Are you trying anything new this year to save money on Christmas?

this is the first year that I went shopping for presents for my kids at garage sales. have a box of things I found in my closet waiting for Christmas. Also have been buying things on clearance.

Have canned all the jams and jellies and still have some salsas and pickles to can. Those will put in to baskets for family members with knitted dishclothes I have been making since the beginning of the year.

Will start ripping old clothes with cute patterns that I have been saving to make scrap quilts for my kids for Christmas too.

Couple of problems I have seen with the new tactics I have been trying this year: I tend to overbuy since I get things so cheap. Also, it's difficult if I don't have a list in my purse to know what to buy. Next year will need to be more organized. Overall, even with the few blips I have made I would say this is the way to go for me. Haven't spent so much $ this year. The problem, of course, is that my family doesn't like the idea of rummage sale finds for them or their kids. Not sure how to approach that one as we have several nieces and nephews that we give to. still watching clearance and brainstorming.

My kids are not getting as much. Especially all the small crap toys that they never play with. They are getting more quality gifts. I have been buying science kits at Hobby Lobby with their 40% off coupons. I have 3 so far. My sisters family is getting boy scout popcorn and school candy bars. Then I am helping my kids causes and giving her family a treat also. I am not buying anything for my kids with the money that my mil and parents give me for them. I will be giving them the money and then we can go shopping after Christmas when everything is on sale.

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~Happiness is a large family~

Everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. James 1:19

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24

Just going back to tried and true techniques ...

~ Decorations are homemade, not store bought.

~ Sit down and talk about reducing the number of gifts by concentrating on experiences, not things.

~ Buy ahead and buy only what people really want or would appreciate. Make a list all year long with gift ideas.

~ So the tree doesn't look so bare:
... decorate under the tree with a train set and creche.
... put decorative canisters (which are used during the year to store ornaments) under the tree.
... place the tree in a corner so there is less room for presents around the tree. Don't re-arrange the furniture quite so much to make room or the tree.
... make presents bigger by doing the gift within a box - within a box - etc trick.
... arrange a gift scavenger hunt (leave clues around the house about where the gift is.)

My big bug-a-boo is still the stockings. I tend to overspend in that area.

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"I've been rich and I've been poor but independently wealthy is where it is at."

My blogs:
Oh!: http://oh-cookie.blogspot.com/
The Foundation Club: http://thefoundationclub.blogspot.com/
12 Months to a Homemade Christmas: http://12monthstoahomemadechristmas.blogspot.com/
Experiences, Not Things: http://experiencesnotthings.blogspot.com/

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