It’s the Contest I’ve Been Hinting About!
December 3, 2008
What’s better than picking out just the right presents for your family members, friends, and loved ones? Getting them for free, of course!!
It’s December - and for those of us not done with our shopping in July - that means it’s time to get the Holiday Shopping in high gear and get done before it’s too late! But our economy is making things a bit tougher this year than in the past and so we’re all looking for ways to save money while still living well.
That’s why I’m all aglow because Nickelodeon has teamed up with the Walmart ElevenMoms to throw a Holiday Money Saving Tips Contest. One of you lucky readers will be getting a $500 Walmart Gift Card!
That’s right. You have a chance to win a $500 Walmart Gift Card just in time for the holidays. In fact, you can earn up to 3 entries into this contest, just by following these instructions carefully:
1. Leave a comment sharing your best Holiday Money Saving Tip. Please make sure to put a valid email address on your comment so I can contact the winner!
2. Subscribe to my feed via RSS or email and leave a separate comment letting me know you have done so along with a DIFFERENT money-saving tip. If you’re already a subscriber, simply leave a separate comment letting me know you’re already subscribed along with another money-saving tip.
3. Share the Love!! Spread the word about this contest in some manner and come back and leave a link in a separate comment. If you twitter a tip? Just tag it with #Nick11 and paste the link in your comment. If you blog about it? You can leave the tip in your post and just link it here. If you digg it, stumble it, kirtsy it? Just put your Third Money Saving Tip in the comment with your link. However you do it, just come leave me a link so I know that you did!! I know, I know, it’s hard to let other people know when you want to win… but that’s why you get another entry for it!
The other important bits
- This contest ends December 15th, 2008 at NOON (12:00 pm) Pacific Time. Any entries received after that time cannot be counted toward the winning tip.
- Any entries not including all of the required elements (One Money Saving Tip, valid email address, any relevant links) will be disqualified and deleted from the comments list. PLEASE make sure to include all elements as I do not have the time to notify those who do not.
- The winner will be chosen at random (using random.org) out of the all the valid entries (see above.)
- You can enter up to 3 Money Saving Tips according to the methods above - try to make them good tho, as the winning tips may end up on Walmart.com!
- The winner will be notified by email and must respond within 24 hrs with their shipping information as we need to send out the gift cards by Dec 17th. In the event the winner does not respond within 24 hrs, an alternate winner may be chosen to ensure timely delivery of the gift card.
You can enter to win a $500 Walmart gift card not only here at GeekMommy.net but at most of the ElevenMoms’ sites. You can only win once, but you can enter to win at each site. Each contest may have slightly different rules, so make sure you read carefully!
I’m looking forward to seeing the tips you guys come up with!! Thanks for making my holiday season more fun (and frugal!) as well!
note: this author of this post was not compensated by either Walmart or Nickelodeon in any way regarding the posting or promotion of this contest. Please see the Disclosure Policy for further information.
Comments
243 Responses to “It’s the Contest I’ve Been Hinting About!”
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My best money saving tip for the holidays is to not be be afraid to re-gift.
Holiday money-saving tip: Have a Yankee Swap (wrapped gift, random gift exchange) with members of your extended family. (Rather than stressing about what to buy Cousin Joe or Aunt Mary…
My best money saving tip is to start shopping in January! When I see something 75% off or more I snag it and will find someone to give it to or donate it.
The best money saving tip for me at Christmastime is that I make many of my own Christmas presents. They don’t have to be anything really elaborate, but often the simple things are the most fun to make and most enjoyed to received.
Think about something that the person likes and go from there. Teachers? Have you child take blank note cards and decorate them for the teacher to use. Teachers are always writing notes.
Have a friend who like coffee or tea? Get a mug, some coffee, tea of hot chocolate mix to wrap inside of it and tie a plastic spoon dunked in melted chocolate to the handle. Yummm!
Give baked goods instead of useless expensive gifts! Anything you can eat is a great gift in my opinion…
Hello,
I subscribed via email- if you’re looking to save money try creating a gift for family, friends or that special someone. The neat thing about this kind of gift, it’s more about the time spent, effort involved and how others will feel after receiving it than the amount of money you pinned on the credit card. Cheers,
-Miguel
I make ornaments and ornament hooks for neighbor and teacher gifts.
My friends and I barter our specialties with each other. So some of their friends may get gift certificates from my intuitive animal communication business. My friends get gift certificates for massages, soaps and bath bombs, gift baskets, doggie massages, you name it!
I cut up last year’s holiday cards we received and use them for gift tags. It doesn’t save a whole lot of money, but it helps to save some trees.
I just subscribed. I also am not afraid to re-gift, especially if it is something that the giftee would love.
I subscribed via email! Another tip–I buy during the after Christmas sales and set those aside for gifts for the next year.
Mine is to buy gifts all year long. I keep a gift shelf in my closet (waaaay up high!) for birthday presents and Christmas presents, and always shop there first! I put any good gifts I find at great prices all year long up there.
My holiday money saving tip is to make a budget planner. Plan how much you can spend. Break the budget down by person and then make a shopping list. This way you stick to the budget.
I RT the contest here
http://twitter.com/luckyfella
My other holiday money saving tip is to not buy gift cards. There are plenty of great gifts to find without spending a large amount on a gift card.
My money saving tip is to not exchange gifts with my wife. Instead, we’re going to roll up that gift into a trip to BlogHer. I’d call this money saving because she wanted to go anyway and this way we don’t buy chochkis for each other that will go unused two months down the line.
Retweeted your tweet.
We selectively shop the Black Friday sales. Clothing deals for kids were great this year.
I subscribed by email.
We bake gifts for our friends. It’s cheaper for us and more personal.
Recycle your gift wrap. Sure it takes a little patience, but if you carefully cut the tape, you can reuse the paper and save a bundle. Plus it’s great for the environment!
I’ve also signed up for the RSS. Here’s another money saver:
Make your own teacher’s gifts by printing nice photos you’ve taken during the year (nature shots are nice). Glue them on card stock, add some envelopes. A set of 10 cards costs about $10. A very nice, meaningful and useful gift at rock bottom prices!
It’s feeling a bit like spam commenting now, but I really want to win this thing! Here’s the link to my RT http://twitter.com/FreeRangeMom/status/1037516608
And my third money saving idea:
Just like Santa, make a list. Impulse purchases add up to lots of cash. Decide what you want to buy at home and stick to your plan. You’ll find you spend way less when you control your impulse shopping. (this somes from my work on http://www.edgefoundation.org/blog — an ADHD coaching site!)
I shop ebay….i find really good deals there….
i subscribed
i posted about you on my blog….www.thefamilyof3scotts.blogspot.com
My best money saving tip for the holidays is to save and reuse wrapping paper, boxes, bags, ribbon, tins, baskets, and whatever else you can get your hands on. This has saved me lots of money over the years. Thanks for the giveaway!
I am subscribed to your site. My second money saving tip is to make homemade gifts. This year I am using my surplus of scrapbook supplies to make mini foldout scrapbooks and ornaments. Last year I bought rolls of fleece and made no-sew blankets that were warmer and less expensive than the ones at the store. The homemade touch makes all the difference.
We give our older relatives baskets of fruit from local fruit trees. There are several people with citrus trees on our street so we share the fruit and I end up with a great collection of grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and tangerines to give away!
Every year I make a mass amount of banana bread to give to my neighbors and friends. Baking in bulk saves TONS of money!
I previously subscribed to your site via rss.
This year I have been paying close attention to the sales going on. They change every week, and if you’re paying attention you can get great holiday shopping deals, saving tons on your cost for the holidays.
I tweeted about this contest.
http://twitter.com/MammaInTheScene/status/1037673269
I like to shop early and compare prices on-line
I subscribed to your feed.
I also save money by shopping at Wal-Mart on Black Friday - they will price match.
I agree with others commenting here: make a list! Who do you need to buy for? How much can you spend on each gift? Stick to it!
The other tip is for people like me with family in another country. Buy online from retailers in that country so that you reduce your mailing costs. Quite honestly, I often have to spend more on postage to Canada than I do on the actual gifts.
P.S. If you’re buying locally and mailing, pick small and lightweight gifts!
My tip is to shop your local dollar store for wrapping paper, tape, and gift bags. They have a great selection and you can’t beat the price.
One cool little tip is never break bows, after the person opens the gift, politely say, may I have the bow back? and keep them in a box for next year
Second tip take a look at the flyers, yeah yeah they may be a pain during the year but in this time of year instead of doing all your shopping at a store and seeing later that it was on sale some place else, take a few minutes to review them and write down where and price, some stores have “we beat the competitions price or it’s free” use that!!! make sure you take the flyer to the store
Third because many people do use the themed holiday things, after Christmas, get Christmas items!!! They are on super SALE and you don’t’ have to have that “oh no what do I get so and so!” this way you have it nicely stored in a bin for the next holiday
Hope this helps
Lola
This is a tip to help prepare for next year. My favorite money saving tip is to buy up all the wrapping paper and bows and ornaments for stocking stuffers after Christmas to take advantage of deep discounts. I have a special shelf where I put my loot and pull it out at the beginning of December.
I have subscribed to your blog using Google reader.
My second money saving tip is to make cookies with your kids as a holiday tradition. First, it’s cheaper than buying cookies. Second, your family will get to eat all the cookies because no one wants the cookies your kids mangled by poking them with their fingers (perhaps this problem goes away when they grow older than toddlers). Third, the time spent together adds more to the holiday experience so you don’t have the mommy guilt trying to get you to buy more presents.
I posted your contest on a forum on a board since my blog is a private one for family and I don’t think I could link you to it.
http://www.cafelaleche.com/forums/index.php?topic=18275.new#new
My third and final spam of a money saving tip is related to family gift giving. My sisters and I made a pact a few years ago that only kids get Christmas presents. Due to a slew of December and January birthdays, we were all getting swamped buying for relatives. By chosing to only give presents to nieces and nephews, we’ve significantly cut down on gift expenses. We’re all generally happier with the situation (but I do send gifts to my sister without kids because I think she got the short end of the stick even though she’s still happy only buying for the kids)
This August (or was it Sept) I found a pear tree that had been abandoned. I harvested it three times and made batches of pear jelly. It only cost me for the jars the first round and pectin (which was on clearance for $0.10) Now that’s the only jelly my 4 yo wants on her PBJ. Hopefully I’ll still have some leftover for gifts!
Gloria
gjbrown@mdhenryco.com
It says I’m already subscribed, but I don’t think I am, not sure how to fix that!
Here is my second tip:
Our thermostat was seriously old (say mid 70’s) We replaced it with a new one (not totally programable) but we saved $100 that first month which paid for the thermostat and installation. So now every months savings are gravy.
I’m not sure if my email address showed up the second time.
gjbrown@mdhenryco.com
It says I’m already subscribed, but I don’t think I am, not sure how to fix that!
Here is my second tip:
Our thermostat was seriously old (say mid 70’s) We replaced it with a new one (not totally programable) but we saved $100 that first month which paid for the thermostat and installation. So now every months savings are gravy.
My best money saving tip is to make handmade/homemade gifts.
There are so many options. If you have a food dehydrator, you cane make jerky gift baskets. Take epsom salts and add scented oils to make custom bath salts. The year I did this, I used my sewing machine to make the gift bags the salts came in and I also did custom gift tags for the bags. Make homemade tree ornaments. You can make flavored cooking oils, homemade Limoncello, homemade vanilla extract. The list goes on. Every year that I have given away homemade gifts, everyone is incredibly appreciative of the time and effort I’ve spent. It always seems that they appreciate that kind of gift rather than a storebought gift.
Here is my second idea: If you have a collection of Holiday cards you have received in years past and are thinking about tossing them - don’t! Use them to create custom gift tags. Use craft scissors or fancy edged shears to cut out the holiday scenes on the cards, then punch a hole with a hole puncher in the corner of your cutout and tie colored ribbon on the card and attach to your gift, or gift bag. Use the back side for writing who the gift is to and from.
Third tip: When shopping for holiday decorations, outdoor lights, etc. don’t go shopping for them during the peak selling season of the holidays. Always wait until the after Chistmas sales start. Plan ahead and shop for the next year way in advance - doing this saves tons of money!
I subscribed by email. My additional money saving tip is to keep all gift boxes/gift bags that gifts come in. Use them the next year and then keep the new ones. Use the new ones the following year and so on. You may never have to buy another gift box or gift bag ever again!
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 paper, instead of buying 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.
I buy a lot of Christmas decorations after Christmas when everything is on sale
I didn’t get a chance to read all of those tips, but mine is probably a repeat.
What I do is go online a few days before Black Friday and find out which stores have the best sales and plan my trip accordingly.
I subscribed via email =)
For your close friends, why not find them something humorous at a thrift shop? It won’t cost much and it will get them to laugh.
Baking is another great way to save on money. Everyone loves food!
I put up a link for the contest here:
http://twitter.com/iLoveLampXCore
I try to save money at this holiday stuff
even when lack of money makes things tough.
I make my own bows, reuse my paper
save all my boxes and ribbon to use later.
But another thing I’ve been trying to do
is to research my gifts and think things through.
I want my gifts to bring smiles and delight
and it always will if you plan it out right.
I subscribed through email. Another tip I have (although this one doesn’t rhyme) is something that doesn’t take up that much time. Ha ha, just kidding. No really, one thing we did a while ago is instead of getting gifts for everyone we exchange families and rotate each year. It has really worked for us and has also cut down on the spending.
I blogged about this with another tip here: http://themomnerd.blogspot.com/2008/12/cowboys-wife-beingfrugal.html
Glad I found your blog, Iove it!
My holiday tip (that is farily unique, anyway) is to buy extra candy after halloween (on clearance). Freeze and save for stockings!!
I’m leaving a comment and already retweeted your post here: http://twitter.com/twincident/status/1039284946
I hope my two chances make me $500 Walmart richer
Janine
@twincident
I like to shop online so that I can save time, save money, and save gas. As a matter of fact I do probably 70% of my shopping online for those very reasons.
One tip is to buy your staples in bulk and try to get everything else on sale or discount if you can. Thanks!
My holiday tip is to take advantage of gift card or gift certificate offers that reward you with a smaller gift for yourself if you purchase a large amount. A lot of restaurants do this at the holidays.
My holiday saving gift is to handcraft a gift instead of buying one. An Encouragement/Inspirational Box with favorite inspirational quotes inside. They can pick one out each day to reach and this will help them to stay positive and motivated in their life.
I just twittered your link (a retreat that you posted)
I love to use sites like http://www.FREESHIPPING.org so that I never have to pay shipping costs when I shop online.
Shop sales year round for those chinese auction items you know you will need. That way you get a great item that fits in the price bracket that you usually find 75% off.
My favorite Christmas shopping tip is to start shopping early and make a list! As your kids or friends/family mention something that they like, jot it down. When/if you see it on sale, grab it and put a check mark in your notes. You could be totally done before Thanksgiving!
If I win, I can buy supplies for my company, yeah!
I subscribed to your RSS feed, so here’s a second tip:
For the kids on your Christmas list. Buy goodies like cookies, chips, juice packs, etc. in large value packs to split up into individual stockings. If it’s stuff your own kids like there should even be enough leftover for their snacks after the holidays.
When shopping online I use http://www.retailmenot.com to get coupon codes. I’ve saved so much money this way!
Last year I used my fabric scraps to make a quilted wallet for all my girl-friends. It was a big hit! And cost me less than $20 for 4 wallets!
Hi, my best money saving tip for the holidays is wait until boxing day. It is a simple as that. I realize the holiday spirit isn’t there, but these are tough times for a lot of people, and boxing day prices are sure going to be good this year!
Shop all year . . . . and keep a detailed list of what you purchased and who it was for so you don’t buy 3 gifts for someone when you only exchange one!
I’ve subscribed…..and did I mention that I saved on materials at Wal-Mart:)
We also take advantage of free offers during the year at places like SnapFish and Inkubook to make photo books for the grandparents….they love ‘em!
Every year our family gets together. In all there are roughly 14 of us and a few people coming in and out. Each and everyone of us bring a little something so that we can all feast without putting the burden upon just one person which means even more this year due to the tight economy.
Link to my tweet: http://twitter.com/FranMagbual/status/1039299889
Final tip to save money on holiday shopping…don’t do it at the holidays!! Prepare your list ahead of time and shop throughout the year when you see good deals or when you see something that’s perfect for someone on your list. That way you’re less tempted to use a credit card right before Christmas and you’ll save on those interest payments.
P.S. This is something I try to do every year and never actually do!
I’m not that original, I guess, since I do a lot of what other commenters do. I buy wrapping paper, ribbon, etc. at the after-Christmas sales. I normally get 75-90% off. That’s when I also start thinking about Christmas shopping for the next year. When I see something good on clearance, I get it. I watch online sales, as well. I’m not a great baker, but that sounds like a great idea. I do make old holiday cards into gift tags too, but between my 90% off tags and recycling cards, I have enough to last the rest of my life!
Send eGift cards instead of tangible gift cards; may only be a 41 cent savings, but makes a good practice over time! In fact, just sent a build-a-bear eGift card today!
I buy things throughout the year when I find great bargains on things and typically have very little shopping to do when December rolls around. If I do have some shopping left - I shop discount places - e.g. WalMart - or try to make something for the person.
#Nick11 I also twittered your contest - I’m dafogle at twitter
#nick11 Enter to win a $500 WalMart gift card at @geekmommy ’s site! http://bit.ly/1AYF
Don’t forget to check thrift shops for gifts, especially when they put out Christmas decorations.
I shop in January when everything is on sale, I buy birthday presents for the upcoming year.
craftymamaof4 at gmail dot com
I just tweeted your contest here http://twitter.com/craftymamaof4/status/1039333222
I buy gift cards at my local grocery store to earn pump perks I got a free tank of gas last week and bought alot of my gifts too!
Thanks
craftymamaof4 at gmail dot com
My best holiday tip is to have your family draw names and buy a gift for only one other adult. Saves a lot of money, plus you can spend more time putting thought into the gift you give. And in the end, you don’t come home with as much stuff that you may not have wanted!
Don’t but store bought… bake cookies, candy’s and cook holiday dinner. Saves $$, more fun, makes the house great & leftovers YUM!
I twittered about it. https://twitter.com/CNYhousehunters
I tweeted the contest, also!
http://twitter.com/mommystory/status/1039339484
“Totally entering @geekmommy ’s contest for a $500 Walmart gift card. That’s a lot of groceries! http://tinyurl.com/6j9ynt #Nick11″
I’ve subscribed to your RSS feed via the e-mail address associated with this specific posts e-mail. This is my hubby’s RSS reader but I’ve yet to build my own! Maybe he will learn something by reading the feed each day!
Another money saving tips for brand new parents is to consider sending a Christmas Photo Card with a family picture. Wal-Mart should have one of the Kodak photo machines that’ll print these out for you. We did this as a “Thank You” gift after we got married and our families were very happy to have a picture of us on our wedding day.
Whoops. I fail at following directions. I twittered about it @CNYhousehunters.
My money saving tip is I shopped online and had the gift shipped directly to the recipient. I put my mom’s gift in dads name and vice versa. they have been instructed to wrap the gift and put it under the tree. I saved gas by not going to the mall, saved shipping because I didn’t have to pay to have it shipped here only to wrap it and ship it out again.
We don’t celebrate Christmas, so our holiday hints are always on the cheap, but the one thing we do that saves money is that we make our own wrapping paper out of the packing paper we’ve saved all year and simple rubber stamps. It looks so pretty, it’s recycling recycled paper, and it’s free!
I’m twittering the contest too. https://twitter.com/margalit
One of big money saving tips is to shop after Christmas. I do not see my inlaws until New Years and so I buy them a beautiful Christams decoration at 90% off!!
I am pregnany and these multi step directions are killing me:-) Lol!! Ok, I just subscribed and my second money saving tip is baking. I buy cute Christmas tins at 90% after Christmas and then the following year I fill them with cookies and fudge to give to neighbors and teachers, etc.
Holiday savings tip…..shop year round and have a closet with a lock on it. When the clearance hits, you gotta be ready….doesn’t matter if it’s july!
another thing we do in our family is give each child 3 gifts…because that’s how many gifts Jesus got on his birthday (christmas). If 3 was good enough for Jesus, it will be good enough for my girls.
Keeps the reason for the season in perspective.
See…I can’t even spell:-)
I buy ornaments at craft stores and then personalize them with a sharpie marker. They are cheep and super cute!
I do the same thing margalit does. I buy all nieces and nephew’s gifts and have them shipped to my mom. Sometimes I pull off free shipping and even better.
Just tweeted the contest (http://twitter.com/stellaandthomas) and my third money saving tip is to shop all year round. When I see a good deal and find something someone would really like, I buy it. We have not bought anything on a credit card in five years. Woot! Woot!
I twittered too!
http://twitter.com/WannaBeSkinny/status/1039369421
To have a holiday control journal and budget gifts and record gifts so you don’t buy twice
[...] $500.00 Gift Card to WalMart [...]
My best money saving tip is to buy within your budget and not go overboard buying gifts for everyone! It is wonderful to be generous at Christmas, but not so generous that you spend months paying for it!
My best tip is to save money overall for those holiday gifts by clipping coupons, downloading coupons and stocking up on food items when they are on sale.
I just joined your RSS…
my second money saving tip is to limit the amount of gifts you buy. We used to buy a separate present for everyone in our office. This year we consolidated and are buying one gift and doing a secret santa for our party! Almost everyone was eager to save a little money!
I subscribed. Another tip is to buy holiday decorations at the $1.00 store. If you shop early you can get some cute items.
My final tip is to do a Secret Santa for the adults. That way you only have to buy one adult gift and can focus on the children.
I tweeted: http://twitter.com/cutiebootycakes/status/1039411533
I tweeted at http://twitter.com/Shamrocker99
Merry Christmas!
Ok, first off, my tip, photo gifts. Cheap, easy, and the grandparents eat them up. It’s a matter of cents to upload a cute grandchild pic to Walmart.com, buy a frame and tada, perfect gift, for a great price.
Secondly, I added your RSS to my google reader, so fun! And my second tip would be to cut down on work gifts by giving homemade candy and baked goods. Delicious and more cost effective than buying everyone something separate.
Lastly, STUMBLED! Thought I would change it up a bit from twittering, and I seem to be the first to stumble this page, so yay!
http://www.stumbleupon.com/url/geekmommy.net/2008/12/03/its-the-contest-ive-been-hinting-about/%2523comment-1302
Final cost saving tip, gift giving name draw. We have lots of cousins in our family, and drawing names allows every person to just spend an allotted amount, like no more than $10, on a single person, plus the budget forces people to be more creative.
My holiday saving tip is to maximize your budget by searching long and hard for coupons to stores and codes for online retailers to use. Thanks for the fun
I subscribe to your feed
Another tip: Bake goodies for gifts and put them in pretty reusable containers.
Just Stumbled this. Third tip: Come up with things that you can do for family/friends. Babysit their children, cook dinner, walk dog, weed their garden to save on buying unwanted gifts.
Aaaah… money-saving tip for holidays? Don’t buy wrapping paper. Use your kids’ old artwork, or the funnies, or Kraft paper that your kids decorate… get creative instead of spendy.
This year I’ve entered some mommy blog contests and won holiday gifts for a number of people on my list. Free and fun—can’t get much better than that for a moneysaver! pvilletoygirl (at) gmail *dot* com
I subscribed via email. Every year we start a holiday fund and put money into it all year long. We save money by only spending the money that is in our holiday fund for gifts for the holidays and no more.
Twittered: iambrimful RT @geekmommy contest for a $500 Walmart gift card. http://tinyurl.com/6j9ynt #Nick11 Tip3 Save money -make your own holiday gifts and cards
My money saving tip would have to be NEVER EVER buy anything that is not on sale. When it comes to department store shopping you can really get some great deals. Keep those coupons you’re sent in the mail and watch the ads. Sometimes you can save more than 75% off when combining a sale price with a coupon ( I even plan on doing this tomorrow at Kohls!!! LOL) I love to come home with a bag full of merchandise and tell my hubby how much I saved!
I’ve also subscribed via email. ANother money saving tip that I saw recently and tried… was taking some of the half eaten cereal boxes/open snacks, etc. out of your pantry or cupboards and combining them into little ziploc bags for individual snack mixes! I was spending a bunch of money on all these organic and healthy snacks and my toddler would get sick of them before the box was empty. SO I used what I had and made individual packages… and my toddler absolutely loved having his own little bag! Now that half empty box of cereal doesn’t get thrown out! These little bags are great to keep in your purse for when you’re on the go and feeling a little light headed from being too busy or to keep in your car for snacks on the go.
My favorite holiday money saving tip is to draw names. My sisters and I do this, and it allows each person to get a single nicer gift, rather than a bunch of cheaper ones. All together the budget comes out to less than we’d spend if we just went as individuals.
Re-use gift bags from last year.
My best tip this year would be to read a lot of money saving blogs. I got some gifts for nearly half of what I would have paid had I not used the advice I found on a blog!
Look for coupons and free shipping deals!
Here’s my best money saving tip:
When you’re ready to do your shopping, transfer the amount you want to spend for each person onto a store shopping card. Say you only want to spend $15 per person and you have five people on your list - well, get 5 shopping cards and put $15 on each one. Put each person’s name on the card. Then, when you are shopping for that person, pull out that person’s card and hold it in your hand while you shop. This serves as a physical reminder that you only have $15 to spend on this person. When you’ve used up the amount on the card, you’re done. That’s it. No adding more money or whatever. This method forces you to stick to your per person budget. When you go through the line, each person’s gifts should be rung up as separate transactions so that you aren’t tempted to go over. If your items total more than what’s on the card, put something back.
Hope this helps!
Twittered a new money saving tip at
http://twitter.com/kiriseth
My best money saving tip for the holidays is to buy your holiday wrapping paper at the dollar store. My local dollar store has several of the holiday character wrapping paper including CARS, Disney Princess, Dora and more! They also have regular chrismas paper. Buying my wrapping paper there has saved me a ton of money!
My tip is to turn off your tv. SO much is pushed upon us, and those clever marketing execs really know how to hit us hard. I find that simply turning off the tv during December is my best money saving tip. Generally I know who I am going to buy for by the first week of December (not that many to begin with) then I simply send everyone else a card. The television is what seems to drive me to buy, I can’t resist the urge to shop after an afternoon of television. So, DVR your favorite show (and fast-forward the commericals) and watch alot of DVDs during December.
You buy items on sale and pocket the difference of what you would have spent. I was so hung up on that but realized they are still getting a nice gift and there is no reason to spend a certain amount. Its the thought that counts right?
brownell98@msn.com
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.
This year with the way the economy is.. and how it is getting worse, Our family has decided to change our Holiday spending. We have a few ways we are doing this. #1 we are buying more online gifts. This way we save time and gas by not driving to stores and waiting in log lines to chec out. It is amazing how you can find many interesting gifts online too, that stores dont usually carry.#2 We are thinking more outside the box and buying more practical gifts. Ones that can serve more than one purpose. For example. For stocking stuffers I bought the kids musical toothbrushes, they will love them, but I love them as well, cause maybe now I wont have to argue with them as much to brush their teeth. #3 We made a budget and are sticking to it. This probably should have been #1 but I just remembered it. We have planned out who all we need to buy for this year, no one had to be cut, which is wonderful, but we did have to cut back some on each person.#4 We decided to Combine gifts. Instead of buying a gift per person we decided to buy 1 “family” gift, this saves us a lot of money, but also, we get to get 1 bigger gift for the family to enjoy instead of a bunch of smaller ones. An example of this is: We would usually spend $50 per person for my sister and her family, which consists of 6 people total. $50 x6 = $300, so instead we bought them a nintendo wii, that they all canplay, and it only cost us $250 ! So right there we saved $50 and they will LOVE their gift, and we love the savings. #5 Instead of the kids buying gifts for everyone, we have made homemade “from the heart” gifts this year. Such as Pretty glittery picture frames with their darling pictures in them for the grandparents, woven bracelets for girl cousins, baked goods for teachers and uncles, painted “pet rocks” for boy cousins, handmade potholders for aunts. Also we made some homemade jams for people in our church.
My money saving tip #1: Shop the day after Christmas for the best deals on returns and open box / floor items! Most returns are not because of defective products, but simply because someone didn’t like it, so ou can get great discounts when they return the items to the store
I also subscribed to your RSS feed
Money Saving Tip #2: Save all your cans and bottles! No doubt many of you will have some kind of holiday party, so save all your cans and bottles for recycling. Not only does it help the environment, but you can get some of your money back as well!
I love using my credit card bonuses at holiday time. You can get gift cards for less than face value sometimes too.
I subscribed via RSS
Costco offers great gift cards under face value, many can be ordered online. Those are another favorite.
Tip #1
I buy items on clearance and keep them in a closet in the hallway. My kids are ALWAYS getting invited to birthday parties and at $20 a gift here and then again a week later, it gets so expensive just for your child to be a guest at the parties (not to mention how much we as parents pay to host!!) Libby Lu is going out of bizness and everything is 50 % and more off so I just stocked up on little girl gifts since my daughter has tons o pre-k and dance class friends.
I am subscribed to your RSS feed in my google reader
Tip #2 ) limit coffee splurges from starbucks and dunkin donuts that are easily several dollars per cup X however many times you go per week. We got a Keurig machine from Costco that came bundled with coffee pods, plus a rebate to get even more free coffee pods. THe machine was around $100 but will have paid for itself in just a few months!!!!
Twittered my 3rd tip
http://twitter.com/hellokittiemama/status/1044056708
Also my email address is entered into the form but for the comments above it is also here:
hellokittiemama at gmail dot com
My moneysavings Christmas tip is on my blog as well, couponize, you can save a lot of money on your food bill using coupons and with the savings you can buy more gifts
My best money saving tip is to agree not to exchange gifts with adults!
mommynamedapril @ gmail.com
My second money saving tip is to buy generic!!! (and use coupons) I save a top of cash this way
I tweeted the contest here: http://twitter.com/MommyNamedApril/status/1044441324
mommynamedapril @ gmail.com
my third money saving tip is to make a budget and stick to it! the best way i can to this is to withdraw only the amount of money i am allowed to spend. when it’s gone, that’s IT.
i am subscribed to your RSS feed!
mommynamedapril @ gmail.com
i twittered
http://www.twitter.com/pami22
I use coupons it helps alot..
I subscribed
scottpamela@ymail.com
I always wait to get the add in my mailbox and buy whats on sale they always have stuff i can use…
I also buy containers and bake for gifts saves lots of money than buying ready made and its a sweet thoughtful gift…
I added your post to my blog: http://workingmomscanblogtoo.blogspot.com/2008/12/500-walmart-gift-card.html
Try to buy non-perishable items in bulk when they are on sale and you can combine sales with coupons. So, when you run out of something, you go to the pantry, not the store.
make homemade gifts
[...] GeekMommy’s WebLife: Win a $500 Walmart Gift Card Ends: Dec 15 (Noon PST) [...]
One way I save money is to get things for free online! Through a group called Freecycle.org, you can connect with people in your area who are giving things away
Not only have I gotten useful items, but sometimes brand new ones! 
I also blogged your contest here: http://mediamafia.org/enter_now/?p=983
My best money saving tip is to draw names amongst the adults in your family. That way I only have to buy one gift instead of 15!
My best holiday money saving tip would be to shop all through the year and especially after Christmas when things are marked drastically down! I also look through a lot of the online deal sites on a daily basis. ~
Thanks for the GREAT giveaway!
My money saving tip is to buy Christmas gifts at the after Christmas sales. You get your shipping done a year early at 50%-75% off retail prices.
#11Nick Twittered at http://twitter.com/HopelesslyDeb/status/1046814641
Money saving tip: Get together with your friends and have an annual holiday potluck instead of giving gifts. The time spent relaxing and catching up during the hectic holiday season is refreshing!
To save some money on decorating this holiday, do a swap with a friend. You’ll both have some “new” stuff and you don’t have to spend a dime!!
I subscribed via google reader
My advice: make a budget and stick to it!!!
I subscribed via googlereader!
More advice: Draw names for adults in the family…everyone gives one gift, everyone gets one gift!
I’ve referenced you on my own blog —
http://blondiejenthemom.blogspot.com/2008/12/giveaways.html
And here’s another tip: reuse, reuse, reuse. Take anything old and make it something new. An old teacup and saucer plus candle wax (Wal-Mart) and superglue equals a pretty candle. If you sew, an old sweater becomes a new caplet. An old white t-shirt becomes a new tie-dyed one. The possibilities are endless. And you don’t have to be a craft genius to do it!
I’ve subscribed — and here’ a tip —
My stepdad’s mom used to give each of her grandchildren a crisp, new $1 bill for Christmas. She had a ton of grandchildren and a limited budget, so this was a big deal. You’d be amazed at how many of them still treasure that memory, as well as the gift.
Our teachers and schools always need stuff.
Instead of a personal gift for a teacher, buy him/her a book for the class. Or donate an old computer you don’t use. Give a gift certificate to the teacher for the amount of time you’d like to volunteer for the rest of the year.
Have a cookie exchange!! This is a great way to save time and money plus with all the extra cookies, plate them and give them as gifts
Happy Holidays!
Kathleen
andersonmanly@gmail.com
My money saving tip is to shop online and use coupon codes for already discounted items!!! It saves alot of money!
My money saving tip is to shop online and use coupon codes for already discounted items!!! It saves alot of money!
Tessy409@yahoo.com
We try to save money by getting things on sale throughout the year. We also have given pictures as gifts, we just buy a frame. My husband is a musician so he has recorded some of his music himself and we have given that as gifts. I have made jewlery, and candies…..we have alot of people to buy for on a small budget, so it helps to make us creative with our gifts:) This year I have purchased some items on Etsy and that has been really helpful in saving money and finding cute unique things.
ggp42304(at)gmail(dotcom)
i garage sale in the spring & fall.
you can find every kind of holiday item at garage sales — decorations, cards, wrapping paper, tape, tissue paper, bows and on & on — and dirt cheap.
http://twitter.com/dpenna/status/1047970791
There’s my Twitter post…er, um, Tweet?
Money Saving Tip: wrap gifts with old newspapers…not only do you save money but you reuse valuable resources!
My 2nd entry and money saving tip: Buy party decorations, wrapping supplies, and even dinnerware at the Dollar Store. I was just there yesterday and they have a ton of stuff - even wrapping paper with the cartoon characters kids love…Dora, Spongebob, etc.
3rd entry (subscribing by RSS feed, can’t believe I wasn’t already subscribed!!!) and money saving tip: Have a holiday potluck. Don’t make one family make all the food…meaning, the family hosting the Christmas get-together. If everyone brings a dish, everyone shares in the cost of Christmas dinner and the host can enjoy spending time with all her guests!
Love this site! sorry, no blog. My money saving tip is to shop on-line. I have found some great bargains this year, along wtih free shipping on lots of sites, and always, always use a cash back site, like Ebates.
Judy
jujuhul2002@yahoo.com
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!
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! You could get together with friends/family and to this for other toys as well.
This year instead of gifts for friends, we had a girls night in. Everyone brings their favorite food to share, throw in some wine/cocktails, we played a game (What’s a Dame to Do?!). We all gave and received the gift of time with friends and we laughed. A lot. Best gift ever.
I subscribed via email
cheransalvaggio@yahoo.com
My money saving tip is make a budget and stick to it
My best advice is to do what we do: live beneath your means, not just during the holidays, but always. This year, we’ve cut back on gifts even more, and it makes the gifts we do exchange that much more special. Don’t buy into all the media hype and stereotypical ads that make buying look like so much fun. At the end of the day (or month) someone has to actually pay for everything. Buying and shopping is not fun unless it has real meaning, AND only if you can actually afford the item.
When Christmas shopping take a list and don’t use a shopping cart. Without a cart you’ll be forced to carry everything you want to buy, which helps you stick to the list.
onefrugalgirl AT gmail DOT com
Always buy things that are on sale only and always pair with a coupon. Don’t use a cart and have a list of what and/or who you’re buying for and the limit you want to spend.
I match coupons with sales and play the CVS game to save the most. I also make gifts from scratch (baking or crafts).
I subbed! New tip: visit the elevenmoms for more ways to save!
Think outside the box for gifts …. you can make a gift basket with almost any theme!
Holiday meals are well planned so we can purchase our non-perishables in advance with coupons and sales. Stocking up on flour, chocolate and sugar for holiday baking makes the postage to send the sweets across the country seem okay.
Thanks for the opportunity to win such a generous giveaway!
My best money saving tip is to draw names for extended family gifts.
I buy little things all year long. Mostly things to go in my kids’ stockings, because filling them can really add up if you do it all at once.
My sisters and I also rotate family giving, so each year we only give to one family, not every family.
Terrific giveaway. Thanks!
Make something (like these pocket organizers at http://organize-my-life.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-pocket-organizer.html). They are cheap and easy to make. You can also personalize them.
http://organize-my-life.blogspot.com/2008/12/giveaway_909.html
I subscribed.
Look around your house (we’re giving my sister a video game that we no longer use but would be too expensive to buy new)
I like to price-match at Walmart whenever possible. It saves me time by not having to go to so many stores, and sometimes saving a lot of gas by going to a city with a walmart but not the other stores like target or meijers. I’m so glad they offer this!
I like to shop all year long, and I love shopping at yard sales in the summer. I have found decent appliances, and a ton of good books. I find a lot of good toys/books for my children that I save for Christmas and birthdays. I posted about this on my blog:
http://whimsicalblessings.blogspot.com/2008/12/november-brag-book.html
I subscribed! I save money by making a list and going to stores as seldom as possible. I generally go every 2 weeks, so this saves me gas and makes me be really organized. I find that when I go to the store less, I spend less. I also started buying groceries in bulk and found a local Amish store that has really reasonable prices for health foods.
My best money saving tip for the holidays is to draw names for Christmas presents instead of having to buy a present for every single person in the family. We do this at my grandma’s house and I end up only spending $50 instead of about $300.
My family’s favorite way to save money at Christmas is actually to buy fewer toys for the kids! We get each child two or three toys, but since they want to unwrap lots of presents we buy Pop Tarts, their favorite sugared cereals (which we never buy otherwise), and other treats to wrap up. They love it!
This year we splurged again and bought a Christmas tree, not a success in my mission towards frugality. However, when we arrived at the tree lot I noticed a sign above a stack of boughs that said “Free.” My favorite! So, I have Christmas boughs decorating our house for free. The tip? Check your local Christmas tree lot for free boughs.
My money saving tip is to give gifts of time. Babysit for friends with kids, take elderly people out on errands or shopping, take the garbage out for neighbors, etc.
Happy Holidays!
makemorecents@hotmail.com
Holiday Tip: Don’t be afraid to give homeade gifts…. Those gifts in a jar are cute… and who don’t want a cookie in a jar… They are Yum… So go ahead and make me something homemade this year.
Thanks for the contest.
My best money saving tip is to go homemade. This year we’ve made our own Christmas cards, tree ornaments/decorations, and gifts.
I subscribed to your feed. Another money saving tip is to not put lights on your house. It’s fine to decorate outside but do we really need the lights eating away at our electric bill?
Oh and I forgot to leave my e-mail address: grogereva2[at]aol[dot]com. Thanks for the great giveaway!
Create your own “living” evergreen wreath. Start with a circular oasis. Collect evergreen and herb clippings from your yard (ie: bayberry, holly, juniper, sage, etc.) and insert them into the oasis until it’s covered. Add berries, dried flowers, etc. To finish put a candle in the center and set up on a pillar cake stand. Beautiful and inexpensive! Be sure to soak oasis once a week and mist daily to keep it green.
Check dealcatcher.com before buying anything. They list current internet and in-store deals as well as on-line coupon codes.
We are converting old family slides that no one has seen in years to DVD format for all of my family. My dad passed away 3 yrs. ago and this will be very sentimental yet inexpensive!
My best money saving tip is to buy christmas gifts for people all year long. I also put aside ten dollars a week and at the end of the month I buy one Christmas gift for someone. I also buy all my wrapping paper and cards the day after christmas for the following year. This is a good time to buy future birthday gifts also.
Tip: Cut Cable, join Netflix instead.
What a great contest!
My best tip is to shop around, there are lots of great price comparison sites, even ones that give you an idea if a price will keep going down - also coupon code sites are great
I subscribed to your feed. I love saving money, so your site is great.
My money saving tip…create something homemade for Christmas gifts. I have been making calendars for our moms for the last few years. They love it because it is personalized with their grandkids on it and it lasts all year…then when they are done it turns into a scrapbook.
I blogged about your contest.
Tip: Go shopping with a strict budget and a shopping list. Stick to both. Watch the ads for coupons or sales on those particular items. We did this this year and saved ourselves a lot of money.
One last tip….
Go without a soda or coffee each day. That is a minimum of $10.00 a week. You will save money and it is better for your health. If you put that in a bank all year think of the money you would have a Christmas time.
Baking instead of buy gifts saves lots of money.
This year, the best thing we’ve done to save money is to create a simple spreadsheet template for our Christmas list/budget. We have each person’s name, budgeted amount, a place to write the items we’ve purchased, a column to write how much is left to spend, and one more column with additional gift ideas. It has been a great way to keep our list and spending organized and under control!
Well, I subscribed to your blog…Another money saving tip is to do at least some handmade gifts. We are making cards for a few people as well as baked goods.
My first money saving tip it to pay cash for everything. It’s “real” money (as opposed to credit cards) so you’re more aware of how much you’re spending. And no nasty credit card bills in January!
My next tip would be to shop around, especially online. I got some great deals by checking multiple web sites before I bought something, and by having it shipped to people directly I saved all the postage costs.
Third tip is to reevaluate who you’re buying for. I found that I was buying for coworkers who weren’t really friends, nice people, just somehow we fell into the habit of exchanging gifts when we didn’t need to. Once my gift list was narrowed down I was able to bake for people I usually bought a gift for and it cost less money. I bake (too much) anyway and I was still able to give them something, and it’s something they’d probably appreciate more than another candle or widget.
For family and friends that live nearby, I make a large pot of soup and take a bowl of it over to them (enough to feed the whole family of course) and give them the gift of a night off of dinner-duty. Soup is a cheap meal to make, and I know any mom would appreciate a night off of making dinner! Just make sure to take it over BEFORE Christmas, so the recipients can really appreciate it during the busy Christmas season. And if they can’t use it that night for dinner, you can let them know that they can freeze it and use it another night when it would be more convenient.
I found out about a cool website this year where you can send out free personalized photo postcards, postage paid and everything! The website is http://www.hippopost.com. You can only send out a certain amount per day, but with planning, you can send out your Christmas cards for free and even have your family picture on the front! That’s what we did this year to help save money, because even the postage is free (they put a small advertisement on the back & they’re the ones that pay for it). Enjoy!
One new tradition my extended family has started is to each bring a typed up memory (Christmas or childhood memory) to our Christmas party instead of gifts. And then we all go around and share our memory with each other and reminisce on all the good-old-times or simply enjoy hearing new stories about each other. We then compile all the stories into a book, so we can read them over and over again. This takes the stress out of buying presents for everyone, and instead puts the focus back on family, where it should be.
My best money savings tip during THIS holiday has been to honestly discuss the financial strain everybody is under with our loved ones and set a spending limit for presents so nobody ends up overextending themselves too much.
My best money saving tip is to read blogs and enter contests. You can win all kinds of things by entering blog giveaways. There’s something for everyone. I’ve won a few things this year and saved them for Christmas gifts this year. It has saved on the amount of gifts I’d have to purchase and has really helped my limited budget this year.
Since my husband and I are just students we have been learning a lot about going green and saving money. We read that even when appliances are turned off but still plugged into the outlet they still use energy and run the meeter. We have taken out all the appliances we are not using and turned down the heater just a few degrees at night and have changed out bills from $197 and $98 to $98 and $18. A good way to save while celebrating the holidays.
I have subscribed to your wonderful blog! Another tip I have is to shop as often as possible at thrift stores. We purchased a basically new play kitchen for our little girl for $4.00!
i gather all the gift bags and reusable gift wrap i can each time i’m at a gift exchange
creativeendeavorsby (@) gmail (dot) com
If you’re a little strapped for cash this season to buy holiday gifts, but want to give at least something, consider making a small donation to charities such as March of Dimes (https://www.marchofdimes.com/howtohelp/donation_in_honor.asp). You can donate as little as $1 in someone’s name and it will help that charity tremendously. You can also printout a receipt that shows the gift recipient’s name and the name of the charity (the amount will not show). This a beautiful, priceless gift that will mayou and the gift recipient feel good. It really embodies the holiday spirit of giving.
I love doing home-made Christmas stuff. I make butter cookies and toffee for friends every year, and usually attach a small cute ornament. I love making homemade ornaments with my kids, and giving those away. I also love putting my craft skills to use and making my own Christmas cards and presents.
One money saving tip that really helped me this year was to start buying presents for people in July and just buy a few presents each month. By spacing it out and looking for things on sale it wasn’t a blast to our checking account in December. Also we choose names for our big family gatherings!! I could sure use this card to start saving in January!
Thanks!
To save money, in our family we pretty much limit the gift giving to the children. Amongst the adults we draw names and put a gift under the tree for the name picked. It´s a huge relief for all involved and spares the wasted money and embarrassment of someone unwrapping a half dozen sweaters or six sets of bath salts.
I subcribed by e-mail and here is my second tip:
I have a very large extended family that gets together for Christmas dinner. One way we share the workload and the cost is by dividing up the cooking responsibilities and then bringing it all together. Everyone gets to prepare their “speciality” and no one slaves away in the kitchen doing the whole thing.
Instead of spending money on extended family gifts get together and play “Santa’s Trash Bag” game. Each person brings one gift from a dollar store, like “Dollar Tree”, that is actually useful, like a new spatula. Each person takes a turn getting something out of the trash bag without peeking. To make it a little more “high-stakes” put one nice gift like a gift card in the trash bag. Whoever wins the gift card this year, brings next year’s gift card for the game.
My best money saving tip is always shop the day after Christmas. There are some real great deals then, and not just on holiday decorations. I have found some wonderful gifts for next year on the day after. Thanks for the giveaway.
I subsribed to your feed via Google Reader!
here’s my tip to go with this entry:
For many of us bargain shoppers we can get carried away with the deals and end up with way too many gifts for one kid and fewer for the others (ask me how I know). Don’t stress out and try to go buy more gifts for the others. Instead, put away some of the excess good-deal toys for birthdays, Easter Baskets, Valentine’s Day, Summer Fun, etc.
I twittered… save money this holiday season by reusing toys (i.e. hand me downs, consignment items, etc. ) #nick #11moms
http://twitter.com/naturalmommy/status/1057724388
Give homemade gifts such as baked goods and crafts.
davidandjilljacobs@hotmail.com
I try to shop all year long. Hit those clearance racks and keep Christmas in mind all year long. It does come at the same time every year and it can sneak up on you if you don’t plan. Stay organized.
Christmas craft day with my sisters!! We make homemade gifts for all the nieces and nephews and some for friends and neighbors if time permits. We save money and make memories at the same time!
My girlfriends and I have found the best money-saving Christmas gift EVER to give each other each year. There are 6 of us, and we each give the other five friends 3 homemade gift certificates for a free night of babysitting. That means each of us gets 15 nights of free babysitting, and we have 5 friends to choose from in order to find a sitter for a particular night. Thanks to this regular practice, we’re saving hundreds of dollars each year on babysitting fees, plus we’re saving the cost of buying 5 different Christmas gifts. The best part is, in giving our babysitting gift certificates, we are guaranteeing that all of our kids will grow up having ahad close contact with each other, making them good buddies and forever friends - we’re passing the circle of friendship onto the next generation.
I just subscribed to your feed. Can’t wait to get more helpful tips on saving my hard earned dollar.
I follow a website that tracks all the deals in the grocery stores locally and what coupons to use. I only buy food on sale and plan my meals around what food we have in the home. I have saved more money than I ever thought possible. It pays to be CHEAP!
I like to do a little shopping here and there throughout the year. When there is a sale and I see something that one of my friends or family members might enjoy, I buy it and save it. Around Christmas I take those “gifts” that I’ve been collecting and saving throughout the year and it takes the weight off of Christmas shopping. I am not stressed about time or going to busy shopping malls (although I still inevitably have a gift or two to purchase). Since I distribute my purchases throughout the year and I buy on sale I end up saving a lot of money
My holiday money saving tips are to: shop at Walmart!! (they have the best stuff and are cutting prices on ALOT of great products! Alot of their products are at the lowest price you’ll see this season! stuff is even cheaper than Toys R US on sale!) and its been the talk of all the analysts out there!, spend within your means, and use coupons and online discount codes (there are tons out there) one great site to check out is retailmenot.com! I hope I win!! I love walmart!!
My money saving tip: During the holidays many grocery stores offer great deals. Read the grocery circulars every week and make a list of whats on sale where. Clip coupons and use store brands instead of the leading brands. Stock up while everything is on sale. Shop Black Friday and save a bundle.
I subscribed by email.
My holiday tip is to make your decorations. Get some holly, evergreen branches, popcorn, berries, ribbon, glitter and maybe some flowers. Make a wreath, swag and a centerpiece for the table.
I blogged about this giveaway a@ http://quicktattletail.blogspot.com/
My very best tip would be to shop on Black Friday. Get all the ads on Thanksgiving. Write down the gifts you plan on getting people and make a list for each store that has what you need. You will find some fabulous savings!
Never throw away gift bags. You can you them many times. It saves a ton of money and it is way faster than wrapping.
Also - you don’t need any tape.
my best money saving tip for the holidays is to bake/make your gift instead. You can spend $30 and have enough gifts for 6 instead of one!
Tip # 2 (signed up via rss in my viigo account):
think outside the box when it comes to wrapping paper. Have the kids color white paper bags with holiday scenes and use that instead!
Tip #3 I twittered it - http://twitter.com/triggrickswife
Instead of buying gifts, give services to your friends and family. Make coupons w/ such sayings as dinner for a week, babysitting 2x/month, helping out w/ the garden or housework. The only expense will be your time!
I always start shopping early in the year. Even the week after Christmas. This is when I get great buys on toys for birthdays throughout the year. Also, I always go to consignment sales with good deals such as mothers of multiples. This is where I get most of my gifts and clothes. I am able to buy entire wardrobes for my kids up through size 16 for 50 dollars. They also only sell clothes that aren’t stained etc.
Do your shopping online! Not only do you save on gas, but many sites offer free shipping around Christmas! You can even have your gift shipped directly to the recipient, saving you postage to send it yourself!
My money saving holiday tip is to make presents instead of buying them - although craft supplies can add up, it’s pretty easy to be creative and spend way less than if you were to buy stuff!
Take advantage of cashback sites such as ebates…may not be a ton of $, but the extra amount I have stocked up from going thru ebates as I shop online for Christmas has generated enough funds to pay a few small household bills after Christmas, when money is right. Be sure to check to see if the site you will be shopping at has any coupon codes/specials, as ebates often will have % off or free shipping deals too!
#2 consider photo gifts for family members, especially grandparents, etc. They can be hard to buy for, but most cherish photo keepsakes such as calendars, photo books, etc. and you can usually find coupon codes for these if you are on alert. I made a free photo book this year for the grandparents, and the calendars are always their favorite gifts!
#3 Read frugal blogs! I have found so many great deals I would not have known about otherwise just by spending a little bit of time peeking at a variety of frugal blogs, such as a buy 2 get 1 free board game sale on amazon, and rock bottom prices on things that I read posted on the internet by another mommy looking to save some money!
I know that the first thing on everyone’s list is to make and bake holiday gifts, and that is a great thing that I do as well. Sometimes that just doesn’t work for everyone on your list, I have come up with another great idea. Buy baskets, then find dollar deals or 5 dollar deals, to stock pile your baskets.
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THIS CONTEST IS NOW OFFICIALLY CLOSED
WINNER WILL BE DRAWN AT RANDOM FROM ALL ELIGIBLE ENTRIES RECEIVED UP TO THIS POINT
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The winner will be announced in a separate post later today along with a couple of my favorite tips! You guys really are amazing!! Good luck to all and thanks for making this such a fun contest for me!
~GeekMommy
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