Cheerful Frugality Gives (Again)
Didn't you love Mrs. Micah's post about giving and misplaced frugality? It echoes my earlier story about how one cheap Scrooge learned to spend more on gifts.
In today's economy, I'm grateful to have this option. Yet I feel even more compelled to spend wisely, so that I can spread my budget to those who need it most.
Here are a few strategies I'm using for frugal gift giving this year:
- FREE SHIPPING: For out-of-town relatives, I can spend more money on the gift and less on the postage. I even ordered a sale item from Neiman Marcus--gasp!--and had it mailed and wrapped, free.
- LIMITED OPTIONS: I've limited my local shopping to my corner grocery store. It began as convenience, but quickly saved me money as I spotted deals on a regular basis, like 40% off the bestseller my sister-in-law requested.
- CONSUMABLES: We vowed to avoid all trinkets this year. I've even streamlined our plans to include multiple bakings of one one good cookie (Gourmet Magazine's Gingerbread Snowflakes).
- BULK: As with the cookies, I save by buying more of a short list of supplies. Jug of molasses, anyone? Origami ornaments?
- THRIFT: Over the year I have set back fabulous secondhand toys and books for our immediate family.
How are you approaching your frugal Christmas this year?
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3 Responses to “Cheerful Frugality Gives (Again)”
December 1st, 2008 at 4:27 pm
How am I doning Christmas. For my friends at home here, I am making jam, gooseberry from my garden, and I made up antipasta at the end of summer. I also will be making artifical Christmas arrangements for several friends who request them every year, ( every thing for the arrangements came to just under $20. and that will make 6 arrangements. Then as an extra I am making pine cone Tree ornaments, with bows and trim on the top. Some of the cones are spray painted gold, others tipped with white acrylic. I think one for each family member will be my limit this year. cost, $4. using left over paint, free pine cones off the ground and treated *( by cooking at 200 for 2 hours in the oven) also i was given a big bag of ribbons many of which will show up on the cones.
For my Families that live away from me I am sending the money for them to provide Christmas dinner from me. Each of 2 families, that saves sending individual presents to each family member and the cost of postage for them. This way, they can spend what they would have spent for a big day of goodies and Christmas dinner, for other things their families would like. (Last year what I sent bought dinner for Christmas and New Years for the one family, and for most of the eats for the family for 2 weeks! They said it was the best present they got, so I was happy.)
Once you are older you can’t fight the crowds even if you wanted to. I’m still not comfortable buying on line. So I think I will stick to what I am doing.
December 1st, 2008 at 10:40 pm
My nieces’ gifts cost little for the gifts themselves. I bought books when they were 4-for-3 at Amazon. I bought little flashlights from a Black Friday deal last week. And the fabric for the bed pockets I’m sewing was on sale over the summer for $1.99/yard. Each gift is costing less than $10.
Unfortunately, shipping the gifts to them in Europe is going to cost me. I keep the cost down somewhat by sending presents in a flat-rate postage box. The gifts can weigh a ton and not cost me extra, as long as they fit in the box.
I’m making some our gifts, as usual. I, too, am a fan of consumables. For the rest, if they weren’t purchased in months past, then I’m just searching out the best deals.
December 5th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
I picked up an x-box in excellent shape at Salvation Army cost: 14.99; worked just fine; would have gotten $ back if it hadn’t; Game Crazy had 4 games for $10; bought 8 of them; total cost $35.00; Terry Lewis suede lined skirt, excellent conditon, 75% off rack at Salvation Army cost $4.50; cute brand new leather jacket & skirt, from Wilson’s leather, most expensive leather shop in town, found at Salvation Army $39.00; Sorry, the X box was at GOODWILL not Salvation Army; brand new t shirts, many of them: men’s sizes from 99 cents to $1.99; brand new insultated & expensive mens boots $9.99 Goodwill; found over time, but it pays to shop! Never know what treasures you will uncover! (many many more of them, from cookbooks, to beautiful new coats from Denim & Co; for $5.99!!!!! YES!
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