I was telling someone this weekend that the secret to enjoying the Christmas holidays often rests in the ability to think of Christmas well ahead of day. Advanced planning is the only way to save money, time and effort in preparing for the holidays. So, start now in order to enjoy a hassle free holiday. Here are a few tips to get you started...
Be a perennial shopper. Keep an eye out throughout the year for great sales and clearance items that you can take advantage. Pick a theme an build gift baskets around it by filling it with end of season items, great sales items, and clearance items that you find throughout the year. Examples: (1) Flip flops, beach ball, beach towel, beach chair (with fan!), frisbee - all for $23. (2) Golf shirt, Scrabble (golf version), box of golf balls, and magnetic poetry - golf version - $25. (3) Stainless steel coffee thermo, 3 lbs of gourmet coffee, NY Crossword Puzzle book -$18. (4) Hand painted needlepoint canvas, assorted threads, needlepoint scissors, and needle case - $20. Great stuff. Cheap Prices. True Bargains.
Store Gifts in One Location. It's just easier to keep everything in one place. I put all gift purchases in an armoire. And organization is key to saving effort. In the armoire, I've got gift bags set up for the different themes, labelled with the intended recipient's name. I toss items in the bags, so everything is pre-sorted come the holidays.
Make your gift list. I keep my gift list in my armoire. I cross names off the list as I stock the gift armoire with purchases. This helps me keep track of who I've bought for, what I've bought, and how much inventory I've got left to work with.
Know your sales. I've been tracking my favorite stores for so long, I know when the best time to do my shopping. Every Columbus Day weekend, Toys R Us runs a Buy One; Get One Free Hasbro Game Sale. LL Bean Outlet runs a 50% off Canvas Tote bag sale. Michaels runs 25% off Everything in the Store Sale. And yes, every year, I'm there stockpiling, games, tote bags, and arts & crafts at deep discount.
Yard Sales, Garage Sales, Estate Sales, whatever - just go. You'd be amazed at the great gifts that you can be found at bargain prices. A copper weather vane (great gift for a friend's barn), original edition Scrabble (for a crossword enthusiast), antique tools and hinges (for a woodworking hobbyist), and a cordless cookie gun and cake decorating kit (for me, the baker- even I need a luxury every now and then.)
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Monday, August 31, 2009
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Fab and Frugal Holiday Parties
Still contemplating throwing a holiday bash, but budgets and time a concern. Be resourceful. Throw a fabulous party by using some of these great tips:
Online PartyPlanning. Get organized. Get tips and tools to party planning with ease. Invite by e-cards and save yourself the cost of postage. Check out My Punchbowl and Evite.
Keep track of your RSVPs. Keep track of your headcount to help manage the quantity of food. Rule of thumb - 10% of those individuals who confirm attendance don't show up. Factor this % into your meal planning efforts
Off to Costco You Go. Buy the wine by the case, flowers, and beer. Pull some appetizers from the freezer and you're on to a well planned menu.
Potluck. It's not the dirty word it once was. If someone offers to bring something, be ready with assignments.
Music: Go to your local library, borrow a few holiday CDs and burn them on to your MP3 player.
GingerBread Houses. Buy a few gingerbread house kits. Set up a table with candies and tubes of frosting. Have teams of people decorate. Give a prize for the best one. Raffle off the others.
Hit the sales for platters and pitchers. Great deals for platters, pitchers (for water, instead of the more expensive option, bottled water) are currently being advertised by Macys, Kohls, TJ Maxx, ect.
Sparkle your home with homemade decorations. Do candles in votives in mason jars; group ornaments in a large glass vase; make a snowflake paper chain; snip some firs from a tree in your backyard. For other clever low-cost holiday ideas, check out suggestions from popular magazines like Real Simple; Martha Stewart Living; Good Housekeeping or Country Living. And when you head out to the craft store for your supplies, don't forget your coupons!
Inexpensive china. Fancier than buying paper products, but you can re-use them. Target offers a number of holiday dinner lines. In-store discounts are better than the online store.
Linens. Head to JoAnn's (with a 40% off coupon) and buy some inexpensive holiday fabric to drape over tables for tableclothes or to use as decorative banners around your home.
Party starter. Kick start your party with a ice breaker game or two. Christmas Trivia, Christmas Right Left Game, Name that Carol, are a few good options.
Have yourself a Merry Merry.
Online PartyPlanning. Get organized. Get tips and tools to party planning with ease. Invite by e-cards and save yourself the cost of postage. Check out My Punchbowl and Evite.
Keep track of your RSVPs. Keep track of your headcount to help manage the quantity of food. Rule of thumb - 10% of those individuals who confirm attendance don't show up. Factor this % into your meal planning efforts
Off to Costco You Go. Buy the wine by the case, flowers, and beer. Pull some appetizers from the freezer and you're on to a well planned menu.
Potluck. It's not the dirty word it once was. If someone offers to bring something, be ready with assignments.
Music: Go to your local library, borrow a few holiday CDs and burn them on to your MP3 player.
GingerBread Houses. Buy a few gingerbread house kits. Set up a table with candies and tubes of frosting. Have teams of people decorate. Give a prize for the best one. Raffle off the others.
Hit the sales for platters and pitchers. Great deals for platters, pitchers (for water, instead of the more expensive option, bottled water) are currently being advertised by Macys, Kohls, TJ Maxx, ect.
Sparkle your home with homemade decorations. Do candles in votives in mason jars; group ornaments in a large glass vase; make a snowflake paper chain; snip some firs from a tree in your backyard. For other clever low-cost holiday ideas, check out suggestions from popular magazines like Real Simple; Martha Stewart Living; Good Housekeeping or Country Living. And when you head out to the craft store for your supplies, don't forget your coupons!
Inexpensive china. Fancier than buying paper products, but you can re-use them. Target offers a number of holiday dinner lines. In-store discounts are better than the online store.
Linens. Head to JoAnn's (with a 40% off coupon) and buy some inexpensive holiday fabric to drape over tables for tableclothes or to use as decorative banners around your home.
Party starter. Kick start your party with a ice breaker game or two. Christmas Trivia, Christmas Right Left Game, Name that Carol, are a few good options.
Have yourself a Merry Merry.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
What to do when you don't love the gift cards you've got
Have you a gift card to a store that you don’t shop at? Have a large assortment of gift cards buried in the back of your junk drawer or bottom of your handbag? Don’t toss it, randomly give it away, or let it continue to gather dust. If you don’t want the gift card, re-gift it, donate it or better yet, trade or sell it on the web. After all, money is money!
Check out these ways of dispensing with your gift cards and reaping a better return on your unused cards:
1. Have a Girls Night Out that features a gift card swap. Label the back of the card with the amount of the card’s worth. Trade and swap with your friends. You might just find your self swapping out the 4 Target cards that you collected for one Crate and Barrel card with the same dollar value, giving you the ability to buy an item that you really wanted.
2. Donate your card to fundraiser event. Be sure to get a receipt for the donation so you can claim the tax-deduction.
3. Sell it on ebay or Craigslist. Today, I checked ebay. There were 4000+ auctions involving gift cards and/or gift card coupons. While you’re unlikely to sell the cards at full value, selling it at a 5%- 20% discount will at least net you some cash. (Caution on this approach: you’ll need to either very trustworthy or need some way to verify the remaining value of the card and its expiration date.)
4. Sell to a card swapping site such as Plastic jungle, Swapagift, cardavenue, giftcardrescue, and giftcardbuyback. Look for a website that verifies the validity of each card number prior to the completion of the transaction so you don’t wind up exchanging your legitimate card for one that isn’t valid. Most of these websites offer a no cost or low cost to post your card directly into their use base; others allow you to post for free but charge a small commission 10% based on selling price of the card. Most of these websites are also willing to purchase your gift cards for 55-70% of the remaining balance on the card. FYI - Some sites will charge to post a listing on their sites.
Happy Shopping!
Dedicating this entry to the fabulous Allison A. who inspired me to research a solution to her Christmas time problem of receiving gift cards that she can’t use.
Check out these ways of dispensing with your gift cards and reaping a better return on your unused cards:
1. Have a Girls Night Out that features a gift card swap. Label the back of the card with the amount of the card’s worth. Trade and swap with your friends. You might just find your self swapping out the 4 Target cards that you collected for one Crate and Barrel card with the same dollar value, giving you the ability to buy an item that you really wanted.
2. Donate your card to fundraiser event. Be sure to get a receipt for the donation so you can claim the tax-deduction.
3. Sell it on ebay or Craigslist. Today, I checked ebay. There were 4000+ auctions involving gift cards and/or gift card coupons. While you’re unlikely to sell the cards at full value, selling it at a 5%- 20% discount will at least net you some cash. (Caution on this approach: you’ll need to either very trustworthy or need some way to verify the remaining value of the card and its expiration date.)
4. Sell to a card swapping site such as Plastic jungle, Swapagift, cardavenue, giftcardrescue, and giftcardbuyback. Look for a website that verifies the validity of each card number prior to the completion of the transaction so you don’t wind up exchanging your legitimate card for one that isn’t valid. Most of these websites offer a no cost or low cost to post your card directly into their use base; others allow you to post for free but charge a small commission 10% based on selling price of the card. Most of these websites are also willing to purchase your gift cards for 55-70% of the remaining balance on the card. FYI - Some sites will charge to post a listing on their sites.
Happy Shopping!
Dedicating this entry to the fabulous Allison A. who inspired me to research a solution to her Christmas time problem of receiving gift cards that she can’t use.
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