Holiday Shopping

The Holidays are around the corner! What does your shopping list look like? Purchasing gifts does not have to break your wallet. Here are some easy, fun and reasonably priced gift ideas.

Mason Cookie Jar
1. Combine four, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Place flour mixture in 1-quart jar
2. Recipe to attach:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) softened butter or margarine, 1 large egg and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until blended.

-Gift card for local golf course (fun for the whole family!)

-Hot Chocolate gift set with hot chocolate and marshmallows in a cup

-Groupon and Living Social have great buys for local restaurants. They also have discounts prices on events and fun things to do around your city.

So Christmas does not mean go broke.

It can be a fun and creative way to give to your friends and loved ones!!

Where do you Shop?

Where do you shop? Are you a frequent shopper of that store? If so, make sure you are taking advantage of their rewards or coupon program. Many people think the rewards will not add up or matter in the long run. But take a look at some of the rewards or discount programs available:

Vons

Sign up as a rewards member and receive gas discounts. 1 reward = $0.10 off per gallon of gas.
Also, download the Vons app for coupons

CVS

Sign up with your phone number to receive discounts. You earn "bucks" for shopping with CVS. These CVS bucks can be used towards almost anything in the store (excluding alcohol, lottery tickets). If you enter your email address, you can also receive coupons in your email for some big discounts. I have received coupons for 30% off my full purchase (excluding sale items). That is a huge discount!

Kohls

Sign up for the Yes2Rewards program. You will receive coupons in your email for future purchases. You earn 1 point for every dollar you spend. Also, you receive $10 for every $50 you spend. How huge is that for back to school shopping!

Target

Of course I have to mention my favorite, Target Cartwheel app. Download the Target Cartwheel app and log in with your email. This app has an unbelievable amount of items for sale. You can use the same coupon up to 4 of the same items. My favorite is 20% of Clearance item clothing. 20% of already 30% off clothing! I have purchased shirts for $1.50! How can you use this to your advantage? Think of purchasing for the year. Think of baby showers, birthdays, Christmas, etc. to make purchases for the year.
The food discounts are great. You can save 5%-40% of food purchases, even if the item is on sale.There are discounts from electronics to toys to fitness equipment. Check the Target app frequently for more updates.

Create a Budget

Creating a budget is necessary to provide some insight on the amount you and your family as a household is spending. Creating a budget does not have to be difficult or time consuming. I, personally, like Excel spreadsheets. If you do not like Excel, just use good pen and paper. Create a budget based on your known income, minus expenses. When it comes to expenses, be honest with yourself.

I once asked a client how much she spends on meals? Her answer. $100 per month. But when I ran the actual numbers, it was a total of $600 per month!! Look at your past statements to find out how much you are spending and what you can cut cost down on. Use apps such as Mint.com that will link to your bank account and categorize your expenses to give you totals. This is a great tool to use.

Also, think about not only of your activities but your families as well. Do your children play sports? What is the cost of that, including equipment? Do they take lessons such as swimming or piano? When are those fees due? Are there other activities involved such as team outings?

The biggest expense most families have is eating outside of the home. Don't get me wrong, I love going to a new restaurant every now and then. But spend time cooking from home, especially with a large family. I have a 10-year-old son who is age appropriate for the kids meal, but it does not really make him full. He eats off the regular menu. So, for a family of four, the cost of eating out adds up. Try to plan the family nights when you do eat out. If it's every Friday, then budget for it. The last thing you want to do is have a nice dinner, then stress yourself for not being able to pay your bills the next day.