
Since mid-September, 29-year-old marketing professional Kelly Kinney
has been applying to an average of 40 jobs a day. After hearing from some employers that she's one of 500 other applicants, Kelly took her job search efforts to the next level — she put her resume on the front of her shirt under the straightforward heading "I Need a Job," and put a cover letter on the back of her shirt. Her husband's salary can't sustain the family's cost of living and they've had to dip into their down-payment savings.

There's a bit of a rush that comes when you watch someone open a gift you've given them, and their expression leaves no room for wondering whether or not they love it. This year, more people are looking for gifts that have substance without costing a substantial amount.
Staying within this frame of thinking,
Ron Lieber of The New York Times suggested a different approach to giving.

The Salvation Army bell-ringing is as much an expected part of the holiday season as department store Christmas music and the
seasonal flavors at Starbucks. Because so many people roll cash-free these days, this is the first year the organization is experimenting with
accepting debit and credit card donations. The standard red kettle will still play a role in holding cash contributions, but five bell-ringers in El Paso County, CO will also have the ability to swipe cards.

Sarah Lavely, a former veterinarian, put her entrepreneurial spirit and $200,000 to work when she opened her San Diego business
called Sarah's Smash Shack. She liked to express her frustration by breaking things and figured that she wasn't alone, so her business lets people that need release throw things like dinner plates and wine glasses against a wall in a soundproof room. If they want to, customers can hook up their iPods and create their own soundtrack for their smash session.

Between a struggling economy and inflated prices on anything wedding-related, it's almost essential to channel creativity in saving money while planning for the big day. One company has formed their entire business based on the idea that most couples are unwilling to sacrifice the wedding cake but are adhering to a budget that may not allow for an elaborate concoction.
Cake Rental claims its services are elegant and economical — a three tier cake can be rented for $150.

There have been countless books released this year based on keeping your job during a down economy, and one of these book's authors recently appeared on a Fox News interview segment. Stephen Viscusi, author of Bulletproof Your Job offers Fox viewers typical tips like making yourself visible to your boss, and throws in one tip that made me pause.
If your boss tells you the company is letting you go, he recommends offering to take a 20 percent salary cut in order to secure the job you have.

Keeping your credit card close by can be temping on shopping trips. While I opt to simply leave mine at home when out for a day of browsing, ABC News Consumer Correspondent Elisabeth Leamy has a more dramatic solution for those who have trouble
curbing credit card spending.
Leamy suggests placing your card in a container of water and putting it in the freezer, subsequently putting "your credit card spending on ice."
US News informs us there's a cookie baking technique out there that may save the baker some dough. As long as the temperature is at least 95 degrees outside the car, cookies will bake on your car's dashboard in two and half hours.
They say this is one time your car can actually save you money: You save on utilities by avoiding the oven and the counteractive air-conditioning.
Reef Stash Sandals ($46) are named after what they're made for: stashing stuff. Hidden in the heel is a pull-out storage area where you can slide your essentials inside, like your cash, house or hotel key, and ID while be-bopping at the beach. Appearance of the flip-flops aside, what do you think of the idea; is it brilliant or baffling?

Savvy says: Brilliant!
Cityclips ($36) are a working girl's dream come true. We take care in building our work wardrobes and spend a pretty penny in doing so, and cityclips are the answer to saving our perfect-fit pants and hard earned cash.