Frugal Ideas For Holiday Spending

By Bruce Castleberry

The holidays are an emotional time. It’s almost impossible not to be immersed in a blizzard of memories. But even if visions of sugarplums are dancing in your head, the costs that often come with the season can hit you like a 10-pound fruitcake or spiked eggnog.

Make sure you don’t wake up with a financial hangover this year by strategizing your spending. Here are some tips:

Make a list, check it twice. Shopping with a list means you are more likely to stay within a budget. Avoid impulse purchases.

Be careful with credit cards. The average person typically spends at least 20 percent more when shopping with credit cards instead of cash. Using credit cards makes it easy to deceive yourself about how much you really spent. Racking

up credit card debt is the “white elephant” gift that keeps on giving. Consumers who charge too much will have more stress, which can lessen the joy of the season. Even worse, credit card payments will limit your ability to buy things in the future, and interest and other fees will increase the cost of gifts.

And a partridge in a pear tree. Avoid picking up a “few” more things to make an existing gift “special.” If you’ve already bought the three French hens, do they need the four calling birds too? Most people will be happy enough to have been thought of with any gift. Don’t overdo it.

The red tag can put you in the red. Everyone loves a good deal, but if that good deal wrecks your budget, it’s not a good deal for your bank account.

Dasher and dancer. Last-minute panic shopping is a recipe for disaster. The pressure leads to hasty

decisions (which can cost more), not to mention the reduced selection (which can cost more). This frenzy also encourages shoppers to fall into expensive bad habits such as grabbing food on the run, because it’s easier than going home and making a meal, because blitzkrieg shopping is exhausting. Go to the stores as early as possible to space out your spending, or if possible, wait and take advantage of post-holiday deals.

The frosty error. When budgeting for season shopping, don’t forget associated costs such as cards, stamps, decorations, extra food costs, wrapping paper, stocking stuffers and other adornments.

Fortunately, there are several lowor no-cost alternatives for the frugal holiday gift-giver.

Make gift certificates for babysitting, cleaning or some other service.

Make gifts like cookies, cakes or candy.

Give a gift, but not a store-bought card. Create homemade cards.

Instead of an expensive item, fill a small stocking with inexpensive gifts.

While it may be too late for this season, use layaway plans if possible.

Give a family gift instead of individual gifts. A board game is a nice way to provide a family with more opportunities to spend time together.

If you have a large family, consider drawing names to exchange gifts.

2009 Fall Ward Bulky Waste Clean ups scheduled 

Bulky Waste Ward clean ups are for large bulky items only. 

 The Solid Waste and Recycling Division will sponsor four (4) Ward clean ups for the disposal/recycling of large bulky items during the Fall.  All clean ups will occur on a Saturday and will begin at 7 a.m. and end at 2 pm.

These bulky waste clean ups are specifically for large bulky items that cannot fit into a residents normal trash cart.  These clean ups will not accept bags of normal household garbage as that is handled through normal weekly curbside collection.  There are certain things that will not be accepted at the clean ups which are outlined with this information.  If you are a resident of Fayetteville, you can bring bulky items to any of the clean ups.  Please bring a recent copy of the water bill to verify residency.

If you would like to organize a neighborhood clean-up utilizing orange bags for litter disposal please contact Brian Pugh at 718-7685 or bpugh@ci.fayetteville.ar.us.

Bulky Waste Clean Up Dates and Locations:

Ward 4 on September 12th: Owl Creek School (375 N. Rupple Road) and Shaver Foods Parking lot (Behind Randall Tyson Track complex) 1367 S. Beechwood

Ward 3 on October 3rd: Elks Lodge (4444 N. Crossover) and Vandergriff Elementary (2975 E. Township St.) Enter off Mission and exit out on Township

Ward 1 on October 17th:  Root Elementary (1529 E. Mission Blvd.) and Solid Waste & Recycling Facility (1560 S. Happy Hollow Road)   

 Ward 2 on October 24th: Woodland Jr. High School (7 E. Poplar in front parking lot) and Church of Christ (310 W. Center St.)

Recycling of E-Scrap including T.V.’s, computers and all corresponding equipment will be offered through these bulky waste clean ups.  Each clean up will have a certain site at which to bring E-Scrap.  Please read the following information about those locations:

September 12th – Ward 4 - E-Scrap box located at Shaver Foods.

October 3rd – Ward 3 - E-Scrap box located at Vandergriff Elementary.

October 17th – Ward 1 - E-Scrap box located at Solid Waste and Recycling Facility.

 October 24th – Ward 2 - E-Scrap box located at Church of Christ.

There are limitations on what can be accepted, see below for details on the requirements.  Limit one (1) freon bearing appliance per household.  You must bring your current City water bill for verification of residency in order to drop off items.

Items allowed:                                                    

Couches, chairs, mattresses, large appliances; such as, refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers, carpet, padding, vinyl flooring, drywall, paneling (Limited amounts only, no contractors allowed), lawn mowers, hot water heaters,  plumbing fixtures, E-Scrap: T.V’s, Computers and corresponding equipment  (Check for locations on where to take E-Scrap)  

Items not allowed:    

Household Hazardous Wastes; such as, paint, thinners, solvents, batteries, cleaning chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, automotive fluids, etc. household garbage, commercial garbage, medical waste, dirt, rocks, brush, leaves and grass, tires.

Only one Freon bearing appliance accepted for free, additional appliances are $20 each to cover Freon removal.

Washington County operates a Household Hazardous Waste Collection center and a tire trailer.  Their site is located at 2615 Brink Dr. in south Fayetteville.  The hours of operation for their site is Mon.-Fri. from 8:00am to 4:00pm and the first Saturday of each month from 8:00 am until noon.  Their phone number for more information is 444-1725.

Information gathered from:

http://www.accessfayetteville.org/government/solid_waste/news/2009_Fall_Ward_Clean_ups.cfm

FFW Editorial

First-term alderman Matthew Petty stole a bike from the University of Arkansas campus, and it’s a hot topic around town. Some people are defending him; others are calling him a thief.

Petty has said that he made a mistake and is using the argument that the bike (it’s actually a three-wheeled bicycle or tricycle) that he took was a beater and he thought it was abandoned. Petty has said that he was going to fix the bike up, recycle it and that it was not his intention to steal. Petty commented on the incident on the Fayetteville Flyer blog but posted nothing about it on his own blog.

Even if it can be justified that there is a “right” reason to cut a lock and take something, there is something more disturbing about this situation. Specifically, that someone elected to a position of power, to represent and speak for the citizenry, has acted in an arrogant and immature manner, without regard for others.

Shouldn’t those in public office be even more aware than the rest of us that there are proper channels to maneuver, especially in questionable situations? Our aldermen and other elected officials navigate these waters on a regular basis. Why did Petty not first check with police before he took the bike?

I get pretty fired up when I hear about people cutting locks and taking bicycles. When I lived in the city, my bike was my only personal transportation. I didn’t have a car. I let the bike get rusty and funky because I’d heard it’s generally the nicer bikes that are stolen. I commuted to work by public transportation and the bike never moved during the week. One day, someone cut the lock and took it. Maybe they thought it was abandoned.

I moved to another city, didn’t have a car there either, but had another beater bike to get me around. I brought it to Fayetteville, locked it up outside. The tires were flat because I rarely rode it. I needed my car to get me to where I was going most of the time. Someone cut the lock took that bike, too. Did they think it was abandoned?

Does anyone remember the Free Weekly City Bikes? Way back when the Weekly was just a pup, some of the folks working on the paper and several volunteers fixed up some old donated bikes, painted them up crazy, put professionally made signs on them designating them as Free Weekly free rides. We put them on the street for anyone to use. We did two rollouts and the bikes disappeared both times, a total of more than 25 bikes. Maybe because they were just sitting around town, people thought they were abandoned.

The last bike that was stolen from me was a blue three-wheeler like the one Petty took. It was in pretty bad shape when I got it five or six years ago but was perfect for my grand idea of pedaling the Free Weekly downtown delivery route. After pouring money into it, even the most athletic delivery folks had a hard time riding it. The bike was locked up in front of the Weekly office with a big Free Weekly sign on the back of the basket. I thought it was a nice eye-catching PR kind of thing and imagined riding it in parades.

Obviously I’m a little sensitive about locks being cut and bikes being stolen, but the real issue here is the judgment of an alderman.

Our elected officials should be held to the highest standards. Those who lead should be capable and willing to make fair and mature decisions. The actions of Alderman Petty show a serious lapse in judgment and I wonder if he is up to the task of making serious and often complex decisions for his constituency and our city.

Susan Porter, Editor

Washington County’s Legacy

We are in times of rapid change and growth in this area. Perhaps now is the time for Washington County to conserve vanishing natural and agricultural areas. It is time for our officials to protect the health, welfare, safety, property and quality of life of the citizens of this county, a duty to which they have sworn. Important decisions are being made right now in our local government. Public input and influence are necessary in order to ensure accountability. Involvement by the people of this county is required to secure the values and quality of life we have come to treasure. It is the natural beauty and quality of life that attracted many of us to this area and it will continue to attract others so long as sensitive land use planning is encouraged. There are greater natural resources here than the dollar value of crushed limestone. We are now in a time where forward vision is required to preserve the natural treasures of the Ozarks before they are lost to us forever. What will be the legacy of Washington County? What role will you play? You may contact your elected and appointed officials to express your concerns and wishes. You can be involved in the political process by attending public meetings on land use issues. You can volunteer to be on a city or county committee or participate in an environmental or conservation group.

Contact information for local involvement:   

Washington County Justices of the Peace, County Clerk Office: 444-1711

Aldermen, City of Fayetteville, City Clerk Office: 575-8323

Washington County Planning Board Director: J. Richey, 444-724

Washington County Judge: M. Edwards, 444-1700,

Washington County Environmental Affairs: 444-I725

Fayetteville Forward Economic Accountability Council: fayettevilleforward.accessfayetteville.org       

Fayetteville Natural Heritage Association: www.FayettevilleNaturals.org

West Fayetteville Citizens for Environmental Quality: www.wfceq.com 

   Roma Gray