Let's share money saving tips for the upcoming holidays ( Christmas/Chanukkah/Kwanzaa )

[Mothernature]

Christmas/Channukah/ Kwanzaa:

Gift baskets from your stock pile

Shop garage sales for brand new items to gift

Shop clearance all year round.

Buy your holiday supplies at post-holiday sales

Black Friday

Gift baked goods or home made items and cards

Use points from reward accounts to purchase gifts

Barter items

Use money earned from rewards programs.

[Josiology]

This is the first year where I've actually done my Christmas shopping all year long. I'm very proud of myself, because I've tried in past years, but always ended up giving the stuff to my kids when I bought instead of just holding on till Christmas. LOL I'm really looking forward to Christmas this year, because instead of worrying how I can afford to buy gifts and running around like a mad woman trying to get all my shopping done, I can actually ENJOY the season doing things with my kids like baking, hanging lights (which we love to do), holiday crafts, etc.

Every year I try to pick up my holiday decor in the after sales for very cheap. I scored BIG last year (especially with the outdoor decor) so my goal this year is to NOT buy ANY Christmas decor at all before Christmas. I might have to buy more clips for the lights, or an extension cord, but that's it.

One thing I'm doing for someone's Christmas gift this year, is I'm giving them a year's supply of goodies. Laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, toothpaste, razors, etc etc. All those great cleaning and HBA's that I have gotten for nearly nothing. This person will really appreciate this kind of gift, so I'm looking forward to seeing the look on her face when she gets this humongous box to open.

Another thing to do to save money is to make your own Christmas cards. Now, this is only really "saving" money if you have the supplies on hand already. I'm a scrapbooker, so I have the materials already whereas, you may not be so this is YMMV. One year, I put all kinds of supplies on my dining room table....cardstock, glue, markers, stickers, flat embellishments, etc etc and just let my girls have at it. I told them to just have fun making cards for our family that year. They weren't perfect, but I'll bet you that everyone who rec'd one that year treasured them, and probably still has them to this day. (I know I kept a couple for myself....LOL)

I can't wait till Black Friday this year! It will be my first as a couponer!

[beth119]

I'm already half way there!

I think about the holidays ALL YEAR LONG.... so when I get an idea for someone...I am on a sale rampage until I get it for the price I want...

I do the bulk of the kids at Target's 75% off sale....

Mypoints is a great resource, also!

[Kristen.C]

For Christmas, I'm crafting or baking all gifts for people outside of immediate family members again this year. It's gone over really well, plus those are my hobbies so I enjoy doing the projects.

In the past I've made granola with dried cherries and white chocolate chips, candies/fudge, cookies, or quick breads. This year I may try to do jam/jelly or some other kind of canned goods, but might resort to something easier if I don't have the time.

I've been buying all of the fabric and supplies I need to make gifts using the weekly 40% off coupons from Jo-Ann's.

Not sure what we'll do for Halloween this year. No one trick-or-treated in our apartment complex, but we should be moved into our house by then and I'm assuming we'll have trick-or-treaters there.

[auntiali]

I second having the dks do the Christmas cards. I had my dks do them a couple years in a row and everyone loved them.

[Mothernature]

I do not make my own holiday cards. I find new sealed boxes at garage sales for $.25-$.50.

I've stocked up on free brand new toys (sealed) for my son over the summer. All given to us from other house holds. The same with decorations.

I went overboard last December with the deals. I sold the majority of them over the summer (saved a portion to gift to adults this year). I need to watch myself this year.

[thorrocks1]

I haven't started or even thought about Christmas yet :shrug7: I still have 3 more birthdays to get through .. but maybe this thread will get me started.

[nurseannette]

I save money by getting Christmas cards at garage sales, too. They don't
even have to be sealed as long as they are not used. I must say I scored some beautiful cards for like $.50.
I also look in thrift stores, yard sales, auctions, clearance ect for presents for my kids. As long as its in new to almost new shape I can use it. The way I look at it if its not in the original packaging great because I don't have to dispose of it, I don't have to try and cut it out of the packaging and I don't have to pay tax on it. For example, this weekend I got a brandnew looking baby cabbage patch at a thrift shop for $0.25. Does not look like she was played with at all. I will be giving that to my daughter for Christamas. Last year right about this time I bought 2 backpacks for my sons that were on deep clearance. I paid almost nothing for them, filled them with treats and small gifts.
I buy decorations used too, all year long. I like to decorate kind of americana rustic. I probably have close $1000 in holiday decorations that I have gotten for literally almost nothing.
Another way I save money is getting fillers at walgreens that would be appropriate gifts or stocking stuffers. The possibilities are endless.
My approach would not work for every family but for us the meaning of Christmas is not about accumulation of the latest gadgets,

[Mothernature]

I will not take or buy most used items. I purchase 99% new at garage sales. I had bed bugs once and they can hide in new looking items. They are a complete nightmare to deal with, hard to get rid of, and costs thousands of dollars to treat. Not worth that $.25 in my opinion.

[Mothernature]

I haven't started or even thought about Christmas yet :shrug7: I still have 3 more birthdays to get through .. but maybe this thread will get me started.

Do u need a FREE brand new soccer ball or 3?