Frugal Families

.... is going to be "slim pickens" for us. Every year, my husband says that so that I won't overspend, but this year it is true. So, I need to get creative and need any help I can get. I have been unemployed since June and don't see anything coming my way yet, So, I need ideas on inexpensive or homemade gifts.

My inexpensive fill in type of gift are gift cards for fast food or the movies. One year when the boys were young, I made them a homemade gift card for a new pair of shoes (they had a shoe fetish thing going on -lol) I used all kinds of glitter and stickers (kids like the glittery stuff) and let them chose their own shoes. After christmas sales are good for these kind of gifts. Now their shoes are like $80 a pair so that idea won't work!

Also, I love to bake so I thought I might make some assorted mini pies and muffins, put them in a colored bag that I will embellish with silver snowflakes and such and tie with a pretty bow. I save gift bows and cute tissue paper through out the year. I iron the tissue paper and velvet ribbons so that they can be used again - really I am not a pack rat, just organized recycling!  Gift wraps and papers are such an expensive waste if you do not some how re-use them. I usually hang several wreaths and sometimes the velvet bows and ribbon on them get wrinkled in storage, so I just use a curling iron on the bows and a regular iron on the ribbon. Saves me from buying new ones. 

So, what are your inexpensive and/or homemade gift idea? Please share!!!!

Maybe if I can get started earlier this year, that will take off some of the stress of the money situation.

Thanks everyone!

J

well, for friends, i make my fav cookies, the nieman marcus recipe, and i make it in bulk, like three recipes, then bake everything and then freeze them till i need them.  I'll also make the dough and put it on disposable containers for my friends that want to make their own cookies so their house smells so good.  I also make banana bread in mini muffin cups and make a little bag of goodies.   I saw a lady on tv make plum jam for 30 friends with plums from her tree.  her cost was under $30.

I've been weeding out stuff, selling unused items on ebay and other locals and stashing a bit of cash here and so far its worked.  Like when I use coupons I get the cash back and stick it in the Christmas envelope.  I'm up to $755.  Of course I won't probably use all that but will carry over for next year.  I told the kids santa is on a budget so they can pick out only 3 gifts each they really want and then maybe a Wii as a surprise since I want one.

krishna

Since I'm a lawyer, I'm doing my aunts' and cousins' wills for free (other than the super-well-to-do aunt who already has complex estate planning in place). Do you have some sort of expertise you could share? Teaching folks to bake, for example, or helping older family members learn to use the computer might be very appreciated.

I have a girlfriend who loves me very very dearly because her Xmas gift to me every year is to clean my filthy house from top to bottom. Best gift EVER.

~Didi

Wife to Ron, Mommy to Will




I have a blog!

Christmas~ YIKES!!! Seriously though, I have been scouring the internet looking for deals! My DS is a video game nut and I just purchased MADDEN 08 brand new- for $5.99 oh half.com .  I was so happy, so..... I will be visiting that site again for movies and games!