. Ann Taylor also is a member of BSR, a network of 250-plus companies actively working on corporate responsibility.

Apple
Focuses: Responsible packaging and environmental stewardship
Following Amazon’s lead, Steve Job’s baby began shipping its electronics in smaller packages with non-toxic materials in 2008. In addition, more than 95 percent of Apple’s carbon footprint is related to its products lifecycle. This includes everything from manufacturing to consumer use to recycling.

Avon
Focuses: Female empowerment, breast cancer, violence against women, environmentalism and emergency relief
Female economic empowerment was built into the Avon business structure from the beginning because it allowed women to work out of their homes and as their own bosses. Since then, Avon has added philanthropy to the above causes as an important part of its structure, including breast cancer, violence against women, environmentalism and emergency relief. Unfortunately, Avon still lags behind the times in terms of product testing on animals.

Best Buy
Focuses: Environmental stewardship and community involvement.
The electronics retailer hosts “Tech It Away” e-waste campaigns in Canada that collect and recycle second-hand electronics. Its annual report states the company’s recycling programs helped prevent more than 140-million pounds of electronics and appliances from ending up in landfills around the world in 2010.

In addition, Best Buy store teams volunteered over 124,000 community hours in 2010. Best Buy also anticipated donations of  almost nearly $7.5 million in 2011 through Community Grants, Tag Team Awards and store donations.

The Body Shop
Focuses: Animal testing, recycling and child sex trafficking
Founded in 1976, The Body Shop refuses to deal in products tested on animals and uses bottles made from 100-percent recycled materials. All foaming ingredients in products are biodegradable and ingredient lists never mention human toxins or eco-toxins. In addition, The Body Shop donates 100 percent of profits from the “Soft Hands, Kind Heart Hand Cream” to prevent child sex trafficking.

Build-a-Bear Workshop
Focus: Employee empowerment
The puns are hard to take -- the Build-a-Bear Workshop offers such employee initiatives as “CollBEARate” and “Reach Fur the Stars” -- but it’s easy to bear its treatment of employees, as even part timers receive health, vision and dental benefits.

Campbells
Focuses: Waste prevention and world hunger
The manufacturer best known for its soup is working to eliminate 100-million pounds of packaging material by the year 2020. It also donates extensively to local food banks and gives 25 cents to the United Nations World Food Programme for every “Nourish” product sold.

Chipotle
Focuses: Sustainable eating and employee benefits
Want fresh food? Then stay away from corn at Chipotle. Otherwise, all ingredients are fresh, never frozen. Even the sour cream comes from dairies free of artificial growth hormones. The natural ingredients in Chipotle’s over-sized burritos -- including the 45-percent organic beans and 100-percent naturally raised chicken and pork -- are part of its “Food With Integrity” program. Their dedication to sustainable, family oriented agriculture is exemplified in its clever video “Back to the Start,” featuring Willy Nelson.

Despite being a fast-food chain, Chipotle also provides employees with 401(K) plans, health benefits and paid vacation time.

Coldwater Creek  
Focus: Renewable energy
The women’s clothing retailer received a 2006 Green Power Leadership award in 2006 from the EPA and U.S. Department of Energy for its status as the largest buyer of renewable energy in the apparel industry. Coldwater Creek now offsets 100 percent of its energy use through wind power bought through renewable-energy certificates.

Colgate-Palmolive
Focuses: Anti-animal testing, LEED certification and female empowerment
Once boycotted by some for its use of animal testing, Colgate-Palmolive has made major strides in this area. In 1999, it established a moratorium on this practice for adult personal-care products, including shampoos, perfume and colognes, deodorants and shaving cream.

The company also was the first to complete a LEED Silver certification program for its Tennessee manufacturing plant.

In terms of female empowerment, Colgate-Palmolive has a strong record of supporting employees who are mothers and sponsors the non-profit Colgate Women’s Games, the largest amateur track series available to girls from elementary school to college ages.

Container Store
Focus: Employee empowerment
It’s always nice to see a company that invests in its employees. The Container Store provides a minimum of 263 training hours to full-time employees in their first year of employment. It also has a reputation for profit-distribution, with full-time sales representatives earning an average $44,000 salary.

Costco
Focus: Employee benefits
In the U.S., 85 percent of Costco employees enjoy health coverage, which puts to shame the average of less than 50 percent covered at Target and Walmart.

Crate and Barrel
Focuses: Environmental and partner accountability
Whether buying locally or across the ocean, Crate and Barrel believes in reviewing the manufacturing process and social responsibility of their partner businesses. Its eco-social initiatives include working with an Indonesian community to reforest their land and cultivate profitable crops.

Dell
Focuses: Recycling and sustainable packaging
The computer specialists partner with Goodwill Industries to refurbish or recycle your used equipment through “Dell Reconnect.” The program has diverted over 190-million pounds of e-waste from landfills while creating 250 green jobs.

The company also uses biodegradable bamboo for packaging certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Other Dell packaging includes recyclable cardboard, wood, paper and metal.

Disney
Focus: Sustainability
Daddy Walt would be proud of the house that Mickey built. Disneyland trains are run on biodiesel made from the resort’s used cooking oil. The Disney Store also created a worldwide conservation fund and recently developed new goals for energy and water use, as well as carbon emissions.

Eddie Bauer
Focus: Labor practices
Outdoor-clothing retailer Eddie Bauer adopted a code of conduct for its suppliers in 1995, far ahead of the curve. Two compliance auditors monitor factories in Europe, Asia and Africa while six others are responsible for American factories.

General Mills
Focus: Sustainability
The company best known for its cereals began using recycled cardboard packaging and crop-rotation practices in the 1930s. Since 2005, it’s reduced solid-waste generation by 33 percent; built a biomass burner; installed solar panels; and established a goal to create better packaging by 2015.

Gaiam
Focus: Environmentalism, fair trade and fair-labor
Namaste, Gaiam. In 2006, the yoga and fitness supplier established the world’s first carbon-neutral product shipping campaign. It’s “Go Zero” program partners with The Conservation Fund to involve customers in climate-change activism and uses 100 percent biodegradable and recyclable packaging for all media. They even use soy-based ink.

Gaiam also partners with fair-trade providers and all non-Gaiam brands sold on its website are sourced only from companies able to verify use of fair-labor practices.

Gap
Focus: Employee empowerment
Gap’s Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement program empowers female garment workers with technical and life-skill training so they can advance in the workplace. Gap also paid roughly 76 percent of health-care-coverage costs for eligible employees and their dependents in 2010.

Green Mountain Coffee
Focus: Environmental stewardship
The company’s “Brewing a Better World” campaign focuses on solid-waste reduction; responsible energy use; eco-wise packing programs; and the elimination of hunger and poverty in supplier countries. Its entirely compostable “ecotainer” coffee cup is made from corn and ensures more than one-million pounds of nasty petrochemicals don’t end up in landfills, where they seep into the ground.

Green Mountain also led the charge in selling fair-trade certified beans and now sells more fair-trade coffee than any other manufacturer in the world.

Hewlett-Packard
Focuses: Environmental stewardship, HIV initiative and developing-nation education
HP focuses on environmentally sustainable electronics, replacing inefficient computer systems with sustainable and more productive technology. For example, its Data Center Smart Grid detects when servers are wasting energy and ets technologists make real-time adjustments, potentially reducing cooling and power expenses up to 30 percent.

In Kenya, HP works with the Clinton Health Access Initiative to provide medical care to babies born with HIV. Throughout South Africa, the company champions technology connecting students with the global research community.

Johnson & Johnson
Focus: Health initiatives
Johnson & Johnson has a solid reputation for developing and sustaining community-based programs to help mothers and infants survive childbirth and generally reduce the chance of infection from preventable diseases.

Kellogg’s
Focus: Children, minorities and women
Kellogg’s places a priority on youth through programs such as “World of Children,” “Action for Healthy Kids” and “HOST: Help One Student to Succeed.” Scholarships, legal education and child-obesity initiatives focus on minorities and females. Kellogg also donates substantial amounts to community programs.

Nestlé
Focus: Fair trade and sustainable agriculture
Nestlé instituted "The Cocoa Plan" in 2009 to encourage labor rights, fair trade and sustainability in the cocoa industry. Its “Creating Shared Value” initiative boasts over 100 examples of programs focusing on water, nutrition and rural development.

Nike
Focus: Employee empowerment
The former poster child of third-world sweatshops is now leading the apparel industry towards supply chain improvements. Nike works to eliminate excessive overtime, increase worker investment, and reduce turnover.

Nordstrom
Focuses: Human rights, employee safety and HIV/AIDS
Nordstrom is actively involved in human and labor rights, including health and factory safety. It teams up with Business for Social Responsibility, the HERproject (Health Enables Returns), and HIV/AIDS prevention in China.

Office Depot
Focuses: Children, communities, education and disaster response
The Office Depot Foundation works in the global community supporting quality-of-life issues for children, strong communities, economic growth and education. The Office Depot disaster-response initiatives speed the rebuilding process while mitigating impacts.

Patagonia
Focus: Environmental partnership
According to Patagonia’s founder Yvon Chouinard, the company was created with the goal of using “business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” This credo is so thoroughly embedded in the company’s operating practices that some call Patagonia a non-profit disguised as a clothing merchant. The company co-founded “1% for the Planet,” which partners with other businesses in a commitment to donate at least 1 percent of sales totals or 10 percent of profits -- whichever is larger -- to environmental causes. The recipients are selected by customer ballot.

In addition, their "Enviro Internships" program lets employees take leave to work for their preferred environmental organization while still receiving salaries and benefits.

Pottery Barn
Focus: Environmentalism
Pottery Barn partners with the Forest Stewardship Council, an NGO non-profit that promotes responsible management of Earth’s forests. The FSC provides a certification to companies, akin to the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, which recognizes responsible wood sourcing for paper, wood and furniture. Its goal is to harness the power of the marketplace to promote wise forest management.

All Pottery Barn catalogs are printed on FSC certified paper and furniture is built by companies that meet FSC standards.

Seventh Generation
Focuses: Environmental stewardship and human health
The green-clean manufacturer took its name from an Iroquois maxim that each of us must consider the effect of our actions on the next seven generations. The company stands whole-heartedly by this belief, selling only cleaning and personal products that are chlorine free. All detergents are phosphate free and paper products come from 100-percent recycled materials.

Seventh Generation also partners with organizations promoting corporate responsibility, including the Breast Cancer Fund, which works on federal legislation that would require all household-care labels disclose ingredients in simple English. Other partners include “Toxic Chemical Policy Reform” and “Save the Rainforest.”

Starbucks
Focus: Employee empowerment, free trade and reducing paper waste
Few companies offer health-care coverage for part-time employees, but Starbucks is ahead of the curve. Named to EthiSphere’s list of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies,” Starbucks stands behind its free trade ethos with the CAFE initiative and began the whole recycled-paper-sleeves movement for coffee houses that greatly reduced paper waste.

Stonyfield Farms
Focuses: Organics and environmentalism
Best known for its organic dairy products, Stonyfield Farms was a major force in creating the socially responsible movement 25 years ago. Its “Profits for the Planet” grant initiative donates 10 percent of yearly profits to protecting and restoring the planet. The producer also puts its corporate might behind its mouth, supporting sustainable agriculture and family farming throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Timberland
Focuses: Climate and sustainability
The shoe manufacturer is working on many goals at the same time. It’s climate initiative targets 12,800 metric tons of carbon emissions by 2015, including both facilities and employee travel. Timberland also is targeting use of 39-percent renewable energy and presently has reached 13 percent.

The company has nearly reached its goal of reducing toxic chemicals in all products, and has made great strides in improving factory conditions.

TOMS Shoes
Focus: Children at risk
The TOMS Shoes founder isn’t really named Tom. Instead, Blake Mycoskie selected TOMS as an indicator of “Shoes for Tomorrow,” a reminder that, for every pair of shoes sold, TOMS Shoes donates a pair to a child in developing countries where disease is soil transmitted through parasites that penetrate bare feet. Since 2006, TOMS has donated over 600,000 pairs of shoes.

Toshiba
Focuses: Recycling and education
Toshiba’s “Greening of Process” targets three approaches to reducing the carbon footprint of its manufacturing process, including chemical management, resource-use efficiency, and mitigation of climate change. The company installed high-efficiency chillers and air-conditioning systems while making better use of waste heat.

Since 2008, the “Zero Waste to Landfill” program has collaborated with Close the Loop Inc. to recycle ink cartridges, replacement parts and consumables. These materials then are repurposed into such products as park benches.

“The Toshiba Direct” philanthropic program focuses on inspiring and motivating youth in North America with an interest in math and science.

Volkswagen
Focuses: Environmentalism
The good people at VW had a brilliant idea; vehicles don’t always need all cylinders firing all the time. As a result, 2012 will see the debut of a Volkswagen that shuts off unneeded cylinders. The estimated fuel savings is three gallons per 150 miles.

In addition, Volkswagen Nevarra became the first automotive company to earn the energy-efficiency ISO14001 certification last February.

Wal-Mart
Focuses: Employee empowerment and sustainability
Once demonized for its labor practices, Walmart scored extremely high on a unique 2010 Logistics Week survey of safe and just workplaces from clothing suppliers, establishing goals that set a ripple effect throughout the industry.

In early 2005, the company committed to sourcing 100 percent of its power from renewable sources, making strides towards zero waste, and selling sustainably resourced products. In 2009, the company added reducing phosphates in its detergents by 70 percent and reducing its packaging by 2013.

Whole Foods Market
Focus: Employee empowerment
Its health-food products may be pricey, but Whole Foods caps management compensation so more money can funnel down to average Joes. Employees get to vote on benefits and the company keeps an open book on executive and managerial pay.

Whole Foods also led the way in replacing plastic bags with reusables and carries out a variety of other green initiatives.

Williams-Sonoma
Focuses: Ethical sourcing and forests sustainability
Williams-Sonoma and all its brands use only vendors who provide safe and healthy working conditions and follow labor requirements, such as no child labor, prison or forced labor; unfair wage practices; and unsafe working conditions.

The company also deals only with providers who follow responsible wood-sourcing and paper-procurement practices to ensure forest sustainability.

Zappos
Focuses: Employee empowerment and community support
Who wouldn’t want to work for this e-retailer? Zappos’ quirky culture includes free lunches, life coaching, and no-charge vending machines. Its community involvement is equally unique, providing shoes to the unshod, gifts to the needy, involving the entire company in LIVESTRONG Day, and many more initiatives.

Photo by -Twon-

Gas prices are soaring closer to $100 a barrel as trouble pours out of the Middle East. It looks like transportation is going to cost us plenty for at least the near future, but there are ways to cut back on costs. Our 10 frugal fuel-consumption tips will ensure you can fill your tank without major fear.

1. Use Your Smart Phone
There are lots of money-saving applications designed to reduce our daily costs, including travel.The GasBuddy app will coordinate your location with the best gas prices in your area. Another cell phone app worth test driving is CheapGas, which provides precise directions to the nearest and least-expensive gas station.

2. Shop Online
According to a recent study by Carnegie Melon’s Green Institute, shopping online saves an average of 35-percent in gas consumption. Next time you're seeking a new pair of trousers, shop online to cut down on fuel costs.  Those who prefer to avoid delivery charges can find plenty of free shipping coupons, which offer deals for popular stores like JCPenney, Verizon, Home Depot & Dell.

3. Lay-off the Lead Foot
We're all in a hurry but speeding down the road just adds wind resistance, sucking fuel like soda through a straw. Keep an eye on your odometer for maximum fuel efficiency.

4. Leave Rapid Starts to the Jack Rabbits
Do you race away from stop lights at the speed of Br'er Rabbit? You're wasting a lot of gas just to reach the next stop light a second faster.

5. Coordinate Carpools
Carpooling simply makes sense -- or is it cents? Use the Carpicipate app to find others in your area who might want to buddy up.

6. Respect Loyalty Cards
Grocery stores like King Soopers offer up to 10-cents off per gallon for buying groceries and filling up at their tanks. Some stores offer an additional savings if you pay cash, when combined with your reward card.

7. Buy Discount Gas Gift Cards
Did you know you don't have to pay full price for a gift card? Sites like GiftCardGranny.com offer a diverse selection of discount gas gift cards from various card vendors. Run out of cash on your card? GiftCardGranny offers an alert on newly available discount gift cards, so you'll be notified every time there's a new card available.

8. Fuel Up at Warehouse Pumps
Filling up at your local warehouse club can save you anywhere from five to 10 cents on fuel at surrounding gas stations.

9. Give Generic a Go
Buying non-branded gas gets your car where it needs to go just as well as fuel from name-brand stations. In fact, it's often the same gas, yet the price can differ by about 20 cents a gallon.

10. Use Low Octane
According to NPR's Car Talk, using a higher octane gas when your car doesn't need it is worthless. Check your vehicle's manual to determine how low you can go.

Photo by greenasian

Unadvertised specials are unadvertised and semi-hidden from public view for a reason:
    •  Merchants want to reward loyal shoppers.
    •  They want to encourage return visits to their websites.
    •  They want us to register for email notifications that include details of special offers.

We love learning about these deals because they provide us with a leg-up on other shoppers. The fewer people who know about a sale, the better our chances of actually closing the deal at a cut-rate price.

So off the record, on the QT and very hush hush, here's how you can take advantage of unadvertised specials regularly offered by 40 major merchants.

1. Aeropostale
You've got to dig deep on Aéropostale's website to find their unadvertised specials. Here's how: From the casual-clothing merchant's home page, click on "New Arrivals" and select girls or guys. Look for "Aéro Deals" then the "What's Hot Now" offer. Most deals land in the 50-percent off range and can be purchased using Aéropostale free shipping codes.

2. Amazon
There's a little ubiquitous button at the top of Amazon's website that's easy to ignore among the rest of the merchant's bells and whistles. Look for the "Today's Deals" button then search for "Deal of the Day." The day I checked, Amazon offered a 4.5-starred $169.99 Logitech speaker system for $89.99.

Just to the right of the DOTD is a box for "Lightening Deals" with a count-down clock. Deals change several times per day with a limited number available. You have to be quick on the click as the merchandise moves very fast.

3. American Eagle
Sign up at ae.com to receive Aerie emails notifying you of unadvertised special offers available only to subscribers. You'll also be the first to see the latest styles and learn about events and store openings in your area. American Eagle free shipping coupons make sure more of those savings stay in your pocket.

4. Barnes & Noble
The book merchant offers six deals on its website every day on adult and children's books, DVDs, CDs, magazine subscriptions and posters. Savings range anywhere from 33-percent to 85-percent off. Naturally, we recommend using Barnes and Noble free shipping codes when you cash in on major savings.

5. Bed Bath & Beyond
Check the merchant's home page for "Clearance Items." You'll find three-per-day extra-special featured items that sure are cute. Remember you can use Bed Bath & Beyond free shipping codes when you shop the merchant's online store.

6. Best Buy
Look under the "Shops & Deals" tab each week at BestBuy.com to find online-only sales, Best Buy free shipping deals and exclusive offers.

7. Cabela's
The "World's Foremost Outfitter" may still distribute the World's Largest Catalog, but they also feature a small number of unadvertised specials on their website under the "Bargain Cave" tab. Of the five featured items advertised in early October, I was most impressed by the fancy Remington knife with a price slashed nearly in half -- from $89.99 to $44.88. Make sure you take advantage of a Cabelas free shipping offer to keep your prices low when shopping the outfitting outlet.

8. Costco
Learn about sales before they're advertised without registering for emails or a newsletter. Visit Costco.com, click on "In the Warehouse" in the top-right corner and open the page for your region. You'll find a listing of upcoming sales for the Costco in your city so you can plan ahead.

9. CVS/Pharmacy
Check the merchant's website at cvs.com each week for special online-only deals. The week I visited, the drugstore was offering 30-percent off all house-brand products, which makes for quite a pile of unadvertised savings. You can also sign up to receive emails and learn about even more special offers and exclusive savings.

10. Dell
Another major merchant, another major daily deal. Look on the Dell.com home page under "Dell Deals." While the unadvertised specials are only good for a day or two, they're certainly worth checking out as you can save roughly $100 to $200 on best-selling computers, televisions, mobile phones and related accessories. Check out Dell free shipping codes to make sure Dell savings don't end up paying to deliver the electronics to your home.

11. Disney Store
Trust the Wonderful World of Disney to have a "Tink's Treasure Deal of the Week." Available both in-store and online, these unadvertised specials will make your fairy-loving children smile. One magical offer included a personalized fleece throw blanket, featuring your tiny fan's favorite Disney character, for $12.50 (regularly $19.50).

12. Dick's Sporting Goods
Buried under the Dick's "Clearance Page" is their "Going, Going, Gone!" shop, featuring the lowest possible prices on merchandise that's "on its way out the door." Right now I'm lusting after a pair of Nike Shox Vision athletic shoes in white and crimson, priced at $59.97 (originally $109.97), available with Dick's Sporting Goods free shipping and free return shipping. (So what if they're men's shoes. I can stuff the toes with socks on sale from Dick's.)

13. Express
Register for Express emails and you'll receive notification of unadvertised specials and promotions, along with notification of first-to-see new arrivals, Express free shipping offers and 15-percent off your first purchase.

14. Foot Locker
U.S. Active-Duty Military, National Guard, Reserves, Veterans and their families with Foot Locker Veterans Advantage Cards receive a 20-percent discount every day of the year. That offer is good both online and at any store location, including Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Footaction and Champs Sports, even for sale items. Foot Locker doesn't brag about this offer but you can register by clicking here.

15. GameStop
Power to the players! (That's GameStop talking. Not me.) The tiny "Daily Deal" square on the merchant's home page allows you to finally buy Dead Rising for 50-percent off with every purchase of Dead Rising 2. At least GameStop free shipping will help keep your spirits alive.

16. Gap
Click on "Store Offers" at the Gap home page and a pop-up box reveals in-store-only offers, such as 40-percent off your entire purchase for one day only. Can't make it to a brick-and-mortar store? You'll still find great online promos at Gap.com available with Gap free shipping coupon codes.

17. Hanes
"Daily Deals" are the online way to go. Hanes offers limited-time deals for men, women and kids, such as girls' cotton briefs in packages of three for just $3.99 (originally $5) available, when you qualify, with Hanes free shipping, of course.

18. HobbyTron
This is not your normal hobby website. For example, HobbyTron's top engineers used alien technology to craft a flying UFO for just $11.99 (originally $25) as a "Weekly Deal." (Hunt for the button at the very bottom of the left-hand menu.) I'd return to HobbyTron.com's "Weekly Deal" page just to watch what these wild-and-crazy geeks come up with next.

19. Hy-Vee
This grocery chain is found in just eight Midwestern states, but they've figured out the attraction of unadvertised specials. Visit hy-vee.com and click on "Weekly Ad" to find the merchant's "Online Exclusive Ad." Prices listed are good for one day to one week, such as $1 for a 4-pack of Angel Soft Bathroom Tissue.

20. Jos. A. Bank
Talk about things that make you go WOW! One of Jos. A. Bank's "Deals of the Day" in early October was a 25-inch black Pullman roll-on bag for just $97 (originally $475). Matching pieces included a 29-inch bag, marked down from $550 to $159, and a black rolling garment bag, marked down from $500 to $149. That's three pieces of quality luggage for $405, all available with Joseph A Banks free shipping codes.

21. Just My Size
Sign up to receive JMS email updates including web-exclusive sales, sneak previews, latest styles and unadvertised special offers. Visit the JMS "Customer Service" page to register and take advantage of Just My Size free shipping offers.

22. Kroger
Sign up at customer.kroger.com to receive weekly emails listing unadvertised offers, coupons and more. You can also download the coupons to your Kroger Plus Card for use in the store. No clipping required.

23. The Limited
Become a Limited Insider by signing up for emails notifications of unadvertised offers like special The Limited free shipping, invitation-only sales and exclusive discounts.

24. L.L. Bean
Visit the L.L. Bean website, click on the "Sale" and go to "Daily Markdown." Each day the clothing and outdoor-recreation supply store features a truly excellent sale, like an insulated, lighted hunting cap marked down from $39.95 to just $19.99.

25. Meijer
The merchant's daily "Big Steal" deals truly are steals. The Oct. 7 special was a two-pack of Sennheiser in-ear headphones, regularly $29.99, on sale for $13.99. The home page includes a timed countdown letting consumers know exactly how many hours, minutes and seconds they have left to steal the unadvertised deal.

26. Newegg.com
From the technology clearing house's home page, look for the orange egg labeled "Shell Shocker." Click through to find excellent deals that last until supplies run out -- often very rapidly. Most Shell Shockers come with Newegg free shipping. Don't leave until you sign up for the Newegg newsletter. You'll learn about unadvertised weekly savings on the merchant's hottest products, new product releases, 24-hour sales, and information on sweepstakes and giveaways.

27. Office Depot
The Office Depot Store Purchasing Card ensures cardholders receive the the lowest possible price, but you must be a contract client to register for the card.

28. Omaha Steaks
Warning: Visiting this meaty homepage will make you drool, but if you can get past the pictures of gourmet steaks, you'll find the "Deal of the Day" listed in the top-left corner. The day I visited, Omaha Steaks offered 16 5-ounce gourmet burgers for just $24.99 (originally $53.99). Omaha Steaks free shipping includes plenty of dry ice and a reusable, insulated cooler.

29. Oriental Trading
It takes some patience and quick clicking to find the trading company's specials. Check out the rapid-cycling flash tabs on the merchant's home page until you find the boxes labeled "Featured Product" and click through for more details. Specials change according to the season, focusing on holidays, party themes, craft and hobby supplies, teaching supplies, and toys and novelties. Some Oriental Trading free shipping coupons include additional savings, but move that mouse fast!

30. Overstock.com
Register to receive monthly O-mail exclusives and unadvertised discounts, coupons and promotions. Save by using Overstock free shipping codes for popular items like home decor, appliances, electronics, sporting goods, clothing and shoes.

31. PetSupplies.com
Through weekly emails you'll receive access to unadvertised deals on all your favorite products. PetSupplies.com also distributes emails that offer free gifts and percent-off deals on your entire order.

32. Pro Flowers
The online flower shop includes three special offers buried deep in its site. Click on "Specials" then "Flower Discounts & Specials." Hunt on this Pro Flowers page for three extra-special unadvertised deals labeled "Grower's Choice," "Premium Grower's Choice" and "Birthday Grower's Choice." All three offer exceptional deals, like the mix of roses, tulips, lilies, iris and other beauties marked down from $29.99 to $19.99 for a "Grower's Choice" special.

33. Rite Aid
The chain pharmacy devotes an entire web page to unadvertised specials in four departments: Beauty, health care, food and general merchandise. From riteaid.com, click on "In Our Stores" then "Unadvertised Specials." The day I looked, Rite Aid was offering the 20 Minute Wrinkle Free Eyes Kit for just $9.99 (originally $37.49). Kids Original Fluoride Toothpaste from Burt's Bees was $1 off, at $3.99.

34. Sam's Club
Prices are already pretty low at the Sam's Club website, but their "Last Chance Buys" section offers some amazing deals, like a five-piece outdoor dining set for $549 (originally $749) with free shipping guaranteed. Granted, this isn't the optimum time to buy a patio set, but that's the whole point of such a big sale.

35. Sierra Trading Post
Here's one online "Deal of the Day" I found mighty tempting: A pair of Thinsulated, pig-suede gloves from Jacob Ash, originally priced at $34.99 and on sale for just $7.95. My fingers warmed up at the very thought of slipping into these 4.5-star-rated hand warmers, purchased with Sierra Trading Post free shipping codes to truly appreciate the discount. From the home page click on "Barn Burners" to find the merchant's "Deal of the Day" section.

36. Toys "R" Us
Register for emails with details on unadvertised specials found only at Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us and toysrus.com.

37. TravelSmith
The one-stop shop for travel and gear offers an online "Sale of the Day" on select items, like the ever-useful Women's Tea-Length Travel Dress for $79 (originally $99). Although the dress was only available in black, what woman doesn't need a basic black dress for frequent flying? Some offers are available with TravelSmith free shipping codes and can be combined with cut-rate prices from their online outlet store.

38. Victoria's Secret
Stay in touch and in style with unadvertised online and in-store sales by registering for email updates at the merchant's website. You'll receive notifications of Victorias Secret free shipping offers, in-store events and new fashion, lingerie and beauty alerts.

39. We Got Soccer
Instead of product specials, this everything-soccer merchant offers across-the-board "Deal of the the Month" coupon discounts, good, when you qualify, for their standard We Got Soccer free shipping codes.

40. Wine.com
Join WineShopper for exclusive access to limited-time offers from the online retailer's massive selection of wines starting at $9.99. You'll also receive auto-alerts from Wine.com when the next deal hits the website, so you can be first in line.


TWO UNADVERTISED, UNADVERTISED SPECIALS

41. Bank Rates
RateNerd.com finds the best unadvertised CD rates, mortgage rates and bank deals available each day. Register to receive their daily deal via email, RSS, or Twitter. You'll get RateNerd's latest find on money-market rates, high-yield savings, certificates of deposit, mortgage refinance and other bank-rate offers.

42. Video Games
CheapAssGamer.com hunts down unadvertised specials at major game retailers and aggregates them on their home page. The day I dropped by, Cheap Ass Gamer was promoting an unadvertised Best Buy offer of $19.99 for the Bayonetta game, usually $29.99.

Many brides and grooms contributed their money-saving tips to my book, Cheap Ways to Tie the Knot. I’ve compiled some of my favorites to give you ideas on how to plan your wedding the cheapest and most creative way possible.

DRESS & ACCESSORIES

• Buy your shoes online, or at a store in the mall which tend to be cheaper than bridal salons. – Maisie, Deland, Florida
• If you live near L.A. or New York (or can take a trip to either one), visit their garment districts. These are the places where all the bridal boutiques order their wares, so if you can bypass retail and go wholesale, you will make a killing. (I bought my tiara for $16, the same one that was $150 at the boutique.) – Aly, Ventura, California
• There are places that will rent a designer gown for the day and do alterations to fit exactly. Just like you plopped down the $5k for the Vera Wang but at only a 10th of that price. – Joanna, Southern California
• I skipped on the on having my hair and make-up done. One of my girl friends is a great at hair and she did mine on my wedding day. This saved money and time because we had no appointments to rush to. Instead of paying someone to do my make-up I took that money and just bought new make-up and did it myself. Then I had all new stuff for the honeymoon. – Jaime, Cleveland, Tennessee
• Find a wedding thrift store to find odds and ends. I got my crinoline at a wedding thrift store and saved a ton of money. Wear fake jewelry. My earrings, necklace and bracelet cost me about $50. It was gorgeous and I was bling blinging. – Maya, Orlando, Florida
• I found a brand new knockoff designer gown for $229 on eBay. (Really, it's not as scary as it sounds). I also found many of my accessories (tiara, veil, necklace) as well as a flower girl dress, basket and even artificial rose petals on the auction website. – Alison, Ozark, Missouri
• Lots of people I know blow $700 (average) to $1,000+ on their wedding dresses – a dress that looks surprisingly like everyone else's who had a wedding that particular year. I'm having my dress made. The material cost $100, and my dressmaker said she'd make it for $100, so for $200 I'm having a non-traditional, black velvet (I'm getting married in November) and white chiffon, 1940's Hollywood glamour inspired dress that will fit me perfectly and will look like nobody else's. – Bridget, Rochester, New York
• If you are looking for a way to save your wedding party money, you can always pick a color and then have each girl pick a dress in that color. Some people might be concerned about picking the wrong shade of a color, but as long as you have three or four different shades of a color it is really difficult to clash – everything blends. Also, guys can wear suits. If they are too young to have a need for one yet and don't own one, then it is a great time to buy one. Every guy should have a suit in his closet. – Carey, Easley, South Carolina
• We bought our wedding bands during Valentine's weekend because every jewelry store was having a big sale. Most jewelry stores have big sales around holidays. – Jen, Lake Mary, Florida

FLOWERS

• If you love stephanotis, you're in for some sticker shock – they're extremely popular, and extremely expensive. Ask your florist to get a white hyacinth plant instead. The individual flowers look almost exactly like stephanotis, but the whole hyacinth plant is less than four individual stephanotis. – Rachel, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
• You can get roses at Sam’s Club or Costco for pretty cheap, much cheaper than from an actual florist. – Amanda, Nashville, Tennessee
• When doing your flowers yourself, less is more. Not less flowers, just less types. Pick a great flower, like Gerbera daisies and that’s it. – Joanna, Southern California
• Using the florist at a local grocery store can get your wedding flowers that look just as good the local florist shop. If you're a little squirmy about that, you can check a reference or two from weddings they've done. – Janine, Washington D.C.
• Don’t be picky. Because my wedding was on January 1 in Southern California (Rose Parade kinda corners the market.) There was a premium on flowers and I couldn’t really be choosy. But I was so happy with what I got. Instead of specifying a certain type of flower, be specific about color and style (e.g. tropical, white.) – Joanna, Southern California

PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY

• Look for photography students who have some experience, and are working on building up their portfolio. As long as they have some good shots under their belt, and you can schedule in a bit more time for photos, this should work. (My husband is a photographer and he did our photos: He set up the pose, set the camera settings and had my mom snap the shot with the remote.) – Alexsis, Denver, Colorado
• I knew I'd probably never watch a video, so I had a friend videotape our wedding for nothing. And I was right ... in seven years, I've watched it once. – Hannah, Lebanon, Indiana

DECORATIONS

• We borrowed many of our decorations for the ceremony from already-married friends. – Alison, Ozark, Missouri
• Use decorations that your church has. My church had a lot of extra plants and decorations that were perfect for my wedding, which I just borrowed. The total for decorating the location for the ceremony cost me a total of $30! – Maisie, Deland, Florida
• A great idea for an inexpensive guest book is to buy a journal and felt-tip markers, so that rather than everyone just signing their name on the line, they can write you wedding wishes as well. Barnes and Noble and has a huge selection of journals with blank pages as do craft stores. – Russanna, Lynchburg, Virginia

PRINTED MATERIALS

• If there is a university close by, call their print shop and ask if they print initiations. We are getting 200 invitations, response cards, and vellum papers printed for $25.00 by the print shop of a university in our town. – Russanna, Lynchburg, Virginia
• We're making our own invitations from those prepackaged kits you can buy at any office supply store. We're doing all the invitations for $80 and they're actually kind of pretty. – Amanda, Nashville, Tennessee
• You can send your guests an invitation on a CD. Instead of having to print invitations, just make a video inviting guests to your big day. It saves on money, it’s creative, and guests get to see your face. You can include reply cards inside, along with directions, and the other things. – Liz, Lansdowne, Virginia
• For our invitations, we asked friends who were recently married if they had any old invitations. We gathered about 200 and took out the tissue paper. I went to a local paper store and purchased invitations for about $25. I made my own invitations, maps, RSVP cards, and then put the tissue paper as an insert. They looked really good and cost me less than $25, saving me about $200 to get them printed. – Bo Lane, Keokuk, Iowa
• For thank-you cards, order printed ones that match your invitations that just have your names on them. I still use our extras for quick notes. – Kelli, Ona, West Virginia
• Instead of typical wedding announcements, we did postcards. We used a picture and designed a postcard as an invitation. The cost to have post cards professionally printed was a fraction of the cost to invitations. Also, postcard stamps are cheaper too! To RSVP, we had a web address people emailed their responses. Everyone thought it was cool! – James, Phoenix, Arizona
• You can save money by making and printing your wedding bulletins yourself. You can use Word or Publisher (or anything else). Then go to Kinko’s or somewhere and print it on cardstock (can be purchased there or at an office supply store). – John, Tampa, Florida
• I made my own program, where I got creative and included the meanings behind some of the traditions and other things in the wedding (i.e. english ivy). I knew my friends and family were going to be seated for a while before the wedding started, so I wanted them to be entertained! – Hannah, Lebanon, Indiana

CEREMONY

• Use recorded music instead of live musicians. We burned all of our ceremony music onto a disc and played it over the church's sound system. We got to incorporate all of the songs that meant so much to us and it only cost us the price of the blank CDs. – Mindy, Seymour, Indiana
• We had a video at our ceremony that started out like a regular wedding video with side-by-side pictures of me and Ryan growing up, but then it abruptly stopped and said something like, “Everyone’s seen a sappy wedding video, but how did it really happen?” and it then cut to a clip of us in fifth grade when one of Ryan’s friends tells my Mom on camera at school, “Ryan is in love with your daughter” and totally embarrasses Ryan. There was Napoleon Dynamite music playing in the background … People thought it was hilarious. – Jennifer, Des Moines, Iowa
• To add a special personal touch, my friends wrote and performed a song (written specifically for Luke and me) during the ceremony. My brother played the violin...which took care of the music...and it was all relatively cheap because everyone wanted to do something at my wedding. – Maisie, Deland, Florida
• Plan your wedding in December when all the decorations are out for Christmas. It saves on cost of flowers and decorations. – Kristen, St. Charles, Illinois

RECEPTION

• We decorated the reception hall ourselves, and had a blast! We borrowed wicker furniture and silk trees from grandmas and friends to make a large empty room seem cozy. – Hannah, Lebanon, Indiana
• Choose a caterer that includes linens. They are very expensive to rent from a linen company. – Krista, Atlanta, Georgia
• The 99-cent store all the way! My best friend who got married bought these really cool curved glass frames and put pictures they printed at home in each one as a part of the centerpiece. Each table had different pictures. They were a beautiful (and cheap!) addition to their tables’ centerpieces. It only cost them about $25 for the frames and the pictures. – Erik, Visalia, California
• Make a playlist on an iPod with all the music you want, rent some speakers and a PA system, plug in the iPod, and hit play. Let the music play in the order of the playlist, or hit shuffle. – Peter, Tarzana, California
• A friend knew there would be several little kids at her reception, so she handed out coloring sheets of Miss Piggy and Kermit's wedding and crayons (three tied in a bundle with curly ribbon.) The kids had a blast! – Hannah, Lebanon, Indiana
• We got married on New Years' Eve and had the reception begin later on in the evening, and then it lasted until midnight. We served desserts and beverages (some people suggest dessert and champagne, although that might negate the savings). It was great. We splurged on the band instead, but it saved us TONS of money on the reception. – Grace, Cincinnati, Ohio

FOOD

• I’ve been to a couple of weddings where the reception was potluck. It was very creative and a neat way to have the community, friends, and family chip in and make your wedding day even more special! – Laura, Cincinnati, Ohio
• We are opting for a candlelight dessert reception. We are saving several hundred dollars by not having a formal dinner and the different choices for desserts give guests a laid back feel, however the candlelight gives a somewhat formal atmosphere. – Russanna, Lynchburg, Virginia
• We arranged the catering and bought all the drinks ourselves from a wine wholesaler. – Anne, Reading, UK
• Nix the liquor and go with a buffet. Cutting the open bar saved me a ton of cash and it kept my in-laws from thinking I was a heathen. While a buffet was not as nice as having a meal served to my guest it saved me about $10 per head and it provided more food options. – Jaime, Cleveland, Tennessee
• Know what's important to you. To me, it was food. Forget making party favors for my 600 guests. I knew they really wanted bacon wrapped scallops, chicken fingers, turkey pinwheels and the like. I didn't want to pay for a full meal ($24/head), so we had a 2 p.m. wedding with 3 p.m. hors d'oeuvres ($12/head). – Kim, Omaha, Nebraska
• My wife and I did a ticket system where we only allowed guest to have two drinks each. This was classier than the “cash bar” concept, cheaper than “open bar” and promoted responsible drinking. – Amos, Indianapolis, Indiana
• Skip the dance, booze, etc. that inflates the expenses of the reception and after. – Grant, Alberta, Canada

CAKE

• Using a grocery story bakery is much cheap than a caterer. – Jaime, Cleveland, Tennessee
• I know of a couple that had a bakery fiasco and ended up serving donuts and chocolate milk, because it suited them better. – Joanna, Southern California
• Serve a doughnut cake: A doughnut cake is where you pretty much stack doughnuts up as high as you like to make a big “triangle” of sorts, or just use a tiered tray. Then you decorate as you please. – Liz, Lansdowne, Virginia
• Instead of having a traditional wedding cake, we had an ice-cream cake. Much cheaper and more importantly, much more enjoyable! – Angela, Alberta, Canada
• Cupcakes are a hot new wedding trend and can be better on the budget. – Joanna, Southern California

FAVORS

• My wife and I gave CDs as a gift for our guests. We took some of our favorite songs from our relationship together and created two different CDs each with a different cover. If you use iTunes to create the CD, you can even have it print out a CD cover with track listings. We made 300 for about $275, less than a dollar a gift! – Tim, Norwalk, California
• Skip the favors – people only notice if they’re cheap or silly; they don’t notice if there aren’t any at all. – Steve, Brick, New Jersey
• For our send off, we are purchasing about 300 sparklers around the 4th of July for about $20. This is much more cost effective than bubbles or rice and will really add light and color to our goodbyes. – Russanna, Lynchburg, Virginia

FRIENDS

• Always feel free to ask family and friends to help. They want to and it makes them feel much more involved. – Amanda, Nashville, Tennessee
• Make friends with the older ladies in your church. They WANT to help with everything, so for heaven's sake, let them ... especially when it comes to making favors, sewing bridesmaids dresses, anything crafty. These women know crafty. – Aly, Ventura, California

HONEYMOON

• Instead of renting a limo for the day, we rented a nice luxury car (a Jaguar) for the week and took it on our honeymoon. Not only did we save money compared to renting a limo, we kept the car for the entire week! – Peter, Tarzana, California
• We took a cruise. We booked it in advance and got a great deal. The best part, all of you meals and most of your actives are included in the ticket price. – Jaime, Cleveland, Tennessee
• Instead of an expensive honeymoon, we stayed at a beautiful bed and breakfast on a vineyard within the same state. – Peter, Tarzana, California

MISC. ADVICE

• Don't invite your cousins twice removed, no matter what your mother says – you want to have fun and be comfortable and not feel obligated to speak to everyone at your reception, and you won't be spending money on people you don't know or care about. – Jessica, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• I have some friends who had a small intimate wedding (with just a few family and very close friends) and had a BIG reception with a lot more friends and family and they cut cost and had the best time. – Jeremy, Pensacola, Florida
• Wedding Guidebooks: You find them everywhere and they're free. A dermatologist office advertises free facials in the Orlando one. I got a free facial a couple weeks before the wedding, no strings attached. – Jen, Lake Mary, Florida
• We actually got married on Memorial Day, when most people are out camping, making our guests happy by the deep discount hotel rooms and my father happy by not paying ANYTHING to rent the hotel ballroom for the day. – Kim, Omaha, Nebraska
• Don’t feel pressured to have anything at your wedding that you don’t want. You don’t have to throw the bouquet, or have a receiving line, or smash cake in each other’s faces. Have the wedding YOU want, not the wedding you feel like you are supposed to have. – Brandi, Nashville, Tennessee