Welcome to another week of Monday's Mommy! Join me in welcoming Jill of Life is Not Bubble Wrapped. Jill is a stay-at-home-mom to two adorable little girls.
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Like it or not, the holiday season is just around the corner. We’ll be
sorting through Halloween candy, surreptitiously unbuttoning our
collective waistbands at the Thanksgiving table, and then, the crush
arrives. We have a month to shop for gifts. Or do you start sooner? Are
you one that has all your shopping done in July? If so, share your tips
in the comments!
Save in advance (large chunk option) - Several times in the last few years we have put money aside into a 'can't touch' savings account at our bank. This spring we put a large chunk in at tax time. Oh did I taste the regret a few times the bank got slim before payday, but we always just waited it out, bought weensy bits of groceries and made do. However, we'll have a nice little stash to take from when it’s time to shop. Our bank happens to disburse the funds the first of October, which is nice, because you don't miss out on any sales waiting for your next paycheck. Yes we could use a credit card, and we have, but who wants that hanging over their heads?
(Small chunk option) - We have set aside $25/paycheck as well, and as the time got closer, we added bits here and there (when there were 3 paychecks to a month, for example). Since you can't touch it, there's no worry about spending it. I know some people get by with envelopes or other things, but this does work well for us. An easy way to do it is to look at how much you want to (realistically) spend, total up each person (also foodstuffs if you are entertaining) and then divide by 12 and start OCTOBER for next year. Divide it by 24 and do it twice a month. Or if you don't have a cushion, wait until January and divide by 10. Yes, you'll have a little less in the budget every month, but you won't run up a charge account either.
Use your hand(iwork) - Obviously, some people would rather have food gifts, or homemade items, and those you can start NOW! Don't wait. If you have a craft (knitting, sewing, etc) you can be working on it during all the new show previews. Eh, if they're not so good, at least you accomplished something. Make food gifts in November before Thanksgiving, and distribute them in the first couple of weeks of December. Everyone needs cookies for SOMETHING, whether to take to a nursing home for a loved one, for their kid's school parties, or in case of drop-in relatives. Most cookies freeze well, and a couple dozen fills a tin to the brim. Take some ideas from pinterest, but don't go crazy, especially if it's a recipe you've never tried before. Work on a cute wrapping technique, card message, or what have you, but let it inspire, not take over, your current style.
Buy in ‘bulk’ and get perks - Last year we bought a whole slew of things from a department store website Thanksgiving morning and got their store ‘cash’. We used this store credit to purchase clothing for our oldest daughter for THIS year. I happily unpacked her stuff and washed it a few weeks ago, and she has name brand clothes for free! Some credit cards (especially department store ones) also have perks attached to them. I have about $50 worth of credit ready to go for NEXT year’s wardrobe now!
Save your change - Now, for us, this only works to an extent. We mostly use debit/credit and cash is a rare thing, but if your family uses a lot of cash (for ballgames, paying the bartender on your night out) don’t re-use the cash, STASH IT! If you take out $30 and you only need $26, that’s $4 that you don’t have to pay out of your pocket when the bells start to ring (and hey, you might not feel bad slipping those ding-a-lingers some change since you’re saving so much). Don’t forget to take the cash from a ‘free’ machine or from a merchant that allows you to debit for free, and save the ATM surcharge!
Gift wrap on the cheap - Save those precious drawings by your 4 year old and let them ‘paper’ your gifts. Reusable gift bags and boxes can last for years if they are put away nicely at the end of the season. I’ve never been one for newspaper (the print rubs off on my hands), but I’ve heard even that works in a pinch. Using an all-in-one paper can also save you some green: solid, dotted, or striped blue, green, red, or white papers can do for birthdays through the end of the year festivities. Buy large rolls at the end of the season on clearance. Save the scraps, too, and wrap stocking stuffers or other small gifts with these leftovers. Using a gift to wrap a gift is a favorite of mine, too. Wrap a bowl in a dishtowel and top with a wooden spoon and recipe card! When possible, purchase things that don’t need wrapped, like tickets to events or items decoratively boxed. Last but not least, try not to wrap anything larger than your standard roll of paper can fit. Keep the gift out of sight, and have the person unwrap a card or small box with a picture of the large gift in it. You’ll save yourself the hassle and waste. Don’t forget to recycle!
Save in advance (large chunk option) - Several times in the last few years we have put money aside into a 'can't touch' savings account at our bank. This spring we put a large chunk in at tax time. Oh did I taste the regret a few times the bank got slim before payday, but we always just waited it out, bought weensy bits of groceries and made do. However, we'll have a nice little stash to take from when it’s time to shop. Our bank happens to disburse the funds the first of October, which is nice, because you don't miss out on any sales waiting for your next paycheck. Yes we could use a credit card, and we have, but who wants that hanging over their heads?
(Small chunk option) - We have set aside $25/paycheck as well, and as the time got closer, we added bits here and there (when there were 3 paychecks to a month, for example). Since you can't touch it, there's no worry about spending it. I know some people get by with envelopes or other things, but this does work well for us. An easy way to do it is to look at how much you want to (realistically) spend, total up each person (also foodstuffs if you are entertaining) and then divide by 12 and start OCTOBER for next year. Divide it by 24 and do it twice a month. Or if you don't have a cushion, wait until January and divide by 10. Yes, you'll have a little less in the budget every month, but you won't run up a charge account either.
Use your hand(iwork) - Obviously, some people would rather have food gifts, or homemade items, and those you can start NOW! Don't wait. If you have a craft (knitting, sewing, etc) you can be working on it during all the new show previews. Eh, if they're not so good, at least you accomplished something. Make food gifts in November before Thanksgiving, and distribute them in the first couple of weeks of December. Everyone needs cookies for SOMETHING, whether to take to a nursing home for a loved one, for their kid's school parties, or in case of drop-in relatives. Most cookies freeze well, and a couple dozen fills a tin to the brim. Take some ideas from pinterest, but don't go crazy, especially if it's a recipe you've never tried before. Work on a cute wrapping technique, card message, or what have you, but let it inspire, not take over, your current style.
Buy in ‘bulk’ and get perks - Last year we bought a whole slew of things from a department store website Thanksgiving morning and got their store ‘cash’. We used this store credit to purchase clothing for our oldest daughter for THIS year. I happily unpacked her stuff and washed it a few weeks ago, and she has name brand clothes for free! Some credit cards (especially department store ones) also have perks attached to them. I have about $50 worth of credit ready to go for NEXT year’s wardrobe now!
Save your change - Now, for us, this only works to an extent. We mostly use debit/credit and cash is a rare thing, but if your family uses a lot of cash (for ballgames, paying the bartender on your night out) don’t re-use the cash, STASH IT! If you take out $30 and you only need $26, that’s $4 that you don’t have to pay out of your pocket when the bells start to ring (and hey, you might not feel bad slipping those ding-a-lingers some change since you’re saving so much). Don’t forget to take the cash from a ‘free’ machine or from a merchant that allows you to debit for free, and save the ATM surcharge!
Gift wrap on the cheap - Save those precious drawings by your 4 year old and let them ‘paper’ your gifts. Reusable gift bags and boxes can last for years if they are put away nicely at the end of the season. I’ve never been one for newspaper (the print rubs off on my hands), but I’ve heard even that works in a pinch. Using an all-in-one paper can also save you some green: solid, dotted, or striped blue, green, red, or white papers can do for birthdays through the end of the year festivities. Buy large rolls at the end of the season on clearance. Save the scraps, too, and wrap stocking stuffers or other small gifts with these leftovers. Using a gift to wrap a gift is a favorite of mine, too. Wrap a bowl in a dishtowel and top with a wooden spoon and recipe card! When possible, purchase things that don’t need wrapped, like tickets to events or items decoratively boxed. Last but not least, try not to wrap anything larger than your standard roll of paper can fit. Keep the gift out of sight, and have the person unwrap a card or small box with a picture of the large gift in it. You’ll save yourself the hassle and waste. Don’t forget to recycle!
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