Budget Christmas

Each year, it's been a challenge to see how far we could stretch our dollars during the holidays and still be able to get great gifts for those we love.  Some years are tighter than others, and with the move to the new house (this week!), this year is definitely one of those years.  Since I'm naturally a bargain-hunter, I don't mind looking for deals, but I've tired to get a little extra creative with finding great (yet inexpensive) gifts this year.  I thought I'd share a few of the ways I've saved, and I'd love to hear from you guys if there are ideas of ways you all have found great holiday deals. Here are a few of my best ideas! 1.  Use blogging! This year I've 'used' blogging to help with free/discounted gifts through the use of giveaways (entering.. so far not winning on my part) and by doing reviews.  I was contacted by CSN a while back about doing a review, and I thought it would be a great way to score a gift for someone else... now if I could only decide what to get... maybe a tote bag or briefcase for a friend who just started a new job or possibly something for the kitchen (my review for CSN is coming soon)...

2. Shop those sales!  Whether it's Black Friday or Cyber Monday, I've shopped all the sales this year.  One of the things that has been a little different for me this year is that I payed close attention to the ads beforehand.  This way, when I was out and saw something that looked like a deal, I generally knew whether or not I could find it cheaper elsewhere.  Also, it saved me a trip to places that weren't having sales or didn't have anything I needed (this also helped me not to buy things for me... well not too many).  Also, some of my best deals are found at discount stores like Marshall's and TJ Maxx, where everything is always on sale.

3. Craft or shop the crafters!  I'm a big fan of GREAT homemade gifts.  Yes, sometimes you get homemade things and they're not something you'll use or maybe its a fruit cake you don't care for, but when done correctly, homemade gifts can mean the most!  Since this year is a little chaotic, I have opted not to do too much crafting myself, but I am using Etsy to shop for some great hand crafted goodies!  It's so nice save a little money (as opposed to what you'd normally pay for the same thing in a store) and support a small business.

4. Coupons and Discounts! This one might seem obvious, but I haven't been a big coupon or discount user until recently.  It's basically free money that's out there.  All you have to do is search a little.  Most of these offers can be sent straight to you via e-mail (if that's something you don't mind), so you always know when your favorite stores are having deals. Most stores and restaurants have caught on to the coupon "trend" now and offer something just for signing up on their website.

5. Do your research! One of the best ways to save money and find the best gifts have been to do searches online before I buy in stores.  Even though you have to factor in shipping, you can often find which stores or online vendors have better deals or maybe even a better gift all-together.  Amazon has probably the best when looking for great deals about which I might not otherwise know (nope, I'm not getting anything for saying this, just my opinion).

What are your best suggestions for finding deals at the holidays and stretching those gift-giving pennies?  I'm excited to hear your strategies!

 

PS- I was offered by overstock.com (somewhere I do like to shop) to post links with discount codes on my blog.  I haven't ever done anything like this before, so I wanted to see if this was something you all would be interested in seeing or not.  Thanks for your feedback.