Ways to Help Haiti and Your Tax Deductions, Too

Great news, both for you and for the Haiti relief effort: Donations to help the impoverished, earthquake-stricken country can count for your 2009 tax return.

(If you haven’t contributed already, read the LearnVest article for ideas to help Haiti.)

Background On The Haiti Tax Provision.

Enacted toward the end of January, the US government passed a special provision to give you tax relief if you helped this cause. In order to count on your 2009 tax return—instead of waiting to itemize the deductions next year—you need to contribute between January 11, 2010 and March 1, 2010…

Beefing Up a Thin Resume

When you’re short on experience, play up your strengths.

The Problem: Recession or not, you’re job hunting. Trouble is, aside from some internships and a few part-time gigs, the work experience section of your resume is, well, thin. You know that you could nail a job if given the chance – but with the national unemployment rate hovering around 10%, how to get a foot in the door with so little to go on?

The Solution: A resume redo. The key is highlighting your accomplishments, regardless of how you got them. Definitely include when you graduated and whatever positions you’ve held since – employers want to see that. But, also list volunteer organizations, student clubs, sports teams, or any group in which you’ve held a leadership position or made an impact. Detail projects completed, funds raised or other positive outcomes; you want to point to anything that shows your capabilities, especially if…

Go to the Movies for Free (or Almost-Free)

After emptying our wallets to see Avatar we got to thinking that there must be a cheaper way to see movies. Sure, going to movies early in the day and avoiding the concession stand will save you money. We know that. But, there are other tricks to seeing movies–even on opening night–on the cheap.

Buy Many At A Time.
Regal Entertainment Group offers Super Saver tickets for as low as $6.50 each. These tickets carry some restrictions, but you can get a ticket valid for all movies and show times, for just a dollar more per ticket. We recommend going in with friends: If you and four friends bought a pack of 50 tickets together, you could each see ten movies at about 40% off. If you don’t want to buy quite as many at a time, there are options for you, too.

Harness Social Media For Movie Rewards.
Fandango offers chances to win free movie tickets to its followers on Twitter. Those who participate in Movie Review Monday – in which Fandango followers tweet movie reviews with rhymes in them – are in the running for two free tickets…

Creative Travel on Less Than $300

Just because you’re eager to get away doesn’t mean you’ll need to spend a fortune. Sometimes a weekend-long scenic hike is all you need to unwind. Check out 10 LearnVest ideas for weekend getaways that cost less than $300:

Head To A Bed-And-Breakfast.
We far prefer a solid B&B to a pricey hotel. In our experience, the rooms at a B&B are more uniquely decorated, and can cost as little as half of what we’d pay at a hotel. Recently, we found a B&B room in Portland, Oregon for $79. Compare that to $164 for the same type room at a hotel. (Plus, we get breakfast!)

Cruise Last-Minute Deals.
If you live near a port, sign up for last-minute cruise getaways from CruiseDirect. We found a three-day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas for only $43 per day!

Go Business Casual.
Opt for a business hotel in a nearby city for the weekend. Since they cater to the business crowd that usually stays during the week, weekend stays are sometimes as much as 50% off. Search sites like Starwoods.com or Hilton for hotels in specific cities…

How to Outsmart Your Medical Bills

Okay, so you don’t have health insurance. Or your insurance has a low reimbursement limit or a high deductible. Or, you had to have your wisdom teeth out, and dental isn’t covered. However it happened, here you are, staring at a medical bill equal to the annual budget of a small Caribbean nation. Not a good place.

Use A Medical Negotiation Service.

You may think you have no choice but to pay this ridiculous amount, or else eventually face legal action. But there’s another alternative: Use a negotiation service to bring that stratospheric bill back down to earth. Though some specifics differ, all negotiation services work by reviewing your bill, contacting your doctor or other provider and suggesting a lower price. They do this based on extensive information about “usual and customary” charges…

Broadway, Movies, the Opera — for Free (or Almost Free)

Going to opera and the theater feeds the soul, but drains the purse. As a result, LearnVest brings you some budget-minded ways to enjoy the performing arts:

1. Join a Membership Group

In cities that support a major opera house, there is often the option to join a young subscriber club, often called a “BRAVO! Club.” For example, the Seattle Opera’s BRAVO! Club is available for people between the ages of 21 and 39. Membership costs $65 per year and provides discounted tickets (as much as half off!), special member events, and complimentary wine and coffee during intermission. To give you an idea of their usual prices, tickets for the upcoming show of Falstaff in the Dress Circle cost at least $140…

Cheapen Your Ski Time (in a Good Way!)

Ski season is here, but while skiing is a blast, it’s not exactly a cheap sport. Below, LearnVest’s tips on how to enjoy the slopes and save :

Get A Lift Ticket At Your Desk.

Our favorite site for this: Liftopia.com. We scored a pass for Jiminy Peak in Massachusetts for $29 (50% off). Savings: $29.
Fill ‘Er Up.

Some gas stations in ski-weather states offer deals, like the buy-one-get-one-free offer from Shell. Savings (if you ski at Monarch Mountain in Colorado): $46…

The Yin and Yang of Financial Stress

Balance in our personal finances is important; when place too much emphasis on any one aspect of our financial plan, we often harm our financial (and emotional) wellbeing. Strive for equilibrium in these seven key areas:

Spending And Saving.

Saving for a rainy day is extremely important; however, it must be balanced with enjoyment of the journey. If you are afraid of what your financial future might bring, focus instead on what you want your future to bring. This doesn’t mean you should spend crazily…we’re talking about balance.

Taking Risks.

On one hand, being too conservative might inhibit your ability to reach your long-term goals. This is especially true when your investment decisions (or, more typically, inaction) are fear-based. On the other hand, while investors who take too many risks may reap bigger returns, they are also setting themselves up for very big losses…

5 Ways to Make Cheap Gifts Look More Expensive

We all wish we could spend a million dollars on our loved ones. But, this is certainly not the year for it. What we can do is make our budget-friendly gifts look amazing and personalized.

The way to do this is not to spend more money on fancy gift bags and wrapping paper. Considering that each gift bag can easily cost $3 to $4 (or more, if it gets really fancy), and even a large roll of wrapping paper can be $18, it’s not hard to drop more than $50 alone just on wrapping supplies alone during the holiday season.

Don’t be that person. Instead, get creative and save some money.

Since the best gifts show careful consideration for the recipient, here are some of our favorite tricks…

Talking Money with Family at the Holidays

Whether this is your first holiday as an independent adult or the cord has long been cut, it’s only natural for parents to nag about finances when everyone’s together. Expect it. No matter your age, you’re still a child to them. But, your goal should be to show them that you’re not the same crazy kid who once blew a semester’s worth of babysitting money on trucker hats (and worse, considered it a fashion “investment”).

We’re talking about showing them financial maturity, which is comprised of three things:

• Awareness (having a plan and knowing where your money goes)
• Boundaries (sticking to your plan even under pressure)
• Responsibility (not sacrificing the future for the impulse of the moment)

Within that framework, here are six holiday dos and don’ts to help you be financially mature and demonstrate your status as a blooming money maven:…