I know that I have had the Christmas countdown icon on my blog for quite some time, but folks have you noticed that it's ticking away? Christmas is truly just around the corner. In a previous post. actually way back in July, I gave some frugal tips on preparing for Christmas. How y'all doin?
Hopefully you have all started planning ahead. This year I have decided to make many homemade gifts. For some I will be making some type of bread( I am not sure yet) and giving away some of my homemade jams. Some will receive homemade pickles and some will receive a table runner. I have purchased the fabric for the table runners but I have yet to make them. November's project.
We are HUGE Christmas fans around here. We love celebrating, starting the night of Thanksgiving (After our guests leave we usually watch "It's a Wonderful Life') and we plot out our Black Friday excursion. We usually are on the road between 3-4 a.m. We have scored some great deals on this day. I am hoping this year that we will be finishing our shopping on black Friday. We are setting some extra money aside now to take advantage of all the great deals.
Hopefully you have set aside a few dollars each week from the savings you have been getting by using coupons for your groceries. If you haven't started, it's never to late. Start saving this week!! See if you can shave $5 off your grocery bill. Reduce paper products, reduce juice or cut it out all together and drink water with meals. Cook a meatless meal this week and you could even save $10 off your budget. Hopefully you are all on your way!
Make a list of all the people you wish to give a gift to. Remember, it doesn't have to be expensive. I have received coupons for meals and child care and I have loved these gifts. The coupons were from dear friends. Some were having financial difficulty that year and the fact that they remembered our family meant even more.
In my previous post, I wrote about the precious resource...time. Maybe this year there just isn't any extra money. Consider giving pockets of your time. Give a coupon for running errands to a busy Mom who has more money than time. Offer to babysit for friends that don't have family nearby. Maybe give their Christmas gift early and offer to watch their children so that they might go out and do some uninterrupted shopping! Put your thinking cap on and be creative. Also, pray and ask the Lord what might be a blessing to someone. He knows all our needs better than we do and He can use you to be a huge blessing in someones life. I have prayed many times for the Lord to lay on my heart who may have a need. He has clearly shown to me who He wants me to give some extra groceries or a bag of bounty from my couponing scores. Many times I have heard, I gave them something, "just when they needed it." I love serving My God!!!
I have many more frugal Christmas tips mulling around in my head. Stay tuned. Also I would love to hear all your frugal tips. I am always looking for new ideas:)
Have a blessed day! Michelle
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