Saving Money on Those Family Budget
Crunchers
by Andrea Sternberg
In our family it's not the basic expenses that add
up as much as the extras that seem to be never-ending. We can deny
it all we want but with school age children ten dollars here for a
birthday present and twenty there for the team party add up. Planning
ahead can save you a great deal of money.
Sit down before Christmas a make a list of the extra
gift or event expenses you had throughout the year. The list is endless
and these are just some examples of areas you can plan ahead for and
buy clearance items.
Some things to include are:
- Gifts for family
- Gifts for friends
- Teacher gifts (holiday and end of year)
- Class Parties
- Scouting or team parties
- Sports equipment for next year
- Classmate birthday parties
- Mothers Day
- Fathers Day
- Events you volunteered to bake or cook for
The Day After Christmas:
-
Stock up on wrapping paper and ribbon in solid
red, green, silver or gold for use all year long. I just wrapped
a gift for a classmate of my son's using green paper and applying
dinosaur stickers.
-
Buy your baking items for Valentines and St.
Patrick's Day. Almost always the red and green sprinkles are half
off as well as colored frosting and other decorations.
-
Picture frames go to 50% off at most stores.
I stocked up and will use them for giving a picture of the kids
to family.
-
Stock up on holiday Ziploc bags, snacks and
paper goods. Don't buy these until they are 75% off. Use the snacks
for lunches over the next few months.
-
Stock up on scented candles. Who says you can
only enjoy the smell of pine at Christmas time.
-
Buy your candy for Valentine's Day.
My first stop the day after Christmas is Target.
At holiday time they have pre packaged gift sets in every department,
these go 50% off on the 26th. This year I got tools we needed for
our home, commuter mugs, sleeping bags, a bike for my son's Birthday,
my Dad's Father's Day gift, flashlights for our home all at half what
I would pay normally. The packaging is holiday theme but items can
be taken out and wrapped in a gift basket.
The Day After Halloween:
-
Stock up on non food treats. Last year I purchased
three bags of matchbox cars packaged for trickery theaters and
I will use them as package toppers for Birthday parties.
-
Buy your decorations for next year. Take into
consideration class parties when planning how much to buy.
-
Get next years costume now. My son has a terrible
time deciding what he wants to be for Halloween so its hard to
plan a year ahead but try to do it for the little ones and yourself
if you can.
The Day After Easter:
- Stock up on solid colored baskets and cellophane for gift baskets
throughout the year.
- Large plastic eggs can be used next year or they make a great
tub toy for the kids.
Class Parties -
These can get expensive if you don't plan ahead.
Know what holidays your child's class is celebrating and buy the year
before, after the holiday. This year I was able to give each child
a gift bag with stickers, pencils, crayons and a coloring book. Total
spent for 25 bags was $10. The crayons I purchased at back to school
time and everything else was bought the year before.
Birthday Parties -
My five year old was invited to over 20 Birthday
parties this year at $10 or more for a gift it can get expensive.
If you find a toy on clearance that could be used as a gift buy it
in bulk. This will save you time and money. How many times have you
forgotten to buy a gift, ran out hours before and spent twice what
you planned on?
Cards and Correspondence -
I think Birthday cards and Christmas cards are a
huge waste of money. I send out a family newsletter a few times a
year. I send one out after Thanksgiving that doubles as a Christmas
card. I also include the kids clothing sizes, toy interests and what
they are NOT allowed to have. This helps friends and family who buy
gifts for the children.
Birthday cards are impersonal, save your $3 and have
the kids draw a picture or put their hand prints on paper, scan it
and use as a card for family throughout the year. I recorded my son
singing happy birthday and I send it via email to friends and family
with a computer, much more personal than an electronic greeting card.
Andrea Sternberg is the Mother of Three Special Needs Boy and Editor
of the Living For Less Website http://www.geocities.com/livingforless
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