Blog Posts by Cheapism.com

By Raechel Conover, Cheapism.com

Did you spend too much on Christmas presents? Are Christmas gift cards burning a hole in your pocket? Regardless which side of the fence you fall on, frugal shoppers will find plenty to buy in January. This is an excellent month to stock up on items like linens or to make big purchases like a name-brand HDTV.

Grab bargains at after Christmas sales.

Related: Best affordable laptops

Christmas/Holiday Items and Winter Apparel. Starting the day after Christmas, holiday items take a nose dive and continue to fall throughout January. By now you should be seeing prices at least as low as half off, but the selection is dwindling fast. Still, if you're deciding what to buy in January, consider stocking up on wrapping paper, ornaments, cards, and the like to stash away for next year.

Unlike leftover Christmas gear, winter apparel prices probably won't be at their lowest in January because demand remains relatively strong. That said, retailers begin marking down winter gear this month

By Kara Reinhardt, Cheapism.com

Unfortunately even the best of intentions can breed unwanted gifts: the sweater that clings too tightly, the DVD you already own, the jewelry that's someone else's style. The National Retail Federation estimates that consumers will return $62.7 billion worth of holiday merchandise this year. Unsatisfied gift recipients will find some retailers more generous than others. Many issue refunds only in the original method of payment, for example, so a gift receipt often entitles the bearer to an exchange or store credit rather than cash back. Most retailers also leave recipients on the hook for return shipping, but companies with an offline presence usually take back online purchases at their brick-and-mortar stores.

Read what's in between the lines.

Related: Which shipping carrier is the cheapest: FedEx, UPS or USPS?

Cheapism has rounded up the store return policies for nearly two dozen of the nation's largest retailers. Companies including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Best Buy,

By Louis DeNicola, Cheapism.com

Nothing makes a New Year's Eve party pop like a steady supply of Champagne. But good luck finding true French Champagne for less than $20. With prices for the real thing reaching several hundred dollars a bottle, you could easily start 2013 with a nasty financial hangover. Luckily a number of other inexpensive sparkling wines can fill everyone's flutes without emptying your pocketbook. They come from places like Spain, Italy, and California, rather than the French region of Champagne, and many have good reputations for quality, taste, and value. Cheapism has rounded up nine bottles that will have you sipping pretty this holiday season, and for good measure, we flagged one that fails to impress.

Celebrate New Year's with cheap champagne!

Related: Best inexpensive diet plans

• Roederer Estate Brut (starting at $20) is a California sparkling wine made from a classic mix of chardonnay and pinot noir grapes. It has caught the attention of a number of wine experts and consistently scores

By Alyssa Goldman, Cheapism.com

It's 2013 and you're probably thinking, "another year, another set of New Year's resolutions I won't keep." But if bolstering your finances is one realm that could use some attention, now's the moment. Your New Year's resolutions don't need to be drastic and shouldn't seem impossible to keep. In fact, they should fit your life relatively painlessly.

Use the New Year to set your finances straight.

Related: Cheap tax preparation software

Before making a game plan, consider what money-related actions you took in 2012 that turned out well and what can be improved upon. But don't harp on your mistakes, suggest Scott and Bethany Palmer, the duo known as "The Money Couple" and coauthors of the The 5 Money Personalities: Speaking the Same Love and Money Language. It's much more productive to prepare for 2013 with realistic New Year's resolutions.

Monitor your spending. To get a handle on your finances, top your list of New Year's resolutions with a commitment to document every cent you spend

By Teal Pelish, Cheapism.com

As Christmas and New Year's loom ever closer on the horizon, festivities brimming with cocktails and other alcoholic beverages are in full swing. But quenching the thirst of your guests with can cost a pretty penny. We found ways save a bundle with cheap holiday liquor that won't compromise the taste of those special holiday drinks.

We have tips to cut costs on liquor for holiday drinks.

Buying Cheap Alcohol. We all know about duty-free shops and Indian reservations as sources for cheap holiday liquor. One venue that's often overlooked is the online marketplace. Discount liquor vendors such as Love Scotch, Liquor Store Online, and K & W Liquors offer brand names at cut rates. Be sure to consult your state's laws regarding the sale and shipment of alcohol before ordering.

If your state doesn't allow online liquor sales and shipments but a college campus is nearby, scope out the surrounding area. There's often at least one discount liquor warehouse" stocked with off-brand alternatives for the college

By Raechel Conover, Cheapism.com

November has blown in on a gust of dropping temperatures. The days of BBQ and beer are long gone, replaced by cold weather roasts and winter holiday drinks. We found some budget-friendly recipes for DIY cocktails that will keep your inner fires burning and your guests in a festive mood.

Have fun making holiday cocktail drinks!

Related: Inexpensive mixer reviews

Drinks to Warm You Up. After a long day battling the cold nothing warms the body quite like a hot drink spiced with a hint of relaxation.

• Hot Toddy: An oldie but goodie, this simple brew uses what you have on hand. Start with a cup of hot tea and add some lemon, honey, and a spot of brandy. No brandy in the cupboard? Just substitute bourbon or dark rum. This is the perfect remedy for a sore throat.
• Spiced Hot Chocolate: Liven up traditional hot chocolate with chocolate vodka and garnish with marshmallows. Sip and savor slowly by the fire.

Related: Top 4 cheap chocolates

Holiday Drinks. Impress

By Raechel Conover, Cheapism.com

Crock-Pots and other slow cookers tend to emerge from cupboards around this time of year, pressed into service for creating hearty winter meals. This simple appliance has stayed in style since the 1970s for a couple of reasons. For starters, there are lots of easy slow-cooker recipes. You can toss together a few ingredients, leave them to cook all day, and come back to a home-cooked meal that took mere minutes to put together.

Related: Best Inexpensive slow cookers

Slow cookers are wonder time and money savers!

Another reason slow cookers are still so popular: They're cheap. If you don't already have a hand-me-down, you can find a good cheap slow cooker for cost less than $40. Used ones also pop up frequently at thrift stores, in yard sales, and online. Slow cookers cost very little to operate, as well, and make inexpensive meals that can feed a crowd. The Daily Green points out that the energy cost is minimal and the appliance can transform cheap, bland, minimal foods and less

By Alyssa Goldman, Cheapism.com

In many areas across the U.S., there's a ski slope nearby. But local doesn't always mean affordable. Ski resorts often charge $100 for an adult lift ticket, and that's just for the daytime activity. Add in travel expenses, hotel costs, equipment rentals, and dining costs, and well, forget about that budget. All is not lost, however. We did our homework and found some of the cheapest ski destinations where you can swoop down the slopes without going broke.

Saddleback, Maine is an excellent choice for beginners.

Saddleback, Maine. Saddleback Mountain rises 1,420 feet and is naturally divided into terrains based on difficulty. If you live on the East Coast and are a beginner, you've hit the jackpot. Saddleback's website boasts of the best beginner terrains in New England, with gentle trails and slopes at a remove from the more populated areas. The Ski and Ride School allows a maximum of five students to every instructor, which the site claims is the best student-to-teacher ratio in North America.