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Best White Elephant Gift Ever

Broke Grad — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:30 +0000

One of the things I look forward to every year during the holidays is the white elephant gift exchange. Anyone who has participated in one knows that picking a good white elephant gift is half of the challenge. If the gift is too nice, then it gets stolen and frozen right away. If the gift is too bad, it never gets stolen and forces the unlucky recipient to sit and watch while every one else has fun.

So what makes a good white elephant gift?

It has to be impractical. A reaction like, “Hey, a stapler! I’ve actually been meaning to get a new one.” does not make for an entertaining white elephant gift exchange. A white elephant gift should be something that you would never use in everyday life.

It has to be weird. Thinking outside of the box is the key to a good white elephant gift. If the first reaction when the person opens your gift is, “What the ****???”, then you’ve succeeded. On the other hand, make sure your gift isn’t so weird that it becomes offensive. Of course, this depends entirely on how easily your friends, family, and/or coworkers are offended.

It has to be funny. Chances are if your gift meets the previous two criteria, then it meets this criterion too. The best way to know is pretty simple. Did you laugh when you first saw this gift?

This past year I ended up with one of the best white elephant gifts I’ve ever seen. I’m now the proud owner of the not quite New York Times best seller, Crafting with Cat Hair: Cute Handicrafts to Make with Your Cat.

You’re probably thinking, “What the ****???”, and the answer is, “Yes, it’s for real.” This book actually shows you how to make stuff out of your own cat’s hair.

Oh, and if you’re not a cat person, don’t worry. There’s always the other modern day classic, Knitting With Dog Hair: Better A Sweater From A Dog You Know and Love Than From A Sheep You’ll Never Meet.

What’s the best white elephant gift you’ve ever given or received?

25 Tips, Ideas, Resources for Frugal Holiday Gifts and Decorations

Broke Grad — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:00:23 +0000

Most of us are looking to spend a little less on Christmas this year, but we still want to give great gifts and throw great parties. It’s tough to do this when you’re on a tight budget, but fortunately, tons of bloggers have been sharing their frugal holiday gift ideas and frugal decoration tips. I’ve conveniently gathered 25 great tips, ideas, and resources for frugal holiday gifts and decorations to help you save some money this holiday season.

100 Money Saving Tips for the Holiday Gifting Bonanza at Blueprint for Financial Prosperity
9 Smart Holiday Shopping Tips at Moolanomy
10 Frugal and Homemade Gift Ideas at Squawkfox
Last Minute Gift Ideas and Shopping Tips For Holiday Procrastinators at The Digerati Life
DIY Gifting: Public Domain Art at MFA or Bust
8 Homemade Gifts in a Jar at Squawkfox
Holiday Gifts: Thoughtful is > Expensive at This Writer’s Wallet
Frugal Holiday Gifts – Teen Edition at Frugal Scholar
10 Unique Gift Ideas for Christmas at Cash Money Life
The Personal-Finance Gift Guide 2008 at Get Rich Slowly
Homemade Gift Ideas at ThriftyFun
The Savvy Shopper’s Guide to This Year’s Online Deal Finders at Lifehacker
5 Frugal Christmas Gifts With Flaws at plonkee money
What are your tips for a frugal holiday season? at Newsvine
Expertise: The Gift College Students Can Afford at Poorer Than You
50 Frugal Gifts You Can Give This Christmas at Bible Money Matters
Frugal and Personal Gift Ideas at beingfrugal.net
32 Sensible Tips for the Holiday Shopping Season at Money Ning
Frugal Holiday Gift Ideas at Frugal Dad
Holiday Gift Idea: Custom Notebooks at CrunchGear
The Geek Guide at Geeks Are Sexy
DIY Christmas: 34 gifts you can make yourself at MSN Smart Spending
Frugal Holiday Decorating at Men Are From Mars…
Frugal Holiday Centerpiece at Lynn’s Kitchen Adventures
11 Ways To Decorate More Frugally at plonkee money

Top 20 Halloween Party Songs

Broke Grad — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:00:53 +0000

BOO! Happy Halloween! Now give me some candy.

While most college students grow out of trick-or-treating, they usually grow into something else — partying. Of course, it’s not a party without some tunes, and it’s not a Halloween party unless the tunes are scary, spooky, cheesy, sexy, weird, awesome, gruesome, or some combination of all of those words I just used.

Here are 20 songs to help you get into the Halloween spirit, or, if you’re hosting a party, some songs to throw onto your last-minute Halloween party playlist. Click play to hear clips of the songs as you read through the list.

1. “Monster Mash” by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett
A Halloween classic. If there’s one song you hear every Halloween, it’s this. Some love it. Some hate it. Some love to hate it. Some hate to love it. I love it so much that I hate it.

2. “Monster Mash” by The Misfits
If the original “Monster Mash” puts you to sleep, then you should check out The Misfits cover of the song. Punk rock rules!

3. “Thriller” by Michael Jackson
Halloween isn’t complete without some Michael Jackson. Can you think of anything scarier than Michael Jackson?

4. “Nightmare on My Street” by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
Will Smith is the sh*t.

5. “Ghostbusters” by Ray Parker Jr.
I ain’t afraid of no ghost. Who you gonna call?

6. “This Is Halloween” by Panic! At The Disco
This song from The Nightmare Before Christmas will definitely help set the mood for a haunting Halloween party.

7. “Psycho Killer” by Talking Heads
The name of the song should be enough to convince you that this should be on your Halloween playlist.

8. “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper” by Blue Oyster Cult
More cowbell!

9. “Hell” by Squirrel Nut Zippers
Even people who don’t like weird music will enjoy this eclectic tune. Otherwise, they’ll face “the D and the A and the M and the N and the A and the T and the I-O-N.”

10. “Time Warp” from The Rocky Horror Show
Is any party complete without a song that includes dance step instructions as part of the lyrics?

11. Theme from The Exorcist by Mike Oldfield
If creepy is what you’re going for, then this is your song.

12. “Li’l Red Riding Hood” by Sam the Sham
Creepy, but in a different way. Owooooooo!

13. “Werewolves of London” by Warren Zevon
Does the song include howling? Check! This song has been approved for Halloween. Ahoooo!

14. “Bad Moon Rising” by Creedence Clearwater Revival
You can’t go wrong with CCR.

15. “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by The Charlie Daniels Band
Any song that involves a fiddle, a duel, and the Devil has to be Halloween worthy.

16. “Dracula’s Wedding” by Outkast
Believe it or not, “Hey Ya!” isn’t Outkast’s only song. Expand your horizons and put this kickass vampire tune on your Halloween playlist.

17. “Everday Is Halloween” by Ministry
Nothing like some classic 80s industrial music. This is the perfect song to get the dance floor rocking at a Halloween party.

18. “Pet Sematary” by The Ramones
Did I mention that punk rock rules?

19. “Bela Lugosi’s Dead” by Bauhaus
Just listen to the song and you’ll understand why it should be on your Halloween playlist.

20. “Zombie” by The Cranberries
With its simple, repetitive lyrics, this classic 90s song is great for a drunken Halloween sing-a-long.

25 Tips, Ideas, Resources for Paying Back Student Loans

Broke Grad — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:00:15 +0000

The average college student graduates with around $20,000 in student debt these days, myself included. While this may sound like a daunting amount of money, plenty of other people are in the same boat, and they’ve shared their stories, experiences, and advice for you to read. Here are 25 great stories, resources, and tips for paying off student loans.

Paying Student Loans Quickly

If you’re looking for some inspiration, then check out these stories of people who have paid or are paying off their student loans as quickly as possible.

Paying Student Loans Slowly

Some people look at student loans as good debt, because they usually have a lower interest rate than other types of debt. The same people are usually in no hurry to pay back their student loans.

Paying Student Loans Personally

If you’re interested in learning about how other people attack their student debt, then check out the following articles as people share their debt reducing strategies.

Consolidating Student Loans

Consolidating your student loans could lower your monthly payments and make payments more convenient. However, it could potentially increase the total interest you pay if you’re not careful. Check out these articles to learn all about student loan consolidation.

Tips and Advice on Paying Back Your Student Loans

If you’re just looking for some great general advice on how to tackle your student loans, then this section is for you.

8 Cheap Summer Fun Ideas

Broke Grad — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:00:00 +0000

Summer is here, and the sun is out. It’s time to get out of the house and enjoy the weather. However, with gas prices these days, how are we supposed to have fun this summer without going broke? Here are 8 ways I’m planning on having fun for less this summer.

Photo by Creativity+ Timothy K Hamilton

Find free films, concerts, and events. Check your local paper or search the Web for free film festivals, concerts, and other events in your area. There should be plenty of these going on throughout the summer. With the 4th of July a few days away, keep an eye out for free fireworks shows around your area.

Spend a day at the beach. As far as I can remember, I haven’t gone through a summer without making at least one trip to the beach. If you don’t live close to a beach, spend a day at the nearest lake or pool. The point is to get outside and enjoy the summer weather. In fact, I spent this past Sunday at the beach with some friends, and it was awesome.

Throw a backyard barbeque. By backyard, I mean anywhere outdoors — backyard, park, campground, beach, etc. Fire up the grill and enjoy some food. Avoid spending a fortune by having each person bring part of the meal. Of course, you should talk beforehand to make sure you don’t end up with 100 hot dogs, no buns, and a bucket of potato salad.

Go hiking. Yet another free outdoor activity to enjoy this summer. The best part about hiking is that there’s such a wide range of hiking trails that you can find one suitable for everybody. Find a local park for a more laid back hike, or if you’re feeling adventurous, try taking on a mountain. A couple months ago, I went on a 15 mile hike up and down a mountain, and it was great.

Browse the local farmers market. Fresh produce, fresh flowers, fresh food. What more could you ask for? How about free samples at some of the stands? Even better.

Learn a new skill. Have you been meaning to learn how to play guitar? Or maybe you’ve been wanting to learn how to knit? Whatever it is, the summer is a great time to pick up a new hobby.

Explore your city. It’s amazing how many places there are in our own hometown that we haven’t explored. I always laugh when I visit someone, and they haven’t even been to the major attractions in their city. Oh wait, that would be me. Take some time this summer to explore your city.

Talk to friends and family. Never underestimate the power of word of mouth. There’s a good chance that you’ll find out that someone has a connection or maybe some extra tickets. It doesn’t get much better than getting to go to something for free or at least a discounted price. I’ve been to plenty of baseball games over the years without having to pay for tickets most of the time.