Budget Christmas Treat - Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffles

Whether you're looking for something different to leave out for Santa, going homemade on Christmas gifts this year, or just craving something sweet yourself, these truffles are quick, easy, and pretty cheap to make.

Ingredients

• 1 package Semi-sweet baking chocolate (8 squares)


• 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter


• 1 8oz tub whipped topping at room temperature


• Various toppings - crushed cookies, powdered sugar, flake coconut, chopped nuts

Directions

Place chocolate in large microwave-safe bowl, microwave on high 1 minute and stir. Microwave another minute until almost melted, stir until it is melted completely.
Stir in the peanut butter until well mixed and cool to room temperature.
Stir in whipped topping and put bowl in refrigerator for an hour.
Take the bowl out of the refrigerator and scoop out mixture with a teaspoon (or melon baller if you have one) and shape into 1 inch balls. Roll each truffle in your chosen topping.
Store the truffles in the refrigerator

Yield: About 3 dozen
Prep Time: About 20 minutes
Total Time: About 1 hour 20 minutes (including refrigeration)

Christmas Gifts from the Grocery Store

Seriously, why not do some Christmas shopping while you're grocery shopping? Think about this - do you know people who like tea? Buy a couple of boxes of different flavored teas, including the new green teas, and make variety packages. Taking the time to put together your own choices, rather than just buying a pre-made variety pack, shows that you actually put some thought into the gift.

You can do the same thing for coffee lovers on your list, especially if they love flavored or gourmet coffees but don't spend the money themselves. Small packages of their favorite flavors or brand will be appreciated and won't strain your budget.

Energy drinks such as Red Bull or Monster in 4 packs could be appreciated too, as well as packs of bottled water. Use your imagination and think about how well you know your friends and family. You just might be able to cross a lot of people off your list while you're buying your essentials, saving both money and time.

Quick Free Fix for Eye Puffiness

If you're suffering from puffy eyes from stress or lack or sleep, try this fast solution that's absolutely free. Place two clean teaspoons in the freezer for about 5 minutes until they're ice cold. Take the spoons out, close your eyes, and place the spoons over each eyelid and hold them there for about 1-2 minutes. The puffiness is reduced without spending money on expensive beauty products. Unfortunately, this trick doesn't really help with dark circles.

Cheap Dry Scalp Care - Apple Cider Vinegar

Winter months can take a toll on your hair, making it dry, itchy, and flaky. A cheap and easy alternative to buying a dandruff shampoo is to use apple cider vinegar. Just apply about a half cup to clean hair and massage into your scalp, then rinse with lukewarm water. The acid in the vinegar loosen the sebum buildup, so after using for a couple of days, flakes and itching should go away. and it's safe for colored and permed hair.

Budget Christmas Gift - Cheap MP3 Player

My youngest is asking for an MP3 player this Christmas, and I'll admit I'm a little hesitant to spend a lot of money on something that will probably get broken or lost, even if I had it to spend. So I've been looking for some kind of alternative and finally found this online.

Available at SPI Shop, these MP3 players sell for $20. They have 1 GB memory, can hold up to 250 songs, and come with earbuds and a USB adapter for charging. They even include 50 free downloads from emusic.com.

The players come in 8 metallic colors - deep blue, green, pink, turquoise, red, purple, silver, and gold - and support .mp3 and .wma formats. And for those looking for an even cheaper deal, the site also offers a 128 MB digital MP3 player for $9.99 that holds up to 30 songs and includes a voice recorder and FM radio. USB cable and earbuds are included. At those prices, I won't necessarily go ballistic if it's dropped or traded with a friend for a cute stuffed animal.

Swaptree - Trade video games, dvds, and more

If your kids are begging for video games for Christmas but you're afraid you can't afford it, try looking at Swaptree and see of you can trade with someone.

Once you sign up for free, list items you have and items you want. Swaptree will start looking for your wanted items among other users to set up a trade. You have to make sure to list items in both categories or you won't be able to make a trade. And all you pay is shipping and handling on the items you trade.

Be sure to look through the FAQ, it thoroughly explains every aspect of the site. And then get busy trading for Christmas or any time of the year!

Budget Christmas Gift - Pocket Buddha

It can be hard to find cheap Christmas gifts that don't scream 'I'm a cheap Christmas gift', but I found a very nice collection of little pocket Buddhas and keychains that cost about $5 each at the Borders book store in my town. There's a total of six, each with a sticker and actual Buddha quote based on the message of the particular figure.

• Orange - Love


• Yellow - Praise


• Blue - Harmony


• Gold - Happiness


• Green - Faith


• Pink - Peace

If you can't find them around you, there are several online sources:
Buddha Buddha Life - Directly from the main site at $4.99
China Sprout - Available here for $3.99
Dream in Plastic - This site has them at $3.95
And of course, there's always eBay

So there are ways to give loved ones a nice, meaningful gift without going over budget.

Local Searches Made Easy

Have you searched for a business in your area and been frustrated that you didn't find all the information you wanted? Try using Local.com for one-stop searches of everything in your area. With its ability to pull content from several popular sites, Local.com allows you to look up local businesses, find out when they're open, get reviews and directions, all from one site.

With a simple straightforward layout and extra features such as basic weather information and a classifieds section, Local.com is a full-featured yellowpages with extras. You can also contribute for free with your own business reviews and classified ads.

If you have a business of your own you can get listed with Local.com for free, or take advantange of their low advertising rates. Help local users find out all about you. Editing or updating your listing is also easy with their step by step instructions.

Save time, money, and frustration by getting all the information you need from your local searches with Local.com.

Go All-in with Online Poker!

Get in the game with Flop Turn River's online poker games, forums, and more. Both new and experienced players will appreciate the beginner's guide with detailed information on various poker hands and terms, as well as bankroll management. The handy poker tools, including an odds calculator, are very helpful as well.

Use the Bonus Code to receive a total 150% intial deposit bonus, up to $75 to get started on Flop Turn River. The site also offers live strategy tips and reviews of brick and mortar poker casinos, as well as a history and review of PokerStars, one of the originators of online poker.

Additionally, you can sign up for Full Tilt Poker and recieve a 100% initial deposit bonus, up to $600. Full Tilt Poker offers great bonuses and is one of the largest online poker rooms. The site also enjoys endorsements from several of the top professional poker players today.

If you're looking for a break from the daily stress, place your bet with Flop Turn River!

Cheap Halloween Decor - Shrunken Heads

It's not too late to set an eerie mood for Halloween. Scatter shrunken heads around your house and yard for a spooky setting.

Dried Apple Shrunken Heads

Materials:

• Apples


• 1/2 cup lemon juice


• 2 teaspoons salt


• Optional: Whole cloves


• Optional: Grains of raw rice

Instructions:

Mix lemon juice and salt in a bowl.
Peel apples and coat each with mixture to prevent browning.
Use a small knife or potato peeler to carve out eye sockets, a nose, mouth and ears.

Optional: Use whole cloves for eyes and raw rice grains for teeth

Bake heads in the oven set at 150F for 20 - 24 hours

Create your gruesome display!