Mother's Day is less than a week away and word on the street is that spending is up this year. The National Retail Federal found consumers will spend 16.3 billion dollars on moms this year. In a release from the National Retail Federation, its' president state "on this Mother's Day, the woman who often puts herself last is first on the list of millions." People get all kinds of gifts for moms. Usually you see the staples like jewelry, perfume, flowers, and chocolates. Children make their mothers special cards and it's usually accompanied by a Sunday brunch at home or your local favorite restaurant. With many people still tight at the pocket in 2012, here are a few smart money moves ideas for savings a few bucks while still doing great stuff for mom!
- Hunt For A Cheaper Deal- Almost every site that offers flowers is running coupon codes somewhere. You might find the coupon from listening to a local radio station, see the coupon on the internet, or catch it during a commercial break from a television program. In fact, if you own an entertainment book or you bought coupons from a local baseball team, you might check to see if FTD or your local florist offers a coupon. If you aren't too picky around the flower arrangements, sites like www.teleflora.com, www.proflowers.com, and www.ftd.com will have special deals for Mother's Day. Remember, if your mom lives local another lower cost alternative would be to hit your supermarket down the road to grab a bouquet and hand deliver the flowers yourself.
- Go For A Day At The Movies- The movies can be fun, but don't make mom watch a 3-D animation movie on Mother's Day. Often, these are the only types of movies that mom's get to see since Saturday nights out can be far and few between. Matinee movies can be about half the cost of a normally priced movie. This could be a great opportunity to treat your wife to a movie while saving a few bucks for a special dessert.
- Do All The Chores- Lots of moms have chores to do all day especially if they stay at home. This includes making the beds, laundry, dishes, making lunches, and much more to get the kid's ready for school and keeping the house in order. One great way to save money and have Mother's day be really special is do all of the chores around the house so mom gets a break from the daily routine.
- Use Your Technology To Do Something Special- So, you spent all of this money in i-phones, tablets, pc's, and all of the latest gadgets to make your life easier. Perhaps you can use one of the fancy apps to create some really cool pictures or a collage for mom to show her how much you love her. All you might be looking at is the cost of a frame or some matting to create something really special. Remember, that this may get hung up in the house so think about where she might like to put the picture.
- Hit The Clearance Section- If you do want to shop at her favorite store or on line shopping site, make sure you look for the button on the far right hand side that says CLEARANCE. Often, you can find really good deals on the items from the store she really loves. If you are no fashionista, then don't get started trying to put an outfit together. Pick something from this section that comes from your heart.
Saving money doesn't mean that mom will think you are cheap. It's all about making this day something different and special from the regular routine. If she likes to sleep in on Sunday, then let her sleep. Remember what she likes for breakfast whether it's scones or scrambled eggs. Most importantly, remember Mother's Day is all about making this a day to reward her for everything she does to make life better.
Visit to www.oxygenfinancial.net to request a free consultation with the leading financial experts for people in their 20's, 30's, and 40's in the country.
Written by:
Ted Jenkin, CFP®, AAMS®, AWMA®, CRPC®, CMFC®, CRPS®
Co-CEO and Founder of oXYGen Financial, Inc - The Leaders in Gen X & Y Financial Advice
Securities and Investment Advisory Services offered through NFP Advisor Services, LLC (NFPAS), Member FINRA/SIPC. Oxygen Financial is not affiliated with NFPAS. NFPAS does not provide tax or legal advice. This site is published for residents of the United States only. Registered Representatives and Investment Advisor Representatives of NFP Advisor Services, LLC (NFPAS) may only conduct business with residents of the states and jurisdictions in which they are properly registered. Therefore, a response to a request for information may be delayed. Not all products and services referenced on this site are available in every state and through every representative or advisor listed. For additional information, please contact NFPAS Compliance Department at 512-697-6000. PLEASE NOTE: The information being provided is strictly as a courtesy. When you link to any of the web sites provided here, you are leaving this web site. NFP Advisor Services, LLC makes no representation as to the completeness or accuracy of information provided at these web sites. Nor is NFP Advisor Services, LLC liable for any direct or indirect technical or system issues or any consequences arising out of your access to or your use of third-party technologies, web sites, information and programs made available through this web site. When you access one of these web sites, you are leaving our web site and assume total responsibility and risk for your use of the web sites you are linking to.
