Money

Ten Thrifty Ways to Use a Food Saver

In my book, Instant Bargains: 600+ Ways to Shrink Your Grocery Bills and Eat Well for Less, I mention several appliances that have the potential to save money and eventually pay for themselves. The Food Saver is one of them. However, you'll only … [Read more...]

Frugal Doll Clothes Idea: Shop Clearance Racks

Does it ever seem like the best deals on kids' clearance racks are in the itty-bitty newborn sizes? I found that to be true at the Old Navy Clearance Sale yesterday, and used the opportunity to buy ahead for our nephew on the way. Deals like that … [Read more...]

Create a Holiday Spending Plan

For most shoppers, it’s hard to get through the holiday season without using a credit card. If you can swing it, curtail the urge to put it on plastic this year. Research shows that consumers are willing to spend more, sometimes up to twice as much, … [Read more...]

Make a Decorated Gift Card Holder from an Envelope

Looking for a creative way to give a gift card? You can purchase a gift card holder for a couple dollars at a store, or make your own for just the cost of an envelope! Plus, you can personalize it to the holiday, or to the taste of the recipient. … [Read more...]

Setting a Holiday Budget

How to Set a Holiday Budget In this post, I'll help you come up with a grand total for your holiday budget and work backwards to fill in estimated amounts for each of the individual items that you need to purchase according to what you can afford. … [Read more...]

Create a Holiday Gift Expense Spreadsheet

Track Holiday Spending and Save Money A holiday gift expense spreadsheet (see example below) is a great place to start with your holiday gift-giving budget. Since you're viewing this on a computer, you most likely already have a spreadsheet … [Read more...]