Beating Broke

How I Plan to Have a Low-Cost Christmas

November 29, 2016 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

Every year, more Christmas expenses seem to crop up than I have budgeted for. Typically, our budget can handle the extra strain, but this year is different. This year, our central air conditioner unit needed to be replaced, and we’re on a mission to pay off the loan as soon as possible. That means this Christmas I have to be smarter with my spending, and I have to spend less than I usually do.

I have a plan to reduce my Christmas expenses without skimping on my kids’ gifts, but to be successful, I have already started my holiday shopping even though Christmas is months away. Here’s my plan:

Take advantage of coupons. I am on several e-mail lists for different stores. This weekend, Michael’s sent out a coupon for 70% off one regular price item. I will be going to Michael’s and using this coupon to purchase a Christmas gift that I’ll tuck away. Any time from now until Christmas that I see high value coupons, I’ll take advantage of them to buy a Christmas present at a fraction of the cost.

I’m making some gifts. Last year, when fleece was on clearance after Christmas, I bought some to make blankets for each of my kids. I have made one blanket, and I’ll be making two more in the next few weeks. These will be one of their presents. I also plan to make some doll accessories for my daughters with fabric I already have in the closet.

I’m saving credit card rewards. Starting in August, I let my credit card rewards accrue. Right now, I have enough for $50 cash. By the end of next month, I will have enough for $100 cash. By Christmas, I hope to have $150 cash. I’ll save that money and use it in December, especially close to Christmas when retailers discount products that they’d like to sell for the holiday.

Entering giveaways. When I have time, I’m entering giveaways for prizes my kids would like for Christmas. I’m not really banking on this strategy, but if I do win, that helps me round out my Christmas stash. Last year I won a game for one of my children, and a craft set for another.

Using Swagbucks. If you are a member of Swagbucks and you sign up for all of the different programs and offers, you can accumulate Swagbucks quickly. However, I just use Swagbucks for Internet searches and answering the daily poll and getting secret codes, so I earn a bit more slowly. Still, I expect to have enough Swagbucks to redeem for $50 in Amazon gift cards by Christmas.

If you plan to use this strategy, you’ll need to strategize because you can only get one gift card per month. You’ll have to plan ahead and cash out month-by-month so you’ll be able to access your points.

What strategies do you use to save money on holiday gifts? Do you also start buying Christmas presents in the fall to save money?

7 Ways to Save on Your Thanksgiving Celebration

November 5, 2016 By MelissaB 1 Comment

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to celebrate, spend time with family and friends, and eat delicious food. After all, on this holiday, food is front and center. Yet, preparing for a Thanksgiving dinner can create quite a strain on the wallet. The average family spent approximately $50.11 on Thanksgiving dinner in 2015 (WGN). That’s quite a bit of money to spend on one meal.

However, there are ways to trim corners without sacrificing quality.

Have a potluck

7 ways to save on thanksgiving — Have a frugal Thanksgiving

If you’re inviting family and friends, consider having a potluck meal. Ask your guests to bring a dessert, side dish, or drinks. You’ll have a lavish spread with a lot of variety, but you won’t be the only one paying for all of the food.

Don’t make an abundance of food

At most Thanksgiving meals, the table overflows with food. Leftovers are abundant. Yet, many people don’t like leftovers, or, even if they do, they struggle to finish all of the Thanksgiving leftovers before they go bad. Save money by cutting back on the quantity of food that you make. You’ll want to have enough to feed your family but not enough that you have leftovers for days. . .and days. . .and days.

Limit your selection of foods

Every family has at least one Thanksgiving dish that no one really likes. In our family, it’s corn casserole. Instead of making many different side dishes, decide on just a few that are well loved.

Buy foods on sale

Beginning about three to four weeks before Thanksgiving, start shopping the ads. Buy the non-perishables that you’ll need as they go on sale. Each week, allot a certain amount of your grocery budget for Thanksgiving food purchases. If you decide to spend $10 to $15 per week on Thanksgiving meal foods for the three weeks before Thanksgiving, you won’t feel as much pain at the check out compared to doing all of your Thanksgiving shopping in one week.

Shop around for the turkey

Shop around for the best deal on turkey. Many grocery stores offer steep discounts on turkeys if you spend a certain amount on your other groceries, say $25 or $30. Do your regular grocery shopping when you buy a turkey so it’s not hard to find foods to buy for the amount you’re required to spend to get the deal price.

Use a warehouse store

If you don’t have time to shop around, consider buying many of your Thanksgiving meal foods at a warehouse store. This is especially useful if you’re cooking for a crowd and will need a lot of Thanksgiving foods anyway.

Buy some food for next year

If you have money in your budget, consider buying food for NEXT Thanksgiving after this Thanksgiving is over. You may find turkeys and other non-perishables like cranberries, stuffing mix, and other Thanksgiving food items on steep discount. If you put the turkey in the deep freezer, it will be fine to use for next year. If the non-perishables have a long shelf life, you can keep those in your pantry until next Thanksgiving.

Following these tips, Thanksgiving can be an enjoyable holiday that doesn’t break the bank.

How do you save on your Thanksgiving meal?

8 Ways to Save on Halloween

September 26, 2016 By MelissaB Leave a Comment

Halloween is fun for kids of all ages, including adults who are kids at heart. However, what isn’t so fun is the hefty price tag that often comes along with the fun-filled day. In fact, a “new poll from the National Retail Federation projects that Halloween revelers will spend. . .an average of $82.93 per shopper” (USA Today) this year. That’s more frightful than the Halloween decorations that may cover your yard. Use these tips to help you save on Halloween spending this season so you can still have a fun Halloween without breaking the bank.

Halloween Decorations

8 Tips to save on halloween — Save on Halloween Spending

There are plenty of ways to get Halloween decorations for a fraction of the cost. My favorite way is to buy Halloween decorations at yard sales. (In fact, that’s how I buy all of my decorations!) Or, if you have patience and would like to buy new, you can check out the clearance sales after Halloween is over. That’s how I bought a good supply of Halloween and fall-themed towels, at more than 75% off.

Halloween Costumes

Halloween costumes bought new can cost anywhere from $25 to upwards of $100 for fancier costumes. Yikes! We have three kids, so to spend that kind of money on costumes is not practical. Instead, we employ a variety of strategies to save on costumes.

Homemade

My son went as a knight one year. We found the vest at Goodwill for $5. We pared that with black pants and a white shirt that he already had. Then he made a shield out of cardboard from a large box and covered it in tin foil and put a design on it. He actually wore that costume for two years in a row.

Bought on discount

Our girls typically like fancier costumes, so we tend to buy them immediately after Halloween is over at a steep discount. Our favorite stores to shop are Disney and Gymboree. I can find cute Gymboree Halloween costumes for less than $10 immediately after Halloween.

Use what you already have

Another idea is to use what you already have. If your son has a baseball uniform, why not go as a baseball player? If your daughter is taking ballet class, why not go as a ballerina?

Halloween Candy

If you live in a subdivision, you likely get a lot of trick-or-treaters. The price of candy can really add up, but it doesn’t have to.

Buy the candy at a warehouse store

If you’re a member of Sam’s Club or Costco, you can buy candy in bulk for less than your local grocery store chain sells it.

Buy cheaper candy

You don’t have to buy expensive candy for trick-or-treaters. Instead, buy cheaper candy like suckers, Smarties, and candies like that.

Have a limit

Set a budget for how much you want to spend on candy and limit your purchase to that amount. When you run out, turn off your outdoor light and don’t answer the door anymore.

Halloween is a fun-filled holiday. You can still be festive without spending a fortune.

What are your favorite tips for saving on Halloween décor, costumes, and treats?