Make a Budget – Once you set a budget, stick to it. Figure out how much you can spend realistically this year on Christmas. Once you figure that out, decide how to split it between each recipient.
Pay Cash – Whatever you do, if at all possible, do not use credit cards. Paying with cash will make you think before you buy and you will have to figure out if its worth spending the money on the item you are buying.
Make your own Gifts – It doesn't have to be tough to make your own gifts. There are many easy projects out there, even ones for the kids to make. And what grandparent wouldn't love a homemade gift from their grand-kids? And save even more money by using things you already have at home, scrap material, old clothes, glass jars all are great things to stash away for Christmas gifts.
Track your Spending – Make sure you keep track of what you spend. It might be worth it to get a little notebook to keep receipts or just to write down what you bought so you know when you have hit your limit. You can also refer to it when you are getting ready to spend money.
Buy used if you can – Buying used doesn't mean you aren't giving the best. Some used, like for instance on Amazon, are as good as new. Check out the deals on Craigslist too. But always check and make sure it works before you buy anything. Ask if you can plug the item in if electrical and check out everything before you buy.
Wrap with magazines or newspaper – This is not the biggest money saver but it does save enough to make it worth the effort. Try making your own bows, its easy and all you need is magazines and staples. Make your own wrapping paper from shopping bags or newspaper.
Sometimes coupons can add up to some hefty savings. Last night I was at the store and after coupons, I save $30. My total went from $78.00 down to $48.00. All because I checked out the sales and clipped coupons before I went to the store. So you have to put some effort into it but it is definitely worth the effort.
A new school year is just around the corner and many parents are crunching the summer budget to try and find supplies for their kids. Here are a few budget tips for when you do your school supply shopping:
Filed under Budget, Deals, Tips & Tricks, help by Comment. 
Some days its nice to just get out with friends and enjoy conversation over a few drinks. And there is nothing wrong with going out to your local bar for a drink or two with your buddies, but if your not careful you can find yourself blowing your whole budget on one single night on the town. We all could use some help on saving money at the bar.
Read more on How to Save Money at the Bar – Drinking your way Through the Recession…
Last weekend my wife and I went to over 21 different garage sales looking for good deals. It was really the first time that I had been exposed to such madness. I was a greenhorn in a whole new world. After a few sales under my belt, however, I was ready to go. Here are three things that I learned that will make your garage saleing experience successful.
Everyone is looking for ways to save money in this economy and if you work in an office, you probably have a hefty monthly dry cleaning bill. Here are some helpful tips on how to save money on dry cleaning.
Filed under Budget, Deals, Fun, Organizers, Tips & Tricks, help, holidays by Comment.
Shopping hotels is no fun when you are trying to get a good deal. Well its just no fun, but when you need a hotel, you have to face your fears and get that dirty work done. Below is some helpful sites to help you find the best deals.
Spending time on the internet looking for a flash drive, I found that there are so many crazy fun flash drives out there. Here are a few of the ones that I found, but there are so many more out there, go find the perfect one for you and make life a little more fun.
1. Americans, on average, buy 250 cups of espresso from coffee shops per day. With all of that money spent, save a little at least one day a week: Mcdonalds is offering Free Lattes every Friday from 7am – 11am, no purchase necessary. And they are pretty good. You have the choice between, hot or iced, vanilla, mocha and a few other flavors and whole milk or skim. That will save you a few bucks every week.
Who doesn't like free stuff? If you're like me and enjoy reading (or just having a lot of books on your bookshelf that makes it look like you like to read) Thomas Nelson is looking for bloggers who are willing to read books and review them on their own personal blogs and on a consumer product website like Amazon or Yahoo.
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