Here is a gift basket that I recently helped my mom make for a birthday present. Included in this gift basket is a mug with matching plate, two boxes of tea, a devotional book, $10 Target gift card, and some peppermints.

Even making this gift basket yourself, you could easily spend $50 or more on these items. Here are some tips on spending less:

1)  Look for used baskets that are in good condition.  You can find these at yard sales and thrift stores. 

2)  Shop for clearanced items.  Believe it or not, the coffee mug and plate were purchased at Marshall’s for only a few dollars.

3)  Use coupons to purchase food items.  You can combine a sale with a coupon to get boxes of tea or other items very inexpensively.

4)  Check out the selection at your local close-out or dollar store.  Sometimes theses stores get in close-out items that you can get at a fraction of the normal cost. 

5)  Use your prescription promotion coupons to receive gift cards which can be used in the gift basket or to purchase items to include the basket.  The card shown here was free because of a prescription promotion.

6)  Purchase clearanced ribbon or reuse ribbon from gifts you have received.  The ribbon shown here was purchased for about 75% off and only a small portion of the roll was used for this gift.

7)  Shred your own filler paper or purchase it at a dollar store.  You can shred colorful paper to go inside the bottom of your basket or you can purchase some for $1.  You will only need about half of the bag.

8)  Purchase the gift bag at the dollar store.  The dollar store where I shopped had two gift bags in a package for $1 which was half the price of the discount store.

9)  Use craft store coupons.  Your gift recipient may enjoy craft items, but you can purchase other items at craft stores.  Notepads, picture frames, flowers, and decorations are just a few examples.

10)  Add some baked goodies.  Just about everyone enjoys homemade treats.  Add some to a basket for an inexpensive personal touch.

What ways do you save money on gifts?

images (c) Karen Weideman

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

The Pampers Gifts to Grow Rewards Program rewards you every time you choose Pampers diapers, training pants and wipes for your growing baby.

Once you’ve become a member of Pampers.com, you can start collecting points. Just find the Gifts to Grow code inside each package and enter the code online at Pampers.com to accumulate points. Then redeem your points to choose items from the Gifts to Grow rewards catalog.  You can redeem your Gifts to Grow points for items such as Cheerios cereal, Dreft, gift cards, products from Shutterfly, and much more!

Pampers also has a gift for Thrifty Mommy readers.  Enter the code THRIFTYMOMMYGTG and you will be given 1 point, which is the equivalent of purchasing two packs of wipes.

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Also, in case you’re interested, you can donate to UNICEF’s tetanus effort.  Just five cents can help to save a child’s life from an excrutiating death.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy