Holiday Budget Ideas
By Renee' Simmons
www.bearabledeals.com

Cards: 

• These days the average person has MANY more friends thanks to the internet. Save on postage by using e-cards that you can personalize before you send for those friends. You are still sending your love & cheer. Hallmark, Smilebox, BlueMountain. You can do a google search and find tons!

• I love to buy my holiday cards with the AFTER shopping sales. You can find boxes for as little as .25¢, That is when I stock up! 

• If you enjoy crafting or scrapbooking you can make your own holiday cards that are from the heart. These can cost more unless you have bought some of the items in bulk at craft stores. 

• Photo Cards: With the internet you can upload special photos and make your own holiday cards. Several sites offer this opportunity, and several of these sites offer coupon codes/discounts to save money. Some sites are: Shutterfly, Hallmark, Picaboo, Photoworks, Zazzle, VistaPrint

• Printable holiday cards. http://www.bearabledeals.com/giftgivingcrafts.htm, or do a search at google.

Shopping Online: So many dept stores offer codes/coupon offers, free shipping etc. all year long, but usually even more offers during the holiday. You will save gas money, avoiding the long lines, and so much more of your time than you will ever ponder. You could probably save even more because, when you go into a brick & mortar store you WILL usually buy something MORE that wasn't even on your shopping list etc. There are several online sites that offer these codes & deals. Check out www.bearabledeals.com for codes & discounts.

Saving while shopping: Many brick & mortar stores offer printable coupon offers by signing up for their mailing lists etc. There are also several hundred websites that list printable store coupons at their website. You can save a of money by doing this. Printable coupons can be money off, percentage off, or offer a freebie with purchase. Stop by www.bearabledeals.com/freebies.htm to get yours before you shop.

Buying in bulk:

• For stocking stuffers: Check websites like Oriental Trading and buy misc stuff in bulk, the dollar stuff has multi pack party packs in their toy section, I recently got 40 CUTE pencils for a buck for a cheap additional add to the trick or treater’s buckets. I also like to use my coupons to save even more *see below

• Check warehouses such as Sam's Club, Costco etc. They offer seasonal items in bulk, which are cheaper in bulk then if you bought them single at a traditional store. But know your prices. You can walk into these stores and pay much more than a grocery store, because on some of their products they are offering convenience by size and not price, this especially pertains if you use coupons frequently.

• When you find a item on clearance for pennies on the dollar, stock up for gifts not just for Christmas, but birthdays, weddings & anniversary gifts. I have bought Crockpots' on clearance at Target for $3.24 (Reg. $45). I bought all 4 that were left on the shelf, I was even on a road trip. But it was the large size, removable crock w/ glass lid.... I got one for myself, and used the rest for gifts.

Group or Family Gifts:  When you have a huge family and cannot afford to buy each person a gift, think of buying a family gift. Some ideas: movie tickets, restaurant gift certificates, family board or computer games, photography studio gift card, museum memberships or gift card, sports tickets, blockbuster or Hollywood video gift certificates, store club membership, coffee shops (Starbucks & Caribou Coffee), travel & airline gift certificates, Food Gift Baskets, or even grocery store gift cards.

Helping Others: Each year each of our kids and then "me & dad" would always pick a child from the "xmas tree" programs in our areas. We would clearance shop so each kid could get MORE presents for the same amount of money. 90% of the time the organization asks for clothes & the sizes. The kids & I make up outfits with the clearance section, and then we still buy the kids toys or coloring book & crayons etc. These kids are already in special situations, they can get clothes throughout the year with other organizations. Christmas is supposed to be for the kids, Santa brings toys, not clothes.

Buying throughout the year:

• When the kids were younger I use to buy all the clearance books through the schools scholastic sales forms, and their actual book sales you could get bag of misc books. This is at least a once a month offer at schools, so I would buy each of the kids, nieces, nephews, kids friends etc each of the sales books per age. At the end of the year I spent very little and had educational & value priced items for each kid.

• Watch for clearance priced perfumes; make up kits, kids play sets etc. You can get savings up to 95% if you watch most stores. We have bought some really nice deals at drugstores too, not just dept. stores.

• Craft Warehouse, Joann, & Michaels frequently has 40% off one item coupons in their ads or even for their internet mailing list customers. Use these each time!!!!! They carry kid related craft kits, puzzles etc. Savings add up quick, and you will have MORE items from your list.

• Outlet & Dollar stores offer items at a big discount because they were discontinued etc at some point. You can sometimes find a very pricey item for pennies on the dollar for some really nice gifts.

Inexpensive Stocking stuffer ideas: Buy in bulk for inexpensive items at Oriental Trading. These days you see commercials for expensive priced items being put in our stockings. Commercials show video games, gift cards, mp3 players, cd's etc. You can get a lot of misc items (examples below), and fill a stocking for the price of ONE item of these high priced items.

• For Boys: Diecast cars, camping or fishing kid items, balls, army men/action figures, sports water bottle, flashlight, mini first aid kit (older boys: hygiene items, tag, axe, cologne, razors, knife, blank cd's etc)

• For Girls: nail polish, hair bows/bands, lip balms (example: Avon), diary or journal, socks, purse mirror (older girls: make up, make up kits, shampoo & conditioner sample sized, razors, blank cd's)

• In General: pencils, crayons/markers, coloring books, books, toothbrush, kids toothpaste, kid related Band-Aids, kid related vitamins, post it notes, McDonalds gift certificates, stickers, night light, mini travel games, misc toys like silly putty, yo-yo's etc., deck of cards, silly straws, bubbles, bookmarks

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