AP9 Consumer Gateway Weblog

DealPass Offers Tips on Family Budgeting and Money Management

At one time or another, every working person has probably asked the following financially oriented question: “Where does it all go?” DealPass.com, an online portal for Adaptive Marketing LLC®’s membership programs, understands what it takes to manage a family budget and is pleased to offer its visitors some helpful tips on how to ultimately end up in the black by year’s end.

Another big financial question people always seem to have is simply, “Why budget?” “Doesn’t it always seem that somehow or another everything works itself out?” they often ask. That may be true once in a while, but the smart money is on building a budget, maintaining it, staying disciplined by avoiding unnecessary spending, and setting regular goals. DealPass offers its guests family budgeting advice, designed to reinforce the pivotal nature of yearlong planning, in the following five key categories:

-- Keep on track. Think about these fixed expenses: housing costs, groceries, and basic living expenses like transportation (e.g., car payments, train passes, bus fare, etc.). Staying on track with a monthly budget allows for planning key savings strategies for important short and-long-term goals.

-- Stay honest. Keeping yourself honest is usually among the biggest obstacles to maintaining a well-organized budget. What ultimately can be labeled “unnecessary expenditures” may account for as much as 10 percent of the total budget. That can affect future plans for buying a home, going back to school, educating children and taking a long-awaited vacation.

-- Watch credit and charge cards. It’s pretty tough to get by without at least one credit or charge card. But a carefully designed budget will set guidelines on when items can be purchased on credit.

-- Aim high with long-term goals. Keeping within the day-to-day budget is always a grind, but saving for the future can be even tougher. Take time out to target several main goals: a home, wiping out debt, setting aside funds for continuing education — even retirement.

-- Keep your guard up. Maintaining discipline and setting goals are both key, but that doesn’t always account for unforeseen problems and emergencies. Develop a troubleshooting strategy, a contingency plan that allows for the loss of a job, a serious injury or family emergency. Remember that without a back-up plan, there is no real plan.

Maintaining and managing a family budget isn’t easy. Armed with these helpful tips, though, DealPass visitors can get the word on what it takes to stay in step with the budget and plan for the future. For additional member benefits in healthcare, security, personal property and personals, all roads lead to DealPass.

AP9 Companies Put the Heart in Valentine’s Day

Whether it’s time to woo a would-be sweetheart, tell a parent or loved one how important they are or just thank a friend for being there, AP9 Companies can help make Valentine’s Day something special.

While the search for the perfect Valentine’s Day sentiment can be quite thought provoking, AP9 Companies members can easily access DealPass.com, a secure portal that offers members-only savings on a wide variety of entertainment fun, clothing and accessories, floral arrangements and gift baskets, jewelry and so much more, to get great gift-giving ideas that are sure to please just about any Valentine.

AP9 Companies can help make Valentine’s Day a hit. Knowing what pulls the world’s heartstrings is part of our commitment — perhaps even part of what inspired American author Zora Neale Hurston to write: “Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” With that in mind, AP9 Companies offers the following tips to help make someone’s Valentine’s Day a holiday to remember:

-- Don’t be afraid to take a chance. Life is hard enough without trying to dance around personal feelings. Send that bouquet of roses or that box of chocolates or that special note…before you change your mind! Seize the moment before it’s gone.

-- Plan in advance. The line at the local flower shop on Valentine’s Day can be an organized form of chaos. Much like December’s mad holiday rush, supply and demand tends to collide at the 11th hour. Avoid these hassles by ordering online or calling in gift or flower orders well in advance.

-- Go the extra mile. Even though a significant other may not make a big deal of Valentine’s Day, that doesn’t mean he/she doesn’t care. Make big plans to flatter, show affection and dote on all loved ones on February 14. Don’t be afraid to do too much.

-- Catch the Cupid Bug. If there’s a Valentine’s Day equivalent to “Bah Humbug,” it surely deals with rejecting the “Cupid Bug.” There’s no need to spend a ton on flowers, candy and singing telegrams. Just try adopting a romantic attitude for the day and see what happens.

AP9 Companies also offers deeply discounted movie tickets, up to 15% off admissions to popular theme parks, 20% off gift cards for well-known restaurant chains and much more. Have a happy Valentine’s Day, wishes AP9 Companies.

DealPass Provides a Few Packing Tip Pointers for Holiday Travel

So you are going away for the holidays, and you have all of your travel plans confirmed – flight times, hotel check-in and check-out times, pamphlets and brochures on sightseeing excursions, and the travelers checks and passport have been tucked away in a safe place. What about packing, asks DealPass?

You now have to try and fit a week or two’s worth of clothing, personal care items, and accessories into a suitcase -- all while making every effort to stay within your baggage and weight limits as directed by the airline. Have no fear. DealPass is here to offer you a few packing tips that are sure to ease the stress of packing so you can relax and enjoy your time away.

DealPass wants you to pack smart by following these simple packing pointers:

1. Contact the airline before you start to pack to find out how many bags you can check and the maximum weight of each bag. As you are packing, please keep in mind that you may be purchasing souvenirs or additional clothing -- for yourself or loved ones. There is nothing more frustrating than arriving at baggage check to find that you have to pay an additional fee because your bags are over the weight regulation.

2. Find out what the 5 to 7 day forecast will be in the area you will be staying -- day and night. Lay out everything you want to bring before packing, grouping like items. Do not fold them -- roll them up. This not only saves space but helps prevent wrinkles -- saving you from the hassle of heavy ironing.

3. Pack lots of T-shirts or tank tops because they can be used as nightshirts, swimsuit cover-ups, and as work-out tops if you want to take a long walk, run on the beach or use the hotel fitness center.

4. Bring a garbage bag and bags you can reseal to keep your dirty and wet clothing in. This will make your travel home much easier. If you are left with a few pieces of clean clothes, the bags will keep the clean ones separated from the soiled and wet ones. You may also want to bring a few dryer sheets to help keep your suitcase smelling great.

5. To prevent leaks from shampoos, toothpaste or makeup, put them in zippered plastic bags and pack heavy items such as shoes, jeans and jackets on the bottom of your suitcase.

DealPass visitors can find exceptional travel savings by booking all their travel needs – from airfare to rental cars. Have a relaxing, fun and safe trip, concludes DealPass.