Have Yourself a Thrifty Little Christmas Wednesday, Oct 21 2009

I love Christmas, and it’s not too early to start thinking about it!   I love to give gifts. I have a lot of people on my gift list. And that can add up.

When my husband was a senior pastor, each year he took a special tree ornament to church and showed it to everyone from the pulpit. He made it out of the credit cards he melted a few years before we got married! The point: it’s not worth going into debt for Christmas. It’s possible to have a great holiday and give awesome gifts without breaking the bank.

Here are a few of my favorite ways to save money on Christmas gifts.

1. Buy throughout the year. Don’t let Christmas sneak up on you and end up looking for the perfect gift on Christmas Eve. Then you spend more money than you intended to on an impulse purchase.

2. If you have any craft or creative skills at all, use them to make gifts. Again, start early enough that you aren’t pressed for time when Christmas is almost upon you. This could be anything from clothes sewn by hand, to handcrafted Christmas tree ornaments, to stories written for your children, or favorite books read aloud on CD.

3. Shop discount or closeout stores like Marshall’s, Big Lots, or Tuesday Morning. Also check out local individually owned discount stores. You might have to sort through some junk, but you can find great buys at discount stores on everything from name brand clothes to stationery to housewares.

4. Buy in bulk and divide into inexpensive containers. Here’s an idea: Buy 50 lb. of steel cut oatmeal (cheap bought this way, but like gold if you get it in small amounts), package in quart jars tied with ribbon and a recipe for how to cook it.

5. Family and friends who live far away love to receive photos, especially if you have little ones in the house! Use inexpensive frames or pretty little photo albums.

6. Don’t feel like you always have to buy full priced, new off the shelf items. If someone on your list is a biliophile, find a book by their favorite author to add to their collection on Amazon or Ebay. You can often find items new with tags on ebay or at garage sales. Someone else payed full price for them, but you get them–still new–for a song! People frequently sell items in perfect condition that were probably never used. Add to someone’s collection with beautiful but inexpensive antiques from garage or estate sales. You might even find something brand new for free on Freecycle. But shhhhh, it will be your little secret!

7. Give the gift of time. Offer to rake leaves, babysit, or fix a meal for someone on your list. Make a certificate for a special tea time with your daughter or a fishing day with your son.

So you see, it’s possible to give a lot of gifts for not too much money. Use your imagination! You’ll find ways to save at every turn.

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Frugal Wisdom Thursday, Oct 15 2009

My friend Mrs. Patti (now my brother’s mother-in-law…got that?) is one of those people who can make something beautiful and special on a dime.  She’s a bargain shopper extraordinaire.  She gave me some bargain shopping advice many years ago that stuck with me.  She said, “It’s not a good deal if you don’t need it.”

I’ll add another tip.  It’s not a good deal if you don’t like it.  There have been times that I bought something just because it was such a good deal, but either I didn’t need it or didn’t particularly like it.  Consequently, it didn’t get much use and usually ended up in the Goodwill box after awhile.

So–use judgment when bargain shopping!  If you don’t need an item, or if you don’t like it, save that money for something else!

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Links to Love Sunday, Jul 26 2009

I’m pretty picky about which blogs I link to.   Mainly I want them to be balanced and encouraging.  There are lots of blogs that fit that criteria, but obviously I’m not familiar with all of them.  I’m going to add a little blog roll to my sidebar to provide easy access to some of these great blogs I’ve run across over time, places that furnish inspiration for frugal living, homemaking, and mothering.

Here are a few that I’m going to start with.

Nesting Place~~Her motto is “It doesn’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.”  Inspiration for simple, beautiful, frugal decorating!  Check out Best of the Nest.

A Soft Place to Land~~More lovely, frugal decorating ideas.

The Pleasures of Homemaking~~Just a beautiful blog.  I especially enjoyed this post: Making Lunch Special~~Great ideas for making at-home meals as special and fun as eating out…a frugal alternative.

Pretty Organized Palace~~FAB organizing ideas from a mom of 6!

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam~~Lots of great frugal tips and coupon links, but her Frugal Fashionista posts are invaluable.

4 Reluctant Entertainers~~Lovely, do-able hospitality tips…Sandy’s gentle encouragement has freed me to relax and enjoy opening my home to others even more than I already did.

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Bargains Seen About Town Thursday, Jun 18 2009

Here are a few good (or relatively good) deals I’ve seen while out and about over the past week or two.  Local friends, hope this is helpful to you!  P.S.  I didn’t buy all this stuff!!! 

Big Lots

Stainless steel water bottles, $3

Restaurant-style mugs, plates, and bowls in a variety of colors, $1

Large wicker baskets, $5

Rubbermaid-type tubs, $5

(I think some of these are things they keep in stock most of the time, but it was new to me.)

Tuesday Morning

Peter Rabbit tea set, normally $50, now $19.99

King sized sheet set, normally $450, now $89

Beautiful pillow cases, normally $45/set, now $15/set

Blue and white tea pot, $25 (I think the original price was around $50)

Dillards

Little girls’ Stride Rite tennis shoes in several styles, 70% off…normally around $40-45…now $10-12

Dress Barn

You can pick up a coupon for $10 off a purchase of $50 or more, or $15 off a purchase of $75 or more.  To me this is not a huge bargain, but it definitely helps if you planned to spend that much or buy something new anyway.  I believe the sale runs from June 26-July 8???

Cedar Chest Thrift Store

Costume jewelry, new in package, just a couple dollars per set.  Someone donated a large amount of brand new inventory from a store closing.

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Tell us about bargains you’ve seen lately!!!

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Frugal Decorating Thursday, Sep 18 2008

If you’ve ever been to my house, I’m sure you’re laughing by now. I really should have enlisted the services of a guest blogger for this one. Or I could just say, “Watch Design on a Dime.” I’m about as qualified to write a post with “decorating” in the title as I am to write a post with the words “fitness,” “organization,” “spotless home,” or “gourmet cooking” in the title. In other words, not.

But I’ll give it a shot and show you some pictures of Silas’s room from our last house. (Here in the new house I haven’t really figured it out yet.) I ended up being pretty pleased with how it turned out, all things considered, and it was frugal.

He loves to sleep with his army sleeping bag, which is just fine, but it didn’t look very inviting, or very neat. I’ve been wanting to buy him a spread, but for now I simply asked, “What Do I Have in My Hand?” I dug around in the cedar chest, looking for something, anything, to put on his bed, and found this pretty afghan that Billy’s great-aunt made us when we got married. I had forgotten all about it. It was just right. No money spent.

The bed itself came from a garage sale. I am not sure; it might have even been free.

The big middle picture is a signed pen and ink print that we got at a garage sale. I got the other pictures from an outdated calendar I bummed off my brothers, and framed them in frames people had given us. Total cost for this little arrangement: $1.

These beautiful signed lab prints belong to Billy. I believe he got both of them as gifts. They went perfectly on the big wall opposite the bed.

This kid-sized gun rack came from a garage sale, too. I think Billy got it for $2 or $3.

The thing about “What do I have in my hand?” decorating is that you can’t be too much of a perfectionist. I think it boils down to contentment. Silas’ room does not look like a designer room, although if I had the time and went to the effort I could do that for a reasonable cost as well. But I’m happy with it the way it is. He is too, and that’s what matters. Thrifty decorating also means patience. Most of the time, if you want to save, you don’t just go out and buy the whole ensemble at once. You have to wait for those good deals to come along. But I don’t mind. I guess I’m strange, but it brings me a great deal of satisfaction to have made my little guy a cozy space so frugally.

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What Do I Have in My Hand? Thursday, Sep 18 2008

Many years ago I received a (now defunct) magazine for Christian women in which the female editor frequently encouraged us ladies to ask ourselves, “What do I have in my hand?” The idea was to be creative with what we had rather than feeling that we had to buy something new, or even new supplies to make something. While the magazine went down a sad road and eventually disappeared (as far as I know), the question stayed with me. I still often ask myself, “What do I have in my hand?”

Honestly, I don’t get out much. It’s not that I can’t; it’s just more practical not to. I don’t know when I’d have the time to get out more. And I love staying home. Going out with four small children is hard, and in this day and time, especially in an urban setting, a little dangerous. Also, it’s cheaper. So I’m home a lot. Consequently, I frequently find that I won’t be going to the store for a few more days, but I have a need or want at the moment. Maybe it’s a meal; maybe it’s a craft I want to make. Maybe I need a gift for someone, or a costume for my kids. Asking, “What do I have in my hand?” has saved me money—probably a lot of money.

I’ve always thought that I wasn’t a very creative person, but I find that the more I have to be, the more I am. Necessity is the mother of invention, you know. I also get wonderful, inspiring ideas from other bloggers. They have no idea.

Last year (or maybe longer ago than that…) a group of people around the nation learned to ask this question in a greater way than ever before. They joined a movement called Compact, committing to buy nothing new for one year, except for what they needed to live, like food. As I understand it, it wasn’t against the rules to shop for something you need, like a coat from Goodwill, the goal was just not to buy anything new. Each had different reasons–paying off student loans, for example.

Imagine the money you would save if you didn’t buy anything new for one year. While I don’t see my family going to that extreme any time soon, I admire Compact members and their example inspires me to waste less and ask, “What do I have in my hand?” In this way, I can help my family and steward well God’s gifts to me.

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Frugal Clothing Monday, Sep 15 2008

Clothing is one area that can be very expensive, but it’s also one of the easiest places to cut costs. Unless you have special clothing needs (like special dress clothes or work attire, or odd sizes), with careful planning, I believe that anyone should be able to outfit the troops for a fraction of what you’d normally pay. And I don’t mean that they should look like they came out of the rag bag!

Here are a few tips for saving money on clothing.

Pray

I learned this lesson one day when I almost absently breathed a sentence prayer, “God, Elizabeth sure needs some new shirts.” Actually I planned to go buy her some…But by the end of the day, someone had given us a big bag of clothes that included a bunch of shirts in Elizabeth’s size. Now when we have a clothing need I pray first!

Have Faith

Another time, when Elizabeth was a baby, we were on a trip to visit family and she had outgrown all but two of her outfits. I mentioned to Billy that we needed to stop and pick up some clothes before we arrived at our destination. As we got closer to our planned stop, he said, “I just don’t have a peace about doing that.” I kind of inwardly rolled my eyes and thought, so what do you expect this child to wear? Well, when we got to my mom’s house—you guessed it—there was a big box of baby clothes from an old family friend. I guess God showed me!

Always Accept Hand-me-downs

Don’t be too proud to accept hand-me-downs. People ask me frequently, “Would you be offended if I offered you some hand-me-downs?” This question always amazes me. I always say, “No way! We love hand-me-downs at our house!”

Of course, you have to have at least a few friends and acquaintances in order for people to offer you clothing. This is one of the very practical reasons it’s beautiful to be part of a community of faith. God uses us to meet each others’ practical needs. And honestly, the hand-me-down clothes I’ve gotten are usually way nicer than what I’d be able to afford if I were buying clothes from the store.

Some people say it’s not worth the hassle to save clothing, but for us it’s been a lifesaver. Also, if I end up with a surplus or something that doesn’t work for us, it gives me opportunity to pass clothes on to someone else who can use them.

Shop Thrift and Consignment

You have to pick through things at thrift stores, and some stores are better than others, but you can find amazing deals there. Just be choosy. You can find up-to-date styles, brand names, and even clothes with tags still on. One of my brothers got an expensive navy blazer to wear to my wedding at Goodwill for 99 cents. I hear that you can really find good stuff if you shop thrift and consignment shops near upscale neighborhoods in some parts of the country. I don’t thrift as much as I should, but it’s something I may do in the future.

Learn to Sew

Anyone can learn to sew simple clothing. Especially if you buy fabric on sale, you can make garments at very low cost. Wal-Mart usually has a dollar-a-yard table with pretty cotton prints. If you bought a couple yards and made a knee length cotton skirt (so nice and cool for summer), you’d have it for less than $3.

Shop Clearance Racks

Learn to shop off-season. Summer clothes are on final clearance right now! Wait till they hit rock bottom prices and then buy pieces for next spring and summer. Same goes for winter clothes. It’s usually not too hard to guess what size a child will be the next year, so sometimes you can do this for kids too. I’ve worn name brand clothes that I got for $2 or $3 for many years.

Stick to a Classic Look

It gets expensive to buy trendy clothes only to have them looking dated by the next season. Make classic pieces the foundation of your wardrobe, and then add inexpensive trendy accessories if that’s the look you like. That way you aren’t out much on transient styles. Buy classic shoes in neutral shades that will go with everything. Now I am hardly the one to be handing out fashion advice, but the principles work if you know what you like.

Be Content

Be happy when someone gives you clothes, even if they are not the exact styles you might have chosen. Don’t fall prey to the “must-have” mentality. Keep your wardrobe simple and let go of the clothing habit, if you have one. A small wardrobe is much easier to maintain anyway, especially for children.

For the rest of the frugal series, check out the Frugality category!

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Frugal Entertainment Sunday, Aug 24 2008

Entertainment can add up. Fortunately there are many, many ways to have just as much fun for little or nothing. Here are a few ideas. I’m sure this list is far from exhaustive!

Movie Night at Home

Most expensive way to watch a movie: theater
Second most expensive: rent (assuming it’s something you’ll want to watch again)
Third most expensive: buy new (if it’s something you’ll watch again)
Fourth most expensive: buy used at movie rental places, garage sales, pawn shops
Cheapest: borrow from the library

At the very least, wait till that movie you’ve been dying to see has come out on dvd, and then rent it (if you aren’t sure it’s one you want to purchase) or buy it (if it’s one you know you’ll want). If you are really patient, wait a couple years till it’s $5 at Wal-Mart, or you can find it used.

Read Aloud

This is one of the most fun and educational family habits you can develop. My family read literally hundreds of books together, from the time we were little all the way through high school

Make Music

You don’t have to be a great musician to make music together as a family. Play an instrument (if you can) or sing hymns or folk songs a capella. It might feel silly at first, but ultimately you’ll have lots of fun. Plus it will develop a love of music in your kids.

Charades

Bible stories, historical figures, favorite movies, literary characters—all make for fun charade themes.

Board and Card Games

Scrabble is my favorite. Other good ones are Sorry, Uno, Dutch Blitz, Pictionary, Scattergories, Chess, Checkers, Boggle, Balderdash, or The Worst Case Scenario Survival Game, and for little ones, Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, or Go Fish. Those are just a few ideas to get you started.

Puzzles

I’m not a puzzle person, but puzzles are great if you enjoy them.

Crafts

It’s both fun and fulfilling to make something beautiful or useful with your hands.

Books on Tape or Old Radio Shows

While you work puzzles, or craft, you can listen to books on tape, radio programs, or old radio shows on CD like Amos & Andy or Fibber McGee and Molly.

Family Walk or Bike Ride

Take a nature walk or ride together through your neighborhood.

Hospitality

Instead of going out to eat with friends, have them over for an inexpensive dinner like soup and bread. Or have several families over for pot luck. Have games available for the kids, and let the parents enjoy visiting with each other.

Picnic

Pack a picnic for the back yard or a nearby park.

Fishing

Fishing is inexpensive and fun. Buy poles used or use inexpensive cane poles.

Outdoor Games With Family and Friends

You don’t have to be involved in organized sports to enjoy the game. Many games are fun to play with a large family or group of friends. Plus, it’s good exercise!

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The possibilities for cheap entertainment are limitless. If you have any more ideas, tell us about them in a comment!

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Time Together Saturday, Aug 16 2008

Heather’s comment on this post was so good that I thought it needed some front page time of its own. This is why I love to hear your thoughts! Great stuff! Thank you, Heather!

I always focus on quality time with my four children rather than giving them things. We are a one-income family and my husband is a police-officer, therefore, outside of Birthdays and Christmas, which I save and budget for, we can’t afford a lot of extras. We enjoy playing and having a picnic at a local park (when it’s not this hot!), and playing at home together. Also, we take advantage of our local library. Every month they offer story times and craft classes, and best of all- it’s free. We always participate in the summer reading club. The prizes received for reading books allowed the children to have things like pizza night and free ice cream at Scarlet Scoop. My son also enjoys the free kids building workshops at Home depot and Lowes. My girls love to cook with me and I try to bake with them at least once week. With one income, you have to get creative if you are on a strict budget. However, I know that my children are a lot better off having my time and enjoying things together as a family. It’s much better than doing something highly priced and without family interaction.

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Frugal Food, Part 2 Saturday, Aug 16 2008

A few more ideas!
Don’t Waste Food

Give children (and yourself) small portions so that no food is left on the plate to be thrown away.

Eat leftovers until they are gone, even if it’s not particularly what you feel like that day. Don’t let them sit in the fridge till they become science experiments. (Speaking to myself here!!!!!!!)

Make Food Last

When I was still at home and we had to pinch pennies, my mom would buy, say, two bags of chips, and that would have to last until the next scheduled grocery day. She discouraged mindless munching and doled them out to make them last. Same with cookies and other groceries.

Use Less

Be satisfied with less meat or peanut butter on your sandwich, less meat in your soup, less cheese in a dish, less butter on your bread, or whatever.

Shop Infrequently, But Schedule Your Shopping Trips

My mom got groceries every two weeks. We almost never “ran to the store” in between. If we ran out of something, we made do and waited until the next grocery trip. We knew exactly when we would be going. I try to shop weekly. I have a friend who shops for staples and household items only every six months, and just buys produce, dairy, etc. in between!

Coming up in the Frugal series: clothes, decorating, and entertainment!

(Picture: The Kitchen by Carl Larsson)

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