I shop throughout the year for Christmas so that I can buy a little something for everyone but not kill myself money wise. I also buy inexpensive ornaments after Christmas to give as gifts for the following Christmas. That way I am saving money yet giving a fab gift to a teacher, neighbor or a friend!

The big tip I have is, if you have the room, have a shelf or a clset just for gift..or make a box and start shopping the day after Christmas with the sales…now some stuff you cannot get but you can get things to make baskets for teachers, etc. I have a list of what events are going on too so I know so and so is getting married, they will need a present for wedding and can make a neat basket of baking and fun stuff. I will not buy junk- period but have bought and made a CHristmas basket of fun stuff for family going to the beach over the holidays using items I got off summer clearance- stuff they may have forgotten about or not bought yet. I use coupons and creativity and buy a pasta dinner- like a huge pasta bowl, pata, sauce, dried cheeses, and wine and loaf of Itailian bread mix and a few wine glasses for a couple that have basically everything for a little night out ( can also put a homemade bread in there instead of fresh so it lasts longer and put some fancy napkins and other seasonings instead of the glasses..
I make family night packs with bowlsfor popcorn- sometimes painting the names on of each person and a month long or three month at blockbuster online..that and microwave popcorn and some koolaid or mixes make it a fun family night. Think ahead and save money. There are things and offers for free items or shipping only through the year- think about the holidays, and if you spread it out, you will not have to go into debt and you will have lots of fun. Homemade gifts are awesome, but sometimes some are just not talented – you could make homemade bronie mixes, etc, or you could just make a booklet of gift certificates..babysitting, call me and you have dinner made- give me 2 days advance, etc…laundry, housecleaning, gardening, you name it..raking the leaves..shoveling the snow…thinking ahead saving money..Hey how about walking the dog? Get creative! Use whatever you have and go from there!

My mom is a great cook so she usually ends up cooking many of our holiday meals. Since some of us are more challenged in the kitchen (me!) We can all save money AND guarantee a good dinner if we just contribute the ingredients she needs. (honestly, does anyone want to eat my food??) It would save her money and man would our dinner be good!

Amys last blog post..SiteWarming Goody Bag!

I belong to bookmooch.com, an online book trading website. I have mooched about 20 free books to give as gifts this holiday season. In return people have mooched about 20 free books (I ship out to them) for their holiday gifts.

Great Contest! My hubby and I both work FT, so having the time, money and energy are important resources that we have to balance in order to keep our family that includes 5 kids happy and healthy. A typical Sunday afternoon in our house includes the whole family together in the kitchen, busily preparing the upcoming week’s “menu” of meals. A household favorite of ours is when we make a quadruple batch of a casserole,chili, or chowder. Casseroles,chilis,& chowders are nice, relatively easy dishes to prepare. On Sundays, after a family vote,we make four batches of a casserole, and a chowder or chili, and put the other three batches of each in the freezer. Then, the next time during the week when we need a quick main meal for the family, its so easy grab one of those batches and just heat it up in a snap! Its easy to change it up & add a little variety by adding a tossed side salad,fresh baked biscuits, etc.(this also makes it more eye appealing so the kids aren’t “staring” at the same old thing 4 days out of the week) Leftovers from that holiday turkey and ham are perfect (we have already planned a ham & scalloped potato casserole, corn chowder and turkey chili with our holiday leftovers) Doing this saves us alot of time & money & allows us to buy the ingredients in bulk, making each main dish cheaper than it would be ordinarily – and far cheaper & healthier than eating out or tossing a prepackaged meal in the microwave. Plus, this gives us great family time to socialize and work together, discussing & planning the recipe/menu,preparing the ingredients, cutting up veggies, etc. My kids really have an interest in helping and learning how to cook, too!Its been an all around success for us over 2 years now!

This year I am making some of my favorite females body butters and salt and sugar scubs to save cost. I have saved jars and gotten rid of the labels. I also love twitter, deals.net and all the blogs for wonderful saving specials at all the stores!

What a fantastic contest! thanks so much!

To save money we use pictures we have taken of our son through out the year, and my son and I make them into ornaments, cards, decorate picture frames. It saves a ton of money and our family love the pictures! We have also made music cd’s of songs we know the recipient would love.

to save in the holidays, i like to bake homemade goods such a cookies, brownies, and cupcakes. i pack them up in reusable tupperware or cookie tins and then wrap them up in colorful pages pulled out from a magazine or even the sunday comic strips! it is so much fun to put it together, very frugal and the recipients love receiving something different, unique and made with love.

I find that I am able to have more money for gifts if I don’t buy things I don’t need for myself. Instead of buying straws, I just drink right out of the glass. Instead of buying napkins, I just wash my hands and face.

Play a game using $1-3 gifts. The idea is to get together at the holidays.

But wrapping and ornaments when discounted after Christmas.

Buy on sale and only go shopping with a list. I\’ve explained to relatives that things are hard this and if someone really needs something we all put our names in a bag and pick a name. We all donate money and buy this for the person.

First I keep a Christmas cash stash all year in an envelope–I put a little in each pay check. I also keep an updated list of people I am going to buy for and when I see or hear of something I think they will like it goes on the list. I research prices all year (a little at a time) and look for sales/special offers–so I end up buying things through the year if I think I am getting a good deal.

Decide how much you can afford to spend and put that much cash in your wallet. Don’t use credit cards or write checks. It really forces you to think about each purchase carefully.

My best tip for the holidays is to plan well ahead and try to buy throughout the year, while you can get items on sale or even clearance. I’m usually done with my holiday shopping by October, since I’ve purchased throughout the year.

I have a huge family, which includes 5 daughter in laws. All year long I collect up free samples of everything from pot holders to shampoo, perfumes and books. There are freebies all over the web and Walmart has several all the time. Then I make up baskets for them for Christmas. The girls just love getting their baskets since they never know what I\’ve found over the year! Plus lots of these samples are really nice fragrances or hair care products that they couldn\’t normally buy. When they get into them there is always much swapping , trading and bartering going on! Plus- its always fun to throw them a curve—like the newly wed who will get Luv samples this year! LOL
Thanks to Nickelodeon and Walmart for sponsering this great giveaway!

I blogged here:
http://dun4fun-hondaray6.blogspot.com/

Rhondas last blog post..Jenny-O Oven Ready Turkey

No credit cards. Stay with cash.

I use my Microsoft works to print out a gift list and keep track of all my gifts on it. That way I know exactly how much I’ve spent and who gets what. It keeps me from forgetting what I’ve purchased and buying too much and everyone gets approximately the same amount spent on them. I have a large family and start early, so in in order to prevent overspending I have to keep accurate records ahead of time.

My money saving tip is to make Christmas about family and togetherness and not about TOYS. My children get two gifts each that they want and then the money we save on Christmas we donate to a charity of their choice. This way they learn about giving and not just receiving on Christmas. Our children understand that they have a blessed life and that they need to help those less fortunate during the holidays. This makes for a less expensive Christmas and a learning experience on top of that. It also takes the stress out of Christmas and puts the focus back on family.

Every year I shop with my friends one day and my family another the day after Xmas. They get to pick what they want that they didn’t get, I get to pay so much less and each one is so much happier!

We try to give what we have = the kid\’s artwork, homemade jelly and canned goods, handmade cards and scrapbooks. We gave our friends from church a winter\’s worth of firewood – we don\’t burn with wood but own 27 acres of woodland. We also use cash only and shop sales.

Enter contests that offer things you can give as gifts. I get lots of gifts that way.

I am always shopping for bargains. I really do most of my shopping online. Between the coupon codes listed on many different sites and cash back on sites such as live.com or mrrebates you save lots of money with the no hassle of shopping!

Give hand-crafted gifts to loved ones. This saves money and says “I care enough about you to give you something I created myself.”

This is especially good for children as it teaches thrift and discourages consumerism.

You can make cards and gift tags from wrapping paper.

every month our local drug stores have free items with mail in rebates. I\’ve been collecting all year to use as stocking-stuffers.

shop throughout the year when you can find things on sale or clearence

Like every year, we look for sales throughout the year and buy then. That puts no strain on any particular time of the year, and is a bit of fun throughout the year.

If you have to shop at a mall, try to go mid-week. The crowds are much smaller, and you have a lot more time to compare prices between shops. If you have a phone with mobile internet, compare prices in the stores with those on-line while you are shopping.

A fun way to save money during the holidays is to do a cookie exchange with people. Also, make presents instead of buying…or do the \"semi homemade\" get something from the store like a basket and go from there–got a friend who loves to go to the spa? Make a spa basket. She’s a cook? Make a basket full of cooking stuff. Easy, not too expensive but still shows that you put some thought into it.

Holiday meals can be very expensive, so I save money on groceries (and diminish extra weight gain) by eating lightly for a day or two before. I make bean soup or vegetable soup with bread.

oinkmoobaa (at) yahoo (.) com

I say watch the sale ads, check online for printable coupons and compare shop online. And plan your route so you don’t waste gas!

I always go shopping on the day after Christmas, which here in Canada is called Boxing Day. I always purchase gift wrap, ribbons, tape, xmas stuffed animals, ornaments, decorations, tags etc and usually they are 75% off retail price! I’ve not bought full price peper etc. for years and years!

This year, I have only spent $40 on Chrismtas gifts! I’m using various gift cards etc. that I’ve won and or gotten free during the year!!

Coupons and freebies are a great way to save money as well!

Thanks

Put your christmas tree and your outdoor lighting for the holidays on a timer.
I also get everything i need in 1 trip instead of making numerous trips to the store…
good luck every one.

It is evident that I am not the only one that does this, but I shop throughout the year, concentrating on sales. For anyone/anything that I do not have the appropriate gift from that process, I generally purchase a gift card from a store that I know the person utilizes. That way I am certain that they will be able to get something they need or want, without my having to guess. It also allows them to buy necessities rather than luxuries if that is what is more needed by them at the time–this is especially true if the recipient is in any level of low funding, which is way too common right now.

This year – to save money, we decided to make homemade ornaments to give as gifts. We purchased some very inexpensive glass balls from a discount store, along with some ribbon and potpourri. We soaked the balls in warm water to remove all the paint – after they dried, we filled them with the potpourri, and glued ribbon around the middle and used ribbon in place of hooks. These cheerful ornaments are a fun inexpensive family project to use at home, or give as gifts.

I started using my credit card for groceries so I could build up my cash back. ( I pay the entire balance each month) and used my cash back to buy gifts for my family out of state.

The best thing that I do to save money during the holidays is to limit gift-giving. With my siblings, our gift to each other is that we don\\\’t get each other gifts – simply gifts for the kids that fall under a set price range.

Wow! How wonderful is this! My best money saving tips for the holidays is to make a list and stick to it. You may run in to a store for a $5 item, but you also see a video or shirt that are $15 each. They gotcha!

Invite friends over for a home cooked meal, barter services instead of gifts.

Other than my kids, I try to buy inexpensive gifts for people. I buy inexpensive wrapping paper, it is probably going to get thrown away anyway. I get a couple gifts one week, then a couple the next instead of buying them all at the same time.

Adults in our family don’t exchange gifts. We only buy for the kids. We recycle Christmas cards by making them post cards after the first use. We keep gift wrapping to a minimum.

I also like to sale shop all year long and I enter sweeps to win gifts also.

The best Christmas was the year we won a truck full of Hot Wheels cars. Of course the truck was a great family gift. All of the boys in our family received a selection of Hot Wheels and we were still able to donate a couple of thousand dollars worth of toys to the Toys for Tots program. And that felt absolutely great.

Get a shopping group that finds the best deals. Then I shop at one store for all of the groups needs at that store and you shop for me and the rest of the group shop for the other stores. You take your cell phone and communicate with each other to get everything the group wants.

No need to run over all the place and waste time. Together we can save a lots of money and time.

Don’t wait until December to shop. I found my best deals yet on Nov 11th sales. Stores start early with their promotions.

I shop alot at clearance sales throughout the year. I also get my kids to make alot of our decorations. I also start shopping for Thanksgiving and Christmas meal stuff ahead of time. And so that I don’t have to skimp on gifts or turning on my lights I buy alot of frozen meals for December (usually bought earlier in the fall at sales) and try to cut down on other expenses. No entertainment money is set aside for December, there are too many “free” lights and activities during this month. We also spend more time with the fireplace and candles going and less lights on in the house.

Save money by starting early and jumping on sales as soon as they arise throughout the year. By the time Christmas comes, you’ll already be set!

Lat year I bought a bunch of boxes of Christmas cards on clearance for like 90% off!!!!!!! And they were at the Dollar store so they were cheap! My daughter used to work at a Walgreens and she would buy cologne sets on clearance so she’d have nice cheap gifts for next year and for birthdays. She also used her employee dicount to make them even lower!

Have a game plan!! No what you wanna by for whom. Shop around for the best price and avoid impulse buys!!!

Well, I’m not going to lie. I love to bargain shop! It is very unlikely that I will buy something if is not on sale or can’t get it at a discounted price with a coupon. Also, even if I’m into fashion… I refuse to spend more than $15 on a shirt. However, I rather buy my clothes from yard sales or thrift stores since you can still buy name brand things just like new without the big price tag. :)

lilacbutterfly [at] earthlink.net

I lay out all decorations the day before putting them up. The next day I devote to decorating and putting away all the containers. Then I clean!

Buy decorations, wrapping paper, ribbons, and tape after Christmas for next year. Start planning the meals early so I can watch for sales.
Buy and make gifts throughout the year.

I save all the DVDs,books and other prizes that I win during the year, I then give them as presents for Christmas.

Set limits…pay cash and shop sales!

Make a list of who you are buying for and how much you want to spend on each person and stick to that amount (or find some great bargains for less).

I\’d love to win this one! I start early, make lists & keep an eagle eye out for things I think my loved ones would like! I\’m usually finished shopping before Thanksgiving.

keep an eye out for sales and ads and shop at that time. go to places like: walmart, target, and big lots. you can really save alot and who knows, you might end up getting the majority of your list done.

use all your gift certificates

I shop all year long and store things in my closet for both Christmas and birthdays. Especially the day after Christmas.

Instead of stringing up lights outside and making the electricity bill go up, we string popcorn and peanuts in the shell on yarn and wrap that around the evergreen tree outside. The birds and squirrels love it and we get free entertainment! Thanks!

My kids draw names with their friends so I only buy one gift per child’s group. We also do homemade candies to give out, everyone loves those.

I always shop the after Christmas clearance for cards, lights, decorations, wrapping paper, whatever I will need for the next year.

My money saving tip is to search google or yahoo for coupon codes. I found a free shipping and 30% off your entire order for kohls. Now combine that with clearance prices and you have a merry christmas!

Comparison shop on everything and price match with a discount whenever possible. Thank you!

LEAVE THE WIFE HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

just like we switch lightbulbs, switch your xmas lights to energy saving LED lights…or even solar powered outdoor lights.

I always pick up some nice and inexpensive frames at the Dollar Store and give my boys’ school pictures as gifts to aunts, uncles and the grandparents.

I shop the year round for inexpensive but nice gifts that are on point for each recipient.

Have a ” pick a person ” system so all you have to buy for is that person.

I scour garage sales all summer long, looking for new items. Many are still in boxes of have price tags still in them. I can give an expensive gift for pennies. Christmas decorations abound at these sales. I can decorate each room for very little money and look elegant.

I put the cash that I want to spend on each friend/family member into separate envelopes with their names on it. As I purchase gifts for that person, the money to pay comes from the envelope with their name on it, and the change goes back in. The item and amount spent is noted on the front with a running total spent.

This past year I started saving up all my money from doing online paid surveys and point opportunities etc and I’m using that money and the giftcards and THATS IT to pay for my daughter and sons Christmas presents! It may just be a dollar here or there, but it does add up!!

Casey Hs last blog post..Thankie Thankie!

I blogged about you!!

Casey Hs last blog post..Getcha Some…

We try to save money by giving folks gifts that they actually need so they can save money in their day to day routine, and we spend a lot of time playing board games over the holiday and enjoying each other rather than enjoying stuff we don\\\’t need. We are much more about the memories than the merchandise!

My best tip is shopping for holiday decorations AFTER Christmas is over! In the past I have gotten expensive and gorgeous items for up to 80% off. I hit every big store early the day after that carries decorations (Home Depot, Wal Mart, Target, etc) and buy them up. I have reuseable crates downstairs and there they sit until after Thanksgiving. It’s all brand new and I save alot of money this way! I also do that with gifts by shopping year round! It doesn’t have to be bought during the Christmas rush to be a great gift!

My best tip tp save money on presents is the use of Secret Snata with the family members.
eddiem1.1@dslextreme.com

I think it’s really important to set up a budget and realize how much you’re spending every week on little things such as coffee and snacks. Once that’s done then you need to set aside a specific amount of money for your fun stuff..be it your snacks/desserts or your fun outings (ie movies). I think that gives a good foundation for saving money and being conscious of where your money is going.

I buy all my gifts on Black Friday.

twitter tweet!
http://twitter.com/Twincere/status/1030500994

My best tip is that I look all year long,with a large family I hit the clearance aisles an yard sales,you would be surpised how much new stuff is put in yard sales,so I pack it back an then im not hit so hard in December,an I can stay at home an decorate or make some presents that also save money

I start shopping the day after Christman for things I know my family would want.

Make your own Christmas cards and decorations for your tree. FamilyFun.com has lots of great craft ideas, step by step ornament making directions, and templates. Get the kids involved. They’ll love showing off their crafty abilities.
Have them gather up some pinecones and acorns and other things you can find out in nature and make your own wreath.
Thanks for the great contest. Happy Holidays to you and yours
gugel98atgmaildotcom

If your family is large have the grown-ups draw names to buy for one adult each and have everyone buy for the kids. This will cut down on gift costs.

Know your prices…sometimes sale prices are more than a regular price at a wholesale mart. I also look for change others have dropped….it adds up!!

Holiday shopping tip. Make a list of who you are going to buy for and how much you want to spend, then go shopping buy the items and then go home and wrap the presents and stick them under the tree!

shannon snows last blog post..Coupons Found in Todays Paper!

I do some baking for some people for the holiday.

The best tip I can give to have a frugal holiday is to plan ahead. I start shopping for the next Christmas the day after Christmas! I always find amazing deals that are even better than the before-Christmas sales. I keep a notebook and write down everything, including where I “hide” the gifts once they are bought. Throughout the year, when I come across an incredible deal, I buy it early, write it down, and store it at home. I’m usually done with shopping before the holiday season even comes around, and I have spread it out over the year so everything doesn’t hit at once!

Joanna @ Grace in the Homes last blog post..Wanna Win a $500 Wal-Mart Gift Card?

My money saving tip this year was to get together with all my “mommy friends” and their kids for a playdate instead of getting together to exchange gifts. Really, the kids don’t need more stuff and us mommies just enjoy spending time together!

Dust off the Sams Club, Costco or BJ’s membership card for this tip! One of my favorite kill two birds with one stone holiday tip is to spend one Sunday doing a large batch of baking to use as holiday gifts as well as desert for your own table for the holidays. Buying the items in bulk saves money! You can also find holiday gift bags at the .99 cents store that is not expensive to use to present your baked gifts. or if you prefer, shop flea markets for pretty baskets. Just make sure to get any allergy information from the folks you plan to make baked gifts for. While your best friend may not have an allergy, her husband or children might so just be sure to account for everyone if you are making baked goods for gifts.

The link to my post is: http://kbhawkins00.blogspot.com/2008/12/500-giveaway.html

Keep plugged in decorations in mind when contemplating your electric bill. Unplug Christmas lights and decorations (and for that matter, other applicances, etc.) when not in use. So much unused and wasted energy continues to go through those plugs, even when they are in the ‘off’ position, which is a drain on the environment AND on your electricity bill. The US Dept of Energy says that not only do appliances continue to draw electricity while the products are turned off, but in the average home nearly 75% of all electricty used to power electronics is consumed by products that are switched off. Unplugging unused appliances will become a good and easy money-saving habit once you do it enough!

To save some cash during the Christmas holiday, the adults in our family exchange names. Then we make it a fun challenge by limiting the gift to $20 and adding as many freebies as possible…..like coupons, samples and things like that. It’s ALOT of fun and we all really look forward to trading gifts!

Edwina Caitos last blog post..OK…I’ll Admit It…I Hate The Glade Lady

Tips: we shop all year for bargains taking advantage of sales. no impulse buying that way. i send away all year long for freebies or near freebies to stuff stockings with. it’s amazing what is free out there. we continually enter contests hoping for a win. but the best tip is teaching the kids it’s not all about the gifts. we visit those less fortunate and give our time to them. the smiles on their faces are worth it, it doesn’t cost money but the lessons learned and the benefits received make us all wealthy.

I shop for gifts all year long and get stuff on sale or clearance. I also make alot of homemade gifts.

I do a lot of my shopping online, which saves on gas and crowds, but the shipping can be a large expense if you are not careful. The best thing I have found is with Amazon.com if you join their Amazon Prime, for $9.99 a month (which can be cancelled at any time, and they give a free 2 week trial) they will ship anything you order with 2 day shipping at no charge. A major site like Amazon has so many options for presents, that you can do the majority of your shopping and save big bucks on shipping.

My favorite is to re-purpose and USE things you already have! From gift bags & bows, to the Sunday comics, to your own china and dishes versus buying paper, it’s amazing what we ALL already own that will help us avoid the need for more. We just have to have “eyes” to see…and maybe a bit of encouragement!

Thanks for the offer…I’m blogging about this now!

Gift cards make the best presents and save a lot of money. You get to spend a predetermined amount and you don’t have to worry about taxes because they usually just come in flat amounts. Also, you don’t have to worry about wrapping paper and tape; you can just put it in a card (which most come with). Plus the person gets what they want.

I use all the gift cards w/purchase/credit card points and cash back at this time of year to spend more \"free\" money than out of my budget. I also try to keep my eyes ope throught the year for bargins that would fit for Christmas – the gifts in the closet come out and then the remaining list gets made for what shopping I have to fill in.

I receive free things and winnings during the year. I have a box that I put them in. That helps with stockings, 12 days and presents. I very rarely have to purchase anything and my family loves what they get!

I tweeted here : http://twitter.com/AmyKareena

My money-saving tip is that: I changed all my light bulbs to the energy-saving ones and noticed our electric bill was about $20 less the next bill. We also were more careful to turn off lights when not in use and I unplugged some kitchen appliances that I dont use everyday.

2 entries then, right? :)

Watch the CVS, Walgreens & Rite Aide deals for free products. Gather a bunch of them together as a gift basket. You can even theme it, like the Economy Sucks & put in necessary products. Put a bow on it & it is a nice & useful gift that cost you pennies.

Ginnys last blog post..Book Review & Giveaway ~ Purry Logic

I\’ve found the best way to save money on the items I\’m looking for online first to compare prices and discounts. Some companies offer online coupon codes or even free or discounted shipping which makes life easier. Sometimes I purchase the items online or go into the store to make my purchases.

http://prettypinkchandelier.blogspot.com/

I twittered http://twitter.com/momof2dancers

Ginnys last blog post..Book Review & Giveaway ~ Purry Logic

The Dollar Store. Seriously. Stocking stuffers get so expensive and really add up. And if your house is anything like mine, the stocking stuffers get tossed aside for bigger and better presents. $10 fills a stocking at the Dollar store. Fuzzy slipper socks, lip gloss, stuffed animals, candy, hair things, markers, floam, silly putty etc…$1 each.

For online shopping check http://www.retailmenot.com before you check out anywhere. Chances are there is a discount code to be found.

ckbruce(at)rocketmail(dot)com

Christians last blog post..So much to be thankful for.

I buy early — as in, in Sept. and Oct. I also use RetailMeNot.com and FreeShipping.org to cut down on costs of online shipping. Thanks for the contest!
Megret
musesofmegret (at) gmail (dot) com

I bring my own lunch to work

I go to all my local stores and just buy the leaders. I plan our meals around them.

The best way to save money during the holidays is to pare down your list of gift recipients and give handmade gifts whenever you can (it’s especially cute when the gift is from a child!)

We save all the gift cards that we are given over the course of the year (unless they expire, of course)! Then, when we sit down to plan out our Christmas gift giving, we plan how to use the cards.

This way, Christmas shopping doesn’t seem so crazy expensive – because it’s all “free money.” This might not be exactly what the giver of the gift card had in mind, but we get a) the thought of the gift and b) whatever leftovers are left after buying a Christmas present for someone else gets spent on stocking stuffers for us!

lifeasamamas last blog post..Pictures of the bag…

Easiest way and best way to save money over the holidays: Utilize all or most of the above ideas. :)

I have 7 grandchildren, so all of these money saving ideas are greatly appreciated! I have found that my granddaughters’ very favorite gifts are their Christmas stocking. I fill them with little things like the little lip gloss and nail polish bottles from Walmart (the ones under a dollar), little flavored lip things by chapstick or others, hair ties and headbands, little “jewelry” sets of the princesses or others, silly socks and other things. Walmart is the greatest for finding all of these little, inexpensive items. I wrap some and leave the colorful ones unwrapped. They spend all day emptying and refilling their stockings!
Don’t forget to have a fun time with your shopping and don’t stress! Most little ones are happiest with the simplest things!

We are wrapping all our gifts in newspaper this year — wrap can be so expensive & it just gets thrown to the side anyways!

jpkitties last blog post..Good News – Bad News

I buy all of my gift wrap, decorations, and Christmas cards after the holiday season so I am ready for the next year. I also reuse gift bags.

I make one or two kinds of treats in HUGE bulk amounts at the begining of the season that can be frozen. I take them out in small amounts and use them for when we have guests over, as gifts and when we need to take something to a holiday party. Saves time and money, buying in bulk and only once.

Stacey Brills last blog post..Christmas/Wish Lists

I bake a lot of my holiday gifts. Right now is the perfect time to stock up on baking supplies – most grocery stores have great sales on them!! One of the grocery stores in my area currently has chocolate chips for 98 cents. They’re practically giving them away!!

Tanyas last blog post..Black Friday

Thanks for this great giveaway! My husband is out of work right now so this would be great!

We’ve been trying to save money on Christmas gifts for family and friends this year because money is tight. We’ve been taking advantage of offers on Freecycle to find new or almost new gifts for people on our list. We’re being picky about what we take and making sure that we are giving gifts that everyone can use but it is saving us a lot of money and we have gotten some great gifts.

Rachels last blog post..Thanksgiving and Everything Else

1. Make a budget (and stick to it)
2. Look around your house (we’re giving my sister a video game that we no longer use but would be too expensive to buy new)
3. Shop on Craigslist (we got my dad a very nice gift for 50% and it was like new)
4. Make something (like these pocket organizers …. http://organize-my-life.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-pocket-organizer.html)

We record everything we purchase in a freeware program called “Ace Money.” It allows us to chart where our money is going and keep a handle on our finances. We’re less tempted to stop and purchase Starbucks when we know we’ll be evaluating that purchase a few days later.

A good way that we can limit our funds on gifts for family and friends is we get out the calendar and we jot down a night that\’s good for both of us.

I invite them over for a yummy dinner and dessert.

There are 5 in my house here so cooking for a couple extra mouths really isn\’t much considering we usually have leftovers that I freeze for quick lunches or dinners.

We not only get to save some money on gifts, but in the end it\’s priceless because we get to spend some quality time with them.

To us, that\’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Tip for saving a $ a day: We use “Brown Paper Packaging tied up with String” for our holiday wrapping. I buy the postal shipping paper instead of holiday wrapping paper and then decorate them with an assortment of items… Pine Cones, holly greens, Holiday stickers, even hand drawn notes! We’ve been doing this for about five years now and I think it’s so much more fun than regular wrapping paper. Very personalized and MUCH less expensive. It’ll save more than a dollar!

I always do research before I buy anything to make sure I’m getting the best price.

I make it a game of setting a budgeted amount for each person before I start brainstorming about gifts. This keeps me from spending based on an idea that might be a sure win, but is really too expensive and it gets the creative juices flowing. I find it to be a challenge to do something thoughtful and stay under budget!

What a BIG BLESSING this would be….On Social Security….
Well, we use a combination of related methods. Here are some of things we do:

* Subscribe to blogs/newsletters (like yours) that explain how to use coupons, match them and how to get things for free (ex: last week I got lotion, shampoo, earbuds,razors and more- for free!) I then make theme based gift baskets for those on my list and for the local sharing and caring.

* Once ya know what the best deals are and where they are- GO TO WAL MART and Price match…. It works- saves, time, gas and money…

* Print love coupons- specific to each recipient- ex: parents of kids= free night of babysitting, elderly parents= # of hours of helping with things around the house- kids= trip to the park or library or game time.

* Shop the thrift stores and find out their sale schedule- then use it. (for example last week we got VCR tapes (good condition) for 20 cents each…. Great gifts- some were still in their original wrapper….)

* Use Ebates, Mr Rebates and cash back codes groups…. These saved us big this last weekend when rebates were doubled and a bonus for signing up was offered….

* Use local for sale and freecycle groups- works great!

* Start early and store it till Christmas and Birthdays…
Lastly- but far from least, Pray and ask for guidance and help…
May your holidays be blessed
Karo

For the christmas season we like to save on the wrapping things. We save and shred junk mail, newpaper ads, newspaper, old wrapping paper, brown grocery bags, they make great filler for the reused gift bags we have, or the ones we buy from the dollar store.
For anything we want to wrap, we use brown paper bags, which we get free from our grocery. Or I use a coupon to a craft store and buy a large roll of brown craft paper. You can personalize it by stamping it or letting the kids go crazy with coloring supplies.
It\\\’s so easy to save money on these things and people love the creative wrapping jobs.

Recently I gave my 2 young grandsons an inexpensive clipboard,a coloring book,a pencil box containing crayons,scissors,and a protractor. I also gave them a small snap box just big enough for a new deck of cards and a pencil case with colored pencils in it. The little 5 year old confided to his Dad that this was the best present I had ever given them. I would guess the cost to be around $10.00 as most all of it if not all was on sale.

I use the freebies I get at CVS with ECBs and coupons to make gift bags for teachers and others.

Ginas last blog post..Inexpensive Photo Cards at Kodak Gallery

My best tips for the holidays are probably not all that original, but they help stretch our $$’s. First, we only give the kids 3 gifts. And this year I read an extra twist to the three gift idea…and I liked it. (I do not know the source, I read so much) Something they want, something they need (perhaps the proverbial socks and underwear), and something to nourish the soul (book, devotional, family game to encourage relationships).

Also, use thrift stores, craigs list, freecycle, ebay and other bargain sites to find really good deals on what would be an otherwise expensive gift. Last year, I bought several gifts on e-bay for less than half of their retail value. (E-bay tip~ Use e-snipe or something similar. Your Welcome.)

For extended family (I have four siblings, two of whom have four kids), we have given the whole family a gift. One year we gave board games one year we gave everyone a jar of our own recipe homemade peppermint hot cocoa. It varies according to our budget. We have also given a gift to a charity in the families name.

My twitter handle is chocolatejunky..I tweeted about this too!

My best money saving tip is to look at every purchase for our household as a need or a want. Food – I need it and buy it. A DVD – I only wanted it so it went back on the shelf. The electric bill – I need electricity. The cable bill – I don’t need cable to survive so it got cancelled. You can really get back to basics and save a lot of money with this mindset.

I twittered you: http://twitter.com/LauraCh

#nick, Tip: Use last years cards as gift tags! Cut the written side off, punch a hold in the design side & write your to/from on the back.

My very best money-saving tip for the holidays is simple: Buy anything you can the week after Christmas, when it’s up to 90 percent off–not only decorations for your own home but also wrapping items and gifts for others–to use for next Christmas. You may have a little less to choose from, but the amount of money you can save is amazing!

Thanks to you and Nickelodeon for such a great contest, and Happy Holidays to all!

cherise420[at]yahoo[dot]com

I unplug all of the things that are not getting used during the day. I only plug them in to use them and then unplug again! except for the items that need to be plugged in at all times. It all adds up.

My tips are:
Buy gift wrapping supplies after the holidays when they are on clearance.
Use promotional codes for free shipping and percent off purchase when you shop online.
Cash in MyPoints points for giftcards.

We draw names so that we don’t purchase for everyone. It really saves us a lot.

I purchased all my gifts and decorations throughout the year when I found items on sale or clearance, and when combined with coupons I spent nearly $0.

My best holiday money saving tip is to use reward programs from your credit card company to pay for presents. Every 2 years we cash in our reward points and it’s usually enough to pay for the majority of our gifts. This year we got $600 in Amazon and Target gift cards. It’s a good thing too as money is super tight this year. Just make sure to not pay late and pay your bill in full each month or it isn’t really free money.

To save money this year my family isn’t doing gifts, we’re having a giant potluck dinner. Think Thanksgiving x10! And we’ll have lots of tupperware so everyone can share and take lots of food home.

My best money saving tip for the Holidays…
I open up a seperate savings acct throughout the year and then use the money I saved as well as the interest for gifts…no last minute trying to scramble for money. :)

I love decorating pine cones (gathered from our front yard) with glitter to display in a glass vase or bowl. Inexpensive, but gorgeous, holiday decorations!

Britts last blog post..The Point of Christmas

My tip is write down what you need before you go to the store and use coupons search online for them that way you won’t overspend.

I shop throught the year and hide stuff. I also like the enter local sweeps and contests and put my winnings aside to use as gifts. Being a single mother in school ive learned how to stretch things and make the best of them

Normally how I save money through the holidays is when all the sales hit. That’s when I can really save money and clip coupons when I can!
This year is way different so if I had to go by what I’m doing this year…It would be not being able to do much but little things for my kids.
Handmade things…And for everyone in my family.
You just do the best you can to survive :)

Krissys last blog post..Have a Giveaway you’d like us to mention??

I start shopping for christmas, mother\’s day, father\’s day, birthdays, etc the day AFTER christmas. I truly shop year round to get good bargains for everyone. I also enter giveaways and keep the items that I do not use immediately stored away for future use. I donate extra items for charity and toys for tots over the holidays.

The best way to save money is to shop ebay! They have some really unique gifts at great prices

I rebate all year long for totally free products like the ones you can get at CVS and Walgreens. Then I make up gift baskets with the toiletries, makeup, food etc. either spa basket, men’s baskets food baskets. Buy either fhot chocolate in the large size like at Costco or Sam’s and fill used jelly jars and decorate with last years ribbons and bows.

Decide to have a gift-free Christmas with extended family: just do a White Elephant gift exchange instead (so you only have to buy one present, or even re-gift!), and have fun playing games together or watching a Christmas movie.

I put cash into an envelope every paycheck for our Christmas fund. But I don’t horde it until December. I take it with me all the time and when I see a great gift at a great price, I use the cash on hand. I do very little shopping for gifts in December and get to enjoy the holidays with a lot less stress.

Thanks! HotMommy
sthomas76(at)auburnalum(dot)org

HotMommys last blog post..Admission

Thank you for giving an opportunity to enter such an awesome giveaway. I am just drooling over the keyboard thinking of all the things that I can buy for $500. Also, want to thank Walmart and Nickolodeon.My best money saving tips for the holiday are as follows:
1)Make handmade gifts (baking cookies,cards,photo albums,scrapbooks)
2)Recycle old gifts (reusing old gift bags,wrapping paper and even cards.Ofcourse only the ones that are in good condition.)
3)Look/Search in your home or collection if you have any gifts that you haven’t used. These items can be re-gifted to different people that actually might it and be the proud owners of it.
4)Set a budget for people on you list of gift giving.

syeda_lubabah@hotmail.com

I posted about this giveaway on my blog and about waiting till the grocery store has sales (usually buy one/get one free) to purchase food items for my kids.
http://kittyd-finejewelry.blogspot.com/

Kittys last blog post..Micro Faceted Rock Crystal Necklace and Earrings Set

Such great ideas have already been posted. One thing I have done is to give “family” presents instead of individual gifts; for example a puzzle for the whole family to work on, a game the family can play together, an “ice cream set” along with a half-gallon of ice cream (Ok you thrifty shoppers, I found the cutest set at a garage sale!)Think of what might work that would include the whole family.

I think the best advice is to use what you have.

There are so many different things that are used and even thrown away in our homes every day that could be turned into special gifts. For example, clean an empty aluminum can, punch holes in the pattern of a star on it, paint it, and put in a candle.

You can turn ordinary objects into many wonderul things. This can also be used for holiday decorating. Have empty boxes? Wrap them up pretty and use them as decorations on your front porch. My sister has even used tomato cages to make fun, abstract Christmas tree decorations in her yard using the cage, a pot, ribbon, and garland.

So, look around your home with an open mind. Think outside the box and let your creativity flow.

I blogged about the contest!
http://myfrugalfinds.blogspot.com/2008/12/enter-contest-to-win-50000-giftcard-to.html

Theresas last blog post..$15.00 giftcard to Subway Giveaway

Drawing names is the best way to go to save. The adults draw names and the kids draw names. For dinner everyone brings a covered dish and it takes alot of pressure off the worries of getting in debt over the Holidays.One year we made gifts for each other it was surpriseing to see how much talent everyone had in the family.

I would look around and see what gift cards I had and use them or trade them for ones I could give to someone. You could also buy something with the cards you have and buy gifts for others. Just try to use up what you have and still get wonderful presents to give.

I’ve been trying to think of different interesting and witty tips to put on each of these contests. I realize I’m completely shameless in my desire to win one of these giftcards. However, I am also really grateful for all of these contests. In reading the comments of others I have learned a lot I didn’t know and now have a lot of money saving tips I want to try this Christmas and for Christmases in the future. One tip I have that I am actually doing this year is making my own ornaments. My twins are at an age when glass ornaments are a bad idea so I’ve been making my own with the help of my kids. It’s been fun!

Sharlas last blog post..

I did tweet about it but I honestly don’t know if I’m doing it right or not. Here is the address: http://twitter.com/momnerd
Hope at least one of my tweets was right!

Sharlas last blog post..

My 2-9 year olds (of 6 kids) wanted Ipods (NOT). I bought them cheap walkmans, then burned a bunch of CDs I borrowed from the library! I feel so clever!

Coreys last blog post..Chocolate is always the answer

HOMEMADE ornaments for Christmas – turn anything your child makes into an ornament for the grandparents. Everyone will be thrilled – the child will be proud! You can put a school picture on the back too.

CPA Moms last blog post..Flirting With Forty

My money saving tip is to not exchange gifts with my wife. Instead, we’re going to roll up that gift into a trip to BlogHer. I’d call this money saving because she wanted to go anyway and this way we don’t buy chochkis for each other that will go unused two months down the line.

TechyDads last blog post..Of Wandering Toddlers and Harnesses

I decided this year to make my gifts in order to save some money. My fingers are crossed that everyone is ok with it!

Save money on decorations by buying them after the holidays when they are up to 90% off! Also check sites like dealtaker, slickdeals.net and fatwallet.com for great deals all year long!

I blogged about the giveaway here: http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ILoveToSave/

Turn old happy meal toys, especially figurines, into ornaments by screwing a tiny eye hook to the top & tying some ribbon through the eye to let it hang. We did this when we had a bunch of Disney characters from old happy meals. The kids still love them, years later! Email the family newsletter or Christmas card-save on stamps & cost of printing/making the cards. Cut snowflakes out of paper, laminate them, & hang them on the tree or decorate the windows with them.

research, research, research. compare prices everywhere and on line before buying anything, thanks!

I save all year by having a set amount automatically deducted from our checking account. I cannot touch this account without paying a penalty and in Nov the money is transferred into another account attached to my checking account so it is easy to transfer the money whenever I buy something.

save all your change throughout the year

Make a big crock pot of soup 2 or 3 days a week with dried peas, cup of brown rice, cut up carrots, water, 3 cubes chicken boullion, mushrooms, other vegetables and any leftover protein you may have in the fridge like chicken (or use a can of chicken). Let it simmer all day and have some when you are hungry (helps you lose weight).

You can make your holiday cards yourself, on your computer/printer. Or add a special touch and have your kids help out and have creative cards.

My #1 money saving tip is shopping at discounted stores throughout the year for Christmas gifts. By Christmas we are through and can relax and enjoy the holiday with family.

Shop for Christmas gifts at the after Christmas sales, then save for the next year!

We’ve always done lots of baking and crafting – and especially this year when everyone is feeling crunched! My kids and I decided to give our relatives gifts that will give them memories, skills or time together: cookie mixes in a jar, all those blogger foodie gifts, and craft “kits” we put together ourselves – embroidery, knitting, crocheting, jewelry making, etc. Cheap to put together and builds relationships – the real goal!

At the holidays, we all want to give to those that need it most – but often that conflicts with the already tight budget for our own family gifts, etc.

This year my boys and I (my husband is currently deployed) are saving money by eating soup. I have made a number of different kinds of soup that usually provide up to three meals for us. We usually eat it the night I make it and then I freeze the other portions (I even used leftover Thanksgiving turkey for one of them!) So, whenever I pull out a soup for dinner we put $5 in a jar to save for a Charity of our choice. My kids are making the connection of ’sacrificing’ in order to bless others…

And in the meantime, I have learned some really great soup recipes! =)

amandas last blog post..God Bless America!

I blogged about it!

here is the link…
http://everysimpleday.blogspot.com/2008/12/there-is-big-giveaway-going-on-yall.html

amandas last blog post..there is a BIG giveaway going on, y’all…

Whoops that money saving tip??

Hmmm. Lately I’m all about good will stores. I donate all our old children’s clothing and often find usable bigger sized stuff we can use!

Carissa (GoodNCrazy)s last blog post..Moms Make a Difference

If a someone has an interest in a particular subject, you can download free articles, ebooks, podcasts, videos, etc. on that subject and give them as a gift in print or CD/DVD format.

The printed items could be bound in an inexpensive binder or report cover or a coil binding from an office supply store. My library lets me copy 200 pages a month for free and I hear a lot of libraries have a similar service.

I am doing this for someone who is interested in starting a business as a life coach. I’ve also collected paper airplane designs and compiled them into a booklet as a gift.

Deborah Allinder Lees last blog post..A Few Money Saving Christmas Tips and a Contest

If you live near a college, you might be able to find a discarded tree, wreath, and/or other decorations in mid-December after the students have finished their exams and left for home. Another way to recycle is to make edible decorations from foods such as kale and apples.

If you aren’t able to get a recycled tree you might want to wait until very shortly before Christmas and negotiate for price discounts on perishable decorations such as a tree.

I save money in the holiday season by hand-making gifts that I think the person could really use. For example, my sister and brother in law say their new home gets really cold in the evening, so I made them each new fleece throws. This way, the gift is really special AND it is easy on the wallet.

I start buying gifts after christmas and continue all year long. I also keep a list of what I have purchased, so that I don’t forget about it. In the fall as the holiday deals start to come out, I finish up my list with whatever bargains I can pull together!

We put our holiday lights on a timer so that they don\’t get left on longer than necessary.

We also shop year round from clearance racks.

I blogged about your contest on my blog at:

http://likeabull.blogspot.com/2008/12/big-huge-give-away.html

Our family saves money during the holidays by setting a price limit for gifts at about $10 per person and then we come up with a creative theme. Last year we had to buy gifts that started with the first letter of our name.

Thanks for the chance to win.

What a great giveaway!

I’m trying to make as many gifts as possible. We have a new baby in our family, so most of our relatives will get some sort of photo gift.

sallys last blog post..Bargain Hunting

regift, use brown paper bags for wrap and trim with whatever youmight have , like all the free stickers that come in the mail, crayons, paint, old buttons, yarn etc.

My family draws names and puts a $50 limit on gifts that way we don’t go broke during the holidays. Everyone still buys for the children but it saves a lot of money anyway.

Amandas last blog post..Herbed Focaccia

Sign up for email lists at all your regular stores. Everyone has big sales coming. I have a super pricey baby boutique nearby that is having a 50% off sale. I got a pair of See Kai Run shoes for $15. I never would have paid the regular price for those.

One way to save is to shop the days after Christmas for next year. Its a great way to get decorations cheap!

Kathys last blog post..Jamie and Family

put a certain amount of money in an envolope to give each person

I have five daughters, and we realised early on that 25 gifts would be FAR too many to buy, if each of them were to buy a gift for each of their sisters!

Every year they draw names, and it has become a grand tradition. They all go shopping on one day, together, and buy their gifts with a limit of about $5. They sneak around stores and hide and make jokes about not having been in an area of the store or bought certain things. Not only is it cheaper — it’s more fun.

Jens last blog post..Giveaways

our local grocery has a sale every other week that is expired foods. fill up a banana box full of shelf groceries for only $7. last week i got a box full of chocolates (dove, giridelli(sp), etc) great for gifts.

I shop only online and use online codes for already discounted items!!

shop sales, look for items with rebates, use coupons,and credit cards with perks. above all make a budget and stick with it

Money is extremely tight for our family this year and my mother is 1800 miles away and on disability due to a horrible back injury.

In order to save money on gifts for her whole family and grand children she’s been making candles and selling them. The family is getting her candles and the cash that she makes is going for gifts for the small kids. It’s sort of emotional for me and I wish I could help her more. I think a 500 dollar gift card to Walmart would help her out so much this holiday season.

This card would go to my mother and not for my household. I hope you accept my entry.

Twitted a money saving tip @ http://twitter.com/bonmay

To save money during the holidays, a few select friends and I agree to ‘celebrate’ Christmas during another random month throughout the year. Think, Christmas in July, only pick your own month! This way we still have fun picking and receiving gifts later on, but that’s one less on our list to stress about right now!

Sign up for your local Freecycle group. You can start by going to http://www.freecycle.org/ and typing in your town and state. There are at least 3 in my area. When you join you can view messages from members giving away free items and also wanting free items. I have gotten an almost brand new stand mixer from a Freecycle member and my brother has gotten a leather couch and hot tub. “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” or so I’ve heard :) So, what one person might think is junk might be new or almost new and could make a great gift for someone on your holiday list.

Wendy at Shopping Gemss last blog post..Blog Giveaways for the Week of 12/8/08

It probably sounds a little dreary, but we\\\’re saving money by simply not buying Christmas gifts this year except for our 3 yr old daughter. We always have grand Christmases and it is my favorite time of the year to spoil everyone, but frankly we agree that we have everything we need – a roof over our heads, a new baby on the way, friends, family, and jobs, at least for now. We are perfectly content going without gifts and celebrating the true meaning of Christmas.

recylce gift wrap, bags, bows, and tags

I shop for gifts throughout the year – I get better prices and the cost is spread out rather than all within a month or so. I also find that there is less pressure that way and I find better and more meaningful gifts.

my best holiday money saving tip is to gift crafted or baked goods as they tend to show more love and cost alot less!

Look around your house (we’re giving my sister a video game that we no longer use but would be too expensive to buy new)

I love to shop all of the after christmas sales. I stock up on all the great deals and put everything away in storage. It is so fun getting everything out the next year, becuase you forget what you have bought after a year. It is really fun when you look at all of your great gifts saying “I can’t believe I only paid $$$$ for this.

This year we splurged again and bought a Christmas tree, not a success in my mission towards frugality. However, when we arrived at the tree lot I noticed a sign above a stack of boughs that said \"Free.\" My favorite! So, I have Christmas boughs decorating our house for free. The tip? Check your local Christmas tree lot for free boughs.

My money saving tip is to give gifts of time. Babysit for friends with kids, take elderly people out on errands or shopping, take the garbage out for neighbors, etc.

Happy Holidays!
makemorecents@hotmail.com

Cindy G.s last blog post..Listen To Free Christmas Music Online

Hi! Just blogged about this site!http://whimsicalblessings.blogspot.com/2008/12/november-brag-book.html

Jen Beggss last blog post..Being Frugal

Our holiday saving tip is, “Get back to basics.” We are eliminating exchanging gifts with people outside our circle — or should I say, dot — of friends and relatives. We have “trimmed” our holiday decorating budget as well — less lights equals less electricity. We are also spiritually getting back to basics by remembering what Christmas really means.
Thanks for the opp and happy holidays.

Beckies last blog post..Recessionistas’ BFF: TJ Maxx and Marshalls

Make all meals and snacks from scratch, it saves a lot of money!

I make my own Christmas cards

I watch the ads and check amazon’s sale prices!

1. save your giftbags
2. look for coupons or coupon codes if you shop online
3. shop for gifts right after christmas because things are like 75% off usually

My best holiday tip is to wait after Black Friday and shop for all your toys online. I saved so much money also because many things were 50% off. So far I have bought all the gifts online and have received most of the them already. I didn’t have to fight the crowds, wait on line or deal with carrying all the packages. I’ve been doing this for over 5 years and I love it. Occasionally I’ll go to the mall to get one or two items and to look at all the holiday decorations.

Lisas last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – Xmas Style

recycle everything \"holiday\" that I can – for instance, after Xmas presents have been unwrapped I take the untorn and unwrinkled parts of the wrapping paper to use again for smaller gifts next year!

My tip is what were doing this year instead of buying everyone on our list a expensive gifts.

Have a family get together/present party instead of buying each individual gifts. Each adult person will spend $10 on 2 gifts one $5 gift suitable for a child and one $5 gift suitable for an adult. Following the family dinner we will all play games and let everyone reach into the special Santa sack (one adult one child) and pull out their gift. :)

This will be saving all the family money this year plus I think it will help in putting family sharing back into the Holiday. We will enjoy a good meal good company and lots of fun all for a little price. :)

:) Thank you for the wonderful giveaway! :)

I know others have said it too, but my tip is to make homemade, personalized gifts for people instead of buying packaged items. I’m making and decorating fondant wrapped cakes for family this year (a new skill I picked up).

Gifts from the heart are better than gifts from the wallet. For instance I’m giving my mother-in-law a scrapbook of pictures of her kids and grandkids on each page they are gonna write a letter to her. She’s gonna cry her eyes out.

I buy most of my gifts after Christmas is over, and I get some great deals, and than I store them in a closet until next year.

I shop online. When I am ready to check out, I search for online coupon codes in a search engine. I usually get free shipping additional $ off

I make homemade calendars for the moms. They love seeing pictures of the grandkids all year long and I use up the scrapbooking stuff I have collected during the year so it doesn’t cost extra money. Then at the end of the year they can be put in a scrapbook. My pictures are chronological on the calendar from the previous year.

Emily Albrechts last blog post..Another giveaway.

Use water bottle rather than buying bottled water. Reuse plastic bags. Use natural light from the windows rather than turning on all the lights in your house during the day. Thanks for the giveaway!

I think Dollar stores are wonderful for stocking Stuffers.Christmas wrapping paper too!!
Some of them even have great candles for people on your list like neighbors and mailman:)
I try to find as much as possible that they have available that is not made in China!!

wow. to save money, i bake cookies and cakes for my family and friends. even though it is not as expensive as i want them to be, they really like it appreciate it. thanks

Buy kids a couple of good quality tee shirts and some fabric markers and help them design their own tees. The gift doubles as both a craft activity and clothing.

First use cash that way you dont pick up extra stuff, 2nd check online sales prior and 3rd make lists and use them

WE have decided to have the lights off during gatherings and dinners. We are going candles this year. I can’t wait to see how it changes the mood.

I make a gift list, set a budget for each person and stick to it. It’s a fun challenge to see how much I can come under budget with a little bit of research and creativity.

Buy what you can on sale throughout the year and stash the gifts back til Christmas. You know that you’ve done what you can and won’t fret over it! But, most importantly, remember what the true spirit of Christmas is all about and the joy will stay with you always!

I re-use gift bags and boxes to save money.

I use shopping comparison sites and use the sites that offer free shipping. It ends up saving me alot!

use coupons, shop sales, compare prices

I try to buy all of our gifts using cash. It helps me stick to a budget, and I don’t end up with a shocking credit card bill in January.

I do all my shopping on Black Friday. I get nicer gifts without going over my budget.

Set a budget and spend it in cash when shopping locally. When spending with a credit card, log the cost into your check book to curb overspending.

I shop at thrift stores, consignment shops, and local businesses to get unique, personalized and less expensive gifts for the people on my list. Sometimes I get brand new items for free using a local trade website or using a site similar to freecycle.

Enter blog contests. It’s one of the best ways to save money this holiday season. I’ve won some giveaways this year and have used my prizes as Christmas gifts. It’s really helped out my budget this year.

WE defiantly blogged about the give away! YAY for Nickelodeon and Walmart! http://joeandcourtraines.blogspot.com/2008/12/500-walmart-gift-card.html

Courtneys last blog post..Holidays

We only fire up the outdoor Christmas lights on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day until midnight; same for New Year\’s Eve / Day. Also, we use only cash for purchasing gifts (one per family member) and set a limit on same, $ 100.

I promoted your fantastic giveaway on Luck Happens: http://www.luck-happens.com/december-14.html.

To save money this holiday season, I bought virtually every one of my presents online from two sources: 1) Amazon using my Prime account which meant no tax, no shipping, and fast delivery; and 2) Etsy where I can find beautiful and unique handmade gifts at affordable prices.

If you’re a little strapped for cash to buy holiday gifts, but want to give at least something, consider making a small donation to charities such as March of Dimes. You can donate as little as $1 in someone’s name and it will help that charity tremendously. You can also printout a receipt that shows the gift recipient’s name and the name of the charity (the amount will not show). This a beautiful, priceless gift that will make you and the gift recipient feel good. It really embodies the holiday spirit of giving.

Gails last blog post..Win a $500 Gift Card to WalMart!

My best money-saving tip is to gather up all your clothing and toys in excellent condition (and which are no longer being used) and sell them on craigslist or a similar site around the end of November. This funds most of our Christmas each year!

get a pre paid charge card or take cash not your charge cards an or check book and take a list of people you need to get for and delete them from the list when there gift is gotten. tis help full to knot ideas for all and know your limit per gift

I buy all my wrap, bows, boxes, etc the year before when they’re on clearance for 75-90% off. It saves me a ton!

i always save wrapping paper from old gifts and keep them in good condition to use for future gift wrapping.

my tip for saving money is reusing gift bags and wrapping paper and stock up at the end of one year for next when everythign is on clearance

ALWAYS CHECK THE CLEARANCE SECTIONS-YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU MIGHT FIND AT A DISCOUNT.

Instead of wrapping presents endlessly at this time of year, throughout the year I purchase inexpensive woven baskets with handles.

Each person receives their gift(s) nestled in inexpensive tissue paper, carefully folded over the gift.

Have received many thank you notes commenting on how the baskets will be reused.

I PICK UP THINGS ALL YEAR LONG AND I MAKE ALOT OF HOMEMADE GIFTS

I only shop with cash. I don’t bring credit cards or debt because it’s just too easy to overspend.

The absolute best way to prepare for the holiday season is to shop for next year this year! Hit the after Christmas sales, especially in a tight economy. After the holidays, stores are going to be left with a lot of merchandise they have to get rid of! You can buy the bulk of next year’s gifts right after Christmas. Sure there will be some new things that come out, but you can leave a cushion in your budget for any absolute must-haves. Plus, it isn’t always wise to get the “new hot item” the first year out. Many of them have undocumented errors that get worked out for the next edition,plus the new technology always lowers the price!!!

sherri419 at gmail dot com

I buy a big turkey even though there is only four of us, since all the rest of our family lives 1200 miles away. I make extras so that I can freeze the leftovers. When the money gets tight during the up coming couple of months I pull out the frozen leftovers and have a couple of meals. That saves money and helps with getting us through the long months so we are a one income family. We have also traded our big huge fresh cut Christmas tree for a small fiber obtic tree which saves on electricty by using no lights.
Thank you for a chance to win and give those I love a much happier holiday season.

Happy Holidays….

camper223[at]live[dot]com

I give my youngest son toys from my oldest (they are 5 years apart). Hand me downs are great! Why buy a shape sorter or tool set when you have a perfectly great one stored in the basement?

jill jacobss last blog post..Elf Yourself!

When shopping for expensive gifts, keep an eye on the sales papers. One week it may be on sale and then you won’t see it on sale again. During the whole year open a christmas acount and save money throughout the year. You’ll have more to spend.

Save all of your change and keep it in a safe place.

As hard as it is, I try to think Christmas all year. Any clearance rack I see, I browse if it is good time management that day. You never know what you might see or find that would be perfect for a special one in your life. Stockpile and be frugal even at Christmas.

have a potluck dinner party

I think it’s best to compile a mental or written inventory of what you already own that may be re-gifted, before hitting the stores for new things. (I have friends out-of-state who don’t know I already owned something for three years or more, before deciding they can have it for themselves!) It saves money to invest time and thought into any purchase, especially now for the holidays when the shopping list grows and grows! Thanks for the entry and happy holidays!

We put aside money each month during the year, then limit holiday spending to the amount we’ve saved to avoid additional year-end expenses. We also give only one gift per family for our relatives, instead of one gift per person. Popular gifts include movie tickets, a new DVD, a board game, or a fun theme-dinner basket that the family can enjoy together.

Shop for your seasonal decorations after the holidays. You can find some great bargains. The items will store and be ready for the next holiday.

We wrap Chrismas presents with the comic sections that we save for a few months.

I would love to win this! What and awesome giveaway!

My best money saving tip is to start early, buy things on sale as soon as possible! I also write a list of everything I want to buy for my loved ones, the have-to-haves, dreams gifts.. everything. And then I subscribe to all the places I can’t get the gift at a decent price. Sounds crazy but most places I subscribe to are Target.. Walmart.. Best Buy.. etc. I usually receive emails with coupons and best days they have sales! I bought most of my gifts and a few “dream” gifts for half the price!!

My tip is to buy your decorations and cards for the next year right after Christmas. Plus, I shop throughout the year for gifts.

My biggest saver is to dry the fruits and pick the nuts in their season to use in christmas baking, these items are very expensive and I love going to the cupboard and getting my own.

Reuse last year’s saved holiday bags, wrapping, and bows.

I like to do a little shopping here and there throughout the year. When there is a sale and I see something that one of my friends or family members might enjoy, I buy it and save it. Around Christmas I take those “gifts” that I’ve been collecting and saving throughout the year and it takes the weight off of Christmas shopping. I am not stressed about time or going to busy shopping malls (although I still inevitably have a gift or two to purchase). Since I distribute my purchases throughout the year and I buy on sale I end up saving a lot of money

Caryn Baileys last blog post..Gettin’ (Wii) Fit in the New Year

USE COUPONS

I know a lot of people have suggested recycling their gift wrap and gift bags as a great holiday money-saving tip, but I take it one further than that. How could you possibly explain about Santa using the exact same gift wrap and bags every year? Your kids would catch on in no time flat.

I have a small circle of 5 girlfriends and myself that participate in a gift-wrap/bag swap each year. We trade our saved gift wrap and gift bags in a circle, so that by the kids never get the same bags the next year. It works like a charm, and the kids have never suspected a thing… and we have some pretty smart kids in our crew.

Shop online where you can comparison shop and use sites that offer free shipping- and don’t forget to shop through a rewards site to earn points for free gift cards!

my best money saving tip is to buy through the year. I look for sales and stock up – even little things like deodorant, coffee, socks, etc. I also buy after christmas – usually there are some great buys

My holiday money saving tip is if you just have to buy wrapping paper or Holiday Cards buy that kind of stuff at the Dollar Store. It will be certainly be cheaper than buying that type of stuff at other stores. This is a great giveaway. Thanks.

I buy toy sets.Then you can seperate them and get 2 or more gifts out of one.Also I clip coupons and use mail in rebates.

Start a cookie swap, family and friends get together and we all pick one type of cookie to bake, then we meet and make up our cookie trays with all the types. This saves money on buying ingredients and time..

I save money by buying Christmas items when they go on sale after Christmas the previous year. Most things can be purchased for 75% off!

Steph
ms0812@zoominternet.net

only buy on sale, and shop early!

This has probably been stated before but it is the best tip for saving money while shopping for the winter holidays: make a list and stick to it. If you just ‘go shopping’ you will overspend.

I scour the internet endlessly for the lowest prices before I buy a thing. I also utilize my local freecycle group-you could easily decorate your whole house for free with what others give away, and it’s been pretty decent stuff.

I always start shopping early in the year. Even the week after Christmas. This is when I get great buys on toys for birthdays throughout the year. Also, I always go to consignment sales with good deals such as mothers of multiples. This is where I get most of my gifts and clothes. I am able to buy entire wardrobes for my kids up through size 16 for 50 dollars. They also only sell clothes that aren’t stained etc.

my Best money saving Holiday tip involves buying gas at the gas pump since some of you may be doing alot of travelling this Holiday Season. You can get medium grade(Plus) gasoline for about $2.60 cheaper if you fill 1/2 your tank with Premium grade(Super) and 1/2 your tank with Low grade(Regular)which will make (Medium grade)-Plus if you do so. It may take a minute longer to do this but if you’re saving near $3 I’d say better the money in your pocket than in the Oil companies pocket!
This was told on a news media show I listen to so I’m assuming its accurate and true. Thank you. skyxsky27(at)gmail.com

My tip for saving money during the holidays as well as contributing to making the Holidays Greener is to skip the Christmas gift wrapping entirely. Instead , have some FUN with your children and your family and have them hunt through the house for the gifts (of course your gift will have a Christmas gift tag on it). If you hide the presents under chairs and beds, in closets, in cupboards or the crisper drawer of the refrigerator, etc. everyone will have a great time. And don’t worry about any missed gifts because if you think you might forget, make a list of where you hid them ahead of time. Just think of all the time you will save not having to wrap all those gifts and all the unnecessary paper you will save too! Happy Holidays everyone!

Right after Christmas is a great time to shop for wrapping paper, cards, decorations,etc, for the next year. You can save at least 50% and sometimes more.

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My best advice is to use the internet to your advantage. You can save a lot of gas money with free shipping deals. Also, there a few really good websites that post fantastic deals regularly. I check those a couple of times a day and get some great prices on gifts!

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Thanks so much for the giveaway!

I save money by limitiing my shopping to online shopping – fewer temptations that way!

Set a holiday gift budget you can afford and stick to it. Supplement your gift giving with hand made items, baked goods or nice dollar store finds.

I make alot of holiday gift baskets and I save big buck by using coupons at the dollar store. For example: Dove shampoo cost $1.50 coupon $1.00 off so I only pay .50 for the shampoo. My family and friends get excited when I start making the baskets. They just love it and it will always be something that they could use.

Clip coupons for grocery items, especially baking ingredients for the holidays.

I have a few things already for my family that I got throughout the year. I only need to buy 1 gift for each of my family members. They will all still have a nice Christmas.

My best money saving tip this Christmas is simple:

instead of going and buying new ornament for the holidays, wait until after Christmas and purchase next years decorations then. If you want to save even more money; make homemade ornaments since they are much less expensive and you have a ton of quality time with the kids (which ends up being priceless)…all you need is flour (2 cups), salt (1 cup), 3 table spoons vegitable oil and 1 cup water…you can add about three table spoons cinnamon too (optional; makes the house smell so great). after you’ve mixed all ingredients; oh and heated the oven to 250; roll out dough, cut them with your favorite cookie cutters and bake for one hour…you’ll have enough to decorate your whole tree.

There’s my tip, hope you like it!!!! Hope I’m not too late for the entry!!!
Merry Christmas everyone!
-barbarabaker :)

Barbara Bakers last blog post..My Christmas Tree (last year)

reuse bags and bows, thanks

make a list and stick with it. Buy what is necessary and nothing else. No frills.

My best tip would be to teach your children to value old fashion hard work instead of commercialized Fads. Have them make their own christmas cards and tree decorations. If you have a Gift exchange amongst adult, have it a NO BUY rule… you have to make it with your own hands!

Thanks
Tammy OHagan
tammyohagan ~~~ AT ~~~ westco ~~~ DOT ~~~ net

I clip coupons and look for items on sale!