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Money and Holidays: Remembering the Reason for the Season

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Money and holidays - remembering the reason for the season

Money and holidays. These two things are enough to stress most people out. However, instead of biting your nails and worrying about having all the biggest, best gifts under the tree, take some time to reflect on the real reason for the season. Your mind (and your wallet) will thank you.

Here are some ways I’m being more present and spending less this holiday season.

DIY Holiday Gifts

Every year, I make some kind of Christmas gift. One year, everyone got a homemade crocheted scarf, the next everyone got handmade socks, or their favorite Christmas cookies in a tin.

This year, I’ll be making several gifts for my little one’s grandparents. Overall, nine gifts across all the grandparents will only cost me about $100. That’s just over $10 per person – not bad! More than the financial aspect though is that I will spend time with my little one, friends, and family while creating these crafts.

Video Calls

During the pandemic, most people were interacting with their loved ones via video call. This is still a possibility and necessary for those of us who don’t live close to all of our family members. Set up a few dates throughout the holiday season to sit down and video chat with folks who live farther away. Spending time catching up can be an amazing gift for both parties and help you reconnect – that’s one of the biggest joys of the holidays for me.

Throw a Party

It is easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Don’t forget that the season is meant to be spent with the ones you love. Throw a potluck get-together to keep cost low and enjoy yourself. You’ll get to see everyone near-and-dear to your heart without the pressure of swapping gifts.

Gift Swaps

Speaking of swapping gifts, we have plans to go to a gift swap this year with other families who have babies. While I have not been a fan of swaps in recent years, I love the idea of it. You get to enjoy the feeling of giving a gift without the pressure of buying a gift for everyone. There is no guilt over how much you spent, nor is there guilt over buying every single person a present.

Money and Holidays: Reflection

These are just three things I’m doing to step out of the mall and into the season this year. There are plenty of things you can do to improve your outlook around money and holidays too. For example, you might schedule a time for your family to be at the local soup kitchen, volunteer your time, or adopt a family in need.

The point is that you don’t have to go bankrupt to have a beautiful holiday. In fact, some of the most memorable moments will be those that you didn’t spend a dime on.

Try to step outside your own expectations and remember the real reason for the season. Happy holidays!

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How Inflation Will Impact Our Holiday Plans

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How inflation is impacting the holidays

Inflation is hitting everybody hard this year. Prices are through the roof. In fact, the price of turkey alone has gone up 23% in the last year. Eggs? 35%. So, getting together for large meals with all the traditional foods may be a bit more difficult this year. Here is how it will impact our holiday plans.

Inflation: A Look At The Numbers

While many government officials have been hesitant to use words like “recession” and “inflation” when speaking about the United States economy, everyone is feeling it.

@districtmediafinance Thanksgiving dinner is looking a lot more expensive this year. #greensbeanspotatoestomatoes #thanksgiving #savingmoney ♬ GREENS BEANS POTATOES – DJ Suede the Remix God

Though the upbeat song in the video above makes you feel a little less anxious about it, the rise in cost of everyday essentials is crippling some families in the U.S. When it comes to celebrating the holidays this year, things are looking very different. People are swapping out their big turkey dinners for something a little cheaper. In some cases, they may choose to skip the big gathering altogether.

Here is how inflation is impacting our holiday plans.

How Inflation Is Impacting Us

This year, we aren’t going to be doing any extensive travel around the holidays. That is the biggest change that will be happening. However, we are also making some changes to our typical menu for Christmas.

Our family typically does a turkey and a ham on Christmas. This year, I am hosting the holiday gathering at my house. We are likely going to only do one main course protein. Sides and other items will be decreased this year as well. After all, it is only one meal. How much do you spend on your weekly dinners?

Tips For Your Family To Beat Inflation

As mentioned in a previous blog post, household debt is at an all-time high in the U.S. For people like us trying to avoid racking up credit card and loan debt, this is simply not an option. How do you still enjoy the season without breaking the bank?

  1. Change the menu. While turkey and ham are the traditional main course items during the holidays, consider changing it up to save money. Swap your turkey for roasted chicken or your ham for a pork loin.
  2. Downsize your celebration. A lot of people get hung up on doing these huge, elaborate celebrations. Downsize things a bit to help you stick to your budget this year.
  3. Find joy in the simple things. The best thing you can do to beat inflation is to find joy in the simple things. A Christmas movie night in your home or driving around to see the lights will provide memorable moments too.
  4. Check out local events. Churches and other organizations in the community may be providing free dinners or items for your holiday meals.
  5. Get help where you can. Whether it is checking the local food bank or asking everyone to bring a dish, it’s okay not to do it all yourself!

How is your family dealing with inflation around the holidays this year? Let me know your tips and tricks in the comments.

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Financial Infidelity Is Real! Make Sure You’re Not Doing It

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Financial Infidelity Pinterest image - Our Debt Free Family

I came across a post recently that talked about committing financial infidelity. The blog post mainly focused on one person’s story, but I got to thinking about my past relationships, my current marriage, and what kind of infidelity of experienced – and committed – financially. It was a toe-stepper.

What Is Financial Infidelity?

According to Investopedia, the official definition for financial infidelity is this: it occurs when couples with combined finances lie to each other about money. Simple enough! This could mean anything from using joint funds to physically cheat, hiding money in a separate account, covering up debt, or spending crazy amounts of money on personal items.

Marketwatch Discusses How To Mend Wrongdoings

Many of my recent posts have been reflective (it’s just that time of year for me). However, after reading the post on Marketwatch about this person’s admitted financial infidelity. Here is a clip from the post:

I have committed financial infidelity. This is a second marriage, and one of my sons is unstable and a substance user. He has stolen from us in the past, and two of his children are now living with him.

He doesn’t work, is on public assistance, and demands money from me. He gets very abusive when I don’t give it to him. This is the second time I have gone into debt behind my husband’s back.

They go on to share that, in order to help their child, they have racked up $50,000 in credit card debt that their spouse doesn’t know about. While I haven’t had anything exactly like that happen to me, I have experienced financial infidelity in my life.

My Experiences With Financial Infidelity

On my end, I have committed this plenty before getting together with my husband. I did not communicate about financial transactions, hid money away for a get away, and spent $400 on a painting because I felt entitled to the money in the joint account. All of this without permission, without consent.

Prior to meeting my husband, I was living with a long-time boyfriend. We had combined a lot of our finances, but we were never married (something I’ve learned from). Throughout our relationship, he hid money and spent money on various inappropriate things while I struggled to pay our rent while waiting tables, working a catering job, and going to school full-time. Many times, he lied to me about having money and I would have to ask friends or family, only to find out he had money all along.

He also had me co-sign on a car loan for him and when he failed to make the payments, he allowed them to repossess the car and drove mine into the ground. It is crazy how different my financial relationship with my husband is. We’ve never committed financial infidelity, and there are things you can do to avoid it.

How To Avoid Doing ‘It’

The biggest thing we do in our marriage to ensure these things don’t happen is we communicate about everything, especially when it is money related. Now, it is a little less strict than it used to be because we have more cashflow in our home. So, smaller purchases didn’t need to be talked about. However, when we first got together, there were times we had to discuss a $10 purchase.

These days, we don’t have to talk about every little thing we buy, but we discuss big purchases – even gifts. Sometimes, we still catch each other checking with the other person about a $20 spend even though it isn’t necessary. This is because communication is key to success in your marriage and with your finances.

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My Favorite Personal Finance TikToks To Follow

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TikTok

If you’re like me, you’ve been slow to come around to the TikTok craze. Slowly but surely, however, my husband and friends have lured me over to the dark side. Now, every once in a while, I catch myself having spent the last half hour mindlessly scrolling on TikTok. While there are a lot of dance videos and silly content out there, TikTok actually has a few opportunities for people to learn.

For my husband, those learning opportunities present themselves in the form of conspiracy theorists and the investigative types on the platform. For me, I am amazed at the amount of financial advice and information being shared for free. That said, here are some of my favorite finance TikToks that you should consider following.

No Budget Babe

The most inspiring thing about Nicole Victoria, the No Budget Babe, is that she is around my age. She’s has been prepping for the arrival of her newborn secretly (she actually revealed that she was pregnant to her followers more recently). Nicole’s TikTok page is fairly simple. She hops on and gives you a quick reality check about your money. News flash: you are in complete control of your financial future. Best of all, Nicole is a proven success story. She’s already got a net worth of $1 million and completely paid off all of her debt, totaling around $40K.

 

@nobudgetbabe Reply to @_ro16_ ♬ original sound – Nicole Victoria | Money Coach

SaveLiveThrive

SaveLiveThrive is run by a woman named Charlotte. She is a financial coach. Her main focus is on helping women better understand their finances. In her bio, she states her videos are for education only, not advice. That being said, her story and mission are pretty inspirational. Charlotte got out of a toxic relationship in her early 20s, similar to myself, even though leaving hurt her financially. Her experience prompted her to help educate other women about how they can become financially independent. A lot of her posts are informative, but she also shares relatable content like this.

 

@savelivethrive My mom is actually one of my biggest financial role models, but this is definitely a toxic habit that stuck with me for awhile 😅#moneyhabits #moneyscripts ♬ original sound – Cub

InspiredBudget

Allison Baggerly, known by her handle @inspiredbudget online, is another great person to follow on TikTok and anywhere else you exist on social media. She shares some great tips about getting your budget on track and also shares her own budgeting story. As we all know, creating and sticking to a budget is one of the most difficult parts of managing your finances. Allison makes it easier to understand with her content and doesn’t belittle anyone for not already having their s*** together. Best of all, everything is simple and straightforward. Check her out below!

 

@inspiredbudget Just try one! #budgeting #budgetlife #budgetlifehack #budgetingtips #debtfreejourney #debtfreecommunity #budgetbinder #budgettok #personalfinance ♬ original sound – Allison Baggerly

Who are your favorite TikTokers in the finance world? Link them below!

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Let’s Talk About Tax Anxiety

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tax anxiety

I’ve opened up a bit about my postpartum anxiety here on the blog recently. If we are being honest, anxiety is something I’ve dealt with most of my life. I’ve done well to find healthy coping mechanisms and avoid triggers, for the most part. One huge stressor for me every year is tax season. Like general anxiety and PPA, I wasn’t surprised to find out I’m not alone in this.

What is Tax Anxiety?

Without the COVID-19 pandemic and the financial stress is has brought many people, tax time is generally a season of anxiety for many Americans. If the words “taxes,” “tax season,” or related terms make your heart race, you are probably among them.

More than half of the United States population worries about their finances on a weekly basis. When it comes to taxes, I’m one of the people biting their nails. I wait until the last minute because I’m afraid I’ll owe and I’m afraid I’ll do something wrong. A few years ago, I wound up having my wages garnished for several months because I miscalculated. Since then, I’ve had some pretty intense tax anxiety.

Also, with more people working as freelancers (myself included), taxes can start to get a little hairy. If you don’t have a cushion in your bank account or no plan in place, things can start to spiral. That’s where my  brain starts to spiral too.

How to Deal With It

Unfortunately, the saying goes that there are only two things certain in life: death and taxes. So, I can’t avoid this anxiety trigger like I can with other things. I can try to make it easier on myself though. Here are a few things I’d recommend if you’re also dealing with tax anxiety.

  1. Address why you are afraid. As mentioned above, most people fear they’ll owe or they’ll be audited. If you’re like me, you may even spiral into irrational fears like the IRS coming to arrest me and take my child if I owe (seriously). Take note of those feelings and address them.
  2. Make sure you educate yourself about your tax liabilities. You are setting yourself up for failure if you aren’t claiming the right number of dependents on your tax forms or not collecting the right receipts.
  3. Chat with a therapist. Sometimes talking to someone about it is the best thing you can do! They can help you sort through your thought process and kick your tax anxiety to the curb.
  4. Start a gratitude journal. It can be helpful to focus on the good things when you are feeling overwhelmed or worried. Consider all of the great things you have going on, jot them down in a journal daily. This can help manage your anxiety all year, not just at tax time.
  5. Get help from a tax professional. When all is said and done, sometimes it is best to just cough up the money and hire a professional. If it keeps you from having panic attacks on the Turbo Tax website, it is worth it.

Last but not least, breathe. It is going to be alright!

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Why Doing Headstands Will Improve My Financial Outlook and More…

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headstands

Throughout my entire pregnancy, I practiced yoga. I went to two or three classes every week up until I gave birth and it became something I really enjoyed. I was eager to practice again once my doctor cleared me for physical activity. There were so many awesome poses that I just simply couldn’t do with a nine-month prego belly (and others that just weren’t safe while I was pregnant). So, at the beginning of the year I set up one-on-one yoga sessions with my instructor/friend.

My goal for my practice? Headstands. 

Why Headstands?

I’ll preface this by saying I practice with a YogaFaith instructor. My first true goal when I roll out my yoga mat is to get closer to God. I usually bring a Bible verse with me to think about while I hold poses and breathe. This has brought me a lot of peace over the last year or so. My time on my mat is time to spend with Jesus and time to spend with myself.

As I’m sure you know if you have followed the blog for a while, I am a fan of reflecting. Yoga is a chance to do that in a quiet, supportive environment while also working towards a physical goal. For me, my 2022 yoga practice is focused on the idea of grace. One of the verses I’ve been bringing to my practice is this…

Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. – Hebrews 4:16

Do I always feel confident or graceful when attempting a pose that demands balance? Absolutely not. There are times I feel like a newborn baby gazelle who can’t use its legs properly. When I lay those insecurities at the feet of Jesus, I can do anything. I am full of His grace.

My First Headstand

I’m about five one-on-one sessions into my practice for the year. I have already made huge strides in what I wanted to do. My balance is improving, the connection between my breath and the way my body moves is there.

What many people don’t realize is that, while yoga does take a certain amount of strength, much of that strength comes from focusing your energy inward. When I put my shoulders into the inverted yoga chair and kicked my legs up for my first assisted headstand, it was amazing! I decided to take that energy and focus and discover other places where it could positively impact my life.

How Headstands Will Help Improve My Finances and Beyond

As I said, doing a headstand takes a lot of focus, but you also have to be extremely self-aware. Your body will always let you know when you should stop when it comes to exercise, stretching, etc. Actually, your body probably let’s you know when to stop other things too, but most of us ignore it. My goal is to listen to that intuition more.

From a financial standpoint, headstands are training me to be more patient, focus on the end goal, and be more aware. Every move I make has an impact on the integrity of my headstand and, potentially, my safety. The same is true of my finances. Every dollar I spend (or don’t save) has an impact on my long-term financial health. The same can be said of my health, relationship, and creative goals.

Take some time to think about what would help you truly focus. Meditation, regular exercise, and even simply journaling can help you make progress. What works for you?

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The ‘YOLO’ Mindset is a Dangerous Thing

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yolo

I graduated high school in 2011 and “YOLO” was being screamed a graduation ceremonies, football games, even band concerts. “You only live once” is a good motto to live by. After all, you only get one chance to do your thing on this planet. If you look at how people act around the YOLO mindset though, you’ll see it can actually be a dangerous thing.

The Meaning of YOLO

YOLO stands for “you only live once.” You’ve probably heard it 1,000 times already. It’s in the same vein as “treat yourself.” Leave your job for your dream position, YOLO. Buy the candy bar, YOLO. Book the cruise, YOLO.

While the Canadian rapper Drake often gets credit for coining the phrase “YOLO,” it actually originated in 1993. Ben Zimmer was actually the man who trademarked the phrase and had it added to a line of apparel. It wasn’t until 2011 when Drake put it into a rap song that the phrase gained popularity though. Five years later, the Oxford English Dictionary entered YOLO into the dictionary as a word.

For many people, the idea of “YOLO” became a way of life. If you wanted to call out of work, YOLO. Maybe you wanted to head to the beach on a whim, YOLO. You finally quit that toxic job, YOLO. Someone asks you out for drinks after work and, even though you need to get stuff done at home, you say yes. YOLO.

You Only Live Once – Take Care of Yourself

As a college freshman in fall of 2011, I definitely shouted “YOLO!” before doing a few pretty dumb things. After all,  Drizzy said, “You only live once, that’s the motto, YOLO.” (I still am a pretty big fan of Drake.) However, after a few years of hard adult experience, I realized that YOLO mindset can be damaging. In some cases, it can be dangerous.

First, let’s talk money. YOLO is terrible for your finances. This mindset usually leads people to spend unnecessary money because why not? You only live once, right? So, they spend money on vacations and material items, wracking up debt along the way. There is no doubt that was me in my early 20s. I’d maxed out a few cards and even an Amazon credit account because YOLO.

I grew up a bit and grew past that phase in my life. Now, I’m a new mom, wife, friend, daughter, but I realized you really only do live once. While you are here, set yourself up for a good time. Take care of yourself, your finances, your relationships, and make the most of the time you have. This means paying off debt, saving money, and putting away cash for retirement so that you can truly enjoy your golden years.

For me right now, YOLO means being intentional with my time so that I can be with my little one. YOLO means taking care of my finances so it is not a cause of stress. It means nourishing my body, mind, and soul so that I can be the best person possible for myself and my family.

So, yes. YOLO. Just be careful!

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My Favorite Debt-Free Instagrammers

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debt-free instagrammers

Instagram is a great place to find other people in the debt-free community. Many Instagrammers share debt updates, budgets, saving tips, and real-life experiences in their own debt freedom journey. Here are five of my favorite debt-free Instagrammers.

My Top Five Debt-Free Instagrammers

There are so many fabulous and inspiring debt-free families, couples, and individuals over on Instagram. If you haven’t already signed up for Insta, do it! Then check out these five accounts…

1. The Savvy Sagittarius

debt-free instagrammers

Elyse, also known as The Savvy Sagittarius on Instagram, has paid off $36,500 in debt. Over the time she paid off her debt, she’s documented her journey on Instagram. She also now provides helpful tips to others getting started and keeps everyone updated on her current financial success. Elyse often performs challenges, such as No Spend September, and she updates her audience on her savings goals. This is a great Instagram page to follow if you’re looking for someone who is financially focused.

2. The Budget Mom

debt-free instagrammers

The next on my list of debt-free Instagrammers is Kumiko Love or The Budget Mom. Kumiko started out as a broke, single mom and has seriously transformed her life. She has gained financial and debt freedom. Now, she shares her experience and knowledge with others. Best of all, she posts a lot of free tools and templates to help you get started with budgeting, saving, and paying off debt.

3. Kiwi Girl on a Budget

debt-free instagrammers

This Instagrammer is possibly one of my absolute favorites! They paid off an astounding $556,000 in debt in 39 months. How amazing is that?! Now, the main focus of the couple as they move forward in their financial journey is investing money for the future. They are investing 70% to $100K. The page itself offers up some good tips and inspirational posts to help motivate you on your own financial journey.

4. Debt Free By Thirty

debt-free instagrammers

I think I enjoy following this page so much because the creators are closer to my age. As you can probably tell by her name, the goal is to be debt-free by the time she turns 30. I will be 30 myself in less than two years. So, the story here is pretty inspiring to me personally and you may find it to be too! Rachel has already paid down a significant amount of debt. She started with $54,000 in September 2019 and now only holds $36,950 in debt. She shares regular progress updates and tips as she goes, which are helpful too.

5. Debt Free Weirdos

debt-free instagrammers

I was originally drawn to this page because of the quirky name. Isn’t everyone in the debt-free community a little weird? What kept me sticking around was their amazing story. They’ve paid off more than $240,000 in debt! They have less than $7,000 to pay off and are just killing it. As of September 24, 2021, they will be completely debt-free. They’ve talked a lot about how they will celebrate and I can’t wait for them to reach that goal. It is truly inspirational.

These are just a few debt-free Instagrammers out there. Do you have any Instagram accounts you love to follow? Drop them below!

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What is the Biggest Thing People Stress About When It Comes to Finance?

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financial stress

Money is commonly the center of stress for many people and families. In fact, 73% of Americans rank finances as the number one stress in life. Younger generations are even more stressed about money. Unfortunately, this is usually because they don’t have good financial practices in place. They may overspend, carry debt, lack savings, or simply struggle to communicate about money properly. But what is the biggest thing people stress about when it comes to finance?

Money Stressors

If you run in the debt-free circles on the internet, you may think most people are stressing about the amount of debt they carry. While that is one stressor when it comes to finances, it isn’t the biggest thing people stress about (surprisingly). The biggest money stressor people deal with centers around major life changes, such as buying a home, having a baby, or other big changes.

Around 62% of Americans say the majority of their financial stress comes from attempting to buy a home. That makes sense. Moving is a stressful thing to do. Sixty-one percent of Americans have stress centered around the purchase of a car, another big buying decision.

As you know, I’m prepping for a new arrival in our home. While it has taken a lot of preparation, we haven’t had to stress about our finances too much because we got ahead. We were able to trim things back and focus on preparing for our baby. There are some things you can do to help you minimize your financial stress though. For instance, we placed a focus on saving and material preparation.

How to Cope

Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to cope with financial stress, no matter what you are dealing with. Here are a few quick things you can do to reduce your money stressors.

  1. Communicate. Communication is key when it comes to relieving financial stress. You need to communicate with your household family members, communicate with loan companies and businesses, and with your partners.
  2. Set up a budget. If you don’t have one set up, putting together a budget will help you relieve some of your financial stress as well. Having a concrete plan for where your money is going will settle some of your anxiety.
  3. Look at all your options. If you are struggling to make all of your payments, research what your options are. Some creditors will establish repayment plans to help you. Many utility companies will do the same. In some cases, consolidating your debt payments with a loan might be a good option. Consider what moves you might make to help relieve some stress.
  4. Don’t stay quiet about problems. The worst thing you can do is keep your financial stress to yourself. While people can be awkward when it comes to talking about money, it is important to be open about it. Just talking about your problems can help you feel better.
  5. Save as much as you can. Having money stashed away for emergencies will make you feel more at ease when it comes to your finances, period.

Readers, what are some of your major money stressors? How do you cope? 

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What Are the Best Online Registries?

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best online registries

Last week we talked a bit about virtual baby showers and some of the awesome ideas people have come up with to celebrate a new arrival virtually. In addition to there being a number of ways to celebrate from afar, there are also a plethora of ways to register for and receive gifts from loved ones (no matter where they are). Here are some of the best online registries I’ve found so far (plus the perks they offer).

Best Online Registries for Weddings

There are a number of online registries out there. Depending on what you are celebrating, there may be different options out there for you. Here are some of the best places to register online if you are getting married.

Amazon

Amazon will be listed here a few times because, among all of the online registry options out there, it is the best. You can register for a wide range of items, track what has been purchased, and send virtual thank you notes to each of the people who purchased something from your registry. It makes things really easy. For weddings, you can even add things like Southwest Airlines gift cards, Airbnb gift cards, and other monetary gifts to help you celebrate your big day.

Bed Bath and Beyond

If you and your spouse are moving in together or buying a new home after your big day, a Bed Bath and Beyond registry is also a good option. There are a number of coupons available for the retailer, so your guests can save some money. Plus, you have a full year after the gift is purchased to make a return. This way, you don’t have to go rushing around after your wedding.

Blueprint

Blueprint is an awesome online registry option because you have access to 50+ retailers through the site. They also just have a cash gift option, which is nice.

Honeyfund

Honeyfund is another registry option rising in popularity for newlyweds. This allows your guests to contribute to experiences or honeymoon costs instead of physical gifts. They can give money towards airfare, hotel stay, or experiences during your honeymoon.

Target

Target is always a good place to register, no matter what the occasion is. Like Bed Bath and Beyond, you’ll have a full year to return any gifts from your registry.

Zola

If you are planning your wedding through Zola, you may also want to do your registry through them as well. This website is truly a one-stop-shop for everything to do with your big day. The site also gives you access to more than 450 brands, making it pretty user-friendly no matter what you want to add to your registry.

Best Registries for Baby

After your big day, you may be planning a family, so you’ll need to create a new registry for your baby. Here are the best registries online for baby showers.

Amazon

As mentioned above, Amazon has a plethora of options when it comes to what you can add to your registry. Some of the perks to your baby registry include a diaper fund people can contribute to, group gifting options, and item suggestions. Amazon also provides you with a checklist of everything you need for your baby (things you may not have considered). Once you (or someone you’ve shared your registry with) purchase $10 worth of items from your registry, you’ll also get a free registry box from Amazon with some samples and things like baby socks. On top of that, Amazon also gives you a completion discount. So, after you’ve reached a certain point in your pregnancy, things on your list will be marked down.

Buy Buy Baby

Buy Buy Baby is a sister company of Bed Bath and Beyond. One of the biggest perks of registering here is that any coupons for Bed Bath and Beyond can also be used at Buy Buy Baby. You can receive a completion discount on your registry (between 10% and 15%). The store also does price matching. On top of all that, they also offer a free box of goodies with coupons and samples that you can pick up in-store.

IKEA

IKEA is a great place to register while you are putting together the perfect nursery for your little one. They carry cribs, changing tables, high chairs, and even a few baby toys. You’ll also be able to register for closet storage items, which is always a plus when it comes to putting together a nursery. Gift-givers who are buying things off the registry will also receive a family discount at checkout.

MyRegistry.com

If you just can’t decide which retailer you favor or want to condense your lists from each, MyRegistry.com is a great place to start a registry online. You can add gifts and items from literally any online retailer to your registry. As if the added convenience wasn’t enough, you’ll also be able to reap the benefits of any completion discount the retailers offer. For instance, Buy Buy Baby items on your list will be eligible for up to 15% completion discount.

Pottery Barn Kids

Pottery Barn Kids is another great place to register when you are piecing together your nursery. Like many of the others listed here, they offer a completion discount (20%). The discount is valid for up to six months after you’ve given birth.

Target

Target is another retailer that has a great online registry for your new arrival. One of the biggest perks of registering with Target is that you’ll get 15% off of whatever you don’t receive after your baby has been born. You can also stop by guest services at a Target location and ask for your baby registry gift. Their box is packed full of coupons and samples ($50 value).

Walmart

There are Walmart locations all around the United States, making it an accessible place for anyone to purchase items from your registry. The retailer also offers a price-match guarantee on items from most other stores including Amazon, Target, and Kohl’s. Similarly, they also offer a welcome box with coupons and samples.

Registries for Other Occasions

Even if you aren’t getting married or having a baby, there are plenty of things you may want to celebrate. For instance, you may be moving into a new home. Consider registering at one or more of these places.

Amazon

Once again, Amazon is a great place to start. They have literally everything you could think of when it comes to putting together a housewarming registry or list for another type of celebration. In my opinion, it is one of the best online registries out there simply because of its convenience.

MyRegistry.com

Besides Amazon, MyRegistry.com is another great pick for creating your online registry. You can add items from literally any retailer that has a website. This makes it much easier to find and receive exactly what you are looking for.

When it comes to celebrating other occasions, many of the options listed above are great too. Walmart, Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Pottery Barn, IKEA, and other retailers all offer online registries to make your gift-giving and receiving easy.

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