It’s easy to save money on holiday meals using some basic common sense, sharing in the meal prep, and keeping it green. Shop early: Finding holiday fare on sale means shopping early. You can pick up a budget turkey right after Thanksgiving, and freeze it til Christmas.

When you wait too long, you may be forced to pick up national vs. store brands of items like condensed milk and pie filling, which will cost you.  Save fresh fruits and veggies as day before buys, but get everything else early.
Share the fame: I know folks who want to whip up an entire …read more

Sanity is a good thing to keep intact, and one November strategy is to skip the overcrowded, stressful, irrational day we call Black Friday. Black Friday in my opinion is not THAT big a deal. I normally skip it because of the consumer issues; seriously, most of us get that day off so why not spend it on time with your loved ones vs. standing in lines at store. But even if you don’t frown on the over-consumption issues related to Black Friday, there are still good reasons to let it go. Skipping it can also save you time and …read more

Honestly, we all know that the number one reason to be diligent about toy safety is to protect the health of our little ones. However, playing it safe also can save you money. Why? Shoddy toys break easier and if there’s a recall that costs you time as well.  Badly made toys aren’t worth the same in terms of life expectancy and quality.
Most of all being safe can save you medical costs. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) notes that in 2007 there were a whopping 232,900 toy related injuries treated in the ER and 73% of those injuries …read more

Holiday tips are fairly common in the U.S. People tip their babysitter, doorman, the cleaning folks and more a little extra during the holidays or give gifts instead of tips. However, who you tip or gift and how much depends on the person and the service they provide.  For example, a favorite teacher may do a great job, but you’re not going to tip him. It’s more likely you’ll get him a little gift. On the other hand you’d love your cleaning person to keep on doing an amazing job, so yes tip more because while a teacher won’t expect …read more

Christmas is not only overly expensive but can be totally stressful too. In fact the issues usually go hand in hand. Really it’s time to end this stressful holiday nonsense and get back to holiday celebrations that actually matter and that are actually fun, don’t you think? Here are some ideas to cut your budget and your stress level this Christmas…

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 …read more

No matter how you slice it, re-gifting is always a tricky topic. Some folks are super gung-ho to re-gift when necessary, others find it terribly tacky, and some people think it’s downright evil.
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 …read more

We’ve covered all sorts of ways to save big time on holiday goodies and celebrations here at Thrifty Mommy – here are six new bonus holiday saving tips…

Don’t waste money on gifts you can’t send – the post office will have a heart attack if you try and send gifts like perfume or items with batteries (both are considered hazardous materials). Don’t even bother.
Get one gift in bulk and go nuts – wine retailers, for example and other retailers who specialize in one item only (say chocolate truffles or poinsettia plants) will give you a nice friendly discount if you …read more

For holiday gift giving, kids sometimes need a little push. I’m not a fan of giving gifts galore, but that’s mainly because I’m interested in more meaningful and less expensive holidays. That said, I also think it’s smart to include your child in what gift giving you do participate in, because kids tend to get, get, get during the holidays, so a little giving can go a long way at forming their mindset about the holidays. Also, this creates a good opportunity to discuss money and budgeting issues.

How to pull it off:
Give each child a set budget for gifts. I …read more

Holiday clothing can add up fast. There are special meals, parties, and work related events that may require you to dress up. My best advice is to keep it casual – that’s the cheapest option and also one that keeps everyone a little more chill and relaxed (especially kids). However, if you must dress up, or want special pictures with the kiddos, here’s how to save on holiday clothing.

Pick your shoes first and make um good: If everyone in the house needs a pair of holiday dress up shoes, get that shopping out of the way first. Go with a …read more

During the holidays many families stock up on liquor for family events and meals, which can be costly. You can save by trying these three tips…

Don’t have alcohol: This is not only thrifty but a sanity saver as well. It’s the holidays, folks are already stressed and often cranky – um, so we give them alcohol? Not smart. You can serve sparkling apple, pear, or cranberry cider, or some fun sparkling organic teazers, or visit MADD for plenty of ideas about how to whip up a batch of fruity and flavorful virgin drinks. Non-alcohol drinks, even super fancy ones often …read more