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 on 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

One of the best websites that a budget minded individual can visit this holiday season is Free Shipping. At Free Shipping you can quickly browse through hundreds of current free and low-cost shipping deals. Tons of popular shopping sites are listed at Free Shipping (over 1,500) including Victoria’s Secret, Target, Bloomingdale’s, Kohl’s, Sears, Best Buy, Old Navy, Nordstrom and Macy’s and the site is updated frequently.

When you click on a retailer’s section at Free Shipping you’ll get back info on each deal, purchase requirements, expiration dates and free shipping codes. In more ways to save news, Free Shipping has also …read more

There’s no time like the present to start saving money on shipping costs for holiday gifts. I know it’s early, but planning and getting started ahead of time is one way to save.

As we all know shipping costs can be substantial if you wait until the last minute. Choose gifts now, plan on shipping before the holiday rush and save.
Look for free shipping. It’s lame to pay for shipping when so many online shops offer free shipping. Plenty of places regularly ship for free and many hold special holiday shipping deals.
Ship to one place when possible. If most of your …read more

While I’m sure mentioning this topic is going to bring some eye rolls and heavy sighs, we can’t deny that Christmas will be here soon.  So rather than avoiding the issue, let’s take it on and discuss some ways to plan and stay out of debt.  As Dave Ramsey says, “Children do what feels good.  Adults make a plan and follow it.”  I propose that we make a plan to stay out of debt this Christmas.

1)  Audit your spending.  See if there is anything that you’re willing to cut out.  I’m thinking things like lunch out with coworkers, movie rentals, …read more

Penny Saving Household Helper: Five Hundred Little Ways to Save Big by Rebecca DiLiberto, Chronicle Books (2009), will make a great tiny stocking stuffer this year for any pal or family member who needs some tips about saving and budgeting.

Penny Saving Household Helper: Five Hundred Little Ways to Save Big is just a tiny little hardcover book;  4-1/2 x 6 in (it’ll fit right in a stocking!) but is packed full with over 500 tips for saving money throughout the home and garden all year long. There are many nice tips for saving money when cooking, stocking the pantry, cleaning, …read more

Earlier this week, I posted about some ways to cut out some of your Christmas expenses.  One of the ways listed was to cut down your Christmas gift list.  It’s simply not necessary to buy for every aunt, uncle, and cousin.  That’s not what Christmas is about anyway. 

Tiffany from Stuff Parents Need commented with a great question.
Do you have any tips for how to tactfully remove people from your list? We have a few aunts and uncles that I’d like to stop buying presents for, not because I don’t love them, but because I think us continuing to exchange presents is …read more