Search Results for: blog frugal holiday parties

Saving Money on New Year’s Parties

Even if you are planning a potluck for your New Year’s Eve bash, hosting a get-together of family and friends is going to cost you. Fortunately, there are ways you can serve up a memorable shindig without breaking the bank. The key is to employ some basic tips on cooking for a crowd that won’t sacrifice flavor for frugality. For starters, you’ll want to invest in affordable appetizers. If you can get guests to fill up on snack food, they will be less likely to devour five helpings of the main course. Some affordable snacks include: chips and salsa, cheese … Continue reading →

Holiday Party Manners

What do you do if…? Is it okay when…? Some situations may come up during your holiday party that require a bit of manners to deal with. How do you know what the right thing to do is? Take a look at this primer for some common issues that may come up during your holiday party. Bringing Something Even the best intentions can result in a lapse in manners. If you are the guest, it is appropriate to bring something to the party, but what you are expected to bring can make a big difference. If the party is a … Continue reading →

How to Have A Frugal Halloween

One of the most frightening things about Halloween is how much it can cost. Do you know, I saw a recent retail report that showed that American’s spend more money at Halloween than at any other time, with the exception of Christmas? This just strikes me as incredible. At the end of the celebration, what happens to all of those goods that are purchased? Do most people have anything to show for all of that spending? I get it. I mean Halloween can be a fun holiday. There is candy. Candy is probably a good enough reason (although there is … Continue reading →

Frugal Easter Tips

Here comes Peter Cotton Tale…Hopping down the money trail. Just kidding, but Easter is a great time to save. You can indulge and celebrate this great glorious holiday and still stay within budget. Here is how. Remember the meaning Sure Easter egg hunts are fun, baskets filled with all sorts of goodies are exciting, and a large meal with family is often required. But, don’t forget the real meaning of the holiday, that our Savior shred his blood for us and rose again. Fill the day with some real reflection on why you are celebrating, and having an excess of … Continue reading →

Budgeting for the Holiday Meal

This year, it looks like we will be hosting Thanksgiving again. It is a preemptive strike on our part to avoid the arguments and indecision about who is hosting and where and when. Plus, we would rather trade the extra work for the travel and knowing that we can just zip our kids into their beds at the end of the day. Another reason that I am looking forward to hosting Thanksgiving this year is that we have our brand new (used) cherry dining room table that we picked up at a yard sale. We can finally seat 10 people … Continue reading →

Frugal Holiday Parties

The Holiday season will be here soon.Are you prepared for the expense of socializing? Here are some frugal tips to get your through it all with both the holiday fun and the budget in tact. I had a nice conversation with my mother-in-law last night. We started discussing what we were going to do about the upcoming holiday season and the Thanksgiving and Christmas get-together events. No one ever really wants to host either because of the work, and well, the expense. That is understandable, but I have a few tricks up my sleeve. Two words have gotten me through … Continue reading →

Two Things to Buy Now for Holiday Giving

One wonderful thing that frugal living people can do is to share their bounty with others. Whether it is sharing with friends and family or giving to special charities and families in need, you can take advantage of some opportunities right now. Not only will this give you the ability to give more for less, but also your spending on gifts will get distributed quite nicely instead of occurring over just a few weeks. School Supplies One brilliant mention in our church’s newsletter reminded us to stock up on school supplies. In December, we have a few different giving missions, … Continue reading →

Anatomy of A Frugal Kid 2

I’m continuing my examination of a typical frugal kid, as he appeared this morning while waiting for the bus stop. You can see that it doesn’t take a lot of money to have a healthy and happy kid. If you missed the first post, click here: Anatomy of A Frugal Kid. Now, let us continue with the torso. In the backpack is a new lunch box that I purchased at the end of September for only $2. It is insulated and a name brand. In it, you’ll find a homemade lunch that includes items such as from scratch banana bread, … Continue reading →

Anatomy of A Frugal Kid

If you dissect a frugal kid, what do all of the parts look like? Don’t worry, this isn’t some creepy Halloween story. In fact, it is just a way of taking a look at how we typically live our frugal life and how it doesn’t take a lot of spending for the care and feeding of a typical kid who is healthy and happy. I’ll take my eldest son as an example, on a typical morning waiting for the school bus. Head In his head are already thoughts of his holiday wish list. He says that he is thinking about … Continue reading →

Frugal Month in Review: September 2008

Now that September is come and gone and the kiddies are settled back into school and regular routines, it is time to welcome the fall. Still, there is plenty of good stuff that went on in September, including a bunch of ways to save money. September 1st Frugal Living Week in Review: August 25th Through August 31st Food and back to school are the two things on my mind this week. I e-mailed my son’s teacher ahead of time to ask about additional supplies that she might need for the classroom. She said that she usually asks parents for antibacterial … Continue reading →