Feed the Pig

The Feed the Pig campaign is sweeping the nation with its neat commercials and interactive Web site. Haven’t heard of it? Feed the Pig is a public relations program of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, designed to promote successful saving. Their human-sized pig, Benjamin Bankes, dons a pink tuxedo and speaks of ways to stop overspending in everyday life. Below are a couple of Feed the Pig commercials:

Feed the Pig’s Web site is quite eye-catching, too. I have to warn you though — I found Benjamin a little creepy, as he is a computer-generated pig man, but he is very approachable and adds a facet of entertainment to the site.

Benjamin reminds you to feed your piggy bank with the catchphrase “Feed Me!” The site allows you to pick your inner spender, whether it’s the “chronic collector” or the “spendy socialite.” Each of the 7 personas is represented by a character, which the user can then select and learn about. Once the character is selected, the user is then prompted to choose a number of habits and see how much money is actually being spent on each habit. It is a great visual way to learn how to save.

Users can also enter their current household income and current debt into the site, in order to calculate how much money must be set aside per year to pay it off and/or collect savings. The site’s “Beat your Brain” quiz is designed to find the user’s inner spender and discover how to outsmart it. Feed the Pig even offers basic saving tips, resources, and a Facebook application for overspenders. Overall, the site is extremely interactive and I would recommend it to anyone looking to save and wanting to spend savvy!

currency through the ages

Check out these coins and currency from as early as 6th century BC.

Vodpod videos no longer available.

more about “currency through the ages“, posted with vodpod

review: Wallet Pop

Searching for more financial advice on the Web? Check out Wallet Pop!

This site is simple, yet informative, and uses a bit of humor too. Most posts revolve around money — whether it’s about saving it, spending it wisely, or highlighting finance in the news — but the site also covers other topics, which are organized by tabs at the top of the page. A few include special calculators, insurance information, retirement facts and tax advice.  Wallet Pop reaches above and beyond the blogosphere by utilizing sponsors such as Lending Tree and E*Trade. But of course, sponsors never hurt a blog’s success 😉 The more interaction with other sites, the better!

One thing this blog does that a lot of developing blogs do not, including my own, is use feeds on their own site. Wallet Pop links to current interest rates, credit card rates, latest online deals, and even includes a scrolling question of the day. This aspect of the site really boosts user interaction — which is surely why this blog is so successful.

I’d have to say that my favorite post as of now is the entry titled “The 6 Grossest Ways to Save Money.” I don’t want to give away too much, but lets just say that DIY tampons and hair-spun shirts are involved.

My only criticism would be that there seems to be a lot going on on the page, and this element can sometimes be distracting. The RSS feeds are a great feature, but too much of a good thing can sometimes be a not-so-great thing. Aside from this, I enjoy the site and recommend it to other users looking to get on top of their finances. Wallet Pop uses Youtube videos, slideshows and other multimedia elements, so I doubt you would get bored too quickly on this site. I vote 4.5 stars!

keep a piggy bank, change adds up

Think piggy banks are just ceramic collectibles? Think again.

Along with savings accounts, piggy banks can be a great source of extra cash. Keep your pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters in a piggy bank of sorts, and you may be pleasantly surprised by the result a month or so later. I have several small wooden boxes and containers on my desk in which I store my spare change — from jean pockets, the bottom of my purse, etc. Whenever I need a couple of dollars, I search through my change containers and find some quarters; however, change can be heavy and obnoxiously loud to carry around. So, here are a few solutions:

Wrap the coins and bring them to the bank — This is a kind of old-school method, but it still works just as well. It can also be a fun lazy Sunday activity. Simply sort your coins and wrap them in paper coin wrappers according to the dollar amount. Banks carry the wrappers for free, but you can also purchase some for cheap at stores like Office Max or Staples.

Bring the coins to a Coinstar machine — Coinstars are very helpful in that you can throw all of your coins into the machine and have them sorted automatically, but the downside is that Coinstar takes a percentage of your total to complete the service. However, if you don’t have the time or patience to wrap your coins, it can be a great alternative. Check out Coinstar to find a service near you.

Quizno’s has new tasty sales!

So this may sound like an advertisement for Quizno’s, but I’m being honest. Here in Athens, Ohio, there are a variety of little food places to choose from, but chain restaurants like Quizno’s are usually a bit high in price. However, the new Toasty Torpedo is a super long sandwich on delightfully toasty bread, for only $4. That’s right — 4 bucks. It’s totally affordable and keeps you feeling comfortably full. My personal favorite is the Pesto Turkey: turkey, mozzarella cheese, lettuce, tomato, pesto, and red wine vinaigrette. YUM.

Check out this sexy new advertisement for the Toasty Torpedoes:

And don’t forget this classic advertisement:

Aside from Quizno’s, other restaurant chains are dropping their prices to accommodate for the economic shift. Here’s a few great deals:

1. Subway — I’m sure most of you have heard about the 5 dollar foot-long, but this one is definitely a winner. You get a huge sandwich, with endless toppings, for less than it would cost to make your own.

2. Arby’s — I’m not a huge fan of burgers and roast beef, but these guys have a sweet deal going with their “5 for $5.95” selection. Each item is large enough to fill you up, but small enough to feasibly consume in one sitting.

3. Taco Bell — I won’t say that this place is the healthiest of the bunch, but they have yummy food for an excellent price! Their value menu is undeniably cheap, with 79, 89 and 99 cent meals, including triple-layer nachos, crunchy tacos and cinnamon twists.

4 saving tips for starters

So, here are a few ideas I have adopted that help me save more and spend less. They are simple, but can make a big difference:

1. Split your paychecks — My paychecks are little, but I always make sure to put some money aside in my savings account. If you don’t have a savings account, get one! It’s like a piggy bank; it’s always there if you need it, but it’s not part of your go-to money supply. Putting all of your paycheck into your checking account or cashing the entire thing will cause you to spend more money than you need to. Savings accounts can be a godsend if used correctly.

2. Don’t carry a credit card unless you are leaving town or need to use it for a special purchase — I don’t actually have a credit card at the moment, but I am in the process of acquiring one. They are definitely important to have to establish credit, but they should really only be used in emergency situations. Debt is a scary thing, especially as a college student, so why make things harder for yourself by using money that you don’t have? Put that credit card in a hidden spot (lock it up if you have to) and leave it there. It may take some time to get used to, but trust me, you will learn to manage your money a lot better without relying on a piece of plastic that you will have to pay back later.

3. Make friends with the ATM — Try to get used to visiting the ATM or bank to withdraw money instead of “swiping” every purchase. Just like a credit card, a debit or bank card can become a dangerous piece of plastic. Try to budget yourself; think about what purchases you need to make that day and decide how much money you need to take out. Limit yourself to the amount of cash you’ve withdrawn and you won’t be surprised by your account balance.

4. Keep a register — Registers are lovely little rectangular pads of paper that help you keep track of the transactions you make. This way, you always know how much money you have in your account. Whenever you make a big purchase, keep the receipt and jot down the amount in your register. It may seem tedious at first, but it is comforting to always know how much money you have at your disposal. If keeping a register isn’t your cup of tea, utilize the online aspect of your bank! Before you go out for the day, check your account balance online so that you don’t overdraw.

These are just a few things that I do in my daily life, so take these tips as you please. Thanks for reading!

welcome to bitty budget!

Hello, world. I am creating this weblog for my Online Journalism class at Ohio University, but I plan to keep it going afterwards. I dedicate this blog to my frugal nature, instilled in me by my parents — super savers they are. Overspending can be easily avoided in everyday life; it just takes a little self-control. Financial struggle is America’s anthem at the current moment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a few simple changes to keep that bank account looking … comfortably plump. It is possible to make it out alive and well on an itty-bitty budget! You just have to search for the sales and spend wisely. I  hope this blog offers some insight, so thank you kindly for reading.

♥ — a little lady with a little wallet