Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (Full Version)

All Forums >> [Life] >> Finances



Message

Mollymouser -> Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (10/29/2009 2:25:41 PM)

Frugalistas and Bargan Hunters UNITE!

What are some ways that you save money associated with "the holidays?"
What advice or suggestions do you have for your fellow Crosswalkers?
Cool deals? Special buys? Creative options?

Please share your MONEY-SAVING ideas!

[sm=funny.gif][sm=funny.gif][sm=funny.gif]



onecoolmom -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (10/29/2009 7:25:26 PM)

I am regifting some things this year:

For my dd she is getting jewelry that was given to me when I was her age.

We are cutting back on giving to friends and giving family gifts rather than individual gifts.



Mollymouser -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (10/29/2009 11:57:33 PM)

That sounds like a wonderful gift for your dd ... very special and personal! [sm=heart.gif]



Focusing -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (10/30/2009 12:00:20 PM)

This year my family is not giving everyone individual gifts (big family .......), instead, we are doing this. [:)]



Mollymouser -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (10/30/2009 2:44:07 PM)

Very cool.



timzagain -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/3/2009 11:32:17 PM)

Here are some of my suggestions:-


- Shop year round for gifts, taking advantage of sales.
- Use reward points from loyalty program to buy gifts
- Regift
- Make your own gifts (crafts, sewing, homemade baked goodies etc)
- Look for "green" ways to wrap your gifts. I use newsprint or a lovely silver paper salvaged from a label printery to wrap gifts. I've also made a few fabric gift bags from fabric remnants from my stash
- Make your own gift tags; decorate gifts with found items (shells, pine cones etc)
- Potluck family Christmas events
- Make your own gift baskets (dollar stores are a good place to source "basket fillers")



agapetos -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/4/2009 10:52:58 AM)

I take advantage of stores loyalty points through the year (looking out for where I can get extra points on products I need) and then shop for Christmas.
quote:

This year my family is not giving everyone individual gifts (big family .......), instead, we are doing this.
I'm doing something similar.

Drop change into a box or jar through the year and bag it up, bank it (or change it for notes etc) making sure you don't have to pay charges for it and use it to buy presents.



reach -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/4/2009 12:22:48 PM)

I have lots or people to buy for. I usually end up doing a lot of my Parents shopping too.

Last year I got all of the money I budgeted out of the bank and put it in envelopes. I put the amount for each person and then I went shopping. This saved me so much money because I have a habit of finding something, then finding something else later and saying oh no big deal, but it adds up quickly. Then when the cash was gone in that envelope, then that was it. No matter what else I found. It was a huge help last year. Kept me on a budget. This year I am not sure what we are going to do, as my "extra" money for Christmas was used for my parents to move. :( So I will have to lower our budgeted amounts I think.



3cappuccinosmom -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/4/2009 3:08:45 PM)

I shop through the year.

I was having fun looking through Christian Book Distributors bargain pages though. It's hard to beat a FOTF Radio Theater CD (Narnia) for 3.99. I know my oldest is going to love that!



W.O.F. -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/5/2009 12:53:42 PM)

I shop throughout the year.

I make a lot of the gifts for our parents...things like soup mixes, etc. Things they can use...they don't need or want anything ...so I make something that they can use at their leisure. I will often tat or quilt something for the mothers...something pretty for their homes.

I make things for my kids.

We don't give gifts to my siblings...there are too many of them...we instead make sure to pick out individual cards that mean something to each one of them.

We don't give gifts to all my nieces and nephews....again...too many of them!

We do give gifts to my husband's sister's children...as they are the only niece and nephew on that side. We keep it simple....10 dollars or less usually, or we get them a subscription to a magazine (literary...like Cricket, etc) that we KNOW they'll enjoy.

We make gift for hubby's sister and her husband...usually along lines of what we make parents.

We regift special things of ours that will mean something to the child we give it to.....



3cappuccinosmom -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/5/2009 1:09:19 PM)

I heard a great idea today--for family gifts or for aquaintances, make a candy wreath.

I'm going to change it up a little and make some cookie wreaths for the families we know that have kids. Mine will enjoy helping make the cookies, and their kids will enjoy eating them. [:)]



weeble -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/5/2009 2:44:56 PM)

A few years ago we began to focus on spending time together, not on giving gifts. We planned fun activities and games. We have also concentrated more on giving to others and volunteering. This year we have less money than in the past because of a job cut, but we will not need to make changes as we haven't been spending much anyway.

We are also trying to eat healthier, so the candies and cookies are changing to homemade nut mixes and granola.

I also make homemade lotions and lip glosses to give away.



3cappuccinosmom -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/5/2009 4:36:55 PM)

Try checking your area for discount or overstock stores.

We went to a local one today and it was great. You really have to pick things over and make sure they're in good shape, but there was a huge selection of Christian books, Bibles, and gift books, besides the rest. I found the perfect gift for my sister for about 1/3 the price it would have cost me at a regular store. [:)]



W.O.F. -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/7/2009 1:27:16 PM)

Or...write a poem or ballad (such as the adorable one that maggie's dad wrote for her son)...and do it up in calligraphy and have it framed for that person.



3cappuccinosmom -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/7/2009 3:19:32 PM)

[:D]

The most meaningful gifts I have ever recieved were a song and a poem (for different occasions) composed by my dad. They cost him nothing, but there was a tremendous amount of thought put into them and they are precious to me. One was actually a song for me and Josiah, and the other was a poem written for me after the first baby we lost.



OneOfHisJewels -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/7/2009 7:48:22 PM)

I'm saving the most $ on my dad's present...

Old book from a friend 0 dollars

Wrapping paper old target bag (he hates wrapping paper) 0 dollars

The fact that the book takes place near where he grew up, and that almost every other page mentions "the Packard"(his favorite car), and the fact he will be thrilled I spent no $-----priceless



Psalm22 -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (11/12/2009 1:04:38 PM)

Partly I regift. Partly one friend and I have agreed to exchange cards only, no gifts, for both Christmas and birthday. And I'll admit I mostly do gift cards. I give to a limited number of people so that holds the cost down.



writerchick -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (12/8/2009 1:22:20 PM)

This is completely strange, but I was able to get my swim teammates all a CD in exchange for a can of food that I got on sale.

I used 6 cans of Del Monte green beans, corn, etc that I bought for $.33 each when combined with a sale and coupons.

There was a CD sale at work where the cans were worth $.50 each. The CDs were originally sold for $1 each, but marked down to $.50 at the end of the sale. That way I was able to trade one can per CD to get gifts for my teammates.



buckifn -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (12/9/2009 2:18:27 PM)

Gifts do not have to be material things. We have a huge family get together and exchange gifts based on whatever talent each one has...I cannot wait to see what the grandkids are doing this year! Last year they did a cheer their parent's helped them make up just for us! Since my kids were very little we always kept the focus on Christ during Christmas...very intimate family traditions and the greatest blessing is seeing them carry them forward now with their kids.


Christmas Eve is always centered around Candlelight Communion. That is the most anticipated event. Several years ago we started giving each other an ornament that reflects on 1 of our fav memories of that person so thats a much anticipated exchange too.

Instead of giving lots of gifts to others we adopt a few people in the community and give to them. Last year it was bike's, this year we have elected to adopt several military families (but they don't know it) It's going to be quite an adventure! I will have to post more about it later.

Another way to save money is decide early on a theme, collect stuff all through the year and put together a nice gift basket. For

Mother's Day we did spa basket's for several of the Military wive's and they loved it.

Another thing I am working on for the grandkids is writing a story about me and their daddy when he was their age. I think it's going to be a hit.



spiritchsr1 -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (12/13/2009 10:01:12 PM)

We shop at the budget discount stores such as Big Lot's, Marc's, and usually Walmart. We stay way from the expensive shopping malls. I'll throw in K Mart as well. These stores really keep the cost of Christmas shopping down.

Spiritchsr1



Mollymouser -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (12/14/2009 7:35:10 PM)

I love "treasure hunting" at stores like Big Lots, Tuesday Morning, etc.



WholeHeart -> RE: Money-Saving Ideas for the Holidays? (12/20/2009 12:43:29 AM)

I am actually getting a lot of Christmas presents secondhand. They are nice things, though, that I would not be able to afford to buy new.



Page: [1]



Forum Software © ASPPlayground.NET Advanced Edition 2.5 ANSI