Money Saving Wednesday…Friends, Family and Gifts
The holidays are quickly approaching and we will want to spend time with friends and family. It’s also the time we think about gift giving so consider these tips to make those dollars stretch.
Invite friends over instead of going out. Almost every activity at home is less expensive than going out. Invite some friends over and have a potluck meal. When we were broke college students we would have friends over for waffles. Everyone would bring a topping and I made waffles. They are inexpensive and real treat when topped with fresh fruit, whipped cream, and a variety of syrups. Everyone loved it and no one spent more than $1.00 or $2.00. When you are done eating play a game, watch a movie or just talk and catch up on everyone’s news
Don’t spend money on toys. This Christmas or birthday season create your own gifts. Kids have so much fun just playing with old plastic containers so be creative. Get a large box and go through your closet to create a dress up box. Hem old dresses so they are not quite as long and dangerous. Go through your husband’s old ties. Ask friends and family what they may have to contribute. Recently we had a family reunion and the boys were playing spy. It was so much fun to watch them walking around with an old briefcase dressed in an old sports jacket and sun glasses. Add scarves, old purses, old cell phones, even those old film cameras. Another really easy gift is bean bags. Just cut a square of fabric sew around three sides, fill 3/4 full with beans or rice and sew the last side. No fabric? Check out your closet for old skits or shirts and cut away! Make a target out of an old cardboard box that you have painted and you have a great game.
Clean out your closet. Speaking of raiding the closet…Go through your closets and get rid of some of that stuff you have not worn. Have a yard sale, take it to a consignment shop, sell it at an on line auction, hold a swap meet with friends or donate it for the tax deduction. In other words, turn that old stuff into cash. Use some for a dress up box for grandchildren, nieces and nephews or friend’s kids. It’s not just your own kids who love to dress up and pretend.
Yard sales. Yard sale are often full of lots of junk. Children’s books and clothing are usually great to buy as they are not used for very long before a child outgrows them. Hard cover books are usually also a bargain. Look for kitchen items that can be run through a dish washer and sterilized or don’t purchase them. When purchasing several items always offer a total price that you feel good about. Would you take $5.00 for all of this? The later in the day the better the deals you can get so, shop late.
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I love your small kids gift ideas! A few years ago we changed to make gifts only for Christmas with our teen age kids. Some struggled but most got very creative! Making music CD’s using their own self made music they recorded. Turning special family photos into a special story booklet. using fabric scraps to make quilts or clothing. The list goes on and on. This year I’m making special recipe books with stories to go with it using family favorite recipes and where they came from. We all work together and make a very special family calendar that goes out as our gift to over 50 family members. Our family spends about $200 a year on Christmas gifts mostly for postage, printer ink & paper but it’s spread out over the whole year and stocked up for when we need it. Our family would feel cheated if anyone ever went back to stupid store bought gifts!
My husband and I just finished reading a great book titled, “Financial Purity” written by Jessica V. Psalidas. Since reading this book we have been trying to cut costs where we can and to get debt paid off. Love your gift ideas. Hadn’t thought of the kid gifts- my kids would absolutely love playing dress-up- probably even more than toys! This tip will definitely benefit us this Christmas- thanks!