Cute Handmade Mother’s Day Gifts (Inexpensive, Too!)

Handmade gifts, especially when they mark milestones in your child’s life can be lovely. You’ll find yourself years from now looking at them and remembering back to earlier times. I have a small collection of these gifts, and they always make me smile. For example, there is the wax cast of my first-born’s hand when he was only two. We were at a festival, and the vendor didn’t want to cast anyone under the age of four because children that age tend not to hold still. We insisted and said we would take it, no matter how it came out. … Continue reading

Fun Holiday Gifts and Crafts for Toddlers

If you are trying to navigate the holiday season on a tight budget this year, you are not alone. Many people, parents of toddlers included, are looking for ways to make merry for less. Whether your desire to cut back on spending is motivated by necessity or simply a desire to live a little more simply, here are some ideas that you might want to use this year. For your toddler, here are a few ideas. One thing that you can do is to round up any old, broken crayons that are lying around. Home made “crazy crayons”, made from pieces … Continue reading

Gift Giving for Teens

Black Friday…Cyber Monday.  It’s that time of year, the purchasing of Christmas gifts.  As a parent it can either be a stressful experience or easy-going. Here is something I have come to realize through the years.  You buy more when they are younger.  So that means more thought needs to be put into your children’s gifts.  You buy less as they get older.  But they also tend to be more expensive gifts. There is a part of me that misses shopping for toys.  It has become sort of boring, since the majority of the time my children want money.  Sure, … Continue reading

Free Holiday Gifts (and some under $5)

How many people can you knock off of your Christmas giving list without spending any more than $5 a piece? One, two, none? You might be surprised. With a little investment of a few hours, you might be able to get a gift for everyone on your list for free or for less than $5. Here are some ideas. Homemade Knitting Knitting a sweater or a scarf is an age-old way to give someone a nice personal gift, but yarn, especially that made out of wool can get expensive. Instead, buy a nice sweater or sweaters second hand and then … Continue reading

Free Stuff On Your Birthday! – 2012

Happy Birthday to you! I have a birthday coming up, and this has inspired me to make a list of several of the restaurants, and cafes, that will give you something free on your birthday. To get these freebies, you need to sign up with each restaurant. Many will give you coupons all year long, in addition to something free on your birthday. Auntie Anne’s has a “Buy One Pretzel, Get One Free” coupon that will arrive one week before your birthday. To get it, you need to sign up for Pretzel Perks. Baskin Robbins will give you a FREE … Continue reading

Valentine’s Day Gifts with Heart

According to the National Retail Federation, the average American will spend approximately $125 on Valentine’s Day gifts this year. What the… A hundred twenty five bucks on high-calorie chocolate that will force you to spend even more time in the gym and overpriced flowers that probably won’t live to see the weekend? I barely have enough money to fill up my car now that gas prices have jumped 20 cents in less than 10 days. Believe me; no one in my house is spending or receiving Love Day gifts that exceed $5… if that. Just call me the Valentine’s Day … Continue reading

Gifts for Single Parents

Am I late or is everyone else still Christmas shopping? I always promise myself I’ll be done by now, but I always end up with lots of last minute gifts to buy. Some people are so much harder to buy for than others, like my Dad, what can he possibly need? I try to get thoughtful gifts, something people wouldn’t get for themselves but in this post I’m going to give you ideas for single moms and dads. As a single mother the gift I needed most all year long was time, there was never enough of it. It’s hard … Continue reading

How Much Should You Spend on Christmas Gifts?

We talk a lot about ways to save money, don’t we? And since we are in the holiday season, we’ll be sharing more ideas that focus on saving money during the holidays. But one thing that I notice is missing in the frugal living posts is an actual guideline about how much, in a dollar amount, that you should be spending on Christmas gifts. We all tend to go a little bit overboard during the holidays, and we figure that we will just cut back on other things later. Each of our families have their own financial limitations when it … Continue reading

How to Give a Special Gift to Your Spouse

One of the things that occupies most of my mind during the Christmas season is what on earth to get my wonderful husband. He deserves so much, and yet he claims that he needs nothing. This year, I think I finally found the right special gift, so honey, if you are reading this, please stop. If you need something to distract you, the handle on the upstairs toilet is still not working correctly. Okay, is he gone? Good. As I was saying, I want to get him a special gift, one that he could cherish through the years. He offered … Continue reading

Frugal Month in Review: November 2008

November to be is the beginning of two things. The holiday season starts with Thanksgiving, and then there is winter. Despite the fact that winter doesn’t officially start until next month, the fall seems to give way to the winter in November anyway. We had a day of snow already. Here is looking ahead to December and the end of the year! November 1st Frugal Month in Review: October 2008 “Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns.” – George Eliot. November 2 … Continue reading