Favorite Christmas Activities that won't break the bank!

When I was little, my parents made up a game for my sister and I. We'd drive around, looking for Christmas lights, and listening to Christmas music. Every time we'd see a light display, we'd call out "Christmas lights!" and we would all admire the hard work put into the displays.

Nowadays, my husband and I are passing that tradition along to our children. Last year, Paul took me to see some of the displays that he passed on the way to work, and it makes me smile to this day.


Bake with your kids! Put on your favorite Christmas music and have fun. Take lots of pictures of your flour-covered kids, use pasturized eggs if you're planning on letting them lick the spoons and bowls.


Search the web to find local events. Lots of communities host Christmas events, like caroling, or your local school's music program might be having an event. Visit the Christmas displays in your town. Make hot cocoa and really savor the time together.

Saving at Christmas- the Gift Edition

Need ideas for gifts? Here's a few!



Calendars- Last year, I made up a bunch of photo calendars with pictures of the kids. I made them all the same, so it was at a discount. Clutter-free, since they are a usable item. Search the web for the best deals, and don't forget to Google "Coupon Codes" for the site you choose!



The gift of food- I make up a bunch of cookies and give them to, well, everyone! Using coupons combined with sales will cut the price in half or more!



Ebay- You can get almost anything at a discount from Ebay!

Saving at Christmas

So, everyone is nervous about the economy, and it seems that everyone is cutting back. But that doesn't mean that you have to, as Dave Ramsey says, "live in a cave and only come out on triple coupon Thursdays". You can still enjoy the Christmas season on a budget! I promise!



I'm going to start a mini-series on saving money at Christmas, complete with ideas for inexpensive yet thoughtful gifts, celebrating the season without breaking the bank, and a few of my favorite Christmas recipes. Watch for future posts!

Great deals at Shaws this week!

So, Shaws is doing a Catalina deal this week- spend $20 get $10 Cat. Pretty good deal on its face, right? Well, it gets better! There have been confirmed reports that the Cat prints based on PRE sale prices. That's right, folks, I did it myself! Here's what I did:

9 cans Healthy Choice Soups (on sale 10 for $10, regular price is 2/$5)= $9
-$3 (3x $1 off 3 coupons, found in the same aisle! can they make it any easier?)

Paid $6, got back $10 Catalina coupon!

Also included in this deal are Swiss Miss hot cocoa (make sure it says "Conagra" on the side), Pam, HC entrees, OR popcorn, Hunts products, and lots more!

Keep rolling the Cats to pay for your other freebie items, and you'll wind up with tons of pantry staples!