Prepare the foods yourself.  Don’t go out to the ham store and order a precooked ham or turkey.  I’ve heard of some people paying $30-40 for a precooked ham.  Yikes!

Shop the pre-Thanksgiving sales.  Some stores offer tremendous weekly specials to lure you in.  Look for buy 1 get 1 free specials on vegetables, potatoes, stuffing, and frozen pies.  When the turkey and sweet potatoes hit rock bottom prices, go ahead and buy those too.  Make sure you freeze the turkey and follow these safety tips to avoid food-related illness.

Ask others to contribute. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner by yourself is a big undertaking and it’s costly too.  Most people will ask what they can bring.  I recommend suggesting something easy like a pie and green bean casserole.  If you can’t think of anything at the moment, tell them you’ll get back to them in a few days.  If the person doesn’t offer to bring anything, you can say, “Is there a special dish you like that you’d like to bring?”. 

Borrow or use natural decorations.  Avoid spending money or new decorations.  See if someone has something you can borrow.  If not, go outside and gather pretty fall colored leaves, pinecones, acorns, etc.  If you’re looking to save money on new decorations, try stores like Michael’s and A.C. Moore.  Many of them offer 50% off sales before the holiday.  Sometimes The Dollar Tree has some good finds.

You might also want to read Tips for Hosting Thanksgiving Dinner.

What ways can you save on Thanksgiving dinner?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Stay put: Holiday travel is more expensive than traveling at other times of the year and bonus, it’s hyper stressful with long lines, crowds, and layovers due to nasty winter weather. Stay put. Call your family on the holidays to say. “I love you” and all of that, but honestly, does it really matter when you see your family if you typically only see them once or twice a year anyhow? I’ve always thought that visiting during the holidays only is totally overrated. Go visit in April instead!

Go potluck style: Potlucks aren’t as tacky as some people think, in fact some can be elegant and they create an easy-low-stress environment right from the start. Have everyone bring a dish or two, lay them out on a long table and sit on the floor with plates. Casual, more fun, less stress, and fewer groceries you’re responsible for.

Skip Black Friday: I KNOW people love this day, but it’s so freaking stressful. All the crowds, all the running out of deals, all the hassle. Save sanity and time, and skip it. Shop on a school day, early morning when the stores are less busy and when there’s less pressure. This will save you money because you’ll be clear headed enough to stop and consider all purchases.

Make it a gift card Christmas: Instead of spending lots o’ cash and time looking and looking for the perfect gifts, buy gift certificates in bulk. Good ones that won’t cost the farm include movie theaters, Whole Foods, iTunes, the local coffee shop, or Borders. $25-40 will get you a lot at all these places – well, except the movies nowadays, but it’s still enough for a nice day or evening out.

Keep entertainment low-key at parties: Easy finger food, drinks, friends and a nice garland or two is seriously enough to get a holiday party started. Pull out a low-cost white board for Pictionary and rent a movie suitable for kids, so that other people aren’t stressed out with having to find a sitter. Really, having a holiday party with a kid’s area will make you the most popular party thrower of the season.

How are you keeping the holidays low-stress and low-cost this year?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Directions:

• Unwrap your peppermint lifesavers and set aside.
• Precut your ribbon and set aside. (You can use your craft store coupons to save money on ribbon.)  The ribbon should be about four inches long. 
• Melt the chocolate.  Put a little dab of melted chocolate in the center of some of the peppermints.  You should do this on the back side of the peppermint so that the words Life Savers does not show up on top of the pacifier. 
• Place a mini jelly bean on top of melted chocolate in center.  Set down on flat service to dry and harden. 
• While the pacifier tops are drying, attach the ribbon to the other peppermints (pacifier handles).
• Using melted chocolate, attach pacifier bottoms to pacifier tops.  Let them dry/harden.

These can be arranged on a table as a decoration, set out as refreshments, or placed into favor boxes for your guests.

image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Not only are foodborne illnesses serious from a medical standpoint, but they take time away from your family, and can create costly medical bills. This Thanksgiving, make sure your family plays it safe with the following resources…

• A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey
• If you have a specific turkey question you can call the Butterball Turkey Talk Line (1-800-BUTTERBALL) all throughout November and December.
• Countdown to the Thanksgiving Holiday – heavy on the safety aspects.
• Food safety for a successful community meal (pdf) – this guide focuses on transporting food safely, say to a relative’s home for the holidays, how to safely plan family meals like a potluck, and covers all sorts of other useful tips as well.

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Check for leaks: Although you hear horror stories about leaks, unless they’re insane leaks, they don’t cost you that much in cash. However, wasting water is never cool, not from a green-minded or budget minded standpoint so checking for leaks is smart. A major reason to look for leaks is because one little leak may be part of a larger, more costly issue.

To check for toilet leaks…

Quiet leaks are tricky. Unlike a running toilet, which you can hear and does waste a ton of water, a quiet or silent leak won’t make an obvious sound. Flush your toilet and as the reservoir is filling, add 2 or 3 drops of food coloring to the water. Have a cup of tea, then head back to your bowl. If the water in the bowl changes color, the flapper valve should be replaced.

If you get a leak or another sketchy toilet issue, you can try to fix it yourself (ONLY if you’re sure you won’t make it worse). Toiletology 101 offers many excellent tips and tricks for all sorts of toilet problems. Or you can consult your own handy fix-it book, which, if you own a home is really a super smart investment. The Official Rent-A-Husband Guide to a Safe, Problem-Free Home: Quick, Easy, and Effective Solutions for Do-It-Yourselfer Improvements and Repairs – this book has a stupid name (um, yeah, only men can fix things – lame), but is actually pretty good for simple home fixes. Another more in-depth  book is Black & Decker Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair: with 350 Projects and 2000 Photos.

To save more money…

Take a picture. Toilets have some seriously weird components at times. If you’re not sure what a part is, or if you should mess with it, take a photo then head to the local hardware store. The folks there should be able to tell you what you need to fix it.

Make sure people are using the toilet correctly – for example, you may think your toilet is acting up, but really people just aren’t flushing right. With many low-flows you really do need to hold that handle down for a count of five. Also instruct family not to put things in the toilet that could damage it in the long term. Most toilets can’t handle small toys, tampons, and other stuff.

Don’t wait too long to call a professional. Seriously, water damage to your home is WAY more costly than any toilet repair – heck, you could put in a brand new toilet for less than what water damage will cost, so don’t under budget for a repair that you really should hire help for.

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

My coupon binder is so unorganized right now.  I haven’t clipped coupons in about a month.  This morning I spent about 30 minutes looking through coupons and clipping coupons.  Not a bad investment of time for the money saved.

Here’s a look at what I got today.  I spent about $21 but saved around $53.  That’s a savings of about 70% which is right on target for my triple coupon deals.

Heinz ketchup 32 oz $2.69
10/4 SS $.75 = $.44
*Smaller sizes are available for free, but this was a better deal for my family.

Betty Crocker Warm Delights $1.85
$.50 10/25 or 10/4 GM = $.35
*The two pack is available for $2.19.

Dial complete hand soap $2.25 reg
$2 sale, $.50q 10/4 SS = $.50

Windex cleaner $2.99 reg
$1.99 sale, $.55 tear off = $.34

Mueller’s noodles $1.49-$2.19 reg
$1.00-$1.50 sale, $.55 q off 2 from 10/4 SS = $.35-$.85 for 2

Fleischmann’s yeast $.99
$.40 q 10/4 SS = FREE

Skippy Peanut Butter 40 oz $5.99 reg
bogo sale $3, $.50 q 10/4 RP = $1.50

General Foods International Coffee Coolers $2.39
$.75 q 10/4 SS = $.14

Carnation Evaporated milk $1.25
$1 sale, $.50q off 2 11/1 RP, $.50 for 2

Prego spaghetti sauce $2.35
$.75q off 2 from 10/4 SS, $2.45 for 2

Chef Boyardee microwave bowls $1.29 reg
$1 sale, $.50q off 2 from 10/4 SS = $.80 for 2
also $.40q off 1 = FREE

Mazola olive oil cooking spray $2.99 reg
bogo sale, $1.50, $.50q 10/4 SS = FREE

Eggo waffles $2.35 – $.55q 10/4 RP = $.70

Pepperidge Farm garlic cheese toast $3.69 reg
$3 sale, $.60q = $1.20

Jimmy Dean D-Light bowls $3.19
$1.99 sale, $.55q RP = $.34

Kozy Shack pudding $3.29
bogo sale $1.64, $.35q 10/4 SS = $.59

Dannon Light & Fit yogurt, 6 pk
$2.50 – $.60q 11/1 SS = $.70

Nesquick single chocolate milk $1.69 – $.50q 11/1 = $.19

Coffee Mate flavored creamer 16 oz $2.39
$.50q on bottle or $.50 from 11/1 RP = $.89
(32 oz is $3.39 – $.50q = $1.89)

Sale items:

Martha White muffins, reg $1.19 each
bogo sale $.59 (I bought 4.)

Pillsbury flour $2.65-$2.95
$.99 sale (I bought 2.)

Campbell’s cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soup $1.39 reg
bogo sale, 2/$1.39

Crisco oil $4.39
bogo sale $2.20 each

Other deals:

Fleischmann’s pizza yeast $.99
$.50 q 10/4 = FREE

Preggo Broth $2 sale – $.50 10/4 GM = $.50

Hormel Pepperoni $1.99 – $.50q 11/1 SS = $.49

Do you have any coupon match-ups to share?

image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Finding a place for everything is definitely a challenge.  Another challenge we have faced is affording the organization supplies that we need. Here are some tips for saving.

1)  Plan out your purchases.  This month we bought closet organizers.  Next month, I’m hoping to purchase some shelving for one of the closets.  An extra $30 doesn’t hit as hard as the $150 you’d like to spend.

2)  Improvise until you can afford what you want.  The first month in our home, we knew that we couldn’t spare the extra money for closet organizers.  Our master bedroom closet is pretty large and had nothing in it.  For the first six weeks, we put our clothes in the hall closet and only unpacked essential clothing items.  Now we have two closet organizing systems in our closet and can utilize our hall closet for other things.

3)  Plan before you buy.  So many times we see a cool gadget or organizer in the store and we impulsively purchase it.  Instead of doing this, think about your needs and what you have to store.  Take measurements for the space you have.  Be sure you’re not stuck with an expensive gizmo that is useless to you.

4)  Get a second opinion.  Sometimes it’s best to tell or show your friends your storage problems.  They might be able to suggest something you hadn’t thought about or better yet, they might have something to give you that they no longer need.

5)  Search yard sales, Craigslist, and Freecycle.  These are free and inexpensive ways to get the things you need.  Place a wanted ad on Freecycle and Craigslist or search the ads already there.

What tips do you have to save money on organization?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I however, do not think re-gifting is evil or even slightly bad. WHY hold onto something you’ll never, ever use? Why not give it to someone else who may like it. What’s evil is having all sorts of junk around your house just because you think you’ll hurt someone’s feelings or because you feel obligated to hold onto stuff. That said, one fun activity you can plan for after this holiday season is a re-gifting party.

According to the book Penny Saving Household Helper, a re-gifting party in January is the perfect way to end the season – much better than allowing gifts to “Languish in a shopping bag until next year.”

Tips for a successful re-gifting party…

Only invite people who are really on board with re-gifting. This means word of mouth is a good plan.

Plan your party for mid-January so everyone can relax a little after the holidays before attending yet another seasonal party.

Have guests wrap their gifts then have folks draw numbers and choose gifts. Basically you can run it like a white elephant gift exchange. Or you can have a swap party where no one even bothers wrapping gifts but everyone just negotiates. One last idea is to charge a small amount for each gift then give all that money to a proposed charity.

Serve cool leftover or a  pot-luck style lunch to fit the occasion.

Also see 10 tips to make re-gifting easy.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1)  Unsubscribe from unsolicited newsletters.  Somehow I am receiving several newsletters that I am certain I did not request.  Most of them have an unsubscribe button at the bottom of the newsletter.  If unsubscribing doesn’t work, then block the sender.

2)  Have a massive deleting party.  I admit that I am subscribed to some google alerts and newsletters from companies such as Better Homes & Gardens.  I really enjoy looking at their ideas, but I don’t have time for it each day.  Every now and then I will sort my emails by sender.  That way all of the emails from BHG, Hungry-Girl, and Google are all sorted together. Then I can do some quick massive deleting.

3)  Delete anything with “Fw” in the subject line.  Like my hubby says, “If the person can’t take the time to delete the word ‘forward’, then it’s not worth my time reading it.”

4)  Have a separate account for work and personal email.  I think this is one of things that would really help me.  I should have done this a long time ago.

What tips do you have on saving time and sanity with emails?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1)  Use it for Christmas.  The candy that doesn’t have Halloween colored wrapper would work well in the kids’ stockings.  No sense in spending money on new candy when you have plenty.  Set some aside for later.

2)  Put out a candy bowl at work.  A little Snickers bar or Reese’s cup helps make the day a little brighter.  Cheer up your co-worker’s day with a little treat.

3)  Put it in your shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.  Each year, our family does several shoeboxes for Samaritan’s Purse.  I usually save our hard candy for the shoeboxes.  Of course, you’ll want to inspect the candy first and pick out the non-perishable stuff.  Put it in a sandwich size ziploc bag and place in the shoebox with your other items.  Don’t forget - collection dates for shoeboxes are this month!

4)  Use the candy in recipes.  I’ve heard of people adding chopped Milky Way bars to their cake batter or making homemade ice cream.  Search the internet and I’m sure you’ll find recipes.

5)  Donate it.  The local food bank could use it as a special treat to put in their food boxes for those in need.  Perhaps your child’s teacher could use it as a special treat or in the prize box.  Some schools have policies against using sweets, so check with the teacher.

What ways can you use the leftover candy?

image (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy