Monthly Archives: December 2015

Great Last-Minute Gift Ideas for the Holidays

last-minute giftsTime, energy, and funds are running low by this point of the holiday madhouse – what are you going to do for those last names on your gift list?

Our team at Milledgeville State Bank has assembled a gift list that shows you poured serious thought into your giving and looks like you invested more financially than you really did. Check out these last-minute gift options that are both personal and wallet friendly.

  1. Tap the App store: If you like fast and direct options, give your recipient a few new apps from the Apple App Store. You can send right from your personal device by choosing the “Gift This App” option to deliver it to another’s iPad, iPhone, or iPod in a matter of moments. Drawback: Android doesn’t have this option yet, so make sure their device is IOS compatible.
  2. Compile a memory bucket: The aim is quantity over quality for this $5-$10 option. Load a creative with snacks and trinkets that commemorate your relationship. Dollar stores, bargain bins, and thrift stores will be your best friend as you pad this sentimental gift.
  3. Personalize a mug: With a Sharpie and a blank mug, you can create a one-of-a-kind gift for under $5. Adding a favorite quote or your embarrassing nickname for them creates a gift they couldn’t find anywhere else. Before you wash or present it, just slide it into the oven to bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees to seal it on. Bonus points if you stuff the mug with packets of their favorite hot drink.
  4. Whet Their Appetite for a Dinner Date: Anybody can snap up a gift card, but not everyone can give the promise of actually using it. Give the gift of a dinner date with a symbolic item promising they can redeem it for the real thing with you later. Do they love barbecue joints? Wrap up a bottle of their favorite sauce. Are they a fan of that Thai place down the street? Gift a jar of gourmet peanuts. They’ll love the excitement of a two-part present.
  5. Where you met: Remember where you and your loved one first met? They probably do, too. Commemorate it with an inexpensive memento of that location. If it’s a coffee thermos from the café or a homemade pendant of the city where your paths collided, they’ll remember the launch to your relationship every time they use it.

You don’t need to break the bank or agonize for days to make your gifts matter. For an extra hand allocating your cash wisely, give our financial advisors at Milledgeville State Bank a call!

7 Amazing Winter Savings Tips

Blog2After shoveling snow or walking in and out of blustery winds all day, nothing beats stepping inside a warm, toasty home. However, it’s not just electricity burning to keep you warm, but your cold hard cash. Save money this winter with these around-the-home winter additions from Milledgeville State Bank.

    1. Pump up your tires: Low tire pressure kills gas mileage, and as temperatures drop, so will the pressure in your tires. Buy a tire gauge for $1 at an auto store, and fill up at a gas station offering free air. Just double check your manual to make sure you’re not over-filling.
    2. Make use of socks and hats: Your feet and your head are vents for the body, helping you let off steam when you overheat. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop during the winter months. Trap natural heat with wool or polar fleece hats and socks as you pad around the home, and the rest of your body will be grateful.
    3. Keep blinds closed: Obviously, keeping your blinds wide open during the day helps soak up warm sunlight. Keep that heat contained at night by shutting the blinds to provide extra insulation.
    4. Secure your garage: If your house is separated from your garage by nothing but a door, heat will trickle out and cold will creep in. Add a sweep to your garage door, which is a noting more than a metal strip easily screwed into position under your door, to block out drafts.
    5. Replace your furnace filter: A forced air heating system removes dust from the air by catching it in a filter, making it easier to breathe. However, a clogged filter means the fan must run longer to circulate heat through your home. Replace the filter regularly for a quick and cost-saving fix.
    6. Close off unused rooms: Guest room or sitting area used only for special occasions? You’re heating up a whole lot of nothing, if that’s the case. Manually shut the vents in unused rooms to redirect heat elsewhere, and slide blankets under door cracks and around windows to stop warm air from trickling in.
    7. Insulate your water heater: Lightly touch your tank hot water heater – is it warm, or is it hot? If it’s the latter, drape it in an insulating blanket to keep heat trapped in the tank. Otherwise, it escapes to its surroundings, which makes the tank run longer and harder – and makes you burn more money.

 

 

A couple of small changes add up to big differences in the end. Milledgeville State Bank has a number of personal savings account options to invest all that money you’ll save by saving energy this winter, so look around and let us know how we can help!