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Financial ideas for the holidays

Wow, it's already almost mid-November, so today on SMI's Personal Finance Friday, we're offering a round-up of ideas for saving, getting, and giving during the upcoming Christmas season.

First up: Saving with free shipping. Wal-Mart has rolled out a special free shipping offer for items purchased online (through Dec. 20). But, as the Wall Street Journal notes (subscribers' link), "the splashy promotion applies only to a fraction of Wal-Mart's items, meaning that consumers might still get a better deal shopping at other sites."

[The promotion] includes all electronics minus Apple Inc.'s iPads and iPods, but only limited items in categories such as toys, appliances and furniture.

Wal-Mart estimated it applied to roughly a fourth of the merchandise it sells via its website.

Target will be offering free shipping from Nov. 21 to Dec. 11 on more than 800,000 items (orders of at least $50). Amazon, of course, already includes free shipping on many orders over $25.

Next: Getting via reward points. SmartMoney offers a primer on how to pile up reward points in the next few weeks.

This holiday season, stores and credit-card issuers have rolled out temporary reward bonus programs that, in concert, can generate meaningful savings.

Some credit-card companies have increased their cash back or rewards points bonuses; some stores have increased the benefits of their loyalty programs by threefold; and more consumers are shopping via popular rewards portals (like an online shopping mall) to earn even more rewards. Combined, that can mean big savings.

And: Giving — the gift of stock. SmartMoney looks at the increasingly popular idea of giving kids and teens a share of stock, complete with certificate.

Giving stocks to children for the holidays is up roughly 20% from this time last year, says Rick Roman, co-owner of GiveAshare.com, which specializes in stock gifting....And yes, when it comes to giving stock, the holiday shopping season has already started: If you want a certificate to present, it’s best to order it by Nov. 15 to guarantee pre-holiday delivery of the actual certificate.

Not that an adult investor with an online account might have noticed, but stock certificates have become pretty cool. The mostly black-and-white certificates your parents collected decades ago have given way to colorful stock certificates from kid-friendly companies....

In addition to the standard info — number of shares purchased and the date — shares of Walt Disney Co. have pictures of Mickey Mouse, DreamWorks features Shrek, and Build-A-Bear Workshop is illustrated with stuffed animals. And there are more mature options like Nike, whose certificate features the Greek goddess for victory along with the company’s iconic swoosh logo.

Speaking of the Christmas holidays, we want find out some of your ideas and traditions related to Christmas gift-giving so we can include 'em in a future post! Details here.

Have a great autumn weekend!

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