Cleaning Supplies as a Gift Idea

Do you know someone who is moving into a new home? Perhaps it is your child’s first apartment. Or you know of a couple who is getting married and will be starting off fresh. It might not sound like the greatest gift idea but putting together a housekeeping basket might be just what they need. Think about what it’s like to start off with nothing. You have dishes to buy, linens and the list goes on. So what are some basic cleaning supplies that can be assembled into a basket? Here are some ideas. Dusting Supplies – microfiber cloths (my … Continue reading

Fun and Frugal Valentine’s Day Gifts

With some of these creative ideas, you’ll be able to get Valentine’s gifts for all of the sweethearts in your life. Make it fun and frugal. Valentine Gifts for Kids Sneakers with fun designs are in demand for girls right now. If you don’t want to spend $50 on one of these types of sneakers, make them yourself. Purchase an inexpensive pair of tennis shoes or other plain sneakers on sale. Then using fabric markers, add some fun Valentine’s designs. To make them really special, add the child’s name as well. Create a little card craft kit. First check with … Continue reading

Frugal Holiday Ideas for Leftover Wrapping Paper

You know all of those little extra pieces of wrapping paper that are too small to use? Do you save them anyway? I do. I always feel guilty throwing them out, but it is very rare for me to find that I have presents small enough to use them. Most of the presents under our tree are for the kids, so they tend to be larger and usually made out of plastic, not small like jewelry. Then there is the time after the gift are unwrapped. What do you do with all of that leftover gift wrap that winds up … Continue reading

The Best Dollar Store Gifts

Dollar store gifts can be inexpensive without looking that way. It is all in how you find the treasures and how you bundle or package them. With more and more Americans spending less and less this holiday season, it is important to find new creative ways to get great gifts for everyone on your list. You can do this through dollar and discount stores. First, take the time to visit a few different dollar or discount stores. They aren’t all created equal. You may find that some offer better deals than others, or offer specific kinds of great gifts. Take … Continue reading

Easy and Popular Christmas Gifts You Can Make

This year, why not cut your holiday gift budget in half or even more by making some wonderful homemade gifts. Forget the crocheted potholders and the macaroni art, the following popular gifts will be appreciated and used. In fact, they are so popular, you might even find a couple of them among the gifts that you get! Baked Gifts From cookie platters to quick breads, baked goods can certainly hit the spot during the holidays. Pick up some inexpensive dishes, loaf pans and other containers at your local thrift store. Pretty containers that your gift recipient can keep are much … Continue reading

Get the Kids Involved in Holiday Gift Giving

The other day my 6-year-old daughter informed me of her plans to raid her father’s coin container, so she could make my Dyson dreams come true for Christmas. I strongly discouraged her thoughtful, yet immoral plan, explaining that he had already gifted me with a vacuum cleaner a few years back and that I didn’t think he had $500 worth of coins in his container anyway. Still, the fact that my daughter actually thought of someone other than herself this holiday season got me thinking about ways parents can foster a child’s spirit of giving. Instead of choosing, wrapping and … Continue reading

Inexpensive Holiday Gifts: Time

One of the most frugal and heartfelt gifts for the season is the gift of time. Giving of your time and talents is a sure way to make someone’s Christmas merry, even if you are cash poor this year. Gifts of time are appropriate not only for family, but for friends, co-workers and associates as well. The secret is to come up with the right gift for the right person. Just as you would pick out the perfect gift from the store, picking out the perfect gift of time takes some thought. For example, let us say you have two … Continue reading

Making Homemade Holiday Gifts

If you haven’t already heard some of the richest parents in the world, Brad Pitt and Angelina, will not be showering their six young children with expensive gifts this Christmas. Rather, the family will be crafting presents to exchange with one another. If the troubled economy has you searching for affordable homemade gifts to place under the tree, then consider these festive ideas: JINGLE BELL WIND CHIME This project is about as easy and inexpensive as it gets. Before heading out to the craft store to purchase materials, dig through your junk drawer. You’ll probably find all the items you … Continue reading

Christmas Gift Shipping Tips

Want to increase the odds that your card or gift will get there by Christmas Eve? Check out these tips from the United States Post Office. The Post office says that 85 percent of all of the hand addressed cards get read by a card reader. This is the fastest way possible, with 36,000 pieces of mail sorted in one hour. If the machine can’t read the handwriting on an envelope, a digital image is taken of the piece and sent to one of eight data centers. There, a human tries to read the address and type it in to … Continue reading

Fun, Custom Touches for Gift Wrapping

Try these ideas to make your packages even more special: Candy Toppers While a candy cane makes a cute gift topper, I think you’ll like this idea (and I’m pretty sure your kids will too). Take a “fun size” bag of M&M’s, Skittles, or other favorite candies that come in small bags. Push the candies to either side, pinching the middle. Tie a ribbon around the middle, and curl the ends. The package turns into the shape of a bow and adds a little something extra to your package. Many candies are available in holiday packaging, but even regular packaging … Continue reading