Look for pre-Christmas 50% off sales - Craft stores such as Michael’s, AC Moore, and Hobby Lobby frequently have select merchandise 50% off before the actual holiday.  The sales change each week, so be sure to keep a watchful eye on sales papers or better yet, sign up for their emails.

Use coupons - Some stores have online printable coupons or coupons in the Sunday paper.  Again, it’s important to sign up for emails from stores.  This is usually where you’ll score the good printables.  Also, check coupons.com.  A few weeks ago, I was able to get a $5 coupon off Mr. Potato Head.  Using the coupon, I only paid $.99 for the toy.

Shop after Christmas sales - This tip isn’t going to help you now, but it’s a great money saving tip.  Each year, I try to put aside a little bit of money so that I can add to my collection.  Some years I buy things for my village and other years I purchase things for my tree.  Now that we have our own home, I’d like to buy a few things for the yard.

Look on Craigslist and Freecycle - Sign up for email alerts for Craiglist and Freecycle postings in your area.  Many times during the holidays, people use time off from work to sort through things and get rid of things they don’t need.  You can also post a wanted ad.

Make your own - There are so many cute ideas out there for making your own decorations.  Martha Stewart and Better Homes & Gardens always have such great suggestions.  There are many other sites out there as well.

Look at dollar stores - Over the years, I have found some nice ornaments and decorations (including Hallmark ornaments) in Dollar Tree.  Things can sometimes be a bit junkier than in times past, but occasionally you can still find some treasures in there.

Put it on your Christmas wish list - When your family and friends ask what you want for Christmas, be sure to tell them some Christmas decorations.  You might want to be specific though, so that you don’t end up with something hideous.

Be content - Realize that it’s not reasonable to have everything at one time.  It takes years to accumulate the things you want.  Be happy with what you have, try not to covet other people’s things, and have a simple and happy time.

What tips do you have for saving money on Christmas decorations?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1)  Grow your own.  Growing your own can help to drastically cut your food bill.  As an added bonus, you get to control the use of fertilizers and pesticides. 

2)  Can and freeze for the winter months.  Many people plan a large garden so that they will have enough to can and freeze for future months.  These come in handy for soups, casseroles and crock pot meals.

3)  Buy in-season produce.  I am more likely to buy cucumbers, tomatoes, and other produce when they’re at seasonal low prices.  When tomatoes are $.99/lb I’ll plan to make pico de gallo, tomato casserole, and other dishes that use tomatoes.  When they’re $3.99, I find something else to make that’s less expensive.

4)  Buy locally.  Last week I was thrilled when I stopped at the farmer’s market and found squash and zucchini for $.19/lb and sweet potatoes for $.29/lb.  I walked out with two large bags of produce for only $2.97.

5)  Properly store the vegetables.  Some vegetables like to be stored in air tight containers.  Storing vegetables the proper ways lengthens their lifespan. 

You might also like 10 ways to eat more fruits and vegetables.

What ways do you save money on vegetables?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1.  Borrow books from friends. Of course, be willing to let them borrow your books too.

2.  Shop yard sales and thrift stores. Sometimes you can find some great deals in those stores.  Once while shopping at Good Will, I found a bunch of Scholastic books and some curriculum.  It was obvious that a teacher had donated it all.

3.  Shop online. I’m thinking Craigslist, Ebay, and Amazon.  Of course, there are other sites.

4.  Visit the library. The library may not have every book you ever wanted, but the computer database they have allows you to search other libraries in the area.  If another local branch has the book they can put it on hold for you.

5.  Try a book swap. A local business that I used to frequent had a small book exchange inside.  You could swap books without any money spend or commitment.  If nothing like this is around in your area, perhaps you could organize something at your home with friends or for the public at a community center.

6.  Shop at book exchange stores. These are stores that sale mostly used books.  You can buy, sell, or trade.

7.  Order in bulk. If you’re part of a book club, see if you club can order in bulk.  Sometimes you can save 50% or more on your books this way.

8.  Be realistic about what you purchase. How many times have you bought a book and then never read it?  I know I’ve done this a few times.  Be realistic and save money.

9.  Shop at warehouse stores. Stores such as Sam’s Club, BJs, and Costco can offer great savings on books because they buy such a large quantity.

10.  Get the download. Many books are available online for download as a much lower price.  The downfall is there is no hard copy, but some people like that option.

What ways do you save money on books?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1) Shop sales and use coupons. During this time of year, you might see holidays items on sale. If you see the cocktail weenies on sale buy 1 get 1 free, go ahead and purchase enough for your party rather than paying full price later. Of course, make sure they’ll still be in date.

2) Have a potluck or cook off. Have a soup party or chili cook off. Award a prize to the winner.

3)  Borrow decorations and glassware.  Some of your friends and family may have a punch bowl, hurricane lanterns, greenery, and other items you can use.

4)  Serve inexpensive foods.  Rather than paying high prices for expensive finger foods, have a simple inexpensive meal.  Something with pasta is usually inexpensive.  You can also make cakes, brownies, and cookies for little cost.

5)  Make your own invitations.  You can make your own invitations using card stock.  Also, check discount stores for bargains on premade invitations.  If you feel it’s ok to go paper-free, you can email the invites.

What ways do you save while entertaining?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

1)  Give less candy.  Kids don’t need all of that sugar anyway.  I’ve even been to some houses that just have a big bowl sitting out on the porch.  Cut back on the amount of candy you give.

2)  Buy in bulk.  If possible, check out deals at warehouse clubs.  Most times the prices are less and they have assortments of candy just for Halloween.  If it’s too much candy, split it with a friend or neighbor.

3)  Consider giving alternate treats.  I like those little bags of pretzels because it gives kids a snack rather than just candy.  In addition to this idea, be on the look out for low prices on small toys, trinkets, stickers, etc.  You can also pick these up on clearance after Halloween this year and save them for next year.  I bought several packages of insects, snakes, etc after Halloween last year for $.25 per pack.

4)  Save candy from other events.  Before Halloween actually comes around, chances are your children have gone to Halloween parties, fall festivals, parades, and other events.  Save the excess candy for your trick-or-treaters.

5)  Stay away from the chocolate.  You can pretty much guarantee that you’ll find great prices on gum, lollipops, and other hard candy.  Chocolate is much more expensive . . . but so tasty! mmmm

What ways do you save on Halloween candy?

Please also check out ways to save on Halloween – Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

4)  Don’t buy new boxes.  The last time my husband and I moved, we bought about eight boxes.  The rest were boxes that we picked up from grocery stores, Wal-Mart, and other places.  If you like for all of your boxes to be the same size, then try purchasing used moving boxes.  I’ve even seen them being given away on Freecycle.

5)  Compare truck rental rates from different companies.  Compare the size of the truck with the price and know if they’re going to charge you per mile that you drive or if some miles are included in the deal. 

6)  Consider moving on a weekday.  I’ve been told many times that it is cheaper to move during the week.  I guess it makes sense because of supply and demand.  More people want to move on the weekends.  If you’re able to move during the week then check out weekday rental prices.

What ways do you save money when moving?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

As you all now, I’m a bit of a tightwad and I try to save money whenever I can so here are some money saving tips to consider when moving:

1)  Do it yourself!  Don’t hire a moving crew.  They charge an enormous amount of money to move your stuff.  Try to do it yourself, as much as possible.

2)  If you must hire someone, consider hiring some college students or other strong guys.  Even if you have to pay a few guys $100 each, it’s so much cheaper than a moving company.

3)  Call on friends.  Friends should be willing to help you out when you need it, especially if you’re one that lends a hand to them.  Call up all your friends and schedule a moving party.  Promise to have pizza delivered at the end of the day or take them out to your favorite restaurant. 

Stay tuned for more ways to save money when moving.  What ways do you save?

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Post from: Thrifty Mommy

When my husband and I were first married, we wanted to start saving for a house right away. This wasn’t difficult considering he moved into my apartment, and we had the cheapest rent in Queens. (Thanks Mrs. B!) We credit one small thing with enabling us to save lots of money.

Before we were married, both of us enjoyed lunches out with co-workers or ordered in when we took working lunches. We nipped that practice in the bud right after coming home from our honeymoon. This was a savings of anywhere from $10 to $50 each day! Lunch was good too! Since I worked later hours, my husband cooked dinner. He always made enough for at least four portions – two for dinner and two for lunch.

Of course there were other ways to save money, clipping coupons, not keeping a credit card balance and comparison shopping, to name a few. Not buying lunch every day made the biggest difference.

Now, I do work from home at the moment, but eight years later my husband is still brown bagging it – and still saving us money.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Being unemployed is such a bad status. Being unemployed and broke is worse! Just before you run out of funds for the bills after getting that lay-off, here are some ways you can save your savings and your face while undergoing the in-between employment phase that you hate the most.

1. Cut it out with some unnecessary expenditures.

If you still spend the same amount of money you spend when you still have your 9 to 5, chances are you will blow away your savings in no time. Minus gas expenses, parking fees and frequent lunch outs, you should be doing just well if you have a decent savings account that is. If you can kick away your smoking or java cups, the better you will fare with your financial management feat. Search for the best deals.

2. Lower your energy bills.

Since you will be staying more at home, chances are your energy bill will go higher than when you were still working. But you can still make things in control by making sure that you use your phone during off-peak hours if it’s not an emergency call.

Read more energy bill and phone bill saving tips.

3. Make the most of your free time.

Time is gold, yeah? And when you are unemployed, you have lots of it.  One way to maximize your time when you don’t have to wake up early the next day is to use your time instead of paying for stuff that will buy you more time. Got it? One example from is to walk or choose train over a cab if you can. Also, comparison shopping can be done more often and more conscientiously now that you don’t have think of your office work while doing it.

4. Entertainment doesn’t have to be expensive.

You don’t have to deprive yourself of some entertainment even when you now can’t afford going to clubs every other night. Video rentals, museums, exhibits and other less expensive forms of entertainment abound. Your spouse or boyfriend/girlfriend can be of great help in this endeavor, too. Hehe..

And don’t forget to reinvent yourself while undergoing this dark life in your career. Learn a new lingo, volunteer, and keep vamping up your CV. You can even turn it into an awakening stage, learning new skills or untapped talents that can make you succeed in your work life or even others aspects of your personal life soon. And if you think you are loving not having anyone to boss you around, why not put up a low-cost home business?

(image from salvationinc.org)

Post from: Thrifty Mommy