Giveaway Results: $500 Walmart Gift Card

My money saving holiday tip is to not get to caught up in having to give everybody you know some kind of gift, even small gifts add up. Start the holiday season with a list and stick to it. It is easy to start adding “so and so” and “what’s his name”. Before you know it, you have used the money for your own must gift list. If you receive a gift, be sure to send a thank you, but don’t feel obligated to return a gift. A gift is just that…a gift.

I also subscribe by google reader.

I sit down in September and make a preliminary Christmas shopping list. This one includes everyone I’d like to buy gifts for. Over the next 6 weeks I work with my budget to decide who I can actually buy gifts for to create my final shopping list. I never shop without my list, and I NEVER go over my budgeted spending limit.

When doing your holiday shopping online make sure you compare costs from several sites and don’t forget to include the shipping costs in that.

One of the first things I started doing for the holiday season……In September, I started watching the sale ads for items that I could use during the holidays in making holiday goodies and treats. I am well prepared to do my holiday baking. Everything purchased was on sale and I had a coupon for. Planning early really helped me prepare.

Here is what I do every year. I compile a list (as most people do) of everyone I need to buy a gift for. I start shopping early in the year because I like to bargain shop and items are on sale/clearance year round. I recently purchased a table top air hockey table that retailed for $39.99 at a steal for $16.99. If purchased on clearance, please make sure that someone will use it because most stores will not accept returns on clearance items.

Also, since times are tough for everyone, the adults have a limit to spend. No gift over 50 dollars. This works wonders when shopping on a budget… wallets are cheap at Walmart. We strive to keep things on a budget, and having a limit for each adult allows more money to be saved during this time of year.

Last, I really try to think about the person on the receiving end. What is it about their personality that I enjoy and how can I show that I care? Doing this helps me pick out a gift that they cherish, use and appreciate and that makes spending the money worth it.

Since times are hard, simple homemade giftbags are the best gifts. Themed bags suchs as a movie bag filled with movies, pop corn and box candies, coffee bags filled with samples of coffees, a mug and creamers, or a gift bag filled with bath soaps, lotions and a loofaa. The possibilities are endless. Make it a family event. Each person can put in their own ideas.

This year for the holidays I have a 2 year old and a newborn (2 weeks today!). My advice for the holidays is to slow down and enjoy the little things. I am going to cherish this time instead of stressing about what gifts haven’t been bought, and the things that aren’t getting done at work or around the house.
My money-saving tip is to shop online and take advantage of consolidating shipping items. If you can get free shipping and shop from a store that doesn’t have a brick and mortar location in your state, you can save on sales tax too!

Happy Shopping!

It’s a little late for this year, but I shop the clearance racks all year long and come up with awesome gifts every year at unbelievable savings!

Kitty

Homemade Christmas gifts! We always save a lot of money in our house and update our holiday decor with homemade ornaments (w/homemade clay or foam) and plenty of paper christmas chains & snowflakes.
Oriental Trading CO. has always got GREAT ornament & craft kits for cheap, and for less than $20 you can have gifts for everyone on your list, and new decorations to add to your own tree.
Not to mention you can’t put a price tag on time spent making homemade christmas goodies with your little ones!

I have a subscription to your momadvice blog through my google reader. Thanks for the great advice and opportunities!

Throughout the year I gather and save all those little free gifts with purchase. For example – I have a couple nice little body wash and lotion sets from mary kay – couple of lotions from bath & body – some votive candles from another store. Now that the holidays are here I use them as little stocking stuffers or put a basket of stuff together for teachers and friends. This is a great way to give all those special people gifts without spending a lot of money.

Ok, I just added your feedburner feed to my Google Reader! Looking forward to great tips.

Kitty

I took a jewelry making class a few years ago and made handmade gift for everyone. Not only was it jewels, but there were candle holders, beaded serving utensils and much more. This was very affordable and I can do this year after year with the trends always changing. Who doesn’t like a little bling in their life?

A money saving tip I have is to buy wraping paper right after Christmas! Then you can get alot of it and not have to pay crazy prices for something thats going to trown away!

use paper bags for wrapping paper just decorate with stamps and glitter.

My holiday money-saving tip is that Santa doesn’t bring wrapped presents. This saves us money to put towards stocking stuffers and a special Christmas morning breakfast – purchased at Wal-mart to enjoy while watching my kids favorite channel – Nickelodeon!!!!

I LOVE Walmart and they have the best deals around!

I like to have my kids make their own gift wrap – I just give them brown paper sacks or butcher paper and have them draw holiday things on them!

I save money during the holidays by shopping early. I hit clearance sales at Target in January and July and buy ahead of time, then store the toys in the attic.

I subscribed.

Another tip is to have a light timer for outside lights. I know that seems simple but it really saves us money to not have to remember to turn off the lights!

I use neat pages from magazines to wrap some gifts. This saves money and is really cool looking if you pick the colorful pages.

My daughters are making presents for their grandparents this year to help cut costs and give something their relatives will treasure.

What a fun post! Thanks for the chance to win! One of the things we do to save money at Christmas is to shop for GREAT deals all year. I put them in totes and then just have to wrap:~) Thanks again!

Get your kids invovled in a craft to giveaway. They’ll learn a valuable skill and people who get handmade crafts seem to feel they have more value when a sweet child has helped out. It’ll save you money this season!

ALWAYS start shopping as early as you can!!! I start gathering things for the follwing Christmas January 1st!!!! By the time Christmas rolls around you would be surprised at how much you have. This also eliminates all that holiday rush!
Thanks,
Danyel

My biggest way to save money on holiday gifts is to budget year-round. We take account of all the people we’ll want to buy gifts for come Christmas, add in the birthday gifts we expect to buy, a random wedding/baby or two, and set aside money year-round. When Christmas time comes, we have a spending plan and a budget for the season!

Of course I’m already a subscriber to the Motherload.

A second tip- don’t shop aimlessly. Have in mind approximately what you’re getting for each person on the list, and this will result in quicker, more targeted shopping and fewer impulse buys.

I save money by shopping early when I see a really good deal on toys for the kiddo’s, I was just about done toy shopping in Oct.

I also subscribed.

I garage sale (mostly in the spring & fall) & find many holiday items (paper, ribbon, bows, tape, decorations) super cheap.

My money saving tip?

For December, I’m setting myself the challenge of not buying any groceries. I have so much in my pantry and freezer that I should be able to make it through the month fairly well.

Of course, eggs, fruits and a few vegetables will need to be bought fresh… but not much more than that! I can make our bread, I can make our coffee creamer, etc… and since we have a dairy allergy in the house, our “milk” is boxed and in the pantry already!

If you have lots of nieces and nephews (like I do!) buy toys or treats in large multipacks. Then split them up for inexpensive stocking stuffers. Some good examples are matchbox cars, hair ‘pretties’, novelty snacks/candy, fancy pens or markers, animal figure sets, etc.

re-use your freebie boxes for X-mas Gifts.

Since I’m subscribed to MomAdvice and MotherLoot (I really should subscribe to AldiQueen as well!) I get another entry!

Here’s another money saving tip…

We’ve saved up a bunch of gift cards that we were given as gifts this year – and we’re using them to do our Christmas shopping. =) Leftovers on each card are spent on us for fun odds and ends that will get put under the tree – but this helps alleviate the stress that Christmas can put on our wallet…

Wow my money saving idea would be winning this GC! LOL
My money saving tip: stay home, get your christmas dinner shopping done on a regular shopping trip and make cookie, candies and all the yummies with the kids. opt out of going out for Christmas dinner or store bought treats and snuggle with family at home!

i love walmart. this would help with the christmas chaos

I think I really only have one holiday money saving tip. I realized about 4 years ago that if I were to cook a whole turkey, that more than half of it would be wasted. So instead, we only cook a turkey breast. It takes less time to cook, it’s generally a bit cheaper than a whole bird, and there’s less waste and fewer leftovers. Anytime we can use all of our leftovers, I think it’s a good thing.

I also let my family have a say in what we fix for dinner. Why fix a green bean casserole or sweet potatoes if only one person will eat it? If I don’t fix all of the extras that my family won’t eat, then I can save that money.

Hugs,
Melinda

My family and I are saving this year by drawing names. I am also only buying the items that are on sale and not paying regular price for them.

start planning xmas in july.layaways etc.so by the time december rolls around all you have left to do is ALL the activities with you r children,family etc.no last minute craziness so you can enjoy your time with your family.

I like to let my kids help bake cookies and we then put the cookies in tins bought from a dollar store. This is a quick, inexpensive gift for their teacher or their friends!

I enjoy making gifts for the holiday’s. This year I am copying my recipes and making a cookbook to give. I got 500 sheets of paper for under $3, the ink for $7, and the binders for $.50. (I bought extra during back to school sales.) So for under $12.00 I am getting 4 cookbooks to give out.

Layaway is a good option (as long as you make the payments on schedule).

My biggest tip for this Holiday season is shop all year long! I start the day after Christmas and pick up small things here and there that are either on sale or clearanced. It saves me a lot of time and money during the holiday season. It sure makes the holiday season a lot less stressful and I can enjoy my family and friends more at all of our holiday events.

Holiday money saving tip:

For the holidays we save money by giving family and friends home made gifts such as peanut brittle, Christmas rum cakes, photo ornaments and picture related gift of the family.

I save money by buying all my Christmas paper, tags, bags and cards after Christmas when they are 50-75% off. And then I save them to use the next year.

Oh my goodness, the things you could get with a $500 Walmart gift card! This has got to be the best giveaway I’ve seen yet. My money saving tip is only using CASH – CASH – CASH! I’ve allocated money into envelopes for each gift recipient. I’m using these envelopes to purchase presents and I’m really trying to stretch those dollars by looking for deals in stores and online. Once the cash is spent, I’m done with my holiday shopping. DH and I are debt free as of this past summer, and we refuse to whip out the credit cards for the holidays. It comes the same time every year, so we included “Holiday savings” into our monthly budgets over the last few months. If this keeps us from going overboard this year as we’ve done in the past, then will keep using this strategy in the years to come.

Shop with coupons and only once a week to save extra purchases, and gas money.

Redo…I save money by buying all my Christmas papers, tags, bags and cards on the after Chirstmas sales at 50-75% off.
Thanks,
Steph/kyleesmom74@yahoo.com

http://bzzagentroyalty.blogspot.com/2008/12/win-this-giveaway-for-holiday-shopping.html

Here is my post linking my readers to your giveaway!

My money saving tip is wait…we get so stressed during the holidays and sometimes just want to get it done…but w/ the economy, there will be deals…so wait and shop around!

I subscribed to Motherloot

2. tip is :

stuff stockings with items you need like toothbrushes and toothpaste, hair things, deoderant, trial size items for the trip out of town… etc.. that way the money isn’t wasted on candy.. which our kids will get plenty of already!

I posted on my blog. (http://mghollis.blogspot.com/2008/12/nice-giveaway.html)

I also am already subscribed to your blog. I guess my last money saving tip would be to just really limit who you buy gifts for. Do you have to participate in an office gift exchange? Do you have to include all the teachers at your child’s school and at church? Do you have to buy gifts for your 25 great nieces and nephews? We are on a very tight budget this year, and will be limited to our children and really close friends and family.

Good luck to everyone.
Hugs,
Melinda

On Christmas Eve we all expect to open one gift here. Well I have a Money saving idea and a great way to remenber what the day is really about. It is a no money grab.Thanksgiving Day we all draw names. Then you have until Christmas Eve to either make something for that person, do a service for that person ex: clean their room, wash their car. Or do something charitible in that persons name.
No money can be use!! In the past I have made a bank out of bottles, reinvented barettes, made picture slideshows using my computer for family. Big thing to remember Look around for things that can be recycled into something one of a kind and will have lasting memories.
Thanks and Merry Christmas Everyone!

I am a member of a local multiples club (I have twins). I try and stock up for Christmas and Birthdays.
Thanks!

In my family we have started doing PollyAnna… where each adult completes a short form telling things they like, want or collect and then we each pull a name out of a hat. The gift is given a minimum and maximum dollar amount and then we have a gift exchange on Christmas day. It starts out like Secret Santa and then you find out who gave the gift to you. This eliminates the need to purchase lots of gifts for people in your family.

Money saving tip and asking famliy what they need. My in laws have evering it seems but asking what do you need so I start a new list for the fridge and through the year they write on it the things they need. This helps looking for those things that are on sale along with coupons. Walmart Rocks !!!

I like to make bake goods and candy with kids for our friends. People are so busy they forget how good it is to have something homemade. They’ll get tired of that expensive gift but they will remember that treat for a long time, you always hear people say I had this cookie or candy that taste so good and a friend made it for me, it’s something we all have it common the love of food.

OK here is another one .. I have a very large family. LOL So money is ALWAYS an issue. Thanksgiving I get a 25lbs Turkey. And of course there is always some left. I take the Leftover bird boil it so I get some good stock and all the meat left is easily removed. I make homemade turkey soup and pot pie. Not only is this a great way to stretch your money but you can freeze them and have dinner in a snap.

Always shop when items are on sale and use coupons. Some stores will price match, too.

Save money and trees when sending holiday cards. At most photo card websites you can also get photocard postcards. They are cheaper to order and will cost less in postage since you will only need a postcard stamp. They will also save paper by eliminating the need for an envelope!

I create theme gift baskets and give them as gifts at the holidays. I start by shopping clearance and dollar stores all year long for items. I have a box in a spare closet I keep them so I don’t lose track of them. Then I find cheap baskets at thirft stores to put the stuff in so you are recycling too. Some ideas I have used are baking, pasta, baby, spa bath, gardening, movie themed.

Start limiting who you buy for OR just limit the spending and buy or make little tokens that show your appreciation and love for others. I am not crafty…that would make my life so much easier as far as gift giving! But,I love to be in the kitchen. So, I often give delicacies that are a real treat…buckeyes, truffles, fudge, etc. Cheap to make, but made with love

I celebrate Hannukah and what I do to save money for the Holiday is watch for the deals. A lot of things I buy for my 5 children for Hannukah are sold at my local CVS. I am able to buy Menorahs, candles, Dreidels, Gelt, Hannukah decorations and many more things. At the end of the year when they mark down all the holiday items at 70% off, this includes the Hannuakah items. This is when I really do most of my purchases and then I have most of what I need for the next Hannukah. Great gifts for really cheap. Thanks for the Great Giveaway.

Our holiday tip is that we try to make some holiday gift for our family along with some store bought items – so, instead of spending a lot on a store bought item we spend some and then offset the gift with homemade stuff. I even do this with my now three year old – she will be getting a homemade blanket, altered journal and pen to play with and a home made doll… along with the ‘purchased’ items.

I just subscribed to your blogs.

My money saving tip is to do most of your shopping online. You can easily reach the $25 needed for free shipping on Amazon and typically they have better prices. If you are diligent in watching for deals you can easily get the gifts you are looking for at a fraction of the cost. I have yet to step foot in a mall or store to shop for Christmas. It has all been delivered to my front door for free.

To cut back on costs this holiday season, we are cutting back on who we buy for, making gifts for people that we still want to give gifts to but aren’t able to spend a lot on and also trying to find the items we want on sale instead of just buying them whenever.

Since times are hard. I try to begin my Christmas shopping in July/August time frame. Stretching out the time in which I have to shop helps me better afford the gifts I buy. I also use as many coupons as I can. One of my favorites to use coupons from is Bath and Body Works… and these items make nice gifts to give out to friends, the children’s teachers, and so on… Always shop the clearance racks/bins. Walmart always has great finds on clearance.

I like to do a lot of my holiday shopping online. I have been checking sites like Amazon, Ebates, and SlickDeals to find codes and specials to get free shipping (at least) and sometimes big discounts on my purchases. I just can’t pay full price.

To save money on gifts we draw names in my family between all the siblings and brother/sister in laws and my parents. So out of eight of us I’m only buying one gift. It works great!!

My holiday tips are…

#1 we do our banking with a bank that offers points based on the dollar amount you use your debit card for. Since most of my bills and purchases run through that card I can add up points rather quickly. I started saving points in August and by October had enough for a $100 in gift cards to Target. That helped with my gifts!

#2 is I start buying non perishables for holiday dinners well before Thanksgiving. Usually in my area they mark them up during the holidays so I purchase mine in advance which also just helps lessen what I have to spend in December.

Signing up for the blogs today!

My money saving tip is to make a list and STICK to it. Do this BEFORE you go to the store because it really cuts back on impulse shopping. Once you get to the store, it’s easy to become overwhelmed. With a list, it’s easy…all you do is stick to the list!

My tip is to give gifts of service to those closest to you, like an evening of baby-sitting.

I like to purchase decorations after the holiday so I can get them at 75-90% off. Then next year I have so much to choose from!

oh please oh please oh please. I know it is random and all, but please!

Okay, here is my holiday saving tip that I am doing for gifts this year. My budget is TIGHT. I downloaded two fun and unique holiday cds off of amazon.com for about $9 each. I plan on burning these two cds onto a blank disk, decorating the disc with CD friendly markers (instead of buying expensive cd labels) in shapes of Christmas trees and presents, then mailing them to my friends and family a few weeks before Christmas so they can enjoy them through out the month of December.

I am a subscriber of your Motherload blog, and here is my holiday saving tip #2

I bought a giant bag (5lbs) of Haribo candy off of amazon.com for about $12. Purchase some small holiday treat bags, fill them, and fill a bowl by your front door with the filled bags. When you have visitors over during the holidays, send them home with a bag of treats. Very inexpensive treat. You can also make homemade chex mix or white chocolate chex mixes and use them instead, if you can get them on sale.

I start shopping for Christmas the day after Christmas for the next year. I have 4 kids and everytime I see a good clearance for them I pick it up. I am usually 75% done with shopping for everyone by the time Christmas comes around again.

Use a site like E-bates that gives you cash back on your online purchases. Last year I did most of my holiday shopping online and got back over $100 from E-bates.

I have two tips – first, making homemade gifts. Some of the items I’m going to make is soap and milk bath as gifts this year. Also, I like to buy ornaments for my kids every year, especially from Hallmark. So I usually wait until after Christmas to buy them when they are 50% or more off and then I can save them for the next year.

I use my kids artwork as wrapping paper for the holidays. It saves money and the family LOVES the keepsake.

I find that having my daughters “make” gifts (crafts, drawings, etc) is a huge money saver. They have sentimental value, and they never cost a lot of money!

my husband and i have a designated envelope for christmas and we put money it in all year long. Money from garage sales or money saved from using coupons on grocery etc. gets put in the envelope so when we need to shop we pay cash! and the added expense doesn’t break our budget! also shopping all year long on good deals helps also!

Make your own….money is extremely tight for us this year, I mean so tight that we have limited it to one main gift for each child and maybe a small one or two but even that will be pushing it for us this year but for gifts that we have to give to others we are going to make them. We are making baskets with a variety of cookies, candy and etc. Not only will it save us money, it is a gift of love and my family all is getting in on the act so we will be able to spend time together too and what family member (other than the kids) don’t love a handmade gift!!

My tip is to make a gift list and stick with it and do do price checks online to find the lowest prices.

I save money during the holidays by making gifts- usually edible treats. We also save money by picking one family member to buy presents for rather than buying a gift for everyone in the family. Who needs that much stuff anyway?

Thanks for the opportunity!

I also added your feed to my google reader.

Thanks again!

With a tight budget this year for the holidays, I am making inexpensive gifts for my friends, family, work colleagues and neighbors. I make pillows for relatives with their favorite football team or fraternity on it. For coworkers, I make white chocolate covered pretzels and Chocolate spoons. For neighbors, I make fruit baskets with fruits, nuts and candy. I just love this time of year and giving things made from the heart.

What a great giveaway – and boy could I use that cash since I have 4 kids! here are ways we save money during Christmas: pay for things in cash, buy books via amazon for the kids they are in great condition — (big hint, buy then from same seller so you don’t get charged with multiple shipping/handling charges), I use coupons galore at the grocery store, stack coupons at CVS & Target, and another way we save is by drawing only 1 family member to give a gift to since we have enormous families we all agree to only buy 1 gift for 1 adult so everyone just gets one gift – the kids usually get a group gift and that too cuts down on costs. Ok, I really hope I win!!! Either way, thanks for letting me try.

I shop from ebates to get $ back and ALWAYS use coupons!

I purchased fleece blankets for only $1.50 on black Friday that the kids will make in kids style for cousins and grandparents.

Oh, here is another way we save money … we use the newspaper comics as wrapping paper – super colorful, everyone of all ages love it & it is a way of reusing resources!

My way of saving during the holidays and the entire year long is to shop for deals at Walmart. From time to time, they come up with some fabulous deals, just keep a look out for them and shop! I’ve found great deals on brand name sunscreens, hair products, room heaters and more at Walmart. Also keep visiting sites like MomAdvice and avail of the tips for great freebies, samples and more. that way you don’t spend on stuff that you can get for free!

My holiday saving tip is to make gifts for your friends and family. I made a 20 page photo book for my mom during a free promotion and only paid shipping. This gift will be so much more appreciated then something I spent 50 dollars on. It’s not about the cost, but the thought of the gift.

Watching the ads and sales and by using coupons.
I always start my shopping early and stick to a list. My family draws names for the kids so we don’t have to buy for everyone.

Like so many others, the most important thing I do to help save money at the holidays is to make a budget and stick to it! I make a list of everyone and everything (ie Christmas Cards) that I need to purchase for for the holidays. Once that is done my husband and I sit down and decide how much we can spend this season. Then we assign a dollar amount to each person. I don’t go shopping without my list! Once I purchase something for someone, I note what it is along with the amount. This helps ensure I get what I need and stay on budget.

We have a great money saving tip. All of the adults have stopped exchanging gifts, we don’t need anything, and just enjoy good food and conversation. We have all the kids do a gift exchange among themselves at Thanksgiving. We keep the limit small, and each child proves a few suggestions–it is great to see what they can think of with the small limits, lol. Then we watch each child open their gift one at a time; that way we all get to see what they received and enjoy the moment. I try hard not to let them get into just exchanging gift cards.

reuse gift bags.

My best money saving tip is to hand make as many gifts as possible. I make jewelry, sew and also bake some gifts. Thanks for the opportunity!

My Holiday tip is to decide early what your holiday spending limit is and then set a price limit for each gift recipient. For me, its hard to put a price on giving because I would give the world if I had the bank account to do it. But remember it’s really the thought that counts!

Save money, and the environment, on wrapping paper and gift boxes. Instead of purchasing gift boxes, use the boxes you receive samples in (WalMart sample boxes are great for this) or boxes that products you buy come in. To save money, and the environment, on wrapping paper use paper grocery bags and wrap the gift in it, print side in, then use stamps or stickers to decorate the paper. After everyone has opened their gift you can recycle the paper.

One thing we do to save money at Christmas time is draw names amongst the adults! Then we only have to get a gift for that family member instead of EVERYBODY!

Making handcrafted coupons good for a service that is meaningful to the recipient (a car wash, a homemade dinner, et al.) is a great gift to give that can be relatively inexpensive (as long as the service that you’re offering isn’t something that will cost when redeemed, like say – a dinner out or a fill-up of gas [even though the prices are plummeting].) It’s meaningful, thoughtful, and when given by a child can promote the concept and value of showing love through acts of selflessness and service to others.

I save ovaltine and electrasol round containers all year. Then, using Christmas wrapping paper or scrapbook paper, I decorate them on the outside! They are perfect to give homemade cookies or candies in without any crumbling or crushing. Or I use them as gift containers for those odd gifts that are hard to wrap!

I always stock up on Christmas wrap, bows, labels, lights, cards, whatever I need AFTER Christmas for the next year. I’ve even bought next year’s Christmas gifts the day after Christmas as the markdowns are incredible.

Thanks for an awesome giveaway!

My holiday shopping saving tip is the Ebates. Nothing like stacking a rebate on top of promo codes. Also, we are making designer confections this year as gifts for friends and neighbors. The FREE Kraft Food an Family magazine offered some great ideas for an inexpensive sweet holiday.

My favorite holiday money saving tip is to spend the year looking for special gifts for people and then I store them in my gift closet. Each person or couple has their own box marked with their name, it’s a nice way to be thinking of dear hearts all year long!

For the Holidays we created a budget and put a little bit of cash back each week so now we know how much we have to spend and when the cash is gone- we are DONE!! No going over budget for us this year!!

We love Nickelodeon and we are so thankful for this great giveaway!!

JLWalden1{at}gmail{dot}com

I subscribed to all three now! I had already subscribed to one thanks to someone on tweet telling about your great blog, now I have all three, woo hoo. I had to think really hard of what I wanted for Christmas this year. I lost my job in July and now am just working a seasonal job, so I don’t really have money for gifts, or money to give my teenagers for gifts either. I decided what I REALLY wanted was a current picture with my sons! I told them that this was the ONLY thing I wanted for Christmas, so they really had no option, lol. I am working for Santa pictures right now, so I got one for free, bought a CD and have a great picture with the boys, the dog and myself. Happy, happy am I. My one son is making a picture frame in shop class, I can now send lots of email cards, and am going to print some for the older family members for a few cards. Many haven’t seen the boys in a while, so I hope they enjoy this idea as much as I do!

I love your blog, Amy, so of course I subscribe!

Tip #2 Take your family Christmas pictures yourself. Most cameras have timers, and there’s a lot more personality in the ones you take at home.

What a BIG BLESSING this would be….On Social Security….
Well, 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.

* 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

Start your shopping early. Start by making a list of everyone you need to buy for and your spending limit for each. Then shop online for deals using coupon codes for discounts and free shipping or take advantage of some stores having free site-to-store shipping. Always make sure to stick to your budget.

What a great giveaway! I could really use it!

Tip #1 Go through your Christmas decorations BEFORE you go to the store and use (or re-purpose) the things you already have before spending more money.

We save money by having an envelope system with cash. We can’t go over the amount of cash in the envelope!

I’m a subscriber

Christmas has to be well planed for us. Presents, dinners, outings, etc… We have lists and check them off. If we don’t see what we bought or what we have to do, it is easy to spend more than what we need. Simple things really help us to be on budget or even save money.

One of my best money saving tips for the holidays (okay maybe 2 tips) is to make a list before you go and stick to it and second to always google for free shipping and discount codes before placing an online order!!

My holiday tip is… Make your gifts. I have a 2 & 3 year old. We will be decorating cookie tins. Of course we will bake cookies. Not only is this a great gift but I also get some great quality time & memories with my girls.

My tip is to follow all of the great bargain blogs out there that highlight sales on a daily basis. I have saved hundreds of dollars on toys this way and completed my holiday shopping early! And, I never had to leave my house to shop

Oh shoot! Throw out my last one, I meant to say I’m a subscriber, but then give a tip!

Here’s another tip… stock up on gifts at yard sales. We gets lots of toys still in the box at sales during the summer!

I’m a divorced mom with 2 young children, so a budget for the holidays is a must. I figure out how much I can spend total for the holidays and then split it up between my kids and the rest of my immediate family – with my kids getting the majority of the holiday budget.

If anyone asks what I want for Christmas, I always ask for money to contribute to my older daughter’s “Education Fund” to pay for school clothes, supplies, etc. that I would have a hard time paying for throughout the year. It’s a gift for me, because I actually get to pay for all these things without having to get an extra job!

My money saving tip for the holidays is to go the dollar store and local thrift shops and find beautiful holiday tins and containers and i fill them with homemade candy and cookies. Everyone loves it and looks forward to it each year.And it so much fun knowing I gave them something from the heart.

My email address for the above post is bioteachr2000@yahoo.com.

My holiday shopping tip is simple – we let the grandparents buy the big items, and we just supplement with a few small things for each child!

My favorite holiday tip that I always try to follow is Homemade gifts. I dont give homemade gifts to every one on my list, but the majority of my list get homemade cookies, candies, and cakes. This is a way I try to cut back on holiday spending but still get for everyone on my list.

First of all, I’m a subscriber to all three of your blogs *and* I’m a twitter follower, thank you

My tip is to talk with the people you exchange gifts with and make a better plan. My sister-in-law hesitantly confided in me that money is that this year and perhaps we could exchange small gifts (specifically books) for the kids and nothing more tangible than good wishes for the adults. I was thrilled! We don’t need much of anything and I was dreading all the shopping.

We save money at the holidays by looking for gifts at garage sales and thrift/consignment stores and I can always find many things on my list.

…and here’s my regular entry!

One thing that has worked really well for us was to guide our children to set low expectations for Christmas gifts early. You are really the one who teaches them what to expect, and we would rather save the hundreds of dollars that we could easily spend on more stuff (which we don’t need) and teach the kids to expect fun and good cheer, but not a ton of gifts. I’m thinking we’ll save tens of thousands of dollars over the next however-many years.

I haven’t read the rest of these, but here is mine:
This year we are trying a couple of different things to save money. No adults in the extended family will give/receive gifts this year (usually we draw names ), only the children are getting gifts. Also, we are doing 3 gifts per person in the immediate family. Jesus got three gifts at His birth, so celebrating His birthday, we will each get 3 gifts.

I save money by making my own Photo Christmas Cards. I spent just $5 this year for 50 cards!

Holiday Money Saving Tip #1:

Don’t do all your shopping in the month before the holiday.

I keep an eye out for good deals on toys for the kids all year long. When I see a good deal on something I buy several. Closet them away. Some come out as birthday party gifts but most stay there until the holidays. Its always a great surprise to realize how “done” I am before I even get started holiday shopping in November.

i buy with cash only and adult kids bring dishes for the holiday meal

Holiday Money Saving Tip #2

Decorate naturally We save up all year (mostly fall) with natural things to decorate with. DS collects leaves, we press and preserve, come Christmas we might get a little crazy and paint them silver and gold or something. A clear glass jar full of chestnuts found in the woods (freeze nuts when bringing them home from outdoors) is holiday pretty. Things like that. There are tons of “nature crafts” that can be put to holiday use.

I always buy gifts at end of season sales WAY before the Christmas season! I usually buy items at 75 or 90% off!

Holiday Money Saving Tip #3

I believe buying food stuffs in bulk to be a good savings source. But for holiday cookies you always need a little of this for that recipe and a little of that for this recipe.

Who wants to use up freezer space for cookies?

http://www.robinsweb.com/cookies/index.html

My family likes to do cookie exchanges. You make a lot of “your” cookie (buying in bulk and saving) and still get oodles of other cookies to try, eat, or give as gifts.

I am a subscriber… I am hand making a bunch of gift this year. I turned those old AOL disks into a calendar, I made almost all our Christmas cards and I am finishing some vacation scrapbooks for those lucky family members that actually TOOK a vacation this year.

I subscribe!
I buy savings bonds for the little kids on my Christmas list. They’re not a super-fantastic return on investment, but I purchase them at half the value and the kids save them until they’ve matured until full value. It’s a much better gift than a toy that will be tossed aside within the year!

A money saving trick I’m doing this holiday season is making homemade mixes to give to some friends and my son’s teacher.
montyb49@gmail.com

My money saving tip is doing my own holiday pics. I have a 5 month old who doesnt like strangers…so why pay them to do horrible pics when I can do them myself and print them on a printer that my lil brother got me a few years ago! (And for some people…the pic is their Christmas gift from me! )

Don’t think in terms of “I need to spend X on each person,” but in terms of what you want to get for each person, with X as a spending limit. Then, if you find it for half the price, you don’t feel the need to spend the saved money on something else to fill the dollar value.

I save money by continuously reading blogs and searching out great deals…I try to spend a little less on groceries (we eat quicker, lighter meals) when gives me more flexibility in my gift-giving budget!

I save money at the holidays by making homemade cookie baskets for all of my extended list—those people who aren’t on my must buy list but I still want to give something to. I can buy all the cookie supplies on sale with coupons and the baskets from the dollar store. I get off much cheaper by making a family cookie basket than buying all the members of that family a gift! I am also one of those extremely organized people who was done shopping by Halloween. I find clearance and sale deals all year long.

I have my toddler make homemade tree ornaments for the grandparents– they love them!

I like to save money by making my own Christmas ornaments and giving them out early. By that – you are giving the gift receiver some ornaments which we all need – but also getting your presents out early and they are usually under 50 cents an ornament! I love to give these out and always get a good response when I do!

We buy presents that are “timeless” after the holidays, like an ornament that holds digital pictures. A hit!

I truly take time out to look for the best deals. I do not run out and get the first sale items out there. Patience is key!!

We set aside a set amount of money each month throughout the year for the holidays. Around October, I split up that money based on the people we have decided to buy for and that is all we have. There isn’t any extra so we have to stay within that amount. It’s been really nice to be forced to search for super good deals and be creative for each person!

I buy presents throughout the year whenever I find good deals or sales and I keep them in a “present closet”. Then at Christmas, I pull them all out and determine which I’m going to use for presents and how many I still have to buy.

Okay, I have subscribed, and I save $$$ over the holidays by doing a combination of many things, all of which have already been mentioned in one form or another. I make gifts for the women in my office, and then I do 80-90% of my shopping online, which saves gas, plus I make sure the item is on sale and I have a coupon and free shipping. I set a limit for each person and I know what I’m looking for when I shop for them. If someone else is going to a store that has a sale item I need, I ask them to pick it up for me. Also, since I’m a buyer at my office, I know several places online to check prices before purchasing. In addition, I have a “spam” email account that I set up just to sign up for store newsletters b/c that’s a good way to get extra coupons for upcoming sales. Finally, I subscribe to Black Friday and Cyber Monday websites to get additional alerts.

Set a budget, make a list and stick to both! Check those sale racks & deep-discounted items and you’ll be amazed at what good stuff you can find!

With 4 grown children and their significant
others and 14 grandchildren plus sister’s family I have found I cannot possibly do Christmas this year (I live on Social Security).But am already planning for next year.Will start shopping right after Christmas and will get started making things which I didnt do this year cause couldnt afford the things to make things with.And having 6 granddaughters 8-13 it is a great age to make them baskets of lip glosses,light nail polishes,bubble baths and can use some of my freebies.Will also do some baking and candy making. Will never have another Christmas like this one.

My holiday money saving tip is to buy your Christmas wrapping paper and supplies after Christmas when everything is on clearance to use next year.

All I have to say is Black Friday. It works everry year. Thanks for the chance.

I shop mostly online so I do a lot of comparing of different sites. Also, I use Ebates and retailmenot.com for coupons… I save tons by doing both of those! I also take advantage of the free items… I’ve made free photo books, calendars, holiday cards, etc.. THANKS!! my2sillyluvbugs@sbcglobal.net

reuse gift bags, have kids decorate & recycle paperbags

For our children we sit down and write a list of what each one wants and exactly how much we can afford to spend between the three and pick each one fairly “big” present and the rest all practical stuff that they will love but will save us money such as lip balms, toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoos things like that and for family members burning a dvd with pictures of the family is a cheap gift that everyone loves

Some holiday money saving tips:
1) use comics from your newspaper to wrap gifts
2) always shop and compare prices to get the best deal
3) draw names with your family
4) have everyone bring food items to get togethers
5) always check online to see if an item you are wanting to buy online has a coupon
Thankyou for the chance to win!

My son is autistic and works with a great deal of teachers at his school. I like to be able to give each teacher something at Christmastime. Since there are close to 12 teachers, it has to be inexpensive. So, each year we buy wood unfinished ornaments at the dollar store. They come in a pack of 12. We paint some of them, glitter others, decoupage some, add beads and buttons to others…each one is special and has the name of the teacher. I then write each teacher a short note thanking them for their care and help they give me son every day. This year we found wreath ornaments and are already about done with half of them!

Getting a list for christmas shopping together is quite the thing. It would be great to get some nickelodeon things from walmart for the kids. I always look for the bargains; sometimes you have to get there first.

My favorite money saving tip lately is “Price Protectr”. I choose items at different stores that I want to buy people for Christmas and it keeps up with the prices and tells me when it changes. I started following items a few months ago and have taken advantage of some great deals, especially on Amazon.

I save money by using http://www.thegrocerygame.com and coupon websites to stockpile shop.

Give everyone homemade items. Who doesn’t love food anyways! Give me some chocolate chip cookies.

Holiday Tip: Buy decor items the week of, and after Christmas. You’ll find them for next to nothing on clearance and you can store them for next year! I do this every year so I have a little something new each Christmas season without going out and spending a lot of money!

I discovered all of the pre-Thanksgiving sales this year and was amazed at all the great deals! A lot of the stores send out their friends and family coupons before Thanksgiving for up to 30% off. We got my daughter’s coat for a killer deal this year.

I love following your blog(s)! I compare several stores online and always pay attention to free shipping deals. I’ve loved Walmart, Target, Kohls, etc free shipping offers this season! This saves me a ton of time running to the store with my toddler.

One way I save money is by finding used text books at Goodwill and then selling them on Amazon.com. I usually pay .59 for a book and make around $20 (Sometimes more, sometimes less). The trick is purchasing books with a copyright of 2006 or above. Another way I save, is by taking competitor’s ads to Walmart and making them price match.

Our credit card offers a free rewards program, so I redeem my points for movie tickets, gift cards, etc. Sometimes I give the gift card as a present and sometimes I use the gift card to purchase the present. This helps not only at the holidays but all year long.
liz417@yahoo.com

One way we save money in our family is, everyone buys the kids something. Then for the adults we draw names. This way has worked for us pretty good for a while now. Even though sometimes we buy things for other names we didn’t draw, if we happen to have the extra money.

I always used to think I would remember to go back and pick up the things that friends and family pointed out in a store or catalog but of course, I never could- I now type little lists- very specific book titles, candle fragances, tea flavors, etc. and keep them in my pocket or purse at all times- it’s nice to know you’re giving someone what they really want- and I can browse all year for pesents-

My tip is to get your priorities straight as to who you’re spending for. I look for deals and steals all year long and that way I’m not pressed looking for something at the last minute. And obviously, don’t spend more than you can afford.

Holiday Saving Tip:

Turn Pringles Tins into cookie gift boxes by wrapping them in 12X12 scrapbooking paper and adding some fun stickers!

i save money around the holidays by instead of just shopping at the end of the year I buy little things all year round.Also, going to the thrift store or any recycling programs you can really find some great things.

thrift stores that’s my secret.

I start Christmas shopping at the sales the day after Christmas. I usually get about half of my shopping done that day for the following year. Saves money and time.

I usually make gift baskets and fill with goodies I get for free.

I would love to win this! My Holiday $ saving tip is NEVER paying retail prive for anything. I shop for xmas gifts through out the year and try to combine sale/coupons. By the time xmas comes around I don’t need to go out and pay full price for anything.

This year I was able to get all of our Christmas cards for free. I turned in my Pampers rewards points and got 50 free photo cards from Shutterfly. Now only if there was a way to save on stamps.
Happy Holidays everyone.

My children have so many toys and lots of family to get them new ones. So for Christmas this year we decided to just get them 1 or 2 big gifts we know they will enjoy and save the rest of the money for other things we will need throughout the year. We also had the children go through and get rid of toys they don’t want anymore or play with and sell them in a garage sale. It helps to raise money for the holidays and gets rid of the stuff that’s just laying around.
We also do a gift exchange between just the children (my neice and nephews) but instead of buying each child a seperate gift we choose the family and by them all one big gift….because lets face it they always end up playing with each others toys anyway.
Thank you so much for this oppurtunity.

I make pottery for my friends and family. Like vases, candy dishes, and mugs.

Great post! Thanks to Walmart and Nickelodean for the giveaway! I’m saving money this Christmas by making gift bags from my CVS loot. I also try to find all the coupons I can for any store possible and only buy something on sale with a coupon.

We have done a “Pollyana” for family members for Christmas. That way, you just have to buy one present.

I save Christmas cards from past years to use for scrapbooking.

I have a present closet where I collect gifts at great deals. For instance, Toys R Us had some Fisher Price toys on sale buy one, get one free back in the early spring and I bought several sets for all the babies. I try to make sure I have someone who will use the gifts I find and that I’m not buying junk. I also aim to have my Christmas shopping done by the end of November to spread the cost of Christmas out over the year. Also, we have more time to spend as a happy family instead of being so frantic.

Thanks to MomAdvice for the timely tips and freebies connections all year! My advice is to always use coupons and promotional codes for all buys, if possible. Free shipping plus a certain percentage off makes online shopping a joy. Happy holidays to all

I love the holidays and giving something special, but when $$ is tight, I’ve found that making gifts is just as much appreciated. People especially love homemade cookies and treats, wrapped up just as pretty as the expensive gifts!

Shop church and rummage sales. My son will be receiving beautiful gifts that look brand new.

making mini loaves of holiday bread, my fav is pumpkin, is a great cost alternative way to give gifts to everyone on your list!

i subscribe!

I am saving money very simply this year – only buying one item per person!

I love exchanging gifts and getting together for a family celebration but it gets sooo expensive. To help cut costs we do a potluck style meal and draw names so everyone only has to buy one gift. The Holidays should be more about traditions and family than presents anyway right?

This year has been very very tight financially for us, and to make it worse, we have a 14 month old to buy for this Christmas. My money saving tip is shop second hand. There are so many great websites and stores out there that are nearly giving away great stuff. I got my son an indoor/outdoor toddler playset for $50…it resales for $140. Thats what I call a bargin!

My best tip is to use cash…when we shop for presents with only cash it is so much more obvious how much you are spending…$5 here or $10 there doesn’t seem like much until you put them altogether. I have saved a lot this way!!!

I am making a lot of gifts this year! I have been throwing links in a “Crafty” favorites folder like crazy, and sifted through them to match up stuff with people. I’m giving my sisters-in-law sewn-by-me cloth shopping bags, and decoupaged bangle braclets. My nieces are getting tulle floofy skirts, with the older niece getting a hand-beaded necklace in her favorite color, lime green.

My best money saving tip is to shop year round. If you see a great deal on a great gift in March – buy it, make a note and stash it! For most adults this is possible because we are more predictable!

I have saved tons of money this way!

Only purchase gifts for children and immediate family. Instead make gifts for the other whom you give gifts to, it’s cheaper and much more meaningful.

Having family over? Make it covered dish, everyone can bring something. Want a great twist on this let the kids in the family pick what to bring, you’ll end up with everything from real dishes to candy canes, ice cream, peanuts, licorice…whatever the little ones desire. It adds a little extra surprise and joy, and the kids are always so excited that they participate so much.

Check out more of my tips at http://dy725.blogspot.com/

We do all kinds of things to save money…
we eat in, rent movies, do sleepovers and each child brings a soda and 5 dollars for help with food, a dvd from home so they can pick. The kids love this.

Each year at least three months before the holiday season I make a list of who and how many people I need to buy for. Then I put a price limit per person. When trying to personalize and get gifts that are meaningful or the person will love I also take into account all coupons I am able to find and use, or make something homemade. One example that I have already done this year is make picture collages on snapfish with the multiple coupons and bought picture frmas on sale. These make great, in-expensive memorable gifts!

What a great giveaway! My favorite money-saving tip is to hoard my gift cards that I get (especially at Target) and use them for Christmas presents & decorations.

What a great contest, I sure hope I win….either way we all win with all these great ideas on saving this holiday..so Thanks

One of my saving tips is to have the kids make gift bags instead of buying them. Most stores carry white lunch bags (Walmart carries them) you get 50 for $2.00, we then get the kids to color, and decorate them with anything and everything. We always put on the bottom of the bag “lovingly decorated by the ___ children” It adds to the emotional value of the gift and the kids stay busy and have a great time.

Hey I just subscribed to MOM ADVICE and it was easy as pie, I added it right to my homepage!

A great tip to save this holiday…is in gif giving…Give the teachers hand sanitizer and tissues instead of personal gifts, they really appreciate it, they usually buy these items for the classrooms themselves. So you can save a few bucks and so can your childs teacher.

Happy Savings

A $500 Walmart Gift card!!! Yeah!!
I save money during the holiday by recycling gift bags and boxes and bows.

Nancy Ward (nanbob06_76@yahoo.com)

My mom got me in the habit of shopping year round when there’s a good sale and storing the purchases. It’s been a great money saver.

One of my best deals was a fall coat I bought my MIL at an end of season sale. It’s a wool, lined button down that comes to mid thigh in a great teal color. She loved it.

It was on sale for $30 but an additional % off so I got it for $20. Naturally I bought one in purple for me!

I just started this year but my money saving tip for this Christmas was to go through my closets. I found items that are new or practically new that we don’t use and I posted them on ebay for sale. The money that I make from my ebay sales, will go towards purchasing Christmas gifts. So, I am not only generating cash flow to purchase Christmas gifts but I am also getting rid of stuff that I don’t use.

My tip is to clip as many coupons as possible food is not getting any cheaper so I get all of my coupons and go to wal-mart.Another ay I’m going to save money on gifts is by making my own gifts they have a lot of great ideas on allyou.com. I wish I could win the gift card it would be a blessing my family like a lot of others are going through a hardship and we would be so greatful. love the King family

I subscribed to your blog. I save money on holiday cooking by watching for the items for my recipes to be on sale and by using coupons and doing price matches at our local Walmart.

Nancy W.

Another thing that works for me is the day after sales. I almost always hit Target and WalMart early in the morning to re-stock my cards, wrapping paper, buy decorations or replace anything that was broken.

I subscribe to Motherloot.

This year I started signing up for little freebies that I’m going to use to make gift baskets for unexpected gifts I need to give. I also do a lot of shopping at garage sales and thrift stores, in addition to dollar stores throughout the year. Thank you for the entry.

I am also a subscriber. Thanks!

My holiday saving tips are:
1. I was suprised what all there is at Dollar Tree, that you can use as far as Stocking Stuffers. Candy,Candles, lotion, toys, puzzles, etc. The cristmas deco’s are even nice.
2. Shop around. Dont buy the first thing you see. Really look at other stores and see if you might find it for less. Walgreens has a printable coupon for $5.00 that you can use for a purchase of $25.00 or more. It only lasts through this week i believe.
3. Cut down on all the gift givings, buy whats necessary. You can even find used toys, etc. online, that might be in great condition or unused, without paying the retail price.
Happy Holidays everyone!

I always like to plan ahead and write down Christmas list. Our families decided to buy gifts for the children (my child, nieces and nephews) and for our parents. It makes it hard to buy everyone presents because we have my side of the family and my husband’s side. It really adds up pretty quick.
Amongst friends, we do cookie switch. We get all the friends together and each of us will make their own special cookies for each person.
This way everyone gets to have different cookies and will able to share this with each other. What better present than home made cookies from friends?!! Make sure you have hot chocolate, hot tea and coffee when your friends come over with those cookies…

My favorite way to save money during the holidays is to make homemade gifts. A few years ago, I did hot cocoa gift baskets with hot cocoa, marshmallows, cinnamon sticks, and candy canes. This year, I’m either making tins of popcorn with various flavors (Parmesan, caramel, chocolate covered) and chocolate dipped pretzels.

We host several Christmas parties – and are never afraid to ask those coming to share their favorite dish or two with the rest of us! If we had to provide all the food for the parties, well, we wouldn’t have so many! Everyone is excited to bring their favorite snack or dessert to share – and everyone bringing a little saves one family from the huge work and expense!

REGIFT!

This is not only a money saving tip but also great gift ideas. Have family pictures taken at a Walmart photo center and purchase picture frames at Walmart. An 8×10 is $3.00 and a 11×14 is $5.00. Inexpensive and memories to cherish!

A holiday tip I have is to make home made gifts. It makes the gift unique and special as it was made special for that person. Another idea is to keep cards from last Christmas and reuse the cover or sayings to make new ones.

I just subscribed to your blog. Great tips by the way! I’m fairly new to the world of frugality, coupons and saving money, but this holdiay season I have been a lot more mindful of how I spend my money. I absolutely love Christmas, so in the past I tended to go overboard on holiday decorations without really shopping around for the best deals. This Christmas is a whole different story. One of the most helpful tips that I have learned is not only how to create a budget, but also how to stick to that budget. Lately, I have been purchasing the sunday paper,utilizing coupons and looking for deals in weekly circulars (something I never did in the past). This weekend, I was very sucessfull. For example, instead of going right for the expense christmas decorations, I purchased a lovely wreath that was half off, and I purchased equally lovely decorations at $.29 each to adorn my new wreath, that I created

One thing I try to do every year, to actually save for the next year, is going shopping when all the wrapping paper, bows, and decorations are on sale and stock up!

I ALWAYS BUY SEVERAL KID GIFTS FOR THE FAMILY ON THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS.YOU CAN GET SOME COOL TOYS FOR LITTLE ONES THAT AREN’T SO PICKY. I HOLD THEM FOR THE NEXT CHRISTMAS.ALSO,I COMPARE PRICES AT SEVERAL ONLINE SITES TO FIND THE CHEAPEST PRICE FOR THE CURRENT CHRISTMAS .

I’m a subscriber. Research, research, research. I spend WAY too much time finding the best deal on the presents I buy-but I save lots of money that way, thanks

To help ease too much spending at Christmas,I buy items all year that are on sale.I keep all the items in a large box in my closet.Plus it helps me out during the year,if I need a gift at the last minute.

I’m subscribed already.

Another money saving tip: When we host parties, we provide the main dish and have our guests bring side dishes, desserts, etc. I’m not much of a cook, so it’s just a bonus for me to save money and also to get to taste others goodies!

I’m already subscribed to your blogs.

I am making an apron for my sister-in-law and doing other homemade crafts this year to save money.

This year to save money I am making cinnamon rolls for my neighbors and freezing them so they will get them frozen with instructions on how to bake and that way they can have fresh hot cinnamon rolls whenever they want them.

My best money savings tip (and it’s not for everyone!) is to do a holiday grab bag for the family. We have a set amount that we spend, we each pick a “secret” name and buy gifts for that person. Everyone buys for the kids! But this way our spending is under control quite a bit and no one feels left out!

We download music from I-Tunes for our music library on the computer and we burn cd’s from this library to play in the house/car. So, we decided that a music cd would be the perfect gift for everyone on our Christmas list this year!! This is a perfect way to save money and it also shows the gift recipient that you chose each song for them personally for their enjoyment!! Happy Holidays Everyone!!

Amy, you know I subscribed to your MomAdvice Motherload blog about a month ago at your recommendation and am LOVING my blog feeds, so thanks for that! I am a frequent Wal*Mart shopper and we always have Nickolodeon on (gotta love Drake & Josh!) so am loving this pairing! My advice is to shop throughout the year, especially the first few months following Christmas. The day after Christmas, you can get all of your wrapping needs and any ornaments or decorations you’ve been eyeing for 50% off. Toward the end of February and early March, toy companies roll out their new stuff and tons of older toys get put on deep clearance (Target is great for that!) and can reach as much as 75% off regular prices. I once scored a $90 Fisher Price Spark Art easel for $20 — Merry Christmas!

My tip I do in the holiday season is to shop online and compare deals. I like Amazon as a favorite, I can usually get free shipping so I am saving time and money on gas. This is a great giveaway, Thanks!

I have started making homemade gifts for Christmas. I bake cookies and make homemade candies and put them in gift boxes from the dollar store. I also will give paintings and drawings as gifts. People appreciate the effort of a gift you have made yourself.

Sorry, Goofed my e-mail on last post.

I have started making homemade gifts for Christmas. I bake cookies and make homemade candies and put them in gift boxes from the dollar store. I also will give paintings and drawings as gifts. People appreciate the effort of a gift you have made yourself.

With two children under the age of 3, it’s difficult to get to the mall for shopping, so I have done most of my holiday shopping via the internet. To save extra money that I would have been spending anyway, I use ebates.com, which gives you cash back on your purchases. I recently spent $110 total (at three different stores) and got a little over $20 back on those purchases. Every little bit counts!

This would be a great prize!! My money saving tip is to draw names for presents for large familys – or even better, we have gone to just buying presents for the kids in the families.

Instead of buying gifts for family friends, neighbors, sunday school teachers and all of the people you feel you should recognize with a small gift, choose a baked good (we make small loaves of cranberry orange bread drizzled with confectioner’s sugar icing) and give those instead. Make everything in one big batch and cover with colored plastic wrap tied with a piece of ribbon. We are able to give a lot of people small gift this way without spending much money.

The best holiday shopping tip I can give is to save your bags and boxes to use a wrappings for the next year. These last a long time as long as they don’t get ripped, and saves you the cost of purchasing new gift bags every year! I even do this with birthday bags!

1st tip: I print out 4×6 photos with freebie deals from Shutterfly or Snapfish and include those with cards I bought at 75% off after last Christmas at CVS. That’s a lot cheaper than ordering photo cards!

I’m already a subscriber. My 2nd tip: I asked friends of ours in April if they wouldn’t mind cutting back on Christmas gifts this year. We agreed to do birthday gifts from now on but not Christmas. That took a load off my mind, plus it saved a lot of stress and money because I have four less people to shop for.

We save money by purchasing Christmas wrapping paper, gift bags and tags right after Christmas each year!

My method of saving for the holidays is to enter contests like this one throughout the year. Then I take any gift certificates I’ve won and search for deals to combine with coupons in order to get the most bang for my buck.

I do all of my shopping for decorations, cards and gift wrap after christmas for the next year. That is how I’ve gotten my table settings, blow ups for outside, lights, sheets, etc. Some stores even do the gift sets, so I have gotten purfume at 50% off. The best park is the next year when you pull it all out it feels like christmas day because I have forgotten what I had got.

My holiday saving tip: Instead of buying every adult on my list, including my neighbors,my mom, sister, and I bake cookies and make candy, and fix them up a little goodie basket. BUT, we don’t go out and buy new expensive baskets, we wrap up boxes w/ holiday paper, and shred paper for filler. If we all pitch in ingredients , we get alot of people a gift, and very inexpensively!

We draw names among the adults and have a $40 limit. So nice to only have one gift to buy instead of 8!

thecitygirl74@gmail.com

I buy all of our gift wrap and gift tags at the after Christmas sales – for 75% off! Then, when Christmas rolls around, I have inexpensive paper ready to go, instead of having to rush out and pay full price for paper.

I think the best idea is to keep things low-key. building it up just leaves it feeling so unsatisfying!

I’m a subscriber, so my other tip is to make a list and stick to it. It’s so easy to go way, way, way overboard in buying gifts just to get a few more things only to come home and realize you should’ve quit a long time ago!

My holiday money-saving tip is that we give our close friends the gift of “time.” Instead of spending money on them, we invest our time by keeping their children on an agreed night so that they can go on a date by themselves. Most of our friends have small children, so this works out nicely for them, and we get to enjoy their “blessings” while they’re out.

I am a stay at home mom. However, I got a seasonal job at a popular children’s store. I work just 4 hours a week and get a 40% discount. I am able to buy presents for my children along with some needed furniture items plus presents for my nieces and nephews.

My money saving advice for the holidays is to use cash. I got this from my mother in law. We put cash for each person on our list in an envelope and that is all we spend on that person and we try to find the best gift we can with that and use less. What a great giveaway. thanks

The way I am saving money this holiday season is I just put lights on my small Mesquite tree in front of my house – INSTEAD of getting a real Christmas tree for inside my house. This way I feel I am sharing with my neighbors, but saving on electricity and a tree inside my home.
Thank you -

For one of the gifts I plan to give I will round up all of the fancy tea samples I have received, place them with a beautiful inexpensive tea pot or kettle and perhaps some nice kitchen towels or lacey doilies. I also love to search out the best Black Friday Deals and shop with a specific item and budget in mind. I have only three words.. Walmart, Walmart, Walmart.. 5am.!

How exciting!
Thank you for entering me.

My best tip is to make a list and stick with it. It’s too easy to get sucked into the holiday hype if I don’t have a plan!

My money saving tip is to give the gift of music to all your family and friends. I find out what genre they like, burn it onto a disk from my IPOD list of over 3000 songs, wrap it beautifully, and you have a personal gift they will love. Like if someone likes the 80’s, then you burn a disk of those songs.

I try to make my neighbor christmas gifts in the end it ends up to be about $2.50 a house rather than $500.00 for the neighborhood. This is my favorite I am using it this year too. I put all the ingredients in a cellapane bag with a ribbon and a nice tag with our pic on the back. Merry Christmas!
Lion House Holiday Fragrance

1 Orange
1 Lemon
1 Apple
1/4 cup Whole cloves
1 Cinnamon stick
2 Bay leaves

Cut the fruit into chunks including the rinds, add the remaining ingredients and cover with water,
Simmer on the stove or in a potpourri pot. Add water when needed. Will last indefinitely.

I also like to shop early and online. I love pinchingyourpennies.com I use it weekly for great new finds even on groceries!
I have subscribed and I plan to post

Start shopping all year long and try to give some homemade gifts. I also use the little free items I get from some of my purchases all year long to make up nice little gift packages.

I always start shopping for christmas immediately after christmas, you can get some great gifts really reduced at after holiday sales, then I put them away for the following christmas, and of course I don’t buy things that require a size to be correct, as people grow or shrink,but have gotten some really great things that way.Also I shop the freebie links on coupon sites for some small stocking stuffers.Thanks for the great giveaway.

In order to save money by reigning in my spending, Santa brings our girls only 3 gifts each and our extended families don’t draw names or give gifts anymore….. everyone’s presence at our gathering is our present.

I’m already a subscriber… I won the Land’s End fleece and Starbucks card not too long ago, so I doubt my chances are great for winning again.

However, my other tip for saving money during the holidays is setting the budget at the beginning of the year to include a gifts category and saving that money money monthly all year long in an online savings account. I like HSBC Bank. That way, you know what you can spend and will be more budget minded when doing your shopping… plus it is a whole lot more fun (read: less stressful)this way!

Alot of companies are offering extra benefits when you buy giftcards this season soem offering gifts and others offering $5.00-$10.00 giftcards for buying giftcards!

I do this year-round, but it is especially lucrative at Christmastime, since there are so many coupons out there! ::: Before making an online purchase, be sure to Google the name of the store you are shopping at and “coupon codes.” There are several sites out there with valid coupon codes for use with online purchases. Find a code that suits you, type it in with your order and… instant savings! Merry Christmas!

My tip for the holidays- We draw names at our Thanksgiving Family get-together. This year our Family has 23 with a couple more on the way. instead of buying Christmas gifts for everyone we each buy just one gift. Even the children draw names! This saves lots of cash and stress!

I am now a subscriber! Starting this year I have everyone bring a side dish or dessert to our family get-together at both Thanksgiving and Christmas. When you are feeding over 20 guests these all add up. Besides saving money doing this, It also saves me time in the kitchen. More time to spend visiting with the guests!

My best holiday tip?

Handmake as many gifts as possible – they are more sentimental and automatically come with more meaning and love.

Also – set a strict budget and don’t deviate!!

My money saving tip… two heads are better than one. I am new to following blogs, but I got hooked on all the coupons and money saving tips that are out there. So tap into the many bloggers out there that offer all sorts of deals, coupons, freebies, give aways and more. This is how I am trying to make a christmas for my kids.

Thanks for the opportunity!

My tip.. well what works for me this year.. is actually planning. I have started planning way ahead of time this year. Normally I wait until the week of Christmas and stress out. I already have most of the kids gifts wrapped under the tree..and I feel soo GREAT lol So PLAN!!!

Tara
cloudspassby78 (at) yahoo (dot) com

I am a subscriber woo hooo Another tip this year, is that I am really really shopping for better deals. Comparing prices onlines..waiting for the sales. Using coupons and shopping the clearance aisles and entering online contest lol I have found so many gifts without having to spend a fortune. Believe me using coupons is a major holiday tip for me since I had never used a coupon before this year.. lol

Tara
cloudspassby78 (at) yahoo (dot) com

My tip is to buy everything on sale for everyone. I do make exeptions at times for instances if my daughters want something I look for it on SALE if I don’t find it I pay the cheapest possible price .Wal-Mart is were I always look first.

One way to save money when money is tight is to give coupons – such as: to your parents, a coupon to do lawn work when it gets warm; a teacher – a coupon to do volunteer work; etc. It doesn’t cost you anything but time and they will love the reward.

Keep a notebook and in it write, from year to year, what you have given each person. That way you won’t give your niece a jewelry box when you got her one last year.

One of the biggest money saving things I do for Christmas is to search for different creative gifts to make for people. You save money and your family members get a special gift.

Thanks for the great giveaway. This year, money is a bit tight so I am being extra crafty. I’m breaking out the sewing machine and making cozies for travel kleenex and lip balm for the day care teachers. I’m crocheting a bunny for my 1 yr old. I am also making tutus for both my girls.

I have been subscribed to your MomAdvice blog feed for a while now Another thing I do to save money is to plan ahead what I want to buy and watch the ads and online stores for a good price. Black friday shopping is also a must for getting good deals on toys and electronics.

Well i’m not much of a shopper…but the key seems to be knowing what you want in advance so you can keep your eyes out for gifts on sale before christmas. for my daughter, we shop a lot of the consignment sales…like big yard sales of baby stuff and get used toys/dvds that way. thanks for entering me in to the giveaway!

This holiday I shopped for gifts in bulk at a wholesale store (I shopped Costco). I have alot of people that we give a gift that is $20 or under for. At costco I buy the bulk body washes (dove or something nice) and take them apart b/c usually they are in sets of 3. Then I can put them with a dollar store loofa and there is a nice gift. Also I bought gift cards from there too. They had starbucks cards and for a set of 5 they were 20% off from the store price. So I tried bulk shopping this year.

The other tip is just to look for sales and use coupons for what you can for gifts this year. I shopped at a store that was doing the bucks back during a sale. That way I got money off what I was shopping for that minute but I also got money that I could go back and use for more gifts.

my money saving tip is that we save decorative jelly jars through out the year and then for Christmas we decorate them and make them as candle holders. These are great for teachers and just about anyone else.

It would be nice to win 500.dollar gift card. Boy, i could shop alot of things. Love to get some toys; esp. nickoleon stuff from walmart. It would be cool to win. Im a subscriber.

I recently lost my grandmother to a heart attack, so this Christmas for all of her brother and sisters and her mother I had a picture of her made and a poem Christmas in heaven to give to them.

My family chose to have a gift exchange for the adults this year, so we will buy two gifts instead of twelve. We still buy for all the kids.

I go to second hand and consignment stores to find Christmas decorations. And for badget freindly, personalized gifts, I bake several different kinds of cookies and put them in jars when baking goods come on sale around holiday season.

My tip is that I don’t go shopping until I know exactly what gift I am geting that person no aimless or window shopping for me. It just causes me to spend more money than I normally would.

I cash in on all my reward programs and use the gift cards or points I’ve earned to buy holiday gifts. For example, last year, I cashed in my pampers points for a photo book and used mycokereward points for another photo book. Two grandparent gifts right there!

First thing I do is to put something away every week say $20. Then I take the cash and buy gifts you can’t spend what you don’t have so you save money there. Also some banks give you free gift cards at this time of year if you have specific accounts. I check into this and keep just enough money in to qualify then I can either give the cards away or take them with if I want to make a big purchase and don’t want to carry the money around. When the money is gone on the gift card I am done.

For Christmas gifts,I am making scrabble tile necklaces for my sisters, sis-in-laws and daughters! They are so cute and affordable and better yet, I went to Goodwill and bought an old game with the scrabble tiles for $1.50! Better than $12.00 at the store.

I just subscribed! I have started sending Christmas cards via email instead of buying cards, addressing, and then paying postage! It saves so much time too.

I am a subscriber.

I take a notebook with me and record everything (what I bought, how much, where, when, and for who, then staple receipt to book or tuck it in the pocket if it has one.) If I find it at another store for less I go back to the store I purchased it and ask them to match. If it is in the ad I bring this too. some stores will even call to verify if it isn’t in the ad. I then get the difference back. If they won’t then I tell them I will be back with the product and will take my sale elsewhere they usually them give in when they realize the are loosing the sale completely then. Also as for the manager if the sales clerk won’t match.

I use to make fudge and cookies for my girls teachers.This yr with the tight situation I am baking alot more for family and friends. It is made with love and I hope they enjoy the goodies.

My money saving tip is to take advantage of the deals posted on blogs! I found just what I was looking for on sale because Baby Cheapskate posted a great deal!

Talk to extended family about not exchanging gifts or giving a single family gift (make suggestions in the $25 or less range).

I added Aldi Queen to my bloglines.

Make a list of wanted gifts for your kids, a budget for each child, and then STICK TO IT! You may not be able to afford everything your child wants, that’s ok. Remember to include stocking stuffers.

Well, how i usually save for christmas is i plan ahead of time and window shop abit. Believe it or not places like Big Lots, any of the dollar stores sometimes have gems in their stores. This year will be rough i think my little girls will only get one present each. But my advice to everyone is be frugal with your money and shop around before you buy. I saw another poster on her talk about makign jewelry that is a great way to make presents too and theres lots of homemade presents that are great to make for christmas. Happy Holidays!!

My mom and I bake cookies, peanut butter balls, and other chocolate dipped goodies and wrap them in colored cellophane bags with pretty ribbon. My aunt gives $10 coupon books for Christmas–they aren’t expensive but they save the receiver money. Thanks for the giveaway!

My number one tip for saving money is to limit the amount of gifts my child gets. Each year I’ll raise that number a wee bit but it’ll never be more than ten (and then it’ll be small gifts). A close friend growing up only ever got three gifts and I think he valued them more than most kids who got 30!

I try to get all of my Christmas shopping done throughout the year, but complete by Thanksgiving. This way, I spread the spending out in my regular budget, and don’t “feel” the pain of one big chunk of cash at once. Plus, this way I’m able to take advantage of sale prices throughout the year.

P.S. I’m a subscriber!!

My money saving tip is that you can find amazing deals on gently used items for babies and kids on your local craigslist or other similar forums.

We limit our gift-giving to just a very few gifts for each of our children. We don’t buy for each other or anyone else, unless we know of a specific need that someone has.

My money saving tip is that you might actually be surprised at what you can find at the Dollar Tree for household decorations. I’ve given myself a challenge this year to decorate my home mainly with things from there and am trying to blog about it as I go. I even got all of my tree decorations except for the lights from Dollar Tree, so my entire tree, including lights and decorations, only cost around $50.

I don’t wait until the holidays are near to start shopping. I buy things throughout the year for my kids so I don’t feel the crunch at the holidays. I also utilize the internet to find the best deals out there. Amazon and Ebates are among my favorite sites.

We are trying to give gifts in the “Wiseman” fashion. 3 gifts per child. One useful, one educational and one for fun!

WOW!! What a blessing this giftcard can be for someone this season.

My holiday tip I follow for pretty much all holidays/birthdays… Picture crafts and calendars. If you have a digital camera this is a simple and fun way to create unique gifts that those far away friends and family members will always cherish!

not so much a money saving tip but it is a tip!! give the cameras to the little ones for the day! tehn you get to be in all the holiday pics and it keeps the kids busy! plus its great to see their point of view!

Books make great frugal gifts. They are very shippable, don’t require lots of wrapping, are easy to find for a discount and, if you choose well, are worth so much more than what you paid for them.

This year, I decided to give all adults the same gift–a nice reusable water bottle. How is this money saving? Well since everyone is getting the same gift, I was able to buy it quickly–thus ending my shopping quickly and ending my chance to make impulse purchases. Most Christmases, I spend around $100 on pure impulse buys.

I shop for holiday gifts mostly throughout the year. Whenever I find things on sale/bargains I pick it up and keep ti wrapped and tagged to gift on holidays. This also saves me from having to suffer a huge credit card bill by the end of holiday season since the load is kind of distributed

I love to give homemade things and this year I croqueted & knitted dish clothes that cover your bottles of handsoap or dishsoap. The 100% yarn was all purchased at WalMart… Something personal and from the heart! Merry Christmas!

I make my own wrapping paper with paper bags and stamps – My kids love to help out.

We like to give the neighbors a small gift and have found that making a crafty gift is a great, inexpensive way to say we care. Plus it is such fun to see the item in their house the next year.

I sign up for a christmas club account at my bank in october and the following october I have $1000 to spend on christmas.

This is the coolest contest. My money saving tip is simple, Keep your eye out for the things your children want and wait till they go on sale. It will definitely happen sometime before christmas, why not wait for the sale.

We shop throughout the year which spreads the cost of shopping over many months instead of one big outlay of cash during one or two months.

My holiday money saving advice is use cash or a debit card. I always spend less when I have cash. It’s too easy to overspend when credit is involved.

Another way we save is to make as many gifts as possible. This year all of the gals will be getting tote/hand bags that I’ve made. The guys are getting toiletry bags that I’ve made. We shop for 23 people. I’ve kept a cash total of supplies spent and the most expensive was $12. (Some of the magnetic clasps and zippers were on sale, some were not).

Use drugstore freebies to make gift baskets for your family.

I subscribes to your bog. Here’s another tip. For Christmas cards don’t send them through the mail. I sent all mine via e-mail last year because we were shot on funds and they were super nice because I made them on the computer for FREE! Everyone commented on howw much they liked them.

I use all natural items from the yard for decorating. Evergreens, pine cones, holly and dried hydrangeas from the summer garden.

To save money, we only give holiday gifts to people we’re really close to. That means mostly immediate family and a few close friends. Other than that, I bake tons of bread and we give it to friends, people at church, etc. We also use decorations passed down to me from my grandmother, so we don’t have to spend money on ornaments, etc.

okay, this may be coming too late for money saving THIS year, but it pays to plan ahead for Christmas 2009. I have been buying my presents all through the year. When I saw something on sale, or if I had a coupon for it, I bought it right then and there and stored it away. That being said, if I won the $500 Walmart gift card, I could go out there again!!!

As soon as the holidays are over for one year I begin shopping for the following year. I regularly check websites for clearance sales and I end up getting most of my son’s gifts on deep discount and I find that by buying one or two things a month – I am done with my shopping by November. Efficient and money saving.

I wrote a post on Saving Money on the Holidays-Fun, on a blog I write for called Busy Mommy. I put a link for all the things you wanted at the bottom of the post.

http://www.busymommy.us/frugal-mommy-mainmenu-30/48-entertainment/562-saving-money-during-the-holidays-fun

I think this would actually be a nice money saving holiday fun activity to go spend that $500. But shopping’s entertainment to me lol!

My tip would have to be instead of buying Christmas cards, let the kids make them. It is much better than a store bought cards, and you actually want to keep them!

My Christmas season money saving tip is to give handmade gifts. Even if you don’t knit or crochet – all you have to do is search the internet and find something that you can do – handmade gifts mean so much more to most people and are usually treasured!

My money saving holiday tip: I am giving homemade consumable gifts this year, which means a lot of baking and wraping in thrifted containers like mason jars, canning jars, and cookie tins.

Here’s a link back to my post with another tip:
http://affectioknit.blogspot.com/2008/12/mom-advices-giveaway.html

My tip is to never charge your christmas gifts. When the store offers a discount for using your chargecard just remember the interest you will pay. If you don’t pay off entire bal each month then it’s no discount! Only use cash!
I enjoy reading all the tips listed and i’ve learned a few things!Thanks
kenandbettyatgmaildotcom

Of course I already subscribe to this feed – so my final money saving tip is to buy Christmas items on sale after the holiday season.

We try to keep things pretty simple around the holidays. Make a budget and stick to it. Another way to save money to to make homemade breads, cookies, treats etc and use those as gifts.

This year we have a 3 month old-we’re saving money by not buying him presents. He’ll get more than enough from his grandmas and grandpas!

I’m a subscriber!!!
my holiday tip is to try to buy things through-out the year WHEN it is 70-90% off! Dollar General has some tremendous sales!

My money-saving holiday tip is to compare the cost of gifts online to find where it is the cheapest. And also search for coupons or promotional codes online before ordering the gifts. It has saved me a ton in buying gifts for my family.

My holiday money-saving tip is to shop for Christmas present all year long! I bought several of this year’s presents last year in the post-Christmas sales! I keep my eyes peeled for things, clothes, projects, and so on that are just the thing for one of my relatives or one of my husband’s relatives. I stash them in my ‘gift closet’ which is actually a drawer in the file cabinet.

Here’s a big trick, though: I clear it out every mid-November and inventory what I have and who it’s intended for. That’s the only way to avoid double-buying when it comes time to fill out the last few gifts to be bought.

Entry 1 – I subscribed to MomAdvice

My money saving tip – I am a pilot – the colorful charts (maps) we use to navigate are obsolete every 56 days – so I re-use them as interesting wrapping paper.

Entry 2 – I subscribed to The AldiQueen

My money saving tip – I save lots of boxes and bubble wrap from items I’ve ordered online and reuse them to package gifts that have to be mailed. I’ve never bought packaging material!

Something I’m doing this year is making most of our Christmas gifts. It takes some time & research, but I can usually make nice things for about $5 per gift!

Entry 3 – I subscribed to The Mother Load

My money saving tip – instead of buying a real Christmas tree now that the boys are off to college – I decorate our Ficus Tree!! It’s about 4 feet tall (plus the container) so there’s plenty of room underneath for presents. It’s actually quite festive and has become a neat tradition these past few years!

I subscribed to your feed!

We’re also saving money this year by not having outdoor lights. It’s not quite as cheerful, but definitely saves on electricity!

Everyone loves beautiful gifts, but all that bling can cost as much as the gifts themselves. At the end of the Christmas season this year, save all the Christmas cards our friends and loved ones sent you. Then when it comes time to put gift cards on presents next year, cut out the interesting pictures, shapes and patterns in the old cards to make unique and gorgeous gift cards. We have been doing this since I was a kid, and my kids love the “design” and cutting of the tags as much as using them.

My money saving tip is to start early and make a list. Giving yourself an extra month by starting in November gives you a chance to find the best deals on what you’re looking for and not impulse buy at the last minute.

I’m subscribed to MotherLoad and MotherLoot. My second money saving holiday tip is to use resuable materials for wrapping. This is a “pay it forward” tip. I bought several reusable shopping bags when they were on sale at Target (in festive red!) and will wrap gifts in newspaper (the comics) and use the bags for gift bags. The gift bag doubles as a gift for the receiver as well.

Just subscriber to the Aldi Queen ( love love new recipe ideas), so here is entry number 2.

If you usually donate to a favorite charity this time of year, but you are thinking of NOT to save money, consider giving the donation in someone’s name as their Christmas gift. We have found that people ( even kids) often appreciate this. It is especially good for (great)grandparents ( who don’t need more stuff), far away aunts and uncles ( saves on shipping too) or teachers, coaches, etc..

You would have spent the money on a gift for the person, and the charities don’t lose either!

My money-saving tip is to always make a list. I keep mine from years past as well, so compare budgets and make sure that we don’t repeat gifts.

This year we are giving green presents. Making super healthy muffins and cookies. I found holiday tins, vintage aprons, vintage kitchen wear, and old cookies cutters at a local thrift store. Im also making a Pancake Mix to add in with wooden spoons. All are put in baskets that ive also bought used. Plus were making our holiday cards and letting them know about our green ways and how they can also help out by doing the same. Maybe we can inspire someone.

Im blogging about this on my blog.I think this is a great giveaway.

I always like to check ebay and see if I can score a bargain for a reall nice gift. I’m always surprised at the great deals I can find if I really look.

I also love to use brown mailing package paper you can find by the mailing supplies in stores. It looks rustic, is cheap, and can be decorated all different ways to make your gifts look great.

We have always told our children that Baby Jesus received three gifts on Christmas so that is what will be under the tree for them.

It really helped save on frivolous spending and caused me to be deliberate in my shopping.

We talked to our extended family about limiting gift giving to just the kids. And since we are trying to teach our kid that more isn’t necessarily better, if we are asked for ideas we suggest books or art supplies.

Money saving tip #1 – re-use Christmas decor. This may be a no brainer, but I know people who throw the lights out with the tree and who have tossed all ornaments & decor (because they got tired of it). Then they had to start all over again!

And I subscribe to the motherload blog, I think that’s the specific name, the one with the notebooks!

and tip #2 – use free samples (or free stuff from cvs) as stocking stuffers. I am getting some free chapstick from CVS, and you can bet it is going in hubbys stocking!

As I love Wal-Mart for the savings and Nickelodeon for the laughs. I am thankful that I have no children in my home this christmas. So it makes it easier to come up with money saving tips. All my family will get one wishlist gift this year and in addition to it I have made up practical gift baskets (that can be used later for laundry) filled with all my freebee or next to free items that I have obtained with my coupon clipping. In addition to sharing these wonderful goodies I am including ideas on how they might save and get more of those items. I am also able to save by making each person their own fleece blanket, which was a big hit last year and the top requested item this year.

I’ve saved a lot of money this season by getting all our stocking stuffers from the Target Dollar bin!

I have subscribed to momadvice!

My holiday saving tip is baked goods! Everyone loves holiday cookies, or homemade fudge… and baking something is way cheaper than buying something!

My best tip is to find free/nearly free things to do that celebrate the season. We take hot cocoa in travel cups and drive around looking at lights. Lots of places have nativity displays, sing-a-longs, etc. We have tons of nights where we curl up and watch a movie together. This helps stretch the decorating and gift budgets.

Already subscribed…but another tip. I save a certain portion of my Christmas budget for After Christmas sales. There is a Christmas music box store at the mall that only opens during the holidays. Gorgeous, but expensive. The week after Christmas, it’s all 75% off. I buy then and put the stuff away. Next year when we get out the decorations…we’ve got new stuff for really cheap.

I make my own tags and wrapping paper. I make them out of almost any kind of paper, including old magazines, envelopes, anything I can find.

My money saving tip for large families like ours is today a secret santa instead of getting every single person a gift. Anyone who is 16 and over gets their name thrown in the pot and we set a limit of $20.

I am subscriber!

Tip #2: I use the little coupon that come in the mail for stores like Victoria’s Secret and Bed Bath and Beyond to get cheap stocking stuffers for free!

In the fall, we have a special outing as a family to an apple orchard. The kids get to ride a wagon out to the orchard. A big deal for city kids. Then we easily pick 100 pounds of apples. We get them for about 59 cents a pound because of the quantity. Then we made loads of apple butter. Some for ourselves then some is canned and saved for gifts. To friends, teachers neighbors. With 4 children going to school their are plenty of people to be thankful for in their lives. For the cost of apples, sugar,jars and cinnamon, we get a special family outing we do every year as well as lots of small but homemade and heartfelt gifts.

I became alarmed when my children got into the givemes at Christmas time. A very long list of what everybody else in the family could give them. So, I started something this year. For each thing they put on their wish list, they must “gift” somebody else. And it doesn’t even have to cost money. Such as a sibling doing chores for another sibling’s for a day. Or my son could offer to spend time with his younger sister teaching her the tricks of Zoo Tycoon game. Anyway, those would be examples.

My oldest daughter has taken each of us to see a movie of our choice since she works at the theater and can get a guest in for free. My youngest 2 daughters and I went to the craft store and picked up some inexpensive craft kits and they have been making those for relatives. Those foamie kits are GREAT! They can just about do them themselves. My oldest two plan on making cookies to give out to friends.

They are really getting into the spirit of giving. My youngest 2 are so excited about a gift they already made for their grandparents. And something else they are learning. Be selective. If you put something down on your list, it better be something you really want. I think that will transfer nicely to the real world.

I am making the majority of my gifts this year. To me a a home made gift means a lot more anyway

One big thing I do is scour thrift stores and the dollar stores. A lot of times you can find beautiful crystal pieces at the thrift stores or glass work kitchen items etc.

The dollar store will also have nice glass sets (ie: wine glasses, coca-cola glasses, candy dishes).

Check out secondhand books on Amazon! This is something I did for my son who just got the reading bug lately. I bought him 4 books and the highest priced one was 8 cents! Of course, I have to pay shipping but this can work out very well for more expensive(when new) books. So when shopping Amazon,always check to see if buying used will save.

Black Friday shopping always provides the BEST deals!

I learned to knit several months ago (inspired by the Mom Advice website – Thanks Amy!) I have my scarfs and dishcloths ready to be wrapped!

Start as early as you can in the year for gifts. And stick with a budget! Write everything down in your christmas planner!

I like to give ‘experience’ gifts to my kids. This year 10yo will get hot cocoa at the coffee shop she loves, a manicure at the beauty college and a matinee movie all with mom. These can be very inexpensive-7yo ds will get his favorite homemade breakfast, a lego building session with mom ALONE (no sibs), and have a friend over for a Wii evening and homemade pizza.

Amy – THANK YOU for the opportunity to win! I love reading your blog and appreciate all of your hard work.

My money saving holiday tip: Homemade Gifts: Last year I made a wonderful bacon and onion dip mix (dry) dropped it into striped cellophane holiday gift bags – tied with a beautiful dark green ribbon/recipe card/directions and a small wisk – dropped everything into a small metallic gold serving bowl. Total for each gift: $3.00

Again – thanks for the opportunity and I hope that someone finds this useful.

Merry CHRISTmas!

My holiday money saving tip-MAKE your gifts! I have not been faithful to do this in years past, however, I am this year. I have been so good about stocking up over this past year so why not put together gift packs of some of the things I got sooo inexpensively and give them as Christmas presents? I will be making some pumpkin bread, muffins, and throwing in some chocolate, tea, and other goodies for my family members!

I like to plan my Christmas shopping way ahead, so that I can keep an eye out for clearance sales and great deals on items that I know would make great gifts and stocking stuffers.

(I’m a subscriber!)

Another money saver for us is letting the kids create homemade decorations (paper chains, Christmas drawings, etc.)–it’s fun, and I love the things my kids make–a much less expensive way to deck the halls!

I try to start shopping in January for Christmas that year. You get a lot of great deals on the “After Christmas Sales” at all stores, especially Walmart. I also use Layaway at participating stores, such as K-Mart.Also, if you have flea markets in your area, you can get great deals, and lots of these items are hand made, and made here in the USA! We set a limit per person on our list. For the kids older than 13, I give them cash in a card, bank, wallet or purse, this way they can spend it wherever they want, not the place I choose.

My tip for this year especially is to do less – and what I am doing is handmade or purchasing handmade if possible. (Not so much if someone wants a GPS or something!) And, I resubscribed again today after a little blog break.

Tip #1: know what you want before you go shopping, don’t wander around the store trying to figure it out, you will end up with a lot of extras in the cart. Even if you just have a general idea, movie or CD its better than no idea at all.

Tip #2: Use ads and coupons!!! I often search online to find the best deals and then will check the local stores as well to see if its more cost affective to pay for shipping or not. Babies R Us recently had a stroller for my daughter on sale for $35 dollars regularly, $50 and I had a 20% off coupon. Great savings on something I was willing to pay full price for.

Entry 1- I love that you offering this Wal-Mart giftcard, because who doesn’t need one during the holidays. My way of saving money is to warp gifts for my 18 month old in comics from the paper since he doesn’t really care about how they look anyway. Then use fabric ribbon that can be reused on later gifts.
Thanks
Celeste

Tip #3: Make your list and write the amount that you CAN spend on that person, don’t go over, but you can always go under. Just because you said you were going to spend $25 on your sister doesn’t mean you have too. So you found this gorgeous sweater, regularly priced $25, on sale for $18. Awesome, you now have $7 saved that does not need to go towards something else for your sister, you already bought her a $25 present. Also that money does not need to go towards anyone else’s present either, back into savings for next years Christmas shopping is where that money should go.

Buy empty quart paint cans at the hardware store and print up a label on sticky paper. We used a photo of our daughter on Santa’s lap and filled the can with mini-muffins that she helped me make and hot cocoa mix. We labeled the “color” Fireside Glow. It was quite a hit.

I buy items throughout the year when they are “off season” and prices reduced. I purchased a new sweatshirt cheaper then some of the second hand stores I’ve seen. The day after Christmas sale shopping is a favorite tip of mine too.

Thank you!

My money-saving holiday tip is to make a list, “check it twice.” Make a list, then ALWAYS compare prices between different stores online. Save time and money by having a specific gameplan of what you’re going to buy and where you’re going to buy it before you ever leave the house. Put theoretical blinders on when you’re at the stores and only purchase what’s on your list.

Every one of the children get to pick as one of their gifts their favorite meal made by mom just for them.

I do homemade gifts — I found the pattern for a Wonder Pets cape on the Nick site for the youngest — and I made it with some $1 a yard green terry cloth! (the scraps made great wash cloths!)

We reuse our previous Christmas stuff — I’ve seen so many people throw away their fake trees, ornaments and decorations every year! It may be some effort to carefully pack it away every year, but I do. I still have ornaments from my parents first Christmas tree here in the states.

Of course I shop sales, use coupons, ect. But this year I have tried to get sentimental gifts or keepsakes that don’t necessarily cost a lot– like photo gifts of my daughter for relatives. Also, my daughter (almost 2) is getting so much stuff from family that we are not going to buy her much. She won’t even notice!

My Christmas money-saving tip is to buy gifts all year long, whenever I see something at a good price. I have a shelf in my closet where I keep them, and I always go gift shopping there first! Spreads the cost out over the whole year, and takes advantage of sales all year as well! Thanks for the giveaway!

I’ve been getting gifts all year – finding things on sale at various times. Also, when getting Christmas gift for the next year, a great time to purchase ornaments and other cute decorations is the day after Christmas sale.

HI,
This year, I am really trying to think about each person that I have on my list to buy for. I am giving small gifts to each person that will let them know that I have paid attention to them and what they like. For example, my grandmother likes sharpened pencils and crossword searches. She likes to use a straw in her Pepsi can, so I am including these items in her box as well. And so on. I am hoping each person on our list has as much fun opening the gifts as I have putting them all together. After all, it isn’t about the amount of money that has been spent it is the reminder that it is much better to give than to recieve.
Blessings,
Jodi

For our family we are focusing on service gifts or family centered gifts (like an annual pass to the zoo) instead of lots of toys. We’re also trying to do only 3 gifts per child and the extended family draws names so we get gifts for just one other family.

Thanks for the chance to win!

Second entry, I am subscribed to your blog. Second holiday savings idea – this year we made gift sacks. They are draw string totes and I used different color cords for them (each child’s favorite color so we could distinguish.) We used a cute rainbow stripe print and they turned out so fun! Instead of spending money (and time) wrapping up gifts I am tucking each child’s goodies into their sack. No more piles of wrapping paper being wasted, either. We can use the same bags every year and they are perfect for birthdays, too.

Great contest – thanks for the chance! My husband’s side and mine exchange names and set a dollar amount. I shop online and take advantage of the free shipping. I also make homemade gifts for the kids on my list.

The rule that I’ve made myself for the holidays is to set a “gift value” for each person. and if i get a good deal on something that is of a greater value, I don’t just try to find something else to “fill that gap” just so I can say I spent the same amount on everyone!
Jessica

I subscribed to your blog! Another money saving tip that I use is to always do a quick search for any coupon codes before I complete an online order. More often than not, I find a better deal than I originally decided on!
Jessica

My best money saving tip is to check thrift or second-hand stores. I found a brand new Dora dance mat & DVD set for $10 at our local resale shop. It was going for almost $30 on ebay & I never even saw it in a store. I have found quite a few outfits & toys that either are or look brand new at a fraction of the price. And some are things you can’t find in stores now.
Thanks!
Beth
reapingjoyATyahooDOTcom

My money saving tip is to spread out your shopping through the year. Be on the lookout for deals on what you want to buy for your immediate family and you can almost always at some point during the year come out with a deal just as good if not better than the black Friday deals. For those not in your immediate family make a pact not to do gifts but instead to share recipes or make homemade gifts. If they won’t agree to that, put a limit on how much to spend and have each family assigned to another family by way of drawing a name out of the hat.

My tip for Christmas savings – Buy ornament sets that are sold in sets of 3 (or more) and give them out individually to teachers, soccer coaches, and church workers. I’m usually able to buy nicer ornaments than if I’d bought them individually and it’s always been well received.

My attempts at Christmas penny-pinching are to 1.) make a gift list early and STICK TO IT. And 2.) shop for all my book related gifts on Amazon to take advantage of cheap prices, free shipping and no sales tax.

My money-saving tip is to go through my wallet and find all the partially used gift cards and plan to buy gifts at these stores. It’s really nice to be able to have large chunks of the total taken off and have some gifts be essentailly *free* during this time of financial strain. Thanks for the great giveaway!

I’m already a subscriber! Whoo hoo, 2 chances so far!
Another money saving tip is to stock away a litte bit of money here and there and only get it out at Christmas-time. We usually do this with all our change and the day we plan to shop go cash it all in. It’s really nice extra cash for those little things that add up like stocking stuffers.

To save money at work and at home with extended family is to draw names so that each person gives and receives one gift.
Baked goods on a cute Holiday plate make a welcome gift most people really enjoy. You can add some hot cocoa mix and a few candy canes or other candy making it extra nice but not expensive.

I start saving and shopping right after the Holidays each year and that saves me a lot of money. Things like games, toys, hats & scarves etc. that are marked down by 75% and sometimes more are perfect to stash in a storage box for next year.

I do my Christmas shopping throughout the year. This way it doesn’t hurt all at once at the end of the year. It also allows me to focus on spending more time with my family during the holidays, instead of running around chaotically.

carolyntalley@gmail.com

Make your gifts! I know some people aren’t able to make things but I have the ability, so I use it. I think it definately shows the love, and it can be cheaper! I love homemade gifts!

My money-saving tip is to pay cash! I don’t put Christmas on credit cards because I find it much easier to overspend that way.

One of the easiest money-savers is to find one gift that works for everyone and just give them different variations of it. For example, this year (since my husband and I got married in July) we are giving framed pictures from our wedding (different ones for each person) to everyone in our list. It’s a keepsake, easy to shop for, and relatively inexpensive!

I can applebutter and applesauce and give them as gifts over the holidays. They have been very well received and even requested in other years! At a cost of under $2, they are definately a money-saver!

I subscribe to your feed… Another money-saving tip for the holidays is to make personalized photo collages…I use all of the nearly-free opportunities that the online photo stores have throughout the year to print pictures of family and friends. I found photo holders at Walmart on clearance several times throughout the year…Cost per gift…$2, including processing and frame.

Give the gift of yourself this Christmas — Your time and special activities together are much more valuable to your friends and family. Try to plan an activity or event that will be an extra treat for the person you’re giving it to.

I like to make homemade gifts to save money. I made a tote bag for my sister and a quiet sack for the kids to use at church.

My favorite ways to save $ at the holidays are:
1. CHRISTMAS CLUB! I love this – I have a direct deposit, and $25 from every payday goes into this. I never miss it!
2. Shop year-round. Especially for stocking stuffers or little presents.

This year, because of our tight finances, we are going to be making Christmas cookies for the people that we need to give gifts to. All you need to do is have a day devoted to Christmas baking, pick an assortment of the cookies, and pack them into tins or boxes wrapped with pretty ribbon or paper. You can find tins at second hand stores like Goodwill or Salvation Army, or even use baskets found at these places too.

This way your gift is personal, and yummy, and who doesn’t love a good cookie!?

I’m not sure if this was mentioned, but what I do to save money is to shop online, and only use retailers where I can get free shipping. I also like to use online retailers that have no tax, like amazon.com. It’s amazing how much you can save that way. Lastly, I keep an eye on my purchases for at least 30 days…most retailers do price adjustments if the price goes down.

I never shop in December. I do all my Christmas shopping in January and through out the year when I can find HUGE discounts on clearance items. I always shop at WalMart the first week of January and buy TONS of Christmas themed items that are marked down at least 75% off! I come home with a car load of merchandise and may have spent only $75.00 but the actual value of all my items is well into $500.00+

Exchange names with family memmbers so you do not have to by a gift for everyone and if there are children everyone still bring presents for the children because the chidlren will like the gifts more than adults would.

I use coupons from the mail and Google coupon codes before I place an order when I am online shopping. It only takes a few minutes and you can save so much money.

We really try to limit how much we spend on extended family members, and our family now has the adults play Dirty Santa and we only give to the kids in our family. It has really helped!

I try to make sure that I limit what I spend on my nephews. I use to think that since I have 4 sons for people to buy for that I need to buy more. I have since decided to try and be sensible.
Thank you for the great giveaway!!!

My tip for saving money: coupons, coupons, coupons! They may not seem like much but I usually save about $20-$25 each shopping trip. That’s like free toys!

Once the presents are open, gather up all of the gift bags that are still in good condition and pack them away for next year. I always do this and I haven’t paid for gift wrap in years!!! There is always an assortment of pretty bags under my tree

I try to shop right after christmas and get a lot of sale items. Then I store them in a closet, this works out great because then not only can you get great gifts for the following christmas but then you also have gifts for the whole year.

In my spare time online, I do little jobs on Amazon’s mTurk service. For the most part I only do it for a few minutes at a time and make less than a dollar, but over the course of the year it really adds up and I have my Christmas money without having to dig into my main income.

Throughout the year, as you purchase birthday presents, also buy that person a Christmas present. That way you spread your Christmas budget throughout the year and your shopping is done and you can just enjoy the season!

A lot of stores have buy one get one 1/2 off so if a person has a favorite store you can get their Christmas present 1/2 off when you get their birthday present!

P.S. I just subscribed to your blog

This year for Christmas I am going to use the things I have got really cheap or free throughout the year to make cute little gift baskets!! Will save tons of money and will be fun to create!

My kids and I bake lots of baked good like cookies, brownies and make fudge. We wrap them up on colored paper plates with Christmas themed saran wrap, and wrap a few ribbons around it. We give them to everyone, teachers, husband takes them co-workers, neighbors, and even take them to Christmas parties. Everyone loves a sweet treat!! Saves a lot of money!

i am a internet junkie i search every site i can find before purchasing anything to get the lostest price i can , i also use ebates to get money back on puchases and look for mail in offers, every penny counts these days.

My holiday saving tip is to try making presents for your loved ones. Even if it’s something as simple as a calendar with photos, it’s amazing how much taking a little bit of time to personalize a present means to people.

We buy one gift for the boys and do thier stocking. We only buy for the kids in the family too. For friends I bake cookies and make candy. We keep it small and simple.

My tip for saving this Christmas Season, when shopping for gifts online… Always be sure to check for coupon and discout codes on the web. there is ALWAYS a coupon code somewhere for just about every retail site out there. It can save you anywhere from 10% to 20% off your entire order, or free shipping! Now who doesn’t love that!!

At Christmas, in order to save money, I have most of my shopping done during the year, I find great deals and stock up for Christmas, then I don’t get into all the hype and hoopla of the commercialization of Christmas. I have a limit and do not go over it. I hope I win!

My holiday saving tip is when baking buy everything in bulk. I do most of my holiday shopping online and I look for codes and I go through sites were I get rebates/cashback. I also subscribe to your blog.

I have a large extended family, so this year our adult family members will exchange our favorite homemade goodies. We will make cranberry salsa and my husband’s famous candied pecans. That will free up money to buy gifts for all of the children in the family.

I buy everything through ebates.com. It’s this site that actually gives you a percentage of what you buy back to you! It also stays updated on the promo codes for all the websites.

You have to price match and use coupons not just for christmas dinner but alot of stores have coupons right now- I just got one for 20% off any item at toyrus. Right now money is tight for everyone, the think to remember that so many of your family members would love something from the heart especially from your kids. Maybe a school picture with a homemade fram from the kids. Let them make there own christmas cards. And listen to your kids most kids will ask santa for one or two things so why as parents do we feel the need to buy 30 get them what the ask for when possible then let that be enough- I am guilty of overdoing it but not this year that is not what christmas is about.

I begin shopping right after Christmas for the next Christmas. I keep a list of names and ideas in my purse with me all the time and buy on clearance. Remember when buying on clearance that if an item was $20 and you paid $5, it’s still a $20 item so don’t feel like you need to buy more things. No one knows how little you paid for it!

My tip for saving during the holidays actually starts in Summer. During the summer months I find coupons, i.e. $1.00 off domino 10x sugar and it’s good until november or later. I save these cupons because I know that these items will go on sale during the holidays, and the cupons during the holidays are not very good because the merchants know you will buy the products anyway. Many times I use a coupon on sale items (or door busters) and I end up paying 0, zip, zilch, nada. nothing, FREE!. This also works with non-food cupons, like the $3.00 cupon off any hanes t-shirt pack. With a black friday door buster special, I got a regualrly priced $9.00 pack of hanes t-shirts for free ($3.00 as a door buster-$3.00 cupon= FREE!). All because I held on to my cupons.

I’m making lists of what I want for everyone this year and searching stores and online for the best prices. I also like to check out blogs for the best deals on things online. I’ve saved a lot of money this year by doing this.

Thanks!

We yard sale and thrift shop all year long for Christmas gifts. I just dug all the things our of my closet that I bought all year and I am 90% finished my shopping!

I save money by buying alot of my stuff from walmart, I also make my gives with stuff from walmart.
Thanks for the contest!

I save money by buying from walmart, I make homemade gifts with stuff I buy from Walmart!
Thanks for the contest

I subscribed to the MotherLoad. Looking forward to some great tips.

Here is my other Christmas tip: Hit Target on New Year’s Day. My mother and I have a tradition that after the ribs and kraut, we head to Target for the discounted items. We pick up decorations, Christmas CD’s and toys with big discounts and are ready for not only next Christmas but birthday’s throughout the year.

I go shopping the day after Christmas and start my shopping for the following year. I especially like to stock up on the gift wrap.

We don’t normally have large Christmas productions, but we do try to get a few small gifts, especially for the children. Every year, planning ahead helps us stay within our VERY SPECIFIC budget. My husband has down to the penny what we will spend for each family member. This simple tip has been a life saver when it comes to enjoying giving and not ending up feeling guilty for just spending too much money!

onlybygrace _ 2002 yahoo com

My money saving holiday tip is to take lots of pictures of your family, compile them into a calendar. This is very inexpensive and you can format these calendar’s to fit as the perfect gift for just about anyone. You can put a picture of the people who’s B-days fall in that month. All you have to do is get the picture for each month and take it to you local Wal-mart or Rite-Aid photo lab. The cost is about 16 dollars, how inexpensive is that?

The best holiday savings tip I have this year is one that I am following. At my house this year, we are bringing it back to the basics. We don’t have a lot of $$$ as do so many people. We are only buying for the kids, and even that will be a few things, but we are using this opportunity to show our kids what Christmas is all about. The real reason for the season. We are spending special time together with warm smells in the house, phone calls instead of cards, home made candy, instead of boxed. The few things we give, we make. We are using our imagination – and that’s free. We are having a great time! Happy Holidays!

Always search for printable coupons on the Internet before heading out to the store. Sign up for emails from the stores and restaurants you tend to frequent–often times they send special discounts to email subscribers!

I definately think shopping early is the key and also dont every buy it unless it is on sale. I have notices (especially this year) that Everything is on sale, you just have to watch for it. Be sure to check Ebay, the item might be slightly used but still in great shape.

We are making a lot of our holiday gifts. We have lots of craft materials around the house, so most of these gifts are virtually free to make!

I love Christmas lights! We always put our lights on timers so that we don’t forget to turn them off! It also keeps our kids from messing with them because they never see mom and dad turning them on and off. It is a simple thing but I know that a lot of people have the electricity bills go out of control because of leaving Christmas lights on.

I do a few things for saving money during the holidays. First off starting at the begining of a new year i start putting my change in a container, then cash it when i need to do holiday shopping…this year my change came to $100, that alone can buy me a few gifts!! Second this year i decided to not by my kids a lot of little things that they are either not going to really play with or will break right away. I am going for one or two bigger items that i know they will enjoy.

My money saving tip would be instead of buying EVERYONE a gift for Christmas, do a Christmas gift pool. Everyone put thier name on a piece of paper, then set a dollar limit say $25 and then everyone grabs a name from the bowl. Then you are responsible to purchase that gift only instead of gifts for everyone. My family does it each year and it helps to eliminate the “how can we afford all those gifts” or the “don’t worry about getting gifts for our family this year”. It’s a great way to share the holiday on a budget! Merry Christmas!

you can get the yaupon berries[red] string them to make garland for thr house or tree

My holiday tip is to shop at all the clearance racks, or I even shop earlier in the year like during the summer time to avoid all the crowds.

Check out sites like Craigslist. I have found some great used gifts (I just picked up a cozy coupe for my daughter last night). When they are young, they don’t know the difference and you can get some big ticket items without the big ticket price tag.

Saving Money during the Holidays has become a game for me. Any minute I have I search for online coupons like the ones on coupons.com These are mostly for groceries for holiday parties and treats for the kids school parties. My tip is that you should take your list of groceries and even gifts that you are going to buy this time of year and take a little time to research the best deals online. You may find a coupon, a big sale coming up or a site online that can save you a lot of money on something that you were going to buy anyway.

I cut up old holiday cards and make gift tags out of them, instead of spending more money on new gift tags each year.

Here’s quite the frugal holiday tip. Use old chip bags – cut them open – wash them with soap and water. Use the shiny side as wrapping paper!

I’m already a subscriber. Here’s another tip: go to places like Goodwill to pick up holiday decorations. Someone else’s trash is almost always someone else’s treasure. Sometimes you can find some great items to decorate with that you never would have found in a regular retail store!

With money tight this year, my family is making a lot of home-made gifts. We all got together and made batches of jelly from the blackberries we picked earlier this year. A jar of jelly and some home baked goodies are teacher/friend gifts. Also, we drew names for the big family party. No need to buy gifts for everyone.

One way we save money for the holidays is by making our gifts, especially for the grandparents. We always manage to find a way to make something special out of pictures of the kids or things that they have made. Even though it takes more time, it saves so much money.

Try to find couple-gifts for parents, friends, and other relatives you have to buy for. We try to do tickets for an event or something they can use for their home so that overall the gift has more meaning and can be shared. It usually saves us about $25 per gift if we redistribute how we give the gift.

I just subscribed to this blog. Another holiday saving tip is shopping on Black Friday. We go trough all of the ads, mark all the gifts we want to buy and then get there really early. This year at one store and we saved $130. It is great for buying toys for the kiddos.

My biggest money saving tip? Make a list and stick to it. Don’t buy extra gifts just because there’s a good sale on something. If it’s not on the list, don’t buy it.

I just added you to my reader for my second entry. So for my second tip — this year I am making baskets of baked goods for several people on our list in an attempt to save money. I am making them personalized to the specific person/people’s tastes.

I let my 2 year old daughter make some of our Christmas cards. Let me tell you, Nana and Grammy will not only love these cards, but will probably save them for the rest of their lives. And the great thing is, she loves making them, we get to spend time together doing it, and it’s actually a lot cheaper then buying Christmas cards for everyone!

Usually I start the day after Christmas for next Christmas because of the sales that are so great. and I try to buy through out the year like one gift every 2 weeks so when Christmas rolls around again Im already done and have saved money in the long run. Also, With all the freebies I get I can use them as gifts and stocking stuffers. my email allygator59@yahoo.com

2nd entry – I subbed to your blog.
Another tip for money saving – don’t buy with your emotions. In other words, don’t be guilted into buying a more expensive present or an additional present because you feel like you should. Spending more time with someone is a priceless gift.

I save money by having my kids make hand made gifts and not buying them. They enjoy it and so do the grandparents.

My holiday tip is to make your own Christmas decorations if you are in the market for new ones. This is a great way to personalize the look and spend time with family.

One of the many things that I am doing this year to save is getting paper bags at the grocery store and then using the brown paper (inside out) to wrap gifts and let the kids color the paper to design their gifts to others. It is fun and free!

I make my holiday list, and only buy for those on my list. I also do a lot of shopping online to find the best deals, and whenever possible, I use e-bates.com to get a little extra back!!

For those of you that have kids that want disney DVD’s for Christimas – DisneyMovierRewards.com has $3 off coupons on any disney DVD you purchase and you can print this coupon up to 10 times. All you have to do is become a disney movie rewards member.

I make baked goods for presents to our friends and some family members. I go to the dollar store or Salvation Army (putting money in their cause)and get nice looking cups or glasses. I put homemade cookies and candies in them wrap a ribbon around them. If I use glasses, and they are for many people in the office, I put a jug of milk in the fridge. If I use the cups I put a Tea Bag in each one.
Everyone loves them!

Go shopping the day AFTER Christmas for the Xmas things you’ll need next year. Walmart has a 50% off sale every Dec 26th. You can even buy gifts to hold until the following year, or give as bday gifts.

My advice to everyone is to set a budget and stick to it! If you know you only have a certain amount to spend, you will try harder to meet that goal. I use a spreadsheet to track our budget so we aren’t left in a bind come January 1

Thanks! Merry Christmas!
Joy Cabrie’
jcabrie@carolina.rr.com

My money saving tip is that little kids really don’t care if you spend $5 or $500 on them. They just enjoy opening anything. So if funds are tight don’t worry about getting them that $200 remote car when they would enjoy a couple toy cars from the dollar store just as much. We will get each of our kids one item like a movie or clothes, then just a bunch of little dollar store items like crayons and coloring books.

This year I have been really taking advantage of the extra savings that stores are offering. For example, if you get a coupon for a percentage off of one item, get one item from that store and spend as close to the minimum as possible or a bigger savings!
Merry Christmas!
Joy Cabrie’
jcabrie@carolina.rr.com

Making or baking gifts is a great way to add a personal touch and save money around the holidays. This works especially well for co-workers, teachers, neighbors, etc.

My tips for Christmas savings are to utilize coupons. If you get free gifts, don’t just keep them for yourself! Give away the free gifts to others. They never have to know. You can also split up gift sets and create your own. People love gifts with a personal touch! If you are good at video editing, why not make a video Christmas “card” and send your family and friends a DVD re-capping your previous year?

This year instead of buying gifts for all the various techers, therapists, etc. We are going to give homemeade soup mix in a decorative jar for them. My husband said he will even help!

Shop the sales all year round and keep a journal of what you bought so you don’t overbuy. Then, you’ll always know what you have for everyone.

My tip for Christmas savings – I love to go to the dollar stores to find items for my kids stockings!

Make a list and STICK TO IT! I’ve been ording online this year, and I make sure to search for and use as many coupon codes as possible. If it’s available, ship your purchases to a nearby store and save the (usually) outrageous shipping costs!

We love doing homemade gifts for our family…last year my husband made DVD’s for everyone in his family with scanned pictures from years long gone by and adding special music. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house during the viewing! We also like cookies or bread to give as gifts for family or neighbors.

For me, I try to buy all of my gifts for the upcoming year after the current year is over and the deals are too good to pass up. So I usually do my shopping in January for Christmas of that year.

There are multiple steps that I am taking this Holiday to save on expenses. At the same time I want to keep the spirit and feeling of Christmas the same. There are websites that allow you to send ecards for free. That is what I am doing rather than buying cards & paying for the postage. People are loving them. Also it’s Christmas! Why not both sides of your families get together & have one big celebration. Each person does 1 or 2 dishes. It cuts down on everyone’s costs, time & bring’s families closer together. Make your gift giving more about fun then costs. Have everyone bring on present up to $20.00 or whatever number your comfortable with,& play Christmas games that allow you to exchange the gifts. It works great when you have a big crowd! Defintely buy online when you can. Last keep your families focus on what Christmas is really about, & what you spend want matter. Merry Christmas Everyone!

This is my tip to let you know that I subscribed…another thing I do is go to websites like ebates to try to get additional cash back on things I’m already going to be buying. That’s free money! A no brainer!!!

Last year I made fabric covered notebooks for teachers. I used a cute Dick and Jane fabric (by Michael Miller) and a notebood lying around the house. It took an evening of sewing a few straight stiches. She loved them.

I subscribed to Motherloot!

AND..tip number two (or three from your list)is that I learned how to can applesauce this year and it seems people just LOVE homemade gifts like that!

Instead of getting sucked into the idea that Christmas is all about gifts, we give our kids 3 gifts each and then whatever they get from other grandparents or aunts/uncles, etc. This helps with making sure we don’t go crazy every time we see something and what to get it for our kids. It also reminds us that baby Jesus received 3 gifts from the Three Wise Men and that is what we receive as well.

My holiday saving tip is to use gift bags for wrapping presents because I already have them, so no extra wrapping purchase required!

I shop year round and put all my great deals in one box. Then when birthdays or christmas comes I’m already done and don’t have to buy anything full price. With 5 kids this saves us a huge amount of money.

I subscribed to Motherlode and Motherloot blogs. My second son is on his way and given how my 2 year old has been eating lately, all advice will be most welcome!

Now for my second holiday savings tip: Plan ahead! I shop for paper, gift bags, boxes and cards after Christmas for the following year. But not the day after Christmas either. I usually wait for at least a week, by then stores are so desperate to get rid of their Christmas stuff that the price drops to around 75% off.

hello ladies
of course clearance items are always,usually anyways a great deal
handmade gifts(like cookies in a jar,etc) are wonderful
i also do alot of photo gifts(albums,photobooks,etc)
i am not martha stewart,but am crafty
god bless
happy holidays

I save all the samples of shampoo body wash all beauty products and use them for stocking suffers. My adult children now do the same thing

My money-saving tip is to be more thoughtful with gift giving. People are more touched when a gift really has thought and means something, even if it doesn’t cost that much.

My money saving tip is to definitely subscribe and read blogs like these….they are definitely helpful in putting all the research on good deals in one neat email….definitely saves us Moms some time. Also I try to start my christmas shopping 6 months in advance…but if you do make sure you don’t go over you budget just because you are starting early and spreading out that extra spending don’t go overboard!!

I save during the holidays every year by saving in a special envelope I mark “bonus” money. It’s money that I get throughout the year that I did not expect or plan on. I get money for things like surveys and secret shops and a refund from a manufacturer or various things like that and all that money goes into the envelope from Dec. 31st forward to Dec. 1st the following year when I start my shopping. It adds up, and even this year when things are tight and lean, my envelope will cover all friends, teachers and “others” gifts, so that none of my other money has to be touched.

My money saving tip is this:

I always make a list, and decided the maximum that I want to spend (total and for each person) This really helps me stick to the budget.

my money saving idea that i do is, i make blankets and other either sewn or crocheted items. then i dont really have to deal with all the crowds either.

I am already subscribed to your blog! Never miss it!

Another money saving tip: I try to make as many gifts as I can – This year it’s food-stuffs and jewelry. I try to keep in mind the reson for the season – which is NOT about spending a lot of money

My best moneysaving holiday tip is to give gifts that are of little or no out of pocket expense. I believe there are many gifts that can be given from the heart, such as crafts, meals, or your time as a gift that mean so much more than something you purchase. Now I do know that we all can appreciate gifts that are store bought, but just be aware and on the look out for good deals during the Christmas season, or shop the day after Christmas sales, and put away for next year!
Thanks

I made a post about your website and giveawy on my blog: http://iwishihadknownthat.blogspot.com/2008/12/freebie-friday-and-giveaways.html with a new holiday tip.

My tip was: One of my holiday tips is that I save up money all year long for Christmas. Out of each paycheck, we put a certain amount into our ING account. So, not only will we have saved up enough money to use for Christmas presents and other Holiday ventures, but with ING Direct, you get interest as well.

Target always has thier clearance items on the back end caps. You can find some AWESOME deals on those clearance end caps!

I start shopping for next Christmas right after Christmas to hit all the sales. I end up saving lots of money!

i am a subscriber.

I make a list of what I give to the person- following my budget. And then I have it for next year so I can know how much I spent and what I got them. I save by spending the same amount (or less) each year!

In every year we should remember why we celebrate Christmas. This year especially we need to remind our kids and relatives of the reason. I’ve found by doing this everyone is ok with my homemade items for gifts. Homemade always means so much more especially when the kids realize that Gramma made it especially for them and of course it has to be “for them” not just something you threw together. I make stationery with stamps, return addresses already on the envelopes and my grandson just loves to write GeeMa. He’s 10 and still loves to get things made especially for him. You can always slip in a little something from the store to surprise him. Make him his special cake or cookies in a real tin for his room. I also made him his very own coasters with his favorite Nascar driver number on them. And when I visit, he always makes sure I have a coaster to use. A little hint teaches them alot.

I subscribed to the Aldi Queen blog. We just moved to an area with an Aldi, so I get to actually use all the great tips you’ve posted! I’ve got a long read ahead of me!

My holiday tip is that instead of buying ornaments each year for my kids and friends/family, we make our own. This year we are making a cinnamon and applesauce ornamnet. Not only will it smell heavenly in our house for the Christmas season, but it is cheap and my kids will have a special ornament to hang on their tree when they have their own families. By the time they are out of the house, they will have quite the boxful or ornaments that have meaning for their own trees and they won’t have to buy as many then, either!

You’re right – gift cards are the right size and color. So give gift cards and save money by not being tempted to buy things as you stroll the aisles looking for those “perfect” gifts. Thanks for the giveaway.

smdrm at earthlink dot net

well how i saved money this year was going shopping at wal-mart on black friday

My money saving tip is to use all the great online coupons and make your own cards at Snapfish or Kodak. I even made extras to give away as gifts.

My money saving holiday tip has to do with reminding our children of the real meaning of Christmas. God’s son was sent to Earth as a baby to give us eternal life. The Wise Men traveled to see this miracle and brought gifts to the baby Jesus. My kids agree that if 3 gifts are sufficient for baby Jesus, then that’s enough for them, too. I stick to purchasing ONLY 3 gifts for them. This way I don’t end up picking up little things here and there that they don’t need, just to fill up the space under the Christmas Tree. As a single mom of three working full time, I have found that it not only saves me money, but also time & stress. MERRY CHRISTMAS!

my wife and i use the online black friday deals and techdeals (for the techno people we know) to get some good deals on diffrent items as a way to save in the holiday seasons

My holiday tip is to buy right after the holidays for huge discounts!

I enjoy reading all the comments left on this site. A lot of ideas are shared and appreciated. One of the cutest thing I saw was a wall calendar my sister had made for my Mom before she passed. It had 12 very large pictures of the fifth generation baby as he grew into a young man. My Mom’s first great grandchild. How she loved that little boy. That calendar still hangs in his room and is changed every month even tho the year is not current. He loved his Nanni.

One great money saving tip for decorating is to swap with a friend. Then you both get some new swag but don’t have to spend a dime!

Our family is focused on giving “experience” gifts like a sleigh ride, movies, concerts…that way we have memories to last a lifetime.

well getting this card would help this season lol it seems like we have so many birthdays in Dec. and my sons 1st birthday is one of them so not only would getting this card help with his 1st x-mas but also his birthday thats a great way to save money is to enter for free giveaways like this

I have saved tons of money for the holidays by reading money saving blogs like this one. I always use coupon codes and look for free shipping when purchasing online. Not to mention all the free items I have scored off these sites!!

To save money on making last minute holiday cookies, make the dough ahead of time and freeze it. There are great tutorials online these days! They even have recommendations for which varieties work the best! Then you save some money by not buying the dough at the grocery store!

For our extended family, we give one handmade gift per family. This saves a ton since some families have 5 kids! And everyone loves the personal nature of the gifts.

I always try to use more coupons in times like these. I also try to use them wisely so I can buy things at even bigger discounts such as FREE!

Donate to a charity. We all spend way too much on random $25 gifts. Take that money and use it towards something meaningful. This helps you stick to your budget and doesn’t encourage spending a little more here and a little more there.

We save money by buying marked down wrapping paper, ribbon, etc. the day after Christmas. This year I didn’t have any “Christmas tissue paper”, so I made my own using Christmas rubber stamps and ink pads to decorate plain white tissue paper. I also make a list of kids we’re buying for, what I’d like to get them and then tracking how much I’ve spent to make sure I’m not going over budget.

I love the holidays but lets face it, anymore it is so commercialized. My money saving tip is to make things! Presents, ornaments, wrapping paper(old comics, paper grocery bags and decorate them yourself. Kids love this stuff) Merry “Old Fashioned” Christmas!!!!

Ooops! I forgot to include my email:
meganm021182@hotmail.com

We give relatives a homemade craft gift (ornaments, usually), neighbors get baked goods, and friends and classmates of my kids get homemade crayons (we got the idea from your idea journal off Danny Seo’s site). It eliminates a lot of purchases.

My money saving tip for the holidays is a simple one. Make a list of those you want to buy gifts for; decide how much you want to spend on each person and stick with it. The past few years I have bought gifts only for the children in the family, my husband, and the grandparents. Everyone else gets yummy homemade treats.

To save on buying new paper, ribbons and tags. I get together with my mom and sister. We have a wrapping party. We bring our ribbon, tags and paper and share. It’s like having new Christmas wrappings and it is priceless!

My advice Is price compare for sure! and maybe we should all buy a pre paid visa and every month put 50 dollars on It so when December comes around than we have the money for the holidays and were all not so stressed out =) Happy Shopping!

My family has had to watch our pennies for years and we have had a great time with shopping starting in Janurary with the sales. Through the year we buy different items on sale and go through them again in July to see if we forgot anyone. We also do alot of homemade gifts. Prinint pics out and making our own frames are wonderful grandparnet gift.
We get together and make cookies to give out christmas eve to those who happen to show up.

My money saving tip is to visit great sites such as this one. So many people coming together to share their money saving tips will help you out soooo much. As a single mother of three children, I am always looking to save money, and great websites and blogs such as this one really help me out.

rsendejo@gmail.com

There are several ways we’re saving for the holidays. One, the adults have agreed we don’t need presents and instead are making donations in each others’ names to that person’s favorite charity. For the kids we are trying to lower expectations and shop sales and keep a money limit on these presents. We are adding inexpensive items and wrapping them really cute to one bigger present. No matter what, that Wal-Mart card would come in really handy.

My holiday tip to save money is make your own gifts, its more personal. I am giving hand made hot pads, crocheted dish rags, a jar with a family cookie recipe on it and all the dry ingridence to make those cookies topped with a nice ribbon. I would love to win this giveaway it would help out so much. Good luck every one and Happy Holidays.

Another way that I save money is by clipping coupons. I am always on the lookout for coupons everywhere. In stores, newspapers, magazines, and the internet. They really do help cut costs, especially during the holidays!!!

rsendejo@gmail.com

My tip is to shop smart with the troubles we are having these days. I would recommend that everyone watch what they spend. I would stick to a budget. My family decided to just buy just for the kids.

I subscribe to MomAdvice Articles via Google Reader.

I save money during the holidays by never buying wrapping paper. I give gifts in promotional freebie totes, makeup bags, etc that I have received throughout the year. It saves on wrapping and adds another gift they can re-use!

Amy, I hit tab and enter on my last comment before I could say this:

My siblings and I are drawing names for a gift exchange instead of buying everyone a gift.

Still a subscriber, and maybe you can throw out my last comment?

I blogged about you here

http://biggyziggy.blogspot.com/

with a money saving tip.

My money-saving holiday gift is making a gift from the heart that doesn’t cost a lot of money. My parents, my mother especially, love scrapbooks and or framed photos better than anything else I could give her. She cries with joy. It takes a little more effort than going to the mall, but it’s definitely worth it. Reliving the memories of their past or of my children mean a lot more anyway and printing digital photos or film doesn’t cost a lot. For scrapbook embellishments you can use things you have around the house — ribbon and buttons, for example. It doesn’t have to be fancy, really.

My holiday tip is to open a Christmas Club account at your bank. By saving a little each month, you will have a nice check to spend on Christmas presents without having to say “charge it!”.

Since I live 40 miles from town, I do lots of shopping online. During the holidays many sites offer free shipping. These are usually the online stores that get my business.

Our family this year did a secret santa type thing…so, everyone has ONE gift instead of 15 to buy and everyone is set to a $100.00 budget. Instead of getting gifts for everyone, we will be having a breakfast Christmas morning before the extended family comes and will exchange gifts and do carols at that time. First time we ever do this, but times are tough and wallets are empty this year, so we thought it’s be a nice way to save and still share in a nice holiday event.

Walmart Rules!

I save money by shopping after-Christmas sales for wrapping paper, cards, ornaments holiday linens and serving pieces. I tuck them away until I need them the next year!

We make gifts or candy for our friends or neighbors which saves us lots of money!

I have found that when it comes to saving money the best ways are to clip coupons and use them when you go to dept stores always go to the clearence racks you can find some of the best deals there and also when i go on line to shop i always go to the clearence dept first before i go anywhere else by doing this i always save money and get the best deals

I try to find sales at the end of seasons and buy things at super discounted prices to give as Christmas gifts. It helps save money and also makes Christmas costs so much easier.

My holiday tip is to do a cookie exchange with friends and family. Then you wouldn’t have to buy a ton of different ingredients to make lots of different kinds of cookies, but you’ll still get a great variety!

My tip takes planning, but just don’t wait until December to do all your shopping! Usually you know approximately who you’ll be shopping for each holiday season, so keep a list and gift ideas nearby all year round. When you spot a sale or an interesting gift in July, pick it up and check that person off your list (so you remember you got them a gift!) and store it away. That way, come December, you can actually enjoy all of the festivities and enjoy a relaxing shopping trip, window shopping and saving your money for a special treat!

Hi, I just subscribed to The Mother Load

I start shopping for Christmas right at the end of summer. My sister and Brother-In-Law both work at Fred Meyer so I always get the mark down items for cheap!

I find that digging through the local thrift shop aways provides nice items. Sometimes the items are brand new.

It is the thought at Christmas that matters, not where or how much you have spend on a gift.

My tip is to set a budget for gift-giving and stick to it! My husband and I discuss what to buy for our kids and others, and look for the best deals.

My 4 year old son learned a song at preschool about the colors of God’s rainbow, so he drew the rainbow all in different colors and sang the song as he was drawing when he was finished I wrote the words to the song under his rainbow. We are going to frame it for Grandma and Grandpa for Christmas.

A great money saving tip for the Holidays is to shop with cash only. You can’t spend what you don’t have.

I bought many of those 9.99 monogrammed Ralph Lauren towels as nice gifts for many family members. I am saving money by making fudge and other candies as gifts. I find that people are super tickled with the extra work that we put in to them and the personal touch.

We are using the kids Christmas art projects from the past few years as our Christmas decorations this year.

i save money buy buying less gifts sand only sale items

At the beginning of each year, I make a list of my nieces and nephews along with my kids and make a very strict budget that I stick to. During the year, as I see things on sale and it if it matches with the budget amount that I have alotted then I will buy and store it for Christmas.

For those times, that I cannot think of what to give a person, I have that a gift that I have made is most appreciated. Cookies, cakes, candles are packaged in personal tin cans and given as presents.

To save money this year on office gifts, I went together with a coworker and we made homemade soaps for all of our fellow workers. It was amazingly cheap, only costing about $2 a person compaired to the $5-10 usually spent. It was a fun activity and financially smart!

If you have a major purchase, look at http://www.ebay.com for buying coupons. I know it sounds strange, but I see that there are many coupons from Best Buy for $50 off a Garmin (how many of us bought a GPS or plan to buy a GPS for someone)? If you combine your coupon with free things like the Best Buy Reward Zone, you’ll also end up getting money back through free gift certificates from Best Buy.

I have subscribe to your Motherload feed

One of the ways you can save money at Wal Mart is check out the clearence section. It is amazing how much great stuff they have over there. They have alot of great toys for children and Adults. You can also go to Walmart.com they also have alot of great deals.

We buy our gifts throughout the year. They are usually on sale or clearance when we buy them and that has saved our family a lot. THanks!

Nickelodeum great sponsor for childrens items and fun galore. With the economy the way it is, I do most of my shopping at Walmart.
To help save money over Christmas I purchase baskets, large and small when I can find them 50 to 75% off. In each basket, I use free samples that I have received throughout the year. I even make up cute boxes (paint them for the kids with their favorite colors) and put them a few things, like free coloring books, crayons, books, stickers,etc) Therefore, the holidays don’t cost me hardly anything.

I always like to buy new ornaments each year. However, this year my kids made their own paper ornaments. I love them and we’ll be treasuring them for years to come! You can see them here http://jennifersjunkylife.typepad.com/whimsical_junk/2008/12/my-entry.html. I also like to give each of them an ornament for Christmas every year. They’re normally purchased from the store, but they’ll be handmade this time. I like that these frugal times have reminded us of the simplicity and wonder that is Christmas. The true meaning of it all.

MY TIP WOULD BE MAKE SOMETHING FROM YOU HEART, DON`T ALWAYS HAVE TO BUY FROM YOUR POCKET… SOME OF THE BEST GIFT I HAVE GAVE OR BEEN GIVEN HAS BEEN ONES THAT I HAVE MADE AND SOMEONE ELSE HAS MADE FOR ME… MAKING A GIFT TAKES TIME. AND THAT YOU CAN NOT BUY!!!!!!! BESIDE THIS TIME OF THE YR IS ABOUT GIVING FROM YOUR HEART NOT BUYING THE MOST EXPENSIVE GIFT,FOR SOMEONE…. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

I found an abandoned pear tree around August. I harvested it three times and made pear jelly. Cost me almost nothing since I found the suregel on clearance for $0.10. I’ll be gifting these to family members for Christmas.

I usually try to re-gift things to acquaintances. I also always do after holiday shopping for the clearance racks!
tallblond1@gmail.com

My money saving tip is to not have my children’s holiday photos done at a professional studio. They always take a bunch of pictures then talk you into expensive packages and you end up with more pictures than you really need. I just take my digital camera and the kids to the park, beach, back yard…anywhere and capture some candid shots of them then have them made into prints for those who I know would enjoy them. I only pay for what I need and it is always less expensive than the studios. Also, I’ve turned the snapshots into my Christmas cards the last three years! The family loves them.

I always have a list of people I need to buy for Christmas and shop throughout the year when things are on sale. Toys are the easiest to find at clearance time.

Using some of the great coupons I’ve found online, I’m giving some of those glade candle holders and candles for gifts! We also try to make gifts as homemade is always the best!!!

We are making our gifts this year, knitting socks & hats. Making patchwork scarves, and lap blankets.
Also making baked goods.

This year we are making all gifts homemade: computer cover, princess canopy, coloring book bag, corn/rice pillows, bookmarks/bookplates, that kind of thing!

And, I already subscribe via Bloglines to MomAdvice

This year my whole family is stuggling (All small business owners). We have decided that we are going to do a book exchange. Meaning that the books we have read over and over, or the books that just sit on our shelves will be wrapped and traded. I’ve also found that a favorite gift every year is a disc with all of my pictures loaded onto it. It only costs for the amount of the CD’s and my family and friends ask for it every year! (For all my friends, about 20 that I give gifts to, I spend about $14 for a pack of CD’s and a little bit of time picking the photos I want to share. I make one disc then just copy the rest. I usually spend about an hour making discs! And just put a bow on top! Easy wrapping, and cheap!)

Shop at Wal-Mart and use their competitor matching guidelines. Wal-Mart always saves you money and you will also save gas (and time) by shopping at only one store!

This Christmas I am making gifts for everyone using clearance sales items. For example, I’m making a no-knit scarf (thanks Martha Stewart) for my sis-in-law, or a book tote using a placemat for my mom. Plus I’m only going errand shopping every other week outside of my weekly groceries…that helps me avoid picking out stuff from the $1 clearance that I don’t really need, but always end up getting each time I’m at Target.

For my in-laws and all those people who already have everything, I simply make a homemade dessert or goodie for them. My father-in-law loves my strawberry freezer jam, so I wrap it up for christmas and give it to him!

I know some people love warehouse clubs and others hate them, but I really have luck getting gifts at Costco. For instance, they often have 3- and 4-packs of items like nice candles and reed diffusers. I can break up the package since each is also wrapped individually and get a few gifts from one purchase. For specific items that I’m looking for, especially housewares, they often have great prices and bonuses packaged with the item. I would think the other clubs would also be good places to shop, but I only belong to Costco.

Instead of buying gift wrap, recycle your newspapers or use plain brown packing paper as gift wrap. If you have kids, let them show their artistic talent on it and tie it up with inexpensive yarn, twine, or raffia. You’ll also be helping the environment.

One thing that I always do is Google search promo codes or printable coupons. It you know you will be shopping at a certain store type the name of the store with it, I always find really good deals. Especially when shopping online

I also subscibed to your feed!

I don’t have an amazing new tip for holiday shopping. I look at sales fliers for different stores and use coupons if possible. This year, I shopped at Home Goods and bought many name brand items for cheap. Tommy Hilfiger socks and Calvin Klein boxers for my husband. Snowbabies ornament for the babysitter. These things would have cost a fortune if bought at a different store!

I just forgot to add another tip:
Save your containers that have no sharp edges, such as oatmeal canisters, Pringles, etc., and decorate them the same way- covering with plain paper and let the kids glue ribbon or fabric scraps on them to use as gift containers.

My moneysaving holiday tip is to do something with pictures. A family picture in a $2 frame from the dollar store or a photo calendar to enjoy the whole year. Grandparents and relatives who don’t live nearby really appreciate these kinds of gifts.

A GREAT HOLIDAY TIP!

You can use Comics from the Sunday paper or old unwanted Comic Books to wrap your Christmas Gifts.
What a perfect way to save money, recycle and help save the earth.
“Merry Christmas Everyone”

I buy my gifts online and google “coupon codes” to get discounts and free shipping. It saves a ton of money.

We save money during the holidays by making our own gift wrap. We recycle paper bags from the grocery store by cutting them open and then my daughter decorates the plain inside of the bag with markers, crayons, paint, etc. It is a homemade touch to any gift we give!
mrs.schmid@gmail.com

I save money by planning ahead , making a list sticking too it and using coupons that come in the mail for the stores in the malls. Department stores can be expensive. By signing up for mailings and receiving coupons alot of money can be saved on kids cloths, junior’s especially.

instead of buying everyone a gift jus do a picking the name things, put names in a hat all adults pick names or 2 and then on christmas everyone gets a present and no one spent way 2 much money!! dis.sh0rti3@ymail.com

I use coupons and rebates whenever possible. I buy on clearance. For gifts this year, I will be doing lots of baking.

We pick names in my family and my husband’s family which really helps to save money!

I go to the dollar store to buy gifts for my baby. She won’t know if I spend $50 or a $1. She just has fun ripping the presents open!

I save gifts that are given to me and give them to others for birthdays or Christmas!

We cut down our own Christmas tree – it only costs $10 for the permit and you can get a tree up to 12 feet tall. This is cheaper than buying from the store and we have a blast going out to find the “perfect” tree

Our family has grown over the last few years and times are tough so we are just buying for the grandchilden. If the grandchildren have children then we just buy for the great-grandchildren. Everyone else participates in a $15.00 give swap.

I plan in advance what I need to buy and for who. I keep the list handy so that I can get the items I need week by week before Christmas at the best possible prices. Thanks.

Sandra

I keep lists each year of the items that we give (so not to duplicate), do my next year’s Christmas shopping during January and February for deep discounts (I’ve had this year’s gifts ready for months!) and I regift! Thanks for the chance to win!

I’m a subscriber!

TO SAVE MONEY I BUY A BIG HAM ON SALE FOR CHRISTMAS THAN SAVE THE BONE . I USE IT TO MAKE A BIG POT OF BEANS FOR NEW YEARS . I PUT IN A BAG OF FROZEN BLACK EYED PEAS FOR GOOD LUCK. IF YOUR FAMILY LOVES BLACK EYED PEAS MAKE A WHOLE POT. BUT WE LIKE CHILI LATER SO I MAKE PINTO BEANS. THAT WAY WE HAVE BEANS ONE DAY OR MAYBE TWO . THAN CHILI THE NEXT. IT IS GREAT.

My tip is to shop the perimeter of Target. All the clearance items are on the shelf ends that no one can see unless you walk the walls of the store. I also start shopping these right after the holidays and stock up for next Christmas or even birthdays throughout the year.

Hi Everyone, Since things are tight for most people this year, I am going to make gifts. One gift is for my daughters teacher. I went out and bought a Christmas decorated pie plate for $3.99 and made a pie. Wrapped it in colored saran warp w/a ribbon. There are lots homemade gift idea’s at the Kraft website also.
Happy Holiday’s

My tip for saving money is to have the kids send out hallmark e-cards to all the people who have e-mail. The kids LOVE looking through all the options (especially the animated ones) and we always get that call that says “that was so funny!”… we never get a call about the ones we send through the mail!

I take my kids to the store sometime in Sept. or Oct. and go down the isles with them and have them tell me what they are wanting for Christmas and also their birthdays which are also in Dec. I then watch adds for anything they are wanting to be on sale. Once I have my list completley done I figure up my budget for all 3 of them and I only buy things when they are on sale at a good price. As it gets closer to Christmas I usually have managed to get everything they were wanting without going over budget just by watching adds or shopping online. My siblings and I do buy for our parents so instead of buying them something diff. from all us kids we all put money in and get them a nice gift from all of us. We got them a gift cert. for a bed and breakfast once and they loved that!! With the economy right now my best advice is set and know your budget and once you have hit that limit STOP!! I figured my budget and carry that in cash to do my shopping. Once that cash is gone I am DONE!!!

We started a tradition among our family to have a White Elephant gift exchange. It cleans out our house and does not cost anyone anything. Some people get some usefull things, and others get Aunt Edna’s ugly porcelain salt and pepper shakers. It is always good for a good laugh and even funnier when those crazy things re-appear next year for some poor soul who stores it for another year.

I take my kids to the store sometime in Sept. or Oct. and go down the isles with them and have them tell me what they are wanting for Christmas and also their birthdays which are also in Dec. I then watch adds for anything they are wanting to be on sale. Once I have my list completley done I figure up my budget for all 3 of them and I only buy things when they are on sale at a good price. As it gets closer to Christmas I usually have managed to get everything they were wanting without going over budget just by watching adds or shopping online. My siblings and I do buy for our parents so instead of buying them something diff. from all us kids we all put money in and get them a nice gift from all of us. We got them a gift cert. for a bed and breakfast once and they loved that!! With the economy right now my best advice is set and know your budget and once you have hit that limit STOP!! I figured my budget and carry that in cash to do my shopping. Once that cash is gone I am DONE!!!

tatparkhurst5@mchsi.com

My money saving tips is baking with your kids. Instead of buying a 100 dollar gift for my mother-in-law I spend half and give her cookies, chocolate, and coloring pages from the kids! It’s always better then spending a huge lump of cash on something she just puts in the garage in a box.

lil_wifey21 at yahoo dot com

One thing I’ve done is make my own wrapping paper. I just got brown packaging paper and then used sponges, stamps, and acrylic paint. Easy, cheap, and everyone loved the personal touch.

Decorations and other holiday stuff can be purchased for super cheap after the holidays. I like to buy wrapping paper, tissue, bows, and even my artificial Christmas tree in the few days/weeks following Christmas. It saves us a ton!

I like to buy bulk items from Sams Club or Costco such as gourmet hot chocolate and cookies and popcorn and then make them into goodie bags. For Example get 1 box of the hot chocolate, 1 box of cookies and a couple of bags of popcorn and put them into a gift bag sometime I’ll throw in a movie (some are only $5 at Wal-Mart).

Use the freebies in the mail that you recieve as stocking stuffers a great way for family to also try new things.

We have a household of his, hers and theirs; kids that is. My concern is that my stepdaughters would think I buy more for my kids than them. So to make this square I use the envelope system. I put the budget for each kid (five) in different envelopes. When I have reached their budgeted amount I stop. That way I know for sure that each is treated equally.

I plan to make more gifts this christmas. I read an article on making homemade gifts to give out.

A moneysaving holiday tip? Well, homemade items are always a nice touch and inexpensive. You could try gifts in a jar. I made scrapbooks for my mom of her kids. I think it has been hard trying to top that. She loved the personal touch. Make a family photo calendar homemade or walmart does them too. You could do white elephant exchanges and not have to spend anything just get something you already own? That could be fun! Hopefully one of these will work?

I always watch the sales, shop at stores that do price matching and use coupons. My daughters school decide to donate to the food pantry instead of exchanging gift in her class and buying gifts. for the teacher. I think this was a great idea to show the children that it is not always what you get but what you can give to someone else who really need it.

Entry #2 I blogged about this contest at the link below.
http://bnc2l1smedia.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-many-of-you-would-like-to-win-500.html

Tip #2 Have your extended family draw names! Why buy everyone in the family a gift when you can draw a name and buy just one? The fun part is switching around til you get who you really wanna buy for. hehe

lil_wifey21 at yahoo dot com

My money saving tip for this holiday season (which is tight due to the wonderful new addition to the family- our son!) is to sign up for my favorite stores’ e-mail lists. I’m always getting coupons or notices on sales, allowing me to be almost finished with my shopping already! This has saved me quite a bit this year!

I searched around online this year and found cute, fun homemade gifts. Some of which include: making a photo calendar on your computer for grandparents, making ready made cookie jars, having children decorate a photo mat, etc. These are fun to make and I believe our family will enjoy them.

Entry #3

I subscribe!

Tip #3
How many of you have family all over and sisters and brothers going to the same place? How about carpooling Christmas Day (with a family member you can stand of course). hehe I usually carpool with my baby brother because he isn’t married and he helps packing gifts in and out of places. He’s not much of a shopper so I add his name to gift tags for the help. Its a win-win situation. Merry Christmas and happy gifting!!

lil_wifey21 at yahoo dot com

One thing I decided to do this year is send Holiday ecards to all of my family and friends. This really cuts down especially with the cost of postage. Plus it’s going green!

I just recently stumbled across this site from freebies for moms site. Wow, I feel like I’ve been living under a rock for a very long time. From all the tips on these sites I have saved over $75.00, this week. I have been printing coupons like crazy, uploading pictures (and getting free gifts), getting free samples (next years stocking stuffers) and really looking at all the bargains that are available! I hope everyone has a great holiday with lots of savings!!!!

I try to buy year round when I find a great sale. I also try to make some gifts. Me and my husband have given pictures and just purchased reasonable frames, we have given music cd’s of his songs, I have made jewelry. this year I am hoping santa will bring me a sewing machine, so that next year I can sew some gifts:)

My money saving tip…..use old Christmas cards for decorations. Cut out some designs from the ones that mean the most and frame them! Be creative…burn the edges!! It look fabulous!

I am a subscriber in google reader.

For our special gift gifting occasions my husband and I give each other a set amount of money and make plans to spend the today together spending the alotted anount of money on exactly what we want. I aways find spending a day together is more importnat than what we bought!

We switched our large family gathering to a $10 Gift Switch. Draw numbers for picking order and person one picks a gift… person two picks or steals. If person two steals, then person one gets another turn…(each gift can be taken 5 times)….then person 3 & so on. At the very end, when all of the gifts are taken, person one can pick anything they want! Wow, for something so simple, it’s hard to explain!

If you have a big family–get together for a cookie party and choose names out of a hat rather than buying/making gifts for everyone!!

We will be making homemade gifts including repainting old frames and making them “new” and putting pictures of our kids in them to give to their grandparents.

I always check the ads to see anything my kids want is onsale. Since they like video games, I look for buy one get one half off deals and then use any coupons I can find for that store. A lot of stores are giving out store coupons if you sign up for their emails. I am also gifting things I get for free, like if I buy something and get something free for buying that item.

I have just subscribed. I have found some good ways to save money by reading how other people save on holiday items. I was about to buy Christmas cards at the Dollar Store and then saw how I could make photo cards on Kodak Gallery for about the same price. I got 30 cards, I put 3 photos on the cards, and will pick them up at CVS, much better than Dollar Store cards!

I shop the clearence racks. Also, our family drew names this year.

I give my girls a coupon book to use throughout the year so I don’t spend so much at Christmas when money is already tight. I give coupons for a movie, a tank of gas, trips to restaurants, you can do just about anything, and they love it. In fact, my husband asked for one this year!!!

My holiday money saving tip pays off in December, but starts in January. Beginning the day after Christmas, I start to scout out deals in the stores and online and begin to create my Christmas list for family members. I buy gifts throughout the year so the money is stretched throughout the year and not just all within a few weeks in December!

What a great giveaway, thank you!
Money Saving Tip #1

I am a list-maker! I make lists for just about everything but my annual Christmas gift-giving list is a true money (time & stress) saver.
I include the people I plan to buy for, along with a spending limit for each person and a specific item or general idea of what I plan to buy. I compare prices online and then either head out to the stores or order from home based on the best deal. Having the list and doing a little research before shopping means less energy wasted searching the crowded shops and less pressure to buy anything at any price.

We are making most of our holiday gifts this year. We are making tie-dyed t-shirts for all the kids and the adults in the family get homemade chai tea soap, homemade lose chai tea, dried apples and a photo or the kids. Has saved a bundle compared to last year.

Save money and make a gift! I made picture frames out of cardboard and decorated them with bits of colored paper, ribbon, and stickers I already had. Nothing’s better than a gift you acutally put time and effort into.

I’m a subscriber!

Money Saving Tip #2

Sign up to receive emails from your favorite and most frequented stores. These emails often include coupons, free shipping codes and private sale notices! (In fact, I used one today )

We recently went for a well visit with the kids and I asked the doctor for a roll of the paper they lay across the exam tables, for pretty cheap you can buy rolls of this kind of paper at a craft store or maybe even the dollar store, well she gave us one and I am letting the kids decorate sheets of it with any theme they want and using that to wrap all of the family presents, since “Santa” wraps their gifts I told them he uses his own paer and I am using paper I picked upf or 25 cents a roll (75 sq ft each) at an after xmas clearance, I also love to go the days after an pick up tape, plates, paper, etc, the stuff besides decorations that you can get cheap after the day but never think about

My holiday tip is over the years with my children( I have 4) to only buy them the things that they have really wanted all year. I start early with noticing things what they are into more and I compile my list from what I observe. Of course they give Santa a list with the ridiculous stuff on it but I stick to my plan of what I’ve seen which is usually about 5-6 things that they really want and it works everytime. You are saving money because they actually play with every single thing and it doesn’t end up in the toy chest graveyard.

My favorite thing to do is go to stores that have dollar bins. I have found some pretty fun stuff there and things that work great as stocking stuffers. I also try to shop all year round keeping in mind the main people I need to shop for. Then at Christmas time I make a concrete list and I stick to that along with having a budget of only $15 a person.

In past years I have also hand made ornaments for my own tree and they turned out so well that I made more to give as gifts. And even this year there is enough stuff left over to keep making more. Also as an artist I have done drawings for family and close friends and that is a gift that is always appreciated. It is amazing what you can come up with for under $15 a person when you start getting creative. Plus when you put your time, effort and heart into something it always makes the holidays more fun and lot more memorable.

While keeping my four kids busy and makeing christmas gifts at the same time I have my kids go through the christmas paper, cards and reused bags and make there own gifts to give to family and friends by cutting out the pictures they like and adding them to scrap books to make a story or cards and other fun things. It also teaches them to recycle

Usually, I make a list in the beginning of the year starting with all of the birthdays and remember to save the best for last which is, Christmas. Shop here and there all year long by using coupons and always checking the clearance sections and save the gifts. But since the economy is so bad right now, I think baking and making crafts for your loved ones are so much better. The baked goodies and the crafts have a more personal touch to it.

I try to bake things for all the extra people in our lives/ teachers/coaches/administrators/ etc. etc. That or I use coupons to get items very cheap at the grocery – sugarless candy/ etc. then just try to package them cute with ribbon/ baskets etc. that I already may have.
I also start early – like right after Christmas thinking about the next year!

To save money I do most all of my shopping online and do a great deal of comparison shopping, researching coupon codes to use and using a variety of “cash back” or reward sites- based on which ones are available for each store I purchase from. I figure I might as well earn some money back. I also make a lot of “food” gifts- mixes, rubs, cookies, candy, etc.

I start early by filling my gift closet with practical items on sale throughout the year, like socks, great hand lotion, reed infusers,coffee, etc. I save and reuse all gift bags and hang them together by occasion on hangers. Then I have the basics, so when the holidays roll around I am not overwhelmed and can make gift bags, adding new purchases at that point based on my budget.

This season, we are saving money by burning logs in the firewood instead of keeping the heat up, cooking large quantity soups and stews, instead of a new, wasteful meal every day, and opening our home more to neighbors and friends

I buy items all year long on sales and clearance for family and friends. When I hear someone say something would like I add it to my wish list for that person. I check out the dollar stores and dollar deals in major stores for stocking stuffers. I like to go a little overboard at the holidays and this lets me have the fun of giving without over spending.

My money savings tip is that this year instead of buying gifts for each other we are making something for one another. There is so much more love and thought that goes into a homemade gift than something that is just thrown in a cart while your walking down and isle.

I admit I’m a shameless re-gifter, and I reuse festive bags/boxes/bows whenever possible. I also try to buy gifts on sale throughout the year and stockpile them, for wrapping and giving in December. The trick is just remembering where I squirreled them all away! LOL

Our family of 14+ members like to save money especially at Christmas. Our money saving tip starts at Thanksgiving. We present at Thanksgiving after a goood dinner-a Christmasy decorated print out of all names on their own sheet with their Want/Need items. Then we draw names. So easy to shop for 1 with a $20 limit, rather than 14+. A great way to save money!

Many of the men in my family love getting DVD’s. Instead of getting them each one $20 DVD, I go to the used DVD stores and get them several. I have found week old releases for $10 before. This works great for the kids in the family too!

I save a lot of money by preparing my list in advance and knowing what the cost of each item is. That way I know when I am getting a good sale or if the “sale” is really just a reduced price from a jacked up price. I see it happen all the time but especially just before the holidays. So tricky!

One money saving idea that I always use is, of course, after Christmas sales. It’s a great time to get presents for the next year for half the price! We usually stock up on the Crystal and glass items and unusual toys that Wal-Mart seems to cycle so that they aren’t there the next year. Then we box them up and label the boxes so that we know what they are when the giving season rolls around again. If we have someone in mind at the time of purchase, we put their name on the box as well, just as a reminder. Then we keep checking back as the savings grow to 75% and more to see if there is anything left that someone we know would appreciate. This also comes in handy to have those little extra Christmasy themed gifts for those unexpected gifts that you need to reciprocate!

I am saving money by opting out of gift swaps. Nobody is missing my gift because they didn’t have to buy me one.

I am saving a lot of money by shopping at Walmart.com and using their free ship to site offer. I swear they are not paying me for this!! But I really love that option. They almost always have the best price and the free shipping is great. The best part is if the item goes on deep discount sale before X-Mas I can easily return the item purchased online at the store with no problems. I have actually found WalMart to be pretty understanding about it.

Save money by………making your own beautiful wrapping paper by stamping/decorating/glittering up your paper shopping bags. I am now addicted to doing this and don’t want to use store bought stuff anymore.
…gift card exchanges. Everybody buys a 10/15/20 dollar gift card and you make it a “white elephant” sort of game. Nobody is spending too much and(well, in theory) everyone is going to get what they want.
ianikki at sbcglobal dot net

When I do my shopping I look for items that can become multiple gifts. I will buy a set of mixing bowls and separate them to make “gift baskets” out of them to cover more than one person on my list!

To save money on wrapping paper-use tissue paper that is real inexpensive-use the comics from the Sunday Paper-Use Foil- Or Paperbags- have your children color the paper bags. And remember you are actually recycling!!!!

I am subscribed. If I win a prize on the radio or get a gift card free, I often give those as gifts.

This year my co-workers and I decided that instead of giving each other gifts or have a secret Santa, each of us will be donating a toy to one of my co-workers church. It is most important and worthwhile to give a child gifts for the holiday season.

I like to make things for people that are near-by. I typically make candy and cookies or I bake homemade breads for neighbors and friends. It not only is cheaper, but it saves me the time and hassle of coming up with gift ideas and going shopping for them.

I subscribed to this blog and the Aldi one.

One other holiday shopping trip–I do a lot of research and shopping around to see if I can get any Christmas gifts used, from craigslist, eBay, or the local thrift stores. I have found some amazing deals, I am able to stretch my money a lot further, and my kids don’t care. Who WOULDN’T want MORE toys or books or clothes or electronics for the same money?

This year I am making calendars for the granparents with pictures of the kids from throughout this last year. They love the pictures and it’s not too expensive!!

This year I am getting calendars made for the grandparents. They love the pictures and they are not too expensive!

I’ve used my bank card points to get gift cards. I give the gift cards as gifts or use the gift cards to buy gifts.

Due to the fact that all of my siblings are now adults and creating families of their own, we’ve decided to draw names out of a hat to exchange gifts this year. Each couple only has to purchase two gifts vs the usual 6.

I buy christmas/hannakah wrapping paper, gift bags, tissue paper, etc. at the dollar store. They also have really cute decorations for $1.00. I also buy decorations after the holidays when they go on sale.

Thanks for the giveaway.
Andrea

Well, this may sound… cheap? But I shop all summer long… at yard sales. I have found some fabulous vintage finds, especially unique items that my grandmothers collect, things they appreciate. One of my favorites though was scoring an entire ensemble of ceramic Halloween decorations which we gave as a gift to a newlywed friend just starting out in her own home and wishing for decorative things for each season.

It’s great to see all these tips!

The spirit of Christmas is not the buying of gifts, we have lost sight of the true meaning. Family, togeterness, compassion, understanding and a charitible heart…throughout the year, not one day out of the year.

Okay, tip number 2, (I subscribe to the Mother Load blog), I buy baking supplies in bulk and find amazing treats to make teachers, neighbors, friends and even family on tastespotting.com or through other blogs. Everyone loves sweet things and I feel like it’s better than just giving something people may not like/never use.

Thank you!

Reuse bows, wrapping paper, and gift bags!

My holiday tip is this: plan, plan, plan! Do not impulse buy. Think about who really needs to be on your list. I make birthdays bigger than Christmas. That is one of the biggest ways I save money during the Christmas season.

Use Amazon.com to buy used books, movies, CDs, video games for prices much lower than those in stores, even once you factor in shipping. But don’t forget to order them with plenty of time left for shipping!

I just subscribed to all three of your blogs.

Tip: Consider doing a white elephant gift exchange with other adult family members (siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc) rather than spending additional money on a gift.

Last year my daughter gave her in-laws pictures of the kids in a small album. She bought albums for 1.00 each then went to walmart selected some pictures and had them printed out. They were so thankful to get their gift and was showing off the grandbabies to everyone. Also it is good to shop after Christmas for the sales. One year I got a 7ft. tree for 35.00 reg. 80-90.00 and plenty of lights for .50 bags of bows for .10 ea and the list goes on. Have bought items after christmas and have given them as birthday gifts and saved some for the following Christmas. This year my kids will get homemade goodies sent to them.

I have just subscribed to 2 of your blogs. Looking forward to the great advice and ideas! My holiday money-saving tip is one that we are trying this year. As our family expands, we decided to only buy for the kids and do the white elephant game for the adults. That saves us quite a bit of money not buying for each adult!

Another tip is to make homemade gifts for those you do have to buy for. That is what I’m planning on doing for my daughter’s teachers.

my tip is that dont spend money unless u have to cause since i am on a budget i go to the cheap stores for great bargins it really saves me money and every one is happy.

One more tip is to shop the sales! Don’t buy anything full price!! There are so many sales out there and alternatives if you can’t find the exact thing.

My money saving tip for the holidays is to use paper bags for wrapping paper just decorate with stamps and glitter. My two kids love It!!
Happy holidays!

during the holidays i try to make sure i have ads for great bargins so i get what i need so everyone in my family is happy. its the thought that counts also during the holidays even if u cant afford anything.

i would make things like homemade cards and things like that for the holidays cause i love doing things like that and it makes people happy knowing that is comes from the heart.

Plan to save time & money year-round; check out coupon websites such as momadvice.com, freebies4mom, and coupons.com; use coupons during buy 1 get 1 free sales at stores that double coupons; donate freebies to those in need or use for stocking stuffers; buy holiday items about a week after holiday for maximum discounts; use the items as gifts during the year; my child loves decorating for holidays so I give her a bag of assorted freebie/clearance items for her birthday thereby avoiding the additional expense of buying decorations

i think this would be nice to give. take a shoe box or cigar box and or a cheap box and decorate it and leave comments in it for your friends and family. this would mean a lot to them and it would be something they would treasure as the years go by.

WOW! Ladies there are some fantastic ideas! Times are tough this year, and my best money saving techniques start with RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH! Make your list, and start with the most important items first. Search your local sale adds, compare with online adds, sometimes you can get a better deal ordering it, and avoid the long checkouts! Resist the impulse buys, again, compare prices, search for coupons, and door buster specials. It will all pay off, and you will get more bang for your buck.

I buy labels and bows for next year at the end of this year – that way they are on sale and much cheaper than full price.

This year I am trying to make a lot of gifts but also make sure they are things people will use. My niece & nephew are getting tied fleece blankets with fleece I found on sale after Thanksgiving. The women in my family are getting totebag purses made out of $2 placemats and my husband’s co-workers are getting cookies on Christmas plates made from $1 plates at Wal-Mart.

At the Dollar Store we found these great smelling cinnamon decorative brooms that we added a pretty bow and glued on some berries.
Very nice gift for aunts/grams/teachers.
Would probably pay alot for at a craft show we spent under $8.00!

I don’t have any holiday saving tips, I always seem to wait till the last minute then buy everything all at once no matter what the price.. because money is tight all year long, I find it hard to justify buying anything throughout the year. So I have no suggestions.. but I love reading the ones posted here!

i save bows and ribbons and re-use them the following year

I figure out gifts based on coupons rather than just buying whatever at ful;l price. For example I got a 40% off coupon at Barnes and Noble combined with 20% off for being a member- so I decided to get my Dad books this year for his birthday.

(I am subscribed!) Another tip is to make a budget- pull out the cash and when its gone its gone. I always find the little impulse buys and last minute stuff to be what breaks the bank.

Do things the old fashioned way this xmas, have your children help…trust me it will be a memoriable experience that you will all remember, anyways consider making jelly with surejell and 100% fruit juice. Decorate some jars with a christmas theme and fill with chocolate covered mini pretzles. You will have a blast, save loads of money , be proud to give what you’ve made and will a gift that will be greatly appreciated and enjoyed. We went to rummage and estate sales this year to pick up old dishes, serving dishes etc. to clean up and gift as a gift with either cheese and sausage, homemade candies, or bars, we only paid up to $1.00 for some of the antique glass serving platters. Not only that we are thrilled that we were kinda green this christmas and put our whole hearts into giving this year that we are going to do it again next year.

To make a unique gift for the holidays and stay within budget my husband and I buy really nice collage frames. The ones with 3 or four slots, we have tons of pictures that our family members don’t already have and we go through them and print up pictures that the person receiving will cherish. Sometimes we collect older pictures from family members to share with other relatives. We print them in black and white and even antique sepia for our parents and grandparents. They love receiving these gifts with personal photos that are near and dear to their hearts.
Thank you for the opportunity to enter this giveaway.

I collect lots of the coupon inserts from the sunday papers. Then I buy the toiletry items ie: tooth paste, brushes, razors, lotion and make gift bags out of them. Those things are expensive but with the coupons I can make them for all my friends & family.

my money saving tip for the holidays is to shop at flea markets and garage sales. not only do they have many items to choose from (some of them are brand new!), but they also have many items that might be on a person’s wishlist that are impossible to find at regular stores. For example, my sister collects old classic novels and the flea markets are a great place to find these and you can check them out before you buy to ensure that they are good quality!

I think one of the best thing you can do for people on your list this year because of the low cash flow is to find out one thing they need to have done around the house that they are ubable to do them selves and do it for them. Or if they have children and never get time for themselves maybe you could entertain the children and let mom have an afternoon to herself, where she could read a book, take a nap, or relax in the tub.

My holiday tip is that I save money during the holidays by making alot of my gifts. I use things that I have gotten on sale over the year and make things for gifts and they are not expensive since it is items gathered from sales over the year.

I save all my free samples or free books, toys, coloring books, etc. from throughout the year. Then I use those items to fill stockings at Christmas.

My holiday saving tip is to not buy gifts for everyone but to make them!! Daycare teachers, school teachers, etc will love any home made item whether it be something to EAT! or anything that shows they are loved! That’s what Christmas is about after all!

Beverly

The way I save money during the holidays is by starting my shopping in January the previous year. There are wonderful clearances then and I try to pick up pretty Christmas earrings and such on deep discount. I also shop at places like Ross and TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and Gabriel Brothers throughout the year and pick out some beautiful items very reasonably priced and keep them together in a box in my attic until I need to get them out and wrap them for gifts. This really helps in saving money and some time shopping around Christmas. I also enjoy giving homemade cookies.

I subscribed to your feeder to be entered again. My next money saving tip for Christmas is to give something away that you do not use! Believe me you will be blessed beyond measure when you bless someone else. Even just giving it to the local salvation army so someone can purchase it reasonably might just make someone else’s Christmas wonderful and somehow the gift of giving will be returned to you.

Christmas Clubs are my helpful hint. Putting $10 a week away during the year is a lot easier for me to do than to come up with a few hundred dollars all at once!

I like to stay on track by making a list of everyone I want to give a gift to. I like to make the gift more personal by making them something homeaide. This way it is not just more “stuff”. It is something from the heart. I start buying the things I will need all through-out the year to save money, like the clearance sections. Homeaide food items are also a treat!

During the holidays I stock up on baking supplies and for gifts I bake yummy banana nut bread and make crock pot apple butter. I collect small baskets thruout the year and fill them with the above and put a bow on them amd you have a inexpensive gift.

I try hard to shop sales and realize that some of the best presents are not the most expensive. For example, my son is getting a Handy Mandy backpack It was on clearance for $2.73 at Kohls. I also got him a sticker book of Little Einsteins for $1.50. These will probably be his favorite presents and they were under $5 for both!

I have recently learned so many wonderful ways to save money and these things of course overlap onto the holiday savings. The tip I would like to give is: if you are planning on having a Turkey dinner on Christmas eve or Christmas day, so on and so forth…check out the frozen turkeys the night after or day after Thanksgiving, many Wal-mart stores are open 24 hours (thank goodness!) and that gives us the opportunity to pick up all the “leftover” products that were marketed for Thanksgiving BUT didn’t sell for Thanksgiving and which are now on CLEARANCE!!! (on clearance of course to get them off the floor to make room for the Christmas and Hanukkah goodies)….clearance items would include other holiday food items other than just the big money spender (turkey)of course! Most other grocery chains do serious markdowns/clearance after Thanksgiving that can be saved/frozen and ready to cook for Christmas or Hanukkah….That is my tip

Starting in January every year, I take $20-$40 from the ATM every paycheck and hide it in an envelope in the house. That way, by the time Christmas rolls around, I have the cash to buy presents and don’t have to use a credit card.

I look for sales on the things that I want to buy for Christmas. Also, our family is not buying a lot of things this year that the children will throw down in a month and be tired of it.

With money tight this year.( I was laid off.) I got several coupon holders for my daughters and friends. I go to the newspaper Sunday afternoon and get a bunch of the coupons they have left. I cut all of them and put in the holders so they can start saving.

With little money this year my boys and I are making our decorations out of salt dough with cookie cutters. It is a very simple play dough make with salt, flour and oil. Let it dry and paint. We had a great time!

My biggest money saver is to just skip the tree & ornaments altogether, some may not be able to resist, but man it saves a huge headache for me with a 2 year old…we just put up lights outside and forget about the mess/ hassle/ pine needles everywhere…so it saves $ on tree & deco, and saves my precious time that I can spend doing crafts for the holidays!!!
Thanks, mamamy26 at gmail dot com

I have decided to bake loaves of bread. It’s edible and it helps out the family not having to buy a loaf.

My holiday saving tip is rather simple. I set a budget and I stick to it so that I am not sucked into all of the holiday bling and I limit my gifts to one very nice for each person on my list and I watch for sales and coupons to stuff the stockings with as much great stuff as fits within the budget.

For the adults in the family, this year we decided that we would each pull a name out of the hat and can only spend $10..what makes this fun is that everyone is asked to be creative with getting the most for that money. Instead of gifts for the older nephews/nieces, some family members have decided to donate money to a charity in the older cild’s name.

I personally use alot of coupons and we really don’t give each other gifts we have all we need so why buy more when we have been blessed already.

Shop early, shop smart and remember the real reason for this gift giving season

my sisters get together before christmas and make “expensive-looking” caramel candy apples.. you know.. the kind you see on QVC that sell for $40 for 4?? they make wonderful gifts for teachers, friends and family members. the four of us split the cost in buying the ingredients and supplies. we wrap them in colored plastic and tie with a ribbon. we end up saving money, spending time together AND we have a really nice gift to give someone.

I make as many gifts as possible. We give plates of homemade cookies (we make 9 different kinds), they are especially appreciated by people who don’t get home made baked goods.

Our favorite money-saving idea is to save all of the artwork that our child makes during the year, and reuse it to wrap gifts. He gets the joy of seeing others delight in his work – some of which was done months ago – and we save on wrapping paper.

First money savings tip for the holidays – COUPONS! My husband and I (now our son) spend a day baking with ingredients we purchased with coupons, then we make little goodie bowls for our friends. I also save the comic pages from the newspapers that my coupons come in and use the comics as wrapping paper. Finally, we don’t buy a lot of gifts for our 2 year old – I catch sales and buy a few little things because he’s going to get plenty from the grandparents and aunt and uncles and cousins. Then we do “Kindermusik” as a gift for him throughout the year – that way it’s a family gift and he gets our undivided attention – plus he loves Kindermusik so it works out for everybody!

wow wow this would be DREAM come true for me and 2 kids..what a huge Blessing this is to win 500 gift certificate!!now I can get my 2 kids things they want

Oh I made a mistake the Post, Sorry!!..scap the other post..
my tip would be to get after Christmas sale items for the the next Christmas and save for Family & friends.I have bought many nice wrapping paper, and little small gifts for practically nothing..

Homeade gifts are more special and often cost very little. I like to crochet and usually try to make at least one person a home made blanket each year. My kids enjoy making edible treats to give to people. We make big batches of snack mixes, hot cocoa, or bake something. Then we package them up and distribute them among friends and family.

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.

Shop in clearance sections all year long. It will spread out your Christmas spending and gets you great gifts at really low prices.

I use a combination of several methods to keep me on budget during the holidays. I keep in mind upcoming birthdays and next years holidays as I shop clearance racks all year long. I also recycle gently used toys with my neighbors and sister. This year, I have an 11 month old. Well, my neighbor’s 2 yr old has grown tired of some of the ride-on and walking toys that are perfect for my child. So, she passes them on to me. I will clean them and wrap them like new. Next year I will pass them along to my sister’s children. As my older children age, I pass items to her. There is no need to buy an item new just for the sake of giving!

I made my husband a coupon book. It includes things like a free game night with treat provided by me. He is really cheap, so he likes things that didn’t take money out of our budget.

I’ll always check the catalog what is on sale. Coupon from websites or magazines helps to save money. Before i pick an item, i’ll make sure it’s necessary.

My money saving holiday tip is to shop after Christmas and stock up on 75% off wrapping paper, cards, tissue paper, gift bags, and decorations for next year. It saves lots of money!

I try and purchase gifts throughout the year. First I make a list of those I will be giving gifts to, then if I see something and it’s a great price I’ll buy it. Then before I know it my Christmas shopping is done and it’s only September!!!

The day after christmas i stock up on christmas items that have been marked down, I take a list of specific items to look for as to not purchase any thing that i really do not need.I also look through out the year for buy 1 get half off or free.
I have a lot of sisters

I subscribed with the google reader =)

Holiday Tip #2 – Start Christmas shopping when you see good clearances throughout the year. Sometimes you can find children’s winter outfits for about $2.97 regular $30 or more at JcPenneys or other department stores in the early spring. Just remember to buy a size or two up from the size the child wears currently. You can also find summer toys on sale in later summer or early fall. Use those for Christmas gifts as well.

Instead of buying people gifts, this year I am putting walnuts, pecans, homemade biscotti and caramel corn in separate little cute bags tied with silver and red ribbons. It makes for cute little package that take a while to enjoy, and cost very little, specially if you can see the people who get the gifts rather than shipping the box to them.

We buy gift cards ahead of time & when crunch time comes we stick to the cards to conserve our cash. This also helps because if we don’t have enough on the gift card we just don’t get it whereas credit cards or cash are so easy to justify….leaving you in a bind or worse regretting it later when the bill comes due (ick!!) We’ve done this for the past 3 yrs & have come out ahead without arguing about finances (always a plus)

all year long i go to dollar stores and such and when i see things that people could use i put them together in piles then by christmas time i have enough stuff forevery one to put together gift baskets.

I never buy cards for holidays or special occasions…I have my children color homemade cards or make them myself. Think of all the cards(money) you give every year that get thrown in the trash after a few days. Homemade cards are easy and usually very appreciated by the receiver.

My tip is to buy gently used toys for babies and children instead of buying brand new. They work great, are fun, inexpensive and don’t generate even more packaging and garbage!

My money saving tip would be throughout the year see what family and friends dont have but could use or want for christmas then shop throughout the year to skip the black fridays and end of year sales sometimes sales throughout the year are better and hassle free.

Last year my family started a new tradition instead of buying so many gifts that might not be needed we go on a family vacation using the money that we would have used to buy presents. Last year we went to Las Vegas and stayed at Circus Circus. Money is even tighter this year so we are going to just rent snow mobiles and stay home watch christmas videos and play in the snow.

I like to use natural items to decorate…things like pine cones, christmas tree extras, etc.

This is my son’s first Christmas. And although I do have a nice size artificial tree I like to spruce it up with lots of decorations. To help my son get in the spirit we tied ribbon to some of his small toys(like happy meals toys) and hung them on the tree. That way he is familiar with some of the ornaments, if he takes them off the tree they wont hurt them, and it was fun for us to share. Thanx for letting me share.

I shop for good sales during the earlier part of the year for the children. For the adults I make cookies, breads, and homemade fudge which they all love.
Christmas is for sharing and giving to family and friends and not how much you spend etc.
The Walmart gift card would really come in handy.

My tip is to shop around…if you’re getting something more pricey, check online price & other stores. Most stores, when you tell them you are going to check out other places, offer to beat any other store price for the same item.

We buy gifts throughout the year as our family mentions things they like or always wanted. We also give gift cards so the family can stock up on after Christmas sales.

I subscribed.

Another tip… We had a few unopened dvd’s from Walmart that I’d received from my birthday last month…and one from Christmas last year… They we’re movies we had no interest in owning (one’s only worth watching once) and decided to return them and use the money credit to help buy our Christmas presents. This was extremely helpful since I just had a baby and have decided to be a stay-at-home mom (meaning we no longer have 2 incomes).

Every time I go into Wal-Mart throughout the year, I make it a point to quickly look at the “CLEARANCE” aisle. I buy things all year long, and when Christmas comes, I have my small gifts (some bigger items) and my stocking stuffers taken care of. (Some of which are Nickelodeon merchandise.) Merry Christmas to all!!!

A great money saving tip is to use restaurant.com for gift certificates. You can often buy them at 80% off the already discounted price!

I love to make baked goodies as gifts! It’s something I love to do, and it saves us money. I do all of my shopping at Walmart and I don’t have to drive all over town looking for different items.

We have a limit set for each person and we stick to it! And I watch the ads and wait for free shipping, and sometimes a code for %off. So far this year, I’ve done all my shopping online. It is much easier to resist impulse buys when you are looking at stuff on the computer.
Janet

I love the after Christmas sales! So around the second week in January you can hit the discount stores for the deals. Last year I bought the cutest gift boxes that were originally priced for $2.99, but I only paid .25 cents a piece! Since I love giving sweet things for gifts, I’ll be filling up these boxes with homemade fudge! And yes I bought all of the ingregients using as many coupons as I could.

One of my favorite new money saving ideas is to start cutting back on the number of Christmas cards we write and make them wonderful! We sent out almost 200 cards between personal and business ones last year…yikes. We kept a list of who sent us cards and this year we are only sending cards to business folks who ’should’ get them and to close family and friends who we want to send them to and then to those that sent to us. We love to correspond, but I realized that some people probably don’t really care that they are getting our card, letter, photo and such. It will save a bunch on postage! I’m not a scrooge at all, but really want the holiday to be more meaningful and not just ‘mass marketed’ even to my extended friends and aquaintances!

Heather
heather@pagesbyheather.com

I found that giving mason jars with food in them such as hot chocolate/capachino mix or cookies or the powder part of recipies can be affordable and helps out whoever you are giving your gift to. Inexpensive ribbon can add that festive touch!

I have been making homemade gifts this year that fit the personality of those I am “shopping” for! It has been fun, but I definitely have to do it ahead of time or it gets too stressful. My 2 year old daughter gets lots of homemade clothes and toys that I can find free tutorials for online. I also sell items I’ve made with the left over fabric so I end up making money off of the gifts I’m giving!

I love the holidays as much as anyone else, and sometimes I feel we can all get caught up in the gift giving mode and forget about the true meaning of Christmas, so a few years ago my husbands family decided that we would buy a $5.00 ornament and wrap it and all exchange these ornaments with no names on the packages and then noone felt stressed about who to buy for an dwhat to get and the best part was getting an ornament and a gift at the same time and it also helps each year to decorate the tree and look back and remember the fun times about how and when we got that particular ornament and no break the bank or go broke and it has made the holidays fun and stress free! Jennifer

My best money saving tip for the holidays is shop throughout the year starting with the day after Christmas sales. I have found many great deals on games, cds, toys, etc the day after Christmas or even on clearance sales in February! It’s never too earlier to shop for Christmas and I find that the less shopping in December that I need to do, the less stress I have so I can enjoy Christmas more!

My biggest money saving tip is to start your shopping early – especially for the kids. Also, it helps to make as many things as you can yourself. We like to make mixes of cookies and brownies in jars to give as gifts. Also, my daughter has given these to her friends with a little apron and wooden spoon so they can have their own cooking supplies.

We buy all year long for gifts since we have so many people we have to shop for. This way every time I see a clearance item that I think would be great we get it and put it away. It makes it so I find sales all year long and don’t feel like we are spending so much when it comes time for X-MAS since the spending has been spread over 12 months. WE LOVE the sales after X-MAS and can save more than 75% on toys and clothes which is especially good since we are a family of 6!

I get the weekly free deals (single check rebates) from different drugstores and put the stuff away until x-mas then I make a basket for people of all the free items i recieved and give them out. They are great stuff that people need (toothpaste/toothbrushes/etc) and it doesn’t cost me anything but my time!

For holiday savings we planned ahead this year reviewed made a budget of what to spend at Christmas. We started this around June. We took the money out of our account a little each week and put it in a envelope. That when when it came time to spend, we took the money from there and not go crazy on bills. Once the money is gone it is gone. It takes a little planning but worth it in the end.

When I’m organized, shopping year round is a good strategy. For example, a couple years ago I found Christmas CDs/DVDs on clearance. I was able to pick up a Jimmy Buffet CD for my stepdad and a Simpsons DVD for my hubby for a few bucks each. I saved them and gifted them for xmas the next yet. I have a drawer in my guest room designated for my year round shopping finds. In October when I start to get organized, I can shop my drawer to see what I have picked up through out the year.

I hit the online sales early!!

I save money at Christmas by giving. Sometimes I fell like I have to out do otehr family members who have more disposable income, but in reality, I do not need to go there.

I pick a them for the gifts for all the ladies in the family. I then begin looking for deals and coupons online and in stores at the beginning of summer. This year I bought each sister and Mom/Mother in Law a Vera Bradley bag. They are newly discontinued styles or colors, but I got them deeply discounted, and it met my dollar limit per person. They will only receive one gift, but it’s a nice gift (on sale).

What I do to save money during the Holiday Season is this…
You know all those neat samples we sign up for everyday, well I put those aside in a bag or box, all year long and use a lot of those for stocking stuffers for my boys and the older members of our extended family. I also save anything nice I win online,and give them to family or friends that might like it.
If I start in January I really can save up quite a bit of stuff through out the year.

This year I’ve decided handmake as many gifts as possible. By spending less then $20 I was able to make 36 pairs of earrings. I also am making homemade bath salts and putting them in cheap glass jars that you can buy at hobby stores. The best resource I’ve found for making homemade gifts is craft idea websites and talking to your friends. We have a mothers group that does a different craft each week and it has definitely helped me get a few holiday ideas. Best of luck and happy holidays to everyone!

During the holiday month of December I like to shop online. Even on Black Friday they have some deals online and its sure a lot smater then getting trampoled by the crowds just look at the guy who got hurt.
If you have family or friends who are hard to pick for just get them a gift certificate. They will surely appreciate it because then they can pick there own presents. It seems to be the easiest way out of searching and searching for something they “might” like. So be safe this holiday month and shop wisely!

great giveaway. best way to save money during the holidays is to shop around and hit the sales.

amanda tew

I do most my shopping online and compare prices between stores, search for online coupon codes and use Ebates to get money back.

I save money during the holidays by always shopping with coupons, and taking advantage of extra saving by shopping during promotional hours. I often by gift sets that come with free items that I later split up and give to others.

Buy from the retailers that let you “buy four gift cards, get one free” like Starbucks and O’Charley’s. I believe places like Sam’s Club and Costco carry these and offer great discounts. For example, the Starbucks cards are 5 cards for $79.99 at Costco. Great deal!

My biggest way to save money this season has been to subscribe to money-saving blogs geared toward baby and kid products. I’ve heard about some great deals on amazon and other sites this way. I’ve also heard about some cool products from these sites and used online comparison shopping web sites to find the cheapest prices.

I’m a subscriber.

This year we are taking family photos and making personalized cards. This way this year we will focus on buying toys for the kids.

I start buying the day after for Christmas for holidays and birthdays through the year

Here’s a couple of different ways to save money at Christmas time. First, you always want to keep an eye out over the summer and before the holiday season for new merchandise at yard sales and thrift stores. You’ll be pleasantly surprised sometimes. Second, you should always do searches online (using your favorite search engine) for online coupons for any store you buy from online. Especially at Christmas time, a lot of stores have some sort of online coupon you can use. From free shipping to substantial savings off, you will be amazed at how even stores you wouldn’t think would have coupons DO offer them for online purchases. Coupon cabin and coupon mountain are just two of many sites that list online coupons of stores currently offering coupons.

My holiday money saving tip is to shop early and shop online. It is so easy now to compare prices online. I regularly check out slickdeals. Sometimes you can find great items at an awesome price!

My money saving tip for Christmas is don’t forget the real reason for Christmas. It’s about the birth of Jesus and family and friends. Focus more on meaningful gifts not the “must haves”.

[...] A $500 Wal-Mart giftcard from MomAdvice [...]

I’m saving money this year by making homemade gifts in jars! All my friends are getting their own mix for hot cocoa.

I just posted another tip: http://thehouseholdhelper.com/blog/511/christmas-shopping-with-giveaways/

Thanks!

I subscribe to your rss!

I’m saving money this year on gift wrap – I’m wrapping everything in brown craft paper that I purchased on clearance. Then I’ll let my little guy decorate the gifts with stickers (also purchased on clearance).

We use a credit card when we travel, and for certain business expenses, then we use our reward points to purchase Christmas gifts. Be sure to order early, because it can take 2-6 weeks for items to ship, but you can get pretty much anything from toys to gift cards!

I’ve subscribed.

Another tip: I save money on photo cards by using coupon codes for Vista Print to order glossy postcards for free. If you sign up for an account, they often send coupon codes good for 100 free postcards, and discount image uploads!

I go to the dollar store and purchase any cute boxes or bags that are holiday themed. I also buy bags that have stars or swirls or anything that can seem holiday themed. Then I bake cookies and wrap them up in the bags and make them pretty and give them to my co-workers and others. THe gift is under $5 most of the time and people love it.

The adults in our family have agreed that Christmas is a time for family and being together. That said, we have all come up with terrific things to make for the kids in our family that will be “fill ins” (those things you think they MUST have and puts you over your budget but they really don’t use or play with once they get them??). I will be making homemade play dough and chalk for the younger ones since these things not only last throughout the year, they are inexpensive and the kids love using them.

My son and I make homemade baked goods and handmade ornaments to give as gifts. At the end of each year we go to the dollar store and other discount stores and stock up on christmas stuff for next year at great low prices. We also shop on-line for presents using on-line coupon codes and shop through ebates and get money back for my purchases. I also send away for tons of free stuff all year and use it to make up gift baskets that are basically free.

Start early! The earlier you start your holiday shopping, the better deals you will get.

If you have a large family, doing a grab bag is a great way to save on buying gifts for the whole family.

One of my favorite money saving tips is buying presents throughout the year and saving them for Christmas. Also, I have a 4 month old, so I will be buying her Christmas dress for next year the day after Christmas this year.

i do all my shopping for christmas when the sales are on through out the year, cause i’m a single mum and have to buget very well for 3 kids, i send e/mail christmas cards on the net to everone to save money to.i find a save money by doing it my way to

I come from a family of 7 kids and 6 of us are married with children. My money saving tip is to do Secret Santa so you are only responsible for buying the number presents as your family has (ie. my family is me, my husband, and my daughter so we draw 3 names). Everyone is happy and we all save bundles of money!

I save money by having everything on my tree…home made. Do you save you christmas cards that everyone sends you? I take those and use ricrac scissors, cut arouns the cute or pretty images. I then take elmers gue and glitter and add glitter to strategic places on each cut out. Then take ribbon to add a loop to the back for hanging on the tree! I get great comments on them every year and they sure do fill the tree up. Another trick I do is buy a cheap package of raffia and tie raffia bows on the tree…this is so country looking and pretty at night when just the lights from the tree are lit…so very pretty and cheap!

We use clearance Christmas fabric to make gift bags (like a pillow case) so we don’t need wrapping paper.

My daughter is a budding artist & there are great gifts that can be made by scanning her artwork & putting it on different things or finding sites with coupons to create mugs, mousepads, etc. Grandparents especially enjoy these each year.

I subscribe to your reader. Another tip – We create gifts throughout the year – when the artistic mood strikes with my family. By Christmas time, we have our own “art boutique” to go shopping at for gifts.

Holiday saving tip:
We purchase Christmas fabric on super-duper clearance after the holidays and make reusable cloth gift bags – I make a few every year. They are so easy to make and we use them amongst the family so they stay in the family and are used every year. We save money on throw away gift wrap, but we are also saving trees and landfill space. Plus, everyone has their favorite bags so they get a kick out of who gets what bags that year.

save money by making your own christmas cards. i make my own tags too. i cut out their first initial and use that as the tag.

I really appreciate Wal-Mart and Nickelodeon offering this gift card. And thanks to MomAdvice for giving it away!
This year I’m doing a cash-only Christmas. I have a certain amount and that is all I can spend on gifts. And this means I’m looking for all the deals I can find–sales, using coupons, and gift cards if I have them. I’m also carefully watching our food budget to make sure I have that cash available for our special dinners.

This year I got my grandkids to come over and we made all the decorations for my tree. We popped popcorn and strung it . Made snowflakes out of white pare and madered and green paperchain.

After spending way too much money last year, my husband and I approached our large families with the idea of just buying gifts for the children in the family. We adults are happy just spending time with each other and gathering over wonderful food. We were amazed at how receptive and relieved everyone was to our suggestion! This year, we had a blast buying great gifts for the kids in the family and we did not have a Christmas List of 50+ people to buy for!

For some of my colleagues and my boss I bake cookies and give them as gifts on a cute plate that I buy the year before on clearance (after the holidays sale). You would be surprised how many people truly appreciate a plate full of cookies. We are so busy many of us don’t have time to bake. It’s also a good gift idea for teachers, bus drivers, neighbors…

A great savings for little kids is to purchase used big item toys on sites like Craigslist or at stores like Once Upon a Child. Kids don’t know they are used and big toys come and go depending on the age of the child. We just bought matching little tykes desks off of craigslist for our 3 and 2 year old, cleaned them up, and whoalla! Spent $60 vs. spending over $150 to buy them new!!!

I make a list of everyone I need to buy for and go to a trusted website (Oldnavy.com is my favorite) and click on the “Clearance” section. I end up finding great gifts for everyone on my list in one online trip for very little money! If I’d gone to the actual store, it would have been impossible to find the correct sizes, etc.

Keep a jar for spare change handy in a conveinent place and label it “Christmas Funds”. Get into the habit of throwing spare change throughout the year in the jar. When it’s time to begin Christmas shopping cash in your change and you’ve got yourself a nice start.

I pair a $10-$25 gift certificate with a small, cheap item from the store that the gift certificate is for. For example, a cheap box of fish hooks at an outdoor store. It makes giving gift certificates more personal and the recipient has something to unwrap!

My holiday tip is to take some time writing your christmas cards. Write a special individulized note to each of your loved ones. Your reminder of how much they mean to you will better than any gift you could buy. especially when they are worn down from all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

mollygrzyb@yahoo.com

My tip would be to make baked goodies. Everyone already knows this is a money saver, and it comes from the heart. Don’t stress, Jesus is the reason for the season anyway! Merry Christmas!

Our holiday money saving tip is to save all receipts and check the sale flyers each week. Yesterday I got back $48 because some of the things I purchased at Target went on sale even more. You usually have 7-14 days to get a price adjustment so hang on to all paperwork and get your money back. This year a lot of retailers will be lowering prices even more right up until Christmas so make sure you keep an eye out.

My money saving tip for Christmas is – if you’re shopping online, check sites like retailmenot.com and couponmom.com for online coupons and savings.

To save money for Christmas gifts, you can give of yourself. For my husband this year, I’ll be giving him a “coupon” book from me. It will be free – but full of things he wants like, “Get Out of Jail Free” (for when he stays out late with the boys and could wind up in the doghouse at home!), a “Homework Pass” (like what our 2nd grader gets – only the homework he’ll get excused from is dishes or catbox cleaning). I may also be making one for my daughter who really appreciates time with my husband and me more than actual things – - – you can do this for anyone and there is no cost – only your time to make it and to honor the coupons.

TO save money during the holidays, you can stock up on sale foods throughout the year. For instance, in the summer, they often have huge sales on canned corn. And, after the holidays, they often have sales on cranberry sauce and stuffing. These are all canned and shelf goods that keep for several years (obviously check the labels!) – - – but it’s a real cost reducer to not have to do a huge shopping for one or two holiday meals.

I try and make gifts for people instead of buying them. Every year we do a dvd movie from video footage of the kids from throughout the year. Relatives who are far away feel like they’ve been a part of the memories we’ve made and feel more included.

My tip is to bring all your ads along with you when you shop. When you find an item at a store, I glance at all the sale ads to find the cheapest sale price (if any)…since most stores will price match, I can then get the lowest price for the item no matter which store I happen to be in.

Before shopping for the big gifts for a family or friend, take the time to research newspaper ads, online ads and compare them including your travel time. With the holiday so close more traffic and waiting time has to be assessed just as much as how cheap you may find the “right” gift. I have been able to save just as much time as in gas and valuable browsing time when I’ve mapped out my shopping route plan. Also, a lot of major stores accept online orders and will ship it to a store near you for free which also saves a great deal of money.

I save money by using coupons and researching before making purchases.

My money saving tip is to make homemade gifts. I love to make the jars that have all or most of the ingredients you will need. Decorate the jar in a an attractive way and provide the recipe. A gift anyone would love!

My money saving tip is simply to cut the max I will spend on each person this year! With a huge family I can’t afford to spend as much on each person as I have in the past! Thanks for the contest!

I try to stay within a budget every year and try to make homemade ornaments for my kids teachers and helpers- great gifts and the kids love to help make them

try to stay within a budget every year and try to make homemade ornaments for my kids teachers and helpers- great gifts and the kids love to help make them

Hello,

During the holidays I save money by trying to have bought most of my gifts on sale or clearance throughout the year. I carry a slip of paper with what I’ve gotten who and who I still need to get for. This saves me TONS of money!

i buy clearance thru the year and hope they still want it at christmas.

This year, to save funds my husband and I are skipping the traditional Christmas cards and sending e-cards to everyone we know that has an email address, and asking those friends and relatives to share the message with those who don’t have a computer. Saves money and the environment!

We love to have our neighborhood participate in the holidays so we all purchase cheap brown lunch bags, put sand in the bottom and find a deal on tea lights. We line our driveways all up and down the street and then light them for 3-5 days just before Christmas to celebrate our Lords birthday and the closeness of our wonderful family neighborhood! Thank you!

It is also truly enjoyable to get a roll of brown butcher paper or mailing packages paper from the dollar store, let the kids color or paint on it and then we use it to wrap our gifts in. Such fun! Thank you!

I’m another clearance shopper. It’s probably the easiest thing to do to stretch a buck!

The best way to save money during the holidays is to keep an eye out all year long for presents. Watch clearance & sales.

Marrying into a large family we decided that the “siblings” my husband, his brothers & sisters we decided that the little kids would all but there name in a hat and draw and just buy for the kids. So basically the cousins exchange gifts. They enjoy it much and I know my daughter is always excited about finding out who she will draw and then shopping for her cousin. Lots of fun and saves us a lot of money of having to pay for all the cousins and all the brothers, sisters, in laws etc.

I hit the holiday clearance racks the day after Christmas to buy all of my Christmas gifts for the next year. Every store is usually 50% off the day after, then 75% off, etc. I get great Christmas gifts and save loads of money.

We save money shopping online, applying coupon and promo codes and waiting for free shipping specials! The money saved goes to our yearly vacation fund, and we set aside a little to adopt a family at Christmas.

I purchase all year for Christmas. I have always looked for bargins. In fact I just make some home made granola (which would be good for a gift). I pulled out a box of zip lock bags and guess what they were from last Christmas 50 percent off and they have holiday designs on them. After every holiday (not just Christmas), look for the 50 percent off decorations. Last year I only sent out a few Christmas Cards, all the rest were e-mail cards.

I’m making prints of my neighbors dogs and giving them instead of baked gifts. Saves money and they will love them I think.

My holiday saving tip…instead of feeling obligated to buy for everyone, only buy for those closest to you. The older you get, the more you realize that it’s not about gifts but about time together. For smaller children, try places like the Dollar Store…we get so caught up in wanting our kids to have the best of everything, we forget that they are normally satisfied with anything.

A money saving tip is to reuse the Christmas gift bags from the previous year.

I make “gifts in a jar” as a quick cheap Christmas gift for teachers etc…

Sign me up!! My tip: forget the “extras”…the stocking stuffers, the add-ons, all the little things you buy last minute on your Dec. 23rd trip to the store. Give 1 thoughtful gift and let somebody else buy the other junk!

I seriously would love to win! My holiday money saving tip is also a time-saver. I went to one of those “Making Dinner Fun” places nearby with a friend and we prepared a bunch of treats and cocoa and cookies to be baked at a later date. I will bake those and put in decorative boxes or tins (you can find great tins at thrift stores!) and give as teacher & bus driver gifts this year!

Steph

One of my many money-saving tips this year is to make handmade gifts. I am making silhouttes of all of the grandchildren, for the grandparents. I am also making granola to give as gifts. I saved money by buying the ingredients from the bulk bins…I couldn’t believe the savings! I have really enjoyed finding ways to make special gifts while saving money this year.

Our family has always used the comics, out of the newspaper, to wrap our gifts. It’s fun for the kids and we never need to buy wrapping paper.

I can items from the garden year-round (everything from green beans to peaches or jam). Then I make Christmas gift baskets filled with jars of goodies, along with something like a dish towel, ornament or whatever.

I think my best money-saving tip is just to shop all year long. Whenever something is on sale that I know my girls are into, I get it. This year I got winter coats for half off at Old Navy; I also found some stocking stuffers through the summer at Target’s Dollar Spot.

xox

I like to make up gift bags of all the items I get free or next to nothing all year long. My family loves opening these and it’s mostly free for us but lets them know we were thinking about them!

This year I’ve saved money on my holiday shopping by checking sites that have checkout codes to make online shopping cheaper.

Here’s my link:

http://blondiejenthemom.blogspot.com/2008/12/giveaways.html

My money saving tip is about those Christmas lights that could end up hiking the electric bill way up. We use an appliance timer that can be purchased for about $5 and set our lights to go on and off at set times. This way we don’t have to worry about remembering to shut them off, the timer does the work for us and saves money in the long run.

A holiday shopping tip, and this is what I like to do every year is after x-mas when they have the huge after x-mas clearance sales, we pick up lots of gifts for the next year or even for birthdays coming up.

One of the best ways that we save money on the holidays is to begin shopping for them in January. It seems like I notice items throughout the year that make me say “Hey, so-and-so would like that” by picking up these bargains throughout the year, Christmas is not anymore expensive than any other month of the year!

Picking up kids toys throughout the year when there are great sales gives you a stockpile for the charity gifts this time of year (Toys for Tots, angel tree at church, hamper families, etc.) By buying them on sale, you can get a better gift for these deserving kids for less.

Thanks so much for hosting such an awesome giveaway!

One way we save money for the holidays is to make gifts for our friends and family. I have made pies, cakes, candies, blankets, and more. The gifts always seem to be appreciated.

I already subscribe to Motherloot — but I’ve added the Aldi Queen. I love Aldi.

And here’s my last tip — when you host a holiday party for friends and family, make it a potluck. That way you don’t spend time and money doing all the cooking, amid having to clean your house and decorate. Just set a pretty table — easily done with the candles you can get by the bagful and a bag of cranberries from the grocery — and buy your paper plates at Big Lots or Aldi. You have a homey, festive party already started with the people you treasure the most!
xox

I buy chocolate to melt down & make “homeade” chocolate suckers for my children’s class & teachers. My daughter helps buy all the supplies with me (sticks, cellophane bags, twisties, etc.). I only spent $30 & have enough supplies to make a small gift for every child & teacher along with everyone I work with. Very affordable & fun to make!

I currently subscribe to the MotherLoad and pop over every few days to read your other blogs! Thanks for all your hard work here – this is the blog that taught me how to shop at Aldi – our grocery budget appreciates you!

Another way we save money during the holiday season is by staying home more than during other months. Instead of going out to dinner or to movies, etc we borrow the good Christmas movies from the library and watch them under warm blankets by the fire or make tons and tons of yummy Christmas cookies together!

This year, I waited for snapfish to have a coupon day, then ordered holiday photo postcards (20 for $3!!). I went to a stationery store and bought heavy stock plain green paper to slip in a note with the photos, which all came with their own envelopes. That meant 20 beautiful cards + photo greetings for about $10 total. Hooray!

We pick names for christmas and buy one gift instead of numberous, we also have a cookie bake prior to christmas so that everyone can share and then bring home cookies so you don’t have to go out and buy desserts for the holidays.

My holiday money saving tip is:

Shop for Christmas presents, gift wrap, decoration for next year in January- February during all the after Christmas sales! Or do your shopping year ’round not just in November/December… then you get the best deals of the YEAR and you save time and stress!

Using coupons and sales I get a lot of soap, razors, shampoo, lotions, etc. free. I then use these to make nice gift baskets for family members and friends. For the kids I look for good deals all year to make their gift bags. I also buy Christmas related items after the big day for next year.

I always have an idea of what I want to get each person and stick to that. Also, our family is getting so big that it just gets to be too much to try and find that perfect gift for everyone, so my family started doing a gift exchange. That way we only buy for one person. I then also do something little for each person, usually something homemade!

Buy christmas wrapping paper at the end of the season and save for next year….

Buy plain paper that you can reuse all year….

Get giftcards for people on your list….. then you’re not spending $$ here and there on “fillers” that are quickly forgotten…. They can get exactly what they want/need…

We save money by looking for rebate items that would make great Christmas presents or stocking stuffers!

I subscribed to your blogs! !

Tip— I always ask for crafty kits for christmas for myself…. Then the next year everyone gets the products from that kit as presents! !

One tip I have is to reuse gift bags. It saves so much money along with tissue paper.

I am also a subscriber and another tip is to stick to your budget. We all want to buy just one more gift, but trust me, everyone gets so much that spending a little more, or buying just one more thing is not important. Save yourself some money and look at how happy everyone is already with what they have.

A way we save money during the holidays is to decorate with homemade things. Even though we could spend gazillions on beautiful decorations, every year I find that making swags out of pine branches (sometimes hardware stores like Home Depot and Lowes give out trimmings for free) is very cheap but pretty. This year, I am also handstitching stockings to replace our old, storebought ones. Merry Christmas Amy!

Here is my blogpost link

http://duchessworld.blogspot.com/2008/12/hoping-to-bless-others-by-winning.html

I have a few ways of saving money for the holidays. One is to buy items throughout the year when there are good clearance sales. Secondly, We give plates of homemade cookies, or fugde to our neighbors and friends instead of gifts. I also use coupons all year long so I use many items I get for little or no money and place them in gift baskets. Like speciality teas and a mug for teachers.

We always keep Christmas simple, which always saves money! I have several friends that do the ‘Jesus got 3 gifts, so you get 3 gifts’ routine and while we don’t necessarily do that, we do keep it very small at our house (Santa may not look like the most generous guy on the planet, but Mom still has money in January!).

I am subscribed! I have also instigated several family ‘bag exchanges’ versus gift draws or buying for everyone – it’s a blast to see what’s in the bags and how they get stolen and with a limit of $10 or $15 it doesn’t break the bank.

A holiday saving tip…fill stockings with freebie samples available through the internet. Great stuffers for free!

I always wrap up gifts in newspaper. The kids really like the comic section. Also I shop all year around and reuse gift bags that I received thru out the year.

In my family all the ladies get together on Thanksgiving morning and go through the sale papers. We make a list of what we want for whom and a list of stores we need to go to in the order that they open. We then wake up REALLY early the next day and go shopping. This year I was able to complete all of my shopping (except 2) for about $80. I have about 30 people I like to get something for:) that $80 included my children and husband:)

While I have always set aside money for Christmas and budgeted for each person on my list, this year I am thinking outside the box for some gifts. My sister has her own business, and so I ordered her some free business cards online. I only had to pay shipping!

We make a big batch of hot chocolate powder and put a bag of it in a nice coffee mug. Sometimes we add a plate of baked goods.

I am a subscriber via google!

A few money saving tips that work for me are:
-reusing gift bags (saves time and money!)
-re-gifting items that I have been given that I know someone else would enjoy
-making a registry for things the girls can use and also need
-putting a few frozen meals/pizzas in the fridge for those nights when we’re swamped and tempted to eat out
Great giveaway!

I try to save money by purchasing presents online with coupon codes and using free shipping offers!

My holiday tip is to make special coupon booklets for family members.There doesnt have to be a lot of coupons but for example, you could give mom a free lunch coupon where u provide the lunch ,desert,etc. Maybe for dad you could give him a foot rub coupon or free car cleaning. These coupons allow you to save money but show your family members they are loved. They will appreciate the time spent together when they cash in their coupon.
MOLLYGRZYB@YAHOO.COM

We save money by making homemade gifts as much as we can!!

Oh, great! I make lists all year long of unique things that I would liketo do or make for other people for Christmas. then by Christmas I am not racking my brain, and chances are, I already have it assembled and ready to wrap!!! And spreading out my gift planning all year long, I already budget for everything, even save tons of money!

I save money during the holidays by baking cookies and doing crafts with my family to give as gifts. They are simple, promote family time and good relationships, and are a true expression of the holidays to our family and friends…

I subscribe. We stock up on Christmas supplies during the after Christmas sales.
Janell

My Holiday Money Saving Tip? Shop at Wal-Mart!! You simply CANNOT beat their low low prices!!! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!! Thanks for this opportunity!

The greatest Giver said “It is better to give than receive”, and while the world is too consumed with money, gifts, and material things; we can keep true to one of the greatest blesssings- giving to others. Of course it doesn’t have to be the _____________ or the ________________ (you can fill in the blanks), but it is a way to show others your love and concern for them. So to prepare for Christmastime- which happens to come at the same time every year- (I know, it’s amazing!)- my family puts some money away monthly in a separate account that is only for Christmas gifts. We save this “extra” money- which is difficult to find nowdays- through the early months of the year, and then we really start putting more away come the fall months. And once we start shopping- wisely, frugally, and with careful planning- the money is watched carefully. We do not spend anymore than was in the Christmas fund- and we definitely never use a credit card. So…once the money is gone…it’s gone. I believe this is the greatest tip to use at Christmastime. Actually at any time! May you be blessed at Christmas knowing it is “better to give than receive!”

WOW ~ Amazing giveaway!
Hmmm…holiday savings tip…make a budget for gifts and stick to it!

We save money by only purchasing gifts for the children in the family. And it saves the other family members money as well.

We figure that if we need something, we’ll buy it for ourselves.

Putting focus on the kids is more fun anyway.

I subscribe in Google Reader. And of course I read religiously.

my tip would be also shop at wal-mart and make homemade goodies ..merry christmas to all

We’ve saved money this year by shopping around for great deals. Free shipping for online stores and coupon codes are the way to go!

my holiday savings tip is to make a list of what you really want and stick to it and not to buy something else because its on sale.

My holiday tip:

I stock up on baking goods (chocolate chips, condensed milk, nuts, peanut butter, pumpkin and other goodies) in the months leading up to the holidays. I try to buy these items at deep discounted prices using coupons. The savings really do add up.

Thanks for entering me in your giveway.
Tasha

this year we’re trying to give more meaningful gifts and not so much “stuff.”

My money saving tip is to be creative and make your gifts. It might take a bit more time but a handcrafted gift is so much more personal. This year we took the idea that a magazine gave about creating a book about cousins and created a whole family book. We all get so busy with small children it is hard to see one another – with an updated phot of each extended family member and a set of fun questions we created a gift that everyone will enjoy and time will only make sweeter!

I am a stay at home mom, so money is definatley tight(also the fact that my wedding anniversery is December 10th and my sons birthday is December 16th), so I try to shop all year long, that way I have time to sit and enjoy the holidays with my family. Merry Christmas to you and your family.

I like to recycle our Christmas cards by purchasing cheap brown or white lunch bags, cutting out the cards and decorating the bags with the cards, rubber stamping, ribbons or whatever strikes your mood! These make great bags for giving treats to neighbors or not losing the those small gifts! If the bags aren’t too ruined after the gift opening then recycle them for next year as well!

This year instead of buying presants for everyone in our extended family, we drew names and no one can spend more than $25.00. That is the smartest thing we have done because it really does save alot of MONEY!!

I save money at the holidays by shopping the sales all year and stashing the goods! Stores like Bath and Body Works always have clearance on lotions etc… that make great teacher/bus driver etc… gifts.

Arrange grab bag gift giving. You will buy less presents and can afford a better one, when you only have one person out of a group to buy for. Everyone will get a gift and its exciting to have a “secret santa”.

I shop the clearance aisle all year long for Christmas gifts. I have a shelf in my closet that is the “gift shelf.” Once November rolls around, I take note in what I haven’t bought and make a list off of that. Often times, I am only missing one or two gifts. This has saved me tons of money and made the holidays a lot less stressful!
Nicole Ross
http://www.stockpilesandcoupons.com

I am subscribed to your blog via google reader.
Another holiday tip? Get your 40% coupons for Michaels from Sunday’s newspaper and use them all year long. If you have a Michaels craft store near you, you usually have a sale ad in your local Sunday paper. These 40% coupons can save you a lot of money on craft items. Making homemade gifts has never been so reasonable!

my holiday savings tip is to have a christmas club account all year long at work so that when christmas comes there is a check waiting, then i budget how much to spend on each person, and i stick to that, we even had leftover money this year!

My trick to saving money around the holidays is buying early. I usually by ALL my Christmas presents for the next year the day after Christmas. It sounds silly and requires storage- but it makes my life easier. I used to spend about $500 on gifts, now I’m down to $200. And I dont send out Christmas cards- we send out New Years cards and usually pay half price. Hand deliver your cards- dont mail them! Or scan them and send in an email. People say I’m cheap…. but we’re learning to stretch our dollars!

Great giveaway! We *make* our own wrapping paper each year. Buy a roll of craft or butcher paper when on sale during the year and roll it out on the floor (newspaper underneath!!) and give the kiddies free license to be as creative as they want. Tada – cheap, original wrapping paper that everyone loves to get (almost as much as the gift).

My money saving tip is to price check everything online and in the paper. With shopping online most of the time it is cheaper and no shipping. And with stores I love Best Buy because they price match everything so I don’t have to go to 5 different stores looking for 5 different things. I have already saved well over 300 in Christmas gifts this year doing just this.

Another holiday saving tip if you have children… Save some of their *best* artwork from the previous year and buy up cheap frames at rummage/yard sales to create original framed works of art for family members.

I think home made gifts are the BEST. They come from the heart. You don’t have to be super crafty to make something. Most projects come with instructions! You can make alot for a little. We also make cookies/candies, etc.

My third and last tip… enter as many online giveaways on fabulous sites like MOMADVICE and cross your fingers! There are somany great giveaways – even if you only nab 1 or 2 things throughout the year…. thats 1 or 2 gifts you don’t have to buy!

I try to buy early things on sale, I also try to make things and be creative with gifts. My husband has made cd’s of his music before, we have given pictures and just bought frames, I have made jewelry….and so on.

I am a subscriber.

My money saving tip is to make a list in Janurary of who I purchase gifts for and shop sales all year long. I am usually finished aroung July…except for the last minute what the niece and nephew want. (They tell me in July) It is a wonderful way not to be rushed during the Christmas season.

My best holiday money saving tip is couponing. Ok what do I mean? All year long I clip coupons. I search for really good deals on stuff like shampoos, make-up, candles, air freshners, etc. Then right after Easter, I buy up a bunch of beautiful discounted baskets. When Christmas comes I give all of my freinds a beautiful basket full of goodies that I paid little to nothing for. It saves me a lot of $$$. Thanks for the opportunity!~Shannon

I subscribe! A $ saving trick: Use ebates for online shopping!

My money saving tip is to find a good children, family or toy consignment shop and buy at least a few of the kids toys, like the ones from Santa that are not usually boxed anyway, at a much lower price because they are gently used.

A hug?

I subscribed.
My second money saving tip is to always do a search for coupons or coupon codes before going out shopping. This time of year there are always ways to get things cheaper if you just put a little work into it.

I always try to buy thoughtful or useful gifts for friends and family at Christmas. During the year I write down things said or items I can see are needed. Then I always watch the ads, especially around the holidays for these items on sale. I am usually able to finish my holiday shopping early using this method, stay under budget since I never have to buy at full price and the gift is special because it means something to the receiver.

I buy gifts on sale throughout the year. Mostly stocking stuffers for my little ones. But board games, puzzles and non-trendy items are super to find on sale throughout the year!

Keep track of what you are spending so you don’t end up with a big (bad) surprise.

creativity is key for personal touch and also saving money during the holidays! actually, this goes for anytime during the year as well

A great money saving tip is to search for coupons before you buy somehting online or in the store. If you to go google and search for a coupon or coupon code for the palce you are going, you can usually find something…ie: 10% off or free shipping. Those savings add up to a lot!

We bought a wicker chest from a garage sale and placed gifts from Christmas sales from last year for this year. Whenever we found a gift for extended family we would put it in the chest. We also wrote a list so we wouldn’t forget and be able to keep track. Now we have a lot of gifts with no stress of buying gifts for family.

Organize a gift exchange. This way you only need to get one gift and everyone gets something. Our family is having and exchange with a $10 limit. And to save even more I’m making my own gift. A hand painted jewelry box and handmade jewelry.

Start with a list. It’s so important! Then hit the blogs and you will find everything on your list or something close. I love these money saving blogs! Thanks.

my holiday saving tip is redeeming giftcards through MyPoints. I got two $10 WalMart cards to give as gifts. Then I got a $25 Target card and used it towards my dad’s gift. I saved $45 this way!

I just subscribed to the Mother Load. Love it! Another tip, sign up for Mypoints. I let my points add up for the year and then have a gift card marathon. The cards make great gifts for Christmas.

I make Chex Mix Muddy Buddies (recipie on the Chex website) and pass out to neighbors and coworkers in cute tins. Home made goodies cost less!

I shop sales through out the year and stash gifts away for future Birthdays as well as Christmas. Target always has a great deal on toys after Christmas and at the end of summer and if you go on the right day, the prices are 75% off.

We saved money on Christmas cards this year. We usually do 4″x8″ photo cards and include a Christmas letter. This year, my husband and I each got 75 free 4″x6″ prints by joining Kodak Gallery. So, we uploaded our Christmas picture, added a festive border, and paid just $4.98 to pick up 150 pictures in the store. We’ll add them to our Christmas letters. Now we just have to buy envelopes (cheap!), and postage!…Thanks for the giveaway!

By making lots of homemade gifts. Many ideas taken from your site. People have loved my homemade paperwhite flowering containers. People like homemade gifts, true gifts from the heart.

Coupons, coupons, and coupons that’s my money saving tip

Once again, i’m suggesting shopping at the 99cent store for all your holiday decorating needs & even gift wrap. I’m also a big believer in coupon clipping. Even getting restaurant coupons. I just subscribed to the motherload blog!

I am sure it has been said already but no enough people do it … shop all year long!!! Then it doesn’t cost as much or cause so much panic at the last minute.

One of my holiday money-saving tips is using craigslist and/or Ebay for gifts for my kids or people that I know won’t mind getting second hand (usually like new condition) items. If you watch, a lot of times you can get a GREAT deal on something! We bought our daughter a play kitchen that is 5 years old and looks brand new still for $20! Not bad at all!!!!

kristinemjones at hotmail dot com

I have a large extended family so rather than buy gifts for each person we participate in a gift exchange game (Chinese Auction,Dirty Santa – it has lots of different names). Each person brings one item $20 or less. Then we draw numbers put all the gifts in the center of the room. The first person picks a gift from the center and opens it. The second person can either choose a gift from the center or take the first person’s gift. In the end everyone ends up with a gift they want and it was lots of fun getting there.

I’ve subscribed via my google reader – kristinemjones at gmail dot com

I’m another one that shops year round. I buy my wrapping paper, christmas cards, etc. when they are on clearance at Target. I can’t beat the prices and it’s something I don’t have to buy next holiday season!

OOPS! I submitted before I added my tip!

I’ve subscribed via my google reader – kristinemjones at gmail dot com

Another way I save money during the holidays is I always notice Walgreens, CVS and Target seem to run the “free gift card with new or transferred prescriptions” deal around December. I transfer my prescriptions and get the gift cards!! I then use the gift cards to buy gifts for people!

To save money during the holiday shopping rush I shop at amazon.com throughout the year from their toy clearance. Most of the items qualify for free shipping after you have spent $25 and you can get some of the ‘hot’ toys at a good price if you check frequently. I will spend about $25 – $25 once a months and by Christmas I have a load of gifts for the kids at a fraction of the price.

My first holiday money saving tip is to listen! Listen to your friends and family throughout the year, they give unintentional clues on gifts they would love. Keep a list of the gifts in your purse and purchase all year when the items are on sale. This is an easy and inexpensive way to give thoughtful gifts.

I subscribed!
My second holiday money saving tip is to make homemade ornaments. We make ornaments every year out of our leftover craft materials. I love my tree. Each year, decorating the tree makes me a bit misty-eyed. Ahhh, the memories. I see ornaments from when my daughter was 2 or 6 or 10…and my son will be old enough to make one next year. It’s a beautiful and economical way to decorate for the holidays.

My money saving tip is to always stock up on holiday supplies after Christmas when they are on sale.

I always log on to couponcabin.com before hitting the stores. It’s so easy and money saving to print out the coupons for stores or find “codes” for online shopping!

I love to make Christmas cards and then just get reprints of my daughter to include in card! It is a personal way to share Christmas and my family with loved ones!

My holiday money saving tip is to shop online! You can really utilize the coupon codes and special online only sales. I have found great deals this way!

It’s not much but it is something: Hand deliver all the Christmas cards that you can – to people that are in town that you are going to see anyways. Saves me at least a book of stamps!

Money saving tip: This probably seems like a no-brainer, but try making your own gifts. If you make all the gifts and keep them simple yet heartfelt, you’ll save so much money. If you think that your extended family or friends will be upset, just be up front with them. One year I decided to not do expensive presents for everyone, but I forgot to warn some of my friends. They were upset because they had already bought me things (yea, I know, probably not the best friends, huh?). This year, it’s much easier because they know to expect something handmade and low-key. Christmas is totally about the spirit and not about the presents!

One money saving thing we do in terms of gift-giving is to buy great-condition secondhand higher value items for gifts or put together gift baskets made of free items I have gotten through couponing throughout the year.

I recommend shopping at discount stores like Big Lots! for holiday gift wrap, wrapping accessories (tags, ribbons, etc.) and gift bags and tissue. They have a great assortment at fairly low prices. They tend to run out, so stock up early, or right after the holidays for next year. That way you will have more money to spend on actual gifts!

I’m a subscriber! I read the Motherload posts pretty much everyday. My advice is to set a budget and shop early. I try to do all my shopping in Sept.-Oct. and there are great sales then, too. This way, I always have a little bit leftover for those things that pop up at the last minute so they don’t bust the budget.

Our family has decided not to give gifts to the adults and, to instead, only by for the children.

My holiday tip is that my husband and I always take off of work the day after Christmas to spend with our kids. Between home, my parents, and his parents on Christmas we have no time to really enjoy each other and the things we received.

I handmake all my gift tags. I punch out a tag and use stickers or stamps to save on wrapping!

Agree to not exchange gifts. We are so spread out that it’s just nice to try to get together once or twice a year. Or, keep your eyes out for things long before the holidays.

I am already subscribed to the Motherload and will subscribe to this one as well!

Another tip – look through parenting magazines if you have small children – they have great and inexpensive craft ideas (like bookmarks) that the kids can make all year long and then give as gifts at Christmas!

I always try to buy my wrapping paper, lights, garland, etc after Christmas when it’s 75% off. What a deal!

I just subscribed to Motherload. I read it everyday… I love the blogs you do…. Thanks fro all you do

My hoilday tip is that we use our reward points to buy giftcards and then we go christmas shopping or give them away as gifts. its a great way to save money.

My tip is to start shopping as early as possible. For example, we start shopping in March. That way we can slowly accumulate our gifts, we have time to find good deals and figure out meaningful gifts. We are usually done by September, so our holidays are not stressful. At least in terms of money.

Also, I am subscribed to the Mother Load. I have been for a couple months now. My favorite thing so far on it: the list on how to lower grocery bills. I try to implement a new idea every week.

I just subscribed to your MotherLoad blog. My 2nd piece of advice is to draw names with sisters, brothers, inlaws, etc. This limits the amount of presents to buy, and everyone is relieved to cross some shopping off their list.

My tip number 2 is that we put 10 -20 dollars a month in a jar and that is our christmas budget. we also do this with our kids and they love it they buy their own christmas gifts for us and thier friends. but they put what they want too. It makes them think about the gift they are going to buy 2.. Happy Hoildays…

I am subscribed to your blog. My second tip for saving money is to make your own Christmas card/letter. We have a family Christmas picture printed for 10 cents a print in a regular 4×6 size, I print the letter on cardstock, fold the cardstock, attach the picture and maybe do a little stamping. Then they are ready to address and send, so we are able to do Christmas letters w/pictures for about 15 cents as opposed to 29 cents and up for the Christmas card pictures that are printed with the greeting attached. We also try to deliver cards to in-town friends and our families to save on postage.

We try to cut down on the presents we buy by getting couple’s gifts instead of one for each person!

Since Jesus received 3 presents, we give our kids 3 presents each, plus a stocking. It really cuts down on shopping, whining, and making sure everything’s fair.

My money saving tip is to take advantage of Wal-Mart’s wonderful price matching policy when you are shopping for your christmas decore and gifts. This will save you money, gas AND time!

I have subscribed via my google reader! My money saving tip #2 is to save up freebies you get all year long playing the drugstore game or from gift with purchases to make collective gift baskets for people on your guft list.

Sweet give away.

My money-saving advice. Make cards!
It’s crazy how expensive cards are. If you make you’re own it’ll be cheaper and more personal too.

This holiday season, I’m using my scrap fabrics to make one-of-a-kind gifts. Such as, pillow cases, doll blankets, cute cloth-covered baby wipes containers, stocking, skirts, etc.

my holiday money saving tip is to make your own truffles. take a package of oreos, crush them in the food processor until they are all little crumbs. then mix them with a package of softened cream cheese. roll into balls about 1′. take some chocolate chips and 1 tsp of oil and microwave until chocolate is smooth. put the chocolate mixture into a small ziploc bag and snip the corner off. then use it to make choc. diagonal stripes across the truffles. they look gorgeous and taste wonderful..it’s super easy!

I subscribed to your blog! Other tip: watch for sales! I’ve saved well over $100 just by getting things on sale.

We save money by buying things while they are on sale throughout the year. We have a tote just for gifts. If it gets to full, we don’t buy anything even if it is on sale.

regift

This would be great to win. We are trying to buy things for our grandson in georgia and my daughter; as my son-in-law is soon to deploy to Iraq. It would be great to take them shopping.

I bought wooden frame ornaments for the kids to paint and put a photo in. Those are going to be our gifts to family. Very inexpensive and super special!

My money saving tip: dont just buy something because you need a gift for so and so. Heartfelt items, words and time are the best gifts.

My holiday saving tip is to make a list of the gifts you are going to buy and stick to the list and try to buy on sale.

The best money saving tip for the holidays is to save all those free gift cards that you get for buying this, doing a survey or transfering prescriptions. They add up. I only started saving these since August and I was able to have over $500 to spend at Walgreens, CVS, Target, Walmart, TJMAXX and Famous Footwear. All the gift cards were earned from things I would of had to purchase and use. It is super fun to shop with free money. (I did however have to turn them over to my hubby for safe keeping otherwise I would have probably used them. I have already started my stash for next year.)

On years we travel, I use up all the food in my fridge and freezer during December, and then I have extra money for gifts at holiday time.

I love to make mixed-tape style cd’s for family members for the holidays! Too often I hear a song on the radio and it immediately reminds me of someone. It’s just a special way of letting those closest to me know how much they mean to me.

To save money, we only buy presents for the kids.

My holiday money saving tip is to mass produce gifts for neighbors, etc. I made over 150 gifts of mulling spices this year for women at church for less than $50!

I’m a dad, but I try to fill mom’s position sometimes. I beleive if coupon clippers, either friends or family will share coupons to suit each ones needs it will be very helpful preventing you from buying things you don’t really need just because you have a coupon! If you have the proper coupon for your needs it really helps to maximize your coupon value especially during the holidays when your needs may vary.

Don’t buy immediately when you see something you want-price check with other stores to see if it is a good deal or not.

My way to save for the holidays is to make baked gifts for family. A fruit/goody basket is cheaper and at least will get some use and not end up just tossed to the side.

I’ve been pleasantly surprised by how easy to shop online. I hadn’t been because of expensive shipping costs, but many online shops are offering free shipping, and in my email this year I’ve received discount coupon codes saving me even more money.

In addition, we hit the “Black Friday” sale at Wal-Mart this year and got an amazing deal on a computer gaming system for our preteen. We couldn’t have afforded it without the great deal. It will make for a memorable Christmas for him!!

{I am a grate-full subscriber – thanks for your tips and advice!}

Shop Early! I shopped all throughout the year this year and it really worked out perfect! With spreading the load over 12 months, I never even missed the money and now we’ll be alot better off financially this holiday season!
sblilly14(@)yahoo(.)com

We draw names at Christmas and only buy for one person each in the family – kids are excluded.

For Christmas instead of buying an expensive gift for everyone, I have been putting together baskets of all the free things that I have purchased this year. The baskets are huge and more than I would have every gotten anyone to begin with.

The best money saving tip would be knitting scarfs gloves ect.and giving them as gristmas gifts don’t forget to get creative.

You can buy dollar items at the dollar store and make your own Christmas baskets.

A money saving tip would be to buy lottery tickets for your family members as christmas gifts and if they win big they will love you forever:0)

For Christmas cards, I take a family photo and take it to a office supply store and have them make post cards (cheaper than normal photo cards) and the postage is cheaper also.

I’ve started saving money by making my own cards and gifts. They’re more personal and mean so much to the recipient.
Thanks for entering me!

To save money on Christmas gifts this year, I have taken advantage of online shopping (i.e. Ebates) and sites offering free shipping. Shopping from the comfort of my own home and not fighting the crowds have been a huge help this season, and earning rebates while I do it is great!

I always buy most of my gifts for the next year at the after Christmas sales. That way when Christmas rolls around, I have everyone’s gifts and they are always affordable!

For the holidays I usually make a list in October for all the items I would like to purchase.
Then I search the web for freebies,coupons, or clearance Items. I check many websites for deals every day I love it

I’ve found that when I make photo gifts with just about any online photo company, they’ll send me email promotions for discounts (i.e. a percentage off, BOGO, free shipping). I started making this year’s calendar in August and just waited for the promos to come–and I was able to make an entirely different calendar for my mom for free!

Great way to save money for christmas ;o)

Make a list of everyone that needs a gift and then what the gift is and do not stray from the list. It helps keep me honest about what I bought.

I try to look for recipes that use regular ingredients – butter, sugars, choc chips, cream cheese, etc. Then I stock up on these ingredients when they go on sale, stacking coupons whenever possible. I have 8lbs of butter (yes, 8!)in my freezer all of which I got for $1.69/lb or less. When I have a wonderful recipe that I really want to make for the holidays, but it calls for an ingredient that is not a staple, or is rather expensive, I ask a couple of questions:
1. Is the recipe really necessary or does it represent the holidays to me? The answer may be yes, and that’s ok, but if not, then I also want to try new and different recipes that combine basic ingredients in new and creative ways.
2. Is there a substitute for an unusual or expensive ingredient? For example, I have a wonderful appetizer that calls for Gruyere, which really won’t fit in my holiday food budget this year. However, I can easily replace this with Swiss cheese which is in the same family. Or buttermilk – I hate buying buttermilk because it’s one more ingredient to purchase and there’s always so much left over that no one but my grandmother would drink. Often times I can substitute sour milk.
3. Do I already have enough items? I always pick out too many things to make and I try to go back through my list and pick out the ones that I really want for the holidays.

I guess ultimately, I try to organize myself and decide ahead of time on a budget and the recipes that fit into the budget. Gosh, that was way simpler to say than the stuff above!

I shop the clearance racks and save, save, save!

My holiday savings advice is to shop all year round instead of doing all your Christmas shopping in December.

I often have all my Christmas shopping done long before Christmas arrives. I have to do this to help a little money go a long way.

I already subscribe but here is another tip.

Find great recipes for homemade food items and give them to the people you know who never cook or bake for themselves.

I always shop at the end of season like summer and get the gifts while they are super cheap. Like this year I got nice name brand clothes from Belk and the most I paid for anything was $ 4.95 !!! B/C most people wear short sleeve’s all year around. and just throw a jacket on.

[...] to Walmart December 9, 2008 · Filed Under Gift Certificates, Uncategorized  Where: The MotherLootWhat: $500 Gift Card to WalmartHow To Enter: Leave a comment on the giveaway/contest postDeadline: [...]

My biggest money saving tip for the holidays is to get the timer for your christmas lights outside.

Also, keep up on the freebie deal blogs for walgreenz cvs etc because for example today I got 6 rolls for scotch tape for FREE. So, take adavantage of anything free

Also, budget yourself. Decide before you shop how much you are going to spend and who you are going to buy for.

If you have a big family consider just picking names so you dont have to buy for everyone. This yr my family is not picking names, we picked a charity and our $15 is going there from each of us.

=D Hope those helped!!

I think there are several ways to save money on things during the holidays. For example, make a coupon book for services to be done. Mowing the yard, cooking someone dinner, etc.Those are things that can be cheap to free and spread out through the year rather than all at once.

I also check out coupon sites online to see what online deals I can get.

And sometimes a homemade goodie box of yummy treats can be wonderful. You just have to watch the recipes and make sure they’re actually economical.
Thanks!
God bless,
Amanda
jesusluvsu2005 at gmail dot com

Christmas can become so commercialized if we let it, so our family has decided to make the season stress-free and less about money this year. Gift must be something meaningful we have made ourselves, recycled, or something we have found/acquired without spending money. Another idea is to just do things for each other, our neighbours and our friends (in the form of gift certificates – ie raking leaves, shovelling snow, taxi-service to appt., etc)- ideas are endless.

Send gift cards instead of shipping gifts.

To save money this year, we are:
1) Baking cookies and holiday treats for all extended neighbors and friends
2) subscribing to dozens of stores email lists to get the best coupons (and the fullest inbox imaginable
3) Constantly price comparing to get the best deals
4) Letting the kids make gifts

Thank you so much!

I save money by stocking up on items thru out the year. I shop the day after Thanksgiving and Christmas eve.

Make fabric gift coverings/bags for your family. You can make several sizes from cheap sale fabric or fabric from garage sales and reuse them every year!

I’m a subscriber to this blog through my Feed Demon. Another tip: Use promotional phone cards as gifts for teenagers that are driving! It’s a free or inexpensive gift of safety! Make sure they have numbers to call in emergencies tucked away in the car with their phone card. Also, note when the cards expire so that the teen can use them before the expiration date and they can be replaced!

Homemade gifts

To save money I am going to bake cookies and decorate them so I can give them as gifts to all of my friends. Everyone loves cookies!

I just subscribed to your news feed.

HOLIDAY Money saving tips: *Celebrate Christmas a week after christmas with relatives and buy everything at the after Christmas sales. *Search childrens consignment stores for gently used toys for the kids. *Buy lights, paper, decorations anything you need to replace after Xmas this year for next year. *Donate any decorations you don’t like or didn’t put up this year—don’t waste your storage space on decorations you don’t use….you end up buying more storage boxes to store stuff you don’t even like! **Enter contests on SMART PRACTICAL blogs like momadvice.com!!!!

My money saving tip is, believe it or not, shopping at Walmart. I have found that they are almost always cheaper than Toys R Us. I also like to do alot of shopping from home…if it’s a hard to get item, I check walmart.com first and most of the time just have it shipped to the store for free. Having 4 sons, I try to find what they like at the lowest prices possible.
Thank you for the opportunity!!

One money-saving tips for the holidays is this:

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.

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

cherise420[at]yahoo[dot]com

I subscribed to Motherloot, and another money-saving tip for the holidays is:

Look for deals in which you get something free–either something you can use or give as a gift (last year, I bought a certain number of $50 AmEx gift cards and received a $25 “electronics” gift card free).

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

cherise420[at]yahoo[dot]com

My money saving tip? I shop online. It’s sooooo much cheaper and hassle free!

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!

I tweeted this giveaway! User=dreamer08

I subscribed to The Motherboard via google reader!

We are doing our shopping online this year so my money saving tip is to find online codes to get discounts. Also trying to get free shipping is great too.

Instead of buying gifts for the big family party, we have a white elephant for the kids and the adults. The kics wrap theirs in funny paper and sit in a circle inside the big adult circle. Someone reads the left to right story, and you pass gifts as she reads the words ex. left(pass left) and you get what you have when the story ends. It is a good way for your child to recyle a toy.
have a great holiday!

This is going to save me a bundle this year. My sisters and I all have children around the same age and they all want video game systems. But my daughter wants a wii and my son wants a ps3. Since they are expensive and I can’t afford both we decided that each sister would purchase a different system (wii, ps3, and xbox) and we will rotate them every month or so. That way all the kids are happy and they won’t get bored as easily either. And we all save tons of money! (this would work great with just about any toy)

we have a large family so we don’t buy gifts for everyone. In the past we have used a name drawing and purchased one gift per person, this year we are switching things up a bit and having a ‘Pink Elephant’ exchange (similar to a White Elephant, except with presents that others would want to keep). The younger kiddos are going to have a name drawing as they are just too young to understand the trading gifts idea…

Homemade food items such as cookies and breads or crafts made by the children are gifts that are enjoyed all year long.

I shop at dollar stores for christmas decoration and wrapping paper. I also compare store ads for the best prices and look for stores that will price match.

I always shop the after-Halloween sales for costumes. They go down to 75% off at many stores, and sometimes 90% off if you’re patient! These become Christmas gifts for our “dress-up” boxes. This year I snatched up for my boys The Hulk, Power Rangers, Ninja, Transformers, and Star Wars costumes. My girl is getting Princess dresses, Princess gloves, a Supergirl costume, and many extras like tiaras and wands!

My kids and I make handmade ornaments for our extended family members. It is very cheap, lots of fun to do, and meaningful for those receiving it!

Don’t be afraid to shop thrift stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army. My friends and I share our lists of what we’re looking for with eachother, and then try to drop in to these stores often. This year I came away with a brand new baby care center for $10, some princess dresses, and brand new “skate shoes” for $3.99!

Starting in September, I try to walk through the clearance aisles of any store I’m shopping in, and checking out the clearance posts on websites. Walmart and ToysRUs usually put out quite a few before the Christmas season hits. This helps me shop early, pick up stocking stuffers, and get things at a discounted price!

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My best tip for saving money during the holidays is to get your list in order and start your shopping early. You are much more likely to over spend when you shop last minute or are unorganized and panic shop.
Thanks for the giveaway!

I am baking something for all my kids teachers and neighbors with a hand made ornament to keep the cost down and give something special
Posted by Patti @ Jazzy-Brandz,com

We make homemade candles. It’s low cost and fun for the entire family.

One thing I do before shopping and I have to admit most of my shopping is online is to check out Bradsdeals.com. He lists tons of promo codes for stores there are also printable coupons to take into the stores. It has been a great help in keeping Christmas more affordable.

Stephanie