Frugal Friday! Week of December 24-30, 2017

Hi Everyone! 

I know what you are thinking--this "Frugal Friday" post isn't appearing on a Friday!  And you are right!  But that's o.k.--I am, after all, on vacation!  And I just like the sound of "Frugal Friday," so that is what I am going to call these posts, no matter what day of the week I get them up! ;)   I am sure I won't always post them weekly either, but I will post as I can, and I do hope that YOU will share with ME some ways that you are being frugal that week.  

One reader last week shared how they try to not go too far either direction--either TOO frugal, or TOO spendy (I can make "spendy" a word, right?).  I thought they had a very good point.  To me, the word "frugal" is not a negative word but rather a positive one.  But it IS very true that we must guard against extremes at either end.  The way that I think of the word "frugal" is being careful with the resources God has given me to manage.  I also think about how I can best use those resources to bless both my family, as well as others outside of my family either in my local community or even in overseas mission and humanitarian work.  

ANYWAY, so I wanted to bring you a "Frugal Friday" today, sharing one way that I was able to save money in the past week.  This is not EVERY way that I saved money--but rather just one that I really wanted to share especially because of the holiday season.

As you all know, this week was Christmas.  I read something in the December issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine--I read that the average person in the US spends $927 on holiday presents. In addition to that, it also stated that money is the number one cause of stress this time of year.  Somehow, a holiday that is celebrating our Savior's birth just seems to me like it is wrong if celebrating that holiday ends up being a source of stress on us!

So I thought I would share quickly some tips that have helped our family, and I hope they might also help you for NEXT Christmas time avoid some of that holiday present stress.

Tip #1--Pay cash for presents.  O.K., so I do realize that some things may be ordered online, and you can't exactly pay cash for online purchases.  But my point here is to not purchase it at all if you do not have the money in hand to pay for it.

Tip #2--Think about what presents you might be able to make.  Often times, we can use our skills to create something nice for a loved one that they will value more than something purchased, and it is usually less expensive even if you do need to buy some materials with which to make it.  Our daughter needed a tote bag for carrying her music books in.  In the pictures here, you can see what I came up with out of recycling some old jeans from our son.  I did purchase the music fabric that I lined the bag with as well as purchased the flower buttons--but the end result was a nice present for her that she likes and can really use, and it only cost me a couple of dollars to make.  It was more the thought that counted--not the high cost.

Maybe you don't sew--but can you make some bath salts, or a plate of cookies, or something else that you enjoy?

Tip #3--Purchase or make your presents throughout the year.  My sister is very good at this--keeping her eyes open for something that she knows a loved one will like.  When she sees something on sale, she has this person in mind and is able to get them a nice gift at a good price.

Tip #4--Rethink the whole gift idea.  Maybe your family might rather take a trip together, creating some special family memories together instead of buying gifts for each other.  This way, time is your gift.

Well, those are the four tips that come to my mind.  What tips do YOU have to add?  What have you done in the past, or did this Christmas, to help be frugal on gifts and yet still show your love for that person?  Share in the comments what you would add to my list!

~Susan

Happy Day After Christmas!

Good Morning Everyone!

Here we are--the day after Christmas.  How are you feeling as you get up this morning? Are you relieved that the whole Christmas season is now over? Glad that you "survived" all the hussle and  bussle?  Are you already thinking about the many tasks to do in taking down all the Christmas decorations and storing them away for another year? Are you exhausted?

Are you--let down?

No matter if your Christmas was the Christmas of your dreams--or the Christmas of your nightmares, the truth of the Christmas season remains the same.

I would love to share with you today a beautiful song that I was first introduced to by my son. Really listen to the words--I think it will be a blessing to you, as it always is to me!

Happy Day After Christmas!

~Susan

Frugal Friday! Week of December 17-23, 2017

Hi Everyone!

I hope you are all enjoying your Christmas holidays!  Since my husband is a teacher, we are smack dab in the middle of vacation time this week--and it's great!  One thing, however, that is not always great is the bills that can so easily accumulate this time of year.  I have been thinking for some time about starting a series on saving money-not a series where I tell you what to do, but simply a series where I share money-saving opportunities that I had that week, and I do hope that you will return the favor and share with me what YOU were able to do to save money the same week.  This way, we can each learn and gain new ideas from each other.  What works for me may not necessarily work for you, but one idea can often start other ideas going! :).

So here goes--these are the money saving opportunities that I found this week!

 This week, my daughter needed to get some yarn from JoAnn's in order for her to finish a Christmas present that she is making.  I brought a 50% off coupon for JoAnn's to the store with us, so was able to help her purchase her large skein of yarn for $5.00 instead of the regular price of $10.00.  This skein will probably be more yarn than her project needs, but she will have some leftover yarn to use for other projects another time.  While in the store, I had two extra coupons that I didn't need to use on anything else, so I used them to pick up two containers of their hand soap.  These are inexpensive to start with, at only $1.00, but since I had extra coupons I used them and was able to purchase these for only .50 cents each.  The scents in the soaps do not last as long as the scents in the Bath and Body Works soaps, but they do get my hands  clean and I enjoy the scent while I am washing my hands.  And you can't beat that price! Savings for the yarn plus the soaps came to $6.00.

On the same shopping trip, I had a $5.00 Kohl's Cash coupon that I wanted to use before it expired.  My goal was to use the entire $5.00 going over as little as possible.  In fact, I wouldn't be allowed to use the coupon if my purchase wasn't at least $5.00.  Of course, the Kohl's company is hoping I will spend over that amount in my shopping, but I was determined to stick to my $5.00 budget!  I have been slowly replacing our worn out towels in the master bathroom (Ha! Master bathroom sounds large and grand, but ours is like a
tiny closet but it does have what you need!).  I started first with a package of six white wash clothes when I had a coupon, a couple months later I was able to purchase two bath towels with a $10 coupon that I had, and later still I added two hand towels with a different coupon.  So this week, with my $5.00 coupon I found these towels were on sale for $3.99.  I decided to pick up just one towel, but I needed to find some inexpensive item to add to my purchase to bring the amount up to $5.00.  I found several candy items up at the register for .99 cents, $1.08, and $1.49.  I bought one candy bar to bring my purchase up to enough to qualify for using the coupon, and left the store only paying .45 cents total with the tax.  I don't normally buy candy, but I can use this as a special treat in a Christmas stocking.  The next time I have another coupon for Kohl's, I will try and get a fourth bath towel. This towel normally sells for $10.00, so the savings for the towel and candy bar was $11.04.

On the same trip, I also had a $10 off of a $10 purchase at JCPenney's.  Again, I wanted to use my coupon before it expired, and I wanted to go over as little as possible.  I also wanted to purchase to be on something that was really needed, and not just something that is going to clutter up my very small closet!  I have been focusing the past year or so on my health, and have managed to lose some much needed excess weight.  In doing so, my exercise pants have been almost literally falling down, and I am afraid that one of these days they WILL fall down as I am walking! So new exercise pants were at the top of my list of "needs."  I had been in JCPenney's a previous week, but had not found exercise pants that I liked.  The style these days seems to be for super tight fitting pants or leggings, that remind me more of wearing long johns!  No problem wearing long johns, but I don't normally wear those outside of the house without other pants on top of them! ;)  Anyway, so this time I wanted to give it one more try, since this was an item I REALLY did need and I had the coupon for this store, not for any other.  After much searching and taking an armload of different exercise pants into the dressing room, I managed to find a pair that will work.  They are still a little more fitted that I would prefer, but they were the closest I could find that would work.  And at least these are not going to be in danger of falling down to my knees!  Original price was $37.  They were on sale for $18.50, and with my $10.00 coupon I was able to purchase them for $8.50, a savings of $28.50.

So that was it for my frugal adventures this week!  Please do share with me--what did you do this week to save money?  It does not need to be saving money on a store purchase--sometimes the best money saving ideas can be staying OUT of stores!  It might be something you made yourself, or a repair you made, or anything!  Please share how you saved money!

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Susan