Why can’t we be so frugal – Part 2
October 3, 2008 by kellys
Filed under budget, family, frugal living, holidays
Yesterday I gave you a teaser on frugal thinking… Or at least a way to think in order to get what you want in life. I also told you I would tell you how I am saving at least $20 a month to put away for Christmas. See, I pay cash for Christmas every year, so any way I can save money and put it towards Christmas I do it. I love McDonald’s tea and fries on the dollar menu. I justify my treat as it comes from the dollar menu so it can’t be too bad. So I started paying closer attention. Now, every time I want to swing by to get a tea or fries, I take that money and put it in my Christmas fund. It seems to be around $20 a month and it isn’t even that painful.
What is it that you do or spend money on that you can put on hiatus for a few months in order to pay cash for Christmas? Why do we always feel like we have to put Christmas on credit? I haven’t in over 15 years and I have over 30 people on my shopping list.
I have been shopping for Christmas since the spring. I am just about done. I only buy things on clearance or make things. We never charge things like this. If we can’t afford it, we don’t buy it. A big way to save money is just to be creative. For my grandparents (who are in their 90’s and don’t need anymore things) we make and freeze meals. Starting a few weeks before Christmas we make a little extra of the meals I cook for dinner. We freeze them in individual portions. All they have to do is thaw, reheat and eat. They love it!
My husband and I do not have any credit cards and don’t plan on getting any! We always live on cash. Sometimes it might make things tight for a week or two, but it all works out.
I’m so bad with surrprises thatI will begin buying this month. Funny never cared about whether hubby charged it or not, until I started paying bills too. Its cash only and I’m doing SALES.
This is the second year that we’re going to be paying cash for Christmas gifts. It’s such a nice feeling to not be hit with that post-Christmas surprise of the credit card bill.
For a lot of our friends, instead of buying high ticket items we make baskets full of things that will remind them of us. This we’re making some homemade bbq sauce and a 12 spice rub, some baked goods and for the adults – a cranberry orange cordial (very inexpensive to make, but very time consuming). Each family member contributes their own little something to the basket – this year the kids are making cinnamon ornaments. We’ve gotten a better response from these baskets than we ever got from something material. I guess it really is the thought that counts.
Luckily, my husband always has an extra paycheck near the end of the year. We take that check and use it for Christmas. We hit Black Friday and are nearly finished shopping in one day.