I LOVED The Mom @ Babes In Hairland and HollyOaks tips about putting money aside each month for Christmas. Just $25 a month gives you $300 by December. That is no chump change! OK, so that is great for next year and you would be crazy not to get on that wagon, but right now you only have six weeks till Christmas. So what can you do help put some extra cash in your wallet immediately?
Take a look at what you are spending on extras right now... Can you cut in any of these areas? Even cutting once or twice can put some extra cash in your hand right now.
- Give up the expensive meal date night for a few weeks. I am betting that for some of you, this one little change could save ya between $30 and $50 per trip. Think of it as a short term sacrifice. You will give up Chili's or Olive Garden with hubby for the next few weeks and think of something a bit cheaper, but quite possibly more fun... Maybe you can eat dollar burgers with a bottle of sparkling grape juice and wine glasses at the park with the sun roof open... chatting, laughing, looking at the stars... and then go together to purchase a couple of preplanned gifts THAT ARE ON SALE from your list with the money you just saved. :)
- Put on hold going to see that new movie that has just come out with the family and rent one from Red Box instead. You can save $35 or more on tickets for a family of 4 alone, never mind what you will save on all that popcorn, candy and soda!
- Cut down your grocery costs by having pasta a couple of times a week. This little staple is pennies for the pound, and it is filling too! Plus, there are so many different ways you can serve it, and kids generally love it. Need a few recipes to get you started? Start HERE. Eating healthy? Substitute whole wheat pasta... it is a tad more cost wise, but still a very good value and thankfully, there are much better TASTING choices now at the grocery store! Baked potato bars are another cheap choice... 10lb bags of potatoes are selling for under a dollar quite frequently right now, and topping choices are unlimited. Cheese, chopped lunch meat, broccoli, chili, sour cream, butter, bacon, onions... think outside the box for inexpensive dinners.
- Focus your dinner menu for each week around what is on sale or what is in your pantry or freezer already. Visit your favorite grocery store on line and click on the link for their weekly ad. Plan your meals around what they have the biggest savings on... be flexible. Add clipped coupons to your purchases and you could be taking home groceries for free!
These are just a few things that could help you stash some extra cash quick over the next few weeks. What are some extras you can think of that you can cut out that will help give you a budget for Christmas spending?
2 comments:
One thing that my family and I have decided for Christmas, is instead of giving gifts for Christmas, we volunteer our time feeding homeless, wrapping gifts, etc. Money is tight and people do not need more things. My family never had much growing up, but when we volunteered we gained a wealth of grace, humility, and appreciation.
What a lovely tradition! It is amazing at how more blessed you feel when you give yourself in service to those who are truly in need. Thanks MaryLei!
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