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We don’t want to get all mushy or anything, but you’re one-of-a-kind! And that means you have unique wants and needs.
There are a lot of mobile apps out there focusing on personalization, and some do a better job than others.
We pulled together seven of our favorites – each one will help you customize a different facet of your daily life.
Here they are!
Sworkit can help you get fit, regardless of how much time you have or where you are.
After downloading the app, you can choose what type of training you’re after (strength, cardio, yoga), your workout (full body, core, lower body) and the amount of time you have (anywhere from 5 to 60 minutes).
That’s it! Sworkit will curate a set of exercises just for you.
Available in: iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Apps
The latest version of BrightNest takes home customization to a new level with the Interactive Home Quiz.
The app serves up a series of simple “yes or no” questions about your home and delivers a personalized tip based on each response.
BrightNest also allows you to create custom to-dos and set recurring reminders, so whether you want to reorganize your tool shed twice a year or clean your fish tank once a week, BrightNest will help you get it done.
Available in: iTunes
Mint helps you understand exactly where your money is going.
Once securely synced with your bank accounts, Mint creates a customized budget based on personal spending.
Then, the app gives you the freedom to choose your own budget limits.
Whether you need to adjust your spending to include a new hobby (hello, new pottery wheel) or simply track your meals out, Mint makes it easy.
Available in: iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Apps, Windows Store
The mySkin app demystifies skincare by creating a personalized routine based on your skin.
When you sign up for mySkin, you’re prompted to answer questions about your skin type (dry or oily), skin color, hair color and past skin problems (like acne, blackheads or scars).
The app then serves up a skincare routine that’s right for you and recommends products.
Available in: iTunes, Windows Store
When you sign up for Ness, they’ll prompt you to select the types of foods you like and the types you hate.
After that, Ness will serve up restaurant recommendations, and allow you to rate places you’ve already tried.
Every time you rate a place you’ve eaten (it’s kind of like Netflix for restaurants), their recommendations for you will improve.
Available in:iTunes
Do you have trouble remembering people’s names?
What about doing quick math in your head or switching between different tasks?
Lumosity can help you get better at each of these things (or all three!).
When you create an account, Lumosity prompts you to select the different aspects of your brain that you’d like to train.
Then, they send you a customized workout routine every day. You can set training reminders at a time that works for you.
Available in: iTunes
Love to shop but hate the mall?
Keep personalizes the shopping experience by bringing styles you’ll actually wear into one app.
To customize your experience, choose brands, stores and looks that fit your personal style.
Then, under the MyFeed tab, you’ll see curated shoes, bags, clothes and home items for sale.
When you scroll over an item you like, you can “Buy” or “Keep,” making sure you never miss a deal.
Available in: iTunes, Google Play
BrightNest is a free site that provides tools and tips to homeowners to help them save money, get organized and keep their homes in great shape. Sign up for a free BrightNest account today!
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There’s not much that can make the pain of tax season less taxing, but restaurants sure try.
Come April 15 (tomorrow!), once your return is filed and the check in the mail to Uncle Sam, be on the lookout for tax-themed freebies and deals.
Be on the lookout for more offers from both national chains and local spots as tax day approaches—many restaurants announce their deals at the last-minute.
For now, add these to your list of possibilities:
Boston Market
The “Tax Day Chicken Meal Deal” offers two half-chicken individual meals for $10.40, no coupon required.
Each meal comes with half a rotisserie chicken, two sides and fresh cornbread. Available at all locations.
Bruegger’s Bagels
Sign up through the eClub or Facebook page by April 10 to get a coupon for a $3.50 “deduction” on the chain’s Big Bagel Bundles.
That brings the price to just $10.40.
Cactus Jack’s
Tax-day diners can redeem a special “1040 dining certificate” for $10.40 off the purchase of two entrees.
Good at any of the company’s Great New Hampshire Restaurants.
California Tortilla
Make a purchase on April 15 and say the code word “taxes shmaxes.”
You’ll be rewarded with a free order of chips and queso or salsa with your meal. Available at all locations.
Cohen Restaurant Group
On April 14 and 15, the California-based restaurant group has a coupon for $10.40 off the purchase of two meals and two drinks at participating locations.
Great American Cookie
Through the “Incomes the Sweetness” promo, tax-day visitors will receive a free original chocolate chip cookie.
Participating locations only, and only while supplies last.
Per the company’s announcement, “No purchase or proof of completed taxes is necessary.”
Hard Rock Cafe
Diners can sing for their supper on April 15.
After 5 p.m., pick a song and sing it in its entirety on the restaurant’s live stage, to earn a free entrée.
Participating locations only.
Muckleshoot Casino
The Auburn, Wash., casino’s Spice Bay Buffet will offer a special lunch and dinner buffet for $10.40 per person.
Available 11 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt
Print out a coupon from the chain’s Facebook page to get a cup full of frozen yogurt and toppings for just $4.15, about 50 percent off the usual price.
Participating locations only.
Frugal Foodie is a journalist based in New York City who spends her days writing about personal finance and obsessing about what she’ll have for dinner. Chat with her on Twitter through @MintFoodie.
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Are there items in your home that haven’t been touched in years?
If so, you’re not alone! Sometimes, things seem great in theory (especially when you see them at 2 AM on an infomercial).
But when they actually make it into your home, they become official dust collectors.
Watch out for these 7 tempting items – they’re famously not worth it!
Home Fitness Equipment
Average Cost: at least $30 (probably more!)
Pumping iron at home sounds great in theory (who wants to deal with a gym?) but when it comes down to it, many of us ignore the thigh master and treadmill that’s taking up space.
In fact, Consumer Reports found that nearly 40 percent of people used their home exercise machines far less than they had planned.
Instead of spending cash on at-home equipment, consider using a free app like Sworkit or Fitocracy.
That way, you can skip the pricey home equipment and the gym membership.
Banana Slicers
Average Cost: $10
We admit that this kitchen gadget looks cool, but let’s be real – how often do you really need to slice bananas?
We’re guessing probably not enough to justify a $10 fancy slicer.
Instead, use a knife! It’ll get the job done.
Note: Banana slicers aren’t the only kitchen gadget you should never buy.
Baby Wipe Warmer
Average Cost: $25
When you’re a first-time parent, the number of things you need to buy for a baby can be overwhelming, and it’s tough to know what’s really necessary.
We’re here to simplify life (at least a little bit): skip the baby wipe warmer.
Instead, warm a cold baby wipe in between your palms before you use it.
Your baby’s bum will stay warm, and you’ll have one less baby-thing to buy!
But listen, if you want to splurge on the wipe warmer to avoid any potential extra tears/stress/middle of the night soothing sessions, we totally get it.
Dog Bed
Average Cost: $50 – $80 (depending on the size of your dog)
Don’t get us wrong, we think every dog deserves a comfy place to sleep, but there are a lot of ways to make a dog bed without going to the store.
(And Spot will enjoy them just as much.)
Try making your own dog bed with pillows and old blankets or towels. Not only can you control how soft the bed will be, you’ll save some cash.
Tip: If you’re skeptical about the aesthetics of pillows and blankets, consider putting the makeshift bed in a suitcase.
Wine Stopper
Average Cost: $10 – $15 (and up!)
Someone once said that popping a cork is one of the few sounds in the world that brings true joy to the listener, but we don’t think it’s necessary to plug that bottle back up with a fancy-schmancy wine stopper.
Instead, just use a cork. Once a cork is back in the bottle, it does a great job preserving your wine.
If you want something a little more attractive, make your own stopper with leftover corks.
We love this geode version made by Emily at Cupcakes and Cashmere.
Alarm Clock
Average Cost: $20 (and up!)
Waking up in the morning can be tough, and an alarm can save the day if you’re prone to oversleep. But, you don’t need to buy a separate item just to wake you up.
Just use your cellphone! You don’t even need a smartphone to set an alarm – flip phones have an alarm built in, too.
DVD Player
Average Cost: $35 (plus the cost of renting DVDs…one at a time)
Do you remember when DVD players were luxury items that cost $100 or more?
Yeah, that’s because they were useful. Now, there are a slew of other ways to get your Leonardo DiCaprio fix.
Like Netflix!
You can get a membership to Netflix for $7.99 a month and have endless entertainment streamed directly to a computer, tablet or other device (like an Apple TV, PlayStation or Xbox). BrightNest is a free site that provides tools and tips to homeowners to help them save money, get organized and keep their homes in great shape. Sign up for a free BrightNest account today!
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Just because the sticker price on a car is low, doesn’t mean that car is automatically a good deal.
Remember, that’s simply the price you pay to own the car.
It does not take anything else into account – cost of repairs, average fuel cost, average insurance premiums, and so on and so forth.
When you’re looking for a cheap, economic vehicle, you need to look at the entire picture. Cost alone means little. Cost-to-own means everything.
Recently, Consumer Reports came out with a comprehensive analysis of the most and least expensive cars to own over a five-year period.
Very likely, none of you need nor want an expensive car, so let’s just focus on the cheap.
Here are five cars of varying sizes that, according to Consumer Reports, you can operate for five years for under $35,000.
Toyota Prius C Two ($24,600, Subcompact)
The smaller a car is, the cheaper it’s bound to be, and the Toyota Prius C Two is no exception.
A subcompact hatchback, the Prius C Two is not the best car for comfort or looks (it can get rather cramped in there, plus the engine is a tad noisy), but if your goal is to have something cheap to get you from here to there, this is perfect.
It’s reliable, gets 43 MPG, and won’t require frequent trips to the mechanic.
Toyota Prius Four ($28,200, Compact)
For just a few thousand dollars more, you could ride with a Prius Four, which is a much better ride than the C Two – roomier, more comfortable, quieter, and it just might have better MPG as well.
Going to the highway could net you upwards of 55 MPG, and if you get the hybrid model, electricity could boost that number to an absurd 67 MPG.
Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE ($31,800, Midsized Sedan)
Now we’re getting bigger, and therefore more expensive. However, $31,800 over five years is still not at all a bad deal.
The price tag goes up mainly due to a lower MPG (26-38 MPG) depending on what kind of engine you get, along with slightly less reliability than before.
But we’re still not even close to Jalopyville here, thank goodness.
Subaru XV Crosstrek Premium ($34,200, Small SUV)
Yes, even an SUV can cost very little to operate, despite all you’ve heard.
For just over $34,000 in a five-year span, you could be driving a Subaru.
It’s not the comfiest ride ever, and you might be sending this one to the repair shop a tad more often than you’d like after the first year, but there’s nothing too major to worry about here.
Besides, for an SUV, getting 26 MPG is a small miracle.
Honda Civic Si Manual ($34,800, Sporty)
Finally, we have a sporty car that just slips under the $35,000 barrier that separates the bargains from the ripoffs.
The Honda Civic Si Manual is, quite obviously, a manual vehicle, which helps drive down the cost to own automatically.
In addition, this car actually boasts better gas mileage than the last couple of cars on this list, at a cool 29 MPG.
Still, a bigger car means bigger sticker price, and the Civic Si is no exception. But if you’re in the market for a good, economic sporty car, this might be the perfect one for you.
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When we think of things that will save the environment we think of taking the bus to work or buying local food — both expensive actions. Yet going green doesn’t have to cost you a ton of time or money. In fact, many of the eco-smart habits also help you save money by reducing excess and getting more use out of old things.
We all know the phrase: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. However straightforward it may sound, it can still be hard to incorporate environmentally friendly actions into your everyday. Becoming familiar with the sustainability of every company and brand you support can be time-consuming and difficult. It can be confusing to determine which kinds of plastic can be recycled and which can’t.
Thankfully, there’s technology out there that can make helping the environment a bit easier — all while saving money. There’s apps that help us monitor our energy and water usage to help us make smarter choices, and apps that make it easy to upcycle old clothes and electronics.
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Your beautiful, food-bearing refrigerator, sad to say, will not last forever.
They certainly last longer than, say, a light bulb, but expect to go fridge shopping every dozen years or so.
Before that time comes, you’ll want to start saving up, so you don’t wake up one day to a warm fridge full of rapidly-rotting food, and no money to replace the thing.
As with most things in life, there’s a best time to buy your refrigerator, and it turns out that might well be the month of May.
Semi-scientific analysis (like the kind Beakman used to do, only with better hair) has shown that refrigerators, unlike pretty much every other appliance on the planet, regards May as its Happy New year.
That’s the month when manufacturers will roll out the latest models, meaning the old ones need to go, and FAST.
So you’re far more likely to get a nice, steep discount on last year’s perfectly good fridge models during the month of flowers than any other time of year.
This might be surprising to you, since general knowledge states that most appliances are cheapest in September and October, when the latest models come out to play.
Why Big Fridge decided to do it in May, we have no idea.
Maybe they knew with the warmer months, we’d need something good and sturdy to store all those cold, refreshing drinks that’ll keep us going through the hot summer?
Or maybe they just chose the month out of a hat and ran with it. You never know with those faceless industry leader types.
OK, so you’ve committed to making a new refrigerator the perfect Mother’s Day gift.
Here are some other money-saving tips to keep in mind, so as to drive that price down as far as possible:
Go Shopping on a Weekday
As anybody who’s braved claustrophobic parking lots on the weekends knows, that tends to be the time most people do their shopping.
You, though, should be different.
Pick a random Wednesday, use a personal day at work (or hack mightily into the phone and complain of the Plague, that works too), and hit the local appliance store.
Prices may not be advertised as cheaper, but there’ll be much less rush, less competition to buy the best model on the sales floor, if you catch the right salesperson at the right time, you might just get yourself a bit of an “I like you” discount.
Memorial Day Super Sale
Memorial Day is a special time of year, when we celebrate our veterans by hitting the mall and drooling over anything with a 50% off tag attached to it.
This goes for major appliances like refrigerators as well, especially since the sale already occurs in a month where the old models are on semi-liquidation.
That one-two punch could net you hundreds, and possibly thousands of dollars in savings.
The End of the Month
If you can’t get away from your barbecue long enough to take advantage of a great Memorial Day sale, at least try to get to the store sometime at the end of May.
That’s when appliance dealers will be at their most desperate, because those shiny new models are coming in just days from then, and the last thing they want is to write off the old stuff as a 100% loss.
If they can get at least SOME money from you in exchange for them, that’s infinitely preferable than getting none.
Time it just right, and you could be walking about with a $1500 fridge for under $500. Now that’s how you save.
For those last two suggestions, by the idea, just hand Mom on IOU on her special day, and deliver the fridge later.
She’ll understand, especially if you stick flowers in the crisper drawer.
Mary Hiers is a personal finance writer who helps people earn more and spend less.
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<img width="600" height="577" src="https://blog.mint.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Stocksy_txp3bf5357bNVj000_Small_660159.jpg?w=600&h=577&crop=1" class="rkv-card__media" alt decoding="async" loading="lazy" data-attachment-id="3200" data-permalink="https://mint.intuit.com/blog/male-butcher-hands-purchase-to-customer-looking-at-camera/" data-orig-file="https://blog.mint.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Stocksy_txp3bf5357bNVj000_Small_660159.jpg" data-orig-size="865,577" data-comments-opened="0" data-image-meta=""aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"" data-image-title="Is Buying a Side of Beef Worth It? MintLife Does the Math" data-image-description data-image-caption="
Series on an English butcher shop. Images on poster in background taken by Kirsty Begg, also available to licence on Stocksy http://www.stocksy.com/gourmetphotography/gallery/butcher
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Furniture is a huge investment, and picking up good pieces can easily run you hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars.
In truth, there are many ways to get high-quality, long-lasting furniture for much, much less money than you might imagine.
All you have to do is look around a bit, and think before you whip out the wallet and spend away.
Why blow your entire life’s savings on one couch when you can…
Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk isn’t just for diapers and soda anymore.
As you know, many grocery items are available at places like Costco or Sam’s Club in giant bulk packages for far less than they would be if you bought the items one at a time.
This practice applies to furniture shopping as well. While you COULD buy a sofa, a loveseat, a couple chairs, and a coffee table separately, you’re going to pay full price for everything if you do.
That is, if you don’t go broke halfway through.
Instead, get all of those items at once, as part of a pre-set package.
You’re likely to spend hundreds of dollars less this way, and you’re also guaranteed that everything will match.
Craigslist
Unlike what some people think, Craigslist isn’t filled with nothing but horrible products and scam artists.
Sure, there’s a lot of that stuff, but there are also some legitimately good items up for sale there, including furniture.
People are moving, or they recently refurnished their house, and they need to get rid of their old stuff fast. That’s where you, and your moving truck, come in.
The trick here is to not fall for the scams.
Ask real questions, and if the answers you get are vague or fishy-sounding in any way, don’t pursue further.
Ask to see the furniture before you buy, so you can inspect to ensure they’re in good shape and that they’re what was advertised.
Then, once you’re satisfied that everything is on the up-and-up, pay the seller and enjoy your awesome new furniture.
Discount Warehouses
Just because a store sells furniture, doesn’t mean that they have to sell expensive furniture.
There are plenty of discount furniture warehouses out there that specialize in selling other companies’ inventory for prices far lower than you’d get first-hand.
Maybe too many pieces were made. Maybe a few of them have ever-so-slight imperfections that would keep them off the showroom floor.
Either way, finding these warehouses can mean quality furniture, not to mention big savings, for you.
Flea Markets
If you don’t want to deal with Craigslist or other online outlets, you can always try flea markets.
Contrary to the stereotype of flea markets being filled with nothing but junk, there’s plenty of good stuff available to those who really look around.
Much like with dealing with Craigslist, as long as you ask the right questions and inspect your potential purchase thoroughly, you’ll come away with great furniture at a tiny fraction of the original cost.
Build Your Own
Of course, if you’re really handy-dandy with tools and your bare hands, you can always make your own furniture.
Supplies are always going to be cheaper than finished products (after all, you’re paying for the convenience of somebody else making furniture for you,) and you can make your homemade furniture as plain and or as exquisite as you like.
And then, if you’re ever ready or willing to sell it off, you can do so at a ginormous profit.
After all, if you bought $50 in supplies to build a TV stand, and then sold it for $100 later on, that’s 100% of your money back, plus a 100% profit. No way can anybody say no to that.
How about you, Mint community? What are some of your favorite tips for wallet-friendly furniture shopping?
Mary Hiers is a personal finance writer who helps people earn more and spend less.
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“Elite status” sounds like what Aziz Ansari’s character Tom Haverford is always after on Parks and Recreation: the finest fabrics, fragrances, and gourmet foods.
To an airline and its frequent flyers, however, elite status has a specific meaning: you’ve shown the airline that you’re one of its best customers, and the airline rewards your loyalty with special perks.
These elite programs have been around for a long time, but the qualifications and perks change regularly.
Nearly all the programs require you to fly 25,000 miles in a year to qualify for the lowest level of elite status; most people don’t travel nearly enough to qualify.
Keep in mind that those are actual butt-in-seat miles. The miles you earn with your credit card or through other bonus programs don’t count toward elite status.
Once you’re within reach of elite status, though, you face a dilemma.
Do you stay loyal to one airline (or its alliance) to achieve or maintain elite status, or shop around for the best ticket prices and itineraries?
“Loyalty is exactly that: the willingness to pay more or endure less convenient schedules,” says Scott Mackenzie, a travel expert who blogs at HackMyTrip.com.
“However, the idea is that the benefits of loyalty in the form of elite status (upgrades, fee waivers, bonus miles, etc.) provide a net gain,” he adds.
So what are those elite status perks, and when are they worth spending an extra $200 for a ticket here and there—money that adds up quickly?
Or, worse, taking a brutal eight-hour layover in East Nowheresville airport?
What’s elite?
This is of particular interest to me because I, quite accidentally, qualified for elite status last year.
I write about food and travel, and I love to visit Asia.
Although cities like Tokyo and Hong Kong appear to be just on the other side of a big lake from Seattle, they’re actually pretty far away.
Two round trips from Seattle took me over 25,000 miles and onto United’s Premier Silver list.
I’ve flown a couple of times since then, and here’s what I got:
A free checked bag (I didn’t use it)
The right to board early (and therefore not have to fight for overhead space)
The fast security line
A silver luggage tag with my name printed on it
This is all very nice, but it didn’t actually save me any money, and like Mackenzie says, the point is not saving money: it’s getting nice perks for being a loyal (that is, valuable) customer.
Higher tiers of elite status get more interesting. You can compare them for all the major airlines at Mackenzie’s site.
At the top tier, which requires traveling 75,000 to 100,000 miles (plus other requirements), you’ll fly first or business class on most domestic flights, check three bags for free, and upgrade your friends, too.
You can also make last-minute changes to your flights at no charge.
(Also, I can’t let this go by: United’s top elite program is called Premier 1K. It’s for people who fly more than 100,000 miles a year. Why isn’t it called 100K? Thank you.)
It all sounds great, doesn’t it? Like being George Clooney in Up in the Air, minus the crushing loneliness?
Well, it’s probably not worth it.
Be elite without even trying
“The lowest tier of elite status is rarely worth the costs of loyalty,” says Mackenzie. “This is not because the benefits are meaningless but because they can more often be obtained through less expensive means.”
He’s talking about getting an airline-branded credit card, which offer most of the same benefits as Silver status.
Christopher Elliott, former MintLife columnist and author of the new book How to Be the World’s Smartest Traveler, agrees.
I asked Elliott whether I should be sure to book my next trip on United (or its Star Alliance partners) in order to maintain my elite status.
“The answer to your question is easy: If you have to ask, you probably shouldn’t spend the extra money,” says Elliott. “Only big-spending frequent fliers on an expense account can really benefit in a meaningful way from a loyalty program.”
How should I shop for my ticket, then?
“Instead, choose the least expensive flight with the most convenient routing,” says Elliott. “If you collect points, make them a byproduct of the purchase, not the reason for the booking.”
In other words, use common sense.
When to go elite
If you live in a hub city, it might make sense to make an occasional compromise to stick with your hub carrier if you’re close to making elite status.
That’s because you’re going to be flying with your hub carrier often, whether you like it or not.
Let me be the first to admit: this stuff works. I’ve received nothing of any monetary value from United beyond a ten-cent plastic luggage tag.
I haven’t reclined 180 degrees in a first class bed-seat or relaxed with a martini in an airport lounge.
Still, the thought of booking a flight on another carrier makes me feel like (a) I’m being disloyal, and (b) I might be missing out on some amazing benefits if I just spend a few more hours and dollars flying the Friendly Skies™.
And this is a warning, to me and everyone. Loyalty programs are everywhere.
They’re designed to make us change our spending habits to benefit the company offering the program, and often they don’t have to do much more than make us feel special.
If the company is really clever, they’ll make us pay to join the loyalty program.
Like I said, I love to travel. Maybe someday I’ll hit the big time and earn gold or platinum status.
If I do, it’ll be the same way I did last year: by blundering into it.
Matthew Amster-Burton is a personal finance columnist at Mint.com. Find him on Twitter @Mint_Mamster.
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Are you recently engaged and stressed about all of your upcoming wedding expenses? Are you in multiple bridal parties this summer/fall? Are you a newlywed who has questions about managing your finances as a married couple?
We’re partnering up with Vera Gibbons, Mint Contributor and Personal Finance expert, to host a live #MintBrides Twitter Chat this Wednesday, July 16th from 6p.m. to 7p.m. EDT where we will be discussing all kinds of wedding-related budget advice with two of our favorite bridal bloggers.
Hosts: @Mint and Personal Finance Expert, @Vera Gibbons
Participants: Broke Ass Bride (@BrokeAssBride) & Junebug Weddings (@junebugweddings)
Make sure you follow Mint (@Mint) and Vera Gibbons (@veragibbons) on Twitter so you can jump right in. Use the hashtag #MintBrides to search and select the “All” search option to follow the chat in real time.
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The wedding venue can eat up a big slice of your wedding budget, so you might want to figure out ways to shrink that bill.
The “venue,” if you’re unsure, is basically where you hold your ceremony and reception.
Here are some savvy ideas for this special place:
Choose the least popular time.
Your best bet for saving at a wedding venue is to pick a time that’s not too popular with brides.
For example, skip the Saturday date and opt for a weekday or Sunday.
[Read: Who Pays for What In a Wedding]
Throw a daytime wedding for a lower booking fee. Consider choosing off-season times to throw your wedding.
Summer is a very popular time for weddings, so you might want to pick from the Winter months, which tend to be cheaper.
Alternative locations.
Don’t immediately opt for the most conventional locations, like the ballroom at the five-star hotel, because the prices for those places will be inflated due to demand.
Check out other venues such as a university, public park, gallery, museum, or someone’s backyard.
Decor you love.
Pick a venue that’s already beautiful or that will require minor decor tweaks so you won’t need extra wedding decorations.
And if you get married outdoors in a garden, then even better!
[Read: 7 Costly Wedding Traditions to Ditch]
There are no better decorations than what mother nature will provide.
Ask what is included.
When you’re taking a look at the venue, remember to ask what’s included in your package, just to get a better estimate of the total cost.
For example, items like portable toilets, tables, and chairs may need to be factored in.
[Read: 7 Ways to Make Your Bachelorette Party More Affordable]
Better yet, book a place that already owns everything you’ll need for your wedding (chairs, tables, etc.), and see if you can get an all-inclusive deal.
Rural areas.
Getting married in a small town or some other rural area may help you find cheaper prices.
Stay away from hot wedding spots, though, even in rural areas, because the prices can be pretty expensive as well.
Combine the ceremony and the reception.
Having the ceremony and the reception in the same location means that you only need to pay for one venue.
You’ll also be saving on decoration and guest transportation costs.
“Savvy Ways to Slash the Price of Your Wedding Venue” was provided by POPSUGAR Smart Living.
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