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…

Downturnaround Deals: Bliss, American Apparel, H&R Block, Levi’s, Kenneth Cole, Kodak

If you’re going to spend, at least save a little doing it. To help, every week we post some great deals hand-picked by our friends at Savings.com.

Get 15% off your entire order at Bliss, purveyor of covetable beauty products. (See more Bliss coupons.)

Take 15% off your order at American Apparel. (See more American Apparel coupons.)..

Now’s the Time to Stock Up on Spa Services

Recessions are stressful. People are out of work or overworked, they move to smaller houses, they’re generally pissed off. But that’s no excuse for being unkempt or un-massaged—especially with the bargain prices we’re seeing at day spas these days.

Some in the spa industry claim it’s “recession-proof,” but guess what? It’s not. Plenty have gone out of business, and many are struggling to get people in the door. You can benefit from the big discounts they’re offering—sometimes more than 50 percent off. And because you can buy vouchers that last for up to a year, if you have some extra cash, you can actually stock up on 12 months worth of bargain beauty and wellness services. Here are some sources to check out:

We’ve already noted our affection for Groupon, which offers discounts in more than two dozen cities around the U.S.

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:…

Downturnaround Deals: Lucky Brand Jeans, Kohls, Harry & David, Griffin Technology, Express, Ann Taylor

Every week, we post online coupons for food, clothes, books, gadgets and more, hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com.

Get $20 off orders of $100 or more at Lucky Brand Jeans. (See more Lucky Brand coupons.)

Receive 15% off orders of $100 or more at Kohls. (See more Kohls coupons.)

Take 20% off all orders at Harry & David. (See more Harry & David coupons.)…

Unemployment-Friendly Gifts: Mom

I was laid off in October, but the idea of entering my Mom’s house on Christmas Day empty-handed feels worse than charging up my credit card.

So we’ve come up with a list of thoughtful, unique gifts for every friend and family member. The best part? They’re all wildly inexpensive. Happy Shopping!

Mom: Stationery
Mom’s love thank you notes–they love writing them, receiving them and nagging you to send them–so why not give her something you know she’ll use: A stunning stationery set…

Downturnaround Deals: Banana Republic, Gap, Flip, Urban Outfitters, Gamestop, Shoes.com

Every week, we post a handful of online deals hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com. Feel free to pass them along to your friends. They also have a new service, Savings Little Helpers. Tweet @savings using #helpmesave and tell them what you’re shopping for. The Savings.com experts will dig up the best coupon and send it to you.

Get 20% off purchases of $100 or more at Banana Republic.
See more Banana Republic coupons.

Upgrade Economics: 5 Steps to Getting a Better Hotel Room

The Great Recession is changing the established principles of economics. Fortunately for the budget traveler, the laws of the hotel room upgrade are now working in our favor.

It comes down to the basic principles of price discrimination—the practice of charging different prices for the same goods or services to different consumer groups. For the budget traveler in a recession, this translates to “You can stay at a Ritz for Motel 6 prices.”

When luxury hotels can’t fill their rooms, they sell their cheapest to discount travel websites. But with the junior suites empty, sometimes all it takes is a friendly smile and some nice feedback for a frugal traveler get the upgrade of a lifetime. So throw out the Rick Steves book and live in luxury while the recession is still going strong, with these five rules:

1. Book Through a Discount Site

Sidestep.com should become your travel homepage. Spend time on travel meta-search engines and read the reviews. Keep in mind that many hotels have incorrect star ratings, so examine pictures and maps carefully. And this is key: Book a hotel room one or two price levels down from the actual room you really want…

Downturnaround Deals: Nordstrom, Barnes and Noble, Timberland, Macy’s, Drugstore.com, Target

Every week, we post online coupons for food, clothes, books, gadgets and more, hand-picked for Recessionwire readers by the nice people over at Savings.com.

Receive free shipping on orders of $100 or more at Nordstrom. (See more Nordstrom Coupons.)…